This is a revision of a revision of a revision of a post I did in 2011.... have added many more things that I've found helpful and time-saving in the past seven years.... enjoy!
AROUND THE KITCHEN AND THE REST OF THE HOUSE.....
A shake or two of salt on top of your coffee maker (on the
grounds) will keep the coffee from becoming bitter if it’s not drunk right away
– ESPECIALLY effective if you are using a 30 cup coffee maker
Always store spice SEEDS (caraway, sesame, celery) in the
refrigerator to prevent them from becoming rancid
NEVER let mayonnaise stay out of the refrigerator more than
15 minutes – whether in the jar or in a recipe… the eggs in it are very quick
to spoil and can cause severe food poisoning
Before slicing meat for fajitas or stir fry, freeze it for
30 minutes – it slices much easier
Turn your oven on for 3-4 minutes – then turn it off and put
your plates in it – warm plates are a really nice touch, especially for a
winter breakfast.
NEVER cook a shrimp more than 4 minutes!
The best coffee you will ever brew at home is Dunkin’ Donuts
Whole Bean… grind your own…
Rinse your fresh fruit – especially berries – in a 10:1
water:vinegar wash. You won’t taste the
vinegar and it will kill mold spores that cause fruit to grow gray fuzz and
rot, so you can store them a few extra days
To quickly scale a fish – add vinegar to a large bowl of
water and slosh the fish in it – the scales will wipe right off
When making deviled eggs, add a packet of Equal or Sweet ‘n
Low to the filling – it’s delicious!
Try adding chopped green olives to your chicken salad for a
tangy surprise
Every kitchen needs 5 GOOD KNIVES – a 7” HOLLOW EDGE Santoku
for chopping EVERYTHING; a serrated bread knife, that doubles as a slicing
knife; a paring knife for peeling, etc.; a 6-7” utility knife for slicing
cheese, small meats, etc.; an 8” chef’s knife for everything else, including
protection, and an electric carving
knife to use at Thanksgiving and Christmas to carve the ham or turkey – BUY
GERMAN (Wusthof or Henckels) KNIVES – THEY ARE THE BEST ON THE MARKET and they
will last forever! Throw out every other
knife you own! (Six knives if you want
to add a pizza wheel !!!) BTW – the new
ceramic knives are sharp as a razor – got a free one in the mail, sliced into
my finger and FINGERNAIL first time I used it.
One other item I find unique AND necessary is a pair of STAINLESS STEEL needle-nose pliers. (About $16 on Amazon)
They are perfect for removing seals from jars and containers that have a tiny tab you can't possibly pull with your fingers (e.g. a spice bottle of ground cinnamon). They are also perfect for getting those last few bones out of your salmon fillets - or any other fish. And another fantastic use I just discovered: I only use whole nutmeg and grating it is a chore and often you get skin or fingernails in what you are grating..... well - hold the nut with the needle-nose pliers and grate away!! Just don't squeeze it too tightly or the nut will break. (p.s. Hand wash and DRY before putting away)
A vinaigrette bottle ($3 at Bed, Bath and Beyond) makes an
attractive bottle by the sink for dishwashing liquid – dilute the liquid
half/half with water – makes the soap go
further and looks soooo much better than a bottle of Palmolive Liquid sitting
there!
Spray PAM your baking sheet when making homemade ‘frozen’
biscuits so they won’t stick (even tho the directions say ‘ungreased’ cooking
sheet)
A stick of cinnamon in boiling water will really make the
kitchen smell wonderful - and this is a great tip if your home is on the 'for sale' list - gives it that welcome, homey smell (just test first to see if you like it - would hate for you to lose a sale!)
