Even if you have all the appliances and utensils your kitchen can hold, you might still find yourself wondering if there is a better way to cook, clean, or use your gadgets. There are also some problems in a kitchen that cannot be solved at the store.

The tips in this section will help you solve those everyday questions and problems. You'll find tips on cleaning your appliances, dishes, and oven racks, how to make the most of your small kitchen, and how to keep your kids busy in the kitchen.

Tips, Tricks, and Answers

The following articles are available for the 'Kitchen Tips' topic. Click the article''s title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

   Avoiding Cross Contamination
While it may seem like a fairly simple prospect, avoiding cross contamination is really anything but. At least that is the case if you have happened to look at the news recently. Cross contamination is one of the leading causes for food poisoning and meal time illnesses. Learning how to avoid cross contamination is something that any budding home chef should make a high priority.

   Cheese Boxes
You may have heard of a breadbox, but have you ever heard of a cheese box? Believe it or not, these quaint cheese storage devices are making a comeback. Here is some basic information that can help you understand a little more about these wonderful items, and what they can be used for.

   Choosing a Farmers' Market
Going to the local Farmer's Market can be a fun experience. Choosing the right market for you might be a bit confusing. Here are some guidelines to help make that decision easier.

   Choosing Shelving
Things can pile up in your home and cause clutter. Use shelves to help organize items and create a neat appearance.

   Cleaning a George Foreman Grill
Cooking with the George Foreman Grill is great for making easy meals that are lean and healthy. But, cleaning up the mess sometimes can be very frustrating. Here are some ideas on how to clean the grill, making it easier the next time that grill is needed.

   Cleaning Burn Stains while Cooking
Let's face it—even the most experienced chef has an occasional accident in the kitchen. One common form of kitchen accident is a burnt pot, pan, or cooking surface. Cleaning burn stains while cooking can save time, money, and even energy. Here's how.

   Cleaning Burnt Rice
Have you ever noticed just how difficult cleaning burnt rice can be? It often seems like no matter how hard you try, you can never get everything off. That is until now. Here are a few simple, yet effective, methods you can use to get your pots and pans cleaned of any burnt rice.

   Cleaning Glass Cookware
Glass cookware is quite popular. After all, you basically can't go into a single kitchen across the country and not find at least one item of glass cookware. Cleaning glass cookware can be a bit difficult though, not to mention extremely annoying. That is, until now.

   Cleaning Oven Racks
These days it is extremely easy to clean your oven—after all most ovens are self-cleaning. There is one drawback to these types of ovens though; in order to properly clean your oven you will need to remove the racks prior to cleaning. This means that your oven racks are not getting clean, unless you use these steps.

   Commercial Kitchen Equipment
Equipment used in the foodservice industry is similar to what you have at home, but able to handle a larger capacity. Consider your commercial kitchen's requirements when selecting equipment.

   Common Kitchen Mistakes
Everyone will make a mistake in the kitchen at some point in their lives. The trick is to learn how to deal with that mistake when it happens. Here are some helpful guidelines that you can use to repair many common kitchen mistakes.

   Cooking for Large Groups
Cooking for large groups, such as at a barbecue, can be a tricky situation if you have never done it before. For example, do you know how much hamburger you would need for 50 servings? How about cheese, hot dogs, or the condiments? Well, with this handy guide you will soon know the answer.

   Cooking in a Small Kitchen
If you have a small kitchen, consider storing pots and pans, as well as dinner ware, in another room in order to give you more space for preparing meals. If your countertop is loaded with small appliances, buy portable shelving and set it just off of your kitchen space.

   Cooking Light
We all want to cook healthy, but sometimes we're not sure how to do that. Really cooking light isn't that hard; you just need the right ingredients on hand when you cook.

   Cooking Quickly
Perhaps one of the longest standing debates in the cooking world is about what can make food cook quickly. Some will say that cooking dishes with lids on will do the trick, while others say that it is the exact opposite. Which is it really? The real answer for cooking quickly may just surprise you.

   Cooking With Garlic
Garlic is one of those tricky ingredients that you need to be careful with when cooking. If you don't use enough, you won't even know that it is there, and end up missing out on a great treat. Use too much though, and you can easily find your meal is overwhelmed with garlic. Cooking with garlic doesn't need to be that difficult though, as long as you follow these simple guidelines.

   Cooking with Grease and Oil
Grease or oil is a staple in most kitchens. You need to be aware of how to cook with this staple so that you don't hurt yourself and so that you make the most of it.

   Creating Custom Recipe Cards
Are you looking for your favorite recipe, but just can't seem to find it amid all the other recipe cards? With just some time and effort you can have custom recipe cards. Not only can this be a fun project, but it will even help you be able to locate your recipes quicker.

   Culinary Cooking
Culinary cooking may sound like a slightly redundant term, however it is not. Rather, culinary cooking is more along the lines of a mindset and a discipline that a person can impose upon themselves in order to be a better chef. If you have ever wanted to learn a little more about the culinary arts and how you can introduce them into your home, then this information is a must-have.

   Different Types of Sugar
Sugar is a deliciously sweet ingredient used in cooking, but there are many varieties that can be used in different ways. It can be helpful to learn about types of sugar that you might need to use in recipes.

