Cooking is a vital skill that requires time to learn, regardless of whether you have a large family, or if it’s just you. Having the know-how to cook offers so many benefits ranging from nutritional needs to the social and financial aspects. The following can teach you the A to Z’s of cooking.
Texture and taste don’t have to suffer when you are trying to lighten up your mashed potatoes. Cauliflower makes for a great substitute to help drop the fat and calorie content. Cauliflower’s subtle flavors blend in with the potatoes and other ingredients easily. You’ll still be able to enjoy mashed potatoes, but with less fat and calories!
To remove the odors of fish, garlic, onions or other strong ingredients from your hands, rub them on stainless steel for a minute before washing them. You can use your stainless steel sink or a spoon to quickly remove the odor from your hands.
There is a great trick to thicken up your sauce so it isn’t wasted. Mix one tablespoon of starch from corn and two tablespoons of water together in a bowl. Mic the solution together and put it in the sauce to thicken it up. The mixture should be added slowly and constantly stirred so that it doesn’t get too thick.
Make sure to include winter greens in your diet. Winter greens become sweeter tasting once the first frost is over, so indulge in collards, broccoli rabe and kale. Find the greens that have a bright, full color. Always wash these sorts of veggies very carefully as they tend to accumulate a ton of dirt. Use a bowl of cold water to wash your greens with. Once washed, shake them off, and then rinse them until you notice the water is running clear.
Air tends to turn fresh fruits like avocados, apples and pears brown. Lemon or salt water can do an adequate job of staving off the browning process, but it’s better to use is pineapple juice. As a rapid dip will suffice, you don’t need to immerse the fruit.
To measure sticky food easier, you should use some cooking oil. Coat a spoon with a flavorless oil like canola, then use it to measure out the ingredient. The oil will allow the ingredient to slide right off the spoon, which makes cleanup a snap. This works well for peanut butter and honey, as well as other sticky foods.
There are many ways to heat tortillas. You can use your oven at 350 degrees for a crisp tortilla. Place a tortilla on the grill directly above the flame on the gas stove top as an alternative. Trying any of these methods will create an amazing tortilla.
To give your pasta some added zip, save the water you use to boil the pasta. Set aside a small amount of the water, about one quarter cup. When you are getting ready to mix the pasta and sauce together, pour in some of the water. Residual starch in the water adds volume and creaminess to the sauce of your choice.
Leaving the bone in a roast can help shorten the cooking time. The bone transfers the heat from your oven to the center of the roast, helping it cook far more quickly. After the cooking period is completed, simply remove the bone and proceed as usual.
There is no downside to learning how to prepare a good meal for yourself and your family. The tips you have read should help you improve your cooking skills no matter what your food preferences may be; from haute cuisine to informal home style dining. Though it’s often easier to drive through for fast food, nothing equals a meal that is prepared at home.