[Blindtlk] some very beginner, basic cooking questions!

[Jewel S.]

Oh yea, I forgot to mention the talking thermometer! AtoZ Aids has a
talking cooking thermometer for just $30 as well. I have it, and it's
very easy to  use and extremely useful, especially for meats and oven
baking. I haven't gotten to test it on candy yet, since I haven't done
any, but maybe soon. Anyway, it's very nice, and i love it.

On 9/29/10, Jewel S. <herekittykat2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Kerri,
>
> I'll try to answer all your questions, but feel free to yell at me if
> I miss some.
>
> First, when a recipe calls for a tablespoon, it means the tablespoon
> in th e measuring set. The one used for soups and such at the table is
> also a tablespoon, but you cannot be certain to get the right amount
> every time because of the shape of the spoon. And at the same time,
> when it says a teaspoon, it is calling for the measuring spoon again,
> not the spoon for stirring tea. You could use these tablespoon and
> teaspoon, but you are far less likely to get the right amount of
> ingredients as with the precise measuring spoons that allow you to run
> your finger across the top and remove any extra.
>
> Now, on to the scrambled eggs, microwave style, which was ironically
> enough, my own first cooking experience as well. First, make sure the
> bowl you use is microwave-safe! You can do this by putting water in it
> and microwaving for one minute (never heat a dish in the microwave
> empty). If the bowl is hotter on the outside than the water on the
> inside, the bowl is not likely to be microwave-safe. Same for
> plates...dishes that are not microwave-safe leave the food cold in
> spots while the dish gets very, very hot.
>
> Okay, so you have your microwave-safe bowl. I usually use a cereal
> bowl, and I usually do two eggs. I always stir them up very well (it
> doesn't matter what  you use for this, whether a spoon or a whisk or a
> fork, but I find a fork to be useful for this step, and then I can
> wipe it off and use it to eat the eggs, too). You want to make sure
> the yolk is broken; that is why you stir it before cooking. How long
> you put it for at a time depends on the microwave as well as how
> cooked you want the eggs. I like my eggs fluffy and not slimy. I put
> it for one minute (with a paper plate over the bowl to keep any
> popping egg from getting all over the microwave...this is the point of
> covering it). Then I stir it, testing for solidity with the fork.
> Usually the center is quite mushy still, so I want to make sur to
> stire really well so that the outside is not burnt while the center is
> mushy. I put it for another 30 seconds, stir again, and put it for 30
> seconds more. The timing is something you'll have to experiment with.
> I don't think you can burn eggs in 2 minutes time, so don't worry
> about that. But not stirring the eggs will lead to uneven cooking and
> pockets of air that might pop and make a mess.
>
> How much butter you put in your eggs is totally personal preference,
> as well as milk or water. I don't suggest putting water in the eggs,
> but a little milk is good if you want a smoother taste. Too much
> butter could make the eggs rather mushy, so I wouldn't put more than
> about half an inch off a regular butter stick for two eggs. But that's
> just me. I always add a bit of salt and pepper after the first stir,
> and sometimes I add cheddar cheese! The cheese should be added after
> the first stir, so it doesn't get too cooked, since overcooked cheese
> is rubbery. So that's my thoughts on scrambled eggs...on to the next!
>
> I have never had grape jelly meatballs, and don't know that I want to,
> but I won't knock it (and might even give it a shot sometime...). I
> definitely suggest stirring the chili and jelly together before
> cooking. It won't make a huge difference, but it will give everything
> a more even flavour. Instead of having more jelly on one meatball and
> almost no chili on this one over here, and all chiliy and no jelly on
> another, you'll have a jelly-chili mixture over it all.pp
>
> On to the bread crumb question...that one I'm not sure about. I use
> original bread crumbs for most recipes, though I love to make cornmeal
> balls (basically hush puppies, but not cooked quite so long).
>
> Ground beef in the microwave is euch! It tastes like cardboard, though
> it is technically edible. I would not suggest it at all, because of
> the lack of flavour.
>
> There are many ways to cook chicken that you could try. You can get
> rotisserie flavouring and rub that on the chicken before putting it in
> the George Foreman...you could also put them on aluminum foil on a
> baking sheet, add butter and some vegetables (onions and carrots are
> good), a bit of lemon pepper and a bit of garlic powder (about a
> quarter teaspoon of each per breast), and bake on 350 for about 15
> minutes (I think...google baked chicken recipes). Let's see, you could
> also bake them with barbeque sauce, or mmmm....how about chicken
> breasts cooked in pineapple juice (baked again)? There are some good
> recipes for baked chicken, which is more juicy than on the George
> Foreman. You could also oven fry them in strips, by dipping them in
> egg and rolling them in either bread crumbs, flour mixed with
> seasonings, or cornmeal according to your preferences.
>
> Two recipes I would definitely recommend for a starting cook are
> "Meatloaf in a Mug" and "Chocolate Cake in a Mug." You could google
> these, or if you'd like them, shoot me an e-mail and I'll type them
> up. These were my first two recipes at the rehab center's cooking
> class. The chocolate cake (I made it with dark chocolate, since I'm
> allergic to milk chocolate) was absolutely amazing, and the meatloaf
> was good (which is saying much from a person who always hated
> meatloaf). In fact, the entire collection of recipes I got from the
> rehab center would be good for you....do you read Braille? If so,
