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Bread Machine TipsTips and advice for using bread machines.

 

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Keeping Kitchen Scissors From RustingI use scissors a lot in the kitchen when I am cooking. To keep them from getting rusty, To keep them from getting rusty, I spray them with Pam either before, or even after, I put them in the dishwasher.

 

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Organizing Kitchen Utensils In a DrawerWhen storing kitchen utensils (spoons, spatulas, etc.) in a drawer, having the handle facing towards the back of the drawer. That way you can easily see what utensils you have since many have similar looking handles.

 

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Refurbishing Plastic SpatulasOver time, the edges of plastic spatulas get dull and rough. Sharpen the rough edge by sanding them with an emery board or scraping them with the edge of a sharp knife.

 

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Never Try To Catch A Falling KnifeThis is a tip when you are in the kitchen, whether preparing a meal or preparing to wash your dishes, utensils, pots and pans or putting the clean ones away. Never try to catch a falling knife.

 

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Use A Rubber Mallet In The KitchenI had a pasta sauce jar that wouldn't open, no matter what I did. Out of desperation, I tapped it lightly with a rubber mallet. It worked!

 

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Pastry Blender For Kitchen TasksA standard pastry blender is indispensable for chopping up eggs for salad or for mashing avocados for guacamole.

 

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Use A Steam JuicerWe go through a lot of juice because my husband makes his own wine. Friends give us their unwanted extra fruit. In order to get plenty of juice, we invested in a steam juicer. It is a large, three-tiered pot; really more like three pots in one.

 

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Keeping Cutting Boards from SlidingDoes your cutting board slide around on your kitchen counter? If so, cut some rubber backing from the kitchen liner roll, cut smaller than the cutting board, place it under the board and walla no more sliding. Hope this helps. I cook a lot so I have 3 cutting boards which work great without sliding.

 

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Use Utensils in Unusual WaysI am all for using utensils in unusual ways. After you brown ground beef, you can break it up into mostly uniform pieces using a pastry blender.

 

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Frugal Kitchen Tool: Rubber SpatulaOne of the most frugal tools in your kitchen is the rubber spatula. I use it when I have gravies, pasta sauce, etc. You would be shocked at the amounts of sauce, etc are left in the jar after pouring it out By using the rubber spatula you can clean out all the excess clinging to the can or jar. My husband even got him a set of rubber spatulas to clean out paint cans.

 

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8 in 1 Lightning ShredderInstead of chopping potatoes and hard boiled eggs for potato salad, I use my cheese grater. What I have is called "8 in 1 Lightning Shredder". The largest shredder has holes almost 1/2 round.

 

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Kitchen Tools for Deviled EggsWhen making deviled eggs, I use 2 tools that help simplify the task and help in making the eggs look more uniform.

 

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Save Money and Time With a Pressure CookerI know this may sound like an extravagant spending item, but I have saved a lot of money in the long run with a stainless steel pressure cooker. Why? I can cook up to 1/4 the time it would conventionally.

 

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Using a Potato Peeler as a Cheese GraterPotato Peeler = Cheese Grater? Last night, I had a yen to use up some going-stale tortilla chips as the base for some tasty nachos. But I couldn't find my cheese grater, one of those simple flat plastic ones.

 

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Use Potato Masher To Crush WalnutsI had to make banana nut bread not too long ago, and did not have time to chop the walnuts. I grabbed the potato masher, and smashed the nuts in a hurry, and was very surprised to find out how good it worked.

 

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Check To See If Your Skillet Is LevelIf you have a skillet that always sticks, check this: Put it on a level surface and see if it sets flat, or if it tilts slightly. If it's doing the tilting, that's the cause of the problem - it's not your cooking!

 

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Use a Pastry Blender for Chopping Soft FoodsI have found that a Pastry blender is a real time saver when used to chop hard boiled eggs, avocados, and bananas for banana nut bread. I just put the item in a bowl and use the pastry blender to chop are mash to the desired consistency.

 

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Cleaning a Pizza CutterFor quick and easy cleanup, don't wait for cheese and sauce to dry on your pizza cutter. Rinse it off right after you cut the pizza and clean up will be a snap.

 

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Sharpening Your Knife With Liquid SoapI know this may not seem important to many people, but I like a sharp cooking knife. This probably comes from living in Japan. Almost every household has a whetstone. We tend to sharpen the knife at least once a week if not every time we use it.

