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Why not breakfast for dinner?

Monday, October 22nd, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

There are days when I come home and think “what am I going to make for dinner?”  It’s been a long day and I don’t feel like cooking, but I have a family to feed.  Who says you can’t have breakfast for dinner?  Traditionally breakfast foods are served in the morning, but there are so many quick and easy things to make that why not use those same delicious recipes for dinner?  I have a few fun ideas for the not so traditional dinner.

Pancakes or Waffles
The great thing about pancakes and waffles is you can make them one hundred different ways. You can add fresh or frozen berries, chocolate chips, peanut butter, bananas and walnut or cinnamon and raisins. The possibilities are endless.  Not only can you add what you like, but you can make them into fun and appealing shapes your kids will love.  Using a cookie cutter or adding your own artistic flare, cut them into shapes.  Some of the shapes my kids love are turtles, Mickey Mouse, hearts, flowers, trucks or dinosaurs.  Other animal shapes work great too if you can create them.  I have a bag full of cookie cutters.  I get them at thrift stores or cheap dollar stores.  Top them with raisins, fruit, jelly, peanut butter or chocolate chips to make them come alive.

French Toast
French toast can also be cut into fun and amusing shapes.  My kids love them cut into sticks so they can dip them in their fruit yogurt.  I make my special sauce by opening a package of flavored yogurt.  The kids think I whipped up something special just for them.

Fruit
Fruit is always a wonderful and healthy addition to your meal.  You can throw it into mixes, puree it, slice, make it into sauces or make a wonderful, healthy and delicious smoothie your kids will go crazy over thinking they got a sweet treat.  The wonderful thing is they are getting so many vitamins and nutrients from this one little smoothie.  Throw in your favorite fruit with some ice cubes and orange juice and ta-da! You have an awesome drink.  You could even add your favorite yogurt or milk for extra calcium.

Eggs
Green eggs and ham anyone?  A fun way to get your kids to eat things like eggs is to throw in a little food coloring.  To add variety, I occasionally make breakfast burritos using the colored eggs.  Who knows, this may be the magic trick to get your kids to eat eggs.  It’s worth a try right?

Fruit Rolls
Another great idea is to take a pita pocket or flour tortilla and spread the inside with your favorite jelly.  Next top or insert with your favorite fresh fruit.  Close pita or roll up the tortilla for a perfect sweet and healthy meal.

Hamburger and Potato Masterpiece
My kids love anything with catsup.  One of our favorite breakfast ( or should I say dinner ideas) is cubed potatoes with cooked hamburger.  This is a very easy and practical way to feed the family.  You could even use left over hamburger from the night before.

I know for me these ideas have worked like a charm.  It is a fast and creative way to get dinner on the table.

Common Cooking Substitutions

Thursday, October 18th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

Have you ever started the cooking process and soon realized you don’t have all the ingredients you need?  While there are not substitutes for everything you might need, there are many simple substitutes you can make from what you already have.

Don’t give up, because here is a list of Food/Cooking Substitutions that can be used in a recipe.

Dairy

• 1 cup sour cream =1 cup of plain yogurt or 1 cup evaporated milk plus 1 tbsp. vinegar
• 1 cup sour milk or buttermilk = 1 tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to make 1 cup. Let stand 5 minutes before using.
• 1 cup buttermilk=2/3cup plain yogurt plus 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup whole milk= ½ cup evaporated milk plus ½ cup water
• 1 lb. butter = 2 cups evaporated milk beaten slowly. Pour into container and chill. Or, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup salad oil and one tsp. salt

Chocolate

• 1 oz unsweetened square= 3 Tbsp coco plus 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 oz milk chocolate square=3 Tbsp coco plus 1 Tbsp butter and 3 tsp sugar

