Cooking Tips That Can Work For Everyone

Paul and I started a diet and exercise program approximately 60 days ago. We have been doing a great job at changing our diet and eating healthier.  We cut back on the number of times we eat out and are doing more cooking at home with fresh produce.  It has been great getting back into researching new recipes and creating our own along the way. 

To date, we have lost 25 pounds each.  Along with the recipes, we have come across some helpful  tips along the way. So I thought I would put together a few articles focusing on cooking  that I think are good reminders if not new insight for others.

Whether you are teaching your children to cook or just looking for ways to maximize your own time in the kitchen, use these tips to help with meal preparation. Creating delicious and nutritious meals for yourself and your family can be easy and fun for everyone who is included in the cooking process.

When you are making homemade soups that contain meat, they tend to have a lot of fat that needs to be skimmed from the top. One quick solution to that problem is dropping in a couple of ice cubes. As the ice melts, the fat will stiffen around it and you will be able to remove it with ease.

You need to always season fish and meats as evenly as possible. Sprinkle seasoning like salt and pepper gingerly through the tips of your fingers as if they are snowflakes. This way, the grains don't get clumped together and the meats don't wind up without any seasoning in a few areas and too much in others.

To keep your burgers flat, indent the middle of the burger with your thumb, nearly leaving a hole, before frying or grilling the patties. As the meat draws up and shrinks while cooking, the indentation will close itself, leaving you with flat burgers instead of small patties with extra thick middles.

Slice garlic when you sauté it. Many people mince garlic. If you plan to sauté it in a pan, this might not be the best idea. When you sauté minced garlic it is likely to burn. If you cut the garlic into slices it cooks more thoroughly and without burning.

When sauteing ingredients in a fry pan ensure that you don't overcrowd the pan with too much food. Trying to cook too much at once will only lower the temperature of the pan and lead to steaming instead of browning. It is wiser to saute the ingredients in two separate batches, if necessary, and this will maintain the quality of cooking.

Leverage some or all of the tips in this article to help you prepare great meals for your family. Whether you are cooking a quick meal after a long day or a large meal for guests, use the tips provided in this article to best leverage your time and ingredients, in the kitchen. 

Keep Dancing  LB