Unexpected New Uses for Kitchen Items

These items step up to the plate in less time than it takes to heat up leftovers.

Colanders

• Shoo flies: Invert the colander and use it as a bug tent over burgers and buns during a cookout.
• Create a casual luminaria: Place tea lights or votives inside a metal version.
• Wash your delicates: Don't throw lingerie into the sink for hand washing. Peroxide from some toothpastes and caustic agents from other cleansers can bleach, stain, degrade, and even disintegrate delicate fabrics. Instead, put the colander in the sink and wash the garments inside it.
• Make a kid's Halloween costume: A stainless-steel colander is a perfect Martian helmet. Attach ribbons to the handles and tie them under the chin.
• Sift flour in a pinch: Pour flour into a colander and shake it back and forth over a larger bowl. (Use a wooden spoon to break up lumps, if necessary.)