Time-saving meal hacks everyone should know about
No time? Want a meal in a matter of minutes? Trust these kitchen cheat’s to help you deliver a delicious dinner with the minimum of fuss (and washing up).
Use a cooked chook
Buying a ready-cooked chicken is a speedy way to bulk up meals and feed the family. Simple potato or pasta salads can be turned from sideshow attraction to main event with the addition of shredded pre-cooked chicken. You could also try using cooked chicken to add more flavour to packet soups, stirred through a simple pesto pasta or in a cheesy toastie.
Make your own cheat’s pizza
Keep crumpets on your shopping list to make tasty pizzas at a moment’s notice. Simply top the crumpets with tomato paste or chopped tomatoes, cheese and your favourite toppings, then bake at 240C or 220C fan-forced for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts and starts to become golden. That’s quicker than ordering takeaway!
Cook twice the rice
Whenever you cook rice for dinner, double the quantity and keep the extra rice in the fridge for a speedy addition to dinner the next night. Leftover rice is perfect for making a budget-friendly fried rice or adding to quiche, soup or frittata to make a heartier family meal.
Let eggs come to the rescue
If you have eggs in your refrigerator, then you always have a meal. Make an omelette using up all your vegetable, cheese or meat leftovers, or gently poach some eggs and serve on Golden Crumpets topped with cooked ham and homemade Hollandaise.
Stuff some puff
From free-form pies to tasty tarts, puff pastry is a must-have for quick weeknight dinners. Wrap a sheet around sausages to make quick sausage rolls, fill the pastry envelope-style with ready-made stews or curries to make speedy hand pies, or bake it in plain strips to make easy dippers.
Grab a taco
Taco shells or tortilla wraps make weeknight cooking a breeze. Simply fill with cooked mince, baked beans or crispy strips and top with salad and cheese for dinner in a flash. Best of all, by putting all the filling options in the centre of the table, your family can prepare their own meal themselves.
Try a one-pot winner
It’s not only the dinner preparation that can take ages, sometimes it’s the washing up at the end that can be the most time consuming. Although they may require a longer cook time, some stews, soups and casseroles require minimal prep time and only one pot to wash up at the end, reducing the amount of time you need to spend in the kitchen.
Make a plan
Catering for a larger than normal crowd? Save time and money by planning the menu in advance. Using the same ingredients over several courses will also help minimise the stress, for example if you’re serving a soup, use the same vegetables in the salad or side dish. For an Asian-style menu, many of the ingredients in a stir-fry would work equally well in a spring roll starter or salad. (Brought to you by Golden Crumpets)
