FYI #7 and some helpful hints from my kitchen to yours,

 Hello!! Today's Helpful hints are brought to you from my kitchen to yours,       
                                     

1.  Making a recipe that calls for buttermilk? Use this simple substitute, and you won't need to buy any:

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• Milk (just under one cup)
• 1 Tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Place a Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup.
2. Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one-cup line.
3. Let stand for five minute. Then, use as much as your recipe calls for.

  
2. Use regular yellow, white or red onions to make caramelized onions. These are great on hamburgers, steaks and baked potatoes. Slice up the onions and then 20-25 minutes in a skillet with olive oil should do it.



3. 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.

4.

We don't like using twist ties in our house. We use spring type clothes pins instead to close off plastic bags. Much easier to put on and take off.

5.

 To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing.

 
6.

To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.

 7. 

Cooking pasta is not an exact science, continually taste your pasta to see if the texture is close to al dente while boiling.

8. Make sure your put herbs in your salad.

9.  Throw shrimp into lightly boiling water, and give it exactly three minutes to cook.

10. Always cook more spinach then you think you'll need.

And finally a great handy dandy kitchen tool.

Never doubt if your roast is prepared correctly.   Meat, poultry thermometer.

9/9/13

11/19/15

FYI's #6 Some helpful ideas from my kitchen to yours,

I think we'd all agree our time is precious and we all would like to save money so I will try to help in my little way with some tips, tools and a few helpful hints to save you time and money.

I am adding to today's list a handy kitchen tool that I love.  I may not use it everyday but it sure comes in handy and doesn't take much space in your kitchen cabinet drawer. 

Making your kitchen time a little easier with a few FYI's:



List #2

1.  The secrets of a blue ribbon pie maker: Use ice cold water. Handle the dough as little as possible and mix and prepare it as quickly as you can.

2.  Mix used coffee grounds in with the soil in your garden or in pots. It makes for instant compost and will keep slugs away too.

3.  A Southern curiosity are Kool-Aid Pickles, aka Koolickles. Dump out half the brine from a jar of pickles. Refill with your favorite brand of Kool-Aid. Let them sit for 24 hours and then enjoy.

4. The simpler the better sometimes: Coleslaw: Chop green cabbage, a little mayonnaise, a little apple cider vinegar and some sugar. That's it.

5.  When we're on diets we like to keep celery and carrot sticks readily available. I prepare them and then store them in a plastic tub of water.

6.  When baking with honey, remember the following: add l/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used.

7.

Small funnel.  I buy larger size Olive Oil and Vinegar and this tool comes in handy for me to transfer liquid to a smaller bottle.  Keep one of you old OO and Vinegar bottles and you will save money.

8.  What I have found is that it is recommended to follow a tried and tested recipe when using honey. However, when you are looking to substitute honey for sugar, using a little baking soda helps to neutralize the acidity of the honey."

9.  One cup (8 ounces) of dried beans increases to 2 cups (1 to 1� pounds) of soaked beans.

10.  To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.

Note:  These tips were provided courtesy of online tips and Readers Digest.

8/11/13

3/17/14 (2)

5/13/14

11/18/15

FYI #5 and a few added handy kitchen items.

My very first kitchen tool today that I recommend is my Pampered Chef rolling utensil.  It beats the old rolling pin for sure.  I am not one to endorse anything without being asked but I love this easy gadget.  Another item you don't necessarily use every day but it stores well in a kitchen drawer. 

1. 

2.

When we're on diets we like to keep celery and carrot sticks readily available. I prepare them and then store them in a plastic tub of water.

3.  Good Feng Shui for the kitchen: Throw out plates that have been chipped (or give them to your sister to use for her mosaic work). Using chipped plates attracts stagnant chi energy.

4.  When mincing garlic, sprinkle on a little salt so the pieces won't stick to your knife or cutting board.

5.  1 tsp of dried herb is not equal to 1 tsp of fresh herbs. The ratio of dry to fresh is 3 to 1. If your recipe calls for 3 tsp of fresh parsley use 1 tsp of dried parsley.

