10. Cook with what is in season.  It just tastes better.
Lots of people say this, and while I don’t hold to it religiously, it’s a really good rule of thumb.  It’s February 1, so you won’t catch me making caprese salad (winter tomatoes are blah) or anything with fresh berries.  Citrus, squash and beets, on the other hand?  For sure.

9. Season every layer/component of a dish.
When you only season your food at the end, the flavors don’t have a chance to get all the way through your dish.  Salt especially seems to just sit on the outside.  If you season as you go, the flavor is enhanced throughout.  So, for a lasagna, season your pasta water, ricotta mixture, meat and sauce.

8. Don’t flip your meat before it’s ready.
If your chicken breast is stuck to the pan or grill grates, DO NOT YANK IT OFF. As long as you’ve oiled your pan or grates, the meat will release when it is cooked on that side.  Yanking it just tears up the meat and destroys those pretty little grill marks.

7. Let your meat rest.
Ten minutes or so is all that most meat needs, unless you’re cooking a big roast or a Thanksgiving turkey.  The juices will redistribute and your meat will be so much more tender and juicy when you cut into it.  But for the love of all things good and holy, please don’t forget that it continues to cook while it’s sitting there for those 10 minutes and then blame me when it’s overcooked.  Factor that cooking time into your recipe.

6. Use the right size pan to cook things in.
You just can’t boil a pound of pasta in a little sauce pan. Sorry. It’s true.

5. Use the right temperature to cook things at.
“Low and slow” makes the best French toast, grilled cheese and quesadillas. Impatience burns things. (I think there is a life lesson in there somewhere.)

4. Real parmesan and fresh parsley are worth the cost.
Enough said.

3. Those 351 different gadgets you have to cut an avocado, peel a pineapple, slice an apple, chop an onion, etc, etc, etc, can all be replaced by one decent set of knives.
And they don’t need to be top-of-the-line, $5000 knives. Just a decent set that you can keep sharp.

2. Your guests will not have more fun if you make everything from scratch.
This one is borrowed from Ina Garten, and it is so true. Honestly, they probably won’t even be able to tell the difference.

1. Don’t try a new recipe when you’re having guests over.
I still can’t seem to listen to my own advice on this one. And I usually kick myself for the added stress it causes me while I’m cooking. I much prefer to relax while I make something I know will be good, than question whether a new recipe will be as good as the reviews said it would be.