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121 Cooking Secrets to Impress Friends and Family

30. Using pre-made tomato sauce. Store bought tomato sauce is an easy alternative to

making your own. But sometimes it is too acidic or too salty for the dish you’re using

it in. A great tip to cut the acidity of tomato sauce is to add about one-eighth of a

cup of sugar. To reduce saltiness, add a little cream.

31. Use wine to add a unique flavor to dishes. Wine is another way of flavoring your

dishes, just like herbs and spices. There are really no rules except those dictated by

your own taste. Generally, the kind of wine to use in a dish is the kind you would

most enjoy drinking with it. White wines are usually served with fish and white

meats, and red wines with dark meats. Don’t worry about the finished dish

containing alcohol; wine loses its alcohol when simmered long enough so no trace of

alcohol remains. An easy way to create a sauce is to deglaze your pan using wine. If

needed, thicken with a little cornstarch.

32. Make your own salad dressings. Store bought salad dressings are loaded with extra

calories and preservatives. And once opened they often go bad long before they’re

used up. A great alternative is to make your own dressings. For a tasty vinaigrette,

mix ¾ cup of oil with ¼ cup of vinegar and season with salt, pepper and even some

Dijon mustard. For other variations try adding honey, balsamic vinegar, orange juice,

maple syrup, garlic or lime juice. With a little experimentation you’ll be surprised

how many great tastes you can create!

33. Stock, Broth, Bouillon and Consommé. In recipes calling for chicken or beef stock,

you can use homemade or canned stock prepared from purchased cubes or

powdered bases. (Be sure to watch the amount of salt you later add to your recipe

though because some cubes and powdered bases are very salty). Stock, broth and

bouillon are basically the same – the clear liquid produced when meat, bones and

vegetables are simmered in water to extract flavor and then strained. Stock can be

made from meat, poultry, fish or vegetables. Consommé is stronger than bouillon; it