Chief's Tip of the Day:

[PrincessFiona60]

I agree with your analysis, Chief...unfortunately, I have found that white rice is messing with my blood sugars. Now I need to see how brown rice messes me up.

Without changing my diet, my blood sugars have been inching up...probably time for insulin

 

[Addie]

I agree with your analysis, Chief...unfortunately, I have found that white rice is messing with my blood sugars. Now I need to see how brown rice messes me up.

Without changing my diet, my blood sugars have been inching up...probably time for insulin

PF, have you seen a dietitian that is trained in diabetes: The first one I saw was one step below useless. She kept giving suggestions of food that even I (as a new diabetic) knew were not on the list of approved foods for snacks. All high in carbs. The one at Winthrop went through a college masters degree course for diabetic patients. She really knows her stuff. She printed out a list of veggies that were very high in carbs vs. those that were very acceptable. And it also gave me a list of foods that were in the middle. Good only occasionally. The list was in three columns. We went over the list and removed veggies that I would never eat. Like okra and plantains. And it is in alphabetical order. Easy to read. I still have it pinned to my fridge. It was that list that took me off the meds. What I really love about her though is if I have a question, she takes me call immediately. And she offers me alternatives to what I might have in mind.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

PF, have you seen a dietitian that is trained in diabetes: The first one I saw was one step below useless. She kept giving suggestions of food that even I (as a new diabetic) knew were not on the list of approved foods for snacks. All high in carbs. The one at Winthrop went through a college masters degree course for diabetic patients. She really knows her stuff. She printed out a list of veggies that were very high in carbs vs. those that were very acceptable. And it also gave me a list of foods that were in the middle. Good only occasionally. The list was in three columns. Easy to read. I still have it pinned to my fridge. It was that list that took me off the meds. What I really love about her though is if I have a question, she takes me call immediately. And she offers me alternatives to what I might have in mind.

My Diabetes Nutritionist/Educator was my Nutrition Professor in college. We agree on most things. It's not my diet, it's the stage of my diabetes that is at fault.

 

[Addie]

My Diabetes Nutritionist/Educator was my Nutrition Professor in college. We agree on most things. It's not my diet, it's the stage of my diabetes that is at fault.

Can't get any better than that. I usually always have a cup of coffee going. And I put sugar in it. But in exchange I never eat anything sweet or high in sugar. Cheerios vs. Honeycombs. I have noticed that the past few days if I have had even one cup, my sugars went way down. Then the next day I had two cups all day. The reading went up about five numbers.The day I had no coffee, I couldn't believe what a difference in my readings. So I know (always have) where my numbers are coming from. For some strange reason, after years of drinking more than a pot a day, I have lost my taste for coffee. Right now I am on a cold water kick. Will see how long this lasts.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Chief's Tip of the Day:

Different herbs and spice mixtures can be a surprise. Think for instance about pickling spices. They make wonderful bread & butter pickles. That very same mixture is also responsible for the wonder of corned beef.

With that in mind, I made up a quick brine, added the pickling mixture, and a couple of pork chops. I let it sit overnight. then rinsed, pan fried, and served it up. The results were an unqualified failure. The flavor of pork, and pickling spices/herbs is not a marriage made in heaven. But, if you never try, you never know.

The candy-cap mushroom ice cream that I made, and served to a bunch of guys, and my DW, was loved by everyone. Actually, it was a candy-cap gellato. Whatever you call it, mushrooms work in ice cream, but only candy-caps.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[PrincessFiona60]

That's true about the candy caps...wonderful!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Chief's Tip of the Day

There's a good reason to follow directions, at least every once in a while. I was making what was to be gorgeous Easter Candy for my family. I bough the coverture dark and milk chocolate, the white chocolate, and created my fillings. I tempered the chocolate, poured it into bunny molds, chilled, filled, and put the halves together. The results were wonderful. I had bunnies made from premium chocolate, filled with goodness, and beautiful to look at. The chocolate was shiny, had that great snap from tempuring and captured every detail from the molds. I just needed a little trimming to get rid of the mold marks where they were joined.

This is where the story takes a bad turn. I handled one of the bunnies with my bare hands. Anyone who knows me knows that I have warm, even hot hands. I left finger prints all over the bunny. To top it off, on that particular bunny, I was in a hurry, and it looks like it wasn't tempered quite right. The chocolate developed a bloom. Oh well, it will still taste great.

