> > ~*~ Perk up your next party with this easy and elegant dip idea. > > Take a whole bell pepper, red, yellow, orange, green or a > combination of your choice and slice off the top. > > With a small paring knife carefully remove the seeds > and the white pith from the inside of the pepper. > > If the pepper won´t stand upright, slice of a very small > portion of the bottom (don´t make a hole). > > Scoop dip into hollowed out pepper(s) and place on a platter and surround > with raw vegetables. > > ~*~ When a dip recipe calls for softened cream cheese, buy whipped cream > cheese instead of regular. > > It's softer consistency means you won't need to take the time to let it > soften before adding it to your other ingredients, and the resulting dip > will be smooth and lump free. > > ~*~ When reheating sandwiches in the microwave they often become soggy from > the excess moisture. > > To avoid this, wrap the sandwich in a paper > towel before heating. > > ~*~ Edible Vegetable Centerpiece Impress your guests with this decorative, > edible centerpiece. > > Buy a Styrofoam cone available at craft stores, cover with curly endive or > lettuce secured with plain toothpicks. > > Using cello-tipped toothpicks secure baby sweet pickles, sweet onions, > cubes of cheese, olives, radish roses, Cherry Tomatoes, cubes of ham, > salami and roast beef onto the covered cone. > > Place filled cone on a platter secured with a little double stick tape. > > Surround cone with additional raw vegetables, melba toast rounds and other > small crackers. Serve with your favorite dip on the side. > > ~*~ Oysters: > · Oysters are available seasonally. The rule that generally holds is that > any month (in the English language) that contains the letter R is a good > month for oysters. > · Shellfish prefer cold water. More importantly, warmer waters mean an > increase in bacteria levels, and they can be dangerous to eat. > · Fresh oysters should be closed tight, and kept either in fresh bay water > or on a bed of ice. Never select shellfish that are open!! > > > ~*~ Basting Shortcut > Fill a squeeze bottle with barbecue sauce or marinade. Sauce can be > squeezed directly onto foods while grilling, reducing cleanup. > > ~*~ "Bookmark" favorite recipes in your cookbooks with a paper clip for > quick and easy access. > > ~*~ Cheese Garnish > Use a potato peeler to create cheese peels for garnishing salads, soups and > more. > > ~*~ Chop Sticky Things > Next time you need to chop sticky ingredients (dried fruit, etc.), coat a > pair of kitchen shears with nonstick cooking spray and snip away. > > ~*~ Flavor Olive Oil > Introduce any of the following ingredients to a cup of extra virgin olive > oil for flavorful results: > > · Rosemary > · Thyme > · Fennel (and other herbs) > · 5-10 Juniper Berries > · A few cloves of garlic > Store flavored oil in the refrigerator and use within two weeks. > > ~*~ Fight Fried Odors > > Next time you fry foods, try placing a small cup of bleach nearby. The > bleach absorbs much of the "fried" odor (that would otherwise linger for > days!) Be sure to clearly mark the cup and keep it out of the reach of > children. > > ~*~ Flavorful Ice Cubes > When ice cubes melt, they water down your drink. Prevent dilution by making > flavored ice cubes from punch, soft drinks or even milk. > > ~*~ Frozen Bread Dough > No time to knead? Transform frozen bread dough into cinnamon rolls, dinner > rolls, pizza crusts and more. > > ~*~ Ice Bowls > To create elegant chilled displays, try lining a bowl with flowers or > herbs. Nest a smaller bowl inside of it, then fill the space between the > two with water. Place the two bowls in a freezer for several hours or > overnight. Remove them from the freezer and sit in a sink until the top > bowl easily lifts out. Lift the decorative "ice bowl" from the larger bowl > and keep it in the freezer until ready for use. It can be filled with > fruit, vegetables, seafood, dips and more. > > ~*~ If recipe printouts are taking over your kitchen, invest in a simple > 3-ring binder. Organize the recipes into intuitive categories and store it > with your cookbooks. Flag favorites with a Post-It® note and be sure to jot > down comments and modifications as you experiment! > > ~*~ Melting Chocolate > Place chocolate squares or chopped chocolate in a microwaveable bowl. > Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir. Return to microwave if necessary. > Heat and stir in 30-second intervals until chocolate reaches smooth, melted > consistency. > > ~*~ Soften Butter > To soften butter, let it stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. No > time for that? Place it between sheets of wax paper and pound with a > rolling pin. > > ~*~ Steam Foods > Steaming can be an effective way to preserve food flavor, color, and > nutrients. Water is the most common liquid for steaming, but broth, beer or > wine can also be used to impart extra flavor. Use a steaming basket to > prevent foods from contact with the boiling liquid. Be sure to use caution > -- steam is hotter than boiling water and can cause burns. > > ~*~ Stir-frying Tips > Stir-frying requires high heat and high speed. Here are a few tips to make > the process go smoothly: > · Prepare all ingredients ahead of time. > > · Add dense vegetables (carrots) first. > > · Tender vegetables (mushrooms) and leafy greens (spinach, bok choy) > require less cooking time. > > · Meats can be stir-fried first, set aside, then reintroduced at the last > minute. (This will prevent overcooking). > > ~~*~~ > The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their > mother. > ~~*~~ > «:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«^i^MISSI ^i^«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§« Richiele Marie [email protected] (Missi) I disbelieved in reincarnation in my last life, too. »§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«