PictureTheRecipe how to poach an egg, smitten kitchen-style I am tortured by two opposing forces in my life: the fact that I love poached eggs–on anything and everything, from asparagus to slow-roasted slices of tomato, crisped cups of Canadian bacon, black bread, I could keep going… — and the fact that I’m terrible at making them. And this is why it is so ridiculous amusing that I am giving you–or at least the eleven of you that said you were afraid of poaching eggs–a poached egg tutorial today. And by “today” I mean two days because it took me two tries to even get one worth photographing (though in my defense, holding the camera in your right hand while lowering an egg into a pot with your left does have a certain inevitability of disaster). Obviously, this makes me some sort of expert, so let’s get started! How to Poach an Egg First, heat a pot with a few inches of water in it. Put a splash of vinegar in the water. Now here is the first of the two Very Most Important Things I Will Tell You About Poaching Eggs: You don’t want boiling water.
Homemade French Fries « Naturally Ella Why there is no need to purchase pre-made fries in the freezer aisle – in pictures and rhyme: One potato (find a potato) Two potato (cut the ends off) Three potato (cut slices) Four (cut fries from slices) Five potato (Toss in herbs and olive oil) Six potato (Bake) Seven potato (Eat!) More! See how easy? Baked French Fries Author: Erin Alderson Recipe type: Side Dishes Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Serves: 2 1 large Potato1 tablespoon olive oil1 tablespoon garlic1 teaspoon black pepper1 tablespoon oregano1 teaspoon mustard powder1 teaspoon parsleysalt to taste Preheat oven to 425˚.Before cutting potato, rinse well under water. Related Let Her Eat Cake: Coconut & Lime Fairy Cakes Put the lime in the coconut and shake it all up... My friend just came back from Brazil, and after listening to him bragging ALL I can think about is coconuts and Caipirinhas. Not even Harry Nilsson is going to help me out of this fix. Since we can't get away with drinking cocktails all day, a cake will have to do. As much as I love a cupcake, I've been getting a bit nostalgic for a good ol' fairy cake. Creamed coconut gives these little cakes a great depth of flavour. Coconut & Lime Fairy Cakes (Makes 12) You will need: For the cake: 110g unsalted butter, softened110g caster sugar1 heaped tbsp creamed coconut2 free-range eggs, beaten110g self-raising flour1-2 tbsp milk140g butter, softened250g icing sugar1 tbsp greek yoghurtsqueeze of lime juicezest of 1 lime (save a little for decoration)Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. The icing:
Dinner Recipe: Braised French Onion Chicken with Gruyère There are four basic steps in this recipe: Caramelize the onions, then deglaze the pan with a bit of broth. Next, brown the chicken thighs and deglaze that pan as well, with a little more broth. Combine the onions and the chicken, with their respective sauces, and bake in a slow oven for half an hour. Then take off the lid, and broil with Gruyère. Eat with some good bread and a salad! The chicken turns out succulent and tender, and it's nestled into a bed of rich, aromatic onions, spiked with tangy mustard. It pretty much goes without saying that this dish makes fantastic lunch leftovers, too. Braised French Onion Chicken with Gruyère serves 4 to 6 Melt the butter in a deep 10-inch sauté pan over medium heat. When the onions have developed an evenly light beige color throughout, add the garlic, thyme leaves, and whole rosemary sprig, and cook for a few minutes more, stirring frequently. Take the onions off the heat and pour them into a 3-quart oven-safe dish with a lid.
Homemade Crispy Potato Tots (Tater Tots) Homemade Crispy Potato Tots (Tater Tots) I went to a Sonic Drive In for the first time a few weeks ago and was surprised to see that they served tater tots. I just had to order some, and believe me I enjoyed every last tot. I knew then and there that I needed to make a homemade version in my own kitchen. So when the recent issue of Cook’s Country arrived in the mail, this recipe was the first one I bookmarked. Crunchy on the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside. Serve for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even an afternoon snack. I added a dash of cayenne pepper because I like things spicy, but feel free to leave it out. Crunchy on the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside. Ingredients: 1 cup water 2 1/4 teaspoons salt 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) 4 cups peanut oil or vegetable oil Directions: In a small bowl, whisk water and salt together until salt dissolves.
