Kitchen Wisdom Swap!

Something I learned from Jeff Smith (The Frugal Gourmet) probably 35 years ago - never pick up a hot pan without first knowing where you are going to set it down.

That has saved my hands - and dinner - many times.

A watched pot never boils.
If you don't believe it try it sometime. I've proved it to myself multiple times. Just fill the pot with cold water, turn on the heat, sit down in front of the TV and in 2 or 3 minutes the pot will boil over.

Cut rolled pastries (think cinnamon rolls) with dental floss Instead of a knife or bench scraper.

Tom

I've been thinking about this one on-and-off for days. I'm thinking I wouldn't recognize some of the steps I take because they seem natural to me even though they'd be revelatory to someone else.

Maybe the closest I can come is using canned pumpkin as a thickener. I use it in chili, I have a recipe made with stew beef that, with pumpkin, comes out much like a traditionally-made gravy, and more. I stock up around Thanksgiving because it can be hard to find/expensive at other times. And just use it as I need it.

Len posted his cabbage recipe and I know it said no substitutes. A 46 ounce can of tomato juice is almost $3.00 as I write this. For cooking, ( not in this dish), I have found paste + water @ different ratios, subs very well for sauce, or puree.

For making a quality tasting tomato juice I use 1- 29 ounce can of GV tomato puree, salt * + enough filtered water to make 64 ounces of juice. That costs $1.36 and takes up a lot less room in the pantry. Smaller cans could be utilized at the same ratio.

Seriously, it tastes just like the name brand tomato juices. More water makes it like the store brands. Read a label all the juice is a recontituted product. What do you think they use? Try it for yourself.

* I use 1-tsp of salt. You may prefer more or less.

I remember a girl many years ago telling me her mother used tomato paste for sauce, ketchup and juice just varying the amount of water added and maybe some additional spices.

I'm sure this falls into the "well duh" category but in case it's not...

To get onion and garlic smells from your hands use crumpled up aluminum foil and dish soap to clean them.

KitchenWench said:

I'm sure this falls into the "well duh" category but in case it's not...

To get onion and garlic smells from your hands use crumpled up aluminum foil and dish soap to clean them.

Click to expand...

or just rub them on the sink spout

Keep a bowl of water or water in a sink next to where you’re cutting/dicing an onion. Sulfenic acid is attracted to water, better it goes to the water on the counter than your eyes.

Tom

Never heard of either of those tricks.

KitchenWench said:

I'm sure this falls into the "well duh" category but in case it's not...

To get onion and garlic smells from your hands use crumpled up aluminum foil and dish soap to clean them.

Click to expand...

I have always rinsed my hands while holding a spoon (any utensil will do). I don't recall where I learned that.

KitchenWench said:

I'm sure this falls into the "well duh" category but in case it's not...

To get onion and garlic smells from your hands use crumpled up aluminum foil and dish soap to clean them.

Click to expand...

I've never bothered to do anything and never noticed a smell whether onions first then veggie or vice versa. Maybe I'm immune as I remember one awful night as a kid camping and cut up an onion. Later that night I was awakened by and awful smell. Finally figured out what it was. At best just wipe hands off on a kitchen towel.

I tend not to get any of the smell on my hands for some reason. Even when I'm peeling and slicing or chopping in large batches, so it might just be me. Mind you if I get sweaty after eating something with a lot of either in them, I reek of garlic or onion...lol

A lemon scented hand soap seems to work quite well for me. In the past I have used half a tsp of lemon juice for garlic or fish smells.

Parchment paper. Whoever came up with it should be revered by anyone who bakes anything.

KitchenWench said:

Parchment paper. Whoever came up with it should be revered by anyone who bakes anything.

Click to expand...

...and the opposite for those who invented silicone mats. They're a terrible idea when is comes to baking cookies.

Old Gnome said:

...and the opposite for those who invented silicone mats. They're a terrible idea when is comes to baking cookies.

Click to expand...

That's why I got rid of all of mine except the Silpat mats I bought. They're great for putting under fruit pies to help make cleaning up easier.

I didn't know until a couple of weeks ago that sugar should be incorporated with the liquid ingredients when baking.