The kitchen tips segments for my Thursday Thirteen entries have met with a lot of positive feedback, so I thought I’d keep the ball rolling. From the vast reaches of the internet I bring you 13 more tips to help around your kitchen. Hopefully there will be something here you’ve never heard of. I know I didn’t know all of this stuff when I started this list!
Now on with the tips!Thirteen Random Kitchen Tips
- Need to clean that coffee grinder? Grind a cup of dry white rice, it will clean out the coffee residue and sharpen the blades.
- Deodorize smelly utensils and cutting boards by adding the juice of one lemon to your dishwater.
- To clean your contact grill: After you’ve finished cooking, place a wet terry cloth towel on the grill plates, close the lid and allow to sit while you’re eating. Any residue will wipe away like magic!
- Messy microwave? Just plop a wet towel or sponge in the microwave and nuke it on high for two minutes. Leave the door closed for five additional minutes and simply wipe clean.
- Tired of struggling to clean your cheese grater? Just grate a raw potato when you’re done with the cheese, it’ll clean it right up.
- Stained plastic storage containers are a snap to clean. Just soak in 1 gallon warm water mixed with one cup of bleach for an hour. wipe dry and wash normally.
- Have a soup or stew that’s just too salty? Add a raw potato to the liquid and allow to cook. When it’s soft, remove and discard it. It will have leached most of the salt from the liquid.
- Cooking cauliflower and don’t want it discoloring? Just add a squirt of lemon juice to the water, this will keep the vegetable from oxidizing.
- Managed to clog your drain with grease? Just pour 1 cup of salt and one cup of baking soda down the drain, then pour a gallon of boiling water down after, the grease will usually dissolve immediately.
- If your layer cakes are sticking to the bottom of the cake pan, simply return them to a warm oven. The bottoms will release easily in a few minutes.
- To keep raw mushrooms for salads from turning dark, toss slices with a bit of lemon juice prior to adding them to the salad.
- To stop potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes. (I’ve got to try this one!)
- Have leftover sauces? just freeze in an ice cube tray for use later. (Be sure to cover with plastic wrap so you know not to put it in your drink!)
And here I continue to prove that I can actually teach you something worthwhile! Well, perhaps not worthwhile, but at least something that might help make your day a little easier.
Peace, Y’All!
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I love your kitchen tips. I knew about #12, but not the rest. The cheese grater cleaner will definitely come in handy. Happy TT.
#6 – use pre-grated cheese! That’s my kitchen tip.
Of course this coming from someone who blew up their microwave (not intentional) and caught their oven on fire!
LOL
SJR
The Pink Flamingo
Hmm. I’ll have to try that one about the apple and the potatoes. That would be great if it works.
What a helpful list! Thanks! I’ve wondered what to do with the microwave. I’ve tried #13 for pesto. Just make a bunch. Of course, we love pesto so much that we end up eating the whole tray! lol!
Happy TT!
I’ve heard of several of these, but there are few that should come in quite handy!! Thanks!
I loved the cleaning the microwave trick. It does work. Great ideas. Thanks
I’ve got to try #12! Thanks
The tips are great–now I just need to remember them. I know that several of them work, but I didn’t know about the white rice in the grinder!
Great tip about the apple and the potatoes!
Thanks for sharing!! Happy TT!!!
I’ve done number 4 many, many times. It really works, I’ve never left it in for that long though…I’ll have to try it so see if that makes it work even better.
tanks I hadn’t heard of the grater and some others how helpful
These tips are very, very helpful! Thank you so much — I’ll have to try some of these!
I have tried the sauce one….I just end up with a bunch of random crap in my freezer that I end up tossing out! I guess I need a better system of what is in my freezer!
Great tips! I’ve used some of them, and learned some new ones. Thanks. My tt is on random ways to save $$. God Bless!
Brenda :)
Ooh, I’m going to clean out my coffee grinder right now! Thanks Jerry.
I did not know about #1 – thanks!
Great Kitchen tips.
#4-I put a glass of water in the microwave and run it for a minute or two. That helps too.
#5-will be trying this
#7-I have heard of this-I need to try it
#9 Need to remember!
You can check mine out here
Have a great day!
My code didn’t work.
Check mine out here:
http://mercedesrules.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/p-is-for-patch/
I definitely have to remember 12, this is always a problem for me, especially when potatoes are on sale for buy one get one free.
Great tips, thanks
Maribeth
Actually, re #13, these can be interesting used to cool a drink. Frozen beefstock and vodka is even called a ‘bullshot’.
Frozen orange juice or lemon juice with Burbon is another good combo.
Thanks these are wonderful tip!! Funny I was just thinking my twenty year old coffee grinder was getting dull…can’t wait to try the rice!
Contact grill is an excellent one too!
Giggles
I’m not so sure about that “wipe away like magic” part. Have you actually tried this?
Those are great tips!
Great tips Jerry. Happy TT!
I have a heavy hand with the salt so I’ve used the potato trick before. Lots of great tips! Keep it up; )
Super list with super tips!
i’m a big fan of the potato-in-the-salty-stew trick. i didn’t know about the cheese grater one. is there nothing the wonderful potato will not do?
I have never heard of the apple with the potato trick. I am definitely going to try this out.
About the stained plastic storage containers–instead of soaking in a bleach solution, try setting it out in direct sunlight. The sun is a very powerful cleaning agent!
Laura,
My Mom tried that once, but the Texas sun got so hot it melted the plastic, even through the window. It worked in Alaska, though.
#8 is also great for broccoli!
#12 has to work I think because I read an article from a magazine saying that apple has some substance that stops plants from growing so dont put apple near plants or something. Really scientific so can’t romember correctly…
I knew that a potato absorbs extra saltiness in stew/gravies #7. Would adding a potato while cooking fresh seafood reduce the sodium in any way? 3oz. raw shrimp has 217mg of sodium naturally. 3oz. crab has 619mg.