niryuu/sni-each-converted huggingface dataset:
We're going to try canning some homemade chili with canned kidney beans. Question: Would it be best to add the beans right before canning so they don't get over cooked or do you think there would be little difference if they were cooked with the chili before canning. I'm trying to avoid mushy beans but would like to cook a big pot and can the left overs. I usually add the beans in the last half hour of cooking anyway.
Output: Canning chili with beans
Other forms of poultry are regarded as undercooked at the slightest sign of pink juices and yet it is common practice to cook duck so that it's medium rare. Is the risk of food poisoning significantly lower with duck meat than other birds?On the other hand, if we could be sure that a piece of chicken could was salmonella-free, would its texture and flavor be improved by not overcooking it? I expect the sight of pink would put most people off but if one could overcome that, could it actually taste better?
Output: Is rare duck breast safe?
I've seen this question and obviously carbon steel (not stainless) knives look quite bad without extra care (picture from the linked to question)Now my question is - why face the trouble? Why would I prefer a carbon steel kitchen knife over a stainless steel one?
Output: Why would I prefer carbon steel (rust prone) kitchen knife?
How do you prepare fresh fennel for cooking? My isntructions just say to "roughly chop", but don't say what parts of the plant to use.
Output: How do you prepare fresh fennel for cooking?
Is there a special tool available just for cracking open pistachio nuts? I'm asking because as I have gotten older, I have developed severe arthritis and joint pains, making opening them with my fingers very painful. I've always loved pistachios and hate having to ask my wife to crack them open for me.I have tried using regular nut crackers, but the pistachio either slips out without cracking or the nut inside gets crushed.
Output: Cracking open a pistachio
The bag of coffee I am using instructs to "Add 2 1/2 tablespoons (37 ml)" of ground coffee. When I measure out 2 1/2 tablespoons onto my food scale, it only comes out to about 13 ml. Why does my 2 1/2 tablespoon measurement not equal 37 ml?
Output: Why does my 1 tablespoon of coffee grounds not equal 15 ml?
How can you tell if chocolate is already tempered?I have some bulk Bernard Callebaut milk chocolate chips.
Output: How can I tell if my chocolate is tempered?
i love pan fried chicken usually with some tumeric, salt, pepper, rosemarry, and evoo. Anyways, I don't like to get my thermo dirty everytime, and sometimes i get it a bit overdone, sometimes the oppsite
Output: Which non penetrating method is recommended to check chicken breasts for done-ness when pan fried
I have always boiled artichokes. Lately I've heard people talking about how good grilled artichokes are. There's some variation in recipes: some say to boil, some say to steam; some say to cut in half before that and some say after. I don't need a recipe for dipping sauce or anything like that. I'm simply looking for the basic technique on how to grill them. What is the best way to do it? Is there anything else I need to know to make sure they come out well?
Output: How do I best grill an artichoke?
first of all, basically what is the difference?what are their uses and is there a big difference? for example is there a case where I should use pure butter for some things but never a spread or vice versa? When the recipe says butter which one should I use?
Output: what is the difference between butter spread and pure butter?
It seems to be a popular ingredient in Asian (esp. Chinese?) food. I encountered them on pork spareribs, and some side dishes. Apparently it turns everything completely black when it is added.I can rule out soy sauce (which is too salty and tastes entirely different) and I realise that this question is rather vague. What additional information could I provide?Edit: I can rule out oyster sauce. I asked in a restaurant what the black stuff was, but either she didn't understand me or she didn't want to (all she told me was that it contained salt). Finally she said she made it herself. Anyway, I bought Hoisin sauce:and I think it's as close as it gets (perhaps the restaurant uses a slightly different version of the one I bought, as mine is a bit saltier and a bit less sweet).Update: I finally discovered the exact sauce I was looking for. It turned out to be Black Bean Garlic Sauce.
Output: What is the black, slightly sweet, flavour in some Asian food?
I want to make, "A brace of coneys" stew. It needs to sort of feel like rabbit is in there, but don't have any rabbit. What would be an easy to find, suitable substitute?I've never even had rabbit so I am really clueless here. Can I add certain spices to beef? chicken? What would you suggest?
Output: Rabbit Substitute?
Does it change the taste, the texture, or anything else?And no, I am not referring to potatoes or anything specific. I am talking about vegetables in general.
Output: Should hot water be added to the already hot cooked vegetables for making a curry or even room temperature/cool water would do?
I love spicy foods. Anything with ghost pepper is going to be gobbled up instantly. I however do not like the negative effects when it comes to getting rid of the waste.Is there anything you can put in your spicy dishes that maintain the spiciness, but neutralize it during digestion?
Output: Counteract the negative effects of spicy ingedients with other ingredients
I'm playing around with making cereal, and one of the cereals I want to replicate is the "bunches of oats" style, with crispy clusters that include oats. Every time I try to toast oats, though, they get more flavorful but not much more crispy, until they get burnt.My current method: I use minute oats (problem #1?) but otherwise just put them in the oven at 350F. I'd like to avoid adding sugars if possible, but I'm not stuck on that idea if it's not possible.
Output: how do I toast oats so that they are crispy?
