Food And Drink

There are many options when it comes to cooking oils. Learn which ones work best for your dishes, and how to use cooking oils wisely.

Cooking oil is essential to many aspects of cooking, from cakes to savory dishes. However, knowing how to wisely cook with cooking oil is a great lesson that all cooks should learn. Here are some tips for learning how to work more knowledgeably with cooking oil.

Safety

Cooking safely with cooking oil is knowing how to use it wisely. Whenever you cook with oil, you have to make sure that there is not too much in the pot or pan. A good rule to follow is that if you are deep frying something, the oil level should not be higher than 1/3 of the inside of the pan. If the oil is higher than 1/2 the level of the inside of the pan, the oil will expand and it may overflow once you add whatever you want to fry. Since the oil will expand, the oil should not exceed the 1/3 level of the pan.

Another safety precaution you might want to take is to wear safety goggles, especially if you are working with a lot of oil. Make sure that most of your skin is not exposed. Alternatively, you can purchase a splatter screen.

Types of cooking oil

There are different types of cooking oils that you can use for whatever type of cooking you are going to do. For example, if you are going to be working with low heat, you can cook with a wider variety of oils than if you were working with high heat. Olive oil does not do well in high heat, so it is probably best to choose a high heat-tolerant cooking oil such as safflower or grapeseed oil.

Another reason why you might want to wisely find out about the wide variety of cooking oils is the different health consequences of all of them. Coconut oil is quite healthy, and some are misinformed about canola and vegetable oil. Olive oil is great at low heat settings, but when cooked on a high heat it loses its benefits and its smoking point is easily achieved. The make up of each of the oils can also help you determine how good or bad that oil is for you. Knowing how to use cooking oil wisely also means being able to determine which cooking oil to use for what cooking occasion.

Hopefully, these tips will encourage you to continue to learn more about cooking oils and their uses.

Check out this easy to cook chicken parmigiana recipe that you can try at home.The perfect crispy breadcrumb coating and served with pasta.

Making traditional Italian dishes like Chicken Parmesan or Veal Parmesan are relatively straight forward. However, it requires using the proper ingredients.

Throughout America, people on any given day might order or cook a zesty Italian dish like Veal, Chicken or Sausage Parmesan. Many believe that the New York or Sicilian Style is the gold standard for this dish. While critics can argue the merits of New York Italian cuisine, it is arguably one of the more popular styles of spaghetti dishes throughout the U.S. Surprisingly, it is not particularly difficult to prepare.

Chicken, Veal, Sausage or Eggplant Parmesan … Choose One

The method of preparation of any of the aforementioned dishes is very similar. One’s taste will determine their preference in meat. In fact, it is easy enough to even make it a vegetarian meal, by substituting egg plant for any on of the meat entrees. This will be covered in more detail below.

If any one of the meats is used, there are two ways to prepare it. First is to bread it and the other way is to cook it without breading it. The breading will have a tendency to absorb oil and adds empty calories to the meal. It is preferable to precook it without any breading.

Basic Recipe Steps

1. Place veal, sausage or chicken into a pan and cook evenly for 3-5 minutes on each side or until the meat looks like it has a certain amount of browning.
2. Use a good tomato basil pasta sauce. One that contains low sugar is the Classico brand. Cover the meat completely and add a little water 4-8 ounces
3. Mix in a small amount of water to the sauce and meat and allow it to cook down.
4. Place pasta (spaghetti) into a pot and boil it until it is soft, but not too soft (al dente)
5. With the sauce* cooked down thickened per step 3, add mozzarella cheese on top of it and reduce the heat on the stove. The mozzarella should cover the meat completely.
6. Cook until the cheese has melted, making sure that it had covered the meat during this time.
7. Place spaghetti on the plater placing the sauce and meat on top. The entree is complete.

Vegetarian Meal Style (using egg plant)

Substituting egg plant requires a slightly different operation in step #1. The egg plant should be peeled and cut into thin slices, perhaps 1/4-1/2 inch in thickness. Coat it in low fat mayonnaise and then place it on a cookie sheet and cook at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes on each side or until the egg plant softens, At this point, take it out of the oven and place it into the frying pan and follow all of the steps starting with per #2 above.

