Nutella Coffee Mousse
1 C. Nutella (a chocolate hazelnut spread found by the peanut butter)
8 oz. heavy whipping cream
1 Tbs. Instant coffee grounds
Fresh strawberries or blueberries
Take a quarter of the bottle of heavy whipping cream and shake or mix vigorously in a container to dissolve the instant coffee grounds.
Put the rest of the whipping cream and the nutella in a bowl and mix in electric mixer or by hand. Add coffee and whipping cream and mix until soft peaks form.
Pour into a container, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Serve over fresh fruit.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Angi's Best Ever Smashed Potatoes!
Angi's Best Ever Dirty Smashed Potatoes
(This recipe is not exactly healthy, but it is the best smashed potatoes you will ever eat!)
6-12 baby red potatoes, skins on, quarter potatoes (amount depends on how many people you are serving). Make sure you leave the skins on. The majority of nutrients in a potato are actually in the skin, just wash them first to remove any residual dirt. When you boil or smash potatoes and leave the skin on, this is called dirty mashed potatoes.
4 Tbs. butter (NOT margarine, no butter substitute, use butter or don't bother!)
1/4 C. Milk or heavy whipping cream
1/2 container of Marscapone cheese (you can also substitute with goat cheese and often I will play with the recipe and also add fresh grated Parmesan, cheddar, etc...)
Salt and pepper
Boil potatoes in water, add a pinch of salt to the water while boiling. One potatoes are soft (check with a fork, when you poke with a fork and they fall apart, they're done), drain in a colander. Use the pot you boiled potatoes in (it should still be warm) and add the butter to start the melting process. Dump potatoes back in the pot and stir gently. Then add milk and cheese and mash with a potato masher. Salt and pepper to taste.
Another variation is to also mince 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic and add to potatoes with the cheese.
(This recipe is not exactly healthy, but it is the best smashed potatoes you will ever eat!)
6-12 baby red potatoes, skins on, quarter potatoes (amount depends on how many people you are serving). Make sure you leave the skins on. The majority of nutrients in a potato are actually in the skin, just wash them first to remove any residual dirt. When you boil or smash potatoes and leave the skin on, this is called dirty mashed potatoes.
4 Tbs. butter (NOT margarine, no butter substitute, use butter or don't bother!)
1/4 C. Milk or heavy whipping cream
1/2 container of Marscapone cheese (you can also substitute with goat cheese and often I will play with the recipe and also add fresh grated Parmesan, cheddar, etc...)
Salt and pepper
Boil potatoes in water, add a pinch of salt to the water while boiling. One potatoes are soft (check with a fork, when you poke with a fork and they fall apart, they're done), drain in a colander. Use the pot you boiled potatoes in (it should still be warm) and add the butter to start the melting process. Dump potatoes back in the pot and stir gently. Then add milk and cheese and mash with a potato masher. Salt and pepper to taste.
Another variation is to also mince 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic and add to potatoes with the cheese.
Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken Pot Pie
This is a quick, easy way to make your own chicken pot pie! By making it yourself, you can better control the amount of sodium and preservatives in your dinner!
1 box pastry sheets (in the freezer section, next to phyllo dough, 1 box should have 2 sheets; you will need 2 sheets)
1 large bag frozen vegetables (I buy peas, corn, carrots, green beans and lima beans)
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized cubes (cut up while raw)
3 chicken bullion cubes
2 Cups water
1/2 Cup milk
4-8 Tbsp Wondra Flour (sold on the baking aisle, in blue cylinder- also makes a great dry batter for frying!)
Salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder to taste
Preheat oven to 350. Take a round casserole dish, coat with butter or cooking spray. Unfold one sheet of pastry dough. Roll gently with a rolling pin to smooth out creases and slightly increase the size of the sheet. Lay in the casserole dish and make sure the pastry is lying against the bottom of the dish, press gently into the sides. Please note that the corners will come up higher than the rest of the dough and probably overlay the edges, Tear off the hanging edges and set aside. Put in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the bottom and sides no longer look wet.
While the bottom layer of the pot pie is baking, heat a pan on the stove over medium heat. Add a Tbs or so of oil. Once hot, add chicken pieces and season to taste. Fry until chicken pieces are cooked, then set aside in a large bowl. Add bag of vegetables to chicken mixture.
