Preparing Avocado

Hold avocado flat on cutting board; slice with sharp knife around center, (not through pit).

Twist off the top; it should separate easily.

Hold the avocado firmly in one hand, and strike the pit with chefs knife; it should stick firmly in the pit. Twist slightly and pull up to remove pit.

Ripe Juicy Tomatoes

To ensure the best taste, texture and flavor of your tomatoes you need to ensure that they are stored correctly.

Storing tomatoes at room temperature, never in the fridge. Cold temperatures cause the flesh of the tomato to become mealy and lose flavor.

Wraping veggies

Do not wrap foods containing natural acids, such as, tomatoes, onions,
lemons etc. in aluminum foil.

A chemical reaction caused by the combination of acid
and the foil can affect the taste of the food.

When in doubt, use plastic wrap instead.

Shelf life of berries

Raspberries and Blackberries will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator if stored properly.

Blueberries are somewhat sturdier and will last 3-5 days stored in the refrigerator.

Eggplant with Black Bean Sauce

Stir fried eggplant in a savory blackbean and garlic sauce.

1/3 cup dried black beans
2 cups vegetable stock
1 Tablespoon malt vinegar
1 Tablespoon dry sherry
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 red chili pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 inch fresh ginger, chopped
2 whole eggplants
2 teaspoons salt
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
4 green onions, sliced diagonally
4 whole radishes, shredded

Soak the beans overnight in plenty of cold water. Drain and place in a saucepan. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil and boil rapidly uncovered for 10 minutes. Drain. Return the beans to the saucepan with the stock and bring to a boil.

Blend together the vinegar, sherry, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, chili and ginger in a small bowl. Add to the beans, then cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until the beans and tender and the sauce has thickened. Stir occasionally.

Cut the eggplants into chunks and place in a colander. Sprinkle with the salt and leave to drain for 30 minutes. Rinse well to remove the salt and dry on paper towels.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the eggplant and garlic. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes until the eggplant has started to brown.

Add the sauce to the eggplant with spring onions. Heat thoroughly and garnish with radish shreds.

Juicy Lemons

To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room
temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before
squeezing.

Storing Whole Garlic

Store whole garlic bulbs in a cool dark place with good air circulation. They should last about 2 months.

Preparing Eggplant

To ensure that your eggplant is not bitter try this simple process.

Slice or cut eggplant according to recipes directions.
Place the pieces in a colander or on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels.

Sprinkle table salt on the eggplant pieces; let sit for 30 minutes. This "sweats" out the bitter juices.

Rinse with cold water and pat dry. Proceed as recipe directs.

Creamed Lemon Spinach

Even spinach haters should be encouraged to give this a try ~ it´s delicious.

2 bacon slices
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup milk
1 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook bacon slices in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels and drain. Crumble bacon and reserve.

Add onion and garlic to bacon drippings in skillet and sauté over medium heat until tender, about 6 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Increase heat to high and whisk until sauce thickens and boils, about 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to low. Add chopped spinach, lemon juice and lemon peel to skillet and stir until heated through. Stir in Parmesan cheese and reserved bacon. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Ripening Melons

Melons are best left to ripen at room temperature. Place them
uncovered and out of the sunlight until slightly soft and fragrant.

Quick Ripen: Avocado

Avocados are normally picked while they are still hard to prevent bruising while being transported.

To speed up the ripening process place the avocado in a
paper bag with a tomato. Leave the sealed bag in a warm place; the avocado should ripen in a day or two.

Rust proof lettuce

If you wash your lettuce leaves and then store them in
the fridge, they are likely to "rust"

To prevent this from happening, wrap the dried leaves in
paper towelling which will soak up any additional moisture
and stop the rusting.

Storing Apples

To keep apples at their most flavorful and crispest, store them in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator away from other fruit and vegetables.

No more tears

To cut down on tears when slicing onions, run the onion
under cold water or place in the freezer for 10 minutes
before chopping.

Preparing Strawberries

Wash the berries and gently dry them before removing the hull.

That keeps water from getting inside, diluting the flavour and
softening the flesh.

Skillet Asparagus

Skillet Asparagus

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and peeled
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
lemon juice to taste

Slice the asparagus diagonally into 1/4 inch thick slices, leaving the tips about 3 inches long.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the asparagus, season with a few pinches salt and saute over high heat until nearly tender. Add the shallot, garlic, lemon zest and parsley, toss well and cook 1 minute more.

