Cooking can be quite the tragedy if you don't have much knowledge or know any tricks of the trade. This article will give you the information you need to get on your way to making delicious meals without any complications. Of course practice will be necessary, cooking is not a skill that can be 100 percent right in the beginning.
To keep salt in shakers fresh and dry, add uncooked white rice to the shaker. The rice will absorb any moisture from the environment instead of the salt, and stops the salt from dissolving or caking. Rice is not noticeable in a glass shaker and is too large to be shaken out with normal use.
If you are cooking a soup or stew and you add too much salt to the pot you can add a peeled white potato to the pot and continue boiling it. The starch in the potato will help to absorb a lot of the extra salt. You can repeat with an additional potato if it is still too salty.
When cooking, many people forget about proper care for the spices that they use to season their food. All spices should be stored in a cool dark place and never above a stove. The reason for this is because storing spices in areas where there is a lot of heat, light, or humidity will cause them to lose their flavor.
If you are cooking pastries or foods that can get very messy, make sure that you wear an apron at all times. The last thing that you will want to do is to get food on your clothes and have to change before you eat your meal with friends or family.
Beans stored for a longer period of time need to be checked for insect damage or mold. Instead of visually looking at each bean put them in a bowl of cold water. Use only the ones sinking to the bottom as those floating are either suffer from insect damage or mold.
Fresh herbs can add a great deal to most recipes. Herbs can be tricky to handle, though, because they need to be chopped so finely. Sprinkling salt over the cutting board before chopping herbs can cut down on mess. The salt encourages herbs to stick to the board instead of flying off.
Now that you have read about the many basic skills of cooking, it is time for you to head to the kitchen and prepare some great food! Remember, as said before, cooking is not a skill that can be 100 percent right in the beginning. Practice is required for you to master the art of cooking.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Desire To Improve Your Cooking Skills? Use These Cooking Tips
Cooking does not have to be a scary thought! Understandably, cooking is easier for some than others. It takes know how, practice, and patience, but you can do it! Below are some helpful tips to make your cooking a pleasure:
To save time on busy weeknights, cook ahead on the weekends and stock your freezer with meals that are ready to heat through. Lasagnas, enchiladas, and other casseroles are great for freezing, as are many soups. Alternately, you can cook an extra batch of dinner any day of the week to freeze for a day when you don't have the time.
You can prepare minced garlic ahead of time to be ready to use. Simply mince the garlic as normal and spread in a small pan. Freeze this pan until the garlic begins to become solid, at which point you take it out, and slice it into cubes. Place these cubes in a plastic bag and store in the freezer. When you are sautéing vegetables or preparing food later, you can use a cube or two of this prepared minced garlic. The heat from the frying pan will melt the garlic, and the result is quick and easy garlic with a fresh flavor.
When you are cooking a roast, go large. Buying a bigger cut of meat, when you buy a roast for a meal, has a couple of benefits. One is that you will have more leftovers from the meal. Another is that the larger the meat, the better the overall finished flavor will be.
For an effective way to cool down hot, freshly made stock during the winter, set the covered pot outside for a little while. You should not put such a large quantity of hot liquid in your refrigerator. Setting the pot outside is a great way to cool the stock enough for refrigerating or freezing, and it may be easier to skim off the fat layer on the top.
To keep your breading from peeling away from the breaded food, dip the food first into flour, then the egg wash, and then the breading. The flour gives the egg wash something to which it can stick, and results in breading that stays intact rather than sliding off of slick meats or veggies.
Are you ready to get started? The helpful tips above, no doubt, will contribute to you making a delicious meal! This is just a few suggestions to inspire you to give cooking a try or perhaps a second chance! Enjoy!
To save time on busy weeknights, cook ahead on the weekends and stock your freezer with meals that are ready to heat through. Lasagnas, enchiladas, and other casseroles are great for freezing, as are many soups. Alternately, you can cook an extra batch of dinner any day of the week to freeze for a day when you don't have the time.
