5 Kitchen Truths
We eat GBM meals at least 5 times a week, but I'm not here to pretend I never cook at home. I usually cook up a meal from scratch at least once a week- and I hope you do too! I enjoy getting my hands dirty and playing with new and traditional flavors. Plus, while I hope my daughters always have a freezer stash of Good Batch Mama, I also want them to see and learn some fundamentals of the kitchen.
My meal prep is pretty fluid since life is ever-changing, but I usually have a recipe or two I'm dying to tinker with, so I try to incorporate them every now and then. However, it is usually either when I'm chopping raw meat in my personal kitchen or washing the same cutting board for the third time that I have a breakdown and remember why our premade frozen meals are the MVP.
Ultimately, food has always been a part of my life, and, as I'm only a few months away from having 5 kids, I have made it my goal for each of my kids to take with them to their future families that same deep appreciation for family dinner and quite frankly, delicious food. I just happen to be sitting on the couch typing this as potatoes crackle on the stove just around the corner, and between stirring the pots and waiting for the oven to preheat, I was inspired to write down these five kitchen truths that we could all use a reminder of!
Some things are meant to stick to the pan.
Non-stick cookware is excellent for your scrambled eggs and grilled cheese, but fried potatoes and chicken are meant to sizzle in butter until they stick to the cast iron. Grab a metal spatula and, scrape them off and serve them up with all that crispy golden buttery goodness that's clinging to the outside. Sometimes, you have to scrub the pan- and that's that!
TIP: When you are done with the skillet, fill it half full with water and bring it to a boil on the stove, then use the same spatula, and all that extra stuff will come right off for easy washing.
Shortcut: Thaw your GBM Red Roasted Potatoes and cut up an onion, then add them to a skillet with half a stick of butter and cut your prep time down to almost nothing!
The weekend is made for big breakfast.
If your weekend schedule allows it, go all in on breakfast. We do a big brunch around 10:30 any Saturday we can. My kids drag themselves to the dining room table like it's 5:00 am, and we eat pancakes topped with apple crisp, with a side of bacon, scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, and fresh fruit like it is our last meal. By the end of brunch, we are all stuffed and ready to start the day. It is just what we need in our busy weeknight seasons, and I desperately hope they recall our breakfasts together for the rest of their lives.
TIP: Get creative and don't worry so much about a "balanced" breakfast (sorry!). Start with eggs (like Quiche or Brie Casserole) and breakfast meat, then experiment with sweet treats that excite your family. There is always something new to try, from Pecan French Toasties to cinnamon roll waffles or strawberry shortcake pancakes.
SHORTCUT: Cook your bacon in a large disposable pan at 425, then leave it on the counter until the grease hardens and toss it. The bacon dish is always the worst.
SEASONING IS NOT SCARY.
Whether you are cooking something from scratch or adding your own flair to one of our meals, being comfortable with the seasonings you have on hand is a superpower. I have a short list of premade seasonings I love- outside of that, salt, pepper, garlic, and herbs are about all you need. The best place to start? Invest in a few types of salt besides traditional table salt. Try Pink Salt or Sea Salt to ease into it. Grab a pepper grinder while you're at it!
TIP: Clean out your spice cabinet! I have been meaning to get to mine for weeks. Believe it or not, it is time to throw away that garlic powder from 2003.
SHORTCUT: Don't spend a fortune, but don't cheap out on spices. I love a good deal, but it can compromise flavor, and everyone hates caked or hardened seasoning or spouts that don't render an even shake.
NOT EVERYTHING IS MADE TO BE MEASURED BY YOUR HEART.
When my parents first moved into their new house, I offered to bring dinner over for them and my siblings helping move.I made chicken marsala and meatballs with gravy and mashed potatoes. I then made all the items again. My heart misled me as I poured wine into the marsala, and there was no measure of simmering that would reduce the over-powering flavor.It went in the trash. In my frustration, I began the meatballs and gravy and successfully put enough Dijon mustard in the pot to render it inedible. You get the idea- if you want to pour chocolate chips into your cookie dough with reckless abandonment, go for it, but when it comes to some things, you're going to have to dirty the measuring cup.
TIP: Write down a recipe if you are doubling it. I've tossed a thing or two from trying to do the math in my head.
SHORTCUT: *Sometimes* reading the serving size on a bag can help you determine how much of the bag to use without measuring, though I reserve this trick for things like nuts and chocolate chips.
YOU NEED LESS THAN YOU THINK YOU DO.
I'd bet most of us are tripping over our kitchen clutter. But ultimately, we run our dishwashers almost daily, and we barely scrape the surface of the serving utensils, small appliances, and pots and pans we keep around. Think about what you and your family use, then consider the holidays that you host, and make decisions based on that! I promise that less in your drawers and cabinets will translate to a better cooking experience for you! Plus, washing up a little as you go if you have to help in the end, too.
TIP: Open a drawer or cabinet that is overflowing with supplies. If you haven't used it in a year, you probably don't need it.
SHORTCUT: Some small appliances are a must- please hang on to your waffle maker and crockpot! But do you use your toaster? Plus, some things, like rice cookers or countertop steamers, can be replicated with your oven. Check out this article on oven-steamed rice and see what I mean!
