Kitchen hacks to save time, get organized, and stay sane

Food Storage

1. Speed up ripening.
Be a total magician and morph a banana from green to yellow or a peach from crunchy to juicy all with the help of a paper bag. When fruit is tossed into the bag, concentrated ethylene gas helps it ripen faster.

2. Slow down rotting.
Store tomatoes stem end down to keep them from rotting as quickly. This prevents air from entering and moisture from exiting the scar where the tomato once attached to the vine. Storing them at room temperature rather than in the fridge also makes them last longer. 

3. Give bananas a longer life.
Keep bananas fresher, longer by wrapping the end of the bunch withplastic wrap. Better yet, separate each banana. The plastic wrap blocks ethylene gases from releasing out of the stem, consequently ripening the fruit too fast (see number 8). 

4. Keep potatoes white. 
Cover shredded or diced potatoes with cold water before cooking to prevent the spuds from turning that gross grayish/brown caused by the release of a starch that makes them oxidize.

For more food storage tips, go to Greatist.com.

Peeling, Pitting, and Removing

10. Easily scoop out squash seeds.
Scoop seeds from vegetables such as squash and pumpkin with an ice cream scoop. Because the edge of the scoop is sharp, it cuts through the fibery, gooey stuff inside the squash easier than your hand or a regular spoon.

11. Never wrestle eggshell pieces again.
Scoop up bits of broken eggshell from a batter or bowl of cracked eggs ready from scrambling with an already cracked egg. Gently ladle out the piece of shell with half of an eggshell. The shell acts as a magnet to draw up shell pieces without wasting too much egg.

12. Skim the fat.
Remove excess fat from stocks, stews, and sauces by skimming a few ice cubes (wrapped in a paper towel or cheese cloth) along the surface of the liquid. The ice helps the fat solidify, making it easier to remove with a spoon or a piece of toast.

13. Separate yolks from whites.
Separate eggs by gently squeezing a plastic water bottle over a cracked egg. When the bottle re-inflates with air, it will scoop the yolk right up. (Disclaimer: This method may take a little practice.)

14. Pit cherries with ease.
Place cherries on top of an empty beer bottle, one at a time, and use a chopstick to push the pit into the bottle.

15. Pit stone fruits with a twist. 
Pit stone fruits, such as plums and nectarines, by cutting them into two equal halves and twisting the halves in opposite directions. Use your thumb to pop out the pit (if your thumb doesn't do the job, gently pry it out with a butter knife, or cut into quarters for easier separating). 

Food Prep

29. Measure sticky stuff without the mess.
Coat a measuring cup or spoon with hot water or a dab of cooking oil (or spray) before measuring sticky substances such as molasses or honey. The heat or oil will help it slide right off and into a mixing bowl without leaving any behind.

30. Deal with hard-to-open jars.
To open a stuck jar lid, wrap the lid with a rubber band and give it another try. The band will provide extra traction. If that's still not enough (or your hands hurt too much), cover the rubberbanded top with a dishtowel, and try again.

31. Soften butter in a flash.
Keeping butter out on the counter for an hour isn't exactly ideal for a tight schedule. To speed up the process, grate it with a cheese grater or flatten it with a rolling pin (but put it in a plastic bag first) for spreadable, mixable butter in a pinch.

32. Soften butter faster (without a grater or rolling pin).
If you'd rather not use one of the tips mentioned above, cut a stick of butter into about eight pieces. More surface area will allow the stick to soften more rapidly. 

33. Make your own buttermilk.
To make buttermilk when there's none of the real stuff in the fridge, add one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk. The mixture won't get as thick and creamy as buttermilk, but it will help create fluffy pancakes and quick breads just the same.

34. Cut cherry tomatoes in half all at once.
Cut cherry or grape tomatoes in half with ease by placing them between two lids. Gently slice horizontally through the bunch of tomatoes while pressing down the top lid for perfectly halved tomatoes. What kind of lids, you ask? Anything works! Large yogurt container lids or Tupperware tops are two good options.

