The Professional Chef |

Whether you’re a dieter or a diabetic, your days of waving away the dessert tray are over, thanks to Xylitol, a natural sweetener that can be used as a stand-in for sugar in virtually any recipe that satisfies your sweet tooth. 

In 2003, nutritionist Karen Edwards wrote an entire Xylitol cookbook — “Sweeten Your Life the Xylitol Way” — and three years later unveiled an expanded version containing more than 100 recipes for cookies, cakes, pies, even ice cream and condensed milk, adapted to suit the tastes of those who crave carbohydrates but have concerns about sugar content.

Xylitol, a sweetener that occurs naturally in plants and in small amounts in human tissue, is sold in granulated form and has the sweetness of sugar, but contains roughly 40 percent fewer calories and produces neither the insulin spike of sugar nor the aftertaste of artificial sweeteners like Splenda and aspartame.

Because Xylitol and sugar react similarly to heat, Xylitol can substitute for sugar in cooking and baking on essentially a one-to-one ratio. But experts recommend starting with a smaller amount of Xylitol and adjusting to taste. In recipes calling for white flour, a good rule of thumb is to use a half-cup of Xylitol where you would normally use one cup of sugar and gradually add more until the batter is sweet enough.

Yeast bread is the exception to the rule, however. The same chemical compound that inhibits the production of harmful microorganisms in the mouth has the same effect on the microorganisms in yeast, making Xylitol unsuitable for use in baking yeast-based breads.

Do cooking measurements matter? When a recipe calls for a pinch of this and a dash of that, does it really matter how much you put in? What will happen if you leave an ingredient out?

If you’re an inexperienced cook, you wonder about the answers to these and other questions. Let’s take the mystery out of cooking measurements once and for all.

What’s a Pinch or a Dash?

A pinch of an ingredient (usually a spice) is literally the amount of the ingredient that can be held between your thumb, your index finger, and your middle finger. A small pinch is the amount of an ingredient that can be held between your thumb and one finger (take your pick which one you want to use). A dash, on the other hand, is a measurable amount – less than one-eight of a teaspoon but more than one-sixteenth.

Converting Cooking Measurements

Follow this table to convert U.S. measurements to metric:

1/5 teaspoon…1 ml

1 teaspoon…5 ml

1 tablespoon…15 ml

1 fluid ounce…30 ml

1/5 cup…50 ml

1 cup…240 ml

2 cups (1 pint)…470 ml

4 cups (1 quart)…95 liter

4 quarts (1 gal.)…3.8 liters

1 oz. weight…28 grams

1 pound…454 grams

What If It Gets Left Out?

Including all the minor ingredients is more important in baking things like cakes, cookies, and pastries, than it is in meat loaf, omelets, and salads. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to follow the recipe. Whoever wrote the recipe experimented with the cooking measurements to get them just right.

Now, if you know you can’t stand the taste of cumin, and you want to substitute oregano for cumin in a meat loaf recipe, that’s one thing. But leaving ginger out of ginger spice cookies is just wrong.

Measuring Tools

The importance of cooking measurements has led to a whole industry of cooking measuring cups and spoons. One of the most popular cooking measuring cup sets today is a blue ceramic set that looks just like a big coffee cup, marketed by Nigella Lawson the beautiful and famous television chef.

The most popular measuring spoons are heart-shaped measuring spoons by RSVP International. These spoons have arrow handles and heart-shaped measuring spoons. They make the user smile every time they use them.

The final cooking measurement device every cook needs is a scale. The best scales are digital, with the ability to accurately weigh items in bowls or plates or on slips of waxed paper.

All kitchens need certain basics to be functional. Functional is a relative term that means different things to different people. To me it just means making sure I have everything on hand to make my kitchen a nice place to be and my cooking experiences as enjoyable as possible. For home cooking, while certain basics are necessary, nothing is set in stone. Different cooks need different things. This is an outline to help you make sure you have at least the bare minimum without breaking the bank.

