Kitchen Encounters

~How to Prebake, Freeze, Thaw & Finish-Bake Pizza~

In terms of comfort food, pizza is at the top of the short list.  But, when the craving for a pizza hits, it's not exactly instant gratification -- eat-in requires a drive to your favorite pizza pub, delivery requires a wait to receive a less than idillic product, and, to make one from scratch requires even more time.  Tick, tock.  If you're looking for a way to work around this dilemma, you've come to the right place.  Here in my kitchen, when I make pizza, I make one and freeze one.  Keeping a few stored in my freezer means my family or friends can be enjoy a top-notch, ooey-gooey cheesy pizza whenever the mood strikes -- and it takes just twenty stress-free, mess-free minutes.

Start w/an unbaked, fully-topped pizza.

~ Step 1.  Start by making your favorite pizza dough. Pat it into a lightly-oiled 12"-round or 13" x 9"-rectangular pizza pan and top it with your favorite pizza sauce, cheese(s), and any additional meat or vegetable toppings.

Prebake pizza in pan, in 375° oven w/oven rack in center.

~ Step 2.  Bake the pizza on center rack of preheated 375° oven for exactly 18 minutes.  Cheese will be bubbling and melted, and crust will have puffed up.  Remove pizza from oven.  Using a large metal spatula, loosen/slide pizza from pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely, 1-1 1/2 hours. 

Tightly-wrap, refrigerate, then freeze pizza for several months.

~Step 3.  To avoid (at all cost) any type of freezer burn, first, triple wrap the completely cooled pizza in plastic wrap.  Next, seal the pizza it in a 2-2 1/2-gallon Ziplock bag, then, place it in the refrigerator for several hours to get it cold.  Once the pizza is cold, freeze it flat, and, if you continue to make additional pizzas, it is fine to stack them flat on top of each other.

Thaw & finish-bake directly on center oven rack, in 350° oven.

~ Step 4.  Thaw fully-wrapped pizza on the counter for about an hour, OR, gently and carefully on the defrost-cyle in the microwave oven for about 3 minutes.  Remove plastic wrap from thawed pizza.  Place pizza directly on center rack (or on a pizza stone placed on the center oven rack) of preheated 350° for 4-6 minutes, or, until the cheese is bubbly and the bottom of the crust has crisped up.

A freezer w/homemade frozen pizza = a family's best friend:

How to Prebake, Freeze, Thaw & Finish-Bake Pizza:  Recipe yields instructions fo prebake, freeze, thaw & finish-bake as many pizzas as you want to.

Special Equipment List: 1, 12"-round pizza pan or 1, "13" x 9"-rectangular baking pan; large metal spatula; pizza peel; pizza stone (optional); wire cooling rack; plastic wrap; 2 1/2-gallon Ziplock freezer bag 

Cook's Note:  Wouldn't it be great if the moment the smooth, round ball of pizza dough was kneaded we could slap it on the pan, pat it out, slather it with sauce, layer it with toppings and pop it in the oven? It sure would, but, unfortunately, we can't -- well, we can, but the end result is somewhat less than palatable. "Proofing" meaning, "the time it takes for the dough to rise after it has been kneaded and bulk-proofed", is the most important step in the pizza making process. Sadly, it's all-too-often not taken seriously -- it gets rushed.  Great crust comes to those who wait. ~ How and Why to Proof Pizza Dough Two Easy Ways ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~Beer-Batter-Dipped Deep-Fried Babyback Spareribs~

Yes, you read it right -- these ribs are beer-batter-dipped and deep-fried.  One could say strange things happen to people during a lengthy arctic-esque freeze stirred into a pandemic --  to name a few, we binge-watch way too much TV, eat way too many carbohydrates, and, push like to way too many Facebook memes.  BUT, as Cuckoo-for-Cocoa-Puffs as it might seem to many, batter-dipping and deep-frying spareribs isn't one of them -- the Chinese have been deep-frying ribs for centuries, and they're a popular item on many Chinese-American restaurant menus.

That said, it should come as no surprise that South of the Mason-Dixon Line, on occasion, folks deep-fry spareribs too -- after all, by definition, the phrase "Southern-fried" is not limited to chicken. So, once you pause to think about it for a moment or two, it will come as no shock that, done in the manner of batter-dipped Southern-fried chicken or catfish, spareribs are no different -- they're delicious.  Suck-it-up, close the lid on that grill, get out the deep-fryer and live dangerously.

