How To Open An OXO Without Getting Coated Fingers!

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to promote these tiny stock cubes or anything else, just sharing a little hack I've used for so many years that helps me to avoid sticky, icky hands x

Hi Honeys
Do you hate getting your fingers icky? I do. I mean I really, really do.  I remember back in Secondary School (in my case this was the 1970s Scots version of High School) at the tender age of 12 being literally screamed at because we were being taught how to make shortcrust pastry in Home Economics class and I couldn't bring myself to put my hands into the bowl to combine the butter and flour with my fingers <shudder> The horror!

You see I loved, even then, to bake. At home though, it was understood how I felt about getting sticky, dirty or grubby and I'd been bought a little mixer for these icky tasks.  I could also beat ingredients together with a wooden spoon like you wouldn't believe :)  For my Home Ecc teacher though this was shocking.  No true cook behaved in such a fashion, well maybe not but I physically couldn't bear getting my hands icky!

Over the years I've developed my own methods to avoid such ickiness and today I thought I'd share one of them.  I know I'm odd (in a good way I hope) but I can't be the only person who doesn't like icky hands honeys, can I?

OXO cubes are a good example of this ickiness. It sounds simple doesn't it honeys? Just tear the foil wrapper off and crumble the stock cube between your fingers? ewwww! I mean, seriously just ewwww! If I were to even attempt this I would just end up chucking the whole cube in the general direction of the jug or saucepan and rush over to the sink to throw my hands under hot water to get them clean <shudder> ick! Just ick!

Also, as any cook knows, if your hands are in the least bit damp (does everyone else wash dishes as they go along when cooking?) then you'll end up with about three grains of OXO in the pot and the rest will form an OXO mitten on your hand! So, honeys, this is how I get around the ickiness of using my favourite little stock cube :) It might seem odd, but it works :)

First, being very careful not to break the foil wrapping, open out all four of the little folded corners of the cube.

Next, and again taking great care not to allow the wrapper to tear, gently press the cube between your fingers until it breaks down into powder inside the wrapper.

When this is done, carefully move the crushed, powdered OXO to one end of the newly formed "packet" the wrapper has become.

Finally, and just as carefully, tear the wrapper across the top or uppermost edge. This is the part of the "packet" which is empty.  Then empty out contents. 

This daft wee trick has made such a difference to how I use these little stock cubes, which I use a lot. I sometimes use the vegetable or chicken versions as a base for soup or when cooking our brown rice.  Brown rice has become one of our favourite alternatives to potatoes and it makes a delicious dinner when served with fish or chicken.

Am I alone in hating icky hands honeys? I've always thought if we were meant to get sticky when cooking the food processor wouldn't have been invented :) Do you have any tricks you use to avoid getting icky hands or (horror!) stuff under your nails? If so, do share?  I swear my middle name should be marigold, since even (especially) when cleaning I need my gloves :)

A wee recap then and a savable image for you if you'd like it...

Thank you for visiting and for making this wee corner of the internet a bit less lonely dear ones, till next time, hugs always xx