How to Cook Chicken

You can always start with our Easy Chicken recipe, but there are some good basic tips for a simple, quick way to cook chicken. Always make sure you cook it to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Pat your pieces dry and season – you can go as simple as salt and pepper
• Heat up your preferred oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes
• Cook each side of the chicken for five to seven minutes

You can serve this simple chicken with any sides, or even make it a sandwich if you’re in a hurry. You can also bake (again, to a safe internal temperature) chicken relatively simply.

How To Chop An Onion

Firstly, make sure you have a sharp knife to make quick work of the onion. Center of the knife, usually 3 to 4 inches from the knife’s tip. Keep your fingers protected while chopping as well.

• If you’re slicing the onion only, with the skin on, trim the root end off. If you’re dicing the onion or slicing wedges of onion, trim the root end off.
• Cut the onion in half and deal with each half the same way. 
• Peel off the skin and cut lengthwise or crosswise. 
• If dicing, make horizontal cuts almost all the way through, but stopping short. Then make your verticals cuts for perfectly diced onions.

Wear eye protection to reduce the tear-inducing effect of onion cutting. Chilling the onions for the right amount of time before cutting may also help reduce the tear factor. You can also try cutting the onion under running water. This does use a lot of water, but has been known to reduce tear production.

How To Make Mashed Potatoes

Peel eight to 10 medium potatoes (approximately 3 pounds), slice them into large pieces, and boil them in enough water to cover them. Add ¾ teaspoons of salt to the water at the beginning. Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low. Loosely cover the pot and allow them to gently boil for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they fall apart when you pierce them with a fork. Drain the potatoes.

Return the drained potatoes to the pot over low heat to get rid of the excess moisture, then mash the potatoes to your desired texture. Then add butter, pepper, and any spices that you prefer. You can also add sour cream or Greek yogurt for extra-creamy mashed potatoes.

How To Cook Salmon

You can cook salmon just about any way you like: broiling, baking, pan-frying, grilling – you name it, salmon can do it. Our Simple Salmon recipe is a great start. The key is remembering the flavors that go best with salmon – lemon, dill and other herbs always work well with salmon. Make sure that whatever you do, you cook the salmon to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit, so that it is cooked to a safe temperature.