COOKING VEGETABLES

So you've tried cooking vegetables at mea ltime, and they're all soft, mushy even, and don't have much taste left? Well, this is what you can do to have great tasting vegetables with every meal.
'    Just don't overcook them !! That's the secret, if you can call it that, which means that when you're cooking any vegetable, don't keep it on the heat longer than it feels firm. Most vegetables should only be kept cooking for 8-10 minutes, really. And some, even less. So, taset them as you go along, and when they taste just right to you, they're done.
      In fact, the best tip I could ever give you is to taste ANY food you're preparing as you cook it. You'll know exactly when it's ready, no matter what it is, because you've just tested it's doneness by TASTING IT !! (Health hint: Don't use the spoon or fork you just put in your mouth to stir the vegetables again, get a clean one)
  Now, the very best way to cook vegetables that I've found, especially for beginners, is to buy frozen vegetables and put them in the microwave. That's right, frozen veggies and the microwave. Just be careful to follow the directions about the time needed so you don't reduce them to dust in the microwave, and you'll have delicious, well cooked vegetables for your meal.
   I do this with everything from creamed spinach to corn, and believe me, the microwave does a fine job. And, frozen vegetables retain almost all the nutrients of fresh ones, so go ahead and have a healthy, fast, nutricious part of the meal, with no hassle in preparing it.

ROAST BEEF FOR DINNER ?

   Alright, here's the way to prepare that roast you've bought for dinner, with no worries about how it's going to turn out. Whether you've chosen a prime rib or a chuck roast, this is how you do it.
  First, and importantly, SEASON IT. That means cover all of it, all sides, with seasoned salt, some pepper, and I always put on some garlic as well. (I'm Italian on my mother's side, and we love garlic) Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Make sure its nice and hot, this is an important part of it. Then, with your roast in a roasting pan and uncovered, put it in that hot oven for about 15 minutes.
  After those first 15 minutes, turn the heat down to 350 degrees, and cook for 18-20 miutes per pound of roast. That will give you a nice crisp outside, which will protect the moisture inside, and several different grades of "doneness".
  Don't forget to remember to start your vegetables, potatoes, whatever else you're fixing during the last 10-15 minutes, usually, of the cooking time for the vegetables, and much longer for the potatoes. They can bake right along with the roast if you want, if you're also baking the potatoes, if the roast will be done within an hour and a half or so.
   The outside pieces of the roast will be well done, and as you move inward when you cut, it will be more and more rare. A slice will be done to however you and your guests want it, depending on where it is in the roast.  Don't forget to let the roast stand outside the oven for 5-10 minutes before you start cutting it, so that the juices will stay in there while you cut, OK?
                                                                  Viola!! It's ready to eat.

A WAY TO MAKE PERFECT RICE - EVERY TIME

    Here's a tip you'll thank me for the rest of your life. Really. GET A RICE COOKER.( Technically call a "steamer")
    If you, or anybody you want to cook for eats rice, which is just about everyone, buy one of these. Preparing rice is the easiest thing in the world with it, and takes any thought of ruining the rice out of your thinking forever!!
   They're available at any houseware department of any store, different sizes with different prices, of course. I suggest getting a medium sized one,or a large one, even if you think that you'll only be fixing rice for one or two people. You never know when you might want to fix more, and if you've gotten a very small cooker, you'd have to make two or three pot fulls. Better to have one larger size that will make enough for more than a few guests, and only have to cook it one time.
  All you have to do is put in the rice, then pour twice as much water in as rice, (for example, for 1/2 cup of rice, pour in 1 full cup of water), put the lid on, and plug it into the electric outlet.
 Wait 15 to 20 minutes, and a little light will go on, telling you that its ready.
  That's it, I promise you, and you'll have perfect rice every time!!

TIMING IS EVERYTHING !!

That's right, timing. What I mean by that is, when you're cooking a meal the most important thing after the taste of the various things you serve is whether the different dishes are done at about the same time. You don't want to eat your vegetables cold because they were ready ten minutes before the meat portion, do you? No need to answer that, I know the answer.
   So to avoid  any half cold-half warm dinners, this is what you do. Before starting any of it, just estimate how long each part of the meal will take. Say, 12 minutes for the meat, 8 minutes for the vegetable, 20 minutes for the rice, and so on and so forth.
   Then, start the item that takes the longest, in this example, rice, first. You'll know how long it should take either from experience of cooking rice before, or the directions on the package. (Or you could call your mom and ask her how long rice takes to cook. Whatever works for you ) And, I recommend buying a rice cooker. Easiest thing in the world to use, and you have PERFECT rice everytime.
   Anyway, after you start the rice, for our imaginary meal, wait eight minutes and start the meat, and then start the vegetables 12 minutes after you started the rice.
     Voila!! A perfectly timed meal. And everybody, including you, will be happy with the result. Cooking 101 is now in session. Enjoy.

