Food And Drink

Forget the directions on your box of pasta and use these tips to cook any kind of pasta perfectly every time.

Making perfect pasta is not rocket science. In fact, many people have a hard time making pasta “perfectly” because they often learn various myths and misconceptions that guide them into doing the wrong things.

For example, many people think that adding oil to the pasta water will separate the pasta better. Little do they know that it actually does the opposite; the pasta will tend to stick together and make it more difficult for you to cook the pasta perfectly.

So, if you want to make perfect pasta, keep reading.

First, you will need to forget the directions on the back of the box. These directions do not necessarily leave you with perfect pasta. Instead, you are supposed to figure out what to do before the pasta is done in “eight minutes or less.”

Allow a big pot of a lot of water to come to a rolling boil. First, using a big pot will make it easier for you to cook the pasta. The cooking time will be lessened, and the cooking process on a whole will be easier. Also, using a lot of water will also make the pasta easier to handle. They will stick together less, leaving you with pasta that is evenly separated and cooked thoroughly. A rolling boil is better than a gentle simmer at the very beginning of the cooking process because you want to literally shock the pasta.

Then, take a nice handful of salt. It doesn’t matter what kind of salt you use; what does matter is that you use a lot of it. Now, you haven’t read any mention of adding any type of oil. That is because the oil is unnecessary to the cooking process.

You only need a lot of salt. You will preferably use at least a quarter cup of salt if you are using a very big pot. The salt does only one thing: it flavors the water, which will in turn make the pasta more flavored. Many people also “learn” that adding salt makes water boil faster. This, however, has been proven to be a false statement. If you are using an electric stovetop, then chances are your water will boil faster than someone’s water that is boiling on a gas range.

Once your water is boiling, you can then add the noodles. One of the most important parts of cooking pasta is to never cover the pot. When you cover the pot, you run the risk of letting the water overflow because of all the pressure and steam that builds up. And, you also run the risk of making pasta that sticks together. By leaving the lid off of the pot, you are better able to control the temperature and keep the water from boiling too much.

Always taste the pasta to see if it is cooked. Do not cook it by looks alone. When the center of the noodle is no longer white, then your pasta is done and ready for use.

Cooking perfect basmati rice is easy with these simple tips. Follow these guidelines and you’ll have fluffy, aromatic rice in no time!

Cooking Basmati Rice on the stove can be a tricky process, but this simple method will help you get a fluffy flavorful rice everytime. The first most important step is to purchase the best rice you can afford.

The Basmati rice that you find in bulk cloth bags at either Sam’s Club, Costco, or other bulk buying clubs is the best quality to make perfect rice. Next assemble your cooking utensils and ingredients.

You will need:

A 2 quart or larger stainless steel pot with a tight fitting lid.
Colander
A tea towel
Large bowl
Water
Strainer
1-Cup measuring cup
Olive oil
Butter
Salt

The first step is to measure out the amount of rice you want to cook into a bowl. Rice doubles and plumps up as it cooks, so one cup of uncooked rice will yield approximately 2 cups of cooked rice. Normally for a family of 5 I use three cups of uncooked rice per meal.

Place your rice in a bowl and place it carefully under the tap. Turn on the water and let the bowl fill to almost the top. Swirl the rice around in the water to rinse it, being careful not to lose any grains down the drain. Pour off the cloudy water through a sieve or strainer, so you don’t lose any rice. Add more water over your rice and repeat this process approximately ten times or until your water is mostly clear. This washes off dirt, silt, and gets rid of a large quantity of starch that would otherwise make your rice a sticky mess.

Once your rice is rinsed, place it in the stainless steel pan and put in enough water so it is one inch over the top of the rice. Turn the heat on medium high and bring it to a rapid boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to keep the rice from sticking or burning. Cook the rice exactly 6 minutes, then pour into a colander to drain.

