11 Things You are Forgetting to Do when cooking a meal

Cooking a meal is easy for many people and challenging for others. Cooking is also fun and can bring people together. It is also a way to bond with your loved ones, children and gossip with friends.

When creating recipes, oftentimes we tend to not follow the instructions if we doubt the author. We also tend to skip steps if we are in a hurry. Being lazy does not help either.

Here are 11 things you’re forgetting to do when cooking

1. Add salt when baking. The salt is in the recipe for a reason. Salt doesn’t make things salty—it brings out the flavor. Salt acts as a flavor enhancer to other ingredients.
2. Preheat the pans. When you light a grill, you let it warm up before you throw the meat on. Why wouldn’t you preheat your pans before you cook? It will guarantee a better way to cook and save a lot of time.
3. Get creative. Often, people are afraid to experiment in the kitchen because they’re scared to mess up. Try things! If they don’t work, don’t make them again.
4. Season. Too often, people forget all about the spice cabinet unless they’re following a recipe that calls for certain spices. If you like cooking on your own, make sure that you get familiar with seasonings. It is also a great idea to learn about the different herbs and spices.
5. Dry your herbs if you are not using them right away. When you buy fresh herbs and vegetables, you need to get them out of the produce bags and dry them off. You can also wrap them in paper towels and bag them in sealed bags.
6. Crack eggs one at a time. Use a separate bowl to crack or separate each egg. Then, add it to the rest. That way, if you get any shells in the mix, you only have one rotten egg, not a whole batch.
7. Use the right measuring cups. Liquid measures are for liquids. Dry measures are for dry ingredients. Make sure that you have the right measuring tools for the job.
8. Use the right butter (or margarine). This also goes for melted versus softened butter—they are two different things. Do not substitute one for the other.
9. Use fresh spices and seasonings. Those pre-ground plastic spices are fine for a few things, but if you want flavor in your food, choose fresh seasonings, sauces, and spices.
10. Stop rinsing pasta. It needs the coating to help the sauce stick, and it doesn’t need a cold bath like some foods.
11. Play around with cooking times. Recipes aren’t perfect. Some might need tweaking. Be adventureous and explore different cuisines.