Many people can't cook at all, whether it be from lack of practice or a mental block. Cooking is an enormously helpful skill, however! Cooking saves money, creates healthier food than eating out, and is fun to do! If you can't cook, read on for some simple ways you can learn to cook great, healthy food.
If you are making a dish where you will need thin strips of meat (fajitas, Chinese) freeze your meet for about 20 minutes before cutting. This will allow you to slice the meat very thinly with ease. You may think this sounds a little strange, but it will definitely do the trick.
Put salt on your cutting board. It can be difficult to cut herbs on your cutting board. They tend to go all over the place. To keep this from happening, just sprinkle a little salt on your cutting board before you begin. This will work to keep them from slipping around.
You can save a lot of money by buying potatoes for your favorite dishes in larger quantities. Make sure you store them in a cool dark place (preferably in a root cellar). Place them in a crate loosely and keep the storage temperature between 45 and 50 degrees F. Avoid storing them in the refrigerator as they become sweet.
When you are going to crush garlic for a dish, put it in a resealable plastic bag. Then, smash it up with the end of a knife. By doing this, you will prevent your knife, cutting board and hands from smelling of garlic, which is a smell that is hard to get rid of.
Cook your pasta for one minute less than the box recommends. Look at the cook time on your box of pasta and subtract a minute. If you are including the pasta in a dish, it will cook the rest of the way when you are cooking it with the sauce.
Don't let extra egg roll wrappers go to waste! They are great for making simple homemade baked chips. Cut the wrappers into chip size shapes and place on a greased cookie sheet. Spray the wrappers lightly with cooking spray or oil. Top with your favorite flavoring such as savory garlic salt, or sweet cinnamon sugar, and bake until crisp.
Always taste and season your food as you cook it, and do not depend solely on the recipe's instructions for how much or how little of a seasoning to add. Also, if you over-salt one component of your dish, you can adjust the amount you add to other layers or ingredients to balance out the flavor.
Check your ingredients before starting a recipe. There is nothing worse than getting halfway through a recipe, only to realize that you are missing a vital ingredient. Also, you will save time by assembling everything. Measure everything out, and prepare any ingredients in advance. This way, you won't suddenly find yourself having to chop an onion or grate cheese when you are right in the middle of your recipe.
Cutting onions does not have to be a crying matter. The keys to success with onions are easy to follow and minimize tears. Chill the onions first before cutting, use your sharpest knife for cutting and turn exposed cuts down on your board. As you cut, be efficient, quick and constantly turn the largest exposed cuts down against the board. Running your vent hood will help circulate air as you cut as well.
Cooking is all practice. With these tips in hand, you're ready to get on the road toward being a better cook, and reducing your dependence on expensive and unhealthy food. Don't keep eating out- apply what this article has taught you and soon you'll be making your own delicious meals and saving tons of money!
If you are making a dish where you will need thin strips of meat (fajitas, Chinese) freeze your meet for about 20 minutes before cutting. This will allow you to slice the meat very thinly with ease. You may think this sounds a little strange, but it will definitely do the trick.
Put salt on your cutting board. It can be difficult to cut herbs on your cutting board. They tend to go all over the place. To keep this from happening, just sprinkle a little salt on your cutting board before you begin. This will work to keep them from slipping around.
You can save a lot of money by buying potatoes for your favorite dishes in larger quantities. Make sure you store them in a cool dark place (preferably in a root cellar). Place them in a crate loosely and keep the storage temperature between 45 and 50 degrees F. Avoid storing them in the refrigerator as they become sweet.
When you are going to crush garlic for a dish, put it in a resealable plastic bag. Then, smash it up with the end of a knife. By doing this, you will prevent your knife, cutting board and hands from smelling of garlic, which is a smell that is hard to get rid of.
Cook your pasta for one minute less than the box recommends. Look at the cook time on your box of pasta and subtract a minute. If you are including the pasta in a dish, it will cook the rest of the way when you are cooking it with the sauce.
Don't let extra egg roll wrappers go to waste! They are great for making simple homemade baked chips. Cut the wrappers into chip size shapes and place on a greased cookie sheet. Spray the wrappers lightly with cooking spray or oil. Top with your favorite flavoring such as savory garlic salt, or sweet cinnamon sugar, and bake until crisp.
Always taste and season your food as you cook it, and do not depend solely on the recipe's instructions for how much or how little of a seasoning to add. Also, if you over-salt one component of your dish, you can adjust the amount you add to other layers or ingredients to balance out the flavor.
Check your ingredients before starting a recipe. There is nothing worse than getting halfway through a recipe, only to realize that you are missing a vital ingredient. Also, you will save time by assembling everything. Measure everything out, and prepare any ingredients in advance. This way, you won't suddenly find yourself having to chop an onion or grate cheese when you are right in the middle of your recipe.
Cutting onions does not have to be a crying matter. The keys to success with onions are easy to follow and minimize tears. Chill the onions first before cutting, use your sharpest knife for cutting and turn exposed cuts down on your board. As you cut, be efficient, quick and constantly turn the largest exposed cuts down against the board. Running your vent hood will help circulate air as you cut as well.
Cooking is all practice. With these tips in hand, you're ready to get on the road toward being a better cook, and reducing your dependence on expensive and unhealthy food. Don't keep eating out- apply what this article has taught you and soon you'll be making your own delicious meals and saving tons of money!
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