Cooking for Beginners

[Amuse Bouche]

This is a spinoff of the Americans Can't Cook thread, and one of my personal bugaboos, so bear with me.

Cooking isn't that hard, but I think we've built up this mystique about it that makes it seem intimidating and difficult and just easier to order out. It's not that everything you make is easy -- caramel can be a btch, I wouldn't advise a beginner to go on with veal demi-glace, or roulades, or homemade puff pastry or anything with phyllo dough. But I think there are a wealth of easy, simple recipes, that we could all share that aren't intimidating but are good.

So this is officially a thread for the cooking questions you feel silly asking - if you have no clue where to begin. Or for people with no experience, pop in with advice. And share those simple recipes you make when you don't feel like cooking dinner.

[Amuse Bouche]

The L.A. Times food section had an article last week on recipes that make up a repertoire -- recipes that are "ridiculously simple but crazy good." Here are some of the ones they posted:

Starters

Roasted beet and goat cheese salad. Wrap beets in foil and roast for an hour and a quarter; peel and quarter them, crumble goat cheese on top, drizzle with good olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar and toss.



Sweet pea soup. Wilt a head of shredded butter lettuce in butter, add two pounds of frozen peas, four cups of water and salt, simmer 25 minutes, then purée.



Leeks vinaigrette. Simmer leeks in salted water until tender, drain and dress with a simple vinaigrette.

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Main courses

Halibut Provençal. Film a frying pan with olive oil, sear halibut fillets on one side, then flip and add a can of diced tomatoes, minced garlic and shallots, capers, olives and a dash of balsamic vinegar.



Salmon with cannellini. Sear salmon fillets on one side, flip and add minced garlic, a can of cannellini beans (drained), two bunches of arugula and freshly ground black pepper.



Spicy shrimp pasta. Sauté peeled shrimp in olive oil with shallots, red pepper flakes and Old Bay seasoning, then toss with pasta and cilantro.



Sautéed escarole and beans. Wash and dry the the outer leaves of two bunches of escarole, then sauté in olive oil with two smashed garlic cloves, add a can of cannellini beans (liquid and all) and freshly ground black pepper, cover and simmer 10 minutes.



Penne with Italian sausage and greens. Brown the meat from four Italian sausages (removed from the casings) in olive oil, add one bunch of rapini that's been blanched (cooked in boiling water for about 30 seconds) and roughly chopped, along with a little chopped garlic, toss with penne and lots of grated Parmesan.



Wine-braised short ribs. Brown the ribs in a large skillet, set aside and add diced carrots and onions, deglaze with red wine, return ribs to pan, then cover with more wine or stock (or a combination) and simmer until tender.

Vegetables

Roasted asparagus. Snap off the ends from a bunch of asparagus, lay the spears on a baking sheet, pour on a teaspoon of olive oil and a little sea salt, roll the spears around to coat, and roast and 400 degrees for 18 minutes.



Roasted potatoes. Quarter peeled potatoes, toss in a roasting pan with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme and roast for an hour at 375 degrees, stirring once or twice.

Desserts

Baked stuffed apples. Core apples, stuff with raisins, cinnamon, brown sugar and butter and bake for an hour at 350.

[Katy]

WooHoo Amuse!! I wouldn't consider myself a beginner, but I'm not the most adventurous cooker either. And we both know how much I envy your menus :cool:

Let the games begin...

[Amuse Bouche]

Someone mentioned meatloaf, and I just made my mom's recipe last night. It' not super quick, because it needs to bake for an hour, but it doesn't take long to mix up.

I take about 1/2 c. breadcrumbs and add 1/2 c. milk to moisten them. Then I add 1 lb ground beef, 1 lb of the meat from Italian turkey sausage (I squeeze out from the casings), 1/2 onion chopped pretty finely, 1 rib celery chopped pretty finely, 2 eggs, and I dump in some worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, and poultry seasoning (you can substitute any dried herbs really - sage or thyme are good). Form into two oval loaves, top with ketchup, and bake in a pyrex baking dish at 350 for an hour.

[lawyerlee]

This is a really good idea. :)

I just wanted to share that even those of us who have been cooking for years still mess things up in the kitchen, so I hate for anyone to let fear of a mistake keep her from cooking if she wants to. Practice really helps you in the kitchen, but even if you have a lot of experience, things don't always go right. And that's okay! It's all a learning experience. :)

[Amuse Bouche]

And this is a link to a basic online knife skills class with helpful illustrations. I don't think beginners need to know how to flute a mushroom, but I think the instructions for chopping an onion are invaluable, and I never do it any other way anymore:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=25958

[hockeybrat]

With the roasted asparagus, you can do the same but on the grill. And if you want to kick things up, you can get some sliced proscuitto and wrap the spears with them.

Easy appetizer. :)

[Amuse Bouche]

I echo what lawyerlee said. I really love to cook and I would say I'm pretty good at it, but last week alone, I gave myself second degree burns on my stomach from splashing boiling water on myself while trying to drain pasta, burnt roasted asparagus, and made a great asparagus sauce (actually the world's easiest recipe - a little chopped fresh tomato, some mayonnaise and black pepper, heated over LOW heat) that separated because I cooked it too hot. It was nasty.

[wendalah]

OK, so this is where I trip up with cooking:

"sear halibut fillets on one side"

How long do you "sear" them for? If I were doing this, I know what would happen. I'd sear them a bit too little or too much, and they'd turn out weird.

Ditto:

"sauté in olive oil with two smashed garlic cloves"

How long? How come when I do it, it either turns out too limp or too crispy? :(

I don't have the cooking gene!

[endymion411]

OK, so this is where I trip up with cooking:

"sear halibut fillets on one side"

How long do you "sear" them for? If I were doing this, I know what would happen. I'd sear them a bit too little or too much, and they'd turn out weird.

Ditto:

"sauté in olive oil with two smashed garlic cloves"

How long? How come when I do it, it either turns out too limp or too crispy? :(

I don't have the cooking gene!

too funny---this is me!!!

when i got married my mom was so afraid about how i was going to feed dh! (cultural expectations from a mom who didn't grow up in the us)

[wendalah]

I honestly think that some people really have an innate hand with cooking--a sort of instinctual feel for the process. It's truly an art. I guess I just have to practice more!

[lawyerlee]

I think part of knowing what you're expected to do when you are instructed to sear or saute something lies in familiarity with the terms. I know this is geeky, but if I don't know exactly what a term asks me to do, I look it up just like a would if I was doing legal research. So having a good resource for looking up techniques and ingredients is essential, IMHO. And then, as you said, practice comes into play. With time, searing, sauteing, steaming, or deglazing or whatever just becomes second nature. :)

[Bloomwood]

I love to cook and have no fears heading into the kitchen. Most of the time it works out, but sometimes DH has to pay the price of an adventurous wife with really bad dinners.

I have shared what I think are super easy recipes with friends that don't have the same confidence in the kitchen and ineveitably, she/they will come back with detailed questions about the recipe. I just gave a friend a carrot cake recipe, but forgot that I added raisins to it the time she had it. She was totally befuddled about where the raisins go. I said "eye ball it" but it really made her nervous as she wanted specific instructions to follow without fear of messing it up!

I thought of this as soon as I saw Amuse Bouche's recipe post. I was just waiting for a reply like Wendalah's (no offense!).

Anyway, this thread is a great idea. I agree with Wendalah:
I honestly think that some people really have an innate hand with cooking--a sort of instinctual feel for the process
but, I don't think its a gene so much as enough exposure to be confident and not afraid to fail. Like i said, DH has suffered through his fair share of dry tasteless or other times undercooked fish and lifeless veggies.

Anyway, happy to answer questions too!

[cantwait]

Great idea for a thread! I'll admit to being somewhat of a gourmet in the kitchen, just because I find it relaxing. However, I prefer baking to cooking, and especially with a toddler, sometimes dinner can be a real PITA to get on the table.

I am absolutely crazy over Rachael Ray's new cookbook (365 Meals). Almost all of the recipes look really tasty and easy. I have made 5 out of the book so far and all have been good. I loved the easy broccoli soup (saute chopped bacon, add onion & garlic, add 1 bag frozen chopped broccoli, thyme & chicken stock and simmer 10 minutes. Add some cream or half and half and voila!)

I do try to avoid the convenience foods though - the sodium content is outrageous. And it is so easy to do things if you have the right time-saving tools (I love my Pampered Chef Micro-Cooker and I'd be absolutely lost without my KitchenAid mixer - just made some amazing challah today, thanks to the dough hook!)

[Amuse Bouche]

wendalah -- those are great questions. With the escarole, or with any greens, if you start to sautee it (which is just cooking it in oil) it should start to wilt and look "cooked" instead of raw. That's probably the point I would add the beans. In general, when you're sauteeing greens, I think the wilted phase is what you're going for.

Halibut's a bit trickier, because the doneness of fish is really personal taste and based a little more on feel. When you're searing on one side though, before adding more ingredients, I would sear it (cook on high dry heat) until it gets as brown as you want it on that side and then flip it. It can be hard to tell when fish is done. I tend to like my fish, especially salmon, on the slightly more undercooked side. But it's totally cooked when it's just opaque (instead of that shiny translucent look that sushi has). If you're worried, take the fish off the heat before you think it's done. For one thing, the fish will keep on cooking from the sauce, and for another thing, if you cut into it and it's not cooked all the way, you can put it back on the heat. Eventually, if you've made a dish several times or cooked a certain type of fish several times, you'll know what it looks like when it's the doneness you want.

I do think that a big part of the "gift" has to do with practice and confidence. If you accept that sometimes, especially in the beginning, dinner's going to be only OK because you've overcooked the fish or whatever, it does become easier.

I try to try one or two new recipes a week, but make one or two recipes I know how to make every week, so dinner won't be a disaster every night, but I still learn how to cook new things.

[looch]

Great idea for a thread! I have to say that good tools are essential. You don't have to have the entire knife block set, but a good chef's knife will help you hone your skills. Here's my list of what I think a beginning kitchen needs, feel free to add to it!

