Linda's Cooking Tips and Ideas (Page 2)
1- How much do you know about the herb "oregano"? Here are a few tidbits. a. Oregano is a hardy perennial with hairy square stems and dark green oval leaves. b. Oregano plants grow up to 2 feet high and flower from mid to late summer. c. There are many varieties of oregano. Greek oregano has the strongest flavor. d. To keep oregano plants nice and bushy, cut your plants back a couple time a season. e. Oregano tastes great in cheese & egg dishes; with beef, pork, game, and poultry; in yeast breads; with vegetables; and in tomato sauce. It blends well with garlic, thyme, olive oil, and basil.
2- If a recipe calls for herbs that do not dissolve; for example bay leaves and garlic cloves, place them into a metal tea ball. Hook the chain over side of pot. This makes it easier to remove seasonings during or after cooking.
3- Here is a cooking tip provided by Denise, a visitor to this site: "To get the most juice out of lemon, either roll it on a table a few times pressing down with the palm of your hand, or microwave it for about 15 to 20 seconds. Put holes in lemon before microwaving."
4- To make hot chocolate even more satisfying, add a pinch of ground cloves and a drop of vanilla extract.
5- When using tomato paste, cut open both ends of the can with a can opener. Remove one end and carefully push the other end down through the can, forcing all the tomato paste out.
6- Having trouble removing the shells off of ready-to-eat shrimp? Try this...Put the shrimp in a bowl of white vinegar and soak for 20 to 30 minutes. The shells soften and come right off. Once all the shrimp is peeled, rinse well.
7- Summer is a time for picnics and outdoor activities. Picnics can be fun but we all should take precautions against food poisoning. Here are tips to make your summer picnic safe and enjoyable: (1) If possible, refrigerate fruits and vegetables overnight at 40 degrees or lower before preparing them for your picnic (2) Rinse whole fruits and vegetables in cold running water before eating, slicing, or packing them. (3) Wash your hands before cutting vegetables and fruits (as well as other picnic foods). Use a clean knife and cutting board. (4) Carry your picnic in a well-insulated cooler containing an ice pack, and keep it in the shade with the lid on.
8 - Here is a list of the top five most nutrition-packed summer fruit.
1. Cantaloupe: Cantaloupe is the most nutritious of melons. One cup contains 74 times the vitamin A of honeydew melon, more beta carotene than a small spinach salad, almost as much vitamin C as an orange, and roughly the same amount of fiber as a whole-wheat bread slice. Here are some shopping tips for selecting the "best" cantaloupe: (a) Skip the thumping and shaking; look for sweet-smelling melons that have a thick netting and a golden (not green) undertone. (b) The stem end should have a small indentation; a small crack is a sign of sweetness, but avoid fruit with mold. (c) The blossom end should be slightly soft. Now that we have selected the "best" cantaloupe, we need to know how to store it properly. Here are some storage tips : (a) Melons don't ripen off the vine, but they do get juicier at room temperature, so leave your cantaloupe on the counter for a few days, then refrigerate whole to preserve vitamin C. (b) Rinse the exterior prior to cutting.
2. Blackberries: Blackberries are the highest in fiber of all the berries. One cup of blackberries packs 40% more fiber that a bowl of shredded-wheat cereal. Blackberries are also a good source of Vitamin C. When shopping for blackberries remember this: "The blacker the berry, the riper and sweeter the fruit." You can refrigerate blackberries for up to two days. Don't rinse until just before use.
3. Apricots: Apricots are rich in beta carotene and contain both vitamin C and potassium. The highest vitamin C content is found next to the skin, so don't peel. Apricots are also high in soluble fiber, which works like oat bran to help lower blood-cholesterol levels. When shopping for apricots remember this: Choose fruit that is orange-gold, smells sweet, and yields to soft pressure. Hard fruit which is tinged with green won't ripen fully. If you bought apricots at your favorite supermarket, these apricots usually need ripening, so place them in a paper bag at room temperature away from heat or direct sun. If you add a banana to the bag, this will help hasten the process. Refrigerate once the apricots are ripe. Don't rinse until just before use.
4. Raspberries: Raspberries are abundant in vitamin C and fiber. One cup of raspberries delivers half of the recommended daily dose of vitamin C and more fiber than 2 tablespoons of wheat bran. When shopping for raspberries, look for firm red berries that haven't leaked through the container bottom. Refrigerate and use as soon as possible. Raspberries can turn "mushy" very quickly.
5. Strawberries: Strawberries are loaded with vitamin C. One cup of strawberries provides 140% of the daily value for vitamin C and more fiber than two slices of whole-wheat bread. Strawberries are grown in all 50 states, so buy local berries in season for the best flavor. Look for bright read berries with fresh, green caps. Berries don't ripen off the vine. White tips will stay hard and sour. Remove overripe berries from the container then refrigerate. Leave stem caps attached until after rinsing so berries don't get waterlogged.
9- Here are a few "cuking tips": When selecting cucumbers keep this in mind--the smaller the cucumber, the smaller the seeds and often better in flavor. Keep your cucumbers away from apples and other citrus fruit as these products produce ethylene gas that can decay cucumbers. Store unwashed cucumbers in a crisper bin in your refrigerator.
