Posts from the ‘Tips & Tricks’ Category

Jan 20

Unlock The Secret To Controlling Food Expenses

A button at the top of this site’s Home Page links to my book How to Control Food Bills which teaches the Diet for the Food Dollar Plan. I’d like to talk a bit about the book and what inspired me to write it. We can’t control food prices, but we can learn to deal with them.

Frustration with cooking for an empty nest prompted me to train and open a personal chef service. I knew I was in for some awakenings, but nothing compared to the change in my attitude toward handling food expenses. Understanding what a personal chef service is and the steps a chef takes to complete an order will explain how this happened and why following a chef’s example can save time and money for the average family.

A personal chef service prepares a series of meals for a client to consume over a period of time, for which a price is quoted. The chef has a large recipe repertoire and can adapt family favorites or special diets, but individual requests are acceptable too. Although services have base prices, a personal chef service owner meeting with a client to draw up a menu, must be prepared for any requests. It can be a specific cut of meat, a change in number of entrees and/or servings, even adapting a meal from fresh to frozen. The chef has to be able to give the client a reasonable quote, on the spot, taking into consideration maintaining quality and meeting the bottom line while buying retail. Much as the home cook should do when planning the weekly meals and calculating food expenses.

Of course, the chef has to be informed as to current market prices, and also be aware of all the ingredients needed to fill the order. This means keeping a running inventory of pantry supplies, staples, condiments, herbs and spices. This sounds harder than it is. Simply note supplies including amounts, and then each time you plan menus revise the amounts of the items used. Then you always know what you have, without constant searching.

When the menu is set and the day of delivery scheduled, the chef makes a master shopping list for the entire order, including every ingredient in the amount needed. Different market flyers are studied to determine which store has the best prices, especially on the meats and produce, for that particular order. Menu blanks, such as optional sides or choice of salads are filled in from the information in the chosen market’s flyer before shopping. Using one market saves valuable time especially on service day or, for the home cook, market day.

If an item is required from another store, then it is preordered to be ready for pick-up on service day. The same is true of the main order. The chef visits the chosen market in advance to place the order and be sure it’s waiting in designated amounts on the morning of the stipulated day. It’s important for quality and freshness that products go directly from store to client.

To facilitate this, the chef will have made it a point to meet the managers of the separate food sections of the supermarkets, especially the meat, fish and produce. Having worked together, these people understand what is needed and a phone call to each assures the order is correctly filled, packaged and ready on time. Many people don’t realize if they take the time to meet key people in the different departments of their favorite market, they can enjoy the same convenience and rely on being able to get sound advice.

The entire order is cooked in the client’s house and prepared in proportion sizes for freezing. The estimated time spent is one hour per entrée. This can be a good model for the busy home chef. Setting a time aside to cook some meals in advance, or cooking double amounts of a meal, which takes no extra time, is a great way to relieve stress. It’s nice to come home after a hard day and know something’s prepared.

The whole procedure is straightforward but requires time and attention to detail or it can bog down and derail. I needed a way to streamline it and a few short cuts to keep me on track. Otherwise, I would be spending far too much time on each order.

The plan I devised worked so well for the business, I applied it to my personal food shopping and preparation, saving both time and money. The best part is it’s individualized without being invasive so it adapts to all financial situations. To test it further, I shared it with some friends with the same results. One remarked that she wished she could shed pounds as easily as she cut dollars off her food bills and The Diet for the Food Dollar Plan was named.

It consists of 3 simple steps to alter your approach to food provisioning from planning through shopping and preparing. Experts say that habits are formed in three weeks. So if you can follow the steps for three weeks they will be well on the way to becoming habit and you will be on auto-pilot to saving time and money.

I had some fun with the steps, thinking up simple tips and incentives to keep on track. When I decided to write the book, I added more “bells and whistles” to pave the way and a lot more information, including a complete run-down of every type of store that sells food.

The steps are:

BE DECISIVE— Don’t hesitate, press “Go” As with any diet, the first step is to set a realistic, obtainable, goal and start working toward it.
BE DETERMINED – Once you have a goal in mind, and an idea of how to carve the path to get there, it’s going to take resolve to turn that path into a paved highway.
BE DICIPLINED – In any diet this is the hardest step to follow because it requires ongoing effort, but the best paved road won’t get you into town if you keep taking scenic detours. If you are decisive and determined; all that’s needed is willpower.

