Byline: Jeanne Besser, Susan Puckett
Dozens of smart ideas for organizing, cooking, and cleanup
As food writers, we’ve made our living preaching the virtues of home-cooked family meals. Yet on more nights than we care to admit, we’ve set our own tables with Chinese takeout for ourselves, chicken nuggets for the kids. It’s not because our cupboards were bare. In fact, they were jammed–and that was part of the problem. All those pantry staples and kitchen gadgets that promise to help control mealtime mayhem were contributing to it.
Then we tried a different tack. Instead of stocking up, we pared down. We got rid of unwanted food and rarely used equipment. We sought simpler recipes with fewer ingredients and rearranged our kitchens so the supplies used most often were in easy reach. The more we decluttered, the less stressed we felt. Our families ate better and healthier. We even lost a few pounds.
We’re still a ways off from perfection, but what we’ve learned helps us stay in control of our kitchens and simplifies mealtime–and it can help you, too.
1
Streamline your storage
To decide what to keep, pitch, or box:
FOOD
You should thoroughly clean your fridge and freezer at least twice a year and get rid of everything you’re not certain your family will eat.
The pantry’s a bit more challenging, since most things there are probably months or years from expiration. But, again, be honest. Is anyone ever going to eat those canned beets? Will you get around to soaking those dried kidney beans for chili? If you have to think about the food for more than 20 seconds, set it aside to give to a shelter, where it might do some good.
How many spices are in your rack?
Too many past their prime, probably. Ground spices have a life expectancy of two to three years, tops; whole spices like cloves and nutmeg, up to four. Dried herbs keep their zing only a year or two.
Not sure how old that jar of tarragon is? If the color’s faded, or it’s lost its aroma (crush a few leaves between your fingers and sniff), toss it. And the next time you open a fresh jar, write the date on it with a Sharpie.
KITCHEN TOOLS
It’s safe to assume that the wobbly pizza wheel or broken toaster can go straight to the trash. For an iffier item, ask yourself, “If I never use this, would anyone else?” If no one comes to mind, toss it, too.
Evaluate remaining gadgets and appliances. Put the wedding-gift stuff that’s still in a box in a “garage sale” or “charity” carton. Do you really need six mixing bowls? Hang on to a few; the others go. The same goes for utensils: Unless you’re a gourmet cook, you can get by without duplicates of most of them, although a few extra spatulas and wooden spoons can come in handy.
For seasonal items such as holiday cookie cutters and turkey roasters, designate an out-of-the-way spot on a high shelf or even in the garage.
2
Create an efficient kitchen
* Keep plates and glasses in cabinets near the dishwasher to make unloading easier. Place baking sheets and pots near the range.
* Max counter space by keeping out only appliances you use every day, like a coffeemaker. Store coffee and filters in a nearby drawer.
* In your pantry, group similar food products together. Have a baking section, a snack section, a spice section, and so on. (And the best spot for spices is a cool place, not by the stove.)
* Put most-used items on lower shelves so they’re easier to reach.
* As you use up staples, add them to your shopping list so you’re never without flour or oil, but don’t replenish less-used items (star anise, anyone?) until needed for a recipe. Take stock of what you typically go through in a week and buy according to that amount. Too much stuff in cabinets means time wasted looking for ingredients.
3
Save time cooking
Does your mind go blank when faced with what to make for dinner? We have cheat sheets taped inside our cabinets, with easy recipes and ingredient lists. We also keep track of recipes that our family likes, jotting down the cookbook and page number before it permanently leaves our memory. Cooking familiar dishes or ones with limited ingredients saves shopping, prep, and cooking time. Look for meals that cook quickly or can be left unattended. Save a more involved recipe for the weekend–and double it so you can freeze half for another meal.
Plan ahead before you shop. Look through the cabinets, refrigerator, and freezer and see how you can use up what you have on hand. Then rough out the week’s meal plan–or at least aim for a few days at a time–to shorten the number of trips to the market and avoid ingredient overlap.
4
Speed cleanup
Before starting dinner prep, run and empty your dishwasher so you have a place to put dirty items. Keep a trash bin or empty bowl handy while cooking to deposit all wrappers and waste immediately. If there’s a lot of mixing or measuring, cover your work space with wax paper to catch spills.
* Use larger mixing bowls than you think you’ll need. This eliminates messy spills and overflows, and you won’t have to transfer ingredients to a larger bowl midway through the recipe (and then have two bowls to wash).
* Line baking sheets and pans with foil or parchment paper–no washing!
* Invest in quality cookware. Heavy-duty pots, such as cast-iron or stainless steel pans will cook more evenly and are less likely to scorch. Those with ovenproof handles can go from the stovetop to the oven.
* Keep things tidy as you go. Wipe spills before they get a chance to harden, and keep a sink filled with soapy water to rinse utensils and to wash or soak pots while the meal cooks.
