Three Smart Kitchen Tricks, From Frozen Lemons to Roasting

A well-washed whole lemon freezes well and keeps for a few months; frozen, it grates easily with a zester for sprinkling over salads, pasta, or ice cream, and lemon peel actually carries up to ten times the vitamins of lemon juice. Once grated, the lemon can be thawed in cold water for 10 to 15 minutes (or left out for about an hour) and juiced as usual.

Tossing an orange peel or apple slice into an airtight container of brown sugar keeps it soft and scoopable; already-hardened sugar can be softened quickly by microwaving it next to a small glass of water.

Preheating the cookie sheet before roasting items like French fries or vegetables eliminates the need to flip them halfway through — though this trick isn't suited to baked goods like cookies, which need to keep their shape.