I just wanted to make an easy meal after a long day of gardening and computering. Just a little soup and salad–but we have no dressing. Was I going to have to futz and fuss with a homemade salad dressing before I could sit down and eat?
For years, I’ve known the rule for cooking tough meat cuts: low and slow. But in my hurry up world, I tried to do low on a gas stovetop that was calibrated for hot, fast cooking. My last batch of soup bones came out as tough as leather, even though I had cooked them on low. . . Patience and forethought came to my rescue
Nibble while you cook. Dieting gurus might not approve of this recommendation, but it’s the only way to root out potential meal time spoilers. Here’s a case in point: I was making a simple green salad tonight with green leaf lettuce and shredded red cabbage. Casting about for a quick accent, I came upon several … Read more
It’s an understandable question that anyone might ask. But do I answer it or step back and ask where that question comes from in the first place?
“Browning” rice is not like “browning chicken breasts until golden,” or “toasting nuts until brown and fragrant.” No, it means forgetting about the rice simmering on the stove until a thick brown, hard crust forms on the bottom. But now there’s a new use for it–so don’t pitch it in the composter.
I guess I’ve got peanut butter on my face! I just finished my last post, about feeling safer eating low-on-the-food-chain, freshly ground peanut butter. Then I took a break, read the paper and discovered that even freshly ground peanut butter has been implicated in the peanut scare! Before lashing my wrists with a wet noodle, … Read more
A classic, no-fail stew. Make it in the slow cooker or on the stovetop, and learn several tricks for a more tender and tasty stew. Cooking School notes included as well as modifications.
“Don’t dwell on all the bad news around you.” That’s the current advice from the positive thinking industry: You may have lost your job and your house, you’ve no doubt lost a lot of paper value and retirement security, there’s no vacation this year and probably not many additions to the wardrobe, plus you’re struggling … Read more
Could the poor pitiful pantry be the salvation for time-starved home cooks who just want to get a decent meal on the table each night?
With enough time, any new thing becomes stale, and a newly created pantry is no exception. Over time, how we stock the pantry becomes routine–and so do our meals. Discover six secrets for breathing some fresh air (and fun) into your pantry.