1. Emergency Wine Stopper

I’m going to have to wait until February it try out this one, because I’m starting off the New Year with Dry January (read about it here health.allwomenstalk.com). Apparently, one of those less obvious uses for a turkey baster is to preserve an open bottle of wine. Just drop the baster into the neck of the bottle and hey presto – instant wine saver.

2. Pan Filler

Filling your cake tin, muffin pan or waffle iron can be a very messy job. But not if you use a turkey baster! No more dribbly drips of batter – just precision filling.

3. Jelly Delivery

While still in baking mode, let’s talk about filling yummy donuts and other pastries with jelly, jam or custard. Use a turkey baster to inject your baked goods and your donuts will be delicious, your choux buns delectable and your éclairs tastier than ever.

4. Degrease Sauces and Stocks and Soups (and Anything else)

Home cooking is great but it’s really annoying to see your delicious dish with scummy grease floating on top. It’s a hassle to try and remove it with a spoon. Enter the magical turkey baster. Siphon off the grease from homemade stocks, sauces, gravy and soups – and anything that involves ground beef.

5. Pancake Shaper

Do you love a short stack? Or even a big stack? If your idea of breakfast heaven is a pile of pancakes, you can have more fun with a turkey baster and pancake batter than you ever could have imagined. Make a stack of pancakes all of the exact same size using the baster. But even better, the baster can be used to make all sorts of shapes – even letters. Ready to make pancakes on Valentine’s Day that spell out L O V E?

6. Water Changer

Now I’m not sure how many times I would do this personally but if you are someone who loves fresh flowers around the house, you’ll love this tip. You spent ages arranging those flowers so artistically in that vase but now the water needs changing or topping up. The turkey baster can help you do both without disturbing your lovely arrangement. To change, siphon off the old water and then add new in the same way. Top up with a baster instead of straight from a faucet or jug.

7. Plant Waterer

And still on the subject of flowers and plants, the once scorned turkey baster is handy here too. I’ve got a wonderful spider plant that drapes down the side of a tall bookcase. I can reach it to water him with a turkey baster and it saved me taking the pot off the shelf and having to rearrange the draping of all the tendril every time. And, if you have a terrarium, a turkey baster is the perfect watering tool for that too.

Hands up who has a new found respect for their turkey baster? And how many are now inspired to rush out and buy one? ^_^