Currently there is a question about magnetic stripes vs wood blocks, but I was wondering what the general concensus is regarding knife sheaths (like this one) They seem great if you only have a couple knives -- they don't require counter space and aren't at risk of causing accidental harm by falling off a wall. What are the pros and cons of using these instead?
Output: Storing knives in knife sheaths
I'm trying my hand at a layered mousse cake with a mirror glaze (I guess this is an entremet?). I've read several places that it is advisable to freeze the cake prior to glazing. My question is then: am I supposed to eat the cake frozen? Seems like it would be hard? Or should I let it thaw in the refrigerator? If so, for how long?
Output: Question about mirror glazes and freezing
I followed all of the tips. Prime sirloin, taken out an hour before cooking. Salted thoroughly 30 minutes prior. Patted dry with paper towels. Thrown on a high (650) degree grill for two minutes per side, finished on low for 3 minutes per side (internal temp was still about 400). Rested 10 minutes.Results: Good sear, beautiful medium-rate insides. Plenty of juice. Enough salt. Problem: the exterior was almost like bark. It wasn't scorched or burnt, but just really really dry.What was the misstep?
Output: A steak story: dry crust
My wife and I would like to try Gazpacho, and part of the recipe calls for 'food processing' coarse cuts of red onion, cucumber, tomato and red pepper. We don't have a food processor, and we can't afford one. What we DO have is a blender. Can we use or blender to 'food process' these ingredients? Edit: For those wondering, here's the text directly from the recipe:Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess!
Output: Can I use my blender for food processing the ingredients in my Gazpacho?
I'm preparing the court-bouillon recipe from James Peterson's Sauces (p. 103 of 3rd edition). The procedure is, roughly:Sweat vegetables,Simmer vegetables for 10 minutes,Add white wine and vinegar, simmering for a further 15 to 20 minutes, and thenCool and strain.My question is about step 3. For what reasons would the wine and vinegar be withheld for the first 10 minutes of simmering? Is this an evaporation issue? Or is there some deeper interaction between wine/vinegar and vegetables to be accounted for?Thanks!
Output: Court-bouillon: Why delay adding the wine and vinegar?
I was cooking some organic black eyed peas earlier today and I found what appeared to be worms. I had the peas for about 1.5 weeks before I cooked them.Is this common?I did rinse the peas before cooking them, but clearly that wasn't enough. What steps can I take to prevent this (assuming this the norm for organic black eyed peas)How long are these good for? (Should I eat them sooner?)I had taken a few spoonfuls before I finally realized this -- should I be concerned?I apologize for such an elementary question. I've recently been told by my physician that I need to make some diet changes, so I've been cooking with foods I would otherwise not eat.
Output: Are these worms in my black eyed peas/beans?
I have a cake recipe which calls for 1 1/3 cup of vegetable oil. What are the essential properties of vegetable oil in baking? What changes would be expected if I were to substitute peanut or canola oil for the vegetable oil?
Output: Substituting oil in baking?
I live in an area that has some of the best catfishing in the world. Here, they are considered a garbage fish, and no one eats them. I think I would like to try them. What are the best ways to prepare a catfish?
Output: Best method to prepare catfish (very soft flesh)?
In the long run, is it better to regularly use a knife honer instead of a knife sharpener once in a while to keep the edge sharp?
Output: Will using a knife sharpener reduce the lifetime of my knife?
How can frozen pizza be baked in an oven without a tray, without running the risk of melting like in the picture below (found on teh internets)? Or does that just not happen?
Output: Bake frozen pizza without a tray - will it melt and drip?
I'm making a tomato sauce cold from tinned tomatoes and I was going to add tomato puree to thicken the sauce. Is it ok to use tomato puree without cooking it?
Output: Do you need to cook tomato puree?
I was reading that couverture chocolate is apparently "real" chocolate that requires proper tempering to have the right texture and shine. What if I don't temper it and just eat it straight out of the bag in those little discs it comes in- will it still taste good?And if I'm buying fancy chocolate candy how can I know it was made from couverture and not cheap (fake? I guess) chocolate?
Output: What does non-tempered couverture chocolate taste like?
I poured squeezed orange juice over my meatballs and I thought how well it complements them, but that it's too watery to enjoy with meat. I proceeded to reduce squeezed orange juice on the stove with and without starch and it just did not work - it's either too watery, or when reduced to a proper texture it's like sugar paste with orange flavoring.How can I enjoy the flavor of orange juice on meat as a condiment while reducing it's wateriness?
Output: How do I concentrate the flavor in orange juice?
I made a sauce with frozen rhubarb and raspberry mixed with sugar and reduced it until there is hardly any juice left. I put the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge. Would this still be good? Is there anyway to tell when this is going bad?
Output: How long does a fruit and sugar mixture last?
I like to make my own pizza dough. Usually I end up with some leftover dough, which I stick in the fridge and then try to make into buns or something for breakfast the next morning. It never turns out very nicely (and I am successful at making bread when that's what I set to do originally). It doesn't seem to brown nicely, and the texture is sometimes a bit strange for what I expect from a bun. I'm wondering if it's something inherent in the style of dough used for pizza crust or something I'm inadvertently doing with the pizza dough that I wouldn't do with regular dough (maybe using too little, not letting it warm up enough, not enough rising time)?Here's the dough recipe that I tried this with most recently. So, is pizza dough just too different from bread dough, or is there something I can do to make my leftover dough usable for something other than more pizzas?