Cookware

There are many different types of cookware. This is where I do not skimp on price. Quality cookware will last a lifetime and is a worthwhile investment to make your home cooking experience enjoyable.

Cookware is manufactured with a variety of materials but my top three choices are cast aluminum, cast iron and stainless steel. Cast iron probably distributes and maintains heat the best. It is also the least costly of my three choices but it is also the hardest to care for. If properly maintained and seasoned it takes on an almost perfect nonstick finish and will last for years. Without proper maintenance it can discolor and rust. Stainless steel is extremely easy to maintain but does not distribute or hold heat as well as cast iron or aluminum. Stainless with a bonded aluminum bottom is an excellent choice. Cast aluminum is probably the best all around choice based on its properties. It spreads and holds heat almost as well as cast iron. It is lightweight and almost as easy to care for as stainless.

Cookware to have on hand

While the most cost effective way to buy cookware is to purchase sets it may not be necessary for everyone. You can always add pieces later. They may not match but functionality is more important than appearance for the Home Cook. Feel free to either add or eliminate pieces to this list as you see fit. If you are just starting out and are only cooking for one or two you most likely don’t need three saucepans. Always keep in mind that you can get specialty items as needed. In other words – if you don’t plan to bake pies for a while don’t buy pie pans.

Sauce Pans 1, 2, & 3 Qt. With lids Stock Pot with lid 5 or 6 Qt. Skillets 6 in., 10 in., and a 12 or 14 in. preferably with lids especially for the large one.

I also have on hand a fourteen inch Wok type cast aluminum fry pan with a rounded bottom that I find extremely useful. I use it a couple of times a week for many dishes from stir fries to frying chicken. It is a heavy gauge aluminum for which I find many uses. Heck, I even used it once to make loud noises to chase a stray dog out of the yard.

Ovenware and Bake ware

For the oven what you need on hand just depends on what type of cooking you want to do and how many people you cook for in your home or on how much entertaining you intend to do. The list that follows is the minimum that I like to have available but my home cooking needs are limited to a family of three and a Chihuahua. My wife likes to bake a lot of cookies for the holidays so I keep at least 5 cookie sheets around for convenience.

For ovenware or bake ware I mostly stick to glass or porcelain coated cast iron except for cake pans and cookie sheets. There I prefer nonstick aluminum. I keep two loaf pans – one glass for meatloaf and one nonstick aluminum for things like carrot cake and zucchini bread.
1 Baking Dish 1 qt. 1 Baking Dish 1 ½ qt. 2 9in. cake pans 2 8 or 9in. pie pans 15 1/2×10 1/2×1 in. cookie sheet number depends on how much you like to bake cookies or dinner rolls. I recommend at least two. 9×5x3 in. loaf pans 1 glass and 1 aluminum

Knives

For your cutlery choose wisely. Go for quality over price. Cheap cutlery is no bargain. Choose either carbon steel or stainless steel. My preference is good, high quality stainless. It is easier to care for than carbon steel and holds its edge almost as well. Stay away form serrated knives with the exception of steak knives and maybe your bread knife. Serrated edges tend to tear raw foods rather than cut cleanly, especially with meat. Always sharpen your knives by hand with a stone or a butcher’s steel. Electric sharpeners will eventually ruin the edge. Also, when cutting with your knives always do it on a surface that is softer that your knife. I recommend a wooden cutting board at least one inch thick. A thickness of one inch will help to prevent warping. Be sure to clean the board thoroughly as soon as possible and dry it completely to prevent warping or cracking.
Chef’s Knife – the one with the triangular blade – 7 to 14 inches long. I prefer one that is between 8 and 10 inches. Bread Knife – 8 to 10 inch – this is better if serrated because it takes less pressure to cut through fresh bread so there is less chance of crushing the loaf. Paring Knife for peeling and coring fruits and vegetables. Swivel bladed vegetable peeler – takes only the peel – a paring knife tends to take a little more of the pulp unless you are really skilled so use it mostly for coring.

