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Handy kitchen tips

Posted by cantabcook 
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cantabcook
Handy kitchen tips
May 25, 2020 05:57AM
I decided to start this thread as I fought my rock hard brown sugar into a measuring cup the other day. This forum has always been great for useful information so here is my kitchen tip.

Place a piece of bread into your container with brown sugar if it has turned into a rock like substance! It will soften up again and be easy to use within a couple of hours.

Please add your handy hints here. I'm hoping to learn a few new things smiling smiley



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/2020 05:57AM by cantabcook.
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Irene Field
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 25, 2020 06:52AM
Well not really baking/cooking inspired, but ..... with regards the 2 litre tubs of ice cream. Ice cream often ends up with icicles on the top after being opened. Store it upside down and you will find there are no icicles?
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marylew
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 25, 2020 08:36AM
I like that Irene, will do.
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TPANDAV
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 25, 2020 09:52AM
Soak unpeeled garlic or onions in cold water for an hour or more before you peel them, it makes the job much easier.
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Lorna
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 26, 2020 10:20AM
To roughly 'chop' nuts, it's easier to put them in a plastic bag and bang lightly with a hammer till the pieces are the size you want. Put only enough nuts in the bag that you can see each nut when they are spread out.

I find chopping them in a blender or coffee grinder only grinds some to a pulp while leaving others almost whole. This is one time when the hand is mightier than the blade!
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helen
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 27, 2020 01:15AM
Drop a pile of ice cubes into meat juices or anything that you want to quickly get the fat off. The fat solidifies around the ice cubes and you just scoop the whole lot out.

Cantabcook, I must try the brown sugar and bread tip as my brown sugar is solidifying.
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helen
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 27, 2020 01:21AM
Another from me, run hot water over a measuring spoon to heat it up before spooning golden syrup or any other sticky syrup. it then runs off the spoon easily.
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jeannetozer
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 27, 2020 05:17AM
Keep all your nuts in the freezer they don't turn rancid and keep indefinitely.
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Annie H
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 27, 2020 08:06AM
Loving all the tips and tricks. My one is when I have surplus soup for the freezer, I put it in either plastic bag, ziplock bag, flatten it out before going in the freezer, the benefit is that it thaws a lot faster than a big mass. Bit naughty using plastic I know!!!!!
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Janet or Emma
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 27, 2020 08:30AM
Keep your yeast in the freezer for it last indefinitely. I’ve recently learned this, but always kept mine in the fridge. Over lockdown I found myself using yeast from the fridge which had a 2018 expiry date, and it was perfect.

I always have a folded crust in my brown sugar. I’d always “known” about it, but once I tried this old wives tale, i was sold!

I keep all my nuts and seeds in freezer too.
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marylew
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 27, 2020 08:51AM
I wash, dry then wrap fresh celery in tin foil and it lasts much longer.
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helen
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 27, 2020 11:15PM
I wash celery and chop it into 5cm (fish) lengths, place it in a plastic resealable bag and store it in the fridge. It stays crisp for ages.
I don't dry it, just give it a shake.
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Griz
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 28, 2020 10:10AM
Fish sized lengths, Helen? LOL
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marylew
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 28, 2020 10:41AM
Fishy story alright Griz. I tried helens suggestion for celery maybe last year but because it wasn't dried it rotted fast
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Janet or Emma
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 28, 2020 10:34PM
I wash and cut up celery and keep in a Tupperware box with a draining thing in the bottom, that I’ve had forever. It stays nice until the end.