Output: Why does leftover pizza dough make terrible bread?
My soup tastes almost like someone poured some lemon juice into it. It smells fine, and other than being a little lemony, tastes OK. When I put it in the fridge a week ago, it didn't have that tart flavor.What would cause this to happen? Is it safe to eat?The soup was made from:Chicken brothGround turkeyHamBroccoli Green beansOnion
Output: My soup tastes tart... Is it safe to eat?
Every time I am using black pepper, no matter how little, no matter how I turn my head to avoid sneezing, it still triggers it. I have to run from the work area, release myself and then go back.Are there any quick fit kitchen masks (I am serious) for this purpose, or at least special dispensers that can reduce this problem? What can I do to avoid sneezing?
Output: How can I handle black pepper without sneezing?
If left in the fridge, how long does garlic take to germinate? I have experienced the green sprouts in the past, and was able to chop them off and eat the remaining garlic. I am curious add to how long that takes as I cannot remember.This way I will know how much garlic to keep in the fridge at my friend's house, based on how much is used per week, since my friend insists that it must be kept in the fridge.If I plant the garlic that has germinated in a pot, will it grow? How do you grow it?
Output: How long does it take garlic to germinate in the fridge?
I have dabbled with almost every ingredient I can think of in varying amount to get my Bolognese to taste similar to a restaurant made Bolognese in the italian alps. Including:PepperSugarSaltTomatos and tomato puree, tinned and chopped tomatosgarliclea & perrins / Worcester sauceOnions & onion gravy granulesdifferent meats, pork, beef and vealHerbs Basil, greek basil, thyme and oreganored wineand most recently balsamic vinegarThese all get close and do make a nice Bolognese. However the secret ingredient is still missing!
Output: secret ingredient in a restaurant bolognese
Sweet potato fries are one of my favorite sides. I also love the taste of pumpkin, and thought it would be good to replace the sweet potato in sweet potato fries with pumpkin. I am looking to make something very similar to sweet potato fries, but I am curious on a few things.I would love for them to be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Should I fry them or bake them? Other than salt and pepper, what spices would bring out the flavor of the pumpkin or pair well with it; would spices be necessary to make them tasty?
Output: How to make Pumpkin Fries
There is a famous Brazilian sweet called brigadeiro (I've seen a few questions related to it around here) that is basically made of condensed milk, cocoa or powdered chocolate, and butter.I've been making it my whole life using Brazilian ingredients (especially condensed milk) and it has always come out with a shiny caramelized texture, as follows:I have just moved to Portugal and the results from using the local condensed milk are sightly different in texture: it's a lot more grainy (as if it had flour added) and less shiny.As from the products labels, it seems that the local condensed milk has more proteins per serving. It makes sense, since I thought that those grains could be small curdles of protein. Also, by having a smaller ratio of sugars, it could be that less caramelization (which is important for the texture) occurs.So, before I start experimenting and wasting food, I would like to know if anyone knows a way to make this work.My first guess is to increase the ph a bit by mixing some baking soda before heating as it may inhibit the formation of curdles. On the other hand, maybe just adding more sugar could help, but these things already are damn sweet, it seems wrong to put even more sugar into it!Any insights on this?
Output: Making brigadeiros in Portugal similar to the ones in Brazil
For this Christmas, we wanted to do a particular packaging for biscuits using cotton candy.We have a machine to make it, and flavours to do different colors and flavourings.Now, the problem is that it will shrink over time, in few hours, probably because of air humidity or other reasons.We tried to make some cotton candy and place it in a closed box (one in paper and one in plastic), but it shrunk in few hours (less than 12).Now, we need to find a way to preserve it from shrinking for at least 24 hours, but more would be better... And we should find a do-it-yourself solution which does not involve particular equipment or materials.A way to preserve cotton candy is to freeze it, but obviously you have to eat it frozen, or it will melt.We thought of two other ways:Use hot hair to reduce the amount of water in the box, and then seal the box. I am not a supporter of this idea, because I believe that hot air will just melt the cotton candy (and I do not think that humidity will be reduced that much).Use CO2, which can be easily and cheaply fabricated at home (vinegar + sodium bicarbonate). Since it should be heavier than air, one could produce it in a large container, then pour the CO2 in the box containing the cotton candy, and then seal it. I think that CO2 will replace air in the box and this will reduce the amount of humidity, allowing conservation of the food.What do you think? Have you ever tried something similar? Have you any other idea?
Output: How to preserve cotton candy
Many recipes call for first bringing milk up to boil.I normally boil 1 quart (1 litre) of milk in a 3-quart stainless steel heavy bottomed pan:use low heatkeep scraping the bottom of the pan every 1-2 minute Milk comes to a boil in about 40-45 minutesIn spite of my carefully watching the milk, at the end, when I pour of the milk, I see a "crust" form on the pan. This makes cleaning up a pain.Further, it is hard to constantly watch and scrape the milk every 1-2 minutes.Is there a more convenient way to bring milk up to a boil?Looking for:Unattended, fool-proof methodEasy clean-up at the end.Yes, I am aware of this other question:Quickest, and safest way, to bring milk to boil?However, my question is a bit different.
