Author: Robert Andrews

Tips: Grocery Shopping

groc-bagGetting the Best Price

  • Pick up newspaper – look for Loss Leaders – These are the items that the store will take a loss on, to get you into that aisle, where frequently other prices have been increased.
  • Cheese . Cheddar is cheddar . It is a regulated label, so go ahead and buy the less expensive stuff
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for a taste
  • Buy in bulk when possible
  • Freeze left over bread . Bread crumbs, croutons, bread pudding, etc.
  • Buy artisinal fresh-baked breads near the end of the day . They are usually marked down
  • If you are going to eat something THAT NIGHT, don’t be afraid to buy things that are on the last day of sale.  They are still perfectly good.
  • A lot of stores have SENIOR DAY.  Don’t be too proud to go on that day.  With a $100 grocery bill, if you go on Senior Day you could save up to $20.

Selecting Vegetables and Fruit

  • Cantaloupe: Sniff the bottom.  It should smell like ripe cantaloupe.  True cantaloue is sold only in Europe.  Most in the US are hybrids.  There should be no cracks or blemishes, and it should be heavy for its size.
  • Avocados: When selecting an avocado, if you are planning on eating it right away, get one from which the stem falls off easily, but is still somewhat green underneath.  If the underneath has turned brown they are overripe.  If the stem does not come off, it is good to sit on your counter for a few days until it ripens. CLICK HERE for Avocado Tips and Tricks.
  • Watermelons:  You’ve heard of people flicking melons with their finger.  They are listening for a hollow sound.  As the sugars mature, the chemistry changes and they start to sound hollow rather than solid.  A flat spot is where it sat on the ground.  If it is white, it is not ripe.  If the spot is yellow, it is ripe. 
  • To cut and piece a melon, cut a flat spot on the top and bottom, and then cut off the skin
  • Shake the water off your veggies and you could save up to a quarter just in water weight.
  • Artichoke should be tight and compact.  If the tips have started to open, it means that they are losing their moisture and flavor and will be tougher
  • Garlic should be heavy for its size, and should absolutely not have tiny sprouts of green on them.
  • Grapefruit should be heavy for its size
  • Peaches, nectarines and plums should have a slight give to it – should not be too firm or too soft.
  • Bananas should have a few brown dots on the skin, indicating that they are at the peak of ripeness.  Too much brown would indicate that they are overripe and are great for banana bread.

Pharmacy Tips

  • Try dark chocolate for cough suppression
  • Black tea has tannins . Use them for baggy eyes
  • Fish oil . Look for EPA and DHA  . Omega 3 fatty acids help headaches
  • Keep steri strips handy for knife cuts, rather than standard band-aids
  • Some stores give fuel points.  Even though a prescription might be a bit more expensive, consider the hidden benefits.

Get cold things last – take a cooler

  • Get cold things like milk, eggs, cheese, meat and ice cream last, so that they don’t start to spoil before you even get them home.  Better yet, take a small cooler.  First stop will be the deli, where you can put some ice into your cooler.

Things that fall through the cracks

  • Ice reminder: Why do they put the ice machine AFTER the checkout line.  I frequently forget ice until I have finished checking out.  To help you remember, write a note card and laminate it in plastic.  Put it in your cart with your other groceries.  The clerk will see your sign that says something like “Don’t forget the ice.”  and life is good once again.

Organize your list

  • If you make a shopping list (which you should) put dairy together, fruits and vegetables together, as well as cereals, meats, canned food, etc.  It will make your shopping trip much more efficient.

Sandwich toppings

  • For jelly/jam sandwiches, use fruit preserves rather than spreadable fruit.  Actual preserves have a bit less fruit in them, but have a better texture and balance of sweetness than the spreadable fruits, which are flavored with miscellaneous fruit juices.

