Shortcuts in the Kitchen

If you just purchased a lot of hamburger because it was on sale, put one pound portions into freezer bags.  Use rolling pin before closing the bag to flatten the meat out for easy storing and quick thawing later.

Instead of buying an expensive spaghetti noodle measurer, use an empty 35 mm film canister.  No kidding, a full canister makes spaghetti for two.

When putting your silverware in the dishwasher, use one compartment for spoons, one for knives and so on.  This will make it quick and easy to put away once clean.

A full freezer is cheaper to run than an empty one.  Fill empty milk jugs with water to fill gaps.  If the power goes out you'll have plenty of ice cold water.  You can also use in the cooler when going on a trip to the lake.

Used coffee grounds work better than baking soda to eliminate refrigerator odors.  Simply place the used coffee filter in an open container in the frig and replace when they dry up.

Substitue pancake mix (up to 3 tablespoons) when out of flour to thicken gravy.  If you go over 3 tablespoons you'll be needing some maple syrup.

To tone down acidic tomato sauce add a pinch of baking soda.  It will fizz at first, just continue to stir.  This trick produces a much sweeter sauce with less acid and helps those who get heartburn from the sauce.

When you need superfine sugar for a fancy recipe or for your iced tea, use a blender to grind regular sugar.  

Powered sugar would be the result if you go past the superfine stage.

I would love to know what tips you have to share.  Just leave one in a comment and receive a free gift.