HOW TO STORE YOUR BAKING STONES

You got the best baking stone and just love using it, but the question is where do you store it.

Everyone's first inclination is to store it in the oven. This is not a good idea.

Baking stones can be brittle and can break if subjected to abrupt temperature changes (like turning on the broiler when you forgot that it was in there)

Each manufacturer has different specifications for storage.

Your stone should have come with an instruction sheet letting you know how to store it, if you are unable to find that, just look up the information on the companies web site.

STIR FRY PREPARATION

Preparation of vegetables and meat is usually more time consuming than the actual cooking.

When stir frying, high heat is used to cook meat and vegetables quickly in a very small amount of oil.

The largest amount of time will be spent fine chopping aromatics such as garlic, green onion, ginger, or chili, and cutting meat and vegetables into uniformly sized pieces.

This can include thin slices, shreds, or a medium dice.

It is important that all of the sizes are the same size for quick and uniform cooking.

It is not necessary to own Asian cooking utensils, such as a seasoned wok and a long handled scoop, but they will make your task easier.

A wok is made to concentrate the heat in the center of the pan for cooking, and the edges acting as a warm resting area to leave your food after it has completed it's cooking cycle in the center.

A long spatula or scoop is used to keep the food in motion, by stirring, lifting and tossing.

This will insure that each piece is evenly exposed to the heat without scorching and to seal in the flavor as well as keeping your hands away from the heat.

Once you begin the actual cooking occurs very rapidly, and so it is important to have everything ready and near the stove before you begin.

I like to cut each ingredient and place it in a separate bowl. Now when you are ready to start cooking, you just pick up the bowl for the items that you are ready to cook and dump it in.

If you don't have a wok, you can use a skilled and a large sauce pan for the same results if need be.

Heat the skillet to high heat, and place a nonstick saucepan over Medium Low heat.

Now cook each item in the skillet, when it is done cooking place it in the sauce pan.

When you are ready to complete your dish, place everyting back in to the skillet and prepare the sauce.

FUN SANDWICHES

You have seen them in the stores before, the white dumpling presses.

These are great for making cool sandwiches that your kids will love!

Just remove the crust from a piece of bread and place it in the center of the press making sure that the bread covers the whole thing.

Decide what you would like to fill it with and place in the center.

Press the 2 sides toghether and voile!

A fancy sandwich that your kids will love!

BURNED OUT MICROWAVE

OK, if you have a toddler in the house you know that they love to push buttons.

They see Mom/Dad heating up things in the microwave oven and they want to try it out for themselves, except there is nothing in the microwave.

This is very dangerous and can cause damage to your oven.

If you have a toddler that you have found is experimenting with buttons, make sure that you leave a mug of water in the microwave when you are not using it to help prevent damaging it.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT BAKING PANS

When you are setting up a kitchen it is hard to decide what pans you should buy.

There are a lot of different brands and styles out there. Generally speaking, there really isn't any one brand that is better than the other, but as a rule these are just some basic pointers for locating some pans that will work for you.

You want to select heavy weigh aluminum pans that will resist warping.

You can get either plain aluminum, or aluminum with no stick coating.

Just remember that the darker the inside the pan the quicker that the baked item will be done.

The pans with dark interiors will conduct the heat faster to the item that you are baking and you may want to try reducing your heat by 25 to keep your items from becoming over cooked.

BAKING SHEET SELECTION

Setting up a kitchen can be quite a task. You don’t know exactly what you need and when you do look, there are a billion choices. Please remember when you are making your purchases, don’t skimp on the quality. If you spend a little bit more now, you will save a lot of money down the road and in most cases you will have better success with your recipes.

Buy a good Jelly Roll Pan. If you can only buy one pan, I select this one instead of a cookie sheet because the possibilities are endless.

You can use it to bake cookies, or you can line it with foil and bake bacon or meat. It is quite the versatile pan.

Make sure that you purchase a nice heavy weight aluminum pan. The heavier professional grade pans will resist warping more than lighter weight pans.

Try not to heat an empty pan, nor douse a hot empty pan with water. These actions may cause your pan to warp.

Juicing Jubilee

I recently received a diagnosis that made me rethink my food intake. I researched and decided that I wanted to join the juicing bandwagon. I bought a Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor and about 3 pounds of fruit.

I was hooked after the first drink. My daughter and I go crazy seeing what different drinks we can make up. My favorite is one apple, one orange, a couple of strawberries and a handfull of grapes. She likes adding some honey and vanilla, but most of the time I don't find the need.