Put water and chicken bullion cubes in a small pot over medium heat. Dissolve bullion in the water. Once bullion dissolved, whisk milk and 4 Tbs of Wondra Flour together. Pour slowly into bullion water on stove. Whisk until mixture starts to thicken. If needed, add more Wondra Flour to the gravy, keeping in mind that once the vegetables start to cook, they will release water and thin out your gravy mixture when in the oven. Once thick enough, pour over the chicken and veggies and stir. Then pour into the prebaked pastry sheet. Cover with the raw pastry sheet, folding the long edges over the top. Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes, until the center of the crust is golden brown.
If your gravy ends up soupy, just serve in a bowl instead of a plate! And if you've seasoned it right, it'll still taste excellent!
This is a quick, easy way to make your own chicken pot pie! By making it yourself, you can better control the amount of sodium and preservatives in your dinner!
1 box pastry sheets (in the freezer section, next to phyllo dough, 1 box should have 2 sheets; you will need 2 sheets)
1 large bag frozen vegetables (I buy peas, corn, carrots, green beans and lima beans)
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized cubes (cut up while raw)
3 chicken bullion cubes
2 Cups water
1/2 Cup milk
4-8 Tbsp Wondra Flour (sold on the baking aisle, in blue cylinder- also makes a great dry batter for frying!)
Salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder to taste
Preheat oven to 350. Take a round casserole dish, coat with butter or cooking spray. Unfold one sheet of pastry dough. Roll gently with a rolling pin to smooth out creases and slightly increase the size of the sheet. Lay in the casserole dish and make sure the pastry is lying against the bottom of the dish, press gently into the sides. Please note that the corners will come up higher than the rest of the dough and probably overlay the edges, Tear off the hanging edges and set aside. Put in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the bottom and sides no longer look wet.
While the bottom layer of the pot pie is baking, heat a pan on the stove over medium heat. Add a Tbs or so of oil. Once hot, add chicken pieces and season to taste. Fry until chicken pieces are cooked, then set aside in a large bowl. Add bag of vegetables to chicken mixture.
Put water and chicken bullion cubes in a small pot over medium heat. Dissolve bullion in the water. Once bullion dissolved, whisk milk and 4 Tbs of Wondra Flour together. Pour slowly into bullion water on stove. Whisk until mixture starts to thicken. If needed, add more Wondra Flour to the gravy, keeping in mind that once the vegetables start to cook, they will release water and thin out your gravy mixture when in the oven. Once thick enough, pour over the chicken and veggies and stir. Then pour into the prebaked pastry sheet. Cover with the raw pastry sheet, folding the long edges over the top. Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes, until the center of the crust is golden brown.
If your gravy ends up soupy, just serve in a bowl instead of a plate! And if you've seasoned it right, it'll still taste excellent!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Fried Frog Legs
Fried Frog Legs
I made these because Austin and I have always wanted to try frog legs!
For the record- those who say frog legs taste like chicken have never tried frog legs! Frog legs taste like a cross between shrimp and cod with a bit of a chicken like texture and are actually quite good! The hardest part I found, is the resemblance to troll legs! They just look weird!
2 lbs. of frog legs (my grocer sells them skinned and ready to cook; yours probably does, too!)
1 1/2 C. Fryin' Magic (found by bread crumbs, panko and other breading mixtures)
1 Egg
2 Tbs. Water
1/3 C. Canola Oil
Preheat your oil in your iron skillet or other frying pan over medium heat.
Mix your egg and water in a shallow dish. Pour your Fryin' Magic into another shallow dish. Feel free to season the Fryin' Magic to taste (salt, pepper, etc...). I don't add anything to it as it a flavorful enough mixture to me.
Coat your frog legs in the egg wash, making sure to get in the cracks between the leg joint and the "butt" of the frog (when you see your frog legs, you'll know what I mean!). Then coat your frog legs in they Fryin' Magic mixture, again making sure to get the mix in the cracks and crevasses of the legs.
Once the oil is hot (sprinkle water in the oil, if the water "dances" in the oil, it's hot), add your frog legs to the pan. You can fit more legs in the pan if you line them up butt to toe in the pan. Fry until golden brown on the bottom and then flip the legs to cook on the other side. You want to make sure there is enough oil in the pan so that half way up the legs fries as well. If your pan is larger, add more oil.
