SOS Tips: Essential Pantry Items

Cinzia Cuneo September 24, 2009 Save Money

You’ve bought the right ingredients and all the proper equipment… now all you have to do is get your hands dirty. OK, so there are tons of recipes on the Internet… but the results often fall short of expectations.

To help you get your basics right, we’ve selected a handful of super easy recipes for you.  You’ll find hundreds of recipes for “beginners” (with less than 6 ingredients) using our Recipe Search Engine.

Examples of super easy recipes:

• Fusilli with Tuna
• Fried Rice with Smoked Ham
• Lentil and Potato Pie
• Roasted Vegetables
• Baked Potatoes

Fried Rice with Smoked Ham

Here are some tips and tricks to help you simplify your life in the kitchen:

• Take advantage of your living situation if you have roommates and share the tasks (and costs) of cooking, grocery shopping, meal ideas and recipes. This will help cut down on meal repetition as well.
•  When trying a new recipe, read the whole thing through first. Once you have understood what is needed, assemble all of the ingredients that are listed, as well as any utensils or dishes (if necessary). By doing things in this order, you will know in advance if your oven needs to be preheated.
•  While your meal is cooking, take advantage of the down time and start washing any dishes you may have used during preparation. People rarely look forward to doing one more task after eating, and you will be close by if you need to check on your dish while cooking.
•  Quantities listed in cookbooks are generally relative – except with desserts. This means you can eyeball the measurements – everything does not need to be an exact amount.
•  Most of the time the oven should be preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or 180 degrees Celsius (if using it). Wait until the oven has fully preheated before using it or starting your timer.
•  Take note of any items that might need to be defrosted overnight. Defrosting should be done in the refrigerator, in order to reduce the growth of bacteria.
•  Get in to the habit of properly cleaning your work area (counter top, utensils, cutting boards, etc) before starting each new task. Pay particular attention to surfaces which have had raw meat on them. Be sure to thoroughly clean them with an antibacterial soap, in order to avoid cross contamination.
•  Hand washing is key!
•  Once you have mastered a recipe about 2 to 3 times, then you can invite your parents over for dinner.

This text was prepared for the September 12, 2009 episode of Par-dessus le marché. Watch the corresponding video (in French).

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Author

Cinzia Cuneo

Cinzia Cuneo, founder of SOSCuisine.com, never wanted to neglect the quality of her food. She shares her special expertise to make good food quickly and without complications!