Simple Tips On How To Be A Good Cook

Think of cooking as a relaxing hobby, instead of a boring chore that must be done every day. With good information and equipment and a little advice from a friend who is a good cook, anybody can learn to cook. You are sure to find some of that quality advice in the article that follows.

When you cook a simple meal, use fresh seasonings and herbs. Dried herbs, such as oregano and basil, can work if your dish has many complex flavors. Fresh herbs though, are optimal to use if you want a more natural taste when consuming. It is possible to have an herb garden no matter where you live. The garden will allow you to have fresh herbs available at all times.

Be sure that the butter you use when creaming it for cookies and sugar is softened, not melted. If it does melt, put the bowl in the freezer long enough for it harden a little bit, or when you are done mixing the ingredients together refrigerate the dough. Cooler dough will prevent your cookies from spreading too much.

Measure your cooking oil! Measuring amounts into a cup when cooking instead of pouring guess amounts straight from the bottle lowers the fat you put into your dish. Measuring the oil will let you closely examine how much oil you are using.

Many of the most popular fruits become brown when exposed to air: apples, bananas and pears, for example. You can use salt water and lemon to avoid browning, but for added flavor, when you have sliced the fruit, dip it in pineapple juice. Just one dip in your selected preservative is all it takes; no soaking is required.

There is a secret to thicken up your weak sauce. Mix one tablespoon of starch and two tablespoons of water. Use this solution to instantly thicken any sauce. Be sure to gradually stir in the solution, and frequently stir the sauce so that it does not become too thick.

Make your own dried tomatoes. You can do this by cutting ripe tomatoes into 1/2 inch thick slices, or by cutting Roma tomatoes in half lengthwise. You should place them on cooling rack, and salt them lightly with the cut side up. Heat your oven to 190 degrees and place the tomatoes inside for as long as ten hours. You can then freeze your tomatoes in Ziplock bags. Dried tomatoes could also be put in a jar with fresh herbs and topped up with olive oil. Keep it refrigerated and use it within two weeks.

If you are looking for ways to include more protein to your daily diet, look no further than beans and tofu. You can find these ingredients easily and incorporate them to many different recipes. Tofu is great meat alternative when baked, broiled, or pan-fried with seasonings. For a tasty bean dish, simply boil them with your favorite herbs.

You should slice meat thinly and also on the bias when cooking stir-fry dishes. It is possible that you may have a little trouble doing so in a time efficient manner. Remove the meat when it is firm but before it freezes, and cut at an angle of 45 degrees against the grain.

Fresh herbs in a meal are delicious. Bunch them together and then use a pair of scissors to snip them. This will prevent them from clumping together and they will be drier than when you chop them.

The ability to cook will always come in handy, whether you want to feed your family or romance a prospective beau. It's common across all world cultures to celebrate special occasions with food. If you take the information provided here, you will get a head start on becoming a proficient cook for any event that you want to participate in.