A lot of people feel like cooking is a chore. This article has many suggestions so that you can enjoy cooking.
When adding oil to a pan or skillet that already contains food, drizzle the oil down the side of the pan. The oil will heat as it flows toward the center. Hot oil adds more flavor to the food, giving you the tastiest results when you’re finished.
Try this quick trick to salvage your efforts. In a separate bowl, blend 1 Tbs of corn starch with 2 Tbs of water. Stir this mixture into the thin sauce and it will thicken up. Don’t add all the starch at once, and avoid stirring erratically. Either of these could over-thicken the sauce.
Stick to recipes you are comfortable with when you are cooking for important company. Don’t attempt cooking experiments or recipes you’ve never tried before. This can keep your stress levels in check while you cook.
To give your food vitality, prepare meals using fresh ingredients instead of frozen or dried ingredients whenever possible. Your recipe will be more flavorful if you use fresh ingredients, and the cost can be lower as well.
Garlic is delicious; however the pungent aroma will get stuck on your hands. Try rubbing your hands against stainless steel to get the odor of garlic and other foods off your hands. Doing this cleanses your hands and won’t allow the aroma to transfer to whatever you handle next.
When adding seasoning to any dish, it is important to add the seasoning throughout the cooking process rather than all at once. When you use this method, you will be more in control of the flavor and can limit over using your ingredients.
Do not dress your guests’ salads. Serve the dressing on the side and allow your guests to dress it to their liking. Amount and type of dressing are personal tastes, so let your guests dress their own salad. Also, give a variety of different dressings.
Make sure that you never use a wine in your food that you would not normally drink. If you cook with an unfamiliar wine, you run the risk of disliking the taste of the wine and having it ruin your food. If you want a safe bet, most liquor stores carry cooking wines.
Try drying your own fresh tomatoes. Start by slicing a ripe tomato one-half inch thick, or you can cut Roma tomatoes in half lengthwise. Place on a cooling rack, cut-side up and lightly salt them. Heat your oven to 190 degrees and put the cooling rack with the tomatoes directly onto a cookie sheet, baking for no more than ten hours. Put the tomatoes in plastic bags, and store them in the freezer. You can also store them in jars packed with herbs and olive oil. Keep it refrigerated and use it within two weeks.
If your a fan of cooking with spices and herbs, make sure they are stored in a dark and cool area in order to keep their flavors. If you keep herbs and spices in an area that is close to the stove, they will lose their flavor very quickly and just be a waste of money.
As indicated by the above article, you can make cooking less objectionable and more appealing in a variety of ways. When you use these tips, you can use your creativity to enhance an activity that you once viewed as a chore.