They also argue the fact that slow cookers are, well, slow. Unable to cater to the busy lives of people on the grind. Let’s talk about that later. 

For now, slow cookers have had a hard time selling because of this. But we’re here to share with you slow cooker hacks that will save you so much time!

But before anything else, here are the best slow cookers just for you!

1. Crock-Pot 6-Quart Cook & Carry Programmable Slow Cooker – Best Overall Slow Cooker

2. All-Clad Ceramic 4-Quart Slow Cooker – Best High End Slow Cooker

3. Breville Fast Slow Pro 6-Quart Multi-Cooker – Best Programmable Slow Cooker

4. Procter Silex Portable Oval Slow Cooker – Best Mini Slow Cooker

Prepare early

Breakfast is a bummer, especially after night time crunches and nights out. The best thing you will be able to prepare is cold cereal.

With a slow cooker, you can prepare dishes and have them overnight. Nothing feels better than breakfast in bed prepared by past day you. You don’t have to worry about cooking breakfast if you wake up late, too.

Just heat things up and you’ve got yourself an awesome breakfast!

Allow multitasking and flexibility

Slow cookers are a star for dishes that you can set and forget. They also bring out the best in a lot of dishes when prepared and used properly. 

While the time constraints are a bit of a disappointment to some, others find joy in them. Housewives would often insert cooking on a slow cooker on their time when they feel like sitting down and being lazy or when they’re multitasking.

Imagine being able to prepare dinner in the morning and have so much time to binge on that Netflix series you enjoy. Let the slow cooker do the work for you and by the time dinner comes, you present your loving family with a dish served by stars.

Keep food warm

You can use a slow cooker to keep food warm during the whole ordeal of a party. You can also place tortillas on the lid of the slow cooker to keep it warm because whatever you have on that slow cooker will surely go well with it.

Cleaning is a breeze with slow cooker liners

Cleaning can be a complicated process when it comes to slow cookers. They are big, and might not fit in your dishwasher. But you can skip all that with slow cooker liners. This way you can enjoy all the delicious goodness without the mess.

Pre-preparation

You can also prepare the ingredients beforehand. Portioning them by packs and using them when you feel like letting the slow cooker do the work saves you a lot of time in the long run.

Slow cookers can be a hassle when you are just starting out. However, this kitchen appliance can bring you joy and time. The time you can spend with your family or time you can have for your self. 

True, there might be very few ways you can utilize it when time is of the essence. However, that is not why the slow cooker is loved. A lot of people love this magical cooking tool because it rewards you for waiting. Better yet it rewards you for spending time on different, more important matters.

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So today, we are listing down different peculiar ways on how to use a food processor!

But before that, here are the best food processors to get for yourself and try these hacks on!

1. Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor – Best to Buy of 2020 

2. Hamilton Beach 8-Cup Food Processor – Best Affordable Food Processor

3. Cuisinart 3-Cup Mini Food Processor – Best Small Food Processor

4. The Breville 16-Cup Food Processor – Best High-End Food Processor

5. Ninja Master Prep Blender/Food Processor – Best Values Food Processor

Create crumbs and breading mixes

Non-oven, no-bake cakes have been a trend recently and the food processor has always been a must from the start of it all.

You can use it to turn fruits into delicious icings or filings as well as crush crackers that will serve as the cake’s base.

Crushing crackers into finely even crumbs has been an undiscovered forte of the food processor until recently. Now, restaurants rely on them for prep as well as creating breading mixes that adore all their fried dishes.

Shred and grate

Cheese grater has been a staple kitchen device used for cheese and sometimes only cheese. There are some larger grates used for carrots and potatoes. But often people revert back to the trusty old trusty knife.

Not picking into graters but food processors can definitely do the work that your grater can if not even better!

Need something for pasta? Food processors got you.

Pizza? Foor processors got you.

Need a quick way to prepare cheese during a get-together? Food processors can do it without getting your hands smothered in cheese and in a fraction of the time as well.

