OVERVIEW

• These freezer tips are a perfect companion book to our Casseroles and Pan Dishes cookbook. The basics in this tip can be used for many casseroles and pan dishes.
• Prepare the recipe as you normally would. Instead of putting it in the oven, cover it and put in the freezer. For longer term storage, use a vacuum sealer.

QUICK FREEZE

• If you have strawberries, or other similar high-liquid produce, it is best to freeze them quickly.
  1. Put a heavy metal baking sheet in your freezer overnight.
  2. The next morning, spread your berries on the cold baking sheet and place back in the freezer for 4-5 hours.
  3. Use a spatula to remove the berries and place in a vacuum sealer bag.
  4. Always thaw out berries overnight in the refrigerator to minimize them becoming mushy.
• Freezing berries is a good way to create ingredients for smoothies.
  1. Break them into smaller pieces
  2. Freeze them as shown above
  3. Place them right in your blender instead of ice cubes to chill your smoothie.

GENERAL FREEZING

1. Prepare in large deep-dish baking tray.
2. Let cool on the counter to the point where it may be warm, but not hot.
3. Place in refrigerator overnight
4. Using a sharp knife (see Tips and Tricks) cut into serving-sized portions
5. Place each serving onto a square of aluminum foil
6. Carefully fold the corners over so that you don’t end up with any pieces of foil embedded into the sauce
7. Label and freeze
8. For extra protection, the next day (when it is frozen solid) enclose the frozen foil-wrapped meal in a twist-tie plastic storage bag – or better yet a vacuum sealed bag.

HOW LONG WILL THIS BE KEPT IN YOUR FREEZER

• For a couple of days you can just keep it wrapped in the foil. Even better would be a baggie sealed with a twist tie.
• For a couple of weeks, you need a baggie with a twist tie. Even better would be a vacuum sealed bag.
• For two weeks or more, you need to invest in a vacuum sealer.
• Amazon sells a Seal-a-Meal which is OK for occasional use.
• For more frequent use, invest in a Food Saver System

TO THAW

It is always best to thaw something in the refrigerator overnight (or one or two days before if it is a larger item) to prevent bacteria growth. Thawing something on the counter, or in water for more than a half hour, may cause unsafe and potentially harmful bacteria to grow.

LASAGNA: A POTENTIAL STEP BY STEP

1. Let thaw out in fridge overnight (over a couple of nights if it is a large piece)
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Unfold foil, and place (still on foil) onto baking sheet
   – If foil is frozen into the lasagna, cook for 10 minutes before proceeding to step 4.
4. Lay another layer of foil over the top (do not tuck or secure foil)
5. Cook 45 minutes (60 minutes if larger)
6. To finish, remove top foil, then cook 20 more minutes
7. Let stand at least 5 minutes before serving

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FREEZING AND THAWING SOUPS AND STOCKS

• These freezer tips are a perfect companion book to our Stews and Soups cookbook. The basics in this tip can be used for many recipes.
• Anytime you have a chicken, turkey, ribs, or anything with bones, you have the perfect beginnings for GREAT soup or spaghetti sauce.
• See the recipe in Grandpa’s book Stews and Soups on how to make stock, THEN once it is done, come back here for instructions on how to freeze it.
• Making your own stock is easy and tastes much better than canned stuff.

GENERAL FREEZING

1. Clean canning jars. If you want to go the whole canning route, you will need a pressure canner. These steps will prepare your stock for freezing, NOT canning.
2. Place your canning lids in a bowl of extremely hot water.
   2 cups of water in a microwave for 3 minutes is adequate
3. While stock is still too hot to touch, ladle stock into your canning jars leaving at least 1/2 inch clearance on top.
   DO NOT COMPLETELY FILL THE JARS, OR THEY WILL CRACK AS THEY FREEZE, AND THE LIQUID EXPANDS
4. Screw the lids onto the jars
5. Place jars in an ice bath for about 3 minutes to cool them rapidly.
6. You will notice the fat start to separate from the stock
7. You will hear pinging as the jars somewhat seal themselves.
8. Once the jars cool down to nearly room temperature, put the jars into the refrigerator overnight to cool even further.
9. Move to the freezer the following day.
   NOTE: Moving them to the fridge or freezer before they have somewhat cooled will thaw other stuff in your freezer, and increase the chance for bacteria to grow in those other foods.  Be patient, and let the jars cool.

