Apples

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

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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.

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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.

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Curry

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

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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.

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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.

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Flour

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

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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.

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Honey

To remove crystallization from honey, place the container of the honey in another container that has hot water until the honey has melted; then mix until the melted honey is smooth.

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Onions

Use the top half of an onion when only half is needed; the bottom half or root end remains fresher than the top half for a longer time. Slicing onions under running water or in a pot of water can prevent tears. To quicken the process of frying onions, add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

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Potato

Potatoes that have smooth skins and are nicely shaped are good selections. Do not get ones that are sprouted or have blemishes. Keep onions away from the same storage area of potatoes. Keeping them too close together will cause the potatoes to rot faster. Placing an apple with the potatoes in the same bag prevents sprouting.

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Shrimp

Shrimps that are in half-circle when cooking and have a pink color throughout are done; over-cooked shrimp coil into a circle.

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