Kitchen and Cooking Thread

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Wouldn't they be better if you did them in the oven?

[Kipper is King]

^^^ I've tried microwaved chocolate cake before that had a slightly rubber-ish texture, but was still quite edible and tasty. Cool for an experiment in the kitchen.

Here's the recipe for that...
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Mi...ke/Detail.aspx

In terms of the potato chips, wouldn't using the broiler in your oven for a minute or two on each side give you better crispiness? I'm just guessing, as I haven't tried homemade potato chips myself. In terms of seasoning, just a dash of paprika or some freshly chopped rosemary could be really nice.

Edit: GreenTeaFrapp, great minds think alike!

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

Wouldn't they be better if you did them in the oven?

too lazy and ADD! oven baking potato chips at the right temperature takes like 1.5 hours to get all the moisture out. If you just put slices in the oven for a short time, you basically get Mccain oven soggy fries. It's not like toast. Freshly sliced potatoes have a ton of moisture in them. Nuking food is for snack attacks and I have no patience.

[Kipper is King]

With thinly sliced potatos, the broiler is high heat enough that it would work quickly methinks. Also, it should remove enough of the moisture to make them crisp.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Kipper is King

With thinly sliced potatos, the broiler is high heat enough that it would work quickly methinks. Also, it should remove enough of the moisture to make them crisp.

No, even on high heat, it takes about twice as long (30 minutes) and the edges can burn before the center dries up. Because the slices are in for so long, even with liberal spray or margerine, the soggy bits end up clinging to the oven rack and it makes a mess. Basically the part that is bad is how uneven it is. You have to take chips out that are done already out of the oven and leave others in.

This works if you use aluminum foil and grease a pan well and incorporate flipping but that means more fat and again - more dishes for me to do. It's all about convenience really. I don't want to have to wash a greasy pan as well or wait that extra 15 minutes.

[KielC]

I am looking to buy a new kitchen knife.

Chef or Santoku?

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by KielC

I am looking to buy a new kitchen knife.

Chef or Santoku?

Miracle Blade II !!!

I mean, if you watch the guy on TV. You can fillet a tomato! Wait...why would you ever fillet a tomato skin? It's because it's easy and a TV trick to make you buy knives.

[boobaloo]

Originally Posted by KielC

I am looking to buy a new kitchen knife.

Chef or Santoku?

Santoku...got one a few months ago, and can't live without it now

[Hack&Lube]

As an addon to my post about making your own chips, my cheap starfrit slicer thing is getting dull and a headache. Are there any good and efficient and really sharp slicers out their for harder vegetables (like potatoes) or something I can look into? What about a dicing machine? I'm getting sick of dicing onions and peppers and tomatoes the old fashioned way.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Get a good quality mandolin for your slicing.

[Flickered Flame]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

What about a dicing machine? I'm getting sick of dicing onions and peppers and tomatoes the old fashioned way.

Before my ex-wife took off with all my kitchen tools, I had something similar to this. It worked like a charm.



http://www.kitchenniche.ca/zyliss-fr...cturers_id=122

[Kipper is King]

Originally Posted by KielC

I am looking to buy a new kitchen knife.

Chef or Santoku?

Santokus I like because of how the gaps do help the food separate as you're chopping/slicing.

Also, I have been doing a lot of research into getting a knife myself. So far, I want to get a Global knife. They're made from one solid block of steel, and they're sharp as a laser if properly maintained. The biggest reason I like Global is how lightweight their knives are, and apparently they are easier to maintain than Wursthof and Henkels and the other heavier steel knives. ( I read that in Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential, I forget his explanation as to why maintaining them was easier, but he gushes about how wicked Global's knives are).

I tried one out in Williams Sonoma (which is a good idea, but don't buy from there- the markup is massive). That knife was sweet, I'm saving up for one!

[KielC]

Originally Posted by Kipper is King

Also, I have been doing a lot of research into getting a knife myself. So far, I want to get a Global knife.

Global is what I have been looking at too. I just couldn't decide between chefs or Santoku.

The non fluted Santoku is on sale right now at this site and has free shipping to Canada.

http://www.creativecookware.com/global_knives.htm

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Eastern Girl

I just tried one of Giada's recipes for Sundried pesto and it is awful. I can't figure out if it's my fault or what, but it smells awful, looks awful, tastes awful.

Depends if you are a fan of pesto or not. Me, I am not.

Actually, I do use pesto in some layered dips that I make. The one with goat cheese, layered with pesto and sundried tomatoes, topped with pine nuts and cranberries is nice. Otherwise, I rarely use pesto.

[Morozee]

Here's a Tzatziki Sauce recipe we make all the time. Great as a dip, or spread on sandwiches, or burgers or pita's.

2 Cloves Crushed Garlic
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup of Lemon Juice
2 Grated Cucumbers, Remove seeds first (about a cup after it's strained)
2 Cups of Plain Unsweetened Yogurt or Sour Cream (I usually use one of each, depending on what's in the fridge of course. I prefer it with at least one cup of yogurt.)
Salt and Pepper to taste.

The trick for this recipe is to put your shredded cucumber in a strainer and drain most of the water. Usually takes an hour or so, and at the end I kinda help it along by pressing with a spoon against the strainer. If you don't do this your tzatziki will be very watery. So once this is done, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and voila. It can be served right away, but it is 10 times better if you let it sit in the fridge over night.

[ma-skis.com]

Originally Posted by KielC

I am looking to buy a new kitchen knife.

Chef or Santoku?

chef, but that's because I like the rock and not the chop. made me stray away from my dad's old style cleaver too.

Keep in mind, unless you are some kind of serious knife chef fanatic, spending too much on a knife can be a waste of money, I know a few people who use there knives excessively and just by a cheaper but good quality knife that they can use to cut things and not feel bad, If you spend too much on a knife you'll find you'll be scared to cut anything with it except celery and green onions so you don't ruin the blade.

I just use one of those generic chefs knives you find in any commercial kitchen, about 30 bucks and keeps an edge for quite a while in the house, probably because i don't cut 90 pounds of chicken a day either thought.

[redforever]

I have purchased most of my knives at this source. I find them much cheaper than any Calgary outlet, even with the difference in the dollar calculated in.

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/

Personally, I love a Santoku knife, most of mine are made by Wusthof.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by Eastern Girl

I just tried one of Giada's recipes for Sundried pesto and it is awful. I can't figure out if it's my fault or what, but it smells awful, looks awful, tastes awful.

Is it possible one of your ingredients was bad/rancid? I'm guessing it's probably got the standard stuff in it - sundried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, parmesan, pine nuts. Nothing there that should smell bad. So unless she's added some weird ingredient like anchovies, I'm guessing you put something in that was past its prime.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by fotze

Pesto is another of those overrated foods, maybe there is an exquisite one somewhere but of the billion times I have had it it has been average to poor every time. How can something so greasy be so dry and rough to eat. And whats with the jars of the premade stuff at safeway et al, may as well puree and jar some dog crap and bile.

Couldn't agree more. Pesto sucks.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by fotze

Pesto is another of those overrated foods, maybe there is an exquisite one somewhere but of the billion times I have had it it has been average to poor every time. How can something so greasy be so dry and rough to eat. And whats with the jars of the premade stuff at safeway et al, may as well puree and jar some dog crap and bile.

I haven't tried most commercial pestos because they use nuts other then pine nuts but Costco has a pretty good pesto. I tend to prefer pesto when it's added to a tomato or cream sauce. But sometimes I like it plain on regular pasta as a quick meal.