I’m a food-competition junkie, not participating of course but watching on TV and I’m not afraid to admit it. It doesn’t make much sense though because I just hate cooking…no really, I hate it.
I know lots of people who love cooking and they say it de-stresses them…hello! Why? You’re standing for hours, cutting, shopping, stirring, blending, etc. Then you serve it and then it’s gone within minutes, poof! nothing to show for all this work.
I watch Master Chef, Master Chef Junior, Top Chef, Chopped, Chopped Junior, Chopped Teens, Holiday Baking Competition but I guess I’m mostly amazed and in awe of kids on Master Chef Junior that are between 8 and 13, cooking master pieces, using words like coulis, or confit, or ceviche and showing plating talent worthy of classy restaurants.
The smallest ones (like Kya below who is 8 years old!) need a stool to stand on so they can reach the top of the counter and stove!
Kya, my favourite and her signature dish (yep they each have one!) is Chicken Kiev
Ok so back to my headline…I did learn a thing or two from all these cooks (kids included) and I’m happy to share those here in case you didn’t know.
My Top 10 Cooking Tips I learned from Foodnetwork
1 . Always cut your ingredients like veggies, potatoes, chicken,etc. the same size so they cook evenly
2 . You can make a sauce by throwing a bunch of spices, veggies and oil in a blender
3 . To cook scallops perfectly, add butter to a hot pan and melt, add your scallops and cook 90 seconds on each side
4 . To cook mushrooms nicely, add butter to hot pan, wait till brown to add the mushrooms, stir often and cook slowly to let the water evaporate
5 . To cook fish: whisk one egg, dip fish in egg then coat with panko breadcrumbs and add lots of butter to hot non-stick pan, add fish and turn only once, adding olive oil if need be to prevent sticking. You can also constantly baste the fish with the butter in the pan if you have enough
6 . To open a garlic bulb, smash it with the side of a wide knife
7 . Pile up food on top of your mashed potatoes or your rice so you get everything at the same time in one spoonful
8 . You have to let red meat rest before slicing it so it won’t loose all the juices
9 . Do not break pasta in two before adding it to the boiling water (I do this, shame on me )
10. Always add salt to your boiling water when cooking pasta
Your turn: do you have any quick cooking tips to share?
Yea, if there is one thing in this world I dislike…. it’s cooking. And cleaning…. ok so two things! LOL
Great, I’m not alone, and yes definitely do not like cleaning either…I think I should be living in a household with a cook and a cleaning ‘staff’! thanks Jenna
Yep totally agree… HATE COOKING! It’s like “obligatioire “”!!! Ugh… Another pasta hint… Before draining pasta, keep a cup of the cooking water… that way when u add your sauce to pasta & damn pasta soaks it all up u just add the cooking water (a little at a time…)… Pretty good actually!
Thanks Elizabeth for this other pasta trick. I remember seeing this somewhere too. If there are pasta and sauce left, I would add the sauce to the pasta so it doesn’t stick all together and I can reheat it the next day, but if there is no sauce left, then that would be a great solution too. 🙂
To make white rice more interesting, cook it in stock/broth instead of water.
Yes, I forgot that one Christine. Well actually I didn’t get that from watching Tv but from tasting stuff at Costco…:) but thanks for reminding me.
Garlic is so much easier if you get it out of a jar! Mashed, chopped…whatever. I know, that’s Food Network heresy. They’ll probably yank my subscription as soon as I post this!
LOL – yes well that’s a secret…I actually buy a big jar at Costco…why go through the trouble when someone else took the time to chop it for me 🙂
I totally love watching cooking shows but not cooking!! I love food but not cooking it. Eating it is awesome!! And I always break my pasta before cooking it. Who knew.
Me too, love food but really don’t like to be in the kitchen cooking and others shouldn’t be around at the same time, it’s not safe!