Cooking 101
Hand Count Method for Grilling Temperatures
How do you know how hot your grill is without using a thermometer?
Use the Hand Count Method -
Hold your hand at grilling height over the coals. Count the number of seconds you can hold you hand there before the heat forces you to move it.
2 seconds, hot coals: 400 - 450 F degrees
4 [...]
Delicious Cheeses for Entertaining
A Nutritionist and a Food Blogger go into a Super Foodie Mart…
Doesn’t that sound like the beginning of a good joke? Well, it was the way I spent my Saturday afternoon. I went grocery shopping with my girlfriend, Kim. We spent FOUR HOURS in this particular market and had a complete blast!
I [...]
Quick Cooling Method For Bar Desserts And Brownies
A sure fire easy way to remove bars from a hot pan for a quicker cooling time:
1. Spritz bottom of pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Measure out enough wax paper to line the pan PLUS hang out over two sides.
3. Spray the wax paper and exposed pan sides with nonstick cooking spray.
You’re ready to [...]
DIY SHREDDED CHEESE BLEND
Real quick, I just wanted to share with y’all my favorite time saver in the kitchen.
We eat A LOT of CHEESE in my home. Most of the time I need it shredded. For a while, I bought the pre-shredded packages out of pure convenience. And just so you know, long ago, I [...]
Parboiled Rice Cooking Directions
Have you ever stored your rice or pasta in a clear pretty jar and thrown away the ugly packaging? Only to discover later that you can’t remember what the ratios of water to rice to butter there are in the actual servings. This happens to me too often.
On some jars I own, I [...]
Basic Rules When Sifting Real Recipes
Before I even begin to cook, I thoroughly sort and sift for REAL recipes to see if they meet up to my personal standard.
Yes, I wrote ‘Real Recipes‘.
I’ll throw in the disclaimer that not everyone has the same perspective of food. Nor does everyone have the same factors that dictate a perspective of food.
.
This [...]
Thawing Frozen Spinach
THAWING FROZEN SPINACH The fastest way to thaw frozen spinach is to put it in a mesh strainer and run it under very warm or hot water. Feel around for icy chucks of spinach and break them apart with your fingers. Turn off water, grab a handful of spinach and squeeze the water out back [...]
8Apr2008 | Jill | 2 comments | Continued
Substitutions Guide
Allspice (1 tsp.) = 1/2 tsp. cinnamon + 1/4 tsp. nutmeg + 1/4 tsp. ground clove
Baking Powder (1 tsp.) = 1/4 tsp. baking soda + 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
Baking Soda (1 tsp.) = 2 tsp double-acting baking powder + replace acidic liquid ingredient in recipe with non-acidic liquid
Balsamic [...]
Keeping Cilantro Fresh
Here’s a quick and easy way to keep cilantro fresh until you need it.
First, cut off the dried ends of the stems and discard. Soak cilantro in cool water for 5-10 minutes. Drain the water off and discard old/damaged leaves. Then, give it a couple spins in the salad spinner to remove [...]
Toasting Black Peppercorns
Right up front, toasting and grinding your own black pepper is worth the effort. It’s super easy and it’s fun, in a food explorer’s sort of way. I KNOW you know what I’m saying.
Now, I’ll be completely honest here. Sometimes I buy & try things I think I need in my [...]
Cupcakes Kids Will Not Waste
For the past four years, I've attended my fair share of little kid birthday parties. I've observed and experienced that no matter how delicious the cake tastes or doesn't taste, it's the icing that gets all the attention.
Party after party, I watch kids ONLY eat the frosting off their cupcakes. Leaving behind a half eaten, [...]
Chicken Stock
You hear it all the time on those cooking shows. "Use homemade broth or stock! But if you don't have it, store bought is good, too."
Do you know the difference between broth and stock? Broth comes from the meat boiled in seasoned water. Stock comes from the bones boiled in seasoned water. And yes, there [...]
