Kitchen Gadgets for Cooking

Fresh pineapples are one of my favorite fruits to have around. Not only are they good looking just sitting there, but the fruit itself is absolutely delicious and the fronds can be used to garnish various desserts and cocktails, too! I buy whole pineapples on a regular basis and use them to make pineapple upside down cakes, smoothies and fruit salads. They also make excellent sorbets. This Buttermilk Pineapple Sorbet uses just four ingredients, yet produces a wonderfully refreshing dessert that is perfect for hot summer days.

You will first need to prepare your pineapple by cutting off the outer skin and removing the core at the center, but the sorbet base takes just minutes to prepare from start to finish. Once you’ve put in the work, you’ll be rewarded by an absolutely fantastic sorbet. The pineapple is blended with sugar and buttermilk in the food processor until it is very smooth and all the sugar has been dissolved. The high speed of the food processor helps the sugar to dissolve, even without adding heat! In fact, you don’t want to add heat to the fresh pineapple because it will change the flavor of the fruit a bit and the sorbet just won’t be the same.

You’ll taste a lot of the pineapple, but its bright fruity flavor is balanced by a wonderful butteriness from the buttermilk. The pineapple has some natural acidity that is almost neutralized by the tang of the buttermilk, which makes the sorbet feel especially creamy. I added in a bit of vanilla extract, which compliments the buttermilk well and simply helps make the sorbet a bit more complex.

The sorbet can be made in an ice cream maker, but it can also be made without one. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can pour the sorbet base into a shallow baking dish (8×8 or 9×9 pan, preferably pyrex) and place it in the freezer. After 1-2 hours, give the partially frozen sorbet a good stir with a fork to break up the larger ice crystals. Repeat the stirring process once more, after another 30-45 minutes, then allow the sorbet to freeze completely overnight. The resulting sorbet will still be nice and creamy, only a bit less so than sorbet churned in a regular ice cream maker, and it will still be absolutely delicious.

And, just in case you’re wondering, this can be made with canned pineapple that is packed in juice or with frozen pineapple chunks (defrosted). But I highly recommend sticking to fresh pineapple for the best results with this one!

Buttermilk Pineapple Sorbet
16-oz fresh pineapple
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and whizz until mixture is smooth and all of the sugar has been dissolved, 60-90 seconds. Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Serves 6-8.

The post Simple Buttermilk Pineapple Sorbet appeared first on Baking Bites.

Bring the family together and makes a complete breakfast with just one appliance. Enjoy a cup of coffee with the four-cup coffee maker, then treat the family to a variety of breakfast meats and eggs cooked on the large, non-stick griddle. The multi-functioning toaster holds up to four slices of bread at a time, and is perfect for 7-inch frozen pizzas, hot sandwiches, desserts and more. For added safety, a 30-minute timer is included with automatic shut off. When the meal is done, the griddle and oven tray remove for easy cleanup.

Product Features

• Large family size non-stick griddle
• Coffee maker brews up to 4-cups of coffee at a time
• Toasts up to 4-slices of bread at a time
• Removable oven tray and non-stick griddle for easy cleaning
• Multi-function toaster oven bakes, toasts and reheats food
• Includes 30-minute timer with automatic shut off
• Glass griddle lid with stay-cool handle
• 1500 watts
• Included Components: Toaster Oven
• Coffee Carafe

I think just about everyone has an Instant Pot by now, right? If you’re one of the handful who don’t and aren’t familiar with Instant Pots, they are electric pressure cookers with a slew of other functions.

You can use the Saute function to brown meat before you pressure cook it, all in the same pot. It also makes the BEST cheesecakes and bone broth in just 2 hours using the pressure cooker function. (Not together, though. Ew.)

You can also make rice and yogurt in it or use it as a slow cooker. It’s pretty much my favorite kitchen appliance. (Sorry, stand mixer. You’ve been dethroned.)

My favorite use? Eggs. I know that seems basic, but once I started making hard cooked eggs in my Instant Pot, I never went back to boiling.

What really blew my mind was making poached eggs in my Instant Pot, which is what I’m going to chat about today. I’ve also got an amazing Southwest Eggs Benedict recipe for you, so stick around for a few minutes.

 
 

To poach eggs in an Instant Pot, you’ll need some silicone poaching cups. I found some inexpensive ones on Amazon.

And I’m willing to bet everyone has a glass measuring cup. You’ll need that, too.