 

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Use Your Potato Ricer to Remove Moisture from SpinachIf a recipe calls for frozen spinach with the water squeezed out, I have a great and easy way to do this. No more do you need to waste valuable paper towels and make a mess. I use my potato ricer.

 

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Store an Ice Pick in a Wine CorkTo safely store an ice pick or any other utensil with a sharp tip, just stick into a wine cork. Better grab a real cork while you can get them since they are being replaced with man-made materials more and more often.

 

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Use Wide Mouth Food Saver Sealer With CanisterI recently purchased a large canister for my Foodsaver on Ebay. It evidently is an older model (the lid has a white knob with a red center) and the hose for my new Foodsaver wouldn't fit on it - much less vacuum seal.

 

Cast Iron Pan

Cooking With Cast Iron PansEasy, excellent nonstick way to clean and care for cast iron! For years I washed my cast iron skillet with water, thinking that was the only way to get off stuck-on egg.

 

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Use Potato Masher as a Pastry CutterWhile visiting my sister last week, she wanted to try a new recipe I brought along. It called for cutting/blending butter and flour. Since she did not have a pastry blender, we were going to use the method using two knives.

 

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Use Ziplock Bags With Your Handi-VacThis is for all the folks that have purchased the Reynolds Handi-Vac and now have to find an alternative for their machine. Please DO NOT THROW IT AWAY. Ziploc Brand bags work with your Handi-Vac pump and they cost about a third the price.

 

Canning Jar for Blending

Canning Jars for BlendingIf your blender cap, gasket, and blades will fit onto a standard canning jar, you have your very own Magic Bullet, coffee grinder, and baby food grinder in one.

 

Using Bamboo Utensils for Cooking

Using Bamboo Utensils for CookingIf you are buying bamboo items for cooking or serving, look for the telltale bamboo markings along the length of the item. Avoid anything that is made of little strips or you might be picking wood out of your dinner too.

 

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Avoid Aluminum Cookware With Acidic FoodsIf you are making a dish with acidic ingredients, DO NOT use an aluminum pan. The whole dish will turn gray because of a chemical reaction.

 

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Use Red Clay Saucer for Baking StoneWhen I had wanted a baking stone, and it was rather expensive, so, I thought about using red clay saucers, like red clay pots can bake bread in them, and I knew that pots and saucers can be fairly large.

 

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Keep Spoons and Forks Handy for CookingKeep some spoons and forks in a small crock or large coffee mug on your kitchen counter. Whenever you need a spoon or fork while cooking, they are easy to get instead of opening and closing the kitchen drawer.

 

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Two Sets of Measuring UtensilsTwo sets of measuring cups and spoons are a must for any kitchen. Use one to measure the wet ingredients, one for the dry. This saves the wash and dry time exercise when cooking or baking.

 

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Cooking Tongs To Extend ReachCooking tongs are useful for grabbing items out of reach - boxes on a high shelf or something on a bottom shelf. No need to grab a chair or kneel on the floor. If you don't have long handled tongs, buy some soon.

 

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Save With Electric Meat SlicerHubby and I recently purchased a moderately priced electric meat slicer. We figure it's going to pay for itself pretty quickly. You can usually find unsliced meat cheaper per pound than sliced.

 

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Use Glass Mason Jar as MeasureUse a glass mason jar as a measuring cup for liquids. It has all the markings listed on the side.

 

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Peeling CucumbersHave a lot of cucumbers to peel or just don't like the peelings? Grab up your potato peeler. It works great especially for those that have problems with their hands.

 

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Keep Saran Wrap From ClingingWhen tearing off food wrap film or saran wrap, pull the film back toward and allowing it to touch your body after tearing to keep it from clinging up. Then push the film forward to object to be wrapped so the side that touches your body doesn't touch the food to be wrapped.

 

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Using Crockpot Insert in the OvenYou can use your removable crock pot/slow cooker stoneware insert in an oven. Be sure the insert does not have any cracks or breaks in it. I normally coat it with a cooking spray for easy clean-up. I don't use the lid, for fear it would crack or break.

 

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Use Vacuum Sealer to Seal Jar LidsSince this is a Waste Nothing Group, for those who have Food Saver vacuum sealers or similar brand, and have the attachment to vacuum seal in canning jars, the lids can be reused over and over again.

 

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Sharpening KnivesWhen sharping knifes, be sure to wipe the blades, I found there are tiny shavings on them. Careful!