Turn the heat down extremely low, probably a 2 setting on an electric burner and the flame should barely touch the burner on a gas stove.
Place about one inch of water in the bottom of your pan, then place 2 to 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil in the water.
Carefully spoon rice back into the pan in the center and make a large mound in the middle, careful to not touch the sides of the pan.
Sprinkle the top of your rice with about 1/4 cup of water and drizzle a little olive oil on top.
Cover the pot with a tea towel, and place on the lid to hold it the towel securely on, making sure the edges are well away from the burner.
Let the rice steam for approximately 50 minutes. Check the pot every 15 minutes and add more water if the pot seems to be steaming dry. Near the end of the cooking process you will want the pot to steam almost dry.
After 50 minutes, carefully remove the tea towel and taste the rice for doneness. If it is still a bit chewy, let it steam another 15 to 20 minutes.

When it is done, carefully spoon half the rice into a large bowl. Pour about 1/4 cup of melted butter over the rice and salt lightly. Mix this well, then add the rest of the rice from the pot to the bowl. Add more butter to the top of the rice , salt lightly and drizzle with some olive oil to taste.

Once you remove all the fluffy rice and season it, you will have a lovely surprise at the bottom of your pan.

If your rice cooked correctly, in the bottom of your stainless steel pan you will see a lovely brown crust of baked rice. This is called Tadeek. Salt this lightly and break it up to serve with your rice.

Learn how to make the most delicious deviled egg, perfect for any occasion. This recipe is simple and will satisfy everyone at your table!

Deviled eggs are something that my family has always prepared at Easter time and throughout the summertime for special days like Mother’s Day, Memorial day, Father’s Day, and July 4th. My grandmother would whip these up in about 2 hours or more. I also watched my mom prepare these little delicious egg halves.

Deviled eggs are a great addition to a picnic or a day at the beach. I always observed how my grandmother and mom both did it but never participated in the process. I never measured anything that she cooked and she just automatically knew how much of each ingredient to include. My mom, on the other hand, took another approach and had to measure each thing and go by a specific written down recipe. Both ways are fine, and what I’ve come to realize is the more you cook something, the more sure you are of how everything goes. All it takes is a little practice.

It felt like there were never enough deviled eggs to go around because everyone would eat them up fast. It had to be the enticing creamy texture, the sweet crunch of the pickle relish, and the spicy red paprika topping that made you want to grab it. Usually there were not many leftover deviled eggs at our big family holiday dinners/barbecues. That’s not to say that everyone likes the taste of these eggs. Some people don’t like the taste of traditional style deviled eggs. For that reason I came up with a slightly different recipe that is worth sharing for those with less conventional taste buds.

The first and most important part is boiling the eggs. For this recipe it calls for 6 eggs. You can add more or less eggs and double or lessen ingredients accordingly.

Ingredients needed:

6 eggs
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
2 slices bacon
1-2 tbsp. shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoons of yellow mustard (or honey, or spicy brown)
1-2 tbsp. sweet pickle relish
1-2 teaspoons of dried onion flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon paprika spice
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place 6 raw eggs in pot. Fill with cold water until it reaches over the eggs, but not all the way to the top.
2. Place cover over pot and place stove burner on high.
3. Boil for 10-15 minutes.
4. Drain pot and place eggs in bowl while running cold water over them.
   5.While eggs are cooling, prepare the two bacon strips-fry on the stove, blot excess grease, and crumble into smaller bits.
5. Let eggs sit about 10 minutes. Rinse each egg under cold water for an additional 2 minutes each.
6. Crack shells carefully by gently rolling on countertop, Peel egg shells carefully.
7. Place eggs on a plate. Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Pop out or scoop out cooked egg yolks into a bowl for mixing.
8. Using a fork mix mayo, mustard, bacon bits, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper, pickles, and onion flakes (optional) and mash with fork.
9. Scoop the mixture and place even amounts into empty egg shells. Sprinkle the tops of egg mixtures with paprika.
10. Refrigerate (in a container that will not squish the eggs) for 1 to 2 hours before taking to a family/holiday gathering.

They are sure be a success because of the not so traditional flavors of bacon, cheese, and optional onion that are added.

Cooking rice doesn’t have to be difficult – Meta Description:follow these simple steps, and you’ll have perfect fluffy rice every time!

