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How to store tomatoes

Common Cooking Questions Answered

Rachel Sherwood

This week is all about you and your questions. I have a pretty open policy that you can always ask me anything. My clients know I am here for them and committed 100% to their success when they work with me, and when they are at home cooking alone. At times we all have questions, so don’t hesitate to reach out on Facebook and Twitter for responses to your needs. Don’t be shy, I would hate to see a spoiled dinner just for not reaching out. I love to hear from those who are cooking and trying out something new. I have recently been taking notes of a few common questions I get asked by clients, family and friends. See below for Common Cooking Questions Answered.

Question: How long can I keep meat in the Freezer?

How long can I keep meat in the Freezer

(How long can I keep meat in the Freezer?)

This question came from my brother one Saturday afternoon after he had already tossed out 2 pounds of frozen chicken when later he found another 2-pound package. Not wanting to trash 4 pounds of frozen meat he called. Luckily he had dated the package so we knew it was going on 8 months of freezer time but it was wrapped well and is perfectly safe to consume. Below is a general guide. To freezing meat

Steaks and roasts – 6 to 12 months.

Chicken or turkey, pieces – 9 months.

Whole poultry – 1 year.

Always purchase the product before “sell-by” or expiration dates.

  • Follow handling recommendations on the product.
  • If freezing meat and poultry in their original package longer than 2 months, overwrap these packages in heavy-duty foil or freezer paper for a better seal. For best results, individually wrap items and seal out as much air as possible.

Question: I was letting a chicken thaw on the kitchen counter and I forgot about it, leaving it out all night. The bird is still cold in the middle; is it safe to eat? How is it safe to thaw chicken?

From my friend Lori who was at the cabin with friends.

How to safely thaw chicken

(How to safely thaw chicken)

No, In this case, I would not recommend eating this bird. Even though the bird may have still been slightly chilled on the inside, the outside may have been much warmer. And you’re not exactly sure how long it sat at that temperature. Being that it was overnight it could be as long as 6 hour putting it well into the Temperature Danger Zone which is a breeding ground for bacteria.

In general, it is not safe to thaw items directly on the counter, as it takes too long and they thaw unevenly. Here are some ways to safely handle and thaw meat.

  • Refrigerator Thawing works well and is very safe leaving the thawed product still safe to eat 2-3 days after it is thawed. Simply put the item on a plate to catch any drippings as it thaws. Note that this method just takes time; generally allow 24 hours per every 4 pounds of meat. Even small amounts can take a full day to thaw. Keep in mind that some areas or refrigerators are colder than others are and this will affect the time to thaw as well.
  • Cold Water Thawing is faster than refrigerator thawing but requires more attention. Place the food in a leak-proof package or plastic bag. If the bag leaks, bacteria from the air or surrounding environment could be introduced into the food. Also, you don’t want the meat to absorb extra water. Submerge the bag in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes so it continues to thaw. Estimate about 30 minutes per pound 3- to 4-pound package may take 2 to 3 hours. A 16-pound turkey will take about 8 hours to thaw this way. For larger items, it is easiest to plan ahead and let it thaw in the refrigerator. If thawed completely, the food must be cooked immediately.
  • Microwave Thawing. Plan to cook the food immediately after thawing because some may become warm and begin to cook during the thawing. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended as it could bring it into the temperature danger zone. Follow the individual unit’s introduction for microwave thawing, as each unit is different.

Question: I made homemade chicken broth but it got all gummy and jelled when I put it in the refrigerator, did I do something wrong?

From client Ashley making homemade broth and soup at home.

What she did was perfect. If your broth jells, you made a really rich, healthful broth. When you simmer fresh chicken bones, you extract the collagen from the bones. This collagen in the bones is what is causing the liquid to gel. It’s completely natural, and it only happens in rich, well-made chicken broth meaning that in place of store-bought broths that lack complexity and mostly flavored with salt the broth, Ashley made great flavor and she extracted all the important minerals and amino-acids (like calcium, magnesium, collagen, chondroitin and glucosamine) from the bones. When the broth is heated, it will become liquid again. You can always thin it out with a little water if you desire.

Question: My tomatoes always seem mealy and lacking flavor, how do I ensure the best flavor from my fresh tomatoes?

From client Pete.

How to store tomatoes

(How to store tomatoes)

Most store-bought tomatoes are grown in greenhouses and can be harvested when they are not fully ripe. The best way to keep that fresh tomato flavor and firm flesh is to buy them a few days before you plan to use them letting them ripen a bit more on your counter top. Lay them stem side up out of direct sunlight and don’t refrigerate tomatoes. Tomatoes lose flavor and the texture changes when chilled. For short-term storage put them in a paper bag and keep in the coolest part of the kitchen.

Have a question, you want answered? Ask it here.

