Time Saving Hacks for Busy Home Cooks
We get it – weeknights are hectic! Instead of coming home to relax after a busy day at the office, there’s a smorgasbord of things to do – from cooking supper and cleaning up to helping with homework, bathing the kids and tucking them into bed. To help you save time in the kitchen (and save a little sanity too) we’ve gone in search of some brilliant time-saving tips and tricks. Read all about them below!
Access the Essentials with Ease
Toing and froing from the stove can take up a lot of unnecessary time. To prevent this from happening, ensure that all the utensils, pots, pans and ingredients you need are within arm’s reach before you start cooking. It’s also a good idea to keep a refuse bag or compost bowl on the counter so you can dispose of wrappers, veggie peels, etc. without having to make extra trips to the trash bin.
Prepare in Advance
When you have a spare moment over the weekend, use it to prepare certain ingredients and side dishes in advance. For example, a batch of pre-cooked rice can be stored in the freezer for up to one month. Most pre-cut veggies will also keep their freshness when stored in the fridge, so you won’t have to peel and chop veggies every night – you can simply grab them as needed for soups, stews, salads and more.
Preheat Baking Sheets
Leave baking sheets in the oven while it warms up. That way, the underside of the food will start to sizzle as soon as it hits the preheated surface. In addition to reducing cooking time, this helps ensure even browning on either side of the meat, chips or veggies and eliminates the need to flip them halfway through.
Use the Microwave
Microwaves are perfect for pre-cooking root vegetables and they can even be used to cook rice, custard and scrambled egg altogether. Say yes to less time fussing over the stove by cooking carrots, potatoes and sweet potatoes in the microwave for a few minutes before roasting them in the oven.
Soften Kerrygold Butter in a Flash
If you need to bring cold Kerrygold butter to room temperature quickly but don’t want to melt it, simply pour boiling hot water in a glass, empty out the water and place the heated glass upside down over the stick of butter. It will become nice and soft within a matter of minutes! You could also grate the butter with a cheese grater so that its easier to spread and mix with other ingredients.
Cook Extra Portions
One of the easiest ways to save on cooking time is to cook extra portions whenever possible. For example, instead of roasting a single chicken for Sunday lunch, roast two and incorporate the leftovers into other meals throughout the week such as salad, soup or sandwiches. In addition to chicken, you could make extra portions of rice, pasta, quinoa and cooked veggies and store them in the fridge or freezer till needed. Follow this helpful meal-prep guide to keep things fresh.
Clean as You Go
Fill the sink with hot soapy water and wash the dishes as they’re made or whenever you have a gap in-between checking on the food. In addition to making the post-dinner clean-up more manageable, this will help keep your work space clean and clutter-free so you can see all the ingredients in front of you, feel more organized and less stressed!
