Did I add enough seasoning to my meatloaf or meatballs?

How many times have you asked yourself that question? Or better yet have over or under seasoned stuff?
After you get your mixture made, either meatballs or meatloaf. Make a tiny tester patty and fry it up. Now you can taste it before you cook it all. Hope this was helpful
Enjoy!

Tired of your sugar not melting in your Iced Tea?

Try making some simple syrup to sweeten your iced tea or beverage. You can even use this in mixed drinks like mojitos
2 parts water
1 part sugar
put in pot, stir and cook until sugar is disolved.
You can store this in your fridge after it is cooled for about 2 weeks. if it lasts that long.
You can even flavor this with lemon, orange, vanilla...whatever you wish


Sweeten away!

Make Donuts in your kitchen

There always comes a time when you want a donut but there is no way you are going to the donut store. Well, this one is for you.
1 can GRANDS biscuits (not the flake ones)
powdered sugar  or
Cinnamon/sugar
Pudding  (you can use the snak pack ones or make your own) or
Jam
 Get your sugar ready. You can put them in a bowl or a bag for shaking.
Bake your biscuits according to directions
Remove from oven and put in sugar to coat.
Let them cool on a rack
Get pudding or jam together.
Place whichever you are using in a ziploc bag with or without a pastry tip. Squeeze down into corner. When the biscuits are cool poke hole in side and fill with your desired filling.
They are really good and fun for the kids to help make.
Enjoy!

Use up that bag of baby carrots

I love these things. They are so convienient. No muss no fuss. Toss them in your soups, stews, pot pies etc. OR...you can glaze them.

Cook them. till they are fork tender. I do it in the microwave because I have a fresh veggie setting and they come out perfect. About a minute or so before they are done put a frying pan on the stove add some butter ehhh about 2 tablespoons Heat on medium-medium high heat. Add some brown sugar 3-4 tablespoons or more if you want. Cook it so it is syrupy and add your carrots. (if there is water from carrots don't discard yet). Just let them hang out it the brown sugar sticky goodness. If it gets too thick add a spoonful of the cooking water and stir. They will be yummy sticky goodness.
As you plate them srinkle a small amount of Kosher or Sea Salt on top.

ENJOY!

Got that stinky onion smell on your hands?

You are chopping onions and now you stink like them. You can go to Williams Sonoma and give them your left arm for this stainless steel bar to make it go away ORRRRR you can get a stainless butter knife out of the drawer, turn on the cold water and rub your fingers all over the blade of the knife. Stink gone! You decide...Mine is free!

Avoid bugs in your pantry

Well, Don't know about you but, I am a freak about bugs and weevils in my food. They are in grains when we bring them home and just the right temp will make them hatch. To avoid this you can place your flour, cornmeal etc in the freezer for a few days and it will kill them. I on the other hand store my stuff  permanently in the freezer. Even my pasta. It works out great with the flour being cold if you are making pastry.
Here is to a bugless pantry!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

A sweet potato has the highest nutrients of anything you will find in the produce section. I like the red garnet ones.
Preheat your oven to 425
Peel your potatoes, cut in half sideways the cut those pieces longways in half. slice them so they resemble french fries. about 1/4 inch. when you get them all cut drizzle with a bit of oil. I use olive. Then add spices...salt/pepper garlic powder whatever you want. Even some Cayene for a kick. Experiment and have fun.
Place on a sheet tray lined with parchment.(you don't have to use it) and bake for about 20 minutes turning at half time. They will get brown on the outside and soft inside.
Enjoy!
Oh and by the way...those things we call yams in the united states are really sweet potaotes. Since Yams are from Africa and not even related to sweet potaoes you can only find them in an international market. The US is required to call them "yams/sweet potaotes." Silly huh? Maybe you can use that tidbit of info playing jeopardy one day lol

Lemon is not just for fish

Want to cut down on the salt in your food? Try adding a little lemon juice or lemon zest in your food. Lemon brings out the flavors. I even put it in my beef vegetable soup. Experiment it will be fun

Who loves BACON???

