Cooking Hints and Tips   
Equipment

Wet your counter lightly, place waxed paper on top, and it won't slide. Now you can make your biscuits or pie crust without sliding waxed paper! To keep your salt shaker from getting clogged, add a few grains of white rice to it. This will keep the salt separated and flowing easily. To get rid of onion, garlic, or fish odor on a cutting board - rub the board with a cut lemon or lime half. Then wash in soapy water. If your cutting board smells from onions, garlic or even fish, pour on a little vinegar, wipe, rinse, and the odor should be gone. Bamboo skewers won't burn if you soak them in water for an hour or so before threading the food to be cooked on them. There are two types of skewers for cooking foods, metal and wood. Metal skewers are used for heavier, long-cooking foods. Wood or bamboo skewers are best suited to lightweight, quick-cooking items. To test whether a dish is microwave safe or not, place it in the microwave next to a glass measuring cup half full of water. Heat on HIGH (100%) for 1 minute. If the dish is hot it should not be used in the microwave. If it is warm it should be used only for reheating. If the dish is at room temperature, it is safe to use for all microwave cooking. Easy cleaning of George Foreman grills: When grilled has cooled down a bit, place a damp paper towel on the grill ( unplugged ) and close for 10 minutes or so. Then any cooked on food will be soft and easy to wipe right off. Cleaning Le Creuset, Dansk, Chantal, etc. when you’ve incinerated something. Fill with hot water and detergent and let set overnight. If it does not clean easily next day, with a “tuffy” sponge, rinse out and dry (even the burnt on stuff). DO NOT USE ABRASIVES! Spray with oven cleaner, put on the lid and forget about it for several hours. Repeat the “Tuffy Routine” until pot is sparkling. If the white lining is stained, fill with a mixture of chlorine bleach and water (10%-20% bleach, 80%-90% water) and let set until it is white again. This doesn’t take too long. Be sure pot is free of oven cleaner and has been well washed before doing the bleach soak. Moisten the rim of the bowl or pan, and plastic wrap will cling better when covering it. To grease pans without making a mess: Put your hand into a plastic sandwich bag, grab the grease, and rub it on the pans. Turn the bags inside out as you remove them and throw them away with the mess wrapped up inside. The easiest way to remove corn from a cob is to use a shoe horn. To remove corn silk: Dampen a toothbrush and brush downward. A new, clean 1-inch paint brush makes a gentle tool for brushing dough with an egg wash or butter before baking. Wash with soap and water after using. Rubbing waxed paper over the inside and outside of a wooden salad bowl will prevent it from becoming sticky. Rubbing shortening or oil around the top of a pot before cooking in it will help prevent things from boiling over. Butter the pouring lip of a measuring cup or pitcher to prevent dribbling. Or spray the lip with nonstick cooking spray. To get a dull finish on a shiny new pan, put it into a 350F degree oven and bake it empty for 25 minutes. Place a folded, damp towel under the bowl and it won't slip and slide while mixing. Remember that every time you open the oven door the temperature inside drops about twenty-five degrees. Never fill a pressure cooker with more food than half its capacity if the contents are mainly liquid, or two-thirds if the contents are mainly solid. Before bringing any sort of cooking container into close contact with a wood fire, remember to cover the pan's undersurface with a film of soap or detergent. This precaution will greatly facilitate the removal of soot later when the pan is cleaned. Never turn on an empty microwave. Running a microwave with nothing in it may damage the unit. If a gelatin dessert or salad has a mind of its own and wobbles off the serving spoon when you try to dish it out, try an ice-cream scoop. A pastry blender can be used to break up hunks of ground meat for Sloppy Joes or spaghetti sauce and will also break up whole canned tomatoes for sauces. An electric coffeemaker can also be an instant hot water maker for tea. Put the proper number of tea bags in the carafe and you'll have brewed tea in a jiffy. If you have a small grease fire on the stove, turn off the stove and douse the fire with baking soda. You can serve extra tomato or spaghetti sauce in a gravy boat for less mess and fewer spills. When you are frying foods, they won't stick to the spatula if you