Output: Can I boil milk unattended (and still keep the pan clean)?
I would like to make choux pastry, and the recipe I have emphasises bringing the pan quickly to a boil after the butter has melted into the water at the beginning of the procedure.I only have electric hobs available, which can take a few minutes to go from a simmer to a proper boil.Will this have a negative impact on my pastry, and if so is there a way I can work around it?
Output: Can I make choux pastry with an electric hob?
I have a fondue bourguignonne set (this model). Can I use it to make cheese fondue? The manual explicitly says that it is not suitable for chocolate fondue, but it says nothing about cheese fondue.(BTW, I am also curious to know why it is not suitable for making chocolate or possibly cheese fondue. Is the réchaud too powerful?)
Output: Can I use a fondue bourguignonne set to make cheese fondue?
https://somedayilllearn.com/how-to-make-black-coffee/ Go big or go home. I typically use 2 tablespoons per cup. Weak coffee is more likely to be bitter.Is there some truth here? Why would weak coffee be more bitter?
Output: Is weak coffee more likely to be bitter?
Some months ago, I found a recipe for cookies and made them in a big oven; they were delicious and cooked very well (soft cookies) at 180 °C (356 °F) for 7 minutes.I recently tried the recipe again, but I have no longer a big oven, so I used my little one (with heat source at the top and bottom).The cookies were still almost liquid after 15 minutes, and I though that was my oven that was too old and not keeping a good temperature; I tested on another oven that is new, and I got the same result.Does the little oven heat less than the big one? If yes, what do I need to do to adjust the temperature and/or the time? If not, what am I doing wrong?The recipe is:125 grams of soft butter125 grams of brown sugar175 grams of white flourone egg1 cc of baking powder 100 grams of chocolate chip  Mix all except chocolate chip. When you have a homogeneous substance, add the chocolate chip. Bake them 7 minutes at 180 °C. they're still very soft after that delay but they will harden.
Output: Is a little oven less hot than a bigger oven?
My wife's chicken cake recipe calls for mayonnaise as one of the batter ingredients. In my opinion, mayonnaise is completely unsuitable for high-temperature processing (as in baking), but I was unable to come up with a substitute for it.So, my question is, what can we put into cake batter instead of mayonnaise?Update: I think mayonnaise is unsuitable for baking because it is an emulsion which separates into its ingredients when heated, emulsifying agents used in a commercial mayo are not particularly healthy, and mayonnaise does not taste any good when it is broken into its components.The components of the batter are: 6 table spoons of flour, 3 eggs, 200gram mayo, 200gram sour cream. The components of the filling are: chopped prepared chicken meat, chopped sauteed onions, boiled eggs, etc.
Output: Mayonnaise substitute in cake batter
Today I bought a 2 oz (56.7 grams) bottle of Bay Leaves. The "best use by" date is 01/2015. I've read that spices and herbs go "off" after a year or so, depending. Can I believe the 2015 date on these bay leaves?
Output: "Best by date" true for bay leaves?
My husband and I do not drink milk during the week, and rarely use it for cooking. However, on weekends when I am home I like to make coffee and have it with milk. The problem is it is very expensive to purchase even the smallest container of 2% milk at the store only to have it go bad before I've gotten more than a quarter of the way through it.Is there a way I can preserve a quart of milk for my coffee, without it going bad? Is freezing an option? I am not a fan of milk alternatives, or the little creamer things that are shelf stable.
Output: Preserving small amounts of milk
I recently tried some vacuum fried banana chips and pineapple chips from Trade Joe's. They were delicious. Does anyone know why this process helps the food retain and even concentrate the flavors? According to the article, since the frying environment is under a vacuum, this allows food to reach a fried state at ~130 C (normal atmospheric frying is ~170 C).
Output: What makes vacuum fried food retain and concentrate the food's flavor?
I should have paid more attention but after regular washing of top surface, my half-inch-thick board is rocking like a cradle.Not practical flipped over as it has a counter lip. Tried keeping backside moist over 24hrs but no noticeable affect.Wet grass and sunshine here:http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=573448doesn't sound very practical. Any indoor solutions?
Output: unwarp my cutting board?
This may depend on recipe, however since Mace is the outer coating of nutmeg seeds, I was wondering if nutmeg can be substituted in for mace in recipes. Specifically, there is this recipe for hot dogs that I want to try from about.com:Ingredients:3 feet sheep or small (1-1/2-inch diameter) hog casings1 pound lean pork, cubed3/4 pound lean beef, cubed1/4 pound pork fat, cubed1/4 cup very finely minced onion1 small clove garlic, finely chopped1 teaspoon finely ground coriander1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram1/4 teaspoon ground mace1/2 teaspoon ground mustard seed1 teaspoon sweet paprika1 teaspoon freshly fine ground white pepper1 egg white1-1/2 teaspoons sugar1 teaspoon salt, or to taste1/4 cup milkI have nutmeg in powdered form, is that an acceptable substitution and if so do I need to make any adjustments to the recipe? Would prefer the answer generalized a ratio of nutmeg for needed mace for other recipes.
