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We all wish we could have Rachael in the kitchen cooking with us. The food would taste better, we’d be more relaxed, and it would definitely be more fun!

Fans wrote in to ask Rach for some of her best insider how-to’s. Here’s what she wants you to know before you whip up your next meal:

1. How to Mix Unusual Ingredients

Q: Do you have any tips on combining ingredients that people would never think to use together?
A: I love adding bitter chocolate or coffee to chili, and cooking rice, grains or pasta in wine, then mixing in fresh grapes. Any mix of savory and sweet -- like a savory waffle with spicy syrup -- is good, too. Bottom line: Opposites attract!

2. How to Cook in College

Q: My dorm kitchen is limited to a toaster oven and a George Foreman grill. How I can make a good meal?  
A: Panini, panini, panini! Also, you can marinate and grill chicken 1,000 ways for wraps and salads, plus the grill is great for quesadillas, fish and kebabs. In the toaster oven, try baked burritos.

3. How to Make the Best Burgers

Q: How do you grill a burger without drying it out?
A: It’s not what you put on a burger, it’s what you put in it. If you stuff ingredients like veggies and herbs inside, then they create moisture for the meat. That’s the key.

4. How to Replace a Missing Ingredient

Q: What do you do when you're midway through making a recipe and realize you're missing an ingredient?  
A: If I'm at my place in the country, I just have to improvise. If I'm in the city, though, I send my husband to the store!

5. How to Keep Herbs Longer

Q: I bought fresh basil and fresh rosemary at the farmers' market. How can I store herbs for short-term use and freeze them for long-term use?
A: I never freeze fresh herbs. They don't taste the same after freezing to me at all. If I'm trying to use up garden finds like bushes of basil, I'll prepare pesto sauces and freeze the sauce rather than the whole herb. Day-to-day, I find that most herbs (especially rosemary) will last a couple of weeks if kept cold and dry. I buy basil at the last minute, the day I use it.

6. How to Relax in the Kitchen

Q: Do you ever have "off" days when even dishes you've made many times before just don't turn out right?  
A: Nothing ever turns out exactly the same way twice, but I'm not looking for perfection in any part of my life -- especially in my food. I just appreciate that food has a mind of its own sometimes, and I go with the flow.

Now that you've heard some of Rachael's quick tips, we'd love to hear some of yours! Comment below with some of your tips and tricks in the kitchen and tune in to QVC today to see Rachael and her 12-Piece Gradient Porcelain Enamel Cookware Set TSV! 

Want more great ideas from Rachael? Check out more of her answers in EveryDay with Rachael Ray!