Thinking About Trying A Cooking Class?

Whether you are a seasoned pro when it comes to the fine art of cooking or an utter novice there should be some cooking classes or resources in your area that can help you learn and improve your existing skills. Surprisingly few people manage to utilize the many wonderful opportunities that are available to them when it comes to cooking classes.

Large and small skillets (Photo credit: Wikipedia)If you are considering a cooking class you should be glad to know that many communities offer them for a nominal fee at night and sometimes on the weekend. These classes are rather basic and often designed to help women learn the basics of a few economical and healthy meals to prepare for their beginning families. If you fit the bill for this, then you should check out your local library for possible leads for these sorts of classes in your area. Even if they do not have the information available it is quite likely that they can point you in the right direction.

If you are looking for cooking classes that you can take with your children, check out your library once again for the first resource. There are also many gourmet food shops that offer cooking classes for parents to take with their children. This is a great opportunity to bond with your child while you both learn to prepare a new dish or two together. It is quite likely that you will be quite surprised by the things you can learn from your child as well as the things you can learn by simply taking the class.

For those among us who are seeking culinary experience with very specific cuisines you will have to search a little more for the perfect cooking classes in which you can achieve your goal. They do exist however, though your chances of learning Thai cooking are much greater in a larger city than in smaller towns throughout the country. If you are really interested in learning some exotic cooking techniques perhaps you should consider a vacation in which you can try out a few new cooking classes while you are there. If you prefer other things on your vacation to cooking A cook sautees onions and peppers. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)you could make a point of attempting one basic class in the cuisine of your choice for each vacation you take. This will give you a little more than the same old souvenir to bring back from your trip and an experience that in many cases is quite memorable.

Finally, if you are looking for a romantic idea, how about signing up to take a couples cooking class? Believe it or not, these classes are often offered in both big and smaller cities. They seem to be all the rage around Valentine's day, perhaps the hint is that the other partner in a relationship can share some of the cooking responsibility or perhaps the idea is that there is more than one way to steam up the kitchen.

Regardless of the reason for taking cooking classes they can bring not only a great deal of enjoyment to your dining room, but also increase your ease in your kitchen. If you've never taken a cooking class, there is no time like the present to do so. No matter how skilled you are in the kitchen there is always something that can be learned.

15 Helpful Uses For Coffee Filters

Today's tips aren't just for cooking - you may be amazed at all the helpful ways these most common of common household items can be used around the house. You probably have some sitting around somewhere even if you don't drink coffee!

Image via WikipediaThese creative ideas are both money and time savers, and who doesn't like saving money? Once you see the wide array of ideas you are sure to come up with a bunch more. Here are a few ideas for putting your coffee filters to use:

1. Coffee filters can be used as disposable bowls for snacks such as popcorn, chips or crackers, allowing you to save time - and they are also biodegradable.

2. You can use filters to clean windows if you run out of paper towels, and they do an excellent job.

3. Heat up leftovers in the microwave and cover them with a filter. This will help keep your microwave clean.

4. Use coffee filters to absorb grease from greasy foods, they do the job perfectly.

5. Catch ice cream drips by using a coffee filter as an ice cream cone holder, it will absorb the mess.

Image via Wikipedia6. Use like a Kleenex when you don't have a tissue, it will get the job done when you are in a pinch.

7. Keep a few coffee filters in the trunk of your car, and you will be able to check the fluids with ease and avoid the mess.

8. Use them to clean your glasses - they actually work the best and won't leave any lint on the lenses.

9. Make an air freshener by adding some baking soda and using a twist tie to secure the contents. Then put them in all the places you need to freshen up.

10. Use as small bowls to divide ingredients when cooking to ease the mess in the kitchen and making cleaning a breeze.

11. Use coffee filters to polish your shoes, this will keep them nice and shiny.

12. Use them when you are packing breakable dishes - this will help protect them better than newspaper.

13. Use coffee filters as coffee cup covers when you are re-heating coffee to avoid any spilling or splashing. This will help keep your microwave looking its best.

14. You can use them to protect your counter when you are cutting vegetables, they will help make sure you are slicing the vegetables and not your counter - this is especially useful if you are cutting on a granite or marble countertop and can't find a cutting board - the filter will protect your knives from dulling.

15. Coffee filters can even be used to help diffuse the brightness of the flash on your camera. This will help ensure that you get the best picture possible.

Coffee filters can be used for these and many other things that you may never have thought of, so be sure to take advantage of all these ideas in your household, and you will indeed save time and money.

How to Choose the Right Cutting Board

You use it everyday in the kitchen. If not looked after it can make you sick – And yet you probably never give it a second thought.

A Chopping Board (or cutting board) is a large board you use in the kitchen for chopping, cutting and preparing food on.

