Today's post kind of follows along with the others this week. Making what we have go further, making life easier, and just being creative. A bit of this and that! Here we go!!
- Spritz roasting veggies with a bit of Italian dressing before roasting. Talk about a yummy taste - lots of extra flavor.
- Top hot brownies or layer cake with about a half bag of chocolate (or any flavor) chips. Do this as soon as it comes out of oven. They melt - spread around and you have a delish "icing" or topping. I am always asked my secret when I make brownies!!!
- An easy-peasy way to chop an onion! I always chop by hand (no machine) and this just works so well.
- Always keep dehydrated onion flakes on hand - just in case you have no fresh and none in freezer
- When slicing a tomato - cut slices from top to bottom. Stem to butt. I just learned this not long ago - and it makes a huge difference. It keeps the juice from running out all over everything!!!! Seriously! I always used to slice side to side and juice would flow everywhere. Not now!
- When making any baked good in chocolate - add a bit of brewed coffee or a bit of instant in water to recipe. The coffee so increases the chocolate flavor.
- Have stale chips or crackers? Place a few at a time on a paper towel (to absorb moisture) in the microwave for a few seconds. They will taste fresh a new.
- For a quick fried potato - use a mostly cooked baked potato. You can microwave until almost done - then place in a pan with a little oil - use your potato masher (or the bottom of a heavy mug) to smash. Fry on both sides until golden. These are so good!!!!!
- Use your veggie peeler to make slivers of chocolate from a bar - to add pretty ribbons on top of desserts.
- Cut on onion in half (kind of like view 1 above) - top to root and then use your veggie peeler to make long uniform slices - easy. Slice from top to root.
- Use an egg slicer to slice strawberries, mushrooms or bananas. Nice and easy. You can cut anything soft that way.
- When measuring out something sticky (like peanut butter) - always measure an oil first. Makes the sticky item come right out of spoon or cup.
- Keep all kinds of milk on hand for cooking or baking. I keep fresh, evaporated, dry, shelf stable and frozen cubes of milk. I also keep Coffee Mate on hand as well - just in case! Always be prepared.
NOT a kitchen tip - but something I did yesterday that was helpful. I noticed my remote was pretty grunge looking! I made sure it was off - then I used an 'old' dry toothbrush to scrub between all the buttons. Dead skin and basic crud gets around all the buttons. This cleaned it out lickety-split! Then I took a damp antiseptic wipe and cleaned it. You don't want to use anything dripping or real wet - so as not to flow inside. Just needs to be sanitized. That and door knobs and the phone are the things we touch most often. Keep the clean and sanitized!!!
Hope you got an idea or two! You have any tricks to make things easier?
Give us a shout out!!!!!
Learned a few things here. Thanks for sharing! In my jr. high home ec class we learned that you can measure shortening (only available in a can back then), as well as peanut butter, in a cup of water. If you need 1/2 c. fill a liquid measuring cup with 1/2 c. cold water, and then scoop the shortening or peanut butter into the water until it reaches 1 c. Then pour off the water and add your remaining ingredient.
ReplyDeleteI remember doing that as well. It has been a while - but have measured that way before. Yep, learned that in home ec.
DeleteThanks.
Sometimes when I make brownies or a chocolate cake I add a pinch of cayenne pepper. It also really brings the chocolate flavor out. Well I wish I would have remembered to use my egg slicer when I cut up a ton of strawberries last week to make jam. lol
ReplyDeleteThat sounds yummy! I bet it enhances the flavor a lot.
DeleteBummer - the old egg slicer sure can be a handy device!
Love the ideas, Cheryl, and your timing is (again) perfect, as we'll try to get 4 lbs. of strawberries over the weekend at the 2/$5 (on one lb. tubs). Along with other berries bought yesterday, they can be frozen for future crock pot jam. What a time saver! Speaking of freezing, here are a few tips:
ReplyDelete--When freezing broth, leftover gravy, etc. in jars or containers, and even with ice cream, place plastic wrap over the top before freezing to prevent ice crystals and freezer smell. Gently press it down so the surface is covered, then cover as usual and freeze.
