KITCHEN TIPS PART 2
TIPS AND OTHER STUFF:
When I make French toast the cinnamon and sugar combination seems to float to the top of the egg/milk mixture and the first couple of bread slices are the ones that get the spices. Try mixing a couple spoonsful of hot water into the spice mixture then whisk into the batter. The spices blend into the batter perfectly.
For very easy cleanup, use a pastry blender to mash tomatoes, squash, potatoes, etc.
A pizza cutter works wonders when slicing romain or leaf lettuce for salads. Works for herbs too. Just roll the cutter over the herbs.
When making potato salad, I find that steaming the potatoes instead of boiling them keeps them from becoming soggy. Steaming shrimp for peel and eat or shrimp cocktail does the same.
I've been doing this for 35 years and it really does make a difference: When trimming spare ribs, don't discard the flap at the top of the rack. Trim as much fat as possible and freeze. The next time you make spaghetti sauce, drop the thawed flap into the pot. The pork flavor will inhance the sauce and give it a great depth of flavor.
On the opposite side, to make cabbage leaves wilt easily for stuffing, place whole leaves in a plastic zip loc bag and freeze for about 4 hours. When thawed they will be flexible and easy to roll eliminating the need to blanch the leaves in boiling water.
I discoverd long ago that frying bacon in my George Forman Grill works like a charm. I have the Mean, Lean Grilling Machine and it slants to allow the bacon fat to run off and the bacon frys evenly. You can catch the fat in a piece of aluminum foil shaped like a trough.
If you like the taste of jalapeno peppers, and who doesn't, you can remove the heat by removing all of the seeds and ribs from the peppers. Scoop them out easily by cutting the pepper in half then running a small spoon down the center.
To keep brown sugar from becoming hard, use the discs created for this purpose or make a disc of your own. Use a carefully scrubbed shard from a terra cotta flower pot, soak it in warm water for 15 minutes and place in the center of a container of brown sugar. Cover with a tight lid and your sugar will stay soft for 3 or 4 weeks. Repeat when the sugar starts to harden.
When making chicken broth or stock, place all ingredients into the stock pot then gently push down to cover with water. Never let the stock come to a boil and resist the temptation to stir it. When done, lift the solids out of the pot with a large slotted spoon or "spider" and your stock will remain clear.
I read this tip somewhere, decided to give it a try and it works. When mixing ingredients for meatloaf or meatballs, place everything into your stand mixer and mix on the lowest speed til blended. You'll get even distribution and perfectly mixed meatloaf.
To clean the blades and drain in your garbage disposer, run cold water into the disposer will pushing several ice cubes down the drain. Repeat 4 or 5 times. The crushed ice will "scrape" the blades and sides of the drain leaving your disposer clean and smelling fresher.
When a recipe calls for well drained spinach , I use my potato ricer or my French Press coffee pot. Just fill the coffee pot with cooked spinach and plunge the water out. The water will rise to the top and you will have dry spinach at the bottom.
Got this tip from a magazine and it's become one of my favorites: Save leftover rustic breads such as sourdough, Italian, French, etc. in zip loc bags. Place in your freezer and whenever you need fresh rather than dried bread crumbs, take the frozen bread and grate it on the side of a grater. The crumbs grate very easily and defrost almost immediately.
I saw this at one of our local fairs and it gave me the idea of buttering corn on the cob the easy way especially when serving a number of people. Melt 1 or 2 sticks of butter in a square serving or casserole dish, or straight sided skillet. Drop the cobs into the butter, roll to coat and place on a serving platter. The butter will be hot and each person will only have to add salt, pepper or their favorite topping.
