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Category: Hints and Tips
Prep Time: Cook Time: Total Time:
BUY AN INSTANT-READ DIGITAL MEAT THERMOMETER.
The quickest way to ruin a perfectly marbled steak? Cutting into it to figure out if it iss medium rare.
WRITE IN YOUR COOKBOOKS.
Soup could have used more tomato? Chicken needed ten more minutes in the oven? Make a note of it and you’ll never make that mistake again.
MASTER THE QUICK-PICKLE.
Whisk a little salt and sugar into some white vinegar. Pour over thinly sliced raw vegetables. Wait 20 minutes. Eat.
GET YOUR KNIVES PROFESSIONALLY SHARPENED.
You may have a steel or a sharpener at home, but once a year, get a pro to revive those knives. Your chopping will get faster, more precise and, believe it or not, safer.
TOSS MOST OF YOUR SPICES—ESPECIALLY THAT GROUND CUMIN.
Ground spices die quickly. So give them a whiff—if they do not smell like anything, they will not taste like anything. And if they do not taste like anything, you are cooking with a flavorless, brown powder.
REPLACE YOUR NON-STICK SKILLET.
Do your scrambled eggs slide off the pan if you do not use oil or butter? They should. Might be time for an upgrade.
TREAT YOUR HERBS LIKE FLOWERS.
There is nothing worse than limp herbs. Next time, trim the stems and put the stems in a glass of water, fit a plastic bag over it, and stash it in the refrigerator.
GET A MANDOLINE AND DO NOT BE AFRAID TO USE IT.
Want gorgeous scalloped potatoes or perfectly julienned carrots? Buy a mandoline. Are you a scaredycat? Wear a cut-resistant safety glove until you feel comfortable bare-handed.
DOUBLE THAT BATCH OF RICE (OR QUINOA, OR BULGAR, OR…)
Having cooked grains in your fridge means that fried rice, pilafs, rice bowls and robust salads are just minutes away.
MAKE SURE YOUR WORK AREA IS WELL LIT.
Look, the 40-watt lightbulb in your oven hood is not going to cut it. Get a cheap clamp light from a hardware store so you can see what you’re doing.
BUY PARCHMENT PAPER.
What else are you going to roast your vegetables on? Great for cookie sheets, etc
STOCK UP ON SUPER-CHEAP, RANDOM CUTS OF MEAT.
A freezer full of roasted turkey necks and bony beef cuts will ensure you always have what you need to make broth.
KEEP YOUR PARMESAN RINDS AND FREEZE THEM FOR LATER.
Remember that thing about super-cheap cuts of meat? Think of rinds as cheese bones.
PUT THE LID ON THE POT TO MAKE YOUR WATER BOIL FASTER.
Seems obvious, but if you do not know, now you know.
DRY YOUR SALAD GREENS USING A KITCHEN TOWEL.
Salad spinners? So bulky and annoying. Instead, pile your just-washed greens into a clean dish towel, gather it by the ends, and swing that sucker around until your salad is dry (or your arm is tired).
SAVE THE SCHMALTZ.
Chicken fat is amazing stuff, whether you are frying onions in it, saute
ing greens in it ect.. So after eating your roast chicken dinner, drain the now-cooled liquid fat into a plastic container and store it in your freezer. (Pro tip: This also holds true for bacon fat, if you eat bacon.)
USE A GARBAGE BOWL.
Hat tip to Rachael Ray. Buy a large bowl and keep it at the ready to fill up with egg shells and other trash generated while cooking.
FIND THE BIGGEST MIXING BOWL YOU CAN AND BUY IT.
You cannot toss a salad or mix cookies or make meatballs in a tiny cereal bowl.
AVOID EVIL GLASS CUTTING BOARDS.
They dull your knives. They are slippery. And they are hard to use. Use wood, bamboo or plastic instead.
STOP CROWDING YOUR PANS.
Food that is crowded into a cast-iron skillet or sheet tray gets steamed—and soggy—instead of crisp.
TOAST YOUR SPICES...
A quick stint in a dry skillet over medium heat wakes dry spices up and releases their oils, which means your paprika will taste a lot more paprika-y. Use whole spices, watch the pan like a hawk, and stir constantly until the spices are fragrant, then transfer to a plate to cool before using.
