I am so grateful that I get to do what I do each day. Test recipes, interview fascinating people, help create Instagram videos in honor of National French Fry Day (clearly, very important work) — it’s a total blast, and I can honestly say I’m psyched to go to the office each day.

Part of the thrill is learning new things. And I’ll be honest: I’m constantly learning. And screwing things up. And feverishly trying to fix my failures. Pivot, test, try again. (That lesson about accepting your ‘daily allotment of failure’ has been crucial for me.)

Along the way, I’ve picked up a few things that have been cooking and baking game-changers. Hopefully you’ll find them just as useful:

1. Peeling a mango using a drinking glass.

When I interviewed for the job, I pitched a series called Hack or Wack, where I put popular food hacks to the test to see how effective they actually are. Our site director immediately threw out this mango hack. We were convinced it couldn’t be as easy as people claimed; and yet it really, truly is. I haven’t peeled a mango the old-fashioned way ever since.

 

2. Creating a buttercream sketch of someone’s face.

I’m all about fun cakes that are insanely delicious (emphasis on delicious over looks, actually), so I was beyond psyched when Kim Tranell showed us how to turn any photo into a buttercream frosting design on a cake.

I attempted it myself, though I quickly learned that you have to be careful about the subject you choose and the photo you select, because in frosting form, a baby can look like an old man, and every feature needs to be exaggerated like a caricature in order to be remotely recognizable.

 

3. That all you need is sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream to create one unbelievably smooth ice cream.

And there’s no ice cream machine necessary. I can personally attest that these creations are ridiculously easy to make and OUTRAGEOUSLY delicious. It’s like opening a Coldstone in your kitchen — and never having to deal with people singing for tips. Here’s how they’re made (including six recipes to try).