Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 2, 2009
PERFECT NAIL HOLE FILLER
Plug small nail or thumbtack holes in wood or plaster. Dip the end of a
Toothpick in glue, insert into the hole, slice flush with a single-edge razor
blade, sand smooth, and refinish.
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 3, 2009
Gourmet Galley for May 28, 2009
Try adding rice to Crawfish Pie; add salad on side
By CORINNE COOK
Advocate Food writer
Published: May 28, 2009
Baton Rouge Advocate
How about a Crawfish Pie with rice in the filling? My daughter served this
after a recital last week, and we all loved it. The recipe came from her
friend Shelley Boudreaux, and I think it's a recipe her mother always used.
The ingredients are similar to most crawfish pie recipes in that this one
also uses canned cream of mushroom and cream of celery soup. The soups are
added to sautéed onions, green onions, fresh parsley and garlic; giving
those soups a lot more flavor.
The cooked rice binds it all together. There is no tomato in this recipe.
The hint of red color comes from the crawfish and fat. Cool the pie filling
some before pouring it into the pie crust.
If you prefer, make your own pie crust, but I was pressed for time so I used
the boxed, already rolled out pie crusts from the dairy section of the
grocery store. They come two to a box. I didn't even crimp the top.
After I added the filling, I just lightly brought the pie edges over the
filling, making a farm-style pie.
The recipe calls for 2 pounds of crawfish tails and makes two single-crust
pies.
The pies have a nice thick filling. Serve one tonight and put the other in
the freezer or share it with a friend.
With this good crawfish pie, all you need to go with it is your favorite
green salad.
Crawfish Pies
>From Corinne Cook
Makes 2 (9-inch) pies.
2 pie crusts
1-1/2 sticks butter
2 onions, chopped
1 bunch green onions, washed, dried and chopped
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, washed, dried and chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 lbs. crawfish tails
Tony's Cajun Seasoning or salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
2 (14-oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup
2 (14-oz.) cans cream of celery soup
2 to 3 cups cooked rice
1. Place pie crust in bottom of 9-inch pie dish. Repeat with second crust.
Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In large skillet, melt butter and sauté onions, green onions, parsley and
garlic until onions are soft.
3. Add crawfish tails and season to taste. Cook, uncovered for about 10
minutes.
4. Add cream of mushroom and cream of celery soups. Cook another 5-10
minutes.
5. Remove from heat and gently stir in at least 2 cups of cooked rice. You
will have to judge if it looks too soupy and if so add more rice. Allow the
filling to cool slightly.
6. Spoon into prepared pie crusts. Crimp top edge of pie or gently fold it
over the pie filling. Repeat.
7. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes or until each pie
crust is nicely browned and pie is heated through. If after 15-18 minutes
pie crust top is getting too browned, cover top edges with strips of foil to
prevent burning. Cool about 5 minutes before serving.
Crawfish Pies
>From Corinne Cook
Makes 2 (9-inch) pies.
2 pie crusts
1-1/2 sticks butter
2 onions, chopped
1 bunch green onions, washed, dried and chopped
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, washed, dried and chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 lbs. crawfish tails
Tony's Cajun Seasoning or salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
2 (14-oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup
2 (14-oz.) cans cream of celery soup
2 to 3 cups cooked rice
1. Place pie crust in bottom of 9-inch pie dish. Repeat with second crust.
Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In large skillet, melt butter and sauté onions, green onions, parsley and
garlic until onions are soft.
3. Add crawfish tails and season to taste. Cook, uncovered for about 10
minutes.
4. Add cream of mushroom and cream of celery soups. Cook another 5-10
minutes.
5. Remove from heat and gently stir in at least 2 cups of cooked rice. You
will have to judge if it looks too soupy and if so add more rice. Allow the
filling to cool slightly.
6. Spoon into prepared pie crusts. Crimp top edge of pie or gently fold it
over the pie filling. Repeat.
7. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes or until each pie
crust is nicely browned and pie is heated through. If after 15-18 minutes
pie crust top is getting too browned, cover top edges with strips of foil to
prevent burning. Cool about 5 minutes before serving.
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 4, 2009
Brown rice less sticky out of oven
Food Network Kitchens
Q. What method can I use to prepare brown rice so that it will be
tender and fluffy? When I cook it, it always comes out very sticky. -
Wendy Naimaister, New Milford, N.M.
A. Tender and fluffy might be asking a little too much of brown rice.
Each rice kernel in your pot is encased in a straitjacket of rice
bran. There's simply not much room for expansion in there. It's not
fair to ask brown rice to be white rice. Let brown rice be itself - a
chewy, nutty, highly nutritious whole grain with a personality of its
own - and save yourself the disappointment.
That doesn't mean you need to settle for the sticky, glutinous rice
you've been turning out. There is a relatively foolproof way of
dealing with this recalcitrant grain, and that's the oven. The oven
offers several advantages over the stovetop. It cooks more gently and
evenly by enveloping the rice pot in heat rather than cooking through
direct contact with the heat source. It frees you of the need to
watch the pot, adjust the heat or worry about precise timing. And it
turns burned rice - and all that attendant pot scrubbing - into a
distant, if unpleasant, memory. The oven won't speed things up; brown
rice is not going to adapt itself to your schedule. But it will leave
you free to go about your business.
