KITCHEN GOOD THINGS!

I will probably sound like a broken record but I do have one of the best jobs possible--working for Martha Stewart. At my fingertips I have the best tips, recipes, ideas, one could possibly imagine. Of course this gets me in trouble whenever I bring a baked good, or project to my daughter's school--unless it's worthy of 4 stars--I'm frowned upon...afterall I do work for Martha Stewart!

I love being able to apply what I learn from Martha in my own house--especially the kitchen. Not sure if any of you saw Lucinda Scala Quinn on Martha this week with her quick and easy potsticker recipe. I will make some this weekend and let you know how it works out...but I must say that it seems to be one of the most easy family friendly recipes you can even imagine. It's featured in Everyday Food Magazine and also online http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pork-and-chive-pot-stickers?

Here are some of my quick "Good Things tips" which I learned from Martha that I think you may find helpful too.

1. When you have some wine leftover from dinner or a party (I actually don't personally know anyone who ever does have any leftover...but if you do)...freeze it in an ice cube tray and use the wine to enrich sauces and gravies and stews and braises.

2. When you're scooping ice cream for kids into an ice scream cone place a mini marshmallow in the bottom of the cone first to prevent drips (of course I don't really have a tip to prevent drips from the sides of the cones when my girls let the ice cream melt away...but this prevents it coming through the bottom of the cone).

3. (this good thing is actually one of my own ideas to help save time)...when you buy meat which you plan to marinade... pour the marinade in a ziplock bag and place the meat inside. Freeze the meat with the marinade until you plan to use it. Then the meat marinades when you defrost it and its ready when you're ready to use it. I buy London Broil in bulk...make one motherload of marinade and freeze the meats in their marinade and then before I leave I take the meat out to defrost and it's ready when I come home to make dinner.

4. Save ends of bread and partially dry stale bread and either break them into tiny pieces yourself or if you have a cuisinart pulse them to make your own bread crumbs...you can add spices like dried basil or oregano to give it a little punch.

5. TAKE PHOTOS OF YOUR FOOD...especially when you go out to dinner or you're eating something you truly want to re-create. I learned this from Martha who photographs everything. When my sister Celena got married I took photos of all her food served. Then I created a book which included many of the photos...she was so grateful for this since that's one memory from her wedding that wouldn't have been recorded unless we had done it.

6. Freeze seasonal fruit...I love making a blueberry cake and my family loves devouring it. Frozen berries work best...I think because they have so much moisture--the cake becomes so moist....but frozen blueberries are so expensive...in the summer when blueberries are abundant--freeze the berries for later use.

I would love to hear about some of your good things...I promise to post even more...but I have to run for a meeting. You can email me at threepluskids@aol.com