If you get 2 liter bottles of soft drinks, here’s a way to keep it bubbly longer:
After you are done dispensing the soda, put the cap back on and momentarily tilt the bottle on its side until the soda engulfs the cap.
For some reason, doing this makes the soda last a lot longer. I have been doing this for a long time and it does work.
This holiday season make sure your kitchen thermometers are accurate. It is easy to do and only takes a few minutes. Though the thermometers may, and I emphasize may, have been accurate at the time of purchase, exposure to high temperatures and other conditions may have compromised their accuracy. Don’t get caught with your mercury down…check out your thermometer today.
dtc
A tomato sauce without tomatoes? Read on.
Dinner was salmon with tomato-caper sauce after an all-day house paintfest.
The tomatoes were Romas from our garden. I decided to remove the skins by cutting a small slit in them, boiling them for 30 seconds, plunging them in cold water, then peeling off the skins. Worked great. They were chopped up and put in the sauce per the recipe. After most of the liquid dissipated the tomatoes were barely discernable. The sauce tasted especially excellent, though.
Moral? Leave the skins on for show or take them off for the dough.
Doug
I have never seen this tip anywhere and am a bit surprised. When I need to marinate something I make the marinade up several hours (and sometimes the day) before. This gives the marinade time to meld its ingredients before it is used. Granted, this is empirical evidence but I am sure this makes a difference. Of course, marinating must be done in a timely manner.
Two days ago I made a marinade and a sauce for garlic chicken. Last night I used them. Our guest said many times how good the dinner was and asked if I really made it from scratch. Enough said.
DougTheCook
The other day I made fajita marinade for some delicious chicken. It was good but not great. After some thought, I realized I used a different lime juice. The best lime juice, of course, is from a real lime. Sometimes it is not practical to always have fresh limes around so lime juice in a bottle is the next alternative. The best one I have found is the juice that comes in a plastic lime looking container (I cannot remember the manufacturer). No wonder, once you find a good brand, is to stick with it.
dougthecook
I do a good deal of baking – especially pizza. A pizza takes 20 to 25 minutes to cook, depending on the method I use which these days is usually an iron skillet. Another popular baking item is zucchini bread now that zucchini is growing prolific in my garden. This endeavor takes 55 minutes to bake.
Now that energy costs are rising I’m always looking for ways to save but not give up my lifestyle. One way I found was to turn off the oven during the last few minutes of baking and let it coast. No degradation of taste or quality has been noticed. So every 10th pizza doesn’t cost me a dime to cook.
When I pan cook food, such as an egg in the morning, I apply the same cut-and-coast technique. After I flip the egg off goes the stove (it’s electric so it has residual heat) while I butter my toast and pour my juice.
This may be a minor incident but small things add up. Now only if work were at the bottom of a hill…
dougthecook has added a new section called Herbs and Spices. The first order of business is defining the major herbs and spices. Later additions will be how and when to use them. Also there will be a section on growing and preserving your own herbs which we have done very successfully. Fresh herbs are far more tasty than dried ones.
Doug
Many people have asked me what is the best rice to use for fried rice.
A long grain rice is the best. The idea is to create rice that is not sticky. I rinse the starches off the rice before I cook it which reduces stickiness.
Let the cooked rice sit overnight in the refrigerator. This step makes a big difference in reducing stickiness and makes stir-fry of the rice easier. Another tip: let the rice come to room temperature and separate it with your hands.
I have used generic white long-grain rice with success. Basmati and Jasmine rice work well but are stickier than regular long-grain.
Doug
We all get busy during the holiday season. That is why it is especially important to be aware of ways to prevent identity theft. This is the peak time of year for it. Nearly everyone knows someone who has had their identity stolen. Do not become a statistic. Read identity theft prevention tips and have a merry and safe holiday.
Doug
Brining brings out the best in a turkey. A brined turkey will be moister and cook better. Read all about brining for ideas on other foods to brine.
Table salt, sea salt, and kosher salt provide the same saltiness if they weigh the same. It is not true for volume. A cup of table salt weighs about 10 oz while kosher salt weighs 5-8 oz per cup, depending on the brand.
Professional cooks use kosher salt since it is pure. Sea salt is too expensive to use on a regular basis and table salt contains additives such as anticaking agents (prevents caking in humid weather) and iodine (prevents thyroid disease).
| Table salt | 1 cup | 10 oz |
| Morton kosher salt | 1 1/2 cups | 7.7 oz |
| Diamond Crystal kosher salt | 2 cups | 5 oz |
For brining a Turkey 15 to 20 Pounds
2 gallons cold water
2 cups of Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 1 cup table salt. See chart above)
optional
2 Tablespoons of dried Rosemary or 2 to 3 fresh sprigs
2 Tablespoons dried Thyme
2 Tablespoons of dried sage
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 Tablespoon Black Peppercorns
Special equipment: Large (over 6 gallon) Stock pot or other holder (5 Gallon plastic bucket with lid)
Make sure the turkey is thawed before brining.
The night before roasting, rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water. (Reserve the Turkey neck and giblets for stock and gravy; keep refrigerated).
In a large stock pot or 5 gallon bucket, mix 2 gallons cold water with the salt, rosemary, thyme, sage, celery seed and peppercorns.
Stir well until all the salt is dissolved. Put the turkey in the pot.
Cover and place in a cold spot (lower than 40 degrees) or refrigerate and let stand over night or 8 hours (Unheated garage may work or several frozen gel packs).
Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse well and cook like you usually do.
Doug