OK, Spill It!: What are some family/friend cooking tips that have been helpful?

[Fuzziwuz]

.....My mom does the same thing with her spaghetti sauce, Karibana.

I learned you can add a bit of meat tenderizer to collard greens if you have a particularly tough batch. My mom taught me that.....

I learned baking soda cuts down cooking time with collard greens. Similar to meat tenderizer.

RE: Spaghetti... my mom adds the pinch of sugar. I suggested basil to get that slightly sweet taste without the sugar.

[missladee622]

*always have an iron skillet and take care of it...which means after you wash it, dry it off and grease it right back up so that it'll "keep"

Yup...keeps the seasoning in the pan!

~ nothing like making cornbread in an ern [yeah, I said it] skillet that has been heated in an oven first.

Ain't nothing better.

[Batyah]

~ nothing like making cornbread in an ern [yeah, I said it] skillet that has been heated in an oven first.

I have a small cast iron skillet that I could use the next time I make some sweet cornbread.

[bhop13]

milk for scrambled eggs instead of butter or oil.

[OHR]

I learned you can add a bit of meat tenderizer to collard greens if you have a particularly tough batch. My mom taught me that.

I learned baking soda cuts down cooking time with collard greens. Similar to meat tenderizer.

^thanks!

Another tip:
Rather than fry bacon...bake it! I've done this on a broiler pan...still crispy and a bit less shrinkage. Link sausages too.

[OHR]

A great day to *bump* this thread!

[underthehood]

Random things my mum tosses into plain basmati rice to make it more interesting + tastier: raisins, pine nuts, fresh pomegranate seeds (soooo good!), shredded carrot (cooked), minced and sautéed onion, turmeric (will make the rice yellow).

You can add these things individually or mix en match

[OHR]

Random things my mum tosses into plain basmati rice to make it more interesting + tastier: raisins, pine nuts, fresh pomegranate seeds (soooo good!), shredded carrot (cooked), minced and sautéed onion, turmeric (will make the rice yellow).

Great ideas! I love basmati and jasmine rices. I would never think to add pomegranate seeds, though.

[LBellatrix]

It's late and I ain't got nothing to add BUT I do heartily cosign having at least one cast iron ("ern"...lmao) skillet that you keep well-seasoned. I wish someone had explained to me that it takes TIME to properly season one of those suckers though. I had a couple of little skillets years ago that I tossed because food kept on sticking to them. *smacks forehead*

I've got a taste for stewed chicken after reading this thread (though I should have a taste for spaghetti instead)...

[Ororo]

Saltpeter (potassium nitrate) hastens the cooking process and it reduces acidity and bitterness/sourness of tomatoes, for example. I usually use it in pasta sauce.