No matter whether you’re a seasoned pro or a relative newbie, we could all use a helping hand in the kitchen from time to time. While I can’t be there to lend you a hand person, I can arm you with useful kitchen hacks that can save you time and effort, and that’s exactly what I’ll be doing in today’s post!
Since I’ve already shared a set of time-saving kitchen hacks here on my blog in the past, I’m considering this post a “Part 2” to the original one. (If you missed it or want to refresh your memory, check it out at the link below!)
Read Part 1: 13 Brilliant Hacks That Will Save You Time In The Kitchen
From saving a batch of scorched gravy to scooping up broken eggshells with ease, this new batch of tips will help you navigate all sorts of kitchen tasks like a pro. Read on for tips that will save you time, energy, and—perhaps most importantly—stress in the kitchen!
11 (More) Time-Saving Kitchen Hacks
1. Save Scorched Gravy With Sugar
Stepped away from your gravy for a little bit too long? If your gravy is scorched on the bottom, pour it into a clean pot and continue cooking it over low heat.
Add a pinch of sugar to help counter the burnt taste, then stir and taste it again. Add another pinch or two of sugar if necessary until you’re happy with the flavor.
Related: 9 Brilliant Ways To Save Time In The Kitchen, According To Chefs
2. Restore Crispness To Veggies
If crisp veggies like cucumbers, radishes, celery, or carrots have gone a bit soft in your fridge, there’s a simple way to make them crisp again. Slice the veggies up and place them in a colander along with a dozen or so ice cubes and a pinch of salt.
Use your hands to toss the veggies and ice together and set the colander inside of a bowl. Place the bowl in your fridge for an hour or so, then pat your newly crisp veggies dry and use them up as soon as you can.
Related: 9 Time-Tested Kitchen Hacks That Will Always Be Useful
3. Prevent Bread From Going Stale
To help prevent a loaf of bread from going stale, put a piece of fresh celery in the bag and close it back up. Celery is mostly water, so it will help keep both the air in the bag and the bread itself more moist.
4. Revive Old Wooden Spoons
If your wooden spoons don’t exactly look (or smell) like they used to, boil the spoons in a pot of water for one or two minutes. Allow your spoons to dry out in the sun completely, then treat them with a wood conditioner to restore moisture and keep the wood protected.
5. Make Toasted Sandwiches Easier To Eat
When making sandwiches with toasted bread (like a BLT, one of my personal favorites), put both pieces of bread in a single toaster slot. That way, you’ll end up with bread that’s toasted on one side but soft in the middle, making it less likely to scrape up the inside of your mouth while you eat it.
For 10 more clever sandwich hacks, check out this post.
6. Scoop Out Broken Eggshells Easily
Ended up with a few pieces of eggshell in your eggs or batter? Use a larger piece of eggshell to scoop the fragments out. Eggshell pieces like to stick together, making it quick and easy to scoop up those errant pieces of shell.
Related: 24 Useful And Time-Saving Baking Hacks
7. Keep Sour Cream Fresh
To keep sour cream and cottage cheese fresh, store the containers upside down in your fridge. Inverting the container creates a vacuum inside of it, making it harder for mold or bacteria to grow in the surface and keeping it fresh longer.
8. Deodorize Your Hands With Stainless Steel
Certain food odors like garlic, onions, and fish tend to linger on your hands and fingers long after you’re done handling them. But stainless steel can help neutralize those strong food odors, and all you have to do is run your hands over it!
You could use a stainless steel utensil like a slotted spoon, or a surface like a stainless steel sink. Just run your hands over the steel to help get rid of those unwanted food odors.
9. Unstick Stuck Glass Items
Stacked drinking glasses and glass bowls can wind up wedged together fairly easily. And while getting them unstuck can seem like a daunting task, there’s actually an easy fix to solve it!
Fill one side with ice, and submerge the other side in a bowl of warm water. The temperature difference will cause the bottom item to expand as the top one contracts, allowing you to separate them safely and easily.
10. Make Butter More Spreadable
Tired of using solid, non-spreadable butter on your toast or corn-on-the-cob? Make your own soft and spreadable butter by whipping a room temperature stick of butter with a small amount of water. (Not only will the whipped butter be more spreadable, but it will likely go farther too!)
11. Keep Greens Fresh With Paper Towels
Keep your lettuces and greens fresh longer in your fridge by storing them in a ziplock bag with a dry paper towel. The paper towel will absorb excess moisture from the greens, keeping them fresh and crisp rather than wilted and soggy.
What’s your best time-saving kitchen tip?
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