Cooking can seem like something that only professionals can do. But if you have some good information and tips of the trade, then even those who burn toast can make a delicious meal. All it takes is the right techniques and a little bit of knowledge to turn you into a chef.
Use your hands to cook the perfect steak. Pressing the fleshy pad at the base of the thumb, when your hand is making an OK sign, will give the same resistance as steak will during cooking. Start with the index finger OK sign and the thumb base will resist at "rare" temperature. Moving towards the pinky you will register medium-rare with middle, medium with the ring finger and well-done with the pinky. Look for the resistance in your steak to match the resistance when pressing your hand.
Pan roast your chicken pieces. Chicken breasts benefit from pan roasting. Heat oil in an oven-safe saute pan until it is very hot. Place the chicken in, skin side down, and immediately shake the pan when you hear the chicken start to crackle. When it is golden brown on one side, brown the other. Place the entire pan in a 375 degree oven, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the pan, and place it back on the stove top. Add chopped shallots to the pan juices, and fry until golden. Deglaze the pan with red wine. Stir in 1 tablespoon of butter, and cook for a minute or two. Pour over the chicken and enjoy!
You can remove the garlic odor from your hands by rubbing them for thirty seconds on your stainless steel stove before washing them. Garlic adds a delightful flavor to many recipes, but the unmistakable odor can linger on your hands. Using this tip, you can enjoy your dinner without your hands smelling strongly of garlic.
Try frozen grapes as an easy and refreshing snack. Like a healthy miniature popsicle, grapes taste great when frozen. As an added bonus you can stock up when they are on sale and they will keep for a long time in your freezer without going bad. Just remove them from the stem, rinse them, pat dry, and place in a freezer-safe container.
All in all, cooking out of your comfort zone is easier than you think. You have learned some awesome tips on how to cook. Your palate should be well on its way around the world and your cooking skills, much richer. With these recipes and tips, you will soon be cooking like a multicultural pro.
Use your hands to cook the perfect steak. Pressing the fleshy pad at the base of the thumb, when your hand is making an OK sign, will give the same resistance as steak will during cooking. Start with the index finger OK sign and the thumb base will resist at "rare" temperature. Moving towards the pinky you will register medium-rare with middle, medium with the ring finger and well-done with the pinky. Look for the resistance in your steak to match the resistance when pressing your hand.
Pan roast your chicken pieces. Chicken breasts benefit from pan roasting. Heat oil in an oven-safe saute pan until it is very hot. Place the chicken in, skin side down, and immediately shake the pan when you hear the chicken start to crackle. When it is golden brown on one side, brown the other. Place the entire pan in a 375 degree oven, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the pan, and place it back on the stove top. Add chopped shallots to the pan juices, and fry until golden. Deglaze the pan with red wine. Stir in 1 tablespoon of butter, and cook for a minute or two. Pour over the chicken and enjoy!
You can remove the garlic odor from your hands by rubbing them for thirty seconds on your stainless steel stove before washing them. Garlic adds a delightful flavor to many recipes, but the unmistakable odor can linger on your hands. Using this tip, you can enjoy your dinner without your hands smelling strongly of garlic.
Try frozen grapes as an easy and refreshing snack. Like a healthy miniature popsicle, grapes taste great when frozen. As an added bonus you can stock up when they are on sale and they will keep for a long time in your freezer without going bad. Just remove them from the stem, rinse them, pat dry, and place in a freezer-safe container.
All in all, cooking out of your comfort zone is easier than you think. You have learned some awesome tips on how to cook. Your palate should be well on its way around the world and your cooking skills, much richer. With these recipes and tips, you will soon be cooking like a multicultural pro.
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