Freeze as much flat as possible. Quicker to thaw and if you store on it’s side, filing cabinet style, easier to find things. Always label and date!
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Lyn V
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 28, 2020 11:13PM
I chop my celery leaves & all & freeze in plastic bag, lie it flat & take out what I need for soup. Works really well. Great ideas from everyone. I also freeze fresh ginger whole & bring out about 5minutes before needed, peel or not peel & grate whatever I need. So much easier. Then put rest back into freezer.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/28/2020 11:15PM by Lyn V.
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J1
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 29, 2020 01:43AM
Once upon a time I used to buy, use and take advantage of proffered plastic bags. This behaviour was extinguished. But some plastic bags still make their way into my household, usually in the clutches of my other half whose diligence in this field of endeavour is haphazard. Some of these bags can come in handy for holding things in the fridge or freezer, so I wash and keep them. They're all different sizes, shapes and thickness. To make choosing the right one for the job easy, I've sorted them into an empty wine box with cardboard divisions. This box resides on my pantry floor, lid closed. Works well. Photo attached.
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Attachments:
open | download - Plastic bag box.jpg (335.8 KB)
Chris
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 29, 2020 07:22AM
Great idea, J1. That keeps things tidy and no rummaging for the right size.
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J1
Re: Handy kitchen tips
May 29, 2020 10:48AM
Mainland Noble cheese is excellent. I use it instead of parmesan these days too. 500g for $8.80 (PaknSave).
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Stephanie39
Re: Handy kitchen tips
June 04, 2020 01:17AM
Thank you J1 for the Noble cheese recommendation. It's excellent. In this household we like stronger cheeses and Vintage is on the basics list. However I will sneak in Noble (past he who probably thinks he should be obeyed but is mistaken) because I like it. It is much more complex in flavour and 30% fat free.
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J1
Re: Handy kitchen tips
June 04, 2020 05:19AM
Thanks Stephanie, I'm glad you found it the same. I think it's a real winner.
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Dawn
Re: Handy kitchen tips
June 04, 2020 06:26AM
I'm another who really likes the taste of Noble! Also for it's lesser fat content. When I do buy it, it's just for me as my husband goes through cheese like mice!
Regards,
Dawn.
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J1
Re: Handy kitchen tips
June 04, 2020 11:35AM
Dawn! Mine was the same with parmesan! Even used in a cheese sauce! Hints about appropriate use lost into the mists of Ishiguro's Buried Giant. Noble cheese a bargain parmesan replacement in comparison grinning smiley
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artista
Re: Handy kitchen tips
June 10, 2020 05:58AM
Thanks for this. Italian Parmesan is so expensive
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TPANDAV
Re: Handy kitchen tips
June 10, 2020 10:29AM
I have been doing without Italian Parmesan for a couple of years now, since I learned of the cruelty associated with its production. I've found that the best substitute in NZ is Meyer Vintage Gouda. It's not the same, but it has wonderful depth of flavour, isn't too expensive, and the milk is from grass fed cows.
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helen
Re: Handy kitchen tips
July 22, 2020 07:10AM
We are currently staying with a friend in Wanaka and her brown sugar was a dry solid brick. I remembered that I had seen something here so searched and found the slice of bread hint. It was an overnight success, the brown sugar brick is now back to its original state. With the humidity of Auckland our brown sugar has never dried out so this was a new one for me.
Thanks Cantabcook!
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karena
Re: Handy kitchen tips
July 22, 2020 11:58AM
I'm worried about Italian parmesan, which I love and use sparingly - there's nothing to match it. But what cruelty is associated with its production? I've stopped buying Italian canned tomatoes because of the slave labour involved in growing and harvesting them - hope it's not something like that...
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TPANDAV
Re: Handy kitchen tips
July 22, 2020 01:15PM
It’s cruelty towards the cows, which are kept indoors with no access to pasture.

[www.sustainweb.org]
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ppppaula
Re: Handy kitchen tips
July 26, 2020 11:11PM
I make a big batch of pizza sauce and freeze it in small single serve batches in small ziplock bags. They don't take up much space in the freezer and defrost quickly. Your pizzas will thank you if you switch to homemade sauce!
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ppppaula
Re: Handy kitchen tips
July 26, 2020 11:13PM
Another tip I was given was to pop your ginger root straight in the freezer and when you want to use it, grate it from frozen. Apparently you don't need to peel it. I've got as far the freezing part but not the actual using of it stage
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