A variety of cooking tips in no particular order
partially freeze and it will slice easily.* A roast with the bone in will cook faster than a boneless roast -
the bone carries the heat to the inside of the roast quicker.
* For a juicer hamburger add cold water to the beef before grilling
(1/2 cup to 1 pound of meat).
* To keep cauliflower white while cooking -
add a little milk to the water.
* Let raw potatoes stand in cold water for at least half an hour
before frying to improve the crispness of french-fried potatoes.
* Buy mushrooms before they "open." When stems and caps are attached
snugly, mushrooms are truly fresh.
* Lettuce keeps better if you store in refrigerator without washing
first so that the leaves are dry. Wash the day you are going to use.
* Do not use metal bowls when mixing salads.
Use wooden, glass or china.
* A Perfect Pastry Crust? In your favorite recipe, substitute a
4:1 ratio of lard:butter.
* To make your own corn meal mix: combine 1 cup corn meal, 1 cup
all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 4 teaspoons baking
powder. You can store it in a tightly covered container for
up to 6 months.
* It's important to let a roast — beef, pork, lamb or poultry –
sit a little while before carving. That allows the juices to
retreat back into the meat. If you carve a roast too soon,
much of its goodness will spill out onto the carving board.
* Microwave a lemon for 15 seconds and double the juice you get
before squeezing.
* Microwave garlic cloves for 15 seconds and the skins slip
right off.
* When slicing a hard boiled egg, try wetting the knife just before
cutting. If that doesn't do the trick, try applying a bit of
cooking spray to the edge.
* Rescue stale or soggy chips and crackers: Preheat the oven to
300F. Spread the chips or crackers in a single layer on a
baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes. Allow to cool,
then seal in a plastic bag or container.
* The best way to store fresh celery is to wrap it in aluminum
foil and put it in the refrigerator–it will keep for weeks.
* Store freshly cut basil on your kitchen counter in a glass
with the water level covering only the stems. Change the
water occasionally. It will keep for weeks this way,
even develop roots! Basil hates to be cold, so NEVER put
it in the refrigerator. Also, regular cutting encourages
new growth and healthier plants.
* A dampened paper towel or terry cloth brushed downward on a cob of
corn will remove every strand of corn silk.
* Fresh eggs' shells are rough and chalky; old eggs are smooth and
shiny.
* No "curly" bacon for breakfast when you dip it into cold water
before frying.
* When working with dough, don't flour your hands; coat them with
olive oil to prevent sticking.
* Use a gentle touch when shaping ground beef patties. Overhandling
will result in a firm, compact texture after cooking. Don't press
or flatten with spatula during cooking.
* Never heat pesto sauce – the basil will turn black and taste bitter.
* Butter pie pastry scraps: sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and
bake like cookies.
* A jar lid or a couple of marbles in the bottom half of a double-boiler
will rattle when the water gets low and warn you to add more before
the pan scorches or burns.
* When mincing garlic, sprinkle on a little salt so the pieces won't
stick to your knife or cutting board.
* If your cake recipe calls for nuts, heat them first in the oven,
then dust with flour before adding to the batter to keep them from
settling to the bottom of the pan.
* Noodles, spaghetti and other starches won't boil over if you rub
the inside of the pot with vegetable oil.
* Brown gravy in a hurry with a bit of instant coffee straight from
the jar… no bitter taste, either.
* To hasten the cooking of foods in a double boiler, add salt to the
water in the outer boiler.
* Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to
prevent ice cream drips.
* To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the
potatoes.
* Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your
forehead. The throbbing will go away.
* Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for
future use in casseroles and sauces.
* If you have a problem opening jars: Try using latex dishwashing
gloves. They give a on-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.
* Add a little lemon and lime to tuna to add zest and flavor to tuna
sandwiches. Use cucumbers soaked in vinegar and pepper in sandwich
instead of tomatoes. Use mustard instead of mayo to cut the fat
and add a tang.
* Instead of the water your recipe calls for, try juices, bouillon,
or water you've cooked vegetables in. Instead of milk, try
buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream. It can add a whole new flavor
and improve nutrition.
