I am a self-proclaimed “mouse mom”. What is a “mouse mom”? A mom that jumps on the computer any chance she can get to surf the web. I am now a master of the mouse and surfing the web. It’s my way of communicating (although it is one-way communication) with the world outside of my house. Since Ilan was born and I became a stay-at-home mom I have become a wee-bit out of touch with society and world happenings. I start every web surf attempting to read the local newspaper, New York Times, or Washington Post, get wwwaaaayyyyyy sidetracked and end up on some mom blog or small business website just poking around and getting lost.

Today I found my way to the Austin-based business, Casserole Queens (www.casserolequeens.com). Sandy Pollock and Crystal Cook are the Casserole Queens and they specialize in making pre-made foods/casseroles and delivering them to your doorstep. I have never tasted one of their meals but they sure sound delicious and perhaps best of all, each meal has the nutritional information available on the website. Aside from the delicious sounding meals they offer there is also a section on their website that lists great kitchen tips. Trust me on this one, you want to read every single one of these. They are great!

Casserole Queens Kitchy Kitchen Tips:

1. Tired of spaghetti sauce-stained plastic containers? Spray them with nonstick cooking spray first to prevent this food stain faux pas.
2. Garlic fingers be gone! Zap garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds and the peels will slide right off.
3. Coat your measuring spoons with cooking spray first, to avoid ingredients sticking. (Unless you prefer to lick them clean.)
4. Raise a rubber glove if you’re tired of cleaning stubborn skillets. Remove the burned on food easily by adding a drop or two of dish soap, enough water to cover the bottom of the skillet, then bring to a boil. Life just got easier.
5. Soften up hard crumbly brown sugar by placing a piece of bread in the bag.
6. Good egg or bad egg: If the egg sinks in a pan of cool, salted water, it’s fresh. If it rises to the surface, get the stinker out of your kitchen!
7. The root of the onion lasts longer, so save that leftover half for another meal.
8. If washing your plastic containers still isn’t getting rid of that odor, crumple a piece of newspaper inside and the smell should be gone like yesterday’s news.
9. The perfectionist pancake-maker uses a meat baster every time.
10. Boil-overs are no fun. To prevent this messy mishap, just apply a thin coat of cooking oil around the top of the inside of pots.

Baby Besos Kitchen Tip*:

1. Tired of the foil/wax paper/cling wrap roll rolling out of the container every time you try to tear a piece off? On the edge of each long side of the box are two little push points labeled “Push Here”. Push those tabs in and the tab locks the roll into place! You’ll never have to fuss with a run-away roll again.

*Tip. Singular. One tip is all I have. Sorry, but I wish I knew more about my way around the kitchen.

-Victoria