Table Talk: Cooking Hacks

Showing posts with label Cooking Hacks. Show all posts

10 Hacks for the Perfect Summer BBQ

1. When the grill is still hot, wipe it down with an onion. The oils in the onion take care of all the grease.

2. Grill smarter. Keep one side of the grill at a lower temperature than the other side. Once you sear your meats, move them over to the cooler side of the grill so that they can finish cooking without burning.

3. If your day gives you lemons…smoke (or grill) them before squeezing them over your dish. Bonus: squeeze the lemons in a refreshing mixed drink—whiskey, anyone?—for an exciting twist to your summer cocktails.

4. Smoke without a smoker. Wrap wood chips in foil, poke a few holes, and then toss the entire package below the grate of an electric grill. Voila! No one will know the difference!

5. Know your propane level. Boil water, tilt the propane tank slightly, and pour the water onto the side of the tank. Wherever the tank remains cool after the hot water was poured on it—that’s the propane level.

6. Spritz some apple juice on your meat to improve tenderness, flavor, and color.

7. Marinade! Grilling meat at super high temperatures generates cancer-causing compounds. Marinating your meat in any simple sodium solution can cut down this compound production by 90%. Bonus: use antioxidant-rich spices like turmeric, rosemary, or cumin for an extra healthy boost.

8. Stash some booze! Liquor is an excellent addition to any base sauce when you’re grilling meat or fish. Keep half a cup of bourbon around; paired with a good BBQ sauce, it adds extra flavor to whatever’s cooking.

9. Don’t let anything slip through the cracks. For thin veggies like asparagus, skewer a bunch together for easy, slip-free grilling.

10. Keep your BBQ ant—and chemical—free. An easy food-friendly ant repellent: equal parts white vinegar and water. Cloves in limes also make great homemade, fresh-smelling Citronellas.

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4 Easy Ways to Prep for the Fourth before It’s Here

1. Make your playlist now.

90s throwbacks? Marvin Gaye? John Phillip Sousa? Whatever your style, start compiling your party’s mix sooner, not later. Great things take time—and collaboration—so get started now and tweak the tunes throughout the week. We like the hamburger method: start with the bun, the songs that set the mood. Next comes the burger patty itself: classic crowd-pleasers, back to back. The lettuce and ketchup are the filler songs that provide cohesion throughout the party. Throw in some curveballs—the bacon or the fried egg of the burger, if you will—and finish with another mood-setter, the satisfying bottom bun.

2. Know your menu.

Plan ahead and pick easy, yummy recipes for your Fourth of July celebrations. Try choosing make-ahead options without complicated ingredients/cooking instructions to make the day easier. Knowing your menu a week in advance can also help you plan your grocery shopping around the mobs of stressed holiday shoppers.

3. Buy the easy stuff.

You know you’re serving on plastic/paper? Great. Go get that, stat. You know the cocktails (or mocktails) you’re making already? Alcohol and mixers/drink garnishes won’t expire in the week before your party. Get those this weekend, and avoid the liquor stores and beer distributors on the 4^th. Your family is already asking about your famous bean dip or pasta salad? Excellent. You can buy non-perishables like beans and pasta this weekend and cut down on the time you’ll spend in the store getting the fresher stuff later in the week.

4. Outsource early.

If you’re okay with outsourcing some of the dishes you’ll be serving, know which ones and where they’re coming from. If your sister makes great desserts, ask her ASAP if she’s willing to bring something over to your party. Know where you’re getting it and how much you’ll need so you can order ahead!

Early planners are the best hosts! Get prepping now so you can really enjoy hosting your Fourth of July!

Take Out Meals You Should Be Making at Home

Every so often, we splurge. A late-night (or midday) Seamless order, a moment of weakness on the way home from work, a hungry trip to the store.

We all do it. Why is take out so appealing?

It isn’t healthy for us, it isn’t really that much faster than any other meal, and it almost guarantees a food-induced coma upon consumption. But it’s good.

