Kitchen secrets

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KITCHEN SECRETS

Many of these simple tricks will make life in your kitchen that much easier:

ICE CUBE MAGIC:

There's life beyond water for those ice cube trays! Try filling them with freshly squeezed lemon juice, homemade chicken stock, your latest batch of pesto, baby food, the unused portion of a can of tomato paste or even kid-size leftovers. Once frozen, these handy cubes will store neatly in a plastic freezer bag.

JUICIER JUICERS:

Get more squeeze for your dollar when juicing oranges, grapefruits, lemons or limes. Try rolling the citrus fruit on a flat surface with the palm of your hand before squeezing. Or, place the whole fruit in a microwave oven, heat on high for 10-20 seconds, roll it, then squeeze.

MEAT MAGIC:

* Cook meatloaf or salmon loaf in only 15 minutes using a muffin pan instead of a conventional loaf pan. Most kids like these muffin size, individual portions better.

* To prevent suasages from shrinking, roll in flour before frying.

* Stop your meatballs from crumbling with a 20-minute stopover in the refrigerator before cooking.

DEFATTING TIPS:

Remove excess fat from a just-cooked soup or stew by dropping in a few ice cubes and removing them seconds later with a slotted spoon.

Fat clings to ice cubes like a magnet. Or, try lettuce leaves, which have the same fat-adhering properties.

KITCHEN COMPANIONS:

* Store a bay leaf with your all-purpose flour. It'll keep your flour insect free.

* Stop spuds from sprouting, by storing an apple with your potatoes.

* Store cheese in a sealed container with two lumps of sugar. It'll keep the mould away.

* Keep brown sugar moist with a small apple wedge.

* In humid weather, store a few grains of rice in the salt shaker to keep salt dry.

HAND SAVERS:

* Rub your hands with a lemon to remove the smell of garlic, onions or fish.

* Wear rubber gloves when chopping fresh or dry chili peppers.

Nutrition TIP OF THE WEEK:

Remove the odor when steaming such nutritious vegetables as cauliflower, cabbage or brocoli by tossing a chunk bread in the steamer.

From Article: Foodsmarts by Madeleine Greey, Toronto Star 9 April, 1995

Submitted By SAM LEFKOWITZ On 04-09-95

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