How to Make Extra Light and Fluffy Pancakes

How to Make Extra Light and Fluffy Pancakes

There’s a trick that the fine restaurants use to make extra light and fluffy pancakes: they fold in a whipped egg white.

You can do the same. Whip an egg white to the soft peak stage. Gently fold the white into your prepared pancake batter and cook. If it’s a large batch, fold in two or three whipped whites.

How to Make Perfect Pancakes

How to Make Perfect Pancakes

Pancakes are a quick bread cooked on a griddle. Because they are easy to mix and cook quickly on a griddle, they make great fare for quick meals. Like with other breads, there are an infinite number of variations. Load them with fruit or nuts, make them with other flours, top them with whipped cream or desserts syrups for an after meal treat, or make a main dish with a cheese or white sauce. The steps are straightforward.

Steps to Making Pancakes

1. In a medium bowl or pitcher, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and leavening
2. In another bowl, whisk together the liquid ingredients. That will usually include eggs, melted butter or oil, and water, milk, or buttermilk.
3. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix only until thoroughly moistened. Some lumps will remain. Do not over mix. The batter should be thin enough to pour easily and spread to no more than 1/4 inch thick. If the batter is too thick, thin with more liquid.  
4. Scoop or pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto a hot griddle. If you are using a griddle with a thermostat, the heat should be set on 375 degrees.  
5. Cook the pancakes until the tops are full of bubbles, the bubbles set, and the edges begin to look dry. The pancakes should be a golden brown on the bottom. Turn the pancake over and cook the opposite side until it browns.  
6. Serve hot off the griddle.

 Tips for Making Perfect Pancakes

• Use the right ingredients: Fresh is important. Fresh flour, eggs, and milk all make a difference. Flour is the main ingredient. It’s amazing how much better fresh flour tastes. Try to buy some higher quality four from a small or local mill.
  

• Use the right leavening: Pancakes should be full of hot air with lots of bubbles trapped inside. Most pancakes are leavened with either baking powder or baking soda. For baking soda to work, it must be teamed with an acid, usually buttermilk. Baking soda mixed with buttermilk creates a chemical reaction and lots of bubbles. Cook the batter before the bubbles dissipate. Double acting baking powder creates bubbles both when mixed with a liquid and when heated. Time is not such a factor.
  

• When making buttermilk pancakes, the baking soda neutralizes the acid in the buttermilk. With enough soda, the acid will be completely neutralized and eliminate the tangy buttermilk taste. More soda yet will create an unpleasant, astringent taste.
  

• Use the right mixing: Your batter should have lumps in it. Two things go wrong when pancake patter is over mixed: the gluten is developed making the batter elastic instead of tender and bubbles from the leavening get beaten out.
  

• Use the right consistency: If the batter is too thin, you’ll have thin, crepe-like pancakes. If it’s too thick, they won’t spread and cook properly and may be doughy in the middle. The batter should be thin enough that they spread properly, less than 1/4 inch thick when poured on the griddle.
  

• You can thin batters by adding a little water or milk. Thickening a thin batter is a little more difficult. Sift a little flour over the batter and gently fold it in.
  

• Use the right cooking: The griddle should be very lightly greased—you are cooking pancakes, not frying them. Brush a little butter on the griddle or whip a little oil onto the griddle with a paper towel. The griddle should be hot. If it has a thermostat, it should be set to 375 degrees. A few drops of cold water sprinkled on the griddle should dance. If it’s too hot, the water will vaporize. If the griddle’s not hot enough the water beads on the griddle.
  

Fried Apple Pie with Fresh Apples

Fried Apple Pie with Fresh Apples



We have a great fried apple pie recipe on our site, one that calls for canned apple pie filing or dried apples. But this time of year, you need to make fried apple pies with fresh apples. Here’s the recipe for doing so.

For the filling
Ingredientes
2 cups diced apple pieces (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

• In a medium bowl, mix the apples, lemon juice, water, flour, and sugar together. Melt the butter in the microwave. Stir in the spices and the butter and let the filling cook for another couple minutes. Set the filling aside. 
  

