Simple Tips for Cleaning a Toaster …

      Well, Spring is here and for many it’s a time to dust off the cobwebs and say goodbye to the chills of winter.  It’s also a time of year that many of us give our home a thorough Spring Clean … a time to pay attention to those tasks that don’t need to be done all the time or those small jobs that sometimes get overlooked. A classic example of this is the humble toaster.   Ours sits quietly inside the appliance cupboard and is used faithfully almost every single day but I have to admit it does get ignored a little … you know, out of … read more

Kitchen Hints and Tips # 11 … How to Prevent a Bad Egg from Ruining your Baking …

  As a young girl growing up, I used to enjoy any opportunity I had to spend time with Mum in the kitchen cooking and baking.  I adored the smells, I enjoyed learning and creating delicious food but most of all I loved spending time with Mum and I really have to thank her for fostering my love of cooking.   And it was those shared moments that Mum taught me so many little tricks and tips that I still use to this day.  One of the first lessons I learned was how to prevent an “off” or bad egg from ruining any cake or baking.   Many recipes … read more

Kitchen Hints and Tips # 10 … A Simple Guide to Freezing Lemons …

  As you know, I love to bake and lemon juice and lemon zest are two common ingredients that a lot of recipes call for.  Bottled lemon juice from the Supermarket is always an option, particularly if you have it in the fridge, but I often find it expires before I get to use the whole bottle and I usually end up tipping a lot of it down the sink.  It’s not that hard to prepare and the result is a ready supply of beautiful fresh lemon juice and lemon zest minus any chemicals or preservatives.   Buying lemons when they are in season will generally be cheaper … read more

10 Essential Tips for Keeping your Fridge Tidy and Organised …

      I’m usually quite organised but even my fridge can end up looking overloaded and a bit of a jumbled mess from time to time.  My kids are the worst culprits and seem to open the door and just put stuff back anywhere.   Just like other areas of the home, however, there are some significant benefits to having the fridge tidy and organised:   Visibility is improved and food items are easier to find   Food wastage is reduced which in turn saves money   Leftovers are more likely to be used … read more

How to Make your Oven Racks Sparkle …

  When was the last time you cleaned the racks in your oven? You’ll be excused if you can’t remember because, unfortunately, it’s one of those cleaning jobs that often gets overlooked. I know I sometimes forget about mine.     Generally, I try to clean without using harsh chemicals but, because oven racks can get really baked on and grimy, this is one job where I do bring out the “big guns” … and, for this job, I use Cloudy Ammonia (it’s the same as regular ammonia, it just has a little soap added). Not only does it do a great job but it’s so … read more

How to Clean and Sanitise Wood Cutting Boards …

  I love wood cutting boards as they bring a certain warmth to any kitchen. I also love their versatility as they can be used as a serving platter or cheese board as well. They do, however, require some care and attention to ensure they maintain their appearance, hygiene and functionality.   First of all, here are a couple of things you shouldn’t do with your cutting board. Avoid putting it in the dishwasher as the water can be too hot causing your cutting board to warp or, worse still, crack or split. It’s also a good idea not to leave them soaking in … read more

Kitchen Hints and Tips # 9 … How to Prevent your Cakes, Cupcakes and Muffins from Burning on the Side and Bottom …

  Do you ever find yourself wondering why your cakes, cupcakes and muffins end up being crusty or appear burnt-looking on the side and bottom?   It can be very frustrating but here are some simple tips that might prevent this from happening:   Change your cake tins and muffin trays to a lighter colour. Dark coloured pans absorb and reflect more heat, whereas light coloured pans absorb and reflect less, therefore, a lighter coloured pan is less likely to burn your baked goodies.   Get to know your oven. Not all ovens are the same and … read more

