Knowing how to really cook is a skill that will serve you well. Eating food you prepare yourself not only tastes great, but it is better on your wallet as well.
Impress your friends with a perfect sandwich by spreading the mayo evenly on the entire surface of the bread. Often, people are hurried and just drop a dollop of it in the middle. If you spread it evenly, your sandwiches are complete with overall flavor.
If you are cooking dried beans, you should wait until the beans become soft before adding salt or garlic. These two ingredients can keep your beans from being as tender as they should be, particularly if you are working with beans that are a bit old. Wait until the beans are half way done before you add the seasonings.
Do you enjoy oysters? Oysters can be prepared in many ways, although the most common way is to be eaten raw with some lemon juice on top. Place open oysters in a broiler pan and spoon cream on top. Sprinkle parmesan and pepper on top, and broil the oysters until they start bubbling. You can also saute them. Cover them with seasoned flour and use hot butter to fry them for about two minutes or until golden. You can also bake oysters while still in their shells. Use a casserole dish to bake oysters for four or five minutes at 425 degrees, after dabbing them lightly with butter and covering them with fresh breadcrumbs. Serve your oysters once the butter starts bubbling.
Be sure to refresh your spices every few months. Often, spices that have sat upon the shelf for a long period of time lose their pungency. If you find yourself buying a spice that you aren’t going to finish, split it and give half away to a friend.
Consider using ketchup to add to your battering ingredients when making fried foods. Ketchup is not only for dipping cooked foods into, but it can also be used to dip chicken or vegetables into before dipping in breadcrumbs. The ketchup makes your fried foods tangier, which will make your friends and family wonder how you achieved such a flavor infusion.
If you saute a food, don’t overload the pan. The extra moisture creates steaming which will prevent the food from attaining the crispy texture that sauteing is known for. Saute at a lower temperature as well.
To get some extra bang from your pasta sauce, reserve some of the water you cooked the pasta in. You will need to save roughly one quarter cup of water. Add some of it in as you mix the pasta with the sauce. The water from the pasta contains starch that, when mixed with your sauce, will create a creamy texture.
Do you enjoy using fresh basil in your dishes? Take a few twigs of the basil and place it in a small container or glass. Pour water in the glass until the stems of the fresh basil are completely covered. Keep it on a kitchen counter so you remember to use it. If you continue to refresh the water, the basil will begin to grow roots for planting. Trim your basil plants back a bit to encourage new growth, and keep enjoying your basil for a long time.
By taking notice of some of these hints, cooking and eating meals at home can be quite simple and enjoyable. If you get more practice you can make better food and save some money. Homemade meals also promote healthier eating habits for the entire household. You now have information to begin creating some of those great tasting meals.