Autumn, The Season of Spices!

Hello there everyone! I cannot believe how quickly the days, weeks and months have passed and now we are mid way to September. The flowers and trees and gradually losing their luster and soon it will get colder and colder. And no matter what, when I think of Autumn, I think of, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the start of Holidays.
       So today, I wanted to give everyone some of my favorite tips and tricks to keeping your preparation to the bare minimum. We get stressed, tired and a little fatigued from cooking, cleaning and getting ready for the holidays that we forget the holiday itself. And so here are a few things I suggest to get ready for making Turkey, Ham, Mashed Potatoes, baking pies, making cookies and so MUCH more!

1. Get your recipes ready
1. Remember that recipe your grandma past down for apple pie but you can't find it in time to make the stinking pie! Prep yourself by finding them now and tucking them in a place where you won't forget them. It's worth it and you'll appreciate it for the time you didn't spend on looking for them.
2. Get your pantry ready:
1. When was the last a recipe asked for Almond flour, coconut flakes, or Vanilla Powder? These aren't the common ingredients you find in your pantry, and when you get recipes ready, glance over it and get the ingredients you think you may not have on hand, it will once again save you time and a last minute run to a 'way out there' open thrift market on Christmas Eve.
3. Get your spice drawer ready:
1. Remember when you realized your great recipe has some crazy spice in it? And you have no clue where to find Star Anise? Get ahead of the crowd and buy it when it's cheap, available and easy to find. Yet again you'll thank me later.

       Now, think back to some holidays where you were super stressed, you barely had enough time to get the food on the table before your hungry relatives came calling from the freezing cold. You know you didn't have time to do anything else because you ran to the store multiple times and realizing you still forgot something else.

       Know that these rules work. They aren't just pretty or organizational but it applies in almost any setting, just as long as you do each one. My entire life I have lived to make, eat and ultimately create food that tastes good. I'm not a health nut, nor am I in pure gluttony, but I am somewhere in between, wandering through life and finding more fantastic and complex ways of creating meals. Now, in honor of Fall/Autumn I want to give some fantastic tips to keep your pantry stocked and keep your family fed. These are suggestions so thus if you feel you don't like a part of the idea, change it. That simple, and in addition, I won't be offended.

       So, down to the roots. We start with Meat. Poultry, ham, beef, lamb and etc. are very important during the holidays, they are most certainly the center and main attraction of any meal. But when you dive into that delicious looking bird or ham and realize it's extremely tough and dry, then suddenly it's shoved under the mashed potatoes and reserved for the dog. We all have experienced it and it's frustrating to go through all the trouble to make something that tastes so bland.

       Thanks to a very wonderful counselor of food, Gordon Ramsey, (and the credit for this next section solely belongs to him) Has given some great advice for how to make a great Turkey and how to make it delicious. Now go find it on the web and get the recipe there.

He talks about how to make food delicious, truly delicious, he has had years of experience and has gone through pretty much any type of obstacle to get to where he is now and I idolize him for his diligence in a talent that he has crafted for years. So what do we take from his example. He plans, he finds recipes and ultimately knows where to get the best ingredients out there.

       So then where do we go from here? How do we get there? And what will we do on the way?
Well let's start now at ingredients. Look at the word. In-gre-di-ent, the word literally means: to go into. Yep pretty darn ironic. Thus the ingredients that go into our dish makes the difference, the chemistry changes and the quality of the flavor either increases or decreases and thus, through experimenting, we get the result that best suits our expectations.
       Remember the section on spices that reflected what combos go great together and what don't? That section is important and if you haven't read it yet, you need to. Relating it to the Autumn's variety of dishes, we should take care to watch out for what goes best with what. Savory dishes like meats, stuffing, potatoes, or veggies should have something like: garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, onion and celery salt, paprika, or anything that, once again, would go great together. Sweet dishes should include something like cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Remember, your the chef, you can choose what goes into what, but if you substitute an ingredient for something else within a recipe, make sure it will blend well with the original recipe and instead of hinder it, add to it.

I know this section is long and so I will continue this post in the next:

Thanks for reading and be looking for the next section!

     

The great flavor exploration

Today I want to talk more about the exploration of flavors tastes and smells. I want to also introduce a new item of business that I will put on some of my posts and how they will be implemented into my new blog.

       Have you ever followed, what seemed like a good recipe, and found out that it was pretty bland? Yes? No? 
        Well in fact I have followed a lot of recipes that just don't cut it. Now, don't think I want you to cut down on following recipes in fact I want you to. As you do, you get the feel for what you are doing and understand what goes with what. That way you start to understand ingredients better and how food is truly prepared

       So let's take a minute and talk about some good flavors and spices and how to use them in a dish. I want to now introduce the new upcoming item and that is the Action Activity! This will help you gain skills that will bring you closer to being a rock star at cooking! 

