Bacon
*Dip bacon strips in cold water before frying to prevent them from curling.
*To keep bacon slices from sticking together, roll the package into a tube and secure with rubber bands.
*To separate frozen bacon, heat a spatula over the stove burner and then slide it under each slice.
Bananas
*Toss freshly peeled bananas in lemon juice so they will not darken.
*Freeze bananas that are on the verge of going bad. They also make delicious popsicles.
Bread
*Freshen dried bread by wrapping in a damp towel and placing it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove towel and heat in oven for a few minutes.
Brown sugar
*Store in plastic bag. Wrap tightly. Place in coffee can with snap.
Cake
*To prevent cake from drying out and getting stale, put a slice of fresh bread to the cut edge or place half an apple in the cake box.
Cheese
*To keep cheese from drying out, wrap in a cloth dampened with vinegar.
Cookies
*Place crushed tissue paper on the bottom so they will not dry out.
Cottage cheese
*Store carton upside down. It will keep twice as long.
Crackers
*Store crackers in the refrigerator to keep them crisp. Be sure they are wrapped securely.
Fish
*Soak fish in vinegar and water before cooking it for a sweet tender taste.
*Wash hands with salt and water or vinegar and water to remove fishy smell from your hands.
Garlic
*Store garlic in a bottle of cooking oil so it will not dry out. After the garlic is used up, you can use the garlic-flavored oil for salad.
Ice cream
*To prevent wax like film on top of ice cream that has been opened and returned to the freezer after part of the ice cream has been removed, press a piece of waxed paper against the surface and reseal the carton.
Lemons
*Lemons will yield more juice if stored in a tightly sealed jar of water in the refrigerator.
*Wrap and freeze the rind after you’ve squeezed a lemon so that when a recipe calls for lemon rind, you will not have to grate a fresh lemon.
*Submerging a lemon in hot water for 15 minutes before squeezing will yield almost twice the amount of juice.
*Or, warm them in your oven for a few minutes before squeezing.
Lettuce and celery
*Store them in the refrigerator in paper bags instead of plastic to keep them longer. Do not remove the outside leaves of either until ready to use.
*Lettuce will not wilt as quickly if you place a paper towel or napkin in the storage container.
*Line the bottom of the vegetable compartment in the ref with paper toweling. This absorbs the excess moisture and keeps all vegetables and fruits fresher for a longer period of time.
*Or, put a few dry sponges in the vegetable compartment to absorb moisture.
Meat
*When browning any piece of meat, be sure the meat is perfectly dry and the fat is very hot so the browning will be done more efficiently.
Onions
*Once an onion has been cut in half, rub the left over side with butter and it will keep fresh longer.
Parsley
*Keep fresh and crisp by storing in a wide-mouth jar with a tight lid.
*Parsley can also be frozen.
Potatoes
*A leftover baked potato can be rebaked if you dip it in water and bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes.
*If you have peeled too many potatoes, cover them with cold water to which a few drops of vinegar have been added. Keep refrigerated and they will last for three to four days.
Poultry
*Chill chicken for an hour after coating with flour so the coating adheres better during frying.
*A few drops of yellow food coloring placed in the shortening before it has heated will make for a golden brown chicken.
Salt
*Keep a large shaker filled with a mixture of both salt and pepper (3/4 salt & ¼ pepper) since most recipes call for both salt and pepper
*When to add salt: add early on for soups and stews; for meats, sprinkle just before taking them off the stove; for veggies, cook in salted water.
Soup
*Shake a can of soup well before opening and open at the bottom end instead of the top so the contents will slide out nicely.
Vegetables
*Pour boiling water over frozen vegetables to restore the fresh flavor. Rinse away all traces of the frozen water.
*Cook in broth for a nice flavor.