Sugar- The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of!

Caramel Sauce.

Caramel is one of those comfort sauces we all love. It’s sweet, salty, and at times, can be a little bitter. Drizzled over ice cream, ladled over a delicate piece of cake or mixed into our favorite chocolate candies, caramel is something we all love and can’t pass up.

Caramel can seem a bit intimidating. There are certain rules and tricks to follow and use.  Cooking sugar has stages and temperatures to follow.  However, this classic French recipe is done by color and not so much by a temperature. Here are the basics broken down. 

This is a great kitchen gadget.  A kitchen scale helps with correct measurments

Caramel Sauce

Sugar- 8 oz

Water- 2 oz

Lemon juice- 1-2 drops

Heavy cream 6 oz

Saucepan

Pastry brush

• Combine the sugar, water, and juice in a saucepan. I recommend a stainless steel pan rather than a non stick…the sugar is going to get REALLY HOT!!

• Bring sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve. 

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  Once sugar is had dissolved and has reached boiling, stop stirring and lightly brush sides of pan with pastry brush and water. This along with the lemon juice will prevent crystallization.  
• Once sugar has begun to turn colors look for a light amber color and then remove pan from heat. The sugar will continue to cook and will darken in color. Let stand 5 min.  

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  While sugar is cooling, bring the cream to a boil. Then add a few drops to the cooling sugar. At this point the sugar is still EXTREMELY hot. It will begin to bubble and steam, stir while adding the cream a little at a time until completely mixed.  

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  Let cool completely. 

Vanilla Ice Cream Custard- (Creme Anglaise)

8 oz egg yolks- 12 yolks

10 oz sugar

2 pints whole milk

1 Pint heavy cream

2 tsp vanilla extract or scraping of a vanilla bean pod

pinch of salt

Really good ice cream starts out as a simple and classic French dessert sauce called Crème Anglaise. This custard like sauce is often paired with bread puddings, drizzled over warm pies or even served next to a delicious bowl of fresh seasonal berries. Crème Anglaise is a simple sauce to make and store for a few days.

To make to Crème Anglaise:

• Seperate egg yolks-

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  Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl. Whip on medium speed until thick and light in color.

• Scald the milk and gradually mix the milk into the egg mixture. Mix a little at a time so that not to cook the eggs into scramble eggs, you just want to temper the hot liquid into the egg sugar mixture.

• Heat custard over double boiler and stir constantly until thickens- it normally takes about 10 min.

• The custard is ready once it thickens and coats the back of the spoon and when you draw a line the custard stays separated.

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  Cool the custard in a water bath until completely cool- Once cooled refrigerate overnight before adding the mixture to your ice cream maker.

Once the custard has cooled overnight, I added the custard to my ice cream maker and it began to churn.  Once it thickened, I added toasted salted almonds (chopped) and added the caramel and mixed together.  I returned the mixture to the freezer overnight.

The icecream came came out AMAZING!

Classic Cheesecake with Spiced Chile Peaches

So, I don’t know about you guys, but I LOVE cheesecake! I love any cheese product…stinky, creamy, stringy, curd form, mixed into a sauce, baked or fried. Just not easy cheese in a can…which someone I love, LOVES! CHEESE IS GREAT!! So, it’s no surprise that cheesecake just happens to be one of my favorite desserts!
When I make cheesecake I really like classic flavor mixed with the unexpected topping. Recently I made a classic cheesecake with spiced peaches. The twist, the peaches were spiced with an unusual ingredient- Chinese Peppers. I know, this combination sounds a little crazy but it really works!

Here is how I make cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup Graham Cracker crumbs
4- 8oz packages of cream
1 ¼ cup sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
4 eggs @ room temp.

• Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease an 8-inch spring-form pan with a layer of parchment on the bottom.
• Place on a round of foil 4-5 inches larger than the diameter of the pan. Press firmly against the sides of the pan.
• Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of the pan and press into even layer
• Place into oven and toast 12 min.

