I'm such a freak when it comes to this. I have to have everything ready, prepped, etc before I start.

It eats up a lot of time. I'm trying to teach myself that I can chop onions while something else is going on and it won't be the end of the world.

lol i ALWAYS get the ingedients out on the counter...sometimes I prep them and sometimes I don't.

I take everything out to chop but I don't put them in a bowl. When I bake I do like to have everthing measured out.

It depends on the cooking method. It's imperative with a stir-fry. Less-so in a sear & braise. More often than not, I do, but it never looks so pretty as putting everything in its own bowl.

And I've definitely pre-sliced something like green onion or ginger an then totally forgotten to use it. When I'm cleaning up later, I find them and slap my head in frustration.

I WISH I did this, I see this on my fave cooking shows. It makes life seems so much easier, but usually I just have the items all out, maybe not prepped as above. When I don't at least do that, it gets too hectic and I get behind. I actually just bought a set of prep bowls from TJ Maxx, but hardly ever use them.

Also, when you do have things prepared, you can do dishes as you go along, and I like to have all the dishes done before we start eating.

I have these prep bowls, which are amazing.

Always. I actually really enjoy doing the prepping. I don't use recipes very often when I cook though so I always add tons of things as I go.

Never! It seems like such a big time waster to me... I often work 12+ hour days, and I cook every night. My husband is often on an opposite schedule in the hospital based on his ER or overnight call schedule, so I don't have time to make sure everything is chopped or prepped BEFORE I start to cook. It's prep as I go, and it always works out perfectly fine in the end!

No way. My goal is to dirty as few dishes as possible, so things go straight from the cutting board into the pan. If the green peppers are in there for five minutes longer than the celery, so be it.

Only when I make stir fry.

I totally do! It helps to be organized prior to starting to cook in case something cooks faster/slower than you anticipate. As a side note Mise en Place is also a fabulous restaurant in Tampa, FL! If you're in the area, check them out the food is AMAZING and the staff is some of the smartest foodies/winos you'll meet.
Here is the website: http://miseonline.com/

Totally off-base, but is this just a picture of random things in bowls or is something being put together? I am trying to figure it out (maybe shrimp ceasar salad?)

I find it easier to just have everything ready and then cook instead of trying to prep while cooking.

Yes, for certain things..

No.It's a waste of time. Don't like doing all thos dishes afterwards.

For me it depends on the recipe. I really enjoy the process of chopping and organizing, so sometimes I like to do it. Obviously I did it when I was making manchego pizza.

I always get all of my ingredients out first but I can chop something while something else is boiling or what not. I just don't want to waste all those bowls and have to wash them later and I don't have enough measuring cups and what not to lay them all out in those.

i do sometimes...usually when i have extra time earlier and want dinner at a specific time, say 15 minutes after my hubby gets home, i might prep earlier so that when i know he'll be heading home i can start and not waste time.
OR when i'm having company, makes it MUCH easier

Sometimes, it depends on the recipe and my mood.

Depends. I usually try to get everything together, but the prep can go either way.

I said yes but I usually prep the stuff that goes into the pan first and then do the rest on the fly. I never use prep bowls...I just make piles on my cutting board.

Not usually.. I am a multi-tasker and don't like dirty dishes!!

I really enjoy prepping, but do it moreso if the recipe is labor intensive or if I am having a dinner party and need things done in advance so I can cook very fast. I have also done it to teach someone how to make a recipe.

Yes, I do.

Yes and no. I love to cook

Oh yes...I need to have everything ready to go like this before I begin.

I usually like to do this, but sometimes when it's later in the evening I need to just start cooking right away.

i wish that i were organized enough to prepare in advance, but that's just too much for me. i'm one of those 'do it as it comes along' type cooks

When I do manage to prepare all the ingredients ahead of time, I feel like I am a chef on a cooking show. My little kitchen fantasy.

only when I'm cooking something very time sensitive like seafood.

Far too many dishes...I prepare as I go.

Depends on the food I'm preparing. If ingredients need to be put together quickly, I prepare everything in advance, if I'm making something like a stew, where timing is not essential, I don't.

It's a great way to check though if I've got everything I need, especially if a recipe calls for ingredients like spices that I may have run out of without noticing.

It depends on what I'm making. For stir-fry, I try to make sure everything is ready before I start, but for other things, I just kind of chop as I go. Usually I read through the recipe so I know when I'll need everything to be done.

I always do with a stir fry, but more often then not I grab ingredients and prep them when I need them.