Measuring Cups

Not much to say here. They are available in many varieties, both glass and plastic. I use only two. Both are glass as the markings are easier to see. Plastic is more opaque and the measurements are harder to read. Get one that measures up to one cup and one that measures up to two cups in glass with bright red markings.

Stocking Your Kitchen

While you could spend a small fortune to stock up on stuff you may use some day but will most likely throw out when it expires I think it is better to purchase a few basics and then buy other things as the need arises for specific recipes. In most instances fresh ingredients and spices are best but some processed and dry items are very handy for day-to-day home cooking. All other items can be picked up on an as need basis. The following list is what I keep on hand.
Dry bread crumbs plain and Italian Corn Starch – a great thickening agent for gravies and stews All purpose flour Spaghetti Rice

Most people balk at the idea of cooking for a large group of people. With images of huge stockpots boiling over and becoming chained to a hot stove and oven for countless hours on end, it’s no wonder that so many people avoid the idea of cooking for large crowds with more tenacity than they avoid being last in the dinner line.

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be the frightening proposition that so many make it out to be. When it comes to cooking for a large group, the planning phase is the most important. You absolutely must plan your meals when feeding a large group of people at Christmas. You need to know how many servings you will need. While obviously you never know how hungry people will be or who will eat how much when it comes to cooking for a large group it is a good idea to always plan for a few extra mouths in case some need a little more than you may think. You might want to double servings for teen and college-aged men that will be dining with you. And don’t overlook the possibility of one of your guests arriving with an unannounced guest in tow.

You need to know at least a general number of servings to prepare and adjust your recipe in order to accommodate those needs. Some people find it much simpler if they can double or triple recipes rather than scaling them to specific serving sizes. If this works best for you then by all means incorporate this practice when cooking for a large group. One thing you must be aware of is what you need to include in order to create the Christmas meal you plan to serve.

Having the proper ingredients and the proper amounts of ingredients is more important in bulk recipes than is often necessary in smaller recipes as there is less leeway when it comes to creating the proper consistency. You should keep this in mind when making purchases for your cooking for a large group at Christmas.

Some people find that the best route to take when it comes to cooking for a large group is to keep everything as close to their normal cooking size as possible. This would mean that instead of cooking one really huge pan of lasagna for a triple sized crowd, they would instead cook three normal-sized pans of lasagna. This accomplishes two things really and is something you may wish to keep in mind despite the extra time spent in the kitchen.

First of all, if something goes wrong, only one third of the meal is in shambles rather than the entire dinner. Second, you have a greater possibility of finding consistency issues before the baking begins if you are using measurements and cooking containers that you are familiar with and comfortable using. It is always best to discover errors and omissions sooner rather than later when it comes to cooking as very few ingredients can be properly added after the fact.

While cooking for a large group at Christmas may send some into dizzying spells with heart palpitations it helps if you take a few deep breaths, sit down, plan your menu, plan your meals, make a list of your ingredients, and cook in a manner that is comfortable for you. If you would rather get it all over with in one fell swoop, then by all means do just that. If you are more comfortable making multiple dishes of family favorites then that is probably going to be the best course of action in order to meet your large group cooking needs at Christmas.

Most important thing you should remember is that cooking for a large group at Christmas is time consuming and exhausting and should be approached when well rested (if that is even possible) for the best results. When it’s all said and done, there is something actually very satisfying about knowing that you have fed a crowd of loved ones at Christmas and fed them well!

As you look over a couple of prime rib recipes you’ll notice a wide range of prime rib cooking times. Some recipes call for a cooking time of one hour and some recipes say that the roast should be cooked for six hours. Very confusing! Well, there’s a reason for this discrepancy — prime rib cooking times depend a lot on the cooking temperature and the size of the roast.

There are two basic methods for cooking prime rib roasts — high temperature and low temperature. Each method has its advantages and there are people who swear by a one cooking process or the other. Prime rib cooking times are mostly determined by whether you are cooking the meat at high temperatures or low temperatures.

Some people love the slow cooking methods that is used in smoker barbecues. It can’t be denied that smoking brings out wonderful flavors in the prime rib and produces some of the juiciest roasts imaginable. The low temperature of smoker barbecues means that prime rib cooking times can be extended to five or six hours.

