Tuesday's Tip of the Day: Securing Parchment Paper

There is nothing more frustrating when it comes to baking than parchment paper that won’t lay flat on the baking sheet as you portion cookie dough on top. A quick fix, is by using a small dime size amount of dough (whatever it is that you are baking) on each of the four corners as a “glue” to hold the parchment to the baking sheet. If you are not working with dough, consider spraying a small amount of cooking spray in each corner instead. And if that still doesn’t work, use 4 small magnets from your fridge to keep them in place as you line the baking sheet, but don’t forget to remove the magnets right before baking!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Organizing Your Cutting Boards

They say, “An organized kitchen is an organized mind.” Isn’t that the truth! One way to keep yourself “organized” is by finding a way to neatly store all of your kitchen equipment so that they are readily available and neatly stowed away when not in use. Beside our kitchen knives, our prized possessions when it comes to cooking, our cutting boards are in constant use and rotation. Well here is an idea for you to simmer on!

The next time you are at Staples or Office Depot, consider picking up a file sorter (the small ones that stand on your desk) to help hold and neatly organize your cutting boards. From keeping your boards upright and together, it makes storing boards of different sizes and shapes a synch.

Genius, right?

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Tuesday's Tip of the Day: Cutting Ooey-Gooey Brownies!

America love’s brownies and rightfully so! They are ooey-gooey lip-smackingly and finger-licking good! Am I right or am I right? The only issue I ever have when trying to make them (beside eating the batter of course) is when it comes to slicing and all that fudgy deliciousness sticks to the knife. I can imagine worse problems but in all seriousness, there has to be a workaround???

First of all, when baking brownies, line the baking pan with two sheets of parchment paper each overlapping each other with a 2-inch overhang. This way, the brownies can easily be removed by simply using the overhang to lift them from the pan. It also keeps the pan from getting scratched as you use a knife to try and release them.

Secondly, after you carefully lift the brownies from the pan and place them on a cutting board, generously spray your knife with baking spray that specifies it contains “butter” or is used for baking.  Cut the brownies by cutting down as far across as possible and without lifting the knife, sliding the knife toward you. Lifting the knife pulls the fudge up with it which doesn’t create a nice clean cut. Between each slice, use a damp towel to clean the knife before spraying with another fresh dose of baking spray. Repeat until all the brownies are accounted for. And when it comes to baking, remember that all those “samples” or nibbles you take are part of the “quality control” process and you shouldn’t feel bad.  That’s right, I have your back!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Kitchen Secrets

With testing recipes for a living, it has become my job to question how to bring life to recipes when life may be a little flat, sweet, salty or spicy. Pun intended, recipes often need a little tweaking through the testing process and understanding how to balance flavors without starting from scratch, is a skill all chefs should have. Here is a quick breakdown to fix some of our most common obstacles when it comes to serving a perfectly balanced meal.

Too Flat: Add an acidic agent like vinegar or lemon juice. When something is “missing something” or just seems a little, “flat,” acid helps give it life and brightness.

Too Sweet: Add a little acid, like vinegar or lemon juice which will help to cut through the sugar and balance out the flavor profiles.

Too Salty: Try diluting it (if applicable) with water or stock. If that doesn’t work try adding sweetness, like honey.  The best rule of thumb when it comes to seasoning your food, is do it as you go realizing you can always add more but you can’t add less.

Too Spicy: Add dairy. I especially like to do this with sauces (Greek yogurt is my go to) and even soups! And worse case scenario, if you are in the midst of dinner, offer everyone a glass of milk!

Now that we have this in our back pocket, lets roll up our sleeves and get back in the kitchen. We have some cooking to do!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Tuesday's Tip of the Day: Perfectly Breading Meat

Have you tried breading meat but find that it’s hard to perfectly cook the protein without over or undercooking the breading? Here is a quick trick to prevent that.

Before breading your protein, consider using a thinner cut of meat so that it cooks faster. If you don’t have a thin cut of meat on hand, simply place the meat in a Ziplock bag and gently pound the meat with a kitchen mallet or heavy sauté pan until it reaches the perfect thickness.

Ideally, by the time your breading is nice and golden brown, the meat is juicy, perfectly cooked and ready for service!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Tuesday’s Tip of the Day: Peeling Carrots like a Pro

From carrot curry soup to carrot ribbons, understanding how to quickly and efficiently peel a carrot is an easy way to expedite the cooking process at home.

If you still have the stem end in tact, use that as a handle as you easily peel the carrot. If you have already removed the stem end, use a kitchen fork to hold the carrot in place as you peel. Now that we have the fundamentals in place, let’s peel the carrot!

Most people hold the carrot in their hand as they peel away. This has a few problems as peelers are sharp and you can easily slip and peel your finger instead. Secondly, it takes longer because you cannot do long smooth strokes and rotating the carrot with one hand can be a challenge. Here is what I recommend.

