8 Minute Corn

Quick post on a tip I picked up from my boyfriend's grandpa - 8 minute corn. I didn't ask if it was his secret or if someone (like my boyfriend's mom) shared it with him, but it is something he told me about last week.

We stopped over to drop off some iced tea, and he and Granny (bf's grandma, but everyone calls her that) were enjoying a few ears of fresh corn on the cob. I barely cook corn at home unless it's fresh corn on the cob, because, well it's so damn tasty.

He says to me "Do you ever microwave your corn?" I had never tried this as a way to initially cook the corn, only as a way to reheat it. So I was curious. He continued to tell me that all you do is microwave 2 ears of corn for 8 minutes on high - husks on. Once it's done, you cut off the stalk end, cutting slightly into the bottom of the ear. Then you shake it down. The ear of corn falls out the bottom, and there is absolutely no silk on it! Amazing, right?

So if you're ever in a pinch (maybe you forgot to boil your water) give this a try. I'm not sure if you can cook more than 2 ears at a time. I haven't tries it. I'm guessing there would be a limit that you could cook for 8 minutes, but I'm not sure if that's 2 ears, 3 or maybe 4. Let me know if you find out!

What's Grandma's Secret?

It's a question I always wondered about. My grandma has always made my favorite oven roasted turkey. There was no comparing, and not even my mom could come close. There was always something particularly good about my grandma's turkey, a certain taste and texture no one else could achieve - very moist (sorry, Missy**) and with a slightly buttery/salty taste (but not too much). It was never dry, never bland. She didn't use a rub or fresh herbs.

Being curious, I finally worked up the nerve to ask her what her secret is, and if I wasn't at her house to eat turkey that day, I may have had a heart attack. Do you know what she told me the secret is? PAM. That's right. Pam cooking spray. It's as simple as that. She coats the turkey with cooking spray before covering it and putting it in the oven. She also says "don't open the roaster until the turkey is completely done" but we all know that, we just need to have the restraint and faith not to open it. All these years, I thought she had a special ratio of seasoning or liquid or method of cooking the turkey. The truth is, she may, but until I actually stand by her while she preps the turkey, I'll never know and no one else will either.

So this week, when I made my slow-cooker turkey, I sprayed it with cooking spray (I thought of this a few minutes too late. I had already first prepared and used a fresh herb mixture). Even though I didn't use my oven (I don't trust leaving it on while I'm at work all day - and it's been summer a.k.a. hot), I figured I could at least give the cooking spray a test run. You know what? It was good. So I guess, like most grandmas, she knew what she was doing with her cooking. I just didn't expect it to be so simple.

What other secrets does she have up her sleeve? I don't know, but I need to find out. If you have a favorite thing that someone in your family makes, find out (if they'll tell you). One of the best things about cooking is learning and passing along recipes.

**My friend Missy has a particular dislike toward the "m word" as she refers to it. And Betches Love This.

Sauce Saving Tip

Here's a quick tip for saving sauces that I usually find comes in handy when I'm making pizza. Pizza sauce comes in a 14 oz. jar or can, but I rarely use the entire jar making a pizza, especially if it's a personal sized pizza. Sometimes I like to buy the 2 packs of Boboli pizza crusts for a quick dinner where my boyfriend and I can personalize our pizzas (he likes pepperoni and bacon and I like vegetables). But back to the sauce. If you have leftover sauce from making pizza, chances are you won't use the rest in the same week. Sure it refrigerates for a few days, but freezing is best for longevity. The only problem is that saving the sauce in a ziplock can force you to use all your leftover sauce at once AND it takes quite a while to defrost.

I freeze my sauce in ice cube trays. Then once frozen, I pop each cube out and store them in a ziplock freezer bag until next time. That way, I can thaw out only as many cubes of sauce as I will need. They don't take long to thaw, and you get to choose how much sauce you have to use. So maybe one night I decide I want some sauce to dip a side in, or another night I want to make a pizza. I just pull out as many cubes as I think I'll need! Nothing goes to waste!

P.S. This is also a great way for someone cooking for one to preserve spaghetti sauce. You can always boil up some fresh pasta and defrost a few cubes of sauce for a quick dinner. I especially like this idea because I hate spaghetti leftovers.

Everyone Loves an Easy Clean Up

...Especially me! I love to cook and bake, but the clean up is like my nemesis. Having a heavy clean up puts a serious damper on the fun! So how to I defend myself?

First of all, before I start anything, I make sure my kitchen is cleaned up. Yes, I clean up before making a mess because there's nothing like having an even bigger mess to put a damper on your cooking fun. So, minimize the mess, and you won't feel so overwhelmed with dishes later.

Once you have started with your cooking or baking, try to clean as you go. Wash utensils that are easy to clean, and start soaking the dishes that will require more time. If you're using items that can be washed in a dishwasher, put them in the dishwasher as you go. That will get them out of your way right away. By giving yourself a head-start, you won't feel like you have so much to clean up when you're done!

Be smart, and help yourself reduce messes with the dishes you are cooking or baking in. Make sure you are preparing your dishes according to the recipe to avoid stuck sides, which will involve soaking and scraping to clean. Even if your recipe is cooked perfectly, you can be left with some nasty dish clean up. If you are baking, use parchment paper or silicone baking mats. If you are using a slow cooker, I highly recommend Reynolds slow cooker liners. If you are baking something like lasagna, try lining your pan with non-stick Reynolds foil or pan lining paper. Because I don't like to create a lot more product waste than necessary, I'd recommend only lining your pans for those big-mess recipes.

By wiping your countertops & stove top and cleaning dishes as you go, you get quite a head-start to the inevitable clean up. You'll find cooking or baking is less of a hassle and more enjoyable when you don't have to worry about cleaning everything at the very end!