Baking

• 1 tsp baking powder= ¼ tsp baking soda plus ½ tsp cream of tartar
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch= 2 Tbsp flour or 2 tsp quick-cooking tapioca
• ½ cup brown sugar= 2 Tbsp molasses in ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar=1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tsp cornstarch blended
• 1 cup self rising flour=1 cup all purpose flour, ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup sugar=3/4 cup honey
• 1 cup shortening=1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup cake flour=1 cup minus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 cup corn syrup=1 cup sugar plus ¼ cup liquid
• 1 package yeast =1 cake yeast
• 1 package yeast =1 tablespoon dry yeast
• 1 cup honey=1 cup sugar plus 4 Tbsp golden syrup

Cooking

• 1 cup catsup or chili sauce=1 cup tomato sauce plus ½ cup sugar and 2 Tbsp vinegar
• ¾ cup cracker crumbs=1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 small fresh onion=1 Tbsp instant minced onion, rehydrated
• 1 cup tomato juice=1/2 cup tomato sauce plus ½ cup water
• 1 garlic clove=1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp lemon juice=1/2 tsp vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vinegar = 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 cup broth = 1 bouillon cube
• Red wine=Pomegranate juice; 1/2 cup water plus 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• White wine=Apple, carrot or bell pepper juice, vegetable stock
• 1 egg short=1Tbsp vinegar

Spices/Herbs

• 1 tsp dry mustard=1 Tbsp prepared mustard
• 1 Tbsp prepared mustard=1/2 tsp dry mustard plus 2 tsp vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Allspice = 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice = 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon allspice & 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp herbs=1 tsp dried herbs
• ½ cup tartar sauce=7 Tbsp mayonnaise plus 2 Tbsp chopped sweet pickles

BTW here is a very interesting book on cooking substitution. It is very cheap (about $4) but has lots of valuable information.

Halloween Fun Recipes

Monday, October 15th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

I have got some great Halloween Fun recipes to share. These have been past on to me from my mother in law who used them when my husband was a little tyke and we make them for our kids at Halloween. The first is a fabulous Halloween punch that is tasty and spooky. It looks like mud or swamp juice, my children prefer the swamp juice. We make this every Halloween and sometimes just for fun. So here is what you need.

Halloween Punch
Ingredients:

• one can of orange juice concentrate
• one can of pineapple juice
• one packet of grape kool aid
• one liter of 7-up
• dry ice
• a large bowl
• a two quart pitcher
• a ladle
• a wisk

Steps:
Mix the kool aid according to the directions on the packet. Do the same with the pineapple juice. Do not mix up the orange juice. Pour the two juices into a big bowl. Mix the orange juice concentrate and 7-up into the bowl as well. It will appear a sort of murky green black color. Then add the dry ice and enjoy.

For a tasty treat to go with your Halloween punch try a pumpkin roll for dessert. It is a swirl of deliciousness you that will love. So the make this you will need:

Pumpkin Roll
Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1 c. sugar
• 2/3 c. pumpkin
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• ¾ c flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ginger
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• shortening or cooking spray
• Pumpkin Roll Filling
• 2 8oz Cream Cheese
• ½ c butter softened
• 2 c powered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Steps:
To make the pumpkin roll grease and flour a cookie sheet. Whip the eggs until they are thick and foamy about 5 min. Then slowly add sugar to the eggs. Next fold in the pumpkin and lemon juice gently. In a separate bowl sift together the dry ingredients.

Then fold the dry mixture into the egg and pumpkin mixture. Spread this on a cookie sheet all the way out to the corners. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. When the roll is done lift the edges with a damp towel. While the roll is still hot, sprinkle with powdered sugar. Now take a kitchen towel and slowly roll up the bread. Let it cool on a wire rack.
While the roll is cooling prepare the filling. Blend the cream cheese together. Now add the sugar and vanilla, blend well.

When the roll is cool, slowly and carefully unroll the pumpkin bread. Spread the cream cheese corner to corner then tightly, but carefully roll it up. Wrap the pumpkin roll in wax paper and cover in plastic and place in the refrigerator. When you are ready to serve slice the roll and sprinkle with powered sugar to dress it up. You can even make a stencil of a maple leaf or a pumpkin and sprinkle in the stencil to a design.

