For perfect hard boiled eggs, poke a small hole in the large end of each egg with a pin (to prevent cracking), place in a pan and cover the eggs with cold water and add a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a full boil. Remove the pan from the heat and cover and let it sit for 10 minutes. Drain the water and place the eggs in ice water to stop the cooking process…perfect eggs every time!
Year: 2011
Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew with Kale
Winter’s almost here, so it’s time to break out the recipe for one of my favorite cold weather meals…this Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew from Cook’s Illustrated. I think it’s best when made with kale (pictured here), but a mixture of greens is also great. This is one of those simple, inexpensive, healthy, pretty much foolproof recipes that seems to come out perfect every time …the secret is cooking it in a good (yet inexpensive), heavy duty dutch oven. If you’re more into soups then stews, just add another cup of chicken broth and 3/4 cup of water when you add the greens. A big bowl of stew, topped with grated Parmesan cheese and served with a toasted piece of crusty garlic bread makes an amazing meal. I also always add a couple of squirts of Sriracha sauce for a little spicy, garlicky kick.
Another great thing about this stew is that it freezes perfectly. Just divide it into serving size portions, freeze, and on a cold winter’s night, when you get a craving, just pop it into the microwave on high, and in a few minutes you’ll have a steaming bowl of stew that tastes as good as (or, I think) even better than the day it was made.
Please click here for a printable copy of the Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew recipe.
Tip of the Day – Fresh Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies in 12 Minutes
When making chocolate chip cookies, prepare an extra batch (or two) of cookie dough, roll the unused dough into logs, wrap them well in plastic wrap and stick in the freezer. Next time you get that craving for freshly baked cookies, just slice off 1″ rounds, place them on a cookie sheet and bake…fresh hot cookies in about 12 minutes!
Tip of the Day – Slicing Meat for a Stir-fry
To slice meat into thin strips for a stir fry, partially freeze the meat for about 20-30 minutes, and then you’ll be able to easily slice it into thin uniform strips. Also, be sure cut it on a bias across the grain to ensure maximum tenderness.
Tip of the Day – How to Clean a Cast Iron Pan
Never use detergent to clean a cast iron pan…it will remove the seasoning. Just sprinkle on some salt and rub with a dry paper towel and when the grime is loosened and the pan is clean, just rinse with hot water.
Tip of the Day – Taking the “Stick” out of Sticky Ingredients
When measuring oil, honey or syrup for a recipe, first rinse the measuring cup or spoon with hot water, then fill with the ingredient. You will then be able to pour out the ingredient easily and it won’t stick.
Cooking Weights and Measurements Conversion Charts
When a recipe calls for a cup of flour, most people just scoop out a “cup” and then level it off with a knife…easy and fast but, unfortunately, not very accurate or consistent. A little too much flour here or sugar there, and instead of a delicious chewy cookie you could end up with rockhard paperweight better suited for self-defense then dessert. That’s why weighing ingredients, especially when baking, is essential. A great scale, like the OXO Good Grips Scale, is an important tool for success in the kitchen. I try to give ingredients in my recipes by both weight and volume, but if you encounter a recipe that doesn’t, King Arthur Flour has a really helpful Master weight chart for just about every commonly used ingredient in baking. If you need to convert to metric or vice-versa, just click here for some charts to help with converting metric equivalents or try this interactive Online Cooking Converter that converts cooking units instantly…it’s amazing! Once you start weighing ingredients, you’ll see an incredible improvement in outcomes and consistency.
Thanks to Good Housekeeping for the photo.
Everyone Loves Mom’s Amazing Pinwheel Cookies
Everyone loves these cookies…that’s because they can be made to everyone’s taste. The basic recipe is really simple, but the beauty of it is that you can add any filling you like, so everyone gets what they want. From raspberry jam to cinnamon and sugar to chocolatey goodness, no one goes away disappointed…and they not only taste great, but they look incredible. The secret to slicing them into 
neat, perfectly round cookies before baking is to use dental floss (unwaxed and unflavored…although I guess you could go for a minty floss to accent the chocolate cookies…or not!). Just wrap it around the cookie logs and tighten it as if tying a knot to make a perfect, round cookie.
Please click here for the printable recipe.
Vegetarian Kung Pao with Broccoli and Peanuts
This fantastic recipe is originally from A Spoonful of Ginger by Nina Simonds, a cookbook based on the Asian philosophy of food as a health-giving entity. According to the author, the secret is in the Chinese holistic approach to food and its balance: countering yin, or cooling, foods, with yang, or hot, foods and neutralizers like rice and noodles. But don’t just try this recipe because you buy into the Chinese philosophy (although a lot of it makes sense…I mean, they have been cooking for over 4,000 years. In 2005, the oldest intact noodles yet discovered were found in Lajia, China and were estimated to be over 4,000 years old…but I digress)… just make it because it is one of the most delicious, satisfying and authentic tasting recipes I’ve found for homemade Chinese food, while still being relatively easy to prepare…and, believe it or not, it even manages to make tofu taste great!
Please click here for the printable recipe.
Smashed Baby Red Potatoes…Crunchy & Delicious
Smashed Baby Red Potatoes! If your tired of the same old baked potatoes or french fries (although I don’t understand how anyone could get tired of french fries) here is a simple recipe for preparing this amazing dish. These baby red potatoes that not only taste incredible…moist and creamy on the inside and crunchy on the outside…but also look really great on your plate. Try and get the smallest red potatoes you can find…that way you have a much larger crispy to creamy ratio in each bite! And although they’re delicious right out of the oven, definitely try them with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkling of green onions…it really rounds out the flavor.
These amazing Smashed Baby Reds are a festive, delicious, impressive-looking appetizer to pass around at you next cocktail party (or any party for that matter). They also go perfectly with just about any dish, from burgers and steaks to salads.
Please click here for the Delicious Crunchy Smashed Baby Red Potatoes printable recipe.