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On the Fast Track
Reader submitted kitchen tips and tricks
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Attention Coupon Clippers!
This is a great tip if you clip coupons and write grocery lists. Try writing your list on the back of a used envelope from a bill or junk mail, and then store the coupons you’ll need in the envelope. This saves you from fumbling with your coupons and your list while shopping.
—Jill Bednarek, Madison Heights, Michigan
Organized manuals
When we remodeled our kitchen, we got new appliances. I fixed a three-ring notebook with a tab for each appliance. Then I punched holes in the manuals and added them after the appropriate tab. When there were loose papers, I slipped them into plastic sheet protectors and filed them behind the tabs as well. I keep the notebook handy so when I have a question about an appliance, I can quickly find the information.
—Kitty Layman, Harrisonburg, Virginia
Oil spritzer
I keep a small 6-ounce spray bottle of olive oil to spray cooking pans or foods. This way I coat surfaces evenly and I don’t have to waste a paper towel with oil on it. It saves me time and materials.
—Hannah Kolehmainen, Forest Grove, Oregon
Quick egg chop
When I have a lot of hardboiled eggs to dice, like when I make a large potato salad, I place the eggs in a small bowl and use a hand held pastry blender to cut the eggs into uniform pieces. It’s much, much faster than using a knife! I can chop up a dozen eggs in a minute and the pieces are just the right size.
—Irene Lambright, Duncan, South Carolina
Recipe wedding gift
I purchased a small 4-x6-inch photo album for my oldest granddaughter for her wedding. I put some of my favorite recipe cards from the magazine in there for her, as well as some that I’d put on the computer and printed out. The photo albums have clear pages, so you can put recipes back-to-back or just one per pocket. If you buy the kind that has rings and opens, you can also put recipes in alphabetical order or group them by kind. It makes a great wedding gift!
—Jane Kersenbrock, Norton, Kansas
Clean the cob
Here’s a simple cooking tip. The easy way to take corn off the cob to can or to eat is to put the cob on an ice pick and use an electric knife to cut the corn off. It only takes a few seconds and you’re done.
—Faye Howery, Max Meadows, Virginia
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H2O to the rescue.
My son came up with an idea to keep ham leftovers and extra slices of roast fresh longer. He adds a bit of water to the plastic bag the food is kept in. That’s all! That way, the meat stays moist and keeps longer.
—Shirley Carlson, Addison, Illinois
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Seed scooper.
I found a simple way to get the seeds and extra insides out of peppers before stuffing them. I cut the core out at the top in a circle, then use my melon baller to run down the lines inside the pepper to get out the
remaining seeds. The melon baller fits inside peppers easier than my hand and keeps the hole nice for a beautiful presentation when serving. It works like a charm!
—Deborah Stasierowski, Trumansburg, New York
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Super soakers.
I have a great tip for watery spaghetti that I’ve been using for over 20 years. Two words: bread crumbs. In the last 15 minutes or so of simmering sauce, I sprinkle in breadcrumbs. The crumbs absorb the extra "water” and
thicken the sauce. If you're worried that the breadcrumbs would give an unwanted texture to the sauce, worry not. It's as if the breadcrumbs are not there at all, except for the wonderfully thick sauce. Trust me, this works!
—Jane Holey, Clayton, Michigan
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Another egg slicer tip.
Do you love to include fresh mushrooms in stir-fries and other recipes, but hate to take the time to slice them or pay extra to have them sliced? Here’s a short cut. I use my egg slicer to quickly cut
mushrooms. It works beautifully, makes even slices and cleans up quickly.
—Jennie Grove, Lexington Park, Maryland
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Quick mac-and-cheese add-in.
Add a can of cream-style corn to hot mac-and-cheese. The corn will heat quickly, and cool the macaroni to eating temperature. Plus it tastes yummy; the grandkids love it!
—Marianne Ferrante, Farmington Hills, Michigan
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Dual-use zester.
I found a great way to put my citrus zester to work for me on a regular basis. I use it to shave all my hard cheeses like Parmesan, Asiago, etc. If I want a fine grated cheese for garnish on soups, I just pull it across
the wedges of cheese lightly, and if I want a more prominent shaving for a heavier dish, I simply apply more pressure.
