TIP TUESDAY

THIS WEEKS KITCHEN TIPS AND TRICKS

Keep bananas from spoiling so quickly: Bananas spoil less quickly it they are kept in a bunch. Also, do not store bananas with any other fruit. The gasses they emit will ripen the other fruit faster than normal. 

Need a soft fruit or vegetable sliced quickly? Use your pastry cutter. It works well with avocados, strawberries and bananas. 

Quick & easy way to core an apple: Sit it on its bottom and slice off a piece close to the core, then place on flat side. Slice off the other two sides; then turn on side and slice last section off. No core and great pieces for slicing smaller or dicing.

Easy methods to peel a garlic clove: Try one of these 3 methods: 

1. Put the clove in the microwave on HIGH for 10- 12 seconds. Skins peel right off. 
2.  Use a rubber jar opener. Lay clove in the middle of rubber jar opener and fold it over the clove. Rub clove vigorously and skin comes right off.
3. Use a large knife and lay the blade horizontally across the clove. Place one hand carefully on the blade and push down with your hand cracking open the clove. The skin comes right off. 

Storing leftover tomato paste: Most recipes for pasta sauce and chili call for only a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste. If your paste comes in a tube, leftovers aren’t a problem. But, if it’s in a can, don’t toss the remainder or let it dry out in the refrigerator. Instead, freeze it in tablespoon-size portions. Once they’re solid, transfer to a plastic freezer bag. Later add them directly to recipes—no need to thaw. Try this with chipotles in adobo and pesto, too.