7 Little Tricks That Will Make You Feel Like a Kitchen Wizard

Having a few kitchen tricks up your sleeve can make all the difference, whether you’re cooking a dinner party for 20 or just trying to get Wednesday supper on the table. Some tricks, like the one for vegan whipped cream, are magical. Others are as simple as snapping an ear of corn in half. All are fun, doable, and will have your friends exclaiming, “How did you know that?”

Gone are the days of a simple lattice crust — well, not gone exactly, but there are a lot of new options now, from braids, to cutouts, to beautiful patterns. Learn how to carefully handle and manipulate the dough to create these impressive pies.

I know whacking away at a cut pomegranate with a wooden spoon is cathartic and fun, but in the end you’re left with a gigantic mess, bruised and broken arils, and half the seeds still attached. So please, go gentle and try this stellar method which will remove the beautiful ruby jewels without the horror-show splattered kitchen.

The wizardry that allows the liquid from canned chickpeas to be whipped up into rich and voluminous vegan “whipped cream” is beyond me. I can only point to magic, because how else can such a thing occur? Sheela gives us the lowdown on how this mysterious trick is accomplished.

It’s rare, but occasionally a cook will find herself without a knife. Maybe she is camping or at a summer rental. Maybe someone else is using the only knife available. Either way, she will have to keep her wits about her and improvise — especially when it comes to corn on the cob.

Somehow, and it’s not always clear how, you’ve ended up with a spare gallon of milk in the refrigerator. You just can’t sit back and watch it spoil, right? Here are 10 really great ways to put that milk to use, including a bonus tip that may surprise you.

If there is one thing I do consistently, it’s throw out (or in my case, compost) potato peels. So this post really caught my eye and, upon reading it, it has changed my life. I mean look at that crispy, crunchy pile of potato goodness! Just toss with oil, season well, and bake for about 20 minutes. So much reward for such little effort!

Did you know that pickle brine will make nearly everything taste delicious? From marinating chicken to making a vinaigrette, this unexpected ingredient (that we normally just toss down the drain) will add a bright, tangy, can’t-put-my-finger-on-it-but-I-love-it note to your savory dishes.