Shortcuts we love: Puff pastry dough, peeled garlic

Most store-bought shortcuts aren't worth it. They simply aren't as good as what you can do at home. But that's not the case with every shortcut. The following recommendations are for items where, as Ina Garten is famous for opining, store-bought is fine.

◼️ Sliced cheese

Store-bought shredded cheese is often coated with anti-caking ingredients that can prevent you from getting smooth and creamy results in certain dishes. That's not the case with sliced cheese, which often employs paper in between slices to prevent them from sticking to each other. You can buy sliced cheese, including cheddar, provolone, low-moisture mozzarella and Swiss, in packages or from the deli counter, where you can choose your desired thickness. I especially appreciate ultrathin slices, which I'd never achieve at home.