23 Food Hacks That Will Change Your Entire Life
Or at least the way you eat and cook
OK, you know how to make quesadillas in your waffle iron and your four-ingredient lemon cookies killed at your last dinner party.
Now it’s time to up your game.
Here are 23 food hacks that will make you a ninja-level cook.
1.
MAKE LEMONADE IN A BLENDER
Cut a lemon into quarters and stick them in a blender with 2 cups of water, a handful of ice cubes and a few tablespoons of sugar. Voila, instant deliciousness.
Source: Reading My Tea Leaves
2.
RIPEN AN AVOCADO IN 10 MINUTES
Wrap the avocado in tinfoil and stick it in a 200°F oven until it softens, then put it in the fridge to cool.
3.
KEEP YOUR GREENS CRUNCHY
Wash lettuce and then lay it on a paper towel. Roll it all up and stick it in a sealed plastic bag before storing it in the fridge. See ya, wilted greens.
Source: Pinch My Salt
4.
PEEL HARD-BOILED EGGS MORE EASILY
Add a teaspoon of baking soda to the water, cook as usual and then let the eggs cool. When you peel them, the shells will slide right off. (Yesss, that just saved us ten minutes.)
5.
COOK PASTA IN 60 SECONDS
Plan ahead: Soak your pasta in a bowl of water for an hour before dinner. When it’s time to eat, drop the pasta into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds and it’s ready to go.
6.
KEEP AN APPLE FROM GETTING BROWN
Nope, not the lemon juice trick. Instead, slice an apple and keep the core. Reassemble the pieces around the core so that the apple looks whole again and then wrap a rubber band around it to keep the slices in place.
7.
MINCE GARLIC FASTER
Instead of wasting time peeling the clove, put the entire thing in your garlic press and give it a squeeze. Minced garlic will come out, but the skin will stay tucked inside the press.
8.
KEEP HARD-BOILED EGG SHELLS FROM CRACKING
Before you put your eggs into a pot of cold water, brush the shells with lemon juice. The acidity will help keep the shells intact as the water heats up.
9.
GET MORE JUICE OUT OF YOUR LEMONS
Speaking of lemons, get more juice for your money by popping them in the microwave for 15 seconds before you squeeze them.
Source: Home Hacks
10.
KEEP BROWN SUGAR FROM CLUMPING
Easy--just stick a few marshmallows in your brown sugar canister to keep it moist.
Source: Seventh House on the Left
11.
MAKE BROWN RICE TASTE BETTER
Cook the rice as usual, then pat it dry with a paper towel. Heat a skillet and add a few tablespoons of olive oil or ghee and the herbs of your choice. Sauté the rice in the skillet until golden.
12.
MAKE PERFECTLY ROUND PANCAKES
Clean out an old ketchup bottle, fill it with pancake batter and then carefully squeeze the batter onto a hot frying pan.
Source: Wikihow
13.
SEPARATE EGG YOLKS WITH NO HANDS
Crack the egg onto a plate, then position the mouth of an empty water bottle over the yolk. Squeeze the water bottle slightly, then lower it over the yolk as you un-squeeze to suck the yolk off the plate and into the bottle. It’s egg-white omelet time.
Source: Handimania
14.
KEEP AN AVOCADO FROM BROWNING
Store a cut avocado in an airtight container with a few onion slices. The sulfur compounds of the onion will oxidize on the green surface, keeping it from browning.
Source: Food52
15.
MAKE BETTER COFFEE
Always use cold water, not hot, to brew your coffee. The hot water sits in the tank until you’re ready to use it, while cold water is less likely to collect mineral deposits. Mmm, breakfast blend…
16.
SLICE SOFT CHEESE WITHOUT A KNIFE
Use a piece of dental floss to cut through soft cheese with ease. Best of all, there are no dishes to wash.
Source: FoodieSuz
17.
POACH A DOZEN EGGS AT ONCE
Grease a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray, then add a tablespoon of water to each cup. Crack an egg into each compartment, then bake for 13 minutes at 350°F. Brunch for six, coming right up.
Source: Fit Foodie Finds
18.
STOP PASTA WATER FROM BOILING OVER
Place a wooden spoon over the pot when it comes to a boil. The spoon creates an obstacle for the bubbles, making them pop before they’re able to boil over.
Source: Mashable
19.
RE-CORK A BOTTLE OF WINE
Wrap the cork in wax paper after you remove it from the wine bottle. Yay, now it will slide in and out of the bottle with ease.
20.
SOFTEN FROZEN BUTTER FASTER
Use a grater to shred it like cheese and it’s instantly ready to go into your awesome chocolate chip cookies.
Source: The Kitchn
21.
PERFECTLY CRIMP A PIE CRUST
Use a string of pearls to add a quick, even crimp to pies before you pop 'em into the oven.
Source: Bakepedia
22.
KEEP COOKIES FRESH FOR DAYS
Stick those macadamia-chocolate-chunks in a ziploc bag with a slice of bread to keep them moist.
23.
MAKE PRETTIER ICE CUBES
Boil filtered or bottled water on the stove to remove air bubbles, then let it cool and boil it again. Let the water cool down again, then pour it into ice-cube trays and cover them with plastic wrap to keep any particles from getting in. Bam, restaurant-level cubes.
