Vegetables (broccoli, spinach, sliced green peppers)With all these things on hand, you can put together a tasty and beautifully presented restaurant
copycat meal in just a few minutes. The only thing you'll have to worry about is which recipe you
want to try next.
Choosing Ingredients
Cooking from scratch always tastes better. Restaurant chefs seek out the freshest ingredients they can
find and so should you. Skip the prepackaged items whenever you can. Generic brands may offer a
lower price, but be careful to check out the quality and flavor — you may not be satisfied with the
final taste of the dish. By upgrading your choices, you can turn an ordinary meal into something
special. For example, instead of using plain iceberg lettuce try romaine or a spring mix, and don't
settle for boring American cheese. Experiment and try new flavors.
Meats
Red meats should have a rosy bloom and poultry should look plump and moist. Meat packages
should be firmly wrapped, with no leaking or excess moisture. Check expiration dates and package
labeling to make sure that the meat is fresh and has been handled properly. Refrigerate meats as soon
as they are purchased. Price is not always a reflection of quality; don't assume that the most expensive
meat is the best.
ChickenYou can buy a whole chicken or in any variety of precut packages. The key to cooking with chicken
is to be careful to avoid cross contamination and the risk of salmonella. Wash your hands and the
chicken before cooking. Keep the uncooked chicken away from everything else on the kitchen counter.
Use a separate cutting board and knife just for the uncooked chicken and do not use those same
utensils for anything else. Clean anything the chicken touches thoroughly. If you follow these
precautions, cooking with chicken is perfectly safe.
BeefAccording to the USDA, ground beef cannot contain more than 30 percent fat by weight, so all of
the packages will state their fat content. Get to know your butcher, and when London Broil or other
roasts go on sale, have him grind it up for you to get premium ground beef at a reduced price.
How do you tell a great steak from a regular steak? The things to look for when buying a steak are
the grade and the cut. Grade refers to the age of the animal and the marbling of the meat. The USDA
grades the best steaks as prime, followed by choice and select. When selecting a steak, always take a
look at the marbling or streaks of fat running through the meat. You want thin streaks that produce the
best flavor. Cuts of steak are taken from different sections of the animal: The rib produces rib roast,
back ribs, and rib eye steaks; the short loin produces the tastiest steaks like the T-bone, Porter-house,