Easy COOKING

16 Comments

• #1 by David P on September 17th, 2009

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  what are you cooking?
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• #2 by YedidNefesh on September 17th, 2009

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  watch food network or other cooking shows to watch techniques
  get some classic good cook books, library has tons, and read them, get one with good descriptive photos
  take classes from community college, etc.
  ask a friend who cooks to coach you
  the main thing is to get in there and just start trying and have fun.
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• #3 by lanora C on September 17th, 2009

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  It’s always better to cook things slow and on low heat. Add lots of spices…Take pride in what your cooking…that helps alot..
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• #4 by melissaw77 on September 17th, 2009

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  I buy all sorts of cook books at yard sales, or clearance racks. I watch food network alot. Also dont be afraid to play with different spices to get new flavors. Experiment with new stuff all the time so you can learn there flavors.
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• #5 by drn2169 on September 17th, 2009

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  I am now getting into cooking myself, and definitely practice is the key. You can only learn from mistakes. But read magazines, and possibly take a class. I took a class at a junior college. It was very helpful.
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• #6 by matt r on September 17th, 2009

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  the best ingredient when cooking is love
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• #7 by RobinLu on September 17th, 2009

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  a few necessities for the kitchen:
  a very sharp knife is essential.
  pot holders and something to set hot pots on so that you don’t burn the counter.
  a large mixing bowl.
  a measuring cup and spoon set.
  a fire extinguisher. (very handy – I know from experience)
  That should give you everything you need to be a chef.
  Happy cooking.
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• #8 by Melanie G on September 17th, 2009

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  going slow and taking your time makes all the difference in the world. And don’t be afraid to used seasoning.
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• #9 by Wherz My Leg on September 17th, 2009

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  don’t get too caught up in exact measurements for all ingredients. Being a little off has never hurt anything. Use timers, even pros do this. Practice learning new recipes and make variations to suit your taste. Always use real butter in pies. Never make anything for anyone that complains about your cooking. At least for a week or two.
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  sauces and sides are my specialties.

• #10 by bikergal34 on September 17th, 2009

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  enjoy the process….watch cooking shows…they will give you tips…buy the mags…go to the library before buying a cookbook…make sure it’s what you are looking for…then enjoy…trial and error is the best way to learn…only you know what you want your food to taste like…don’t take a bad episode as defeat …just a challenge…change what you need to…be creative…you will end up with your own taste…takes a passion…but trust me…it’s worth it…eventually…you will hit the mark on something ..everyone will cheer…and you will want to proceed to the next dish.
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  just the best thing about cooking to me…I create..I learn…and what I learn lasts forever…and yes…nobody I know can do it better than me..Been cooking since I’m 10…never bored…just love.

• #11 by AL on September 17th, 2009

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  1. When making a Vegetable Beef Soup and you use tomatos, there times when the soup will have an acid taste to it. To take the acid taste out, Crack and put a raw egg into the boiling soup and let it poach. This will remove the acid taste and you can remove the egg or serve it in the soup to someone. It will have an excellent flavor.

  2. Most everyone has a problem making a good gravy from Roast Pork drippings. The secret is to pour the hot liquid into a bowl and add ice cubes to it. This will solidify all the pork grease that can be spooned out of the liquid and discarded leaving nothing but broth in the bowl. Then just make a rue browning it in a pan to desired color, add the cold liquid to the rue for an excellent gravy.
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• #12 by druski on September 18th, 2009

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  Look for simple recipes with easy to find ingredients at first. When you have mastered that, move on to some gourmet recipes. Have fun with it, and don’t worry if you mess something up, it usually tastes good anyway.
  Trial & error is the best learning tool.
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• #13 by chefgrille on September 18th, 2009

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  Get a good cookbook like Betty Crocker or Better Homes & Gardens. It has tips, tricks, substitutions, photos of what things should and shouldn’t look like, hard and easy recipes. And there’s a difference between wet and dry measuring cups. And don’t fudge baking recipes at all while learning. They need exact amounts. But stove stuff and crockpot stuff you can fudge amounts. Like more garlic.
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• #14 by U2fanforever on September 18th, 2009

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  Always season your dishes well with salt and pepper. I think this is one thing new cooks most often forget to do. Experiment with herbs and spices and soon you will be making your own recipes. Always make a recipe exactly as it is worded the first time and then after that make the changes you want to in the recipe.
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• #15 by quadgirl67 on September 18th, 2009