So here's the method for 1 cup of rice:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a saucepan with a tight-fitting
lid, bring 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice, salt and,
if you like, some butter or vegetable oil. Stir well and transfer the
saucepan to the middle rack of the oven. Go about your business for
an hour or so. Remove rice from the oven, uncover and fluff with a
fork. Let rice sit uncovered for a few minutes to allow excess
moisture to
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 5, 2009
Grated Carrot Salad
Serves 4
You can use any vinegar for this recipe. Make sure it's good quality because
there's no oil to offset it. Seasoned rice wine vinegar, used in Asian cooking,
tastes great with the carrots.
6 large carrots
2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1. Use a hand-held grater to grate the carrots into the longest possible shreds.
Transfer them to a bowl. Add the vinegar and toss well.
2. Add salt, pepper, and parsley. Toss again. Cover and refrigerate for at least
1 hour before serving.
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 6, 2009
JOY OF BAKING
Apricot Jam Cake
Boston Globe / May 27, 2009
Makes one 10-inch cake
Buttery and brightened with a filling and glaze of apricot jam, this
close-textured and moist cake is uplifted by the tang of buttermilk and a few
spoonfuls of sour cream. Pull the buttery cake from the oven and after it has
cooled, split it in half, and spread lemony apricot preserves in the middle.
Then carefully reposition the top of the cake and coat it with the remaining
glaze. At dessert time, the cake can be served with poached dried apricots or
other fruit. Next month, when local strawberries are in season, add a bowl of
ripe berries to the table.
CAKE
Butter (for the pan)
Flour (for the pan)
3 1/4 cups flour (sift flour before measuring)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup thick buttermilk (whisk thoroughly before measuring)
3 tablespoons sour cream
1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Lightly butter a straight-sided one-piece
10-inch tube pan, line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper, butter the
paper, and dust it with flour, tapping out the excess.
2. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
3. In an electric mixer, cream the butter at medium-high speed for 3 minutes.
Add the sugar in 3 additions, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in
the eggs, one at a time. Blend in the vanilla.
4. With the mixer set on low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions
alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Blend in the
sour cream. Scrape down the bowl often with a rubber spatula.
5. Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake the cake for 1 hour or
until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake is clean when withdrawn. The
baked cake will pull away slightly from the sides of the pan.
6. Set the cake on a rack to cool for 15 minutes. Carefully invert the cake onto
another cooling rack, peel away the parchment paper, then invert again to cool
completely right side up.
FILLING AND GLAZE
1 1/4 cups apricot preserves
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar (for sprinkling)
1. In a small saucepan, combine the apricot preserves, lemon juice, and water.
Stir well, Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture comes to a simmer.
Lower the heat and let the mixture bubble for 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly
thickened.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Using a serrated knife, carefully halve the cake horizontally. Using 2
spatulas, lift off the top. Spread half the warm glaze on the bottom half.
Replace the top. Brush the remaining glaze on top of the cake.
4. Just before serving, dust the top of the glazed cake with confectioners'
sugar. Cut into thick slices.
Lisa Yockelson
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company. JOY OF BAKING
Apricot Jam Cake
Boston Globe / May 27, 2009
Makes one 10-inch cake
Buttery and brightened with a filling and glaze of apricot jam, this
close-textured and moist cake is uplifted by the tang of buttermilk and a few
spoonfuls of sour cream. Pull the buttery cake from the oven and after it has
cooled, split it in half, and spread lemony apricot preserves in the middle.
Then carefully reposition the top of the cake and coat it with the remaining
glaze. At dessert time, the cake can be served with poached dried apricots or
other fruit. Next month, when local strawberries are in season, add a bowl of
ripe berries to the table.
CAKE
Butter (for the pan)
Flour (for the pan)
3 1/4 cups flour (sift flour before measuring)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup thick buttermilk (whisk thoroughly before measuring)
3 tablespoons sour cream
1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Lightly butter a straight-sided one-piece
10-inch tube pan, line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper, butter the
paper, and dust it with flour, tapping out the excess.
2. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
3. In an electric mixer, cream the butter at medium-high speed for 3 minutes.
Add the sugar in 3 additions, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in
the eggs, one at a time. Blend in the vanilla.
4. With the mixer set on low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions
alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Blend in the
sour cream. Scrape down the bowl often with a rubber spatula.
5. Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake the cake for 1 hour or
until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake is clean when withdrawn. The
baked cake will pull away slightly from the sides of the pan.
6. Set the cake on a rack to cool for 15 minutes. Carefully invert the cake onto
another cooling rack, peel away the parchment paper, then invert again to cool
completely right side up.
FILLING AND GLAZE
1 1/4 cups apricot preserves
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar (for sprinkling)
1. In a small saucepan, combine the apricot preserves, lemon juice, and water.
Stir well, Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture comes to a simmer.
Lower the heat and let the mixture bubble for 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly
thickened.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Using a serrated knife, carefully halve the cake horizontally. Using 2
spatulas, lift off the top. Spread half the warm glaze on the bottom half.
Replace the top. Brush the remaining glaze on top of the cake.
4. Just before serving, dust the top of the glazed cake with confectioners'
sugar. Cut into thick slices.
