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41 Results for summer
in Start Cooking blog
startcooking.com's Avocado Soup
Cool summer soups are a great way to beat the heat and can be a nice alternative to eating a salad. They can also be a surprisingly hearty and satisfying meal. Many recipes require little or no cooking. Raw ingredients often just get pureed in a blender and that's ...
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... stringy flesh that can actually substitute for pasta. (It looks like pasta but tastes like watery summer squash!) The flavor is mild, so you can serve it with a pasta sauce or parmesan cheese, or even just a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Kathy explains how to cook and serve basic spaghetti squ...
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It was still summer when giant bags of Halloween candy started appearing on store shelves. Then, the bakeries and cafes upped the ante, pushing the fluorescent-orange-frosted cupcakes and cookies. You're conflicted: the adult in you hates Halloween hype, but the 10-year-old still salivates at th...
in Start Cooking blog
... translucent strands of thin spaghetti. It has a mild, delicate flavor somewhat like that of yellow summer squash and watery texture.
Spaghetti squash has a rounded shape and can vary in weight and size. The ones I bought weighed almost four pounds and were about 9 inches long.
When you bu...
in Start Cooking blog
... the moisture associated with the cut fruit — perfect for pasta salads or green salads!
In the summertime, especially at Farmer's Markets, there are of course, many more varieties of tomatoes available. Here's a great website with a description and photos of dozens of tomatoes.
How to Pe...
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... heads of pale “wrinkled” leaves, smooth buttery texture
Taste is: Sweet and mild
Great on summer sandwiches!
Cabbage (pictured above)
Can be: green or red. Red is sometimes known as “purple cabbage”
Leaves are: crisp and crunchy
Taste is: bitter and sharp
Chard (pictu...
in Start Cooking blog
... feta
Baked Beans
Get the kids involved in helping you make deviled eggs
Very Berry Summer Pie, photo courtesy of Kelly Wright, Sass & Veracity blog
Desserts
Fruit Salad
Watermelon - of course!
“Patriotic” desserts, like The Barefoot Contessa's famous flag cake (vid...
in Start Cooking blog
... blueberry pie that calls for frozen blueberries and a frozen pie crust. I’m including it because summer is the time for blueberries (even frozen) and this is a very easy version of your typical fruit pie that calls for crust made from scratch.
Chocolate Fudge Pie
One bite of this decadent pie...
in Start Cooking blog
Now that it’s officially summer, it’s time to get outside and grill.
What’s that?
You’re new to grilling?
You’re afraid to light a barbecue?
Well, have no fear. It’s not as complicated as it looks. If you’re thinking about buying a barbecue, we’ll break down the pros ...
in Start Cooking blog
In the summer an amazing selection of fresh fruits and vegetables start to show up at the grocery store. For your next dinner party try serving a beautiful selection of fruit along with some dip. This is a sweet dip that can be made with either sour cream or yogurt or a combination of the two.
...
in Start Cooking blog
It happens each year around the same time. Summer heat arrives and then – bam! – a bushel of zucchini lands on your doorstep, courtesy of a neighbor trying to offload their backyard bounty.
Or, maybe zucchini is just one of those vegetables you have no idea how to cook.
Well, the good ...
in Start Cooking blog
... is my preferred method. I am not too fond of pots of boiling water heating up my kitchen on a hot summer day.
This method is good when you are cooking only 2 or 3 ears of corn. If you are cooking more, you should choose one of the other cooking methods or do it in batches in the microwave.
Pl...
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Summer is here and that means barbecues, parties and ball games. So who wants to be slaving over a hot stove while the rest of the world is having fun in the sun?
Chicken and Wild Rice Salad (video)
But, alas, your family has to eat. Telling them that salad is on the menu will probably elici...
in Start Cooking blog
Cold soups are perfect to serve on hot summer nights. This one requires no cooking at all! Everything just gets put into a blender and mixed together really well, until it is smooth.
I saw this recipe in Gourmet magazine, and thought it would be a perfect startcooking recipe. All you need to ...
in Start Cooking blog
... serve either Taco Salad ...
Or Tex-Mex Cheeseburgers (video)
with a super easy summer Bean Salad Tex-Mex Style
Click on the recipe index at the top to the page to discover even more fabulous recipes!
Cheers,
Kathy
...
in Start Cooking blog
... National Iced Tea Month?
Well, now you do, and there’s no better beverage to enjoy on a hot summer day!
The way the story goes, Richard Blechynden, a tea plantation owner, attended America’s first World’s Fair in St. Louis. He had planned to give out free samples of his hot tea, but it ...
in Start Cooking blog
Strawberries, once just a summertime treat, are now available year round. Especially tasty are the locally grown ones that are now showing up at farmers’ markets.
