Any tips for cooking fast to get more scrapping time?

[Lisa Dozier]

I found a new best friend lately and I thought I would share. It is my new Wolfgang Puck rice cooker! Rice cooker? Why would that be so great? Well- I can get out of the kitchen FAST!!!!! More puter time! I use it to cook most of my meals in it! Breakfast and dessert too! For example- everyone is hungry and I forgot to thaw something for dinner.tsk tsk I saute chopped onions in it, throw uncooked long grain rice, chicken broth,seasoning, ( add mushrooms/tomatoes) anything then I put in FROZEN chicken tenderloins in with the rice. In the steamer basket I put a head of cleaned broccoli cut up. Close the lid and voila- in about 20 minutes a nutritious meal for everyone and just 1 non stick pot to clean! Amazing! I have browned pork chops and added 2 boxes of augratin potatoes and it was yummy too.They say you can add jarred spaghetti sauce, water, UNCOOked pasta and frozen meatballs and have perfect spaghetti and meatballs. I have made mac and cheese - in it - yum. I belong to a yahoo group that is just for rice cooker recipes- if anyone is interested. I make my oatmeal in it and you can make soup, chili, etc. I did see a nice one at Sam's club for 24 dollars last night.
So - what are your tips to get out of the kitchen fast- besides take out?

[Angie Miner]

My crock pot is my best friend!! Also a standard quickie I keep on hand is Chicken Noodle Soup..

1 big can of chicken broth
1 can cream of celery
1 can of chicken breast chunks
1 bag of medium egg noodles
3-5 bay leaves
salt and pepper.

Throw everything except the noodles in the pot and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer about 15 minutes. Don't forget to fish out the bay leaves before serving
Tastes like homemade soup.

[Kryss Bourque]

I use my rice cooker quite often, but mainly for rice. I may have to try some actual recipes in it sometime. I also use my crock pot all the time!!! There are so many great recipes that you can use it for!

Eat out - don't have to worry about clean up. We really do eat out almost every night.

[Kryss Bourque]

ROFL!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Sandersmr

Eat out - don't have to worry about clean up. We really do eat out almost every night.

[Angie Miner]

Originally Posted by Sandersmr

Eat out - don't have to worry about clean up. We really do eat out almost every night.

We do too. We normally don't get done with skating practice until 6 or 6:30 and it's an hour to get back home. Everyone is too starved to wait for dinner by that point.

[Frani_54]

My timesaver is called JIM....my husband, I have been blessed to have a husband that loves to cook....he cooks all the dinners (except a few specialty one that I do) and I do the dishes....works out GREAT!

[MommySpice]

Originally Posted by Frani_54

My timesaver is called JIM....my husband, I have been blessed to have a husband that loves to cook....he cooks all the dinners (except a few specialty one that I do) and I do the dishes....works out GREAT!

I was just going to come in and say that my timesaver is Chris! *lol* He's a much better cook than I (though I'm not bad...) I cook once in awhile to make him feel like he doesn't have to do it all of the time.

[Birgit Kerr]

It used to be the crockpot for me but since last November it has been replaced by the nuwave oven. I LOVE that thing ! It cooks fast, yet leaves things really juicy, it doesn't heat up the whole kitchen (an important factor when you live in Phoenix) and it cooks stuff faster from frozen than other appliances do thawed.
We eat out very rarely (maybe twice a month if that) and I usually cook from scratch, so the crockpot and the nuwave are great time savers.
I also often cook batches (granted I only cook for two adults and two little ones at the moment) - I used to cook for 20-50 people for years, so it's still in my blood I guess I then freeze some of it and for the days where I don't get around to making anything from scratch we use the frozen.
Another thing I started during my pregnancy in anticipation of the first few completely sleep deprived months with babies was to make up casseroles and the like and freeze them raw, so when the time comes I just cooked it then - less of a warm up job/taste that way.
It also works for making up bags of stew etc ... ready to dump into the crockpot from frozen and go.
I tend to make saturday my prep day. DH does all the big shopping (Costco), I do a bunch of prepping for the week. Often the stuff from Costco needs portioning out and freezing too, so it works out well. I also sometimes make batches of banana bread, waffles and pancakes then, which I freeze, so breakfast is a cinch (just put in the toaster or microwave and go!)

[Donna]

I do a little of the crockpot and the make-ahead and freeze techniques.

Birgit - What is a nuwave oven? NEver heard of it- definitely need that in Texas- I hate to cook anything in the stove during the summer.

I do have 2 teenagers who can cook. I usually have them do one meal a week-
or at least help with the process.

Yawn.........I just for some reason resist making a meal plan. I'm ready for some new recipes!

Got any? Send them my way!