Posts Tagged ‘ how to cook ’
You Need a Rice Cooker
Why Buy a Rice Cooker? As a kid, I didn’t even know that rice cookers existed. Actually, I don’t think I’d ever even heard of them until I moved to California. (Cut me some slack; I lived a sheltered culinary existence in Campbell’s and Kraft-land.) But in California, everyone has a rice cooker. Everyone. I […] Read More
The Secrets of Tofu
How to Cook Edible Tofu Living in California, we’re surrounded by Asian restaurants, so I’ve eaten plenty of tofu. The problem is that when I’ve tried to cook it at home, it tastes less “meaty” (for lack of a better explanation) than what the restaurants serve, and more like the unappealing squish of a custard. […] Read More
Tiny Kitchen Tip: Incorporating Flour
“You have to kind of smush the flour into the wet stuff first, before you really stir, if you don’t want the kitchen to look like it was snowing. Remember that time I stirred too fast? Whoa. I’m not going to do that again.” –> Tiny Kitchen Assistant Read More
Learning to Cook
Because I post recipes online, it seems only natural to assume that I learned how to cook by watching my mother and my grandmother. Wrong. While both cooked, neither one of them was a particularly stellar chef. My grandmother, for example, didn’t have any spices in the house, including salt and pepper. My mother had […] Read More
Tiny Kitchen Tip: Lemons
“When you want to get lots of juice out of the lemon, roll it back and forth until you make all the juice come loose. Then, when you cut it open… Boom! Lots of juice!” –> Tiny Kitchen Assistant Read More
How to Cook: Roasting a Whole Chicken
How to Roast a Chicken Roasting a whole chicken seems like a complicated process reserved for special occasions. Here’s the secret: it’s really easy. Another secret: I always make two at a time and store the leftover meat for later use in salads, sandwiches, enchiladas or whatever else might come to mind. This recipe makes […] Read More
How to Cook: Pan-Roasted Chicken
Several years ago, I listened to a cooking presentation given by Terry Conlan, Executive Chef of Lake Austin Spa. He told us that we should always cook chicken with the skin on, then remove it before eating. The amount of added fat would be negligible, he said, but the improvement in taste and texture would […] Read More
How to Cook: Wheat Berries
I have to admit that, like most people, I’m new to wheat berries, but I’d been looking for new side dishes that used more whole grains. You can’t get much more whole than wheat berries. They are whole wheat, the whole grain that companies grind into everyday, recognizable flour. They have a great texture. I’ve […] Read More
How to Cook: Quinoa
How to Cook Quinoa The fact that you’re reading this post means that you’ve heard about quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah), the miracle grain. I say that with some amount of sarcasm, but it really is good stuff. It’s high in protein and fiber, ranks low (35) on the glycemic index, and is vegan-friendly and gluten free. […] Read More
How to Cook: Simple Pasta Sauce
Easy Butter and Tomato Sauce If I had to guess, I’d say that I probably haven’t bought pasta sauce in a jar since before we moved away from the east coast in 1999. I’ve found the answer to a perfect, simple sauce that can be made in the time it takes to boil water and […] Read More
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