Tips of the Week/Month

I've always cooked hamburger in the microwave....but since I took a class in January about cooking tips & hints for meals....I now cook it in a silicone strainer in a pie plate in the microwave.
Why....because before my hamburger would cook in its own fat, then I would drain it off....now the fat drips off and meat is ready to use.....or not....next picture
Then you put about a pound in a ziplock bag and freeze the meat. Now I have precooked meat ready to use for tacos, nachos, spaghetti sauce...anything....it saves you a step, when you are in a hurry, just a bit of prep time when you come home from the grocery store with the meat.
This is another good tip, Cash and Carry sells frozen onions, red peppers & green peppers. Pretty cheap, like $5 for a big huge bag. Splilt the bags into 2 ziplock bags and keep them in the freezer....now I have chopped peppers and onions at my finger tips...I hate cutting onions, now I don't, I just grab a handful.

Other Random Tips

-Buy boneless meat, better bang for you buck.
-If something is too salty add a raw potato and it will suck up the salt.
-The cheaper the meat the slower you need to cook it.
-During winter months you are better off using frozen vegetables over fresh.
(because fresh is approx. a week old by the time it gets to our table.)
-You can partially cook potatoes and freeze them to use later.
-Pasta keeps 4-5 days in the fridge. Rinse in cold water and is won't stick, freezes well.
-Leftover whipping cream...put on wax paper and into a bag...freeze...pull out when needed, thawed for 15mins.
-Brown Rice
1 cup rice to 2 cup of water
-Whtie Rice
1 cup rice to 1 1/2 cup of water
-Splenda is great for reducing calories. You can use 1/2 sugar 1/2 splenda in recipes.