There are a lot of adages related to food and cliches that have been written about food. The tips we give in this article will help you vastly improve your culinary skills.

If you are looking for new ideas for meals to prepare for yourself or your family two great places to look are the library and the internet, try looking at basic cookbooks in your local library or bookstore. Try different recipes until you develop your skills.

Bake pie crusts a longer time than you think is really necessary. They need to be a golden brown instead of pale in color. The golden color indicates that the sugar in the pie crust has caramelized and this will give a much sweeter and crisper flavor.

You can always save the sauce if you use the following information. Mix 2 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a bowl. Stir the mixture into a warm thin sauce to thicken it up. The mixture should be added slowly so that it doesn’t get too thick.

Cooking vegetables for a long time in a boiling can remove most of the nutrients from food. To keep the nutrients in tact, consider steaming or sauteing your food, or enjoy them raw.

Try adding cauliflower to your mashed potatoes to cut some calories and fat. The somewhat bland taste of cauliflower will blend nicely with your potatoes while picking up the other ingredients. Cauliflower is also the same texture and color of potatoes when mashed so it’s a great way to add more veggies, so the dish will be transformed into one that has more vegetables and fewer calories.

Do you enjoy preparing dishes that contain fresh basil in your dishes? Place a fresh sprouts in a jar or glass. Make sure the the stems are covered in water. Put it on your kitchen counter and it will remain fresh for up to seven days! The basil can actually grow roots if you change out the water regularly. Trim the basil once in a while so it grows even more and you will be able to enjoy fresh basil!

Food makes life possible for us, but it can do so much more. Use the information offered in this article and impress everyone you know with your cooking.