Lisa Yockelson
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 7, 2009
Baked lemon pudding
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar, divided use
1/4 cup flour
3 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, cream butter, 1/2 cup
sugar and flour. Add egg yolks; beat well. Stir in lemon rind, lemon
juice and milk.
In a small bowl, add salt to egg whites and beat on high speed until
peaks form, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar.
Fold egg whites into lemon mixture. Pour into six to eight buttered
Pyrex custard cups or into a 1 1/2-quart buttered baking dish. Set
cups or dish into a shallow pan containing boiling water 1/2 inch
deep. Bake for 50 minutes, or until top is firm and browned.
Cool, chill thoroughly, then turn out and serve plain or with whipped
cream or a lemon sauce. Alternatively, serve warm.
Submitted by Gloria Elizabeth, Marilyn Jolliff and Ro Taylor
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com and
http://www.thewanderingchef.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 9, 2009
Here's two great tips from LR and Steve Doyle.
Artichokes: Aid digestion, Lowers cholesterol, Protects your heart, Stabilizes
blood sugar and Guards against liver disease
Grapefruit: Protects against heart attacks, Promotes Weight loss,
Helps stops strokes, Combats Prostate Cancer, Lowers cholesterol
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 10, 2009
By Kim Boatman
for the Mercury News
Posted: 04/07/2009 05:00:00 PM PDT
The dessert Debbie Westhafer Schoonmaker remembers fondly wears a lot of names.
Plates regular Ro Taylor of Los Altos figures Schoonmaker's
grandmother used to make a lemon cake custard. In Taylor's family,
Granny Anderson's lemon cake custard was a favorite. Granny
--Taylor's husband's grandmother -- used to bake the lemony treat in
six to eight Pyrex custard cups set in a pan with boiling water.
Beaten egg whites were folded back into an egg yolk mixture that
included milk, lemon rind and fresh lemon juice.
Marilyn Jolliff calls the same dessert lemon puff pudding. "I use
Meyer lemons from my tree,'' says Jolliff, who finds the Meyers
slightly less tart than Eureka lemons.
Gloria Elizabeth of San Jose sent a baked lemon pudding recipe she
found in a 1940s "California Cook Book." "We had this often when I
was a child,'' she says.
No matter the name, the result is likely the same as mentioned in
Elizabeth's instructions: a cakelike layer tops a layer of lemon
custard. Her recipe recommends cooling, chilling thoroughly and
turning out the custards, before topping them with whipped cream or a
lemon sauce. I suspect I'll have a hard time resisting scooping
spoonfuls of the warm lemon pudding cake right out of the custard
cups. Let me know whether you enjoy it more warm or cold, with or
without a topping.
There's a slight variance in how much lemon rind and lemon juice
these recipes contain. I'm of the school that thinks the tarter, the
better.
By the way, you also have the option of baking the dessert in a
larger Pyrex dish, though you'll still want to set the dish in a
larger pan of boiling water. A 1 1/2-quart dish should work.
SECOND HELPINGS: Stuck at home in west Marin, "miles from the nearest
Girl Scout," Gloria Elizabeth's pregnant daughter, Katherine, had an
inspiration. You see, Katherine was craving a Samoa Girl Scout
cookie, but the box was empty. She remembered the Lazy Daisy cake she
had recently made, her mother says. "Thinking the flavor profile
seemed similar, she made another cake and drizzled melted semisweet
chocolate over the broiled cooled frosting,'' Elizabeth says. "Voilý!
Samoas cake."
Baked lemon pudding
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar, divided use
1/4 cup flour
3 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, cream butter, 1/2 cup
sugar and flour. Add egg yolks; beat well. Stir in lemon rind, lemon
juice and milk.
In a small bowl, add salt to egg whites and beat on high speed until
peaks form, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar.
Fold egg whites into lemon mixture. Pour into six to eight buttered
Pyrex custard cups or into a 1 1/2-quart buttered baking dish. Set
cups or dish into a shallow pan containing boiling water 1/2 inch
deep. Bake for 50 minutes, or until top is firm and browned.
Cool, chill thoroughly, then turn out and serve plain or with whipped
cream or a lemon sauce. Alternatively, serve warm.
Submitted by Gloria Elizabeth, Marilyn Jolliff and Ro Taylor
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 11, 2009
JOY OF BAKING
Apricot Jam Cake
Boston Globe / May 27, 2009
Makes one 10-inch cake
Buttery and brightened with a filling and glaze of apricot jam, this
close-textured and moist cake is uplifted by the tang of buttermilk and a few
spoonfuls of sour cream. Pull the buttery cake from the oven and after it has
cooled, split it in half, and spread lemony apricot preserves in the middle.
Then carefully reposition the top of the cake and coat it with the remaining
glaze. At dessert time, the cake can be served with poached dried apricots or
other fruit. Next month, when local strawberries are in season, add a bowl of
ripe berries to the table.
CAKE
Butter (for the pan)
Flour (for the pan)
3 1/4 cups flour (sift flour before measuring)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup thick buttermilk (whisk thoroughly before measuring)
3 tablespoons sour cream
1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Lightly butter a straight-sided one-piece
10-inch tube pan, line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper, butter the
paper, and dust it with flour, tapping out the excess.
2. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
3. In an electric mixer, cream the butter at medium-high speed for 3 minutes.
Add the sugar in 3 additions, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in
the eggs, one at a time. Blend in the vanilla.
4. With the mixer set on low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions
alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Blend in the
sour cream. Scrape down the bowl often with a rubber spatula.
5. Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake the cake for 1 hour or
until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake is clean when withdrawn. The
baked cake will pull away slightly from the sides of the pan.
6. Set the cake on a rack to cool for 15 minutes. Carefully invert the cake onto
another cooling rack, peel away the parchment paper, then invert again to cool
completely right side up.
FILLING AND GLAZE
1 1/4 cups apricot preserves
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar (for sprinkling)
1. In a small saucepan, combine the apricot preserves, lemon juice, and water.
Stir well, Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture comes to a simmer.
Lower the heat and let the mixture bubble for 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly
thickened.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Using a serrated knife, carefully halve the cake horizontally. Using 2
spatulas, lift off the top. Spread half the warm glaze on the bottom half.
Replace the top. Brush the remaining glaze on top of the cake.
4. Just before serving, dust the top of the glazed cake with confectioners'
sugar. Cut into thick slices.
Lisa Yockelson
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com and
http://www.thewanderingchef.com
This Ezine is listed in The Free Directory of Ezines
http://www.freezineweb.com/
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 12, 2009
After reading these 9 crucial tips,
forward them to someone you care about.
It never hurts to be careful
in this crazy world we live in.
1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do :
The elbow is the strongest point
on your body.
If you are close enough to use it, do!
2.. Learned this from a tourist guide.
If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse,
DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM.
Toss it away from you....
Chances are that he is more interested
in your wallet and/or purse than you,
and he will go for the wallet/purse.
RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!
3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car,
kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole
and start waving like crazy..
The driver won't see you, but everybody else will.
This has saved lives.
4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars
after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit
(doing their chequebook, or making a list, etc.
DON'T DO THIS!)
The predator will be watching you, and this
is the perfect opportunity for him to get in
on the passenger side, put a gun to your head,
and tell you where to go.
AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR ,
LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE..
If someone
is in the car
with a gun
to your head
DO NOT DRIVE OFF,
Repeat:
DO NOT DRIVE OFF!
Instead gun the engine
and speed into anything, wrecking the car.
Your Air Bag will save you.
If the person is in the back seat
they will get the worst of it .
As soon as the car crashes
bail out and run.
It is better than having them find your body
in a remote location.
5. A few notes about getting
into your car in a parking lot,
or parking garage:
A.) Be aware:
look around you,
look into your car,
at the passenger side floor ,
and in the back seat
B.) If you are parked next to a big van,
enter your car from the passenger door.
Most serial killers attack their victims
by pulling them into their vans while the women
are attempting to get into their cars.
C.) Look at the car
parked on the driver's side of your vehicle,
and the passenger side... If a male is sitting alone
in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back
into the mall, or work, and get a
guard/policeman to walk you back out.
IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)
6. ALWAYS take the elevator
instead of the stairs.
Stairwells are horrible places to be alone
and the perfect crime spot.
This is especially true at NIGHT!)
7. If the predator has a gun
and you are not under his control,
ALWAYS RUN!
The predator will only hit you (a running target)
4 in 100 times; and even then,
it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ.
RUN, Preferably in a zig -zag pattern!
8. As women, we are always trying
to be sympathetic:
STOP
It may get you raped, or killed.
Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking,
well educated man, who ALWAYS played
on the sympathies of unsuspecting women.
He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often
asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle,
which is when he abducted
his next victim.
9. Another Safety Point:
Someone just told me that her friend heard
a crying baby on her porch the night before last,
and she called the police because it was late
and she thought it was weird.. The police told her
'Whatever you do, DO NOT
open the door..'
The lady then said that it sounded like the baby
had crawled near a window, and she was worried
that it would crawl to the street and get run over.
The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way,
whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.'
He told her that they think a serial killer
has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax
women out of their homes thinking that someone
dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it,
but have had several calls by women saying that
they hear baby's cries outside their doors
when they're home alone at night.
10. Water scam!
If you wake up in the middle
of the night to hear all your taps outside running or what you think is a
burst pipe, DO NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE! These people turn on all your
outside taps full ball so that you will go out to investigate and
then attack.
Stay alert, keep safe, and look out for your neighbours!
Please pass this on
This e-mail should probably be taken seriously because
the Crying Baby Theory was mentioned on
America 's Most Wanted when they profiled
the serial killer in Louisiana
I'd like you to forward this to all the women you know.
It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle..
I was going to send this to the ladies only,
but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, etc.,
you may want to pass it onto them, as well.
Send this to any woman you know that may need
to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it
and it's better to be safe than sorry...
Everyone should take 5 minutes to read this. It may save your life or a loved
one's life!
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com and
http://www.thewanderingchef.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 13, 2009
No earthly delight like a new potato
By Liane Faulder, Edmonton Journal
August 26, 2009
I just can't get enough of new potatoes this time of the year.
This recipe for the darling creatures, part of The Journal's In Season
series on making the most of fresh garden and market vegetables, can be
served hot, along with another vegetable and a hearty meat serving. At room
temperature, it's a great alternative to potato salad. It comes from The
Canadian Garden Cookbook, published by Edmonton's own Lone Pine Publishing,
and really lets the taste of the newborn potatoes shine through.
