The tools to help

My goal is not just to inspire you to make amazing things in the kitchen, but to give the tools, tips, and confidence to succeed! Here will be a collection of helpful information that you can use and reference from, when you need that little extra helping hand.

Keeping Veggies Fresh and Crisp

~ Use this tip to keep cut up produce crisp and bright for up to 12 hours. No one wants a limp and dried up carrot stick! ~

The trick: Cover everything with a layer of damp paper towels and then wrap the veggies in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the start of your gathering.

How to Chop Garlic

Love cooking with garlic but hate struggling with sticky, paper-thin peels? With these simple steps, you can prep a clove in no time.

The trick :

Step 1. Use the tip of a knife to slice off the bottom of each clove.

Step 2. Place a clove under the flat side of the knife, with the blade facing away from you. Press the heel of your palm or your fist down on the knife until you feel the clove flatten. Slip off and discard the skin. (Extra tip : You can save the skins and chopped ends, dehydrate them and grind them up into garlic powder!)

Step 3. Gather the peeled clove, hold your knife by the handle, and place your other, nondominant hand on top of the blade. Rock the knife up and down through the cloves (with the tip staying on the cutting board). Chop until you've achieved your desired size.

Prevent Onion Tears

We have all been there when we have to cut an onion and tearing are pouring down our face. I have something to help with that.

The trick : Carefully rub some olive oil on your knife before cutting on onion. This barrier will prevent tearing and help relieve the discomfort of those pesky onion tears.

Seasoning a Cast Iron Pan

When it comes to cleaning a cast iron pan or skillet... it is important to not use soap, which will destroy the nonstick coating.

The trick :

Step 1. Sprinkle the pan with kosher salt and scrub it with a paper towel.

Step 2. Rinse the pan clean under hot water.

Step 3. Dry the pan immediately and thoroughly with paper towels, then apply a thin, even coating of vegetable oil.

How to cool baking sheets

When you're making multiple batches of treats, it's tempting to reuse the same baking sheet while they're still warm from the oven.

Raw dough on a warm pan actually ends up giving you unevenly baked cookies that are thin and overly browned around the edges.

The trick:

Run the underside of the hot pan under cold water until it's cool. That way, you won't need to wipe it dry.

How to soften brown sugar

Have a bag of brown sugar that is hard as a rock? This can help.

The trick :

Place the block of sugar in a bowl. Sprinkle it with a teaspoon of water, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave in 30-second intervals until soft. It may take several minutes. Viola!