Make a Disposable Grill Basket

Uh oh - need a grill basket? You can easily improvise with a disposable 12x8-inch foil baking pan. Poke several holes in the bottom and sides of the pan with the tip of kitchen scissors. Add your vegetables or small pieces of meat and place on the grill. Place a plate under the grill basket or foil pan when carrying it to and from the grill.

About The Author: Michele loves reading, learning and sharing with others tips and information that helps us live life to the fullest and with the most happiness possible. She writes books, reports and articles for readers of all ages.

Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved

Easy Twice-Stuffed Potatos

Making twice-stuffed potatoes just got easy! Use a serrated knife to halve the potatoes and a grapefruit spoon to scoop potato pulp from the skin. Once they are stuffed, the potato shells can be covered and refrigerated until they are ready to bake or grill.

Quick-and-Easy Salad Croutons

Need some crumbled salad croutons? You can quickly do this with little or no mess if you place them in a resealable plastic bag. Close the bag and crush them with a rolling pin. If you want to add some zest to the mixture, add some chopped pecans to the bag and shake lightly to mix.

Tip of the Day: Chopping Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Need to chop some sun-dried tomatoes? You can make the task so much easier and quicker by using your kitchen scissors. Leftover tomatoes can be refrigerated and added to your favorite pasta dish, sauce, salad or vegetable.

Tip of the Day: Storing Chile Peppers

Have you ever wondered what to do with those leftover chile peppers? Transfer them to a covered container and refrigerate them for up to 5 days. They are great and tasty additions to soups, pastas, rice or bean dishes or causes. For longer storage, put them in a sealed freezer container and they can be stored frozen for up to 3 months.

Tip of the Day: Marinades and Sauces

When marinades or sauces that have been used for brushing on meat, poultry or seafood, boil the mixture for at least one minute before serving. This will destroy any bacteria that might have been transferred from the raw meat during brushing.

Two for One Dinners: Eggplant

If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then here are some ideas to put the "zing" back into mealtime. With a little creativity your home-cooked meal can easily become a delicious meal another night. There are a six articles in this series, today we are going to look at what you can do with eggplant.

DINNER - NIGHT ONE: Eggplant Parmesan

Layer baked eggplant slices with ricotta and mozzarella cheeses and tomato sauce, then top with a mixture of breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese for a delicious vegetarian take on comfort food. Best when baked in a glass baking dish. Store leftovers, covered tightly, in the glass baking dish. Serve with steamed broccoli and bread twists.

DINNER - NIGHT TWO: Rigatoni with Eggplant Sauce

Up to two nights later, chop the leftover casserole coarsely, then toss it with leftover tomato sauce and mix with cooked rigatoni for a great pasta dish. Serve with a tossed salad and bread (optional).

About the Author: She loves to cook (or attempt to cook) and likes to collect recipes, cookbooks and tips and hints she can share with friends and family. Check out her online collection today!

Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email.

Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved

Shelf-Life Lingo

Have you ever wondered what the dates stamped on your food products really mean? Here’s a simple guide to understanding shelf-life lingo.

Pack Date: This is the date stamped when the product was actually packaged. It is not necessarily an indicator of freshness.

Sell-By-Date: This is the last day that a retailer can display the product for sale. The good news is that the food should remain safe to eat for as many as 10 days after the stamped date if it is refrigerated or stored properly.

Use-By-Date: This date means that the food is safe to eat until this date stamped. However, if there was mishandling or improper storage at the retailer store or the buyer’s home, which could cause damage or spoilage, this would have to be taken under consideration.

Best-If-Used-By Date: This is the most reliable date to use because it takes into account possible mishandling of the food product.

This should help you understand what all those dates are stamped on the food products. Make sure you understand which date and its purpose before you use your food products and you will remain happy and healthy.

About the Author: She loves to cook (or attempt to cook) and likes to collect recipes, cookbooks and tips and hints she can share with friends and family. Check out her online collection today!

Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved.