Are you being driven nuts by cooking for your own family? Do not allow cooking to cause you grief. The following piece includes several terrific ideas that will remove any anxiety you have about preparing meals. Utilizing the tips provided in this article will make you wish that you had learned about them earlier.
Store herbs and spices in an area that is cool and dark. Their flavors are weakened by heat, light and humidity. Most ground spices will keep their flavor for at least one year. It is possible for whole spices to hold their flavor for several years. If you keep them correctly, they will last a lot longer.
Slicing hot meat is often challenging, so consider partially freezing joints before you attempt to cut them up. This is helpful for Asian dishes you may try that call for thin strips of meat. When the meat is frozen slightly, cutting it is easier because the fibers in the muscle do not tear or stretch when slicing. To ensure that the meat cooks properly, be sure it is completely thawed before cooking.
Apples are a popular ingredient for cooking during the cool autumn and winter months. However, if they are not stored correctly, apples can spoil very quickly. When exposed to dry, warm air, the apples will rot. To prevent this, apples should be stored in plastic bags and placed in the fridge or perhaps a basement. Check them frequently, since if one apple goes bad, the rest will quickly follow.
Texture and taste don’t have to suffer when you are trying to lighten up your mashed potatoes. Cauliflower makes for a great substitute to help drop the fat and calorie content. Since cauliflower is bland, it will mix right in with the potatoes along with the other ingredients. When they’re mashed, cauliflowers have the same appearance and consistency as potatoes, too. Adding a little cauliflower can take calories out of your favorite mashed potato recipes and add in a little vegetable goodness, too.
Nearly any recipe benefits from using fresh ingredients rather than the frozen or dried version. You will save plenty of money by buying fresh vegetables and other ingredients, and your food will also taste more flavorful.
Always make sure to read labels on any ingredients you are purchasing for a recipe. You might be surprised how many common cooking implements have ingredients concealed within that are unhealthy. Look for hidden amounts of sodium and sugar that will contribute over time to reduced health.
If you have a recipe that requires water or milk, you can change out the liquids to create a whole new flavor. Juices, beef broth, or vegetable broth can all be used as a substitute for water. You can substitute buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream in place of the milk. A simple switch like changing a liquid in a recipe can improve the nutritional quality while giving the dish a whole new spin in taste.
Carefully measure the oil you cook with. Rather than pouring oil into the pan directly from the bottle, measure the oil that you are using for cooking in order to decrease the fat. This way, you know exactly how much fat you are adding to your dish.
Making meals for your family can become a tall order. Fortunately, there are tons of ways to make cooking easier and to make the results of your labors in the kitchen more rewarding. Being in the kitchen should not be a stressful feeling, you should be able to go to your kitchen and feel relaxed.