• Apples

To prevent apples from turning brown when they are cut or peeled, sprinkle them with lemon juice or lemon lime soda.

• Bananas

Placing bananas with an apple in a brown paper bag will ripen them faster. Over ripen bananas can be saved and used for baking purposes by mashing them and keeping it frozen in a plastic bag until ready for use.

• Butter / Margarine

To make butter or margarine softer without having to microwave it and having it melt on you; cover butter/margarine completely with a hot bowl just before use.

• Curry

Lighting a couple of candles while cooking curry, helps absorbs the cooking fumes.

• Eggs

You can determine fresh eggs from the texture of their shells; the shells are rough and have a chalky look. Shells of old eggs lose their chalky look and are more smooth than rough. Another method to determine an egg's freshness is by putting it in salted cold water, if it sinks then it is fresh, if it rises to the top then the egg is not fresh. Hard boiled eggs are easier to peel when cracked and placed in cold water right after they are finished boiling.

• Fish

How to tell fish is finish cooking, is when their almost flaking, not when it actually flakes, which would be overdone. You can determine the length of time to cook a fish by measuring the thickest point of the fish and allowing 10 minutes per inch. You can apply this to frying, grilling, broiling, steaming, and poaching.

• Flour

By placing a bay leaf in the flour container you can prevent bugs.

• Garlic

To remove garlic skins easily, place the cloves in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. Garlic with paper-like skins, and are plump, firm, tight and intact are good selections.