Shortcuts you take? (ingredients, mushroom, shrimp, breakfast)

[VTsnowbird]

I made my own garlic in a jar - chopped a bunch in my mini food processor, added olive oil, put in jar in the freezer. It stays friable enough to dig some out when you need it.

I also avoid pre-cut fruits and vegs because of the contamination factor.

I get pre-washed greens sometimes, sometimes a salad kit. I like the chopped Asian salad. no jokes please.

[FlightAttendant]

I rarely make my own pie crust anymore. I was never very good at it anyway.

When I am making lasagna, I often use Rao's marinara sauce in a jar. It is the closest thing I know to home made, it is delicious. I wish it were not so expensive though. Sometimes it is worth the money.

[writerwife]

I will buy sauce in a jar for baked ziti (my parents would faint) and doctor it up.
I also don't buy precut veggies but not because of contamination but because the nutritional content begins to diminish the moment you start cutting them.
My husband used to purchase the minced garlic in a jar but the taste is very different than fresh garlic to me.
And, now that its just me and I have 1 cup of coffee a day, I bought a keurig and use the pods (mostly.. sometimes I load my own). It's good enough for me.
I do purchase bone broth sometimes also rather than make it.

[lubby]

once in a while I will buy pre-chopped Mirepoix in a container for saving time if needed in a recipe. I don't use celery often so it's a waste to buy a whole package of celery stalks. I use Garlic in the jar and there are only 2 brands I like. Christopher Ranch or the stop and shop brand minced garlic in the jar with olive oil. No pickled taste at all. I use steam in the bag vegetables mostly in the fall and winter. Always use canned beans, except for split peas and lentils which I buy dried in the bag. When I make chili I use a pre-made seasoning packet, same goes for Swedish meatballs. I don't take many short cuts but for certain things I cook I do.

[Heidi60]

Just place the peeled whole garlic cloves in a jar of olive oil and refrigerate until needed. Great garlic flavored oil and the cloves last a long time.

Ginger in tubes is also nice as the fresh ginger will often go bad before I can use it all. However, I do splurge when I see the really fresh ginger in the Spring.

I agree with others that buying pre-cut veggies isn't the same as cutting them myself into the pieces I want.

[Arcenal813]

For those of you who hate to peel garlic, a simple yet effective method I've been using is to simply crush the the cloves a bit with the flat of a knife (just enough to break the skin) and then throw it in a food processor... Depending on what I'm using it for, I either leave it chunky (for things such as beans, stir-fry, etc) or make a smooth paste to use as a rub with other spices for meats. The skin gets blended into the mix and is barely -- if at all -- noticeable when raw, and not noticeable at all once cooked.

[greatblueheron]

I use jarred spaghetti sauce too, at times, adding dry red wine, olive paste etc.

Also use cilantro paste, olive paste....frozen pie crust, occasional frozen side dishes....ie spinach souffle. Use mostly fresh vegetables but at times, frozen ones...

easy to empty green peas in a microwave bowl and call it a side dish...

[Cliffie]

Minced garlic that comes in a jar.
Instant minced onion.
Precooked bacon.
Frozen puff pastry.
Rolls, biscuits and other breads that come in a cardboard tube.

[evening sun]

Pre peeled garlic. We get the large bag at Costco & I freeze some, as we could never get through the entire bag before it went off, it lasts us about 3 months ( fresh & frozen)

[saibot]

I bake bacon rather than frying it. Put it on a foil-lined baking sheet at 400 until it's done. Throw the foil and grease away. Zero mess and much cheaper than pre-cooked. Plus, it stays flat.

One time I tried buying precut broccoli and a few other vegetables from the salad bar, and they did not taste fresh. Probably bagged ones from the produce section are better, but now I just buy broccoli crowns; they have short stems so there isn't much waste.

I do buy:

jarred pasta sauce
salad dressing, though I also sometimes make my own in the blender
hummus, ditto
bagged salad greens, when my garden is not producing lettuce
frozen peas, sure, fresh are not available most of the time and canned are gross.
canned beans (black, garbanzo, chili beans)