Tips and Ideas On Shortcut Cooking

If you are like me, you are always looking for cooking shortcuts or ways to "fix" a little mistake you have made while cooking. Here are two that I have used many times over my 50 years of cooking.

[1] To cut hours of cooking time off your dried beans, microwave them for 14-15 minutes. Place the beans, peas, lentils, etc, in a microwave safe bowl, large enough to cover them with water about 2 inches higher than they are. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the bowl. Make a small slit in the middle to allow steam to escape. Put into your microwave set on high for 8 minutes. When it stops, check water level, add more water if needed. Replace plastic film and heat for 6-7 minutes more. Let the bowl cool before removing. Rinse, place beans into your cooking pot, add fresh water and seasoning. Cook as usual but for half the time.

[2] If you have used to much Mayonnaise in your Tuna or Chicken salad mixture. Place 6-8 plain or saltine crackers in a plastic bag and crush them into small pieces, with your dough roller. Then add as much as you need to help soak up the extra mayonnaise. Don't add too much or you will have the opposite problem. Taste your mixture before adding more salt.

Never give up on something as you will find a way to save or improve 99.9% of them.