Some tips to make dinner preparation easier are always welcomed.

That's Why I'm Easy

Right now you have either a song by (depending on which generation you are) the Commodores or Faith No More, or you might wonder if your browser search was no longer on safe mode. Not to worry, you are looking at a food article about why I am easy.

Previously I have written articles with their corresponding recipes, some of which seem complicated. I will admit that at times a new recipe does seem daunting, but usually after your first try, you come to find that the recipes I give to you are easy, simple, lip smacking good. As a mother of 3 very active boys, a homesteader that grows organic vegetables, and raises animals, easy recipes are a must. Just like any one else that doesn’t spend all their time in a kitchen. A few simple things can be done around your kitchen to make any recipe an easy one, and it doesn’t matter if you are into the high tech or a throw back, like me.

I knead all my breads by hand. On a machine this takes around 2 minutes, while kneading bread by hand can take anywhere up to 15 minutes. I cannot share with you a trick to knead by hand faster, as your bread needs that time, but if your bread calls for you to make a sponge I would make it the night before you bake the bread. A sponge can be allowed to sit and bubble all by itself over night, without affecting the flavor or the rise. With something like Potato Bread, make your sponge before heading off to bed, then continue the bread kneading and rising in the morning. This will allow you to have some sanity left by the time your bread is ready to eat.

Pre-making dinners is also a great way to make cooking easy. Plan your day off to make simple foods that can be popped into the oven, straight out of the freezer at a moments notice. Doing this with a friend and a couple of mixed drinks makes it exceptionally easy. Things like chicken nuggets, and french fries or a lasagna should fit the bill. Dessert and snacks can be treated the same way. Mix up several batches of cookie dough or pie filling and place them in the freezer for a quick fix later.

Homemade pre-made mixes are also an easy must. Cake mixes, pancake or waffle, and biscuits can be made with only the dry ingredients and stored in the pantry. These items are simple and you know what is in them. You can also undercook your pancakes and waffles and freeze them for a toaster extravaganza later in the week. Biscuits can be made and placed in the freezer for individual use when needed. Creating your own seasoning packets and storing them can also help with those last minute, need something OH MY WORD moments. Take some time to see what it is that you and your family eats regularly. If it is store bought, like a taco seasoning, you can create your own version or try someone else’s recipe. Seasoning packets are simpler then what the store-bought ingredient labels might tell you.

Crock pots are the easy person’s best friend. Grab some frozen meat, some of your seasoning, place it in a pot with a slew of vegetables and let it do its thing for 10 hours. Pull some pork, by allowing a shoulder to cook while your at work, in its natural juices. Drain it once your home, shred the meat and pour your favorite b-b-q sauce on it and allow it to cook for another hour. Heat up some canned veggies, or a side of raw vegetables, so easy. Your favorite soups can also be made in this way as well. Canning or freezing the leftovers in single size servings will give you that instant lunch you seem to always need.

Organization is important. Take a little time to clean up your seasoning and spice cabinet, throwing out the old stale items. Removing the ones you never use or use infrequently, and placing your must haves into a some what recognizable order. Though if you are anything like me, you will need to do this about once a month. De-clutter your pots and pans, as well as your cooking utensils. How many of those pronged cake cutters do you really need?  A well thought out and planed refrigerator is something that could help your recipes go along smoothly. When starting a recipe, measure and place out all your ingredients before hand, this way you are sure that you have everything in the correct quantity. Be sure to read all the instructions before starting, some food writers like to add little surprises in the middle of their instructions. You don’t want to be half way through a recipe, with part of your dinner cooking and discover that your eggs should be at room temperature.

Be aware of your time constraints. Timing can be everything when it comes to dinners, things tend to burn or go cold if you find yourself off on your timing. If this is the first time you are trying a recipe, give yourself 5-10 minutes longer in the prep time that an author may give you. Remember that they have been making this recipe for 20 years, you have already spent 20 minutes on a 10 minute preparation time. Paying attention to how long it does take you to complete one dish of a meal will help you in the planing phases. Once you realize that your chicken fried steak takes an hour to complete, you know when you should start your 45 minute mashed potato recipe and your 5 minute green vegetable side.

Once you have the timing down, preplanning meals is the simplest way to make your cooking easy. Make your tried and true recipes on those active nights, and give yourself one night a week to try something new along side your favorites. Even if it is as simple as adding a little somthin’ sweet to a savory casserole.

Simplifying your kitchen will help the stress levels, and those anxieties over complicated recipes. And hopefully opening up your world to a new life with new and creative foods. Being easy doesn’t mean being bored.