My time within the kitchen is treasured. In an effort to romanticize every area of my life, I remind myself that it’s the little, repeated actions which can be usually our biggest alternatives for pleasure. Don’t get me fallacious—with on a regular basis busyness and hectic schedules, prepping meals can simply fall to the tip of our to-do lists. And also you is perhaps tempted to ask: who even has time for internet hosting?! However with the vacations quick approaching, we’re all for making issues a bit simpler on ourselves to collect with these we love. So at present, we’re sharing our all-time finest cooking hacks. They’re 100% foolproof and assured to make cooking for a crowd—and internet hosting for the vacations—an absolute breeze.
We’ll kick issues off with the final word cooking hack: good, dependable cookware and instruments you should use for years of memorable meals. We’re obsessive about Goal’s new model, Figmint—and it’s the true hero of at present’s publish. Every bit is designed that will help you have extra enjoyable within the kitchen. (And it doesn’t harm that the gathering makes for beautiful social content material—in case you need to exhibit your kitchen prowess.)
Watch All My Cooking Hacks in Motion within the Video Under
7 Cooking Hacks to Help You Have More Fun in the Kitchen
Ready to make meal prep a breeze? Our cooking hacks and kitchen secrets abound. When it comes to hosting (and even getting a weeknight meal on the table), we have all the inspiration you need to ensure your kitchen rituals spark joy.
1. Meal Prep as Much as Possible
Meal prepping is perhaps the oldest cooking hack in the book. But hello… if ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Especially when you’re hosting, try to do the majority of work in advance. To ensure you get to enjoy the party as well—and that you’re not overwhelmed when guests arrive—identify the tasks that can be done ahead of time.
This is my favorite cooking hack from her catering days. In the days before your party, ask yourself, “What can I do now that will save time later?” This could look like:
- Roasting veggies beforehand.
- Composing a menu of dishes that can be made a day or two in advance. (Grain salads, soups, etc.)
- Serving the meal as a buffet to streamline your table setup.
- Choosing a store-bought dessert or making cookie dough to be baked as friends arrive.
Steal Camille’s trick: In want of some recipe inspo? These are my favourite make-ahead dishes for internet hosting:
Holiday Jewels Chopped Kale Salad
Roast Chicken With Tomatoes, Lemons, & Cilantro Salsa Verde
Sweet & Spicy Braised Short Ribs
Easy Homemade Pizza
2. Work Smarter With a Mandoline
Raise your hand if chopping veggies is your least favorite kitchen task. It can take up so much time, but thankfully, there’s an easy cooking hack to streamline the process. I’m partial to this handheld mandoline from Target. It not only makes chopping so much faster, but your veggies look elevated as well. Think: thin cucumber slices for salads, apples for your best-ever crisp, and even candy potato chips for an aesthetic appetizer.
Steal Camille’s trick: Merely alter the thickness to swimsuit no matter you’re slicing. The mandoline’s meals information helps maintain your fingers away from the blade (so key). I’m tempted to say this is perhaps certainly one of my favourite kitchen instruments—everybody wants it within the cooking arsenal.
3. Place a Towel Below Your Chopping Board
I’m terrified to think about all of the shut calls I’ve had with my chopping board slipping round. Yikes. Prepared for a mind-blowing cooking hack? Merely moist a dishtowel and slide it underneath your chopping board. Every little thing stays the place it ought to and you may proceed together with your worry-free chopping. Hold this cooking hack in your again pocket for future, mind-at-ease use.
I’m always shocked to hear how few people own a multi-purpose scraper. (If that’s you, add to cart immediately.) Chefs love them because they make so many tasks easier and faster. You can level off ingredients in measuring cups and spoons, slice bread, remove scraps from your cutting board, etc. The list is honestly endless.
Steal Camille’s trick: My favorite use is to quickly chop up my fresh herbs and slide them right into the bowl. This would also make the perfect gift for the hostess or kitchen enthusiast in your life.
5. Say Yes to Mise en Place
This is another cooking hack I love stealing from professionals. “Mise en place” simply means arranging your ingredients—often prepped, measured, and portioned out—to streamline the cooking process itself. It’s another opportunity to do some work in advance. That way, you can simply grab and go when the time comes to put it all together.
Steal Camille’s trick: One thing I love to do is measure out all my ingredients before I start cooking. Then, I corral the ingredients for each recipe I’m making on sheet pans to help me stay organized and keep my mise en place for each dish separated.
6. Turn Your Scraps Into Scents
I used to bemoan the difficulty of composting in the city. That was until I caught wind of an amazing up-cycling cooking hack. When you’re baking something sweet this holiday season, save your scraps. Making pie? Save your apple cores. Orange pound cake? Stash your citrus peels. When you have enough gathered up, it’s time to make a simmer pot. And trust me: even the coziness of your favorite candle can’t compare.
Steal Camille’s trick: When I’m hosting, I love to make my house smell amazing. Instead of tossing my apple cores and orange peels, I simmer them in hot water with cinnamon sticks and spices. The entire house instantly smells like fall. This is perfect for holidays or any type of cozy get-togethers.
7. Streamline Your Holiday Cookie Decorating
IYKYK: Nothing beats the excitement of whipping up your tried-and-true holiday cookies. When it comes to leaning into the season, there’s truly nothing better than putting on your cozy clothes (slippers, a fave sweater, and the comfiest sweats) and going to town. But we get it… when you’re whipping up dozens of cookies, a mess seems inevitable. Thankfully, muffin tins make it easy to keep all your toppings straight.
Steal Camille’s trick: For sprinkles, sparkling sugar, candies, and more, I love using a muffin tin to make quick work of clean-up. Simply portion out your decorations into each of the tins. Bonus: All the colors and hues will look so pretty corralled together.
You can shop the entire look on my Target storefront, the place you’ll discover all of my favourite Goal buys for each area.
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