think of tofu as the oatmeal in my mother's meatloaf. It'll stretch whatever you want, as it absorbs flavors. Try in place of half the cheese in your lasagne. Use as half the meat in your sloppy joes. Mix with beans in burritos or other mexican dishes.
Showing posts with label Z-COOKING TIPS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Z-COOKING TIPS. Show all posts
Monday, September 5, 2011
Friday, November 20, 2009
Kitchen and Baking Tips
Run cold water over bacon before placing in the pan to fry and the bacon won't shrink as much.
Substitute club soda for the water or milk called for in your complete pancake mix. Your pancakes will come out light and fluffy!
When serving your guests chocolate chip cookies, heat in the microwave for a few seconds. The chips will be "melty" and your cookies will taste freshly baked.
To prevent salt from "caking" in your shaker, add a little dry rice.
Add a teaspoon of vinegar to your cake mix. It will improve the texture and moistness and you won't taste the vinegar in the cake.
Don't pour out that leftover sweet pickle juice! Thinly slice onions cucumbers and colorful bell peppers and allow them to soak in the juice for a few days. It will make a wonderful treat on your grilled burgers.
When soaking your beans for cooking, add a couple of teaspoons of baking soda. This will greatly reduce the flatulance caused by beans.
Toothpaste removes the "onion smell" from your hands.
For a refreshing twist to your ice tea, serve with frozen ice cubes made from cranberry juice or lemonade.
For a fun twist on your birthday cake, use fruit flavored lifesaver candies as "candle holders" on your birthday cake.
Did you accidentally pour grease down your sink? Mix dishwashing liquid with a pan of boiling water to clear your drain.
Before frying potatoes, allow them to soak in cold water for about an hour. Your potatoes will fry up crispier.
Did you know that 1 large marshmallow is equivelant to 10 miniature marshmallows?
To soften butter for spreading, heat a glass or pottery bowl in the microwave before company comes and turn the bowl upside down over the butter.
If your cake or quick bread recipe calls for greasing and flouring the pan, try keeping a box of white or vanilla cake mix on hand and use that in place of the flour. Your cakes and quick breads won't have a "floury" taste.
If you use glass baking dishes, turn the oven temperature down by 25 degrees. This will save you from overbaking or burning.
If your cake recipe calls for drained, canned pineapple in its own juice, then reserve the drained juice and use it in place of the water that's called for in the recipe.
Always "fluff" your flour with a whisk before measuring for cookies and cakes. This will make measuring more accurate and your baked goods will come out just right!
For "homemade Pam cooking spray," fill a spray bottle with vegetable oil.
To keep brown sugar soft, place in a Zip Lock freezer bag immediately after opening the box. "Squeeze" all the air out of the bag and then seal. It will remain soft for months and months!
When making Rice Krispy bars or other "sticky" treats, run your hands under cold water first. The marshmallow won't stick to your hands. You can also spray your hands with Pam.
If you marinate your beef in red wine, it will be very tender. The alcohol will "cook out" when grilling. Save the leftover wine by freezing it in an ice cube tray. After it's frozen, place the cubes in a Zip Lock freezer bag for future cooking use.
Before baking your cookies, cover and refrigerate the dough for about an hour or two. Your cookies will come out evenly golden brown. If making "monster cookies," scoop the refrigerated dough with an ice cream scoop and flatten a little with the palm of your hand.
For quick and easy donuts, buy a can of biscuits then separate. Use a floured bottle cap to "cut" the centers out. Fry in hot oil (About 350°) and drain on paper towels. While still warm, toss biscuits into cinnamon-sugar mixture.
When cooling your quick breads after baking, place the loaves on a wire rack. "Soggy bottoms" are created when the quick bread is left to cool in the pan.
Do you have trouble with weebles in your kitchen? Store your flour in the freezer.
Want a quick and easy way to slice mushrooms or strawberries? Use an egg slicer!
For a wonderful flakey pie crust, always use ice water. Replace 1 teaspoon of the ice water with 1 teaspoon of vinegar.
