My Cookery Page

It’s almost Thanksgiving season and for all my readers I thought this video could come in handy….even for those who don’t celebrate the turkey-eating season, well, what’s stopping you from using chicken!

I found this nice video on how to make a sponge cake. Enjoy

This is a sweet Malay Kueh which is quite common in Singapore and Malaysia. Here’e how to make this delicious treat:

Ingredients
Green Beans 300g
Sugar 150g
Grated Skinned Coconut 150g
Plain Flour 40g
Salt 1/2 tsp
Cooling oil to deep fry

Ingredients for the batter
Rice Flour 120g
Plain Flour 60g
Egg 1, beaten lightly
Ground Turmeric – a pinch
Lime Juice – a couple of drops
Salt 1/2 tsp
Water 120ml

Directions

Boil the green beans until they are tender, adding more water when necessary. When the beans have broken up and most of the liquid has been absorbed or evaporated, add the sugar, coconut, plain flour and salt. Stir the mixture until it is very mushy. Remove from heat and cool.

Shape a portion of the mixture (about the sixe of a small egg) and shape it into a ball. Flatten the ball slightly to make about 1cm thick patties. Continue making patties until there is no more mixture left.

Combine all the batter ingredients till you get a smooth consistency. You may add just enough water to acheive that.

Heat the cooking oil for deep frying. Coat the patties with the batter, and then deep fry until it is crisp. Remove and drain well before serving.

It can be served hot or cool.

I got a bit nostalgic for Kuih, so I’ve decided to show you a video I made some time ago about Kuih.

Check it out at www.KuihRecipes.com

Tips For Picking Steaks
By John A. Brooks, Jr

As a third generation butcher at B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli, I’m often asked how to pick out a perfect steak. Here’s what I tell my customers.

Don’t just pick out any steak. That is one of the worst things you can do. All steaks are not the same. Therefore, take your time when picking out a steak. There are steaks that are better for grilling and some steaks are better to slow cook. Generally, if the steak has “chuck” or “round” in the name then it is better to marinate and slow cook. If the steak has “rib” or “loin” in the name it will be a lot more tender and better for grilling. Ask your butcher which types of steaks are best for the way you want to cook your steak.

The thicker the better. Steaks that are cut too thin are easy to over cook. Over cook a steak and you could end up with a dry, tough piece of “leather”. It is easy to tell how thick steaks are at an old-fashion butcher shop. In fact, most butchers will cut thicker steaks for customers who request them. Be careful when buying steaks in packs. It can be hard to see the thickness of all the steaks.

It is important to look for steaks with the most fat marbling and streaking. Steaks with the most fat marbling are generally more flavorful and tender. The most marbled cut is the rib-eye. It is cut from the same piece of meat as the prime rib.

Don’t cut the fat off! A lot of my customers want all the fat cut off the sides of their steaks. I don’t recommend this at all! I tell my customers to leave the fat on while they cook their steaks. Fat helps keep the steak juicy and enhances the steak’s flavor. You can cut all the fat off you want once the steak is cooked.

Knowing what to look for in a steak is as important as cooking a steak. Still not sure what to look for in a steak? Ask your neighborhood butcher. They always like to help ensure you get the best steak for your special occasion.

John Brooks is a 3rd generation butcher for B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli. A neighborhood grocery store that has been family owned and operated since 1922. You can learn more about John Brooks and B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli by visiting their web-site at http://www.bbgrocerymeatdeli.com

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No doubt about it, convenience foods save you time. But – and it’s a big but – convenience foods don’t save you money. If you rely on frozen dinners, helper foods, kits and take-out you are spending too much money on food. These tips will help you lower your bills and eat healthy, flavorful meals.

1. Plan meals by the week.

2. Make a grocery list, grouping foods by category. (Meat, dairy, produce, etc.)

3. Only buy what is on your list. Don’t succumb to impulse buying or kids’ demands for products hyped on TV.

4. Shop at stores that have the most specials.

5. Use coupons for healthy foods only. Don’t buy a product just because you have a coupon.

6. Roll your cart past “helper,” “partner,” “bakes” and “kits.” These products are over-priced, over-salted, and you can’t even pronounce some of the ingredients.

7. Mix up your own rubs. They take only minutes to make and you can customize them to your tastes.

8. Buy store and less-known brands, often made by top manufacturers.

9. Buy lean hamburger. It is better for you and there is less waste.

9. Drink water instead of pricey soda pop, which is often loaded with sugar and erodes your teeth.

10. Make your own salad dressing. You’ll save a bundle!

11. Make your own granola. Lots of recipes are posted on the Internet and kids will enjoy helping you.

12. Eat boxed hot cereal, not the kind in packets.

13. Buy day-old bread and coffee cake. The bread is perfect for French toast and grilled sandwiches. Stale coffee cake makes some of the best bread pudding you will ever taste.

14. Stores put pricey foods – the foods they want to push – at eye level. Bend down and look on the bottom shelves for bargains.

15. Learn how to cut up a whole chicken.

16. Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables.

