Tips That Make Cooking (almost) As Enjoyable As Eating
All new cooks have to begin somewhere. The fact is that even professional chefs had to start somewhere. Luckily, everyone can learn to cook well. Learn a few key pointers to become a great cook. Here are some great suggestions on how to start on your culinary journey.
Make sure that you cut your meat extremely thin as well as on the bias for stir-fry. It is possible that you may have a little trouble doing so in a time efficient manner. Before the meat is frozen (but when it is firm), pull the meat from the freezer, and slice the meat at a forty-five degree angle.
Whenever you are spicing up your meat, consider starting off with a small portion before you cook the whole piece. Meats like meatballs, hamburgers or meatloaf can be easily under or over seasoned. Cook only a portion of the food prior to seasoning the entire dish. First, make a little patty out of it and cook that first. Once you have tried your sample you can correct the seasoning or proceed with the cooking.
Feel confident when serving meals to a new guest or on a special occasion, by sticking to recipes that you have already mastered. You should not try to cook something new when you are cooking for someone whom you want to impress. Doing this will take some of the stress out of cooking.
If you are looking to lose weight and keep a healthy diet, it is very important you use less oil when cooking. Adding unnecessary butter, oil and lard can increase your intake of fat. Use nonstick cooking spray instead to get the same results as you do with oil but with fewer unhealthy ingredients.
If you are intending to use skewers when you cook, do not forget to soak them in water for at least half an hour before you use them if they are wooden. By soaking, you can prevent the skewers from burning while cooking your food. To prevent food from falling from the skewers, use two parallel skewers rather than just one.
While garlic imparts a delicious flavor to your cooking, it may also leave a residual odor on your hands. Try rubbing your hands on the inside of a steel sink after you work with the garlic or other potent ingredients. Your hands will be free from adding the garlic scent and flavor to other foods.
One good way to store extra sauce is to freeze it using ice cube trays. When you feel the need to create another meal, you will have them handy to heat up. The sauce will be very edible after it comes out of the trays.
Substituting another liquid for milk or water can help give your meals a new flavor. Substitute plain water with juice, broth, or the water that you cooked your vegetables in. If your favorite recipes call for milk, try substituting with buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream. Changing liquids can improve the nutrition of the dish and make it more lively.
Try drying your own tomatoes. Dry your own by slicing ripe tomatoes 1/2" thick, or cut Romas in half, lengthwise. You should place them on cooling rack, and salt them lightly with the cut side up. Put the rack on a baking sheet, and slow-bake in an oven that is set to 190 degrees for about 10 hours. You can store your dried tomatoes in your freezer. Another option is to store dried tomatoes in a jar that contains fresh, flavorful herbs and olive oil. Place this in the refrigerator and be sure to use it within 2 weeks.
Cooking is not always a natural talent, but with the right advice, you can easily turn yourself into a pro. Cooking is neither a complicated nor difficult activity. After you take note of the advice here, the sky is the limit.
Make sure that you cut your meat extremely thin as well as on the bias for stir-fry. It is possible that you may have a little trouble doing so in a time efficient manner. Before the meat is frozen (but when it is firm), pull the meat from the freezer, and slice the meat at a forty-five degree angle.
Whenever you are spicing up your meat, consider starting off with a small portion before you cook the whole piece. Meats like meatballs, hamburgers or meatloaf can be easily under or over seasoned. Cook only a portion of the food prior to seasoning the entire dish. First, make a little patty out of it and cook that first. Once you have tried your sample you can correct the seasoning or proceed with the cooking.
Feel confident when serving meals to a new guest or on a special occasion, by sticking to recipes that you have already mastered. You should not try to cook something new when you are cooking for someone whom you want to impress. Doing this will take some of the stress out of cooking.
If you are looking to lose weight and keep a healthy diet, it is very important you use less oil when cooking. Adding unnecessary butter, oil and lard can increase your intake of fat. Use nonstick cooking spray instead to get the same results as you do with oil but with fewer unhealthy ingredients.
If you are intending to use skewers when you cook, do not forget to soak them in water for at least half an hour before you use them if they are wooden. By soaking, you can prevent the skewers from burning while cooking your food. To prevent food from falling from the skewers, use two parallel skewers rather than just one.
While garlic imparts a delicious flavor to your cooking, it may also leave a residual odor on your hands. Try rubbing your hands on the inside of a steel sink after you work with the garlic or other potent ingredients. Your hands will be free from adding the garlic scent and flavor to other foods.
One good way to store extra sauce is to freeze it using ice cube trays. When you feel the need to create another meal, you will have them handy to heat up. The sauce will be very edible after it comes out of the trays.
Substituting another liquid for milk or water can help give your meals a new flavor. Substitute plain water with juice, broth, or the water that you cooked your vegetables in. If your favorite recipes call for milk, try substituting with buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream. Changing liquids can improve the nutrition of the dish and make it more lively.
Try drying your own tomatoes. Dry your own by slicing ripe tomatoes 1/2" thick, or cut Romas in half, lengthwise. You should place them on cooling rack, and salt them lightly with the cut side up. Put the rack on a baking sheet, and slow-bake in an oven that is set to 190 degrees for about 10 hours. You can store your dried tomatoes in your freezer. Another option is to store dried tomatoes in a jar that contains fresh, flavorful herbs and olive oil. Place this in the refrigerator and be sure to use it within 2 weeks.
Cooking is not always a natural talent, but with the right advice, you can easily turn yourself into a pro. Cooking is neither a complicated nor difficult activity. After you take note of the advice here, the sky is the limit.