Broth Basics

It, being the holiday season, I thought it best to talk about broth. I know it sounds so basic because really broth is quite simple - you buy a can and poor it in. But have you ever stopped to think how your food tasted after you cooked it. Is it a little too salty? Lets take a step back to the oh-so-basic broth. Did you get low or reduced-sodium broth, or did you get regular broth? You know, the one that has enough salt to stop a healthy heart. If you used the regular broth and added salt as the recipe calls, you have now overloaded the great stuffing or gravy with way too much salt. So, when a recipe calls for broth, use low/less-sodium broth, because you can all ways add salt, but you can’t take it away.

And the most important rule for cooking is - TASTE your food.

Burger Time

If you are like me, I like meat, but most of all - I like grilled meat. So, since it’s getting cold out I thought, ‘what better time to talk burgers.’ Yep, I said it – burgers. They are not just for the summertime, and definitely not fast food. Why not have them year round? If you can’t take the cold, inside burgers can still be good. But for those who dare to face the ice chill of winter for the best burger, I take my hat off to you.

To get started, lets talk meat. Get a good ground beef with about a 15% fat ratio, like ground chuck.

Now spices. I am a simple man when it comes to burgers. I just like kosher salt and black pepper and about half a medium onion. A burger is a good to experiment with so anything goes, but don’t over do it, I have tasted some bad burgers because the spices used did not go together.

Here is how I make my burgers:

In a bowl add meat.
Cut your onion in small dices.
Pinch of salt and pepper.
Mix all in the bowl.
Note: Do not over mix or they will get mealy.

Pop in a pan or on the grill and cook to however done you like it.

Use your favorite sauces and toppings and enjoy.

So laugh, love, and cook.

Taste

Just wanted to post something that most know, but a lot don’t. Taste is one of your greatest tools in you cooking arsenal. If you don’t taste your food as you cook, how do you know if it is any good? So taste everything, from the spices to the almost-finished product, and everything in between.

DISCLAIMER: Don’t taste raw meat – it will not be good for you. (LOL - I know you know, but had to save my butt.)

Japanese Steak House Night

This is my favorite meal ever, and it is a very versatile meal – you can use any meat, any veggies – all you need are some good sauces, and guess what, I got you covered. First let’s talk meat. If you use steak, get a thin steak, like flank or skirt – just a good thin steak – and grilling it out it is a lot better than in a pan. For fish, use a milder tasting fish, like Mahi Mahi. Chicken, it’s chicken, what more do I need to say. I have not tried pork with my sauces yet, so try and let me know. For your veggies, I use zucchini and onions.

Now time for the sauces
Equipment: Micro Grater and Saucepan

Sauce #1 - Ginger Sauce:
1 Tablespoon Ginger (grated)
2 Cloves Garlic (grated)
2 Tablespoons Sugar
¼ Cup Saké (If you don’t want to use sake, use rice cooking wine [same portion])
½ Cup Less Sodium Soy Sauce
A little bit of vegetable oil

In the saucepan put a little bit of oil and heat. When heated (oil will move easy around the pan when it is swirled around) add garlic and ginger, stir. When you smell the garlic and ginger add saké and soy sauce, heat, then add sugar. Cook on a low simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, take off heat and let cool.

You can use the ginger sauce to marinate your meat and veggies.

Sauce # 2 - My Wife’s White Sauce
1 Cup Hellmann’s Mayonnaise
1 Teaspoon Sugar
Approximately 3 Tablespoons of Tomato Sauce (enough to cut mayonnaise sharpness)
Approximately 3 Tablespoons of Butter/Margarine
Approximately 1 Tablespoon Paprika (add more or less to suit your own taste)
Approximately 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder (add more or less to suit your own taste)
Cayenne Pepper to taste (remember, the ‘kick’ comes as an aftertaste, and will be stronger the next day [if preparing sauce for use later])

Remember while you cook to taste, taste, and taste some more. Because if you don’t taste how do you know if it is good.

What cooking means to mean...

I guess my first post should be what cooking means to me, and what this blog is about?

Cooking to me is not just throwing food in a pan; it’s a way of life, rich or poor you can cook. You can be creative or as simple as you like, and, as crazy as it sounds, it’s what brings families together to laugh, talk, and build stronger relationships. Cooking is not just preparing a meal, its love.

So onto the next question, what is this blog about? Well, first I’m not a person with a lot of money. We, as a family, can’t spend $200 a week on food. We do good to get to spend $100 to 150, if we are lucky…really lucky. So, eating on a budget at one time was frozen food and quick box meals that really sucked – you know what I’m talking about. Well, one day we started making most of all of our food from scratch and since then we have found that the food is a lot better and cheaper. So what is this blog about, it is cooking [and how to on a budget], and from time to time I will let you know about some other stuff too, like what’s up with the family or where we ate, or if we got some new kitchen appliance. Also soon we plan to begin conversion of part of our porch into a kitchen – so cool – can’t wait.

So laugh, love, and cook.