For easier grating, place softer cheeses (such as fontina and Monterey Jack) in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes beforehand.
Soften butter quickly sans microwave by using a rolling pin.
Put the stick of butter between two large pieces of wax paper. Using a rolling pin, press down on the butter and roll it as you would a pie crust. When the butter is about 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick, lift off the wax paper and peel away the butter (before it gets too soft to peel).
If you go with the microwave method to melt your butter, but went a little too far, it’s ok because you can save it! To save partially melted butter, place it in a bowl with a few ice cubes and stir. In less than a minute, the butter will quickly cool and solidify to the soft texture you are looking for. Simply remove the ice cubes and proceed with the recipe.
This won’t work with completely melted butter, so if it’s a puddle, save it for next time!
Use frozen butter instead of milk when making omelets.
Why? Because milk can add excess moisture to your omelets. Instead, try using frozen butter, which melts more slowly and disperses more evenly, creating that perfect fluffy texture. Either cut the butter into chunks, or grate it into your eggs.
Keep ice cream soft and ice crystal free by keeping it inside a plastic freezer bag.
Store your container of ice cream in a freezer bag to keep it soft for easy scooping. This way, you won’t need to wait to enjoy it nor will you be tempted to microwave your solid ice cream and risk the chance of over melting it.
Plus, this will keep those ice crystals that water-down the taste from forming when your refreeze your ice cream!
Froth milk in a mason jar for a coffee shop-level beverage.
First, pour either 2% or nonfat milk into a mason jar no further than halfway, and shake for 30 seconds to create foam. Then, stabilize the foam by microwaving for another 30 seconds. Pour, and enjoy!
You can use whole milk or cream, but the foam won’t be as foamy because, while 2% and nonfat milk are fortified with foam-stabilizing whey protein, whole milk and cream are not.
Next week, we’re dishing out tricks that will make your entrees unforgettable, so don’t miss out!
When it comes to your daily meals, cooking is the cheaper, and healthier, option, but it’s not always the most convenient. For those who know this all too well, we’re publishing a 4-part Kitchen Hacks series to make you a better, faster cook. Part I is all about getting as much use out of your ingredients as possible.
First, cook your corn on the cob, with the husk, using your method of choice (mine is microwaving; 3-4 minutes per cob). Once it’s cooked, grab the cob by the tapered end with gloves or oven mitts (it’s going to be HOT!). Then, cut off the shank, and a bit of the actual cob, with a sharp knife. To remove the husk, continue holding by the uncut end, then squeeze and shake the corn out of its husk.
Before the bath, take your herbs and start by cutting off the stems. Then, remove and discard any bruised or damaged leaves. Now comes the ice bath. Submerge your herbs in the ice water, and soak. The cold water will shock the herbs back to life. The amount of soaking time will vary, but you can tell they’re ready when the herbs start to float to the top and look bright green and refreshed!
To store, place the herbs in an air-tight container or sandwich bag lined with a paper towel on the top and bottom to absorb any extra moisture. Use within a couple of days.
To keep brown sugar from turning into rock-hard clumps, put a slice of bread, apple or even a damp paper towel in with the brown sugar to keep it soft. And, what is quite amazing is that neither the apple nor the bread gets moldy or rancid. They dry up and become inedible, but they do keep the brown sugar soft.
Don’t waste time peeling potatoes before cooking. After boiling them, place them in a bowl of ice water for a few seconds. Then, just grab it with both hands, twist, and pull apart. The skin should slide right off.
To find out if your eggs are still good without breaking the shell, just fill a bowl with cold water (and add ice for more accuracy). Then, place your egg in the water and if it sinks like a rock, you’re good to go. If it floats, toss it!
Give pomegranates a whack with a wooden spoon to easily remove the seeds.
All you need to do is cut it in half as normal, push out the center a bit, then just start whacking the back of it with a wooden spoon. If done correctly, all the seeds should fall right out into the bowl in just a few seconds!
Starting a new job is nerve-wracking whether you have experience or not, but we all have to go through it at one point or another. Here are a few first-day tips to follow that will boost your confidence from the get-go and impress your new boss, managers, and coworkers.
1) Come Prepared
Before starting your shift, make sure you’re both mentally and physically prepared to work. Don’t go out or stay up late the night before and be ready to do a lot of listening and learning. Get your clothes/uniform and anything else you’ll need (like a notebook) for work organized the day before you start. This will decrease pre-shift stress, plus it will save you time. This is key because, more than anything else, be on time, or even better, 10-15 minutes early. Showing up late to your first day of work doesn’t exactly send a great message to either your boss or new co-workers.
2) Make the first move
Whether it’s when you first walk in the door or in the middle of your shift during a slow period, ask what you can do to help. Being proactive will not only impress the higher ups, but it will also speed up the learning process, so you can go from training to tips that much faster.
3) Pay close attention
Even if you’re experienced and highly qualified for the position, there will be differences between past and present employers. From operations to expectations, you’ll have a whole new set of rules to play by, so listen to your trainer to get a lay of the land. Also, to help you remember the important details and also give you a resource to reference, take a lot of notes. Bonus: this will also show your trainer that you’re dedicated to learning the work-flow and getting in the swing of things.
