Whether your family is small or big, it is crucial that you know how to cook. Learning how to cook gives you power over your nutrition, and it helps you socially and financially. The advice in this article will provide you will all kinds of cooking information.
A good tip when using cooking oil is to put some on the sides of the pan while cooking. This way, it will already be hot when it gets near the food. This helps to bring out the delicious flavors in your food after you are done cooking.
In the fall, apples are often used for cooking, but if the fruit is incorrectly stored, it will spoil very quickly. To avoid rotting, store apples in open-mesh bags or baskets in a cool basement or in the produce drawer of your refrigerator. One rotten apple will spoil the bunch so keep a close eye on them while stored.
If you want crispier and crunchier French fries, then soak the potatoes in a bowl of cold water for a period of at least half an hour before use. By leaving the potatoes to soak up cold water, the fibers are reinforced. This makes it so when you fry them, they’ll withstand the heat better and won’t break down completely.
Mashed Potato
If you want to reduce the amount of calories and fat in a mashed potato dish, substitute cauliflower for some of the potatoes. Because cauliflower has a pretty bland taste, it blends well with the potatoes and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. When they’re mashed, cauliflowers have the same appearance and consistency as potatoes, too. Adding a little cauliflower can take calories out of your favorite mashed potato recipes and add in a little vegetable goodness, too.
This seasoning works well on non-meat foods, too. Blended seasonings add a delicious flavor to any food, from pumpkin seeds to scrambled eggs. Everyone will wonder what your secret is.
Mushrooms soak up water that you don’t want to be added to the recipe. Get a soft, clean and wet cloth to wipe the dirt off each individual mushroom for better results.
If you have made sauce, put the leftovers into an ice cube tray and freeze. For a quick and easy sauce on another night, simply remove as many cubes as you need and reheat in a pan. The sauce is still good after it is frozen.
Beans and tofu are great sources of protein if you need to add some to your diet. Both are readily available in grocery stores. Tofu is great meat alternative when baked, broiled, or pan-fried with seasonings. Beans boiled with herbs is a flavorful source of protein.
If you are having people over to your home to eat, and you are including a salad with the meal, allow your guests to put the dressing on themselves. People vary in the amount of dressing they like on their salad, so it is helpful to let them do this on their own. Make sure you have a selection to choose from.
Dried Tomatoes
Make your own dried tomatoes. Try slicing a Roma in half lengthwise, or cut larger tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Place the resulting tomato pieces on a rack, then salt their exposed flesh lightly. Put the rack on a baking sheet, and slow-bake in an oven that is set to 190 degrees for about 10 hours. Once done, you can store them in your freezer in plastic bags. Dried tomatoes can be placed into a jar that is filled with fresh herbs and olive oil. This jar should be used within 2 weeks and kept refrigerated.
If you can cook for you and your family it is a great asset. After reading this article, you should be able to improve your cooking skills no matter what type of food you prefer to prepare. You will rarely be tempted by fast food again if you use this advice to cook well at home.