TIPS: Sweeeeeet Watermelon

When you notice several brown or dark colored streaks running over the skin of the melon, you can be sure the bees have had their fill of the watermelon, drinking the sugar from just under the rind. You'd be smart to take that watermelon home to the family.

TIPS: Bitter Cucumbers

To remove the bitterness from fresh cucumber, cut 1" off each end, then rub them together vigorously, with cut ends touching. When the rubbing stops generating the white foamy looking substance from the cucumber, discard the ends, rinse off the cucumber and enjoy.

TIPS: When to add salt

Unless the recipe calls for salt, add salt to foods after they are done, not before they are placed into the oven. The salt will dry out the foods while they are cooking.

TIPS: Soften Ice-cream

For mixing punches with whole half-gallons of ice-cream, soften ice-cream in microwave for 3-5 seconds before opening, and it will almost fall out of the container. Make sure you have a bowl handy or you'll have a big mess to clean up.

TIPS: Burned on Foods

Fill the pan with water, add ¼ cup of baking soda, and bring water to a boil. After a few minutes, the burned areas will begin to loosen and fall away from the pan.

TIPS: Cooking Pasta

Drop a half capful of cooking oil into boiling water before adding pasta, and it will prevent the water from boiling over.

TIPS: Less Flame BBQ

Trim off all of the fat from cuts of meat before placing them on the BBQ. The flame is caused by the fat dripping onto the hot coals or briquets.

TIPS: Cutting Meringue

Coat the knife with butter just before slicing the meringue pie and it will cut cleaner slices.

TIPS: Soften Brown Sugar

Place a slice of fresh bread inside a package
of hard brown sugar. The sugar will soften in a couple of hours.

TIPS: Reheat Cold Pasta

Tired of cooking more pasta to go with the left-over sauce? Place used pasta inside aplastic bag and store it inside the refrigerator until you want to have left- overs. Place the pasta inside a colander and run hot water over it until the noodles begin to relax. Gently agitate them with your fingers until they just like fresh again. Add sauce and enjoy!

TIPS: Excess Grease

To rid your homemade sauces and soups of unhealthy excess grease that pools on top;fold a paper towel into a small square. Place the towel into the center of the pool, and watch it absorb the grease. When towel is saturated, remove it with cooking tongs, and discard it into an empty can you may have used for your sauce. Be careful about discarding hot materials into a plastic lined trash can.
If the plastic melts you will have a mess on your hands.

TIPS: Crisper Celery

Wrap unused celery tightly in aluminum foil and store in crisper. It will stay fresh much longer than storing it in a plastic bag.

TIPS: Quick Fried Potatoes

The night before, poke two holes in skin of clean, dry potatoes with a small knife. Wrap each potato in plastic wrap and microwave until they just begin to soften. I normally bake 3-4 potatoes on Thurs or Fri to make sure i'm ready for a good hearty breakfast on weekend mornings. For 3-4 potatoes, I microwave for 6-8 mins. 5-8 potatoes, cook for 8-12 minutes. Watch them closely as every microwave is different.

TIPS: Green Tomatoes

Tomatoes will ripen faster if you gently place them inside a paper bag, and store them for a day or 2 away from direct sunlight.

TIPS: Stuffed Bell Peppers

After stuffing peppers, stand them up. lightly greased a muffin or cupcake tin before baking. This will help retain flavorful juices inside the pepper, as well as keep the mess at a minimum.

TIPS: Onions

Tired of the tears? Choose onions that are very hard to the touch. A soft onion produces more juice, and more juice produces
more tears.