5 Essential Kitchen Tips for Beginners
Are you a beginner in the kitchen? Cooking can be intimidating, but with a few essential kitchen tips, you’ll be whipping up delicious meals in no time. Here are five kitchen tips to help you get started.
How-To
Say Goodbye to Stale Bread with This Simple Kitchen Tip
Have you ever bought a loaf of bread, only to have it go stale before you could finish it? It’s a frustrating problem that can lead to wasted food and money. But fear not, there’s a simple kitchen tip that can help you keep your bread fresh for longer! Kitchen Tip: To keep your bread from going stale, simply store it in a paper bag. The paper helps to absorb excess moisture and allows the bread to breathe, preventing it from getting soggy or moldy. If you don’t have a paper bag, you can also wrap your bread in a clean kitchen towel and store it in a bread box or on the counter away from direct sunlight.
Quick and Easy Kitchen Tip: How to Keep Herbs Fresh for Longer
Are you tired of your herbs wilting and losing their flavor within a few days of purchase? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with this quick and easy kitchen tip! Fresh herbs are a great way to add flavor and aroma to your cooking, but they can spoil quickly if not stored properly. With just a simple step, you can extend the shelf life of your herbs and keep them fresh for longer. Say goodbye to wasted herbs and hello to more flavorful meals with this easy kitchen hack! Instructions: With this simple kitchen tip, you can make your fresh herbs last longer, reducing waste and ensuring you have flavorful herbs for your culinary creations! Try it out and enjoy the taste and aroma of fresh herbs in your home-cooked meals. Happy cooking!
Quick and Easy Kitchen Hack: How to Easily Peel Garlic Cloves
Garlic is a staple ingredient in many recipes, but peeling garlic cloves can be a tedious and time-consuming task. However, with this quick and easy kitchen hack, you can save time and effort when peeling garlic cloves. No more struggling with sticky garlic skins or smelly hands! This simple and efficient method will have you peeling garlic cloves like a pro in no time. Let’s get started! Kitchen Tip: To easily peel garlic cloves, follow these simple steps: Step 1: Place the garlic clove on a cutting board and use the flat side of a chef’s knife to press down on the clove until it crushes slightly. Step 2: Using your fingers, gently pull off the skin from the crushed garlic clove. The skin should come off easily without much effort. Step 3: If there are any stubborn skins remaining, you can use the tip of the knife to gently lift them off. Step 4: Repeat the process with the remaining garlic cloves. That’s it! Now you have perfectly peeled garlic cloves ready to be minced, chopped, or used in your favorite recipes. This simple kitchen hack will save you time and make your cooking process more efficient.
7 Genius Kitchen Hacks You Need to Know
Cooking and baking can be a lot of fun, but sometimes it can be time-consuming and messy. Luckily, there are some genius kitchen hacks that can make your life easier and save you time and effort. Here are 7 of our favorite kitchen hacks that you need to know!
How to Freeze Tomatoes, the Easy Way
When we think of preserving fruits and veggies, we may think of jams, jellies or pickles. While these methods are effective, they’re not as easy as freezing. The freezer is often overlooked, especially when it comes to tomatoes. If you need to save tomatoes deep into the winter season, freezing is a great option while preserving the delicious acidity and bright flavor. After thawing the tomatoes, you can just pull the skin right off. Frozen tomatoes will keep in the freezer for up to six months. When you’re ready to thaw them, place what you need in a bowl at room temperature, then peel before using. Since freezing and thawing a tomato will affect the texture avoid using these raw. Instead, try grating these for pasta sauce or chopped and added to soups or stews. Ingredients Ripe tomatoes, medium or large are best Equipment Freezer bags Paring knife Directions Wash the tomatoes. Rinse the tomatoes and pat dry. Hull the tomatoes. Remove any green stems from the tomatoes. Use a paring knife to remove the woody core from the top of each tomato. Bag the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes in a gallon-sized zip-top freezer bag. Force out as much air as possible and tightly seal the bag. Freeze the tomatoes. Lay the bag flat in the freezer and freeze until solid, at least 6 hours but preferably overnight. Keep frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw and peel. Thaw whole tomatoes for 30 minutes at room temperature. At this point the tomato will still be frozen, but the peel can be easily removed. Thaw completely, about 1 hour, before cutting. Source: the Kitchn
3 Ways to Stay on Top of Cleaning
