What's your favorite kitchen tip?
By twilight021
@twilight021 (2059)
United States
April 10, 2007 8:32am CST
This dosen't have to be a cooking tip...but any tip that has saved you time, money or even general annoyance in the kitchen.
One of my favorite tips is about how to keep your plastic tupperware from getting stained but tomato sauce or other tomato based foods (chili's and soups).
We eat a lot of tomato sauce in my house (we are italian) and anyone who has stored leftover sauce in a tupperware knows that your container will mostly likely be permentantly stained orange once you put sauce in it.
A way to avoid this it to give your tupperware, or gladwear, or whatever plastic container you are using, a few sprays with cooking spray (like Pam) on the inside. This coats the container and keeps it from getting stained, with no effect on the food you are storing.
I know this has saved me a lot grief, and tupperware!
What are some of your favrotie kitchen tips?
7 people like this
23 responses
@krebstar5 (1266)
• United States
10 Apr 07
I know this tip doesn't work for everyone, but I like to light a candle nearby when I am cutting onions. It seems to help with my eyes.
2 people like this
@countrylady28 (153)
• United States
11 Apr 07
The glasses thing works unless the "fumes" get behind the lenses, then you're done for because it gets trapped in there!! Youch! LOL
@raijin (10345)
• Philippines
10 Apr 07
I have one, and I think it's common to most people are knows their ways around the kitchen!;)
The safest way of cutting or chopping onions, garlic, tomatoes or anything that uses the knife is to slide the knife while cutting the said food. Slide it a little, away from the hand that supports the food, to perform the procedure more safe and fast. By doing this, it reduces the time to finish the preparation.
@twilight021 (2059)
• United States
10 Apr 07
That's a good tip. Knife skills are really important in the kitchen. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@birthlady (5609)
• United States
11 Apr 07
One of my favorite kitchen tips is baking soda to clean stovetops, counters, tile, sinks, and grout. Baking soda liberally sprinkled on a damp surface, allowed to sit for around 20 minutes, will soak up stains. Wipe, rinse, and your kitchen is clean!
1 person likes this
@ctinabina (386)
• United States
10 Apr 07
I don't know if this qualifies as a "tip," but I've found magnetic knife racks to be a kitchen godsend. It's safer than having them rattle around in a drawer and it seems cleaner than keeping them in a wood block (and, you aren't beholden to the knives that come with the block.) The knives are also easy to access with a magnetic rack.
Another tip is for vegetables that have lost some of their moisture and have gone limp. Just cut them up and put them in a bowl of cool water. They can even be stored in the fridge that way. They plump and crisp up in no time!
@twilight021 (2059)
• United States
10 Apr 07
Ooo...a magnetic knife rack sounds exciting! And a way to clear some counter or drawer space. Good tip!
@lightningMD (5931)
• United States
10 Apr 07
wow i would have never thought of that..thanks for sharing..i'm making speghetti with Italian sausage tonight for dinner..my husband usually takes the leftovers to work in tupperware so i'll try it tonight
2 people like this
@wendee (359)
• Canada
10 Apr 07
Thanks for the great tip! I am going to pass that one along for sure. Something that a few parents were disciussing the other day when picking up our kids at school was onions. I have always washed/soake the onion in cold water for a minute and that seems to wash away the tear making stuff. I dont cry often whe cutting an onion after washing it. hope this helps!
@twilight021 (2059)
• United States
10 Apr 07
That's a GREAT tip. My eyes are really sensitive and cutting onions just kills me! thanks :-)
1 person likes this
@bigpinkmomma (449)
• Canada
13 Apr 07
Hmm, I never thought of spraying with Pam, I will have to try that . I am making brownies in a glass pan . I seldom grease the pan because the brownies stay there until we eat them. Last time I decided to grease the pan, wow . What a different ,each one just came out of the pan smoothly , and we didn't have a bunch of crumbs left over at the end .
Another tip is keeping some Javex bleach under your sink, soak your dish cloths before you wash them to get rid of that dirty gray look.And of course it disinfects them too .