> shoot me an e-mail, give me your address, and I can send you the
> recipes in Braille. I can type them up on my computer, which I've been
> meaning to do anyway, and that way I'll still have them, but they'll
> be right beneath your fingers. Let me know if you want it...it's a
> collection of all the recipes I did at th e rehab, and a few others
> did, in a three-ring binder, all Braille since that's my primary
> media.
>
> On 9/29/10, Kerri Kosten <kerrik2006 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi All!
>>
>> I am very basic at cooking as I haven't been taught much but wanted to
>> experiment and try to make a couple of simple-sounding recipes. I had
>> some questions however, as I am a bit confused.
>>
>> I should first begin by saying I can not use the stove at this time. I
>> have a crockpot, a George Foreman Grill, a microwave, and a small
>> toaster oven. However, even with these limitations, I feel I can make
>> some things. I won't clutter this email with the reasoning. I am also
>> totally blind, and have no residual vision.
>>
>> First, when a recipe calls for a table spoon of something, does it
>> mean the measuring spoon (the biggest spoon in the measuring spoon
>> set) or does it mean one of those larger spoons used at the table for
>> eating/ocasionally mixing things?
>>
>> The first recipe I'd like to try making is scrambled eggs in the
>> microwave. Yes, it can be done, and from the reviews I've read it's
>> pretty tasty, easy and quick. I am confused though because I have read
>> several recipes for microwave scrambled eggs and they all say
>> different things. Some say put the eggs in the microwave for 30
>> seconds, then mix with a fork/whisk, then put it in for another 10
>> seconds, mix again, then keep putting it in for 10 second intervals
>> until the eggs are done. Others however say to put the eggs in the
>> microwave for 2 minutes, and take the eggs out after one minute and
>> stir. I like my eggs very thick, and well done; I don't like them
>> runny. I don't want to overcook the eggs...should I do 30 seconds then
>> stir at 10 second intervals or put it in for 2 minutes stirring at 1
>> minute intervals?
>>
>> Also, I like a lot of butter in my eggs. Some recipes say a table
>> spoon, others say 2 teaspoons (I know the teaspoon is the littlest
>> spoon so that doesn't sound like much), and others say a small pat of
>> butter. Do I need to literally measure out a tablespoon or can I just
>> cut a square pat of butter from the stick? Will it hurt the eggs at
>> all or affect the taste drastically if I accidentally put too much
>> butter in?
>>
>> Some recipes say to put a tablespoon of water or milk into the eggs.
>> Is this a good idea or will it make them more liquidy/runny? I don't
>> want my eggs to taste rubbery but I don't like them liquidy either.
>>
>> Some recipes also say to lightly cover the bowl with the eggs in it.
>> Does this have to be done? Couldn't I just fix the eggs uncovered?
>>
>>
>> Another recipe I'd like to try is grape jelly meatballs in the
>> crockpot/slow cooker. These may sound gross, but essentially all you
>> do is take frozen meatballs (you can also make your own), a jar of
>> grape jelly, and a jar of chilli sauce, put it in the crockpot, and
>> let it go. I've been told they are very good. However, some recipes
>> say to dump the chilli sauce, meatballs, and grape jelly  in the
>> crockpot and let it go, while others say the grape jelly and chilli
>> sauce needs to be mixed well before putting the meatballs in. Should I
>> mix the chilli sauce, and grape jelly or just throw it all in? Once
>> the meatballs finish cooking, Does it affect the taste at all whether
>> the sauce is mixed or not?
>>
>> Speaking of meatballs, sometime I would also like to try baking them
>> in the oven. Does it matter which type of breadcrumbs I use? There are
>> many different types.
>>
>> Also, I read that browning ground beef is just heating it to a 160
>> degree temperature so the bacteria are killed off. You can either do
>> this in the microwave or the conventional way on a stove. Have any of
>> you ground beef in the microwave and if done properly does it taste
>> the same as browning it on the stove?
>>
>>
>> One thing I really like is chicken. I usually get the boneless,
>> skinless frozen chicken breasts. Currently, the only thing I know how
>> to do with them is to put hot sauce on one, put it on the George
>> Foreman grill, and cook it for 7 or so minutes. However, this gets old
>> after a while. Is there any simple marinades or anything I can buy
>> that I can lather on the chicken, and either bake it or grill it? I
>> know marinades can be made from scratch but I'm at a very simple basic
>> level of cooking right now so am just looking for something simple.
>>
>> Is it a good idea to get a talking meat thermometer? Should I just get
>> the $115 one sold at the Independence market?
>>
>> I am a very literal, over-analytical person who tends to overthink
>>  everything. When I look at recipes, and they all say differing
>> things, I get confused. Also, when a recipe says to use a bowl, I
>> can't figure out whether it means a big bowl, a medium-size bowl, a
>> small bowl, or  a mixing bowl. When it says combine something I
>> wonder...does that mean to just put the items in the bowl or does that
>> mean throw the items in the bowl, and mix them? When a recipe says to
>> mix something, I wonder... with a big mixing spoon, with a spoon you
>> eat with, a fork, or a whisk. When beginning to first cook, did you
>> also have these types of problems/questions? How do you get over
>> this...just with practice and experimentation?
>>
>> Thanks so much!
>> Kerri
>>
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>
>
> --
> ~Jewel
> Check out my blog about accessibility for the blind!
> Treasure Chest for the Blind: http://blindtreasurechest.blogspot.com
>


-- 
~Jewel
Check out my blog about accessibility for the blind!
Treasure Chest for the Blind: http://blindtreasurechest.blogspot.com