If you're a little doubtful that you can chop, dice and saute quickly enough, we've got a few time-saving cooking tips (and our super-fast recipes) to help you get dinner on the table in no time.

Time it Right
Before you start cooking a recipe (especially one you've never tried), read all of the steps from beginning to end and prepare the longest-cooking items first. 

Time it Right
For example, if you're making spaghetti, put a pot of water on to boil right away so you can get the pasta cooking while you prep other items.

Prep What You Can
Professional chefs get food out fast because they have a mise-en-place (which means “everything in place”) of pre-prepped ingredients right at their fingertips. 

Prep What You Can 
While most of us don’t have time to pre-chop all our vegetables before we start a recipe, it’s handy to get a few things out of the way before you start cooking, like mince a clove of garlic or measure a cup of flour. And of course, anything you can prep during the weekend (think: chopped vegetables, cooked rice, etc.) will always help you on those busy weeknights.

Keep Go-To Ingredients Within Reach

Placing frequently-used ingredients (olive oil, salt, pepper, favorite spices) near where you cook can also save yourself a few steps in the kitchen.

Think Ahead and Defrost
Before you leave for work in the morning, place frozen foods (like chicken breasts, ground beef, vegetables) in your refrigerator to defrost. They’ll be ready to cook by the time you get home.

Boil Water Faster
Pasta is one of the fastest options for dinner -- until you can get the water to boil, that is. Turbocharge your pasta-making routine with these simple steps: fill your stockpot with already-hot water from the tap, place the pot on the stove on high heat and cover the pot with a lid.