Shortcut Foods

Secret Ingredients Make Mealtimes a Snap

Memorable meals don't have to take days to make. Plan ahead and shop for the right ingredients and you can cut your cooking time in half. The key is finding foods that add maximum impact without a lot of effort. Grab a cart at your local supermarket and you'll be surprised to find loads of terrific time-savers in almost every aisle.

Look for pre-prepped produce. Why do the prep at home when you can pick up peeled garlic cloves, pre-washed salad greens and diced peppers and onions just as easily? Save even more time when you buy cauliflower and broccoli florets and baby or shredded carrots instead of whole.

Take a pass through the pantry. Look for olives, capers and peppers, which add dimension to your recipes without hassle. In addition, it's easy to add richness to all of your meals just by cooking foods like grains, potatoes and vegetables in low-sodium canned chicken broth instead of water. You can also cut out hours over the stove if you pick up a variety of canned beans. Simply rinse and drain them before adding them to your recipe.

Don't forget frozen foods. Many chefs gravitate to fresh vegetables exclusively, but there are a handful of frozen ones that can hold their own. Frozen peas, edamame and corn are much easier to cook with than fresh and they taste fantastic, too. No shelling, no shucking - just drop them into boiling water and they're ready to go.

Be picky about your pasta. Some people think pasta's all the same, but it's not. In addition to catching sauces differently, the shape and size of your pasta determines how long it takes to cook. Go with something small like orzo, miniature elbows or capellini (also called angel hair) if you need something that cooks quickly. Stroll a little further down the aisle and you'll find some other time savers. Pick up a box of fine bulgur or cous cous. Soak these little grains in some boiling chicken broth and they'll be ready for the table in just about five minutes.

Dip into dairy. From blue cheese crumbles, to grated parmesan, to shredded Mexican mix, there's hardly a reason to break out the box grater anymore. Sprinkle it on top of prepared pizza dough, toss it into your next salad, scatter it between two tortillas or layer it in a casserole dish with pasta and sauce; cheese makes any of these dishes instantly delicious.

Make way for meat. People often consider meat the most labor intensive and time consuming part of any meal. That's simply not true. If you're looking for an entre, choose thin steaks, cutlets or fillets that can be grilled or pan seared in a flash. Consider pre-marinated meats, like Smithfield's marinated pork tenderloin, which are already flavored and cook up quickly on the grill or in the oven. Even easier, purchase a spiral sliced ham, precooked chicken or pot roast. Pull the meat into bite-sized pieces and toss with vegetables and pasta to create a homemade meal.

Seafood for what it is. From salmon to shrimp to mussels and clams, almost everything that comes from the sea is easily prepared in minutes. In fact, the best way to ruin a fresh piece of fish is to overcook it. Just steam some clams in white wine for an easy pasta topper or stir fry some shrimp with broccoli and you'll be at the table in no time. Intensely flavored by the sea, it's unnecessary to spend additional time heavily seasoning these meals.

Dally in the deli. You can easily bulk up your family dinners by supplementing with a few store-bought sides. The deli is worth a stop for more than just side items, however. In fact, prepared sliced meats like Smithfield Ham, roasted turkey and salami make for fabulous ingredients incorporated into a main meal. Toss some chopped ham, frozen peas and cream with pasta and it's bound to be a favorite.