| If you are new to cooking, recipes can be a great way | | | | improvising. It's kind of like having a green thumb. |
| to learn to cook. Certainly, the more recipes you follow | | | | Salt is one thing that always improves the flavors of |
| the more you will learn what works and what doesn't; | | | | foods. When a recipe calls for a pinch of salt or so, I |
| or what goes together and what doesn't. But if you | | | | ignore it. I can't taste food if it doesn't have salt or |
| have some experience with cooking, you'll soon realize | | | | sugar on it, and I've discovered that adding salt while |
| that recipes are open to interpretation. Maybe you like | | | | cooking brings out the flavor much more than adding it |
| more of this and more of that, and soon you have | | | | at the dinner table. |
| your own recipe. | | | | Sugar is another secret. I actually don't recommend this |
| If you enjoy cooking, or cook for a special diet, this is | | | | one if you have problems with sugar, but a little trick in |
| very important. Usually when I cook, if I'm cooking | | | | the better restaurants is to add just a pinch of sugar |
| something I'm not real familiar with, I'll read a few | | | | to vegetables while they are cooking. It not only brings |
| recipes to get the gist of it. But then I do it my own | | | | out the flavor, but it helps them keep their color. A |
| way. This is why I only use recipes as a guideline. | | | | pinch of sugar won't hurt most people, but be careful if |
| One thing to keep in mind when using a recipe is that | | | | you are diabetic or on a low carb diet. |
| more is not always better. In other words, if it has an | | | | The best thing to do is experiment. Follow a lot of |
| ingredient that you like, it may or may not be better to | | | | recipes until you get a feel for it, then try a few things |
| add more. Good cooks will tell you that quite often a | | | | on your own. I've got several recipes that my friends |
| 'hint' of a particular flavor is better. That's quite often | | | | and family ask me for, and yet I can't give them any |
| the 'secret' to a good recipe. Just a dash of this and a | | | | specifics. That's because I just took a basic idea and |
| pinch of that can go a long way. | | | | improvised. I doubt that I ever cook any 'recipe' the |
| On the other hand, sometimes you might come across | | | | same way twice anymore, and yet the majority of the |
| a recipe that 'more' of something makes it better. | | | | time I am quite pleased with my results. |
| Maybe you like a little more pepper or garlic (it's my | | | | Cooking is a 'knack' and you can do it if you have an |
| opinion that it's hard to have too much garlic). Your | | | | interest in it. You can create your own very unique |
| experimentation will tell you what's right for you. Make | | | | recipes and always look forward to the creativity in |
| notes if you have to, but eventually you will have a | | | | the kitchen. The real trick is ... |
| knack for cooking and know what you are doing by | | | | |