Helpful Kitchen Tips

• Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato- based sauces. No more stains!
• Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator--it will keep for weeks!
• Use lifesavers candy to hold candles in place on your next birthday cake! Kids love them.
• Poke an egg with a small sewing needle before hard-boiling, and the egg will peel with ease!
• Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips!
• Zap garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds and the skins slip right off!
• Use a meat baster to "squeeze" your pancake batter onto the hot griddle perfectly shaped pancakes every time.
• Always spray your grill with nonstick cooking spray before grilling to avoid sticking!
• To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes!
• To prevent egg shells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling!
• Sweeten whipped cream with confectioners' sugar instead of granulated sugar. It will stay fluffy & hold its shape better!
• For easy "meatloaf mixing", combine the ingredients with a potato masher!
• If you don't have enough batter to fill all cupcake tins, pour 1 tablespoon of water into the unfilled spots. This helps preserve the life of your pans!
• To easily remove honey from a measuring spoon, first coat the spoon with nonstick cooking spray!
• Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan. The marshmallow won't stick to your fingers!
• Mash and freeze ripe bananas, in one-cup portions, for use in later baking. No wasted bananas (or you can freeze them whole, peeled, in plastic baggies).
• To quickly use that frozen juice concentrate, simply mash it with a potato masher. No need to wait for it to thaw! A wire whip works also.
• To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature & roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing!
• To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap & enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove-top--skillet will be much easier to clean now!
• Transfer your jelly to a small plastic squeeze bottle--no more messy, sticky jars or knives! This also works well for homemade salad dressing!
• To aid in washing dishes, add a tablespoon of baking soda to your soapy water--it softens hands while cutting through grease!
• Save your store-bought-bread bags and ties--they make perfect storage bags for homemade bread!
• When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead. No white mess on the outside of the cake!
• If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato. It absorbs the excess salt for an instant "fix me up"!
• Next time you need a quick ice pack, grab a bag of frozen vegetables out of your freezer -- no watery leaks from a plastic baggie!
• When making bread, substitute nondairy creamer for the dry milk-- it works just as well!!!
• Rinse cooked, ground meat with water when draining off the fat--this helps "wash away" even more fat! Use HOT or Warm water so fat won't congeal.
• Slicing meat when partially frozen makes it easier to get thin slices.
• Instead of throwing away bread heels or leftover cornbread, use them to make bread crumbs. For use later, store them in the freezer.
• Substitute half applesauce for the vegetable oil in your baking recipes. You'll greatly reduce the fat content! (Example: 1/2 cup vegetable = oil 1/4 cup applesauce + 1/4 cup oil)
• To ripen avocados and bananas, enclose them in a brown paper bag with an apple for 2-3 days.
• Brush beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful, glossy finish!
• In recipes calling for margarine, substitute reduced-calorie margarine to help cut back on fat! The same goes with sour cream, milk, cheese, cream cheese, and cream soups.
• Place a slice of bread in hardened brown sugar to soften it back up!
• When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corns natural sweetness!
• When starting your garden seedlings indoors, plant the seeds in egg shell halves.
• Simply crack the shells around the roots of your plants & transplant them outdoors--the shell is a natural fertilizer!
• To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh; if it rises to the surface, throw it away.
• Keep the linings from cereal boxes--they make great substitutes for waxed paper!

SUPER HINTS

• Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go.
• Use of soap wrapper: Don't throw away the wrapper after removing a bar of soap. Place it inside your shoe cabinet or shoe box. It's a cheap way of filling the air with a nice smell.
• If your polished furniture has small scratches: Try rubbing them with a shelled walnut. You'll see the scratches just disappear!
• Are your shoes smelly: Here's a solution. Put some tea leaves into a pair of stockings & stuff each into a shoe. Leave for a day or two & the smell just vanishes!
• If you have problem opening jars: Try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy!
• Tips for stamp collectors: Place the envelope in the freezer for a few hours. You'll then be able to easily lift the stamps off with a pair of tweezers.
• To keep buttons from dropping off: Dab a drop of clear nail polish onto the thread that secures the buttons. This will harden & make it more difficult for thread to break off.