Kitchen Tips

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back HOUSEHOLD AND KITCHEN HINTS

"When all the day is spent in the kitchen ,it becomes a mess.The kitchen becomes dirty and so does our daily utensils and takes a lot of time to wash them .Here you will get some kitchen and household tips to make your house look clean and tidy!!"

LEMON JUICE:

You will get more lemon juice out of a lemon if you first warm it in the oven or in boiling water.

FLUFFIER EGGS:

Don't beat eggs as soon as they are taken out of the fridge.If allowed to cool to room temperature,they will beat up fluffier.

EXCESSIVE GREASE IN SOUP:

Drop a lettuce leaf into the pot of soup and it will absorb all the excessive grease that has accumulated.

FLUFFIER OMELLETE:

For fluffier omelletes,add a pinch of corn flour before beating.

BAKED POTATO:

When baking potatoes, cut a thin slice of potato from its each end. It will speed up the baking time. Another way of saving the time is to boil it in salty water for 10 minutes before putting them in very hot oven.

WHIPPING

A few drops of lemon juice added to whipping cream also helps to beat it faster.

EASY FLOWING KETCHUP:

Ketchup will flow out easily of the bottle if a drinking straw is pushed to the bottom of the bottle and then removed.

MORE FLAVOUR IN SCRAMBLED EGGS:

If a pinch of mustard powder is added in the scrambled eggs just before they are cooked, it really brings out the flavour.

KERNALS FROM SWEET CORN:

An easy way to remove kernals from the sweet corn is to use a shoe horn. It will shear off the kernals in a jiffy.

LUMPY SUGAR:

If sugar in sacks have become lumpy, 'unlump' by placing in the fridge for 24 hours.

SPONGE CAKES:

If a spoon full of boiling water is added to the mixture of the cake just before putting it in the oven, sponge cake sare sure going to rise well.

PERFECT MERINGUE

For a never fail meringue, add a teaspoon of corn flour in the sugar before beating it with the egg whites.

FRENCH FRIES:

French fries will turn out better if soaked in cold salt water for 2 to 3 hours before frying. It takes off the excess starch and makes them crisper. But remember to dry them thoroughly before putting it in the oil, otherwise you can imagine the splatter!

PEAS

To bring out more flavour from fresh peas, cook them in water with the pods. If the peas are frozen, cook them with some chopped outer leave of lettuce and a little chopped onion. After the cooking, discard the lettuce leaves and the onions. You will notice the change in the flavour of the peas.

BOILED EGGS:

The secret to a good boiled egg is not to boil it, but simmer it. To avoid cracking put some vinegar in the water.

SHELLING THE EGSS

Boiled eggs are the easiest to shell if they are plunged in cold water right after taking them out of the boiling water.

CUTTING SHELLED EGGS:

Shelled eggs are easily cut if done with a wet knife. The yolk will not cling to the blade.

OMELETTES:

Milk is often added to make omelettes light,but they are the lightest if a teaspoon of water is added for every egg. Remember to beat the eggs only till mixed . If over beaten, omelettes will turn out rubbery.

KEEP CAKES FRESH LONGER:

When storing a cut layer cake in the fridge, put a slice of bread against the cut edge and then cover it.This keeps the cake fresh and moist for a longer time.

SAVE YOUR SAUCE:

You can save your sauce by heating 2 tablespoon of milk just to boiling point and slowly whisking it into the sauce until smooth.

EASY SPREAD:

To make spreading cheeses or dips easier soon after taking out of the fridge, microwave on low power depending on the amount, 15 to 20 seconds should do.

KEEP COLOR IN BEETS AND RED CABBAGE:

Add a little vinegar or lemon juice to the water when cooking beets or red cabbage. This helps keep the colour without changing the taste.

ROASTING CHICKEN:

When roasting chicken, make it self-basting by pouring a cup of chicken broth or water in the chicken cavity.

BOILING MILK:

Milk will not overflow when boiling if a little glycerin is applied on the rim of the pan.

SOURED MILK:

Dont throw away the soured milk, it can be made in cottage cheese. Add a few drops of lemon juice and boil till the cheese is separated from the clear liquid. Strain it through a piece of muslin and leave the cheese in the muslin bag for 2 to 3 hours. The liquid, which is whey, is very nourishing and can be drunk after cooling.

GRATING CHEESE:

Chill the cheese before grating and it will take much less time and effort.

BUYING EGGS:

When buying eggs, check their shells. Fresh eggs' shells are rough and chalky; old eggs are smooth and shiny.

DIRTY EGGS:

If eggs are dirty, wipe them and clean them with a damp cloth before storing in the fridge. Dont wash. This is because there are many tiny pores on the shells of the eggs which are naturally covered with a very thin oily coating. The washing can break the coating and bacteria can enter through those pores.

STORING EGGS:

When storing eggs in the fridge, rest them with the pointed end down because the yolk gradually rises to the top. If the round end is uppermost, the yolk sits safely against the air sac instead of sticking to the shell.

