Between work, chauffeuring kids around and nightly activities, week nights can be a bit of a struggle to get through. The last thing you want to do is make a huge meal when you get home from a hectic day. These moms share 15 ways to simplify your week night cooking so you're not left with fast food or an hour long meal prep.
Preheat The Oven With The Baking Sheet Inside
Before roasting veggies in the oven, preheat the oven with the pan inside. This way the veggies are getting heat on both sides.
Do All Your Cutting With A Pizza Cutter
Instead of dragging out different knives for all of your chopping and cutting needs, use a pizza cutter for easy slicing! It works great with herbs too.
Cook Pasta In The Microwave
Sometimes making pasta on the stove can create a lot of extra dishes. Instead, place the pasta in a bowl of water and microwave for 10 minutes.
Take A Mixer To Chicken
There's no need to pull chicken apart with your hands. Use a hand mixer to get perfect pulled chicken in no time.
DIY Breadcrumbs
Breadcrumbs add so much flavor and crunch to chicken and fish, but if you don't have any, try using Cheerios instead! Crush up Cheerios and use it just like breadcrumbs.
Use A Bundt Pan For Cutting Corn
Bundt pans aren't just for cakes. Place an ear of corn in the hole of the bundt pan and cut the corn into the pan with a knife.
Cook Salmon On A Bed Of Lemon
Salmon can be known to stick to the pan leaving you with half a piece of fish. Place the fish on a bed of lemons or lemon juice to prevent sticking. Extra flavor and easy pan cleanup!
Cook Big Batches Of Food And Freeze
It's always a good idea to make big batches of food and freeze it. This way, if you have a busy day ahead of you, all you have to do is pull the bag out of the freezer and heat up dinner!
Freeze Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs add so much flavor to meals, but often go bad before you can use them all. Place olive oil and an herb in an ice cube tray and freeze. When you need it, take it out for fresh flavor!
Get A Handle On “Mise En Place”
"Mise en place" means preparing and laying out every ingredient before you start cooking. This allows for an easier process and makes sure you don't miss a step when cooking.
Wash And Chop Produce When You Buy It
If you wash and chop veggies right after you buy it, that cuts down cooking time during the week. All you have to do is grab it and start cooking!
Create Easy Paninis With An Iron
You don't need to whip out the panini maker to make a delicious dinner. All you need is some bread, ham, cheese (or any topping you like,) aluminum foil and an iron. Just wrap the sandwich in foil and use the iron like a panini press!
Create Fun And Easy Masterpieces
A fun meal your kids will love is spaghetti and hot dogs. Take uncooked pasta and stick it in slices of hot dogs then boil to perfection.
Organize Your Kitchen
Let's admit it, our kitchens can become quite the disaster zones. To really see what you have to use, make sure you get rid of old and expired food.
Get A Sauce That Sticks
If your pasta sauce tends to slide off your noodles, add a little water to the sauce to help it coat your noodles better.