I will forwarn you that it takes longer to clean the machine than it does to make the juice! If you clean it promply after juicing it may only take about 5 minutes. If you let it dry out before you try to clean..... well, I am sure that the rest of the day might be shot for you.

What do I Use to Peel Citrus?

You need some Lemon/Lime/Orange peel, but you have no idea what kind of grater to use. Which one is correct? Which one is the best? Here is some information for you to decide which you want to use.

Zesters - A zester looks like a funny potato peeler, but instead of a straight blade it has several holes across the top in a row. These remove the peel in long thin pieces. Great for garnishment or larger bursts of flavor. When using in cakes or breads you can chop finely with a knife for more uniform flavor.

Microplane Graters - These graters look a lot like one that is used in a wood shop. (and occasionally are bought from building supply stores for food use ony) The holes are tiny and it produces a fluffy textured peel. When measuring, pack it into the measuring spoon.

Box Grater - The side of the grater that looks like a bunch of tiny mountains. This side will creat a fine ground with lots of oil. Because of the addition of the oil into the peel, don't pack it into the measuring spoon, leave it light and fluffy.

Picking Pans

You are getting ready to bake and you have several different types of pans to pick from. Which one do you use?

When you are baking pies and breads, you can use a dark coated pan. This will aid in browning the crusts better.

When baking cookies or cakes, use a pan that is shiny. This will help prevent over darkening of the bottoms and sides.

If you decide to use a glass pan, don’t forget to reduce your oven temperature by 25º. You may also want to check for doneness a few minutes before the timer goes off.

Stove Top Success

You are making up a recipe on the stove top, but you are not getting the results that the recipe is indicating.

There are several factors that can affect your recipe. The type of cookware that you have selected may be a cause.

Pans that are too thin will not conduct heat properly or evenly.

You may not be using the correct size of pan; if the pan is too large the food may cook too fast, if you use a pan too small it may not heat evenly.

Another factor that has to be taken into account is the voltage of your range or the gas type used. Some stove tops may heat hotter than others, so a good rule of thumb is to never walk out of the ktichen when something is on the stove so that you can keep an eye on it.

Funny Funnels

You are trying to pour some cornmeal into a container and it keeps spilling everywhere.

You actually have one closer than you think. Simply take an envelope and seal it.

Once the seal has dried, cut the envelope in half at an angle.

On the corner opposite the cut, cut about 1/2 inch off (or smaller if your container has a small opening)

Now just pop open the cut end and pour away in your new paper funnel!

Aebleskiver Pans aka Puff Pancake Pans

My daughter was watching TV one afternoon and she comes running in the room. I want a Puff Pancake Pan!

We love to cook together so I thought, why not. I started researching them and found out that since we have a glass top stove you cannot use just any aebleskiver pan.

Apparently the hollow bottom on some of the pans can damage the glass top stove and in some cases it can actually void the warranty.

I normally don't include links in my posts, but I finally found a great pan that works on my glass top stove after hours of searching and I thought that I should save you all the time of research!

http://www.aebleskiver.com/Titaniumpan.htm

Many Uses for the Melon Baller

Ok, You have seen the little gadget called a melon baller. You know, the little tool with a scoop on each end of a handle about 6 inches long.

You keep thinking to yourself, who would ever want one of those, we don't eat enough melon!

Ahhhh, but here you are wrong. There are lots of little uses for a melon baller!

You can scoop little balls of ice cream for fancy little treats.

Got some butter and guests? Scoop out little balls of butter and place on a fancy dish for easier serving.

Making those little stuffed cherry tomato hors d'oeuvres? Use it to scoop out the center of the tomato for easy filling.

Oh, yeah, by the way, you can use it to scoop out little balls of melon too.....

Selecting Saute/Fry Pan

Setting up a first time kitchen can be quite a task. You don’t know exactly what you need and when you do look, there are a billion choices. Please remember when you are making your purchases, don’t skimp on the quality. If you spend a little bit more now, you will save a lot of money down the road.

A definite need is a 10 or 12 inch Sautee/Fry pan. Try to select one that has straight sides and a lid. You can use this pan for just about everything from frying up an egg to a frittata. You can also cook rice or chicken in it with ease.

The heavier the pan, the more even the heat distribution. Select a nice heavy weight stainless steel pan.

Try to avoid Teflon coatings for this particular item.

Pastry Brushes

If you need to get a pastry brush, there are a ton of choices out there. Try to find a better quality brush that is made of boar hair or other natural bristle.