Mince nuts

Nuts can be an amazing part of your diet. A trail mix packed as a snack provides the most nutrition out of all the snacks you can find at your local grocery store. However, a lot of people only use it in that particular way.

Another quick tip on how to use a food processor properly is learning and understanding the power these props can go. Needless to say, food processors can mince the living hell out of any nuts out there. 

With that in mind, you can start making different kinds of food with it on your own. Peanut butter, cookies, cake, and a whole lot more. You can even use it in your dishes like pistachio-crusted lambs or a nice delicate ingredient to a dish that you want to make.

Make salsa

No doubt the best when it comes to mixing and creating dipping sauces. Food processors can mix, cut, chop and blend fresh flavors into sauce bases pretty well. 

Need pesto for your pasta? No problem just chunk a few cloves of garlic and a whole lot of basil in there and let it do its magic.

You get the idea.

Create dough

At this point, we might have a harder time looking for things a food processor can’t do. Well, you might be surprised at how many people use this as an alternate mixer for creating dough. From pasta to loaf bread and intricate bread that are infused with herbs or nuts, your food processor can do it! 

There is no doubt this amazing kitchen device can do wonders, leveling up your kitchen and opening to new possibilities 

And there you have it, how to use a food processor and different ways to use it!

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We have happily compiled a few of these baking soda hacks and we would be happy to share this morsel of knowledge with you.

But first, here are the best baking soda to buy to try these hacks with!

1. Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda

2. Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda) (2 lb.) by Pure Organic Ingredients – Eco Friendly

3. Baking Soda (1 Gallon) by Earthborn Elements

Unclog the clogged

Now, before you start taking it the wrong way and proceeding to never use baking sodas in your pastry dishes ever again. Baking sodas actually are a better alternative to decongesting a clogged sink.

A baking soda paired with boiling water as well as vinegar helps you unclog a toilet or a sink super easily without having to resort to chemical-based cleaning liquids that can harm you or those you love.

Microwave magic

Putting dishes that have that certain smell into a microwave can be a conflict on its own. This minimizes a microwave’s potential as well as deprives you of a warm, hearty meal.

Well, if you have baking soda in your pantry, then you have nothing to fear. Baking sodas have properties that help eliminate those unwanted stenches. You can add two tablespoons of baking soda in a microwave-proof bowl, add water and have it spin around your microwave for a few seconds.

Doing this also loosens gunk and will be easier to clean after.

Essential for outdoors

Baking sodas can be an alternative for an indefinite amount of essentials. Experienced outdoorsmen actually prioritize procuring this amongst everything else. Here are a few reasons why baking powder should be essential to your outdoor activities.

• Toothpaste – it can be a nice alternative to toothpaste as well as mouthwash
• Shampoo – it can also substitute as a shampoo when you need it
• Insect Bites – mixed with water to create a paste, baking sodas can be a nice quick way to treat insect bites
• Deodorant – although it comes with no scent at all, baking sodas can also serve as a non-scented deodorant

As you can see, baking sodas can pretty much be the go-to for all your essential needs. Providing you with a considerable amount of storage space for times when you really need it.

Cleaning Cheat

Baking soda is also very sought after material when it comes to cleaning the household. You can use it to bring out the shine on those silver spoons as well as faucets and marble.

You can also use it to clean hairbrushes and eliminate any unwanted scent from carpets and floor mats.

Laundry

You can also employ the power of baking sodas in your laundry. 

Want a gentler, non-chemical way to clean baby clothes? Baking soda. 

Want your white apparel to look brand new? Baking soda.

Baking soda offers a nice alternative to bleach which corrodes clothes and makes them more susceptible to tearing. It’s also great for clothes to help soak up a sweat faster.

It also can be used to bring out the shine in your kicks and eliminates the athlete’s foot.

Want more baking soda hacks? Here’s ten more!