27. ...AND YOUR NUTS.
“These nuts are too crunchy,” said nobody ever.
...AND ALSO YOUR GRAINS.
It is the first step to building roasty, warm flavor. (Using quinoa? Toast it before you rinse it.)
SEASON (SOME OF) YOUR VEGETABLES WITH SUGAR.
Carrots, squash, tomatoes—these vegetables have a natural sweetness that’s enhanced by a dash (just a dash!) of sugar.
PUT A DAMP PAPER OR KITCHEN TOWEL UNDER YOUR CUTTING BOARD.
That way, your board will not slip around as you chop.
WHEN A RECIPE CALLS FOR CHOCOLATE CHIPS, BREAK OUT A BAR OF CHOCOLATE INSTEAD.
Chopping your own chips creates pockets of melty chocolate throughout your cookies—some small, some large, all delicious.
SALT YOUR SALADS.
It adds texture. It makes the dressing pop.
35. DON'T TOAST YOUR TOAST. FRY IT.
Warm some butter or olive oil over medium-high heat. Lay in bread and fry until golden on both sides.
ALWAYS KEEP LEMONS IN THE FRIDGE.
They will keep longer that way, so you will always be able to add fresh lemon juice to everything from dressings to cocktails. Plus, you can use the squeezed rinds to clean and deodorize your wooden cutting boards.
CARAMELIZE MORE ONIONS THAN YOU NEED TO.
A lot more you will use the extras in omelets and sandwiches; on chicken, steak and pork; in pastas and stews.
GET A MICROPLANE.
Buy a Microplane, You will find many uses for it
SWITCH TO METAL MEASURING CUPS AND SPOONS.
Plastic warps over time, making them less precise.
STORE SALAD GREENS IN A RESEALABLE PLASTIC BAG WITH A PAPER TOWEL.
The towel is there to absorb moisture, which keeps your greens crisper, longer.
SOFTEN YOUR BUTTER...
Serving it cold and hard on toast—on anything, really—is the one way to make butter bad.
...AND MIX SOMETHING INTO IT.
A little shallot, some chopped herbs, maybe some lemon zest—boom. You just made compound butter.
BUY BROWN SUGAR AS YOU NEED IT, IN AS SMALL A QUANTITY AS POSSIBLE.
The stuff just does not keep very long.
BUT IF YOUR BROWN SUGAR IS ROCK-HARD, DO NOT THROW IT OUT.
Revive it with a minute or so in the microwave.
BAKE PIES IN GLASS PIE PANS.
It heats more evenly than tin, and when your pie is perfectly golden-brown everywhere, you will know it.
OIL, SALT, ROAST—IN THAT ORDER.
When roasting vegetables, toss them in oil, then season them with salt and pepper and toss again. This way, the seasoning actually sticks to your food.
KEEP YOUR VEGETABLE SCRAPS.
Toss carrot ends and other vegetable scraps into a resealable plastic bag you keep in the freezer. When you reach critical mass, make vegetable stock.
MAKE YOUR OWN CROUTONS.
Toss cubed bread on a rimmed baking sheet with oil, salt, pepper and whatever other tasty thing you fancy. Bake at 350, tossing once or twice, until golden brown. Now see if any actually make it to your salad.
AIR-DRY YOUR CHICKENS.
After you’ve unwrapped and rinsed your bird, pat it dry, salt it generously, and let it stand in the refrigerator, uncovered, for a few hours before roasting. The bone-dry skin will cook up to a crackly, crunchy, golden brown.
PEEL GINGER, IN FOIL AND KEEP IT IN THE FREEZER.
Not only will it last longer, it will grate it more easily.
MARINATE YOUR CHEESE.
Mozzarella, feta, and fresh goat cheese? Delicious. Mozz, feta and goat cheese marinated in olive oil, chile flakes, and fresh herbs? More delicious.
TASTE—AND SEASON—AT EVERY STAGE OF COOKING.
Because if you wait until the end, it’s probably too late.
