Cooking and recipe hacks are clever shortcuts or techniques that make preparing meals easier, faster, and often more efficient. Here are a few examples:
1. **Quick Garlic Peeling**: Smash garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife to loosen the skin, making it easier to peel.
2. **One-Pot Pasta**: Cook pasta and sauce together in one pot to save on cleanup and infuse the pasta with flavor.
3. **Frozen Herbs in Oil**: Freeze fresh herbs in ice cube trays with olive oil to have pre-portioned, flavor-boosting additions ready for cooking.
4. **Pasta Cooking Water**: Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water before draining. The starchy water can help thicken and bind sauces.
5. **Egg Shell Removal**: Use a piece of the eggshell to fish out any small bits of broken shell from the cracked egg.
6. **Reviving Stale Bread**: Mist stale bread with water and bake it in a preheated oven for a few minutes to restore its crustiness.
7. **Butter Softening**: Place butter between two sheets of wax paper and roll it out with a rolling pin to soften it quickly for recipes.
These hacks streamline cooking processes and help achieve better results with less effort.
