Cooking Tips

[Turvy]

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. Ironically, many of the following tricks for fixing common kitchen dilemmas aren’t widely known. But tuck them in your proverbial apron and you’ll have a far easier time resolving the following problems next time you face them:

 

1. How to Open Stubborn Pistachios

Pistachios are way too expensive to waste. Yet many of the delicious roasted nuts arrived in shells with little to no opening. Rather than attempting to bite them open or ruin your nails in a struggle you can’t win, next time try this foolproof method for opening stubborn shells: Take one half of a shell, stick it into even the littlest opening of an unopened pistachio, and turn the shell half like a key. The pistachio will pop right open!

 

2. How to Easily Remove Egg Shells Dropped into Eggs

It happens to all of us: You crack open an egg and a tiny piece of its shell falls into the bowl along with the raw egg. If you’ve tried to get it out with your finger or a spoon, you know the slippery dilemma you face. Next time, wet your finger with water before attempting to fish it out. You’ll be shocked at how easily it can be grabbed and eliminated.

 

3. How to Make Burnt Pots Look New Again

Considering how much a nice set of pots and pans costs, you’d expect them to be easy to clean. But even the best stainless steel cooking gear gets black with use and cooked-on remnants. If you’ve attempted to scrub them clean you have probably succumbed to the notion that they will never glisten again. But, if you spray pots with oven cleaner and leave them for a couple of hours the grime will wipe right off! Likewise stainless kettles.

 

 

4. How to Refresh Crystallized Honey

You know that jar or bottle of honey that’s hardened and crystallized on your shelf? It can easily be brought back to its easy-to-pour glory if you let it sit for 15 minutes in boiling water that has cooled for five minutes.

 

5. How to Soften Hardened Brown Sugar

Brown sugar hardens as its moisture evaporates over time in the cupboard. But you can easily re-moisturize it by placing the open sugar bag in a microwave with a cup of water next to it and zapping it on high for three minutes. Or you can place the sugar in a bowl, cover the sugar with a double layer of wet paper towels, and then cover the bowl with foil or plastic wrap and let it stand overnight.

 

6. How to Remove Stains from Wooden Cutting Boards

Can rings and wine and strawberries stains don’t help the style of your cutting board. To get out stains, try sprinkling the board with salt rubbing it with lemon. For more stubborn stains, try an abrasive antibacterial kitchen cleaner and scouring pad. For the toughest, reach for sandpaper! And of course wash thoroughly afterward!

Beautiful Clocks for Every Room

 

7. How to Salvage Overripe Fruit

Fruit is expensive, yet it goes bad so quickly and easily. But you don’t need to toss your bruised or overripe bananas, peaches, or strawberries. The minute you see your fruit going bad, wash it, slice it, peel it (in the case of bananas) and freeze it in sealable bags. Then you have instant smoothie or pie makings anytime!

 

 

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/7-kitc...w-2551725/print

[ren]

pumpkin pie in a cupcake

 

 

also pretty cake

 

 

and some weird kind of ice cream that looks delicious

 

 

Made chocolate mousse cake a week ago. It contains 9 eggs, 500 gr. bitter chocolate and no flour at all. Disastrous and delicious.

 

 

edit: i like torturing myself with pictures of delicious food that i never let myself eat. especially around lunchtime.

[Turvy]

I have never used fondant before but I agree, that cake looks elegant.

 

The chocolate mouse and pumpkin pie cupcake are probably laden with enough calories to tide me over for the day.

 

 

Now I'm craving pumpkin pie. Thanks, Ren for sharing your misery with the rest of us.

 

 

Fondant recipe for those who care:

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup shortening

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

2 pounds confectioners' sugar

 

Directions

 

In a large bowl, stir together the shortening and corn syrup. Mix in the salt and vanilla flavoring, then gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar until it is a stiff dough. If you are using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment. Otherwise, knead by hand. If the dough is sticky, knead in more confectioners' sugar until it is smooth. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

To use, roll out on a clean surface that has been dusted with confectioners' sugar until it is 1/8 inch thick or thinner if you can. Drape over frosted and chilled cakes and smooth the sides down, or cut into strips to make bows and other decorations.

 

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/rolled-butter...ant/detail.aspx

[ren]

lol np

 

i only posted the sweets and not the meat

but heres one of my favs (leg of lamb)

 

 

edit: fixed(?)

[Turvy]

pic doesn't work (at least not for me).

 

Korean BBQ is the best.

[Jedi2155]

Why does none of your desserts look appealing to me Ren? (Except for that elegant cake)

 

I also don't like pumpkin pie.

 

Strawberry/Cherry pie for me <3 <3. Strawberry cheesecake is still one of my favss.

[Turvy]

The one thing I miss more than my family in Singapore is the food...