 

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Sharpen Knife on Mug BottomIf your knife is dull and you don't have a sharpener, use the bottom (rough) edge of a ceramic coffee cup. Just run the blade over it a few times and you have a sharp knife again.

 

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French Fry Cutter for Dicing VegetablesI found the handiest little gizmo at the drugstore one day while waiting on a prescription. It's a French fry cutter. Not only do I use this to cut homemade French fries, but also when I'm freezing diced bell pepper, onion, etc.

 

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Cut Squash With Pumpkin Carving ToolWhen it comes to splitting acorn squash, I don't reach for a cleaver but for that incredibly cheap saw blade that comes in pumpkin-carving kits. It takes very little time and almost no power to cut an acorn squash with this little saw.

 

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Use Potholder to Store Rasp GraterTo store flat, rasp-style graters safely in the kitchen tools drawer, take a square, pocket style potholder and slide the graters into the pocket. Fold the potholder in half and secure with a rubber band.

 

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Use Microplane Grater Upside DownIf you use a microplane grater upside down, it contains the zest or cheese, making it easier to judge the amount . This cuts down on the mess too.

 

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Keeping Blender Buttons CleanTo keep food particles from getting trapped in and around the buttons on my blender, I cover them with a plastic sandwich bag and secure it with transparent tape. When the bag gets worn out, I just throw it away and replace it with another.

 

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Season Nonstick Pans With OilNon-stick pans/skillets will keep their finish longer if you lightly coat them with oil. The non-stick finish is porous and will benefit from this conditioning. This really helps especially if you put any of these pans in the dishwasher.

 

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Make Sure Dish is Oven SafeBefore you decide to use a dish to bake an item in the oven, make sure it is oven safe for that temperature. Using a dish in the oven at higher temperature than what it has been rated for will cause it to explode.

 

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Make Paninis Using Foreman GrillWhen we don't have any leftovers for lunch, we have a sandwich. I got tired of a cold sandwiches, so I thought why not make a panini? Not having a panini press or sandwich maker, I thought I would try my George Foreman Grill.

 

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Coffee Filters to Protect Non-Stick PansPutting a coffee filter in each pot or pan before stacking will keep them from scratching each other while in storage.

 

Closeup of Broken Glass Bowl

Exploding Glass BowlsJust a warning about glass mixing bowl shattering. DD gave me a set of 3 nesting glass mixing bowls for Christmas. I had used the larger and middle size one 3-4 times and the small one 5-6 times.

 

A green J-Popper kitchen tool for opening ring top cans.

Product Review: J-Popper Ring Top Can OpenerDD gave me this a few years ago. I have used it so much that it is second nature to use it every day. I don't know if anyone else has posted this great product, but it never hurts to remind people that have never used it.

 

Quick Shake container taken apart.

Quick Shake Gravy Container Lid for FunnelIf you have a Quick Shake gravy container lid, you can use it as a funnel. It fits neatly inside an empty milk container and some soda bottles. It's wide enough and deep enough to easily fill with liquid or seed, etc.

 

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Plastic Tops For Spoon RestsI use the top from a margarine tub for a spoon rest. It is big enough to catch the drips. It is easy to wash! It keeps the stove top clean.

 

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Buying a ZesterI always hated the process of zesting a lemon. I have had several zesters and either the lemon or the zester kept sliding out of my hands

 

Using a spaghetti server for cooked cabbage

Spaghetti Server For CabbageToday, I tried the spaghetti server to take the cabbage from the steamer. It works better than anything else I have tried because of the longer handle.

 

Pastry Cutter For Chopping Fruit

Pastry Cutter For Chopping FruitI made strawberry jam and blueberry jam last week. Using the recommended potato masher to crush the berries never really works for me. I was trying to think of an easier way, when I came across my pastry cutter.

 

Sharpen Your Vegetable Peeler

Sharpen Your Vegetable PeelerVegetable peelers go dull rather fast. I spent many, many years just tossing them out and buying new ones. I wish I learned this trick when I first moved out on my own:

 

can opener

Invest in a Safe Edge Can OpenerWe purchased an awesome safe edge can opener and we love it. It removes can lids without leaving a sharp edge. Not only will this help avoid getting cut by the can we cook, it also makes it easier to use the cans for crafts later.

 

straining can 1

Using a Can StrainerI recently was wandering around the Dollar Tree and came across a plastic can strainer. I don't know how I never knew about this little kitchen tool.

