How To Use A Lemon Zester & Channeler

This short video on How To Use A Lemon Zester & Channeler is very useful when you're attempting to be a little fancy with your meal presentation.

Always Enjoy!

Fast Facts About Eggs

Eggalicious!

Let’s talk about these wonderful little ovals that come in small, medium and large but never complain about their size or weight. They aren’t complaining little whiners who get all bent out of shape when you fold them in half. They don’t call the authorities when you beat them or flip them over on their little heads. You can even spin them around and they never get dizzy. They don’t sass you when you take them from the frying pan to the skillet. They don’t even lose their place when you try to scramble them up. They’re very affectionate and love it when you coddle them. They don’t shy away from poachers…they love to invite them. Although they love to cuddle up with each other, they don’t mind socializing with others. They have great little personalities and always wake up on the sunny side of their little beds. They never vie for their own space and are perfectly happy to remain wherever you put them. They never, ever worry about consequences when they’re in hot water. But…don’t let them fool you…they can be mighty devilish at times!

Tips & Techniques

Q: How can I tell the difference between a raw and cooked egg besides cracking it?
A: Spin each one on your counter (or any hard, flat surface). The one that spins is cooked.

Q: Do white eggs taste different then brown eggs?
A: No. The difference in color stems from the color of the hen’s ear lobes. Hens with cream-colored ear lobes lay white-shelled eggs, while hens with red ear lobes lay brown-shelled eggs. They are both equally nutritious.

Q: Does it matter how long you keep eggs?
A: It most certainly does. You should always try to find the freshest eggs. An egg is fresh when the shattered pieces are minimal when breaking. If the breaking of the egg causes a lot of little cracks, it means that there’s a thick membrane under the shell and the egg is old.

Q: Is it okay to eat eggs with double yolks?
A: Absolutely. Double yolks are due to hormonal changes during a hen’s reproductive life. They’re safe to eat and cook with.

Q: I hate when I drop an egg on the floor! It’s so hard to clean up and sometimes the dog’s not around.
A: Pour a little hill of salt over the egg and leave it for 10-15 minutes. It’ll pick right up.

Q: What is that yucky white stringy looking thing in the egg? Is that chicken sperm?
A: The scientific name for these strands is “Chalazae” and they anchor the yolk to the thick center of the white. They are not embryos and need not be removed although some people strain them out.

Q: Why do I see everyone putting salt in the pot before boiling eggs?
A: In addition to adding a bit of flavor, the salt prevents the egg from leaking out if it cracks while boiling.

Q: Can I keep my eggs on the counter like on TV?
A: Not a good idea. Eggs are perishable and should be stored in their carton in the refrigerator.

Q: What about those eggs with spots of blood? Isn’t that a little chicken in there?
A: No. Eggs with a visible spot of blood on the yolk are safe for consumption. Blood spots do not indicate fertilization and can be removed with the tip of a knife. The rupture of a blood vessel during the egg’s formation is responsible for the tiny blood spots.

Q: Can I freeze whole raw eggs?
A: Yes, but not in the shell. Crack the eggs into a bowl and slightly stir to break up the yolk a bit. Don’t incorporate too much air into the eggs. Transfer to a freezer container and label with the date and the number of eggs. They can be frozen for up to a year and should be thawed in the refrigerator prior to use.

Q: Can I freeze raw egg yolks?
A: Yes, but add 1/2-tsp of salt to 1-cup of yolks before freezing. If using them for desserts, add 1-tablespoon of sugar to 1-cup of yolks. This will prevent lumps. Label accordingly.

Q: Can I freeze raw egg whites?
A: Yes. Since raw egg whites do not suffer from freezing, no salt or sugar is needed. Break and separate the eggs one at a time, making sure that no yolk gets into the whites. Pour into ice trays and freeze until firm. Label the container with the date and number of egg whites. Thaw in the fridge before using.

Fresh Egg Conversions (based on a large 2-ounce egg)

Whole eggs: 3 whole eggs = 1/2-cup
1 whole egg = 3 tablespoons
1/2 whole egg = 4 teaspoons

Egg Yolks: 6-7 yolks = 1/2-cup
1 yolk = 1 tablespoon

Egg Whites: 4-6 whites = 1/2 cup
1 white = 2 tablespoons

Always Enjoy!

How Do I Choose Foods That Go Together?

Let’s try this analogy. When you’re choosing something to wear, you try to choose clothing that will compliment the season, your coloring, the shape of your body and so forth.

The same factors apply to food selection and preparation. Just as you wouldn’t wear shorts and sandals in a wintry, snowy climate…you wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) want to serve your guests’ ice cream sundaes or Popsicles for dessert on a frosty evening. Beginning the meal with a rich, creamy hot soup and ending it with a warm bread pudding would probably be more appreciated.

Although colors aren’t directly related to taste, a visually appealing dish plays an important role when revving up the taste buds. Just as you probably wouldn’t choose to wear orange from head to toe, it’s probably just as important to create a meal that doesn’t consist only of mashed potatoes, rice and pasta.

Think about how much more visually appealing it will be to enhance your mashed potatoes with dots of yellow butter and flecks of fresh green parsley to accompany a piece of orange salmon and green Brussels sprouts on the side. Or fluffy yellow rice topped with pink shrimp and garnished with green cilantro and thin strips of red and green bell pepper. And finally, white linguini pasta topped with little brown meatballs with grated orange cheddar cheese and snipped green chives on top.

