Spaghetti overboard
To prevent rice or pasta from boiling over the pan, grease the rim with butter.
Grilling some kabobs tonight
If so, soak the wooden skewers in cold water for twenty minutes ahead of time to prevent them from burning.
Don’t cry about it
Peel your onions under cold running water to prevent the fumes from rising.
Freshen up those veggies
Freshen up those carrots, potatoes, cabbage and lettuce by soaking them in a strong solution of baking soda and cold water for about 30 minutes.
How much salt to add to boiling pasta water
Use one tablespoon of table salt or two tablespoons of kosher salt per 4 quarts of water. Salt is needed for flavor. Adding such a small amount of salt does not help boil the water faster like Grandma told you. Sorry Grandma, we still love you. The salt should be added to the water after the water has come to a full boil. Adding the salt too early can cause white spots to appear on the bottom of the pan and may cause pitting of the pot.
When to add the pasta
When boiling water for pasta, watch the surface of the water. When you see large bubbles breaking through the surface, it is about 212 degrees and time to add the pasta. If you see small bubbles at the bottom it is not ready yet and adding the pasta too early will only slow the process down. Relax, have another sip of wine...