Everyone loves bacon but we all know moderation is the key. Since it isn't that good for us I am going to let you know how to make it to where you won't realize it is that bad bacon we aren't supposed to eat.
BACON (I prefer thick)
preheat oven to 375 (or whatever your pkg says for baking)
Cookie sheet with sides
Cookie cooling rack
Set your rack on top of cookie sheet
Brown sugar
wax or parchment paper

Lay your bacon out on the paper and cover it in brown sugar smashing it on. Turn and do other side then lay on the rack. put them all on not overlapping and place in the oven for 15-20 min (for thick) follow your pkg.
You do not have to turn it. Just let it do its magic on its own.
If you want to be a little more adventurous, slather your favorite mustard on the bacon before putting on the brown sugar.
I hope you enjoy this

The BEST SCRAMBLED EGGS

I was never a fan of scrambled eggs until I figured out how to make them wonderful.
Place your eggs in a bowl add a drop of water this thins out the whites. Whisk until they are smooth and yellow with no whites hanging out, then add some SOUR CREAM (like big heaping tablespoon). Add salt/pepper and a drop of olive oil. Now beat them a little. The sour cream will still be in little lumps. Toss them into a well buttered pan that is about medium heat. Use a rubber spatula and as they cook move them around kind of like folding them while they cook. LOW & SLOW. When they are no longer runny they are done. These should be the fluffiest eggs you have ever had. NO rubber brown eggs lol
OHHH incase the kiddies won't eat scrambled eggs...Tell them DR.Suess called and had a tip for them. Put their eggs on the plate and plop some grape jelly near the eggs. Tell them if they put the jelly on the eggs the will have "green eggs and ham" . Oh and I guess you better be making ham or bacon lol
Enjoy!

So...You have leftovers

I think leftovers are the best part of holiday cooking. There is so much you can do with them if you just wing it and let your imagination flow. YOU can do it I promise. One of my favorite things is turkey, stuffing and gravy all cooked together and eaten with cranberry on the side.
Here are a few more ideas:
TURKEY TACOS- shred the meat add some onions, green chilis, some salsa. Cook it all together and put it in your taco shells and add cheese and lettuce.
TAQUITOS- kind of the same as above but, use soft corn tortillas. Rolls atick a toothpick to keep it together and fry them in some hot oil.
TURKEY POT PIE NO CRUST- Warm some milk in a pot. about 3 cups depending how much you want to make. Saute some chopped onions til soft, scoot the onions to the side after they are soft. toss in a couple tablespoons of butter and equal amount of flour. stir it up and cook that flour. Add the warm milk whisk and whisk so you have no lumps...just remember a lump in gravy never killed anyone. Then add your turkey and whatever veggie you want. Frozen of previously cooked work the best. Use whatever is in the freezer or left over from your dinner. Peas, carrots, asparagas, hell even potatoes. Cook until it is hot and thickens up. You can't mess this up. You will be surprised what a yummy dish you can come up with. Add salt and pepper to taste.
TURKEY SPAGHETTI- your sauce of choice and just toss the turkey in.
TURKEY CHILI- This is gringo chili lol Saute some onions, toss in your turkey. Garlic powder, 2 cans of S&W chili beans (do not drain) 2 cans of S&W mexican stewed tomatoes, 1 large can ortega diced green chilis. small can of tomato sauce. 2 cans of kidney beans drained. I add water to get the volume I want. You can add a little chili powder if you think it needs it. Play with it and make it your own. It will thicken as it cooks.
It is late and my brain is tired hope this got your mind working.
OH WAIT I forgot the best one...
TURKEY PANINI-Ciabata rolls (costco sells them) fill your rolls full of turkey, stuffing & cranberry sauce. If you have a panini grill you know how to continue. If you don't you can use a brick...yes I said a brick. Wrap in in foil first. Brush top of roll with a little olive oil. Place it in your hot pan and stick that brick on it. The purpose is to smash the sandwhich. That is what a panini is. Turn your sandwich over after it is crispy and put that brick back on. Please don't think I am nuts it does really work.
If all else fails just get a nice soft roll and shove all the above in it and enjoy!

Don't want mashed potatoes...try this

Mashed or smashed potatoes can become boring so this is a quick and easy way to have potatoes.

Small red creamer potatoes (small like a golfball)
Butter
Fresh parsely (flat leaf) chopped

Take your potatoes and remove a strip of the peel thru the center. You should have peel, naked, peel. You can use a knife or a peeler. I use a pearing knife. You don't want them to be perfect. We are talking rustic here.
Place them in a pot of tap water (not hot) and boil until they are fork tender to your liking. Do Not use a knife to test if done you can use that method for a cake.
When done drain and place back on burner (no heat) for a sec to dry some of the water out.
Add some butter and your chopped parsely salt and pepper to taste and stir. Put in a serving dish and serve.
You can add some roasted garlic or garlic powder if you would like.
Enjoy!

