Homemade cinnamon rolls. Slow-cooked stock. Fluffy cream cheese frosting. Cooking goals, for sure. Except for the part about time. Spending time in the kitchen isn’t always available. That’s where store-bought, convenience items and creative tricks come into play.
Think of these tips as less about cutting corners and more about smart solutions. But wait, you’re probably thinking: isn’t homemade better? Isn’t that what the bloggers and influencers and magazines say? Homemade is certainly worth it – when you have the time. If the clock is being kind, definitely carve out time and take on a homemade stock or a batch of pizza dough. If time is not your side, then join us as we lean into the words of our favorite influencer Ina Garten: Store Bought is Fine.
Here are five Store Bought Staples transformed into standout dishes.
Store Bought Staple: Canned Cinnamon Rolls
Transformation: Spiced Pecan Sticky Buns
Cans of wop-on-the-counter cinnamon rolls still live in store-owner Anne’s refrigerator at the ready for Saturday morning coffee. This recipe transforms the convenient canned confections to sweet spiced, pecan-studded sticky rolls. The sublime Chai-scented topping comes together in a snap and the result will rock your world.
Store Bought Staple: Canned Refrigerated Pizza Dough
Transformation: Grandma Pizza
Grandma pizza is a Sicilian-style pizza often attributed to Long Island, New York. Grandma Pizza – or Square Pizza – is the home cook’s weeknight answer to pizza cravings. Crank up the heat, grab a sheet pan and press in a store-bought can of refrigerated pizza dough. Drizzle our Basil Extra Virgin Olive Oil under the crust for extra crispiness. We kept the toppings simple with sauce and cheese. But you do you. The more toppings the merrier. Grandma would approve!
Store Bought Staple: Carton Chicken Stock
Transformation: Quick & Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
Full-flavored stock is the foundation of so many delicious dishes. From Gumbo to Lentil Soup, stock is a great place to start. In the Teaching Kitchen, we stash chicken bones and vegetable trimmings in the freezer and turn to the trusty Instant Pot or Slow Cooker to ready batches of chicken stock. But in a pinch, a carton of chicken stock is a sensible solution. To infuse rich umami flavor, we added parmesan rinds along with a bit of charred onion and bay leaf. The result? A chicken soup that is definitely good for the soul
Store Bought Staple: Tub of Frosting
Transformation: Orange Cardamom Cream Cheese Frosting
Mastering homemade frosting is time well spent. But there are times when time is simply not on your side. Tubs of frosting are notoriously, tooth-achingly sweet. We corrected this by whipping in a bit of salt along with just the right amount of citrus and spice. We used Ground Cardamom, Orange Blossom Water plus a little zest to transform this tub into a company-worthy dessert topping. The result is the perfect marriage of citrus and spice. Dollop on carrot cake muffins. Delicious on banana bread. Store bought pound cake? Ina would approve.
Store Bought Staple: Kettle Potato Chips
Transformation: Rosemary Garlic Kettle Chips with Parm
Sure, a bag of kettle chips can certainly serve as an appetizer – we’ve all been there. But what if those kettle chips were all gussied up and served with a cool, creamy dipping sauce? We did just that with a bag of plain kettle chips. A drizzle of Rosemary Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a shower of garlic and parm. In less than 15 minutes, you’re on your way to impressing your guests. Now, that’s an appetizer. All that and a bag of chips.
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