Cooking is a skill that gets better the more you use it. Even experienced chefs are constantly learning new things to impress their hungry customers. Novice cooks especially need tips to help develop their blossoming cooking skills. For handy cooking advice that can apply to cooks of any skill level, read on.
Spices and herbs should be stored in a dark and cool area. Warmth, humidity and light will make them stale and unflavorful. Ground herbs and spices will retain their flavor for about a year. If spices are kept whole, they could stay fresh for up to five years. If you keep them correctly, they will last a lot longer.
If you are going to make a stir-fry dish, slice the meat on the bias, as thinly as possible. This can take a lot of time and be hard. When the meat is partially frozen, slice it diagonally across the grain at a 45 degree angle.
You should try a small portion of the meat you are cooking when seasoning meats. Different meats including meatballs and meatloaf need to be seasoned carefully. Cook only a portion of the food prior to seasoning the entire dish. It is a good idea to cook a small portion of the meat first. If that piece turns out well, you can continue with the rest. If not, you can make adjustments to the spices.
Texture and taste don’t have to suffer when you are trying to lighten up your mashed potatoes. Cauliflower makes for a great substitute to help drop the fat and calorie content. Their bland flavor blends effortlessly with the potatoes while taking flavor from the other ingredients. Cauliflower mixes easily with potatoes and will become hard to notice while reducing your intake of carbs.
It can also be used on other foods, rather than just on meat. Sprinkle it on roasted pumpkin seeds to create a savory snack, or add it to your scrambled eggs. It will be hard for people to guess where the flavor is coming from!
Fresh Ingredients
Dried and frozen ingredients should never be used over fresh ingredients if you want to get the most out of your cooking. Try to use as many fresh ingredients as you can, because they will bring out a lot more flavor in your dish, and they can be a lot less expensive in the long run as well.
Even expert cooks can learn something new and interesting every once in a while. New cooks should gather as much cooking knowledge as possible while learning how to cook. Try out the tips you have read in the article in order to see how much your cooking skills will improve, and how enjoyable a kitchen experience can be.