Common Cooking Crises {Lessons from Grandma}

With one quick internet search, we can usually figure out problems we are having. From parenting questions to workouts, a lot of times my first resource is google. But back in the day, of course, the internet wasn’t around. And, they didn’t have cleaners and sprays for every little thing. How the heck did they do it?!

I found this little treasure tucked away at my Grandma’s house – a book titled, “Common Cooking Crises and how to deal with them.” It’s a little publication from Reader’s Digest, complete with fun art work.

{Don’t you love how the woman is stressing out on the cover and the guy is just sitting back smoking a pipe.}

It’s awesome. It’s a Readers Digest mini book, I guess sold at the grocery store. From crumbly cookie dough, to gamey tasting poultry, and even weird smells — there’s a quick fix for just about any problem you can think of. Thirty two pages of quick tips and fun secrets… I’d love to share a few of my favorites with you!

Old Baking Powder :: Check to see if it’s still good. Put 1 teaspoon in a cup of hot water. If it bubbles a lot, it’s good. If not, throw it out.

Forgotten Beans :: If you forgot to soak your beans overnight, add 1 teaspoon of baking powder to 1 pound or so of beans, cover them with water and cook on medium heat for about 40 minutes. Remove from stove and cover with lid for 10 minutes.

Cake Crises :: Cake stuck to the pan? Place the pan on a cloth that you have soaked in cold water and wrung out.

Cracked Eggs :: A few drops of lemon juice or vinegar will keep the egg from seeping out of the cracks.

Onion Tears :: Put your onion in the fridge or freezer for about 10-15 minutes before peeling. Or, peel under cold running water.

Broken Dishes :: For hairline cracks, put the plate in a pan of milk and boil for 45 minutes. The crack will usually disappear.

Stained Pans :: Scrub with a raw potato dipped in cleaning powder.

Stinky Kitchen :: Put an orange peel in the oven at 350 degrees, with the door ajar.

These are just a few of the tips and tricks that I liked most, but there are so many more great ones too.
Do you have any old fashioned tricks you use around the house?