Lay the carrot on your cutting board. Either holding onto the stem end, if still intact, or using a fork (as shown below), secure the carrot to the board. Next, use your peeler working in long smooth strokes starting at one end and working all the way to the next end. As you peel, you can easily rotate the carrot around as your peel all sides. I prefer purchasing carrots that still have the stem ends on, but when in a pinch, a fork works perfectly as well.

Now with that, let the peeling begin!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Prepping Pineapple Like a Pro

There is nothing sweeter or more thirst “quenchingly” – yes, I just made “quenchingly” up - delicious than pineapple at its prime. From fresh smoothies to ice cream, barbecued and topped with lemongrass simple syrup, pineapple never let’s me down.

Often we gravitate toward pineapple but its prickly exterior intimidates and overwhelms steering us toward something, well, “safer.” What if I told you preparing pineapple would take you less than 5 minutes to prepare?  Now do I have your attention? Perfect, let’s get started…

Remove the top and bottom of the pineapple creating two flat surfaces from which to work from.

Use a sharp chef knife to carve the skin away…literally, use your knife to carve the skin away from the flesh going deep enough to remove the spiky spurs while not wasting any fruit.

Cut the pineapple down the middle, then each half again lengthwise.

Once the pineapple has been quartered, work with one quarter at a time to remove the core. To do this, lay the pineapple down and angle your knife to remove the hard core.

Now you are ready to chop, slice or dice to your hearts content.

How is that for easy?

Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Uses for Excess Fruit

It’s hard to leave the farmers market with less than a few flats of fresh berries and pounds of fresh fruit. But how can you blame us? When surrounded by the sweet aroma of fresh fruit and ample samples, it’s nearly impossible to resist the temptation and slight encouragement as we load our eco-friendly shopping bags so they are literally bursting at the seams.  This must be why they invented shopping bags with wheels…so smart!

So what do you do when you get home and realize you have enough fruit to feed an entire city block? From freezing them for smoothies, making fresh pies and cobblers, ice cream, jam, and even skewering them for a neighborhood block party, think outside the box. Some fruits, like peaches, are excellent when baked and fruit like pineapple and watermelon are excellent on the BBQ.  Options are limitless offering no other option than enjoying them in every way possible! Like you needed an excuse to do that?

Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Blanching 101!

Blanching…how, when and why do we blanch? All great questions that are often asked in my cooking classes. Here is the skinny…

Blanching is the art of par-cooking something that needs a head-start. For example, we blanch asparagus before sautéing so that we can start the cooking process allowing it to continue cooking in the skillet or sauté pan with whatever finishing touches we are looking for. Blanching in itself doesn’t impart flavor but it allows you a head-start so time in the skillet or sauté pan is only spent developing color and flavor.

Depending on what you are blanching, mostly going by density and size, blanching times will vary. Green beans, spinach and asparagus all have varying cooking times so it’s important to use visual queue more than cooking times. To properly blanch, water should be heavily salted and boiling before the product is added. Give the contents a quick stir after being added to ensure they are fully submerged. Once the contents have intensified in color (as in brighter) and they still have a slight bite without being mushy or wilted looking, quickly strain and submerge them in an ice batch to shock and stop the cooking process. Once the water and vegetables are cold to the touch, remove and thoroughly dry them before further cooking as desired.

For a general rule of thumb, green beans take around 4 minutes where spinach or basil take 20 seconds so be mindful of the product at hand by using visual queues and texture as your leading indicator for doneness. 

Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Tuesday's Tip of the Day: Refreshing Limp Greens!

I think we can all agree that salad greens go limp quickly after purchase, sometimes quicker than we can use them! In this case, knowing how to refresh and rehydrate your greens is a great way to maximize shelf life enjoying a fresh salad several days beyond purchase.

To “shock” and refresh limp greens, simply submerge them in ice water for a few minutes or until they start to seize and stiffen. Remove from ice water, run through a salad spinner to remove excess moisture and use as desired. Now, how easy is that?

Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Toasting Nuts!

When a recipe asks for toasted nuts, or coconut for that matter, people often ask me if that step is really necessary. First of all, when toasting nuts it not only gives them a golden sun-kissed look, but it also enhances it’s natural oils while intensifying flavor. If you taste a toasted nut and a nut that has not been toasted, I am certain you can tell the difference. And more often than not, you would probably choose the toasted variety.

So how do we properly toast? There are two ways. First, preheat your oven to 375ºF. On a baking sheet, spread the desired amount of nuts in a thin and even layer. Place in preheated oven and allow to toast while occasionally stirring until fragrant and light golden in color. If you smell them, chances are it may be too late! The second way is on the stovetop which most people prefer as you don’t forget about them! Simply spread the desired amount of nuts in a sauté pan in an even and thin layer. Place over medium heat and while occasionally stirring or shaking the pan, toast until lightly golden in color and fragrant. Immediately after toasting, transfer nuts to a plate and spread in a thin layer so they don’t continue to cook on the hot pan.

