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Simple Tip: Use Parmesan Rinds to Flavor Soups

partysugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:30:12 -0700

Good-quality cheese is expensive and if I'm going to purchase a wedge of imported Italian Parmesan cheese, I like to use the entire chunk - including the rind. Luckily, I learned a long time ago that the rinds can be used to season soups and stews. Once you've grated all the cheese off, wrap the rind tightly in plastic wrap and throw in the freezer. The next time you make minestrone, chicken noodle soup, or any other Italian-style, stock-based soup or light stew, simply toss the rind in. It will melt and seep a nutty, cheesy goodness into the soup. How easy is that?!

Do you reserve and reuse cheese rinds? Tell us how below!

Simple Tip: Rotate Ingredients When Cooking Over Gas

partysugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:15:23 -0700

When using an older stove with a flaming gas burner, it's important to rotate the ingredients to ensure even cooking. Last week, while I was helping a friend make risotto cakes, the cake in the center of the pan was done in minutes, but the cakes on the outside were barely browned. Since the heat is strongest directly above the flame, it's only natural for the middle items to cook more quickly.

Although my friend started to worry, I pointed out that if we rotated the cakes to give each one time in the center of the pan, they would evenly brown. The process is slower and requires patience, yet the reward - in our case fully cooked, golden-brown risotto cakes - is worth it. Do you have an old-style gas stove? How do you evenly cook things?

Simple Substitution For Buttermilk

partysugar — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:15:38 -0800

I was at my vacation house when an intense craving for homemade waffles hit. Since it was snowing heavily, we had to make waffles with the ingredients in the kitchen. The recipe called for buttermilk, and rather than find another recipe, I decided to make the simple substitution for buttermilk that is a combination of milk and lemon juice.

Here's the easy recipe:

Place a tablespoon of lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup.

Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one-cup line.

Let stand for five minutes. Then, use as much as your recipe calls for.

I needed two cups of buttermilk, so I started with two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and then filled it up with milk. The waffles turned out perfectly and were insanely comforting.

Have you ever used this substitution for buttermilk?

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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!

Simple Tip: Store Your Pineapples Upside Down

YumSugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:00:44 -0700

Pineapple happens to be one of my absolute favorite fruits. Yesterday they were on sale at my local Whole Foods (2 for $6) and I decided to grab a pair. When I got to the checkout counter, the gal asked if I would like her to remove the tops for me. I said yes and watched as she gave the leafy bit a firm twist.

Once the leaves had been popped off, she told me an amazing tip: she suggested I store the pineapple upside down. This helps the sweet juice that has accumulated on the bottom during shipping, flow back to the other end.

I've often wondered why one side of the pineapple is sweeter than the other, and it looks like I finally discovered why! So tell me, did you know this trick already and do you think it works?

Simple Tip: Color Your Drinks With a Drop of Food Coloring

YumSugar — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 14:24:38 -0700

This past 4th of July, my gal TeamSugar really wowed me with a fantastic party trick. In order to create a display of red, white and blue bubbly, she used a rose champagne, regular champagne and a tiny drop of blue food coloring in regular champagne. She also said the the amount of dye was so minimal that it didn't change the flavor at all. Personally I think it's one of those "Doh! I can't believe I didn't think of that!" sort of tips. It really adds a bit of fun and completes the visual package. Oh and since today is Embrace Your Geekiness Day, I should also point out that Team's brother thought the blue concoction was similar to Romulan Ale. If you don't believe me, you can even check out a clip of the Enterprise crew partaking in some booze.

Simple Tip: Turn Leftovers Into Dip

partysugar — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 09:01:38 -0700

It's easy to make too much food when hosting a party. It happens to the best of us. You over estimate guests' hunger or people who rsvped don't show. If you don't want to spend the next week eating leftover enchiladas from your Mexican fiesta, or a surplus of goat cheese frittata from your Sunday brunch, simply turn the leftovers into dips to serve at a future date:

Blend or process the enchiladas/frittata/leftovers in a blender or food processor.
Thin to the desired consistency with sour cream/yogurt/mayonnaise/condiment.
Bake in the oven for a hot bubbly dip, and serve immediately with tortilla chips, crackers or croutons. Or freeze and unthaw at your next impromptu dinner party or when guests unexpectedly visit.

Ridiculously Simple Tip: No More Drippy Cones

YumSugar — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 12:01:31 -0700

Here's a ridiculously simple tip that will definitely make you go, 'DOH!

One of the problems with ice cream cones, especially homemade ones, is that after a few minutes, the ice cream starts to leak out of the bottom. When that happens you have to tip the bottom of the cone and try to suck the melting ice cream out, or you double-up on napkins. It's never very elegant and you often look ridiculous. However, what if I told you that there was a great way to prevent all of this. Think about it, there's a hole on the bottom of the cone, so what if you plugged it? That's right all you have to do is plug it so that the ice cream can't escape. A simple marshmallow or malt ball on the inside of the cone works well - it doesn't really matter as long as it's edible, plugs the hole and pairs well with your ice cream!

Ridiculously Simple Tip: Cheese Markers

YumSugar — Fri, 04 May 2007 00:54:01 -0700

Since we were just talking about cheese, I thought I'd take a few seconds to tell you about this simple tip my friend Eric implemented at his last party. He and his friends are trying to learn more about cheese, so he wanted to make sure that each cheese he served was clearly labeled. He could have bought some fancy cheese markers, or even hand-written his own, but in the end he did something a little more clever. Instead of tossing the labels, he turned them into cheese markers. This way when people enjoyed the cheese they tasted, they were able to look at the label, see what kind it was, and what label they should look for if they wanted to buy it themselves. Talk about a nifty tip!

Simple Tip: No Slide Serving Sauces

YumSugar — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 15:38:39 -0700

Have you ever served a tray of appetizers accompanied with a bowl of sauce? When passing the tray around, the bowl can often slide around and may even tip over, resulting in a party-foul mess. Luckily there's an easy trick to help prevent this, one that is as simple as a drop of honey. That's right, just a dab of honey placed on the bottom of the bowl will help prevent the dishes from sliding. The honey acts as a glue and voila! no spilled sauces!