A Few Easy Tips For Preparing Restaurant Quality Meals

Cooking can be quite boring when you are always preparing the same meals. Cooking doesn’t have to be work; it can be an enjoyable experience trying new things and experiencing new tastes. The following tips will give you started.

Keep all dried spices in a dark space that is cool and dark. If your spices are exposed to moisture, humidity or heat, or light they may lose their flavor. Ground herbs and spices typically maintain their flavor for 12 months under normal circumstances. Spices that have not been ground may still be worth using for between three and five years. Storing spices in glass containers with a

Bake pie crusts a little longer time than you think is really necessary. They should be a light golden caramel color rather than pale blonde. The darker color results when the sugar from the pie crust has started to caramelize and will give a sweet and crisper flavor.

You don’t ever want to try new ingredients or recipes you have not already tried when you are cooking for someone that you want to impress. This can make cooking less of your cooking.

The smell of tasty ingredients like garlic can transfer to your hands easily. Try rubbing your hands on stainless steel sink after you work with the garlic or other potent ingredients. This will clean your hands and keep the smell so that it is not transfered to the next food you handle next.

Have you ever experienced difficulty judging the time of your meat? Use a good meat thermometer to tell when it is cooked correctly.

If your burgers seem to be sticking to the surface of your grill, it might be hard to cook them while preserving their shape. Try brushing vegetable oil on the grill or pan to keep food from sticking.

Plan on preparing a large batch so that the excess can freeze and used later. Good homemade chicken stock is a wonderful base in soups, stews, stews and other dishes.

Beans and tofu are excellent sources of protein that you may not have yet considered adding to your diet. Both of these protein-rich foods are easily available to buy at most grocery store. Try pan-frying tofu with some interesting seasonings and adding seasoning to replace meat. Beans boiled with herbs for a delicious protein source.

Using these tips to cook a meal with panache can ignite a passion you never knew existed. It is actually fun to cook when you know how to do so. Cooking can be a way of exploring your thoughts, feelings and emotions. As you learn more and really begin to enjoy cooking, your meals will show your enjoyment in the taste.