Buying Stale Cloves

Definitely don’t buy stale cloves if you don’t absolutely have to. The peak season of garlic takes place from midsummer to early fall, so it’ll be easier to find fresh garlic around then. However, during the rest of the months, make sure you find garlic bulbs that are firm, white, and bright.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by UnderTheWoodz (@underthewoodz)

Storing it Wrongly

In order to prevent your garlic from getting spoiled, you need to be careful about where you store it. A dark, dry area with room-temperature circulation is the way to go. If you’re not doing this, your garlic is suffering as a result.

Prepping it Wrongly

The method in which you prepare your garlic will heavily influence the impact it has on the food. The more you chop it, the more taste you’ll get out of it. If that’s what you’re looking for, then great! However, if you’re looking for a more mellow garlic accompaniment, then we’d advise putting in the clove as a whole.

Overcooking It

It’s shockingly easy to overcook garlic, and your dish will suffer as a result. If you’re sautéing a dish with garlic, don’t add the garlic too early in the process, and don’t put it on high heat.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dennis U. (@dennis.zenlife)

The post Are You Making These 4 Garlic Mistakes? appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Buy Some Orzo Pasta

In Nigella’s eyes, orzo pasta is a highly-versatile ingredient that can work with a wide variety of dishes, from salads to quick and easy pasta dishes. Also, orzo makes for a decent filler if ever you forget to pick up some ingredients the next time you go grocery shopping.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nigella (@nigellalawson)

Keep Tasting

While cooking often involves many steps (some even at once), plenty of concentration is necessary. Still, while following all these steps, you may end up forgetting to taste your food as you cook. Don’t forget this step, Nigella warns, as at the end of the day, it’s important that you enjoy the dish, no matter what the recipe says.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nigella (@nigellalawson)

Never Waste Your Mashed Potatoes

Once you’ve finished preparing a dish that involves mashed potatoes, don’t let the remainders go to waste. Instead, put some of the leftovers in your waffle maker for some crispy potato waffles. You can also put them towards your next shepherd’s pie.

The post Nigella Lawson’s Essential Rules For Any Kitchen appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lara De Bruyne (@lalasplate)

Gather the overripe bananas that you don’t want to eat anymore. Peel the skin and slice them into small chunks. One to two inches per slice is okay. Depending on what you will use them for, you can adapt the size of the pieces, but in general, smaller pieces are better for blending later.

Layer the banana chunks on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. You want to carefully arrange them so they aren’t all over the place. Doing that will allow each chunk to freeze separately, and for example, if you just toss them into a freezer bag you will end up with a big frozen banana brick you can’t really use.

Once the bananas have frozen on the baking sheet, you can transfer them to plastic bags for easier storage. Then simply use as much as you need at a time without a single worry!

The post This is the Smartest Way to Freeze Bananas appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hampshire Food Photographer (@cathlowephoto)

First, you need to know why it happens. The main culprit for slices going brown is oxidation. So, we need a way to keep slices away from the air. One of the ways to do this is to use an apple slicer to create wedges and put pieces together after slicing. Or we can just use a simple kitchen knife, clean slices, and put them back into the apple shape, and then tighten with a rubber band or two.

Another great way to achieve the same effect is to squeeze lemon or lime juice over the slices. A mixture of water and honey is also known to give good results. You just need to soak the slices in it for a few minutes and then store them as you like for later. Enjoy trying these recipes!

The post How to Keep Apple Slices From Browning appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ульяна ФудФотограф Чебоксары (@ubelu)

Tomato Juice

Tomato juice is a great source of sodium, and also provides much-needed liquid. Drinking alcohol leads to dehydration so drinking plenty of fluids is a must, and tomato juice is one of the best options.

Avocado Toast

After a night of heavy drinking, your body needs complex carbs and potassium, and you can get this from a simple avocado toast. Use whole grain bread to make it and you will stay full and feel better pretty quickly.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by food and lifestyle (@carlys_eats)

Eggs

Eggs are one of the best protein sources and they also contain cysteine, an essential amino acid. Eating eggs will protect your cells from the damage alcohol can cause. It doesn’t matter how you make them, as long as you eat a couple.

