Cheaper, Better, Faster by Mary Hunt Page A

Cook a 1-inch-thick fish 5 minutes per side. The fish is done when the flesh is opaque. If a fish steak is unusually thick, check the center with a knife.
    Fish—deboning
    Tweezers are perfect for removing fine bones from cooked fish.
    Flour—puff
    Keep a powder puff in your flour container and use it for dusting cake pans before you pour in the batter.
    Flour—shaker
    Put flour in an old saltshaker and leave it in the freezer.When you need to flour a pan or dust a pastry board, the shaker will save you from wrestling with a big bag and spilling flour everywhere.
    Flour—sifter
    A kitchen strainer works just as well as a flour sifter. Lightly press flour or powdered sugar through with the back of a wooden spoon or gently shake the strainer back and forth until the product has worked its way through.
    Foil liners in pans
    It sounds so simple, but it’s not always that easy. Here’s a way to make lining any pan with foil a cinch. Turn the pan to be lined over and lay a piece of foil over it, molding it to the exact shape of the pan. Now turn the pan right-side up and set the perfectly molded foil into it. Perfect fit every time.
    Food—expiration dates
    Mark a rotation date on any food container that does not already have an expiration date on the package. Store the food in airtight, pest-resistant containers in a cool, dark place. Most canned foods can safely be stored for at least 18 months. Low-acid canned foods like meat products, fruits, or vegetables will normally last at least 2 years. Use dry products, like boxed cereal, crackers, cookies, dried milk, or dried fruit within 6 months.
    Food—inventory
    Place a chalkboard on the refrigerator. List what snacks or leftovers are available inside. This will prevent family members from eating things you’re planning to have for dinner. And it will keep them from opening the refrigerator to search for snacks that may or may not be there while all the cold air leaks out.
    Food —list on display
    If your supermarket receipt clearly lists every item you purchased by name, post iton the refrigerator door. It lets everyone know what you bought so they can decide quickly what they want.
    Freezer—labeling
    Label and date new items for the freezer, and place them in the back. Doing this brings the older items to the front so they can be used first.
    Freezer—list
    Keep a current freezer inventory list posted to the outside of the freezer door. The longer you leave the door open while you look to see what’s in there, the more cold air escapes and the harder the freezer has to work.
    Freezer—storage
    Heavy-duty freezer bags can be reused, but if you’ve written on them, it can get confusing. Instead, write the contents and also instructions for heating on a separate piece of paper that you can slip inside the bag. You can see through with no problem, and the bag stays blank for its future jobs.
    Freezing—cakes
    Freeze frosted cakes uncovered until hard, then lightly wrap with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Store unfrosted cakes and cheesecakes in plastic wrap, and freeze. Thaw all cakes with the wrapping in place to minimize condensation.
    Freezing—chicken
    Freeze skinless, boneless chicken breasts uncovered in a single layer, then wrap them individually and stack in resealable plastic bags. Thaw in the refrigerator, or if you’re in a hurry, submerge them in the airtight bag in a bowl of cold water.
    Freezing—eggs
    If you have more eggs than you can use in the near future, crack them open and place them individually in an ice cube tray. Once they’re frozen,remove them and store in a resealable plastic freezer bag in the freezer. Frozen eggs should always be thawed in the refrigerator and used in recipes in which they will be thoroughly cooked.
    Freezing—fish in milk cartons
    Freeze cleaned fish by packing them loosely in clean milk cartons and filling the cartons with water. When you defrost, save