Family Cooking Tips

Archive for April, 2008

Fried Onion Rings

1 cup of bread flour
1/2 cup of cornmeal
1 16 oz can of beer
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder

Slice onions thick and soak in ice water for 10 minutes. Drain well.
Combine all of the ingredients and mix well until there are no lumps. Add onions and cover and put in the fridge for 1 hour.

Preheat your oil to 375 degrees

Add onions in batches and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and add salt while hot.

Finding space to store your appliances

Finding the right kitchen gadget to do the job you want can be a tedious task. There are thousands of gadgets in different shapes and sizes that are designed to do a specific job. Some have only one function, and others have many.

There are gadgets to peel potatoes, apples and pears, however they cannot be used for any other type of preparation. If you have limited space in your kitchen, you will need to choose your appliances very carefully to get the maximum benefit from them.

Many people have a fascination with kitchen gadgets and want them all. However, if you have to store them in the garage because you do not have space, it can be frustrating if you have to walk outside and bring it in the house.

Many people who have small kitchens but love gadgets struggle with the choice of which one to purchase. Yes, a bread oven would be wonderful, however where are you going to store it? They are big and bulky and take up a lot of space. Stand mixers and crock-pots fall into the same category. They are big and many people avoid purchasing them for that reason.

What is the solution to this dilemma? Many people struggle with this question everyday.

On solution would be to purchase a portable workstation. Even if you have a small kitchen, a portable workstation is designed so you can move it out of the way when you are not using it. Another benefit to purchasing a portable workstation is that they come in many different shapes, styles, and sizes. They often have the extra storage you need to store the appliances that do not fit anywhere else in your kitchen.

Another solution would be to find a corner of your kitchen that is out of the way and build shelves. This is relatively easy and all of the supplies that you need are in your local home improvement store. If you cannot build the shelves yourself, hiring someone to do it for you would not be expensive and would give it a more professional and polished look.

There are so many different things that you can do to create space. For smaller hand held appliances, you could have a rack built onto the wall to hang them on, and they will be within reach when you need them.

There are many ways to create space when you have a small kitchen. A rack over the stove to hang pots and pan on will free up a lot of cabinet space to store more appliances in.

If you still have limited space, it will be necessary to either renovate your kitchen or limit the amount of gadgets that you purchase. Choosing carefully will allow you to use what gadgets you have to their fullest potential.

Egg Salad

This is an elegant yet simple recipe that has withstood the taste of time.

Boil one dozen jumbo eggs until the hard-boil stage. Remove to a colander and run cold water over it for 10 straight minutes.

Peel and rinse the eggs and chop them into small dices.

Add 1 chopped dill pickle and salt and pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients and add 2 cups mayo and top with smoked paprika. This egg salad is excellent on soft bulky rolls or makes great finger sandwiches for parties.

Edible Flowers

If you always figured that flowers were just pretty, but otherwise had no place at a dinner table, think again! There are plenty flowers that are edible and will make a great addition to any meal that you cook. Take a look at the list below, but remember that before you go plucking from your yard or your park that you need to make sure that the blossoms you use are free from pesticides and other unpleasant additives. Similarly, don’t count on being able to simply graze through your garden, as some flowers can make you quite ill. Identify them thoroughly before you start serving them to your friends and love ones!

Alliums
Alliums are a general word for the family that contains garlic, chives and leeks, and the flowers that top the plants are delicate white or pink and quite lovely. You can use these flowers when a very mild, oniony flavor is desired, and it is worth noting that the whole plant is edible.

Dandelion
This plant is commonly considered a weed, but when you don’t spray it with poisons, it can be quite good for you! This is another plant where the whole growth is edible, from the leaves, which make a great salad addition, to the buds, which are excellent fried in butter. The roots can also be used to make a powerful alcohol.

Lavender
This garden favorite has a wonderfully sweet and floral flavor, and you’ll find that dried lavender makes a great seasoning. You can also use the flowers as a beautiful garnish for ice cream and sorbets, and you’ll find that the delicate note of citrus will help keep heavy sauces and stews from being too overpowering. This is an excellent dessert flower.

Marigolds
These sunny blossoms are have a sharp taste, and depending on the species, can be spicy or peppery or rather bitter. While you should never eat the leaves, the petals are quite tasty and can be sprinkled on top of soups, pastas and salads for a lovely colorful accent. You can also use these petals to tiny soups and butter.

Sunflowers
Sunflowers are best eaten while they are still buds; they are still quite tender and they have a delicate taste that is reminiscent of artichokes. Sunflower buds are quite delicious steamed and then dressed in a butter sauce. The petals, once the flower opens, can be used in teas or as accents to salads.

Violets
These purple flowers will give your food a sweet smell and a gentle, sweet flavor. The leaves and flowers do quite well in salads, and the flowers will provide a striking addition when used to garnish desserts and iced tea. The leaves can be cooked like spinach, and the petals are quite beautiful when crystallized in sugar.