Shortcuts

One of the easiest ways to prepare dinner in a flash is to use shortcuts. Some in the culinary community frown upon them, but the truth is they can actually mean the difference between take-out and homemade, and restaurants and caterers live by them. One of the best shortcuts is actually not a shortcut at all: it's simple prepping. Prep, prep, prep. Use common ingredients throughout the week and cut them up all at once. Then just pull them from the fridge when you are ready and fresh ingredients are right there at your fingertips. It will save grocery dollars because you will make use of everything you buy, save time, and save clean-up (a favorite of mine). So chop, dice, slice, and saute in advance for a quick meal any time.