Do not purchase boneless meat and fish. Place bones in a large, heavy-duty freezer bag and place the bag inside the freezer so that it is ready when you need it.
If you want to start cooking more, go to the bookstore or library and get a cookbook of simple and basic recipes that appeal to you. Try making three or four of the recipes that appeal to you the most, and give yourself plenty of time to perfect your newly acquired skill.
Make your cleanup easier by washing dishes as they are used in the cooking process. Have your sink full of soapy, hot water one side, and use the other side to rinse. Mixing bowls and your utensils rinse rather easily and can be cleaned and wiped before the next ingredients in your meal. Always begin your cooking with utensils that are spotlessly clean. If your utensils still have food in them, it can ruin what you are trying to cook. This is especially bad when bacteria is remaining on the utensil.
When braising a pork butt, ribs, ham, carnitas or other kinds of pork in liquid, consider using cola or cherry-flavored soda instead of salty broth or plain water. The soda adds a bit of a sweet glaze to the meat and keeps it from drying out, and the flavor mingles well with BBQ sauces and other seasonings.
To make an improvement to pasta sauce, save some of the pasta’s cooking water. Save about one quarter cup of this water. Before adding the sauce to the pasta, mix in the cooking water. The starch from the pasta water will add body and a “creaminess” to your sauce through amalgamation.
When preparing pasta, it is important to add salt to the pot of water. This will allow the pasta to take on the seasoning more efficiently. This is much more effective than trying to add salt to pasta that you have already cooked.
Try not to overcook or undercook a cake. While the recipe or directions are a good starting point in cooking times, they may need adjustment. Factors like what kind of oven is used and elevation play a part in what the optimal cooking time will be. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake instead. If the toothpick has no batter on it, then the cake has finished baking. If it does have batter on it, then put the cake back in the oven.