1 Chef's Knife
1 wood cutting board, 1 plastic cutting board
1 stainless steel stockpot, with steamer insert
1 stainless steel skillet
1 saucepan, with lid
1 enamel dutch oven
handmixer and stick blender or standmixer and blender
box grater
set of mixing bowls
standard utensils
measuing cups, nesting and liquid
metal stranier, with the smallest holes you can
2 half sheet pans, with silpats
1 cake pan, can be bundt, loaf, whatever you want

[tgr68]

I am completely a beginner when it comes to baking. I've severely screwed up a boxed cake before! :oshe wanted specific instructions to follow without fear of messing it up! This is sooooo DH!

Easy Recipe - Taco Salad
1 lb. hamburger/turkey burger
1 can red kidney beans
Nacho Cheese Doritos
Lettuce, tomato, cheese
Catalina dressing

Brown hamburger meat. Add packet of taco seasoning - no water. Drain and rinse beans and add to meat. Add tomato, cheese, and lettuce. (I like to use cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half. Cuts the prep work way down!) Crush and add Doritos. Coat in Catalina dressing to taste.

If you mix everything but meat, beans, and dressing while hamburger is browning, this only takes about 15 minutes to make, and it is always a hit around here!

[Adaya]

I need to get better with my knife skills. I am actually signing up with Viking Culinary School this spring for their knife skills class. I can't wait!! I've taken a few classes with them, and they are so fun and extremely helpful.

[lawyerlee]

I need to get better with my knife skills. I am actually signing up with Viking Culinary School this spring for their knife skills class. I can't wait!! I've taken a few classes with them, and they are so fun and extremely helpful.
Cool! That sounds really fun. :)

I'm such a dork, but I truly love chopping things with my Santoku chef's knife. Good knives are absolutely essential, and I love that with a good chef's knife, bread knife, and paring knife, I'm pretty well set. No way can I afford a huge set.

[KK812]

This isn't an essential, but I recently bought and LOVE my mandolin. I bought a cheap version-$15 @ BB&B, and it really encourages me to cook more. I hate slicing, and with this I can have 4 potatoes for dinner sliced in 5 minutes.

For me, convenience is a big thing, so if anything speeds up the process, I'm more likely to try something more challenging. :)

[Adaya]

This isn't an essential, but I recently bought and LOVE my mandolin. I bought a cheap version-$15 @ BB&B, and it really encourages me to cook more. I hate slicing, and with this I can have 4 potatoes for dinner sliced in 5 minutes.

For me, convenience is a big thing, so if anything speeds up the process, I'm more likely to try something more challenging. :)

Hmmmm...may have to pick up a mandolin soon. Sometimes I avoid potatoes for dinner just b/c I don't wanna have to slice them. I've seen Emeril and other chefs use mandolins on Food Network and they are pretty helpful.

Maybe I'll pick one up with some new knives after my class.

[gayle]

What a killer idea, must subscribe to this thread!

I am a pretty darn competant cook and I love doing it, as to a cooking gene, I dunno. If that's the case I shouldn't be able to cook at all as my Mother is about the world's worst, and my Father's repertoire is limited to hamburgers, beef stew, and scrambled eggs.

I agree with lawyerlee that alot of understanding cooking basics is familiarity with the terms. You can't possibly cook something properly if you don't understand what they are asking you to do.

I would suggest reading alot of cookbooks. Seriously, just read them and get used to what the terms mean. Then try simple recipes, move on to more complex ones if you find it enjoyable. Also, it doesn't hurt to master the basic group of French sauces either. They are used in so many different recipes in various different ways, that knowing how to make them from practice, rather than digging out a recipe each time is a HUGE time saver.


Get a really good basic cookbook, that lists cooking terms and what they mean, and also teach a few basic techniques, including sauces. I would recommend good ol Joy of Cooking, that sucker is like a dictionary for cooks.

Most of all have some fun with it. Cooking is just a skill like any other that gets easier the more time and practice you invest in it.

[Jenean]

You know, I never started thinking about myself as a natural cook until recently. I still am not sure I have that gene, but I'm definitely a lot more comfortable in the kitchen than I used to be. I chalk it all up to practice, practice, practice. I've had my share of disasters and DH has eaten plenty of dried out chicken, but my successes outnumber my failures and now I just enjoy the whole experience.

I have a whole shelf of cookbooks, some of which I use all the time and others rarely. I bought a bunch before I really understood a lot about cooking and some of them are too detailed or complex for me to use regularly. Those I pull out when I want something funky or fancy. My favorite every day cookbook is the Good Housekeeping cookbook (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=1588163989&itm=1). I bought it for my SIL for Chanukah this year and liked it so much as I was flipping through it that I went back and bought a copy for myself. It's got a lot of very simple and easy recipes, and great sections on how to do even the most basic things. And the price is good, too!


Amuse, thanks for posting that knife lesson! I'm printing it out and will practice the next time I'm chopping veggies. I went through a ton of sweet potatoes, apples, carrots, onions, celery, and mushrooms this weekend for a kugel and a chicken soup and probably will be much more efficient next time!

[tlew12778]

What is a mandolin? I've never heard of that. I'm thinking it must look like an egg slicer? Or is it more like a micoplane grater?

I have a book that I thought was a total waste but I am sure those who do not like the kitchen might find it useful. It's called How to Cook without a Book. I thought it was just too simple, but I have also been cooking for years now. It literally tells you what searing it, how to braise something, hoe to steam stuff, and it gives you basic recipes for everything.

[kemaji]

I love this idea for a thread!

tlew -- This is a mandoline:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0006ABVJS.01._PE20_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

My brother, sister and I started cooking by necessity when we were kids, both of our parents worked, so we would make simple stuff for dinner on our own. My mom worked in a carriage house behind our house growing up, so she was close but not physically in our house. I've been cooking ever since and I still frequently make mistakes. I like getting seasoning packets for things like tacos/fajitas at our local health food store and I've seen them for different Indian dishes as well. It makes cooking during the week simple because you don't have to worry about having all of the necessary spices to make something special.

ETA: We'll also make stir fry fairly frequently and are big fans of main dish salads. The ingredients for both usually stay close to the same (whatever we have in the fridge) but we'll mix things up with the sauce/dressing to keep it interesting.

[ee_chick]

What a great thread. I've always enjoyed cooking, but since getting married I've done a lot more of it, and had a lot more fun in the kitchen.

A few things that I wish I had known as a novice cook:

* Preheating your pans makes a world of difference in getting a good sear, and it can take a little while to get a pan good and hot.
* If you're searing properly the meat will not stick to the pan. Appropriate heat + a little fat + waiting for the crust to form = non-shredded meat.
* Deglazing is no more than adding liquid to your hot pan and scraping the stuff off of the bottom of it. Even if you aren't making a sauce, it makes clean-up so much easier!
* A quick-read thermometer will change your life. I never have to wonder if my food is done

I have a ton of cookbooks, but I find myself using How to Cook Everything (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0028610105/sr=8-1/qid=1143565563/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-0735684-1561441?%5Fencoding=UTF8) by Mark Bittman all the time. This is my favorite "beginner" cookbook by far. His recipes are easy to follow, there is abundant introductory information for each section, and he's very good about offering variations. The food isn't fancy but it's good, and interesting enough that I can menu plan from it quite easily.

I also use The Food Lover's Tiptionary (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0688121462/sr=8-2/qid=1143565357/ref=sr_1_2/103-0735684-1561441?%5Fencoding=UTF8) on a regular basis. I have yet to have a question that this book doesn't answer. It can tell you how to save kitchen disasters, what to do with a new ingredient, definitions of culinary terms, etc.

Here's an easy tip/recipe: I have found the key to really good roast potatoes is to use a heavy pan (cast iron) and to stick it in the oven while it preheats. While the oven is preheating, peel and dice your potatoes. Put potatoes in the pan (you should hear them sizzle -- if you don't, heat the pan longer), toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and desired seasoning. Shake/turn every 15 minutes until they're as brown as you like.

[Bloomwood]

Great idea for a thread! I have to say that good tools are essential. You don't have to have the entire knife block set, but a good chef's knife will help you hone your skills. Here's my list of what I think a beginning kitchen needs, feel free to add to it!

1 Chef's Knife
1 wood cutting board, 1 plastic cutting board
1 stainless steel stockpot, with steamer insert
1 stainless steel skillet
1 saucepan, with lid
1 enamel dutch oven
handmixer and stick blender or standmixer and blender
box grater
set of mixing bowls
standard utensils
measuing cups, nesting and liquid
metal stranier, with the smallest holes you can
2 half sheet pans, with silpats
1 cake pan, can be bundt, loaf, whatever you want


This is a great list! I would suggest that if you are going to get a stick blender, get one that comes with all the little attachments. I use the whisk on big batches of scrambled eggs and the little food processor/chopper for herbs and small quantities that don't make sense for the 11 cup Cuisinart. I've been using my $30 braun for about 5 years now and it's still going strong.

[ignutzz]

Great idea for a thread! I have to say that good tools are essential. You don't have to have the entire knife block set, but a good chef's knife will help you hone your skills. Here's my list of what I think a beginning kitchen needs, feel free to add to it!

1 Chef's Knife
1 wood cutting board, 1 plastic cutting board
1 stainless steel stockpot, with steamer insert
1 stainless steel skillet
1 saucepan, with lid
1 enamel dutch oven
handmixer and stick blender or standmixer and blender
box grater
set of mixing bowls
standard utensils
measuing cups, nesting and liquid
metal stranier, with the smallest holes you can
2 half sheet pans, with silpats
1 cake pan, can be bundt, loaf, whatever you want

This is a great list. Here's what I would add/change/prefer for certain items:

Chef's knife: Santoku!! We have a 9" chef's knife that we never use because DH loves the Santoku so much. And make the effort to invest in the really good ones (Wusthof, Henckels).

Skillet: Cast iron instead of steel. Heats more evenly, costs less and cooks GREAT! (It'll give you muscles too. ;))

Box Grater Microplane!!!! You'll think you're slicing through a warm stick of butter.
box grater (http://www.microplane.com/34005.shtml)
zester (http://www.microplane.com/40020.shtml)
course grater (http://www.microplane.com/35001.shtml)

Tongs Def. must have. They look cheesy but they work wonders.

[andrew&shannah]

I've been lurking along but I had to

Chef's knife: Santoku!! We have a 9" chef's knife that we never use because DH loves the Santoku so much. And make the effort to invest in the really good ones (Wusthof, Henckels).

