Cooking Terms

Al dente
“To the tooth,” in Italian. The pasta is cooked just enough to maintain a firm, chewy texture.
Baste
To brush or spoon liquid fat or juices over meat during roasting to add flavor and to prevent it from drying out.
Bias-slice
To slice a food crosswise at a 45-degree angle.
Bind
To thicken a sauce or hot liquid by stirring in ingredients such as eggs, flour, butter, or cream.
Blackened
A popular Cajun-style cooking method in which seasoned foods are cooked over high heat in a super-heated heavy skillet until charred.
Blanch
To boil briefly to loosen the skin of a fruit or a vegetable. After 30 seconds in boiling water, the fruit or vegetable should be plunged into ice water to stop the cooking action, and then the skin easily slices off.
Braise
A cooking technique that requires browning meat in oil or other fat and then cooking slowly in liquid. The effect of braising is to tenderize the meat.
Broil
To cook food directly under the heat source.
Butterfly
To cut open a food such as pork chops down the center without cutting all the way through, and then spread apart.
Caramelization
Browning sugar over a flame, with or without the addition of some water to aid the process. The temperature range in which sugar caramelizes is approximately 320º F to 360º F (160º C to 182º C).
Clarify
Remove impurities from butter or stock by heating the liquid, then straining or skimming it.
Confit
To slowly cook pieces of meat in their own gently rendered fat.
Cream
To beat vegetable shortening, butter, or margarine, with or without sugar, until light and fluffy. This process traps in air bubbles, later used to create height in cookies and cakes.
Cure
To preserve or add flavor with an ingredient, usually salt and/or sugar.
Cut in
To work vegetable shortening, margarine, or butter into dry ingredients.
Dash
A measure approximately equal to 1/16 teaspoon.
Deglaze
To add liquid to a pan in which foods have been fried or roasted, in order to dissolve the caramelized juices stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Dice
To cut into cubes.
Direct heat
A cooking method that allows heat to meet food directly, such as grilling, broiling, or toasting.
Dredge
To sprinkle lightly and evenly with sugar or flour. A dredger has holes pierced on the lid to sprinkle evenly.
Egg wash
A mixture of beaten eggs (yolks, whites, or whole eggs) with either milk or water. Used to coat cookies and other baked goods to give them a shine when baked.
Emulsion
A mixture of liquids, one being a fat or oil and the other being water based so that tiny globules of one are suspended in the other. This may involve the use of stabilizers, such as egg or mustard. Emulsions may be temporary or permanent.
Fillet
To remove the bones from meat or fish for cooking.
Flambé
To ignite a sauce or other liquid so that it flames.
Fold
To cut and mix lightly with a spoon to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
Fricassee
Usually a stew in which the meat is cut up, lightly cooked in butter, and then simmered in liquid until done.
Garnish
A decorative piece of an edible ingredient such as parsley, lemon wedges, croutons, or chocolate curls placed as a finishing touch to dishes or drinks.
Glaze
A liquid that gives an item a shiny surface. Examples are fruit jams that have been heated or chocolate thinned with melted vegetable shortening. Also, to cover a food with such a liquid.
Grate
To shred or cut down a food into fine pieces by rubbing it against a rough surface.
Grease
To coat a pan or skillet with a thin layer of oil.
Ice
To cool down cooked food by placing in ice; also, to spread frosting on a cake.
Infusion
Extracting flavors by soaking them in liquid heated in a covered pan. The term also refers to the liquid resulting from this process.
Jell (also gel)
To cause a food to set or solidify, usually by adding gelatin. Also SET.
Julienne
To cut into long, thin strips.
Jus
The natural juices released by roasting meats.
Knead
To work dough with the heels of your hands in a pressing and folding motion until it becomes smooth and elastic.
Leavener
An ingredient or process that produces air bubbles and causes the rising of baked goods such as cookies and cakes.
Marinate
To combine food with aromatic ingredients to add flavor.
Marzipan
A paste (of ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites) used to fill and decorate pastries.
Mince
To chop food into tiny, irregular pieces.
Moisten
Adding enough liquid to dry ingredients to dampen but not soak them.
Mull
To slowly heat wine or cider with spices and sugar.
Panbroil
To cook a food in a skillet without added fat, removing any fat as it accumulates.
Panfry
To cook in a hot pan with small amount of hot oil, butter, or other fat, turning the food over once or twice.
Parboil
To partly cook in a boiling liquid.
Parchment
A heavy, heat-resistant paper used in cooking.
Peaks
The mounds made in a mixture. For example, egg white that has been whipped to stiffness. Peaks are “stiff” if they stay upright, or “soft” if they curl over.
Pinch
Same as “dash.”
Pipe
To force a semisoft food through a bag (either a pastry bag or a plastic bag with one corner cut off) to decorate food.
Poach
To simmer in liquid.
Pressure cooking
A cooking method that uses steam trapped under a locked lid to produce high temperatures and achieve fast cooking time.
Proof
To let yeast dough rise.
Purée
To mash or sieve food into a thick liquid.
Reduce
To cook liquids down so that some of the water evaporates.
Refresh
To pour cold water over freshly cooked vegetables to prevent further cooking and to retain color.
Render
To melt down fat to make drippings.
Roast
To cook uncovered in the oven.
Roux
A cooked paste usually made from flour and butter used to thicken sauces.
Sauté
To cook food quickly in a small amount of oil in a skillet or sauté pan over direct heat.
Scald
Cooking a liquid such as milk to just below the point of boiling; also to loosen the skin of fruits or vegetables by dipping them in boiling water.
Score
To tenderize meat by making a number of shallow (often diagonal) cuts across its surface. This technique is also useful in marinating, as it allows for better absorption of the marinade.
Sear
Sealing in a meat’s juices by cooking it quickly under very high heat.
Sift
To remove large lumps from a dry ingredient such as flour or confectioners’ sugar by passing it through a fine mesh. This process also incorporates air into the ingredients, making them lighter.
Simmer
Cooking food in a liquid at a low enough temperature that small bubble begin to break the surface.
Skim
To remove the top fat layer from stocks, soups, sauces, or other liquids such as cream from milk.
Steam
To cook over boiling water in a covered pan, this method keeps foods’ shape, texture, and nutritional value intact better than methods such as boiling.
Truss
To use string, skewers, or pins to hold together a food to maintain its shape while it cooks (usually applied to meat or poultry).
Unleavened
Baked goods that contain no agents to give them volume, such as baking powder, baking soda, or yeast.
Whip
To incorporate air into ingredients such as cream or egg whites by beating until light and fluffy; also refers to the utensil used for this action.
Whisk
To mix or fluff by beating; also refers to the utensil used for this action.
Zest
The thin, brightly colored outer part of the rind of citrus fruits. It contains volatile oils, used as a flavoring.

