217 cooking tips Recipes

rules for making sugar syrup, fudge is based on a sugar syrup , which is a solution of sugar in liquid. when making a sugar syrup, whether it is as simple as sugar and water or contains other ingredients, the rules remain the same., always stir sugar and liquid over low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved., if the mixture comes to the boil before all the sugar is dissolved, a crust of sugar crystals, which is hard to get rid of, will form around the edge of the pan., once the sugar has completely dissolved , allow the mixture to come to the boil, and do not stir the mixture, unless specifically instructed to in the recipe. stirring the boiling mixture will cause it to become cloudy and crystallised, which may or may not be desirable, depending on the recipe., using a sugar thermometer, boil the mixture for the full time, as specified in the recipe. because stoves vary so much, as do interpretations of high, medium or low heat, we have given a sugar thermometer reading as an exact gauge. the sugar thermometer should be fixed to the pan before the mixture comes to the boil, as handling the boiling liquid can be very hazardous., when the mercury reaches the temperature called for in the recipe , the fudge is ready. watch the mixture carefully towards the end of the cooking time, as it will burn quickly if left cooking too long., length of time the mixture cooks , and therefore the temperature it reaches in that given time, determines how the mixture will set. sugar thermometers are the simplest, most accurate way of determining when a syrup has reached the desired stage. when the thermometer reaches 115dc (240df), the mixture is at soft-ball stage., worry too much if you don tsp have a sugar thermometer , as fudge is fairly forgiving mixture, unlike hard sweets, for which a sugar thermometer is crucial., way to check for soft-ball stage is to drop a small amount of mixture into very cold water. when rolled between your thumb and index finger, it should form a soft ball., brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush dissolves any crystals which have formed on the sides of the pan. it is a good idea to do this if the recipe says to, but don tsp allow to much water to drip into the pan, as this will slow down the cooking process and interfere with the given time., other equipment, heavy-based pans are best for making fudge. because it is a high sugar content, the mixture can catch and burn if the pan has a thin base, such as those on aluminum pans., use a long-handled wooden spoon if the mixture is to be stirred while still hot, as wood will not conduct heat., as soon as the mixture is ready, remove the pan from the heat , place it on a wooden board or heatproof trivet and allow to cool as directed. the pan will be very hot so, if it has a metal handle, use a thick cloth around the handle when moving it., beating the mixture, mixture may be beaten while still hot , or may be asked to wait until has cooled. beating thickens the mixture and causes it to lose its gloss. the recipe will indicate whether to use a wooden spoon or electric beaters - it is not a good idea to use electric beaters in a very hot mixture. there is usually a fine line between the mixture reaching the desired consistency and being too firm and dry to spread into the tin, so watch it carefully as you work., warning, take great care with every step of the procedure, as hot sugar syrup is very dangerous, and heat will transfer to any heat-conducting equipment it comes in contact with. keep children well away from the hot mixture., always use a long-handled wooden spoon for stirring., if you do get burnt , hold the afflicted area under cold water to wash off the syrup and then keep the burn immersed in cold water for about 10 minutes.

onion, chopped, chopped green onions, chopped fresh parsley, chopped fresh dill, salt, black pepper, frozen chopped spinach (defrosted drained & thoroughly squeezed of all water), eggs, beaten, cottage cheese, feta cheese, crumbled, neufchatel cheese, softened (or cream cheese), sheets phyllo pastry dough, sheets, nonstick cooking spray (butter flavored ), butter, melted

sirloin tip steaks, cubed, butter or 2 tbsp margarine, cooking oil, sliced fresh mushrooms, garlic, minced, beef broth, white wine vinegar, soy sauce, dijon mustard, cornstarch, whipping cream, hot cooked noodles

sirloin tip steaks (cubed ), butter or 2 tbsp margarine, cooking oil, fresh mushrooms (sliced ), garlic clove (minced ), beef broth, white wine vinegar, soy sauce, dijon mustard, cornstarch, whipping cream, egg noodles (cooked, hot )