   Double Duty for Common Items
Do you like to recycle everything? Do you have things on hand that you don't know what to do with? Learn some new ways to use old items.

   Edible Flowers
Flowers are not only beautiful, certain varieties are tasty, as well. Choose flower petals to color butter, or add a spring of violas to add a sweet, wintergreen flavor to meat. You can also float flowers inside of a punch bowl, use in fruit salad, or as decorations on cakes and pies.

   High Altitude Cooking
When it comes to cooking, one of the trickier things to do is learn how to cook at high altitudes. High altitude cooking is something that is easy to learn, and something that must be learned if you live in high-elevation areas. Here are some simple guidelines to help you learn the tricks of the trade when it comes to cooking at high altitudes.

   How to Separate Egg Whites
You need to separate egg whites for many different recipes and so it would probably be good to actually know how to do it. Separating egg whites isn't hard and once you know how you'll be able to succeed in recipes calling for egg whites!

   Keep Kids Busy in the Kitchen
If your kids want to help in the kitchen, give them an extra-special job that's simple and useful. Show them how to make "magic butter" and popsicles to share with everyone.

   Kitchen Accessories
Accessorizing your kitchen can make all the difference in utility and décor. Decorate using sleek and silver accessories to give it a more modern look, or use antiques to make it remind you of grandma's kitchen. Whatever you decide, accessories are a must for any kitchen.

   Kitchen Cleaning
Having a clean kitchen is important to your health and the overall feel of the room. Be sure to clean different areas of the kitchen properly and don't wait for big messes to pile up.

   Kitchen Cleaning Supplies
An often overlooked aspect of cooking is the one part that always comes last—the clean up. Cleaning your kitchen can be an extremely easy task, as long as you have the right tools. Here are the basic supplies that everyone should have in their kitchen to help keep it sparkling.

   Kitchen Hardware
You can add your own personal style to your kitchen using small details. Use kitchen hardware to give a decorative look to cabinets, drawers, and more.

   Making Less Salty Soups
Just about everyone has run into at least one soup that was a little too salty. Instead of putting up with it, why not learn how to go about making some less salty soup? It's surprisingly easy to do, here's how.

   Making Your Own Barbecue Sauce
Barbecue sauce is a great way to add a little extra zest to dinner, but what do you do if you don't have the money to buy some of the premade stuff? Making your own barbecue sauce isn't only easy; it can actually save you money in the long run. Learn how to make your own with our help.

   Pantry Organizing
There can be no bigger help to the burgeoning chef than an efficient and orderly kitchen. Of all the various parts of the kitchen that can use help, the one that may need the most attention is the pantry. Pantry organizing can help you save not only time when cooking, but also loads of money. Here's how.

   Reducing Fat in Your Foods
We're all worried about fat. There are simple ways to reduce the amount you eat. Just a few tips will help you keep your fat intake under control.

   Refined Sugar
Refined sugar is the sugar most often found in the things you eat. By cutting it out of your diet you will gain more energy, lose inches, and overall just feel a little healthier in your every day life.

   Remove Calcium Deposits from Cookware
No matter how well you try to take care of your cookware, there are going to be times that little white bumps often appear on your pots and pans. Most often these bumps are calcium or other types of minerals that build up over time and from the wash. Here are some simple ways that you can remove calcium deposits from cookware and resurrect your favorite pots and pans.

   Rescuing Ruined Meals
Oh no! Your meal is ruined—or is it? You can save lots of meals from certain destruction. Find out how!

   Secrets of Making Great Gravy
Are you tired of lumpy gravy that is either too thick or too thin? Here are some simple solutions to help make the perfect gravy. Having the perfect gravy is easy, that is if you have the secret to making the perfect gravy. You just need to know some of the secrets that make gravy an easy side for your table to compliment your meat and potatoes and still taste great.

   Simple Coupon Organization
Coupons are a great way to extend your food dollar. Getting more for your dollar with coupons isn't really that hard. With just a little planning and organizing you'll find it easier than ever to take advantage of coupons.

   Storing Brown Sugar without Using Airtight Containers
Everyone knows that the best way to store brown sugar is using an airtight container. For myriad reasons, there are times when storing brown sugar in an airtight container simply isn't feasible. Here are some methods that you can use to help store your brown sugar, without using airtight containers.

   Storing Homemade Marinara Sauce
If you are in the mood for Italian food, nothing tastes better than some good old fashioned marinara sauce. The only problem is, what do you do with the leftovers? Storing homemade marinara sauce can be a bit confusing at first, but never fear. Simply use one of these methods, and you can lengthen the life of your marinara sauce.

   Storing Homemade Soup
Storing soup can be a little tricky. If not stored properly soup can loose its flavor and texture. Don't let this happen to your homemade soup. Read on for info on storing your soup properly.

   Storing Uncooked Dough
Don't be intimated by freezing your bread dough. It will still have that same great taste only you are saving yourself time. Make and store your frozen dough by following these simple steps.

   Understanding Liquid Ingredient Measurements
If you don't understand liquid ingredient measurements when cooking, then you can easily find yourself in all kinds of trouble. Avoid the trouble by learning what the different measurements are, and how they are used. After all, understanding liquid ingredient measurements doesn't have to be that hard.