Poached Eggs

Some people are afraid to even attempt to make them but they are rather easy once you get the hang of it.
I use a large frying pan that has about 3 inch sides. You can use a pot if you would rather. Put some water in it and bring it to a boil. When it gets to a boil add about 2 teaspoons of white vinegar.(this will not change the taste of your eggs, it is needed to bring the white together.) then lower the heat so it is a low simmer. Drop cracked eggs in one at a time. I crack them into a little bowl them slide them in.
Your water should be 160-180 degrees if you want to drag out the thermometer.
Cook about 2 1/2 to 31/2 min. You can tell when they are done as the yolk will be soft and the white will be set. Time may be different depending on the temp of your water. I do one egg at a time. Remove from water with a slotted spoon.
If you need a bunch of them for later in the day, you can cook a bunch of them as you can hold them over in cold water in fridge. Then just put them back in some warm water to finish cooking and heat them.
This is an egg preparation unlike hard boiled eggs where you need FRESH eggs. the fresher the better. The older an egg the more separated and runny the white becomes and could be a poached disaster.
Once you have got the hang of this and become the poached egg queen. try poaching in different types of liquid. A little wine perhaps.
Now all you have to do Is get some ham or canadian bacon, some english muffins, and some hollindaise sauce for some eggs benedict.
Enjoy!

Inexpensive Sundae Topping

Ice cream in the freezer and you want to step it up a notch? Don't have those expensive toppings in the fridge? Make your own!
My favorite is pineapple (makes me think of banana splits)
You will need.

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 (20-oz.) can crushed pineapple with juice (not heavy syrup)

4 Tablespoons water 

2 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoon butter or margarine

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in crushed Pineapple with juice, water and lemon juice; add butter or margarine. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Simmer over low heat 2 minutes.

 

Jazz up your homemade whipped cream

Making homemade whipped cream? Give it an extra something that will have everyone saying "this is fabulous!

1 pint of heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla
2 tablespoons of sugar (to taste)

Make sure your cream is COLD and toss your beaters and your bowl (use metal) in the freezer for a bit before whipping.
If you accidentally over whip...never fear, all is not lost. You can now turn it into sweet butter. Of course you now have to get your butt to the store for more whipping cream.
Enjoy!

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs/deviled eggs

During the holidays deviled eggs are seem to always be on the menu. Here are a few tips to making that perfect egg. Not rubbery and NO green edge to the yolk.

1. DO NOT use fresh eggs. They won't peel. The best eggs to use are the ones that are close to expiration on carton. Use room temperature eggs!
2.  Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover them with cool water by 1 inch. Slowly bring water to a boil over medium heat; when the water has reached a boil, cover and remove from heat. Let sit 12 minutes.
3. Transfer eggs to a colander, place under cool running water to stop the cooking. Eggs can be peeled and used or served immediately.
4. Now it is time to make the deviled eggs. Mix your yolks as you normally would with your mayo and spices you use.
5. Get a gallon baggie and put your mixture inside. squish it to one side and down to the bottom. Snip the corner tip off of the bag and now you can pipe it into your whites. If you want to get fancy you can put a decorating tip into the corner of the bag before adding your yolks.
6. For presentation you can sprinkle with paprika

          Enjoy!

Let that turkey rest!

when your turkey has reached 155-160 it is safe to take out of the oven. Cover with foil to keep the heat in. Please let yout turkey rest at least 40-60 minutes before slicing to return all of those juices back to the meat. It will still be warm. You can heat up some chicken or turkey stock and after slicing up your turkey and putting it on the plater spoon some stock over it. I prefer to slaughter the turkey in kitchen and bring it sliced to the table. Try removing the breast and slicing front to back instead of from the outside toward the bone. This will yeild moister turkey as the outside of the breast tends to dry out because it gets the most heat.
Hope you all enjoy your day!

Fresh Ginger

There has been a time or two where you see a recipe and it calls for grated fresh ginger. We never want to buy it cuz it cost money and what in the hell do you do with whats left. Contrary to popular belief you don't have to buy that whole piece. Bust off what you want. After you have used what you need wrap it up and toss in the freezer. No waste

Got a Great deal on cereal but no where to put it?

