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.

Related articles

• How to Boil an Egg (quickandeasycookingwithcarol.blogspot.com)

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!