Season with lemon juice and pepper to taste

Keep Cabbage Red

To keep red cabbage from turning blue or gray once it´s cooked, add some acid to the recipe.

Lemon juice, vinegar, or wine will all work. Select the type that best suits the recipe you are using.

Celery for Crudite

When serving celery on a crudite platter I recommend peeling off the stringy exterior.

Just peel as you would a carrot and you´ll have much more tender and tasty celery.

Only do this 1 day ahead as the celery will brown after about 24 hours.

Tender Corn

To avoid making fresh corn tough during cooking, never add salt to the cooking water.

Broccoli, Mac & Cheese

Add coarsely chopped broccoli stems and small pieces of green
tops to partly cooked elbow macaroni in cheese sauce. Pour into a
casserole, top with grated cheese and crumbled saltines, dot with butter,
and bake.

This is a good way to get kids to eat their greens, too!

Asparagus Dijon

Excellent on a buffet this recipe will serve 20; you adjust quantities accordingly. Prepare the dressing and keep it indefinitely in the refrigerator.


100 spears asparagus
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup vinegar
1 3/4 cups olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Steam asparagus about 10 minutes, until crisp-tender.

Combine remaining ingredients; shake well.

Pour over blanched asparagus.

Best Broccoli

Recipes that call for steaming and stir-frying are good choices.

These methods optimize flavour and nutrient retention.

Peeling Pearl Onions

Make quick work of peeling fresh pearl onions.
Simply drop them in boiling water for 1 minute and then drain.
Squeeze the onions between your fingers and the skins will slip off easily.

Purchasing Honeydew Melon

Honeydew melons should have an even, creamy rind at time of
purchase. Honeydews will change to yellow as they ripen.

The melon should feel heavy in the hand and yield to gentle pressure
at the stem end if you want to purchase a ripe melon.

Storing peeled garlic

Once garlic cloves have been peeled, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to
two days.

Rosemary Carrots and Mushrooms

For an unusual combination, this recipe of carrots, mushrooms and rosemary is wonderful.

12 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 Tablespoon Rosemary
1/4 cup of Butter

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer; covered until tender, about 7-10 minutes.

Peeling tomatoes

Peeling tomatoes before using them in sauces or soups will result in a
much finer texture.

To make this an easy task, cut an "X" with a sharp
knife in the bottom of the tomato.

Place in boiling water and blanch, removing the tomato when the skin begins to curl.

Let the tomato cool slightly and remove skin with your fingers.

Baking Spaghetti Squash

Pierce the whole shell several times with a large fork or skewer and place in baking dish. Cook squash in preheated 375F oven for approximately 1 hour or until flesh is tender.

Slice open, serve with butter or top with your sauce of choice.

Purchasing shallots

Shallots, commonly get mixed up with green onions, and they couldn´t be more different.

When a recipe calls for shallots, they are referring to
the sweeter, smaller, cousin of the onion (part of the allium family).

Look for shallots near the onions at the grocery store. They should be firm, and have shiny brown papery skin on the outside.

Keep shallots in a cool dark place for up to four months.

Green Beans Caesar

A tangy, garlicky dressing dresses up everyday green beans. This recipe can be made up to 24 hours ahead and is best served at room temperature making it a perfect dish for buffets and entertaining.

1 pound green beans, blanched until tender crisp
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
freshly ground pepper -- to taste
2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 cup virgin olive oil

Arrange poached green beans in a serving dish.

In a small bowl, beat together the garlic, Dijon mustard, pepper, parmesan cheese, balsamic and red wine vinegars.

Whisk in the olive oil until it is completely incorporated.

Pour the dressing over the beans and serve warm or at room temperature.

Strawberries with Zabaglione Sauce

A delicious preparation for fresh strawberries.

1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced
6 tablespoons dry Marsala wine
4 egg yolks
4 tablespoons sugar
4 mint leaves for decoration

Place the strawberries in a bowl and mix with 2
tablespoons of the Marsala and set aside.

In the top half of a double boiler, whisk the egg yolks
and sugar to a creamy consistency. In the bottom half of the double boiler, bring a small amount of
water to a boil.