* Steak Sauce With A Kick: Deglaze your frying pan (after searing your
New York steaks) with brandy. Add two tablespoons of butter, a little
white wine and a splash of Grand Marnier. Serve over steaks -
you'll never use steak sauce again.
* When browning ground meat, brown several pounds and drain. Divide
evenly in freezer containers and freeze. Unthaw in microwave for
quick fixing next time.
* Ground spices really should be replaced every 6 months or so!
Unless you know you will use them up fairly quickly, buy a bottle
in partnership with a friend and split the contents.
You'll each benefit from fresh spices.
* Sunlight doesn't ripen tomatoes, warmth does. Store tomatoes with stems
pointed down and they will stay fresher, longer.
* Place green fruits in a perforated plastic bag. The holes will allow
air to circulate while retaining the ethylene gas that fruits
produce during ripening.
* Marshmallows won't dry out when frozen.
* Poke a hole in the middle of the hamburger patties while shaping them.
The burgers will cook faster and the holes will disappear when done.
* For fluffier, whiter rice, add one teaspoon of lemon juice per quart of
water. To add extra flavor and nutrition to rice, cook it in liquid
reserved from cooking vegetables.
* Cheese won't harden if you butter the exposed edges before storing.
* Sausage patties rolled in flour before frying won't crack open
during cooking.
* Two drops of yellow food coloring added to boiling noodles will
make them look homemade.
* When separating eggs, break them into a funnel. The whites will
go through leaving the yolk intact in the funnel.
* Fresh fish freeze well in a milk carton filled with water.
* Make your own celery flakes. Just cut and wash the leaves from the
celery stalks; place them in the oven on low heat or in the hot sun
until thoroughly dry. Crumble and store in an air-tight container.
* When picking a melon, smell it for freshness and ripeness.
Check to see that the fruit is heavy in weight and that the
spot on the end where it has been plucked from the vine is soft.
* When tossing a salad with a basic vinaigrette, always make the
vinaigrette at least 1/2 hour ahead of time and let the mixture
sit to allow the flavors to marry. Pour the vinaigrette down
the side of the bowl, not directly on the greens, for a more
evenly dressed salad.
overnight, tilting the bottle so the water will freeze at an angle (if you freeze it straight up, the expanded water will make the bottle bulge). Next morning pack the lunch, add more drinking water to the bottle, and stick it in the lunch box to keep the food cool and be melted enough to drink by lunchtime.
them so they won't burn during cooking.* If you prefer metal skewers, which have a long life, use
square or twisted types, which will hold the food better
than round ones.
* To keep food from slipping off during cooking and turning,
use two parallel skewers rather than a single skewer.
* If you're using a wooden skewer, as you thread the food
move the pieces close together, with no space showing.
If the skewer is metal, you can leave small spaces between
the pieces.
* When using foods with different cooking times (such as shrimp
and beef), don't combine them on the same skewer. Instead,
make skewers of just shrimp or just beef, start cooking the
beef first, and then combine them on a serving platter
Swiss Steak Recipe – My Own Version
Everyone has their own way of making Swiss Steak.
This recipe is very good and very easy – and I hope you enjoy it.
I cut my round steak into serving size portions; rinse and pat dry.
Coat both sides with fresh minced garlic, Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
In shallow dish I combine flour with fresh minced parsley; press steaks into flour and place in large heated heavy skillet with hot olive oil (make sure the pan is hot, add the oil and heat the oil) and brown both sides.
In a bowl, combine:
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes (sometimes stewed tomatoes)
About 1 cup of red and green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium onion, diced
Fresh minced garlic, fresh minced parsley, Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
One can water (using tomato can)
Mix well and pour over steak; reduce heat to low, partially cover, allow to simmer until meat is tender (about an hour or so). More water may be added to keep the meat partially covered.
NOTE: I tenderize my meat by pounding with a meat mallet for this recipe.
Also – I've transferred the meat to the crockpot after browning and cooked for several hours.
Adjust salt and pepper if desired.
VARIATION: I've cut the meat in small pieces (or you can use stew meat) and I've added two cans of tomatoes (instead of one), left out the water, added chunks of carrots and potatoes and cooked in the crockpot until the meat was tender and the veggies were tender.
About a half hour before serving, add frozen peas and corn; heat through.
