Cooking is a necessary skill whether you live alone or a large group. The tips contained in the following article will provide you with a whole lot of valuable cooking information.
When storing your herbs and spices, they should be kept in a cool, dark spot. Moisture, light and heat can affect the flavor of your spices. Generally, ground herbs and spices stay fresh for around a year, after that they begin to lose their flavor. Spices that are raw, or whole, can keep the original flavor for as long as five years, though it usually falls somewhere between three and five. If you store them properly, they will stay fresh for a longer period of time.
Keep herbs and spices in a dark space that stays room temperature. If they get exposed to any light, humidity or heat, or light they may lose their flavor. Most spices will keep their flavor for at least one year. Whole spices have a longer shelf-life and can hold their flavor for three years. Storing spices in glass containers with a longer shelf-life for your spices.
Bake pie and tart crusts for a little longer time than you would think they should be baked. They should be golden caramel color instead of pale blonde. The golden color results when the sugar in the pie crust has started to caramelize and will give a much sweeter and crisper flavor.
When you are having an important person over for dinner, prepare a meal that you are experienced with. This is not the time for testing new recipes or new ingredients. This will help to make cooking more enjoyable and less stressful.
Being properly prepared is key to success in cooking for family and friends. Make sure that you have all of the ingredients ready. This process will limit the amount of stress level and help to ensure that you are able to cook the masterpiece you want.
Mashed Potatoes
There are many dishes you can make with apples, especially in cold-weather months. But if stored improperly, well, one bad apple does spoil the bushel. Warm, dry air will make apples rot, so keep them in the fridge or cellar in plastic bags. Be warned, there is a reason for the old adage about the rotten apple! If you fail to quickly discard spoiled apples, the rest will quickly spoil as well.
Try putting some cauliflower in with your mashed potatoes to lower the fat content.The somewhat bland taste of cauliflower will blend seamlessly with the other ingredients. Cauliflower has the same texture and color as mashed potatoes, while lowering calories from classic mashed potatoes.
Plan on preparing a large batch so you can be frozen and used later. Good chicken stock that you make at home makes a great starter for soups, stews, stews and other dishes.
Cook your vegetables quickly to retain quality and nutrients. Vegetables that have been slow-cooked are not as nutritional or tasty as vegetables that are cooked in other ways. These cooking techniques will yield vegetables that are healthier and taste great as well. Cooking better vegetables is all about cooking them for the least amount of time possible.
Beans or tofu are great sources of protein that you may not have yet considered adding to your diet. Both can be purchased at any grocery store. Try frying tofu with some interesting seasonings and adding seasoning to replace meat. Beans can always be cooked with some spices and herbs for a meal full of protein.
There are benefits to having the ability to cook. Cooking can improve a lot of aspects of you life. While going through the drive-thru is convenient from time to time, nothing beats a good home-cooked meal!
Garlic is a delight to cook with, but its odor transfers very easily onto the hands. To remove it, rub your hands along the inside of a stainless sink or bowl . This will clean your hands, while preventing any odors from being transferred to the next food item you touch.