It works great on a Caesar salad. No more of the “knuckle buster” hand grater, and the cheese comes out smooth and consistent every time. Just rinse the peeler under hot water to clean it.
—Al Curwen, Sandown, New Hampshire
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Quick tip on tips.
As I was going through back issues, I kept running across tips I liked. So I cut them out and used double-sided tape to put them on my recipe cards. Now I have a quick reference in the front of my recipe basket.
—Diane Cagnon, Mt. Gilead, Ohio
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Delicious packaging.
Here is a hint that helped me snag my husband! When we first started dating, he was serving in Kuwait. I sent him his favorite peanut butter cookies. To make sure they arrived without breaking, I slipped the cookies into a resealable plastic bag, which I packed in a box surrounded by unbuttered, popped popcorn. The popcorn stayed fresh enough for him to share it, and the cookies, with other soldiers!
—Gail Huffman, Fort Wayne, Indiana
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Nonstick turkey.
My son-in-law always cooks our Thanksgiving turkey. To keep the turkey from sticking to the bottom of the roasting pan, he places celery stalks under the turkey before he cooks it. The turkey lifts right out and has a fantastic aroma!
—Charlee Burke, Reno, Nevada
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Candy surplus.
My kids always receive too much candy at Halloween, Christmas and Easter, and they can’t possibly eat it all. To prevent wasting it, I take some of their chocolate candies and freeze them. When I make brownies or cookies, I take
some candy out, chop it into little pieces and toss it into the batter with chocolate chips or in lieu of them. These candy pieces are also great on top of ice cream or in homemade shakes!
—Angie Oberhauser, Jesup, Iowa
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Smarter baking.
I bake a lot of cookies. Instead of greasing my baking sheets, I line them with non-stick aluminum foil. The cookies slide right off and are baked perfectly every time. To bake more than one batch, just wipe off the foil-lined pan with
paper towel and use it again!
—Martha Greer, Syracuse, New York
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Tasty toppings.
I make lots of party mix for friends and family during the holidays and always have lots of crumbs left in the bottom of the pan. Rather than throw them away, I grind the crumbs in my food processor and freeze them. When I need a casserole
topping, the crumbs are ready to go. The well-seasoned blend of cereals, pretzels, nuts and garlic chips always makes a delicious addition!
—Carolyn Yoder, Wakarusa, Indiana
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Great gravy!
To make thickening my gravy a snap, I put flour and water in a jar, screw on the cover, give the jar a good shake and then slowly add the mix to the liquid. I have smooth gravy every time!
—Connie Ray, Tulsa, Oklahoma
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Simpler slicing.
I have a hard time slicing acorn and butternut squash. To make it easier, I prick the squash with a fork and warm it briefly in the microwave on a low setting. Once it’s warm, the squash can be sliced open with much less effort.
—Maxine Palmer, Salem, Missouri
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Pizza to please.
I make homemade pizza at least once a week, and everyone likes different toppings. But once the pizza is covered with cheese, it’s hard to tell where one topping ends and the other begins. To make cutting and serving easier, I put a “dividing line” in the pizza with marbled string cheese. The cheese melts in and tastes like part of the recipe.
- When it’s time to serve the pizza, nobody gets “icky” toppings they don’t want. And there’s no more picking apart each piece to see what’s under the cheese.
—Michelle Sieh, Burnsville, Minnesota
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Leftover rice solution.
To use leftover rice, warm it in a pan with milk. After it’s hot enough, put it in a bowl and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. It’s a great breakfast or a simple snack.
—Nancy Whitford, Edwards, New York
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No-stain container.
When you need to store pasta sauce (e.g., marinara, spaghetti, etc.) in a clear plastic container, simply wipe the bottom, edges and lid of the container with a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil. This prevents the sauce from turning your container red or orange. I’ve tried this many times with chili, and it always works!
—Elly Oliver, Wausau, Wisconsin
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Colorful recipes.
Every time I receive a new cooking magazine, I look at it from cover to cover. I use sticky tabs to mark the recipes that catch my eye. The tabs come in different colors, so you could use different colors for main dishes, desserts, etc. This makes it a cinch to go back through magazines to find just the right recipe.
