We all have them!! Every once in awhile we all have some cooking problems. I have had many! I also learned over time how to fix most of them. Here are some things I have learned.
Scorched food - if you forget to stir sauces or soups they will scorch. If you find that this has happened, and it is not too late to save the sauce, just pour the sauce into another pan or bowl. Do NOT stir or scrap the pan. Usually, the scorch will stay in the pan. Taste the food that you poured out. If it does not have a burnt taste use it otherwise the only cure is to start over.
Undercooked chicken or turkey. I once had a huge dinner planned with about 20 people for Thanksgiving. I went to the stove to find that the oven had been turned off! The bird was only half cooked. Dinner was in an hour. What could I do? I decided to carve the bird right then and put it in large roasting pan. I used a cooking thermometer to see what temp the bird was at. All the meat was about 100 degrees. As I carved the bird, I layered the meat so it was in one layer with white and dark separated. Then I added the drippings on top. I turned on the over to 400, covered the pan with foil and popped it in back in. When I checked the meat, it was all done to the proper temperature and thanks to the drippings, it was moist. Dinner was on time. (This was before I learned about brining a turkey. I highly recommend that!) So even if a meat is underdone and you are short on time there are way to make it work.
So what are your cooking Oops!?? Let me know and we can all learn about making it better.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Strawberry Time
It is strawberry time. If you love strawberries, then this is the time for you to enjoy them. I like to prepare several different dishes and freeze as many as I can. Here are some ideas that will help with strawberries.
Strawberry Shortcake - In a previous post I suggested using Angel Food Cake instead of the usual shortcake. I would also encourage you to try adding some Balsamic Vinegar to your berries while they macerate. Don't overdo it - a tablespoon or two is fine. Whatever suits your taste. The Balsamic adds a another layer of flavor.
Frozen Jam - just use the regular recipe. I have tried using all kinds of sugar substitutes but none will give you the same results. If you use less sugar than what is called for the jam will be runny.
Freezing whole berries or other fruit. If you want to freeze whole berries or other fruit, wash them and prepare them as if you were going to eat them today - hull the strawberries for example. Then place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer and put in the freezer until they are frozen. This will not take long. Once they are frozen then place them in a freezer bag. This will allow you to take out what you want and not have a mess of smashed berries that are frozen together.
Strawberry Shortcake - In a previous post I suggested using Angel Food Cake instead of the usual shortcake. I would also encourage you to try adding some Balsamic Vinegar to your berries while they macerate. Don't overdo it - a tablespoon or two is fine. Whatever suits your taste. The Balsamic adds a another layer of flavor.
Frozen Jam - just use the regular recipe. I have tried using all kinds of sugar substitutes but none will give you the same results. If you use less sugar than what is called for the jam will be runny.
Freezing whole berries or other fruit. If you want to freeze whole berries or other fruit, wash them and prepare them as if you were going to eat them today - hull the strawberries for example. Then place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer and put in the freezer until they are frozen. This will not take long. Once they are frozen then place them in a freezer bag. This will allow you to take out what you want and not have a mess of smashed berries that are frozen together.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Butter
I receive several questions every week about butter and why do recipes call for unsalted butter. First let's talk about why butter is salted. Before the age of modern refrigeration, butter could get rancid if left at room temperature for a few days. Someone found out that by adding salt, that extended the life of the butter. Salt does act like a preservative. So salt was added to commercial butter to extend the self life. People got used to the idea and now we have added salt in our butter.
Recipes call for unsalted butter for several reason. 1. You can control the amount of salt better if the butter is unsalted 2. Many people feel the salt changes the flavor too much and can get overpowering. This is true for things like clarified butter, or drawn butter for lobster etc. 3. Salt can also affect the texture. If you have ever tried European butter, you will see that the texture is much different than the commercial butter we use.
So if a recipes calls for unsalted butter; or you want to cut down on your sodium, use unsalted butter. I will wager that you may not even notice the difference.
Recipes call for unsalted butter for several reason. 1. You can control the amount of salt better if the butter is unsalted 2. Many people feel the salt changes the flavor too much and can get overpowering. This is true for things like clarified butter, or drawn butter for lobster etc. 3. Salt can also affect the texture. If you have ever tried European butter, you will see that the texture is much different than the commercial butter we use.
So if a recipes calls for unsalted butter; or you want to cut down on your sodium, use unsalted butter. I will wager that you may not even notice the difference.
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