Thursday, September 13, 2018
How to Make a Graham Cracker Pie Crust - Graham Cracker Pie Crust Recipe
How to Make a Graham Cracker Pie Crust
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (126g) crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
1/3 cup (75g) butter, melted
How to make it
Steps
1 Get a small bowl and mix the sugar and crackers together.
2 Pour in the butter and use a hand mixer to blend the ingredients together.
If there's no hand blender available, you can whip the mixture by hand.
3 Pour the mixture into a ungreased, 9 inch (22.9 cm) pie pan or plate and mold it all around the sides and bottom.
4 Prepare the crust in two ways:
Hard: Place pan in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes at a temperature of 375ºF/190ºC. Bake until the crust is lightly browned and then place it on a cooling rack before using it.
Soft: Place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using it.
How to Make Chicken Pot Pie - Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
How to Make Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
For the Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into cubes
Ice water
For the Filling
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken meat (either white meat, dark meat, or a mixture)
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup butter
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1/2 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 cup green peas
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
How to make it
Method 1 Making the Crust
1 Combine the flour and salt.
Place the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and use a whisk to thoroughly combine them.
2 Cut in the butter and shortening.
Place the chilled butter cubes and shortening in the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to work the butter and shortening into the flour until the dough resembles small lentils or peas.
If you have a food processor, you can make this step easier by placing the flour, salt, butter and shortening in the food processor and giving it a few pulses until the dough comes together as described above.
Don't overwork the dough, or the crust will come out too tough. Leaving larger pieces of butter will result in a flaky crust.
3 Add some ice water.
Start with just a tablespoon of ice water. Use a wooden spoon to quickly work it into the dough. Pinch a bit of dough between your fingers. If it holds together, it's ready for the next stage. If it crumbles, add more ice water, mix it in, and test it again.
4 Form the dough into a disc.
Turn the dough onto a floured cutting board or countertop. Use your hands to form it into a flat disc. Wrap the disc in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator while you prepare the chicken pot pie filling.
Method 2 Preparing the Filling
1 Sauté the vegetables.
Place a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter, then add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook the vegetables until the onions are translucent and the carrots and celery brighten, about 10 minutes.
2 Add the flour.
Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables. Stir it in with a spoon as the vegetables keep sauteing, making sure that the flour coats them completely.
3 Add the milk and stock.
Pour the milk and chicken stock into the pan. Stir the mixture and let it simmer until it begins to thicken, which should happen after about 10 minutes.
If the mixture boils, turn it down, so that the liquid doesn't cook off too quickly.
Add a little more milk or stock if the mixture looks too thick.
4 Add the remaining ingredients.
Stir in the chicken, peas, thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Stir the filling and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste it and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Remove the filling from heat, cover it, and set it aside.
Method 3 Assembling the Pot Pies
1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2 Roll out the pie crust.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. Set the dough on a floured work surface. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough into a 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) circle.
If you want to make one large pie, roll the dough into a shape that matches the dish you're going to use. This could be a round pie or cake pan or a casserole dish.
If you plan to make individual pies, cut the rolled-out dough into smaller shapes large enough to cover the baking dishes you plan on using.
3 Pour the filling into a dish.
If you want to make one large pot pie, pour the entire amount of filling into a deep pie dish or cake pan or an 8-inch casserole dish. To make individual pot pies, distribute it evenly among 4 ramekins.
4 Place the crust over the filling.
Drape the crust over the top of the baking dish, or dishes. Use your fingers to crimp it around the edges so that it stays secured in place. Use a knife to make a few cross hatches in the top of the crust. If you wish, use a fork to make decorative notches around the edge of the pie. If you're making more than one pie, repeat until each pie has a crust.
5 Bake the pie.
Place the pie (or pies) on a baking sheet, so that the filling won't spill over onto your oven floor as it cooks. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and slightly puffed.
6 Finished.
How to Make Thin Crust Pizza - Thin Crust Pizza Recipe
How to Make Thin Crust Pizza
Ingredients
1 packet active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cup warm water
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Tomato paste or tomato sauce
Grated mozzarella cheese
Desired toppings (i.e mushrooms, bell pepper, bacon, pepperoni)
How to make it
Steps
1 Dissolve the yeast and sugar.
Dissolve yeast and sugar in one and one-half cups warm water. Stir and set to the side.
2 Mix the flour, salt, and olive oil.
Combine all-purpose flour, salt, and olive oil in a large bowl. Mix with your hands or use a spoon.
3 Have the dough form.
Pour yeast mixture into the bowl and stir until a dough forms.
4 Knead the dough.
Spread flour over a working surface and knead the dough for roughly 10 minutes until it is thin and elastic.
5 Clean the large bowl for another use.
6 Let the dough rise.
Roll dough into a ball and place it back in the bowl, then cover it with cling film. Let dough rise for 30 minutes; by then it should have roughly doubled in size.
7 Form the dough into a circle.
Flatten the dough into a large circle with a rolling pin until you can roughly see through it.
8 Spread the paste or sauce on the pizza.
Transfer the flattened dough onto an oiled baking tray or sheet. Use a pastry brush or spoon to brush tomato paste or sauce evenly across the surface.
9 Sprinkle grated cheese evenly on the pizza.
10 Add the toppings.
Add your desired toppings, making sure each slice will have at least one of each topping.
11 Bake.
Place the pizza in an oven and bake at 425 F for 10-15 minutes, or until evenly browned.
12 Finished.
How to Make Pie Crust - Pie Crust Recipe
How to Make Pie Crust
Ingredients
2 2/3 cups unbleached flour. Avoid bread flour, which results in a more glutenous dough.
1/2 teaspoon iodized salt
1 cup of cold butter or shortening. Use room-temperature shortening for easy workability (especially if you're a beginner) or use butter for a more flaky, golden crust.
About 7 tablespoons (about a quarter cup) ice-cold water. Remember to keep the water icy and cold — the temperature is more important than the exact amount.
1 tablespoon of white vinegar, sugar, vodka, or lemon juice. The addition of a "secret ingredient" like vinegar keeps gluten strands from forming in the pie crust, making it soft and flaky.
How to make it
Part 1 Mixing the Dough
1 Mix flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Stir the sifted flour and salt together thoroughly, preferably in a sizable heat-resistant mixing bowl. Because maintaining a cool temperature is essential to keeping the gluten strands from forming a strong bond, using chilled flour and a chilled bowl is recommended.
While you're preparing the dough, it's a good idea to chill your butter thoroughly before you attempt to work it in, if you're using butter. Anytime the mixture gets overworked, you can stop, put the mixing bowl into the fridge, and let it chill back down to a workable temperature.
2 Cut the butter or shortening into the flour.
There are many different methods of cutting the fat into the flour, but all are equally effective with the right amount of elbow grease. The most important thing is to keep the butter cool, if you use it, so keep it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes or so, cutting it into large chunks before integrating it more thoroughly. You want to mix in the fat until you have small and uniform pea-sized chunks.
Use a food processor. The easiest way to cut the butter is to use a food processor, pulsing the flour mixture for a minute or two, until the butter is chopped up to the appropriate size.
Use a pastry cutter for butter or shortening. A pastry cutter is a great way of chopping up the butter in a good uniform mixture, quickly and without much effort. Roll the pastry cutter through the flour mixture, clearing out the butter from behind the tines after you make each pass around the bowl, if necessary. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes.
Use a fork or two knives. If you don't have a pastry cutter or a food processor, don't fret. It's possible, but takes slightly more hand strength and effort, to cut up the butter with the flat side of a table fork, using two knives to slice the butter in opposite directions, or even just using the end of a metal spatula.
Just use your fingers with shortening. Shortening won't be greatly affected by the heat from your hands or from the room temperature, making it easy to get your hands in and crumble up the shortening into the flour using your fingers. You can also do this with butter. Letting it get warm makes the mixture too glutenous and it won't be flakey.
3 Mix in ice-cold water into the flour mixture.
Use a wooden spoon and gently stir the flour as you pour a small amount of ice water into the bowl. Pour a tablespoon or two at a time, integrating it gently by agitating the flour. The mixture should just barely come together and form a loose ball, and shouldn't be at all damp or wet looking.
Be very gentle. The key to a flaky crust is to make sure you don't overwork the dough. Pie crust is not bread dough, and if you overwork the dough, the crust will become quite tough and difficult to handle. Be a minimalist when it comes to mixing the water into the flour. Less touching means more tender dough.
4 Chill the flour any time the mixture becomes overworked.
If you're struggling to get the flour to come together, or if everything has become too warm, don't be afraid to pop the bowl into the freezer for a couple of minutes to chill it back down to a more workable temperature. Cold dough is easier to work with.
5 Use your hands to form dough into ball.
Very gently, pull the flour into a ball, touching it as little as possible, and then split ball in two equal portions. The recipe should make two portions, which you could use for one bottom crust and one top crust, or bottom crusts for two different pies. Cut the dough ball in half with a kitchen knife and separate the halves gently.
It's usually a good idea to chill the dough in the refrigerator until you're ready to roll it out and bake with it. If you've already got the oven pre-heated and you're anxious to get started, putting it in the freezer can be a good way to get the temperature down quickly.
If you want to save the dough for a longer period of time, freeze it in a self-sealing freezer bag. When you're ready to use it, let it defrost in the fridge overnight and roll it out normally.
Part 2 Rolling Out the Crust
1 Prepare your rolling surface.
There are several different techniques to rolling out the pie crust, so it's good to experiment some to find out what works best for you and the materials at hand. Some bakers prefer to prep a clean and smooth work surface, while others will use wax paper or plastic bags to create a non-stick barrier for rolling out the dough and help in moving the crust onto the pie plate safely.
