How to Master Your Kitchen

*Today is my grandma's birthday so happy birthday Grandma. I love you!

How to Master Your Kitchen is a series that I started several weeks ago because I believe that having the right tools in the kitchen will help each of you be a better cook or maybe even want to cook a bit more frequently. You have certain tools at work that you have to make your job a bit easier and functional, I feel the same goes with kitchen tools. This was the inspiration for this series. The previous installments in this series are: whisk, stand mixer, garlic press, tongs, citrus juicer, steamer, zester, food processor, Dutch oven, a box grater and a rolling pin.  

Today's installment of How to Master Your Kitchen is another kitchen essential. I am talking about the cutting board today. A cutting board is very important because you want to protect your kitchen counters and because you want a clean surface to cut whatever you are cutting on. Cutting boards can be made out of several different types of material, wood, bamboo, plastic, marble, etc. Some cutting boards may be flexible so they can be folded to pour the food you just cut into a pot or bowl. Cutting boards will come in different sizes, larger ones, circular ones and then smaller ones. I have three different size cutting boards. Some cutting boards will have a groove near the edge of the cutting board, this will catch any juice running from the food you are cutting. This board is very handy when I count the countless watermelons I will consume this upcoming summer. No joke on the countless watermelons either. :-)

It is important to keep your cutting board sanitary for food, regardless of the type of material your cutting board is made. Some common cleaning solutions are your basic soap and water, or bleach or even a half of a lemon. It will help take stains out of a plastic cutting board. For wood cutting boards, mineral oils are great for preserving the wood. The oil doesn't allow water to seep into the grain of the wood, which would destroy your wooden cutting board and make it warp. 

If your cutting board has odors, rinse the board, rub some coarse salt onto the surface of the board and let the salt work its magic into the odors for a few minutes. Then rinse the salt off and your cutting board will be free of odors. 

Any questions about cutting boards?
p.s. you know who just so awesome and so sweet that I wish I was in real life friends with, Callie Collins? She sent me a text last night that I needed to hear with a quote that took my focus off of myself and back into God and His plans for me, rather than my plans for myself. Thank you Callie, you know my heart!