Learning How To Cook

If you cook on a regular basis, then it is wise to plan meals ahead. For example: I may cook a BBQ pork roast today in preparation of Chinese egg rolls tomorrow. I'll eat half the roast today and save the rest. I may marinade a steak overnight in the refrigerator, planning to cook it the next day. It's a good idea to plan meals a few days ahead, so you can remove foods from the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator. I don't like defrosting meats in the microwave, it ruins the meat.

Thinking ahead makes things go simpler and more organized. I usually set foods out early in the day in preparation for a meal I'll make later in the afternoon. I keep meats frozen until I need them. I take them out 2 days before I plan to use them. to thaw in the refrigerator.

Kitchen Tip: I freeze my bag of peeled garlic, so I always have fresh garlic and it never spoils after a week. Frozen garlic cuts very well right away once removed from the freezer bag. Just keep the bag sealed while it's in the freezer to maintain freshness and prevent freezer burn.

Kitchen Tip: I also freeze mixed vegetables in a bag and always have them handy for fried rice, stir-fry or just some boiled mixed veggies with a meal. You don't even need to thaw them. Just break-off a clump, or usually they're already loose.

Knowing how much heat to use and how long is critically important. I remember the first time that I tried to caramelize sugar in a pot. The sugar turned black and I lifted the pot with the spoon glued in the hardened sugar when it dried. I had the heat way TOO HIGH.

If you've never caramelized sugar, you're in for a treat. It is awesome and very easy to do!!! I pour caramelized sugar over my flan and it's excellent I must say. All you do is pour one cup of white sugar into a small pot. Heat it over a LOW heat. For the first few minutes it will seem like nothing's happening, but then all of a sudden the sugar will liquefy. Stir it gently with a spoon and watch it turn to a caramelize color. When all liquefied you can pour it over flan or any desert. You can easily clean the pot by pouring water into it while it's still hot. WARNING: liquid sugar is extremely hot and will burn you bad if you touch it. Be careful.

The amount of heat to use is an art that you'll learn with experience. For chewy bacon, use LOW heat. It takes 30 minutes, but it's well worth the wait. HIGH heat makes crispy and salty bacon, yuk! But if that's your thang, go for it!

Learn to monitor your flame and temperature settings. Know what's going on. Don't just apply heat. For example: I know that a pork roast should be cooked to 155-160 degrees internally and I own a meat thermometer to measure it.

As a general rule, cook your meals at medium heat when using a frying pan. I use HIGH heat for searing the outside of fried chicken, then put a cover over the pan and simmer the meat on LOW heat for 2 hours until the chicken falls off the bone. It tastes great!

Kitchen Tip: I don't use dish soap hardly at all for my kitchen plates, cup, pans, and such. I just rinse everything in hot water. It saves a lot of unnecessary rinsing time every day (and the high risk of soap suds flavoring your drinks and foods if not rinsed super well).

Kitchen Tip: I store food leftovers into either a quart or gallon sized bag in the refrigerator. Make sure they are zip-locked shut. I always plan ahead what kind of meal I can make with the leftovers. or use it for a soup base. You can put almost anything into soups.

This is my favorite category. Cooking is all about spices, which are to the chef what colors are to the painter. The best way to learn all the spices is to first obtain them. You can purchase an assortment of spices and a spice rack at warehouse outlets or major retail stores.

I do it differently though. I like those little plastic bottles by McCormick. Everytime you go shopping you ought to buy at least one new spice. Most people never try new things and get into a rut of the same old foods. Some husbands get upset at wives for cooking out of a can or never trying new things. Well, here's how to make hubby happy. And best of all, on the back label of every spice bottle you buy... THERE'S A RECIPE for that spice!!! This is a great learning tool.

I have a little McCormick container of the spice THYME in front of me and on the back is a delicious recipe for sweet potatoes using thyme seasoning on them. If you've been cooking for years and not using spices, you've been missing out.

One of my favorite meals to make and eat is my 'DOUBLE T SPECIAL,' that is, Tarragon Chicken and Turmeric Rice. I learned the recipe for Turmeric Rice from the back label of a spice container. Turmeric by itself smells and tastes like ground cardboard (no kidding), but it makes the best tasting rice in the world.

You learn how to use spices and cook one recipe at a time, just like learned to play songs or anything else in life.

The most important item you're going to need when learning how to cook is a big garbage pail. That's the only way to learn, that is, by doing the best you can and tasting it when it's done. Hopefully it's edible or don't get an upset stomach. I learned that using too much sesame oil causes upset stomach. Sesame oil is NOT for cooking; only add a few drops for flavoring in a stir-fry dish, et cetera.

I've eaten plenty of lousy meals as punishment for adding too much salt or soy sauce. I'm really starting to dislike soy sauce because it ruins a meal quickly. It's a fantastic marinade.

I unsuccessfully tried for years to make decent Chinese fried rice. Every online recipe calls for soy sauce. The best fried rice you can make is WITHOUT soy sauce. Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth to flavor the rice. Let it boil up in the wok, the flavor is very good. Add...

2 c, cooked rice (1 c uncooked) that has cooled. I turn off the rice cooker and leave the lid open for an hour.
2 T peanut oil
1 eggs
1/2 t dry sherry
1/2 c yellow or white onion, diced
3-4 scallions, sliced thin
3/4 t salt (I measure 1/2 teaspoon; and then I measure an additional 1/4 teaspoon (totally 3/4 teaspoon of salt)
1/2 to 1 c cooked ham, diced (I like a cup of ham. You can use other meats or a combination thereof)
1/2 c cooked peas (I just thaw frozen under the tap or add directly to a heated wok)

Cooking is an art, science, and blessing from God. When I consider all the varieties, colors, shapes and flavors of the fruits, vegetables, seeds, spices and meats which God has provided for us in His goodness (Luke 6:35)... how can anyone not believe in God? How can anyone blaspheme His holy name? Blessed be the precious name of Jesus Christ!