On the other hand, there are those who swear by cooking the prime rib in a hot oven. This method reduces prime rib cooking times to the minimum while searing the exterior of the meat so that it contains the juices. When placed in a 500° oven, a 12 pound roast will cook in less than an hour.

This fast cooking method, however, depends on the roast staying in the warm oven for at least one more hour after the heat is turned off. During this time, the meat is still cooking, so you could say that this method requires prime rib cooking times of three hours.

No matter which way you cook the meat, you have to check the interior temperature to make sure that it is cooked all the way through. A good-quality meat thermometer will tell you the temperature of the roast and you might have to extend the prime rib cooking times by an hour or two.

Chinese cooking has yielded some of the most delicious foods that are available, but you may feel as if the techniques used to prepare and cook the foods are too complicated or unfamiliar to produce good results. The truth is that Chinese cooking is simple, and can be done by almost anyone.

Chinese cooking is usually done in a wok or a bamboo steamer. A wok is simply a large, bowl shaped pan that can hold soups, stews or stir fry easily. Bamboo steamers are made from bamboo, and are used to make dumplings, meats and vegetables.

You will use the bamboo steamer inside the wok, which will be filled with water. You do not need to use a lot of water, but you will want to make sure that there is enough water so that the wok does not dry before the food is cooked, and that the water is boiling before you add the steamer.

You will also want to line the bamboo steamer with either cabbage leaves or lettuce leaves to make sure that your food does not stick to your steamer. Most Chinese foods can be cooked with these two simple cooking utensils.

A wok is a great choice for making healthy and nutritious vegetable dishes, since you can use a high heat for your dishes so that little cooking time is required. Since Chinese cooking can be completed in just a few minutes in a wok, your family will love being able to have their favorite Chinese food anytime.

When you cook Chinese food, it is best to use ingredients that are fresh. Most Chinese cooking is very simple, using only meats and vegetables with seasonings such as ginger, soy and garlic. The staples of Chinese cooking include beef, pork, chicken, cabbage and rice.

Typically, meats are used for seasonings in Chinese foods such as dumplings and stir fry’s rather than the main ingredient. Fresh vegetables and fruits are very common in Chinese cooking.

Some Chinese cooking does require some practice to make, such as egg rolls and dumplings. The main problem that you are likely to encounter is working with and folding the wrappers for these Chinese foods.

A good tip to remember is to make sure that you measure the foods you put into the wrappers, so that all of the egg rolls or dumplings cook in the same amount of time. You can cook egg rolls and dumplings either in hot oil for a crunchy snack, or in a steamer for a softer one. Typically, egg rolls are fried while dumplings are steamed, although you can always choose the cooking method that suits your family best.

You can put any combination of foods that you like in your dumplings and egg rolls. Chinese cooking is very versatile, and recipes can be adjusted to meet the tastes of even the pickiest members of your family.

Men are notorious for not cooking. First, they have mom doing all the cooking. Then, if they dare live alone for a while, they cook for themselves, usually a small repertoire of meals that consists of ravioli in a can, Spaghettios, rice and/or ramen noodles.

Eventually, they meet that “special someone” and might do some cooking to impress said “special someone”, at which point what they are actually doing is finding their favorite restaurant that isn’t “John’s Pizza”. From this special restaurant, they order their favorite meal and serve it on their own plates. Finally, they marry that special someone and they no longer have to cook again, unless it involves charcoal briquettes and lots of starter fluid, and then they’ll cook all day, every day, so long as there’s fire.

Men are hunter/gatherers, not cooks or chefs. They bring the meat, the women in their lives cook the meat. This is their primary thought process and they cling tenaciously to the idea when the truth of the matter is this: if men really wish to impress those around them with their culinary skill, discover the crock-pot. Crock-pots are the single greatest innovation to hit the world in the 20th Century and their versatility and ease of use is what makes them so brilliant.

