Quick Tips

Bill Lewis of Mount Kisco, N.Y., found a way to safely transport multiple bottles of wine without a divided cardboard box. He packs two rolls of paper towels next to each other in a sturdy bag and slips the bottles on either side of them. The snug, cushioned fit prevents the bottles from moving.

Q U I C K T I P S

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How to Handle Garlic for Grating

Rather than peel garlic cloves before grating them—and then inadvertently skin his fingers on the blade as he gets down to the nub—David Sokol of Shelburne, Vt., cuts the unpeeled clove in half crosswise and uses the skin as a handle while he grates. Another Way to Freeze and Prep Chipotles

Rachel Delany of Charleston, S.C., finds that freezing leftover canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce in ice cube trays makes for easy portioning. Instead of defrosting the chiles, she prefers to mince them when they’re still frozen and stiff.

Reminder About Surplus Spices

When Carrie Andersson of Stillwater, Minn., buys bulk spices and ends up with more than will fit in her small spice jar, she places a sticker marked with a “plus” symbol on the lid to remind herself that she has more in the cupboard. Nonstick Cover for Casseroles

When baking cheese-topped casseroles such as lasagna or enchiladas, Benjamin Harvey of Swannanoa, N.C., covers the dish with an overturned rimmed baking sheet (or a disposable aluminum baking pan) instead of aluminum foil. Since the sheet doesn’t directly touch the cheese, sticking isn’t a problem. Spill-Proof Cardboard Containers

Kate Regan of Duluth, Minn., uses binder clips to clamp shut cardboard containers of cream, milk, or juice that don’t have resealable caps.

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Geoff Poulet of Cambridge, Mass., uses round plastic takeout containers to proof pizza dough in the refrigerator. They’re the perfect shape to hold a flattened dough disk and tall enough to allow the dough to rise before it’s turned out for shaping. Rubber-Glove Rubber Bands

Eleanor Hammonds of Austin, Texas, has found a way to reuse part of her old pairs of rubber gloves. She turns them into rubber bands by cutting narrow rings from the cuffs.

Quick-Soften Butter for a Baking Pan

If she’s forgotten to soften butter for greasing a baking pan, Sandra Fried of Seattle, Wash., melts some in the pan while the oven preheats. Once the butter has softened or is just melted, she spreads it evenly over the pan with a pastry brush and then lets the pan cool before adding the dough or batter.

Easy-Open Zipper-Lock Bags

To facilitate opening his zipper-lock bags, Jerry Kirk of New Bern, N.C., cuts small notches into all the flaps just above the zippers, which makes it easy to grab the two flaps and pull open the bags. Rinsing Fruit on the Go

Jaime Kriss of New York, N.Y., knows it’s best to wash fruits such as berries just before you eat them to prevent molding. To rinse them on the go, she packs them in a zipper-lock bag and then cuts or pokes some small holes in the bottom with scissors to make a tiny “colander.” When she’s ready to eat, she simply fills the bag with water and then lets it drain out.

A Sponge for Cleaning Narrow Bottles

When she needs to clean a narrow coffee mug or water bottle, Ashlyn Anderson of Wauwatosa, Wis., uses rubber bands to attach a sponge to a clean wooden spoon, creating a long-handled sponge that can reach all the way down to the bottom of the vessel.