Try a Dip

Holidays are times of peculiar temptation.  You may feel a desire to cook special treats for loved ones, friends, or co-workers even if you don't cook much for any other reason.

You can surprise and amaze you peeps with chocolate covered delights with very little effort.  Buy a good quality dipping chocolate in either white or regular chocolate flavor.  Select the items you want to dip or coat.  Melt the chocolate over low heat or in the microwave.  Be careful not to burn it.  See instructions of the package.

To make nut clusters, melt the chocolate and add nuts.  Stir gently.  Drop by tablespoonful on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment.  When cool, remove and serve or store for future use.
1 1/4 pound package of white or dark dipping chocolate will use about 2 pounds of nuts to make 3 1/4 pounds of nut clusters.

You can dip of coat many other items, for instance, pretzels, cookies, strawberries, peanut butter crackers, dried fruit, and  chocolate truffles.  You may think of others. 

For the strawberries, hold them by the stem and dip them one at a time.  Lay them on foil to harden.  To make them extra fancy allow the first coating to harden and re-dip chocolate coated berries in white chocolate. 

You may also sprinkle them with colored sugar crystals or nonpareils before they harden.  To stripe the product, use a small spoon with the contrasting color of dipping chocolate and allow it to drizzle over the the cooled candy.   

Do not try to add coloring to the white chocolate coating.  It causes a reaction that spoils the process. 

Soup for Supper

Image via Wikipedia As fall becomes more persistent, my mind and my taste turn toward soup.  It is warm and invigorating on cold days and it's easy to make.  Canned soups come in a huge variety from vegetable to meat based, and dehydradeted soup bases add even more variety.

If you happen to have vegetable leftovers in the fridge, you can add them to your soup to make an original recipe of your own.  A can of soup with some crackers or toast will make a nice supper for one or two.  If you have company, you can quickly stretch one serving to accomdate two or three by adding a cup of cooked noodles and some chopped meat.  Sprinkle a topping of cheese or bread crumbs, and bake for 30 minutes at 350--Voila! You have a casserole.

You can also make most vegetables into soup.  Leftover beans, potatoes, carrots, and onions are prime examples.  

To make bean soup, cook a tablespoon  or more of chopped onion in a tablespoon of oil or bacon grease until clear.   Add a dash of garlic powder.  Continue to cook on low, and add the beans, 1 cup or less for one serving.  Stir the beans to prevent sticking.  Add water or broth a little at a time and allow the mixture to thicken slightly.  Serve with crackers or croutons.

Potatoes, carrots, and onions can be made into soup with similar treatment.  Leftover mashed potatoes can be thinned with milk or vegetable broth to achieve a suitable soup consistency.  Add cornstarch or flour paste to get a smooth velvety texture.  Add a tablespoon or two of shredded cheese and enjoy.

Carrots should retain their color and shape.  Add water, broth, or milk, and thicken with cornstarch or flour.  Simple!

Traditional onion soup is simple and slow.  Brown onions in oil until very brown and tender.  Be careful not to burn.  Leftover onions from pot roast can be added to raw ones after they have begun to brown.  After they are very brown, add 1 can of beef broth.  Do not thicken.  Pour the soup over a crusty, toasted slice of bread and top with mozzarella cheese.  Ummm good.

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Casserole and a Salad

Image via Wikipedia To reduce the time you spend cooking, you might prepare two dishes at the same time and save one for later.  This also reduces waste.  From one 5 oz. can of tuna, you can create a casserole for one and Tuna Salad.

Cook 2oz. any shape of macaroni.  Drain the water from the cooked pasta and add 1/2 can of undiluted cream soup, celery, mushroom, or chicken.  Add 1/2 can of the tuna.  Stir and place in a oven proof dish.  Top with shredded cheese.  Bake in a hot oven for ten minutes. 

Place one egg in a small boiler and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cover with a lid.  Mash the 1/2 can of tuna in a small bowl.  Add chopped onion to taste, 2 tablespoons of pickle relish, the chopped egg when it is done, and 1 tablespoon of Miracle Whip or dressing.  Store in a covered container in the fridge.  Serve with crackers or bread or in a lettuce leaf with a slice of tomato.

Place the extra 1/2 can of soup in a covered container for later use--a cup of soup or another casserole.

Tastes and Smells of Autumn

For all the new cooks, reluctant cooks, and solitary cooks out there, autumn is a difficult time of year.  The grand array of holidays and the multitude of reasons to make gorgeous food is astonishing.  So what can you to enjoy the taste and aroma of autumn food without cooking all day?

First, take a small pan and put a cup of water in it.  Sprinkle some cinnamon or cloves or both on top and heat the water for a few minutes.  The aroma is wonderful.

If you are having guests and want something to serve, bake-and-serve cookies are good.  You can buy them in a roll of dough or portioned pieces.  Cook them for about 8 to 10 minutes.  Great!

For something more adventurous, try your own cinnamon rolls.  Buy frozen hot roll dough.  Allow the dough to thaw slightly. 
Place 1 cup of sugar, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of butter in a cake pan.  Allow the mixture to melt in the oven, about five minutes, or until sugar is dissolved.  Optional:  You may add coconut or nuts.  Turn off the oven.  Stir. Take the pan out of the oven and allow to cool until it will not burn you.  Turn the rolls over in the sugar mixture until each piece is completely coated.   Return the pan of rolls to the oven until they are risen, perhaps an hour.  Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Tricks for New Cooks

I think when I began this blog, I was concerned about people who were living alone, but who had a history of cooking and understood terms.  It occurs to me now that there may be people who are living alone, but don't understand much about food preparation.  I'll try to let you in on some cooking secrets.

