Tips for the week of April 22nd 2007:

All about my Top 10 Favorite Spices!


Spices are a great way to season any meal. It only takes a few seconds to throw in a few dashes. This lends to a wide variety of flavor options and they are cost effective because a bottle will last a long time. Going crazy with your favorite spices won’t change the calories in your dish because they don’t offer much nutritional content. Experiment with different spices until you find your own top 10! If you want more information or want to share any ideas, email me!


1. Basil- I love basil because of the color and fragrance it adds to any dish. While I mostly use it in Italian-themed meals, I found it works really well with poultry as well. It has a mildly sweet flavor while adding an earthy feel.


2. Black Pepper- Part of my trio of flavors that I add to almost every dish, (the other part of the trio is garlic powder and Kosher salt). Black pepper is a really cheap way to give a kick to any meal. I always recommend using fresh ground pepper. Buy a mini-grinder which is sold in the spice aisle. It’s a great way to add a slight spiciness that won’t overpower the food.


3. Cilantro- I absolutely love cilantro (and it’s my Mom’s favorite). It gives the fresh from the garden feel to any dish. It’s often used in Mexican, Asian and Indian cuisines. It has a bold green color and a citrus like taste. It is very mild but has a distinct taste.


4. Cinnamon- I had a cat named Cinnamon so it will always hold a special place in my heart. I use cinnamon in many desserts because it mellows out extremely sweet dishes. It is a woody flavor that pairs really well with dishes that need their flavors toned down.


5. Crushed Red Pepper- If you ever want to add something hot and spicy to your dish with great color, red pepper is perfect. I love to add red pepper to any dish with really mild ingredients to give it that extra pizzazz. Be careful though, a little goes a long way!


6. Cumin- Cumin is one of my favorites because it adds a really soft, lemon- like flavor while having very aromatic undertones. My grandmother uses cumin in almost everything. I use it in a wide variety of dishes as well. I especially love to add it sautéed eggplant or ground beef.


7. Nutmeg- Nutmeg is the outer seed that come from the evergreen tree. The inside part of the seed is mace. It’s mostly used in sweet dishes and I would compare it’s flavor to that of cinnamon. It has a piney taste and adds a soft brown color.


8. Oregano- Oregano is used in almost every type of marinara sauce. It’s very fragrant but slightly bitter. I often use it at the same time as basil to give it that distinct Italian flavor.


9. Paprika- Paprika has a great bright red color similar to red pepper, but don’t confuse them! Paprika and red pepper is different because paprika comes from the sweet pepper. I love to add it to sautéed vegetables.


10. Rosemary- Rosemary has a very fresh and flowery flavor. I use it mostly when I roast potatos in the oven with olive oil. It is found in a lot of French cooking and pairs really well with foods that don’t have much flavor because it is very distinct.


Tips for the week of April 1st 2007:

Do you ever wonder about the different parts of the chicken? The following tip will give you insight into the dissected chicken:

  • Chicken is very high in protein and is used in a wide variety of recipes.
  • There are four main parts of the chicken: breasts, thighs, drumsticks and wings.
  • The thighs and drumsticks are considered dark meat which tends to be juicier than white meat but also has more fat.
  • The breasts and wings are considered white meat. White meat is more expensive than dark because it takes more preparation to cut the chicken to get these parts.
  • The breast is sold in several different cuts:
    • With the bone and skin.
    • Fillets: Without the bone or skin.
    • Cutlets: Breasts that have been pounded which makes the meat more tender. Chicken cutlets are great for grilling because of their uniform thickness.
    • Tenders: Breasts that tenderized and cut into small strips which are perfect for chicken fingers.
  • Chicken wings are often fried with the skin and cooked in different sauces. They consist of the drumette and the wingette, the drumette has more meat.
  • Chicken drumsticks don’t have a lot of meat but have a lot of flavor. They are often used in Spanish paella.
  • Chicken thighs are very meaty but also very fatty. They have an excellent taste and barbeque really well because of the fat.
  • Chicken is usually served in restaurants in the following way:
    • Half chicken: Includes a breast, drumstick, thigh and wing. It is the chicken cut in half lengthwise.
    • Quarter chicken: Includes either the thigh and drumstick or breast and wing.
    • Chicken leg: Includes the drumstick and the thigh.
    • When ordering, you should specify if you would like dark or white meat.
  • Chicken parts are great for making chicken broth, the bones offer the most flavor.
  • The other cut of the chicken that isn’t used as often as breasts and thighs are the giblets. They consist of the gizzard, liver, heart and neck. Many people thing these parts are the tastiest.
  • There are also different sizes of chicken:
    • Sunday Best Roasters: Chickens that range from 5 to 8 pounds uncooked.
    • Broiler-Fryer: Chickens that range from 3 to 4.5 pounds uncooked.
    • Cornish Game Hens: Female chickens that have smaller bones and a finer flavor. These are sold whole and not cut up.
  • When storing chicken it is important that it is in air tight container or Ziploc.
  • If you do not plan on using the chicken immediately, freeze it for a later date.
  • Once you defrost chicken, do not refreeze. It will loose quality and flavor.
  • Most importantly, be careful with raw chicken. If it is not refrigerated it has a greater chance of salmonella. Also, once you use any utensil or cookware with raw chicken, do not use it with anything else that will be consumed. Clean counters and cookware that touches raw chicken often.
  • If you go to the Perdue website, they have a list of cooking times for different chicken parts:
    http://www.perdue.com/handling/guide_chicken.html

Tips for the week of March 18th 2007:

Cooking Terms Made Easy!