Crispy outside, perfectly-cooked & full-flavored juicy-tender inside -- they're simply irresistible...

... but, they're filling, so, they're a great way to stretch one rack of ribs to feed a family of four or serve as hors d'oeuvres.

1 or 2  full-racks babyback pork spareribs

1 or 2  12-ounce bottles beer, your favorite kind (one bottle of beer per rack of ribs)

4 1/2 or 9  cups pancake mix, your favorite kind (4 1/2 cups total for 1 rack of ribs, 9 cups total for 2 racks of ribs) (Note:  I use pancake mix in place of self-rising flour or flour mixed with baking powder and salt.  It works great, tastes fantastic, and, it's always on-hand in my pantry.)

corn or peanut oil for deep-frying

freshly-ground sea salt, for seasoning ribs as they emerge from the deep-fryer

~Step 1.  To prep one or two full racks babyback pork spareribs, pat them dry in some paper towels, and, use a paring knife to remove the silverskin from the underside of each rack.  If you don't know how to do this, read my post ~ How to: Remove the Silverskin from Spareribs ~. Using a large chef's knife, slice between the rib bones to section each rack into 12-14 pieces.

~ Step 2.  For the dry dredge, in one medium-sized bowl, place 2 or 4 cups of pancake cake mix. Set aside.  For the beer batter, in a second medium-sized bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 or 5 cups of pancake mix along with 1 or 2 bottles of beer. Set aside for about 3 minutes before starting the frying process. This will give the batter time to thicken a bit, to a drizzly consistency.  If at any point during the frying process (even at the outset) if the batter seems or gets too thick, whisk in a little more beer to maintain a VERY drizzly consistency. For more info about beer batter, read my post ~ My All-Purpose Beer Batter for Deep-Frying Anything ~. Place a wire rack in a baking pan that has been lined with paper towels.  Heat oil in fryer to 375° according to manufacturer's specifications.

~ Step 3.  To dry dredge and batter dip the ribs, working in batches of two or three ribs at a time (so as not to overcrowd the fryer basket), dredge each rib in the dry pancake mix to lightly-coat it on all sides. Next, drop each rib in the beer batter and swish it around a bit, until coated.  Lift each rib out of the batter and hold it over the bowl for a second or two, to allow the excess batter to drizzle back into the bowl.

~Step 4.  To deep-fry the ribs, working in batches of two or three ribs at a time (so as not to overcrowd the fryer basket, which should be submerged in the oil), gently lower each rib into the hot oil and into the fryer basket.  Close the lid on the deep-fryer and fry ribs for exactly 12 minutes per batch.  Open fryer lid and slowly lift basket up and out of deep-fryer. Transfer the ris to a wire rack in a baking pan that has been lined with paper towels.  Tip:  To transfer the ribs, simply tilt the basket onto its side directly over the rack in the pan.  Using tongs is a mistake -- it's an easy way to damage the crust.  Once out of the fryer, immediately sprinkle ribs with freshly ground sea salt and repeat process until all batches are dipped and deep-fried. 

Serve w/Southern-style rice, mac & cheese, baked beans, corn, creamy coleslaw &/or cornbread -- & barbecue sauce:

Beer-Batter-Dipped Deep-Fried Babyback Spareribs:  Recipe yields 12-14 spareribs/4-6 servings per rack of ribs.

Special Equipment List:  paper towels; paring knife; cutting board; chef's knife; whisk; deep-fryer; wire cooling rack; large baking pan

Cook's Note:  We all know there are several ways to cook spareribs, and, for those of us who are fair-weather grillers exclusively, there are ways to enjoy wonderful ribs in the warmth of our kitchens.  Here's my recipe for ~ The Best Way to Make Slow-Cooker Babyback Spareribs ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ Pearl Tapioca, Minute Tapioca and Tapioca Starch ~

Tapioca -- tap-ee-oh-kuh.  You've seen it in your grocery store.  Perhaps you keep some form of it in your pantry.  Tapioca is a starch commonly used as a thickener, and, because it was a staple in my grandmother's and mother's pantries, it is in mine too.  My grandmother used tapioca powder to thicken jelly, quick-cooking tapioca granules to thicken pie fillings, and whole tapioca pearls to make one of my favorite childhood comfort-food desserts:  tapioca pudding.

