todao's Profile
Cake pops - with silicone mould
The "rebake" cake pops usually use a wooden or processed paper "stick". There are as many ways to make cake pops as there are cooks. Take a look at this approach, compare it with the recipe you've been reading, and see if it helps explain the difference:
Perhaps the most common way to make them:
http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-cake-balls-78637
Another (my preferred) way:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnL5lpS9aGw&feature=related
Other options:
http://video.about.com/kidsparties/How-to-Make-Cake-Pops.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHP-bgA2xsM&feature=related
orange marmelade syrup
OK; looks like you've got it. Now, run with it and let us know what comes out of the oven or the stir fry. Be sure to stock up on lots of napkins.
food swap food-recipe ideas
I agree .....
Some of them tend to be competitive rather than a friendly exchange of food and ideas. I prefer the latter.
food swap food-recipe ideas
They can be very simple neighborhood affairs or rather sophisticated gatherings featuring gourmet foods.
http://www.zomppa.com/2012/05/03/whats-a-food-swap-bull-city-food-exchange/
http://www.chow.com/food-news/81410/rules-for-effective-food-swapping/
http://www.londonfoodswappers.com/1/post/2011/03/first-post.html
orange marmelade syrup
Use it as a glaze for roasted chicken breasts. Butterfly 'em, glaze 'em, roast 'em. Brush on more as they roast. Better yet, butterfly a whole chicken and roast it with the glaze.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-8tMEwBnSA
Great for pork too.
Thousand Island dressing help, please
OK - that's a relief. Try Mt. Olive sweet gherkins. The sweet pickles (or juice) seems appropriate but, as you detected, I HATE bread and butter pickles. My grandma used to make me sandwiches with buttered bread and her home made dills - loved the stuff (still do) but B&B - just the idea causes me to shudder.
Thousand Island dressing help, please
I agree with both suggestions. A simple combination of mayo (Hellman's or Best Foods) and catsup as a foundation is a good start. The amount of pickle juice, lemon juice, etc. depends on your individual taste. But with that foundation and a little experimentation and a dash or two of salt and pepper and you'll find what you're looking for. Chili sauce? Worchestershire? Bread and butter pickles? Nah!! But maybe a pinch of onion powder; if you can get that past your "onion nono" family member.
food swap food-recipe ideas
Forget about the "meh" response. Food swaps are not contests, they're an opportunity to experience different foods and learn something in the process. Having someone else provide a recipe for a food swap you might be involved with is akin to fortune telling. I'd have no idea what your cooking experience is, what ingredients you are completely familiar with, etc. My suggestion is to understand that most of the food swap crowd is looking for something exotic; not mundane. Anyone at the food swap can probably prepare a tuna casserole so that's not what they're looking for at a food swap. However, a piece of Ahi that's been marinated and prepared with a sesame seed crust would be a temptation they may not be able to resist.
Dutch pancakes poffertjes??
These are very similar to Aebleskivers. I have the Lodge cast iron Aebleskiver pan and it will work nicely for these too.
Easy to prepare but, admittedly, some cooks are intimidated with the technique necessary to make them turn out just right. It takes a bit of practice but the end result is worth the effort. Some turn them with a fork; I use stainless steel knitting needles to turn them.
That said, you don't actually need a special pan to make poffertjes. A common fry pan of good quality will work fine as long as you keep them small. It's just that the Poffertjes or Aebleskiver pan produces a clever little package that adds to their interest on the plate.
Homemade Mascarpone - Why Double Boiler?
Beautifully stated. "unless you're prepared to literally become on with the pot" is near poetic.
Help me freelance a recipe for strawberry rhubarb crisp
Questions:
How much rhubarb should I add, given this amount of purée?
I typically use equal amounts of Rhubarb and Strawberries
Should I add some sliced berries too?
Sure, the total amount of strawberries (pureed and sliced) should be about equal to the amount of rhubarb. It's not rocket science so an ounce or two either way will work.
I do a lot of cooking for diabetics and Splenda is, IMO, a good choice for this type of recipe.
But I wouldn't use it 1:1 in replacing the sugar. I'd probably use a .75:1 (or less) so it'd be something around 1/3 cup; then taste.