For the crust:
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
12 tablespoons very cold butter
3/4 cup very cold water

Directions

1. Mix the flour, sugar, and salt together.  
2. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender until the mixture is granular.  
3. Add the cold water and mix with a fork until the dough begins to come together. Remove the dough to the counter and knead it just until you have a dough ball.   
4. Roll the dough out until it is about 3/16-inches thick. Using a bowl as a template, cut five-inch circles with a sharp knife. Place a heaping spoonful of filling on each circle. With a pastry brush, dampen the edges with water. Fold the circle over and press the wetted edges together with the tines of a fork to seal the pocket.   
5. Heat three inches of vegetable oil until hot, about 355 degrees. Slip the pastries into the hot oil one or two at a time allowing the temperature of the oil to recover after each. Let them cook for eight to ten minutes or until golden-colored.   
6. Remove them to a plate covered with paper towels. Serve them hot or cold.

 
Tips for Success

The apple dices must be no larger than 1/4 inch else they may not cook through.

1. It is important that the dough remains cold so that the butter particles remain solid and not melt before cooking. If the dough does not feel cool, chill it in the refrigerator for an hour or more.  
2. Make up at least most of the pies before starting to cook. That way you will not be rushed to make up pies while others are cooking.  
3. Roll the dough thin, less than 1/4 inch.  
4. Don’t put too much filling in each pie. If the filling tries to slip out as you seal the edges, you are using too much filling.  
5. Make sure the edges seal. Water brushed on the portions to be sealed helps the two layers stick together. Filling on the edges makes the pie more difficult to seal.  
6. The temperature of the oil is important to success. If it is too hot, the pies will burn before cooking completely. If too cool, they will tend to be soggy. A thermometer is helpful.  
7. The oil needs to be deep enough that the pies will be immersed. Turn the pies often so that any portion resting on the bottom of the hot pan will not burn.
   

 Source : http://www.preparedpantry.com/Fried-Apple-Pie-Recipe.htm
 
 

How to Make your Little Pies

How to Make your Little Pies

There are four easy steps to making your pies: roll out the dough, add the filling, bake the pies, and glaze them. It’s easy and it doesn’t take long.

• Step 1—roll and cut the dough: Roll the dough out until it is no thicker than 1/4 inch—a little thinner is perfect. Using your dough press or a lid from a pan, cut the dough into six-inch circles.
  

• Step 2—Add the filling: For the filling, use either a fruit filling—a commercially canned one works fine—or pudding for a cream filling. We used Jell-O® brand pudding mixes in both instant and cooked varieties. Both worked. The cooked pudding seemed to set up a little more. The pudding is less likely to leak during baking if you cool it for an hour before using it.
  

We made lemon turnovers, banana cream turnovers, and chocolate turnovers as well as fruit-filled turnovers.

Place a dough circle on the dough press. The dough will follow the bowl-shaped contour of the press. Place 1/4 cup filling in the formed bowl. Brush the edges of the dough with a little water to help create a seal. Using the dough press, fold the dough over to make a turnover and press firmly to seal. (A good seal is necessary so that the filling does not leak out.) Repeat with the other circles.

• Step 3—Bake the pies: Place the turnovers on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake in your preheated oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove the pan from the oven and remove the turnovers to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.
  

• Step 4—Glaze the pies:Make a glaze from powdered sugar and water. One cup powdered sugar is about right for this size recipe. Add enough water, about 1 1/2 tablespoons, to reach drizzling consistency and brush the glaze on the tops of the turnovers while still warm.
  

Fruit filled turnovers can be served warm. Cream filled turnovers should be cooled to let the filling become firmer. Most cream filled turnovers should be refrigerated.

Source : http://www.preparedpantry.com/Make-Little-Pies.htm

Omelets and Frittatas

Omelets and Frittatas

Who doesn't like omelets and frittatas? (Frittatas are oven baked omelets.) Both are quick, economical, and work for breakfast, lunch or dinner. When you want something different or get home late, throw on an omelet.

How to Build a Frittata

Do you have a favorite omelet recipe? You can build a great frittata with the same ingredients that you would use in an omelet. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Sauté the vegetables until soft. As an alternative, you can steam the vegetables in the microwave until they are tender.  
2. Turn the broiler on.  
3. Beat the eggs, pepper and salt together. Put a tablespoon of oil in a heavy, oven-proof skillet and place the skillet on medium heat. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and scatter your vegetables and/or cooked meats on top. Turn the heat to low and cook until the frittata is golden brown on the bottom and the egg is beginning to set, approximately 7 minutes.  
4. If necessary, oven-proof the skillet handle by wrapping it in aluminum foil. Place frittata under the broiler and cook until it is almost firm.  
5. Add any cheese to the top and again put the frittata under the broiler until it is completely set and the cheese is melted. Slide your frittata onto a plate and serve.
   