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  Cooking Tips
  Here you will find a multitude of tips and techniques that have been passed down through the years to solve those common culinary problems. Learn a few new tricks and put them to work for you today!I hope our tricks will save time and help you in your kitchen
  alphabetical order list of several for you to use and share them if you wish
  ~*~Deanna~*~
  Bacon- Minimize bacon shrinkage by running bacon under water before frying.
  Beans A tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda in a large pot of beans while soaking them, the ‘flatulence’ caused by the beans is kept to a minimum
  Boiling eggs Add a little salt or vinegar to your boiling water when cooking eggs; a cracked egg will stay in its shell this way.
  Boiling Over- Rub butter or margarine on the rim of a pot in which you cook rice or macaroni and it won’t boil over.
  Cakes-A cake will keep longer if you place half an apple in the cake tin when storing.
  Chocolate cake Make a better chocolate cake by adding a teaspoon of vinegar to your cake mix.
  Corn- Don’t boil corn for more than 3 minutes. Place the corn directly into boiling water, and do not add salt. You will find the flavor is much better than cooking for 10 minutes or more. Corn will never get soft, no matter how long you cook it-it will only lose its taste
  Descaling fish Soak fish in salt water before descaling and the scales will come off easier.
  Frozen Vegetables- A quick way to separate frozen vegetables is to pour boiling water over them through a colander and then add them to your casserole or pot to finish cooking.
  Grating Cheese To easily shred cheese, let sit in freezer for 30 minutes.
  Icing Tips- Add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda to your icing and the icing will stay moist and prevent cracking.
  Jelly Mold- To easily remove a jelly from the mold, lightly brush mold with oil before pouring in the mixture.
  Meatballs- When making a lot of meatballs a fast and simple method is to shape the meat mixture into a log and cut off slices. The slices roll easily into balls.
  Pancakes Adding a little sugar to the batter of pancakes and waffles will make them brown more quickly.
  Pie pastry For flakier pastry, substitute 1 teaspoon vinegar for 1 teaspoon of the cold water called for in the recipe.
  Ripening Fruits and Vegetables A lots of fruit and veg found in supermarkets today look ripe, but are hard as a rock. Put them in a brown paper bag and hide the bag away in a dark cupboard for a day or two. Use This is great tip for items such as avocados, bananas, kiwi fruit, peaches, nectarines, and many more.
  Salads Serve iceberg lettuce wedges instead of torn salad greens to save time making a salad.
  Spaghetti Sauce Put a pinch of bicarbonate of soda in spaghetti sauce to remove the acid taste from the tomatoes.
  Speedy Sauce Instant sauces can be easily created by heating a can of undiluted condensed cream soup (i.e. cream of tomato cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, cream of celery, etc.).
  Soups To remove some of the fat in soups by add a lettuce leaf to the pot. Remove the leaf after fat removal. Place a raw potato in salty soup. The potato will absorb the extra salt.
  Tenderize meat One to two table spoons of vinegar with your meat help tenderize it while you are cooking.
  Vanilla Make your own vanilla concentrate by placing 2 split and chopped vanilla pods in 1 liter of vodka or bourbon. Shaking the bottle once a day, let sit for 2-3 months, or until desired color.
  Vinegar used as a meat tenderizer. Add a tablespoon to water when boiling ribs or meat for stews, and even the toughest meat will be so tender you can cut with fork or will fall off the bone.
  Vegetable colour Add vinegar to the water when boiling vegetables to retain color.
  Wilted vegetables. Perk up wilted vegetables. Soak in 2 cups water, 1 tablespoon vinegar
  Wooden Skewers When using wooden skewers for kebabs, soak in cold water for 10-30 minutes to prevent them from burning.
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• #16 by glorius angel on September 18th, 2009

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  Cooking Tips

  Corn Salt added to the water when boiling corn or added to fresh creamed corn while cooking toughens it. Salt after removing from heat.

  Bean Sprouts Bean sprouts for salads, sandwiches, or cooking can be grown easily at home. Soak beans overnight in a jar. Pour off water, and cover the top with cheesecloth or a stocking. Put in a dark place with the jar placed on the side. Each day wet the seeds thoroughly, pour off the water, return to the cabinet. In a few days you will be able to harvest the sprouts.

  Potatoes Soak 20 minutes in a hot salty water. Potatoes bake faster.

  Remove "Canned" taste Remove the canned taste from canned green beans by rinsing them in a colander before beginning the recipe. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to canned spinach to enhance the flavor.

  Washing and Cooking Cauliflower Soak a head of cauliflower in ice water, flowerets down, before cooking to draw out the hidden insects. Add a teaspoon of vinegar when cooking to prevent discoloration. Be sure to cook with the flowerets down.

  Discolored Vegetables After peeling sweet potatoes, cover the with salt water at once to prevent them from turning dark. Add a little milk to water while cooking cauliflower and add 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar to potatoes as they are cooking to keep them white.

  Lettuce wash lettuce with cold water, dry with paper towels, wrap in a kitchen towel, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Hitting the base of the head of lettuce on the kitchen counter will make it easy to break apart. Breaking lettuce rather than cutting it will prevent the edges from becoming brown and discolored.

  BANANAS
  Skin should be free of
  bruises and black or brown
  spots. Purchase them green
  and allow them to ripen at
  home at room temperature.

  BERRIES
  Select plump, solid berries with good color. Avoid stained containers which indicate wet or leaky berries. Berries with clinging caps, such as blackberries and raspberries, may be unripe. Strawberries without caps may be over ripe.

  MELONS
  In cantaloupes, thick, close netting on the rind indicates best quality. Cantaloupes are ripe when the stem scar is smooth and the space between the netting is yellow or yellow-green. They are best when fully ripe with fruity odor.
  Honeydews are ripe when rind has creamy to yellowish color and velvety texture. Immature honeydews are whiteish-green.
  Ripe watermelons have some yellow color on one side. If melons are white or pale green on one side, they are not ripe.

