Miscelleanous Cooking Tips

A "fresh" tip
Buy day-old bread from a good bakery. It~s cheaper, works better for bread
crumbs, and it's already stale for stuffing. Plus, the baker might just
throw in a cookie!

Perfect Slicing:
When I need evenly sliced strawberries (especially for topping a dessert), I
use an egg slicer. Stem the berries first, then slice just like you would a
boiled egg. It's quicker than using a knife!

Hands-free Meatloaf
If you don't like getting your hands messy when mixing meatloaf, put the
ingredients into a large, resealable plastic bag. Close the bag, then
"knead" everything together until well mixed. Kids like helping with this
too!

Filling Pasta
Stuffing manicotti is difficult, but if you use a pastry bag without a tip,
it's a breeze! Just spoon the filling into the bag, then squeeze it into the
cooked pasta tubes.

Board Storage
I have several small cutting boards that I use frequently in the kitchen. To
store them on the counter where I can easily reach them, I use something
that's usually found on an office desk-a vertical sorter! I have a small
black metal type with three slots, but plastic works well too. It's easy to
clean, looks nice, and the cutting boards stand up in it, out of the way.

Skimming Fat
To remove excess grease from browned ground beef or sausage, blot" the extra
fat from the pan using a piece of bread. This also works for skimming fat
off of the top of soup or chili, and it's great for absorbing oil when
cleaning off the bottom of a pan.

Soggy-less Rice
When cooking rice, put a folded towel between the lid and the pot. That way,
when the rice steams and creates moisture, the condensation doesn't drip
back into the rice. It's absorbed into the towel! Cook the rice for
the recommended amount of time.

Scorch Saver
Before heating milk, rinse the pan with cold water (do not dry). This keeps
the milk from scorching.

Coating Cake Pans
Whenever I bake cakes, rather than greasing and flouring the pans, I grease
and sugar them. Sugar spreads better than flour and doesn't clump or leave a
floury film on the baked cake. Instead, it leaves a slightly sweet coating
on the bottom and sides.

Great Grippers
As I've gotten older, it's become harder for me to open new jars. But I've
solved the stubborn lid problem by wearing rubber gloves when opening them-
non-skid and non-slip!

Artichoke Holders
Artichokes tend to fall over in the pot when steaming. To steady them, place
thick rings of onion on the bottom of the pot, then set the artichokes on
top. Not only does this hold the artichokes upright, but they cook more
evenly, too, and the onion imparts great flavor.

Hammer Time
When pounding meat for cutlets or for tenderizing, a meat mallet often tears
the plastic bags or wax paper. To solve this problem I purchased a large
rubber mallet at the hardware store. Not only does it work great tor
pounding and tenderizing meats but it's also indespensible for breaking
apart frozen foods, such as vegetables and fruit, allowing me to get just
the amount I need. It's also ideal for breaking up chunks of ice.