Find yourself with more eggs than you can use before the expiration date? Break the eggs into ice cube trays, separating the white into one cube and the yolk into another cube, mixing with a pinch of salt or sugar per yolk. 3 tbs of beaten egg equals 1 whole egg; 2 tbs of egg white plus 1 tbs of yolk equal 1 large egg. Cover and freeze for future use, up to 1 month.
Don’t throw away stale bread; cut it up and use it for croutons or breadcrumbs.
To sanitize cutting boards and countertops, use a mixture of 1 tbs bleach to 1 gallon of water.
When using muffin tins, if you find you don’t have enough batter to fill all the cups, pour a little water into empty ones. This will prevent the pan from scorching.
Adding a pinch of baking powder to powdered sugar frosting will help it stay moist and not crack.
Your frosting will look more professional if you first frost with a thin layer and let it set. Then apply a second coat of frosting.
An easy way to form drop cookies is to drop them onto the cookie sheet and then press them with the bottom of a water glass that has been dipped in sugar.
To preserve the creamy texture of frozen cheesecake, thaw in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
Dipping the cookie cutter in slightly warm salad oil will give you a much cleaner cut.
A quick frosting can be made by adding a bit of chocolate syrup to prepared whipped topping.
If powdered sugar is sprinkled on top of each layer before filling or frosting, this will keep the filling from soaking through the cake.
Spaghetti is great with cake! While waiting for frosting to set, a few sticks of dry spaghetti will hold the layers in place. Also, a piece of raw spaghetti works well to light birthday candles.
To cut down on cholesterol, substitute two egg whites stiffly beaten for each whole egg called for.
Frostings won’t become grainy if a pinch of salt is added to the sugar.
Use cocoa to dust baking tins so cookies and cakes won’t have a floury look.
Trace the bottom of the baking pan onto wax paper and cut it out. Now this can be placed in the bottom of the pan and the sides greased and floured like normal. When the cake is done it can be inverted and the paper taken off while still warm with no sticking.
For a thinner, crispier rolled cookie try rolling the dough directly onto a greased and floured cookie sheet. Cut the cookies out then pick up the scrap dough.
If eggs are beaten and added slowly to batter it won’t make the batter too stiff.
Cookies will stay moist in the jar if a slice of bread is placed in the jar.
Two tbs of salad oil added to cake mix keeps the mix moist and less crumbly.
Adding a pinch of salt to chocolate dishes will enhance the flavor.
You won’t need sugar with your tea if you drink jasmine tea or any of the lighter-bodied varieties, like Formosa Oolong, which have their own natural sweetness. They are fine for sugarless iced tea, too.
You can adapt many conventional recipes for the slow cooker, particularly an oven or stove-top recipe that has some moisture in it (such as water, broth, wine, sauce, and canned soup).
As a rule, you should cut all liquid amounts in half when adjusting for the slow cooker.
Remember, too, that the LOW heat setting is approximately 200 degrees, and HIGH heat is about 300 degrees.
For every hour you’d cook something in the oven or on the stove, allow 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH.
(When in doubt, turn it on LOW and leave it all day or overnight.)
EASILY PEEL PEACHES AND TOMATOES – Whenever you have to peel peaches or tomatoes, the easiest way is to first immerse them in boiling water for 30 seconds. Then use a sharp paring knife to remove the peel.
COOKING FISH – To minimize moisture loss when grilling, baking or sauteing fish, it is important to use a relatively high heat and cook the fish for a short time. When you cook fish longer than necessary, the juices and flavors are lost, leaving the fish dry and chewy. Plus, overcooked fish is prone to falling apart.