Fried Chinese food, cheesy Tex-Mex, gooey Cinnabon—sometimes, we can’t resist. But next time shrimp fried rice lures you to your take out menus, evaluate your kitchen—and your wallet. These homemade dishes are healthier and just as tasty as your take out favorites, for about half the price.

Chinese food.

Fried rice, stir-fry, and other classic Chinese take out dishes can typically be made in 25 minutes or less, usually in one pan, with ingredients you already have in your kitchen. Homemade Chinese is perfect if you have leftover rice, chicken, fruit, pork—anything, really.

Leftover rice makes a better stir-fry than fresh rice, and with a little soy sauce, some snow peas, and scallions, you can make your own Chinese take out. Sesame orange shrimp is particularly alluring: soy sauce, egg whites, orange juice, scallions, sesame, and 25 minutes later, you’ve satisfied your Chinese craving. Sweet and sour chicken is even easier; 15 minutes, one pan, and ingredients you already have in your pantry make for a delicious take out replacement.

Mexican.

Mexican food only has one set of ingredients. Tomatoes, cheese, rice, beans, meat, avocado, peppers, eggs. Tequila maybe, if it’s been a long day. Quesadillas are the perfect quick fix for a hungry crowd and a creative cook, and even tacos and burritos are easy to make, especially for picky eaters. Chipotle might be tasty, but it’s more expensive and definitely slower than whipping up a Mexican treat in your own kitchen.

Breakfast treats.

Saturday and Sunday mornings are cinnamon roll mornings. They’re Krispy Kreme and various breakfast pastry mornings. The sweet treats staring at you in the bagel line can be tempting, but nothing beats the smell of sweets baking in your kitchen on a weekend morning.

Freshly baked banana muffins only require 6 ingredients, and apple cinnamon muffins only take 15 minutes to bake. Cinnamon rolls are ready in 15 minutes with only some crescent rolls, butter, and cinnamon sugar. If your sweet tooth just can’t be satisfied, try replacing your favorite breakfast indulgence with cheap, easy treats this Sunday morning.

Not every take out dish can be perfectly replicated at home, but once you start experimenting with your favorite fast meals, you might be up to the challenge. Can’t get enough of Chipotle’s cilantro rice? Seamless still calling your name? Replace one take out meal with an easy, homemade version. You’d be surprised at your own ingenuity in the kitchen, and you might discover new recipes along the way!

Order home cooking the same way you order take out

*image courtesy of Shutterstock

6 Healthier Substitutes for Things You Eat Every Day

“Healthy” doesn’t always sound appetizing. It conjures the bitter taste of kale salad, a plate of bland grains we’ve never heard of, or a giant bowl of something that leaves our taste buds dissatisfied and our stomachs grumbling an hour later. Brownies, creamy soups, carbohydrates, butter, and mayo definitely don’t make the “healthy” cut. Or do they? Chicory has compiled a list of six substitutes that can easily take the guilt out of your guilty pleasures.

1. Coconut Oil. Try substituting this healthier oil for margarine or for vegetable or canola oil in your recipes. It’s rich in lauric acid, which helps manage blood sugar and cholesterol in the body. It’s also easy to digest, boosts your metabolism, and improves your immune system with antibacterial and antifungal properties. Bonus: It’s excellent for you skin and hair!

2. Yogurt + Cottage Cheese. By combining equal parts low fat yogurt and cottage cheese in a blender, you can replace sour cream. This easy combo is much lower in fat content, has the same color and consistency of sour cream, and is fewer calories. Bonus: Both ingredients double as healthy meals or meal supplements!

3. Cauliflower. If you grate steamed cauliflower, it has the same color, consistency, and taste of rice. This carb-less substitute is an easy must for cooks looking for healthy, hearty dishes that won’t lull your diners to sleep at the table.

