Four Basic Cooking Mistakes You Might Be Making

We came across a list online of some basic cooking mistakes people make all the time.  Here are four good ones that are worth repeating . . .

1.  Don’t be afraid to use a lot of spices.  Yes, you can over-season things.  But if your food tastes bland, it’s because you’re UNDER-seasoning it.  And you don’t have to get fancy.  Even just adding more salt and pepper while you’re cooking can help.

2.  Let your meat rest.  The juices spill out if you cut it right away, which dries out the meat and makes a mess on your plate.  So give it a few minutes before your first cut.

3.  Stop putting oil in your pasta water.  As long as you mix the pasta right away, it won’t stick together.  Adding oil makes the pasta slippery, so the sauce can’t coat it as well.  You’re probably not adding enough SALT to the water though.  The right amount is two to four tablespoons per gallon.

4.  Don’t add onions and garlic at the same time.  Onions take a little longer to cook.  So wait a few minutes to add the garlic, or it’ll burn before the onions are done.

And one more bonus tip:  When you make an omelet, cook the fillings separately before you add them in.  It cooks some of the moisture out, and stops the middle of your omelet from being too runny.

(Buzzfeed)