Wrightfully Simple | Liverpool NY | Mechele Wright

HELPFUL HINTS

Are you like me and sometimes can't remember what to do in case of a Food Emergency? Don't have a certain item but need a substitute...well, here ya go!

Unbaked cookie dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours or fozen in an airtight container for up to 9 months.
Some cookies need to have an indentations on top to fill with jam or chocolate, use the rounded end of a honey dipper.
Tin coffee cans make excellent freezer containers for cookies.
When a recipe calls for packed brown sugar, fill the correct size measuring cup with sugar, then use one cup size smaller to pack the brown sugar into it's cup.
If cutting dried fruit, spray the knife with cooking spray to prevent it from sticking to the fruit.
Instead of folding in nuts to a recipe, sprinkle on top, this prevents them from getting soggy.
When cooking brownies, use only glass or shiny metal pans. Dark or non-stick pans will cause brownies to become soggy and low in volume.

Au gratin: Topped with crumbs and/or cheese and browned in oven or under broiler
Au jus: Served in its own juice
Baste: To moisten foods during cooking with pan drippings or special sauce in order to add flavor and prevent drying.
Bisque: A thick cream soup.
Blanch: To immense in rapidly boiling water and allow to cook slightly.
Cream: To soften a fat, especially butter, by beating it at room temperature. Butter and sugar are often creamed together, making a smooth, soft paste.
Crimp: To seal the edges of a two-crust pie either by pinching them at intervals with your fingers or by pressing them together with the tines of a fork.
Crudites: An assortment of raw vegetables like carrots, broccoli, celery, mushrooms that is served as an hors d'oeuvre, often accompanied by a dip.
Degrease: To remove fat from the surface of stews, soups or stock. Usually cooled in the refrigerator so that the fat hardes and is easlily removed.
Dredge: To coat lightly with flour, cornmeal, etc...
Entree: The main course.
Fold: To incorporate a delicate substance, such as whipped creamor beaten egg whites, into another substance without releasing air bubbles. A spatula is used to gently bring part of the mixture from the bottom of the bowl to the top. The process is repeated, while slowly rotating the bowl until the ingredients are thoroughly blended.
Glaze: To cover with a glossy coating, such as a melted and somewhat diluted jelly for fruit desserts.
Julienne: To cut or slice vegetables, fruits or cheeses into match-shaped slivers.
Marinate: To allow food to stand in a liquid in order to tenderize or to add flavor.
Meuniere: Dredged with flour and sauteed in butter.
Mince: To chop food into very small pieces.
Parboil: To boil until partially cooked; to blanch. Usually final cooking in a seasoned sauce follows this procedure.
Pare: To remov the outermost skin of a fruit or vegetable.
Poach: To cook gently in hot liquid kept just below the boiling point.
Puree: To mash foods by hand by rubbing through a sieve or food mill, or by putting in a blender or food processor until prefectly smooth.
Refresh: To run cold water over food that has been parboiled in order to stop the cooking process quickly.
Saute: To cook and/or brown food ina small quantity of hot butter, oils or shortening.
Scald: To heat to just below the boiling point, when tiny bubbles appear at the edge of the saucepan.
Simmer: To cook in liquid just below the boiling point. The surface of the liquid should be barely moving, broken from time to time by slowly rising bubbles.
Steep: To let food stand in hot liquid in order to extract or to enhance flavor, like tea in hot water or poached fruit in syrup.
Toss: To combine ingredients with a repeated lifting motion.
Whip: To beat rapidly in order to incorporate air and produce expansion, as in heavey cream or egg whites.

COOKING TERMS

Have you ever wondered what a recipe term is, like Au jus or Blanch...well maybe I can help you out.

Acidic Foods: Tomato-based sauce will become too acidic, add baking soda, one teaspoon at a time, to the sauce. Use sugar as alternative.
Burnt food on pots and pans: Allow the pan to cool on its own. Remove as much of the food as possible. Fill with hot water and add a capful of liquid fabric softener to the pot; let it stand for a few hours, then remove.
Chocolate Seizes: Chocolate can seize (turn course and grainy) when it comes into contact with water. Place seized chocolate in a metal bowl over a large saucepan with an inch of simmering water in it. Over medium heat, slowly whisk in warm heavy cream. Use 1/4 cream to 4 ounces of chocolate. The chocolate will melt and become smooth.
Forgot to thaw whipped topping: Thaw in microwave for 1 minute on the defrost setting. Stir to blend
Do your hands smell like garlic or onion: Rinse hands under cold water while rubbing them with a large stainless steel spoon.
Hard brown sugar: Place in paper bag and microwave for a few seconds, or place hard chunks in a food processor.
No tomato juice: Mix 1/2 cup ketchup and 1/2 cup water.
Out of honey: Substitute 1 1/4 cups sugar dissolved in 1 cup water.
Too salty: Add a little sugar and vinegar. For soups or sauces, add a raw peeled potato.
Too sweet: Add a little vinegar or lemon juice.

