1. Sharpen knives with a ceramic mug in a pinch. A quality knife stays sharper longer, cuts better, and helps you save you money because it lasts forever. It's considered an investment for a reason. But if you're stuck with a dull knife, simply stroke the blade against the exposed, unpolished ceramic bottom and voilà, your knife is ready for action. (But, at some point, you definitely want to get a real sharpener. A decent one can be had for about $15.) 2. Use your thumb to...

5. Instead of an EXPENSIVE FOOD PROCESSOR, tough it out and use a knife. Any solid you would throw into a food processor you can chop just as fine with a chef’s knife and a bit of athleticism. You don’t know your limits until you’ve surpassed them, and you don’t know hand cramps until you’ve hand-chopped parsley for 50 portions of pistou. It builds character. And I actually mean this. It’s super-important to learn your way around a chef’s knife....

1. Instead of a ROLLING PIN, use an empty wine bottle. First things first; drink that bottle of wine, champ, you earned it. Second thing, you better be rolling out pasta dough because otherwise, you’re on your way to violating Culinary Commandment number 8: Baking blows. Drop the parchment paper and dough cutter, bro. If you rub flour on the wine bottle, it won’t stick to your dough and you can use it just like a rolling pin. A quick...