A bit about tapioca:  The name tapioca comes from the South American, Brazilian Tupi name "tipi-oka", which means "starch".  Tapioca doesn't grow on trees like fruit or in the garden like vegetables.  It is extracted from the root of the shrub-like cassava plant (also known as manioc) via a complex process that leaches out the toxins (cyanide) to get to the usable starch.  

The starch is then processed into several forms: powder (flour), granules (flakes) and balls (pearls), with stick form being the least common in the USA.

Cassava is native to South America and the Caribbean, but is grown worldwide, with Brazil, Nigeria and Thailand being three of the biggest producers.  Many cultures, including us in the US, have adopted tapioca for culinary use in their own cuisine.  After rice and maize, cassava is the world's largest gluten-free source of carbohydrates (it's basically pure unadulterated starch), but, sadly, because it contains no protein or other nutritional value (zero), this is problematic in countries with malnurished populations that rely upon tapioca as a hunger-statisfying staple.

The flavor is neutral, making tapioca powder (also marketed as flour or starch) and granules (which come in quick-cooking or instant form), a great thickener for  both sweet and savory foods.

Whole pearls (which come sized S, M or L), become soft and chewy when cooked, and, lend a whimsical "squishy" texture to smooth puddings and creamy soups. If a recipe instructs to soak tapioca in water prior to cooking it, do it.  Upon soaking or cooking, tapioca rehydrates and doubles in size. Upon cooking, soaked or unsoaked tapioca turns translucent.  Soaking (or not) affects how long it will take to cook and how much liquid it will absorb from the mixture it is being cooked in.

A bit about instant "minute" tapioca: As per the MINUTE Tapioca company, tapioca pudding was born in 1894 in the kitchen of Susan Stavers.  Mrs. Stavers, a Boston housewife who took in boarders for extra cash, took in an ailing sailor who had brought some cassava roots from his journeys.  Hoping to soothe the sailor's upset stomach, she made a sweet, delicious pudding from the roots.  To create a smoother consistency, Stavers took the sailor's suggestion and processed the roots through a coffee grinder. The pudding turned out smooth, and Susan received rave reviews from her other boarders.  Soon, Stavers began regularly grinding tapioca, packaging it in paper bags and selling it to the neighbors.  John Whitman, a newspaper publisher, heard of Susan's process and pudding, bought the rights to Susan's recipe, and, the MINUTE Tapioca Company was born.  It became part of General Foods in 1926 and Kraft Foods in 1989.

Try my Tapioca Pudding --  Just like Grandma used to Make:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ A Bit about Vanilla Bean Paste and Vanilla Powder ~

Vanilla extract is the number one flavoring added to baked goods.  Vanilla extract, which is basically made by macerating ground vanilla beans in alcohol and water, is known for its enchanting scent and exotic taste.  Everyone who bakes stores high-quality pure vanilla extract in their pantry (not imitation vanilla flavoring), and usually a few precious vanilla bean pods too. Vanilla beans and vanilla extract are available everywhere, with extract being more economical than whole bean pods.  That said, there are two other lesser known, but not less important, vanilla-based products that I keep in my pantry too:  vanilla bean paste and vanilla powder.

Vanilla bean paste is a sweet, syrupy mixture full of vanilla beans that have been scraped out of the pod.  Like vanilla extract, it's full of natural vanilla flavor, plus, it's got all the pretty speckled beans in it too.  

I think of it as a convenient cross between pure vanilla extract and the whole vanilla bean pod, and, I like to add it to cake batters because the syrupy texture ensures that the seeds distribute themselves evenly throughout the mixture.  

1 tablespoon paste = 1 tablespoon extract = 1 bean pod.

Vanilla powder is a free-flowing sugar which may be used in place of pure extract in any recipe.  It is great for stirring into beverages (like coffee and hot chocolate) and cocktails, (it's a great addition to  a chocolate martini) and, it loves to be sprinkled onto desserts.  

I particularly like it for making vanilla cake frosting because it doesn't affect the color like extract does, meaning it won't lend a brownish tinge to the finished product.  

1 tablespoon powder = 1 tablespoon extract.

For the Love of Vanilla Double-Vanilla Cupcakes:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~About Aged Asiago Cheese & Fresh Asiago Cheese~

Open the deli-drawer of my refrigerator and there's a good chance you'll find a wedge or two of Asiago cheese in it -- it's one of my favorite Italian cow's milk cheese.  If you've never tried Asiago, you should, but, it's important to know there are two types, and, the one you choose will determine how you will use it.  Simply stated, one is hard, dry and gratable, the other is soft, sliceable and meltable.  Both start out the same, but, change textures during the aging process. Aged Asiago is pale-to-amber yellow, compact and very firm with a nutty aroma and strong flavor. Fresh Asiago is white-to-pale yellow with small irregular holes throughout a slightly-spongy texture with a delicate buttery aroma and sweet flavor.  Both are all to often under appreciated. 