 

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Cooling Racks to Ripen TomatoRipen tomatoes and other vegetables in your window.

 

Pastry Blender for Chopped Eggs

Pastry Blender for Chopping Hardboiled EggsA quick and easy way to make egg salad sandwich spread quickly is to use a pastry blender tool. This is normally used to get your pie crust ready to roll.

 

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Funnel from Empty Juice BottleCut top third off an empty juice bottle, usually about where the top of the bottle forms the "funnel". I usually place a ziplock bag into the bottom part and the funnel part into the bag.

 

Bagel slicer

Bagel Slicer for VegetablesI constantly need to slice veggies like zucchini, eggplant and onions thinly for recipes and to dehydrate.

 

Damp Cloth Under Cutting Board

Damp Cloth Keeps Cutting Board from...In order to keep the cutting board from sliding around while slicing potatoes, put a slightly damp washcloth under it. Here I am perilously close to a hundred and I didn't know this!

 

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Pizza Cutter for BrowniesWhen your brownies are still warm, lightly score them. When cool enough to cut, use a pizza roller/cutter to cut through them. It will cut right through the nuts, if you added them.

 

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Silicone Turkey Lifter for Removing PansI have an 18 quart roaster which I use because I don't have a functioning oven. I generally use a 9x13 Pyrex dish when making lasagna and other casseroles and cakes but it's almost impossible to get out without tilting it or burning my hands.

 

Lumpless Mashed Potatoes

Lumpless Mashed PotatoesI ended up draining the potatoes in a large strainer and riced them by pushing through the holes with a meat tenderizer. Add your warmed milk or half and half and butter, yum!

 

inside of pot

Taking Care of CookwareHeat and salt are enemies of cookware. Do not use excessive heat. It will cause rainbows on metal cookware and discoloration on enameled cast iron like Le Creuset.

 

A brand new paint scraper.

Paint Scraper As Carrot ScraperI've been looking for a better carrot scraper. I was using a serrated knife. It was slow and left a mess in the sink. I saw this paint scraper at Dollar Tree and decided to try it. It is the best thing I've ever found.

 

egg slicer on a plate with sliced olives

Use Egg Slicer To Slice OlivesOn French bread toast, I spread a liberal amount of neufchatel cheese that has been allowed to come to room temperature. Atop the cheese, I spread a layer of sliced, ripe olives. That's it! Simple, but very good, especially if eaten while the toast is still warm.

 

A silicone kitchen mitt on a hand.

Silicone Kitchen MittI made a great find I wanted to share with you. While shopping at Dollar Tree, I ran across a new item; silicone kitchen mitts. No need to tell you, they were just a dollar. I've been using this one for a week, now. I really like it. It does provide much more protection than the cotton, quilted pot holders.

 

A bag of almonds being closed by a clothespin.

Use Wooden Clothespins as Bag Clips in the FreezerMy plastic bag clips were breaking because the freezer was too cold for them. I now use wooden clothespins and have eliminated the issue. They last a lot longer and I will be using them exclusively, even for items that are not kept in the freezer.

 

A pasta measuring stick with holes, with a kale leaf inserted into one of the holes.

Pasta Measure to Strip Kale LeavesAfter cutting the tougher stem off from my kale for salads and some recipes I decided to try to use my pasta measuring stick instead. Just pull the kale (or other tough leaves like collards I bet!) through one of the wholes and the stem is removed from the leaves!

 

A zester full of lemon zest.

Use Zester Upside DownWhen using your zester, place it wrong side up, as the picture shows. All the zest will remain in the zester, enabling you to neatly place all the zest in your recipe. Saves a lot of cleanup time.

 

Rubbing sandpaper across a metal food grater.

How to Sharpen a Food GraterRegular usage can sometimes make your food grater dull over time. I use a piece of sandpaper to sharpen my grater. Simply cut a small piece of fine grit sandpaper and wipe the grater from the bottom to the top.

 

A pair of pliers being used to remove the seal from a container of food.

Pliers for Opening Food ContainersA pair of pliers is a tool to have handy in the kitchen, especially for us old folks. Sometimes, I can't open a bottle or in this case, pull the seal off of a container. When that happens, I reach for the pliers in the kitchen drawer and I'll have it off in a jiffy.

 

Using a pair of tongs to squeeze juice from a lemon.

