Category Archives: Kitchen tips

Blog repost…Because summer is not over yet. A Simple and Delicious Iced Coffee

Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts are not going to like this blog post of mine. You see I was addicted to their iced coffee until I found the secret to making my own that was just as smooth and delicious (and of course costs less). Its a great timesaver since one batch makes several servings. You can even double or triple the recipe if you are really lazy like me. The eco-friendly girl in me likes that there is no waste since you use every drop of coffee. The flavor is so smooth since this brewing method produces coffee that is less acidic.

And…here is the recipe (from your favorite blogging barista):

In a jar, stir together 1/3 cup ground coffee
(Medium-coarse grind is best) with 1 1/2 cups water.
Cover and let rest at room temperature overnight or
for 12 hours.
Strain twice through a coffee filter, a fine mesh
sleeve or a cheesecloth. Pour into a tall glass
filled with ice, mix equal parts coffee mixture and
water. If desired add milk.

A simple way to keep your grill clean

Who likes scraping and cleaning the grill after a great barbecue season? Not I, so I have a great tip for you. Thanks to Luicio, our darling teacher at the Chopping Block cooking school. Its so simple, I love it! No toxic heavy duty grill cleaning solutions needed. Just multi-purpose olive oil, a pantry staple.

Dedicate a clean rag to being your grill rag. Oil it with olive oil. (does not need to be the fancy extra virgin kind). Before and after grilling, rub the grates with the oiled rag. Store it in an airtight container near your grill for the next use. No need to wash the rag after each use, just once a season.

This additionally keeps the grates lubricated so that your food doesn’t stick to them.

Ahhhh…Enjoy your summer everyone!

The secret to simple and delicious iced coffee

Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts are not going to like this blog post of mine. You see I was addicted to their iced coffee until I found the secret to making my own that was just as smooth and delicious (and of course costs less). Its a great timesaver since one batch makes several servings. You can even double or triple the recipe if you are really lazy like me. The eco-friendly girl in me likes that there is no waste since you use every drop of coffee. The flavor is so smooth since this brewing method produces coffee that is less acidic.

And…here is the recipe (from your favorite blogging barista):

In a jar, stir together 1/3 cup ground coffee
(Medium-coarse grind is best) with 1 1/2 cups water.
Cover and let rest at room temperature overnight or
for 12 hours.
Strain twice through a coffee filter, a fine mesh
sleeve or a cheesecloth. Pour into a tall glass
filled with ice, mix equal parts coffee mixture and
water. If desired add milk.

How to make an amazing cup of coffee

In the past, coffeemakers have not been my friend. For one reason or another they stop working or the carafes break easily and I am paying more to replace the carafe than the cost of the appliance. That is, until I discovered a nifty gadget called the coffee press. Making coffee does not get any simpler than this. You just put the grounds in, pour boiling water over them, let it all sit for 5 min, then press. Presto! No electricity needed, no more filters to buy and it may free up some counter space. The most important part, you get an amazingly rich cup of coffee that is much more flavorful than any automatic drip one would make. I bought mine at Ikea and we will be friends forever!

A Hard Habit to Break

We all have bad habits we need to break. Mine was the constant use of the paper towel. I have a holder conveniently placed on my kitchen wall where I can always grab my next piece when I need it. I was in denial until I went to a Live Green, Save Green talk given by a woman that calls herself  The Green Mama. I am always interested in saving money so I took her advice and put 2 pretty baskets under my sink, filling one with clean washcloths and the other with clean dishrags. The next time I needed to clean off my messy toddler’s face, I used a washcloth. When I needed to clean up spills on the kitchen counter, I used a dishrag.

The result? No more Costco package of Bounty for me. I have a couple rolls that should last me the whole year. My wallet and the earth are thankful for it.

Now if I could just think of what to do with the holes in my wall left from the paper towel holder.

New uses for ice cube trays

Here are a handful of ideas to get some use out of those ice cube trays you have in storage:

Freeze leftover tomato paste when you don’t need to use the whole can for a recipe. Spoon leftover paste into an ice cube tray in 1 tablespoon measurements. Once frozen put into a freezer safe ziploc bag and label. They are ready to use in your next recipe. (No more wasted food).

At the end of the summer I make pesto and marinara sauce and freeze it in trays. When I want a serving of sauce I just heat up a cube in a pot to defrost. I haven’t had to buy jarred sauce in years.

Squeeze lemon and lime juice in 1 tablespoon measurements into a tray. When frozen they make great additions to a glass of water, a pitcher of iced tea, or other countless recipes. Or better yet, make lemonade/limeade. I buy the Costco size bag of lemons and have fresh lemon juice for months upon months.

Enjoy! :)

No more waiting for rice

Here’s my first tip that I got from the Tribune this weekend.

Freezing rice:
Why buy the instant rice in the store or wait 45 minutes for brown rice to cook? You can precook rice and freeze it. Healthier, cheaper, quicker…
Next time you cook rice, make some extra. Wait for it to cool, put it in a freezer safe bag, press down to let all the air out and put it in the freezer. When you go to reheat it add some water, fluff and serve. Ta-da!