*Too salty?? Add cut raw potatoes to soups or vegetables and then discard once they have cooked and absorbed the salt. A teaspoon of each of cider vinegar and sugar added to salty soup or vegetables will also remedy the salty situation.
*Two drops of yellow food coloring added to boiling noodles will make them look homemade.
*Vinegar brought to a boil in a new frying will prevent foods from sticking.
*When cooking any kind of strawberry dessert, add a splash of aged balsamic to the recipe to enhance the flavor of the strawberries.
*You can correct greasy gravy by adding a little of baking soda to it.
*Ice cubes will eliminate the fat from soup and stew. Just drop a few into the pot and stir; the fat will cling to the cubes; discard the cubes before they melt. Or, wrap ice cubes in a paper towel or cheese cloth and skim over the top.
*If you need only 1/2 onion, save the root half. It will last longer
*If your cake recipe calls for nuts, heat them first in the oven, then dust with flour before adding to the batter to keep from settling to the bottom of the pan.
*Instead of the water your recipe calls for, try juice, bouillon or water you've cooked vegetables in. Instead of milk try buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream. It can add a whole new flavor and improve nutrition.
*Drain deep fried foods on brown paper grocery bags as opposed to a paper towel to retain crispiness.
*Egg whites should always be at room temperature before whipping. Be certain there is no yolk in the whites and that the bowl and beaters are perfectly clean. Cream on the other hand, should be well chilled. For the largest volume, chill bowl and beaters before whipping.
*Freeze tomato paste in the can. Open both ends and punch out the paste. Wrap the frozen paste in foil and freeze, then slice off what you need as you need it.
*If a recipe calls for 1 cups sour cream, you may substitute 1 cup cottage cheese blended until smooth with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/3 cup buttermilk.
*Chefs pound meat not to tenderize the meat, but to help even the meat so it cooks evenly.
*Choosing eggs..fresh eggs' shells are rough and chalky; old eggs are smooth and shiny.
*Cookie will spread if your dough is too pliable by allowing butter to get too soft. If you cookies are spreading too much, try refrigerating the dough for a couple of hours before baking.
*Cure for headaches...take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
*Don't just keep dental floss in your medicine cabinet. Keep some in the kitchen, it's a great deal. Unflavored floss is often better than a knife to cleanly cut all kinds of soft foods, cheese, rolled dough, layered and cheese cakes.
*A few drops of lemon added to simmering rice will keep the grains separate.
*A roast with the bone in it will cook faster than a boneless roast, the bone carries the heat to the inside of the roast quicker.
*A simple way to sharpen kitchen shears....cut a piece of steel wool.
*Add a small amount of lemon juice to the artichoke cooking water to retain the color of the artichoke.
*Bread will stay fresh longer if a celery rib stored with it in the package.
*Cheese won't harden if you butter the exposed edges before storing.
*A dampened paper towel or terry cloth brushed downward on a cob of corn will remove every strand of corn silk.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Kitchen Tips and Tricks
I recently had to teach a food class for church. So I figured everyone loves to learn fun little tips and tricks around the kitchen. This is what I came up with....
*If using frozen rhubarb measure rhubarb while still frozen, then thaw completely. Drain in a colander; but do not press liquid out.
*Try to enjoy corn on the cob the day it's purchased as the sugars begin converting to starch as soon as its picked. If you need to store it, keep corn in its husks in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
*Try cooking corn on cob in the microwave. Pull down the husks of each cob about halfway, remove as much of the silk as you can and rinse the cobs in cool water. Then pull the husks back up and nuke each cob for 3 to 4 minutes. Comes out perfectly every time.
*Here's a great way to freeze corn. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons salt to a quart of water; bring to a boil. Add 4 quarts of corn kernels bring to a boil again. Remove from heat, drain well Measure into bags; and freeze.
*Silk to corn ratio: The more silk you see hanging out an ear of corn the more kernels you'll find beneath the husk.
*If you have left over cookies without frosting. Put them in a food processor/chop and make cookie crumb. Keep in a tightly sealed jar. When you need a pie shell. Use these crumbs in place of graham crackers. Use 2 cups crumbs, 1/2 stick melted butter for a 9 inch pie plate. Bake or 10 minutes t 250. No sugar is needed. Mixing chocolate cookies in make a nice tasting shell. It's fast and easy too.
*When a range in a cooking time is provided, this accounts for variables such as thickness of meat, how full the slow cooker is and the temperature of the food going into the cooker. As you become more familiar with your slow cooker, you'll be better able to judge which end of the range to use.