For a yummy twist on your banana bread, add a can of drained pineapple in it's own juice. This will make the bread very moist!
For moist baked chicken, soak in buttermilk first.
When making fudge, line your pans with aluminum foil, leaving some hanging over the edge of the pan. You can remove the fudge by simply picking up both ends of the foil. Cut your fudge into squares. No messy pan! I love the new Reynolds Release foil!
To prevent boiled eggs from "cracking," always make sure the eggs are at room temperature before placing them in the pot. Use regular tap water with a little salt and slowly simmer. Never boil!
When slicing boiled eggs, dip your knife into cold water first. This will prevent the yolk from sticking to the knife.
To easily peel garlic, place it in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds. The skin will easily slip off.
When boiling corn, add sugar in place of salt. Your corn will taste delicious and won't toughen the corn like salt will.
To remove all those "strings" after husking the corn, wet a paper towel and rub downwards on the ear of corn.
Citrus fruit tip: The heavier the fruit, the juicier and sweeter it will be. Always "weigh" citrus fruits in your hand before buying.
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Substitute club soda for the water or milk called for in your complete pancake mix. Your pancakes will come out light and fluffy!
When serving your guests chocolate chip cookies, heat in the microwave for a few seconds. The chips will be "melty" and your cookies will taste freshly baked.
To prevent salt from "caking" in your shaker, add a little dry rice.
Add a teaspoon of vinegar to your cake mix. It will improve the texture and moistness and you won't taste the vinegar in the cake.
Don't pour out that leftover sweet pickle juice! Thinly slice onions cucumbers and colorful bell peppers and allow them to soak in the juice for a few days. It will make a wonderful treat on your grilled burgers.
When soaking your beans for cooking, add a couple of teaspoons of baking soda. This will greatly reduce the flatulance caused by beans.
Toothpaste removes the "onion smell" from your hands.
For a refreshing twist to your ice tea, serve with frozen ice cubes made from cranberry juice or lemonade.
For a fun twist on your birthday cake, use fruit flavored lifesaver candies as "candle holders" on your birthday cake.
Did you accidentally pour grease down your sink? Mix dishwashing liquid with a pan of boiling water to clear your drain.
Before frying potatoes, allow them to soak in cold water for about an hour. Your potatoes will fry up crispier.
Did you know that 1 large marshmallow is equivelant to 10 miniature marshmallows?
To soften butter for spreading, heat a glass or pottery bowl in the microwave before company comes and turn the bowl upside down over the butter.
If your cake or quick bread recipe calls for greasing and flouring the pan, try keeping a box of white or vanilla cake mix on hand and use that in place of the flour. Your cakes and quick breads won't have a "floury" taste.
If you use glass baking dishes, turn the oven temperature down by 25 degrees. This will save you from overbaking or burning.
If your cake recipe calls for drained, canned pineapple in its own juice, then reserve the drained juice and use it in place of the water that's called for in the recipe.
Always "fluff" your flour with a whisk before measuring for cookies and cakes. This will make measuring more accurate and your baked goods will come out just right!
For "homemade Pam cooking spray," fill a spray bottle with vegetable oil.
To keep brown sugar soft, place in a Zip Lock freezer bag immediately after opening the box. "Squeeze" all the air out of the bag and then seal. It will remain soft for months and months!
When making Rice Krispy bars or other "sticky" treats, run your hands under cold water first. The marshmallow won't stick to your hands. You can also spray your hands with Pam.
If you marinate your beef in red wine, it will be very tender. The alcohol will "cook out" when grilling. Save the leftover wine by freezing it in an ice cube tray. After it's frozen, place the cubes in a Zip Lock freezer bag for future cooking use.
Before baking your cookies, cover and refrigerate the dough for about an hour or two. Your cookies will come out evenly golden brown. If making "monster cookies," scoop the refrigerated dough with an ice cream scoop and flatten a little with the palm of your hand.
For quick and easy donuts, buy a can of biscuits then separate. Use a floured bottle cap to "cut" the centers out. Fry in hot oil (About 350°) and drain on paper towels. While still warm, toss biscuits into cinnamon-sugar mixture.
