Tips for the kitchen to help and a few ideas.
Helpful ideas and tips for the kitchen.
Here are a few tips and ideas which I’ll be adding to on a regular basis as I go along, I hope you find them helpful. I thought the First tips should be on safety, hope you agree.
Safety tips for the kitchen.
These might be obvious. But when using a pan especially when children are about, use the back rings on your oven/stove. But if you can’t then ensure the handles are not sticking out on the front of the oven/stove.
Tie your hair back, to reduce the risk of catching it on fire. Also loose clothing like a neck tie.
Keep sharp knives inside a draw with covers on or use a knife block. This also goes for anything else that may cut you like the blades for your blender.
Get a good pair of oven gloves and keep them close in case you need them, but obviously away from any flame.
If you do spill anything on the floor, wipe it up before you slip.
Maybe invest in a fire blanket or extinguisher for the kitchen and learn how to use them, its cheaper than moving property.
Store cooked and uncooked meat separately, to lower the risk of food poisoning.
Invest in some smoke alarms.
Pasta.
When cooking pasta let the water come to a boil first before adding the pasta. Place the lid on the pan to help the water come to temperature quicker.
Use a pan big enough for the pasta with plenty of water to cover all and allow the pasta to expand.
When you have added the pasta to the boiling water give it a stir, to prevent the pasta sticking together.
Always add a little salt to your water when cooking pasta to help with the flavour.
Little tip when cooking pasta to help prevent it sticking together due to starch. Try adding a teaspoon of vinegar to the water when cooking the pasta especially some less quality pasta.
More tips for the kitchen.
Potatoes.
After peeling or cutting your potatoes, rinse them in fresh water to help remove excess starch.
When cooking potatoes put them in the pot and bring water to a boil then reduce to a simmer, this will help the potatoes cook evenly.
Fruits.
If your fruits are over ripe try freezing them to use in smoothies at a later date, this will save waste and a little money. I find it best to cut them into slices then at least the blender wont need to work so hard at blending the frozen fruit when its time to use them.
Utensils.
If you haven’t a wooden spoon yet for cooking it is a good idea to get one, as they are much better than a metal one. They won’t scratch your pan, wooden spoons do not conduct heat like a metal one. So you won’t burn your fingers touching it if its left in the pan. Also a wooden spoon is strong and is more environmentally friendly than a metal one.
Helpful tips for the kitchen when cooking/baking.
Read the recipe first so you know what your going to do and prepare. What temperature does the oven need to be at, what shelf to use, which baking tools will you need. If you haven’t a timer use the alarm on your phone.
When baking, prepare your ingredients.
Remember to follow the recipe, for example does it require cold or room temperature milk, tepid water, butter room temperature or eggs.
Weigh you ingredients exactly, not to make a mistake of mixing up grams and ounces. The spoon size needed to measure for example is it a teaspoon or dessert spoon. Remember to place your pot/tub onto the scales first and set to zero before weighing ingredients. otherwise you will be short in weight as you would have weighed the pot/tub too.
Lining a baking tin with baking parchment or greaseproof paper will help against the edge of you cake from burning.
Level your cake mixture in the tin by gently tapping the cake tin on your work counter gently or by tapping the side to level.
While the item is baking in the oven, do not be tempted to open the door, you will lose heat from the oven.
With the set temperature with baking interrupted, you may get a disappointing result.
Icing your cake, is made a lot easier by using a cake turntable to evenly spread your icing.
I hope you found this helpful, Tips for the kitchen.
STOP.
Here is another page that will give you more information on storing foods, please follow this internal link below.
https://jamesbasic.kitchen/2019/02/16/storing-foods/
Or alternatively search from the main page, look for money saving tips, recipes and more. CLICK HERE.
Outside source below.
This external link is to Health and safety executive (HSE) UK a leadership checklist. I know it’s not home but designed for the workplace but you may find it interesting.
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