You can prepare minced garlic ahead of time to be ready to use. Simply mince the garlic as normal and spread in a small pan. Freeze this pan until the garlic begins to become solid, at which point you take it out, and slice it into cubes. Place these cubes in a plastic bag and store in the freezer. When you are sautéing vegetables or preparing food later, you can use a cube or two of this prepared minced garlic. The heat from the frying pan will melt the garlic, and the result is quick and easy garlic with a fresh flavor.
When you are cooking a roast, go large. Buying a bigger cut of meat, when you buy a roast for a meal, has a couple of benefits. One is that you will have more leftovers from the meal. Another is that the larger the meat, the better the overall finished flavor will be.
For an effective way to cool down hot, freshly made stock during the winter, set the covered pot outside for a little while. You should not put such a large quantity of hot liquid in your refrigerator. Setting the pot outside is a great way to cool the stock enough for refrigerating or freezing, and it may be easier to skim off the fat layer on the top.
To keep your breading from peeling away from the breaded food, dip the food first into flour, then the egg wash, and then the breading. The flour gives the egg wash something to which it can stick, and results in breading that stays intact rather than sliding off of slick meats or veggies.
Are you ready to get started? The helpful tips above, no doubt, will contribute to you making a delicious meal! This is just a few suggestions to inspire you to give cooking a try or perhaps a second chance! Enjoy!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Cooking Tips To Use For Great Meals At Home
Cooking can seem like something that only professionals can do. But if you have some good information and tips of the trade, then even those who burn toast can make a delicious meal. All it takes is the right techniques and a little bit of knowledge to turn you into a chef.
When roasting a whole chicken, remember to season well and separate the breasts from the legs. The legs need a longer cooking time than the breasts, if you don't take out the breasts they will overcook.
When you are cooking pasta, follow this useful tip. Instead of strictly following the instructions given on the pasta box or package, try cooking the pasta one minute less than the time indicated. Then finish off the pasta by cooking it in a pan with sauce for the final minute. Doing so will give the pasta more flavor.
Make sure you season your meat and fish evenly. Sprinkle your salt and pepper over the food as though it is snowing. This will make it so you avoid clumping and avoid having parts of the meat without any seasoning. This will make for a tastier meal.
Try to store spices in dark, cool places and do not store them above your stove. Places that are bright, humid and hot, can cause your spices and herbs to lose their flavor. A good place to put them would be inside of a pantry or in your kitchen cabinets.
Use leftover meats for sandwiches. Turkey, slow-roasted beef, braised pork shoulder roast and even chicken make great sandwich meat that can be used for meals throughout the week. You may even want to cook just for having lunch-meat that is far tastier than the kind you buy in the stores on hand.
When cooking with herbs and spices, add them sparingly to your foods. The goal is to compliment the dish you are making, not to overpower its natural flavor. It is impossible to remove spices once you have added them, so start off with a small amount and then add more to taste.
If you are making a sandwich and adding mayonnaise, make sure that you spread the mayo from corner to corner to give you the ultimate coverage and a delicious taste in every bite. Each and every bite that you take should be outstanding, as spreading mayo will achieve this goal when you eat sandwiches.
Now that you have read some of these great tips, you should be ready to tackle making something delicious. Practice will make perfect though, so don't be discouraged if you don't get it right the first time around. Just like in anything else, let failure be your teacher.
When roasting a whole chicken, remember to season well and separate the breasts from the legs. The legs need a longer cooking time than the breasts, if you don't take out the breasts they will overcook.
When you are cooking pasta, follow this useful tip. Instead of strictly following the instructions given on the pasta box or package, try cooking the pasta one minute less than the time indicated. Then finish off the pasta by cooking it in a pan with sauce for the final minute. Doing so will give the pasta more flavor.
Make sure you season your meat and fish evenly. Sprinkle your salt and pepper over the food as though it is snowing. This will make it so you avoid clumping and avoid having parts of the meat without any seasoning. This will make for a tastier meal.
Try to store spices in dark, cool places and do not store them above your stove. Places that are bright, humid and hot, can cause your spices and herbs to lose their flavor. A good place to put them would be inside of a pantry or in your kitchen cabinets.
Use leftover meats for sandwiches. Turkey, slow-roasted beef, braised pork shoulder roast and even chicken make great sandwich meat that can be used for meals throughout the week. You may even want to cook just for having lunch-meat that is far tastier than the kind you buy in the stores on hand.
