40+ Cooking Tricks to Become a Really Good Cook

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This lesson provides Grade 8 learners with fun and practical cooking tips to enhance their kitchen skills and make cooking more enjoyable. From tricks to eliminate garlic smells and keep berries fresh, to methods for easy peeling and cooking techniques, these tips aim to simplify the cooking process and encourage creativity in the kitchen. The lesson emphasizes that cooking can be a fun adventure, even for those who may not consider themselves expert chefs.

Fun Cooking Tips for Grade 8 Learners

Hey there! Ever feel a bit nervous when someone asks, “What’s for dinner?” If you’re not the world’s best cook, don’t worry! Forget those intense cooking shows and check out these awesome cooking tricks that will make your kitchen adventures a breeze. Let’s dive in!

1. Say Goodbye to Garlic Smell

Garlic is great for flavor, but the smell can stick to your hands. Just rub your fingers on stainless steel, like your kitchen sink, and the smell will vanish!

2. Keep Berries Fresh

To stop your berries from getting soggy, soak them in a mix of 3 cups of water and 1 cup of apple cider vinegar for 5 minutes. Dry them on a paper towel, and they’ll stay fresh longer.

3. Soft Marshmallows

Love marshmallows? Keep them soft by storing them in a jar with brown sugar. But let’s be honest, who can resist eating them right away?

4. Grilling Fish Made Easy

Fish often sticks to the grill. Solve this by placing the fish on lemon slices. It won’t stick, and it’ll taste lemony fresh!

5. Grate with Ease

Spray some oil on your grater before using it. This trick makes grating easier and prevents food from getting stuck.

6. Easy Freezing

When freezing soft foods like homemade ice cream, place a bag at the bottom of an empty cup and fill it up. Easy peasy!

7. Mess-Free Watermelon Cutting

Cut a watermelon without the mess by slicing it horizontally, then into slices one way, and finally into cubes the other way.

8. Healthy Ice Cream

Want a healthy dessert? Stick a popsicle stick in a cup of yogurt and freeze it. Voilà, a tasty treat!

9. Quick-Cooking Brown Rice

Soak brown rice in water overnight, and it will cook much faster the next day.

10. Flavorful Pasta

Finish cooking pasta in the sauce for 1-2 minutes. This way, the pasta absorbs the sauce’s flavor, making it extra delicious.

11. Easy-Peel Eggs

Add a bit of vinegar when boiling eggs. This helps the shells peel off easily.

12. Fix Clumpy Brown Sugar

Put a piece of soft white bread in a jar with clumpy brown sugar. In a few hours, the sugar will be back to normal.

13. Juicy Lemons

Microwave a lemon for 20-30 seconds to make it easier to squeeze out the juice.

14. Simple Kiwi Peeling

Cut off both ends of a kiwi, insert a spoon between the skin and fruit, and scoop out the flesh by turning the fruit.

15. Easy Garlic Peeling

Crush garlic cloves lightly with the flat side of a knife to peel them easily.

16. Keep Avocados Fresh

Prevent cut avocados from turning brown by adding a few drops of lemon juice or brushing with edible oil.

17. Herb Cubes

Chop herbs like cilantro and parsley, pack them into ice cube trays with olive oil, and freeze. Use them later for cooking!

18. Fresh Herbs

Store herbs in the fridge with their stems in a glass of water to keep them fresh longer.

19. Quick Citrus Juice

Pierce a citrus fruit with a knife, squeeze out the juice, and save the rest for later.

20. Perfect Burgers

Make a small indent in the center of your burger patty before cooking to ensure it cooks evenly.

21. Fast Defrosting

Defrost food quickly by placing it under cold running water.

22. Stable Cutting Board

Place a damp towel under your cutting board to keep it from slipping while you chop.

23. Quick Tomato Slicing

Slice cherry tomatoes faster by placing them between two plastic lids and cutting through them all at once.

24. Whip Cream Without a Blender

Shake cream in a mason jar to whip it. Just remember to put the lid on first!

25. Clean Dessert Cuts

Heat a knife under hot water, dry it, and use it to make clean cuts through sticky desserts like cheesecake.

26. Shiny Pastries

Brush pastries with a mix of egg yolk and heavy cream for a golden brown finish.

27. Revive Overcooked Chicken

Turn dry chicken into a tasty salad by adding mayo, spices, and veggies.

28. Smooth Sauce

If your sauce is lumpy, blend it for a few seconds to smooth it out.

29. Prepped Salad

Layer salad ingredients in a bowl and add dressing just before serving to save time.

30. Perfect Pancakes

Flip pancakes when you see bubbles around the edges for the perfect cook.

31. Crispy Fries

Soak sliced potatoes in cold water for an hour, dry them, and then cook for extra crispy fries.