4. Applesauce. A common substitute for dairy-free diners, applesauce can take the place of butter in any baking recipe. Try making your own applesauce from scratch for a truly unique recipe! Other options: Avocado puree or pureed baby prunes can also take butter’s place in your favorite baked goods!

5. Black beans. Try using dried black beans instead of flour in your baked beans. Be warned: unless you are aiming for brown dough or dark sugar cookies, stick to brownies and quick breads. Other options: Almond meal also works as a great nutty flour substitute for muffins and breads!

6. Quinoa. Oatmeal, while a favorite breakfast food, is loaded with carbohydrates and often does not offer any nutritious grains. Try making quinoa with milk instead; a carbohydrate-filled breakfast is transformed into a protein-based, vegetarian (or vegan) meal. Bonus: It’s just as filling as oatmeal, and you can use the quinoa you buy for lunch and dinner recipes, too!

Most of these ingredients, except for maybe the coconut oil, are items you probably already have in your kitchen. Make the most of your homemade meals and your kitchen cupboard by switching out common ingredients for these healthier—and just as common—substitutes.

Start getting more out of your meals

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*image courtesy of Shuttershock

Cooking Without Regrets: How to Save A Ruined Meal

Cooking without regrets. It's the goal of every home cook.

Some of us can get scared to get into the kitchen because there's so much room for error: adding too much salt, cooking bland, gray meat, etc.

After putting (sometimes) hours into making a delicious meal - a wonderful main dish, a bunch of fantastic sides, and maybe even a scrumptious homemade dessert - it's just about the worst the thing to realize that what you're cooking isn't coming out correct.

There's a moment of panic here. What do I do?! Takeout?! Frozen Lasagna?!

It's a big decision.

When is a meal 'too ruined' that it's gone past being something worth saving?

Apart from the oven being on fire, it's actually a fine line and there are many tips and tricks you can use to help save a ruined meal.

What are some of your favorite cooking hacks for cooking without regrets?

Here are ours:

1. Meat isn't browning? Don't turn up the heat and try to scorch everything in the pan! Instead, make the pan less crowded. If you're cooking fatty meat there might be too much liquid in the pan. Either drain it or cook for a little bit longer than recommended so that the liquid starts to evaporate and you can actually start to get a good brown going on.

2. Roast is over or under cooked? This is actually an easy fix - but you have to be a little adventurous. If the outside is already crispy but the inside is still raw you don't want to cook it much longer as you might end up burning the roast.
Instead, shred or chop up the roast, add some liquid (either a quick gravy, water, crushed tomatoes with some spices or even some store bought bbq sauce), and put it back in the oven until it's fully cooked. Ya, it's not the fancy roast you were trying to make but we bet it will still be delicious.

3. Fried food coming out soggy? This is one of the few times in cooking when you should turn the heat up. You know your stove better than we do so we're not going to recommend an exact 'setting' but make sure that the oil is hot enough that if you drop some flour into the pot it immediately starts to brown.
Overcrowding the pan will lower the temperature so make sure to cook in batches and adjust the heat as you add and take out food. Also, have a plate with thick paper towels on top set up to hold the food as it comes out - the less oil that remains on the food the crispier it will turn out.

4. Hollandaise or homemade Mayonnaise breaking? This is super frustrating because making a special sauce like this is not something we do every day. Breaking occurs when the fats and liquids in a sauce separate. Instead of a smooth sauce you end up with a clumpy, grainy mess that doesn't look too appetizing.
To fix a broken hollandaise or homemade mayo, the best thing to do is to whisk together another egg in a separate bowl with a little liquid (water or lemon... don't use oil) and add it back into the main sauce just before serving, stirring quickly. If this doesn't work (or if you do this, it works, and then you wait too long and it breaks again) try adding a few drops of cool water while stirring vigorously.

