# Cooking. I admit it, I use \ **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 8, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072 "2010-09-08T17:12:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/181 "2010-09-10T20:02:56Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > > [@Shark\_Sandwich](#): > > > > I’ll do ya one better: when I’m jonesing for some good guacamole, I run down to the grocery store and pick up a bag of [Wholly Guacamole](http://www.eatwholly.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=188&Itemid=218) out of the produce section. It’s vacuum-packed, chunky, REAL avocado guacamole. It doesn’t contain any mayo, or other filler crap added (just check out the ingredients). Trust me, it’s goooood. > > But don’t be fooled by the vacuum-packing: the stuff doesn’t keep forever. I’ve found that they’re pretty serious about the Use By date on that stuff. (In other words, I bought some, didn’t open it for a while, then did. Not the best idea.) Wholly Guacamole is pretty good, though. And you can doctor it with additional onions, jalapenos, tomatoes, or what have you. > > … On the other hand, that Wholly Guacamole stuff freezes perfectly. In fact, they’ve come out with these little 100-calorie packaging. I buy 'em on sale and freeze immediately. One 100-calorie thingie of guacamole thaws in no time flat and is just the right amount for a sammich or some dip. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/182 "2010-09-10T20:46:49Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Fresh corn is very moist and will cook up perfectly without any added moisture, butter or seasonings. Boiling corn, like with so many things, leeches out nutrients (and flavor IMO) and can make it mushy, if you’re not careful. I want to make one thing clear: I AM NOT A FAN OF MICROWAVE OVENS FOR COOKING. But this method works so well that I use it often, unless I’m grilling. If you must use boiling water, for Og’s sake don’t salt it. Salt makes corn tough IME. Try a little corn oil. Especially off season. I like butter and salt too, but I like the corn well done, so maybe the effect of salt isn’t noticeable by then. Nothing wrong with microwave cooking, when it works. Corn, definitely. Tightly sealed so it steams. Mussels in sauce works fine. Got fish trimmings? Layer them on a plate, throw on bread crumbs, seasoning, cheese, wave for 3-5 minutes uncovered, fabulous. Scalloped potatoes, do most of the cooking in the wave, finish in a hot oven. Precook bacon, chorize, many other things before adding to a dish for further cooking. But look what people do the most, popcorn. I’d rather eat styrofoam peanuts than microwave popcorn. This should be a new thread. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/183 "2010-09-10T23:42:43Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Sir T-Cups, please don’t use Glade! It may smell nice and fresh, but it can’t be good for you!). I had to read this like 20 times before I realized what you meant. I meant GLAD not GLADE…and even then I’m sure I’m wrong. Just proves all the more why I’m in a cooking thread I will never know… ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/184 "2010-09-11T00:29:36Z")
> [@Baboonanza](#): > > > [@SpartanDC](#): > > > > Somehow, my wife can chop an onion without stopping. But when I do it, I have to stop every 30 seconds so my eyes stop burning to the point where I can open them again. Not sure if it’s a question of sensitivity or technique though. > > I find using a really sharp knife helps. > > I’m curious about these American ‘pie crusts’. What exactly are they? What is the difference between these and standard (or sweetened) short-crust pastry? The ‘boughten’ pie crusts I’ve used come in three versions, all of them basically shortening and flour, not sweet. There are pie crust mixes in boxes that you just add a little water to, to make a crust you roll out. There are frozen unbaked pie crusts sold two to a package, in tin pans, ready to bake, or fill and bake. There are refrigerated pie crusts, wrapped in cellophane, in a box, rolled or folded up. You just unwrap these, lay down in your pan, and you’re good to go, couldn’t be more convenient. (There are also graham cracker, chocolate graham cracker, and sweet shortbread cookie pie crusts for creamy sweet pies, pressed into tin pans, in every baking section in the store.) ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/185 "2010-09-11T05:05:26Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > > [@Maiira](#): > > > > My secret: I have a recipe for alfredo sauce that calls for cream cheese. I don’t have to make a roux! > > I feckin’ love alfredo. Give? > > My recipe doesn’t involve a roux, it involves a stick of butter, pint of cream (or half and half), garlic powder, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper, and simmering for for-freaking-ever. When it’s finally thick, you take it off the heat and add 2/3 c grated parmesan. Mmmmm. It’s actually not MY recipe, I got it online, but [here](http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quick-and-Easy-Alfredo-Sauce/Detail.aspx) it is. I did tweak it a little, though–I put about half the milk in that it calls for, if just because it always ends up too thin when I use the whole two cups. I should try your recipe, though, sounds pretty good. **Chefguy** : Yeah, I know cans rust if you leave 'em open. That’s why I threw it away in the first place…I put it in the fridge, looked at it like a week or so later, thought “this looks like it will make me ill” and then pitched it. Also, yes, I am female. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Baboonanza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f475e1/32.png) [@Baboonanza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baboonanza)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/186 "2010-09-11T07:38:02Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > [The ‘boughten’ pie crusts I’ve used come in three versions, all of them basically shortening and flour, not sweet. There are pie crust mixes in boxes that you just add a little water to, to make a crust you roll out. There are frozen unbaked pie crusts sold two to a package, in tin pans, ready to bake, or fill and bake. There are refrigerated pie crusts, wrapped in cellophane, in a box, rolled or folded up. You just unwrap these, lay down in your pan, and you’re good to go, couldn’t be more convenient. (There are also graham cracker, chocolate graham cracker, and sweet shortbread cookie pie crusts for creamy sweet pies, pressed into tin pans, in every baking section in the store.) Wow, we don’t have anything like that. We can buy either ready-rolled or unrolled shortcrust pasty (and puff or filo), but neither comes in the shape of a pie so you’d at least have to do some cuttng. I guess we don’t make as many pies as you guys 🙂 But then being a bit of a pastry snob I probably wouldn’t ever use them anyway. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/187 "2010-09-11T07:51:16Z")
> [@Baboonanza](#): > > > [@salinqmind](#): > > > > Guess we don’t make as many pies as you guys 🙂 > > > > But then being a bit of a pastry snob I probably wouldn’t ever use them anyway > > . Hey, this is the way I look at it. If I am going to make a pie. I am going to make a pie with fresh fruits/ ingredients/spices from scratch. The next time i make pie, I am going to make my shortcrust with, Olive Oil, Cold Butter, Lard, Crisco, Rosemary, ice cubes, water, salt and sugar. \*And, if I am going to make pie… I might as well make enough for family and friends( \*several pies). Frozren commercial crust is nothing like my better homemade. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/188 "2010-09-11T09:04:02Z")
Whenever I don my latex cock head, chicken-dance around the kitchen and cluck, _“family, tonight is Wing-Night!”_, my girls are overcome with ecstatic joy and laughter (and, no, they are not laughing at me, it’s simply a reflexive response to their ecstatic joy…I’m pretty sure about that). _Wing Night_ at Rancho Tibbytoes entails my frying up small batch after batch of succulent chicken wings coated a variety of ways (i.e. buttermilk, beer or tempura battered [hint: use ice-chilled seltzer water], sprinkled lightly with spiced flour or panko coated, etc.). Those destined for further enhancement get tossed in an assortment of fresh-made sauces (e.g. Buffalo Style [toned down a few [Scoville](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_scale) units for my 7-y.o. daughter—the wimp], honey-ginger teriyaki, Beaujolais-glazed, etc.). It’s taken as a matter of fact that ol’ Dad typically cooks from scratch and only rarely uses any type of written recipe—and then simply as a rough guide. So, when presented with a sauce-tossed bowl of chicken wings, la familia rests assured that they will momentarily taste something not only fresh and delicious (yeah, I’m that good ;)) , but also somewhat unique with respect to all previous Wing-Nights. So, it is with great shame and trepidation that I make this confession: one of my regular chicken wing sauces, the one in fact that takes center stage at all Wing Nights, the one my unknowingly hurtful family members blather most uncontrollably over…is…_not_…made by me, from scratch—it’s made by [Mae Ploy](http://www.tablematters.com/index.php/plate/pr/prmae). Oh, sure, I \*could \*make sweet chili sauce from scratch if I wanted to; it’s not that difficult a recipe. But, why should I even try? The store bought bottled stuff is as good as it gets…just ask my soon-to-be-cut-out-of-my-will, back-stabbing children! :mad: Ah, well, perhaps tonight the kids may redeem themselves and once more be back in the money upon my demise. For you see, Saturdays are pretty special at Casa Tibby—it’s when Dad pulls out all the stops and plays his A-game. Pork-Night! (_where did I put that porcine latex mask?_) ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/189 "2010-09-11T13:49:20Z")
I made a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving once from a pumpkin I grew. (well, it grew itself - I was surprised to find it out in the far reaches of the yard, seeing as how I did not plant any pumpkins that year! A freebie! I de-seeded it, cut it up and steamed it in the microwave, scooped out the flesh and drained and mashed it well.) I made the crust from scratch and served it with real whipped cream. Not to boast, but the difference between that pie and a frozen or commercially made pumpkin pie was like day and night. It was awesomely, awesomely good. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/190 "2010-09-13T22:52:25Z")
About the only shortcut I take is using prepared horseradish instead of grating my own. Oh, and I’ll use curry powder in the rare dish that calls for curry. I’m not snobbish about it, I just prefer the way fresh garlic/onion/mayo/whatever ingredients taste. I’ll happily cede you can make perfectly good food without using fresh, though. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/191 "2010-09-13T23:43:32Z")