HOW LONG WILL THIS BE KEPT IN YOUR FREEZER

• For up to a couple of weeks, just placing the jars in your freezer is good enough.
• For two weeks or more, once the liquid has complete frozen, float a thin later of water on top and freeze again.  This will create a flavor barrier that will isolate your broth from freezer burn.

TO THAW

1. If you have used water to create a flavor barrier, take the lid off your jar and rinse off any ice crystals that have formed.  Discard this tainted water.
2. Place the jar in your refrigerator for one or two days.  Two or three days if you used a quart canning jar.
3. Use a spoon to scrape off the congealed fat and discard
4. Use this stock as the base for any soups or home-made spaghetti sauces at a ratio of about 1 to 1
5. Add vegetables or meat as desired, depending on what you are making

A NOTE ABOUT SPOILAGE

If this is only a week old, and has been properly refrigerated, you should be safe BUT if it is older than a  week, and has been thawed out that long and in the refrigerator, proceed as follows:

1. Put your stock in a soup pan over medium high heat.
2. Make sure that the temperature comes up to at least 185 degrees so that any pathogens are killed.
3. Let simmer for at least ten minutes.  Longer is better.
4. Add your other ingredients, and cook for long enough to finish cooking the other ingredients.
5. Stock should be bubbling on the sides.
6. Since bacteria growth has started, do not save left-overs.

If it has NOT been refrigerated for several hours or more, please discard it.

Tips are coming soon:

Information about cheese

Hard cheese is cheese that is aged longer, and thus, has a lower moisture content.  Examples are cheddar, gruyere, manchego and parmesan
Click here for good info about Hard Cheese.

Semi-hard cheese are edam, Swiss, epoisse and langres cheese

Soft cheese is not aged very long and thus have a softer texture and milder taste.  American, brie and camembert are examples.
Click here for more about Soft Cheese.

Store cheese wrapped in waxed paper, never plastic
Keep cool, but not cold – Moist, but not wet

When creating a cheese plate, plate three cheeses max.
Create a theme:  Same type of milk, family, same cheese different age, same style different makers

Strong cheeses:  Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Stilton

Cheese fondues

• Swiss
  • Vaudoise: Gruyère.
  • Fribourgeoise: Vacherin fribourgeois à fondue,[Note 1] wherein potatoes are often dipped instead of bread. This is the only cheese fondue that does not use wine. The cheese is melted in a few tablespoons of water over low heat.
  • Moitié-moitié (or half and half), also called Fondue Suisse: Gruyère and Fribourg vacherin.
  • Neuchâteloise: Gruyère and Emmental.
  • Innerschweiz: Gruyère, Emmental, and Sbrinz.
  • Genevoise: Gruyère (preferably of several stages of maturity) with a little
  • Emmentaler and Valais cheese. Sometimes chopped sautéed morels are added.
  • Interlaken: Gruyère, Appenzeller, Emmental.
  • Appenzeller: Appenzeller cheese with cream added.
  • Tomato: Gruyère, Emmental, crushed tomatoes, and wine.
  • Spicy: Gruyère, red and green peppers, with chili.
  • Mushroom: Gruyère, Fribourg vacherin, and mushrooms.

• French
  • Savoyarde: Comté, Beaufort and one or two other local cheese like Reblochon, Abondance,[24] or French equivalent of Gruyère.
  • Jurassienne: Mature or mild Comté.
  • Auvergnate: Saint-Nectaire, Cantal and Fourme d’Ambert[25]

• Italian alpine
  • Valdôtaine (French: Fondue à la valdôtaine[26] or Italian: Fonduta alla valdostana): Fontina, milk, eggs, and truffles, typical of the Aosta Valley;
  • Fonduta piemontese in Piedmont.

