Monthly Archives: December 2012

How to Clean Stainless Steel Pots and Pans

How to Clean Stainless Steel Pots and Pans

Dirty pans

Thanks to all of the cooking I’ve done this holiday season, my stainless steel pots and pans are a mess! I’ve tried soaking them in Dawn dish soap, soaking them over night, boiling soapy water in them, but nothing would remove the maple cherry sauce I made for our Christmas Chicken (oh my, that was a wonderful meal. See below for the recipe.).

This afternoon I decided to try something else – I boiled equal parts water and vinegar with a teaspoon of baking soda in each pan. For the larger pan I used 3/4 cup water and 3/4 cup vinegar and I only used 1/2 cup for the smaller pan. Every few minutes I would scrub the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. And WOW! It worked! Check out my before and after pictures below.

If you want the recipe for the maple glaze chicken check out the “Favorites” section of my website or click here http://www.borderhoarder.com/delicious-maple-cherry-glaze-recipe/. Not only will you know how to make this delicious recipe, you’ll know how to clean your pans afterwards 🙂

Clean pans

Delicious Maple Cherry Glaze Recipe

Delicious Maple Cherry Glaze Recipe

I made this wonderful dish for our Christmas dinner and it was a big hit! Make sure you use real maple syrup and not Aunt Jemima or other “fake” syrups. You can make this sauce ahead of time and keep it your fridge for up to three days.

2/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons minced dried tart cherries (usually in the same aisle as other dried fruits)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce

Directions
1) Combine the syrup, water, cherries and soy sauce in a small sauce pan and heat over medium heat. When it starts to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

2) Add lemon juice to mixture and stir well.

3) Add sugar and stir until completely dissolved. You can taste the glaze to make sure it’s sweet enough for you. Since different brands of syrup have varying degrees of sweetness you may need to add more.

4) Once your glaze is sweet enough, use it right away or store it in the fridge for up to three days.

I made mine a day ahead of time and poured a little over my chicken breasts about 10 minutes before the chicken was finished baking. I also added more when the chicken was finished. You can serve your chicken over rice or next to any side dish you choose (my fam loves mashed potatoes so that’s what I served it with) with a little sauce on the side in case any one wants extra. This glaze is also great on fish!