 

SO good.

 

 

I'd say Singapore food is a fusion of Indian and Southern Asian fare. Mostly spicy, a little sweet tang, and a mellow cream flavor.

[ren]

the food forum i go to had a section on singapore food

ill post some tomorrow when i get bored

[Turvy]

Today is all ice cream:

 

Ice Cream Cones Recipe:

 

2 large eggs

 

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar

 

4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

 

2 - 3 tablespoons milk

 

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

1/3 cup (50 grams) all purpose flour

 

1/8 teaspoon salt

 

Vegetable oil and pastry brush

 

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/IceCreamCones.html#ixzz1YcANdnkI

 

 

Ice Cream Cones: In a medium sized bowl whisk together (or use a hand mixer) the eggs and sugar until frothy. Whisk in the melted butter, milk and vanilla extract. Add the flour and salt and whisk until the batter is smooth. The batter should be quite thin (like a crepe batter) so add more milk if the consistency is too thick.

 

Heat a 8-9 inch (20-23 cm) saute pan over medium heat until it is hot. Reduce the heat to medium low and brush the pan lightly with vegetable oil. Pour or ladle about 3-4 tablespoons of batter into the pan and immediately tilt or rotate the pan so the batter forms a thin 5-6 inch (13-15 cm) circle. Place pan back on the heat and cook until the batter is set and you can see the underside is golden brown (3 - 4 minutes). Slip a metal spatula under the crepe and gently flip it over. Cook until golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and slide the crepe from the pan onto your work surface. While the crepe is still hot, quickly start at one edge and roll the crepe into a cone shape. Squeeze the tip of the cone to seal it so the ice cream won't drip out. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.

 

Continue making the rest of the cones, lightly brushing the pan with vegetable oil each time. These cones are best the day they are made. However, you can store leftover cones in a covered container. To re-crisp the cones preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Working with one cone at a time, unroll the cone until it is a circle again, place on a baking sheet and bake for about 3-5 minutes or until the crepe is hot and soft. Remove from oven and place the hot crepe on your work surface. Quickly reroll into a cone shape, again squeezing the tip of the cone so the ice cream won't drip out. Place on a wire rack to cool. Continue with the rest of the cones.

 

Makes about 8 ice cream cones.

 

 

Source: http://www.joyofbaking.com/IceCreamCones.html

 

 

 

+++

Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe:

 

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted buttermelted

 

1/2 cup (100 grams) white granulated sugar

 

1 large egg

 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

1/2 cup (65 grams) all purpose flour

 

1/4 cup (25 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder

 

1/4 teaspoon salt

 

4 cups (2 pints) (950 ml) Ice Cream (any flavor) (Homemade or Store Bought), slightly softened

 

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/IceCreamSandwic...l#ixzz1YcBNu29n

 

Ice Cream Sandwiches: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a 10 x 15 inch (25 x 38 cm) rimmed baking sheet. Then line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2 inch (5 cm) overhang on the two shorter sides.

 

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar. Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract. Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt and stir until combined and smooth. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cake is dry to the touch and the edges just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

 

Using the paper overhang, gently lift the cake onto a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut the cake in half crosswise. Place one half of the cake, top side down, on a large piece of plastic wrap. Spread with the softened ice cream, smoothing with an offset spatula. Top with the remaining half of cake, top side up. Place the assembled dessert back into the baking pan and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place in the freezer until firm, about two hours or overnight.

 

When ready to serve, remove the dessert from the freezer, unwrap, and with a serrated knife, cut into eight rectangles. Wipe the knife with a damp kitchen towel or paper towel between each slice. Can serve immediately or wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and place back into the freezer. Can be stored in the freezer up to one week.

 

Makes 8 ice cream sandwiches.

 

 

Source: http://www.joyofbaking.com/IceCreamSandwiches.html

[ren]

honestly none of this looks that appetizing..

 

 

the satay beef looks pretty good i guess.

what makes singapore food different from other asian cuisine?

[ren]

this, however, made my mouth water

 

 

O_O

mint cheesecake

 

[kuhla]

honestly none of this looks that appetizing..

 

the satay beef looks pretty good i guess.

what makes singapore food different from other asian cuisine?

this, however, made my mouth water

 

O_O

mint cheesecake

I could say the exact opposite.... I'm not a sweets person....

[Jedi2155]

I would say your two most recent posts look more appetizing than the rest of the ones you've posted. Except the very first one, but that was already setting the bar low for me. We just have very different tastes.

[ren]

POMEGRANATE

 

 

im not a sweets person either but they do look delicious

[Turvy]

/drool.

