Susan and Veronica - Tasty Tips

Did you know that lemons are great for softening rough elbows and heels? We didn't, until a fellow apron fashionista sent us this useful tip. Now we rub them on our skin before tossing them out!

We will be sharing all sorts of tips on this page that make life easier in the kitchen and just about everywhere else in your home. Do you have a tip you'd like to share with us?

If so, email us at tips@susanandveronica.com. 

• Check for ripeness of a pineapple or melon by smelling the bellybutton, or bottom, of the fruit.  If there is no smell, then the fruit is still green and not ready for consumption.                         Amanda, Chicago, IL
  

• Remove the smell of garlic from your hands by rubbing them on stainless steel, such as a spoon, a pot, etc.  Deborah, Pittsburgh, PA
  

• To crisp lettuce, place a damp paper towel in the lettuce container. Then make the perfect salad!  Theresa, Wyoming, NY

• I like to use cream of tarter to prevent apples from turning brown.  Laurie, Perry, NY

• To prevent crying while peeling an onion, do it under cold water.  Then to remove the onion smell from your hands, rub them with lemon juice or salt and then rinse under cold water.  Rose, Perry, NY

• Clean a pan easily by filling it with water and adding a dryer sheet.  Let is soak for 30 minutes or longer depending on the amount of cooking residue.  The pan will wipe clean!  Christine, Syracuse, NY

• Don't be afraid to use a good amount of salt when baking sweets.  If the recipe calls for 1 teaspoon, you could even use up to 1.5 teaspoons.  Salt helps to bring out all of the delicious vanilla, chocolate and sweet sugary flavors in your baked goods and desserts!        Liz, Hoboken, NJ

• Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.  They ripen faster if you leave them  connected at the stem!                        Kimberly, New York, NY

• White vinegar can be used as a cleaning product for just about everything - from carpet stains to spills on clothing or furniture.  It's also a great all around streak free cleaner for high shine or delicate kitchen surfaces, such as granite, marble or stainless steel.  And it's Earth friendly!  Liberty, Hood River, OR

• After you have prepared your guacamole, place the nut in the center of the guacamole until you are ready to serve it.  This will keep the guacamole from turning brown!  Jennifer, Garden City, NY

• When I want to keep my flowers fresh for longer, I add a little clorox or 2 Bayer aspirin to the water, or I just use 7-Up instead of water!  Richard, Del Ray Beach, FL

• To keep my pie crusts from burning while it's baking, I put aluminum foil around the edge of the pie crust before placing it in the oven.  Works everytime!  Pamela, Austin, TX
  

• My secret to a successful holiday gathering?  Get your Italian Father-In-Law to cook all the holiday meals!  Patty, New City, NY

• For soft and yummy calamari, first soak in water and baking soda before frying!  Claudia, Girne, Cyprus

• To remove a tough stain from fabric, I mix one part Dawn dishwashing liquid with two parts hydrogen peroxide.  I then pour it directly on the stain and watch it dissappear like magic!  I swear it works on everything, and if you have a big stain, just mix up the ingredients in the sink or a bucket and place the entire garment in it - Presto! Just like brand new!   Lily, Las Vegas, NV

• Here's a secret for preparing to freeze corn: use a bunt pan and place your corn cob that you have already blanched on the center ring of the bunt pan, spin the cob as you cut it off... it all falls right into the pan!  Penny, Wadsworth, NY
  

• I spray pickle juice on bone-in chicken and cook it on the grill on low heat for a long time until it's cooked through.  The pickle juice keeps it moist and delicious!  Lucy, Lancaster, PA 

• Don't know when to use fresh herbs over dried herbs?  Here's my trick - I used dried herbs if I'm cooking something overnight or a recipe that takes a really long time as dried herbs start to get soft the longer they cook.  For any other time, I use fresh herbs!                       Meggan, Salisbury, MD
  

• The secret to my marinade?  Greek yogurt and dill.  It's great for steaks or mixed into burger patties.  Everything comes out moist and flavorful! Shelby, Steamboat Springs, CO

• To avoid overcooking foods, I use an instant-read thermometer on everything.  I remove the food when it's still 10 degrees underdone, because it still cookes while it rests.  Good-bye well-done steaks and dry chicken!  Danielle, Knoxville, TN

• Whenever I want to get a musty odor out of clothing that's been in storage, I mix one part vodka with two parts water in a spray bottle and spray away! It works every time, and then I make a martini with the left over vodka for my own happy hour!   Brittni, Chicago, IL

• Toothpaste is great to polish silver jewelry and clean a steam iron.  Just remember to use an old toothbrush!   Summer, Boston, MA

• Brown sugar always gets hard if you don't use it all right away.  To keep it soft, I drop a marshmallow into the package.  They also work at the bottom of an ice cream cone to keep it from leaking! Erin, Tampa, FL

• Sometimes I don't have a whole lemon handy to use in my garbage disposal to deodorize it.  If it starts to smell and I need a quick fix, I'll add run coffee grounds in the disposal to neutralize odors! Alexandra, Vestal, NY

• One thing that I've learned throughout my culinerary career is to always use tongs when handling cooking meat.  If you use a fork and pierce the meat when it's cooking, the juices run out and it becomes dry.  Melanie, Fayetteville, AK