Did you know you can freeze cereal? Thats right...buy all you can when the price is right. Take the bags out of the boxes and toss them in the freezer. The money I saved when I had kids was amazing. Oh wait...are there still fruit loops in my freezer? lol

Hungry Girl guilt free onion rings

I got this from the HUNGRY GIRL
1 large onion
1/2 cup Fiber One Original bran cereal  I used a cereal called TWIGS I found at the 99cent only store
1/4 tsp. garlic powder, or more to taste
1/8 tsp. onion powder, or more to taste
1/8 tsp. salt, or more to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters OriginalPreheat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice the ends off the onion and remove its outer layer. Cut onion into 1/2-inch-wide slices and separate into rings. Set aside.

Using a blender or food processor, grind cereal to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Season crumbs with the spices and transfer to a plate or bowl. Set aside.

Fill a small bowl with egg substitute. Prepare a baking sheet (or two) by spraying with nonstick spray. Set aside.

use tongs or a fork to dip the rings into the egg substitute and cereal crumbs -- it'll keep your fingers from getting eggy & crumb-covered. (Don't pierce the rings with the fork; just balance them on it.)

One at a time, dunk each ring in egg substitute, give it a shake to remove any excess, and then coat it in the seasoned crumbs. Evenly place rings on the baking sheet(s).

Bake in the oven until outsides are crispy and insides are soft, 20 - 25 minutes, carefully flipping rings over about halfway through.  Enjoy!

Cleaning your garbage disposal

Kitchen disposal getting yucky? Dump about a half a box of baking soda in drain then about a cup of vinegar. It will bubble up and clean out the funk. When it has stopped bubbling turn on the water and run the disposal. This is cheaper than those packets in the store and works as well

Single servings of stuffing

You can make single servings of stuffing to serve your guests on Thanksgiving or with anymeal for that
matter.
Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray. Spoon the stuffing into cups and kind of mound it up. Make sure to drizzle a little broth on top and a pat of butter too so they dont dry out.
Serve stuffing with fish, chicken, beef, and pork...it all works together
if serving with pork...add some diced apples to the stuffing.
If you have some left over...toss them in the freezer

Making Salad Dressing

Dressing, Vinaigrette, whatever you call them,can be made with just about anything you have in your cabinet or fridge.
Vinaigrette are supposed to be 3 parts oil to 1 part acid. Oil is fattening so you can adjust that to whatever you want or don't add oil at all. You are looking for flavor that is the important thing.
I use lemon juice instead of vinegar. and of course I don't measure lol
I add my seasoning and let it sit for a few
then a little agave syrup (I like sweet and tangy)
pinch salt
pepper
and it you want to put the oil drizzle in while whisking to emulsify the mxiture. You will know when to stop with the oil...just remember calories. lol
now that you get the basic idea these are things I have used
Rasberry jam
pear or apricot jam
with the jams you need an acid ie:vinegar or juice
I have used lemon, apple, cranberry and lime juices for the acid.
Sheesh did this make sense? lol
Be creative! for some reason when you play with your food it tastes better

Out of Powdered Sugar?

You are making something and at the last minute you realize you need Powdered Sugar and you have none. What do you do now? You whip out the food processor or one of those magic bullet kind of things and toss in some granulated sugar. Turn it on and watch that sugar transform into powder.
The reason I posted this is because everyone I have told this to had no clue you could do this lol

Fruit Dip

This is sooo yummy especially with strawberries.
Sour Cream reg,light or fat free
Powdered sugar.

Just mix the sugar into the sour cream until it is as sweet as you like. Chill for a bit and dip.
Enjoy!

Crystallized Honey

Don't throw it out! If it is a cute little honey bear place it in a pan of water and put it on lowest heat. It will melt slowly and become honey again. DO NOT put your little bear in the microwave and you will be at Target buying more honey. Oh and a new Microwave lol. If you have honey in a big jar use a bigger pot. If your honey is raw do not over heat it as it is supposed to stay raw lol

Bagged and Boxed Greens

Do you end up throwing half of the package away because they get yucky and slimmy? Here is a tip to make them keep longer. When you open the package toss a paper towel in this will absorb the moisture that makes it rot.

Chicken/Spinach Pita's

This is a really quick lunch.
3-4 chicken tenders (I remove tendon)
seasoning of your choice
Onion sliced thin
Fresh spinach
Arugala (optional)
Red Pepper sliced thin (optional)
Pita bread
Season tenders and toss in pan. make sure it is hot enough that you hear that sizzle
Only turn them once. They will get nice and brown. remove from pan and add onion and pepper and cook to your liking. At the end add spinach and chicken back into pan. Spinach wilts fast.
Heat your pita halves about 15 sec in microwave.
Fill with chicken mixture and some fresh arugala and top with your favorite dressing.