 

 

Okay, the first dish doesn't look aesthetically pleasing but trust me, it is so good! Singaporean food has a unique flavor; it's a little sweet, a little sour, very spicy, and creamy. Most Singaporean foods are either yellow/orange or red in color because of all the spice and/or coconut milk. I'd venture to say that Singapore food is an amalgamation of southern Asian fare. Lots of sauce too.

 

To the European palate it may be weird and you guys might reject it...

 

Not sure what the roll is-- looks like glass noodles with meat and vegetable which is a pretty general Asian dish.

 

The rice and poached chicken is just a main dish most Asians have. The dipping sauces are 1) vinegar and garlic and 2) hot sauce

 

Satay is delish-- we adopted it from Indonesia and traditionally dip it in a peanut sauce or hot sauce.

 

Too lazy to talk about the rest but those are all pretty traditional Asian stuff.

 

 

**************I HATE YOU REN. Stop making me hungry. ****************

 

 

Not a fan of sorbet. The mint cheesecake looks good.

[kuhla]

Most Singaporean foods are either yellow/orange or red in color because of all the spice and/or coconut milk.

Oh yeah, that reminds me, my mom's penang per discussion yesterday with chris:

 

[ren]

I am starving oh my god

*sob* this lab is taking forever

[ren]

kuhla i forgot to ask, do you have any knowledge on what kinds of sandwich breads are best; nutrition wise?

right now im just using some generic whole grain stuff, but i never did much research on it.

[kuhla]

kuhla i forgot to ask, do you have any knowledge on what kinds of sandwich breads are best; nutrition wise?

right now im just using some generic whole grain stuff, but i never did much research on it.

Not particularly but I would say to be careful in regards to whole wheat vs whole grain vs multigrain. Whole grain is preferred because it will (probably) have less refining thus retaining more of its original nutritional benefit (like high fiber). If the ingredients list "enriched" or "wheat flour" it's just another name for refined white flour. The first ingredient should be "whole wheat flour."

[Turvy]

That looks so good. Research says Penang is Malaysian and Thai food. I'd have to bug dad about it later.

[ren]

Not particularly but I would say to be careful in regards to whole wheat vs whole grain vs multigrain. Whole grain is preferred because it will (probably) have less refining thus retaining more of its original nutritional benefit (like high fiber). If the ingredients list "enriched" or "wheat flour" it's just another name for refined white flour. The first ingredient should be "whole wheat flour."

thats what I figured, and I knew that much already. but even among the "whole grain" theres still a large variety and I have no idea what to look for.

 

I think tino had penang last time I went out with him to that thai place.

next time we get the chance we should go eat at banana bay again.

[Jedi2155]

I LOVE sorbet, and gelato, and all that good yummy creamy goodness.

 

[ren]

heh here's a cooking tip

 

cabbage != lettuce

[kuhla]

cabbage != lettuce

Lies.

[Turvy]

Did you put cabbage in your sandwich?

+++

 

 

How to cook pasta:

 

A colander should be sitting in the sink so the pasta can be drained the very instant it’s cooked.

 

The moment it’s drained, it should be plopped into a large, warm bowl.

 

Losing no time, it should quickly be tossed with warm sauce that has been kept at the ready. Tossing must be fast but meticulous to coat the pasta thoroughly with sauce.

 

It should be served promptly on warm plates to diners ready to begin eating.

 

 

MARCELLA'S GOLDEN RULES OF COOKING PASTA

 

1. Fill a large pot with 6 quarts of water for 1 pound of pasta. (That's about three-quarters full.) Pasta needs room to move or it’ll clump.

2. Once the cooking water comes to a boil, season it with a palmful of salt (about 2 tablespoons) to enhance the subtle flavor of the pasta.

3. Cook the pasta, uncovered, at a rolling boil and stir it often to keep it from sticking.

 

COOKING PASTA—TRUE OR FALSE?

 

True or False? Breaking long pasta into shorter pieces makes it easier to eat.

If spaghetti were better short, it would have been made that way! Plus, broken strands are hard to eat since they’re not long enough to twirl onto a fork.

 

 

True or False? Add olive oil to the cooking water to keep the pasta from sticking.

Pasta shouldn’t stick when properly cooked. If it’s cooked with olive oil, it will actually coat the noodles and prevent sauce from sticking.

 

 

True or False? Throw the pasta against the wall—if it sticks, it’s done.

The only way to know if it’s done is to taste it! It should be al dente, or firm to the bite. The more pasta cooks, the gummier it gets, so if it sticks to the wall it’s probably overdone.

 

True or False? Rinse pasta after cooking and draining.

This will make the pasta cold and rinse away the starch that helps bind the sauce to it.

 

 

True or False? It’s all about the sauce.

Italians will tell you it’s pasta with sauce—not sauce with pasta! Too much sauce buries the flavor of the pasta and overwhelms it.