When cooking with a saucepan, eg boiling pasta, a wooden spoon placed on top of the saucepan will stop it boiling and frothing over.

If you want to reduce your cleaning time, and longetivity of pans - use cooking paper under most things in the oven

I have always wanted to know how you put baking paper into a dish with sides.  Put the paper in, and crease the bottom corners.  Take paper out, and with scissors - cut diagonally from the corners into the crease.  Grease lightly the pan with spay oil (keeps paper smooth against the sides), then place the paper in and fold the corners around.

When making meat patties.  Put them in the fridge for an hour, prior to cooking them to help them stay together when you cook them

What gems have you learnt?