Cooking Tips for Aspiring Cooks

Working in the kitchen table for the first time may be quite a thrill. Cooking is something that you should take seriously. Here are some basic cooking tips that everyone should know.

Preparation is the key

Prepare the things that you need to work with before cooking. Purchase all the ingredients that you need and make a checklist of the tools and equipments that you will use. Proper preparation is one of the key things that separate the professional from the novice.

Food hygiene

When preparing to cook, always wear clean clothes and put on an apron. Briskly wash your hands before and after working with raw meat and other food items. Pull your hair back to prevent any loose hair to come in contact with your food. Wash all meat, poultry, fruits and vegetables before cooking them. Avoid handling food when you are sick or feel ill.

Frying

Frying is one of the most common cooking procedures. Cool and dry places are the best storage for oil. It is not advisable to deep fry salted or moist products. Fry in small portions of food so that the oil would not cool down fast. Frying pans should be heated up with just the right temperature so that food would not stick to the pan.

Cooking vegetables

It is advisable to scrub vegetables rather than to peel them. Most nutrients can be found in the skin of the vegetables. To get the most out of your vegetable, you can steam your veggies or put them on a microwave oven rather than boiling them.

Cooking pasta

Remember that fresh pasta cooks quickly. Cooking pasta in plenty of water and constant stirring can prevent them from sticking together. To prevent mushy pasta, make sure not to allow your pasta to stay in water longer than it should. Salt does not only bring out the flavor of pastas but it could also add to its firmness.

Good Presentation

With a nice presentation, you would definitely entice anyone to have a taste of the food you prepared. It is a good idea to decorate your food only with things that are edible. Edible garnishing should always go with the food that you prepared. One tip: use the similar ingredients that are dominant in your food for garnishing. For instance, you can create chocolate curls to top of a delicious chocolate cupcake.

With these basic tips in mind, you are sure to make your way to a delectable and satisfying meal.

Some Useful Tips for Proper Food Storage

Keeping your foods properly stored in the cabinet or refrigerator is something that should be taken seriously. Not only will storing your food correctly make it last longer, but it can also keep you healthier. Improperly storing foods can lead to harmful bacteria and spoilage. Here are some helpful tips your might want to consider when storing foods.

Milk and Dairy Items

Naturally you will always store milk in the refrigerator, but be sure to keep an eye on the expiration date. Throw it out after the expiration date. Another good tip is to buy milk from the store with an expiration date well into the future. Look for gallon containers in the rear of the dairy shelves in the grocery store. They will have the latest expiration dates. It is also a good idea to check expiration dates on all your dairy items at least once a week. This includes eggs also.

Vegetables

Keep your vegetables stored in the food crisper in your refrigerator. You can put all your vegetables in there except for tomatoes, onions, potatoes and garlic. Keep your potatoes, onions and garlic in dark place, or even in a paper bag, but not the refrigerator. You should keep your vegetables in plastic bags to hold their moisture and nutrients. You will also put tomatoes in a plastic bag after cutting them.

Fruits

Most people think they should leave apples sitting out on the table in a fruit bowl, but the truth is, they should be stored in the refrigerator. All types of berries should also be stored in the refrigerator. One fruit that should never be put in the refrigerator though is a banana. It will immediately turn black. Melons, including watermelons, should be stored at regular room temperature until they become ripened. Once ripe they should then be stored in the refrigerator. The same can be said for grapes. Other citrus type fruits can be left outside at room temperature or kept in the refrigerator. It doesn’t really matter with these fruits.

Meats

Always keep fish, meats, chicken and pork in the refrigerator until you prepare them for eating. You want to make sure you keep these items wrapped and away from other foods in your refrigerator to prevent bacteria and keep them from contaminating other foods. One important tip to keep in mind is that fish should be eaten within two days of purchase.

By properly storing your foods you will keep your foods lasting longer and your family will stay healthier.

Baking Tips for Beginners

Baking is an art and a person who is trying this art for the first time must know what it is and try to learn a few tips about getting it. Baking requires a lot of patience and a good deal of knowledge to churn out quality dishes that every one will enjoy if you want to share it with everyone that is.

Before anyone gets down to baking they should be aware of the initial steps needed to be taken before setting out. Here some cooking tips for the starter.

When you start out preparing a bake you should read through the recipe entirely before beginning to mix the ingredients. Ensure that you understand and know the procedure you are about to carry out. Ensure that all the ingredients are within the expiry date before you use them. Then you should pre-heat the oven to the required temperature before placing any ingredients in it. Better to use an electric gas oven rather than an electric only oven. If the power fails you will lose your dish with no alternative heating source. With an electric -gas oven, you have two heating sources to rely on.

It is important to follow the instructions to the core. Ensure that you have adjusted the backing racks in the oven according to the instructions, set the proper temperature, using the proper baking sheets and baking containers. Then you must measure the ingredients properly according to the recipe. Beginners should ensure they measure the ingredients by holding the measuring cup to eye level. This is very important when measuring liquids. With time you will be able to measure the ingredients by just using your guessing ability. Dry ingredients must be leveled off in the measuring cup using a knife. The last step is to place the ingredients in the oven.

