WHICH OIL?

I came across an article in Thrillist about various oils and decided I wanted to preserve this info for all of us.  There are things I knew but also things I didn't and want to have this list for easy reference. I picked out the parts of the article that were most important.    

Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Best for:  Drizzling over other delicious things, salad dressing, dips
Smoke point:  320 degrees F.  
It doesn't work great for high-temp cooking because the heat will ruin the flavor, even if it isn't quite smoking yet.  EVOO gets made via cold-pressing, meaning it's pressed at temps no higher than 80.5 degrees F.  Higher temperatures produce more oil, which is what makes EVOO more expensive.  The cold-pressing method maintains more antioxidants and monounsaturated fats intact that make for a far more robust and complex flavor profile.  Depending on the region, the flavors can be butter, fruity, grassy, or bitter.

Olive oil
Best for:  Sauteing, pan-frying, making salad dressings
Smoke point:  465 degrees F
This is what most commercial kitchens use when they aren't using vegetable oil.  Regular olive oil has a high smoke point and good working texture to make it among the most versatile of cooking oils. Because it has a relatively neutral nose and palate its also the best for infusing with garlic, pepper, and other flavors.

Coconut oil
Best for:  Baking, low-heat roasting, and sautéing
Smoke point:  359 degrees F
Because of dubious health claims this oil has gained some spotlight. Solid at room temperature, it makes for a really delicious substitute for butter in most cookies, cakes, and other baking recipes, either to serve as a non-dairy option or just because it's great with chocolate, banana and other tropical flavors.  For low-heat recipes, it goes especially well with chicken or sauteing veggies.  Coconut oil is also good as a body or hair oil, so feel free to moisturize with it.

Sesame oil
Best for:  Sauteing or adding to pickled salads
Smoke point:  410 degrees F
Sesame oil has a nutty aroma that carries through in its actual flavor. It is used as an ingredient in pickled Korean veggies or in dressing cold noodles and salads.  Additionally, it has a middle-high smoke point, which makes it a strong choice for coating your fry pan or wok before cooking meat or veggies.  That being said, sesame oil is very strong in flavor; a little goes a long way, so partner it with a neutral-tasing oil if you need to do a deeper fry.

Peanut oil
Best for:  Nut-friendly dishes, especially at high heat like a stir fry
Smoke point:  440 degrees F
The best and worst thing about peanut oil is that it tastes strongly of peanut.  That's great if you're coating your wok for some pad Thai, but not so good for coating your skillet to broil a steak.  It has an exceptionally high smoke point, making it great for frying and deep-frying.  Use it with dishes already amenable to peanut taste -- fried chicken, moles, and Southeast Asian dishes.  Just be aware: peanut oil goes rancid faster than other oils.  Buy in small bottles, and store in a cool space like a dark cabinet well away from the stove.

Vegetable/corn/canola oil
Best for:  Frying and deep frying
Smoke point:  450 degrees F
Smoke point high, price tag low.  Those two reasons are why this kind of oil is the standard issue in most professional kitchens.  It has almost no flavor, so whatever you cook in it tastes like itself and not the oil.  Consider this your default oil, kind of like basic refined salt. Also like salt, it's not the healthiest, which is why a lot of people are opting in on fancier, more expensive options.  Use it with most recipes, but especially for fried chicken, stir-frying and any recipe that involves dunking stuff in boiling oil.

Grapeseed oil
Best for:  Emulsified recipes and low-temperature sautéing
Smoke point:  420 degrees F
For a long time, grapeseed oil was tossed in the trash as an undesirable byproduct of winemaking.  Recent research on how it impacts your body has made it a bit of a fashion item.  It has Vitamin E and oleic acid and doesn't separate at lower temperatures, so it's especially good for making sauces, dressings, and mayonnaise.

Avocado oil
Best for:  Grilling, frying, almost any form of cooking
Smoke point:  510 degrees F
Avocado oil has one of the highest smoke points of any oil, making it the best choice for super-high-temperature cooking:  fried eggs and stir-fry for example.  It has a buttery flavor and texture and a high content of monounsaturated fats (the good fats).  It is as versatile as olive oil and also makes a good drizzle or garnish, especially mixed into a vinaigrette.

