More Kitchen Tips

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Kitchen Tips

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1. Nearly everything can be cut in half -- use only half a dryer

softener sheet, half the recommended amount of detergent, half a

cotton ball, etc. Try it on anything you can think of - if it works,

you save money, if it doesn't, what do you lose?

 

The same idea goes for quick dinners. If you're putting together,

for example, Hamburger Helper (or another " instant " meal), consider

using a 1/2 pound of meat per box (or just make up 2 boxes at a

time, with a full pound of meat). Most of us actually get far more

protein in a day than we need, so cutting back to a 1/2 pound of

meat doesn't hurt any of us.

 

How about instant drink mixes? If you're buying mixes that don't

have the sugar added (which, by the way, is cheaper than buying the

mixes with sugar already in them), think seriously about how much

sugar you mix in. Do you REALLY need to use a full cup of sugar with

that small packet of flavoring? Or could you cut it back to 1/3 or

1/2 cup and decrease the amount of sugar your children are getting

in each serving?

 

The next time you're simply following directions on any grocery

item, take a moment to evaluate the claim before you do as it says.

You may save yourself some money!

 

 

2. Disposing of grease and fat from foods. I save the jars and lids

that I get whenever I purchase tomato sauce and mayonnaise. When I

have bacon drippings or old oil from fried foods, I pour the fat

into these jars. When the jar gets full, I put the top back on and

put the jar in the trash. This will prevent your drains from being

clogged with this oil and keep your trash cans from getting messy

inside.

 

 

3. Save plastic milk containers, fill with water and freeze. Use in

camper iceboxes or coolers. Also these can be used to freeze colored

water or juices in for later use in a punch bowl.

 

 

4. To avoid tears when peeling onions, slice first, then slip the

bands of skin off.

 

 

5. Use an egg slicer to slice apples or mushrooms.

 

 

6. Leftover pancake batter makes good fried onion rings. Separate

and let soak in batter for fifteen minutes. Fry in hot oil.

 

 

7. Don't throw out leftover coffee. Freeze it in icecube trays, and

when you don't want to make an entire pot, you can get your cubes

out of the freezer and pop them in the microwave.

 

 

8. Dry Mustard will remove onion odors from your hands or cutting

board. Rub in, then rinse off.

 

 

9. Use plain baking soda or salt as a fire extinguisher.

 

 

10. Put rice in your salt shaker to keep the salt from getting hard.

**Thank you Lisa!

 

 

11. Remove odors from your fridge by placing a vanilla extract

soaked cotton ball inside. Another popular method is to leave a cup

of baking soda or a slice of lemon in the fridge at all times.

 

 

12. Cleaning behind your refrigerator will keep it running longer

and more efficiently. Another fridge cleaning tip: Make sure the

unit is level. An unlevel refrigerator works harder than it needs to

and wastes energy.

 

 

13. Store plastic wrap in refrigerator - it will prevent it from

sticking.

 

 

14. A good trick when you go away on vacation is to place a baggie

with a few ice cubes in the freezer. If a power failure occurs while

you are gone and the food thaws and then refreezes you will know

about it when you get home.

 

 

15. Use a powder puff to dust flour on rolling pins, pastry boards

and cookie sheets. Store puff in a margarine tub with a small amount

of flour for quick dusting jobs.

 

 

16. Leftover Safety - If food has been contaminated with germs from

a person's mouth, it should be tossed. For instance saving baby food

when you have fed the baby from the jar is hazardous.

 

 

17. You can reheat small portions of leftovers in the same pan. Wrap

individually in foil and place in enough water to cover the bottom

of the pan.

 

 

18. When converting your favorite recipe for microwave cooking

reduce the liquid by one-fourth. Liquid does not evaporate in a

microwave as much as it does in a conventional oven.

 

 

19. To save on electric and water only run your dishwasher when

full. When adding dishes take a handful of baking soda and sprinkle

the dishes and bottom of dishwasher to absorb odors. When you run

the dishwasher there is no need to add detergent to the first cylce

receptacle only to the 2nd one that stays shut until the second

cycle starts. The baking soda will take the place of the detergent

in the first cycle.

 

 

20. When you have a spill in your oven, sprinkle some salt on it

right away. Then when the oven cools wipe it off.

 

 

21. Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring

in tomato-based sauces--no more stains.

 

 

22. Transfer your jelly to a small plastic squeeze bottle--no more

messy, sticky jars or knives. This also works well for homemade

salad dressing.

 

 

23. To aid in washing dishes, add a tablespoon of baking soda to

your soapy water--it softens hands while cutting through grease.

 

 

24. Save your store-bought-bread bags and ties--they make perfect

storage bags for homemade bread. (Don't turn them inside out. The

labels are painted on the out sides of the bags with lead-based

paint.)

 

 

25. If you have problem opening jars: Try using latex dishwashing

gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.