Every home cook has tried-and-true recipes; however, after years of preparing these dishes, it can be easy to get burned out and find yourself in a recipe rut. Thankfully, it’s easier than ever to expand one’s prowess in the kitchen, and finding a recipe for nearly any dish is often just a click away.
If your dinner routine needs some spicing up, consider incorporating these tips into meal planning.
Try a Cooking Class
Cooking classes are one of the best ways to learn new skills in the kitchen. Not only do you get hands-on experience from a trained instructor, but a class offers the opportunity to ask questions versus simply trying to follow along with Martha Stewart on television.
Online cooking classes via sites like MasterClass offer instruction from world-renowned chefs, but nothing beats an in-person class. Austin area classes from Kitchen Underground and Central Market offer instruction to a range of skill levels with a focus on everything from vegan cooking to desserts and barbecues.
Head to the Library
Cookbooks offer recipes and tips for nearly every type of diet and cuisine imaginable. Buying all those cookbooks can also be incredibly expensive – and then there’s the risk of only liking one or two recipes.
An easy way to offset this cost is to head to the Kyle Public Library. You’ll be able to let your inner foodie run wild, picking and choosing different cookbooks to try without having to pay bookstore prices.
Cook Up a Culinary Tour Around the World
If you’re bored in the kitchen and looking to expand your culinary palate, why not incorporate more recipes from different cultures into your meal planning?
Start with maybe one or two new meals a week from each continent and work in different countries as you discover new cuisines you like. Not only is it a guaranteed way to keep mealtime interesting, but you’ll likely discover ingredients you would have never used otherwise.
Experiment With a New Ingredient
Speaking of new ingredients, adding a new ingredient to your repertoire can open up a world of new flavors. Most chefs would advise, though, that you start small when trying a new ingredient, as too much of a strong herb or spice can easily overpower a dish.
Another technique worth exploring is finding unconventional ways of using everyday ingredients – like mayo – that you may not have otherwise considered.
Farmers Market Finds
Nothing amps up the flavor in a new recipe quite like using fresh ingredients, and one of the best places to grab fresh ingredients is the farmers market.
For fresh local food items, check out Kyle Market Days running the second Saturday of each month from spring through early fall at Mary Kyle Hartson Park from 8 AM until 1 PM. BudaFul Farmers Market up the road in Buda is also a great place to buy locally grown produce and happens every Sunday from 10 to 2.
Of course, making a new recipe in a kitchen that you enjoy cooking in makes all the difference. Crosswinds residents love preparing meals in the modern and stylish kitchens of the homes in this master-planned community. To learn more about available homes, contact us today.