We track how well our newsletter articles are received by our readership. While I love ideas on how to work smarter and not harder anywhere in the house, especially in the kitchen, I'm not sure if you readers do. So I thought I'd try one more time to spread the gospel of easier work with these ideas. Let's see what you think this time. And do let us know of your clever tips and tricks!

Move from stovetop to slow cooker: Many stovetop or oven recipes can be adapted for a slow cooker if you know some basic conversion factors.

•   SLOW COOKER LOW = 200°F in the oven, approximately
•   SLOW COOKER HIGH = 300°F in the oven, approximately
•   SLOW COOKER TIME, 2 hours on LOW = 1 hour on HIGH
•   SLOW COOKER LID-LIFTING/ PEEKING = an extra 15 minutes added to cooking time

Easier slow cooker cleanup: Spray the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray prior to adding ingredients.

Reheat the smart way: Reheating leftovers is an art in itself. Do it the smart way, though, and you'll be able to preserve much of the nutrients and provide taste that was as good as it was the first time the food was served. In other words, there's more to properly reheating food than just shoving it into the microwave.

•   BREADS & ROLLS should be wrapped loosely in foil before reheating. No foil? Place them in a heavy brown paper bag; sprinkle the bag well (all around) with water and reheat.
•   CASSEROLES, STEWS or GRAVY-BASED DISHES can be reheated over medium heat in a double boiler or a skillet. Add a little water or broth if the gravy is thick or lumpy.
•   SAUCES reheat best in a double boiler. Stir well to reconstitute.
•   BAKED GOODS and ROASTS should be wrapped in foil and placed in a preheated 400øF oven. Check frequently to be sure the food isn't drying out.
•   BROILED MEATS, FISH and VEGETABLES will retain their crisp texture and not turn rubbery if you quickly saut‚ all sides in a lightly greased hot skillet with a little water or chicken broth and heat on high for a few minutes.
•   RICE or PASTA reheat best when placed in a pot with a little hot water or stock. Cook quickly over high heat, stirring all the while.

Smart microwaving: Microwave cooking (I'm not talking reheating) differs considerably from cooking with a conventional stove. To get the most out of your microwave, follow these food preparation techniques:

•   Microwaving concentrates flavors, so decrease the amount of salt called for.
•   Pre-seasoning or marinating food before microwaving allows flavors to penetrate.
•   Increase the amount of fresh herbs by 25%; add them late in the cooking process for the best flavor.
•   The flavor of dried herbs and black pepper is enhanced by microwaving. Decrease the amounts called for by 75%.
•   Double the garlic called for if the dish cooks for more than 6 minutes. Garlic mellows with microwaving.

Vastly increase the amount of juice from a fresh lemon: The standard advice is to roll the lemon back and forth on the countertop, pressing down firmly. But before you do that, drop it into boiling water for 1 minute; cool under running water. Then do the rolling back and forth routine. You'll get MUCH more juice this way.

Slow down silver tarnish: Real Simple Magazine suggest tieing up a few sticks of blackboard chalk (they're moisture absorbing) in cheesecloth and storing this bundle wrapped with your silver.

Cheaply clean lime deposits and iron stains found inside your dishwasher: Another Real Simple Magazine idea is to pour a packet of lemonade Kool-Aid (the only flavor that works) into the detergent cup and run the washer while empty. The citric acid in the mix wipes out stains.

Use binder clips to add order to your linen closet or cupboard: Store sets of napkins clipped together with matching tablecloths and placemats using binder clips. This not only adds smart organization to your storage area, but also saves time when hunting for matching pieces! (While Real Simple Magazine shared this trick, my Aunt Annie had been doing this for years.)