I have gathered some of the best kitchen tips that may have you wondering “Why didn’t I think of that?” because if you’re anything like me, you spend a lot of time planning meals and preparing food, making all of those helpful kitchen tips and tricks that save you time (and your sanity) worthwhile to know. These are things I wish I had known years ago.
Some of these “secrets” (like fishing out cracked egg shells and freezing leftover sauces) I am certain I will use frequently. I think you’ll find a few life hacks here, whether you’re a workaholic who hardly has time to open the fridge, a busy stay-at-home mom, or you’re applying for your own show on The Food Network!
GRATE COLD BUTTERI haven’t tried this little trick yet, but I love the idea. Your stick of butter must be nearly frozen for it to work, and you must work quickly to keep it from melting. However, the grated butter is ideal for adding to flour before baking biscuits, scones, muffins, and other baked goods. If your butter is too cold to spread, think about grating it first and then topping toast, vegetables, or a baked potato! It also makes the butter melt much more quickly.
RECOVERING A BROKEN SHELL.
I almost always make eggs for breakfast, and the brown organic eggs always break off into little pieces so much more easily. Use one of the egg shell halves to scoop it out instead of digging around in your bowl with your finger (yeah, I do that too)!
Test for the freshness of eggs.
Although this is good to know, I eat too many eggs for them to ever spoil. When I first saw this, I was so excited that I went to my refrigerator to try it out. You’re probably curious how this works, and yes, there is some science behind it. My eggs seemed to be 4-6 days old — good enough. Air can gradually seep inside eggshells because they are porous over time. The egg gradually becomes lighter as more air is infused into it, which explains why it will eventually float.
THE SMART WAY TO FREEZE ICE POPS.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always called these things Otter Pops! I remember having a freezer full of them during the summer when I was a kid. The jumbo ones I could get from the ice cream truck that toured my neighborhood were my favorites. Our scissors were frequently covered in melted popsicle syrup. I regret not having considered this back then!
HOW TO PEEL AN ORANGEThis advice is particularly helpful for those of you without nails to pierce the thick orange skin. An orange can be peeled and eaten without the juice running all over your hands if you use a few deft knife strokes. You can find the full details here, but the best part is that it’s FUN.
DON’T USE UP LEFTOVER SAUCE.
I hate wasting food, but sometimes it’s difficult to avoid, especially when a recipe calls for half a cup, but the cans are sold in 16 ounce servings (like tomato paste). In essence, you could do this with homemade sauces and any remaining canned goods. You can simply freeze leftovers in an ice cube tray, then transfer the cubes into a freezer-safe bag once they have frozen.
