It is a fact of life that people need food to live. But plain “survival” foods can be more than just having food in order to live. Cooking great food can be even better than just eating one. Here are some tips to bring your cooking expertise to a whole new level.
When baking pie or tart crusts, bake them longer than you think you should. Let the crust go beyond light tan to a deeper, golden shade. When the crust is a golden color then you know the sugar has caramalized and you will have a sweet and crispy result.
Keep herbs and spices in a dark space that stays room temperature. If light, heat or humidity, or light they may lose their flavor. Ground herbs and spices will retain their flavor for around a year. Whole spices have a longer shelf-life and can retain flavor for about three years. Storing spices properly can help you achieve a longer shelf-life for your spices.
Preparation is one of the most important things that you will have to do before you cook a meal for your friends or family. Save yourself time and trouble by having all your ingredients ready. Assemble utensils and other needed equipment before you start to cook. Having everything ready will take some of the stress off and increase the chances of your success.
Preparation is incredibly important prior to cooking a meal for your friends or family. Gather all of your ingredients beforehand. This process will allay some of your fears and help manifest a more positive outcome.
Do you feel guilty when you toss rotten, uneaten fruit in the garbage? Is it alright to eat fruit after removing the moldy sections? You should never eat or keep a piece of fruit that has any mold on it. You should dispose of any rotten fruit, as mold penetrates further than the naked eye can see. Rotting food can carry a number of pathogens, so it is best to avoid the risk.
Partially freeze meat so it becomes easier to slice into thin strips easier. This method is great for oriental meals such as Thai or Chinese dishes. However, you must allow the sliced meat time to thaw out before the cooking process, you want to make certain the meat strips are thawed before cooking.
For crispier French fries, put raw potatoes into cold water and let them sit there for about half an hour before frying. When potatoes are allowed to absorb cold water, the texture is able to withstand the extreme heat of cooking without breaking down and becoming mushy.
It is extremely important that you have sharp knives whenever you cook. Dull knives are hard to cut with and they are also make cutting things hard.
Ice cube trays are fabulous for freezing and storing leftover sauce. For a quick and easy sauce on another night, simply remove as many cubes as you need and reheat in a pan. Nothing to worry about as the sauce will be fine even after it’s been sitting in ice cube trays.
If you are having people over to your home to eat, and you are including a salad with the meal, keep it on the side. Some people enjoy lots of dressing than others; let guests pour their own dressing. Offer many different types of dressing.
Dry ingredients and mixes should be stored in airtight containers. Foods stored in airtight containers remain fresh longer due to lack of exposure to air. In addition, the foods will be protected from insect infestations. You can purchase them at many places, and they are well worth the money.
Leave the bone in your roast when you are pressed for time. Your meat will cook faster because its bone helps to carry the heat straight to the inside of your roaster.
You should think big when preparing chicken stock. If you prepare a large pot of stock, it can be frozen and stored for future use. Many great recipes including soups, casseroles and stews call for a base of chicken stock. First, cool the stock and then stick it in the freezer.
Prepare some of your food the day before to save time and headaches. Cut up ingredients the night before going to bed at night. You will feel less stressed and more ready to cook the next day.
Sauteing vegetables is an extremely healthy method of cooking them. Consider adding chicken broth for some added flavor. Broth adds flavor to the vegetables while reducing the quantity of oil necessary for sauteing. This method of cooking vegetables will be tasty and rich in nutrients.
Learning to cook well, and to enjoy it at the same time, can be much more enjoyable than merely eating. Follow these tips, and then add a little of your own flare. Your cooking will show some vast improvements and all your friends and family will thank you.
When cooking pumpkins, stand the pumpkin so that it is upright. Next, cut it down the middle. Next, you want to use two cookie-sheet type pans. On each pan, place one half of the pumpkin with the side that is cut facing down. Moisten each sheet with water, then place the pumpkin halves in a 350-degree oven for 60 minutes.