Image via WikipediaWhen purchasing a new board, there are heaps of options to choose from – timber, glass, marble, plastic. And it can be a confusing choice. My favorite trusty old plastic board finally broke recently after many years of use, and I had to find a new one. I was fairly overwhelmed by all the different choices in size, material, pricing, etc.

Glass and Marble type cutting boards may look good but they play havoc on your knives. The hard surface will quickly blunt your knife and damage its edge. So, keep your glass and marble boards for serving food only.

When it comes to wooden and plastic boards, even the experts are divided as to which is best. It comes down to personal preference. And mine is…. it depends.  :-)

Wooden boards are generally heavier and less inclined to slip. They are also more attractive and can be used to serve food at the table.

Whereas plastic boards are lighter, come in various colors and are dishwasher safe.

Whichever type you choose, it is imperative you clean it well. Harmful bacteria can breed on your board and cause health concerns, especially if you have used it to cut raw meat or seafood.

So …  be sure to scrub your board well after each use, with hot water and detergent. Then allow it to stand and drip dry. Your board should be completely dry before using again.

It’s a good idea to have more than one board, to avoid cross contamination. Have one for raw meat and one for other foods. Professional chef Jamie Oliver recommends home cooks use a plastic board for raw meats, which may resist cracks and scratches better than wood, and can also be placed in the dishwasher for a sterilizing wash.

Or take it to the extreme and do what the professionals do.  Use 5 different colored boards:-

     Red – Raw Meats
     Yellow – Poultry
     Blue – Seafood
     Green – Fruit and Vegetables
     White – General

Image via WikipediaI don't take it quite that far, but I do have several different cutting boards - a couple of plastic ones that can go in the dishwasher and which can be used for meats, vegetables, and anything that is to be cooked. I also have a "raw vegetable" board, which I use only for veggies and fruits which will be eaten raw or in salads, and a small plastic board which I use for "sweets" - nuts, dried fruits for baking, and things that I don't want to cut on an onion, pepper, or garlic-scented board. :-)

So, if your board is starting to look a bit worse for wear, then it is probably time for a new one. And now you will be well informed to choose the right one for you.

And what did I end up with, during my recent shopping trip? I chose a medium-sized bamboo board, which became my new "raw" board. It had a weird smell the first few times I used it, but after a few uses and a few good (hand) washes, now it's great. It's a nice size and weight, has a handy handle on one end, and looks nice.

A Few Popular Cutting Board Choices:
   

The Top 5 Things You Need In Your Kitchen

Welcome back, and Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed the holidays, and got to do some fun cooking, without too much stress. And hopefully, if you're a relatively new cook, you got some of these kitchen essentials as gifts this season. :-)

If you are just starting to cook, or are moving in on your own, chances are, you don't have much in terms of cooking equipment. Here is what we recommend you use as a foundation to your kitchen, as you are starting out. As time goes by, you will, of course, get more kitchen gadgets. But here are five that we recommend starting out with:

- A chopping board. This is a basic need for your kitchen. It is very versatile, as you can chop pretty much anything on it - onions, potatoes, tomatoes, meat, herbs, etc.

Some people prefer to get separate chopping boards for meat, dairy items, vegetables, etc. Others get differently sized chopping boards, and use them depending on the volume of things they need to chop. Start out with one, and see what else you need.

Image via Wikipedia- A couple of good knives. Again, this is very basic, but you won't get very far in your cooking endeavors without a knife. A good, sharp knife goes a long way to help you prepare food. You can go to some stores, and hold the knives in your hand, so that you know which one you are comfortable with, or you can purchase them online - look for good customer reviews, or visit www.newholisticliving.com/cookingfromscratch.html for some recommendations.

You will want a large multi-purpose chopping knife like a Santoku, a small paring knife that is easy to maneuver, and a good sharp one with a serrated blade for slicing and boning meat - these should serve most of your needs to start with.

- A big pot. You need a pot for pretty much anything - from boiling pastas to Image via Wikipediamaking soups to stewing to pretty much anything else. Some pots come with colander inserts, which makes it easier to cook pasta and steam vegetables. Or, you may get a colander separately, and use that.

- A saute pan. We love saute pans, and use them all the time. Again, they are very versatile, and we recommend getting ones without wooden handles, so that you can put them in the oven as well, and they will last longer.

Use the saute pan for preparing stir fries, sauteing meat and fish, cooking vegetables, eggs and much, much more.

- Roasting pan. You will need one of these if you plan to roast anything in the oven. From roast to roasted chicken to roasted vegetables, a roasting pan can help you cook your favorite dishes in the oven.

This is just a start, and I know it can seem a little overwhelming to visit the kitchen of an experienced cook, with loads of equipment and all the latest gadgets. But don't be scared - cooking is fun. Start getting a few of the basic things that we recommended, and add to your collection of kitchen equipment as time goes by.

Visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/cookingfromscratch.html for some suggestions for simple, quality, essential cookware.