Tips and Tricks

I wanted to keep a running tab of all the tips and tricks I hear about!

1. Buy Block Cheese and grate it yourself...little elbow grease but saves money and you get the freshness of the cheese.
2. Lean Turkey Meat: Its only worth buying if you get the 99% fat free, otherwise you might as well hamburger meat.
3. Store Nuts in freezer, keeps them fresh!
4. Store ripe bananas in freezer for banana bread!
5. Make Ranch and Blue Cheese dip! Make Ranch dip then add Blue Cheese! (See Hot Wings)
6. Buy meat in bulk, it's cheaper! Separate into serving size portions,wrap meat in plastic and place in freezer bag and voila!You have serving size portions at your fingertips and extra bonus the meat thaws out faster! 
7. Before you cook your meat let it rest and knock the chill of the fridge off!
8. Take a breather! I know you will want to cut right into your yummy meat dish right after you take it off the pan or grill, but let it rest. The rest will redistribute the juices! 
9. I heard this one the other day and I thought it was pretty creative. Instead of running out to the store for a bag of ice for you punch bowl, take you bundt cake pan, fill it w/ water put it in the freezer and voila! Ice that looks pretty!
10. I just heard this tip from one of our good friends from Chicago who is a serious foodie and amazing cook. She actually has a pretty great blog herself at www.hardlyhousewives.com. Anywho, an easy way to shred chicken is to poach it then put it in your Kitchen Aid Mixer with the paddle attachment and let your mixer do the work! Can't get much easier than that!
11. This tip I got from a friend the other night who is not only an amazing hairstylest but apparently a secret chef...the secret to crispy friend chicken or cutlets w/out drying the meat is soaking it in buttermilk for a few hours.
12. Store Gingeroot in the freezer! 
    
13. Keep brown sugar by adding a piece of slice bread or even a couple marshmellows in the bag with the sugar. It will prevent it from getting hard.
14. When grilling a fish like Salmon, brush the grill with Olive Oil to prevent it from sticking. 
15. Don't like the skin on the fish? Ask the fish monger to cut it off for you!