I use dressing I make from scratch non-fat yogurt, garlic and seasoning you like, a little salt and pepper. Can't mess this up. just wing it, you will be surprised what you can come up with.
I need a new camera...not a very good picture lol

Kitchen Gadgets

The one who dies with the most kitchen gadgets WINS! I really used to think this way until I realized I had a ton of things I never used. You can multi purpose many of the tools you already have.
I have a few things that are a MUST...
Tongs
Wooden spoons
Rubber spatula (make sure it is heat resistant)
Kitchen Shears
Microplane
You can do so many things with these few things. You know those cute little lemon and lime squeezers..Use your tongs. Place lemon etc in between the long part of the tongs and squeeze. (I sure hope that made sense) Cooking with whole canned tomatoes and you need to chop them up...while they are cooking, use your kitchen shears to cut them into pieces.
Microplane- you can do anything from grate nutmeg, cheese or zesting citrus.
If you have a ton of things in a drawer in your kitchen, take them all out and place them in a box for 30 days. As you use an item place it in the drawer. if after 30 days you have a box full of stuff you haven't used...get rid of it! I always thought I NEEDED all of it. HA! I ended up with an almost empty drawer. lol

Too many cookies

This time of year everyone is baking cookies to give to friends. You get so many you can't possibly eat them all and sometimes they get a little hard. Place them in an airtight container with a slice of bread and in a couple of days you have new soft cookies. The cookies draw the moisture from the bread.

You can also toss a slice of bread into that bag of hard brown sugar. It works the same way

Compound Butter

This is a little thing you can make and use for all kinds of things. Take a couple sticks of room temp butter and throw it in food processor with some chopped parsely (I prefer flat leaf) some pressed or minced garlic and whatever spices and seasonings you like. Run it till it is all mushed together. If using this for your turkey or chicken, lift skin gently slipping your fingers under the skin, put this butter all under the skin and it will baste into your turkey while cooking and add lots of flavor.
If you want compound butter for other things take what you have mixed together and place in the center of a piece of plastic wrap. In a long log. Wrap the plastic over and form it into a log. (should look like slice and bake cookies.) Twist the ends of the wrap up and toss it in the freezer. when needed sliced off a chunk..instant yum.
You can make sweet butter with honey and cinnamon for toast too.

Who eats the turkey legs?

Who loves the legs of the turkey but hates all those weird tendon things you find inside? Before you cook your turkey look at the botton of the legs. This is kinda gross but you will thank me later. Sticking out of the bottom of the leg bone are white tendons. They run the majority of the length of the leg. Get out your man tools pliers or vice grips and latch on to them one at a time and pull. The whole thing will come right out of the leg making your legs tender and more enjoyable to eat.
I also do this with my chicken tenders (but not with a plier) I use a knife. I know you have all seen or bitten into that yucky thing. Lay your tender down on cutting board and grab a hold of the tendon, take your knife along side and just kinda pull and it will come out with your tender intact. Takes a few extra minutes for prep but your tenders will be TENDER.
Enjoy!

Yummy Cranberry side dish

I got this recipe from my girlfriend Robin many many years ago. Please give it a try, you will love it.

1 bag fresh cranberries 12-16oz
1can crushed pineapple (in own juice)
1 cup granulated sugar
heavy whipping cream. I think you will need two little ones
Or 1 large cool whip will work
large bag of mini marshmallows
Crush cranberries up in food processor until they are small add to large bowl with one cup of sugar and the can of pineapple. stir well then add the marshmallows mix together. Cover and refridgerate over night.
before serving whip the cream then fold it into the cranberry mixture.
this is something you can make ahead.
Enjoy!

Stop eating those CANNED YAMS!

You can make fresh yams and they will be wonderful. You can't mess this up there are NO measurments.
As many yams as you think you want. 4 or 5 maybe unless you are feeding a small army
boil them until tender but not mushy, peel them and slice them in circles. Place them in your baking pan. I put down a layer then stagger the next layer..you know what I mean. Then I sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. Just do this by sight and how sweet you want it to be. Top with several small pats of butter and some nuts of your choice if you want.
Bake until its bubbly...Oh wait I forgot those marshmallows lol if you want them add them towards the end so they get brown and melty.
You can boil the yams the day before then assemble thanksgivin morning.

