Another video by Tasty.
Author: Robert Andrews
Separating Egg Yolks
This really works. A dozen egg whites with four egg yolks will store in a half liter water bottle, and freeze. They are a little rubbery when they thaw, but after they cook (like for scrambled eggs) you can’t even tell a difference.
Another video by PDX Traveler
Shuck Corn Easily
Oh my God…. I tried this and it works! I was amazed. Here is the video of this really cool Life Hack. Below are some other corn tips and tricks.
Another video by PDX Traveler
Tips and Tricks
- Corn on the cob should be cooked and eaten as soon as possible. Definitely within 48 hours of being picked, or the sugars will turn to starch, and the corn will become tough as time passes.
- When buying corn ASK when it was picked. If it has been anything other than “this morning” don’t get it – or at least know that you are buying inferior tasting corn.
- When not using the tip above, use a steamer (10 minutes) or a pot of boiling salted water (5 minutes) Actually, the microwave idea is pretty cool, but does not cook the corn as nicely as steam or boiling water.
- Yellow kernel corn has a more fully developed flavor, but white kernel corn tends to be sweeter.
MEXICAN CORN ON THE COB
- Grill the corn off the husk and on sticks
- Coat the cooked corn with sour cream or mayo
- Sprinkle with Tajin and salt – If you can’t find Tajin, use ground cayenne
- Roll in grated cotijo cheese or queso fresco
- Serve with wedges of lime for squeezing.
Easy Dinner Rolls – with video
Good Basic Information
- Rapid Rise Yeast: Fermented granules of living yeast. Ready to go.
- Active Dry Yeast: Sugar and fat needed to reconstitute and proof
- Basic Rolls: Flour, water, yeast and salt
- Modifiers: milk, butter, sugar and eggs
- Mix, rest (proof) then knead
- Rise, punch and then shape
- Proof, bake and cool
Recipe for four Dinner Rolls
Adjusted recipe for 16 Dinner Rolls in (parenthesis)
Recipe for 16 Dinner Rolls
- 2 oz (8 oz) milk @ 100º
- 2 TBL (1/3 C) sugar
- 1 (3) TBL honey
- 1.5 (4 tsp) yeast (proof if Active Dry)
- 1 (2) eggs
- (1) 2 TBL melted butter
- 5 oz (16 oz) (by weight) of AP flour
- 1 (3 tsp salt
- Mix first four ingredients and let sit 10 minutes
- Paddle mix above ingredients just to incorporate ingredients
- Rest for 15 minutes to let liquid absorb
- Add 2 oz room temperature butter
- Use dough hook on low for 2 minutes
- Switch to medium and go for 8-10 more minutes
- Knead and form on LIGHTLY floured counter top
- Rise for 1 hour
- Flatten and shape into final form or portion
Parker House Dinner Rolls
- Roll into a thick rope and cut in half
- Cut in half again, then again, then again. You will end up with 16 pieces.
- Form balls and flatten to about 3 inch diameter
- Put 1 tsp butter in the center and fold over into an empanada shape
- Press lightly to secure.
- Put on baking tray and brush with butter
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30-40 minutes
- Bake 8-10 minutes @ 400º turning pan half-way through
… or until internal temperature is 200º - Rest 10 minutes before serving
Braided Rolls
- Flatten dough into a 24×6 sheet
- Use a pizza cutter and cut in six strips
- Cut six strips into six inch pieces, then form into ropes
- Braid three strands at a time
- Put on baking tray and brush with butter
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30-40 minutes
- Bake 8-10 minutes @ 400º turning pan half-way through
… or until internal temperature is 200º - Rest 10 minutes before serving
Monkey Bread Rolls
- Flatten dough into a 24×6 sheet
- Use a pizza cutter and cut in six strips
- Cut these into two inch pieces and roll each roughly into a ball
- Toss in melted butter, then put into a pan
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30-40 minutes
- Bake 10-12 minutes @ 375º turning pan half-way through
… or until internal temperature is 200º - Rest 10 minutes before serving
Brown and Serve Freezer Rolls
- Roll into a thick rope and cut in half
– This starts the same as the Parker House Roll Recipe - Cut in half again, then again, then again. You will end up with 16 pieces.
- Form balls and flatten to about 3 inch diameter
- Put 1 tsp butter in the center and fold over into an empanada shape
- Press lightly to secure.