35. Stop onions from making you weep.
To stop onion-induced tears freeze the onion before chopping. (Note: this trick only works if you're planning to cook the onions later — otherwise, after the onion thaws out, the raw pieces will be a bit soggy!) Or if you want to look absolutely crazy when your housemate walks in, put a slice of bread in your mouth (partially sticking out) to absorb the irritant gas before it reaches the eyes.

For more food prep tips, go to Greatist.com.

Cooking/Baking

40. Make a perfect poached egg.
To poach an egg that's both tasty and aesthetically pleasing, use a metal mesh strainer to get rid of excess egg white. The strainer is also a great tool for gently lowering the egg into the water.

41. Prevent pots from boiling over.
Prevent over boiling by placing a wooden spoon across a pot. Because wood is not a good material for conducting heat, the hot water strays away from the handle. 

42. Cook a whole bird evenly.
When cooking a whole turkey or chicken, ice the breast of the bird for even cooking. Since the dark thigh meat needs more time to cook than the white breast meat, chilling the breasts will promote even cooking. (Check out these other tips for making the perfect turkey.)  

43. Don't waste your time flipping.
Now don't flip out on us, but you don't always have to flip your food. When roasting items such as French fries and veggies, pre-heating your cookie sheet eliminates the need to flip halfway through. This method isn't suggested for baked goods like cookies (they wouldn't look so pretty). 

44. Cut brownies without the crumbs.
There's nothing worse than pulling out a pan of perfect-smelling brownies only to destroy the entire pan when it comes time to slice. For perfectly square, clean-cut brownies (or other bars) grease a baking pan, line it with two strips of parchment (one from left to right, one from front to back), and grease the parchment paper, too. Once cooked, let sit until cool to the touch. Once cooled, use the parchment paper edges to lift the brownies from the pan. Then slice with a serrated knife.

Reheating/Leftovers

48. Give leftovers new life.
Save the rice, pizza toppings, and grilled chicken. Instead of tossing leftovers in the trash, repurpose them into other meals like casseroles and frittatas. 

49. Reheat pizza and other baked goods without drying them out.
When reheating pizza or baked goods, place a cup of water in the microwave with it to add moisture to the air (therefore keeping the food from drying out).

50. Keep birthday cake fresh for days.
Dug into a cake and didn't finish the whole thing? Save cut-into cake from drying out by securing a slice of bread to the exposed portions with toothpicks. The bread holds in the cake's moisture.

51. Reheat pasta in the microwave the right way.
Reheating a giant blob of sauced spaghetti can get tricky — sizzling around the perimeter, ice cold in the middle. For even warming, shape leftover pasta into a donut (with a hole in the middle) on a plate.

52. Reheat bread in the microwave without producing hockey pucks.
Much like number 49, the key to reheating already cooked foods is to add some moisture. When it comes to bread, set the microwave to a low power setting, and drape the rolls or buns with a moist paper towel. 

Freezing

53. Chill wine and cocktails without diluting.
Cool down a fresh glass of wine or a fancy cocktail by plopping a few frozen grapes in your glass.

54. Save fresh herbs for later use.
Use an ice-cube tray or muffin tin to freeze fresh chopped herbs in water, olive oil, or stock for later use as a seasoning agent.

55. Steer clear of ice cream freezer burn.
Place a piece of wax paper over ice cream before putting it back in the freezer. The barrier will help prevent freezer burn!

56. Easily cut meat into thin slices for stir-fries.
Does your stir-fry ever really­ look the same as when you ordered take out? While the veggie part is easy, it's tricky to produce thinly sliced chicken or beef. For a recipe that calls for thin slices, partially freeze meat before cutting it.

57. Extend nuts' shelf life.
Freeze shelled nuts to preserve their natural oils (which may go rancid at room temperature over time).

58. Cool down coffee without diluting it.
Fill an ice cube tray with leftover coffee (cooled down to room temp) and let the cubes set in the freezer. The coffee cubes will keep an iced cup of Joe from becoming diluted. You can even customize the cubes by adding your favorite milk and sweetener.

For tips on cleaning, kitchen organization and safety and to see all 73 tips in one place, go to Greatist.com.

xx