List 5 things you learned in the kitchen during 2010

[Inchworm]

I figure it would be nice to get things others have figured out listed. Save people like me from attempting things like my #5 hehe.

1. Room temperature = 70-80 degrees and is very important to yeast

2. Using mayonnaise as the "egg part" of of getting flour/seasonings/bread crumbs to stick to food works well. Like with home fries... delish!

3. There is no snack (other than maybe cheese) better than savory popcorn. Who said salt and butter are the only things to add to popcorn? :9

4. Pickling zucchini in pint jars helps you make use of ALL your garden veggies.

5. Savory popcorn is NOT a good filling for an omelet lol ;)

What you got? From the simple to the extreme... share what you learned.

:hi:

[NMDemDist2]

1. dunno if i'll get 5 but here goes

1. you don't have to add a half a stick of butter for 'flavor'
2. a stove top grill pan can be your best friend on harried evenings
3. it's easier to just buy the danged canned beans that try to cook them from scratch above 3000 foot elevation
4. you can survive a meal that doesn't include bread and potatoes and learn to enjoy said meals as well.
5. yes, Virginia, it is possible to make a fruit cobbler that has less than 300 calories a serving!

:rofl:

can you tell that 2010 has been about weight loss and getting in shape? but it's working.... I've lost 38# and Mr. K has lost 45 since March 1st.

Hiya Inchie!!! :hi:

[Inchworm]

3. Congrats!

Hehe, the bread and potatoes myth debunked! :P

Hope your 2011 is going well so far!

:hi:

[hippywife]

8. Congrats on the weight loss!

I, too, am making less bread. Bill isn't terribly happy about that, but he isn't complaining too much. The Ain5 is really great and convenient, but we really don't need to have bread with every meal.

:hi:

[NMDemDist2]

9. i saw on another thread

that you had been slimming down too and sent congrats to you!

it's a lot harder in my 50s that it was in my 30s LOL

:hi:

[hippywife]

10. No kidding, sister.

:rofl:

[Warpy]

2. Some of it was stuff I relearned

l. You can thicken French sauces with rice flour, but it has slightly more thickening power than wheat so you'll have to use scant tablespoons full.

2. French cream sauces aren't that calorie laden if you do them properly and can dress up the blandest fare.

3. The sauces have endless variations.

4. Wheat free pastas are fine, just watch that cooking time. Wheat free breads mostly suck.

5. Anything with fish will arouse the cat from deep coma to circle and squall until she gets her cut.

[Inchworm]

4. I tried buckwheat flour, and yes, you are correct

I was making a loaf to give someone... I ended up making bread crumbs out of it.

The rest of the bag became pancakes :rofl:

:hi:

[Lucinda]

5. Hmmm....can't think of anything

It was a rough year for me health-wise so I stuck with the usual suspects and didn't experiment much. :(

LOVE the thread idea though!

[Inchworm]

6. Well I hope 2011 is a smoother year for you

:hug:

We missed you for those months you were away.

:loveya:

[Lucinda]

7. Awww Thank you!

Hope its a wonderful year for you too!
:toast:

[GoCubsGo]

11. I only have one.

Sometimes soups taste way better when you puree them, as opposed to leaving them chunky. When it comes to bean soups, I can take 'em or leave 'em. Ditto for brown lentil soup. But, if I take my immersion blender to them, it's a whole new ballgame. I have been pureeing my black bean soup for a long time, but I tried it with lentil soup last week. I will be eating much more lentil soup this winter. :-)

[cbayer]

13. Totally agree. Also, adding some sour cream or heavy cream to that pureed soup

can turn it into something spectacular.

:hi:

[GoCubsGo]

20. Or plain yogurt.

Especially Greek style. Not as good as sour cream for some recipes, but good enough.

:hi:

[Inchworm]

21. Good idea

I wonder if it would be as good with potato soup. Hmm, I'll have to experiment. The main use for my immersion blender has been milkshakes ;)

:hi:

[cbayer]

26. Definitely good with potato soup, particularly if you also add leeks and eat it cold (vichyssoise)

:hi:

[cbayer]

12. Here are mine

A good cast iron skillet that has been properly cured and taken care of can replace many pots and pans.

English food can be pretty good if doctored up to make it more interesting.

Choosing which leftovers to keep and which to toss right away saves a lot of refrigerator space and makes leftover night much more appealing.

When you have very, very little counter space and have to move everything to access the refrigerator or pantry, getting all the ingredients out before starting the meal is a good idea.

Eliminating ingredients that you know you don't like from a recipe is ok.

:hi:

[Inchworm]

22. I'm also a fan of the cast iron

I like how tough they are.

:hi:

[Vinca]

14. I don't know about 2010, but here's something from early on 2011.

Don't eat sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes)unless you enjoy gut pains and farting.

