Print This List    Email to a Friend  

6 Most Useful Last Minute Ingredients  
TIPS 

Tags: Cooking tips, quick food, how-to

Here is a quick list of useful ingredients to add to other foods at the last minute. Many of these items are not high on the list of super healthy foods, but the idea is to use just a little to add some unexpected flavor to another dish.

	Parmesan Cheese - When you are low on fresh cheese, this will work in a pinch to add some deep cheese flavor. Consider adding to pasta, soup, on meat, or in salads.
	Bacon/Sausage (Leftover) - If you have a recently cooked leftover sausage or bacon (or some similar meat product) you can chop it up and quickly add it to any soup, salad, pasta, or sauce to add an extra layer of good flavor. And don't forget this one when you are making home made or instant mashed potatoes.
	Bread - If you have some bread which was once fresh, but now a little hard, slice it up into thin pieces and heat them in a toaster or oven. Toasting can disguise slightly stale bread - and don't forget to put a little butter, cheese or olive oil on it for some added flavor (not too much)
	Seasonings - Don't neglect your seasonings. Remember the basic pairs: Rosemary and chicken, oregano with tomato based sauces, paprika with meat and pepper for everything. Keep the salt to a minimum and let the food bring its taste to mix with the seasonings. Consider times when a bitter is needed and use parsley or basil.
	Wine - If you have a little bit of nice wine hanging around, don't be shy to try dropping some in the pan, the next time you pan sear some beef or chicken. The sugar in the wine helps to add a rich flavor as it cooks, and don't worry about the alcohol, if you are cooking at recommended temperatures, the alcohol will burn off, leaving a nice taste. Experiment with this and you won't regret what you learn.
	Deli Meat - Similar to leftover sausage or bacon, you can think about using that lonely slice of ham or roast beef to kick in a little flavor in a soup, a chicken dish, a sauce or even a salad. For that matter, try to think of times when a little cheese would help. If you plan to add cheese to something in a frying pan, make sure you add it near the end, and don't flip the cheese so it comes into direct contact with the pan - burnt cheese is a pain to clean. Instead, let it gently melt over your food as it finishes cooking.

Lister: ListAfterList Wiki Contributors

Other lists of interest:

Ways to Cut Down on Fat INFORMATIVE  (0)

Party Foul: How to Fix Workplace Party Mishap PEOPLE  (0)

Energy Saving Cooking Tips from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio TIPS  (0)

Steps of Smart Gardening INFORMATIVE  (0)

Decorating the Kitchen INFORMATIVE  (0)

Current list rating:  5.00

Comments: Good information you have collected.keep it up! Comment by: akrashee