Do You Have A Time Saving Product Or Technique That You Use When Cooking? (ingredients, freezing)

[Delahanty]

My new best friend is the package of matchstick carrots. I keep them in the freezer and use these things for everything. They're especially time-saving in the winter when I make a lot of soups, stews, and rice dishes. Instead of peeling a couple of carrots, I simply run a knife through a handful of these, and it couldn't be easier.

How about you?

[Cliffie]

I make no-roll piecrust, made with a fork in the pie plate -- rolling it out is far too much of a hassle.

[Jkgourmet]

Originally Posted by Delahanty

My new best friend is the package of matchstick carrots. I keep them in the freezer and use these things for everything. They're especially time-saving in the winter when I make a lot of soups, stews, and rice dishes. Instead of peeling a couple of carrots, I simply run a knife through a handful of these, and it couldn't be easier.

How about you?

Question: Do you mean fresh matchstick carrots, then you just put the bag in the freezer? I've never thought of doing that, and we end up throwing away carrots as they are not one of our favorites.

[Dirt Grinder]

Shelling raw shrimp - twist-off the fan just below the last bit of meat in the tail. Now the shell will easily slide off the shrimp.

[Delahanty]

Originally Posted by Jkgourmet

Question: Do you mean fresh matchstick carrots, then you just put the bag in the freezer? I've never thought of doing that, and we end up throwing away carrots as they are not one of our favorites.

Yes, they're fresh in bags, and also come in the already crinkle cut variety. Whenever I need a carrot or two, I simply grab a handful and, as I mentioned, run a knife through them. Like you, I got tired of the waste.

I simply put them (in the bag they come in) in a ziplock bag. If you notice they've clumped together, simply smash the ziplocked bag on the counter before grabbing what you need. Often, they have ice crystals, but that doesn't even matter as they're going to be sauteed, anyway.

I do the same thing with onions. The fewer of those I have to peel and chop, the better!

[L0ve]

Pour milk or cream directly into the coffee pot while it is still turned on and being kept hot.

It prevents having to open the fridge and add it to each cup, and your coffee stays warmer since you aren't adding cold liquid to each cup.

[eggalegga]

Once I found this at the grocery store, it made soups a lot easier. If I don't have the fresh veges on hand, I can just reach in the freezer and use a package of this to make pasta fagioli soup.

Cooking ground beef, bacon & sausage and freezing in small containers for future use.

[mrs.cool]

I buy lettuce, and my other salad fixing ingredients, e.g. broccoli and cauliflower, in the bags. It's already washed and cut up. Makes my weekly salad prep soooooo much quicker!

[Vectoris]

With just the two of us at home now, I cook enough to have leftovers - often enough to yield 3 meals.

Example: I might make a tuna casserole on Monday, and make a different side dish to have with it again on Wednesday and Friday, and on Tuesday I might roast a pork tenderloin with apples, and change the vegetable to have it again on Thursday. So instead of cooking a full blown meal every night, it's just a side dish of vegetables or salad.

[Naturen]

Originally Posted by Dirt Grinder

Shelling raw shrimp - twist-off the fan just below the last bit of meat in the tail. Now the shell will easily slide off the shrimp.

Thanks for the tip!

I will use it in the future - have some raw shrimp in the freezer that I'll be preparing sometime this week.