#you need both shortening and butter and you need a seasonal spice mix in addition to the vanilla extract

[thislittlekumquat]

Every time I see a banana bread recipe that does not involve crisco, I acknowledge the superiority of my own banana bread

[theuniversalrecord]

Musana (A Quatriman Fruit Bread!)

Author: L. A. Lanquist (he/him)

Content Warnings: Food

Musana (A Quatriman Fruit Bread!)

By Stratton Miller (he/him)

[Image description: a loaf of bread with a pinkish tint to it on a black ceramic platter, one slice cut away to reveal an almost cake-like consistency to it.]

It seems to me like since the dawn of time, people have been mixing sugar and carbs for a sweet treat. Of course, that can mean all kinds of things, but what I’ll be sharing with y’all today is a modified recipe for Musana, a Quatriman fruit bread. Now, the Quatrimans don’t really have a concept for fruit or for bread, and Musana really refers to a food-based gift given to guests during a particular season. But, this fruit bread is a Musana that is the most popular because of the fact that arpana--the fruit used in this recipe--is abundant on their planet, Raherm. I didn’t spend too long on Rahern, this time, because unfortunately most of what the Quatrimans eat is toxic to humans (other than this fruit and the Musana that goes along with it, of course!)

The primary ingredients for this are the arpana fruit that I mentioned before, any kind of dry starch like flour, and some kind of fermentation. This could be yeast or even just letting the arpana ripen for a little while. Now, the arpana fruit is not something you’ll be able to easily find in a market (though the Quatrimans definitely do export it, I checked!), so if you can’t use arpana, you can definitely replace it with something else. The closest Human equivalent would probably be a banana, but it’s not quite as sweet or as sour as arpana. I’d suggest you let your bananas brown, and then add something like half a squeezed lemon, with about a cup of sugar. That might be too sweet for some folks, but it’d be more accurate.

[Image description: an arpana with its cream-colored, hard, dimpled shell, partially cracked on the top. Next to it is a bowl filled with the bright pink innards of the arpana, unmashed and out of focus.]

First thing you’ll want to do is crack open two arpanas. It’s got a hard shell, but if you hit it with a can of beans or something similar, it should crack open enough for you to pull it apart. I would not recommend trying to open the shell like you would with an egg--it’s not quite viscous enough on the inside to keep you from making a mess of your kitchen counter. When you pull it apart, I suggest you try and get it into two parts, or at the very least have a bowl at hand, because the inner bits definitely won’t stay attached to the shell. If you’re doing bananas instead of arpana, now’s the time for you to squeeze half a lemon in there. Once you’ve got all of that in your bowl, you’re going to want to mash it well.

[Image description: a bowl with flour, salt, and a light red-colored spice (Bakarat).]

In a separate bowl, you’ll want to prepare your dry ingredients--remember, always mix your dry ingredients first, otherwise the small things like seasoning won’t spread all the way throughout your Musana. Your dry ingredients will be two cups of flour and a teaspoon of salt for balance. Some recipes use bakarat to add some depth--you can supplement cinnamon or nutmeg to get the same flavor. If you’re going for the bananas-and-lemon route, you should go ahead and add your half-cup of sugar and some baking soda (a teaspoon if your bananas are brown, two if they’re not). Stir all of that well.

[Image description: The bowl with the dry ingredients and the mashed pink innards of the arpana. Stratton Miller’s thin hands mix them together]

Normally on Rahern, the next step would be done with both the host(s) and their guest(s), but it’s fine if it’s just you. You’re going to pour your wet ingredients all into the same big bowl as your dry ones and mix them together. If you want to get some of that Quatriman-authenticity, have a friend or a family member come and mix it with you by hand. If not, you can just use a spoon or a fork.

[Image description: A bowl with the pink mixture from before, now with the addition of melted butter and an uncooked egg.]

Next, to finish you’re batter, you’re going to want to add a quarter cup of melted butter and one large egg cracked. This is where things get finicky. The actual way to make this Musana involves a kind of cream from a big mammal that needs very different amino acids than the ones we Humans can handle. When I was in Rahern, though, I managed to find one person who could make it without that cream, but they were really secretive about this recipe. Honestly, I think they just didn’t like the idea of outsiders, because they didn’t let me mix the wet and dry ingredients as is usually customary. So, I had to adjust. It took me some time on my ship with all kinds of different ingredients, but this was the closest I could get to the flavor. If you want to make it fluffier, I’d suggest you go ahead and beat your egg well until it froths up some before you combine it with the other ingredients.

