Italiancook

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  • in reply to: Kitchen appliances #6966
    Italiancook
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      I decided timing the food in a convection oven was too much trouble. I couldn't predict when the food would be done, and I didn't want to stand by the oven testing the food. I only use the regular oven feature.

      in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of March 12, 2017 #6965
      Italiancook
      Participant

        I made a pot of Hamburger-Vegetable Soup from Better Homes & Gardens cookbook.

        in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of March 12, 2017? #6953
        Italiancook
        Participant

          RiversideLen, your sandwich buns look great!

          in reply to: Kitchen appliances #6952
          Italiancook
          Participant

            Mike, before you buy induction, you may want to check the manufacturer's website for the model you want, and read online reviews about induction stovetops. You may recall that many weeks ago, I posted that I was considering induction. After reading your response, I picked out a specific model. My husband checked the manufacturer's website and discovered it was discontinued. I didn't want to buy something for which there might not be parts far down the road.

            My husband also checked online reviews of induction in general. He said some people were reporting that using their induction appliance caused their circuit breakers to trip. I don't know how many reports of this he read, but Googling might bring you to these. Of course, manufacturers make improvements based on consumer experience, so by the time you want induction, this may not be an issue.

            My husband also said his research indicated that the strength of the induction varied between burners.

            in reply to: How to Make Saffron Rice ? #6914
            Italiancook
            Participant

              I made saffron rice today using a variation of the recipe I found online but couldn't find now when I looked. It was for stovetop rice, and I used a rice cooker. Below is my recipe and results:

              I used a scant 2 cups of basmati, and approximately 1/3 cup minced onion. I put a small pinch of saffron on a flat plate and crushed it into a powder with the back of a spoon. The recipe said to use a mortar and pestle, but I don't own one. I used chicken stock and added a larger pinch of saffron (whole) into the stock.

              The finished product was the yellow I wanted, but it tasted like plain rice. In retrospect, I realize I was too stingy with the saffron pinches. Next time, I'll use more powdered and whole saffron. I realize I may never be able to replicate the taste of the packaged product I remember from a decade ago. They may have used something else in their mix. But I think that an adequate amount of saffron should add something to the flavor. Am I wrong?

              in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of March 12, 2017? #6902
              Italiancook
              Participant

                BakerAunt, I'm glad you folks arrived safely.

                I baked my grandmother's recipe for Banana Nut Bread. I sliced and froze half of it. I experimented with the other half. I used it to make Banana Bread Biscotti. I used the recipe linked below from Food Network's "The Kitchen."

                http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/banana-bread-biscotti

                I didn't make a chocolate one. Instead, a regular banana bread. As far as the biscotti, I think mine would have turned out better if I had wrapped the loaf and let it sit a day or two. Next time, I'm going to turn off the oven at the end of the baking time and let the bread stay in the oven an extra 5 minutes. The centers need to be crispier than they are. At least I can now say I have homemade biscotti in the freezer!

                in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of March 12, 2017? #6900
                Italiancook
                Participant

                  BakerAunt, glad to see you arrived safely.

                  I baked a loaf of my grandmother's Banana Nut Bread. I used a farmer's black walnuts. Much more flavor than the grocery store brand. Still, I think the best black walnuts were the ones my dad picked up under a tree in another state, carted home to shell. That's probably a skewed memory, because the nuts in today's bread gave a wonderful moisture and flavor to the bread.

                  I sliced half the loaf for the freezer. I experimented with the other half and made Banana Bread Biscotti using a recipe I saw on Food Network's "The Kitchen." I think the biscotti would have been crisper in the center if I had wrapped the bread and let it sit a day or two. Next time, I'm going to let them sit in the oven for five minutes with the temperature turned off. I would like to achieve more crispiness in the center. But now, I can say I have biscotti in the freezer!

                  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/banana-bread-biscotti

                  The above link is about making biscotti with chocolate banana bread. I made a regular loaf, not chocolate, and the biscotti idea still has merit.

                  in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of March 12, 2017 #6876
                  Italiancook
                  Participant

                    Last night, I braised pork chops and made French fries as a side.

                    in reply to: Malted Milk Powder #6842
                    Italiancook
                    Participant

                      Thanks, Aaron, for explaining diner pancakes to me. The last time I was in a diner was when I was 7 or 8.

                      in reply to: Malted Milk Powder #6835
                      Italiancook
                      Participant

                        Okay, I have to ask: What is a diner pancake -- a pancake with a secret ingredient?

                        in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of March 5, 2017? #6816
                        Italiancook
                        Participant

                          I had leftover brown rice. I Googled to find out how to make rice pudding from leftover rice. This morning, I used the recipe below to make rice pudding for breakfast. I have more half 'n half than milk, so I used half 'n half instead of milk. The recipe doesn't call for an egg, but I began to think that for breakfast it should have protein. I had 1-3/8 cups rice and liquid, so I added one beaten and tempered egg. That made the pudding quite creamy. I don't like the texture and will not use an egg in the future.

                          http://www.epicurious.com/recipes-menus/leftover-cooked-rice-pudding-recipe-article

                          in reply to: Cookie ideas, please #6805
                          Italiancook
                          Participant

                            I'll look for the Koulouria recipe, BakerAunt. I hadn't thought of Biscotti. Thanks, RiversideLen, for the Oatmeal Coconut cookie recipe.

                            in reply to: How to Make Saffron Rice ? #6804
                            Italiancook
                            Participant

                              It hadn't occurred to me, Mike, that there was a recipe for saffron rice. After you mentioned it, I searched online. I found one recipe where the yellowness of the rice looks like what comes from the package. It's for stovetop cooking, so I'll have to experiment to adjust it to the rice cooker. Thanks!

                              in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of March 5, 2017? #6803
                              Italiancook
                              Participant

                                I just put a pan of Vegetable Lasagna in the fridge. Thanks, BakerAunt & KIDPIZZA, for your tips on doing this. Both helped. I'm gong to refrigerate the lasagna for a few hours before I cut it and freeze it in serving pieces. Originally, I planned to cut it after it had rested and flash freeze the pieces. While it was baking, I realized that idea is bad, because my freezer would smell like garlic. My new thought is to slice it, wrap each piece in foil, then flash freeze the pieces before putting them in freezer bags.

                                in reply to: Cookie ideas, please #6792
                                Italiancook
                                Participant

                                  Aaron, thanks for the faux-reos idea. I've never before made a sandwich cookie, but how hard can that be!

                                Viewing 15 posts - 1,231 through 1,245 (of 1,503 total)