Kitchen & Cooking Tips

I saw this and loved it - my mashed potatoes are always wanting to boil over, it's a contest between them and me to see who wins every time! lol Do you have any tips like this that could come in handy for others? (There's some useful info in the comments too!)

http://lifehacker.com/5876442
Use a Wooden Spoon to Stop Pots from Boiling Over
By Whitson Gordon
Jan 16, 2012

by slokotkov

When you put a pot of water on, put a wooden spoon over the top of the pot. If it starts to boil up too high, the spoon will pop the bubbles and keep it from boiling over as quickly, meaning you have more time to get back and turn the heat down.

Hit the link to read more.

MamaRama, I do the same thing. They come in handy for decorating cupcakes with icing too!

Here's another that I've always wondered about. Someone else asked, and here's the answer:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-a ... on/AN01024
Question: Moldy cheese: Is it unsafe to eat?
If a piece of cheese has mold on it, should I throw the cheese away?
Answer from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

The answer depends on the type of cheese. Soft cheeses, such as cottage cheese and cream cheese, that grow mold should be discarded.

Mold generally can't penetrate far into hard and semisoft cheeses, such as Cheddar, Colby and Swiss. So you can cut away the moldy part and eat the rest of the cheese. Cut off at least one inch around and below the moldy spot. Be sure to keep the knife out of the mold itself so that it doesn't contaminate other parts of the cheese.

Check out the article for a list of specific cheeses, and also some other good articles! (I'm going to go read Tips for Cooking Fish, and check out the slide show on herbs!)

MamaRama, no I've not used a digital pressure cooker. It seems like it would be handy up here with the additional adjustments that are needed for canning due to altitude though.

Ran across this blog that had some great tips. I especially like the constantly re-growing scallions on the counter, and making your own vanilla extract and vanilla sugar (hubby's a big fan of creme brulee and we're always on the hunt for flavored sugar for the glazing).

http://homemadeserenity.blogspot.com/20 ... nilla.html
Putting Food By - Beef, Onions and Vanilla
Friday, March 11, 2011

The next time you have green onions, don't throw away the white ends. Simply submerge them in a glass of water and place them in a sunny window. Your onions will begin to grow almost immediately and can be harvested almost indefinitely. We just use kitchen scissors to cut what we need for meals. I periodically empty out the water, rinse the roots off and give them fresh water.

Funky. I love avocados, but not eggs that much. I think it'd need some salt...but it does sound good and healthy!

http://lifehacker.com/5881942/bake-an-e ... fast-treat
Bake an Egg in an Avocado for a Fast and Healthy Breakfast Treat
By Alan Henry
Feb 3, 2012

Avocados are amazing things—they're delicious on their own, but they also have a lot of healthy fats, dietary fibers, and vitamins, and despite their high caloric value, they're remarkably easy to prepare. If you have an avocado that's too firm to use for something else, or you're just in the mood for something new and healthy for breakfast, slice it in half, remove the pit, and carve out a little space in the center. Crack an egg where the pit was, and bake. In a few minutes, you'll have a delicious, protein and vitamin-packed breakfast treat that's rich enough to keep you going all morning.

see link for easy recipe.