Salt & Pepper "To Taste"

I have a friend who recently told me that she wanted to try my recipe for Spinach Balls, but was intimidated by the fact that I don't have an exact amount of bread crumbs to use in the recipe. Although I plan on going back and tweaking that recipe to get a better estimate so I can list an amount in the recipe, I was surprised to learn that a recipe could intimidate anyone.

So I got to thinking. Dangerous, I know.

Many recipes use the instructions "salt/pepper to taste", but that's a pretty ambiguous statement. For starters, if you don't put any salt in most recipes, they come out tasting flat. Salt is a flavor enhancer, and should be used in most recipes - especially ones that are not sweet. However, if you go overboard and add too much salt, you've got a really salty meal that will end up in the trash. So if you are one of those people that don't know what your "taste" is, here are some tips to help you figure it out - without ruining your meal.

First, I am one of those that uses a seasoning blend for most of my dishes rather than just plain salt and pepper. For years, my choice has been Nature's Seasons which is made by Morton's. I prefer it because it is a blend of salt, pepper, and other seasonings such as garlic and onion that add a richer flavor to my dish. It is also MSG-free, and relatively inexpensive. You can buy it at almost any grocery store for just a couple of dollars. However, if you want to stick with just plain salt and pepper, you go right ahead.

The second thing you need to do is be willing to try your food while it's cooking. That means don't try to "salt/pepper to taste" a dish that has raw meat or chicken in it. Gross. It's better to learn on a dish like Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese. I know it'll be tough to make yourself sample a dish like that, but you can suffer through it.

Finally, you will need to actually sprinkle some of the salt/pepper or seasoning blend onto the dish. Start light. You can always add more seasoning to your recipe, but you will be hard-pressed trying to fix the recipe should you over-salt it. For most timid cooks, however, this isn't an issue. It takes a lot of salt-shaking to kill most recipes, so don't think an extra sprinkle is going to ruin you. Sprinkle an even coating over the top and mix well. Sample your dish. If it doesn't taste good or seems like something is missing, sprinkle a little more seasoning. Once you have the dish where you like it, consider how much you have probably put it. Are you one of those that likes salty food? If so, you can be a little more generous when cooking those dishes that you don't want to sample while cooking - like meatballs or scrambled eggs. If it didn't take much sprinkling for you to be satisfied, go a little lighter. Once you get a little practice under your belt, you'll be sprinkling happily along without giving it a second thought. I promise.