The economy is not in the best shape right now, which may be preventing you from going out to eat as much. Chances are, however, that you still crave and enjoy a variety of foods that you have only experienced in a restaurant setting. Use the tips below, to learn how to create dishes to fulfill your cravings and budget!
Try to keep your spices and herbs in a dark, cool area of your kitchen. Common kitchen conditions, such as heat, light, and humidity, will destroy the flavor of herbs and spices. As a general rule, keep your ground spices no more than one year. Whole spices might retain their flavors for three to five years. When spices are stored in the correct manner, they will stay fresh for much longer.
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.
When you are cooking an important dinner you want to whip up something you know how to cook well. Avoid trying out new recipes or new ingredients in such a situation. This makes cooking less stressful.
Cooking can be a joy if you invest in a good, sizable cutting board able to handle all of your cutting and chopping needs. If a butcher block table is out of the budget, look for a durable bamboo or sturdy maple for the job. A cutting board with a recessed groove surrounding the cutting surface is handy to catch juices from carving meats and makes clean up easy. If you will be using a cutting board on a smooth surface, look for one with rubber feet to avoid slipping. Maintain your cutting board with food-grade mineral oil (vegetable and olive oils can turn rancid) and make sure that you properly clean, and more importantly, dry your cutting board after each use to prevent warping.
You should use applesauce when baking if you want to cut back on the amount of calories the baked good contains. The applesauce will not change the texture or flavor of the baked good. It will cut back on the number of calories that are in the baked good. It will also add fiber to the food.
If you need to cook a roast quickly, do not remove the bone. Leaving the bones in will significantly reduce the joint’s cooking time as bones are nature’s alternative to metal skewers. As soon as your roast has finished, simply slice around the bone before you serve.
Do not let the economy make you despair! The tips above, will help you become a better cook so you can prepare all sorts of dishes, meals and desserts! You do not have to go to culinary school, in order to cook delicious, economical meals for you and your family.