Sherri's Helpful Hints

Kitchen Tips

The fastest and cleanest way to core a bell pepper is to cut the top off just past the stem then using a teaspoon, slide down along the webs connecting the inner seed pod to the fleshy outside (keep the back side of the spoon toward the outside of the pepper). The entire seed pod will fall right out leaving just a few loose seeds you can easily rinse out under the faucet!

Added too much salt? Throw a peeled potato in the dish for a bit. It takes up salt in a hurry and can save the day for you. Be sure to remove the potato before serving - unless it's a potato dish, that is!

Before adding dried herbs to your dish, crumble them in your hand or grind with a mortar and pestle to release their flavor. If you don't own a mortar and pestle use the back of a spoon and a small bowl.

Be careful adding red pepper. The heat builds over time so that first taste may seem mild but could be just right a little later.


Scoville Chili Pepper Heat Chart (The higher the Scoville Units, the hotter the pepper)

Sweet Bells; Sweet Banana; and Pimento - Negligible Scoville Units

Mexi-Bells; Cherry; New Mexica; New Mexico; Anaheim; Big Jim - 100-1,000 Scoville Units

Ancho; Pasilla; Espanola; Anaheim - 1,000 - 1,500 Scoville Units

Sandia; Cascabel - 1,500 - 2,500 Scoville Units

Jalapeno; Mirasol; Chipotle; Poblano - 2,500 - 5,000 Scoville Units

Yellow Wax; Serrano - 5,000 - 15,000 Scoville Units

Chile De Arbol - 15,000 - 30,000 Scoville Units

Aji; Cayenne; Tabasco; Piquin - 30,000 - 50,000 Scoville Units

Santaka; Chiltecpin; Thai - 50,000 - 100,000 Scoville Units

Habanero; Scotch Bonnet - 100,000 - 350,000 Scoville Units

Red Savina Habanero; Indian Tezpur - 350-855,000 Scoville Units