--Don't overlook your fridge freezer door for storage space! BIL mentioned one grandma had saved peanut butter jars, and as he chuckled, I told him I've done so for years to store liquids in the freezer door. Now I've found smaller, perfect sized (reusable) locknlock containers that hold 2 cups, but PB jars work, too. Unlike glass, plastic expands as the liquid freezes, which prevents broken glass (and a mess).
--DO mark and date everything that goes in your freezer(s). That plastic wrap is handy, because I can jot down on a tiny piece of paper contents and date, lay it on top of the plastic wrap, seal and freeze.
--Have yeast? You don't have to worry about expiration dates or yeast losing its leavening if you keep your yeast packets or jars in the freezer. Again, remember the door. Those packets can be slid behind your jars or containers there and stay "fresh" for years.
Those are some 1st cup of coffee ideas from my house. I might post more later when my brain is clearer. --Elise
Great tips. I always keep yeast in the freezer - lasts for years. Yes, on the dates!!!! Love using the plastic jars - no breaking.
DeleteYou gave some real good additions. Thanks
P.S. Not kitchen related, but my thanks to the reader who shared she uses bar shampoo. Forgive me for forgetting your name. My skin got hyper sensitive in peri-menopause and I had to go with unscented everything. The unscented shampoo I use, which is hard to find, has gone up to $12 per bottle!!! Well, I also use unscented Dove bar soap for sensitive skin. Remembering commercials that show the soap rinses without residue, I've tried it as a shampoo. It works! And my hair still shines! Best yet is I need no conditioner to tame dryness, as it doesn't strip my hair as the shampoo did. You've saved me a LOT of money!! God bless you! --Elise
ReplyDeleteSeriously! That is great to know. I use non-scent everything, except shampoo. I have Dove for sensitive skin - I am definitely going to try that. I have a bunch of it - so that would be a great money saver. Thanks
DeleteExcellent tips! A blogger mentioned that she crushed up the oatmeal raisin cookies that had gone stale and used them as a topping on a fruit crisp.
ReplyDeleteBlustery day! At least the sun is shining.
Yum - that sounds so good!
DeleteBlustery - it is flipping WINDY!!!!! Geez - I can't believe the wind!
I had never thought to use an egg slicer for strawberries. That's a great idea. I do use a potato masher to make egg salad, rather than the egg slicer.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for egg salad. Thanks, I will use that.
DeleteGreat tips today! I learned the water/shortening thing in home ec too!
ReplyDeleteI have been slicing tomatoes all wrong these 75 years! I will try the other way when I get another tomato. Just used my last one.
I am sure it has been mentioned before, but if not---to keep your brown sugar soft, just add a heel of bread to the canister on top of the brown sugar.. No need to change it out---it works for a very long time. (years).
Good idea on the potato masher for egg salad! Jane
Thank you, Jane. I'll try that as I always buy brown sugar at the holidays, and it gets rock hard before the next big baking season. --Elise
DeleteJane - I had too. It sure does make a difference. Not messy at all and they don't ick up a sandwich!!!
DeleteI keep a tiny 1" clay pot in my brown sugar - it keeps it nice and soft.
I'm going to try tossing baby carrots in a little balsamic vinaigrette before roasting for dinner this weekend. It reminds me of "frugal luxury". LOL! This week's Safeway flier advertised chocolate dipped strawberries for $9.99 EACH!!! Surely that has to be for a container of more than one; it says, "Hand Dipped In Store Daily". If you have chocolate chips, a bowl and a microwave, you can do your own for much less, especially when fresh strawberries are 2 lbs./$5 over the weekend.
ReplyDeleteOne last note--I promise--is that my kitchen cabinet holds a food processor bought at a thrift store some 28 years ago. It worked then. It works now. Great for fast chopping, shredding and mincing. I've made my own oat flour many times using bulk oats. I always use it to make bread crumbs quickly to dry in a low oven for "panko" crumbs. To me, it's an essential time and foot saver. --Elise
Yes, those dipped strawberries are so easy to make and fresher!