5. Food too salty? Without constantly tasting food it's difficult to judge how salty it's going to turn out. The worst part about making salty food is that there's no way to just take the salt out. The best cooking hack is to add some starch like potatoes or noodles. As these cook they will start to absorb the salt (although they'll also start to absorb some of the other flavor too). If you have remaining ingredients from the original recipe on hand, try increasing the serving size of the recipe without adding any more salt.

How do you save a ruined dish?

Three Cooking Mistakes We All Make

Everyone makes mistakes in the kitchen from time to time. Most of them are done when we're really hungry and don't want to wait around to properly cook a dish. While this will get the food out faster it won't be the quality that should or could have been. While each of these cooking tips is different they all have one major thing in common: take your time in the kitchen. Cook methodically and your taste buds (and the taste buds of your friends and family) will thank you.

Cooking with oil doesn't have to be unhealthy! In fact, oils are a great source of unsaturated fat that helps protect your immune system and lower cholesterol.

The techniques used in a recipe shouldn't stop you from making it.

While some recipes are very easy and straightforward, some appear to be complicated because of the techniques involved. But don't let this scare you away!

Cooking is more fun when you can step outside your boundaries a bit and make stuff that's challenging and impressive.

Leftovers...

Some of us love them, some of us hate them, but almost everyone struggles with creative things to do with them.

Not in the Mood for Meal Planning

What's harder than cooking homemade meals during the week?

Planning them out.

Yup. For some reason, most of us (myself included) are just terrible at planning out what's going to be for dinner. Instead we go from day to day like culinary zombies, wandering around the internet for recipes to inspire us or grocery stories for some new, probably on-sale item, to do the same.

At Chicory we like to ask our customers "what type of grocery shopper are you?"

Most say that they're an 'opportunist' grocery shopper.

" 'what's for dinner?' is answered day by day. Whether it's a 10:30 am text from your significant other or finding a cool recipe online during your lunch break, you pick up what you need for dinner on your way back home each day."

But almost everyone who describes herself as the 'opportunist' follows up that answer by saying "I like to plan out meals... I know I should plan out meals more... but it's hard."

We thought about adding these to Chicory but then remembered that we love our customers and hate indigestion.

How to cook like an Italian grandma while working 70 hours a week

Just about nothing beats some good, old fashioned home cooking - especially where you're the one in the kitchen who gets the credit. Sure, cooking is awesome and enjoyable (a way to express yourself, to relieve some stress). But it's hard. That pesky job always seems to be getting in the way of making those exciting recipes that take a couple hours to make rather than the strict '30 minute' meals.

Here are some tips that make it easy to cook like an Italian grandma while still working 70 hours a week:

1. Plan out meals

Staying organized about what you're cooking week to week and what groceries you need to buy can help you make sure that days that are a little less hectic at the office are also days when you get a chance to cook something awesome. Know that you're going to be able to get home early on Thursday? Have a recipes already picked out and the groceries already at your house so when you get home all you need to do is get cooking.

2. Cook ahead of time

While it's always a good idea to have a plan,

All The Presidents' Plates

Did you know that each and every President in American history has eaten food (Yup, even Grover Cleveland!!)? Not only that, they all had foods that they love. Here are some of our favorites:

The messiest recipes to make for your sweetheart

Still searching for that perfect valentines day recipe? You might want to look somewhere else. This is a list of the sloppiest, heartiest recipes we've got. Perfect for these cold, February days. So place an order, put on your hoodie, take off the kahkis, and enjoy!

Stuffed Zucchini with Goat Cheese and Herbs

Buffalo Chicken Nachos

The slow cooker is an amazing invention. With only a couple of minutes of preparation anybody can create meals that would traditionally take hours of standing over a hot stove.
But, while slow cookers can save you time cooking, they don't really take care of the other 50% of what it requires for busy, modern home cooks to create healthy meals from scratch.

Check out these tips and tricks to help simplify and speed up your cooking routine!

