A lot of people regard cooking as an unwelcome, but necessary task. The truth is that cooking is a joy. It can also serve as a means to a healthier style of living. As a first-rate cook always seeks to expand their skills, read on to gain some useful tips which can help you increase your knowledge and your enjoyment of cooking.
Much like a sponge, the mushrooms will absorb the water. Get a wet cloth instead, and wipe off each mushroom by hand.
Place unripe fruits in a plastic bags you have poked small holes into. As the fruits ripen, ethylene gas is produced. Bags with holes will prevent already-ripened fruit from rotting, since the ethylene gas can escape; on the other hand, under-ripened fruit benefits from a bag without holes, since the gas that causes ripening is retained.
If preparing dinner becomes overwhelming, try to get some of the prep work done the night before. Before going to bed, cut up the onions and veggies or make your marinating sauce. You won’t be as stressed when you prepare the meal the next day.
It can be used on food other than meat. Sprinkle the seasoning on top of roasted pumpkin seeds and make a tasty snack, or sprinkle it on scrambled eggs. You can cultivate a reputation as a mysterious wizard of flavor just by using a judicious dash of such seasonings.
A new and challenging recipe won’t make a good impression if you haven’t mastered it. It is wiser to stick with the tried and true. No matter if it is family or friends, it is in your best interest to show off your cooking skills with a great meal. Impress these people with a meal that you already know you are good at making.
When you cook veggies, try using some chicken broth! Chicken broth is great for preventing sticking of vegetables and incorporating some great flavor with them. Chicken broth can be bought at almost any grocery store, and is so inexpensive.
If you cooked with a sauce, save the leftover sauce in an ice cube tray that you can freeze. You will then have it readily available for when you need to make a quick and easy meal. All that needs to be done is to warm it up in a pan. Sauce cubes made this way are safe and will taste great!
If you keep herbs and spices handy, make sure you are keeping them in a dark, cool area. Their flavors suffer when they are exposed to heat, light, and humidity. When properly stored, ground herbs and spices can retain full flavor for up to a year. Spices that are whole will retain flavor longer, closer to 3-5 years. They can remain fresh longer if stored properly.
Try ketchup as a batter ingredient in fried foods. Ketchup is not only for dipping cooked foods into, but it can also be used to dip chicken or vegetables into before dipping in breadcrumbs. The ketchup adds an unexpected zip to fried food, leaving everyone asking for the recipe.
Use cooking oil to help prevent sticky messes. Before you measure, you will want to coat the spoon lightly with an oil that doesn’t have much flavor, like canola oil, then the sticky substance you are measuring will glide off much easier, which will reduce the waste and will make clean up easier. This will work great for peanut butter and honey too.
As was stated earlier, part of being a good cook means constantly learning new things. People find that the enjoyment in cooking is not solely from the practice itself; it’s also from learning about new foods and different cooking methods. Cooking is also about sharing your knowledge with others. Cooking should be shared so it can delight others.