Tip: Homemade Buttermilk

I never buy buttermilk.  I just make my own using regular milk and apple cider vinegar.  Stir in one Tablespoon of vinegar per cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.  You can also use lemon juice or any kind of vinegar instead of the apple cider vinegar.

Tip: Softening Butter

I never seem to remember to set my butter out so that it can reach room temperature before I want to use it.  Then I tend to microwave it and get it too "melty" which messes up the consistency of my recipe.  I found this trick somewhere on Pinterest and it works like a charm! (I'd link back to it but I'm not sure where it is)

Put your stick of butter with the wrapper still on in the microwave.
(Just make sure it’s not a foil wrapper!)
Heat for 4 seconds on high.
Flip it to the next side and heat for 4 more seconds.
Do this for each side for a total of 16 seconds. The time may vary slightly depending on your microwave power.
The result will be a slightly squishable stick of butter that is softened just right!

25 Common Cooking Mistakes

I found this article about the mistakes we all tend to make while cooking. Maybe you have never made any of these mistakes, in which case, you have truly earned your chef hat! I for one have made several of these mistakes. Though, I'm a really fantastic measurer!

25 Cooking Mistakes

Tip: Black Pepper

Tip #9: Throw out that nasty old pre-ground black pepper you've been using and buy a real pepper grinder or at least one like the one on the right in this picture. You will be amazed that you can really taste a difference. Don't believe me? Try it tomorrow morning in your scrambled eggs. Maybe I should take my own advice and throw out my old ground pepper too...I haven't used it in years though, I swear!

Tip: Ripening Fruit

Do you have fruit that you think will never ripen? Put it in a paper sack on the counter for a day or two and it will ripen faster. I have not tried this with bananas though. Works for peaches, pears, plums etc.

Tip: Tomato based leftovers

Tip #7: Storing tomato based leftovers.

Do you hate it when your storage containers (I will always want to call them Tupperware even though I've never owned any actual Tupperware) start looking nasty and are impossible to clean. Be sure to spray your container with cooking spray before putting any tomato based leftovers in them and they will look nice and new for a lot longer. Also, teach your husband not to put them in the microwave. I almost have mine trained. Unless I'm not around to catch him at it.

Tip: Hulling Strawberries

Tip #6 -- Hulling Strawberries
You can buy gadgets to hull strawberries with or just slice off the green tops, but here's a better tip. Use a normal drinking straw and poke it in the bottom pointy part of the strawberry and push it through til the green top comes off. Kids love to help with this.

Tip: Onions

If you're only using 1/2 of an onion save the root half. It will keep longer in the fridge. Then double bag it so it doesn't stink up your fridge.

Tip: Getting rid of that smell

Tip #4: Vinegar and water boiled on the stove will take that stinky bacon smell out of the air.

My husband hates the smell of bacon. Well, at least he likes it when it's breakfast time but when that smell lingers he gets irritated. So boil 1 Cup of water with 2 TBSP of Vinegar in it and it will neutralize the smell.

Tip: Crisco in Cookies

Tip #3: Substitute Crisco for the butter in your chocolate chip cookies.

Don't use butter or margarine when making those chocolate chip cookies. It may sound better than Crisco but the taste is not. Substitute Crisco instead and your cookies will be much softer and so delicious! If it makes you feel better you can buy the butter flavored Crisco.

Tip: Shredded Cheese

Tip #2: Buy shredded Cheese. After having my twins I had to find a few ways to save time in the kitchen. So now I always have a bag of shredded cheese on hand. Just check the prices in your grocery store and you'll find there isn't a big difference in the price. Sometimes the shredded cheese is even cheaper.

Tip: Pizza Cutter

I've decided to start posting a few of my favorite kitchen tips.

Tip #1: Pizza Cutters aren't just for pizza.

My all time favorite kitchen accessory is my pizza cutter. Pizza cutters are a much easier way to cut up all your kids food. I've found that with four young children all begging for their food it's nice to get it from the pan to the table in a hurry! Don't underestimate the value of that cute little guy!