Cooking
I have always enjoyed cooking, but the interest never truly took hold until I became a single father and was tasked with feeding two kids on a daily basis. Both kids had a severe milk allergy, (the go to the emergency room or inject epinephrine type--not an intolerance), so control over ingredients was important. I also wanted to minimize if not eliminate the amount of pre-packaged food we were consuming to better control the intake of things like sugar and sodium. Then it just became fun and a hobby. When something moves into the "hobby" category I get really into it researching and trying different things, and techniques and equipment. The only posts you will see here are things that passed my "it's good for me at the time" test, (which is subjective I know and may change over time).
- Details
- Written by Karyl F. Stein
- Category: Beef / Bison
What is better than a cheeseburger? How about a deep-fried version? While these do take some effort to put together, the rest of the process is quick and easy. Plus you may freeze uncooked ones, so is something you may prepare well in advance. When ready to deep fry them you may put them in frozen. However doing that I will usually let them thaw about 10 minutes and pat them down so there are no water droplets or ice crystals on the outside.
- Details
- Written by Karyl F. Stein
- Category: Breads
This is my son's favorite pizza at least at the time of writing. He says it is even better than a well-known local pizza chain! It has a crispy, fried crust, but the interior while dense is fluffy. I use a stand mixer, a special 10x14 pizza pan, and an oven that can reach 500°F. Kneading by hand and a different high-sided metal pan may work fine, but a hot oven is really needed to get the char on the crust.
- Details
- Written by Karyl F. Stein
- Category: Beef / Bison
This recipe is a take on the sliders you find at White Castle. For the buns you may use a pre-packaged variety or use the recipe for Quick Buns. Also, instead of the pre-packaged onion soup mix, you may use one of the copy-cat recipes for that which may be found on the Internet. I have not tried any of those yet, though. And of course, like any burger, you can add whatever toppings fit your fancy. Mushrooms with Monterey Jack cheese, or bacon are some of my favorites.
- Details
- Written by Karyl F. Stein
- Category: Rice
This is a basic fried rice recipe that can be used as a base for many different options. You may for example add chicken, shrimp and scallops, sugar snap peas, spinach, bell pepper, carrots, celery, chilies, etc. The big caveat about this recipe is that you want to cook the rice a day in advance and allow it to dry out and become slightly hard.