A bit about Asiago cheese (ah-zee-AH-go) in general:  Originally, Asiago was a sheep's milk cheese produced on the Asiago plateau in the Veneto foothills of Italy -- the cheese-making tradition in the provinces of Vicenza and Trento date back more than a thousand years. Nowadays it is made from pasteurized cow's milk (occasionally unpasteurized cow's milk) and produced in many countries.  During the aging process, Asiago changes textures.  The aged (dry) version is known as Asiago d'allevo.  The fresh (soft) version is known as Asiago Pressato.

Asiago Pressato (fresh Asiago), aged for just 1-2 months, is sold as softer, mild cheese.  Asiago d'allevo (aged Asiago), a firmer, harder, grating cheese is aged for different time periods: Mezzano (4-6 months); Vecchio (10+ months), and; Stravecchio (2+ years).  Any aged Asiago is similar to Parmesan or Romano, with Parmesan being a little sharper and Romano being a lot sharper than Asiago.  You can substitute either Parmesan or Romano for Asiago in any recipe and vice versa, IF the cheese is to be sprinkled over a finished dish at the end, but, IF the cheese is to be cooked into the dish or melted on top of it, as is the case of a cheese sauce, neither Parmesan or Romano melt as evenly and creamily as their Asiago cousin does.

Try ~My Basic Asiago Cheese Sauce for Pasta/Veggies ~:

Or, my ~ Roasted Compari Tomatoes w/Asiago & Basil ~:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~Spellcheck Chile, Chili, Chile Powder or Chili Powder~

Chile, chili, chile powder and/or chili powder.  How these words are spelled is not a regional preference, meaning it doesn't vary willy-nilly from manufacturer to manufacturer, brand to brand or cook to cook.  That said, all too many times they are used interchangeably, but the reality is: they should never be.  The spelling of these words is serious business, and, savvy shoppers know exactly what they are purchasing.  I grow chile peppers in the vegetable garden every year, and, I make a pot of chili or chili con carne several times a year.  I admit to having several jars of carefully-chosen chile powders and chili blends on my spice rack at all times.   It really is all in the spelling.  Once you know what the spelling means, you will know what is is and what's in it.

Once you know what the spelling means...

CHILE:  Spelled with an "e" at the end, refers to the fresh or dried plant or pod or fruit of any member of the pepper family (example:  chile peppers grow in the garden).

CHILI:  Spelled with an "i" at the end, refers to soups, stews and/or sauces made with fresh or dried chile peppers (example:  white chicken chili, chili con carne, chili sauce).

CHILE POWDER:  When spelled with an "e" at the end, means it is a powder made from one or more types of dried chiles exclusively.  This is sometimes referred to or marketed as POWDERED CHILES, or CHILE BLEND (if it contains more than one kind of chile powder).

CHILI POWDER:  When spelled with an "i" at the end means it is a mixture of chile powder and ground, dried spices (common examples:  ground cumin, garlic and/or onion powder), meaning: the manufacturer has added various spices to pure chile powder or a blend of chile powders.

... you will know what it is & what is in it! 

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ Thick-&-Zesty Kid-Friendly Ground-Beef Lasagna ~

All us cooks agree that every recipe does not have to be a rocket science recipe -- it simply has to taste, without compromise, great.  If the end justifies the means, there's no shame in a shortcut or three.  I'm not sure how many lasagna recipes one cook is supposed to have, but, I'm guessing most households have more than one.    Here in my kitchen, I make four different types of lasagna, each with its own unique sauce: Bolognese, seafood, vegetable lasagna (all of which are excellent but time-consuming), and, this easy-to-make kid-friendly, crowd-pleasing ground-beef lasagna.  It's so popular amongst my family and friends, I even have a gluten-free version.

