RALEIGH — With families busier than ever, who has time to spend in the kitchen? WRAL's Tracy Wilson went Out & About in search of kitchen shortcuts... and found some in a most unusual place: a traveling kitchen!
The Reynolds Kitchen is a 69-foot tractor trailer that rolls across the country offering time saving tips.
Here are a couple that Tracy discovered:
Prepare meals in foil packets to make cooking and cleanup a breeze.
Packet Meals
Place ingredients ( a chicken breast, barbeque sauce, corn niblets and green pepper slices) on a sheet of aluminum foil.Create a cooking packet by lifting the sides of the foil and folding twice. Then fold the ends twice, leaving an air pocket in the foil to allow air circulation.Bake on a cookie sheet in a preheated 450 degree over, or on medium high in a covered grill. Cooking time will vary depending on the ingredients. (The chicken example cooks for 18-22 minutes in the oven or 14-16 minutes on the grill.)After baking, open the ends of the packet first to allow steam to release.When you're cooking, prepare twice as much and freeze it for an easy meal later.
To cut down on clean-up time, line your baking pans with aluminum foil. When the meal is ready, simply recycle the foil or throw it away.
Meals made easy by creating them in a bag! Here's one idea:
Salsa Chicken
Put your favorite salsa in a cooking bag (available at grocery stores).Add cleaned chicken breasts and green peppers. Shake and let sit for several hours. (You can even put them in the bag in the morning, refrigerate, and then cook after work!)Bake in the bag in a 350 degree oven for approximately 25-30 minutes (varies depending on the amount of chicken).Be careful when cutting the bag open as steam comes out quickly.The Reynolds Kitchen offers more tips and recipes galore! Call the Reynolds hotline at1-800-745-4000for quick tips and recipes.
You can also visit the kitchen-on-wheels at the Southern Women's Show in Raleigh. The show features everything from home and gardening exhibits.. to make-up tips.. to crafts.
It's happening at the Raleigh Convention and Conference Center April 30 - May 3.
The show hours are:
Thursday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.Friday: 10 a.m.- 9 p.m.Saturday: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.Sunday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
