17 Genius Cooking Hacks to Whip Up Quick and Easy Meals in No Time
Cooking can be a breeze! You don’t have to sweat over the stove for hours.
As a busy (or even not so busy) professional trying to put together a home-cooked meal on a busy work night, a home cook trying to figure out how to feed your family in the least amount of time, or a food nerd or even lazy bum on the lookout for life hacks that’ll save you time, effort, and maybe even clean up, you’re going to love these.
When trying to get the perfect French toast batter or give instant ramen a much-needed upgrade, these 17 easy and practical tips will help make life in the kitchen a pleasure, not stress.
Cinnamon in Vanilla Dissolve for Better French Toast
You aren’t alone if you suffer from clumps of cinnamon in your French toast batter. Here’s a fix! The cinnamon is dissolved into a splash of vanilla extract and then mixed in with eggs and a splash of milk.
This allows the cinnamon to mix well so it doesn’t become too strong in the batter because of spice. Bonus? It’s going to smell amazing in your kitchen.
Quick Meals: Freeze Leftover Rice
This hack is a lifesaver if you’ve ever had too much rice. Freeze a portion of leftover rice into Ziploc bags.
To reheat, sprinkle some additional water on frozen rice, put a damp paper towel on top, and microwave for a few minutes. The result? Without wasting a single grain of rice, perfectly fluffy rice.
Prevent Bacon from Curling
Fry bacon slices and then dust them with flour. This keeps them flat and impressive with the extra crisp bacon lovers swear by.
Substitute Liquid Buttermilk for Powdered Buttermilk
It’s frustrating when you run out of buttermilk in the middle of a recipe. But by all means, stock powdered buttermilk in your pantry. It will be helpful for other recipes and will last much longer.
You’ll always have a quick and easy solution for pancakes and waffles without the worry of spoilage; mix it with water as needed.
Fit Parchment Paper Better Using Scrunch Method
Lining baking tins can be tedious; parchment paper always seems to lie on top of the baking tin rather than flat against it. Lining your pan with your paper, scrunch it under running water, and squeeze it dry.
The big trick about this approach is that it makes it so much easier to mold to the shape of the tin: no more struggling with stubborn folds.
Turning Condiment Jars into Salad Dressing Shakers
Do you have an almost empty mustard or mayonnaise jar? Don’t toss it! Put a splash of olive oil, vinegar, and your favorite seasonings in a jar and shake vigorously: you’ve created a quick and flavorful salad dressing.
It’s a good thing when it’s efficient, which means you don’t have any food waste.
Speed Up Caramelization of the Onions
Although caramelizing onions takes up to 30 minutes, steaming the onions first will significantly reduce the time. Steam them a bit in a covered pan before browning.
Herbs on Ice: Chop leftover herbs and freeze them in olive oil
Use an ice cube tray to keep them from wilting. Toss these flavor-packed cubes into soups, stews, or sauté pans when you need something fresh and herbaceous to add to your dishes.
Next Level Flavor Roast Chicken Over Bread
If you want crispy, flavorful bread with minimal effort, put thick slices of day-old bread under your roasting chicken.
The chicken will soak the juices into the bread, making these edges seriously delicious and crispy—they might even outshine the main dish!
Roasted Veggies with a Preheated Sheet Pan
Have you ever wondered why your roasted vegetables don’t become as crispy as they do in restaurants? Preheat a sheet pan in the oven, and then add your veggies. They sear better on those hot surfaces and help speed up the cooking.
Always have a shot glass of water in the microwave
Reheating leftovers can often result in dry or rubbery food. To reheat a moist meal evenly, place a glass of water in the microwave with your dish—the steam from that water helps moisten and reheat your meal evenly.
A Few Simple Additions Make Instant Ramen Taste Better
The key to turning instant ramen into creamy, restaurant-quality comfort food is simple. Combine the seasoning packet with a raw egg, a dollop of mayo, and a little minced garlic.
Add hot broth, and the egg will cook through to make a velvety tonkatsu-style soup, indulgently so.
Make Roux Flavor More Tasty with Seasonings
Jazzing up your roux will help make your sauces and soups memorable. While cooking, add your flour and butter mixture with garlic powder and smoked paprika.
It is an easy way to add depth and complexity to your recipes.
Flavored Coffee Creamers can be used in French Toast Batter
Switch milk out for flavored coffee creamer to give your French toast something different. With hazelnut, vanilla, or caramel, the creamer adds extra sweetness and unforgettable flavor to take a regular breakfast staple up a notch.
Mashed Potato Flakes Thicken Stews
Skip the cornstarch or flour when thickening your stew or chili. Instead, use a few tablespoons of instant mashed potato flakes and stir them in. And they dissolve quickly in your dish to give it a rich, velvety texture.
Master Easy Garlic Peeling
Unpeeled cloves can be microwaved for 10 seconds, and the skins slide right off. Sticky fingers and wasted time is a thing of the past.
Herb Cream Cheese can be added to Mashed Potatoes
Scale up your mashed potatoes by mixing in herb and garlic cream cheese. It enhances flavor and creaminess. Feeling adventurous? Throw a few diced dill pickles in for a tangy and unexpected surprise that will keep guests guessing.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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