And there you have it – baking soda hacks that will definitely up your knowledge. Tell us, what do you primarily use baking sodas for? Have you tried the baking soda hacks listed above? Which is your favorite?

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In this article, we are going to tackle some of the more popular pressure cooker hacks as well as other procedures that make cooking efficiently. 

But before we get into that, here are the best pressure cookers to buy!

1. Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus – Best Overall Pressure Cooker

2. Breville: the Fast Slow Pro Multi Function Cooker – Best Foodie Buy

3. Fissler Vitaquick Pressure Cooker with Glass Lid Set – Best Quality Pressure Cooker

4. PressurePro 4 Qt Pressure Cooker – Best Small Pressure Cooker

Plan ahead

What separates a good cook from an amazing cook is the ability or interest in preparing and understanding the procedures as well as the time you need in cooking a certain dish. Having ingredients on hand also makes the process more efficient.

By learning the time it takes for produce to be fully cooked and tender you will surely save a whole lot of time.

Being prepared is not a pressure cooker hack, it narrowly falls into the category of common sense. Learning the strengths and weaknesses of a certain pot increases your chances of bringing out the best dish.

Create the best combinations

Pressure cookers can be a nice wingman to dishes that don’t usually require them. You can utilize the time-saving perks of the pressure cooker into your everyday dishes. Here are some examples:

Using a decent sized pressure cooker, you can season and broil your baby back ribs to fall-off-the-bone state and finish it off on the grill. This hastens the procedure as well as eliminates the hustle and bustle of your oven. 

You can also use a pressure cooker alongside a fryer for that quick and easy fried chicken. This ensures that there will be no undercooked chicken in your serving, saving you from embarrassment and salmonella.

Pressure cookers can help you bring out a lot of difficult and time-consuming dishes easily in half the time. Learning to integrate the pressure cooker will turn your hectic cooking sessions into a breeze.

Cook porridge

Lastly on our list of pressure cooker hacks is cooking porridge. Simply add chopped ginger and instead of water add broth of your choice. 

Then, put in the meat or dressed chicken portions and let it boil for a good 10 minutes. This will give you tender meat and hot rice porridge that can warm up any lazy day.

Try this chicken congee recipe:

Create delicious dips

For the true culinary connoisseur, a fine dip does not come in a bottle from your local grocery store. No, it is made with finely diced spice accompanied by a medley of fruits and vegetables. Cooked to perfection and blended into a fine. One of a kind sauce that knows no equal.

Using a pressure cooker, you can most definitely create the meanest and most delectable sauces your guests would love. 

You can pretty much list all the sauces, from salsa to barbecue sauce. And you can do them all using just only the pressure cooker. Adding a few fruits and/or vegetables on a pressure cooker really breaks them down to a level you can easily work with.

You can also create genuine fillings and fruit-based icings for cakes and cookies.  If you have that creative and curious drive, you will surely find comfort on the rewards you will reap from this expedition.

Cook pasta

Now, on to more minimal pressure cooker hacks that you will surely love. Spaghetti has been around for as long as people remember. And so does the preparation and cooking procedures for it.

But, did you know that you can cook spaghetti directly alongside the sauce?

Start with your sauce base, build around it, and use the pressure cooker to its fullest. After you can add the pasta and leave it there for 5 – 8 minutes depending on the pasta. Let the pressure cooker cool down. What awaits you at the other side of the lid is an astonishing, mouthwatering dish that is fit for a king.

Check out this video on cooking spaghetti in a pressure cooker:

Caramelize

One surefire way to wow your audience is bringing out a dish that has a depth of flavor as well as in color. Learning to caramelize vegetables as well as searing meat before letting the pressure do the heavy lifting can do wonders for your dish.

Searing meat gives you that appetizing color and caramelizing vegetables and spices help it break down easier which means more time for the flavor to spread and incorporate with one another. Other vegetables provide the dish with a darker, rich color that’s as pleasing to the eyes as it is to the tongue.