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Category: Hints and Tips
Prep Time: Cook Time: Total Time:
BUY AN INSTANT-READ DIGITAL MEAT THERMOMETER.
The quickest way to ruin a perfectly marbled steak? Cutting into it to figure out if it iss medium rare.
WRITE IN YOUR COOKBOOKS.
Soup could have used more tomato? Chicken needed ten more minutes in the oven? Make a note of it and you’ll never make that mistake again.
MASTER THE QUICK-PICKLE.
Whisk a little salt and sugar into some white vinegar. Pour over thinly sliced raw vegetables. Wait 20 minutes. Eat.
GET YOUR KNIVES PROFESSIONALLY SHARPENED.
You may have a steel or a sharpener at home, but once a year, get a pro to revive those knives. Your chopping will get faster, more precise and, believe it or not, safer.
TOSS MOST OF YOUR SPICES—ESPECIALLY THAT GROUND CUMIN.
Ground spices die quickly. So give them a whiff—if they do not smell like anything, they will not taste like anything. And if they do not taste like anything, you are cooking with a flavorless, brown powder.
REPLACE YOUR NON-STICK SKILLET.
Do your scrambled eggs slide off the pan if you do not use oil or butter? They should. Might be time for an upgrade.
TREAT YOUR HERBS LIKE FLOWERS.
There is nothing worse than limp herbs. Next time, trim the stems and put the stems in a glass of water, fit a plastic bag over it, and stash it in the refrigerator.
GET A MANDOLINE AND DO NOT BE AFRAID TO USE IT.
Want gorgeous scalloped potatoes or perfectly julienned carrots? Buy a mandoline. Are you a scaredycat? Wear a cut-resistant safety glove until you feel comfortable bare-handed.
DOUBLE THAT BATCH OF RICE (OR QUINOA, OR BULGAR, OR…)
Having cooked grains in your fridge means that fried rice, pilafs, rice bowls and robust salads are just minutes away.
MAKE SURE YOUR WORK AREA IS WELL LIT.
Look, the 40-watt lightbulb in your oven hood is not going to cut it. Get a cheap clamp light from a hardware store so you can see what you’re doing.
BUY PARCHMENT PAPER.
What else are you going to roast your vegetables on? Great for cookie sheets, etc
STOCK UP ON SUPER-CHEAP, RANDOM CUTS OF MEAT.
A freezer full of roasted turkey necks and bony beef cuts will ensure you always have what you need to make broth.
KEEP YOUR PARMESAN RINDS AND FREEZE THEM FOR LATER.
Remember that thing about super-cheap cuts of meat? Think of rinds as cheese bones.
PUT THE LID ON THE POT TO MAKE YOUR WATER BOIL FASTER.
Seems obvious, but if you do not know, now you know.
DRY YOUR SALAD GREENS USING A KITCHEN TOWEL.
Salad spinners? So bulky and annoying. Instead, pile your just-washed greens into a clean dish towel, gather it by the ends, and swing that sucker around until your salad is dry (or your arm is tired).
SAVE THE SCHMALTZ.
Chicken fat is amazing stuff, whether you are frying onions in it, saute
ing greens in it ect.. So after eating your roast chicken dinner, drain the now-cooled liquid fat into a plastic container and store it in your freezer. (Pro tip: This also holds true for bacon fat, if you eat bacon.)
USE A GARBAGE BOWL.
Hat tip to Rachael Ray. Buy a large bowl and keep it at the ready to fill up with egg shells and other trash generated while cooking.
FIND THE BIGGEST MIXING BOWL YOU CAN AND BUY IT.
You cannot toss a salad or mix cookies or make meatballs in a tiny cereal bowl.
AVOID EVIL GLASS CUTTING BOARDS.
They dull your knives. They are slippery. And they are hard to use. Use wood, bamboo or plastic instead.
STOP CROWDING YOUR PANS.
Food that is crowded into a cast-iron skillet or sheet tray gets steamed—and soggy—instead of crisp.
TOAST YOUR SPICES...
A quick stint in a dry skillet over medium heat wakes dry spices up and releases their oils, which means your paprika will taste a lot more paprika-y. Use whole spices, watch the pan like a hawk, and stir constantly until the spices are fragrant, then transfer to a plate to cool before using.
