INTRODUCING THE SUOS VIDE PROFESSIONAL

A MUST WATCH VIDEO.  THANKS TO YOUTUBE AND PHILIP PRESTON!!!! 

Which oil should/shouldn't I use to fry food?

Olive oil is considered to be the healthiest of all of the cooking oils, the problem with olive oil is that it can not take the heat, it has what is called a low smoke level which makes it unsuitable for frying.

Canola oil has long been labeled as the oil of choice because it is high in monounsaturated fat and low in saturated fat which makes it desirable, saturated fats are the "bad fats" and "monounsaturated fats" are the good fats, it also has a high resistance to heat (high smoke level).

Lately however there has been a lot of controversy over Canola oils health benefits. I would recommend doing research on all oils to form your own opinion. 

Peanut oil is considered to be one of the best for healthy deep fryers because it is a natural oil that is high in monounsaturated fat, low in saturated fat and has a good resistance to heat.

Oil is an important part of the healthy fryer puzzle, some types are better than others because of the types of fat they contain. Another very important part of the picture is fat absorption. Regardless of the type of cooking oil used, oil absorption is a critical factor, as you have already guessed less is better.

I hope you have enjoyed this and think twice before reaching for that oil to fry foods.

SUPER FOODS FOR GLOWING SKIN

INTERESTING ARTICLE ON SUPER FOODS.


SUPERFOOD IS A TERM SOMETIMES USED TO DESCRIBE FOOD WITH HIGH PHYTONUTRIENT CONTENT THAT MAY CONFER HEALTH BENEFITS AS A RESULT.



http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/superfoods-for-glowing-skin-2533727/#photoViewer=1

Carbonated Grapes

Our food experiences are not limited to just taste.  Presentation, textures, and temperatures are just a few of the many elements that come into play when we eat.  This idea was borrowed by Martin from Kymos who did the research and tested this process using the Gourmet Whip from iSi.


The first step is to wash and cut your grapes in half laterally. Place them in the whipper and charge it with two cartridges and then place it in the refrigerator overnight (or at least 6 hours).

Right before you are ready to serve, release all the gas from the whipper and unscrew the cap. Pour out the contents into a bowl and enjoy. Remember, they only last about 10 minutes so you have to do it right before service. They are extremelyfizzy to the point where they actually tickle your tongue. The flavor is unchanged though they seem to taste sweeter. The best fruits to use are ones with large exposed surfaces and lots of moisture.


FYI:
Cold water dissolves more CO₂ than tempered water, that’s why we leave it in the fridge. Also, remember that it takes some time for the carbon dioxide to dissolve in water, therefore it’s better not to be in a hurry. A quick calculation of the pressures gives the following: Both gases have molecular weights of 44 g/mol, so 8 g of gas corresponds to 0.1818 moles or 4.1 L at 25 °C and 1 atm pressure. The volume of the chargers is 0.01 L which gives an initial pressure in the chargers of impressive 445 atm! With an approximate volume of 0.7 L this gives a pressure (in an empty whipper) of nearly 6 atm – the same as in a bottle of champagne.


You can purchase your very own at this link or at your local Williams Sonoma.
http://www.amazon.com/iSi-Gourmet-Whip-Quart-Polished-Stainless/dp/B00007JXQX

DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT CARROTS?

CARROTS ORIGINATED IN WHAT IS NOW AFGHANISTAN, IRAN, AND PAKISTAN AND BY ABOUT 1000 A.D., THEY WERE BEING GROWN FROM INDIA TO THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN.  BY THE 1300S, PURPLE AND YELLOW CARROTS HAD SPREAD AS FAR AS WESTERN EUROPE AND CHINA.  WHITE AND ORANGE CARROTS FIRST APPEARED IN EUROPE DURING THE 1700S.  ORANGE CARROTS QUICKLY DISPLACED ALL OTHER COLORS AND DOMINATED THE WORLD TO THIS DAY.


CARROTS ARE AN EXCELLENT SOURCE OF VITAMIN A.  

THE CHICKEN BREAST COOKED TO PERFECTION EVERY TIME!!!!

SEASON CHICKEN BREAST TO YOUR LIKING.


TAKE A LARGE SKILLET WITH A LID OVER HIGH HEAT.


IN A LITTLE OLIVE OIL SEAR EACH SIDE FOR 2 1/2 MINUTES (5 MINUTES TOTAL).


