# Cooking Tips and Techniques

> Practical kitchen techniques and shortcuts that make recipes easier to follow and more reliable to cook.

- [Thanksgiving Dinner Plan](https://www.shopitmiseitmakeit.com/blog/stressfree-thanksgiving-plan/article.md): This plan and menu will make your Thanksgiving Dinner a success and let you have time to relax with family and friends.
- [Mystery of the Bland Stock Solved](https://www.shopitmiseitmakeit.com/blog/mystery-of-the-bland-stock-solved/article.md): Why homemade and boxed stock so often taste bland, what Julia Child teaches about reduction and evaporation, and the store-bought shortcuts Suzanne now relies on.
- [Not just for Buzzing](https://www.shopitmiseitmakeit.com/blog/not-just-for-buzzing/article.md): Your mini food processor can do more than mince and chop. Use the little hole in its lid to slowly drizzle in oil and make a perfectly emulsified salad dressing.
- [Square Off?](https://www.shopitmiseitmakeit.com/blog/square-off/article.md): What it means to "square" a potato for perfect french fries, with a video walkthrough and America's Test Kitchen's demonstration of the technique.
- [Buzzed = Chopped](https://www.shopitmiseitmakeit.com/blog/buzzedchopped/article.md): Why Suzanne "buzzes" her vegetables in a food processor instead of chopping by hand, and what to look for when buying one.
- [How to Create a Pocket in a Chicken Breast](https://www.shopitmiseitmakeit.com/blog/how-to-create-a-pocket-in-a-chicken-breast/article.md): A step-by-step guide to cutting a pocket in a chicken breast, stuffing it neatly, and cooking it safely, with no toothpicks and no runaway cheese.