How to Poach Eggs in the Oven

This method is so quick and easy… it makes making poached eggs a snap!... It also adds the possibility of serving them for a crowd…. while they’re in the oven… reheat made-ahead sauce… toast English muffins and prepare plate for serving… even make breakfast potatoes in a skillet…. you can have a terrific breakfast and serve a small crowd.

TIPS

The time for cooking these is a range… 15-20 minutes… it will depend on how you like your eggs and how your guests will like them… 15 minutes will have a bit of runny white and a nicely runny yolk… as the cooking time increases… the egg white becomes less runny and so does the yolk.

If you like a solid white and a fairly runny egg yolk… about 16 minutes is what you are shooting for… 20 minutes will give you a solid egg white and egg yolk… the yolk will be cooked but still a little soft… a hair away from hard boiled…. I hope that helps.

Beware… when looking at the eggs and trying to decide if they are done enough for you… the water will have risen to the top… so it may look like the white is very runny when it is not… I really hate to say this… but you will need to try this out for yourself… all ovens are slightly different and everyone likes eggs differently and you have to find what you like best…. I like it at 16 minutes.

Use a non-stick muffin tin for best results.

I like to break the eggs into a small custard cup then pour them into each muffin “well”.

You must use a muffin tin for standard size muffins. Make 1 or 24 .. the directions and time will be the same...

You have to try this... it is so easy... I may never use my poacher again!








All you need:

Standard size muffin tin
Spray cooking oil (butter flavor preferred)
Eggs
Water

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.



Spray each muffin “well” with cooking oil… spray as many as you need… 1 egg to each.






Add 1 tablespoon water to each muffin well to be used.









Drop one egg into each well.








Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on preferred doneness.







To remove poached eggs easily… simply use two soup spoons… the eggs should flip easily onto one spoon when pushed by the other.

How to Peel Peaches Easily

Don't those peaches look heavenly?... and ohhh the smell.. so sweet... I love peaches... I can think of so many things to make with them... you too? I thought so...



Okay.. so you went to that Farmer’s Market… and simply couldn’t resist that sweet peach smell… and you bought a bagful… now what to do with them.. the options are limitless… including just eating them the way they are… always a good option.

But you’re thinking you want to maybe make something with them… ugh… peeling them… they do not peel easily with a peeler… the peeler gets all jammed up with bits of skin… yuck.

Fear not.. I have a great tip about How to Peel Peaches Easily…

Here are some easy steps…

Put up a large pot of boiling water…. a big pot you use for spaghetti will do nicely.



In the meantime, cut an X into the skin on the bottom of each peach.



Drop them into that pot of boiling water… about 3 at a time and boil them for about 30-45 seconds… I have the best luck at 45 seconds… although other sites say 30 seconds… it depends on the peach.. some can have stubborn skin to pull off.

Meanwhile have a bowl of cold water waiting.. ice water works really well.



Scoop them out of the boiling water and drop them into the cold water for about 30 seconds or until they’re cool enough to handle.



Remove them and put them a colander.



With a sharp knife start to pull the skin where you cut that big X. Now continue to pull the skin off with your fingers… and there you have it…



Cut those babies up and you’re ready for your recipe.. whatever that might be.

How to Make Vanilla Extract

This is one how-to that is worth doing.. it’s easy… you control the quality of the ingredients and it takes virtually no time at all to put it together. Best of all.. it is far cheaper to make your own… and you can ensure a high quality extract.

You do need patience.. though.. since you will need to give it time to age… 3-4 months… 6 months or more is optimum. More on that topic later. You will need to keep it in a cool dark place… a cabinet is fine. And you will have to give it a good shake every week or so.

What You Will need



You will need a airtight jar… a lot of sites advise to use a colored glass jar… clear glass is fine too … I use a mason jar… some vodka or rum… I use vodka … and of course .. you will need vanilla beans.

About the Vanilla Beans

Vanilla beans tend to be expense in stores… I highly recommend Beanilla.com … I’ve purchased from them, they’re reasonably priced and their beans are quality beans… and I received my order quickly.

A lot of sites use 3-4 vanilla beans for each cup of alcohol… In my opinion, it’s not nearly enough.

