With just a little knowledge, anyone can learn to cook. Do you have the ability to purchase groceries and read written recipes? Can you lay your hands on a few basic items to cook with? If you have the ability to follow the steps listed, you too can cook. Make use of the tips below to make excellent food that anyone would envy and add a star to your chef ranking.
A lot of people usually use apples for cooking things in the winter and fall months, yet a lot of people store them incorrectly and they spoil quickly. Dry warm air rots apples, so keep them cool in a basement or loosely wrapped in the fridge. Quickly remove any apples that are rotting, because they will cause the other apples to spoil quicker.
Impress your family and friends with a simple sandwich just by carefully preparing it and presenting it in a great way. Often, condiments are haphazardly squirted onto only the center of the bread. When you spread your condiments evenly, you ensure that every bite is as good as can be.
Don’t throw out those small bits of vegetables and meat that collect in the refrigerator; use them to create a fried rice masterpiece in your wok. Day old rice tastes best in stir fried rice because of its drier taste, but fresh rice will also work. Just add slightly less water than normal. Saute the vegetables and meats in some oil, then place the rice in the pan and add soy sauce and other spices to taste.
If you’ve made a big pot of sauce, freeze the leftovers by pouring the extra sauce into ice cube trays. When you feel the need to create another meal, you will have them handy to heat up. This process doesn’t cause the sauce to go bad, so reheat with confidence!
Do you feel like you’re wasting money when you throw away a piece of moldy fruit? Do you think it’s a good policy to cut off any moldy, rotten parts and save the rest of the fruit? There are no two ways about it; rotting fruit is unhealthful. Discard them, as mold goes deeper than the eye can see and can make you quite ill.
When you are baking pastry crusts, try increasing the cooking time a bit. Your crust should be a deep caramel as opposed to a light goldenrod. The golden color indicates that the sugar in the pie crust has caramelized and this will give a sweet and crisp flavor.
If you are preparing a meal for a boss or new date, cook something that you are familiar with. Avoid any new recipes or ones that rely on unfamiliar ingredients or techniques. By doing so, you eliminate much of the stress of preparing the meal.
A great way to cook is brining. You can soak your poultry in brine for about an hour before you cook it.
Substitute water for other more flavorful liquids, in order to spice up your meals. For instance, you can use broth, stock, juice or a bit of wine to replace the water in a recipe. If your favorite recipes call for milk, try substituting with buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream. A simple switch like changing a liquid in a recipe can improve the nutritional quality while giving the dish a whole new spin in taste.
You can make a hobby, skill or even a profession out of cooking. The best way for you to improve your cooking ability is to learn from the great cooks and follow their advice. In the meantime, however, you can use some of the cooking tips presented above the next time you are responsible for preparing a family meal.