When cooling your quick breads after baking, place the loaves on a wire rack. "Soggy bottoms" are created when the quick bread is left to cool in the pan.
Do you have trouble with weebles in your kitchen? Store your flour in the freezer.
Want a quick and easy way to slice mushrooms or strawberries? Use an egg slicer!
For a wonderful flakey pie crust, always use ice water. Replace 1 teaspoon of the ice water with 1 teaspoon of vinegar.
For a yummy twist on your banana bread, add a can of drained pineapple in it's own juice. This will make the bread very moist!
For moist baked chicken, soak in buttermilk first.
When making fudge, line your pans with aluminum foil, leaving some hanging over the edge of the pan. You can remove the fudge by simply picking up both ends of the foil. Cut your fudge into squares. No messy pan! I love the new Reynolds Release foil!
To prevent boiled eggs from "cracking," always make sure the eggs are at room temperature before placing them in the pot. Use regular tap water with a little salt and slowly simmer. Never boil!
When slicing boiled eggs, dip your knife into cold water first. This will prevent the yolk from sticking to the knife.
To easily peel garlic, place it in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds. The skin will easily slip off.
When boiling corn, add sugar in place of salt. Your corn will taste delicious and won't toughen the corn like salt will.
To remove all those "strings" after husking the corn, wet a paper towel and rub downwards on the ear of corn.
Citrus fruit tip: The heavier the fruit, the juicier and sweeter it will be. Always "weigh" citrus fruits in your hand before buying.
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Sunday, May 24, 2009
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Peeling hard-boiled eggs easily
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Okay -- his language isn't great -- but he shows a tip on peeling hard-boiled eggs, which can, at times be a pain. So next time, I think I'll give this a try. I wonder if anyone will care if I blow on their egg? Watch the video here.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Crockpot Tips
Any recipe can be converted to a crock pot. If the recipe calls for baking or simmering for 15-30 min. crock pot low 4-8 hours, high 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. If it bakes or simmers for 35-45 minutes this is 6-10 on low, 3-4 on high. If it bakes/simmers 50 minutes to 3 hours then crock-pot 8-18 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high. Most vegetable & raw meat combinations will take at least 8 hours on low.
Yeast Tips
Instant yeast is also known as Rapid Rise, Bread Machine, SAF, QuickRise, Instant Active Dry, and Gourmet Perfect Rise. …The process by which the instant yeast is dried and put into dormancy results in more live yeast cells when the yeast is activated, which means that you use only 3/4 the volume of active dry yeast. The goal here is reliability and ease, not speed. The yeast came about with the advent of bread machines, as proofing yeast in warm water would have been an extra step, and with a bread machine most people want to put everything in it at once and walk away, or even leave it overnight to wake up to freshly baked bread the next morning.
to convert cake yeast to instant yeast, for 1 packed tablespoon cake yeast use 2 teaspoons instant yeast or 2-1/2 teaspoons active dry
instant yeast can be added directly to the flour without proofing. it is available nationally under the following names:
fleischmann's bread machine yeast or rapid rise red star's quickrise red star's instant active dry SAF instant SAF gourmet perfect rise
there are two kinds of dry yeast 1) instant active dry yeast 2) active dry yeast a 3 ounce cake of yeast is equal to: 8 teaspoons instant active dry 10 teaspoons active dry
1 teaspoons of either dry yeast weighs 3.2 grams 1 ounce=28.35 grams
to convert cake yeast to instant yeast, for 1 packed tablespoon cake yeast use 2 teaspoons instant yeast or 2-1/2 teaspoons active dry
instant yeast can be added directly to the flour without proofing. it is available nationally under the following names:
fleischmann's bread machine yeast or rapid rise red star's quickrise red star's instant active dry SAF instant SAF gourmet perfect rise
there are two kinds of dry yeast 1) instant active dry yeast 2) active dry yeast a 3 ounce cake of yeast is equal to: 8 teaspoons instant active dry 10 teaspoons active dry
1 teaspoons of either dry yeast weighs 3.2 grams 1 ounce=28.35 grams