Please note, that as my legs fried, often the legs separated from the butt of the legs. Just cook as needed. If the legs are little bland for you, sprinkle with salt and pepper as soon as you remove the legs from the oil. Keep warm on a paper towel lined plate (to absorb any excess oil) by covering with the lid of another pan.
I made these because Austin and I have always wanted to try frog legs!
For the record- those who say frog legs taste like chicken have never tried frog legs! Frog legs taste like a cross between shrimp and cod with a bit of a chicken like texture and are actually quite good! The hardest part I found, is the resemblance to troll legs! They just look weird!
2 lbs. of frog legs (my grocer sells them skinned and ready to cook; yours probably does, too!)
1 1/2 C. Fryin' Magic (found by bread crumbs, panko and other breading mixtures)
1 Egg
2 Tbs. Water
1/3 C. Canola Oil
Preheat your oil in your iron skillet or other frying pan over medium heat.
Mix your egg and water in a shallow dish. Pour your Fryin' Magic into another shallow dish. Feel free to season the Fryin' Magic to taste (salt, pepper, etc...). I don't add anything to it as it a flavorful enough mixture to me.
Coat your frog legs in the egg wash, making sure to get in the cracks between the leg joint and the "butt" of the frog (when you see your frog legs, you'll know what I mean!). Then coat your frog legs in they Fryin' Magic mixture, again making sure to get the mix in the cracks and crevasses of the legs.
Once the oil is hot (sprinkle water in the oil, if the water "dances" in the oil, it's hot), add your frog legs to the pan. You can fit more legs in the pan if you line them up butt to toe in the pan. Fry until golden brown on the bottom and then flip the legs to cook on the other side. You want to make sure there is enough oil in the pan so that half way up the legs fries as well. If your pan is larger, add more oil.
Please note, that as my legs fried, often the legs separated from the butt of the legs. Just cook as needed. If the legs are little bland for you, sprinkle with salt and pepper as soon as you remove the legs from the oil. Keep warm on a paper towel lined plate (to absorb any excess oil) by covering with the lid of another pan.
Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
4 oz. cream cheese, softened (half a brick)
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 C. heavy whipping cream
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1 1/2 C. frozen strawberries
1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs (optional)
Freeze your ice cream maker bowl (I got mine from Walmart, for about $25.00 and it's a Hamilton Beach. It has the bowl, a lid, a motor and a mixing paddle.). Follow your ice cream makers instructions on freezing.
Remove cream cheese and strawberries. Allow cream cheese to soften and the strawberries to get slightly thawed. Once slightly thawed, chop strawberries into little pieces (they need to be bite sized or smaller, the paddle from the ice cream maker will not break the pieces up).
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sweetened condensed milk until smooth then mix in heavy whipping cream and vanilla. Add strawberry pieces.
Start ice cream maker and pour through hole in lid. Follow your ice cream makers directions for freezing. Once completed, and ready to serve, sprinkle ice cream with graham cracker crumbs.
* Honestly, this is the best ice cream I have ever had! The recipe will be very easy to vary- you can add any type of fruit you want, or you could add chocolate, ground peppermint pieces, etc... The cream cheese adds the creamy texture and decadence of this ice cream and is so worth it! If you're worried about fat content or calories (and honestly, if you are, why are you making ice cream!) you can substitute the cream cheese with low fat cream cheese.
And for the record, Eleanor asked for this for breakfast the day after I made it!
4 oz. cream cheese, softened (half a brick)
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 C. heavy whipping cream
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1 1/2 C. frozen strawberries
1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs (optional)
Freeze your ice cream maker bowl (I got mine from Walmart, for about $25.00 and it's a Hamilton Beach. It has the bowl, a lid, a motor and a mixing paddle.). Follow your ice cream makers instructions on freezing.
Remove cream cheese and strawberries. Allow cream cheese to soften and the strawberries to get slightly thawed. Once slightly thawed, chop strawberries into little pieces (they need to be bite sized or smaller, the paddle from the ice cream maker will not break the pieces up).
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sweetened condensed milk until smooth then mix in heavy whipping cream and vanilla. Add strawberry pieces.