Part One -- Making the meat sauce:

For the meat sauce:

3  tablespoons olive oil

2  generous cups diced yellow or sweet onion (12 ounces)

1  pound sliced white button mushroom caps

1  tablespoon McCormick garlic powder

3  packets McCormick Thick & Zesty spaghetti sauce mix

3  pounds 90/10 ground beef (90% fat free)

1  pound Hatfield sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

1  28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

~Step 1.  Place the oil in a 12" chef's pan.   Prep onions and mushrooms as directed, placing them in pan as you work.  Place over low heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Increase heat to sauté, stirring frequently, until onion softens and mushrooms have lost almost all moisture, about 15-20 minutes, using a large spatula to chop up mushrooms a bit as they cook.  Stir in the garlic powder and packets of spaghetti sauce mix.  Continue to sauté for about 30-60 seconds.  Mixture will be thick and pasty.

~Step 2.  Add all of the ground beef and sweet sausage to onion/mushroom mixture.  Cook mixture over medium-high heat, stirring frequently and using the spatula to break up the meats into small bits and pieces, until the meat has lost its red color, is steamed through, and almost no moisture remains in the bottom of the pan, 25-30 minutes.

~ Step 3.  Add and thoroughly stir in the crushed tomatoes.  Adjust the heat to a gentle, steady simmer and continue to cook, stirring constantly with a large spoon, about 15 minutes.  This meat sauce, which is also a great meat sauce for spaghetti, is ready to use.  That said, I like to remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and let it rest for about 30 minutes prior to assembling the lasagna, to give the flavors time to marry.  That said,  it is important to have the sauce warm-to-hot when assembling the lasagna as it will pre-soften the noodles before the lasagna goes into the oven.

Part Two -- Assembling & baking the lasagna:

For the assembly:

all the meat sauce,  from above recipe

1  10-ounce box ruffled-edge lasagna noodles, uncooked

1/2-3/4   pound thinly-sliced Cooper CV sharp cheese, or white American cheese

1/2-3/4   pound thinly-sliced provolone cheese

1/2-3/4  pound thinly-sliced mozzarella cheese

1/2-3/4  cup fine-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1-2  teaspoons Italian seasoning blend, or dried oregano

no-stick cooking spray

~Step 1.  Spray the bottom of a 13" x 9" x 2" casserole with no-stick.  Spoon a thin but even layer of meat sauce in bottom of casserole dish.  Arrange lasagna noodles, side by side, over the sauce.  Four noodles will fit lengthwise.  Break one noodle to fit in the remaining space.  Arrange a single layer of Cooper CV cheese slices over the noodles.  Arrange a single layer of provolone slices over the CV.  Arrange a single layer of mozzarella slices over the provolone.  Spoon a second layer of meat sauce over the cheese layer.  Generously sprinkle Parmigianno-Reggiano over meat sauce.

~Step 2.  Arrange a second layer of lasagna noodles in the dish and repeat the above process (a second layer of cheeses, a third layer of meat sauce, plus a sprinkling of Parmigiano-Reggiano). Sprinkle Italian seasoning blend over all.  The lasagna is now ready for the oven or the freezer, or, it can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight, returned to room temperature (which takes about 3-4 hours) and baked the next day.  I highly recommend refrigerating it over night -- it's convenient, but more importantly, it gives all the great flavors time to marry.

~ Step 3.  Cover lasagna with a piece of foil that's been sprayed with no-stick.  Place foil, sprayed side down, over lasagna and cover tightly.  Bake on center rack of 350° oven, 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake 25-30 more minutes, or until browned and bubbly.  Remove from oven and rest, 30-60 minutes prior to slicing and serving -- 30 minutes if you want to eat your lasagna at that "ooey-gooey" stage, or, 60 minutes if you want nicer, neater slices and a more refined presentation. 

Ooey-gooey cheesy & easy too -- & oh so very, very good:

Thick-&-Zesty Kid-Friendly Ground-Beef Lasagne:  Recipe yields 8-12 servings.

Special Equipment List: cutting board; chef's knife; 12" chef's pan w/straight, deep sides & lid,; large spatula; large spoon;  13" x 9" x 2" casserole dish; plastic wrap (optional); aluminum foil

Cook's Note: Do you have a favorite casserole recipe?  You know "the one".  The one your family loves, the one you take to potluck, the one you donate to a good cause, the one you give to a sick friend -- the one you've made so many times you've got the recipe committed to memory.  Every really good cook or chef will admit they have at least two or three "go to" casserole recipes in their repertoire.  I'm no exception and this one is at the top of my short list.  Try my ~ Baked Ziti Casserole w/Sausage & Four Cheeses ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~Eat Some, Freeze Some, Easy Chicken Soup Bowls~

Simply stated, every recipe does not have to be a rocket science recipe -- it simply has to taste, without compromise, great.  If the end justifies the means, and in the case of this recipe it does, there's no shame in a shortcut or three -- and, to prove my point, I now have eight, four-cup containers of chocked-full-of-chicken-and-vegetables soup in my freezer, which will see me nicely through the upcoming snowstorms until the Spring thaw.  This soup is every bit as tasty as grandma's old-fashioned chicken soup, it's just a lot less time consuming to make.