On the other white bunnies, I colored some of the white chocolate and painted in details, like coloring the bow tie, making more flowers in the base, coloring his vest, making little eyes with pupils. I wish I hadn't made use of them. Along with the one shown, I'm making a bunch for a local restaurant's Easter display. Those colorful ones have already been given to the restaurant, at least the four that are done. But I have many more to make. I'll take pictures.

Moral of the story, where cotton gloves when working with tempered chocolate. It makes it all so much prettier.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I know that this has been covered before. However, I believe that I've recognized the ultimate technique for peeling a cooked egg, be it hard or soft boiled. Let me try to explain how I was able to perfectly peel two dozen eggs that were cooked up for Easter Sunday.

Previously, I'd been taught to crack the eggshells while the eggs were piping hot, then immerse them into very cold water for a few minutes. This has always worked for me. But what about cooked and colored eggs that were refrigerated, how do you get the shells off of those?

What I did was to crack the shells on a flat, hard surface, so as not to break the egg white. I gently hit the table with the egg, all over the place, turning it a little as I continued to crack the shell. When the shell was crazed, I gently applied pressure between my fingers and thumb, as I had noticed that by so doing, it caused the shell to lift away from the egg. I did this all around the egg, watching the shell fragments, still attached to the membrane, lift away from the elastic egg white. Then, with the side of my thumb, I began to lift the shell fragments away from the cooked egg, taking care to capture the membrane. In most instances, the membrane lifted the egg shells as I peeled the egg.

This method works because the egg shell won't flex, while the egg white does. As the pressure is applied to small areas of the white, it deforms the egg. The rigid shell has either to crack again, to follow the white, or lift away. Fortunately, the shell is strong enough to resist cracking, and simply separates from the white. When this has been done all over the egg, you can easily peel away the egg shell.
Hope this helps all of you who have a miserable time peeling eggs.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[PrincessFiona60]

The only time I have ever gotten flowers from Shrek was after an argument on how to peel boiled eggs. Thanks for the tip, Chief!

 

[Aunt Bea]

I never mind peeling 2 or 3 eggs, but I've often wondered if anyone has a method for hard boiling a dozen or so eggs without the shell. My thought is sort of a boil in bag or poaching method. I think it would be great for egg salad, macaroni salad etc... I'm sure a method like this must be used in large kitchens, I've just never seen one for the home cook, any ideas?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

That is a cool idea Aunt Bea. Crack a dozen into a boil-in bag. Chop when cool enough. Thinking...

 

[GotGarlic]

I saw this tip the other day: http://www.thekitchn.com/is-the-bes...putting-tips-to-the-test-in-the-kitchn-202778

The author said the eggs practically fall out of the shells

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I never mind peeling 2 or 3 eggs, but I've often wondered if anyone has a method for hard boiling a dozen or so eggs without the shell. My thought is sort of a boil in bag or poaching method. I think it would be great for egg salad, macaroni salad etc... I'm sure a method like this must be used in large kitchens, I've just never seen one for the home cook, any ideas?

There are poaching pan will cook up to 6 eggs at a time. With a large enough pot (think very wide), you can crack the eggs into hot, salted water. The water has to be between 180 and 200'. That way, the water won't be moving, and the individual eggs will remain intact. You can't stack them though, and it's best if the pot is seasoned as eggs will stick to the bottom, even in water. Remove with a spider, or slotted spoon.

Roast them until they are done, on a cookie sheet, in the shell of course.

Best method, boil per your favorite method, and give them to someone else to peel.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[tweakz]

I saw this tip the other day: Is the Best Way to Make Easy-to-Peel Eggs in the Pressure Cooker? Putting Tips to the Test in The Kitchn | The Kitchn

The author said the eggs practically fall out of the shells

I've been going to Laura Pazzaglia's HIP site ever since I got a pressure cooker. Sadly my PC has just one setting: 15lbs, so I couldn't do use her tip.

 

[creative]

Hi - I'm new here today and have just read this thread. Here are my tips that occur to me immediately.

Sage - was mentioned. Do you all know that the fresh sage leaves are delicious lightly fried in a little butter until crisp? Can serve as a garnish or eat as a treat!

Also, rubbing a fresh sage leaf over your teeth not only cleans them but leaves a delightful cleansing tang in the mouth.