[Image description: the same image as up above--a loaf of bread with a pinkish tint to it on a black ceramic platter, one slice cut away to reveal an almost cake-like consistency to it.]

Now that you’ve got your batter, grease a 9x5 loaf pan (the actual shape is supposed to be like an oval, but this’ll do just fine) and stick it in your oven at 165 degrees C for about an hour. As always, you know your own oven best, so if you need to take it out earlier or later, that’s fine. Just make sure that when you do the knife test, it’ll come back clean.

And that’s Musana! I’d suggest you keep it in your fridge for a few days, maybe heating it up in the microwave with a cup of water next to it to keep it from being too dry. If you want to make it vegan, replace the egg with applesauce and the butter with vegetable shortening--though you’ll want to take it out a little bit sooner. The flour can be replaced with almond flour or something similar, though it may end up browning a bit more. I’m a big fan of having a small slice of this with breakfast or with some vanilla ice cream as a dessert. Make sure to share it with friends, though, to make it a real Musana!

[Image description: the fully condensed recipe card for Stratton Miller’s Musana.]

[Image description: the cover of Tasting Stardust, showing a frying pan, a chef’s knife, and a salt shaker floating through space with a large star shining in the background.]

Now, if you follow my newsletter, you’ll know that my book just went on pre-order! Please go and buy my book, Tasting Stardust, I made it this far thanks to all of y’all’s support, and it’d mean the stars to me (get it?) if you’d read it. In it, I mention one other recipe I got from my visit to Rahern: Lemarna, a savory-sweet hand pie!

Thank you again, and--always and forever--have a nice day y’all.

[calangel]

Christmas Cookie Recipies

When I was a little girl my favorite holiday treat was no-bake cookies. I remember the sweet aroma throughout the house and the delightful gems lined up across the kitchen counter on waxed paper.

Mom made them perfect. She always made them around Christmas time. She made other kinds of cookies, but the no-bake ones stick in my mind.

Are you pressed for time or energy this holiday season and you just don't have the time to make a big variety of homemade cookies? I have a really fun solution for you!

Host a Christmas cookie recipe exchange party. This is an excellent way to gather a nice assortment of Christmas cookies. The key to this event is "how many show up"...the more guests you invite, the more recipes and cookies you will end up with.

This event can even involve a holiday meal before hand as well to make it more festive. This is really up to you. But, the number one rule is...each guest that attends has to bring so many dozens of only one type of homemade cookie along with their recipe. (the exact amount of cookies are decided upon by the hostess).

Important Tips For Your Cookie Exchange Event

1. It's best to print the recipes on index cards. Each guest will need to bring multiple copies of their recipe. Make sure your guests include their names on top of each recipe copy. It would be a good idea for you to have extra index cards on hand just in case there is not enough to go around to each guest that attends.

2. Have your guests call you to let you know what recipe they will be preparing and bringing to the event. (just to make sure none of them are bringing the same recipe) Of course, you want them all to be unique to provide a good variety.

3. Have some festive throw away containers or trays available for each of your guests to gather their cookies in.

4. If you decide on a meal...to make it easy on yourself, finger foods work really well for this type of event. Make it a buffet style. A good idea for a beverage would be some hot cider.

5. Have fun with this event and set a festive table display!

A cookie exchange party is a really fun way to visit with family and friends and end up with some special holiday treats and recipes all at the same time...not to mention, it saves YOU time and energy when it comes to baking.

Below is my Mother's recipe for no-bake cookies:

No Bake Cookies

Ingredients

2 c. sugar 1/2 c. milk 1/4 c. cocoa (unsweetened) 1 stick margarine 1/2 c. smooth peanut butter 1 tsp. vanilla 2 1/2 c. quick oats

Directions

Combine sugar, milk, cocoa in small saucepan. Bring to boil for 1 minute.

Remove from heat, add remaining ingredients. Mix well.

Drop by tsp. onto waxed paper. (May need to refrigerate)

Christmas Cookie Recipes - Frosted Gingerbread Nut Cookies: A dressed up gingerbread cookie with frosting and the addition of nuts.

1/2 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup molasses

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Cookie Frosting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar. Beat in the egg and molasses. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt and cloves; add to the creamed mixture alternating with buttermilk. Stir in the chopped nuts.

Drop tablespoons of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies spring back after being lightly touched in the center. Let cool.

Cookie Frosting

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

4 1/2 teaspoons butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 to 3 tablespoons half and half cream

Walnut halves, optional

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla and cream (enough to get desired consistency). Frost cooled cookies. Top with walnut half, if desired.

