Easy Kitchen Hacks

By lorik

Ingredients

• From Cooking Light Magazine

Details

Adapted from cookinglight.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make Hard-Cooked Eggs a Cinch to Peel

Instead of boiling the traditional way, steam up to a dozen eggs in a steamer basket suspended over boiling water for 15 to 16 minutes; shells slip right off.

Make Powdered Sugar

If you find that you're out of powdered sugar when you really need it, pulverize granulated sugar in a spice grinder to make your own

Tame That Butternut

Pop a whole butternut squash in the microwave, and zap it for 2 to 3 minutes. It'll be much easier to peel, seed, and cube.

Making Some? Make More

When toasting nuts (at 325°, the perfect temp to coax out natural oils), toast a lot. Freeze extras, and save a step in the future (no need to thaw before using).

Save Yourself Some Washing

When taking raw meat to the grill, transport it on a foil-lined platter or baking sheet. After food is on the grill, discard the foil; cooked food can go on the pan without your having to wash it first.

Make Stock While You Sleep

No time to fuss over a steaming stockpot? Place stock ingredients in a Dutch oven, and bake, uncovered, at 225° for 8 hours or overnight. (For a slightly less rich-tasting stock, cook in a slow cooker on LOW overnight.) In the morning, skim, strain, bring to room temp, and refrigerate.