Help Please!

avskk wrote: »

Some general cooking tips I find helpful:

Lemon juice or flavored vinegar always, always help out a broth or stew. Even in mixtures that don't have an acidic profile. A teaspoon or less can just brighten up a whole dish.

Hickory flavoring is useful in a surprising number of dishes. I keep liquid smoke AND hickory salt on hand; I use the liquid smoke in dishes that already have a very strong flavor and the hickory salt in dishes that have a more delicate taste. For both of these, a tiny amount goes a very long way. Hickory gives you this deep, savory flavor that's hard to replicate otherwise. If you don't like hickory, fish sauce does the same thing and the same rules apply (tiny amount, adjust for the flavors already present).

You want kosher salt for seasoning meat and making sauces, regular table salt for finishing a dish or seasoning a plate, and -- stay with me -- fine popcorn salt for thin soups and vinaigrettes. I know it seems like salt is salt, but the type actually makes a difference.

When a recipe calls for an oiled pan (like "saute in 2Tbsp olive oil") you can usually get away with cooking spray and a lid. Cook whatever it is (meat to sear, veggies to crisp or saute, stir-fries) on medium-high heat with cooking spray for a couple minutes first, then reduce the heat and put a lid on. Same result, never dry, far fewer calories.

You should keep tarragon vinegar on hand. Heinz makes it, and it's easy to find, but if you can't score a bottle then just grab a basic yellow vinegar and let it sit with plenty of dried tarragon for a full 24 hours. Strain, and use it liberally.

Steamed veggies are ready when their color has intensified but not darkened. Bright green broccoli will turn almost neon green, carrots will look radioactive. If you like them mushier, continue to steam them four minutes past this point.

Quinoa is kind of boring on its own, which some people think is blasphemy but I consider gospel truth. Buy pre-flavored packets or add tons of your own seasoning, then add it to other recipes instead of serving it as a side or base. (It's delicious in mini frittatas and makes a delightful addition to non-leafy salads.)

Juices from pickled or brined veggies are wonderful, flavorful additions to salads, sauces, and stir-fries. I use pickled beet juice + lemon juice as a salad dressing, pour olive juice into my savory dishes, toss roasted veggies with artichoke heart marinade, and sometimes just drink straight pickle juice. Experiment with these -- if you like the flavor of the food, you'll probaly love the flavor of the juice it comes with.

If you're roasting veggies you want moderate heat, around 400 degrees for crispness. If you're roasting meat you want high heat and a shortened cook time, so try 425 or 450 degrees even if the recipe says otherwise (just reduce the cook time if the recipe calls for lower temps). If you're baking (not flour goods like cake but stuff like frittatas) you want a low-to-moderate temp like 350. These standards will guide you as you learn. In that vein, don't be afraid of very high temperatures -- many things (a roast chicken, popovers, casseroles) benefit from a short but intense period of heat. Play with 450 or even 500 degree cooking; it will be well worth your while.

On the stovetop, don't fear a LOW heat. Unless you have cast-iron or copper pans (as a non-cook, I assume you don't), low heat is going to treat your food well almost all the time. Practice patience. It'll be delicious.

You cannot go wrong with a tomato + cucumber + vinegar mix. Play with it. Add some cooked grains, put it on a bed of greens, blend it into a soup, add beans and chicken, whatever. It's an excellent base mixture.

nineateseven wrote: »

Two words: Frozen veggies!!!! I can cook semi-gourmet meals when I want to, but most of our weeknight meals are frozen veggies and some kind of protein. I also keep easy-to-cook forms of protein on hand like frozen grilled chicken strips, sliced beef, and chicken sausages. Costco has been a life saver for finding frozen, healthy foods at decent prices

Potatoes and sweet potatoes are easy, too. I know potatoes often get a bad rap, but it's really about how they're prepared. A carrot would be unhealthy if it was fried. Red, golden, and blue potatoes are full of vitamins and minerals, and they're a great way to get good carbohydrates if they're cooked in a healthy way. Easiest way to cook them: Wash the outside and boil in water for an hour. Done. I never peel my potatoes. Once they're cooked through, I cut them up on my plate and put sea salt on top. That's it. They're really yummy.

You can also do oven fries with both potatoes and sweet potatoes. My family is addicted to oven fries. Preheat the oven to 425*F. Wash the outside of the potatoes, but don't bother to peel them. Cut into wedges (whatever size you want for your fries). Put into a bowl and drizzle a little olive oil on. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with oil. Put the potatoes on the pan and sprinkle with salt. Cook for 30-45 minutes, flipping every 10-15 minutes.