Food that is canned is already cooked.  Canned food only needs to be seasoned and heated to be appetizing.  You may want to thicken or even drain the water in canned vegetables, but they are edible straight out of the can.  If you are only preparing enough for youself, buy the smallest amount available.  To vary your diet, use vegetables in salad.  Add pickle relish, mayo, mustard and chopped ham to canned peas, green beans, or potatoes.

Canned tuna, salmon, and sardines can be eaten right out of the can, or you can add other ingredients and make a cold salad or a casserole or croquets.  These items also come in a plastic package.  They are drier and more flaky that they are in the can.  I like them better.  Chicken is also packaged this way.

If you live in a dorm room or don't have access to a kitchen, food preparation becomes more challenging.  It is possible to hard cook an egg in a microwave, but you face the potential of an explosion.  Try the hot plate instead.  To hard cook an egg, place it in enough  salted water to cover and bring it to a boil, then cover with a lid, remove from heat and allow it to remain for 20 minutes.  Rinse in cold water before you crack the shell.  The salt and cold water help the egg peel cleanly.

Scrambled eggs can be prepared very nicely in a microwave.  The trick is to stir or whisk them often during the cooking.  Otherwise, they become tough and rubbery.

Be cautious about a hot plate and microwave.  They are useful, but also tricky.  Read the instructions first! 

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Biscuits, Homemade, Canned or Frozen?

Image by Getty Images via @daylife Canned biscuits have been around for a long time, and they work very well.  They are good with a meal or to cut in half or thirds and cooked for dumplings.  But they are still not the same as the homemade biscuits made from dough.

Using frozen ones from the grocery store are an excellent choice.  You can remove how ever many you want from the package and place them still frozen in the pan and then directly to the oven.  In less than thirty minutes you will have a golden brown gem ready for butter or honey.

The third choice for biscuits is biscuit mix.  There is an advantage over the canned or frozen ones.  With the mix you have options to add things to the dough.  Add a little sugar in the dough and you can have a cobbler crust.  Add an egg and milk and you can make  pancakes.  If you add a little melted butter, some sugar and an egg you have shortcake.

To create these lovely delicacies, you have to be a little adventurous.  You might need to read a recipe and then adjust amounts and ingredients accordingly.  The trick is to make enough for one or two servings, and most of the recipes make enough for 4 to 6 or even more, so you have to think small and proportionately. 
Making biscuits with mix is easy, just add enough milk or water to made a dough. 

To make cobbler,  add sugar, a spoonful will do the first time you make cobbler.  Put the fruit in a ramiken and add the dough on top. Bake it till it's brown.   Voila! You made cobbler.  Add sauce or ice cream to taste.  You might think it needs more sugar next time.  Biscuit dough is not like pie crust.  It rises and it is not thin.  It needs plenty of juice in the fruit. 

If you want to eat cobbler for two or three days, use two or three ramikens for individual servings.  Use only one to two spoons of dough per 1/2 cup of fruit filling since it rises.  If you want to put half the dough on the bottom and half on top, you have a double crust cobbler.  Remember the dough rises, so you will have twice as much when it is cooked as you had when it was dough.

A Cup of Tea

It's almost autumn, almost cooler weather, almost end of harvest.  It is a sad time when the growth ceases and the world recedes for sleep.  But for some of us, those of us who love the cooler weather and the need for warmer meals, autumn means a cut of hot tea to comfort and soothe.

I have a friend who always had the tea kettle at the ready when I visited, but I am a cold drink person.  I have learned to honor her delight with tea.  When the weather is cold or there is a chill in the air, something warm is welcome. 

Tea is a delight.  It is available in a great many flavors and textures.  Get a package with several flavors and try them all.  If you really find your favorite, then you can buy with certainty.  Otherwise, the Earl Grey or Orange Pekoe and Pekoe are proven classics.  Tea can be embelished with additives--lemon, cream, sugar, or sweeteners.  With experimentation, you can find your niche.

Remember that tea contains an ingredient that acts much like caffeine.  It gives that added lift to your morning wake-up or afternoon slow-down.  Some teas also contain other benefits like antioxidants.  They are highly advertised, so research for more information.

Why don't you come over for a cut of tea?

Bunuelos Are Great!

I first heard about bunuelos many years ago when a friend told me about the fried cookies her neighbor made from any kind of left over dough.  When she made biscuits and had dough she couldn't get in the pan, she made the thin cookies for the children.  She rolled the dough thin and fried it in deep grease.  After she drained it, she dusted it with granulated sugar and cinnamon.

Later I found a real recipe for this dessert. It was almost like biscuit dough, but with an egg and two tablespoons of sugar added to the dough.  Buneulos are similar to Sopapillas.

My most recent recipe has two eggs and 1/2 cup sugar, but it begins as a simple dough like biscuits.  If you don't want all the biscuits in a can, bake what you want to eat with a meal and fry the rest for bunuelos.  You can also use pieces of yeast dough to make bunuelos.  Follow the same procedure.

Roll or pat out the dough until thin and fry it in clean oil until crisp turning once or twice.  Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.  Store in a cookie jar.