Wax paper makes an excellent surface on which to roll out pie crust. Tape down a piece slightly larger than the diameter of the pie plate you hope to fill with the crust, and flour the surface gently. Many bakers will use wax paper in combination with pastry cloth or a second sheet of wax paper to fold the crust into a triangle for easy transport and use.
A wooden or stone pastry board requires very little or no flour to roll out pie crust. This can be an excellent investment if you plan on making lots of pie crusts.
It's also common to place pie dough in gallon Ziplock bags and unroll them without removing them from the bag. It can be somewhat challenging to keep pie crust from sticking to the rolling pin, making it a useful easy-clean barrier that will keep the pin from sticking. Just make sure you chill the dough thoroughly and flour the dough before attempting to roll it out.
2 Clean your rolling surface thoroughly.
Start by washing your flouring surface, scraping any old pastry bits off to get the cleanest, smoothest surface possible. If you rinse it with water, let it dry completely before adding flour, or you'll get goopy dough on the board that you don't' want. Pie crust can be very delicate and tender, making it important that you use a very smooth, clean, surface.
3 Flour the surface of whatever rolling surface you use liberally with flour.
Whether you want to use a pastry board or your kitchen counter, sprinkle a layer of flour onto it evenly and place the dough on or in it. Rolling out the crust is the most difficult part, so give yourself a good layer of flour to avoid ripping it.
The amount of flour used to "dust the board" will vary depending on the fat content of the crust you're making, the amount, and the humidity in your area. It's always easier to add more, but it'll be impossible to take flour away if you end up drying it out. Sprinkle no more than a tablespoon or two of flour on the board when you start out, and no more than a tablespoon on top of the dough on top.
4 Roll out the first ball of dough.
Sprinkle a fair amount of flour on a rolling pin, to make sure the dough won't stick, and start rolling out the dough. Start from the center, rotating your rolling pin around to smooth the dough evenly in different directions, using smooth even strokes and removing the rolling pin from the dough as soon as you've completed a stroke.
Flip the dough over and flour the rolling surface again. Turn over the dough every two or three passes with the rolling pin, to avoid sticking it to the rolling surface.
It shouldn't take more than 5 or 10 passes to get the dough rolled out. The ideal pie crust is about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) thick, and even.
Don't worry if your crust doesn't roll out into a perfect circle. Remember, you want to avoid over-working the dough, so it's better to have a flaky crust that's a little oblong than a perfectly-shaped crust that's too tough. There's nothing wrong with a slightly misshapen pie crust, because you can trim off excess bits after you get it into the pan.
5 Carefully transport the crust to the pie plate using the wax paper or the rolling pin.
The moment that you're most likely to tear the crust is during the step from moving it from the rolling board to the pie plate. But with the right technique, you can help to keep your crust in one piece.
If you rolled the crust out on wax paper, sandwich the crust between that piece and other piece, then fold it over, and over again into a triangle. You can store this in the freezer for easy use, or you can use it right away, unfolding it into the pie plate.
If you rolled the crust out on the counter, you can either roll the crust up onto the rolling pin, unrolling it onto the pie plate, or you can use a pastry scraper and gently move the crust flat.
6 Gently unroll the dough and lightly press into plate.
Use your fingers to push the dough into the bottom corners of the pie plate, and flat against the sides of the pie tin. Using a sharp knife, trim the edges of the crust and use the excess dough to patch any rips or tears in the crust.
You don't need to grease or flour the pie plate before you add the crust. It should release from the tin as it cooks. A tiny dusting of cornmeal in the bottom of the tin can help to unstick the crust, if necessary.
7 Fill the bottom crust with your desired pie filling.
Depending on what kind of pie you want to make, you might need to cook the filling, or simply empty the pre-made filling into your crust. Follow the directions for the particular variety of pie you want to make and prepare the filling accordingly.
Blueberry, blackberry, or other berry filling can either be made from canned pie filling, or from fresh fruit. If you start from fresh fruit, add white sugar, to taste, and a tablespoon of cornstarch for each cup of fruit to thicken the juice.
To make stone-fruit filling, like Cherry or peach, remove the pits by cutting the fruit in half or using a pitting machine. Remove the skins if desired, or leave them on.
Cook down apple, rhubarb, and other crunchy or sour fruits, like gooseberries, to release the juices and soften the fruit. Add a small amount of cinnamon and brown sugar to the filling as it cooks to add fragrance and taste.
Make pumpkin or sweet potato filling by mixing pureed pumpkin or sweet potato with sweetened condensed milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and other baking spices.
To make Chocolate, coconut, lemon, or banana cream filling, you'll need to pre-bake your empty pie crust before adding the cooked custard and cooling it in the fridge to set.
Mincemeat, chicken, or other savory fillings by sautéing the ingredients completely in the skillet before adding them to the crust and baking them. All meats and vegetables should be cooked completely before being added.
8 Roll out the second ball of dough following the steps above.
Flour your rolling surface, roll the second ball of dough out with the rolling pin, and place it atop the filling.
Using a pastry brush (or just brushing it on with your finger), moisten the perimeter of the bottom crust with water or a single beaten egg so that it will stick to the top crust. Using a fork, crimp the top and bottom crusts together so it stays secure. Trim off excess dough with a sharp knife.
You can cut slits in the top to vent the steam, or cut a more intricate design to your liking. You can use excess dough to create little shapes or designs on the top of the pie to decorate it.
Alternatively, you can cut the top crust into several strips of dough, to create the lattice crust.
Part 3 Troubleshooting Common Problems
1 If your crust is tough, it was handled too much.
Pie crust dough shouldn't be kneaded or handled like bread dough. Kneading and rising is done at room temperature to create gluten strands, which give bread its chewiness. It's desirable in bread, but undesirable in crust. If you want it flaky and tender, handle it as little as possible.
It's also possible that too much water was added to the crust. It takes some practice to get the water right: you want to add very cold water until the dough just starts to come together. You'll likely have to press the crumbs together to make it work, because there won't be enough water to make it come together just by stirring.
2 If the bottom crust gets soggy, bake it at a higher temperature.
Baking at too low a temperature can make the filling bubble before the pie crust browns, making it seep into the bottom layer. The bottom crust won't firm up properly when this happens, and it can get soggy for that reason.
It's also possible that a soggy pie is the result of too little cornstarch being added to raw fruit. Blueberries, in particular, require lots of cornstarch to set up, and will release a lot of liquid when you start baking them. It'll take some practice to get the cornstarch ratio correct. You'll also need to let the pie rest a while before cutting into it.
3 If the crust is too crumbly, the ingredient ratios were off.
You might have used too little water or too much shortening, but a crumbly crust that isn't flaky like you want it to be, one that has a dusty taste, needs to be tweaked slightly. Try to make the crust again, but substituting the same amount of butter, and see if that affects the consistency. If it comes out the same, you'll know it's the water. If it's different, try to add slightly less shortening next time.
4 If the crust is dry but not flaky, the shortening was cut too much.
Leaving small but noticeable chunks of butter in the crust is a good way of creating flakes. As the butter melts, it spreads out, creating that desirable texture in pie crust. If it's too ground up into the flour, you won't get the same texture.
Part 4 Using Alternative Ingredients
1 Substitute whole wheat flour for white.
It's possible to make whole grain crusts by substituting an equal amount of whole wheat pastry flour, as fine a grain as possible. To help the texture, it's also a good idea to add a quarter to a half cup of raw oats, flaxseed meal, or other whole grain flour to help get the mix to come together.
Whole wheat flour tends to be much more brittle and difficult to handle than that made with white flour. Be very careful not to over-mix it.
2 Make a cookie crust.
Making a cookie crust with finely crumbled ginger snap, Oreo, graham cracker, or some other cookie of your choice. Start with 12-15 cookies in a plastic bag and crush them with a plate or tenderizing mallet, until they're fine enough to resemble a coarse flour. To that, mix in a quarter cup of melted butter, and press into the cookie plate. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes, watching closely so it won't burn.
Cookie crusts pair excellently with custard or cream pies, like chocolate or coconut. It's less effective for fruit pies.
3 Use gluten free substitutes.
Use equal amounts of brown or white rice flour and sweet rice flour, instead of wheat flour. The rest of the recipe works as normal, as long as you use vegetable shortening, which is vegan. It's also common to use a little xanthan gum, about a teaspoon, to bind the dough and replace the need for the gluten strands that form in wheat flour dough.
How to Make a Rice Krispie Pie Crust - Rice Krispie Pie Crust Recipe
How to Make a Rice Krispie Pie Crust
Ingredients
3 cups (84g) of Rice Krispies
1/3 cup (75g) butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (it can be coconut sugar, or any other that you might like)
How to make it
Steps
1 Put all of the ingredients into the bowl.
It helps to melt the butter, instead of soften it, to mix the sugar up thoroughly into your 'crust'.
2 Stir them together.
You don't want to go crazy and turn it into dust.
3 Press into the pie pan using the back of a spoon.
4 Chill until your pie filling is complete.
5 Add whatever your pie is going to be.
Something like pudding, or a no bake cheesecake, etc.How to Make a Rice Krispie Pie Crust
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
How to Make Fruit Cobbler - Fruit Cobbler Recipe
How to Make Fruit Cobbler
Ingredients
Fruit
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 1/2 cups blueberries -- canned or other favorite fruit or berry
cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter -- dot over fruit, approximate, use as much as you like
Cobbler
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter -- cold
1/2 cup milk
How to make it
Steps
1 Preheat conventional oven to 400 °F (204 °C).
2 Spray a microwave-safe-ovenproof 1 1/2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Use a baking dish that is long and shallow versus a deep round dish. An oval baking dish is perfect.