Nylon bristles are fine, but they tend to loose bristles faster and can melt when basting food over high heat. They also will tend to have a shorter life.

To keep one clean is even harder. Brushes can last for quite a long time if they are cared for properly.

After each use, wipe away any excess food then wash well with hot water and some liquid dish soap. Rinse the brush well under running hot water until the water runs clear and no soap is left in the brush.

Shake off any extra water and let air-dry. Occasionally you will find it necessary to do a deep cleaning on your brush.

To deep clean simply add about a teaspoon of bleach to about a pint of water.

Dip your clean brush into the solution and stir the solution with the brush.

After about a minute, remove the brush and rinse well in running hot water.

Shake off any extra water and let air-dry.

Sensible Scoops

Setting up a first time kitchen can be quite a task. You don’t know exactly what you need and when you do look, there are a billion choices. For a bare bones kitchen here is an item that you will want to have on hand. Please remember when you are making your purchases, don’t skimp on the quality. If you spend a little bit more now, you will save a lot of money down the road.

One of my favorite tools is a Stainless Steel Scoop. These are the guys that look like an ice cream scoop.

You can get 3 different sizes: 3 tablespoon, 2 tablespoon and 1 tablespoon.

If you can only get one, get the 2-tablespoon size. It is ideal for filling regular size muffin tins, making medium sized cookies, removing seeds from melons, making meatballs and portioning out cream based salads like chicken or potato.

The 1-tablespoon size is ideal for making small cookies, meatballs, filling miniature muffin tins and making melon balls.

The 3-tablespoon size is ideal for filling large muffin tins and making large cookies.

Perfect Paring

Setting up a first time kitchen can be quite a task. You don’t know exactly what you need and when you do look, there are a billion choices. Please remember when you are making your purchases, don’t skimp on the quality. If you spend a little bit more now, you will save a lot of money down the road.

A paring knife blade is only about 3-4 inches long. Once again you will want to find one that is “full tang” which means that the metal goes all the way to the handle of the knife for stability.

You can use this for just about anything in the kitchen. I use mine for cutting up vegetables to boning meat.

Do not wash your knives in the dishwasher, this will dull your blade quicker and possibly ruin your handles.

Always wash with a warm soapy cloth then rinse well.

You will want to invest in a sharpener and sharpen your knives about every other use.

Sharp knives are usually not the cause of cuts; dull ones are because the knife slips.

Deep Fry Safety

For safety in the kitchen, always make sure that you keep a lid handy for any pot that you are deep frying in.

In case your oil overheats or spills and causes a fire, immediately drop the lid on the pot of oil to prevent the fire from spreading and possibly becoming worse.

Selecting a Fry Pan

Setting up a first time kitchen can be quite a task. You don’t know exactly what you need and when you do look, there are a billion choices. Please remember when you are making your purchases, don’t skimp on the quality. If you spend a little bit more now, you will save a lot of money down the road.

A 10-inch nonstick fry pan is an essential. These are great for making anything from an omelet to a stir-fry.

Remember to once again select a heavy weight pan with a good thick nonstick coating.

The heavier the pan, the more even the heat distribution.

Choosing Saute/Fry Pan

Setting up a first time kitchen can be quite a task. You don’t know exactly what you need and when you do look, there are a billion choices. Please remember when you are making your purchases, don’t skimp on the quality. If you spend a little bit more now, you will save a lot of money down the road.

A definite need is a 10 or 12 inch Sautee/Fry pan.

Try to select one that has straight sides and a lid.

You can use this pan for just about everything from frying up an egg to a frittata. You can also cook rice or chicken in it with ease.

The heavier the pan, the more even the heat distribution.

Select a nice heavy weight stainless steel pan. Try to avoid Teflon coatings for your first purchase if you can't afford 2. Later when you have a chance you can pick up a mate that is teflon.

Mixing Bowls

Setting up a first time kitchen can be quite a task. You don’t know exactly what you need and when you do look, there are a billion choices. Please remember when you are making your purchases, don’t skimp on the quality. If you spend a little bit more now, you will save a lot of money down the road.

A must have is a set of Nesting Ceramic or Glass Bowls. By purchasing a set of nested bowls, you will have most any size that you will ever need for cooking and baking.

Select ceramic or glass because some recipes can have an adverse reaction to plastic, aluminum or steel.

You can also refrigerate and re-heat food in the microwave with ceramic or glass as long as there is no metal trim. Check the packaging for instructions for use.

