Category: Kitchen Hacks

Make Mouthwatering Holiday Ham!

Scott

Score your ham with a knife and glaze it before cooking to create crispy skin and a more complex flavor! This works for both prepared and fresh hams! Follow the steps below to make a Mouthwatering Ham!

Step # 1. Make parallel cuts across the ham, about a 1/4 inch deep, 1 inch apart, then repeat in the opposite direction to create a checkered pattern.

Step # 2. You can insert a clove or additional seasoning in the cuts to give the ham an extra shot of flavor.

Step # 3. Use a pastry brush to apply glaze to the ham, allowing it to get into the cuts. Reapply the glaze a few times while the ham is in the oven.

Quickly Ripen Fruit!

Scott

If you bring home unripe fruit, here is a Kitchen Hack to expedite the ripening process!

Quickly ripen your fruit by placing the unripe fruit in a brown paper bag and loosely close the top of the bag. The fruit will give off a gas called ethylene and the bag will allow the gas to circulate around the fruit, which speeds up the ripening process.

If you want your fruit to ripen even faster, throw a banana into the bag. The combination of the bag and the additional ethylene from the banana will leave you with soft, ripe fruit in no time!

How to Cook Perfect Pasta!

Scott

When cooking pasta, add a splash of olive oil to the water to prevent the pasta from sticking together!

After the pasta is finished, drain the pasta and season the cooked pasta with salt and black pepper! Now you are ready to add your sauce and toppings. Search Mercato.com for the best local pasta merchants!

Create a Homemade Steamer!

Scott

Steaming food is healthy and it maximizes juiciness! You can steam vegetables, meat, and seafood!

Don’t have a steamer? Not a problem. You can easily create one by following the steps here:

Step #1: Place three balls of aluminum foil in a large skillet.
Step #2: Add water to the skillet.
Step #3: Set a heatproof plate of food on top of the foil balls.
Step #4: Cover the skillet to start steaming!

Easily Peel Potatoes With This Hack

Scott

Save time peeling potatoes this holiday season! Easily peel boiled potatoes by dunking them in ice water after they’re cooked. The temperature change will shock the skins loose and make peeling a breeze. Watch the video and read the steps below to learn more!

Step # 1: Boil potatoes until they are tender (you can check by poking the potatoes with a fork or knife).

Step # 2: Drop the potatoes in ice water for 5 – 10 seconds. The temperature change will shock the skins loose and make peeling a breeze.  It is important to only place the potatoes in the ice water for 5 – 10 seconds.

Step # 3: Peel the potatoes by hand! If the skin heats back up from the core heat of the potato, you can quickly dunk back into the ice water!

Create a Natural Roasting Rack For Your Turkey!

Scott

Create a natural roasting rack for your turkey by layering carrots, onions, and celery on the bottom of the roasting pan!

Lifting the turkey off the base of the pan helps to increase hot air circulation evenly around the whole turkey so that it will get crispy all over. And the vegetables can add great flavor to the gravy!

If you do not have enough vegetables handy, you can also create a homemade roasting rack by coiling up tin foil at the bottom of your pan into thick ropes.

Thanksgiving Menu’s are now available on Mercato, place your pre-orders now before supplies run out!

 

Kitchen Hack: Use a Cookie Cutter to Remove Pumpkin Pulp

Scott

Removing seeds and pulp from a pumpkin or squash can be a mess! Next time, try using a round, metal cookie cutter to easily scrape the seeds and pulp out of a pumpkin or squash. The sharp edges of a cookie cutter help cut through the pulp much easier than a spoon.

We hope you have a Happy Halloween and a cleaner pumpkin carving experience this year!

Check out more Mercato Kitchen Hacks.

 

 

Kitchen Hack: Use an Apple Slicer to Make Potato Wedges

Scott

Using an apple slicer, you can get potatoes cut and ready for the fryer, frying pan or oven in no time.

To do this:

1) Slice the end of the potato to create a flat, stable base.

2) Set the potato on the cutting board and push the apple slicer down over the potato, cutting it into steak fry-size wedges.

3) Cut the center piece in half lengthwise before cooking with the rest of the slices (so all slices are of similar size).

4) Cook and season as you wish! Be on the lookout for more Kitchen Hacks from Mercato!