• In a food processor, place cream cheese and pulse until smooth
• Once smooth, transfer cream cheese to standing mixer and add in sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice.
• Beat eggs into mixture one at a time and then finish with the vanilla.
• Mix batter until just combined.

• Pour batter into prepared pan and place in larger baking pan and place in oven.
• Pour enough HOT water in the outer pan (about 1”)

• Bake about 2 hours (cheese cake is done when you slightly shake pan and do not see a ripple)
• Let cool in the hot water and then allow cheesecake to chill completely in refrigerator at least 4 hours.
• Run knife along outer edge to release from pan

Cheesecakes are one of the many simple things to make in the kitchen.  Just remember, be aware of what's happening in the oven! If the water runs low, refill with HOT water.  If the top begins to brown, place some foil and slit the top to allow steam to escape.  Don't over bake...this causes cracks.  It's not too hard but just takes passion and dedication!

To make the Peaches

1 can sliced peaches
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmet
Pinch of ground clove or 1 whole clove
1/2 Tien Tsin Pepper

Place spices into mortar and pestle and grind into powder.
mix powder into peach mixture and heat over stove

Slice cheesecake and top with sliced peaches.


Happy Cooking!

Delicious Summer dinner

I’ve been making a mock crab salad for many years and it’s quickly become one of Nick’s favorite dinners. I say mock crab because, yes its imitation crab. I know, I know- but I’ve been making this salad since back in our “budget days”. It's good and we LOVE it.  I hope you try it and let me know how things turn out!

Happy Cooking!

2 packages of imitation crab
1 mango
1 Red Onion
1 Jalapeño
2 Lemons
2 cups diced jicama
1/2 bunch of cilantro
Corn Tortillas

• Chop the imitation crab and add to large mixing bowl
• Squeeze juice from two lemons over the meat
• Chop cilantro and add to bowl
• Finely dice red onion and jalepeno (careful not to rub your eye after chopping pepper)
• Chop jicama and mango
• season with sea salt and fresh gound pepper
• heat corn tortillas and serve in tacos 

*left overs can be used ontop of crisp greens and pairs well with Russian Dressing or "Catalina" dressing.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Wake Up Call

 

One of the best ways I like to wake up my family on a Saturday morning is by making some delicious homemade waffles. Some people prefer to reach for the quick and simple frozen ready-to-go's but when you want to make your family something special, homemade is always the way to go! Despite all the myths, cooking is not some long and tedious process! Cooking is simple if you plan ahead and does not have to be this intimidating process! IT'S ONLY FOOD!! Find enjoyment out of it, taste your product and look forward to the end results.

 

 

When I make waffles, I don't like them too sweet. I like to add different flavors into the batter so I can pair them with different toppings. Its fun and a simple way to cut back on processed sugars and fill in with seasonal fruits! Here is a simple and easy recipe for some DELICIOUS Cinnamon Waffles.

 

Yield: 5-6 large waffles

 

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large eggs (separated)
• 1 cup milk or nonfat buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

 

Preheat the oven to 200F with a cookie sheet in the center

 

Heat waffle iron-

 

• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt.
• In another bowl whisk together egg yolks, milk or buttermilk and melted butter
• Pour into dry ingredients; stir until just combined. Don't over mix.

•   In another medium bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into the batter.

 

•  Pour about 1/2 cup onto the waffle iron and cook until lightly brown or for about 3-4 min.

•  Once waffles are done, transfer to oven until ready to serve and then pair them with your favorite items and enjoy!  

Happy Cooking!

RED...WHITE...YUM!

The question will always remain; Red or White? We all have our preferences and apprehensions of trying anything new. Once we’ve found our tasty favorites, we rarely give anything else a fair chance. Not to mention the strange rituals we have or the habits we all fall victim to.


I know some people who whine “I don't like white wine”. Oh please, get over it! I don’t care if it’s 20 below outside, this is such a lame excuse--it's like deciding to use only one of your two arms. And in summer's stickiest months, it's downright nuts. There is nothing better than a perfectly chilled glass of crisp white.

