Tip 1: Cooking plan including recipe and gathering all necessary ingredients – it’s always a good rule of thumb to be prepared and cooking is no exception to that rule. When getting ready to cook, you will find the process to flow a lot smoother when reading the recipe thoroughly by reading the entire recipe before starting, after reading a recipe, gathering all the ingredients and do all prep work first, measure all your ingredients, tweak and tinker. Mise en place (MEEZ ahn plahs) is a French term for having all your ingredients measured, cut, peeled, sliced, grated, etc. before you start cooking. Pans are prepared. Mixing bowls, tools and equipment set out. It is a technique chefs use to assemble meals so quickly and effortlessly. Last thing you want to do is be stuck in the kitchen all day slaving over a hot stove when there are all these timesaver tips at our disposal.
Tip 2: Get creative with it and spice things up in the kitchen- spices are your friend! Don’t be afraid to add seasoning to your recipes to spice things up. Pun very much intended. Add most spices at the beginning of cooking so that they have a longer time to release their flavors. Another hot tip to keep in mind when playing around with spices is to add some herbs to the mix. The best way to blend herbs is to heat with unsalted butter or other cooking oils which draws out and extends the flavor of the aromatic oils. You will thank me later. But be warned, there is such a thing as over-spicing. You can always add spice to a dish, but you can’t take it out. Try taste testing throughout the cooking process to ensure you are adding just the right amount – season to taste. Our goal is to aim for that “chef’s kiss” finish. After all, practice makes perfect!
Tip 3: Don’t be afraid to try new things! Flexibility is key, your tastebuds will thank you.
Step outside your comfort zone, and you may be surprised at what you come up with. Try out new recipes with ingredients that you haven’t thought of before. Depending on your level of cooking experience, you may want to start small by trying out a new dessert or a chicken parmesan with a twist. Skys the limit. Share your new recipes with us and let us know how they turned out!
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