When I say I LOVE TO COOK, I’m typically the only person in the room who feels that way LOL. But I totally get it! Cooking can be overwhelming, time consuming, and the margin for “human error” can be HUGE! Here are some of the tips and tricks I’ve developed overtime to keep me sane in the kitchen, and more importantly, it keeps my PASSION FOR COOKING FRESH!
Here are some simple tips to help make cooking more efficient, easy and enjoyable!
1. “If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail”.
If you’re planning on making something new, be sure to take a look at the ingredient list at least a day in advance. Most online recipes include an estimated cooking/preparation time, so go for recipes that are 30 minutes or less to start! Take note of the ingredients you already have and make time for a grocery store run for any ingredients you may need*!
TIP: If you’re only missing one or two ingredients and you want to avoid the trip to the grocery store you can google ingredient substitutes to see if there’s anything else you can use that may already be in your pantry or fridge. For example, oil and butter are interchangeable in many recipes.
2. Cooking can be a complex task, break it down!
In addition to scoping our recipes with short cooking times, you can also do some prep work the day before you plan on cooking to help shorten your time in the kitchen even more! You can:
Cut up any fresh veggies you need for your recipe the night before*.
Clean and/or marinate meat/poultry/fish the night or morning before you plan on cooking. This is also a great way to ensure a flavorful final product!
3. Set the feng Shui in your kitchen BEFORE you start lighting up your stove.
Line up the seasonings, herbs and vegetables for your recipe as close to the stove as possible. This allows you to keep a closer eye on your food while you cook.
Preheat the oven and/or oil on the stovetop, whichever your recipe calls for. This is especially important for fried foods since the temperature of the grease is what helps create the crispy texture you want.
Make sure you’re comfortable – throw on your comfy clothes that you don’t mind getting a little dirty, tie your hair back, pour yourself a glass (or 5 LOL) of wine. Whatever it is you need to do to feel good about dedicating time to your own health and wellness for the day!
Cooking may not be a glamorous task, but FOOD IS ESSENTIAL! I hope these tips will help you either start or continue developing your own passion for making your meals at home.
Be sure to check back for more cooking tips and tricks exclusively on the atasteofjazzfood.com blog.