Even if you don’t love to cook, you probably spend more time in the kitchen than you really want to. Use these 11 tricks to help save time and keep food waste down. Even better, you can impress your friends by passing along the tips!
Freeze Leftovers in Ice Cube Trays
Many times you end up with too much leftover canned sauce, such as tomato sauce or chicken broth, when making a recipe. Simply pour the sauce into ice cube trays and freeze them. Later, you can pop out as many cubes as you need and reheat them.
Remove Garlic Odor From Your Hands
After working with garlic, rub your hands vigorously on a stainless steel sink for 30 seconds before washing them. This little trick will remove the odor.
Keep Lettuce Fresh Longer
Place a paper towel over a bowl of shredded lettuce and then cover the whole thing with plastic wrap to keep the lettuce fresh for a week. The paper towel absorbs moisture from the lettuce. Get the lettuce as dry as possible before using this trick.
Keep Herbs Fresh Longer
Paper towels are also great for keeping your herbs fresh longer. Take a damp paper towel and wrap your herbs up in it. Simply pop the whole thing into your refrigerator crisper.
Freeze Herbs
You can also freeze herbs in olive oil in an ice cube tray. The herbs will stay green and they won’t suffer from freezer burn. When you are ready to use them, take out a cube or two and toss them into a pan for sautéing, or add them to a sauce or plop them on top of meat that you are baking.
Add in Hot, Not Cold, Oil
If you need more oil in the pan when sautéing, add it in along the edges of the pan so that by the time it reaches the food being cooked, it will be heated.
The Easy Way to Reheat Pasta
When reheating pasta in a microwave, create a small circle in the middle of the pasta on your plate. The pasta will cook more evenly and you won’t have to stop to stir it.
Roll Your Lemons
Before cutting and squeezing lemons or other citrus fruits, roll them on your kitchen counter. The pressure bursts the juice-filled cells thus releasing more juice than if you had simply cut and squeezed.
Line Baking Pans with Parchment Paper
When making brownies or a cake, line the pan with parchment paper (not wax paper) before baking. When your dessert is done, you can just lift the parchment paper out to keep your creation in tact and make your pan easier to clean. For muffins or cupcakes, use a small glass to fit the paper into the muffin tins.
Keep Herbs on the Chopping Block
When chopping herbs, put a little salt on the cutting board to keep the herbs from flying off onto your kitchen counters.
Inexpensive Fruit and Veggie Wash
Even organic fruits and vegetables should be washed before use. Fill a small spray bottle with one cup water, one tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and one tablespoon baking soda. Shake it gently to mix it. Voila! Easy, all-natural and inexpensive veggie wash!
What kitchen hacks are your favorites?
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