Sunflower/safflower oil
Best for:  Substitution for vegetable oil
Smoke point:  440 degrees F
Made from the pressed seeds of the sunflower (and its loser, couch-surfing little brother the safflower), this stuff has similar smoke point, flavor, and texture to vegetable, corn, and canola oils.  It's better for your health, with less bad fat and more good fat than the less expensive veggie oils.  It's also a bit more buttery than canola oil.  On the other hand it goes bad quickly so it should be bought in smaller bottles.  Use in the same frying, baking, and roasting applications you would use vegetable oil.

HOW TO DIVIDE MEASUREMENTS AT A GLANCE

I used this table to reduce the measurements in the frosting on the Coconut Sheet Cake and decided I wanted to have access to this for the future.  It's a handy tool for sure!

Original Amount	Half the Amount	One-Third the Amount
1 cup	1/2 cup	1/3 cup
3/4 cup	6 tbsp	1/4 cup
2/3 cup	1/3 cup	3 tbsp+ 1-1/2 tsp
1/2 cup	1/4 cup	2 tbsp + 2 tsp
1/3 cup	2 tbsp + 2 tsp	1 tbsp + 1-1/4 tsp
1/4 cup	2 tbsp	1 tbsp + 1 tsp
1 tbsp	1-1/2 tsp	1 tsp
1 tsp	1/2 tsp	1/4 tsp
1/2 tsp	1/4 tsp	1/8 tsp
1/4 tsp	1/8 tsp	Dash

How to Convert Measurements to Tablespoons and Teaspoons

Here’s a listing of how many tablespoons and teaspoons are in larger measuring cup amounts.

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• 1 cup = 16 tbsp
• Half of 1 cup = 8 tbsp
• 3/4 cup = 12 tbsp
• Half of 3/4 cup = 6 tbsp
• 1/2 cup = 8 tbsp
• Half of 1/2 cup = 4 tbsp
• 1/3 cup = 5 tbsp + 1 tsp
• Half of 1/3 cup = 2 tbsp + 2 tsp
• 1/4 cup = 4 tbsp
• Half of 1/4 cup = 2 tbsp
• 1/8 cup = 2 tbsp
• Half of 1/8 cup = 1 tbsp
• 1/2 tbsp = 1-1/2 tsp

HOT TIPS

Any time I read about good tips or see them on a cooking show I will always share them.  Here are some that I think are noteworthy—

KNOW WHEN TO SALT – Timing is everything when you are salting vegetables.  To get crisp, browned veggies like mushrooms, salt them at the end of cooking – after they have browned.  To get soft, saucy vegetables like caramelized onions, add salt early on – it draws out moisture, which helps break them down. When grilling meat it is good to salt it before putting it on the grill – it helps it sear, but it is best not to pepper it before grilling because the pepper can burn.  Add black pepper after it comes off the grill.

MAKE JUICIER PORK – Thin cuts of pork can dry out quickly, so try giving them a quick brine first.  Pierce chops, cutlets or other thin cuts with a fork, then soak them in heavily salted cold water for 15-30 minutes; drain and pat dry before cooking.  You can add vinegar, sugar, herbs or other flavors to the brine, too.  Just remember to go easy on the salt when you cook the meat.

MAKE BETTER BURGERS/MEATBALLS – The more you mess with the ground meat, the tougher it gets.  Mix the ingredients with your hands until just combined – don’t overwork it.  If you are doing meatballs skip the browning and instead try poaching them in a broth or sauce.  They will absorb the liquid and turn out extra tender.

 

SPECIAL INGREDIENTS

I am headed out to LA in a few days to spend some time with my kiddos, and then the YaYas are coming out for a week to celebrate everyone’s big number birthdays.  Since we have known each other since the second grade we are truly YaYas (yeah Carla I know, you didn’t move there until the 5^th grade, but KK, Mona and I were all born in Luling and I was a grade ahead of them so we met in the 2^nd grade).  Anyway, Lauren and I were discussing what all we would do while we were out there and of course that would include enjoying good food.  One of her favorites is called Laurel Hardware so naturally I looked at their menu.  There were so many things I had never heard of so I googled them all so I would know what was in the dishes.  Listed below is a short description of each one so if any of you ever encounter them you will at least have a clue what they are.  I love trying new things so I can hardly wait to go there – I just hope everyone will order something different so we can have a tasting meal!!

