Is it better to make everything from scratch?!
Answers: yes. You know exactly what goes into your food by making it from scratch. You also avoid all the nasty preservatives too.
yup cause then everything would be fresh, food would taste better too!
Not if you are in a hurry - like Rachel Ray (or is it Rae?). She can't make "Thirty Minute Meals" unless she cheats (uses canned stuff, etc.) and when she is done she tastes it and always says "Yum Oh!" She has three different shows on TV so maybe she is doing something right.
Absolutely! That way, you know precisely what you are eating, you know the ingredients are fresh and you will enjoy it more. Here is a healthy recipe and a link to the site from which it comes:
Pan Fried Chilli Chicken on Coriander Rice
Per person, you will require:
1 chicken breast fillet (skinned)
3oz (75g) of basmati rice
1 small tomato (quartered)
1 tbsp of plain flour
1/2 tsp of chilli powder (or more if you like it hot!)
1 clove of garlic (crushed)
2 tsp of roughly chopped coriander (cilantro, in the USA)
Olive oil
Salt
The rice you buy will have cooking instructions on the packet so decide when to put it on in relation to the chicken - which takes about twenty minutes - accordingly.
Combine the flour, chilli powder and a pinch of salt on a flat plate and pat the chicken in it to coat it well. Add a splash of olive oil to a non-stick frying pan and bring it up to a medium heat. Fry the chicken for about ten minutes each side, depending on the thickness of the fillet, but always remember that chicken must be cooked thoroughly before being eaten. To check whether it is fully cooked, stick a skewer or even a fork in to it and ensure the juices run clear.
When the rice is cooked, drain it well and combine it in a bowl with the garlic, coriander (cilantro) and a pinch of salt. Plate the rice, put the chicken on top and garnish with the tomato.
Not always. There are some things that are just easier to get pre-made. Canned tomatoes for cooking, tomato sauce, cake mixes, and other things. Cake frosting is always better home made as well as bread.
Check out Alton Brown from the Food Network and Semi-Home Made from the Food Network.
Not sure what you are referring to by 'everything', but i try to make all of my baked/bread type items from scratch. If i am in a hurry I will use packaged, but the taste of homemade pancakes from scratch compared to box mix... well there is no comparison. It doesn't take that much longer to make items from scratch, and if you have a few extra minutes it is DEFIANTLY worth it! I get most of my recipes from Better Homes and Garden's cookbook. It is my best friend for baking...