3 Combine fruit with juice, cornstarch and flavoring in microwave-safe-oven proof baking dish.
Mix well. Heat mixture at 100% power (high) in the microwave oven, stirring several times during heating, until mixture is bubbly. This should take 2 to 3 minutes.
4 Remove dish from microwave oven.
Keep warm.
5 Dot with butter.
6 Combine dry ingredients for the cobbler mixture.
7 Cut in butter.
8 Add milk and stir until a soft dough forms.
9 Spoon 8 dumplings onto hot fruit mixture.
10 Bake until golden, about 30 minutes.
11 Serves 6 to 8.
How to Make a Pie Crust in a Food Processor - Pie Crust in a Food Processor Recipe
How to Make a Pie Crust in a Food Processor
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose unbleached white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour or an additional 1/2 cup of white flour
1 tsp. salt (approximately)
1 tbs sugar (approximately)
1/2 cup salted butter
1/2 cup shortening
8-12 tbs iced water
How to make it
Steps
1 Place all dry ingredients in the food processor, with the multi-purpose blade (the standard metal cutting one) and pulse three to five times for 1 1/2 seconds for each pulse.
2 Add the butter, that has been cut into little chunks, and pulse three to five times for 1 1/2 seconds per pulse.
Lift the mixture completely by stirring it in an upwards motion, bringing the ingredients on the bottom to the top.
3 Add shortening in little chunks; pulse three to five times for 1 1/2 seconds per pulse.
Lift the mixture again.
4 Add three or four tbs.
of iced water (no chunks of ice should be added) and pulse three to five times for 1 1/2 seconds per pulse. Lift mixture.
5 Add three or four more tbs.
of water. Pulse and lift, as directed above. Add just enough water so that the mixture forms a dough and lifts away from the food processor walls.
6 Squeeze some of the mixture in your hand.
It should be slightly sticky but still soft and fluffy.
7 Transfer the mixture into a bowl and shape into two approximately even balls.
8 Set down a large sheet of waxed paper or a pastry cloth with some flour on it.
Use your hand to press one of the balls into a disc. Then roll it out, being careful not to rip it, until it's a bit bigger then the pie pan that is being used to bake the crust in.
9 Place your pie pan on the rolled out dough upside down and.
Using the wax paper to lift the dough, flip the it over. Tuck your pie dough down into the pan without stretching or ripping it.
10 Use the other dough for the top crust or for a second pie, depending on your recipe.
11 Form the outer crust by pinching with fingers or pressing a fork along the rim.
If the pie has a top crust, form both edges together.
12 Trim off any excess with a knife and roll it into the next crust.
If you have small scraps left over, you can bake them separately with a little cinnamon and sugar, and just enough butter to make it stick.
13 Finished.
How to Use a Fork and Knife - Use a Fork and Knife Instruction
How to Use a Fork and Knife
Part 1 European (Continental) Style
1 Know that the fork is on the left side of the plate and the knife is on the right.
If you have more than one fork, the outer one is your salad fork and the inner one is for your main dish. The fork for your main dish will be larger than your salad fork.
We'll cover table settings in the last section. For right now, let's concentrate on how to hold your utensils and get to eating! The "right" way, of course.
2 To cut into items on your plate, pick up and hold your knife in your right hand.
The index finger is mostly straight and rests near the base of the top, blunt side of the blade. The other four fingers wrap around the handle. While your index finger is resting on the top, your thumb juxtaposes it on the side. The end of the knife handle should be touching the base of your palm.
This is the same in both styles. And both styles cater to right-handers. If you're left-handed, consider reversing pretty much anything you read on this topic.
3 Hold your fork in your left hand.
The tines (prongs) face away (downward) from you. The index finger is straight, and rests on the back-side near the head of the fork, but not so close you are in danger of touching the food. The other four fingers wrap around the handle.
This is often referred to as the "hidden handle" method. This is because your hand is pretty much covering the entirety of the handle, secluding it from view.
4 Bend the wrists, so that your index fingers are pointing down towards your plate.
This makes the tip of the knife and fork also point towards the plate somewhat. Your elbows should be relaxed and not at all up in the air or uncomfortable.
While we're at it, typically your elbows should be off the table at all times. But if you're taking a break from using your cutlery and in an informal setting, don't stress about it.
5 Hold the food down with the fork by applying pressure through the index finger.
If you're cutting, place the knife close to the base of the fork and cut with a sawing motion. Foods like pasta will only require a swift, easy cut, while chewy meats will take a bit of work. Generally, only cut one or two bites at a time.
Hold the fork so the tines (prongs) are curving toward you, with the knife further away from you than the fork. At an angle is fine, too -- just make sure you can see your knife clearly to know where you're cutting. You should be able to look over your fork to your knife.
6 Bring smallish bits of food to your mouth with the fork.
In this style of eating, bring the fork to your mouth with the tines curving downward. The back of the fork will be up as you bring it to your mouth.
Keep the fork in your left hand, even if you're right-handed. You may find that this method is the more efficient of the two if you experiment with both.
Part 2 American Style
1 When cutting, hold the fork in your left hand.
Unlike the Continental method, the American style of using a fork adopts more of a pen-like hold. The handle rests against your hand in between your thumb and forefinger, your middle finger and thumb are holding the base, and your index finger rests on top. Again, the tines are downward, curving away from you.
2 Only when cutting, place the knife in your right hand.
This hand positioning is the same as in the aforementioned style -- with your index finger along the base and your other fingers wrapped around it.
3 Make a cut.
Hold the food down with your fork (tines down), cutting through with the knife in a gentle sawing motion. Your fork should be closer to you than your knife. Only cut one or two bites before continuing.
4 Now switch hands.
Here comes the main difference between the two styles: after cutting a bite, put your knife down on the edge of your plate (blade at 12 o'clock, handle at 3 o'clock) and transfer your fork from your left hand to your right. Turn it so the tines are curving upward and take a bite! Tada.
This is the method that was prevalent when America first became America. Europe used to use it, but has since moved on, favoring a more efficient approach. The jump hasn't quite made it across the pond, though there are pockets of difference everywhere.
5 Apart from cutting, eat with your fork in your right hand, tines facing upward.
If you are eating a dish that doesn't require cutting, keep your fork in your right hand at all times with this method. Tines can face downward if you're taking a bite, but will generally return upward for the majority of the time. However, do know that only in the absolute most formal of settings will this ever be an issue. We're talking when the President is sitting across from you. Other than that, don't stress.
Your silverware should never touch the table. If you're only using your fork, be sure your knife is resting along the edge of your plate. When you put your fork down, rest the handle on the edge, tines near the center of the plate.
Part 3 Dining Extras
1 Understand the table set-up.
For 95% of meals, you'll probably just be dealing with a knife, fork and spoon. But for those fancy occasions, you may see a few more pieces and wonder what the heck you should be doing. Here's a rough outline:
A four-piece setting is a knife, a salad fork, a place fork (main dish), a place knife, and a teaspoon for coffee. The salad fork will be on the outside and smaller than your place fork.
A five-piece setting is all that and a soup spoon. The soup spoon will be much larger than your coffee teaspoon.
A six-piece setting is a first-course fork and knife (on the outside), main course fork and knife, and a dessert/salad fork and coffee teaspoon. Those last two will be the small ones.
A seven-piece setting is all that and a soup spoon. The soup spoon will be much larger than your coffee teaspoon and isn't a knife or a fork.
If you ever see a small fork on your right (forks generally never go on the right), it's an oyster fork.
Utensils are generally placed in the order of their use. When in doubt, start from the outside and work your way in.
2 When you're just pausing between bites, place your silverware in a resting position.
There are two different ways to signify to your waiter that you aren't finished:
European style: Cross your knife and fork on your plate, fork over knife, tines facing down. The two should form an upside-down "V."
American style: The knife goes near the top of your plate, blade at 12 o'clock, handle at 3 o'clock. The fork is placed tines upward, just at a slight angle from your body.
3 When you're finished eating, place your silverware in a completed position.
This lets your waiter know your plate can be cleared (if he's in the know, that is). Again, the two schools of thought are:
European style: Knife and fork parallel to each other, handles at 5 o'clock, blade and tines in the center of your plate (tines downward).
American style: The same as European style, only the tines of the fork are facing upward.
4 Get crafty with rice and other small items.
You will need to pick them up by the fork in a slight scooping manner, rather than stabbing at them fruitlessly. The American style generally prefers to rely solely on the fork (again, less efficient), while the European style sometimes employs the help of the knife blade or a piece of bread for scooping.
5 To eat pasta, twirl it with your fork.
If you have a spoon, ensnare a few noodles with your fork and twirl them, resting on the base of your spoon. If the noodles are too long and are proving cumbersome, you can cut them with your knife if need be. But before you take any drastic measures, just try taking only a few noodles at a time. And make sure you have a napkin at the ready!
If you're not good with pasta, you are in good company. It's messy for even the most seasoned of pasta-eaters at times. It's less about the knife and fork and more about not slurping.
How to Make Beads from Flour and Water - Beads from Flour and Water Recipe
How to Make Beads from Flour and Water
Ingredients
4 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 1/2 cups cold water
Food coloring (optional)
Steps
1 Mix the flour and salt.
2 Add water and mix well.
3 Knead the "dough" that you've created for 10 - 15 minutes.
If it feels flexible when you bend it and does not fall to pieces, it is ready for shaping.
4 Shape the beads.
Take small pieces and work them into ovals, circles, squares, or whatever shape takes your fancy.
5 Make a hole in the bead.
If you are using your beads to turn into a necklace or bracelet, make a hole in the center with a skewer or other thin long object. If you are using the beads for other projects, you may not want to have holes in them.
