Quick Fixes for Cooking Mistakes

Quick Fixes for Cooking Mistakes

by Kat Kinsman
High prices haven't stopped at the gas pump; they've been passed along to grocery aisles. We're sharing our tips for fixing common kitchen mishaps, and salvaging past-prime produce so you can make the most of what's already in your fridge. Waste not, want not.

Mushy Pasta

All chefs muck up and overcook pasta every once in a while. It's not the end of the world; just give the noodles a solid sauté in olive oil or butter. Then sprinkle them with grated Parmesan cheese, or deglaze the still-hot pan with a touch of white wine and splash of cream and reduce it to a luscious sauce.

Browse our pasta recipes

Eggs

If you can't recall when you bought that carton of eggs and want to make sure they're still fresh, place them gently into a bowl of water. Rotten eggs will float, and the fresh ones will stay fully submerged. The fresher they are, the more quickly they will sink.

Tired of battered-up hard-boiled eggs? A pinhole in the tip of the egg will keep the shell from cracking due to trapped air.

Learn how to cook eggs.


Stale Bread

Restore life to stale bread by slipping it into a 325 oven in a lightly dampened paper bag. When the bag is dry, your bread will have regained its former softness. Stale bread is a natural fit for breadcrumbs, croutons, crostini, bread pudding, and a sumptuous Italian tomato salad called panzanella.

Lumpy Mashed Potatoes

Some folks like lumpy spuds, but for those who don't, if the taters are already made, give them a good re-smashing with a ricer, rather than with an electric mixer. The mixer may take out the lumps, but it can also result in a gluey consistency.

To get the potatoes off to a smooth start the next time, don't toss them into boiling water since the outer parts will cook much faster then the insides. Put them into cold water, so all regions heat evenly.

Try our favorite mashed potato recipes.


Popcorn Won't Pop

The kernels may have dried out, and they need some moisture to pop. Soak them in water for about five minutes, drain and pat them dry and try again. If that doesn't work, place them in a container in the freezer overnight and go for a re-pop the next day.

Try our snack food quiz.


Overbaked Cookies

Cookies a bit crispier than you'd like? Pop them into a plastic bag or plastic container, along with a few apple slices or a slice of bread wrapped in a paper towel. They should soften within 24 hours. Five seconds in a microwave can also work wonders.

Browse cookie recipes

Crumbled Cake

If your freshly-baked cake crumbles evenly, you're in luck. The halves can likely be "glued" back together with a swipe of frosting. If the damage is more severe, slice it into segments, douse lightly with your favorite liqueur, and layer in a stemmed glass with whipped cream and sliced fruit for a simple, sophisticated trifle.

Burned Cake

Evenly remove the burned top or sides by holding a serrated knife in place while rotating plated layers, or scrape off individual scorched patches with a small grater. Fan away any loose crumbs, and then frost extra thickly to hide any surface unevenness.

Underdone Cake

If it's too late to slide it back into the oven, scoop out the gooey middle and fill the hole with fruit, ice cream or whipped cream.

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Torn Pie Crust

Even veteran piemakers have cruddy crust days. If your pastry tears, roll a patch of dough to the same thickness and flatten the edges. Brush some lightly beaten egg white on the contact points and lightly press it onto the main shell. The whites will act as an adhesive so filling won't seep out. If the rip is in the top, mask it by brushing the surface with cold water and sprinkling it with large-grained sugar before baking.

Sprinkle extra crust scraps with cinnamon and sugar and bake them on a cookie sheet for a sweet treat while you're waiting for the pie to cool.

Browse pie recipes


Coffee

Coffee a bit bitter, but you don't want to toss out the whole pot? Add a pinch of salt to balance it. If you find that the fault is in the coffee you bought, rather than than from over-brewing, add a clean, dry eggshell to the grounds for a so-called "cowboy coffee."

Make perfect coffee every time.