Prepared convenience food

Refrigerated fondue blends are sold in most Swiss supermarkets as convenience food and need little more than melting in the caquelon. Individual portions heatable in a microwave oven are also sold.

Quick Hollandaise

FOR ONE	FOR TWO
•  1 TBL Knorr Hollandaise powder •  1 tsp corn starch • 1/4 C milk • 1 TBL water • 1 TBL butter •  1 dash Worcestershire sauce Mix water, cornstarch and Knorr Micro milk for 30 seconds Add butter and micro 15 seconds Temper hot milk into Knorr mix Mix Knorr mix back into glass Micro in 10 second intervals, mixing each time, till thickened	•  2 TBL Knorr Hollandaise powder •  2 tsp corn starch • 1/2 C milk • 2 TBL water • 2 TBL butter •  2 dashes Worcestershire sauce Mix water, cornstarch and Knorr Micro milk for 45 seconds Add butter and micro 15 seconds If not foaming, micro 15 more Temper hot milk into Knorr mix Mix Knorr mix back into glass Micro in 10 second intervals, mixing each time, till thickened
English Muffin, poached egg, ham or spinach

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Quick Vanilla Cream Sauce

FOR ONE	FOR TWO
•  1 TBL Birds Custard powder •  1 tsp corn starch • 1/4 C milk • 2 TBL confectioner sugar • 1 TBL water • 1 TBL butter •  1 dash vanilla • optional: almond extract Mix water, cornstarch and Birds Micro milk for 30 seconds Add butter and micro 15 seconds Temper hot milk into Birds mix Mix Birds mix back into glass Micro in 10 second intervals, mixing each time, till thickened	•  2 TBL Birds Custard powder •  2 tsp corn starch • 1/2 C milk • 1/4 C confectioner sugar • 2 TBL water • 2 TBL butter •  2 dashes vanilla Mix water, cornstarch and Birds Micro milk for 45 seconds Add butter and micro 15 seconds If not foaming, micro 15 more Temper hot milk into Birds mix Mix Birds mix back into glass Micro in 10 second intervals, mixing each time, till thickened
Serve over top of bread pudding or similar dish.

 

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Quick Gravy

FOR ONE	FOR TWO
•  1 TBL AP flour •  1 tsp corn starch • 1/4 C milk or broth • 1 dash Worcestershire sauce • 1 TBL water • 1 TBL butter •  1 dash browning sauce Microwave flour for 10 seconds Mix water, cornstarch and flour Micro milk/broth for 30 seconds Add butter and micro 15 seconds Temper hot liquid into flour mix Mix flour mix back into liquid Micro in 10 second intervals, mixing each time, till thickened	•  2 TBL AP flour •  2 tsp corn starch • 1/2 C milk or broth •  2 dashes Worcestershire • 2 TBL water • 2 TBL butter •  2 dashes browning sauce Microwave flour for 15 seconds Mix water, cornstarch and flour Micro milk/broth for 45 seconds Add butter and micro 15 seconds Temper hot liquid into flour mix Mix flour mix back into liquid Micro in 10 second intervals, mixing each time, till thickened
Serve over top of bread or potatoes

 

Types of cooked potatoes

• Home Fries
• Hashed Browns
• Baked
• Twice Baked
• Mashed
• Curly Q’s
• Au Gratin
• Pancakes
• Shoestring
• Scalloped
• Jackets
• French Fries
• Potato Skins
• Boiled

Starch Content

• High: Russet, Burbank
  -Whip, mash, fry, bake – 350º – Poke full of holes – Oil and salt the outside – 1 hour – skin cruncy and inside meat soft
• Medium: Yukon Gold, White, California Longs
  – Scalloped, pancakes, gratins
  – Gratin – sliced potatoes, refrig salvage – buttered casserole
  – layer potato, mushrooms, seasoning, cheese – REPEAT 2-3 TIMES
  – Add 1/2 and 1/2 – Press down – 400º 45 minutes covered – Uncover and another 10 minutes – Let rest for 20 minutes
• Low: Norland, red, boiling, fingerling, Pontiacs, LaSodas
  – Mashed Potatoes – Peeled Russet and unpeeled red –
  – Bring salted water up to boiling first, then add potatoes – Boil 6 minutes
  – Lowfat buttermilk and butter – Heat up to 185º
  – Add just a bit of milk, and mash potatoes – Be careful to not make too wet
• STARCHES: 
• Onions, tomatoes, pesto, bacon, horseradish – Sprinkle on top

