• To peel hard-boiled eggs easily, plunge them into cold water. Crack the shell, then roll the egg lightly between the palms of your hands and the shell will come right off.

• If a recipe calls for egg whites only, you can store the yolks in the refrigerator for as long as two days. Place yolks in a small bowl, add just enough water to cover them with a thin film.

• If a recipe calls for just egg yolks, you can store egg whites in your freezer in an air-tight container. When you need to use them, just scoop out whites (1 Tbsp. = 1 egg white) and defrost in the microwave.

• Add a few teaspoons of cooking oil to the water. This will prevent pasta boil-overs and also prevents pasta from sticking together.

• Kitchen scissors work great for easily cutting pizza and also spaghetti.

• If your muffins are sticking to the tin pan, place the hot pan on a wet towel. They will slide right out.

• Bake banana bread, carrot bread, etc. in cleaned No. 1 cans (16 oz.). This makes round slices which kids love.

• Round meatballs by using a small ice cream scooper.

• Baking meatloaf in a muffin tin rather than in a loaf pan reduces cooking time by as much as 1/2, and also gives each child their own portion size.

• Put cheese in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes before grating or shredding and the cheese won't stick together.

• Brush a little oil on the grater before you start grating, and cheese will wash off the grater easily.

• Use a potato peeler to cut cheese into strips for salads or garnishings.

• Grate a lot of cheese at one time and store in freezer bags in the freezer. Use it right out of the freezer. Frozen grated cheese melts quickly.

• A dull knife works much better than a sharp one for slicing cheese. Warm the knife before cutting, and the cheese will cut easier.

From the December, 1989, issue of The Teddy Bear.