Don’t forget that drinking water is essential after a lot of alcohol. Hydration will help your body run smoothly and your organs will digest and get rid of alcohol faster.

The post 3 of the Best Foods to Eat When You’re Hungover appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Here are 4 basic cooking tips that can transform your cooking experience.

Let Red Meat Sit

The best way to cook a juicy delicious steak is to let it sit wrapped in tin foil for 5 minutes before you cut into it. This prevents the meat from drying out and maintains the flavor. You should also be aware that the steak will continue cooking in the foil, so if you want it medium, take the steak out medium rare.

Add Salt to Pasta Water

A quick and simple trick to make your pasta taste great is to add a few pinches of salt to the boiling pasta water. This will make your pasta taste great all the way through.

Keep Onion Root Intact

Onions can be difficult to slice without making a mess or cutting your finger. The best way to ensure the onion doesn’t fall apart as you slice is to keep the root intact. Slice the onion in half and cut it horizontally, leaving the root. Then turn it round and slice vertically for perfectly neat diced onion.

Chop Herbs with Salt

You can prevent herbs from flying off of the chopping board by sprinkling salt onto it. This will make the herbs stick.

The post 4 Basic Cooking Tips You Should Know appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Pantry

Not all veggies are the same and different rules apply to them when it comes to storing. Some will be just fine in the pantry, and it’s mostly hard stuff like potatoes, onions, hard squash, and garlic. If you keep your pantry cool, dark, and dry, you can definitely store these items for more than a week.

Fridge

Most fridges today come with a crisper drawer that’s perfect for storing things that easily spoil. You can put everything and anything here: from cucumber and zucchini to peppers, celery, peas, broccoli, carrots, eggplant, and many more. Keep in mind that even stored like this, some of the veggies can only be kept for 2-3 days before they start going bad.

Counter

Tomatoes are the only veggie that should be stored on the counter, although if you don’t have space they’ll be alright in the pantry for a few days.

The post Tips For Storing Vegetables appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Pineapple is juicy enough not to dry out when heated and firm enough not to fall apart. Its natural sugar will caramelize nicely in the pan, but you can also add some honey if you want it to be even sweeter. 

The best way to prepare pineapple for grilling is to slice it horizontally into round slices. In order to do this, you will have to remove the fruit’s skin first. Once you’ve done that, you can slice it up horizontally, then use a round tool such as a narrow cup to remove the core. 

In order to grill the slices, get your grill ready to medium heat. Cook each side for 3-4 minutes and they should be done! Adjust time if needed based on the cooking temperature; you will know it’s done when it gets brown and slightly charred.

The post The Best Way to Grill Pineapple appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Corn

We all love corn on the cob, and you can easily stock up when it’s in season and freeze it. It will be good for two or three months. Simply get a few out when you want to eat them and prepare as usual.

Avocado

Avocados can get expensive, which is why you should hunt for sales, turn them into an avocado puree, and throw them in the freezer. From there, you can easily make guacamole or have a ready taco topping.

Butter

Butter is a great ingredient to have at home at all times. You can use it for cooking, baking, or spread on toast. And if you freeze some, you can always have it on hand.

The post 3 Foods You Didn’t Know You Could Store in the Freezer appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

You need a good pot with lid, popcorn kernels, oil, and salt — that’s all! Make sure you use medium heat so your oil doesn’t burn and you can start. Pour some oil into the pot. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to start with 2-3 kernels and wait for them to pop before you put the rest in the pan. You can simply dump them all in the cold oil in one thick layer, but this will really depend on the size of your pot. Finding what’s the best amount of kernels for your pot may take a few tries. 

Put the lid on the pot and wait for the popcorn to start popping. Once they do, shake the pot from time to time to let the unpopped kernels fall to the bottom. Remove from heat as soon as the popping stops.

Pour into a bowl and season with salt.

