Utensil Tips

If the rolling pin is missing, use a tin can, a bottle or a glass jar instead.

If you use a non stick pan, never use a metal spoon or knife in it. It will scratch and damage the non-stick surface. Use wooden or plastic tools that don't scratch.

When you don't have a whisk, you can use a fork. You have to work harder and it will take a little longer, but it will work.

If you can't find a cookie cutter, use a cup or jam jar turned upside down. Rub flour around the rim, then push it down firmly onto your biscuit dough. Lift it up again and you will have a nice round biscuit cut out for you.

Ingredients Tips

Always make sure that you have ALL the ingredients before you start cooking.

If cooking fat is kept in the fridge it might be a bit cold and hard. You can warm it and make it softer by putting it in the microwave oven for a few seconds. Ask an adult to do it for you.

Food in open tins can quickly go off if you don't use the whole tin. Citrus fruits like grapefruits and oranges can even start to dissolve the tin! Transfer left overs into plastic containers and keep them in the fridge.

When you break eggs, don't break them straight into your mixing bowl, but break them into a different bowl. If you get bits of egg shell in with them it is much easier to remove them *before* the eggs go into the mix with all the other ingredients.

Cooking Tips

Warm up the oven while you are mixing the ingredients. That way it is already at the right temperature when you finish the recipe.

Don't mix up the different temperature scales. Degrees C and degrees F are different. Temperatures with the letter C after them are much hotter than the temperatures with F after them.

When a recipe gives a length of time for cooking something, it is usually a 'best guess'. Some stoves cook quicker than others do, so always keep an eye on your cooking and be ready to remove it from the heat if it looks ready.

If you use a hob with different size rings, use the ring that matches the size of your pan. Using a ring that is bigger than your pan wastes fuel, and using a ring that is too small will make your cooking take longer.

If the stove or oven needs to be on for a long time, use a timer to set yourself a reminder. If you forget about it, you might burn the food or set fire to the kitchen!

Plan ahead, and when the oven is on, why not cook several things together? It's sensible to cook everything you need while the oven is hot, rather than heat it up several times.

If you make the stove or oven dirty, clean it after it has cooled down. Don't be lazy and leave it until next time. It will be much harder to clean when food is left stuck to it!