Cooking Skills I Used Today

[Rocklobster]

The fruit flies were starting to gather around the peaches GF bought two days ago..we were supposed to have them peeled, sliced and frozen by now. I did it tonight..7 bags in the freezer so that means 7 peach themed desserts over the next few months..
I chopped a lot of the Roma tomatoes, onions and garlic for the pasta,
Boiled water..that's always a good one..
One of my father's famous lines was when asked if he was a good cook like my mother he said "Hell, no..I can't even boil water"!

 

[Cheryl J]

Just not hungry and I find it even more of a chore to cook than I did when I was trying to get Shrek to eat. I'll come around, always do, but my joy of cooking is dormant right now.

I hear ya, Princess. Not for the reason that you're going through right now, but....cooking for one is just danged hard when you're a foodie. I love food and trying new recipes. Even the scaled down 'cooking for two' recipes often have way too much for one person unless I want leftovers of the same thing for the next 3 days. Some things I love and can eat for 3 days...others I get tired of, and I hate to waste food.

I hope your joy comes back soon. Cooler weather is coming up, which means lovely soups and stews.

 

[caseydog]

I cooked from the hip tonight. No recipe, just stuff I had on hand, with peppers and herbs from the garden. Pictures at eleven... actually, pictures in the Daily Menu forum.

CD

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I hear ya, Princess. Not for the reason that you're going through right now, but....cooking for one is just danged hard when you're a foodie. I love food and trying new recipes. Even the scaled down 'cooking for two' recipes often have way too much for one person unless I want leftovers of the same thing for the next 3 days. Some things I love and can eat for 3 days...others I get tired of, and I hate to waste food.

I hope your joy comes back soon. Cooler weather is coming up, which means lovely soups and stews.

On the bright side, I am eating and losing weight. Thanks, Cheryl!

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Chop-chop, I used my knife. With an abundance of leftovers (WHO drops this stuff off in my fridge every night? ), all I made was salads. Oh, I did use the peeler, too, on a slightly aging carrot.

There are non-dishwasher items?

CD

Fer sure. My quality knives (Henckels paring, Wusthof chef) get lovingly hand washed, dried, and stored as soon as I'm done using them. Same with my non-stick cookware. That's probably how I've kept it looking almost-new even though it's probably 15 years old. Just one pan, my 12" skillet, is showing its age. Cast iron, too, stays out. And when I use my Mom's silverware, or the vintage wine glasses Dad shipped over to her when he was in Germany during the war, they also get the rubber-glove treatment. It would be kid glove treatment, but those gloves aren't waterproof.

On the plus side, I have to run the dishwasher only two or three times a week. So I got that going for me.

 

[caseydog]

On the bright side, I am eating and losing weight. Thanks, Cheryl!

Cooking for one takes a bit of time to adapt to.cI had to overcome the easy temptation to eat out, or take out. I gained about 15 pounds after the divorce.

I still have to resist the temptation to take the eat eat out or take out route, but, when I make something amazing, and eat it, I remember why I love to cook.

CD

 

[caseydog]

On the plus side, I have to run the dishwasher only two or three times a week. So I got that going for me.

I run my dishwasher about one time a week, whether I need to, or not. If I don't, it starts to smell, and rubber gaskets and seals dry out.

My dad runs the dishwasher every day, even if it only has a few dishes and utensils in it. But my 80-something parents and a small dog live in a 4,000 square foot house, kept at 70F, 365 days a year, with a pool they haven't used 20 years.

I'm not sure what this has to do with cooking skills, but I'm posting it, anyway.

CD

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

Cooking/Kitchen Skill I guess ...

I sharpened my Chefs Knife to razor sharp baby!

Here's a question for y'all :
Are you using your knife correctly?
I thought I was until I watched a video put out by The Great Courses, from
the CIA, The Everyday Gourmet-Rediscovering the Lost Art of Cooking
I still haven't finished watching the entire 24 lessons, but now that we no longer have cable/satellite television ...

 

[Kayelle]

Hmmm, I made some killer guacamole today that takes some skills I guess.


For one thing, I like a very carefully cleaned Serrano chili in it. After cutting it in half, every vein and seed must be removed or it's just too hot for us. I use gloves and a serrated grapefruit spoon to do that, and cut off both ends before slicing it paper thin length wise and giving it a very fine dice. I like to use and old fashioned wooden reamer to juice the limes, and coarse dice the red onion and cilantro along with chopped up seeded tomato and micro grated fresh garlic. The avocados only get a rough chop and blended in last.

