About.com Culinary Arts

Casserole's Magic Ingredient

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:25:40 +0000

When you think of a casserole, you might think of some 1950s artifact, made with a can of cream of mushroom soup and topped with crispy onions (also from a can).

Indeed, the 1950s brought us a number of enduring culinary traditions, like fruit salads made with Jell-o, deviled eggs, and of course, the mashed potato volcano.

Now, of all of these dubious culinary innovations, it's really the casserole that deserves a chance to rehabilitate itself — like some wayward teen who fell in with the wrong crowd. And obviously, foremost among those bad influences is that canned cream of mushroom soup.

But the '50s were all about convenience — and there's nothing wrong with that. If you can save time by using something from a can, I say, go for it. And yet, something in our culinary DNA seems to reject the notion of using canned cream of mushroom soup as a base for, well, anything.

Fortunately, you don't have to. Instead, do this:

Make béchamel sauce.
Sauté mushrooms.
Combine.
Use the resulting mixture in place of canned cream of mushroom soup.

The steps above will serve you well for any casserole recipe that calls for cream of mushroom soup. You'll enjoy all that 1950s comfort while maintaining your 2000s culinary integrity.

Casserole's Magic Ingredient originally appeared on About.com Culinary Arts on Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 at 01:25:40.

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Easy Holiday Stuffing Recipe

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:21:32 +0000

So here's the scenario: It's the day before Thanksgiving. Your local grocery store has been picked clean and there isn't a box of "stuffing mix" to be found within a twenty-mile radius. Do you panic? Sob? Skip Thanksgiving altogether?

Basic stuffing recipe.
Photo � Sarah Marriage

Hardly. Remember, store-bought stuffing consists of nothing but seasoned cubes of bread. You still have to melt butter, sauté veggies, add stock — basically, everything. If you're going to do all that, why not cut up your own bread, too, and make stuffing from scratch?

Check out this basic stuffing recipe. If you can make toast, you can make your own stuffing. Besides, you didn't really want to go the store on the day before Thanksgiving anyway.

Easy Holiday Stuffing Recipe originally appeared on About.com Culinary Arts on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 at 13:21:32.

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Sweet Potato Pur�e Recipe

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:19:22 +0000

As holiday side dishes go, sweet potato purée is in the same category as gravy, cranberry sauce and stuffing — in short, foods that are moist, flavorful, buttery, tangy and/or sweet. Basically, everything turkey isn't.

Mashed sweet potatoes.
Photo � Ella Mullins

These mashed sweet potatoes feature a hint of cinnamon for warmth and festiveness. One thing you won't find in this recipe is marshmallows. The first time I saw sweet potatoes served with marshmallows, I thought it must be a practical joke of some kind — like putting bubblegum on a burger. I still feel that way.

Here's a recipe for simple, delicious mashed sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potato Pur�e Recipe originally appeared on About.com Culinary Arts on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 13:19:22.

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Where Have All the Waffles Gone?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:10:10 +0000

The key to happiness, it seems to me, is being able to turn adversity into opportunity. As the folks at Sun-Kist say (or was it Sun Tzu?), when life hands you lemons, make lemonade.

Basic waffles: Thanks a brunch.
Photo © Danilo Alfaro

Which is all right in the abstract, but what happens when you find yourself staring adversity square in the face? That's how most of America probably feels this morning after hearing about the nationwide shortage of waffles that was first reported yesterday.

Talk about blindsided. Who knew? But before you sell the house and take the family off to live in one of those bunkers in the mountains, consider this: It's really easy to make your own waffles. Once you get the hang of it, you'll never want to touch one of those miserable frozen things ever again. Here's a basic waffles recipe.

Where Have All the Waffles Gone? originally appeared on About.com Culinary Arts on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 16:10:10.

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Classic Turkey Gravy

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:12:21 +0000

The classic pan gravy is one of the simplest sauces there is, and it's also a must for your holiday table — especially if you're planning to serve a roasted turkey, which tends to be, well, let's just say, not overly moist.

How to make gravy.
Photo © Ernesto Andrade

Making gravy from a roasted chicken or turkey typically starts with the pan drippings from the roasted bird. But in a pinch, you can make a simple gravy from a can of chicken broth and a tablespoon each of butter and flour.

Either way, you'll start by combining the flour and butter to form a roux, and then you'll whisk the stock (with the pan drippings added) into the roux. This easy tutorial shows you how to make gravy.

Classic Turkey Gravy originally appeared on About.com Culinary Arts on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 23:12:21.