Let Her Eat Cake: Raspberry Ripple Cake What could be more retro than a marble cake? Remember the ones that would always turn up at the Primary School bring and buy sale? Well this one has grown up. Half raspberry ripple, half marble, this one would saunter through the school gates in a pair of stilettos and a puff-ball skirt and start flirting with the most attractive teacher by the ice cream van. Don't omit the vanilla pod if you can help it - the rich, exotic scent as you slice it open is incredibly addictive, and the flavour will transform your cake from sweet and sticky to suave and sultry. Raspberry Ripple Cake You will need: For the cake 175g butter, softened175g caster sugar3 free range eggs140g self-raising flour1 vanilla pod or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract25g ground almonds1-2 tbsp milk3 tbsp raspberries (fresh or fully defrosted) 2 large tbsp raspberry jam 2 tbsp ground almonds Make it! The cake: Pre-heat your oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4. The topping:
Better Grilled Cheese Funky versions of America's simplest sandwich have been popping up at national restaurants and quick-service chains more and more in recent years. Problem is, when restaurants start to get creative, it usually spells trouble for your waistline. Au Bon Pain's Prosciutto Mozzarella Sandwich is a perfect example of this "more is more" mantra, where a few thin slices of cured ham and a mozzarella blanket turn a lunchtime bite into a sandwich that packs as much saturated fat as 5 scoops of Breyers vanilla ice cream. We're all for innovating, but if you're going to do it, do it right. You'll Need: 1 Tbsp butter 8 slices whole-grain bread (we love Martin's Whole Wheat) 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 6 oz shredded sharp Cheddar cheese 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced 8 strips cooked bacon How to Make It: Heat the butter in a large skillet or nonstick saute pan over low heat. Makes 4 servings Cost per serving: $1.55 330 calories 15 g fat (6 g saturated) 790 mg sodium
recipe: buffalo chicken ring I love all things made with Frank’s Red Hot (or any hot sauce, really. But especially Frank’s Red Hot) I also love cheese. And crescent rolls. So this recipe? First, you make a funky circle-type thing with the crescent rolls. Then chop some celery. Then mix some cream cheese with half a packet of ranch dressing mix (more if you’d like, but half is probably plenty) Next is the chicken. And then: HOT SAUCE. Mix it all together: the cream cheese mixture, the chicken, the celery, and the hot sauce. Now comes the art portion of our project. Then slowly go around the circle, wrapping the chicken mixture in the dough. (It doesn’t have to look this pretty. Bake it for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees or until the crescent rolls are starting to brown. Now here is where I caution you: LET IT SIT FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND COOL BEFORE MOVING IT. Serve the chicken ring with ranch and hot sauce for dipping.
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes Updated 9/22/11 to Add: If you’re coming here to sample these delicious Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, you just might like the latest recipe that I’ve posted for Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes too. And Gingerbread- Cinnamon Roll Pancakes too. Enjoy! Here’s a short video sharing how to make these delicious pancakes: If you’ve ever thought you needed a reason to eat pancakes, today is the day: National Pancake Day! How do you like your pancakes? But recently I started dreaming about mixing cinnamon rolls and pancakes together… and this is what I came up with- my new favorite pancake: Cinnamon Roll Pancakes. I have a wonderfully fluffy pancake batter that I like to use (recipe below) so I swirled a bit of cinnamon roll filling into the pancake. And they cooked up just like a pancake- fluffy, but with craters of crusty, sugary cinnamon swirled within. You might find three of these stacked in a fancy breakfast restaurant, but I’m gonna tell you that one pancake is all you need. Oh yeah. Ingredients:
Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes “Scalloped” is an attractive word, isn’t it? When I hear it I think of several things: first, there’s scallops, as in the seafood—totally delicious. Then there’s the scalloped shape that can live on the edge of a pair of shorts or on the collar of a woman’s blouse—always pretty and dainty. The first players up are: a few Russet potatoes (I’m sure other varieties will work equally as well), Parmigiano-Reggiano and butter. Start by scrubbing your potatoes good and clean. Then, using a sharp knife, make slices across the potato, being sure to stop before you reach its bottom. Cut up your butter. Then do the same with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Next, open the potatoes’ crevices and shove the parmesan and butter, alternating between the two. After they’re stuffed with butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano, you want to bake them at 400ºF for about 45 minutes to an hour. When they’re done baking, you’re still a few minutes away from cheesy gloriousness! They’ll come out looking all cheesy and inviting.