These are some basic cooking terms I use often and think you should know. If you think of any others you don’t know, throw me an email!

  • Al dente- Cooking pasta until it’s firm but slightly chewy. In Italian it means “to the tooth”.
  • Blanch- To cook a fruit or vegetable in boiling water for about 1 minute, then place it in ice water to stop the cooking immediately.
  • Broil- Cooking the food on the top rack, directly under the heat source. Each oven has different broiling temperatures, they are all usually around 500 degrees.
  • Butterfly-To slice open a meat (such as chicken) or other food down the middle (lengthwise) but not all the way through, then separate the two layers to form “butterfly” shape and cook.
  • Fold- To mix together to allow as much air to remain in the ingredients, such as lifting the lower ingredients with a spoon and gently placing on the top of the mixture.
  • Julienne- To cut food, often vegetables, into long and thin strips.
  • Marinate- To place food in a sauce or seasoned mixture and allow absorb all flavors.
  • Puree- To mash food into a thick liquid often by using a sieve or a food processor.
  • Roast- To cook food uncovered in the oven.
  • Sauté- To cook food over direct heat with a small amount of oil.
  • Score- Tenderize meat by making slits in food such as meat before placing in a marinade.
  • Season- To add flavor to food with spices, my favorite seasonings are salt, pepper and garlic powder.
  • Simmer- To cook food in liquid so that the liquid boils, mostly done with a small amount of liquid.
  • Sift- The act of removing large lumps from dry ingredients (such as flour or sugar) by passing through mesh.
  • Zest- To remove the outer layer of citrus fruits, the zest is used to season foods and often does not have as much acid as the flesh of the fruit.


Thank you to http://www.crisco.com/basics/cooking_terms.asp for references.

Tips for the week of March 4th 2007:

Often when buying produce, it’s tough to tell what’s in season or what’s ripe. It takes practice to know when it’s good to buy tomatoes, cucumbers or other fruits and veggies. A good indication is the price of the item. For example, if there are lots of plum tomatoes in the bin and they offer a special price, one of the reasons could be because the crop was really good. Another reason could be because the grocery store got a large shipment of them, so pick up the fruit or veggie and examine to make sure it is free of blemishes. Apples (and many other fruits) give off ethylene gas which causes other fruits such as bananas to become ripe very quickly. Try not to mix apples and bananas in a fruit bowl unless you want brown bananas much faster! Here are some the foods that I think might be tricky to pick out. If you think of any other produce and would like to know more, email me and I will gladly add it!

1. Avocados- If you do not plan to use them immediately, buy one that is more firm, it will ripen in a few days. If you are making guacamole when you get home, pick out one that is soft to the touch. Also, pop off the little black nugget that used to fasten it to the tree, if it’s white under, the avocado is good, if it’s brown, it’s spoiled inside.
2. Red/Green/Yellow Peppers- Price is a huge factor in these veggies. Often green are the cheapest. The peppers are good if they are completely colored (red, green or yellow) and there are no wrinkles or cuts. These should also be firm.
3. Tomatoes- Tomatoes should have no brown spots or soft areas. They also ripen with time, so buy ones that are harder if you plan to use them later on.
4. Cucumbers- Price is a good indication. When cukes go bad, they tend to get soft, so pick out ones that are firm.
5. Bananas- They can turn brown very quickly if you pick ones that are really ripe in the store. Buying bananas with a little bit of green will assure you that they will last longer. Unless you want to make banana bread, then you don’t want really ripe ones.
6. Grapes- Grapes can be pricey if they have a high per pound price. You want most of the bag to have firm grapes that are rich in color. What I always do is sneak one out of the bag and taste it! I do not encourage this though.
7. Apples- Nothing is worse than taking a bite into an apple and it is brown or is very mealy in texture. Feel out the apple to make sure it is very firm and doesn’t have any points of softness.

Overall, supermarkets like to publicize what is good with sales, so if you see something on sale, odds are it will be good. Also, talk to the produce employee and they will point you in the right direction if you aren’t sure!



Tips for the week of February 26th 2007:

School is starting to get extremely hectic as the semester goes on, thank goodness for spring break soon! I don’t let my hectic schedule get in the way of good eating. For weeks when you know you won’t be home much and will be really busy, try to prepare a few meals one day to carry you through the week. Spend an afternoon cooking lunches and dinners that you know will last a few days and wrap them really well (in air tight containers). Most chicken, pasta and rice dishes will stay fresh for a couple of days. Salads and anything with raw veggies doesn’t stay as fresh when exposed to sauces or dressings, they sometimes get soggy. Experiment with your favorite recipes to find what lasts the longest. Try to stay away from delivery food!

Tips for the week of February 18th 2007: 

The secret to quick cooking is always having staples on hand.  I try to go to the grocery store once a week, usually Sunday’s, and get all of the ingredients I will need to make meals each night and I never walk in without a list. Make a list of staples that work for you and try to see how many different ways you can use the same ingredients! 

Here is my current list of staples:

  • Chicken Breast- I buy a package, put each breast in a Ziploc and freeze them and then take them out to defrost as I need.
  • Olive Oil
  • Balsamic and Red Wine Vinegar
  • Hearts of Romaine
  • Tomatoes
  • Cucumbers
  • Tortillas
  • Shredded Cheese
  • Sliced Turkey Meat
  • Onion
  • Fresh Mushrooms
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Black Beans
  • Bread Crumbs
  • Garlic
  • Canned Crushed Tomatoes