Cathy in the Kitchen

Hands-free Saucepan Stirrer

2006-12-13T09:03:00.001-08:00

For those of us who are barely started your Christmas shopping, myself included, what are you waiting for? There's less than two weeks left, for Pete's sake! Luckily there are lots of cool kitchen gadgets that are easy shopping for anyone who cooks (who doesn't?) and for those who already have everything (that's half the people on my list!).

At first glance the StirChef Hands-free Saucepan Stirrer seems silly, but think about it. How many times are you cooking a meal when you are supposed to stir a sauce constantly, BUT at the same time you need to be chopping vegetables or pouring wine or setting the table. That's usually when I call one of my kids in to stand by the stove and stir, but not every cook has that luxury. Besides, having the kids stir can have mixed results.

At any rate, this automatice saucepan stirrer sits on top of your saucepan, runs on batteries, and gently moves its three heat resistant paddles around your saucepan. It will adjust to fit saucepans from 6 to 8-1/2 inches in diameter. And to make your shopping really simple, you can purchase it online.

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

Paula Deen's Holiday Cocktail Party

2006-12-13T09:03:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season for entertaining, so why not get some help from those who entertain for a living? This month the Food Network has multiple shows on holiday entertaining, which we all know involves lots of great food. This weekend I'd like to watch Paula Deen's Holiday Cocktail Party, and then simply duplicate the recipes for my own party.

Paula Deen got her start in a cooking career by running her own catering business. She specialized in fresh bag lunches in Savannah, Georgia. In 1990 she opened her own restaurant, The Lady and Sons, and has gone on to write numerous cookbooks. Her Food Network show, Paula's Home Cooking, features traditional and easy to make foods.

On her Holiday Cocktail Party you can learn how to prepare five mouthwatering recipes. These are Italian Chicken Sticks, Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms (pictured above), Creme de Menthe Brownies, Paula's Cherries Jubilee, and Spiced Lemon Apple Cider. Now, with that on the menu won't you want to come to my holiday cocktail party?

Image courtesy of the Food Network

Ginger Beef

2006-12-12T11:47:00.001-08:00

What's for supper tonight? I'm making the most foolproof version of ginger beef I have ever tried. This tastes just like my favourite take-out version, only better if that's possible. Quick and easy and very tasty! As a side note, it is interesting to learn that although ginger beef is similar to some traditional Chinese dishes, it was really created at the Silver Inn restaurant in Calgary, Alberta in the mid 1970's.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1-1/2 tsp cornstarch

1/4 cup honey

1-1/2 Tbsp oyster sauce

1/2 tsp dried crushed chilies

2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 cup cornstarch

2 eggs

1 Tbsp soy sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-1/2 tsp ginger, minced

1-1/4 lbs or 550 grams boneless steak

Oil for frying, amount as needed

2 tsp vegetable oil

2 green onions, chopped

2 medium carrots, slivered

1 Tbsp ginger, minced

In small bowl, combine water and 1-1/2 tsp cornstarch. Add honey, oyster sauce, chilies, and sesame oil. In medium bowl, beat eggs, 1/2 cup cornstarch, soy sauce, garlic, and 1-1/2 tsp ginger. Cut steak into slices approximately 1/8 inch by 1/2 inch. Add to egg mixture and stir until meat is coated. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. In deep fryer or frying pan, fry meat in oil for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until golden brown. Remove meat to paper towels to drain. Cover to keep warm. In frying pan, heat 2 tsp oil. Add green onion, carrot, and 1 Tbsp ginger. Stir fry until softened, about 2 minutes. Add honey mixture to carrot mixture. Heat and stir until slightly thickened. Pour over meat. Serve with rice.

Image courtesy of somethingsflesh

Crab Dipping

2006-12-12T11:47:00.000-08:00

I love seafood. And while most people would immediately think of dipping their crab or lobster into melted butter, which is delectably yummy, I was recently introduced into a new (to me) taste sensation. A friend suggested dipping seafood into vinegar. Just plain white vinegar. Doesn't sound incredibly appetizing but I gave it a try anyways.

Well let me tell you. Vinegar is the new melted butter! The tartness of the vinegar combines with the richness of the seafood to create a taste that is beyond imagining. Not only is this a great flavour, it is much easier on the waistline.

Apparently there are a lot of other thoughts about the best dips for seafood, with people using mayonnaise based sauces or tartar sauce or oriental style dipping sauces. I guess I'll have to have another seafood feast and try them all!

Image courtesy of Squid!

Food Trends for 2007

2006-12-12T09:50:00.000-08:00

We don't always eat the same food, year after year. Our grandmothers, for instance, probably never ate fajitas or sushi or even artichoke. New trends emerge every year so, wanting to be on top of things, I went looking for predictions of what will be big in the coming year.

Ever heard of acai or cupuacu? Neither had I but they are exotic fruits from the Amazon that supposedly contain some anti-aging benefits, which I could use! These fruits are on the radar of many of the food gurus in the world. Not quite so new, but surging in popularity will be the pomengranate. Another upcoming trend is the move away from convenience breakfast foods (such as cereal bars and energy drinks) to more traditional breakfast foods (such as hot cereal and eggs). Better get up a little earlier in the morning to do some preparation. Ethnic foods are one of the biggest reasons for our food choices to change so much over the years. This year we may be trying more latin american and middle eastern cuisine.

You'll also find people are putting more thought into what they eat. As the bulk of the population, the baby boomers, are now advancing in age (to put it nicely), they are more concerned with eating healthy foods. They (and I actually mean "we") have now realized that they aren't the young whipper-snappers they used to be and now they actually have to watch what foods they are putting into their bodies. However, they still like the occasional treat, and cupcakes and macaroons appear to be rising in popularity. Ethical issues are also coming into play. Consumers want to make sure they aren't buying food produced as a result of slave labour. Organically grown and raised foods are going to continue to be sought after.

Image courtesy of natural-health-from-the-rainforest.com

What Is This Cream of Tartar?

2006-12-05T23:12:00.000-08:00

I baked with my daughter and some of her classmates the other day. We were making sugar cookies and the boy reading the ingredient list said "Cream of tartar, what's that?" To which I replied with a very intelligent "Umm, its this white powder that comes in a box and I don't know what it really is but one box will last almost a lifetime." So what is cream of tartar?

Apparently it is actually potassium hydrogen tartrate, which is tartaric acid that has been half neutralized into a salt. Still doesn't mean much to me, but I guess what's more important is what it does. When used in baking, which is the only time I've ever used it, it increases the volume of beaten egg whites, and can also make frostings creamier.

If you don't have any cream of tartar available, it is actually best to go buy some. According to What's Cooking America, there is no good substitution for cream of tartar. Besides, one box or container really does last almost a lifetime.

Image courtesy of mc.clintock.com