Buying Damaged Goods

  • You can buy older bananas for a discount.  If you are making banana bread, rather than buying fresh bananas and letting them age, ask for the discount.
  • If you are making marinara, ask for a discount on bruised tomatoes.  They won’t sell as sandwich tomatoes, and they are usually glad to get rid of the damaged product.
  • The same goes for a head of lettuce or a melon.  If a piece of it is damaged, ask for half off.  The soft spot frequently means that it is at the peak of ripeness, and as long as you are eating it that night, it will be delicious.
  • Dented cans are another source of good savings, but if the top lid is puffed out at all, turn it in to the manager.  You will keep someone from getting sick that doesn’t know better.

Buying Ground Meats

  • You can usually ask your butcher to grind your meat for you.  That way, you know you are getting 100% meat without fillers.  The exception to this could be chicken or turkey.  Because of the potential for contamination, small butcher shops may grind chicken only one or two days per week.  Larger shops will have a dedicated grinder.  Call before you go.
  • It is risky to grind your own poultry.  There are special contamination issues that need to be addressed.  Trust me – it is more of a hassle than a benefit.  Let the grocery store deal with the grinding.  Ask them if their chicken is ground by them or by a third-party provider.  If it is them, they can tell you if it is 100% meat, or if it has other chicken parts in it.  You can ask them if they grind chicken on demand, or on a specific day of the week.  If it is the later, you can buy poultry and ask them to grind it for you.
  • Meat Dept . Look for the loss leaders and freeze it.
  • One of the newest scams is buy one get TWO free.  Check out the unit price for one, and compare it to the same item at other stores.  You will be shocked.
  • 80/20 meat is a good meat for grilling and for sausage.  A bit more grease than leaner portions, but a whole lot more flavor.
  • Use a coarse plate grinder for a more robust hamburger.

Buying Quality Meats

  • I think it is safe to say that you have all had a $4 steak from the grocery store, and wondered why it doesn’t taste as great as those that you pay $15 for in a restaurant.
  • The reason is not only atmosphere, it’s quality of product. Here in Arizona, you can go to The Meat Shop to preorder restaurant-quality cuts of meat. Another good source is Hobe Meats at 16th Street and Bethany Home Road; or if you are not in Phoenix visit Omaha Steak Company.
  • A much more convenient option is to buy from Omaha Steaks.  You will pay a bit more than a quality local grocery store, but your meat will arrive at your front door step the day after you order it.
  • YES, they cost you more than what you would pay at the grocery store, but you are worth it. The old adage “You get what you pay for,”  really comes true in this scenario.
  • Sterling Beef is one of the top quality meats available to consumers.  One of the chief factors is the inter-muscular marbling.  Good quality meats will be under 2 years of age.  The grades are:
    • Utility Grade – Good for ground beef.  Cows about 3 years old.   This is good for raw dishes such as carpacio or steak tar tar, because eating raw fat is not something we do often in America.  Usually entirely grass fed.
    • Select – This is good meat, but it is fairly lean, so will not be as fall-apart tender as meat with marbling. 30 months old or less.  (about $5/lb)  Sear and keep center about medium.  Cut against grain for something like fajitas.
    • Choice – Bit more marbling.  A very good choice for home grilling.  (about $8/lb)  A top quality home steak.  Fed its final days on ground corn, so it can be easily digested.
    • Prime – Lots of marbling, lots of fat.  Represents only about 3% of the meat available for purchase.  (about $12/lb)  Seared over very high heat, leaving the center rare to medium rare
    • Wagyu or Kobe Beef – Even more marbling… almost too much for some people. (can be as high as $25/lb or more) Usually slice VERY thin and then seared briefly, not cooked as a steak.
    • There are visual differences:  Check them out BY CLICKING HERE

Buying Fish

Use this link for tips on buying fresh fish.

