Boiled Meatballs ???

I have been on a mission to cook creatively without my oven.

I was baking cookies when I heard a zap-buzzzzzzt coming from my oven and when I looked over I saw a bright red flame. The bottoms of my cookies were charred black and my kitchen filled with smoke. I guess you could say that my oven was announcing its retirement in a very dramatic way. It wasn’t a complete surprise. I have been putting off replacing my oven for years but didn’t because, it’s complicated. Blah, blah, blah...

Enough of the rant. Time for the experiment!

How long do you steam broccoli or cauliflower?

5 – 6 min. 

Make sure you bring the water in the bottom pot to a full boil before starting the timer.

This may sound like a ridiculous question to those of you whom are seasoned cooks, but I started thinking about how the basics sometimes get overlooked.  Truth is that we all started out as new cooks and someone had to teach us the little things. 

So, I decided to post individual estimated times for a few basic vegetables to use as a reference.

How long do you cook sweet potatoes and yams?

20 - 30 min.

Yams and sweet potatoes, as well as regular potatoes take about 20 - 30 minutes to steam (when using whole potatoes) .  When I say steam, I'm referring to the potatoes being over boiling water versus in the water itself.

This was a really good question and I thought I should share it because even though it seems simple - which it is, it needed an answer.

How long do you steam asparagus?

Thin: 3 – 5 min.

Thick: 6 – 8 min.

Bend and break ends off each asparagus to remove the tough stringy part.

My thin asparagus took 4 min. on high for a cooked but crisp asparagus.

The best way to know where the tough part ends and the tender begins is to; place the bottom of the asparagus and just about the middle of the asparagus between your thumb and index fingers, then bend it till it breaks.  Do this with a couple more; then measure the rest of the asparagus to those pieces and slice off the bottoms of the rest of them with a knife.

More Steamed Vegetables

BROCCOLI and CAULIFLOWER

SWEET POTATOES and YAMS

GREEN BEANS

Black, White and Red Pepper?

Deciding on what type of pepper to use when you are cooking depends on what sensation you are attempting to get in your mouth.

Lemon Sugar

Lemon Sugar is simply amazing and comes together with ease.  I would make it just for the aroma.  But…it is so much more.

Shucking Corn - Clean Ears Everytime

My friend Bonnie shared this amazing youtube video with me and I had to share this with all of my corn loving friends.

You will never shuck corn the same way ever again!

Make Your Own Pie Crust Shield

I am grateful for all the wonderful small appliances, gizmos and gadgets I have accumulated over the years. However, I couldn't justify a pie crust shield.

Oven Bacon

Eating bacon is pure pleasure.

Cooking bacon is always a messy chore. 

Grease splattered stove, counter tops and floors. 

Really is bacon worth it?  Absolutely!

Potatoes?

When I buy potatoes I always look for similar sizes so they will cook evenly.

Reheat Pizza

Did you know?

If you reheat your leftover pizza in a nonstick frying pan over med-low heat with a cover, you will end up with a crispy crust.

Bananas

Did you know?

That if you take your bananas apart from the stem and separate them, they will not ripen as quickly.

If you want them to ripen faster leave in a bunch connected at the stem.

Fresh Ginger

Did you know?

PEEL

The easiest way to peel ginger is with the a spoon. Simply scrape the skin with the side of a spoon and you will be amazed as to how easily the skin comes off without any waste.

FRIDGE

I store my fresh ginger in the fridge, wrapped in a clean dry paper towel and place it in a plastic bag to keep it fresh longer.

FREEZE

Ginger freezes well. I often buy more than I need, peel it and slice it. Place it in a plastic bag, be sure to keep them in a single layer and freeze. Once they are frozen, they won't stick together.

The texture of ginger changes when it's frozen, but the flavor remains the same. Use it as you would fresh ginger.

Avocados

Did you know?
Ripe avocados will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week, sometimes longer.

Allow avocados to ripen on the counter. This may take a couple of days. If you want them to ripen quicker, place them in a paper bag.

An avocado is ripe when you press the skin gently and it yields slightly to pressure. You can also check, by sticking a toothpick into the spot where the stem was. If it goes in easy - it's ripe.

Store your ripe avocados in the vegetable crisper because it isn’t as cold.

Celery

Did you know...
If you wrap your celery in foil before putting it in the fridge it will stay fresh for at least a month. Possibly longer.