Failure Is Always An Option

I was all set to do a post today featuring some Christmas treats. I found a nice-looking fudge recipe on another blog (that the blogger had found somewhere else herself), but when I tried to make it, it seized up terribly and was hard as a rock before I could even pour it into the pan.

I followed the directions without alteration, but I must have cooked the sugar and evaporated milk too long or at too high a temperature. I don't own a candy thermometer because I don't make candy often, and I don't make candy often because I don't own a candy thermometer. I think I'll just go back to my Foolproof Fudge recipe. It's specially designed for non-confectioners like me.

So, instead of fudge, you get some hints and tips I've used in the recipes I've posted recently. I find these ideas helpful; maybe you will, too. And if you know of better ways to do the same things, by all means, share!

1) Use non-stick pan spray any chance you get. It will make your life easier. I spray the inside of the crockpot before using it each time and it makes cleanup much easier. I spray pie pans, and roasting pans. I use parchment paper for baking cookies and cakes, but if I expect them to be especially sticky after they're baked, I spray the parchment paper, too. I have one of these, which I fill with extra light olive oil. You can use any oil you like in it. Extra light olive oil doesn't have the strong olive taste that extra virgin olive oil has, so it's ideal for cake and cookie pans. I also give a skillet a quick spray for frying eggs or sauteing vegetables.

2) Keep your meat a-movin'! That might not sound like a cooking tip, but stay with me here. When you are browning ground beef, pork, sausage, etc. for tacos, chili, pizza or any other dish where you want a finer meat texture, keep the meat in motion as you brown it. The more you stir, turn and flip it, the smaller those pieces will be.

3) If you're pressed for time, use the minced garlic that comes in a jar. It's not quite as tasty as mincing a fresh clove, but far superior to trying to substitute garlic powder.

4) Have multiple sets of measuring spoons and cups. If you cook a lot, you don't want to stop to wash and dry these utensils.

5) If you use a lot of shredded cheese, like we do, go ahead and buy it already shredded. It used to be that you had to pay for that convenience, but lately most basic cheeses (like Cheddar, Mozzarella and Monterey Jack) are the same price whether shredded or in a block.

6) If you have time, consider making up big batches of spaghetti sauce and freezing it in 2-3 cup amounts in zip-top bags (a typical large jar of sauce at the store is just less than 3 cups). If you lay them flat on a cookie sheet to freeze, you can later stand them on end in a freezer basket and they won't take up much room. If you don't have time or freezer space to make your own sauce, try some of the store brand sauces. I find them to be just as good as the name brands.

7) Consider buying bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves instead of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They are considerably less expensive nearly all the time, and it's easy to fillet the breast yourself (here's one way). The bones will still have a lot of meat left on them; wrap them up and freeze them, then boil them later, remove the bits of meat from the bones, and use the broth and meat for soup.

8) Use a salad spinner to spin the water out of thawed frozen spinach. Pressing water out of spinach is a job most cooks hate to do, but the spinner makes it a much easier and cleaner job.

9) Store onions in the refrigerator to help reduce eye irritation when cutting them. I love onions, but I'm extremely sensitive to their fumes and often end up crying like a baby. That's not safe when you're trying to keep cutting. Keeping the onions chilled has helped in my case, but I'm more than curious if any of you know of any other ways to reduce eye irritation.

10) I like to cook with alcohol. If you don't keep wine or liquor on hand or don't want to use it in your cooking, you can always substitute another liquid. Try apple juice, water, chicken broth or even the liquids from canned vegetables instead.