It's the time of year to ... slow down?

Now that the holidays are over, we should have a little more free time, right? Well, not if you're me! In fact, I'm writing this as I'm waiting for my (re-booked) flight to take off and I'm already realizing how behind I'm going to be on work, laundry, and everything else. It's busy times like this that I'm tempted to take shortcuts, just to squeeze it all in. However, if I can think of one tip, when it comes to cooking, that makes everything better, it's to SLOW DOWN.

Sometimes I'll measure things quickly and then accidentally spill extra ingredients into my mix. Or I'll be cooking some potatoes to add to another dish and will take them out prematurely, figuring they'll finish cooking in the oven/pan/whatever I'm adding them to, only to have them still come out hard and gross. Or I'll stir something quickly and splash half my sauce everywhere. You fill in the blank - there are tons of ways that going too fast in the kitchen can mess up your wonderful creation.

So I try to find balance. I save time by buying pre-cooked or already-prepared food where possible (think Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast Strips or Fresh Express Salad Bags) and then I'm able to relax while cooking, knowing that in 10-20 minutes I'll have a great meal - without rushing.

So start the year off right - slow down in the kitchen and save time with some great prepared products from your grocery store!