by Author Name Withheld 67

Created on: November 08, 2008   Last Updated: November 24, 2008

Start clean to finish clean. - Wash your hands. Wipe off the preparation area and stove top, wash the dishes or load the dishwasher, and empty the sink. Put the used wash cloths and towels in the laundry and start with a clean set.

Empty the garbage. - Make sure the garbage bin isn't already full - you'll be adding to it.

Use larger sizes of mixing bowls. - Leave lots of room for the splashing and overflows that come from mixing and stirring.

Measure what you need and put the rest away. - Chefs on TV have lots of helpers to prepare the ingredients. It all looks so easy! But copying some of their techniques can keep things neat.

Be careful with the blender. - The blender is a great machine so long as the lid is on tight. Watch out with something hot like soup - it's almost explosive. Start with a little amount and work up - don't overfill the blender.

Slow down. - It's true: haste makes waste. Rushing the job leads to sloppiness and spills.

Use a spatter screen for pans without lids. - A spatter screen is not expensive. It looks a bit like a giant tennis racquet with a very short handle, and simply sits on top of an open frying pan to keep the hot oil under control.

Turn on the ventilation fan. - The kitchen will smell better if the cooking smells and moisture have been drawn away. Open the window in good weather. Don't use artificial scents or air fresheners - the chemicals do not combine well with the smell of healthy homemade food.

Fill the sink with hot soapy water and clean the utensils and pots as you go. - For larger pieces and things not usually placed in the dishwasher, it's best to wash them as part of the job of cooking. It's amazing how easy this is when the hot, soapy water is standing by.

Use dinner plates or trays to catch drips. - Anything wet - meat, cut-up fruits and vegetables - is tidier if kept on a plate rather than placed directly on the counter. Washing the extra plates isn't much extra work, especially with a dishwasher. Don't carry wet pieces of food across the kitchen - put them onto a plate to avoid drips on the floor.

Use the hot soapy water to wipe off the counters and chopping board when you are finished with them. - Do the same with the stove top - clean it off as soon as the meal is in the oven.

Spoon rests keep the drips in check. - More than just a cute knick-knack, a spoon rest or saucer is meant to be used. After stirring something cold, a wet spoon goes onto the spoon rest. For stirring meat, it's safer to use a fresh spoon each time, to avoid food poisoning. Heat kills the bacteria in the pot. Don't re-use a spoon that has been used on raw meat.

Finish cleaner than you started. - It gets easier every time.

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