To make a boxed cake mix or a packet of pudding taste more homemade add in 1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. If it is a lemon or orange cake mix use lemon or orange extract.
When storing your leftover roasted meats always store with the juice that is left in the pan. It helps keep the meat moist instead of drying out in the refrigerator.
If freezing the leftover roasted meats also store with the juices.
If freezing meat that will be marinated go ahead and add the marinade to the bag so that way as it thaws it will already be marinating.
Whenever I make chicken or really any meat I always add a few extra pieces so that I can chop it up the next day to use to make a quick salad, in soup or to make a sandwich.
When making boxed stuffing mix I replace the water with chicken or vegetable broth.
I only add salt when called for in a recipe since so many things contain salt it is an easy way to control the amount in your diet.
As a Frenchman once told me only use real wine in your dishes. Why use a “cooking” wine that you would never think of drinking in your recipes.
You should never be intimidated by any recipe. The worst thing that can happen is you toss it and start over. Everyone has that one recipe that is a nightmare for them. Mine is a pecan pie. One day I will conquer that recipe!
One thing I have learned is the faster you try to hurry up cooking or baking the more prone to disaster it becomes. Water will never boil when you want it to so relax!
