Cooking is one of the things in life that needs to be done, but it can also be a delicious hobby to take up as well. With the proper tools and the right information, anyone can learn to cook. The following article gets you started with learning some of that valuable information.

You can reduce the fat and calorie content of regular mashed potatoes by substituting part of the potatoes with mashed cauliflower. This won't affect the taste but it adds a handful of nutrition. Because cauliflower has a pretty bland taste, it blends well with the potatoes and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. Additionally, cauliflower has the same texture and color as mashed potatoes, so it makes it an easy, healthy addition to your dish.

Pungent foods such as garlic, onions, and fish can leave an offensive odor on your hands. You can effectively remove this scent by rubbing your hands on a stainless steel object before you wash them. This strips the odors off your hands so that you don't contaminate other ingredients. There are purpose-built steel "soap bars" for this, but the sides of your sink or your spoons will work just as well.

Always get the freshest garlic available when you have a recipe that calls for it. Generally, garlic will taste sweeter if it's fresher. You can tell that garlic is fresh when it isn't bruised, mushy or shriveled. The skin should be firm.

While garlic imparts a delicious flavor to your cooking, it may also leave a residual odor on your hands. To get rid of this odor, or any other strong cooking smell, rub your hands on the inside of your stainless steal sink. This will clean your hand and keep the odor from transferring to other foods you are handling.

Many vegetables and herbs have a smell that has a tendency to remain on cutting boards, despite how many times you wash them. Use indelible ink to mark the cutting board so that you know which side to use for each purpose.

If you have the time, you should try fishing to get fresh fish. A fresh fish that is caught and cooked on the same day is a rare treat. The feeling of providing your own meal is not one to be dismissed.

Sauteing with too much food in the pan can lead to unwanted issues. Too much moisture can cause food to steam rather than saute, affecting the crispness of the meal. Make sure you do this at a low temperature as well.

Using a baked potato instead of a small one can help you to have nice thick skins to use to make twice baked potatoes. Red potatoes are too thin-skinned to hold up to a dense filling.

Slowly stir corn starch into simmering sauce to thicken. Combine two tablespoons of water and one tablespoon of cornstarch in a bowl and mix. Thicken your sauce by stirring in this solution. Make sure not to add the corn starch too quickly; keep stirring and stop when the sauce is thick enough.

Save on cooking time by prepping ahead of getting started. With certain meals, it is possible to make ingredients the day before you are going to cook. There are many occasions where longer prep times actually lend a more flavorful touch to your meal. After you try this technique once, you will want to continue doing it.

Cooking requires more effort than just slapping any dish on the table. Cooking can be fun if you learn how to cook in interesting ways. Some of your meals may turn out poorly, but if you implement the tips provided, these occurrences will be few and far between. Apply the advice you've just read to assist you in accomplishing success in the kitchen.