Favorite Kitchen Tips and Tricks

One of my favorite things about cooking and baking (besides the end product of course) are all the tips and tricks I've accumulated over the years that makes things so much easier. Some of them I've picked up from watching my family cook, others from some of my favorite cooking shows. Then there are the ones I've discovered from my own pure laziness genius, like using the method of deglazing to clean a burnt pan to avoid having to scrub it and ruin my manicure... Like my favorite go-to recipes, some of my favorite kitchen tricks are the ones that I find myself using over and over again, without fail.

1. Buttermilk is an ingredient that always comes up in recipes...after I've gone food shopping. Good thing it is easily recreated at home by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a measuring cup, then filling the rest with milk to equal 1 cup. Five minutes later and the buttermilk is ready to go.

2. Another handy tip from not reading a recipe all the way through: an egg placed in a mug or bowl with warm water gets it to room temperature in no time.

3. Keeping the pit in and adding some lemon juice to an avocado keeps it from browning.

4. Ice cream scoops make perfectly sized cookies and meatball and are less messy.

5. Parchment paper is an amazing substitute for cooking spray. (especially if you know what's in cooking spray...)

6. Sweet onions don't make you cry.

7. Since I hate cleaning the blender and food processor (I could lose a finger!), this one comes in handy daily: dish washing soap + water + the appliance on high = an easy cleanup.

8. Freezing a soft cheese, like mozzarella, makes it easier to slice or grate.

9. A vegetable peeler doubles nicely as a mandolin.

10. "The Finger Test" is an absolutely genius way to determine if steak is done.

Do you have any favorite kitchen tips of your own? Share them!