The ability to cook is a useful skill to have. Few things are more enjoyable than sitting down to a delicious meal, and preparing the meal yourself elevates the enjoyment. Not everyone knows how to cook as well as they want to. Below are a few hints that can help you to become better at cooking.
Use flavored butter spreads to add some zest to corn or rolls at dinner time. Pull the butter out of the fridge a few minutes before serving it so that it softens. Then mix in herbs, spices or sauces to add an extra burst of flavor. Give barbecue sauce a try, or mix in peppers, honey or lemon juice.
Fresh fruits, including bananas, apples and peaches will quickly turn brown if left exposed to the air after being cut open. Using lemon mixed with salt water is the common way to stop this, but pineapple juice does a better job overall. Just briefly dipping it will work, so you don’t need to let the fruit soak.
Cooking dinner for a party or large get-together can be stressful and overwhelming. Cut vegetables and fruit, measure ingredients, and marinate meat up to 24 hours before cooking. Prepare your sauces and marinades and make sure you have all your ingredients.
Salvage a less-than-perfect pie crust instead of writing it off. If pie dough is kneaded too much it can get cracks in it. Try placing some cold water within the cracks and using your fingers to gently rub the affected area. If your top crust has cracked, use a pastry brush to coat the crust with a bit of milk, and sprinkle sugar over the whole crust. This will give a nice glaze to the crust once it is baked.
Make a habit of washing your dishes as you use them when you cook. Have your sink full of soapy, hot water one side, and use the other side to rinse. Mixing bowls and your utensils rinse rather easily and can be cleaned and wiped before the next ingredients in your meal.
Try baking rather than using the microwave when you want to reheat a dish that contains oil. Oil heats more quickly than other ingredients, and the strong heat that a microwave has will cause it to separate from everything else. Reheating foods in the oven allows everything to heat more consistently, keeping the ingredients blended and the flavors intact.
If you make sauce, freeze it into ice cubs to use later on. This way, the next time you want some sauce, all you need to do is saute it in a pan. Nothing to worry about as the sauce will be fine even after it’s been sitting in ice cube trays.
Don’t throw out those small bits of vegetables and meat that collect in the refrigerator; use them to create a fried rice masterpiece in your wok. You can even use leftover rice, but if you need to make some, use slightly less water so that the rice is a little drier. Vegetables and meats need to be fried in a little oil before the rice and seasonings are added.
If a recipe calls for milk or water, try some other flavorful liquid to enhance the flavor of your dish. If the recipe has called for water, you could easily use chicken broth, beef broth, or juice when suitable. Substitute sour cream, buttermilk or even yogurt in place of regular milk. Changing up the liquids in your recipes can add nutrition, while livening up a standby dish.
As you can see, cooking can be easy. With the right techniques, creating delicious dishes for family and friends can suddenly become a breeze! Now that you have been introduced to these great tips and tricks, you just need to make the time to go and give them a try!