How To Level Up Your Cooking Game

If you are someone who feels dependent on recipes, then this list is for you! These are some simple tips to upgrade your home cooking.

1. Soak Your Starches

This is such a game-changer if you want crispier potatoes. There’s the other trick where you boil your potatoes first and then bake them, but it’s too many steps. So, soak them in cold water for a couple of minutes and pat them dry instead! If you’ve ever had one of those moments where you almost give up on roasting your potatoes because they still seem hard after an hour in the oven then try this!

2. Add Fresh Herbs

You know that cilantro you bought for Taco Tuesday? Put it in your salad, blend it up, and cook your rice in it. Do you have a rosemary bush? Great! Make some flavored ice cubes, add some leaves to your stew, and pair it with your potatoes. Adding herbs can make any regular dish seem a little bit bougier and if you’re hosting, it looks like you put way more effort into it.

3. Add Sugar or Acid

I’ll cook a dish, season it, and still feel like it tastes like nothing, this is when I grab for a premade sauce. It doesn’t have to be complicated, you can add some BBQ sauce, a couple of dashes of hot sauce, soy sauce, coconut aminos, or chili oil. Squeeze some lemon, or add a dash of vinegar or even some salsa! Start with a tablespoon amount and go from there. Adding a splash of a premade sauce isn’t going to ruin the dish, it might foster a welcome flavor discovery.

4. Sift Your Flour

This is an old-school rule that is easy to forget about. My mom reminded me of this rule for baking and it helped the rise and texture of my recent bakes. I know it’s kind of a pain, but the extra step is worth it. So, if you struggle with baking this just might be the tip that will give you a breakthrough.

5. Use Your Kitchen Tools

Embrace the opportunity to make things easier for yourself in the kitchen, even if it means extra washing. My favorite tool at the moment is the Instant Pot. Dishes like beans, and stews, are much easier to manage. So if you’ve been looking to buy a gadget or dust off the one you already have this is your sign to go for it!

6. (LAST ONE) Say you’re a good cook!

Confidence plays a big role in making any successful dish so start by believing that you are a good cook and the rest will fall into place.

Now I want to hear from you! What tip did you learn that changed your cooking game?