When cooking with herbs and spices, add them sparingly to your foods. The goal is to compliment the dish you are making, not to overpower its natural flavor. It is impossible to remove spices once you have added them, so start off with a small amount and then add more to taste.
If you are making a sandwich and adding mayonnaise, make sure that you spread the mayo from corner to corner to give you the ultimate coverage and a delicious taste in every bite. Each and every bite that you take should be outstanding, as spreading mayo will achieve this goal when you eat sandwiches.
Now that you have read some of these great tips, you should be ready to tackle making something delicious. Practice will make perfect though, so don't be discouraged if you don't get it right the first time around. Just like in anything else, let failure be your teacher.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Cooking Tips To Snack On
Becoming a better cook can be accomplished with a little time, patience and following a few simple steps. The basics of cooking are easy to master and accomplish. In order to cook meals and dishes that will make your friends and family say "Wow!" you need to try these simple steps and you can be on your way to being the best cook you can possibly be.
Marinate all of your meat. One of the most overlooked ways to improve your cooking is to let your meat rest in marinade before you cook. This will help meat retain moisture, and will impart it with richer flavors. You can also marinate your veggies with the meat to create even deeper flavors.
Buy tough cuts of pork or beef instead of steak. Steak is expensive. While it might be one of your favorite foods, you probably are not willing to pay for it as often as you would like. Consider buying a tough cut of pork or beef instead. Cook it low and slow to get it tender.
Cooking with spices can be fun and exciting. There are many different spices to choose from knowing the spice better will help you to select the correct spice for the dish. Allspice has a pleasant blend of clove and cinnamon. Allspice is described as possessing a cinnamon-like, woody flavor.
Ensure that your baked fish is moist and tender by cooking "en papillote". This is a French technique that refers to fish baked in a parchment-paper packet. Place the fish and vegetables of your choice in the center of a large piece of parchment-paper. Bring the edges of the paper together, crease them tightly to form a seal, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 450 degrees. The fish and vegetables steam in the packet, keeping them moist and tender, and creating a tasty, healthy dish. (Clean-up is just as easy - simply throw away the paper after eating!)
Read the recipe fully before you begin any cooking endeavor! Just reading the list of ingredients does not ensure that you are fully prepared to complete the meal. There are many different techniques and tools that may be required so do not be too ambitious when tackling a new recipe.
After trying these steps, you should be well on your way to being a much better cook. The great thing about these tips is that if they don't work the first time keep trying and you are sure to get better. You should notice the difference right away and your friends and family will thank you.
Marinate all of your meat. One of the most overlooked ways to improve your cooking is to let your meat rest in marinade before you cook. This will help meat retain moisture, and will impart it with richer flavors. You can also marinate your veggies with the meat to create even deeper flavors.
Buy tough cuts of pork or beef instead of steak. Steak is expensive. While it might be one of your favorite foods, you probably are not willing to pay for it as often as you would like. Consider buying a tough cut of pork or beef instead. Cook it low and slow to get it tender.
Cooking with spices can be fun and exciting. There are many different spices to choose from knowing the spice better will help you to select the correct spice for the dish. Allspice has a pleasant blend of clove and cinnamon. Allspice is described as possessing a cinnamon-like, woody flavor.
Ensure that your baked fish is moist and tender by cooking "en papillote". This is a French technique that refers to fish baked in a parchment-paper packet. Place the fish and vegetables of your choice in the center of a large piece of parchment-paper. Bring the edges of the paper together, crease them tightly to form a seal, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 450 degrees. The fish and vegetables steam in the packet, keeping them moist and tender, and creating a tasty, healthy dish. (Clean-up is just as easy - simply throw away the paper after eating!)
Read the recipe fully before you begin any cooking endeavor! Just reading the list of ingredients does not ensure that you are fully prepared to complete the meal. There are many different techniques and tools that may be required so do not be too ambitious when tackling a new recipe.
After trying these steps, you should be well on your way to being a much better cook. The great thing about these tips is that if they don't work the first time keep trying and you are sure to get better. You should notice the difference right away and your friends and family will thank you.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Are You All Out Of Cooking Ideas? Check Out These Tips!