*It's helpful to freeze honey to keep it from crystallizing. It will never freeze solid since the moisture content is low. It will, however become thick and sludgy until thawed to room temperature, when it should return to its original consistency. When buying a large amount of honey divide it into freezer proof containers and freeze. When needed, defrost at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
*To get rid of "fishy" flavors with just about any type of fish, cover it with milk. Let it soak for 30-90 minutes and cook as directed. This seems to get rid of some of the "fishy" taste.
*To prevent the edges of a flank steak from curling when broiling or grilling, source the surface with shallow diagonal cuts, making diamond shapes. This helps tenderize the met as well.
*For fast homemade freezer waffles, bake and cool on a wire rack; freeze in a single layer.
*Let raw potatoes stand in cold water for at least half an hour before frying to improve the crispiness of french fried potatoes.
*Marshmallows won't dry out when frozen.
*Pancakes are lighter and fluffier when you substitute club soda for milk in the batter.
*Poke a hole in the middle of the hamburger patties while shaping them. The burger will cook faster and the hole will disappear when done.
*Save your butter wrapper in the freezer to use for greasing pans when baking.
*Sunlight doesn't ripen tomatoes, warmth does. Store tomatoes with stems pointed down and they will stay fresher, longer.
*The best way to store fresh celery is to wrap it in aluminum foil and put it in the refrigerator...it will keep for weeks.
*To determine if an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh; if it rises to the surface, throw it away.
*To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
*To make lighter and fluffier mashed potatoes, add a pinch or two of baking powder to the potatoes before whipping.
*If using frozen rhubarb measure rhubarb while still frozen, then thaw completely. Drain in a colander; but do not press liquid out.
*Try to enjoy corn on the cob the day it's purchased as the sugars begin converting to starch as soon as its picked. If you need to store it, keep corn in its husks in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
*Try cooking corn on cob in the microwave. Pull down the husks of each cob about halfway, remove as much of the silk as you can and rinse the cobs in cool water. Then pull the husks back up and nuke each cob for 3 to 4 minutes. Comes out perfectly every time.
*Here's a great way to freeze corn. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons salt to a quart of water; bring to a boil. Add 4 quarts of corn kernels bring to a boil again. Remove from heat, drain well Measure into bags; and freeze.
*Silk to corn ratio: The more silk you see hanging out an ear of corn the more kernels you'll find beneath the husk.
*If you have left over cookies without frosting. Put them in a food processor/chop and make cookie crumb. Keep in a tightly sealed jar. When you need a pie shell. Use these crumbs in place of graham crackers. Use 2 cups crumbs, 1/2 stick melted butter for a 9 inch pie plate. Bake or 10 minutes t 250. No sugar is needed. Mixing chocolate cookies in make a nice tasting shell. It's fast and easy too.
*When a range in a cooking time is provided, this accounts for variables such as thickness of meat, how full the slow cooker is and the temperature of the food going into the cooker. As you become more familiar with your slow cooker, you'll be better able to judge which end of the range to use.
*It's helpful to freeze honey to keep it from crystallizing. It will never freeze solid since the moisture content is low. It will, however become thick and sludgy until thawed to room temperature, when it should return to its original consistency. When buying a large amount of honey divide it into freezer proof containers and freeze. When needed, defrost at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
*To get rid of "fishy" flavors with just about any type of fish, cover it with milk. Let it soak for 30-90 minutes and cook as directed. This seems to get rid of some of the "fishy" taste.
*To prevent the edges of a flank steak from curling when broiling or grilling, source the surface with shallow diagonal cuts, making diamond shapes. This helps tenderize the met as well.
*For fast homemade freezer waffles, bake and cool on a wire rack; freeze in a single layer.
*Let raw potatoes stand in cold water for at least half an hour before frying to improve the crispiness of french fried potatoes.
*Marshmallows won't dry out when frozen.
*Pancakes are lighter and fluffier when you substitute club soda for milk in the batter.
*Poke a hole in the middle of the hamburger patties while shaping them. The burger will cook faster and the hole will disappear when done.
*Save your butter wrapper in the freezer to use for greasing pans when baking.
*Sunlight doesn't ripen tomatoes, warmth does. Store tomatoes with stems pointed down and they will stay fresher, longer.
*The best way to store fresh celery is to wrap it in aluminum foil and put it in the refrigerator...it will keep for weeks.
*To determine if an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh; if it rises to the surface, throw it away.
*To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
*To make lighter and fluffier mashed potatoes, add a pinch or two of baking powder to the potatoes before whipping.
Freezing vegetables from your garden
We always plant a garden every year with lots of vegetables but by the time everything is ripe I am trying to give it away because I don't want it to go bad. So this I did some research on how to freeze the stuff we plant. This what I have found so far.