Pear Tart...quick and easy

Ok I am all for shortcuts during the busy time of the year so we are gonna cheat and NO one will ever know.You will need
Pillsbury ready crust. The kind that is in a box in the refer section
3-4 Pears
1 Tbls of lemon juice
4 teaspoons of cornstarch =1 tbl + 1 teaspoon
1/2 teas cinnamon if you want more add more
3 1/2 Tbls brown sugar
Parchment Paper
2Teaspoons honey
1/2 Teaspoon boiling water

(just wanted to add...today I made it again and I had leftover whole canned cranberry sauce so I threw some in. OMG it was fabulous!!!)
Preheat oven to 425

Peel and core the pears and slice them about 1/4 inch thick
sprinkle lemon juice on pears and toss gently
sprinkle on the cornstarch, cinnamon & sugar.
Toss until they are evenly coated. set aside

Place parchment paper on cookie sheet and place the dough circle in the middle
Take the pears and pile them in the middle of the circle of dough. You must leave
a 2 inch border. Now take the border edge of dough and fold over pears. this will not cover the pears it will be an edge. If you have to do that crimpy foldy thing do that. edge should look rustic not perfect

Place in 425 degree oven for 15 minutes then lower temp to 350 and bake another 40 minutes, until the pears are tender and the crust is golden brown.
When you take from oven mix the honey and water together and brush over the top and the crust edge. This will make it shinny and yummy.
Let cool for a bit. You may serve this warm or room temp.

Tired of the same old Coffee? Spice it up

Everyday you make that pot of coffee and it is always the same. BORING!!! the flavored stuff is more expensive and the flavored creamer is usually fattening. Here is a little trick...When you put the grounds in the pot..Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top and you will have a brand new taste. You can do this with nutmeg, vanilla beans  etc. The possibilities are endless. Cinnamon is also very beneficial to your health. It regulates your blood sugar which is beneficial to type II diabetes. And did you know that smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory?
Enjoy!

Yucky Kitchen Sponges

Stinky smelly sponges? Toss them in the top rack of the dishwasher when it is time to wash the dishes. They will come out nice and clean and sanitized!

Stains on the counter or Stained coffee cups

If you have a stain on your counter you can remove it with baking soda and lemon juice. Sprinkle soda on the squirt on the juice. Rub and viola! its gone
For the coffee cups...just use baking soda on a sponge

Getting Red Stains out of plastic wear

Spaghetti sauce, red chili, all can stain our plastic. To remove these you should first put it in the sun, outside or in a window. Let the sun naturally bleach it out then clean it with baking soda and white vinegar. Another way is to put liquid dishwasher soap in it and let it sit. There is bleach in it so it will bleach it out. I have had great success with this.
Good Luck!

Your Coffee Spoon

Everyone has one...sitting on the counter until you are done with that pot of coffee for the day. They are yucky..unless you are one of those that rinses it off with every cup. lol I use sweetner packages so I dont have to put a spoon in the sugar bowl. Actually I don't put my spoon anywhere because I don't use one. I use a chopstick...Thats right a chopstick! They leave no mess, they wash in the dishwasher and best of all they are free. I also use it in my iced tea or any drink I might make. Try it. Happy Stirring!

Cooking Fresh Mushrooms

Are your mushrooms limp and not so pretty after you have sauted them? Here is a tip to make your mushrooms look and taste wonderful.
Make sure your oil is hot when you toss them in the pan. Remember, food that is moving cannot get brown or caramelize. If you are going to season them DO NOT add salt until they are all carmelized and yummy. Adding salt draws the water out of them making moisture in your pan making them wet. Try this and let me know what you think. You can also add a splash of white wine to deglaze the pan in the last few minutes. Delish!

Canned Tuna

It seems the price of this keeps rising. Sam's Club and Costco sell HUGE cans. Most of us would never buy a can that large unless we have 300 kids, are feeding the homeless or have a restaurant. Have no fear...Bertsie is here to let you know that you can now buy that HUGE can and save yourself some money because....YOU CAN FREEZE TUNA!!! you all probably think I am nuts because you knew this already. lol Well, if you didn't you do now.
Happy Freezing.
oh and next time you make yummy tuna salad for a sandwich...add some crunchy BBQ chips to it. It is sooo good.
Enjoy!

