Although there may be many different rooms in our house, most of us tend to spend the majority of our time in the kitchen. After all, it is the area of the home where we often congregate and regardless of whether we are eating or just sitting around chatting, it is a room that gets used frequently.
Being able to get your way around the kitchen is something that can certainly make a difference in your life. When you consider the following life tips for dealing with the kitchen and making the most of it, you will find that you are able to enjoy your home and this room in ways that you never imagined.
Cooking hacks
1. Seeds from vegetables
To quickly remove seeds from zucchini or pumpkin, use an ice cream scoop to scrape them out easily.
2. Remove excess fat
If you cook something and it is unusually rich, you can use ice cubes in a paper towel to remove the excess fat. Wrap the ice in the towel and wipe it over the food.
3. Using film wrap professionally
If your plastic wrap is constantly stretching unevenly and ripping, keep it in the refrigerator. Professional chefs do this and it leads to less sticking and tearing.
4. Peel citrus fruits
When you want to peel a lemon, orange or any other citrus fruit, try this brilliant trick. Put it in the microwave for 20 seconds and you will find it separates easily.
5. Peeling hard-boiled eggs
When you make your hard-boiled eggs, add some vinegar or baking soda to the water. Those substances change the pH of the water and make the shells easier to peel.
6. Get more juice
If you want more juice from your citrus fruit, cool the fruit in the refrigerator first and then zap it in the microwave for up to 20 seconds.
7. Grate soft cheese
If you have to grate soft cheese, put it in the freezer for 30 minutes before doing so.
8. No tears onions
30 minutes prior to chopping onions, put them in the freezer. You won’t shed a single tear. Only do this if you are cooking the onion.
9. Boiling pasta
Don’t allow the water to boil over while you are making pasta. Put a wooden spoon over the top of the pot and it stops the foam in its tracks.
10. Roasting a whole chicken
You can roast a chicken or other bird by laying it on its breast. It will put the breast closer to the source of the heat and it will cook through.
11. Cupcakes with parchment paper
If you don’t have a pan for cupcakes, use parchment paper. It has an added benefit of not sticking to the cupcakes.
12. Warming up baked items
If you need to warm up a bakery item in the microwave, put a cut of water beside it. The moisture in the water will keep the pastry from drying out and will keep the crust crunchy
13. Basted eggs the right way
Break your eggs in the pan but don’t add vegetable oil, add water. You’ll get the perfect eggs with liquid yolk.
Storage Hacks
1. Cooking Herb Storage
Freeze herbs in an ice cube tray to preserve the vitamin content.
2. Store shelled nuts
Freeze shelled nuts for the preservation of taste, aroma and nutrients. Make sure you put them in sealed containers first. Be sure they are raw and unprocessed.
Cleaning Hacks
1. Clean Your Cast-Iron Skillet
Cast-iron tends to rust over time. Don’t use dishwashing liquid to clean it, use table salt. It will also remove persistent odors from spices.
2. Clean your hands
If you have garlic or onion odors on your hands, rub some table salt and a fresh lemon on your hands and then rinse with water.
3. Shine kitchenware
Wash your kitchenware in a mixture of vinegar and water.
4. Restore wooden spoons
If your wooden spoons have become lackluster or if they have an odor, don’t throw them away. Boil the wooden spoons in water and leave them dry in the sun. You’re welcome.
5. Chopping boards
Remove food residue and odor from wooden chopping boards by rubbing them with coarse-grained salt. Wipe them with the sliced half of a lemon and allow to dry.
6. Clean recipes
Have you ever ruined a recipe book while you were cleaning? Avoid this by using trouser hangers to keep the book open and up off of the counter.
H/T: Bright Side
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