DeleteLove second hand appliances. Why not? My Ninja is my 2nd set of hands. It was a gift years ago - as I wouldn't have spent that kind of money - but it sure is handy come salsa season! Plus I use part of it every single day to make my morning drink!
My Mom always put coffee in her chocolate frosting and it made it so good! I am for sure going to use your tomato slicing trick. I always wrap the bottom of my sandwich in a paper towel but I hate using them for that so this will be a savings as well.
ReplyDeleteCoffee makes a world of difference in chocolate.
DeleteTrust me - the tomato thing works so well! I was amazed I had been doing it 'wrong' all these years! LOL
My trick is to have Sissie live with you and do all the work....:)
ReplyDeleteI have never used an egg slicer to slice strawberries, or the smashed potato idea. I do use roasted potatoes that are leftover to fry.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
You might give them a try. Both work well. I just love fried potatoes so much!
DeleteMy kids used to like it when I made "2nd day" pasta. I'd cook leftover spaghetti in sauce in a skillet with some olive oil until the edges started getting crispy and sprinkle some mozzarella on top. They liked how some of the noodles would get a little crispy around the edges. And it tasted just a little better than leftover spaghetti as the noodles really seemed imbued with the tomato flavor.
DeleteI saw this suggestion on a blog. I tried it and so far it's worked for me. I reuse glass food jars to freeze food. I leave the lid off and cover with plastic wrap or foil and freeze. I leave space at the top. This gives room for expansion. Once frozen I put the lid on for longer storage. I use glass that seems pretty sturdy. I thaw overnight in fridge to prevent breakage.
~margaret
Great tips Margaret. I bet that spaghetti was good. I have used leftover spaghetti and sauce to make baked spaghetti - and my favorite part is where it gets crunchy around the edges. I like the corners of brownies too!!!! LOL
DeleteGood idea with the jars. Makes it all safe.
Lot's of great info here, I am also a dove soap girl, never about using it to wash my hair but I am going to give it a go. Might be able to do without the cost and the bottles for the so called normal washing.
ReplyDeleteMy son always laughs about my collection of glass jars but is always happy to take home food that I have made and stored in my silly jars. LOL
I have always sliced tomatoes on the side, that was how my Mom did it, so I did it the same way. Never seen it done it done the other
way. Maybe a southern thing???
Well, I tried it this morning. I washed my hair with Dove - it is still wet, but we will see. It sure would be nice to have one less thing to buy.
DeleteJars are just handy.
We always sliced tomatoes crosswise - never knew any different, then I saw a video of doing it top to bottom - amazed. I grew up mid-west.
Please let me know what you think, Cheryl. It was a GOOD (and humbling) lesson for me. I'd heard of people using bar shampoo before, and always thought, "That's not for me!" But then remembered Dove, which isn't an actual soap, rinses clean. At 61, my hair is mostly white. Prone to dryness and flyaway/static. I've found using Dove it's soft, shiny and much more manageable than with the expensive no perfume, dye or phosphate shampoo I've used for years.
Delete--Elise
I do the same trick for onions & tomato slicing. I love your brownie tip & will use it next week - we are hosting my son's friend on his 16th birthday, and he's requested brownies (when I asked about what he would like). The chocolate chips should really elevate the taste!
ReplyDeleteThe brownies are wonderful! I always get raves.
DeleteGlad you found something you can use. Hope the party is a success!!!
ReplyDeleteOlive oil always has a best by date. I buy olive oil on sale, a dozen bottles at a time or two or three. Then, I lay it down in the freezer door. Freezing it extends the use. I am afraid to put it on a shelf as it might slide out or knock it out. So, I always pay half price for my olive oil.
I don't pay much attention to best by dates on anything. I have never had a problem with oils. That is a good idea to extend shelf life though! Thanks
DeleteThank you Cheryl for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome!
Delete