Archive for March 2016
How to make stuffed phyllo cups ahead of time">How to make stuffed phyllo cups ahead of time
I have a recipe I often make for get togethers at my own house for phyllo cups stuffed with a mix of sausage, cream cheese, and Rotel. I use Athens Phyllo Cups for this recipe, which are typically kept frozen until shortly before I'm ready to bake the cups....
Read moreISO: Citric acid powder (without fillers/additives)">ISO: Citric acid powder (without fillers/additives)
I've been buying my citric acid powder (for baking / cooking purposes) from bulk barn-like places for years. After reading some articles about the purity of bulk barn-like places (some places add fillers, etc...), I'm looking for a source that's as unadulterated as possible... like a packaged version or...
Read moreProblems cooking rice in one-pot meals?">Problems cooking rice in one-pot meals?
Every single time I try to make something where rice is cooked along with other ingredients it never seems to come out properly. It takes twice as long as it should to cook and seems to have trouble absorbing the liquids. For instance, yesterday I made Pelau, which is a...
Read moreVegetable stock help">Vegetable stock help
I love making stock by roasting carrot, onion, turnip, celery, potato, and sunchokes until brown, then simmering and straining. So good, but sunchokes contain inulin, which causes bloating and gas, so I want to substitute for sunchokes. What's a good vegetable substitute in this context, to get similar flavor but...
Read moreHow can I make the crispy chicken fingers of Houston's Flying Chicken Platter?">How can I make the crispy chicken fingers of Houston's Flying Chicken Platter?
Not a frying pan, that will never end with what's in the photo. You need a big deep pot, a whole lot of oil (peanut oil is a good choice), a nearby working fire extinguisher, a thermometer, a container for the leftover oil (do NOT put it down the...
Read moreExperimenting with Sous Vide">Experimenting with Sous Vide
My last birthday my children bought me a Sous Vide machine. Epic!! Just started playing with it and wanted to share some of my experiments. Tonight was a Roast Chicken stuffed with a Spanish Sofrito Rice filling. Boned, stuffed and in the water bath for about 2.5hrs at 140. Spectacular. I'd love to hear what others...
Read moreCleaning out fridge/freezer and using up ingredients">Cleaning out fridge/freezer and using up ingredients
Well there you go. Looks great and easy too. Reading More May Cause Envy...
Read moreFake Parmegiano Reggiano?">Fake Parmegiano Reggiano?
I made a dish a few weeks ago by roasting fennel slices lightly brushed with olive oil, then sprinkling grated Parmegiano Reggiano generously in between. Popped it back into the oven until the cheese turned into golden fricos with embedded fennel. I wanted to make it again, ran out...
Read moreHow to make Houston's Flying Chicken Platter?">How to make Houston's Flying Chicken Platter?
How do you suggest to make Houston's Flying Chicken Platter? Their batter is very crispy. I tried using flour, buttermilk, salt and pepper combined with carbonated water, but that didn't help make it look like Houston's flying chicken platter. I was using a frying pan. Maybe it only works in...
Read moreIndian cooking ingredients">Indian cooking ingredients
I have Alamelu's South Indian cookbook as well as many other Indian cookbooks. Alamelu uses tomato sauce in some of her recipes. I know that I can buy cans of tomato sauce and she does not mention if the sauce is homemade or in cans. Does anyone...
Read moreAbout Me
I love food. Unfortunately, I can't cook worth a damn. I've been known to even burn water.
When I watch chefs and good cooks on tv, I'm so envious of their skills. This blog is the closest I get to cooking, other than the microwave ;)
Try not to drool!
John, New Englander turned Cali dude