As adults, we know how long it takes to make a well-rounded meal in the kitchen. How did mom and dad make it look so easy when we were kids?!
Spending hours cooking can be fatiguing, which is why it’d be helpful to know a few simple tricks to make the process go by faster. That’s where these 14 epic hacks come in — get ready to save tons of time in the kitchen!
1. Grill your bacon on a waffle maker.
Stop dodging flying grease! Close the lid for two and a half minutes, open it, move the bacon around and heat for another two and a half minutes. Boom: perfect bacon in just five minutes.
2. Make pancakes in a bag.
Never have pancake batter all over the place again. Just mix all the ingredients in a plastic bag, cut a corner, and squeeze out what you need.
3. Save all your fresh herbs.
Have a bunch of leftover basil? Put it in a small jar of olive oil and make an herb-infused variety.
4. Revive stale bread.
Bring hard baguettes or whole loaves of bread back to life by dousing them with water for a few seconds, placing them in the oven, and heating them for six to seven minutes at 325 degrees.
5. Make your salads last longer.
Line your Tupperware with paper towels, put the salad in, and then cover with another paper towel. This will prevent the moisture from making the greens soggy.
6. Mix your own mayo and save $$.
Grab an egg, a cup of olive oil, lemon juice, and some salt. Whisk the egg yolk with one to two tablespoons of lemon juice and add in the olive oil while continuing to mix. Add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of water to taste.
7. Keep your brown sugar fresh and soft.
Throw a few marshmallows in the container, or even a slice of bread. Your brown sugar will stay soft and edible.
8. Use floss to make precise cuts.
9. Chill your wine and beer quickly.
With wine, simply put in some frozen berries. For beer, take a wet paper towel and wrap the beer bottle. Put it in the freezer for a few minutes.
10. Hard boil a bunch of eggs, fast.
Heat the eggs for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, then submerge them in ice water for 10 minutes. Use a muffin pan to make a bunch.
11. Clean your grill with an onion.
If it’s good enough for Texas grill masters, it’s good enough for all of us.
12. Ripen your avocados faster.
Seal them in a paper bag and they’ll ripen in no time. To make the process go even faster, add a banana or an apple to the bag. Both fruits give off ethylene gas, which promotes ripening.
13. Use a spoon to peel ginger root.
14. Prevent fish from getting stuck to the grill by coating it with lemon juice.
Not only will these quick tricks save you time and money, they’re also all so useful!
Which was your favorite?