How many times have you dreaded going into the kitchen to make breakfast, lunch, or dinner? You might need a new perspective. Cooking can be enjoyable and relaxing if you try to see it in another way. Here are a few cooking tips that are sure to get your taste buds tingling and entice your inner chef to come out.
Never cook with wine you haven’t tried. If you cook with an unfamiliar wine, you run the risk of disliking the taste of the wine and having it ruin your food. There are wines available that are used just for cooking purposes.
These will work as a sponge and soak up the water. Instead, get a wet, clean cloth and wipe off the mushroom by hand.
Substituting another liquid for milk or water can help give your meals a new flavor. In place of water, try adding beef or chicken broth, juice or even water used to cook vegetables. You can try out buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream instead of milk. 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.
Invest in a knife sharpener to make cutting any ingredient simple. Not only can it be difficult to cut with dull knives, but it is dangerous to use them too. It is easy to cut yourself if you are using a dull knife than slicing it with a very sharp one.
You should always use nylon, silicone or rubber cooking utensils when using nonstick cookware. Metal and wood utensils may gouge or scratch the Teflon coating and cause your cookware to be both difficult and dangerous to use. This is dangerous, as well as unappetizing.
There are many ways that you can refurbish your defected pie crust. Pie dough that has been overworked can crack quite easily. Dribble cold water on cracks in the bottom crust, and smooth them with your finger. If the top crust has cracks, brush it with milk and sprinkle it with a bit of sugar. This will give your crust a shiny, glazed finish that will distract from any cracks.
Preserve the flavor of your herbs and spices by storing them in an area with low light and cool temperatures. Keeping herbs and spices in cabinets above the stove or other warm locations will cause them to lose their flavor.
If you are cooking for an important event, it is a good idea to make a meal that you have made before. Avoid trying to cook something new. This will make cooking less stressful.
Saute vegetables with chicken broth to cook them in a healthy way. The vegetables get flavor from the broth, and there is no need to use as much oil as it normally takes to saute them. This is a nutritious and delicious method for cooking vegetables.
If you are trying to lose weight or lower your cholesterol, try to decrease the amount of fat in your diet. Many oils and butters have a high concentration of fat. Consider giving non-stick cooking spray a shot. The end result is virtually the same, but these sprays are often fat-free and have ingredients that are more friendly to your diet.
Fresh herbs in a meal are delicious. Bunch them together and then use a pair of scissors to snip them. Chopping herbs often makes herbs wet and wilted. Using scissors gives your herbs a light, fluffy appearance.
Use these tips for preparing your meals. Once you try some of these tips, you will believe that perhaps cooking is not so difficult after all. You may begin to look forward to it, and eventually you may discover you’re eager to try new recipes and dishes. Give cooking a try!