| Tip #1: Do not cook your okra in a black cast iron pot; it turns the okra black and somewhat distorts the flavor. Use a heavy duty aluminum pot instead. |
| Tip #2: Always soak and wash the pig casings when making sausage; otherwise it will be too salty and not flexible enoug for filling. |
| Tip #3: You can use milk and vinegar as a substitute for buttermilk. Use 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 1 cup of milk. |
| Tip #4: Place a foot long sheet of aluminum foil on the middle rack of your oven to distribute heat like a convection oven. Biscuit bottoms will come out perfect every time! |
| Tip #5: If your eyes start to water when you cut your onions for your Cajun Trinity, try submerging the onions in water while chopping. |
| Tip #6: Use a lemon or crumbled crackers to wash away the stink that peeling crawfish leaves behind. |
| Tip #7: One lemon yields about 1/4 cup juice; one orange yields about 1/3 cup juice. |
| Tip #8: Remember to boil vegetables that grow above ground in a pot without a cover. |
| Tip #9: Add a touch of vinegar to your water when cooking cabbage and cauliflower. It will reduce the odor and bitterness. |
| Tip #10: For mashed potatoes whiter than your grandma's false teeth, just add a little vinegar or lemon juice before draining the water. |
| Tip #11: If you splatter when you fry batter, get off your can and flour your pan. |
| Tip #12: Instant potatoes are a good thickener for stews. |
| Tip #13: Gravy too salty? Use instant potatoes to make your gravy less salty. You may need to add more water if your gravy gets too thick. |
| Tip #14: Marinate meat in a Ziploc® bag. This allows the marinade to completely surround the meat and also makes it easier to reposition. |
| Tip #15: Never defrost meat in hot water; if the water is too hot, it can cook the meat. |
| Tip #16: Rubbing vinegar on fish scales makes it easier to scale a fish. |
| Tip #17: Save bad or dark bananas by freezing them and using them the next time you bake bread. Or coat them with Hershey's chocolate syrup or cocoa syrup, freeze and enjoy in lieu of ice cream. |
| Tip #18: When in doubt, always sift flour before measuring. |
| Tip #19: Test an egg for freshness by placing it in a bowl of cold water. If they float, dont use them. |
| Tip #20: Add uncooked rice to salt shakers to make the salt free flowing. |
| Tip #21: Russet potatoes make the best mashed potatoes. Peel, boil, drain, mash, eat. |
| Tip #22: Potato sprouts may seem ok, but eat them and you'll have to pay. (Cut 'em off before consuming the potato) |
| Tip #23: Use butter on the skin of a potato when baking potatoes. This will make them crispy :) |
| Tip #24: When picking blueberries, select berries that are completely blue. Blueberries should have no trace of redness as they do not continue to ripen after they are picked. |
| Tip #25: To stop cooking broccoli from smelling , throw a couple of thick pieces of bread into the water. |
| Tip #26: One pound cabbage equals 4 cups shredded or 2 cups cooked cabbage. |
| Tip #27: For a crisper cabbage for cole slaws, shred the cabbage and soak it in salted ice water for 15 minutes and then drain. |
| Tip #28: Two medium ears of corn equals 1 cup corn kernels and a hard time hearing. |
| Tip #29: One pound of eggplant equals 3 to 4 cups chopped eggplant. |
| Tip #30: 1 average-sized eggplant will serve 3 people. 1 average-sized elephant will serve 3 dozen. |
| Tip #31: 1 medium eggplant equals 1 pound |
| Tip #32: One medium clove garlic equals 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic juice, or 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt. |
| Tip #33: When sauteing onions and garlic in a recipe, add the onions first. When the onions are just about done, add the garlic. |
| Tip #34: To get rid of "onion breath", eat salt-dipped parsley or chew on coffee beans. |
| Tip #35: 1 pound of raw shrimp in their shells equals about 1/2 pound peeled and cooked shrimp. |
| Tip #36: Most shrimp cook in as little as 3 minutes; when they're pink, they're done. |
| Tip #37: Use a paper towel to absorb excess grease off of gravies and soups. |
| Tip #38: A leaf of lettuce dropped in a pot of soup will absorb the grease from the top. |
| Tip #39: 1 pound of fresh spinach equals about 1 cup of cooked spinach. |
| Tip #40: To peel sweet potatoes easily, take them from boiling water and immerse immediately in very cold water. The skins will almost fall off by themselves. |
| Tip #41: 1 (28-oz) can equals 3 cups tomatoes.