Rice is a favorite side dish among many people. Rice can also be cooked in a variety of ways. However, a few methods will yield better results than others. The following paragraphs will inform you about some of the different types of rice available and the method in which you can yield delicious fluffy rice.

Brown rice is one of the most nutritious rices out there, but it’s somewhat of a pain to prepare. Usually, it retains its “husk” when cooking, so the resulting texture is not what you would expect. Brown rice also has a distinct flavor, whereas white rice does not. If you want to make a side dish that is more nutritious than usual yet has a bold flavor, then brown rice is for you.

There are many different kinds of white rice, but the usual ones that you will see are categorized into three “sizes”: short, medium, and long grain. Short grain rice usually needs more water to fluff up, but you also run the risk of making the rice too wet. Medium grain rice is generally easier to cook than either short or long grain rice, but can sometimes appear closer to short grain rice.

Therefore, use short grain rice when you really need it (an example would be Arborio rice) but use medium grain rice for daily needs. Lastly, long grain rice is going to yield really fluffy rice without posing the risk of staying too wet. Long grain rice is also good multi-purpose rice; many cultural dishes employ long grain rice when the main course has a gravy or soup base.

When cooking short grain rice, you have to remember that you need more water than usual. Making fluffy rice out of short grain rice is actually quite a task. You will need a little practice until you get it perfect, and even then, you have to take into consideration the environment in which the rice is being made. For long grain rice, you just have to make sure that you have enough water to cook the rice.

Whether you are making long grain or short grain rice, the following technique will produce delicious fluffy rice. First, try to use a rice cooker. Cooking rice over the stovetop is difficult and will require more patience and attention. Once you have your rice cooker, half of the battle is over.

Start off by making three cups of rice. Pour the rice into the rice cooker pot and wash thoroughly. Once the water runs pretty clear, drain all of the water off (as much as possible). Make the rice evenly distributed in the pot.

Stick your index finger into the middle of the rice. Note where the top of the rice meets your index finger. Then, put that same index finger on top of the rice, and add water up to the point that you noted. This technique is actually more accurate than just adding water by following the level guidelines in the rice cooker pot.

When the rice is done, don’t open the rice cooker right away. Allow the residual steam and heat to cook away most of the water and condensation that remains. This will take at least ten or fifteen minutes. Once it’s done, however, you will have fluffy rice.

Looking for a delicious, easy-to-follow pork loin recipe? Look no further! This tutorial will show you how to cook pork loin, so it’s juicy and flavorful.

Sunday is an ideal time to serve Roast Loin of Pork and this recipe will easily serve six hungry people and also without breaking the bank to do so. Pork is also low in calories so is excellent for those on a diet.

Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe are:

800 grams pork loin joint
200 grams of sausage meat
1 cooking apple, peeled cored and grated
2 table spoons of chopped rosemary
3 table spoons of flat leaped parsley
15 grams of butter
1 eating apple, cut into wedges
1 table spoon of plain flour
a few sage leaves
350 ml of pork or chicken stock

The first thing that needs to be done is to preheat an oven to around 220 degrees C or Gas Mark 7. Then take a sharp knife and score the skin of the pork loin making parallel incisions quite deeply. Into these cuts massage in a little salt, this will make a crunchy fine crackling topping to the meat.

Next take the joint and place it skin side down on a cooking rack above a roasting tin. In the roasting tin pour in some water to catch the juices from the joint as it cooks. It’s good to catch the juices as these will add considerable flavor to the gravy.

Now slam the joint into the oven for around 20 minutes at full temperature before lowering the heat to 190 degrees C or Gas Mark 5 for another hour or thereabouts. It is fairly easy to know when the meat is cooked by sticking a knife or skewer in and pulling it back out, check to see if the juices that emerge are clear, if they are then the meat is cooked.

The sausage meat is next on the agenda and will be used to make small delicious stuffing balls. Mix the sausage meat with the grated apple, rosemary and parsley. Roll into balls and cook in the tin with the pork for the last thirty minutes of the cooking time. For another side dish, try some fried apple wedges. Simply take the butter and melt over the eating apple cut into wedges and fry each one for around five minutes.