[Inchworm]

23. Hmm, never saw a sunchoke

I don't mind farting (payback for my dogs).. but the gut pains aren't a real seller :D

:hi:

[japple]

15. Well, after setting fire to the family collection of recipes, I'll have

to go with:

#1 - Never put anything flamable on the stovetop.

[cbayer]

16. I tried so hard not to laugh at this post, but I just couldn't help myself!

:rofl:

[hippywife]

17. Aw, sweetie.

So sorry you lost all those recipes. :hug:

[japple]

19. Fortunately the recipes were saved. The cover of the old notebook

was badly charred, though and we had to replace it.

[Inchworm]

24. Or in the oven

Preheat to 350 had a peculiar smell one evening. I miss that tupperware container :blush:

:hi:

[japple]

28. I had a friend (RIP) who put his brand new, very expensive

golf shoes in the oven to dry and, you guessed it...his wife didn't see them when she turned the oven on to make supper.

[hippywife]

18. Dude!

You never fail to crack me up. :rofl:

[Inchworm]

25. Mission Accomplished!

:rofl:

:loveya:

[TreasonousBastard]

27. The mystery meat found in the bottom of the freezer is often quite edible, but...

stew found in the containers right on top of them is not.

Pasta is everywhere and boring as all get out, but serve egg noodles and people rave.

Brussels sprouts can be appreciated without holding one's nose. (It has a lot to do with bacon and cranberries.)

Good cake will interrupt anything-- everyone loves good cake and will stop whatever they're doing when one shows up.

You can disguise chicken enough ways to eat it every day and not get bored.

[Inchworm]

29. Mmmmm chicken

:rofl:

I'd like to see a documentary on expiration dates and food preservation. I take a LOT of chances with stuff I freeze. :P

:hi:

[DrDan]

30. only one comes to mind

there are better snacks than savory popcorn.

Maybe none that rival the taste, but, it seems all I am doing when I enjoy it is further enriching my dentists holdings. Broke another tooth this year enjoying savory popcorn.

[Inchworm]

31. Ouch

I've had a few near misses. That and picking hulls out of my teeth are the downsides. Oh, and accidently putting TOO much salt on a batch.

Sorry 'bout your tooth.

:hi:

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. Gluten free cookies are possible

how to make curry.

Roasting both Duck and Goose, I much prefer the duck... both are rather greasy birds.

You need to remove your liquid from apples before baking a pie... otherwise it will be a tasty, but watery mess.

Making oven potatoes, with far less fat is damn possible.

there is much more, since I got this damn allergy I've learned how to cook a lot more.

[Inchworm]

33. You have 3 things I'd like to try soon

Duck and goose. Hehe, "greasy" is actually a selling point to me. I loves the dark meat.

I also would like to do curry. The main reason I haven't attempted this is my preference to try using actual spices rather than pre mixed stuff (like curry powder or chili powder)

I'll probably tackle the curry in the spring. I wouldn't know where to even buy a duck or goose :D

:hi:

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. Found both at the local Ralphs and decided to do both

for the 24 and the 31 one at a time. Suffice it to say, the goose needs about 5 hours, and the duck about four... I usually start my meats at broiling to seal the juices,and then lower to 250, cover and let them go for well... hours.

The curry.... really depends on what curry. There are so many curries. I have done Thai, three or four, and Japanese.

You can use either half and half, or coconut milk. I like the lower fat coconut milk, it is lighter.

[noamnety]

35. my list:

1. yogurt sets up better if I use whole milk and add dried milk to it.

2. mayo is super easy to make and I'm only going to buy it from now on if it's free with a coupon.

3. bacon ends are infinitely better than regular bacon.

4. buying a probe thermometer so you can tell what's happening inside a roast without opening the oven door is totally worth it.

5. I can use the same thermometer and set it to beep when bread hits 200 degrees, no more guesswork on when the loaf is done.

Top item from previous year: Tossing a half cup of water into a hot pan to create steam for crust isn't a good idea at all if the pan is pyrex.

[Inchworm]

36. I totally learned about the thermometer as well

I got so tired of seeing "cook until done" and "until juices run clear" when following a recipe. I miss mine though. I took mine over to daughter's to help with our Christmas meal and she was so amazed that I let her "borrow" mine.

Umm, I hope you didn't get hurt when you did that water add. A few years back I was setting a pyrex dish on the counter and BOOM! It freakin' exploded because the counter was wet. :blush:

:hi:

[noamnety]

37. I was shocked I wasn't hurt.

When pyrex explodes it EXPLODES. Like a grenade filled with 500 degree hot glass shards. :D

[Inchworm]

38. LoL - I hear ya!

BOOM! :rofl:

:hug:

[pinto]

39. You don't have to go to Spain to enjoy "small plates".

I've made it a part of my day at home. Just a neat way to eat and it fits for me. :hi:

(on edit) Duh, I was supposed to list five things. So I'll dredge up 4 more...

Use those left overs.

Fresh is better.

It's OK to color outside the lines.

Savor not consume.