The 14 Best Kept Kitchen Secrets

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Here are some simple kitchen tips.

1. Do you find your plastic containers retain some stinky odors? Put a pinch of salt into the container when you store them to help rid them of this problem.

2. Sometimes you open a bottle of wine that may not be you favorite flavor. Rather than throwing it away, freeze it in ice cube trays, then transfer the frozen wine cubes into sealed bags. When you are making a stew or sauce that require wine, you can just use the frozen wine cubes.

3. If you have house plants, you can occasionally use the water that you boiled your potatoes or pasta in providing you did not add any salt to the water. You must cool the boiled water to room temperature before using. Starchy water helps release the plant nutrients in the soil.

4. Fruit stains on your fingertips can be removed by rubbing them with a fresh peeled potato or you can use white vinegar.

5. To keep milk fresh longer add a pinch of salt to it when you open it. It will not affect the taste.

6. Store tomatoes and citrus fruits on the counter top and do not put them in the refrigerator. Low temperatures take away the flavor from these fruits.

7. Got an electric kettle with calcium buildup on the heating element? Just boil a mixture of half white vinegar and half water in the kettle. Once boiled, empty and rinse with fresh water before using again.

8. If you have a soup, sauce, or casserole that ends up too fatty or greasy, drop in an ice cube. The ice will attract the fat, which you can then scoop out and toss away.

9. Not sure if your eggs are fresh? Fill a glass 3/4 full with water. Gently drop the egg in. If the egg stays on the bottom it is fresh. If only one end tips up, the egg is less fresh and should be used soon. If it floats, it's past the fresh stage.

10. Store bananas separate from other fruits in a bowl and keep in a separate location as bananas release gases which cause fruits (including other bananas) to ripen quickly.

11. To keep your lettuce fresh in the fridge and last longer, wash in cold water, shake off excess water and wrap the leaves in clean, dry paper towels. Store the lettuce wrapped in the paper towels in a sealed bag in the refrigerator.

12. If you happen to put too much salt in your soup, just drop in a peeled potato, the potato will absorb the excess salt.

13. If you have a loaf of bread that is beginning to get stale, put a fresh clean piece of fresh celery in the bag and close it back up.

14. If you have scorched your rice when you are cooking it, you can place a piece of white bread on top of the rice for 5-10 minutes to draw out the burnt flavor.