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| Tip #42: 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste equals 3/4 cup. |
| Tip #43: 1 package of active dry yeast is equal to 1 cake of compressed yeast. |
| Tip #44: 1 package of active dry yeast is equal to about 1 tablespoon. |
| Tip #46: Wash your hands after using Baker's Yeast or risk a yeast infection! |
| Tip #47: Don't cross-contaminate--don't let bacteria spread from one food product to another. This is especially true for raw meat, poultry and seafood. Experts caution to keep these foods and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods.
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| Tip #48: To check a turkey for doneness, insert a food thermometer into the inner thigh area near the breast of the turkey but not touching bone. The turkey is done when the temperature reaches 180 F. If the turkey is stuffed, the temperature of the stuffing should be 165 F.
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| Tip #49: A stuffed turkey needs 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours to cook completely |
| Tip #50: The risk of illness from raw eggs is associated with another favorite holiday activity--baking. Eating cookie dough or batters with raw eggs carries the same risk as eggnog made with raw eggs. |
| Tip #51: Don't buy cooked seafood, such as shrimp, crabs or smoked fish, if displayed in the same case as raw fish. Cross-contamination can occur.
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| Tip #52: Put seafood on ice, in the refrigerator or in the freezer, immediately after buying it.
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| Tip #53: If the flesh doesn't spring back when pressed, the fish isn't fresh. |
| Tip #54: Always cook fish thoroughly. Cooking fish until it’s opaque and flaky helps destroy any existing pathogenic bacteria that may be present. |
| Tip #55: Refrigerators should stay at 41 °F (5 °C) or less. A temperature of 41 °F (5 °C) or less is important because it slows the growth of most bacteria. The temperature won't kill the bacteria, but it will keep them from multiplying |
| Tip #56: Freezing at zero °F (minus 18 °C) or less stops bacterial growth (although it won't kill all bacteria already present). |
| Tip #57: Hot foods should be refrigerated as soon as possible within two hours after cooking. |
| Tip #58: Store eggs in their carton in the refrigerator itself rather than on the door, where the temperature is warmer. |
| Tip #59: A sure sign of spoilage is the presence of mold, which can grow even under refrigeration. While not a major health threat, mold can make food unappetizing.
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| Tip #60: Potatoes don't belong in the refrigerator. Store them in a cool, dry place |
| Tip #61: Don't crowd the refrigerator or freezer so tightly that air can't circulate. |
| Tip #62: Although undesirable, freezer burn does not make the food unsafe. It merely causes dry spots in foods. Cut away these areas either before or after cooking the food. |
| Tip #63: When freezing food in plastic bags, push all the air out before sealing.
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| Tip #64: Salt is considered antibacterial because it restricts bacterial growth in many foods. It preserves foods by lowering the amount of "free" water molecules in foods. Bacteria need moisture in order to thrive, so without enough "free" water, they cannot grow well in foods that contain salt.
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| Tip #65: To Soften Cream Cheese: Place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese on microwavable plate. Microwave on HIGH 10 to 15 seconds or until slightly softened.
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| Tip #67: Syrup, molasses or solid shortenings are inclined to stick to the cup or spoons when you are measuring them. To make it easier to flow and not cling, oil the measurer or rinse in cold water. |
| Tip #68: Shallots are a cross between an onion and garlic. Substitute shallots for onions in your recipes. Use 3 to 4 shallots for one medium onion. |
| Tip #69: To ripen an avocado, place it in a sealed plastic bag with a ripe banana at room temperature. Another method is to bury the avocado completely in a jar of flour. Do not refrigerate avocados until they are ripe.
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| Tip #70: Avocados are naturally cholesterol free and contain heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fats. Great addition to any sandwich or salad. |
| Tip #71: Good-quality Portabella mushrooms are dark brown, dry and have smooth, firm caps. Avoid product that is wet, black, bruised, or has spots of mold.
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| Tip #72: Two great tools to prevent your crust from overbrowing. One is to cut a strip of aluminum foil and circle the edge of the crust leaving it on when you bake the pie. The other is a retail product; an aluminum circle that you simply lay over the edge of the pie. Both work nicely. |
| Tip #73: To test if a sweet potato pie is done, insert the knife one inch from the edge and if it comes out clean it is done.
