7 Culinary Hacks

If you run out of liners when baking cupcakes or muffins, try this easy substitute.
1. Cut 5-inch squares from a sheet of parchment paper and firmly press them over the base of an inverted drinking glass to shape them.
2. Place the shaped liners into the muffin cups. Fill and bake as directed.

When you have an especially large item to cover with foil, follow this procedure to fashion a double-width sheet:
1. Place a length of foil flat on the counter, then place a second sheet directly on top of it.
2. Fold one long edge of the two sheets over on itself twice.
3. Starting from the opposite edge (which has not been crimped), open the sheets as you would a book.

Some parchment paper comes in handy precut sheets, but most doesn’t. In roll form it comes with one big drawback: it curls into a scroll the second it is cut. Here are some simple solutions.
A. Spray the pan with a light coating of vegetable oil spray and lay the parchment sheet down on the sticky surface.
B. Lightly crumple the sheet of parchment paper, then unfold it and smooth it flat. The folds will help keep it from curling.
C. Cut the parchment paper into lengths to fit a baking sheet. Store the sheets of paper in the baking sheet, weighing them down with a second baking sheet. Now you have perfectly flat, perfectly sized sheets ready to go when you want them.
D. Grab four refrigerator magnets and place one over each corner of the parchment. Make sure to return the magnets to the fridge before putting the baking sheet in the oven.

For a simple way to protect yourself from still-warm burners on the stove, keep a kettle on the stove and place it over the hot burner after turning it off to shield the surface while it cools. (to prevent the bottom of the kettle from burning on the hot surface, make sure it has some water in it.)

Many recipes call for an ovensafe skillet that can move from the stovetop to the oven and back again. However, just because the pan is safe to go in the oven, that doesn’t mean it will be safe for your bare hands when it comes out. You’ll probably remember to use an oven mitt to pull the skillet out, but it’s all too easy to forget that the handle is still hot as you continue to work with the pan on the stovetop. As a reminder, leave a potholder, folded kitchen towel, or oven mitt over the hot handle.

Fans of natural peanut butter (without sugar or other stabilizers), as well as other nut butters and tahini, know that the butter often separates into a dense, solid mass beneath a layer of oil that has risen to the surface. Before spreading, the oil and solids have to be reblended. A spoon makes a mess of everything, but there is an easier way. Simply turn the sealed jar upside down and allow the oil to rise to the top. As the oil passes thorough the butter, the solids will absorb some oil and become soft enough to spread. Flip the jar right side up, and the butter is ready to use.

Angling a mixing bowl can make it much easier to dig in while scooping out cookie dough or cake frosting. To stabilize your bowl at the perfect angle while keeping your hands free for scooping, place the mixing bowl in a pot lined with a dish towel. The now-secure bowl can be tilted in any direction.