Simple Home Solutions

I am back home after a week's cruise, well rested and ready to start blogging again!

This is actually the name of my book "Martha Stewart Living Simple Home Solutions" which sells on my Amazon storefront www.amazon.com/stores/oneofakindcookbooks for $9.99. This book is filled with hundreds of great ideas for the kitchen and your home.  Here are just a few of them.

Baking Powder Test-To ensure that baking powder is still potent, drop a half teaspoonful into a glass of warm water.  If it immediately foams and rises to the top, it's still sufficiently active.

Perfect Egg Whites-Just a speck of yolk can make egg whites impossible to whip and wear out even the most determined cook's arm.  To remove small bits of yolk, use the egg shell as a scoop.  The yolk will be attracted back into their shell, and a jagged edge will capture even the tiniest spot of yellow.

Saving Tomato Paste-Keep tomato paste from going to waste when your recipe calls for just a tablespoon or two.  Open both ends of the can; discard  one end, and keep the other in place.  Wrap the can in plastic wrap; freeze overnight.  Use the metal end to push the frozen paste out of the open end; discard can.  Tightly wrap unused portion, and store in the freezer for up to three months, slicing off what you need as you cook.

Quick-Peel Kiwi-Here's a great way to skin a kiwi.  Trim both ends of the fruit, then carefully ease a tablespoon between the flesh and the fuzzy peel.  Turn the kiwi, gently pressing the back of the spoon against the peel as you go.  The flesh should slide right out in one piece, perfect for cutting into neat, round slices.

The recipe I have chosen is from "The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook" by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins, which sells for $59.99.

I have chosen a Flank Steak recipe.  Flank steak is wonderful when cook properly.  Normally, I marinate the flank steak with a soy sauce for a couple of hours, but this recipe is a complete change from what I make and it's wonderful.  I use leftover flank steak to make steak tacos or quesadillas.

Flank Steak with Garlic-Ginger Sauce

1 flank steak (2 pounds)

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

Make the sauce (below).  Preheat the broiler.  Sprinkle both sides of the steak with the soy sauce and sesame oil and rub into the meat.  Broil 6 inches from the heat for 5 to 7 minutes per side, depending on desired doneness.  Cut the steak diagonally into thin slices.  Overlap 5 or 6 slices on each serving plate and top with several spoonfuls of the garlic-ginger sauce.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

Garlic-Ginger Sauce

3/4 cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic, finely minced

3 tbsp chopped fresh ginger root

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into small dice

5 scallions, sliced

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup water

1 tbsp dried oregano

Pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a medium-size skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic, ginger and carrots and saute for 10 minutes.  Stir in the scallions and saute' 2 minutes more.  Add the wine, water, oregano and red pepper flakes and simmer uncovered over low heat for 30 minutes.  Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. 3 1/2 cups.

Happy Cooking!