It is important to understand that there are many different kinds of flour used in baking. Yeast bread is made from wheat flour. This is commonly known as brown bread. Then there is bread flour which is used in yeast loaves. If this is put in yeast bread it will come out as a very heavy cake. Flour used to make cake is very fine and all-purpose flour is used for almost any kind of baking. Then there are bleached and unbleached flours that can be used interchangeably. Baking flour should be stored in airtight containers in a place that is cool and dry, but never ore than 6 months.

Apart from flour you will have to get used to using baking powder the stuff that makes cakes puff up and rise. Then there are the other baking implements that you must get used to. Once you have baked a few cakes you will be ready to go ahead and make better stuff and in time you will find that you are not using the measuring cups any more just like a professional baker.

Healthy Cooking Tips for Beginners

For beginners who want to start a career in cooking, this basic fact is very helpful: you do not have to give up taste or flavor in order to eat healthily. Small changes to recipes can make a big difference to your overall nutrition. One of the easiest things you can do to improve your lifestyle is to swap out unhealthy ingredients for more wholesome ones. If you need help with cooking healthy food, you are at the right place. You may find that there is very little difference in taste if you make careful choices, but overall, the dish will be much better for you.

Reduce Salt

It can be hard to get used to using less salt – after all, it has quite a strong taste and you really notice when it isn’t there, but instead of covering everything in salt, why not try some other seasonings – garlic, herb mixtures, mustard, onions and celery can all be used as seasonings, and after a while you will enjoy mixing flavors and experiencing new tastes instead of using salt for everything. You don’t have to totally eliminate salt, but reducing your intake will be a big step towards a healthy lifestyle.

Use Less Fat or Grease

Quite often a recipe will call for butter or oil – perhaps to bind ingredients together, or to help with the cooking process. Avoid lard, and butter, and substitute for vegetable or sunflower oil, and low fat spreads where possible. If you cannot substitute for whatever reason, try using less of the oil or fat, or substitute with something like apple sauce. Also, try using a non stick cooking spray instead of oil if you are only using the oil to lubricate a pan.

Substitute Eggs

Eggs are very nutritious. You would say they are interesting little packages of nutrition, with plenty of good things inside them. They are beneficial for keeping you healthy and for binding foods and creating emulsions. But eggs do have a downside. Egg yolks contain a lot of cholesterol, which many people try to avoid for health reasons. For healthy recipes that call for eggs, substitute two egg whites for one full egg, and you should be good to go.

Substitute Mayonnaise

Yogurt is very versatile, healthy, and often relatively low in fat. If you need to make a recipe more creamy, or cool down something over-spiced, try using yogurt. For recipes that require mayonnaise or cream, try using yogurt instead – replacing a certain amount of mayonnaise with an equal amount of yogurt should work well. The only caveat is that while cream can simmer quite well, yogurt starts to curdle if it is over-heated, so watch the cooking time carefully if you are making a sauce with yogurt.

Grill Cooking Improvement Tips

Cooking in the outdoors and the smoky, rich flavors of food cooked over a hot fire make for both great food and great times. However, most people know very little about how to really get the most out of their grill. Here are some tips that you might want to consider when grill cooking.

Make Sure Your Grill Hot Enough

One common mistake of grillers is that they don’t how to manage their grill heat. Many people struggle to get their food to cook right and all they needed was more heat in the first place. Whether you use a charcoal chimney, charcoal iron or even lighter fluid to get your fuel going, make sure you start out with enough briquettes. The amount of briquettes would depend on the size of your grill. However, people seem to often underestimate the amount of charcoal they need. Once your coals are glowing red and covered with ash, spread them out on the charcoal grate.

After putting the grilling grate on, your coals should be giving off enough heat that it is very uncomfortable to hold your hand about four inches over the grill for more than a few seconds. If it is not hot enough, simply add more briquettes and wait a bit for them to get started. It is much easier to adjust your heat at this early stage before adding any food to the grill. Later on, you will be putting much effort with food that simply will not cook or is not developing that nice brown surface you are looking for. The best thing to do is always start your fire early and let it warm up a while with the lid closed before throwing on your food. You should hear a nice sizzle when your food is added.

Use Good Fuel

If you are serious about your grilled food, and you have bought some nice meat and other ingredients to cook, don’t skimp on your fuel. It is what is cooking your food and is almost as important to good cooking as is the raw ingredients. With the help of a good fuel, you are assured that you’ll grill nice delicious foods in no time.

Most fuels that are available in the market use chemical binders and kerosene-like petroleum products. All those chemicals can have weird odors and which could be bad for your health. Instead, use real, natural, lump hardwood charcoals. The pieces look like real chunks of wood which have been made as charcoal. They have no additives and are made only from real hardwoods like mesquite, hickory and oak. They give off good, intense heat. They tend to be more expensive than the cheap briquette charcoal, but it is worth it. Also, for added smoke flavor, consider adding smoking wood chips or chunks to your grill. In either a charcoal grill or a gas grill, smoking woods add aromatic smoke that helps to flavor your meat.