Makes 60 cookies.

Christmas Cookie Recipes: Butter Cookie Snowmen Cookies: These snowmen will delight any cookie lover over the holidays.

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

Red and yellow paste food coloring

Miniature chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the milk and the vanilla; mix well. Gradually add in the flour.

Remove 1/3 cup of the dough and place in a small bowl. Tint this dough with red food coloring. Remove another 1/3 cup of dough from the original bowl and place in a small bowl. Tint this dough with the yellow food coloring. Set aside.

Shape white dough into 24 balls. They should be around 1 1/4-inch each. Make another 24 balls from this dough about 1/2-inch each. Last, shape the remaining dough into 24 1/8-inch balls.

To make the snowmen bodies, place the large balls on two ungreased baking sheets. Flatten each ball to about 3/8-inch thickness. Place the 1/2-inch balls above the bodies to create the heads; flatten.

To make snowmen hats, shape red dough into 24 balls of about 1/8-inch thickness; set aside. Shape 24 pieces of red dough into triangles. Place these triangles on top of the snowmen heads. Place the 1/8-inch white balls onto the end of hats to make little pompoms.

Take the 1/8-inch red dough balls and place onto the snowmen heads for noses.

Divide yellow dough into 24 pieces and shape into scarves. Press scarves into place at bottom of snowmen heads.

Create eyes with the miniature chocolate chips and also use the chips for buttons on their bodies.

Bake for 13 to 16 minutes, or until set. Let cool completely.

Makes 24 cookies.

=> Christmas Cookie Recipes: Pfeffernuesse Cookies

A wonderful traditional cookie that is always welcome.

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup molasses

1/3 cup water

6 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup crushed aniseed

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the eggs, one at a time; beating well after each addition.

In another bowl, combine the corn syrup, molasses and water; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, aniseed, baking soda and spices. Add to the creamed mixture, alternating with the molasses mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2-inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 11 minutes, or until golden brown. Roll warm cookies into confectioners' sugar. Let cool before serving.

Makes 96 cookies.

Christmas Cookie Recipes - Candy Cane Cookies: Everyone loves candy canes and they'll love these festive shaped holiday cookies.

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons egg, slightly beaten

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon red food coloring

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

In a bowl, blend together the shortening, confectioners' sugar and egg; mix well. Stir in the flour, salt, almond extract and the vanilla.

Divide the dough in half. Tint one half with red food coloring. The other dough half remains plain.

Forming the cookie: Take a small piece of the plain dough and roll it between the palms of your hands. Set aside. Repeat with tinted dough.

Twist both pieces together and shape them into a candy cane.

Place each cookie on the cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.

Makes 8 to 12 cookies.

=> Christmas Cookie Recipes: Cinnamon Wreath Cookies

A lovely frosted holiday wreath cookie.

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar red and or green M&Ms

Cookie Frosting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Beat in 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt; beat until well combined.

Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.

Beat in the flour.

Divide the dough into two parts. Cover and chill about 1 hour, or until dough is easy to handle.

In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.

On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. With a 3-inch scalloped cookie cutter, cut out cookie shapes. Place cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture. Press M&Ms into dough.

Repeat with other half of dough.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes. Let cool completely. Decorate with Cookie Frosting.

Makes 18 to 20 cookies.

Cookie Frosting

In a small saucepan, melt 3 ounces of white baking chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon shortening over low heat. Stir in a few drops of green food coloring. Christmas Cookie Recipes: Sparkle Tree Cookies

Christmas tree cookies are a wonderful tradition of the Christmas season.

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

1 1/3 cups powered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups all purpose flour

Powdered Sugar Icing

Green colored sugar

Candied red cherries, sliced

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high for 30 seconds. Add in the powdered sugar and the salt; beat until well combined, scraping the sides of bowl.

Beat in the vanilla. Add in the flour; beating until the dough comes together.

Wrap the dough and chill for 1 hour, or until it is easy to handle.

Divide the dough into two parts.

On a lightly floured surface roll out one half of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough with tree shaped cookie cutter. Place cookies 2inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with other half of dough.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Let cool completely.

Brush each cookie with Powdered Sugar Icing. Sprinkle on green sugar to decorate and add a cherry half on top.

Makes 16 cookies.

Powdered Sugar Icing

In a bowl, combine 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 to 3 tablespoons milk. Stir until well mixed. Refrigerate for up to 1 week before using. Before using, let icing thaw to room temperature. You can make it thinner by adding a few drops of milk. Makes about 1 cup.

