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Despite all the fancy techniques and tips I have learned from many years of reading cookbooks, magazines and watching cooking shows when I start cooking, whether for the family dinner or for a big party, I find I always go back to the first thing I had drilled into me in home economics classes in high school.  I always run a sink of hot soapy water.  Luckily I have double sinks so the other sink is available for prep work.  When I was first starting out in my own kitchen it was vital to wash up my one and only set of measuring spoons and cups as I went along in order to use them for more than one recipe.  Later when the habit was ingrained I found that it was just so very efficient to keep the limited counter space clean and clear, to always have the food processor and mixing bowls clean, as well as the assorted spatulas.  There are always  a few minutes in a recipe when something has to simmer, saute or bake when you can turn to washing up the dirty cooking utensils and prepping the next step or recipe.  The real bonus is that when you are ready to serve or your guests arrive the kitchen is pretty much in ship shape order and it doesn't feel like a huge project to do it in little steps.  Using the dishwasher would take too long and unless it was full I can't imagine running it for the couple of things I really need clean right now. When I spend a whole day cooking for a big party I may go through 7-8 sinks of hot soapy water.  Often a non-cook guest or relative will see that sink as the one place they can help and do the washing for me as I go without my asking. Thank you Mrs. Arnzen for holding us to this so long ago!  What simple but essential tips do the rest of you still use that you may have learned long ago from your mother, grandmother or a teacher? 

Two of the most important tips my mom taught me are also extremely simple: 1. always read the recipe first and 2. always double check that you've added all the ingredients when you're done. I will admit I sometimes fail to do these things and when I do, I  usually regret it. While there are plenty of dishes that can't really be saved if I've forgetten something, with a little improvisation so many can be. I have at least some chance of salvaging a recipe (particularly a baking recipe) if I catch an omission before the recipe hits the oven! It's also much easier to change recipes altogether if a thorough reading beforehand makes me realize I am missing an essential ingredient or that a particular step takes a lot of time I don't have (say chilling for several hours before baking.)

Now that I'm thinking about it, I don't think my mom specifically told me the importance of these things, but they are steps she always does herself, so I definitely learned by example!