Works for Me Wednesday- Kitchen Tips

 Man are you in luck this week. I am providing not one, not two, but 3 tips to help you out in the kitchen. In honor of Lily’s 4th birthday, I am just in a giving kind of spirit.

I love to cook. I cook from scratch most nights, but I try and avoid things with a lot of prep work. Mostly I hate chopping, cutting, slicing, dicing, you get my point. Here are 3 tips to make using a knife easier.

1. Avocados: Cut lengthwise around the seed and rotate halves in opposite directions to separate. Take your knife and slam it down into the pit (this is a great way to get rid of pent up aggression-not that you have any). Rotate the knife and the pit should pop right out onto the knife. While the avocado is still in its skin, cut into slices (whatever shape you are going for) without cutting through the skin. Spoon out avocado from skin. Make guacamole and eat entire bowl full in one setting (last step is optional, but highly recommended).
2. Peppers: Cut a little off the top and bottom of the pepper. Stand up so that the newly cut bottom is on the cutting board. You should be looking down at a rectangular tube with a white seedy core. Cut down each side of the rectangle avoiding the white veins. When done you should be left with 4 sides that are seed and rib free. All the seeds and ribs should stay in one piece in the middle, and you can discard. (sorry I don’t have pictures, but I can’t find the camera)
3. Onions: Slice the top off the onion and peel off the skin. Holding the onion firmly picture the onion as a compass. Make parallel cuts from north to south across the face of the onion, but do not cut all the way through. Make them as deep and as far apart as you want your diced pieces to be. Now make the same cuts from east to west, perpendicular to the first cuts made. You onion should look like a grid. Holding the onion firmly, place on its side and carefully slice down. You should end up with a big ol’ pile of diced onion.

One bonus tip: I find it easiest to cut a tomato using a serrated bread knife. It doesn’t seem to squish (very technical cooking term) as much.

Those are the kitchen tips that work for me. What works for you? For more tips, head on over to Rocks In My Dryer.

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Jill is the author of The Diaper Diaries. She has been changing diapers for 6+ years as a stay at home mom of three children. She also has a devoted husband who graciously puts up with this little internet hobby. They all probably wishes she would exercise a bit more discretion as she shares their life's ups, downs and in-betweens with anyone willing to read it. You can (almost always) find her on Twitter @DiaperDiaries.

14 Comments »

1. Lady Why says:

   Great tips! I’m an expert on the avocados. My husband LOVES guacamole!

   [Reply]

   September 25th, 2007 at 10:47 pm

2. xboxwife says:

   These are awesome tips! I love to cook but am not particularly skilled in the knife department!

   Thanks for sharing!

   Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife
   http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/

   [Reply]

   September 25th, 2007 at 11:15 pm

3. fussypants says:

   Love to blog! So glad to “meet” you!

   [Reply]

   September 25th, 2007 at 11:22 pm

4. fussypants says:

   I don’t use spell check or proofread!
   I meant to say, I Love YOUR Blog.
   D’oh!

   [Reply]

   September 25th, 2007 at 11:23 pm

5. Nikki says:

   I love all your tips. And now I’m thinking about guacamole too. Mmm… or seven-layer dip. Mmm… with onions. mmm… and tomatoes…
   trying not to drool on the keyboard now.

   [Reply]

   September 25th, 2007 at 11:55 pm

6. Kathy in WA says:

   Hey, it’s late and I’m hungry. No fair passing along kitchen tips. And me with plenty of fresh from the garden tomatoes but no avocados. How am I gonna whip up some guacamole??

   Thanks for sharing.

   Duckabush Blog

   [Reply]

   September 26th, 2007 at 1:00 am

7. tonsofsons says:

   I love guacamole! Thanks for the tips..

   http://tonsofsons.wordpress.com/

   [Reply]

   September 26th, 2007 at 7:32 am

8. SAHMmy Says says:

   Great tips! The idea for slicing the avocado IN THE SKIN is a revelation–thanks!

   [Reply]

   September 26th, 2007 at 9:15 am

9. Nap Warden says:

   I am the avocago queen! I will try the onion now!

   [Reply]

   September 26th, 2007 at 9:39 am

10. Kathryn says:

    I love these tips! I, too, figured out the serrerated knife tip for tomatoes, but I still have not mastered the art of dicing the onion. I will certainly be following this method next time I’m onion dicing. (Which will probably be later today.) thanks.

    [Reply]

    September 26th, 2007 at 10:15 am

11. Nic says:

    Thanks for sharing those great tips!

    [Reply]

    September 27th, 2007 at 5:29 am

12. Tamara Cosby says:

    I have to add that pampered chef has an avacado thingy (you like MY technical term;)…it is FABULOUS! LOVE THE TIPS!

    [Reply]

    September 27th, 2007 at 7:48 pm

13. Renee says:

    Thanks for those great tips!

    [Reply]

    September 28th, 2007 at 9:18 am

14. Nic says:

    And thanks for dropping by my blog and leaving a comment!

    [Reply]

    September 28th, 2007 at 9:20 am

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