Today the notorious domestic diva Martha Stewart offered 15 fantastic kitchen tips that are sure to make life a lot easier.
Heading to the kitchen often seems like a chore, especially when you don't have the right equipment on hand. Today Martha Stewart offered some savvy kitchen tricks to make your life a little easier. From an apron to a kitchen cushion, they are all sure to help set the scene for some great cuisine.
Tools to Have for a Comfortable Kitchen
To get started, everyone should have an apron to protect their clothes. Often people come from work late and wind up getting their clothes dirty as they rush to start dinner. Make an apron even more welcoming by turning a handwritten note or family recipe into a fabric pocket. Another useful item is a bowl holder to act as a third hand. While you are pouring and whisking, the bowl holder keeps the bowl in one place. You can easily turn your damp kitchen towel into an informal bowl holder twisting it around the base of the bowl to hold it in place.
Though you might not want your bowl to move, small appliances should glide easily across the counter. Appliance pads are felt protectors with a self-adhesive pad. They are usually used on the legs of your kitchen chairs to keep them from scratching your floor. Use them under your toaster or electric can opener so you can glide them over the counter. While these are great under your appliance, a kitchen cushion is terrific under your feet. Use a felt mat or thick throw rug for a touch of softness under your feet while you cook, clean and wash dishes.
Another useful multi-purpose item is a bench scraper. It will remove tidbits of dough from your work surface or get that last nibble of vegetables from your cutting board. With stickiness in mind, nobody wants cookies or brownies to stick to the pan. Make sure it doesn't happen by buttering the backing dish then putting a sheet of buttered parchment inside with two inch extensions. Bake, cook then pull up the parchment to get the dessert out of the pan.
There are a couple of more informal tools of the trade to keep in the kitchen such a rubber bands. One can be placed around the lid of the card and another around the car so you can grip them and get the lids off more easily. Foods that splatter can be a hazard, especially if you don't have a splatter guard. All you need to do is put a large sieve can face-down over the food as it cooks in a pan.
Food Tricks You'll Love
If you ever tried to make your own bacon bits or sliced bacon, you know it's a slippery ordeal. Simply freeze the strips so they don't wiggle out from under your knife. Often people just want to have the egg whites but separating the yolk is an even more slippery situation. Crack the egg over a slotted spoon over a bowl so the white simply slips into it. Another idea is to purchase egg whites that are already separated. They are almost as convenient as those cooked hard boiled eggs that make it a cinch to whip up deviled eggs.
Trying to get the last few drops out of a firm lime or lemon can be a challenge. Put it in the microwave for 10 seconds to soft it and release the juice. Another tough situation is peeling ginger. Use a spoon with the concave side facing toward you rather than reaching for a knife. With cutting in mind, many people dread slicing onions because it brings them to tears. Cut them near a lit gas burner or votive candle so they won't irritate your eyes. Of course, you can always substitute dried onion in the recipe if it is possible. To make all kinds of cutting jobs a breeze, put your cutting board on a piece of nonslip mesh, which is also used to keep your throw rugs on place.
One final tip will help keep the integrity of the flavors in your foods. Freshly ground spices add a robust touch to any dish. But if the seeds cling to your grinder, they all mix together. To clean them up, run a soft piece of white bread through the grinder to grab them. For more fabulous ways to properly equip your kitchen, visit Martha Stewart Living or pick up the magazine on newsstands right now. This month's issue features cookies and candies right in time for Valentine's Day. Martha Stewart also appeared on ABC's “The Chew” to show fans how to create decadent chocolate cakes.
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