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
