Everyone has experienced that dreadful moment in the kitchen when you taste test your recipe and it's too salty. Or your reach for the next ingredient... and it's not there.

Fear no more. Try these handy problem-solving tips to make your cooking experience a success.

1. Too sweet: Add a little vinegar or lemon juice.

2. Too salty: Add a little sugar and vinegar. For soups, add a raw potato.

3. Sticky rice: Rinse with warm water.

4. Lumpy gravy or sauce: Use a blender, food processor, or simply strain.

5. Soup, sauce, gravy too thin: Dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 1/4 cup water and add while boiling and stirring. Repeat if necessary.

6. Hands smell like garlic or onion: Rinse hands under cold water while rubbing them with a large stainless steel spoon.

7. Hard brown sugar: Place in paper bag and microwave for a few seconds.

8. Really hard brown sugar: Place chunks in food processor.

9. Out of honey: Substitute 1 1/4 cups sugar dissolved in 1 cup water.

10. No tomato juice: Combine 1/2 cup ketchup in 1/2 cup water.

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