happy cooking
Woohoo! I won
a contest!
"I'd like to thank my Great Aunt, for teaching me how to make homemade cream gravy when I was only six ~ my Mother, for never cooking anything more complicated than meatloaf, and giving me the inspiration to spread my culinary wings.... yadda yadda - [where's the tissue??]
Have I mentioned how much I love to cook?? Well - yes, I have, a gazillion times. I even wrote a bit about it back on August 4th (which I'd link to if I hadn't screwed up my archives so badly.) So, instead of linking, I'll re-publish it. (Sorry. I know this is a "re-run".) (Oh yes - As you can see, I
am a fan of the retro pin-up girl.) ~~
Have a great weekend, everyone.
cooking tips
I've watched more than my fair share of cooking shows. I've read a bazillion cookbooks and magazines. I've got quite a few cooking sites bookmarked on the computer. I am passionate about food.
What I've learned over the years is that cooking can be fun, rewarding, and a great creative outlet. Here's a few of the basics that can turn a novice to a pro with very little effort.
Your pantry ~
Here's a list of essentials that I never do without.
1. Kosher salt. It's a must. Pour some in a little dish and keep it next to the stove. It's "pinchable", and a little milder than table salt. Here's another tip. When you're cooking something add pinches throughout the cooking process. Don't "dump" all of your salt in at the beginning. Layering the flavor really makes a difference.
2. Peppercorns (peppermill). Freshly ground pepper is so much better than that pre-round, stale stuff in the tin. If you only do two things, have kosher salt and a peppermill handy.
3. Olive oil (I prefer the extra-virgin stuff, and you should get the best that you can afford.) It's healthier and tastier. You can use it to saute, make salad dressing, make pasta sauce, etc.
4. Butter. The real stuff, and make sure you get unsalted.
5. Fresh herbs. Even if you don't have a lot of space, or a green thumb, you can grow rosemary, parsley, mint, etc. with ease. Fresh herbs make a huge difference. Just remember that you need to use more of the fresh stuff than the dried stuff when cooking.
6. Fresh garlic. It's cheap, and easy to use. It's also versatile. You can roast it (drizzle a little olive oil over a head of garlic that you've placed in a shallow baking dish - pop into a 425 degree oven - roast for about half-an-hour, cool, and squeeze) - you can mince it - and you can press it if you like. Tony Bourdain thinks using a garlic press is a sin, but I say if you're using fresh garlic, that's all that matters.
7. Shallots. It's the chef's secret. Any time you've got a recipe that calls for onion and/or garlic toss in some chopped shallot as well.
8. Lemons. You should always have them handy - for chicken, seafood, alternative to butter on fresh veggies, tequila shots, paper cuts - whatever.
9. Homemade chicken stock. It's the base for so many things - easy to make, and freeze. Simmer chicken parts/pieces with a few peppercorns, a roughly chopped onion (skin and all), roughly chopped carrot (skin and all), celery (including the leafy tops), some kosher salt, a bay leaf, and a head of garlic. Simmer for about an hour-a-half, or until a nice, golden color - drain - cool - freeze in small containers (I use Gladware.)
(O.K. - this is just a start. Remember - just because it's simple doesn't mean it won't be good.)
Tools ~
You don't need to own Crate & Barrel to be a good cook. Here's my first tip. If you're starting out, or replacing tools - go to Target. They've got good stuff there, and it's a heck of a lot cheaper than Crate & Barrel. Here's a few things that I find myself using over and over again, and where you'd probably want to invest a little more $$'s,
1. Knives. You need a good chef's knife (the "big" knife - I use mine for chopping veggies, slicing meats, opening bags of chips, slicing bits of my finger off, etc.), and a good utility knife (the "small" knife). Here's a
good starter set. I also have a good cutting board. I don't like wooden boards, btw. They're o.k. if you only use them for bread, but I prefer the
polyethylene ones. They're easier to clean.
2. Pans. Here are the three you must own.
a)
A good saute pan. You'll use it for everything - spaghetti sauce, eggs, meats, etc.
b)
A chef's pan - again, you'll use it for everything - rice, sauces, veggies, etc.
c) A good
stock pot. (See number 9, above.) I use mine mainly for boiling pasta and making soup/chili.
3. A glass of wine and a cooking "soundtrack" (I like those compilation c.d.'s that The Pottery Barn sells.) Be good to yourself while you're in the kitchen.
What matters most with cooking is attitude. Everyone has to eat, and it doesn't require a lot of effort and/or money to eat well. I know - time can kick your ass, but you can whip things together pretty quickly. (Haven't you heard of Rachel Ray yet? Ms. 30-minute-meals??) Keep it simple. You don't have to be Martha Stewart. You can take short-cuts if you want to. Just get in the kitchen. Shop like European people do. Go into the grocery store on your way home from work and get the ingredients for your meal that night.
Fast food will kill you, people.
