Kansas.com: Food

Thermometer handy when it's turkey time

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:05 CST

As Thanksgiving approaches, I've received lots of questions about preparing the traditional turkey feast. Whether you have roasted dozens of turkeys or this will be your first, there are numerous opinions on how to cook the perfect bird. Frankly, I have brined turkeys, dry-rubbed turkeys, slathered turkeys with a butter-herb mixture and even massaged it under the skin — and each method produced a tasty entree. I am convinced there is no one right way, but many ways to produce a beautifully roasted Thanksgiving turkey.

But there are some questions that arise time and again, and perhaps the most important ones have to do with getting the turkey fully cooked.

Pungent blue cheese makes a tasty spread

Jill Wendholt Silva — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:06 CST

Got the holiday blues?

When you're in the mood for a decadent dip, a nip of blue cheese is sure to please.

Go ahead. Indulge in a smidgeon of high-fat high jinks. If you watch your portion size, an intensely flavorful starring ingredient can help satisfy your cravings for rich, creamy foods without the guilt.

Store-bought pies long way from the real thing

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:03 CST

Most of the questions I have been getting recently revolve around baking pies. Could it be that Thanksgiving is on the horizon?

Making a really good pie is almost a lost art. Sometimes we opt for convenience and pop a store-bought pie in the grocery cart and never experience the taste of a freshly baked pie. But let's face it — commercially prepared pies often have a soggy crust and a paste-like filling. On the other hand, a really good homemade pie has a tender, flakey pastry and a filling that literally melts in the mouth.

I can tell from your questions that some of you are ready to get out the rolling pin and start baking. So let's get those questions answered so your Thanksgiving pies will be perfect this year.

Holiday cheers

Mary Ann Anderson — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:14 CST

With the holiday and entertaining season already gearing up, it's time to take a close look at your home bar. You have probably received or given a few gifts of spirits and wine over the years, but just how long does it last? First of all, alcohol doesn't spoil. That means no expiration date for most distilled spirits. As a matter of fact, you're probably going to expire and become a spirit long before that unopened bottle of good scotch or rum does. The rules are different when it comes to wine, champagne and liqueurs, though, and require a different way of thinking.

Alcohol is a preservative, so nothing icky can grow in it. Moreover, the higher the alcohol content, the longer the spirit will last, especially an unopened bottle. Unopened base liquors like scotch, tequila, vodka, gin and rum can be stored for years (just a thought, Scrooge: they can also be re-gifted).

If the cap is left off a bottle, the spirit will evaporate into the "angel's share," so the secret to longevity is to keep it tightly sealed and in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Heat and oxidation are the primary culprits for spirits gone bad.

Plenty of fresh pumpkins in local markets

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:03 CST

I've been pondering pumpkins the past few days. I had heard there might be a shortage of canned pumpkin, but did not give it much credence. A colleague reported she purchased a whole case of pumpkin to be sure she had enough for the pumpkin rolls that she customarily makes.

I personally thought she was an alarmist, but had second thoughts after another friend who owns a restaurant reported she had ordered several cases for the pumpkin bread she serves. Now two of my friends were stocking up; that got my attention.

Although I don't need canned pumpkin yet, I am an ardent supermarket shopper, so I began to take notice. What I have discovered is a lack of canned pumpkin on some supermarket shelves — and when it was present, it was the store brand.

Pudding warms the heart and stomach

Kerry McCray — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:05 CDT

There's something about rice pudding that says cozy.

As far as comfort items go, it's right up there with your softest blanket, oldest sweater and fuzziest slippers.

But to be truly comforting, it must be the right kind of rice pudding. No fancy rice, no coconut milk, certainly no bananas or chocolate.

Hearty soup just right for chilly nights

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:05 CDT

Now that autumn has arrived with cooler days and chilly nights, my thoughts turn to comfort food. It's time to make a pot of soup that will warm both body and spirit. I am not talking about a light, appetizer type of soup. Nope, I want a hearty soup that needs only a hunk of crusty bread for a meal that makes me happy.

Last week Damian Lehman, executive chef of the Wichita Country Club, taught a class on soups at my cooking school. Although he made several kinds, his chicken tortilla soup was a class favorite. Not only is it delicious, but it is also very easy to make. Everything goes in the pot; it simmers for a while, then it is ready to serve.

With the recipe dressed up with a spoonful of guacamole, a dab of sour cream or a sprinkling of shredded cheese, you have a real bowl of soup.

