Essential Cooking Tips for a Hassle-Free Holiday

SAVE THE TEARS
No crying allowed – at least no crying over onions allowed. We’re totally OK if you shed a tear over some happy news announced at the holiday table. But to prevent the waterworks in the kitchen, run onions under cold water and place in the freezer for a few minutes before cutting. 

DON’T OVERCROWD YOUR PAN
If you are sautéing your meat, don’t overcrowd the pan with other ingredients. Too much food in a single pan will cause it to steam.

GET SALTY
A generous dash of salt on all sides of your pork will bring out the cut’s natural flavors. Make sure you don’t overcook your meat or you’ll lose all that flavor you just added. 

DEFROST IN LESS TIME
Aluminum foil is a great way to defrost your meat. Placing cuts inside of the foil can reduce defrost times by upwards of 50 percent.

MEASURE STICK-FREE
Coat your measuring cups with a non-stick spray before adding sticky ingredients, such as peanut butter or molasses. A light coating helps ingredients slide right out.

BOIL SPUDS WITH SKIN
Don’t waste time peeling potatoes. Simplify the process by boiling with skin on and sliding it off with your hands before mashing. 

PEEL GARLIC IN SECONDS
Peeling garlic can be a pesky prep task. Place cloves in a resealable plastic bag and smash with the side of a knife. This will remove the garlic’s outer layers.