17. Buy staples in bulk.

18. Make your own pudding. You will get twice as much for your money.

19. Buy a refrigerated or prepared crust and make your favorite pizza.

20. Use meat for flavor, as in stir-fry, instead of making it the feature of the meal.

21. Maximize leftovers. Make cream sauce for a little left over spinach. Use leftover vegetables in soup.

22. Put leftovers in sturdy plastic zipper bags to prevent freezer burn and waste. Label and date the bags.

23. Turn old bread into new, delicious croutons. Cut the bread into cubes, drizzle it with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, oregano and basil. Bake in a 350 degree oven until crispy.

24. Make your own baking mix and store in a tightly covered jar. (Recipes are posted on the Internet.)

25. Involve kids and grandkids. The involved kids of today will turn into smart shoppers tomorrow.

Copyright 2006 by Harriet Hodgson

http://www.harriethodgson.com
http://www.healthwriter.blogspot.com

Harriet Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for 27 years and is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Assocition for Death Education and Counseling. Before she became a health writer she was a food writer for the former “Rochester Magazine” in her hometown of Rochester, MN. Her 24th book, “Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief,” written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from http://www.amazon.com A five-star review of the book is posted on Amazon. You will find another review on the American Hospice Foundation website under the “School Corner’ heading.

Yeast Checking

To find out if your yeast is good, first dissolve 1 tablespoon of sugar or other sweetener in warm water with 2 cups of liquid and then add your yeast. Wait several minutes for it to dissolve and start working, developing tiny bubbles. If there are no bubbles then discard it and go through the process again. Since yeast and salt don’t get along, add it after finding out the yeast is good.

Measuring

Fluff up your flour before measuring since it always settles when stored. Now sprinkle flour into measuring cup and slide off excess with a knife blade. Taking this step will cause you to measure a true 4-ounce cup instead of getting a 5-ounce cup from being compacted.

Knead

Knead dough for about 5 minutes and let it rest to relax the dough. This helps the rest of your kneading easier.

Liquids

To add a different flavor and even make nutrition better, substitute water for juices or broth or when a recipe calls for milk try buttermilk.

Sugar and Sweeteners

It’s not necessary to have or add sugar in a recipe, but it does bring out the flavor. If you want to add sugar and need moisture try honey or molasses.

Oil

Unless you’re counting calories adding oil to bread is better because it will make your bread fresher longer.

Storing Flour

If you use your flour fairly fast, store it in a cool, dry place. If you don’t use your flour very fast then put it in a lock-type plastic bag and store it in your freezer.

Dry Ingredients

Substitute a little dried fruit, vegetables, cheese, nuts, grains, seeds or herbs and spices for some of the flour in your recipes. Just add it into the cup before you measure your flour. It will change it up and it is wonderful.

You can find many more tips and recipes at Cristie’s Cookin. Submit your favorite recipe to win a free “Gotcha Covered” Apron. Check out those spices, Bling It, Ring It and Zing It. Cristie’s novel “11.11.11″ by TJ Stokes is a thriller you won’t want to miss.

Cooking lessons for Cristie began at 8 years old with the best teacher in the world — her Mom! Later, she cooked for the restaurant the family owned, and her love of the “trade” has grown ever since. Cristie’s creative cooking has continued for over 40 years. Her creations can soon be on your kitchen table. Check out Cristie’s books at http://www.cristiescookin.co m and http://www.tjstokes.com

Have you ever wondered how a restaurant can get a dish of pasta to your table in about four minutes when you know it takes ten minutes just to cook the pasta? Does the water on their stoves boil at a higher temperature than the water on yours? Do they know a trick that you don’t? As a matter of fact, they do.

They parboil, or partially pre-cook their pasta; so when an order comes in to the kitchen, a cook can turn out a dish of perfectly ‘al dente’ pasta in a minute or two. Pre-cooking is a worthwhile technique for home cooks, because it enables them to pull together a great sit-down meal in practically no time, no matter how busy their day may have been.

It’s also a great method to use when you plan to serve pasta for a crowd. I once catered a party for fifty, where I had a “pasta bar.” With the assistance of one helper, and two propane burners, I served fifty portions of freshly cooked pasta (al dente) without holding anyone up in the buffet line.

To parboil pasta at home, bring a large pot of salted water (at least six quarts) to the boil. Add one pound of pasta and stir until the pasta wilts (in the case of spaghetti or linguine) and becomes submerged. When the water returns to a full, rolling boil, cook the pasta for exactly two minutes, then drain, shock in ice water, and drain again. Note: Strand pasta like spaghetti or linguine will be brittle, so handle them with care.

Place the pasta in a container large enough to hold it, then add enough olive oil to just coat each strand. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Parboiled pasta will keep, refrigerated, for four to six hours.

Note: Coating pasta with olive oil flies in the face of conventional wisdom that says, “Never coat pasta with olive oil. The sauce won’t adhere to the pasta.” Well, conventional wisdom aside, sauce sticks to parboiled pasta like glue. What else can I say?