32. No-Tears Onion Chopping

Cut off the root of an onion before slicing to avoid tears.

33. Easy Tomato Peeling

Cut an X in a tomato, simmer in hot water for 15-30 seconds, cool, and peel easily.

34. Safe Chili Pepper Handling

Coat hands with vegetable oil before handling chili peppers and wash with soap afterward.

35. Fancy Dinner Plates

Warm plates in the oven for 10 minutes before serving to make your meal feel fancy.

36. Perfect Sunny-Side-Up Eggs

Crack eggs in a preheated pan with oil, add warm water, and cover for 45 seconds for perfect eggs.

37. Easy Mashed Potatoes

Boil unpeeled potatoes, cool them in cold water, and the skins will peel off easily.

38. Quick Egg White Whipping

Whip cold egg whites with a bit of salt for faster and better results.

39. Knife Skills

Chop with the rear part of the knife blade in a rolling motion for better control.

40. Perfect Steak

Dry steak with a paper towel before cooking to ensure it caramelizes instead of steaming.

41. Juicy Meat

Brine meat in saltwater for an hour before cooking to make it juicier.

42. Experiment with Seasoning

Don’t be afraid to try new seasonings and spices to transform ordinary meals into something special.

43. Easy Squash Peeling

Microwave whole butternut squash for up to 3 minutes for easy peeling.

44. Flavorful Vegetable Soup

Fry vegetables separately with olive oil before blending to make a delicious vegetable cream soup.

There you have it! These tips will make your cooking experience more fun and less stressful. Do you have any cool cooking tricks? Share them with your friends and keep exploring new ways to enjoy cooking!

  • Which cooking tip from the article do you find most intriguing, and why?
  • Have you ever tried any of these cooking tips before? If so, how did they work out for you?
  • What new cooking technique from the article are you most excited to try, and what do you hope to learn from it?
  • How do you think these cooking tips could change your approach to preparing meals?
  • Can you think of a situation where one of these tips would have been particularly useful in your past cooking experiences?
  • What other cooking tips or tricks have you discovered that you would add to this list?
  • How do you feel about experimenting with new cooking methods, and what encourages or discourages you from trying them?
  • Reflecting on the article, what do you think is the most important aspect of making cooking fun and enjoyable?
  1. Garlic Smell Experiment

    Try rubbing your fingers on different stainless steel surfaces in your kitchen, like the sink or a spoon, after handling garlic. Observe which works best to remove the smell. Share your findings with the class!

  2. Berries Freshness Challenge

    Conduct an experiment by soaking half of your berries in the apple cider vinegar solution and leaving the other half untreated. Compare their freshness after a few days and present your results.

  3. Marshmallow Softness Test

    Store marshmallows in different containers, one with brown sugar and one without. Check their softness after a week and discuss why brown sugar might help keep them soft.

  4. Grilling Fish with Lemon

    Create a mini cooking demonstration by grilling a small piece of fish on lemon slices. Notice the difference in taste and texture compared to grilling directly on the grill. Share your taste test results with your family.

  5. Oil Spray Grating Experiment

    Test the effectiveness of spraying oil on a grater by grating cheese or vegetables with and without oil. Record which method is easier and cleaner, and discuss your findings with your classmates.

CookingThe process of preparing food by combining, mixing, and heating ingredients. – Example sentence: Sarah enjoys cooking dinner for her family every weekend.

GarlicA plant with a strong taste and smell, used in cooking to add flavor to dishes. – Example sentence: Adding garlic to the pasta sauce made it taste even better.

BerriesSmall, juicy fruits that are often eaten raw and are good for your health. – Example sentence: We picked fresh berries from the garden to make a delicious smoothie.

IceFrozen water, often used to cool drinks or preserve food. – Example sentence: She added ice to her lemonade to make it refreshing on a hot day.

HealthyBeneficial to one’s physical well-being; promoting good health. – Example sentence: Eating a healthy breakfast gives you energy for the day.

RiceA staple food grain that is cooked and eaten as a part of many meals worldwide. – Example sentence: We had rice with vegetables for lunch, which was both filling and nutritious.

PastaA type of food made from wheat and water, often shaped into different forms and cooked by boiling. – Example sentence: My favorite dinner is pasta with tomato sauce and cheese.

EggsOval-shaped food laid by birds, often used in cooking and baking. – Example sentence: For breakfast, I like to have scrambled eggs with toast.

HerbsPlants used in cooking to add flavor to food, such as basil or parsley. – Example sentence: We sprinkled fresh herbs on the salad to enhance its taste.

SoupA liquid dish made by boiling meat, fish, or vegetables with various ingredients. – Example sentence: On cold days, a warm bowl of soup is comforting and delicious.

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