[debbiedufourtupperware-blog1]

Simple Tips On How To Be A Good Cook

The ability to cook is a useful skill to have. It's safe to say that everyone loves to eat, especially when the dish was prepared by you or a family member! However, not everyone has the skills necessary in order to cook good meals. Read on for some useful tips that can help to improve your culinary skills! When you are making stir-fry dishes, make certain the meat is thinly sliced on the bias. This can sometimes be a tricky undertaking and very time-consuming. Take out the meat before it is frozen, but very firm, and cut into it at an angle of 45 degrees perpendicular to the grain. Store your spices in a cool, dark place. Exposing spices to heat, humidity, and light will shorten their lifespan. If you store your spices in dark place with relatively low temperatures like a pantry, the spices will retain their taste and take longer to spoil. Using fresh spices will make your food taste better. Making a meal for someone important, such as a romantic partner or a boss, is not the time to experiment with new dishes. Preparing a meal for someone important, or that you hope to impress, is not the time to experiment with new recipes or exotic ingredients that you have never used before. This can keep your stress levels in check while you cook. Try adding cauliflower to your mashed potatoes to lower the fat content. Cauliflower does not have a strong taste and will be virtually undetectable when mixed with the potatoes and other ingredients. Additionally, cauliflower has the same texture and color as mashed potatoes, so it makes it an easy, healthy addition to your dish.

This product is not just limited to being used on steaks. You can use your favorite spices and seasonings to enhance the naturally delicious flavor of scrambled eggs and roasted pumpkin seeds. Seasoned salt is a wonderful secret weapon to your spice rack. Be sure to read labels when purchasing ingredients for recipes. Some cooking supplies will contain unhealthy ingredients. Check to see if the products that you are using contain high amounts of sugar or sodium. While good for you in small amounts, both of these can lead to health problems if eaten too much. You should consider drying your tomatoes on your own. You can do this by slicing your tomatoes about a half an inch thick, or Romas in half. Put them facing upwards onto a cooling rack and add a little salt. Next, position a full rack on a baking sheet in an oven preheated to 190 degrees. Dry for approximately 10 hours. You can then freeze your tomatoes in Ziplock bags. Another option is to place the tomatoes in a jar and cover them with fresh herbs and olive oil. Use them within two weeks of refrigerating. There's almost always leftovers after serving turkey. This is a meal that will freeze really well so you can enjoy it again later. This will keep the turkey fresh for a month or more, and can be easily thawed to use in sandwiches, soups, and salads. Replace your spices twice a year. The flavor of spices diminishes if they sit around for too long. If you know you will not use the whole spice bottle, give some of it to someone you know. Stay organized when you are preparing a meal to avoid kitchen catastrophes. A cooking station that is well-organized is more productive. Being unorganized can cause you to lose ingredients or tools that you need when you are cooking. This can cause a meal to be ruined which will put the money you spent on ingredients to waste. If you want to try a more advanced recipe, make it more manageable by prepping the day before. Locate the ingredients, cut up and measure herbs and spices and look through your cupboards to make sure you have what you need. As you begin your masterpiece, just put it all together and cook as necessary. When chopping fresh herbs, try sprinkling a bit of salt over the cutting board before you begin. This adds some extra flavor to the herbs while also keeping them on the board. Do not over-salt by making sure you don't directly add any extra salt to the foods you're preparing. Some of the salt will adhere to the herbs and add flavor to your dish. High quality cutlery and knives are worth the expense. Sharp knives will save you time, and are actually safer to use than dull ones. You are less likely to harm yourself with a sharp knife than a dull one. Trussing refers to the method of tying a turkey up with string for baking. It helps to keep the legs and wings of the turkey close so that the bird cooks more evenly. If the legs and wings aren't tied down, they tend to easily burn while the body of the bird continues to cook. Using brine is a key cooking skill to master. Marinate any sort of poultry in brine for about an hour before you cook it, so that it becomes very flavorful. When you are creaming butter for cookies, be sure the butter isn't completely melted, just soft. Place it in the freezer if the butter is melted or put the dough in the fridge once it is mixed. If your dough is cooler, it won't spread too much. If you know the next day is going to be hectic, work to prepare some of your meal ahead of time. Save time by doing things ahead of time when possible. Chopping onions or putting together a casserole ahead of time is a great idea. In order to eliminate some strong odors caused by items such as garlic or other pungent foods, just use stainless steel on your hands for a few seconds prior to washing them. The stainless steel will help to remove the offending odor restoring your hands' freshness. You can find stainless steel on your kitchen sink basin, on cutlery or even in specially designed stainless-steel soap bars. 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!

