Just like there are many ways to skin a cat, there are many ways to cook a good meal. Some methods are very complicated and some are very easy to execute. You will discover some suggestions to help you cook better, no matter what level you are on.
If you wish to have crispy French fries, then you should soak the potatoes in cool water for 30 minutes and then fry them. When your potatoes soak up cold fluids, their fibers are reinforced. This means that they will hold up better to the heat necessary for the frying process.
Airtight containers should be used when you are storing sugar, flour or baking mixes in your kitchen. Using airtight containers helps food stay fresh for longer periods of time because it keeps them from air and other contaminants. A variety of plastic containers, bags and decorative canisters will protect your food.
When you are baking pastry crusts, try increasing the cooking time a bit. They need to be a golden caramel color rather than pale blonde. When the crust is a golden color then you know the sugar has caramalized and you will have a sweet and crispy result.
Hot milk can transform your mashed potato recipe. Simply add this hot milk to your potatoes prior to mashing. Your mashed potatoes should come out fluffy and light. This technique also minimizes lumps. Why would you want lumpy and dull mashed potatoes?
Use the potatoes as stated in the recipe as not all potatoes are created equal. Potatoes can be waxy, mealy or all-purpose. Potatoes that are described as mealy have a texture that is dry and somewhat crumbly. This is the type of potato best used for mashed potatoes. Russet potatoes are common mealy potatoes. Yukon gold potatoes are all-purpose potatoes excellent for any dish. If you are looking for potatoes to boil or steam, then you should choose a potato that is considered waxy. Waxy varieties include white and red potatoes.
Baking dishes with oil in place of microwaving them prevents a greasy mess while reheating. Microwaves have such intense heat that they separate oil, which gets hot the quickest, from other ingredients that heat more slowly. Baking will keep the ingredients more cohesive.
When cooking with pumpkins, you will need to place the pumpkin upright then slice it in half right down the middle. Set each half cut-side down on its own baking sheet. Sprinkle or spray a bit of water on your baking sheets, then preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The pumpkin takes about an hour to bake.
Be certain to use only wines that you enjoy as ingredients in your recipes. If you select wine that you do not enjoy or use a bottle that you have never tried, you may not like how your food turns out. It is possible to find wines that are meant to be used in cooking.
Dark leafy greens can be considered a pain to prepare, but they are very healthy. Removing these stems can be difficult. Try folding the leaf across and breaking the stem out through the middle. Alternatively, a knife can be used to remove the stem while the leaf is folded. Once your unfold each leaf, you have perfectly stem-free greens.
A complex, poorly understood recipe is a great way to turn a potentially marvelous meal into a mess. When you follow simple recipes accurately, however, it is easy to create delicious healthy meals. Using the guidelines here, you can have a good understanding of how to cook making each meal better than the previous one.