When you bring home vegetables in those plastic bags, be sure to poke holes in them to let the vegetables breathe. Dip steamed vegetables in ice water to retain color.

Ripen avocados in a brown bag or bowl of flour. You can test it for ripeness by sticking a toothpick through the end in the stem.

If you soak beans overnight, you will get less gas from them. When you drain the old water add a pinch of ginger to the new boiling cooking water.

To cook all parts of the broccoli equally, cut an X in the stem.

To keep cauliflower white while cooking just add a little milk to the water.

Don't add salt to the water for making corn. You can salt it after it is cooked. Instead, add sugar.

To help remove the silk from corn on the cob, get off as much as you can by hand and then use a wet washcloth and stroke downwards to remove the rest of the silk.

Lettuce:
Perk up soggy lettuce by soaking in cold water with some lemon juice. To store place in a zip lock bag with paper towel to absorb moisture.

Potatoes:
To bake potatoes more quickly, soak for about 20 minutes in salt water before baking.
To improve the crispness of french fried potatoes, soak the raw potatoes in cold water for about 30 minutes before cooking.
To bake potatoes more quickly, boil them for 10-15 minutes, and then poke them with a fork and bake.
Instant potatoes are good to use to thicken stews or soups.
Add a couple of drops of lemon juice to potato water and it will whiten the boiled potatoes. When you purchase a bag of potatoes put an apple in the bag so the potatoes will last without sprouting and wrinkling for about 8 weeks.
Make sure to store your potatoes in a cool, dry place to minimize sprout growth.