No cook or chef, whether professional or just beginning, would be complete without a collection of great cooking tips. I have always loved finding an easy solution to a problem that makes the meals I cook better or saves me money. Over the years, I have collected these gems of knowledge from many people including my grandma, gourmet chefs of five star restaurants and the locals from the countries I have visited.

I have not only used these great ideas but have also awed friends and family with solutions to little problems everyone encounters in the kitchen. You will find that there are cooking tips for everything from preparing a meal to using substitutes in recipes. These tips will save you time, money and a lot of hassle. You may also find that once you think about it you have many of your own ideas that you can add to your collection simply by writing down.

There are many places to find great cooking tips and only requires a little investigating. Many people have great ideas that you will find very useful and a good way to start your collection is by asking your friends and family. Many people have come up with their own ways to prepare a meal faster, better or cheaper and you will benefit greatly from the experience of others. I have found that some of my most valued tips have come from the unique ways others do things.

The internet is also a great place to find helpful information and you will find great tips such as adding a little sugar to your pancakes to make them brown faster or putting your unripe fruit in a paper bag in a dark cupboard to ripen. By doing a little research and asking others for their ideas, you will soon acquire a collection of helpful kitchen hints and will have a wealth of knowledge available at your fingertips.

You will find many cooking tips that save you time in preparing a meal. I save a lot of time by chopping vegetables ahead of time or buying them precut. Buying prepared foods such as mashed potatoes, rice, or bagged salad instead of trying to make everything from scratch also reduces the time spent in preparation. I also like to use disposable paper or plastic plates, cups and utensils when appropriate.

This makes cleaning up after a meal or party very easy and allows you more time with your guests when entertaining. Another great tip my mom once gave me and one that has saved me many trips to the store, is to keep a running grocery list in the kitchen and write down the items I need throughout the week to avoid running to the store over and over again.

The more you look, the more simple solutions to every day kitchen problems you will find. For example, you can easily salvage an overly sweetened dish by simply stirring in a half teaspoon of vinegar to balance the flavors. I have used this tip for a number of dishes that I thought were ruined and managed to create a great meal. Another one of my favorite cooking tips is coating the inside of the pot lid when cooking pastas, custards and milk to keep the pot from boiling over.

This saves you the hassle of having to clean up a mess and possibly ruining the meal or dessert you are making. Cooking timers can also help prevent a pot from boiling over or a meal from burning and allow you to turn your attention to the task at hand and prepare other items. Because you will come across so many great tips, it is a good idea to write them all down or include the appropriate tip along with the recipe in your recipe box. Before long you will have a valuable collection of ideas and many great cooking tips.