STK product review: CDN digital cooking thermometer with probe and timer

I cant even explain how much easier cooking is when you have an awesome thermometer. I have the CDN digital cooking thermometer with probe and timer and it is my little kitchen soldier....he makes sure my roasts, chickens or whatever are cooked perfectly every time!

This little gadget has it all

Temperature range: 14 degrees to 392 degrees F
Digital thermometer, timer with oven test feature
Count up and down timer
Cord, probe and clip for candy making

My favorite feature is that I can set a temperature range and it will beep at me when my item hits that range. The probe cord is long enough where I can snake it out of the oven and leave the timer sitting on the counter. It takes the guess work out of cooking whole roasts, turkeys, chickens etc. I never have a dry bird or a raw roast. Amen to that!

Penne A La Carbonara

This recipe is from the "Everyday Italian" cookbook by Giada De Laurentiis {pg 113}

1 pound pancetta, diced into 1-inch cubes (can substitute bacon)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 pound dried penne
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (optional)

Heat a large saute pan, until hot. Add pancetta/bacon and saute until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Season with black pepper and remove pan from heat.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and cream. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in Parmesan, reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish.

In a large pot, boil 6 quarts of salted boiling water. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse with water; you want to retain the pasta's natural starches so that the sauce will stick.

While the pasta is still hot, return it back to the pot. Add the browned pancetta/bacon and mix well. Add the cream mixture and coat the pasta completely. It's important to work quickly while the pasta is still warm so that the cream mixture will cook, but not curdle. Add remaining Parmesan and chopped parsley.

{Review}
This was a very easy recipe and quite tasty. I did substitute the pancetta with bacon and used 5 eggs rather then 6 and still had some leftover cream mixture. I didn't use all the mixture for fear of it becoming to much sauce. I had about 1/2 cup leftover.
Husband approved.


{Serve with}
We just ate it by itself. Its pretty rich! Although a salad might have been nice.


{Time}
30 min or less

STK cooking tip: Avoiding spicy hands

I made the jalapeno cheeseburgers again yesterday and thought of a great tip to share with you.

Usually when I chop peppers the oils stay on my hands for hours afterwards no matter how much I scrub. I inevitably end up rubbing my face/eyes and then the burning begins. Ouch! Not fun.

To prevent this I started putting ziploc bags over my hands whenever im chopping spicy things. Works like a charm! Try it!

Heavenly hots

My friend told me how yummy these hotcakes are and she was right! They do not disappoint.

{recipe from Marion Cunningham's "Breakfast Book" }

1/4 cup cake flour -- Do not substitute!
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 large eggs -- beaten
1 16 oz. sour cream

**See note in review

Mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and sugar until well blended. In another bowl, mix together the eggs and sour cream until well blended. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until all dry ingredients are mixed in. Allow the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat up a large frying pan. Once it's hot add a little oil and lightly coat the bottom of the skillet. Using a TABLESPOON(or ice cream scoop), drop the batter onto hot skillet. Cook on one side until the bubbles on the top start to pop and the edges begin to look dry. Careful that you don't burn them. They puff up when you flip them.

{Review}

I was concerned with the # of eggs vs. amount of flour. I ended up adding an extra 1/4 cup flour and im glad I did. I think they would have been to eggy otherwise. I also added a dash of vanilla.

I used an ice cream scoop to drop batter into pan. This made for perfectly sized and shaped hotcakes.

Husband approved

{Serve with}

Syrup

{Time}

30 min or less

Salad with orange, fennel and asparagus

I made this salad to go with our Easter dinner and as you can tell I broke out the fine china :)

Epicurious March 2007



2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Zest from 1 orange
1 pound thick asparagus, ends trimmed
4 medium oranges
1 small bulb fennel, trimmed, quartered, cored, and very thinly sliced crosswise
3 quarts loosely packed tender salad greens such as mâche, Boston, or red leaf lettuce, torn
1/3 cup fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)


Preparation
In small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in oil, then zest.