- Put on baking tray and brush with butter
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30-40 minutes
- Bake 30 minutes @ 275º turning pan half-way through
… or until internal temperature is 185 - Cool 10 minutes, the remove to a rack and cool for 40 more minutes
- Bag and refrigerate for up to two weeks, or freeze for up to two months
WHEN READY TO COOK - Thaw for 60-90 minutes on the counter
- Bake 10-12 minutes @ 400º or until browned
Another video by PDX Traveler
Shepherd Pie Potato Skins – Video
Another video by PDX Traveler
Easy Potstickers – Video
Another video by PDX Traveler
Chickpea Snack from Can
includes video
Recipe One
INGREDIENTS
- Mix the following and set aside:
BOWL ONE - 1 TBL EVOO
- 1 tsp fine salt
- juice and zest from 1 lemon
- 2 TBL red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 TBL maple syrup
BOWL TWO - 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground corriander
- scant turmeric
- scant allspice
- scant cumin
- 1 tsp fine orange zest
- 1 TBL Parmesan – grated
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- Optional: 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
STEP BY STEP
- Rinse and drain one can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- Spread out on a paper towel on a plate to dry
- Let dry for 10 minutes
- Microwave for 8-10 minutes
- Toss with powdered ingredients in Bowl One while still hot
- Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer
BAKE - Bake 25 minutes at 400º
- Put into large mixing bowl
- Toss with prepared spice mixture from Bowl Two
- Return to baking sheet and bake 25 more minutes
- Remove one and taste it. Bake for another 5-10 minutes if necessary
- Toss in salt while still hot
Another video by PDX Traveler
Recipe Two
Ranch Chick Peas
- Drained, rinsed and dried chick peas
- Buffalo Dressing Sauce
- Dried Ranch Dressing package
- Kosher Salt
- Chick peas
- 2 TBL buffalo dressing
- 1 TBL ranch dressing
- Toss together
- 350º in convection oven in single layer
- Cook 10 minutes
- Shake
- Cool 10 more minutes
- Shake – taste test
- Possibly another 10 minutes
Recipe Three
Ingredients
- 15 oz can chickpeas, drained
- olive oil spray
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp chili pepper powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp curry powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 375°F. Drain chickpeas in a colander and let them dry completely. Pat dry with a paper towel if needed, I usually leave them on the counter an hour to make sure they are very dry.
-
Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for about 35 to 45 minutes, shaking the pan every ten minutes. All ovens are different so make sure they don’t burn. They will be golden brown and crunchy on the inside when done, not moist.
-
In a medium bowl, combine all the spices. Remove chickpeas from oven when done and spray with olive oil. Immediately toss with spices while hot. Eat at room temperature.
Recipe Four
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp ground corriander
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ to 1 TBS olive oil
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
-
Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Set aside.
-
Rinse and thoroughly dry the chickpeas.
-
In a small bowl, mix together cumin, paprika, garlic powder, sea salt, onion powder and pepper. Set aside.
-
Bake dried chickpeas in the preheated oven on prepared baking sheet for 15 minutes (do not add any of the other ingredients yet)!
-
Remove the chickpeas from the oven and drizzle ½ TBS olive oil over the chickpeas, stirring until evenly coated. If necessary, slowly add more olive oil until all the chickpeas are lightly coated with olive oil.
-
Add spices to chickpeas and stir until evenly coated.
-
Bake at 400 for 10 more minutes, then stir.
-
Return stirred chickpeas to the oven and bake them for an additional 5-10 minutes, until desired crispiness is achieved (a total of 35-40 minutes of baking).
-
Turn off oven and crack the door a bit. Let chickpeas cool in the oven to achieve maximum crispiness
Notes
Store
Store these roasted chickpeas in an airtight container at room temperature.
Re-crisp
If you don’t bake them long enough the chickpeas could get a little soft, simply re-crisp them in the oven for 2-5 minutes.
Ingredient notes:
- Olive oil: I enjoy using flavored olive oil to make these! Some of my favorite varieties come from this store in my hometown! You can use your favorite oil of any kind (avocado, sunflower, etc)!
- Spices: Let your imagination run wild! I have given you my favorite combination of delicious flavors here, but feel free to use whatever you prefer! You can even just use simple old salt and pepper if you like!
Recipe Five
Ingredients
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 to 4 teaspoons spices or finely chopped fresh herbs, such as chili powder, curry powder, garam masala, cumin, smoked paprika, rosemary, thyme, or other favorite spices and herbs
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 400°F. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°F.
