Did You Kow........

Some tips and tricks for the home chef!

Did you know......

·         To slice meet into thin strips for use in making beef jerky in Asian cooking, freeze the meat for 30 minutes before slicing with a very thin sharp knife

·         To give lettuce a longer shelf life in the fridge, do not wash before storing

·         If you are looking for a crispier French fry, let the sliced potatoes sit in cold water for 30 minutes before frying.  Make sure to dry them completely before putting them in the fry oil

·         When slicing a hardboiled egg, spray the knife with cooking spray just before slicing

·         You can salvage stale or soggy chips or crackers by roasting them in a 300 degree oven for 5 minutes in a single layer on a baking sheet

·         You can remove all the silk from your corn on the cob by wiping them downward with a dampened paper towel

·         That you can keep nuts from settling on the bottom of whatever you are baking by heating them in the oven then dusting them with flour prior to putting them in your batter

·         That if you store an apple in the bag with you potatoes, it will keep them from budding. Keep an eye on the apple however, so that it doesn’t go rotten

·         If you are separating several eggs, crack them into a funnel.  Crack them on a at time into the funnel and the whites will fall through while the yolk remains in the funnel

·         If you thaw fish in milk, you will notice a fresher flavor

More to come.........

New Recipes

Here are some new recipes for you to enjoy!

Apple Crisp

Equipment Needed:

·         Ceramic or Glass Baking Dish

·         Mixing Bowl

·         Food Processor

Ingredients:

For the Filling:

·         5 Granny Smith or Fuji Apples – peeled, cored, chopped

·         ¼ Cup Chopped Pecans

·         3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour

·         ½ Cup Brown Sugar

·         2 Tablespoons Syrup

·         1 Tablespoon Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

For the Topping:

·         ¾ Cup All Purpose Flour

·         1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

·         ¼ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

·         1 Tablespoon Corn Syrup

·         ¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt

·         6 Tablespoons Chilled Unsalted Butter

·         ¼ Cup Chopped Pecans

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  For the filling, mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl.  Place in a baking dish.  For the topping, add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and corn syrup in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse several times to combine.  Add the butter and pulse until you have pea sized pieces.  Sprinkle the mixture over the filling then add the pecans over the top.  Bake for 30 – 40 minutes then cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Meat Loaf with Mushroom Gravy

Equipment Needed:

·         Large Mixing Bowl

·         Non-Stick Roasting Pan

·         Large Sauté Pan

Ingredients:

·         1 Lb. Ground Beef

·         ½ Lb. Ground Turkey

·         1 Lb. Ground Turkey

·         1 Cup Chopped Onions

·         ½ Cup Chopped Green Bell Peppers

·         2 Cloves Garlic – Minced

·         1 Tablespoon Olive Oil plus 1 Tablespoon

·         2 Eggs

·         ½ Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs

·         ¼ Cup Red Wine

·         1 Tablespoon Dried Basil

·         1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley

·         1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano

·         ½ Tablespoon Dried Thyme

·         1 Teaspoon plus 1 Teaspoon plus ½ Teaspoon Salt

·         1 Teaspoon plus 1 Teaspoon  plus ½ Teaspoon Pepper

·         5 Slices Bacon

·         2 Cups sliced Cremini Mushrooms

·         1 Tablespoon All Purpose Flour

·         1 Cup Chicken Broth

·         1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg

·         Pinch Ground Allspice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a sauté pan, heat the oil over medium high heat.  Add the onions and 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Sauté until onion is translucent. Add the peppers and garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool and reserve. Wipe out the sauté pan for future use.

In a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef, ground pork, ground turkey, eggs, wine, bread crumbs, basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.  Using your hands, combine all ingredients until thoroughly mixed but do not over work the mixture.  Form into a loaf and place in a roasting pan.  Lay the bacon over the loaf.  Cook in the oven for 1 hour or until the internal temperature reads 170 degrees on an instant read meat thermometer.

While the meat loaf is cooking, heat the remaining oil over medium high heat in a sauté pan.  Add the mushrooms and sauté until cooked through and caramelized.  Add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, nutmeg, allspice, and flour.  Mix thoroughly and cook for 4 – 5 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste. Whisk in the broth and cook until the gravy comes to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. 

When the meat loaf is done, let rest for 10 minutes,  Slice into ½ inch slices and serve with the gravy.

Steve’s Grilled Rueben Sandwich

Equipment Needed:

·         Large Heavy Bottomed Sauté Pan or Grill Pan

Ingredients:

·         1 ½  Lbs. Corned Beef – Sliced Thin

·         8 Slices Rye Bread

·         ¾ Lbs. Swiss Cheese

·         1 Bottle Store Bought Russian Dressing

·         12 Oz. Sauerkraut

·         ½ Lb. Cole Slaw

·         4 Tablespoons Butter – Melted

·         4 Kosher Dill Pickles – Sliced

Directions:

Drain the sauerkraut and coleslaw in a sieve and set aside.  Lay ½ the bread slices on a flat working surface.  Spread the slices with Russian dressing.  Layer (fold) half of the corned beef on the bread followed by sauerkraut, a layer of cheese, pickle, another layer of corned beef, another layer of cheese, then the Cole slaw.  Spread more Russian Dressing on the remaining slices of bread and place on top of the sandwich – dressing side down.  Heat a grill pan over medium high heat.  Spread the top of the top bread slice with the melted butter.  Place the sandwich – buttered side down – in the grill pan.  Cook until the bread is brown and crispy.  Turn and cook another 4 – 5 minutes until the other side is browned and crispy and the cheese has started to melt. (Cook the sandwiches in batches if your grill pan is not large enough to hold all or use two pans.)  Remove from the heat and let sit for 1 minute.  Slice the sandwiches on a bias and serve immediately.