Cooking does not have to be a scary thought! Understandably, cooking is easier for some than others. It takes know how, practice, and patience, but you can do it! Below are some helpful tips to make your cooking a pleasure:
As you cook your meal during the course of the night, make sure that you taste it at several different points. This will allow you to pinpoint exactly when it is done, so that you do not run the risk of overcooking it. Tasting your food is important to achieve the quality you desire.
During cooking, if the consistency of a sauce or gravy is too thin for your liking, try adding some corn starch to it in order to thicken it to your taste. Avoid using flour as it can make the sauce taste “chalky”. Corn starch is an excellent thickening agent and blends very well with the sauce or gravy.
When you are cooking meat you should never use a fork to turn the meat over. You should always use a pair of tongs or a spatula. The reason is because piercing meat with a fork allows all of the juices to run out causing your meat to be dry.
Roasted meat with vegetables is a versatile and easy meal. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a roasting pan with foil. In a large mixing bowl, combine seasonings of your choice and olive oil or melted butter. Add meat pieces and coarsely chopped vegetables. Coat evenly. Pour mixture into roasting pan, cover and cook for about an hour. Enjoy your one pan meal!
When you are going to the store, do not always have a large shopping list which can restrain you to just getting certain items. See what you like and what you are in the mood for and purchase based on that. This will give you the spontaneity to cook whatever you choose.
If a dish requires thinly sliced meats (like some Chinese dishes, for example), freeze the meat before slicing. This makes it hold its shape better when you are slicing, which allows the knife to cut through with a cleaner line. When meat is thawed out, you often have to use a sawing motion to cut the beef, which can make your lines uneven and jagged.
Choose authentic Parmesan cheese for the best flavor. Use authentic Parmesan cheese, made according to strict standards in certain areas around Central Italy. It has a nutty, mellow flavor that is highly superior to Parmesan cheese that is produced elsewhere. For the best flavor, buy the cheese in chunks, and only grate it when you are ready to eat.
This is a great tip to use when making salad dressings. If you want to make a dressing that is creamy and rich, but without adding all of the fat, simply use a mixture of half mayonnaise and half Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt is a healthy alternative to using all mayonnaise as there is less cholesterol.
Use a collapsible steamer basket to make the best steamed vegetables. These devices are available widely and cheaply. They can slip into almost any pot you already have and can be used for almost any vegetable you would like to enjoy. Be sure to watch your cook time to avoid getting mushy vegetables.
It doesn’t matter how old or young, anyone can learn how to cook a fantastic meal. Start with a simple recipe and follow the directions exactly as written. Thousands of recipes are available online. As you get more comfortable with cooking, you can start changing the recipes to suit your particular taste preferences.
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