How-to Cook Eggplant

If you don't like eggplant, chances are you've had an eggplant dish that was improperly prepared. Eggplant is not hard to cook, but certain steps should be taken to ensure that it's tender and not bitter.

1. Choose a fresh eggplant. An eggplant that is soft and bruised is old, and will not taste good. You can store a fresh eggplant in your crisper for 2-3 days.

2. Wash eggplant, and cut off the stem ends.

3. Dice, slice, or otherwise cut the eggplant according to your recipe. If your eggplant contains many seeds, you should sweat the bitterness out of them by salting the eggplant and letting it sit for 30 minutes. Afterwards, pat dry. If your eggplant is young enough and contains few seeds, you may omit this step. Most eggplants benefit from sweating, however.

4. Toss the eggplant with a good quality olive oil.

5. Eggplant can be roasted, sautéed, grilled, steamed, and baked. Cook until the eggplant's cell walls break down and the eggplant is tender. This usually takes about 40 minutes at a high temperature.

The Benefits of Drinking Tea

The health benefits of tea are numerous and have been documented and studied for hundreds of years. Most studies have focused on green tea, as green tea leaves have undergone minimal oxidation and therefore contain more antioxidants. However, black, white, and oolong tea are also known to have health benefits. The health benefits of drinking tea include:

• Fights Cancer. Many teas, especially green and white tea, contains cancer fighting antioxidants.

• Boosts Immunity. Studies have shown that tea drinkers have higher blood levels of anti-bacterial proteins that help fight off infection and disease.

• Calms Nerves. L-Theanine, and amino acid found in green tea leaves calms the central nervous system.

• Promotes Healthy Teeth. Tea leaves contain fluoride, which helps strengthen teeth and fights cavities.

• Lowers Risk for Alzheimer's and Cognitive Impairment. Tea drinkers have shown to have less age-related dementia than non-tea drinkers, probably due to the antioxidants found in tea, which are thought to disrupt enzymes that contribute to Alzheimer's and other age-related mental disorders.

5 Creative Uses for Olive Oil

Olive oil is well-known for its heart-healthy properties, but it has plenty of other uses, too.

Shine Stainless Steel. If you want to brighten your stainless pots, pans, and utensils, drop a bit of olive oil on a clean rag and start rubbing!

Easy Clean-Up. Olive oil rubbed or sprayed on cooking utensils before using will help prevent sticking.

Protection From Jalapenos. Coat your hands in a light layer of olive oil before handling jalapenos, and the irritating oils won't penetrate your skin.

Kitty Care. A teaspoon of olive oil added to your cat's food will help prevent hairballs.

Soothe Earache. Olive oil, especially garlic infused olive oil, is exceptionally effective at easing earaches. Simple warm the olive oil to a lukewarm temperature and drop a few drops into the troubled ear.

How-to Store Fruits and Vegetables for Freshness

Potatoes, onions, and garlic should be kept in a cool, dry place, away from light.

Store mushrooms in a paper bag, not plastic.

Tomatoes should be kept at room temperature, unless they've been cut open.

Apples stored in the refrigerator will stay crisper longer.

Bananas should be separated from the bunch and stored in a cool place away from other fruits, as their ripening process gives off a gas that forces other fruits to ripen faster as well.

Easy Make-Soup-From-Anything Ideas

Soup is great for cold days, when you're sick, or when you just don't know what to make for dinner. Soup is also very versatile and easy to make. You basically throw ingredients into a pot, cover them with stock or water, and let the heat of the stove do the rest. Almost anything can go into soup—vegetables, pasta, meats, beans, rice, herbs and spices, and the like. If you keep any of these ingredients on hand, you have the makings for a soup any time. Check out The Kitchn's ideas on "How-to Make Soup From Almost Anything."

Hanging Baskets

Copper Three Tiered Hanging Baskets
The Copper Three Tiered Hanging Baskets is useful for storing fruits, veggies, and dried goods in the kitchen, toiletries and towels in the bathroom, or to organize any other space in your house. The baskets measure 8", 10", and 12" in diameter, with an overall hanging height of 31". $17.95.

Hanging Baskets from Useful Things.


Bronze Three Tiered Hanging Baskets
This stunning gleaming bronze three tiered hanging basket set will look great in any room in your house, or even outdoors! Use it in the kitchen, bathroom, office, or fill the baskets with moss and plant flowers or strawberries in them. The baskets measure 8", 10", and 12" in diameter, with an overall hanging height of 31". $21.95.

Hanging Baskets from Useful Things.

Chrome Two Tiered Hanging Baskets
Made from shining chrome, this elegant looking two tiered hanging basket set has an overall height of 24" and contains two baskets at 11" in diameter. It's perfect for smaller spaces that need organizing—use it in the kitchen, bathroom, office, laundry room, or any other space where storage is limited. $21.95.

