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.