First cut it crosswise across its' equator then scoop the seeds out with your finger.
Many recipes use crushed peppercorns. Settings on a regular pepper mill are too fine. So if you don't have a mortar and pestle, just use a natural coffee filter! Fold the peppercorns inside the natural coffee filter and smash them with the flat side of a tenderizing hammer. The filter keeps pepper from flying everywhere, and it gives you a convenient funnel that you can throw away.
To stop your cutting board from slipping while you're cutting something in it, use a "Rubbermaid" nonskid matting. It works better then just a simple damp towel and you can cut the exact size you need for your cutting board(s).
Here's a helpful idea for getting tomato paste out of the can. Open both ends and remove one lid. Extract the paste carefully pushing on the other lid with your thumbs (Watch out for the can edge!) You'll get every bit.
If you work with chillies once in a while, you will know that they burn your hands. Just keep a bottle of vinegar or alcohol nearby. Rubbing a little on your hands after chopping chillies cures the burning.
If you grow your own herbs and you always seem to have more then you can use or give away, arrange them with a few fresh flowers in a vase, forming an herb bouquet. This different presentation not only looks great, but ti's also very aromatic.
To hollow out mushrooms for stuffing, use a melon baller. First remove the stem, then scrape out the gills and a little from inside the cap (mis this in the stuffing). It makes a nice shape with lots of space for good stuff!
I only use one or two tablespoons of tomato paste at a time and I usually end up wasting the rest of the can. I've read tips about freezing paste in ice cube trays- divide the paste into exact tablespoon measures. Put them on a plate and freeze them. When frozen solid, slip them in a Ziplock bag and keep frozen. The next time you need tomato paste, it's already ready for you!
Make bone removal easy. Cook that bird in a large pasta pot with an insert! When the broth is done, just lift out the insert. It catches the meat and bones but leaves all the broth behind in the pot. No more fishing for stray chicken bones!
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