I’m more in line with the Barefoot Contessa’s thinking, she fits as many as she can in…. I use about 8-12 per bottle of vodka, as she does. She also has noted, once she use begins to use the extract, she periodically replaces the vodka and adds fresh beans, removing the softened ones.

One final note about the Barefoot Contessa’s methods, she only waits a month before beginning to use it.

You can also use the beans from the pods for other uses in recipes by scraping them out. The extract will last indefinitely.. she noted that hers has been on the shelve for 20 years, using it, replacing it etc. It reminds me of sourdough starter.

There is also baker’s vanilla, which is 2x, which means it’s double strength. Professional bakers use this.

Choosing what beans to get… many people don’t realize there are different kinds of vanilla beans, each produce a distinctly different flavor.

The beans used most commonly are Madagascar beans, although other beans are also used to make extracts.

People mistakenly think that Bourbon Vanilla refers to the alcohol, it doesn’t. It refers to the beans from Papua New Guinea, it is named for the Bourbon French kings that ruled the island of Réunion when the method of hand pollination was discovered.

For more information about vanilla, read my post from last year.

About the Alcohol

Your vodka or rum should be a good quality vodka, between 75-80 proof. I use 80 proof. I try to make up about at least 2 cups or more at a time, a little more than a small bottle of vodka. I’ve been asked about brands, I use good quality vodka, the difference in price is not that much, and I want a good product. Talk to your liquor store about brands they would recommend. For the vodka, I have used Absolut, as well as, others.

What to do



Simply use a clean glass, air tight jar. I like a wide mouth Mason Jar. I use the quart size. You can always use a funnel to put it into pretty little jars (if you’re giving them as gifts) later on. You can always transfer it later to whatever type jar you find handy to use.

Add the alcohol to the jar. I cut my bean pods in half, then, using a sharp knife, slit it down the middle leaving the top point intact. Drop the cut bean pods into the alcohol and place the lid on. Give it a good shake and place it in a cool dark place…. And that is….. all folks!

This will be perfect in time for holiday gifts and baking… so get started now.

Remember to give it a shake once in a while.

How to Toast Almonds

Toasting nuts is not only easy… it greatly enhances the flavor… perfect for baking.

TIPS

Try not to have the nuts overlap … I know with sliced almonds that’s difficult… but do the best you can to spread them out. You shake the pan every few minutes or stir with a cooking spoon so they will toast evenly.

I always cover my baking pan with foil… it makes clean-up a snap.

Make sure you keep an eye on them.. nuts tend to burn easily.

So let’s get started!

PRINT RECIPE

How to Toast Almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread almonds, whole or sliced evenly over a baking sheet.

Bake until light brown in color… mine took about 10 minutes. Gently shake the pan every 2-3 minutes to ensure even toasting.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

I hope you found this helpful!

How to Make Vanilla Sugar

My recent post, All About Vanilla, hopefully provided you with some useful information about the flavoring that is probably the most popular and most often used. I think it’s important to know what exactly we use in our food and the options we have.

Who knew there were so many choices when it came to vanilla?… I sure didn’t until I investigated it. However, there are a few things I did know about vanilla… and vanilla sugar is one of them.

There are many uses for that wonderful vanilla bean.. and one simple thing my Mother always did was put a vanilla bean in her sugar. I remember lifting the lid on the sugar canister and just enjoying that sweet vanilla scent. To this day.. I still love the scent of vanilla.

TIP

I usually keep about 4 cups of vanilla sugar on hand... this way I have what I need for my recipes...I replenish it as needed and replace the vanilla bean(s) periodically. To make the initial supply.... just double the recipe.

How to Make Vanilla Sugar

Simply take a vanilla bean and slit it down the middle with a sharp knife. Bury it about 2 cups of granulated sugar in an airtight container and allow it to age for about 2 weeks. I've read that Alton Brown also scrapes the vanilla beans out and mixes them in the sugar… and also buries the bean. You can do it either way.

Uses

Use it as you would granulated sugar. One tablespoon of vanilla sugar will equal the flavoring of ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract.

How to Make Cinnamon Sugar

Cinnamon Sugar is a handy little mixture that I sprinkle on foods like French Toast, fruits, toppings, whipped cream, desserts and I even sprinkle it on buttered toast… just to name a few things I use it on. It’s also great as a quick little addition to some recipes… my recent post for Perfect Peach Cobbler had it in there.