AMEN! I bought a Santoku recently and my chef's knife doesn't even leave the knife block anymore. Love that thing!

Oh, and tongs are a MUST! I have three and wish I had more.

[gayle]

I am a Shun knife fan myself. They are fairly similar to a Santoku, but to me, feel lighter in my hand.

And I am all about all-clad cookware

Just my 2 cents :)

[looch]

Excellent suggestions on the tools! I hadn't even thought about tongs, which, you can also use to squeeze citrus fruits. I saw this on Everyday Food...so simple and smart!

[Bloomwood]

Ugh. Definitely tongs. They are like an extension of your hands in the kitchen.

if you have a lot of nonstick pots/pans, get a pair of nonstick tons so you don't scratch the finish. (I don't love nonstick cookware though - except for eggs)

[Janey]

This will be a good thread! Seems like something pretty similar to the "TTC Rookies" thread that Southerner set up in the family planning section.

I hope someone will compile all the helpful links and equipment lists and such and post 'em somewhere ... I s'pose I could volunteer myself to do that. :)

[Amuse Bouche]

All Clad Cookware and Shun knives are great, but they're also awfully expensive, and I don't think you need them to cook well. I have a good Wusthof chef's knife, which is good when I'm cutting hard things because the weight of it makes it a little easier. And I have a relatively inexpensive Emerilware Santoku knife that I probably use most often.

It does help to invest in relatively decent pots and pans, because it's easier to scorch food if you're using really crappy pans. I have a cheapo nonstick which I use for eggs, and some decent stainless steel ones.

If you're looking to buy pots and pans, these materials conduct heat evenly:

Iron
Aluminum
Copper

Stainless steel does NOT conduct heat evenly, and that's why if you can afford it, you should look for stainless steel pans (which are easier to keep clean and durable than a lot of materials) that have a core of aluminum or copper to spread the heat evenly and keep your pans from getting hotspots.

[Janey]

And this is a link to a basic online knife skills class with helpful illustrations. I don't think beginners need to know how to flute a mushroom, but I think the instructions for chopping an onion are invaluable, and I never do it any other way anymore:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=25958
I've never liked my method of chopping an onion, so I decided to give this method a go. It all just sort of fell apart when I tried to do the 2nd step. :o It could be because my onion was a) humongous and b) short and squat versus round, like the onion in the photo. I'll keep tryin'.

[Bloomwood]

I had another thought.

I know one thing I have struggled with when we've moved is getting used to the new stove/oven. Older ovens can be terrible about keeping their heat or regulating to the right temperature. It is a good idea to invest in an oven thermometer if you find that your baked goods don't seem to be working out with the recipe's stated baking times.

As for ranges. Some people love electric and some people love gas. I am in the gas camp, but have lived in rentals where I didn't have much of a choice. In either case, if your food seems to cook too quickly, you can use a heat diffuser. They sell them at BB&B for about $4. It is a round piece of metal that creates space between the fire and your pan. My gas range gets way hot on the lowest setting so I use it quite often. It has been particularly helpful in keeping oil at a steady heat when frying things like eggplant or chicken where you want to make multiple batches. Before I got the diffuser, I made a ring of tin foil to set on the burner.

[Katy]

* love my tongs, but I need to get an all metal pair as well (I have nonstick now)

* love my cast iron skillet - it makes such a difference with cooking fish and meat on the stove (best $10 present I EVER received!)

* I've heard Alton Brown talk about buying your posts through a restaurant supply store - he said they're cheaper than the "designer" brands and are made to me used and abused

* How To Cook Everything - I've heard good things about this book. I think I'm going to have to check it out and see if it would work for my SIL (who is so *very* new to cooking and only seems to know how to cook her native Indonesian foods.

* I'm wondering if we should STICKY this thread...

[Janey]

* I'm wondering if we should STICKY this thread...
I was hopin' you would. :)

I don't have any tongs! I feel so left out. What should a person look for in a good pair of tongs, and what sorts of things do you do with them?

[Katy]

MrsHill, I bought non-stick ones and while I like them...1) they suck at gripping meat to flip and 2) they're not springloaded - and what good are tongs if they don't have that tension?

Yeah, I'll sticky.

[ignutzz]

MrsHill For tongs we just have your typical restaurant style metal tongs. Nothing fancy at all and I think they cost us all of $5. DH wants a few more so he can have one for each pot on the stove. :p

[Amuse Bouche]

I love my Oxo Tongs. They're spring loaded, they lock for easy storage, and the ends are silicone, so nonstick but also heat resistant!


As for the onion cutting, I often skip the cutting parallel to the cutting board step, and it's still fine. It is important not to cut all the way through the root end though -- it makes it a lot easier.

[mgrace]

I love my Oxo Tongs. They're spring loaded, they lock for easy storage, and the ends are silicone, so nonstick but also heat resistant!

Ditto--we have the same kind. Tongs are great for flipping chicken, grabbing pasta, etc.

A cookbook that I refer to a lot is Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/069621881X/sr=8-3/qid=1143651500/ref=pd_bbs_3/103-9698786-0819849?%5Fencoding=UTF8). It has lots of "standard" recipes and good definitions, pictures of different meat cuts, tips, etc. The 3 ring binder version is very nice.

As for essential tools, I would mention measuring cups (both dry and liquid) and measuring spoons. If you are baking, you need to have an exact measurement.

Experiment in the kitchen and have fun!

[KK812]

Ditto on the tongs. Use mine at least every other day. I love myBH&G cookbook, too. When I first started cooking as a teenager I started with those recipes. They are great "starter" recipes that you can tweak as you feel comfortable to suit your tastes. For example, I make great potato soup, and although it's far different from the BH&G recipe, it started out as just that.

[Crafty Scrapper]

Yet Another Tool: I have several different sizes of whisks and find I use them all the time. I use them for everything from beating eggs to mixing things like dips, sauces and brownies.
My favorite cookbooks are the church or community cookbooks usually published as fundraisers.

[tlew12778]

I love this idea for a thread!

tlew -- This is a mandoline:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0006ABVJS.01._PE20_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg


I just registered for one of those! Woohoo! I had no idea what it was called in English. In Italian it's called a flat grater/slicer. They sell the grip separately... think I should get it?

[lawyerlee]

I just registered for one of those! Woohoo! I had no idea what it was called in English. In Italian it's called a flat grater/slicer. They sell the grip separately... think I should get it?
I personally think it is easier to use with it, but it's defiinitely not essential. :)

I love all the OXO kitchen tools we have. They really know how to design user-friendly tools. Their vegetable peeler is by far my favorite. It's a far cry from the uncomfortable metal one by mom had when I was growing up! ;)

[KK812]

I personally think it is easier to use with it, but it's defiinitely not essential. :)



I agree, lawyerlee. I am somewhat scatterbrained sometimes, so if I didn't have it, I might answer the phone while using the mandolin, and slice my fingertips right off :o The blade is VERY sharp, so it's mostly a safety issue!


OT~Your avatar is too cute :)

[kemaji]

I just registered for one of those! Woohoo! I had no idea what it was called in English. In Italian it's called a flat grater/slicer. They sell the grip separately... think I should get it?

I would but I'm accident prone and the blades are super sharp. If I didn't use the holder on potatoes/onions, I would seriously hurt myself. Having it lets me slice faster.

[mgrace]

I love all the OXO kitchen tools we have. They really know how to design user-friendly tools. Their vegetable peeler is by far my favorite. It's a far cry from the uncomfortable metal one by mom had when I was growing up! ;)
I know---I love the vegetable peeler! I could never peel worth a crap and then the OXO peeler saved my life. ;)

[Janey]

I have the OXO mandoline, and I think I've used it... maaaybe three times. :confused: Maybe there's something I'm missing, but I didn't think it was all that useful as a kitchen tool?

[tlew12778]

I have the OXO mandoline, and I think I've used it... maaaybe three times. :confused: Maybe there's something I'm missing, but I didn't think it was all that useful as a kitchen tool?
You know, I am actually wondering if I will use it. It seems like an extra thing to clean. That is why I didn't get the grip thing... just one more thing in the sink.

Then again, I used to never use my mini-chopper and now I love it. I leave it out and use it almost everyday.

[looch]

I don't have a mandoline and to be honest, I don't miss it. Maybe if I prepared my veggies and potatoes in a manner that requires paper thin slices, I would consider it, but for now, it's just another thing to clean. I believe, though, that they can be put in the top rack of the dishwasher.

[Janey]

You know, I am actually wondering if I will use it. It seems like an extra thing to clean. That is why I didn't get the grip thing... just one more thing in the sink.
Embarassing admission: I got the thing when I saw Martha Stewart use it to make thin-sliced potato 'chips' and bake them in the oven with a little "Sea salt and black pepper." I was just moving into the Potato Phase of my diet and thought: "I get to eat Potatoes! I could make this!" and told my mother that I must have a mandoline!! So she bought it for me for a 'congratulations for graduating to fruits & vegetables' present. Mostly now it just sits on a shelf. I guess - how often do you need thin-sliced veggies where you can't or don't want to use a knife? That's the thing I wonder about it... what's this mandoline doing for me that my chef's knife is not?

Then again, I used to never use my mini-chopper and now I love it. I leave it out and use it almost everyday.
What do you use it for? I bought a mini chopper to use while on my diet, because it makes a Mousse out of the shakes that's pretty darn good. Now that I'm not making mousses any more, I can't figure out what to do with it. I have used it to whir up some smoked salmon dip (posted recipe in the dip thread) and yesterday I used it again to finely chop a some veggies to put in the bisonloaf. But it goes at least a month between uses.

[KK812]

Embarassing admission: I got the thing when I saw Martha Stewart use it to make thin-sliced potato 'chips' and bake them in the oven with a little "Sea salt and black pepper."



:o I bought one when I saw martha, too! LOL But she was making a different recipe. It's not like it's something I use every day, but it's definitley worth having when i DO use it. I use it for soups, and for these potatoes I do on the grill. Very good, and unbelievably easy:


3 medium potatoes
1 red onion
EVOO
Seasonin Salt, or herbs of your choice
Pepper

Slice the potatoes and onion using the mandolin (or a knife ;)) Toss in a bowl with a few teaspoons of EVOO. Divide the potatoes and onions onto 4 large pieces of foil sprayed with cooking spray, and sprinkle genorously with seasoning salt and pepper. Fold foil into "packets" and place on the grill over indirect heat for 30 minutes.

