Tips & Tricks

Trying new recipes
Try one new recipe at a time. Read your recipe twice, have all your ingredients together (also called mise en place). Need to make a substitution? (feel free to call me to check on substitutions) Most of all make sure you have the time to make the recipe. Do not try something new when you're feeling rushed.

Using kitchen scissors
For dishes require the use of freshly chopped herbs or chipotle peppers. Place in a cup and use the scissors to quickly and finely chop without any mess.

Strong odors on your hands
Can be removed by lightly wetting your hands and then sprinkling on baking soda. Rub the soda all over the hands, then rinse the soda away -- along with the odors.

Cleaning Cilantro and Spinach
Plunge into a sink full or pot full of cold water. Swirl around a few times and let sit for a while. The sand, dirt, and other debris will settle to the bottom, and the leaves will float to the top and can be removed. Repeat the procedure if the cilantro is very dirty.

Storing cilantro
After washing, try to dry the leaves as well as possible, a lettuce spinner works great, then stand cilantro upright in a glass of cold water to give it a final drink, then wrap a wet paper towel around its roots (it will last longer with roots intact). Store in a paper towel in the vegetable crisper drawer. Many herbs can be stored in the water (like fresh flowers) for quite a long time, fresh parsley will last for a week like this, looks pretty too.

Freshen a garbage disposal
Sprinkle baking soda in it along with a few drops dish-washing liquid. Scrub with a brush (a new toilet brush works great), getting under the rubber gasket and all around the inside. Then, turn on water and let the disposal run to flush thoroughly. For a fresh citrus scent, throw in a few cut up lemons or limes and run them through, too, using lots of water.

Cleaning a messy blender
To clean a blender, add a cup of warm water, run for a few seconds. Add a drop of dishwashing detergent and another cup of water and blend. Let is sit for a few seconds. Rinse clean.

Cooking perfect pasta
To prevent pasta from sticking together use plenty of water, cook at a constant boil, and stir occasionally. There is no need to add oil to pasta while it's cooking. Once pasta has been added to boiling water, start timing when the water returns to a boil. There is no need to rinse cooked pasta. If you do, the sauce won't cling. Rinse pasta only if it will be used for a salad or will be set aside or stored for later use.

Cloudy drinking glasses and vases
Soak them for an hour or longer in slightly warm white vinegar. Then, use a nylon-net or plastic dish scrubber to remove film. Still there? The damage must be etching (tiny scratches that occur in the dishwasher) and is permanent. To avoid this altogether, hand-wash your best glasses.

Clean your coffee grinder
Fill grinder with rice and grind for a few minutes, cleans the grinder and sharpen its blades.

Parchment paper
Still my favorite! Is the most invaluble tool in the kitchen, next to a good sharp knife. Use it to line cookie sheets, and you won't have to wash it when your done making cookies. Use it as a funnel to fill salt and pepper (or other spice) shakers. Measure out dry ingredients onto paper and it's so easy to then add to the mixer, little by little.

Protecting recipe cards
Have an old recipe from mom? Or a recipe cut out from a magazine? Use page protectors from the office supply store, once inside, hang on the cabinet with some tape above where you're working. Don't have page protecters? Use a zip lock type bag.

Easy apple coring
Don't have an apple corer? Just use your metal 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon to scoop out the core, works with pears too.

Instant counter space
A little extra counter space for resting bowls, platters, or cooling racks never hurts. Open a drawer, and rest a cutting board across the top. Nifty!