Tag Archives: kitchen tips

Three Things You Should Be Making in Your Kitchen

When I first embarked on the adventure of living frugally, I found myself repeatedly making three specific things because they were easy to do and would always save me money. Here is my advice. Cornbread Cornmeal is even less expensive than is flour. You can use it in place of bread to pump up a meal. Corn muffin mixes are okay, but they really don’t save you much time at all. Cornbread can also be used as a topping for casseroles or for stuffing. Cornbread can really stretch a meal. Popcorn And now another thing with the word corn in … Continue reading →

Tips in the Kitchen 3

Don’t you just love it when you find a tip that makes your time in the kitchen so much better? I’ve been sharing some of my best kitchen-related tips and strategies. While melting chocolate in a microwave can be more convenient than using a double boiler, it can quickly become a disaster. Chocolate burns easily. To help reduce the chances of this happening to your chocolate, use a clear glass bowl that will allow you to see the progress of the chocolate in the microwave. Heat it in 30-second intervals, and always stir it between heating times. Sometimes what looks … Continue reading →

Choosing Strawberries

Yummy, yummy strawberries. Who can resist the plump sweetness of a great strawberry. There is nothing like this great fruit when it is ripe and perfect. Enjoy them with chocolate, with cream, or in one of the many great recipes here in the Food Blog. But, one of the things about strawberries is that when they go wrong, they go very wrong. From tough bitter berries to rotten moldy berries, you could be in for a nasty surprise if you aren’t careful. And strawberries have some special concerns when it comes to choosing where and how the strawberries are grown. … Continue reading →

How to Select Onions

How many people does it take to select an onion? I thought about this take on an old joke when I overheard a mother and daughter having an onion debate at a local produce store. The each had their own take on how to select the best onions. I use onions all of the time in my cooking. They are versatile and an easy way to add a flavor to cooking that is a common part of most everyone’s pallet. Onions can be used in many different cooking devices and techniques, from the grill to the crockpot. Chopped or diced … Continue reading →

Fun with Celery

When I first asked Valorie if I could do some guest blogging about celery, she joked that it might sully up the food blog. We laughed, but I can see that if she weren’t joking, it might be a good point. She has so many sophisticated recipes, techniques and foods (did you read her articles on edible flowers? Amazing!), and celery might seem a little out of place. But I like this little common vegetable, because it is simple. It can be used to beef up a dish, give salads a crunch or just give you some fiber. It is … Continue reading →

Five Uses for Dryer Sheets, plus one

Dryer sheets, also known as fabric softener sheets are inexpensive, and can be purchased anywhere that sells laundry supplies. Your clothes come out of the dryer smelling wonderful and don’t stick together. But there are dozens of uses for these cheap little squares, here are a few of my favorites. Caked On Food If you are having trouble getting baked on food out of a casserole dish, fill it with hot water. Add a fabric softener sheet. Let it soak for a couple of hours and then rinse. Most of the caked on food will slide right out, and the … Continue reading →

5 Fabulous Frugal Tips for the Kitchen

1. Get organized in the kitchen. Take an inventory of what you have, what you use most often, and where you keep it. If you haven’t already done so, create a master shopping list with items you most frequently buy. For me, I have two master shopping lists – one for the grocery store, and one for the discount chain. The reason for this, is toilet paper, paper towels, baggies, and wraps are all cheaper at the discount chain – as well as detergents, fabric softeners, cleaners and a load of other products. Don’t waste your hard-earned money picking these … Continue reading →

20 Tips for Low-fat Cooking

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1. Use skim milk in cooking, even if you drink regular or low-fat milk. You won’t taste a difference in the recipe. 2. Use low-fat or reduced-fat dairy products in your cooking when it won’t make a difference, such as in dips. 3. Substitute evaporated skim milk for cream in sauces. 4. Instead of sour cream, use nonfat plain yogurt or buttermilk in recipes. 5. Serve two or three vegetables, like a salad, steamed broccoli and baby carrots with each meal. 6. Cook rice or pasta in chicken or vegetable broth; this adds flavor without lots of extra calories. 7. … Continue reading →

Crock Pot Secrets

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I love my crock pot. I use it more than any other appliance in my kitchen, but there is an art to good slow cooker results. Here are a few tips that will help you with your favorite dishes. 1. Brown meat before placing it into the crock pot. This also removes excess fat you don’t want baked into your meal. When making stew, I brown the chunks of stew meat on all sides first and it makes a nice difference in how the stew turns out. 2. If you cook something for a long time, the flavors can become … Continue reading →

Top Ten Kitchen Tips #3: Baking

Baking is an art that is mastered in the details. The right amount of leavening, the right temperature, the proper pan…sometimes the smallest thing can bring either inspiring or disappointing results. Here are a few of my favorite and most useful tips for baking. 1. Use a dark colored pan that absorbs heat well when baking pie or bread to make a good crust. Use a shiny, reflective pan for cookies or cake. 2. Put a blob of frosting on the plate before frosting a cake. The cake will stay put when you frost it. Also, if you have to … Continue reading →