My sister was standing, looking in my freezer and replied, “I love that you lay your Ziploc bags flat.”

“Yeah, it’s always more appetizing and provides more room in the freezer.”

She then asked, “Why the hell did I open your freezer?”

“The ginger for your tea- it’s on the door” I explained to her it was best to keep it in freezer, it kept longer, and it was easier to grate it than chop it. This led to a great conversation about kitchen hacks. Here a few I love and would love to hear any you have.

• Dry orange peels in the oven at 325 then grind them in a coffee grinder or food processor until sandy and pebbly. Sprinkle over yogurt, add to oatmeal, fold into whipped cream or add to a rub for meat.
• Don’t throw out your bacon fat! Let the fat solidify, then rub it on potatoes before baking them. It gives great flavor to the skin.
• When I am baking a chocolate cake I dust the pan with cocoa powder instead of flour. A little extra chocolate is always good idea, and there’s no white residue left on the cake.
• When measuring sticky ingredients such as syrup or honey, spray your measuring cup or spoon with cooking spray first: These ingredients will come right out.