20 Cooking Techniques You Need To Master In Your Twenties
As you progress through your twenties, you slowly figure out how to be a more self-sufficient adult. You eventually learn how to write a check, how to properly clean you delicates and how to take care of your car. One major factor of being self-sufficient is knowing how to feed yourself. Simple enough, but we don’t always have that magic touch in the kitchen. Growing and evolving as a cook requires baby steps and a bit of practice, but there are some cooking techniques that are super simple and life saving once mastered.
1. Properly Boil An Egg
There are a few different cooking techniques when it comes to boiling an egg to perfection. The proper timing depends on how you like your yoke, ranging from 5 to 15 minutes. In this time you could have the perfect egg for breakfast, or to add to a salad!
Here’s the how-to:
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_perfect_hard_boiled_eggs/
2. Properly Cut An Onion
Some may not know this, but there is a right and wrong way to cut an onion. The wrong way could cause some serious harm to your precious fingers, so follow this simple tutorial and you will have the technique perfected.
Here’s the how-to:
https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/preparation/chop-peel-onion
3. Make The Perfect Dinner Bowl
Having your dinner in one bowl is so easy and can be quite delicious. Having a fool-proof recipe can give you an easy meal on a night when high effort is out of the question.
Here’s the how-to:
https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/02/17-ramen-recipes-roundup.html
https://damndelicious.net/2014/09/10/easy-burrito-bowls/
4. Make A Roux
Soup is one of the best and easiest meals out there. Doing it in the first place is easy; doing it right is tougher. Making a perfect roux can require a bit of practice, but it’s well worth it on those cold winter nights when you want a delicious bowl of soup but there’s none in your pantry.
Here’s the how-to:
https://whatscookingamerica.net/Sauces_Condiments/Roux.htm
5. Have The Perfect Muffin Recipe
Everyone has a favorite muffin! Rather than buy them for $4 one at a time, learn to DIY it. Over time, refine this recipe so that if you ever have a craving or a gift basket to put together, you have your very own recipe to use.
Here’s the how-to:
https://www.thewholesomedish.com/standard-muffin-recipe/
6. Make Your Own Salad Dressing
Over the years, you will find out how you like to dress your salad. You’ll also figure out that most store-bought dressings have more calories than the entire rest of the salad. Save yourself by figuring out how to make your own salad dressing, just the way you like it.
Here’s the how-to:
https://wholefully.com/healthy-salad-dressing-recipes/
7. Make Your Own One-Pan Dinner
Put together your own one-pan dinner when you get home late and want something quick and easy. A simple vegetable-roasted pasta dish or chicken fried rice will be sure to hit the spot.
Here’s the how-to:
https://natashaskitchen.com/15-one-pan-recipes-for-dinner/
8. Properly Boil Potatoes
Boiling a potato just right can be tricky. How do you know when the potato is ready without over or undercooking it? There are a few tips and tricks all over the internet, but here are all the best potato cooking techniques in one place:
Here’s the how-to:
https://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/cooking-basics/how-to-boil-potatoes/
9. Know How to Cook Vegetables To Your Liking
There are so many cooking techniques for veggies. You can steam, pan fry, bake or even grill them! The next few times your are making yourself dinner, experiment with some of your favorite veggies and see how you like each type.
Here’s the how-to:
https://www.thekitchn.com/how-long-to-cook-vegetables-a-beginners-guide-to-preparation-times-171231
10. How To Make The Perfect French Toast
Your recipe book would not be complete without your very own French toast. There are a thousand options for your secret ingredient. Play with certain recipes and fruits or spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
Here’s the how-to:
https://www.copymethat.com/r/ZgVLwZg/classic-french-toast/
11. Prep The Perfect Garden Salad
Putting together your favorite salad is very easy and there really isn’t a wrong way to do it. Find your favorite salad mix with some unconventional ingredients and figure out what you like. Determine your go-to salad combination and you have the ultimate dish to bring to your next barbecue.
Here’s the how-to:
https://www.marthastewart.com/275215/summer-salads
12. Know The Right Portions
While cooking, we can go a bit overboard with ingredients. While prepping your next meal, look up proper nutritional proportions required for each meal to eat a bit smarter. Measuring out spices and oils while you’re still learning is a great way to avoid making an inedible dish by mistake. No one want to eat a bowl that only tastes like olive oil.
Here’s the how-to:
https://healthyforgood.heart.org/eat-smart/articles/suggested-servings-from-each-food-group
13. Make The Perfect Chicken Noodle Soup
Imagine one morning when you turn on the news and the weatherman says there is a snow storm on its way. Many people take that opportunity to buy canned food and bottles upon bottles of water. The next time you venture out for your security groceries, gather all the proper ingredients for the perfect chicken noodle soup and you will fill your home with warmth and comfort food.
Here’s the how-to:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/26460/quick-and-easy-chicken-noodle-soup/
14. Bake The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Knowing the recipe to your favorite kind of cookies is the epitome of self-sufficient. Instead of making a run to the bakery, test out a few recipes and perfect the ultimate cookie recipe. Chocolate, oatmeal or whatever your heart desires.
Here’s the how-to:
https://www.spendwithpennies.com/perfect-chocolate-chip-cookies/
15. Properly Cook A Chicken
Making sure you cook your meat all the way through is serious business. If you don’t do it right, you can make yourself dangerously sick. After you’ve gotten the hang the cooking techniques for chicken, you can spice it up with whatever seasonings you love.
Here’s the how-to:
16. Know Baking Substitutes
As you progress through your twenties, you will embark on many diets and health restrictions, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t enjoy banana bread or a good scone. There are some nifty ways to substitute eggs or even gluten ingredients in your food.
Here’s the how-to:
http://www.wisebread.com/fresh-fruits-and-vegetables-by-the-month
17. Know Which Seasons Your Favorite Fruits And Vegetables Thrive
Following a seasonal chart for fruits and vegetables is important. When fruits and veggies are in season they taste way better, are cheaper and are easier to find. Plan your breakfast and dinner recipes around seasonal foods to have the freshest and best meals all year round.
Here’s the how-to:
http://www.wisebread.com/fresh-fruits-and-vegetables-by-the-month
18. How To Cut Fruit
Properly cutting your fruit can be tricky and quite frankly, confusing. Mangos can be a bit of a head scratcher for some people and conquering a watermelon can be downright frightening. Find cooking techniques, tips and tricks to properly cut your fruit online and it will become a life saver.
Here’s the how-to:
https://diyprojects.com/cutting-fruit-right/
19. Make The Perfect Breakfast Bowl
Determining your favorite breakfast concoction can be a time saver when you are on the go. Find a great breakfast recipe that you love and can have made in minutes like an oatmeal bowl with your favorite preserves.
Here’s the how-to:
https://dailyburn.com/life/recipes/superfood-breakfast-bowl-recipes/
20. Grow your Own Food
This may not be everyone’s cup of tea and gardening can certainly be tricky for many people. An important part of knowing how to cook is knowing the right ingredients! What better way to find out than by having your own herb garden? Have a little pot of basil, mint or cilantro ready for the picking when you make your next recipe and you will never feel unprepared.
Here’s the how-to:
https://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1739