Start ice cream maker and pour through hole in lid. Follow your ice cream makers directions for freezing. Once completed, and ready to serve, sprinkle ice cream with graham cracker crumbs.
* Honestly, this is the best ice cream I have ever had! The recipe will be very easy to vary- you can add any type of fruit you want, or you could add chocolate, ground peppermint pieces, etc... The cream cheese adds the creamy texture and decadence of this ice cream and is so worth it! If you're worried about fat content or calories (and honestly, if you are, why are you making ice cream!) you can substitute the cream cheese with low fat cream cheese.
And for the record, Eleanor asked for this for breakfast the day after I made it!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Sesame Chicken Tenders
Sesame Chicken Tenders
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 C. bread crumbs
3 Tbs. fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2-3 Tbs. sesame seeds
1 egg
1 Tbs water
salt, pepper, canola oil
Preheat oven to 350. Once oven is warm, put sesame seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet and toast until golden brown (watch closely so you don't burn the seeds), should take about 5-10 minutes.
Take a long piece of plastic wrap and lay it on the counter. Take out a rolling pin (I prefer the French style that does not have handles and is gently tapered). Lay one chicken breast towards the center of the plastic wrap and lay the rest of the plastic over the chicken breast (this will keep your chicken intact and your rolling pin clean). Gently flatten the breast with the rolling pin until it is about half the thickness you started with. Flatten all pieces of chicken, changing out the plastic wrap if it gets too messy.
Once the chicken has been flattened, cut the breasts into bite size pieces.
Mix water and egg together and beat together to make a wash. The egg wash helps the bread crumb mixture stick to the chicken. Mix bread crumbs, cheese, toasted sesame seeds, salt and pepper to taste (if you under season, you can always add more salt and pepper once the chicken is done frying, remember- you can NEVER come back from over seasoning!).
Heat your iron skillet on the stove at medium heat. Once pan is hot, add about 1/2 inch of olive oil to bottom of pan and let heat. To make sure your oil and pan are hot enough, drip a few drops of water into the pan. When the water sizzles, your oil is hot enough.
While the pan is heating, dip your chicken pieces in the egg wash. Once coated in egg mix, coat in bread crumb mixture and lay all pieces on a plate.
Fry your pieces of chicken until golden brown; turning as needed. Remember, if you turn your meat before it has a chance to properly cook your risk leaving the crispy coating on the bottom of the pan. You should be able to see the visible edges turning golden brown in the oil. As long as your chicken is flattened enough, there should be no worries about under cooking your chicken. If you have doubts, take a thicker piece and cut it in half to check for pinkness. If the meat is still pink, put it back in the pan and let it continue cooking. If the coating is cooking faster than the meat, turn the heat down on the pan.
If you have to fry the chicken in batches (don't over crowd the pan- your chicken will end up soggy), you can more oil in between batches, but make sure to give the new oil a chance to heat up again. I also put out a plate next to the stove with two layers of paper towels (to absorb excess oil) and a lid to a large pan that completely covers the plate without leaving gaps. This keeps the chicken warm without drying it out while you finish your frying.
I served the chicken with sweet potato fries. You can mix with veggies and serve over rice (stir fry) as well. In my house, we prefer to eat the chicken tenders on their own!
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 C. bread crumbs
3 Tbs. fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2-3 Tbs. sesame seeds
1 egg
1 Tbs water
salt, pepper, canola oil
Preheat oven to 350. Once oven is warm, put sesame seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet and toast until golden brown (watch closely so you don't burn the seeds), should take about 5-10 minutes.
Take a long piece of plastic wrap and lay it on the counter. Take out a rolling pin (I prefer the French style that does not have handles and is gently tapered). Lay one chicken breast towards the center of the plastic wrap and lay the rest of the plastic over the chicken breast (this will keep your chicken intact and your rolling pin clean). Gently flatten the breast with the rolling pin until it is about half the thickness you started with. Flatten all pieces of chicken, changing out the plastic wrap if it gets too messy.
Once the chicken has been flattened, cut the breasts into bite size pieces.
Mix water and egg together and beat together to make a wash. The egg wash helps the bread crumb mixture stick to the chicken. Mix bread crumbs, cheese, toasted sesame seeds, salt and pepper to taste (if you under season, you can always add more salt and pepper once the chicken is done frying, remember- you can NEVER come back from over seasoning!).
