How To Be A Faster Home Cook

If there's one thing every cook wants in their kitchen, it's more time. A few extra precious minutes to set the table, to pack the kids' lunches for tomorrow, to do the dishes, and, most importantly, to enjoy gathering around the table and dining together with friends and family.

The first step to maximizing efficiency and speed in the kitchen is to think like a restaurant chef. Weekly — or even monthly — menu planning will allow for smart shopping and can eliminate the need to run back and forth to the grocery store every other day. Gathering all the necessary ingredients together before starting to cook (what's known as "mise en place") and reading a recipe in its entirety before turning on the oven are other must-dos that will help home cooks get organized and work faster. And one-pot dishes like paella, beef stew, and bouillabaisse can also be lifesavers for those without a dishwasher.

Even better, a bounty of quick tips and tools can shave minutes off time spent prepping and chopping. Here are 10 great tricks that will save you precious time in the kitchen — letting you enjoy the things you really want to be doing instead of all that dicing and slicing.

Click here for the How to Be a Faster Home Cook Slideshow.