27. ...AND YOUR NUTS.
“These nuts are too crunchy,” said nobody ever.
...AND ALSO YOUR GRAINS.
It is the first step to building roasty, warm flavor. (Using quinoa? Toast it before you rinse it.)
SEASON (SOME OF) YOUR VEGETABLES WITH SUGAR.
Carrots, squash, tomatoes—these vegetables have a natural sweetness that’s enhanced by a dash (just a dash!) of sugar.
PUT A DAMP PAPER OR KITCHEN TOWEL UNDER YOUR CUTTING BOARD.
That way, your board will not slip around as you chop.
WHEN A RECIPE CALLS FOR CHOCOLATE CHIPS, BREAK OUT A BAR OF CHOCOLATE INSTEAD.
Chopping your own chips creates pockets of melty chocolate throughout your cookies—some small, some large, all delicious.
SALT YOUR SALADS.
It adds texture. It makes the dressing pop.
35. DON'T TOAST YOUR TOAST. FRY IT.
Warm some butter or olive oil over medium-high heat. Lay in bread and fry until golden on both sides.
ALWAYS KEEP LEMONS IN THE FRIDGE.
They will keep longer that way, so you will always be able to add fresh lemon juice to everything from dressings to cocktails. Plus, you can use the squeezed rinds to clean and deodorize your wooden cutting boards.
CARAMELIZE MORE ONIONS THAN YOU NEED TO.
A lot more you will use the extras in omelets and sandwiches; on chicken, steak and pork; in pastas and stews.
GET A MICROPLANE.
Buy a Microplane, You will find many uses for it
SWITCH TO METAL MEASURING CUPS AND SPOONS.
Plastic warps over time, making them less precise.
STORE SALAD GREENS IN A RESEALABLE PLASTIC BAG WITH A PAPER TOWEL.
The towel is there to absorb moisture, which keeps your greens crisper, longer.
SOFTEN YOUR BUTTER...
Serving it cold and hard on toast—on anything, really—is the one way to make butter bad.
...AND MIX SOMETHING INTO IT.
A little shallot, some chopped herbs, maybe some lemon zest—boom. You just made compound butter.
BUY BROWN SUGAR AS YOU NEED IT, IN AS SMALL A QUANTITY AS POSSIBLE.
The stuff just does not keep very long.
BUT IF YOUR BROWN SUGAR IS ROCK-HARD, DO NOT THROW IT OUT.
Revive it with a minute or so in the microwave.
BAKE PIES IN GLASS PIE PANS.
It heats more evenly than tin, and when your pie is perfectly golden-brown everywhere, you will know it.
OIL, SALT, ROAST—IN THAT ORDER.
When roasting vegetables, toss them in oil, then season them with salt and pepper and toss again. This way, the seasoning actually sticks to your food.
KEEP YOUR VEGETABLE SCRAPS.
Toss carrot ends and other vegetable scraps into a resealable plastic bag you keep in the freezer. When you reach critical mass, make vegetable stock.
MAKE YOUR OWN CROUTONS.
Toss cubed bread on a rimmed baking sheet with oil, salt, pepper and whatever other tasty thing you fancy. Bake at 350, tossing once or twice, until golden brown. Now see if any actually make it to your salad.
AIR-DRY YOUR CHICKENS.
After you’ve unwrapped and rinsed your bird, pat it dry, salt it generously, and let it stand in the refrigerator, uncovered, for a few hours before roasting. The bone-dry skin will cook up to a crackly, crunchy, golden brown.
PEEL GINGER, IN FOIL AND KEEP IT IN THE FREEZER.
Not only will it last longer, it will grate it more easily.
MARINATE YOUR CHEESE.
Mozzarella, feta, and fresh goat cheese? Delicious. Mozz, feta and goat cheese marinated in olive oil, chile flakes, and fresh herbs? More delicious.
TASTE—AND SEASON—AT EVERY STAGE OF COOKING.
Because if you wait until the end, it’s probably too late.
Note: This recipe is part of a user's personal recipEbox. It is not part of the CDKitchen collection.
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