Fresh Peach and Tomato Garden Salad

Odd Food Parings

Rachel Sherwood

Flavors can range from sweet and salty to spicy, pungent and earthy. (Flavors are actually developed through our sense of taste). Do you ever have those days when nothing sounds good? Eating the same food with the same favor combinations day after day year after year can get a little boring. This week’s recipe is about odd food parings featuring fresh garden tomatoes and peaches. The acid and sweetness of these two pairs wonderfully in a light refreshing summer salad.

I encourage you to think outside the box, mix up your old favorites and try one of these new and surprisingly tasty odd food combinations. You never know what new delicious discovery is waiting for you. Let me know what you like best.

Odd Food Parings that are Really Tasty

  • Chocolate and Chilies
  • Chocolate and Olives
  • Dark chocolate and Parmesan
  • Orange and Olives
  • Bacon and Banana
  • Salmon and Licorice
  • Smoked salmon and Greek yogurt on bagels
  • Mushrooms and Apricots
  • Butternut Squash and Lime
  • Parsnip, Pear and Vanilla
  • Rhubarb and Anise
  • Apricot and Basil
  • Raspberry and Peanut Butter
  • French Brie and Almond Cookies
  • Apple and Lavender
  • Vanilla and Cardamom
  • Ice cream and Olive Oil, pinch of Sea Salt
  • Strawberries with Goat, Feta or Blue Cheese (drizzle with a little Honey or Balsamic vinegar for an extra touch of sweetness).

Fresh Peach and Tomato Garden Salad

Fresh Peach and Tomato Garden Salad, food parings

(Fresh Peach and Tomato Garden Salad)

This fresh and clean salad is vibrant with color and flavor. For best results use only the freshest summer garden ingredients. The acid and sweetness of these two pairs wonderfully in a light, easy to make refreshing summer salad.

  • 2         each    fresh and ripe peaches, roughly chopped
  • 2-3     each    fresh garden tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped
  • 1/4     cup      thinly sliced red onion
  • 1/4     cup      roughly chopped cilantro
  • 1/2     each    of a lime juiced
  •                         salt and pepper to taste
  •                         drizzle with good olive oil

Instructions:

In a large bowl mix all together, let sit for 1 hour and enjoy.

summer garden party

Summer Entertaining: Party Pitfalls

Rachel Sherwood

Summer picnic plate

(Summer picnic plate)

Happy 4th of July! With all the celebrating and gathering of people this weekend there is much fun and food to be shared. Don’t let one of these most common summer party pitfalls ruin your day.

Congested Areas:

People tend to gather where there is food, beverage, or an activity. When these are put near each other people tend to settle in and not move making it hard to get around and access items. To keep people moving and mingling separate your food, beverage and activity areas.

Bugged by Bugs:

Don’t let the bugs control the party. Keep trashcans covered and away from main food and gathering areas. Put a half open can of soda pop away from the party to attract bugs to a different location. Also, provide a few cans of bug spray so guests can help themselves if needed.

Trashy Tables:

Make it easy for guests to help clean up by having covered trashcans that are easy to access. Also, double line cans with an extra bag making it easy for quick trash removal and extra protection if soothing gets too heavy or breaks.

Wasted or Spoiled Food:

No one likes tossing out “good food” but holing on the leftovers after an outdoor gathering is risky. You never know exactly how long it has been sitting out or what may have gotten into it making it a potential breeding ground for bacteria. To avoid potentially hazardous foods and wasting them serve items in small batches and refill, as needed keeping the food cool and clean. For safety keep food out of direct sunlight. As a general rule perishable food should not be left out for more than 2 hours; cold food should be kept below 40 degrees and hot food above 140 degrees out of the Temperature Danger Zone.

Too Much Sun:

The summer sun can be fun, but too much of a good thing can have your guests miserable. Make sure there is ample shade for guests to sit in, be creative with trees, tents, and umbrellas to fit your needs. If there is not much option for shade think about hosting the party earlier or later in the day to avoid mid-day heat. Provide a basket with sunscreen so guests can help themselves if needed. For really hot days make sure you also have plenty of regular water and maybe consider passing out a few paper fans.

summer garden party

(summer garden party)

Interested in more on Summer Party Success? Check out these articles.

Basic Italian-Style Balsamic Vinaigrette

Easy Homemade Dressing

Rachel Sherwood

Fresh romaine lettuce

(Fresh romaine lettuce from the garden)

Summer is finally here which means the spring veggies are perfect for harvesting and the abundance of summer vegetables is on its way. Veggies can get boring easily so add a flavor kick with a homemade dressing for salads! Use it as a marinade and grill your veggies. Homemade dressings are easier, healthier and tastier than those you will find in the store. Your fresh veggies deserve some fresh flavors and it’s easier than you think! In the video below I will show you how to make simple dressing anytime and a secret on how to do it without dirtying any extra dishes in the kitchen.

