Julia Laflin - Life Skills: How to Cook, Clean, Manage Money, Fix Your Car, Perform CPR, and Everything in Between

Copyright 2018 by Summersdale Publishers Ltd.

First Racehorse Publishing Edition 2020.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Racehorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

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Cover artwork by Shutterstock.com

Interior artwork credited in the back matter

Print ISBN: 978-1-63158-492-3

E-Book ISBN: 978-1-63158-494-7

Printed in China

Disclaimer

Neither the author nor the publisher can be held responsible for any loss or claim arising out of the use, or misuse, of the suggestions made herein.

TO.............................

FROM........................

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Want to be that go-to person because you really know whats what? Then beef up your knowledge, add to your capabilities and include some new life skills in your repertoire.

Whether its to save time and money, impress your friends, help someone out or to get yourself out of a jam, this book is made for you. Theres a whole range of skills here to help you with both the down and dirty and the finer points in life.

Pick up a handy tip you might have missed, refine your sketchy understanding of a subject or try tackling some simple DIY. Learn how to handle yourself in a tricky social situation and how to secure a pay raise.

Keep this book on hand for when you need it, or check out the sections that appeal to you most. Whichever way you use it, start to build up your skill set now!

KITCHEN

Master these recipes and food storage basics and youll do nicely. There are also nifty tips on choosing wine and opening beer and champagne bottles, as well as advice on how to deal with a kitchen fire.

HOW TO
BOIL AN EGG

You will need a small saucepan, an egg, a large spoon and a timer.

Fill the pan with sufficient water to cover the egg. Place the pan on the stove and bring the water to a rolling boil. Gently lower the egg into the water with the spoon and reduce the heat to a gentle boil. Cooking times are based on medium-sized eggs (for large eggs add 30 seconds extra):

67 minutes for soft-boiled.

910 minutes for a firmer set.

1214 minutes for hard-boiled.

When done, lift the egg out of the water. For softer-boiled eggs, tap the top to crack the shell and prevent further cooking and serve. For hard-boiled eggs, drain the water from the pan and run the egg under cold water to cool it and prevent grey yolks.

HOW TO SEPARATE EGGS

Have two bowls, a saucer and a small cup ready. Carefully crack an egg onto the saucer. Place the cup over the yolk to contain it, then drain the egg white into one bowl. Tip the yolk into the remaining bowl. Repeat this process until all the eggs required are separated. Dont skip the cup and saucer processone broken yolk in the whites will ruin the whole batch.

HOW TO
STORE FRESH FOOD

Follow the storage recommendations on packaged foods. The best before date is intended as a guide for when the produce will taste best. The use-by date on items such as fish, raw meat, cooked products and ready meals deserves close attention as its these foods which could cause stomach upsets or full-blown food poisoning if the use-by date is not respected. Think of the best before as a quality guide and use-by as a health safety check. Make sure that you also finish these products within the stated time from openingfor instance, once opened use within three days.

Home-cooked foods and leftovers: Cool down, cover and refrigerate.

Meat: Store raw meat away from cooked foods and at the bottom of the fridge to prevent blood from dripping onto other food, which can cause food poisoning. Ensure that cooked meat is properly covered and refrigerated.

Fruit and vegetables: Store in the fridge if not using straight away or you dont wish to ripen them. Onions, potatoes and apples can be stored on a surface away from direct sunlight or in a cool, dark place, such as a drawer or cupboard. Tomatoes should never be refrigerated as they will lose their flavor.

Eggs: Once eggs are refrigerated they need to stay refrigerated, in order to reduce bacteria growth. The FDA requires all commercial eggs to be stored and transported below 45F, so all eggs bought at commercial US supermarkets need to be stored in the refrigerator immediately.

Cooked rice: Refrigerate as soon as its coolideally within 1 hour. Eat within 24 hours, either cold from the fridge or reheated until the center is hot. Never reheat more than once.

Shops sometimes display goods in chiller units because they are best served cold and to give them the appeal of fresh food. If in doubt, keep it in the fridge at home.

HOW TO
FREEZE FOOD

Generally, food should be frozen on the day of purchase (although if its stored in the fridge you can extend this time to nearer the useby date). Most ready meals and packaged raw meat and fish come with instructions as to whether they are suitable for freezing. Follow the label recommendations for how long you should store food in the freezer. If you exceed this date, there will be a deterioration in quality and texture.

If youre buying food from a butcher or deli counter, ask the sales assistant if it is safe to freeze it. Sometimes raw products have been previously frozen, meaning theres an opportunity for unhealthy bacteria to grow if they are re-frozen.

Its OK to freeze meat and fish again once they have been cooked in a dish. As a rule, cooked leftover dishes, soups and stews freeze well. Ensure theyre cold before freezing.

Use freezer bags with sealing clips or zip-lock tops and a permanent marker to label each bag. Clip tightly or fill to the topdont leave an air gap. Use rigid food containers for soups and liquids.

Foods that dont freeze well:

Raw foods with a high moisture content such as salad leaves, cucumber, watermelon or oranges, unless you plan to eat them frozen; they turn to mush when defrosted.

Creamy foods like yogurt, cream and custard which will separate into curds and whey.

Starchy foods like pasta and crumble toppings.

HOW TO
MAKE A SALAD DRESSING

You will need good quality olive oil, white wine vinegar or lemon juice, salt, Dijon mustard, runny honey and a clean, empty jam jar with a lid. This dressing will go well with any kind of leaf or raw vegetable salad; your friends will beg you for the recipe.