Kitchen Basics Workshop - Week 5 of 5

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One last time: It's Ginny again from Cooking with Chopin, Living with Elmo. I have so enjoyed being with you this month. I'd like to leave you with a few (random) kitchen tips and ideas.

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Perking Up Fresh Herbs:

Fresh parsley is something I always have on hand. It lends tremendous flavor to many recipes and makes them more visually appealing.

But it gets kind of flaccid and wilty in the refrigerator crisper drawer.

So I treat it like the fresh plant that it is!

I snip off about an inch of the stems,

put the bunch in water,

and it will perk right up.

(Forgot to snap a pic of the perked-up parsley. Sorry.)

The parsley will stay fresh for almost a week this way.

And it's kind of pretty to look at.

(This trick works with almost all types of fresh herbs.)

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Steaming Fresh Veggies:

Fresh steamed vegetables are an excellent addition to any meal.

The steaming process is gentle and helps preserve all the great attributes of the vegetables (as long as you don't overdo it).

Drizzle a little olive oil and lemon juice over the steamed veggies and VOILA! You have a delicious, healthy side dish.

I use this pot every time I steam veggies.

The thing on the top is a steamer basket.

The veggies hang out here and have their little spa day as the steam rises from the boiling water in the pot beneath the basket.

Steamed asparagus are my favorite.

Even my 2-year old enjoys them.

(Too bad there's no audio clip: my four-year old, sitting nearby, is gagging on his asparagus in the background, crying because I'm "such a mean mommy to make him try it" and he's pretty sure "other mommies don't make this kind of yucky stuff.")

You win some, you lose some.

I also love to steam fresh green beans.

We have these about once a week, drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice and sprinkled with slivered almonds.

Here's a helpful guide to steaming vegetables:

Artichoke (medium)....................40 minutes

Asparagus (thin spears)...............3 to 4 minutes

Asparagus (thick spears).............5 to 6 minutes

Beets......................................30 to 35 minutes

Broccoli florets..........................4 to 5 minutes

Broccoli spears..........................5 to 6 minutes

Brussels Sprouts........................7 to 11 minutes

Cabbage, cut in wedges..............6 minutes

Carrots, cut 1/4-inch thick..........6 to 8 minutes

Cauliflower, head......................12 to 15 minutes


Cauliflower spears.....................4 to 6 minutes

Corn on the Cob.......................5 minutes

Green Beans.............................4 to 5 minutes

Kale.......................................4 to 5 minutes

Parsnips, 1-1/2-inch pieces.......8 to 10 minutes

Peas..........................................2 minutes

Potatoes, new (small size).........12 minutes

Potatoes (2-inch pieces)............15 minutes


Spinach.....................................4 to 5 minutes

Sweet Potatoes, whole..............40 to 50 minutes

Sweet Potatoes (2-inch pieces)..12 to 15 minutes

Winter Squash, peeled, 2-inch pieces....15 to 20 minutes

Zucchini, 1/4-inch slices............5 to 7 minutes

from info found here

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Pots, Pans, Whisks, and Docking Stations:

I get a lot of questions about my most-used kitchen equipment.

Here is an ever-growing list: My Favorite Kitchen Things

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Kids in the Kitchen:

You may have noticed (*wink*) that it can be a bit of a challenge to cook a meal with little ones (4 and under) in the kitchen.
I put together a page with a few tips to occupy those precious little hands and minds while you cook. Please (please!) comment or email me (cookingwithchopin@yahoo.com) if you have a tip that needs to be on this list: Cooking with Kids in the Kitchen.

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The Power of the Table Experience

In closing, I'd like to talk about something very near and dear to my heart.

The act of gathering your family around your table.

Dinnertime. What once was simple has now become complex.

Our schedules? They're crazy. Soccer, piano, dance, gymnastics, baseball, football, basketball, swim lessons.

But you already know this.

As moms of the 21st century, we have a harder time than any of our predecessors in getting hineys to fill up all of the chairs around our tables on any given night of the week.
We live so much of our lives on the road. In our cars. In the drive-thrus.

I'm reading an incredible book called "The Table Experience" by Devi Titus.

Devi highlights the link between regular family meals (around the table) and stronger families who have deeper connections and healthier relationships.

Several research studies have confirmed that families who take time to eat together at the dinner table do better in every area--body, mind, soul and spirit.

In fact, a decade-long study by the American Psychological Association reports that children who eat at the family dinner table have greater academic motivation and are less likely to experiment with drugs and sex.

(I realize no one is eating in these pictures...my family gets wary of all my picture-taking, so I try to be "present" when we're eating, and not behind the camera. These were taken after a meal.)

Devi very much intertwines biblical insight into the fact that God Himself designed the dinner table to be central to the family.

In fact, she points out, God could have created our bodies so that we never had to eat at all, or perhaps we'd only need to eat once a month or even yearly. Why, then, did He make our bodies in such a way that eating is a DAILY need--even three times a day?

