How to Make Fancy Cucumber Slices

Tip of the Day

A quick and easy way to make cucumber slices fancy is to score them with a fork. Just run your fork down the length of a peeled cucumber… working your way around until the entire cucumber is scored.

When you slice them they look like pretty flowers. They look especially nice when you make the New York Deli Style Cucumber Salad… since the dressing is clear… they show through really nicely.

How to Toast Almonds

Toasting nuts is not only easy… it greatly enhances the flavor… perfect for baking.

TIPS

Try not to have the nuts overlap … I know with sliced almonds that’s difficult… but do the best you can to spread them out. You shake the pan every few minutes or stir with a cooking spoon so they will toast evenly.

I always cover my baking pan with foil… it makes clean-up a snap.

Make sure you keep an eye on them.. nuts tend to burn easily.

So let’s get started!

PRINT RECIPE

How to Toast Almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread almonds, whole or sliced evenly over a baking sheet.

Bake until light brown in color… mine took about 10 minutes. Gently shake the pan every 2-3 minutes to ensure even toasting.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

I hope you found this helpful!

Pizza Night Tips

We have what we call “Pizza Nights”… not nights when we buy pizza .. but instead… nights I make pizza. I make all kinds.. the key here is… quick and easy… I either make the dough ahead or purchase dough at the grocery store… while it doesn’t compare to getting one from a pizzeria .. it does just fine for those nights we want to kick back a bit.

TIPS

I like to serve a big antipasto salad with it… it makes a perfect meal.

One of the biggest things I get asked is how to get the cheese to be ooey gooey like a pizzeria pizza… I asked a pizzeria owner years ago and his advice has worked perfectly for me ever since..believe it or not there is a simple answer… after you finish putting your toppings on and sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top… spray it lightly with olive oil cooking spray.

I make all kinds of toppings … one of my favorites is mushroom and onions…. I sauté the onions first in a little olive oil… just until they’re soft and remove them with a slotted spoon from the pan onto the pizza.

You can buy shredded mozzarella mixed with Parmesan and Romano cheeses.. which give it great flavor.

When I make Italian sausage or meatballs for a meal.. I cut up a little and put it in freezer bags so I have a topping for pizza without the work on pizza night.

So kick back.. give yourself a break now and then and have a pizza night… one that won’t break the bank and everyone will love.

Common Oven Temperatures Converted from Fahrenheit to Celsius

With the web the source of information for many people around the world, those finding recipes written using Celsius instead of Fahrenheit and vice versa need to convert it into something they can use.

Here is a bit of handy information to help you.

Common Oven Temperatures

The following equivalents are not always exact, however, they are an accepted equivalent to use.

250 degrees F = 120 C
275 degrees F = 140 C
300 degrees F = 150 C
325 degrees F = 160 C
350 degrees F = 180 C
375 degrees F = 190 C
400 degrees F = 200 C
425 degrees F = 220 C
450 degrees F = 230 C

For those that want to make the exact conversion.. here are the formulas to do it:

To convert from Fahrenheit to Celsius:

Subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit temperature

Multiply the answer by 5

Then divide by 9

To convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit:

Multiply the Celsius temperature by 9

Divide the answer by 5

Then add 32

How to Dice an Onion

This post really should be titled “How to Dice an Onion and Not Your Fingers”… you laugh… I have the scars to prove one is not divinely inspired to dice an onion safely.

I have diced onions for… well … let’s just say lots and lots of years… and one would have thought in all those years I would have learned how to best dice onions in the early years… but I didn’t. When I learned how to dice them the way I’m going to show you.. it was a BIG Duh moment… a light bulb lit up over my head…

You probably dice your onions like this.. but I’m am certain there are at least some people out there, like myself, that simply peel, cut one way and then the other way… slip slidin’ away…

The key here is to keep one end of the onion intact so that it keeps the onion together while you make your cuts…

So let the lesson begin…




Cut one end of the onion off and peel the onion.








Cut the onion in half (it’s easier to work with if one side is flat).







Make cuts into the onion… almost to the other end …along the top of the onion… going all the way down to the cutting board.






Make 2 or 3 horizontal cuts into the onion.






Now make slices across the onion… the onion will naturally be cut into perfect little dices… all without slipping and sliding around… the intact end keeps it all together for you. Slice to almost the intact end. Then discard the end.

