Frying Pans vs. Saute Pans

So is there a difference between a frying pan and
a saute pan or just what you cook and how you cook it
the name of the pan? hmmm.

There actually is a difference. A saute pan is a pan that is typically
wider with straight sides that are a bit taller (typically 3 inches)
and a bottom that is completely flat.

And a frying pan looks more like this-

                                                  

The reason for the saute pan having straight sides and the 

frying pan having slightly curved sides is for the purpose 

of the pan.  Frying pans  have curved/sloped sides so that s

team doesn't collect in the pan. Saute pans are used more for 

making sauces and reductions. But, there is no rule where you 

can't use one versus the other especially in your own kitchen.  

You are the boss of your kitchen!

Woven Bacon... Baskets?

Bacon is considered a vegetable to some.
Bacon is good for breakfast but also good for a burger with
a little BBQ sauce and a good slice of cheese. Pepper Jack,
Provolone, any kind of cheese is good.

You can actually take bacon and weave it almost like a basket.
Who knew!?  You can cut 2 strips in half and make a small single
weave or go as large as you want. But the small, mini weave
works great for burgers rather than the 2 longer strips.
I have always had trouble enjoying the bacon in a burger when
it is 2 long strips randomly inside a burger that is round shaped.

Did you know bacon could be cultivated into a basket making craft?

Brownie Cuts

Who doesn't love a good, yummy, chocolatey, fudgy brownie?
Sometimes when they are slightly gooey it is a little hard to cut
them- as they stick to your knife and start to break apart.
I've found out that if you use a plastic knife- the brownies don't
stick to the disposable, plastic knife and it glides perfectly.
No more lumpy weird shaped brownies!  woohoo.

What Really Is "Garam Masala"?

Garam masala (gah-RAHM mah-SAH-lah)
is basically a blend of spices.
It is very aromatic and it's most commonly known
in Indian dishes consisting of curries and rice.

There are as many different blends of garam masala
as there are Indian cooks.
Most blends include black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cumin,
coriander, cardamom, dried chilies, mace (not pepper spray)
and nutmeg.

Just Eat The Granola Topping

Home-made granola as a topping or as a healthy snack.
It's always nice to make home-made things mainly because
you can control what is going into it and also because
it is fun?!! 

Ingredients:
1 cup of old fashioned oats (make it multi-grain to make it really healthy)
3/4 - 1 cup of slivered almonds
small handful of craisins & sunflower seeds
1/2 cup of wheat germ (it can be found near the oatmeal)
1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg
1/4 cup or several drizzles around the mix of agave nectar
S & P to taste- don't over do the S & P
I like to drizzle a little honey also (honey optional)

Procedure:
Heat your oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all your ingredients together and spoon your mix on
some parchment paper on your flat oven pan.
Bake your granola topping for about 10-12 minutes.

That's it!
These will not be granola bars...
They are more of a topping or large crumbs you can snack on.
Cultivate it, make it your own and add different colored raisins,
other nuts and or add cereal even!

Sausage Sub With The Works

Cut some onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms and saute them up
with a little S & P and garlic powder.
(If you are using salt... don't add garlic salt- add garlic powder.)
Once the veggies are just about done and to your liking...
add a little tomato sauce and mix in the pan.

Once they are cooked... take them out and set them aside in a bowl
or plate.... and then take your favorite sausage link and cut it in half length wise
and grill it on your grill or fry it in the pan until it browns up nicely.
Place the sausage in a hot dog bun or cut some Italian  bread up
and top your sub with the fried vegetables.
Add some hot peppers if you like it spicy.

You can get a really good sausage sub at "Midway" if you dare to go
to Seaside Heights.  If you speak the NY slang if you know what I mean.

Why do bagels have holes?

When you eat a bagel...
Have you ever wondered why there is a hole in the middle?
Why is there a hole?

It's just for the purpose of cooking them evenly.
They were made without the hole waaay back in the day and
found that the center wouldn't cook all the way and
would be doughy... so they made them with holes.
It also became easier for the bakers to transport them to trays
for cooking and delivering them as well.