HOW TO FIX COMMON DINNER DISASTERS

 

The guests are assembled, the wine and the conversation is flowing, and you are about to present an unforgettable meal - when disaster strikes! Your sauce turns lumpy, your cake sinks in the middle, and it looks as if your carefully planned evening is going to be a flop.
But don't despair. There are quick fixes for almost any dinner disaster and here are five of the most common:

1) Lumpy Sauce:
Learning to make a sauce from a basic roux of flour and butter is a great culinary achievement, but it's no guarantee against disaster. Even experienced chefs have seen their sauce turn lumpy just to spite them when diners are waiting. But they also make sure there is a blender handy. All you do is pour the lumpy sauce into the blender and give it a quick whiz. The lumps will be smoothed out instantly. If your sauce is too thick, add a little milk to white sauce, or stock to gravy and it will be perfect.

2) Sunken Cake:
There seems to be no greater disaster than this. A cake that doesn't rise is enough to make a grown cook cry. But don't throw it in the bin and reach for the frozen dessert. You can still create something wonderful. Pierce the cake all over with a skewer and drizzle with sweet wine or the syrup from canned fruit. Pile the drained fruit in the centre of the cake, and cover with whipped cream. The result is so magnificent and lush, you will be asked for the recipe!

3) Roast too small:
Your roast has shrunk and there's not enough meat to go round, but you can still delight your guests with a fabulous meal. Cut up the meat into strips. Toss it in a salad with some Hokkien noodles (the kind you soak in hot water) and a quick dressing made of ½ cup soy sauce, half cup water, ¼ cup warmed honey, a piece of grated ginger and one grated garlic clove. If you have any fresh lettuce, snow peas or scallions handy, chop them up and toss them in as well. If you have no noodles, use rice or pasta.

4) The vegetables are overcooked:
sloppy vegetables when you planned something more crisp and appetizing can be disastrous, but there are many ways to overcome the problem very quickly. If your planned mashed potatoes have dissolved into mush, add one egg, some chopped parsley and enough flour to make the mixture hold its shape as quickly fried potato cakes. You can also do this with other root vegetables such as sweet potato. The other rescue is to change courses - add cream, cracked black pepper to the soft vegetables and puree. Serve as a first course soup instead of a main course vegetable.

5) Greasy soup or stew:
If the meat was fattier than you thought, there will be a thick layer of grease over your stew. The quickest way to remove it to chill it - but that doesn't mean you have to put your stew in the fridge and wait for hours. Use cold lettuce or cabbage leaves, chilled bread or ice cubes in a slotted spoon to coagulate the fat and draw it off the stew. Once the fatty layer is removed your stew will be good as new.


Gail Kavanagh

GET READY TO BECOME A GREAT COOK !!!

     Alright, all you "wanaabe cooks", this one's for you !! Whether you're a college student on your own for the first time, or a bachelor who's finally fed up with fast food every night, or a woman who's family is constantly complaining about the food you fix, or someone who's cooked for a while and wants to make the meals a lot tastier, or anybody else for that matter, this is meant for you. Welcome, one and all.
     In the coming blogs, I'll give you techniques, recipes, encouragement, and all that sort of stuff to help you become the cook of your dreams. Or perhaps I should say "Chef". Oh yeah. The difference between a great cook and a chef, I think, is only a few lessons in the culinary school. And the hat, of course, which you can buy anytime you feel like it.
     So, let this be your school, and get ready for the most fun you've ever had when you're in the kitchen. And praise. Get ready for the praise of your meals, that's coming, without a doubt, if you pay attention, give it your best, and try the recipes I'll give you.
    Pretty soon, your friends and family will start commenting on how the meal you just fixed tastes really, really good, and how the heck did you do it, and have you been taking lessons, and you can say, "Yeah, I'm taking lessons, and there's more to come".
And there will be, very soon.