NEW POTATOES WITH ROASTED GARLIC, LEMON AND DILL
Serves 4 - 1/2 cup (125 mL) plain Balkan-style yogurt - juice and finely
grated zest from 1 lemon - 1/2 bunch fresh dill, chopped - salt and black
pepper - 2 heads roasted garlic - 2 pounds (1 kilogram) new potatoes
Combine yogurt, lemon juice and zest, dill, salt and pepper to taste in a
small bowl or the bowl of a blender. Mix well. Squeeze in roasted garlic
clove (see note below). Puree the mixture with a blender or hand blender
until smooth. (Mixture can be made ahead and kept in an airtight container
in the refrigerator overnight; the flavours will intensify.)
Scrub potatoes and cut in halves, or in quarters if they are large. Transfer
to a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce
heat and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well. Toss with yogurt
mixture and serve immediately.
NOTE: To roast garlic, preheat the oven to 350 F(180 C). Slice the top off
each bulb of garlic to expose the cloves, and lay them cut-side up in a
baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast 20 to 30
minutes or until cloves are tender. Remove from oven and set aside until
cool enough to handle. Squeeze the buttery flesh of the cloves out of the
bulb and discard the papery skin. lf aulder@... Check out
my blog, Eat My Words, at www.edmontonjournal.com/blogs
_________________________
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com and
http://www.thewanderingchef.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 16, 2009
It only takes a minute to read this...
A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can
totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting
a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for
within 3 hours, which is tough.
RECOGNIZING A STROKE
Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR . Read and Learn!
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the
lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain
damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
STROKE: Remember the 1st Three Letters....S.T.R.
Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple
questions:
S *Ask the individual to SMILE.
T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. It is sunny out today.)
R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number
immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue
NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his
tongue.. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other, that
is also an indication of a stroke.
A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you
can bet that at least one life will be saved.
I have done my part. Will you?
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 17, 2009
Here's all you need to know about choosing the right turkey
>
> Free-range. Butterball. Organic. Grain fed. Buying a turkey can be as
> mind-boggling as shopping for a computer.
>
> Here's a simple guide to help choose a holiday bird for next weekend's
> Thanksgiving feast:
>
> Commercial (includes Butterball)
>
> What it means: Raised in large barns, usually with no access to outdoors
>
> Where available: Most grocery stores
>
> Price per kilogram: $4.40 and up
>
> Taste: Bland compared to free-range and some other varieties, say
> aficionados.
>
> Grain fed
>
> What it means: No meat byproducts in the feed. The term is probably
> meaningless, since bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad-cow disease) has
> made meat byproducts mostly a no-no in livestock feed.
>
> Where available: Most grocery stores and specialty meat shops
>
> Price per kilogram: $4.40 and up
>
> Taste: About the same as commercial turkeys
>
> Free range
>
> What it means: Theoretically, the birds are not confined to barns. However,
> the term is not regulated in Canada, so it could just mean that the bird has
> not been confined to a cage, but was still raised inside a barn. Ask your
> retailer or farmer.
>
> Where available: Farm Boy, Saslove's Meat Market, The Butchery, others
>
> Price per kilogram: $8.75 and up
>
> Taste: Fans of birds raised outdoors say they're moister, richer-tasting and
> require shorter cooking times than commercial turkeys
>
> Organic
>
> What it means: Organic animals have been raised on pesticide- and
> herbicide-free feed and without antibiotics. In Canada, organic is a
> federally regulated certification.
>
> Where available: Farm Boy, Saslove's Meat Market (special order); for
> others, try the Canadian Organic Growers' website: cog.ca
>
> Price per kilogram: $11 and up
>
> Taste: About the same asfree-range
>
What it means: Wild, or Bronze (named for the colour of their feathers)
turkeys are a heritage variety raised on specialty farms.
Where available: Ferme Morgan Farms,Weir, QC (fermemorgan.com). None
available this year, but promises them for 2010. Try Google for other
producers.
Price per kilogram: $14.50
Taste: Stronger, gamier taste than standard white turkeys
Remember, you could have an organic turkey that's spent its life inside an
overcrowded barn or a free-range bird fed things you'd rather not know
about.
Read labels carefully and buy from a retailer or farmer you trust. And you
can disregard claims of "no hormones"(in Canada, poultry producers are not
permitted to use growth hormones) along with the cheerleading of
Tofurkey fans (the things are made of tofu -- enough said).
the extra cost of buying a free-range or other specialty turkey for
Thanksgiving, "It's a festive meal," says Joel Diener, owner of Saslove's
Meat Market on Wellington Street.
"You buy good, you pay good. You get what you pay for."
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com and
http://www.thewanderingchef.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 18, 2009
CLASSIC MANHATTAN WITH BRANDIED CHERRIES
1 serving
2 oz. Rittenhouse 100 rye
1 oz. Carpano Antica vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Brandied cherries:
6 lbs. fresh cherries
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cinnamon sticks
1 1/4 cups brandy
To make the brandied cherries, combine the sugar, water, lemon juice and
cinnamon in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to
medium-low. Add the cherries and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat,
remove the cinnamon sticks, and stir in the brandy. Allow the cherries to
cool.
