Simply Laura Lea. Laura Lea

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Simply Laura Lea - Laura Lea


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expands, which creates a light and airy texture. In

       addition, butter and coconut oil become harder

       when combined with cold ingredients, as they are

       saturated fats. If a recipe calls for melted butter or

       coconut oil, and you whisk it with a cold egg, the fat

       will solidify. I suggest taking ingredients out of the

       refrigerator at least 30 minutes and ideally 1 hour

       before baking. If you’re short on time, microwave

       butter in 10 second intervals until just malleable

       but not melted or place eggs in a bowl of lukewarm

       water for 10 minutes.

      Cooling Before Storing: No matter the recipe, I

       highly recommend allowing it to cool completely,

       uncovered, before storing in a sealed container,

       whether on the counter, in the refrigerator, or

       in the freezer. Any bit of residual heat will cause

       condensation inside the container, which will make

       your food mushy.

      Tips for Freezing Food: Here are my tested tips and

       tricks for using your freezer to your advantage.

      Image Ensure that your freezer temperature is set to 0º F.

      Image Freeze fruits, vegetables and soups in sealable plastic bags.

      Image Use a silicone muffin pan or ice cube trays to freeze sauces. Once frozen, pop out the chunks, and store in a sealable plastic bag in the freezer.

      Image If you plan for an item to be in the freezer for more than one week, double bag or wrap in plastic wrap before placing in the bag.

      Image Label all your freezer bags with the name of the food and the date you froze it.

      Image Thaw food in the refrigerator, not at room temperature, to avoid the possibility of harmful bacteria.

      Image Freeze leftovers in individual portions, so you can grab exactly the amount you need without thawing the entire casserole or pot of soup. Plus, it takes less time to defrost and you don’t have to pack lunch!

      Cooking Terms

      Simmer versus Boil: When a liquid simmers, you will

       see very small bubbles around the edges, but not in the

       middle. When a liquid boils, you will see large rapidly

       forming bubbles all over the surface of the liquid.

      Mince versus Dice versus Chop: Starting with the

       smallest, mincing, you will create tiny pieces (about

       ⅛ inch). Mincing is usually used for garlic, ginger,

       and jalapeño. Dicing creates 1⁄4-inch pieces. Chopping

       refers to ½-inch pieces or larger, and sometimes is a

       more rough chop with pieces that aren’t necessarily

       uniform. If ingredients are to be puréed, they can

       often be roughly chopped.

      Sauté: To sauté food means to cook it in a bit of fat

       over medium to high heat while stirring.

      Deglaze: To deglaze a pan, you add a bit of liquid

       (often water or stock) to the pan after foods have

       been sautéed to loosen and scrape up any browned

       bits of food stuck to the bottom of the pan. This adds

       flavor and richness to the dish.

      Pans, Equipment, and Supplies

      Baking Sheet Size: Whenever a recipe includes a

       baking sheet, you can assume that I am referring to

       a standard-sized sheet pan that’s 12 × 18 × 1 inches.

       This is also known as a “half sheet pan.”

      Cast-Iron Skillets: These classic heavy pans are a

       great investment. They’re generally inexpensive and

       get better with age if properly cared for. Cast-iron

       takes a little while to preheat, but it gets screaming

       hot and has excellent heat retention—after it gets

       hot, you may need to turn down the heat. It’s great

       for dishes you want to ensure get cooked evenly

       throughout and any time you need a nonstick

       surface. To clean you skillet, wash it under hot water

       with a textured (but not metal) sponge and without

       soap. Be sure to clean it as soon after cooking as

       possible. If a gentle scrub doesn’t do the trick,

       sprinkle a few tablespoons of coarse salt over the

       surface and scrub with a dish rag. Rinse and dry

       thoroughly. You can place it in a warm oven to dry.

      Some cast-iron skillets come preseasoned. If you

       have a new one that isn’t, you’ll want to season it

       before use. Preheat oven to 325º F. Wipe the skillet

       with a wet cloth, and dry thoroughly. Apply a thin

       coat of oil to the skillet (I use avocado oil). Place

       skillet upside down on oven rack, and place a sheet of

       aluminum foil on the bottom rack to catch dripping

       oil. Turn off the heat after an hour, and allow the

       skillet to remain in the oven until completely cooled.

      Loaf Pan Size: Whenever a recipe includes a loaf

       pan, you can assume that I am referring to a standard

       size of 9 × 5 × 3 inches.

      Saucepan: A “saucepan” refers to a pot that’s deeper

       and has steeper sides than a frying pan. “Small

       saucepan” refers a 2-quart pot, “medium saucepan”

       refers to a 4-quart pot, and “large saucepan” refers to

       an 8- to 12-quart pot. A “stockpot” can range in size

       from 8 to 25 quarts.

      STOCK UP ON THESE BASICS

      Image Chef’s knife

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