Kitchen Tips
Turn Any Food Into Something Special
 

Sprinkle fruit-flavoured gelatin powder over vanilla pudding to give it a pretty look and added flavour!

Freeze leftover coffee and tea in ice cube trays. Use cubes to cool down complimentary iced beverages without diluting them.

Make a plain coffee cake special by topping with your favourite preserves and grill until the topping bubbles.

Stir 1 or 2 teaspoons of mint jelly into iced tea for a refreshing twist.

Make ice cubes festive for a party by freezing sprigs of mint, maraschino cherries, lemon or orange peel in them.

Freeze some of the party punch in a ring mold, then float it in the punch bowl. This way the ice won't water down the punch.

For a taste treat and extra light pancakes, try substituting apple cider for the milk called for in the recipe for pancakes.

For a delightful change, serve your hot or iced drinks with citrus sugar. Bury strips of lemon and/or orange zest in granulated sugar to for a week or so to give the sugar a delicate citrus taste.

Add a little soda water to your favourite fruit juice to add a bubbly sparkle and to make the fruit juice calories go further!

Make plain brownies special by melting a few of your favourite candy bars, along with a splash of milk, in the microwave. Use the melted chocolate mixture to top the brownies.

Mash about 6 garlic cloves into a 1/2 cup butter, add chopped chives or parsley. Form into logs, wrap in plastic, and freeze. Slice as needed to melt onto meats, vegetables or use as a spread.

Flavoured oils give extraordinary lift to many dishes. Drizzle basil-flavoured oil over sliced tomatoes and mozzarella. Use roasted garlic-flavoured oil to perk up ordinary fried potatoes.

Add a finishing touch to desserts by garnishing with an ingredient used in the recipe, such as lemon slices on a lemon pie, peanuts on a peanut butter pie or chocolate curls on a chocolate pie or cake.