My father forwarded me one of those long emails filled with random tips. It made me smile because he prefaced it like this:
"FYI. Maybe you know all this stuff already. Dad"
I of course didn't know most. But I love that my dad thinks I may have somehow picked these up already. He knows I'm a tip hound. Here are some that were new and interesting to me. I have no idea whether they work but will definitely try them.
Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef to help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on the stovetop, over med-low heat until warm. This keeps the crust crispy without burning the toppings.
For easy deviled eggs, put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash, add other ingredients, reseal, mix thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg.
**Can't believe I've never thought of this one**When you buy ready-made frosting, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes to double in volume.
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.
**I think this one is brilliant**To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get into narrow openings.
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place it in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.
**I immediately did this one and was amazed**Even if you always clean your lint filter in your dryer, it may still be clogged. To check, take your filter to the sink and run hot water over it. If water does not pass through, it means a film has formed over the mesh, caused by residue from dryer sheets. The best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months.
Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 10:46PM 
Reader Comments (3)
WOW!! I didn't know these tips either! Thanks for sharing!! I will def try some of them out.
Thank you for the tips!! Especially the banana one. We buy them every week and I can't wait to try it!
I realize that this a older post yet some great tips. I am also a "tip hound" too. I have them posted all over my kitchen for the kids to learn. Great Blog!