We make these every time we grill out. The flavors meld together so nicely.

[Katy]

KK812, that sounds yummy. I've considered getting a mandolin. In the summer, I do sliced veggies a LOT

[tlew12778]

What do you use it for? I bought a mini chopper to use while on my diet, because it makes a Mousse out of the shakes that's pretty darn good. Now that I'm not making mousses any more, I can't figure out what to do with it. I have used it to whir up some smoked salmon dip (posted recipe in the dip thread) and yesterday I used it again to finely chop a some veggies to put in the bisonloaf. But it goes at least a month between uses.
I use it all the time for onions and garlic. I also chop onions if I need bigger pieces but for something like a quiche or a cannaloni where the insides should be smoother, I use the chopper. I also use it for parsley and pesto.

[JillyBean]

I love all the OXO kitchen tools we have. They really know how to design user-friendly tools. Their vegetable peeler is by far my favorite. It's a far cry from the uncomfortable metal one by mom had when I was growing up!
I agree! I LOVE the entire Oxo line :)

[maplekitty]

when recipes call for "sour milk" - what exactly is that??? milk and vinegar???? milk and lemon juice??

i've seen it a few time in Joy of Cooking....

[Katy]

I'm assuming that "sour milk" is the same thing as buttermilk (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttermilk) here in the states...To make buttermilk, use 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar. Allow it to sit for a few minutes. If you do purchase buttermilk and have extra, freeze it in 1 cup containers or in Ziplock bags. You can also purchase powdered buttermilk in grocery stores. Just add water.

For the record, I've always heard it made with lemon juice (and remember to add the milk TO the premeasured lemon juice - otherwise, you'll have too much liquid)

source: ivillage.com (http://home.ivillage.com/cooking/technique/0,,38sc,00.html)

[Amuse Bouche]

Katy's right. A great site when you don't know what an ingredient is or don't have the exact ingredient is foodsubs.com -- it tells you what hundreds of ingredients are and how to substitute for them. I use it all the time.

[maplekitty]

Katy's right. A great site when you don't know what an ingredient is or don't have the exact ingredient is foodsubs.com -- it tells you what hundreds of ingredients are and how to substitute for them. I use it all the time.

oh that's awesome!!! There are so many times when I'm in the middle of a recipe and dang, I dont have "X"....
thanks for the link! :)

[greenbunny]

I have a question.

Depite having lived in our house a year now, I am still struggling to cook with all electric. I grew up with gas and I just can't seem to get the hang of this, everything takes ten times as long! It drives me insane. Any tips?

[Bloomwood]

Greenbunny - to quote myself. :D Is finding the right temperature the problem? If so, here's how I'd say to solve it. if not, what are specifically dealing with on electric? I'm sure we can come up with some ideas!

I had another thought.

I know one thing I have struggled with when we've moved is getting used to the new stove/oven. Older ovens can be terrible about keeping their heat or regulating to the right temperature. It is a good idea to invest in an oven thermometer if you find that your baked goods don't seem to be working out with the recipe's stated baking times.

As for ranges. Some people love electric and some people love gas. I am in the gas camp, but have lived in rentals where I didn't have much of a choice. In either case, if your food seems to cook too quickly, you can use a heat diffuser. They sell them at BB&B for about $4. It is a round piece of metal that creates space between the fire and your pan. My gas range gets way hot on the lowest setting so I use it quite often. It has been particularly helpful in keeping oil at a steady heat when frying things like eggplant or chicken where you want to make multiple batches. Before I got the diffuser, I made a ring of tin foil to set on the burner.

[Sunshine]

sear...saute??? Oh dear, I am already over my head.....:o

I, uh, don't cook, hubby does it all b/c I just dont know how, and everything I try, usually fails miserably. I figure if I read along, I can start small, and hopefully end up being the main cook in the house:D:p .....hopefully.

[Janey]

I keep meaning to post this, and keep forgetting. I'm learning a lot about cooking -- especially the science of cooking (which ingredients do what to what dishes, that sort of thing) -- from my subscription to Cooks Illustrated (http://www.cooksillustrated.com/). I highly recommend it. Ingredient reviews, gear reviews, quick tips, and fantastic articles. They make something like meatloaf into a story. :)

[KarenS]

What a great thread. I'm also happy to answer questions where I can. I love to cook and to bake (although I do more of the former and less of the latter). I collect cookbooks and recipes and subscribe to at least 3 cooking magazines. I'm a recipe addict.

Here are a few of my favorite kitchen items that I use ALL the time:

OXO Tongs (I have them in 3 sizes) (http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?sku=102087)
http://www.cooking.com.edgesuite.net/images/products/Enlarge/102087e.jpg

Cuisinart Mini-Prep Chopper (http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=167082)
http://www.cooking.com.edgesuite.net/images/products/Enlarge/167082e.jpg

French White Corningware Set (http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=212379) (I have lots of other pieces that I've bought and added on - I use this for *everything* - mixing, baking, serving, microwaving. It's the best stuff ever.
http://www.cooking.com.edgesuite.net/images/products/Enlarge/212379e.jpg

Pampered Chef Bamboo Spatula and Spoon Sets (http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=365&categoryCode=KW). Again these are things I use all the time. I prefer the bamboo to regular wood because it has a higher heat point and they don't stain or split like wooden spoons do. (I don't buy much from Pampered Chef, but I do love these.)
http://www.pamperedchef.com/graphics/products_200/2041_200.jpg

Lodge Cast Iron Skillet (http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=160621). I firmly believe everyone should have a cast iron skillet in their kitchen. You can make everything in them and clean up is a breeze. Mine stays on the stove top 100% of the time.
http://www.cooking.com.edgesuite.net/images/products/Enlarge/160621e.jpg

Pizza Stone (http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=102521) - I think everyone needs one of these too. They help your oven heat more evenly, and of course they make great pizzas. This stays in our oven all the time.
http://www.cooking.com.edgesuite.net/images/products/Enlarge/102521e.jpg

[KarenS]

continued because I could only post 6 images! :)



I am not a big fan of matched sets of pots and pans because each pot or pan has a different use and sometimes you need a different material. However, for the most part I'm a big AllClad fan. I love Calphalon, but you can't put it in the dishwasher, so I only own one piece. These, however, I use all the time:
All Clad 1.5QT Sauce Pan (http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=213443). (Linked on this same page are the other sizes - I use the 3QT a lot as well. You can find these much less expensively if you wait for sales or check Amazon.com frequently. I paid less than 1/2-price for all of my AllClad.)
http://www.cooking.com.edgesuite.net/images/products/Enlarge/213443e.jpg

I'll post more as I thnk of it.

Karen

[greenbunny]

Greenbunny - to quote myself. :D Is finding the right temperature the problem? If so, here's how I'd say to solve it. if not, what are specifically dealing with on electric? I'm sure we can come up with some ideas!

It's the response time of the equipment. It takes so freaking long to heat up a pan; with gas I get instant feedback. If I turned gas up too much, I could turn it down immediately. If I turn electric up too much, I can't get it back down fast enough and the food gets burned. If I take it off the burner, it gets cold and rubbery.

Everything lags and is so sluggish. I feel like I went from a state-of-the-art laptop to a Commodore from the early 80s.

[ee_chick]

greenbunny, are you having trouble going from high to low and back again?

I don't have any experience with electric, but this was asked at one of my cooking classes. The instructor said that she actually uses two burners for that kind of thing -- one is cranked for the initial heat, but she has another one at a lower heat for sauces, etc. It won't work if you're using all of your burners, and it isn't the most elegant solution, but it would work.

[JRPAGV]

I want to make homemade mashed potatoes. How do I go about doing this?? Does anyone have a recipe?

I found a copycat recipe for Bugaboo Creek's smashed potatoes (which are so yummy!). It calls for boiled red-skinned potatoes. How long do I boil them, and do I boil on high or medium? Do I clean the potatoes first, take the skin off, or anything? I have the same questions if I were to use a different kind of potato.

[KarenS]

Mashed potatoes are some of the easiest things in the world to make. And the variations are endless and depend only on your taste. Generally if you're using russet or idaho potatoes (the big brown ones) you'll want to peel them. Their peels are a little thicker and tougher. If your'e using yukon gold or red potatoes, you can peel them or not as you like. Sometimes I make them with the peel on, and sometimes I want smoother potatoes w/out the peel. It's just personal taste. If you want them peeled, do it *before* you boil them, not after.

So at it's most basic:

Wash and/or peel your potatoes
Cut them into large equal sized (as equal as you can get) chunks. They cook faster and more evenly when the pieces of potato are all about the same size. For the little red potatoes that might mean only cutting them in 1/2. For the larger russets, I often cut them into 4 or 6 pieces.
Put them in a pot and cover them with cold water (go about 1" over the top of the potatoes)
Put the pot on high heat and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer (it will come to a boil more quickly if it's covered, but after that you can leave it uncovered if you want)
You'll know the potatoes are done when you stick a fork into one and it goes thru easily and smoothly. If it sticks or there's resistance, then the potatoes are not cooked. This can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour depending on how many potatoes you have and how big your pot is.
Remove the pot from the heat and drain out as much of the water as you can (don't pour into a strainer, just use the lid or a big spoon to hold the potatos in and pour off the liquid). I personally save the potato water and use it later to thicken soups or gravies, but you can just drain it right into the sink as well. It's ok if there's still some water in the bottom of the pot - it will just blend in with the mashed potatoes - you just don't want them swimming in liquid.
Return the pot to the stove (heat off) and add any or all of the following: butter, salt, milk, cream, sour cream. Use a potato masher (picture below) to mash the potatoes. I recommend that you NOT use an electric mixer or a blender because over whipped potatoes can get sticky and paste like. You really want to just mash them up, not blend them to a pulp. I personally like a few small solid pieces of potatoes in my mashed, but some people are sticklers about having it perfectly smooth. It's all about personal taste and about how much arm power you want to use! :)
If you want lower calorie/lower fat mashed potatoes, instead of adding milk or cream or butter, use a good quality chicken stock or broth to add the moisture during mashing.
Add a little liquid at a time and more as you need it. The potatoes should be stiff, not liquidy or gooey.


