If you are short on time or have ever gotten too far into a recipe that isn’t turning out, you’ll definitely want to read my 12 recipe-saving kitchen secrets.

  1. Need ripe bananas in a hurry? Place green bananas in a brown paper bag with an apple or tomato overnight to speed up the process.
  2. If you like the flavor of jalapenos but are sensitive to the heat, remove not only the seeds, but the white membranes. A simple saute will help temper the heat even more.
  3. If you overcook a casserole and it seems a little dry, simply heat a little water or milk and stir it into the dish. No one will be the wiser.
  4. If you need your round veggies such as potatoes or zucchini to lie flat without rolling, use a vegetable peeler to slice a strip off the bottom to create a flat surface.
  5. To minimize the cook time in potato casserole recipes, parboil the potatoes in water before adding them to the other ingredients.
  6. If you love onions but your kids balk at the sight, try grating them in your recipes to ‘hide’ them from your kids.
  7. To keep oil and vinegar from separating, whisk in some mustard or honey. They contain emulsifiers and help the other ingredients to play nicely together in the bottle.
  8. Always tear fresh basil as opposed to cutting it to keep it from turning brown. If you must chop fresh basil, try blanching it for just a few seconds first to prevent browning.
  9. When keeping a dish warm, tent in lieu of covering with aluminum foil. This will allow steam to escape and keep foods warm but free from moisture buildup.
  10. If you’ve added too much salt to a soup or stew, simply cut up a potato and add it to the broth. The potato will absorb the extra salt. Remove potato before serving.
  11. Got lumps and chunks when you want something smooth? Press your ingredients through a mesh strainer. This will give you silky deviled eggs, delicate pudding or extra smooth and fluffy potatoes.
  12. Use unsalted butter when cooking and baking to control the amount of salt in the recipe.  Also, unsalted butter has a shorter shelf life so you are always buying a fresher butter than its salty cousin who can hang out in the refrigerator section for weeks.