Learn To Cook Today With These Simple Tips!
A lot of people feel like cooking is a chore. This article has many suggestions so that you can enjoy cooking.
Your spices should be stored in a cool place that is free of light. Storing spices in lighted areas or warm areas can reduce their length of freshness. Keep spices fresh by storing them away from light and humidity. Keeping your spices fresh can improve the taste of every recipe you prepare.
A lot of preparatory work can be done ahead of time in order to speed up time spent cooking. Check the recipe you’re using to see if some preparation can be done without the partially prepared dish spoiling. Much of the preparations can be finished one day prior to cooking. By doing this, your cooking task will be quick and easy – even for very complex recipes.
If you are left with extra sauce after a meal, find a clean ice cube tray to pour the leftovers into and store the tray in the freezer. All you need to do next time you want to use it, is reheat in a saucepan. Sauce cubes made this way are safe and will taste great!
Baking mixes, flour and sugar should all be stored in airtight packaging. Keeping your ingredients in airtight containers will stop them from spoiling or being infected with bugs. These containers are readily available in the marketplace and will be worth the money invested.
It’s important to cut down on the amount of oil you use when you’re cooking, if you’re trying to eat in a healthy way and control your weight. There is a lot of unnecessary fat in butter and oil. To achieve the same results as oil without the unhealthy fat, try using a nonstick spray.
If you wish to eat more protein, try one of the many varieties of beans or tofu available. You can buy these in almost any grocery store. Pan fried tofu, lightly sprinkled with your favorite seasonings, is a delicious substitute to meat. Soak and cook the beans with herbs, seasonings, and bits of meat for a flavorful soup, burrito filling, dip or other protein-rich application.
In this manner, you will be able to preserve the freshness of the fruit throughout the year. Plus, you will have fruits which are not available during certain periods of the year.
Cooling Rack
You can dry out your own tomatoes. Slice a large, ripened tomato in half-inch-thick slices. If you are using Roma tomatoes, slice them lengthwise into two pieces. Put them facing upwards onto a cooling rack and add a little salt. Place the cooling rack on a cookie sheet and dry in a 190 degree oven for up to 10 hours. Put the bags of tomatoes in your freezer. You can also pack dried tomatoes in a jar with fresh herbs and olive oil. This jar should be used within 2 weeks and kept refrigerated.
Head to the store and replace your unused spices every six months. When spices sit around for too long, they tend to lose flavor. If you do not think you will use all of the spice within six months, split it with a friend.
Use a substantial amount of salt in the water when you are cooking pasta. This will help season the pasta as it cooks. When you salt your pasta after cooking, the flavor is not as full.
Extra Flavor
When you are using your cutting board to chop herbs, sprinkle a little salt on the board. This gives extra flavor and helps to hold the herbs in place. Don’t over-salt; save the extra salt for the dish itself. The salt that is used on this board gives your herbs some extra flavor because it sticks to them.
Make all necessary preparations for whatever you are planning on cooking before you start cooking. This way, you can prevent distractions like hot oil in pans or other distractions. You can also save on gas and heat by not turning on appliances before you are ready.
Take care to not overfill your pan when you are sauteing. The moisture that the extra food volume adds will cause the food to steam, which means it won’t be as crispy as intended. This should also be done at a lower temperature.
The preceding paragraphs helped you see cooking as something fun and exciting. If you use the tips in this article you’ll find that you can make cooking creative and fun, enjoying every minute of it.