Now make the cocktail. Stir the ingredients for the manhattan into a shaker
or tall glass with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a
homemade cherry.
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com and
http://www.thewanderingchef.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 19, 2009
DETERMINE EGG FRESHNESS
Comliments of Steve Doyle
A method to determine the freshness of an egg: Put the egg on its side in a pan
of cold water. A very fresh egg will remain on its side at the bottom of the
water. A very old egg will float to the top. Don't use it. If the egg is only a
few days old, it will stay underwater but tilt slightly upward. If it is about 1
1/2 weeks old, it will also stay underwater but will tilt to an upright
position.
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com and
http://www.thewanderingchef.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 20, 2009
KEEP PASTA FROM STICKING
To keep pasta from sticking together--or to the pot--while cooking, pour a small
amount of cooking oil into the boiling water.
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com and
http://www.thewanderingchef.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 23, 2009
MAKING BREADING STICK
Here's the secret: Wet sticks to Dry. And Dry sticks to Wet.
So if you are breading chicken... chicken is wet. Egg wash (wet) wont' stick to
wet. You have to dry it. So dredge in flour. THEN in milk/egg wash, THEN in
seasoned flour or breadcrumbs.
Corn dogs. Weiners are wet. Dry off, dust w/flour, THEN dip into wet corn
batter.
French Toast. Bread is dry. Dip directly into egg/milk custard, which is wet.
Get it? That's the secret!
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com and
http://www.thewanderingchef.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 24, 2009
DISCO'S HOT AND TANGY NEW YORK STRIP STEAKS
PG TESTED
This recipe comes from Captain Eric "Disco" Dominijanni, a New Yorker
who serves in the Marine Corps 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion at
Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C. Dominijanni won a grilling
cook-off at the base with the following recipe, which is included in
a new grilling cookbook, "Command of the Grill: A Salute to Steak."
Proceeds benefit wounded Marines and their families.
* 1 can (12 ounces) cola
* 1/2 cup soy sauce
* 1/2 cup garlic teriyaki sauce (or regular teriyaki sauce plus 1
clove crushed garlic)
* 1 habanero chile pepper, finely chopped with seeds
* 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
* 1 tablespoon freshly ground ginger
* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
* 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
* 4 New York strip steaks, about 8 ounces each and 3/4 inch thick
* Extra virgin olive oil
In a medium bowl mix the marinade ingredients (everything except for
the steaks and olive oil). Place the steaks in a large, resealable
plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Press out the air, seal the
bag, and turn several times to coat the meat. Place the bag in a bowl
and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours, turning the bag occasionally.
Let the steaks stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before
grilling. Remove the steaks from the bag and reserve the marinade.
BLACK JACK GRILLING SAUCE
Pour the marinade into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and boil
for about 10 seconds. Set aside about half of the marinade for
basting the steaks. For the remaining marinade in the saucepan,
reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until it has reduced to the
consistency of a dipping sauce, 5 to 10 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Set aside.
Pat the steaks dry with paper towels. Lightly coat the steaks with oil.
With the lid closed, grill the steaks over direct high heat (500
degrees to 550 degrees) until cooked to desired doneness, 5 to 7
minutes for medium-rare, turning once and basting with a little of
the boiled marinade. (If flare-ups occur, move the steaks temporarily
over indirect high heat.) Remove from the grill and let rest for 2 to
3 minutes. Serve warm with the dipping sauce on the side.
Serves 4.
BLACK JACK CHICKEN BREASTS WITH BARBECUE SAUCE
PG TESTED
This is a favorite recipe made with a simple sauce that will impress
your cookout guests every time -- and that keeps in the fridge for up
to a month, making it useful for quick family dinners as well. Black
Jack Barbecue Sauce gets some of its kick from the strong coffee
added to it.
* 2 cups apple cider
* 1/2 cup cider vinegar
* 1 tablespoon minced shallots
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
* 8 chicken breasts, bone in and skin on, or 1 whole chicken, cut
up, plus 4 breasts
Combine apple cider, cider vinegar, shallots, garlic, 1 teaspoon of
the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper in a resealable plastic bag.
Add chicken pieces and seal bag, pressing out air. Let marinate in
the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours. Preheat gas
grill to medium-high; leave one burner off. If using a charcoal
grill, build fire and let burn down until coals are glowing red with
moderate coating of white ash. Spread coals in even bed on one side
of grill. Clean cooking grate.
Remove chicken from marinade and let excess drain off. Season with
remaining salt and pepper. Grill chicken over direct heat until
marked on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Finish cooking chicken
over indirect heat on side of grill with unlit burner, covered,
turning every few minutes and brushing with barbecue sauce, until
chicken is cooked through (165 degrees) and juices run clear, 10 to
15 minutes.
Serves 8.
SOURCE: "Grilling," by the Culinary Institute of America
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com and
http://www.thewanderingchef.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 25, 2009
BUTTER PECAN CAKE
Butter Pecan Cake Mix
4 eggs
3/4 Cup Veg. Oil
1 Cup Water
1 Can of Coconut Pecan Frosting
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans- (1/4 C for cake & 1/4 Cup for bottom of pan)
Small amount of powdered sugar.