Heat your iron skillet on the stove at medium heat. Once pan is hot, add about 1/2 inch of olive oil to bottom of pan and let heat. To make sure your oil and pan are hot enough, drip a few drops of water into the pan. When the water sizzles, your oil is hot enough.
While the pan is heating, dip your chicken pieces in the egg wash. Once coated in egg mix, coat in bread crumb mixture and lay all pieces on a plate.
Fry your pieces of chicken until golden brown; turning as needed. Remember, if you turn your meat before it has a chance to properly cook your risk leaving the crispy coating on the bottom of the pan. You should be able to see the visible edges turning golden brown in the oil. As long as your chicken is flattened enough, there should be no worries about under cooking your chicken. If you have doubts, take a thicker piece and cut it in half to check for pinkness. If the meat is still pink, put it back in the pan and let it continue cooking. If the coating is cooking faster than the meat, turn the heat down on the pan.
If you have to fry the chicken in batches (don't over crowd the pan- your chicken will end up soggy), you can more oil in between batches, but make sure to give the new oil a chance to heat up again. I also put out a plate next to the stove with two layers of paper towels (to absorb excess oil) and a lid to a large pan that completely covers the plate without leaving gaps. This keeps the chicken warm without drying it out while you finish your frying.
I served the chicken with sweet potato fries. You can mix with veggies and serve over rice (stir fry) as well. In my house, we prefer to eat the chicken tenders on their own!
Cooking Made Easy Part Two: Kitchen Utensils
In order to be an effective cook, it helps if you have the proper tools! You wouldn't remove a nail from the wall with a drill, would you?
Some tools I have found that I cannot live without are as follows:
Spatulas: Both metal and plastic
A metal spatula is best when cooking in an iron skillet. You do NOT want to use the metal spatula on a Teflon or other coated pan, however, as it will scrape the pan and ruin it. A metal spatula (as long as your handle is long enough so you don't get burned) can also be used for grilling.
A plastic spatula is best when cooking in any pan that is not an iron skillet. I have also found that several different sizes are best. That way if you have to flip one egg or scramble enough for five, you have a big enough tool to do it!
Iron Skillet:
An iron skillet is essential for frying anything! From fish, to chicken to vegetables (who doesn't love deep fried cauliflower- if you're interested, I have a great recipe and in my eyes eating deep fried vegetables is like eating nothing at all! The health of veggies cancels out the deep frying!)! Not to mention that they are super easy to clean. You want a well seasoned pan so when it comes to cleaning all you do is fill the pan with water, bring to a boil and let boil for several minutes then dump the water out and wipe out any residue with a paper towel. You always want to re season your pan and this is easily done by just putting a tablespoon or so of canola or vegetable oil in the pan and wiping the oil around the whole pan (sides included) and then putting it away.
Pasta Spoon:
If you enjoy pasta a pasta spoon is a must have. The teeth on the spoon help to break up any noodles so they don't stick together and get lumpy and gluey. Another hint on a pasta spoon- if you're unsure on how much pasta to make, most spoons have a hole in the center of them and some have two holes of different sizes. The smaller hole is a single serving and the larger is for two. Just take a handful of dried, uncooked noodles and put them through the hole until it fits snugly in the whole of the desired size!
Micro planer:
This tool is about 9 inches in length (you can get a smaller size as well). The handle is about three inches and the rest is about 6 inches. It is basically a hand held grater for finer grating of thing. I use my micro planer to grate garlic for recipes (when it calls for minced), Parmesan cheese (I never buy powdered parm, but always buy wedges and hand grate it when I need to ), and even to grate citrus when a recipe calls for lemon, lime or orange zest.
Juicer:
And I don't mean the large, cumbersome juicer that would get juice out of a stone! I mean the conical shaped juicer with the ridges for juicing citrus. My juicer actually has a cup that attaches to the bottom and has measurements up to one cup of juice. It also has fine holes on the bottom the cone to strain out any seeds or pulp.
Tongs:
I have three sets of tongs. Two metal and one rubber coated. The rubber coated tongs are useful for frying in Teflon or calphalon coated pans.
We have two sets of metal tongs; one short (standard) pair that aregreat for removing steamed veggies from the steamer or turning items in the iron skillet. The long tongs we use primarily for the grill, but we also use indoors if we make ribs in the oven.