CLICK HERE FOR TIPS ON BUYING FRESH FISH

 

Food Fraud

  • Meat . Have them reweigh meat . Frequently has juice added
  • Veggies . Shake off all excess water
  • Real lemon juice . Look for 100% lemon juice, not just contains real lemon juice.
  • Look at ounces and portion size and number of portions
  • Check Unit price
  • Paper towels . Consider sq ft, square size, etc
  • Cheese counter vs dairy section . Labeling in the dairy section is regulated
  • Peanut butter . Look for a bottom dimple . The same goes for many similar items: if they indent the bottom, they can make the container appear larger, and actually give you less product.  Always look at ounces and unit price
  • EVOO . Look for certification seal CERMET . Don’t get blended olive oil
  • Honey . Look for raw, unfiltered, unheated, unpasturized  Locally produced honey also provides anti-allergens that can help you if you have local allergies.

 

Tips: Vegetables

Tips are coming soon:

Shopping

  • When shopping for Eggplant or Zucchini, blemishes are OK on the skin, but make sure there are no bruises or soft spots; and that they are firm.

Storing

Cutting

Vegetables

  • Avocados: CLICK HERE for Avocado Tips and Tricks
  • Potatoes: There are two types of Potatoes
    • Starchy: Russetts – Good for baking, roasting
    • Waxy: Yukon Gold, New Potatoes and Fingerlings – Low in starch, creamy texture and hold their shape well

 

Tips: Kitchen

Keeping it Clean

  • Cast Iron: Never use soap or steel wool with your cast iron skillet.  If you have a particularly nasty pan to clean, create a thick paste with salt and water.  Use a scrap cotton cloth to rub it in.  If entirely necessary, heat up some water and scrape with a spatula.  After cleaning, make sure it is completely dry, then re-season with a dab of canola oil.
  • Raw Meat:  Always use a paper towel to wipe off if you are touching raw meats.  After wiping off, use soap and water to finish up.  Any utensils that touch raw meat should be equally cared for.
  • Knife Blocks: As popular as these are, there is nothing in your kitchen that harbors more germs than a knife block.  Too frequently people use a knife lightly and then put it back in the block.  Consider a knife magnet.  There is a good one by Norpro that is really inexpensive from Amazon.

Keeping it Organized

Keeping it Efficient

  • The Work Triangle:  Keep all of your motion within a triangle.  (Eg) Stove, refrigerator, counter.  You will find that 90% of your movement is within this small area.

Keeping it Safe

  • The single biggest thing for safety is to keep your senses about you.  Most accidents happen when you become distracted.

Tips: Eggs

All About Eggs

Egg Categories Demystified

  • CONVENTIONAL :: The lowest price for a reason.  Four hens per one square foot.  Injury and infection are outweighed by the higher egg production.  Chickens are usually artificially induced into laying more eggs than their body was intended.  When chickens die, they are sometimes unable to lay down, and are held up by the other chicken bodies.  Brand:  Usually store brands and the eggs that are occasionally on sale for a dollar a dozen.
  • ORGANIC :: All this means is that the chickens are not fed hormones, pesticides and antibiotics.  They are still frequently crammed into living spaces.
  • CAGE FREE :: Not in cages, but still usually confined to a barn.  Space is a bit better, with 1 square foot per bird.  Often little to no exposure to sunlight.
  • FREE RANGE :: Conditions are getting better, but eggs are getting more expensive.  The birds are allowed to roam outdoors, similar to what they should expect.  Space is still limited though, and “free to roam outdoors” may mean one small door for thousands of birds.  Also, birds must be antibiotic free.  Brand:  Pete and Gerry’s and Organic Valley
  • PASTURE RAISED :: Dozens to hundreds of square feet per bird.  Usually from smaller farms, just because of the space the birds get.  This is what egg production was a hundred years ago.  The egg yolks are darker, and the eggs taste better.  Brand:  Vital Farms and Simple Truth
  • CERTIFIED HUMANE :: A non-government category.  These birds are monitored by a watch group called Certified Humane, one of the most respected animal welfare groups in the world.
  • NUTRIENT ENHANCED :: Similar to Certified Humane, but not monitored.  Birds are given a nutritionally balanced vegetarian feed.  Recycled, processe, hormones or antibiotics are also avoided.  Brand:  England’s Best
  • ————–
  • AA :: Freshest – white is firm, yolk is round and sturdy.  Good for over easy, poached and hollandaise sauces
  • A :: A week or two old – white is aceptable, and yolk is starting to sag.  Good general purpose egg, but use within the week.
  • B :: Old – White is beginning to look milky and sad.  Yolk will break easily.  HOWEVER, these eggs make the best Hard Boiled Eggs because the white has lost its attachment to the shell.
  • ————–
  • Keep eggs in the fridge at (or near) 40º – An egg on the counter ages about 7x faster than eggs in the fridge.  Storing eggs in their original carton ON THE SIDE will help the yolk stay centered.  Also, pasturized eggs are complete safe these days to eat poached, over easy, or even raw.

