Some easy tips on cooking.
1. Don’t be afraid to add some of your own ingredients to almost any recipe, to enhance it. Experiment a little. If a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of hot sauce and you like things hotter, add extra. Or eliminate the hot sauce altogether, if you prefer. Add additional veggies to your stew. The old standard of potatoes, onions and carrots gets old fast. Add some turnips, peppers, broccoli, whatever.
2. Cooking times for recipes are approximate. It all depends on your stove/oven. It’s always better to undercook, because you can put it back for a few extra minutes. But, if you overcook something, forget it!
3. Always use a pot or pan large enough to hold the food without having to worry that it will spill over, or expand during cooking and be too much for your pot to handle.
4. Remember, foods get HOT! Keep kids away from the stove or oven while cooking, lest you’ll have a quick trip to a hospital ER room!
5.Do not wear loose clothing while cooking. A loose sleeve can easily get too close to a stove burner and catch on fire. Try to wear short sleeves and a protective apron. Also, always use insulated pot holders or mitts for picking up pots and pans.
6. And wash, wash, wash, everything! If you use a cutting board to cut something, wash it well before cutting another food product on it. Wash your utensils often while cooking and wash your hands with soap often as well. Remember, cross contamination can cause food poisoning.
7. Enjoy what you cook! Share it with others!
Speaking of sharing, I’m about to share my recipe for the best mashed potatoes ever! With this recipe, I’ve added and experimented and improvised, until everyone who has eaten them loves them:
(Feeds 4 people)
6 medium potatoes(Yukon gold, russet, red, white any type.)
2 teaspoons of coarse salt
2 teaspoons of ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of celery seed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
1/3 cup of cream(or milk)
1/4 pound of butter(or margarine)
1/4 cup, plus 3 tablespoons of any medium hard grated cheese(like cheddar, gouda, colby, etc.)
2 or 3 chopped scallions.
Wash the potatoes thoroughly, cut into’chunks’.
Boil the potatoes until fork tender in water.(Start with cold water for best results.)
Drain and place potatoes in a large mixing bowl.
Using a potato ricer or masher begin to mash potatoes, add the butter and cream, and continue mashing until the potatoes are creamy and fluffy.
Start adding the cheese next(all except the 3 extra tablespoons.) and continue mashing.Add all the other ingredients except the chopped scallions, and continue mashing until you have the consistency you like.
When the potatoes are fully mashed, give them a few stirs with a fork, sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons of cheese and chopped scallions on top, and serve hot and steamy.
Every family get together we have, and all the friends dinners we attend, I’m always asked to bring the famous potatoes.
No one has been disappointed yet!