Mix cake mix with oil, eggs, water, can frosting, and 1/4 cup pecans.
Mix well.
Spray Tube Pan with Pam and sprinkle with powdered sugar and 1/4 cup
pecans. Pour cake mixture into pan and bake @ 350 degrees for 50-60
minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool in pan and then turn
upside down on to a plate.
Does not need frosting unless you desire to frost with another can of
Coconut Pecan Frosting, but this cake is so rich it really doesn't need
frosting.
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com and
http://www.thewanderingchef.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 26, 2009
FRESH STRAWBERRY MUFFINS
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups oil
2 1/2 cups fresh strawberries,
sliced and slightly mashed
Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, combine
the eggs and oil. Stir in the strawberries into the egg mixture. Blend in the
flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Do Not Over Beat. Spoon into the
greased muffin tins. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Makes approximately 2
dozen muffins.
Recipe Source: Gooseberry Patch - June Cavarretta
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com and
http://www.thewanderingchef.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 27, 2009
GARLIC BISCUITS
2 cups biscuit baking mix
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, finely shredded
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Mix the biscuit baking mix, Cheddar cheese, and milk until well blended. Drop
by tablespoonfuls onto a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake at 450
degrees for 10 minutes. Melt the butter and garlic powder together and pour it
over the hot biscuits.
Recipe Source: Gooseberry Patch - Judy Kelly
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com and
http://www.thewanderingchef.com
Welcome to the Kitchen Project's
H O U S E H O L D H I N T S
____________________________________
by Susan Doyle
Your tip for November 30, 2009
COOKING WITH CAST IRON
Older is better when using this chef's staple
By Sharon Thompson McClatchy-Tribune News Service
In better economic times, cooks are eager to try the latest cookware.
Brushed stainless steel, triple-ply stainless, enameled cast iron or enamel
on steel are what gourmet cooks covet - even though some are costlier than a
new range top.
But if you have an old cast-iron skillet in your cabinet, it's more valuable
than you might think.
If it's a skillet or kettle inherited from a relative, chances are it's as
smooth as a silk shirt and cooks better than a $200 stainless pan. It might
even be worth $200 itself.
Since the 1800s, the cookware choice for many cooks is cast iron, and an
early Griswold or Wagner item can bring hundreds of dollars if it's in
top-notch condition.
Take a look at your cast-iron muffin pans, dutch ovens, roasters, bread
molds, waffle irons and kettles to see whether they're in good shape. If
not, you can apply a little elbow grease and return them to an
almost-original patina.
Jim Nance of Georgetown, Ky., searches for old cast-iron implements,
restores and resells them. There are collectors around the country who will
pay thousands for a rare find.
Nance, a retired associate professor in the College of Education at the
University of Kentucky, began his collection of cast iron in the late '70s.
He and his wife, Jan, did a lot of canoe racing, camping and outdoor
cooking. In 1981, Nance attended an outdoors workshop for educators at
Jackson Hole, Wyo., where he was inspired by noted outdoor cooking expert
Dian Thomas.
>From then on, the Nances began their search for unusual pieces of cast iron.
Valuable ones are identified by distinctive marks on the back. Griswold,
Wagner and Erie are the names you'll want to find, although a skillet
without a name can be identified by Nance and other collectors.
>From 1865 until 1957, Griswold Manufacturing Co. of Erie, Pa., made
cast-iron implements that each had a distinctive mark on the back of the
piece. The name Griswold is easily recognizable, but the company also used
"Erie," "Erie PA" or "Erie PA USA," according to Antiques.About.com.
The Griswold items came in a variety of sizes, and the numbers on the backs
of most pieces were for consumers, but now collectors use them to indicate
value and rarity. No. 12 and No. 14 skillets are common, but a No. 13 could
be a lucky find. And if you have a lid, that's even better.
Sometimes these valuable items are found at flea markets or garage sales,
barely identifiable because of layers of rust.
Nance said selecting cast-iron cookware to restore or use is like "hunting
for buried treasure."
"You never know what you'll find under the carbon-grease buildup," he said.
A piece might be cracked or pitted under the rust or buildup. If an item has
more than superficial rust or rust under the carbon-grease buildup, there
might be pitted areas that cannot be smoothed out. Cracks are almost
impossible to repair, Nance said.
If the item has a little rust, there's an easy remedy.
For rare finds, Nance uses the more complicated and thorough lye soap
method. It is only for the professional restorer.
Some people recommend using a mild white vinegar-water solution (one part
vinegar, five parts water) and to soak the piece for several hours.
"The problem will be a change in the patina of the piece, and only cooking
over time will restore the dark, rich color," Nance said. "Cast iron is hard
to restore after you use vinegar."
Another method is to spray the grease with household ammonia and place the
pan in a zipper-style bag for several days. This might loosen the buildup
enough for you to wash it off. A self-cleaning oven might do the trick, but
you'll have a house full of smoke. Dealers use electrolysis to break down
the buildup with a mild electric charge.
Once the buildup is removed, the next step is cleaning and restoring. Wash
the stripped cast iron in hot sudsy water with a scrubber or steel-wool soap
pads. Continue to wash until the soap runs clear, with no discoloration from
carbon or rust. Dry thoroughly and place in a 180-degree oven for a few
minutes to remove all moisture.
