Chefs share their best tricks for making 16 foods everyone should know how to cook

Whether they’re baking a basic birthday cake or properly blanching vegetables, all adults should know how to make certain foods. But that isn’t always the case, and many people have gaps in their cooking knowledge.

To help you make those key dishes even better, Insider asked three professional chefs how to upgrade 16 foods everyone should know how to cook.

Read on to see what they had to say.

Make super creamy mashed potatoes by boiling the potatoes in milk instead of water 

To step up your mashed potatoes, boil the potatoes in salted milk instead of water, said Sara Hauman, the head chef at Soter Vineyards in Carlton, Oregon.

“After the potatoes have cooked, drain them and add soft butter to make super creamy — not even remotely greasy — mashed potatoes,” Hauman said. “For even more creaminess, add sour cream or cream cheese.”

Use mayonnaise on the outside of your bread for a great grilled cheese

Hauman said the trick for a great grilled cheese is using mayonnaise instead of butter on the outsides of the bread. The milk solids in butter tend to burn, she explained.

Also, make sure you’re cooking your grilled cheese on medium heat to get the ultimate melted-cheese pull, Hauman said.

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