Hard Boiled Eggs

There are many ways to hard boil an egg. Here are several methods. Try them all, and pick your favorite

  • Grandpa’s Way of Doing It

    • It doesn’t matter if you start with cold or room temperature eggs.  Put eggs into a large pot, and cover (by two inches) with water.  Bring the water up to a quick boil, then cover and leave for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, dump the hot water and cover the eggs with ice and then run cold water into the pot.  Let set for at least 5-10 minutes
    • Start with eggs that are at least a week old, preferably about 10 days. This gives time for the albumin, the white, to separate from the shell membrane.
    • Least amount of sticking will happen if you peel under slow running water tap.
    • In my family, we put a pencil or grease-marker circle around the eggs to show that they have been hard-boiled.
    • Test an unmarked egg to see if it is hard boiled or raw, by SPINNING the egg on its point. A raw egg will not spin, while a hard-boiled egg will spin like a top.
    • When you hard-boiled eggs, and air sac is usually on the fat and. Start peeling here.
    • Eggs should always be stored pointy end down.
    • Refrigerate cooked eggs for up to two weeks.

  • Third Party Hints

    The information below this section is from a third party. It is part of Grandpa's Personal Recipe box. Feel free to browse, but know that this information is from someone else.
    • It will take longer to heat up a cold than a warm egg to the desired temperature. Start with an egg that has been brought to room temperature (set out on counter 1 hour)
    • Alton Brown notes that carefully cooking an egg at 67 degrees Celsius (153°F) yields a yolk that bends to the scientist’s will. 10 minutes in boiling water—is not ideal. 212 degrees Fahrenheit is far higher than the temperature at which the egg whites and the yolks coagulate. – (My personal preference is water heated to about 185 degrees)
    • Egg white begins to set at 145º
    • Egg yolks set at about 158º
    • Egg white firms completely at 180º
    • AB says that because the yolk contains fat, it floats above the aqueous white, both in the shell and in a beaker. To achieve a centered yolk, one must rotate the egg while cooking it.
    • As eggs cook, their balled-up proteins uncoil into strands, and the strands bind together to form an intricate mesh that traps water. In essence, the proteins form a gel, a liquid dispersed in a solid. Boiling causes too many egg proteins to bind and form dense meshes, “so there is less sensation of water in the mouth,” says Alton Brown (Good Eats). Voilà: rubbery egg whites and sandy, grayish yolks.
    • IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE THEM RIGHT AWAY, at the tail end of the cooking process, shake them against the side of the pan to lightly crack the shell to let water in. This will make them easier to peel.  DO NOT do this if you are planning on storing the eggs for later use.

Cooking with Eggs

  • Large eggs are the standard for cookbooks. If you use a medium or extra large egg, adjust the recipe accordingly.
  • 1 egg is 1.5 ounces – two is 3.0 ounces – three is 4.5 ounces

Storing Eggs

  • Eggs, fresh from the chicken, do not have to be refrigerated if used within a week or so.  Look for tell-tale signs such as a bit of chicken poop or feathers.  This is actually good news.  Just be sure to wash it before cracking it.
  • United States markets wash the eggs, which remove the protective coating. Refrigerate these eggs – or at least don’t set out for more than a few days.  Warm them to room temperature an hour before cooking.

