Softening Butter
If you need softened butter for a recipe and you forget to take the butter out the refrigerator, simply grate the cold hard butter with a cheese grater and it will soften up in no time.

Baking Cheesecake
Cheesecakes tend to get overcooked. A cheesecake is done when the center is still wobbly. It looks undercooked at this stage, but it isn't. At this time simply leave the door of the oven closed, turn off the heat and let the cheesecake cool for at least one hour. This helps prevent the cheesecake from sinking in the center. After chilling, the once wobbly center should firm up just fine and without the unattractive cracks that overcooking causes.

Beating Egg Whites
When beating egg whites use a very clean metal or glass bowl, never plastic. Plastic can contain hidden oils and fats that can ruin the delicate egg white foam. To help stabilize the egg whites add 1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar per egg white prior to beating them. (If using a copper bowl omit the cream of tartar). Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form that do not droop over. Beating the egg whites longer causes them to dry out and they become even less stable. When adding sugar to beaten egg whites add it when soft peaks just begin to form and then continue beating to form soft peaks that don't droop over.