That's really basic mashed. You can add all sorts of things to mashed potatoes to add flavor and texture if you want. I've added cheeses (cheddar or parmesan or whatever), roasted garlic, sour kraut, and all kinds of things.

Potato masher - you can get one at Target for less than $10:
http://www.cooking.com.edgesuite.net/images/products/Enlarge/419537e.jpg
Karen

[JRPAGV]

Thank you so much, KarenS! That was very helpful!

[ignutzz]

My favorite variation on smashies is to do it with sweet potatoes (NOT yams, they're two very different things), adding a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. We then sprinkle extra butter and brown sugar on the top and put them under the broiler for a minute or two to get a nice carmelized crust on top. YUM!!!

ETA: I just wanted to reiterate Karen's direction to have the potatoes in the water WHILE it's heating. This allows the center of the potato time to cook without the outside getting overly done and mushy (such great technical terms :)).

[JRPAGV]

My favorite variation on smashies is to do it with sweet potatoes (NOT yams, they're two very different things), adding a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. We then sprinkle extra butter and brown sugar on the top and put them under the broiler for a minute or two to get a nice carmelized crust on top. YUM!!! That sounds sooo good! So you prepare them just like mashed potatoes- clean, peel, cube, boil, etc?

[ignutzz]

It's SO delicious! Actually, DH bakes them to soften them up but you can use the boiling method too (takes less time). The key with this recipe is heavy cream, butter and the spices to taste. Enjoy! :D

[greenbunny]

Ooh, I like the idea of using two burners. Thanks, ee chick!

[Sunshine]

sigh....I feel REALLY Stupid asking these 2 questions, but, well, just dontknow:(
I was making something totally simple. It said to "Boil, then turn down heat and simmer. Stir occasionally"
How much am I suposed to turn down the heat, and how much stirring do i need to do when it says occasionally?

I boiled the food on high on the stover burner. I turned it down to 4-5 (About Halfway) And thought stirring every 2-3 mins would be fine. Well, I think I didnt turn the heat down enough, and maybe that was why the food stuck to the bottom? Maybe if I turned the food Right down I could have waited longer to stir?
ugh, I feel so lost when it comes to cooking.........:(

TIA...

[KarenS]

Simmer is a really hard thing for new cooks to learn. A simmer is when you turn down the heat so that there are only tiny bubbles around the edge of the liquid in the pan and a gentle (very very gentle) motion on the surface. Does that make sense? It's hard to explain in words - easier if you can see it. You don't want the liquid to just hold there and warm .. but you don't want boiling movements either. It's lower than halfway, but not so low that there's no movement in the liquid. Obviously it varies with every stove, but for my stove a simmer is about 2-3.

Stirring occasionally also varies with the recipe. I give a quick stir every 1-2 mins ... but some things you can go even longer between stirs.

Karen

[Rose]

How much am I suposed to turn down the heat, and how much stirring do i need to do when it says occasionally?

Depending on your stove, I would turn it down to 2. You want to simmer on low, not medium. As for stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes is fine. I usually go longer between stirs.

ugh, I feel so lost when it comes to cooking.........

Don't worry, it just takes time.

[Sunshine]

Karen
You don't want the liquid to just hold there and warm .. but you don't want boiling movements either. It's lower than halfway, but not so low that there's no movement in the liquid
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh, that does make sense! I was thinking Simmer was more of a boil, so I am pretty sure I was over-cooking it...And thank you also for letting me know what you turn the stove down too. It IS a new stove, flat top, not sure if that makes a difference or not, but it gets VERY HOT VERY FAST! So I think for next time I will turn it down to 3, and just check on it! And then turn it down from there?
Thank you so much for your help:D .....At least I know now what Simmer actually means:o

Rose
Thank you so much! I get so frustrated b/c I would Love to be able to cook for Dh all the time, but I just never cooked in my entire life, and I just feel like I have waited too long, and I feel so embarrassed to even ask what I am doing wrong... I am SO HAPPY I found this thread:)

[ignutzz]

So I think for next time I will turn it down to 3, and just check on it! And then turn it down from there?

This will probably work, just stay with the pot until you see how far the motion has settled and adjust from there. I find when it comes to simmering, it's all in what you're seeing in the pot rather than an actual number on the dial.

[lawyerlee]

I love my Oxo Tongs. They're spring loaded, they lock for easy storage, and the ends are silicone, so nonstick but also heat resistant!
I need to get a pair of these. I have a pair that isn't spring loaded, and they are pretty handy. But I think I'd use the spring-loaded variety all the time. I'm pretty sure my mom had two pair and I stole the ones I have from her when I got my first apartment, so I'm pretty sure I could spring for a different pair now! ;) :)

[lawyerlee]

I get so frustrated b/c I would Love to be able to cook for Dh all the time, but I just never cooked in my entire life, and I just feel like I have waited too long, and I feel so embarrassed to even ask what I am doing wrong... I am SO HAPPY I found this thread:)
You *will* get better and gain more confidence with practice. We all started off gradually, it's just more intimidating to learn when you're all grown up. But you can do it. Just start off with simple recipes and move on to more advanced techniques when you feel more comfortable. :)

[Sunshine]

ignutzz~Thank You!:)

lawyerlee~Awe, THANKS! I hope in time I will get better.....:) And that's right, I think my biggest problem is I AM so unsure of myself:p DH laughs at me when I cook.....:p Ah well......

[JRPAGV]

Here's a couple of stupid questions for ya:

Are frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts any less likely to contain salmonella, etc. than the slimy ones in the refridgerated section? I'm hoping maybe freezing them does something to the bacteria? The bags with several frozen chicken breasts are much more appealing to me than the others anyway. Oh, and is there any cooking method in which I can just toss the chicken breasts in frozen, or do I have to thaw them first no matter how I cook them?

[bookworm]

As long as you cook chicken properly, there is little risk of salmonella. If you prefer the look and feel of the frozen ones, that's fine--but you need to practice safe handling of both when they are raw, and both are safe when well cooked.

You can put still frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot--there are several recipes in the crockpot thread in this forum.

[KarenS]

What bookworm said. The fresh ones are actually going to taste better and have better texture than the frozen ones, if you want the truth.

And the risk of salmonella is equal with both ... and fairly small, despite the hype. Handle chicken safely, make sure it's cooked through, and you'll be fine.

There are some recipes where you can cook chicken frozen, but again, thawed will taste better. When you cook any frozen meat, it takes longer to cook the center and the outsides become overcooked in the meanwhile. So you get dry, rubbery edges by the time the frozen center cooks through.

Karen

[maybebaby]

Whenever I try to bread and saute/fry shrimp or chicken in a frying pan, the crust never seems to stick to the meat and ends up burning on the pan before the chicken is fully cooked through.

I often use olive oil.

Do I need to use a different oil?

More egg to make the breaded part stick?

Cook on a lower heat?

I've tried Martha's parmesan crusted chicken and another recipe for coconut shrimp and both were pretty much disasters.

[looch]

Regarding the IQF chicken in bags, be careful if you go this route because sometimes they are soaked in a salt solution before frozen, making them extremely salty. I just tossed a bag out about a month ago, vowing to never return to frozen.

For frying, I prefer vegetable oil. When i make chicken cutlets, I pound them thinly and then soak them in a beaten egg or two, depending on how many I have. I then bread them right before I fry them, making sure that the pan is hot and the oil is smoking. I never had a problem with the crust coming off, probably because I like a thin layer to begin with.

HTH!!!

[KarenS]

I often use olive oil.Yeah, that's the problem. Everyone talks about how you should use olive oil because it's healthy .. and that's quite true. But for some things it's just not the right oil to use. Olive oil has a very low smoke point, so you can't get it hot enough to really fry breading. If you're going to batter or bread or coat something, then you need an oil that will get *really* hot and you need to cook it hot. Like looch said ... nearly to the smoke point. When you put your coated chicken (or whatever) in hot oil, it immediately forms a crust and adheres. When you put it in not so hot oil, then the coating or breading just gets saturated with oil and falls off.

If you're going to deep fry, you need to use vegetable oil at the very least and preferably peanut oil, since it has the highest smoke point.

Karen

[maybebaby]

Thanks, guys...that is really helpful. That is, of course, exactly what happens with olive oil...the crust falls right off the chicken.

[Katy]

When you put your coated chicken (or whatever) in hot oil, it immediately forms a crust and adheres. When you put it in not so hot oil, then the coating or breading just gets saturated with oil and falls off.I did not know this. I've always wondered why my breading was falling off when I was frying up chicken. I do it so rarely, I never really gave it much thought. Thanks for the question MaybeBaby and thanks for the answers ladies! :cool:

[jesvet]

I had no idea about olive oil either. I use it almost exclusively. Time to get some vegetable oil! Thanks for the advice.

[maybebaby]

Well...I have another question. I tried to make pudding from scratch yesterday (a chai cinnamon pudding from Everyday Food) and it did not thicken at all. I used lots of cornstarch.

But now I think maybe I did not cook it for long enough? The recipe said to cook until a large bubble formed. How large a bubble would that be? When I started to see little bubbles, I pulled it off the heat.

Or is it that I used non-fat lactaid milk? Bad decision? The recipe didn't specify the kind of milk, but now I'm thinking maybe I should have used some milk with more fat in it.

Thanks.

[KarenS]

When I started to see little bubbles, I pulled it off the heat.

Or is it that I used non-fat lactaid milk? Bad decision? I suspect probably both. Little bubbles are just the beginning of a simmer ... you want bubbles that are about the size of a quarter or larger. And yeah, I would have used regular whole milk - or at the very least 2% milk. I'm not sure what is removed from Lactaid milk to make it non-reactive, but I suspect it makes it not good recipe milk.

Karen

[maybebaby]

Thanks! That's very helpful.

(Sometimes I just use what's in the house instead of running out and buying more milk, but I suspect you may be right that lactose-free is not the way to go for pudding. Some food chemist could probably explain why, but that's good enough for me.)