With a crock-pot, men can cook a great variety of meals, all designed to fill, be flavorful and please. Having a yen for barbecue chicken wings but don’t have time at the end of a long, tiring day? Before leaving the house in the morning, toss the wings in the crock-pot, cover them with your favorite barbecue sauce, set the crock-pot on low and head out the door. Hoping for something more substantial? Cut some beef into cubes, open a can of potatoes, a can of carrots, maybe some peas, toss in some beef bouillon cubes, a couple cups of water, turn the crock-pot on low, and go. Really married to the idea of ramen or ravioli from a can? A crock-pot can do that too, only it requires much less interaction with the cooking process than previously.

Coming home of an evening is when you realize the benefit of this magnificent device, the crock-pot. As you open the door, the aromas of a wonderful meal greet you, beckoning you like a siren’s song, with the result being not crashing on the rocks but a delicious dinner. You will congratulate yourself in having the forethought to create a magnificent meal!

Another plus to using a crock-pot is the ease in cleaning. Once the meal is done and the leftovers are put away, there’s one piece to clean, the interior (usually ceramic) liner. You can leave the crock-pot turned on high and let water, with dish soap, sit inside for a couple hours, then wipe. Another quick clean is to rinse it out and put it in the dishwasher; no muss, no fuss. Cleaning the crock-pot after use is one of the greatest features, reducing cooking implements down to one “pan”, a large spoon and perhaps a knife.

For men, a crock-pot is truly a change for the better, permitting them to create meals that will impress. Crock-pots, also called slow cookers, require no recipes; simply ingenuity and a desire for more than food from a can. Surprise your mom, girlfriend, wife or friends with a well-balanced, seemingly thought out meal that will look as though you spent hours or days planning and preparing.

On the Internet there are many many free cooking games for kids, but are they as fun as the real thing? It doesn’t matter if you have children that are fussy eaters or if your children will eat just about anything that is in front of them, cooking is something most children like. That is why there are so many free cooking games for kids online. You can put your child in front of the computer and let them play a free cooking games for kids, or you can take some time and truly start cooking for and with your kids. It is the perfect way to combine your love for food and your love for your children.

In the free cooking games for kids, there are games where they are shown how to cook breakfast, they need to stir the eggs and so on. Cooking with kids in real life can be done whether it is for the morning meal, the evening meal, or for those many snacks in between. You can use the free cooking games for kids as an excellent way to get the kids involved in real cooking as well so this can be used as a valuable teaching time for you and your little ones.

When children get themselves involved in the free cooking games for kids, they are more likely to help you cook and they will eat what was made more quickly. This can be very beneficial for those who have children who are difficult eaters. Starting with free games to take on cooking for kids is also an excellent way to get in ingredients that you would normally wont get them to eat, you can dress up the ingredient as something fun and exciting. Many parents find cooking for kids an excellent way to get nutrients into their children, and the free cooking games for kids can help them with that.

Where do you find these free cooking games for kids?

First you find a recipe that you would like to make for your kids and then you go find the cooking game on the internet, 99% they are free, pick one out yourself, that is related to what you are going to cook in real life, there are so many that it should be easy to do.

About the recipes

There are probably millions of recipes to choose from because parents and daycare workers have posted their recipes and ideas on the Internet so you can start cooking for kids.

The free cooking games for kids, are often in some kind of Asian language (Japanese), but that is really no problem, most of the games are so intuitive and simple to understand that your children wont even notice that they are in Japanese. And when they are done playing you have already set up the same cooking tools or ingredients in the kitchen so they can play the same game in real life.

Teaching your children cooking with the help of free games can be fun. And in the end your children will learn that repeating the game in the kitchen together with you is double the fun. So start cooking with your kids today.

Are you one of the many cookery lovers or an individual with who feels like a novice when faced with the task of preparing new and varied meals? Well, whichever category you feel you belong to, we have just the cuisine to delight you with and help you build up your recipe book with interesting, exotic dishes and raise your skill levels at the same time by igniting the latent passion for good food – Italian style!