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How to Cook Rice

Image via Wikipedia

Rice is excellent as an ingredient or as a dish.  Chefs and health experts boast of the superiority of brown rice over white rice, and I think it is probably true.  White rice is the heart of the grain with the husk removed.  There are nutrients in the husk, but to some of it it's like eating the corn with the shucks. Brown rice is also tougher in texture and nuttier in flavor.

My favorite kind of white rice is Jasmine.  It is more expensive and more difficult to find than plain, unnamed white rice.  Basmati is also good.  Both of these are long grain rices.  I justify my expenditure by being very careful not to waste it.  I cook a small amount and use it judiciously.  Cooked rice will keep in a closed container for five to seven days.  It freezes well, either as an ingredient in a dish or alone. 

To reheat, put the rice on a plate or in a bowl and moisten it with a tablespoon or two of water and cover with a paper towel.  Heat in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds.  You may add it to soup or other ingredients on top of the stove.  If you add cooked rice to soup, try to add it at the end of the cooking so it does not get soggy or disappear altogether.

How to Cook Rice

Add 1 cup of rice to two cups of salted boiling water.  Rice doubles when it cooks.  Place a tight fitting lid on the pan and reduce the heat to simmering.  Do not uncover pan, not even a peek. Cook for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Fluff with a fork.

How Not to Cook

Image via WikipediaIf you are trying to eat without cooking, and you don't want to spend a lot of money, let's talk:

• Look for the fruits and vegetable that are good raw.  Rinse, dry and eat.  (You have to peel some things.)
• Add sliced or diced meat to your salad.  You don't have to make a sandwich. Even bologna takes on a new character when you do something different with it.
• Warming something in the microwave doesn't heat your kitchen or you.  You can heat one serving on the plate from a pre-made dish.
• If you take home leftovers from a restaurant, try to match them with your own choices to make a new meal.

I have had the problem of cooking for one and struggled with a way to prevent boredom and food waste.  One strategy involves considerable planning.  Buy cheap storage containers and sectioned plates.  When you buy prepared food or prepared it yourself, place portions into the containers and freeze it.  Be sure to label it.  Sometime I forget what I put in the container.

Even when eating alone, I enjoy a little ritual to a meal.  I often use a tray in front of the TV, but I still want meat, vegetable, bread, and some kind of  treat or desert.  Seeing the food on the plate helps me gauge how much I am eating and prevents me from stuffing myself.  I really wish my mother hadn't always insisted that I eat everything on my plate.

Remember when you buy prepared food that you are still getting it cheaper that from a restaurant.  If you waste it, your saving is lost.  Make the best of it and remember: Be frugal.

Something Cool for Hot Summer Days

Carol has discovered that staying cool is easier with ice.  She is experiencing that time of life women used to talk about in whispered conversations.  Now it is often discussed on talk shows and the news.  With all this talk you might think some scientist would have found a real answer.  Not so!  At least not for her.  The hormone replacement therapy helps, but she still has extreme hot flashes with major sweating. 

We think immediately of drinking something cold.  Good idea, but not enough.  Carol has discovered that it takes ice in her mouth to do the trick.  A Popsicle, a slush, or ice cream give her temporary relief.

You can buy Popsicle forms, but small paper cups with sticks for handles do pretty well.  You might have to wait for the contents to get almost hard before you insert the stick.  Purchased ones will allow you to put the sticks in at the beginning.

You can use fruit juice, flavored drink mix, soda, yogurt, or flavored gelatin to create your treats.  All of these will work as frozen treats and all of them will give you the effect of cooling your core temperature.  Of course, if you want to sneak in a little extra nutrition, the juice and yogurt are hits. 

Kitchen Gizmos and Gadgets

I have addressed this blog to people who don't cook much or who want to make it easy, so this entry may seem oddly placed.  I am not recommending that you buy all the gizmos and gadgets in the store.  You really want the drawer to be free of clutter and the cabinet to be clear of dusty equipment.

Let's list the things you might really need.

• Sissors or kitchen shears.  They are good for trimming flower stems, opening plastic packages, and cutting meat into smaller portions.
•  
• Potato peeler, also good for peeling carrots and eggplant.  If you really never intend to cook vegetables that need peeling, you can do without this, but it is far superior to using a paring knife for these tasks.
• There are several kinds of can openers that will serve your needs.  I don't recommend an electric one unless your have a disability that restricts the use of your hands.  I like the one that removes the lid without leaving a sharp edge.
•  
• There are lots of graters available.  I prefer a small flat one that does not take up lots of space in the drawer.  Think about what you will grate on it, then choose the one that looks like it would do that.

• Spatula's are a special case:  There are spatulas for turning pancakes and eggs,; spatulas for scraping batter out of bowls; spatulas for spreading cake icing; and spatulas for beating dough.  Which spatula you will need depends on which of these activities you do.  A large spoon is a good substitute in a pinch.

Again, try to visualize what you need this thing for, how will it help you, and where will you store it?  You might decide you can buy a frozen dinner and save the trouble, but sometimes home cooking is a real survival skill.  See where cooking fits into your life.

My Other Tip for Weight Control

My other suggestion is activity.  If you use up some of the calories, they don't set up housekeeping on your hips.  I am not a big exeercise guru.  I don't like to go to the gym.  I have done it, but it was a drag.

You don't really have to use all that fancy equipment or pay money monthly or hire a trainer.  You can buy a calorie counter that tells you how many calories you are using by walking, swimming, or biking.  It may help you to get a grip on what you can expect in losing weight, or at least controling it.  A good counter will use half the book to list the calories in the food and the other half to list the activities and how many calories they use up.