This approach to cooking egg plant has 2 bonus features: 1. is completely vegetarian and 2. it is much lower in calories than using meat. The eggplant will almost seem like meat should be quite satisfying.

Obviously, the recipe is basic, it works and is quite simple. Certainly, the finishing touches would be a nice green salad and the meal is complete. Use a nice fresh parmesan or Romano cheese, as well.

Looking to add flavor to your dishes? Here’s a list of some of the most popular spices and herbs used in cooking.

At first glance this topic seems impossible since spices and herbs are a rather personal choice. The list of what you should keep on hand in your kitchen depends greatly on what you like to cook. This list I am providing include the most popular and frequently used herbs and spices.

For a list of what most cooks use most often, I have included salt, black pepper- ground and whole, cayenne pepper, garlic salt and garlic powder, onion flakes and onion salt could be added, but I prefer to use fresh onion. I would add parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, tarragon, sesame seed, poppy seed,caraway seed, dill seed, and dill weed, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves- ground and whole. I also like to keep bay leaf around.

1/ Salt- usually I use Iodized salt, but I also use sea salt for some things. That is becoming more popular and is used in many more modern recipes. It is healthier and some think it brings out the flavor of food better than regular salt.

2/ Pepper- Black ground pepper is essential to add flavor to most foods. I love peppercorns when I want extra flavor and the feeling of freshness.

3/ Garlic salt and garlic powder are staples in most kitchens. You use either or both in lots of recipes, especially Italian food. Whenever, possible, I prefer fresh garlic, but sometimes its use is impractical due to time or availability. Garlic in all forms can be used for making garlic bread. I again, use it freely with Italian foods and many beef recipes.

4/ Many people use onion flakes or salt on a regular basis, but I do not. It is more convenient, but I really prefer the fresh onion taste. I only use flakes or salt if a recipe calls for it and fresh would not be as good. I have made a habit of trying all new recipes exactly as written the first time. I only adjust them to my taste after I have tasted them the way they are prepared according to the recipe.

5/ Parsley is also better fresh, but in small amounts the dried version is fine. This herb is useful in all kinds of soups, stews, and salads. I use it blended with rosemary, thyme, and sage in stuffing also. This herb has lots of uses.

6/ Rosemary is wonderful on chicken. It is such a heavenly smell when it is cooking. I have discovered how tasty it is on pork as well. It does wonderful things for many foods and should be added to poultry dressing or stuffing.

7/ As a Italian, I cook with basil and oregano all the time. Italian cooking usually calls for it. I put it in my tossed salads and sprinkle it on sliced tomatoes. It goes in my meatloaf and hamburger patties as well, actually most beef dishes. You cannot make a good tomato sauce without it.

8/ I use thyme less frequently and also tarragon, but they are good basics to keep on hand.

9/ When making homemade bread or rolls, I love to add sesame, caraway seed, or poppy seed.

10/ Dill weed and dill seed can be used successfully with fish dishes especially salmon. I like this on green beans also. These herbs are an ingredient used for pickling foods.

11/ We all probably use cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in pumpkin pies and breads and cookies. You may also add mace to that list for some recipes. Cinnamon is great sprinkled on applesauce or even pineapple. You need if you wish to make cinnamon toast. I put a pinch in my tomato sauce for spaghetti.

Be careful, how much you use of these spices or you will ruin your food rather than accent it. They can be overpowering. Whole cloves are nice to stud a baking ham and also make great pomanders out of whole oranges.

12/ All lovers of spicy foods should keep cayenne pepper around. Many dishes call for a tiny bit just to zip things up. I do not make as many spicy foods as some folks so use less of it, but do have it on hand just the same.

13/ Bay leaf is another must for spaghetti sauce, many stews, and soups. Remember to remove it just before serving the dish.

These are just the very basics. You may find you need other spices and herbs not mentioned here more often such as curry. I buy some only when needed. It is important to use only fresh herbs and spices, so discard when they get older since they loose their potency.

