City of Torrance - Kitchen Tips

Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato-based sauces. No more stains!
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator--it will keep for weeks!
Use lifesavers candy to hold candles in place on your next birthday cake! Kids love them.
Poke an egg with a small sewing needle before hard-boiling, and the egg will peel with ease! And hold that needle in place with a magnet refrigerator clip!
Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips!
Zap garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds and the skins slip right off!
Use a meat baster to "squeeze" your pancake batter onto the hot griddle perfectly shaped pancakes every time.
Always spray your grill with nonstick cooking spray before grilling to avoid sticking!
To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes!
To prevent egg shells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling!
Use a pastry blender to cut ground beef into small pieces after browning!
Sweeten whipped cream with confectioners' sugar instead of granulated sugar. It will stay fluffy & hold its shape better!
For easy "meatloaf mixing", combine the ingredients with a potato masher!
If you don't have enough batter to fill all cupcake tins, pour 1 tablespoon of water into the unfilled spots. This helps preserve the life of your pans!
To easily remove honey from a measuring spoon, first coat the spoon with nonstick cooking spray!
Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan. The marshmallow won't stick to your fingers!
Mash and freeze ripe bananas, in one-cup portions, for use in later baking. No wasted bananas (or you can freeze them whole, peeled, in plastic baggies.)
To quickly use that frozen juice concentrate, simply mash it with a potato masher. No need to wait for it to thaw! A wire whip works also.
To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature & roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing!
To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap & enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove-top--skillet will be much easier to clean now!
Transfer your jelly to a small plastic squeeze bottle--no more messy, sticky jars or knives! This also works well for homemade salad dressing!
To aid in washing dishes, add a tablespoon of baking soda to your soapy water--it softens hands while cutting through grease!
Save your store-bought-bread bags and ties--they make perfect storage bags for homemade bread!
When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead. No white mess on the outside of the cake!
If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato. It absorbs the excess salt for an instant "fix me up"!
Next time you need a quick ice pack, grab a bag of frozen vegetables out of your freezer -- no watery leaks from a plastic baggie!
When making bread, substitute nondairy creamer for the dry milk--it works just as well!!!
Rinse cooked, ground meat with water when draining off the fat--this helps "wash away" even more fat! Use HOT or WARM water so fat won't congeal.
Slicing meat when partially frozen makes it easier to get thin slices.
Instead of throwing away bread heels or leftover cornbread, use them to make bread crumbs. For use later, store them in the freezer.
Substitute half applesauce for the vegetable oil in your baking recipes. You'll greatly reduce the fat content! (Example: ½ cup vegetable oil = ¼ cup applesauce + ¼ cup oil)
To ripen avocados and bananas, enclose them in a brown paper bag with an apple for 2-3 days.
Brush beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful, glossy finish!
In recipes calling for margarine, substitute reduced-calorie margarine to help cut back on fat! Same goes with sour cream, milk, cheese, cream cheese, and cream soups
Place a slice of bread in hardened brown sugar to soften it back up!
When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corns natural sweetness!
When starting your garden seedlings indoors, plant the seeds in egg shell halves.
Simply crack the shells around the roots of your plants & transplant them outdoors--the shell is a natural fertilizer!
To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh; if it rises to the surface, throw it away.
Keep the linings from cereal boxes--they make great substitutes for waxed paper!

SUPER HINTS

Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go.
Use of soap wrapper: Don't throw away the wrapper after removing a bar of soap. Place it inside your shoe cabinet or shoe box. It's a cheap way of filling the air with a nice smell.
If your polished furniture has small scratches: Try rubbing them with a shelled walnut. You'll see the scratches just disappear!
Are your shoes smelly: Here's a solution. Put some tea leaves into a pair of stockings & stuff each into a shoe. Leave for a day or two & the smell just vanishes!
If you have problem opening jars: Try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy!
Tips for stamp collectors: Place the envelope in the freezer for a few hours. You'll then be able to easily lift the stamps off with a pair of tweezers.
To keep buttons from dropping off: Dab a drop of clear nail polish onto the thread that secures the buttons. This will harden & make it more difficult for thread to break off