Freezing whole ingredients:
It's important to freeze vegetables when they're at their peak of flavor. Wash the vegetables well and trim or cut into desire size. Blanch them in a large pot of boiling water until bright green or slightly tender, depending on the vegetable. Shock the blanched vegetables in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Remove from ice water and dry thoroughly. Freeze in labeled freezer bags or freezer safe containers. Enjoy your summer harvest all winter long.
Here is some of what we have planted in garden this year and instructions on how to freeze them properly:
Asparagus: wash and cut of any spears and woody parts. Cut in half and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. Let cool in ice water for 3 minute and then drain. Put on waxed paper on a cookie sheet, lay the asparagus out on the sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Pack in freezer bags for efficient storage.
Beans: Wash and remove ends. Leave whole or slice 1/2" lengths. Blanch, cool and drain.
Broccoli: Spilt into pieces about 1 1/2" across. Blanch, cool and drain.
Carrots: Scrub and chop any large carrots into smaller pieces, blanch 3 minutes, chill 3 minutes. Freeze in the same matter as the asparagus and pack into freezer bags. Making sure to remove air.
Onions: Peel and either chop or cut into rings. Wrap layers of plastic wrap and store in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months.
Peas: Shell, wash and blanch for 1 minute and chill for one minute. Freeze in the same manner as asparagus and store in freezer bags.
Peppers: Wash, remove seeds and slice into strips. Freeze in the same manner as asparagus and store in freezer bags.
Squash: Wash, cut into small pieces and remove seeds. Cook until soft in boiling water. Remove skin. Mash cool, package and freeze.
Sweet Corn: Clean well,. making sure to remove all the silk. Cut off the top of the cob and wash again. Blanch for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on size and chill for 5 to 7 minutes. Wrap each cob individually in plastic wrap after draining and store in a freezer bag.
Tomatoes: Wash and remove stems. Cut into halves, quarters or leave whole. Dry and pack into freezer bags and freeze.
Cooling:
Completely cool casseroles and sauces for at least 2 hours before putting them in the freezer. Any residual heat will cause condensation and a layer of frost to form on top. The flavor will fall flat after reheating. Also, the temperature will quickly rise if you add anything warm to the freezer causing other foods to thaw and freezer burn to form.
Storing:
Wrap baking dishes tightly with foil and plastic wrap before freezing. Using airtight, small container leaving very little air between the packaging and the food. Using small containers guarantee that the food will freeze faster. Liquids, like thin soups and stocks, will need an inch of room since they expand when they freeze. Use freezer quality products, which will help your food from absorbing other smells in your freezer. Wrap baked goods like muffins in aluminum foil and then into freezer bags. Let pancakes cool completely then stack between layers or parchment and place in a freezer bag. For the best quality, store poultry for 6-9 months, beef 3-4 months, fish between 3-6 months and fruits and vegetables for 8-12 months.
Freezing whole ingredients:
It's important to freeze vegetables when they're at their peak of flavor. Wash the vegetables well and trim or cut into desire size. Blanch them in a large pot of boiling water until bright green or slightly tender, depending on the vegetable. Shock the blanched vegetables in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Remove from ice water and dry thoroughly. Freeze in labeled freezer bags or freezer safe containers. Enjoy your summer harvest all winter long.
Here is some of what we have planted in garden this year and instructions on how to freeze them properly:
Asparagus: wash and cut of any spears and woody parts. Cut in half and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. Let cool in ice water for 3 minute and then drain. Put on waxed paper on a cookie sheet, lay the asparagus out on the sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Pack in freezer bags for efficient storage.
Beans: Wash and remove ends. Leave whole or slice 1/2" lengths. Blanch, cool and drain.
Broccoli: Spilt into pieces about 1 1/2" across. Blanch, cool and drain.
Carrots: Scrub and chop any large carrots into smaller pieces, blanch 3 minutes, chill 3 minutes. Freeze in the same matter as the asparagus and pack into freezer bags. Making sure to remove air.
Onions: Peel and either chop or cut into rings. Wrap layers of plastic wrap and store in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months.
Peas: Shell, wash and blanch for 1 minute and chill for one minute. Freeze in the same manner as asparagus and store in freezer bags.
Peppers: Wash, remove seeds and slice into strips. Freeze in the same manner as asparagus and store in freezer bags.
Squash: Wash, cut into small pieces and remove seeds. Cook until soft in boiling water. Remove skin. Mash cool, package and freeze.
Sweet Corn: Clean well,. making sure to remove all the silk. Cut off the top of the cob and wash again. Blanch for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on size and chill for 5 to 7 minutes. Wrap each cob individually in plastic wrap after draining and store in a freezer bag.
Tomatoes: Wash and remove stems. Cut into halves, quarters or leave whole. Dry and pack into freezer bags and freeze.
Cooling:
Completely cool casseroles and sauces for at least 2 hours before putting them in the freezer. Any residual heat will cause condensation and a layer of frost to form on top. The flavor will fall flat after reheating. Also, the temperature will quickly rise if you add anything warm to the freezer causing other foods to thaw and freezer burn to form.
Storing:
Wrap baking dishes tightly with foil and plastic wrap before freezing. Using airtight, small container leaving very little air between the packaging and the food. Using small containers guarantee that the food will freeze faster. Liquids, like thin soups and stocks, will need an inch of room since they expand when they freeze. Use freezer quality products, which will help your food from absorbing other smells in your freezer. Wrap baked goods like muffins in aluminum foil and then into freezer bags. Let pancakes cool completely then stack between layers or parchment and place in a freezer bag. For the best quality, store poultry for 6-9 months, beef 3-4 months, fish between 3-6 months and fruits and vegetables for 8-12 months.
Know Your Eggs
Know your Eggs
If you aren't able to raise your own chickens, them get the eggs you want from your local local market.
I have always wondered what is the difference between conventional eggs and cage free eggs? I did some research and this is what I found...
Conventional: Hens live in stacked cages, usually four to eight chickens to a cage with at least 67 square inches of floor space per chicken.
Cage Free: Hens live on the flour of a barn rather than the outdoors or in cages.
Free Range: Hens live outdoors or have limited access to the outdoors.
Organic: Hens are fed vegetables grown without any antibiotics, growth hormones or commercial fertilizers.
Omega 3: Hens are fed a diet containing flax seed, which produce eggs slightly more polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Father's Day Dessert Volcano Cake
Volcano Cake
Cream mixture:
8oz cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, room temperature
2 cups 4x or 10x sugar
Cake:
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup pecan
1 box German chocolate cake mix
10 bite sized almond joy (I used normal size and cut them in half.)
Glaze:
4 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
For the cream mixture:
Beat ingredients together with an electric mixture. Set aside until ready to use.
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 13x9x2 pan.
Line bottom of greased pan with coconut flakes. Sprinkle with pecans on top of coconut. Set aside. Follow directions on back of box to prepare cake. Fold in candy bites. Pour into cake pan. Evenly space dollops of cream cheese mixture on top of the cake. When the cake cooks the cream will sink down to the bottom. This will be your "volcano" of flavor. Place in oven for 40 to 50 minutes. While cake is still hot spread the glaze evenly over the cake.
The glaze:
In a small sauce, melt butter over medium low heat. Whisk cocoa powder and add milk until you get a thin consistency. If glaze is too thick add more milk. While bringing butter and milk mixture to a boil, whisk in confectioners' sugar and almond extract. Glaze should be thin. Remove from heat and allow to cool before using.
Fathers Day Dinner 3 Recipes will be in this post.
Homemade Blue cheese Dressing
(I don't normally like blue cheese dressing but I loved this. My hubby loves it.)
3/4 Cup mayo
3 Tablespoon sour cream
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
pinch of onion powder
8oz Gorgonzola cheese
2 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon buttermilk
In a large bowl mix all ingredients together and refrigerate.
Why Gorgonzola cheese instead of blue cheese?
I learned that most blue cheese dressing and restaurants don't use blue cheese because most people complain that is too strong of taste so Gorgonzola cheese is a milder version of blue cheese.
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
1 pound bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 pounds fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.
In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium high heat until crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon from pan, leaving as much grease in the pan as possible. Set aside on paper towel.
In a large bow, combine potatoes, fennel, and onion. Pour reserved bacon grease over mixture tossing gently to coat. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon mixture in an even layer onto prepared baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes. Stir occasionally or until potatoes are browned and tender. Add reserved bacon, tossing gently to combine.
Southern Style Steak
1 stick, plus 2 tablespoon butter room temperature, divided
4 large vidalia onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola
4 8oz beef steaks (I used boneless ribeyes)
Salt and pepper
Preheat grill to medium high heat. Spray grill with nonstick nonflammable cooking spray.
In a large saucepan melt 2 tablespoons butter medium low heat. Add onions and cook stirring frequently for 20 minutes, or until onions are caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine 1 stick of butter and Gorgonzola cheese; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Sprinkle steaks evenly with salt and pepper. Grill steaks, covered with grill lid for 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until desired degree of doneness. Transfer to serving plate and let sit 5 minutes. Serve steak with caramelized onions and Gorgonzola butter.
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