Today’s cooking tool is a wooden spoon! Every cooks needs a good wooden spoon or two. I have one wooden spoon to use for sweet recipes like pancakes, and another wooden spoon that I use for savory foods like spaghetti sauce and stew!
Every cook needs a good wooden spoon or two
Wooden spoons don’t get hot to the touch.
Wooden spoons don’t scratch pots and pans.
Wooden spoons will not melt.
Wooden spoons are non-reactive. This means that
they will not change the taste or color of your foods the way that metal spoons
can sometimes do.
Keep your wooden spoon in good shape by rubbing it occasionally with mineral oil to keep the wood from drying out and cracking. Never let your wooden spoon sit in a sink filled with water. Instead, put the spoon in the dishwasher or wash and dry it by hand each time you finish cooking. Make sure it is completely dry before putting it away and your spoon could last for years!
A reader asked me this question. “If you knew you were going to get stuck on a desert island that had plenty of food, but you were only allowed to bring 10 kitchen tools with you, what tools would you bring?” What a great question! Each week, I’ll share one new cooking tool and explain why we need it and how to use it. Today’s tool is soap and water for clean hands.
Use one pump of soap and warm water. Time yourself by singing the ABC song as you wash.
Soap and Water!
The first thing every good cook needs to do is wash
their hands.
Our hands and paws are our most
important kitchen tool and we use them every time we cook! Clean hands won’t
spread germs. Clean hands also help keep our foods safe to eat.
Warm water works best to dissolve dirt and wash germs away. It takes about 25 seconds to sing the ABC song. Time yourself by singing the ABC song as you wash. For really clean hands, sing the song twice. Wash each finger, the front and backs of your hand, and your wrists. Germs love to hide in the space between your finger and fingernail. Clean your nails with a nail file or scrub under them with a nail brush. Rinse your hands under running water and dry them with a clean towel.
Whether I am swimming in it or drinking it, I love water!
Today is officially the first day of summer! I know many of
you have lots of fun plans during this break from school. How much time will
you spend outside this summer?
Did you know the bodies of both dogs like me and humans like you are made up of 60 % water? This summer remember to drink water to stay hydrated. When used as a verb, hydrate means to supply something with plenty of fluid. Hydrate your body by supplying it with plenty of water. I have a recipe for infused water that is delicious!
Did you know the bodies of both dogs and humans are made up of 60 percent water?
Water helps our bodies.
Water helps make saliva so that we can eat and digest food.
Water in our bloodstream transports the carbohydrates and proteins from foods we’ve eaten so that our bodies can use them as energy.
Water helps our joints move easily so that we can run and play.
Water delivers oxygen to our bodies as well.
Water keeps us cool by allowing us to sweat.
Water helps our bodies get rid of waste.
Your brain is made up of 73% water? If you get a headache after playing outside you may be dehydrated, which is the opposite of hydrated. Drink some water and you may start feeling better.
Our bodies get water not only by drinking, but also with some of the foods we eat. Can you think of an example of a fruit or vegetable that is filled with water? (If you said watermelon, I agree!)
So this summer don’t let your brains or bodies dry out! Drink water to stay hydrated. And if you want to see my favorite recipe for water, click here for my Fruit and Vegetable Infused Water recipes.
Make the infused water that tastes best to you. And then email me your favorite recipe!
You can mix anything you want into a glass of water to give it a different flavor. Some companies add sugar to water to try and make it taste better. Can you think of examples? If you said soda pop and sports drinks, you’re right.
I like to stay hydrated using my favorite drink recipe. It is called Fruit and Vegetable Infused Water. The flavors from the fruits and vegetables help to flavor the water. You can add any fruit, vegetable, or herb to your water to make an infusion. Or you can add a combination of these things. The choice is yours. Make the Infused Water that tastes best to you. And then email me your favorite recipe!
When I make Infused Water, I like to pretend I am making a magic potion that will give me superpower energy all day long. Today I am making different infused water recipes with fruits, vegetables, and herbs from my garden and refrigerator.
You can add any fruit vegetable or herb to your water to make an infusion. Or you can add a combination of these things.
I made four infused waters.
Watermelon and Lime
Grapefruit and Rosemary
Cucumber and Mint
Strawberry and Basil
Which one do you think will be the best?
Add a few pieces of your favorite fruit or vegetable and a
leaf or two of your favorite herb. The infused flavors will become stronger the
longer the water sits. Your infusion foods will last through a few refills of
your glass. And when you are finished drinking water for the day, you can eat
the fruits and vegetables that infused your water!
Good cooks know the word: infuse. To infuse means to steep (a fancy word for soak) something in liquid without boiling to remove the parts that will dissolve in water.
INGREDIENTS:
Fruit,
vegetables and herbs of your choice that have been washed
Water
Ice
TOOLS:
One paring
knife
One cutting
board
One drinking
glass or water bottle
DIRECTIONS:
Use a water
glass or reusable water bottle.
Next, add 2-3 leaves of the herb of your choice and ¼ cup chopped fruit or vegetable of your choice.
Fill your glass 2/3 full with cold water.
Add ice as
desired.
Remember, the flavors will get stronger as the water sits.
Make sure you empty and clean your infused water glass daily.