Rocoto – Very spicy South American red chile pepper

Coppa – smoked pork (like bacon or prosciutto)

Tallegio – Italian cheese with a strong aroma but mild, fruity tang

Gochujan – Korean condiment made of red chile powder, rice powder and soy

Gastrique – Sauce made from carmelized sugar, reduced vinegar and usually citrus

Burrata – Italian cheese similar to mozzarella on the outside but runny on the inside with a buttery flavor

Raclette – A soft Swiss cheese that is heated and usually scraped onto a plate and served with dried meats and gherkins

Mizuna --  Greens with mild peppery flavor, similar to arugula

Tome de brusca --  Rare, ancient,  semi-hard, crumbly Italian cheese with a mild, buttery flavor with a gentle tang redidual to other English cheddars

Miso – Paste-like seasoning made from fermented soy beans or rice

Shiso – Minty herb similar to anise

Bream – A freshwater fish similar to carp

Chermoula – An herb that often contains pickled lemon, garlic, oil, cumin or coriander

Gremolata – A chopped herb condiment usually of lemon zest, garlic, and parsley

Jidori – Japanese term that refers to a free range chicken and may be cooked with Asian flavors.

 

 

FOODS NEVER TO FEED YOUR DOG!!

It is a battle at our house trying to keep JT from giving Ella and Lily a “treat” that didn’t come from the pet store.  I came across this list in a magazine and thought it was helpful.   I knew about chocolate but none of the rest.  JT has given the girls a grape before – never again!!

CHOCOLATE:  Never give your dog or cat this sweet treat – it stimulates the nervous system and the heart.  Reactions include agitation, irregular heartbeat, tremors, and seizures.

NUTS:  Macadamia nuts can cause muscle and nervous system problems, triggering tremors, vomiting, weakness, and paralysis in dogs.

GRAPES:  Juicy grapes can cause kidney damage in dogs and cats, which may result in lethargy, increased thirst, increased urination, and vomiting.

ONIONS:  Potent onions damage red blood cells in both dogs and cats, leading to anemia and causing weakness, shortness of breath, and vomiting.

AVOCADOS:  This seemingly benign fruit contains persin, which is toxic to dogs in large quantities and can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

PEACHES:  Feed your dog a peach and he may eat the pit, which can cause intestinal obstruction and cyanide poisoning.

PLUMS:  Like peaches, plums have pits that contain cyanide and are harmful if swallowed.

 

 

WORDS

"Be careful of the words you choose -- you may have to eat them too!"

Johnny Cash's mother sold her cookbooks at his concerts, and this was written in the back of her cookbook.  I love it!

BAKING SODA VS. BAKING POWDER

Can Baking soda be substituted for baking powder?

These two baking staples are both leavening agents, but they work at different speeds and in different environments, so they are not interchangeable. Baking soda, or pure sodium bicarbonate, is required in recipes that have an acidic ingredient, such as molasses, sour cream, or chocolate. Baking soda reacts with the acid and moisture, releasing carbon dioxide and causing the dough or batter to rise, yielding fluffy muffins or cakes.

Baking powder consists of baking soda, cream of tartar, and cornstarch. It is used in recipes without an acidic ingredient because it already contains an acid (cream of tartar). There are three types of baking powder: fast-acting, slow-acting, and double-acting. Most baking powder is double-acting, which ensures that the dough rises twice: first when the moisture hits it and again when it reacts with heat inside the oven.

(This was taken from Martha Stewart’s October 2011 issue of Living.)

WHEN TO GO ORGANIC

According to the Environmental Working Group, you can reduce your pesticide exposure by nearly 80 percent simply by choosing organic versions of the 12 fruits and vegetables shown in its tests to contain the highest pesticide load.

The group calls them the Dirty Dozen: In order of pesticide load, they are peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, imported grapes, carrots, and pears.

There's a Clean Fifteen, too, a group of conventionally grown fruits and vegetables with the least pesticide residue: onions, avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, mangoes, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwis, cabbages, eggplants, papayas, watermelons, broccoli, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes.

No matter what kind of produce you're buying, use this guide to pick the perfect fruit and vegetables at your grocery store or farmer's market.