The gravy is easy too. Drain all but a small amount of the fat from the roasting tin and add the flour and stock, stirring to make a smooth rich and tasty gravy.

To serve the Roast loin of Pork, place the rested meat on a carver and carve thick slices of the meat and serve with the stuffing balls, apple wedges, gravy and a wide assortment of cooked vegetables.

Do you love steak but hate the hassle and price of eating out? Learn how to cook the perfect steak at home with this simple guide!

Steak is often considered a gourmet food item whose preparation is best left to professional cooks, but learning how to cook steak at home is actually not too hard.

When trying to learn how to cook steak at home, one of the first things to know is that there are different cuts of beef that come in different thicknesses, which require different methods of preparation. Following are some of the best ways to cook cuts of beef.

How to Cook Steak: Use the Oven

One cannot expect to successfully prepare very thick cuts, such as thick Porterhouse steaks, to medium or well over an open flame, or on a grill exclusively, as the outsides of the steaks will be charred by the time the inner portions are even warmed. For beef cuts over 1 1/2 inches in thickness, it might be necessary to use the oven, which evenly distributes heat (instead of applying it to the outside, like a simple flame would do) at some point during the cooking process. Whether the steak is to be pan-seared, grilled, broiled, or sauteed, the oven is a fundamental part of ensuring that the inside of the steak cooks.

Grilling Cuts of Beef, One of the Best Ways to Prepare Cuts of Beef

When learning how to cook steak on the grill, consider the following: the steak should be somewhat warm before the grilling process begins. It should be at, or close to room temperature. Steaks less than 1 1/2 inches in width, they may be cooked solely on the grill, but the inside will be medium or rare when the outside has fully cooked for cuts between 1 and 1 1/2 inches. For thicker cuts, the grill should be used for a few minutes and then the cut should be placed in the oven.

To cook steak at home on a grill, press desirable seasonings into the meat, or use a marinade (except for on very tender cuts), and then either spray a non-stick spray on the grill, or apply a little olive oil to the steak to keep it from sticking to the grill. Then, place the steak on the grill at high heat, and allow it to cook for a few minutes on each side with the lid closed, until it looks right, but keep in mind that, depending on thickness, the inside meat is going to be on the rarer side. To avoid an extra rare steak, place it in the oven, set at 375 degrees, for about five or ten more minutes, for steaks ranging from 1 1/2 to 3 inches in thickness.

How to Cook Steak at Home by Pan Searing

Pan searing steak is actually a very simple way to cook thick cuts of beef. Again, the oven will be required for this method of steak preparation. When pan searing steak, preheat the oven to 450 degrees, and heat a skillet or pan over high heat until it has reached temperature. Take the steak, which must be at room temperature, and lightly dab some olive oil or vegetable oil on it. Then, add any seasonings desired, and place the steak in the pan.

Let the steak sear for between thirty seconds and one minute, and then flip with tongs, to sear the other side. Next, place the steak on a cookie sheet (the oil or grease on the steak should be enough to keep it from sticking) and place it in the oven, which has reached 450 degrees. Allow the steak to cook for about three minutes, and then flip it, and wait another three minutes. This will have a 1 1/2 cut done at medium, and thicker cuts will be rarer.

How to Cook Steak at Home by Baking it in the Oven

Oven-baked steak is delicious and tender, and preparing cuts of beef in this fashion is also very elementary. If using a tougher cut, such as flank steak, it may be a good idea to marinate the steak before beginning. First, set the oven to 350 degrees. Once the oven has reached temperature, place the steak on a baking sheet that has been lightly greased with olive oil, and cook each side evenly.

For cuts around 1 1/2 inches in thickness, the steak may be cooked for between five and ten minutes on each side, leaving it somewhere between rare and medium. Thicker cuts may require ten or more minutes on each side. Obviously, the longer the steak bakes in the oven, the more cooked (the more well-done) it will be. Cooking it in the oven is one of the best ways to cook cuts of beef for beginners because it is so easy.

