Cooking Tips Articles & News
How to Bake: Muffins (with recipes)
Muffins are a mainstay around our house. They are as nourishing as they are good to eat. They are quicker and easier to make than cookies and usually contain much less sugar and fat. We usually eat them for breakfast but like them with any meal. (For Easter, we served cranberry nut muffins with a ham dinner.) They work well for snacks and desserts as well. Extras can be frozen and heated in the microwave for hot muffins anytime.
How to Make a Cajun Roux
The process of preparing Cajun food is in no way hurried and involves a layering of flavors which allows each ingredient to maintain its own identity.
Must Haves for Any At Home Chef
With the holidays on their way soon, many people will be beefing up kitchens to handle the increased demand for ‘fit for a king’ meals. Not being a professional Chef shouldn’t stop you from being able to cook like one. But, you’ll need the right tools to create those tantalizing dishes. Read on and find out the five tools that no kitchen cook should be without.
How to Prepare the Best Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Would you like to prepare the best Garlic Mashed Potatoes that you enjoy at your favorite restaurant, but have no idea where to start to achieve that wonderful and delightful flavor?
Picture Perfect Bread
The secret—at least most of it—is in the rise. The most common mistake that we see in bread making is not letting the dough rise enough.
Secret of Light and Fluffy Biscuits and Pancakes
Would you like to lose some weight -- in your baking, that is? This one secret ingredient (that you likely already have in your kitchen) is not only inexpensive and healthy, it'll also add a bit of "cloud" to your biscuits and pancakes!
How to Grill Most Any Vegetable You Can Think Of!
Grilling vegetables is easy. The fact that more people don't do it is the strange thing. The general rule is to cut the vegetables into pieces that will cook quickly and evenly. All pieces should be of consistent thickness and no more than about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Soak vegetables in cold water for about 30 minutes before you grill them to keep them from drying out. Pat dry, then brush lightly with oil to prevent sticking.
Making Homemade Pasta for Dinner Tonight
Homemade pasta cooked al dente (to the teeth), is a chewy and light treat. Here are the simple steps to making fresh pasta for dinner tonight.
Troubleshooting Machine Bread
Bread machines—wonderful inventions that they are—don’t think very well. You and I, when we have a loaf of bread percolating on the counter, can look and say, “My bread is rising a little slowly today. I think I will let it be for another fifteen minutes.” Our bread machines go ahead and start the bake cycle anyway. The result is a dense loaf of bread that didn’t rise enough.
Picnic Checklist
In the previous article, we suggested that you start a picnic checklist, improve it over time, and keep it handy for picnic prep. Here's a list to get you started. Scratch out the items you don't need and add others until you have the perfect list for your family. If you keep the list on your computer, you can print out a new copy whenever you need it.
Better Baking Technique: Is it Done Yet?
Are my breads, cookies, or cakes baked and ready to come out of the oven yet? The ability to tell when products are baked seems to cause more consternation than almost any other phase of baking. And of course, it is important. Over baked cookies are dry and hard; under baked bread is soggy. But you can get it right. In this article, we will give you the techniques and pointers for baking your goods to perfection. Yeast breads The tendency is to under bake yeast ...
Substitutions for Commonly Called for Ingredients
What should you do if you are in the middle of a recipe and realize you are out of an ingredient? You could send your child to the local convenience store for cream cheese and end up having to serve your caviar with Velveeta because to a 13 year old they are both soft cheeses. This really happened when my Mother sent me for cream cheese.
Picnic Tips and Tricks
The most difficult task of a picnic is remembering everything. Make a list on the computer of everything you might need for a picnic. Then as you pack, check off the items that you really need. Save the list for the next picnic or camping trip. When you return, add items that you wished you had taken. Eventually, you'll have the perfect list for your family.
The Perfect Scone: Keys to Make Your Scone Just Right
Ah, there’s nothing like a tender, steaming scone in the morning. (Pronounced “skawn” like “fawn” or “scone” like “tone” –Webster says either is okay.) They’re quick, they’re easy, and with a few tips, they are absolutely delectable.
Safeguard Your Food
Every year, an estimated 7 million Americans suffer from cases of foodborne illness. Some cases are violent and even result in death. Of course this is commonly known as "food poisoning." The culprit is food that has dangerously high levels of bacteria due to improper cooking or handling.
Weber Grills Reviewed: Quality that Lasts
Barbecuing has long been a favorite pastime for many and the grills people are buying have only become bigger and better as the years go by. But, with so many grills to choose from, how do consumers know which company produces the best? Well, the Weber Grill company has proven itself to be one of the greatest choices when purchasing gas, smoke and charcoal grills. Not only are their products top of the line, but they’re made with quality materials and are complete with the latest and ...