- Using pre-made tomato sauce. Store bought tomato sauce is an easy alternative to making your own, but your own homemade sauce will taste much better. The great thing about tomato sauce is they can be made in advance and kept frozen for months. Thaw, reheat and toss onto freshly cooked pasta for a quick meal.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment. Good cooks are never afraid to deviate from a recipe and add their own flair. While trying a recipe, take notes whenever you make a substitution or addition, so you will remember next time whether you liked the change or not.
- Keep chicken stock handy. Homemade chicken stock is easy to make and adds a wonderful flavor to soups and sauces. Keep it handy by making in advance and storing in your freezer. Canned chicken stock is handy to keep in your panty as well, though it won't taste as good. Be sure to use the unsalted so you control the salt in your finished dish.
- Add a little zest. When a recipe calls for a “zest” of a citrus fruit, it’s referring to the colorful outer part of the skin, not the inner white part, which is known as the pith. The zest contains all of the aromatic citrus oils and provides a hint of citrus tang to the recipe. Use a "zester" or "microplante" to easily zest your fruit.
- Reduce the power of garlic and onions. You can get a milder flavor of garlic and onions by sautéing them in olive oil for a few minutes prior to adding them to other foods. This will release their natural sweetness and give a wonderful flavor.
- Use Italian wine to add a flavor to dishes. Italian wine is another way, along with herbs and spices, of flavoring your dishes. Which wine you use depends upon your own taste, but a general rule is to cook with a wine you would like to drink with the finished dish. Don’t worry about the alcohol content of the finished dish; wine loses its alcohol when simmered long enough or cooked at high temperature as you deglaze your pan.
- Use caramelized onions to add flavor. Caramelized onions are a delicious way to add flavor to mashed potatoes, vegetables, soups and sauces. Fortunately you can easily make some ahead and keep in the refrigerator until needed. Their sweet flavor is delicious on sandwiches or pizza.
- Peel garlic easily. Peeling garlic can be frustrating unless you know this little tip that the pros use. Lay a clove flat on a hard surface and then press down hard on it with the flat side of a large knife. The garlic will “pop” out of the peel easily but even with this trick your fingers will smell like garlic. To prevent smelly hands, use a garlic peeler.
- Cook with fresh herbs. Fresh herbs are best for flavor. If a recipe doesn’t specify fresh or dried, you can assume it means dried, since dried herbs are much more commonly used. Triple the amount and use fresh herbs.
- Add garlic to oils. Olive oil that has been flavored with garlic provides a quick and easy way to add some punch to salad dressings, vegetables and meats. Add crushed garlic cloves to olive oil while it is heating to add flavor. You can also find garlic olive oil in many grocery stores as well as specialty shops.
I hope these tips inspire you to be creative in your kitchen and enjoy some delicious homemade meals!
