Cooking Tips

                                                                                      Cooking tips are also in the Members' Section.

Did you know...?

‘Cook the books’- to lie about your financial position so it seems better than it really is.
‘Cook somebody's goose’- to make sure somebody fails or gets caught.
‘Cook something up’ -  to make something up.
‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’  -  If there are too many people involved in cooking, something is likely to go wrong.
‘What’s cooking?’- what’s up, what’s happening!
‘Cook off’- when a cartridge or shell is fired due to overheating inside  a weapon without it being triggered. (Yikes!)
‘Cook’- also means to hide outdoors behind something e.g. a hedge or bush.
‘Cook out’- a party or outing where cooking is done and food is eaten out of doors

SOURCE: Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language.

Some great ideas and tips here too!

Servings: If no servings are given, the recipe is intended for four people; buffets or party menus are generally for 12 or 24 people.

Tbsp. and tsp.: When this is shown in the recipe you should use a Tablespoon or teaspoon.

Low fat: In dressings and sauces low calorie sour creams or yogurt can be used.  

Whipped cream: If whipped cream is required in the recipe, you can use either fatty or light whipped cream.

Milk: You can use either whole milk (full-cream milk), skimmed milk, or light milk (low-fat milk).

Herbs: A rule of thumb is 1 Tbsp freshly chopped herbs is equal to ca. 1 tsp. dried herbs, but it is best to go by your taste.

Bouillon: In the recipes where fresh bouillon is used, bouillon cubes and water may also be used.

Cheese in recipes: If Cheddar or Mozzarella cheese is required, you can also use low fat cheese.

Vegetables: The weight for vegetables in the recipes are before they are peeled/washed - or otherwise specified.

Dish measurement: Where a measurement for a dish is given, the measurement should be from the bottom of the dish.

Microwave: Food heated or reheated in a microwave should be given a few moments rest to disperse heat evenly before eating.

Electric oven: If you use an oven and no other information is given, make sure it has been preheated to the temperature shown in the recipe before putting the dish in the oven.

Hot air oven: If you are using the fan in the hot-air oven, the temperature needs to be lowered by 20º. Don’t adjust the time. It also helps to read the instruction manual that comes with your oven.

Tips archive here