There are people who see cooking as nothing more than a chore. Shouldn't cooking be a more enjoyable activity? It can also help to contribute towards a healthier lifestyle. A good chef constantly learns new things; hopefully, this article will deepen your knowledge of cooking and help you to enjoy your time in the kitchen.
When cooking for important company, never try a recipe you've never cooked before. Whether it is for friend, family or employer, you want to present your best effort. Cooking them one of your specialties is a safe bet.
When you will be busy the next day, make some preparations for dinner for the next day. Try chopping of veggies for a quick and easy stir fry, or putting together a lasagna or storing it in your fridge. This will allow you to serve a home cooked meal without a lot of time or effort.
Fruit grills really well. Load up a kebab with sliced fruits such as melons, peaches, nectarines, and pears. Place them on a grill that has been cleaned until you see grill marks. Place atop grilled pound cake or on ice cream to serve.
Measure your cooking oil! The reason to do this is simple: You want to measure instead of just dumping the oil in the pan in order to keep track of how much you're using. This lets you keep an eye on just how much oil you use.
As you are preparing mashed potatoes for a meal, be sure to use hot, but not boiling milk to stir in with the potatoes. The mashed potatoes will be lighter and fluffier than if you would have used cold milk in them instead. Who wants dull and lumpy mashed potatoes?
The are many varieties of potatoes, and some cannot be used as substitutes for other varieties. Different potatoes have different tastes and textures, making them ideal for some very different recipes. When your potatoes will be used for these purposes, choose a fluffy variety, such as a Russet.
Freezing meat will make it more solid, and easier to cut into thin strips. This technique is especially useful for the meat slicing styles typically used in Asian cuisine. The meat holds a tighter form when the it is partially frozen making the strips clean cut with out any stretching of the meat. However, to ensure that the meat cooks evenly, make sure that the meat is thawed before you cook it.
There are many steps you can take towards prepping your food to make your whole cooking process easier. Look over your recipe and determine which items can be prepared in advance and not spoil. You can prepare a lot of food the day prior to actually cooking. This takes a lot of the stress out of even the most complicated recipes and dishes.
Tying a turkey with a string is called trussing the turkey. It pulls the legs and wings close against the bird, which helps the turkey to cook more evenly. If the turkey is not trussed, the turkey's extremities, including the wingtips and feet, can burn before the whole turkey is cooked.
To get the most possible juice out of a citrus fruit, place it inside the microwave. Microwave your fruit for about ten seconds. After the fruit is done microwaving, roll it on the counter before you cut it.
Having sharp knives when you are cooking is very important. Dull knives are dangerous and difficult to use. You are more likely to cut yourself by using a dull knife, as opposed to when cutting using a sharp knife.
A sharp knife is imperative when preparing food. Dull knives are difficult to use and they are dangerous to cut with too. A sharp knife, however, makes quick and clean work of vegetables, meat, and anything else that you're cutting. You won't have to force the issue; a sharp knife glides through the task.
Whenever you have a meal to cook, if you do your all your prep work ahead of time, it will be much less stressful and quicker. Look through any recipes you make before you begin and prep accordingly, this can save you time before you cook letting you concentrate on your task when the time comes. You can prepare a lot of food the day prior to actually cooking. This is a great time saver, and can make that complex recipe into something that is quick and fun.
When roasting a joint of meat, make sure you leave it boned if you are struggling for time. You will see that the meat will cook in a shorter amount of time because the bone will help carry the heat directly inside of the roaster. When your cooking time is up, you can easily make your cuts, while avoiding the bone, and serve as normal.
Create flavored butter to add complexity and pizazz to breads, dinner rolls and corn. Soften the butter in the microwave, or leave it on the kitchen counter for a while. Stir in seasonings like herbs and spices or a sauce to add some zing. Try BBQ, chipotles, lemon juice or honey.
Fix your pie crust. Sometimes when you're rolling out pie dough it will end up with places that are showing cracks. Sprinkle a little water on the crack, then use your index finger to rub the dough together. Ripping or tearing of the top crust can be more difficult to repair, but can be easy to hide by covering the crust in little brushed-on milk or beaten egg white, and then lightly coating with sugar before placing the pie in the oven. When the pie is done, it will have a wonderful glaze and rich brown top that will disguise any cracks.
High quality cutlery and knives are worth the expense. You will be more efficient when you do not have to deal with dull knives; in addition, sharp knives are safer to use than dull knives. Dull blades are the cause of more accidents than sharp blades.
Grilling fruit is an excellent option. Put sliced nectarines, melon, and peaches on a skewer and grill them. Cook them until you see the grill marks on them. Serve these grilled slices of fruit with ice cream for instance.
This way, your fruit will last for a longer period time. You'll also be able to enjoy fruits out of season when the mood strikes you.
Applying these tips and developing new skills could be an opportunity to find a new hobby for you. Cooking is an enjoyable way to educate yourself about food. You can be even more self aware, as you discover what things you enjoy making. Your meals will gradually start to improve in quality and taste as your skills improve.
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