Egg whites should always be at room
temperature before whipping. Be certain there is no yolk in
the whites and that the bowl and beaters are perfectly clean.
Cream, on the other hand, should be well-chilled. For the largest
volume, chill the bowl and beaters before whipping.
When using spaghetti, keep in mind
that 8 ounces of uncooked pasta makes 4 cups cooked.
When using all-purpose flour, keep
in mind that one pound flour is the equivalent to 4 cups.
When using dried beans and peas,
keep in mind that 1 cup dry beans or peas makes 2 1/2 cups cooked.
When using rice, keep in mind that
1 cup of uncooked long-grain white rice makes 3 cups cooked.
When using granulated sugar, keep
in mind that one pound sugar is the equivalent to 2 cups.
Ultimate Disposable Pastry Bag: Take
a heavy-duty zipper-seal plastic bag and snip off one corner,
making a slightly curved cut. Using a standard two-piece plastic
coupler (available wherever cake decorating supplies are sold),
insert the larger piece into the hole. Choose a tip and secure
it with the coupler's ring. Fill the bag and zip the top closed.
Decorate away, then remove the coupler/tip assembly and toss
the bag. No messy cleanup!
One way to preserve the flavor of
fresh herbs is to make herb butter. Let the butter soften, then
add finely chopped herbs in any combination, abbout 2 to 4 tablespoons
per stick of butter. The butter freezes well, and you can serve
it spread on French bread or with seafood or chicken.
Pancakes are lighter and fluffier
when you substitute club soda for milk in the batter.
Before opening a package of bacon,
roll it. This helps separate the slices for easy removal of
individual slices.
Drain deep fried foods on brown paper
grocery bags as opposed to paper towels to retain crispness.
Whenever possible, warm your dinner
plates slightly in the oven before serving so the meal stays
a little bit hotter.
To make lighter and fluffier mashed
potatoes, add a pinch or two of baking powder to the potatoes
before whipping.
Cookies will spread if your dough
is too pliable by allowing butter to get too soft. If your cookies
are spreading too much, try refrigerating the dough for a couple
of hours before baking.
Cookie dough can be frozen up to
three months in an airtight container or refrigerated three
to four days.
Check cookies at minimum baking time.
Let cookies cool completely before
storing. Store different types of cookies in separate containers
so they'll keep their original flavor and texture.
Marinate red meats in wine to tenderize.
Marinate chicken in buttermilk to
tenderize.
Use margarine instead of butter to
panfry or saute. Butter burns quickly.
Instead of adding raw garlic to sauces,
saute the garlic first for a milder flavor.
Thaw frozen meat and poultry in the
refrigerator and not on the kitchen counter where bacteria can
grow.
Add a small amount of lemon juice
to the artichoke cooking water to retain the color of the artichoke.
A low-calorie solution for high-fat
frying of corn tortillas is to place them in the oven, directly
on the rack. Bake at 350°F / 180°C,
to desired crispness. The tortillas will automatically fold
over into taco shell form with just a little postioning help.
A simple way to sharpen kitchen shears:
cut a piece of steel wool.
Don't just keep dental floss in your
medicine cabinet. Keep some in the kitchen. It's a great tool.
Unflavored dental floss is often better than a& knife to
cleanly cut all kinds of soft foods, soft cheese, rolled dough,
layered cake and cheesecake.
If lettuce starts turning a little
brown (but not slimy) it may not be suitable for salads, but
it is for sauteing. Sauteed salad greens like lettuce, radicchio,
and endive make an unusual but tasty side dish. Saute lettuces
just as you would spinach. Cook them quickly in a little olive
oil, minced garlic, and salt. They taste great, and you cant
tell that the greens were once a little brown.