[ignutzz]

Yeah, when it comes to baking/desserts, it's usually best to use the richest, fattiest ingredient option. :) I made the mistake many years ago of using whipped butter in a cookie recipe and it was a mess. I now always have several boxes of unsalted stick butter in the fridge and freezer exclusively for baking. Afterall, fat is flavor. :p

[mgrace]

jesvet, your icon is hilarious. :)

[JRPAGV]

What's the difference taste-wise between white vinegar and cider vinegar (and any other kinds of vinegar)? I've got a broccoli salad recipe that calls for cider vinegar, but I'm wondering if white vinegar would taste that much different. I know nothing about vinegar.

TIA!

[ignutzz]

I don't know specific differences, but cider vinegar will be sweeter (relatively speaking) than regular white vinegar.

If you want to use what you have, you can always add a little sugar (a pinch at a time) to get it right for your taste.

[JRPAGV]

Thanks, ignutzz! That's exactly what I was wondering... if one was sweeter or more bitter than the other.

Do you know where in the grocery store I'd find cider vinegar? Or white?

[lawyerlee]

Thanks, ignutzz! That's exactly what I was wondering... if one was sweeter or more bitter than the other.

Do you know where in the grocery store I'd find cider vinegar? Or white?
I just bought some vinegar this week, and it was all next to the oils in the baking aisle. I think that is typically where they're located. :)

[racerswife]

the cider vinegar will be sweeter than the white vinegar. i've used white in place of cider before and couldn't really tell the difference. it was a three bean casserole dish. good luck!

[ignutzz]

They're usually all shelved together, in our stores they're with all of the condiments and canned goods. It's probably different in any given place though.

[JRPAGV]

Thanks so much, ladies! :)

[JRPAGV]

One more vinegar question...

What's the difference between white vinegar and white wine vinegar? Are they the same thing? I just saw some other recipes for broccoli salad that called for white wine vinegar.

[KarenS]

Wine vinegar is made from wine ... any wine, if exposed to high temps will sour and become vinegar. So the flavor of the wine vinegar will reflect some of the flavor of the original wine ... red wine, white wine, champagne, etc.

Karen

[looch]

As far as I know, wine vinegar is made when wine is exposed to a vinegar bacteria, called a mother. I don't know about the high temperatures part, because I have a container in the basement where I produce my own, and I do not expose the mixture to any heat.

White vinegar is distilled alcohol, I primarily use it for cleaning purposes.

HTH!!!

[KarenS]

As far as I know, wine vinegar is made when wine is exposed to a vinegar bacteria, called a mother. I don't know about the high temperatures part, because I have a container in the basement where I produce my own, and I do not expose the mixture to any heat.Right. Sorry. I was unclear.

All vinegars that are sold commercially (and most intentionally homemade ones) are made by introducing "mother" into a substance - wine, cider, juice, whatever. Basically all the mother does is speed up the fermentation process. But mother also forms naturally in any vinegar; think of it as like sourdough starter. You get mother from a vinegar, put it in another liquid to stimulate the fermentation proces, then you get the mother from that vinegar and put it in another liquid and so forth and so forth. Commercial vinegars are pasturized so they don't form mother in the bottle usually.

However, any sugared liquid will ferment over time and when exposed to higher temperatures, and form it's own mother if left long enough. Depending on how much sugar it has in it, it will become alcoholic first (mildly or heavily) and then continue the fermentation process until it becomes some form of vinegar.

Plain vinegar is made from water, acetic acid, and sugar (commercially)
Wine vinegar is made from wine
Cider vinegar is made from apple cider
Rice wine vinegar is made from rice wine
And so forth.

Balsamic vinegar is made from the juice of grapes and then is aged for quite a long time. True balsamic vinegar that hasn't been augmented by syrups and flavorings is really expensive and has been cask aged for 10 or more years. It's aged in wooden casks to allow the liquid to evaporate over time, so what's left at the end of the aging period is a very concentrated, syrupy substance ... very potent and very expensive.

Just one thing: white vinegar is *not* the same as distilled alcohol. It is the oxidation of distilled alcohol - they are two different things. :D

Karen

[Katy]

wow Karen! What don't you know?!?! http://smiley.onegreatguy.net/tease.gif

[KarenS]

Heh. I watched Alton Brown's show on Vinegar. :) It was fascinating. Especially the part about Balsamic vinegar. I learned that the Balsamic vinegar that I have is not 100% *real* Balsamic ... it's partially aged and augmented with syrup. I was really disappointed!

Karen

[jenjunum]

I need some recomendations for "cooking" sherry/congac/brandy. General advice or specific advice if you have it. I occasionally come across recipies that call for these items but they're not something I drink ever or know a thing about. I consider myself to be a pretty good cook and I know not to by anything that says "cooking" on it obviously. Can I buy anything from the grocery store (on the liquor aisle)? I have no idea what an approriate price would be so I don't know what's cheap congac or expensive congac for example.

Any pointers in this area?

Do I really need this specific ingredient? Can I substitute with something else- red wine? I think I'd really like to have these ingredients on hand though.

The lastest recipe I'm looking at is a french onion soup recipe that calls for congac or brandy.

[KarenS]

Brandy and cognac can be interchangeable. You absolutely cannot sub red wine for cognac/brandy or sherry. Blech. :)

At it's most basic, brandy is fruit (usually grapes, but you can also get pear brandy and apple brandy and so forth) that has been steam distilled to make a stronger alcohol. Cognac is a wine that has been aged in oak barrels and must be from a particular region of France to be called Cognac.

I keep a bottle of Courvoisier VS Cognac around all the time - both for cooking and for drinking. In fact I just bought a new one this week. The bottle looks like this and you should be able to get the middle sized bottle at your local liquor store for ~$30. (ETA: there are different grades of Cognac - you'll notice the letters VS (Very Special), VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale), XO (Extra Old), and so forth. The more aged and refined the cognac is, the higher grade it is and that's reflected in the letters. I've always bought either VS or VSOP, especially for cooking or personal use. I've tasted XO and it's wonderfully smooth - I would never cook with it myself. But it's not something I could afford to buy by the bottle on a regular basis! :))

http://images.send.com/103079_big.jpg

Hennessy also makes a pretty decent brandy for drinking or cooking.

Sherry is quite different. It's a wine that's been fortified with brandy. Technically real sherry only comes from a specific area in Spain. But there's also American sherry which, I believe, has to be labelled as American (like Champagne from America has to be technically called "sparkling wine"). So sherry is sweeter and heavier than wine or brandy individually. A very basic sherry is Dry Sack (it's what I keep around). I don't particularly like to drink sherry, so I buy the smallest bottle possible and keep it in the fridge. You should be able to get a small bottle for ~$15 or so.

Hope that helps.

Karen

[squirrel]

I've been learning to cook out of recipe books for a couple of years now, but still haven't gotten the hang of browning chicken or pork chops right! I use a calphalon aluminum-core skillet (if it makes any difference- it's not a non-stick), but I don't know how hot the skillet is supposed to be, how much oil to use, and how long to wait until I flip the meat over. Any advice on this would be much appreciated!

[jenjunum]

Karen-

Thanks for the advice. I'll look for that brand you mentioned. I was staring at the bottles in the store the other day thinking I would just pick something. I'm glad I waited.

squirrel-

I usually cook chicken on med-high. I put a few swirls of olive oil in the pan. It's important to have a hot pan and hot oil before you put the chicken in. Season your chicken with salt & pepper before you put it in the pan. I probably leave the chicken on the first side for about 4 minutes or so. Your stovetop may be different though so if it's burning turn it down, take it completely off the heat if it's really too hot.

I often sear the outside of the chicken and then finish cooking it in the oven.

I'm assuming you're talking about bonelss skinless chicken breasts here too- any other kind of chicken will be different.

[Katy]

Squirrel, don't forget, if you're browning pork chops, cut a slit or two into the fat end to stop it from curling up on you (or just go with center cut, boneless).

Karen, thanks for the sherry & brandy info. I think the next time I'm out at the liquor store, I might need to pick up a small bottle of both to have on hand for cooking.

[JRPAGV]

How long does vinegar keep (like apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, etc.)?

[ignutzz]

JRPAGV Forever. And it doesn't need refridgeration. :)

[JRPAGV]

Thanks, ignutzz! :)

[JRPAGV]

I post in this thread way too often. :o

How long do onions keep? I bought a red onion almost two weeks ago, and left it in a bag in our pantry. Should I throw it away, or can I cut it up and use it in a cold salad? TIA!

[gayle]

Unless you see some mold on the onion skin it will be fine. Onions keep a long time if they are kept dry.

[KarenS]

As long as it's not soft or sprouting, it should be good. Cut it in half and see if it's got soft spots inside.

Mostly onions will keep in a cool, dry, dark place for a really, really, really long time. Months.

Karen

[JRPAGV]

If I want to add rice to my usual broccoli casserole (broccoli, cream of mushroom, mayo, cheese, Ritz crackers, etc.), then what do I need to do? Do I just cook the rice like the box says and then add it to the broccoli casserole before I put it in the oven? Does anyone know how much rice I should add? TIA!

[KarenS]

Given that there's not a lot of moisture in the recipe already, I'd add cooked rice. And assuming that you're talking about a can of cream of mushroom soup and maybe ... what 1/2 a cup or less of mayo? ... I'd add no more than 2 cups of *cooked* rice. If you add more rice, then you'd need more creamy/liquidy stuff to keep it from drying out.

Karen

[akacharlotte]

How long can you keep meat frozen before it goes bad? I always thought a long time but my father seems to think otherwise.

Also how do you roast something? For instance, roasted garlic??

[KarenS]

What do you consider "a long time"? :)

Depending on how it's packaged, meat can last up to a year. Most cookbooks will recommend 3-6 months. Generally you can tell by looking at it - if it looks "burned" or grayish, or if it's covered in ice crystals, it's probably not fit to eat. (It actually won't go "bad" as in spoiled, but it will be tough, chewy, and generally yucky tasting because of the freezer-burn.)

Roasting: Roasting is cooking something surrounded by a dry heat. Most people roast in the oven. All you do is place the item you're roasting in the oven - either in a pan, wrapped in foil, or something like that.

