311 they guess Recipes

fresh eggs , depending on size., olive oil or butter, to coat skillet., stalk celery , remove strings and slice thin., broccoli florets, cut to small chunks , depending on size., onion, chopped ., garlic, diced fine ., basil ., butter ., tomato, small cubed, pitted and chopped kalamata olives (use basic ripe olives if you must)., fresh or dried & soaked mushrooms, chopped ., red bell pepper, chopped ., hot chilies, seeded and chopped (optional), smoked bacon, chopped ., canned escargot (depending on size and your taste), well drained., dry white wine ., corn meal ., grated swiss cheese. you can use other cheese but swiss is best ., salt & fresh ground pepper to taste.

shortening, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, oven-toasted rice cereal, oats, uncooked, raisins

fresh brussels sprouts, crisp cooked crumbled bacon, sour cream, fresh grated parmesan cheese, butter, freshed minced garlic, fresh ground black pepper, fresh grated parmesan cheese (extra )

all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, egg, low-fat plain yogurt, butter or 2 tbsp margarine, melted, vanilla extract, brown sugar, unsweetened raspberry (fresh or frozen , if using frozen do not thaw), sliced almonds, sugar, nonfat milk, vanilla extract

garlic, minced, potatoes, chopped, onions, chopped, carrot, chopped, broccoli, chopped, water, margarine, chicken bouillon cubes, salt, pepper, milk, flour, sharp cheddar cheese, cheddar cheese, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, emmeril vegetable dust seasoning, beer, more cheese, for topping

how to estimate food quantities, source : catering handbook by edith weiss, all good quantity cook books will indicate the size of the portions, and all packaged food items indicate the total weight of the package. ultimately, it is for the caterer to determine if the portions indicated are what he wishes to serve, if not, then he must make the necessary adjustments. the size of the portion should be determined by, occasion, time of service, age and sex of guests (young, old , all men, etc.), appearance of the portion on the plate (or in the package)., teenagers eat more than any other age group. they eat practically anything and everything, and the spicier the better., people from their mid-twenties to mid-fifties have sophisticated tastes. they are apt to eat in moderation and good taste., people past sixty eat much the same as the middle group , except for a lessening of the sharp and spicy foods., when hors d oeuvres are to be served, the following outline suggests a suitable number, all of which are considered generous servings, at a four-hour reception , regardless of the starting time - 12 per guest., cocktail hour , to be followed by dinner - four per guest., wedding reception , from 2:30 to 5:30 - eight per guest., cocktail reception , from 3:00 to 6:00 - eight to ten per guest., all other occasions , estimate four per guest per hour for the first two hours, and two per hour after that., these figures include both hot and cold hors d oeuvres and canapes., do not include relishes and dips., self-service vs. served, sometimes when guests serve themselves they tend to be very generous; at other times they may be very timid. for a self-service buffet allow slightly more than if the same buffet is to be served by waiters. guests do not al ways take more themselves, but since they do not always know how to serve properly, more food is wasted., hors d oeuvres, when calculating quantities for an hors d oeuvres only cocktail party, figure approximately 12 pieces per person for the first hour (8 hot, 4 cold) and 6 pieces per person every hour past the first hour., hors d oeuvre only cocktail party : number of people x 12 hdv for first hour number of people x 6 hdv for every hour there after., example, hour cocktail party for 25 guests you will need approximately 450 pieces of hors d oeuvres, guests x 12 hors d oeuvres = 300 pieces hors d oeuvres for the first hour, guests x 6 hors d oeuvres = 150 pieces hors d oeuvres for the second hour, hors d oeuvre before dinner : number of people x 6 hdv for 1 to 1 and a half hour service, example, hour cocktail service before dinner for 25 guests you will need approximately 150 pieces, salads and side dishes, when calculating quantities for salads and side dishes, please figure approximately 5 oz per person if you are serving multiple salads and / or side dishes. if you are serving only 1 salad or side dish, please figure approximately 1/2 a lb per person. use the following chart to figure out quantities., side dish or salad, number of guests x .50 = number of lb needed, example : 10 guests x .50 = 5 lb needed, multiple side dishes or salads: number of guests x .30 = number of lb needed, example : 10 guests x .30 = 3 lb needed, entrees and first courses, when calculating quantities for a first course, please estimate 2-4 oz of protein per person., example : you are serving 10 guests salmon for an entree., x 1/2 lb = 5 lb salmon needed, example : you are serving 10 guests salmon for a first course., x 1/4 lb = 2.5 lb salmon needed, source : cook s fresh market

black plums (if they are large, use 4, if they are small use 6), sliced, sugar, melted butter, plus extra for baking pan, all-purpose flour, yellow cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, kosher salt, milk, honey, vanilla extract, eggs, vanilla ice cream , for serving

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.

