As a follow-up to the classic movie post...
This also sounds about right. What famous leader are you?
Thursday, November 1, 2007
What Classic Movie Are You?
I feel this is pretty accurate. I am calm, cool, and collected. I let things go with the flow and stay calm in tense situations. What classic movie are you?
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Anti-What?
I saw this image on another blog and thought it was too funny to pass up.
I will be trying to make some time to blog more often again, if anyone cares. But be prepared as I will unleash the politics to go along with the cooking stuff.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Blogging Break
I am taking a break from blogging for a while (if you didn't already notice.)
Maybe one day I will start again, and will start blogging about political issues and such. But for now I am bowing out for a while.
Maybe one day I will start again, and will start blogging about political issues and such. But for now I am bowing out for a while.
Friday, August 24, 2007
BREAKFAST "BREAD PUDDING"
This is a variation on a breakfast gravy that I like to make. You can use ground beef or ground pork (or a mixture of both.) Try it and let me know what you think.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. ground beef or pork
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
3 c. milk (warmed to room temperature in the microwave)
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cube beef bullion
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. course ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 can Pilsbury Grands Butter Tastin' biscuits
DIRECTIONS
1. Brown the ground meat and drain, set aside.
2. Prepare biscuits according to directions on can.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and wisk until creamy. Stir and continue to cook about 2-3 minutes until the mixture starts turning a very light brown.
Slowly wisk in the milk, to create a smooth sauce (adding too much milk too fast will results in lumps.)
4. Add Worcestershire sauce, bullion cube (crumble into a powder before adding), onion powder, white and black pepper, and nutmeg.
5. Add drained meat to the gravy and cook over medium-high heat until boiling.
6. Remove from heat (gravy will thicken as it starts to cool.)
SERVING
Tear a biscuit into small pieces in a bowl. Top with the gravy mixture and mix thoroughly.
*You can also serve this great gravy over the tops of a biscuit or toast, but then it's not quite a "bread pudding", is it?
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. ground beef or pork
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
3 c. milk (warmed to room temperature in the microwave)
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cube beef bullion
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. course ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 can Pilsbury Grands Butter Tastin' biscuits
DIRECTIONS
1. Brown the ground meat and drain, set aside.
2. Prepare biscuits according to directions on can.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and wisk until creamy. Stir and continue to cook about 2-3 minutes until the mixture starts turning a very light brown.
Slowly wisk in the milk, to create a smooth sauce (adding too much milk too fast will results in lumps.)
4. Add Worcestershire sauce, bullion cube (crumble into a powder before adding), onion powder, white and black pepper, and nutmeg.
5. Add drained meat to the gravy and cook over medium-high heat until boiling.
6. Remove from heat (gravy will thicken as it starts to cool.)
SERVING
Tear a biscuit into small pieces in a bowl. Top with the gravy mixture and mix thoroughly.
*You can also serve this great gravy over the tops of a biscuit or toast, but then it's not quite a "bread pudding", is it?
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
ORANGE CHICKEN
The following recipe is from Cook's Illustrated. I made this for dinner last week and turned out really good. I highly recommend this one (thus my posting of the recipe.)
