I’ve blogged and blogged about my tumultuous kitchen experiences.  You can add “started a fire” to the growing list of mishaps.  I’ve done everything from spilling a bag of sugar during a baking session, to unintentionally “cooking” meat in the microwave and “burning” pumpkin bread so badly that my husband and I couldn’t see each other clearly through the smoky haze that shadowed the room.  So of course I’d like to minimize the amount of time I spend in the kitchen without compromising my safety the taste of the food.   The Parent Bloggers Network is asking us moms and dads to share our best shortcuts. Speaking of shortcuts, Ore-Ida has introduced their new Steam n’ Mash potatoes. The potatoes are scrubbed, peeled and chopped.  All you have to do is take them out of the freezer and steam them in the microwave.  Here are a few of my kitchen shortcuts:

1.  I cook chicken and fish without defrosting it.  I don’t know why it works but it does.  I don’t notice any difference in taste, texture, or quality.  It saves me time in defrosting and I don’t have to deal with raw anything!  

2.  I buy seasonings, sauces, and other prepared condiments to quickly season chicken or fish.  It’s easier on those days when I need a tasty, quick meal and don’t feel like going all out and cutting veggies.  

3.  Whole Foods and other markets sell the ingredients for meals in one package.  For example, their stir-fry package includes chopped vegetables, sauces, etc.  It’s a fresh, homemade meal but I don’t have to spend as much time prepping (definitely not the most inexpensive way to go but definitely quicker).

What are your secret shortcuts?  I’d love to know how to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible less time in the kitchen.