Tips and Tools

There's nothing like spring for cleaning out drawers, trying new recipes, and planning special family picnics and warm weather outings. I've always been a fan of special tools for whatever hobby or activity I am involved in. As a result, our house has storage spaces stuffed with gadgets for sewing, scrapbooking, and cooking.  Time to clean out and make choices!
A recent copy of Cuisine At Home, one of my favorite magazines (another weakness!), included a supplement publication on cooking tips. Some of these I've used, some I'm anxious to try. More ways to use my toys...er, tools. I wanted to share some:

* Store ice cream with a piece of waxed paper or plastic directly on the surface to prevent ice crystals from forming (really, as if ice cream ever stayed in my freezer long enough to form ice crystals!)
* Have hard cooked eggs with centered yolks by turning the carton over in the fridge 24 hours before cooking the eggs (wrap rubber bands around the cartoon to prevent an omelet in your fridge).
* Be sure to store eggs in the carton they are purchased in. Those egg trays in the refrigerator are really not good for eggs. The eggs thin shells can absorb odors from other foods.
* Grill bacon in the George Forman grill, no splattering in the skillet or greasy paper towel in the microwave oven. Be sure to remember to use the drainage cup (hasn't everyone forgotten that at one time?)
* Skim fat from browned ground beef by tipping the skillet and pushing the beef to the high side. Blot the fat up with a piece of bread or paper towels held with tongs.
* Use food handlers gloves for forming ground beef patties and meatloaf. Clean up is much easier.
* Stuff manicotti shells using a baby spoon (I wondered why I was saving that) or a pastry bag.
* To help bread rise, turn the oven light (only the light - not the temp) on and set the bowl of dough or pan of rolls inside with the door closed.
* Freeze portions of tomato paste or pesto in ice cube trays then pop out and place in a plastic bag to store in the freezer. Instant small amounts of those ingredients. (I recently found tomato paste in a tube at our store - more expensive but very convenient)
* Keep cut herbs fresh by trimming the stems and wrapping in a damp paper towel and store in an unsealed plastic bag in the fridge. (just like a fresh bouquet)
* Store fresh asparagus for several days by making a fresh cut at the ends and standing upright in a glass with 1 inch of cold water. Cover with a plastic bag and refrigerate.
* Refresh limp celery in a wide mouth jar with cold water. Cut the bottom and place the stalks in the water, refrigerate for a couple of hours.
* Bananas too ripe but no time for banana bread baking? Peel and put 3-4 bananas (whatever your favorite recipe calls for) in a plastic bag, slightly mash to make the bag flat for storage. Freeze.
* Keep fruit fresh and not brown by pouring a bit of lemon-lime soda over it instead of lemon juice. (We cut apple slices, sprinkle with soda or lemon juice, and put in a baggie for road trips)
* Use a ula (say OO-loo) knife (or sometimes called rocker knife), or pizza cutter to cut brownies, frosted cakes, bar cookies. It doesn't drag through the product and makes sharper cuts.
* Instead of using a buttered or sugared glass bottom to flatten cookie dough, use the textured side of a meat mallet. It leaves an interesting pattern.
* A plastic bottle makes a good funnel when you cut the top away from the main part of the bottle. Use a 2-litter for a large funnel, or a smaller water bottle for a smaller funnel.

Cooking, or any hobby, can be more fun when you've got tools you enjoy using. Time to clean out those cabinets and see what I find!