For some reason cooking scares most us. I'm not sure if it's the process of cooking or the fear of disappointing the ones we are cooking for. Cooking for me has always been an outlet of my caring for others. I guess my mother taught me this as she was always cooking for family and strangers. Here are some of my tips and thoughts on cooking.
1. Hard Boiled Eggs
Even if you can't boil water you can make a great boiled egg. The secret to a good hard boiled egg is starting with cold water. Place your eggs in the pot, then fill it just above the top of the eggs with cold water. Put pot on the stove eye with temperature setting no higher than medium high. When the water starts to boil, let it boil two minutes, turn off heat, place lid on the pot and let it sit for 5 minutes. At the end of the five minutes drain off the water, then give the pot a couple of good shakes, cracking the eggs. Next pour cold water over the hot eggs. The reaction to the change in temperature will pull the eggs away from the shells and when you pull off the shells, you will have beautiful boiled eggs.
2. Omelets
The thing I love about an omelet is, you can use it for any meal, by just changing the ingredients you fold into the eggs. Use two large eggs per person. Cracking your eggs into a bowl, then using a fork, break the yolks and mix together until you see no, or very little, white showing. Add your salt and pepper at this time also. Have your nonstick pan hot [you might want to use a little PAM or butter] and ready before pouring your eggs into the pan. Let the eggs cook completely on the first side before trying to turn them. Now is the time to add some cheese, diced meats and or pre-cooked vegetables. The choice is yours. When you see the edges of the egg begin to firm up, place your spatula under the eggs and fold in half. Cook your eggs until they are firm but not hard and the ingredients are hot.
You will want to have all your ingredients and tools, at hand before starting. You may also want to use more than one pan, as the omelets loose some of their appeal when they cool down, if you are cooking for more than yourself.
For creamier eggs add one tablespoon of milk or half and half to the mixture
For lighter eggs add one tablespoon of water to the mixture.
Breakfast suggestions- Crumble bacon, sausage and or cheese into the eggs before folding.
Lunch or dinner suggestions- Use any precooked meats and or vegetables. Dice or slice the ingredients so they will heat in the time your eggs finish cooking. Add a tossed green salad with some hardy whole wheat bread and you have a full meal anytime of the day.
3. Roast Chicken
Don't turn and run on me now. Roasting any kind of meat is the easiest kind of cooking. It will make guest think you have been cooking all day, when in fact the oven has been doing all the work.
You will need one 3 to 5 pound roasting chicken.
1 stick of butter [real butter tastes best]
1 t of salt
1/2 t of pepper
2 stalks of celery with leaves
1 small to medium onion, cut in quarters
1 roasting bag
If your fowl is frozen it will need to be thawed completely. You will want to wash your chicken in cool water and pat dry before placing it in the roasting bag. Make sure to center it in the bag as you do not want it touching any of the bag [except where it sits] as it is cooking. Reaching into the bag cover the legs, wings and breast with the butter. Get a good coverage as this is what will help it turn that golden brown. If you have some butter left over, insert it into the chicken's cavity. Mix the salt and pepper together, then sprinkle over the chicken. The butter should help the mixture to stick to the chicken. Use some to insert into the cavity and neck opening of the chicken. Wash the celery, slicing it into one inch pieces, save the leaves to use as a garnish later. Place one half of the celery and half of the onion into the cavity of the chicken, put the rest in the bag around the chicken.
Tie up the bag, making sure you leave some air in it so it does not stick to the chicken, while cooking. Roast, using the direction that were listed on the package of your chicken. Remember not to peek to much as it is roasting, it will only prolong the cooking time when you open the oven door.
Place your roasted chicken on a platter, using the celery leaves as a garnish. Serve with some corn, a mixed green salad and warm store bought rolls. You will be the hero of the night. Bravo!!
Faylee