QUICK TIP: Easy clean up

This quick tip has savings on the back end of this tip. One area that many home chefs fail to take advantage of is the clean up. In most restaurants, anytime a pan is put into the oven, it is lined with parchment paper. Of course, restaurants use full size sheet pans. Most home cooks will find that a half sheet pan will fit a standard size oven. In the restaurant setting, parchment paper comes in a box with sheets the size of the full size sheet pan. For home use, you are reserved to buying a roll, 30 sq ft.

So, why use it. The wonderful thing about this is that is not only good for making clean up a bit easier, but also helps in keeping foods from sticking to the pan. Bacon cooked on a layer of parchment paper will not burn as easily as directly on the pan. Cookies will slide off the pan. Meatloaf will lift right out of the pan when the pan is lined with parchment paper. Cakes cooked with a paper barrier between the cake and the pan will lift off the pan without breaking (just remember to peel away the paper before icing the cake). Of course the payoff is an easier clean up.

It is a bit pricey, about $3.50 a roll (look for coupons for 50 cents to $1 off), but the savings in not loosing food to sticking to pans, burning or ruined cookware will be worth it.