-
Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Open the cans of chickpeas and pour the chickpeas into a strainer in the sink. Rinse thoroughly under running water.
-
Dry the chickpeas. Pat the chickpeas very dry with a clean dishtowel or paper towels. They should look matte and feel dry to the touch; if you have time, leave them to air-dry for a few minutes. Remove any chickpea skins that come off while drying, but otherwise don’t worry about them.
-
Toss the chickpeas with olive oil and salt. Spread the chickpeas out in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the salt. Stir with your hands or a spatula to make sure the chickpeas are evenly coated.
-
Roast the chickpeas for 20 to 30 minutes. Roast, stirring the chickpeas or shaking the pan every 10 minutes. A few chickpeas may pop – that’s normal. The chickpeas are done when golden and slightly darkened, dry and crispy on the outside, and soft in the middle, 20 to 30 minutes total.
-
Toss the chickpeas with the spices. Sprinkle the spices if using over the chickpeas and stir to coat evenly. Serve while the chickpeas are still warm and crispy. They will gradually lose their crispiness as they cool, becoming addictively chewy.
Recipe Notes
Using roasted chickpeas: Besides eating these chickpeas as a snack, you can toss them with salads or sprinkle over soup in place of croutons.
Recipe Six
Roasting chickpeas is simple! Start with three basic ingredients: cooked or canned chickpeas, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt. Then…
- Preheat the oven to 425° and drain and rinse your chickpeas.
- Spread the chickpeas on a kitchen towel and gently pat them dry. It’s essential to make sure they’re totally dry before you toss them with the olive oil – damp chickpeas won’t crisp up in the oven. Discard any loose skins from the outside of the chickpeas.
- Transfer the chickpeas to a parchment-lined baking sheet and toss them with a drizzle of olive oil and generous pinches of sea salt. Spread evenly on the baking sheet.
- Transfer the baking sheet to your preheated oven and roast until crispy. I start checking at 20 minutes, but it can take up t0 30 minutes for them to become really crisp.
- Remove from the oven and, while the chickpeas are still warm, toss with pinches of your favorite spices.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Sea salt
- Paprika, curry powder, or other spices (optional)
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
Spread the chickpeas on a kitchen towel and pat them dry. Remove any loose skins.
-
Transfer the dried chickpeas to the baking sheet and toss them with a drizzle of olive oil and generous pinches of salt.
-
Roast the chickpeas for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Ovens can vary, if your chickpeas are not crispy enough, keep going until they are!
-
Remove from the oven and, while the chickpeas are still warm, toss with pinches of your favorite spices, if using.
-
Store roasted chickpeas in a loosely-covered container at room temperature. They are best used within two days.
Recipe Seven
How to roast chickpeas
This easy, savory snack is very easy to make, all you need is a hot oven and three key ingredients: chickpeas, olive oil, and salt. Here is what you do:
- First, Dry Chickpeas very very well! In this recipe, I start with 2 cans of chickpeas. The most important step is to make sure the chickpeas are absolutely dry. So once you’ve rinsed the chickpeas, use paper towels to dry them very well. Then leave them in a colander for a while so that they would release any moisture. The dryer and less moist (not my favorite word btw!) the chickpeas, the crispier they will be once roasted.
- Coat with olive oil and a good pinch of kosher salt. And transfer the chickpeas to a large baking sheet, making sure to spread the chickpeas well so that they are in one layer.
- Roast in a high heated oven at 400 degrees F for 20 to 35 minutes or until the chickpeas turn golden brown and crispy to your liking. Shake the sheet pan on occasion (every 10 minutes or so).
- Season the chickpeas immediately after roasting. In this recipe, only kosher salt and olive oil are applied to the chickpeas before roasting. I like to wait until I pull the chickpeas from the oven before adding any more spices or seasonings. This way, the spices don’t interfere with the “crisping” process. More importantly, spices have the tendency to burn and become bitter.
Ingredients
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
- Extra virgin olive oil, I used Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Seasoning of your choice, I used za’atar, sumac and harissa
Instructions
-
Drain and dry chickpeas very well. Dry them up using some paper towels and leave them in a colander until they have dried as much as possible (OR you can spread them on a large baking sheet lined with paper towel for a while.)
-
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and position a rack right in the middle.
