These ideas are meant as guide lines from
Auntie Val’s kitchen!
Hints and Tips for the Kitchen
How to keep egg yolks.
To keep a yolk of egg, after separating from the white (to make meringues etc) add to the yolk a few spoonfuls of water, this will keep the yolk for two or three days in the fridge.
Apple Juice
Apple Juice, save the water from cooking the apples, poor into a jug, cover tightly and place in the fridge! It will keep for about a week, a lovely refreshing drink!
Jam/Marmalade Sauce
If you have a jar of Auntie Val’s Jam or Marmalade hiding in the back of the cupboard (although I can’t understand, why this would happen) make a sauce by putting the jam or marmalade into a suitable container and microwave for a few seconds 30 seconds should be plenty (don’t make it too hot!) Chocolate Orange Marmalade melted in the microwave makes a wonderful sauce to pour on ice-cream, Rice Pudding, Porridge or sponge pudding! You can also glacé spare ribs with Root Ginger and Orange Marmalade. YUM!
A good way to use these leftovers!
Fish make into fish-cakes, Beef make into Curry or Ragout, Pork make into Hash browns. Chicken into Sweet and sour, Vegetables into pies or Veggie Cakes! You can find recipes for all of these in any good cook book!
A good way to use stale bread or the crusts (that no-one likes)
After using the oven and while still hot ,place the bread on a baking tray and put into the oven ,until quite hard , then grate and store in an air tight jar, Auntie Val’s jars washed and dried works well, these can then be used with your fish-cakes etc.
How to make a chutney dip
Open a jar of Auntie Val’s chutney, turn out into a small bowl, mash with a fork, till nice and smooth, you now have a quick and easy dip, Auntie Val’s Marrow and Red Tomato with some Anchovies added is great! You can fill Pastry Canapés with Chutney and the Chutney caramelizes and tastes wonderful. You can also spice up your gravy with a good spoon full of Chutney.
Grated Cheese
When out shopping for Cheese, check out the price of the ready grated, this is often cheaper per kilo than a block Cheese!
Bulk buying vegetables
When buying vegetables take advantage of the Buy-one–get-one-free offers, cook all the vegetables on the same day if you are able, or as soon after buying! You can then put them into containers in the fridge, plate them up and microwave; you can do this with potatoes too, mash some, roast some, this not only save you a lot of time each day but saves you money on energy bills!
Boiling vegetables
Remember when boiling veg, you only have to just cover with water before cooking too much water takes longer to bring to the boil.
Share the costs
If there is special offers on fruit, ask a friend to go shopping with you, you can pay halve each and have plenty of fresh fruit!
When preparing vegetables
If you are in the habit of taking the hard core from the inside of a Parsnip, don’t bother! After peeling the parsnip and cutting in halve lengthways score the hard centre two or three times with the point of a sharp knife and cook as normal ,I don’t parboil mine straight into a hot oven with the rest of the veg that I am roasting again to go into the fridge, for the week ahead!
This is one of my favourites, Brussel Sprouts!
What a fad to peel and put crosses on their bottoms ,all I do is take the outside leaves off and cut them in halve lengthways ,this shortens the cooking time (if you or a member of the family don’t like the taste of Sprouts ) after serving onto the plate ,drizzle a spoonful of Honey over the sprouts , Double Yum!
Tackling too much salt
If after making soup or stew and you find you have put too much salt, put some slices of peeled raw potato into the pot. This will take away much of the salty taste! Don’t serve up the raw potato though!
Leftover Pastry
Any leftover pastry, from baking pies etc. Freeze for another day!
Guide Lines for General Household money saving tips
Cleaning Brown leather shoes or bags
A good way to clean Brown Leather Bags or Shoes is to rub them with the inside of a Banana skin. I save mine after making Auntie Val’s Date and Banana Chutney!
Making your own firelighters
If you have an open fire, make your own firelighters by drying Orange peel and laying them with your sticks and rolled up sheets of news paper!
Making a wax polish
Save any odd ends of candles which are too small for burning, Bee’s wax candles are good for this! Melt them down; when liquid take out the wicks! Add equal amounts of Turpentine and store in an empty Auntie Val’s Jar, you now have a real good polish, warm very slightly before use!
Cleaning burned saucepans
If you have burned your stainless steel or aluminium saucepan, simply place halve of a Lemon in the pan, cover it with cold water boil hard for ten minutes ,allow to cool, The saucepan should now be clean!
Putting hot food in a fridge
Try not to put really hot food into the fridge as this uses far too much energy, allow to cool down and then put on the top shelf, so the warmth is not rising up past other food stuff in the fridge!
Saving Christmas paper
Save Christmas wrapping paper trim off any torn edges fold flat and save for next Festive Season!
Making dusters
If you are handy with the sewing machine cut old sheets up into squares, hem around the edges to make your own dusters and cloths!
Soothing nettle stings
It’s not just Dock Leaves that will take away the sting of the Nettle! Rub the affected area with Rosemary, Mint or Sage leaves!
Saving energy
Finally don’t forget to switch the lights off when you go to buy Auntie Val’s Jams, Marmalades and Chutneys!