When making stuffed cabbage instead of taking the time to boil, peel and boil. Put the head in the freezer for 1 week. When defrosted cabbage leaves peel off easy.

In order for a meal to have full flavor, all items in the recipe must be seasoned such as,the meat, the sauce.. ..

Never wash pasta in cold water after cooking. Wether it is used for a salad or a hot dish. Add the appropriate oil to the pasta and toss every few minutes until room temperature, cover and refrigerate. Washing pasta will make your finished dish watery and sauces won't stick to the pasta.

Matzo balls - use chicken fat, cook no more than 8-10 at one time and use an ice cream scoop to form quickly dropping them into boiling chicken stock seasoned with salt so the ball will have there own flavor. A bland matzo ball in soup is a bland soup.

Mashed potatoes - Steam the potatoes, keeps the nutrients and flavor in, have cream, milk and butter hot, use wire whip(my preference) or ricer(more work). Season early and don't over mix.

Whipping egg whites - Add superfine sugar when about 3/4 done in a copper, stainless or glass bowl at room temperature. First choice is copper.

Pie doughs - Have the bowl, flour and fat refrigerated.

Never use baking soda to keep green vegetables green. For best results steam them(best), or cook them in rapidly boil water with salt. Chill immediately in cold running water or ice.

Potato chips - slice them with a potato peeler and soak in water 1/2 hr. to remove starch. Allow to dry before frying.

Boiling eggs - 13-14 minutes from cold water using highest heat until boiling, peel when warm

Mixing flours and dry ingredients can be done with a thin wire whip instead of sifting.

When pounding any meats or poultry to save cleaning and splatter on you place between two pieces of clear film/saran wrap with a few drops of oil on both sides to prevent sticking.

Salt and pepper is used to season just about everything so make a mix of both in a plastic container and save time

re-heating mashed potatoes or pasta in sauce or similar items make a double boiler and cover the items, no chance of burning or drying out the food.

When roasting whole chickens or duck etc. (excluding turkey) Set oven at 425 degrees. for the time it takes to see golden brown skin, lower to 250 now you will have less shrinkage and a more juicy bird.

When grilling, broiling or sauteing fish score the skin side placing slices just exposing the meat 1 inch apart. This will kept the filet from curling

To save money and have the size you want, buy a whole boneless strip loin to make your own ny strip steaks. Do the same with boneless pork chops. Buy the whole pork loin.

Herbs and spices- don't use such a heavy hand that your guest will say "I taste thyme" the best compliment is "so tasty, what's in it"

Salad eaters. Instead of washing your greens and drying them on a towel buy a salad spinner to save you time and space.

Liquor in cooking- never buy cheap or cooking wines. Taste matters and a good bottle of cognac or sherry will shine on your dinner plate.

Roasting a prime rib or shell steak/strip loin season with salt and pepper and use low temperature to reduce shrinkage. It helps to add mirepoix and your favorite herb.

Bread crumbs of choice - panco - gives a crusty finish or freeze your favorite bread, take off crust and grind in cuisinart a more delicate texture.

Onions or shallots in rice dishes, always sweat them translucent or brown them for more flavor. Don't just throw them in to pot with rice and stock and if herbs are involved add them with onions.

Honey - when measuring rub a little oil on the measuring cup or spoon, honey will slid out with ease.

Peppers with long veggies ( green beans ) never dice peppers, they won't cling to vegetable, julienne thin and they will cling to veg.

honey - substitute honey for refined white sugar. Many articles written to show honey is more beneficial.

Sesame oil - don't ever buy one that is clear, buy only dark color roasted smells and taste like sesame

Pork ribs - bbq - don't ever boil 1st, like many restaurants do. Season and bake in oven at 250 degrees until tender, then finish on BBQ with sauce.

deep frying - Don't guess what temperature your frying at. Buy a thermometer and fry with clean oil @ 375-380 degrees. Maintain the temperature and your food will be greaseless. Food will be dripping with oil if not hot enough.

Kitchen equipment - 12" balloon piano wire whip to make smoother sauces. Cuisinart CSB-76 SmartStick 200-Watt Immersion Hand Blender is what I use at home to puree sauces and soups while cookng.

Saffron - When using saffron with onions or shallots, add the saffron to the onions when mincing or chopping, more flavor.

Sauces - saving - freeze up to 6 months. Defrost, simmer for 10 minutes to have original consistency and taste.

Onions or shallots - peeling - Don't cry anymore, run water on them when peeling.

Liquor - cognac, marsala, sherry, etc. Don't buy top of the line but never buy the cheap liquor. This stuff doesn't spoil so buy middle of the road for cooking. Wine is another story, it doesn't last but after cooking with a good bottle, you will enjoy the rest with dinner.

Turkey - roasting - 2/3 of the roasting time, breast down end result a jucier turkey.

Salt - cut out the salt in your recipes and replace with pepper and herbs. This is for personal use not when cooking for others. Salt is the number 1 flavor enhancer.

Vegetables - fresh vs. frozen - unless the fresh produce is of the highest quality, go frozen.

Water - boiling - the temperature is the same whether you boil slow or fast so save on fuel and heating up the kitchen.

Cakes - cutting technique - dip the blade of the knife into hot water if you want a perfect clean cut

Poultry - roasting - put some sea salt into the cavity, seasoning the skin doesn't penetrate into the meat, only makes the skin tasty.

Olive oil - cook with regular olive oil. Add extra virgin to the food for flavor after cooking.

mini pastry shell substitute- use a narrow zuchinni slice a 1 inch piece using a melon baller to take out the center. Now you can stuff it and bake it.

gluten free baking-use xantham gum and guar gum together for better texture

sauce-quick-sauteing thin pieces of meat or poultry-remove item, add wine or stock to deglaze pan scraping pan- pour over cooked item.

pork ribs - cooking - for BBQ never boil. Season both sides with salt and pepper and what ever else you desire. Cook slowly in oven at 225 degrees 3-3&1/2 hours, not wrapped, when done remove from oven and raise temperature to 450 degrees or turn on BBQ, brush on sauce finish on either for a few minutes.

Doughs - sugar gives browness to dough, eliminate sugar, lighter crust, sugar acts as catalyst for yeast, If milk is over 110 degress yeast is killed, to much salt will kill yeast, increase sugar and yeast by 50% for a quick dough finished product might be sweeter since yeast cannot absorb all the sugar and only 1 rise for 45 minutes is needed.

Oatmeal-If you like steel cut oats but you don't like to wait either cook them the night before or soak them in cold water in the pan you cook them in. That's what I do.

Shrimps- Always use shell on shrimp and if making a sauce, don't disgard the shell. Boil them and use the stock in your sauce.

Parsley- You buy a bunch of parsley and use 1/4 cup then you place the bag of parsley in refrigerator bin and wait for it to rot. Put some water in a container and place the parsley stems down and leave in refrigerator.