Posts Tagged ‘tv chef’

© Chef LaLa

Cooking with wine is a great way to concentrate intricate flavors and tenderize meat without adding extra fat.  Depending on how you prepare your food, some or all of the alcohol in the wine will evaporate, leaving behind a sophisticated blend of flavors. The key to great flavor is to cook with wine that you would use for drinking – not the expensive bottle you’ve been saving for a special occasion - not something labeled “cooking wine” either.  Cooking wine just cooks down adding a saltier flavor while drinking wines have more complex flavors, so a wine with a fruity flavor, for example, will add a concentrated fruitier flavor to your meal.  If you aren’t sure what type of wine to use, keep in mind what you are cooking and the overall flavor you want it to have – sweet, dry, spicy, etc.  Wine should be added toward the end of the cooking process unless used as a marinade and if you want the flavor of wine without the alcohol, be sure to reduce your sauce until no liquid remains, keeping in mind that white wine alcohol evaporates more quickly than red.

© Chef LaLa

Whether you are looking forward to a juicy grilled chicken breast, a burger or filet mignon, you should always play it safe by following a few simple rules for purchasing, storing and preparing meat.  When in doubt, throw it out so you don’t get sick, especially if you are serving it to children, the elderly or anyone whose immune system is weakened and are even more susceptible to bacteria found in meat. 

• Be sure to refrigerate fresh meat within 2 hours of buying it as it will spoil if left at room temperature and never thaw frozen meat at room temperature or it will spoil.  Defrost in the refrigerator overnight for boneless or 2 days for bone-in or submerge frozen meat sealed in air-tight packaging in cold water for an hour.
• Cook meat soon after you buy it. Whole pieces of beef, lamb or veal will stay fresh in a refrigerator for three to five days, but ground meat lasts two days.
• Whole pieces of meat, like beef, veal, lamb steaks or chops, should be cooked to at least 145 degrees F (medium rare) in order to kill surface bacteria. Cook to 160 degrees F (medium) or 170 degrees F (well done) and chicken to 165 degrees to cook thoroughly and be safest.
• Ground meat should be cooked to a minimum of 160 degrees and chicken to 165 F because when ground, surface bacteria can be spread throughout the meat so it is not safe to serve hamburgers or meat loaf underdone, especially when serving to children, the elderly and anyone whose immune system may be compromised.
• Use a meat thermometer to be certain the meat has reached a safe temperature. Don’t rely on the color as meat can change color before it has reached a safe temperature.  Be sure to insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.
• Keep cooked meat at 140 degrees F when serving and refrigerate leftovers within two hours.  Meat left out longer is likely to have harmful bacteria and should not be consumed.
• Throw out refrigerated leftovers after four days.

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© Chef LaLa

1 pinch	less than 1/8 teaspoon (dry)
1 dash	3 drops to 1/4 teaspoon (liquid)	1/4 teaspoon or less
3 teaspoons	1 tablespoon	1/2 ounce (liquid and dry)
2 tablespoons	1 ounce (liquid and dry)
4 tablespoons	2 ounces (liquid and dry)	1/4 cup
5 1/3 tablespoons	1/3 cup
8 tablespoons	4 ounces	1/2 cup	1 stick butter or ¼ pound
1 cup	8 ounces (liquid)	1/2 pint
4 cups	32 ounces (liquid)	2 pints	1 quart
16 cups	128 ounces (liquid)	4 quarts	1 gallon
1 quart	2 pints (dry)
juice of 1 lemon	2 to 3 tablespoons
juice of 1 orange	About 1/2 cup

© Chef LaLa

There’s no better time than now to update your first aid kit and make sure you’re ready for a summer of fun.  As with all medications, it’s a good idea to go through them once a year and replace anything that has expired.  Store your supplies either in a first aid kit or in a clear plastic container in a cabinet where they are easily found but not accessible to children.  Medicines should be stored away from bathrooms and kitchens where they are subjected to heat and humidity.  Each first aid kit should contain the following items:

If anyone in your home is allergic to bee stings or needs special medications for allergies, asthma or other injuries, disease or disorders, be sure to necessary medications on hand for emergencies.  If you live in an area prone to earthquakes or other natural occurrences, be sure to have emergency supplies on hand to protect your whole family.