Cooking Tips

By Christine Steendahl


Food Preparation Guidelines----------

The difference between a good cook and a great cook can sometimes be as minute as a couple good cooking tips. Cooking suggestions can help us make cooking dishes much easier and side step the many obstacles in cooking. While it has been said that experience, patience and knowledge are key when cooking, a few practical cooking suggestions can fortunately make many good cooks look like master chefs. Following are just a few cooking suggestions that will ultimately help you in the kitchen.

Food Safety TipsFirst off, the best way to ensure that your food tastes the very best that it can is to make sure that it is fresh. When shopping in the supermarket or produce market make sure you view each item that you buy, checking it for freshness or ripeness. While many packaged foods include an expiration date located on the container, most foods such as fruits and vegetables must be looked over individually. It's also a good idea to familiarize yourself with general produce and the art of spotting top quality produce in your local supermarket.

As far as meats go, make sure that the meats (beef, poultry and fish) you purchase are fresh. Additionally, when preparing meat for a meal keep all meats refrigerated until using, any utensils you use with the meat or that come into contact with the meat should be cleaned with soap and water. Regarding serving, make sure that meats are cooked thoroughly and reach a safe temperature. Cooked foods should reach at least 140 degrees F. Use a cooking thermometer to measure the temperature. It should be noted that while cooked foods should reach 140 degrees F., foods that are chilled such as dairy products should always be stored refrigerated less than 40 degrees F.

Use the Right ToolsJust like a good car mechanic uses the proper tools to fix a car, make sure your kitchen is stocked with items that will help you create dishes easily and properly. This includes a good set of knives, pots, pans and measuring cups. You might also want to invest in a nice blender and food processor.

Low Fat CookingMany people make the mistake of associating low fat cooking with bland, tasteless cooking. This is absolutely false. In fact, low fat cooking can be colorful, vibrant and extremely tasty. The trick is to use a variety of fresh spices, herbs, olive oil and put some thought into the dishes you choose. For example, you can make almost any dish a low fact dish just by ensuring the least amount of oil is used, and selecting lean cuts of beef and pork. In general, chicken and turkey are usually low fat and fish is also a great option for any low in calorie dish.

Beverage SelectionRemember that a meal includes not just the food, but the beverage as well. You can enhance almost any meal by accompanying it with a superb beverage. Whether it is a great wine, flavorful sparkling mineral water or a top notch cocktail, a beverage can easily make a regular meal outstanding.


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