Cloth napkins are wayyyyyy cheaper in the long run than
paper ones
Freeze ginger root in an AIRTIGHT bag – then when a recipe
calls for it, grate it FROZEN – you don’t even have to peel it – and it keeps
for ages
Speaking of freezers.... an upright is convenient and it's really easy to find your stuff - but BECAUSE it's frost-free, it will burn the krap out of anything that's left in there for very long. If you have space and patience, consider a chest freezer. They are superior for NOT causing freezer-burn, but the down side is digging out your stuff (unless you're organized enough to use cheapo plastic containers you can stack.) One other thing.... chest freezers grow their own ice all around the inside and it's a chore to defrost (I do this every three years whether it needs it or not) BUT.... if you live in an area that's prone to power outages (like North Carolina's hurricane alley), your food will keep perfectly fine for 4-5 DAYS, IF YOU LEAVE THE LID CLOSED!
Always toss your citrus scraps garbage in the disposal – it
freshens the disposal and the kitchen
You can easily make ‘utility’ ice by filling 3-4 clean
gallon plastic milk cartons (or half-gallon ones orange juice comes in) to
within an inch of the top and putting them in the freezer overnight – next day
– bust ‘em with a hammer over a cooler and voila! Free Ice!
When grilling with bamboo skewers, use in pairs – it makes
the food easier to turn
A shot of sugar-free whipped cream (Land o’ Lakes) and a
squirt of Smucker’s Caramel Sundae Sauce on top of a cup of coffee……… to DIE
for...
Tomatoes have much more flavor served at room temperature. Take them out of the refrigerator 2 hours before serving.
Strawberries are the only fruit that won’t ripen after it's picked - so avoid ones that still have lime-green tips (and they are the only fruit with seeds on the outside – now you
know)
3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary tied with a string or a piece of
dental floss makes a great basting brush for grilling pork or chicken (not so
much for beef). Imparts a little extra
flavor… and easy to clean – just toss in the trash.
You know how burgers get done first around the edges and the
centers get all thick? Well, when you
make the patties, ‘thin’ the centers by pressing your thumbs in the middle to
form an indentation. Also, add a
tablespoon of water to each pound of ground beef when making burgers – it will
add back moisture that seeps out while the meat’s sitting in the grocery store
case. And one other burger tip – never
smush a burger as it cooks – that presses out all the yummy stuff. Let it drain on a rack or on paper towels for
a couple of minutes and then enjoy. [For
a REALLY awesome burger, skip the water and hide a cold pat of BUTTER in the
center of your burgers, and then cook!
Saw this one on Paula Deene]
When planning a party menu, be sure to have hot AND cold
food – that way you can refresh the cold things while the hot things cook up
nice and fresh
Pita pockets, pulled apart and torn into bite-size pieces
and baked 10-12 minutes on 350* make great cracker substitutes or co-crackers!
To prevent fresh cut fruit from turning brown, dip it in
pineapple juice – tastes much better than lemon juice or salt water – soaking
not required
Cracking eggs? See a
tiny bit of shell in ‘em? Use a larger
piece of shell to dip it out – works way better than your fingers. If you want to avoid pieces of shell
altogether, crack your eggs on the countertop rather than on the sharp edge of
a bowl or cup.
This is a great find!
It’s a GLASS bacon press – Cooks Essentials – from QVC of all
places. It’s about 9” square, made of
safety glass with a nice insulated handle.
It is fantastic for reducing spattering, it makes food cook more evenly,
because more of it is in contact with the cooking surface. Why is this better than an iron bacon press,
you ask? Because you can SEE thru it to
gauge how your bacon is coming along!
Also works wonderfully for sausage and hamburger patties. [UPDATE: I have been looking for another one of these for a gift and it's been out of stock FOREVER..... ugh!]
Chilled cucumber slices placed on your CLOSED eyes can refresh them. Teabags are also good because the caffeine in tea bags acts as a remedy for dark
circles by diminishing puffiness.
Squeeze out a pair of USED teabags (and caffeine free won’t work) and
put them in the freezer until thoroughly chilled. Flatten them a bit and press one on each eye
and leave for about 10 minutes. Be very
careful NOT to get tea in your eyes.
A SOFT toothbrush is great for cleaning mushrooms. So is a slightly damp paper towel. Never wash ‘shrooms in running water!