QUICK FIXES

Everyone has experienced a moment where your recipe has failed...hopefully these quick fixes can help.

HELPFUL HINTS

Unbaked cookie dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours or fozen in an airtight container for up to 9 months.

Some cookies need to have an indentations on top to fill with jam or chocolate, use the rounded end of a honey dipper.

Tin coffee cans make excellent freezer containers for cookies.

When a recipe calls for packed brown sugar, fill the correct size measuring cup with sugar, then use one cup size smaller to pack the brown sugar into it's cup.

If cutting dried fruit, spray the knife with cooking spray to prevent it from sticking to the fruit.

Instead of folding in nuts to a recipe, sprinkle on top, this prevents them from getting soggy.

When cooking brownies, use only glass or shiny metal pans. Dark or non-stick pans will cause brownies to become soggy and low in volume.

Au gratin: Topped with crumbs and/or cheese and browned in oven or under broiler

Au jus: Served in its own juice

Baste: To moisten foods during cooking with pan drippings or special sauce in order to add flavor and prevent drying.

Bisque: A thick cream soup.

Blanch: To immense in rapidly boiling water and allow to cook slightly.

Cream: To soften a fat, especially butter, by beating it at room temperature. Butter and sugar are often creamed together, making a smooth, soft paste.

Crimp: To seal the edges of a two-crust pie either by pinching them at intervals with your fingers or by pressing them together with the tines of a fork.

Crudites: An assortment of raw vegetables like carrots, broccoli, celery, mushrooms that is served as an hors d'oeuvre, often accompanied by a dip.

Degrease: To remove fat from the surface of stews, soups or stock. Usually cooled in the refrigerator so that the fat hardes and is easlily removed.

Dredge: To coat lightly with flour, cornmeal, etc...

Entree: The main course.

Glaze: To cover with a glossy coating, such as a melted and somewhat diluted jelly for fruit desserts.

Julienne: To cut or slice vegetables, fruits or cheeses into match-shaped slivers.

Marinate: To allow food to stand in a liquid in order to tenderize or to add flavor.

Meuniere: Dredged with flour and sauteed in butter.

Mince: To chop food into very small pieces.

Parboil: To boil until partially cooked; to blanch. Usually final cooking in a seasoned sauce follows this procedure.

Pare: To remov the outermost skin of a fruit or vegetable.

Poach: To cook gently in hot liquid kept just below the boiling point.

Puree: To mash foods by hand by rubbing through a sieve or food mill, or by putting in a blender or food processor until prefectly smooth.

Refresh: To run cold water over food that has been parboiled in order to stop the cooking process quickly.

Saute: To cook and/or brown food ina small quantity of hot butter, oils or shortening.

Scald: To heat to just below the boiling point, when tiny bubbles appear at the edge of the saucepan.

Simmer: To cook in liquid just below the boiling point. The surface of the liquid should be barely moving, broken from time to time by slowly rising bubbles.

Steep: To let food stand in hot liquid in order to extract or to enhance flavor, like tea in hot water or poached fruit in syrup.

Toss: To combine ingredients with a repeated lifting motion.

Whip: To beat rapidly in order to incorporate air and produce expansion, as in heavey cream or egg whites.

COOKING TERMS

Acidic Foods: Tomato-based sauce will become too acidic, add baking soda, one teaspoon at a time, to the sauce. Use sugar as alternative.

Burnt food on pots and pans: Allow the pan to cool on its own. Remove as much of the food as possible. Fill with hot water and add a capful of liquid fabric softener to the pot; let it stand for a few hours, then remove.

Forgot to thaw whipped topping: Thaw in microwave for 1 minute on the defrost setting. Stir to blend

Do your hands smell like garlic or onion: Rinse hands under cold water while rubbing them with a large stainless steel spoon.

Hard brown sugar: Place in paper bag and microwave for a few seconds, or place hard chunks in a food processor.

No tomato juice: Mix 1/2 cup ketchup and 1/2 cup water.

Out of honey: Substitute 1 1/4 cups sugar dissolved in 1 cup water.

Too salty: Add a little sugar and vinegar. For soups or sauces, add a raw peeled potato.

Too sweet: Add a little vinegar or lemon juice.

QUICK FIXES