Tired Of Throwing Money Away On Fast Food? Learn How To Cook At Home With These Simple Tips!
If you are looking to improve on your cooking skills, a refresher course in the basics can be a great investment of your time. But if you are too busy for that, the following tips can help you get back to some cooking basics that you may have forgotten or overlooked.
Ice water can save the color of your vegetables. Dull washed out vegetables do not look as appealing to eat. If you want bright and vibrant vegetables, then you should plunge them into ice water after blanching them. Vibrantly colored vegetables look much more appetizing in salads and pasta dishes.
Buy your food at fresh markets. Food you buy from farmer markets and private gardens is going to be healthier for you. These foods are often free of the harmful chemicals that infect out mainstream grocery supply. Look out for the health of yourself and your family, and your cooking will automatically be better.
Make sure you store all of your spices in cool and dark places. Make sure they are not over the stove. Humidity, light and heat, will cause them to lose their flavor. That will not make for a good tasting meal. Get a spice rack and store it in your pantry.
When cooking, be sure that you use as much low fat or lite dressings as you can. This is important because this is an extremely easy way to prevent unnecessary fat and calories from being consumed by both you and the people eating your food. In moderation, the regular types are acceptable.
If you are out of bread crumbs you can try these simple substitutions in your recipe: cracker crumbs, matzo, crushed cornflakes, grounds oats, or even potato chips. Simply substitute an equal amount of the replacement food for the bread crumbs. You can also make fresh bread crumbs by finely chopping four slices of bread per cup you need.
When cooking sometimes less can be more. What this means is that the next time one is going to add a spice or other flavor enhancer to their dish they should make sure to not put in too much. Having a small amount can make a nice subtle flavor while too much can ruin the taste.
If a dish seems flat and boring, consider what kind of acidic component you could add. A dash of zest or squeeze of juice from a lemon or lime may be just what your dish needs to wake up. Or, try balsamic, white or apple cider vinegar, buttermilk, or sour cream to add a bit of tang.
Have you ever tried to do a "tri-tip" roast. The beef tri-tip roast is a lean, boneless roast from the bottom part of the sirloin. Due to its unique triangular shape, it cooks unusually - from well done at the corners, to medium rare in the center. It is very tender, and doesn't require marinating. This cut is ideal for roasting or grilling. With its short cooking time, it is an excellent choice for a mid-week meal.
Cooking the daily meal can seem like a chore sometimes and throwing ingredients together quickly becomes tiresome. Cooking for pleasure can be relaxing, entertaining, and can be delicious. Remind yourself of some of the basic rules of cooking and make cooking fun again for you and your family.
Ice water can save the color of your vegetables. Dull washed out vegetables do not look as appealing to eat. If you want bright and vibrant vegetables, then you should plunge them into ice water after blanching them. Vibrantly colored vegetables look much more appetizing in salads and pasta dishes.
Buy your food at fresh markets. Food you buy from farmer markets and private gardens is going to be healthier for you. These foods are often free of the harmful chemicals that infect out mainstream grocery supply. Look out for the health of yourself and your family, and your cooking will automatically be better.
Make sure you store all of your spices in cool and dark places. Make sure they are not over the stove. Humidity, light and heat, will cause them to lose their flavor. That will not make for a good tasting meal. Get a spice rack and store it in your pantry.
When cooking, be sure that you use as much low fat or lite dressings as you can. This is important because this is an extremely easy way to prevent unnecessary fat and calories from being consumed by both you and the people eating your food. In moderation, the regular types are acceptable.
If you are out of bread crumbs you can try these simple substitutions in your recipe: cracker crumbs, matzo, crushed cornflakes, grounds oats, or even potato chips. Simply substitute an equal amount of the replacement food for the bread crumbs. You can also make fresh bread crumbs by finely chopping four slices of bread per cup you need.
When cooking sometimes less can be more. What this means is that the next time one is going to add a spice or other flavor enhancer to their dish they should make sure to not put in too much. Having a small amount can make a nice subtle flavor while too much can ruin the taste.
If a dish seems flat and boring, consider what kind of acidic component you could add. A dash of zest or squeeze of juice from a lemon or lime may be just what your dish needs to wake up. Or, try balsamic, white or apple cider vinegar, buttermilk, or sour cream to add a bit of tang.
Have you ever tried to do a "tri-tip" roast. The beef tri-tip roast is a lean, boneless roast from the bottom part of the sirloin. Due to its unique triangular shape, it cooks unusually - from well done at the corners, to medium rare in the center. It is very tender, and doesn't require marinating. This cut is ideal for roasting or grilling. With its short cooking time, it is an excellent choice for a mid-week meal.
Cooking the daily meal can seem like a chore sometimes and throwing ingredients together quickly becomes tiresome. Cooking for pleasure can be relaxing, entertaining, and can be delicious. Remind yourself of some of the basic rules of cooking and make cooking fun again for you and your family.
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