Fresh Coconut Here's a good method for opening it and preserving the coconut water. You see the 3 holes at the top? I get a strong nail and hammer it into these
holes (nail need only go in halfway and nail removed to go on to next hole). Once all the holes are opened I leave the coconut, hole side down, over a jug for the water to collect in. Once drained, I place the coconut in a plastic bag and hammer it on the ground until it is broken into required pieces. Then I transfer the water into a shallow dish (large enough to keep the coconut pieces) and place the coconut pieces flesh side down into their water. Chill. When wanted, just take a piece out and deshell with a small sharp knife.

For a perfect soft boiled egg, i.e. with egg white that is not hard/rubbery - I coddle it. I pierce the egg at the widest top part (to release the air), then plunge it into boiling water (the air escapes and the egg will not crack), I lower the heat to medium and simmer it for 1 minute. Then leave off the heat for 4 minutes. Always just right - runny yolk and set, velvety egg white.

Roasting a Chicken - for the first 15 mins I turn the heat up to Mk 7 and place the chicken breast side down; this lets the juices run into the breast whilst crisping up
the underside of the chicken. Then I turn it the right way up and roast conventionally at Mk 4. A 3lb. chicken (1.3kg) takes 1 hour 15 mins all told

Chorizo easily goes tough/rubbery on a high heat. If added to a sauce/stew, simmer only...the lower the heat (and the longer the cooking time), the more succulent it becomes.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Thanks, and welcome to DC.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Down the Wrong Hole

You know how honey has antiseptic properties, and is soothing to the throat? And you know how foods, especially liquids going down the wrong hole is so irritating? Well, last night, just before going to bed, I had a yearning for a tsp. of honey. Yep, you guessed it. It went a little bit down the wrong hole.

This wasn't irritating like water, or a little piece of food. This put me in distress for 6 to 7 minutes. Not life threatening, but very, very uncomfortable. It burns a little, and so irritates the top of the trachea that you can't help but cough, and cough, and cough. I was coughing for literally a half hour afterward, until I could no longer talk because the tissues swelled from coughing so much. Fortunately, I'm good at ignoring unpleasant sensations. That allowed me to fall asleep as I knew that the only way to get my throat back in order was to stop coughing.

This morning, 8 hours later, I have my voice back, but can still feel a tinge of swollen tissue, like the beginning of a sore throat. Hopefully, by the end of the day, I'll be fully back to normal.

Whooda thunk it, honey, that wonderfully tasty and soothing substance that's so good, in so many ways can be devastating to your throat, and in very short order. Do not let honey go down the wrong hole, ever!

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

The Chief's Tip of the Day:

Overcooked meat is dry and tough. I once put a package of uncooked bratwurst into my slow cooker on its highest setting, immersed in water. It was my intention to cook it low and slow overnight, and have succulent, wonderful sausage the next day. Well, I forgot to turn it down. The sausage was as dry inside as sawdust, though it was completely immersed in broth.

Yesterday, I placed a rump roast into my pressure cooker, half filled with broth, onions, garlic, and seasoned with salt. I was watching a church program on TV that lasted about two hours.

You have to understand that I had never cooked a piece of protein in that vessel that wasn't super tender, and flavorful. I let that rump roast cook for an hour, put rice in the rice cooker, knowing it would take about 45 minutes to complete. When the rice cooker was done, I removed pressure from the PC, removed the roast and made a fabulous gravy from the broth. Unfortunately, that roast was dry and very tough. Fortunately, it had good flavor. I sliced it thin, against the grain, and served it with lots of gravy. It was edible, but not what I would call good.

Tip, no matter the technique you use, overcooking meat, that is, raising the meat tissue to a high temperature results in dry, tough meat, especially if it is very lean.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Addie]

Low and Slow!​

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Chief's Tip of the Day: Salvage Time

Ya know that roast I overcooked last night in the pressure cooker, dry and tough? I salvaged it tonight in that same pressure cooker. I made soup, and what a wonderful soup it turned out to be.
Ingredients:
1 cup left-over beef gravy, very rich and strong flavored gravy.
1 chopped carrot (rustic chop)
1 whole onion, halved, with each half quartered,
1 stalk of celery, sliced
1/2 lb. left-over roast beef, cubed (for me it was the dry, and tough rump roast)
1/4 cup uncooked rice
3 cups water
1/2 tsp granulated garlic powder

Throw everything into the pressure cooker. Bring to temperature and reduce heat until the regulator is barely dancing. Cook for ten minutes.

Eat, or store, or both. The flavor and texture were very good. The meat became tender, juicy, and absorbed more of that rich, beef flavor.

The tip - don't throw away overcooked, left-over meat. I can be used to make a very nice soup.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North