Holiday Timesavers

Dress up a side dish with herbs.

No matter how busy you are, there's no need to sacrifice the pleasure of cooking and baking for the holidays. Follow our helpful hints while creating something special in the kitchen.

• Nonstick spray coating. Forget the mess of greasing pans.
• Seasoning blends. One sprinkle adds a dose of good taste. Try Italian and pasta seasonings, Cajun seasoning, pepper blends, fajita seasoning, pumpkin pie spice, and five-spice powder.
• Minced garlic. Buy it in a jar and give thanks; 1/2 teaspoon bullet equals 1 clove.

Herbs also add flair to dinner rolls.

• Dress up a side dish, such as mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes with a long sprig or two of fresh rosemary or thyme.
• Add flair to dinner rolls with fresh herbs. Before baking the rolls, brush them with a mixture of 1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon water. While the egg white glass remains moist, place fresh Italian parsley or sage leaves on the rolls. Brush again with the egg white mixture. Bake as directed.

Keep these basics stashed in your freezer:

• Whole bags of toasted nuts and coconut.
• Grated gingerroot and finely shredded citrus peels, wrapped a teaspoon at a time in plastic wrap.