TURN HEAT OFF AND LET SIT WITH LID ON FOR EXACTLY 15 MINUTES (LID MUST STAY ON TO FINISH COOKING PROCESS).

WHAT IS SOLUBLE FIBER?

DO YOU WANT TO EAT HEALTHIER BUT ARE NOT SURE WHAT YOU SHOULD BE EATING?  THERE ARE MANY HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS OUT THERE.  TODAY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOLUBLE FIBER AND WHAT FOODS YOU CAN FIND IT IN.


FIBER HELPS PROMOTE HEALTH AND REDUCE THE RISK FOR SOME CHRONIC DISEASES.  FIBER ALSO PREVENTS CONSTIPATION, HEMORRHOIDS AND DIVERTICULOSIS.  FIBER HAS ALSO BEEN KNOWN TO PREVENT COLON AND BREAST CANCER.  FIBER IS BROKEN DOWN INTO TWO PARTS, SOLUBLE AND INSOLUBLE.  BOTH ARE UNDIGESTED AND DO NOT GET ABSORBED INTO THE BLOODSTREAM.  FIBER IS NOT USED FOR ENERGY, IT IS EXCRETED FROM YOUR BODY.  LETS TALK ABOUT SOLUBLE FIBER.


SOLUBLE FIBER HAS BEEN SHOWN TO REDUCE BAD CHOLESTEROL AND IMPROVE HEART HEALTH, WHICH IS WHY SOME FOODS ARE PROMOTED AS GOOD FOR YOUR HEART.  (THEY CONTAIN SOME SOLUBLE FIBER)  


FDA DOES NOT REQUIRE FOOD COMPANIES TO BREAK DOWN INSOLUBLE AND SOLUBLE FIBER ON THIER PRODUCT SO YOU MAY BE TAKING IN SOME AND NOT EVEN KNOW IT.  I AM SEEING IT LISTED ON THE PACKAGE MORE AND MORE AS MORE AMERICANS ARE BEING HEALTH CONSCIOUS AND IT SHOWS TO HELP SELL PRODUCTS.  LETS FACE IT WE ALL WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE ARE EATING AT LEAST THOSE THAT CARE ABOUT THIER HEALTH.


OATMEAL HAS SOLUBLE FIBER IN IT AND YOU CAN EAT IT AS JUST PLAIN HOT OATMEAL OR USE IT IN MANY RECIPES AS FLOUR.  TO MAKE OATMEAL FLOUR JUST SIMPLY PUT THE OATS IN A PROCESSOR, MIXER OR BULLET AND TURN ON UNTIL THE OATS ARE TURNED INTO FLOUR.  VERY SIMPLE AND LETS NOT FORGET HEART HEALTHY TOO.

BE SURE TO TRY MY BLUEBERRY OATMEAL PANCAKE RECIPES.


I WILL BE POSTING MORE RECIPES REPLACING FLOUR WITH OATMEAL FLOUR.  

Do you really need a knife block set for your home kitchen?

Which knives do you use the most? 

Most home cooks do not use all the knives in their knife block set.  The two knives I use mostly in my kitchen is the 8-inch chef and 3-inch paring knife.  Having more than one chef knife wouldn't be a bad idea either.  Have serrated knives are tough to sharpen, so it is smarter to buy a inexpensive one and just replace it when it dulls.


Getting a good cutting board is also important to help maintain that sharp edge longer.  Why spend tons of money on high end knives, only to ruin them on a cheap cutting board.  

Did you know the many uses of baking soda?

JUST A FEW COOL USES OF BAKING SODA

- 2 PARTS CREAM OF TARTAR + 1 PART BAKING SODA & CORNSTARCH = BAKING POWDER


- CAN BE USED TO PUT OUT CLOTHING, FUEL, WOOD, UPHOLSTERY AND RUG FIRES.


- SOAK HARD TO CLEAN POTS & PANS IN BAKING SODA WATER FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES BEFORE WASHING.


- KEEP DRAINS FLOWING FREE BY DUMPING 4 TABLESPOONS OF BAKING SODA WITH HAT WATER DOWN THEM EACH WEEK.


- SOAK SHOWER CURTAINS IN BAKING SODA WATER TO CLEAN SOAP SCUM OFF.


- USE TO BRUSH TEETH.


- 2 TABLESPOONS OF BAKING SODA IN BATH WATER WILL HELP RELIEVE DIAPER RASH.


- USE ON A DAMP CLOTH TO POLISH SILVERWARE.


- MAKE A BAKING SODA AND WATER PASTE TO RELIEVE BURNS.