Easy Homemade Dressing

Dressings I think are often the most overlooked and under-appreciated aspects of a salad. I love salad dressings because I can whip them up in a flash to add a little kick of sassiness to my salads and they can almost always serve as a marinade or dip for another part of the meal. I love multipurpose items. It is so simple when one item can work twice as hard for you so you don’t have to. In this video I share how easy it is to make homemade dressings and Elizabeth from http://redouxu.com shares some of the health benefits of making your own homemade dressing. We show you how to maximize flavor and leave out the artificial flavors, gums, stabilizers and preservatives.

I share my secret of making homemade dressing without dirtying any dishes and you can even clean out the fridge in the process.

Here is what I like to do: Take a look in your fridge and pull out the old jar of raspberry preserves, fruit jam or even mustard container that has just a tablespoon or two left in it and has been taking up space in your fridge for the last 3 months. The next time you want to make a salad make the dressing right in container. The basic ratio for vinaigrette is 3 to 1, so 3 parts oil to one part acid; this may vary slightly depending on the strength of your chosen acid. Try 2/3-cup olive oil and 1/3 cup acid, (red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, even apple cider vinegar) to the container with a pinch of salt and pepper and shake until well combined.

Taste the dressing and adjust the seasonings if need be, does it make your mouth pucker? Too much acid? Add some more oil or maybe a little sweetness, like sugar, honey or maple syrup! Too oily and bland? Try an extra pinch of salt, some lemon juice or more vinegar, shake and taste again until it is just right. There you did it! Made a healthy dressing and cleaned out your fridge without creating extra dirty dishes.

See recipes below for more guidance and share your favorite salad dressing combinations as well.

 Basic Italian-Style Balsamic Vinaigrette

(Simple spinach and veggie salad with chicken and Basic Italian-Style Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Basic Italian-Style Balsamic Vinaigrette:

  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ½ teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Makes about 1 cup.

For the vinaigrette or marinade, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well until thoroughly combined.

Maple Mustard Vinaigrette

  • cup red wine vinegar
  • cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Makes about 1 cup.

For the vinaigrette or marinade, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well until thoroughly combined.

Storage:

You can store dressing in almost any container. I prefer glass with a tight-fitting lid as opposed to plastic because it is non-porous. It won’t leave any flavors behind or leak anything out of the containers. Honestly, an old clean jelly jar is my go to.

Homemade dressings can keep up to 1-2 weeks just check to see: if the color has changed or a different odor has developed it may have spoiled; if so whip up a new batch just to be safe.

Creating Excellent Flavor by Understanding Taste

Creating Excellent Flavor by Understanding Taste

Rachel Sherwood

Creating Excellent Flavor by Understanding Taste

We have all experienced this before, walking into a home or restaurant and instantly feeling hungry when the smell of delicious food wafts our way, whether it was onions and garlic, bacon, coffee or roasted meats. We have all experienced this sensation at one time or another. The funny thing is in this instance we are not seeing or tasting anything but the environmental cues, specifically smell in this case, tell us that something good must be cooking and we are hungry.

You see as complex as we think some foods and flavors are it all comes down to taste. As humans, our mouths can actually only identify five primary taste sensations: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami*. Now, taste in general can be easily confused with flavor. But these are two very different things and they each play a significant role in how we perceive food.

These tastes, along with texture, temperature, irritation, sight, sound and smell produce the perception of flavor. Surprisingly, flavors are recognized mainly through our sense of smell, not taste. For example, let’s say you have two red jelly beans, one cherry flavored and one strawberry flavored. If you hold your nose and eat one of them, you would be able to distinguish the sweet taste of sugar, but not able to pick up on the flavor unless you stopped holding your nose. We need to experience the aroma to help recognize the familiar flavor of cherry or strawberry. When the nose and mouth work together, the combined aroma with the five basic tastes allows us to enjoy thousands of flavors.

So what does all this have to do with cooking? It’s simple. If a certain food does not taste good, you can alter the five primary tastes so that it goes from undesirable to mouthwatering. For example, if a piece of meat is bland, it may lack salt. If a soup is dull, it may need just a touch of sour lemon juice. You can make any food delicious when you know how to control the tastes and perceived flavors. Each additional ingredient or seasoning and the chosen cooking method change how a food will taste. When you taste each step of the way, you begin to know what the subtle changes will do and how to control them for the best desired results.

Learn to trust your tastes and know that others’ tastes may be different than yours, and that’s ok. The next time you taste something good try to identify where that taste comes from, is it sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or umami. Make a note of this and try adding these type of flavorings as you cook and experiment at home. Once you know the basics of taste and controlling them with seasonings your cooking ability and flavor profiles begin to expand easily. Delicious food is more than just how it tastes, but how the senses perceive it.

Want to learn more about how to incorporate this into your everyday cooking? Contact me about classes or a private V.I.P day to work on your specific interests.