Things Are Heating Up In The Kitchen / Cooking Tips / By Bary Smith No ratings yet. No ratings yet. Do you drool enviously over the many attractive and tasty meals other people prepare? Do you wish you had the talent to offer your family these works of art? The information in the following article can turn anyone into a skilled chef. Overdo it a little when you bake a pie crust. Your objective is to cook them past the point of being pale blonde, to the point where they become a golden caramel color. This golden color means that the sugar has caramelized, leaving a sweet flavor. 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 your hand at some of the recipes, remembering that patience is key during the learning process. TIP! When trying out a new marinade or seasoning, test it on a small piece of meat before you cook the entire meal. Certain foods like hamburgers, meatloaf and meatballs have certain kinds of seasonings. Before frying raw potatoes, allow them to soak for half an hour in a bowl of cold water; this will result in crispier fries. When potatoes are allowed to absorb cold water, the texture is able to withstand the extreme heat of cooking without breaking down and becoming mushy. Vegetables are just better all-around the faster they are cooked. Using a slow cooking method is sometimes suggested, but the results are less nutritious and don’t taste as good. If you do this, it will provide you a vegetable that is higher in nutritious value. So in summary, cook your vegetables for the shortest amount of time possible. These spices are able to be used on many things in the kitchen, not just meats. Experiment with adding it to roasted seeds such as sunflower or pumpkin, or even sprinkle into salads and egg dishes. It will add a little bit of mysterious flavor to your meal. It’s very important to have good, sharp knives for cooking. Make sure your knife is not dull when you are cutting something, this is very dangerous. You are more likely to get cut exerting force on a dull knife to slice a vegetable than you are when using a sharp knife. TIP! Give pre-cut, raw potatoes a cold water bath for a half-hour prior to frying for crispier French fries. The fibers of raw cut potatoes that have been soaked in cold water prior to hitting the deep fryer, are stronger and can handle the heat better without breakage. By completing some food preparation ahead of time you can simplify your cooking process. Try looking at recipes and see what can be done in advance without spoiling. Many of the preparatory steps can be taken a day before cooking. More complex recipes become quicker and more fun this way. Mushrooms soak up water that you don’t want to be added to the recipe. Instead, get a wet, clean cloth and wipe off the mushroom by hand. Do you have trouble deciding how long to grill your meat? It is always wise to utilize a good meat thermometer (a digital one is best to give you an exact reading) to ensure that the inner portions are cooked correctly. Put the grill lid on to reduce cooking time for cuts that are more than an inch and a half thick. Replacing some of your mashed potatoes with equal amounts of cauliflower is a healthy alternative, reducing fat and calories. Because cauliflower has a pretty bland taste, it blends well with the potatoes and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. It also mimics the texture and color of the potatoes almost perfectly letting you up your vegetable intake, and drop the calories, all the while giving the same delicious potato experience we all know and love. TIP! The downside of tasty ingredients like garlic and onions is that their flavors and smells transfer to your hands. Try rubbing your hands against stainless steel to get the odor of garlic and other foods off your hands. Keep in mind that tofu and beans are excellent sources of protein when you want to add more protein to your diet. It is possible to buy both at most supermarkets. Frying the tofu in a low-sodium soy sauce is a tasty alternative to eating meat for dinner! Boiling the beans and then including them in a hearty vegetarian chili is also a wonderful dish for a cold winter night. That way, fruit can stay crisp and fresh all year. This also gives you access to seasonal fruits that might otherwise not be available at the time you want them. Recipe Calls Has there ever been an occasion where you had trouble determining how long you should grill your meat? You need to use a good meat thermometer so that you can be sure that the inside of the meat is cooked properly. If you are grilling meat that exceeds a thickness of 1.5 inches, closing your grill’s lid can make better use of the heat and cook through the meat faster. TIP! You should use chicken broth when you are cooking your vegetables. Using chicken broth will prevent the vegetables from sticking in the pan as well as add some tasty flavor at the same time. If your recipe calls for a liquid, try using something other than water or milk. This will add a spark to that tired old dish. If the recipe calls for water, switch it up by using a broth, juice, or cooking liquids. As an alternative to milk, try using thinned sour cream, yogurt, soy milk or buttermilk. Using different liquids can add nutritional value, while at the same time punching up bland, old recipes. Buy your garlic as fresh as possible for any dish that needs the flavorful ingredient. Usually when the garlic is most fresh, that is the point when it tastes the sweetest. Fresh garlic is not soft and shriveled nor does it have bruises. Make sure to put these hints and tips to use. In no time, everyone will be wondering what your secrets are! A super healthy, and tasty, veggie dish is simply sauteed veggies in some chicken broth. Broth adds flavor to the vegetables while reducing the quantity of oil necessary for sauteing. This is a wonderful way to cook, and enjoy, your vegetables. Please rate this Please Rate Winnellie Supermarket Post navigation ← Previous PostNext Post →