-
Spread the chickpeas well on a bare baking sheet (do not line the baking sheet with parchment or foil.) Drizzle a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and season with kosher salt. Toss chickpeas and make sure they are well-coated with the olive oil. Spread them out well on the sheet.
-
Roast in heated oven anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes or so for even cooking. Don’t rush it, make sure the chickpeas turn a deeper golden brown and the exterior is nice and crispy, that’s when they’re ready.
-
Season roasted chickpeas. Once you take the chickpeas out of the oven, immediately season with spices of your choice. This time, I used za’atar, sumac, and harissa blend (up to 2 teaspoon each) for warm Middle Eastern and Moroccan notes. Play with the amounts to your liking, and change up the spices according to what you have. (see more flavor ideas up in the post)
Notes
- Makes nearly 2 cups or 30 tablespoons. The serving size here is 1 tablespoon.
- Roasted chickpeas from dried: If you’d like to make this recipe from dry chickpeas, do not cook them! Simply soak the dry chickpeas in plenty of water for 24 hours. They will expand and at least double in size, that’s what you want. Follow the same instructions for drying and roasting.
- How to Keep Chickpeas Crispy: roasted chickpeas are best warm right out of the oven, they are crispiest at this point. Once they cool off and are stored for a time, they will maintain some crunch, but they will soften a bit on the inside. Still a very tasty and additive snack. If you want to re-crisp them, you can put them in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes when you need to.
- Storage Tip: You can store cooled roasted chickpeas in a glass jar. They’ll last for 4 to 5 days. And Leaving the jar lid a bit lose allows the chickpeas to breath, keeping them crispy for longer. You can also freeze them for later.
- Visit our online shop to browse our olive oil bundles and all-natural and organic spices used this recipe and more!
Recipe Eight
Ingredients
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
- Extra virgin olive oil, I used Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Seasoning of your choice, I used za’atar, sumac and harissa
Instructions
-
Drain and dry chickpeas very well. Dry them up using some paper towels and leave them in a colander until they have dried as much as possible (OR you can spread them on a large baking sheet lined with paper towel for a while.)
-
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and position a rack right in the middle.
-
Spread the chickpeas well on a bare baking sheet (do not line the baking sheet with parchment or foil.) Drizzle a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and season with kosher salt. Toss chickpeas and make sure they are well-coated with the olive oil. Spread them out well on the sheet.
-
Roast in heated oven anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes or so for even cooking. Don’t rush it, make sure the chickpeas turn a deeper golden brown and the exterior is nice and crispy, that’s when they’re ready.
-
Season roasted chickpeas. Once you take the chickpeas out of the oven, immediately season with spices of your choice. This time, I used za’atar, sumac, and harissa blend (up to 2 teaspoon each) for warm Middle Eastern and Moroccan notes. Play with the amounts to your liking, and change up the spices according to what you have. (see more flavor ideas up in the post)
Notes
- Makes nearly 2 cups or 30 tablespoons. The serving size here is 1 tablespoon.
- Roasted chickpeas from dried: If you’d like to make this recipe from dry chickpeas, do not cook them! Simply soak the dry chickpeas in plenty of water for 24 hours. They will expand and at least double in size, that’s what you want. Follow the same instructions for drying and roasting.
- How to Keep Chickpeas Crispy: roasted chickpeas are best warm right out of the oven, they are crispiest at this point. Once they cool off and are stored for a time, they will maintain some crunch, but they will soften a bit on the inside. Still a very tasty and additive snack. If you want to re-crisp them, you can put them in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes when you need to.
- Storage Tip: You can store cooled roasted chickpeas in a glass jar. They’ll last for 4 to 5 days. And Leaving the jar lid a bit lose allows the chickpeas to breath, keeping them crispy for longer. You can also freeze them for later.
- Visit our online shop to browse our olive oil bundles and all-natural and organic spices used this recipe and more!
German Apple Pancake – Video
Another video by PDX Traveler
Mini Meat Pies – Video
Another video by PDX Traveler
Product Review: GOTHAM STEEL 9.5 inche Non-stick Titanium Skillet
GOTHAM STEEL 9.5 inche Non-stick Titanium Skillet Product Review: Actual Performance Test
I put this to the test. Bacon first, then hashed browns, then eggs. I recorded the performance on YouTube. Kind of slow watching, but if you are looking for a real performance test, give it a look. In a later use (not recorded) I did scrambled eggs with NO OIL. While there was some sticking, it cleaned up nicely with just a damp paper towel. For the money, this is a great pan, but I would only give about 85% credence to the claims that things NEVER stick. To watch the video, just search YouTube for ” GOTHAM STEEL 9.5 inche Non-stick Titanium Skillet Product Review: Actual Performance Test” by GrandpaCooks – SUMMARY: Am I sorry I bought it? No. Am I going to buy the larger skillet so that I have both? No.
