Don't Be Afraid When You Decide To Cook A Special Meal

Cooking is one of those skills that can always be improved upon. Not even the most experienced chef is so educated that a few new tricks would not be of use to her. Novice cooks especially need tips to help develop their blossoming cooking skills. Read on to discover more valuable information about the art of cooking.

Spices should be stored in a cool and dark place. By storing them in excessive light and heat, their shelf life will decrease. Keeping your spices in darkened, cool areas will lend extra longevity and flavor. If you use fresh spices, your food will taste better.

To make slicing meat into thin strips a little easier, partially freeze it. If you are cooking an exotic dish that requires thinly sliced meat, this is the best way to do it. With meat that is somewhat frozen, the fibers tend not to stretch or tear as much when they are sliced, making for much cleaner cuts. Allow the meat to thaw prior to cooking though, so that it can cook evenly.

Always taste test what you are cooking to check the seasoning. Meats like meatballs, hamburgers or meatloaf can be easily under or over seasoned. After you season the meat, do not cook all of the batch. Rather, cook a small portion first. After that, you can either cook the rest or adjust the seasoning accordingly.

It is possible to lower the fat and calorie content of mashed potatoes without impacting the taste or texture by replacing some of the potato content with cauliflower. The somewhat bland taste of cauliflower helps it to blend seamlessly with your potatoes while picking up the other ingredients. Cauliflower has the same texture and color as mashed potatoes, so the dish will be transformed into one that has more vegetables and fewer calories.

Mushrooms absorb large amounts of water, and this excess water will go into whatever you are cooking with. Try using a clean, wet cloth and wiping them off instead.

Garlic can easily stay on your hands. To get rid of the odors that garlic and other pungent ingredients leave on your hands, rub them around the inside of your stainless steel sink. This cleanses you hands thoroughly to avoid transferring the flavor of garlic to other foods.

After you make sauce, pour the leftovers into ice cube trays and place them in the freezer. When you need sauce for another meal, you already have individual portions, ready to grab and reheat in a pan. Have no fear, for the sauce will taste great even after being frozen in the trays!

Burger patties often stick to the frying pan or grill during cooking and fall apart when you try to flip them. If, however, you brush the grill with oil, this will help prevent sticking.

Cooks with experience can learn new things about making the time they spend in the kitchen more fun and simple. Newer cooks lacking experience should try to learn as much as they possibly can about cooking. After you try the tips that have been provided you may find that you truly love cooking and find it very enjoyable.