Monday, February 7, 2011

Savings Tips

1. Line the bottom of your refrigerator’s crisper drawer with paper towels. They’ll absorb the excess moisture that causes vegetables to rot.

2. Don’t throw away sparkling wine or, champagne that’s gone flat. Restore the bubbles by dropping a raisin or two into the bottle. The natural sugars will work magic.

3. To keep herbs tasting fresh for up to a month, store whole bunches, washed and sealed in plastic bags, in the freezer. When you need them, they’ll be easier to chop, and they’ll defrost the minute they hit a hot pan.

4. A bay leaf slipped into a container of flour, pasta, or rice will help repel bugs.

5. Stop cheese from drying out by spreading butter or margarine on the cut sides to seal in moisture. This is most effective with hard cheeses sealed in wax.

6. When radishes, celery, or carrots have lost their crunch, simply pop them in a bowl of iced water along with a slice of raw potato and watch the limp vegetables freshen up right before your eyes.

7. Avoid separating bananas until you plan to eat them – they spoil less quickly in a bunch.

8. Put rice in your saltshaker to stop the salt from hardening. The rice absorbs condensation that can cause clumps.

9. Stock up on butter when it’s on sale – you can store it in the freezer for up to six months. Pack the butter in an airtight container, so it doesn’t take on the flavor of whatever else you’re freezing.

10. In order to make cottage cheese or sour cream last longer, place the container upside down in the fridge. Inverting the tub creates a vacuum that inhibits the growth of bacteria that causes food to spoil.

11. Believe it or not, honey is the only nonperishable food substance, so don’t get rid of the stuff if it crystallizes or becomes cloudy. Microwave on medium heat, in 30-second increments, to make honey clear again.

12. Prevent extra cooked pasta from hardening by stashing it in a sealed plastic bag and refrigerating. When you’re ready to serve, throw the pasta in boiling water for a few seconds to heat and restore moisture.

13. Keeping brown sugar in the freezer will stop it from hardening. But if you already have hardened sugar on your shelf, soften it by sealing in a bag with a slice of bread – or by microwaving on high for 30 seconds.

14. If you only need a few drops of lemon juice, avoid cutting the lemon in half – it will dry out quickly. Instead, puncture the fruit with a metal skewer and squeeze out exactly what you require.

15. If you’re unsure of an egg’s freshness, see how it behaves in a cup of water: Fresh eggs sink; bad ones float.

Courtesy of Country Living

1 comment:

Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O) said...

I just an hour ago read the exact opposite about bananas and while cooking oatmeal a few mins ago, I separated our three bananas from one another in the giant yellow Pyrex mixing bowl. Remember the set of bright colors: Yellow, green, red and blue. I remember the day the green one broke-first time I had ever seen Pyrex break--it goes into a million pieces. Weird and unforgettable; love that kelly green to this day.

Squirrel!

Little old me...

My photo
Canada
An american yankee up past the 49th parellel.

Followers

Blog Archive