Sherri's Helpful Hints

Food Related Tips

• Freeze lemon juice in ice cube trays then when recipes call for tablespoon of lemon juice just toss in a cube. Works for all citrus fruits.
• For those who like Italian cooking. Make sure you use olive oil for cooking and extra virgin olive oil for dressings only; using extra virgin in cooking is a waste of your hard earned money!
• If you are cracking eggs or separating them and a piece of shell falls in, the best way to get it out is to use the egg shell itself as a scoop to retrieve the piece.
• Excess grease/fat can be removed from casseroles/stews etc., but dropping in an ice cube - the fat will stick to the cube and can be removed. Alternatively, a slice of fresh white bread placed carefully on the surface will absorb most of the unwanted grease.
• To keep the filling from bubbling out of pop tarts, simply keep the pop tarts in the fridge before use - simple but effective.
• To add flavor to baked beans, chop some onion and place on plate and cook in a microwave on high for a few seconds, mix into beans with some brown sauce, heat as normal.
• Judging how much rice or pasta to cook can be difficult as it expands during cooking. Place dry rice (or pasta) on a side plate i.e. a smaller plate than usually used for your meal, until the quantity looks right. Then boil as usual. The cooked rice will fill the larger dinner plate to the same extent. Just do this for each portion required, works whether cooking for one or twenty-one.
• If you don't put the lid on when boiling green vegetables they stay greener.
• Use the vegetable water from boiled vegetables for gravy, this way you get more flavor and don't waste the goodness that has come out into the water.
• When making a rich fruit cake keep some of the unfruited mixture aside. After putting the fruited mixture into the cake pan spread the unfruited mixture over the top. This avoids the dried out bits of fruit and also makes icing easier.

Other good advice for:

Pork

When stuffing a loin of pork, make the stuffing mixture and roll into a sausage shape. Place in freezer for two hours and, when hardened, this can be put into the joint and the meat rolled round. Ensure joint is well cooked. For crispy crackling every time, score the rind well using a sharp, small bladed craft knife.

Beef

Beef with bright, white fat will be good to eat.

Crabs

If you like the white meat, choose the male crab as he has bigger claws. If you prefer brown meat pick the female, as she has the bigger body.

To remove meat from claw, tap joint with knife and separate the two halves. Use handle of teaspoon to scoop out the meat from inside the claw. Hit the nipper end sharply a couple of times and the outer shell will slide off easily.

Fish

To ensure fish is fresh, look for shiny eyes and body and slippery outer skin.