Using Egg Whites

  • When egg whites are beaten, the whites stretch and trap air bubbles.  The smaller and more even the size of the bubbles; the more stable the foam.
  • Large bubbles break more quickly, and the foam collapses faster.
  • A large whisk with many fine wires will create smaller bubbles and a better foam.
  • Whites foam better when beaten at a cool temperature: About 65-75º
  • Whites will generally increase about 8-10 times in volume
  • If whites are underbeaten, they haven’t stabilized enough to hold bubbles.  Overbeaten, and the bubbles are stretched too far and will pop easily.  When overbeaten, you will see cottony bits of solidified (coagulated) egg whites.
  • Plain whipped whites make a fragile and short-lived foam.  Even their own weight will cause the bubbles to burst.
  • Bubbles that burst become liquid again, and will not whip up again.
  • Cream of Tartar or a little white vinegar will stabilize the foam.  Use about 1/8 tsp cream of tartar for 1 large egg white.
  • Sugar also strengthens the egg white protein, but you should still use cream of tartar.
  • Once a foam is established, 1 TBL every 30-45 seconds will dissolve uniformly.
  • If sugar is added too quickly, it won’t dissolve and your whites will be grainy.
  • If sugar is added BEFORE the foam is established, the whites can’t incorporate enough air to make a stiff foam.
  • Even a slight bit of egg yolk will keep your egg whites from foaming.  Even oil on the side of your bowl or your whisk will prevent the whites from foaming.
  • Use a large bowl.  Whisking in a small bowl will allow the bubbles to escape as quickly as they form.
  • A copper bowl is best.  In a metal bowl, the simple action of beaters or whisks will increase the temperature enlarging the bubbles.  Copper will transfer the heat rapidly from the whites, keeping them cooler.  Copper ions will also help bubbles to form.

Al Pastor Pork Loin

tenderloinINGREDIENTS

  • Pork tenderloin strip or pork shoulder
  • 1 C minced pineapple – diced and charred
  • 1/4 C onions – diced and charred
  • 1 TBL achiote paste (or substitute cumin and cayenne)
  • 1 TBL chipotle or adobo paste
  • 1 TBL Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder
  • 2 C pineapple juice (alt orange juice)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • scant clove, ground bay laurel, garlic, sage

STEP BY STEP

  1. Bring tenderloin up to room temperature (about 45 minutes)
  2. Dice and char onions and pineapple
  3. Add all other ingredients in a mixing bowl and add the charred vegetables
  4. Marinate the tenderloin for about 90 minutes
  5. Cook over very high heat (400-500º) for about 5 minutes per side
  6. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting into medallions and serving

ALTERNATIVES

You can braise a lesser cut of pork in the same liquid.
Bake at 275º for 3-4 hours
Let cool, then shred the meat
Let shredded meat marinate in the remaining liquid for another 30 minutes, then use for tacos or burritos.

Ideally, sear the meat a second time in cast iron before serving

Use spider strainers to create taco bowls – one inside, one outside
Cook in 4 inches of oil
Let cool before removing
Sprinkle with salt

Great with pickled red onion , radishes or queso fresco.
Serve also with ranch dressing

Spaghetti Pie

INGREDIENTS
Per 1 C of (not compacted) cooked pasta
(eg) 2 cups = 2x the ingredients below

1/2 C shredded mozzarella or Provalone cheese

  • Leftover spaghetti pasta strings
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 C marinara sauce
  • 1/4 C sweated onion (diced)
  • 1/4 C Ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 C grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 C ground beef (browned)
  • parsley to taste
  • Tomato sauce – only if needed to thin mixture

