Cooking Tips

Use the leftover condiments that are too good to throw out. Add water or stock to them and use in soups, meat loafs or even pour over a roast.


Need a seasoning for a stir fry? Use Italian bottled salad dressing.


Ends of vegetables go into a baggie to add to soups. Even cooked vegetables such as leftover mashed potatoes can be saved to be used and as an added bonus they thicken the soup.


Use a turkey carcass to make the stock for the next holiday dinner. It cuts down on the work on the day and makes for a much tastier gravy.


Fruit flies? Put some apple cider vinegar into a bowl. Cover the top tightly with plastic wrap. Punch a few holes into the top of the wrap with a knife and set it near to where you are having the fruit fly problem. 




Stale bread makes great croutons. Mix the stale cut up bread with various flavoured oils and some garlic and roast. They can them be frozen.


Storing flour in the freezer keeps the bugs out if you have the room.


Put a bay leaf in an opened bag of flour - it will keep the bugs away.


Use plastic drink bottles as handy dispensers for frozen items. When freezing chopped green onions, put them into an old water bottle that you’ve washed, and use a permanent marker to label the bottle cap with the contents. Freeze. To use, simply remove the cap, shake out just as much as you need, replace the cap and return to the freezer. The clear bottle allows you to quickly see what’s inside, and shaking things out of a bottle is faster than spooning them out of a freezer container. 


A crockpot is a great way to serve something at a buffet. I always take mine to my sister's for Christmas dinner. I make the mashed potatoes ahead of time and then use the crockpot to heat them up and serve.


When using eggs it helps to bring them to room temperature. But if you haven't planned in advance then there is a quick tip to help; you can put the eggs in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes to gently take off the chill out.


Freeze a lemon if you are going to need grated lemon peel for a recipe, it is much easier.


AND for cleaning up:
Spray Cleaner

1 16 oz empty spray bottle
water
2 T white vinegar
3 drops of liquid dish washing soap

Fill bottle with water almost to the top, add vinegar and liquid soap. Top with spray assembly, secure tightly. Turn bottle over about 10 times to mix the vinegar and liquid soap with the water without creating suds.