When learning how to cook steak at home, one must know that different cuts must be prepared in different ways, depending on thickness. These are all some of the best ways to prepare cuts of beef, but some methods are better than others for certain cuts. Steak is actually not too difficult to prepare at home, but it is important to make sure that the oven is used for thicker cuts. And, naturally, thicker cuts require more time in the oven to thoroughly cook.

A comprehensive guide to how to cook the perfect turkey. This includes step-by-step instructions and helpful hints you’ll need for your own try at perfection.

A step by step guide to avoiding a dry, over-cooked turkey.

1. First of all, buy your turkey! Don't leave this to the last minute, as you will find that all the best ones will have gone in the run up to the festive season. It is quite acceptable to buy a frozen turkey, but do make sure you have enough room in your freezer to store it.

2. The size of turkey you choose depends how many people you want to feed, and how greedy they are! As a general rule, around 500g of turkey meat per person is about right, although you should allow more if you would like to have some leftover meat to form the basis of other meals over the holidays. Make sure you don't buy a bird that is too big for your oven - remember you will have other things you want to cook at the same time.

3. If you have bought a frozen turkey, you will need to allow plenty of time for it to defrost. Otherwise you may find yourself frantically dousing it in the bath to try to bring it to room temperature! Remember that it will take much longer to defrost if you place it in the fridge - allow up to twelve hours per kilogram.

4. The night before you want to cook the turkey, rinse it with cold water and then dry it with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel. Put it into a roasting tray to prevent unhygienic drips, and place it uncovered into the fridge. This dries the skin out and means that you should end up with a lovely crispy skin when you cook it.

5. On the day you wish to roast your turkey, make sure you take it out of the fridge a couple of hours before you want to start cooking to bring it back up to room temperature. If you forget, make sure you add extra time onto the cooking time and be especially vigilant when testing it to see if it is done.

6. The cooking times given assume that the bird is not stuffed. It is far easier to cook your stuffing in a separate tray in the oven rather than risk an under-cooked bird by placing the stuffing inside it. However, it is a good idea to place an onion, a lemon, an orange or a cored apple inside the turkey, as this helps speed up the cooking time as well as imparting a subtle flavour. You may also wish to stuff some fresh herbs into the cavity if you have any to hand.

7. Rub the outside of the turkey with unsalted butter at room temperature. This step is not essential, but it adds a rich flavour and also helps keep the meat moist. It is also a good idea to cook the turkey breastside down, as this also helps prevent it from drying out. Turn it the right way up around 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time so that the breast can brown.

8. You should allow 20 minutes cooking time per kilogram at 190 C or Gas Mark 5. On top of this, add a further 70 minutes of cooking time for birds under 4 kilograms, or a further 90 minutes for those over 4 kilograms. This means a 3 kg bird to feed around six people would need at least 2 hours and 10 minutes.

9. Remember that all ovens are different, and these are simply guidelines. If you have a lot of other trays in the oven or if you have to keep opening the oven door, the turkey will take longer. It is vital to test that it is properly cooked by inserting a knife or skewer into the thigh and checking that the juices run clear.

10. Let the bird rest once you have removed it from the oven so that it remains juicy - if you carve it immediately the juices will just run out onto your carving dish and be lost. Cover the turkey with a loose layer of tin foil for at least 20 minutes before you eat it - it should stay warm for around an hour, which can be invaluable time for getting everything else ready.

So there you have it: the perfect turkey. Now all you have to do is worry about the trimmings!

Why not whip up a few mince pies for afterwards?

Wondering what to do with that can of pumpkin puree in your pantry? Here are a few recipes to get you started!

Pumpkin isn’t just for pies and centerpieces. Add spices to sweet or savory pumpkin recipes for nutritious breakfast and dinner dishes, starting with these easy recipes.

The humble pumpkin doesn’t get much credit. Carved into a jack-o-lantern, pumpkins are symbols of Halloween. But the smaller, edible pumpkins (called sugar or pie pumpkins) are nutritious vegetables and a member of the squash family. Substitute cooked sugar pumpkin for other winter squash (especially butternut or acorn) in recipes.

Pumpkin is a Nutritious Vegetable

Pumpkin is a healthy choice. It is low in calories, high in fiber, and full of essential antioxidants, including beta-carotene (the precursor to vitamin A). Nutrition experts recommend eating green leafy vegetables and orange vegetables every day. Why not include some pumpkin?