Any other flavorings, such as cinnamon or nutmeg?
I usually add about ¼ - ½ tsp cinnamon to four cups of fruit for this type of recipe. But herbs and spices are a matter of individual taste to use what you like.
Also how should the rhubarb be prepared -- i.e., what size pieces?
Cut it into about ¾ – 1 inch pieces
Does it need to be cooked before it is added to the filling?
Yes. Put about ½ cup of water and ¼ cup of orange juice in a saucepan and add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch along with the sweetener. Whisk to dissolve the cornstarch, then cook and stir over a medium/low heat until it becomes bubbly and thickens, then add the rhubarb and cook until the mixture comes back to a boil.
Cook over low heat for about three minutes, then stir in your strawberries and continue to cook until heated through; remove from heat.
Should I add some cinnamon to the crumble.
Yes
If you prefer to use flour as a thickener, be sure to cook it thoroughly so that the flour taste is eliminated. Be careful with the lemon juice and zest. It may enhance the flavor but you may have to adjust the sweetener to accommodate it.
How to can homemade tomato sauce?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B82-o94jdsQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMSXZAciwuA
http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can3_tomato.html
and most importantly:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/topics/foodsec_cons.pdf
Is there a method for cooking red cargo rice so it won't come out too chewy or gummy?
Because it is a non-glutinous rice it's probably not going to cook up the same as most of he rice you may be accustomed to. I've never prepared it, but these folks have:
http://twomenandalittlefarm.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-to-cook-red-cargo-rice.html
Calling all bread bakers...
One thing I can tell you about the bread baker at San Benito House Deli - he/she doesn't measure ingredients in cups, teaspoons, etc. The ingredients are weighed on an accurate scale and the formula is always the same. That's the only way to maintain consistency. The recipe you listed has approx. 70% hydration - workable for a light airy bread.
I'd suggest working on a formula by weight, then adjusting as you go forward. Your recipe translates (roughly) as:
350 grams flour, 14 grams sugar, 11 grams olive oil, 7 grams salt, 3.5 grams yeast, 245 grams milk.
I'd adjust it to reduce the olive oil by half and, inasmuch as it's already pretty close to what you remember, work with that along with a liquid ratio of milk:water, of 145 grams water to 100 grams milk and see where that goes.
A long, slow fermentation (refrigerated) for perhaps two or three days may be necessary to achieve the goal you seek.
Make sure you keep very careful records of every step in your process and every little change you might make to adjust it during your experiments. When you've achieve your goal you'll understand why such achievements are carefully guarded secrets.
Addendum: While AP flour is perfectly acceptable for many bread making tasks, you might want to look into something with a bit more protein.
Make ahead meals for Elderly
Our "problem" is 93 years of age. He's been difficult to feed for over ten years (preferring ice cream, macaroni and cheese and chocolate cake) so I am entirely familiar with what you're experiencing.
Read this:
http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/health/article/Ask-the-Mayo-Clinic-Why-do-we-lose-our-sense-of-1295379.php
I think it'll help you understand what you may be dealing with and, perhaps, provide a clue to a solution in your specific circumstances.
Bought preserved lemons, what would you use them for?
Here, IMO, is a winner:
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/moroccan_chicken_with_lemon_and_olives/
Then again, on the veggie side:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/KarenCalanchini/SwissChardMushrooms.htm
Gravlax Question
Here's the method I would use:
Freeze the salmon to a temperature of at least -10*F for about 7 - 10 days. That should destroy any parasites in the flesh. Thaw, remove any bones and open the salmon so it can be covered completely with herb/spice mixture and sprigs of dill. Wrap it up in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 48 hours. Open the wrapper, rinse thoroughly, dry it off and slice.
Slicing as thin as possible on the bias makes a perfect presentation for this salt /sugar cured salmon.
I like it on bagels with cream cheese.
Bread bakers: adjusting poofing time when scaling down a recipe
Cardinal rule in bread making - Never Watch The Clock; Always Watch the Dough.