Instead of using the broiler, you can use the following recipe to build a frittata in the oven, a baked frittata.


Easy Oven-Baked Frittata

Frittatas are easy; this one is even easier. Remember this recipe when you need a great dinner dish in a hurry. Serve it with your favorite bread and a garden salad.

Ingredients
1 cup of diced vegetables (onions, green peppers, etc.)
6 eggs
dash of pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar, mozzarella or other cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees  
2. Sauté the vegetables until soft. Alternately, you can steam the vegetables in the microwave until they are tender.  
3. Beat the eggs, pepper, salt, and parmesan cheese together. Put a tablespoon of oil in a heavy, oven-proof skillet. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and scatter the vegetables on top.  
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately sprinkle the remaining cheese on the top and let it melt.  
5. Slide your frittata onto a plate and serve.
   

Source : http://www.preparedpantry.com/easyfrittata.htm

Cook Incredible Eggs

Cook Incredible Eggs—Poached, Fried, Omelets, and More!

Eggs are incredible

But it's not always easy to cook perfect eggs. We can help. We'll give you instructions for poached eggs, fried eggs, and boiled eggs. You'll be cooking better eggs in no time. We'll even show you how to make eggs benedict.

How to Boil Eggs



There are several ways to boil eggs. This is our favorite. It requires bringing the water to a boil before placing the eggs in the water.

You cannot also boil eggs by placing them in cold water and then bringing the water with eggs to a simmer. Reduce the simmer time from the times listed below.

Regardless of which method you use, the eggs will continue to cook once you take them from the water. You can stop the cooking by rinsing the eggs in cold water.

1. Place the eggs in warm water for five minutes. Warmed eggs are less likely to crack when placed in boiling water.
2. Bring a pan of water to boiling.
3. Place the warmed eggs in the boiling water. The eggs will lower the water temperature.
4. Bring the eggs to a gentle simmer, not boiling, and cook for the allotted time: 3 to 4 minutes for soft cooked, 5 to 7 minutes for medium, and 12 to 14 for hard cooked.
5. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking.
   

For easier peeling, peel while the eggs are still warm.

Cooking times will vary depending on the pan, the number of eggs, and other factors. To take the guess work out, we like our color-changing egg timer. It will tell you if the egg is soft, medium, or hard.

Source : http://www.preparedpantry.com/Recipes/How-to-Boil-eggs.htm


How to Poach Eggs



Poached eggs are classic. They be tender and egg shaped, round and compact. They are easy to cook but a few tips help.

• Use the freshest eggs possible. The yolks stand higher with fresh eggs. They are firmer and tend to stay together better.
  

• The whites should be cooked until they are firm but still tender and the yolks should still be runny.
  

• If the edges of your poached eggs are rough and unattractive, trim the edges with your kitchen shears.
  

Steps for cooking poached eggs:

1. Bring the water to a simmer. It is important that the water is the right temperature. If it is not simmering, the eggs will spread too fast and not cook into a compact mass. Boiling water is too hot—the eggs will be tough and the turmoil of the boiling water will create misshapen cooked eggs.
2. Slip the eggs into the water. Slip the eggs into the water one at a time. First, break an egg into a shallow dish. Tip the dish at the waters edge to gently slide the egg into the water. Doing so against the edge of the pan will help hold the egg together. You can cook more than one egg at a time.
3. Cook the eggs. The eggs should be done in 3 or 4 minutes. The whites should be firm and the yolks runny. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked eggs from the water. Serve them immediately.
   