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In addition to the three steps in the plan, if you follow the personal chef’s schedule in your approach to menu planning and food shopping, you will find the tasks simplified.

1) Check your pantry inventory and supplies,

2) Make time to plan a week’s menus starting with the entrees,

3) Study the weekly market flyers, and pick the store which best fits your current needs,
4) Fill in any menu blanks using that flyer,
5) Write a detailed list of every ingredient, with amounts, needed for the week’s meals

6) Make a similar list for other food needs, breakfasts, lunches, snacks, pet food etc. and for household supplies, detergents, paper products etc. Anything bought in a supermarket.

7) Talk to the personal in the key departments of your favorite store. Get the name of one in each to call if you want to order ahead or inquire about an item.
8) Make ONE WEEKLY trip to market for everything

The book contains over 100 pages of charts and diagrams of meats, poultry, seafood cheeses, oils, grains and herbs and spices giving descriptions and suggested uses. There are lists temperature conversions, pan measurement, ingredient substitutions and calorie charts. These alone constitute a valuable kitchen tool

So click on the link at the bottom of the Home Page and take a closer look at the book and what it can do for you. I guarantee it will more than pay for itself in less than the time the plan takes to becomes a habit.

Jan 6

Poaching

Last week I explained that my way to cope with the after effects of eating all those holiday goodies is to focus on plain food and straight-forward cooking for the first week(s) of January. I avoid carb laden marinades, thickened sauces and gravies and fat based cooking preparations. Practicing what I preach the other night, I was poaching salmon and suddenly realized that this technique had been sidelined for decades, generally considered as antiquated and time-consuming , yielding bland, boring results. It’s such a clean cooking method that ignoring it seemed an oversight in our current health-conscious culinary world.

Poking through newer cookbooks and magazines, I found it’s actually been evolving, undercover so to speak, literally, by taking to the oven. Recipes give directions without naming the process or often call it “oven poaching,” just “poaching” and even “oven braising” which is incorrect. Just to be clear before going on “Braising” is browning a food in some form of fat, before adding liquid and finishing the cooking, slowly, either on the stove or in the oven. Poaching doesn’t involve the fat used to brown.

Technically, poaching is immersing food in hot liquid, maintained at a temperature just below simmer until cooked. This is important because the air bubbles created by boiling or simmering tear delicate foods or result in uneven surface cooking. Usually the liquid is water, which is why the cooked items have been considered bland. Newer recipes call for the food to be only partially submerged in a non-fat fluid, without browning first, and cooked by moderate heat, either on stovetop or in the oven, sometimes covered, maintaining the liquid level and, usually, basting. This keeps the item moist and justifies the slow cooking by allowing it time to become infused with the flavor of the poaching liquid and/or the other items being cooked with it.

This definition puts a lot of dishes in the “poached” category, not previously thought of as such, Corned beef and cabbage for example. It also opens the door to a realm of flavoring possibilities dependent on the ingredients composing the cooking liquid. I’m listing several here all of which will add flavor to the food being cooked with the added advantages of being able to be strained, chilled and reused or having a portion reduced to a sauce.

The time required is roughly equivalent to roasting or baking the item per pound at 350 deg. in the oven or stewing on stovetop. To reduce it cut the food to be poached into smaller pieces if possible. Because poached foods keep so well in their broth, I find doing them ahead and reheating in their fluid is a time saver. These recipes need little attention, so I can cook them while busy elsewhere and have the food ready in a hurry to serve later.

Poaching Fluids:

White Wine: Simmer 6 cups water, 3 cups white wine , 2 carrots, 2 stalks celery and 2 small onions –all chopped –for 30 min. Strain and chill until needed if necessary. For seafood.

Orange-Spice: Simmer 3 cups water, 3 cups orange juice, 2 cups white wine, 1 large leek sliced*, 4 star anise** and 6 whole allspice*** for 30 min. Optionally substitute 1 small chopped onion and a pinch of garlic powder*, 1 tsp. each ground anise** and allspice*** and cook 20 min. Strain and chill until used. For poultry or pork.