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| Tip #74: The Doggie Bag: If you will not be arriving home within 2 hours of being served, it is safer to leave the leftovers at the restaurant |
| Tip #75: Freeze single-sized juice packs overnight and place the frozen drink in with your lunch. The juice will thaw by lunchtime, but it will still be cold. The frozen drink will also keep the rest of the lunch cold. |
| Tip #76: Do not feed a baby honey or syrup -- at least for the first 6 months. Honey and syrups can contain spores of Clostridium botulinum. The immune systems of adults and older children can prevent the spores from growing once ingested. However, in an infant, these spores can grow and cause infant botulism.
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| Tip #77: If you don't wash your hands, your actions could result in infant diarrhea! Your hands can pick up bacteria from the following things and spread bacteria to the baby: diapers;
raw meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood; animals -- such as dogs, cats, turtles, snakes, and birds; soil.
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| Tip #78: Did you know? The average American eats approximately 60 hot dogs every year, and most Americans favor mustard on top, although children favor ketchup.
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| Tip #79: Bert writes: When cutting fresh corn from the cob, insert the small end of the corn cob in the tube hole of a bundt or angel food cake (tube) pan. Cut the kernels off, letting them fall into the pan. This minimizes the mess
and collects all the corn into one place, and it's also easier to cut because the cob is braced in the hole |
| Tip #80: A slice of white bread, placed into the sealed plastic bag with the bricklike mass of brown sugar, will soften it within a day. My mother likes to use a slice of apple. In either case, put it into the plastic bag with the brown sugar and seal it up and check it again in 24 hours.
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| Tip #81: To peel a tomato or peach easily - Bring water to a boil. Drop the tomato or peach in for one minute. Skin will easily peel off. |
| Tip #82: To relieve the "burning" effect on your hands or body from the juices (capsaicin) of hot peppers such as jalepeno or chiles, soak in milk, yogurt or other milk products. It is recommended that you wear latex gloves when working with peppers. Do not spread the juice by touching your face or body. If the juice does get in your eye, do not rub your eye but rather let the eye tear. If the burning persist, flush the eye with a milk bath. |
| Tip #83: The shortcut to soaking your beans overnight is this: Cover with plenty of water and bring the beans to a boil. Boil for 20 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and allow them to sit, covered, for 1 hour. Then, drain and cook as usual.
If you live in an area with particularly hard water, dried beans will benefit from the addition of a scant 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to the cooking water. It prevents them from being tough.
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| Tip #84: Do not wash your knives in the dishwasher. The dishwasher makes them dull. |
| Tip #85: Prolong the power of your seasonings by keeping them in a cool, dry, dark place away from the heat. |
| Tip #86: When cooking, sprinkle your seasonings into a cup or spoon, not directly over the pot, as this can allow steam into your spice bottle. Steam inside your spice bottle can shorten spice shelf life and fade the flavor of the spice being used.
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| Tip #87: My Mom believed that if you dropped your dish towel, it was a sign that you would get company that evening/day. Funny thing, it seem to be true pretty much of the time. |
| Tip #88: GARDEN TIP: The next time aphids are attacking your roses try spraying them with a mixture of crushed garlic and water...watch them drop.
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| Tip #89: DID YOU KNOW THAT POTATO SPROUTS ARE POISONOUS? There is no problem with the potato; just cut off the sprouts, and it's fine for eating. A sprout of any size can be toxic, but you'd have to eat many sprouts to get sick. Do not buy if they have sprouted or have a green tint to the skin.
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| Tip #90: To beat egg whites stiffly, add one tablespoon of cornstarch to the sugar and slowly add to the already beaten egg whites. |
| Tip #91: Test the potency of your baking powder by dropping a teaspoonful in a cup of hot water. It is bubbles, it is still good. |
| Tip #92: Cake and cookie batters won't glump on your mixer beaters if you spray PAM or non-stick spray on them before starting. |
| Tip #93: Make a tasty and low-fat substitute for whipped cream by beating a banana and the white of one egg together until stiff . |
| Tip #94: Freeze whole garlic cloves in a closed container. When you need one, the skin will slip right off. |
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