How I’ve Organised my Kitchen Pantry …

  Last month, I shared some simple tips that would be helpful if you were organising your pantry.  There's some great ideas so if you would like to read more, just click here.   My pantry has always been quite well organised but recently I decided it was due for an overhaul after I fell in love with some gorgeous red wire baskets, which I picked up for next to nothing in the Boxing Day Sales. I like to review my pantry at least once a year, as I’m always looking to improve things and my new baskets provided the perfect excuse! As my family's needs change, … read more

Kitchen Hints and Tips # 8 … How to Substitute Buttermilk in a Recipe …

  When I’m cooking or creating a new recipe, I try to use ingredients that I would normally find in the fridge and pantry … things that I cook with all the time.  It’s not only easier, it’s often cheaper and it also means I don’t buy things I won’t fully use or ingredients that I don’t like or am unfamiliar with.  In those instances, I try to find a substitute by modifying something that I already use. One such ingredient is buttermilk and I occasionally stumble across a recipe that needs it. It's not something I usually keep in my fridge or buy because I find … read more

Kitchen Hints and Tips #7 … How to Cut your Slices Perfectly …

  When I was learning how to cook, one of the things that frustrated me most was cutting a freshly made slice only to end up with it looking like someone had taken to it with a chainsaw. No matter how hard I tried, I used to crack the beautiful chocolate surface or get crumbs from the first couple of cuts all over the remaining pieces … sound familiar?   Well, many years, lots of trial and error and loads of practice, here are a few things I’ve learned to help you cut your freshly made slice, perfectly.   To remove your slice successfully from … read more

Kitchen Hints and Tips #6 … A Quicker, Easier Way to Prepare Crushed Garlic …

  What is it about garlic? I just love it and I use it all the time when I’m cooking. I never, however, shared the same passion for my garlic press. Using it was the easy part, but it was the cleaning that used to drive me crazy. I couldn’t simply throw it in the dishwasher without first using something pointy to remove the leftover garlic from all those little holes before rinsing it … and that was time consuming. But I had to concede that if I wanted fresh garlic, then I’d just have to put up with it … boo hoo!   Recently though, my garlic press broke … … read more

Simple Tips to Help you Organise the Kitchen Pantry …

  The pantry is one of the largest cupboards in the average home which also means it has the greatest potential to be the most disorganised. But because we can spend a lot of time in the kitchen and need to access things from the pantry several times a day, it’s important that it’s well organised and efficient so we can find things quickly and easily.   These are the four main reasons why I work hard to keep my pantry organised:   It saves money … if everything is easy to see, it means I won’t double up and buy duplicates of things I already … read more

Kitchen Hints and Tips #5 … How to Bake without Sifting your Ingredients …

  I love to bake and, over the years, I’ve made a huge variety of beautiful biscuits, slices, muffins, cakes, etc. They’re all tried and true recipes that give me confidence they’ll turn out perfectly every time.   I also love finding new recipes but any new recipe must pass the test and meet the following criteria, it must:   be simple … I don’t like recipes that are complex and much prefer recipes where the instructions are clear, logical and easy to follow with the ingredients listed in the order in which they’re needed.   be quick … read more

Kitchen Hints and Tips #4 … How to Freeze Bananas …

  My family loves bananas and I use them a lot in cooking as well but occasionally I end up with too many.  I don't like throwing them out or wasting bananas that are over ripe so I simply freeze them.   Choose bananas that have completely ripened as they will be the sweetest but, having said that, I do avoid bananas that have really started to blacken substantially. Try also to avoid freezing bananas that are still partly green as freezing won’t help them to ripen or improve their flavour.   There are three different methods that work quite well so … read more

Kitchen Hints and Tips # 3 … Tips for Making the Most of your Slow Cooker …

  I love my Slow Cooker and use it all year round.  I work part-time and it's especially ideal for those days when I know I'll be getting home late and won't have the energy or motivation to cook.  It's also wonderful for cooking for large groups of people or cooking a large quantity of a particular dish allowing me to freeze several meals to be eaten at another time … and that means I get a night off.   So to ensure you get the best results, here are some simple tips:   Before adding meat to your slow cooker, take the time to brown it by … read more