Recipe Developer Shares 11 Hacks to Turn Cooking Fails into Successes
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As a recipe creator and bestselling cookbook author, I have extensive experience testing and developing hundreds of recipes. Cooking can be challenging, and sometimes, recipes may not turn out as expected. But in our household, we never waste food, even if a recipe fails! We always find ways to turn our cooking mishaps into delicious creations. To help you do the same, here’s a list of 11 of my favorite cooking hacks!
Cake Falling Apart
Your cake falling apart does not mean disaster. You can still make delicious cake pops with the crumbled cake. You could argue that broken cakes are perfect for making cake pops, as all cake pop recipes start with crumbled cake.
Dry Meat
If you have dry meat that you want to make more moist and flavorful, you can do a couple of things. One option is to shred the meat and mix it with a sauce, such as barbecue sauce or gravy. This will help coat the meat and add moisture while enhancing its flavor. Another option is to slice the meat thinly and use it in a stir-fry or soup to be cooked quickly with other ingredients. This will help to add moisture and flavor to the meat and make it taste better.
Over-Spiced
If your food has become over-spiced, you can do a few things to balance the flavors. One hack is to add a bit of acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar, to cut through the spiciness. Another option is adding dairy products like yogurt or cream to mellow the heat. You can also add a bit of sugar or honey to help balance the flavors. Just be sure to add these ingredients gradually, tasting as you go, until you achieve the desired level of spiciness and flavor.
Broken Cookies
If you have broken cookies and don’t know what to do with them, don’t worry! You can crumble and use them as ice cream or yogurt topping. You can also mix them with softened butter and use the mixture as a base for a pie crust. Another option is to use the broken cookies to make a cookie crumble that you can sprinkle over your ice cream or favorite desserts.
Over-Whipped Cream
If you over-whip cream, don’t worry – you can still make butter out of it. Keep whipping until it separates into butter and buttermilk. Strain and knead the butter, and add salt if desired. Turn your mistake into a tasty spread for bread or toast.
Burnt Popcorn
I don’t mind burnt popcorn, which is a rare opinion. However, I have a great hack for you if you don’t like it. You can use the burnt popcorn to make a trail mix. Just add some nuts, M&M’s and cereal to it, and you’ll have a sweet and salty treat.
Cracked Cheesecake
Cracked cheesecake tastes delicious despite its imperfections. However, if you are serving it to a crowd and want it to look presentable, you can add a few toppings that taste great and improve the appearance. Some of the toppings you can consider include chocolate ganache, caramel sauce, strawberry glaze, and piped whipped cream.
Broken Omelet
You can still turn your omelet into a delicious meal if you accidentally break it while cooking. One way to use a broken omelet is to chop it up and mix it with some cooked vegetables and cheese to make a tasty breakfast scramble. You can also use it as a breakfast sandwich or burrito filling.
Failed Risotto
Reviving or reusing failed risotto is possible. One way to restore it is to add a little broth or stock and heat it on low heat while stirring constantly until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Another option is to turn the leftover risotto into arancini, which are fried rice balls. Shape the risotto into balls, coat them in breadcrumbs, and fry them until golden brown.
Salty Soup
To fix a soup that is too salty, try diluting it with more water or broth, adding acid or sweetness to balance the saltiness, or adding potatoes or rice to absorb some of the salt. If all else fails, make another batch of soup and combine the two to dilute the saltiness.
Sunken Cake
You can still enjoy a sunken cake by filling the hollow area with whipped cream, pudding, candy, or fruit and then frosting it. Another option is to use the cake to make pops or for a trifle.
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Author: Natasha Newton (Natasha's Southern Flavor)
Natasha is the founder of Natasha’s Southern Flavor. She has a passion for sharing delicious family friendly low-carb recipes that are easy to make and use readily accessible ingredients. Natasha has published three bestselling cookbooks. Her books and recipes have been featured by CNET, Delish, Mindbodygreen, Parade and Women’s Health. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband, two adult children, and three furbabies.
Read more about Natasha here.