Boiling Eggs: Boil for 10 minutes. Drain eggs and sit in cold or ice water. This makes it easier to peel the eggs.
Broccoli Stems: I love broccoli but I generally don't like the stems because they are tough and rough. A way to fix this is to shave off the outer layer. You can use a peeler to do so.
Pasta & Sauce: Add a bit of the water the pasta was boiled in to the sauce. The starch from the water will make the sauce adhere to the pasta better.
Green Onions: I have a hard time using up a batch of green onions before they start wasting away. Chop the green onions to the size you like to use them in. Place in a ziplock bag or in saran wrap and toss into the freezer.
Washing Vegetables: Before you do anything to the vegetables, wash them. Its better to wash before you snap or cut because you may wash away some nutritional value! Also you want to wash away any pesticides that may be absorbed into a cut veggie.
Cookie Dough: I generally like to chill my dough before I roll them and place them on the baking sheet. This makes the dough easier to manipulate.
Storing Cookie Dough: Double wrap in saran wrap or aluminum foil in a roll like those pre-made cookie dough at the market. Write the date on it. Place in the refrigerator first then the freezer. Can keep up to 4 weeks.
Sending Cookies: Get a good storage container - air tight. Wrap a couple cookies together in saran wrap or those plastic baggies for snacks and place in air tight container.
Washing Mushrooms: The proper way to wash mushrooms is to use a wet napkin or towel to scrub away the dirt. Mushrooms soak up fluids so if you really need to just drench them with water just wash what you will be using. Don't wash and store.
Alternative to heavy cream: Replace with half&half. Doesn't taste as good but your heart will thank you.
Freezing Cupcake Batter: To save some of the caking mixture, pour into a ziplock back and seal tightly without any air. Last up to 2 weeks in the freezer. Thaw in refrigerator and add 2 minutes additional bake time. Cut a hole at the corner to fill cups.