Want just a splash of lemon juice without the seeds or
pulp? Wrap half a lemon in Saran, poke
2-3 slits in it and squeeze away. No
fancy gadgets to wash and store – just throw the remains in the trash (or put
the lemon in the garbage disposal to freshen it!)
Making a mess chopping nuts?
Put them in a deep bowl and use a metal dough blender to gently chop
them – and they don’t go flying everywhere!
Add fresh sliced strawberries to a green garden salad for a
tangy sweet surprise.
Speaking of strawberries, try serving them at your next summer party beside a little bowl of COLD Blue Cheese salad dressing as a dip! Trust me on this - it's amazing!
Wearing golf shoes in the winter when your sidewalks and
driveway are iced over makes it a LITTLE easier to move around – still be
cautious!
Can’t get those candles to stay straight in the
candlesticks? Wrap a small rubber band around
the base of the candle 2-3 times.
Problem solved.
COLGATE SIMPLY WHITE is a thick peroxide that you brush on
your teeth to brighten them and remove stains.
It is also fantastic antibiotic to put on tick bites to squelch the
itching and to prevent infection – just the tiniest touch is all that’s needed
on a bite or that place where you removed a splinter. AND it is fantastic to lighten your
fingernails. Brush the top and the
undersides of your fingernail tips and let it sit about 10 minutes – then use a
nail brush and soap to clean your hands.
The skin might oxidize a bit but that will soon go away and your nails
will look like you had a sorta-French manicure.
Works great to lighten nicotine stains.
[Update: blah – they have stopped
making this! Just dayum!] UPDATE: There IS a product out now called PLUSWHITE 5 MINUTE that does about the same thing...but it's a thinner product and messier.
All the home stores (Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s) are carrying solar
landscape lights these days and some are quite cheap. I have some little ones with spikes that you
just push in the ground. I have 4-5 of
them outside, and in the event of an extended power failure (like from a
hurricane) , pluck’ em up just at dark, put them in a large vase with some
gravel in the bottom, and you almost have enough light to read by. Or spread them around the house for
nightlights. Just put them back out
during the day to recharge!
Stinky cooler? Scour
it out with baking soda and then wipe it dry with paper towels. Put a dryer sheet (Bounce) in it before
storing it.
Keep a bottle of Visine GETS
THE RED OUT in your kitchen, on your desk at work, and in your medicine cabinet……
it is fantastic for stopping bleeding from a cut, scrape or paper cut and
there’s NO STING, so it’s wonderful for rinsing a skinned knee. It contains a vasoconstrictor (which
constricts the capillaries in the eye to reduce blood flow, hence it gets the red out) and it will
constrict the capillaries in the wall of a cut, too!
A plastic gallon vinegar bottle should never be thrown
away. Cut it in two right where the top
BEGINS to taper…. The result is a large round open container that’s great for
freezing a big block of ice, which can later be cracked with a hammer and used
to ice down drinks or make homemade ice cream; the top section is a fantastic
funnel, complete with a handle – and totally disposable if you use it for
something yukky.
Replace your dishwasher rinse agent (JetDry) with WHITE
vinegar – it’s a gazillion times cheaper and the acidity will help with soap
scum.
And while I’m on vinegar, don’t let anyone ever tell you that
apple cider vinegar with a few drops of dishwasher liquid will take care of a
fruit fly problem! It will definitely
kill them BUT, it will attract three times more flies than you started with –
trust me on this one!
For fast and easy dusting, buy a pair of fuzzy acrylic socks, spritz them
with a very light mist of water (or Endust if you must) and slip them over your
hands. Candlesticks or chair legs – a
snap. Picture frames – not a
problem! Keep rotating them on your
hands, and if necessary turn ‘em inside out and keep going. Then toss them in the dryer! (I bought an orange pair – a color I knew I
could NEVER confuse with the socks I wear!)
Brushes – you can’t have too many GOOD brushes. I have several of these large blue and white ones that are called a
‘car cleaning’ brush – has long SOFT bristles.
It is FANTASTIC for getting the dust off of lamp shades. Simply take the shade outside and gently
brush it and watch the dust take flight!
