Quick Tips for the Kitchen

• Remove garlic and fishy smells from your hands and cutting boards by rubbing them with lemon.
• Clean counters and surfaces on the cheap with hot water and a small amount of vinegar.
• Remove the scum inside your microwave by filling a bowl with water and a slice of lemon, or a drop of vinegar. Heat the water until it boils. Let it sit for 10 minutes and then wipe clean.
• Use tin foil and tongs to clean a dirty grill.
• When cooking meat - let it rest for a few minutes so the juices won’t spill out when you slice into it.
• Keep your onions and potatoes out of the fridge. Keep them in a brown paper bag, or burlap sack, in a cool dry place.
• Rub the outside of fruits like apples, pears, and bananas with lemon juice, so they will not brown after slicing.
• Make ice packs for keeping cold food cold by freezing juice boxes. To make gel like cooler packs fill freezer bags with 5 parts water and 1 part rubbing alcohol.
• Store peanut butter in the pantry and jelly in the fridge.
• If handling foods like berries, beats, or carrots leaves stains your hands, rub your hands with a potato to remove the stains.
• If you want to see if your eggs are fresh, place them in a pot of cool salted water. Good eggs sink, bad eggs float.
• Put dressing on your salad right before you eat it. When you dress your salad too early it will get soggy and gross. Yuk!
• If you are working with hot chili peppers, wash your hands well with soap and water before touching anything, especially your face and mouth, or you will burn baby burn.
• When setting the table remember: knife and spoon on the left side, plate in the middle, forks, largest to smallest on the right side, and your drink to the top right of the setting. The napkin should be placed on the plate and placed in your lap while eating.