6 Bake the beads in an oven at 250ºF/120ºC for 2 - 3 hours.
Check regularly to see how the beads are. They are done when there is no moisture left and they feel hard to the touch.
7 Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack.
8 Paint your beads.
Decide which colors you'd like to make your beads and paint them. Include spots, stripes, shapes and other designs on them. Even little people or animal figures can be effective if you have detailed painting skills.
9 Allow paint to dry thoroughly.
10 Completely finished beads can be lacquered for a beautifully shiny finish.
How to Make Salt Dough - Salt Dough Recipe
How to Make Salt Dough
Ingredients
2 cups (256 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (201 g) salt
3/4 cup (180 mL) water
2 tablespoons (30 mL) vegetable oil
Food coloring (optional - see "Tips" for suggestions)
How to make it
Method 1 Making the Dough
1 Pour 2 cups (256 g) of flour into a large bowl.
Add 1 cup (201 g) of salt, 3/4 cup (180 mL) of water, and 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of vegetable oil bowl. Stir thoroughly until all of the clumps have been removed from the mixture. It should gain a doughy consistency.
2 Pour the dough onto a flat surface, such as a cutting board.
Knead the mixture with the heels of your hands. Press, fold, and rotate the dough with your hands until it is smooth and thick.
3 Add food coloring or glitter (optional).
Make several batches in different colors. Color can be obtained easily using food coloring available in cake decorating supplies. Glitter adds a lot of pizzazz to the dough.
Edible colors include chocolate powder, coffee, spices, beetroot water, carrot juice etc.
4 Store your salt dough in an airtight container.
It will keep for several days so long as the container is properly sealed.
Method 2 Making Decorations with the Dough
1 Mold shapes with dough by hand or with cookie cutters.
Salt dough is a great way for kids to make easy holiday decorations. It is easiest as a beginner to start with flat objects before advancing to 3D figures with details. Layering details over the initial figure should only be attempted when you feel confident about making the initial shape.
Use a rolling pin to flatten out the dough before you use cookie cutters.
To prevent your dough ball from drying out while you are working on a smaller piece, place a damp towel over the ball until you are ready to use it.
2 Dry the decorations.
There are several different ways that salt dough can be dried:
Air dry your decorations. Choose a warm, dry place to let the figures dry. Place figures on a grill to permit air circulation. This method will take about one week and is only suitable for small, flat and thin figures.
Air dry and use an oven. Allow for a little drying by air and then bake the figure in the oven for half an hour at 50ºC (122ºF). You can increase to 100ºC (212ºF) after the initial half hour if more time is needed.
Put your decorations directly into the oven. Set the oven at 180ºF (82ºC) for about 10 minutes. Dry directly on the oven rack to ensure even drying over the entire figure.
3 Check the decorations continuously if choose to dry them in the oven.
You do not want to brown or burn the figure.
4 Tap the cooked figure.
If it sounds hollow, and will not yield to your finger, it is ready. If not, dry it for a longer period of time. Dry it at a low temperature or air dry it to avoid browning it. Placing it in the oven more than once will increase the chance of your decoration cracking.
5 Decorate the figures.
They can be painted once dry.
Method 3 Other Ways to Use Dough
1 Create jewelry out of dough.
Your kids can make inexpensive necklaces and bracelets that will look cute and stylish.
2 Make figurines out of dough.
Shape the dough into the different components of something (such as a head, body, arms, and legs) then stick them together! In order to keep them attached, wet both parts that you would like to stick together.
3 Get crafty by making dough food.
You can give dough food figurines to your kids to play house with, or decorate your fridge by gluing magnets onto the back of the dough shapes.
How to Make Noodles from Wheat Flour - Noodles from Wheat Flour Recipev
How to Make Noodles from Wheat Flour
How to make it
Steps
1 On a large flat surface, gently drop 2 cups of flour to form a volcano (that is to say, a mountain of flour with a hole in the middle).
2 Sprinkle with salt to taste.
3 Drop your enough eggs to make 1/2 cup of eggs,or 1/2 cup of water in the middle and gently cover with some of the flour.
4 Start gently mixing and kneading.
5 Remember to add eggs or flour as needed.
What you are looking for is a somewhat firm dough that will not stick to your fingers.
6 Once this is achieved, wrap in plastic paper and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes.
7 Roll it out by hand or use a pasta machine.
8 Let dry.
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
How to Knead Dough - Knead Dough Instruction
How to Knead Dough
Part 1 Getting the Dough Ready to Knead
1 Prepare a flat surface for kneading.
It's easiest to knead dough on a flat surface that comes up to the level of your waist. Prepare a countertop, table, or another stable surface for kneading by cleaning it with warm, soapy water, then wiping it completely dry with a towel. Sprinkle flour over the dry surface so the dough won't stick when it's time to knead.
Some recipes call for kneading the dough inside a bowl. In these cases the dough is usually only supposed to be kneaded for a minute or two. For recipes requiring a kneading period of more than three minutes, plan to use a flat surface instead.
If you don't want to knead the dough directly on top of your table or countertop, you can line your work surface with parchment paper sprinkled with flour. Special nonstick surfaces designed to aid in kneading dough are available for purchase at baking stores.
2 Combine the ingredients for your dough.
Use the ingredient amount listed in the recipe you are using. Basic dough ingredients are usually flour, yeast, salt, and water. Mix the ingredients well with a wooden spoon in preparation for kneading.
If loose flour is still sticking to the sides of your mixing bowl, the dough is not yet ready to knead. Keep stirring it with a spoon until all the ingredients are combined.
If you're having trouble moving the wooden spoon through the dough, it's ready to be kneaded.
3 Turn the dough onto your work surface.
Dump it from the bowl directly onto the flat surface you prepared. It should form a loose, sticky ball. The dough is now ready to be kneaded.
Part 2 Kneading the Dough
1 Wash your hands before kneading.
Kneading requires working the dough between your bare hands, so wash them and dry them well before you begin. Remove your rings and other jewelry that might get caught in the dough, and roll up your sleeves so they don't get sticky.
Since you're working with a floured surface, you may want to protect your clothes with an apron.
2 Gather the dough into a pile.
When you first plunge your hands into the dough, it will be sticky and difficult to gather. Go ahead and work the dough with your hands, forming it into a ball, pressing it down and reshaping it. Continue doing so until the dough is no longer as sticky, and it becomes possible to shape it into a ball without the dough falling apart.
If the dough doesn't seem to be losing its stickiness, sprinkle more flour over the top and work it into the dough.
You can lightly dust your hands with flour to keep the dough from sticking too much.Punch the dough. Press the heels of your hands into the dough, pushing forward slightly. This is called "punching" the dough and helps the gluten start working. Continue doing this until the dough is slightly springy.
3 Punch the dough.
Press the heels of your hands into the dough, pushing forward slightly. This is called "punching" the dough and helps the gluten start working. Continue doing this until the dough is slightly springy.
4 Continue to work the dough.
To knead the dough, fold the dough in half and rock forward on the heels of your hands to press it flat. Turn the dough slightly, fold it in half, and rock into it again with the heels of your hands. Repeat for 10 minutes, or as long as the recipe tells you the dough should be kneaded.
The kneading process should be rhythmic and steady. Don't work too slowly; handle each part of the dough quickly, never letting it rest for too long between turns.
10 minutes is a long time to repeat a physical task. If you get tired, have someone else step in and continue the kneading process.
Part 3 Knowing When to Stop Kneading
1 Look for a tacky texture.
The dough starts out sticky and lumpy, but after 10 minutes of kneading it should be shiny and smooth. It should be tacky to the touch with an elastic feel. If any lumps or sticky parts remain, continue kneading the dough.
2 Test if the dough holds its shape.
Shape the dough into a ball and let it drop to your work surface. Did the ball shape stay intact? If the dough is ready, it should hold its shape.
3 Pinch the dough to check its firmness.
Dough becomes firmer as you knead it, just as winding a spring makes more winding more difficult. Pinch a bit of dough between your fingers. If it's ready, it will feel like an earlobe. When the dough is poked, it should spring back into shape.
4 Complete your recipe.
Most recipes instruct you to let the dough rise in a warm place for a few hours after the first kneading is finished. Once it has doubled in size, you may need to punch the dough down and knead it for a few more minutes, then let it rise again before baking.
If you kneaded the dough until it was firm, springy and shiny, your bread should have a crunchy crust with a soft, chewy interior.
If the dough was not thoroughly kneaded, the bread will turn out tough, dense and a little flat.
How to Bake an Apple Pie from Scratch - Bake an Apple Pie from Scratch Recipe
How to Bake an Apple Pie from Scratch
Ingredients
Crust
½ liter or 2 cups of plain flour
1 teaspoon of salt
¾ of a stick (90 grams) of tenderflake pastry lard or butter
5 tablespoons of cold water
1 egg (for brushing, helps the surface get golden)
Milk (for brushing the crust)
Filling
80 mL or 1/3 cup of white sugar
80 mL or 1/3 cup of brown sugar
¼ teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons of flour
6-8 medium-sized apples (Granny Smith is good for baking)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
How to make it
Steps
1 Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
2 Make sure you have a clean, spacious counter top available for kneading and rolling out the dough.
3 Place the flour, salt, and butter in a large bowl.
With a pastry blender or fork, crush the butter until it forms tiny balls with the flour. Then slowly add the water.
4 Knead with floured hands until a large dough ball forms.
Split the ball in half and wrap one of the piece in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped dough in the refrigerator.
An alternative is to wrap both of the dough balls and refrigerate them for 30 minutes before proceeding to the next step.
5 On a floured counter-top, begin to roll the dough out into a circle shape about 2 inches (5.1 cm) larger in diameter than the pie pan.
