Tip #2

I'm on a roll today. Two whole posts!

Tip #2
Forget to soften your butter? You have three options for getting it soft quick that I know of.

Option 1-This is what I usually do
Chop it up just a bit and throw it in your Kitchenaid with the paddle, not the whisk. The motion will incorporate a little bit of heat and the beating will soften it.

Option 2-If you don't have a Kitchenaid
You can put it in a ziplock bag and beat it with a rolling pin.. a smooth mallet, a high heel, whatever is handy.

Option 3-It takes a little longer, but it does work
You can place the cube of butter in a cast iron pan for 10-15 minutes. I'm not sure the exact reason this works but it has something to do with the cast iron being a very efficient heat conductor. It works for speeding up the meat thawing process as well.

Tip #1

I'm in the wedding industry, so have been slammed and neglecting my poor little blog for too long. Luckily, bridal season is winding down so I can give More Basil! a little bit of attention.

So here it is! My very first kitchen tip for accident prone readers like me. When cutting fruits and vegetables, stick a fork in the end to hold it, that way you don't have to risk whacking off your fingers.

About the Blog

For my first post I thought I should tell you a little bit about what this blog will be. It will be a collection of original recipes, cooking tips, food facts, and pretty much any other food related things I find interesting.  I chose the name because you can never have too much basil! It even goes with sweet things. I was born and raised in Sonoma County and will probably always live here. It's a great area to live if you love to cook, great restaurants for inspiration, fresh ingredients, lots of farms. Cooking is my hobby, and my husband loves to eat, so we make a great pair.  I hope you enjoy the blog as much as I will enjoy writing it.