Output: Can Nutmeg be substituted in for Mace?
I absolutely love pasta caprese. I have a great recipe for it that provides perfectly creamy mozarella and tasty tomatoes and uses up the leaves on my basil plant. It's a great dish.I also don't consider a meal without some form of protein that isn't cheese to be a meal, and vegetarian meals aren't considered kindly by those I cook for, so I really need at least some meat with every meal.So my quandry is how to serve my pasta caprese as part of a meal with meat. In the past I've done grilled chicken breast on the side, but is there a way to make it a one pot meal or serve with another meat main so I'm not limited to chicken? Ideally I'd like to feature the flavors of the pasta as the main.I tried hot Italian sausage last night. It was OK, but I felt that the sausage competed too much with the flavors of the dressing.
Output: Adding Meat to Pasta Caprese
I got out some wild sockeye salmon that had been in the freezer for quite a while (several months at least, not more than a year). It was vacuum-packed, no freezer burn, sealed properly, etc. I cooked it very well but while it smells and looks okay it tastes earthy and a bit undercooked (even though it's flaky and opaque). The texture is fine. I stopped eating it but wondering what this is about. I cut it in half while it was still raw and washed the knife and then used it for salad ingredients. If the knife wasn't washed well enough could the raw salmon cause me a problem? Thanks!Edit: Does anyone know what the taste might mean? Or if it might mean it's not really edible? I did eat a bit and am fine but I guess we have taste buds for a reason so I should probably avoid it. I am curious as to what might have gone wrong.
Output: Earthy tasting frozen salmon
I'm actually making root beer, but I've found the best way is to boil herbs and spices the same way one would make a tea, and then I add sweetener, leave it to chill, and use a carbonation device to add bubbles.So far I've been using ready made root beer ingredients that come either in extracts or in bags of herbs, like a loose leaf tea. Now I want to go the next step and make my own blend.I've got a recipe I want to try and have bought all the ingredients I need in whole form. I'm wondering if there is any advantage in grinding them up. This answer on this site leads me to believe that it's workable to leave spices whole, but I feel like that wouldn't be the case with a whole nutmeg nut. Surely the flavour would not be accessed by boiling water in such a hard and thick nut?I also learned that in the case of tea, it's actually inadvisable to boil or steep them for too long, as it releases bitter tannins. So I wonder if grinding down spices to "release" more flavour might also have adverse affects.So, bottom line, maybe you can boil spices whole, but maybe it's better to chop or grind them a little? And if so, how far should one take it?
Output: Is there any diminishing return on grinding spices for a "tea"?
Everyone seems to think it is necessary to peel tomatoes before canning or freezing them. Since I do not peel tomatoes when I'm cooking with them (soups, salsa, etc.), I'm wondering if I can freeze them without peeling them. Does freezing/canning do something to the texture of the tomato that makes the peel a problem?
Output: Why peel tomatoes?
At work, when I'm hungry, I sometimes resort to instant soup (Royco, in case it's relevant). Simple to make: heat water, put package content into cup, pour water into cup, stir.However, I often find that the powdered soup has a bunch of wet powder residue left at the bottom of the cup after drinking. although this residue is full of taste, it means the rest of my soup was actually blander than it should be. I also usually have a small bit of residue on my spoon that I can't seem to fully dissolve into the rest of the soup. The residue on the bottom of the cup usually can be fixed through proper stirring, but the spoon residue is trickier.How can I make the soup powder dissolve more effectively so all of the powder is part of the soup?
Output: When turning instant soup into liquid soup, how can I optimise dissolution?
A while back I heard mention of a way to bake/roast chicken that supposedly would make it very good and juicy. Unfortunately I didn't get the details, so I haven't dared try it myself. I was wondering if someone here had done this or something similar, and could describe the methode (especially temperature and timing) to me - and confirm that this actually work and give a good result.The idea was to take a whole (or half would do?) chicken (I assumed plucked, cleaned and ready for cooking), and cover it with salt! You would basically take lots of salt and add a little water, so you got a thick "goo" of salt. Then you would cover the chicken with this salt-goo in a thick layer. Then you would put the salt-goo covered chicken in the oven to bake. In the oven, the salt-goo would become a thick salt-crust, that would trap in the moisture. When finished, you just crack the salt-crust open.Does this actually work?! I can't help but thinking that the result would be a very salty chicken...
Output: How to make "salt-crust-baked" chicken?
I got ten pounds of rye flour from the amish store yesterday. They only had a single, two-pound bag sitting on the shelf but, when asked, the man behind the counter said they actually have lots of rye flour but keep it all in the freezer because otherwise Something Bad will happen to it. It's organic and I think it might be wholemeal but I'm not sure.I haven't been baking for terribly long, maybe 8 months or a year, but I've never frozen my rye flour. Is this a legitimate need? Ten pounds of flour takes up more freezer space than I would prefer. Thanks!
Output: Do I need to freeze my rye flour?
