Helpful Cooking Tips!

[PrincessFiona]

I thought it would be fun to share tips on things we do to make cooking/prepping food easier..... I'm always looking for shortcuts or things that help me out.


~I try to put bacon in the freezer for 30 min before cutting it to make it a little firmer. By the same token, I like to chop chicken when it is still slightly frozen.

~When I have to make chicken nuggets/french fries in a hurry, I microwave them and then brown them quickly in the oven on the high broil function....

All tips welcome ....

Kris

[Vanquisher]

I use a pampered chef food chopper for dicing vegeatbles, especially onions. I use minced garlic in a jar - one heaping teaspoon is about one clove. I use an egg slicer to slice mushrooms. I thaw meat in cold water in the sink because I never remember enough in advance. When I do it like I intend, menu planning is a huge help, time, and money saver.


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[Michele]

I've started doing dinner prep in the morning...after breakfast or during nap. The boys are crazy during the pre dinner hour, so I have to be quick. Or I cook it ahead of time and reheat at dinner time.

[migirl]

I do dinner prep in the mornings, too. Whatever can be done ahead of time (chopping veggies, marinating meat, mixing sauces, etc), saves me some time in the evenings when the kids are melting down and everything is so rushed!

[Pollyanna]

All my weekday meals are easy and quick. Anything that is complicated or has more steps is saved for a weekend meal. Prep cannot take longer than 15-20 minutes, I just do not have any more time than that. One of my more recent creations that everyone likes (this is huge for everyone to like the same meal) is chicken tacos:

6 boneless chicken breasts in crockpot topped with one package of taco seasoning. Cook on low all day. Shred and place in flour tortilla, top with shredded cheese, sauce (a mixture of half salsa and half ranch dressing), top with the cabbage from a coleslaw mix. Serve with fresh fruit and Mexican wedding cookies (bought from the store) for dessert. It's a complete meal that takes less than 15 minutes for all the prep. Another positive is that the tacos can be wrapped in aluminum foil and brought to extra curriculars when needed.

Planning a week in advance makes a HUGE difference in my stress level around dinner. I always remember to plan a left-over day and a eat what you want day to ease the craziness.

[medpedspouse]

I keep all take-out menus in sheet protectors (with their coupons) and place them in a binder. That way, I can quickly find and place dinner order.

Ok - I'm a loser.

So, when I have time, I make a weeks worth of meals in one day and put them in glass/oven/microwave safe containers (as opposed to plastic) so I just have to pop it in the oven instead of taking that extra step. I saw that Rachel Ray is doing a show on this. As much as her perky attitude grates on my nerves , I have to admit that I am interested to see if I can get new menu ideas.

[houseelf]

You all are far more crafty in the kitchen and normally these threads make me feel like a loser because I'm just not into cooking. It's the eating part that I like.

Nonetheless, I do love frozen chopped onions. Grab a handful to add to whatever dish your making and you easily save time by knocking off the chopping.

Kelly

[SoonerTexan]

I buy a huge amount of chicken and ground beef when it is on sale ($1.99/lb at Sprouts or Newflower Market if you have one near you), split the chicken breasts in half, and divide it into baggies to freeze. I still have to remember to defrost it ahead of time, but it saves SO much money.