 
 

To prep your Instant Pot, pour a cup of water in the bottom of the insert pot, then put the wire rack on the bottom. (Your Instant Pot will come with a rack. No worries.)

It’s easier to place the poaching cups on the wire rack and then pour the egg into the cups using a glass measuring cup. Cracking the egg into the measure cup first also allows you to check for broken shells and to make sure the yolk isn’t broken.

You can fit up to five silicone poaching cups in there, but that fifth one is a tight fit and might produce some wonky looking poached eggs. If you’d like them to look uniform, then just use four. You could also just do one if you’re having a solo brunch.

 
 

Set the Instant Pot on manual (I use the “manual” or “pressure cook” button) for 3 minutes.

This is super important: Once the pressure-cooking time has ended, IMMEDIATELY switch the steam valve to venting and get all that steam out. You’ll want to get those eggs out as quickly as you can because if you leave them in there with all that steam for just a minute longer, you’ll overcook the yolks.

Trust me on this.

Once you get the cups out, you can remove the eggs by running a big spoon along the bottom and lifting it out—kind of like scooping an avocado half out of its skin.

 
 

See? It comes right out.

 
 

I turn mine upside down on a paper towel-lined plate to soak up any extra moisture. Sometimes a little water will accumulate on top of the eggs from the Instant Pot.

This particular yolk was at the bottom of the poaching cup so it nearly leaked out when I was taking it out of the cup. Most of the time it won’t be like this. But even so, the yolk stays in the egg pretty well.

 
 

Now it’s time for the fun part.

Traditional eggs benedict calls for ham, but I swapped that out for a browned Mexican chorizo patty on my English muffin. (I realize this looks like a hamburger, and putting a poached egg on a hamburger is also an excellent idea.)

I also topped it with an avocado slice and a drizzle of chipotle-lime Hollandaise sauce.

That sauce is the most delicious thing I have made all month. Truly. And I made it in my blender in about 5 minutes. (Directions in the recipe below!)

 
 

I added a pinch of dried chipotle powder to make it more pretty. And delicious.

 
 

If you eat a gluten-free or low carb/paleo diet you can use roasted sweet potato slices in place of the English muffin. I actually preferred that way and loved the bit of sweetness from the potatoes.

Seriously, if batch cooking poached eggs doesn’t convince you to buy an Instant Pot, I’m not sure what will. It makes such a fun, little brunch option! And since the eggs cook so quickly, it’s easy to make multiple batches for a small crowd.

 
 

This Cuisinart food processor is designed to perform just about any food prep task a recipe calls for. It’s big enough to chop ingredients for a party-sized portion of salsa, and powerful enough to turn a full work bowl of veggies into healthy pureed soups in seconds. Rubberized touch pad controls, and reversible shredding and slicing discs make this food processor a favorite of creative home cooks!; Cuisinart elemental 8 cup food processor, white. Features: 8 cup work bowl with measurement markings|350 watts for powerful food prep performance|Reversible shredding and slicing discs – medium to fine|Convenient rubberized controls – High Low Off and Pulse|Integrated feed tube to add ingredients during processing|Easy-to-clean removable parts are dishwasher safe|Limited 2 year warranty|BPA free

Product Features

• 350 watts for powerful food prep performance
• 8-Cup work bowl with measurement markings
• Reversible shredding and slicing discs – medium to fine
• Integrated feed tube to add ingredients during processing
• Easy-To-Clean, removable parts are dishwasher safe

Your Herbs, Your Way

So you’ve got a beautiful basil plant with leaves ripe for the picking.

After you’ve picked the cream of the crop, you’re faced with the arduous task of pulling the leaves apart by hand, smashing them with a kitchen knife, or slicing them with typical kitchen scissors.

No longer.

With multipurpose, stainless steel herb scissors from Chefast™, you can do those prime herbs justice and keep them as fresh as possible for your hungry guests. Just a few quick snips, and you’ll create the ultimate herb infusion or refreshingly delicious garnish. No need to pound away with a knife and leave most of the flavor on the cutting board.

More Than a Kitchen Gadget: While we created these shears to help in the kitchen, they’re also fantastic as arts and crafts tools. Cutting heavy-duty paper or strips of fabric has never been easier.

Comfort Counts: What good are the most effective herb scissors if they mangle your hands every time you use them? With our premier TPR grip, you can cut in comfort every time without worrying about slippage.

All In: With a cleaning comb and protective cover, plus two drawstring herb bags, this sleek, attractive package contains everything you’ll need to make the most of your cool new kitchen tool.