STEP BY STEP

  1. Dump each ingredient into a large mixing bowl
  2. Toss well
  3. Place into cake pan
  4. Top with a extra sauce
  5. Top with mozzarella cheese
  6. Sprinkle with a bit of extra Parmesan
  7. Bake 25 minutes @ 350º
  8. Stop with Parmesan and basil chiffonade

 

Salami Cup

INGREDIENTS

  • Thin slices of Genoa Salami or high qality (low moisture) ham
  • TWO identical mini muffin pans
  • FILLER
    • 1/4 C Ricotta cheese
    • 1/4 C marscapone cheese
    • 1/4 C honey
    • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (or ground)
  • Thinly sliced figs
  • Hazel nuts
  • Lemon zest
  • 5 basil leaves

STEP BY STEP

  1. Get mini muffin and place meat rounds over each cup
  2. Place the other muffin pan over top of the rounds, compressing them into the cup
  3. Turn pans (together) upside down (to allow for grease to run out)
  4. Put into a larger cookie sheet to avoid a mess in the bottom of your oven
  5. Place heavy cast iron pot on top to hold everything down tightly
  6. Bake at 400º for 30 minutes
  7. Set on top of stovetop and let cool completely
  8. Mix filler in separate bowl
  9. Spoon into piping bag and HALFWAY fill meat cups
  10. Top with figs, then hazelnuts, lemon zest and then basil strips
  11. Serve with sprigs of rosemary on the plate as garnish

ALTERNATIVES

You can use many different fillings with salami cups

  • Poached egg with cracked pepper and basil chiffonade
  • Chopped hard boiled egg topped with sun dried tomatoes and basil
  • Chopped ham, cheese and bell pepper
  • Chopped spinach mixed with cream cheese and sour cream
  • Tomato, avocado and cheese
  • … or just use your imagination.  Be sure to try it before you spring it on your guests though.

Beef Carbonara

Use Braised Beef (or any slow-cooked shredded meat) from a previous dinner.

INGREDIENTS

  • Leftover Braised Beef
  • 2 eggs
  • Ham
  • Parm cheese
  • Bacon pieces
  • Hot Pasta

STEP BY STEP

  1. In bottom of small cast iron skillet, melt 2 TBL butter and spread evenly over bottom
  2. Add pieces of uncooked bacon
  3. Spread shredded beef over bottom of the skillet, covering bacon
  4. Crack eggs and put whole on the beef
  5. Add seasoning (Salt, pepper, coriander, cayenne)
  6. Start on stove top until edges start to cook
  7. Grate Parmesan cheese
  8. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar/mozzarella mix
  9. Put in oven at 300° for 20 minutes
  10. Turn out of the skillet and serve “upside down” with bread, tortilla or drop biscuits

 

Shepherd’s Pie

Use Braised Beef (or any slow-cooked shredded meat) from a previous dinner.

shep-pieINGREDIENTS – FILLING

  • Leftover shredded beef or (traditional) ground lamb
  • 4 TBL butter
  • 1/4 C AP flour
  • 1-1/2 C chicken broth
    IN A SEPARATE MIXING BOWL, COMBINE
  • 1 small carrot – diced small
  • 1/2 C baby peas
  • 1 small stalk celery – diced small
  • 1/2 C shredded cheese
  • 4-6 black olives – diced
  • 1/4 C grated onion

INGREDIENTS – TOPPING

  • 2 C mashed potatoes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 TBL cold butter
  • 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 C cream cheese

STEP BY STEP

  1. Bring sauce pan up to medium heat
    FILLING – – – –
  2. Add butter to hot pan
  3. As soon as butter is melted, add flour
  4. As soon as flour starts to ball, add half your broth
  5. Stir until it starts to turn smooth
  6. Add the rest of your broth
  7. Stir until it starts to thicken
  8. When it has thickened (per video below) add it to the mixing bowl with your chopped veggies
    TOPPING
  9. Mix potatoes with salt, butter and cheeses
  10. Separate into 4 pieces and let rest five minutes
  11. Meanwhile, spoon your filling into ramekins for cooking
  12. Carefully spoon potato topping onto filling
  13. Gently spread it out covering the filling
  14. Drag fork tines across the top making a pattern
  15. Poke holes in the top so that steam can escape, otherwise the top may fail.
  16. Bake at 350º for 25-35 minutes until browned
  17. Let rest five minutes before serving, or cool on counter and refrigerate for reheating later.

