Chef Foundation

Archive for April, 2011

I often see recipes that say “best carrot cake recipe”. I’m not sure there is really a ‘best” recipe, however depending on what you add to the recipe I’ve tasted many variations of carrot cake.

Some folks grate the carrots. I do not like carrot pieces in carrot cake and so I run the carrots through the food processor, which leaves me tiny pieces of carrot. You don’t want to puree the carrots, but tiny pieces is what I’ve found offers the best texture when making carrot cake.

The amount of carrots you put into a carrot cake will affect both the texture and the taste of the cake. I’ve seen recipes calling for as little as 2 cups of grated carrots and I’ve seen recipes calling for as much as 6 cups of grated carrots. The recipe I use most often calls for 3 cups of carrots.

If you add raisins, this too will give your cake a different flavor. Raisins add an additional sweetness to the cake. My kids do not care for raisins, so I always use the maximum amount of sugar called for.

Here is a very basic carrot cake recipe:

4 eggs

3 cups grated carrots

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

3 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift together in a large bowl the sugar, flour, soda, salt and cinnamon. Add the oil and mix well. Add the eggs, one egg at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add carrots, nuts and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Pour into a floured and greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch cake pan. Bake in a 350

Cake is a form of food that is usually sweet and often baked. Cakes are often the dessert for most of the meals or at ceremonial occasions or events such as weddings, anniversaries and special birthdays.

In modern times, cake making is not a complicated procedure anymore because all utensils and directions have been so perfected and simplified that even an amateur cook can easily bake a cake masterpiece.

But if you still like the taste of an authentic cake that was made by master bakers then there no other place than Red Ribbon Bakeshop and its Red Ribbon Cake. Red Ribbon Bakeshop is one of the top bakeshop here on the Philippines that sell top quality Red Ribbon Cake and baked pastas.

Red Ribbon Bakeshop started selling there unique Red Ribbon Cake in the year of 1979 in a place called Quezon City along Timog Avenue in Philippines and Red Ribbon Bakeshop started its franchising its Red Ribbon Cake on the year of 1999, Red Ribbon Bakeshop sold their first Red Ribbon Cake in West Covina, California.

Cod fish is something of a generic fish. It has a mild taste and a thick, firm texture which makes it ideal for use in a wide variety of fish and cod fish recipes. In fact, cod fish recipes run the gamut from fish sticks and patties to fish and chips. Cod fish is readily available all year long. It is also extremely healthy-being both low in fat and high in proteins. Cod fish may be poached, broiled, grilled, steamed, and fried. It goes well with creamy sauces and fragrant pottages. Here we present a selection of easy cod fish recipes for you to enjoy.

Baked Creamed Codfish: This recipe is delightfully simple and delicious. Start by boiling a cleaned cod fish and removing the meat. Layer the fish with bchamel sauce, a hint of nutmeg and small pieces of butter; top with bread crumbs and bake in the oven until golden brown on top.

Easy Baked Cod with Vegetables: This is a simple baked cod recipe. The ingredients include, one onion sliced, lemon juice, salt, pepper, paprika, tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese and lemon wedges. Place the sliced onion on the bottom of a shallow baking dish. Place the fish over the onion and season with lemon juice. Add the spices and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the tomato and the cheese. Bake for another 15 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Cod and Potato Croquettes: This recipe makes for a great appetizer for parties; or you can have it in the fridge for an afternoon snack. The ingredients are salted cod, soaked in water overnight, 5 potatoes, 4 eggs, one onion chopped, garlic powder white wine, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, oil for frying. Boil the cod for 15 minutes. Drain it and allow it to cool. Boil the potatoes, drain and mash. Mix the remaining ingredients minus the oil, which you should heat in a wok. Form oval shaped patties and fry them in the heated oil.

Cod with Caesar Crust: This recipe takes the classic Caesar salad dressing ingredients and adds a twist. Combine mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, salt, anchovy paste and pepper in a bowl. Mix together breadcrumbs and parsley on a sheet of wax paper. Dredge the cod filets in the breadcrumbs after dipping them in the mayo mixture. Bake the filets for 15-20 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Poached Cod and Potatoes in Tomato Broth: Cod fish recipes like this one are healthy and quick to make. This particular recipe involves combining chicken broth, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaves and thyme in a skillet to boil. The potatoes are added once the pot has begun to boil. The fish is added in the end to simmer. The dish is served with basil and fresh parsley.