Update on my Catering...

Well, I just wanted to announce that I decided to jump on in and do a part time catering business in my area.  I know when I say part time it will end up being full time in no time!  lol 

My orders will be upscale gourmet foods, locally grown veggies/fruits and choice of organic foods.  I will offer Sandwich trays/boxes, assorted signature wraps, salads, desserts, and more! 

I have been working on my menu for a week now and it sure is a lot more difficult than I had imagined but it will all be well worth it.  I will be posting my food art here and hoping to eventually post more on my catering adventures with of course my lil Chef Sami to pop in once in a while to help me out.

so... on to a great adventure I go!!!

Hope to see some feedback from you all...

Mini cupcake/brownie burgers

Aren't these cute!?

  This one is my lettuce and ketchup attempt

The one below is my lettuce and cheese ... Love how these turned out!

RECIPE:
For these all I did is used one box of yellow cake mix
and a box of brownie mix.
For the cake mix I followed the box directions and used my mini muffin pan.
For the brownie mix, I followed the box directions and used a longer pan so it wouldn't be so thick in a normal brownie pan.
Once all of the cakes are cooled... I cut the mini cakes in half and with the brownies I used a small circle cutter and cut them all out to make the shape of the patty.
Place the brownie on the bottom layer of the mini cake and spread your yellow frosting and green frosting on top then place the top layer of the mini cake on.  I wet a paper towel slightly and wiped the tops of the mini cakes and sprinkled the sesame seeds on top so they would stick.  Don't soak it!  *WINK*
These are cute to make for a childs birthday party or a bbq gathering for dessert.
Enjoy & have fun with these..

