rules to live by

So there’s always a couple of rules that I stand by in the kitchen and I found that once I started following them, my cooking improved drastically!  There’s always that one technique that you can’t figure out, or your icing is never thick enough when using the ingredients of a recipe.  Think of this as a cheat sheet, and if you have any special tips and tricks that you use, be sure to comment at the bottom and I’ll be sure to include them!  Here we go:

1. Always use room temperature eggs and liquids, especially if using melted butter.  This will keep the butter from cooling, and possibly creating lumps.  A good way to make sure the ingredients are room temperature is to pull everything out of the fridge while reading the recipe, and organize your space to create.
2. Always sift your cocoa powder.  There are ALWAYS lumps in cocoa powder and no one wants to get a mouthful of powdered chocolate in their mouth.
3. Use vanilla generously.  It is a great flavor that will make your baking stand out from the crowd.  Honestly, I just pour it in judging the amount by eye.  Vanilla is a great taste that has great potential.
4. When cooking vegetables such as broccoli or asparagus, cook the greens until the color becomes more darker and more intense.  Immediately remove from heat and place in cold water to stop from over cooking.  This is a really good technique if you like your veggies a little crisp.
5. If you are allergic to corn or wheat like me, arrowroot flour can be used as a substitute for corn starch or flour as a thickener for sauces.  There’s no noticeable taste difference and it has the same thickening effect.