  ORANGES, GRAPEFRUIT AND LEMONS
  Choose those heavy for their size. Smoother, thinner skins usually indicate more juice. Most skin markings do not affect quality. Oranges with a slight greenish tinge may be just as ripe as fully colored ones. Light or greenish-yellow lemons are more tart than deep yellow ones. Avoid citrus fruits showing withered, sunken or soft areas

  BASIL
  Sweet, warm flavor with an aromatic odor. Use whole or ground.

  BAY LEAVES
  Good with lamb, fish, roast, stews, ground beef, vegetables, dressing and omelets. Pungent flavor. Use whole leaf but remove before serving. Good in vegetable dishes, seafood stews and pickles.

  CARAWAY
  Spicy taste and aromatic smell. Use in cakes, breads, soups, cheese and sauerkraut.

  CHIVES
  Sweet, mild flavor like that of onion.
  Excellent in salads fish, soups and potatoes.

  CILANTRO
  Use fresh. Excellent in salads, fish, chicken, rice, beans and Mexican dishes.

  CURRY POWDER
  Spices are combined to proper proportions to give a distinct flavor to meat, poultry, fish and vegetables.

  DILL
  Both seeds and leaves are flavorful. Leaves may be used as a garnish or cooked with fish, soup, dressings, potatoes and beans.

  FENNEL
  Leaves or the whole plant may be used to flavor pickles. Sweet, hot flavor. Both seeds and Leaves are used. Use in small quantities in
  pies and baked goods. Leaves can be boiled with fish.

  Ginger
  A pungent root, this aromatic spice is sold fresh, dried or ground. Use in pickles, preserves, cakes, cookies, soups and meat dishes.

  MARJORAM
  May be used both dried or green. Use to flavor fish, poultry, omelets, lamb, stew, stuffing and tomato juice.

  MINT
  Aromatic with a cool flavor. Excellent in beverages, fish. lamb, cheese, soup, peas, carrots, and fruit desserts.

  OREGANO
  Strong, aromatic odor. Use whole or ground in tomato juice, fish, eggs, pizza, omelets, chili, stew, gravy, poultry and vegetables.

  PAPRIKA
  A bright red pepper, this spice is used in meat, vegetables and soups or as a garnish for potatoes, salads or eggs.

  PARSLEY
  Best when used fresh, but can be used dried as a garnish or as a seasoning. Try in fish, omelets, soup, meat, stuffing and mixed greens.

  ROSEMARY
  Very aromatic. Can be used fresh or dried. Season fish, stuffing, beef, lamb, poultry, onions, eggs, bread and potatoes. Great in dressings.

  SAFFRON
  Orange-yellow in color, this spice flavors or colors foods. Use in soup, chicken, rice and breads.

  SAGE
  Use fresh or dried. The flowers are sometimes used in salads. May be used in tomato juice, fish, omelets, beef, poultry, stuffing, cheese spreads and breads.

  TARRAGON
  Leaves have a pungent, hot taste. Use to flavor sauces, salads, fish, poultry, tomatoes, eggs, green beans, carrots and dressings.

  THYME
  Sprinkle leaves on fish or poultry before broiling or baking. Throw a few sprigs directly on coals shortly

  Kitchen 101: The Basics

  Even world-class chefs have to start somewhere. Here are some basic tips for getting off on the right foot in the kitchen.

  * Choose recipes that aren’t too complicated when you first start cooking. You don’t want to be overwhelmed by a recipe that has unusual ingredients or difficult steps, or that is time consuming. Try one- or two-pot dishes, and be sure to check out our recipe section for some simple meal ideas.
  * Read the recipe through from beginning to end before you start. Do you have all the right ingredients? Utensils? Appliances?
  * Make sure you understand all the directions.
  * Check the clock and make sure you have enough time to make the recipe. You don’t want to spend tons of time in the kitchen – and with the right recipe, you won’t need to. If you have to get dinner on the table by a certain time, figure out when you’ll need to start in order to have the meal ready. Most recipe instructions include the amount of time it takes to prepare the dish. It might be a good idea to add 10 or 15 minutes to that time when you first try to conquer the kitchen – just to be on the safe side.
  * Assemble all your ingredients in one place before you start. Some chefs like to measure out each ingredient ahead of time before cooking. Pull out the utensils, measuring cups, and spoons you’ll be using and keep them handy so you won’t need to run all over the kitchen.
  * An apron is a good idea if you want to keep your clothes from getting dirty. (You can skip the chef’s hat, but it’s smart to tie back long hair.)
  * Always wash your hands with warm water and soap before any kind of food preparation. You may need to wash your hands several times as you cook, especially after touching raw meat, poultry (chicken and turkey), fish, and egg products.
  * Never put cooked or ready-to-serve foods on plates, cutting boards, counters, or other surfaces where you have placed raw meat, poultry, fish, or egg products without first washing these surfaces with hot, soapy water.
  * Don’t cook without a parent’s permission.
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