BellaOnline Forums Food and Wine Cooking For Kids Time Saving Tips

Hi Lori!

Thank you so much for those great tips!!

I loved your recipe for teriyaki sauce-it sure beats having a bottle of teriaki sauce go bad in the fridge (we don't use it that often, but always enoy it when we do). Your recipe is the perfect solution, and I can't wait to try it!

Well, it might seem like a lot of sugar but keep stirring over heat until the sugar has dissolved. You CAN decrease the sugar but try it this way first. It really is yummy. I'm from Hawaii and we all make our teriyaki with cane sugar this way.

In Japan, there is more soy than sugar and it just doesn't taste as good. It is more salty.

As long as you keep the ratio from sugar to soy sauce at 50-50, you'll be ok. Quick, easy and soooo much cheaper than bottled! Koreans add sesame oil but we don't!

Here's a tried and true time saving tip for dying Easter eggs--hard boil your eggs NOW without telling your kids what it's for, lol.

To be technical, it�s more of a headache saving tip for you, otherwise, you�ll hear the following questions repeated over and over:

Are the eggs done yet?

How much longer?

Why do we have to wait for them to cool?

How much longer until the eggs cool?

Why is it taking so long?


Now, imagine saying, "Kids, it's time to dye Easter Eggs" and having a bowl of hard boiled eggs ready to be turned into masterpieces--no questions asked!

Some more time saving tips:
� Use only kitchen gadgets that really do save time.
� Plan meals ahead a week in advance, prepare the shopping list before you go to the store and buy everything you need. Prep vegetables for the week after purchase to save on prep time when cooking. Veggies and fruits can be prewashed and stored in Green Bags� in your refrigerator. Salad can be prepared in advance and kept in a vacuum seal container to greatly increase storage time.
� Before beginning to cook, remember Mise En Place and have a big bowl on your counter to toss in trash and scraps as you cook.
� Cook once and eat twice - make sure you cook a large enough quantity to freeze leftovers for a future dinner or create a new meal with the leftovers the next night.

Thanks
Potato Chipper

Thanks for the good tips, Mannu123!

Along the lines of meal planning for dinners, meal planning dinners with leftover lunches is a good idea as well.

For example, if a recipe calls for grilled chicken, grill some extra for lunch. When it comes time to pack lunches, simply combine leftover chicken with lettuce, tomatoes and cheese for a tasty sandwich or wrap.

This is perfect for school, work, or at home lunches.

If you want to use coupons, but don't think you're organized enough, here's an easy way to start.

All you need is a envelope, and the weekly coupons. When you see a coupon for the item that you normally buy, simply tear it out. If you want to be neat, then sure, grab some scissors. But, you can just as quickly tear around the edges--it doesn't have to be perfect.

Place the coupons in the envelope.

The next time you're in the carpool line, in a waiting room, etc., think about your grocery list. Pull out the coupons, and if there are any items that you are in need of, simply place that coupon in your wallet next to your cash or credit card.

It's easy to remember the coupons when the are right next to to your payment method.

There are hundreds of coupon organizing systems, books, and websites. You can certainly compare them and find one that fits your needs.

In the meantime, however, this is a basic "envelope to wallet" system that doesn't take long at all--especially if you're simply waiting in line at car pool.

Consider stocking up now on items you need for your Christmas menus. This will save you time, and possibly your sanity at the store.

That has got to be the best tip ever! What if the store ran out! I was looking for raw peanuts and Karo syrup for brittle and the 3 grocery stores were out of raw peanuts. Who would've thought?! One store was totally out of light Karo syrup. This was the week after thanksgiving

Hi Connie!

You know, we have a rule on the Cooking for Kids forum-you can't mention a delicious sounding treat such as brittle and not post the recipe!

I can only imagine how tasty your brittle is!

LOL, I don't think you want my recipe. My microwave had got to be on it's last legs because it burned the brittle. The same day I decided to make carmel popcorn and it has been quite some time since I have made popcorn on the stove and I poured a whole cup of popcorn in the pot with a little dab of oil and I burned the kernels before I even got them to pop. I had put my pot outside because the smoke was horrible and hubby laughed and laughed and said he would've loved to be here if all that popcorn would have popped. He said popcorn would have been everywhere. I had called it a day after I burned the popcorn and have to get motivated before making any more candy lol.