Kitchen Quick Tips - Storing Ice Cream

Wrap the ice cream container in foil wrap to prevent ice crystals from forming on the ice cream.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Keep Critters Away

Place a bayleaf in flour, rice and pasta when storing to keep critters out! 

Kitchen Quick Tips - Sticky Spoons

Spray a spoon with non-stick cooking spray before using it to scoop honey or peanut butter.  The spoon will clean-up easily with no sticking.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Saving Left Over Wine

Pour left-over wine into an ice cube tray then freeze for the perfect size to add a bit of extra flavour in sauces and gravies.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Storing Kitchen Tools

Keep a crock for storing commonly used kitchen tools on by the stove or easily assessable in a nearby cupboard.  This is simple, easy, low cost and convenient organization that works!

Kitchen Quick Tips - Bean and Seed Sprout Yield

In general, 1½ tbsp of beans or seeds will give a yield of 1 quart of sprouts. 

Kitchen Quick Tips - Reusable Grocery Bags

With more stores charging for plastic bags (mandatory in all Ontario stores), you can save 5¢ each time you use a reusable grocery bag which can really add up over the course of a year.  Be sure to wash your reusable grocery bags to keep them fresh and germ free.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Ascorbic Acid

If you need to use ascorbic acid to prevent browning in fruit but have none, substitute a Vitamin C tablet.  A substitute for Fruit Fresh which our grocery stores are no longer carrying is a solution of lemon juice and a Vitamin C tablet in water.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Coring Strawberries for Stuffing

Easily core a strawberry for stuffing with a large metal icing decorator tip.  It will remove the core leaving enough hole for filling with whip cream or desired filling.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Quickly Seed Cucumbers

To quickly seed cucumbers with little waste, cut the cucumber in half then run a melon baller down the length of both halves to scoop out the seeds.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Remove Onion Odour From Hands

Quickly remove the odour from chopping onions after chopping onions by sprinkling your hands with salt then rubbing them together for a few seconds.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Strawberries

Choose plump, fragrant strawberries that are firm, bright and fresh-looking,  free of mold or bruised spots.  Refrigerated unwashed berries as soon as you get home.  Do not wash or hull berries until you are ready to use them.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Keep Foods Fresh Longer

Both air and moisture can cause foods to spoil quickly.  Avoid this by vacuum seal foods stored in the refrigerator.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Refrigerating Highly Perishable Foods

Do not store highly perishable foods (eg. milk, eggs, sour cream) in the fridge doors as the temperature fluctuation will lead to quicker spoilage.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Storing Block Cheese

Wrap block cheese in cheese paper or parchment paper, then place the wrapped cheese in a plastic zipper storage bag or container and refrigerate in the warmest part of the fridge (eg. cheese drawer).

Kitchen Quick Tips - Storing Nuts

Vacuum seal nuts in mason jars then store in the freezer to keep them fresh until needed.  This will prevent the nut oils from becoming rancid.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Herb-Infused Oil

Place about a tablespoon of chopped herbs in each ice cube tray well.  Top with extra virgin olive oil and freeze.  Pop one out anytime you need herb-infused oil when cooking.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Storing Oily Herbs

Tie oily herbs (eg. thyme) into bunches around the base then hang upside down in the kitchen out of direct sunlight.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Storing Tomatoes

Always store fresh tomatoes at room temperature away from direct sunlight to maintain peak flavour and texture.  Storing in the refrigerator will reduce the flavour while causing the flesh to turn mealy.

Kitchen Quick Tips - Cutting Delicate Herbs

Quickly prepare delicate fresh herbs (eg. parsley, chives) by snipping across the herb with scissors rather than a knife.