Learning the basics of cooking can make it a very enjoyable activity. This article will show you how to become a good cook and get the confidence you need to hone your hone your cooking skills.Before attempting to prepare food with skewers, take a few things to heart. Not all metal skewers are created equal; traditional round metal skewers are not the best option to keep food in place when grilling. Choosing skewers with a different shape can be the secret to keeping your food from the bottom of your grill.It is important that your knives when cooking. Dull knives are hard to cut with and they are less productive as well.When you store your spices and herbs, keep them in a place that is cool and dark. The flavor of herbs and spices will be diminished if they are subjected to humidity, heat, or light. Generally speaking, properly stored herbs and ground spices can keep a good portion of their flavor as long as one calendar year. Whole spices may keep their flavors, possibly, three years or longer. If they are stored properly, they will stay fresh longer.Apples are very popular in cooking in fall and winter, however it is important to store them properly to prevent spoiling. To keep apples at the peak of perfection, you should keep them in a plastic bag and in a cool temperature. One rotten apple will spoil the whole bag so make sure you keep a close eye on them while stored.Slice meat thinly on the bias for stir-fry dishes. There’s a trick to this, and it can take a little time. Freeze the meat until it is firm and then slice the thin slices across the grain.Try adding cauliflower to your mashed potatoes to cut some calories and fat. The somewhat bland taste of cauliflower helps it to blend seamlessly with the other ingredients. Cauliflower is also the same texture and color of potatoes when mashed so it’s a great way to add more veggies, offering you a perfect way to add another vegetable to your dish while cutting calories.It works on other foods, as well as meat. Scrambled eggs taste delicious with it, or you can create a tasty snack by sprinkling it over roasted pumpkin seeds. Everyone will be wondering what your secret ingredient is!
Fresh Basil
Nearly any recipe benefits from using fresh ingredients rather than the frozen or dried version. Fresh ingredients can really enhance the flavor of your meal, as well as be more economical to prepare.Do you enjoy cooking with fresh basil? Place several sprigs of fresh basil into a glass. Make sure the basil’s stems are submerged in water. You can keep it on your counter for several weeks. The basil can actually grow roots if you keep the water regularly. You should also trim the basil so it grows even more.
Keep sauce easily by filling an ice tray with the leftovers and freezing it. When you do this, making a quick meal can be accomplished by simply reheating by using a saute pan. Not to worry, it freezes well and is perfectly edible when stored this way.You can use this on other types of food besides meat! Try using it to season roasted pumpkin seeds sprinkled with the seasoning for a tasty snack or chickpeas.People will want you for your secret ingredient!When you are making any kind of food that requires seasoning, put a little seasoning on every few minutes instead of adding it all in the beginning. Your food will taste as flavorful as ever if you season it this way.Ice trays can be a great tool for freezing and storing leftover sauce. This makes it easy to prepare a quick meal which you can reheat at a saute pan.The sauce will be very edible after it comes out of the next time you need it!When serving a salad at a social gathering, keep the dressing in a dish to the side. Let people put on their own dressing. Your guests will also enjoy having a variety of dressings from which to choose.Oil and butter add more fat than necessary to your dishes. Try using nonstick cooking sprays that will help your food not contain anything unhealthy and keep it free from fats that contribute little to a healthy lifestyle.Prepare things the day before if you cannot handle doing everything in one night. Try chopping all your onions and veggies, making up a sauce or putting the meat in a marinade before going to bed at night. You’ll be less stressed when cooking the following day.Leave the bone in a roast when you are pressed for time. Your meat will be done a lot faster because its bone helps to carry the heat to your roaster.Many vegetables and herbs emit aromas that remain in the cutting board, regardless of how many times you clean it. You should mark your cutting board on the side you will be cutting herbs on.This article makes it clear that cooking is a learn-able skill, and that it’s not so tough to improve, either. All that is necessary is time and the motivation to learn. If you follow these tips, you will quickly master new skills in the kitchen. So make your cooking experience fun, begin with a positive attitude.Before you begin to cook, you must make sure that your kitchen utensils are clean. Any leftover food residue can ruin the food you are preparing. Bacteria will develop and spread on unclean utensils.