Give The Gift Of A Clean Cut: We took care to put all this together in a stylish box that anyone would be thrilled to receive. Whether it’s a shower, housewarming, wedding or annual gift grab, this shear set makes a fun gift that’s actually useful!

Got You Covered: With our 100% lifetime warranty, we guarantee that these scissors will perform their best for years to come. If anything ever goes wrong, we’re right here with a free replacement.

Lock In That Delicious Flavor and Snip Like a Pro: Order Your Chefast Herb Scissors Today

Product Features

• ***100% CUSTOMER SATISFACTION GUARANTEE*** At Chefast, we truly care about making our customers happy. In addition to the standard 30-day refund guarantee that most sellers offer, we back up our herb scissors with a LIFETIME replacement warranty. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, a full refund or a brand-new pair is just a few clicks away.
• ***YOUR PERFECT HERB SCISSORS SET*** Looking for the best combination of performance and value? This unique set offers you 5-blade herb shears, two drawstring herb bags, and safety cover with a cleaning comb. When you create your next meal with the help of this herb mincer, you’ll remember why you grew herbs and vegetables in your garden in the first place.
• ***PREMIUM MATERIALS ONLY*** With quality stainless steel construction, five 3-inch blades and an ergonomic TPR handle that won’t slip, you’re in complete control, whether you’re serving up a small feast or helping the kids with their latest masterpiece. That’s because these multi blade scissors work wonders in the kitchen as well as the art room.
• ***CLEANUP IS A BREEZE*** We built a cleaning comb right into the safety cover. Just give the blades a quick swipe and those clingy herbs fall off with minimum mess. Still some lingering residue? A quick rinse is all it takes to get the blades clean and ready for the next task.
• ***WONDERFUL GIFT FOR MANY OCCASIONS*** Our premium herb scissors set comes in a stylish box that makes it a great choice for a wedding gift, Christmas gift, housewarming gift or any other kind of gift. Maximize the freshness; order a pair or two of these multipurpose herb scissors today!

A modern approach to cooking at home, with more than 70 innately flexible recipes.

The indispensable recipes and streamlined cooking techniques in Where Cooking Begins are an open invitation to dive into Carla Lalli Music’s laid-back cooking style. The food director at Bon Appetit, her intuitive recipes are inspired by the meals she makes at home for her family and friends and the joy she takes in feeding them. Here, too, is her guide to the six essential cooking methods that will show you how to make everything without over-complicating anything—and every recipe includes suggestions for swaps and substitutions, so you’ll never feel stuck or stymied.

Where Cooking Begins is also the first recent cookbook to connect the way we shop to the way we cook. Music’s modern approach—pick up your fresh ingredients a few times a week, and fill your pantry with staples bought online—will make you want to click on a burner and slide out a cutting board the minute you get home.

The no-fail techniques, textured recipes, and strategies in Where Cooking Begins will make you a great cook.

The post Shorgoghal, or Spice-Filled Flaky Breads appeared first on AZ Cookbook.

Roasted red peppers are my favorite pantry item; well, they’re up there alongside jars of good marinara sauce. You can turn a jar or two of roasted red peppers into so many different recipes, from soups to sauces to panini to dips. The flavor is mild and slightly sweet, and I’m always amazed at how much I love them. This soup boasts two whole jars of the beauties, and it’s perfect for lunch or dinner.

Plus, it’s purty. You’ll love it!

(Side note: Hi, friends! *Waving*…)

In a Dutch oven, melt the olive oil and butter over medium heat.

 
 
Add the onions and garlic…

 
 
Then add the oregano…

 
 
And stir, cooking the onions and garlic for about 3 minutes.

 
 
Add a diced russet potato (this is optional; it helps with the texture, but you can leave it out if you’re wanting to cut carbs)…

 
 
And 2 jars of roasted red peppers that have been sliced. Look at those little blackened bits. Flavah!

 
 
Stir and cook the potatoes and red bell peppers for about 3 more minutes.

 
 
Add the tomato paste…

 
 
And stir to combine, letting it cook for a couple of minutes.

 
 
Sprinkle in the salt and pepper and turn up the heat to medium-high.

 
 
Pour in the white wine, then stir and let it start to cook.

 
 
Then pour in some vegetable or chicken stock!

 
 
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, about 18-20 minutes.

 
 
Now it’s time to puree the soup, which releases all the amazing flavor of the peppers and makes the potatoes just become a part of the mix.

