Make Extras: Get the most out of every minute you spend in the kitchen by following these tips.

• Cook extra batches of the foods you serve on the weekends and store them to serve during the week.
• Freeze homemade spaghetti sauces in meal- size portions. Reheat the frozen block of sauce in a saucepan on the range top.
• Whenever you grill out, cook up a bonus batch of meat-such as extra steaks, pork chops, or chicken breasts.
  • They can be tossed into a satisfying main-dish salad the next day.
  • Transform them into quesadillas: Pile tortillas with shredded leftover meat, cheese, chopped tomato, and chopped onion. Cook them on a hot grill or in a skillet and serve with sour cream and salsa.
• If you have some extra chicken, place it in a freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • A little bit of chicken left over from here and there can add up to the right amount for stirring into a salad, casserole, or omelet.

Depend on the Deli: Deli foods can be the starting point for terrific dinners, especially if you add a few fresh embellishments.

• Satisfying Sandwiches: Stock high-quality breads (ciabatta, French loaves, country loaves) in the freezer and have an interesting assortment of deli meats and cheeses on hand to make grilled panini, Italian-sauced sandwiches, or subs.
  • Italian-Style Three-Bean Salad: Add 1/2 cup sliced hearts of palm; 1 medium tomato, chopped; and 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed, to 1 pint three-bean salad.
  • Main-Dish Three-Bean Salad: Add 1 cup cooked and drained shell macaroni, ½ cup cubed cheddar cheese, and 6 ounces cooked ham strips to 1 pint three-bean salad.
  • Veggie Macaroni Salad: Add ½ cup thawed frozen peas and 2 tablespoons sliced radishes to
    1 pint macaroni salad.

Swift Sides

• It’s easy to put a meal on the table fast if you start with ready-made entrées from the
  deli and heat-and-serve dishes from the meat department. Call on these strategies, and you’re ready to round out the meal.
  • Cook more rice than needed for one meal and divide it into meal-size portions.
    • Store cooked rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week or in the freezer up to 6 months.
    • To serve, place chilled or frozen rice in a saucepan, adding 2 tablespoons water or broth for each cup of rice. Cover and cook over low heat about 5 minutes or until heated through.
  • Stock up on frozen vegetables. They cook up bright and quickly at mealtimes.