So how can you save time in the kitchen? Try out these pieces of advice.

Kitchen Tools

Get a nice brand new pair of scissors just for the kitchen. These scissors can be used to cut green onions, herbs and mushrooms, plus large lettuce leaves. You can also use them to cut chicken stribs, or trim bread. Make sure you only use these scissors for your kitchen. Hand wash with warm soap and water.

Butter

Microwave your butter for 10 seconds on 50% power, then flip it over and do another 10 seconds on 30% power. Nice soft butter, ahh

Boiled Water

So how do you get your water to boil faster? Tired of waiting like me? Use fresh cold water and put a lid on your pot. It will boil very quickly.

Skin Removal

Its pretty easy to remove chicken skins. Get a dry paper towel and pull towards the base of the chiken leg or wing. It will peel right off.

Defrosting

Always put food types in separate containers. You dont want to freeze your chicken and other items together. They can then be put in plastic freezer bags and you can use what you need from each type of food.

Roasting

If you dont have or like using a rack to roast, get two extreme sized onions, cut them in half and place on a roasting pan. Set the roast on top of the onions and the fat will drain. In addition the onions add flavor to your meat!

Garlic

The best way to remove garlic screen from fresh garlic cloves is to microwave the clove(s) for 10 seconds and they will slip right off.

Sliding

Have you ever had your bowl or cutting board slide on the counter top? An easy fix for this it to put a damp towel under the cutting board or bowl. No more movement.

Tomato Skin

If you need your tomatoes peeled, try cutting them in half and microwave them. Microwave for about 3 minutes on the high setting. The skin will peel away with no hassle.

Freezing Wine

Have three fourths of a bottle of wine left from cooking? You can fill up ice cube trays with the leftovers. Makes great serving sizes for future sauces and/or casseroles.

Grating

Spray a tiny amount of oil on the grater before you use for cheese or any other type of sticky food.

Chilling Cheese

To stop semi-soft cheeses, like mozzarella and monteray jack, from sticking to itself, freeze for 5 minutes. This will help out nicely during the shredding process.

Kitchen Inventory

Ever been halfway through cooking a meal and find youre missing an ingredient? Check your recipe list before starting and save yourself a lot of time and head aches.

Rice

Its always best to cook rice in extra quantities then you expect. It holds up well in the refrigerator (up to one week) and you can heat it easily in the microwave for a minute as leftovers.

This article was posted on November 28, 2005