Quick Ways to Improve Everyday Dishes with a Single Innovation

Those of us who enjoy cooking occasionally find ourselves falling into the cycle of making the same old recipes over and over. At times, we may simply find it easier or faster to make dishes that we are familiar with, or find ourselves using similar spices and flavor patterns with much of what we cook while the rush of combining the demands of work and family life with the desire to eat quick and tasty food may also find us resorting to ready-made meals such as bake mixes and instant mac and cheese dinners.

Not to Worry! Luckily, we have put together a list of simple ingredient substitutions which go a long way to improving simple dishes many of us enjoy but which may require a small innovative twist to lend them flavor which pushes them over the edge. Not only will your friends and family be totally convinced that your concoctions are the result of your expertise rather than something thrown together at the last minute but they will also have your loved ones begging you to share your culinary wisdom.

1. Kahlúa is a coffee-flavored Mexican liquor best known for being a primary ingredient in many classic cocktails such as the espresso martini. But as if that isn’t enough of a reason to keep a bottle on hand, is also makes a delicious addition to boxed banana cake mixes. Simply substitute 2/3 of the water called for in the recipe with the liquor to lend your banana cake a delicious flavor which will totally deceive your friends and loved ones into believing that your cake mix was an intricately concocted culinary masterpiece.

2. Kitchen hacks do not have to be limited to ingredients. A highly underrated cooking utensil is the fish spatula, while long, slotted and lightweight flipping edge is designed for flipping delicate dishes such as a fillet of seabass in the skillet without tearing or damaging the flesh. The name conceals the dish’s diversity however as burgers, pancakes and virtually any dish which requires a light touch can be flipped and removed from the pan effortlessly using this device. Its utility and affordability make the fish spatula a highly useful tool in any kitchen.

3. Modern, social media cooking trends have encouraged a growing range of tools and techniques such as kitchen torches and the Sous Vide immersion cooking, some far more practical than others. Among the most promising kitchen, gadget is the air fryer, an enclosed container that circulates hot air on anything from chicken wings to leftover pizza and French fries. While microwaving food risks ruining the flavor and texture, putting your leftovers into an air fryer will convince friends and family that they are right out of the oven, while avoiding the greasiness and unhealthiness of frying your leftovers in oil.

4. To those familiar with Italian cuisine, ricotta cheese immediately evokes images of homemade lasagna, the white cheese melting into the delicious sweetness of fresh tomato sauce. However, other cheeses such as béchamel create a velvety liquid texture, which is bound to have friends and loved one asking what you changed this time around. To implement, simply substitute

5. Oftentimes when cooking, the order in which ingredients are added and prepared makes a huge difference on the end result. For instance, when making mashed potatoes, add the potatoes to the water before boiling rather than letting the water boil before adding to produce a creamier and smoother product.

6. While Falafel is commonly made with chickpeas, fava beans are crispier on the outside, fluffier on the inside and a nice change from the heaviness of fried chickpeas. Try fava as a substitute to unlock the magic of middle eastern cuisine without the necessity of a long nap immediately afterwards.

7. Any honest home cook will admit to having made a soup which was too watery at least once, diluting the flavor and the texture. Before dumping your concoction into the kitchen sink however, consider adding tahini or instant mashed potatoes to thicken the broth and add flavor.

8. Despite our repeated new year vows to stay healthy the lure of the occasional some high-cholesterol deliciousness is irresistible. For those seeking a low effort, excellent tasting indulgence, the suggested dish is mac and cheese with sliced hotdogs. This meal is tasty, and quick to make while the general lack healthy ingredients means you don’t even have to pretend to care about your health as you eat it.

9. For mac and cheese lovers looking for a quick way to innovate there is also the possibility of swapping milk called for in most recipes with boxed creamy tomato soup for a sweet, delicious flavor.

10.  A final way to enhance the flavor of mac and cheese, especially from-the box mac and cheese, is to add a spoonful of cream cheese to the final product. Making it creamier and richer in flavor. Flavored cream cheese such as that which includes chives do a particularly good job of enhancing the flavor.

11.  The difference a subtle switch in ingredients can make can be noted when substituting light brown sugar, called for in many baking recipes, which call for dark brown sugar.

12.  The bay leaf can be added to almost any sauce, broth, stock or soup to add subtle but rich flavor. Make sure to fish out of the dish before serving.

13.  For those of us wishing to experience the indulgence of the aforementioned mac and cheese in breakfast form, there is the even simpler to cook (and probably less nutritious) French toast. And for those who do not find a unique combination of eggs, milk and Challah bread topped with maple syrup to be indulgent enough there is French toast made with ice-cream instead of milk. The concept here is very simple: swap  three quarters of the milk with vanilla ice cream to experience an unforgettable surge of flavor.

14. Earlier we discussed the value of adding liquor to instant banana cake to give your store-bought cake mix the feel of a five-star culinary classic. But what about mixing instant cake mix with Cool Whip? Cook at 350° for 8-10 minutes for the best results.

15. Instant Ramen has long offered a way out for the uninspired home chef, broke student or time-pressed young professional. But how to ensure that you can prepare this dish quickly while maintaining its flavor? Fortunately, the answer can be found by adding butter to the broth, making it stick to the noodles, and adding depth and flavor.

16. Returning, for a moment, to the realm of instant cakes, a good way to add flavor and a soft moist texture is often to add applesauce to cake mixes instead of oil, though it may require some judgment to decide whether this substitution is suited to a particular recipe.

The reality is that even the most seasoned home cooks may find themselves lacking the energy to create intricate, Michelin-inspired dishes on a daily basis. While there is no shame whatsoever in throwing together some leftovers or a quick, from-the-box mac and cheese, the innovative twists listed above ensure that you can enjoy a quick dinner without feeling that you’ve compromised on flavor or quality.