The Quintessential eG Kitchen Tips/Trucs

[chromedome]

For printed out recipes, I'll tape them to the inside of the cupboard door and open the door when I need to refer to it. Not ideal, but sometimes it's my best option.

[Alex]

My solution

 

 

[Kim Shook]

All of my tried and true recipes are printed out and protected with a plastic sleeve and our above the stove microwave is clad in stainless that you can use magnets with (does that mean it isn't really stainless? Not sure).  I just clip one of those magnet/clippy things to the recipe and stick it to the microwave.  Perfect viewing height and out of the way at the same time.

 

I might have one.  I'm not going back 20 pages to make sure.  Does anyone need to learn the trick to not getting crumbs on your butter after you butter your toast?  If so, I know it.  After you've put butter on your toast, but need more butter, slide the knife into the side of the slice like this:

 

When you pull it out, it will be virtually crumb-free:

 

Does everyone already know this?  

[Okanagancook]

2 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

All of my tried and true recipes are printed out and protected with a plastic sleeve and our above the stove microwave is clad in stainless that you can use magnets with (does that mean it isn't really stainless? Not sure).  I just clip one of those magnet/clippy things to the recipe and stick it to the microwave.  Perfect viewing height and out of the way at the same time.

 

I might have one.  I'm not going back 20 pages to make sure.  Does anyone need to learn the trick to not getting crumbs on your butter after you butter your toast?  If so, I know it.  After you've put butter on your toast, but need more butter, slide the knife into the side of the slice like this:

 

When you pull it out, it will be virtually crumb-free:

 

Does everyone already know this?  

Yes I do.  But thanks anyway.

[kayb]

I didn't. Although I'm the only one who uses the butter (the kid prefers margarine, the Philistine!), and I have no objection to crumbs in my butter. Still, a handy thing to know.

[Kerry Beal]

2 hours ago, kayb said:

I didn't. Although I'm the only one who uses the butter (the kid prefers margarine, the Philistine!), and I have no objection to crumbs in my butter. Still, a handy thing to know.

Like folding fitted sheets!

[Bernie]

Crumbs in the butter?

Its super easy.

Just lick the knife.......☺️

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, Bernie said:

Crumbs in the butter?

Its super easy.

Just lick the knife.......☺️

Orcdo what I do — always make sure that you’ve got more than enough butter for each slice of toast that way you don’t have to go back for more. Hard on the waistline but I hate crumbs in my butter. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

5 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Like folding fitted sheets!

 

And here I thought I liked you.

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

4 hours ago, Anna N said:

Orcdo what I do — always make sure that you’ve got more than enough butter for each slice of toast that way you don’t have to go back for more. Hard on the waistline but I hate crumbs in my butter. 

 

I'm with Anna on this one.

 

[blue_dolphin]

13 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Like folding fitted sheets!

 

I had a roommate who could fold fitted sheets into exactly the same size rectangle as the flat sheets.  He also loved to iron and vacuum.  I often regret not marrying him. 

[dcarch]

I always butter the bread before toasting.

 

dcarch

[ElsieD]

We are not breakfast eaters but do enjoy raisin toast, muffins, brown toast etc. mid-morning.  Oftentimes I forget to put butter out on the counter to bring it to s spreading consistency and while I don't like using the microwave for this as it melts some of it, that is the only way I could think of to soften it.  Until the other day when I thought to use the proof setting on my Breville oven.  This worked like a charm.  The butter was perfectly spreadable with no melted spots.  I made an icebox cake the other day that called for cream cheese and I softened it the same way.

[Anna N]

I am not even sure where I learned of this trick but it is a lifesaver for me. I’ve always found it difficult to find something to label stuff that will be in the freezer for a while. Either the label falls off or the writing becomes illegible. But I think I have found a solution. It is called (white) micropore tape by 3M. It is a paper medical tape. The adhesive has amazing staying power and the white tape contrasts nicely with the ink of a black sharpie. (Be careful because there are a number of “…pore” tapes available and this is the only one that I know of that works.)

[Darienne]

16 minutes ago, Anna N said:

I am not even sure where I learned of this trick but it is a lifesaver for me. I’ve always found it difficult to find something to label stuff that will be in the freezer for a while. Either the label falls off or the writing becomes illegible. But I think I have found a solution. It is called (white) micropore tape by 3M. It is a paper medical tape. The adhesive has amazing staying power and the white tape contrasts nicely with the ink of a black sharpie. (Be careful because there are a number of “…pore” tapes available and this is the only one that I know of that works.)

And where would such a thing be available please.  

[Anna N]

47 minutes ago, Darienne said:

And where would such a thing be available please.  

Drugstores, medical supply stores, Amazon. 

[heidih]

Not familiar with the referenced item. I use the blue painters tape and a black Sharpie. No pop offs or wipe-outs in all these years.

[Kerry Beal]

20 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Drugstores, medical supply stores, Amazon. 

Emergency rooms

[MaryIsobel]

16 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

Emergency rooms

My daughter is an ER nurse, and always had a roll end in her pocket when she came home. She doesn't live at home anymore but it is my favourite for labelling freezer containers. She just saves me the bits and bobs that would normally be thrown away.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

On 11/13/2017 at 8:42 AM, Porthos said:

 

Crouching down has become difficult for me. Finding things on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator is  particular challenge. I started using baker's half sheets on the bottom shelf to act ike a poor man's slide-out shelf. They have the added advantage of being easily cleaned if meat juices and the like spill on them.

 

A lot bigger than a truc, but when replacing a refrigerator, consider bottom freezer units.    They save backs and tempers.     I now couldn't live with any other format.

[ElsieD]

https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/kitchen/canning-and-preserving/52558-dissolvable-labels?item=EV161

 

I have been using these labels a long time.  They wash right off jars, plastic bags, whatever.  I took a label and ran water over a piece of it so you can see how it dissolves.  I have never had a label fall off or the writing fade from them.

[Anna N]

18 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

I have been using these labels a long time.

I had some similar labels but found them much too small for the size of print I need in order to actually be able to read it. But that’s just a personal idiosyncrasy.  I’m sure that would work great for most people. 

[ElsieD]

12 minutes ago, Anna N said:

I had some similar labels but found them much too small for the size of print I need in order to actually be able to read it. But that’s just a personal idiosyncrasy.  I’m sure that would work great for most people. 

 

You are quite right that anyone with vision problems may have difficulty using these labels.  Fortunately so far  I don't fall into that category and find they work for me.

[chromedome]

1 hour ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

A lot bigger than a truc, but when replacing a refrigerator, consider bottom freezer units.    They save backs and tempers.     I now couldn't live with any other format.

I'm in the process of adjusting to one now, having just upgraded the fridge in our new house from a 24-inch, semi-functioning unit to a massive 36-inch, 27 cubic foot behemoth (bought used but well cared for, and in excellent condition).

 

I can definitely see the benefit of things not cascading from a top freezer to my unshod toes, but I'm not (so far) enjoying the stoop-to-get-anything aspect of it. That being said, my upright freezer will soon take its place next to the new fridge and at that point anything in the bottom-freezer section can be Somebody Else's Problem.

[TdeV]

I have a 2 roll DYMO label printer (from my old office). One of the rolls is filled with 2-up file folder labels. Nowadays it takes much less time to type and print a label than write one. And a godsend if multiple labels are required.

 

With an added benefit of being able to write very specific info about the contents.

 

 

 

Edited September 2, 2022 by TdeV
Because I always have more to say. (log)