This baked brie recipe is perfect for beginners in the kitchen. It is guaranteed to impress party guests and make you look like a pro!

You’re invited to a party and are asked to bring something. You could bring wine, or blow them away and make Quick and Easy Baked Brie Anyone Can Cook.

Once you’ve graduated college, bringing a bag of Doritos and a six-pack of Heineken to a party is simply unacceptable.

Baked brie is classy party food and looks and tastes a lot more difficult to prepare than it really is. There are only a few ingredients in the recipe, but it will require a trip to the store as not many people other than Martha Stewart keep puff pastry sheets in their freezer. However, with the success of this recipe, you just might end up stocking up and having a steady supply. You will be able to find puff pastry sheets in the freezer section of your grocery store. Pepperidge Farm makes good-quality, inexpensive puff pastry. Make sure you buy puff pastry “sheets” and not “cups.”

Preparation takes about 5 minutes, and baking about 30 minutes. You can put the finished product in the oven, jump in the shower, and finish off with a swipe of Diesel cologne behind the ear and be on your way to the party, baked brie in hand. And what could be more attractive than a man that can cook?

Quick and Easy Baked Brie Anyone Can Cook

 1 package (17.3 ounces) frozen puff pastry sheets
 1 8-inch round brie wheel
 Seedless grapes, sliced apples, nuts or jam for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove frozen puff pastry from freezer and remove it from its packaging. Gently wrap the pastry sheets in a clean kitchen towel and pat down to absorb any ice crystals that may have formed on the pastry.

On a non-stick cookie sheet, gently flatten pastry. Try not to use your hands too much as the warmth will cause the butter in the puff pastry to soften. If you do not have a non-stick cookie sheet, you can use a non-stick spray, butter, or oil to evenly coat a cookie sheet.

Place brie wheel in the center of your pastry sheet. It is very important that you not remove the white rind from the brie as this will serve to protect the cheese inside the wheel from becoming a gooey mess as it bakes. If you have a nice jam or jelly, such as raspberry, blueberry, orange, or even an exotic fruit, you could spread a thin layer on top of the brie and then gently fold up the corners of the pastry around the cheese, ensuring that the cheese is fully covered. You can be creative with the pastry and make it into a decorative shape.

If you would like, you can also sprinkle some diced or sliced almonds, walnuts or pecans on top and even drizzle a little bit of honey.

Transfer to oven and bake about 30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. If you serve immediately, the brie will ooze out of the baked pastry when it is cut open. If you are traveling to a party at someone’s house, you can transfer the baked brie to a platter and finish garnishing with fruits and nuts when you arrive.

You can choose from a wide variety of garnishes to complement the brie to suit your taste and what is in season. Seedless grapes pair nicely, as does sliced apples or berries. You could also sparingly drizzle jam or jelly over the top.

Serve with a cutting knife and sliced French or Italian bread.

If you prefer a stronger flavored cheese, you can substitute camembert.

Check out this quick and easy chicken dinner that anyone can cook – Meta Description:perfect for any night of the week!

Making a good meal doesn’t have to be complicated. This quick and easy chicken recipe is also healthy and inexpensive. It’s easy enough that anyone can cook it!

Guys love certain words when it comes to food: quick, easy, healthy, and inexpensive. It’s an added benefit when it actually tastes good.

Guys also fall into bad eating habits when they grab something quick at a fast-food place. Fast-food may be quick and easy, but it’s usually high in fat and high in sodium—two lethal combinations for guys that are trying to keep fit.

If you are cooking for yourself or want to cook a quick and easy meal for someone special, this meal is high in protein and low in fat. It provides an excellent source of high-energy fuel for after your workout.

This quick and easy chicken recipe can be modified to personal preferences, what you have in your fridge, or what’s in season or on sale. It’s so easy to prepare that you can cut up the chicken and vegetables and prepare it all in one pan allowing for easy clean-up. It can quickly be prepared in about 10 minutes and is ready to be served in as little as 30 minutes. Of course, it can also be left to simmer on the stove on low heat for longer to allow the chicken to tenderize and the flavors to intensify.