The post Make Stovetop Popcorn Like an Expert appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Buying Stale Cloves

Definitely don’t buy stale cloves if you don’t absolutely have to. The peak season of garlic takes place from midsummer to early fall, so it’ll be easier to find fresh garlic around then. However, during the rest of the months, make sure you find garlic bulbs that are firm, white, and bright.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by UnderTheWoodz (@underthewoodz)

Storing it Wrongly

In order to prevent your garlic from getting spoiled, you need to be careful about where you store it. A dark, dry area with room-temperature circulation is the way to go. If you’re not doing this, your garlic is suffering as a result.

Prepping it Wrongly

The method in which you prepare your garlic will heavily influence the impact it has on the food. The more you chop it, the more taste you’ll get out of it. If that’s what you’re looking for, then great! However, if you’re looking for a more mellow garlic accompaniment, then we’d advise putting in the clove as a whole.

Overcooking It

It’s shockingly easy to overcook garlic, and your dish will suffer as a result. If you’re sautéing a dish with garlic, don’t add the garlic too early in the process, and don’t put it on high heat.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dennis U. (@dennis.zenlife)

The post Are You Making These 4 Garlic Mistakes? appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Buy Some Orzo Pasta

In Nigella’s eyes, orzo pasta is a highly-versatile ingredient that can work with a wide variety of dishes, from salads to quick and easy pasta dishes. Also, orzo makes for a decent filler if ever you forget to pick up some ingredients the next time you go grocery shopping.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nigella (@nigellalawson)

Keep Tasting

While cooking often involves many steps (some even at once), plenty of concentration is necessary. Still, while following all these steps, you may end up forgetting to taste your food as you cook. Don’t forget this step, Nigella warns, as at the end of the day, it’s important that you enjoy the dish, no matter what the recipe says.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nigella (@nigellalawson)

Never Waste Your Mashed Potatoes

Once you’ve finished preparing a dish that involves mashed potatoes, don’t let the remainders go to waste. Instead, put some of the leftovers in your waffle maker for some crispy potato waffles. You can also put them towards your next shepherd’s pie.

The post Nigella Lawson’s Essential Rules For Any Kitchen appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lara De Bruyne (@lalasplate)

Gather the overripe bananas that you don’t want to eat anymore. Peel the skin and slice them into small chunks. One to two inches per slice is okay. Depending on what you will use them for, you can adapt the size of the pieces, but in general, smaller pieces are better for blending later.

Layer the banana chunks on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. You want to carefully arrange them so they aren’t all over the place. Doing that will allow each chunk to freeze separately, and for example, if you just toss them into a freezer bag you will end up with a big frozen banana brick you can’t really use.

Once the bananas have frozen on the baking sheet, you can transfer them to plastic bags for easier storage. Then simply use as much as you need at a time without a single worry!

The post This is the Smartest Way to Freeze Bananas appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hampshire Food Photographer (@cathlowephoto)

First, you need to know why it happens. The main culprit for slices going brown is oxidation. So, we need a way to keep slices away from the air. One of the ways to do this is to use an apple slicer to create wedges and put pieces together after slicing. Or we can just use a simple kitchen knife, clean slices, and put them back into the apple shape, and then tighten with a rubber band or two.

Another great way to achieve the same effect is to squeeze lemon or lime juice over the slices. A mixture of water and honey is also known to give good results. You just need to soak the slices in it for a few minutes and then store them as you like for later. Enjoy trying these recipes!

The post How to Keep Apple Slices From Browning appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ульяна ФудФотограф Чебоксары (@ubelu)

Tomato Juice

Tomato juice is a great source of sodium, and also provides much-needed liquid. Drinking alcohol leads to dehydration so drinking plenty of fluids is a must, and tomato juice is one of the best options.

Avocado Toast

After a night of heavy drinking, your body needs complex carbs and potassium, and you can get this from a simple avocado toast. Use whole grain bread to make it and you will stay full and feel better pretty quickly.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by food and lifestyle (@carlys_eats)

Eggs

Eggs are one of the best protein sources and they also contain cysteine, an essential amino acid. Eating eggs will protect your cells from the damage alcohol can cause. It doesn’t matter how you make them, as long as you eat a couple.

