How to Pickle Veggies

This adds color and crunch to any dish. Do it in 3 easy steps.

Check out the below to see how:

1 Combine 2 parts vinegar and 1 part sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil until sugar dissolves. In a separate saucepan, quickly blanch sliced carrots and bell peppers.

2 Place some peppercorns in a sterilized jar. Using tongs, put the vegetables in the same jar.

3 Pour vinegar-sugar mixture into the jar until all vegetables are covered. Store in the refrigerator overnight before enjoying.

How To Peel and Devein Shrimp

Learn how to clean seafood before cooking for an ocean of culinary possibilities.

Check out the demonstration below:

1 Pull off the head and legs, then remove the shell. Reserve heads and shells for making stock.

2 With a paring knife, make a shallow slit along the back of the shrimp.

3 Use the tip of the knife or your fingers to carefully remove the vein.

4 Ways To Flavor Food

Some of the most delicious dishes are flavored pre-cooking. Here are ways to do it.

If you think flavoring food is just a matter of adding spices and seasoning while cooking, think again. Some of the most delicious dishes are flavored pre-cooking. Here, four ways to do it.

Liquid marinade

General rule: It should contain an acid like vinegar to tenderize meat, an oil to prevent drying, and flavoring like pepper. Asian cooking makes do with any one or two of these, like soy sauce and garlic. 

Spice rub

This is a form of dry marinade. Spices, herbs, and seasonings are usually rubbed on meat, poultry, or fish, and are left to sit for 20 minutes or overnight. Like the liquid marinade, it can be used on all kinds of food.

Brine

A solution of water and salt used to season, pickle, or preserve food. Usually used for chicken, pork, and seafood.

Basting

The sauce is usually applied to food while it is cooking, and it's best applied in the final 10 to 20 minutes of cooking. Great for just about anything.

3 Tips to Keep Salad Ingredients Fresh

How to keep greens as crisp as possible.

You may want to try our list of salad recipes.

Place washed greens on a clean tea towel. Carefully roll up and secure with rubber bands on each end. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

After washing and spinning the salad greens dry, keep them in the salad spinner and stash it in the fridge.

For vegetables to be used in fresh salads, soak them in a bowl of water mixed with a little baking soda. The dirt from the vegetables will settle to the bottom of the bowl.

How to Separate an Egg

Here's how to separate the egg yolk and egg white in 3 easy steps.

Crack the egg on the side of a bowl. Gently slide the yolk from half-shell to half-shell, letting whites leak into the bowl.

Set a slotted spoon over a bowl. Crack a super fresh egg over the spoon, letting the whites fall through the slots.

This twist on the slotted spoon method replaces the spoon with your hand, egg whites falling through your fingers.

Cooler-packing tips

Going on a road trip? Here's how to secure your baon.

Have a separate cooler for drinks and food, as the cooler with the beverages will most likely be opened more often. Also, pre-chill the beverages.

Instead of ice cubes, you can use store-bought ice packs. They keep cooler longer, and if there is a freezer at your destination, you can freeze them again. It saves water!

For coolers that you'll use to keep hot food, wrap containers in foil and use kitchen towels to fill up the spaces. The towels will keep the food warmer longer and prevent the containers from moving around.