There you have it… an easy and safe way to dice an onion.

How to Test the Effectiveness of Baking Powder and Baking Soda

How long should you keep Baking Powder and Baking Soda? … How do I know if it’s still good to use? … What happens if I keep it too long? … these questions come up all the time and are very good ones… so I decided to do a post on just these questions.

There’s a wide variety of brands available for both Baking Soda and Baking Powder, including generic store brands. How do you know which one to use? Unfortunately there really isn’t an answer to that question, each home cook and home baker has their own opinion based on experience.

I’ve used both name brands and store brands, and honestly, there isn’t a lot of difference. I have noticed there seems to be a difference in expiration dates, the best rule of thumb for that is, go by the expiration date on the box or container.

How Long Should You Keep Baking Powder or Baking Soda?

As I just mentioned, I would go by the expiration dates on the box. Generally, most say to keep the baking powder 6 months to a year, depending on the brand. Most Baking Soda brands list 3 months as the maximum time to keep it in the cupboard.

How Do You Know if it’s Still Good to Use?

You can do a simple test to make sure the Baking Powder or Baking Soda is still “active”.

To Test Baking Powder:

Place a ½ cup hot tap water in a measuring cup, then add 1 teaspoon baking powder. If it immediately bubbles up, it’s still good. If it doesn’t bubble up… it’s time to replace it.



To Test Baking Soda:

Place 2 tablespoons of white vinegar in a small custard cup, then add ¼ teaspoon baking soda to it. It should bubble up immediately if it’s still good.



What Happens if You Keep it Too Long?

Let me tell you about this…. I did this… I kept the baking soda way too long. What happened was that, over time, it became less and less effective. My Banana Bread recipe, something I make fairly often, calls for baking soda. Over time, my banana breads rose less and less, I hadn’t even really noticed until one afternoon my banana bread came out of the oven looking absolutely pitiful. I replaced the baking soda and my next batch of banana bread was back to its old self… the difference was amazing.

So the lesson here is… don’t do as I did… follow the expiration dates .. or if the box doesn’t have an expiration date…you can test the effectiveness.. but at least follow the rule of thumb… don’t keep baking soda longer than 3 months or baking powder longer than a year.

Dicing Hard-Boiled Eggs Made Easy

Perfectly diced eggs all the time… every time. I don’t know about you but sometimes my dicing leaves something to be desired… either I end up with minced yolk or odd large pieces of white… if you’re like me.. this tip is for you.

This quick tip for dicing eggs is one from my Mother… use an egg slicer. Egg slicers are inexpensive and easy to use. You can find them at Walmart or kitchen stores on the gadget wall.

Before I get into how to do it… here’s another easy tip on boiling eggs perfectly… no gray ring around the yolk here…. see my post “Making Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs”.

So how do you do dice eggs easily?... it’s as easy as 1-2-3…




Simply peel the egg and place it in the slicer and slice.





Bring the top back up and move the egg to lay the other way and slice again.








Dump the contents in a bowl and use a knife to gently separate the dices… works perfectly every time!

How to Soften Cream Cheese Quickly

This quick tip comes from the folks at Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese. I hope you find it helpful.






To quickly soften cream cheese all you need to do:

Completely unwrap the cream cheese and remove the wrapper.

Place the cream cheese on a microwaveable plate and microwave for 10 seconds on HIGH or until softened.

Add 15 seconds for each additional 8 ounce brick of cream cheese.

What is Cream of Tartar?

What is cream of tartar? … is a question I get periodically … so I decided today would be a good time to post an answer since a number of upcoming recipes have it in their ingredient list.

The technical name for cream of tartar is potassium bitartrate … and according to Wikipedia, is formed during the fermentation process of grape juice into wine. Click here to read more.

It is widely used in cooking to stabilize egg whites, increasing their heat tolerance and volume. In plain language, when a recipe calls for beating egg whites to stiff peaks, chances are the recipe has you add cream of tartar. Two such recipes that come to mine are soufflés and meringue toppings.

Other cooking uses include preventing sugar syrups from crystallizing, reducing discoloration of boiled vegetables, stabilizing whipped cream (after whipping) and Gingerbread House icing.

You can also make baking powder with it. Click here for the recipe.

Trivia: It is a common ingredient in Play-Doh.