All I have to do:  Thaw, reheat & bring on some egg noodles.

For this easy chocked-full-of-chicken & vegetables soup:

For the soup stock:

3  pounds chicken tenderloins

12  cups water

1  32-ounce box each: Kitchen Basics original chicken stock and original beef stock*

1  tablespoon each:  Herb-Ox granulated chicken bouillon and beef bouillon*

1  tablespoon each:  garlic and onion powder and sea salt

1 1/2  teaspoons coarse-grind black pepper

*Note:  You are not imagining things, I am adding beef stock and beef bouillon to this chicken soup recipe.  Yes, it is a bit unconventional, but, when one is making a quick chicken soup from boxed stock and boneless, skinless chicken (without the all-flavorful bones), one has to add a bit of strong base flavor -- and that comes in the form of beef stock.  While you shouldn't ever make chicken soup using all beef stock (it's just to strong), when its strength gets diluted with chicken stock, it is a great flavor enhancer.   Please trust this well-seasoned cook on this point.  

For the add-ins: 

2  generous cups diced yellow or sweet onion (12 ounces)

2  generous cups diced celery (12 ounces)

4  generous cups peeled and 1/4" coined carrots (1 1/2 pounds after trimming)

6  generous cups peeled and 3/4" cubed gold potatoes (3 pounds after peeling)

~ Step 1.  Place all of the ingredients for the soup stock, as listed, in a wide-bottomed 12-quart stockpot (the chicken tenders, water, boxed stocks, bouillons, and all the dry spices).  Using a large spoon, give the mixture a thorough stir.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then, reduce heat to a gentle but steady simmer.  Partially cover the pot and continue to simmer for 1 full hour.  While the chicken is simmering in the stock, use this time to prep the add-ins as directed.  Turn the heat off.

~ Step 2.  Using a large slotted spoon, remove the chicken tenderloins from the stock and place them on a plate.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow them to steam-cool until they can be handled with the hands, about 5-10 minutes.   Uncover the chicken tenderloins.  Using your fingertips, pull the meat into bite-sized bits and pieces .

~Step 3.  Add all of the add-ins to the stock (onions, carrots, celery and potatoes).  Give the mixture a thorough stir, then, bring the mixture to a boil over high eat.  Reduce heat to a gentle but steady simmer and continue to cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or until the carrots and potatoes are cooked through and tender. Add all of the pulled chicken and continue to cook for 5 more minutes, just to heat the chicken through.  If you have the time, turn heat off, cover pot and allow soup to steep for 1-2 hours, to allow all the flavors time to marry into the vegetables.

~ Step 4.  Serve soup ladled over egg noodles, or, portion into 8, 1-quart freezer-safe containers with tight-fitting lids. Refrigerate several hours or overnight, then, freeze.  Tip:  Refrigeration prior to freezing prevents/eliminates freezer burn.

Eight quarts of clear-brothed, bold-flavored, rich, hearty soup:  

Ladle over cooked egg noodles & enjoy every last slurp:

Eat Some, Freeze Some, Easy Chicken Soup Bowls:  Recipe yields 8 quarts chicken vegetable soup.

Special Equipment List:  wide-bottomed 12-quart stockpot w/lid; cutting board; large spoon; chef's knife; vegetable peeler; large slotted spoon; plastic wrap; soup ladle; 8, 1-quart size freezer and microwave safe food storage containers w/tight-fitting lids; soup ladle

Cook's Note:  If you've ever envisioned yourself being a restaurant chef, be careful what you wish for:  the pots are big, the load is heavy.  There's more.  As a home cook, in terms of slicing, dicing, chopping and mincing, you won't have any line cooks to perform those menial tasks for you.  Don't get me wrong (I'm not trying to talk you out of this), big batch cooking isn't necessarily hard, but, more-often than not, it is time consuming -- in many instances, it's prudent to do the majority of the prep work on one day and the actual cooking the next, so, be sure to schedule enough time.  Past that, it's also necessary to invest in some big-batch restaurant-sized equipment.  When armed with the right recipe, the right mindset, and the right equipment, the big batch reward is great. That said, preparing a big batch of almost anything is a bit different from regular cooking.  To learn why it's different, read my post ~ What to Consider Before Cooking in Big Batches ~.  

