Avoid Domed Burgers By Indenting MiddleAvoid the dome effect when cooking hamburgers (your burger plumped in the middle). Before cooking, make a large enough indent in the middle on both sides. Works for me.
Use a Skillet for Faster CookingWhen cooking, try using a skillet instead of a pot or pan. A skillet puts a larger cooking surface in contact with your heat source. Food will cook faster, saving on your energy bills and saving your time.
Getting Refrigerated Pizza Dough to Lie Flat?I like the Pillsbury refrigerated pizza dough but I can never get it to lie flat. It curls up no matter what I do. Does anybody have a solution for this? I'd really appreciate it.
How to Make Grocery Store Rotisserie Chicken?I am looking for a recipe to cook a whole chicken that would taste like the cooked supermarket chickens that you can buy. They are always very flavorful and not dry.
Tomato Puree vs. Tomato Sauce?I am going to make spaghetti sauce. I use tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes. I want to also add either a can of tomato puree, or a can of tomato sauce. What do you think might result in a better tasting sauce? I will also add my normal seasonings.
Slice Storebought Cookie Dough Before UnwrappingI bought cookie dough for the first time and found slicing it messy and the slices broke easily so I tried slicing unwrapped rolls and it was much easier for me.
Poke a Hole in Vegetable Oil BottleWhen I buy a new bottle of vegetable oil, I take a push-pin and poke a hole in the bottle up near the spout. Keeping the cap on, this works great as a squeeze bottle to season a pan or if I need a small amount of oil for a recipe.
Tips For SpaghettiTry adding a few teaspoons of powdered chicken bouilion and olive oil to the water you cook your spaghetti in. It really perks it up! If you like using cheater sauce (jar sauce) like I do, it can also be improved on by adding a little oregano, powdered garlic, and lemon pepper.
Chicken White SauceInstead of cheese, I use a block of chicken stock in white sauce and it tastes great. Use corn flour instead of flour as it is smoother.
Making Good Brown Rice?I don't make very interesting brown rice. It always comes out overcooked with water at the bottom of the pan. Organic brown basmati.
Waterless Stacked Cooking?Is it worth investing in this expensive cookware? Does the weight of all of these pots break the electric stove burners? Does stack cooking work?
Browning Turkey Cutlets?The recipe said to lightly brown the turkey (thin) cutlets in olive oil on med heat. I did and all they did was turn white. Wouldn't brown. The rest of the recipe calls for it to be placed on top of stuffing, covered with cream of mushroom soup and then cooked on med lo for 10 minutes.
Single Serving MeatloafsInstead of making a large meatloaf, I use foil cupcake pans and make individual meatloafs. They cook quicker and, with 6 daughters, they cool quicker and are their serving size.
Cut Butter In Flour?Is there a pastry blender (for mixing flour and butter when the recipe says to "cut in the butter with the flour") that anyone would like to recommend?
Spaghetti ShortcutsTonight was spaghetti night. I sauteed some ground meat, onions and garlic in a little olive oil. I poured this into a bowl, poured in my favorite brand of sauce and set it aside. I poured out most of the oil, and put the pasta water right into the pot without any extra cleaning.
Other Uses for a Rice Cooker?Other Uses for a Rice Cooker. I am looking for other uses for rice cooker.
Use Brown Rice Instead Of WhiteUse Brown Rice Instead Of White. Brown rice is just like any other rice. You can use it in any other recipe, so long as you allow extra cooking time. We have eaten it exclusively for about 25 years.
Microwaving Gold or Silver Striped DishwareIf you're into microwave cooking, you might already know this. But in case you don't, learn from someone who knows. . .
Helpful Kitchen TipsHere are a few tried-and-true easy ideas for saving time and your energy in the kitchen!
Spicing Up Rice?I am trying to eat more rice (both brown and white), but even after adding onion, garlic and onion power and Frank's Hot Sauce, it is very bland. Any suggestions as how to spice it up?
Quick Stir Fry?You can reduce the time it takes to stir fry slow cooking vegetable like carrots and broccoli by blanching them. You can also reduce the cooking time by cutting them thinly.
For Juicy Sauted OnionsFor Juicy Sauted Onions. When the onions have reached the state of doneness you want, add some water to the pan, then cook til the water is almost, but not entirely, absorbed. . .
Seasoning a Teflon Pan?How does one season a new teflon treated pan? Do I heat it with oil, then wipe the oil out? The pan came with no instructions.
Living Without a MicrowaveMy 5-year-old microwave died shortly before Thanksgiving last year and my budget didn't allow for replacing it right away even though we had company coming for Thanksgiving. I mentally made a note to replace it after the first of the year; however in January, I thought I would wait for a good sale.
Preventing White Watermarks in PansTo avoid white watermarks in pans when boiling puddings, eggs, etc., add a little vinegar to the water (cider vinegar is less potent if you don't like the smell).
Making Oatmeal Scotchies BetterThe recipe on the back of the butterscotch morsels bag, for oatmeal scotchies, is good, but I made it much better. When it comes to the oatmeal and the nuts, grind them both in a coffee grinder. This makes a softer, more flavorful cookie and takes 5 minutes less to bake.
Pay Attention to the CookingDon't do something else while you're cooking. Time gets away from you and the results can be a disaster. At least, have a very loud timer. I ruined more than a few dishes and managed to almost burn my house down learning this.
Paper for Absorbing Grease and OilWe bought some wine glasses from Pier1 Imports as they were on big sale. The store clerk wrapped each glass in a nice paper.