Bacon Asparagus Wrap

I had some left over asparagus that I didn't know what to do with.  I was tired of the same asparagus recipe so I thought bacon makes everything taste so much better and what isn't made with bacon anymore anyway! *wink*  I had heard of these made with Pancetta, I didn't have any so I go to the next best thing.. BACON!

Recipe-

asparagus 

bacon

salt and pepper

olive oil

I drizzled the asparagus with a little olive oil and seasoned it with salt and pepper.  Wrapped the asparagus with 1/2 a strip of bacon and tucked the end.  Heat up your grill (I used my George Foreman grill) and place your bacon wrapped asparagus with the ends facing down.  Grill for 6-8 minutes.  

These are so tasty and very simple to make.

Bon Appetite!

Fried Chicken

I decided to try this fried chicken after seeing it on one of Bobby Flay's throwdown show this weekend.  This recipe comes from Gillian Clark that won the throwdown to Bobby Flay putting him still to beat someone with his fried chicken (his third attempt).

This turned out sooo good and it is now my fried chicken that I will be making from now on.

Hope you decide to try it. It is a very easy recipe and very satisfying!  :)  Thanks Gillian!

RECIPE:

chicken (I used one pack of all legs because that is what the kids love!)

Marinate chicken in the following;

1 quart of buttermilk

1/2 cup of Franks red hot thick pepper sauce (I didn't measure and I know I added more than 1/2 cup as I love spicy food! *wink*)

6-8 cloves of garlic (pressed)

 Marinate the chicken 24 hours in refrigerator

For the flour mixutre all I did was all purpose flour, salt and pepper in a zip lock bag

Turn on oven to 350

drain chicken and let sit while you prep the flour mixture and warm up the corn oil in a skillet over med. heat. 

Once oil is hot add 1 stick of butter and let heat again,  then add your chicken one at a time in the flour mix. bag and shake off excess flour and add to your hot oil. don't over crowd your chicken or it will stick together.  Cook skin side down first for 10-12 minutes and turn once and cook another 10 minutes.  Add your cooked chicken to a wire rack on a cooking sheet to drip (I used my broiler pan). Once all the chicken is fried you will add the broiler pan to the oven and cook 10-15 minutes.

Thats it!  Very easy and simple.. it turns out crunchy and so moist!

Pasta Fagioli

I thought I would try my husbands favorite childhood dish that his mother would make him.  I found this recipe on a group I am in and thought this would be perfect!

These are the ing. used.. Beef broth, pasta, marinera sauce, diced canned tomatoes, white beans, kidney beans, tabasco.

Brown the beef then add the chopped carrots, celery and onion and saute for about 8 minutes.

This is with everything added!  I also added some garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper.

Bon Appetite!  My pasta fagioli... yumm!!!

Recipe below:

PASTA FAGIOLI-

makes 12 servings (cut recipe in half for smaller families)

3 tsp. veggie oil

2 lbs. ground beef

12 oz. onion; chopped

14 oz carrots; diced

14 oz. celery; diced

48 oz. tomatoes; canned & diced

2 cups cooked red kidney beans (I used canned beans and it worked just fine)

2 cups cooked white kidney beans (I used canned white beans and worked fine)

88 oz. beef stock

3 tsp oregano

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp pepper and salt

1-2 tsp tabasco sauce

5 tsp chopped parsley

48 oz. marina sauce

8 oz. dry pasta shell macaroni or other pasta

Saute beef in oil in large 10 qts. pot until beef starts to brown.  Add onions, carrots, celery and onions and saute for 8 mins.  add tomatoes and simmer for about 10 mins. Drain and rinse beans and add to the pot.  Also add beef stock, oregano, pepper, salt, tabasco, garlic powder, marina sauce, and noodles.  Add chopped parsley.

Simmer until celery and carrots are tender, about 45 mins.  Makes 9 qts. of soup!

Serve with toasted french bread.

Doughnut Cake

My third oldest child turns 18 and I wanted to do something other than a cake so I did this!  He is into lady gaga so I figured I could do something along that line but it was a lot tougher than I thought since her new CD wasn't out yet as I wanted to use that as the topper.
I thought a doughnut cake would be perfect as we are getting tired of cake.  This I found a cute espresso coffee chocolate mousee cup at the store and thought perfect!  I added some feathers on top, printed some lady gaga pictures and added some doughnut holes on skewers.  Turned out great and everyone loved it!
Happy Birthday Niko!