There is no denying that everyone needs to eat food to remain on this earth. But plain "survival" foods can lead to boredom in the kitchen. Cooking a fabulous meal can be just as exciting, if not more, than the pleasure of eating the meal. Here some advice to help you elevate your cooking prowess.

To maintain the flavor and freshness of spices and herbs, make sure you keep them stored in someplace that is cool and dark. Humidity and heat, in addition to light, will cause spices and herbs to lose their flavor. Do not expect your spices to last more than a year. Spices in their whole form can be stored for between 3 to 5 years. Their changes at longevity increase with proper storage.

Don't add the dressing until right before serving. It is important to have all the prep work done before you start cooking. Trying to cook a meal that has to be on the table by a certain time can be stressful. Try to complete your preparations, so you can avoid scrambling later on.

You need to prepare to cook a meal before you can actually cook it. Be certain that you have every ingredient you will need on hand. Get everything set to cook the next day. Determine if you have you got the right utensils, etc. Having everything ready will take some of the stress off and increase the chances of your success.

If you wish to have crispy French fries, then you should soak the potatoes in cool water for 30 minutes and then fry them. Letting sliced potatoes soak up additional cold fluids reinforces the fibers in the vegetable, so that when you deep fry them, they can better withstand the heat without breaking down completely.

They will soak up much of the water, as if they were a sponge. So, in order to clean them, wipe off each mushroom with a clean, wet cloth.

Garlic is a great ingredient but it can leave a strong smell on your hands and utensils. If you have a stainless steel sink, simply rub your hands vigorously on the inside of it, when you are finished handling the garlic. Hands will then be clean, and odors will not be transferred on.

When burgers and other foods become stuck to the grill grates, it can be hard to loosen them without damaging the food. Before you put the burgers on the surface of the grill, you should brush it with some oil.

Use airtight containers for flour, sugar and baking mixes in the kitchen. When you store food in airtight containers, it will not spoil so readily, and bugs won't be able to get into it. You can easily find affordable containers and you will save money by eating leftovers.

When you are cooking pumpkins, first stand the pumpkin upright and then cut it in half directly down the middle. You then want to get two baking sheets and put the halves on their cut side down. Sprinkle some water on the sheets and bake the pumpkin for about an hour at 350 degrees.

When serving salads to guests, it is a good idea to leave the dressing on the side of the salad rather than on it. Some people enjoy lots of dressing when eating salads so it is important that each person add their own dressing. Give them a choice of salad dressings.

If you are cooking a roast and are short on time, make sure to leave the bone in. The meat cooks faster because the bone will carry the heat through the inside of the roast, helping it cook from the inside out. When your cooking time is up, you can easily make your cuts, while avoiding the bone, and serve as normal.

Many herbs and veggies make odors on your cutting board no matter how many times you clean it. Get two different cutting boards or mark one side of your board and make sure you use it for certain ingredients only.

Cooking foods can be just as much fun as eating them. Use the suggestions outlined above to aid in your cooking skills, while adding your own personal touches along the way. By doing this, not a day will go by where your culinary skills are not asked for or asked about. kitchenthings.hershoppingcircles.com