—Sharon Chaussee, Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin
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Breakfast for dinner.
In the old days of meat-free Friday suppers, my mother would often serve pancakes for dinner. She made them heartier by adding corn (creamed or whole kernel) and shredded cheese. Sometimes, when it wasn’t Friday, she’d add cooked, crumbled bacon. As kids, we loved these simple dinners and were always good eaters.
—Mary Zawlocki, Gig Harbor, Washington
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Freshen up coconut.
To soften dried- out shredded coconut, I place it in a strainer and hold it over a steaming pot of water for a few minutes. The coconut is always fresh and tasty.
—Karen Ann Bland, Gove, Kansas
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Another easy pancake idea.
I have a quick trick that makes boxed “complete” pancake mix taste like homemade. Just add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to your batter. It’s delicious!
—Kerrie Vanden Bosch, Lansing, Michigan
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Stay safe this summer
Follow these food safety tips for summer fun from the pros who know.
Now’s the time for hot weather, which means picnicking, grilling and outdoor pool parties. On warm days, stay safe and sound while having fun in the sun with some tips from our Test Kitchen pros. Don’t let the good times turn bad with a foodborne illness. Follow these hints to keep your family happy outside and out of the doctor’s office.
Grill Smarts:
Picnic Tips:
- A cool cooler: A full cooler stays cold longer than one that’s only partially full, so pack extra ice. If you’re going to be in the sun for a while or camping overnight, freeze 2-liter bottles of water for a few days before packing them in the cooler. The bottles will stay cold for several days. Keep your cooler out of direct sunlight, if possible.
- Pack it right: Make sure to bag and double-bag raw meats and put them at the bottom of the cooler to prevent liquid from leaking out. When traveling, store your cooler in an air-conditioned part of the car—not in the trunk.
- Time it!: Don’t let foods stay out for more than two hours. If food is out longer than that, toss it. If it’s a really hot day (90° or more), don’t let food stay out for more than one hour. Set dips on trays or big bowls filled with ice to keep them cold.
Summer Hints:
- Clean cutting: Wash all fruits and vegetables before cutting them. Wash the rinds on melons to prevent bacteria from transferring to the flesh when you cut them.
- Smart shopping #1: Group your groceries at the checkout line: dairy products together, frozen items, meats, etc. These items will be bagged together and can keep each other cold on the way home. Having your groceries organized also saves time when you put them away. And always send the eggs, bread, chips and fresh flowers through last so that they don’t get smashed!
- Smart shopping #2: If you are buying several types of meat, like fresh chicken and ground beef, place them in individual plastic bags to further ensure food safety. Some stores stock a roll of these bags next to the poultry. If your store doesn’t, grab a few bags from the produce section before heading to the meat section.
Safe Food Temperatures
For the Grill
- ~ Pork–160°
- ~ Chicken breast–170°
- ~ Legs and thighs–180°
- ~ Beef, medium-rare–145°
- ~ Ground beef, pork–160°
- ~ Ground turkey, chicken–165°
- ~ Fish–until opaque and flakes easily with a fork
| Safe Temperature Chart |
| Beef, Pork, Veal, Lamb |
160° F |
| Turkey, Chicken |
165° F |
| Medium Rare |
145° F |
| Medium |
160° F |
| Well Done |
170° F |
| Chicken & Turkey, whole |
180° F |
| Breast |
170° F |
| Legs & Thighs |
180° F |
| Stuffing (cooked separately) |
165° F |
| Medium |
160° F |
| Well Done |
170° F |
| Fresh (raw) |
160° F |
| Pre-cooked (to reheat) |
140° F |
| Fried, poached |
Cook until yolk & white are firm |
| Egg Dishes |
160° F |
| Ice cream base |
160° F |
| Sauces, custards |
160° F |
| Fin fish |
145° F or until opaque & flakes easily with fork |
| Shrimp, Lobster & Crabs |
Flesh pearly & opaque |
| Clams, Oysters & Mussels |
Shells open during cooking |
| Scallops |
Milky white or opaque & firm |
| Leftovers & Casseroles |
165° F |
| Microwave Dishes |
165° F |
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