Grinding Spices

If you don’t already have a spice grinder, get a porcelain grinder with a metal basin and plastic cover

Grating Cheese

1. When grating soft cheese, it will go better if you spray your grinder (flat) surface with something like Pam, and if you put your cheese in the freezer for a half-hour before grinding.

Grating other Veggies

• Carrots: If you use grated carrots in something like cole slaw, they will bleed and turn your entire slaw pink.  You can avoid this by pouring vinegar on the carrots to set the dye.  After they have rested in the vinegar for about five minutes, you can pour off the liquid, rinse your carrots in water, and you are then good to go.
• Ginger: Use the edge of a spoon to peel your ginger.  If you just want the flavor (not the fiber) you can grate the ginger and then S-Q-U-E-E-Z-E the juice out.  It will measure spoon for spoon as grated ginger.

Microplane Grating

• Use a microplane for removing the zest from an orange, lemon or lime.  Don’t go too deep.  You don’t want the white pith.
• I like to keep whole nutmeg in a jar.  About 8 seeds will last you for about a year.  Since they are whole, you can squeak 12-15 months out of it, rather than 6-9 months that the pre-grated stuff will last you.  Microplane these right into your mixture.

Peeling

• Avocado: CLICK HERE for Avocado Tips and Tricks.
  

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• Garlic: I will give you this one first – Just buy peeled garlic.  It is not much more expensive than whole garlic, and will save you a lot of grief.  It is ALMOST as good as fresh.  Don’t keep it more than a month though.
• Garlic: You can separate cloves and then cut the tips off.  Put the clove in a ball created by two bowls – rim to rim – and then shaking the hell out of them.  The skin will simply fall off.
• Garlic: The old fashioned method is to crush the clove lightly with the side of your knife, then removing the skin.
•  

Getting 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 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
    

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Tips are coming soon:

Hot spot / cooler spot

 

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.

Italian Style Pork Sausage

1. Cut 3 LBS 80/20 pork butt into strips
2. Put strips into the freezer for 30 minutes
3. Use coarse plate grinder
4. You should be able to see separation of pork and fats within the grind

Seasonings – Mix in separate bowl

• 3 TBL ground fennel
• 1/4 TSP anise
• 1 TBL sugar
• 1 TBL fine sea salt
• 1 TBL ground black pepper
• 1 TBL fennel seed (toasted)
• 2 TBL water
  – – – the above makes sweet sausage, to make hot sausage
• 1 TBL crushed red pepper
• 1 TBL ground cayenne pepper

1. Mix seasonings by hand into the ground meat
2. Remove grinding wheel
3. Remove PLUG of the pusher meat – set aside
4. Put in sausage funnel
5. Rinse casings and soak for an hour
6. Thread casings onto the funnel
7. Squirt meat into casings
8. Use your push meat to finish pushing ground meat through funnel
9. Coil the sausage to rest
10. Use the push meat elsewhere

Custom Blended Hamburger

• 1 LB sirloin – strips
• 1 LB chuck – strips

Same rules as above – coarse grinder disk

For typical hamburger, put the fine grinder disk on and run the coarse grind through again.

 

 

GOTHAM STEEL 9.5 inche Non-stick Titanium Skillet Product Review: Actual Performance Test

I put this to the test.  Bacon first, then hashed browns, then eggs.  I recorded the performance on YouTube.  Kind of slow watching, but if you are looking for a real performance test, give it a look.  In a later use (not recorded) I did scrambled eggs with NO OIL.  While there was some sticking, it cleaned up nicely with just a damp paper towel.  For the money, this is a great pan, but I would only give about 85% credence to the claims that things NEVER stick.  To watch the video, just search YouTube for ” GOTHAM STEEL 9.5 inche Non-stick Titanium Skillet Product Review: Actual Performance Test” by GrandpaCooks – SUMMARY:  Am I sorry I bought it? No.  Am I going to buy the larger skillet so that I have both?  No.

