Stainless steel can get dull with a lot of use. You can permanently dull those surfaces if you’re not using the right cleaning products. Mix vinegar and water together and spray the solution on your surfaces and wipe it down.

Need to prepare a butternut squash to cook. Place your squash in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. This will make it a lot easier to peel, seed, and cube.

Need to make cupcakes but don’t have a muffin tin or cupcakes cups? You can still make your muffins. Use parchment paper instead.

Need a pastry brush or don’t have one? No problem! Fold a piece of parchment paper at least four times. Use a scissor to cut some fringe into the paper. Use the fringe side as a brush.

Hard boiled eggs are pretty easy to make, but they are a pain in the butt to peel. Try putting up to a dozen eggs in a steamer basket suspended over boiling water for 15 to 16 minutes. The eggshell will slip right off this way.

Place a cherry on top of an empty beer bottle. Use a chopstick to squeeze the pit out of the cherry. The pit will fall into the bottle.

Bacteria can build up if you don’t properly clean your wooden cutting boards. Cut a lemon in half and dip the cut side with coarse salt. Use it to scrub your cutting board clean, then rinse.

Microwaves can cause food to dry out. But there is a way to combat this. Place a cup of water next to your food in the microwave when you cook it.

Cast iron pans can rust up if you don’t properly care for them. The best way to do that is with salt. Scrub your cast iron pans with salt instead of dish soap.

Scooping out seeds from your vegetables can take a lot of time. It’s just not a fun task. Use an ice cream scooper to perform this task, it makes it a lot easier and faster.

Wrap a rubber band around the lip of your jar. It will give you a better grip on your jar. If you need more help, use a dishtowel over the rubberband top.

Chopping onions can turn you into a weepy mess. To avoid this just freeze your onion before chopping. Just make sure you cook the onions right after you freeze and chop them or else they’ll get soggy when they thaw. You can also hold a slice of bread in your mouth to prevent the tear-inducing gases from reaching your eye.

Save time by making your fruit easier to peel. Put your fruit in the microwave for 20 seconds. The peel should slide right off this way.

Plastic wrap is super annoying when it sticks to itself or rips. Keep your plastic wrap in the refrigerator. This will make the wrap stretch evenly and properly.

If you want your tomatoes to last longer, place them stem down when you store them. The air and moisture won’t be able to enter the stem scar this way. Storing them at room temperature also makes them last longer.

Do you have a recipe that calls for powdered sugar? You can make your own. Just pulverize granulated sugar in a spice grinder to make your own.

Don’t burn what you’re sautéing. If you find that your food is getting too brown too quickly, toss in an ice cube to cool the pan down. The water quickly evaporates and your food won’t burn.

Meatloaf can take more than an hour to cook. You can speed it up by placing the meat into individual portions of a muffin tin. Bake your meatloaf at 450 degrees at 15 minutes.

Make your grains tastier with tea. Cook your quinoa, millet, brown rice, or bulgur with teat infused water. Lapsang souchong, Earl Grey, and chai work well for this.

Not all boxes come with easy pour spouts. Prevent yourself from making a mess when pouring out pancake mix by creating your own spout. Just cut off the corner of the box with a serrated knife.

If you have the rest of a bottle of wine that you know you’re not going to drink within a few days, you can still salvage it. Pour the wine out into an ice cube tray. Use the cubes in a cooking recipe, wine spritzer, or pitcher of sangria.

Brown sugar can clump up and harden if you don’t store it properly. Once it hardens it’s useless. Place an orange peel or apple slice inside the bag and put the bag in an airtight container to prevent this.

Here’s how to make the perfect basted egg. Break your egg in a pan and pour in some water. Put it on the heater and watch your eggs come out perfectly.

Don’t want to wait for that peach or banana to ripen on its own? Put your fruit in a paper bag and toss it. The concentrated ethylene gas will help it to ripen faster.

Squeeze some lemon juice on your cut fruit to prevent it from browning. You can also mix one part honey with two parts of water. This method will slow down the oxidation process.

Don’t stick your fingers in your eggs to get rid of eggshells. Use another piece of eggshell to get rid of the rouge piece. The eggshell will act as a magnet to scoop the other pieces.

There’s a much better way to peel potatoes instead of using a peeler. Start by boiling your potato. Toss your potatoes into an ice bath after you boil them and watch the skin fall right off.

Get rid of excess fat from stocks, stews, and sauces by skimming an ice cube along the top of the surface of your liquid with a spoon. This will cause the fat to rise and solidify. Then scoop it out with a spoon or a piece of toast.

The easiest way to pit store fruits is to cut them into two equal halves. Twist the halves in opposite directions. Use your thumb or a butter knife to pop out the pit.

Refrigerate your lemon. Then microwave it for 15 to 20 seconds. Roll your fruit, cut lengthwise then use tongs to get the most juice out of your lemons.

Put the pointy end of your corn in the center hole of the pan. This will stead the cob. Then use a knife to slice downward. The pan will collect the kernels.

Make grating semisoft cheeses like mozzarella easy. Just put it in the freezer for about 30 minutes. It will be much easier to grate this way.

Don’t let your herbs dry out or go bad. You can preserve them by placing them in an ice tray with olive oil or water. Freeze them and take out when you’re ready to cook with them.

