The Painted Apron

Recipe Box, Kitchen Tips & Substitutions

Posted by the Painted Apron on January 16, 2020 · 20 Comments 

Here are some random tips to make your life easier/better in the kitchen!

Kitchen Bucket shower centerpiece/gift

BAKING SUBSTITUTIONS

Cake Flour= Measure out 1 cup all purpose flour and remove 3 Tablespoons.

Replace the removed Tablespoons of flour with 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch to equal 1 cup cake flour

Powdered Sugar= Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar with 1 T cornstarch in a blender or food processor.

Let the dust settle and violà, powdered sugar!

Heavy Cream= Substitute evaporated milk for heavy cream when you want to trim down a recipe

It’s 16 grams of fat and 120 calories lighter per 1/4 cup. Evaporated milk is thick and creamy

Try it in soup, mac and cheese, or creamed veggies

OR:

heavy cream substitute: 2/3 cup whole milk mixed with 1/3 cup melted butter

Corn Syrups:

For each cup of light corn syrup in a recipe, substitute 1 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup water.

For each cup of dark corn syrup, substitute 1 cup of packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup water.

For each type, bring water and sugar to a slow boil and then let cook on low about 3 minutes until thick and clear

Pie Crust:  Add vodka to your pie crust dough to make it extra flaky.  See recipe here

Cook’s Wreath here

PASTA

Salt pasta water, if not your pasta will taste bland, and it’s hard to correct that later

For a pasta dinner that comes together in minutes flat, simply soak the pasta sealed in a gallon-size plastic bag of water overnight. Then, your pasta will cook in boiling water in just one minute!

Or bring water to boil, add pasta, stir into water, then cover and turn burner off.  Let pasta sit in the covered pot while you prepare something else, and in 10-15 minutes it will be ready

For creamier pasta casseroles, undercook by 2 minutes, drain but do not rinse.  Toss hot pasta with 8 oz cream cheese per 12 oz pasta, and mix until cheese has melted. Proceed with your casserole and enjoy this creamier, moister dish

SALAD

Infuse the vinegar for your homemade salad dressing with chopped red onion for an hour, then remove it. The vinegar is left with a richer, more complex flavor, without a strong onion flavor

Balsamic Vinegar= Substitute 1 T red wine vinegar, 1 tsp grape jelly, and 1/4 cup soy sauce to make approximately 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

Lemon Juice: Instead of cutting a lemon in half to juice it, first roll it back and forth on the counter with the palm of your hand.  Now pierce the stem end with a metal skewer and then squeeze until you have the amount of juice needed.  Lemon will stay fresh longer this way than if it’s cut, and juice will come out clear with no seeds

Minced onion and garlic:  Instead of tedious chopping to get minced onion or garlic, peel them and then use a cheese grater to finely shred them

Peeled garlic:  Place 1 garlic head into a jar with a lid.  Vigorously shake the jar.  Open and remove garlic and discard garlic paper.  Continue this process of shaking in the jar until all the casings come off and you’re left with just the garlic cloves

THE Salad recipe here

ICE CREAM

Store ice cream in large ziplock freezer bags to keep it soft

Ice Cream Sundae in Society 6 Shop here

HOUSEHOLD

Sharpen dull scissors by layering 5 pieces of foil and cutting through it several times

Cook Top: Make a paste with baking soda and hot water to clean your glass cook top.

Mix hot water with enough baking soda to make a thick paste and smear it on soiled areas of cook top.

Let paste sit for 15 minutes, then rub briskly with a thick cloth.  Clean cook top with glass cleaner to finish

I leave you with this Tomato Heart… cut tops off two grape or roma tomatoes at an angle, then join together with a toothpick

Valentine’s Day is on it’s way!

Valentine Collection Society 6 here

🎂 ❤️ ✂️

I will be joining these fabulous parties and blogs:

Meal Plan Monday  Love Your Creativity    What’s for Dinner?

Between Naps on the Porch,  Make it Pretty Monday

Turn About Tuesday  Celebrate Your Story, You’re the Star

All About Home/ Common Ground Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Tasty Tuesday   Oh My Heartsie Girl  Full Plate Thursday

Thursday Favorite Things  Creatively Crafty   Home Matters 

Weekend Potluck  Friday Features  Sweet Inspirations

Happiness is Homemade    Sunday’s Best Linkup