4) Get your hustle on
Whether your new job is slower or faster paced than what you’re used to, make sure to work quickly and efficiently. Strolling around the establishment won’t help you excel at your job, nor will it do anything for your bank account. Commission and tips don’t grow on trees. Even if your paycheck isn’t directly tied to how many customers you have, hustling at work, during and post training, will impress your boss and make your coworkers happy that you joined the team.
5) Be friendly and polite
This applies to all parties: trainer, coworkers, and customers. With your trainer and coworkers, don’t talk back. Make sure you have your facts straight before calling someone out, which means having at least a few shifts under your belt. If nothing else, keep smiling, even if you’re not really feeling it. Not only will this keep your morale up, it will also have the same effect on those around you.
6) Ask questions
There are such things as stupid questions, but you should still ask them because it’s better than making stupid mistakes. Asking questions will only help your cause. You’ll learn more, avoid making errors in the future, and also show that you’re engaged in the experience and on point when it comes to training. So if you don’t know something or are confused, speak up so it doesn’t come back to bite you in the butt.
September is National Food Safety Month, so, in honor of good food practices, here are some best practices to follow when thawing frozen foods, holding them at the desired temperatures, and prepping produce.
Best practices for thawing food, by method
Refrigeration: Thaw TCS food at 41 ̊Fahrenheit (5 ̊Celsius) or lower to limit pathogen growth. Plan ahead when thawing large items, such as turkeys. They can take several days to defrost.
Microwave oven: You can safely thaw food in a microwave, but only if the food is going to be cooked immediately. Be warned: large items, such as roasts or turkeys, might not thaw well with this method.
Cooking: Thaw food as part of the cooking process.
Running water: Submerge food under running, drinkable water at 70°Fahrenheit (21°Celsius) or lower. Never let the temperature of the food go above 41°Fahrenheit (5°Celsius) for longer than four hours.
Tips on holding food at desired temperatures
Hold foods at their correct temperatures. TCS foods should be held at the correct internal temperatures. Cold food should be held at 41°Fahrenheit (5°Celsius) or lower, and hot food should be 135°Fahrenheit (57°Celsius) or higher.
Check temperatures regularly. Timing is essential. Make sure you check food temperatures at least every four hours. Toss food that’s not 41°Fahrenheit (5°Celsius) or lower, or 135°Fahrenheit (57°Celsius) or higher.
Use food covers and sneeze guards. Keep food covered to help maintain temperatures. Covers and sneeze guards also help protect the food from contaminants.
Use hot-holding equipment properly. Don’t reheat food in them unless they are built to do so.
Five rules to follow when prepping produce
Avoid cross-contamination by preventing fruit and vegetables from touching surfaces exposed to raw meat, seafood or poultry.
Wash produce thoroughlyunder running water before cutting, cooking, or combining it with other ingredients. Don’t forget to make sure the water is a little warmer than the produce, remove the outer leaves of leafy greens, and pull lettuce or spinach completely apart, and rinse thoroughly.
Don’t mix different items or multiple batches of the same item together if you’resoaking or storing produce in standing water or an ice-water slurry.
Store items, such as sliced melons, cut tomatoes and cut leafy greens, at41°Fahrenheit (5°Celsius) or lower.
Don’t serve raw seed sprouts if you primarily serve high-risk populations.
You’ve probably seen quite a few Now Hiring signs since summer started, and whether you’re looking for a summer gig or something more permanent, here’s why you need to capitalize ASAP.
Employment on the rise. The job market isn’t as bleak as it was once was with job growth reaching a 15-year high in 2014, and projections of stable or even increased growth throughout 2015. And it’s looking like the economists are going to be right! According to the Manpower Group nearly 25% of U.S. employers expect to add to their workforces during the upcoming months, which evens out to about 16% after adjusting for seasonal variations.
Even more so when it comes to summer jobs. Looking for some extra cash this summer? If so, the time is right with 80% of employers expecting to hire the same, or more, seasonal employees as 2014. The industries expected to add the most summer positions are hospitality and retail, with eating and drinking establishments alone projected to add at least 500,000 jobs this summer season.
Competitive pay. If you’re worried about getting stiffed at your summer job when it comes to your paycheck, think again. Summer employers are expected to pay an average hourly wage of $11.52, up from last year’s $10.39. In fact, 53% of employers plan to pay summer works $15 per hour or more.
Potential for long-term. On average, employers are expected to fill at least 35% of their summer positions with previously hired workers. That means that landing a job this summer could mean you’re set for the next few if need be. Not to mention, work experience is a valuable commodity these days and goes a long way in either turning your summer gig into a full-time job or securing your next position.
Flexible work schedule. Summer means vacation for many whether it’s getting outdoors more often than not or going on trips with friends and family. Since most summer positions are part-time, averaging 27 hours per week, you can still find time for both work and play!
Need help getting the ball rolling? Sign up for Sirvo beta to find your next job.