Here’s the secret to safely cutting cherry tomatoes. Place your cherry tomatoes in between two plates. The bottom plate should be upside down. Run a knife in between the two plates.

Having boiling water spill over your pot can make quite a mess. But there is a way to prevent this from happening. Just place a wooden spoon across the top of your pot.

Measuring out molasses or honey can make a mess. Spray it with some cooking oil before you measure. The oil will make it slide off so that your measuring spoon is easy to clean.

Honey can become crystallized and hard to use after a while. You can reverse the crystallization by place it in a bowl of hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. It will be as good as new.

Fill a jar with a little milk (no more than halfway). Close your jar and shake it well. Microwave your milk for about 30 seconds. It should come out frothy.

Boil coffee in a pot of water using the same coffee to water ratio as you’d put in a coffee maker. Remove the coffee from the heat and let the grounds settle for four or five minutes. Ladle the coffee off of the top of the pot into a mug.

If you’re grilling fish on the BBQ, nothing is worse than going to flip or serve it only to have it crumble and fall apart because it sticks to the grill. Prevent this fiasco by brushing the fillet with a bit of mayo prior to putting on the grill – no sticking! And – it stays super moist.

When making scrambled eggs, many people like to add milk, cream, or even creme fraiche – but mayo is actually quite delicious as well. The added bit of mayo will make your scrambled eggs moist and creamy without changing the flavor at all.

Not a big fan of mayo? That’s alright! Cornstarch is a wonderful alternative to mayo or cream when cooking eggs. It might sound unusual but cornstarch prevents eggs from becoming dry and rubbery. Just add 1/2 and 1/8th teaspoon of cornstarch for every egg you scramble.

Have you ever roasted white chocolate before? Because it’s pure magic and your life will never be the same after trying it. Lots of people prefer roasting chocolate in the oven, but the microwave is much faster. Simply micro the white chocolate for 30-seconds, stir, and put in for another 30 seconds. Repeat until you get the desired taste. (The photo shows a metal bowl but PLEASE do not put that in the microwave.)

Just as roasting white chocolate does, roasting white sugar completely transforms its flavor into something out-of-this-world. Roast your sugar in a roasting pan in the oven – but make sure the pan is completely dry before doing so. If you need the full recipe, you can find it here.

Make the most creamy, decadent, and delicious mashed potatoes your family and friends have ever seen by first boiling them in heavy cream instead of water before mashing them. Of course, this isn’t the healthiest option in the world but my-oh-my is it a taste bud pleaser.

Add some milk powder to your baked goods for a more intense dairy flavor. “Milk powder adds an incredible depth of flavor and texture to any baked good you add it to,” Christina Tosi, chef, and owner of Milk Bar, told Buzzfeed. “It doesn’t impart a milky flavor, it just amps up any flavor your working with.”

Poached eggs are so simple yet so difficult to perfect. To prevent the egg from breaking apart once it hits the water – use a bit of plastic wrap to help. First, line a cup with plastic wrap then spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Crack an egg into it, then tie the plastic wrap shut. Drop your little egg pouch into boiling water and voila! All you have to do is snip the plastic wrap open for a perfectly poached egg.

How delicious and creamy is roasted garlic? It’s a crowd-pleaser for sure. But, roasting cloves in the oven can take what seems like forever. Bypass the oven by placing a bulb of garlic with its top cut off inside a microwave-safe bowl. Add a little oil and water, wrap with plastic wrap, then cook until it smells yummy and the consistency looks right.

If you haven’t heard about this ice cube hack while grilling – you’re totally missing out. A trick for making deliciously moist burgers in an ice cube. Before you grill, press a small ice cube into the center of the patty, form the beef around it so it ‘seals’ the cube – then grill. Best. Burgers. Ever. We promise. Check out more grilling hacks here.

You know those little silica packets that come in packaged goods? They are keeping your products fresh and moist, and you should hang on to them! Just because you took them out of the original package they came in, doesn’t mean they still aren’t useful! Toss them in your Tupperware with freshly baked cookies and pastries to keep them moist for longer.

Pasta is a staple in most households. Take your pasta up a notch by roasting and browning your dry pasta in the oven before you cook it. It will give it a nutty, full flavor that will have your dinner guests asking what your secret is. This is especially great for when you’re using a ‘simple’ sauce – it lets the pasta shine.

Have you ever tasted cured egg yolks before? They’re freaking yummy! Chefs have been curing, then grating them on top of our favorite dishes for a while now, but only recently have people been doing it at home. Just bury some eggs yolks in a mixture of salt and sugar then let them sit for a few days. Pop them into the oven to dry out then grate them like parmesan over your favorite homemade dishes. YUM!

Wow your guests by delivering a pasta dish unlike any other. Instead of water, cook your pasta in red wine. It will give it a vibrant, beautiful red color and a bold wine flavor. Perfect for a simple olive oil or cream-based sauce.

If you’re like most people, you probably bake your cookies right after preparing the dough – which has been ‘normal’ for far too long. Instead, let it sit for a for 36 hours. The theory is that the dry ingredients will soak up all of the wet ingredients which creates a more desirable texture. Yes, please!