Make Cooking A Pleasure With These Kitchen Basics

Whether you live alone or with a big, and rather hungry, family, cooking is an essential skill to have. Having cooking skills generally means being able to make more nutritious food, saving money, and being better able to entertain guests. The article below will provide some valuable information that can make cooking a pleasure.

Spices and herbs should be stored in a dark and cool area. Humidity, light and heat can cause your spices and herbs to lose their flavor. Usually, ground herbs and spices retain their flavor for 12 months. Spices that are raw, or whole, can keep the original flavor for as long as five years, though it usually falls somewhere between three and five. When stored in the correct place, they will keep their freshness for longer.

Spices should be kept somewhere cool and dark. Storing them out exposes them to light, excessive heat and humidity, which can reduce their shelf life. Your spices will have a longer shelf life and retain their good taste if stored in a dark, cool spot. These fresh spices will help add flavor to your meals, making them tastier!

Apples spoil quickly if stored incorrectly. Warm, dry air will make apples rot, so keep them in the fridge or cellar in plastic bags. Make sure you take a look at them throughout the season; a simple rotten apple can easily ruin the rest of the bunch.

Are you aiming to reduce the amount of fat and calories you consume in your mashed potatoes without having to give up taste or texture? If so, consider replacing a certain amount of the potatoes with cauliflower. The somewhat bland taste of cauliflower helps it to blend seamlessly with your potatoes while picking up the other ingredients. When they're mashed, cauliflowers have the same appearance and consistency as potatoes, too. Adding a little cauliflower can take calories out of your favorite mashed potato recipes and add in a little vegetable goodness, too.

Vegetables should be cooked rapidly to obtain peak results. Taste and nutritional value suffer when vegetables are slow-cooked. These cooking techniques make the vegetables more healthy overall. Only cook vegetables as much as you have to, in order to preserve their taste and nutritional value.

Garlic may be a tasty addition to your meals, but the smell that stays on your hands is a bit of a downside. After using garlic or other foods with odors that stick to your hands, all you need to do is rub your hands on a piece of stainless steel, like your sink. This will clean your hands, while preventing any odors from being transferred to the next food item you touch.

Chicken broth is a great cooking base for vegetables. Using chicken broth will prevent the vegetables from sticking in the pan as well as add some tasty flavor at the same time. Chicken broth is readily available at most grocery stores, and it is very affordably priced.

When you can cook for yourself and your family, you will benefit. As these tips can show you, you can be a better cook no matter what type of food you like! Though everyone enjoys a quick burger from the drive thru, even more enjoy the tastiness of a home prepared meal.