Measuring In Your Kitchen

Setting up a first time kitchen can be quite a task. You don’t know exactly what you need and when you do look, there are a billion choices. Please remember when you are making your purchases, don’t skimp on the quality. If you spend a little bit more now, you will save a lot of money down the road.

You will want to pick up at least one set of dry measuring cups and spoons as well as one 2-cup liquid measuring cup. For the dry measuring cups and spoons I prefer stainless steel. It is easy to keep clean and does not stain.

For liquid measuring cups, I prefer a glass or “Pyrex” cup. This way you can place it in the microwave and heat up your ingredients if you need to. They are also much easier to clean and take care of.

It does not really matter what they look like as long as you know how to use them properly.

Knife Selection

Setting up a first time kitchen can be quite a task. You don’t know exactly what you need and when you do look, there are a billion choices. Please remember when you are making your purchases, don’t skimp on the quality. If you spend a little bit more now, you will save a lot of money down the road. A Chef’s knife is the kind of knife that slasher movies are made of.

Select one that is at least 8 inches in length and is “full tang” which means that the metal goes all the way through the handle of the knife for stability. You will want to select one that is heavy enough to cut through hard to cut items like squash and melon.

Do not wash your knives in the dishwasher, this will dull your blade quicker and possibly ruin your handles. Always wash with a warm soapy cloth then rinse well. You will want to invest in a sharpener and sharpen your knives about every other use. Sharp knives are usually not the cause of cuts; dull ones are because the knife slips.

Selecting Spatula's

Setting up a first time kitchen can be quite a task. You don’t know exactly what you need and when you do look, there are a billion choices. For a bare bones kitchen here is an item that you will want to have on hand. Please remember when you are making your purchases, don’t skimp on the quality. If you spend a little bit more now, you will save a lot of money down the road.

A good silicone spatula is a cook’s friend.

Find one that is firm enough that you could use to turn food in a skillet, yet soft enough to use as a scraper for removing food from bowls and dishes.

For super easy clean up, just toss in the dishwasher.

Cutting Board Selection

Setting up a first time kitchen can be quite a task. You don’t know exactly what you need and when you do look, there are a billion choices.

For a bare bones kitchen here is an item that you will want to have on hand. Please remember when you are making your purchases, don’t skimp on the quality. If you spend a little bit more now, you will save a lot of money down the road.

A large cutting board is a must have. Try to select one that is at least 12”x18”.

If you select one that is plastic, it will be easier to wash and with proper cleaning you will have less chance of bacteria buildup.

Try to select one that is at least ¾ inch thick so that it will have less chance of warping.

Along with your usual cleaning, try to drop it in the dishwasher at least every 3rd or 4th use. The heat will help sterilize it better.

What Kind of Pan?

Setting up a first time kitchen can be quite a task. You don’t know exactly what you need and when you do look, there are a billion choices.

Please remember when you are making your purchases, don’t skimp on the quality. If you spend a little bit more now, you will save a lot of money down the road.

You will need both 3 & 4 Quart Sauce pans. When you are cooking, you will invariably need both of them to prepare a meal.

Once again, select nice heavy stainless steel pans with tight fitting lids. Try to avoid non-stick pans if you cannot afford to get a quality set like Circulon or Calphalon.

It does not really matter if the lid is glass or metal.

Vinegar Usage I

Vinegar is the unsung hero of the kitchen. It has plenty of uses besides just cooking.

When baking bread you can brush a little vinegar on the top just before baking and it will help keep the crust a bit softer.

If you have problems with hard water buildup on your chrome fixtures, just soak a paper towel in vinegar and place it on the affected area. After about 5 or 10 minutes, rub vigorously to remove the stain.

If you are preparing fish and you find that your hands smell more like fish than your dinner, rinse them with vinegar and then wash. This will also work with other strong odors like onions.

HANDY TOOLS

Since I usually don’t have a lot of time for cooking, I found it easier when I set up 3 tool caddies on my counter.

I use one caddy for metal utensils, one caddy for wood spoons and utensils, and one caddy for plastic.

Now when I am cooking, I can easily locate and grab the utensil that I am looking for with out digging through a bunch of drawers.

WHO NEEDS A SPOON REST?

OK, so you see them in the store and you think to yourself, who would ever use one of those really?

You don't need to spend a lot of money to get a decent spoon rest.

Just look in your kitchen cupboard!

Use a small saucer or dessert plate next to the stove the next time that you cook.

You can place any utensil on the plate with out worring about it rolling off and making a bigger mess.

When you are done preparing your meal, simply wash with the rest of your dishes.

You will never have to worry about, when was the last time that I washed that??