Let's face it, even if you like to cook (and I do), most of us just don't have as much time as we'd like. These cooking shortcuts will help:
1. Microwave sliced onions before sauteing to speed browning/caramelizing time (this also works for baking or roasting potatoes).
2. When you are caramelizing onions, make double - or triple! - what you need and freeze the rest. (Making extra and freezing is a "duh" tip, but people usually think of making double portions of the actual meal. Freezing sauteed onions works great and saves tons of time from "fresh" cooking later.)
3. There really is no need to start melting chocolate in a double boiler when Duncan Hines brownie mix simply rocks.
4. There is also no need to cut, bake or boil, and then mash or puree squash for soups or puddings when frozen pureed squash is so conveniently located in your grocer's freezer.
5. Other frozen favorites: Trader Joe's pizza crust dough and Pepperidge Farm pastry sheets. They'll pass for home-made, it's up to you if you want to tell.
6. Couscous is an awesome last-minute starch: it takes a good 5 minutes to cook and presents as much more "gourmet" than minute rice (although I'll admit to having used that in a pinch too).
And as an aside, here is my favorite recipe of the season:
(Tip: I add sliced Portobello mushrooms too -- yum!)
Have more tips? Please share!