“I don’t know how you do it?” This proverbial question is commonplace amongst mommies.

The mom with one child says it in awe to the mom of multiples. The stay-at-home mom says it to the working mom and vice versa. The mother of girls says it in amazement to the mom of boys. You get the idea. The “it” has yet to be defined. I can, however, offer some insight into the “how.”The “how” is by cutting corners, plain and simple. Call it efficient or even lazy – but cutting corners is the key to successful mothering.

There’s no better place to take short cuts than in the kitchen. Although I’m not (yet) proficient in the kitchen, I’ve cooked enough to acquire tips on simplifying. Here are five quick and easy ways to streamline your mealtime preparation and cooking.

1. The Magic of Mirepoix
Martha Stewart lauds, “Mirepoix is a combination of aromatic vegetables that gives a subtle background flavor to dishes such as soups, stews, and braises.” Available at every grocery
store, pre-diced mirepoix lends a fresh and healthy addition to many meals.

2. “Involving” your Kids
Since starting “The Dinner Dance” series, everyone offers their cooking advice and tips. My hairdresser (also a culinary queen) suggests “involving” the kids in a way that gets them out
from under foot, whilst still feeling participatory. Her go to trick is seeking their assistance in washing. From potatoes to plastic cups – your little sous chefs can assist and allow you to cook.They’ll love washing and getting wet and are safely stationed at the sink. This activity will hopefully harness their pre-dinner fervor. My grandiose notions of cooking collaboratively with my kids are still aspirational. The reality is, at this stage in my cooking abilities, I put the T.V. on and hope it engages them until dinner. My youngest is generally unenthused by T.V., which is great for her development and not so great for the prospect of our dinner, hence the next tip.

3. The Witching Hour Antidote
Babywearing, not limited to babies, is a lifesaver in the kitchen. Come 5 p.m. the stars align to create a horrific scene. Whether you have a wailing baby or whining kids, or both, putting a frozen pizza in the oven can seem like an easy option. However, try babywearing before succumbing to frozen food. Baby carriers soothe and contain the fussiest babies, making cooking possible. Although my youngest is almost three and I rarely wear her anymore, I grab my ergo like a lifejacket on a sinking ship when she starts to fuss the moment I begin cooking.Her new view from above brings with it hilarious commentary and the occasional seasoning of drool in the pots.

4. Feed the Lions
A guaranteed way to keep your lions tame is to offer crudités or fresh fruit while they wait. If they’re truly hungry they’ll reach their daily vegetable and fruit requirements before dinner is served. Your fresh and healthy meals’ vegetables are a bonus.

5. Creative Leftovers
Like a chameleon changing colors, last night’s dinner needs to change into something
unrecognizable and still savory. Deceiving your little dinner dates is key. Cooking once and reaping two, maybe more meals is the epitome of optimization.

There you have it, a dash of cooking tips to minimize the burden that cooking brings to us less adept mom-cooks.

Our tip this week is a how-to video on soft boiled eggs. Claire’s 40 second video offers a lifetime of perfect eggs. **Be sure the water is boiling before starting the timer.** You can read Claire Handleman’s latest blog post on Passport to Eat.