Think about the places you go and the activities you do.  If you go to the grocery store, you are walking.  It is not power walking; it is more akin to a leisurely stroll, but if you do it for two hours of shopping, it counts.  The power walking might be only 15 or 20 minutes, but it is more beneficial for strengthening your heart. 

Other activities can be incorporated into your secret training.  When you dust tall furniture, be sure to stretch, and repeat the stretches twice--one to get the dust, and one to feel your muscles.  When you do things that have repeated motions like mopping and sweeping, stand tall and practice good posture.

If you sit at a computer, be sure to get up often and stretch, walk around, touch your toes--keep the blood flowing and the muscles limber. 

Walk up the stairs instead of using the elevator.  Park at the back of the parking lot.  Walk to the park or the church every chance you get.  The main thing you need to remember is to find chances to stretch, exercise, and strengthen your large muscles.  They are the ones that use the most calories.  Arms, legs, and back muscles are big and use lots of calories.  Fingers and eyelids don't use that many calories, so typing may not be as beneficial to your weight control as jogging.  (I hate jogging.)

Weight control is a balance of eating and exercising.  If you use up the calories you eat, your weight will remain constant.  If you use a little more than you eat, you will lose slowly.  If you eat a lot more than you use, you will gain quickly.  If you don't change your eating habits and eat the same amount, a small increase in activity will bring your weight down slowly over a long time.  It's a good plan.  Try it.

A Few Old Fashioned Tips for Weight Control

Controlling your weight is a constant guilt trip for most of us.  If it's not your weight, it's a question of whether you are getting all the right nutrients.  Fast food is so easy--just make a trip through the drive-through and dinner is done.  But...did you think about the fat in those fries?  Did you really need that big a burger?  My tips are mostly concentrated on thinking about what you are eating and how much is enough.

1. When you are at home, use a small plate.  If the plate is full, you feel more satisfied.
2. Cultivate a taste for raw vegetables.  They are filling, they take more time to eat, and they are low in calories.  You can buy baby carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower in small packages ready to eat.
3. If you use dip, make sure it is non-fat.
4. Baked potatoes are filling and nutritious, but you have to be careful about the butter, cheese, and bacon bits.  Stick to non-fat sour cream and chives.
5. Snacking is a good way to control calorie intake.  Eat a small meal.  Of course you will be hungry soon, but you can use the veggies.  If you are really hungry add a piece of fruit.  It does have more calories than the veggies, but it's still a low calorie treat.  A cup of raw broccoli is about 25 calories and a peach or apple is about 40.
6. If you have a craving for fried chicken, eat a large salad first.  One piece may be all you want.
7. With desserts the key is portion size.  Split a dessert with a friend or your husband or take it home for later.  You don't need dessert every meal.  Make it a real treat.

If you learn to apply some of the tips one at a time, you may begin to think is smaller portions and servings.  After a while, you don't feel deprived or insulted when someone says "Is that all you want?"  And you feel great when they say how much weight you have lost.

Is Your Weight Bugging You?

Image via WikipediaThe question of weight is always important.  Every year headlines proclaim we are weighing more and getting fatter, but all the diets and weight loss products and exercise programs don't do much to change that.  Maybe what we need is a good famine, well, maybe just a temporary fast.

The real key to living a lighter life is a matter of what you can do and stay with it.  Buy less oil, butter, and products that contain fat.  Fat has more than twice as many calories as protein and carbohydrates per gram.  Calories from fat add up fast.  Use fat products judiciously.  I don't say not to use them at all.  Some parts of your system need fat.  Skin, the digestive tract, and several other systems need some fat, but its the excess that adds the pounds.

Vegetables are the category that lots of people neglect, but they carry lots of nutrients and without many calories.  If you are trying to lose weight without feeling hungry, use vegetables as a base to build your menu on.  You can eat them raw in salads or steamed, sauteed, or baked.  You can even add a small amount of fat because some nutrients like Vitamin A in things like carrots need the fat to process.  As much as I admire Julia Child and Paula Deen, you can have too much butter.

Ordinarily carbohydrates provide most of the calories.  Cereal based foods are the easy ones to get your calories from.  In addition to calories, the cereal products, including, of course, bread, give you the B-complex vitamins and other nutrients you need daily.  Diets that limit or restrict them have to be carefully designed to make sure you get the nutrients you need.

If you want to get on a diet, make your own.  Get a good book with a chart of the nutrients and calories.  Choose a wide variety of foods and make sure you buy the best and most economical products.  This is time consuming, but remember, it is for your health.  I guess I think it is foolish to entrust it to some guru who is skinny and athletic when you don't fit his or her profile. 

Bread for Texture and Aroma

Image via WikipediaNothing fills the house with aroma like bread.  The odor is both appetizing and comforting.  The texture fills your mouth in the same way with satisfying texture and substance.  I make it sometimes just to give away.  Well, I make two loaves and give one away.

If you are not as eager to create the bread, but you would like to enjoy the rewards, use these tricks:

• Bread from a bakery that has never been stored in plastic still has its characteristic crust.
• Heating a slice in the microwave for 10 seconds or less enhances the flavor
• Toasting in the oven recovers some of the feel of fresh baked.
• French bread from the grocery store in a plastic bag no longer has its crusty texture.  Remove it from the bag and heat it in the oven on a cookie sheet or directly in the rack until the crust is restored.  You probably can't do this but one or two times since the loaf will become too dry.