Luckily, for all you Red lovers out there, there are bottles we call Whites that Drink like Reds—IMAGINE THAT!!! These wines are pale in color but bold and vibrant of heart. At their best, these hearty whites have amplitude in the mouth, a long finish and a complexity that keeps your brain pleasantly occupied. These bold and powerful wines don't make their lasting impression just from sitting around in oak barrels aging with beauty; they come by their strength from a base of really good grapes. Go Figure, use great ingredients and get quality product!

Here are three wines that should be tasted!

• 2006 Inama Soave Classico Superiore Vigneti di Foscarino ($18) This dry and mineral-loaded white (pictured) is grippy, grapey and bold; the winemaker lets the grapes hang out as long as possible at harvest before picking them, which creates seriously concentrated flavors (planetofwine.com).

• 2007 Shafer Vineyards Red Shoulder Ranch ($45) There's oak here, but it's used judiciously to frame the fig, melon and lime flavors in this mouthwatering Chardonnay, which the California sunshine has turned into a big boy--not a dumb brute (whwc.com).

• 2007 Alain Paret Condrieu Lys de Volan ($65) From France's Rhône Valley, this bottle is one of the best expressions of the Viognier grape available. It's spicy and complex, mixing apricot and honey tastes with beguiling floral scents (saratogawine.com).

Happy Drinking! I'm making my list and will be raising my glass in no time!

My New Adventure- Getting Back to Basics

My name is Tina; I'm a self professed foodie. I've been called a "food snob", culinary pretentious and picky! I just consider myself to have standards and hate to see short cuts taken in the kitchen! My love of cooking comes from my Grandmother who was never too busy to "make you a plate". I have always admired food, the joy it brings people, the satisfaction a good slice of cake will bring to a person’s face or the way a perfectly cooked steak will make a person forget everything for a moment!


I made the decision in 2001 to attend culinary school  years ago, I contemplated my decision for a few years and the decided to take the plunge and enroll with Le Cordon Bleu located in Minneapolis/St. Paul. I attended for two years and found a whole new meaning of food!! When I graduated from culinary school nearly four years ago I imagined a life that was surrounded by fabulously fresh food, delicious cheeses, savory sauces and amazing and vibrant vegetables.

Before I graduated, I completed a twelve week internship with one of the most influential restaurants in Minneapolis. D'Amico Cucina was such an amazing restaurant, I will forever be grateful to the amazing years I was there. Once the internship was complete, I was offered a job and immersed myself in the cook’s life! I absorbed anything and everything my Chef would offer. I suffered from the all too common cuts, burns and common kitchen fatigue. I have numerous notebooks filled with recipes, food pairings, quick kitchen tips and names of cheeses that I immediately fell in love with. While working in the kitchen with one of the Chefs I will always admire, I learned basic kitchen etiquette and the hard work that is found behind the kitchen doors. The kitchen is a totally different world on the other side of those double swinging doors. Diners rarely see, the orchestrated dance the goes on between the stations and cooks. It’s the amazing sound of sizzling pans being deglazed with savory liquids, the smell that permeates from simmering stocks and roasting meats cooked to perfection that continues to call me to the kitchen. These simple things have enticed me to forever love the hectic life of the kitchen!

It's been almost two years since I've retired my kitchen clogs, apron and chef coat. I decided to head back to school and finish my education. When I left the kitchen I made a promise to myself that I would find my way back to the stove again.  I've decided to start blogging about my food fascination and share some of the recipes I’ve learned while working in restaurants and those that have been passed down from my grandmother, mother and other influential people in my life. My hopes are to encourage people to get into the kitchen! Sharpen your knives because this is going to be a wild ride!!

Just do me this favor-NEVER USE THE TERM “I don’t know how to cook”; let’s replace it with, “I’m still learning how to cook”.