Is preparing food for the rest of your family a pain? Do not allow the challenges of creating great meals lead you to frustration. The following piece includes several terrific ideas that will remove any anxiety you have about preparing meals. Once you follow the tips from this article, you will look back and laugh at how stressed out cooking used to make you feel.
Many people know the health benefits of dark, leafy greens, though because they are so hard to prepare, many people do not eat them often. One aspect that is tough is removing the stems. To make things easier, have the leaf folded in half lengthwise, then from the middle break out the stem. Also, with the leaf folded lengthwise, you can use a sharp knife to slice the stem away from the leafy portion. When you unfold the leaf, you will have a perfect leaf with no stem.
Put citrus fruits in the microwave first to get the most out of juicing. Heat your orange, lemon, or other fruits for around ten seconds in the microwave. Once you remove them from the microwave, roll them on the counter prior to cutting and starting the juicing process.
Here’s a trick you can use to save your sauce fast! Mix two spoons of water and one spoon of corn starch in a bowl. Add this mix to the sauce little by little until it becomes thicker. Make sure you add starch slowly and are constantly stirring the sauce so it doesn’t get too thick.
Keep all dried spices in a dark space that stays room temperature. Many factors can cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor, especially humidity and light. Generally, ground herbs and spices stay fresh for around a year, after that they begin to lose their flavor. Whole spices can stay fresh for up to five years. Storing your spices properly can help you achieve a longer shelf-life for your spices.
You should slice meat thinly and also on the bias when cooking stir-fry dishes. This technique is somewhat tricky and can take a little time. Use meat that is firm, but unfrozen, and slice the meat across the grain, at 45 degrees.
Reserve some pasta water for use in your pasta sauce. Set aside a small amount of the water, about one quarter cup. When you are ready to mix your sauce and pasta together, incorporate some of this water. The pasta water contains starch, which will give your sauce a thick creaminess.
Add hot milk to your mashed potatoes instead of boiling it to create a rich, smooth texture. This causes the potatoes to become lighter and fluffier, compared to using cold milk. Nobody wants to eat lumpy, bland mashed potatoes.
Purchase quality cutting utensils for the kitchen. Besides letting you work faster, a sharp knife is actually less likely to cause injury. Dull knives cause more cuts and accidents than sharp ones.
If you want to serve a complicated meal, eliminate much of the stress by completing some tasks the day before. Get the ingredients ready, chop the veggies, measure and prepare the spices and herbs. It’s also a great time to make sure you have everything that is needed. This way, you won’t have to do the tedious tasks when you are ready to cook.
It can also be used on other foods, rather than just on meat. You can use it when you roast pumpkin or sunflower seeds or in any number of egg dishes. It is a simple addition, but the burst of flavor it gives will have everyone raving.
Cooking for a family can be more than a little overwhelming. Luckily, you can do a number of things to make cooking simpler. You can breathe a little easier when you next enter your kitchen.