1. Hard-to-open jar?

Just slip an elastic band around the lid, get a good grip and it’ll open.

2. Made your curry or chilli con carne too hot?

Cut a lemon in half. Squeeze the juice into the pot and throw in the lemon. Stir and cook for a few minutes. When you remove the lemon, you’ll also remove the excess spiciness!

3. Wine left over from a dinner party?

Pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze. Use later for cooking any dish that requires wine.

4. Dirty microwave?

Put half a lemon in a bowl of water and place in the
microwave. Turn on and let the water come to a boil. Leave for a few
minutes, then wipe clean. The vapour removes both the dirt and any nasty lurking smells.

5. Want to get that water boiling quicker?

Easy. Put your pot of water on the stove to boil. Cover the pot with its lid, and put a good mound of table salt on top of the lid. Depending on the type of lid, you might have to turn it upside down so the salt won’t go everywhere!

6. Hate having to peel fiddly garlic cloves?

Cut off the root ends of your garlic cloves. Put the cloves in a small bowl and cover with boiling water.

Leave for about two or three minutes. They’ll be dead easy to peel.