Pumpkin seeds and their oil are rich in highly polyunsaturated omega-6 fats. The seeds of both decorative and sugar pumpkins make a delicious snack – learn how to cook and season them.

Flavors that Complement Pumpkin

Pumpkin pies are by far the most popular use of pumpkins, but the flavor of pumpkin goes well with savory spices too.

Sweet Spices:

 Cinnamon
 Ginger
 Nutmeg
 Allspice
 Cloves

Savory Spices:

 Curry
 Cumin
 Chili
 Hot spices (hot peppers, paprika, cayenne)

Using Canned Pumpkin

Unless you’re making pie, choose plain canned pumpkin rather than pumpkin pie filling.

Using Fresh Pumpkin

The fresh pumpkins sold for carving are large and not suitable for cooking. Look instead for the smaller sugar pumpkins in the produce section of grocery stores.

Fresh pumpkin, like other winter squash, is harvested during the fall. They will keep well into the winter if kept cool and dry.

Cook fresh sugar pumpkin as for other winter squash; omitting brown sugar and butter/margarine.

Easy Pumpkin Recipes

Use pumpkin in baked goods, breakfast foods, snacks, dinner and desserts. Here are some easy pumpkin recipes:

 pumpkin pie spice (two recipes)
 pumpkin oatmeal
 pumpkin yogurt

Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipes

Use either of these recipes in place of store bought pumpkin pie spice, or as a basis for sweet pumpkin recipes. Store mixes in a tightly-sealed glass jar.

Pumpkin Spice with Nutmeg

Makes 8 tsp.

 4 tsp. cinnamon
 2 tsp. ground ginger
 1 tsp. allspice
 1 tsp. nutmeg

Pumpkin Spice with Cloves

Makes 6 tsp.

 4 tsp. cinnamon
 1 tsp. ground ginger
 ½ tsp. ground cloves
 ½ tsp. allspice

Pumpkin Oatmeal Recipe

Ingredients:

 1/3 cup oats
 2/3 cup water
 1/8 cup cooked, pureed or canned pumpkin
 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
 1 Tbsp. brown sugar or maple syrup
 Chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine the oats, water, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar/maple syrup in a bowl. Stir well.
2. Microwave on HIGH power for 1 minute 10 seconds, or until hot and cooked. For other ways to cook oatmeal, see sub-heading Oatmeal Cooking Methods.
3. Top oatmeal with chopped pecans and a splash of non-dairy milk. Enjoy a healthy breakfast!

Easy Pumpkin Yogurt Snack

Ingredients:

 ¾ cup plain yogurt
 ½ cup cooked, pureed pumpkin or canned pumpkin
 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and eat!

Find out how to use herbs in your daily cooking, including tips and tricks on when to add them. We’ll show you which herbs work best with what types of food!

For vibrant and healthy cooking, try adding herbs to your kitchen pantry. Fresh herbs can be used as they are, in seasoning and marinating, cooking, and as tasty garnishes. Herbs are sold in cut bunches or as potted plants, often with little price difference, so try adopting a plant or two for your kitchen.

You’ll notice a new look and smell right away, and most require little care. There are no rights and wrongs when using herbs, just take a sniff and experiment. Here are some easy ways to incorporate herbs into your kitchen and into your daily cooking.

Chopped, fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley enlighten salads, the fresh green kind or the prepared, dressed kind like chicken or seafood salad. Lemon thyme leaves are a treat in tuna salad, taking away that fishy smell and giving a lovely fresh burst of flavor.

Seasoning and marinating meats or vegetables with herbs is a good way to kick-start flavor in your favorite dishes. Buy a big bunch of herbs and make up a marinade. It’s simple and they can be made well ahead of time and stored in an air-tight jar in the refrigerator for several days or freeze it for a longer time. Chop your fresh herb, garlic, and onions (green, red, yellow or white) and combine with your favorite oil and vinegar.