For people who use bottled lemon juice, the frozen Minute Maid lemon juice (not lemonade, but sold in the freezer section with the frozen juices) is much, much better tasting. ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/192 "2010-09-14T00:02:04Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > I make guacamole by stirring a bunch of (pre-made) salsa in with some chopped avocado. Delicious and super, super easy. I do this too. Pico de Gallo + avacado + guacamole ! kinda sorta. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/193 "2010-09-14T15:22:23Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > > [@Baboonanza](#): > > > > I find using a really sharp knife helps. > > > > I’m curious about these American ‘pie crusts’. What exactly are they? What is the difference between these and standard (or sweetened) short-crust pastry? > > The ‘boughten’ pie crusts I’ve used come in three versions, all of them basically shortening and flour, not sweet. There are pie crust mixes in boxes that you just add a little water to, to make a crust you roll out. There are frozen unbaked pie crusts sold two to a package, in tin pans, ready to bake, or fill and bake. **There are refrigerated pie crusts, wrapped in cellophane, in a box, rolled or folded up. You just unwrap these, lay down in your pan, and you’re good to go, couldn’t be more convenient.** (There are also graham cracker, chocolate graham cracker, and sweet shortbread cookie pie crusts for creamy sweet pies, pressed into tin pans, in every baking section in the store.) I was unclear earlier - I meant the bolded, above. Pillsbury’s in a red box, next to the croissants-in-a-tube, two to a box, so you can either do one covered pie, or two quiches. They freeze beautifully, too. Really? They don’t have these in the UK? I haven’t had reason to pity the British in a while … ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/194 "2010-09-14T17:59:19Z")
premade salsa as a quick additive to chili, as a quick guacamole mixed with avocados [Pillsbury pie crust](http://www.pillsbury.com/Products/Pie) if I don’t have time to make crust from scratch, also makes good [homemade poptarts](http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/homemade-pop-tarts/), or [hamantaschen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamantash) [though the dough is actually different, sometimes I just want poppyseed pastries] [Filo dough](http://www.silco.com.hk/images/s-Filo%20Pastry.JPG) instead of hand stretched dough for [strudel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strudel), sometimes I really don’t have the energy available to make it properly and I just want some strudel. [Pillsbury Grands](http://www.pillsbury.com/Products/Biscuits/Grands-Frozen-Biscuits) canned biscuit dough for [red bean paste buns](http://images.ourfaves.com/images/User/adambalsam/p695229494_o.jpg) [the kind that should be rice flour, and rolled in sesame seeds then fried] and red bean paste filled [sugar covered doughnuts](http://foodbeast.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/img_0145.jpg). [roll them in sugar after frying instead of sesame seeds before] ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/195 "2010-09-14T18:09:08Z")
I don’t really like to use pre-made ingredients, but I don’t have a problem using pre-_prepped_ ingredients, i.e. the jarred, minced garlic. I also get pre-chopped trinity and mirepoix from the produce section, pre-chopped onions and the like. I don’t really see it as cheating since all I’m skipping on is chopping, and it saves time and mess in the kitchen. The closest I come to cheating, I guess, is often (not always) using canned stocks and tomatoes. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/196 "2010-09-14T20:40:43Z")
Pillsbury pie crusts… the kind that come rolled up. My mama does it and so do I. Cake mixes, for any kind of sponge cake. Scratch cakes just aren’t as light and moist. I wouldn’t use a mix for carrot cake or pound cake though. I originally opened this thread to confess that I use a garlic press rather than mince garlic by hand, but I guess the jarlic people have me beat on that one. I also use the tube of cilantro paste for my guacamole. It blends so nicely… and is so much less work. I use a biscuit cutter to mash up the avocados, too. I wouldn’t have thought to consider canned beans a shortcut, rather a masochism-avoidance tactic. Canned tomatoes, frozen peas, and frozen spinach aren’t shortcuts… they’re a legitimately higher quality product, for most of the year. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/197 "2010-09-14T22:04:48Z")
I’ve bought innumerable bottles and jars of garlic over the years. I have never used one up before throwing it away. It doesn’t add much of a garlic flavor; garlic powder adds more, in my humble opinion. Fresh garlic is just…very very different. But yeah, I only break out if it’s worth the smell. I mean, I love the smell, but dayummmmm… ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/198 "2010-09-14T22:45:13Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > I’ve bought innumerable bottles and jars of garlic over the years. > I have never used one up before throwing it away. > It doesn’t add much of a garlic flavor; garlic powder adds more, in my humble opinion. Yeah, that’s my problem with the jarred garlic. I can eat it out of the jar with a spoon, it’s so bland. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/199 "2010-09-14T23:21:17Z")
That’s true, it isn’t very flavorful. I usually supplement it with garlic powder. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072/200 "2010-09-15T00:30:49Z")
OK I just started my stopwatch, got up walked into the kitchen, turned on the light, pulled out the chefs knife, broke off a clove of garlic, smash/peel/mince/add a dash of kosher, schmear and final mince. 41 seconds. No need for a jar in my house. Mmm garlicky hands:) That’ll go on the hot links Im gonna make in a few minutes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-i-admit-it-i-use-this-short-cut/553072.md?page=11)