Always choose strawberries that are plump, firm and glossy.
Wash them just before using them.
I always wash my supermarket...
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This decadently rich chocolate pie recipe has an ingredient that that is going to surprise many of you! When I told my trainer, Mr. Strong...
...about this pie, he was extremely skeptical because that surprise ingredient is “silken tofu”. Having never tried tofu, Mr Strong had no idea what to expect and was very hesitant to give it a try. When he tasted it and then asked how to make it, I knew we had a winning dessert!
Tofu comes in different consistencies. If you have never bought tofu before, it is essential for this recipe to buy the “silken” tofu (which is also used to make delicious smoothies!) Look for the word “silken” on the packaging.
The filling for this pie is all made in a blender. You will need:
16 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1/3 cup of coffee liqueur (Khalua) or strong black coffee)
1 block of silken tofu
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of honey
You will also need a 9-inch graham cracker pie crust (or 8-10 mini size) which you can make yourself or buy pre-made.
I recommend using semi-sweet chocolate chips, although you could use just about any chocolate you prefer. The chips are more economical than buying a premium chocolate bar. (Use semi-sweet chocolate or a combination of bitter sweet (4 ounces) and semi-sweet (12 ounces).
Put the chocolate bits into a microwave safe bowl.
Microwave the chocolate, for about 1 minute and 30 seconds. Give it a stir. If it’s not smooth and melted, zap it again, in 15 second increments, until it’s completely melted.
Meanwhile, cut out a small corner of the silken tofu container and drain off the excess fluid - only about 2-3 Tablespoons.
Measure out the coffee liqueur (Khalua), honey and the vanilla.
Now, put the tofu, coffee liqueur, vanilla extract and honey into a blender:
Mix this all together on medium speed for about 20 seconds
Add the melted chocolate…
to the blender…
and mix that in as well, on medium, for an additional 30 seconds.
With a silicone spatula, scrape down the insides of the blender.
And give it one more whirl, on medium for about 20 seconds, until everything is totally blended and smooth.
Pour the chocolate mixture into a 9-inch graham cracker crust...
or 8-10 mini crusts.
Put the pie (or mini pies!) in the refrigerator for about 1-to-2 hours to set.
A tart pan with a removable bottom also works beautifully with this recipe.
Pour the filling into the prepared crust.
And refrigerate the tart until it’s firm.
Serving the Pie
If you have made a nine inch pie using a pre-made or home made crust, then just start slicing. If you used the mini crusts you can gently remove these tarts from the tin. For those that made a crust from scratch and use a tart pan with removable sides, balance the tart on a large can. The rim drops down very easily.
Then just put it on a serving dish and dig in! (You can also top this pie with some whipped cream if like!)
Of course you could always just forget about a crust and pour this fudgy filling straight into a beautiful stemmed glass and eat it as is!
Enjoy!
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... Tiger
Sprouted Kitchen
Start Cooking
Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy
Sugarlaws
Summer Tomato
Thursday Night Smackdown
Vanilla Sugar
We Are Never Full
Well Done Chef
Congratulations Nick!
For more information, or to purchase 55 Knives, click here.
...
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... covered in dust. Get that toaster oven out and start using it! It keeps the kitchen cool on a hot summer day and does a lot more than make toast! It broils open-faced sandwiches, makes an excellent Tuna Melt, and kids of all ages will love English Muffin Pizzas! Have the best of both worlds with En...
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... or up to 2 months in the freezer
B. Crepe Making in Denmark
While traveling this past summer in Denmark, David and I were in the charming town of Ebeltoft when we came across this small café where they were making crepes in their courtyard. This crepe maker has surely perfected the technique:
Po...
in Start Cooking blog
If you’ve ever enjoyed a hearty, tender beef stew or the melt-in-your mouth texture of lamb shanks, you’ve enjoyed the product of a process called braising. This method of sloooooowwwwly cooking meat, vegetables or other ingredients over a low temperature turns out delicious results with relatively little effort. So, it's a great technique for beginners to try.
It does take a little bit of planning ahead, though. If you want to try braising, keep in mind that you’ll have to get that pot on the stove (or in the oven) early in the day. Perhaps you can get the ingredients prepared in the morning and then cook them in the early afternoon so that the dish is ready for dinner. (Word of warning: do not leave your house with food cooking on the stove top or in the oven!)
Why Beginners Should Try Braising:
It’s low-maintenance cooking! Once the ingredients are in the pot, you just let them cook slowly while you do something else.
You typically end up with a one-pot meal that’s got a delicious stewy/saucy texture. Eat it with some crusty bread and forget about preparing other side dishes!
