Fresh-tasting frozen shrimp

Soak shrimp for 10 minutes in a brine of 1 cup boiling water, 3 cups cold water and 1/3 cup salt for every pound of shrimp. The water plumps them up while the salt leaches out any unwanted freezer flavors.

Spongy mushrooms

Prevent mushrooms from becoming mushy before use, by dividing them into piles and wrapping each bunch in paper towels. They should stay firm in the crisper for a week.

Marinate steak in half the time

Add kiwifruits to the liquid to speed up the marinating process. Kiwifruits contain actinidin, an enzyme that helps break down proteins. Just 30 minutes later, the meat is ready to cook.

Ensure baking quality

Next time you bake with acidic ingredients, test the quality of your baking soda first. Stir the product into vinegar, and if it foams, it is still active, if not, you can toss the box.

Keep cookbook pages in place

Prevent cookbook pages from flipping over while you try to stir and chop at the same time. Use a glass baking dish as a paperweight. The heavy bakeware holds the pages down, while the clear surface makes it a snap to see the next step.

Cook a tastier stew

Before adding broth and vegetables to the meat, dust the beef cubes with flour and sear in a heavy-bottom pot without stirring. Browning the beef seals in flavor and juices while the flour thickens the mixture.

Faster ice cubes

Put the kettle on, boil water and pour it into the ice cube trays. Since boiling water has already begun to evaporate, it freezes faster than cold water. Boiling water also cures cubes of the cloudy appearance common to cubes made with tap water.

Hair Dryer Day #1!

Handheld hair dryers are perfect for hairdos but they can also be used in other surprising ways around the house. Here are a handful of them…