Don’t forget that drinking water is essential after a lot of alcohol. Hydration will help your body run smoothly and your organs will digest and get rid of alcohol faster.

The post 3 of the Best Foods to Eat When You’re Hungover appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Here are 4 basic cooking tips that can transform your cooking experience.

Let Red Meat Sit

The best way to cook a juicy delicious steak is to let it sit wrapped in tin foil for 5 minutes before you cut into it. This prevents the meat from drying out and maintains the flavor. You should also be aware that the steak will continue cooking in the foil, so if you want it medium, take the steak out medium rare.

Add Salt to Pasta Water

A quick and simple trick to make your pasta taste great is to add a few pinches of salt to the boiling pasta water. This will make your pasta taste great all the way through.

Keep Onion Root Intact

Onions can be difficult to slice without making a mess or cutting your finger. The best way to ensure the onion doesn’t fall apart as you slice is to keep the root intact. Slice the onion in half and cut it horizontally, leaving the root. Then turn it round and slice vertically for perfectly neat diced onion.

Chop Herbs with Salt

You can prevent herbs from flying off of the chopping board by sprinkling salt onto it. This will make the herbs stick.

The post 4 Basic Cooking Tips You Should Know appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Pantry

Not all veggies are the same and different rules apply to them when it comes to storing. Some will be just fine in the pantry, and it’s mostly hard stuff like potatoes, onions, hard squash, and garlic. If you keep your pantry cool, dark, and dry, you can definitely store these items for more than a week.

Fridge

Most fridges today come with a crisper drawer that’s perfect for storing things that easily spoil. You can put everything and anything here: from cucumber and zucchini to peppers, celery, peas, broccoli, carrots, eggplant, and many more. Keep in mind that even stored like this, some of the veggies can only be kept for 2-3 days before they start going bad.

Counter

Tomatoes are the only veggie that should be stored on the counter, although if you don’t have space they’ll be alright in the pantry for a few days.

The post Tips For Storing Vegetables appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Pineapple is juicy enough not to dry out when heated and firm enough not to fall apart. Its natural sugar will caramelize nicely in the pan, but you can also add some honey if you want it to be even sweeter. 

The best way to prepare pineapple for grilling is to slice it horizontally into round slices. In order to do this, you will have to remove the fruit’s skin first. Once you’ve done that, you can slice it up horizontally, then use a round tool such as a narrow cup to remove the core. 

In order to grill the slices, get your grill ready to medium heat. Cook each side for 3-4 minutes and they should be done! Adjust time if needed based on the cooking temperature; you will know it’s done when it gets brown and slightly charred.

The post The Best Way to Grill Pineapple appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Corn

We all love corn on the cob, and you can easily stock up when it’s in season and freeze it. It will be good for two or three months. Simply get a few out when you want to eat them and prepare as usual.

Avocado

Avocados can get expensive, which is why you should hunt for sales, turn them into an avocado puree, and throw them in the freezer. From there, you can easily make guacamole or have a ready taco topping.

Butter

Butter is a great ingredient to have at home at all times. You can use it for cooking, baking, or spread on toast. And if you freeze some, you can always have it on hand.

The post 3 Foods You Didn’t Know You Could Store in the Freezer appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

You need a good pot with lid, popcorn kernels, oil, and salt — that’s all! Make sure you use medium heat so your oil doesn’t burn and you can start. Pour some oil into the pot. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to start with 2-3 kernels and wait for them to pop before you put the rest in the pan. You can simply dump them all in the cold oil in one thick layer, but this will really depend on the size of your pot. Finding what’s the best amount of kernels for your pot may take a few tries. 

Put the lid on the pot and wait for the popcorn to start popping. Once they do, shake the pot from time to time to let the unpopped kernels fall to the bottom. Remove from heat as soon as the popping stops.

Pour into a bowl and season with salt.

The post Make Stovetop Popcorn Like an Expert appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.