Essential Recipes and Tips Your Mother Should Have Taught You
Ten staple recipes just got easier (and tastier) with these tips from Food Network Kitchen. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned cook, you'll want these in your back pocket.
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: Renee Comet ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
10 Dishes Every Cook Should Know
Simple Chocolate Chip Cookies
These classic cookies are a go-to sweet treat, easy to whip up and store — well, if they last!
Get the Recipe: Simple Chocolate Chip Cookies
Decode the Recipe
Two Sugars Are Better Than One
Different types of sugar yield different cookie textures. For the perfect chewy/crispy cookie, use a combination of brown sugar (chewy) and granulated (crunch).
Foolproof Way to Measure Flour
Simple Broccoli Stir-Fry
Stir-frying has stood the test of time. It's a wonderful way to cook small pieces of vegetables and meat quickly, without a lot of fat. Prepping your ingredients ahead of time and having them near your stovetop is the key to success.
Get the Recipe: Simple Broccoli Stir-fry
You Have the Tools
Prep Ahead!
Simple Broiled Flank Steak with Herb Oil
Flank steak is a relatively lean cut of meat but full of flavor. This preparation is low on the fussiness factor: Put your seasoned steak on a preheated broiler pan and cook, no flipping needed.
Get the Recipe: Simple Broiled Flank Steak with Herb Oil
Slice Against the Grain
Pantry-Ready Sauces
Simple Chicken Soup
This comfort food classic is just as flavorful and soul satisfying as Grandma's chicken soup, but where hers took several hours — or a day — to make, this one takes under an hour.
Get the Recipe: Simple Chicken Soup
Fortify Store-Bought Broth
Simple Lemon-Herb Roasted Salmon
This go-to recipe uses a fish's best friends: butter, herbs and lemon. Roasting at a high temperature lets you lightly brown the fillets on foil, without having to use a skillet, so there's minimal cleanup. Make this quick entree often, and use the time you save to try a new side dish to go with it.
Get the Recipe: Simple Lemon-Herb Roasted Salmon
Choosing a Fillet
The Benefits of Roasting
Simple Mashed Potatoes
Russet potatoes are best for this recipe because of their high starch content, which makes for fluffier mashed potatoes.
Get the Recipe: Simple Mashed Potatoes
Simmer, Don't Boil
Ditch the Peeler
Simple Roast Chicken with Gravy
You'll love having this roast chicken in your weeknight repertoire. One bird can supply you with a dinner, leftovers for sandwiches or salads, and a carcass and bones (which you can freeze for up to a month) to make stock. Use your homemade stock to make gravy the next time you roast a chicken.
Get the Recipe: Simple Roast Chicken with Gravy
Don't Skimp on Salt
Try the Oysters
Remember that every roast chicken has two "oysters," the tender morsels on each side of the backbone. These two little disks of perfection are like the tenderloin on a chicken. They are tender and juicy, and they're the perfect size to pop into your mouth while you carve the bird. Shhh!
Simple Scrambled Eggs
Slow and steady wins the race! Cooking over low heat ensures soft and luscious scrambled eggs. If you like, at the very end, stir in 1/2 cup of your favorite shredded cheese, such as aged cheddar or Gruyere.
Get the Recipe: Simple Scrambled Eggs
Measure Your Salt
The Secret Ingredient
Simple Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce
Try this easy go-to recipe and you'll never buy jarred sauce again. Look for canned San Marzano plum tomatoes — they are slightly sweeter and less acidic than other varieties.
Get the Recipe: Simple Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce
A Prepared Pantry
Adding Extras
Simple Vinaigrette
Make a batch of homemade vinaigrette at the beginning of the week, and toss a few tablespoons with fresh greens for a quick weeknight salad. But remember that vinaigrette isn't just for salad: You can also use it as a quick sauce for fish or grilled chicken.
Get the Recipe: Simple Vinaigrette