Cupcake Tips

Jamie wrote this email to me:

 

I am watching the Rachael Ray show and learned something new today :) You might already know this but if you're using a cake mix but want to bake cupcakes instead of a cake this is how you bake them...

 

350 degrees makes a flat cupcake

375 degrees makes a round top

 

then you bake it for 15 mins until golden brown

Straws and Fruit

Strawberry - start at the bottom of the strawberry and push through to pop out the stem

Cherries - start at the stem and push the pit out.  The pits are hard on a straw but you do have two sides and it is a lot faster then the paper clip method.

I would recommend investing in a good box of straws for these procedures and save the dollar store straws for drinking.

How To Fix Dough That Won't Rise

My yeast must be dead because I couldn't get my hamburger buns to raise but Jamie had given me another jar when she left last summer so I was able to add more to my dough.  I found these helpful tips here.

• Create a warmer place for the dough: Fill a large pan with boiling water and place it in the oven on the lowest rack, or heat a mug of water for 2 minutes in a microwave.

•  Place the dough (in its bowl) in the oven or microwave along with the hot water. Leave it to rise.

• If the dough still doesn't rise, add more yeast. Mix yeast from a new package with 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) warm water and 1/2 tsp. sugar. Let it sit for 10 minutes until foam forms, to be sure the yeast is active. Knead the yeast mixture into the dough. Leave the dough in a warm place to rise. 

• If  you have no more yeast, turn the dough into tasty crackers or breadsticks: Knead with grated cheese, roll thin, sprinkle with salt and black pepper, cut into squares or thin strips, then bake at 325 for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool Whip as Ice Cream Substitute

I just recently learned that you can refreeze your unused Cool Whip.  This bit of information was useful to me because I wanted ice cream for a dessert that I was making for Sunday dinner but the freezer was bare in that aspect so I thought to myself what if I let the Cool Whip sit on the counter for a few minutes maybe I could scoop it out like ice cream.  It actually worked great.  Later I thawed a whole container, using my cookie dough scoop I placed the scoops on a cookie sheet and refroze.  After they were frozen I placed them in a plastic container with plastic wrap between the layers so when I make Two Minute Mug Brownie or other recipes I can just plop a scoop of Cool Whip on top.  If you wanted to get really fancy you could place the Cool Whip in a pastry bag and pipe it onto the cookie sheet for freezing.

How To Shred Chicken, Pork or Beef

Found this nifty tip here at Simply Healthy Family.  After you have cooked your chicken and while it is still hot put in into your Kitchen Aid stand mixer with the cookie paddle attachment.  Turn it to speed 4-6 and it will shred it better then two forks and in a lot less time.

I did a Google search and found that both pork and beef can be done the same way.  The pork or beef needs to be in 2 - 3 inch pieces.

Sour Cream Substitute

For baking -

• 7/8 cup buttermilk or sour milk plus 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup yogurt plus 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup sour milk plus 1/3 cup butter
• 3/4 cup buttermilk plus 1/3 cup butter

For cooked sauces -

• 1 cup yogurt plus 1 tablespoon flour plus 2 teaspoons water
• 1 cup evaporated milk plus 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Let stand 5 minutes to thicken.

For dips -

• 1 cup yogurt - drain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve for 30 minutes in the refrigerator for a thicker texture.
• 1 cup cottage cheese plus 1/4 cup yogurt or buttermilk, briefly whirled in a blender.
• 6 ounces cream cheese plus 3 tablespoons milk, briefly whirled in a blender

For lower fat -

• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus 2 tablespoons skim milk, whipped until smooth in a blender
• 1 can chilled evaporated milk whipped with 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Found this information at about.com

Sweetened Condensed Milk Substitute

1/3 cup and 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter

Buttermilk Substitute

1 tablespoon white vinegar
Milk enough to equal 1 cup

Let sit for 5 minutes.

Lemons

Lemon Basics:
After salt and pepper, lemon may be the most commonly used flavoring ingredient in the culinary arts.Used in everything from baking to sauce making to meat and vegetable cookery, lemons bring their own tangy flavor and bright aroma, while actually enhancing a dish's other flavors. Lemon is said to be a "flavor catalyst," meaning that it interacts with the taste buds so that the flavors that follow are more pronounced.

Lemon Varieties:
The most common lemon variety is the Eureka lemon. Its slightly smaller, smoother cousin, called the Lisbon, is more likely to be available in the winter. Flavorwise, there's not much difference between the two.Another variety, called the Meyer lemon, is quite small and significantly sweeter than the ordinary lemon varieties. In addition to being smaller, the Meyer lemon is also more fragile, making it unsuitable for large-scale commercial distribution. They tend to be found at farmers' markets — and in people's yards.

Storing Lemons:
Lemons will keep for several days at room temperature, and interestingly, a room temperature lemon will yield more juice than one that is cold. However, lemons left at room temperature for too long are susceptible to mold. The best way to store lemons is in the refrigerator, either in one of the crisper drawers or in a plastic bag.While the fruits themselves do not do well when frozen, the lemon peel can be removed and frozen, then used later in recipes that call for lemon zest.

Squeezing Lemons:
The average lemon contains three tablespoons of juice. To get the maximum amount of juice, roll a room-temperature lemon on the counter before cutting it open. Applying light pressure with your hand as you roll it. This bursts the tiny juice-filled cells in the lemon's flesh, allowing more of the juice to be extracted. Zest is the shiny, yellow outermost layer of the peel, which contains powerful flavor compounds. The white part of the peel just beneath the zest is quite bitter and shouldn't be used.

Cooking with Lemons:
Lemons are highly acidic, and this acid will react with different foods in different ways.For example, the acid will help dissolve connective tissues in meat, which is why lemon juice is commonly used in marinades — it helps tenderize tougher cuts of meat. But be careful not to overdo it: too much acid, or marinating for too long, can have the opposite effect, causing the muscle fibers to get tougher.The acid in lemon juice can also curdle milk, and while it can cause green vegetables to turn a drab olive color, it will help vegetables such as potatoes and turnips maintain their white color.

Information taken from All About Lemons by Danilo Alfaro

Photo from Sell Your Used Cellphones