Undercook your pasta for about a minute less then the box directions state and drain, reserving a little of the pasta water. Heat your sauce in the pan and then dump the pasta into the sauce (add a little of the pasta water to achieve the right consistency) and it will finish cooking in about a minute or two, absorbing all the great flavors in the sauce…top with a little Parmesan and you’re ready to go!
Author: Tom
Tip of the Day – Juicing a Lemon or Lime
When you need to juice a lemon or lime, place it on a hard surface and roll it back and forth under your palm, applying pressure, for about a minute before juicing. The helps break down the cells and will result in more juice with less effort.
Sharp Kitchen Knives and How to Keep Them That Way for FREE!
We have previously discussed how important a sharp knife is, and the best and cheapest way to sharpen your knives (with the Accusharp Knife and Tool Sharpener)…now here is the best and cheapest way to keep them sharp. Every time you put an unprotected knife in a drawer you run the risk of ruining the edge. It just takes a little bump to bend or roll the delicate edge of a sharp knife, and although honing can straighten it out, it doesn’t sharpen the edge, and over time the knife will start to dull, until one day it slips off the food and slices off your thumb (ok…that’s a little dramatic, but I’m trying to make a point here). Of course, you can buy knife guards, but it’s exceptionally easy to make them at home. All you do is take some cardboard (the thin kind from a gift box works great, but any cardboard will do), cut a long strip that’s the length of the knife’s blade and a little more then twice as wide as the blade, fold it in half length-wise to fit the knife, and just staple evenly down the open edge. Slip this on whenever you store your knives, and they’ll stay sharp no matter how much they rattle around in that overstuffed drawer.
Tip of the Day – Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
For perfect hard boiled eggs, poke a small hole in the large end of each egg with a pin (to prevent cracking), place in a pan and cover the eggs with cold water and add a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a full boil. Remove the pan from the heat and cover and let it sit for 10 minutes. Drain the water and place the eggs in ice water to stop the cooking process…perfect eggs every time!
Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew with Kale
Winter’s almost here, so it’s time to break out the recipe for one of my favorite cold weather meals…this Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew from Cook’s Illustrated. I think it’s best when made with kale (pictured here), but a mixture of greens is also great. This is one of those simple, inexpensive, healthy, pretty much foolproof recipes that seems to come out perfect every time …the secret is cooking it in a good (yet inexpensive), heavy duty dutch oven. If you’re more into soups then stews, just add another cup of chicken broth and 3/4 cup of water when you add the greens. A big bowl of stew, topped with grated Parmesan cheese and served with a toasted piece of crusty garlic bread makes an amazing meal. I also always add a couple of squirts of Sriracha sauce for a little spicy, garlicky kick.
Another great thing about this stew is that it freezes perfectly. Just divide it into serving size portions, freeze, and on a cold winter’s night, when you get a craving, just pop it into the microwave on high, and in a few minutes you’ll have a steaming bowl of stew that tastes as good as (or, I think) even better than the day it was made.
Please click here for a printable copy of the Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew recipe.
Tip of the Day – Fresh Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies in 12 Minutes
When making chocolate chip cookies, prepare an extra batch (or two) of cookie dough, roll the unused dough into logs, wrap them well in plastic wrap and stick in the freezer. Next time you get that craving for freshly baked cookies, just slice off 1″ rounds, place them on a cookie sheet and bake…fresh hot cookies in about 12 minutes!
Tip of the Day – Slicing Meat for a Stir-fry
To slice meat into thin strips for a stir fry, partially freeze the meat for about 20-30 minutes, and then you’ll be able to easily slice it into thin uniform strips. Also, be sure cut it on a bias across the grain to ensure maximum tenderness.
Tip of the Day – How to Clean a Cast Iron Pan
Never use detergent to clean a cast iron pan…it will remove the seasoning. Just sprinkle on some salt and rub with a dry paper towel and when the grime is loosened and the pan is clean, just rinse with hot water.
Tip of the Day – Taking the “Stick” out of Sticky Ingredients
When measuring oil, honey or syrup for a recipe, first rinse the measuring cup or spoon with hot water, then fill with the ingredient. You will then be able to pour out the ingredient easily and it won’t stick.
Cooking Weights and Measurements Conversion Charts
When a recipe calls for a cup of flour, most people just scoop out a “cup” and then level it off with a knife…easy and fast but, unfortunately, not very accurate or consistent. A little too much flour here or sugar there, and instead of a delicious chewy cookie you could end up with rockhard paperweight better suited for self-defense then dessert. That’s why weighing ingredients, especially when baking, is essential. A great scale, like the OXO Good Grips Scale, is an important tool for success in the kitchen. I try to give ingredients in my recipes by both weight and volume, but if you encounter a recipe that doesn’t, King Arthur Flour has a really helpful Master weight chart for just about every commonly used ingredient in baking. If you need to convert to metric or vice-versa, just click here for some charts to help with converting metric equivalents or try this interactive Online Cooking Converter that converts cooking units instantly…it’s amazing! Once you start weighing ingredients, you’ll see an incredible improvement in outcomes and consistency.
Thanks to Good Housekeeping for the photo.