Heather's tips and tricks (Part 2)

Heather Elliott, Overseas Contributor

Last week Sunday, in the first of a two-part series, I dished out a few tips and tricks to try in the beauty and fashion department that would make our lives a little easier.

This week, we are moving on to food and household popular tips and tricks that are worth sharing. Again, I have enlisted the help of a few people in the biz to share some of their own little secrets that make what they do so much easier.

• Food

No knives needed: Ginger can be hard to peel because of its shape. Forget about a knife or vegetable peeler, take the easier way out. Use a spoon and scrape it against the skin and it'll come right off, following every contour and minimising waste.

The egg-shell magnet: The empty half of an egg shell is the best tool to extract stubborn bits of cracked shells that have ended up in a bowl or delicious cake mix, for that matter. They act like magnets. I had my 10-year-old do this after a few hours of 'Mommy and me' cake baking, and he's been fascinated ever since.

Peeling potatoes is so yesterday: I stumbled upon a tip from Chow's Deborah Lewis recently that blew me away. My guinea pigs (my assistant Kara and my son Adrian) got to testing and this has been our trick to potato cooking ever since. Boil potatoes whole until cooked through. Next, you soak them in cold water with ice for about five to 10 seconds, after which, you simply take them out one at a time and remove the skins. Voila!

Tip from Jamaica's Top Chef Brian Lumley: "You should always cook pasta one minute less than the package instructions indicate, and cook the remaining amount in the pan with sauce as it absorbs much more flavour that way."

Bonus tip: Worried about your kids picking up your kitchen knives? For safety, put a wine cork on the tip of a knife before putting the knife in a drawer.

Make better cocktails than your favourite bartender: The taste of your cocktail is not the only thing that needs to be perfect, the temperature of your glass needs to be just as perfect! Chilling your glasses keeps your drinks cooler longer, which is very useful especially if you live in a warmer climate. I like to place my glasses in the freezer at least an hour before serving. However, if you don't have the time or space, simply swish a few ice cubes around in your glass before mixing. It's that simple!

• Home

Position your sofa: Your couch is often the largest piece of furniture in the living room, so having it in the right spot can make all the difference. A good rule of thumb is to situate your couch so that it's facing the door, whether it's angled in a corner, floating or along a wall. If you're forced to place it with its back to the entrance, add a console table behind the sofa with lamps or art books so it looks more inviting.

Soften your space: Your living room should feel inviting and like it's 'finished'. The last step is to add accessories. Include a few cosy accessories like oversize pillows, a soft blanket over the arm of a couch or a sheepskin throw.

Tip from Beverly Rousseau, interior designer and home makeover expert: "Before you do any kind of decorating, you must have a budget in mind, no matter how simple the project. You should also leave room for 'unexpected expenses'."

Quick tip: I learnt recently from the Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery that honey is great for healing first- and second-degree burns. The honey's antibacterial properties can help burns become sterile more quickly, lessening the chance of infection. Who knew?