Citrus fruits will yield more juice if warmed 1 minute before squeezing!-Microwaving citrus such as oranges, lemons, or limes on High for 20 seconds or until the fruit is barely warm to the touch.Just before cutting it, roll the fruit on our countertop, applying pressure with your palm, until softened. The combinationof warming and rolling bursts the tiny juice cells so they give out more liquid.(source:Good Housekeeping March 2008 page 179)
Thickening sauce-Flour isn't the only ingredient you can use to thicken sauce, gravy, or custard; cornstarch is a worthy stand-in. For every 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, substitute 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Cornstarch dissolves more easily and the final product won't be opaque, like a flour-based mixture. Whichever you use, make sure to bring to boil the mixture so the cornstarch or flour will expand and thicken properly. (source:Good Housekeeping March 2008 page 184)
Fish is brain food? In recent European study of 2031 elder men and women, researchers found that those who regularly ate seafood did significantly better on cognitive tests than those who ate little or none. Enjoy smoked salmon with your morning eggs or add canned tuna to a spicy tomato sauce and serve over pasta. You can also toss minced anchovies in your salad - they add zip without being too fishy.(Source:Cooking Light Jne 2008)
It's not safe to eat fish skin! Research shows that the skin, fatty tissue, and dark areas of fish are where contaminants like lead, PCBs, and mercury concentrate. If possible (with large fish), trim the skin and dark flesh before you cook.( the fat should mostly melt away) (Source:Good housekeeping June 2008)
Remove water from tofu before sauteing. Tofu comes in five varieties - silken, soft, medium, firm, and extrafirm - and most are packaged in water to keep the product fresh.It's best to remove some of the water from the medium to extrafirm varieties before sauteing or stir-frying. That way,the tofu will brown more easily and won't release excess water into the pan.
- remove tofu from package, and cut into slices for easier draining.
- lay each side flat on a few absorbent heavy duty paper towels.
- top with another layer of towels, place a heavy pan on top.
- let sit for 30 minutes, pressing occasionally to release excess water. (Source: Cooking Light magazine June '08)
Garlic relaxes blood vessels and lower blood pressure! When University of Alabama researchers extracted juice from fresh garlic and added a small amount of human red blood cells, the cells began producing hydrogen sulfide, a chemical that relaxes blood vessels and thus lowers blood pressure. (Your body naturally makes hydrogen sulfide, but less and less as you get older).It's possible, the scientists say,that some of the benefits attributed to garlic come from its ability to boost production of hte compound. No one can say how much garlic you should eat, but the researchers aim for 4-5 cloves a day.
Crush or chop first, then let the garlic sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes (to stabilize the hydrogen sulfide) before cooking or adding to non-cooked recipes like salad dressings.
Pineapple juice as tenderiser- pineapple juice has a tenderising effect on meat so allow the meat to stand for as long as possible, at room temperature rather than in the refrigerator.
Microwave cooking tips - All foods completey covered by a skin or membrane must be pierced, pricked or scored, otherwise pressure will build up inside and they will pop. This includes foods such as jacket potatoes, chicken livers, and eggyolks. Pierce with a fork or toothpick. Never microwave eggs in the shell.