I still love the plain old white bread in the plastic bag for sandwiches.  With butter and garlic salt, it will do to make croutons, or with milk and eggs and sugar, it doesn't do badly for bread pudding.  It's good with peanut butter, too.  But if you want to do more with bread, think outside the plastic bag.

If you really want to read my recipe for making bread, I have made it available for you.  You don't have to actually make it, to be informed about how its done.  Impress your non-baking friends with you insight and knowledge. 

http://hubpages.com/hub/Homemade-Bread-An-Adventure-for-the-Soul

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Biscuits--New and Improved

Image via WikipediaDo you like biscuits?  They are a traditional favorite for all meals, but if you are a non-cook or a new-cook, you may have considered them beyond your capability.  Never fear!  Canned biscuits have been around for a long time, and they are easy.  They are different from the ones made from dough by your very own hands; however, you can buy the homemade ones in the freezer section at the grocery store.  They come in a resealable package.  You can remove any number you want and cook them without thawing.  They bake to perfection in about 20 to 25 minutes.  I love them.

If you want to be a little more adventurous, buy the biscuit mix.  The advantage to using the mix is that you can make a huge variety of baked items from it, including, but not limited to pancakes, shortcake, coffee cake, donuts, and pizza crust.  There are recipes on the box for many items.  Search the Internet for others.  Using the mix offers you the opportunity to experiment with baking without having to stock up on items like baking powder and soda.  You will probably have things like sugar and salt.

If you decide to try baking, buy items like spices and herbs in small containers because they loose potency over time, and you use very little in a recipe.  You can also be creative with the canned or frozen biscuits and other similar items.  Brush the top of biscuits with butter and sprinkle with garlic powder or onion powder before or after cooking.  Add Italian herbs to canned pizza crust.  Use a pastry brush to glaze the top of bread or muffins with honey while they are still warm.  You may even use this with prepared ones from the store.

Give your own touch to prepared foods to enjoy alone or with friends and relatives.

New Insights on Bread

I love to make bread.  Since the audience I am writing for may not be so enthusiastic about the endeavor, maybe we should start with some casual observations about this activity.

Bread is a metaphor for all the food we eat and even for living.  The old saying about breaking bread together really means sharing and talking over a meal.  When the Bible talks about earning your bread by the sweat of your brow, it really means your vegetables and clothes and cars and ball game tickets.  Whatever you spend money on becomes incorporated in the bread.

Getting back to food--bread may be the foundation for the whole meal.  Bread may be found in other forms--noodles, tortillas, crackers, or oatmeal. Bread is the grain based product.  Some people have reactions to some grains, but there are now substitutes available. 

The basic thought about the importance of bread is still the same:  Bread and grain-based foods provide a large percentage of the calories, vitamins and minerals we need daily.  There is no reason to allow the bread portion of our meals to be dull or boring.  Explore some of the whole grain breads; try fruit breads; check our flat breads.  Do something different with them.  Make a bread salad or use a tortilla for a pizza crust.  (There are recipes!  Search.)

If you have caught the cooking bug, you might try  something homemade.  First, buy a mix and follow the instructions.  Next time do something different like add cheese or chopped jalapenos.  Or chopped olives.  Or chopped onions.  The list is endless. 

Bread is really easy.  Read about it for a while, then challenge yourself.  It might be great!  This is my recipe Gayle's bread.  I hope you enjoy it.

Eggs a la Goldenrod

When I took Homemaking in high school, Eggs a la Goldenrod was the most memorable dish I made, first, because it was the first one, and, second, because I considered it elegant.  Eggs for breakfast had always been fried or scrambled, period, but this opened a whole new breakfast adventure.

I think this dish was the initial one in cooking class because it taught several techniques to novices.  Hard cooking eggs is easy, but not everyone does it correctly.  See How to Boil an Egg  It also demonstrates how to make gravy, which again is easy,  but not automatic.

To make the dish takes several steps of preparation.  You will need to cook the eggs first and peel them, and separate the yolks from the whites. Cook the gravy or sauce but keep it warm.  Then you must toast the bread.  Finally you will assemble the dish on the plate.  It makes a beautiful presentation.

This recipe will make four servings.
8 hard cooked eggs, peeled and separated
4 tablespoons of butter
4 tablespoons of flour
2 cups milk
8 slices of bread, toasted

Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs and chop the whites finely.  Set aside.

In a small skillet melt the butter over medium heat and add the flour to form a roux.  Add the milk slowly and and allow the mixture to thicken.  Add the chopped egg whites.  Pour the sauce over the toast, and add the egg yolks pressed through a sieve to make a golden topping.  Garnish with a sprig of parsley or a slice of tomato.  You may also add a slice of ham or bacon.  Serve immediately and enjoy high praise.

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Eggs in Salad

Eggs in salads of various descriptions are one important way to use them, especially if you want the nutritional benefits, but you don't like them alone.  For hard cooked eggs refer to this post-- How to Boil an Egg .  You may want one or a dozen eggs depending on the number of people you are serving.  You may also want to keep an egg or two in the fridge for emergencies.  I recommend storing them in the shell after you have cooled them in water and cracked the shell.  If you peeled them after cooking, put them in a container with a lid or a resealable bag and store them for two or three days.

