Almost everyone has one of these seemingly useless utensils hidden away in the depths of their kitchen: the lonely and forgotten salad spinner. I’m guessing you take it out maybe two or three times a year to dry off some lettuce leaves; however, this strange contraption can be put to use in several other ways…so don’t pitch Grandma Millie’s kitchen toys yet…
1. Obviously the salad spinner is a pro at drying things…so bring it out to help you dry eggplant (damn that salt sweating process!) and potatoes before frying. This utensil also works great at drying veggies before you dump them into your stir fry.
2. Rigatoni and penne pasta tend to store water in their little curves and crevices. Drop your cooked noodles into a salad spinner and give it a couple twirls to remove that extra water.
3. Not a veggie muncher? Use your salad spinner to dry your delicate hand washables. Silky smooth undergarments can get a jump start on drying with a few twirls around this nifty contraption.
4. If you’re using a dry rub on your meat, drop the meat in the spinner to help dry it off. This will insure that your spices stick to the meat and not your hands. You can also drop floured meat in the spinner before frying to get rid of all that extra flour.
Knowledge is power! Learn fun facts, hints and tips, and creative ways to use every day items with “The Buzz” posts on Thursday.
The Hob-bee Hive 