Learning the basics of cooking can make it a drag into an enjoyable activity. This article is designed to help your dishes more delicious and give you more confidence in the kitchen.
If you have decided that you might like to cook more food at home, look for a great book that can help you. These books can be found in many places: the library, online or even a family member. Try a few recipes, and be patient with yourself as you are mastering this new skill.
Your spices and herbs should always be stored in a cool and dark area. If they are exposed to light, heat, these items will begin to lose their flavor. Most ground spices will retain their flavor for about a year. Spices which are kept whole can retain their flavor for three years or a little more. Storing your spices in glass containers with a
This will give your food the flavor to what you are cooking.
For crispier French fries, let raw potatoes stand for 30 minutes in a cold pot of water. Soaking the potatoes helps to make the fibers within them stronger, which makes them better able to handle the heat during frying.
Mashed Potatoes
Try adding cauliflower in with your mashed potatoes to lower the fat content. The somewhat bland taste of cauliflower will blend seamlessly with your potatoes while picking up the potatoes. Cauliflower has the same texture and color as mashed potatoes, offering you a perfect way to add another vegetable to your dish while cutting calories.
Use airtight containers for flour, sugar and baking mixes in the kitchen. These containers keep your food safe from pests and help your items stay fresh by sealing out the unwanted air. You can buy these nearly anywhere, so they’re a worthwhile investment.
Plan to make a big pot of stock in order to freeze it for storing. Good homemade chicken stock is a wonderful base in soups, casseroles, stews and other dishes.
Add some chicken broth to vegetables when cooking vegetables. Chicken broth is a great way to add flavor to your vegetables while keeping them from getting stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Always read labels thoroughly when shopping for a recipe. Most cooking supplies have hidden ingredients that could be unhealthy. By reading the labels, you can check to see if the product contains sugars or sodium in high amounts. Sugars and sodium can be detrimental to your health if over consumed.
Many popular veggies and herbs have a scent that remains on cutting boards even after they are washed. Use indelible ink to mark one end of the cutting board so that you know which side to use for each purpose.
Always begin your cooking with utensils very well before you use them. Any leftover food post-washing can spoil the dish you intend to cook. This could lead to problems from bacteria to spread.
When you cook a pumpkin, the first step is to slice in in half vertically. The halves should be placed face-down on two baking pans. Preheat the oven to 350 F, spray a little bit of water over the surface of the baking sheet, and bake the pumpkin for an hour.
Always follow instructions to the directions for cooking mac and cheese. The macaroni turns out perfect and is to die for once the great looking cheese is melted over the noodles. A solid serving spoon is an easy way to serve your macaroni and cheese. Use some pepper on your mac and cheese!
If you want to serve a complicated meal, make it more manageable by prepping the day before. Get all of the ingredients that you will need, and chop or measure anything you can in advance. You will only have to get everything together and putting heat to it if you to cook.
Rather than using water or milk in a specific recipe, try a different liquid to add a new flavor. When a recipe calls for water, you can try chicken or beef broths. You may even want to try something like juice. Some great replacements for milk are sour cream, yogurt and buttermilk. Varying the liquids that are in your recipes is an excellent method of adding nutrition and variety to a dish.
Save approximately 1/4 cup of water and put it aside. When you are going to mix your pasta and sauce together, incorporate some of this water. The addition of the sauce via amalgamation.
This way, you will not waste gas when you are cooking, and you also provide a certain amount of safety when working with hot oil on a pan or other potential dangers when distracted.
Whenever you are adding seasoning to a recipe, add it slowly over time rather than dumping it all at once. By doing it this way, you are giving your food the most flavoring you can and you are making the most out of your ingredients.
As you gain confidence in your cooking abilities, you can attempt more complex recipes. It only takes your desire to learn and a time comittment. If you use these tips you can be better at learning how to navigate your kitchen. You can enjoy yourself while cooking if you approach the activity positively.