Food is such an essential part of our lives. Cooking is a survival skill, but it can also be a passion. The love and effort that can go into cooking even the simplest dish can shine through to the recipients of this food. By showing respect for your ingredients and paying attention to some small details, you can make the very most of your food no matter what ingredients to which you have access.
You should always use a sharp knife. Contrary to popular belief, using sharp knives is far safer than using dull ones. Because more force is needed to cut with a dull knife, users are much more likely to lose control of it, and that can cause accidental cuts. Sharp knives are also more efficient and faster to work with.
Make perfect meat and fish by applying seasoning, evenly. Especially with salt and pepper, think of the seasonings as snow that is falling delicately onto the meat and fish. As a result, you won't have too much seasoning on one section and not enough or none on other sections. It also prevents the seasonings from clumping.
When roasting any type of meat, ensure that when you remove it from the oven you give it time to "rest" before you carve it up and deliver to the table. Allowing the meat to sit in its own juices for ten minutes or so will make sure that the meat is not dry or overly chewy.
Leftover vegetable pieces shouldn't go to waste. Broccoli tops, carrot pieces and onion peelings can be added to your vegetable, beef or chicken stock, to fill it with extra flavor. Don't forget to add the stock to your favorite meals to enhance their flavor and appear as a great cook in front of your friends and family.
You can save a lot of money by buying potatoes for your favorite dishes in larger quantities. Make sure you store them in a cool dark place (preferably in a root cellar). Place them in a crate loosely and keep the storage temperature between 45 and 50 degrees F. Avoid storing them in the refrigerator as they become sweet.
Cooking is an activity that is what you make of it. You can either let it be a chore or enjoy it as the creative process it is. Cooking can be very satisfying. The creation of an edible piece of artwork that started as such a different ingredient can be an almost miraculous event and is as rewarding for the cook as it is for the person who eats the final product.
You should always use a sharp knife. Contrary to popular belief, using sharp knives is far safer than using dull ones. Because more force is needed to cut with a dull knife, users are much more likely to lose control of it, and that can cause accidental cuts. Sharp knives are also more efficient and faster to work with.
Make perfect meat and fish by applying seasoning, evenly. Especially with salt and pepper, think of the seasonings as snow that is falling delicately onto the meat and fish. As a result, you won't have too much seasoning on one section and not enough or none on other sections. It also prevents the seasonings from clumping.
When roasting any type of meat, ensure that when you remove it from the oven you give it time to "rest" before you carve it up and deliver to the table. Allowing the meat to sit in its own juices for ten minutes or so will make sure that the meat is not dry or overly chewy.
Leftover vegetable pieces shouldn't go to waste. Broccoli tops, carrot pieces and onion peelings can be added to your vegetable, beef or chicken stock, to fill it with extra flavor. Don't forget to add the stock to your favorite meals to enhance their flavor and appear as a great cook in front of your friends and family.
You can save a lot of money by buying potatoes for your favorite dishes in larger quantities. Make sure you store them in a cool dark place (preferably in a root cellar). Place them in a crate loosely and keep the storage temperature between 45 and 50 degrees F. Avoid storing them in the refrigerator as they become sweet.
Cooking is an activity that is what you make of it. You can either let it be a chore or enjoy it as the creative process it is. Cooking can be very satisfying. The creation of an edible piece of artwork that started as such a different ingredient can be an almost miraculous event and is as rewarding for the cook as it is for the person who eats the final product.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Southern Sweet Potato Smash With Whole Roasted Garlic Cloves
2 lbs sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1 small to medium size whole garlic bulb
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large lemon, juiced
kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Scrub the sweet potatoes, cut a slit through the skin on top, set on a baking sheet covered with tin foil.
Bake in preheated oven for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on how big the sweet potatoes are. They are done when you can squeeze them and they give way easily. (You'll be baking the garlic at the same time as the sweet potatoes, instructions follow.)
