"Cooking Sins": 26 Home Cooks Share Their Secret Cooking Tricks And Shortcuts, No Matter How Unconventional They Are

I like pineapple on pizza. Not gonna change my mind!

If the recipe calls for a certain type of onion, I will always use whatever onion I already have.

I haven’t replaced several of the spices in my spice rack for years (seriously, who uses that much dill?). I’m sure they’re less pungent now, but it’s far too expensive to replace them regularly.

I never follow a recipe fully. I use recipes for ideas of ingredients. I never measure anything.

I overcook pasta. Yes, al dente lovers, I know this is an Italian sin. But I prefer my pasta when it's super soft.

I break spaghetti in half before putting it in the pot of boiling water. Then I cut it up even more on my plate before eating it.

As for the why? It’s the way my mom did it. So now it’s the way I do it. My sisters break and then cut their spaghetti too. We’re all monsters.

Unless I'm really trying to impress someone, I just use that minced garlic from the jar.

When I cook for just myself my standards are so disgustingly low that the same people impressed by my cooking would be equally horrified.

I never check the date on any dried good/powder/etc. Hello lentils that have been sitting at the back of my shelf for ten years until I uncovered you this morning. In you go. Oh, good to see you garlic pepper that has been open for at least three house moves and probably doesn’t taste of anything. Let’s sprinkle you in.

I don't rinse rice. Ever.

I never make my own stock or broth. I just buy Better than Boullion, dashi or kombu packets, etc.

I melt chocolate in the microwave. It's just so much easier and faster than pulling out a double boiler.

I buy pre-made pie crusts. I love cooking almost everything with well-sourced ingredients from scratch, but I cannot be forced to make a crust for a quiches or pies.

Did commit: While in college, I was responsible for cooking the turkey one Thanksgiving while my mom was working and other family were hunting. My mom left very clear instructions, number one being “wash the bird.” I did, with soap. More specifically, with Lysol because, as I head learned in a food science class, turkeys were germy. Fifteen years later I am still not allowed to participate in prepping the turkey.

Mine may be worse…. I opt for powdered garlic pretty frequently!

I’ve never in my life sifted flour.

I don't use separate cutting boards for meat and veggies. I just do not see the point - I just cut the meat at the end of the cutting process, and it gets washed after that.

I don't use fresh tomatoes even if a recipe calls for it, just canned. I just cannot be bothered to deal with the mess that chopping up fresh tomatoes makes.

I buy preshredded cheese unless I need the cheese to melt smoothly for a cheese sauce or something. But for everyday burritos, eggs, tacos, etc.? Pass the bag of shreds. Cleaning the box grater isn't difficult but I'm lazy.

Tonight, I made gnocchi, but I used instant mashed potatoes because while I love rolling out individual gnocchi, I hate prepping the potatoes. Took half the time, and tastes great for a weeknight meal!

I cook eggs on medium and higher heat. Just rip em real quick. None of that slow cooked gooey slimy sloppy eggs like Gordon Ramsey does