Photo from The Little GSP.

NLOF Bolonaise Sauce

Use Braised Beef (or any slow-cooked shredded meat) from a previous dinner.

INGREDIENTS

  • Mirpoix vegetables (1/2 C each of carrot, celery, onion)
  • Bell pepper
  • Garlic
  • Diced tomato
  • Red wine
  • Salt and pepper

STEP BY STEP

  1. Sauté mirpoix vegetables in 1 TSP olive oil
  2. Add diced pepper and garlic
  3. Add diced tomato, red wine, salt and pepper
  4. Add leftover meat
  5. Add Parmesan rind if you have it
  6. Simmer until reduced and the meat is broken down

Serve over cooked spaghetti pasta

 

Braised Beef Sandwich

Use Braised Beef (or any slow-cooked shredded meat) from a previous dinner.

INGREDIENTS

  • Roma tomato – halved
  • Leftover meat – shredded
  • Tomato – sliced
  • Spinach leaves
  • Creamy cheese – Brie consistency
  • Butter

STEP BY STEP

  1. Sprinkle roma tomato with olive oill
  2. Season roma tomato with salt and pepper
  3. Bake roma tomato at 350º for about 20 minutes
  4. While it is baking, shred your meat and toss it in 1 TBL melted butter
  5. Spread mayonnaise lightly over two pieces of sandwich bread
  6. Slice a beefsteak or other hearty tomato for dressing your sandwich
  7. Lay spinach leaves on top of the tomato
  8. Place your meat over the spinach
  9. Lay thin chunks of creamy cheese on top . Brie consistency
  10. Cook in hot buttered skillet until browned

 

Braised Beef

  1. Basic 5 pound chuck roast
  2. Sear in hot skillet to brown all sides
  3. Set aside and put 1/2 C good red wine to deglaze
  4. Put back in the pot and cover
  5. Add 1 jar pepperoncinis
  6. Slow cook 4-5 hours at 325º
  7. Remove peppers and reserve for the next day
  8. Refrigerate  roast overnight
  9. Remove (and discard) congealed fat
  10. Put peppers back in and reheat at 350º for 20 minutes
  11. Remove meat and shred, then return the shredded meat to the pan
  12. Cook for another 20 minutes

 

Mashed Potato Hash Browns

2016-04-09 08.03.40INGREDIENTS

  • Old mashed potatoes
  • Butter and EVOO (for frying)
  • 1-2 eggs per person

REMINDER: Keep the handle of your pan pointed to the back of the stove to avoid an accidental spill or burn.

This recipe will actually work with old scalloped potatoes, hashed browns from another morning, and baked potatoes. I would probably draw the line at potato salad.

CLICK EITHER IMAGE FOR AN ENLARGEMENT
2016-04-09 08.13.13
STEP BY STEP

      1. Put at least 1 cup of leftover mashed potatoes on a cutting board (or a clean counter)
      2. Cut them into fairly large pieces (about the size of a regular marble)
      3. PREHEAT the butter and oil in your skillet to a medium high heat
        – If you put mashed potatoes into cold oil, they will become greasy
      4. Put mashed potatoes into your skillet and let them brown
      5. Handle or flip them AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE because they will fall apart otherwise
      6. As soon as they are to your liking, plate them and fry your egg
      7. Put 1-2 egg in a skillet and let them cook on the bottom just a bit
      8. Flip them carefully to avoid breaking the yolk
      9. Plate them on top of the potatoes and serve

 