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~Eat Some, Freeze Some, Big Batch Beef Taco Filling~

If you are raising kids, you know all about taco night.  You also know that having a few cups of a great, kid-friendly ground-beef taco filling already prepared and on-hand in your freezer is a great weeknight time-saver.  After a brief thaw-and-heat in the microwave, a busy mom or dad can have dinner on the table in about 30 minutes.  Having raised three boys, for decades, I was never without it.  In fact, I liked to make a big batch of the meat mixture in a large wide-bottomed, 8-quart chef's pan, then portion it into user-friendly-sized 2-cup containers (each enough to fill 8-10 taco shells), to keep in the freezer.  It was always on-hand for quick weeknight meals and snacks. Yes, just like pizza, tacos make a great evening movie-night snack for kids (and adults too).

Eat some, then freeze some, &, always make a big batch. 

6  tablespoons corn oil

6  pounds lean ground beef (90/10)

1  pound diced yellow or sweet onion

1  each:  1 large diced green, red, orange and yellow bell pepper (about 6-7 ounces each after dicing)

3  packets (12 tablespoons) McCormick original taco seasoning

1/2  teaspoon ground cloves

3  tablespoons ground cumin

2  tablespoons garlic powder

1  teaspoon red pepper flakes

1  teaspoon sea salt

2-3  14 1/2-ounce cans stewed tomatoes, undrained (Note:  Tomatoes are a necessary ingredient in ground-beef taco filling because their acid adds a lot of flavor.  I use three cans because I love lots of chunks of tomato in my taco filling.  Not a fan?  Cut back to two cans.)

1/2  cup sofrito (Note:  Soffrito is a purée of tomatoes, green peppers, onions, garlic, culantro and EVOO.  It's the foundation of many Latin American, Portuguese and Spanish dishes.  While not authentic Tex-Mex, it does contain the same basic veggies and flavors common to Tex-Mex.  I keep a bottled stashed in my refrigerator at all times.  It is NOT the same as Italian soffritto.) 

~Step 1.  In a 14" chef's pan w/straight deep sides place the corn oil, then the ground beef.  Prep the onion, and bell peppers as directed, placing them in the pan as you work.  Add the taco seasoning, followed by the rest of the dry spices:  the ground cloves, cumin, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and salt.  Over no heat, take a minute or two to give the ingredients a thorough stir, meaning, get the meat, veggies and spices thoroughly combined.  

~Step 2.  Over medium- medium-high heat, cook, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat with a large spatula or spoon, until meat has lost all its color and is steamed through, about 35-45 minutes.  There should be almost no liquid remaining in the bottom of the pan -- what it looks like is more important than the time this takes.

~Step 3. Stir in the stewed tomatoes, followed by the sofrito.  Adjust heat to a steady but gentle simmer and continue to cook, uncovered and stirring frequently, once again until almost all liquid has evaporated from the pan, 35-45 more minutes.  The taco filling is now technically ready to serve, however, I recommend removing it from the heat, covering the pan and allowing it to steep for about 2-4 hours, to marry the flavors, prior to serving warm.

~ Step 4.  To freeze the taco filling, portion it into 2-cup freezer-safe containers with tight-fitting lids. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight, then, freeze.  Tip from Mel:  Refrigeration prior to freezing prevents/eliminates freezer burn.

Spoon about 6 tablespoons warmed ground-beef filling into each deep-fried, lightly-salted fresh corn tortilla, then garnish w/shreds of crispy lettuce, a spoonful of spicy salsa & shredded cheddar.

Eat Some, Freeze Some, Big Batch Beef Taco Filling:  Recipe yields 16 cups of filling/enough for six meals of 6-8 tacos each.

