We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving much in my part of the world, but I collected some links for the readers who do. Tomorrow I’ll share the link for my guest post on how to avoid food waste on Thanksgiving.
Continue reading... November 22, 2009
Is That Avocado Ripe Enough to Eat?
Reader Ilana sent me an interesting question: How do you tell if an avocado is ripe? Well, sometimes it’s difficult because avocados ripen unevenly. The lower part, surrounding the seed, ripens faster than the thickest part of the avocado’s neck.
I’ve had some avocados get brown and spoil before ripening. I presume it has something to do with the way they had been grown or stored. Usually an avocado ripens within a week. To make it ripen faster, put it in a paper bag in a drawer and don’t forget about it.
The avocado on the left is ready to eat. You can tell because the skin is starting to get brown and wrinkled. The unripe one is textured, like all avocados to varying degrees, but not wrinkled or shrunken.
Continue reading... November 20, 2009
Friday Update #19, News and Preview
Reader Ilana emailed me about avocados. She’s never used them before, and doesn’t know how to tell if they are ripe. I took pictures of ripe and unripe avocados and will explain the difference on Sunday. Next week I’ll also be posting a simple recipe for chocolate ice cream, and two guest posts of mine are scheduled to appear on other blogs.
Kate, I haven’t forgotten your request for easy breakfasts and have been experimenting with oatmeal.
On CookingManager.Com’s Facebook page, we’ve been making sourdough starter and talking about kitchen tools. Thanks to Mimi of Israeli Kitchen for providing an original photo, pictured above. Join today!
Posts November 8 through November 22 on CookingManager.Com:
Continue reading... November 18, 2009
White Sauce in the Microwave
Wednesday is Recipe Day on CookingManager.Com.
You can use this simple white sauce on its own or add spices, herbs or vegetables. It’s a good base for a casserole or cream soup (pictured) when you don’t want to buy the canned variety.
This version of basic white sauce comes from The Well-Filled Microwave Cookbook, by Susanna Hoffman and Victoria Wise.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1½ cups milk
¼ teaspoon salt
Continue reading... November 17, 2009
Don’t Stir the Pot: Make It in the Microwave Instead
image: Sifu Renka When I see certain words in a recipe, I know I will be cooking it in the microwave. “Stir constantly” or “Place in a double boiler” (see note) are two that set off alarm bells for me. Recipes call for these instructions when a food has little moisture, and is likely to […]
Continue reading... November 15, 2009
Nine Tips to Help Food Last Longer
Acquiring good habits and keeping track of what’s in your refrigerator will save you money on your food bill.
Below I share tips to avoid cross-contamination: Don’t inadvertently mix up foods with different “eat-by” dates.
For more information see my chart on storing leftovers, Is This Food Safe to Eat?
1. New package, new spoon. When you open a new container of cottage cheese, use a fresh spoon too. The bits of older food on the original spoon will contaminate the fresh package.
Continue reading... November 11, 2009
Sourdough Muffins
Batters with sourdough have a special flavor. Even when I do it “wrong,” sourdough muffins can’t be compared to ordinary ones and if I only used sourdough for this recipe, it would be worth the trouble.
The recipe comes from Richard Packham’s Sourdough Recipes. I’ve added my comments at the end.
Continue reading... November 8, 2009
Bar Mitzvah Brunch Ideas
Reader Terry is making a Friday dairy buffet brunch for about 25 people in her friend’s home, for bar mitzvah guests coming in from out of town. She doesn’t want to duplicate the bagel and lox brunch planned for Sunday, and asked for ideas for items that can be cooked ahead of time.
Here is my suggested menu plan. It involves a limited amount of items that Terry will have to prepare herself.
Continue reading... November 6, 2009
Friday Roundup #18
Here is the roundup of posts on CookingManager.Com for the week of November 1, 2009. Even though it’s Friday, I published Making Gradual Changes: Bread. Wednesday’s recipe was for Sourdough Starter. You can follow the Facebook Discussion by signing up for the CookingManager.Com Facebook page using the widget on the right of the blog. I’ll […]
Continue reading... November 6, 2009
Making Gradual Changes: Bread
Over the years I buy fewer ready-made foods and cook more at home. As my family grows, the time I spend cooking pays off more in terms of both time and expense. A box of packaged cereal seems to disappear in minutes, and even two pizzeria pizzas won’t feed a family of 8 that includes […]
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