Red Wine-Rosemary: Simmer 3 cups red wine, 3 cups water, 2cups V8, I onion chopped, 1 sprig rosemary or 1 Tbs. dried and 1 tsp. peppercorns for 20 min. Strain and chill until used. For beef or lamb.

Portions of the above poaching liquids can be reduced to a sauce. Each makes 8 cups.

Black Tea: Steep 8 black tea bags in 4 cups boiling water. Remove squeezing out the tea and add 1 Tbs. lemon or lime juice. For poultry or seafood. Yield= 4 cups

Spice Tea: Steep 8 bags orange spice tea in 4 cups of boiling water. Remove bags squeezing out the liquid. Add ¼ cup honey and ¼ cup orange juice. Use for fruit. Yield – 4 cups.

RECIPES

Poached Salmon with Cucumber-Dill Relish: Serves 4
4 salmon steaks
1 Tbs. dried dill weed
1 medium cucumber, seeded in fine dice
2-4 Tbs. total non-fat sour cream or plain yogurt and lite mayonnaise mixed to taste
Mix cucumber and dill with desired mixture of cream, yogurt and mayo ahead if planning to serve hot, for flavors to meld or chill. Poach salmon in water to cover about 8 min. per inch of thickness. Drain and remove skin and bone, keeping shape intact. Chill if not serving at once. Serve portions with a dollop of relish and pass the rest.

Swordfish, Marlin or Tuna Poached in White Wine Italian: Serves 4
4 fish steaks
1 cup white wine-or enough to come ½ way up steaks
1 Tbs. chopped parsley
5 scallions, white part only, sliced on the bias
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and diced or ¾ cup canned drained
1 Tbs. capers
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Poach fish in wine until done, about 5min. per inch of width. Remove fish keep warm. Reduce liquid by half and add the other ingredients, cooking until scallion is soft; season with salt and pepper. Return fish to pan to warm if needed. Serve at once

New New England Boiled Dinner: Serves 4
1 Lb. slice ham or 4 slices
(2)15 oz. cans small whole potatoes
(2) 1 lb. bags frozen French green beans
3 cups chicken broth or 3 cups water and 3 packages chicken bouillon granules.
Cut ham into 4 pieces. Place potatoes in pot, cover with beans and then lay ham across the top. Pour on broth. Bring fluid to just under a simmer, cover and cook until beans are tender

Pork Chops Basil: Serves 4
This also works well for roasts, consult charts for times per pound. It can be refrigerated for three days, or even frozen for two weeks, after the baking, so it can be made ahead and quickly ready on a rushed night. Veal chops or turkey cutlets may be substituted for the pork.
(8) ½ inch thick center pork chops well trimmed
½ cup flour (optional)
1 Tbs. garlic powder
2 Tbs. dried basil
½ a small can frozen orange juice concentrate
Water to dilute juice
¼ cup cream sherry
Sprinkle half the garlic powder and half the basil in the bottom of an oven proof dish or pan that will hold the chops closely but not overlapping. Dredge the chops in the flour, if using, by shaking in a plastic bag, one at a time, making sure they’re well coated. Place in pan, and sprinkle the rest of the garlic and basil over them. Cover and seal the pan with foil. Bake, preferably at 250 degrees for 2 hours, but acceptable at 350 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven, turn on broiler, and lift foil. Dilute orange juice with the sherry and just enough water to come almost to the top level of the chops in the pan, and pour over the chops. Broil until chops brown and the sauce thickens.

Sauerkraut and Pork: Serves 4
4 pork chops with bone -about 2 lbs. total
(2) 28 oz. cans of kraut
4 large potatoes or 4 servings instant mashed
Water

Open the kraut and place 1 can in the bottom of a Dutch oven or large pot. Lay the chops on top and cover with the other can of kraut. Pour in water just to cover, bring almost to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low and cover with a lid. Cook about 3 hours until meat fall off bone. Serve at once. Meanwhile, peel and cook potatoes (can be done on top of kraut) and mash, or make up instant using skim milk, but no butter. Plate some of the kraut, or at least juice over potatoes.

