Cooking Backpack

Contains about cooking information

Author: blogger

Are You Cooking Meals from a Broken Cookbook

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Burn your recipes!” If youve been following me for any amount of time now, youve heard me utter that statement time and time again. Its not that Im entirely against using recipes for home cooking, its more because I see cooking meals as a personal art form or your kitchen culinary expression.

In fact, home cooking recipes are especially useful if youre looking for new ideas and flavor combinations. Recipes are useful for cooking meals if you want to try to duplicate something exactly.

Here are some of the things that recipes will tell you:

The ingredients to use
The correct weights and measures for the ingredients
The temperatures and degrees to use
How much time you should cook
What steps to take and when

But, you cant expect recipes to tell you everything that you need to know to make the meal come to life. I like to make analogies between cooking and music. Lets take sheet music for example. There are things that sheet music doesnt tell the piano player. There are variations in tone, pace, and interpretation. The musician has to bring the music to life through his or her own interpretation of the music that they are reading.

Here are some of the things that recipes dont tell you:

Variations in ingredients/substitutions
Variations in measurements/ mistakes in measuring
Variations in oven temps/stove temps
Variations in time
Why you are taking the steps you are taking

There are very few celebrity chefs that I enjoy. An exception is Alton Brown. I enjoy Alton Browns show because he also explains why hes taking the steps hes taking as well as how different ingredients, temperatures, etc. affect the food that you cook. One day when I was watching Alton, he was cooking a popover recipe that looked great. As I was watching, I thought that the amount of salt he used would make it too salty for me. But, when I tried to make the recipe, I used his exact measurements because, well, hes Alton Brown. Turns out the popovers were WAY too salty!

Next time, Ill take out some of my own recipe books I use for inspiration and point out some of the ways that I know the recipe book is broken. My goal is to help you to increase your kitchen culinary skills by using your home cooking recipes to cook meals that you can be proud of again and again.

Cooking for Coeliacs Ten Top Tips

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Cooking for someone with Coeliac Disease, which means they are intolerant to both wheat and gluten, can be a daunting task. As you will find from reading this article, if you are well prepared then cooking them need not be scary, nor should it compromise your ability to cook a great tasting and healthy meal.

1.Probably the most important thing to remember is to always check the labels of any food that you are using, to make sure that the food does not contain any hidden gluten. It is vital to remember that hidden sources of gluten include preservatives, additives and stabilizers found in processed food. A great way to combat this problem is to cook only with basic ingredients that you are sure do not contain gluten, omitting products such as pre-made sauces and dressings.

2.As mentioned before, using good, fresh foods is one of the best ways to ensure that whatever meal you are cooking will be suitable for Coeliacs. So look for dishes that include fresh meat, fresh fruit & vegetables, fresh herbs, egg and dairy products and pure oils and vinegars. Knowing this gives you a large scope to be able to cook a variety of delicious dishes, without having to worry about using any ingredients that are not safe.

3.If you have your heart set on using ingredients, such as flour, that are not suitable for Coeliacs, there are a large range of alternatives that are gluten free. Instead of using ordinary flour you could instead use any of the following rice flour, potato flour, corn flour, cornmeal, soya flower and buckwheat flour. With these substitutes you can cook many dishes that would not normally be suitable.

4.Whilst it is gluten that gives things like bread their elasticity and cakes their spring, this does not exclude you from baking either of these items when cooking for a Coeliac. Gluten-free cakes actually work very well. You can use flour alternatives such as ground cornmeal or a mixture of rice flour and ground almonds to create light and delicious gluten-free cakes. A great tip when doing so is to use a mixture of flours along with ground almonds so the cake remains moist when baked.

5.When purchasing the ingredients for your meal, do not forget to check out the specialist sections in health stores and most big supermarkets. These sections will include a plethora of wheat and gluten free products that you can use in your meal, safe in the knowledge that they have been properly tested and are safe to be eaten by Coeliacs.

6.Remember that for some people even the tiniest trace of gluten or wheat in their food could lead them to become very ill. With this in mind make sure that your food preparation areas, including any chopping boards and knives used, have been thoroughly cleaned before use. Do this to ensure that no traces of wheat or gluten from previous meals remain on the utensils and are transferred into your otherwise safe dish.

7.If you are unsure about any products or ingredients that you plan to use in your meal, there are many great online resources for finding out if they are safe. Simply Google Coeliac food directory for more information.

