Here are some great tips for cooking and kitchen tricks I picked up over the years that have helped me when cooking and making my household happier.
1. When browning beef or cooking ground meat, ditch the wooden spoon and use a potato masher. It makes it easy to break up pieces and mix everything together, and you’ll end up with perfectly browned ground beef. (Thanks Rachel Ray!)
2. Coat finger tips with olive oil before cutting onions or dicing garlic- it prevents any lingering odor from clinging to your skin, and easily washes off with soap and water to remove garlic smell that usually sticks to your hands all day.
3. Simmer cinnamon sticks in a small pot for an amazing homemade fragrance. Certain cooking smells make a home homier, and cinnamon is a favorite for many. You can choose other herbs to simmer as well for an easy way to scent your home.
4. When cooking pasta, add a bit of olive oil to boiling water to prevent sticking. Now when you cook spaghetti, the pieces won’t all stick together, and you can make your favorite ravioli recipe without worrying that all the ravioli will stick to the pot and break up while boiling.
5. Clean egg off bowls with a cold water rinse. Hot water can actually cook the raw eggs and make it harder to remove from a bowl, but cold water rinses egg off very easily. Clean any lingering egg stains off with soapy cold water.
If you have any kitchen hints or cooking tricks to share, please do!
I’ve heard the Olive Oil trick for cooking noodles, but not to keep smells off your fingers! And I LOVE the potato masher trick. Never tried it before but I sure will now!
Those are some great tips, Penelope! Thanks so much for sharing.
Great tips! I love the potato masher idea!
Great tips! Thanks
Great tips! I will definitely have to do the potato masher thing, so smart that Rachel Ray!
I didn’t know to use the potato masher thats a good idea!
great tips!
great tips!! I need a potato masher!
Great tips. I had heard of some of them, but not others. I love the olive oil trick for not letting the smell stick to your fingers!
totally gonna do the olive oil on my fingers when cutting onions and eggs, and love the cold water on eggs to wash–who knew?! Thanks
that’s a great tip about the garlic! Thanks Penelope!!
I’ve never tried #1 or #2, but I am going to now. I heard about the olive oil in noodles not too long ago and have been using it since. Works great!
So cool! Another trick on the onions is to rub your hands on your facet afterwards. Weird but it works. Thanks for the cool tricks!
Oh I love that potatoe mashed idea. Brilliant.
What great ideas.. I am definately going to use them!
potato masher is a great idea. i did know about the oil wc/pasta…..my husband of all people taught me that one
Great tips!! I never thought to use the oil on my fingers before garlic or onions!
I actually throw a pat of margarine in with my noodles – it does the same thing (and it’s cheaper LOL).
I did not know about the cold water and eggs – we eat eggs a lot and I hate washing the dishes from them, I must try this!
I use Vegetable oil to prevent pasta from sticking. I don’t think I own olive oil, never knew what to use it for 🙁 Love these tips, def things I didn’t know!
Great tips. I have heard of using a masher for ground beef but have never tried it.
I’m excited about the one for cutting onions/garlic. I HATE smelling garlic on my hands.
Thanks for the tips, I didn’t know the one about cleaning the eggs off the bowls. I’ll have to tell the hubs, since he is the one that does the dishes. =)
Hope you are having a great week.
HUGGLES!
Great tips! I wish I had learned these a long time ago too – would have saved so much time!
Great tips! I never would have thought to use a potato masher for my ground beef. I will have to try that.
Great tips!! These are very helpful to know 🙂
Thanks for the tips. I will definitely be using #1! We already put olive oil in with pasta and it definitely works. Now, can you tell me how to get egg and cheese off a sponge? 😉
Great ideas. I’ll try #2 the next time it comes up.
I love that first tip! I also have a hell of a time browning meat. Now I will mash it! Muwahaha. Thanks!!!
I love the potato mashed tip. I tend to end up with clumps in my ground meat.
I love Shell’s advice too.
We’ve always used the potato masher for ground beef when making tacos-a tip I learned from my mother in love!
My husband thinks I’m nuts for adding oil to pasta water. I’m glad to see this on your list!
When you add olive oil to the pasta to stop it sticking it actually also stops the sauces sticking to the pasta which sort of defeats the purpose. The best way to stop pasta sticking is to put into rapidly boiling salted water and seperate occassionally with a fork while gently stiring. You should also make sure you have used a large enough pot to accomodate the pasta and the amount of water required (usually written on the packet of dried or refrigerated pastas) to prevent the mess of boiling over. If you are trying to keep power costs down always use a lid so you can lower the temp but still be boiling pasta rapidly. You will be amazed how much difference this method makes to a finished dish as you get more sauce attaching itself to the pasta, thus more flavour.
Thank you for this great cooking tip! I actually find I do it more this way (salted, rapidly boiling water) and I never made the connection between the oil and the sauces not sticking. Thanks!