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Spaghetti Carbonara Day

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:39:42 +0000

I suspect it's more than a coincidence that, just a week and a half before Thanksgiving, Spaghetti Carbonara is one of the most popular recipes here on your favorite culinary arts site. I have no doubt that the great food writer Calvin Trillin would be pleased.

It's better than turkey.
Photo by Mattes Boch

Trillin wrote the classic essay "Spaghetti Carbonara Day," in which he argues that we should eat Spaghetti Carbonara on Thanksgiving instead of the traditional dry, flavorless turkey.

Written nearly three decades ago, the rationale for Trillin's choice might strike some readers as a bit dated. After all, hardly anyone these days can seriously claim that "Columbus discovered America;" not with a straight face, anyway. Still, Spaghetti Carbonara is good, and roasted turkey isn't. What more rationale does a food lover need? Enjoy this simple recipe for Spaghetti Carbonara.

Spaghetti Carbonara Day originally appeared on About.com Culinary Arts on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 16:39:42.

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Video: How to Make an Apple Swan

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:32:43 +0000

Want to create a fun and festive centerpiece for your holiday table? Do you have a sharp knife and a spare apple lying around? If so, get ready to impress your friends and family with this easier-than-it-looks apple swan.

How to make an apple swan.

As you've probably observed, cut apples will start to turn brown after being exposed to the air for a few minutes. To avoid this, squeeze some lemon juice onto the flesh of the apple. It'll stay nice and white.

This short video, which is brilliantly produced by the always entertaining and increasingly famous Chef John Mitzewich, About.com's Guide to American Food, will show you how quick and easy it is to make an apple swan.

Video: How to Make an Apple Swan originally appeared on About.com Culinary Arts on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 23:32:43.

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Easy Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:51:21 +0000

Thanksgiving is without a doubt one of the truly high-impact culinary events of the year. For that reason (and it makes sense), no one wants to commit to making something from scratch if it's going to take hours and/or tie up valuable kitchen resources. Especially not when the can opener beckons.

That's right, I'm talking about cranberry sauce. Like much of the traditional Thanksgiving meal, cranberry sauce earns a spot on your crowded plate because of the flavor and moisture it brings to an otherwise dry and flavorless turkey.

Sure, we rely on gravy to add flavor and moisture. Creamy, buttery mashed potatoes help, too (in addition to their secondary role as a delivery system for still more gravy). But your palate needs more than that — which is where cranberry sauce comes in.

Cranberry sauce brings a marvelous tartness that cuts through all that rich, buttery gravyness. Without it, everything on your plate would kind of taste the same.

But you know all that. What you might not know is that it's incredibly easy to make — so easy that you'll never reach for the canned stuff again. Here's a simple cranberry sauce recipe that I make every year.

Finally, if you'd like to see the procedure in more detail, here's a step by step tutorial on how to make cranberry sauce.

Easy Cranberry Sauce Recipe originally appeared on About.com Culinary Arts on Sunday, November 8th, 2009 at 21:51:21.

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100 Restaurant Dos and Don'ts

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:22:52 +0000

I've been enjoying this recent blog post from the New York Times, 100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do (Part 1). In this case, when the author says "restaurant staffers," he really means "servers," but I still found it entertaining. Some highlights:

No. 17:
"Do not take an empty plate from one guest while others are still eating the same course."

No. 31:
"Never remove a plate full of food without asking what went wrong. Obviously, something went wrong."

No. 36:
"Never reek from perfume or cigarettes. People want to smell the food and beverage."

And so on. Even though the item focuses on so-called "front-of-the-house" workers, that's still a part of the culinary arts. Indeed, most culinary arts programs include a class on dining room management.

So, what about you? Do you have any restaurant pet peeves?

100 Restaurant Dos and Don'ts originally appeared on About.com Culinary Arts on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 18:22:52.

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Don't Roast That Turkey!

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:41:05 +0000

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which means it's just about time for the yearly flurry of articles from so-called "experts" offering the secrets to roasting the "perfect turkey." But here's one secret no one will dare share with you: The perfectly roasted turkey is a myth.

That's right, there's no such thing — it's a physical impossibility. The reason for this is a phenomenon I call the Poultry Paradox, which is responsible for every mouthful of dry, flavorless, overcooked turkey you've ever had to force down your throat.

Well, it's 2009, people, and it's time to stop the madness. We've landed a man on the moon and we can make a car run on canola oil. It's time to get a handle on the trouble with turkey.

Don't Roast That Turkey! originally appeared on About.com Culinary Arts on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 08:41:05.

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