Time in the kitchen to prepare and cook, clean-up, and wipe down countertops, fill, set, and empty the dishwasher is one of the ritualistic ceremonies of adulthood. In establishing personal rules of kitchen preparation and organization, everyone has their methods; yet, the need for advice to make the hours in the kitchen few in number and count is always welcome!
Preparation Tips:
Read the Recipe Thoroughly: Sounds logical; however, too often, only the ingredient list is the test for following a recipe. By taking just a few minutes, you’ll save stress in understanding the order of steps and combining tasks and reusing tools. It may prevent you from making an irreversible mistake.
Medium Bowl and Cutting Board: Cutting, slicing, or peeling vegetables, toss all of your compostable goods in a bowl to eliminate the back and forth effort of using a trash can; afterward, use the compostable items to enhance the quality of your soil. Dig a six inch by five-inch trench in your garden, and cover with earth when it reaches the surface.
Grating Butter: Eliminate the frustration of working with butter by freezing it first; then, grating. Simplify your efforts by adding flakes of butter to flour, baking mixes, or pizzazz meals and use it as a topping.
Peeling Tomatoes: Slice the top off of a fresh tomato; then, score an “X” at the bottom. Add to boiling water for 10 seconds. Remove, and peel when the fruit is cool to handle.
Reduce Snacking Tendencies: As you are preparing a meal, slice up an apple or place a small bowl of grapes on the kitchen counter, and term it an “appetizer!” Ah, add a carafe of lemonade or water with cucumber and a few tumblers on a tray. Preparing food choices and a beverage can help ease the demands of starvation!
Say Yes to Acids! One squeeze of lemon juice added to sautéed vegetables boosts coloring. A dash of soy sauce to mushrooms improves the taste. Likewise, a few tablespoons of vinegar to soup or stew may alter thickness to flavorful. Start keeping lemons and limes, and various types of vinegar on hand.
Fresh Herbs: To extend the life of fresh picked or store-bought herbs, treat them similar to flowers. Place the herbs in a container with water and drape a damp paper towel over the leaves. Refrigerate. You may end up with roots. Better to have a plant than compost!
Freezer Packs: While the plastic frozen block is convenient, it also can weigh a bag down; therefore, use a plastic bag of frozen grapes!
Organizational Tips:
Are Small Appliances Taking Over? It happens, we are in love with the newest and latest gadget. Yes, everyone needs a crockpot and an immersion blender. Many appliances only serve one purpose. Time to reduce your numbers!
Magnetic Strips: Hang knives on a magnetic strip tacked to the backsplash in an easy-to-reach location; yet, away from young children.
Too Many Measuring Cups, Assign Task: One educational activity for children is to give them all of your measuring cups, and assign the task of determining which set of cups are accurate. In future baking endeavors, you will likely favor just one grouping, or consider the reliability of using a digital scale!
Save Freezer Space: Think about the ease of use, first; therefore, consider convenient portion sizes such as an ice-cube tray or a Ziploc plastic bag. Efficiency matters with items such as chicken stock, stews, and ground beef. Use a cookie sheet to develop the mold.
The Bottom Shelf for Kids: Whether it is a pull-out drawer in the cabinet or pie-safe or the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, give the kids an opportunity to reach a healthy snack.
Subtracting time with handy tips for the most demanding room in the house, the kitchen, can make all the difference, especially when there is a keen desire to enjoy company or sit and relax!
