Kitchen Tips & Tricks

DID YOUKNOW?
Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little 'stringy things' off of it. That's how the primates do it.
 
Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.
 
Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!
 
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
 
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.
 
To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.
 
Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.
 
Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummm!
 
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.
 
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag.Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.
 
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.
 
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.
 
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.
 
To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.
 
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
 
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!
  Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

Thank you Food Is You----the printed copy is in my folder.  I shall pass on some of these "Did You Know" items to worthy folks.

...muchas gracias...

Foodbme

Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

I do know this is a wives tale.  I was reading a seed industry magazine on bell peppers and chili peppers and it went over the 3 rib/4 rib bell pepper difference.  There are actually a number of bell pepper species, which include 2 lobe, 3-4 lobe, and 4-5 lobe species.  In the US 3-4 lobe species sell the best so that's what commercial growers sell.  Peppers within the same species may have 3-4 lobes, and even coming from the same plant may vary in 3-4 lobes. It does not indicate male/female pods, starch/sugar/water profile is the same.  Some markets demand certain lobe types for industry request (ie: 4 lobe peppers stand up better for baking stuffed peppers) and middle men will hand sort out (for a price) those lobes for delivery.

It is akin to saying a cob of a specific species of corn that has 253 kernels tastes different that a cob coming off the same plant that has 229 kernels.   Just a quirk of nature as to a dice roll on that pepper having 3 or 4 lobes.

WarToad

Foodbme

Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

I do know this is a wives tale.  I was reading a seed industry magazine on bell peppers and chili peppers and it went over the 3 rib/4 rib bell pepper difference.  There are actually a number of bell pepper species, which include 2 lobe, 3-4 lobe, and 4-5 lobe species.  In the US 3-4 lobe species sell the best so that's what commercial growers sell.  Peppers within the same species may have 3-4 lobes, and even coming from the same plant may vary in 3-4 lobes. It does not indicate male/female pods, starch/sugar/water profile is the same.  Some markets demand certain lobe types for industry request (ie: 4 lobe peppers stand up better for baking stuffed peppers) and middle men will hand sort out (for a price) those lobes for delivery.

It is akin to saying a cob of a specific species of corn that has 253 kernels tastes different that a cob coming off the same plant that has 229 kernels.   Just a quirk of nature as to a dice roll on that pepper having 3 or 4 lobes.

 
WT,
There you go again--- Ruining a really good Old Wives Tale with Scientific Fact. Shame on you!!
The next thing you'll probably refute is that Spaghetti grows on trees and you don't need a key to open a Key Lime!!


 

Interesting list! Where'd you find it? I've heard a few of them before, but many of them are new to me. I'd be curious to know how many of these are old wives' tales and how many are 100% factual. They all seem plausible (except, possibly, the Snickers bars and apples. Even though I like both of those separately)

food4u


Interesting list! Where'd you find it? I've heard a few of them before, but many of them are new to me. I'd be curious to know how many of these are old wives' tales and how many are 100% factual. They all seem plausible (except, possibly, the Snickers bars and apples. Even though I like both of those separately)

I was searching for something else on the Net and just came across it. Thought it was interesting enough to share. Dumb Luck I guess!

food4u


Interesting list! Where'd you find it? I've heard a few of them before, but many of them are new to me. I'd be curious to know how many of these are old wives' tales and how many are 100% factual. They all seem plausible (except, possibly, the Snickers bars and apples. Even though I like both of those separately)

Start with Snopes and then move on to Googling them one by one to see what else is on the net about them, if you just have to know!  Or send them to friends with a disclaimer, and see how many get debunked or verified to your satisfaction.

There are even books written about this subject. if you wish to further investigate.  Gooogle.

GEEZ PEOPLE!
It was just a list I found that I thought was interesting. I didn't expect to it get the 3rd Degree Treatment. Must everything pass critical review and analysis to get posted on here?????? FAGETABOUTIT!

Food facts r srs bizness.

food4u


Interesting list! Where'd you find it? I've heard a few of them before, but many of them are new to me. I'd be curious to know how many of these are old wives' tales and how many are 100% factual. They all seem plausible (except, possibly, the Snickers bars and apples. Even though I like both of those separately)

The Snicker bars and apples would just make a little different version of baked or stewed apples.  The caramel in the Snickers would take the place of white or brown sugar and/or corn syrup normally used, and some people already add chopped nuts to baked apples.  The only different thing would be the milk chocolate coating of the Snickers, and, unless you are allergic to chocolate, almost everyone likes it (and the fanciest, most expensive candied apples are dipped in it), so why not?

WarToad


Food facts r srs bizness.

How to peel a Banana is "srs bizness"????????

Thankyou, Foodbme. I have cornmeal by the ant hills as the first of these tips to be put to use.

