Cooking Basics

Have you ever wanted to make fresh homemade marinara? Follow the steps below and you’ll find yourself eating one of the most authentic recipes around.

Have you ever wondered what type of onion might be best in a fresh garden salad, in a baked casserole dish, or for homemade onion rings? If so, you are not alone. This article will offer some...

Pumpkins announce the arrival of cooler weather and upcoming fall festivities. Although uses vary widely, pumpkins have a prominent place at Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Roughly 80% of...

Ginger root adds bright, spicy and sweet flavor to many types of cooking--it's a common ingredient in Asian stir fry dishes, and it livens up many fruit-based desserts. To best take advantage of...

Oysters are a type of shellfish that contain a small, tender piece of meat within a tough hinged outer shell. If you're going to eat fresh oysters, you must purchase them live and keep them alive...

Cooking a turkey need not be a tedious and exhausting chore. Use this easy approach to prepare a moist, succulent bird without the hassle of basting every few minutes.

It happens all the time. You're almost done with a recipe, and suddenly see that it calls for fresh basil instead of dried, which is all you have on hand. Should you run to the store to buy...

One of the greatest pleasures of the fall season is apple picking. The warm sun on your face, the sounds of birds in the air and, best of all, the appetizing, sweet smell of the fresh apples...

Most people buy salmon at the grocer already cleaned and de-boned and packaged. If by chance you have a fresh fish market nearby and you’re not sure what to look for when buying fresh salmon, then...

Fresh garlic is a soft white color, and adds a nutty flavor to a wide variety of recipes. Preparing garlic is an easy task that can be learned quickly. Let's take a closer look at how simple it is...

When people think of fresh food, they think good quality and great taste. Freshness isn't typically associated with frozen foods, but in the case of fish, chefs and food professionals have a tough...

Jarred or canned spaghetti sauce is fine in a pinch, but fresh sauce will really wow your palate. Tomatoes, officially a vegetable since 1893, are in season roughly from July through early...

Fresh freezing? How will that save you money? Do you have leftover food? Perhaps the supermarket had a special and you bought a ton. How many times have you looked in your freezer and...

Good cooking begins with good ingredients and the right cookware and appliances for the task. While just about anything you could want to cook is available at your grocery store in the freezer...

This recipe is so easy and delicious. Very little preparation and lip smackin' good :-). Please read on to learn How to Make Delicious Easy Simple Pork Chops for Dinner

Wild salmon is a very versatile dish. It can be made baked, grilled, smoked, poached, stewed, made into patties, made into salads and whipped into dips and spreads. But salmon is not so versatile...

The essentials of Italian cooking are well represented in the simple caprese salad. Each layer of the salad is a building block of Italian cuisine. The red tomato represents the Italian cook's...

Required in many recipes, soft bread crumbs act as a thickener, coating or filling. If you make bread crumbs fresh rather than purchasing them, your options become limited only to the type of...

Some recipes call for fresh tomatoes that are peeled and seeded. Some people have allergic or other reactions to the skin and seeds of a fresh tomato. Peeling and seeding them alleviates these...

Times are hard, and money's tight. We're all trying to save money, and one of the best ways to do that is to stop eating at restaurants and start cooking at home. By following a few simple tips,...

You can easily tell if an egg is fresh or not in two different ways.

Almost all vegetables can be steamed whether fresh or frozen. It's quick, easy, and a great way to preserve the nutrients.

Edible flowers aren't a new trend at all. They've been used for centuries, and their popularity as a food rather than just a garnish has made a recent comeback. There is a wide variety of edible...

Pickles are great for a summer picnic and homemade pickles are even better. 24 hour pickles can be made the day before and are ready to eat the next day. The perfect addition to your grill out...

There's something special about fresh sausage; the aroma, the flavor and even the texture are somewhat enhanced as compared with store-bought sausage. Cooking fresh sausage is not limited to...

