A Few Easy Tips For Preparing Restaurant Quality Meals

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There are plenty of people who look at cooking as a hassle. In this article there are suggestions and tips that will help make cooking an enjoyable part of your day.

TIP! When storing your herbs and spices, they should be kept in a cool, dark spot. Their flavors are weakened significantly by things like heat, light and humidity.

Pie crusts and tart crusts should be cook a bit past the point that you think they should be cooked. Your crust should be a deep caramel as opposed to a light goldenrod. That deeper color shows that the sugar has caramelized. This creates a crisp crust, which is also sweeter.

Being properly prepared is key to success in cooking for your family and friends. Look at your recipe, and ensure that you aren’t missing any ingredients. Get everything set to cook the next day. Determine if you have you got the right utensils, etc. This can seriously reduce stress and anxiety levels.

Corn Starch

Here is a way to save your sauce and use it in your recipes. In a small bowl, combine two tablespoons of water and 3 teaspoons of corn starch. Simmer the sauce, and slowly stir the corn starch mixture in. You need to add this solution very slowly and stir while adding so the sauce does not become too thick or burn.

TIP! Your spices should be stored in any area that is dark and cool. If the spices become too hot, or moist from humidity, it can shorten their shelf life.

Apples spoil quickly if stored incorrectly. To properly store them, you should keep them in a plastic bag and in a cool temperature. Remember the rule, one bad apple will spoil the bunch.

Mushrooms will absorb the water like a sponge. You should wet a cloth and wipe the mushrooms off, rather than soaking them.

TIP! When trying to cut strips of meat, partially freeze it for a more firm cut. This method is great for oriental meals that require small strips.

Garlic is one of those delicious ingredient that has a drawback; its flavor gets onto your hands. After touching garlic or another strong-smelling ingredient, stop and rub your hands on your stainless steel faucet. Doing this will remove the scent from your hands, and keep it from spreading to the next food you touch.

If you want to eat well and lose weight, it’s a good idea to decrease the amount of oil you use in cooking. Unnecessary fats are contained in butters and oils. Instead, opt for nonstick cooking spray.

TIP! If you are cooking a meal for some important occasion, stick with a tried and true recipe. Avoid cooking with new ingredients or a new recipe that you have never used before.

When buying ingredients to cook with, always read the label. You will often find unhealthy ingredients in one of your cooking essentials. It is a good idea to verify that ingredients not contain high levels of sugar or sodium. Over-consumption of these can create health issues.

When using garlic in your cooking, always purchase the freshest garlic possible. The fresher the garlic, the sweeter the taste. Fresh garlic will have firm skin and cloves. In addition, it should not be shriveled or have any bruises.

Olive Oil

Try drying your own tomatoes. Simply cut them into 1/2 half inch slices, or cut lengthwise for Romas. Take a cooling rack and place the tomatoes on it. Sprinkle them with salt. Put a cookie sheet under the rack and place in the oven for ten hours at 190 degrees. The tomatoes can then be placed in plastic bags and stored in the freezer. For flavored olive oil add some dried tomatoes and fresh herbs in a good quality extra virgin olive oil and store out of direct sunlight. The jars can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

TIP! They will act somewhat like a sponge that soaks up all the water. To avoid this problem, use a damp cloth to wipe the mushroom clean.

If you purchase unripened fruits, place them in a perforated plastic bag. As fruits ripen, they produce a gas called ethylene. Bags with holes will prevent already-ripened fruit from rotting, since the ethylene gas can escape; on the other hand, under-ripened fruit benefits from a bag without holes, since the gas that causes ripening is retained.

To quickly cut herbs, bind herbs together and snip with scissors. Chopping herbs often makes herbs wet and wilted. Using scissors gives your herbs a light, fluffy appearance.

TIP! Try lowering the amount of oil you cook with if you are trying to lose weight and eat healthier. Butter and oils have fat that you do not need! Nonstick cooking spray is a great alternative that will give you the same end result as the oils with less unhealthy ingredients.

Follow the recipe exactly when you are making macaroni and cheese. The macaroni cooks perfectly when you do this and is nothing short of spectacular after the nice, creamy, melted cheese is poured over the noodles. To serve the macaroni and cheese, a solid faced spoon works just fine. Use some black pepper as the spice on your mac and cheese.

As you’ve read, there are a variety of ways that cooking can be made fun and exciting, and not just a chore. By putting these tips to use, it will allow you to view cooking as less of a chore and more of a creative pastime.

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