Martha A. Cheves's Blog, page 159

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving #1

Over the next few weeks I'll be posting a few tips that I hope will help to make cooking Thanksgiving dinner a little easier.

Tip #1:
The best pan for cooking a turkey is a heavy-duty roasting pan with 2" sides. Higher sides prevent the lower part of the bird from browning and makes basting a little harder. The throw-away pans are great but for the best results use the heavy-gauge pans which will help keep your drippings from burning. And for easy clean-up, spray the pan heavily with non-sti...

Cooking with Skewers

I know summer is almost over but where I live it's still grilling time. Here are a couple of tips for using Skewers.

When preparing kebabs of meat, seafood or vegetables, use 2 skewers instead of 1. Sometimes when using one, turning can be a problem. The food "shrinks" around the skewer and when you try to turn may stay tight on the skewer and some may run turn around ending up on the same side it was on originally. Two skewers solve this problem. Plus they can easily be turned with tongs...

Roasted Pepper Veggie Dip

This simple veggie dip is made from roasted red peppers, garlic, sour cream, mayonnaise, parsley and cottage cheese. It's tasty as it is but of course I've added possible changes. To view this full recipe, click on Martha's Kitchen Korner in the right sidebar.

Removing Fat From Cooked Meats and Sauces

There is an easy method for removing fat from homemade stock. After boiling your meat, allow it to cool slightly, pour it into a zip-top plastic freezer bag. Refrigerate the bag for 15-20 minutes. This allows the fat to rise to the top. Hold your bag over a large bowl and snip one corner from the bottom of the bag, letting the stock pour into the bowl. When you get to the layer of fat, pinch the corner shut and throw away the bag, fat and all.

Another simple way to remove fat from dishes...

Cherry Lemon Coffeecake

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This recipe has a light taste of lemon and a touch of cherry. It's simple to make and oh so good with a cup of coffee. You can serve it hot or cold and I'm sure no one will complain. If you don't like lemon, you can use orange peel. You can also change it up by using raisins and a sprinkle of cinnamon. To view the full recipe click on Martha's Recipes in the right sidebar.

Nature's Pride Bread

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On my door steps last week I found a box with 2 loaves of bread from, Foodbuzz and Natures Pride. One loaf was Nature's Prides twelve grain, the other was their whole wheat bread. As soon as I opened the package I knew exactly what I would be having for dinner that night. A delicious roasted beef sandwich using the whole wheat. It was wonderful! For breakfast the next morning I couldn't wait to try the 12 grain as toast. Toasting really brought out the flavor and texture of the grains a...

Country Omelet

I've just posted a wonderful recipe for a Country Omelet that's will be perfect for Sunday morning's brunch. It has potatoes, onions, bacon, eggs and you can add cheese if you want. Or if you prefer sausage, use it instead of the bacon. View the full recipe by clicking on Martha's Kitchen Korner in the right sidebar.

Fried Apples

6 apples, peeled and sliced 2 Tbl. butter 4 Tbl. brown sugar Cinnamon to taste In a heavy skillet melt butter. Place apple halves evenly in the skillet. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Simmer on low heat until well cooked. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve hot. A cast iron skillet is best for this but if you're like me, I have a glass top stove and can't use cast iron so I use a heavy skillet and place a lid over my apples until they are almost done. I then remove the lid to...

Coconut Wafer Cake

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This is an unbelievable cake! It's moist and the flavors are so rich. It's made with vanilla wafers but you can use lemon or chocolate for different flavors. Check this recipe out for the holidays by clicking on Martha's Recipes in the right sidebar.

Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

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This recipe was sent to me by a friend and it's wonderful. My NJ son-in-law loved it. This is a dish you won't want to miss out on. The texture is light and almost pie like. The outside has a slight bready crust. It's made with broccoli but you can substitute asparagus and even squash if you want. View this recipe by clicking on Martha's Recipes in the right sidebar.