Whether you need to provide for a big family or simply take care of yourself, cooking is a skill that is well worth mastering. Knowing how to create meals provides many benefits to many areas of your life, including socially, financially and nutritionally. The article below will provide some valuable information that can make cooking a pleasure.

Learn to use your hands when cooking (after washing them thoroughly first of course!). Hands are the most sensitive yet versatile cooking utensil you will own. They can be used for mixing, measuring and testing whether a product is cooked enough. A cake, for example, will show that it is done by springing back when touched lightly with a finger on its top.

When you are making stock, make a lot of it. Then save it in a plastic zip bag, date it and freeze it. That way you can pull it when you would like to make a soup. You can use it to boil some veggies in. Having some in the freezer will make preparing healthy meals very much easier.

Since you are going to be using a lot of sharp knives in the kitchen to cook your meals, you will want to maintain precautions at all times. Instead of simply putting your knife in the drawer, make sure that you put a wine cork on the tip to protect against cuts and scrapes upon use.

Damp paper towel and a plastic bag can extend the life of your greens. If you wrap your fresh herbs or fresh greens with a damp paper towel and then place them in a plastic bag, they will last longer. They will normally stay fresh three to four days longer if you do.

Having the ability to cook great meals for your family or yourself is a wonderful skill. The advice in this article has demonstrated that cooking can improve your life in many ways, no matter what your tastes are. Drive through fast food may seem convenient, but for healthy and tasty food, you can’t beat a hands-on approach to cooking!