The traditional staff party, with a meal followed by drinks has its pros and cons but for corporate family days as long as co-worker is enjoying it doesn’t matter. Cooking is something that is so beneficial and useful in a number of ways. Few things are more enjoyable than sitting down to a delicious meal, and preparing the meal yourself elevates the enjoyment. Not everyone knows as much as they would want to know. This article aims to change that for the better.

Having sharp knives when you are cooking is very important. Dull knives make cutting difficult, but in addition, they are dangerous. It’s easier to hurt yourself with a dull knife by forcing it to cut through something than by using a sharp knife to easily slice through it.

Before frying raw potatoes, allow them to soak for half an hour in a bowl of cold water; this will result in crispier fries. When your potatoes soak up cold fluids, their fibers are reinforced. This means that they will hold up better to the heat necessary for the frying process.

Do you cook often with fresh basil? Take a large bunch of this fresh herb and place it in a glass. Then, add water to the glass, immersing the stems in water. Keep it on the kitchen counter and it should stay fresh. Many times the basil will root if the water is changed regularly. Encourage new growth by occasionally pinching back or trimming your basil.

The mushrooms will just absorb the water. Get a wet cloth instead, and wipe off each mushroom by hand.

Freeze sauces by pouring leftovers into ice cube trays. This way, the next time you want some sauce, all you need to do is saute it in a pan. Nothing to worry about as the sauce will be fine even after it’s been sitting in ice cube trays.

Use airtight containers for storing flour, sugar, and baking mixes in the kitchen. Airtight containers are advantageous for several reasons. They prevent air exposure from lessening the freshness of your foods, and they also keep the bugs out. Thankfully, you can grab some affordable, quality airtight containers practically anywhere.

Tofu and beans are great sources of protein that can easily be added to your diet. Both are readily available in grocery stores. Pan fried tofu, lightly sprinkled with your favorite seasonings, is a delicious substitute to meat. Boil beans with a sauce or herbs, or add them to a salad to serve up some additional protein.

Try cooking your vegetables in chicken broth for an extra kick. The vegetables get flavor from the broth, and there is no need to use as much oil as it normally takes to saute them. This is a healthy and tasty, vegetable cooking technique.

If a recipe calls for milk or water, try some other flavorful liquid to enhance the flavor of your dish. If the recipe has called for water, you could easily use chicken broth, beef broth, or juice when suitable. If a recipe calls for milk, try using buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream. Using different liquids is an easy way to make an old dish more interesting and more nutritious.

Save the delicious taste of summer by drying tomatoes yourself. Try slicing a Roma in half lengthwise, or cut larger tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Place cut side up on a clean cooling rack and salt lightly. Put a cookie sheet under the rack and place in the oven for ten hours at 190 degrees. The tomatoes can then be placed in plastic bags and stored in the freezer. You can put the dried tomatoes with fresh herbs in a jar with olive oil to preserve them. Dried tomatoes should be stored within the refrigerator and used within two weeks.

Spices should be replaced every six months. The flavors of spices fade just a few months after opening the container. If you have spices that you don’t intend to use any time soon, give it as a gift to someone who will use it.

Creativity in the kitchen can be exciting. Following a recipe word for word and teaspoon for teaspoon is not always what cooking is about. Sometimes adding or taking away a little extra of this or that can alter the taste so much, that it exceeds the original recipe itself. That is a sign of a true cook!

Prior to cooking, gather everything you need. This way, you can prevent distractions like hot oil in pans or other distractions. You can also save on gas and heat by not turning on appliances before you are ready.

Ensure that all of your spices and herbs are stored in a cool and dry area away from direct light. Heat and moisture can have an adverse effect on the taste of your spices. These areas are not good because the spices will get exposed to flavor losing elements.

There are a vast array of potato varieties, and they should not be substituted. Waxy potatoes are good for potato salad or boiled potatoes but aren’t good for making french fries, baked potatoes or mashed potatoes. For that type of side dish, Russets are a good choice of fluffy potato.

To give your meals a burst of flavor, instead of using water, try adding beef or chicken stock. To make things easier, add a bouillon cubes in the water. This will give your food the right amount of liquid and add a complex layer of flavor to the meal.

As you can see, cooking can be easy. With the right techniques, creating delicious dishes for family and friends can suddenly become a breeze! Now that you have been introduced to these great tips and tricks, you just need to make the time to go and give them a try!