Thursday, April 17, 2014

Tips For Cheap And Easy Meals From Scratch

Cooking can be quite a joy, once you have mastered a few basic skills. By following some of this article's tips, you will have a new-found confidence in your cooking acumen and improve as a cook. After you have acquired these skills, you will begin to have fun.

It is extremely important to prepare your ingredients before you begin cooking your meal for a group. Be certain that you have every ingredient you will need on hand. It is not too much to get your meals ready the day before. Make sure you have the necessary utensils. Did you think of everything? Having everything ready will take some of the stress off and increase the chances of your success.

If you are going to make a stir-fry dish, slice the meat on the bias, as thinly as possible. This may take some time and effort. Take the meat out of the freezer once it firms up (not frozen) then cut at an angle of 45 degrees across the grainy part of the meat.

Having knives that are very sharp is essential when cooking. You are more likely to injure yourself using a dull knife. You could easily cut yourself if you are trying to cut something up with a dull knife.

When you are having an important person over for dinner, prepare a meal that you are experienced with. Stay away from using new ingredients, or a new recipe. That way, cooking will cause a great deal less stress.

Quickly cooking vegetables makes them crispier and more nutrient-filled. Slow-cooked vegetables lose nutritional value and taste. These quick cooking techniques will produce generally, healthier vegetable sides. The less time you take to cook them, the better your vegetables will be.

Use airtight containers whenever you store unused baking mixes, flour or sugar in your pantry or kitchen. Store spices, seasonings and ingredients in airtight containers to avoid exposure to light, heat and humidity. Airtight containers are available practically everywhere and are well worth their cost.

When trying to eat a healthier diet or lose weight, you should decrease the portion of oils used in cooking meals. There is a lot of fat that are not needed in butter and oil. Try cooking with a cooking spray so that you will use less oil but the same effect.

Sauteing vegetables in chicken broth is very healthy. Broth will flavor the vegetables, and less oil will be needed to saute them. This method of cooking vegetables will be tasty and rich in nutrients.

Try drying your own tomatoes. Slice tomatoes 1/2" thick to dry. Romas should be cut in two lengthwise. Using a cooling rack, lay the sliced tomatoes with the side that is cut facing upward, and then sprinkle them lightly with salt. Place the cooling rack on a cookie sheet and dry in a 190 degree oven for up to 10 hours. The tomatoes can then be placed in plastic bags and stored in the freezer. Zing up your dried tomatoes and conserve them at the same time by canning them in olive oil and herbs. Put your canned tomatoes in the fridge and be sure to use them in the next two weeks.

In conclusion, it is simple to learn how to cook. It only takes patience and a willingness to learn. Keep these tips in mind and you'll rule the kitchen. Keeping a positive attitude will help to ensure success in the kitchen!

No comments:

Post a Comment