6.  A cut tomato should be stored in the refrigerator. Uncut tomatoes should not be stored in the refrigerator but in a cool place.

7.  A nice touch when you're cooking frozen corn is to add milk and a tiny bit of sugar to the corn instead of water. Cook as usual.

8.  A sneaky trick that is better for your family's health is to take a small piece of tape and cover over half of the holes in the salt shaker on the inside of the lid. Less salt - healthier hearts.

9.  Quick sauce from meat bits in the pan. Pour off some of the excess fat and deglaze with wine. Add a little bit of olive oil and butter. Reduce for about 2 minutes and then add herbs like parsley, rosemary and thyme.

10.  Amuse the people in your kitchen by testing spaghetti by slinging a strand on a nearby wall. If it sticks, the spaghetti is done.

11. Use regular yellow, white or red onions to make caramelized onions. These are great on hamburgers, steaks and baked potatoes. Slice up the onions and then 20-25 minutes in a skillet with olive oil should do it.

Another Handy Gadget:  Melon Ball, Cookie scooper or meatball maker.  Make all your cookies, meatballs the same size with this handy dandy kitchen tool.

Keep checking my blog for updates on new FYI's, helpful hints and handy dandy kitchen items.

8/30/13
11/17/15

FYI #4 Tips and Tools from my kitchen to yours,

1.Make sure your kitchen scale is calibrated correctly. Load up 10 pennies. They should weigh one ounce.

2.  Out of cough syrup? Warm up a little bit of honey and lemon juice.

3. Deviled eggs? Place all filler ingredients in a plastic bag, seal it and moosh it all up. Cut off a corner of the bag and pipe into the egg whites.

4.  Put a little brown sugar in your tomato based sauces to cut the acid for people with sensitive stomachs. It also lends

Saute � garlic first before adding to a sauce. The taste will be milder.

5. 

Rubber jar opener. Saves a lot of time and wrist discomfort with this handy dandy tool.

6.  Tough food on pots? Soak in hot water with a dryer fabric softener sheet.

7.  Substitute club soda for milk in a pancake recipe and they will be light and fluffy.

8. To prevent your eyes from watering while chopping up onions, press the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth.

9.  Turn your oven off a few minutes before you're done roasting or baking. The oven will retain heat and you will be conserving energy.

10.  Use a muffin tin to hold stuffed bell peppers while they are cooking. None of them will fall over.

8/21/13

11/21/15

FYI's #3 plus tips and a helpful kithen tool too from my kitchen to yours,

A few more Kitchen tips for you :)

1.  Yeast past its expiration date? Test by putting it into a quarter cup of warm water with a teaspoon of sugar. If it's still kicking it will bubble up in a few minutes.

2.  Problem with ripping fried eggs? Spray the spatula with a little non-stick cooking spray and dish up perfectly fried eggs every time.

3.  

Buy a Large salt and pepper shaker with a handle .  Easy to add salt and pepper while you are cooking!

4.  Having trouble cutting a hard boiled egg in half without having the edges tear? Use a piece of thread.

5.  I'm using parchment paper more and more. It's terrific with baked goods and does OK with meat loaves. Not so much cleaning up afterwards!

6.  Bread rising? Heat up a cup of water in the microwave. Push the cup to the far corner of the microwave and add your bread in a covered bowl to rise. Close the door and let the bread rise.

7.  Storing parsley? Chop it up, place in ice cube trays, fill with water and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic bag and return to the freezer. When needed for soups or stews throw some cubes into the pot.

8.  Let steaks sit around for a few minutes after you get them out of the broiler so the juices can settle. Then call everyone to eat.

9. Pick the yellowest of ears of corn.  You'll reap seven percent of your daily requirement of Vitamin A from yellow corn versus none from the white corn.

10.  Carrots retain 25 % more falcarinol, a cancer-fighting compound, if they aren't chopped before they are boiled.  Sliced carrots have a larger surface area which allows more of their nutrients to leach into the cooking water.  But cooked carrots are more nutritious than raw carrots.  Heating them helps your body absorb more of their beta-carotene.

Have a wonderful day!

(3)8/18/1312/28/15