It’s perfect comfort-food for the cooler weather. While it’s cooking, open a bottle of heart-healthy red wine, put on a Frank Sinatra CD and impress her with your charming conversation. You and dinner are sure to be a hit.

Quick and Easy Chicken Even a Guy Can Make

 3 to 4 pounds chicken
 Olive oil or butter
 ½ onion, diced
 1 ½ cups diced mushrooms
 3 potatoes, peeled, cut into small cubes
 6 carrots, peeled, cut into ½ inch slices
 3 zucchini, cut into ½ inch slices
 1 cup red or white wine
 3 cans white, northern or butter beans

1. Apply a thin coat of butter or olive oil to a large skillet and warm for a minute on medium-high heat.
2. Add onions and mushrooms and allow to brown for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove skin from chicken,* place over the mushrooms and onions and cover.
4. While chicken is browning, dice potatoes, carrots and zucchini.
5. Turn chicken to brown on other side and add potatoes and carrots for about 20 minutes and cover.
6. After about 10 minutes, gently stir all ingredients and add zucchini, wine and beans. Season to taste with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes for added spice.
7. Allow to simmer for an additional 10 minutes, covered, on low heat.

• While the jury is still out on the debate about removing chicken skin before cooking, it is understood that fat found within chicken skin is saturated fat, which can lead to the development of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and even some types of cancer.

Guys don’t like to read instructions or follow recipes because we like to figure things out for themselves. It had to have been a guy who first looked at an artichoke and said, “Hey, I wonder what that would taste like?” Guys are adventurous when they cook. It doesn’t always come out right, but they’re not confined by having to have exactly this item in our fridge or using exactly that amount that’s called for in the recipe.

Tired of eating the same old breakfast? Check out this delicious muffin recipe. So easy that anyone can cook them!

With this quick and easy muffin recipe anyone can cook, you’ll never buy an expensive, store-bought muffin again.

Nothing beats a homemade muffin.

The only thing that even comes close is the smell and aroma of a freshly-baked muffin. You can enjoy the smell and the taste by preparing this Quick and Easy Muffin recipe Even a Guy Can Cook.

This Quick and Easy Muffin recipe was a hit at Café Sol in San Diego’s South Mission Beach and is sure to be a hit in your home!

Quick and Easy Muffin Batter

 2 ½ cups oil
 4 cups sugar
 8 eggs
 2 tablespoons vanilla
 2 cups buttermilk
 7 ½ cups flour
 2 tablespoons baking powder
 Pinch salt

1. Beat oil and sugar until mixed well.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, until mixed well.
3. Add vanilla and buttermilk until mixed well.
4. Add flour, baking powder and salt until mixed well.
5. You can bake the entire recipe, or divide the batter into two or more portions as it will keep fresh in the refrigerator for several days. If you will store a portion, use a plastic container that has a cover, or cover with a layer of plastic wrap.

Crumb Topping for Muffins

 1 ½ cups brown sugar
 1 ½ cups flour
 1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter
 1 tablespoon cinnamon
 ½ tablespoon nutmeg

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Crumb topping will also keep fresh for several days. Again, use a plastic container that has a cover, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Baking Muffins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

One of the simplest ways to scoop out muffin batter is with an ice cream scoop. You can use the muffin batter as a base recipe and make a variety of muffins by portioning out muffin batter into a bowl and then adding your favorite ingredients. Add one of the following, or mix complementary tastes to form a creative blend. As muffin will rise during baking, only fill muffin cups ¾ full. You can use fresh or frozen berries, but everything needs to be diced into small pieces. All ingredients will need to be added sparingly as the content and liqudity will affect the consistency of the batter. Have fun! Experiment!

