Homemade Piecrusts
Freeze homemade piecrusts for 30 minutes before filling and baking, says Cooking Light Test Kitchens Director Vanessa Johnson. Cooling the crust helps keep it from slumping into the pie plate as the pie bakes.

Buttermilk
If a recipe calls for buttermilk, but you don't have it on hand, try this simple substitution, courtesy of Test Kitchens Professional Kathleen Kanen. Pour 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice into a liquid measure, add milk to equal 1 cup, then let the mixture stand for 5 minutes to thicken.

Celery
To crisp limp celery: Trim one inch off the bottom of stalks, then stand them upright in a container filled with an inch of ice water and store them in the refrigerator, says Test Kitchens professional Kathleen Kanen.

Vivid Vegetables
For the most vivid vegetables, blanch before sautéing. Drop vegetables into a large pot of boiling water until completely submerged, and cook for no more than two minutes. Once done, place in an ice bath immediately to stop cooking. Then, when sautéing, begin testing for doneness at about two minutes.

Leftover Rice
Save leftover cooked rice, says Test Kitchens Director Vanessa Johnson. You can store it in a zip-top bag for up to three days. To reheat, simply put the rice in a wire-mesh colander and run under hot water for a few minutes to moisten and reheat. Drain and serve.

Iced Coffee
For better iced coffee, use coffee ice cubes—they won't dilute your drink as they melt, says Test Kitchens Professional Kathryn Conrad. Pour cooled black coffee into ice-cube trays, and freeze. Store in zip-top bags (to keep your ice trays free). The same trick works for iced tea—just make cubes out of cooled unsweetened tea.

Secure Cutting Board
Put a few damp paper towels under your cutting board to secure it to the counter, says Cooking Light Test Kitchens professional Tiffany Vickers. Doing so will keep the board steady when you're preparing hard-to-cut meat or vegetables.

Dividing Dough
Use a pizza cutter when working with dough that needs to be divided into portions, says Cooking Light Food Photo Stylist Jan Smith. Because it rolls, the blade doesn't stick to dough the way a knife does.

Coating Pasta
Instead of using half-and-half or olive oil to coat your pasta before tossing it with a sauce, add a couple of tablespoons of hot pasta water. The moisture will help the sauce coat the pasta without the need for extra fat, says Cooking Light Test Kitchens Director Vanessa Johnson.

Whole Garlic
Extend the life of bottled, prepeeled whole garlic by placing a piece of folded dry paper towel on top of the cloves to absorb excess moisture. This should help the garlic last about a week longer, says Cooking Light Test Kitchens professional Tiffany Vickers. Change the towel as needed.

Baking Powder Substitute
If you've run out of baking powder, combine 1/4 teaspoon baking soda with 5/8 teaspoon (or a slightly rounded 1/2 teaspoon) cream of tartar, says Cooking Light Test Kitchens professional Kathryn Conrad. This mixture equals 1 teaspoon baking powder, which is a combination of baking soda and an acid, such as cream of tartar.

Frozen Berries
When baking with frozen berries, stir them in frozen instead of letting them thaw, says Cooking Light Test Kitchens Director Vanessa Johnson. They stay intact and won't bleed into the batter when stirring.

Better Batter
Use a zip-top plastic bag to make easy work of shaping batter for soft cookies, says Cooking Light Test Kitchens staffer Kathryn Conrad. Choose a bag large enough to fill with the cookie batter, and leave one-quarter empty. Press out the air, and seal. Then use scissors to cut the tip off a corner and form a quarter-inch hole. Hold the bag with the cut tip down, and gently squeeze the batter for the cookies.

Watermelon Ice Cubes
Make watermelon ice cubes for a tasty addition to any tropical drink, says Cooking Light Executive Chef Billy Strynkowski. Simply remove the pits from fresh red or yellow watermelon, dice, and place in a blender with chopped fresh mint. Puree on medium speed until it liquefies, then pour into ice-cube trays and freeze.

Balsamic Cherry Vinegar
Take advantage of June's fresh cherries with balsamic cherry vinegar, says Cooking Light Executive Chef Billy Strynkowski. Put 3/4 cup freshly pitted, chopped cherries in one cup white balsamic vinegar, and place in an airtight container in the fridge. For a robust flavor, let it marinate for three days. When ready to use, strain the fruity vinegar. Use it to flavor sauces for chicken or pork, or in place of balsamic vinegar on salads.

Celery Leaves
Don't throw away your celery leaves. Instead, remove them from the stalk, wash, and spin dry, says Cooking Light Executive Chef Billy Strynkowski. Use in salads and stir-fries for a refreshing, mild flavor. Also chop the stems of cilantro and parsley, which have more flavor than the leaves, and add them to salads, sauces, and relishes.

Fish Stocks
Save your lobster or shrimp shells to use in fish stocks. After cleaning or eating shellfish, rinse the shells, place them in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag, label and date them, and freeze them for later use, says Cooking Light Executive Chef Billy Strynkowski. Frozen shells last about 90 days. When it's time to make the stock, roast the shells in a roasting pan for 30 minutes or until they're toasted before adding to the liquid; cooking them first heightens the flavor.

Water Bath
When making baked dishes, such as lasagna or chicken enchiladas, place your baking dish in a water bath, says Cooking Light's Executive Chef Billy Strynkowski. The water prevents burning at the bottom of your pan, which makes removing the meal (and cleanup) easier. Just set the baking dish in the bottom of a broiler or jelly-roll pan filled to one-quarter of its depth with water. Be careful when you're removing it from the oven, Strynkowski notes. The hot water can spill.

Baking Powder Potency
Before you bake: Check the potency of your baking powder to ensure your muffins, cakes, or breads don't turn out flat. Combine one teaspoon of baking powder with one-third cup of hot water. If it bubbles vigorously, it' fine. If not, you'll need a fresh can before beginning your recipe.

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