Ingredients
- Mushy Pasta.
- Hard Cheese.
- Bad Coffee.
- Stale Bread.
- Eggs.
- If you can't recall when you bought that carton of eggs
- to want to make sure they're still fresh, place them gently into a bowl of water. Rotten eggs will float, and the fresh ones will stay fully submerged. The fresher they are, the more quickly they will sink.
- to of battered-up hard-boiled eggs? A pinhole in the tip of the egg will keep the shell from cracking due to trapped air.
- Lumpy Mashed Potatoes.
- Popcorn Won't Pop.
- to 5 may have dried out, and they need some moisture to pop. Soak them in water for about 5 minutes, drain and pat them dry and try again. If that doesn't work, place them in a container in the freezer overnight and go for a re-pop the next day.
- Overbaked Cookies.
- 24 a bit crispier than you'd like? Pop them into a plastic bag or plastic container, along with a few apple slices or a slice of bread wrapped in a paper towel. They should soften within 24 hours. Five seconds in a microwave can also work wonders.
- Crumbled Cake.
- Burned Cake.
- to remove the burned top or sides by holding a serrated knife in place while rotating plated layers or scrape off individual scorched patches with a small grater. Fan away any loose crumbs, and then frost extra thickly to hide any surface unevenness.
Preparation
Step 1
Underdone Cake
If it's too late to slide it back into the oven, scoop out the gooey middle and fill the hole with fruit, ice cream or whipped cream.
Torn Pie Crust
Even veteran piemakers have cruddy crust days. If your pastry tears, roll a patch of dough to the same thickness and flatten the edges. Brush some lightly beaten egg white on the contact points and lightly press it onto the main shell. The whites will act as an adhesive so filling won't seep out. If the rip is in the top, mask it by brushing the surface with cold water and sprinkling it with large-grained sugar before baking.
Sprinkle extra crust scraps with cinnamon and sugar and bake them on a cookie sheet for a sweet treat while you're waiting for the pie.
Stale Cereal
Past-prime cereal can be zapped back to life with 30-45 seconds on a plate in a microwave. Let it rest for a minute and then enjoy as usual. Ground in a blender, or crushed under a rolling pin, unsweetened varieties can pinch hit as breadcrumbs, or swapped in for half a cup of flour in muffin or cookie recipes.
Overripe Fruit
So long as fruit's not rotten or moldy, it can likely be salvaged. Slice it, sprinkle with sugar and set aside until juices form. Then add a dash of vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, brandy or red wine and serve with whipped or ice cream, or blended with ice, milk or yogurt for a satisfying smoothie. Cook down berries or stone fruit in a 2:1 mixture of sugar and water for an incredible syrup and use apples, pears or grapes in rustic pies and tarts.
Dry Meat
You can't uncook dry meat, but you can do your best to mask the damage. Pour the drippings into a pan, add 2-4 cups of stock, and bring that to a boil. Slice the meat, place it in a roasting pan or casserole dish, and add the stock mixture. Cover this with foil and place it in a warm oven for five minutes. The meat should regain some of its moisture.
Wilted Vegetables
Many vegetables can be revived to their former state of crispiness with a soak in icy water and a dash of vinegar. Root veggies like rutabagas and turnips can still be made into an excellent mash. If they're truly past their peak for standalone serving, they're still ideal for making stock. Cut celery, carrots, onions, peppers, leeks and whatever else you've got on hand into large chunks (no need to peel), and simmer them in salted water for about an hour. Strain out the vegetables, and use the stock for soup, stew, risotto, sautéeing and more. Freeze it in ice cube trays for future use. For a deeper flavor, roast the veggies in the oven first.
Overcooked Vegetables
If veggies have been cooked to mush, purée them with your favorite herbs and a bit of butter or olive oil and serve as a side dish. Blend and cook them with cream or stock and spices for an impromptu soup.
Too Salty
Some folks swear by dropping a peeled potato slice into the mix, but all that really does is draw out water. A more reliable bet is to add more liquid, some sugar or an acidic solution like vinegar to balance out the brine.
Too Acidic
Curb an acidic bite in dressings and sauces with a small pinch of baking soda. It will neutralize the sting without adding unwanted flavor. Sugar, either granulated, or from naturally sweet veggies like carrots, can also provide a pleasant balance.
Too Hot
Tame the sting of excess heat with a touch of sweetness. Tomatoes, or even a squirt of ketchup, can add sugar and acid which will fan the flames. If a touch of dairy won't interfere with the flavor of the dish, add a dollop of plain yogurt. If you've got more of your ingredients on hand, make a double batch with everything but the hot stuff, and blend the two together.
Too Sweet
A spoonful of cider vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice can knock down sweetness a few notches in most dishes. It can also be cut with a dash of fat, like butter, olive oil or cream.
Scorched Soup
If soup starts to scorch on the bottom, turn off the heat and stop stirring immediately so the burned portions don't flavor the rest of the soup. Gently pour the top portion into a fresh pan -- and keep an eye on it this time!
Wine That's Turned
Once wine is exposed to air, it will start to change, and eventually degrade. While this wine might not be drinkable on its own, it's a perfect sub for vinegar in dressings, stews, egg poaching, meat marinades and braising liquid.