Cooking should be fun! But sometimes, things happen that are simply beyond our control. Or are they?

There are tons of tips and tricks that one can learn and utilize in the kitchen. The most exciting part is that most of them take little to no time at all to learn. So if you find yourself in a pickle when cooking (no pun intended), then try out some of these kitchen hacks featured below.

You never know. You just might be on the path to becoming an even better cook!

1) Avoid rusting your cast iron skillet

Instead of using dish soap to clean your cast iron skillet, try scrubbing it with salt. Doing so will prevent the skillet from rusting over time. Scrub the salt with a raw potato to remove preexisting debris and rust. Then, wipe with a slightly damp paper towel. Lastly, season the skillet with oil!

2) Remove seeds from vegetables

Removing the seeds from vegetables, such as pumpkins, can seem intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be! Try using an ice cream scoop to get those tiny seeds removed.

3) Multi-use parchment paper

Don’t have a muffin or a cupcake tin? No worries! Instead, use parchment paper to create the mold of a muffin holder. Also, it won’t stick!

4) Perfect basted eggs

Basting the perfect egg doesn’t have to be impossible. Try breaking the egg into the skillet as if you were going to fry it. Then, add water to it and place it onto the stove. The egg white should cook perfectly with a liquid yolk. Yum!

5) Prevent boiling over

Boiling over when cooking is a common problem. Next time, try placing a wooden spoon over a boiling pot to prevent it from boiling over and making a mess. It works because the wooden spoon causes the bubbles to retreat. But keep in mind, if you use the same spoon, it can reshape it over time.

6) Make peeling fruit easier

Peeling fruit can be a hassle. To make life a bit easier, place the fruit in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Remember, keep an eye on it! When you take it out, it should be much easier to peel.

7) Keep brown sugar soft

It can be pretty annoying opening up your brown sugar to find that it’s hardened over time. To prevent this, try placing an orange peel or an apple slice into the bag. Don’t forget to keep it sealed in an airtight container.

8) Pit cherries

This might sound a bit odd but apparently, it works. To pit a cherry, take an empty bottle and place a cherry on top of it. Then, use a chopstick to squeeze the pit out of the cherry and into the bottle.

9) Maintain your cutting boards

Salt is used for more than just consumption. Ironically, it’s a great tool for cleaning. To get that stubborn food off of your cutting board, try rubbing it with coarse salt and letting it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Finally, wipe it down with a lemon. It’ll look and smell fresh!

10) Make stainless steel shine

It can be challenging to keep your stainless steel shining. But it doesn’t have to be impossible. Simply, wash your stainless steel items in a water and vinegar mix. Better yet, if there aren’t any metal or electric parts, you can even soak the item.

11) Preserve those herbs

To keep herbs fresh, place them in an ice tray with water or olive oil. This should preserve those herbs of yours!

12) Keep food from drying out in the microwave

Some foods just don’t fare well in the microwave. We’re looking at you, pizza and fries. Next time you don’t want to wait on the oven to heat up, try placing a glass of water in the microwave with the food item. It will prevent the food from drying out.

13) Getting the perfect sized plastic wrap every time

Ripping off a piece of plastic wrap is pretty daunting. It just never seems to stretch the way we want it to. If this happens to you, try placing the plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Apparently, keeping it cold helps to ensure that it stretches evenly and doesn’t rip.

Happy cooking!

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Source: Shareably