beef tips, onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, cooked rice or noodles

beef sirloin tips, cut into 1-inch cubes, carrots, chopped, celery ribs, chopped, chopped onion, condensed golden mushroom soup, undiluted, white wine or beef broth, cornstarch, cold water, hot cooked egg noodles

sirloin tip steaks, cut into 1-inch cubes, all-purpose flour, olive oil, divided, yellow onion, chopped, green bell pepper, chopped, garlic cloves, minced, water, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, seasoning salt, black pepper, water, all-purpose flour, hot cooked rice, dried parsley, for garnish

muffin pans, a special metal baking pan , sometimes referred to as a muffin tin, with 6 or 12 cup-shaped depressions. most often this pan is made from aluminum., muffin cups are, standard muffin cup is about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and holds 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter., giant or texas-size muffin cup is about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and holds 5/8 cup batter., muffin cup is about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter and holds 1/8 cup or 2 tbsp batter., muffin-top cup is about 4 inches in diameter but are only 1/2 inch deep ., substituting a different size muffin cup, substitute another size muffin cup for original size listed in recipe. if substituting a larger size muffin cup the recipe will yield fewer muffins and if using smaller size muffin cup the recipe will yield more muffins. the bake time will be changed also. bake a larger muffin longer than the original time and smaller muffins a shorter time., tips on baking muffins, grease muffin cups by spraying each cup with no stick cooking spray or using a paper towel dipped in shortening to grease each cup., use paper liners in muffin cups for easy clean-up., if muffin cups are filled more than 3/4 full the muffins will have flat, flying saucer tops. if sufficient room is not allowed for muffins to expand before reaching the top of the cup the muffin will flatten on top., if some muffin cups will remain empty during baking , put 2 to 3 tbsp water in the unused muffin cups to keep the pan from warping., if baked muffins stick to the bottom of the muffin cup, place hot muffin pan on a wet towel for about two minutes., source : land o lakes, all about muffins, are you eating muffins or cupcakes, hot breads are always a hit and muffins are 1 of the easiest to make. they are more quickly and easily made than biscuits and no kneading, rolling or cutting is required. they can be a savory, last minute dinner muffin or a sweet delicious breakfast muffin. made using whole-wheat flour, wheat germ, bran, honey, fruits and nuts they can be very nutritious. but like the healthy granola craze which turned into candy bars, muffins also can quickly turn into cupcakes. eating cupcakes for breakfast is your choice, but don tsp tell yourself you are eating healthy breakfast muffins. a recent magazine article revealed some muffins available in new york delicatessens were claimed to be low fat, but actually contained up to 23 g of fat. that s more fat than two egg mcmuffins., what is the difference between muffins and cupcakes, some say cupcakes have frosting. a basic formula for muffins is 2 cups flour, 2-4 tbsp sugar, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 egg, 1/4 cup oil, shortening or butter, 1 cup milk. when the fat, sugar and egg ratio in a recipe reaches double or more than this, you have reached the cake level., other technical difference between muffins and cupcakes, method of cooking is different for muffins and cupcakes. the muffin method is by far the fastest and easiest. flour, sugar, baking powder and salt (all the dry ingredients) are mixed together. this is where the leavening can be uniformly dispersed into the flour. sugar is mixed with the flour to prevent the flour from lumping when combined with the wet ingredients., making and baking muffins, in a large bowl, oil (or melted butter) and egg are beaten together to form an emulsion to disperse the fat more uniformly. then the milk is stirred in. this much mixing can be done ahead and held. the two are combined just before baking., combine, cut and fold liquid into the dry ingredients. mix only to combine. batter will be lumpy but no pockets of dry ingredients should remain. the general rule is only 12 strokes., bake as soon as it s mixed. when filling cups, do not mix batter between scoops. excessive mixing causes loss of leavening., cake method for making muffins, sometimes muffins are made using the cake method , i.e. cream the fat and sugar, add eggs, add the dry ingredients and milk alternately. this is more time consuming but produces a lighter, more tender, cake-like muffin., perfect muffin, perfect muffin has a thin brown crust , a slightly rounded top with a pebbled appearance and a moist, even interior. there should be no peaks, no tunnels which are usually caused by excessive mixing and too much liquid (muffin batter should not be fluid)., more leavening is not better, just because a recipe is in print does not mean that it is in balance. a guide for leavening 2 cups of flour in a recipe is either 2 1/2 tsp double acting baking powder, or 4 tsp fast acting baking powder, or 1/2 tsp soda plus 1 cup buttermilk (for the acid) and 1 1/4 tsp baking powder. excess baking powder and soda taste bitter., here are a few tips for altering muffin recipes, substitute 2 egg whites for 1 egg in the recipe. if these are stiffly beaten and folded in at the end it will produce a lighter muffin with less fat., use non-fat milk instead of whole milk ., use salad oil in place of butter. in place of the fat in the recipe , use 1-fourth of the oil and replace the other three-fourths with fruit puree such as applesauce. jars of baby food fruits provide a quick choice of purees other than apple. adding non-gluten grain products (bran, germ, oatmeal, corn meal) for part of the flour makes a more tender muffin., create your own taste sensations, begin with the basic formula and change 1/2 cup of the flour to corn meal, bran, wheat germ, rye, oatmeal or leftover cooked cereal. add 1/2 to 1 cup chopped apple, dates, prunes, raisins, apricots, figs, blueberries, cranberries, cheese, nuts., make your favorite muffin mixes by measuring the dry ingredients twice (or more ) into two separate bowls. use 1 and package 1 with the list of wet ingredients to be added when mixing at a later date.