I hope these recipes will bring your family lots of Halloween fun.

French Cuisine (Part 2)

Thursday, October 11th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

The main course is usually built around meat. Don’t be surprised with a wide selection of less common meats such as lamb, rabbit, duck and goose. Lamb’s brain is a particularly interesting course that is worth the bravery. Meats are usually served with potatoes, gravy or other sauce to cover, and a light vegetable such as green beans. Other side dishes to the main course include escargot (snails). Escargot is served in a rich garlic and butter sauce that allows one to quickly overcome the mental block that surely exists with a first time bite of snail.

Dessert is served after the main course. Variety here is endless as every kind of fruit and cake can be used to make an endless list of satisfying desserts. Tarts and mousse, flan and gratin, crème broulet, or even a simple fruit salad make wonderful desserts. Other splendors include black forest cakes, apples or pears on cake with a crème sauce, baked custards in a variety of flavors, or any other combination of baked goods, fruit, and a delicious crème sauce.

Dessert is followed up by a cup of coffee. Some sort of cookie, truffle, or a dark chocolate is usually served along with the coffee. Then a white or red wine is served to complete the meal from heaven.

Despite the apparent tradition of a long, tiring preparation day that must be done to prepare such meals, the French also know how to keep it simple. If the 5-7 course meal is too much, or time is short, there is a delicious alternative. Bread and cheese with a bottle of wine make a delicious quick meal, excellent for a picnic or a mobile meal, and filling as well.

French Cuisine (Part 1)

Wednesday, October 10th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

Whether you are touring the intoxicating wine country of Bordeaux, dining in a romantic Parisian restaurant, or creating your own flan or crepe masterpiece at home, there are many ways to enjoy French cuisine.

The French simply know how to enjoy their meals, and they usually take plenty of time to enjoy them. A lunch will often last 2-3 hours….in the middle of the week! On Sundays meals with friends and family will last even longer. There are many different plates served and beautiful colors, smells, and textures served along with them. Mealtime is an opportunity to discuss a variety of topics while enjoying the taste bud splendors that different foods have to offer.

So what is so different about a French meal? How do they enjoy so many different plates in one meal? It’s all about the serving size. French meals will typically begin with a drink and an appetizer. A champagne or wine is usually served as the drink. For the appetizer, you will usually have some kind of vegetable based recipe. Serving cut raw vegetables with a dipping sauce is common. Sausages, cheese, or spreads to top bread are also common appetizers.

After some relaxed conversation and finishing off the appetizer, l’entrée, or the starter plate is served. This plate is usually a little heavier than the appetizer in that it is a full salad. It could also involve light meats or pâtés. The salad will of course be served with a vinaigrette of some kind. A light salad dressing is necessary so as not to get too full too early! After some more conversation and enjoyment, and before the entrée is completely finished (you wouldn’t want your guests or family members to be sitting there with no food on their plates!), the bread and cheese is served.

Bread is usually in the form of a baguette or some sort of sliced bread. At least three different kinds of cheese are served along with the bread. A very mild cheese such as brie or camembert is served along with a little stronger cheese such as Roquefort. Brie and camembert are both very soft cheeses that are best left out for a couple of hours before serving. Brie has a white crusty outer mold that can be eaten, but does not have much of a taste.

Camembert becomes runnier as it ages, making it easy to eat with bread or meat. Its outer mold is also white and usually discarded. The brie is the firmer of the two, so if a softer mild cheese is your choice, go with the camembert. The bread and cheese are foods that can be enjoyed throughout the meal. Going back to them between bites of the main course or salad or fruit is very appropriate as well as a delicious way to enjoy variety at lunch or dinner.

French Food

Sunday, October 7th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

It’s been about 10 years since my brother left the country of France. After spending two years there in various regions of the country, he has learned to enjoy the delicious variety of food they have to offer.

Each region of France has its own unique specialties and favorite foods. It’s kind of like the USA, where the food likely to be served in a Texas home is going to be different than the food served in a Louisiana home. There are little subcultures within the country’s culture.