Whether it’s tackling your laundry chair or cleaning the dishes in your sink, staying on top of cleaning can be a daunting task. It’s important to not let the clutter ruin your day while still enjoying life and hitting major milestones. When you’re ready to organize and clean, here are a few habits to keep your space clean and your mind clear. Start Small. Often the thought of tackling major tasks that need to get done like clearing out the garage or deep cleaning the kitchen can cause apprehension. Instead, start with something small. Completing a single task is a good way to start appreciating tidiness. It can be something as simple as making a bed or clearing a desk. You’ll learn what you can do immediately and what can wait. Be Intentional. Starting with little tasks could potentially snowball into an endless day of work. To avoid this, be intentional with your cleaning. If you set out to do one thing, do that and nothing else. It’s about setting boundaries and clear goals. Another helpful method is setting a timer. For example, clean a specific area for 10 minutes or half an hour and then stop. Create a Routine. Setting a routine with the help of the two previous methods help you organize your day. Consider a morning routine where you make the bed, pack lunch and then on a Friday you set up for the weekend. If you’re working from home, consider tidying up your desk everyday after work. Source: the Kitchn
How to Freeze Cake Like A Pro
There’s nothing like enjoying a slice of cake, with or without an occasion. You can prepare those recipes you love whenever you like instead of waiting around for a moment to celebrate. Simply freeze the cake in individual servings to pull out and eat anytime a craving strikes. Here’s how to do it. Keep your layer cake fresh by using a technique involving parchment paper or waxed paper. You’re going to want to press the paper directly onto the cut sides of the cake. This will hold in the moisture to prevent the cake from drying out. Freeze the slices like this on a baking sheet until the frosting is firm. Some frosted cakes will freeze faster than others but try leaving it overnight to protect decorative layers. On the next day, you can wrap the pieces in plastic wrap, then stack to save space. When you’re ready to enjoy a slice, simply plate the frozen slices right out of the freezer. The less you move the cake around as it starts to thaw, the better. Individual slices will thaw out more quickly but you can enjoy it even mid-thaw. If you’d like to freeze larger chunks of cake, instead of individually, you can apply the same method. Protect cut ends with parchment paper, freeze overnight, and wrap in plastic wrap until ready to serve. Source: the Kitchn
How to Bake the Perfect Potato
A baked potato can seem like an easy meal, but all the butter and sour cream can’t fix a dry and flat tater. There are a few tips you can utilize to perfect a tender and fluffy potato. If you want a crispy skin on the potatoes, be sure to cover them in oil for the last 10 minutes. Use russet potatoes. These potatoes are the best for baking among the rest. You’ll want to use medium sized potatoes about 1/2 pound. Poke Them. Use a fork to poke each potato about six or seven times. This will prevent them from bursting in the oven. Avoid Foil. Resist the urge to wrap the potatoes. Potatoes baked with foil will turn out soggy, rather than fluffy. Fire Up the Oven. A higher oven heat will produce the best texture. Try baking potatoes at 450°F for 45 minutes to an hour. Source: the Kitchn
How to Remove Chocolate Stains
No matter how careful you are, chances are you’re going to end up with a chocolate stain while enjoying your favorite brownies, Bundt cake or s’mores. The good news is chocolate stains can be removed. Here’s a step-by-step guide to remove chocolate from fabric. What You’ll Need Butter knife or spoon Dish soap Sink area and washing machine Stain remover Instructions Scrape off any excess chocolate: The last thing you want to do with chocolate stains is spread it around. Use the smooth edge of a butter knife or a spoon to remove any and all excess chocolate. Turn the garment inside out and run cold water through the stain: Running water through the stain helps flush it through the fibers. Doing this from the back of the clothing helps push it out. Cold water ensures you aren’t inadvertently setting the stain, as could happen with hot water. Add soap: Lather dish soap or liquid laundry detergent directly onto the stain. Rub it in gently. Soak the garment in cold water for 15 minutes: Check on your garment and gently rub the soap into the stain with your fingers every five minutes or so. If the stain persists, dab on more soap and repeat soaking. Rinse completely: When the stain appears to be gone, rinse the garment thoroughly under cold water. This will help you see if the stain is truly gone. Pull out a stain remover if needed: If you can see a faint remnant of the stain, now would be a good time to use your favorite stain remover. Follow directions as instructed. Launder as usual with cold water: As always, try not to wait too long before you launder stained garments. Toss the clothing item into your washing machine, and wash with detergent and cold water.