Cook bread

We have grown with the mentality that you cannot cook bread without a decent oven. For a considerable amount of time, the world seems to agree. As time passes and technology progresses. We finally got to the point where you can use a pressure cooker to fully cook bread. 

We are not joking! Go ahead and try it with any recipe you want. Be it sour bread or even your run off the mill loaf you. You will absolutely be surprised.

You can try this recipe below: 

Defrost 

We all, at some point in our lives, forgot to defrost produce. Whether that be beef, pork, or even fish. We can all agree that the most difficult meat to defrost is the chicken. 

A chicken would definitely take half a day to fully thaw and that is not efficient at all. Nevertheless, you can close your eyes, put it in the pressure cooker along with water and a few seasonings. And let all your problems *swish* *swish* *swish* away.

Of course, if you have the time, you would definitely do it the right way. But having this as one of the best pressure cooker hacks at the back of your mind might come in handy in times where desperation fills your kitchen.

Cook rice

Ever heard of cooking minute rice in just 58 seconds? Well, that might be loosely true with a pressure cooker. Simply add your rice with equal portions of water and rice and bring it to a boil. 

Let it cool down after and then put it in a low and slow fire. After a few minutes, you’d be surprised at how fast this process is compared to doing it using a different kind of pot.

Here’s how to do it:

And that’s it for our list of pressure cooker hacks. Which hacks have you tried and which ones do you want to try?

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Did you know that you can do a whole lot more with this amazing kitchen appliance? Well, here are air fryer tips and tricks you need to know.

Note: I know this post is for air fryer owners, but if you want to buy an air fryer of your own, I’d recommend these three awesome air fryers!

1. Gourmia 6 Qt. Digital Air Fryer – Best for Square Meals
2. Dash Compact Electric Air Fryer – Best for Small Kitchens
3. GoWISE USA 8-in-1 Digital Air Fryer – Best for Families

Pre-Heat

You might be surprised about how many people don’t preheat their ovens. This thought applies just as much to air fryers. Air fryers need to be preheated before any cooking is done. 

This ensures that the food you are cooking gets equal parts of heat from all angles. A considerable amount of pre-heat equals a better cook on your food.

Grease Up

Greasing an air fryer might be counterintuitive at first, however, there are some reasons you need to use a little bit of the forbidden liquid. Greasing the basket of an air fryer ensures that what you are cooking does not stick and gives you a hard time. 

Rest assured, all excess grease will fall through just as well. Spraying additional oil in the middle of cooking also results in the crispiest cooking ever.

Memorize Cooking Times

Learning the ins and outs of an air fryer might give you a lot of valuable insight in handling said appliance. One of which is learning the cooking time of different kinds of ingredients.

A lot of appliances require a considerable amount of experimentation to fully understand and utilize. We advise you to do the same with the air fryer.

Shake It

Another air fryer tip is shaking. While some air fryers have this kind of feature, the cheaper and more common kinds require you to shake at least once or twice. This guarantees an even cook on whatever mouth-watering snack you have cooking.

Cook in a Single Layer

While your first instinct in cooking with this humble cooking appliance is to stuff it to the brim with chicken wings, the most optimal way to cook using an air fryer is cooking in a single layer This provides a decent circulation of heat results in a crispy mouth-watering food.

Bake!

What if I told you that you can bake cookies or even pizzas in an air fryer? Well, in some cases, you definitely can! All you need are prepped and chilled cookie doughs on the ready and you are good to go. Give it a try and tell us what kind of cookies you made using the air fryer

Clean Immediately

You should immediately clean the trays and baskets as soon as your cooking is done. This guarantees it for longer use as well as cleanses all kinds of minerals and proteins that might cause rusting and the like. It’s also advised to heat it a little bit after storing to ensure that no moisture would harbor a bad smell or anything alike.

There you have it. Air fryer tips that will surely help you in utilizing an air fryer. Which of the air fryer tips is your favorite?

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