You can buy it already mixed … you find it in the spice section of the grocery store… I bought it originally… until I had one of those “duh” moments as I was getting ready to throw it in the cart… why am I doing this??? … did I even look at the price??... when I thought about how little it would cost to make it… I decided I was nuts for buying it… I can make my own.

When I list it in a recipe.. I usually list in the TIPS section how to make it.. but it suddenly occurred to me that it might be helpful to list it on its own so you can readily find it and make it when you may want to add it to one of your own recipes…. so here it is…

First, a few of tips…

TIPS

I keep some of the cinnamon sugar mixture in an air-tight jar with a wide enough opening to fit a measuring spoon so it’s easy to use when I need to measure out what I need. I also keep some in a small jar that has a top suitable for sprinkling.

When one of my spice jars is empty, I wash it out and use it for spice mixes that I make or sugar mixes like this one that I want to sprinkle. If you do this.. make sure the jar is completely dry before filling it. You can also purchase empty jars with “sprinkle-friendly” tops at kitchen stores.

Use a wire whisk to mix the sugar and cinnamon, it will evenly mix the two together.

I made ½ cup batches of sugar…. I used ½ cup sugar (8 Tablespoons) and 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons of cinnamon (8 teaspoons)… see my pages for the Dry Measure Equivalents in Cooking chart for help in converting tablespoons and teaspoons to easier larger measures. Page links are at the top of this blog.... or click this link to get to the original post with the Dry Measure Equivalents Chart in it.

Use a funnel to make it easier to get the sugar into the smaller jar.

I hope you find this helpful!






Recipe: Cinnamon Sugar

All you need:

1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Small clean air-tight jar(s)

All you need to do:

Decide how many times you want to multiply this basic recipe to fill your little jar(s).




In a small bowl…mix the sugar and cinnamon using a wire whisk.









When completely mixed, fill your jar(s) and store them in a cool dark place.

How to Test the Effectiveness of Baking Powder and Baking Soda

How long should you keep Baking Powder and Baking Soda? … How do I know if it’s still good to use? … What happens if I keep it too long? … these questions come up all the time and are very good ones… so I decided to do a post on just these questions.

There’s a wide variety of brands available for both Baking Soda and Baking Powder, including generic store brands. How do you know which one to use? Unfortunately there really isn’t an answer to that question, each home cook and home baker has their own opinion based on experience.

I’ve used both name brands and store brands, and honestly, there isn’t a lot of difference. I have noticed there seems to be a difference in expiration dates, the best rule of thumb for that is, go by the expiration date on the box or container.

How Long Should You Keep Baking Powder or Baking Soda?

As I just mentioned, I would go by the expiration dates on the box. Generally, most say to keep the baking powder 6 months to a year, depending on the brand. Most Baking Soda brands list 3 months as the maximum time to keep it in the cupboard.

How Do You Know if it’s Still Good to Use?

You can do a simple test to make sure the Baking Powder or Baking Soda is still “active”.

To Test Baking Powder:

Place a ½ cup hot tap water in a measuring cup, then add 1 teaspoon baking powder. If it immediately bubbles up, it’s still good. If it doesn’t bubble up… it’s time to replace it.



To Test Baking Soda:

Place 2 tablespoons of white vinegar in a small custard cup, then add ¼ teaspoon baking soda to it. It should bubble up immediately if it’s still good.



What Happens if You Keep it Too Long?

Let me tell you about this…. I did this… I kept the baking soda way too long. What happened was that, over time, it became less and less effective. My Banana Bread recipe, something I make fairly often, calls for baking soda. Over time, my banana breads rose less and less, I hadn’t even really noticed until one afternoon my banana bread came out of the oven looking absolutely pitiful. I replaced the baking soda and my next batch of banana bread was back to its old self… the difference was amazing.

So the lesson here is… don’t do as I did… follow the expiration dates .. or if the box doesn’t have an expiration date…you can test the effectiveness.. but at least follow the rule of thumb… don’t keep baking soda longer than 3 months or baking powder longer than a year.

How to Soften Cream Cheese Quickly

This quick tip comes from the folks at Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese. I hope you find it helpful.






To quickly soften cream cheese all you need to do:

Completely unwrap the cream cheese and remove the wrapper.