Try it out BY CLICKING HERE.

• 4 TBL mayo
• 2 TBL Dijon mustard
• 2 TBL ketchup
• 1 TBL pickle relish
• 1 TBL garlic
• 1 TBL onion
• 1 TBL paprika

Peeling lots and lots of potatoes

1. Score the potato around the equator
2. Boil the potato for 3-4 minutes
3. Plunge in ice water
4. Skin should slide off

Keeping food Warm

• To keep served food warm, heat your plates in a 200º oven before serving

Frying and Browning

• For a nice brown cheese sandwich use mayonnaise rather than butter
• Put a metal bowl over top of your cooking grilled sandwich with a drop of water to melt the cheese and keep the bread soft.
• To reheat fries bring up to room temperature, put on wire rack, spray with oil, bake at 400º until browned

Salads

• Dress the SIDE of your salad bowl to more evenly coat your salad leaves

Pasta

• Don’t start your hot pasta water with hot water from the tap.  This includes MUCH more dissolved solids than cold water.
• While on the subject, don’t start your pasta in non-boiling water.  It changes the texture and can make it gummy

Butter and Oil

• If you run out of butter, just use canola oil in a 1 to 1 ratio.  The fats in the oil behaves exactly like melted butter.
• Use old toilet paper rolls to scoop up the congealed grease from your pan.  These can then be used as fire starter logs.

Food Preparation

• Spread sour cream on a tortilla.  Add lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and meat.  No wet stuff.
• To peel ginger, use a spoon and scrape the skin off
• Old eggs float.  Fresh eggs will sink.  This is because of the gasses produced as it begins to spoil.  If an egg floats, do not eat it.
• To truss meat, use a double loop on your first knot, and it will hold itself.
• Cook your roast on a bed of mirpoix veggies:  carrot, onion, celery

 

• Peel cloves from three entire heads of garlic
  – Hint: Here is a video of how to peel garlic very quickly
• Soak garlic in a bowl of water for thirty minutes
• Dry the garlic thoroughly
• Toss and saute in 2 TBL olive oil until browned
• Continue cooking and carmelize with a splash of balsamic vinegar

 

Ever wonder why the tags used to seal loaves of bread come in different colors? Far from arbitrary, the color-coded system indicates which day of the week the bread was baked. The color system is even alphabetical: Monday is blue, Tuesday is green, Thursday is red, Friday is white, and Saturday is yellow. (Traditionally, bread wasn’t delivered on Wednesday or Sunday.)

Because bread rarely remains on the shelf for more than a few days, this system is more for internal use among employees than it is for customers looking to get the freshest sourdough possible. But if you favor a local bakery and get to know their system, you could either snag the best deals or the fluffiest dinner rolls in town.

• Monday – Blue
• Tuesday – Green
• Thursday – Red
• Friday – White
• Saturday – Yellow

(Go to the back of the shelf because stock is rotated so that the older stuff sells first.

Verified by SNOPES

No, we didn’t forget about Wednesday and Sunday. Most sources refer to a five-day delivery schedule.

Need an easy way to remember this schedule? The colors go in alphabetical order, making it one less thing to forget as you cruise the aisles.

Keep in mind that some companies might have their own system, so check the expiration date when in doubt.

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Fill a spoon with melted chocolate and drizzle it in a design on waxed paper.
Refrigerate until hard

Use a small balloon and dip it into melted chocolate.
Let it cool, then dip one more time.
Refrigerate.
In an hour, pop the balloon for an edible bowl

Melt milk chocolate in a double boiler just till it is soft and spreadable.
Spread it onto a sheet of small sized bubble wrap
Refrigerate for at least an hour
Break apart and use pieces for garnish on ice cream, cake, etc

Simply use a potato peeler and peel curls off a chocolate bar

Dip a mint leaf into the chocolate halfway

NOTE: If you add a tiny bit of paraffin to the chocolate, it will melt less readily.

