10 Simple Kitchen Tips You Wish Someone Told You Earlier

1.Use tongs to cooking pretty much everything
Spatulas are awesome for anything that needs to be flipped or scraped, like eggs and pancakes. For everything else, tongs are the way to go. They’re much more nimble and less awkward to use, and you’ll find far fewer things jumping from your pan onto the floor. If you have teflon cookware, be sure to use tongs with nylon tips. And always go for the 12-inchers.

2. Store everything in tupperware
As much as I’d like to be the kind of person who trims their herbs, puts them in an vase then wraps them in a damp paper towel so they last a week, I’m way too lazy for that. The good news though is that tupperware keeps almost everything fresh for much longer than your crisper, including berries, salad greens and produce that has already been cut. Because it is reusable, it is also more ecofriendly.

3. If you own a knife, don’t use a garlic press
Peeling and pressing garlic is a huge waste of time. To use a clove of garlic, set it on a cutting board and smash it with the flat side of a big knife (any chef’s knife will do). The papery skin will come right off, and you can mince it real quick right there in about 10 seconds. Done.

4. Keep a separate cutting board for things you don’t want flavored with garlic and onion
Assuming you follow any recipe ever, you’ll probably be using your cutting board for cutting onions or garlic. If so, I recommend getting a separate board you keep aside for cutting fruit, cheeses and other things that you’d prefer didn’t absorb the odors of previous meals.

5. Herbs that are supposed to be green should be purchased fresh, not dry
With the possible exception of dried oregano (great in Mexican, Greek and Italian foods), herbs are always better fresh. They’re also cheap and available almost anywhere. In particular, always buy fresh parsley, basil, cilantro, thyme, tarragon or chives if you can help it (a few should be in your fridge at all times). The dried versions are OK if not too old, but they’re very delicate and the jar will probably go bad before you use it twice.

6. Don’t bother with pre-filled spice racks
If you want spices to serve their purpose (making food taste better), you shouldn’t own a pre-filled spice rack. Spices go off quickly, and when their color starts to dull they’ve lost a lot of their flavor. There are several dried spices that are invaluable in the kitchen (cinnamon, cloves, curry powder, cumin, coriander, chili pepper, etc.), but you should purchase them as you need them, and in small quantities unless you use them frequently.

7. Overcooking is probably your biggest kitchen mistake
Overcooked vegetables are mushy and flavorless, overcooked meat is tough and chalky, overcooked grains are soggy and fall apart. In other words, overcooked food is bad food. Learn the art of taking food off the heat just before it is done, and let it finish cooking with its internal temperature. You can always cook it more, but you can never cook it less.

8. If it tastes OK but not great, it probably needs salt—and maybe some vinegar or olive oil
The media loves to bash salt, but I’m not convinced that sodium (rather than processed food) is the real problem. Also, the small amount you use when cooking at home won’t compare to what you’d get at a restaurant or in a packaged meal. Though over-salted food certainly tastes bad, under-salted food is bland and boring and a little dash can often save a dish.
If you think you’ve added enough salt but something is still off, try a small splash of vinegar or lemon (any acid) to brighten the flavor. If the food is dry or sticky, try adding a touch of olive oil. These three things can fix almost any lackluster meal.

9. Don’t buy regular big onions, use shallots or leeks
For most everyday cooking, milder onions will enhance your dish and give it more nuance. Big, strong onions certainly have their place in cooking (soups, roasts, etc.), but most kitchen experiments will be improved by more subtle onion flavor.

10. Fruit (other than berries) shouldn’t be stored in the fridge
Refrigerators dull the taste of most produce, so if you bought something that doesn’t need to go in there leave it out. Most fruits including apples, oranges, pears and bananas don’t belong in the refrigerator unless you’re not planning on eating them soon. I don’t refrigerate tomatoes, avocados or peppers either. Very hot climates are an exception, however.



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Benefits of adding Kale to your diet!

Kale is a nutritional powerhouse and is beneficial to your health in many ways. One cup of kale has zero fat and only 36 calories and is high in vitamins and antioxidants. You can eat this green raw or cooked. Enjoy in salads, soups, stews, stir-fries, and smoothies.

Detoxification and Weight loss
The fiber (5 grams in one cup) and sulfur in kale aid with digestion and liver health. The Vitamin C it contains hydrates your body and increases your metabolism, leading to weight loss and healthy blood sugar levels. The fiber in kale also lowers cholesterol.
Strengthen your Immune System

Kale’s impressive concentration of nutrients strengthens the immune system and fights viruses and bacteria. Kale has more iron than beef, making it a great source of this valuable mineral for vegans and vegetarians. It helps more oxygen get to your blood and greatly helps those who are anemic.

Healthier Hair, Skin & Nails
The healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids keep your body strong, healthy and beautiful from the inside out. Kale’s concentration of major nutrients gives your skin’s health and appearance a boost.