[thenaughty-blog]

Try These Great Cooking Suggestions To Improve Your Meals

You will find that cooking can be an exciting venture when you have an accumulated set of skills. This article will make your dishes more delicious and give you more confidence in the kitchen. Once you have your , knowledge, skills and confidence, the enjoyment really begins. Prepare as much of your recipe as you can ahead of time. Be prepared in advance to make your cooking go smoothly. Trying to prepare a meal without handling the preparation beforehand can get stressful, especially if you need to finish your cooking in a set amount of time. If all of the prep work is completed well before the actual cooking begins, this will help alleviate some stress later. If you are first embarking on a quest to prepare more of your own food, head to the nearest library or bookstore and find a cookbook with simple, basic recipes that you will enjoy preparing. Create at your own pace and allow for patience as you get the trick of cooking down. Always bake your crusts a little longer than is absolutely necessary. Go past the usual pale tan color and take them to a caramel gold. This indicates the sugar has turned to caramel. Your crust will have a sweeter and crispier flavor. Spices should be stored in an area with little light and low temperatures, like a pantry. If they are stored in an area that they are exposed to light, heat and humidity, their shelf life is shortened. Your spices will have a longer shelf life and retain their good taste if stored in a dark, cool spot. Using fresher spices can make tastier meals. There are many steps you can take towards prepping your food to make your whole cooking process easier. Look at your recipes before starting and clue in on the steps that can be done ahead of time without having any spoilage issues. Much of the preparations can be finished one day prior to cooking. This takes a lot of the stress out of even the most complicated recipes and dishes. When trying to eat a healthier diet or lose weight, you should decrease the portion of oils used in cooking meals. Substances such as oil and butter contain unnecessary fat. To achieve the same results as oil without the unhealthy fat, try using a nonstick spray. When trying to add protein to a diet, you need to remember that beans and tofu are great sources. Both beans and tofu are readily available in most grocery stores. Frying the tofu in a low-sodium soy sauce is a tasty alternative to eating meat for dinner! You can boil the beans with a bit of herbs to give the protein more flavor. When you are making any kind of food that requires seasoning, put a little seasoning on every few minutes instead of adding it all in the beginning. This method will ensure that the flavoring is spread out and even, and that the ingredients are enhanced to the best they can be. Choose a bone-in roast if you are short on cooking time. The meat cooks faster because the bone will carry the heat through the inside of the roast, helping it cook from the inside out. When your meat is done cooking, you can just cut around the bone and serve. Prepare things the day before if you cannot handle doing everything in one night. For example, you can chop any vegetables and herbs you will need and store them in the refrigerator, as well as marinating whatever meat you will be preparing the next evening. Doing the prep work ahead of time will decrease stress, and increase your enjoyment of finishing the meal. If you cook using herbs and spices, keep them stored under dark, cool conditions to preserve their freshness and flavor. You should never store herbs and spices above a stove or in any other warm location because that will cause them to lose their flavor, and of course you will be out the money. It is vital for cooks to have their supplies organized when cooking. Supplies and staples kept in disarray will have you scrambling when trying to find a needed utensil or ingredient. Put all the things that are the same in one place. For instance, spices can be placed in the same compartment. Many popular veggies and herbs have a strong residual odor that can remain on cutting boards well after use. Use a permanent pen to make a mark so you know which side you are using. It is a good idea to store unripened fruits in perforated plastic bags. When fruits ripen, they produce ethylene gas. If you put them in a perforated plastic bag, the air can circulate and assure that the gas is retained, keeping the fruit fresh and tasty. Fresh herbs in a meal are delicious. Bunch them together and then use a pair of scissors to snip them. This will prevent them from clumping together and they will be drier than when you chop them. To have especially flavor rich foods, produce your own stock. Making a large amount allows you to store some in the freezer for future meals. Your yummy stock will be ready for you when you're ready to create your next culinary treat or just make a simple soup. If you make your own stock, it will be much healthier and not loaded with preservatives.

When you are cooking, a good habit to get into is to wash the dishes as soon as you are done with them. Fill half your sink with hot water and dishwashing liquid and the other half with rinse water. Utensils and mixing bowls can wash up quickly, and you will have them ready to use again as you prepare additional courses of the meal. Learning to cook is a fun and easy process. All you need to do is set aside some time and have a passion to learn. Using these tips can help you gain some real knowledge to get around the kitchen easily. You have to cook with the right attitude.