Special Equipment List:  14" chef's pan w/straight, deep sides & lid; cutting board; chef's knife; large spoon and/or spatula; 2-cup size freezer-safe containers w/tight-fitting lids

Cook's Note: If you've ever envisioned yourself being a restaurant chef, be careful what you wish for:  the pots are big, the load is heavy.  There's more.  As a home cook, in terms of slicing, dicing, chopping and mincing, you won't have any line cooks to perform those menial tasks for you.  Don't get me wrong (I'm not trying to talk you out of this), big batch cooking isn't necessarily hard, but, more-often than not, it is time consuming -- in many instances, it's prudent to do the majority of the prep work on one day and the actual cooking the next, so, be sure to schedule enough time.  Past that, it's also necessary to invest in some big-batch restaurant-sized equipment.  When armed with the right recipe, the right mindset, and the right equipment, the big batch reward is great. That said, preparing a big batch of almost anything is a bit different from regular cooking.  To learn why it's different, read my post ~ What to Consider Before Cooking in Big Batches ~.

"We are all in the food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~HISstory vs HERstory -- The Story of Eggs Benedict~

A la Benedict.  It means in-the-style-of eggs Benedict.  For runny-egg lovers, this is the la-tee-da, ooh-la-la, creme-de-la-creme of fancy-schmancy, artery-clogging AM indulgences:  two golden-toasted English muffin halves, each topped with a slice of smoky ham, a perfectly poached egg and a generous drizzle of buttery hollandaise sauce.  This all-American breakfast and brunch specialty has been gracing the tables of high-end restaurants for over a century.  There are three claims to this beloved dish's origin, with only one being widely-accepted as the real-deal.

Culinary Fisticuffs?  The Battle Between the Benedicts!!!  

HISstory vs. HERstory:  

Thanks to a food article appearing in the New York Times Magazine in 1967, written by the late, great NYT Food Editor Craig Claiborne, American foodies were led to believe this dish was French in origin, invented by the mother of French Commodore E.C. Benedict. Mr. Claiborne reported this to us shortly after receiving a letter from Edward P. Montgomery, an American living in France, who claims to have gotten the recipe via his uncle who was a friend of the Commodore.  Edward, it seems, had just forgotten about it for forty-some odd years.  HISstory.

In a rather immediate, scathing response to Mr. Claiborne's article, a woman named Mabel Butler sent her own letter to the New York Times Magazine, basically calling Mr. Montgomery a fraud and a liar, because she knew EXACTLY who invented the now famous dish.  Ms. Butler, a relative of Mrs. LeGrand Benedict went on to say:  It was invented in the kitchen of Manhattan's famous Delmonico's Restaurant when Mr. and Mrs. Benedict (two wealthy, influential patrons who dined weekly at Delmonico's) complained to the maitre d'Hotel that the chef never added anything new to the brunch menu.  Upon their next visit, the chef responded to them in a very LeGrand way:  two golden-toasted English muffin halves, each topped with a slice of smoky ham, a perfectly poached egg, a drizzle of buttery hollandaise and topped with a shaving of musky truffle.

Enter the Party-of-the-Third-Part & voila:  the REALastoria:

It seems that a wealthy, elderly gentleman, Lemual Benedict, a retired Wall Street Stock Broker, had done an earlier interview with the New Yorker Magazine, in 1942, which appeared in their "Talk of the Town" column.  In it, he confesses to having drunkenly stumbled into NYC's Waldorf Astoria in need of a good fix for a bad hangover.  As Benedict explains,  "back in 1894", he ordered buttered toast, poached eggs, bacon and a "hooker" of hollandaise (slang for a "shot glass").  Oscar Tschirky, the maitre d'Hotel of the Waldorf found the combination to be so delicious, he added it to his menu the same year, substituting ham for the bacon and an English muffin for the toast.  In his 1896 cookbook, The Cookbook of the Waldorf, chef Tschirky writes of a twist on the dish, which he named "Philadelphia Eggs", in which poached chicken is served in place of the ham.

As eggs Benedict gained in popularity, chef's began taking quite a bit of creative license with inventive, palate-pleasing spin-offs -- as they should, because the dish is so user-friendly and adaptable.  My favorite is eggs Oscar: crabmeat with a layer of blanched asparagus.  If I sprinkle the same dish with Old Bay, the name changes to eggs Chesapeake.  Eggs Hemmingway means it's served with smoked salmon in place of ham, and, eggs Florentine a layer of steamed spinach gets added.  If I order Eggs Blackstone, I'll get bacon and fresh tomato.  Several sauces can be substituted for the hollandaise too:  bearnaise (hollandaise containing shallot and tarragon), mornay (cheese sauce), and, blanchard (bechamel).

Try my Over-the-Top but Very Easy Eggs Benedict recipe:

Try my Exquisite Crabmeat Stuffed Omelette a la Benedict too:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)