3 a.m. Silver Polish

So, I'm a bad, bad insomniac. Between the hours of 2:30 and 4 a.m., my body invariably wakes up as if it's missing out on a really fun party. So this morning, I decided to be industrious and polish the silver bowl I was going to put rice pudding in for my son's school event this evening.

But I didn't get out the chemicals and gloves, ladies and gentlemen. No, no. I relied on some old friends from my kitchen -- aluminum foil, salt and baking soda. Yeah, you read that right.

Here's how to EFFORTLESSLY get your silver tarnish-free, without exposing yourself/household to harsh chemicals.

1. Line a sink or large bowl with a large piece of aluminum foil. (I have a double sink, so used half. For some reason I want to say you should avoid a metal container, but I'm no scientist...)

2. Fill it with hot water.

3. Put your silver pieces in the sink/bowl. Then sprinkle some salt and some baking soda in the water. I use a few tablespoons of each -- just eyeball it.

4. Make sure the silver is touching the foil.

5. Wait 5 minutes; up to 10 for badly tarnished items. Remove the items and rinse under cool water. Towel dry.

You'll be amazed -- the tarnish is removed in the bath without scrubbing!