New Year!!

OK so I'm not the most studious person when it comes to keeping up with my blogs. BUT.......It's a new year and I am going to try....really HARD! Unfortunately this blog may have to wait awhile. I have no camera at the moment...BUT I promise to rectify that situation in the near future (okay maybe not NEAR future but in a couple of months). For now here are 11 food tips and tricks to start out your 2011 cooking off right....

1. Add a bit of sugar to your pancake and waffle batter...they will brown more quickly.

2. To keep your salad fresher longer cover the bowl with a damp paper towel and store it upside down (lid on of course please) in the refrigerator. (Learned this one from a woman at work)

3. Cream will whip up faster if you put your mixing bowl and mixer beaters in the freezer for a a bit first.

4. Use the wrapper off of the butter to grease a dish...It's less messy and less wasteful.

5. Crush dried herbs and spices in the palm of your hand before adding to your dish. This will reawaken the flavors.

6. Partially freeze meat that needs to be slice super thin. This will make the process SO much easier.

7. Put a mini marshmallow in the bottom of waffle cones to keep the ice-cream from dripping out the bottom. (Great trick moms!)

8. If you drop a piece of egg shell into your bowl use another piece of egg shell to fish it back out...It works so much better than trying to catch it with your finger.

9. Egg whites at room temperature will form stiff peaks WAY faster than ones straight from the fridge.

10. Unflavored dental floss makes cutting soft cheese and cheesecakes a breeze. Also it works to make layers out of a cake before it is frosted.

11. HAVE FUN cooking. Not everything is going to come out right, but that is okay...LAUGH and then MOVE ON.


Happy cooking in 2011 everyone!