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| SAN FRANCISCO, CA - NOVEMBER 23: A Ring Tailed Lemur eats a piece of pumpkin pie from a Thanksgiving spread at the San Francisco Zoo on November 23, 2011 in San Francisco, California. Fifteen lemurs at the San Francisco Zoo were treated to a Thanksgiving feast of green beans, a fruit salad made up of apples, bananas, grapes sweet potatoes and a turkey made out of monkey chow. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife) |
Cooking vegetables for long periods of time causes them to lose a lot of the nutrients that are found in them. To preserve their nutrition, choose to cook foods in quick methods like steaming, sauteing or even just eating them raw.
Do you know how long your meat should be grilled? You can purchase a meat thermometer to ensure that the inside of your grilled meat is cooked to satisfaction. Another tip is to close the lid on your grill if the meat you're cooking is thicker than an inch and a half.
If serving salad, keep the dressing on the side, rather than pouring it on the salad. The amount of dressing that people use on their salad will vary, so you should give them the option of adding their own dressing. Give them a choice of salad dressings.
Skewers should always be soaked in cold water for a minimum of 30 minutes before they are used in cooking. If you do this, the skewers won't burn on the grill. To ensure that your food stays on the skewers, use two skewers instead of one to hold the food firmly in place.
To prevent waste of leftovers, take all of your veggies and meat that is in your refrigerator, and make a stir fry with some rice. Cold day-old rice works perfectly, but if you have to make it right away, use a little less water for drier rice. Try cooking the veggies and meat in some oil, the add your rice and put some soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and spices in.
A useful tip when making chicken stock is to think big! Plan to make a big pot of stock so you can freeze and store it. There are a variety of recipes that call for chicken stock, so having it on hand is always a good idea. First, cool the stock and then stick it in the freezer.
An excellent way to cook is to use brine. Soak any poultry in brine water for about an hour before cooking it.
Proper care for a wood cutting board. Wood is prone to warp or split when used as a cutting board. Food juices, plus the washing and drying process, will cause this damage. If you have to clean your cutting board, use a sponge rather than immersing it in soapy water. If you need to restore a board that is damaged, regularly apply an oil that is formulated for wooden cutting boards. Before using it again, make sure the oil is completely dry.
Repair your pie crust! The first thing that you should do is fill in the cracks if you have overcooked the crust. Try placing some cold water within the cracks and using your fingers to gently rub the affected area. If you have cracks on the top part of the crust, brush on some milk and then sprinkle with some sugar. After the pie is baked, the crust will be glazed and the cracks will be hidden.
Developing new cooking skills and techniques can be extremely fun and rewarding. In fact, learning how to prepare a delicious meal is almost as enjoyable as savoring one! Even if you haven't picked up some handy suggestions you intend to use the next time you prepare a meal, hopefully this article has shown you the value of looking for new cooking tips! Cooking is a skill that should always be developed and enjoyed.