- USE AS UNDERARM DEODORANT.


- WIPE WINDSHIELDS WITH GOBS OF BAKING SODA ON A DAMP CLOTH TO REPEL RAIN.

HAVE YOU TASTED A NEW WINE LATELY?

Ever find yourself stuck in the wine comfort zone? Drinking the same kind of wine because either you don’t know what to try next, or you can’t imagine that there’s anything you’d like as much, so it’s easier to keep drinking what you’ve been drinking or maybe trying a new label, but not a new variety. 



Wine tastings are a really good way to try new wines, whether you put them on yourself or attend one at a local winery. If you host one at your home, invite a half dozen friends, and plan ahead to make the most of it. I will post tips on setting up your own wine tasting next week.

COLOR
The true color of the wine is best judged by tilting the glass and looking at the wine through the rim, to see the variation from the deepest part of the liquid to its edges. Intensity can best be gauged looking straight down through the wine from above. Clarity whether the wine is brilliant or cloudy with particles is most evident when light is shining sideways through the glass.

The color indicates the age of the wine, quality and concentration. Examining wine through a colored glass is like staring at a beautiful girl that is wearing wraparound sunglasses. ROSÉ and light RED wines will be lighter in flavor, while dark red wines will be fuller in flavor. Rosé wine is pale pink when young and develops a warm orange hue with age. An overly pronounced red or orange color in a rosé is a defect. Red wines when young are usually deep purple and then become brick-red when mature. When brownish-red, they’re generally too old.

Light white wines are palest in color. Sweet white wines are usually darker in color than dry white wines. White wines begin clear yellow or greenish and then turn golden with age.

AROMA
This is the fruity, “grapey” scent in a young wine. The bouquet is a product of bottle age, and most good wines will develop it if allowed to mature. The glass should hold 10 to 18 ounces and the bowl should be biggest at the bottom, tapering to a small opening in order to concentrate the wine's aromas.

TASTE
One thing to remember is that taste is an individual thing. If you like the wine, don’t let anyone change your mind. You may taste sweetness in a wine, while the person next to you may not.
Accurate and complete wine tasting depends primarily on the concentration and acuteness of perception of the taster. But the right tools and an efficient approach can make a big difference, too.

Please drink responsible and always make smart choices and plan ahead.

DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT USED COFFEE GROUNDS?

Roughly more than 50 percent of Americans drink coffee each day, over 3 cups equaling more than 300 million cups a day. You may fall within that 50 percent. Ok now that is a lot of coffee but what about the leftover grounds. Have you ever heard of people talking about using coffee for various things around the house?

With recycling becoming more and more important in America, leftover coffee grounds can be used to save you money. In this blog, I am going to discuss just a few most likely uses of used coffee grounds. After reading this you may start using those old coffee grounds instead of just throwing them away.

Used as a cleaning aid - We all face hard-to-clean objects in our lives. Whether yours is a pan that just won't come clean or an ashtray full of stains, coffee grounds as a cleaner may be your solution. Coffee grounds are extremely abrasive and acidic, making them the choice when it comes to difficult cleaning. Mix some coffee grounds with a little bit of water, and then scrub with a firm brush. Make sure the pans you are trying to clean are stain-resistant. Coffee grounds may dye any surface it makes contact with. I just wonder, if coffee can clean pots and pans, what does it do to my stomach lining.

Freshening kitchen drains - Do you ever walk through your kitchen and smell a foul odor, only to discover that it is emanating from your drain? Just heat about 5 cups of water to a boil and pour about half a cup of used coffee grounds down the drain followed by the boiling water. The hot water pushes the grounds through, ensuring that they will not clog the drain. Your drain should smell fresh for at least a week.

Enhances carrot and radish growth – Most of us have heard that coffee grounds make a great fertilizer in garden and great for compost piles. Believe it or not, coffee can enhance the growth of carrots and radishes. Though I have never tried this in my garden I have heard this from many reliable sources. Mix your carrot and radish seeds with used coffee grounds and plant the seeds and coffee together. The grounds will increase your carrot and radish amount and size and ward off any underground pests attracted to your garden. Just give it a try for yourself and see.

Deodorizer for freezer - Stop spending money on baking soda and start using those when your old coffee grounds do the same job? After drying the grounds place them in an old used butter tub or something similar. Place the lid on, but poke holes in the top to allow the flow of oxygen so that the coffee grounds will be able to suck up odors effectively.

These are just a few uses for those old coffee grounds. 