Muffin Flavors

 Blueberries
 Raspberries
 Strawberries
 Blackberries
 Banana
 Canned pears
 Canned peaches
 Chocolate chips
 Candy bars, such as Almond Joy, Reece’s, or M&M’s
 Nuts, such as Walnuts, Almonds, or Hazelnuts

Muffin Combinations

 Blueberries and Strawberries
 Strawberries and Bananas
 Bananas and Walnuts
 Bananas and Chocolate Chips
 Peanut Butter Chips and Chocolate Chips
 Canned Pumpkin puree and Chocolate Chips
 Canned Pumpkin puree and diced Cream Cheese
 Sliced canned apple topping and Chocolate Chips
 Sliced canned cherry topping and Chocolate Chips
 Fresh or frozen Raspberries and Chocolate Chips
 Pears and Almond slices
 A splash of lemon juice, lemon rind and Blueberries
 A splash of lemon juice, lemon rind and Poppy seeds

Before putting muffins into the oven, add crumb topping and then bake until wooden toothpick comes out clean and dry, approximately 30 minutes. You can also decorate the top of the muffin to indicate the type of muffin, such as topping with chocolate chips or a sliced banana.

Enjoy!

If you’re in need of an easy pasta dish that anyone can make, look no further. These dishes are simple to prepare, taste great, and don’t require much effort.

In the time it takes to boil water and cook pasta, these quick and easy recipes are simple enough for a guy to cook. When a guy cooks he doesn’t want to spend more time in the kitchen preparing dinner than it takes to actually eat the meal.

Pasta is perfect guy food. It’s not fussy and is versatile enough that even if you don’t have exactly what’s called for in a recipe, it usually comes out pretty good. Pasta is like a blank canvas allowing you to add what you like, what’s available, and what’s on sale.

These 2 simple recipes are healthy, quick and easy to prepare, combining a carbohydrate, protein and a vegetable with ingredients you probably (or should) already have in your kitchen.

Spicy Angel Hair Pasta with Red Sauce

This recipe can be prepared in less than 5 minutes including the time it takes you to boil the water and cook the sauce!

 1 pound Angel Hair pasta
 Butter
 2 or 3 cloves of garlic or small onion
 1 large zucchini or yellow squash
 Crushed red pepper flakes
 ¼ cup olive oil
 1 can crushed tomatoes
 ½ can olives

If you are cooking to try to impress someone (other than with your wit and charm), the next time you are at the store pick up a can of clams or crabmeat to add to this recipe.

Fill a large saucepan about two-thirds full. Add a few pinches of salt and a splash of olive oil, cover and put on the stove on high-heat.

On the burner next to the water you are bringing to a boil, put a one inch slice of butter in a skillet and put the skillet on medium heat. Finely dice garlic or onion (or a combination) and put in the skillet once the butter has melted. Stir.

Next, dice the zucchini into thin slices and stir in with the garlic for a minute or two until golden brown.

Put a pinch or two of red pepper flakes into the sauté and stir for a moment to allow the spice to come out of the peppers, followed by the olive oil, tomatoes and olives.

By this time the water for your pasta should have boiled. Immerse your pasta and stir immediately to prevent them from sticking, and stir a few times over the next few minutes. The angel hair pasta will be fully cooked in about 2 or 3 minutes.

If you bought clams or crabmeat, now is the time to add them to your sauce.

After the pasta has boiled for 2 or 3 minutes, drain the water from the pasta into a strainer. After the water has drained, transfer quickly to the sauce and toss gently. You shouldn’t need to add much salt to this recipe as the canned tomatoes and olives will already have plenty of sodium.

Spaghetti with Sausage, Spinach and Mushrooms

Spaghetti is thicker than Angel Hair pasta. This recipe can be prepared in about 10-12 minutes including the time it takes you to boil the water and cook the sauce! You should be able to find some interesting sausage variations at your grocery store: chicken with cheddar cheese, spicy Italian sausage, cajun chicken, chicken with jalapenos, etc.

 1 pound Spaghetti
 Butter
 2 or 3 cloves of garlic or small onion
 6-10 mushrooms
 4 large chicken or pork sausages
 1 cup whole milk
 1 package frozen spinach, defrosted
 Salt for seasoning

Fill a large saucepan about two-thirds full. Add a few pinches of salt and a splash of olive oil, cover and put on the stove on high-heat.

On the burner next to the water you are bringing to a boil, put a one inch slice of butter in a skillet and put the skillet on medium heat. Finely dice garlic or onion (or a combination) and put in the skillet once the butter has melted.

