8 Awesome and Simple Cooking Tricks
1. A simple kitchen hack to keep your mixing bowl in place
Need an extra hand? Professional chefs know that a damp dish towel under the mixing bowl keeps it from sliding around on the countertop while mixing. (This tip also works well with a cutting board!)
2. Craft homemade mason jar shakers
Your spice and baking supplies just got a pretty upgrade. Pick up the lids from parmesan shakers and gather your little canning jars. Screw on the lid and you have a handy way to sprinkle and measure.
3. Slice steak fries
Craving those homemade fries from your favourite restaurant? The answer is ready in your kitchen drawer. Cut off one end of the potato to stabilise it, then slide an apple slicer through it. Bonus: You can also try it with sweet potatoes.
4. Freezing a soup starter
Want garden-fresh flavour year-round? Freeze vegetables from the farmer's market in resealable bags during peak season. A classic soup starter called a mirepoix is made by combining 2/3 onion with 1/3 carrot and celery. This aromatic blend will give you a sweet, hearty flavour to kickstart soups and broths. Vegetables will last eight to 12 months so you can enjoy the tastes of summer when gloomy, cold weather hits.
5. Use sheet pans as trays
Baking trays: they're not just for eating anymore! Use your trusty baking sheet to keep things organized when preparing meals. Keeping ingredients in one place will help you work efficiently and also speed up cleanup.
6. Freeze sauces for a single serving
Become a master of upcycling! Egg cartons are great for freezing small portions of homemade sauces. (Especially if you need to use your ice cube trays for, well, ice - or any of these other ingenious uses) Cover and freeze leftover basil and parsley pesto and place the cubes in a resealable freezer bag. Thaw the cubes in the refrigerator for two hours to use.
7. Turn wine into a quick cocktail
Have a group over but only one bottle of rosé in the fridge? Add some variety by turning wine into a fun, fizzy spritzer cocktail. Simply pour wine over ice and top it off with sparkling water. Red and white wines work well. If you feel like it, garnish the cocktail with fresh fruit.
8. Chill wine super fast
Fact: No one likes lukewarm bubbly. Find a tall pitcher about the height of your wine bottle and get cooling. Immerse the bottle in ice water with a small handful of salt and turn every few minutes or so. Your booze will chill in 20 minutes (or less!).