The problem with cooking basics is that people often forget to teach them to you. You may have watched your mother cook rice countless nights during your childhood, but things can get a little daunting when you try to take the reins. And how can you advance to delicious recipes like Cinnamon Sugar Breakfast Puffs and Kale and Quinoa Pilaf if you don’t have the basics down pat?
We've pulled together the essential techniques that every cook should know, from cooking steak and roasting vegetables to brewingcoffee and baking the perfect chocolate chip cookies. So take a deep breath, take your time, and try to conquer them all. Whether you've been cooking your whole life and need to brush up on the basics, or you're getting to know your way around your first kitchen, check out these helpful how-tos for your everyday cooking.
Let's start with rice. There are many different kinds, and it's important to get to know all of them.
You'll need a side for that roast chicken. Luckily, you can roast almost any vegetable for an easy side dish; once you have your technique down pat, your weeknight dinners will be all the better.
You should always have a chocolate cake recipe in your back pocket, for dinner parties and birthdays and every day in between. Here are fourteen. (And this one's vegan!)