Some other essential items I cannot live without are wooden spoons of various sizes (for sauteing, stirring soup, etc), more than one set of measuring cups/spoons (how many times has a recipe called for 1 cup of more than one ingredient and you have to wash your measuring cups?), a box grater, a meat thermometer, several different sizes of baking spatulas, a hand mixer, etc...
If you have any questions about any cooking utensils you may have seen somewhere but are unsure how to properly use them, feel free to ask!
Some tools I have found that I cannot live without are as follows:
Spatulas: Both metal and plastic
A metal spatula is best when cooking in an iron skillet. You do NOT want to use the metal spatula on a Teflon or other coated pan, however, as it will scrape the pan and ruin it. A metal spatula (as long as your handle is long enough so you don't get burned) can also be used for grilling.
A plastic spatula is best when cooking in any pan that is not an iron skillet. I have also found that several different sizes are best. That way if you have to flip one egg or scramble enough for five, you have a big enough tool to do it!
Iron Skillet:
An iron skillet is essential for frying anything! From fish, to chicken to vegetables (who doesn't love deep fried cauliflower- if you're interested, I have a great recipe and in my eyes eating deep fried vegetables is like eating nothing at all! The health of veggies cancels out the deep frying!)! Not to mention that they are super easy to clean. You want a well seasoned pan so when it comes to cleaning all you do is fill the pan with water, bring to a boil and let boil for several minutes then dump the water out and wipe out any residue with a paper towel. You always want to re season your pan and this is easily done by just putting a tablespoon or so of canola or vegetable oil in the pan and wiping the oil around the whole pan (sides included) and then putting it away.
Pasta Spoon:
If you enjoy pasta a pasta spoon is a must have. The teeth on the spoon help to break up any noodles so they don't stick together and get lumpy and gluey. Another hint on a pasta spoon- if you're unsure on how much pasta to make, most spoons have a hole in the center of them and some have two holes of different sizes. The smaller hole is a single serving and the larger is for two. Just take a handful of dried, uncooked noodles and put them through the hole until it fits snugly in the whole of the desired size!
Micro planer:
This tool is about 9 inches in length (you can get a smaller size as well). The handle is about three inches and the rest is about 6 inches. It is basically a hand held grater for finer grating of thing. I use my micro planer to grate garlic for recipes (when it calls for minced), Parmesan cheese (I never buy powdered parm, but always buy wedges and hand grate it when I need to ), and even to grate citrus when a recipe calls for lemon, lime or orange zest.
Juicer:
And I don't mean the large, cumbersome juicer that would get juice out of a stone! I mean the conical shaped juicer with the ridges for juicing citrus. My juicer actually has a cup that attaches to the bottom and has measurements up to one cup of juice. It also has fine holes on the bottom the cone to strain out any seeds or pulp.
Tongs:
I have three sets of tongs. Two metal and one rubber coated. The rubber coated tongs are useful for frying in Teflon or calphalon coated pans.
We have two sets of metal tongs; one short (standard) pair that aregreat for removing steamed veggies from the steamer or turning items in the iron skillet. The long tongs we use primarily for the grill, but we also use indoors if we make ribs in the oven.
Some other essential items I cannot live without are wooden spoons of various sizes (for sauteing, stirring soup, etc), more than one set of measuring cups/spoons (how many times has a recipe called for 1 cup of more than one ingredient and you have to wash your measuring cups?), a box grater, a meat thermometer, several different sizes of baking spatulas, a hand mixer, etc...
If you have any questions about any cooking utensils you may have seen somewhere but are unsure how to properly use them, feel free to ask!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Beef Stroganoff
Beef Stroganoff
1 lb. cubed beef (you can buy pre-cut stew meat or a flank steak and cube it yourself)
1 package whole baby bella mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, sliced
1 medium onion chopped
2 Tbs. olive or grape seed oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup
1/4 Cup marscapone cheese
1/3 Cup heavy whipping cream
1 lb. egg noodles
Begin water boiling for noodles.
Heat saute pan over medium heat, add oil and let oil heat in pan. Once oil is hot, add onion, salt onions and saute until translucent (see through). Add garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Then add beef and mushrooms. Once most of the meat is browned, add salt and pepper and then add can of soup and mix together. Then add marscapone and heavy whipping cream. Turn heat to low and allow to stay warm.