Salmon en papillote

En Papillote is a french way of cooking. It means in Paper. I just finished making this for our dinner and it is wonderful
1lb Salmon filet atleast an inch thick
salt/pepper to taste or whatever you normally season your fish with
Drizzel of olive oil
Parchment paper 2 1/2 times the size of your fish

Place your fish on one side of the paper leaving about an inch for an edge
Season and drizzel on the oil
Fold paper over fish and starting at the fold on one side fold over the edge keep goin until you have gone all around the fish. If you have ever made a calzone this is the same thing you do with the dough. make sure it is sealed. if not fold over and put a couple of staples in it...just dont eat them lol
Place on a cookie sheet or in a pan in a 350 degree oven for 20 min
Take it out and let it rest for a few minutes before opening your package.
Fish continues to cook after removing from oven.
If you are having guests you can do this with smaller portions so each guest with have their own package.
You can also place lemon slices or fennel in the pouch before cooking.
Enjoy!

French's Fried Onions

Its almost Thanksgiving and many people make the all famous green bean casserole with those crispy little onion pieces on the top. Did you know you can make them at home?
All you need is a few shallots and some flour
Slice your shallots thin and separate them. Dredge them in some flour and toss them in some hot oil. Cook until goden brown and crisp. The less expensive way is to use regular onions. I recommend white as they are milder than yellow onions. You also can season your flour. Make sure you make a lot as everyone will want to taste them

Cleaning your dishwasher

Think your dishwasher is clean? If you over soap your dishwasher it makes too many suds that have no where to go. The residue ends up hiding behind the front of your dishwasher. Yucky sticky stuff. I have seen it and it isn't pretty. Never fear you can make this all go away while using the drink of the astronauts. Yes thats what I said. Run a couple of tablespoons of TANG through your washer. (no dishes) and this will make all that old soap residue go away. I learned this from the dishwasher repair guy. He also said to never fill up both cups with soap. just a tiny bit in the first one then the normal amount in the closed side. He said you are just wasting soap by filling up both sides

Baking a cake

When you are making a box mix cake and you have to grease and flour pan, try using a little of the dry cake mix inplace of the flour to dust the pan. That way you don't have that white residue on the outside of your cake.

The dreaded Raw Egg on the floor

This has happened more than once to me. You drop an egg on the floor and it is pure hell trying to clean it up because it just moves all over. Try sprinkling a border of salt around the edge and this should stop the white from spreading. Now it should be easier to wipe up.

How do I know if my pan is hot enough?

We all have had the problem when frying something with the batter or the coating coming off. This is because your pan and oil is not hot enough. To Test the oil in the pan even if it is just a little bit take the end (handle) of a wooden spoon and stick it in pan. If little bubbles form around it it should be about 350 degrees, which is the perfect temp.

Apple juice/cider with pork chops

I keep a bottle of one of these in my fridge at all times. You can do so many things with it while cooking. I buy  the natural no sugar added one. You can make some great chicken or pork chops with it. I know you are all thinking "pork chops and applesauce" lol Since I don't measure anything when I cook it is hard to give you a recipe but I will try. You can just wing this one, you can't mess it up.
4 pork chops (type you like) I use thin center cut for this
5 or 6 green onions sliced on the diagonal. It's prettier lol
thin sliced red pepper (optional) You can also use the frozen peppers in the bag. I also added on occasion canned crushed pineapple
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
Heat pan and add oil when it is hot enough toss in the chops. Don't mess with them...remember if you are moving food around in a pan it can't brown and carmelize. When brown turn and brown the other side. Cook until almost done. If you are using thin ones this whole thing takes about 12 minutes. Faster than Rachel Ray lol
When chops are done remove from pan and toss in other ingredients. Cook until kinda wilty. Add some juice or cider to pan. A couple of cups I would say. Place chops back in and lower heat and simmer until chops are done. Remove chops and set aside and cover to keep warm. Turn up heat a little to reduce liquid in pan. you can add more juice at this time. You can add a little corn starch w/water if you are in a hurry (I don't) the sauce will thicken. When thick pour over chops and serve.
I hope this made sense. Like I said hard to explain without a recipe. You can also do this with chicken.
Enjoy!

Moist Thanksgiving Turkey tricks

Afraid you have over cooked the Turkey and it will be dry? Have a pot of warm chicken or turkey stock on the stove and carve your turkey in the kitchen. I remove the breasts and slice them from front to back. Lay your turkey on your plater and spoon the warm broth over the meat. No one will ever know that the turkey even thought about being dry.
Also if you stuff your bird as I do make sure you make your stuffing the night before and place in the fridge. Never stuff a cold bird with warm stuffing as you will be asking for a problem. I will have more of these tips in the next few days.