Because eating together is a powerful tool for healthy family relationships. Being only a table-width apart and having eye-to-eye, face-to-face conversations with the precious members of your family is the way to establish safe and secure bonds and to really FORM those darling hearts.

I could go on and go because I am completely enthralled by this book and its principles.

But at the same I realize we're busy people, living in a culture that applauds busyness.

So let's not heap guilt on ourselves if we rarely gather our family around the table for a meal.

No self-condemnation allowed!

Let's start small.

What if you just ask yourself this question: When CAN you eat together as a family? Saturday mornings? Sunday nights?

Set an achievable goal: once a week perhaps.

You don't have to spend money. Use what you have. Want to use paper plates and cups? GO FOR IT.
Just get some bottoms in those chairs and make eye-to-eye and face-to-face connections with your family over a meal.
I think you will be blown away by the positive impact it will have on your family.


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Thanks again to Megan and Stephanie at CrazyDomestic for giving me the opportunity to share these posts during this workshop. It's been a true blessing for me.

Please stop by my blog for a visit anytime: cookingwithchopin.blogspot.com

Warmly,

Ginny

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Steph and I can't thank Ginny enough for sharing her amazing talent and extensive knowledge with us this month! This was definitely one of my favorite workshops we've had! I learned A TON, and laughed a lot along the way! Be sure you check back often with Ginny @ cookingwithchopin.blogspot.com.

Kitchen Basics Workshop - Week 4 of 5

Pin It Hello, friends. It's Ginny (again) from Cooking with Chopin, Living with Elmo.
This is my fourth workshop in a series of five. These workshops rather build upon each other. So if you missed the first three topics (Meal Planning, Pantry Stocking and Basic Meals, and Kitchen Efficiency), please go back and read through them if you can.


Today I will share a few basic cooking tips and techniques I have tucked away in my apron pockets.

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Trying a new recipe? Great! Just be sure to read it completely before beginning. I usually read through new recipes TWICE before I start. There's nothing worse than being in the middle of a recipe for a swiftly-approaching dinnertime and seeing "allow meat to marinate for at least 4 hours" in the method.

Difference between boiling and simmering? Believe it or not, there IS a difference. This is a very common cooking no-no. Boiling something that should be simmered can result in tough or dry food. A simmer occurs when a bubble "lazily" breaks the surface every few seconds. A "rolling" or "vigorous" boil happens when bubbles are constantly breaking the surface.

Don't overcrowd the pan: Julia Child famously taught us this as she was sauteing mushrooms. Food releases moisture as it sautes. If you begin with too much in the pan, the meat (or veggies) won't have enough contact with the pan to get that delicious golden crust that lends a rich flavor on its own or to stews, roasts, and sauces.

Speaking of getting a delicious golden crust on meat, I'd like to show you a basic technique: sauteing chicken breasts and then making a sauce.

Sauteed Chicken Breasts: this is my go-to "I'm-in-such-a-hurry" meal - sauteed chicken breasts (with or without a sauce), steamed veggies and a salad.
Here we go...

Trim skin, if necessary.

Slice each breast in half lengthwise

(You don't have to do this, but it helps it cook more quickly.)

Pound between sheets of plastic wrap for even thickness
(which contributes to even cooking times).

I like to lay a sheet of plastic wrap on my cutting board, put the meat on the wrap, cover with another sheet of wrap, and TUCK the edges of the wrap underneath my cutting board...

Like this...

This way, no nasty chicken juices will escape and freak me out as they microscopically infect my kitchen counter.

Now pound the suckers...

Please excuse my gross-looking mallet.

It's made several trips unauthorized through the dishwasher...hence the white dots.

Blot meat dry with a paper towel.

Moist meat does not brown well.

Dredge (coat) in flour.

Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet.

Saute chicken in olive oil until nicely browned on each side;

about 3-5 minutes per side on medium-high heat.

(If you're paranoid, cut into a piece to check for doneness.)

Resist the urge to flip it too soon.

Good things are happening to the side you cannot see.

I like to use this ancient spatula to flip the chicken.

Gently wedge the spatula under the meat and flip.

After the meat has browned on both sides (again, cut through a piece if you are concerned about doneness), move the chicken to a clean plate and cover it with foil to keep warm.

You can stop here.
These sauteed chicken breasts are very tasty just as they are.
Or you can forge on and make a sauce.
Today I'm making an orange-rosemary sauce.
You can modify these steps with many different ingredients to make a wide variety of sauces. The basic technique stays the same.
Important: don't scrub out the brown bits of goodness from the bottom of the pan you sauteed the chicken in! These are the keys to a delicious sauce.
While the chicken was sauteing, I minced some fresh rosemary leaves. But feel free to substitute the dried version. Just use a little less.

Remove the leaves from the tough stem. Then mince the leaves.

I'm also going to use a scallion.
This one wasn't particularly lovely (they should be more purple),but it was all I had on hand. Kids were sleeping. You know how it goes.