I really enjoy cooking eggs for breakfast, and sometimes I'm feeling fancy enough to add veggies into my scramble. However, I'm never sure how to prepare the veggies to put into the scramble. If I don't cook them, usually they are too crunchy or tough (and sometimes make the scramble watery), and don't taste good with the eggs. If I try to cook them before adding them, they usually come out too dry/overdone. I figure this might depend on which veggies I'm cooking so here are my common favorites: tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions (suggestions welcome!)To make my question more specific (and hopefully more answerable): how can I prepare the veggies so that they are not crunchy, but not over-cooked?
Output: Proper preparation of veggies for an egg scramble
I would like to make cumin and herb cheese at home without using any special cheese-making equipment.At what stage should I add my cumin and herbs?Which herbs should I use?Should I use fresh or dried herbs?
Output: How do I make cumin and herb cheese at home?
I'm reheating a bunch of leftovers, all stored in aluminum tins. I don't have enough oven rack space to lay it all out flat. Can I stack the tins?(Additionally, is it safe to leave on the paper/aluminum covers - the ones that are cardboard on one side and silver on the other?)
Output: If I'm reheating things in tins and I don't have enough oven space, can I stack them on top of each other?
I was just wondering if I can arrange raw chicken on the pizza base and cook everything along or if I should cook the chicken first separately.
Output: Should chicken be cooked beforehand while making pizza?
Possible Duplicate:Does meat need to be washed before preparation?I'm roasting a whole chicken for dinner tonight and the recipe told me to rinse the bird under cold water and pat it dry before doing anything else.What is the reason for that? Does that improve the flavour or prevent any problems?
Output: Why do whole chicken recipes advise rinsing the chicken?
Every Indian recipe I see seems to insist on rinsing basmati rice before cooking it. Why, I have no idea, because I never rinse it, yet I can discern no difference between my rice and rice cooked by other people that have, presumably, spent the extra 15 minutes rinsing. If the stickiness is the difference, as suggested in this thread, then I would suggest that not rinsing the rice would make eating rice-based thali a lot less traumatic because the grains would clump together more easily.
Output: Why rinse basmati rice?
All,Recently we moved house, and took it as an excuse to ditch a bunch of old and dying roasting pans.We kept some glass trays (suitable for cooking in) though, and have ended up using them for just about all our oven cooking. On the top I still use either the steel covered copper bottomed things or cast iron cookware, but in the over it's mainly the glass.Everything seems to turn out just fine - am I missing something? Committing a heinous sin I've somehow forgotten? Do I need to run back to buying some proper metal roasting trays?
Output: Can I roast in glass?
What temperature do you normally cook a pork tenderloin at? I was searching on the internet and saw anywhere from 325°F (165°C) to 450°F (230°C) and couldn't seem to find a good answer.Also, does it depend on how long you want to cook it or in how you prepare it before cooking?
Output: What temperature to cook a pork tenderloin at?
Many commercial cake mixes use vegetable oil, but I have seen some (usually 10% or less of what the store carries) that are "Butter Recipe".These use butter instead of vegetable oil. What is the difference in these? And is the reason you do not find many in stores is because it is not popular, or costs more, or something else?
Output: What is the difference between regular (vege. oil) and butter recipe cake mixes?
Every time I make jam I always manage to set it too hard. Is there any way to recover it once it's done this?
Output: How to recover jam that has set too hard?
I enjoy eating ramen noodles cooked in the microwave at work. I've already learned to toss the sodium seasoning packet to avoid the salt, but I notice the noodles themselves have lots of fat and much of it saturated. (I understand the noodles are deep-fried as part of the preparation for packaging.) In an attempt to reduce the fat content, I dump the water after the noddles are cooked and add more water to start up a new broth. (For reference, I add Thai red curry seasoning and either an egg, canned salmon or both. If I have one, I'll squeeze a lime over the finished product.)Does it help reduce the fat content of the meal if I dump the initial broth? Is there any way to know how effective the practice is?
Output: Does dumping the water from boiling ramen noodles reduce the fat content much?
Many a recipe or package instructs: 'cook uncovered' without stating a reason. As a general matter, is this to protect me from boilover, or does it have some more subtle purpose?
Output: When a recipe says, 'simmer uncovered', what's the issue?
I have a tomato sauce recipe that calls for 1 can (28oz) of diced tomatoes (including the liquid). How can I replace the can with fresh tomatoes? I'm not sure if there is a particular type of tomato I should use or how many of them to use. Also, what can I do to replace the liquid?
Output: How can I replace canned tomatoes with fresh?
I don't know much about the difference between cooking range and oven. But I just want to know what difference must be made to bake a cake using a cooking range. I used to bake cakes in a microwave oven in micro+convection mode at 200 degree celsius. For that I preheat the oven at 200 degree for 15 minutes and then place the cake batter in the oven for another 15 minutes. And that cake used to come out really good. But now I am using an electric cooking range that uses a gas cylinder. It has a knob to adjust the temperature and an option to grill. And inside it has holders at three different heights to place the tray. I don't know the exact word to describe my cooking system. Anyway all I want to know is what should be done to make the exact cake recipe which I tried in micro+convection mode at 200 degree?For what duration should I bake and at which height should I place the tray?
