5 Ways To Instantly Become A Better Cook, According To Instagram’s Most Beloved Food Influencer
by The Candidly Team
It’s allllllll too easy to get lost in the recipes of Teri Turner; on her blog, her addictive Instagram, or her cookbook, No Crumbs Left.
But where most recipes are either banished to Pinterest never to be seen again, or slapped shut in kitchen shelves to collect dust, Teri’s are not. They’re the kind of meals you make once, dream about for the next 6 nights, and then make again.
And repeat, infinitum.
And because we don’t believe in being all theoretical when it comes to cooking, we asked Teri to share actual and specific things we can do to become better cooks, with pleasure and without fuss. And she thankfully obliged.
1. You’re the queen of the “magic elixir.” What can you tell new home cooks about how to get over the fear of making dressings and sauces at home? Is there a secret for women who only have like 17 seconds in the evening to make dinner?
My Magic Elixirs are essential shortcuts to deliciousness, and I just want to say, '“Let’s go!” Seriously, bring me into your kitchen, and we’ll start simple. All of the recipes below will boost your confidence; they’re simple to prepare, versatile, and absolutely divine. The secret is doing them in advance.
Over a weekend, prep a protein and a carbohydrate for your future hurried and hungry self. Then, that moment when you have only 17 seconds available, it’s simply about putting the components together.
2. What’s the perfect go-to weeknight meal that nearly anyone can make in 20 minutes?
It’s all about meal prep and cooking smart! Cooking smart means making extra servings to use the next day.
For example:
Always have a few things ready in the fridge, like a pot of cooked rice and some vegetables, so you can whip together a fried rice in under 20 minutes.
When you have leftover pasta, you can easily sliver and fry some salami in olive oil and garlic to make a great last-minute pasta dish.
Save your leftover roasted vegetables to make a quick, delicious, next-day soup, blended with chicken stock (which is another good thing to always have on hand)!
A lovely BLT makes a perfect 20-minute meal. Cook up a batch of oven bacon in advance.
Dressings [like the creamy chive mentioned above] will take your entrée salad to the next level. Just pick up a rotisserie chicken on the way home from work for your protein, and serve it with olives, avocado, and marinated red onions, which absolutely everyone should have on their countertop at all times.
You can put together gourmet burger variations (like THIS one) on a Sunday and cook them in under 20 minutes as needed over the next few evenings.
3. What are 5-10 tools or products everyone who really wants to cook should have in their kitchen, no exceptions? (Please be specific as possible, we love to know brands!)
#1 Your highest priority should be one great knife.
#2 For years people avoided nonstick, but the technology has changed, and nontoxic nonstick is here! It simply makes cooking so much easier. My go-to is my Made In 12-inch pan.
#3 They also make a great Dutch Oven, a must-have in the kitchen (and spectacular for a wedding gift). It’s something you’ll use the rest of your life.
#4 I love my wooden spoons.
#5 It’s important to have good tongs.
#6 Good balsamic vinegar
#7 Some kosher salt
#8 Good quality olive oil
#9 Cloth napkins! Cloth napkins make your food taste better!
#10 Beautiful kitchen jewelry will also make cooking and eating more enjoyable. You don’t have to spend a lot of money—you can pick up beautiful items at vintage stores or World Market.
You can see all these things lined up in a row for your culinary pleasure here:
4. People, us included, are daunted by meal prep. It’s usually done on a Sunday, and we don’t want to feel like our blessèd day off is spent chopping freaking celery. Any tips on reaping the benefits while not spending every minute of our downtime in the kitchen?
Here's the thing: you’re going to need to make lifelong friends with cooking! Rather than feeling daunted by it, on your blessèd day off, put a little love into your food! Listen to some music or an audiobook and get chopping.
Food cooked with love is going to taste better than food cooked in a rush. Consider it an investment in your own happiness, because delicious, healthful food makes us feel better!
And remember to cook smart. If you’re making my Chicken Piccata or Chicken Paillard, cook extra chicken cutlets and use them the next day for a sandwich. Make a pork tenderloin and cook an extra to use throughout the week, whether you’re making tacos, salad, or a sandwich. Leftovers are always lovely - you’ll thank yourself!
5. How the f*%k do you cook a chicken breast easily so that it doesn’t get dry and gross? In a pan feels impossible. It’s either rubbery or raw. What’s the ticket to a juicy breast?!
First, it absolutely has to be bone-in, skin-on. Second, don’t be afraid of salt, and third, baste, baste, baste! Keep the juices flowing right back into your chicken.
Here are 3 foolproof recipes:
The Sizzling Chicken: My “Sizzling Everyday Roasted Chicken Breasts” are pretty phenomenal, and any non-cook can master them. Make a few extra breasts, and you’ll have the next day’s meal prep done!
The Crispy Passport Chicken: I love to marinate this chicken ahead of time and sauté it all week as needed. Whether you’re making a red pepper sandwich, a chopped salad, or a chicken taco, you’ll be thrilled to have the chicken ready to cook.
The Heroine Chicken: Named because you’re a hero every time you make it, and it’s really good for meal prep because you do it on a Sunday, and then on Tuesday night, you just stick it in the oven.
6. What’s a cooking secret you’ll only tell us? Yes, yes you’re a bestseller author and Instagram phenomenon, but still. Just whisper it in our ear.
In my No Crumbs Left cookbook, I actually have 48 amazing cooking secrets called Teri’s Tips, but I especially like number 25: You will have a happier life if you find joy in the kitchen (and that’s also true in the bedroom).
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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We have to eat.
