Hints | Simple By Cindy

FYI – Common Cooking Mistakes and How to Correct Them

Jun. 5
2017

Every cook, as we all know, makes mistakes. If you are a well-seasoned cook, you can probably creatively “fix” most kitchen errors. But if you are not, then I would like to take the time to post some common cooking blunders and their remedies.

Overcrowding the pan: If you are trying to brown the skin of a chicken, for example, you must not put to many pieces in the pan at the same time. Overcrowding will cause whatever you are cooking to steam and not brown. So try not to be in too much of a hurry. Put a couple of pieces in the pan at a time, and you will get the brown, crispy skin you desire.

Overcooking vegetables: Do you remember eating vegetables as a child that were mushy and disgusting? That is probably because they were! When cooking vegetables, take them off the heat when they become bright and beautiful. They will continue to cook after you have removed them from the heat, so be sure to place them into a bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking process.

Not reading the recipe before you start cooking: You should always read the entire recipe before you begin cooking. If you don’t, you may omit entire steps or ingredients. Read all the information given at the top of the recipe. And always get into the habit of gathering your “mise en place” (ingredients) before you begin to cook. Trust me, this will make the entire process go so much faster and smoother.

Not understanding the difference between a boil and a simmer: A simmer is when there are small bubbles that rise to the surface every few seconds. A boil is when the water is rapidly bubbling. The difference can ruin a dish. For example, meat that is going to cook a long time must be on a simmer. If you boil it to speed up the process, you will end up with meat that you will not be able to chew! It will be too dry and tough. Get started early and let the meat simmer. Your cooking skills will shine if you do.

Not waiting for the pan to heat: Heat your pan before you put in the oil, and let the oil heat before placing anything in it. A hot pan is essential to creating crusts on meat, fish or poultry. If you place any of these in the pan before it gets hot enough, it will result in food that has no sear and no sizzle. You will have sad, pale meats and seafood that is overcooked and dry.

Under-salting the water for pasta: This is so important. The salt flavors the pasta. If you do not salt the water, your pasta will taste bland, no matter what kind of sauce or how much sauce you dress it with. You should use about 2 tablespoons of salt for every pound of pasta.

Not tasting as you cook: I am sure all of us have a mother, grandmother or someone who has told us this! Tasting as you go makes a big difference in the outcome of your food. Recipes are not always perfect. Using your own judgment and taste can turn a mediocre meal into a delicious one.

Do any of you have your own cooking mistakes? If you do, I would love to hear from you. Please share!

I hope these help!

It’s that simple!

Spiced Orzo with Spinach

May. 11
2017

This is a lovely Mediterranean style side dish that can accompany any main course. I happened to come across it searching for “orzo” recipes. Orzo is a short cut pasta, and looks like a thick piece of rice. It is a very versatile pasta, as it can be used in soups, salads, casseroles, or simply alone.

The combination of spices caught my eye. Cumin and coriander are found in many Middle Eastern cuisines. You rarely see them in a pasta dish. I just learned that coriander is the seed of a cilantro plant. I am just a wealth of information today!

I loved this recipe. The spices blended perfectly and the result was a savory and delightful pasta. It is very simple to prepare. The orzo and spinach cook quickly. Just watch the spinach closely; you do not want to overcook it. Set your timer! I do not like cilantro, so I used parsley for this recipe.

This recipe is courtesy of Cookstr.com and will serve 6 people who will be thrilled with the spices in this wonderful dish.

Today’s Hint: Place a wooden spoon over a pot to prevent the water from boiling over.

Ingredients for Spiced Orzo with Spinach

8 oz. orzo
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Pinch of cayenne
6 oz. baby spinach leaves, washed, but not dried
4 tbsp. chopped cilantro or parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pan off salted water to a boil.

Add the orzo and cook until tender, according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onion and cook, about 3 minutes, until softened.

Stir in the garlic, coriander, cumin, and cayenne, if using, and cook for 1 minute more.

spicey orzo oinioons, garlic, coriander, cumin

Stir the spinach (with the water clinging to its leaves from washing) into the saucepan.

Drain the orzo well, shaking off any excess water.

Add the orzo to the spinach mixture and mix well.

Stir in the cilantro (or parsley) and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot or cooled.

It’s that simple!

Salad Dressing

Sep. 28
2015

Store- bought salad dressings are my biggest pet peeve! Why make your own salad dressing when there are so many varieties sold in the supermarket? Well… because there is just nothing good about market bought dressings.

The dressings you find in stores use a lot of poor quality products that are cheap and unhealthy. They contain preservatives, artificial coloring and flavoring, gums and way too much sugar. The sugar translates into too many calories and bad fats. Way too scary for me!

It is easy to make salad dressing (and cheap!). The benefit of creating your own is that you will be using better quality ingredients that are fresh and good for your health. They taste much better too!

Every dressing should be made with a few basic ingredients:

An oil- such as olive, walnut, hazelnut, flaxseed, or avocado.
A vinegar- such as balsamic, white wine, champagne, apple cider or brown rice. Fresh lemon (you know that is my go to!) or lime juice can also be added in addition to your choice of vinegar, or used by itself.
A thickener – such as mayonnaise, dijon mustard, brown seed mustard (delicious!) avocado or tahini. This acts as an emulsifier to help the oil and vinegar combine properly.

