Tips and Shortcuts from Our Kitchen to Yours!

• Make bananas last an extra 4-5 days! When you arrive home from your grocery trip, take a quick 2 minutes to wrap the stems of your banana bunch with a 5 inch square piece of saran wrap. Each time you remove a banana, be sure to replace the saran wrap and you're guaranteed an extra 4-5 days for your bananas.

• Freeze over-ripe bananas for future baked goods. Over-ripe bananas that have been frozen and defrosted are extremely easy to peel and slide out with a puree consistency. This makes blending into baked goods (banana muffins and breads) a snap!
• Freshen hard bread or rolls in five minutes. Place bread into a paper bag and roll down the open end to close it. Sprinkle the bag with 1 - 2 tablespoons of water then place bag in a low heat oven (around 250 degrees F) until the paper bag is dry and bread is soft and warmed through, about 5 - 7 minutes.
• Balance a wooden spoon across a pot of water to prevent it from boiling over. Remember from 7th grade science class that wood is not a good heat conductor so the boiling water will shy away from the "cool" wooden spoon. It also helps break up the bubbles when they get to the top, preventing a boil over. What a great tip!

• Stretch the shelf life of your potatoes.  Place an apple in your potato bag. How easy is that? Bonus: it also prevents your potatoes from budding!
• How to test baking soda or powder freshness. It's easy to keep baking soda in the fridge (for a fresh-smelling fridge) and to forget when you actually placed it there because they can last so long.  If you need to find out if your baking soda or powder is still fresh, add one teaspoon of water to one teaspoon of your soda or powder.  If it fizzes, it is still fresh.
• Keep your pantry shelves clean!  Hang onto extra coffee tin and take-out container lids. Set your oils and condiments that can drip onto these lids for a clean and organized dry storage option.
• Incredible ideas for your ice cube trays. Ice cube trays are excellent for storing homemade pesto sauce, lemon juice, roasted pepper or tomato puree and chicken stock. Remove from trays when frozen and store in labeled freezer-safe bags for use in the future when you're pressed for time.

• Remove garlic smell from your fingers in less than a minute. Turn on your faucet and position a stainless steel knife under the water, angling the blade downward. Rub the fingers of each hand together in the water flowing off the blade for about thirty seconds, and voilà - back to normal!
• Simple cleaning of your blender or food processor.  You can't get much easier than this one: fill your blender or food processor about half-way with warm, soapy water. Carefully place or hold the lid in place and turn on for 20 - 30 seconds.  Rinse and store upside down on a dish rack or towel until dry. Easy breezy!

We hope these simple tips and tricks are easy to incorporate into your kitchen routine. Bon appetit to you and your bébés!