Slow cooking transforms the texture of cheaper cuts of meat, giving them a tender, fall-off-the-bone quality.
Braising typically makes a large amount, so there are leftovers for lunch the next day or to store in the freezer.
How to Braise
The process starts with searing or browning meat (or other main ingredients) on the stove, then simmering the ingredients in a liquid over low heat.
Kathy demonstrates how to brown the meat for Guinness Stout Beef Stew.
The searing/browning step adds flavor to the meat, while simmering in a covered pot for a long period of time helps make it tender, and often produces a sauce or gravy.
Adding liquid helps to deglaze the pot, and give flavor to the stew.
The liquid used in the braising process depends on the recipe or personal choice; it can be anything from water, to stock, to wine or beer.
When the liquid is poured into the pot or pan where the ingredients were browned, it deglazes the pan. In other words, the flavorful juices and fat stuck on the sides of the pot get incorporated into the cooking liquid.
The simmering process can happen on the stove-top or in the oven, depending on what the recipe calls for. But, if you’re following a recipe that says to use the oven, the pot you’re using must be oven-safe. Check the bottom of the pot or the manufacturer’s instructions – don’t take any chances.
What to Braise in:
The recipe you're using will dictate what kind of pot or cooking vessel to use, but here's a rundown of some of the terms you may come across.
A Dutch oven, which is usually a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid that’s made of cast iron or enamel-coated iron.
A Crock Pot (also known as a slow cooker). This is an electric appliance that cooks food at a constant temperature for a set period of time. Crock Pots can be set to cook food while you're out of the kitchen or even out of the house. If you're planning on using a Crock Pot, use a recipe that's designed to be cooked that way. (There are many die-hard Crock Pot fans out there including Stephanie O’Dea, who made a New Year’s resolution to use her Crock Pot every day in 2008. She blogs about her project at A Year of Crockpotting.)
A pressure cooker
A large saucepan that has a lid
Great Recipes for Braising
Start by trying Corned Beef Brisket—it doesn't get easier than this!
Startcooking.com offers some recipes that serve as a great introduction to braising. Corned Beef Brisket (shown above) is a good starting point because, although the process involved isn’t technically braising, it demonstrates the benefits of slow cooking. The meat is not browned—all you do is put it in a pot, cover it with water, bring it to a boil, then simmer for 3 to 5 hours. You’ll end up with moist meat that tastes great as a main course or a sandwich filling.
Guinness Stout Beef Stew is braised for a relatively short period of time, about 90 minutes.
The photo tutorial on Guinness Stout Beef Stew (shown above), illustrates every step of the braising process. This stew is also relatively fast, since it cooks for about 11/2 hours.
If you’ve got more time, and prefer a Guinness-less stew, watch Kathy’s video on Beef Stew, which takes around three hours to make.
Here’s a helpful guide to a cool-weather favourite: Pot Roast. This photo tutorial over at Greg Cooks shows how you transform a slab of roast into a delicious meal. It gets its flavor from wine, garlic and fresh herbs.
Farmgirl Fare offers a tutorial on slow-cooking lamb; it cooks for two to three hours, but the pictures indicate that it’s well worth the wait.
You may be familiar with the French classic Coq au Vin, which is chicken braised in red wine. In this recipe, the chicken doesn’t cook for that long (around half an hour), but you make a sauce at the end.
For those who own a Crock Pot, here’s a Stewed Chicken Curry recipe, explained in a step-by-step photo tutuorial.
Kathy's Sweet and Sour Cabbage combines cabbage, apples and raisins for a delicious side dish.
Braising doesn’t have to involve meat. Kathy’s Sweet and Sour Cabbage (shown above) demonstrates how slow cooking can be used to make vegetable-based side dishes.
My Vegetable Blog offers Sherry-braised Onions and Apples with Raisins, a dead-easy way to make a dish of soft onions that works well with cheese and baguette.
in Start Cooking blog
... You can also use whatever kind of cookie you like.
These S'mores Bars make a fun dessert for a summer party.
Photo courtesy of Alysha Russo at The Savory Notebook.
This recipe for S’mores Bars (pictured above), is based on a recipe from Gourmet magazine. In this version, you make a graham cr...
in Start Cooking blog
... to pick a good one, they make for a heavenly, healthy snack. Peaches have also inspired many great summer desserts, including Peach Melba and peach cobbler.
