Kitchen tips

Never add gelatin to a pineapple dish

You may or may not have heard the fact that you should not add gelatin to a dish or dessert that contains pineapple. Here is a tip explaining why you should not add gelatin to a dish with pineapple.

An enzyme in fresh pineapple called bromelain pre­vents gelatin from setting properly. Now having said all of that gelatin works fine with canned pineapple.

Save on mess by using your sink

Do you find that when you are filling a coffee jar, sugar bowl, spray bottle, salt pot or anything that you end up with just as much messing your counter than goes into the container. Here is a great tip to save on mess in the kitchen

Whenever you are pouring something that is possibly going to make a mess place the item to be filled in your sink, that way all the mess can simply be rinsed away.

Simple yet effective!

Tip for storing strawberries

Keep strawberries fresh in an uncovered colander in your refrigerator. And don't wash them until you're ready to use them. Strawberries are like little sponges.

To prevent strawberries from soaking up too much water after washing, toss them in a salad spinner and spin them around a few times. After most of the water is gone, go ahead and cut off the tops. Use your cleaned strawberries at once for best flavor.

Simple warning that your freezer has defrosted

Do you sometimes peer into your freezer and wonder if it has defrosted and frozen again. Maybe you have been on holiday or just do not go into the freezer very often. There is a simple and cheap little trick that you can do to warn you that your freezer has defrosted.

All you need to do is place a bag or container in your freezer that contains ice cubes. If the freezer defrosts the ice will melt and form a solid block of ice when the freezer freezes again. So each time you go back to your freezer if the ice is in tact then you know that your freezer has stayed frozen.

Keep the bowl still when whipping cream

Do you find when you are whipping cream that the bowl has a mind of it's own and slides around uncontrollably? Here is a way to whip cream and keep your bowl still.

All you need to do is place a dampened folded dish towel under the bowl in which you are whipping cream. This will stop the bowl from sliding all over the counter. Another advantage is it will collect some of the spray that usually flies around whenever you are whisking.

Keep things cool when whipping cream

Do you often whip cream and seem to spend an eternity whisking. Here is a tip to make whipping cream quicker. The reason for the cream not turning hard could be that the cream is not cold enough.

Next time that you are whipping cream try using a metal bowl and putting it and your beaters in the freezer for a while. You will find that if your cream and utensils are icy cold, you'll soon have whipped cream standing.

Stop cheese from sticking when grating

Does the cheese get stuck all over the grater when you are hand grating a block of cheese? Here is a tip to stop cheese from sticking when grating.

All you need to do is place your cheese grater in the freezer for several minutes before grating. The cheese won't stick to the metal. If you do not have time to place it into the freezer then running it under cold water will work, too, but be sure to dry it completely before grating.

Run your cheese under water before grating

You may often find yourself getting into a real mess when you are grating cheese. This is because the rubbing action of the cheese heats up the grater and the cheese sticks to the grater.

Next time that you have a block of cheese that you want to grate by hand you will find the job easier if you first run your block of cheese under cold water. This will keep it from making such a mess on the grater as it melts.

Old recipe books are still very useful

Every now and then you will come accross an old recipe book, they often turn up at yard sales or hidden away in your grandmothers book case. Old recipe books can be a great source of traditional recipes.

In these books you are going to find some of the best secret, from scratch and traditionbal recipes listed. If you are really into cooking and baking different meals this is where you can find some very original recipes.

Save energy by the way you use your stove or cooker

Be it electric or gas can save energy by using these tips for using your stove or cooker

Fan ovens will use 35% less power than conventional ovens and will reduce cooking time by one-third.

If you use a conventional oven, try to cook several dishes at the same time. This will take advantage of the stored heat which builds up inside the oven.

Remember to try and not to open the door of the oven whilst cooking; the temperature drops by around 15°C every time you do.

Where possible, use smaller more energy efficient appliances, such as electric pressure cookers, frying pans or toaster ovens for cooking and baking in small quantities.

Always use a toaster instead of the grill or broiler.

Boil water in a fast boiling electric kettle or jug, instead of using a saucepan on the hotplate.

Use pots and pans that have flat bases that closely fit the size of the stove element. This will dramatically cut energy consumption and reduce cooking time. 

When using a fan oven there is no need for pre-heating. Place the food in the oven immediately after it is turned on.

Using the range hood to remove cooking heat can reduce your air conditioning costs.

Ensure that the door seals on your oven door are in good condition.

Regularly clean the hotplate reflectors to ensure maximum heat reflection.

Reheating food is cheaper and quicker in the microwave. Make meals in slow cookers or pressure cookers for economy.

Always use lids on your pans. They will cook faster and on a lower temperature.

Save electricity by the way you use your dishwasher

Did you know that you can save electricity by the way that you use your dishwasher. Here are some tips for saving energy by the way you use your dishwasher.

Make a habit of only use your dishwasher when it is full.

Use the economy setting this will make sure that you are using the lowest possible heat setting.

If your machine has a drying cycle try to turn it off before the drying cycle starts. Dishes will dry by themselves by the stored heat from the washing, or open the dishwasher door and let them dry.

If you have an off-peak gas or electric that heats your hot water system, you will find that it is more economical for the dishwasher to be plumbed to this, than to heat its own water.

Freshen the flavor of frozen fish

Does your frozen fish fillets taste like they've been in your freezer since the ice age? Here is a tip to freshen the flavor of frozen fish.

