To share this odd cooking tip and ask for yours?

[Clafoutis]

When making a chilli, if there's too much sauce and it's a bit thin....add a dessert spoonful of rolled porridge oats. It soaks up the excess liquid and bulks it a teensy bit-and you can't tell! I found this tip when googling. Apparently lots of chilli sauces from outlets in the US use porridge oats.
Anyone want to share their culinary own tips?

"Vegetable bouillon powder is the key to tasty anything!! I add it instead of salt. I used to make everything from home-made stock, but since having DC, I don't always have time - and the powder brings a really good depth of flavour, instantly!"

I agree. It is a store cupboard staple in our house.

I would be lost without my Marigold.

Vegetable bouillon powder also makes a good hot drink - a very low cal (12 calories) cup-a-soup.

I prefer miso soup.

Sorry but I’m absolutely wetting myself at the “don’t drain your stock down the plug hole” recommendation. May have done that more than once! I now have to chant “don’t throw it away” before draining it!

My tip is treacle in gravy. You know how sometimes your gravy can look a bit insipid by the time you’ve added the veg water/cooking juices? Well add a little black treacle and it will darken up a treat. Same principle as gravy browning but not everywhere stocks that any more!!

Oh and in a similar vein- if you’ve managed to make the lumpiness gravy of all time just use your stick blender. I did this last weekend because I wasn’t paying attention to lumpiness of gravy, and it was quite possibly the best gravy I’ve ever tasted. Ahem. Trumpet away now.

Also- Kallo organic stock cubes. I don’t buy them because they are organic or gluten free or whatever, but because they are the tastiest stock cubes I’ve ever come across!! I buy them in bulk whenever I see them. It makes me sad when I run out and have to use oxo.

NoParticular twas me and yes I have a mantra! "drain into a bowl drain into a bowl" It's worked just as well as I have done this TWICE!

Butternut squash can be cooked whole in the oven, with their skin on. Just stick it in there, it's done when it's soft. Leave to cool slightly and then peel. The peel comes off like a dream and cooked squash is also much easier to chop. Any leftover squash can be frozen and then chucked into soups or stews.

Instant mash flakes to thicken up a stew