Teriyaki Basted Garlic Dusted Chicken Serves 4 – This is a recipe I used last week, but I’m repeating it here because it is a form of the new way to poach.
4 chicken pieces, breast or thighs
About 1 tsp. Teriyaki sauce per piece, and 1 Tbs. reserved (Optional)
2 tsp. garlic powder
½ envelope chicken bouillon
1 cup water – estimate –more if needed
Salt for brining
Rinse and clean chicken well. Place in enough water to cover and add 2 Tbs. salt to make brine and soak for at least 15min. Rinse well. Lift skin from meat with a rounded utensil like a butter knife, and fill each pocket with Teriyaki Sauce. Place chicken pieces in an ovenproof pan, large enough to fit comfortably. Add water to measure 11/2 inches in the pan. Sprinkle the bouillon on the water, add reserved 1Tbs. Teriyaki sauce and sprinkle ½ tsp. of garlic powder on each of the pieces for a good dusting. Best baked in a 350 degree oven for 1 hr., but can be done at 375 degrees for 45min. Maintain water level but do not baste. Serve with pan juices on the side. Optionally, strain and chill pan juice to make aspic to serve on the side.
Suggested side: Wash and cut 2 medium-large potatoes in half. Leave enough room to place the halves, cut side down in the pan to cook along with the chicken. They won’t need further seasoning.

Dec 9

Discover A New Type Of Cookbook For Busy People

This is truly the perfect cookbook for busy people who like good food and makes a great gift. The restaurant quality recipes have been modified for easy, even advance prep and quick cooking. It can provide an answer for that nagging question asked, by yourself, or another at the end of a long day; “What’s for dinner?” and teaches by example how to avoid that stressful dilemma permanently. The introduction contains information on fats, carbohydrates, choosing and using poultry, meats and seafood as well as making gravies and sauces and their various types from dips to desserts.

However, the real difference with this cookbook is in the formatting. It’s based on a professional chef’s approach to menu planning. Healthy, balanced entrée dishes, with suitable side recipe suggestions, are arranged in twelve weekly groups, three months, each accompanied by cooking tips covering everything from specific directions to general information such as freezing raw and cooked foods, a dessert recipe, and most importantly a detailed shopping list complete with pantry check. This shopping list is key to relieving the stress of meal planning.

Whether one simply pulls it up and heads to the store, or crosses off ingredients of a recipe they don’t want and substitutes those of one they do, a list will function. It is important to keep the food categories intact though, when altering ingredients, because maintaining the order is needed to make the menu planning process easy. Used as learning tools the lists in the book illustrate how to effortless it can be to provision a week’s meals. It’s very relaxing to know that in one trip you have the whole week covered—completely—no quick trips to pick up something!

The weekly entrees themselves are varied; a poultry, a pork, a beef, a seafood, an ethnic dish, a casserole and a fun meal. They are presented in the same sequence only to simplify editing. They can be switched or replaced as desired. Again, the important fact is that any ingredients required for the week are transported to the list and entered in the proper category or deleted if rejecting a recipe.

For the truly busy person, several recipes can be prepared ahead for the night there will be no time to cook, or made in excess for anticipated guests and frozen. Those recipes are noted and freezing, plus re-heating instructions are included. Also included are suitable suggestions for restricted diets where indicated, mainly for the pork, ham and shellfish recipes. A recipe, Pork Chops Basil, with both notations is included below as an example.

Does the book work? Well a friend had a printed copy on her desk recently, when an associate known for his disdain of cooking was intrigued by a recipe. He was amazed when he was able to successfully make it and bought the book. He hasn’t turned into Chef Clifford, but he is now interested in trying dishes at home and has even entertained. The recipe that started him off, Chicken in Lemon Wine Sauce is also listed below, as is a sample of a week’s menu with its shopping list. Any special notations or references were covered in that week’s tips section.

CHICKEN IN LEMON-WINE SAUCE

A classic dish, with recipes found in various forms, but always a good choice.

