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Washing Berries
While it is important to wash berries to rid them of any dirt and debris, they can break under the pressure of the water or drying. We figured out a two-step method that treats the berries gently.
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| 1. Place the berries in a colander and place under running water for about 30 seconds. |
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| 2. Line a salad spinner with a couple of layers of paper towels and carefully disperse the berries. Spin until the berries are dry, about 20 spins. |
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Grating Hard Cheeses
Grating hard cheeses with a hand held grater is efficient, but it often creates a mess on the counter.
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| 1.Before you begin grating, wrap a piece a plastic wrap around the bottom of the grater and secure it with a rubber band. |
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| 2. When you grate the cheese, it is conveniently caught inside the grater. |
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Pitting An Avocado
Removing pits without mashing the flesh is important when making avocado vinaigrette or when using avocado halves to hold salad. Avocados with pebbly skins (as opposed to the larger variety with smooth skins) are creamier and better in salads.
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| 1. Slice around the pit by cutting through both ends. |
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| 2. Twist to separate halves and stick the blade of a large knife sharply into the pit. |
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| 3. Lift blade, twisting if necessary to loosen and remove the pit. Avocado halves may be filled with vinaigrette or peeled with a paring knife and cut into strips. |
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Even the best instant-read thermometers eventually need to be recalibrated. Many instant-read thermometers, both dial-face and digital, can be calibrated at home. We think this feature is essential. Here's how to recalibrate a thermometer with this function.
Make a slurry of ice and cold tap water in a glass or bowl; allow to sit for two minutes to let the temperature stabilize. Put the probe in the slurry, being careful not to touch the sides or bottom of the glass or bowl. On a digital thermometer, press the "calibrate" button to 32 degrees; on a dial-face thermometer, turn the dial to 32 degrees (the method differs from model to model, but many require pliers to turn a small knob on the back).
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| 1. Heat a mug or a large measuring cup filled halfway with skim milk in a microwave until small bubbles have formed around the edges, one to two minutes. Place the bulb of the whisk into the mug or measuring cup, grasp the handle between your outstretched palms, and rub your hands back and forth rapidly to rotate the whisk briskly. |
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| 2. When the foam reaches the top of the mug, spoon foam out and repeat |
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| 1. Starting on the thickest side of the breast, slice the breast crosswise almost in half. |
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| 2. Open the breast up, as if you were opening a book, creating a single flat piece. |
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Removing Refrigerator Odors
Here is a technique that works better than baking soda to deodorize your refrigerator. Just place a handful of charcoal briquettes in a disposable plastic container (with no lid) in the refrigerator or freezer. Once the offending smell has dissipated, simply discard the container.
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When making pie crust, it is often difficult to follow precisely the instructions to
"sprinkle water evenly over the flour mixture 1 tablespoon at a time."
To easily achieve the desired effect, follow this tip from Elvira Ceci of Woodbridge, Ontario.
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| 1. Pour the entire recommended amount of water into a small spray bottle and spray as needed onto the flour mixture. |
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| 2. This allows you to use the minimum amount of water and distribute it evenly with little effort, stopping as soon as the dough holds together. |
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Stabilizing a Cutting Board
Placing a damp kitchen towel beneath a cutting board is an easy way to keep it from slipping all over the counter, but it leaves you with a damp, dirty kitchen towel to launder. Instead, use a dampened sheet of paper towel. This works just as well and can be used to wipe down the counter, then simply be thrown away.
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| Eggplant |
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Removing Moisture from Eggplant
To make eggplant less bitter and give it a denser texture for cooking, it should be salted and drained for an hour before using. To do this, slice the eggplant about ½” thick and place it on a rack. Salt both sides and let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour. Remove from the refrigerator and blot the moisture from the eggplant using a paper towel. This process will make your eggplant less bitter tasting.
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| Sage |
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| When roasting a chicken, here are a couple of ideas to try:
1. Slide whole sage leaves under the skin of the chicken, between the skin and the meat. The sage will give the chicken a wonderful flavor.
2. Instead of a roasting rack, make a simple mirepoix (carrots, onions & celery - all chopped) and spread that in the bottom of your roasting pan with a little stock. As the chicken roasts the the pan juices will be flavored by the vegetables and will make your pan gravy more intensely flavored.
3. Lightly oil the skin of the chicken with Olive Oil and sprinkle with koser salt and fresh ground pepper. The oil will help to make the skin of the chicken crispy and flavorful, while the meat stays moist.
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