 
 
Keep going until it gets to the texture you like.

 
 
This is the texture I like!

 
 
Now it just needs cream. I add about a half a cup, or up to 5 gallons. Just kidding about the 5 gallon part, but my point is that if you wanna add more cream, you should live the life you were born to live and just add it.

And truth be told, I probably added 3/4 cup of cream.

Okay, a cup.

 
 
Stir it to combine and let the cream warm up for a couple of minutes.

 
 
Finally, add a little red wine vinegar and cook for another minutes. Done!

 
 
Serve with a little grated Parmesan and some fresh oregano leaves.

 
 
A little grilled cheese rollup wouldn’t hurt either! (I’ll post these sometime soon.)

 
 
Enjoy, friends! It’s still cool in some areas, so this soup is just perfect for the weather.

 

Key lime pie is an easy dessert to love. Not only is it delicious, with its combination of zesty key lime juice and rich sweetened condensed milk, but it is very easy to make at home. I make it on a regular basis and I’ve even added other flavors to the basic recipe. This time around, I used the idea of a key lime pie and swapped out all of the lime juice for a more tropical favorite to make Passion Fruit Pie.

This pie uses passion fruit juice in the type of recipe that would normally be made with fresh key limes. The pie filling is made with sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks and a generous amount of fresh passion fruit juice. Passion fruit works in this recipe because the fresh juice is very acidic, just like key lime juice, so it reacts with the other filling ingredients and begins to thicken even before it goes into the oven.

Passion fruit juice is incredibly aromatic, with an amazingly sweet floral scent that you’ll notice as soon as you cut into the the fruit. This tropical aroma carries over into the finished pie, so you get a bright tropical flavor – complimented by the creamy sweetness of the sweetened condensed milk. If you like key lime pie, you’ll probably fall in love with this at first bite!

Like key lime pie, it’s important that you use fresh juice to make this pie. It can take a bit of effort to juice fresh passion fruits, but you can follow my tutorial here. Passion fruits can usually be found in well-stocked supermarkets. You can also sometimes find fresh passion fruit juice in specialty markets, but be sure that you’re not buying a product with sweeteners added (or any other juices in the mix) if you try a packaged juice. The pie can be baked in a shortbread crust or a graham cracker crust and should be refrigerated before serving. The pie is best within a day or two of baking.

I topped this pie with coconut whipped cream to serve it. The whipped cream is lightly sweetened whipped cream with finely chopped shredded coconut added to it. You can also make non-dairy whipped cream with coconut cream and get similar results. Both will yield a delicious topping for this dessert.

Passion Fruit Pie
1/2 cup fresh passion fruit juice/pulp
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
4 large egg yolks, room temperature
9-inch graham cracker crust, baked

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, whisk together passion fruit juice, sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks until smooth. Pour into prepared pie crust and place on a baking sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until pie filling is just set. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours until well-chilled. Top with coconut whipped cream, if desired.

Serves 8-10.

Coconut Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
3-4 tbsp confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp coconut rum (optional)
1/4 cup sweetened, shredded coconut, very finely chopped

In a medium bowl, beat heavy cream to soft peaks. Beat in confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and rum. Fold in shredded coconut.

The post Passion Fruit Pie with Coconut Whipped Cream appeared first on Baking Bites.

The Danby DBC120BLS 3.3 cubic feet beverage Center is the perfect teammate with those big sporting events. When friends and family stop by it’s always good to be prepared to serve up some cold beverages while watching a game or just enjoying the company. No matter what event keeps those guests ever-present, this beverage center will be a great asset. With a 120 can storage capacity you will be sure to never be short on ice cold beverages. The tempered glass door and stainless steel trim add an elegant touch to any decor. Package Content: 3.3 cubic feet beverage center, manual, tempered glass door with stainless steel trim. Recessed side mount door handle. Integrated lock with key. Interior light illuminates compartment. Color – Black with Stainless Steel. Height 33.70, Width 17.87, Depth 19.75, Weight 68.90. Color – Black/Stainless. Manual Language: English, Spanish, French. Assembly Required.

Product Features

• 3.3 cubic feet capacity beverage center (up to 120 cans)
• Mechanical thermostat with temperature range of 43F – 57F
• 3 black wire shelves and interior light.
• Recessed side mount door handle and integrated lock with key. Tempered glass door with stainless steel trim and black body
• Energy efficient and long lasting blue LED light illuminates the interior. Energy consumption is 368kWh/year