The basic rule for making your own vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. This is just a guide. I never follow it. I find that too much oil results in an oily residue, which I do not like. You can use a ratio of 1-1. I usually use more of the acid than the oil.

Don’t forget the salt and pepper. The salt brings out the best flavors in the dressing.

The possibilities are endless. You can use minced garlic or shallots. Any favorite fresh herb or poppy seeds will add another delightful dimension.

There are no rules. Just pick your favorite ingredients, combine, taste, season and taste again.

You will never go back to store-bought salad dressing again!

Here are three different salad dressings I would like to share with you.

Ingredients for Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil

Mix all ingredients except for the olive oil into a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.

Ingredients for Champagne Wine Dressing

1/4 cup of champagne wine vinegar
2 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 shallot, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup of good olive oil

Mix all ingredients except for the olive oil into a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil.

Ingredients for Italian Dressing

1/4 cup champagne wine vinegar
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup of good olive oil

Mix all ingredients except for the olive oil into a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil.

I hope you will make your own dressing! Give it a try!

It’s that simple!

Veal Chops and Kale

Sep. 2
2015

If you have the time, marinating meat is an important step to ensure a delicious and juicy outcome. I have given you my choice for a marinade, but you can always change it up and add some of your favorite ingredients. When you read a recipe, remember use it as a guide. You can always omit the ingredients you do not like and add something that you would prefer. When I create a recipe, I read through many different ones, take all the ingredients that appeal to me and try them out. It takes me three or four times before I come up with a “keeper”.

This kale recipe has anchovies. The anchovies melt when you heat them creating a delicious base for the sauce! Just be careful, you do not want to overcook the kale! So be aware of the timing and watch it. You will know when to take it off the heat, I promise!

Ingredients for Veal Chops

4 veal chops

Ingredients for Marinade
1 cup chicken stock
3 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
¼ cup organic soy sauce
6 cloves garlic peeled, whole and smashed (you can leave the garlic in the peel, just smash them and throw them in!)
1 onion cut into quarters (you can leave the skin on the onion, just make sure you wash them)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 sprigs thyme (or 2 tbsp. dried)
3 sprigs oregano or (2 tbsp. dried)
3 sprigs rosemary (or 2 tbsp. dried)
Kosher salt and pepper

Todays Hint: Place all the ingredients into a ziploc bag but do not use the ziploc to close the bag. Instead, twist the bag until the liquid rises above the meat and tie with rubber band. Now you do not have to worry about turning the meat! Both sides will marinate at the same time. Place in bowl for a couple of hours (2+) or overnight.

Take out 1 hour before cooking.

Set oven to Broil.

Take veal chops out of marinade and place on broiler pan.

Ingredients for Mix
2 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Pat dry mix onto the veal chops (both sides)

Set timer for 5 minutes. Turn veal chop over and reset timer for 5 more minutes. If veal chop is double cut, you may have to turn it over one more time for desired temperature. Start checking at 2 minute increments. Veal chops should be medium rare to medium well done.

Ingredients for Kale

2 bunches kale, stem and ribs removed, chopped coarsely
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
7 cloves of garlic, chopped
8 anchovies, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper

Remove stems and ribs of kale. Coarsely chop.

Fill a large bowl with water. Place kale in bowl. Let it sit for a while. This will let all the dirt fall to the bottom of the bowl. Carefully take kale out of bowl and place into a strainer. Rinse one more time and set aside.

Heat pan with olive oil on medium heat. when hot, add anchovies. Cook until anchovies melt, about 3-4 minutes.

Add onions and red pepper flakes. Cook until onions turn translucent.

Place garlic into pan and cook one minute.

Add lemon juice.

Slowly add kale in bunches. Wait for first bunch to cook down a little bit before you add the next bunch. This should take 3-4 minutes.

Add the salt and pepper.

Take off heat immediately.

It’s that simple!

Artichoke Dip

Aug. 31
2015

When I got married, my mother and sister gave me a gift that I have treasured and kept all these years. They asked the guests at my bridal shower to provide them with a recipe to share with me. That was thirty years ago (yes, I said “thirty”) and I still have that original recipe book to this day. I refer to it frequently, especially treasuring the worn, yellowed pages.

Peel cabbage leaves off cabbage, trying to keep leaves as intact as possible.

Do not worry if some leaves break; you will be able to fit them onto the glass in pieces if you need to.
When entire glass is covered, secure the leaves with a string.This could be anything of your choice. I used oven string for these pictures, but you could use raffia, ribbon or twine.

Once the cabbage leaves are tied, bend the tops of the leaves down so they meet the top of the glass.

If some of the jars are tall, just place some rolled up paper towels or tin foil at the bottom. This will help the vegetables stay just above the top of the jar.

Arrange the vegetables of your choice in the jars, so they are just above the tip. This will make it easier for your guests to take it out.

Place them together with the dip. It looks beautiful and I promise your guests will be impressed!

It’s that simple!