Output: Difference between baking a cake in cooking range and microwave oven
My girlfriend and I make a large batch of yogurt every week, and have done so for more than a year now - we just eat a ton of the stuff. THis leaves a lot of leftover whey which we used to just throw out. This past week I took my first swing at making mozzarella, and noticed that the recipe suggested not throwing out the whey, but rather using it to make ricotta by boiling it. I ended up throwing out the whey from the mozzarella anyways because it was a tiny batch, and we had to make yogurt anyway.So, we made the yogurt, and my girlfriend saved they whey for me. I've been simmering it for a few minutes now, and it doesn't appear to be working. Nothing is curdling. I'm wondering if its a function of not having anything acidic in it? I tried adding a quarter teaspoon of citric acid, but still nothing is curdling. At this point I'm curious to play with it, so I may try simmering it all the way down into gjetost. So really i guess my question is, outside of being less acidic, is whey from making yogurt different from whey from cheese making?Also as a note, we use 1% milk.
Output: Using whey from yogurt to make ricotta
Do I need to store a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar in the refrigerator?
Output: Does olive oil and balsamic vinegar together need to be refrigerated?
I'm going to make some sweet potato fries here shortly and I'm using a technique that I saw on television. I cut up my sweet potatoes into fries and I have been letting them soak in water. My intent is that some of the starch will dissolve into the water and help the fries crisp up better. Has anyone else tried this?
Output: Soaking starches in water for better frying
I'm planning on cooking an Asian style eggplant with garlic sauce soon. However, I am concerned (perhaps even paranoid) about getting the texture right. My goal is for the eggplant to be very soft ("melt in your mouth"). In the past, I've had eggplant turn tough and chewy when cooked. How can I make sure it turns out how I want?I don't typically salt my eggplant before cooking, because I don't find the taste to be unpleasantly bitter. Would that help?
Output: How to prevent eggplant having a tough or rubbery texture
So I was making a corn-syrup-free pecan pie, and it called for a procedure that I've never seen before. To combine the liquids (milk, eggs, vanilla) with the solids (dark brown sugar, butter, flour) it called for combining the solids over medium heat, cooking it until the sugar was completely melted, and then combining with the liquids.Now, my candy experience starts and stops at "things containing chocolate", but I can melt sugar. However with the addition of butter and flour I was worried about it burning, and I didn't render it all the way down to full on molten sugar. It was quite melted but it poured more like a thin batter than like liquid sugar.Combined the liquid(y) sugar with the liquids, and exactly what I thought would happen, happened: the sugar immediately solidified into chunks, and wouldn't incorporate. Rescued it by heating the whole thing, and stirring until it incorporated. This worked, but I think it sent the texture off a bit.My question is: is this even feasible? Can you really melt sugar to a thin liquid, and then seamlessly incorporate it with a cold liquid? And wouldn't the addition of flour cause issues with cooking the sugar? I pretty much expected it not to work, so it may just have been a failure of will on my part.
Output: Combining hot melted sugar with cold liquid ingredients
I would like to make a cheesecake with confectioner's sugar and though it's been awhile since I've made cheesecake, I believe I used normal sugar before. However, I only have confectioner's sugar on hand at the moment.
Output: What is the difference between making a cheesecake with confectioner's sugar vs. normal sugar?
For reasons not related to this question, I had to cook my turkeys yesterday. My meat themometer died near the end of cooking. So I ran to the store to get one "real fast". Three stores later I came home to two over done birds (185 degrees).While not totally dry, I don't want them to dry out any more while reheating them today. Should I slice them then heat them? Is there a better way to reheat than another? (ie oven vs microwave vs warming drawer vs (some other heating tool).)
Output: Reheat a turkey without drying it out?
Some say one should use more than one cutting boards because if you use just one board for raw meat and vegetables, bacteria from raw meat moves to the board and then to the vegetables, then you eat that vegetable raw, and you get sick.Some uses more than two cutting boards: one for fish, another for raw poultry, yet another for dairy and so on. What if I use just two rather than 3 or more? One for stuff to be heated, another for everything else. What do I gain by using 3 or more rather than 2?
Output: Is it OK to just have two cutting boards: one for stuff to be heated, another for other stuff?
I'm making sugar cookies and I have ran out of granulated sugar. I only have confectioner's sugar and dark brown sugar left.Can I substitute one of these for white granulated sugar? Which would be the better substitute?
Output: Can I substitute brown or confectioner's sugar for granulated sugar in sugar cookies?
I read a short blurb in Cooking for Geeks that said vinegar can be used as a substitute for salt, as a flavor enhancer, to make food less bland. I plan on experimenting, but I don't know where to start.From Cooking for Geeks: We were reading Thomas Keller, and he talked about how salt is a flavor enhancer, and he mentioned that vinegar does a similar thing. It doesn't add a new taste, but it often alters the taste that's there.What are the distinct advantages of using vinegar over salt as a flavor enhancer?
Output: Advantages of using vinegar as a salt substitute for enhancing flavor?
Like many people, I rely on coffee in the morning to really get me going for the day. I always use more than the directions require to get more caffeine for that extra morning jolt.How much ground coffee should I use to reach caffeine critical mass in my brew? Is there a formula for volume of grounds per unit of water that I can use so I can get the maximum caffeine experience without wasting coffee?
