Easy spring dishes

While it may not have felt much like spring this week with the temperatures we had, we are definitely in the thick of it. Weeds are growing and need to be mowed. Storms are brewing and causing limbs to fall. Trees are leafing out and pollen count is on the rise. Other than having allergies to deal with, this means we are moving outside more and spending less time indoors. Overall, that means less time you want to spend cooking! I know I just did a column a few weeks ago about spring, but it still applies and to be honest I am struggling with what to do in my column anymore so I have different recipes but the theme remains.

There are some easy ways to cut down on your kitchen time during the week. First, plan your meals so you aren’t wondering what to cook as soon as you get home. You already know if you planned your week and it’s far less stressful that way. After planning, check your ingredients on hand against the recipe and make a grocery list. You don’t want to be in the middle of cooking and realize you are out of a crucial ingredient.

Cook your meats on the weekend and just use leftovers to make your weeknight meals. Fix something that will take very little time to thaw or cook, like fish. Purchase precooked, frozen meats to make meals easier to put together or cook meats when you have time and freeze it yourself in portions you need for cooking.

Size matters! Whether meat or vegetables, the size of the pieces determines how long it will all cook. If you don’t have time to cut smaller pieces before you cook, chop what you can on the weekends when you might have more time. Just know what goes bad faster, some vegetables don’t last more than a day or two before they spoil. You can also purchase some pre-chopped vegetables in both fresh and frozen form.

Try boiling water in your kettle! Ever notice how long it really takes to boil water in a pot? If you don’t need much water, use a tea kettle instead. They are designed to boil water quickly!

Keep your kitchen well organized! It can take longer to find spices than to use them. Keeping them organized and clearly visible can help. The pan you use the most should never be at the back of the cabinet. Keep your utensils just as organized as the spices. Prep can be minimized using a food processor as well. Cooking can be minimized with a pressure cooker or use a slow cooker to keep from spending ANY time cooking after work. Anything that you want crisped can go in the air fryer for a much quicker cook time and such a nice crunch!

This week, I went with easy recipes that took very little time to put together regardless of what time I got home from work. I realized after I cooked it all, it had a very Tex-Mex theme to it. I assure you it was a happy accident though! This weekend make your grocery list and meet me in the kitchen for some easy recipes that will get you back out of the kitchen quickly!