Family Dinner is Important and Easy - 30 Minute or Less Tips and Tricks

5 steps to 30-minute (or less) meals

Whipping up dinner in 30 minutes or less is easy when you know how long foods take to cook. The possibilities are endless with these five quick tips:

1.              Meal time vision quest:

As a busy mom, you’ve already mastered the art of time-management and multi-tasking, and can apply those skills to making dinner. Think about what you’d like to cook for tomorrow’s dinner the night before, and using the list of quick-cook foods below, create a menu. Knowing what you want to cook a day ahead will take the pressure off when it’s crunch time.

2.              Pound, butterfly, dice and mince:

Smaller vegetables and thinner cuts of meat will cook faster. The smaller you cut vegetables and herbs, the quicker they will cook, absorb flavors or infuse flavors into a recipe. Vegetables cut to 1/2" will cook much quicker than 1” or 2” pieces. Minced onion, shallots, garlic and herbs will infuse flavor faster. A quicker cook time also ensures nutrients are kept at their peak.  Thick cuts of pork, chicken and beef should be pounded to no more than 1” thick, or butterflied to make them thinner.

3.              Bang for your buck:

Use bold ingredients that will build flavors fast. Chicken or vegetable stock used to boil converted rice will add more flavor than just plain water. Water, generously salted, will season pasta or potatoes as they cook.  Wines, vinegars and citrus zest will add a zing to your cooking liquid. A quick marinade of oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and fresh herbs, will add a punch of flavor just before cooking. A second batch of the marinade can be made to slather over the cooked meats and vegetables before serving.

4.              Use quick cooking methods:

Braising, roasting and long simmered recipes are perfect for lazy weekends, but won’t cut it in a 30-minute kitchen. Stick to shallow pan frying, broiling, grilling, blanching and steaming when you’ve got to get dinner on the table in a hurry.

5.              Cook everything at the same time:

If you’ve got 4 burners, use ‘em all! Keep as many items cooking at the same time as possible. When something is finished cooking, cover it and set it in a warm oven until the rest of the meal is ready. Consider one-pot meals. For example, from the list below, you can combine pasta, vegetables and mussels or salmon for a quick, one-pot pasta dinner with a pan sauce of white wine, broth and shallots.

Cooking at home doesn’t need to be time consuming or overly fussy.  The simplest meals can often times be the best.  Using these short cut techniques will allow you to focus on what really matters – gathering your family and friends around the table and reconnecting after a long day.