tips, tricks & techniques

Four truths about milk (link no longer valid): http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/truth-about-milk

My favorite is Claim #4: “Fat-free milk is much healthier than whole.”

The Truth: Nope. While you’ve probably always been told to drink reduced-fat milk, the majority of scientific studies show that drinking whole milk actually improves cholesterol levels—just not as much as drinking fat-free does. One recent exception: Danish researchers found that men who consumed a diet rich in whole milk experienced a slight increase in LDL cholesterol (six points). However, it’s worth noting that these men drank six 8-ounce glasses a day, an unusually high amount. Even so, their triglycerides—another marker of heart-disease risk—decreased by 22 percent. The bottom line: Drinking two to three glasses of milk a day, whether it’s fat-free, 2%, or whole, lowers the likelihood of both heart attack and stroke—a finding confirmed by British scientists.

Gingerbread & lemon curd trifle with blackberry sauce

cake
Cooking spray
Flour, all-purpose	3 cups
Ginger, ground	2 tablespoons
Baking soda	2 teaspoons
Cinnamon, ground	1 ¼ teaspoons
Cloves, ground	¾ teaspoon
Nutmeg, freshly ground	½ teaspoon
Salt	¼ teaspoon
Ginger, crystallized, minced	3 tablespoons
Butter, unsalted, softened	10 tablespoons
Brown sugar	1 cup, packed
Eggs	3
Molasses	1 cup
Water, boiling	1 cup
Lemon peel, grated	2 ½ teaspoons
curd
Lemon curd	22 ounces
Cream, heavy	2 cups
Sugar	1 tablespoon
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
sauce
Blackberries, fresh	2 pints
Sugar	¼ cup
Salt	Pinch
Framboise (raspberry liqueur)	2 tablespoons
Lemon juice, freshly squeezed	1 tablespoon

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, and place a rack in the center.
2. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray, line the bottom with parchment paper, and spray paper.
3. Sift flour, ground ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt together onto a sheet of parchment paper; mix in crystallized ginger.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a large bowl until fluffy.
5. Beat in sugar.
6. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
7. Gradually beat in molasses, followed by boiling water.
8. Mix in lemon peel.
9. Using the paper as a funnel, gradually pour the flour mixture.
10. Pour into the prepared pan.
11. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
12. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool for 15 minutes.
13. Run a knife around the sides of the pan; turn cake out onto a rack, and peel off paper.
14. Cool, and cut into 1-inch cubes.

Curd

1. In a large bowl, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.
2. In a separate bowl, fold together lemon curd with ½ of the whipped cream; refrigerate immediately, if not using.
3. Reserve remaining cream for the top of the trifle.

Sauce

1. In a medium saucepan, combine berries, sugar, and salt.
2. Cook over medium heat until the berries are soft, and the sugar has melted.
3. Transfer to a blender, and purée.
4. Pour through a strainer to remove the seeds.
5. Stir in framboise and lemon juice.

Assembly

1. Using a trifle dish, start with an even layer of gingerbread cubes.
2. Top with 1/3 of the lemon mixture.
3. Drizzle with 1/3 of the sauce.
4. Repeat layers twice.
5. Top with remaining whipped cream.
6. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably over night, before serving.

Note: This dish may be all or partially homemade, depending on you. The recipe assumes you'll use a couple of store-bought jars of lemon curd. My friend Kim once had me ship her several jars from Trader Joe's when she moved to Oklahoma. If you're not familiar with Trader Joe's, you're totally missing out on one of the most interesting grocery stores.

Recipe from Bobby Flay by way of the Food Network.

Curry chicken meatballs

Chicken	2 pounds
Onion, finely chopped	2 tablespoons
Bread crumbs	¼ cup
Egg	1
Cayenne	½ teaspoon each
Turmeric
Ginger powder
Black pepper
Basil, dried leaves
Thyme, dried leaves
Oregano, dried leaves
Paprika
Salt	1 teaspoon
Garlic, minced	1 clove
Safflower oil	3 tablespoons
Butter	2 tablespoons
Flour	2 tablespoons
Curry powder	1 teaspoon
Chicken stock	1 ½ cups
Cream	¾ cup

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a food processor, coarsely chop the chicken meat (if you are not using ground meat).
3. Add onion, bread crumbs, egg, seasonings, and garlic; process to a fine mix.
4. Remove and shape into small balls.
5. Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat, and brown the meatballs.
6. Drain all oil; transfer meatballs to a casserole dish.
7. Heat the butter in a saucepan; add flour and curry powder, and cook for 2 minutes over low heat.
8. Add the stock and cream, simmer for 5 minutes.
9. Pour sauce over the meatballs.
10. Cover the dish, and bake for 45 minutes.

Serve with rice.

Notes:

• Do the meatballs in batches. Even with my largest skillet, it takes three batches to brown 2 pounds of chicken.
• Be careful with splattering oil!
• Though a glass baking dish will work, I recommend a 2-quart, cast iron casserole dish with a lid (thanks to aunt Kay for the oval KitchenAid dish that I use!).

Recipe from the Fresh Ideas: Chicken booklet.

Quiche gouda gobbler

Flaky pie crust, unbaked	1
Eggs, beaten	3
Milk	1 ½ cups
Onions, sliced	¼ cup
Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped	1/8 cup
Salt	¼ teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	1/8 teaspoon
Nutmeg, freshly ground	Dash
Turkey bacon, chopped	¾ cup
Gouda cheese, shredded	1 ½ cups
Flour, all-purpose	1 tablespoon

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Place the crust in the pie pan, and then line the unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil.
3. Bake for 5 minutes, remove the foil, and then bake for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the pastry is nearly done; remove from the oven.
4. Reduce heat to 325°F.
5. Cook bacon, drain on paper towels, and reserve drippings in the pan.
6. Sauté onions in the drippings until browned.
7. In a bowl, stir together eggs, milk, onion, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; stir in bacon.
8. Toss cheese and flour together, and add to the egg mixture.
9. Pour egg mixture into the hot pastry shell.
10. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
11. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe from my imagination and available pantry items.

Blueberry & spice bread pudding

Bread, white, cut into cuts	6 cups
Blueberries, fresh or dry packed, rinsed and drained	2 cups
Eggs	3
Sweetened condensed milk	14 ounces
Warm water	1 ½ cups
Butter, melted	¼ cup
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Cinnamon, ground	½ teaspoon
Nutmeg, ground	¼ teaspoon

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, toss together bread cubes and blueberries, completely moistening bread.
3. Place in a greased 9-inch square baking pan; side aside.
4. In the same large bowl, beat eggs lightly, and then add remaining ingredients; mix well.
5. Pour evenly over bread cubes and blueberries, completely moistening the bread.
6. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool; serve warm or chilled.

Recipe from Cooks.com.