See Clearly and Stand Strong
Kale’s Vitamin A content helps keep the eyes from optical disorders that come with age. It also helps store vitamins in the retina. The calcium and vitamin K and D keep your bones strong.

Anti-inflammatory
The omega-3 fatty acids in kale help fight and alleviate arthritis, autoimmune disorders and asthma. The vitamin C content helps relieve stiff joints.

Fighting Disease
Kale, like other dark green veggies, may be helpful in preventing various cancers such as colon, prostate and ovarian. Its abundant vitamin K content is important for bone health, forestalling the effects of osteoporosis. And the folic acid and B6 provide cardiovascular support and prevent heart disease.



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Man-approved Spicy Oven Fries

Football season is in full-swing, but don't let unhealthy tailgate food spoil your diet. Try these oven-baked, spicy French fries from Men's Health magazine instead of your standard oil-fried spuds.

Ingredients

 

• 4 russet potatoes, cut lengthwise into 12 wedges
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

 

Time estimates

 

Prep time: 10 min  

Cook time: 35 min  

Total time: 45 min  

 

Directions

 

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
3. Dip the cut potatoes in egg to coat and place in a bowl.
4. Mix the remaining ingredients and sprinkle over the potatoes, toss well to coat.
5. Place the wedges on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. 
6. Turn the potatoes over and bake for 15 minutes or until crisp.
   
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Tips and Tricks for the Kitchen

You know all of those helpful kitchen-related suggestions that old-timers are so willing to share with the younger generations? These little tips and tricks might be called “kitchen hacks” these days, but they’re still the same good old nuggets of wisdom that they always were. As with any old wives’ tale, hack, or tip, your mileage may vary. Some of these gems have been around for several lifetimes - and according to most grandmas, they really work.


1. For cleaning smelly hands after chopping onions or garlic, just rub them on a stainless steel spoon. The steel is supposed to absorb the odor.
2. Fresh coffee beans can also absorb nasty odors from your hands.
3. If you happen to over-salt a pot of soup, just drop in a peeled potato. The potato will absorb the excess salt.
4. When boiling eggs, add a pinch of salt to keep the shells from cracking.
5. Never put citrus fruits or tomatoes in the fridge. The low temperatures degrade the aroma and flavor of these persnickety fruits.
6. To clean cast iron cookwear, don’t use detergents. Just scrub them with salt and a clean, dry paper towel.
7. Will milk curdle if it is allowed to boil? It turns out that this age-old piece of wisdom isn’t true, after all. Milk that has been boiled is perfectly safe to consume.
8. To clean an electric kettle with calcium buildup on the heating element, boil a mixture of half white vinegar and half water, then empty.
9. When storing empty airtight containers, throw in a pinch of salt to keep them from getting stinky.
10. If you are making gravy and accidentally burn it, just pour it into a clean pan and continue cooking it. Add sugar a little at a time, tasting as you go to avoid over-sugaring it. The sugar will cancel out the burned taste.
11. Burned a pot of rice? Just place a piece of white bread on top of the rice for 5-10 minutes to draw out the burned flavor. Be careful not to scrape the burned pieces off of the bottom of the pan when serving the rice.
12. Before you chop chili peppers, rub a little vegetable oil into your hands and your skin won’t absorb the spicy chili oil.
13. If you aren’t sure how fresh your eggs are, place them in about four inches of water. Eggs that stay on the bottom are fresh. If only one end tips up, the egg is less fresh and should be used soon. If it floats, it’s past the fresh stage.

Reference Life Hackery

10 Tasty Ideas for Leftover Turkey

It's The Day of the Turkey (at least here in the US) and we all know there will be leftovers. Since I can only eat so many TLTs (Turkey, Lettuce, and Tomato sandwiches), I've come up with some easy recipes and ideas so all that tasty bird doesn't go bad. If you want, leave me a comment with some other ideas for Thanksgiving leftovers.

