You can get bored easily in your kitchen at home. You can change that feeling by approaching cooking into a hobby. Read on for a few handy cooking tips.
Always keep your spices away from light in a cool place. Spices will last longer when they are not exposed to warm temperatures and moist air. Storing your spices in a dark location with a lower temperature will help preserve them longer. If you use fresh spices, your food will taste better.
If you want to start cooking more, try the library for cookbooks that offer a variety of easy recipes that will be fun to prepare. Try different recipes until you develop your skills.
Bake pie crusts a little longer time than you think is really necessary. They need to be a golden caramel in color instead of pale blonde. The golden color results when the sugar from the pie crust has caramelized and this will have a sweet and crisper flavor.
Every cook needs access to a set of sharp knives. You are more likely to injure yourself using a dull knife. You have a much higher chance of cutting yourself because you will probably have to force the knife through your food, instead of having to gently cut it.
Boiling your vegetables is a cooking process that decreases valuable nutrients to be found in your meal. To maintain their healthy reputation, choose to cook foods in quick methods like steaming, or even serving them raw.
You can avoid stress by sticking to familiar recipes that you have not already tried when you are cooking for someone that you want to impress. This will help to make cooking less stressful.
When you are cooking, it is important to remember that a fresh ingredient is always better than a frozen or dried ingredient. Use fresh ingredients, as they bring out the flavor in a dish, and they are also less expensive.
Are you a recipe? Gather a small bunch and put it into a glass. Cover the stems completely with water. Put the basil on your counter and it will remain fresh for weeks! The basil may even start growing roots if you change the water. You should also cut the basil so it grows even more.
Ice trays are fabulous for freezing and storing leftover sauce. This makes it easy to prepare a quick meal which you can reheat at a saute pan. The frozen sauce will remain edible even after being in an ice tray.
If you choose the wooden versions of cooking skewers, it is a good idea to immerse them in water, and leave them there for about half an hour before using them. This way, you don’t burn them when you are cooking with them. You can keep your food on the skewers if you use two sticks parallel instead of just one.
If your burgers seem to be sticking to the surface of your grill, it will be difficult to flip them without mangling them in the process. Try brushing a thin coating of vegetable oil on the grill or pan to keep food does not stick.
Always use an airtight containers to store baking ingredients such as sugar or flour. Keeping your ingredients in sealed containers will stop them fresher longer as the air can’t reach them. These are carried in many stores and make for a good investment.
If you are overwhelmed with making dinner for the family, you should try doing some of the preparing the night before. For example, you can chop any vegetables and herbs you will need and store them in the refrigerator, as well as marinating whatever meat you will be preparing the next evening. This way, your stress levels the next day will be a lot less, and cooking a lot more fun.
Use these ideas to spur new ideas of your own. Focus on creating meals that your family and yourself will enjoy like savory meals that everyone will rave about. Having cooking be a hobby can brighten your diet and your life. The kitchen should be the centerpiece of your home.