Here are a few tricks I’ve picked up along my kitchen-witchery journey:
• When frying meat, use tongs and always add the meat to the pan by laying it away from you. This prevents the oil from splashing and burning you.
• Do not prep and cook at the same time. Finish your prep before adding anything to a frying pan or sticking anything in the oven.
• 4 tbsps is equal to ¼ cup. So when something calls for 1/8 of a cup, it means 2 tbsps. No one has 1/8th cups.
• If a recipe calls for buttermilk but you’re all out, add 1 tbsp of lemon juice or white vinegar to a cup of milk and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Boom, you have buttermilk.
• Burned the bottom of your pan? No worries, I do it all the time too! To get those stubborn bits off, add water to the pan and boil it once more on the stovetop. This loosens up the grime so you can scrape it off!
• Keep brownies, cookies, and cakes moist by storing them with a slice of bread. The treat will remain decadent while the bread will harden and crust up.
• Speaking of crusty/stale bread, if you want the best french toast, leave your bread out overnight. Stale bread soaks up more egg/custard and will result in richer, Fuller pieces of french toast.
• Before frosting your goodies, stick your frosting spoon/utensil in the fridge. Colder utensils make for better frosting-spreaders.
• To prevent your cakes from cracking or rising unevenly in the oven, place a dish of water on the rack below. The extra moisture helps cakes cook evenly.
• Eat and use veggies and fruits that are in-season!
• Buy local produce when you can.
• Always work with sharp knives and always slice away from yourself. Dull knives and cuts are no good.
• Lean cuts of meat like pork tenderloin and chicken breasts toughen up when cooked in the oven, on the stovetop, or on the grill. To keep some of the moisture, wrap them in foil or add a sauce to the pan.
• Your measurements don’t have to be perfect! It’s okay to spill a little flour here and there!
• If you screw up a recipe don’t get discouraged! Cooking and baking are trial and error. Both skills come with time and part of the fun is making a few mistakes along the way!
• Intent is important. It doesn’t always matter what magical ingredients you’ve added to the dishes, sometimes intent and reason for making are the strongest most powerful forces you can garner during the process.
• Everyone has different tastes! Some people may not like what you make, others may enjoy it whole-heartedly. Don’t get discouraged if a few people shy away from your food!
That’s it for now! I’m sure I have many more to share, but until then, keep cooking!
FantasyBoudicca 