Long before the writers and editors at The Daily Meal were reading cookbooks, watching Food Network and working for a food website, we learned how to cook from the earliest teachers in life: our parents. We’d sit on the counter as Mom rolled out cookies or sip orange juice while Dad made weekend brunch. Some of the best things we learned cooking with our parents weren’t just the basics, but cooking hacks that we still use to this day. These are the most useful tricks that The Daily Meal staff learned from Mom and Dad:
- A cast-iron skillet makes everything better
- Italian dressing is a quick and easy marinade
- Put cheese in the freezer before grating
- Toast old spices to revive them
- Save bones for stock
- Add more butter than a recipe calls for
- Refrigerate your cookie dough before baking
- Use dental floss to cut doughy, sticky ingredients
- Use dowel rods when rolling out dough to keep it even
- Water and plastic wrap will keep your guacamole fresh
- Just get takeout
- Sprinkle cinnamon on top of your drip coffee
- Use older eggs for boiling
- Add soy sauce to your eggs
- Revive old lettuce with water
- Frozen produce is just as good as fresh
- Turn leftover pie dough into a new dessert
- Soften butter with a rolling pin
- Substitute eggs with applesauce or bananas
- Let steaks rest after cooking
- Freeze or refrigerate dough for a more flaky texture
- Add a small ball of dough when you’ve used too much salt
- Soak onions in water
- Grow your own vegetables
Curry Curry Night