CHEF KNIFE TECHNIQUE

Here is a photo of the proper chef's knife grip as seen from the inside or thumb-side of the cutting hand. Your thumb should grip the knife around the top of the blade, with the hand wrapped around the bolster of the knife. As beginners you may find that this takes some getting used to, it definitely provides extra control over the blade. Trust me once you get use to this hold you will see that this hold allows you to have more consistent cuts. 
Remember that you should be gripping the knife mainly with the thumb and forefinger. Make sure you relax your hand if you find that you are tightly gripping the entire handle. After much practice you will get used to this grip, and soon any other grip wont feel natural.

Now that you know the proper way to hold your chef knife, we need to make sure your other hand does, too. Your non-knife hand is called your "guiding hand," and its job is to hold the food in place to keep it from sliding around on the cutting surface. This keeps your non-knife hand in a safe positiong. With the knife blade flying up and down, you need to keep those fingertips tucked safely away, while still being able to firmly hold the food.



This is a demonstration of the "claw grip" and as you can see, by keeping the fingers curled inward and gripping the onion with my fingernails, my fingers stay out of harm's way. The side of the knife blade should rest against the first knuckle of the guiding hand, which helps keep the blade straight up and down to the cutting board.

This is the safest and fastest way to use your profesional chef knife in your kitchen be it at home or at work. Happy cutting and the next time you are cutting food remember to use the "claw grip".

THE BEST WAY TO BEAT YOUR EGGS

THE TOP MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT IN SCRAMBLED EGGS IS AIR AND RARELY EVER MENTIONED.  JUST IMAGINE IF WE COULD JUST INJECT A TABLESPOON OF AIR INTO OUR MIXING BOWL.  WELL INCORPORATING AIR INTO BEATEN EGGS REQUIRES GOOD OLD FASHION WISK ACTION DONE PROPERLY.

THE MORE YOU WHISK -- THE MORE AIR BUBBLES BECOME TRAPPED IN THE SHAKEN AND UNRAVELING PROTEIN OF THE EGGS.  AS THE EGGS COOK, PROTEIN MOLECULES FIRM-UP AROUND THE AIR BUBBLES RESULTING IN A SPONGY TEXTURE AND MOST DEFINITELY CREATING FULL AND FLUFFY SCRAMBLED EGGS EVERY TIME.

THE AMERICAN EGG BOARD DESCRIBES WELL-BEATEN EGGS AS "FROTHY AND EVENLY COLORED".  WHEN YOUR EGGS MATCH THAT DESCRIPTION (AFTER ABOUT 2 MINUTES) YOU SHOULD STOP BEATING.

OVER-BEATING WILL COMPLETELY UNRAVEL THE PROTEIN MOLECULES AND DESTABILIZE THEIR ABILITY TO FORM A MICROSCOPIC CASING AROUND THE AIR.

THE TILTED WHEEL MOTION WORKS FAR BETTER THAN A VERTICAL STIRRING MOTION.

HERE IS A PERFECT RECIPE TO TRY THIS OUT ON.

6 LARGE EGGS
6 TEASPOONS LOW-FAT MILK
3 DASHES OF SALT
1 TABLESPOON BUTTER

HEAT A LARGE NON-STICK FRYING PAN TO A SETTING JUST ABOVE MEDIUM HEAT.  A 12-INCH PAN WORKS BEST FOR 6 EGGS.  JUST HEATING THE PAN AT THIS POINT SO NO BUTTER YET.

IN A LARGE MIXING BOWL, WISK THE EGGS WITH THE SALT AND MILK.  BEAT USING THE TILTED WHEEL MOTION VIGOROUSLY FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES OR UNTIL THEY BECOME FROTHY AND EVENLY COLORED.

NOW YOU CAN MELT THE BUTTER IN THE FRYING PAN.  AS THE VERY LAST OF THE BUTTER IS LIQUEFYING, ADD THE EGG MIXTURE.

DO NOT STIR IMMEDIATELY.  WAIT UNTIL THE FIRST SIGN OF SETTING BEGINS AND THEN BEGIN PUSHING EGGS TO THE CENTER WHILE TILTING PAN TO DISTRIBUTE THE RUNNY PARTS.

ONCE ALL RUNNY PARTS ARE COOKED AND THE BIG PIECES ARE BROKEN UP YOU WILL NOW HAVE YOUR PERFECT SCRAMBLED EGGS TO ENJOY.

MAKES 3 SERVINGS.