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January 22, 2014 By Kimberly
Onions seem to be used in many, many savory recipes because they add depth of flavor. Knowing how to peel, slice and chop an onion will speed up your prep time. My Little Chefs have seen the big bag of onions just waiting for them and have asked to practice since thoroughly enjoying cutting the potatoes and cucumbers. To Slice an Onion: Onions come with a papery skin which needs to be removed. As we previously learned, cut off the bulb end (not the hairy root end). Peel off the skin. Cut the onion in half from the root end to the stem end. If the root end has green leaves on the inside of the onion pull those out. You may need to cut a notch to get that out. Place the flat … [Read more…]
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January 20, 2014 By Kimberly
Before we learn how to peel, slice and chop onions it is important to know the different types of onions and some of their uses. My Little Chefs had so many questions we decided to find the answers to them. If a recipe calls for an onion what type do they mean? Since yellow onions are the most popular cooking onion and are used for almost all major cooking; roasting meats, flavor bases for soups, sauces, stews, carmelized onions, when a recipe calls for an onion a yellow onion is most likely what you should use. What should I know about yellow onions? Yellow onions have a sharp spicy flavor, but they also have a lot of sugar. When yellow onions are cooked they loose the sharp flavor and … [Read more…]
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January 17, 2014 By Kimberly
Seasonings are spices kept in your pantry. It is recommended to replace all your spices each year or two. The strength of the spice diminishes as time goes by. My reality is I buy new ones as I run out. I do not label mine when I open them. (Though that is a great idea to keep track of the time it has been in your pantry.) If the flavor doesn’t come through I add more. I should throw out and replace, but I have a hard time wasting food or money. Black Peppercorns “The dried dark berries from the pepper plant.”May be used whole or a course to fine grind.The larger the grind the more powerful the taste. Cayenne Pepper(Ground Red Pepper) “Made from the dried flesh of a variety of … [Read more…]
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January 15, 2014 By Kimberly
Herbs are a great way to add flavor to your food. They can be used fresh or dry. Herbs are divided into two categories, tender and robust. We will learn about 8 common herbs. When I was teaching my Little Chefs about these herbs, we got to the bay leaf and they said remembered when we were eating with Grandma, Grandpa and Great Grandma and we had the stew and Great Grandma found the leaf. She took it out because we don’t eat that. Now they know it is called a bay leaf and they know from experience it is not to be eaten, and they know that it is used to season stew at the beginning. These experiences though small are what helps them remember what they are learning. A tender herb is … [Read more…]
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January 13, 2014 By Kimberly
Now that we have learned about knives we are ready to practice our knife skills by learning how to chop, dice and mince. We started out with a cucumber because even though it has a tough exterior it has a soft interior. Bananas are too soft and they stick to the knife which is distracting and makes them touch the blade too much trying to get the stuck banana off. I started by giving my Little Chefs a cucumber only 4″ long. The first thing they do is cut lengthwise a thin slice off the cucumber to make a flat side. This will ensure the cucumber stays in place on the cutting board and doesn’t roll around. Place the flat side down and begin cutting the short end to make circles. This is … [Read more…]
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January 10, 2014 By Kimberly
Knives are most precious to chefs. They are the most commonly used tool. Using the right knife makes the job easier and faster. A knife should be razor sharp. When knives are used properly dull knives are more dangerous then sharp. Knives should cut through the food not bruise and smash the food. Knives should always be manually washed, carefully, as soon as you are done using them. When cooking with kids they are intimidated by the large knives. I always start my Little Chefs out with a butter knife, then move to a steak knife, then to a pairing knife and up from there. By the time they are ready to move up from the pairing knife they are confident with their ability and understand the … [Read more…]
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January 8, 2014 By Kimberly
In my search for information to teach my children about cooking, I located a book originally printed in 1896 called The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie Farmer, now reprinted by Dover Publications. It is interesting to note that the original book was updated and revised through 1990, the thirteenth edition! Fannie Farmer wrote the original edition teaching the reader cooking methods and techniques and sharing over 1200 recipes. (Is Martha Stewart our modern Fannie Farmer?). I will be sharing some of Fannie’s insight with you through the year. Remember she wrote in 1896! Fannie Farmer’s list of equipment, with my description in parentheses: Steel … [Read more…]
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January 6, 2014 By Kimberly
If you walk through the cooking section of any store you are overwhelmed with many many different options. One item can come in different sizes and different colors. Some items are advertised to make a kitchen task easier. We have a variety of tools, but we have discovered less is more when beginning to learn to cook with kids. While we use some of the variety of choices, these are the pieces of equipment we use the most. Saucepan (variety of sizes) Variety of sizes, one non-stick is also helpful. Used for simmering or boiling such as vegetables and soups. Skillet Has sloping sides and used for browning. Non-stick is also great. Saute Pan Straight sides, used for sauteing … [Read more…]
Previous Post: Do’s In The Kitchen
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January 3, 2014 By Kimberly
Before we start cooking we need to learn a few things we should DO to help the cooking process go a little smoother. Following these 7 Do’s will also help you have a better experience. 7 Do’s in the Kitchen DO read the recipe all the way through before getting out any equipment or food. Here you will discover the steps to the recipe. You will get a general idea how complicated the recipe is and how long it will take to prepare. Beginners add 2-3 times the estimated prep time. DO clean as you go. Doing dishes and cleaning your work space as you go is a good habit. It also makes clean up at the end much quicker. DO use the largest cutting board available. You will be more … [Read more…]
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January 1, 2014 By Kimberly
We started in 2011 with the goal to cook recipes we found from chefs we liked. In 2012 we did some cooking and some crafting. I was always looking for some guideline to teach my Little Chefs the basics. One day I was flipping through the tv guide and discovered the Martha Stewart Cooking School episodes on PBS. I loved watching each episode because it was the basics of cooking. I have never learned the basics so it kept my attention and I enjoyed learning so many new things. I was excited to share the episodes with my Little Chefs so I DVR’d them. (Is that a word?) A little while later my mom showed me a cookbook she recently purchased which happened to be the Martha Stewart Cooking School … [Read more…]
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