Helpful Hints

They passed out a big long list of helpful hints submitted by members of our Relief Society this past Sunday. Quite a few had something to do with food. Some of them I knew, some I didn't, and I figured it's probably the same with most of us, so I'm just going to post them all up here. I hope they help! Caveat: I have not tried all of these, but some of these women swear by them.

Turn to spices, not salt, for good flavor:

Allspice for ground meats, stews, tomatoes, peaches, applesauce, cranberry sauce, and gravies.

Basil for fish, lamb, ground meats, stews, salads, soups, and sauces.

Bay leaves for meats, stews, poultry, soups, and tomatoes.

Chives for salads, sauces, soups, meats dishes, and vegetables.

Apple cider vinegar for salads, vegetables, and sauces.

Dill for fish sauces, soups, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, cucumbers, potatoes, salads, macaroni, beef, lamb, chicken and fish.

Garlic (not garlic salt) for meats, fish, soups, salads, vegetables, tomatoes, and potatoes.

Onion (not onion salt) for meats, stews, vegetables, salads, and soups.

Paprika for meats, fish, soups, salads, sauces, and vegetables.

Lemon juice (and might I add, almost any citrus) for meats, fish, poultry, salads, vegetables.

To keep cheese fresh, put an unwrapped block of cheese in a Press 'n' Seal bag by Glad. It will keep it fresh and mold free for a long time.

Homemade brown sugar: make in a ratio of two cups white sugar mixed with two tablespoons molasses. Measure the amount of brown sugar for a recipe; add the molasses to the sugar as needed.

Sweetened condensed milk: combine 1/2 cup of water with 3/4 white sugar. Heat to bubble stage (do not boil). Remove from heat and add 1 cup + 2 tablespoons dry milk powder. Stir until smooth. Mixture will be thin, but will thicken after 48 hours.

Wrap fresh celery in foil; it will last longer and stay crisp. Another suggestion is to keep celery and lettuce in paper bags (just ask for one at the store) instead of plastic. (Either way, it sounds like plastic is the worst thing to keep them in.)

Honey as a sugar substitute: 1 c. honey for 1 1/4 c. white sugar. It is best to reduce the liquid for the recipe by a 1/4 c. for every 1 cup or honey being used. In baking, it is helpful to add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used to neutralize the acidity of the honey. Reduce baking temp by 25 degrees to reduce excess browning.

Add a capful of cooking oil to boiling water to prevent it boiling over.

To get the best of delicately flavored herbs, add them in the last few minutes of cooking.

To peel a tomato: cut an X in the blossom end, opposite the stem. Immerse in boiling water for ten seconds. Transfer to ice water and then peel.

Let's thank the sisters of Livermore, CA for all their genius!