Regardless of your preference, using toasted nuts on your salads, in your breads and cookies is a great option when looking to maximize on flavor and look appeal.

Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Tuesday' Tip of the Day: Repurposing your Ice Cream Scoop

I am always on a quest for finding everyday kitchen tools that can be repurposed. For example, a fork can be used for eating, whisking, picking parsley and cilantro from the stem, holding a carrot in place as you peel or julienne it, and testing doneness in your potatoes. Quite frankly, the fork may be one of my favorite tools and good thing I have plenty of those from which to choose. Another tool that I commonly use in the kitchen is my ice cream scoop. From scooping out ice cream to evenly portioning cookie dough, mousse and batters, removing the core from pears and seeds from melons I am constantly finding ways to incorporate it into my daily routine.

There are several sizes of ice cream scoops and I have one of each on hand. The small scoop is for smaller tasks, like repurposing it as a melon baller. The larger scoops help me ensure that each cookie, loaf pan and ramekin have the same amount of contents so they cook the same amount of time. Not only is it an efficient tool, it helps ensure proper and accurate cooking.

Look for the scoops with the easy release handless so contents neatly release with a simple squeeze of the handle.

Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together! 

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Tuesday's Tip of the Day: Makeshift Drying Rack

When space is of the essence, finding a way to carefully dry wine glasses, or anything for that matter, can be quite the challenge. After cooling your cookies and roasting chicken breasts, consider also using your wire rack as a drying station. Simply wash and place each wine glass upside down on the wire rack to air dry. I like to put a kitchen towel underneath or even a baking sheet to catch the water.

Now how is that for genius, and easy!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Tuesday's Tip of the Day: Making Carrot Ribbons

When looking for a way to take an everyday salad to the next level, think about carrot ribbons! My favorite variety are multi-colored heirloom carrots that add a beautiful vibrancy and complexity to any salad.

To make carrot ribbons, lightly peel each carrot and using a peeler, work in long smooth strokes from one end to the other noticing the different layers of colors. This concept can also apply to zucchini but don’t peel the green skin from the zucchini allowing its vibrancy to contrast against the white interior.

Making carrot ribbons is easy enough for weeknight cooking but fancy enough for your next dinner party. Just don’t tell anyone how easy it is and your secret is safe with me!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Blanching

Blanching is the act of cooking something quickly in salted boiling water before submerging in ice water to stop the cooking. Vegetables are blanched to partially cook them while brightening their color and maintaining their “crunch.” Asparagus and green beans, for example, are often blanched before being added to salads, pastas and even veggie trays.

Here are a few tips for perfectly blanched vegetables:

• Always blanch vegetables in boiling water that is heavily salted.
• Have an ice water bath ready to quickly shock and stop the cooking process.
• Blanch until the product is just tender and bright in color remembering that it will continue to cook as it is removed. If you need to, take one out and try it.
• Use tongs or a handheld strainer to quickly remove items.
• If you have a large batch of vegetables to blanch, work in batches ensuring your blanching water comes to a boil before adding your next addition. Also make sure to replenish your ice bath so that each batch can quickly cool once added.
• Don’t let items sit too long in the ice bath or they may begin to get soggy as they take on water. Simply allow them to chill until cold to the touch, remove and use as desired.

Now that you know how to blanch, why not whip up a quick breakfast frittata for supper?

Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Tuesday's Tip of the Day: Quickly Bringing Eggs to Room Temperature

When a recipe asks for room temperature eggs and time is of the essence, add them to a small bowl of room temperature to luke warm water and slowly bring them to temp. By doing so gradually, you raise the temperature of the eggs in a safe manner. Ideally, if you know the recipe calls for room temperature eggs, leave them out overnight. In fact, in Australia they sell eggs at room temperature right next to the bread. I’m not saying you should start storing your eggs at room temperature on a daily basis, but I am putting this concept into perspective.

Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Tuesday's Tip of the Day: Perfect Souffles!

I absolutely love making soufflés, and oddly enough, find their nuances and finicky behavior to be a welcomed challenge. I will never forget my finals in pastry and baking class at Le Cordon Bleu. We had a certain window, 3 minutes in fact, to present a perfectly baked soufflé. If your soufflé came out of the window before your 3 minute time, it would deflate before they were able to grade it. If the soufflé wasn’t fully cooked within that 3 minute window, you would have nothing to show. After dozens of soufflés were timed and tested (and tasted of course) from my home kitchen, I felt confident that my timing was down pat. And thank goodness for that as my neighbors were starting to resist all my samples. I ended up getting the best grade in my class, so let’s say my practice paid off!

