Cooking tips!

ElleEm

I don't know if this has been done before, but I think it could be helpful for people to share tips they have for cooking/ baking.

For example, I heard on a TV show recently that if you drop some egg shell into a mixture and can't get it out, hold the big part of the egg shell in, as it attracts the smaller piece.

Today, I stuffed chicken breasts and realised that I didn't have cocktail sticks to hold the chicken closed, so used dry spaghetti.

Anyone have any other handy cooking tips?

foodaholic

if your lemons or limes are dry and not juicy, microwave it for up to 30 seconds and the juice oozes out then.

duploelabs

peel ginger with a teaspoon

biddywiddy

If you microwave a whole butternut squash for a minute, it is much easier to peel.

1966

add tea spoon of turmeric to boiling water when cooking rice to give it a lovely colour

BailMeOut

duploelabs wrote: »

peel ginger with a teaspoon

and then pop in the freezer for 10-20 mins to make it so much easier to grate.

Darkginger

Blanch herbs in boiling water for 30 seconds, plunge into cold water, then freeze in ice cube trays for fresh herbs all the time

duploelabs

here's a tip, put and pinch of sage in your boots and a spicey scent....whoops wrong thread.

Ok, a dash of white malt vinegar in your boiling water, before you put the pasta in, will dissolve any starch and stop your pasta sticking together

biddywiddy

Before beating egg whites, wipe the bowl with a drop of vinegar on a paper towel. Gets rid of any greasy residue that could stop the egg whites becoming stiff.

Jambo221

Not a cooking tip, more of a serving tip, but I've found that this one gets overlooked so often. Heat your plates, I hate eating hot food from cold plates, a hot plate will keep the food hotter for longer, which makes it more enjoyable.

When deep-frying, be patient, I often see people overloading an under-heated fryer with frozen food and the results are always awful. Let it get to the proper temperature and then slowly add food to it, adding too much too quickly will reduce the temperature of the oil. I hate seeing people overloading the basket with chips straight from the freezer, I find the results are much better when you fry off a handful at a time.

duploelabs

You must think I'm a vinegar salesman but here's another. Wipe down your HEATED plates with a kitchen towel, damped with vinegar, it will remove all grease and give them a lovely sheen

slewis

Cut an onion in two and use it to clean the BBQ grill for the return of summer

Zuiderzee

Keep clingfilm in the fridge, makes it easier to use.

When flouring meats of veg, use a plastic bag instead of a bowl

waterbath home made pickles and preserves as well as shop bought versions to extend shelf life

Diddler1977

If you oversalt a soup or stew pop a few chunks of raw potato in the pot to absorb the salt.

Zuiderzee

More household tips - but still valid one hopes - and like duploelabs I am also not a vinegar sales person

To save on carbon miles, waste and a few bob these are a few tips on where you can cut back.

Home made washing powder
For normal washs

1 cup grated soap
1 cup baking soda
2 tble spoons lavender oil

Put into the drawer of washing machine, works just the same as as regular powder

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Furniture and Wood polish

3 part veg oil
1 part vinegar

Put in blender until it emulsifies, i.e changes colour - just like salad dressing. As good as anything you buy in the shop - no packaging or waste

maringo

Cornflour with flavouring/colouring added can be used instead of custard powder - nice with rhubarb

datk

Another Vinegar one.

To clean a kitchen sink - sprinkle salt and vinegar all over - leave for a minute and then wipe down. This cleans better than shop bought cleaners.

The Hill Billy

I know that we have the Christmas Dinner Advice thread, but I thought that these tips on freezing would be better in the general 'tips' thread...