6 Crowdsourced Cooking Secrets To Show Off in the Kitchen

AskReddit (How to Cook)

This time of the year — more so than much of the rest — can inspire folks of all culinary backgrounds to either skillfully or perhaps bullishly, naively try their hands at cooking various dishes for family and friends. Sometimes, these cooking attempts can result in completely unanticipated works of food art. Other times, you might end up with a dish that both looks inedible and really shouldn't be consumed as a matter of safety in the first place.

Fortunately, a recent AskReddit thread has provided us with a solid and quick yet highly effective list of invaluable cooking secrets.

Citrus lime fruit isolated on white background cutout — Natikka/istockphoto

1. Try Some Lime To Turn Up The Flavor Profile

You're not alone if you've found yourself throwing in sizable amounts of salt in a dish that seems to be lacking flavor. Well, it turns out that a bit of lime juice can accomplish the same thing.

Heap of monosodium glutamate on wooden spoon and dark background - text MSG — panida wijitpanya/istockphoto

2. MSG Is The Way

MSG, in spite of its rather nefarious reputation for being unhealthy, is incredibly effective at adding/enhancing the flavor of a dish that seems unable to overcome its blandness. Still not sure if it's worth it? We've got the goods on everything you need to know to make an informed decision.

Chocolate chip cookie, Cookie, Biscuit — Pinkybird/istockphoto

3. The Tollhouse Cookie Recipe Is Actually Legit

Sometimes, the real treasures hide in plain sight. For instance, if you've ever had a friend who consistently seems able to provide an unreal level of tasty chocolate chip cookies, don't count out the possibility that they could just be using the recipe that's literally provided by Tollhouse, aka Nestle.

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4. Soak Your Salad Vegetables In Cold Water

OK, we didn't necessarily see this one coming. Apparently, the key to making a crisp and fresh salad is to soak your veggies in cold water for around 10 minutes. Give it a shot, and let the magic unfold.

Macro closeup side view of stack of buttermilk pancakes on plate as traditional breakfast brunch dessert — ablokhin/istockphoto

5. Use Carbonated Water For Fluffier Pancakes

Just when you didn't think that things could get any stranger when it comes to unforeseen cooking hacks, there's this tip. Apparently, carbonated water is a surefire level up your pancake feast to include extra fluffy pancakes.

Bunch of cooked asparagus — AlexPro9500/istockphoto

6. Add A Little Nutmeg To Asparagus

You wouldn't necessarily assume that nutmeg and asparagus would complement each other, but here we are. Sometimes, it's the most unexpected spice-and-food pairings that can leave folks pleasantly mystified.

Next Up: 15 Spices and Spice Blends That Will Make Almost Any Meal Better