ORANGE FLAVORED CHICKEN
INGREDIENTS
See Illustrations Below: Secrets to Great Orange Chicken
1. FOR THE MARINADE AND SAUCE: Place chicken in 1-gallon zipper-lock bag; set aside. Combine chicken broth, orange juice, grated zest, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, and cayenne in large saucepan (with at least 3-quart capacity); whisk until sugar is fully dissolved. Measure out 3/4 cup mixture and pour into bag with chicken; press out as much air as possible and seal bag, making sure that all pieces are coated with marinade. Refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes, but no longer. 2. Bring remaining mixture in saucepan to boil over high heat. In small bowl, stir together cornstarch and cold water; whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thick and translucent, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in orange peel and chiles (sauce should measure 1 1/2 cups); set sauce aside.3. FOR THE COATING: Place egg whites in pie plate; using fork, beat until frothy. In second pie plate, whisk cornstarch, cayenne, and baking soda until combined. Drain chicken in colander or large mesh strainer; thoroughly pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place half of chicken pieces in egg whites and turn to coat; transfer pieces to cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly. Place dredged chicken pieces on wire rack set over baking sheet; repeat with remaining chicken.4. TO FRY THE CHICKEN: Heat oil in 11- to 12-inch Dutch oven or straight-sided sauté pan with at least 3-quart capacity over high heat until oil registers 350 degrees on instant-read or deep-fry thermometer. Carefully place half of chicken in oil one piece at a time; fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning each piece with tongs halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to large plate lined with paper towels. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken. 5. TO SERVE: Reheat sauce over medium heat until simmering, about 2 minutes. Add chicken and gently toss until evenly coated and heated through. Serve immediately.
STEP BY STEP: Secrets to Great Orange Chicken
ORANGE FLAVORED CHICKEN
We prefer the flavor and texture of thigh meat for this recipe, though an equal amount of boneless skinless chicken breasts can be used. It is easiest to grate the orange zest and remove the strips of orange peel before juicing the oranges; use a sharp vegetable peeler to remove the strips. For extra spiciness, increase the cayenne added to the sauce to 1/2 teaspoon. The whole dried chiles are added for appearance, not for flavor, and can be omitted. To fry the chicken, use a Dutch oven or a straight-sided sauté pan (with at least 3-quart capacity); do not use a 12-inch skillet with sloped sides, as it will be too small to contain the oil once the chicken is added. White rice and steamed broccoli are good accompaniments.
INGREDIENTS
 |
See Illustrations Below: Secrets to Great Orange Chicken
1. FOR THE MARINADE AND SAUCE: Place chicken in 1-gallon zipper-lock bag; set aside. Combine chicken broth, orange juice, grated zest, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, and cayenne in large saucepan (with at least 3-quart capacity); whisk until sugar is fully dissolved. Measure out 3/4 cup mixture and pour into bag with chicken; press out as much air as possible and seal bag, making sure that all pieces are coated with marinade. Refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes, but no longer. 2. Bring remaining mixture in saucepan to boil over high heat. In small bowl, stir together cornstarch and cold water; whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thick and translucent, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in orange peel and chiles (sauce should measure 1 1/2 cups); set sauce aside.3. FOR THE COATING: Place egg whites in pie plate; using fork, beat until frothy. In second pie plate, whisk cornstarch, cayenne, and baking soda until combined. Drain chicken in colander or large mesh strainer; thoroughly pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place half of chicken pieces in egg whites and turn to coat; transfer pieces to cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly. Place dredged chicken pieces on wire rack set over baking sheet; repeat with remaining chicken.4. TO FRY THE CHICKEN: Heat oil in 11- to 12-inch Dutch oven or straight-sided sauté pan with at least 3-quart capacity over high heat until oil registers 350 degrees on instant-read or deep-fry thermometer. Carefully place half of chicken in oil one piece at a time; fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning each piece with tongs halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to large plate lined with paper towels. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken. 5. TO SERVE: Reheat sauce over medium heat until simmering, about 2 minutes. Add chicken and gently toss until evenly coated and heated through. Serve immediately.
STEP BY STEP: Secrets to Great Orange Chicken
| | |
 | |
 1. Soy-orange marinade keeps chicken juicy. |  2. Patting marinated chicken dry helps chicken adhere. |
 3. Beaten egg white acts as "glue," securing coating to chicken. |  4. Cornstarch and baking soda coating fries up golden and crisp. |
 5. Frying in peanut oil produces chicken with fresh, clean flavor. | |
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
SKILLET-BARBECUED PORK CHOPS
I recently started subscribing to Cooks Illustrated magazine. It is awesome! It is made by the people who do the TV show America's Test Kitchen. All the recipes are tested by using several methods of cooking and seasonings, and the best results are used in the recipes. I have tried several recipes so far and all of them have been great. Here is one for pork chops that my wife really enjoys.
