Today is National Strawberry Cream Pie Day in the US.
As always, all measurements are in US units. See http://www.onlineconversion.com/cooking_volume.htm for converting measurements.
* Olive Garden's Chianti Braised Short Ribs: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09261.htm
* Tequila Turkey Fettuccini: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09262.htm
* Steak with Orange Bourbon Glaze: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09263.htm
* Chicken Parmesan: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09264.htm
* Pork and Ginger Pot Stickers: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09265.htm
* Caramelised Shallot Mashed Potatoes: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09266.htm
* Creamed Corn with Bacon: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09267.htm
* Streusel Kuchen: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09268.htm
* Low Carb Chicken Salad Bake: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/lc38.htm
* Diabetic-Friendly Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/diab36.htm
* Low Fat Turkey Tostadas: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/lowfat32.htm
Kelley's Cooking Tips
=====================
* When cooking with wine, leave the pan uncovered so the alcohol will burn off. The resulting liquid will have a rounder, firmer, fruitier flavour.
* Fresh herbs loose their distinctive flavour when cooked a long time. Add some extra just before serving.
* Place overripe tomatoes in cold water and add some salt. Overnight they will become firm and fresh.
* Put a layer of marshmallows in the bottom of a pumpkin pie, then add the filling. You will have a nice topping as the marshmallows will come to the to top.
Have a cooking question? Kelley has your answer! kelley@e-cookbooks.net
Fried Rice Skips to the Dinner Table
By Mark Bittman
To the list of dishes better prepared at home than elsewhere, please add fried rice. This afterthought of Chinese restaurants is almost as easily varied as pasta, and has one distinct advantage: It can be made with leftover rice.
In fact, it must be made with rice that has been previously prepared. The rice that comes with Chinese take-out is ideal. Just-made rice inevitably clumps, which is why so many novice cooks believe that well-made fried rice is somehow impossible to produce at home. But when cooked rice is chilled for a few hours, it dries out and can be stir-fried with a minimum of oil.
The rest of the process replicates a standard stir-fry. Choose your other ingredients - vegetables, meat, fish, tofu - in whatever combination you like and cook them one or two at a time, each in a little bit of oil (a nonstick pan is essential) over high heat, until they are pretty much done.
That task completed, add a bit more oil and the basic aromatics, like garlic and ginger, followed by the rice. When that is hot and glossy, you can add an egg or two if you like, return the cooked ingredients to the mix, and add soy sauce and other seasonings. The quality and freshness of the dish will be a revelation.
The choice of vegetables and other major ingredients is unlimited, but if you follow the proportions in the recipe here you will never go far wrong. But here are some points to consider:
I like peanut oil for stir-fries, but neutral oil like corn or grapeseed is also good.
No matter how much garlic and ginger you use, they should be cooked in the oil for no more than 30 seconds before adding the rice, or their flavour will become too mild.
You can scramble the eggs separately and cut them into the mix, which will produce the most recognisable bits of egg, or make a well in the rice and scramble them in that. You can also simply stir them into the rice mix, in which case they will act as a pleasing thickening and bonding agent.
Some liquid in addition to soy sauce is needed here. The most authentic choice is xiao shing wine, which is sold at most Chinese stores, and keeps nearly forever. But sherry or white wine make decent substitutes. Water works too, since there are plenty of flavours in this dish already.
Fried Rice With Peas and Chicken
================================
3 tablespoons peanut oil or neutral oil, like corn or canola
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 bell pepper, stemmed, cored and roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped boneless chicken
1 cup peas (defrost if frozen)
1 tablespoon minced garlic, or to taste
1 tablespoon minced ginger, or to taste
3 to 4 cups cooked rice, cooled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup xiao shing wine, or sherry or white wine, or water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup minced scallion or cilantro.
1. Put 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or a large skillet, preferably nonstick, and turn heat to high. A minute later, add onion and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. With slotted spoon, remove to a bowl.
2. Add chicken to skillet and cook over high heat, stirring infrequently, until nicely browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add to bowl with vegetables. Drain peas if necessary and add them to skillet; cook, shaking pan, for about a minute, or until hot. Add them to bowl.
3. Put remaining oil in skillet, followed by garlic and ginger. About 15 seconds later, add rice, a bit at a time, breaking up clumps with your fingers and tossing it with oil. When all rice is added, make a well in the center and break eggs into it; scramble them a bit, then incorporate into rice.
4. Return chicken and vegetables to skillet and stir to integrate. Add wine or water and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add soy sauce and sesame oil, then taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Turn off heat, stir in scallion or cilantro, and serve.
Moroccan Chicken Pot Pie
========================
1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 lemon
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup imported green olives, pitted, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 refrigerated pie crust (half of 15-ounce package)
Preheat oven to 425F. Mix chicken cubes with paprika, cumin, and cinnamon in large bowl to coat. Sprinkle chicken generously with salt and pepper. Cut lemon in half; remove seeds. Using small spoon, scoop out enough pulp and juice from between membranes to measure 2 tablespoons. Add to chicken mixture; stir to blend.
Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, olives, and raisins. Saute until onion is almost tender, about 4 minutes. Add chicken mixture and stir 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over; stir 1 minute. Add broth and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Transfer filling to 9-inch-diameter deep-dish glass pie dish.
Place pie crust over dish and seal dough edges to rim of dish. Using small paring knife, cut several slits in pie crust. Bake pot pie until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling thickly, about 20 minutes.
