I have done many many many food/kitchen/gardening hacks.(30? 35?) Most of them on youtube.

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dcarch

Something I do that may save some money for some is that you can freeze lunch meat. I will buy a pound of something like ham at the lunch meat counter and we could never use it before it would go bad so I just freeze into individual portions and just take it out and let it thaw before using for a sandwich. It may need to have some of the moisture dabbed off with a paper towel before using but otherwise, it's good and fresh tasting. So never throw away lunch meat again!

bragu, (Great topic, BTW) do you do that with leafy greens (lettuces) without it taking on the vinegar flavor? I'll try the banana and foil hack.

dcarch, wish I'd known about putting a corkscrew into the mango pit to use as a handle long ago - genius!

Does this count as a hack? To reheat your french fries you can put a tiny bit of oil in a med-hot skillet and both crisp and reheat the fries. Just toss them constantly until crispy again.

2MD, I call that "Don't mangle your mango" technique.

All mango cutting tools waste so much good expensive mangoes.

dcarch

If you put citrus fruits in the microwave for 15-20 seconds (depending on size) before juicing, you should see an increase in the amount of juice compared to an equally sized one without the microwave treatment.

Our butter is in 1-lb blocks like lard comes in. I slice it into 1/4 cup slices, wrap individually and freeze.

I grate the frozen slices I need using a box grater for biscuits, pastry, etc. It works like a champ.

I take my bananas apart and keep them separate from one another. I find that helps slow the ripening process. When they're at the stage I like, I put them in the frig.

Our bananas come with paper wrapped around the stems, covered in heavy plastic. It must work to cover the stems if the stores/distributors are bothering. Jasdip is right that separating greener bananas from yellower ones will keep the riper ones from ripening the greener ones, though this is the first time I remember hearing someone separate the whole bunch. They should also be away from apples and other ripening produce.

We have some old threads like this and I don't think I have anything new to add but commentary. Like, if you don't have a big ricer, for Chloebud's tip, you can use any kind of lever tool. I have one that wasmeant for squeezing oranges that has a pressure plate in the middle, and a ratchet, that I got for just this purpose. I've tried using fresh spinach in the huge Passover veggie kugel, but frozen works better, and either way, they weep like the dickens.

The best tool for cutting the spiky tips off of artichokes is tin snips. They don't gum up and have enough play between blades.

"...you can use any type of lever tool."

plllog, that sounds great, too. The ricer has sure come in handy for spinach dishes over the years.

I thought the ricer was brilliant. I have one now, but didn't when I got the orange squeezer. :)

I have a lovely little flat Salter scale, and I keep it and use it in a large ziplok bag. Not just to store it, but you can work it perfectly while it's in the bag. It's never been out except to change batteries.

I got the ricer tip long ago watching a Food Network show where viewers called in with questions. They were using kitchen towels to wring out the spinach liquid when a woman called in with the ricer suggestion. My first thought was "brilliant."

sushipup, I love my Salter scale. How long have you had yours? Mine is about 10-12 years old, and I've never changed the batteries.

Mine's about that old, I think. Only changed batteries once, about 3 years ago, I think. But they make several different models.

I’m not sure if this counts as a hack but I like to freeze extra lemon juice in ice cube tray. I add it to water, or lemonade if I don’t want to water it down.

Whenever I make roasted potatoes, I put the pan in the oven while preheats. When I’m done cutting the potatoes, the pan is nice and hot and helps crisp the veggies.

Hawk a.k.a. Lou, started a similar thread about 10 years ago, where we all shared our tips and ideas. So, Bragu, I'd say it's time for another one.

Btw, don't miss Gardenguru's Tips; I follow some of them religiously, especially #8. Ha.

Dcarch, I'll try your corkscrew idea next time.

Sol

solsthumper -- I'm seriously laughing. SIL loves the Pope and is first thing he goes for! He's such a good kid, when I call it Bishop, he just smiles HA!

Can't take credit for this one/some of you have seen it before. Cropped phone pic -- background distracting stuff everywhere. Use to poach chix, heat milk for ricotta, yogurt, etc. I guess I could buy a clip at some point and, you know, actually keep it with my thermometer, but I always know where my binder clips, clothespins and spoons are:)

This one looks even better -- https://www.finecooking.com/article/how-to-attach-a-thermometer-to-a-pot

Read an interesting idea: use a pencil to "halve portion" your freezer bags. Will try that for sauce, etc.

Probably old school with so many recipe saving/org apps, but if I see a recipe in a library cookbook or magazine, I just take a picture with my phone.

Great ideas everyone.

CathyinSWPA

I use a salad spinner to get all the liquid out of grated potatoes for making latkes.

Not sure if this qualifies as a hack either, but we sure like it. I am still in the dark ages and prefer my bread stuffing in the bird not in a casserole. I found these little cheesecloth bags that you put your stuffing in and then jam it into the bird. After it’s cooked, you can just pull out the bag and there is no stuffing stuck to the rib cage. Works every time for us, but I told my friend and she tried it and found the stuffing stuck to the bag. I wonder if my stuffing has more butter than hers.

Uhm, there was a conversation some time ago about making egg drop soup, and someone was wondering why theirs usually came out murky, and people explained how to do it. I can't find that, nor can I remember the way it's properly done. Anyone know how, please? Mine's murky ; )

Save your bacon grease and use it for cooking, yum. Also, the fat skimmed off stocks and broths can be tasty. The cooking liquids from roasts and such make great gravy- whatever you don't use that night, pop into the freezer and heat it up to make quick gravy instead of using the powder packets from the store.