Adding to Raw Seafood MixAdd chicken broth to raw seafood mix, cook on med. heat till cooked, but don't overcook; and add chicken broth to rice water (use less water then) after rice is done mix the seafood with the rice and yum, what a meal.
Change the Spices in a RecipeOccasionally, change the spices in your favorite dishes to give a bit of variety to it. Your family will be expecting the same old version and you'll have a surprise for them.
How can I tell if a dish is oven safe?How could I tell if a dish is oven safe such as Bakewear, Ovenwear and Pyrex. It has no indication. I know how to tell if a dish is microwave safe, but I am sure it is not same.
Advice About Pressure Cookers?Are pressure cookers good, great or fantastic to use? I am considering purchasing one but remember all the mishaps with them in our distant past. Have they improved? Any brand recommendations that you would recommend?
Parmesan Cheese on SpaghettiIf you like to add Parmesan cheese to your spaghetti or other pasta dishes, add the cheese to the pasta and mix well before adding sauce. The sauce will cling better to the pasta that way.
Baking with CheeseWhen baking a dish with a melted cheese topping (such as lasagna), which needs to be covered with aluminum foil for at least part of the cooking time, I always spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.
Summer Cooking Tips?Tips for cooking in the summer without warming up your kitchen. Post your ideas.
Vegetable Blend For Cooking and BakingPut your favorite vegetables in a blender with a touch of water or vegetable juice. Use in place of oil in your bread making or vegetable pie. If you want to, you can still add a little oil.
How To Use a Broiler for Fish?How do you use the broiler in the oven. I have a recipe for salmon but I'm not sure how to use it. I thought you were suppose to leave the door ajar but that would really heat up your house. If this is the way to do it, is there a way to adapt broiled recipes to baking temps?
Keeping Cook Books Propped and Open While CookingIf you need to keep a recipe book propped open while cooking, take one of those wooden pants hangers from your closet and clamp it over the pages at the top of the book. If the book is light enough, you can even hang it by the hook at eye level on a cupboard door knob!
Cooking Dinner: Having It All Come Out HotMy mother would cook the meal's dishes in order of cooking time, from slowest to fastest, and would place them in covered Corning Ware casserole dishes on a heated electric tray.
Reusing Parmesan Cheese RindsDon't throw away those old rinds from buying big chunks of Parmesan cheese. Throw them in soups such as minestrone and let simmer for extra good flavor.
Keep Oatmeal from Sticking To The PanIf you are making oatmeal on the stove, one way to make sure it doesn't stick so badly to the pan is to spray the pan with cooking spray like Pam before you start.
By Robin
Breading Chicken Without FlourIf you are frying chicken and are out of flour to roll the pieces in, try rolling them in powdered milk. Works great!
By Robin
Shortening Cooking Time In The OvenTo shorten cooking time for fish sticks or chicken patties first cook them on a plate in the microwave for a minute or two until just warm then transfer them to the oven to get them crispy.
Remembering the Oven is PreheatingWhenever I preheat the oven, I also turn on the light over the range. It serves as a safety reminder. If I get busy and lose track of time while waiting for it to reach the correct temperature, when I see the light on I'll remember the oven is also on.
By Cheryl from Missouri
Keeping Hands from Sticking to Rice Krispie TreatsWhen making Rice Krispie treats, make sure and rub your hands with a little butter or margarine to make them lay flat in the pan and not stick to your skin.
Did Your Dish Come Out Too Spicy?Tone it down by adding 1 tbsp of peanut butter. If you can't eat peanut butter, use sugar instead. Works every time and it tastes great!
By Lucy Arredondo
Creative Breading for Chicken or FishBe creative when breading chicken or fish. Cracker and chip crumbs, corn meal, leftover nuts, sesame seeds can all be ground in a food processor and used to coat fillets before frying or baking.
Creaming Butter and Sugar QuicklyCream butter and sugar fast by rinsing the mixing bowl under hot water before adding ingredients. The water will heat the bowl just enough to help soften the butter, making it easier to mix.
Cool Chicken in BrothAfter stewing a chicken, cool in broth before cutting into chunks. It will have twice the flavor.
Quickly Heat Water to Peel TomatoesWhen I have a tomato that is hard to peel, but don't want to take the time to boil water to put it in. I have a Bunn coffee maker that the hot water runs right through, I make a pot of really hot water and drop the tomato in the pot of hot water.
Prevent Grease Splatters When Frying EggsWhen frying eggs, drop a couple pinches of flour in the grease before putting eggs in to fry. It will keep grease from popping out.
Liven Up Canned Baked BeansIf you want to liven up a can of baked beans, try adding some honey and some fresh, chopped coriander. Yum!
New Recipe? Make a Smaller BatchWhen trying out a new unproven recipe, make the smallest batch possible. Most recipes can be halved, or even quartered. That way, if it is faulty, or not to your liking, you've wasted only half the ingredients.
By Doggy
Decrease the Boiling Time of WaterIf you are in a big hurry when bringing water to a boil, two small pots of water will come to a boil much faster than one big pot. Once the water boils, you can combine it into one big pot if you need that room for the pasta or whatever.
Pam or Non-stick Spray on Pizza PansSpray your pizza pans with Pam or non stick spray anytime you use them. I use it with frozen pizzas, homemade pizzas, basically anything that has the potential of sticking to the pan.
By Tracy Fuller
Use Cooking Bags in Crockpots that Don't Have a Removable LinerWhen I use my older crockpot that doesn't have a removable crock I use one of the cooking bags for a large roast or chicken (or even the turkey size cut down).
Cook Rice with Shrimp Boil MixFor a better tasting rice, cook it in shrimp boil mix.