Additionally, the shape of food must be complimentary. If your meal consists of string beans, French fries and hot dogs…you have a pretty boring plate made up of long, narrow foods. More complimentary choices might include string beans, a rib eye steak and a dollop of mashed potatoes. This combination includes our shape and color enhancement along with the following factor of texture.

Now we look at the texture of your food choices as we apply it to your attire. It’s highly doubtful that you’ll make an impressive fashion statement by wearing polyester from head to toe. The same concept applies when attempting to make a dramatic statement with food.

Using a variety of textures in your selection of foods, will not only be visually appealing to your guests, but will also have a pleasing affect on their taste buds. When you serve a soup starter, you usually serve crusty bread or a crisp salad to accompany it. Or with pie or cobbler, you’d serve a smooth and creamy whipped cream topping or ice cream, which is usually an excellent compliment when the pie or cobbler has been warmed. So you not only have a variety of texture, but also a variety in temperature, which is very pleasing to the palate.

I hope that these suggestions will be helpful in your meal preparation. Time of year, color, shape and texture are all-important psychological factors to consider when choosing foods that go together. These enhancements will take your tasty meal to the heights of a fabulous meal.

Always Enjoy!

Useful Cooking Terms

Although this list of cooking terms can't possibly cover the vast array of terms used throughout the entire world, I hope that you will find them very useful and helpful in your everyday meal preparation. Now if there's a really, really cool or necessary term that I need to add, just leave me a comment at the bottom of this list and I'll be happy to include it here.

Aerate: Sift or pass through a fine-mesh device to break up large pieces and to incorporate air into the ingredients to make them lighter.

Al dente: Cooked until tender, but slightly firm to the bite.

Au jus: Served in natural unthickened meat juices from roasting.

Bake: To cook, covered or uncovered, usually by dry heat.

Bake Blind: To bake a pastry shell empty, without a filling.

Baste: To brush or spoon liquid fat or juices over meat during roasting to add flavor and to prevent it from drying out.

Batter: A liquid mixture containing flour and other ingredients that can be poured or dropped from a spoon. Also a coating for fried foods.

Beat: To smoothen a mixture by briskly whipping or stirring it with a spoon, fork, wire whisk, rotary beater, or electric mixer.

Bias-slice: To slice food crosswise at a 45-degree angle.

Bind: To thicken a sauce or hot liquid by stirring in ingredients such as eggs, flour, butter, or cream.

Blackened: A popular Cajun-style cooking method in which seasoned foods are cooked over high heat in a super-heated skillet until charred.

Blanch: To boil briefly to loosen the skin of a fruit or vegetable. After 30 seconds in boiling water, the fruit or vegetable should be plunged into ice water to stop the cooking action, and then the skin easily peels off and sets the color and flavor.

Blend: To mix or fold two or more ingredients together to obtain equal distribution throughout the mixture.

Boil: To cook food rapidly in a boiling liquid that is bubbling vigorously.

Bone: To remove bones from meat, poultry, or fish.

Bouquet Garni: Bundle of several herbs tied into cheesecloth used to flavor soups and stews.

Braise: A cooking technique that requires browning meat in oil or other fat and then cooking slowly in liquid to tenderize the meat.

Bread: To coat the food with bread or cracker crumbs (sometimes seasoned) before cooking.

Broil: To cook food directly under the heat source.

Broth or stock: A flavorful liquid made by gently cooking meat, seafood or vegetables (and/or their by-products, such as bones and trimming) often with herbs, in liquid, usually water.

Brown: A quick sautéing, pan/oven broiling, or grilling method done either at the beginning or end of meal preparation, often to enhance flavor, texture, or eye appeal.

Brush: Using a pastry brush, to coat a food such as meat or bread with melted butter, glaze, or other liquid.

Bundt pan: The generic name for any tube-baking pan having fluted sides (though it was once a trademarked name).

Butterfly: To cut open a food such as pork chops down the center without cutting all the way through, and then spread apart.

Carmelization: Browning sugar over a flame or cooking onions until sweet and golden, with or without the addition of some water to aid the process.

Chiffon: Pie filling made light and fluffy with stabilized gelatin and beaten egg whites.

Chill: To refrigerate food or let stand in ice or ice water until cold.

Chop: To cut food into irregular pieces.

Clarify: Remove impurities from butter or stock by heating the liquid, then straining or skimming it.

Coat: To evenly cover food with flour, crumbs, or a batter.

Coat a spoon: Stage reached by a thickened liquid mixture when it leaves a thin film on the back of a metal spoon.

Coddle: A cooking method in which foods (such as eggs) are put in separate containers and placed in a pan of simmering water for slow, gentle cooking.

Combine: To blend two or more ingredients into a single mixture.

Confit: To slowly cook pieces of meat in their own gently rendered fat.

Condiment: A sauce, relish, or spice used to season food at the table.

Core: To remove the inedible center of fruits such as pineapples.

Cream: To beat vegetable shortening, butter, or margarine, with or without sugar, until light and fluffy. This process traps in air bubbles, later used to create height in cookies and cakes.

Crepes: Wafer-thin pancakes.

Crimp: To create a decorative edge on a piecrust. On a double piecrust, this also seals the edges together.

Crisp: To restore the crunch to foods, vegetables such as celery and carrots can be crisped with an ice water bath, and foods such as stale crackers can be heated in a medium oven.

Crush: To condense a food to its smallest particles, usually using a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin.

Crystallize: To form sugar or honey-based syrups into crystals. The term also describes the coating.

Cube: To cut into small cubes (about 1/2-inch). In meats, to tenderize by pounding with a special tool that imprints a small checkered pattern on the surface, breaking tough fibers to tenderize the meat.

Curd: Custard-like pie or tart filling flavored with juice and zest of citrus fruit, usually lemon, although lime or orange may also be used.

Curdle: To cause semisolid pieces of coagulated protein to develop in food, usually as the result of the addition of an acid substance, or the overheating of milk or egg-based sauces.

Cure: To preserve or add flavor with an ingredient, usually salt and/or sugar.

Custard: A mixture of beaten egg, milk, and possibly other ingredients such as sweet or savory flavorings, which is cooked with gentle heat, often in a water bath or double boiler. As pie filling, the custard is frequently cooked and chilled before being layered into a prebaked crust.

Cut in: To distribute solid fat into dry ingredients with a pastry blender (or two knives scissor-fashion) until particles are desired size.

Dash: A very small amount approximately equal to 1/16th teaspoon.

Deep-fry: To completely submerge the food in hot oil.

Deglaze: To add liquid to a pan in which foods have been fried or roasted, in order to dissolve the caramelized juices stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Degrease: To skim fat from the surface of a liquid.

Devil: To add hot or spicy ingredients such as cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce to a food.

Dice: To cut into very small pieces (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch).

Direct heat: A cooking method that allows heat to meet food directly such as grilling, broiling or toasting.

Dot: To scatter bits of an ingredient, such as butter, over surface of food.

Dough: A combination of ingredients including flour, water or milk, and sometimes, a leavener, producing a firm but workable mixture for baked goods.

Dredge: To sprinkle lightly and evenly with sugar or flour. A dredger has holes pierced on the lid to sprinkle evenly.

Drippings: Used for gravies and sauces, drippings are the fluids left in the bottom of a roasting or frying pan after meat is cooked.

Drizzle: To pour a liquid such as a sweet glaze or melted butter in a slow, light trickle over food.

Dust: To sprinkle food lightly with spices, sugar, or flour for a light coating.

Egg wash: A mixture of beaten eggs (yolks, whites, or whole eggs) with either milk or water. Used to coat cookies and other baked goods to give them a shine when baked.

Emulsion: A mixture of liquids, one being a fat or oil and the other being water based so that tiny globules of one are suspended in the other. This may involve the use of stabilizers such as egg or mustard. Emulsions may be temporary or permanent.

Entrée: A French term that originally referred to the first course of the meal, served after the soup and before the meat courses. In the United States, it refers to the main dish of the meal.

Fat: Generic term for butter, margarine, lard, vegetable shortening; also the rendered drippings of meat and fowl.

Fillet: To remove the bones of meat or fish for cooking.

Filter: To remove lumps, excess liquid, or impurities by passing through paper or cheesecloth.

Fines Herbes: Equal amounts of fresh or dried parsley, tarragon, chervil, and chives.

Firm-ball stage: In candy making, the point where boiling syrup dropped in cold water forms a ball that is compact yet gives slightly to the touch.

Flake: To lightly break into small, thin pieces, with tines of a fork.

Flambé: To ignite a sauce or other liquid so that it flames.

Flan: An open pie filled with sweet or savory ingredients; also, a Spanish dessert or baked custard covered with caramel.

Floret: A small flower, one of a cluster of composite flowers as in broccoli or cauliflower.

Flute: To create a decorative scalloped or undulating edge on a piecrust or other pastry.

Fold: To gently combine a light, delicate, aerated substance, such as whipped cream or beaten egg whites into a heavier mixture.

Freeze: To chill rapidly at 0-degrees until solid.

Fricassee: Usually a stew in which the meat is cut up, lightly cooked in butter, and then simmered in liquid until done.

Fritter: Sweet or savory foods coated or mixed into batter, then deep-fried (also, in French, beignet).

Frizzle: To cook thin slices of meat in hot oil until crisp and slightly curly.

Fry: To cook food in hot cooking oil, usually until a crisp brown crust forms.

Ganache: A rich chocolate filling or coating made with chocolate, vegetable shortening, and possibly heavy cream. It can coat cakes or cookies, and be used as a filling for truffles.

Garnish: A decorative piece of an edible ingredient such as parsley, lemon wedges, croutons, or chocolate curls placed as a finishing touch to dishes or drinks.

Gel: To congeal, becoming firm enough to retain the shape of its container.

Glaze: A liquid that gives an item a shiny surface.

Gluten: A protein formed when hard wheat flour is moistened and agitated. Gluten is what gives yeast dough its characteristic elasticity.

Grate: To shred or cut down a food into fine pieces by rubbing it against a rough surface.

Gratin: To bind together or combine food with a liquid such as cream, milk, béchamel sauce, or tomato sauce, in a shallow dish. The mixture is then baked until cooked and set.

Grease: To rub fat or oil on surface of utensil to prevent food from sticking.

Grill: To cook on a rack over direct heat.

Hard-ball stage: In candy making, the point at which syrup has cooked long enough to form a solid ball in cold water.

Hull (also husk): To remove the leafy parts of soft fruits, such as strawberries or blackberries.

Ice: To cool down cooked food by placing in ice; also, to spread frosting on a cake.

Infusion: Extracting flavors by soaking them in liquid heated in a covered pan. The term also refers to the liquid resulting from this process.

Jell (also gel): To cause a food to set or solidify, usually by adding gelatin.

Jerk or Jamaican jerk seasoning: A dry mixture of various spices such as chilies, thyme, garlic, onions, and cinnamon or cloves used to season meats such as chicken or pork.

Julienne: To cut into long, thin strips.

Jus: The natural juices released by roasting meats.

Knead: To work dough with the heels of your hands in a pressing and folding motion until it becomes smooth and elastic.

Larding: Inserting strips of fat into pieces of meat, so that the braised meat stays moist and juicy.

Leavener: An ingredient or process that produces air bubbles and causes the rising of baked goods such as cookies and cakes.

Line: To cover the inside or bottom of a baking dish or pan with parchment paper, waxed paper, or crumbs before adding food.

Loin: A cut of meat that typically comes from the back of the animal.

Marble: To gently swirl one food into the other.

Marinade: A seasoned liquid, usually containing acid, such as vinegar or wine, in which food soaks, tenderizing it and enhancing the flavor.

Marinate: To combine food with aromatic ingredients to add flavor.

Marzipan: A paste (of ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites) used to fill and decorate pastries.

Mash: To beat or press a food to remove lumps and make a smooth texture.

Mask: To cover completely with a sauce, aspic, jelly, mayonnaise, or cream.

Medallion: A small round or oval bit of meat.

Meringue: Eg whites beaten until they are stiff, then sweetened. It can be used as the topping for pies, or baked as cookies.

Mince: To chop food into tiny, irregular pieces.

Mix: To beat or stir two or more foods together until they are thoroughly combined.

Moisten: Adding enough liquid to dry ingredients to dampen but not soak them.

Mull: To slowly heat wine or cider with spices and sugar.

Pan-broil: To cook food in a skillet without added fat, removing any fat as it accumulates.

Pan-fry: To cook in a hot pan with small amount of hot oil, butter, or other fat, turning the food over once or twice.

Parboil: To partly cook in a boiling liquid.

Parchment: A heavy, heat-resistant paper used in cooking.

Pare: To peel or trim a food, usually vegetables.

Peaks: The mounds made in a mixture. For example, egg white that has been whipped to stiffness. Peaks are “stiff” if they stay upright, or “soft” if they curl over.

Peel: To strip, cut off, or pull away skin or rind.

Pesto: A sauce usually made of fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and cheese. The ingredients are finely chopped and then mixed, uncooked, with pasta.

Pinch: Same as dash.

Pipe: To force a semisoft food through a bag (either a pastry bag or a plastic bag with one corner cut off) to decorate food.

Pit: Using a sharp knife to take out the center stone or seed of a fruit, such as a peach or a mango.

Poach: To simmer in liquid.

Precook: To cook food partially or completely before final cooking or reheating.

Preheat: To heat oven or griddle to desired temperature before beginning to cook.

Pressure-cooking: A cooking method that uses steam trapped under a locked lid to produce high temperatures and achieve fast cooking time.

Proof: To let yeast dough rise.

Punch down: To deflate a risen yeast dough by pushing it down with fist to expel air.

Puree’: To sieve or whirl food into a smooth thick mixture.

Ramekin: A small baking dish used for individual services of sweet and savory dishes.

Reconstitute: To take a dried food such as milk back to its original state by adding liquid.

Reduce: To cook liquids down so that some of the water evaporates.

Refresh: To pour cold water over freshly cooked vegetables to prevent further cooking and to retain color.

Render: To melt down fat to make drippings.

Roast: To cook uncovered in the oven.

Roux: A cooked paste usually made from flour and butter used to thicken sauces.

Salad oil: Vegetable oil.

Sauté: To cook food quickly in a small amount of oil in a skillet or sauté pan over direct heat.

Scald: Cooking a liquid such as milk to just below the point of boiling, also used to loosen the skin of fruits or vegetables by dipping them in boiling water.

Score: To tenderize meat by making a number of shallow diagonal cuts across its surface. This technique is also useful in marinating, as it allows for better absorption of the marinade.

Sear: To brown meat briefly over high heat to seal in juices.

Season: To enhance the flavor of foods by adding ingredients such as salt, pepper, oregano, basil, cinnamon, and a variety of other herbs, spices, condiments, and vinegars. Also, to treat a pot or pan (usually cast iron) with a coating of cooking oil and baking in a 350˚F oven for approximately 1 hour (this process seals any tiny rough spots on the pan’s surface that may cause food to stick).

Seize: To form a thick, lumpy mass when melted (usually applies to chocolate).

Set: Let food become solid.

Shortening, solid: A white solid fat made from refined vegetable oil that has been partially hydrogenated, chilled, and whipped.

Shred: To cut or tear into long narrow strips, either by hand or by using a grater or food processor.

Sift: To remove large lumps from a dry ingredient such as flour or confectioners’ sugar by passing through a fine mesh. This process also incorporated air into the ingredients, making them lighter.

Simmer: Cooking food in a liquid at a low enough temperature that small bubbles begin to break the surface.

Skim: To remove the top fat layer from stocks, soups, sauces, or other liquids such as cream from milk.

Springform pan: A two-part baking pan in which a spring-loaded collar fits around a base, the collar is removed after baking is complete. Used for foods that may be difficult to remove from regular pans, such as cheesecake.

Steam: To cook in water vapors, on a rack or in a steam basket, in a covered pan above boiling water. This method keeps foods’ shape, texture, and nutritional value intact better than methods such as boiling.

Steep: To soak dry ingredients (tea leaves, ground coffee, herbs, spices, etc.) in liquid until the flavor is infused into the liquid.

Stewing: Browning small pieces of meat, poultry, or fish, then simmering them with vegetables or other ingredients in enough liquid to cover them, usually in a closed pot on the stove, in the oven, or with a slow cooker.

Stir: Using a spoon or whisk in a broad circular motion, to mix ingredients without beating, or to prevent them from sticking.

Stir-fry: The fast frying of small pieces of meat and vegetables over a very high heat with continual and rapid stirring.

Tart: A shallow open-faced pie with a filling.

Tent: To cover meat or poultry loosely with a piece of foil.

Texture: The structural quality of a food…roughness, smoothness, graininess, or creaminess.

Thin: To reduce a mixture’s thickness with the addition of more liquid.

Toss: To mix lightly but rapidly by lifting and turning ingredients with two forks or spoons.

Truss: To secure poultry or meat with skewers or string so that it will retain its shape during cooking.

Unleavened: Baked goods that contain no agents to give them volume, such as baking powder, baking soda, or yeast.

Vinaigrette: A general term referring to any sauce made with vinegar, oil, and seasonings.

Water bath: A gentle cooking technique in which a container is set in a pan of simmering water.

Whip: To incorporate air into ingredients such as cream or egg whites by beating until light and fluffy, also refers to the utensil used for this action.

Whisk: To mix or fluff by beating with a wire whisk until blended and smooth.

Yeast: A leavening agent activated by warm water.

Zest: The thin, brightly colored outer part of the rind of citrus fruits. It contains volatile oils, used as a flavoring.

Always Enjoy!

Common Cooking Methods

The term cooking is the art of preparing food with the aid of heat for eating. It encompasses a vast range of methods, tools and combinations of ingredients to improve the flavor or digestibility of food.

Cooking requires applying heat to a food, which usually, though not always, chemically transforms it, thus changing its flavor, texture, appearance and nutritional properties.

My focus today will be to share with you some (but certainly not all) of the various “cooking” methods used around the world today.

BAKING: the technique of cooking food in an oven by dry heat applied evenly throughout the oven or only from the bottom element.

1. Blind-baking…sometimes called “pre-baking” which refers to the process of baking a piecrust or other pastry without the filling.

2. Broiling…is a process of cooking food with high heat applied directly to the food, most commonly from above.

BOILING: the technique of cooking food in boiling water or other water-based liquid such as stock or milk. Simmering is gentle boiling while in poaching; the liquid moves but scarcely bubbles.

1. Blanching…describes a process of food preparation wherein the food substance, usually a vegetable or fruit, is plunged into boiling water, removed after a brief, timed interval and finally plunged into iced water or placed under cold running water (shocked) to halt the cooking process.

2. Braising…is cooking with “moist heat,” typically in a covered pot with a small amount of liquid, which results in a particular flavor. Braising relies on heat, time, and moisture to successfully break down tough connective tissue and collagens in meat. It is an ideal way to cook tougher meat.

3. Coddling…to heat in water just below the boiling point. The eggs added to a Caesar salad should ideally be coddled. However, coddled eggs are not fully cooked and still present salmonella risk.

4. Poaching…is the process of gently simmering food in liquid, generally water, stock or wine.

5. Pressure Cooking…is a method of cooking in a sealed vessel that does not permit air or liquids to escape below a preset pressure.

6. Simmering…is a technique in which foods are cooked in hot liquids kept at or just barely below the boiling point of water. To keep a pot simmering, one brings it to a boil and then adjusts the heat downward until just before the formation of steam bubbles stops completely.

7. Steaming…is a method of cooking using steam. It is a preferred method for health conscious individuals because no cooking oil is needed, thus resulting in lower fat content. Steaming also results in a more nutritious food than boiling because fewer nutrients are destroyed or leached away into the water. Steaming works by first boiling water, causing it to evaporate into steam, the steam then carries heat to the food, thus cooking the food without placing it in water.

8. Steeping…usually means to either soak in liquid until saturated with a soluble ingredient as in a teabag or soaking to remove an ingredient such as salt from a smoked ham.

9. Stewing…is to prepare vegetables or meat by simmering in liquid. Unlike braising, the ingredients are generally diced. A stew may be either simmered in a pot on the stovetop or cooked in a covered casserole in the oven. Stewing is suitable for the least tender cuts of meat that become tender and juicy with the slow moist heat method. This makes it popular in low-cost cooking. Cuts having a certain amount of marbling and gelatinous connective tissue give moist, juicy stews, while lean meat may easily become dry.

FRYING: the technique of cooking food in fat or oil.

1. Deep Frying…is a cooking method whereby food is submerged in hot oil or fat. Because of the high temperature involved and the high heat transfer rate, it is extremely fast. Although submersion in liquid oil is involved, no water is used and so deep-frying is best classified as a dry cooking method.

2. Hot Salt Frying…is a technique used by street side food vendors in China. Coarse sea salt is placed in a large wok and heated to high temperatures. Dry food items, such as eggs in shell, are buried in the hot salt and occasionally turned with a spatula.

3. Hot Sand Frying…is a common technique for street side food vendors in China and India to cook chestnuts and peanuts. A large wok is filled with black sand and heated to high temperatures. Nuts are buried in the hot sand and occasionally turned with a spatula, and then the sand and nuts are separated through a wire-mesh screen.

4. Pan Frying…is a form of frying characterized by the use of less cooking oil than deep frying, with enough oil to, at most, cover the food to be cooked only half way. As a form of frying, pan-frying relies on oil as the heat transfer medium and on correct temperature to retain moisture in the food. Because of the partial coverage, the food must be flipped at least once to cook both sides.

5. Pressure Frying…is mostly done in industrial kitchens with specialized equipment made for pressure frying. It is NOT safe in a household pressure cooker.

6. Sautéing…is a method of cooking food using a small amount of fat in a shallow pan over relatively high heat. Sauter means “to jump” in French, and the food being sautéed is kept moving, not unlike the stir-fry technique using a wok. Food that is sautéed is usually cooked for a relatively short period of time over high heat in order to brown the food, while preserving its color, moisture and flavor. This is very common with more tender cuts of meat, e.g. tenderloin and filet mignon. Sautéing differs from searing in that the sautéed food is thoroughly cooked in the process.

7. Stir Frying…is an English umbrella term used to describe two fast Chinese cooking techniques: chăo and bào. The two techniques differ in their speed of execution, the amounts of heat used, and the amount of tossing done to cook the food in the wok.

8. Microwaving…uses microwave radiation primarily to cook or heat food.

ROASTING: is a cooking method that utilizes dry heat, whether an open flame, oven or other heat source. Roasting usually causes carmelization of the surface of the food, which is considered a flavor enhancement. Meats and most root and bulb vegetables an be roasted. Any piece of meat, especially red meat, that has been cooked in this fashion is called a roast. Vegetables and poultry prepared in this way are referred to as roasted. Some foods such as coffee and chocolate are always roasted.

1. Barbecuing…is a method for cooking food, often meat, with the heat and hot gases of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of charcoal. Barbecue is usually cooked in an outdoor environment.

2. Grilling…in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries, grilling refers to cooking food directly under a source of direct, dry heat; however there exists a device known as a verticle griller, which cooks meat on both sides. In the USA this would be referred to as broiling. On the other hand, in the United States, grilling refers to cooking food directly over a source of direct, dry heat.

3. Rotisserie…is a style of roasting where meat is skewered on a spit and revolves over a flame or other heat source. The rotation cooks the meat evenly in its own juices and allows easy access for continuous basting if desired.

4. Searing…is a technique used in grilling, roasting, braising, sauteing, etc. that cooks the surface of the food (usually meat, poultry or fish) at a high temperature so that a carmelized crust forms. A similar technique, browning, is typically used to sear or brown all sides of a particular piece of meat, poultry, fish, etc. before finishing it in the oven. It is commonly believed that this acts to lock in the moisture or “seal in the juices” of the food. However, it has been scientifically shown that searing results in a greater net loss of moisture versus cooking to the same internal temperature without first searing.

SMOKING: is the process of flavoring, cooking, or preserving food by exposing it to the smoke from burning or smoldering plant materials, most often wood. Meats and fish are the most common smoked foods, though cheeses, vegetables and ingredients used to make beverages such as Scotch whiskey and lapsang souchong tea are also smoked.

Always Enjoy!

Spices, Herbs & Blends For Your Fast Recipes

Have you ever come across a recipe that you just had to try but it included a spice that you’ve never used before? And you just "had" to buy it since the recipe would be a disaster without that $5.00 blend?

Does this sound familar?

A recipe calls for a tablespoon of cumin and you don’t have any. So you run right out to buy it when it probably would have been just fine to substitute 1-1/2 tablespoons of the chili powder that you already have on hand. The recipe probably would have been just as tasty.

On the other hand, if the finished recipe is quite awful without it, you know that you really need to spend the bucks for the specified spice.

What usually happens is that you’re stuck with five to ten spices that could probably be called “one hit wonders.” A tablespoon out of this one, a teaspoon out of that one and so on. These usually sit on your shelf for years.

The following list is by no means the entire list of spices, herbs and blends in this world. I simply didn’t (and most likely wouldn’t ever) make that type of list. Instead, I took the most popular varieties (at least that’s what it says on my handy dandy magnetic chart) and posted them for you. Maybe when you look it over, you’ll find that several of the “mostly unused” spices and blends in your pantry could add some zip to another recipe or two!

And when you need to organize your spices, take a look at some great storage options by clicking here.

SPICES

Allspice:
Sweet. Compatible with fruits, desserts, breads, duckling, beef, pork, ham, yellow vegetables, tomato sauces and relishes.

Cinnamon:
Sweet. Compatible with fruits, desserts, breads, tomato-meat sauces, yellow vegetables, beverages, pork, chicken, some beef and ground beef dishes.

Cloves:
Sweet, pungent. Compatible with pickled fruits, desserts, baked goods, beverages, lamb, pork, corned beef, tongue, yellow vegetables, tomato sauces and beets.

Ginger:
Sweet. Compatible with fruits, squash, poultry, sauces for fish, pork, some beef dishes, cheese and desserts.

Nutmeg:

Sweet. Compatible with fruits, eggnog, cheese, desserts, ground beef, poultry, most vegetables and many sauces.

Paprika:
Mild. Compatible with beef, poultry, soups, salads, eggs and goulash.

Saffron:

Pungent, aromatic. Compatible with meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, sauces and rice.

HERBS

Basil:
Sweet, mild. Compatible with cheeses, pesto, vegetables, particularly green beans, tomatoes and tomato sauces, poultry, meat, rabbit, potato salad and sauces.

Bay:
Sweet, mellow. Compatible with any foods requiring a bouquet garni, court bouillon, soups, stews, vegetables, pickling and other marinades and spaghetti sauce.

Chives:
Mild, onionlike. Compatible with sauces, salad dressings, cream, mild fish, poultry and veal.

Dill:
Mild. Compatible with fish, particularly salmon, pork, cottage cheese, potatoes, sauerkraut and other cabbage dishes, cauliflower, beans, pickles and sauces.

Marjoram:
Sweet, mild. Compatible with meat, particularly lamb, poultry, stuffings, cheese, vegetables, tomato-based sauces, soups and rabbit.

Mint:
Strong, aromatic. Compatible with meats, vegetables, fruits, beverages and salads.

Oregano:
Spicy, pungent. Compatible with tomato dishes, fish, especially red snapper, vegetables used in Italian cuisine, stews, chili and beef and pork dishes.

Parsley:
Mild. Compatible with court bouillon, soups, stews, meat, poultry, fish, sauces, cheese, many vegetables and eggs.

Rosemary:
Strong, acrid. Compatible with duckling, poultry, meat, fish, stuffings and some vegetables like spinach, mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes and beans.

Sage:
Strong. Compatible with stuffings, pork, poultry, tomatoes, rice dishes, Brussels sprouts.

Tarragon:
Mild. Essential for Béarnaise sauce; compatible with fish, poultry, lamb, veal, salad dressings, vinegars, potato salad and some vegetables like beans, mushrooms and spinach.

Thyme:
Pungent, aromatic. Compatible with soups, stews, stuffings, rice dishes, Mediterranean vegetables, dishes with red wine and/or tomatoes, rabbit, veal, lamb, fish and poultry.

BLENDS

Bouquet Garni:
Savory, aromatic, pungent. Compatible with meats, fish, poultry, vegetables, soups and stews.

Chili Powder:
Mild to hot. Compatible with chili con carne and other ground beef and pork dishes, cocktail and barbeque sauces, eggs, Creole and Mexican recipes, poultry.

Curry:
Mild to hot. Compatible with eggs, sauces, salad dressings, lamb, poultry, seafood, veal, cheese and fruit.

Fines Herbes:
Delicate. Compatible with eggs, mild fish, salad dressings, cream, white wine and butter sauces, poultry and veal.

Always Enjoy!

Fast Recipe Measurements Are At Your Fingertips!

How many times have you tried to create a "fast recipe", but your memory just wasn't keeping up to speed when it came to figuring out measurements? Questions like "How many pints of whipping cream do I need to buy to make this recipe for eggnog which calls for 6 cups?" Or "How do I convert 16 fluid ounces to pints?" I know the feeling well. I finally purchased a magnetic conversion thingy and placed it on the fridge. That way, I can grab it when I'm on my way to do my ingredient shopping. I kinda use it like a security blanket. Hey...whatever works. I thought that I'd post it here to make your life a little easier.

LIQUID MEASUREMENTS

DRY MEASUREMENTS

Enjoy your conversions!

Always Enjoy!

What Kind Of Basic Stuff Should I Have In My Kitchen For These Fast Recipes?

I have been asked this question time and time again, so I thought it would make sense to address this question early on. Keep in mind that you will always be adding to your kitchen equipment and tools…either through your own purchases of things that suit your taste or from gifts you'll receive from relatives or friends. Heck, you may even win a great set of fancy cookware!

I’m not going to get into all the manufacturer stuff of who makes the best set of this or that. I can't help you spend your hard earned money on things that may be right for me, but awful for you. When you shop for these things, there will usually be a salesperson that will guide you through making the best purchases for your budget. All I’ll do is share some ideas for some basic starter equipment that will get you going (if you haven't already). I may even include some things that you'll add to your wishlist.

And if you’re looking for ideas to make your kitchen perfect and complete, I can’t help you there either. Why? Because I am what is known as “The Gadget Queen.” I absolutely love all of those nifty gadgets that do all types of cute stuff. And as long as there are inventors and as long as I’m able to cook, I’ll always need that “one more” gadget to make my kitchen perfect and complete!

So here we go.

COOKWARE (shouldn’t be too heavy, but heavy enough to endure high heat without burning the contents within the first 10 minutes…I’ve used my share of the lighter weight cookware and have found that it was always a bad investment)

Roasting Pan (with a rack and cover)
1.5-Qt Saucepan (with lid)

2.5-Qt Saucepan (with lid)

3-Qt Saute' Pan (with lid)
4-Qt Stockpot (with lid)
8-Qt Stockpot (with lid)
12-Qt Stockpot (with lid)

12-Qt Multi-Cooker (great for pasta or steaming veggies)

Double Boiler (especially nice for melting chocolate)

8” Omelette Pan (nonstick)
10” Omelette Pan (nonstick)
10” Skillet (nonstick)
12” Skillet (nonstick)

Cast Iron Skillet (in as many different sizes as you can find at garage sales…make sure that they’ve been well-seasoned)

BAKEWARE

9” or 10” Nonstick Round Cake Pans (at least two)
9” or 10” Nonstick Springform Pan
9”x13” Nonstick Cake Pan

Heart-Shaped Cake Pans (1 or 2)
10” Nonstick Bundt Pan
Nonstick Mini Bundt (makes 6 or 12 cakes/muffins)
Nonstick Muffin Pan

Nonstick Mini Muffin Pan (makes 12 or 24 cakes/muffins)

Heart-Shaped Mini Bundt Pan (makes 6 or 12 cakes/muffins)
Nonstick Jelly Roll Pan

Ringmold
9”x9” Square Nonstick Brownie Pan
9” or 10” Tube Pan (usually for pound cake or angel cake)
Cookie Sheets (the larger the better...you can get away with 2 but if you like to bake cookies, you’ll do well with 6)
13”x9” Lasagna Pan
Nonstick Loaf Pan (for meatloaf, bread, desserts, etc)

Mini Loaf Pan (makes 4 or 6 loaves)

Mini Springform Pans (about 4.5" diameter)

KNIVES (invest in quality knives and you’ll never regret it)

3” Paring Knife
6” Utility Knife
8” Chef’s Knife
8” Serrated Bread Knife (also great for tomatoes)
Kitchen Shears
Sharpening Steel

CERAMIC BAKEWARE

9.5” or 11.5” Oval Dish
8”x12” or 9”x13” Rectangular Dish
Round Casserole Dishes (usually come in a set and have lids)
Single Serve dishes (usually come in a set of 6)
9” or 10” Pie Dishes
Mini Tartlette Dishes

SMALL APPLIANCES

Coffee Grinder (grinds fresh, whole dry spices wonderfully)
Standing Mixer
Hand Mixer
Food Processor
Immersion Blender
Bar Blender

GADGETS & TOOLS (forgive me in this section!)

Cookie Cutters
Cookie Press (comes with great decorating/design tips and pastry bags)
Silpat Nonstick Liners/Baking Mats (parchment paper will do just fine)
Trivets

Cooking Twine

Bamboo Skewers

All-Purpose Shaker (especially nice for sprinkling powdered sugar)

Mortar & Pestle (for crushing peppercorns, fennel, etc)

Julienne Peeler

Measurement Magnet

Non-skid Cooking Mats

Pie Wedge Server (great for getting the slice of pie out with crust)
Whisks (Regular & Mini)

Biscuit Cutters

Jello Molds

Heart-Shaped Pancake/Egg Molds (or fun shapes for the kids)

Tortilla Warmer/Steamer

Extra Spice Jars
Timer
Box Grater

Pastry Blender

Dough Scraper/Cutter
Microplane
Cheese Slicer
Mandoline Slicer
Vegetable Brushes
Mini Processor (for nuts and herbs)
Pepper Mill
Ladles
Potato Masher
Cherry/Olive Pitter (everyone has to have one of these)
Zester
Swivel Blade Peeler
Spatulas
Skimmer

Pastry Crimper
Wooden or Nonstick Utensil Set
Salad Spinner
Rolling Pin
Baster
Egg Slicer
Measuring Cups & Spoons
Glass Measuring Cup (at least 4 cup volume)
Cutting Boards
Wooden Lemon Reamer
Ceramic Mixing Bowls (sometimes they come in a set and have covers)
Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
Strainer
Colander
Tongs (9” and 12”)
Instant-Read Meat Thermometer
Funnel
Dumpling Press (for appetizers, hors d'ouevres, ravioli and pastries)
Turkey Baster and Injector
Silicone Basting Brushes
Meat Pounder/Tenderizer
Adjust-A-Cup Measuring Cup (this is great for measuring honey, peanut butter, syrup & shortening)
Tupperware
Apple Corer
Melon Baller
Flour Sifter
Potholders
Pastry Brush
Cookie Cooling Racks
Cookie Scoops (actually they’re ice cream scoops but work great for cookies, meatballs or anything you’d like to be uniform in size)

The End (for now)

Now, I can almost hear your screams fighting to get out…”I can’t wait to tell her a thing or two! Who can afford all this?! She won’t be a smiling chef if I can help it! I’m going to wipe that smile right off of her face right now! Let me get these fingers working!”

Whoa! Calm down. This is only a list of stuff that I have accumulated over the years and have found to be useful in my preparations. The key word is “useful.” I didn’t say “necessary.” I didn’t run out to the fancy kitchen utensil store and purchase these things in one fell swoop! I just wanted to share with you items that you may happen to see one day when you’re at the dollar store or passing through Wal-Mart. You’ll be able to remember it, take a look at it and see if it’s a tool that just might be “useful” to you.

So until next time…

Always Enjoy!