Easy Ways to Simplify Cooking

Cooking is hard enough as it is, especially for the thrifty mom who may cook 4 to 6 nights a week. Not only is the actual cooking fairly time consuming, trying to come up with new ways to prepare chicken can take its toll. Your family's lucky if you don't repeat meals for an entire week. If you have kids who want to help in the kitchen, finding easy ways to simplify the cooking and the clean up means that you can spend more time patiently guiding your children and less time screaming.

Easy Ways to Simplify Cooking: Have a Wash Bowl Handy

Are you obsessed with avoiding cross contamination? If you're cooking meat and tend to use utensils to constantly check if the meat is done, you may find yourself going through a number of utensils before you are satisfied that the meat is well done. This only adds to the already accumulating pile of dishes. Plus, if you have a favorite, one-of-a-kind utensil, you may wash it 3 or 4 times before the food is ready. One way to simplify your utensil usage is by having a large bowl filled with soapy water at the ready (or use one side of the sink, if you have a two basin sink). This allows you to wash utensils quickly and eliminates the need to continue to pull more knives and forks out of the drawer. This also helps to simplify clean up since you can soak any dishes or utensils you no longer need and then toss them into the dishwasher without having to scrub first.

Easy Ways to Simplify Cooking: Buy an Extra Pan

Do you find yourself scrambling to wash a favorite pan so that you can quickly make the final dish? One way to simplify cooking and reduce stress is to buy a replacement pan so that you can cook both dishes at once. While this will add one more dish that needs to be washed, it may be worth it if you find often find yourself frazzled or unable to cook all of the food at once.

Easy Ways to Simplify Cooking: Measure Ingredients in Advance

You know how on cooking shows the cook will have all of her ingredients pre-measured and laid out in cute little bowls? This isn't just for show. Measuring all of your seasonings in advance is a great way to simplify the cooking. In addition, combine ingredients in advance, if doing so won't alter the flavor.