A Few Kitchen Tips (Round Two!)

I love spending time in the kitchen and here are a few helpful kitchen tips that I use on a regular basis.  These tips have saved me money by keeping vegetables fresh longer, not tossing out spoiled food, or making a special trip to the store for buttermilk.

Storing Asparagus

Have you ever notice that the asparagus in the store is standing up in water? That is actually the correct way to store it when you bring it home. Just like flowers, asparagus stored in water stays fresh much longer. Place about an inch of water in a jar or bowl, stand the asparagus in it, and cover it with the produce bag you brought it home in. This is the same idea as storing cilantro.

Buttermilk Substitution

I often make recipes that call for buttermilk, but rarely keep buttermilk on hand. If you're like me, you can make your own easily from regular milk and a few simple ingredients. Pour 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice, white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar in a measuring cup. Fill to the one cup line with milk. Stir and let it sit for two minutes. Use it as a one-for-one buttermilk substitution.

The Egg Test

Eggs are often good well past the expiration date. You can test them to see if they are still good by gently dropping the egg into a glass of water. If it sinks it is still good; if it floats, toss it.

Onions

A cut onion can smell up a fridge if it is stored in plastic; however, aluminum foil traps odors. Wrap a cut onion in tin foil and it will not only keep it from stinking up the rest of the fridge, but it will stay good for a week or two.

Happy cooking!