Use Tongs to Squeeze LemonsThe simplest way to juice a lemon is to cut it into half and find a juicer. When don't have one, find a food tong and clip one half of lemon. Hold the tong on both ends and press in full force to release the lemon juice inside.

 

Two forks connected with a rubber band to use as tongs.

Use Forks as Barbecue TongsWhen you're going to a picnic and you forget your tongs, that's not a problem anymore! I used two forks as my tongs for picking up my barbecued food. Simply attach the forks back to back and tie them with a rubber band. Now you have your fork tongs!

 

Placing rubber bands on the sides of a cutting board.

Rubber Bands to Prevent Cutting Board from ShiftingSometimes, when you are dicing meat or vegetables, the chopping board will move. To avoid this, I used two rubber bands. Tie it or slip it on the chopping board from the top and the bottom part. This will prevent your chopping board from moving when dicing.

 

A paper plate with detachable mixers pushed through, as a splash guard.

Use Paper Plate As Mixer Splash GuardWhen you're using your mixer, sometimes things tend to splash around. Put a hole in a paper plate. Put your beaters through the hole, to protect from messes.

 

A wooden serving bowl that has been oiled with mineral oil to preserve it.

Preserve Wooden Bowls with Mineral OilUse food-grade mineral oil to keep your wooden bowls and spoons from drying out. This bowl is almost 40 years old and has no cracks or splinters. You can put a paper towel between tools if you stack them.

 

Using a bagel tool to thinly slice meat.

Bagel Tool to Thinly Slice MeatAfter hurting one hand, I decided to try using my bagel slicing tool to hold my somewhat frozen chicken breast firmly (and SAFELY) vertically, allowing me to cut it thinly for a meal. I think I will try it to slice ham for lunches in the future as well.

 

A clean cast iron frying pan.

Cast Iron Cooking Can Save MoneyPretty sets of cookware are tempting, but pretty wears off with the enamel or Teflon. Cast iron lasts a lifetime if properly cared for. It cooks evenly, predictably and they're the only few pieces of cookware you'll ever need. Keep it away from the dishwasher and soap, season it regularly and enjoy never tossing another skillet!

 

A paint key being used to open a jar of pickles.

Paint Key to Open JarsI use a paint key to open jars, especially pickle. It fits under the lip of the lid. When you press down on the handle, it releases the vacuum which breaks the seal and makes the jar easy to open.

 

Homemade knife sheaths made from cardboard.

Make Your Own Knife SheathsA good knife is a sharp knife. However, knives can cut you if not stored properly. I make my own knife sheaths out of cardboard. You can use packing materials, cereal boxes or any other cardboard. Cut to size and tape edges shut.

 

An electric frying pan on a countertop.

Countertop Heated By Electric Fry PanI remember our first electric frying pan from the late 50s. It's legs were shorter than today's models so the heating element was closer to the countertop surface. And yet, with those shorter legs, I don't remember any particular build up of heat on the countertop.

 

A toaster oven's crumb tray, covered in aluminum foil.

Line Toaster Oven PanI line my crumb tray/drip pan with aluminum foil. It makes it an easy breezy clean up if there are any crumbs, drips/spills - it'll be an easy clean up. No need to scrub the original crumb tray/drip pan.

 

A loaf of bread being cut with a pair of scissors.

Cut Bread with ScissorsTo save time you can cut your long loaf of bread with scissors. You will get nice even slices too!

 

A spray bottle containing oil for cooking.

Making a Cheap Oil MisterI recently made some fried green tomatoes and needed an oil mister for an air fryer. Yes, they do need a little bit, especially for things with a batter. But the misters are out of my budget. So, I took a chance and got a Dollar Tree spray bottle.

 

Measuring spoons next to caps that measure the same.

Substitutes for Measuring SpoonsIf you are moving and don't have the kitchen stuff unpacked yet, this might help. A cap from a coffee creamer is exactly one Tablespoon. A cap from a flavored water or soda bottle is exactly one Teaspoon.

 

A cooling rack being used to drip dry grapes.

Multipurpose Cooling RackI discovered that my cooling rack fits perfectly on the kitchen sink. It works well for draining grapes after they have been rinsed. When they stop dripping, I can move the rack out of the way and let them sit until they are ready to put in a bowl and munch on.

 

Makeshift Steamer - perforated pizza pan on top of skillet

Makeshift Vegetable SteamerI used my pizza pan that has holes in it as a lid for my large frying pan to steam vegetables. It worked perfectly!

 

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