Some people prefer to place a layer of plastic wrap on top of the dough as it's being rolled so that it wouldn't stick to the rolling pin. [citation needed]
6 Slowly lift the flattened dough off the counter-top by wrapping it completely around the rolling pin.
7 Unroll the dough over the pan, being careful not to let it tear.
Fit it into the pan, pressing it against all the sides.
8 Cut off the overhanging edges.
Leave about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) of extra dough over the pie pan.
9 Place the pie shell in the refrigerator.
10 Make the filling.
Peel and slice the apples into pieces about 1/8 of an inch thick or chop them into 1/2" cubes. Put them into a large bowl and mix with sugars (white and brown), salt, lemon juice, flour, nutmeg and cinnamon. Drain apples for 20 minutes and then heat the liquid produced along with 3 cubes of butter in the microwave until it's reduced to third of its volume and becomes thicker (prevents a soggy crust).
11 Roll out the remaining ball of dough on a floured surface, just like you did before.
Sliced top. Gently fold it in half and make 4 to 5 half inch long slices along the fold and 4 slices in the center of the folded piece. These will allow the filling to breath and not break through the sides. Unfold the top crust set it aside.
Lattice top. Cut the rolled out dough into as many 1" wide strips as it will yield.
12 Remove the pie shell and filling from the refrigerator.
13 Pour the filling into the pie shell, spreading it out with the back of a spoon.
There should be enough filling to fill the entire pan and stack up above the edge at least an inch in the center.
14 Brush the edges of the pie shell with a beaten egg.
15 Lay the top crust over the pie.
Sliced top. Lay the sliced top crust over filling. Cut off the excess edges with a butter knife. Take both thumbs facing each other and place them over the edge. Push thumbs down and towards each other. Do this around the entire pie to seal it.
Lattice top.
Place the pastry strips across the top of the apples in a criss-cross pattern, then weave them together to create a lattice effect.
Cut off the overhanging excess pastry and press the edges down into the rim as previously described.
16 Sprinkle milk over the top or brush the lattice with the egg wash.
This will help to brown the crust. Dust cinnamon and sugar over the top crust for an extra touch.
17 Bake at 400ºF (200ºC) for 15 minutes.
Turn down the oven to 375ºF (190ºC) for 45 minutes.
Remove when top crust is golden brown.
18 Allow the pie to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature before serving.
19 Finished
How to Make Kimchi Jjigae - Kimchi Jjigae Recipe
How to Make Kimchi Jjigae
Ingredients
3 green onions chopped into ¼ inch pieces (split into two portions)
1/2 clove of minced garlic
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
1 cup of kimchi
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 3oz can of cooked tuna fish
1/2 tablespoon of crushed red pepper (purchased at Korean or Asian market)
28-30 ounces of chicken broth
1/2 block of tofu, chopped into ¼ inch pieces
1 pinch of salt
1 egg
Sesame oil (optional)
How to make it
Steps
1 Place clay pot over medium flame and allow to properly heat for a few minutes before adding ingredients.
2 Once the clay pot is heated, add two table spoons of vegetable oil.
3 Add one teaspoon of sesame seeds, spread evenly within the clay pot, and allow them to toast into a golden brown color.
4 Add one cup of kimchi.
Depending on whether kimchi is homemade or store bought, you may need to cut up kimchi into smaller pieces
5 Place cover on pot and allow kimchi to reduce to about a half a cup, approximately 4 minutes.
Stir occasionally.
6 Add ½ a teaspoon of sugar and gently mix into the kimchi.
7 Open one can of tuna fish and add the entire contents into the pot.
Gently mix in with the sugared kimchi and sesame seeds.
8 Add minced garlic, crushed red pepper, and one portion of the chopped green onions in the pot stirring gently until all ingredients are properly mixed.
9 Generously add chicken broth into the pot.
Around 28 to 30 ounces should suffice.
10 Turn up heat to medium high, cover the pot, and bring to a boil.
11 Once stew is boiling, add a pinch of salt and remaining green onions.
12 Add chopped tofu to boiling pot and stir gently until all contents are properly mixed.
13 Let stew cook uncovered for about 10 minutes
14 Crack egg on top of boiling soup and then turn off the stove.
Depending on your preferences, you may choose to serve soup upon cracking the egg or allow it to fully cook
15 Sprinkle with sesame oil before serving and enjoy!
16 Finished.
How to Make Kwek Kwek - Kwek Kwek Recipe
How to Make Kwek Kwek
Ingredients
Makes 4 servings
The Basics
1 dozen quail eggs
1 cup (250 ml) flour
Water, for boiling
Cooking oil, for frying
The Batter
1 cup (250 ml) flour
3/4 cup (185 ml) water
1 Tbsp (15 ml) annatto powder
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) baking powder
The Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
1/4 cup (60 ml) brown sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) ketchup
2 tsp (10 ml) soy sauce
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) black pepper
How to make it
Part 1 Boil the Eggs
1 Boil the eggs.
Place the eggs in a medium saucepan. Add water until the surface of the water is 1 inch (2.5 cm) higher than the tops of the eggs. Heat the saucepan over high heat until the water starts to boil. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let the eggs cook in the hot water for an additional 5 minutes.
It is generally recommended to bring the water and eggs up to temperature at the same time. If you drop cold eggs into boiling water, you may end up cracking some of the shells.
To make the eggs easier to peel and to prevent the yolks from taking on an unappealing green tint, rinse the eggs in cold water as soon as you remove them from the hot water. This stops the cooking process and creates a barrier of steam between the egg white and the shell, which is why the shell is easier to remove as a result. You can rinse the eggs in cold, running water, or you could dunk them into a bowl of ice water.
2 Cool and peel off the shells.
Let the eggs sit at room temperature or in cold water until they are cool to the touch. Once they are sufficiently cool, peel off the shells using your fingers. When done, you should be left with a dozen hard-boiled quail eggs.
To peel the shell, tap it on a hard surface, using just enough force to form a crack. Peel the shell off in pieces from this crack.
Note that you can do this step up to two days in advance. If you do not plan on using the boiled quail eggs immediately, you should refrigerate them in a covered container until you are ready. They should not be kept for more than two days, however.
Part 2 Coat and Fry the Eggs
1 Dredge the eggs in flour.
Sprinkle 1 cup (250 ml) flour into a small dish with shallow sides. Roll the freshly peeled quail eggs in the flour until each one is well-coated all the way around.
Note that you could also use corn flour when dredging the eggs instead of wheat flour. Corn flour has a lower gluten content, but otherwise, it will act the same way as the wheat flour acts and will adhere just as effectively.
2 Mix the annatto powder and warm water.
Dilute the annatto powder by mixing it into 3/4 cup (185 ml) warm water. Stir with a whisk until dissolved.
Annatto powder is mostly used as a coloring agent, and when combined correctly, it should produce a deep orange color. It does give the batter a hint of flavor, though.
If you do not have annatto powder, you can use orange food color instead. Place a few drops of orange food coloring, or a few drops of red and yellow food colorings, into the warm water and mix until you get a deep orange color. The food coloring will not give the batter the same exact taste as the annatto powder gives it, but the color should be about the same.
3 Combine the batter ingredients.
Mix another 1 cup (250 ml) flour, baking powder, and diluted annatto together in a large bowl, using a whisk. Combine thoroughly until there are no lumps.
To improve the quality of the batter, set it off to the side for about 30 minutes before coating the eggs. Letting the batter sit allows the flour to become more thoroughly hydrated, creating a thicker, richer batter as a result. The resting time also gives the baking powder more time to activate. Be careful, though, since allowing the batter to rest for more than 30 minutes can cause some of the bubbles produced by the baking powder to escape, creating a denser, less airy batter as a result.
Also note that the baking soda is not an absolutely essential ingredient. Some recipes leave it out completely. You could leave it out, as well, and the result will simply be a slightly denser batter.
4 Coat the eggs with batter.
Toss the eggs into the batter mixture. Roll them around gently until all sides are covered in batter.
If you do not want to get your fingers sticky, use a metal skewer or a fork to move the eggs around as you coat them. It is crucial that all sides of each egg get coated.
5 Heat oil in a deep pan.
Pour 1 inch (2.5 cm) of vegetable oil into a wide pan with tall sides and a heavy bottom. Heat the oil on high over the stove until it reaches a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
Check the temperature of the oil using an oil or candy thermometer.
If you do not have a thermometer, check the temperature of the oil by dropping a small dollop of batter into it. The batter should immediately begin to sizzle and fry when the oil is ready.
6 Fry the eggs.
Transfer the coated eggs into the oil, four to six at a time. Cook, stirring gently with a slotted spoon, until the batter turns golden-brown and crisp. This should only take a few minutes.
To avoid getting batter on your fingers, you might want to use a skewer to pierce the coated eggs when transferring them to the hot oil. Use a second skewer or fork to scrape the egg off the skewer and into the hot oil.
Work carefully to avoid splashing hot oil when you drop the eggs in.
Understand that the temperature of the oil will fluctuate once you drop the eggs in and once you remove them. Continue watching your oil thermometer as you fry the eggs. Readjust the heat controls on your stove as necessary to maintain a temperature of about 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
7 Drain and cool slightly.
Line a plate with several layers of clean paper towel. Remove the kwek kwek from the hot oil and place the eggs on the paper towels. Let the excess oil soak into the paper towels.
A plate lined with clean paper bags will work instead of the paper towels, if desired.
Alternatively, you could place the fried eggs in a metal strainer and drain the excess oil that way instead of using paper towels.
It is best to enjoy the kwek kwek while it is still somewhat hot. The batter will be crispier when eaten fresh, but it can start to become soggy once it cools.
Kwek kwek does not reheat well since the batter tends to get soggy during the refrigeration and reheating process.