Saute-Skillet
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup flour
2 Tbs. cooking oil – -canola
2 Tbs. butter
1 small onion diced
2 cloves garlic sliced
1 lemon – zested and juiced
1/3 cup white wine – – recommend dry vermouth
¾ cup water
1/2 envelope chicken bouillon granules
½ cup chopped fresh parsley – – or 2 Tbs. dried
2 tsp. garlic powder

Pound chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap, to an even thickness, and dredge in flour. Place 1 Tbs. oil in a skillet over medium heat and begin to cook chicken, add 2 Tbs. butter, and brown chicken in both sides – @ 6 min. total. Remove chicken to a plate. Add 1Tbs. oil to pan and sauté onion until soft @ 2 min., add sliced garlic and sauté 1 min, more. Add wine, and deglaze pan by scraping all the browned bits from the surface with a wooden spoon. Add water, bouillon powder, 1 Tbs. lemon juice, and return chicken to pan. Reduce heat and cook, uncovered, over medium- low about 8-10 min. until chicken is done and sauce thickens.

Meanwhile, make what the Italians call “Gremalata” by mixing the parsley, garlic powder and lemon zest in a small bowl.
Plate the chicken pieces individually with sauce. Top each with a small portion of gremalata, and pass the rest.

Suggested sides: 1 lb. fresh sugar snap peas or (1) 10 oz. box frozen. Blanch in boiling water @ 2 min. Drain and toss with 1Tbs. olive oil and 1/8 tsp. lemon pepper.

4 sweet potatoes, washed, dried and lightly rubbed with butter. Pierce Xs with a fork in the tops, and microwave, on a paper towel, as oven directs @ 6-9 min. Split tops and fill with butter or sour cream. For an added taste boost, add a drizzle of maple syrup.

PORK CHOPS BASIL

This is an old family favorite, and it also works well for roasts but consult charts for temperature and cooking times per pound. It can be refrigerated for three days, or even frozen for three weeks, after the baking, so it can be made ahead and quickly ready on a rushed night. Veal chops, boneless chicken thighs or turkey cutlets may be substituted for the pork.

Bake: Oven Proof Pan
(8) ½ inch thick center pork chops well trimmed*
½ cup flour
1 Tbs. garlic powder
2 Tbs. dried basil
½ a small can frozen orange juice concentrate
Water to dilute juice @ ½ cup
¼ cup cream sherry

Sprinkle half the garlic powder and half the basil in the bottom of an oven proof dish or pan that will hold the chops closely but not overlapping. Dredge the chops in the flour, by shaking in a plastic bag, one at a time, making sure they’re well coated. Place in pan, and sprinkle the rest of the garlic and basil over them. Cover and seal the pan with foil. Bake, preferably at 250 degrees for 2 hours, but acceptable at 350 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven, turn on broiler, and lift foil.** Dilute orange juice with the sherry and just enough water to come almost to the top level of the chops in the pan, and pour over the chops. Broil until chops brown and the sauce thickens.

*If using the chicken, divide the thighs into 2 pieces and pound them between plastic wrap to an even thinness. Baking time for poultry will be reduced by as much as 1/3 depending on thickness of meat.
** Can be frozen at this point, be sure chops are room temperature. Return to room temperature, add liquid and proceed as above.

Suggested sides: 2 boxes. 10 oz. each, cooked squash. Drain well, mix with 1 Tbs. butter, salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Heat in microwave according to package directions.

(2) 10oz boxes, chopped spinach. Drain, put in a greased pie plate or shallow casserole. Mix with 2 raw eggs and 2 packets chicken or beef flavored bouillon granules. Top with a sprinkle of nutmeg, and bake along with meat .for 30 min. at 250 degrees, or 20 min at 350 degrees.

A Weeks Menu

Mustard Chicken
Cauliflower au Gratin
Italian Green Beans

Pork Madrilène
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Sugar Snap Peas

Grilled Steak with Skewered Vegetables
Caesar Salad

Broiled Scallops
Broccoli Crowns Ranch
Tomatoes Basil

Ham with Asparagus
Chicken Flavored Rice
Pickled Tiny Whole Beets

Stuffed Zucchini
Linguini al alio
Green Salad
Artisan Bread

Salad Nicoise
Special Dressing
Warm Rolls

Key Lime Pie

SHOPPING LIST
An “x” marks the items now in the house

PANTRY CHECK
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Dijon or Spicy Brown mustard- x
Garlic powder –x
Mustard powder
Envelopes of chicken bouillon granules – x
Salt & pepper – x
Dried parsley – x
Dried oregano – x
Dried basil – x
Dried tarragon – x
Grated Parmesan
Paprika – x
Lemon pepper – x
Kosher salt – x
Black peppercorns
Oil – cooking and olive – x
Butter – x
Flour – x
Cornstarch – x
Salt & pepper – x
Sugar – x
White vinegar – x
Red wine vinegar – x
White wine – x
Madera
Bread Crumbs or Panko – optional – x
(4) 6 inch bamboo skewers

