Want To Be A Better Cook? Read On / Cooking Tips / By Bary Smith 5/5 (1) 5/5 (1) How many times have you dreaded going into the kitchen to make breakfast, lunch, or dinner? You might need a new perspective. Cooking can be enjoyable and relaxing if you try to see it in another way. Here are a few cooking tips that are sure to get your taste buds tingling and entice your inner chef to come out. You should store all herbs and spices in cool, dark places. Warmth, humidity and light will make them stale and unflavorful. Herbs and spices generally keep their taste and flavor for about one year. Whole spices are hardier, and will retain their robust flavoring for several years. When stored properly, they will stay fresher longer. Make sure to keep herbs and spices in an area that is cool and dim. Exposure to excessive heat, humidity, or light will affect the flavor of dried seasoning. Usually, ground herbs and spices retain their flavor for 12 months. Spices that are not ground can keep their flavors for 3 to 5 years. You must store them correctly in order to maintain their freshness. TIP! When trying a new seasoning for your meat, season one small piece and sample prior to cooking the entire batch of meat. Certain foods like meatballs, hamburgers and meatloaf could require very careful seasoning. When preparing stir-fry meals, cut the meat on the bias and keep it thin. This technique is somewhat tricky and can take a little time. Take the meat out as soon its gets firm (not frozen), then cut it across the grain at a forty-five degree angle. Keep spices in a dark and cool place. When they are stored in the sun, they lose shelf life because of exposure. When a spice is placed in a cool area with very little light, its life is extended and it will taste better. Meals prepared with fresher spices are simply more delicious. Have you felt sorry for tossing moldy fruit away? Should you save fruits by cutting out moldy parts? Half-rotten fruit is not save worthy. There is no way to use this food without compromising your health. Throw this fruit away because of the deep mold growth which you cannot see, and it would make you sick if you ate it. Invest in a knife sharpener to make cutting any ingredient easier. Dull knives are more dangerous to use and they are less productive as well. When you use a dull knife, you often have to force the blade through whatever you are cutting. Using a sharp knife is much easier and safer. TIP! Let raw potatoes soak in some cold water for a half hour prior to frying them to increase the crispiness of French 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. Cook your vegetables quickly to retain quality and nutrients. If you slow cook your vegetables, they will lose their nutritional value. These methods usually create healthier vegetables. If you learn to cook vegetables for the right amount of time, it will help to keep them tasty and preserve nutrients. Is fresh basil something you cook with often? Put a some of it in a cup. Make sure the the stems are completely covered with water. Set the glass on the kitchen counter or windowsill to maintain its freshness for weeks. The basil may even start growing roots if you change out the water regularly. If you keep the basil trimmed regularly, this will promote growth and allow a decent supply of basil on an ongoing basis. It is alright to use it on other foods besides meats. Try using it to season roasted potatoes or chickpeas. Everyone will wonder what your secret is. Have you ever experienced difficulty judging the time your meat should be grilled? It is always good to use a meat thermometer to determine when your meat is properly cooked. For meat that is more than 1.5 inches thick, close the lid of the grill to decrease the amount of time that the meat takes to cook. They will soak up much of the water, as if they were a sponge. Wipe off each mushroom with a clean wet cloth to prepare them for cooking. Try these tips to cook your dishes. Once you taste them, you’ll be convinced that maybe cooking isn’t so bad after all! As a matter of fact, you may even begin actually enjoying it. Once you begin enjoying it, you’ll discover yourself trying lots of new recipes. Try cooking! Please rate this Please Rate Winnellie Supermarket Post navigation ← Previous PostNext Post →