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I picked up two bits of information in some articles that listed some of the things that have a negative effect on food that we cook. One of them has to do with meat, and the major point was that meat will cook better and be tastier if you allow it to come to room temperature before cooking it.

This made me nervous, I will admit, because a lifetime of being aware of food-borne illness--and experiencing it, which is no fun--has conditioned me to keep meat cold. But the article that I read pointed out that you can set a time, such as two hours before cooking, and take out your meat for that interval only. Not that I would let a whole chicken sit out on the counter all day, but I'm just saying.

So in the event that I prepare to cook something like a Thanksgiving turkey or a roasting chicken, I will give it two to three hours after thawing (if necessary) to come to room temperature.

A side issue in the article that I read also pointed out that the idea that searing meat on the outside will prevent the juices from being lost is a fallacy. Meat loses its juices through prolonged cooking or because it is stabbed repeatedly with meat thermometers or cooking forks. So if you want your meat to be tender and juicy, cook it carefully and don't violate the outside sear with punctures.

The other tip has to do with vegetables: get a http://www.examiner.com/topic/steamer/articles