When it’s time to cook dinner, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the pasta (You’ll note that the pasta has softened over the time you’ve had it refrigerated. This is perfectly fine.), cook for one or two minutes, then drain in a colander. Be sure to taste after a minute or so. The pasta cooks quickly. Serve as you would any pasta that you had cooked for eight to ten minutes.

Again, this is a great, worthwhile technique to use at home, because you can parboil the pasta at a time of day when you’re not juggling three or four other tasks, like preparing a sauce, or a salad. And when it’s time to prepare the rest of dinner, you’ll feel more confident in the outcome, because you can focus more of your attention on the other parts of the meal.

Try this technique once, and you could be hooked. You may not be serving fifty or sixty people per night, but you’ll be cooking just like a chef in a neighborhood Italian restaurant.

About The Author

Skip Lombardi is the author of two cookbooks: “La Cucina dei Poveri: Recipes from my Sicilian Grandparents,” and “Almost Italian: Recipes from America’s Little Italys.” He has been a Broadway musician, high-school math teacher, software engineer, and a fledgeling blogger. But he has never let any of those pursuits get in the way of his passion for cooking and eating. Visit his Web site to learn more about his cookbooks. http://www.skiplombardi.com or mailto:info@skiplombardi.com.

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Fried Rice is everyone’s favorite; it is the best way to use up leftover steamed rice. This recipe calls for Thai Jasmine rice but any steamed rice can be used to make the Thai Fried Rice. The Thai basil herb distinguishes this recipe from other ethnic fried rice recipes.

How to cook Thai Jasmine Rice:

Take 1 cup of Thai jasmine rice and place in a medium pot. Rinse the rice with cold water and drain water at least three times to remove any debris. Add water to the sauce pan until the water levels 1 centimeter above the rice or 1 1/2 cups of water. Place a lid on the pot. Set the stove element to medium heat and place the pot on the element. After 20 minutes, turn the element off and let the rice rest for 10 more minutes.

Recipe for Thai Fried Rice:

2 cups Thai jasmine rice cooked
1 egg
2 tablespoons oil
3 cloves garlic chopped
½ cup of frozen peas and carrots thawed
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 sprig of Thai basil chopped
1 sprig for green onion chopped

Instructions on making fried egg strips: In a small bowl, crack an egg and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce mix using a fork. Set the stove element to high heat and place a wok on top. Add 1 tablespoon each of oil and garlic into the wok. Add the egg and swirl the egg around the wok. Fold the fried egg in half and lip the egg again to cook the other side. Place the fried egg on to a cutting board. Once the fried egg is cooled, slice the egg finely and thinly to create long strips.

Instructions on making Thai Jasmine Fried Rice: Set the stove element to high heat and place a wok on top. Add 1 tablespoon each of oil and garlic into the wok. Add the thawed vegetables and mix for 1 minute. Add the cooked jasmine rice. Add 2 tablespoons each of oyster sauce and soy sauce. Mix to incorporate all ingredients and break any rice clumps. Once the rice is broken, add chopped Thai basil and green onions. Place the fried jasmine rice into a serving bowl and top with the fried egg strips.

The best way to learn how to make Thai Fried rice is to view the free video at www.thai-laos-food.blogspot.com.

Manivan Larprom, a Thai / Lao girl, teaches you how to cook Thai / Lao food with her home made videos at http://www.thai-laos-food.blogspot.com

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We can’t seem to get enough of chocolate especially when it’s become part of a cookie! It’s good to eat at any time of the day, for kids and adults, and just about for any season. Found this recipe by a baking expert that looks easy and delicious, am going to try it this weekend. Enjoy!
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jill_Borash]Jill Borash

The emotional trigger that a smell can stir up is one of the most powerful triggers that there is. If you live anywhere in the United States, chances are that the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking conjures up some kind of emotional memory for you. Smells are part of how we remember, part of how we define our memories, our stories, our lives.

For me, the smells of baking were part of my childhood, part of the fabric of how I define my childhood and part of the fabric of how I define my life to this day. The smell of a favorite baked treat can still bring a smile of remembrance to my face. What kitchen smells define your childhood memories? What smells do you want your children to define as their childhood memories? Here a couple of great variations on that old favorite, chocolate chip cookies. I hope you use these baking recipes to make wonderful memories with your children.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Mix together until creamy. Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture. Add in the chocolate chips and peanuts. Drop the dough by teaspoons onto baking sheets. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set but the centers are soft. After removing the cookies from the oven, leave them on the baking sheets for 4 minutes before removing them.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, butter and regular sugar. Add in the eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Slowly add the flour mixture. Add the oats, chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by tablespoons onto baking sheets. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 9 to 10 minutes for soft cookies and 12 to 13 for crispy ones.

Jill Borash loves to share her passion for baking and story telling at her website, YourBakingStory.com. If you’re looking for a tasty [http://www.yourbakingstory.com ]baking recipe or just a good story, stop by and browse awhile. Happy Baking!

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