Next, dice the mushrooms into small chunks and stir in with the garlic for a minute or two until golden brown.

Squeeze the sausage filling out of their casing and stir into the garlic, onion and mushroom sauté on medium heat.

By this time the water for your pasta should have boiled. Immerse your pasta and stir immediately to prevent them from sticking, and stir a few times over the next few minutes. Spaghetti will be fully cooked in about 10-12 minutes.

After you have immersed the pasta and the chicken or pork sausage has been fully cooked through, add the milk and simmer uncovered on medium heat. Add the spinach.

When the pasta is fully cooked, drain the water from the pasta into a strainer. Transfer quickly to the sauce and blend well.

Both recipes would be complete served with red wine and a smile.

If you want to reduce the amount of fat in your cooking, but aren’t sure where to start, this guide will give you tips you need.

Let’s face it, most of us can do with a little less fat in our diets. Until recently I thought that I was cooking in a fairly healthy fashion and that our family’s diet was good and varied. Then, prompted by a news article, I did a little experiment: for three days I cooked as normal, but made a note of the amount of fat in each meal.

The result was quite shocking! Two teaspoons of butter on my toast = 8g of fat, 50g almonds scattered over the salad = 15g of fat, olive oil in my salad dressing = 15g fat, cheese added to my salad = 37g fat, 1 portion of chips = 37g fat, 1 packet of crisps = 33g of fat. And that wasn’t nearly the day’s total.

With a recommendation to consume no more than 30g of fat per day, I could see why I couldn’t shift the wobbly bit round my hips! However much I worked out, I inadvertently and innocently put it all back in my cooking. I still think that our family has a good, varied diet. I still cook and will continue to do so. All I have to do is to be a little more aware of the ‘hidden’ fats, the oil, the butter, the oh so innocent add-ons.

So I’ve come up with some ideas to remove excess fat from our otherwise healthy food:

make the ultimate fat-free chips: cut your chips then run them under the tap. While still wet, sprinkle liberally with dried herbs, crushed garlic and salt. Bake in a hottish oven (gas 7 or equivalent) for 30-40 minutes. Shake the tray every 10mins or so to stop from sticking or use a non-stick pan. Enjoy!

vegetable based pasta sauces can be made entirely fat free. For a fat free tomato sauce, for example, heat a few tablespoons of water in a pan, add salt, pepper and chili to taste (or use a teaspoon of low-fat bouillon powder) and "fry" your chopped onions and celery in it. When the water is gone, the onions are soft. Add chopped garlic and tomatoes, plus any herbs you like, and cook until the tomatoes break down and turn into the right saucy consistency.

vegetable soups can easily be turned into fat free dinners - just chop your veg and simmer in water flavoured with herbs or low-fat bouillon. For a spicy soup, such as tomato and chickpea, or carrot and coriander, dry fry your spices before crushing them in a pestle and mortar and adding them to the soup.

stewed, or fresh fruit, with fat-free yoghurt makes a great pudding. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon for a different taste.

the brine from pickled jalapeno chillies makes a great fat-free salad dressing, as does sweet chilli dipping sauce. Alternatively use just lemon juice, salt and garlic. This goes well with fish. A salsa made from raw onion, tomatoes and chili is great with the fat free chips. And roasted peppers, skinned, de-seeded and stirred into fat-free soft-cheese make a great dip.

A well-stocked spice cabinet is the key to making delicious home cooked meals. These are the spices that every cook needs in their collection!

How does an ordinary meal turn into an extraordinary meal? Using spices is one great and inexpensive way to create a flavorful meal. Although the selection of spices in a chef’s pantry will vary from individual to individual, there are several must-have spices that every home cook should keep in stock.

Freshly cracked pepper

Whether you use white, black, or multi-color peppercorns, freshly cracked pepper adds a little spice to dishes without the overbearing spiciness of other “pepper” spices, such as cayenne or chili powder. Keep a plastic tub or mason jar full of whole peppercorns in your pantry until you are ready to use them. Then, use your pepper grinder when you want to add a bit of zest to your dishes.

