“My husband complains dinner always comes out bland...”

What can I do? How to fix the 2 most common flavor mistakes for mouthwatering meals… (Read more) Have issue viewing this email? [Click here]( Hey {NAME}! You planned, you prepared… You shopped for the perfect ingredients… You spend HOURS in the kitchen cooking what you think will be an amazing meal… It’s almost ready to serve, so you taste it anddd… Nothing! We’ve all cooked a bland meal before, it happens to the best of us. Whether you’re just learning, or you’re an experienced cook - THE #1 thing you can do to kick your cooking up a notch is to master flavor. That’s why today I want to talk to you about how to build BIG flavors in your meals. There are 2 common flavor roadblocks: #1: Underseasoning 🙋 Who else only adds seasoning at the end of the meal? Seasoning isn’t a 1-time event when cooking. There are many levels to a dish, and each one needs to be seasoned. You have your base ingredients, each step of the recipe, and the finished product to season. If your recipe calls for sautéed onions, add a pinch of salt and pepper to them. If you’re boiling pasta, salt the water. Minimally season any meat with salt + pepper before you cook it, adding any other herbs or spices called for. (Personally, I’m a fan of adding salt/pepper/garlic powder to everything!) Seasoning at every level doesn’t mean you have to use a ton of salt or spices. You can divide the amount of seasoning you want to use for the whole dish, then use a little bit from that as you go along. #2: You don’t taste as you go Recipes don’t always call for the "right" amount of seasoning… Your ingredients might be different… Cooking times are estimates… Your results can change GREATLY depending on your stove’s specific hot or cold spots, the altitude of your house, and a MILLION other things. The 1 thing that matters? Your palate. If you don’t taste enough, the flavors or textures of your otherwise incredible dish can be out of whack. FLAVOR BUILDING 101: Most TV chefs get eliminated from Chopped-like shows for under seasoning. That’s why understanding flavor, and mastering how to build it is the key to show-stopping cooking. Every dish starts with the same 2 flavor components: Salt, and fat. All the seasonings beyond that, the different ingredients, and the cooking process are what makes each dish unique! Salt A chef once said, "If I could only have 2 spices in my cabinet, I’d choose salt and pepper." And I don’t know anyone who would disagree! "It’s bland" or "It’s too salty" are 2 of the most common complaints about food. Salt and pepper handle both. Fat "Fat" has gotten a bad rap: Along with protein, and carbohydrates, dietary fat is the 3rd macronutrient. That means our body needs it. Your body uses fat to give you energy, protect your organs (they’re vital to the brain), absorb nutrients, and produce important hormones. That’s why you’ll be hard-pressed to find a recipe without any fat! Common cooking fats: - Butter - Olive oil - Coconut oil - Coconut milk - Ghee - Animal fat - Shortening BUILDING BIG FLAVOR: The secret to pro-level cooking is learning how to add "dimension" to your dish. That means combining, balancing, and contrasting these 4 basic flavors: - Sour - Spicy - Sweet - Bitter (Note: Salt is also a basic flavor, but we’ve already covered it because ALL dishes need salt.) Not every dish needs all of these elements to be good, but understanding each of them will empower you to shake up a bland dish. Here are some quick flavor tips: Flavor 1: Sour You’ll find these flavors in citrus (lemons/limes/oranges), fermented food (vinegar/pickles/sourdough bread/some yogurt and dairy products), and some fruits + berries! Sometimes you’ll see these flavors described as "bright", or "acidic". Sour is a great way to lighten up a dish that’s very rich (has a lot of fat in it), that’s why it’s common to see lemon/butter sauces in cuisines from all over the world. If you have a dish that’s too bitter, like some cooked greens, then adding a splash of lemon juice can be a big help. (You can also try ½-1 tablespoon of vinegar that matches your dish.) Flavor 2: Spicy Would you think of garlic, onions, or ginger as spicy? You might if you took a bite of one raw! Some veggies (like chili peppers) and spices (black pepper, cayenne/chili powders, cinnamon) create a "warm" or "prickly" feeling on your tongue. If your dinner is too spicy you can try adding dairy (like cream, butter, or plain yogurt), a pinch of sugar, or a spoonful of nut butter. Flavor 3: Sweet Maple bacon, chocolate covered pretzels, and margaritas with salted rims. If you look around any grocery store or restaurant menu, you’ll probably find a classic "sweet &..." combination If your dish is too sweet, you can try adding sour (lemon juice or vinegar), or more salt. Flavor 4: Bitter Bitterness can be a misunderstood flavor, but it’s actually present in some of our favorite foods like chocolate, coffee, and beer! If you’ve ever eaten the white part of a citrus peel (the pith), you know what bitter tastes like. Some of the more common bitter ingredients you might cook with are green vegetables (spinach, kale, broccoli), olives, and spices like turmeric. Next time you cook spinach, try adding a little paprika and lemon juice to experiment with how flavors complement and enhance each other! If your meal is too bitter, try adding a spoonful of sugar, cream, or butter to smooth it out. What’s next? With practice, a little patience, and lots of tasting, you’ll quickly step up your flavor game! The best way to get better at cooking is learning from PROVEN recipes. Unfortunately, you often can’t tell which recipes are "blah" and which will WOW you until you cook them… But if you accidentally spend time making bland recipes, then you’ll ingrain those bad habits into your own cooking 😱 Want to get curated, tried-and-true recipes sent to you every week? [Then I highly recommend you click here and join the Six Sisters’ menu plans!]( You’ll get our best recipes that have all been smile-approved by the Sisters + our families, so you know that EVERY meal will be a hit! We’ve already done all the meal planning, recipe testing, and grocery list organization for you. All you have to do is shop, cook, and enjoy a delicious dinner with your family! Happy cooking! Elyse - Six Sisters PS You want to IMPRESS with your cooking, but you’re struggling with bland, tasteless food… Your meals never seem to come out as tasty as you wanted them to be… How DO restaurants do it anyway??? The 2 keys to lip smackin’ meals: 1) Adding enough salt + fat 2) Understanding how to create and balance the major flavors (sour, spicy, sweet, bitter) in your dish The best way to become a better cook is to practice, practice, practice! Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell if a recipe will WOW you, or be bland until after you cook it… But if you spend time making bland recipes, you’ll learn those bad habits! As you know, it’s easier to start something new than to stop a bad habit… Do you want to get curated, smile-approved recipes sent to you every week? [Then click here to join the Six Sisters’ Menu Plans now!]( Follow Us    Six Sisters Stuff 42 North 650 West Farmington, Utah 84025 United States [Unsubscribe from our newsletter](