Cooking tips

Cooking Tips and Shortcuts

It can cost a lot and take a lot of time to cook healthy for your family. If you have any good ideas for ways to save time and money in the kitchen, e-mail your name, state and/or country, and your tip to and06040@gmail.com. I'll post it here for everybody to see!

• I use cooked rice in a lot of recipes. To cut down on time, cook extra rice when you make some, then put it in the fridge or freezer for later. 
• When cheese is on a really good sale, buy an extra block or two and grate all of it. Put it in freezer bags and freeze. Don't forget to put the date on the outside. It's a lot cheaper than buying pre-shredded cheese!
• Buy chicken with bones when it's on sale, then boil it with onions. Pour the broth into separate freezer containers. This is a great way to have cheap, low-sodium broth. (Don't forget to label it!) When the chicken is cool, de-bone it and put it in freezer bags in portions that are usable. When ever a recipe calls for pre-cooked chicken or rotisseri chicken, just use what you have in the freezer! It saves on time and money.
• Instead of using a 10-oz or 20-oz package of frozen broccoli, use 2 or 4 cups of steamed broccoli. Buying fresh broccoli is usually cheaper, and it doesn't take long to cut it up and steam it.
• Grow your own vegetables and herbs if you can! It's even possible to do in a pot in your window. Google it or find a good start here.
• When fruits and vegetables are on really good sales, buy a whole lot of them, then freeze or can them. Or go to u-pick farms or farmers' markets and hit up the good deals. This saves money in the long run and can be an excellent back-up in case food or money is scarce.
• Use leftover cooked oatmeal, cracked wheat or whole-grain cereal to extend your hamburger. Put it in when the meat is almost entirely cooked. Most of the time you can't even tell the difference!
• Go to The Cook's Thesaurus website to find substitutes for baking and cooking ingredients that are healthier, cheaper or more available to you. 
• The oil and/or sugar in most recipes can be safely cut down by one-third to one-half of what it calls for. It makes a much healthier recipe!
• For meats that you usually cook in a frying pan, such as steaks, bacon and hamburger patties, use your oven. If you broil them on a rack, the grease drips away, you don't get oily smoke on your wall and it frees up your frying pan!