Hanging Baskets from Useful Things.

Useful Quick Cooking Tips

The 3:1 Ratio: For great tasting homemade salad dressings, the ratio of oil to vinegar should be 3:1. This ratio ensures that your dressing has enough body and isn't too acidic.

Ingredients Lift: If your baked goods suffer from "bottom of the pan" syndrome (your added ingredients such as chocolate chips and nuts end up at the bottom instead of distributed throughout) try coating them in a light layer of flour before adding to the batter.

Quickly Soften Butter: You're baking and your recipe calls for softened butter, but yours is solid and cold right out of the fridge. What do you do? Roll the butter out like you would a pie crust. Place it between two large pieces of parchment or wax paper and press down, rolling the butter out until it's ¼ inch thick or less.

5 Creative Ways to Eat Nuts

Nuts are loaded with protein and heart healthy fats, but besides from eating them by the handful, here are five creative ways you can enjoy nuts:

Salads. Add a handful of toasted hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, or any other nut to your salad and you'll be rewarded with great taste, texture, and nutrition.

Milk. Give up the cow for almond or soy milk.

Butter. Sure, you've heard of peanut butter, but peanuts aren't the healthiest nut. Almond butter is a popular alternative, and readily available in supermarkets.

Breakfast. Add a handful of nuts to your cereal, yogurt, or oatmeal in the morning, and the extra protein will give you a boost.

Pie Crust. Make a pie crust with almond meal instead of flour or graham crackers.

Composting in Small Spaces

Living in a city doesn't mean you can't compost. Nowadays, there are many options available for urban dwellers. Small compost pails that fit under sinks or on countertops are sold nationwide, and they often come with charcoal filters for those concerned about odors.

What can you compost? Anything that will break down, including food items, hair, and paper. It's recommended, however, that meat should not be composted, as it tends to attract rodents. Don't compost plastic, cloth, or toxic chemicals.

You will need to add other organic matter such as leaves, pine needles, newspaper, worms, and coffee grounds, to your compost in order for it to break down properly. These items contain nitrogen and carbon, which help the decay process.

What can you do with your compost? If you can't use it yourself, donate to a community garden, or give it away free on Craigslist.

For more information and ideas, read "How to Compost in an Apartment or Urban Living Space" via Web Ecoist.

Herb Scissors

Snipping fresh herbs has never been easier! These Herb Scissors feature a set of five, sharp, 3" stainless steel blades that quickly and neatly snip your herbs right where you want them. The handles have a soft silicone lining for a comfortable grip, and the Herb Scissors are dishwasher safe.

Herb Scissors from Useful Things.

Bottle Pour Spouts

These stainless steel bottle pour spouts can be used for oils, vinegars, sauces, salad dressings, wine, and other liquids. Simply replace the lids on your frequently used bottles with the pour spouts and your favorite condiments are ready for action. The bottle pour spouts feature a natural cork and stainless steel construction.

Bottle Pour Spouts from Useful Things.

Five Heart Healthy Plants

The following plants have been shown to: reduce high blood pressure, improve cholesterol, normalize heart rate, reduce inflammation in the arteries, strengthen blood vessels, and more.

Astragalus is effective in lowering blood pressure.

Barberry is useful for reducing and normalizing heart rate and lowering blood pressure.

Chrysanthemum is used to treat circulatory disorders, including atherosclerosis (inflammation of the arteries), and high blood pressure.

Garlic is often used in treating arteriosclerosis, circulatory diseases, and heart disorders.

Hawthorn provides many benefits to the heart, including dilating coronary blood vessels, restoring heart muscle wall, and lowering cholesterol. It's commonly used to treat chronic heart failure, high blood pressure, and an irregular heartbeat.

Before taking any of these plants or herbs, consult a doctor.

Wall Mount Bottle Opener

Mount this bar-style Wall Mounted Bottle Opener on your wall and it will always be there when you need it. At only 2.5 x 3 inches, the bottle opener will fit in small spaces and look great wherever you put it, may that be in your kitchen, game room, or garage. It costs $6.95 and comes with mounting screws.

Wall Mount Bottle Opener from Useful Things.

Pour Spouts

These stainless steel pour spouts can be used for oils, vinegars, sauces, salad dressings, wine, and other liquids. Simply replace the lids on your frequently used bottles with the pour spouts and your favorite condiments are ready for action. The pour spouts feature a natural cork and stainless steel construction.

Pour Spouts from Useful Things.

Wall Mounted Bottle Opener

Mount this bar-style Wall Mounted Bottle Opener on your wall and it will always be there when you need it. At only 2.5 x 3 inches, the bottle opener will fit in small spaces and look great wherever you put it, may that be in your kitchen, game room, or garage. It costs $6.95 and comes with mounting screws.

