YumSugar

Simple Tip: Save Old Glass Jars

partysugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 10:30:16 -0700

Instead of recycling glass jars, go eco chic and place them in the dishwasher. Once they're clean, hold onto them. I started doing this last year and have come to rely on the glass jars for a variety of uses. They're incredibly convenient for mixing salad vinaigrettes and can hold simple syrups, homemade marinated artichokes, or quick pickles. They also make a great substitute for tupperware when filled with leftover sauce or gravy. If cooking isn't your forte, employ the glass jars as whimsical candle holders!

Is anyone else addicted to saving glass jars?

Simple Tip: Heat Syrup in Hot Water

partysugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:15:56 -0800

During our girls Winter weekend, my sister made the most delicious corn cakes with spicy sausage for breakfast. Since we were feeding a crowd, it was necessary to heat the entire bottle of maple syrup.

While you can easily heat syrup in the microwave, the best way to heat syrup or ice cream toppings is in a pot of hot water. The temperature gradually increases and no burnt or caramelized crystals form.

Start by filling a large saucepan with water. Loosen the cap on the syrup and gently place the bottle in the water. Heat over medium-high heat, bring the water to a simmer, and warm the syrup. Keep an eye on it to ensure that it doesn't burn.

Got a tip for heating syrup? Please share with us below!

A Spoon Saves the Day

partysugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:15:25 -0700

It's frustrating when a jar lid is exceptionally hard to remove. I always hear my father's voice say, "pretend you're on a desert island and that's all you have to eat." After a childhood of that, I've figured out a no-fail trick for opening difficult jars. The secret ingredient? A simple spoon. Here's what you do:

Hold the spoon in one hand and the jar firmly in the other.
Nestle the spoon in the crack between the lid and the glass. Push up and back. You want to break the seal.
Press up with the spoon to loosen the lid. If the seal does not break, rotate the jar and repeat, pressing up and back with the spoon until you hear a pop.
Let go of the spoon and twist the lid off. It will come of smoothly and easily.

How do you deal with frustrating lids? What's your trick to remove them?

YumSugar Gift Guide: Jars of Joy

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 13:18:31 -0800

When I was a wee little kid, I remember our neighbors bringing us jars full of flour, sugar, and other dry ingredients as a Christmas present. They were wrapped with beautiful bows and ribbons, but I didn't understand how a jar full of dry ingredients equaled an awesome Christmas gift. Then, a few days later when my dad turned that jar into a batch of fantastic cookies I figured it out. They gave us the ingredients and the recipes needed to make something tasty.

If you were hoping to handout holiday cookies this year, but didn't quite get around to it, why don't you do the next best thing and give them the ingredients they'll need to make their own? It doesn't have to be cookies either, you could do pancake mix, soup mixes, cakes, or hot chocolate. To help you figure out where to begin I've rounded up some recipes, as well as tips on how to prepare them. To get inspired, read more.

Be sure to start with a clean, dry jar. Apply one layer at a time, packing each down tightly before adding the next. Decorate with a ribbon or bow, attaching wooden spoons or spatulas if desired. Make sure to include the recipe with your jar!

Source

Yummy Link: Pies in a Jar

YumSugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:08:31 -0700

More individual pies! Be sure you check out these adorably small pies in a jar! Could you imagine sticking the lid on and taking these on a picnic? Adorable! - Lloyd and Lauren

Off to Market: Spice Jars

YumSugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 03:00:10 -0700

From allspice to cayenne pepper, spices are essential to even the most basic kitchen. While I've accrued more and more spices over the years, I certainly haven't amassed more kitchen storage space. I've decided that I need a set of spice jars, or a spice rack, to organize everything methodically and efficiently. Let's set off to market for a range of spice jars that are as decorative as they are useful. Bookmark your finds in the Yum Market with the keyword tag Spice Jars. I'm excited to see your finds!

To learn more about the bookmarking feature, please read geeksugar's explanation.
Don't know where to start searching? Check out a list of my favorite online stores when you read more.

Bed Bath & Beyond
CB2
Cooking.com
Crate & Barrel
Ikea
Linens 'n Things
NapaStyle
Pier 1 Imports
Plum Party
Pottery Barn
Sur La Table
Target
Restoration Hardware
Williams-Sonoma
Wishing Fish
World Market

Sandra Lee Shoots Back at Food Elitists

YumSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:50:37 -0700

To promote her appearance as a celebrity volunteer on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, TV chef Sandra Lee chatted with Walletpop about the merits of jarred garlic, premade cosmos, and other random musings. But the Food Network star waits for the end of the interview to leave the biggest takeaway: Being a foodie isn't about snobbery.

"A lot of people think that foodies are this huge, elitist group in the sky that are there to critique and to judge. Can I tell you? If you eat, you're a foodie. If you have an opinion about what you're tasting, that makes you a foodie. Your job in life is to enjoy your life. So whatever makes it easier, faster, and more wonderful, that you can enjoy your life by, God bless you."

After watching Sandra defend her position with poise, I have to say I agree with her. Why are certain subsets of eaters more entitled to make judgments than others? Say what you will about Sandra Lee. She may not be the most popular of cooking personalities, yet she continues to take on her opponents with kindness.

Are you surprised by Sandra's public statement? Do you agree with her?

Do You Prefer Fresh or Jarred Salsa?

YumSugar — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 09:56:13 -0700

We've already asked you what flavor of salsa you prefer, but how about what kind? Do you like it fresh or jarred? I prefer fresh, but I know that there are a lot of people who believe that some jarred salsas can't be beat. What do you think? What kind of salsa do you use?

Say Cheese! Pimento Cheese

partysugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:30:50 -0700

I am not from the South, so before this week, I had never tasted the comforting spread native to the region that's known as pimento cheese. However, I was eager to experience this seemingly exotic food, so I decided to make it. Pimento cheese isn't a type of cheese, but rather, a seasoned cheese mixture. The main ingredients are sharp cheddar cheese, jarred pimentos (a type of sweet succulent aromatic red pepper), and mayonnaise. The history of pimento cheese is fairly unknown, although it appeared in grocery stores and home kitchens somewhere in the early 1900s. It's delicious simplicity made it a hit during the Depression, and since then, pimento cheese has remained popular in the South. The tasty spread can be enjoyed on crackers, celery or other veggies, toast, or plain, old crustless white bread. To look at the recipe I used - it's Paula Deen's - keep reading.

Come Party With Me: My Birthday Party - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:15:26 -0700

I'm hosting my 28th birthday party in my grandfather's backyard. Since the yard is large, complete with pool, patio, gazebo, putting green, and grass, I'll be setting up each part of the dinner in a different area. The cocktail hour begins in the patio. Neat rows of glasses filled with campari cocktails and platters of bruschetta will await the arrival of the guests.

The long rectangular dinner table will be set up on the grass, to the left of the pool. A simple white tablecloth will cover it, along with printed paper placemats, white dinner plates, blue cloth napkins, menu stands that act as placecards, and wine glasses. Candles in mason jars and low vases filled with white flowers will run down the middle of the table.

I'll hang paper lanterns and white lights from the trees, line the fence with tiki torches, and place a fountain in the pool. After dinner we'll move to other side of the yard for dessert, digestifs, and a putting contest!

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