I never really thought about the skills in making good Guacamole.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Hmmm, I made some killer guacamole today that takes some skills I guess.


For one thing, I like a very carefully cleaned Serrano chili in it. After cutting it in half, every vein and seed must be removed or it's just too hot for us. I use gloves and a serrated grapefruit spoon to do that, and cut off both ends before slicing it paper thin length wise and giving it a very fine dice. I like to use and old fashioned wooden reamer to juice the limes, and coarse dice the red onion and cilantro along with chopped up seeded tomato and micro grated fresh garlic. The avocados only get a rough chop and blended in last.

I never really thought about the skills in making good Guacamole.

That is really the purpose in posting this exercise, realizing what skills you have and use on a daily basis.

 

[caseydog]

Here's a question for y'all :
Are you using your knife correctly?

I am sure I don't use my knives correctly. I've watched many videos, and I can't seem to replicate what the real chefs do. But, I get things sliced. I'm slow at slicing, but in the end, I have decently sliced stuff. I haven't cut off a fingertip in several years, which is an accomplishment, for me.

CD

 

[Dawgluver]

I made some lovely plum tomato salsa and fridge/freezer pickles with produce from my little vegetable garden, and at last count, I still have all my digits, unscathed.

 

[caseydog]

I made some lovely plum tomato salsa and fridge/freezer pickles with produce from my little vegetable garden, and at last count, I still have all my digits, unscathed.

If I can make a good meal, and not get hurt in the process, I consider it a good day.

CD

 

[medtran49]

I made homemade pitas and phyllo dough yesterday. First time for the phyllo dough, used Chef John's method. I think it came out pretty good, obviously not as thin as commercially made, but pretty close. It was definitely translucent and you probably could have read block print through it.

Today, I'll be making dolmades. We were supposed to have those last night as well, but a broken water pipe in the middle of dinner prep kept that from happening.

 

[dragnlaw]

Used a chef's knife to slice romaine for salad (ahhh com'on - I was in a hurry)
Used a whisk to make polenta

this skill failed, lesson learned, polenta too thick for this particular whisk -​

Chose a Danish Dough whisk to finish polenta
Timed Spatchcocked chicken perfectly for arrival of son & GF.

Failed skills which need working on:
Didn't drain asparagus properly and "tonged" water on to plates.
Should have followed gut feeling of too much fat on chicken, even though recipe specifically states not to remove excess.
Forgot to salt the polenta ​

Biggest Fail - completely forgot GF has IBS when planning the Bread Salad - Polenta for her saved the day.

 

[Mad Cook]

I am sure I don't use my knives correctly. I've watched many videos, and I can't seem to replicate what the real chefs do. But, I get things sliced. I'm slow at slicing, but in the end, I have decently sliced stuff. I haven't cut off a fingertip in several years, which is an accomplishment, for me.

CD

"Real chefs" have had years of experience as well as professional tuition. As far as us amateurs are concerned the best advice I had (from my cousin the "real chef") was to use the method that you are comfortable with and which doesn't leave blood all over the kitchen. He also told me that a blunt knife is more dangerous than a sharp one.

The last time I looked I still had the required number of fingers and thumbs which as far as I'm concerned is a success.

 

[dragnlaw]

Today, I'll be making dolmades. We were supposed to have those last night as well, but a broken water pipe in the middle of dinner prep kept that from happening.

Please keep note of your recipe? One of my favourite snacks and would love to try my hand at them.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

The food sounds good. But again, I want to know what skills you used to create that meal. Back to basics. Did you chop, dice, grate, whip, fry, braise, blanch, boil, measure liquids, knead?



Think of each step in your cooking process.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Used a chef's knife to slice romaine for salad (ahhh com'on - I was in a hurry)
Used a whisk to make polenta

this skill failed, lesson learned, polenta too thick for this particular whisk -​

Chose a Danish Dough whisk to finish polenta
Timed Spatchcocked chicken perfectly for arrival of son & GF.

Failed skills which need working on:
Didn't drain asparagus properly and "tonged" water on to plates.
Should have followed gut feeling of too much fat on chicken, even though recipe specifically states not to remove excess.
Forgot to salt the polenta ​

Biggest Fail - completely forgot GF has IBS when planning the Bread Salad - Polenta for her saved the day.

Now those are some skills.

 

[GotGarlic]

Used a chef's knife to slice romaine for salad (ahhh com'on - I was in a hurry)

I do that all the time. Am I breaking a rule I don't know about?