How to Make Baking Powder

Ever need baking powder and find you don’t have it? Here is a quick solution… make it!

All you need:

½ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon cornstarch

All you need to do:

Blend ingredients in a ramekin.

How to Determine the Size of a Baking Dish

Have you ever read a recipe that specified a particular size baking dish to use and were unsure if your dish was the correct size? You are not alone…. it happens all the time. Many baking dishes don’t list the size in ounces on the bottom… or if they’re old and been through the dishwasher a million times, you can no longer read it.

A simple solution is to fill it with water and measure the water. Sounds simple?... it is!

What is the Difference Between Stock and Broth?

There are some questions that come up repeatedly … and this is one of them… so just what is the difference between stock and broth?... the short answer is … not much. You really can use them interchangeably in recipes… and in fact… many chefs use the terms interchangeably too.

Meat Stocks and Broths

BUT… there is a slight difference… in a nutshell… for meat stocks and broths…the stock is made with bones and trimmings from meat… where broth is made from the some bones and mostly the actual meat itself. I have to chuckle at some celebrity chefs and some bloggers that emphasize the use of stock and not broth…. broth is actually the richer of the two and is a more finished product… and table ready.

However, stock will thicken a sauce better than broth without using butter or cream. Stock contains gelée… gelatin, if you will… from the bones that are boiled when making the stock. Stock will deglaze a pan differently than broth because of the gelée… it will combine more easily with the pan drippings and thicken the sauce as you reduce it… replacing the butter or cream needed to finish the sauce.

The best chickens to use to make broth are stewing hens. You can also use whole chickens or parts.

Vegetable Stocks and Broths

When it comes to vegetable stock… I wasn't quite sure of the difference … since no meat is used and therefore no bones….so I investigated further… and what I found is..

With vegetable stocks and broths… the difference will lie more in the finished product. If the finished product is really a soup.. then you’d probably call it a broth. If the finished product is more of an ingredient in the finished product, say a sauce or a base for another soup.. then it would be called a stock. Notice I say called a stock…. because ultimately it really doesn’t matter… you can use them interchangeably.

The bottom line here is you can use either… but in the case of meat stocks and broths… stocks are made from mostly bones and trimmings and sometimes some meat…. and broths are mostly made with meat and some bones… it’s the ratio that ultimately decides what to call it… but again… for the most part you can use them interchangeably.

I hope this clears up any confusion for you.

We’re Going Green and Loving It!

We’re going green and loving it!.... So why … you ask … would I write this kind of post here at Cooking Tip of the Day? … I’ll tell you… because the detergents that we clean our kitchens, dishes, pots and pans with …can affect our health…. So what better tip to post than a tip about going green and getting our kitchens safe and healthy?

So let’s start about the WHY…. so why go green? I’m sure I was like many of you … very complacent about the green movement… after all… that was for tree huggers and radicals… what did I have to worry about?… everything I purchase at the grocery store has been tested and controlled by the government I have grown up to know and love… I couldn’t believe just how wrong I was.

Did you know… that there’s been a sharp rise in cancers since the introduction of harsh chemicals in the household?... and it’s no wonder… did you know that chlorine bleach is a registered pesticide?

It’s no surprise to find sharp rises in skin conditions and asthma too…. what with chlorine bleach, ammonia and formaldehyde in the very products we use to “clean” our homes, dishes and eating utensils…. I just had no idea… well… I had an idea .. just never really thought about it… I knew I couldn’t tolerate chlorine bleach and ammonia.. so much so … certain cleaning chores fell to Warren since I just couldn’t handle doing them..

Expense… a lot of green products in the grocery store end up being more expensive than the grocery store brands.. so we end up making a choice… weighing cost to what’s really healthy for us… and in this economy.. expense unfortunately becomes the deciding factor on what we purchase. It doesn’t have to be… there are affordable alternatives… products that are actually cheaper than the grocery store brands and safer for us.

Did you know there are actually products that are made from botanicals that can kill 99.9% of household germs like staph, E.coli and the H1N1 virus?…. germs that lurk on surfaces in our kitchens… surfaces we eat from and touch. Products that do the job without chlorine bleach, ammonia, harsh fumes or harmful residues…. AND they’re gentle enough to use around children, pets and food.