Place the cream cheese on a microwaveable plate and microwave for 10 seconds on HIGH or until softened.

Add 15 seconds for each additional 8 ounce brick of cream cheese.

How to Make Baking Powder

Ever need baking powder and find you don’t have it? Here is a quick solution… make it!

All you need:

½ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon cornstarch

All you need to do:

Blend ingredients in a ramekin.

How to Roast Garlic

Roasting garlic is so easy… and so much cheaper than buying it in jars already roasted… as with making your own spices blends… roasting your own garlic can save you money considerably… and having it on hand… well… makes using it easier…. making meals come alive with fabulous flavor.

Roasting garlic makes it almost sweet… and takes the pungent flavor and smell away… the insides become a buttery yellow ans soft… fabulous spread on fresh bread… and no… you won’t reek from it for days… it actually is very mellow.

TIPS



I like to make a batch of roasted garlic and store it in a jar in the refrigerator… it should easily last two weeks…

I use pimentos in my macaroni salad and some other salads… I clean and save the little jars … they’re perfect for storing roasted garlic… the two ounce size holds roasted garlic from about 3 average sized heads.

You can use a ceramic ramekin or… you can use a non-stick pan which I recommend… a muffin tin works especially well … but any small pan will do.

Try this… you won’t believe how easy it is to do!






Recipe: Roasting Garlic

All you need:

Whole garlic heads
Olive oil

All you need to do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.


Peel the loose paper-like outer skin from the head.

Cut about ¼ inch off the top of the head.

Drizzle about 2 teaspoons of olive oil on each head, making sure it gets into the cut cloves.







Place in a baking dish or pan.. cover with foil.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 35 minutes or until the cloves are extremely soft.








Remove form the oven and allow to cool enough to handle.















Remove the soften cloves with a small fork or squeeze out the roasted garlic into a clean jar.

Refrigerate.

How to Toast Pecans

Tip of the Day

Toasting pecans give them a wonderfully enhanced nutty flavor…. so many recipes call for toasted pecans…..I thought I’d post this quick tip…… try it in your recipes that call for pecans… or toss on a salad…. so tasty and so easy to do!

All you need to:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the pecans on a baking sheet.

Bake for about 5-8 minutes or until the pecans are lightly browned and aromatic (fancy word for smelling great).

How to Toast Coconut Flakes

Toasted coconut adds flavor to many foods such as spreads and Asian dishes, as well as, making an attractive topping for many desserts. Toasting coconut flakes is easy…. just follow these simple steps…






PRINT RECIPE

Recipe: How To Toast Coconut Flakes

All you need:

Desired amount of coconut flakes

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the desired amount of coconut flakes on a cookie sheet or metal baking pan.

Heat flakes for 3-5 minutes…. watch the flakes closely… they can burn quickly…. you want them just a light golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool…. and use as directed in recipes or as a topping.

How to Toast Walnuts

Tip of the Day

Before I go any further…. you might ask why toast walnuts? Toasting walnuts can enhance their sweet nutty flavor… you can toast other nuts for the same reason…

According to the California Walnuts website…. it’s really easy to toast walnuts.

They can be toasted dry or with a dash of oil…

You toast them by baking or on the stovetop.

Baking Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the walnuts on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake 8 to 10 minutes… check them frequently so they don’t char.

Stovetop Method:

Cook walnuts in a skillet at medium high heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Thawing a Frozen Turkey

Cooking Tip of the Day

Most brands of frozen turkey have thawing instructions on the wrapper… it is recommended you follow their instructions. The instructions below are from Butterball. For additional thawing instructions for other Butterball products such as frozen fully baked or smoked turkeys… go to their website.

For Thawing a Frozen Whole Turkey, Whole Turkey Breast or a Boneless Roast:

Refrigerator Thawing:

Thaw breast side up, in the unopened wrapper, on a tray in the refrigerator (the tray will prevent juices from the thawing turkey leaking onto other foods and contaminating them).

Allow for at least 1 day of thawing for every 4 pounds of turkey.

Cold Water Thawing:

Thaw breast side down, in unopened wrapper, in enough water to cover it completely.
Change the water frequently to keep the turkey chilled.

Estimate a minimum thawing time of 30 minutes per pound for a whole turkey.









Source: Butterball