Output: How can I maximize the caffeine content of my coffee?
http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/vegetable-hot-and-sour-soup.aspxAre we here talking about Bamboo trees?Can we have a picture of Bamboo shoot? In what forms is it available?
Output: What exactly are Bamboo shoots?
I'm just starting to cook for myself in college, and I'm curious what the best material of cooking tools are for pasta in a metal pan and stir fry in a non-stick wok. To make this question more general, when should you use plastic, metal or wooden cooking tools?Are there reasons not to use a certain type sometimes? For example, is it unsafe to use wooden tools with raw meat in stir fry?
Output: Utensil materials - plastic, metal or wooden?
I've soaked some beans in room temperature water overnight, since 6pm (white navy beans). How long can I keep them in water before I must use them? Will they last a day or so at room temperature and in water, or should I drain and store in the fridge, or must I cook with them immediately?
Output: How long can I store soaked beans before cooking?
When getting Chinese takeaway, We never eat much of the normal cooked rice that goes with it, always opting for an extra dish of fried rice and/or noodles. My mother usually makes a cold salad the day after with some Cocktail sauce (with ketchup as the tomato sauce), a few varieties of canned fish (mackerel, sardines and anchovy) and some boiled eggs.The problem is that this rice always turns out somewhat dry, somewhat detracting from the overal quality of the product. It's still edible and tastes good, but the textures are somewhat lacking in my opinion.I have read "Instant" leftover rice? Making leftover-like rice without the wait? (as in for fried rice), but that's not what I need: I don't have control over the cooking process, and it's not for reheating afterwards. I also don't think this falls under the generic shelf live question, because this isn't about how long it will last, but how to store it short-term so certain negative effects don't occur, for which I cannot find a question (nor a tag).I'm looking for a method to cool the rice without it turning dry that doesn't involve special attention immediately afterwards or changing the cooking process. With "doesn't involve special attention", I'm talking about something someone can do while unpacking the rest of the food and maybe putting a bit of the rice aside for those that don't like the fried kind.
Output: preserving leftover cooked rice from Chinese takeaway for processing in a cold salad afterwards
Today I sauteed some onions and in some spots they were caramelizing nicely while in others they were slightly burnt.Anyone knows who could be the possible culprit? I am betting on the frying pan but I wish to get some second opinion before buying something fancy.
Output: What is the reason my veggies cook unevenly?
I recently trying the flour coating trick before frying it so my meat can withstand more temperature and does not get dried up so easily inside.However, when I rolled the meat with all-purpose flour so it became white, I observe that if I leave it for a period of time, the white-ness is kind of gone away. Did the flour somehow goes in the meat? What is the consequence of it? And should I apply flour coating again before immediately drop into my frying pan?
Output: When coating raw meat with flour, does leaving it for a period of time make the flour 'disappear'?
I've been in Peru recently and enjoyed a lot of very good meals. Cebiches and tiraditos were among the best. However, as it was a short business trip, luncheons were usually short and quick, so we tried with little luck to ask cebiche (or ceviche) for dinner.We found out that Peruvians consider cebiche harmful at night, to the point that (most) cebicherías (restaurants serving only cebiche) are closed for dinner. I tend to think that, being ceviche mainly raw seafood, this is just a myth coming from times when fridges were not available, but locals were very assertive about the inconveniences of eating raw seafood for dinner. They referred sleeping disorders, and the such. So two questions:Anybody knows if the Peruvian massive opinion is shared with other people on the Pacific Rim? Is it really a myth?If the previous was affirmative ... Is it reasonable to store the day's catch outside a fridge (but in a shadowy and fresh place) to be eaten raw at dinner? (I like fishing, and I'm considering preparing cebiche with my catches).PS: Look the size of those corn kernels!
Output: Cebiche dinner considered harmful
I've read somewere in the net that sushi is an extremely difficult food to prepare. It will take at least one year just to learn to cook the rice, and ten year to complete the experience.It's so difficult? To do a comparison, one could prepare a decent home sushi like one can prepare a decent home dish after some years of home cooking?It's more like a western chef that needs anyway to study and practice for a long time?
Output: Is sushi so difficult?
There are many chilis that have amazing flavors but are so hot that it is hard for most of us to appreciate them. Beyond the standard suggestion to discard the seeds and cut away the ribs, are there any other methods that can lower the capsaicin level while retaining the other flavors?This was asked on Dave Arnold's Cooking Issues podcast, and I'm not sure they landed on a solid answer.EDIT: I'm looking for something that might cut the perceived heat by like 90% or even 100%, not just make it slightly milder. Something that completely neutralizes the capsaicin, not simply buffers it on your palate. (Starting a bounty).
Output: How can you reduce the heat of a chili pepper?
I'm baking something that I might end up sending on a very long trip. For this I would want to make ganache, but it may be in transit for as long as 10 days so I don't want to use cream. If I do make these, the ganache would between sandwich cookies. What could I use for that, stable at varying temperatures, for as long as 10 days, possibly even longer?
Output: Shelf Stable "Ganache"