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Tip Store: Cooking: General
How To Open a Stuck Jar Lid
There is nothing more frustrating than reaching for that jar of something tasty and finding the lid stuck tight.
Here are two really simple but very, very effective ways of "unsticking" that stubborn lid so you can get to the goodies inside.
Method 1: Give it a good thump on the bench
This is my preferred method and it works every time. Simply take the jar and gently but firmly thump the rim of the lid on the bench, rotating the jar two or three times.
This will relieve any pressure built up in the jar and it will open easily.
Method 2: Soak it
Fill a small bowl with very hot tap water. Put the jar in the water, lid down. Let it sit for about five minutes, then carefully take the jar out, wipe it with a tea towel and open the lid.
It should open easily. If the jar is very hot use the tea towel to open the lid.
To prevent the lid sticking again, make sure you give it a wipe inside and then wipe around the rim and outside of the jar with a damp cloth.
Here are two really simple but very, very effective ways of "unsticking" that stubborn lid so you can get to the goodies inside.
Method 1: Give it a good thump on the bench
This is my preferred method and it works every time. Simply take the jar and gently but firmly thump the rim of the lid on the bench, rotating the jar two or three times.
This will relieve any pressure built up in the jar and it will open easily.
Method 2: Soak it
Fill a small bowl with very hot tap water. Put the jar in the water, lid down. Let it sit for about five minutes, then carefully take the jar out, wipe it with a tea towel and open the lid.
It should open easily. If the jar is very hot use the tea towel to open the lid.
To prevent the lid sticking again, make sure you give it a wipe inside and then wipe around the rim and outside of the jar with a damp cloth.
Save Time and Money While Cooking with Nanna's Tip
My Nanna gave me this tip years ago. When using the oven to cook dinner, mix up a batch of biscuits, cookies, muesli bars or even a cake and bake it in the oven for the required time at the same time you are cooking your dinner. This not only saves time but also money as you are using all the room in your oven which is much more economical. I usually bake muesli bars while I am cooking a pasta bake as the cooking time and temperature are the same for both items. (20 mins on 180 degrees.)
- Contributed by Leigh-Anne Harris, 14th August 2011
- Contributed by Leigh-Anne Harris, 14th August 2011
Pump Spray Your Oil
I was out shopping yesterday and saw, in the grocery aisles, a refillable spray container to use for cooking oil, rather than buying the spray cans of oil, they cost about $10 each. I realised the, that many people would not know my more cost effective and healthier way of using cooking oil. About 9 years ago, I purchased two 100 ml glass bottles with pump sprayers from a $2 shop. I fill these with my cooking oil - one with olive oil and the other with grapeseed oil. I have written on the bottles with glass paint, in a decorative way so they look good in my kitchen. I use these instead of buying aerosol cans. I use the smaller bottles so I can clean them regularly by soaking in warm soapy water when they are empty. My daughter and daughter-in-law use this idea too and love it. The cost savings are incredible and the health and environmental savings - priceless!
- Contributed by Irene, Dungog, 8th January 2010
- Contributed by Irene, Dungog, 8th January 2010
Build a Recipe Collection With Free Ideas from Your Supermarket
Approximate $ Savings: $200 per year PLUS
If you are a cooking magazine/cookbook lover, look for the free seasonal magazines at your local major supermarket! They really are free and have a wealth of new recipe ideas, often featuring produce that is in season, saving you even more money! All the ingredients can usually be purchased at the supermarket so no running around hunting exotic ingredients! With the average cooking magazine costing $6 -$10 per issue this is a great saver! Don't forget there are pamphlets and recipe cards all over the supermarket too, including the fruit and veg section and meat sections!
- Contributed by Sarah, Penrith, 4th November 2009
If you are a cooking magazine/cookbook lover, look for the free seasonal magazines at your local major supermarket! They really are free and have a wealth of new recipe ideas, often featuring produce that is in season, saving you even more money! All the ingredients can usually be purchased at the supermarket so no running around hunting exotic ingredients! With the average cooking magazine costing $6 -$10 per issue this is a great saver! Don't forget there are pamphlets and recipe cards all over the supermarket too, including the fruit and veg section and meat sections!
- Contributed by Sarah, Penrith, 4th November 2009
www.taste.com.au
I'm a lover of nice glossy cooking magazines and the beautiful cookbooks. In the past I would cave in and buy a magazine because it had a gorgeous looking recipe on the front cover, only to discover it was the only one I really loved!! It was the same with cook-books - beautifully illustrated and put together, but all too often, impractical and again, only a recipe or too that I actually love - I'm sure you agree - a very expensive way to collect recipes. I have discovered a wonderful website called taste.com.au - it features thousands of recipes, all sorted into specific groups, recipe types etc, etc - yes, they have the most DELICIOUS budget recipes!!! The thing I love about this website is that they are all beautifully illustrated :) I have started making my own recipe books - I have some of those cheap display folders, and have printed and compiled my own books - all with beautiful pictures and best of all I love every recipe in them. I only print my tried and true recipes and have them sorted into specific groups - just like a real cook book, but better. You can save the recipes you love into a special online cook book, compile menu planners and it will even save you a shopping list, which you can edit to ensure you're not buying things you already have in the pantry. I find this a very handy tool, saves me time and money - both precious commodities I have quite literally saved hundreds of dollars using this website and best of all still get to indulge myself with beautifully put together cook books.