egg yolks, freshly-squeezed lemon juice, unsalted butter , cut into pieces, white wine, white vinegar, coarse salt and pepper to taste, toast english muffin slices under the broiler or in the oven for approximately 3 minutes or until golden brown. remove from broiler, spread with 1 tsp butter. in a large frying pan, cook ham or canadian bacon slices until lightly browned and place them on each english muffin half., if you can poach an egg read no further, use a pan that is at least 3-inches deep so there is enough water to cover the eggs and they do not stick to the bottom of the pan. note: to prevent sticking, grease the pan with a little oil before filling with water. add vinegar and salt to the poaching liquid; bring the poaching liquid to a boil and then reduce to a simmer before adding the eggs (bubbles should not break the surface). hint: when you poach eggs, adding a little vinegar and salt to the water will helps the egg to hold its shape. without it, the eggs will become skeins of protein tangling up in the water., break each egg onto a saucer or into small cups or bowls. slip eggs carefully into simmering water by lowering the lip of each egg-cup 1/2-inch below the surface of the water. let the eggs flow out. immediately cover with a lid and turn off the heat. set a timer for exactly three minutes for medium-firm yolks. adjust the time up or down for runnier or firmer yolks. cook 3 to 5 minutes, depending on firmness desired., water with slotted spoon. lift each perfectly poached egg from the with a slotted spoon, but hold it over the skillet briefly to let any clinging to the egg drain off. drain well before serving. top each english muffin half with 1 poached egg. spoon warm hollandaise sauce over eggs and garnished with a small parsley sprig or chopped chives.

gone are the days where the bride and groom share a slice of a 3, 4, or 5 tier wedding cake. nowadays some people are opting for a more simple cake solution, yet they still want the elegance that a large tiered cake offers. enter on stage the simple yet elegant cupcake., versatile cupcakes are standing along side and, in some cases, replacing larger cakes these days. below are some helpful hints if you want to use cupcakes for the main cake at your wedding., tip #1 : arrangement, how you arrange your cupcakes is as important if not more important than the taste. everyone wants a breathtaking wedding cake at their reception so arranging your cupcakes to give this appearance is very necessary., my personal favorite way of arranging my cupcakes is to stack 4 or 5 boxes on top of each other to form a tree of sorts. i choose boxes that are approximately 4 to 5 inches high. i like 24 inch square boxes then 18 inches square then 12 inches then 6 inches square. this gives me a cupcake ledge of 3 inches when the boxes are stacked., decorate your boxes as you wish. beautiful paper wrapped around the boxes then a ribbon all the way around is a great decorating combination ., your wedding cake cupcakes can then be placed on the ledges and on top of the boxes for a beautiful arrangement for your wedding., arrangement idea for your wedding cupcakes is to place cupcakes underneath raised cake platters. larger cakes or more cupcakes can be placed on top of the platters., how your cupcakes taste and even how many different flavors you offer are both very important to the overall success of your wedding cupcakes. i think 1 of the best reasons to have wedding cupcakes instead of a large wedding cake would be that you can have many different kinds of cakes. not everyone prefers the same type of cake and frosting so having 2 or 3 different types of cake flavors would be ideal., three of my favorite flavors are vanilla , chocolate, and lemon cupcakes. these are a great combination for any special occasion that you may choose to serve cupcakes. you can either serve all of the different flavors in the same cups with the same decoration or you can use different cups and/or different decorations for each cake flavor you choose., skimp on the ingredients for your wedding cupcakes. fresh cupcakes made from your favorite cupcake recipes are always the best choice. boxed cake mixes just won tsp cut i for special occasion cupcakes. the same goes for frosting. make your frosting instead of buying it prepackaged from a grocery store. if you don tsp feel confident making your own, you could always buy some freshly made frosting from a local bakery., presentation is everything when dealing with weddings. you should make sure your cupcakes are just the right size so they are absolutely gorgeous when presented. the entire purpose of serving cupcakes at a wedding is to give your guests a small taste of a wonderful dessert. small is the key word here. you don tsp want cupcakes that are larger than an actual teacup. if they are, then they should be called mini cakes and not cupcakes., also, it would cost you a fortune to bake mini cakes for each of your guests. the right size cupcake will offer just the right amount of cake for each person attending and will also likely save you money., be careful not to err on the side of your cupcakes being too small. if your cupcakes are too small, you may run out of cupcakes before you guests sweet teeth are satisfied. you also run the risk of having too much frosting on a small cupcake which could ruin the overall taste of your wedding cupcakes., i ve found that the perfect size cupcakes are baked in 1/2 cup wells that i fill approximately 1/2 to 2/3 full of cupcake batter. make sure you carefully measure the cupcake batter each time you fill a well. this will make sure that your cupcakes come out of the oven all the same size., i hope that these tips will help you produce the most beautiful wedding cupcakes that anyone has ever seen! good luck

