Cooking Tips

Cooking tips:
Tip 1.
When rinsing parsley let it sit in cool water in a bowl or plastic container, the sand and dirt will fall to the bottom, lift the parsley out and drain the water, rinse bowl and repeat till no more sand or dirt appears.  You can clean spinach the same way

Tip 2.
To softened cream cheese, cut into squares and place on a microwave safe plate and “cook” for 1 min, cream cheese will be soft and ready to use for any recipe your following.

Tip 3.
Don’t throw away your left overs! Freeze them! You never know when you will be in need for a quick dinner!  Or make extra food if you know ahead of time that you will busy, so that way instead of going through the drive through and feeding your family an unhealthy meal, you planned ahead and have something that just needs to be warmed up and ready to eat:


Tip 4
If you hate the memory of dry turkey from the last Thanks Giving, buy a  fresh-killed (meaning, never frozen) turkey. They truly are juicier, tenderer, and tastier than frozen birds.


Tip 5
For long-cooking dishes, add herbs and spices an hour or less before serving. Cooking spices for too long may result in overly strong flavors.


Tip6
Keep it simple. Unless the recipe specifically calls for it, don't use  more than 3 herbs and spices in any one dish. The exception to this rule  is Indian cooking, which often calls for 10 or more different spices in  one curry dish!


Tip 7
Use non-stick cookware so that you don't have to use as much,  if any, fat. When sauteing, use a small amount of chicken broth  or wine instead of butter or oil.


Tip 8 
Many vegetables and fruits, including potatoes and apples,  retain many of their nutrients in their skin. So when possible,  leave the skin on your fruits and vegetables and cook them whole.


Tip 9
Vitamin C is destroyed quickly in cooking - so cook your  vegetables with Vitamin C in the smallest amount of water  possible and for a short amount of time.


Tip 10
When cooking a dish with both vegetables and meat (i.e. in stir fry  and stews), reduce the amount of meat by 1/3 and increase the amount  of vegetables by 1/3. You will hardly notice!


Tip 11
To keep cauliflower white while cooking - add a little milk to the water.


Tip 12
Let raw potatoes stand in cold water for at least half an hour  before frying to improve the crispness of french-fried potatoes.


Tip 13
Microwave a lemon or a lime for 15 seconds and double the juice you get before squeezing.


Tip 14
Microwave garlic cloves for 15 seconds and the skins slip  right off.


Tip 15
The best way to store fresh celery is to wrap it in aluminum  foil and put it in the refrigerator--it will keep for weeks.


Tip 16
No "curly" bacon for breakfast when you dip it into cold water before frying. 


Tip 17
When mincing garlic, sprinkle on a little salt so the pieces won't  stick to your knife or cutting board.


Tip 18
Always purchase the best (i.e. heaviest) set of cookware you  can afford.