10 Tips for a Happy Kitchen

The kitchen can be a scary/frustrating/annoying/confusing place. And there are some tasks that make the kitchen even more daunting. Here are some tips that just might help make your kitchen experience more palatable. :)



1. Got a piece of eggshell in that egg you just cracked open? Don't go fishing for it with dry fingers. The oils in your skin push the proteins in the egg and force the shell away from your finger. Try wetting your finger and then picking out the shell. The water allows the proteins to move apart, allowing you to get to the shell right away.



2. Need to thaw meat fast? Try putting it in an unheated aluminum or stainless steel pan. The metal will work as a conductor, lowering the temperature. Flip the meat after about 30 minutes to let the other side get some surface contact.



3.  Commercially made peanut butters contain additional oils and preservatives. Save up to 100 calories by making your own. Put nuts in a food processor and process until smooth. That's it!

4. You may not know it, but most cookbook measurements are based on spooning, not scooping the flour. When you scoop the flour gets packed into parts of the measuring cup and you'll end up with more flour than you need.

5. You know why chefs look like they've got it together in the kitchen? They prep. It's called mise en place, which translates to "everything in place". You'll save time and feel more confident as you move through your recipe.

6. Salt does more than just make things taste salty. Salting at the right time will enhance the flavor of every dish. For tips on salting, click here.

7. Asparagus can have a tough skin. Peel it off just below the tips before cooking and your asparagus will be nice and tender.

8. Reserve some of the water used to cook your pasta. The starch in the water will thicken your sauce and add a creaminess to the texture.

9. Sanitize your wood cutting boards by covering them in salt and scrubbing with a lemon. As an added bonus, the salt enhances the smell of lemon. Your kitchen will smell amazing!

10. Use unflavored, waxed dental floss to gently slice delicate pastry doughs. Your rolls will keep their shape and you'll keep your sanity.

Got a tip you want to share? How do you make cooking easier?















Peanut butter swirl brownies

The thing I love about baking is that it is all about science. With cooking, there is an artist element that I just can't always be bothered to deal with. But baking is like a delicious math problem. As long as you have all of the primary numbers in place your answer will always be right.

After a particularly trying day at work this week, I came home and went straight to the kitchen. All I wanted was the peaceful assurance that only baking can bring. The deliberate measuring of ingredients, the soft scrape of a spatula stirring melting chocolate, the zen feeling of accomplishment when a warm and inviting smell wafts out of the oven. But I didn't want to be baking for hours. Just a quickie to unwind. So I whipped up these bits of perfection. About 30 minutes of prep and 35 minutes in the oven and that's all it took!

You'll need:
7 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
6.5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 large eggs
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup honey roasted peanut butter (freshly ground if possible)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8 inch square baking dish. Line dish with aluminum foil, allowing the foil to hang over the edges by about 2 inches and lightly grease the foil. (Why am I doing this?)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring butter, sugar, and water to a boil, stirring. Remove from heat and stir chocolate chips into the sugar mixture until completely melted. Let cool to warm. Stir in eggs until well blended.

In a small bowl thoroughly mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture and stir until just combined.

Pour batter into baking dish and spread batter to edges. Drop small bits of peanut butter on top of the batter and use two toothpicks to swirl the peanut butter through the batter.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.