Holiday Meal Time-Savers

It takes a lot to get a meal out on the table during the best of times. Add in a host of soon-to-be arriving guests, a party dress that still needs ironing and meal preparation seems like an impossible — and time-consuming — task. These cooking tips will shave off minutes during a time when every seconds counts.

Always Be Prepared
Have all ingredients prepared, measured and set out within reach before you start cooking.

Blend It
Don’t bother chopping onions, garlic or fresh herbs for a salad dressing or veggie dip. Instead, use a food processor or blender to save chopping time, add your liquids and then blend.

Lemon Aid
Roll a lemon or orange under the palm of your hand on the countertop to make extracting the juice easier.

So Nice to Meat You
Remove meats from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before cooking so that they warm to room temperature. They’ll cook faster and more evenly.

Clean Up Crew
Clean up as you go. You’ll be glad you did when your guests start arriving ten minutes earlier than expected.

Excerpted from Cooking Basics For Dummies. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Buy the book!