Many people look at cooking as a massive inconvenience or a chore. The following article shows you how you can use to make cooking an enjoyable event.
A good tip when cooking with oil is to put it on the sides of the pan so it’s already hot when it slides down into the food. This helps to enhance and maximize the taste of your cooking.
Longer Shelf
Boiling takes time and removes the nutrients from veggies. Opt for quicker cooking methods instead. You can steam or saute your vegetables or eat them raw.
Keep herbs and spices in a dark space that is cool and dark. If they are exposed to light, humidity or heat, or light they may lose their flavor. Ground spices retain their flavor for 12 months under normal circumstances. Whole spices have a longer shelf-life and can hold their flavor for around 3 to 5 years. Storing spices in glass containers with a longer shelf-life for your spices.
Chicken broth is a great cooking base for vegetables. Chicken broth is an excellent base to use when preparing vegetable dishes that helps keep them from sticking and gives them some flavor. Chicken broth is very inexpensive, and can be purchased at just about any local grocery store.
It is extremely important that your knives whenever you cook. Dull knives can actually be dangerous and they also make chopping difficult.
If you use less oil when you are cooking you will cut some fat and lose weight. Oil and butter have lots of fat. A god nonstick spray is a wonderful substitute for the oils and fats that you are using.
Quickly cooking vegetables makes them to retain much of their nutritional value.Vegetables that are cooked slowly lose their taste and valuable nutrients. These speed-cooking techniques are much healthier. Cooking vegetables for the least amount of time is essential.
A great source of protein for your diet can be found in beans and tofu. You can buy these in almost any grocery store. Tofu can be fried in a pan with just a few seasonings. It is a tasty and healthy meat alternative. Boil beans with a sauce or herbs, or add them to a salad to serve up some additional protein.
Fresh Basil
Do not dress your guests’ salads. Serve the dressing on the side and allow your guests to dress it to their liking. It is much better to let guests add the amount of dressing that they prefer according to their needs. You should also provide a large variety of dressings to serve your guests.
Do you enjoy the flavors of fresh basil? Place several sprigs of fresh basil into a large glass. Make sure the stems are completely covered with water. You could let it sit on your counter for several weeks. The basil will grow roots if you occasionally change out the water regularly. Trim the basil once in a while so it grows even more and you will be able to enjoy fresh basil!
Do not forget to replace your spices twice a year. If you keep them longer than this, they may lose their flavor. If you know you can’t use as much as is in the package, give some to a family member or friend to keep from wasting it.
Do you ever find it difficult to determine how long you should grill your meats? Use a good meat thermometer to tell when it is cooked properly.
Be sure to keep your dishes clean as you cook to avoid a lengthy clean up. Have your sink full of soapy, hot water one side, and use the other side to rinse. Utensils and mixing bowls are easy to rinse off right after being used and will be nice and clean for the next ingredient in your meal.
This will stop the skewer from burning while you are cooking. Use two parallel skewers instead of one skewer to avoid food intact.
Always blot ground meat before cooking it. The reason for the blotting is to remove the surface moisture. Any moisture remaining will be released upon cooking. The effect is, that it will sizzle away. This is undesirable, since the meat will technically steam, instead of searing.
Sauteing vegetables in a small amount of broth is a healthy cooking method. This technique is a great and delicious way to easily cook healthier while not skimping on flavor.
You should let your meat rest prior to serving. Lots of people don’t take advantage of this important step for food. You may be tempted to serve people as soon as the meal comes out of the oven. If you serve immediately off the grill, you will lose most of the juices in meat when you cut into it. Instead, allow the meal to cool and rest for a few minutes.
Always make sure you measure cooking oil you use. This will help you lower the fat is present in your foods while cooking. This technique gives you the amount of oil you want to use.
Save a little bit of your pasta water when making pasta sauce. Use around a quarter cup and put it aside for your sauce. The water should be added to the sauce and pasta mixture. The starch from the pasta water will add body and a “creaminess” to your sauce through amalgamation.
As you can see, it’s possible to make cooking interesting and less like a chore. You can become engrossed in something that you once thought of as boring.
Put a little bit of salt on your cutting board before chopping fresh herbs. This will add some flavor and the herbs will stay on the board. Do not add too much salt to your dish. The salt that is used on this board gives your herbs some extra flavor because it sticks to them.
