A lot of people view having to cook as a nuisance. The tips below will offer you a few great suggestions you can use to make cooking an enjoyable event.
If you are just beginning to cook more of your meals, go straight to the nearest bookstore or library to find a cookbook that has simple, fun recipes. Cooking might take a while to master, as it requires perfecting certain techniques.
Keep spices in a dark and cool place. Shelf life can be significantly decreased for those spices which have been exposed to too much light, dampness and heat. Your spices will have a longer shelf life and retain their good taste if stored in a dark, cool spot. You’ll taste the difference in your dishes.
A must when cooking is the availability of sharp knives. You are more likely to injure yourself using a dull knife. You have a much higher chance of cutting yourself because you will probably have to force the knife through your food, instead of having to gently cut it.
Has it ever seemed like you were wasting food when you threw away fruits that were moldy? Would it be less wasteful to cut off the moldy sections and save the rest? If you have fruit that is just a little rotten, throw it away. Throw the fruit away as mold can grow beyond just what the eye can see, which could end up making you sick.
Have you ever experienced difficulty judging the time your meat should be grilled? When grilling, use a good quality meat thermometer. A digital thermometer is best and will ensure that meat is cooked thoroughly and safely. For a steak, or any other meat, that is more than one and a half inches thick, you can speed up the cooking time by covering it with the grill lid.
Flour, baking mixes and sugar should be stored in airtight containers. Storing food in containers that are impermeable to air helps the food last longer, and keeps insects out. It is possible to buy these containers almost anywhere and they are well worthwhile.
Chicken Stock
If you want to make chicken stock, you might as well make a lot of it. Plan on preparing a large batch so that the excess can be frozen and used later. Good homemade chicken stock is a wonderful base in soups, stews, casseroles and more. Put the stock into freezer bags and put it in your freezer.
When trying to eat a healthier diet or lose weight, you should decrease the portion of oils used in cooking meals. Many unnecessary fats are found in butters and oils, so decreasing them is a healthy way to lose weight. Use nonstick cooking spray instead to get the same results as you do with oil but with fewer unhealthy ingredients.
If you are looking for ways to include more protein to your daily diet, look no further than beans and tofu. They can be bought at pretty much any grocery store. Pan fried tofu, lightly sprinkled with your favorite seasonings, is a delicious substitute to meat. Soak and cook the beans with herbs, seasonings, and bits of meat for a flavorful soup, burrito filling, dip or other protein-rich application.
After you eat turkey, do not just toss the leftovers in the garbage. Instead, cut them up and put them in an airtight package and place it in your freezer. Cooked turkey that has been frozen can be enjoyed for weeks by defrosting and using for soups, salads and sandwiches.
Stay organized when you are preparing a meal to avoid kitchen catastrophes. Being organized with your cooking station can make it more productive. Also, organize your refrigerator and pantry to avoid buying unnecessary items that will eventually be thrown out.
Think about making your own stock for more flavor. You can make stock in large quantities if you wish, then store it in bags and put it in the freezer. You will have stock on hand for soup and other things. If you make your own stock, it will be much healthier and not loaded with preservatives.
Pasta Salted
Sprinkle salt liberally into the boiling water that is used to cook pasta. The seasoning will soak into the pasta this way. Pasta salted during cooking tastes better than pasta salted after the fact.
For maximum sandwich enjoyment, make sure you spread mayonnaise evenly across the bread. A haphazard chef might just rush through and slop a dollop of mayonnaise in the middle of the bread and call it done. When you take the time to spread them evenly across the entire slice of bread, you ensure that every bite contains maximum flavor.
If you don’t plan to eat your salsa within half an hour, and onions are on your ingredient list, run cold water over the onions and then use a paper towel to blot the water off. If you use fresh onions, they are going to release a sulfurous gas. The gas they release can ruin the salsa. This gas is removed by the simple act of rinsing and drying your onions.
If you are going to have a barbecue, then prepare your grill in advance so that you can start grilling right away. Allot at least 30 minutes for the process, prior to placing food on the grill, to get your fire started and coals ready. You should keep the coals at a medium heat and covered with ashes. This is optimum grilling temperature.
Fresh Herbs
Even a basic dish needs some big flavor, so try to add fresh herbs in your dishes whenever possible. It is fine to use dried herbs when the dish will involve varied flavors due to complexity. Fresh herbs have brighter flavors, though, and will lend a fresher taste to your meal. If you want to have fresh herbs whenever you need them, consider growing a little herb garden.
Hopefully this article has demonstrated to you that cooking doesn’t have to be a thankless chore. These tips will allow you to approach cooking with a renewed and creative vigor.
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