Part 3 Make the Sauce
1 Combine the ingredients in a saucepan.
In a small saucepan, mix together the rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, and black pepper. Stir until evenly combined.
If you want a spicier sauce, chop up one hot chili and mix it into the other ingredients.If you still prefer a smoother sauce, though, you could accomplish the same level of heat by adding 1 tsp to 1 Tbsp (5 to 15 ml) chili sauce.
Make this sauce as the eggs drain and cool. By the time the sauce is done, enough of the oil should have been drained and the eggs should be cool enough to bite into. You do not want to let the eggs cool down completely, though, since the batter will get soggy once that happens.
Note that you could even make the sauce in advance. Store it in an airtight container and refrigerated it until ready to use. Microwave it for 30 to 60 seconds or heat it gently on the stove to warm it up slightly.
2 Heat through.
Simmer the mixture at medium heat on the stove until the sugar completely dissolves. Stir frequently as the sauce cooks.
When done, immediately remove the dipping sauce from the heat source. Allow it to cool down until it is cool enough to touch without getting burned.
3 Serve with the eggs.
Transfer the dipping sauce into a small bowl. Serve it alongside the freshly fried quail eggs, or kwek kwek.
Monday, September 10, 2018
How to Make Strawberry Lemonade - Strawberry Lemonade Recipe
How to Make Strawberry Lemonade
Ingredients
Strawberry lemonadeMakes 4 servings
2 cups water
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1 pint (2 cups) strawberries
Ice (optional)
Lemon slices, sliced strawberries, mint, chocolate mint, or other garnish (optional)
Quick strawberry lemonade
3/4 cup of lemon juice (bottled is fine, fresh if preferred)
1/2 cup sugar
1.5 to 2 cups of fresh strawberries
5 cups of water (still or sparkling, as preferred)
Creamy strawberry lemonadeMakes 4 servings
4 lemons and sugar to taste; or lemonade powder (whichever you prefer)
1 pint strawberries
Ice (optional)
How to make it
Method 1 Strawberry Lemonade
1 Make the lemonade.
Combine the water, sugar, and lemon juice. It may be necessary to bring the water to a boil first, to get all the sugar to dissolve.
2 Remove the stems, hulls, and any bad spots from the strawberries.
You can use more or fewer strawberries if you wish to.
3 Place the strawberries in a blender with lemonade to cover generously.
Add a bit of ice if you would like more of a smoothie or slushy consistency. You can also freeze the strawberries instead of adding ice.
4 Blend until mixed.
Once it is mixed, pour it into a pitcher with the remainder of the lemonade, and stir.
Blending in only part of the liquid at first helps to get the strawberries blended more smoothly.
5 Serve the strawberry lemonade.
Pour into glasses and float sliced or halved strawberries to the top. Garnish the rim of the glass with a slice of fresh lemon, if you like. Serve chilled with pink straws for extra flair.
Method 2 Quick Strawberry Lemonade
1 Wash and hull the strawberries.
Add them to a blender and blend until smooth. If needed, add some water to help it to blend easily.
Use seedless strawberries if you don't want seeds, or strain the seeds from it.
2 Pour the lemon juice and sugar into the serving jug or pitcher.
Stir to dissolve the sugar.
3 Pour the blended strawberries into the lemon juice and sugar mixture.
Stir well to combine.
Method 3 Creamy Strawberry Lemonade
1 Make lemonade.
You can fresh-squeeze the lemonade from real lemons, or us a packet. The idea is for it to be regular lemonade, so use your favorite way of making lemonade for the base.
2 Wash and slice the strawberries.
In a different bowl, add the strawberries. With a masher, mash the strawberries until creamy.
3 Blend the strawberries into the lemonade.
Mix until the composition is smooth and thoroughly blended.
4 Keep in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
5 Serve.
Once chilled sufficiently, add ice and enjoy.
How to Make Puto (Steamed Rice Cake) - Puto (Steamed Rice Cake) Recipe
How to Make Puto (Steamed Rice Cake)
Ingredients
4 cups rice flour
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 tbsp baking powder
2 cups coconut milk
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg
Cheese for topping
Food coloring (optional)
1 tbsp. tapioca (optional)
How to make it
Steps
1 Sift the dry ingredients together.
Sifting your rice flour, sugar, and baking powder will help you combine the dry ingredients, get rid of any lumps, and get some air into those ingredients. Just pour them into a bowl through a sifter, scraping a fork along the bottom of the sifter as they fall, allowing them to sift more easily. Mix the ingredients well until they're thoroughly incorporated.
If you don't have rice flour, you can use regular flour instead, though this is considered less traditional than using rice flour.
If you're really serious about making puto, then you can combine the rice flour and water in a bowl, cover it, and let it sit at room temperature overnight. If you want to do this, you should combine about 1 lb (16 oz) of rice flour with 1 1/2 cups of water.
2 Add the butter, coconut milk, egg, and water and mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
Use a wooden spoon, whisk, or electric mixer to mix the ingredients until they are thoroughly incorporated. If you don't have coconut milk, you can use half as much evaporated milk, or just regular milk, but that won't give the puto the distinct traditional flavor it is known for.
If you'd like the puto to be a bit more gelatinous, you can add 1 tbsp. of tapioca to the entire batch.
Though food coloring isn't necessary, it can make this treat more colorful. Some common colors for puto are lime green, yellow, or purple. If you'd like to create a multitude of colors, you can even divide the batch into four parts, and place 1-2 drops of unique colors in three of them; you can leave the fourth batch without coloring, to create a nice "white" color for contrast.
3 Pour the mixture in molds or small cupcake pans.
If you're not using cupcake paper, you can grease the molds with butter to prevent the treats from sticking to them. You should fill the mixture to the top or a little bit below the molds. They'll expand as they cook, so you don't want them to leave some room for them to grow. Some would even say to only fill the molds three-quarters of the way.
4 Put cheese on top of the mixture.
Cut the cheese into little squares about the size of a half-dollar, a little larger than a quarter. If you're using regular cheese, then you should put it on the mold before you start steaming. However, if you're using Quickmelt cheese, then you should put the little squares on at the end of the steaming process, when there are just two minutes left. That's all you'll need to melt the Quickmelt cheese.
5 Prepare the steamer.
Make sure you've put the necessary amount of water in the steamer and have set it to cook. You can line it with cheesecloth to protect the molds and use more cloth to cover it. Or you can just stick to using an ordinary lid to cover the steamer. You can start preparing the steamer as you mix the ingredients together to save time.
6 Put the molds in the steamer and steam for 20 minutes.
You can start checking up on them after 10 minutes. Once you can put in a toothpick and have it come out clean when you take it out, then the puto is ready. Just remember to leave two minutes for cooking at the end if you're using Quickmelt cheese.
7 Remove the puto from the molds.
Give them a minute or two to cool down before you do this. When they're ready to handle, arrange them on a serving plate.
8 Serve.
This treat is best served warm, so you should enjoy it immediately. Puto can be enjoyed on its own at any time of day, but many people love to have it with coffee. You can also enjoy it along with dinugan, pork blood stew, if you like.
How to Make Kimbap (Korean Sushi) - Kimbap (Korean Sushi) Recipe
How to Make Kimbap (Korean Sushi)
Ingredients
Ground meat
Rice
Carrots
Lettuce
Wasabi (optional)
Soy sauce
Seaweed (nori)
How to make it
Steps
1 First put the seaweed on plastic wrap.
2 Then put as much rice on the seaweed as you want.3 spoons of rice will do.
3 Put the other ingredients on top of the rice.
4 Roll the seaweed into a roll.
5 Then slice it into edible pieces with the very sharp knife.
6 If it's too bland, dip it in soy sauce.
7 Eat it and enjoy.
How to Make Meat Pies - Meat Pies Recipe
How to Make Meat Pies
Ingredients
Crust
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup shortening or butter
4 tbsp. cold water
Filling
1 cup chopped potato
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 tbs. margarine or butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp dried thyme or sage, crushed
1 1/4 cup beef broth
1 1/2 cup chopped carrots and peas
2 cups ground beef.
How to make it
Method 1 Making the Dough
1 Make the pie crust.
Mix flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir 1 1/4 cups flour and 1/4 tsp salt together in a large mixing bowl.
2 Cut the butter or shortening into the flour.
There are many different methods of cutting the butter into the flour, but all are equally effective with the right amount of elbow grease. Keep the butter at a cool temperature and begin by cutting large chunks. Keep cutting your chunks down until the butter is mixed in thoroughly. Aim to get small and uniform pea-sized chunks.
Use a food processor. The easiest way to cut the butter is to use a food processor, pulsing the flour mixture for a minute or two, until the butter is chopped up to the appropriate size.
Use a pastry cutter for butter or shortening. A pastry cutter is a great way of chopping up the butter in a good uniform mixture, quickly and without much effort. Roll the pastry cutter through the flour mixture, clearing out the butter from behind the tines after you make each pass around the bowl, if necessary. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes.
Use a fork or two knives. If you don't have a pastry cutter or a food processor, don't worry. You can cut up the butter with the flat side of a table fork, or use two knives to slice the butter in opposite directions, or even just use the end of a metal spatula.
Just use your fingers with shortening. Shortening won't be greatly affected by the heat from your hands or from the room temperature, making it easy to crumble using your fingers.
3 Mix cold water into the flour mixture.
Pouring cold water one tablespoon at a time into your flour will help you integrate the water gently, allowing the dough to form loosely. The mixture should just barely come together and form a loose ball, and shouldn't be damp or wet looking.
Be very gentle. The key to a flaky crust is to make sure you don't overwork the dough. If you overwork the dough, the crust will become tough and difficult to handle.
