Tag Archives: cooking and baking tips

It’s inevitable.  You order Chinese take out for one and they give you a lifetime supply of sauce packets.  They sit in your fridge until you finally convince yourself that it’s okay to toss them…but these little guys can be put to good use!

1.  Toss the sauces…together, that is.  Combine 2 packets duck sauce with 1 packet soy sauce and 1 mustard packet.  Use this sauce to marinate chicken or pork…or use it to dip your home made summer rolls.

2.  Sweet and sour sauce is also an amazing addition to grilled pineapple.  Grill whole slices or chunks on a kabob and glaze with sweet and sour sauce.

3.  Season noodles or ramen with hot mustard or a sweet and sour packet.

4.  Know someone heading off to college?  Throw some sauce packets in a food basket with Ramen noodles and other easy dorm foods.  When the going gets tough, the “college kid” will find a way to use them.  😉

5.  These little packets are awesome for trying out new recipes.  If you’re experimenting with hot mustard, soy sauce, or duck sauce, save some money by using these little packets instead of buying a whole jar of sauce.  Granted, the quality of these sauces isn’t awesome–but in a pinch, they will get the job done.

6.  Having a potluck or a picnic soon?  Throw some packets of whatever you have on the table (oriental flavors, taco sauces, etc.).  Cook your meat with salt and pepper so guests can experiment with different flavors.

Knowledge is power!  Learn fun facts, hints and tips, and creative ways to use every day items with “The Buzz” posts on Thursday.

Almost everyone has one of these seemingly useless utensils hidden away in the depths of their kitchen:  the lonely and forgotten salad spinner.  I’m guessing you take it out maybe two or three times a year to dry off some lettuce leaves; however, this strange contraption can be put to use in several other ways…so don’t pitch Grandma Millie’s kitchen toys yet…

1.  Obviously the salad spinner is a pro at drying things…so bring it out to help you dry eggplant (damn that salt sweating process!) and potatoes before frying.  This utensil also works great at drying veggies before you dump them into your stir fry.

2.  Rigatoni and penne pasta tend to store water in their little curves and crevices.  Drop your cooked noodles into a salad spinner and give it a couple twirls to remove that extra water.

3.  Not a veggie muncher?  Use your salad spinner to dry your delicate hand washables.  Silky smooth undergarments can get a jump start on drying with a few twirls around this nifty contraption.

4.  If you’re using a dry rub on your meat, drop the meat in the spinner to help dry it off.  This will insure that your spices stick to the meat and not your hands.  You can also drop floured meat in the spinner before frying to get rid of all that extra flour.

Knowledge is power!  Learn fun facts, hints and tips, and creative ways to use every day items with “The Buzz” posts on Thursday.

In preparation for tomorrow’s book review, I thought I’d talk about the many helpful and crazy uses for butter…not that you’re going to have to find many other uses for it if you are a strict follower of the woman discussed tomorrow 🙂

Everything’s Better with Butter!

1.  Like it’s peanut butter cousin, regular butter can help remove glue from your hands and gum from your hair.

2.  Rub you knife down with a little  butter before slicing into sticky items, such as dried fruit or pies.  Butter (and shortening) also works great if you’re making rice crispies or anything with melted marshmallows.  Simply coat your spoon with butter and just dare something to stick to it!  🙂

3.  Hate to say Mary Poppins was wrong, but a little touch of butter does help the medicine go down.  If you’re unable to swallow pills, try rubbing them with a little butter to help them quickly glide down your throat.

4.  Butter is a great treatment for minor skin irritations.  Rub a generous amount of butter on sunburn, dry skin, and minor burns twice a day.  DO NOT pull a Kramer and cover yourself in butter before going out for a tan.  😉

5.  If you’re in a pinch for hair conditioner, use some butter!  It provides amino acids to fine hair and is a great way to get a healthy shine!

6.  SAVE YOUR CHEESES!  Coat the cut edges of hard cheeses with a little bit of butter to prevent them from getting hard and moldy.  You can also rub the cut side of an onion to keep it fresh longer.

7.  Love cooking fish but hate the leftover smell?  Rub some butter on your hands and wash them with warm soap and water and your hands will be odor free (and smooth!).

8.  Use butter to help remove those water stains from your wood furniture.  Rub about 1 TB butter on the mark and let it sit overnight.  Wipe away excess with a soapy sponge.

Knowledge is power!  Learn fun facts, hints and tips, and creative ways to use every day items with “The Buzz” posts on Thursday.

Don’t you hate how you have to buy one frickin’ liter of buttermilk for a recipe that only calls for 1/4  cup of it?  What do you do with the extra, besides quadrupling whatever recipe you’re making?  😉

Look no further.  Here you will find a whole bunch of ideas to put that extra buttermilk to use.  While it does assist in making the most delicious biscuits, pancakes, and waffles, it can also be incorporated into tons of other recipes to help add flavor and depth.

*drool*

1.  Like biscuits, pancakes, and waffles, buttermilk can turn your common baked goods (cakes, muffins, scones, and more) into rich and moist delicacies.  It can replace the milk and most of the butter in any given recipe, also helping to cut out some extra fat.

2.  Here’s a way to use up those frozen chicken breasts, too.  Combine 3-4 cups buttermilk with dashes of salt, pepper, and a little hot sauce.  Marinate 2-3 skinless chicken breasts in the buttermilk mixture for at least 1 hour.  When done, place on a baking pan and sprinkle them with seasoned bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, or until done (slice the chicken and if the juices run clear, the meat is done).

3.  Reinvent eggplant or chicken Parmesan by marinating eggplant or chicken in buttermilk instead of regular milk.  Bake them instead of frying them.

4.  You can also drink buttermilk (it’s a bit tangy) and it freezes well…so if you’re not going to reuse your leftovers for a few weeks, pour it in a container and freeze it until you’re ready.

5.  Add buttermilk to mac and cheese for richer and much more comforting treat!

Knowledge is power!  Learn fun facts, hints and tips, and creative ways to use every day items with “The Buzz” posts on Thursday.