Chief's Tip of the Day:

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Chief's Tip of the Day

Those who think they are a fool are who we should try to emulate. For they are humble, and willing, and able to learn, and are better for the introspection. The person who think he is wise, has fallen into one of humanity's greatest traps. For the wise man thinks he has all of the answers, and that he can ignore new, and differing opinions other than his own.

That person is neither humble, nor respected, but is the true fool.

Tip 2:
There is no greater feeling than the genuine love between a parent and their children. Therefore, respect, love, and cherish you children. Set boundaries for them, to keep them safe as they grow. At the same time, encourage them to explore all things within those boundaries, that they may succeed and gain confidence, and fail that they learn patience, and wisdom. Above all, give every bit of yourself to them, and to your loving partner. They want your time, and attention more than any toy, or video game. They want to earn your respect, just as you must earn theirs.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
Chief's Tip of the Day:

When using herbs and/or spices to flavor sauces, soups, gravies, etc, and those flavor elements are too woody to chew, or have a nasty flavor when bit into, such as rosemary, cloves, etc, place them into a SS mesh teaball, muslin bag, or cheese cloth so that they can flavor the food, and easily be removed when they've done their part.

Tip 2: Using leftover bones from cooked meat is a great way to make wonderful broths and stocks. Just make sure that they aren't the bones that Rover was chewing on in the back yard.:LOL:

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
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When using herbs and/or spices to flavor sauces, soups, gravies, etc, and those flavor elements are too woody to chew, or have a nasty flavor when bit into, such as rosemary, cloves, etc, place them into a SS mesh teaball, muslin bag, or cheese cloth so that they can flavor the food, and easily be removed when they've done their part.
...

I never thought about using a tea ball!!!

Thanks Chief
 
Luca--dedicate a tea ball for spices/herbs. I also have little muslin tea bags that I'll use (and have been known to use gauze squares when I couldn't find the tea ball). I use one of those "lingerie" bags for hosiery and delicates when I make stock using chicken carcasses. I can lift all the bones out, strain the veggies, and just have stock left.
 
Luca--dedicate a tea ball for spices/herbs. I also have little muslin tea bags that I'll use (and have been known to use gauze squares when I couldn't find the tea ball). I use one of those "lingerie" bags for hosiery and delicates when I make stock using chicken carcasses. I can lift all the bones out, strain the veggies, and just have stock left.
Lingerie bag, what a great idea! Now, where do I find one that isn't made of nylon or polyester?

Edit: I could crochet one out of cotton yarn.
 
Lingerie bag, what a great idea! Now, where do I find one that isn't made of nylon or polyester?

Edit: I could crochet one out of cotton yarn.

A loosely woven cotton tea towel (basket weave or huck weave or a cotton fabric that is more mesh-like) could be used to make one, just pop in a zipper. I wove my fabric years ago...I'm thinking of setting up the "dish towel" loom this winter to make more dish towels. They last forever, but I could use some new ones. Just not sure if I can remember how to dress the loom...hope it is like riding a bike.
 
Chief's Tip Of the Day

Never refuse to try something new in the culinary world. It will always teach you something. Sometimes it will give open doors for new and exciting flavors that will enrich your culinary skills or library.:D Other times, it will teach you why you shouldn't follow everyone's advice.:LOL:

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
Chief's 2nd Tip of the Day

Preparation for the unexpected serves on far better than trying to figure it out during crisis.

Example: as a young man of 26 years, I was helping a neighbor lady unload the back of her pickup truck. I lifted a full-sized truck tire, with the rim and placed my knees against the tail gate, so as to have support when I handed the wheel to her.

Just as she warned, "Don't lean against the tale gate!." it unlatched and I pitched forward, with the weight of the wheel pulling me head first toward the ground. Falling and tumbling techniques leaned through multiple years of Judo classes kicked in, and I ended up doing a one-handed somersault, landing on my feet at the end of it, unhurt and unshaken, while both my DW, & the neighbor lady yelped, believing that I was going to be seriously injured. They were amazed. I was thankful for the falling techniques that had been so ingrained into me.

The moral of this story is that we should learn as much as we can, about everything we can. There is no such thing as - too many skills.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
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Chief's Tip of the Day

When making bread, it is sometimes difficult to find that perfect place in which to let the dough rise. Professional bakeries have warming bins that produce the right environmental conditions to encourage yeast to grow quickly.

In the home, most ovens won't work because yeast is killed by temperatures above 110' F. My oven's lowest temperature setting is 170' F., far to high for bread to rise in. My solution is to put a large, shallow bowl of water into my microwave oven and bring the water to a boil. I then place bowl that contains the bread dough on top of the bowl with the hot water, and close the microwave door.

The water doesn't have enough thermal mass to overheat the dough, but still gets it to the optimum temperature to encourage maximum yeast growth. My dough rises in half the time as it would anywhere else in my home.
 
Chief's Tip of the Day

Seasoning is not only for food, it's also for cooking tools, especially for pots and pans. I have seasoned not only my cast iron, by rubbing with cooking oil and baking until a patina is formed, but also my aluminum pressure cooker, and my steel baking pans, such as cake pans, muffin tins, loaf pans, etc. Each of these pans, or pots, now perform far better that before seasoning them. I have even seasoned my aluminum camping pots and pans.

The advantages of seasoning metal pans is that they now impervious to corrosion, is much easier to clean and take care of, foods don't stick, and metallic taste is not introduced to the food by raw metal.

Most people don't realize it, but instructions that come with aluminum bake-ware, and pots & pans, recommend that the hardware be seasoned, just like good carbon steel, and cast iron cookware.

Believe me when I tell you, proper seasoning will improve all metal pots and pans, except those coated with a non-stick coating, such as Teflon.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
Chief's Tip of the Day:

Waterbeds, and cats with claws should not, I repeat, should not be allowed in the same room.:ohmy:

Tip 2:
When topping a pizza, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. I have piled toppings so thick on pizzas, thinking that it was going to make them amazing, that I ruined the pizza. The crust wouldn't bake through, especially in the pie center, and the individual flavors blended together as a mess.

Pizza is a meal that celebrates the flavors of a good yeast dough, and the flavors of its toppings. You have to be able to taste all of them. Personally, I like double sauce on my pizza. By adding too much pepperoni (gasp, is that even possible!:ohmy:), and too much sausage, to many mushrooms, too much cheese, etc., you lose the flavor balance required to turn pizza from a gut bomb to an artistic culinary creation.

Also, don't be afraid to try varied toppings and sauces on your pizza, and different kinds of crusts. You might just create your own masterpiece. Just remember, use enough toppings to give your creation great flavor, but not so many as to turn it into a mess of food on a crust.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
Chief, when I am going to make dough, the very first thinig I do is turn on the light in the oven. By the time it is ready to rise, the oven has reached temperature of about 85ºF. The heat of the bulb makes the oven just right for rising. Not too hot, nor to cold. The temp continues to rise to about 90ºF. There is a vent on my stove for the oven where some of the heat can escape. Thereby, it never gets too hot. :angel:
 
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