Recently we ran out of our usual dishwasher detergent and Warren ran out to the store to get some… the store closest to us… didn’t carry the brand we had been using.. so he bought another national brand… the brand was, in fact, one I had used previously for years… funny how after you use something day after day you begin not to notice smells and tastes… YES… tastes… and when you haven’t used it in a while and go back to it… all of a sudden you notice things… our dishes and silverware smelled from bleach! I couldn’t believe it! I almost gagged when I opened the dishwasher after I had run it…

There are products that are so safe… and yet still as effective or in most cases, more effective than the usual grocery store brands … that they don’t require child safety caps. When my son was little it was a constant worry that he would get into our cleaning supplies… we were very vigilant to make sure they were out of reach…

A friend of mine introduced me to a product line of fabulous green products that are actually cheaper than the regular brands… and I love them! I’ll never go back to those harsh chemicals again…

So I would recommend you think about what cleaners and detergents you use … especially in your kitchen… surfaces you place your food on… think about what you’re ingesting… think about what you are exposing yourself and your family to…

It just makes sense to get the harmful chemicals out of the house AND save money... it's a no-brainer!

If you want any additional information about safer products for your home.. drop me an email and I’ll get you more information.. cookingtipoftheday at gmail dot com

How to Roast Garlic

Roasting garlic is so easy… and so much cheaper than buying it in jars already roasted… as with making your own spices blends… roasting your own garlic can save you money considerably… and having it on hand… well… makes using it easier…. making meals come alive with fabulous flavor.

Roasting garlic makes it almost sweet… and takes the pungent flavor and smell away… the insides become a buttery yellow ans soft… fabulous spread on fresh bread… and no… you won’t reek from it for days… it actually is very mellow.

TIPS



I like to make a batch of roasted garlic and store it in a jar in the refrigerator… it should easily last two weeks…

I use pimentos in my macaroni salad and some other salads… I clean and save the little jars … they’re perfect for storing roasted garlic… the two ounce size holds roasted garlic from about 3 average sized heads.

You can use a ceramic ramekin or… you can use a non-stick pan which I recommend… a muffin tin works especially well … but any small pan will do.

Try this… you won’t believe how easy it is to do!






Recipe: Roasting Garlic

All you need:

Whole garlic heads
Olive oil

All you need to do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.


Peel the loose paper-like outer skin from the head.

Cut about ¼ inch off the top of the head.

Drizzle about 2 teaspoons of olive oil on each head, making sure it gets into the cut cloves.







Place in a baking dish or pan.. cover with foil.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 35 minutes or until the cloves are extremely soft.








Remove form the oven and allow to cool enough to handle.















Remove the soften cloves with a small fork or squeeze out the roasted garlic into a clean jar.

Refrigerate.

Milk and Cream Substitution

I love milk but I usually have skim milk in the fridge… I do buy whole milk for recipes that require it… but sometimes I forget and I need to use the skim milk. Some recipes the substitution isn’t a problem… but most times it is an issue. So short of running out and purchasing a container (usually far more than I actually need)… there are ways to make a substitution.

Recently I was in that predicament … and turned to my favorite information gurus at Cooks Illustrated… someone had posed this very question on the bulletin board… this is the information a member replied said…

“According to the USDA Database:

Skim milk has no fat.
1% milk has 2.5 grams of fat per cup
2% milk had 5 grams of fat per cup
Whole Milk [3.2%] has 8 grams of fat per cup.
Half & Half has 28 grams of fat per cup or 1.75 grams per tablespoon
Whipping Cream has 88 grams of fat per cup or 5.5 grams per tablespoon

To make whole milk out of skim milk and Half & Half: Use 2 ounces of half and half and six ounces of skim milk to make one cup.

To make whole milk out of 1% milk and Half & Half: Use 3 Tablespoons of half and half and the balance 1% milk to make one cup.

To make whole milk out of skim milk and heavy cream: Use 1½ Tablespoons of heavy cream and the balance skim milk to make one cup.

To make whole milk out of 1% milk and Whipping Cream: Use 1 Tablespoon of heavy cream and the balance 1% milk to make one cup.”

I couldn’t find the information on the USDA website… that doesn’t mean it’s not there… there’s a lot on the site and all the information isn’t easy to find. I have, however, used some of these substitutions with success so I feel this is a reliable source.