To dress up a garden salad, slice or chop the hard cooked egg, and add it with dressing and croutons.  Enjoy!

Hard cooked eggs in salads like potato, tuna, English pea or chicken, add color, texture and protein.  One old trick for estimating how much chopped egg to add to potato salad goes like this:  one egg for two potatoes.  (Regular sized potatoes, not the giant ones used for baking.)  For most things, two eggs is enough for a normal recipe that feeds four people.  Use your own judgment--time, cost, and convenience will help you decide how much is feasible.

Potato and tuna salad usually have chopped onions, pickle relish, and dressing.  You may add other ingredients like bacon bits, green peas, chopped ham, cheese, pimentos, chopped celery, bell peppers, chopped broccoli, grapes, chopped apples, and chopped ham.  By the way, leftover ham makes a great salad, too.  Pick two or three of the suggested additives and try them.  You may discover delicious new combinations.

French Toast--A Treat for Breakfast

French Toast is one of the truly special treats I enjoyed as a child.  Besides being very good, I also considered it slightly exotic.  My mother would let me help.  Tasks like this taught me to crack and separate eggs.  It didn't really matter if I broke the yolk since it all went in the bowl after I practiced.  Then I beat it with a whisk or a fork and added three tablespoons of milk.  A tablespoon of sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon didn't hurt.  We usually got three wonderful pieces of toast unless we let one stay in the batter too long; then one piece would be extra moist and tender.  The rule was to let the last piece stay in the bowl until all the batter was gone.  I also learned to use a spatula to turn the toast.  It is easier than pancakes because it doesn't tear up or drip like they do.  To make it really light and puffy, put the slices in a single layer on a greased baking sheet after they have been browned in a skillet, and bake them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes or less.

I always served it with bacon and jelly.  Eventually I learned that it is good with syrup and honey, too.  And maybe with ice cream or whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

French toast accomodates any kind of bread you happen to have, and it is fine for it to be slightly stale.  Texas Toast is a thick sliced bread that is really good for French Toast, but you may have to increase the batter since the thicker bread absorbs more.  French bread is excellent for French Toast.  Leftover rolls are good too, but you may want to slice them.   

Make it a special treat and make memories, too.

Food for Healing

Carol is having surgery on her feet today.  I try to think about food for healing.  Soup comes to mind.  Potato and noodle sound soothing, but the eggs are good too--protein for repair.  We'll be back with a new post and new ideas soon.

Review the old stuff--maybe you missed something.

Eggs for Breakfast: Fried, Scrambled, or Poached?

Image via Wikipedia

Random Information

Eggs do not respond well to high temperatures.  Always cook them over medium or low heat.  (Yes, that goes for boiling, too. Read the previous post for more information.)  Cooking eggs at high heat causes them to be tough. 

Eggs function in several ways in standard recipes:  They are used to thicken sauce and pudding; they cause baked items to rise; and they help provide structure. 

They can stand alone as a source of protein for any meal, but they are especially popular for breakfast.

Fried Eggs

Put enough grease in a small frying pan to cover the bottom about 1/4 inch deep.  Turn on the burner to medium, and crack the egg.  Gently ease the egg into the pan and allow it to cook until the white is set completely.  You may turn the egg over in the grease, or carefully splash the grease over the yolk until the white is done.

Some people prefer to eat an egg "sunny side up."  In that case you don't "close the eye."  Let the yolk stay yellow and exposed. 

An easier way to finish the egg is to use a lid.  When the egg white is set and no longer clear, add a teaspoon of water and put a lid on the frying pan.  Leave if for 30 to 45 seconds.  The egg yolk will be perfectly cooked with no need to turn it.

Fried eggs are cooked to three degrees of doneness--over easy means the yolk is runny and the white is set and solid white; over medium means the yolk has begun to get set around the edges; over hard means the yolk is completely cooked.  Sunny side up has the same levels of doneness.  The difference is the appearance.

Scrambled Eggs

You may scramble any number of eggs--one or a dozen.  Break the egg or eggs into a bowl.  Beat with a fork or whip.  Coat the frying pan with cooking spray or oil.  Add the beaten eggs. Stir the eggs slowly as they begin to cook until they reach the desire degree of doneness.  Serve immediately.

To spice up the eggs, you may add chopped peppers, onions, mushrooms, or garlic to the pan before you add the eggs.  Saute the vegetables until they are tender, add the eggs and stir.  Add any spices you like here too.  Before the eggs set, add grated cheese.  Serve with salsa or pico de gallo. 

Poached Eggs

Poached eggs are the healthiest since they do not require added fat.  If you have an egg poacher, you may grease or spray the cups with cooking spray.  If you don't have an egg poacher, you can poach the eggs in a small frying pan.  Add water to a depth of about 1/2 an inch and add a teaspoon of vinegar.  Carefully add the egg to the hot water so that you do not break the yolk or splash water on yourself.  Allow it to cook until the white is done.  If you cover it with a lid, the white covering the yolk will be cooked like the fried egg above.  

Salt and pepper all eggs to your taste.  They all go well with the standard bacon, ham, or sausage, and toast or biscuits.  Gravy on the side is special.  Remember these added touches for Saturday or Sunday morning or birthdays and holidays.

P.S. Don't let anyone tell you they are "porched eggs."  The correct word is poached.  Poaching is cooking technique not everyone has heard about.  Now you can show off your cooking expertise.