spray it with nonstick spray while you are spraying the pan. Run your ice cream scoop under hot water and it will cut through the ice cream more easily and make neat smooth scoops. If you place a paper towel or plate in between pans when you stack them for storage, the nonstick finish won't get scratched. Sharp knives are safer to use than dull blades, which can easily slip from food and require more pressure to cut. Knives made of high carbon stainless steel have the highest quality material of steel alloy. They take and hold a very sharp edge and resist stains, rust, and breakage. Knives made of carbon steel also take and hold a very sharp edge, but can rust and darken with food stains. Knives made of stainless steel are less expensive, but less sharp than carbon blades. Knives made of superstainless steel are very sharp, but will resist sharpening once dull. Knife handles made of textured polypropelene are ergonomic and resist stain and water. Hardwood handles are more vulnerable to water and stains. Food slides easily from the surface of a nonstick skillet, so little fat is needed for cooking. A fork or wire whisk is the best implement to stir thick, condensed canned soups. Every time the door of the oven is opened, the oven temperature drops 25 to 30 degrees? Use the oven window to conserve energy. If using a dark, nonstick baking pan, you may need to reduce the recipe's baking temperature by 25 degrees to prevent burning. A meat thermometer is inserted into meat at the beginning of cooking and left in until the meat reaches the desired temperature. For a more accurate reading, insert the thermometer as near to the center of meat as possible, avoiding bone and fatty areas. If you add a few tablespoons of vinegar along with your dishwashing detergent when washing dishes, the vinegar will cut grease and leave your dishes sparkling. While not essential, garlic presses make the favorite savory easy to add to recipes. Plastic garlic presses have the reverse-pin, a self-cleaning feature. Metal garlic presses are sturdier, but harder to clean. Bundt, round cake, and springform pans are often called for in baked recipes. The round cake pan (8 or 9 inches) is an essential piece of bakeware in your cabinet. The Bundt pan bakes an impressive form; the springform, often used for traditional cheesecakes, has a removable outer rim. Baking pans: For best results use correct size pan. The time and oven temperature should be adjusted to the type of pan being used. For shortening type cakes, bake cup cakes at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes; layer cakes at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, and loaf cakes at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Spoons and whisks are essential to any kitchen. No kitchen is complete without a variety of spoons: wooden, plastic, perforated. The whisk is designed for beating and mixing. For those who love the finishing touch, the pastry bag and a few tips make the decorating job a snap! Pastry bags can be made from parchment paper or purchased pre-formed -- they are made of plastic and come in various sizes. Choose a round tip for writing, and a couple of sizes of star tips as the basics to begin your set. A heavy, wooden rolling pin is absolutely necessary for rolling out doughs successfully. The weight and diameter accomplishes a quickly rolled, smooth dough; the handles, which operate with ball bearings, make rolling easier. Marble rolling pins are suited for pastry. Using them cold helps roll rich pastry. Cookie sheets have lip-type sides usually on one or two sides. This construction provides for even baking. The cookie sheet should be made of sturdy aluminum to prevent warping. They are available in non-stick finishes for easy clean up. Always buy heavy-duty baking sheets; aluminum are best. Get large sheets and baking pans; stock your kitchen with more than one of each. Avoid black-metal sheets. They can burn cookies easily. Line sheets with silicone-coated parchment paper before baking. A wire rack is a must for the kitchen if you plan to do a lot of baking. This piece of equipment becomes a necessity for proper cooling of recipes and protecting countertops. Buy strong racks for durability and strength. Grating and shredding takes no time when using graters and shredders. Whether you're shredding carrots or cheese, grating fresh ginger or citrus, the task is made easy and quick. A wide variety of these utensils is available. The basic aluminum box grater is an essential; it's easy to handle, clean, and