Kitchen Helpers

Welcome to The Cherry On Top's Foodie Edition.

I, with the help of family, have been taking pictures of really simple kitchen hacks that have greatly improved my many hours in the kitchen.

We want to eat healthy and we want our food fast.  So, here are a couple of tips that will help move things along faster and more efficiently.

First and really important, plan your meals in advance.  Grab a cup of Jo, a few recipes books or your tablet and plan out 7 or 8 days of cooking.  (I shop on Tuesdays so, I plan through Monday.)  Once you make this a habit, you will find that you're eating healthier, saving money, time and so less hassle.  It really is ideal and I highly recommend you start doing this.  Follow The Cherry On Top's Weekly Menu Planner as a spring board to get you started. 

I've got this free print out for you.  Just frame it up and use those erasable markers to write in what's for din.  My family really appreciates this, too.

Now, for the hacks.  If you don't have one of these silicon brush thingies, than start looking for them.  I use them for so many kitchen tasks.  One, as shown here, to spread sauces.  I also use it to grease pans, muffins tins, cakes pans...I pour in a couple drips of olive oil then spread it all around with this brush, then chuck it in the dishwasher.  No more wasteful paper towels to spread the fat.

Have you tried baking your eggs in the oven, in silicon or cup cake tins?  They turn out perfect every time.  Keep your eye out for just how done you like them.  Doesn't take more than 10 minutes and during that time you can prep, clean or set the table.  My boys love these and also mini omelettes can be prepared to each person's taste, in minutes.

I am vertically challenged to a fault and recently stumbled across this little gem of an idea.  I use my silicone tongs to reach those high shelves.  I also have to put them back this way.  The silicone helps with slipping.  For the record, I haven't broken a thing yet!

Another way to use your tongs is to take the lids off of hot pots.  I use a killer gas stove.  It saves so much time.  You seriously can shave off at least 10 minutes of cooking time with a good stove and good pots and pans help, too.

I recently started making fresh soup. In the beginning it was kind of blah, but when I took the staff mixer to it, magic happened.  All of the flavours blended together perfectly and now my soup is dee-lish.  My boys also eat a lot more sleep when I make it this way.  They are not into chunks.

Another common kitchen tool I started using a lot more are spatulas.  Use small ones like this, to  get every drop or morsel out of containers and pots.  I started using the larger spatulas to clean out my pots, pans and dishes as well.  This way my dishwasher doesn't have to freak out over tiny pieces of food left on plates, pots and pans and I don't have to clean my dishwasher quite as much.

So those are a few tips that I've been using recently that have helped tremendously in the kitchen.  If you have some good ones, share them with us.

Thanks for checking out The Cherry!