Place the egg mixture in the top of the double boiler, making sure it doesn´t touch the water, Beat well until it starts to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Be careful not to beat too long and cook the eggs. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining Marsala wine, whisking until well incorporated.

Return to the top of the double boiler and whisk until thickened,about 3-5 minutes. It should form "ribbons". Remove from heat and set aside.

Divide he strawberries among four wine glasses and top
with zabaglione cream. Decorate with a mint leaf before serving.

Cucumber Quickie

Peel and thinly slice an English cucumber and place in a medium bowl.
Top with 1 1/2 Tablespoons freshly chopped dill, 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
and 1/4 cup Feta cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

White Cauliflower

Ensure that your cauliflower is as white as can be by adding
some cider vinegar to the water while it cooks.

About 1 teaspoon in the water per head should do the trick.

Stuffed Veggies

When preparing stuffed vegetables such as stuffed Green Peppers or Zucchini, it can be a messy job.

To make it easier, faster and tidier, place the vegetable you are stuffing snugly in the baking dish that you will be using and then spoon in the filling.

The vegetables will be more stable and less likely to
fall over this way.

Green Potatoes?

Potatoes with green patches on them haven´t gone bad.
They have, however, been exposed to direct sunlight.

To use the potatoes, simply cut off the green portions as they
are somewhat bitter. Proceed as normal; peel,cook,eat.

Grilling Guide

Follow these simple steps to get perfect veggies from your
grill everytime.

10 Minute Veggies:



Zucchini or Yellow Summer Squash - cut in 1 1/2 inch slices

Mushrooms - halved, whole or caps

Sweet Bell Peppers (all colours), - cut as desired

Eggplant - cut into 1/2 inch slices

Onions - cut in 1 inch wedges


15 Minute Veggies:

Carrots - cut in 1/4 inch slices

Potatoes - cut into 1/4 inch slices

Sweet Potatoes - cut into 1/4 inch slices

Peeling Squash

Hard Winter Squash is very difficult to peel.

To make the task a bit easier, pierce the squash a couple of times with a sharp knife and place in the microwave.

Cook on high power for 2-3 minutes, just long enough to soften it enough to peel it, not long enough for it to begin to cook.

Avocado: General

Avocados are normally stored at room temperature if you want them to ripen at a normal rate.

Quick Beets

Cook small unpeeled beets until tender, rub off skins, cut into
wedges, and serve hot or cold with sour cream blended to taste with
horseradish and lemon juice.

Purchasing Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe melon should have a thick netted skin, a musky fragrance
and feel heavy in the hand.

If the melon yields to gentle pressure at the stem end, it indicates
that the melon is ripe.

Freezing Nuts

To increase storage time of shelled nuts, place them in an airtight freezer container and keep in the freezer
for up to 6 months.

Juice a lemon

To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room
temperature and roll them back and forth under your palm
against the kitchen counter a few time before squeezing.

Storing Celery

Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting it in the
refrigerator, it will keep for weeks.

Storing Ripe Bananas

To store ripe bananas, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap
or tin foil and place them in the refrigerator.

The skin will darken and become brown, but the cold
will keep the banana from continuing to ripen for about
three days.

Asparagus with Hazelnut Butter

An elegant preparation for asparagus. Serves 6

2 Pounds asparagus, trimmed Salt
1/2 Cup butter
4 Ounces hazelnuts, finely chopped
2 teaspoons tarragon wine vinegar

Steam the asparagus over salted water until crisp-tender and drain well.
Reserve and keep warm. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and when it is
hot, but not yet brown, add the chopped nuts. Cook and stir just until the nuts are light brown, about one minute. Add the vinegar, stir and pour immediately over the asparagus.

Duchesse Potatoes

This recipe for Duchesse Potatoes is excellent for company as it can be prepared ahead and will serve fourteen people.

5 pounds baking potatoes (Russet)
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 large whole eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 cup half-and-half
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Salt and white pepper, to taste
Melted butter, for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Bake the potatoes in the oven for 1 hour, or until tender. Halve them lengthwise and scrape the pulp into a bowl. Press pulp through a ricer into a large bowl. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees.

With an electric mixer beat in the softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, the eggs and yolks, 1 at a time, and the half-and-half. Beat until smooth; add the nutmeg, salt and white pepper.

Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. On a buttered baking sheet pipe into 14 large rosettes and drizzle them with the melted butter. The rosettes can be made 1 day ahead and kept refrigerated, covered loosely.

Bake the rosettes in the middle of the oven for 10 to 15 minutes if the potatoes are at room temperature or for 25 to 30 minutes if chilled, or until heated through. Put them under the broiler about 6 inches from the heat until the tops are golden.

Making Sun Dried Tomatoes

Making these at home is much more economical and very easy to do, although you will need to plan ahead.

12-24 Roma tomatoes
Salt

Slice the Romas three-quarters of the way through and
lay the halves out still connected. Sprinkle the cut side with salt to help draw out moisture.

Repeat this procedure with the other tomatoes. If the
air is perfectly dry and the sun hot, cover the tomatoes with cheese cloth and dry them in the
sun.

Or you can slip the tomatoes into a very low oven--250 to 275 degrees. Dry uncovered, for about 6 hours or until the tomatoes are rubbery.

Rhubarb Apple Crisp

Your kitchen will smell wonderful while this tasty crisp
cooks; and your family will know you´re wonderful after
they´ve eaten it!


Rhubarb Apple Crisp

TOPPING
1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup oats
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons margarine -- melted
FILLING
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups sliced apples
3 cups rhubarb -- diced

Combine all topping ingredients in a bowl, and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine sugar and flour

Add fruit to flour mixture, and toss to coat.

Spoon fruit mixture into a 2 litre baking dish, sprinkle with topping mixture

Bake at 375 for 40-50 minutes until fruit is tender.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled & cut into cubes
5 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine the potatoes, garlic and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil over moderately high heat.

Cover the pan and simmer over moderate heat until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes and garlic well, and pass them through a ricer or mash them with a potato masher.

Stir in the milk and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the mashed potatoes with the olive oil
and serve.

Serves: 4

Sesame Veggies

To dress up a simple side dish of cooked green beans or
broccoli, spinkle on seasame seeds with a splash of
sesame oil instead of butter.

Crisp Apples

To keep the crunch in apples, store them in perforated plastic bags in the
refrigerator crisper.

Broccoli

Fresh broccoli will be firm fleshed with bright green stalks and green or slightly purple florets.

Yellow tinges or slightly budded flowers indicate that the broccoli is past its prime.

Slicing Mushrooms

To easily slice mushrooms for use on crudite platters,
use your egg slicer.

This makes for a clean presentation and slices that are thick enough to dip.

Melons: Where are they from?

Ever wonder where all those melons we love to eat are grown?

According to the Southern United States Trade Association the
following states are the big producers.

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North and South Carolina,
Tennesse and Texas.

Cantaloupe and Honeydew are available from these states from
May through to October.

Potato Storage

Store Potatoes in a cool, dark and well ventilated place.

Ideal storage temperature is 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cooler temperatures will cause the starch to turn to sugar, so don´t keep
your potatoes in the refrigerator.

Warmer temperatures will cause potatoes to sprout and they
can quite quickly begin to rot in very hot weather.

Potatoes should never be stored with onions.

Dilled Zucchini

Cut 2 medium zucchini lengthwise in half.

Cook, covered in 1 inch boiling salted water 12 to 15 minutes or until tender; drain.

Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with dill weed.

Serve immediately.

Spaghetti Squash; now what?

Once the squash is cooked, (baked, boiled, or microwaved) let it cool for 10 to 20 minutes so it
will be easier to handle, before cutting in half (if it wasn´t
already) and removing the seeds.

Pull a fork lengthwise through the flesh to separate it into long strands.
You can do these steps ahead of time, then prepare any of the spaghetti squash recipes whenever the mood strikes.

Eggplant Parmesan

A delicious baked eggplant dish. Serve with any grilled or roasted meat.


1 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 large globe eggplant, sliced 3/8" thick
Olive oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 pounds tomatoes or
2 large cans canned Italian plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix the breadcrumbs with the dried oregano. Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and coat them with the breadcrumb mixture. Lay them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake them, turning once or twice, until they begin to brown and become fragrant.

Sauté the olive oil, garlic and onion together until soft. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for 15 minutes until they become more saucy than runny. Toss in the basil and parsley, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 3 or 4 minutes more.

In a baking pan, layer: Sauce, eggplant, sauce, basil, mozzarella and parmesan, perhaps repeating the last five if you have a lot of eggplant. Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes, until brown and bubbling.