inexpensive. Some of the newer European-made graters also get the job done easily at a slightly higher cost. Peelers and parers are essential for peeling and paring fruits and vegetables. Their design removes peel without taking excess flesh of the fruit or vegetable which often occurs with a paring knife and an unskilled user. They are useful for paring apples, tomatoes and cucumbers. Their tapered tips quickly remove potato eyes. Casserole dishes covered and uncovered are great for quick and easy one-dish meals that can be made in a hurry. Having a few different sizes covers meals for two or a large crowd. Usually made of heat-proof glass/ceramic or pottery (lead-free). Not all are microwavable. Keep empty pots and pans away from high heat or sudden temperature changes. If you move a pan from the cooktop to cold water, it may warp. If undissolved salt is allowed to sit on aluminum or stainless steel, it may cause the inside of the utensils to pit or become marred. Cooking time in a microwave oven is directly related to the amount of food in the oven. The more food cooking at one time, the longer it takes because the microwaves have to be shared. If you use a silver or metal tray to serve hors d'oeuvres you may want to protect it from food acids by an undergarnish of lettuce, grape leaves, croutons, or diced aspic. Save cleaning time by lining broiling or roasting pans with aluminum foil, pull out and throw away after cooking. The secret of making light dumplings is to keep them steaming on top of simmering liquid and be sure the liquid never exceeds a simmer. To unstick marshmallows, out some powdered sugar or cornstarch in the bag and work it in with the marshmallows. You may have to separate some of them by hand, but they shouldn't be sticky after they are well coated. A wok is easiest for stir-frying because its shape offers a large surface and even distribution of heat. Large, deep skillets work well too. Invest in one or two heavy stainless-steel pans with aluminum or copper cores. They will take a higher heat so that you can cook and reduce sauces more quickly. Cast-iron pans are also a good choice. To season a cast-iron pan, preheat oven to 250F. With a new pan, remove anything adhering to the surface and wash with a mild detergent. With an old pan that is rusty or encrusted or has been mistreated, use a slightly abrasive brush with the soap to clean the surface. (This should be the last time you use soap on the pan.) Dry the pan well with a towel. Then rub a generous film of solid vegetable shortening over the inner-cooking surface of the pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 2 hr. Remove the pan from the oven, carefully pour off any excess shortening. Cool the pan and rub it well with a clean towel. It is now ready to be used. When pan frying foods, be sure to use a heavy pan that distributes heat evenly. A crock-pot makes the ideal serving container for a hot punch or hot dip. Keep it on the Low setting to maintain the proper serving temperature. Use a crock-pot to revive stale potato chips and crackers. Place them in the pot but do not cover. Heat on low setting for 2 to 4 hours and they'll be crisp and warm. Generally meats are browned before being used in a crock-pot. In crock-pot cooking, the purpose of such browning is to eliminate fats (too much fat can cause over-cooking). To keep a bottle of pancake syrup from dripping, rub the rim with a piece of wax paper. Wax paper can be used to keep wooden salad bowls in good condition. Rub the bowl inside and out with a piece of crumpled wax paper. It will seal in moisture and help prevent strong flavors from permeating the wood. Use the same technique to treat wooden salad utensils. Use wax paper to apply a temporary non-stick coating to your waffle iron. Heat up the appliance and then turn it off. Lay a double thickness of wax paper on the grid and close the iron. Remove the paper once the waffle iron is cool. To keep foods from getting soggy in the microwave, cover them with paper instead of plastic wrap. Because it doesn't cling, wax paper will allow more steam to escape. A sure fire way to prevent cakes from sticking to the pan is with wax paper. Trace the bottom of your pan on wax paper and use scissors to cut out the shape. Grease the pan, lay in the wax paper and grease that too. Turn out the cake and remove the paper while it is still warm. Sprinkle your wooden salad bowls and cutting boards with salt and then rub them with a lemon to freshen them.

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