Ok, ok, ok.  I'll hold back my comments about "Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking. "

.....

I mean, seriously.  ....

Not saying anything is hard.

Thanks FoodB... Neat I thought! Even if some may not be completely true.
Joe

Food be U---------I think this is a great list and I don't need any verification which will take 8 years by a non- profit organization but will cost 8 million, no one makes a profit but they all have big salaries--------
 
So as Mrs Rosen my neighbor said---put a teaspoon of water in the meat, what harm is it gonna do ????  Couldn't hurt !!!!!!!

the ancient mariner


Food be U---------I think this is a great list and I don't need any verification which will take 8 years by a non- profit organization but will cost 8 million, no one makes a profit but they all have big salaries--------
 
So as Mrs Rosen my neighbor said---put a teaspoon of water in the meat, what harm is it gonna do ????  Couldn't hurt !!!!!!!

Mrs Rosen speaks with the wisdom of someone who has been on the planet a while>>

Foodbme, does cayenne work with Deer too?

chewingthefat


Foodbme, does cayenne work with Deer too?

I suppose it would but don't know for sure. Put Cayenne up any animals nose and I would think you'd get a reaction!! There's commercial deer repellent on the market. http://www.deerout.com/index.htm

Foodbme


GEEZ PEOPLE!
It was just a list I found that I thought was interesting. I didn't expect to it get the 3rd Degree Treatment. Must everything pass critical review and analysis to get posted on here?????? FAGETABOUTIT!

Now now there are always doubting Thomases in this universe.  My motto is try to keep everyone happy.  It doesn't cost you anything.

How about a list of dating tips?

Here's an old trick my Chinese buddy Arthur Lem told me. To keep ants off your countertop, mix a solution of  cayenne pepper and water in a spray bottle and spray down the counter. Gives em the hot foot.

..but does it kill them?

NYPIzzaNut


..but does it kill them?

No...To kill them I use more extreme measures.

chewingthefat


Foodbme, does cayenne work with Deer too?

It might. It sure works to keep squirrels out of your bird feeders. You can use cayenne or hot pepper sauce mixed in with the bird feed. The birds don't notice it, and you haven't lived till you've seen squirrels spitting and shaking their heads when they get a taste of that stuff in the feed.
 
One thing you can try to keep deer away from plants is to gpieces of soap around them. Those little cakes of soap from hotels and motels seem to help a lot. When I hd a garden I used to hang soap and it seemed to work. A coiled up piece of hose works well to keep rabbits out of gardens. They think it's a snake. Of course, dried blood spread around a garden works, too. You can usually find it in bags at feed stores.

I hate to be a killjoy but I just peeled a banana as prescribed but the little stringy things did not all go away - some stayed but many less than as usual ...

Michael Hoffman

chewingthefat


Foodbme, does cayenne work with Deer too?

It might. It sure works to keep squirrels out of your bird feeders. You can use cayenne or hot pepper sauce mixed in with the bird feed. The birds don't notice it, and you haven't lived till you've seen squirrels spitting and shaking their heads when they get a taste of that stuff in the feed.
 
One thing you can try to keep deer away from plants is to gpieces of soap around them. Those little cakes of soap from hotels and motels seem to help a lot. When I hd a garden I used to hang soap and it seemed to work. A coiled up piece of hose works well to keep rabbits out of gardens. They think it's a snake. Of course, dried blood spread around a garden works, too. You can usually find it in bags at feed stores.

Do you have a sure fire simple cure for getting rid of moles on your lawn?

NYP, I could send my dog. He likes to dog them up. But then you have holes all in your yard. And... my cats then bring them on the porch. Anyone have a better way to de mole yards?
Joe

Does he eat a lot?

NYPIzzaNut

Michael Hoffman

chewingthefat


Foodbme, does cayenne work with Deer too?

It might. It sure works to keep squirrels out of your bird feeders. You can use cayenne or hot pepper sauce mixed in with the bird feed. The birds don't notice it, and you haven't lived till you've seen squirrels spitting and shaking their heads when they get a taste of that stuff in the feed.

One thing you can try to keep deer away from plants is to gpieces of soap around them. Those little cakes of soap from hotels and motels seem to help a lot. When I hd a garden I used to hang soap and it seemed to work. A coiled up piece of hose works well to keep rabbits out of gardens. They think it's a snake. Of course, dried blood spread around a garden works, too. You can usually find it in bags at feed stores.

Do you have a sure fire simple cure for getting rid of moles on your lawn?

 
This is the honest to G** truth. The year 1976--I had a neighbor in Sparta NJ, a TWA Pilot, (AKA, no street smarts), who was so frustrated with Moles in his yard, that he poured GASOLINE down the Mole Holes and lit it! Not only did he blow up his yard, but the blazing sod landed on the cedar shingle roof of his house and set his house on fire!