Helpful Cooking & Cleaning Tips #1

1~Excellent thickener for soups is oatmeal
2~Add hot milk to potatoes before mashing
3~To remove core from lettuce head, hit it sharply against counter or edge of sink, then just pull it out
4~To prevent soggy salads, place an inverted saucer in bottom of salad bowl
5~Meat loaf won't crack if rubbed with cold water before baking
6~For more even and faster cooking of hamburgers, poke a hole in the center before grilling
7~To prevent apple slices from turning brown, dip in sprite, 7-up, or lemon juice
8~To prevent burned cookies, remove from oven and allow to bake on cookie sheets the last 2 minutes
9~Cookies will stay moist if a slice of bread is placed with them
10~Fill unused muffin cup tins with water before placing in oven to prevent pan from burning up
11~Never use metal utensils on non-stick pans. They will scratch the surface and ruin the coating
12~Never pour water on a grease fire. Cover with a lid to smother it. Do not use a glass lid and don't try to carry it outside--it may splash and burn someone
13~Keep knives sharp. Dull knives cause more accidents than sharp ones
14~Make sure your hands and oven mitts are dry before grabbing hot dishes or pans. Moisture conducts heat and can cause burns
15~Make substitutions carefully. A ruined dish is a waste of time, ingredients, and money
16~Start and finish with a clean kitchen. Clean and load dishes as you go, putting everything back where you can find it next time--besides who wants to clean anything after food has hardened on them?
17~Salt can liven up tasteless food, but you can't remove it once it's in, so taste, taste, taste
18~Adding 2 slices of peeled potatoes to soup that is too salty will absorb the salt taste
19~Place a lemon half inside the microwave and heat for 1 minute for easy cleaning. Depending on how much stuck on food there is, you may need to add an additional minute or two
20~Room temperature vegetables cook faster than cold ones
21~Cook dense vegetables first (carrots, celery, broccoli) since they take longer than soft vegetables (onions, garlic, peppers) which should be cooked last
22~For corn flavor that will explode in your mouth, bring a pot of water to boil, place the shucked corn in the pot and wait for boil to return. Boil 3 minutes only
23~Avoid cooking acidic foods in aluminum, copper, or cast iron. This will discolor the food and give it a metallic taste. Non-stick surfaces are ok, as are glass, plastic, and stainless steel
24~Brush the tops of pie crusts with a beaten egg just before baking. They will turn out golden brown
25~Before measuring honey, corn syrup, or peanut butter, coat measuring spoon/cup with oil, they will slide right off.