Your mixture will form soft lumps. These lumps should be moist enough that they will hold together if you gently press them between your fingers.
4 Use your hands to form the dough into a ball.
Very gently, pull the flour into a ball and then split the ball into two equal portions. The recipe should make two portions, one will be the bottom of your pie, and the other will be the top cover.
It's usually a good idea to chill the dough in the refrigerator until you're ready to roll it out and bake with it. If you've already got the oven pre-heated and you're anxious to get started, putting it in the freezer can be a good way to get the temperature down quickly.
If you want to save the dough for a longer period of time, freeze it in a self-sealing freezer bag. When you're ready to use it, let it defrost in the fridge overnight and roll it out normally.
5 Roll the crust.
On a lightly floured surface, flatten the dough with your hands and roll from the center to the edges with a rolling pin dusted with flour. Aim to form a circle about 12 inches in diameter.
Method 2 Making the Filling
1 Cook your meat.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 cups ground beef and 1/2 cup chopped onions. Season with thyme, cloves, chopped garlic (if desired) and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring to crumble the meat and mix in the spices, until the meat is evenly browned.
If you'd like a more flavourful pie, you can also use a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg as seasoning.
2 Discard the grease or fat.
Once your meat is cooked through, use a wooden spoon or spatula to push your meat to one side of the pan and tilt the pan away, letting the grease pool on the other side. Spoon it grease out, or carefully tilt your pan over a grease safe container to dispose of it. Place your cooled grease into a sealed non-recyclable container and discard it into your regular trash can.
Do not dump grease into the kitchen sink or toilet bowl or even use hot water to wash it down the drain. This allows grease to get into the sewage system or harden in your pipes.
Be careful whenever handling hot grease.
3 Add the vegetables and beef broth.
Chop 1 potato into small pieces and add it to the skillet with 1 1/4 cup beef broth to start. Pour in 1 1/2 cup carrots and peas. The beef broth will keep your filling moist once the grease has been drained out.
You can peel your potato if desired.
If you want something different, try using a sweet potato instead.
You can also add more or less beef broth as needed, but don't let your filling get too soupy.
4 Thicken your pie filling (optional).
You may need to thicken your filling if it gets too runny. This can be done in a number of ways. Here are some things to consider:
Mix two tsp. of flour with 1/4 cup cold water or 1 tbsp. cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water before stirring it into your mixture
Thicken with flour. For each cup of filling, use about 2 tbsp. of flour. Add the flour in increments of 1 tbsp. Add the flour slowly and stir in each addition. This will help prevent lumps from forming in your filling. Cook and stir for 1 additional minute until your sauce is thickened and bubbly.
Thicken with cornstarch. For each cup of sauce, use 1 tbsp. of cornstarch. Add the cornstarch in increments of 1 tbsp. and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add 2 minutes to your cooking time for cornstarch.
Method 3 Making a Whole Meat Pie
1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2 Assemble a whole pie.
Roll your pie crust around the rolling pin. Start from one edge and carefully wrap your crust around the pin. Transfer your crust to your pie dish by carefully unrolling it from your pin and laying it down into the dish.
Avoid stretching the pastry.
3 Trim the crust.
Trim to about 1/2 inch beyond the edge of the pie plate and fold the extra pastry under to create a thicker crust on the rim.
4 Fill your pie.
To assemble your pie, slowly pour the filling into the pastry-lined pie dish. Level it off and don't overfill your dish.
5 Cover your pie.
Roll out an additional circle of dough or pastry and carefully place it over your pie. Pinch the edges of the bottom layer and top layer of dough together and create the knuckle-like pie edge ridges. Trim off any excess using a sharp knife.
6 Make a few slits in the top.
Use a sharp knife to cut some vents into the top crust to allow the steam to escape when cooking.
Brush the top of your crust with egg or melted butter. This will help keep the crust moist and prevent cracking.
7 Bake your whole pie.
Place your pie onto an oven rack in the center of your oven and cook for about 45 minutes or until the top of the pie is golden brown.
When your pie comes out of the oven, it will be hot! Make sure to let it cool on the countertop before serving.
Method 4 Making Individual Meat Pies
1 Cut your dough.
Roll out your dough and cut it into 6 even pieces, about 5 ounces each.Roll the pieces into 6 individual balls
Dust your workstation with flour to prevent dough from sticking.
2 Roll out your dough.
Roll your pieces into about 8-inch flat circles. If your dough is very warm, it may be difficult to handle, cool it in the refrigerator for about 5-10 minutes if necessary.
3 Fill your individual pies.
Evenly divide your filling into about 3/4 cup per individual pie and scoop it onto half of each dough circle. Carefully fold the dough over to cover the filling and use your fingers or a fork to press the edges together.
4 Slice slits into the tops of each pocket.
Use a sharp knife to cut a few slits into the top of your pies. This allows steam to escape when baking and helps to prevent the pie from cracking or bursting in the oven.
Brush the top of your pockets with egg or melted butter to keep the top moist.
5 Bake your pies.
Bake your pies on a lightly oiled or non-stick baking sheet in the oven for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the crust is golden brown and flakey.
Enjoy with a side of ketchup.
Method 5 Trying Creative Variations
1 Try different types of meat.
Use ground pork, chicken, turkey, or any meat you prefer. You can also mix meats for a more creative pie. Try cooking bacon and mixing it into your ground meat. Buy your favorite Italian sausage and cut it out of the casting to mix into your pie filling. You can try lamb, veal, or even tuna flakes.
Make sure your meat is fully cooked before adding it to your filling.
2 Make mincemeat sweet pie.
If you are looking for a sweet and savory pie, try adding some additional ingredients to your filling recipe. Add:
8 ounces of raisins.
4 ounces of dried figs (chopped).
2 ounces dried cherries (chopped)
2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped.
1 lemon zested and juiced.
1 orange zested and juiced.
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground clove
6 ounces dark brown sugar
3 Make a spicy meat pie.
Bring some heat to your meat pie with the addition of a few ingredients and seasonings. Try mincing 1 jalapeño chili and 2 garlic cloves for your filling. Add 4 tsp of curry powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper. Use these seasonings when cooking your ground beef to create a delicious spicy meat pie.
4 Get creative.
Use your favorite ingredients and flavors to influence your own version of a meat pie. For a Mexican influenced meat pie, add refried beans and cheddar cheese to your filling. If you are looking for a vegetarian meat pie, substitute 1/2 cup (90 g) brown lentils for ground meat. You can also try adding artichoke hearts. Get as creative as you'd like!
5 Finished.
Sunday, September 9, 2018
How to Make Easy Peach Cobbler - Easy Peach Cobbler Recipe
How to Make Easy Peach Cobbler
Ingredients
1 large can of quartered peaches (or 2 small cans)
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 box of white cake mix
How to make it
Steps
1 Preheat oven to 350ºF/175ºC.
2 Spray pan with non-stick spray or smear with oil.
3 Open can(s) of peaches and pour into bottom of pan (juice and all).
Evenly spread peaches.
4 Pour cake mix on top of peaches.
Spread evenly and break up big pieces.
5 Cut butter into slices (about 14-16 pieces per stick).
6 Place butter pieces evenly on top of cake mix evenly.
7 Cook for 1 hour until brown.
8 Finished
How to Bake a Blueberry Pie - Bake a Blueberry Pie Recipe
How to Bake a Blueberry Pie
Ingredients
2 pie crusts
4 cups fresh blueberries
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
How to make it
Steps
1 Preheat oven to 400 °F (204 °C).
2 Prepare favorite double crust pie pastry.
3 Mix blueberries lightly with other ingredients in a mixing bowl.
4 Pour blueberry mixture into prepared pie crust.
5 Top with remaining pie crust.
6 Crimp and seal.
7 Cut slits in top of pie crust.
8 Bake about 50 to 60 minutes or until lightly browned.
The blueberry pie filling will be bubble through the slits when the pie is done.
9 Finished.
How to Make Meat Jun - Meat Jun Recipe
How to Make Meat Jun
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings.
1 pound Angus beef rib eye, top sirloin, or cross rib; very thinly sliced
3/4 cup soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
8 eggs, beaten
Flour, as needed
Canola oil, as needed
Dipping sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Pinch of red or black pepper
How to make it
Steps
1 Prepare the different bowls.
Make the marinade. In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, garlic, sugar, and water.
Add a good cup of flour or two to a large plate.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl and set aside.
2 Add the meat to the marinade.
Fold the meat lightly into the ingredients to give a thorough soaking.
3 Transfer the meat to the flour.
Cover the meat thoroughly with the flour and lightly shake the excess off.
4 Dip the meat into the egg bowl.
5 Pan fry the meat.
Add a few tablespoons of canola oil to a large frying pan and place it over medium heat. Allow the meat and eggs to cook for a few minutes on both sides.
6 Drain the meat jun.
Transfer the meat onto paper towels to remove any excess fat and grease.
7 Make the dipping sauce.
Combine the dipping sauce ingredients into a small bowl.
8 Serve the meat jun.
Slice it into 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) strips and serve with the sauce. Meat jun is commonly served with a side bowl of white steamed rice.
How to Make a Quick Egg Snack - Quick Egg Snack Recipe
How to Make a Quick Egg Snack
Ingredients
egg (1)
salt
red chili powder
onion
tomato
green chilly
coriander
carrot
How to make it
Steps
1 Take the contents of an egg.
2 Add some salt and red chili powder to it. and mix it properly.
3 Leave it aside and take some onion, tomato, chilly, coriander, and carrot(optional) pieces.
4 Grind these vegetables.
Make it into paste, and add a pinch of salt to the mixture.