Wall Mounted Bottle Opener from Useful Things.

Herb Scissors

Snipping fresh herbs has never been easier! These Herb Scissors feature a set of five, sharp, 3" stainless steel blades that quickly and neatly snip your herbs right where you want them. The handles have a soft silicone lining for a comfortable grip, and the Herb Scissors are dishwasher safe.

Herb Scissors from Useful Things.

Bottle Pour Spouts

These stainless steel bottle pour spouts can be used for oils, vinegars, sauces, salad dressings, wine, and other liquids. Simply replace the lids on your frequently used bottles with the pour spouts and your favorite condiments are ready for action. The bottle pour spouts feature a natural cork and stainless steel construction.

Bottle Pour Spouts from Useful Things.

The Difference Between a Sweet Potato and a Yam

Is a yam orange? Is a sweet potato white? Or are they both orange? Yellow? Pink, purple, dark brown? If you've visited a well-stocked supermarket, you've seen all of these colors. But are they sweet potatoes or yams?

A true yam is not related to the sweet potato. They are tropical tubers with crisp, bland, whitish-yellow flesh. Unless you are in the tropics, it's more than likely that what you're purchasing is a sweet potato, even if it's labeled a yam. Yes, even those cans that say Yam in big letters are sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes can be orange-fleshed, yellow-fleshed, large, small, short, long, tan-colored, brick-red, dry, moist, sweet, or bland. They are what you will find in every mainstream supermarket in the U.S., not yams.

Wall Mount Bottle Opener

Mount this bar-style Wall Mount Bottle Opener on your wall and it will always be there when you need it. At only 2.5 x 3 inches, the bottle opener will fit in small spaces and look great wherever you put it, may that be in your kitchen, game room, or garage. It costs $6.95 and comes with mounting screws.

Wall Mount Bottle Opener from Useful Things.

How-to Harvest and Dry Basil

To harvest fresh basil, wait until your plant has several pairs of leaves, approximately 2-4, and is 8 inches to 1 foot tall. If you only want a few leaves for a dish, snip off the top leaves, just above the next lower node. In a healthy plant, this can be done as often as once a week. More extensive harvesting can be done every 3-4 weeks.

After harvesting, wash your basil and spin or pat dry. If you want to use it fresh over the next couple of days, wrap the dry basil in paper towels and place it in an airtight bag in the fridge. If you wish to dry the basil, bundle the whole leaves, wrap a string or rubber band around the stems, and hang the bunch to dry. The drying process will take about a week. If you live in a humid climate, it may take longer. After the basil has dried, store it in an airtight container away from heat and light. It will last about a year.

Pour Spouts

These stainless steel pour spouts can be used for oils, vinegars, sauces, salad dressings, wine, and other liquids. Simply replace the lids on your frequently used bottles with the pour spouts and your favorite condiments are ready for action. The pour spouts feature a natural cork and stainless steel construction.

Pour Spouts from Useful Things.

Tips for Using Fresh Herbs

It is generally best to add fresh herbs to the dish right before serving to retain their flavor and appearance.

When using fresh herbs in lieu of dried, triple the amount the recipe calls for.

To clean fresh herbs, immerse them in a large bowl of cool, salted water. The salt will drive away bugs without damaging the plant.

Thoroughly dry fresh herbs before chopping, or they will bruise and become discolored.

Chop fresh herbs finely to release more oils and maximize flavor.

Wall Mounted Bottle Opener

Mount this bar-style Wall Mounted Bottle Opener on your wall and it will always be there when you need it. At only 2.5 x 3 inches, the bottle opener will fit in small spaces and look great wherever you put it, may that be in your kitchen, game room, or garage. It costs $6.95 and comes with mounting screws.

Wall Mounted Bottle Opener from Useful Things.

Making a Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Making your own salad dressings is more economical and healthful than purchasing store bought varieties. This simple balsamic vinaigrette recipe will save you money and also tastes better.

Combine equal parts balsamic vinegar with equal parts olive oil. Start with 3 tablespoons, and make more if needed. Add a teaspoon of sugar or honey for every 3 tablespoons oil/vinegar. Add ¼ teaspoon black pepper and a dash of salt. Whisk to combine.

Option: Add two cloves of peeled, crushed garlic to the dressing, and store in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid overnight. Shake well before use, and discard garlic.

How-to Eat a Pomegranate

Pomegranates can be tedious to eat if you don't know how to remove the seeds all at once. While most people cut the pomegranate in half and pick the seeds out one by one, this is time-consuming and messy. The step below will guide you on how to efficiently and effectively separate the seeds from the pith.

1. Cut the stem off the pomegranate.

2. Slice the skin into segments without cutting all the way through the fruit.

3. Place the pomegranate in a bowl of water and let it soak for about ten minutes.

4. After the fruit has soaked, break open the sections and agitate the seeds. The seeds will sink to the bottom while the white pith will float.

