Being able to cook will really serve you well in life. Home cooked food is healthy, delicious and is even easy on your wallet.
Do not serve a soup or stew with excess fat. If your stew or soup has a lot of fat in it, allow it to cool and then scoop out the fat that rises to the top. Place an cube of ice on a spoon or ladle, and skim the surface of the soup or stew. The excess fat will affix itself to the ice. You can skim fat off of the top of stews and soups by using a paper towel.
Having the prep work done a day in advance will make the cooking process less stressful. There are a lot of things you can do ahead of time like chopping vegetables, measuring seasonings and gathering all the utensils you will need. Also verify that you aren’t missing any ingredients. Now all that is left is to assemble the dish and toss it in the oven!
If you’ve made sauce, you should place any that is leftover in an ice tray and freeze it. This makes it easy to prepare a quick meal by reheating the sauce using a saute pan. Freezing the sauce in this manner will keep it fresh and ready to be reheated.
Put your ketchup right in the batter for more flavorful fried foods. You can either dip your food in ketchup once it is cooked, or before adding breadcrumbs. Ketchup will add an unexpected tangy element to fried food and will prompt your friends to ask for your secret.
Seafood lovers who live near the the open water might enjoy catching and preparing fish that has been caught nearby. If a person can catch and cook his or her own fish, the family will enjoy a fresh seafood dish that has been truly earned.
After purchasing fruits that are not quite ripe, store them in a plastic bag that is perforated with holes. As the fruits get ripe, they’ll give off ethylene gas. The holes in the bag allow the gas to escape, which will make the fruit last longer and taste better.
You should let your cooking wait until all the necessary preparations are complete. This way, you will not waste gas when you are cooking, or save yourself danger when cooking.
If you are trying a new fruit or vegetable that you are not accustomed to, take a little time to learn some things about it. By reading up on it, you might be surprised at how versatile a new type of food can be. If you take the time to learn about the item before heading into the kitchen, the experience will be that much more enjoyable.
There is not just one kind of potato, and each kind works best in different recipes. There are certain types of potatoes that are waxy, which are fine for boiled potatoes and potato salad, but are pretty awful for French fries, baked potatoes, and mashed potatoes. For those culinary exercises, you should use potatoes that are fluffy, such as Russets.
Keep butter or oil used to a minimum when sauteing. Excessive moisture can steam food, instead of actually sauteing it. This should also be done at a lower temperature.
Implementing these tips will make cooking easy and enjoyable. If you test your skills a little more in the kitchen every day you will be enjoying home cooked meals and watching your savings account grow. Eating good home cooking will create a healthy and happy style of living for yourself and those around you. Start implementing these tips to create delicious meals.