I am a big fan of The Food Network. I try to check in regularly with my favorites such as Giada, Ina, Paula, Bobby, Rhee (The Pioneer Woman). I love to watch them work their magic and inevitably get an idea for something new to try. My favorite blogs include The Bitten Word (why didn't I think of that?), Smitten Kitchen, and The Pioneer Woman. But, let's get real. Not too many of us have a perfect kitchen to work in with shiny, professional equipment. I think it is safe to say that none of us have the prep work done by little gnomes behind the scenes, measuring and chopping everything and putting them in pretty little bowls all ready to use. And after the cooking is done, the kitchen is magically cleaned to perfection, not a spill to be seen anywhere, the oven sparkling.
 
No, most of us come home from work or from driving the kids everywhere, hoping to put something nice together for dinner in a relatively short amount of time. I have a couple of shortcuts that have gotten me out of many a "what's for dinner" dilemma.
 
Keeping a few potatoes already cooked in their skin in the refrigerator is a favorite of mine. They are at the ready for browning with some onions and served as a side dish with dinner, or chopped for breakfast hash browns. They can also form the beginning of a nice dinner frittata. In summer they are perfect for a quick potato salad or salade nicoise.
 

When cooking pasta, make some extra, toss it with olive oil to prevent sticking, store covered tightly in the frig and you are ready for simply adding it to your favorite sauce, vegetables, chicken, shrimp or tuna and some light seasonings. Dinner in 15 minutes.
 

Roasted chicken from the supermarket has to be a universal fix. Mine usually doesn't make it home with the wings intact, but the rest of it gets put to good use. Make a Chicken Divan by slicing some of the meat and layer with broccoli which has been sauteed in olive oil infused with garlic. Pour alfredo sauce over the layers and sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and parmesan cheese and dot with butter. Bake in moderate oven until bubbly. You can also chop the meat and make a great curried chicken salad with apples, celery and raisins. Make a quick curry sauce in a pot with sauteed onions and garlic and add carrot and apple chunks. Add the cut up chicken and cover with chicken stock, cook until all vegetables are soft and serve over rice, topped with mango chutney.
 

Hard boiled eggs keep for at least a week in the refrigerator and really come in handy. Now you are ready to put together an egg salad, deviled eggs, garnish for a salad or just sliced for a sandwich on white bread with mayo.
 

Chicken milanesas, also known as chicken cutlets, are a favorite of ours. No pounding necessary. I buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts and slice them across with a nice sharp knife into at least three cutlets. These are then breaded in flour, egg and bread crumbs. Lay them on a foil sheet which has been sprayed with cooking oil and sprinkle the tops with olive oil. Cook in a hot (400 degree) oven for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately with a squirt of lemon juice. Always make extra for chicken parmesan later in the week or a great sandwich with the cutlet on crusty bread with lettuce, tomato and mayo. By the way, this recipe also works with very thinly sliced steaks or thin sliced veal. The South American way of serving these is to add a fried egg on top.
 
 
Refrigerated pie dough. Even the pros have caught on to these. They make pie making a breeze and if you don't need anything but a plain pie dough, these are terrific. You can roll them to your desired thickness, fill and you've got a homemade pie.
 

So maybe the pros would frown on some of these little tricks, and maybe a true chef would faint at the sight of a roasted chicken from the supermarket - or maybe not. I once read that Julia Child absolutely loved McDonald's French fries! Maybe when the cameras are turned off they also have a few other tricks of their own to make their kitchen lives simpler.