Before you know it, dinner is ready and your kitchen is virtually clean!
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5 space savers we love
* Lazy Susan for spices
* Rack for pot lids, mounted inside the cabinet door
* Clear plastic shoe bag hung inside the pantry door (for toothpicks, kitchen string, corn holders, and miscellaneous items that get lost in drawers)
* Under-the-sink bag dispenser for plastic grocery bags
* Hanging pot rack
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5 great convenience foods (and what to do with them):
* Precut veggies, shredded cabbage, and broccoli slaw: Use in salads, soups, and stir-fry or as a substitute for lettuce in a sandwich. They’re an easy way to add (or hide) fiber and nutrients in a meal.
* Salsa: It perks up stew and is great as a topping for pork, chicken, fish, or a baked potato. Mix into couscous as a zesty and colorful side dish.
* Microwavable “ready rice” (including brown and wild rice varieties): Instead of waiting up to an hour, this rice is on the table in 90 seconds. Not only an easy side, it’s also great tucked in a burrito with canned beans.
* Rotisserie chicken: Serve plain; shred and add chopped celery and dressing for chicken salad; or add to quesadillas. For a savory chicken soup, combine reduced-sodium broth with chopped chicken, “ready rice,” and pre-shredded carrots.
* Refrigerated mashed potatoes: So much better than dehydrated! Serve as a side (fancied up with minced garlic from a jar), or to top off shepherd’s pie.
–Jeanne Besser, Susan Puckett
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PARENTING SAVE THIS!
Meal maker
When you’re stumped for dinner ideas, turn to one of these two basic recipes to create deliciously different dishes–all fast, all easy.
CHICKEN CHOICES
Chicken breasts pounded thin cook more quickly and evenly; if they’re large, cut them in half lengthwise first. To save more time, buy the packaged “thin sliced” kind.
Makes 4 servings
4 (4- to 6-oz each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to uniform thickness
1 egg, beaten
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
3/4 cup sauce*, or to taste
3/4 cup cheese*, or to taste
*see variations, below, for specifics
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Dip chicken into egg, then cover with bread crumbs. Place in a single layer in dish. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Don’t turn.
3. Remove from oven; top with sauce and cheese. Return chicken to oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese melts. You can place under broiler for 30 seconds for added browning.
Variations:
Fiesta Chicken:
Use salsa as the sauce and top with shredded “Mexican”-blend cheese mix.
Mediterranean Chicken:
Use canned oregano and garlic-flavored diced tomatoes instead of sauce and top with crumbled feta cheese.
Barbecue Chicken:
Use barbecue sauce; top with shredded cheddar.
Florentine Chicken:
Saute 10-oz bag of baby spinach in olive oil until wilted. Squeeze liquid from spinach and spread on chicken. Sprinkle with shredded swiss cheese.
STIR-FRY MENU
The beauty of stir-fry is that you don’t need to measure exactly, and you can combine pretty much any protein, veggies, and sauce. The sauces tend to be a little sweet, so it’s a good way to flavor vegetables. Serve over cooked rice or noodles.
Makes 4 servings
2 Tbs canola oil
1 lb protein (meat, chicken, seafood, or tofu)
2-3 cups main vegetable*
1-2 cups second vegetable or fruit*
1/2-1 cup third vegetable*
1/4-1/2 cup prepared Asian-style sauce*
* see variations, below, for specifics
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high flame. Add protein and stir-fry 2 to 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove to a plate.
2. Add more oil to skillet if needed and add vegetables/fruit; stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes (add most tender vegetables last).
3. Return protein to skillet; add sauce to coat (stir in a little water if too thick or strong). Cook 1 minute.
Variations:
Beef, Broccoli, and Mushrooms:
Lean beef cut in thin 2-inch strips, broccoli florets, sliced mushrooms, thin-sliced red onions, stir-fry sauce.
Sweet and Sour Chicken:
Cubed chicken breast, shredded cabbage or cole-slaw mix, fresh or canned diced pineapple, thinly sliced scallions, sweet-and-sour sauce.
Hoisin Pork and Vegetables:
Lean pork cut in thin 2-inch strips, green beans or asparagus cut in 2-inch lengths, shredded/julienned carrots, diced yellow onions, hoisin sauce.
Penang Shrimp and Vegetables:
Large peeled shrimp, snow peas or sugar snaps, red pepper strips, drained water chestnuts, Thai peanut sauce.
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Jeanne Besser, a mom of two, and Susan Puckett are authors of The 5:30 Challenge Cookbook.
CAPTION(S):
Julie Toy
Julie Toy
PROP STYLING: JEN TAURITZ
HAIR AND MAKEUP: CHANTAL MOORE FOR CLOUTIER AGENCY
Store often-used items at eye level
COPYRIGHT 2006 Time, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group