The Action:

       So take a minute and go to your kitchen, take out the spices that you have and smell them. smell each one and in between take some coffee grinds or some cocoa powder and smell it in between each spice to clear the previous smell. Identify each one and after you have done so, take two at once that you wouldn't regularly put together, do they smell good? No? Then understand that those two spices will probably taste bad together. Yes? Then the two should go great together and harmonize in flavor. Do this with each spice and continue to identify good and bad combinations and soon you will be a spice combo expert! Sometimes you will find that several sets of combos will work great together and that is where you get different flavors of food. 

For example:

Oregano
Basil
Rosemary                                     } All can be a great start to a wonderful Italian flavor
Cumin
Garlic
Olive oil
Tomato Paste


Chile powder
Garlic powder
Cumin                                           } All can be the base of a spicy and deep Mexican flavor
Red pepper flakes
Tomato Paste

Dill leaves
Lemon Juice
garlic powder                              } All can kick off to a great base for robust seafood and fish  
capers
Onion salt

       There are ENDLESS possibilities and all can very delicious, but first you must identify and understand each one. These are some great combos and even though they may sound simple or plain now, once you combine it with meats, veggies and other foods, you can create some amazing meals that really only have a few spices. Now how can we apply this to cooking? How can we create something super awesome yet have some good simple spices? Well there are few tricks that I have learned that can help food taste so much better.

1. Use a diverse amount of ingredients when making or creating pretty much any dish. An example is like a pecan and strawberry salad with spinach. Sounds pretty bland, but if you work with spices and flavors you can get some great combos.

• In this example use a good sweet and tart dressing with some citrus to blend well with the strawberries. Toss in a handful of a light, yet boldly flavored cheese, I prefer Romano cheese that has been shredded or sliced thinly, that can compliment well with the pecans. A good couple pinches of kosher salt and pepper can help bind the flavors together to form something more meaningful and yet bold enough to keep you interested. Last grab some good, authentic olive oil and drizzle it on. All of this can combine into a really great salad that you would want to eat everyday!

2. Use meats that look good and that you like. Like a good flank steak with mushrooms and peppers. Now kick it up a notch.

• The steak should be tenderized before cooking. A good mallet will do the trick and tenderizing the steak will bring out it's juiciness and flavor. (At this point a good marinade and some time, will tenderize the meat even more.) Rub on a generous amount of S and P (Salt and Pepper), Garlic powder, (and Chile powder if you like it hot), some seasoning salt and wet it down with a couple drizzles of olive oil. Cook the steak with a little vegetable oil, so you can crisp the outsides and keep the inside good and tender. Don't cook the steak too long as you'll end up cooking the moisture and juiciness out of the meat. (That happened to me a-lot!) It takes time and practice and once you get the hang of it, the steak will be awesome. Now for the peppers and mushrooms. Fry them up in the same pan as the steak with a little melted butter and use the left over juice to fry them up. A good crisp pepper is nice on a salad but this should be sauteed til it is sweet and soft. Cook the peppers first and then add the mushrooms last. This will help them become less rubbery and more tender. And the same rule applies, don't cook them too long. Do this and your dish is going to take the cake the next time you're at a grillin' party or cookout! 

       There are more dishes and creations out there now take the chance as summer break is coming up to break out your grill and start impressing the neighbors and I promise that you will love your food, just give it some TLC and you're on your way to becoming a great chef!

-Chef Sheets

       

Things in the Kitchen

Another post, another day.

Hello everyone! Here is the tip of the day: 

“Always start out with a larger pot than what you think you need.” 
― Julia  Child

One of my favorite chefs!! Thank you Julia Child for that amazing quote!!!
       Alright, As my title suggests, I want to talk about the kitchen today and talk about somethings that every good chef should have in his or her kitchen, regardless of the size or shape.
       A list of things would be good but before that, let's talk about what the kitchen should be like to a chef and how we should approach it. Also later I am going to give a couple of tips to what you should do to keep your Kitchen, healthy and working correctly.
       Close your eyes, imagine you just walked into a large, state of the art, fully equipped kitchen. The kitchen is just yours and you have a special team of chefs at your fingertips and will do exactly what you want them to. Sitting besides you is your sous chef de cuisine, waiting and ready for your orders.

What would you make?
What would you do? 
What would you be responsible for?
What would you create?
How would it look?
How would it taste and smell?

Now open your eyes, how did it feel?

       This one experience, if you felt great or awesome, is proof that you have what it takes to be a good cook and that feeling first comes when you know you have the equipment necessary to do what you want to do. 
       So then, here are some things that can boost up your cooking abilities and also boost up your Kitchen's stamina and overall health. 

• Good, clean, sharp knives, and pick only a select few that you know will get the job done and get knife protectors for each one. And DO NOT put them in the cupboard with the rest of the cutlery, but find a place just for the knives
• A handheld manual sharpener
• Several solid pots and pans that are good and sturdy. Preferably stainless steel works the best.
• A good fry pan or griddle that is either cast iron or nonstick.
• A good Chop block for meats and a good cutting mat for veggies.
• Several wood or plastic cooking utensils.