Ham Buying Guide - From the Archives

Tip of the Day

With Easter just a few weeks away and with ham as one of the most popular meats cooked for Easter, I thought it would be a good idea to post the buying guide to buying ham from the archives again. This is short and sweet and to the point… and I hope it helps!

Admittedly, I knew little about buying ham and what all the things on various labels meant until a few years ago when I came across an excellent buying guide from Cuisine at Home (Issue 50 April 2005)…. I have yet to find it in hard copy anywhere and not on the web… so unless you have the original magazine… it looks like you’d be out of luck…. but I have it and will be more than happy to share it with you.

Before I go on about ham…. a word about Cuisine at Home… it’s a fabulous magazine… one well worth the subscription cost… you can get a free preview issue… and a great deal on a 2 year subscription.. and a free Cooking Tip book… what could be better?… so hop on over to their website to see what the offer is all about... I'm sure this great deal won't last forever!

Now about the ham….

You can buy the expensive spiral-sliced hams available from various specialty stores, but the taste of a great ham baked yourself can’t be beaten. Hams are very easy to bake… the buying is where most cooks lose interest… labels can be confusing… and all the choices overwhelming… leading most cooks to wonder if they are making the correct choice… so they retreat and buy those expensive spiral hams.

This guide should answer most of your questions… or at the very least take some of the mystery out of buying a good ham. This is from Cuisine at Home…

I hope you find it helpful.






Butt Half

"Ham comes one of three ways: whole, shank or butt. Whole is hard to carve, the shank has too much connective tissue, but the butt… is just right. Its large muscles provide pure meaty slices that are easy to carve.

Bone-In

You want a bone-in or semi-boneless ham- just not boneless. Boneless ham is nothing more than ground ham that’s mixed with a binder and re-formed. Bone-in ham is still easy to carve and will serve 2-3 people per pound.

No Slices Removed

Have you ever seen those nice individually-wrapped slices called “ham steaks”? They’re from the center of the ham… slices that should be on your ham. If you see the word “portion”, it means the best pieces have been cut out of the center of the ham. Try to find a half that says “no slices removed”.

Natural Juices or Water Added

Labels that read “Natural Juices”, “No Water Added”, or “Water Added” are all acceptable. Avoid anything that says, “Ham and Water Product Added”. These hams are spongy and weak tasting.

Natural Juice and No Water Added hams are excellent, but can be hard to cook – they can dry out unless you use a recipe that uses a moist heat (liquid in the bottom of the pan below the rack that the ham is on)…. Water added hams are moist and easy to slice…. but you won’t go wrong with either type of ham.”

How to Fold Ingredients

Cooking Tip of the Day

Folding is a method used to gently mix ingredients. This technique is used to mix light and airy ingredients into a heavier mixture. Examples are beaten egg whites or beaten egg yolks into batter, whipped cream into puddings and mixing chocolate or melted butter into a batter.

Things to Remember When Folding:

When folding a warm mixture into another mixture… be sure that both mixtures are the same temperature… if one mixture is hotter than the other the two will not combine smoothly and the warmer one will form clumps…. For example… eggs will cook and “scramble” and not integrate.

TIPS

Use a clean, dry spatula.

Always fold gently.

Don’t over or under fold …. If you fold too much the batter will lose that “airiness” that’s necessary for cakes to form little air bubbles when baking… this will result in the cake not rising as high as it should. If you fold too little… the cake will have a sticky, wet and heavy layer at the bottom of the pan after it’s baked.

A general rule of thumb is you always fold the light batter or ingredient into the heavier one.

Method:

Example making mousse…. folding whipped cream into pudding.


Place the pudding in a bowl.

Add about 1/3 of the whipped cream and stir to introduce the whipped cream into the pudding.

Add the rest of the whipped cream (ingredient to be folded) on top of the pudding.

Step 1 - Cut




Using a spatula, cut through the middle of the whipped cream.




Step 2 - Fold



Go to the bottom of the bowl and pull the spatula toward you scooping up some of the pudding with the spatula.

In one sweeping motion fold over the scooped up portion of the pudding over the whipped cream.

Step 3 - Turn



Turn the bowl ¼ turn and repeat the steps.

You will need to scrape the sides occasionally with the spatula.






Keep doing this until the whipped cream is fully integrated into the pudding.



If you are still unsure….there is an excellent video to watch by Chef John Mitzewich at.about.com that shows the proper technique for folding.