1. Turkey Cranberry Rollup
You can do this as a sandwich, too, but I prefer it in a tortilla. Spread some cranberry sauce, put some turkey on top of it, and roll. It has all the flavor of Thanksgiving with almost none of the work.
2. Turkey Chili
I love to throw together a chili. Anymore, I don't even use a recipe, just some broth (chicken or beef, depending on what flavor I'm going for), some beans (usually kidney, but sometimes black, pinto, or even garbanzo), sometimes corn, some diced tomatoes in sauce, and tomato sauce if I want it thicker. I definitely add some onions and sometimes garlic, then salsa and chili powder, and then I put in whatever kind of meat I'm using that day. It's as easy to put turkey in as anything else, and the bird doesn't do much to change the taste.
3. Turkey and Noodles
Cook up some egg noodles. For a sauce, heat up some creamy soup (cream of mushroom, cream of celery, etc..) and add some turkey and browned onions. Put the turkey topping over the noodles and serve. Most of the time, no one besides you will realize that the meat is even turkey!
4. Turkey Fajitas
Warm up the turkey and serve it instead of chicken or beef with grilled, sliced peppers and grilled onions. Add them all to a tortilla with toppings of your choice and eat.
5. Turkey Lentil Stew
Soak your lentils until they are soft. Cook them in water with some garlic, thyme, salt, and a bay leaf until the lentils have made something of a mushy mess. Add the turkey and make sure it's all heated through.
6. Turkey Stir Fry
It took me a little while to be willing to try this one as turkey is not a meat that comes to mind when I think of stir fry. Out of desperation for something new, I finally made an attempt, and it's actually good. Soak the already-cooked turkey in the stir-fry marinade or topping of your choice. Stir fry your vegetables (I usually use a frozen mixture). Add the turkey near the end, so it has a chance to heat up but not dry out. Eat over rice or Japanese noodles.
7. Turkey Stew

Mix chicken broth with chunks of carrot, onion, potato, celery and whatever vegetables mean "stew" to you. Add some parsley, thyme, a bay leaf or two, salt and pepper to taste, and maybe some oregano for something a little different. Bring the broth with the veggies to a boil and let it boil for about 10 minutes. Add the turkey and continue to boil it until the vegetables are soft. Serve with salad and/or sourdough bread for the Panera effect.
8. Turkey Burritos
Put in turkey with the refried beans, cheese, salsa, guacamole, and whatever else makes a burrito for you. Roll up the tortilla. Heat, eat, and enjoy!
9. Turkey Pad Thai
Ok, I have a confession here--I usually buy my pad thai from Trader Joes. I'll heat it up, add any extra meat or veggies that I want, use their sauce, and serve it...even to guests! When I have turkey around, that's the meat I add and it's pretty tasty. If you're worried about the turkey taste mixing poorly with the Thai spices, press some mashed up fresh garlic into the turkey several hours before you cook and let it sit in a bag or another closed container until you're ready to use it. The garlic should overpower the turkey taste so your pad thai will be yummy, like usual.
10. Freeze it
Amazingly enough, cooked turkey survives freezing fairly well. It comes out pretty dry, so I try to use it in soups or cassaroles when I use it later, but it's still tasty and good. The best part is that I can eat it at some future point when I'm not totally sick of turkey.
The End Result?
Nothing goes to waste, and I don't feel like I'm eating the same thing over and over just to get rid of the meat. Both the frug-a-holic and the variety-lover in me are satisfied. I hope it works for you!

Reference Wise Bread



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Beets! Try something new!

Description: Beets are a root crop with round red or gold flesh. Beet leaves are also edible.

Selection: Choose beets with tops attached. Bunches with beets of similar size will cook more evenly. Very large beets are sometimes woody and tough; those that are about 2 inches in diameter are just right. 

Storage and handling: Remove the leaves and treat them like other greens. Store beets in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper drawer for 2-3 weeks, or in a root cellar. Before eating, scrub with a brush, remove dangling roots and all but an inch or so of the tops.

Preparation: Boil for 20-30 minutes, drain, cool and peel.  Microwave 1 pound of whole 2-inch beets by placing in covered dish with 1⁄4 cup water and cooking 10-11 minutes. Pressure-cook for 12-20 minutes, depending on size. Skins will slip off easily after cooking. Sauté peeled, shredded beets, covered, for 10 minutes.

Serving suggestions: Peel and shred raw beets for use in salads

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Sherry-Walnut Vinaigrette

Ingredients

10 small red beets
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon agave nectar or honey
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup walnut oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper to taste
1 pound baby spinach, roughly chopped
5 ounces arugula, roughly chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Method

Heat oven to 400°F. Place beets on a piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet and make a pouch out of the foil, sealing it tightly. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let beets steam for 10 minutes. Open pouch and let beets cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, mustard, agave nectar or honey, and garlic in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oils and season with salt and pepper. Set vinaigrette aside.

After beets have cooled enough to handle, remove and discard skins and cut into bite-size pieces. Mix beets with half of vinaigrette, then mix spinach and arugula with the rest of the vinaigrette. Transfer greens to plates and top with beets, walnuts, and goat cheese.

How to store your cheese!

Store cheese in your refrigerator, which approximates the temperature of aging rooms. Keep it wrapped tightly in plastic, away from air. Air helps mold grow on cheese. If you get a little mold on the outside, just cut it off. The English say if mold won't eat your cheddar it can't taste very good.

Bring cheese to room temperature before melting. Melt cheese over a low heat to help prevent toughening and separation of oils and liquids.

Most ripened or aged cheese is low in moisture content and can be frozen without drastic flavor and texture changes. Thaw slowly in the refrigerator for 24 hours or more. If frozen for several months, the cheese may dry out somewhat and become crumbly when thawed.

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