During his stay, he experienced some very interesting foods in France that I don’t expect to taste at home, unless served at a French restaurant. The most interesting food ever served to him was in the town of Blois, France. This is in the Northern middle of France, southwest of Paris. It was at a friend’s house, and he wasn’t told what was being prepared. When they brought out the main course, he was told the meat was cerveau de l’agneau, which translated means lamb’s brain. As a side dish he was served escargot, or snails.

Other foods he ate were duck, rabbit, foie gras (fattened liver of duck or goose), new cheeses, and delicious desserts. He would have to say that his favorite places to get food in France were the patisserie (pastry/bakery shop) and the boulangerie (bread shop). On almost every corner in every town, these friendly little shops really know how to make a guy feel at home.

What are your favorite French foods?

Preparing to cook with your Kids

Sunday, September 30th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

Before you begin your cooking adventure with your kids, here are a few tips to get your kids comfortable in the kitchen.

These tips can help your kids become safe and responsible cooks. Once they become acclimated with the kitchen they will love to help and be involved.

Tasks
Kids love to be creative. They love to feel a sense of accomplishment. Delegate detailed tasks to each child before you start the cooking process so each one knows what they will be responsible for. This will make the cooking process flow smoothly.
If the child is old enough, don’t be tempted to criticize or take over. Give gentle reminders or instruction to help them continue learning.

Organize
Just as you would organize yourself before you cook, you will want to do the same thing with your kids. Being organized will help make cooking a fun and memorable experience. Plus, the kitchen will be less messy and easier to clean-up.

Patience
Cooking with your kids may lead to frustration, but remember to be patient. This is a learning process that might take time to develop.

It may take extra time to prepare the meal, but the benefits far out way the time it takes to clean up.

Preparations
Before you begin cooking make the following preparations with your kids to ensure safely.

Wear an apron to keep clothes clean.

Tie back long hair so it does not get into the food.

Roll up long sleeves. This will keep the sleeves from getting into the food.

Wash hands with lots of soap and water. Continue washing especially after handling food like meats.

Keep a damp towel or paper towels close for quick clean ups.

Have hot pads ready for hot dishes. Even things taken out of the microwave can be extremely hot.

Get out all the ingredients for the recipe. Let the kids help so they know where to find the common ingredients. Plus it helps the next time they need to get the same ingredient out. Put them on the counter to make sure you have all the ingredients you will need.

Get all your kitchen appliances, cook wear, bowls and utensils out.

If your child is not tall enough to reach the counter, get a stool for them to stand on.

Teach them what to do in case of an emergency, such as if they burn themselves, or if the food catches fire. Also have a first aid kit on hand.

Teach them how to handle sharp objects like knives and scissors. Once you use the knife or scissors, don’t put them in the sink to soak. Instead, lay them on the counter in a secure place until you are ready to wash them.

Clean as you go
You don’t want to have a huge mess when you’re finished, so teach your children to clean as they go. Put the dirty pots and pans or bowls in the sink to soak. You could even have a child designated as the washer. Put away all the ingredients and equipment you have used to help clear space so you have an open and clean area to continue the cooking process.

Cooking with your kids can be a great experience. Have fun and enjoy the memories being made.

Slow Cooker Tips

Saturday, September 29th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

Here are some useful tips when you use your Slow Cooker.

Cooking Times
When using an oven or stove-top recipe, here are some conversions that will help you determine the length of time to cook your dish.

Oven or Stove-Top Cooking Time

• 15-30 minutes equates to 4-6 hours on low or 1 ½ - 2 ½ on high.
• 35-45 minutes equates to 6-8 hours on low or 3 – 4 hours on high.
• 50 minutes to 3 hours equates to 8-16 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high.