Cooking odors

To cut down on odors that come from cooking cabbage or cauliflower add a Tablespoon of white vinegar to the
cooking water.

Storing Nuts #1

The best way to store nuts is in their natural state - in their shells.

Shelled nuts can be kept in a paper bag, or a basket in a dry, cool dark location without risk of spoilage for months.

It is light, heat, moisture and exposure to air which cause nuts to go rancid.

If you want to store shelled nuts,click here!

Storing Raspberries & Blackberries

Follow these simple steps for proper storage of Raspberries & Blackberries.

1. Handle fruit gently to avoid bruising.
2. Place berries in single layer in a shallow
container to prevent berries from getting crushed.
3. Store unwashed berries in "crisper" section of
the refrigerator.

Artichoke preparation

1. Wash artichokes under cold running water.
2. Remove discolored lower petals.
3. Slice off the stems as close to the base as possible.
4. With kitchen scissors, clip off the thorny tops of each leaf.
5. Immerse prepared artichokes in acidulated water (to stop them from discoloring).

Asparagus

Purchase asapargus as close to when you want to cook it as possible as it toughens with age.

Look for firm stalks and tightly closed tips. Stalks that have little or no white marks are most tender and therefore most desirable.

Grilling Vegetables

Vegetables are excellent when simply grilled on the bbq.

Follow these simple steps for perfect vegetables every time.

1. Cut vegetables into equal sized chunks, slices or pieces.

2. Brush with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and your favorite dried herb if desired.

3. Thread vegetables onto skewers (chunks), place in a grill basket (slices) or directly on the grill (pieces).

4. Close the grill lid and cook over medium high heat turning when the first side has nice golden brown grill marks.

5. Cook on second side until grill marks appear and vegetables are tender crisp.

Quick Gourmet Cauliflower

Add crisp diced bacon and a dash of nutmeg sprinkled over the top of steamed cauliflower for a quick "gourmet touch" to regular weekday meals.

Nutty Pea Salad

Nutty Pea Salad

10 ounces frozen small peas, thawed & patted dry
2 stalks celery, chopped
5 green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1/4 cup chopped cashews
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream

Mix all together and refrigerate overnight.

Yields 3 1/2 cups

Storing Melon

Ripe melon, whole or already cut into pieces needs to be
stored in the refrigerator.

Place cut fruit into an airtight container and refrigerate for
up to 3 days.

Asparagus Almondine

Try this traditional simple preparation next time you have asparagus on hand.

Place cooked drained asparagus on hot platter. Saute 1/4 cup
slivered blanched almonds in 3 tablespoons butter until they are a light
brown color.
Salt and pepper asparagus and pour the sauteed nuts on top.

Asparagus with Bacon

A simple and tasty preparation for asparagus. Serves 4

1 1/2 Pounds Asparagus, cut diagonally into 1" pieces
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons Lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 Slices bacon fried and crumbled

Place steamer basket in 1/2 inch water in saucepan or skillet (water should not touch the bottom of basket).

Place lower stalk pieces in basket. Cover tightly and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Steam 4 minutes.

Add tips. Cover tightly and steam until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes longer.

Toss asparagus with parsley, lemon juice and salt.

Sprinkle with bacon and serve.

Purchasing Rhubarb

When buying Rhubarb choose fresh crisp stalks, and peel off any stringy covering before use.

Rhubarb is sold by the "bunch" which is usually 2 to 2-1/2 lbs., 1 lb. cooked yields 3/4 cup.

Keeping Avocado Flesh Fresh

The best way to keep an avocado from spoiling once you cut into the meat is to sprinkle it with lime or lemon juice or even vinegar. Also, wrap the avocado slices tightly in plastic wrap before storing in the refrigerator to keep oxygen from the air from browning the flesh. If you have the capability to vacuum seal, this will keep the avocado slices even fresher.

Avocado; increase shelf life

To delay the ripening process of an Avocado store it in the refrigerator.

Crisp Celery

Wrap celery stalks in aluminum foil and keep in the refrigerator.

It will stay crisp for at least 2 weeks.

Makin´ Mashed Potatoes

Russet or Idaho potatoes are the best type of potato to use for making mashed potatoes that are light, fluffy and smooth.

They have a low moisture and high starch content.