Ultimate Guide to Freezing Food

The Ultimate Guide to Freezing Food | Former Fat Guy Blog

Written by Ian McKenzie on November 7th, 2007 with no comments.
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Quote - M. F. K. Fisher

“Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.”

Written by Ian McKenzie on August 26th, 2007 with no comments.
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Chop Veggies Once a Week

Every Sunday, I chop a million vegetables and fruits that my kids can feed off all week. Melon, strawberries, celery, carrots, peppers, tomatoes. I call it “clean food.”

Chop Veggies Once a Week | Meals : RealSimple.com

Written by Ian McKenzie on August 19th, 2007 with no comments.
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5 Steps to Running an Efficient Kitchen

Despite the challenges I face trying to keep the rest of my life organized, I don’t have the same problems in the kitchen. My pantry and tools are organized and labelled. I know where to find what I need, when I need.

If you have problems with kitchen organization, check out this LifeOrganizers.com article, 5 Steps to Running an Efficient Kitchen.

1. Have a grocery list. I keep mine on the refrigerator and write things down as I run out.
2. Create a weekly menu plan. I don’t do this so much. I try and keep a well stocked pantry and fridge allowing my to make what I’d like, with little forethought.
3. Cook ahead and freeze. I’m cooking for two and often increase the size of the dish for a second or even third meal.
4. Do advanced prep work. There’s a reason there’s a culinary term for this: mise en place.
5. Clean as you go. My wife picks up the burden of this task. If I’m working on my own, it all tends to get piled in the sink until I’m done.

Written by Ian McKenzie on August 11th, 2007 with no comments.
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Quick Picnic Tip

Buy pre-made macaroni salad to save time in preparing a picnic. Don’t stop there: customize it to your taste. Add extra vinegar to perk up the flavour. Then get creative. Add more celery, parsley, red onion,  peas or scallions to give it freshness. Finally, add something salty, like pitted kalamata olives or pieces of crisp fried bacon and it becomes a special dish you’ll be proud to share.

Written by Ian McKenzie on July 17th, 2007 with no comments.
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The Ultimate Grilling Guide

There’s no need to memorize or guess at cooking times, heat levels, and compatible flavours. This handy printable chart eliminates the fuss of grilling. (Times are approximate and meant for lid-on cooking.)

Cooking with Both Direct and Indirect Heat
If you have a gas grill, turn one burner on medium (direct heat) and another on low (indirect heat). With charcoal, pile smoldering coals at the ends of the grill (direct) and arrange a single layer of coals in the middle (indirect). To impart those classic grill marks, place the steak or burgers over direct heat first, then transfer them to indirect heat, where they can finish cooking. Cook sausages entirely over indirect heat. Whatever you cook, keep the lid closed and don’t turn the meat obsessively — once is enough.

The Ultimate Grilling Guide | Summer Entertaining and Grilling Guide | Meals | 6 : RealSimple.com.

Written by Ian McKenzie on July 3rd, 2007 with no comments.
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Seasoning and Care of Cast Iron Cookware

Seasoning Cast Iron

Seasoned Cast Iron can be considered the “grandfather” to today’s “non-stick” cookware. Cast Iron Cookware must be seasoned properly and it will last a life-time.

New Pans

1. Heat the oven to 250^o - 300^o
2. Coat the pan with lard or bacon grease. Don’t use a liquid vegetable oil because it will leave a sticky surface and the pan will not be properly seasoned.
3. Put the pan in the oven. In 15 minutes, remove the pan & pour out any excess grease. Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 2 hours.

Repeating this process several times is recommended as it will help create a stronger “seasoning” bond.

When you put the pan into service, use it initially for foods high in fat, such as bacon or foods cooked with fat, because the grease from these foods will help strengthen the seasoning.

Pans needing Re-Seasoning

If the pan was not seasoned properly or a portion of the seasoning wore off and food sticks to the surface or there is rust, then it should be properly cleaned and re-seasoned.

1. Remove any food residue by cleaning the pan thoroughly with hot water and a scouring pad. I understand that heating the pan first to a temperature that is still safe to touch helps open the pores of the metal and makes it easier to clean.
2. Dry the pan immediately with dish towel or paper towel.
3. Season the pan as outlined above.

Caring for Cast Iron Cookware

Seasoning a cast iron pan is a natural way of creating non-stick cookware. And, like you cook and clean the modern non-stick cookware with special care to avoid scratching the surface, your cast iron cookware wants some special attention too.

• Clean the cookware while it is still hot by rinsing with hot water and scraping when necessary. Do not use a scouring pad or soap (detergent) as they will break down the pan’s seasoning.
• Never store food in the cast iron pan as the acid in the food will breakdown the seasoning and the food will take on a metallic flavour.
• Store your cast iron cookware with the lids off, especially in humid weather, because if covered, moisture can build up and cause rust. Should rust appear, the pan should be re-seasoned.

Written by Ian McKenzie on June 12th, 2007 with no comments.
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Food Bites - April 27

• 2 Ingredients, 2 Recipes, 4 Meals – Here’s a couple of recipes using pork and green beans.
• Curry pastes – A necessary ingredient in a Perfect Pantry.
• Honey Glazed Lemon Roast Chicken Recipe – A simple and delicious recipe for roast chicken.
• What Do 300 Calorie Meals Look Like? – Pictures to give a visual sense of what a 300 calorie meal looks like.
• The Top 5 Brain Health Foods – Good quality dark chocolate and coffee. How can you go wrong?
• Best of Panama 2007 – the best of the 2007 brain food (coffee) from Panama.
• Roasting coffee with a popcorn popper – How most of us get started roasting.
• Chicken with Apples and Raisin Couscous – a Moroccan style dish.

Written by Ian McKenzie on April 27th, 2007 with no comments.
Read more articles on Main Dish and Diet and Poultry and Tips and Condiments and African and Pork and Beverages and Coffee and Thai and Vegetable and How To and Oriental and Low Fat and Herbs and Spices.

Dispelling The Top 10 Nutrition Myths

Don’t drink alcohol. Take vitamins. Avoid eating eggs. We’ve heard these pieces of nutritional advice for years - but are they accurate?

Not necessarily, say two exercise physiologists presenting at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) 11th-annual Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition in Dallas, Texas. Wendy Repovich, Ph.D., FACSM, and Janet Peterson, Dr.P.H., FACSM, set out to debunk the “Top 10 Nutrition Myths.”

According to Repovich and Peterson, these nutrition myths are:

10. Eating carbohydrates makes you fat.

9. Drink eight, 8-oz. glasses of water per day.

8. Brown grain products are whole grain products.

7. Eating eggs will raise your cholesterol.

6. All alcohol is bad for you.

5. Vitamin supplements are necessary for everyone.

4. Consuming extra protein is necessary to build muscle mass.

3. Eating fiber causes problems if you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

2. Eating immediately after a workout will improve recovery.

1. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented by eating foods low on the glycemic index.

Dispelling The Top 10 Nutrition Myths

Written by Ian McKenzie on April 4th, 2007 with 1 comment.
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Watch Cooking Videos Online at FoodTV.ca

Watch your Food Network Canada hosts prepare recipes, learn tips and techniques or catch show episodes with new online videos.

Video - Food Network Canada

Written by Ian McKenzie on April 2nd, 2007 with no comments.
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