Try it out BY CLICKING HERE.
How to Dry Age a Steak
- Get meat that is just as fresh as possible
- Meat should be hanging or placed on a wire rack for maximum air circulation
- Eventually you will discard the outside, so make it much thicker than you eventually want it
- Put in a refrigerator that is nearly constantly 33-34 degrees – Circulating air is also good
- It will be done after 3-4 weeks.
- Cut off the aged dry part, and the inside with be flavorful and delicate
Chopped Wrap
Ingredients
- 1/3 C chicken (chopped)
- 1/3 C lamb (chopped)
- 1/4 C iceberg lettuce (rough chopped)
- 1/3 C rice
- Toss with white ranch dressing
- Wrap in a large pita or tortilla
- Optional: Add Sriracha
Pork Shoulder aka Pork Butt
Pork shoulder is also called pork butt (also called a boneless chuck roast) . It is, however, from the shoulder. This is the best meat for a pot roast.
The reason it is called Pork BUTT is because the pieces of meat were thrown into a barrel called a butt. This originally took place around Boston, so it used to be called Boston Butt. As the cut gained popularity across the country, it became simply Pork Butt – Leaving Boston’s claim to fame as Boston Cream Pie and Boston Baked Beans.
INGREDIENTS
- 2-4 LB Pork shoulder – Much (but not all) of fat trimmed – Cut into large pieces that are about 3/4 pound each
- 2 TBL safflower oil for searing
- Accompanying veggies
- 4-8 cloves garlic (sliced)
- 14-16 oz frozen pearl onions
- 8-10 oz button mushrooms (halved)
- 1 LB carrots (peeled and pieced
- 1 LB baby fingerling potatoes, red potatoes or Yukon gold (pieces)
- 1 medium piece of ginger
- Dry Rub
- 1/4 C Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder
- 2 TBL kosher salt
- 2 TBL brown sugar
- Deglazing Liquid
- 1 C tomato juice
- 1/4 C red wine vinegar
- 1/2 C white wine
- Braising spices
- Dried basil, oregano, chives, pepper, whole cloves, 1/2 cinnamon stick
STEP BY STEP
- Mix Thunder Powder, salt and sugar
- Cut shoulder into nice fat 1-1/2 inch steaks
- Rub deeply into meat
- Wrap each cut in plastic and let rest overnight in the refrigerator
- Let butt come up to room temperature for 30-60 minutes when you are ready to cook.
- Pat the meat dry, leaving as much seasoning remaining on the meat as you are able. Then sear the meat (all sides) in a heavily oiled pan VERY HOT cast iron pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Set steaks aside and put HALF of your veggies (including the ginger, but not the potatoes) into the pot and stir to caramelize.
- Add in your deglazing liquid
- Deglaze the pan with 1/2 C white wine and 2 TBL EVOO
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat
- Add meat back into pan
- Sprinkle with just a bit more Thunder Powder
- Cover and bake at 250º for 4-6 hours.
- Remove meat (briefly), turn up heat to 300º, and remove and discard all solids in the pot.
- Add meat back in with the uncooked half of your veggies, cover and cook for another two hours
- Uncover, flip meat and cook for 30 more minutes at 325º
- Remove meat and veggies and set aside. Cover with foil.
- Pour into a glass and let cool for 10 minutes, then spoon off the fat that will rise to the top.
- Put the cleared liquid back into the pan, and return to a simmer to reduce the liquid on medium high
- Combine meat, veggies and broth. Serve half tonight, and refrigerate the rest until another day.
- When ready, but the Dutch oven back in the oven at 400º for 45 minutes.
- Cut thin slices against the grain and serve a nice thick slice as a meal,
or shred remainder for BBQ sandwiches, tacos, burritos, etc.