One hour on high is equal to two hours on low. For example, if the recipe calls to cook a roast on low for 8 hours, you could convert it to 4 hours on high

Tips for Success

• Don’t overload your Slow Cooker.  Fill it at least half full, but no more than two-thirds. Make sure you can close the lid tightly for even cooking.
• Preheat before adding ingredients.
• Spray with cooking spray for easier clean up.
• Don’t open the lid to peek.  It drops the temperature and slows down the cooking process. It could add as much as 20- 30 minutes each time you open the lid.
• Don’t let food cool down in the slow cooker before refrigerating.
• Vegetables cook slower than meats, so keep the vegetables close to the bottom.
• Don’t add too much liquid.  The cooking process will draw out liquid from meats, poultry or vegetables. Make sure you add enough liquid to cover the meat for even heat distribution.
• Slow cookers are not good re-heaters, so don’t be tempted to throw your leftovers in.  They can not heat foods fast enough to keep bacteria at bay.  Use a stove-top or microwave to reheat.
• Don’t add dairy products like milk or cheese until the last hour or so of cooking.  It will curdle.
• Cook ground meat before adding to the slow cooker. They can contaminate your food with bacteria.
• Choose lean cuts of meat.  They will add less fat to your meal.
• Remove skin from poultry.
• Cooking times may need to be adjusted for high altitudes.

The health benefits of BBQ Monkfish

Saturday, September 29th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

The barbaqued Monkfish is a healthy dish on a stick. Not only are the vegetables loaded with valuable nutrients and vitamins, the fish and shell fish are both a wonderful source of protein and valuable Omega 3 oils. You can view the recipe video of BBQ Monkfish at our cooking videos page.

The Monkfish, which has a delicate white flesh, very comparable with lobster or scampi, also contains phosphorous and potassium. Potassium is particularly valuable, as it helps regulate blood pressure and can actually lower high blood pressure to safer levels.

The tiger prawns are a rich source of selenium- a mineral believed to play a vital role in bolstering the immune system against disease.

The soft shells of the prawn contain the source of glucosamine, which helps to repair joints suffering from osteoarthritis. I eat these, which proves very effective, and I encourage you to do the same, if you suffer from any joint twinges.

All the bell peppers — in common with all brightly colored vegetables are good sources of antioxidants and the red pepper is particularly high in vitamin c. Being members of the chill family, they also contain capsaicin, which has the ability to stop the cell changes that can lead to cancer.

The one cloud on the horizon is the method of cooking. Burnt and smoked food — particularly burnt meat — can contain dangerous carcinogens, so be careful not to eat smoked food too often or to burn your barbequed food. If you wish to cook on a barbeque, yet avoid any risk of burnt or smoked food, you can simply wrap the food in aluminum foil, which will cook it with steam, preserving all the moisture and delicious flavor of the food.

Slow Cooking

Wednesday, September 26th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

One of the toughest jobs a parent has is getting dinner on the table. With our busy lives these days, nothing spells easy like slow cooker meals. Not only are they a huge time saver, but one of the easiest ways to fix a healthy and delicious meal. And yes, it does taste like you spent all day preparing because the slow cooker did all the work for you. What could be more liberating than to throw ingredients in the slow cooker, walk away and forget about it?

With slow cooker, you are able to expand your recipes to include more than just your traditional stews and soups. Here is a list of some suggested ideas that are sure to please.

Meaty main courses

• Ham and Potatoes,
• Steaks,
• Pork Roasts,
• Briskets,
• Jambalaya,
• Sloppy Joes,
• Roasted Chicken,
• Tacos or
• Ribs.

Sandwiches

• French Dip,
• Riblets,
• Meatball,
• Pulled Beef and
• Pork

Dips

• Enchilada,
• Horseradish or
• Black Bean Salsa dips.

Comfort foods

• Spaghetti and Meatballs,
• Lasagna Tortellini,
• Baked Beans,
• Macaroni and Cheese,
• Pot Roasts, or
• Baked Potatoes.

Desserts

• Bread Pudding or
• Cakes.

Drinks

• Hot Apple Cider,
• Hot Chocolate or
• Wassail.

As you can see, these possibilities go far beyond soups and stews, although, there is nothing wrong with using a slow cooker to cook up a killer batch of chili or beef stew.

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