Specifically for roasting garlic, what I do is wrap a whole head of garlic in a layer of foil and then put it in the toaster oven set on "bake" at 400 for about 40 minutes. When it's done, remove the foil and squeeze the head of garlic. The bulbs will break open and the roasted garlic will squeeze right out of the paper.

Karen

[tgr68]

I have what (seems to me) should be a simple question. What exactly is a clove of garlic? Is it one of the sections or the whole bulb? :o I tried a couple of recipes using fresh garlic, and they both came out less than pleasing - one had waaaaay too much garlic, the other I could barely taste it at all. :(

[KarenS]

A clove is one sort of quarter-moon-shaped section. A head is the entire clump of sections that's held together by the papery skin.

Garlic is one of those things that's hard to measure because there are variables. The older the garlic, the stronger it will be is one thing. Also clove sizes aren't all the same - you can have large cloves and small cloves.

When you measure garlic, it's something that you eventually learn to do by taste and smell and the type of recipe you're making. You learn how to estimate when 1 clove will be enough and when you need 2 or 3 or 5! :)

Karen

[ignutzz]

Garlic cloves are the individual pieces of garlic that come off a "head".

A lot of times, cooking with garlic is subjective. Also depending on the size of each clove you're using, 3 cloves could actually be the equivalent of 6. :) Now that you know how your previous two dishes turned out, you can adjust the garlic proportion accordingly.

ETA: Oops, stepped away from the comp. for a moment and ended up repeating Karen. :) sorry.

[KarenS]

LOL. What I think is funny is that we typed almost exactly the same thing.

K.

[ignutzz]

Then the advice must be right! :p

[akacharlotte]

Thanks!

I have some chicken I was considering using but I think it has been in the freezer for about 6 months. I'll have to look at and see if it passes muster regarding gray color, burnt looking or covered in ice crystals! :) It is in the original packaging.

[Katy]

Thanks!

I have some chicken I was considering using but I think it has been in the freezer for about 6 months. I'll have to look at and see if it passes muster regarding gray color, burnt looking or covered in ice crystals! :) It is in the original packaging.I've heard that you should never freeze your meat in the original packaging. I try to abide by that rule and use my vacu-sealer, but sometimes I'll buy something to cook that day or the next and wind up freezing it instead to use the following week.

[Katy]

How do you POACH chicken? And should I be poaching chicken for a Chineseish Chicken Salad?

[bookworm]

Poaching is a fancy word for boiling :). Stick it in a pot with water or chicken broth and turn it on high for a while.

If your salad has a strong dressing, poaching is fine. Otherwise you could roast it; that retains a bit more flavor.

[Bloomwood]

I just poached chicken 2 weeks ago for Chinese Chicken Salad!

My definition of poaching is to put it in just an inch or two of water or stock or a mix with some wine, covered, on medium-to medium high heat. Can't tell you timing, just til it's done.

Per bookworm, roasting would be good too, but that requires the oven, which it was too hot for when I made mine. I also like to cheat and buy rotisserie chicken.

[Katy]

Oooh, ixnay on the ovenay too hot (and it's gas in a window unit AC house!!) Okay, maybe I'll pop open a bottle of wine and poach it in a mixture of wine and water. Thanks ladies.

Bloomwood, what do you put in your chinese chicken salad?

[KRK]

subscribing...

I finally have a nice new kitchen and need to learn how to use it. So far I've only mastered the microwave and coffee machine. ;)

This is how my first meal turned out.
http://static.flickr.com/46/190081258_b5173a62c0.jpg
Doesn't it look scrumptious? LOL!

I have an awesome Viking stove and a cheap set of pots and pans (~$100 for the set) from college. I don't think that the stove and pots go together. LOL! Can someone recommend a great set of pots and pans? I'm totally clueless. Should I purchase a whole set? 5 piece or 10 piece? Or should I only purchase certain pots and pans?

[bookworm]

Ouch! Start by lowering the heat :).

There are a few threads about pots and pans, and a lot of opinions. Try these:
New Pots and Pans (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=8626&highlight=pots+pans)
Pots and Pans? (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=5966&highlight=pots+pans)
All-clad pots and pans--which set? (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=811&highlight=pots+pans)

Enjoy your new kitchen!

[andrew&shannah]

My definition of poaching is to put it in just an inch or two of water or stock or a mix with some wine, covered, on medium-to medium high heat. Can't tell you timing, just til it's done.


Technically, that is not poaching. When you poach anything, it should be completely covered in water, stock, etc brought to a boil and then either gently simmered until done OR covered and removed from heat to let the residual heat cook the chicken.

From Sara Moulton on The Food Network:
"In a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, combine the stock and chicken (1 quart stock to 1.5 lbs of bone-in chicken breast) and bring to a boil. Cover and remove from the heat. Let stand until completely cool. "

From Martha Stewart:
"To poach chicken: Submerge it in liquid (stock or water) that is just below the boiling point, then cook at the barest simmer."

[Janey]

KRK - I looove my Calphalon One Nonstick (http://www.calphalon.com/calphalon/consumer/calone/calphalonOne.jhtml) pans. The only bummer about them is that they cannot go in the dishwasher. If that does not bother you, then you might try 'em out.

[KarenS]

Poaching is a fancy word for boiling . Stick it in a pot with water or chicken broth and turn it on high for a while.Ooof. No. That's not poaching. That's boiling. Poaching is cooking something in gently simmering liquid - water or broth or wine. Poaching should never be done at a full boil except for at the very beginning when the water is brought to temperature. And it's rarely done covered.

K.

[Bloomwood]

Technically, that is not poaching. When you poach anything, it should be completely covered in water, stock, etc brought to a boil and then either gently simmered until done OR covered and removed from heat to let the residual heat cook the chicken.

From Sara Moulton on The Food Network:
"In a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, combine the stock and chicken (1 quart stock to 1.5 lbs of bone-in chicken breast) and bring to a boil. Cover and remove from the heat. Let stand until completely cool. "

From Martha Stewart:
"To poach chicken: Submerge it in liquid (stock or water) that is just below the boiling point, then cook at the barest simmer."

Probably why I said it was my definition! ;)

[andrew&shannah]

Probably why I said it was my definition!

I understand that you qualified it as "your" definition but, as this is a cooking for beginners thread and people are learning, I didn't want the only thing Katy received to be technically incorrect information.
I hope you did not take my response as an attempt to prove you wrong. I just wanted to clarify the actual technique for anyone who may reading. :)

[Bloomwood]

katy - that was the first time I made it, but I used the bagged cabbage slaw, thinly sliced romaine, scallions, snap peas (the snow peas looked nasty), and the cruncy chow mein noodles. I also used the Girrard's Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing. I think some thinly sliced red bell pepper would've made it pretty too!

[tlew12778]

I have both Calphalon Commercial Hard Anodized and Lagostina Accademia (Academcy in N. America). The latter is AWESOME. I used to rave about my Calphalon but my 5-ply puts it to shame. I want to dump all of my Calphalon now. My 5-ply is Steel-Alum.-Steel-Alum.-steel, but All-Clad makes a 5-ply line with a copper core. That's what I'd be getting if I lived in the US (since Lagostina is only available in Canada in N. America).

Speaking of poaching, does anyone have a good way to poach eggs neatly?

[Katy]

well then, I guess I boiled my chicken! And until I boiled out all the liquid (oops!) it was going well. At least it tasted good! And now I know. Thanks ladies!

[looch]

For poaching eggs neatly, you could get one of those gadgety egg ring things, or you could use tuna cans, both sides cut out.
I have not tried this, but i believe alton brown said it, adding some vinegar to the poaching water, it keeps the whites intact.

[Janey]

Can you freeze a lasagna in a glass Pyrex dish and then bake it in a 350 degree oven without the glass shattering all over everywhere?

[Katy]

MrsHill, I remember reading some sort of warning (http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/pyrex.html) about Pyrex (and Google says (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=exploding+pyrex&btnG=Search)). I think I'd let it sit at room temp for a while before putting it in a hot oven.

And for us flickr fans - exploding Pyrex (http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugalh/191364258/)

[Amuse Bouche]

I agree with Katy -- where you're going to have a problem is if you put the cold pyrex into a hot oven. I once preheated a pyrex dish, added a chicken from the fridge when it was hot, and BOOM.

You can buy disposable aluminum lasagna pans -- I'd do that.

[Janey]

Yikes! That's what I was afraid of. I looked for a disposable aluminum pan today at the grocery, but all of the ones I saw were really shallow. The lasagna is for my next-door neighbors who just had a baby (today!). I'll put it in a Calphalon non-stick baking pan and bring it over un-frozen... I was just thinking if they wanted to freeze it for later use, I'd like to give them the option.


And for us flickr fans - exploding Pyrex (http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugalh/191364258/)
I *heart* Flickr. :)

[Bloomwood]

Anyone want to share their stir-fry sauce recipe? I suck at making it. Looking for something simple that lets the flavors of the veggies shine through. Thanks.

[andrew&shannah]

I use a few different ones depending on what I am in the mood for:

Option 1:
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Option 2:
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)

Option 3:
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
Dash of crushed red pepper

[looch]

Shannah:

Quick question for you...those sauces sound yummy, have you ever used them to marinate tofu?

[Bloomwood]

thanks Shannah! I just printed them out. I'll see which version I have the ingredients for - and come back with a report.

[andrew&shannah]

Shannah:

Quick question for you...those sauces sound yummy, have you ever used them to marinate tofu?

I am not a huge fan of Tofu so, unfortunately no. Sorry!

[Bloomwood]

thanks Shannah! I just printed them out. I'll see which version I have the ingredients for - and come back with a report.

Shannah - thanks so much. The sauce was terrific (I did #2), but I still effed up the meal. The chicken was overcooked and dry. I just am terrible at cooking anything Asian. Dh always says "Thanks, honey, that was good." That night he said "Thanks honey"!! :eek: I need to find a good Asian cooking class.

[andrew&shannah]

Shannah - thanks so much. The sauce was terrific (I did #2), but I still effed up the meal. The chicken was overcooked and dry. I just am terrible at cooking anything Asian. Dh always says "Thanks, honey, that was good." That night he said "Thanks honey"!! :eek: I need to find a good Asian cooking class.

Stir Fry is kind of difficult until you get some practice because everything cooks so fast! Back in October, Real Simple printed a "How to Stir Fry" guide that was really helpful. From there, it just took some practice. I'll post it for you...

