Works for Me Wednesday: Paper Towel Alternatives

I've been trying to cut back on paper towel use ever since reading how Money Saving Mom eliminated them from her home. We haven't bought paper towels for several months now and I'd like to keep it that way. I've been cleaning the toilet with pieces of old clothes and then just tossing them in the trash, where they were going to end up anyway. One of the things I couldn't figure out was how to drain fried things like bacon and french fries without paper towels.

The other night my husband and I were cooking together (a very rare but fun occasion which happens only when the boys are with my parents, don't ask me why ;-) ) and we were making french fries. I'd forgotten we don't have any paper towels. We tried a cooling rack usually used for cookies, but the fries fell right through. Finally an idea came to me and I pulled out my pizza pan which has lots of little holes and it turned out to be the perfect thing for draining. We just set the pan on top of a baking sheet and piled the fries on it as they came out of the oil!

I try to find responsible ways to save money and be a good steward of God's earth without taking too much extra time at my family's expense. This worked! Does anyone else have creative substitutes for paper towels? I'd like to know!