Here are some more hints that might help around the kitchen.
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| Photography by Michael Long |
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Here is the YEAST SUBSTITUTIONS:
For 1 packed tablespoon cake yeast use 2 teaspoons instant yeast or
2-1/2 teaspoons active dry
OR
To convert recipes calling for instant yeast to active dry yeast: Use 1.25 times
the weight; or, for 1 teaspoon instant yeast, use about 1 1/4 teaspoons active dry
yeast
To convert recipes calling for active dry yeast to instant yeast: Use 0.67 times
the weight; or, for 1 teaspoons active dry yeast, use 3/4 teaspoon instant yeast
To convert recipes calling for fresh compressed yeast to instant yeast: Use 0.32
times the weight; or, for 1 packed Tablespoon (21 grams) fresh yeast, use 2
teaspoons instant yeast
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f19/instant-yeast-vs-active-dry-yeast-1551.html
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Get some long Tweezers for the kitchen. They are great for working with very small foods or objects. You can use them for plating, Getting that little bit of paper that stuck to the butter...That kind of thing. A lot of hardware stores carry them. I use mine for putting that little bit of garnishment on top of the plate.
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Funnels are always handy around the kitchen. I have one for wide mouth canning that is used probably the most. I also keep a bunch of plastic ones of different sizes, That I got from the hardware store.
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Probably the Best thermometer I've ever had is one put out my Polen. It has a long cord for the probe, Has magnetic back, Has a lot of features that you will find very helpful in the kitchen.
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Blue painters tape, and sharpie's, You can label most anything you want, and date it right then. The Blue tape doesn't leave a mess, peels off very easy. Great for the left overs. Leftover name, date. etc...
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A set of small cans, like the kind you would get creamed corn in. Take the ingredients out of the cans, peel the paper off the can, cut the bottom out of the can, run through the dishwasher, and poof, you have plating molds, or baking molds, or what ever you want to use them for. And if you bend one, eat more corn.
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Wire whips, Try hanging them under your upper cabinets along the back on cup hooks. They are handy, out of the way, easy to get to, And make your kitchen look pretty cool. I have about 8 whips hanging up ranging in size from a 12" on down.
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I put my recipes in plastic sleeves. It protects the recipe, you can add notes to the recipe either with removing the recipe and writing on them direct. With a china marker you can check things off the recipe as you go along. That way you won't forget anything ingredient or step.
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Having problems with your cutting boards falling over, Try using bookends. The metal ones, works great. I keep my boards in the cabinet above the frig. And they are always standing up, just waiting for me to grab one and do my thing. I also have the boards in different colors, one for Chicken, Vegs, Meats, Pork, CHOCOLATES, & Breads.
While your at the office supply house or store, get some magazine holders. They are just the right size to hold the rolls of wax paper, plastic wrap, that sort of thing. And you can probably put 4 or 5 rolls in each one. They also fit very nice next to the cutting boards.
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Remember the coldest part of the frig is at the bottom.. heat rises, cold sinks. So I keep my thermometer at the top shelf. That way I know the bottom will be cold.
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I hope that I've given you some ideas to make you kitchen easier to work in. I'm sure that a lot of you have already found and using some of these tricks and have more than the ones that I've talked about. But what the heck. If you have some ideas, or tricks that you use and want to share them, let me know and I will put them up here for all to enjoy.
