Safety Suggestion #2

Good quality chef knives are perhaps a cook's best friend in the kitchen... but they can just as easily became your worst enemy.  It's important to always follow these suggestions to avoid injuries:
1. When using a knife to cut vegetables, make sure to hold the food down by slightly tucking in your fingers.  This way, if the knife grazes you, it will touch the smooth part of your fingernail(s) rather than the fleshy skin beneath.
2. Store knives when not in use.  A stray knife lying on the counter top is sure to fall and slice your toe!
3. Never place knives, big or small, in the dishwasher or in a sink full of water.  An unsuspecting person could seriously injure his hand when reaching for a fork or plate.  Hand wash knives separately from other utensils.
4. Knives are not always associated with cuts.  To prevent food poisoning, make sure to buy new blades every so often.  Old knives develop grooves and scratches on their blades.  These tiny crevices are the perfect breeding grounds for bacteria, which then can be transferred into freshly cut food.  On a low budget?  Simply use separate knives for vegetables and meat.

Safety Suggestion #1

The stove top can be a very dangerous place in the kitchen.  To eliminate the amount of received burns and scalds, make sure to follow these safety precautions:
1. Lift the pot/pan lid by tilting it away from your face. 
2. When smelling a pot/pan's contents, waft the steam towards your face.  DO NOT bend towards the stove or place your nose within the pot.
3. While cooking, remember to keep the surrounding area clean.  Do not leave any flammable objects around the stove top.
4. In case of a grease fire, immediately sprinkle the pan with baking soda and cover it with a lid.  If possible, safely turn off the stove.
5. Always remember to tilt pan handles parallel to or away from the stove edge.  Handles that hang over can be easily pulled down by a child or accidentally nudged by a passerby.