Make compound butter and keep it in the freezer. Herbed butters, fresh chives or roasted garlic, citrus and cinnamon/spices. I make a pound of whatever at a time and use a 6" square baking pan lined with plastic wrap. After making the butter I smooth it into the pan and into the fridge to chill well again. Then pop it out of the pan and cut it up into "quarters" again, then cut the quarters in half. Wrap the sticks in plastic wrap, then into a freezer bag and into the freezer. Then I can pop out a half stick of butter at a time when I want to. Stores in the freezer more neatly than rolls do.

Never mind, I found it : ) Clear Egg Drop Soup if anyone is interested.

Solsthumper, gardenguru's tips are hilarious!!!! Thanks for mentioning it!

I don't buy many bananas, usually 2 at a time but when I read this up-thread, "Our bananas come with paper wrapped around the stems, covered in heavy
plastic. It must work to cover the stems if the stores/distributors are
bothering" I thought this was to prevent people from breaking up the bunches and make them (or make them think they must) buy the whole bunch. I only ever buy them at our food co-op and they aren't wrapped like that.

Right, Olychick, because they're not going to waste the labor at the food coop, where it's mostly volunteers. They've only been doing it at the retail stores since the tip first surfaced, and only at the stores with higher quality and lower volume (i.e., more available labor).

I complained to the produce manager at one of the better big chain stores because the grapes were all in bags. He said they were packed that way for distribution but that i was perfectly welcome to open a bag and choose what I wanted, and only buy the amount I needed. If you're ever not at the coop and want a couple of bananas, do ask. I'm sure it's fine.

Re saving drippings, check this forum or Kitchens for Trailrunner's description of her chef son's handling of "the good" (I think that's what it was called). He basically accumulated all of the fond.

Oh please pillog.. don't just tease us with telling us to check Trailrunner's thread. Post a link to it please. I mean this sincerely- I still really suck at looking up threads around here.

Garlic hack. If you need a whole head of garlic of whole cloves to use all at once. Slice the root end off of the head and nuke it for 10 seconds or so. Then just gently smush out the clean cloves from the wrappers, smushing from the pointy tip two the cut/root end.

Another way to peel a head of garlic is to break the cloves away from the bulb, put everything into a container with a lid and give it a good shake for 10-15 seconds. The skins just fall away.

Another way to easily peel garlic is to freeze the cloves. My BIL plants 350 heads of garlic, and he gave me a bunch. I froze the individual cloves and the skin slips right off when I need them.

sherri1058, I've done that shaking them inside two small stainless steel bowls. :-)

Jasdip, I had no idea they can be frozen. Mind you, I only buy one head at a time! Chloebud, yes, I've the the 2 stainless steel bowls and it works well.

The other thing that I discovered recently (since my knife skills aren't the best) is a pizza cutter does a great job of mincing herbs.

Hey i dont post anymore but my son’s bone broth tip was in dcarch7 Bare Bones Discussion july12 2012. Scroll down... basically save your basic broth and add to it as you would a starter... never throw out the base. He let his go when he changed to a different setting. We used the last from 2012 before we moved in Nov 2017!!

Beesneeds, I have it saved in my cranky computer that's allergic to Houzz. I'll try to find it if I have time later.

I have been doing this for years . When measuring out honey or something sticky, I spray the cup with cooking spray first and the syrup comes all out.

Louiseab, it works even better if you fill the measuring cup with boiling water to heat it first, then tip out the water and dry the cup before spraying.

Or, if your recipe calls for oil, measure that out first, then do the honey, molasses etc.

beesneeds -- just wanted to let you know you were thought about today (Hallmark:) as I was looking in my freezer for that "nowhere-to-be-found" chuck roast LOL!!!!!!

I'm going to start on the garlic hacks now, so I can think of some more posters today. I'll spare you the pics though -- one's enough for the thread HA!

CathyinSWPA

I was satisfied with my old mango technique, but I tried this and it is so much faster and better:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BT1cd49pIw

Actually, I developed my method after I had tried his way.

The problem with his way is that the mango has to be very ripe, over ripe, and there is a lot of waste on the rind and on the pit. .

I wanted no mess and no waste .

dcarch

I thought that was one of the benefits. You get to eat the small amount of mango that's left behind.

Cathy, "schmaltz" just means fat. The more specific use of of the word schmaltz you hear mentioned by Jewish cooks is chicken fat rendered with onion, and perhaps some other flavors, though usually just onion. When you chill it the onion juice separates from the fat, though it does make it yellow (Spanish onion), which looks more appealing than pure white. If you buy a brick of it at the store (like a brick of butter), it is usually pure white. I can't remember if it has the onion (white?) or if they leave it to you to add some when you melt it. Authenticity is not required. Just know that your soup flavored fat tastes a bit different than onion flavored fat and adjust as necessary for the recipe. :)

I use a ricer to squeeze water out of grated zucchini, for zucchini cakes.

Use a straw to clean strawberries. Stick one at the pointed end and press it up to pop out the core and leaves.

plllog -- thank you!!!!! for the additional info. My grandmother used to babysit for several Jewish families, and I remember her talking about "schmaltz" (can't remember directions:) and "Jewish Penicillin":) Even though she's passed, you've filled the gap of wanting to call her just one more time and the whole google is your friend business:)

CathyinSWPA