Is cooking for the family every night getting old? Cooking is a task that should be enjoyable, and not one that you dread. This article contains a number of tips that will make the process of preparing meals a lot easier. Once you implement the advice presented here, you will wish you had read it sooner.
If you will be juicing citrus fruits, get them extra juicy by putting them in the microwave oven first. Microwave your fruit for about ten seconds. Take the fruit out of the microwave and roll it on the counter to break the citrus cells inside, before cutting and juicing.
If you are about to serve salad to multiple guests, serve the dressing separately instead of putting it directly on the salad. The amount dressing that people prefer on their salad varies so allow guests to add their own dressing. Your guests will also enjoy having a variety of dressings from which to choose.
You should think big when preparing chicken stock. Plan to make a big pot of stock so you can freeze and store it. Good chicken stock that you make at home makes a great starter for soups, casseroles, stews and other dishes. Freeze premeasured amounts of your stock in freezer proof containers or bags when cool.
When cooking vegetables, it is a good idea to use chicken broth. By using chicken broth instead of water, you will add extra flavor to your vegetables. Chicken broth is dirt cheap, and can be bought at any supermarket.
Try not to overcook or undercook a cake. 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. A tried and true method is to insert a toothpick in the center of the cake. If you stick a toothpick in your cake, and when you pull it out, it does not have any batter on it, the cake is ready to be taken out of the oven.
Do you know that guilty feeling you get when you throw away fruit that has mold? You may have wondered whether you should just cut out the part that had mold and use the rest. You can’t save a piece of fruit that has begun to rot. After a certain point, the fruit may become moldy, though you may not be able to tell by looking at it. Consuming the fruit could make you very ill.
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. Try a few recipes, and be patient with yourself as you are mastering this new skill.
Winter greens offer a delicious vegetable choice that is both hardy and tasty. Following the first winter frost, greens like collards, broccoli rabe and kale become much sweeter in taste. Choose vegetables that are crisp and have a deep bright green color, avoiding those that are yellow in color. Wash your greens with lots of care because there could be a large amount of dirt on them. Place the greens into a bowl with cool water, shake them off and continue rinsing until the you see clear water.
It is not unusual to slip up and accidentally add excess salt to a dish you are preparing. Fortunately, there are solutions! Try peeling and chopping some potatoes and put them in your sauce for around 15 minutes. These potatoes will absorb all the extra salt in your dish. If the dish you are preparing is tomato-based, more tomatoes added to the dish will reduce the saltiness, simply cook until tender.
Making meals for your family can become a tall order. Luckily, you can do a number of things to make cooking simpler. Being in the kitchen should not be a stressful feeling, you should be able to go to your kitchen and feel relaxed.