For many people, summer is a time for enjoying cold drinks, good weather, and tasty food. You might feel more inspired to cook up new recipes and challenge yourself to make something that you have never tried before. Being creative in the kitchen doesn’t have to take all day, however, and you should be able to enjoy being outside particularly when the weather is good.
Whether you are planning on entertaining a big group of guests, or simply want to find an easy way to create delicious dishes for yourself or your family, there are several ways to ensure that you don’t go crazy in the kitchen!
Be organized
This means that you should carefully plan out what you will need to do before you start cooking. It is good practice to write lists and keep boards up in your kitchen with a plan of action, particularly when you are cooking for many people. Being organized means that your fridge and cupboards are stocked with the essentials such as eggs, sugar, and flour, so you don’t have to stop mid-recipe and go to the supermarket! Keep everything in your pantry neat and tidy, so you know exactly where to look for an ingredient and don’t spend time searching.
Invest in some good quality kitchen helpers
There is an enormous array of kitchen helpers on the market which promises to take the pressure off of cooking. There has been a massive increase in consumers choosing slow cookers and pressure cookers. Both of these kitchen helpers independently bring your food to a state of juicy tenderness while all you have to do put your ingredients in and wait. Slow Cookers will slowly cook your dish, allowing the flavors to mix over a period of hours, which is great because you can just leave it and come back to it when it is cooked.
Now that it is summer, you may want to enjoy all the benefits of smoked food without having to set up a barbecue in your garden. The great thing about an electric smoker is that you can enjoy smoked food all year round. Check out this review of the Masterbuilt 20070910 from Electric Smoker Center. This is a fantastic way to enjoy the flavors of slow-smoked food such as meats, potatoes, and certain vegetables. With an electric smoker, you can enjoy all the benefits of smoked foods while saving on cost as well
Choose ready-made sides
There is no shame in buying ready-made foods to save on time, particularly when there is such a variety of good quality starters and side dishes on the market. When you are busy cooking for guests, this allows you to focus on the dishes that you want to get right, rather than spreading yourself thin by attempting to take on several dishes. You can even turn it into a joke if somebody compliments you on your starters or asks you for the recipe!
Meal prep
Despite what you might think, preparing your meals in advance isn’t just for bodybuilders who need to meet certain macronutrient and calorie goals. Spending an evening on a Sunday preparing a few meals or even cooking a large amount of one food can save you so much time in the kitchen. If you are cooking for yourself, your family or for guests, preparing your meals in advance will take the stress off of you and also allows you to make sensible food choices rather than being led by your hunger or panicking that you haven’t prepared anything.