Cannelloni with Ham & Tomato Sauce

Cannelloni With Ham & Tomato Sauce Recipe. A pillow of prosciutto and ricotta blanketed with ripe, red tomatoes. Taste our Cannelloni With Ham & Tomato Sauce recipe.

* 8 ¾ oz ricotta cheese
* 1⁄3 oz freshly grated parmesan cheese
* 1 Tbsp fresh parsley
* ½ Tbsp chopped oregano
* 1 medium egg, lightly beaten
* salt and pepper
* 4 lasagne sheets
* 1 Tbsp olive oil
* 4 medium slices of prosciutto ham
* 7⁄8 oz melted butter
* ice cubes
* for the tomato sauce:
* 1 fl oz olive oil
* 2 medium cloves of garlic, sliced
* salt and pepper
* 8 ¾ oz tomatoes, peeled, chopped and seedless
* 1 Tbsp basil, chopped
* parmesan cheese
* 1 mixing bowl
* 1 spoon
* 1 saucepan
* 1 bowl
* 1 tea towel
* 1 pastry brush
* 1 ovenproof dish
* 1 small saucepan

Chicken & Aubergine Parmigiana

Chicken & Aubergine Parmigiana Recipe. This wonderful barbecued chicken recipe had a tinge of the Italian with its irresistible, cheesy aubergine. Give it a try and use your favorite pasta as a side dish. Delight in our Chicken & Aubergine Parmigiana recipe.

* 1 large chicken breast , cut into 2 thin slices
* 1 aubergine , peeled and horizontally sliced into 4
* 2 2⁄3 fl oz olive oil
* 7 oz mozzarella
* 1 Handful basil leaves , chopped
* 1 onion , peeled and diced
* 5 cloves of garlic , sliced
* ½ tsp chilli flakes , optional
* few sprigs of thyme
* 13 ½ fl oz tinned tomatoes
* 2 Tbsp tomato purée
* 1 Tbsp sugar
* salt and pepper , to taste
* 1 ovenproof casserole dish
* 1 saucepan
* 1 hand blender
* 1 spoon
* 1 wooden spoon
* 1 set of tongs
* 1 tray
* 1 brush
* 1 barbecue

BBQ Bread Salad

Barbecued Bread Salad with Tomato & Anchovy Recipe. A delicious rustic Italian salad ideal for a light snack or as an intriguing starter. Try our Barbecued Bread Salad with Tomato & Anchovy recipe.

* 3 slices of crusty country bread
* 3 tomatoes , diced
* 2 Tbsp basil , chopped
* 4 Tbsp parsley leaves
* 2 garlic cloves , minced
* 4 Tbsp shaved Parmesan
* 8 to 12 anchovy fillets , finely chopped
* 2 2⁄3 fl oz olive oil
* 2 Tbsp lemon juice
* salt and pepper
* 1 brush
* 2 tongs
* 1 bowl
* 1 spoon
* 1 cutting board
* 1 knife
* 1 charcoal or gas barbecue
* 1 bottle of water to douse any flames

Pork Chops with Broccoli and Almonds

Pork Chops With Broccoli and Almonds Recipe. Why not give this barbecued pork dish that has a bit of a sweet-and-sour flavor a try? The broccoli and almonds also give it a memorable taste. Devour our Pork Chops With Broccoli and Almonds recipe.

* 2 X 300 g thick pork chops
* 7⁄8 fl oz balsamic vinegar
* 1 Tbsp honey
* 3 1⁄3 fl oz oyster sauce , can be found in any Asian food supplier
* 1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce , as above
* 2 garlic cloves , minced
* 1 head of broccoli , cut into large pieces
* 2 Tbsp almonds , thinly sliced
* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* salt and pepper
* 1 barbecue grill
* 1 pair of tongs
* 1 brush
* 1 bowl of iced water
* 1 slotted spoon
* 1 small sauce pan
* 1 large sauce pan
* 1 spoon
* 2 trays

Spaghetti With Clams

Spaghetti with Clams Recipe. A delicious seafood pasta that is rich in taste but lies light on the stomach! An excellent dish for all the fish lovers. Devour our spaghetti with clams recipe.

* 17 ½ oz spaghetti
* 2 ¼ Lb clams
* 3 ½ oz parsley
* 8 ½ fl oz white wine
* 3 1⁄3 fl oz olive oil
* 17 ½ oz plum tomatoes
* 1 oz garlic
* 4 oz shallots
* 2 Tbsp basil
* 2 Tbsp tarragon
* 1 7⁄8 fl oz champagne vinegar
* 14 ½ fl oz virgin olive oil
* balsamic vinegar , to taste
* salt
* pepper
* 1 tall pot
* 1 bowl
* 1 knife
* 1 chopping board
* 1 colander
* 1 spaghetti spoon
* 1 measuring jug
* 1 frying pan with lid
* 1 food processor