This is just a small selection of cod fish recipes. Remember that the possibilities are practically limitless. Cod is extremely versatile.

Anyone can cook food on a grill. But, very few can do it correctly or well. If you follow these cooking tips for gas grills, you will soon be known as the local grillmaster of the neighborhood.

1) Safety first, check for leaks – Most grills use highly flammable gas to cook, it’s important to make sure that there are no leaks along the hose running from the tank to the burners. The way to do this is to take a small cup filled with water and a bit of dish detergent. Rub the solution along the joints of all the connections along the hose. Turn the gas on and look along hose. The gas will make the detergent/water solution bubble up if there are any leaks.

2) Let the grill heat up – It’s important to give a gas grill a few minutes to heat up. Turn the grill to high on all burners and letting it sit for 5 or 6 minutes. Not only will this burn off anything stuck to the grill, but it will also allow you to get the grill temperature to the correct setting before you start cooking.

3) Wipe the grill with a bit of oil – This is one of the cooking tips for gas grills that everyone seems to miss. Before cooking, always wipe the grilling area will a small amount of oil. This will keep the food from sticking down. Using tongs, take a small piece of paper towel and dip it in oil. Rub this along the grill. You don’t need a lot, just enough to keep the food from sticking down.

4) Keep the cover closed – It’s hard not to peek at whats cooking, especially when it starts to smell. But, it’s very important to fight this urge. Everytime you open the grill cover you are releasing the hot air that’s helping to cook the food. This will extend the time it takes to finish cooking. The longer the food is on the grill, the more likely it is to burn on the outside.

5) Use tongs for meat, not forks – While this one doesn’t just fall under cooking tips for gas grills, it’s still a very important and deserves to be mentioned here. Using a fork with meat is going to poke holes. This is going to allow the juices building up inside the meat to drain from it. Not only will this make the meat dry, you are also in danger of causing grease fires as the juices fall into the flames.

6) Let it cool down before cleaning – This is the last of my cooking tips for gas grills. It’s far easier, and safer, to let the grill cool down before trying to clean off the mess. It’s recommended to leave it for a few hours or overnight and to clean it once it’s completely cool.

Want a new blanket, but cannot afford to buy one? Here’s 3 ways to get an inexpensive fleece blanket, ranging from “no sew” to “minimal sew” options.

Materials

The first thing you’ll need is your material. I recommend polar fleece, brushed wool, or any other fabric of a suitable weight and thickness for your requirements.

 

Measurements

Unless you have a speciality fabric store nearby, chances are your width will be determined by the maximum width you can buy. Measure the bed you wish to cover, and add an allowance at the sides and bottom for the blanket to drape over the edge.

As an example, a standard double bed mattress is approximately 74″ by 57″ (or 1880 cm by 1400cm). I would generally allow around 4″ allowance (or 10 cm) on 3 of the 4 sides. That means my fabric would need to be 77″ by 63″ (or 1890 cm by 1420 cm).

A wedding is a wonderful excuse to indulge your love of all things graceful and beautiful. What could capture those ideals better than the art of ballet? These are some of the loveliest ballet inspired wedding details to get you started.

One of the first steps in planning any wedding is to decide on a color scheme. Pale ballet pink is a wonderful color for a wedding. Pair it with a soft ivory for a delicate and feminine effect. If you wish to add a bit more elegance, dainty silver accents will be perfect with the ballet pink. The words to keep in mind are ethereal, graceful, and feminine.

The lighter-than-air ballet pink color palette is gorgeous for many of the wedding details. It is a flattering color that is very easy for bridesmaids to wear. The soft color is especially lovely in floaty chiffon fabrics. To bring a touch of the ballet style to your bridesmaid dresses, choose fluttery chiffon gowns which have dainty bodices with tiny straps and perhaps even a wrapped detail across the middle of the dress. Bridesmaid jewelry in pale pink crystals or pearls will bring the look together beautifully. Such pretty bridesmaid jewelry makes a fantastic gift idea for attendants.