If you are just beginning to cook more of your meals, go straight to the nearest bookstore or library to find a cookbook that has simple, fun recipes. Try a few recipes, and be patient with yourself as you are mastering this new skill.
One thing that you can do is to bake a pie or tart crust longer to optimize quality. Wait until the crust turns golden rather than pale blond. The color on your pie signifies that the caramelizing process is complete in your crust, yielding a scrumptious dessert.
Here is a tip that will thicken your sauce quickly and easily so that all your hard work will have not been wasted. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons' worth of water with 1 of corn starch. Add this mix to the sauce little by little until it becomes thicker. Make sure you stir your sauce and stop pouring the mix once your sauce looks better.
You can use it on a variety of foods, not just meat. Sprinkle on popcorn for a tasty movie-night snack, or add a bit to fried rice to spice it up nicely. It will be hard for people to guess where the flavor is coming from!
Replacing some of your mashed potatoes with equal amounts of cauliflower is a healthy alternative, reducing fat and calories. Cauliflower blends perfectly with your potatoes without changing the taste of your mashed potatoes. Cauliflowers look very similar to potatoes in texture and color when they are mashed. It will allow you to have a delicious side dish that is healthier and still flavorful.
You can use it on other foods besides meat. You can use your favorite spices and seasonings to enhance the naturally delicious flavor of scrambled eggs and roasted pumpkin seeds. Everyone will ask what you used for spices.
One good way to store extra sauce is to freeze it using ice cube trays. You will then have it readily available for when you need to make French crepes and a quick and easy meal. All that needs to be done is to warm it up in a pan. And don't worry, your sauce will still taste great even after freezing.
Carefully measure the oil you cook with. It will be easier to control how much oil you consume by measuring instead of pouring "enough" oil into a pan. Doing this will make it easy for you to keep track of exactly how much oil is being used.
It will be very helpful to have all cooking supplies nicely organized. If you refuse to organize your cooking supplies, you'll take longer to find the utensils you need. Consider storing similar things together. For instance, put all your spices together in one cabinet.
Blot ground meat with a paper towel before you start cooking it. The excess water on ground meat can present a problem while cooking, so do not skip this essential step. If the meat has moisture when cooked, the heat will release it as steam. The moisture will steam away. The meat may then stem instead of sear like it's supposed to do.
Even if a meal looks irresistible, let it sit for a few minutes after it has finished cooking. It is often overlooked, but it makes a difference when you let the food sit and allow the flavors to be absorbed. It has become almost habit now to serve up a meal as it comes right off the stove. However, you are missing out if you do so. Instead, allow each dish to cool briefly before serving it.
Always drain and blot your ground meat after cooking to remove excess fat. Make sure you get rid of all the moisture present in the meat. If you leave it there, the meat will not cook properly. It will steam off in the hot skillet. This could cause your meat to steam, instead of searing.
Reserve some pasta water for use in your pasta sauce. Save about one-fourth of a cup of water after draining the pasta. When you are getting ready to mix the pasta and sauce together, pour in some of the water. Residual starch in the water adds volume and creaminess to the sauce of your choice.
The act of using string to tie the turkey is called trussing. This keeps the wings and legs close to the bird, promoting a more even cooking. If you do not do this, the wings or legs will burn easier.
When cooking, less is often more. When you follow simple recipes accurately, however, it is easy to create delicious healthy meals. Try these tips for improving your understanding of cooking techniques and preparing fantastic meals!
