Cooking Tips

On this page you will find some of the tips and tricks we have learned to rely on over the years to make cooking easier and food taste better. Please feel free to contribute your own cooking tips -- I'll post the best ones so everyone can see them. ~~~ Eggs ~~~ Tip 1: Baking with Eggs When baking, always bring eggs to room temperature first. Cold eggs may cause the batter to curdle, which could affect the cake's texture. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, let them soak in a bowl of warm water for about a half hour. Tip 2: Are the eggs fresh? When in doubt about the freshness of your eggs, try this simple test. Gently lower each egg into a glass of water. If the egg sinks, it is fresh! Eggs can be stored for several weeks in your refrigerator, preferrably in the carton they came home from the store in. It protects them from absorbing odors from your refrigerator. Do NOT store eggs in the door of your refrigerator! Tip 3: Making meringue Be sure your egg whites are at room temperature before you begin whipping them. Sprinkle 1T. of sugar over the top of the meringue before baking to make it easier to cut without sticking to the knife. If it wants to stick anyway, dip your knife in water. Tip 4: Microwaving Poached Eggs To poach eggs in your microwave fill a cereal bowl half full of water, heat for a minute on high and then crack the eggs into it. Heat for another minute and let sit a bit. If they are not perfect, cook about 15 more seconds to get them more done or decrease the time when you do the next ones. Times do vary according to the amperage of your microwave. Tip 5: Refrigeration of eggs Refrigerate eggs in their cartons if possible. The egg container acts as a barrier that prevents air and odors from seeping into the tiny pores in the shells. Never put them in the 'special' egg shelf that is in some refrigerators. The constant movement causes them to go bad sooner.