Buff the implement using a drill and a very fine wire brush to remove any
residue that's left; then rewash the item in hot sudsy water and dry
immediately.
"Do not ever let cast iron dry in a drain rack," Nance cautions. Place in
the oven at 180 to 200 degrees, and when the cast iron is at 180 degrees,
spray it with oil or wipe with cooking oil. Return to the oven for 45
minutes to 1 hour. Wipe off the excess oil while it is still warm.
Then make some corn bread.
The person who created the first cast-iron skillet probably was looking for
something to cook corn bread. One is hardly good without the other.
Corn bread recipes are as plentiful as grandmas, but here's a good one that's
easy to make and remember. Danna M. Brewer of Hazel Green, Ky., sent this
recipe to the Lexington, Ky., Herald-Leader in the early '90s.
Raised in Ohio, she came to Kentucky when she married and "had to learn
about Southern cooking," she said.
"My mother-in-law took pity on me and helped me to learn a whole new way of
cooking," she said. "My mother always made good biscuits, but her corn bread
was not Southern-style. I have learned to change some recipes to keep up
with new products on the market. When the cornmeal mix came to the market, I
gradually changed my corn bread recipe to use it. If ever someone asks me
about making corn bread, I tell them to remember 2-2-2 and a pinch."
DANNA'S CORN BREAD
2 cups cornmeal mix
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
Pinch of soda
1/2 cup shortening
Mix the first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Melt shortening in a 9-inch cast-iron
skillet. Pour most of the melted shortening into the batter. While pan is
still hot, pour batter back into it. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
When done, invert corn bread onto a plate. The bottom should be crisp, and
the center should be moist. This batter can be used for corn muffins, corn
sticks or fried corn bread.
Baking biscuits in a cast-iron skillet develops a crisp bottom. Top these
biscuits with scrambled eggs and gravy, or serve with slices of baked ham.
SKILLET SCALLION BISCUITS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped fresh scallions, white and green parts
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in
bowl of a mixer fitted with paddle attachment.
Add shortening, and mix on medium speed until a mealy consistency is
reached. Mixing on low, gradually add buttermilk, until just combined. Add
scallions, and mix just enough to incorporate.
Empty dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead into a rectangular
shape. Roll dough, with a floured rolling pin, to about a 1/2-inch-thick
rectangle.
Cut out rounds using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Drop biscuits in bottom of
well-seasoned, lightly oiled 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Brush tops with egg
wash and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until tops are browned and insides are firm.
Serve warm.
- Dwayne Ridgeway
Upside-down cake is a classic cast-iron dish. While the cake bakes, the
brown sugar and butter caramelize to create a gooey, tasty topping.
PINEAPPLE-COCONUT UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
Topping:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 can sliced pineapple
Batter:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon coconut-flavored rum
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
For topping: Melt butter in a well-seasoned 9-inch cast-iron skillet over
medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and melt, stirring constantly, until
bubbling, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, add pineapple rings in one even
layer, and set aside.
For the batter: Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until
light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time,
beating well after each addition.
Beat in vanilla and coconut rum. In a separate bowl, combine flour,
cardamom, baking powder and salt. Add half the flour mixture to the egg
mixture and beat on low speed just until blended. Add pineapple juice and
beat on low to incorporate; add remaining flour mixture, beating until just
incorporated.
Spoon batter over pineapple rings, smoothing the top evenly. Bake on center
rack of oven until golden brown and a skewer inserted in middle comes out
clean, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. To
remove from skillet, run a sharp knife around the edge to release the sides.
Invert a cake plate or service platter over the skillet and invert the cake
onto the plate, keeping pan and plate firmly pressed together. The cake
should drop from the skillet onto the plate.
Drizzle cake with additional coconut rum, top with toasted coconut flakes,
and serve.
- From "Cast Iron Cooking" by Dwayne Ridgeway.
CHARRED TOMATO AND CHICKEN TACOS
1 pound ripe plum tomatoes, cored (about 4 to 5)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch
chunks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large white onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and very finely chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 scallions, chopped
12 corn tortillas, warmed
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream for garnish
2 limes, cut into quarters
Heat large cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot. Place tomatoes
in skillet and turn occasionally with tongs until charred on all sides,
about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly. Cut in half
crosswise; squeeze to discard seeds. Chop remaining pulp and skins; set
aside.
Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan and heat over high heat until oil is very hot. Add
chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until
chicken is browned on all sides and no longer pink in the center, about 5
minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium and add remaining teaspoon oil. Add onions and cook,
stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and jalapenos and
cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Add lime juice and reserved chicken and
tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and stir in cilantro and scallions. Season to
taste with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.
Spoon filling into warm tortillas, roll up and serve with sour cream and
lime wedges.
Note: Wrap tortillas in barely damp paper towels and microwave on high for
30 to 45 seconds.
Makes 6 servings.
- Source: Eating Well
Like these tips?
Please forward Susan's "Tip of the Day" to your friends.
If you have a favorite tip, idea or request you would like
to share with our readers, please send them to mailto:susan@...
Visit our Website at http://www.kitchenproject.com and
http://www.thewanderingchef.com
|
Having problems with message search?
Fill out this form to ensure your group is one of the first to be migrated to the new message search system.
Offline 
Send Email