A pineapple makes an impressive tropical fruit to serve at picnics, dinner buffets or any social gathering. If you've ever tasted a fresh, juicy, sweet pineapple, it's a sure bet you won't want to...

Using fresh garlic in your cooking is fragrant, healthy and delicious. These few tips will help to get you on your way to cooking and enjoying fresh garlic.

Fresh spinach is abundant in warm weather and many farmers’ markets offer it in large quantities for an economical price. Steaming is a very easy way to cook spinach. The only things needed are a...

Fresh herbs add a gourmet touch to any dish, and they can mean the difference between a bland flavor and a vibrant one. It's easy to grow a few basic herb plants like parsley, basil and dill in a...

Eggs are simple and very versatile. Starting our days with fried, scrambled, or in omelets. They are good for all kinds of baking and making sauces.

A terrific source of vitamins, minerals, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids, fish are among the most nutritious foods available. One of the best ways to do a seafood recipe proud is to buy the...

Basil, oh basil... My life seems complete when I'm holding a bunch of freshly snipped, vibrant green leafy basil. Taking ordinary to extraordinary, basil is an herbal gift to any cook.

Grocery store prices for fresh herbs are OUTRAGEOUS! But if you do buy or grow dill, these few easy tips will help you get the most for your buck!

If you break open a bad egg, you can fill your house with a stench that can last for days, yet in this time of tightening budgets, no one wants to throw away good food. How can we tell if the...

If your one of those people who stores their eggs in the fridge by taking them out of their original egg carton you may sometimes forget when you purchased them or just how old they are. While...

Soda, chips, cheese dip, frozen pizza and candy bars are all cheap. They are also high in fat, calories, sugar and carbs. You want to lose weight--not money. Healthy foods seem more expensive. It...

Fresh parsley and cilantro are herbs that are common ingredients in recipes and they can cost a lot at the market...Lately it's been over a dollar for a small bunch that you may only take and use...

So you bought a fresh pineapple, and now all it's doing is staring at you from its lonely seat on the counter, eh? Want to know how to quickly, efficiently and safely remove that delectable fruit...

It is delicious to have fresh corn on the cob when it is peak season. You can also freeze fresh corn on the cob to enjoy in the off seasons of Fall and Winter.

Adding more spices and herbs to your foods is such a healthier, and tastier alternative to salt and pepper. If you are new to the world of spices here are a few tips to keep them at their peakest...

You can freeze eggplant, and you should freeze it if you want to preserve your fresh eggplant for more than a few days. Eggplant , or aubergine, is used in some particularly delicious recipes from...

There are several ways to cook shrimp so that it can be prepared adequately and provide a tasty meal. Shrimp must be cooked properly to avoid illness but not be overcooked so that the shrimp is...

Shrimp is one of those delicacies that can have totally different flavors depending on its freshness. When fresh, shrimp will have a sweet, explosive flavor. Here's how you can tell if the...

Fish is noted for it's health benefits and is easy to prepare. When purchasing fresh fish, there are a few things you should remember...

The key to keeping basil fresh and fragrant for days (and even weeks) after purchase or harvest, is to not store it in the refrigerator. Basil leaves quickly turn black and slimy and lose their...

Thyme is a versatile herb with an earthy flavor that can add an extra taste dimension to a variety of recipes. You'll find this herb used prominently in a variety of international cuisines where...

Learn how to prepare the cucumbers with expert tips and advice on diabetic food in this free video series on recipes.

Tomatoes are extremely common in everyday cooking. Using fresh tomatoes in the summertime is especially rewarding because of their natural sweetness, which cannot be reproduced in a greenhouse. ...

With so many health scares in the news related to the foods bought at the supermarket, it is of utmost importance that you inform yourself of how to find the freshest and safest ingredients to...

Thyme is an herb that grows great in most gardens with little gardening know-how. It is great dried or fresh, and comes in many different varieties to suite whatever dish you are creating.