Time Savers & Forget-me-nots
How to Roast a Red Pepper – Slice peppers in half and remove seeds. Place halves face down on a foil lined baking sheet (extend over sides or fold down). Broil until charred on all sides. Remove pepper(s)from oven, fold foil over to cover and let stand for 20 minutes. Open and peel off charred skin; cut into strips. Use in recipes or salads.
Cook Hard Boiled Eggs – Place eggs in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Turn off burner (set heat to very low), cover saucepan and let stand 20 minutes. Uncover, pour out hot water, and fill pan three-quarters with cool tap water to cover eggs; let stand a minute to cool a bit. Let eggs sit in pan, take one out at a time and crack, immerse cracked egg into the pot with warm water and the shell will peel off easily.
Celery, Peppers – Have celery, peppers etc. that are sitting in your ref. from another recipe/use and you won’t use them before they go bad. Don’t throw them out, cut them up and freeze (double bag in zip locks) to use in soups, casseroles, stir fry’s etc.
Homemade Seasoning Dry Mix – ½ c. paprika, 3 Tbls. onion powder, 3 Tbls. garlic powder, 3 Tbls. cayenne pepper, 2 Tbls. white pepper, 2 Tbls. black pepper, 4 t. salt, 4 t. dried thyme, 4 t. dried oregano, 4 t. ground cumin and 4 t. chili powder. Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.
How to Freeze Fresh Rhubarb, Cherries or Zucchini – Spread rhubarb pieces, cherries or grated zucchini out on a cookie sheet and put in freezer until frozen. Place 1 to 2 cups in a zip lock freezer bag and store in freezer until ready to use in baking. Put several smaller bags in a large 2 quart freezer zip lock bag (double bag to avoid freezer burn). Before using, squeeze out excess water or juice, if any.
How to clean your cookie sheets – Put about ¼ cup of baking soda in a small glass bowl and squirt in hydrogen peroxide until it makes a nice paste. Then you rub it on the offending dirt/stain/grease...whatever! You can usually just use your fingers, but you can also use a small sponge as well.
How to cook corn on the cob - peel husks on corn cobs. Place cobs in a large pot of water; add a little milk and bring to a boil. Put corn in pot, cover pot and remove from burner. Let stand 25-30 minutes. Drain water and enjoy with salt and butter.
Uses for Greek Yogurt:
- In Brownies, replace ⅓ c. oil with ¼ c. Greek yogurt to save calories and fat.
- For every cup of butter you use in recipes for baked goods, use half and substitute the rest for ¼ c. of Chobani Greek low-fat plain yogurt.
- Substitute Greek yogurt for a portion of the mayo in recipes for tuna and macaroni salads.
- Substitute low-fat Greek plain yogurt instead of Mayo in Ranch dressing or dips.
- Marinate chicken, meat and seafood with seasoning and Greek yogurt instead of oil. You’ll cut fat, add a ton of flavor and keep your dish moist and tender.
- Substitute Greek yogurt for butter in baking to add protein and moisture, cut calories. Use ½ c. for every 1 c. of butter in a recipe.
Sugared Nuts (great in some salads) - combine a 2 oz. package of almonds or pecan and about 2 tablespoons of white sugar in a small Teflon coated fry pan. Cook on med-high heat until sugar starts to melt a bit. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon to coat nuts as sugar melts. Be careful not to burn. Pour out onto a large plate to cool. Store in an air tight container.
Marinate Times - a longer marinade isn’t always better. For beef and pork, longer is better. However, if food is delicate such as shrimp, flaky fish or salmon, stop marinating after 15 or 30 minutes or the acid will start to break down the protein too much.
- Fish: minimum of 15 minutes; maximum of 30 minutes
- Chicken: minimum of 30 minutes; maximum of 5 hours
- Beef & Pork: minimum of 4 hours; maximum of 12 hours
How much juice in a lime or lemon?
- 1 Lime = 2 Tbls. Juice
- 1 Lemon = 3 Tbls. Juice
- 1 Orange = ¼ c. Juice
Cook Bacon with No Mess! - Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a shallow baking pan (with sides) with foil; a bar pan works well. This will make for easy cleanup later. Arrange bacon slices on the foil lined pan; do not overlap. Place pan in oven and bake for about 18-20 minutes. When bacon is golden brown, but not excessively crisp, it is done. If you like it real crisp, cook it longer. The exact time will depend on the thickness of your bacon slices. Remove bacon and place on a plate, lined with 2-3 sheets of paper towel to absorb the grease.
What flavored pellets are best for . . .
- Beef: use Hickory, Mesquite, Cherry, Maple, Oak, Pecan, Alder
- Chicken: Use Apple, Cherry, Hickory, Mesquite, Pecan, Alder
- Pork: Apple, Hickory, Maple, Pecan, Cherry, Alder
- Seafood: Mesquite, Oak, Alder, Alder
- Vegetables: Apple, Hickory, Maple, Pecan, Alder
Wood Pellet Pairing Guide
- Pecan pellets offer a subtle nuttiness that goes well with the rich flavor of smoked brisket.
- Mesquite pellets deliver a bold punch of flavor that shines in grilled chicken and other poultry.
- Hickory pellets provide a bold, assertive flavor that enhances BBQ pork ribs.
- Apple pellets have a subtle touch of fruitiness that goes well with the sweet & salty taste of ham.
- Cherry pellets have a hearty flavor that stands up to the rich, beefy taste of steak.
- Turkey Blend pellets feature Maple & Hickory accented with a hint of Rosemary to elevate turkey flavor whether it’s roasted or slow-smoked.
- Apple pellets have a slightly sweet taste that pairs perfectly with tender, slow-smoked pulled pork.
Crockpot/Slow Cooker Conversion Time for Traditional Recipes - Almost any recipe that bakes in the oven or simmers on the stovetop can be converted for a crockpot or slow cooker. In general, 1 hour of simmering on the stove or baking at 350°F in the oven is equal to 6-8 hours on low or 3 - 4 hours on high in a slow cooker.
| Cooking Time for Conventional Recipe | Cooking Time for Slow Cooker | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 to 30 minutes | Low: 4 to 6 hours | |
| High: 1-1/2 to 2 hours | ||
| 35 to 45 minutes | Low: 6 to 8 hours | |
| High: 3 to 4 hours | ||
| 50 minutes or more | Low: 8 to 10 hours | |
| High: 4 to 6 hours |
How to Toast Bread Cubes for Homemade Stuffing – Using a loaf of good quality bread, stack 2-3 slices and cut into small cubes until the loaf is used up. Arrange the cubes in a single layer on a shallow baking pan (use 2 if you need to). Bake the cubes at 300 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes or until golden, stirring once or twice. Let cool and store in an airtight container.
How to Toast Nuts 2 Ways
- On the Stove: This method is faster if you only need to few a few, it takes a few minutes. Place the nuts in a dry skillet (don’t add oil!). Heat over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Stir constantly; do not leave the stove because the nuts can burn very easily.
- In the Oven: This method is preferred for quantities over 1 cup. This method cooks the nuts more evenly than the stovetop method, and you can cook lots of nuts at once. Preheat to 350 degrees and bake the nuts on a baking sheet about 7 to 8 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Watch the oven closely because they can burn easily.