When you’re thinking of pursuing a hobby, consider cooking. Cooking is often overlooked because you’re probably doing a lot, but the truth is that cooking can be a wonderful source of relaxation for the home chef, as well as a way to create and explore. Here are some tips to help you in your culinary exploration.

Make sure you have your place settings set up beforehand so you can reduce the stress you’ll have when bringing food to the table. High levels of stress don’t go well with cooking, given the danger, so you’ll want to reduce it as much as possible.

When frying food, hold it under the oil with the straps for a few seconds. Holding the food under the oil for about five seconds will create a helpful seal around the food. This seal will work to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

To improve your comfort level in the kitchen, one of the things you can do is freeze the excess sauces you create in ice cube trays. This will allow you to reheat them when you need sauce again and will also save money on the excess sauce you saved.

As you cook your food over the course of the night, be sure to sample it at several different spots. This will let you know exactly when it’s done, so you don’t risk overcooking it. Tasting your food is important to achieving the quality you want. Looking for an indoor grill? Take a look at the Hamilton Beach Electric Grill and see why this little indoor grill is big on features and flavor.

When it comes to cooking, a good habit after preparing garlic is to briskly rub your hands together in the stainless steel sink for about 30 seconds. This will remove the unwanted odor from your hands. Washing them for less than 30 seconds will not remove all of the odor.

When you’re cooking for your family, try not to stick to one style. If you cook the same food over and over again, it can get boring and your family will get tired of the dishes you prepare. Change things up every night so you can introduce new foods and cuisines to your family.

An important tip to remember when cooking dishes focuses on the size of the dish being prepared. The smaller the dish you are cooking, the higher the baking temperature and the less time it will take to cook the dish. Smaller dishes usually take only a few minutes at high temperatures to cook completely.

You may or may not have heard of schmaltz, but it is a very useful component in cooking. Schmaltz, also known as chicken fat, is very tasty. Schmaltz has a deeper flavor than duck fat and can be used for many things, such as cooking meats or poaching fish.

Plan your meals in advance. One of the biggest time wasters is engaging in “what am I going to make for dinner?” debate. Oftentimes, we might have dinner on the table by the time we care to sift through the options. Over the weekend, or when you have free time, think about the week ahead and plan four or five meals that you know your family will enjoy. This planning ahead allows you time to stock your refrigerator and pantry with the items you need.

Be sure to only use wines that you enjoy as ingredients in your recipes. You risk the final flavor of any dish if you prepare it with an unknown wine or with an unpleasant taste. Look through your grocery store to find wines that are used specifically for cooking.

If you and your partner love to cook, consider taking a couples cooking class! Cooking classes for couples can help you explore new cuisines, enjoy each other’s company, and also learn more about working in the kitchen together. A well-kept secret is that the boys enjoy these classes as much as the ladies, and it often leads to the boys taking on a bigger role in the kitchen at home.

Take these tips and use them in your dishes to make them come to life. Serve them to guests, enjoy the compliments, and then do it all over again. The wonderful thing about cooking as a hobby is that you can always recreate or create anew; you will always need something to eat!