In fact, even beginners in the kitchen can learn how to put together a great tasting, healthy meal to enjoy with friends and family and it’s as simple as tuning in to a cookery show like Lydia Italian cooking demos! You learn by observing the techniques, tips and approaches the Lydia Italian cooking shows offer views and need to follow simple instructions for whipping up the same delicacies in your kitchen – and just await the praise that is bound to come your way with these value additions to your cooking skills!

If you are wondering where to find Lydia Italian cooking shows, you don’t need to look further than your food network timings on the TV guide or you can choose to log on to the program’s web site after entering the term into any major search engine. You’ll not only get all the information of shows to come with highlights of the recipes to be covered, but useful recipe links, details of past shows and live demos too!

We all know that with a little bit of play-way learning, the whole process is made more enjoyable and that’s the case with the Lydia Italian cooking show too: with an expert Italian chef guiding you all the way from picking the right ingredients, to mixing, cooking and presenting them just right and advise on entire menu planning, who knows what you can do with all the time and energy you will save on this easy to learn, enjoyable method of cookery schooling.

The best part about the Lydia Italian cooking show is the authentic recipes shown here along with variations of cooking techniques and an interesting, visual plus audio format that is easy to understand and recall; perhaps you could record some shows to watch at leisure too. Thus, it’s easy to ignite that passion for cooking great tasting and varied Italian fare by simply tuning in to the Lydia Italian cooking demo.

With a friend, the learning process is double the fun, so perhaps you can find someone who shares your passion for Italian cuisine or simply cooking – and then recipe swaps with other friends is enjoyable too! Anyone who wants to learn to be a better cook can benefit from watching Lydia Italian cooking shows and new recipes – or traditional ones with a twist besides getting to exchange fun tales on the whole experience!

It is easy to make a moist succulent turkey breast by following a few helpful hints:

* Place your turkey breast in a shallow roasting pan, to allow the heat to circulate well.

* Place one inch of water in the bottom of the pan to help keep your turkey moist and tender.

* Brush the turkey breast lightly with oil, and cover liberally with your favorite herbs, spices, or seasonings.

Make a tent out of aluminum foil and place this over the turkey breast to hold in heat for even cooking. You will want to remove the aluminum foil during the last hour and a half of cooking for a nice golden brown color.

Check the water level periodically and add more water if needed. This juice and herb infused mixture can be used to make nice turkey gravy after the turkey is done cooking.

The typical turkey breast cooking times for thawed turkey breast at 325 to 350 degrees in a conventional oven are:

* 2 to 3 pounds – 1.5 to 2 hours

* 4 to 6 pounds – 2.5 to 3 hours

* 7 to 8 pounds – 3 to 4 hours

It is perfectly safe to take your turkey breast directly from the freezer and cook it in the oven, without thawing. Just make sure to remove the neck and giblets first.

This will increase the the turkey breast cooking time by approximately fifty percent.

* Place your frozen turkey breast in a shallow roasting pan

* Place one inch of water in the bottom of the pan to keep your turkey moist and tender

* Brush the turkey breast lightly with oil, and cover liberally with your favorite herbs, spices, or seasonings.

Place a tent of aluminum foil over the turkey to hold in heat for even cooking, remove the aluminum foil during the last hour and a half of cooking for a nice golden brown color.

The typical turkey breast cooking times for a frozen turkey breast at 325 to 350 degrees in a conventional oven are:

* 2 to 3 pounds – 3 to 4 hours

* 4 to 6 pounds – 5 to 6 hours

* 7 to 8 pounds- 6 to 8 hours

It is important to cook your turkey breast at 325 to 350 degrees to make sure that it doesn’t dry out, and to maintain a safe internal temperature in the meat.

The best way to check for doneness is to use a meat thermometer. The minimum safe internal temperature is 165 degrees. If you pierce the breast with a fork, the juices should run clear.

If you use a convection oven it will reduce the turkey breast cooking times above by approximately 25 percent. To be safe use a meat thermometer to test for doneness

Following these easy tips will ensure that you have a delectable meal that everyone will be raving about.