My time in the kitchen is precious. In the effort to romanticize all areas of my life, I remind myself that it is the small, repeated actions that are often our greatest opportunities for joy. Make no mistake: With daily activity and busy schedules, meal prep can easily fall to the end of our to-do list. And you might be tempted to ask: Who even has time to host?! But with the holidays just around the corner, we’re all in favor of making things a little easier for us to reunite with those we love. So today we’re sharing our all-time best cooking tips. They are 100% foolproof and guaranteed cook for a crowd– and accommodation for the holidays – a breeze.
We’ll start with the ultimate cooking tip: quality, reliable cookware and tools you can use for years of memorable meals. We’re obsessed with Target’s new brand, Mint fig– and that’s the real hero of today’s post. Each piece is designed to help you have more fun in the kitchen. (And it doesn’t hurt that the collection features some stunning social content, in case you want to show off your cooking prowess.)
Watch all my cooking hacks in action in the video below
7 Kitchen Hacks to Help You Have More Fun in the Kitchen
Ready to make meal prep a breeze? Our culinary tips and cooking secrets abound. When it comes to hosting (and even preparing a weeknight meal), we’ve got all the inspiration you need to make your cooking rituals spark joy.
1. Prepare meals as much as possible
Meal prepping may be the oldest cooking trick in the book. But hello… if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Especially when hosting, try to do the majority of the work in advance. To ensure you also enjoy the party and aren’t overwhelmed when guests arrive, identify tasks that can be done in advance.
This is my favorite cooking tip from his restaurant years. In the days leading up to your party, ask yourself, “What can I do now to save time later?” » This might look like:
- Roast the vegetables beforehand.
- Create a menu of dishes that can be prepared a day or two in advance. (cereal salads, soups, etc.)
- Serve the meal in buffet style to streamline your board configuration.
- Opt for a store-bought dessert or prepare cookie dough to bake when guests arrive.
Stealing Camille’s thing: Need inspiration for a recipe? Here are my favorite dishes to prepare in advance for hosting:
Chopped Kale Salad Holiday Joys
Roast Chicken with Tomatoes, Lemons and Cilantro Salsa Verde
Sweet and Spicy Braised Short Ribs
Easy homemade pizza
2. Work smarter with a mandolin
Raise your hand if cutting vegetables is your least favorite kitchen task. This can be time consuming, but luckily there is a simple kitchen hack to streamline the process. I have a weakness for this portable mandolin from Target. Not only does this chop much faster, but your vegetables also look elevated. Think: thin slices of cucumber for salads, apples for your the best crispy everand even sweet potato chips for an aesthetically pleasing starter.
Stealing Camille’s thing: Simply adjust the thickness depending on what you’re slicing. The mandolin food guide keeps your fingers away from the blade (hence key). I’m tempted to say that this may be one of my favorite kitchen tools: everyone needs one in the culinary arsenal.
3. Place a towel under your cutting board
I’m terrified of all the near misses I’ve had with my cutting board slipping. Yeah. Ready for a mind-blowing cooking tip? Simply wet a cloth and slide it under your cutting board. Everything stays where it should and you can proceed with your cutting without worry. Keep this kitchen hack in your back pocket for future use with peace of mind.
I’m always shocked to learn how few people own a multipurpose scraper. (If this is you, add them to cart immediately.) Chefs love them because they make many tasks easier and faster. You can level ingredients into measuring cups and spoons, slice bread, remove scraps from your cutting board, and more. Honestly, the list is endless.
Stealing Camille’s thing: My favorite use is to quickly chop my fresh herbs and slide them straight into the bowl. This would also make the perfect gift for the hostess or cooking enthusiast in your life.
5. Say yes to implementation
This is another cooking tip I love stealing from the pros. “Mise en place” simply means arranging your ingredients – often prepared, measured and portioned – to streamline the cooking process itself. This is another opportunity to do some work upstream. This way you can just grab and go when it comes time to put it all together.
Stealing Camille’s thing: One thing I like to do is measure all my ingredients before I start cooking. Then I group the ingredients for each recipe I make onto baking sheets to help me stay organized and keep my mise en place for each dish separate.
6. Turn your leftovers into perfume
I deplored the difficulty of composting in the city. That was until I caught wind of an amazing upcycling kitchen hack. When you make something sweet this holiday season, save your leftovers. Make a pie? Save your apple cores. Orange pound cake? Store your citrus peels. When you’ve gathered enough, it’s time to simmer a pot. And believe me: even the comfort of your favorite candle cannot be compared.
Stealing Camille’s thing: When I host, I like to make my house smell amazing. Instead of throwing away my apple cores and orange peels, I simmer them in hot water with cinnamon sticks and spices. The whole house instantly smells like fall. It’s perfect for vacations or any type of cozy get-togethers.
7. Streamline Your Holiday Cookie Decorating
IYKYK: Nothing beats the excitement of baking your tried-and-true Christmas cookies. When it comes to tackling the season, there’s really nothing better than putting on your comfy clothes (slippers, your favorite sweater, and the coziest sweats) and hitting the town. But we get it… when you’re baking dozens of cookies, mess seems inevitable. Luckily, muffin tins make it easy to keep all your toppings straight.
Stealing Camille’s thing: For sprinkles, sparkling sugar, candies and more, I love using a muffin pan for a quick clean-up. Simply divide your decorations into each of the boxes. Bonus: all the colors and shades will look so pretty grouped together.
You can shop the full look on my Target showcasewhere you’ll find all my favorite Target buys for every space.
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