Your frozen fish will taste fresher when you serve them if you place them in a cup of milk to thaw. The milk softens the flavor.

Prevent frozen meat from getting freezer burn

Freezer burn can ruin per­fectly good meat. Here is a tip to prevent frozen meat from getting freezer burn. To prevent meat from getting freezer burn, store your meat in plastic freezer bags, and carefully press all the air out of the bag before storing.

Frost is less likely to form without air. In addition, label everything you put in the freezer, and be sure to note the date.

Did you know you can freeze your nuts?

Nuts are cheaper at certain times of the year. Are you put off buying a large amount as you think you cannot store them.

They will keep for up to a year in the freezer if you put them in a coffee can with a plastic lid. When you want nuts for bak­ing or nibbling, just remove some from the freezer and leave them at room temperature for a few hours.

Did you know you can freeze bananas

Do you often find that your bananas go ripe too quickly and then you hate to throw them away because they are too ripe? The next time you have some bananas that have gone too far just put them in the freezer with their peel on. They will then be great for any banana recipe.

They'll turn a brownish color, but it won't affect the taste of your banana bread or muffins. Pull them out to thaw a few hours before you need them for a recipe. They'll mash nicely with a fork.

Use butter stick boxes for your lunch

o you hate to throw anything away? Now you'll know what to do with those boxes your sticks of butter come in. They're perfect for keeping a sandwich from getting smashed by the other food in your lunch bag.

Wrap your sandwich in plastic, then slide it into the box. Come lunchtime, your sandwich will be in as good a condition as when it was made.

Tip for using frozen orange juice

If you live alone, a carton of orange juice probably goes bad before you can drink it all. Try buying a can of frozen orange juice and keeping it in your freezer. When you want a glass of juice, pop off the metal lid and mix enough concentrate and water for just one serving.

Keep the covered can in your freezer, and you'll be all set for a refreshing glass of juice the next time you in the mood.

Bread ends make great french toast

Do you throw away then ends of your loaves of bread? Or are you always trying to find a use for them as they are too dry for sandwiches? Here is a tip showing that bread ends make great french bread.

The ends of your loaf are great for mak­ing sturdy French toast. A great solution to always having a good supply is to keep them in a plastic bag in the freezer until you have enough for breakfast.

Combination microwaves save time and money

hilst cooking some porridge the other morning in the microwave we saw some worrying sparks coming from inside the microwave. On closer inspection the enamel inside the microwave had chipped away and the bare metal was visible. This bare metal was causing the microwave to arc. Needless to say the thing was immediately thrown away and we are now the proud owners of a combination microwave.

A little complicated at first and you need to study the manual and recipe book to get to grips with the many functions of these quite remarkable ovens. Our new one

• Microwaves
• Grills
• Is a fan oven
• Cleans itself
• Auto reheats

The quite remarkable thing it does is you can use more than one function at a time. By that I mean that you can place a roast in the oven (in a microwave safe container) and set cook it in the fan oven mode for an hour but at the same time you can blast it with 10% or 40% microwaves. This function dramatically cuts the cooking time and really does give great results.

Since we have had this counter top combination microwave we have not used our large stove oven at all. The savings to electricity bills are quite significant. Instead of heating a large oven to cook just a cake or chicken, we are just heating the small combination microwave.

Well worth the investment!

Make cooking oil go further

Do you find that your cooking oil does not go as far as it should? Or do you find that the bottle is always dripping and making a mess? Here is a tip that will make your cooking oil go further and be less messy.

All you need to do is store your cooking oil in colored, plastic bottles made for condiments. They're easy to pour, and the oil will last longer than in clear plastic or glass because light can't penetrate the container.

Just make sure that you label the bottles with a permanent marker so no one accidentally squirts oil on a hot dog.

Making devilled eggs go further and look fuller

o you like to make devilled eggs and are you looking for ways to make them go that little bit further. Here is a tip to make your devilled eggs go further and look fuller.

When you have boiled your eggs and cut them in half, mash the boiled yolks with some cottage cheese, then season and stuff as usual. Your eggs will taste and look great.

Save detergent scoops for other uses

Do you hate to throw things away but never know what to do with some of the things you save. Here is a tip suggesting other uses for detergent scoops. Why throw away the scoop that comes with your box of laundry detergent?

You can wash it out and use it to scoop your flour, sugar, or coffee.

Tip for storing fresh ginger root

If you use fresh ginger on a regular basis you may well be looking for a way to store it. Here is a tip to show you how to store fresh ginger and you will soon be using all year round.

All you need to do when you have acquired some fresh ginger root is cut off the amount you need and then wrap the rest in wax paper. Then place the wrapped ginger root in a sealed baggie and put it in the freezer.

The next time you want a bit of fresh ginger just take it out and cut a bit off and put the rest back.

You will soon find that frozen ginger can be easily grated. Freezing fresh ginger also stops all of those stringy and lumpy bits in whatever you are cooking, and there is no loss in flavour.

Secret to fluffier omelets and scrambled eggs

It is very easy to whip up unbelievably fluffy omelets and scrambled eggs. Here is a tip explaining the secret to fluffier omelets and scrambled eggs.

All you need to do is for each egg, add one quarter teaspoon of cornstarch and beat well. Once cooked your omelet or scrambled eggs will be much lighter and fluffy.

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