BUYING FISH:

Freshness is every thing with fish. The signs to look for when buying fish are bright eyes, a clear sheen to both sides of the of the fish, and on round fish a rich red inside the gills. Within two days the fish looses its sheen and teh eyes become dull and concave.

STORING FISH:

Fish should be eaten fresh and not stored in the fridge as it starts to smell with time. It can be frozen though. When keeping in the deep freezer, wrap the fish in the aluminium foil ,not in the plastic. Foil will prevent the fish becalming dry in the freezer, and unlike plastic, it wont make it sweat and smell as it thaws.

BUYING MEAT:

When buying meat, go for the smell. There is paticularly no smell in fresh meat but with time the smell gets stronger and stronger .The meat is also not fresh if it has dry, dark patches on it or is slimy on the surface.

BUYING CHEESE:

The only way to check that whether the cheese you are buying is fresh is to check the surface of the cheese.The surface should be moist, dry or greasy cheese is bad.

STORING CHEESE:

When storing cheeses in the fridge, wrap it in foil or cling film. Don't store it in plastic, it will make sweat and encourage mold formation.

STORING SOFT FRUITS:

Soft fruits like cherries, rasberries, strawberries, etc, should not be stored long in the fridge. The best way to store them is to put them in a colander or sieve so that no air can get to them and then keep in the fridge. Another way is to remove their stalks and put them in a bowl, well sprinkled with castor sugar. This will keep the firmness of the fruit as well. Another hint, just in case these fruits soften and you dont like to eat them too soft, then use them to make mousses.

MELONS:

Melons are another fruit that goes bad very fast. When buying them check there freshness. The end opposite the stalk ought to be slightly soft and on some types there will be the beginings of small cracks round the stem. A good melon also has a fairly strong smell. Melons go over the hills vey fast, so don't store them for more than two days even in the fridge.

CLEANING WINDOW OR MIRROR:

Spray some water on the glass and then wipe it off with an old newspaper for a great shine and sparkle.

PLASTIC:

Toothpaste. Yes, toothpaste. Works wonders to clean plastic and give it a good shine.

SILVERWARE:

Rub some baking soda with a soft cloth onto the silverware and see them clean and shining. Another method is to rub the silver with a wedge of lemon.Then rinse the juice off and rub it lightly with a leather.

BURNED PANS:

Salt is the best cure for burned pans. If it is slightly burned, soak it in strong salt water for an hour. It should do the trick. But if it is really caked, soak it for 12 hours, boiling it before and after. The deposits will wipe off. In case they don't, use more salt and soak it longer.

NON-STICK PANS:

Never scour you non-stick utensils, otherwise you'll ruin them. To remove stains from them, fill them with water, vinegar and baking powder (to each 250ml of water,add 125 ml of vinegar and 2 tablespoon of baking powder). Boil this up to 15 minutes and the stains will vanish.

WOOD FURNITURE:

Wood furniture should not be polished too often. A clean duster used every day should keep it clean. An occasional cleanse to remove the effects of the atmosphere can be used. To make the cleanse, add a little vinegar to warm water. Dip a clean cloth in it and wring it out well. Wipe the wood with it then rub it with a clean dry duster.

GREASE COVERED KITCHEN WOODWORK:

Paint it over with a solution of starch and water. Let it dry. Then, rub it off with clean cloth and the wood work is not only clean but protected.

CERAMIC TILES:

Just use ammonia and water to bring shine to your tiles.

CLEANING YOUR WASHING MACHINE:

Fill the washer with warm water and pour a gallon of vinegar into it.Run the machine through an entire cycle.The vinegar will clean the hoses and unclog soap scum from them.

FINAL RINSE:

To make sure that your clothes recieve a thorough rinsing, add one cup white vinegar to the rinse cycle. This will help dissolve the alkalines in soaps and detergents. Plus, it will give you soft and sweet smelling clothing for just pennies. To keep most materials from fading or runnning, add a teaspoon of epsom salts to the rinsing cycle.

RINSING YOUR SWEATERS:

Rinse wool garments in lukewarm water and add a few tablespoon glycerin. This will keep them soft and will also help prevent itching when they are worn.

TOO MANY SUDS:

Any time your washing machine overflows from too many suds, sprinkle salt. The suds will disappear.

GETTING WHITE SOCKS WHITE AGAIN:

Boil the discoloured socks in water to which a slice of lemon is added. The socks will come out as white as ever.

CLEANING VELVET:

To clean, raise nap and remove wrinkles. Hold garments(pile side up) over steaming water to which a little ammonia has been added. Finish by brushing well and ironing on the wrong side.

FASTER IRONING:

You can iron both sides of your clothes at once. Put a sheet of heavy duty aluminium foil under the iron cover and it pulls the heat through the clothes.

NO MORE STICKY IRON:

Run the iron over piece of paper sprinkled with salt.

KETTLES:

If the kettle becomes encrusted with deposits from water, fill it with an equal amount of water and vinegar and boil it. The deposits will rise.Leave it to cool before emptying and rinsing.

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