Mise en place is not a very well known term to the home chef. It is to be prepared. Now that you’ve
thought ahead, you’ve bought and have food in your refrigerator, ready for tonight or tomorrow,
knowing you’re going to need to prepare something, chop the onions, celery and carrots. Put them into a container ready to use. Making a pie? Slice the fruit, sprinkle with lemon juice and
refrigerate. Think about what you are going to be cooking.

Mix your dry ingredients together for pancakes and sweet breads. Sometimes it feels time consuming to have to measure the dry ingredients. So do it ahead of time. Make it easier on yourself to eat well.

I keep a few baked potatoes in the frig, this keeps me prepared for a hearty breakfast or a quick side dish. Sliced, they fry up quick for cottage fries a quick side to eggs or meat.

If you want to be efficient you will want to have your ingredients in place, ready to go when you
begin cooking. It puts the reign on chaos when you pay close attention to the smaller tasks and
have them done when it’s time to pull the whole dish together. Time saving, it is. You still put
effort into it, but having some of the work done in advance takes some of the heat off you.

Check your recipes for ingredients and set them out. What utensils and will you need? Are they
close by or should they be set up where you will be using them? Tools, measuring cups, spoons, at
hand. I can appreciate a smaller kitchen where everything I have is close, hanging on a rack or on
a lazy Susan. Or two steps away in the frig. If you are blessed with a small kitchen, pay close
attention to having everything in place all the time, within reach as you cook. Think of this as a
way of life in the kitchen and beyond.

And don’t go to bed without soaking your beans.