ETA:
Step One: Chop

Hands-on time: 10 minutes

A stir-fry is only as good as its ingredients. Chinese master chefs recommend selecting each one as carefully as if you were choosing a future daughter-in-law.

Getting Started
Use fresh vegetables, preferably ones with contrasting colors, flavors, and textures.

Choose a lean, tender cut of protein, such as:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
Pork tenderloin or center-cut loin
Steak, such as flank, boneless sirloin, or top round London broil
Thick, firm white-fleshed fish, such as catfish, halibut, or sea bass, and shellfish, such as shrimp or sea scallops
Firm or extra-firm tofu

All the ingredients — meat, seafood, vegetables — should be sliced thinly and uniformly to ensure that everything cooks quickly and evenly.

Bell peppers: Cut into thin strips.

Bok choy, asparagus, green beans, scallion greens: Cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces.

Broccoli, cauliflower: Cut into small florets.

Carrots, sweet potatoes: Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Meat, fish: Cut across the grain into strips 1/4 inch thick and 2 inches long.

Seafood (shrimp, scallops): Leave whole.

Snow peas, sugar snap peas: Leave whole, with ends trimmed.

Tip: If pressed for time, you can use packages of presliced vegetables and meat found at most supermarkets.


Step Two:
Make the sauce. Any cooking required in sauce prep should be done in the same pan you plan to cook your protein and veggies :)

Step Three:
The last step combines all the components — protein, vegetables, and sauce — in one pan. Because the actual stir-frying goes very quickly, read your recipe through before you start to cook.

Putting It Together

Arrange everything you need near the stove, including a platter for the cooked food.
Use a pan with a large surface area, such as a wok, a saute pan, or a skillet.
Heat the pan over high heat until it’s hot but not smoking.
Add the olive oil to the hot pan. Tilt to coat the sides and bottom evenly.
First cook the meat or seafood. Stir frequently, every 20 seconds or so until cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the pan.
Heat more oil. Add the vegetables to the pan in stages, according to their cooking times (see Cooking Vegetables, below), along with a small amount of water. Cover partially and cook, stirring frequently, until they’re almost tender. (If any water remains, carefully pour it out.)
Add the sauce to the vegetables in the pan and bring to a boil. Add the cooked meat and cook, stirring constantly, until warmed through, 30 to 60 seconds.
Serve immediately. Asian stir-fry tradition holds that diners can wait for the food, but food should never wait for the diners.

Cooking Vegetables
Because some vegetables take longer than others, add them to the pan in stages, beginning with those that require the most time.

Green beans: 9 minutes

Cauliflower: 8 minutes

Sweet potatoes: 8 minutes

Asparagus: 4 minutes

Carrots: 4 minutes

Bok choy: 2 to 3 minutes

Broccoli: 2 to 3 minutes

Snow and sugar snap peas: 1 minute

Tip: Smoke is a telltale sign that the oil is too hot. If you see wisps rising in your pan, carefully pour out the oil, wipe the pan with a paper towel, and start over.

Real Simple Article (http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/gallery/0,21863,1107692-1,00.html)

[chortles]

Chinese master chefs recommend selecting each one as carefully as if you were choosing a future daughter-in-law.
ROTFLMAO! I wonder what my MIL would say to that.

[isign]

I think this is going to be my new fav thread. When we first got married, we ate out alot, but now I'm really wanting to try my hand at new things. I just bought a pair of cheap tongs last week, and wow do they make a difference while cooking. MIL wants me to give her a Christmas list - everything on it is for the kitchen!

[PurpleRose]

I really need to find the time to read through this whole thead. I've decided that I've got to cook more. I'm not a terrible cook, but I need more practice. Looking forward to learning more!

[PurpleRose]

Well, I've made a couple of decent meals recently, but I made banana bread this weekend that was a little dry. Maybe I just need to try another recipe, but I wondered if there's a way to ensure bread comes out moist. I did have to divide it into two pans (the recipe just called for one)-did that have anything to do with it?

[Katy]

did you use OVER ripe bananas? If they're not super ripe, that could lead to dryer bread. I think quickbreads also need moisture (hence the super ripe party) and a fat - what was your fat? Oil? Applesauce?

[Amuse Bouche]

With banana bread, you really do need to use bananas that are too ripe to eat -- lots of brown spots. And if you try to cut down the sugar or fat, it can be dry. Also, some recipes are more bready and less cakey.

[tlew12778]

Also, err on the side of too much banana if it comes down to not being sure. Remember that too ripe bananas have less volume that mature bananas so you actually would use more if they were very ripe.

You can use yogurt if you want to cut down on fat as well. I use applesauce and yogurt in mine.

[bookworm]

I did have to divide it into two pans (the recipe just called for one)-did that have anything to do with it?

This could be the culprit--if you change the size of the pan, you may also need to adjust the baking time (b/c each bread is less dense than one big one would be).

[PurpleRose]

Thank you all for the help! This is the recipe I used:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine (I used butter)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup bananas, mashed (I used 3 bananas)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped nuts (I only used 1/2 cup of pecans)
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream sugar with butter; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in bananas and lemon juice. Add vanilla. Sift flour with baking powder and salt (I didn't do this because I bought presifted flour); add and stir in quickly. Stir in nuts. Bake in a greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until done when tested (I cooked it for 50 minutes). Cool on rack.

Katy, the bananas I used were yellow with black spots, but maybe they weren't ripe enough. Should they be really gooey before I use them in banana bread? The fat in the recipe was the butter (and I guess eggs).

Amuse Bouche, should the bananas have brown spots on both the outside and the inside? The ones I used were riper than I'd eat, but only had some spots on the outside.

tlew12778, I probably should have used an extra banana. More is always better, I think! :) How can I substitute yogurt and applesauce in the bread? I'd love to cut down on the fat and I bet the yogurt helps make the bread more moist.

bookworm, I had to divide it into two pans because of the amount of batter. I didn't cook it for as long as the recipe called for, but it may have still been too long.

I'd also really love to use whole wheat flour in these type of recipes. How does that work? Can I use half whole wheat and half regular flour? I want to make the recipes a little healthier (I also like the idea of using applesauce to cut out the fat) but I don't want to drastically change the taste or texture of the bread.

Thank you all so much for your help! I'm sure the next time I make banana bread, it will turn out much better!

[tlew12778]

tlew12778, I probably should have used an extra banana. More is always better, I think! :) How can I substitute yogurt and applesauce in the bread? I'd love to cut down on the fat and I bet the yogurt helps make the bread more moist. I use the Betty Crocker recipe (http://www.bettycrocker.com/Recipes/Recipe.aspx?recipeId=35305) and I substitute the buttermilk with a thing of white yogurt. DH used to be vegan so I used to use soy yogurt. Also, since he was vegan, I subbed the eggs with applesauce. It comes out really moist.

[PurpleRose]

Thank you, tlew! That recipe sounds great. I would definitely substitute the yogurt for the buttermilk-I don't ever cook with buttermilk, but we almost always have yogurt in the house.

I picked up the Pumpkin Patch pan from Williams-Sonoma today, so I'm also in search of any good pumpkin bread or muffin recipes. (I'm also looking for a good carrot cake recipe, but I'm not sure if I'll use the pan for that.) TIA!

[JRPAGV]

This isn't really a "cooking" question, but here it goes...

Yesterday, I thawed some frozen mixed fruit in a plastic container in the fridge. Now that it's thawed, how long will it keep in the fridge? I want to give it to my ten month old son, and just want to make sure it's safe. TIA!

[sinderstorm]

So long as you defrosted it in the refrigerator, I'd say you've easily got 2-3 days, if not more once its defrosted. Taste it yourself to be sure if you're worried.

[Medako]

This might be the quickest place for me to get an answer, and maybe someone more knowledgable than myself will know...

I have several recipes that call for melted white chocolate chips (to dip with), and I was wondering if I could use melting chocolate disksinstead. I have a couple of leftover bags of the melting disks and was hoping that those would be about the same thing (I can't imagine they'd be much different, if anything, they might be a little thicker when melted).

Has anyone tried to sub one for the other?

[Katy]

I would think that the white disks would be fine, since that's what they were made for (melting to dip or coat).

[ignutzz]

Medako You can use whatever chocolate you like (excepting baking chocolate) for those recipes. I often swap out dark chocolate for milk or semi-sweet.

[Medako]

I thought so, I just wanted to double check.

and do you think that choclate/vanilla flavored almond bark would also be a suitable sub?

[ignutzz]

I'm assuming almond bark is just a chocolate bar with almonds in it, in which case, provided you think the flavor will work with the recipe, I don't see any reason not to use it. :)

[Medako]

Actually, almond bark isn't an almond chocolate bar. There aren't even almonds in it. :p It comes in large blocks and is for melting and dipping (I usually use it for dipping pretzels, so I guess dipping cookies wouldn't be much different.)

I'm trying to use up bits of pieces of leftover candies I have around the house instead of going out and buying bag after bag of chocolate chips.

[ignutzz]

Well, provided it's not bitter baking chocolate, use whatever you want. Heck, melted hershey's would probably work well too. :)

[MsRo]

MrsHill, I remember reading some sort of warning (http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/pyrex.html) about Pyrex (and Google says (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=exploding+pyrex&btnG=Search)). I think I'd let it sit at room temp for a while before putting it in a hot oven.

And for us flickr fans - exploding Pyrex (http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugalh/191364258/)


Heh! This makes me laugh. I totally exploded a Pyrex bowl once, using it to make gravy on the electric stove in my first apartment. Try cleaning dried gravy off an electric burner. :rolleyes: :p

[jojoswife]

Not sure if I should be posting this question here or in the holiday cooking thread, but here it goes!

I made two batches of peanut butter fudge yesterday. The first batch I made it with marshmallow cream and it never hardened. The second batch I used a recipe that called for brown sugar and powdered sugar. This batch crumbled when I went to cut it into squares (tasted good:) ). This is the first time I have had a problem with my fudge....I am so disappointed and frustrated:( .

Does anyone have any suggestions. I usally give out fudge and other treats to our neighbors as gifts, but I can't do it if my fudge sucks!!

Please help!

Thank you ;)