People often ask what the secret to a perfectly cooked soufflé is? With my dedication to making them just that, I thought I would share my top 4 tips.

• Acid: If you cannot get your egg whites to whip to firm peaks, add an acid. This isn’t necessary, but it can help when your whites simply won’t cooperate. I always prefer cream of tartar because it won’t impart a flavor, but white wine or lemon juice (very small amount) would work too.
• Don’t over-fold! This is the most critical step as all that work you put into whipping your egg whites will be lost of you over-fold and deflate them. 
• Room Temperature Eggs: Room temperature eggs will whip faster and provide more lift than cold eggs. If your eggs are cold and you want to use them right away, simply add them to a small bowl with room temperature water and allow them to slowly warm. You don’t want to cook the eggs but rather gently raise their temperature.
• Oven: Make sure you don’t open the oven once they go in as each time you do, hot air is released which will deflate them. Also make sure you account for their “lift” by placing them in the bottom half of the oven.

Whether looking to make sweet or savory soufflés, consider these helpful tips for making perfect soufflé every time!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Weekly Menu Planning

Quite often, the reason we don’t cook more during the week is not because we don’t want to, but rather because we don’t have the energy or desire to prep after a long day at work and running between carpool, soccer and tennis practice.  By planning your weekly meals over the weekend, you can work through your week with food at the ready and delicious home-cooked meals at your fingertips.

To begin…

• Have a plan: Take into consideration any plans you have during the week. A late homeowners meeting, soccer game, work event, etc. Those nights may require a light meal, like a salad or soup. Something that can quickly be assembled or heated. No prep or cooking needed.
• Make a list and write it down: After you determine what your week looks like, write down your menu for each night of the week.  Maybe your roast chicken is on Monday and leftover chicken then turns into a salad on Tuesday, tacos on Wednesday, soup on Wednesday, stir fry on Thursday, and a quick casserole on Friday.   After your write down your menu, figure out side components with each. What do you want to serve with the chicken on Monday? Rice? Make extra and save it for stir fry night or even to adorn your tacos. Salad greens? Buy extra for 2 days and play around with your dressings and toppings (i.e. cheese, fruit, nuts, dates, croutons, etc.).
• Prep for the week on Sunday, what you can at least: Peel your carrots, mince, dice or chop your onions, shallots, garlic, etc.  Go into the week with your prep ready to go so all that is needed during the week is a quick assemble and speedy cooking.
• Make it fun: I like to shop everyday and buy what looks fresh and best at that moment. Sometimes time doesn’t allow that pleasure so looking at the days in which I need to shop for and trying to decide how I can get the most out of the least, is like putting a puzzle together. Make it fun, delicious and healthy allowing more time to gather around the table together!

However you find weeknight cooking easiest for you and your family, I hope that you find time to gather around the table together!

 Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Tuesday's Tip of the Day: Storing Pots and Pans

After a nice investment in pots and pans, people often ask me the best way to store them, especially when space is of the essence! Quite simply, the best way to store pots and pans is with shelf-liners in between each layer. Shelf-liners can be found at most major grocery stores and even at Target. Look for them in a large roll, usually in the kitchen appliance aisle.  Use scissors to cut the desired size and place it within the bottom pan to ensure the top pan won’t scratch.  As a side note, shelf liners are also great in drawers to keep things from rolling around, under drinking glasses to keep them from chipping and under cutting boards to safely secure it to the counter as you work.

Sometimes a simple and inexpensive tip like the use of shelf-liners can make all the difference!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Tuesday's Tip of the Day: Perfectly Cooked Fish!

When it comes to cooking fish, people often ask me the best way to not only know when it is done, but how to create that beautiful golden crust.  And the truth of the matter is, it's really simple!

Let’s start with the basics. Most recipes and people say to oil and preheat your pan before adding your fish. I recently learned and have adapted a technique that involves preheating your pan, this is a must, but not oiling it! I know, crazy concept right? Instead of oiling the pan, salt, pepper and oil your fish off heat on a dinner plate. Evenly and generously coat your fish in oil so that it doesn’t stick to the pan and can develop color. This will also prevent hot oil from splattering when fish is added.

Once your pan is nice and hot, about 1 – 2 minutes on medium – high heat, add your fish presentation side down (skin should be facing up toward you.) Allow to cook undisturbed until a perfect golden crust has formed, about 2 – 5 minutes. Make sure you don’t overcrowd your pan or the fish will steam and not develop that perfect crust. Once you have a nice golden skin, flip and finish in a preheated 400ºF oven until the fish is cooked all the way through, approximately 5 – 12 minutes depending on desired doneness. Once the fish has finished cooking, always allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes covered with foil for all the moisture to redistribute. 

This my friends, will result in the most delicious, flaky, buttery and incredible fish you have ever had!

Now with that, let’s head to the store and pick up some fish. I’m starving!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around the table together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!