Really beats vacuuming the shade and then watching the dust cycle thru
the vacuum back into the air. It’s also
super for cleaning dirty window and door screens.
This one’s also fantastic for cleaning bathroom fixtures –
the bristles are soft and you can get in corners – and when you press down a
bit, the bristles spread out and cover lots of territory – also great for
scouring a toilet, and it rinses out clean
Don’t know how it works on a car, but my husband has one.
I also have 2-3 grout brushes that I will never part
with. In addition to cleaning grout
(duh) and removing icky build-up around the base of faucets, try cleaning your
stovetop with it. I have a sealed unit
gas range and the grout brush and some diluted Soft Scrub will clean it right
up, particularly around the flame thing (I’m a really messy cook) and it won’t
scratch the enamel like a soap pad might.
A grout brush is also great for LIGHTLY brushing fresh corn
to get the silks off. Be gentle so you
don’t puncture the kernels.
Another brush that works GREAT for silking corn is a fingernail brush - $1.99 on Amazon for a 6-pack - also available at Walmart
The following tips came in an email – they are fantastic!
Use frozen grapes to keep your wine chilled without watering
it down. (I've done this one - it's awesome!)
Place a wooden spoon across a boiling pot to keep it from
bubling over. This works, too!
Bologna sandwiches that fit square bread - and how many bologna sandwiches have you eaten??? A picture is worth a thousand words:
Turn on your automobile seat warmer to keep pizza warm on the way home.
Recipe holder?
Another picture….
Use a muffin tin for serving condiments at your next cookout! I don't know why I never thought of this one!
A loaf of fresh bread is much easier to slice if it’s upside
down - be sure to use a serrated knife!
SPRAYWAY brand foaming glass cleaner cleans the HELL outta windows and mirrors! Streaks far less than Windex (ok – that’s not a kitchen tip but I had to throw it in cause it works!) Most car parts stores carry this (Pep Boys, Autozone, etc) Note: Don’t clean windows when the sun is shining on them.
Here's my grilling blog... if you're interested
UPDATE 12/17/2013:
If your washing machine has a pre-soak/pre-wash cycle, try putting all your dishcloths and kitchen towels in and add about 1/2 C of AMMONIA to the pre-wash dispenser.... it cuts the grease build-up and they come out smelling sooooo much cleaner.
And while I'm talking laundry - don't add fabric softener to ANY towels - it makes them water repellent.
At Christmastime, if you have an artificial tree, stick 6-8 limbs of a rosemary plant - about 10" long - among the branches - will give your tree that 'real' smell.
And Merry Christmas from my house to yours!
MORE KITCHEN UPDATES: 7/5/2015
I know most of you have seen the cooks on Food Network smash garlic cloves with the side of a santoku knife with their fist...... let me tell you - this is KRAP, especially if you have several to smash. Cover your pile of garlic cloves with a sorta-damp paper towel and grab your handy OXO meat tenderizer and smack away with the flat side! About $17 and worth every cent.
Another OXO product THAT I LOVE.... is the poultry shears. They will run you about $20-$25 (use a BB&B 20% off coupon) .... but again, these are fantastic. You can cut apart a chicken or chicken wings in MINUTES.... I've even said you could cut up a dead body with them. AND the blades separate into two pieces for thorough cleaning in the dishwasher... and they clip shut for safety in your kitchen drawer.
THIS is a Black & Decker Handy Chopper.... and I couldn't live without it - it's one of three electric appliances that sits on my kitchen counter all the time. It's small - will sit in a saucer - dishwasher safe, and can chop a handful of garlic cloves in 3 seconds. Fantastic when you need ONE onion chopped, or a cup of parsley whizzed.... $14.00 at WalMart. You can thank me later for this one!
Another thing I never knew but just found out..... NEVER CUT A FRUIT PIE UNTIL IT IS COMPLETELY COOLED! If you cut a warm pie, you get to watch the insides ooze sideways to fill the missing 'wedge'. UGH If you want it warm, reheat a slice.