Once noodles have boiled, drain. Put noodles in a bowl and top with stroganoff mix.
There are several ways to tweak this recipe- you can alter the amount of heavy whipping cream you use based on how thick or thin you want your sauce. You can also substitute Vitamin D milk in place of cream. You can also use cream of celery soup if you're not a big fan of mushroom.
A note on marscapone cheese. It is a soft Italian cheese, similar to cream cheese except with a nuttier flavor and slightly softer. Marscapone is sold typically around deli areas where there is a cheese display (wedges of specialty cheeses). I use marscapone in and on as much as possible- it can be used from sweet to savory. If you do buy marscapone for the first time, please make sure you buy plain marscapone and not the Tiramisu version (it has brown on the label). If you buy Tiramisu, I make no promises on how your Beef Stroganoff turns out. But please, do NOT invite me to dinner that night!
1 lb. cubed beef (you can buy pre-cut stew meat or a flank steak and cube it yourself)
1 package whole baby bella mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, sliced
1 medium onion chopped
2 Tbs. olive or grape seed oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup
1/4 Cup marscapone cheese
1/3 Cup heavy whipping cream
1 lb. egg noodles
Begin water boiling for noodles.
Heat saute pan over medium heat, add oil and let oil heat in pan. Once oil is hot, add onion, salt onions and saute until translucent (see through). Add garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Then add beef and mushrooms. Once most of the meat is browned, add salt and pepper and then add can of soup and mix together. Then add marscapone and heavy whipping cream. Turn heat to low and allow to stay warm.
Once noodles have boiled, drain. Put noodles in a bowl and top with stroganoff mix.
There are several ways to tweak this recipe- you can alter the amount of heavy whipping cream you use based on how thick or thin you want your sauce. You can also substitute Vitamin D milk in place of cream. You can also use cream of celery soup if you're not a big fan of mushroom.
A note on marscapone cheese. It is a soft Italian cheese, similar to cream cheese except with a nuttier flavor and slightly softer. Marscapone is sold typically around deli areas where there is a cheese display (wedges of specialty cheeses). I use marscapone in and on as much as possible- it can be used from sweet to savory. If you do buy marscapone for the first time, please make sure you buy plain marscapone and not the Tiramisu version (it has brown on the label). If you buy Tiramisu, I make no promises on how your Beef Stroganoff turns out. But please, do NOT invite me to dinner that night!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Cooking Made Easy: Part One- Organization
The French have a term called, "mise en place". Literally translated, it means "putting in place".
Before I cook, I look at my recipe. I take out all (and I mean all!) the items I will need and arrange them on the counter top (from the main ingredients to the last spice or herb I may need). Before I start cooking, I make sure everything is out by going through my recipe one additional time. Then I review the recipe again. I check for any items that need to be chopped, crumbled, etc... I get all that done before I start cooking so that I don't have to scramble with chopping something later in the cooking process.
Once I have all that organized, I begin to follow the recipe. As I use an ingredient (and as long as the recipe doesn't call for that ingredient again) I put back the item I am done using (flour, eggs, spices, etc...). That way, I have less to clean up at the end of my cooking experience.
Once I have whatever I am cooking in the oven or on the stove top to do its thing, I clean my kitchen. I wash dishes and let them air dry, I wipe down counter tops and double check my recipe to make sure all my bases have been covered and I didn't miss anything.
I know it sounds ridiculous, but organization has made me a better cook! Everything I need is at my fingertips and there's no mad scramble through my pantry for any missed items. I don't have to worry about something burning because I have to chop or slice one more ingredient before moving on to the next step; it's already been done!
If you put everything in it's place before your cook and put it away as you finish with it, you will not feel overwhelmed by what you have going on in your kitchen!
Mise en place, people, mise en place!
Organization is the key to success!
Before I cook, I look at my recipe. I take out all (and I mean all!) the items I will need and arrange them on the counter top (from the main ingredients to the last spice or herb I may need). Before I start cooking, I make sure everything is out by going through my recipe one additional time. Then I review the recipe again. I check for any items that need to be chopped, crumbled, etc... I get all that done before I start cooking so that I don't have to scramble with chopping something later in the cooking process.
