* Whenever a recipe calls for ‘room temperature’ eggs, you don’t have to plan hours in advance. You can place your eggs in a bowl of lukewarm water for about five minutes to do the trick. It’s especially helpful for whipping eggs for desserts to get stiffer peaks and fluffier results.
* Increasing the oven temperature by 25° when baking muffins helps them to peak higher. I typically bake muffins at 400° and reduce the baking time of the original recipe by 3-5 minutes
* Need a warm place to allow yeasted bread to rise? Preheat oven to 350º for about 2 minutes. Turn off and place covered bowl in warm oven.
* Stale bread? No problem! Cube up the bread, toss with a bit of olive oil and herbs (oregano, parsley, basil, rosemary, etc.), then bake at 375˚ until golden and crispy. Voila! You’ll have perfect croutons for your salads that last up to another two weeks!
* Bunches of fresh herbs, like parsley and cilantro, will keep 2 to 3 times longer if you place them in a mason jar filled halfway with water. Try to keep loose leaves out of the water like you would with fresh flowers. Store in the fridge, replacing the water every now and then, and they’ll stay fresh and crisp for a couple of weeks.
....More coming soon!
