helping you cook better, smarter, faster
There’s nothing better on a snowy day than a savory soup packed with beef and veggies. But dealing with a large cut like chuck roast can be a little tricky and time consuming. I look at every recipe from the standpoint of how to make it healthier or faster. Many are fine as they are, but when I see certain red flags or want some “method” options, it’s time for a recipe renovation!
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I know it’s hard to find time to cook, but what if when you DID cook, you cooked double? Leftovers are great for lunches (so much cheaper and healthier than eating out daily) and great when you’re short on time in the evenings. Let’s face it, leftovers save cooking time!
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When I ask what holds them back from cooking, many people respond that it’s the prep time. And buying precut veggies is so expensive many simply punt and eat fast food. But what if there was a tool that could help you chop veggies in half the time?
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I’ve come to love kale in all kinds of different dishes…everything from plain kale chips to soups to smoothies to frittatas. And it’s a fairly reasonable veggie so far as price. But occasionally I find a great deal and want to stock up but know I don’t go through it very fast. What about freezing kale for later?
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You found chicken on sale and bought a lot. Now what? Let’s get a good deal of it cooked (see how here) and shredded so you have an easy shortcut to chicken salad, soups, or even a casserole. But what’s the best way to shred cooked chicken?
There are several options now…including a popular hack that didn’t work quite as well for me as I’d hoped. I’ll break them all down here (AND tell you my favorite) and you can decide what works for your situation.
Anyone can chop chicken meat…no super duper tools or skills required. A good chef’s knife will get the job done. And if you’re dealing with cooked chicken that has cooled off completely or has been refrigerated, this is really your only option…and it will be end up in chunks. But that’s okay. There are times you just don’t have the bandwidth to do it all at once.
If it’s cooled enough to handle, you can certainly pull it into threads by hand. This is the way my mom always did it. I am very sensitive to heat so I was looking for another option.
Maybe you’ve seen the hack to shred chicken with a standing mixer. Well, I don’t have one, but I decided to try my hand mixer. This one has to be done while the chicken is still hot so the fibers of the meat are easily separated.
Put the cooked chicken upside down in your deepest bowl (I started with my chicken breasts right side up and didn’t get very far), dig the beaters in a little bit, and go on low. It took a little work for me to get it all done…maybe starting with smaller chunks would be better. (Never put your hand in the bowl while the mixer is running!)
But here’s what happens eventually…Yep, I sprayed chicken all over the counter. And these are just the biggest pieces…the ones I could actually see flying in the video (see my Instagram reel here). There were LOTS of tiny bits of chicken as well. I’m still finding them stuck on the items that sit on my counter all the time!
My favorite method for shredding remains pulsing it in the food processor. Break the breasts into 2 or 3 chunks after cooling just a couple of minutes, then load in the processor and pulse a few times. Be careful not to put in too much at one time.
If you end up with a couple of pieces still too big, empty out the part that is to your liking, and put those pieces in with the next batch, till all is done.
Once all the meat is chopped, spread it out on a baking sheet and fully cool before freezing it or using it in a cold chicken salad. You don’t want condensation either creating from the temperature difference causing freezer burn OR making your salad soggy.
I freeze mine in 2 or 3 cups worth in quart freezer bags. Most recipes requiring pre-cooked chicken call for these amounts. Most chicken salads call for 1 pound or 3 cups meat.
Let me know which method you use to shred your chicken. And share this tip to save everyone some hassle and clean up!
I love nothing more than roasted sweet potatoes. But with the time it takes just to prep them, I was looking for a way to cook them faster so I could enjoy them sooner! And you can do that with the right tools! Did you know you can roast sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot or air fryer?
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We have some friends from China at our church. So, it’s always a surprise to see what they bring to potlucks and family dinners. Most recently, the food adventure was Chinese Steamed Buns (or Bao)…but toasted!
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I know you’ve seen the folded over quesadilla packet idea, but have you really thought about how versatile this thing is? You can almost put anything in it and have a fun, handheld meal in minutes!
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Lunch has its own brand of stress. You may carry it with you to work or at the very least there’s just no time to cook. It’s so much easier to just eat out…until you see the cost! So, let’s liberate you from the stress of lunch!
Continue reading “3 ways to limit the stress of lunch”
Looking for the quickest possible entree? You can’t beat shrimp!!! Super tasty (probably the least “taste offensive” seafood – even I struggle with a fishy taste) and with only a couple of ingredients (and Whole30 compliant) easily a new favorite you’ll use over and over. Try this super quick shrimp!
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