Kitchen Basics: How To Host A Crab Boil

By Jei Kei  On  In Cooking Tagged  

Are you amazed by the meals your loved ones are able to make?This article has some great tips to help you become a better cook.

Keep your spices and herbs in a dark, cool place. Light, heat, and humidity will cause their flavor to weaken. Usually, spices and herbs that are ground will retain their flavor for up to a year. Spices that are whole will retain flavor longer, closer to 3-5 years. They can remain fresh longer if stored properly.

If you are using metal skewers, avoid ones with rounded surfaces and try ones with square or beveled designs.

This will give your food maximum flavor locked in and make for a tasty meal.

Store your apples correctly so you can use them to cook during the winter months. To keep apples at the peak of perfection, store them in your refrigerator or basement. However, you will still need to keep a watchful eye on your apples. Even properly stored apples can spoil. They’re a fickle fruit.

TIP! Many use a good number of apples for baking and cooking throughout fall and winter, but if improperly stored, they will spoil quickly. Heat and oxygen spoil apples, so place them in plastic bags in a cool spot.

Partially chill meat makes it easier to slice into thin strips. This technique is suited for meats called for in many Asian meals. To ensure the meat cooks evenly, be sure it is completely thawed before cooking.

You can also use this on foods other than meat. You can use your favorite spices and seasonings to enhance the naturally delicious flavor of scrambled eggs or make a tasty snack by sprinkling a bit on some roasted pumpkin seeds. Everyone will start to wonder about your secret ingredient and what you used for spices.

You can sprinkle it on many other foods besides meat. Sprinkle it over popcorn for an evening treat, or add a dash to pasta. It is a simple addition, but the burst of flavor it gives will have everyone raving.

TIP! Steak and poultry seasonings can be added to other types of foods, such as vegetables or eggs. This type of seasoning can be applied to pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and even roasted peanuts to create a great on the go snack.

Plan to make a big pot of stock so you can freeze it for storing. Good homemade chicken stock is a wonderful base in soups, casseroles, stews and other dishes.

This keeps fruits to stay fresh throughout the year. This also gives you access to fruits that are out of season.

You can prepare a lot prior to cooking to streamline your cooking process. Check recipes to find out what can be prepared ahead of time without risking spoilage. The majority of preparation can be done the day before the cooking begins. This can make it even easier to cook complicated dishes and make them more enjoyable.

TIP! Take the stress out of a major cooking endeavor by completing as much prep work in advance as possible. Look at your recipe ahead of time and draft up a list of what you can do to get ready, but don’t risk spoiling any ingredients.

Always make sure you measure the cooking oil. This will help you lower the fat is present in your cooking.This lets you keep track of the amount of oil you use.

Fresh Garlic

The smell of garlic can transfer to your hands easily. If you have a stainless steel sink or other utensil, rub your hands over the inside of the sink to remove the smell. This works for onions as well. It helps stop the transfer of the garlic to other foods since it cleans your hands.

TIP! Garlic is just one of many tasty ingredients whose flavor has a downside; it transfers to your hands. After you work with garlic or any other type of ingredients that have a strong smell, rub your hands completely on stainless steel, like the inside of your sink.

Always get the freshest garlic for it. A rule of thumb is that fresh garlic will have a sweet taste to it. You can recognize fresh garlic has firm skin and lack of bruises.

When you are planning to prepare a salad for guests, always offer the dressing on the side rather than pouring it directly on the salad. Some people prefer more dressing when eating salads so it is important that each person add their own dressing.Make sure you have a selection of dressings to choose from.

Soy products and beans are a wonderful place to get protein if you need to add some to your diet. You can buy these in almost any grocery store. Try frying tofu and adding seasoning to replace meat. Boil beans with a sauce or herbs, or add them to a salad to serve up some additional protein.

TIP! When you want to add a bit of protein to your diet, tofu and beans are a great source of it. Both can be found at any grocery store.

You can make dried tomatoes. Cut tomatoes in thick slices or in half, or slice ripe regular tomatoes into half inch slices for drying.You can also store them in a jar with herbs and olive oil. The jar can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Follow the advice you find helpful and within your means. Your guests will begin to inquire where you learned your new secrets.

If you are about to serve salad to multiple guests, serve the dressing separately instead of putting it directly on the salad. Amount and type of dressing are personal tastes, so let your guests dress their own salad. Also, give a variety of different dressings.

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