Liz's Laughably Easy Lasagna

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:05 CDT

1 or 2 cartons (16 oz. each) low-fat ricotta cheese

1/2cup Parmesan cheese

1 lb. ground beef, crumbled and cooked

Induction cooking induces questions

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:09 CDT

When I had a small group for dinner last week, everything was perfect — the tenderloin of beef came out of the oven beautifully browned and medium-rare, side dishes were ready right on time, the table was set and the autumn flowers were lovely.

As the dinner commenced, those around the table chatted about the day's occurrences and the food. Then one guest, it seemed, became more intrigued by my kitchen appliances than the meal I had prepared.

When he noticed I had a gas cooktop as well as a large induction cooktop, he asked which I preferred. That was easy — I love induction cooking, I find it to be quicker than gas, spills wipe up easily, and induction cooking does not blacken the bottoms of my pans as gas is prone to do.

Feta cheese jazzes up tabbouleh

Jill Wendholdt Silva — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:07 CDT

Tired of the predictable pasta and potato salads at your neighborhood or church potluck?

This recipe for tabbouleh with feta, a colorful, Mediterranean-style no-cook salad, is easy to fix and makes enough to feed a crowd.

Tabbouleh (pronounced tah-BOO-lah) is made from bulgur or wheat kernels that have been parboiled, dried and ground, a process that reduces cooking to a quick steam using boiling water. Stir in chopped tomatoes, mint, parsley, lemon and olive oil, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

When you're in France, say cheese

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:39 CDT

Since returning from France, I find myself pondering many things I learned during my recent visit. I've learned that the beautiful, miniature pastries pack a big flavor and I must make them! I've learned that the three huge, ethereal, puffy pastel meringues in the patisserie window are neither worth the twelve Euros nor the five miles my friends and I trudged to purchase them.

I've learned apple cider in France means fermented cider and is customarily served with crepes in Brittany.

Finally, I learned France produces some of the most noteworthy cheeses in the world, and I joyfully sampled many of them.

After Child, read these

jackie burrell — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:06 CDT

There's no doubt about it. Julia Child is hot.

Boosted perhaps by the hit movie "Julie & Julia," Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" is selling like hot crepes. It recently topped Amazon's best-seller list, and it's still simmering at No. 27.

Following are a few good reads for foodies wondering "What do we read after 'Julie & Julia'?"

Madeleine a great way to start day

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:05 CDT

When I was invited recently to teach at a cooking school in Orleans, France, I began dreaming of all sorts of wonderful dishes I might make. However, Laurence Herve, owner of Atelier-Cuisine de Laurence, adamantly insisted that whatever I choose "must be American!"

After polling my culinary students, I sent her a long list of typically American foods. She responded by selecting five: Maryland crab cakes with remoulade sauce, Southern fried chicken, pan gravy, creamy mashed potatoes and blackberry cobbler with vanilla bean ice cream.

Once I arrived at Laurence's cooking school, our first task was converting standard American ingredients into metric, which was not difficult with a combination standard-metric scale. Translating an English recipe into French came easily for Laurence, who speaks English fluently.

Pumpkin pleasers

Cathy Thomas — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:17 CDT

Fresh pumpkin? Shoppers at local supermarkets are hungry to embrace the season. With childlike grins, they load their carts with one or two large jack-o'-lantern pumpkins from the supply outside the front door.

Some add a fairy-tale pumpkin, the type with pale tan skin streaked with green. Deeply fluted and squatty, these pumpkins look whimsical, like Cinderella's carriage after the stroke of midnight.

And sweet pie pumpkins: Those rounded, burnt-orange lovelies are the ones that should be used for baking. Usually about the size of a large grapefruit, sweet pie pumpkins have thick walls. The flesh is smooth and less stringy than their jack- o' brothers. The flavor is deeper, the taste sweeter. Once steamed or baked, they're pureed and turned into pies and cakes, puddings and cookies, pancakes and muffins.

Summer spuds: Time to shake up potato salad

Nancy Stohs — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:12 CDT

Is it possible to live on potato salad alone? I think I could do it. Really. I don't know about you, but it's the first dish I reach for on every picnic buffet. I save room for seconds. A good potato salad is better than all the burgers or perfectly grilled brats, chicken or shish kebab in the world.

Or so I think.

The origin of potato salad is somewhat murky, but authorities agree that the versions we know became popular in America in the second half of the 19th century.