15 Lazy Yet Brilliant Cooking Shortcuts That Save Time And Effort

Cut back on time spent in the kitchen while still eating incredibly well.

1. Turn your waffle iron into a multipurpose appliance and use it to make anything from omelets to bacon.

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The rumors are true. You can make anything from grilled cheese to quesadillas in your humble waffle iron. Here are a few recipes to get you started.

2. Make four-ingredient no-churn ice cream right in a mason jar.

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Just combine cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, and any additional toppings like chocolate chips or cookie dough bites in a mason jar. Shake shake shake and freeze. Learn how to make in your own kitchen here.

3. Or turn boxed cake mix into a fancy dessert with a few ingredient swaps.

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We learned this hack on TikTok. Use milk instead of water, add five eggs instead of three, and swap the vegetable oil for melted butter.

4. Use frozen fish sticks or popcorn shrimp to seriously upgrade Taco Tuesday.

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Just cook the frozen food according to package instructions and toss it into a tortilla with your favorite taco toppings!

5. Make boxed mac 'n' cheese creamier and tangier by adding a spoonful of Dijon mustard and sour cream.

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If you want to make it even more gourmet, add some extra veggies such as broccoli, peas, sun-dried tomato, protein like chicken or bacon, and extra cheese like Brie or fontina.

6. For big batch crispy bacon without any mess or grease splatter on your stovetop, bake it in the oven.

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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place bacon on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Cook for around 18 minutes or until it's as crispy as you like it.

7. Make 8-minute tortilla pizza using whatever ingredients are in your kitchen.

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Here's another TikTok hack we'll be trying time and time again. Top a tortilla with anything from garlic, prosciutto, and pesto to marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake for eight minutes at 375°F and boom, pizza night!

8. For quick eggs without any mess, scramble them in the microwave.

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Break the eggs into a microwave safe mixing bowl or mug, add a little bit of milk and a pinch of salt, then microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove the eggs and give them a good stir, then continue to microwave and stir at 30 second intervals until they are cooked through. The entire process should take about two minutes.

9. Oh, and microwave Oreos into a soufflé-like dessert that comes together in minutes.

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Place a handful of Oreo cookies and milk in a microwave safe mug and mash up the cookies. Pop the mug into the microwave for about two minutes and you'll soon have a light and fluffy dessert that tastes like a mix of chocolate cake and soufflé.

10. Turn instant ramen into a satisfying meal by using the noodles as a stir-fry base.

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Instead of just heating up Instant Ramen in the microwave, give those noodles a new life. Toss them with Sriracha and peanut butter for a Thai-inspired dish, add frozen veggies and shrimp like lo mein, or add soy sauce, sesame oil, and veggies for a lazy take on Japanese yakisoba.

11. For the easiest chicken Parm ever, start with chicken nuggets.

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Store-bought chicken nuggets make the perfect chicken Parm base. They're already crispy, so theres' no frying required. Just layer them with marinara sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese and bake the whole thing in the oven.

12. Buy a rotisserie chicken and use it to make anything from chicken pot pie to chicken tacos.

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Store bought rotisserie chicken is cheap, delicious, and so versatile. Check out a whole list of rotisserie chicken recipes here.

13. Easily hack a can of tomato soup into a standalone, filling meal with the help of a few ingredients.

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Turn tomato soup into chili with some beans, ground beef, and cheddar cheese, or jazz it up with tortellini, spinach, and Parmesan. Or add some thick noodles and mozzarella or ricotta for a take on lasagna soup.

14. Speaking of soup, make the easiest chilled gazpacho ever with canned salsa.

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Just combine canned salsa (mild or medium work best), with some chopped cucumbers, onion, and olive oil in a blender. Pulse until smooth and enjoy on a warm summer day.

15. Use Lipton Onion Soup mix to whip up easy stroganoff, Swedish meatballs, creamy pork chops, and more.

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You can cook with onion soup mix in pretty much any recipe where you'd usually use onions, garlic, and cream.