10. Save an open bottle of wine with olive oil and cotton

I’ve never seen of or heard of this trick anywhere other than in a small Italian home I stayed in a few years ago. My “house dad” used to save our table wine by pouring in a little bit of olive oil on the top when we were done with it. Then, when it came time to “open” up the bottle again the next night(we had wine with every dinner), he would tie a piece of string around a cotton ball (just make a bunch at once) and lower it into the wine bottle. The cotton will catch the olive oil, separating it from the vino below.

9. Slice avocados in their skin

If you’re like me, you probably can’t go a week without eating an avocado (they’re nature’s butter… how can you go wrong?). Despite their deliciousness they can be very pesky to open and cut! Here’s the best way to do it:

1. Cut the avocado in half with a sharp knife
2. Firmly stick the knife into the pit and remove it
3. Hold one half of the avocado (still in the skin) and cut into cubes making sure not to cut through the skin
4. Gently squeeze the avocado half – the cubes will fall out
5. Discard the skin and repeat with the other half

8. Partially Freeze Meat Before Cutting

Thinly slicing any type of meat, from chicken to beef, can be incredibly tricky, even with a solid cutting board and a sharp knife. The best way to get these thin cuts is to stiffen the meat by placing it in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.This cooking hack also works on onions to lessen the chance that they’ll make you tear up (probably the worst thing when you’re quickly trying to get some dinner on the table).

7. Refrigerate Herbs and Greens with a damp paper towel

Nothing beats some nice, crisp vegetables. And nothing is worse than when, a couple days later, those fresh veggies have turned to mush in your fridge. The best way to extend the life of your herbs and greens is by rolling them up in a damp paper towel. The towel will collect dark spots of liquid, showing you when its time to cook them up.

6. Taste your food as you go

Ever create something that looks delicious, smells delicious, and, heck, probably is delicious? Then you take that first wonderful bite and… something’s off. Salt? Pepper? Oh no! Probably the best way to make sure your food doesn’t just look good but taste’s good (which, at the end of the day, is the point, right?) is to taste as you cook. Sneak little bites as you go along to make sure that everything is balanced and tastes just right (plus, you’re the one cooking – you deserve it)!

5. Prevent food from sticking

I absolutely hate it when my food sticks on traditional cookware. In this situation, oil is your best friend! Use a metal spatula to loosen what you’re cooking and push it to one side of the skillet. Then tilt the pan so the empty area is over the heat. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil to the empty area and let it get hot before moving the food back. The oil will naturally slicken the pan, making sure your food easily comes off.

4. Add a splash of milk to raw eggs

This is so simple and straightforward that it just makes immediate sense. Just a splash of milk added to eggs will leave you with the butteriest, fluffiest eggs you’ve ever had. If you have any nutmeg lying around, add a pinch of it to deepen the flavor and turn even the quickest breakfast into a treat!

3. How to chop an onion

Since onions are in just about everything I cook (they add tons of flavor), this might be the most essential cooking skill of all time. I’ve never been a pro at chopping up vegetables “the right way” but {this video} helped me get a little better. I hope it helps you too!

2. Removing Salmon Bones

Whenever you make Salmon, please follow this cooking hack. Seriously, I’ve choked on a piece of Salmon before that had a large bone in it once. Not a good time. Follow these simple instructions:

1. Run a finger along the middle seam on the top of the salmon filler going against the grain. You’ll feel bones slightly protruding.

2. Take a pair of tweezers (make sure they’re clean!) and pull out each bone along this seam. There should be a bone about every half-inch or so. Repeat until all the large pin bones are gone.

1. Always have homemade croutons and breadcrumbs on hand

I love this hack because not only is it super easy and convenient, it also saves me money. Never throw out your bread ends or scraps – keep a large bag in the freezer full of these leftovers. Then, use the bits that you save to either create homemade breadcrumbs or homemade croutons. It’s sustainable and a great way to save money!

What’s your favorite way to save time or money in the kitchen?

Try out these tips and tricks in your kitchen.

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