Peel off the papery skin and slice it thinly.

Use your thumb to "punch" the scallions into pretty little rings.

See all that yumminess on the bottom of the pan? Mmmmm.

Toss in the rings. You might have to add a splash or two of olive oil.

Add liquid for sauce (low-sodium broth, vinegars, wine, etc.).

I'm adding orange juice here.

Now, while I was fighting with my camera to take that pic of the OJ
(it wouldn't focus!),

some of the scallion slices were burning.

But I'm not worried about it.

And you shouldn't be, either.

'Cause it's going to happen.

Especially if you have kids in the kitchen with you.

Just roll on.

Add the OJ.

Add two teaspoons of Dijon mustard and the minced rosemary.

Now I'm going to "deglaze" the pan.

Deglazing is just a fancy term for scraping up the browned bits of meat and juice from the bottom and incorporating them into the liquid.

Crank up the heat and start whisking away!

See those bubbles? You want the sauce to boil in this step.

Really get into it. Use the whisk to scrape the bottom of the pan to liberate the brown bits.

Because look what will happen.

In the picture below, I'm tilting the pan so you can see that all of the brown bits which were previously stuck on the bottom are no longer a clean-up nightmare.

They have been incorporated into the sauce.

Add some brown sugar.

This little unassuming fellow may very well be the most important piece
of cooking equipment in your kitchen.

Never underestimate the power of the tasting spoon.

Taste the sauce. Does it need salt? More brown sugar?

You're the cook!

You're in charge!

Earlier, before I began sauteing the chicken, I "zested" an orange.

"Zesting" is a means by which you remove the flavorful peeling of citrus fruit without picking up the more bitter pith (the white part).

I LOVE my zester. I also use it for grating cheese and nutmeg.

This shot with the truck and the sweet baby finger was not staged.

This is my [wonderful] life. :)

Gently run the zester over the orange. Be sure the orange has been well-washed AND well-dried.

Moist citrus does not zest well.

Back to the sauce.

Keep cooking it over medium-high heat until it's thick and bubbly.

Some of the liquid will evaporate, causing the sauce to "reduce."

Add in the orange zest during the last few minutes of cooking.

(See how the sauce is darker in the picture below? That's another common element of reduction.)

(TIP: You should end up with less liquid than what you poured in. I have found that sauces reduce better when I have dredged the chicken in flour and then use the same skillet for making my sauce. Flour causes the sauce to thicken. If the sauce isn't thickening for you, mix a few pinches of cornstarch with a little bit (a teaspoon or two) of water to make a paste. Add the paste to the sauce. Keep doing it in TINY increments until the sauce thickens.)

Pour sauce over meat...

And serve.

Wowzers.

This is so good.

Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Orange-Rosemary Sauce

Serves 4

3 boneless chicken breasts, skin removed and sliced in half lengthwise

1/2 cup of flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)

1 large scallion, chopped into thin slices and separated into rings

1 cup orange juice

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced (or substitute dried rosemary)

2 teaspoons zested orange peel

salt and pepper to taste

To saute the chicken:

Cut chicken breasts in half. Pound lightly with a mallet and then pat dry with a paper towel. Mix salt and pepper with the flour. Place flour mixture on a large plate. Dredge the meat in the flour (just lightly pat the meat into the flour, coating it on all sides). Discard flour and set meat aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully sprinkle a drop of water in the oil. If/when it sizzles, the oil is hot enough.

Add the chicken to the skillet, being mindful to not crowd the pan. Saute the chicken in two batches if you need to. But use the same pan to cook both batches of chicken if you will make the sauce.

Saute chicken about 3-5 minutes on one side. Then gently "pry" it up from the pan with a large spatula, flip it, and saute it for another 3-5 minutes. (Don't flip the chicken too soon.) If you are concerned that the chicken isn't done, cut into a piece. Once chicken is done, remove it to a clean plate and cover with foil to keep it warm.

To make the sauce:

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. (DO NOT WASH THE PAN OUT AFTER YOU SAUTE THE CHICKEN.) Saute the scallion over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it begins to turn brown, about 4-5 minutes.

To deglaze the pan, pour in the orange juice. Then add the mustard, brown sugar, and rosemary. Increase the heat to medium-high and whisk very well, intentionally scraping up the brown bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook and whisk for 5-7 minutes or so, until the sauce begins to "reduce" and darken in color. (It will be thick and bubbly.) Add in the orange peel and cook for a minute more. Add salt and pepper to taste (be sure to use that tasting spoon!).

Pour sauce over chicken breasts and serve.

Recipe adapted from here.

Can you believe how long that post was? Are you soaking your scrolling finger in ice water?!

But I hope you can see that recipe isn't hard. Please give it a try!

I'll "see" you next week for the final workshop.

We'll talk about a few more kitchen tips, trusty kitchen equipment,

and the power of bringing your family around the table.