Optionally, at Step 13, you an cook on the stovetop for 2 hours or a crock pot for 5 hours
BRAISING LIQUID
- Brown sugar
- Soy sauce
- Rice wine vinegar
- Sambal olek, Sriracha or Franks Red Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce
- Big strips of orange zest (to be removed later)
- Juice of the orange as well
- 2-3 C chicken stock
Here is a recipe from All Recipes
Ahi Poke
SEE TUNA TIPS BY CLICKING HERE
INGREDIENTS
- 1 LB fresh sashimi grade RED tuna
- Scallions
- Macadamia nuts
- Marinate ingredients (see below)
STEP BY STEP
- Cut ahi tuna into 1/2 inch chunks
- Toss gently in marinate
- Refrigerate 30 – 60 minutes
- Top with minced scallion greens
- Finish with chopped macadamia nuts
MARINATE
- 1/2 Maui onion
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Soy
- Lemon
- White scallion
- Sambal olek
- Sesame oil
Fish Taco
- Mix flour, oregano, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, beer and corn starch in a dredging bowl – Mix gently
- Preheat soft corn tortillas
- Shred cabbage
- Mix cabbage with oil, vinegar, oregano, chili, sugar
- Batter and fry halibut or cod at 365º
- Serve with Mexican crema, guacamole, salsa, onion and jalapeño
Store-quality burger sauce
- 4 TBL mayo
- 2 TBL Dijon mustard
- 2 TBL ketchup
- 1 TBL pickle relish
- 1 TBL garlic
- 1 TBL onion
- 1 TBL paprika
Tips: _MISC – MOVE AROUND
Peeling lots and lots of potatoes
- Score the potato around the equator
- Boil the potato for 3-4 minutes
- Plunge in ice water
- Skin should slide off
Keeping food Warm
- To keep served food warm, heat your plates in a 200º oven before serving
Frying and Browning
- For a nice brown cheese sandwich use mayonnaise rather than butter
- Put a metal bowl over top of your cooking grilled sandwich with a drop of water to melt the cheese and keep the bread soft.
- To reheat fries bring up to room temperature, put on wire rack, spray with oil, bake at 400º until browned
Salads
- Dress the SIDE of your salad bowl to more evenly coat your salad leaves
Pasta
- Don’t start your hot pasta water with hot water from the tap. This includes MUCH more dissolved solids than cold water.
- While on the subject, don’t start your pasta in non-boiling water. It changes the texture and can make it gummy
Butter and Oil
- If you run out of butter, just use canola oil in a 1 to 1 ratio. The fats in the oil behaves exactly like melted butter.
- Use old toilet paper rolls to scoop up the congealed grease from your pan. These can then be used as fire starter logs.
Food Preparation
- Spread sour cream on a tortilla. Add lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and meat. No wet stuff.
- To peel ginger, use a spoon and scrape the skin off
- Old eggs float. Fresh eggs will sink. This is because of the gasses produced as it begins to spoil. If an egg floats, do not eat it.
- To truss meat, use a double loop on your first knot, and it will hold itself.
- Cook your roast on a bed of mirpoix veggies: carrot, onion, celery
Easy Pizza Sauce and Easy Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 can San Marzano tomatoes
- 5-10 leaves fresh basil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 packet red pepper flakes
- 1 TBL EVOO
Puree/Blend ingredients, and you are ready to go.
Easy Pizza
- Buy a ball of pizza dough from your local pizzeria (about $3)
- Flatten it and spread it out on a cold cast iron skillet – bring it up to the edge
- Roll strips of mozzarella up in the edges
- Add sauce, more shredded mozzarella, kalamata olives red onions must be on the top in order to fully cook.
- Heat on stove top on high for 5 minutes
- Move to 500º oven and bakd 20 minutes
- Top with fresh basil, EVOO and ground Parmesan
Waffle Cornbread
Prepare the cornbread batter exactly as you might otherwise.
Rather than baking it in a bread pan, pour it into a waffle iron and cook for 8 minutes, rather than the standard 3.
Hot Crab Dip
- 1 can crab meat, or 1/2 LB Krab
- 1 8 oz package of cream cheese
- 1 tsp whole milk
- 1/2 C mayonnaise
- 1 TBL minced onion
- zest and juice from one lemon
- dash of Tabasco
- 1 TBL parsley
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 TBL slivered almonds
- Mix all but Krab and almonds together
- Drain and flake Krab
- Fold gently into the mixture
- Put in a small casserole dish
- sprinkle with slivered almonds
- Bake at 350º for 20 minutes
- Serve with crackers