Meanwhile, cut the top off the garlic bulb just enough to expose the garlic cloves inside. Set the bulb on a sheet of heavy duty tin foil and form a packet. Drizzle the olive oil over the exposed garlic cloves, seal up tin foil packet. Put in with sweet potatoes and bake for 30 minutes; remove and set aside.
When sweet potatoes are done baking, remove and cool just enough to handle.
Cut the sweet potatoes in half and take a spoon to scoop out the insides into a serving bowl, add the lemon juice, salt, and black pepper, and smash with potato masher.
Take the garlic bulb and squeeze it upside-down over the sweet potatoes, scattering the cloves over the sweet potatoes as they pop out, along with the olive oil the garlic cooked in.
Serve warm.
Serves 4 to 6.
1 small to medium size whole garlic bulb
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large lemon, juiced
kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Scrub the sweet potatoes, cut a slit through the skin on top, set on a baking sheet covered with tin foil.
Bake in preheated oven for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on how big the sweet potatoes are. They are done when you can squeeze them and they give way easily. (You'll be baking the garlic at the same time as the sweet potatoes, instructions follow.)
Meanwhile, cut the top off the garlic bulb just enough to expose the garlic cloves inside. Set the bulb on a sheet of heavy duty tin foil and form a packet. Drizzle the olive oil over the exposed garlic cloves, seal up tin foil packet. Put in with sweet potatoes and bake for 30 minutes; remove and set aside.
When sweet potatoes are done baking, remove and cool just enough to handle.
Cut the sweet potatoes in half and take a spoon to scoop out the insides into a serving bowl, add the lemon juice, salt, and black pepper, and smash with potato masher.
Take the garlic bulb and squeeze it upside-down over the sweet potatoes, scattering the cloves over the sweet potatoes as they pop out, along with the olive oil the garlic cooked in.
Serve warm.
Serves 4 to 6.
Cajun Sweet Potato Pecan Crusted Beignets
2 medium sweet potatoes, baked
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed tight
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 egg whites
Oil for frying
1 cup finely ground pecans, put in shallow bowl
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Bake the sweet potatoes in a hot oven for about 1 hour, or until soft. Cool, then cut in half and scoop insides out into a large bowl and mash with a potato masher until well blended and as smooth as you can get them.
Add the egg yolk, brown Sugar, flour, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg; use a hand beater or masher and mix until well combined.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold the egg whites into the sweet potato mixture in bowl. Be gentle when you fold in the egg whites so you don't deflate them.
In a large deep heavy skillet or saucepan, heat about 2 inches of frying oil until hot, but don't allow to get hot enough to smoke. Use a high heat oil, such as peanut oil.
Form the beignets by dropping a spoonful of sweet potato batter into the pecans in the shallow bowl, rolling it around until it's coated with the pecans.
Carefully drop the balls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, turning once; about 4 to 5 minutes total time.
Be sure not to overcrowd the saucepan or the oil will cool and the beignets will get soggy.
Remove each beignet as it browns and put it on a paper towel covered cooling rack; sprinkle with sugar.
Keep warm if you wish on a baking sheet in an oven set on low.
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed tight
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 egg whites
Oil for frying
1 cup finely ground pecans, put in shallow bowl
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Bake the sweet potatoes in a hot oven for about 1 hour, or until soft. Cool, then cut in half and scoop insides out into a large bowl and mash with a potato masher until well blended and as smooth as you can get them.
Add the egg yolk, brown Sugar, flour, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg; use a hand beater or masher and mix until well combined.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold the egg whites into the sweet potato mixture in bowl. Be gentle when you fold in the egg whites so you don't deflate them.
In a large deep heavy skillet or saucepan, heat about 2 inches of frying oil until hot, but don't allow to get hot enough to smoke. Use a high heat oil, such as peanut oil.
Form the beignets by dropping a spoonful of sweet potato batter into the pecans in the shallow bowl, rolling it around until it's coated with the pecans.
Carefully drop the balls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, turning once; about 4 to 5 minutes total time.
Be sure not to overcrowd the saucepan or the oil will cool and the beignets will get soggy.
Remove each beignet as it browns and put it on a paper towel covered cooling rack; sprinkle with sugar.
Keep warm if you wish on a baking sheet in an oven set on low.
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