Try a splash of fresh fruit juice or blended fruit to complement. Here are some recommended pairings: Parsley with lime; basil or oregano with tomato; rosemary or thyme with cranberry, lemon, cherry or guava; sage with apple or cherry.

A traditional Argentine condiment, chimichurri, is made with fresh finely chopped flat leaf parsley, onions, and garlic, then slightly blended into a mixture of lime, olive oil, salt and dried pepper flakes. Adjust the ingredients to suit your taste. This mixture improves with age and is a great way of marinating steaks, chicken, seafood, or pork. It’s also a delicious sandwich spread or side item, used like a salsa.

Rosemary is traditionally used to season lamb, but try it on grilled salmon, too. Use it in a marinade and transfer the rosemary stalks with the meat or fish into the oven when cooking. Lamb dishes are often served with mint sauce, which is full of sugar. Try marinating and cooking the lamb in a rosemary and mint marinade for a more delicious and healthful dish. When roasting chicken or pork, fresh sage and thyme are extremely good complements: just add to your marinade and leave it in during cooking.

Cilantro is an amazingly versatile herb. It’s the secret ingredient in Asian and Mexican cuisine, so the next time you’re making a curry dish or your favorite taco, fajita or burrito recipe, pick off a handful of cilantro leaves and add during and after cooking.

If you’re in the mood for Italian, fresh basil and oregano are must’s, tempering the acidity in tomato-based dishes and infusing a slightly sweet aroma; you won’t need to add sugar. A basil plant is probably the easiest herb to care for. When you’re ready, pluck a few leaves from this lovely smelling kitchen plant and toss them into a simmering pot of tomato sauce. You can even do as the Italians do and scream at the plant for good luck. That’s bound to add flavor to your kitchen.

Fresh herbs intensify flavors in your soups, so you won’t need to rely on sodium-filled stock cubes. Try cilantro and parsley in chicken soup, thyme and parsley in beef soups, and any herb in vegetable or bean soups.

Improving your cooking skills doesn’t have to be hard. Here are five tips that will help you become a better cook in no time!

Cooking is a great skill that can provide you and your friends and family with yummy food for a fraction of the price of eating at a restaurant, and can be a lot of fun the in the process. If you don’t know a lot about cooking, or you are not very comfortable in the kitchen, there are several things you can do to improve your cooking skills.

Take classes

One thing you can do to improve your cooking skills is to take classes. A lot of times you can find small classes that meet in the evenings, sometimes at a cooking school, at some one’s house, or even at your local grocery store. A hands-on class will give you some experience in the kitchen and allow you to learn some new techniques while meeting new people as well! And cooking classes make great dates or outings with friends. Class sizes, formats, and prices vary by instructor and region, so do some research and see what is available in your area.

Find a mentor

If you have a friend who cooks well, ask them for pointers on how you can improve. Chances are, they will be happy to share their “secrets” with you and help you learn to cook as well. See if you can have them come to your house and help you prepare a meal so you get to see how things are done (and try it yourself!) – and then share dinner with them. Perhaps you can even plan this semi-regularly with a group of friends, alternating houses so everyone has a turn.

Internet tutorials

Go to your favorite search engine and type in “How to cook” and you will get a ton of search results – online tutorials, YouTube videos, blog articles, lots of great resources. If you are looking for something specific, put it in your search and see what comes up – you may find some great how-to tips this way that you might not have found otherwise.

Books

There are a lot of great books out there on how to improve your cooking, or how to cook in general. Browse your local library and see what they have to offer – cooking books don’t go out of date as quickly as other types of reference books can, so getting them from the library can save you some money while you try and find a book that works for you. You can also try your local bookstore, or search for well-reviewed books on online bookstores.

Just do it!

Try new recipes. You learn best by doing, so pick a day a week, or a day a month, or some schedule to try new recipes. Find them on the Internet, or clip them from magazines, or ask friends for their recipes. You might make a few things that don’t turn out well – that’s okay! Learn from your mistakes and keep trying.

These ideas should help you improve your cooking skills. Remember, cooking should be fun! Invite some friends over to help, and have a good time with it. Above all, keep trying! Your hard work will pay off with yummy food.