The Best Cooking Tips You'll Find Anywhere

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Many individuals view cooking as being tedious and bothersome. The following article is filled with information that will help you actually enjoy cooking.

A pie crust should be baked a little bit longer than you would think. Your crust should be a deep caramel as opposed to a light goldenrod. The golden color is a sign that the sugars in the crust have finally caramelized.

If you want your food to come out as good as it can when you are cooking with oil you should be sure to add the oil to the side of the pan so it is hot once it reaches the food. This will give your food the highest level of flavor.

Prepare dishes that you're an expert at when you're cooking for someone important in your life, such as a supervisor or a new partner. Avoid the temptation to try a new dish or ingredient. This will take the stress out of your meal preparation.

Your spices should be stored in a place that is cool and dark. Spices will last longer when they are not exposed to warm temperatures and moist air. Spices stored in a cool, dark location will taste better and last longer. You'll taste the difference in your dishes.

Popular French fried potato recipes suggest soaking the potatoes in water for 30 minutes before cooking them. Allowing the sliced potatoes to soak up more cold fluids helps to reinforce the fibers that are in the vegetable, that way when they are deep fried, they are better able to stand up to the heat and won't completely break down.

Cooking doesn't have to be an exact science; that's baking. But you should still measure the amount of oil you cook with. If you take the time to measure how much oil you use when cooking, you can better control how much fat is incorporated into your dishes. Use a measuring cup instead of just pouring straight out of the bottle. You'll want to make sure to only use the amount of cooking oil that you need.

Consider drying your very own tomatoes. Try slicing a Roma in half lengthwise, or cut larger tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Put the tomato on a rack and rub them with salt. Next, position a full rack on a baking sheet in an oven preheated to 190 degrees. Dry for approximately 10 hours. You can store your dried tomatoes in a plastic bag in the freezer. Alternatively, dried tomatoes can be packed in a jar filled with olive oil and fresh herbs. This jar should be used within 2 weeks and kept refrigerated.

Put spices in a cold dark area to preserve their freshness and flavor. Heat will cause flavor loss in your herbs and spices; therefore, they should be kept away from heat sources such as stoves.

When cooking pumpkins, set the pumpkin so the top is facing up and slice it in half down the middle. Put the halves down on the baking sheets. Moisten each sheet with water, then place the pumpkin halves in a 350-degree oven for 60 minutes.

Soak wooden skewers before cooking with them. They need to sit in water for about half an hour before they are used. If you do this, the skewers won't burn on the grill. You can keep your food on the skewers if you use two sticks parallel instead of just one.

Stop! Don't throw away those turkey leftovers! Place the remains in a container and store in the freezer for preservation. You can use the turkey later to make into sandwiches or a casserole.

You should consider replacing your spices about twice a year. When spices sit around for too long, they tend to lose flavor. If you do not think you will use all of the spice within six months, split it with a friend.

Applying these tips and developing new skills could be an opportunity to find a new hobby for you. If you are seeking to learn about food, cooking is an enjoyable and tasty way to do it. As you discover new foods, and start to really enjoy cooking, you may actually learn a little about yourself. The more you cook, the better your food will taste.