Comments on: Brilliant kitchen tips and tricks

By: Kristen

Kristen — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 02:22:14 +0000

So this is a tip I just figured out a few months ago. When making stew or soup or something, I save the ends of carrots, celery, onions and garlic cloves in a ziplock bag in the freezer. When boiling a poultry carcass or beef bones for broth, I dump the baggie in the water.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 01:53:56 +0000

Here are some readers tips from the latest issue of Cook’s Illustrated. Rather than discarding the heels of bread or extra hot dog or hamburger buns, tear them up and freeze them in a zip lock bag. When you need bread crumbs, just toss the bread in the food processor.

For brown sugar thats turned hard, run it over a cheese grater.

The silicone tubes that you use to peel garlic, make a good potholder in a pinch. Slide the tube over the handle of the pot and you can grab it without getting burned.

By: Lindsey Nair

Lindsey Nair — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 14:24:00 +0000

Wow, you are the kitchen tip queen, Vickie! Thanks for all of those. I’ve never heard the thing about straight stems vs crooked stems on peppers.
Speaking of cast iron, after I clean mine I will sometimes put it in a warm oven to dry because sometimes even when you wipe it with a dish towel or a paper towel, you don’t get all the moisture off and it can get rusty in the cupboard.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 12:28:04 +0000

Thanks for the great tips, Vickie!

By: Vickie

Vickie — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 00:29:39 +0000

If you happen to be using potatoes the same meal that you’re using onions, after cutting the onions, rub your hands with potato peels, then wash your hands as usual. The peelings remove the onion smell from your hands. I also rub my hands on the sides of the stainless steel sink after handling garlic. Works like a charm! Rub your hands with lemon juice to remove the smell of fish. If you don’t use gloves when chopping hot peppers, rinse them with milk afterward to reduce the burning. It works the same as drinking milk when eating something spicy hot. Eases the burn. Lining cake, brownie, fudge and other dessert pans with parchment paper allows you to lift the food from pan before cutting. Always wipe a cast iron pan down with a little bit of oil after washing to keep them rust free and seasoned. To reheat biscuits, pancakes or other breads that were refrigerated, put a cup of water into the microwave with the bread. The water helps the bread retain moisture. To make it easier to clean the microwave, heat a tablespoon of white vinegar in a cup of water until the water boils. Let set in the microwave for about 3 – 4 minutes, then just wipe out the inside. The steam loosens the food particles and they wipe right out. When selecting spicy peppers remember that the ones with straight stems have less heat than the ones with curved stems. Can you tell I LOVE household hints? Lol!

By: Kathy

Kathy — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:31:15 +0000

When I bake brownies, I line the pan with non-stick foil. When they are done, I lift the brownies out with the edge of the foil, place it on a large cutting board and cut them with my trusty Pampered Chef pizza cutter.
The celery in the foil works, too. I’ve had it last longer than a month, too.

By: Kristen

Kristen — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 21:52:48 +0000

When a recipe calls for “water”, something else is almost always better.

By: Lindsey Nair

Lindsey Nair — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 21:37:25 +0000

A reader emailed this comment to me: the stainless steel thing REALLY works! I usually just run my hands (very carefully!) over the blade of my chef’s knife under running water and there is no smell on my hands afterwards! if you don’t feel brave enough to use your knife, any piece of stainless will do – I think a brushed finish probably works better than a polished one. The lemon juice thing does not work at all (IMHO)

By: tass

tass — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:23:39 +0000

Akin to the rehydrating mushrooms in wine tip … rehydrate raisins in balsamic vinegar before using in savory recipes like couscous and curries.

By: Kim

Kim — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:06:42 +0000

After chopping fresh garlic, when washing your hands rub your hands on your stainless steel faucet or sink. It removes the smell of the garlic. Don’t know the reason why this works but, it really does.