How to Prepare Kenya Bagia za Dengu Recipe

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Home style Bagia za dengu recipe is wonderful as a main dish, and perfect as a side dish for your favorite vegetable, meat, poultry, or seafood entre. Bagia za dengu is plentiful throughout the year, Have you ever tasted Bagia za Dengu? This site will teach you how to prepare dengu bagias and make money out of this recipe. INGREDIENTS TO MAKE BAGIA WA DENGU

1 cup Chick pea flour ( Unga wa dengu)

tsp curry powder

cup onions (finely chopped)

tsp garlic (crushed in a pistol)

1 tsp hot pepper (Chopped)

cup red pepper or sweet pepper or bell pepper

1 tbsp parsley

tsp Caraway

tsp yeast or 1 tsp baking powder

cup water

tsp salt or more

oil for deep frying

DIRECTIONS TO MAKE BAGIA WA DENGU

1. A mixing bowl, mix chick pea flour and onions.

2. Add garlic, then parsley and curry powder, mix well.

3. Add caraway, red pepper, and hot pepper, mix well.

4. Then add baking powder, mix well again.

5. Add water a teaspoon at a time, until it becomes a heavy mixture. Almost like a heavy cake mixture.

6. Leave it to rise for a few minutes.

7. In medium-high heat; Heat the oil in a pan, for deep frying.

8. Drop a teaspoon full of the butter mixture in hot oil to deep fry until it turns golden brown color.

9. Remove from pan, put on paper towel or (chujio la nazi if you are in Tanzania) until it cools down.

Call you guest to enjoy our African Bagia Wa Dengu

Who said that you dont know how to cook? Having been born from a family of many girls, I was not supposed to cook when all my sisters are present but when I joined work and start to live on my own, thats when cooking lessons became a reality.

Of course not every person like cooking but for those who enjoy to explore new foods and have the taste for delicious yummy yummy, this recipe in a must not miss

How to to Cook Biskuti Ya Nazi Recipe

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Those who love dessert recipes will agree with me that Biskuti ya Nazi is one the best dessert recipes in Kenya. I have tasted and enjoyed it and I wish to teach you how to make it.

Some of our African recipes are less known by the outside word and for that matter we see it as our responsibility to show the world how to make these Africa recipes.

In a place like Mombasa and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania Biskuti ya nazi is highy regarded as the best food to serve your guest and on this page we will give you the engredients and methods to make it.

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE BISKUTI YA NAZI

Three egg whites

One cup granulated sugar

Two and a half cups desiccated coconut

One cup macadamia nuts or cashew nuts, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS TO MAKE BISKUTI YA NAZI

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Lightly grease two baking sheets.

3. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on high, beat egg whites into soft peaks.

4. Gradually add the Sugar, beating after each addition until peaks are glossy.

5. Fold in the coconut and nuts.

6. With wet hands, roll tablespoonfuls of the mixture into rounds and set on baking sheets.

7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly golden.

8. Cool on racks and store in an airtight container.

Though it may sound strange to you if you are not from East Africa, Biskuti ya Nazi recipe is one of the food recipes you should learn to make for your family.

Who said that you dont how to cook? Having been born from a family of many girls, I was not supposed to cook when all my sisters are present but when I joined work and start to live on my own, thats when cooking lessons became a reality.

Of course not every person like cooking but for those who enjoy to explore new foods and have the taste for delicious yummy yummy, this recipe in a must not miss.

A Deep Fish Fryer and California Rock Cod Combine to Make a Delicious Meal

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One of my favorite fishing trips is to the north coast of California for rock cod, and one of my favorite ways to prepare it is with a deep fish fryer. The problem is you have to catch it before you can cook it, and thats why I like fishing for rock cod. If you can get your boat in the water, and you know where the reef is, you are going to catch fish. Its just that simple. And a fresh catch along with a deep fish fryer, combine to make a delicious meal.

After all, one of the reasons we fish is to put food on the table. After spending a day on the water, and the time and effort to clean and prep your catch, a tasty meal of deep fried rock cod is a nice reward.

When selecting your deep fryer, the first choice you have to make is, electric or gas. If you’re like me and do a lot of outdoor cooking with no electricity available, your only choice is a propane burner. My favorite is the Bayou Classic fish cookers. They are well built, portable propane burners, and easy to use.

To prepare your rock cod for the deep fryer you will want to fillet them. You will have to cut out the rib cage and check for any other bones you may have missed. Then cut your fillets into 2″ strips. Keeping your pieces of fish approximately the same size, helps ensure that all are properly cooked.

Next, you need to coat your fish. You can use a batter or coat it with egg and breadcrumbs. I generally prefer a beer batter, but, it comes down to personal preference. Just make sure you do coat it. This helps keep the oil out and the moisture in.

Make sure you use a vegetable oil with a high smoking point. I generally use peanut oil, but canola oil or soybean oil will work as well. You need to pre-heat the oil to 350-375 degrees F. You don’t want it to fall much under 350 degrees , or the oil will soak through the batter making the fish taste greasy.

When cooked at the proper temperature, your batter will be a crispy golden brown and the cod will be moist and delicious. So, make sure you have a quality thermometer with your deep fish fryer. If not, you can drop a small piece of bread in the hot oil, if it turns golden brown within 45-60 seconds, the oil temperature is fine.Don’t overload your fryer, as this will lower the oil temperature. Just fry 3 to 6 pieces of fish at a time, depending on the size of your fryer.

And now, it’s time to eat, and there are a variety of tasty ways to consume your deep fried rock cod. It tastes great all by itself, or dip it in your favorite sauce. One of my all time favorites is fish tacos. Whether you like a crispy shell or a soft shell, deep fried cod fits very well in either, and makes for a delicious meal.

So, if you like catching fish, give California rock cod a try. Just remember, you need to know where the reefs are, so make sure you get some local knowledge. Oh yea, and don’t forget your deep fish fryer.

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