Small and thin kitchen gadgets such as turkey trussers and pastry tips fall through the slots in a dishwasher's silverware container. Small items stay put and still get clean when you first layer a nylon pot scrubber in the bottom of a section of the tray.

Here's America's Test Kitchen's tip for the perfect baked potato: For best results, bake potatoes at 350 degrees until tender, about an hour and 15 minutes. You'll need to release the steam quickly to keep the potato fluffy and light.

We all know how hard it is to chase down fragments of eggshell as they float around in raw egg white. The liquid egg is gooey thanks to its proteins. Fingers just push the goo, and the embedded shell, around. Instead, use another piece of eggshell to scoop the bit up--the sharp, calcium carbonate shell edge cuts through the glue of the protein.

Raw or cooked, peeling potatoes can be a slippery task. For raw potatoes, try sticking a basic corkscrew in one end to hold the potato in place. Hot cooked potatoes can be held when speared with a fork. You won't have to burn one hand while peeling with the other.

This tip is from our friends at America’s Test Kitchen: Storing a tomato with its stem end facing down can prolong shelf life by a week.

Mayonnaise has a bad reputation, being blamed for spoiled potato salads and upset stomachs after summer picnics and barbecues. Will switching from a mayonnaise-based dressing to a vinaigrette protect you from food poisoning? No—the real problem is the potatoes.

Slightly wilted parsley or mint in the refrigerator? They are too expensive to waste. Bring them back to life by trimming off the stem ends and any brown leaves. Swish them in a bowl of ice water and leave them for about 5 minutes until they perk up.

I hate using brushes for basting on the grill. Cleanup is a mess and the brushes invariably end up with singed bristles. For a quick and easy substitute, try a handful of shredded corn husks, tied in a bundle with another piece of husk. A couple of nice large romaine lettuce leaves work pretty well, too.

We love fresh mozzarella sliced in salads, but it tends to shred rather than slice. Try using an egg slicer to make quick, uniform rounds.

I learned this from Chef Carol Dearth of the Sizzleworks Cooking School, when she was in our studio making Wasabi Mashed Potatoes for our Northwest Favorites show in May 2009.