- Contributed by Deanna, Newmarket, 11th March 2009
Website: www.taste.com.au
- Contributed by Deanna, Newmarket, 11th March 2009
Website: www.taste.com.au
The Family Recipe Club
Approximate $ Savings: $100
Rather than buying cookbooks in which you'll most likely only make (at best) half of the recipes, why not send an email to all your email friends and start a 'Recipe Exchange' asking each friend to respond with one of their tried & true recipes. Be specific and ask for a low cost recipe (they will usually be a family favourite that is easy to make and easy on the pocket). Not only will you gain a bunch of new recipes, you'll save buckets of money on buying expensive cookbooks.
- Contributed by Karon, Labrador
- Contributed by Karon, Labrador
From Medicine Cup to Mini Sauce Cup
All those medicine cups you get from children's and adult medicine bottles can be reused. I save them all because my kids like the measuring spoons. The little cups are great for ketchup, mustard or any other dipping sauce you might like on your plate but on the side, just like in a restaurant.
Contributed by Stacey, West Virginia
Contributed by Stacey, West Virginia
Two Recipe Sites Save Loads of Money
I have found two sites that I hope will help Cheapskaters. One is www.mybeautyrecipes.com It tells you how to make simple beauty recipes with things that most people would have in their pantry/cupboard. It covers lip balms, facials, hair, hands, feet, teeth, baby care, and acne treatments just to name a few. Well worth a look. The second one is www.leftoverchef.com This is one of those sites that helps you use leftovers so little or no waste is left. All you need to do is click on what you have and it'll come up with some recipes for you. Easy.
- Contributed by Emma, Guyra, 9th May 2008
- Contributed by Emma, Guyra, 9th May 2008
Newspaper Instead of Paper Towel
Tired of using too much paper towel in the microwave ? Try using newspaper instead. Use one sheet of paper towel (generic brand of course!) between the food and the newspaper so your food doesn't turn black !!
- Contributed by Sandra, Mt. Waverley, March 16th 2005
- Contributed by Sandra, Mt. Waverley, March 16th 2005
Sake
My hubby is BIG on sake. He buys up to 3 bottles a week! With sake it's hard to find in bottle shops! There are two brands that we know of in Australia. The cheapest and most liked by my hubby is Go-Shu sakes. You're don't need a lot of it (unlike champagne/wine/beer etc) as they like to sip sake slowly, in little cups. But in bulk you can purchase from the website for $1.99 a bottle which is cheaper (minimum 6 bottles for a order and not including freight!). http://www.sun-masamune.com.au/order.htm BWS offers a discount of $2-ish a bottle when you purchase 6 bottles (normally $16.99/740ml). It's very rare to find their premium sakes in the bottle shops! I've tried both Go-Shu Blue ($20.00) and Go-Shu ($15.00) and not being much of a drinker at all I can say that Go-Shu Blue has a cleaner taste to it. We've found Go-Shu Blue only twice (once up in Townsville). Its worthwhile looking around to see if there's any big warehouse like liquor stores As they may carry the Go-Shu Blue but you do end up paying $30-ish a bottle in the shops! (I'd love to be able to take advantage of the BWS bulk offer but my hubby drinks every bit of sake he sees! LOL!)
- Contributed by Tiffany, Charlestown, July 6th, 2006
- Contributed by Tiffany, Charlestown, July 6th, 2006
Why Stock Up?
Some non-Cheapskates have questioned the frugality of storing extra food - and what is has to do with frugality. Generally, stocking up and storing does save money. This is especially true if it is done systematically over a period of time. Not only do you save money when you buy your food on sale, but you avoid those extra, unexpected trips to the supermarket or corner shop. You also protect yourself from price hikes due to unexpected shortages and emergencies.
Weevils!
If weevils are a problem in your pantry (I've just had some rice I bought full of them!), place the container of offending food in the microwave on high for 5 minutes. This will kill them and you can safely empty the food into the bin and wash and dry the containers without fear of re-infesting your pantry. If you have time, let your containers air dry in full sun as an added precaution.
Shopping Stretcher
See how long you can go between grocery shopping trips. Start by doubling the time between trips. If you go to the supermarket every day, stretch it to every other day. Once a week? Shop for two weeks next time. You'll waste less, use less, spend proportionately less and save time and petrol.
Milk Substitute
Water in which you've cooked potatoes can be used in place of milk in many recipes, especially breads and white gravies. Be sure to drain it from the potatoes before you add margarine or salt, though. My advice: Don't keep it in the refrigerator for over a week before using for either one.
Accurate Measures
To measure cooking oil more accurately and avoid drowning a salad or stirfry dish in a sudden deluge don't remove the seal from a new bottle of oil. Carefully cut a slit in the seal and pour through that. You'll be able to measure even a teaspoonful without a spill.