Some of us love the flavor of peaches but aren't crazy about their fuzzy faces. Keep in mind that most of that comes off when peaches are wa...
in Start Cooking blog
With their bright yellow, red, orange and green skins, bell peppers are the sirens of summer produce. We love these capsicums because they bring color, sweetness and texture to our dishes – either raw or cooked. And they’re no slouch in the nutrition department: one cup of chopped, raw red pep...
in Start Cooking blog
... corn is in salads. Here’s a simple, colourful Corn Salad with Tomatoes and Basil. Three great summer flavours in one dish!
This recipe for Grilled Corn Salad calls for unshucked corn to be cooked on a grill. But, if you would rather skip buying and grilling fresh corn entirely, there’s a method...
in Start Cooking blog
... chunks to using a melon baller to scoop out little spheres of fruit.
Melon Recipes
Try a simple summer appetizer of canteloupe (or honeydew) wrapped in prosciutto ham (as shown in the picture above). This sweet, salty combination is always a hit!
And one more: You’ll be the star of the potluck ...
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... with it!
Roasted Vegetables and Sausage is a great way to take advantage of deliciously fresh summer produce. Plus it smells fabulous when it is cooking!
For the heartiest of hearty soups, try this split pea soup with kielbasa in it!
Cheesy sausage balls (show at the very top of this pos...
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What is blanching?
In the spring and summer months, we’ve got a bounty of fresh, cheap vegetables to choose from. Blanching is a quick way to cook them while preserving that peak crunch and taste. It involves partially cooking something by plunging it into boiling water for a short time, then ...
in Start Cooking blog
... to their destination. For others, picnics are simple meals, involving finger foods made from fresh summer produce, a blanket to sit on, and as few plates and utensils as possible. Here are some basic essentials for any style of picnic:
Good company, whether it’s a romantic picnic for two, a fami...
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A trip to your local farmers’ market should be enough to convince you that summer is almost here. Baskets are overflowing with colorful vegetables and salad greens. One of the first spring vegetables to come to market is the snow pea.
What are Snow Peas?
Bright green snow peas – often used ...
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... topping.
Chicken and Peppers with Balsamic Vinegar is a colorful dish that would be perfect for a summer potluck.
Grilled Eggplants with Fresh Mint and Balsamic Vinegar sounds like the perfect spring dinner, maybe served with risotto!
Mascarpone Mousse with Balsamic Vinegar Caramel is a light, d...
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As spring progresses and summer advances, salads are gracing our tables more often. One way to spice things up is to explore different sorts of salad greens; another way to change it up is to create your own dressings. You COULD stock up on all sorts of mass-produced bottled stuff, but that would...
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...
If you like your tea iced, simply let it cool down a bit and add a few ice cubes for a refreshing summer drink.
And just so you know, tea leaves can actually be used to make cookies. Check out this tea cookie recipe.
...
in Start Cooking blog
... ingredients by volume, while just about everyone else measures them by weight. Here is a quick summery of some of the basic cooking conversions. At the end of this post there are links to food specific online conversion calculators.
This post contains ratios for
a) US Dry Volume Measurements
b...
in Start Cooking blog
... in anti-oxidants and an incredibly healthy drink.
Tropical Papaya and Kiwi: It will seem like summer all year round with this tropical treat.
Oranges and Mango: This smoothie tastes like an "Orange Julius" and will fulfill your vitamin C quota for the day.
Pumpkin Pie: Weight Watchers smoothie p...
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... Macheesmo knows how to make entertaining easy and fun with their three (Guacamole, Summer Salsa, and Minted Pea) savory toppings for crispy bread that has been toasted with olive oil.
Fried Ravioli: Crazy as it sounds, you can fry up ravioli for a delicious and simple starter. (Giada De Laurenti...
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In just a few short weeks the summer will be over and everyone will be heading back to school. Boston is a college town with thousands of students living in apartments for the first time. I often see many students doing their first grocery shop of the year.
I would like to offer a few suggestions ...
in Start Cooking blog
... farmer's market at Copley Square in Boston, I continue to be in awe of how beautiful it is. As the summer progresses, the harvest colors become more and more vibrant and exotic.
Heirloom Tomatoes
Copley Square, right in the heart of downtown Boston, has to be one of the most beautiful locati...
in Start Cooking blog
... that some herbs (like basil, chives, dill, lemongrass, mint, oregano, sage, savory-both winter and summer, sorrel, tarragon, and thyme) will keep their flavor when frozen. Simply clean the leaves, dry them, and put them in sealed plastic bags (remove all the air before sealing).
The farmer's mark...
in Start Cooking blog
... cook. Hearty stews and soups in the winter, lots of fresh vegetables and salads in the spring and summer, and anything with apples in the fall are my favorites! I love to use fresh herbs in my cooking and am actually attempting to grow some on my window sill – startgardening.com anyone?
Could y...
