What are some tricks you've learned over the years?!


Question: What are some tricks you've learned over the years!?
Like many of you, I absolutely LOVE to cook!. Everybody has their own little tricks up their sleeve to cook their favorite meal!. I'm wondering, would you be willing to share those secrets with the rest of us cooking lovers!?!?!? :D For example, I've found that while cooking chicken, I cover it with tin foil to thoroughly cook the meat while making it moist, then about fifteen minutes before it's done I take the foil off to make the skin crispy and delicious!.
Happy Answering! :DWww@FoodAQ@Com


Answers:
the BEST trick I about cooking is: the fasted way to a mans heart is through his stomach :)Www@FoodAQ@Com

Lessons of Love in the Kitchen:

1!. Enjoy a glass of Merlot while sauteeing mushrooms for grilled steak
2!. Add grated parmesan cheese to spaghetti sauce while its cooking
3!. Use brown sugar instead of white in marinara sauce
4!. Glazed carrots are superb with carmelized onions and brown sugar
5!. Instead of white sugar, use brown for the tops of creme brulee and use a blow torch instead of one of those underachieving cooks torches!.
6!. Brine your Thanksgiving turkey in a mixture of buttermilk and brining seasonings for the best ever turkey you'll ever want to eat!
7!. A tangueray martini with two olives tastes best with that homemade chopped salad of baby romaine lettuces, ripe pears, gorgonzola, candied walnuts, and Champagne vinagrette!.
8!. Food made with love usually comes out perfectly!Www@FoodAQ@Com

The perfect way to roast a chicken or turkey is to start it breast side down and cook it like that for about 2/3 of the entire cooking time!. Then turn it over for the last 1/3!. Breast meat stays amazingly moist and all of the skin gets nice and crispy!. Bake it uncovered the whole time!.

I always add 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon to my spaghetti sauce!. I know it sounds weird!. But it won't taste like cinnamon!. It will just have a really nice extra flavour that everyone will love!. Try it once and see!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

when making a gravy from a rue, if you accidentally burn the flour, you can remove the burnt taste with a touch of peanut butter!. You won't taste the peanut butter, or the burnt taste!. Weird, huh!? But, it works!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

If I tell you, I'll have to kill you!. lol

Spaghetti sauce!. Add a bit of milk and brown sugar to lessen the acidity of the tomato!.

That's all I will tell you now!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

I like to saute my rice in butter, before cooking it!. when its done cooking the rice is so soft, and has a rich taste!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

when using skim milk in a recipie, use slightly less than directed!.

skim milk is thinner in consistency!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

how ar u huuuuuuuuuuuWww@FoodAQ@Com

When cooking baked ribs add a coke it adds flavor and also cuts down the fatty tissues

For a moist and tender pot roast or any meat in a crock pot sear it all around prior to putting it in

refrigerate all ingredients including the dry ones when making a pie crust for the best results, if you use a food processor you can even freeze the butter or fat that you use

To peel apples, dip them quickly in and out of boiling water!. The skin will come off much more readily!.

To prevent discoloration of peeled apples, place peeled slices in a pan of cold water to which a pinch of salt has been added (for each whole apple peeled)!.

When making salads, dip apple slices in fresh lemon juice to prevent slices from turning brown!.

The use of parchment paper on cookie sheets is a godsend, reduces clean up, seems to heat more even, wrap your fish in it verses foil

when cooking french fries, tater tots or things like that spry with pam and season

invest in a #90 or #100 size scoop we find it priceless when baking cookies, balling melons, filling devil eggs, or filling mini muffin cups

spry a cake server with pam and lightly wipe prior to using

before cutting a meringue pie dip your knife in cold water

hot pan, cold oil = no stick

spray rice cooker or crock pot with pam for easy clean up

Use vasoline, petroleum jelly, on your refrigeration gaskets to prolong there life!. It keeps them from getting brittle and cracking!. do this twice a year

Chef knives stay sharper if the tip never leaves the cutting board when in use

Ok I'm tired of typing

BretWww@FoodAQ@Com

OK, here's a couple:

Put your hard-boiled eggs through a potato ricer to make egg salad (the large-holed disk) or through the small-holed disk for deviled eggs!.

For deviled eggs, stuffed shells, anything that needs to be filled, use a ziplock and just snip a corner off!. Easy clean-up!.

When a recipe calls for wine, buy a 4-pack of those little bottles of wine!. One bottle is about a cup and works well for risotto and sauces!. That way you don't have to open up a whole big bottle for just some!.

A cheap coffee grinder is great for grinding peppercorns and spices for fresher flavor!.

When a recipe calls for 1 Tbsp!. of tomato paste, just get a small sheet of foil, plop the extra blobs on it, freeze, then put in a ziplock in the freezer!. You'll have tomato paste on demand next time!.

Whenever you have shrimp, crab, or lobster for dinner (home or restaurant) save the shells!. Boil them up for stock just like you'd do for chicken or turkey stock!. It makes a great base for chowders or bisques and keep great in the freezer!.

I probably have more, but that's all I can think of right now!Www@FoodAQ@Com

I do the same thing with lasagna so the cheese on top just melts, but doesn't get too brown!!

Let's see!.!.!.!.here are some other tricks for ya!!

I always substitute organic applesauce for any oil called for in a cake recipe to keep the cake moist without adding all those calories!. It's a wonderful substitute!!

I cut up brown paper bags so they are inside out, fold them in half, then transfer freshly baked cookies on them too cool!. It drains a lot of excess oil!.

(Seeing a theme here!? I hate an overly greasy taste and if I can cut a few calories without losing flavor, I will!)

I use frozen veggies instead of canned anytime I have a recipe that calls for a can of mixed veggies!. They taste so much fresher!! (Like when making casseroles such as tater tot hotdish!!)

When making fresh whipped cream, I like to substitute flavored liquors for the vanilla for an extra treat!. Like I might use a tsp of apple schnapps for cream I am whipping for an apple pie, or a tsp of kaluha for whipped cream going over chocolate cake!.

I buy nuts in bulk and freeze them in zip lock bags!. SO MUCH CHEAPER!!

I also add brown sugar to saur kraut!.!.!.which makes it so much more tasty and not so obnoxiously sour!.

And of course, a tbsp of sugar to spaghetti sauce to make it not so sour!. Ditto when I make any kind of casserole that has tomato soup in it!. A tsp of sugar does wonders to bring out the more natural flavoring of the tomato!.



That's all I can think of off the top of my head!!Www@FoodAQ@Com





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