There's the right way and the wrong way to do things. However, I like the easiest way to do things.
Peeling Garlic
Break the cloves from the pod or flower. Lay them down on a flat, hard surface. With the flat side of a cooking knife, slap the clove hard. Then, cut off the top and bottom of the clove and peel. Easy!
Chopping Onions and Garlic
When chopping onions, green onions and garlic, remember this: the more you chop, the finer you chop, the more flavor you get. If you chop an onion coarse, say for beans and rice, the flavor will be mild, while chopping a half an onion fine, the flavor will be strong. The same holds true for Red Onions, White onions, Green onions and Garlic. Mincing garlic gives the dish a strong garlic flavor.
Bleach the miracle cleaner
If you have a blender with a rubbery top cover and you make salsa using Hot Pepper Sauce and tomatoes, the top will stain. Simply fill a bowl with water and stir in about 1/4 cup of bleach. Put the cover and any other items that may stain into the bowl and soak overnight. Rinse and wash. It's that easy! If you have a porcelain sink and you've just washed your cast iron pot in it, you have marks all over it. Simply wash out the sink and fill it with water stirring in about 1/2 cup of bleach! No scrubbing, just let it sit overnight and the stains are gone.
Better yet, place a plate in the sink and wash your cast iron pot on the plate. No marks.
Even though I wash my little white coffee pot after every use, and it's used a lot, it gets brown stains in the pot, around the handle and in the basket. I wash the pot and soak it overnight in a bowl of water with 1/4 cup of bleach. The next morning, I rinse it off, wash it and it looks like new!
You've just boiled milk in a stainless steel pot and now you have to clean it but your dishsoap just doesn't cut it and scouring doesn't get it either. Simply put a little bleach and soap powder in the pot, fill with water and let sit for 3 - 4 hours. Discard the bleach water, wash and you've got a clean pot ready to go.
Stains
The pot that I boil water to make my coffee is stainless steel but it gets a calcium buildup after a while even though it's kept clean. About once a month I spritz it with Lime Away Foam. Let it sit for a while, spritz it again and fill it with water. Let it sit for a couple of hours. I close the drain in the bathroom sink and pour the water with the Lime Away in it and let it sit for a couple of hours. I wash the pot thoroughly and rinse it. It's as good as new! I kill two birds with one stone. I've got a spotless pot and a clean drain!
Use a Lemon
After you've done the dishes and cleaned up the sink, throw a lemon in the garbage disposal. Run a little cold water, turn the garbage disposal on for a few seconds then off. Turn off the water. The citric acid will help keep grease down and give your kitchen a clean, lemonie scent.
Don't throw away
Don't throw away those coffee can lids, the little rubber ones that replace the can top so your coffee stays fresh. They make great spoon holders for the stove top while you're cooking... keeping the stove top clean.
Don't throw away those tuna cans! If you cook a lot like I do you can save your cooking oil and shortening in them. When you're going to use a frying pan for a different dish, strain the
oil into a tuna can.Don't throw away empty coffee cans. Wash them, paint them bright colors and punch holes in the bottom and use them for flower pots! Keep some with the lid on for storing nails, nuts and bolts, screws and small objects.
Don't throw away empty mayonnaise jars. Remove the label and wash them. Discard the lid. Replace the lid with Ball or Mason Jar Rings and Dome Tops. Ideal for storing brewed coffee and leftovers. Ideal for measuring 1 quart of water.
Don't throw away empty plastic peanut butter containers. Remove the label and wash them. Then you can store that 1/2 onion or chopped vegetables that didn't get into the recipe.
Trick: Put a little water in to keep the veggies fresh. They'll stay fresh a few days.Don't throw away coffee grounds. Store in a bowl until full then throw them over the soil in your garden. Slugs hate the feel on their foot and stay away. Also makes good mulch.
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