Here we go again! New Year's resolutions time.
Oh, promises, promises! What happened to those that I made last year? Time flies and, often, so do New Year's resolutions.
I've been listing my resolutions in my last column each year, and I do so again, with other looks at my year, mostly connected with kitchen, cooking and eating.
I WON'T:
... spend time hunting for lost recipes of earlier years. I dream that one will appear as a bookmark in a French cookbook I put down last summer.
... feed the dogs from the table.
... float that teaspoon of butter that I love (more calories!) on top of tomato soup (but I might try olive oil spread).
... not give unwanted Jell-O salads, plants or animals to unsuspecting friends.
I WILL:
... replace the dishwashing scrubbers more frequently. Aim: Twice a month.
... give good-quality canned goods to charity food drives
... use sensible cooking shortcuts, saving time, money, my energy and the world's, but only if the shortcuts produce healthy dishes.
... polish the sink after doing dishes. Realtors say if you do one thing to sell a house, keep the kitchen sink immaculate. Apparently, that is where all browsers look.
... measure the dogs' chow. Most pets in American are fat, say the vets.
... try to conquer what is called flank steak, skirt steak and flat iron steak. However, I still doubt such cuts can be tender. (Are they the same? Only the cow knows.) Having eaten those cuts fine restaurants; I suspect it is a case of "The Emperor's New Clothes."
Personal Peeve of 2007:
Too many carrots in canned soups. Chicken, turkey and beef barley soups should contain, respectively, chicken, turkey and beef and barley as main ingredients. While I do love raw carrots, I think the soup companies are padding soups with inexpensive carrots. He-Who-Must-Be-Fed spoons the carrots out of his soups and feeds them to Tucker, our yellow lab. Tucker, HWMBF says, is turning orange.
Most Useful Help of 2007:
Recipes that give tips, like "bake longer for crisper cookie" or "optionally add canned chili peppers" or "watch a beef tenderloin closely because it roasts quickly."
Successful Strategies of 2007:
1. I use dry rub on steaks (roasts, too). I pan-roast steaks, uncovered, in a heavy pan over high heat, about six minutes first side for a one-inch thick steak. I watch for desired doneness and a good caramelized side (we like medium-rare) by checking the edges or lifting the steak with a fork and peeking. Turn the steak, and turn burner off. Keep the pan on burner until the steak is done, about five minutes. Turn the heat back on, if necessary, and cook just until done, a minute or two.
2. One carton of chip dip goes a long way as a binder in making sandwiches. If making lots of sandwiches for a party, use different flavors of dip. Wrap sandwiches in Glad Press'n Seal "Freezer" and freeze until use. Slice when slightly thawed.
3. I try to remember that sour cream can be sour, savory or sweet. Depending upon the recipe, I use it as purchased on baked potatoes, add herbs to it to float on soup or spoon on chili, or sweeten sour cream with sugar to top cheesecakes (bake five minutes more) or pudding (no baking needed) or make crème fraiche for elegant toppings.
4. Stretch soups and stews by adding more water and a bullion cube or two.
5. Stale hot dog and burger buns make marvelous puffy French toast.
6. I use a lot of cream cheese (low-fat or not) and like to have it on hand. Ideas: sandwich spreads; cream herbs into cheese and put teaspoons of it in salads; serve aside on a bowl edge of a soup, stew or chili; or spread cream cheese on crackers and top with interesting things (red or green pepper jelly from the store?) as quick appetizers.
7. Finish seafood bisques or cheese soups with a teaspoon per serving of brandy.
New Words for 2008:
UMAMI -- The 5th taste, has been added to classic four tastes: sweet, salty, sour and bitter. Professional foodies describe it as a "meaty, savory, satisfying taste" that is the product of increased use of naturally and highly flavored foods while cutting back on fat, salt, sugar and artificial ingredients. Food writer Kathy McLaughlin says that umami is like "biting into a slice of mushroom and pepperoni pizza." Think of layering real food, high in natural flavor, in recipes. Umami is the resulting taste.
Sally Ketchum's Dry Rub for Steaks and Roasts
1 t. McCormick's Steak Seasoning
1/2 t. rubbed rosemary (or 1 t. fresh rosemary, minced)
1/2 t. rubbed sage (or 1 t. fresh sage, minced)
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced or smashed
Mix ingredients together and rub into meat's surfaces.
Brush off garlic before cooking or it will turn bitter.
If they wish, diners can salt meat at the table as they prefer.
(Note: Mixing the above ingredients into unsalted butter and smearing (rubbing) the herbed mixture onto the meat's surface is a fine alternative, too.)
Sally Ketchum is a northern Michigan food writer who is apt to tweak recipes for new discoveries. She can be reached at ketchum1985@gmail.com.
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