In large sauté pan, bring 1 inch water to boil. Add asparagus and simmer until bright green, about 1 minute. Drain in colander, then rinse under cold running water until cool. Thinly slice on diagonal and transfer to large bowl.


Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working over medium bowl, cut between membranes to release segments. Add segments and any juice in medium bowl to large bowl with asparagus; squeeze juice from membranes into dressing and whisk to combine.

Add fennel and then salad greens to large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently. Sprinkle chives on top and serve immediately.

{Review}
Tip: I had never worked with fennel so didn't know how to slice it. Here are directions if needed.
I added a dash of balsamic and also squeezed some orange juice into the dressing to zest it up a bit.
I also marinated the asparagus and fennel in dressing for a few hours before tossing with salad and adding orange segments.
Overall this was a great salad
Husband approved!

{Serve with}
Anything! Great side salad

{Time}
10 min or less

Jalapeno bacon cheeseburger

This is not your average burger....it is mouthwatering to say the least. A must try!

Bon Appétit July 2005



Spicy Ranch Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño chile
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

{if making less then 8 burgers you can half this recipe}

Burgers
2 pounds ground beef
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chopped seeded jalapeño chile
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Worcestershire-Coffee Glaze
1/3 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon instant coffee crystals
2 teaspoons (packed) golden brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter

8 bacon slices
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
8 hamburger buns
8 lettuce leaves
Cheddar cheese slices
Assorted additional toppings (such as tomato and grilled onion slices)


For spicy ranch sauce:
Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Season sauce with salt and pepper.


For burgers:
Gently mix all ingredients in large bowl. Form mixture into eight 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick patties. Place on small baking sheet. Cover and chill.


For glaze:
Stir first 5 ingredients in small saucepan over medium heat until coffee is dissolved. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter. Season glaze to taste with salt and pepper.


Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Working in batches if necessary, cook bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp and brown. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.


Grill burgers about 5 min, basting with glaze. Turn burgers, baste with glaze, and grill until cooked to desired doneness about 5-6 min more for medium. Press cheese atop each burger and allow cheese to melt. Place some ranch sauce, then 1 burger on each bun bottom. Top each with 2 slices bacon and desired additional toppings. Cover with bun top. Serve with remaining sauce.


{Review}
Since discovering this recipe about 2 years ago they are pretty much the only burgers I make. I just cant go back to having a boring 'ol burger.
*Note: I add cilantro to the burger mix and also sprinkle a little cayenne on top of the patties prior to grilling.
Husband approved


{Serve with}
Sweet potato fries
Baked beans
Corn on the cob


{Time}
About 30min prep time then more time for grilling (but its worth it!)

Summer surprise

I don't know why this dessert is called summer surprise but I do know its tasty!

Ingredients:

Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Nectarines or peaches
Brown sugar
Sour cream

* Note: you can really use any type of fresh fruit you want in this. Sometimes I add blackberries which are good too.

Cut strawberries and peaches/nectarines into bite sized pieces. Toss all fruit in a bowl with 4 tbs of brown sugar (you might need a bit more depending on how much fruit you have). Place in serving dish then spread a thin layer of sour cream over the top, kind of like icing a cake. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

{Review}
This is a really easy dessert and super yummy. For some reason the brown sugar and sour cream combo is just so good.
Husband approved


{Time}
10 min or less

STK cooking tip: What is trussing?

For a roasted chicken to hold its shape it needs to be trussed (tied) before cooking. A smaller chicken may only require that the legs are tied together but a larger bird will require that it be tied around the legs and around the wings to hold its shape.


Im not the best at doing this and I usually only do the legs. I use either food grade twine or silicone food loops (shown above) to tie the legs together tight so they aren't flopping around during roasting. It makes for a great presentation and a juicer bird. Try it!

Simple roast chicken

This is a recipe from famed Chef Robert Keller (Epicurious October 2004). Seriously, this is some of the most tasty, juicy chicken I have ever made.

The recipe calls for one chicken but I made two so I can get another meal out of it. Tomorrow night...chicken tacos!