Onions

Are your onions growing on the counter or in the fridge? Try wrapping each one up in a paper towel and placeing them in your crisper drawer. They will stay fresh for a long time. If you have a piece of onion left over also wrap that in paper towel and place in baggie. If you aren't going to use it anytime soon chop the whole thing and toss what is left in freezer.

Grilling Steaks and Burgers

Yeah Yeah...Men think they are the best grillers on earth however, I have found that women do a better job. lol Few things to remember...
Make sure you take meat out of fridge and get to room temp. Cold meat hitting a hot grill tightens up the meat and it will not be as tender. If you marinade the meat first make sure you pat it dry before it hits the hot grill. If you leave it dripping wet it will not sear the meat it will steam it. Who wants a steamed steak? Place them on a HOT grill as this will sear in all the juice of the meat and give you a nice crust on the outside. If you try to move the steak and it won't move it isn't ready. Only turn your steak once. This also goes for burgers. Ever seen they guy at the bbq turning and turning the burgers and smashing them down with the spatula? Cracks me up. He is slowly killing the burgers.  Be patient let it cook. You will be amazed how wonderful it will be if you leave it alone. Also if you are doing burgers place a dent in the center so it will cook evenly. Never cut the steak to see if it is done...you have now lost all the juice. Let the meat rest so all of the juice will return to the meat. If you have leftover marinade toss it in a pan and cook it up, add a pat of butter at the end and it will thicken and get glossy and becomes a wonderful sauce to pour on top if desired. C'mon women we can do this! Enjoy!

Ground Turkey

Trying to eat healthy? Ground turkey is a great substitute for ground beef. Just remember all turkey isn't healthy. You need to buy ground turkey BREAST. It has a lot less fat than the one with all the dark meat.
Because there is less fat it can become dry so here are some tips that will help you avoid that.
Season as you would ground beef. If making burgers, Finely chop some crimini mushrooms and add to the meat. It will give you a texture like ground beef. Also add a little milk to the meat while mixing in your spices. If you are making meatballs use some bread soaked in milk along with a small amount of seasoned bread crumbs. Yummy Yummy! and you don't have to feel guilty.

Moist Chicken

Tired of your chicken being dried out? Try coating it in Mayo before putting it in the oven. You can add herbs and spices even cheese to the mixture. Bake and enjoy! I also have used this on fish.

Mushrooms

Love buying mushrooms but hate them when they get slimmy? When you get them home from store take them out of the package and place them in a small brown paper sack. Then store them in fridge. If you don't have a sack take them out of package and place a paper towel in bottom then cover them with a paper towel. Throw that plastic wrap in the trash! Mushrooms don't like moisture so why they package them in those containers with plastic wrap on them is beyond me...Wait, maybe it is so you will have to buy more when these rot. Never wash your mushrooms, just wipe them with a damp cloth or paper towel

Green Onions

I know this has happened to all of us at least once. You buy a bunch or two for a recipe and the rest hang out in the crisper drawer begging to be used as they slowly get limp. Take them outside and dig a small hole and plant them root side down. Water them and in a few days you will have new onions!

Buying fresh herbs

We all love to buy fresh herbs but, they are so costly and usually go bad before we use them all. When you first buy them wrap them in a paper towel and place in fridge. This will keep the moisture away and they will keep longer. After using what you need, chop up what is left and place them in an ice cube tray and fill with water. After cubes are frozen toss them in a freezer bag and place back in freezer. Need some basil in your sauce...toss in a couple of cubes. You can do this with mint for your tea too. You won't believe how much money and time you will save.

Tomato Paste

How many of you buy those little cans of tomato paste just because you need a tablespoon of it and end up throwing the remainder away? I guess you could buy those over priced tubes...but why? Take the leftover paste out of the can and wrap it up in some cellophane and toss it in the freezer. When you need some, take it out and chop off a hunk and toss it in your pan. Viola! easy and money saved!

Getting Started

Thanks for coming to my blog. I have all kinds of things I would love to share with all of you. Hopefully I can help and answer some questions you might have about cooking and tips in the kitchen. I am not a professional Chef just a self taught woman that loves to cook!
I hope you all enjoy!