Do you find your kitchen boring? The thing is, when treat cooking as a leisurely activity, your perception changes. You will start to look forward to spending time in your kitchen, and friends and family members will look forward to the results. Below are a few ideas to get your hobby started on the right track.
You should store all herbs and spices in cool, dark places. Heat, light, and a large amount of humidity can ruin spices and herbs. Most ground spices will keep their flavor for at least one year. Whole spices have a longer shelf-life and can hold their flavor for about three years. Spices that are stored correctly remain fresher for longer.
As you are seasoning the meats, break off a tiny piece before you continue to season the rest of it. Certain foods like meatballs, hamburgers and meatloaf could require very careful seasoning. Avoid cooking all of it after it's been seasoned. Instead of this, you should make a small patty, and cook that first. If it tastes good, then cook it, if it needs some additional seasoning, then you can adjust your recipe before making the entire meal.
If you boil your vegetables it can cook out the nutrients. To keep them loaded with nutrients that are beneficial to your body, chose faster cooking methods like steaming or sauteing, or enjoy them raw.
Apples are used a YIAH great deal to cook in the winter and fall months, however it is important to store them properly to prevent spoiling. Keeping your apples in a cool, dry place will keep them from rotting. Be sure to remove any spoiled apples as soon as you spot them, or the entire batch will end up rotten.
It is a good practice to place cut potatoes in a bath of cold water for about half and hour, before frying in order to get crispy fries. Allowing the sliced potatoes to soak up more cold fluids helps to reinforce the fibers that are in the vegetable, that way when they are deep fried, they are better able to stand up to the heat and won't completely break down.
Do you have a difficult time deciding how long you should grill your meat? A good meat thermometer can pinpoint the cooking status of meat, inside and out. Use a digital thermometer for the most precise results. To reduce cooking times on thick meat, lower the lid on your grill.
It's very frustrating to try to cook a tasty hamburger and see it deformed or ruined, because it gets stuck to your grill. The way to prevent this is to coat the grill with some vegetable oil prior to putting any food on the grill.
When you plan on using wooden skewers for cooking, soak them in water for 30 minutes prior to cooking. This can cut down on the chances of the wood becoming burnt and singed during the cooking process. Instead of cooking food on a single skewer, opt for two parallel skewers. This prevents the ingredients from sliding off into the fire.
Tofu and beans are excellent sources of protein. You can buy these in almost any grocery store. The tofu can be lightly seasoned and pan fried, which makes for a great alternative 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. In addition, you will then be able to indulge in fruits that aren't in season.
Make sure that you never use a wine in your food that you would not normally drink. The taste of the wine will be reflected in your meal. When in doubt, use a wine designed for cooking.
Get rid of the moisture on your ground meat by blotting it out before you begin cooking it. Taking out any moisture is a positive first step in the cooking process. If the moisture is allowed to remain, it will be released when cooking commences. This will cause it to sizzle. This detracts from the searing process, and instead mimics steaming.
Be creative with the ideas you have just read. Fix awesome dishes that everyone in the family will love and talk about for days to come. Cooking can be a lifelong passion, and you are never done learning. Make eating a pleasure instead of a necessity.