How to Boil an Egg

This sounds really simple, but I intend to start with basics since my blog is addressed to those who are inexperienced in cooking or only cook in an extreme emergency.

First, I want to emphasize that you should never boil an egg.  There are reasons for this:  boiling an egg causes the yolk to have a green ring around it.  It does not look very good and it may discolor dishes the egg is added to.  It also makes the white of the egg tough and rubbery.

The way around this is to hard cook the egg, one or a dozen, not boil it.  Begin with the egg or eggs in enough cold water to cover.  Heat  on a burner until the water is simmering but not quite boiling.  Put a lid on the pan and turn off the burner.  Leave it alone for about 20 or 25 minutes.  Pour off the hot water and run cold water on the egg or eggs for several seconds.  Chilling in cold water makes the membrane around the egg release.  Crack them sharply on the side of the pan.  They will peel easily especially under running water.

Deviled Eggs

To make Deviled Eggs cut the eggs in half and put the yolks in a bowl.  Mash them with a fork and add pickle relish, salad dressing, chopped olives, salt, chopped mushrooms, or  pimentoes or any combination you like.  If one of the egg whites splits or tears up, chop it in the mixture too.

With a small spoon place the filling in the empty egg whites. Top with pickle or olive slices or pimento strips.

Egg Nutrition

Eggs are an excellent source of high quality protein, Vitamin D, and several other vitamins and minerals, and all for only 70 calories.  Keeping some hard cooked eggs in the fridge is a wonderful way to satisfy the munchies and improve your protein intake.  Be cautious about the cholesterol, but do not neglect the wonderful benefits of eggs.

A Legacy from Our Indian Forebears

Corn was originally grown by the American Indians in the Western Hemisphere.  The Bible refers to corn, but it is talking about the heads of wheat, barley, spelt, or millet grown in the Middle East.  The corn we know today is the result of selectively cross breeding the Indian's original seeds. 

If you want to plant a garden, click here to explore some of the more popular seeds available.  If you just want to cook it for the sheer pleasure of summertime taste, your choices will be more limited.  In the old days when I was a child, there was field corn and sweet corn.  Field corn was raised to feed the cows and horses and chickens.  It was also ground for meal.  If you picked it while it was still green and the kernels were plump with juice, it was excellent to eat.  In that stage it was referred to as "roasting ears."

Sweet corn is so designated because it was selectively bred to contain more sugar and taste even better than roasting ears.  It will get too tough and hard to eat fresh if you don't pick it at the right time.  Just a note to gardeners:  Raccoons will strip your crop the very day it is at its peak, and don't think they don't know where you live. There are several varieties to choose from, but if it is canned or frozen in the grocery store, you may not know the difference.

There is one characteristic of sweet corn that you will be able to see.  Sweet corn comes in white and yellow varieties.  If you are interested in the difference, check a nutrition chart.  The last time I checked, yellow corn had an advantage in some vitamins and minerals.  I usually favored white corn for taste, but not always.  Try them for yourself.  Meal made from yellow meal is traditional for cornbread, but sometime you might like to try the white.  It is finer and smoother in texture.

You may find the small corn like Shoe Peg to your liking.  It is available canned.  I don't remember seeing it frozen.  If you find it at a produce, stand, try it.  My husband called it Pencil Cob.  I don't know if that was a variety or he made it up, but it was excellent.  The ears are small maybe six inches long and the kernels are very crisp and sweet.

Baby corn is available canned for use in stir fry or hors d'oeuvres. Look for them near the pickles and olives. 

Corn off the Cob, Year Round Staple

If you want to eat your fresh corn off the cob, you have to take it off the cob.  First remove the shucks and silks.  Cut the end off the cob and all the shuck will release quickly.  Remove the silks.  This can be tedious, but don't quick now.  Hold the ear upright with the small end in the bowl and cut the corn with a smooth downward stroke.  Now do it again, etc.  There is a kitchen implement called a corn cutter or a kernel cutter available in kitchen specialty shops.  If you have a large garden or a true love of fresh corn, it may be worth you trouble to find one. (See related article below.)

To prepare whole kernel corn, cut all the kernels from the cob.  Put one or two tablespoons of butter in a skillet over low heat.  Add the corn and salt to taste.  Do not let it burn.  Add liquid if necessary.  Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.  Serve immediately.  Canned and frozen whole kernel corn may be served this way.

Cream style corn requires a little different technique than whole kernel.  When you cut the corn from the cob, make a shallower cut than with whole kernel leaving about half the corn on the cob.  With the back of the knife, scrape the corn and juice into the bowl too.  You may cook it like whole kernel with butter over low heat.  It will stick easily.  Add a little water and stir.  Salt to taste and enjoy.

I am including two of my favorite recipes for cream style or whole kernel corn.  Tip:  If you want to turn whole kernel corn into cream style corn, whiz it up in the blender for a few spins.  Be careful not to make baby food out of it.

Corn Pudding
In a medium size bowl place the contents of one can of corn or two cups of fresh corn.  Add:
1 cup milk
3 eggs
1 cup meal or flour
1 cup or less of sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick melted butter
2 to 3 tablespoons mild or hot peppers, optional
Pour into a 9X13 inch baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until top is browned and mixture is set.  Serve hot or cold.

Mexican Corn Bread
To one recipe of cornbread batter add:
1 cup grated cheese
1 can of corn (2 cups)
2 or 3 chopped jalapenos
3 slices of crisp bacon

Mix well.  Pour into a hot greased skillet.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in a 375 degree oven until browned.  Serve with chili, soup, or stew.  It is also good as a snack.

