Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Clean Your Plate! Cooking Tips For You!

Knowing how to really cook is a skill that will serve you well. Eating food that is made from home is yummy and delicious, and it can also save you a lot of money.

Many vegetable and herbs give off a smell that tends to remain in your chopping board, even though you scrub it over and over again. You can mark your cutting boards with permanent marker to tell which one or which side is for each type of food.

Taking the time to do some preparation on the preceding day will enable you to still create a delicious meal even if things are hectic. Save time and stress and still guarantee your family a homemade meal by chopping vegetables or assembling casseroles the night before.

To make a soup or stew that is almost fat free, begin your recipe with a fat-free broth or soup stock. Use a lot of vegetables and lean meat to help to keep the soup low in fat. When your soup is done cooking, put it in the refrigerator to chill. Any excess fat will surface and harden in a layer on the top. Afterwards, simply scoop off this congealed fat. For each tablespoonful of fat that you discard, you will spare yourself as much as 100 calories.

Homemade stock adds lots of flavor. You can cook it in large batches, pour the extra batches into plastic freezer bags, and then simply store them in the freezer. Doing so will give you the best stock for any dish that calls for it. When you create the stock that will be used in your food, you can ensure the quality and avoid unnecessary additives and preservatives.

Make your own dried tomatoes. Just slice them when ripe to about 1/2" thickness. Put the sliced tomatoes onto a cooling rack, and lightly salt the cut-side. Put a cookie sheet under the rack and place in the oven for ten hours at 190 degrees. Put the bags of tomatoes in your freezer. Alternatively, dried tomatoes can be packed in a jar filled with olive oil and fresh herbs. The jar can be stored in your refrigerator for up to two weeks.

By taking notice of some of these hints, cooking and eating meals at home can be quite simple and enjoyable. You will find that home cooked meals will save you a lot of money and usually take less time then going to a restaurant. Cooking meals at home is a positive step towards a healthier, more satisfying lifestyle for yourself and your family. Think of these cooking tips the next time you are in the kitchen.

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