Freeze the broth in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a resealable container and label and date it. Each cube is equal to about 2 tablespoons.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Sprape Your Fingers Using a Box Grater?
Try Microplane grater. It's a straight rasp with a handle, so you just hold it over the bowl with one hand and grate with the other.
When To Flip Pancakes?
Use a slotted fish spatula, designed to lift delicate foods, to check underneath a pancake as it cooks.
Raw Meat Juices Spill Onto Your Workspace, Containating It?
Use parchment for protecting the counter when working with raw meat and fish. Spread out a sheet under your cutting board or bowls, then throw it away when you're done.
Sauce Won't Stick to the Pasta?
Don't add oil to the pasta water to prevent clumping; instead, stir often. Oil keeps the sauce from adhering.
Meats Slip Out of Hands When Preparing?
Chilled meat is easier to handle. The cooler the better. As it gets warmer, it gets more slippery.
Lemons Too Firm to Juice?
Microwave them on high in 10 second increments until they are softened. Now the fruit can be juiced.
Brown Sugar Hardened?
Place an apple wedge or two in the bag with the sugar, seal it and store at room temperature. It should soften in a day or two. A slice of bread, instead of the apple, works well too. Also, put the bag of brown sugar inside a second, re-sealable plastic bag too.
Unwieldy Collection of Pot Lids?
To keep them with their mates, slip lids over the handles of your pots and hang them over head from a pot rack.
Herbs Scatter When You Chop Them?
Use rubber bands to bunch herbs before chopping, especially chives and parsley.
Your Food Doesn't Brown Nicely?
Before cooking, pat meats and vegetables dry with paper towels. If you don't, they will steam and won't get that nice brown crust.
Meat Slices Stick to Your Knife?
Use a hallow-edge knife. The wavy hallow edge blade prevents food from sticking, allowing the knife to pass through foods more easily. It also lets you slice meat more thinly.
Dry Turkey?
To retain the juices, let meats of all kinds rest before you cut into them. The length of resting time depends on the weight of the meat. A pork chop, for instance, would probably need about five minutes; a turkey, a half-hour.
Spices Lost of Zing?
Heat or toast them to reinvigorate the flavor. Put them in a cast-iron skillet over low heat with no oil. If you're using a thinner pan, be careful, because the spices can burn quickly. In the future, store them out of direct sunlight in opaque jars. Write the date of purchase on the bottom.
The Recipe Calls for Buttermilk, But You Don't Have Any?
Make a substitute--for each cup of buttermilk, place 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in a glass measure, then add enough low-fat milk to equal 1cup.
Chopped Vegetables Make a Mess Going From Cutting Board to Pot?
Use a metal bench scraper. It's supposed to be used to scrap up douch from work surface, and it's very good for that. But you can also scoop chopped vegetables to the side of the banch scraper and take them to the pan without dropping any.
Dull Knives?
Wash and dry them immediately after use, avoid leaving them in the sink, and never put them in the dishwasher. Sitting water will quickly dull the blades.
Garlicky Hands?
Stainless steel will neutralize the odor. Don't fall for the gimmicky stainless steel soap bars that many kitchen stores will sell you---your sink and faucet are probably made of stainless, so just rub your hands on them. A cut of lemon also works!
Runaway Peelers?
A Y-shpaed peeler gives you more control over fruits and vegetables that are harder to peel, like apples and butternut squash. And it makes peeling significantly faster. Place the veggies on your work surface rather than try to peel in midair.
Stale Bread?
Sprinkle a slice or two with water and microwave it for 30 seconds. This will store some o the bread's softness.
Food Stuck to Your Favorite Pot?
Simmer a baking soda and water mixture in the pot to help lift the food off. If you cooked something made with eggs, flour and milk (like pancakes), soak the pot in cold water first. If you use hot water, it sets the starch and makes it glue on.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Substituting Spices
When substituting spices, start with half the amount the recipe calls for (unless directed otherwise) and add to suit your taste:
Allspice, ground = ground cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves
Chili powder = dash of bottled hot pepper sauce plus equal measures of ground oregano and cumin
Cloves, ground = ground allspice, cinnamon or nutmeg
Cumin, ground = chili powder
Mustard, dry, 1 teaspoon = 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
Paprika = cayenne pepper (just a dash...it's hotter than paprika!)
Cayenne pepper, ground, 1/8 teaspoon = 2 to 3 drops bottled hot pepper sauce
Easy Seasonings
Make your own tasty blends/seasonings...it's easier than you think:
Apple pie spice, 1 teaspoon = 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice and a dash of ground ginger
Cajun seasoning, 1 tablespoon = 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon paprika and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Fresh snipped herbs, 1 tablespoon = 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried herbs
Poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon = 3/4 teaspoon dried sage and 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon = 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Perfect Weights and Measures
Keep these charts handy for easy conversions.
DRY:
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
5-1/3 tablespoons = 1/3 cup
8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
10-2/3 tablespoons = 2/3 cup
12 tablespoons = 3/4 cup
16 tablespoons = 1 cup
LIQUID:
1 tablespoon = 1/2 fluid ounce
1 cup = 1/2 pint = 8 fluid ounces
2 cups = 1 pint = 16 fluid ounces
2 pints (4 cups) = 1 quart = 32 fluid ounces
4 quarts (16 cups) = 1 gallon = 128 fluid ounces
Emergency Substitutes
Missing an ingredient? Before you make a mad dash to the supermarket, check this handy conversion chart.
Emergency Substitutes:
Baking powder (1 teaspoon) = 1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter plus 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Balsamic vinegar (1 tablespoon) = 1 tablespoon cider vinegar or red wine plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
Buttermilk (1 cup) = 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to equal 1 cup (let stand 5 minutes before using) or 1 cup plain yogurt
Flour, self-rising (1 cup) = 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Half-and-half or light cream (1 cup) = 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine plus enough whole milk to make 1 cup
Onion, chopped (1/2 cup) = 2 tablespoons dried minced onion or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Tomato sauce (2 cups) = 3/4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water
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