New recipes and cooking techniques can be learned by even the most seasoned chef. When you know different methods and techniques, you could make an ordinary meal turn into something spectacular that will be requested again and again. Try some of these tips to make your meals interesting and exciting!
When storing your herbs and spices, they should be kept in a cool, dark spot. Humidity and heat, in addition to light, will cause spices and herbs to lose their flavor. Generally, ground spices and herbs keep most of their flavor for a year. Spices that are whole will retain flavor longer, closer to 3-5 years. When stored properly, they will stay fresher longer.
Leafy greens have many health benefits, but getting them prepared to eat is not easy. Stems on these vegetables are often tough, making it difficult and time consuming to remove the stems. The easy way to do this is to laterally fold up the leaf at the midpoint, then use the leverage to break the stem off in the middl e. You could also cut the stem from the folded leaf using a knife. You will have a green without a stem after you unfold the leaf.
To make the cooking process easier and faster, many preparatory steps can be completed ahead of time. Examine recipes and identify which preparations can take place well in advance without risking spoilage. Much of the preparations can be finished one day prior to cooking. This can make harder recipes easy, and complicated ones a fun, fast experience.
Always use fresh seasonings and herbs whenever you cook something simple. If the recipe is complicated and combines many different flavors, dried herbs are acceptable. On the other hand, fresher herbs invoke more vibrant and fresh tastes. If you have a hard time finding fresh versions of your favorite herbs, then consider planting an herb garden.
If you have decided that you might like to cook more food at home, look for a great book that can help you. These books can be found in many places: the library, online or even a family member. Pick out a few recipes to try and decide after it has been eaten if it is a recipe you want to add to your permanent collection. Be sure to be patient as you try these new recipes.
A healthy way to cook vegetables is to saute them with a little bit of chicken broth. The chicken broth will cut down on the fat in your vegetable dishes while enhancing their flavor. Do this and you will find that your vegetables are delicious and easy to prepare.
Crispier fries come from potatoes that have been left to soak in ice cold water for about 30 minutes. Soaking the sliced potatoes in cold water strengthens the potato fibers so they will not break down so much when you fry them in the hot oil.
Make some flavored butter to add to your dinner rolls or corn for an exciting experience. Soften your butter by letting it sit at room temperature or popping it in the microwave for a few seconds. Combine the softened butter with a few spices and herbs or maybe even a little sauce. Mixing the butter with these items will give them new flavor. There are many tasty options like honey, salsa and even lemon juice.
You can easily create a new dish by changing the sauces and spices you usually add. Try marinating your favorite dishes in new sauces or sprinkling them with new spices. A great way to get new sauces and spices is to visit your local foreign food store.
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. Juices, beef broth, or vegetable broth can all be used as a substitute for water. You can try out buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream instead of milk. Adding different and interesting liquids to a recipe can help the dish become more interesting and nutritious.
If you know the next day is going to be hectic, work to prepare some of your meal ahead of time. You can really save yourself some time and worry by assembling your meals, like a meatloaf, ahead of time so it is oven-ready for dinner.
If you want a shell for double-baked potatoes or skins with additional firmness, try using a thick potato designed for baking. You cannot use red potatoes because their skin is too thin to hold up to a dense filling.
After you have prepared some sauce, freeze the leftovers in ice cube trays. When you do this, making a quick meal can be accomplished by simply reheating by using a saute pan. Freezing the sauce in this manner will keep it fresh and ready to be reheated.
In order to get the most out of your selection of spices, you should store them out of the light and heat. Your spices will not last as long if they are exposed to light, heat or humidity. Keeping your spices in a cooler space with little light will enhance their flavor and shelf life. Meals prepared with fresher spices are simply more delicious.
Think of these ideas as as a starting point, and come up with your own culinary miracles. With improv ed culinary skills, not only will you eat better, the people around you will eat better as well. You may be the next Julia Child.
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