Share your kitchen tips and hacks

Happy247

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 4:06 pm

corolla wrote:

Ever open a can of tomato paste only to use some of it and then be left with leftovers? Take a small ziploc baggie, scoop your tomato paste in, flatten it out and squeeze out all the air. Using the back of a knife, score the baggie (don't cut, just score) into sections and freeze flat. Once frozen, you can break apart the sections so that now you have individual portions of tomato paste.

I also like to peel a bunch of garlic and puree with a little olive oil and salt. Then I portion it out into a silicone ice cube tray and freeze. Once frozen, store in a bag in the freezer.

Once in a blue moon when I get around to it I do that with the garlic but freeze flat in a ziplock and break off the amount needed.

schoolbus

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 5:19 pm

Amelia Bedelia wrote:

Lol, I buy peeled and cubed fresh butternut squash!

Btw, do you find the frozen squash just as tasty as the fresh? I bet it's significantly cheaper than fresh - maybe I should try it

I only use butternut squash for soups, you cannot tell a difference

yachnabobba

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 6:41 pm

Boil pasta in a 9•13 disposable when it is ready put it in the sink and cut slits in the bottom with a knife. Voila no pot to wash

Busybee5

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 6:45 pm

schoolbus wrote:

I buy peeled and cubed frozen butternut squash

Yes me too. This is the best hack. Tastes delicious! I make a soup or roast it as is with seasonings.

teachkids

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 6:51 pm

Use baby carrots for soup instead of peeling and cutting carrots. Bonus benefit is you can keep the little kids busy counting out carrots while you prep everything else.

Busybee5

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 6:52 pm

Amelia Bedelia wrote:

Lol, I buy peeled and cubed fresh butternut squash!

Btw, do you find the frozen squash just as tasty as the fresh? I bet it's significantly cheaper than fresh - maybe I should try it

It's not cheap, but tastes the same and is really convenient!

schoolbus

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 7:28 pm

teachkids wrote:

Use baby carrots for soup instead of peeling and cutting carrots. Bonus benefit is you can keep the little kids busy counting out carrots while you prep everything else.

Am I the only one that thinks baby carrots taste different than regular carrots?

smile4ever

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 7:36 pm

schoolbus wrote:

Am I the only one that thinks baby carrots taste different than regular carrots?

I was about to say this too

corolla

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 7:36 pm

schoolbus wrote:

Am I the only one that thinks baby carrots taste different than regular carrots?

Nope. They definitely do.

acemom

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 9:04 pm

I saute a lot of onions at a time.
I divide into portion cups or larger containers and freeze.
I pop the frozen onions into mashed potatoes, cholent, scrambled eggs etc for added flavor.

hodeez

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 9:14 pm

teachkids wrote:

Use baby carrots for soup instead of peeling and cutting carrots. Bonus benefit is you can keep the little kids busy counting out carrots while you prep everything else.

I keep my kids busy with peeling the carrots 😉

momallhours

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 9:24 pm

Love this thread! Easiest way to peel garlic is to put the individual cloves in a bowl with a hot water to cover peels like a dream!
When baking french fries or potatoes put it in the microwave for 2 minutes and it cuts down the cooking time by 10 minutes

honeymoon

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 9:32 pm

Happy247 wrote:

Do you find yourself using the same combination of spices often?
Take an empty spice bottle and fill it up with those spices. Now you only need to take out one bottle!

I mix onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper.

Love this!

honeymoon

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 9:37 pm

hodeez wrote:

Thursday night I get the kids to peel heads of garlic for me that I then use for confit

Place the individual garlic cloves on a plastic plate and whack the garlic with the flat part of a knife. You can do it with your palms too though it may take a bit more effort. The peels will slide off easily.

chick567

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 9:45 pm

happy chick wrote:

Not really a hack, but I make my supper menu every motzei shabbos/Sunday. Makes my life so much easier when I wake up in the morning and know what's for dinner instead of stressing about it all day.

I started putting a piece of paper on the fridge and letting the kids fill out the menu of the week. This way I dont have to think about it, and they choose suppers they like and will eat!

I discovered a clip on pot strainer and I never need to use a strainer again. its amazing!
https://www.amazon.com/Straine.....ss_tl

one for milchig one for fleishig.

use a cookie scoop for cookies, meatballs, matzoballs. and a bigger cookie scoop for cupcakes.
put parchment paper in your sandwich maker, or george forman grill and there's no mess to clean.

top mom

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 10:16 pm

acemom wrote:

I saute a lot of onions at a time.
I divide into portion cups or larger containers and freeze.
I pop the frozen onions into mashed potatoes, cholent, scrambled eggs etc for added flavor.

I guess your kids aren't "severely allergic " to onions, as mine are Wink

cheese cake

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 10:26 pm

If your kids want two different shape pastas and you don’t want them mixing, place one in a mesh bag-the one that’s used for veggies, and cook them together.

tweety1

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 10:51 pm

happy chick wrote:

Not really a hack, but I make my supper menu every motzei shabbos/Sunday. Makes my life so much easier when I wake up in the morning and know what's for dinner instead of stressing about it all day.

I've been doing this since I moved and don't have a grocery close by to just run buy ingredients. I love it! Makes my week so much easier.

Shmaichel

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 10:56 pm

hodeez wrote:

Thursday night I get the kids to peel heads of garlic for me that I then use for confit

What’s your recipe?

jmom18

Mon, Jan 29 2024, 11:04 pm

yachnabobba wrote:

Boil pasta in a 9•13 disposable when it is ready put it in the sink and cut slits in the bottom with a knife. Voila no pot to wash

Its a really good idea but gets chills just thinking about it. The knife slicing through the pan, ouch.