Three Kitchen Shortcuts I Can’t Live Without
As much as I love to cook, there are some culinary tasks that I just really dislike. Luckily, I’ve found some amazing shortcuts for each that you should know about (if you don’t already):
1. Frozen Chopped Onions
Chopping onions is at the top of my list of hated kitchen tasks. I’ve tried every trick in the book to keep from crying while I chop, but none of them work. I remember one particular time I made Crockpot Beef with Onions, a recipe that called for about 6 or 7 sliced onions. My eyes burned for HOURS after I finished slicing those onions.
So what’s a girl to do? A younger onion hating version of myself would have simply left the onions out. I used to do that regularly. But I now believe strongly in the flavor a little bit of onion can add to a dish.
Enter Frozen Chopped Onions. What a lifesaver!  Less than a dollar for a 12 ounce bag (maybe around $.80?), and worth every penny in my opinion!
2. Minced Garlic
I also really dislike mincing garlic. It gets all sticky and leaves my hands smelling for hours. (Yes, I know there are tricks for that too, like rubbing your hands with coffee grounds. But then your hands smell like coffee.) I know there is something to be said for freshly minced garlic, but that big jar of already minced garlic is a great substitute! You can find it in the produce section. Note of caution: I’ve also seen some teeny tiny jars of minced garlic on the Italian foods isle…that cost way more money for way less garlic.
3. Ginger in a Tube
I LOVE using fresh ginger, but trying to peel it and grate it or mince it can be tricky. And supposedly you can freeze whatever you have left, but I always forget when I’ve done that and buy more anyway. I’ve found this pre-minced ginger in a tube that I think is fantastic! You just squeeze out a tablespoon or however much you need. Done and done. This does have an expiration date, but I typically go through it faster than it expires. I find this in the produce section in my grocery store.
Do you have any kitchen shortcuts that you can’t live without?
I do my own frozen onions when they are in season and its super duper cheap and usually organic. I just chop them away one time and than flash freeze them and put them in individual bags.
On the ginger I do the frozen kind and when I need some I get out my hand grater and it works amazingly.
hmm I dont know if I have any else, I freeze bell peppers the same way as above and blueberries.
Courtney,
That’s a great tip for those willing to chop their own onions! Get it all done at once! I do wish I could find some pre-chopped onions that were organic. That’s definitely a drawback to what I’m doing.
I also love to freeze blueberries when they are in season. I’m still working through a big bag from last summer. They are just perfect for smoothies (which we have almost daily) and baked goods. My son also likes to eat them straight from the freezer.
I love the frozen onions! I’ve also found that when I need fresh onions for something (because it is something cold where frozen would be mushy or just for that fresh taste) there is always more than I need so I freeze my own. Best of both worlds 🙂
I’ve never thought about the ginger before – I just leave it out because it is such a hassel to work with – next time I’ll try the paste.
I use minced garlic in a jar, too. Same with pesto and roasted red peppers — I just don’t have the time to make either of those from scratch. The only way I’m able to chop onions is because I wear contacts, and contact lenses shield your eyes from the onion fumes. Otherwise, I’d be using the frozen ones too!
I’m also a big fan of the minced garlic. The ginger is genius; I’m going to buy some of that today. I love using fresh ginger, but I almost never buy it because I use it once and then forget that I have it. It’s also such a pain to grate it. I’m excited about the tube ginger, though – thanks for sharing.
Love these. I only use actual minced garlic when my husband will do it for me. We do use the cilantro paste in the tube a lot, because I hate having any fresh cilantro go bad in my refrigerator before I can use it all…
Fresh ginger (even the tubed kind) has such AMAZING flavor! Definitely get some to include next time. Your recipes will reach a whole new level of deliciousness. 🙂
I didn’t know that contacts would help. My husband wears contacts….maybe I’ll have to make him the official onion chopper from now on.
I do make pesto occasionally (with basil grown in my garden), but I love using jarred roasted red peppers too. Yum!
I LOVE fresh ginger too, and now that I’ve discovered the tube ginger, I find myself looking for new recipes just so I can use more of it. Delicious!
How great to have a husband to chop garlic for you! What a nice guy!
I love cilantro and use it frequently, so I typically buy it fresh. But for people who use it less frequently, those tubes are the way to go!
I buy that same minced garlic jar at Coscto! So easy!
I never thought to buy chopped onions – that’s brilliant!
Do you cook with ginger often?
I use ginger 3 or 4 times a month, typically in stir fry or baking. I LOVE ginger!