Tips, hints and tricks to share with our members

[dragnlaw]

I've always worried that they would charge for it. After all, buy something skinless, boneless and it is more than with... labour costs!

I'm not too bad at removing the skin, good enough not to ask anymore.

for the skin on the ribs - I make them dry - I rather detest that yucky sauce drowning them. Just seasoning salts for me. Very satisfactory ripping that skin off and crunching it up with my teeth.
I never even heard about removing that membrane until perhaps about 10 years ago - on this forum! and I've been cooking those ribs since the 60's!

Season really really well on both sides. Into the oven at 325 for about 1.5 hours. You know they are done when you can see a good quarter inch of bone sticking out on either side.

 

[Andy M.]

When BBQ competitions were on TV all the time, the participants seemed to be split on whether or not to remove the membranes. I didn't seem to effect the outcome.

 

[Jusa]

I've always worried that they would charge for it. After all, buy something skinless, boneless and it is more than with... labour costs!

I'm not too bad at removing the skin, good enough not to ask anymore.

for the skin on the ribs - I make them dry - I rather detest that yucky sauce drowning them. Just seasoning salts for me. Very satisfactory ripping that skin off and crunching it up with my teeth.
I never even heard about removing that membrane until perhaps about 10 years ago - on this forum! and I've been cooking those ribs since the 60's!

Season really really well on both sides. Into the oven at 325 for about 1.5 hours. You know they are done when you can see a good quarter inch of bone sticking out on either side.

At my grocery they have salmon in the case with skin removed at a higher cost, but I sometimes find the service counter person is accommodating...for free. Yes they charge the price for the weight it was before the skin was removed, but it's not much different in weight.

 

[dragnlaw]

My tip for the day is

"Always hold the little bottle of paprika that you are about to refill over the table. Not your lap."

yes, it was/is plastic - it did not shatter.
no, it did not just drop to the floor...
it dropped and went spinning all the way across the floor, thereby giving maximum coverage for the little bit of paprika that was still in the jar.

#$%^&*()(*&^%$#

The cats disappeared and the dog looked guilty and nervous...

 

[blissful]

oh no, 'the dog looked guilty and nervous'...
I fill my herb and spices in the sink and I'm bound to lose some there. I just filled powdered garlic, dill, smoked paprika, and then ground flax/chia.

 

[pepperhead212]

That's where I do it, in the sink (or in nice weather, outside, on the table on my deck), using some cheap funnels that I sliced off the narrow output from, leaving sort of a miniature version of a canning funnel, with 1/2", 3/4", or 1" outputs, making it faster to put spices in different sized jars. I try to keep them together in one of the drawers, but sometimes the size I need can't be found (and I can't blame it on anyone else!), so I just take another funnel down to the workshop, and make another, like I need! I just bought another set of 5 funnels at Harbor Freight, over the weekend, when they had them for 64¢.

 

[blissful]

@pepperhead212 here too... The narrow one for herbs. I use a plastic chop stick to push things down in the middle and smaller sizes. A good size for filling honey jars is the size of the top of a 2 liter bottle, which we just cut 5 inches off the bottle to make it. I have canning funnels too. All in the cabinet next to the stove with the bowls.

 

[taxlady]

That's where I do it, in the sink (or in nice weather, outside, on the table on my deck), using some cheap funnels that I sliced off the narrow output from, leaving sort of a miniature version of a canning funnel, with 1/2", 3/4", or 1" outputs, making it faster to put spices in different sized jars. I try to keep them together in one of the drawers, but sometimes the size I need can't be found (and I can't blame it on anyone else!), so I just take another funnel down to the workshop, and make another, like I need! I just bought another set of 5 funnels at Harbor Freight, over the weekend, when they had them for 64¢.

What a great idea. I think that small, cheap funnels are going to be purchased soon.

 

[GinnyPNW]

If you have old water or soda bottles, you can cut the top off to make a funnel...

 

[taxlady]

If you have old water or soda bottles, you can cut the top off to make a funnel...

Good point. I wonder if those will fit in most spice bottles. That would be very handy. I'll try to remember to check the next time I go downstairs to the kitchen.