Once I have all that organized, I begin to follow the recipe. As I use an ingredient (and as long as the recipe doesn't call for that ingredient again) I put back the item I am done using (flour, eggs, spices, etc...). That way, I have less to clean up at the end of my cooking experience.
Once I have whatever I am cooking in the oven or on the stove top to do its thing, I clean my kitchen. I wash dishes and let them air dry, I wipe down counter tops and double check my recipe to make sure all my bases have been covered and I didn't miss anything.
I know it sounds ridiculous, but organization has made me a better cook! Everything I need is at my fingertips and there's no mad scramble through my pantry for any missed items. I don't have to worry about something burning because I have to chop or slice one more ingredient before moving on to the next step; it's already been done!
If you put everything in it's place before your cook and put it away as you finish with it, you will not feel overwhelmed by what you have going on in your kitchen!
Mise en place, people, mise en place!
Organization is the key to success!
Butternut Squash Pear Curry Soup with Italian Focaccia with Goat Cheese
Butternut Squash Pear Curry Soup
1 butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 medium onion, diced
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs curry powder
3 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs fresh ground ginger root (you can find this in your grocery store, I keep mine in a baggy in the freezer and peel what I need and use my microplaner to grate it)
4 Cups chicken stock
4 medium pears, peeled and cubed
1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream
Chives and salt
Cut squash in half and clean out the seeds. Put each half in a baking pan with about 1" of water, cut side down and bake for an hour at 350 degrees. Scoop out pulp and let cool in a bowl.
In a soup pot, heat oil and saute onion until translucent (see through). Add curry, garlic, ginger and some salt. Cook about 1 minute. Stir in the broth. Add the pears and squash. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer uncovered until pears soft (about 1/2 hour).
In a blender or food processor, blend soup in three batches (it is important not to overload your blender so you don't splatter hot soup everywhere!) until smooth. It's okay if some small chunks remain. Return to the pan and add the heavy whipping cream. Keep on low heat for about 5 minutes. Chop chives and sprinkle on top of individual bowls of soup.
Italian Focaccia with Goat Cheese
One loaf Italian Focaccia Bread (I prefer Wal-Mart bread, as much as I hate Wal-Mart!) If you can't find Italian focaccia, buy plain focaccia and brush top of loaf with olive oil and sprinkle Italian seasoning over the top.
One package goat cheese
While the soup is simmering (prior to blending it), cut focaccia bread in half lengthwise very carefully with a bread knife. Drizzle halves with olive or grape seed oil. Crumble goat cheese over bottom piece of bread and cover with top piece. Cover bread with a loose piece of foil. Put bread on a baking sheet and bake for 1/2 an hour at 350
1 butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 medium onion, diced
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs curry powder
3 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs fresh ground ginger root (you can find this in your grocery store, I keep mine in a baggy in the freezer and peel what I need and use my microplaner to grate it)
4 Cups chicken stock
4 medium pears, peeled and cubed
1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream
Chives and salt
Cut squash in half and clean out the seeds. Put each half in a baking pan with about 1" of water, cut side down and bake for an hour at 350 degrees. Scoop out pulp and let cool in a bowl.
In a soup pot, heat oil and saute onion until translucent (see through). Add curry, garlic, ginger and some salt. Cook about 1 minute. Stir in the broth. Add the pears and squash. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer uncovered until pears soft (about 1/2 hour).
In a blender or food processor, blend soup in three batches (it is important not to overload your blender so you don't splatter hot soup everywhere!) until smooth. It's okay if some small chunks remain. Return to the pan and add the heavy whipping cream. Keep on low heat for about 5 minutes. Chop chives and sprinkle on top of individual bowls of soup.
Italian Focaccia with Goat Cheese
One loaf Italian Focaccia Bread (I prefer Wal-Mart bread, as much as I hate Wal-Mart!) If you can't find Italian focaccia, buy plain focaccia and brush top of loaf with olive oil and sprinkle Italian seasoning over the top.
One package goat cheese
While the soup is simmering (prior to blending it), cut focaccia bread in half lengthwise very carefully with a bread knife. Drizzle halves with olive or grape seed oil. Crumble goat cheese over bottom piece of bread and cover with top piece. Cover bread with a loose piece of foil. Put bread on a baking sheet and bake for 1/2 an hour at 350
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