5 Take a cooking pan, spread some oil on it and pour the egg mixture.
(to make an omelet)
6 Flip the omelet and apply the mixture of vegetables on it.
7 Roll the omelet and again apply a little bit of oil to it.
8 Cut the roll into pieces, add some coriander for garnishing, and serve hot.
Saturday, September 8, 2018
How to Make a Microwave Omelet - Microwave Omelet Recipe
How to Make a Microwave Omelet
Ingredients
1 teaspoon butter
2 eggs
2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) water
? teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
? to ½ cup (50 to 75 grams) filling, optional (i.e.: diced ham, shredded cheese, etc.)
Method 1 Using a Bowl or Pie Dish
1 Microwave the butter in a shallow bowl or glass pie plate until melted.
The cooking time will vary from microwave to microwave. In most cases, it will take about 45 seconds on a high-heat setting.
This will make the omelet richer. If you wish to save some time, you can simply use cooking spray.
2 Tilt the bowl around to spread the butter.
This will prevent the egg from getting baked onto the bowl and make clean-up easier. If you used cooking spray, you can skip this step.
3 Whisk together the eggs, water, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Keep beating until the yolks are all broken up and everything is evenly combined. There should be no streaks of egg yolk and egg white.
4 Pour the egg mixture into the buttered dish and cover it tightly with a sheet of plastic wrap.
You can also cover it with a microwave-safe plate instead. This will prevent the eggs from expanding out of the dish and making a mess.
5 Microwave the eggs on high for about 1 minute, or until the eggs are almost set.
After about 30 seconds, pause the microwave, and use a fork to push the cooked edges of the omelet towards the center.
6 Add the filling,
if desired. Once the eggs have thickened and no liquid remains, take the dish out of the microwave and pull off the plastic wrap. Place the filling over half of the omelet.[3] Some of the fillings, such as herbs and cheese can be used fresh, but other fillings, such as ham and bacon, need to be cooked first.
You can use things like diced ham, chopped onions, or shredded cheese.
You can use just one ingredient for the filling, or play around with different combinations.
For more ideas on toppings, click here.
7 Fold the omelet in half.
Tuck a spatula under the bare side of the omelet, and flip it over so that it covers the filling.
8 Slide the omelet onto a plate and serve immediately.
If you'd like, you can garnish it with some more of your filling, or fresh herbs, such as chives.
Method 2 Using a Mug
1 Spray the inside of a 12 to 16-ounce (350 to 475 milliliters) microwave-safe mug with non-stick cooking spray.
If you don't have any cooking spray, you can also simply rub some butter inside the mug. You are using a larger mug because the eggs will expand while being cooked.
2 Add the eggs, salt, and pepper into the mug and beat them together with a fork.
Keep beating them until the yolks are all broken and mixed in with the whites. There should be no streaks or swirls.
3 Microwave for 1 minute.
Your eggs likely will not be set all the way. This is fine, because you still need to add some toppings and stir them up a bit.
4 Add any fillings, if desired.
Some of the fillings, such as shredded cheese, can be used fresh, but others, such as sausage or bacon, need to be cooked first.
You can use things like diced bacon, chopped scallions, or shredded cheese.
You can make the filling just one ingredient, or play around with different combinations.
For more ideas on toppings, click here
5 Give the eggs a quick stir and microwave them for another 1 to 2 minutes.
How long you microwave the eggs for depends on the strength of your microwave. They are ready when they are puffy and all liquid has been absorbed.
6 Serve the omelet.
You can eat it straight out of the mug, or you can eat it on a plate. To get the omelet out, run a knife around the edges of the omelet in the mug, then dump it out onto a plate.
Method 3
1 Consider adding some toppings.
You do not have to use all of the steps in this method. Choose the ones that appeal to you the most. You can also try some of the tasty variations at the end of this method at well if you are having troubles coming up with combinations of your own.
2 Add 2 tablespoons of chopped or diced vegetables for a healthy twist.
Unless you don't mind raw vegetables, sauté or cook the vegetables before adding them to the omelet. Vegetables that go well in omelets include:
Bell peppers (red or green)
Mushrooms
Scallions
Spinach
Tomatoes
Onions (especially yellow)
3 Add 2 tablespoons of chopped or diced meat for extra protein.
Any meat that you add should already be cooked; it won't continue to cook once you add it in. Meats that go well in omelets include:
Bacon
Ham
Sausage
4 Add some herbs for extra flavor.
You can use fresh or dried herbs. Most recipes will call for about 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs. If you are using dried herbs, reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon. This is because dried herbs are much more potent.
Basil
Chervil
Chives
Cilantro or parsley
Tarragon
Thyme
5 Enhance your omelet with lots of cheese.
You will need 1 to 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Cheddar cheese is the most popular, but you can also use other types as well, including mozzarella and Parmesan. You can even try crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese!
6 Make a gourmet omelet with cheese, ham, and bell pepper.
You will need 2 to 3 tablespoons of shredded Cheddar cheese, 2 tablespoons of cooked, diced ham, and 1 tablespoon of diced, fresh bell pepper.
7 Try a tomato-basil omelet.
Add ½ cup (100 grams) of diced, fresh tomatoes to your omelet, along with 1 tablespoon of chopped basil and 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese.
8 Give your omelet a Mexican twist with salsa.
Fill the omelet with 2 tablespoons of shredded Mexican cheese blend. If you are folding it in half, you can top it off with another 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Serve the omelet with 2 to 4 tablespoons of chunky salsa.
9 Try a healthy spinach-feta vegetable omelet.
Fill your omelet with 1 tablespoon of diced, roasted red peppers, ¼ cup (55 grams) of spinach, 1 tablespoon of feta cheese, and 1 tablespoon of sliced green onions.
10 Try a sweet omelet.
When preparing the omelet, omit the pepper and use sugar instead of salt. Fill the omelet with some fresh fruit (such as sliced strawberries) or preserves. Dust the finish omelet with confectioners' sugar.
11 Finished.
How to Flip an Omelet - Flip an Omelet Instruction
How to Flip an Omelet
Method 1 Using a Spatula
1 When you know the omelet is ready to be flipped, grab your spatula and plate.
2 Take your spatula and insert under your omelet.
3 Take the omelet and flip the side of the omelet.
4 Slide onto the plate.
Method 2 Inverting Onto a Plate
1 Occasionally for bigger omelets or egg tortillas and frittatas it's not so easy to flip in the pan without it breaking.
This is because there is an inconsistency in the omelet texture where it could tear.
2 Have a plate about 5 centimeter (2.0 in) each side larger than your omelet ready and slide the omelet cooked side down onto the plate.
3 With great care, invert the pan over the plate, then holding them firmly, turn the plate and pan over.
This is not for kids so should be done by an adult. This is done quite often with large omelets, but the trick is to make sure the plate does not slide loose as this can cause injury as well as ruin the omelet. This is why you want to have a big rim for a firm grip.
If your pan has a high amount of liquid grease, this method is not ideal due to risk of burns (see next method).
Method 3 Flipping With the Pan
1 Holding the pan comfortably allow it to tilt to a 30 degree angle with the furthest edge tilting down.
2 Shuffle or wobble the pan gently to ensure the bottom of the omelet is loose.
3 With a sharp motion, throw the pan forward, slightly upward then upward again which should have the omelet lifting enough to rotate in on itself.
4 Swiftly catch the omelet with the pan and it should now be folded or flipped entirely depending on how you flipped it.
5 You can practice this with a cold pan and a handful of dry/raw rice or pasta or even a folded tea towel and flip them to practice catching.
Method 4 Cooking the Surface
1 If a plate & pan method sounds more dangerous than you would care to try, place the skillet under a griller to cook the surface - it can take 10 seconds to 1 minute according to taste & heat.
(ensure the handle does not get too hot).
2 Then slide onto a plate & serve up.
How to Make an Instant Noodle Omelette - Instant Noodle Omelette Recipe
How to Make an Instant Noodle Omelette
Ingredients
1 85g packet of noodles, with flavour sachet
1 cup water
1 cup chopped tomato and celery
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped finely
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons grated cheese
1 tablespoon butter or oil
How to make it
Method 1 Cooking the noodles
1 Bring the water to the boil.
2 Add the noodles to the boiling water.
Add the flavour sachet too.
3 Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions.
4 Remove from the heat once cooked.
Drain well and set aside.
Method 2 Making the omelette
1 Crack the eggs into the bowl.
Add the parsley, chopped tomato and celery pieces and mix well. Then add the noodles and mix through.
2 Pour the butter or oil into the frying pan.
Heat gently.
3 Add the omelette mixture.
Cook for 5 minutes without stirring.
4 prinkle the cheese over the omelette.
If possible, place the omelette under a grill to brown.
5 Serve hot.
Slide the omelette onto a serving plate. Serve with a side salad.
How to Use the Nordic Ware Omelet Pan - Nordic Ware Omelet Pan Recipe
How to Use the Nordic Ware Omelet Pan
Ingredients
2 to 4 eggs
2 tablespoons milk or water
Salt and pepper, a sprinkle of each
Favorite omelet fillings such as sauteed mushrooms, cheese,
How to make it
Steps
1 Add the eggs and milk or water to a bowl.
2 Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
3 Whisk until well combined.
4 Spray the microwave omelet pan with nonstick cooking spray.
5 Pour the egg mixture evenly between the two pan halves.
6 Microwave at medium power for 2 to 3 minutes or until the filling is partially set.
7 Remove the microwave oven pan from microwave oven.
8 Stir the egg mixture.
9 Add the omelet toppings.
10 Cook at medium power until the egg is set.
About 1.5 minutes.
11 Remove the microwave omelet pan from the microwave oven.
12 Fold the pan over in half.
13 Loosen omelet with a spoon.
14 Turn out onto the serving plate.
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