Even the kitchen at your own house can seem rather boring from time to time. You can change that by making a hobby out of cooking. Your kitchen will suddenly represent a world of possibilities and a chance to prepare meals that will bring your family together. Keep reading for some new and exciting cooking ideas.
Cooking vegetables for a long time in a boiling liquid will remove nutrients that are found in them. Quick cooking methods should be used when cooking vegetables so that their nutritional value can stay in-tacked.
To help your cooking go smoothly, you should take the time to prepare the ingredients you will need before hand. Doing this will keep you from getting into cooking a recipe and then having to look for what you need. It takes no longer to set out everything first, rather than as you go, but it can save a lot of time and headaches along the way.
If you are overwhelmed with making dinner for the family, you should try doing some of the preparing the night before. Before going to bed, cut up the onions and veggies or make your marinating sauce. This way, your stress levels the next day will be a lot less, and cooking a lot more fun.
Many food items leave their odors on cutting boards, which can linger even with vigorous scrubbing. Use indelible ink to mark the cutting board so that you know which side to use for each purpose.
Don’t throw a huge helping of seasoning in all at once. Try to spread it out, and taste after each application. This results in a better blending of the flavors of the ingredients.
Take extra fat out of soup or stew. If your soup has too much fat cool it down and the fat will rise to the top. Next, skim a spoon containing an ice cube over the surface of the liquid. The ice then attracts the fat which will stick to it. If you don’t have any ice, blot the fat with a paper towel.
If you want to cook a roast but don’t have enough time, you should keep the bone in. The meat will cook more quickly due to the heat transfer into the roaster caused by the bone. Once it’s finished cooking, you can plate up your meat after simply trimming around the bone.
There are ways to repair a pie crust. Sometimes when you’re rolling out pie dough it will end up with places that are showing cracks. Over the cracks sprinkle a bit of cold water, then with your finger gently massage the dough. If the cracks appear in the top part of the crust, brush on a bit of milk along with a sprinkle of sugar. Your crust will contain a wonderful glaze that conceals any cracks after it has baked.
Leave raw potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes before frying them to make crispier French fries. The potatoes need to soak because the fibers will be reinforced through the cold fluids which in turn makes them fry better. They can handle the heat and not break apart completely.
If you are preparing dried beans, never add spices before the beans get a chance to soften fully. Salt can prevent beans from softening especially if they are old. Let your beans cook for a while before you add in any seasonings, so that you can get the texture you desire.
Mold these ideas into your own methods and meals and feel free to experiment whenever possible. Make meals that your family can relax, enjoy, and savor. The benefits of learning how to cook better extend beyond your diet and reach as far as your whole way of life. Make your kitchen the warm and inviting center of your home.