The how, not just the what
Skills, rules of thumb and fixes, pulled out of the same cooking videos our recipes come from. 657 and counting.
Skill area
What it gets you
Ingredient or kit
Test baked muffins for doneness with a knife (or skewer)
Bake until a knife comes out clean to confirm the muffins are cooked through.
Portion muffin batter evenly for consistent baking
Split batter evenly between muffin cases so all muffins bake at the same rate.
Batch-bake muffins to use as snacks throughout the week
Make a batch of muffins at once so you have ready-to-eat snacks for the week.
How to make overnight oats by mixing oats with yogurt and milk and chilling
Combine oats with a thick dairy base and a liquid, mix well, then refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to soften and thicken.
How to make a quick chocolate shell topping by melting chocolate with coconut oil
Melt dark chocolate with a small amount of coconut oil, then pour it over a cold base to create a set topping.
Adjust Greek yogurt fat percentage to control creaminess vs calories
Use higher-fat Greek yogurt for creamier overnight oats, or 0% for a lower-calorie version.
Thicken overnight oats with chia seeds
Add chia seeds to overnight oats to help them set thicker as they chill.
Make overnight oats by mixing and chilling for a couple hours or overnight
Combine oats, dairy/liquid, and flavorings, then refrigerate for at least a couple hours (or overnight) so the oats hydrate.
Use the knife-test to check if baked oats (or cake) are done
Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean to confirm the middle is set.
Make a quick dough with self-raising flour and Greek yogurt
Combine self-raising flour and Greek yogurt, then knead briefly to form a workable dough for quick baked bites.
Portion dough evenly by rolling into a log and cutting equal pieces
Roll dough into a log and slice into equal portions to get uniform bite-size pieces that cook evenly.
Air-fry small dough balls until golden brown
Bake dough balls in an air fryer at 180°C for about 10 minutes, using color (golden brown) as the doneness cue.
Make a cinnamon-honey coating by mixing to a paste-like texture
Mix cinnamon with a small squeeze of honey until it forms a thick, coat-able cinnamon paste.
Brush baked bites with melted butter before coating so toppings stick
Brush warm baked pieces with melted butter, then coat immediately so the cinnamon mixture adheres evenly.
Use the knife test to check if baked muffins are done
Bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean to confirm doneness.
Set chia pudding by refrigerating it for a couple hours
After mixing chia seeds with liquid, chill the mixture for a couple hours so the chia hydrates and thickens into a pudding texture.
Meal-prep chia pudding for the week and store it in the fridge
Make multiple portions at once and keep them refrigerated so you can grab a ready-to-eat pudding whenever you need.
How to make a flexible roasted-vegetable soup from whatever veg you have
Roast any mix of vegetables with aromatics and seasoning, then blend with stock to make a smooth soup.
Rinse cut potatoes to remove excess starch before cooking fries
After cutting potatoes into fry shapes, rinse them to wash off surface starch for better crisping.
Parboil fries until the outside softens before air frying or baking
Boil cut potatoes until the exterior starts to soften, then finish in an air fryer or oven for a crisp outside.
Pat parboiled potatoes dry before air frying or baking for crispier fries
Dry the potatoes after boiling so they crisp instead of steaming in the air fryer or oven.
Shake air-fryer fries partway through to cook and crisp evenly
Give the basket a shake during cooking so fries brown more evenly.
Use a hotter final oven blast to crisp fries after baking
If baking instead of air frying, finish with a short higher-temperature step to crisp them up.
How to make overnight oats by mixing and refrigerating overnight
Combine oats with liquid and mix-ins, then cover and refrigerate overnight to soften and thicken without cooking.