From Tips and Tricks by Robert “Grandpa” Andrews
www.grandpacooks.com/books

As far as calories, oils are all about the same.

Saturated Fats are BAD. Although they have a long shelf life, they are bad for your health. They raise your blood cholesterol. (eg) Butter, beef tallow, lard, coconut oil, and palm oil. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature
Both of the following Unsaturated Fats are good for your heart and brain and help neurological development.

Mono Unsaturated Fats are BETTER for you, although they have a shorter shelf life. (eg) Olive oil, nut oils like almond, avocado, walnut and hazelnut – Low smoke point.

Poly Unsaturated Fats are actually GOOD for you. They have a very short shelf life, so keep refrigerated

(eg) Canola, peanut, safflower and rapeseed oil. They also have a mild flavor and a high smoke point. Canola oil and peanut oil both have a high smoke point and are great for healthy frying.

Smoke Point is an important factor, so I will include several oils where that is all that I have. They are generally not commonly used for cooking, although they do have their purposes. Smoke point is where the oil goes rancid, and food starts to taste bad or burnt. In some cases, smoke point allows poisonous chemicals to be produced – especially in canola and EVOO. Get a good thermometer and don’t exceed the smoke point.

Almond Oil

• Smoke Point: 430º

Avocado Oil

• Smoke Point: 520º – Would be good for frying, but it is more expensive than many other choices.
• Slight green tint with smooth nutty taste
• 70% Heart-healthy mono unsaturated fats
• Storage: Cool dark place for a year
• Flavor: Smooth nutty taste
• Drizzle over guacamole and/or salsa.  Good also over tomato.

Canola Oil

• Smoke Point: 470º
• Do not exceed the smoke point because toxins are produced! Canola contains euric acid with is poisonous.
• Neutral taste. Good for frying and mixing with herbs and spices
• Full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
• It is good to sautee AS LONG AS you don’t exceed the smoke point.
• Heart-healthy Poly Unsaturated Fats and Vitamin E. Helps lower LDL cholesterol.

Coconut Oil
Smoke Points: 280º for Virgin and 350º for Refined
According to American Heart Assn, risks outweigh benefits. Use lightly.
Higher than butter in saturated fat. Raises good HDL and bad LDL.

Corn Oil

• Smoke Point: 450º
• A good “all purpose” oil
• Very rich in phytosterols which can decrease the amount of cholesterol that your body absorbs

Flax Seed Oil

• Smoke Point: 225º
• Concentrated Omega 3’s and Omega 6’s
• Not very shelf-stable, so will keep in the refrigerator only 3 months
• May ease stomach problems

Ghee – Clarified Butter

• Smoke Point: 470º

Grapeseed Oil

• Smoke Point: 435º
• Grapeseed oil IS NOT the same as Rapeseed oil (See Rapeseed)
  From the seeds of wine making
• Cancer-fighting and heart-healthy due to phenolic compounds

Hazelnut Oil

• Look for a light golden color.  Darker than Canola Oil.
• Toasty, smooth, buttery, delicate
• Use with Brie or Butternut Squash with brown sugar

Olive Oil

• Smoke Point: 330º for unrefined and 430º for refined; goes rancid at high temps – do not use for stir fry
• Extra Extra Virgin has only a very slight difference from Extra Virgin Olive Oil and is mostly just a marketing ploy. There IS, however, a difference between Olive Oil and EVOO.
• High in mono-unsaturated fats and Antioxidants. Reduces inflamma-tion and lowers risks for heart disease, depression, dementia and Alzheimers.
• Extra Tip: Look for cold pressed or extra virgin which means that the oil has not been treated with chemicals or exposed to heat.
• Shelf Life: Try to use within 6 months of opening. It starts to lose antioxidant properties
• Best Use: Use EVOO for frying at about 350º – No more than 400º

Palm Oil

• Smoke Point: 450º
• Slight reddish color
• Fairly high in saturated fat
• Typically kills the palm tree to get the oil. Look for oil obtained in environmentally friendly fashion by the “Palm Done Right” label.

