The Cooking Mom's Secrets and Tips

If you’re cooking cauliflower, add a bit of milk to the water with salt to keep the cauliflower bright white.

Don’t overcrowd the pan when you’re sautéing. If you do, your food will steam instead.

When baking, invest in parchment paper for lining pans. It makes for easy cleanup!

Keep steamed vegetables bright and colorful but placing them in ice water for a minute immediately after cooking.

Want to avoid cutting yourself in the kitchen? Always use sharp knives.

Add the rind of Parmesan cheese to minestrone soup to add great flavor.

Caramelize onions by cooking them in a dry nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat.

When you’re browning meat, pat it dry with a paper towel first and sear it in a very hot preheated pan.

When you sauté garlic, slice it instead of than mincing it. It’s less likely to burn that way.

Do not use oil in the water when boiling pasta: It will keep the sauce from sticking to the cooked pasta.

Homemade vinaigrettes taste way better than bottled ones. No need to whisk them: Just put all the ingredients in a jar and shake.

For best results when you’re baking, leave butter and eggs at room temperature overnight.