Related articles

• Corn Kerneler Strips Corn From Corn Cobs (shoppingblog.com)

Fresh Corn, Summer Joy

Image via Wikipedia

Fresh corn is one of the joys of summer.  It is available in grocery stores and produce stands, but you might have a generous friend with a garden, too.  Learn ways to use that beautiful corn.  On the other hand, there is corn available year round canned or frozen.  Corn is good and healthy and it doesn't have to be difficult.  Pick your level of difficulty and eat up.

Corn on the Cob

Boiled or steamed:

Remove shucks and silks from the ear of corn.  Allow one or two ears per person.  To boil fill a boiler or Dutch oven with enough water for cron to float freely.  When the water boils, add the corn.  Be careful not to splash the water on youself.  To steam, place the cleaned corn over boiling water for five to ten minutes.  You may use corn holders, but they are not essential.  Add butter and salt to taste.  Serve immediately.

Grilled or baked:

Pull shucks back but leave them attached to the cob.  Remove the silks.  Smear with butter.  Pull the shucks back down on the ear to cover the corn.  Soak the ears for two hours or overnight in cold, salted water.  Wrap each ear in foil.  Place on a rack over the grill or in the oven.  Cook the corn for thirty minutes or until corn is crisp and tender.  Serve using the shucks for a handle.  

Fried:

Remove shucks and silks.  Prepare a light batter of flour and water.  Roll cleaned corn in batter unti it is lightly coated.  Put about 2 inches of oil in a large skillet.  Fry the coated ears over medium heat until they are lightly browned.  Serve immediately. 

Since I am generally speaking to people who don't want to to much to the food they eat, this may seem a little extreme.  Struggling with the shucks is really the worst part, but you can throw them away.  Besides, the taste of fresh corn is so superior that you will forget the effort as you enjoy the reward.                                                        .

Related articles

• Corn On The Cob (galantecookbook.wordpress.com)

Use the Leftover Potatoes

Leftovers sound so dull!  But if you are creative, hungry, and in a hurry, using leftovers can be a lifesaver.

1. Leftover potatoes are especially easy to incorporate into a new dish. 

1. Mashed potatoes can be converted into potato salad.  Just add a hard cooked egg or two, some chopped onion, pickle relish, and mustard or mayo to taste. 

2. Use leftover mashed potatoes to make potato pancakes.  To one cup of mashed potatoes, more or less, add 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of flour, 2 tablespoons of chopped onion, a sprinkle of garlic power, and 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese.  Everything after the flour is optional.  The mixture should be thick but soft.  Drop by tablespoons into a hot, greased skillet.  Turn when the bottom is brown.   Serve for breakfast with bacon, eggs, and applesauce, or use your imagination.

3. Leftover chunky, red potatoes are a great start for a casserole.  Be creative.  Add any cooked vegetables or meat you choose.  Top with seasoned bread crumbs.  Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.  Add grated cheese and bake five more minutes.  Serve with garlic toast or rolls.

4. Use leftover mashed potatoes to thicken soup.  Add hot liquid from the soup pot to cold mashed potatoes.  Stir until the potatoes are soft and lump free.  Add to soup and cook until thickened.

These suggestions assume that you have a small amount of leftovers--a cup or less.  Adjust your uses and ingredients as you see fit.  After all, you are being frugal.

Potato Soup--All Time Comfort Food

Potato soup is easy to make and can be made from red, white, or gold potatoes.  If you use russets or golds, you won't have to thicken the soup with flour or cornstarch.  Just mash some of the cooked potatoes and add them back to the soup. 

Red potatoes will hold their shape better than the white russets or the golds.  For the red potatoes you will need to add thickening.

Cook 2 or 3 medium potatoes to the desired doneness.  You may add butter if you like.  Add thickening made from flour or cornstarch and liquid--water, broth, or milk.

To make the thickening, add 1/4 cup of liquid to 1/4 cup of flour.  Stir with a fork until the mixture is free of lumps.   Add the thickening to the simmering potatoes stirring constantly. The liquid in the potatoes should thicken quickly.  If it gets too thick, add a little more of the liquid.  To use cornstarch in the thickening instead of flour, add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to 1/4 cup of liquid and proceed as before.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt and black pepper to taste.

Variations
Clam Chowder
To make clam chowder, fry 2 or 3 pieces of bacon until crisp.  Crumble the bacon.  To the grease add cubed potatoes, liquid from the can of clams, and broth or water and simmer potatoes until tender.  Add thickening to achieve the consistency you want.  Add the canned clams last.  Cook for five minutes until clams are heated through.  Ladle soup into a bowl and add crumbled bacon.  Serve with crackers or croutons.

Potato and Leek Soup
Carefully wash and clean leeks.  Remove roots and the tough tops of the leeks.  Chop the white and light green part of the leeks.  Boil the leeks with 2 diced potatoes until the vegetables are tender.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt.  Add thickening to desired consistency.  Serve hot with croutons.

Baked Potato Soup
Bring chicken broth to a simmer.  Add 2 or 3 peeled, cubed baked potatoes.  Add thickening to achieve desired consistency.  Serve with the same condiments you would use on a baked potato--crisp, crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, a tablespoon of sour cream, and chopped chives.  Serve with garlic toast.

Let me know how it works out!