To respond more directly, No, you don't need to adjust the fermentation time relative to the size of the loaf. Remember you've already scaled down the ingredients (Water/flour/salt/yeast) and it's their relative percentage within the formula that determines how the dough will respond. You adjust the fermentation period based on how the dough is developing. When it's approximately doubled in mass (I generally use an 80 - 90 percent increase in mass to avoid over proofing) it's ready for the next phase.
Cooking Squash
As Bacardi1 pointed out, bake, boil, broil, steam, BBQ, fry, grill; what ever you'd like to try works with yellow squash. If it yields to the gentle pressure of a fork, it's done. While I don't personally care for it raw, that too is an option.
Here's all about squash, A to Z
http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/vegetables/squash-glossary3.asp
Need help with a chuck roast----how long does it have to cook?
How much does it weigh? A four pound chuck roast should be ready to "pull" in about five or six hours if cooking on high. Note that "low", "medium" and "high" on slow cookers means very little. Each will establish a fixed temperature but the temperature will vary from one crock pot to another.
Ideas for puff pastry appetizers?
Puff pastry stuffed with avocado, bacon (or perhaps chorizo) and cream cheese or a combination of cream cheese, dill, parsley, and capers.
Help finding lost recipe: No-turn chicken on the grill
http://bbq.about.com/od/chickenrecipes/r/bl90810a.htm
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/not-your-average-grilled-chicken/
Highest quality refined salt, or kosher salt! From the quality of the salt mines to no additives, .
I concur. If you're looking for non-iodized salt, Morton® Coarse Kosher Salt is a non-iodized.
Cooked chicken bones for stock
"I sometimes but chicken breasts ...." If "but" = "bake" then I agree with weezieduzzit,
Besides, he/she has a '50s era Buick in the driveway so there's gotta be some class in there somewhere.
Som Tam Watermelon Salad: Would it work?
I agree that the watermelon's porosity represents a risk, but if you don't dress and toss the salad until it's served, or reserve the watermelon portion until the salad is ready to serve and add it at that time, you may get acceptable results. Let us know what you decide and how it turns out.
Kale side dish?
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/crispy-baked-kale-with-gruyere-cheese
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/kale-slaw-recipe/index.html
what to do with leftover boiled chicken thighs that i find too gamey?
"Gaminess" is most often the result of improper handling of the meat during slaughter. Your meat is already cooked so I doubt you'll have much luck eliminating any gaminess that currently exists. You could try removing it from the bone and soaking in a water/vinegar mixture (4:1 ratio) in the fridge overnight (perhaps even 24 hours) then rinse before using in another dish. I'm curious how you're going to like the stock if the meat is as bad as you describe.
My creamy Italian dressing is OK, but could be better....
Anxious to read your report. I'm not a professional cook either; just a "wannabe" like yourself. But I do have a lot of experience (spelled "m i s t a k e s") under my belt after 50+ years in the kitchen and if I can help anyone with a culinary issue I'm gratified.
My creamy Italian dressing is OK, but could be better....
Start with a good pesto. Blend that with enough mayonnaise (Best Foods/Hellmans) and light cream or milk (50/50 mix) to create the consistency you're looking for. Let it age in the fridge for at least 24 hours.
In your recipe, what does the 2 Tbsp of water do? And that looks like a lot of sugar, IMO.
Lemon Meringue Pie always comes out runny??
Or ... you may be cooking it too long. Corn starch tends to thin out if it's cooked too long or on too high heat. Keep the heat down to where the mixture just bubbles; don't allow it to come to a full rolling boil. Stir/whisk continuously and, when it thickens, remove it from the heat and transfer to a room temperature bowl.
How are you preparing/adding the meringue. The egg/sugar combination in meringue contains a lot of moisture and if it isn't sealed to the crust and cooked (dried) properly on top of the cooled pie filling it can dilute the filling.
There are two schools of thought on meringue. Some say spread it over a hot pie filling and bake to brown. Others say to allow the filling to cool before adding the meringue. I've had it work (and fail) using both methods so I'm disinclined to recommend either as a strict rule. Furthermore, Harold McGee (On Food and Cooking .... ) makes no distinction between the two methods (except for the way the pie is handled after drying the meringue in the oven) and I never argue with Mr. McGee.
