Food Tip Round Up!!!

Here are some wonderful food/kitchen tips our research and development department have come up with!

1. Flatten chicken breasts by placing them between two thin cutting sheets and pounding with a heavy skillet or sauce pan.
2. A potato ricer works just as well if not better for juicing limes or lemons.
3. Before juicing aforementioned citrus fruit, pop them in the microwave for ten seconds to optimize the juice!
4. When cooking on the grill, place meat and veggies about 4" from the heat source and poultry 6"-8" away.  Don't forget dark meat takes longer to cook then white meat.
5. Need to serve soup to the masses but don't have the proper serving dish, try pouring into an insulated ice bucket.  It works great for hot or cold soups.
6. Contrary to popular opinion, do not add oil to your pasta water.  It will prevent the sauce from sticking!  You need the extra starch in the water, stir frequently for the first few minutes to keep the pasta separated.
7. Don't overcrowd the pan when sauteing and searing meats and veggies.  You will end up steaming them instead of the desired effect.
8. Fresh herbs, such as basil keeps better and longer at room temperature with stems in water.
9. Season in stages to bring out the best in your ingredients and produce the most flavor.
10. When cooking cauliflower add a splash of milk to the water.  It will keep the cauliflower bright white.  Shock it immediately by soaking it in ice water.
11. Extend the life of your salad greens by wrapping them loosely in a damp paper towel and place them in a plastic, resealable bag.
12. Store your onions and potatoes separately.  The gases released from onions will spoil your potatoes faster.
13. For mashed potatoes, boil them, drain them, and return them to the hot covered pan for 5 minutes.  This steams them and dries them out.  When you mix in your butter and cream/milk, the texture will be perfect and the absorption spot on!
14. Cook the perfect hard boiled egg every time!  Place your eggs in a pan of cold water just high enough to cover the eggs.  Next, bring the water to a boil.  As soon as the water boils, turn off the heat and cover the pan.  Set a timer for 15 minutes.  When the timer goes off, place the eggs in an ice bath for approximately 5 minutes or until the eggs are cool enough to handle.  Crack the shells completely on the counter.  The shells will peel off like butter and the yolks will be sunny yellow with no ugly greish green ring.