Peanut Oil

• Label should read toasted or roasted.  This is more intense and nuttier.  Steamed peanut oil is much more mild
• Smoke Point: 320º for unrefined and 470º for refined. Good for Stir fry, sauté, and roasting
• Refrigerate for a year. It will go rancid in six months on the shelf.
• Because the allergenic proteins have been stripped away, refined peanut oil is safe for people with peanut allergies.
• Mono unsaturated fats and the antioxidant reservatrol which is found in red wines
• Good with shrimp and grilled fish

Pistachio Oil

• Should be dark green and thicker than most other oils
• Good served with mozzarella, balsamic vinegar, cracked black pepper and bread
• Also good brushed over eggplant before grilling

Rapeseed Oil

• Smoke Point: 470º Do not exceed because toxins are produced!
• Rapeseed oil IS NOT the same as Grapeseed oil.
• (Keep reading for a surprising fact)
• Rapeseed is a winter crop that is produced for the seed.
• Rapeseed meal is the byproduct. Rapeseed is used to produce Canola Oil, so although you may pay extra for Rapeseed Oil, it is simply Canola!

See Canola Oil

Safflower Oil

• Smoke Point: 500º
• This is my go-to cooking oil when I don’t want EVOO taste in my recipe; otherwise I tend to use EVOO.
• Contains high poly-unsaturated fats
• Contains NO vitamin E – many others do
• Very neutral in flavor
• Also good for a skin moisturizer ! ! !

Sesame Oil

• Smoke Point: Fairly low.  350º for dark toasted, and 445º for refined. Good for quick stir fry, but not deep frying with prolonged heat.
• Health: Both poly-unsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats. Improves cholesterol and blood pressure
• Best Use: Low temperature cooking and dressings.  Quick Stir Frys OK.

Soybean Oil

• Smoke Point: 450º

Sunflower Oil

• Smoke Point: 450º for refined, and 225º for unrefined.
• High in poly- and mono- unsaturated fats
• Use in low-temperature cooking and as a salad dressing
• Store in cool dark place or refrigerate.

Truffle Oil

• Made by infusing truffles with olive oil or rapeseed oil
• This does not store for a long time – use quickly
• Fairly pricy
• White truffle oil is milder than black truffle oil
• A very little bit goes a long way
• Drizzle over pasta

Walnut Oil

• Smoke Point: 320º
• Healthy: Rich in poly-unsaturated fiats, omega 3 fatty acids – good for your heart and your brain. Great for people with diabetes issues.
• Best Use: Use for vinaigrette and drizzled on veggies
• Mix with a bit of cream cheese and honey for a quick delicious spread

TEMPERATURE

• Do not start your pot with hot tap water. The hot water leaches microscopic amounts of lead and other chemicals from your pipes. Always start with cold tap water.
• Do not put pasta into cold water. Under normal conditions that is… Put your pasta into water that is at a rolling boil so it will cook consistently.
• That being said, if you are making overnight pasta, after you put your pasta into the water put the pot into the refrigerator so it does not mold overnight.

TIPS ABOUT THE PASTA ITSELF

• When you cook pasta, put a couple tablespoons of the salted pasta water into your sauce.  It will help the sauce stick to the pasta.
• If flavor is more important than sauce, toss the pasta with a couple tablespoons of butter before putting on the sauce.

TIPS ABOUT THE SAUCE

• For a meat sauce, use about two thirds 85/15 lean ground chuck and one third ground pork ( for a bit of sweetness )
• For a vegetable sauce be sure to your your mirpois trio:  Carrot, celery and onion
• You can enhance your sauce with a bit of wine.  White wine gives a good fresh flavor.  Red wine gives a stronger bold statement.
• Sear your tomato paste before putting it into your sauce.  It will help develop the flavor and concentrate the sugars.