When it comes to cooking dinner every night, one tool I can't live without is my kitchen tongs, which I use to flip meat, toss stir-fries, serve salads, and much more. But I had no idea there were four more surprising uses for this everyday tool — including one that is especially helpful for short cooks like me.

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Even when warm weather is nigh, it's still nice to have a hot lunch at work. However, lots of people don't have access to a microwave or could use a healthy hot lunch option that doesn't involve the chronically-dirty-in-the-workplace small appliance. Cue the handy thermos! More

I usually tuck some type of whole fruit in my bag to eat with lunch or snack on later in the day. It might roll around a bit or — if I put it directly into my backpack or purse — encounter who-knows-what at the bottom of my bag. To protect apples, pears and other fruit with edible peels, I've come up with an quick way to keep them clean and protected from bruises.

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Have you ever tried making your own crackers? Your very own crispy, crunchy, seed-topped crackers? My recommendation: try it. Definitely. Crackers are surprisingly easy to make at home with just five basic ingredients, a rolling pin, and a baking sheet. Make yourself a quick batch tonight and have homemade crackers for lunches, snacks, and dinners all week long.

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Although making pancake batter isn't difficult, it doesn't always make for a speedy morning unless your mix is coming from a box. Just try this tip for freezing batter in advance so you're always armed and ready with a killer breakfast arsenal. More

I've been adding curry paste to an assortment of old standby dishes to give them a bit of kick. If you have half a can of curry paste lying about here are a few unexpected ways to put it to good use! More

I can't believe I didn't know that! Have you ever found yourself saying this in the kitchen? Maybe it's about something innocuous like, "Huh, couscous isn't a grain?" Or surprising: "Oh, pork shoulder and pork butt are the same thing." Or embarrassing: "Wait - Rocky Mountain oysters are what?" As NPR said in a story about these things, "Part of being an adult is finding out stuff you should have known for years but somehow didn't." We all have those little things that somehow escape our general education and flabbergast us later -- what have been yours, in cooking and the kitchen?  More

You've probably already seen the video demonstrating how easy it is to peel a head of garlic using two bowls, but here's another method to try. All it takes about 20 seconds and a microwave.

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I make hummus more often than I buy it. I find that not only is it inexpensive and fast, but making my own hummus tastes far better than the varieties I find at the grocery store. Fresh hummus has a spicy garlic taste that just never comes through in hummus that's sat on shelves for weeks or longer. But in all of my hummus making, I had never heard of this particular tip. Have you? More

Prepare for your minds to be blown. Ready? Homemade energy bars. Three ingredients. No cooking. No tricks. No kidding. More