Surprising Shortcuts

[chowser]

While doing it from scratch is best, there are times when you're short on time. What shortcuts have you found that work in those cases?

I've just started using Trader Joe's frozen roasted corn and thought of this. I also like soup in a box, like the butternut squash soup and sweet potato soup (Imagine makes one).

[byrd]

when making tomato sauce: to start, nuking for five minutes on high for a can of tomatoes ='s a couple of hours on top of the stove, and then throw into the pot with your onions, garlic, olive oil, etc.

[Spencer]

I sometimes use a high quality canned red beans for my red beans and rice. Cooking beans foa a half a day sometimes doesn't fit into my schedule.