 

[dragnlaw]

Plastic bottles work great for many things (I have two) but they are just a little too big for my spice jars. I have a couple of smaller ones. I too use a chop stick to push them thru, works a treat.
Unfortunately my "kitchen sink" is the laundry tub in another room - without shelves on either side, so a bit awkward. Although if it is liquid of any sort, then yes, I traipse it all over there.

bliss - I have to explain that my 14 yr old 'puppy' is blind and so she doesn't know what my explosions are even about and if she happens to be right there (as she is 95% of the time), she's not too sure what's going on and if she should hide somewhere.

 

[GinnyPNW]

Elsewhere, it has been discussed how humongous chicken breasts can be, these days. Something I noticed in one of the meal kits is how they get 5oz chicken breasts...they cut them in half (or there abouts), horizontally. I imagine they then use the "bottom" halves for things that require just chopped chicken breast. At least, that's the way it seems to be. I'm remembering this for future chicken dishes where I just can't use that huge piece!

 

[dragnlaw]

Looking at CG's gorgeous new kitchen, I know this has been mentioned before (possibly even by me!) ...

Line the tops of those cupboards with newspaper. Can't be seen and super easy to clean. Just remove and toss (fire - recycle - whatever).
Can even do several layers and just remove one page at a time,

 

[GinnyPNW]

I recently tried powdered coconut milk and love it! It seems a bit more fragrant and the convenience can't be beat. And one can use just a little and not worry over the storing the rest of the box or can.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

It's that time of year again, so don't eat yellow snow.

 

[taxlady]

If like me, you don't have a self-cleaning oven and you don't like cleaning your oven, here's a trick to make it easier.

Put some baking soda and water in a spray bottle and give it a good shake. At some point when your oven is not hot, spray the entire inside of the oven with this mixture, but avoid the elements. I'm not sure what you avoid in a gas oven.

Just leave it there for now. Do it again after you have used the oven again. It makes scrubbing stuff off much easier. It dissolves some of it, so that some of the dirt drips to the bottom of the oven. I have been doing this for a few years and I have only ever gotten around to wiping off stuff near the front and from the inside of the door. The walls of my oven look cleaner than when I started doing this. One of these days, when I have some spare energy, I will pull off the door; pull up a stool; and have a go at the rest of the inside of the oven. But at least, I know it isn't building up a lot of dirt.

 

[Katie H]

I've been having some serious health issues since October 1st and cooking has been a challenge to say the least. Flatlined twice on that day and it's been a long road back.

So, having said that, today I put 4 containers of cooked ground beef in the freezer. Each pound was browned with 1/2 half of a medium onion, chopped, and a clove of minced garlic. These 3 ingredients are a great base for many recipes.

Now I'm ready to cook something quick during the busy days ahead or when I've just run out of gas.

 

[Linda0818]

I've been having some serious health issues since October 1st and cooking has been a challenge to say the least. Flatlined twice on that day and it's been a long road back.

So, having said that, today I put 4 containers of cooked ground beef in the freezer. Each pound was browned with 1/2 half of a medium onion, chopped, and a clove of minced garlic. These 3 ingredients are a great base for many recipes.

Now I'm ready to cook something quick during the busy days ahead or when I've just run out of gas.

So sorry to hear of your health issues and I hope you're getting better and better as time goes on.

Great idea on the frozen cooked ground beef mixture. Would be great for spaghetti sauce, lasagna dishes, soups, etc, so that gives me good ideas.

Merry Christmas

 

[taxlady]

Oh Katie, that must have been so scary for you and your DH. I hope you are mending well and feel great soon.

 

[taxlady]

I have done that ground beef and onion thing. One of the things I use it for is something we call bachelor surprise. I take the still frozen meat, some still frozen mixed veg (the Asian blend is especially nice for this), some leftover cooked rice, if I have it and just fry it all up and add some tamari and any other sauce that seems appropriate at the time. Quick and doesn't really need any prep.

BTW, when I freeze the onions and meat, I spread it out on a baking sheet. Then when I scoop the frozen meat off the baking sheet with a spatula/egg flipper, it breaks into large crumbles and makes it really easy to grab a handful or three out of the freezer bag.