NOTE: You can eliminate steps 7 and 8 if you use an egg poacher or poach the egg in a pan of simmering water

Banana Muffins

Ingredients

  • 2 bananas
  • 1 TBL flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 eggs
  • Fruit for the bottom of the cup

Step by Step

  1. Preheat oven to 400º
  2. Crush bananas
  3. Combine flour, salt and baking powder
  4. Mix in eggs
  5. Place fruit (raspberries?) on the bottom of a greased baking muffin pan
  6. Spoon mixture over top, filling half way
  7. Bake 12 minutes
  8. Cool before turning out of the muffin pan or they will break apart

Here is the original recipe

NLOF Veggie Soup Meatballs

Strain the veggies from your soup.
Drink the broth… it’s good for you.

  • For every 1 C of veggie matter, combine the following in a food processor
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 C raw oats
  • 1/2 C flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Pulse all of the above together

  • Add about 1 C stuffing mix or seasoned bread crumbs
  • Mix together by hand
  • Makes 6 nice sized meatballs.
  1. Bake in oven at 350º for 45 minutes
  2. Put into baking ramikens
  3. Top with maranara and provalone cheese
  4. Bake another 15-20 minutes

 

Costco Chicken Wings

This is the basic recipe for cooking pretty much any frozen chicken wings.

CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE TO DISPLAY THE RECIPE.

It is actually better to get a “Party Wing Pack” from the grocery store.  Cut the wing tip off and safe for stock.  Cut the remaining two pieces right at the joint.

  1. Thaw wings overnight in the fridge (recipe for 12)
  2. Dry with a paper towel
  3. Spray with Pam or other baking spray
  4. Cook at 400º for 30 minutes
  5. Flip and cook another 30 minutes
  6. After flipping them, combine
    • 2 TBL  soy sauce
    • 2 TBL cornstarch
    • 1/4 C honey
    • 2 TBL Sambal Olek (or 1 TBL Sriracha)
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1 TBL lime juice
  7. Simmer sauce while wings finish cooking
  8. Add 1 TBL chives to the sauce before tossing
  9. Toss wings in hot sauce while wings are still hot

Whenever Baking with Mushrooms

Cleaning mushrooms: The common wisdom is don't wash mushrooms, just use a dry paper towel. Also, don't wash them until you are ready to use them. That being said: Do not wash them if they are being used in a dry application, such as a salad. You can, however, give them a quick rinse underwater if you are immediately baking with them or using them immediately in some sort of soup or other wet application. The towel cleaning should be a suggestion rather than a rule, but when in doubt, just use a dry paper towel.

Brine your mushrooms

  1. Put 2 QT of water in a large bowl
  2. Add 2 TBL salt
  3. Cut mushrooms all the same size
  4. Put shrooms in the water
  5. Top with a plate to hold them down
  6. After 10 minutes drain and pat dry
  7. Let completely dry for another 10 minute
  8. Toss in 2 TBL EVOO
  9. Roast at 450º for about 30 minutes on the bottom rack
  10. Take out and toss them, then cook 10 more minutes
  11. Take out and toss with 2 TBL butter and 1 tsp lemon juice
  12. They are ready to use or serve
  • A mushroom acts like a vegetable, in that vegetables get soft when cooked.
  • Mushrooms also have Chitin in them, which acts more like meat – and toughens up
  • The brine will allow it to hold onto the moisture during cooking

 

Boiled Bacon ?!?

This is a tip from America’s Test Kitchen

Rather than cooking bacon in a hot skillet, where some pieces are overcooked and others are rubbery, try this:

  • Put bacon in the bottom of your skillet
  • Add water just to cover
  • Turn the heat up to high
  • When the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium
  • Boil off all of the water
  • When the water is gone, reduce the heat to medium low
  • When the bacon is fully cooked you will see your bacon in just a bit of grease
  • Remove and blot the bacon
  • This should have a nice bite to it, be crisp yet chewy

 

 

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