By mastering some basic skills, you will find the joy in cooking. You can gain a lot of confidence in your skills and learn how to be a better cook with this article. Read on, and let your creativity grow!
Use a strainer spoon to remove fat from the top of cooled stew and soups. If your stew or soup contains too much fat, allowing it to cool rises the fat to the surface, where it can be removed. Then just collect the fat by rubbing an ice cube, resting on a spoon, along the surface. The fat will adhere to the ice so you can remove it. You can also blot the fat with a paper towel, if you prefer.
Keep your seasonings in a cool, dark, moisture-free place. Spices rapidly lose their flavor and aroma if they are kept in areas that are bright, humid, or warm. This will ensure your spices will not be as good to use.
Many food items leave their odors on cutting boards, which can linger even with vigorous scrubbing. Use permanent ink to mark one end of the cutting board to identify which is which.
When you are making a salad to serve at a potluck dinner, layer it to retain maximum freshness. Tomatoes and other juicy ingredients should be on the bottom layer and lettuce along with any other ingredients which might wilt or get soggy should be on the top.
If you’ve made a big pot of sauce, freeze the leftovers by pouring the extra sauce into ice cube trays. This way, when you want to make an easy meal another night, all you have to do is reheat it in a saute pan. Freezing the sauce in this manner will keep it fresh and ready to be reheated.
Don’t throw out turkey leftovers, whether it is from a holiday dinner or an everyday meal. What you want to do with them is slice the meat, put it in a freezer friendly tupperware, and stick it into the freezer. Turkey will stay fresh for a couple weeks and you can use it in sandwiches or a salad.
Do not use any wine when cooking a recipe that you do not think normally tastes good. Using a wine that you dislike could ruin the taste of the food. If you want a safe bet, most liquor stores carry cooking wines.
There are a few ways to heat a tortilla in the right way. One of the ways you can do this is placing the tortilla on the oven rack after preheating it to 350 degrees. Another way is to use your gas stove top, placing the tortilla directly on the grill above the flame. These techniques will result in a more authentic and flavorful tortilla.
If you want a shell for double-baked potatoes or skins with additional firmness, try using a thick potato designed for baking. Red potatoes are not ideal for a dense filling.
No matter what you are cooking, fresh ingredients are always much better than dried or frozen ingredients. Use fresh foods any time you can, as they bring out the best flavor of the dish, and can be real money-savers too.
Add some chicken broth to your pan when cooking vegetables. Chicken broth is a great way to add flavor to your vegetables while keeping them from sticking to your pan. Chicken broth is dirt cheap, and can be bought at any supermarket.
As you now know from this article, mastering the art of cooking is easy to do. A little effort and a little time go a long way. If you follow these tips, you will quickly master new skills in the kitchen. Cooking can become an exciting adventure when you have a positive attitude and access to the right information.