Ideas And Recipes For Using A Slow-Cooker While You Work

TIP! Prep work can be done way ahead of time. Do not start cooking until the prep work is done.

There are things that all good cooks need to know. This article is full of helpful advice for all kinds of cooks. Follow these tips so you can learn exactly what steps you need to take.

TIP! Before preparing a nice meal for friends and relations, be sure to make a good plan. Make sure you have everything you need to make your food.

When baking pie or tart crusts, bake them longer than you think you should. They should be a light golden brown instead of pale in color. The golden color is a sign that the sugars in the crust have finally caramelized.

TIP! When you are stir-frying, slice your cut of meat into thin pieces on the diagonal. This technique is somewhat tricky and can take a little time.

For crispier French fries, let raw potatoes stand for 30 minutes in a cold pot of water. When potatoes are allowed to absorb cold water, the texture is able to withstand the extreme heat of cooking without breaking down and becoming mushy.

TIP! There is a way to save your dish and you can use it immediately. Mix one tablespoon of starch from corn and two tablespoons of water together in a bowl.

Try adding cauliflower to your mashed potatoes to lower the fat content. Because cauliflower has a pretty bland taste, it blends well with the potatoes and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. In addition, cauliflowers can blend into the same texture and color as potatoes, which makes cauliflower an excellent method of adding vegetables and decreasing calories from a mashed potato dish.

TIP! Many individuals enjoy cooking with apples when it is cooler outside, but if stored improperly, they will no longer be usable. Store them in your fridge or basement, in plastic bags that are loosely tied, as they tend to spoil in dry warm areas.

Complete as much of the preparatory work as possible for your meals ahead of time to speed up the process of cooking. Check recipes to find out what can be prepared ahead of time without risking spoilage. The day before the cooking happens, there can be a lot of prep work done. The most complicated recipes can be transformed into easy, enjoyable kitchen work with advanced preparation.

TIP! It is possible to do a lot of preparation beforehand in order to speed up the cooking process and make it easier. Browse through your recipes and see what parts can be prepared early, without fear of spoiling.

When you plan on using wooden skewers for cooking, soak them in water for 30 minutes prior to cooking. That way, they will not burn during the cooking process. Instead of cooking food on a single skewer, opt for two parallel skewers. This prevents the ingredients from sliding off into the fire.

TIP! While garlic imparts a delicious flavor to your cooking, it may also leave a residual odor on your hands. If you have a stainless steel sink or other utensil, rub your hands over the inside of the sink to remove the smell.

It’s important to include beans and tofu in your diet if you’re trying to increase your protein intake. These can be found at most grocery stores these days. You can fry tofu or add it to soups, seasoned well, for a yummy protein alternative. Boil beans with a sauce or herbs, or add them to a salad to serve up some additional protein.

Freezing helps ensure fresh fruit throughout the year. Plus, you will be able to have fruits that are not available at certain times of the year.

TIP! When you make chicken stock make as much as you can. If you prepare a large pot of stock, it can be frozen and stored for future use.

You should consider drying your tomatoes on your own. Dry your own by slicing ripe tomatoes 1/2″ thick, or cut Romas in half, lengthwise. Take a cooling rack and place the tomatoes on it. Sprinkle them with salt. The rack should then be placed on a baking sheet in an oven set to 190 degrees for no more than 10 hours. Put the bags of tomatoes in your freezer. You can also store them in jars packed with herbs and olive oil. The jars can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

TIP! Beans or tofu are excellent sources of protein that you may not have yet considered adding to your diet. Most grocery stores stock these items.

It will be very helpful to have all cooking supplies nicely organized. If your supplies aren’t organized, you’ll be spending a lot of time trying to remember where everything is. It is a good idea to have separate storage space for similar items. For example, you want to organize your spices such as parsley and basil in one cabinet.

TIP! Get all your preparations done and ready before you begin cooking a meal. This will keep you from being distracted while the food is cooking.

A lot of cooking skill comes down to practice, but tricks and secrets play their roles, too. Sometimes it comes natural, but sometimes people must be guided. Whichever camp you fall into, this article has hopefully nudged you a little closer to being a real cooking wizard.

Posted in Kitchen | Tags