Baking Tips To Make Your Life Easier

Fall is squeaking in, and you know what that means: baking season! Here's a few tips to help with your baking:

To keep little hands and pets out of the dough, rise the dough on top of the fridge. It's usually warmer from the fridge itself on top, and heat also rises (plus, it gives you a reason to keep the top of the fridge clear, and clean)

Or if kids are older, and you have an older TV, or a gaming system that's being used - rise it on top of those. Both give off a little heat, and will help the dough rise faster.

If you never seem to grease the bottom of your baking pans enough, and the breads or muffins always stick: consider tracing the outline of the bottom of your pans onto wax paper, then cutting it out, and placing it on the bottom of the pan before pouring out the batter. When it's done baking, and you've loosened the sides, it should slide right out. Peel the wax paper off the bottom slowly while it's still warm!

Waiting until the last minute to decorate your cake? Freeze the cake for a half an hour, then decorate and cut. It will help stop the cake from crumbling.

Still have leftover chocolate from Easter? (probably not, if you are anything like me. LOL) Here's an excuse to purchase a little extra chocolate on clearance, or use the last of that leftover chocolate before it goes completely stale. Pull out your cheese grater, and grate the chocolate! It's just like adding baking chips to your cakes and muffins, and a whole lot cheaper, especially when bought at 90% off!

Grease your spatula before lifting cookies from your cookie sheet. It will cut down on crumbly cookies.

Get the top of bread or rolls a little crusty by brushing it with egg whites.

Aluminum foil hidden underneath a cloth napkin in a serving basket on the table will help keep bread and rolls a little warmer during dinner.

If you have a slightly older oven, wait five minutes past when the oven says it is ready to put your food in. Often, parts of your oven are that temperature, but not the whole oven. Doing this makes your goodies bake more evenly.

Don't waste that leftover bread that no one wants to eat! Let it dry out in the oven, then grate with that cheese grater, in a food processor, or in the blender on chop. Use the bread crumbs instead of store bought ones in meatloaf recipes, etc. Store in the fridge for use that week, or freeze for use later! You can mix a little dried parsley or oregano in with it. (Do the same with the leftover tortilla chips at the bottom of the bag - just stick them in a ziploc, squeeze out all the air, and take your rolling pin to them, or even just crush them with your hands. They make great toppings onto casseroles!)

It's easy to make spice butter: Let the stick of butter come to room temperature by placing it on a cookie sheet on top of a bowl of warm water, then mix in a teaspoon of oregano, basil, or whatever spice you have on hand. Mix well, and put back into the fridge until serving time.

Take advantage of the sales on baked goods. Both flour and brown sugar can be easily stored in the freezer, and brown sugar won't get hard if stored this way! It also keeps bugs out of your pantry. (bonus: if you loose the power, your freezer is more full and will stay frozen longer than if it is half or less full)