Cumin

This familiar spice is great for Mexican dishes, Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. You can buy in whole or powder form. Try to find whole cumin seeds and store them in a glass jar until you are ready to use them. Simply grind them up using a spice grinder and doing so will release fragrance and flavor notes that can’t be found in cumin powder that you buy at the supermarket. Cumin is tasty in chili and taco meat seasoning, so have this spice on hand if you want to make sure that you have a vital ingredient for Mexican food.

Nutmeg

This spice, which is actually a seed, lends a subtle flavor to both savory and sweet dishes. Whether you are making a pumpkin pie or you are baking a roast, adding just a touch of nutmeg will have you and your dinner guests wondering what the secret ingredient is. Try to use whole nutmeg and grate it using a zester right before use in order to extrude maximum flavor.

Paprika

A red spice that can be mistaken for chili powder, paprika should be a staple in any serious home cook’s pantry. This versatile spice works in a variety of barbecue rubs, seasonings, and marinades, and works just as well for sauces, too. Paprika also adds an intense red color to chili, so you won’t have to use too much tomato sauce to give chili a beautiful red color.

Garlic and onion powder

These are technically not spices, but they are treated as such in their dehydrated and powdered form, and they are usually used together. Garlic and onion powder are best kept in sealed glass jars. They can be used in almost every savory dish that you may make. In general, they do add a stronger garlic or onion flavor to the dish, so use just a little at a time to see how much more you need.

All of these spices are easy to find, affordable, and they add wonderful, unmistakable flavor to dishes. Keep them in your kitchen or pantry to ensure that you’ll have them on hand when your recipes call for them.

483 – What To Cook Tonight
483 – Meta Description:Need dinner ideas? Here are the top tips that will get you inspired and help you figure out what to cook tonight!

Women and men all over the world often ask themselves, what should I cook tonight? So here are some ways to figure out what seems to be a nagging puzzle when it comes to cooking.

Planning a meal with the food in the pantry

1. Check to see what you have in stock.
2. Think of all the different dishes that you could make with what you have.
3. Choose something to cook.

Assessing the food on hand

The first step is to find out what ingredients you have available, this will save you lots of time that is usually wasted trying to figure out what you feel like eating, or what you should or would like to cook. The reality is that you must do with what you have.

Checking what you have in stock can also give you ideas on what to cook.

Remember that this step should only take a few seconds, since you should be scanning your stock not inventorying it.

What dishes can you make?

Step two is the brainstorming portion of this four step process.

In this step you should quickly think what ingredients you have and what dishes could their combination make. If it is necessary you could brainstorm in a paper, or write down your options.

Choosing a meal for tonight

The third step is probably the hardest one, choosing what you actually are going to cook is the reason why you are undergoing these steps in the first place so it might be a little harder then the previous steps.

However, now that you have narrowed down your choices it should be easier to accomplish since you will have concise choices to make.

Menu planning before a shopping trip

1. Establish a budget
2. Decide what type of food you would like to eat; Asian, Cuban, etc.
3. Make a list of Ingredients and buy them.

Setting food budget limits

Even though for some people money is not an issue, most people’s food choices are affected by how much they can or want to spend, especially in today’s economy.

Therefore, before you go on to wondering what type of food you feel like eating establish a budget, how much would you like to spend on dinner? Once you have figured out your budget you can put it aside and come back to it later.

Consult recipes

You must decide what type of food you want to eat, if you have more than one type in mind narrow it down to something that you know how to cook.

But, if it is something that you don’t know how to cook, make sure that you get a recipe and become familiar with it.

Take into account your guests, if you are having any, do they like the type of food that you’re thinking of cooking? If not you may want to rethink your choices to save yourself a bad time.

Shop from a list

Once you have decided on a budget and type of food, check your stock to see what ingredients you are missing and make a list. Making a list is important, not only to make sure that you get everything you need, but also because listing the ingredients, with prices, can help you stay within budget.

Once your list is done, shopping will be a breeze and you can soon start making your desired dinner.

Bon Appetit!