more great kitchen tips
Alas, our last issue of Cook's Country has arrived. Or hasn't. I can never figure out when our subscription expire.
But let's assume it IS the last issue and celebrate with one last round of helpful hints!
New Use for Floss
Instead of using a spatula to loosen baked-on cookies from a baking sheet, I use unflavored, unwaxed dental floss. With a long strand held safely away from the hot surface of the pan, I can loosen all the cookies with one swipe!
This makes me a little queasy.
Why NOT use a spatula?
Burnt Cookie Quick Fix
Sometimes I get distracted and my cookies get a little burnt on the bottom, but I don't throw them away. Instead, I dip the bottom of the cookies in melted chocolate. The cookies look fancy, and there's no burnt taste!
If you are going to get distracted you'll probably ruin the chocolate too. I make burnt cookies all them time. I tell everyone I meant to do it because charcoal is good for us.
No-Mess Mixing!
I used to splatter food all over my kitchen every time I used my electric mixer. To avoid the mess, I now stick a paper plate through the beaters: the paper plate stops any food that splatters up. No more mess!
This could work, but why do I have this picture in my head of the paper plate getting totally wrapped up in my beaters resulting in origami covered in icing?
Seed Removal
I make a lot of salsa, and instead of using a paring knife to take the seeds out of a jalapeno, I use an old metal baby spoon. The spoon is just the right size to take the seeds out in one quick swoop.
-Just remember to wash it before you feed the baby.
Cool Down
When I make beef and vegetable soup, I always want to eat it right away, but it's too hot. A quick way to cool the soup is to add frozen peas and corn at the very end of cooking, just before serving - the vegetables cool the soup as they defrost. No more waiting!
If you can't wait for your soup to cool off a little before eating it I'm thinking you have bigger problems.
Quick Garlic Peeling
Peeling garlic can be very time consuming, especially when I need several cloves. Instead of taking the time to peel the cloves individually, I throw a bunch in the food processor and pulse them just enough to loosen the skins. The food processor gets the job started for me, making my life much easier.
...Because washing the food processor isn't time consuming AT ALL.
Double Duty
A few years ago I decided to make punch for a party, but I didn't have a ladle to go with my punch bowl. But I did have a brand-new turkey baster! My guests thought it was a hysterical idea, but I had the last laugh when I got every last drop of punch out of the bowl.
I'm queasy again, and I don't know why.
I've never been to a party wherein the punch was finished, I guess her punch didn't have a brick of sherbet floating in it.
But let's assume it IS the last issue and celebrate with one last round of helpful hints!
New Use for Floss
Instead of using a spatula to loosen baked-on cookies from a baking sheet, I use unflavored, unwaxed dental floss. With a long strand held safely away from the hot surface of the pan, I can loosen all the cookies with one swipe!
This makes me a little queasy.
Why NOT use a spatula?
Burnt Cookie Quick Fix
Sometimes I get distracted and my cookies get a little burnt on the bottom, but I don't throw them away. Instead, I dip the bottom of the cookies in melted chocolate. The cookies look fancy, and there's no burnt taste!
If you are going to get distracted you'll probably ruin the chocolate too. I make burnt cookies all them time. I tell everyone I meant to do it because charcoal is good for us.
No-Mess Mixing!
I used to splatter food all over my kitchen every time I used my electric mixer. To avoid the mess, I now stick a paper plate through the beaters: the paper plate stops any food that splatters up. No more mess!
This could work, but why do I have this picture in my head of the paper plate getting totally wrapped up in my beaters resulting in origami covered in icing?
Seed Removal
I make a lot of salsa, and instead of using a paring knife to take the seeds out of a jalapeno, I use an old metal baby spoon. The spoon is just the right size to take the seeds out in one quick swoop.
-Just remember to wash it before you feed the baby.
Cool Down
When I make beef and vegetable soup, I always want to eat it right away, but it's too hot. A quick way to cool the soup is to add frozen peas and corn at the very end of cooking, just before serving - the vegetables cool the soup as they defrost. No more waiting!
If you can't wait for your soup to cool off a little before eating it I'm thinking you have bigger problems.
Quick Garlic Peeling
Peeling garlic can be very time consuming, especially when I need several cloves. Instead of taking the time to peel the cloves individually, I throw a bunch in the food processor and pulse them just enough to loosen the skins. The food processor gets the job started for me, making my life much easier.
...Because washing the food processor isn't time consuming AT ALL.
Double Duty
A few years ago I decided to make punch for a party, but I didn't have a ladle to go with my punch bowl. But I did have a brand-new turkey baster! My guests thought it was a hysterical idea, but I had the last laugh when I got every last drop of punch out of the bowl.
I'm queasy again, and I don't know why.
I've never been to a party wherein the punch was finished, I guess her punch didn't have a brick of sherbet floating in it.
Comments
and I like the soup idea. I might steal that one. My sister always puts ice cubes in her soup, but this would solve that problem.
I learn so much from your blog...
oh, and my vw is wwmxv, which makes me think of WAXED floss, (I use mint flavor.)
I use a spoon to de-seed my hot peppers, too. But I didn't send in that tip, I swear.
I love punch but only if it doesn't have bits of gunk floating in it.
Me? I use parchment paper on a nonstick cookie sheet.
-J.
I also use a spoon for jalapeno seeds, but I use a serrated grapefruit spoon. We received 2 grapefruit spoons as a gift one time - why??? - and this is what we use them for. Grapefruits, we loosen with a knife and eat with a spoon that doesn't have SHARP EDGES.
Thanks for the a.m. laughs.
Maybe her spatula was dirty from using it to scrape toothpaste off the bathroom sink.
I like the pot lick comment. Perfect.
So THIS is TRULY one of those moments where I can truthfully use the over-used acronym LOL! I'm at work (too busy to be reading this, but what they heck) and, literally, LAUGHED OUT LOUD!!
My honey says he's never met a burnt cookie that a hammer couldn't fix. We take care of 'em by smashing 'em and sprinkling 'em on ice cream. Mmmmm.
Jen
I think you need to renew it.
I know I could read lots more of your commentary.
Thanks!
There are whole recipes I avoid simply due to my hatred of the washing up of the food processor bowl.
The end.
And Kim.
And with you all the way on the dental floss.
So now I am feeling decidedly queasy myself.
I know now this is not true.