Receive The Leading Recipe Ezine On The Internet! http://www.e-cookbooks.net/sub1.htm
* Olive Garden's Chianti Braised Short Ribs: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09261.htm
* Tequila Turkey Fettuccini: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09262.htm
* Steak with Orange Bourbon Glaze: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09263.htm
* Chicken Parmesan: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09264.htm
* Pork and Ginger Pot Stickers: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09265.htm
* Caramelised Shallot Mashed Potatoes: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09266.htm
* Creamed Corn with Bacon: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09267.htm
* Streusel Kuchen: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes4/09268.htm
* Low Carb Chicken Salad Bake: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/lc38.htm
* Diabetic-Friendly Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/diab36.htm
* Low Fat Turkey Tostadas: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/lowfat32.htm
Kelley's Cooking Tips
=====================
* When cooking with wine, leave the pan uncovered so the alcohol will burn off. The resulting liquid will have a rounder, firmer, fruitier flavour.
* Fresh herbs loose their distinctive flavour when cooked a long time. Add some extra just before serving.
* Place overripe tomatoes in cold water and add some salt. Overnight they will become firm and fresh.
* Put a layer of marshmallows in the bottom of a pumpkin pie, then add the filling. You will have a nice topping as the marshmallows will come to the to top.
Have a cooking question? Kelley has your answer! kelley@e-cookbooks.net
Fried Rice Skips to the Dinner Table
By Mark Bittman
To the list of dishes better prepared at home than elsewhere, please add fried rice. This afterthought of Chinese restaurants is almost as easily varied as pasta, and has one distinct advantage: It can be made with leftover rice.
In fact, it must be made with rice that has been previously prepared. The rice that comes with Chinese take-out is ideal. Just-made rice inevitably clumps, which is why so many novice cooks believe that well-made fried rice is somehow impossible to produce at home. But when cooked rice is chilled for a few hours, it dries out and can be stir-fried with a minimum of oil.
The rest of the process replicates a standard stir-fry. Choose your other ingredients - vegetables, meat, fish, tofu - in whatever combination you like and cook them one or two at a time, each in a little bit of oil (a nonstick pan is essential) over high heat, until they are pretty much done.
That task completed, add a bit more oil and the basic aromatics, like garlic and ginger, followed by the rice. When that is hot and glossy, you can add an egg or two if you like, return the cooked ingredients to the mix, and add soy sauce and other seasonings. The quality and freshness of the dish will be a revelation.
The choice of vegetables and other major ingredients is unlimited, but if you follow the proportions in the recipe here you will never go far wrong. But here are some points to consider:
I like peanut oil for stir-fries, but neutral oil like corn or grapeseed is also good.
No matter how much garlic and ginger you use, they should be cooked in the oil for no more than 30 seconds before adding the rice, or their flavour will become too mild.
You can scramble the eggs separately and cut them into the mix, which will produce the most recognisable bits of egg, or make a well in the rice and scramble them in that. You can also simply stir them into the rice mix, in which case they will act as a pleasing thickening and bonding agent.
Some liquid in addition to soy sauce is needed here. The most authentic choice is xiao shing wine, which is sold at most Chinese stores, and keeps nearly forever. But sherry or white wine make decent substitutes. Water works too, since there are plenty of flavours in this dish already.
Fried Rice With Peas and Chicken
================================
3 tablespoons peanut oil or neutral oil, like corn or canola
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 bell pepper, stemmed, cored and roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped boneless chicken
1 cup peas (defrost if frozen)
1 tablespoon minced garlic, or to taste
1 tablespoon minced ginger, or to taste
3 to 4 cups cooked rice, cooled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup xiao shing wine, or sherry or white wine, or water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup minced scallion or cilantro.
1. Put 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or a large skillet, preferably nonstick, and turn heat to high. A minute later, add onion and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. With slotted spoon, remove to a bowl.
2. Add chicken to skillet and cook over high heat, stirring infrequently, until nicely browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add to bowl with vegetables. Drain peas if necessary and add them to skillet; cook, shaking pan, for about a minute, or until hot. Add them to bowl.
3. Put remaining oil in skillet, followed by garlic and ginger. About 15 seconds later, add rice, a bit at a time, breaking up clumps with your fingers and tossing it with oil. When all rice is added, make a well in the center and break eggs into it; scramble them a bit, then incorporate into rice.
4. Return chicken and vegetables to skillet and stir to integrate. Add wine or water and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add soy sauce and sesame oil, then taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Turn off heat, stir in scallion or cilantro, and serve.
Moroccan Chicken Pot Pie
========================
1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 lemon
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup imported green olives, pitted, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 refrigerated pie crust (half of 15-ounce package)
Preheat oven to 425F. Mix chicken cubes with paprika, cumin, and cinnamon in large bowl to coat. Sprinkle chicken generously with salt and pepper. Cut lemon in half; remove seeds. Using small spoon, scoop out enough pulp and juice from between membranes to measure 2 tablespoons. Add to chicken mixture; stir to blend.
Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, olives, and raisins. Saute until onion is almost tender, about 4 minutes. Add chicken mixture and stir 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over; stir 1 minute. Add broth and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Transfer filling to 9-inch-diameter deep-dish glass pie dish.
Place pie crust over dish and seal dough edges to rim of dish. Using small paring knife, cut several slits in pie crust. Bake pot pie until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling thickly, about 20 minutes.
Receive The Leading Recipe Ezine On The Internet! http://www.e-cookbooks.net/sub1.htm