Cottagecore Kitchen Tips & Tricks to Try This Week

I may be a city-dweller but I am all things cottage, home and hearth to my core. And a day spent in my kitchen is a day well-spent, no matter what I'm doing. I've picked up a lot of tips and tricks over the years to make my home as magical as possible, including plenty of kitchen knowledge that can turn anyone into a happy homemaker, even when the sink backs up! (Ok, maybe not too happy if the sink backs up, but what did you stick down there anyways???)

Anyhoo, here are a few tips and tricks from my cottagecore kitchen to yours!

Cottagecore Kitchen Tips & Tricks to Try This Week

Heat up your coffee pot and mugs before using

Mornings are cold these days and your coffee (tea or other got beverage) will instantly lose its warmth in a colder than average mug. Take the time to heat up some extra water to warm your mugs and coffee pot before using them. (I do this year round to make sure my coffee stays hot for as long as possible.)

Baking maybe an exact science, but you can improvise a bit

While you should follow the recipe when baking, there are a few things you can improvise, especially if you use a prepackaged mix. A splash of vanilla, coffee, or cream can go a long way in baked goods. Using Snickers instead of chocolate chips in cookies is also good but know your limits or you end up with a mess on your hands and baking sheet! (Don't forget to leave a cookie or slice of bread out for house spirits! Santa isn't the only one who likes an overnight cookie snack.)

Handwashing saves your dishes

If you have been putting your knives, metal travel mugs, or hand-painted wine glasses in the dishwasher, you are killing their shelf life. Give them a quick wash by hand to make sure you can keep using your favs for years to come.

Keep a bottle of hand lotion next to the soap bottle

If you are in the kitchen a lot, you wash your hands a lot. By keeping a bottle of lotion next to your soap bottle, you can save your poor hands from drying out. Trust me on this. I had old leathery hands in one week of handwashing without dish gloves. I've since learned to moisturize on my way out of the kitchen.

Not all vintage items are food-safe

If you are like me, you love having vintage jars, casserole dishes, mixing bowls, coffee mugs and more in your kitchen. But not everything should still be in rotation due to housing toxic ingredients. Do a little research on your newest find before adding it to the dinner table. Many items are best served as decoration only.

Homemade can save you money but using ingredients multiple times really saves you money

If you are taking the time to plan out your meals for the week, try to use the same item multiple times so you can bulk buy at a cheaper rate (note - check unit prices of bulk items as sometimes bulk buys are more per unit). For instance this week, I'm making mushroom "pot roast", sausage stew, pizza pasta, and grilled sausages with potatoes and broccoli. Out of those meals, I'm using carrots, red potatoes, sausage, Italian sausage, tomato paste, green beans, and onions all at least twice. Not to mention the pasta is a half a box I already had on hand from last week. So pretty much everything is multi-use and how I am making 4 dinners for 2 adults (with leftovers in most cases) for under $35 at Harris Teeter.

Always keep these two products in your pantry

Baking soda and white vinegar should be stocked in every kitchen ever. You can clean practically everything with one or both of them. If your sink is draining slow, a quick volcano flush helps clear it out. Vinegar turns milk into buttermilk. Baking soda can be turned into washing soda. Both help remove odors from stinky trash or last night's fish fry. The list goes on. So keep these around!

Speaking of slow drains...

I know I've mentioned slow drains now multiple times. To keep yours draining smoothly, never put oil, large food bits, bones, paper or anything else in your drain or disposal that shouldn't be there.

Go old school

Even though I live in a modern kitchen with all kinds of modern items, I love doing a lot of things the old fashioned way. I whisk my mixes by hand, I make pour over coffee, I handwash dishes, and it is truly an emergency if I'm using the slow cooker and it's not for the holidays or family function. Yes it adds time in the kitchen, but those few extra moments are ones of joy doing things I'm happy to be doing. Old fashioned cooking and cleaning doesn't have to mean outdated if you enjoy doing it.

And finally, if you don't have a cute or fun apron, buy one stat

Having a cute or fun apron to cook, bake, and clean the kitchen in is one of the best splurges I can think to make. Aprons not only keep your clothes clean and safe, they magically put you in a different mindset all together once you slip one over your mundane clothes. Buy one, make one, borrow one (don't steal one though, that's rude), just get one that speaks to you! Vintage ones have a lot of great history in them but new usually means machine washable. I personally have a couple new ones and have plans to make myself one.

Until next time, my lovelies!

-M

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