1 person likes this
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
10 Apr 07
before frosting your cake layers, put them in the freezer - then the crumbs won't come up on your spatula as you frost it. When cutting a round cake first cut out a small circle in the center, about the size of a juice cup rim. now you can make even serving sizes all the way around the cake.
Your tupperware lids can also snap onto wire (or plastic) racks. you can use this idea to save room in the dishwasher by hanging them under the top rack - just make sure that you do not use the dry cycle!
or, you can suspend your small containers of tupperware in the fridge, using the same process...make sure what is stored in the tupperware is not heavy enough to pull its grip from the rack.
1 person likes this
@spasm061568 (285)
• Philippines
11 Apr 07
For me, it has to be "when deep frying food, keep your face away from anywhere near an open pot/pan where the food is frying in an attempt to see if it is cooking properly". this is a valuable tip since it is very hypnotizing to look at food which is deep frying, sometimes one tends to forget that these things could pop and could seriously burn your skin with superheated oil.
1 person likes this
@sunup13 (420)
• Canada
10 Apr 07
I have a few: To keep covers from honey and molasses from getting sticky and annoying coat the threads of the bottle top with vegetable oil the first time you open it. It should open with ease!
-To cut and serve a perfect first piece of cake or pie, always cut an additional piece, the extra room will allow you to get the first piece out easily and it won't fall apart!
- To prevent new utensils from absorbing food odours, soak them over night in vinegar.
1 person likes this
@twilight021 (2059)
• United States
10 Apr 07
Oh! That honey tip is great! It will save me from wasting hot water, since that's how I usually unstick things.
1 person likes this
@mobyfriend (1017)
• Netherlands
11 Apr 07
My favourtie kitchen tip is to stay out of the kitchen and go to a restaurant.
@mobyfriend (1017)
• Netherlands
11 Apr 07
My favourite kitchen tip is to stay out of the kitchen and go to a restaurant.
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
• United States
11 Apr 07
An excellent kitchen tip - thank you! One of my kitchen tips: To keep your garbage disposal smelling fresh and running clean - grind several ice cube trays of ice in your disposal at least once a month - run with very cold water. This sharpens the blades. Then pour baking soda down the disposal - let it sit for a few minutes and run water through it - turning on the disposal. Your garbage disposal will run for years and like new if you take care of it.
@creematee (2810)
• United States
16 Apr 07
What a great tip! I'll have to remember that one. :)
My tip... I like to buy blocks of cheese and shred it at home. It seems to be more econimical this way. Before I stick it into the freezer or fridge, I put a tablespoon of cornstarch in the baggie. Shake it up, and then put the cheese away. It doesn't stick together when I pull it out to use it! the cornstarch also doesn't flavor the cheese, nor does it add any extra fat (store bought shredded cheese is coated with wax to keep from sticking!)
@MaxsMom (250)
• United States
13 Apr 07
My favorite tip is to leave the dishes for my husband. LOL. I actually have a tip for cleaning your microwave. The cup of water in the microwave on high for three minutes. As soon at you remove the cup, wipe the microwave out with a damp rag. This makes it easy to remove any food splatter's.
@Ventjoran (3)
•
10 Apr 07
Hello Twilight,
Cool suggestion! My tip is probably very basic but you never know, might come in handy... I love cooking for my friends (I'm friend, so sharing food is probably as important as it is to an italian preson...) My friends are always amazed that, in spite of the zillion dishes I cook and get ready before they arrive, my cooker is always spotless! Well, little do they know that I'd never attempt a major cooking session without covering the top of my stove with foil!!!
Lift up the top of the burner, cut holes into the foil so that the gas comes out freely, place the top of the burners back, stir fry, pan fry, spill tomato sauce... do what you like... but when you are done, just remove the foil, thow it away and hey, presto! Cooker looks like you had ordered a take away!!
Ventjoran
@twilight021 (2059)
• United States
10 Apr 07
OK...that is a great tip! Especially because I HATE cleaning the stovetop :-)
Thank you so much for that one!
