CAN YOUR CAN OPENER OPEN YOUR CAN?

So, I was having an issue with my can opener the other day. It was grinding along, not cutting the can as smoothly as it had when I had first purchased it. My hand was going into spasms from trying to crank the handle so hard…

Now, I cook in a lot of homes and deal with a lot of can openers , from cheap dollar store types to super high tech-cut on their own- fancy ones…

I have found that 2 things cause can openers to fail, and when these two things combine they make for a very inefficient tool…that is MOISTURE and TIME.

On a can opener there are metal parts that get wet every time you use it. That being said, think about what actually happens when you get that can opened…next thing you know you’ve thrown the opener in a drawer (or washed it off after splattering tomato sauce everywhere)…and there it sits, wet….and then whatever it was in that can that you just opened starts to dry and stick to those mechanical parts…this can cause rust, or at least cause dried on gunk to clog up the gears.

So, I was wrastlin’ (as my southern parents call “wrestling”) this can opener and a thought came into my head…WD-40. OK. now, I thought that maybe that would be a good idea because it would lube up the parts and make it work…but does anyone really know WHAT WD-40 is made from?….I was too busy to look it up, so I went for the next best thing…Olive Oil!…I used my oil spray bottle and gave the cogs a spritz or two and Viola!…a brand new lease on life for my pink KitchenAid can opener!

It’s now sitting in the drawer, ready to sink it’s little tooth into my next canned good….and the best part is that it’s been oiled naturally. Try it the next time you have an opener issue.

SMALL OVENS-LARGE CONTAINERS…what to do when you have to bake a bunch of stuff at the same time but your casserole dishes and baking sheets are too wide, too long and you have one too many things that need baking, roasting, etc…

Make your own 1/2 pans!
I came up with this solution at a clients house. Their oven was built in 1950 and was about 24″x24″…no lie!

So, I had 4 different sides I needed to bake and was standing there stumped when I thought, “man, I wish I had 4 small , square baking dishes.” Then I thought TIN FOIL!…I now use this technique even when there is enough room in other ovens…it’s also a great way to reheat 2 items at once in the oven…with NO clean up!…just recycle the foil.

First, tear off a sheet of foil that is LONGER than you need, at least by 2 inches on either end of your casserole or baking sheet.

Next, fold the foil in half, or if one item needs more room fold it off to one side. Basically, you want to make a new “side” inside your container.

Lastly, you then place the foil in or on your casserole, pan, or what have you and making sure that the foil is covering all sides of the container. Spray with some oil,include your food and cover with another piece of foil, and bake away.

VACUUM SEAL YOURSELF
Have you ever seen those commercials were some guys is screaming at the top of his lungs about “THIS GREAT NEW KITCHEN GADGET THAT EVERYONE NEEDS CALLED “SEAL-A-MEAL!” …?

Well, you don’t need to send off for that or any other OXY-MORON product he’s pushin…

Try this technique the next time you desire to get the air out of your head…head of lettuce that is!…or sweet rolls, which is what I needed to seal.

All you need is a ziplock bag (chose your size), a straw or even a pen tube, and your food.

Place the food in the baggie and tightly zip the zip part, but leave a bit unzipped at the end. Fit the straw into that small opening (it should just fit the straw).

Next, while holding the area around the straw so that no air can escape start sucking the air out of the bag. I take small “huffs”, putting my finger over the straw hole as I exhale then take another drag on the straw. Stop huffing when the bag is snug around all the food with each side of the bag pulled in tight to itself.

You can store stuff a long time by using this method as air is not your foods friend..or you can buy that machine from the yelling dude on TV and have more crap to clutter your life and kitchen…it’s your choice.

I’ll post up more ideas as I get time…hey, if you have any send them my way!

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