Developing the ability to cook at home does need some investment of time and education. Regardless of your reason for wanting to cook, it is great to have a skill for it. Read some great tips on how to become a better cook.
Try to plan for a week’s worth of meals. If you can get in the habit of planning a weekly menu, it will save time on grocery shopping, and will reduce the stress of having to come up with a meal idea at the last minute. Also, keep a magnet-backed notepad on the refrigerator, and jot down any items that you are running low on. This way, your kitchen will always be stocked with the ingredients that you use regularly.
Microwaving a lemon or a lime for a few seconds can release the juices. Sometimes the citrus at a grocery store is not as fresh as it could be, making it difficult to juice. If you microwave it for 10 seconds, and then roll it between your hand and the counter it will release more juice.
If you plan to let your chicken sit in the oven for a while after it is baked, then subtract a few minutes from its baking time. Since chicken continues to bake even after it is taken away from a heat source, it can dry out quickly in an oven that is still hot.
Vegetables that are cooked more quickly will be of higher quality. Vegetables that have been slow-cooked are not as nutritional or tasty as vegetables that are cooked in other ways. The quick cook methods generally make the vegetables tastier and more nutritional. You should only cook them just as long as it takes for them to be done.
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.
You should cook chicken stew if you need to make a quick meal. Take a carton of chicken broth and put it in a large stock pot. Add cooked shredded chicken, diced potatoes, carrots, green beans and onions to the pot. Season to taste and cook for three hours on low. It is a tasty meal that does not take a lot of work.
When cooking with herbs and spices, add them sparingly to your foods. The goal is to compliment the dish you are making, not to overpower its natural flavor. It is impossible to remove spices once you have added them, so start off with a small amount and then add more to taste.
Are you ready now to put the tips that were discussed within this article to practical use? The article you just read will give you the ability to become a great cook! Whatever your reasons are for wanting to master cooking, you’ll get immense joy from serving meals that you make yourself. The truth is, you will need a certain amount of skill to become a good cook. Your efforts will be well rewarded, however, when you sample your own delicious cooking!