Source : http://www.preparedpantry.com/Recipes/How-To-Poach-Eggs.htm


How to Fry Eggs



Properly fried eggs should have set whites, shiny but not blistered or browned. They should be compact in shape and the yolk cooked as desired. Eggs can be cooked sunny-side-up, country style, or over easy, medium, or hard. Here’s how:

Steps for cooking fried eggs:

1. Use very fresh eggs. Fresh eggs have firm yolks with a higher profile and will cook more attractive eggs with less yolk breakage.
2. Place butter or grease in the frying pan. You should have about 1/8 inch melted grease. Too much will make the eggs greasy. Too little and the eggs will stick. (If you use a nonstick pan, you can reduce the grease.)
3. Heat the pan over medium heat. A drop of water will sizzle when dropped in the hot pan. If the pan is not hot enough, the eggs will spread too much.
4. Break the eggs into a dish or a shallow bowl then slip them one at a time into the pan. There is less chance of breaking the yolk than if you break the eggs directly into the pan.
5. Once the eggs are in the pan, reduce the heat to low (very low for sunny-side-up) and cook the eggs.
   

Over easy: Fry until the whites are nearly set and flip over. Cook for one more minute. When done, the whites should be set and the yolks runny.

Over medium: Fry until the whites are nearly set and flip over. Cook for about two more minutes. When done, the whites should be set and the yolks should be partially set.

Over hard: Fry until the whites are nearly set and flip over. Cook until both the whites and yolks are set.

Country style: Add a few drops of water to the pan. Cover with a lid and let the steam cook the top of the eggs.

Sunny-side-up: Turn the heat to very low and cook slowly. The whites should be set and the yolks soft and runny. If the heat is set too high, the bottoms will be over-cooked and tough before the tops are cooked.

Source : http://www.preparedpantry.com/Recipes/How-to-fry-eggs.htm 

How to Make the Perfect Omelet

How to Make the Perfect Omelet

We think we have developed the quickest, easiest way to make omelets.  Start these omelets as if you were making scrambled eggs, scrambling them with a silicone spatula. The eggs will cook on the top almost as quickly as they do on the bottom. Instead of folding the omelet in the pan, slide it out onto the plate and twist it to fold the omelet over.  Your omelet will be done in five minutes.

How to do an Omelet Bar

We taught an omelet class the other night. It really turned out to be an omelet bar for 40 people. We cooked sausage and chicken cut into dices. We sautéed vegetables: red and green bell peppers, celery, mushrooms, and onion. We set out several kinds of cheeses and a row of sauces: Bruschetta, a chimichurri lime sauce, a Cuban Mojito sauce, a red Mexican sauce, and some Asian sauces like Thai Sweet Chili. The trick is to have all the ingredients cooked and staged in neat bowls and bottles of sauces lined on the counter.

We made several omelets to make sure that everyone understood the method. Then we started taking orders: "Chimi chicken, caramelized onions, and mozzarella." We made three egg omelets, cut them in two, and let people come to counter and get what they wanted. With two pans going, we kept up with 40 people until they were full.

Most of the omelets were tame, restaurant types. The buzz came from the unusual. Here are some that we liked :

• Thai Peanut Omelet : Bean sprouts, chicken, and peanuts drizzled with Thai Peanut Sauce. Go easy on the fillings or you'll overload the omelet. Drizzle just a bit of the peanut sauce over the filling before folding.

• Chimi and Cheese Omelet : Chicken, diced onions, and mozzarella drilled with chimi sauce. If you like, you can sauté the chicken and onions and drizzle the combination with chimi sauce just before taking the combo out of the pan. You don't have to. You can assemble the ingredients on the omelet and drizzle it there. This was a very popular omelet.
  

• Sausage and Onion Omelet : Slice an onion and caramelize it in butter. Cook link sausages and chop them into bits. Put both on the omelet and cover it with cheddar before folding.
  

• Oriental Veggies and Sweet Chili Omelet : This is a simple omelet : A mixture of veggies—we used red and green bell peppers, onions, and celery—drizzled with Thai Sweet Chili sauce. This was another favorite omelet.
  

If you prefer, the meats and veggies can be prepped and cooked the night before. While the unusual omelets are a lot of fun, be sure and have plenty of meats and cheeses for those who are less adventuresome.

You cannot make the perfect omelet with a pan that even hints of sticking. The omelet should slip around in the pan effortlessly and slide out when the pan is tipped. While we love stainless steel pans, we don't use them for omelets.

The pan has to be the right size. Eight inches is perfect for a three-egg omelet. For a five egg omelet, use a 9 1/2 inch pan. For a six or seven egg omelet, use an 11 inch pan. We typically make three egg omelets and cook them to suite individuals.


Source : Nancy's Pantry - How to do an omelet bar