Although lots of people dream of becoming great chefs, all the hard training that is required can be extremely overwhelming. If you are a beginner cook, you too can become a wonderful chef by following the techniques taught in this article.
Try to make sure you cook your cake to the proper temperature and do not over or under cook it. The time recommended on the box or in a recipe is a guide to be used with caution, because many factors, such as high altitudes, can have an effect on the actual time needed. You can insert a toothpick or even an uncooked, long spaghetti noodle to check the cake to see if it is ready. If no undone cake batter remains on the toothpick, you can consider it ready.
When preparing mashed potatoes, stir in hot (not boiling) milk to mix them. This will give your mashed potatoes that light and airy texture that you desire. Why would you want lumpy and dull mashed potatoes?
Always follow the directions on the box when making a simple mac and cheese. This way, your macaroni will turn out perfectly every time and will taste great with the cheese melted over the top. Serve it with a solid spoon to get all the cheese from the pot to the plate. Spice up the dish with a bit of salt and black pepper.
The night before you cook, try to prepare as much as possible. You will save gas or electricity, and you will be able to focus on one thing at a time.
Use high-quality utensils to cut with in the kitchen. You can save time not having to sharpen or deal with dull knives and sharper knives are safer to use. Dull knives cause more cuts and accidents than sharp ones.
If you are on a diet or perhaps just health-conscious, you can easily make a flavorful, low-fat soup or stew. First, you will need to purchase a fat-free stock or broth. Soup is also lower in fat when it includes veggies and lean meat. Before eating the soup, allow it to refrigerate for several hours. The rest of the fat in the soup will rise and congeal on top. Then you can skim off the firm fat layer and toss it. For each tablespoon of fat that you remove from the soup, you will save roughly 100 calories.
When you are creaming together butter and sugar to make cookies, make sure you have softened butter, but you don’t want it melted. If your butter melts completely, then put it back in the fridge to let it solidify again. You can also refrigerate the resulting dough. If your dough is too warm, the cookies may spread too thin.
If you desire to enhance the flavor in your soup or mashed potatoes, replace the water you are using with beef or chicken stock. If you don’t have those on hand, bouillon added to the water will also work. This gives anything from soup to mashed potatoes a kick of flavor, without sacrificing the moisture of your dish.
If you are planning a complex meal, reduce your stress by doing the prep the night before. Get the ingredients ready, chop the veggies, measure and prepare the spices and herbs. It’s also a great time to make sure you have everything that is needed. The next day when you have to cook your meal, all you need to think about is assembling and cooking the dish.
Whether you plan to dazzle your family with a well-cooked meal or impress a hot date with a romantic dinner, culinary talent will enhance your life in many ways. In most places in the world, individuals enjoy having a meal with their peers or family members. If you use the above tips, you will become an awesome cook and everyone will ask you to cook for the next big family event.