Cooking at home should be fun and exciting.
It is always nice to make a lovely meal or dinner for family and friends.
BUT
sometimes it can be quiet frustrating and time-consuming.
Here are 25 tips to help you save time and have fun in the kitchen again.
If you're unsure of an egg's freshness, see how it behaves in a cup of water: Fresh eggs sink; bad ones float.
Line the bottom of your refrigerator's crisper drawer with paper towels. They'll absorb the excess moisture that causes veggies to rot.
If you need only a few drops of lemon juice, avoid cutting the lemon in half — it will dry out quickly that way. Instead, puncture the fruit with a metal skewer and squeeze out exactly what you require.
To keep herbs tasting fresh for up to a month, store whole bunches, washed and sealed in plastic bags, in the freezer. When you need them, they'll be easier to chop, and they'll defrost the minute they hit a hot pan.
A bay leaf slipped into a container of flour, pasta, or rice will help repel bugs.
Prevent mushrooms from getting slimy by wrapping them in paper towels before refrigerating.
To revive day-old muffins, sprinkle them with water, place in a paper bag, and pop in a hot oven for five to 10 seconds. The steam created by the water will restore moisture.
Store crispy and chewy cookies in separate containers. If you combine them, the moisture from the chewy cookies will make the crispy ones lose their crunch.
Avoid separating bananas until you plan to eat them—they spoil less quickly in a bunch.
Put rice in your saltshaker to stop the salt from hardening. The rice absorbs condensation that can cause clumps.
Stock up on butter when it's on sale—you can store it in the freezer for up to six months. Pack the butter in an airtight container, so it doesn't take on the flavour of whatever else you're freezing.
Believe it or not, honey is the only nonperishable food substance, so don't get rid of the stuff if it crystallizes or becomes cloudy. Microwave on medium heat, in 30-second increments, to make honey clear again.
Prevent extra cooked pasta from hardening by stashing it in a sealed plastic bag and refrigerating. When you're ready to serve, throw the pasta in boiling water for a few seconds to heat and restore moisture.
Marinate inexpensive cuts of meat in at least one of the following: beer; vinegar; or citrus, papaya, tomato, or pineapple juices. These liquids contain enzymes or acids that will combat the meat's toughness.
And if all else fails, tenderize tough meat by gently scoring the surface with a pizza cutter—for better results, go against the grain of the meat.
To ripen fruit overnight, place it in a paper bag with an apple. Apples release ethylene gas that hastens the maturing process of other fruits.
Because plastic food containers are porous, they frequently retain odours even after washing. Store them with crumpled-up black-and-white newspaper inside to absorb odours. Then give containers a rinse before using again.
A butcher's trick for breaking down poultry: First, separate the legs from the body. Next, separate the drumsticks from the thighs. Then, separate the wings from the body. Place the chicken breast-side down and cut along each side of the spine to remove the backbone. Finally, cut the breast in half.
To get a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids—without spending a fortune on fresh fish—incorporate canned anchovies into your cooking. Try sautéing them in olive oil and garlic before using, and they'll dissolve into an olive-like relish. Or buy anchovy paste, which virtually disappears in sauces and salad dressings.
Form cold mashed potatoes into little balls, dip in beaten egg, coat in bread crumbs, and sauté or deep-fry. You can also mix in crabmeat or salmon.
If you've cooked more rice than you can eat, make rice pudding by adding butter, cinnamon, sugar, and milk. Or create fried rice by sautéing with a beaten egg, soy sauce, and sliced green onions. Or toss the rice with slivered almonds and raisins for a Middle Eastern-inspired pilaf.
No need to pour a pot of leftover brewed coffee down the drain. Freeze the liquid in ice-cube trays to add to iced coffee instead of regular ice cubes. Your coffee won't lose its potency as the cubes melt.
Throw together a trifle with sliced grocery-store pound cake, whipped cream, and overripe berries macerated with sugar and your favourite liqueur.
Rubbing alcohol will remove spots from stainless steel—pour a little of the liquid on a cotton ball and wipe over problem areas.
To save a scorched pan, sprinkle the burned bottom with baking soda, then add four to five tablespoons salt, plus enough water to cover, and let stand overnight. Scrape out charred remains with a rubber spatula.
Hopefully, these tips will help you save time and enjoy your cooking more.
Photos by:
Photo by Davide Cantelli on Unsplash
Photo by Nanxi wei on Unsplash
Photo by Andrey Konstantinov on Unsplash
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