Ingredients

One 2- to 3-pound farm-raised chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced thyme (optional)
Unsalted butter

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.


Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. Trussing is not difficult, and if you roast chicken often, it's a good technique to feel comfortable with. When you truss a bird, the wings and legs stay close to the body; the ends of the drumsticks cover the top of the breast and keep it from drying out. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird.


*Note: my trussing skills are not perfect but you can get an idea if what I did from the photo above.


Now, salt the chicken—I like to rain the salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). When it's cooked, you should still be able to make out the salt baked onto the crisp skin. Season to taste with pepper.


Place the chicken in a saute pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. I leave it alone—I don't baste it, I don't add butter; you can if you wish, but I feel this creates steam, which I don't want. Roast it until it's done (should reach 165 degrees), 50 to 60 minutes.


Remove it from the oven and add the thyme (optional) to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board. Then Slice.


If you want to use the drippings for homemade gravy just whisk a tablespoon of flour into the pan. Scrape up all the juicy bits then transfer to a small saute pan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Serve over sliced chicken.


{Review}
This is really good chicken and very easy. It takes some cook time but the prep is a snap.
Husband approved


{Serve with}
Sweet potato fries
Corn
Salad


{Time}
1 hour cook time. 5 min prep time

Pork katsu with pickled carrot salad

I love ordering the bento box when I go to Japanese restaurants. I thought it might be fun to recreate it at home. Here we have...pork katsu, pickled carrot salad, jasmin rice with scallions and sesame seeds and store bought sushi. YUM!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon sugar
2 large carrots
2 scallions, very thinly sliced diagonally
1 large egg
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
4 boneless center-cut pork chops (thin sliced preferred)

1/2 cup Jasmin rice
Vegetable oil

Sesame seeds

Sesame oil

Optional:

Store bought katsu sauce and sushi

Preparation

Whisk together vinegar, water, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 4-5 drops sesame oil in a large bowl. Using a vegetable peeler, shave as many ribbons as possible from carrots. Toss carrots and scallions with dressing. Set aside.

Lightly beat egg in a shallow bowl. Combine panko, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper on a large plate.

Pound pork chops to 1/8 inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap with flat side of a meat pounder or with a rolling pin. Season both sides with 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper (total).

Coat with egg, letting excess drip off, then with panko, pressing to help adhere. Heat about 1 inch vegetable oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook chops (in batches if necessary), turning once, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes total.

Drain briefly on paper towels and slice thin prior to serving.

For rice:

Cook according to package directions. When done add in chopped scallions and sesame seeds.

{Review}

Great recipe and EASY!

Husband approved

{Serve with}

Pickled carrot salad, rice and store bought sushi

Don't forget the katsu sauce!

{Time}

25 - 30 min

Homemade croutons

Im notorious for buying a loaf of hot french bread at the supermarket, eating half of it then letting the other half go bad. Well, I don't technically feel that its my fault. The bread seems to get stale after one day! Right?

What better way to save bread then homemade croutons! They are super easy and really tasty

Ingredients:

Day old bread cut into cubes
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper
Herbs like rosemary, thyme (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cut bread into cubes and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Add dried herbs if desired.

When adding the olive oil you want to coat the bread but not soak it.

Spread out on baking sheet and cook for 15 min or until crispy and brown. Let cool and transfer to a ziploc bag. They will stay fresh for several days (if they last that long).

Top salads or eat as a tasty snack. Yum!

STK product review: Foil sheets

I decided to start a "Try this" section of my blog which is dedicated to all my favorite kitchen tools and tips.

This first one you may think is pretty lame but...I must tell you, these foil sheets are pretty much a godsend. I use them daily and with pretty much every meal I make. Also, they are 100 times easier and more convenient then tin foil on the roll (plus no sharp edge to cut yourself on). These are the perfect size for lining a sheet pan, wrapping leftover food or covering a dish while in the oven.

I buy the Kirkland brand from Costco. They come 500 sheets per box and cost $12