sirloin tip roast , trimmed of visible fat,sliced into 1/2 inch cubes, onion soup mix, reduced-fat reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup, reduced-sodium beef broth, grain rice, cooked

vegetable oil, red onion, halved and sliced thin, salt or to taste, pepper to taste, cooked sirloin steak tips, net from 1 1/2 lb raw, beef broth, barbecue sauce, butter

beef, boneless , sirloin tip steak, cauliflower , nuggets (carrots and pea pods or other combination), stir-fry sauce, rice, hot, cooked

refrigerated beef tips with gravy, creme fraiche or sour cream, prepared horseradish, pepper, minced chives, hot cooked rice

fruitcakes get an awful lot of bad press , especially the mass produced varieties, but a rich homemade version can be incredibly delicious., fruitcake is a mixture of fruits and nuts with just enough batter to hold them together. when wrapped in cloth and foil, saturated with alcoholic liquors regularly, and kept in in tightly closed tins, a fruitcake may be kept for months or even years, have it your way ..., if there are certain fruits you don tsp like , you can always include more of another, or some of your own favorites. dried fruits cooked in juice can take the place of candied fruits, and seeds can replace nuts. to convert a favorite dark fruitcake recipe to a light fruitcake, leave out the dark spices, use light colored fruits (golden raisins, dried apricots, etc.), and replace dark corn syrup or molasses with light corn syrup

tri-tip, carrot, peeled and sliced, stalk celery, onion, diced, salt, pepper, garlic , to taste, oregano, butter, sourdough bread, swiss cheese, roast beef slices from the tri-tip, whole slices green chile, cooked bacon

butter, olive oil, sirloin tip steaks, cubed, onion, sliced thinly, garlic cloves, minced, sliced fresh cremini mushrooms (or button mushrooms), beef broth (not bouillon, which would make the dish too salty), apple cider vinegar or 3 tbsp white vinegar, balsamic vinegar , to taste, soy sauce, half-and-half or 1/2 cup heavy cream, dijon mustard, cornstarch, salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste, hot cooked rice or egg noodles

apple juice, black pepper, cooking sherry, corn starch, ketchup, soy sauce, sugar, tri tip steak