Spring has sprung and we're outside more now, digging in the garden, cleaning out flower beds, and planting planting planting. More time outside means less time inside. So with this in mind, I thought I'd share some of my favorite time-saving tips for kitchen work from our cookbook, Everyday Gourmet. The back of the book has 52 Tips-one for each week of the year. Here are 8, in the order they appear in the book. See if these don't save you a little time and energy:

13.

Mix liquids (whipping cream, puddings, gravies, and so on) in a paper bag that you sit in your sink. Place your bowl of ingredients on the bottom of the bag and reach in with your electric mixer. All the splatters will land on the insides of the bag and not on your backsplash, counter appliances, or underneath the upper cupboards. It's a real time-saver if you can avoid splatters and the clean-up they involve. (Placing the bag in the sink creates and ergonomically correct position for mixing, by the way-no hunching the shoulder as you mix.)

17.

Keep on hand and always use "gravels." These are freezer-prepped ingredients you make ahead and freeze. Good candidates for preparing ahead and freezing for later use are:

• Cooked, ground beef and sausage

• Chopped celery, bell peppers, onions

• Grated cheeses

When food is cooked, chopped, and grated, spread it out in thin layers on large jelly roll pans or cookie sheets. Cover the sheets with plastic wrap and place them in the freezer. These foods only need 2 or 3 hours to freeze, however, if you get busy and forget them, there's no harm done. After things are frozen, break up the now frozen sheets of food and store in labeled zippered freezer bags or plastic freezer containers in proportions you'll be using in favorite recipes.

Suggestions for using "gravels:"

• Sloppy Joes
• Tacos, tostados, enchiladas
• Soups and stews
• Stroganoff gravies
• Calzones and pizzas
• Marinara sauces
• Hot sandwiches

18. When not in use, store your oversized grilling tools in a plastic bag, sealed and either hung from the grill, or stored laying on the grill with the lid down. This habit saves precious space in your kitchen and keeps your tools at the point of use.

21. If you don't have time to chill a stew or stock before skimming off the fat, try this quick and easy method: Half fill a heavy plastic bag with ice cubes, seal, and set in the freezer. When the stew has cooled, drag the bag across the surface of your stew or stock then lift it out. The fat will harden on the ice cold bag. Rinse and repeat until all the fat has been removed.

29.

Save time when making lasagna by not pre-cooking your noodles. Just increase the amount of tomato sauce, paste, or marinara and layer your dish with uncooked noodles. Bake the lasagna covered with foil and the noodles will absorb all the liquid they need to be perfectly al dente. Also, if you make your lasagna the day before planning to bake and serve, the noodles will absorb liquid while sitting in the refrigerator.

37.

Save time and energy when marinating. The easiest way to marinate meat for any recipe is to put both the meat and the marinade in a heavy self-sealing plastic bag. It makes it easy to move meat around coat it with marinade, it takes up little space in the refrigerator, and it requires no cleanup.

50. Save time by not having to keep checking the water level in your double boiler. A few marbles added to the bottom pan will rattle when the water gets low. Then you know for sure it's time to add more water or remove the pan from the heat.

51.

You'll have less mess and after-meal clean-up if you use a lettuce leaf to contain taco fillings. Line each shell with a lettuce leaf before ladling in meat and toppings.