What Every Kitchen Needs: Garlic Press

The Garlic Press saves lots of time chopping garlic.

In this column, we will highlight items that every kitchen needs in order to function.  These items will make your kitchen function to its true potential, save time, and also intrigue guests.  In addition, these items would make wonderful gifts for that person in your life who loves to cook and/or entertain.  Enjoy!

An essential ingredient in Italian cooking is fresh garlic.  Many home cooks get intimidated by using fresh garlic.  Let’s face it chopping it is very difficult.  It is so much easier to sprinkle some garlic salt, powder, or some jarred minced garlic.  The only problem, to quote Mick Dundee is, “You can live on it, but it tastes like shit.”

So now your problem has been solved, get a Garlic Press .  These things are absolutely fantastic.  All you have to do is put the entire clove of garlic in the press (skin and all), squeeze, and minced garlic comes out the other side.  To clean, just reverse and remove the skin.  Unreal!!!  There is no excuse to not use fresh garlic ever again.  You can now use fresh garlic for everything:  sauces, salsa, garlic bread, etc, etc, etc.  It’s little things like this that give your recipes a little extra wow factor.  I challenge you to never use granulated garlic powder or salt ever again.  Throw them right in that garbage can.  Head to the grocery store or better yet, the local farmers market; and buy some FRESH bulbs of garlic.   Then, start enjoying the robust flavor of freshly pressed garlic.  You won’t be disappointed.  I promise!!!

For more information on the Stainless Steel Garlic Press click here.

Pizza Casseruola (Casserole)

This recipe is a family favorite. It combines the best of both worlds, Pizza and Pasta!! No longer will you have to decide which

Pizza Casserole Ready to Serve

one you’d rather have. This versatile recipe can be prepared with all your favorite pizza toppings, i.e. vegetarian, mild, hot and spicy, or meat lovers. It’s your choice. With only a total time of 50 minutes, this will become a Friday night favorite for the family.Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Bake Time: 20 Minutes

Total Time : 50 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1lb Bulk Hot Sausage or Links (Casing Removed) – Vegetarians use 1 lb mushrooms
• 1 Bunch Basil (Chopped)
• 2 cups Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese(2% milk)
• 12 oz Fusilli Pasta (100% Semolina)
• 22 oz (1 1/2 jars) of your favorite pizza sauce
• 1 small sweet onion (minced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Pepper
• Salt

Optional Ingredients

• Your choice of toppings: Sweet peppers, ham, onions, mushrooms, red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, sopressata, pepperoni, etc.
• Med Hot = 2 jalapenos, very hot = 2 jalapenos & 1 habanero (Chopped)

DIRECTIONS:

• Brown sausage in skillet, crumbling into small pieces. Drain fat, let cool. Put in large bowl.
• Sautee onions, garlic, and optional hot peppers in olive oil until soft.
• Add pizza sauce and basil to onions/garlic/pepper mixture (simmer while pasta is cooking – 15 min)
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cook Fusilli pasta according to al dente instrucions.
• Drain fusilli pasta, add to large bowl with sausage, along with sauce (save a little sauce for bottom of casserole dish). Combine ingredients.
• Spray a 9x13x2″ casserole dish with cooking spray. Coat bottom with a little sauce.
• Arrange a layer of pasta (1 layer of fusilli only).
• Divide cheese and toppings into 3 equal servings.
• Put a layer of cheese, layer of toppings on top of fusilli.
• Repeat last three steps twice (total of 3 layers).
• Bake 20 min @ 375 degrees until top is melted.

6-8 Servings

What Every Kitchen Needs: MEAT POUNDER/TENDERIZER

The meat pounder is required for tender meat

In this column, we will highlight items that every kitchen needs in order to function.  These items will make your kitchen function to its true potential, save time, and also intrigue guests.  In addition, these items would make wonderful gifts for that person in your life who loves to cook and/or entertain.  Enjoy!

Have you ever wondered how your favorite restaurant has such tender chicken?  Well let me tell you the secret.  They pound their meat (that’s what she said).  It’s as simple as that, next time you are cooking some chicken on the grill, pound that breast a little flatter before you  marinate and throw it on the fire.  Use the flat side of the pounder for chicken, the rough side is for tenderizing heavier meats, such as steak.  Just make sure to cover it with a little saran wrap first so you don’t get salmonella all over the place and kill yourself.

When I have guests over for a meal, they all rant and rave about how tender the chicken is.  Little do they know is all that it takes is about 30 seconds to pound and tenderize the meat.  So get one of these and don’t have too much fun pounding the meat.  For more information, click here.   BONUS:  Great stress relief, lol.

How to make the perfect egg (and flip without a spatula)

Flip once the whites are solid and the yolk is firm

Okay, eggs really???  I know, I know these are SO EASY to make, right?  Wrong!!!  We all try to make a good over easy or over medium egg and what happens…they break.  Here is the foolproof method on how to make a fried egg and look like a master chef from one of those fancy resorts when you flip it WITHOUT  a spatula.  Bonus:  one less thing to wash when done.

• First, preheat the non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Spray cooking spray generously (or use butter/margarine if you’d like to die prematurely of heart disease).
• Second crack the eggs on a hard surface, i.e. countertop or plate.  Important: Do not use the edge of the skillet, bowl, glass, etc.  This will lead to eggshell debris and/or a broken yolk.
• Third, cook the egg until the white is solid and the yolk begins to look firm.  Then gently slide and swirl the eggs in the skillet to loosen the eggs from the pan.
• Now you are ready to flip.  NOTE: this will take practice.  Gently flip the egg by sliding to one side flicking wrist upwards and over to other side.  The egg should be firm enough to handle the flip.  You may go through a dozen or two eggs until you get it.  I did.  Don’t worry though; eggs are cheap!!!
• After the flip, cook 10 secs for over easy, 20 for over med, or 30 for well done.
• Serve with toast.  Garnish with fresh ground pepper or Red Hot.

 

What Every Kitchen Needs : THE MISTO OIL SPRAYER

The misto oil sprayer

In this column, we will highlight items that every kitchen needs in order to function.  These items will make your kitchen function to its true potential, save time, and also intrigue guests.  In addition, these items would make wonderful gifts for that person in your life who loves to cook and/or entertain.  Enjoy!

Every kitchen needs one of these.  Throw way the cans of PAM.  No more cheap cooking oil in a can.  You can fill this with nothing but the highest quality extra virgin olive oil.  Pump it to spray, and it’s eco-friendly as well.  Who wouldn’t desire one of these in their kitchen??  Click here to for more information on the Misto Stainless Steel Olive Oil Sprayer.