MARKET

MEAT

4 chicken parts-breast or thigh- with bones and skin
(8) ½ inch slices of pork loin or center chops
1 lbs. ground Beef
1 ½ pts. or 1 ½ lbs. SEA Scallops = 20 to 24
2 lbs. beef for grilling ½ to ¾ inch thick – see Charts
8 slices Cooked Ham at least 1/8^th inch thick – from Deli

PRODUCE

2 large all-purpose potatoes – x
2 large onions – x
2 medium zucchini AND 4 large zucchini
2 medium yellow squash
8 cherry tomatoes
1 green bell pepper
2 lemons
24 asparagus spears fresh OR frozen
1 Head BOSTON lettuce see Recipe # 7
¾ lb. red skin or new potatoes
¾ lb. whole green beans
1 large Bermuda or red onion
3 or 4 large tomatoes – depends on size = x
1 small shallot – an onion will do – x
Key Limes-at least 15 – or @ 3 regular ones

DAIRY

1 qt. milk
8 oz. shredded Sharp cheese
¼ cup light cream – optional – x
1 cup grated Parmesan-at least see recipes # 1& # 6
4 eggs – x
8 oz. sour cream
(1) can Whipped Cream

GROCERY

(1) 10 oz. can Madrilène
(3) 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
(2) 7 oz. cans White Albacore Tuna in water
(1) 2 oz. can anchovy fillets – x
(1) 5 oz. can colossal pitted ripe olives
1 envelope Unflavored Knox Gelatin – check pantry – x
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk – x
(1) 9 inch Unbaked Pie Shell purchased or homemade – x

SIDES

1 head cauliflower
Grated Parmesan – check pantry
4 sweet potatoes or 1 box frozen Candied Sweet Potatoes
(2) 15 oz. cans Tiny Whole Potatoes – x
Ground Cinnamon – check Pantry – x
(2) 15 oz. cans Tiny While Beets
Cider Vinegar – check Pantry – x
1 box frozen Italian green beans
½ lb. thin Linguini – see recipe # 6
1 lb. green leaf lettuce
1 box sweet pea pods
1 small red onion
1 lb. Romaine lettuce
1 Loaf Crusty Bread
2 broccoli crowns – x
Crescent or other Dinner Rolls – x
2 large tomatoes – x
1 box chicken flavored Rice Mix or See Recipe # 5
Caesar and Honey or Ranch Dressing – x

Oct 4

2 Comments

Cleaning Chicken And Sanitary Egg Practices – Safe Eggnog Recipe

I couldn’t believe my ears the other day, when a celebrity chef, guesting on a talk show, recommended using raw egg whites in a recipe. This is in the midst of the “rinse or not to rinse” chicken debate, and that chef, I seem to recall, was on the nay side. Read more

Sep 24

Family Meal Planning Efficiency During the Week

In my last posting, I talked about the fact that in the fall, when activities start up, especially after school opens, schedules fill up so fast, even into the evening hours, that many people get really stressed. It takes time to adjust to new routines and frequently the first casualties are meals, most especially the family dinner. Read more

Aug 28

Basic Sauces Explained – Recipes for your favorite basic Sauces

A friend, who’s a really savvy cook, read me the riot act, via email, right after last week’s posting appeared. Quite rightly, he pointed out that I had confused sauces identity by incorrectly lumping them with gravies. Read more

Aug 26

1 Comment

Savvy Sauce Recipes – Advanced Sauce Techniques

Those of you who read last week’s blog on sauce recipes will have realized that sauces, in their classic forms, can be tricky, time consuming, possibly expensive, to make and certainly no friend to any type of diet. Read more

Aug 18