We bet that you’ve been around the block with cooking, but there might be some things you don’t know that would make the job a lot easier on you. Check out these 22 tips about everything from herbs and broths to cookies and meat.

Thirteen Cooking Tips to Make Your Life Easier

#1-Consider using stock, broth or wine instead of water to steam, boil, poach, make soup, or braise. It will add flavor to whichever dish you’re preparing. Water doesn’t taste like anything. Make your dishes more exciting by tossing in something flavored.

#2-Fat taken from broth is especially good for frying. It makes a delicate flavor and aroma. Try it with the meat you’re planning to serve that night or the vegetable.

Use vinegar as a meat tenderizer
Carver/Boner and Carving Fork – perfect for carving meats

#3-Use vinegar as a meat tenderizer. Also, try adding a tablespoon to your water when boiling meat or ribs for stews.

#4-Salt added to flour used for thickening gravies, etc., will help to prevent lumping.

Tips for chopping herbs
French Chef – its large cutting surface is perfect for mincing and dicing

#5-When chopping herbs, toss a little salt onto the cutting board. It will keep the herbs from flying around.

#6-When boiling milk, rub butter along the top edge and the inside lip of the pot. It won’t overflow. If you find yourself guarding your milk when boiling, follow this simple tip to take away the paranoia.

#7-To keep boiling milk from curdling: When boiling milk, stir in a pinch of baking soda to keep it from curdling.

Throw in a tomato if you used too much salt
Tomato Slicer – stop the squashing with this perfect tomato knife

#8-Threw in too much salt? Add diced potatoes, tomatoes or a teaspoon of sugar depending on what you’re cooking. This will detract some of the salt in your dish so it won’t come out too salty.

#9-Store spices in a cool, dark place, not above your stove. Humidity, light and heat will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor.

Freeze cheese before cutting
Cheese Knife – cut and serve both hard & soft cheeses with style

#10-Freeze cheese for 25 minutes before grating it. The cheese will shred much easier.

#11-Want crispier, restaurant-style French fries? Try this tip: Cut your potatoes into thin strips and deep-fry (half done). Then cool the fries and store them in the freezer for 5 to 6 hours covered with plastic wrap. Fry them again just before you serve them.

Tips all good cooks know
Super Parer – a large paring knife is good for a variety of tasks

#12-When entertaining a guest, don’t try a new recipe or ingredient. Make sure it’s good beforehand by at least testing it out with yourself or your family. It’s good to get input. Something may sound and look good on the Internet, but if it turns out not to be, don’t embarrass yourself and don’t make your guest uncomfortable.

#13- Don’t forget the power of your nose! If something  in the oven smells done but the timer’s still ticking, check on it.

Top Five Baking Rules You’re Not Following

Tip #1-For best results when you’re baking, leave butter and eggs at room temperature overnight. This will soften the ingredients to make a better batch of cookies or bars. The same is true for cream cheese and other soft ingredients. Plus, it’s less hassle during the cooking process—you don’t have to go through so much melting.

Top Five Baking Tips You're Not Doing
Square Baker with Heavy Duty Paring – stoneware makes for superior baking

#2-When making brownies, stir batter until all dry ingredients are just moistened. Over mixing makes tough brownies that are hard to chew and hard to cut.

#3-If honey is firm, stick it in a microwave for a few seconds, or in a small bowl immersed in water. No one wants a sticky mess, and no one wants to wait and wait for the honey to drain out of its container. Make it easy on yourself with this simple tip.

#4-Test for doneness on your baked goods by sticking a toothpick in the center. Dry = done, batter = not done. The toothpick, however, should be slightly moist when it is removed. As long as there is no batter on it, your baked goods are done.

#5-Make better, fuller cupcakes. Your liners should be filled ¾ full with the oven at 350 degrees. The temperature should then be reduced to 325 degrees when you stick the cupcakes in the oven and bake for a little longer than you normally would (25 minutes is good).

Four Tips to Bake Better Cookies

Four Tips to Make Better Cookies
Baking Stone with Turnover – perfect companions for baking cookies

#1-For softer, chewier cookies, bake until the cookies just begin to brown. This is the secret for making the best cookies that everyone reaches for first!

#2-Try refrigerating your dough to make for fuller cookies. Your cookies will still be okay if you don’t refrigerate your dough or you don’t have time to, but if you’re going for appearance, try this tip.

#3-Flour means everything when making cookies. Too much flour will leave it scrunched and tiny. Too little will make it spread and get too crispy.

#4-Stirring your flour before measuring will add air and make your cookies fluffier.

Visit the Rada Kitchen Store to find all the tools needed for better baking in your own home.

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Rada Cutlery is the best way to raise the funds your nonprofit group needs! Every year, tens of thousands of groups partner with Rada to raise money for good causes. Churches, clubs, schools, sports teams, civic organizations, and more make the money they need with a Rada fundraiser.

Check out our fundraising catalog to learn more about Rada products and fundraisers!

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Check out the Rada Cutlery EASY guide to learn more about why a Rada fundraiser is what’s best for your group!

Rada's fundraising EASY guide.