If you don't want to add potatoes, leave them out and serve this over cooked rice or couscous.
Quick “Steak” and “Pepper” Sandwiches
This is so easy, so quick to make, great when the weather is so hot and you don't want to cook for a long period of time, etc. And it doesn't have to be hot weather to enjoy these. Great for lunch, dinner, or even tail gating!
Heat oil in skillet (I used my wok skillet) until hot; add onion chunks and sliced pepperoncini.
Season with Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, parsley, garlic, and onion powder; saute until softened.
To this I added a box (6-count) Steak-Umms that I broke up; fried until done.
Meanwhile, I made steak fries and boiled corn on the cob.
Served the sammies on fresh Kaiser rolls – and I placed a slice of white American cheese on mine.
Very filling! Worth the mess too! LOL
Of course, we aren't real big "heat" (hot foods) eaters – so it's a double dose of iced tea after those sammies!
Crockpot Steak and Onions
Today I just had so much to do – the kids are back in school – not my kids – my babies. There is a difference.
You see – I spent my life working my tail off – never had time to marry or have children of my own. Then one day I woke up and it hit me – OOPS! I removed my head from my corporate butt and realized there is a life other than working 2 full time and 1 part time job and still trying to keep up with catering for friends.
But – 32 years ago I met a lady with 2 children – and her baby became my baby. She was with me all the time – lived with us for years – I put her through school – her wedding cost me a small fortune, blah, blah, blah.
And I love her to death. She is like my own. We are probably closer than many mothers and daughters. Of course – after she married she had 2 babies – so I call her the "surrogate mother" and her babies are mine. I want to keep them but she won't let me steal them for too long – DRAT!
So I am the proudest "adopted" gram to two of the most beautiful babies in the world! And I am happier than ever when I am with them. My little doll baby just turned 10 (I can't believe she is that old already!) and my little bruiser is 7 going on 8 this December.
No one loves them more than I do – and I even fight with their mom – I love them more – and that fight will go until I am dead – but I do love them more than anyone else does. (they are spoiled with love – but their mom would still say she loves them more)
Each day (their mom is a school bus aide) I arrive by 5:30 AM to watch them sleep, listen to them snore, feed them, wash them, dress them, check the homework and drive them to the bus stop or – sometimes right to school. Mom can go to work and she knows all is well.
It even gives us time to run to the park and look for deer, collect leaves in the fall, watch the ducks (like the time my battery went dead in the middle of a rain storm while we were watching the ducks! I panicked – had to get a boost and drive them to school and everyone laughed at me for taking them to watch the ducks! But what are gramma's supposed to do???)
Well the first week or so of school none of the bus drivers know what they are doing so I make my meals according to the babies schedule. After all – I have to drive all the way into the city every morning and afternoon. One of these the schedules will work themselves out. Right now they are getting home a half hour later than they are supposed to and it's an hour later than last year's schedule!
So for today – I made steak and onions in the crockpot. It was very easy to prepare – I always rinse my meats off and pat dry with paper towels. You just never know if there is a bit of bone or something stuck to the meat. Place in crockpot and season with Kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper, fresh minced garlic, fresh chopped parsley. I dropped in chopped onions seasoned the same way and put it on HIGH. It was done in 3 hours and we were able to have our "big" meal by noon; served with a large salad of greens, celery, beets, green beans and cukes – olive oil and lemon juice with a sprinkle of my Dipping Sauce Mix (dry). Fresh rye bread for sopping up the juices and dressing – made it complete.
Gave me time to digest, try to get these dang updates done in my computer (which they keep knocking me off line – grrrr) and then get ready to drive all the way back and wait for the bus. They hop in and we drive to their mom's last stop to get her. Everyone is home safe and sound – so I head home.
As far as cleaning the crockpot – I've had many ask the easiest way to do it – I find that while I am eating I fill it with hot water and let sit. Immediately after eating, all dishes are done in my house – no waiting. Everything is clean except the crockpot. So I empty the water, place Kosher salt on my dish cloth, and start scrubbing. It just takes a bit of elbow grease – cleans really easy.
Some have found it easy to let the crockpot soak with water and a dryer sheet in the water. I've never tried that – my salt works fine or me.
Do you have any tips for cleaning your crockpot?
