AUTUMN CHOPPED SALAD

Ingredients
*6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
*2 medium pears, chopped
*1 cup dried cranberries
*1 cup chopped pecans
*8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
*4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
*Poppy seed Salad Dressing (I like T. Marzetti)
*Balsamic Vinaigrette (I like Newman’s Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Cooking Tips : 

Food Can Be Easier To Prepare Than You Think

Some people feel that you must be born with the gift of cooking to excel at it. But that isn't so. By educating yourself and immersing yourself in the subject of cooking, it can become something that you get better at. This article can help you to develop your skills and add to your confidence in cooking.

To prevent your homemade pizza from becoming soggy with all of the juicy toppings you add, lightly coat the bare dough with olive oil. Pizza sauce, peppers and meats can all weigh down a pizza dough and cause it to be soggy even after baking so be sure to brush on a bit of olive oil for a crispier, firmer pizza!

It is extremely embarrassing to have lumps in your gravy. It happens to everybody from the beginner cook to the master chef. There is a simple trick you can use to eliminate them. Drain the gravy through a fine strainer and discard the lumps. This technique can be used for other sauces or soups too.

It's nice to have a pie quickly when unexpected guests arrive. When you don't have time to create the crust from scratch, use a quality pre-made mix. Add a few tablespoons of sour cream to make the crust flaky so no one will notice that you didn't create the pie from scratch.

Unleash the tremendous flavor power of Mediterranean cous-cous by using this cooking tip. Pour your dry cous-cous in a pot filled with boiling chicken stock instead of water. Mix for ten seconds, then turn off the heat and cover for five minutes. The cous-cous will absorb the tasty flavor of the chicken stock. This effect can also be achieved with vegetable or beef stock.

You need to store your flour in a waterproof container. If flour gets wet, it becomes a huge mess and cannot be used for cooking. There are some waterproof containers that can be sealed so that there is no way for water to get into it, which can save you a lot of money in the long run.

When attempting to make baked goods, less fattening, applesauce is a great ingredient to use. It can be used with cake mix, brownies or even pancakes. It is an inexpensive way to make foods that are usually fattening, healthier and delicious. When baking, it is a good idea to use unsweetened applesauce.

Roast nuts briefly in the oven and then sprinkle some flour on them before using in a cake to prevent them from migrating to the bottom of the pan. Applying heat and coating lightly with flour keeps them in position in the cake batter and reduces the likelihood the nuts will settle before the cake is done baking.

Eggplants tend to turn black during cooking unless you treat them properly. Add a spoon of milk to the cold cooking water and add the plant to that milky water. The eggplant will not change its color during cooking and will make your dish more appetizing when you serve it.

If you are making a dish where you will need thin strips of meat (fajitas, Chinese) freeze your meet for about 20 minutes before cutting. This will allow you to slice the meat very thinly with ease. You may think this sounds a little strange, but it will definitely do the trick.

Do not keep your spices above your stove. They need to be located in a cool, dark area; if they are exposed to either warm conditions or a light source, they will not taste as good and your cooking will suffer as a result. Think about using one of the cabinets near your refrigerator as a storage space.

When you are cooking any dessert that has strawberries in it, add a small amount of aged balsamic vinegar. The vinegar gives the dessert a sweet taste and it helps to enhance the strawberry's taste. If the dessert is something bigger, such as a strawberry cake, add a touch more balsamic vinegar.

If you are a big fan of having baked potatoes with your meal but do not like the long cooking time, you should soak them in salt water for twenty minutes before you bake them. They will take only about half of the usual time to bake after being soaked.

Cooking for large quantities of people at breakfast time can be a pain if you do not have enough eggs. Adding bread crumbs to the scrambled eggs can help to stretch them and feed more people. If you use seasoned bread crumbs, then it will also add to the overall flavor.

For important meals or dinner guests, stick with cooking what you know. Whether you are cooking for a new significant other or your boss, use a recipe you have cooked before. You can change it up a bit with a new a new ingredient or two. However, never ever try a new recipe with an ingredient with which you are not familiar - the results are unknown!

When it comes to cooking it is important to consider the dietary concerns of those who are going to be eating your food. Be sure to check if anybody has sodium or sugar concerns in order to prevent embarrassment on their part from having to refuse your otherwise delicious food.

Store your ginger in the freezer to make it last longer and easier to grate or mince. You can peel the whole piece before freezing it if you prefer, or leave the peel on. Freezing it prevents the sogginess and mold that can occur before you use it up from the fridge, and ensures that you always have fresh ginger for a recipe.

It has already been said that you don't have to be born with the gift of cooking. It is something that you can educate yourself about and learn to enjoy as you go along. Hopefully this article has added to your knowledge and has enhanced your ultimate enjoyment of cooking.