Okay, so I've been digging through my cookbook shelf to share a few ideas that I love, and realized that I have a small pile of magazines that I reference almost weekly. Since I reference them so often in my kitchen, I should share them here!
Cooks!
I reference this magazine at least once a week for interesting recipies, cool product reviews, and great hints and tricks. Everytime I see a new one at the store I pick it up - probably should get a subscription, just haven't done it yet.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Okay, so much for updating regularly
Life got crazy - so here I am again, finding time to update, and finding that life doesn't really get less hectic. Starting again.
So cooking for two is still a challenge. Usually I end up cooking for eight, freezing some, and enjoying leftovers for a week of whatever thing I made.
This week - Sloppy Joes
I won't freeze any of this, we'll go through it too fast.
The trick I've learned to making a prime sloppy joe is three fold -
1. Don't cook it on high heat - slowly bring flavors together. If you can make it in less than an hour, you're not getting the full benefit of all the flavor.
2. Frank's Red Hot. Just a little at the 3/4 done point, kicks it up a notch while bringing out the sweetness in the onions.
3. No sugar necessary. My Dad doesn't think you can make sloppy joes without adding brown sugar, or commercially prepared bbq sauce. The tomato is sweet enough, if you give it time to really develop.
Note: Ingredients are only mildly important to the recipie - I've done this with ground beef or turkey, onions or not, extra garlic or not, with or without the tomato paste - it all depends on a few key ingredients and thier proportions to the tomato.
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. chili or chipolte powder
1 lbs. ground beef (or turkey)
2 Tbsp. worcestshire sauce
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tsps. Frank's Red Hot Sauce
Pepper / Salt
For this version, start with 1 medium onion. Which then requires a quick word on onions. In the days of my grandparents, a large onion was about the size of a baseball, a medium onion about a third smaller and a small onion about the size of a golf ball. Now at the store a large onion is softball sized, a medium onion is baseball sized and a small onion about 1/3 again the size of a golf ball. I'm using the old measurement, so look for an onion about 3" in diameter or so. My grocery store sells onions this size in net bags by the dozen. Finely dice the onion - no piece should be bigger than 1/4" on a side, smaller is fine. I usually just drop my onion cut in quarters with 4 cloves of garlic into my mini food processor, and then I'm careful to not pulse it too much - if you get liquid, drain it off.
Get a large skillet with high sides out, at least 10" (Mine is 14" with 3" sides). Heat one tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in the pan over medium heat until it starts to smell nutty. The olive oil will fortify the butter and prevent burning. Once it starts to smell nutty, add the onions and garlic and a small sprinkle of kosher salt. If it makes sizzling noises, the heat is too high, turn it down a notch or two. Stir your onions and garlic in the butter/oil until well coated. Cover, and set a timer for two minutes. Stir, cover, set timer for two minutes. Continue until onions are translucent and soft. If they start to carmelize, turn heat to low and stir every minute or so. Add chili powder, wait 30 seconds until fragrant.
Once onions are done, turn heat back to medium and add ground beef. Cook until just pink - do not brown! It will cook more while you build the sauce. The secret to this recipie is beef that is not overdone.
Then add sauce, ketchup, and worcestshire. Cook over medium low for fifteen minutes uncovered, stiring every four-six minutes. When the sauce reaches the consistency of ketchup (sometimes takes up to 30 minutes on my stove) add the Franks Red Hot. Let cook for two minutes, then taste - add salt and pepper as necessary.
This recipie done in this proportion lasts David and I two days on average - we'll eat it for lunch and dinner. I usually make a triple batch, and we invite a friend or two over when we do this. Perfect on onion buns with a little Miracle Whip and a few pickles.
So cooking for two is still a challenge. Usually I end up cooking for eight, freezing some, and enjoying leftovers for a week of whatever thing I made.
This week - Sloppy Joes
I won't freeze any of this, we'll go through it too fast.
The trick I've learned to making a prime sloppy joe is three fold -
1. Don't cook it on high heat - slowly bring flavors together. If you can make it in less than an hour, you're not getting the full benefit of all the flavor.
2. Frank's Red Hot. Just a little at the 3/4 done point, kicks it up a notch while bringing out the sweetness in the onions.
3. No sugar necessary. My Dad doesn't think you can make sloppy joes without adding brown sugar, or commercially prepared bbq sauce. The tomato is sweet enough, if you give it time to really develop.
Note: Ingredients are only mildly important to the recipie - I've done this with ground beef or turkey, onions or not, extra garlic or not, with or without the tomato paste - it all depends on a few key ingredients and thier proportions to the tomato.
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. chili or chipolte powder
1 lbs. ground beef (or turkey)
2 Tbsp. worcestshire sauce
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tsps. Frank's Red Hot Sauce
Pepper / Salt
For this version, start with 1 medium onion. Which then requires a quick word on onions. In the days of my grandparents, a large onion was about the size of a baseball, a medium onion about a third smaller and a small onion about the size of a golf ball. Now at the store a large onion is softball sized, a medium onion is baseball sized and a small onion about 1/3 again the size of a golf ball. I'm using the old measurement, so look for an onion about 3" in diameter or so. My grocery store sells onions this size in net bags by the dozen. Finely dice the onion - no piece should be bigger than 1/4" on a side, smaller is fine. I usually just drop my onion cut in quarters with 4 cloves of garlic into my mini food processor, and then I'm careful to not pulse it too much - if you get liquid, drain it off.
Get a large skillet with high sides out, at least 10" (Mine is 14" with 3" sides). Heat one tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in the pan over medium heat until it starts to smell nutty. The olive oil will fortify the butter and prevent burning. Once it starts to smell nutty, add the onions and garlic and a small sprinkle of kosher salt. If it makes sizzling noises, the heat is too high, turn it down a notch or two. Stir your onions and garlic in the butter/oil until well coated. Cover, and set a timer for two minutes. Stir, cover, set timer for two minutes. Continue until onions are translucent and soft. If they start to carmelize, turn heat to low and stir every minute or so. Add chili powder, wait 30 seconds until fragrant.
Once onions are done, turn heat back to medium and add ground beef. Cook until just pink - do not brown! It will cook more while you build the sauce. The secret to this recipie is beef that is not overdone.
Then add sauce, ketchup, and worcestshire. Cook over medium low for fifteen minutes uncovered, stiring every four-six minutes. When the sauce reaches the consistency of ketchup (sometimes takes up to 30 minutes on my stove) add the Franks Red Hot. Let cook for two minutes, then taste - add salt and pepper as necessary.
This recipie done in this proportion lasts David and I two days on average - we'll eat it for lunch and dinner. I usually make a triple batch, and we invite a friend or two over when we do this. Perfect on onion buns with a little Miracle Whip and a few pickles.
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