italian salad dressing (i use kraft lite zesty italian), spicy brown mustard, swiss cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, pastrami, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, cooked medium red potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes i use 3 medium potato, sauerkraut, well drained, chopped fresh dill (i have used both of them and they both work well) or 2/3 cup sweet pickle, whichever you like (i have used both of them and they both work well), hard-boiled eggs, chopped celery, green olives, sliced, cabbage or lettuce leaf, for serving, pumpernickel bread, to serve with

store bought angel food cake, cheesecake flavored pudding, prepared with skim milk (i use instant pudding for ease, but either works- as long as you allow time for cooked pudding to co), fat-free whipped topping, strawberries, sliced, blueberries, blackberry

guessed) seasoned stuffing mix, unsalted margarine, chopped onion, chopped celery, poultry seasoning, dried sweetened cranberries, chopped, unsalted) dry roasted cashews, chopped, salt-free chicken broth

white chocolate candy melts , for candy making, peanut butter (crunchy or creamy), plain breadcrumbs, milk chocolate or 1 cup dark chocolate, candy melts for candy making, dry roasted peanuts, finely chopped

low fat cottage cheese, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, graham cracker crust

risotto with sausage and cranberry beans, make risotto , you absolutely must use a specific type of rice called arborio rice (carnaroli and vialone nano are also used, some say superior, but are more difficult to find). these types of rice release starch when stirred in a liquid; it is this process which makes risotto, otherwise you just have a starchy mess of mush. these types of rice are identified by their fat round grains and pearly appearance. they can be used to make other sorts of rice dishes, such as pilaf, but other types of rice cannot be used for risotto. arborio is no longer that much of a specialty product; it can be found in most large, well-stocked grocery stores in the italian section. or sometimes, misguidedly, in the asian section., okay , so now we have the rice. you will also need some good, low-salt stock or broth - it should be low-salt not for health reasons, but because a good deal of it will evaporate, leaving its salt behind, and i like to have more control over the salt in a dish. it can be homemade, but i m not going to be a snob about it because, in truth, we go through gallons of store-bought stock in this household and i don tsp see that changing anytime soon. furthermore, risotto is actually a dish which can be whipped up out of thin air when it seems as though you have nothing to eat, as long as you have butter, rice, stock, maybe a few herbs, and some leftover parmesan. i like the kind of stock purchased in tetrapak cartons, because they are resealable and can be put in the fridge and used as needed. if you really want to use homemade but you don tsp have time to make stock or don tsp like the aroma of roasting bones in your house (i don tsp blame you), you can buy really great stock at north market poultry and game - it is expensive, but can be diluted with a 2- or 3-to-1 ratio of water to stock, so it stretches. my general guideline is to plan on 1/4 cup dry rice per person, and about 4 cups of stock to 1 cup of rice. of course, this isn tsp exact and will vary depending on your elevation and the phases of the moon, but it s a good place to start. i usually just use 4 cups of stock and then dilute with water or wine (or sometimes beer, if that s all i have) if i feel i m going to run out., well, we have rice and stock covered, now we just need our setup: place the stock in a saucepan on your rear burner, bring to a simmer, and leave it there with a 6-8 oz ladle in, and place a large, wide saute pan (must be really large, plan that your rice will at least quadruple in size) or dutch oven on the burner in front. get out your favorite wooden spoon and flex your stirring arm., nice thing about using sausage is it s so full of flavor you can leave out the usual onion/garlic/shallot/celery nonsense if you re tired and don tsp feel like chopping. furthermore, sausage goes from the freezer to the pan without suffering too much. okay, let s go, risotto with sausage and cranberry beans - serves 4, links italian sausage , or 1 lb bulk (or hot, or a combination - definitely with some fennel), casings removed, cooked cranberry beans or 1 can white beans, drained, arborio rice, beef , chicken or vegetable stock, butter, freshly, finely grated parmesan cheese , plus more for garnish, an oz) flat-leaf parsley, chopped finely, lemon juice , or juice from 1/2 lemon, salt and black pepper to taste, red pepper flakes to taste, optional, good balsamic vinegar , optional

apple jelly, hot ketchup (don tsp have add a couple of drops of hot sauce), chicken breasts (i prefer thighs,they re more moist) or 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (i prefer thighs,they re more moist), pineapple chunks, mixed red and green sweet peppers, hot pepper flakes, rice, water, chicken flavored bullion cubes, soy sauce, sliced water chestnuts (optional), sesame seeds (optional)

okra, ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped, head boston lettuce, classic vinaigrette, chile oil , or to taste, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, dijon-style mustard, sugar, salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, extra-virgin olive oil, peanut oil, fresh bird chiles , or to taste, place the chiles in the oil in a fancy cruet and allow them to rest for 1 week, until they have flavored the oil. add a drop or two of the oil to your usual cooking oil for a special zap.