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INGREDIENTS
1. FOR THE PORK CHOPS: Dissolve salt in 2 quarts water in large bowl or container. Submerge chops in brine, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. FOR THE SPICE RUB: Combine ingredients in small bowl. Measure 2 teaspoons mixture into medium bowl and set aside for sauce. Transfer remaining spice rub to pie plate or large plate.
3. FOR THE SAUCE: Whisk ingredients in bowl with reserved spice mixture; set aside.
4. TO COOK CHOPS: Remove chops from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Coat both sides of chops with spice rub, pressing gently so rub adheres. Pat chops to remove excess rub; discard excess rub.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Place chops in skillet in pinwheel formation; cook until charred in spots, 5 to 8 minutes. Flip chops and continue to cook until second side is browned and charred and center of chop registers 130 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 4 to 8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer chops to clean plate or baking sheet. Lightly brush top side of each chop with 2 teaspoons sauce.
6. Wipe out pan with paper towels and return to medium heat. Add remaining teaspoon oil and heat until just smoking. Add chops to pan, sauce-side down, and cook without moving until sauce has caramelized and charred in spots, about 1 minute. While cooking, lightly brush top side of each chop with 2 teaspoons sauce. Turn chops and cook until second side is charred and caramelized and center of chops registers 140 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
7. Transfer chops back to plate or baking sheet, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Internal temperature should rise to about 145 degrees. Meanwhile, add remaining sauce to pan and cook, scraping pan bottom, until thickened to ketchup-like consistency and reduced to 2/3 cup, about 3 minutes. Brush each chop with 1 tablespoon reduced sauce and serve immediately, passing remaining sauce at table.
****************
We prefer natural to enhanced pork (pork that has been injected with a salt solution to increase moistness and flavor) for this recipe, though enhanced pork can be used. If using enhanced pork, skip the brining in step 1 and add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the spice rub. Grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater. In step 5, check your chops after 3 minutes. If you don't hear a definite sizzle and the chops have not started to brown on the underside, increase the heat to medium-high and continue cooking as directed (follow indicated temperatures for remainder of recipe).
INGREDIENTS
|
1. FOR THE PORK CHOPS: Dissolve salt in 2 quarts water in large bowl or container. Submerge chops in brine, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. FOR THE SPICE RUB: Combine ingredients in small bowl. Measure 2 teaspoons mixture into medium bowl and set aside for sauce. Transfer remaining spice rub to pie plate or large plate.
3. FOR THE SAUCE: Whisk ingredients in bowl with reserved spice mixture; set aside.
4. TO COOK CHOPS: Remove chops from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Coat both sides of chops with spice rub, pressing gently so rub adheres. Pat chops to remove excess rub; discard excess rub.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Place chops in skillet in pinwheel formation; cook until charred in spots, 5 to 8 minutes. Flip chops and continue to cook until second side is browned and charred and center of chop registers 130 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 4 to 8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer chops to clean plate or baking sheet. Lightly brush top side of each chop with 2 teaspoons sauce.
6. Wipe out pan with paper towels and return to medium heat. Add remaining teaspoon oil and heat until just smoking. Add chops to pan, sauce-side down, and cook without moving until sauce has caramelized and charred in spots, about 1 minute. While cooking, lightly brush top side of each chop with 2 teaspoons sauce. Turn chops and cook until second side is charred and caramelized and center of chops registers 140 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
7. Transfer chops back to plate or baking sheet, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Internal temperature should rise to about 145 degrees. Meanwhile, add remaining sauce to pan and cook, scraping pan bottom, until thickened to ketchup-like consistency and reduced to 2/3 cup, about 3 minutes. Brush each chop with 1 tablespoon reduced sauce and serve immediately, passing remaining sauce at table.
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