I know this is a lot, but when you acquire everything on the list, you can be sure that you will cook better with better tools.
Be confident, bold and remember "...anyone can cook!'

-Chef Sheets

Food and Wine... Well not really.

       Hello there! My name is Chef Sheets, or at least I would love to be called that. I am not currently a chef but I am an ABSOLUTE fan and critic of food. Join me on the Culinary Experience of a lifetime as I create, express, and envision what it takes to truly understand food.

The Philosophy:

       People out there think they have to be top notch to cook and to be like the greatest chef out there, but I don't think that is true. I love to cook and not to brag, I love my cooking, it's flavorful and consists of good ingredients that are fresh and tantalizing. Never have I been perfect at cooking and in some ways I never will be perfect at cooking. But once you get the hang of it and start to make your own recipes. You are going to rock at what you do best! I want to start by getting off on the right foot by adapting my favorite quote from one of my favorite movies: 'Ratatouille' By Disney Pixar. The quote is "Anyone can cook!" -Chef Gusteau.
       I know, it's a little cheesy but isn't that the point? Anyone can truly cook if they put their mind to it, I promise. It will take time and effort, but it can be done.

The Mission:  

       My whole point of starting a blog like this is to show people that they can cook, nothing else. I'm not a health nut nor am I Martha Stewart, I am simply a person with some good advice on how to cook. Enough said.
       My hope is that after everything I have done to teach people about cooking, is that one of you will actually have learned something, or taken something from what I have given out. And in addition to that, I hope that you can become a better cook and a better fan of food after reading what I have to share.

The Low down:

       This blog is for recipes, ideas, creativity, writing and ultimately cooking. I am going to show you some of my tricks and tips on how to make amazing food. And I need your help to do it. No I am not asking for money nor for donations. All I am asking for is your participation and ideas. If you think something isn't right or you have a suggestion to make a recipe better, then let me know and comment on what I have put out. Suggestions and ideas are where greatness begins to sprout and where we can become better and better at what we do.

My Background:

       When I was twelve I really started to get a feel for cooking and I experimented with lots of different things. I  learned that about 99% of those 'experiments' expired, and fast! I learned the basics of cooking and still learn quite a bit even after a lot of practice.   

       I have never cooked with wine and don't plan to. And yes people will tell me to and that it gives really great flavor, but my values are too important to give up for some alcohol.
       As a kid I watched food network and all of the cooking and traveling channels and learned so much from each one. I learned to identify smells, tastes, texture, color and depth of flavor.
And that is what brought me to such a passion for food and for cooking.

Well enough about me; Let's get down to my first post.

The Post:

       First I want to include something that I call the tip or suggestion of the day. This is a chance to share what you know, and to show that you have what it takes to be a great cook! So take the opportunity to send me a tip or a suggestion that you think might help people in their cooking and I will post it up in the next post!

"When making a fried egg, if your pan isn't hot you'll end up with a rubber egg and a dirty pan."
-My own little suggestion

       Today I wish to talk about pan skills and using certain utensils to cook with. First is that you should adapt this rule when cooking: When cooking with a Teflon or non-stick pan, do not use a metal or ceramic spatula. Use wood or plastic. When using a silver steel or aluminum pan use a silver or steel spatula or a plastic one. These rules will save your pan from scratching and from potential damage. This will also preserve non-stick coating from rubbing off and leaving areas that are no longer non-stick.

       When using any pan to fry or saute make sure the pan is hot and I mean hot. Gage the temperature according to your liking and wait for a minute or two before putting in any oil. After a minute or so, take a couple drips of water and flick it into the pan. If it sizzles and hisses. The pan is ready for the oil. (Make sure your ingredients are completely ready before doing this process.) Pour in the desired amount of oil and wait 10 to 15 seconds before adding food. When you see the first wisps of smoke put the food carefully into the pan and cook to your hearts content.

Recipe for:

Egg omelet with fresh Mozzarella cheese and Basil

You'll need:

2 large eggs

1 tsp of water

1 tsp of garlic powder


1/8 tsp ground cumin

1 basil leaf minced

1 Small fresh Mozzarella loaf, crumbled     

Directions: 
       Beat eggs, water, garlic powder and cumin, in a small mug. Using a fork, 'cut' the eggs by quickly moving the fork side to side through the eggs and water until it is nearly mixed. 
       Heat pan and add oil, wait 1-2 minutes until you notice the first wisps of smoke coming from the pan and quickly add the eggs to the pan. Lift the pan and tilt and rotate it to allow the eggs to cover the entire pan. Count to 25. After 25 seconds have passed fold the egg into itself to form a small omelet. carefully flip the omelet on to other side to seal the edge and cook the egg further. Wait 20 more seconds for over easy or 30 seconds for hard set. Immediately plate with crumbled Mozzarella and basil for garnish. Enjoy!

(For those who do not like eggs to be slightly runny or soft set, allow the egg to cook for longer if desired.)