5. Remove the pith from the bowl and send the seeds through a strainer.
Now you have a bowl full of beautiful pomegranate seeds, and nothing else.

Wine Storage Tips

Storing your wine properly will ensure the quality of the wine is maintained for the wine's shelf life. There are three main things that can effect wine: light, temperature, and air.

Light
UV light can penetrate wine bottles and alter the taste of the wine. Store your wine in a dark place.

Temperature
Wine stored in too warm of a room can age faster than it should, and wine stored in too cold of a climate, can cause the cork to shrink, thus letting air in. It's best to store your wine between 50-55 degrees, and keep the temperature constant.

Air
Air causes wine to oxidize and age prematurely. You will be able to taste this, as your wine will begin to resemble vinegar if it's exposed to too much air. To eliminate air contamination, store your bottles horizontally, so the wine is against the cork. You don't want your cork to dry out and let air in.

Five Quick Ways to Save on Your Grocery Bill

1. Go to the store on a full stomach. If you go to the store hungry, everything will look good, even that expired-two-days-ago deli-roasted chicken.

2. Plan your meals. By planning your meals, you’ll save a lot by not buying costly convenience food, such as frozen dinners. Plan three to four meals for the week, put all of the ingredients you’ll need for those meals on a list, and stick to that list when you shop. You may find yourself eating healthier, too.

3. Buy in bulk. You can save a lot money buying some items in bulk. Spices and nuts are two items that are almost always significantly cheaper to purchase in the bulk section. For pasta, beans, cereals, flours, and the like, comparison shop.

4. Check the bottom shelf. Grocery stores frequently place the more expensive items at eye-level, so for the best bargains, look lower.

5. Compare different stores in your area. You might be surprised at how drastically prices between stores fluctuate. Of course, if the store with the best prices is further away, paying the extra in gas to get there might not save you any.

How-to Peel a Pineapple

Pineapples look intimidating with their tough outer shell and spiny skin. And that tough skin makes it hard to get to the juicy inside. To enjoy a fresh pineapple, however, all you have to do is follow these four steps.

1. Cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple.

2. Working carefully, cut the spiny rind off the sides, taking care to leave as much of the flesh behind as you can.

3. Using the end of a peeler, cut the "eyes" out of the pineapple flesh. The eyes are the dark spots.

4. Cut the pineapple in rings, then, using a paring knife, remove the core of each ring.

Quick Meal Tip: Tortilla Pizzas

Everyone loves pizza, but who has the time to make dough? If you have tortillas on hand, use them as your base instead. They are tasty as well as quick. Your pizza will be ready in a matter of minutes. Heat a can or jar of marinara sauce, chop some veggies, grate some cheese, and throw the pizza in the oven, toaster oven, or microwave, and you're done. They are a great way to use leftovers, and feed those hungry kids after school.

A few easy combinations:

Red pepper and mushroom.
Pepperoni and olive.
Taco. (Ground beef, beans, and cheese.)
Plain cheese.
Veggie.

Also try with pesto or cream sauce instead of marinara.

Five Heart Healthy Foods

While heart healthy foods are in abundance, there are some foods that lead the heart healthy pack. Here are five excellent choices:

Salmon. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help regulate the heart, reduce blood pressure, and combat inflammation.

Oatmeal. Oatmeal is a whole grain. Whole grains are loaded with fiber, iron, and B Vitamins.

Almonds. Nuts contain healthy unsaturated fats, protein, antioxidants, and vitamins. Almonds in particular are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and folate.

Beans. Beans, especially black and kidney beans, are loaded with B Vitamins, magnesium, calcium, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Red Wine. In moderation, red wine can thin the blood, making it less likely to clot, lower cholesterol, and provide the body with plenty of antioxidants.

How-to Pit a Mango

The mango doesn't have a traditional small, round pit. Instead, it has a long, flat pit shaped like an oval. The pit is also fibrous, and hard to cut around. The skin of a mango must be removed before eating as well, as it contains an oil similar to poison ivy and poison sumac. Use this step-by-step guide to remove both the peel and pit of a mango.

1. Place the mango on end, so that the stem is facing downwards.

2. With a sharp knife and working lengthwise, cut off the first third of the mango, then the end third section, leaving the middle third section behind. The middle section is where the pit resides. Some pits are larger than others, and you may have to adjust your cut.

3. Take the two sections that contain the fruit and make lengthwise cuts through the flesh, taking care not to cut all the way through the peel.

4. Make crosswise cuts through the lengthwise cuts, again taking care not to cut through the peel. At this point, you should have nice cubes of mango.

5. Peel the segments off the peel, or use a paring knife. Now, you're ready to eat.