Foodie Alert! Watch those temps!

I’ve noticed a strange and somewhat disturbing thing happening on a couple of recipe sites I frequent. Incorrect cooking times. Now you might not think this means much, but these temperatures are for meat; something you should always check and recheck. For example, I did a pork roast in the over a while back and used the temperature the recipe gave me. The cut of meat I used was the same as what was called for, and being the trusting person, I didn’t think anything more about it. After all, the person who posted the recipe has tried it and would know if there was something wrong, yet when I took it out of the oven and checked it, it still needed another thirty minutes. Not a problem; I always leave the oven on after I take meat out, just in case something like that happens. Afterward, I chalked it up to me reading the temperature number wrong on the website. When it happened a second time, this time for beef, I went back and looked over the webpage carefully. Turns out I didn’t see wrong at all. There was only one temperature given, and from the way the recipe was worded, it was for all sizes of beef.

I have a meat thermometer and I did use it (I really need to use it more), but what bothered me was there was no disclaimer. How did they know this temperature was right for the size of roast I was using? From the instructions given one could easily assume that the temp was for all sizes, when we all know you gauge the cooking time by the weight of the meat. This is constantly drilled into my brain by my husband (who hovers when I get into the kitchen), but what about new cooks who don’t think about things like this? I can see you shaking your head and saying

“But Darke, everyone KNOWS to use a meat thermometer or gauge the time by weight!”

Not always, and that’s why this bothered me so much.

Please, please, please, as the Holidays are quickly approaching, if you have a recipe for meat and it gives you only one time, check to make sure it’s the RIGHT time for the size of meat you’re using. It takes just a few minutes to go online and look up the right times.

Here, are a couple web pages that can help.

http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html

http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/meatchart.html

 

Happy Cooking!

Food Thursday: Double-Stuffed Baked Potato

Husband made this a few weeks back and it’s incredible and not as hard as you would think!

Ingredients:

Russet Potatoes (one per person)

Bacon

Butter

Philadelphia Cooking Cream (your favourite flavour)

Cheddar Cheese

 

 

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 350. Wash and poke Russet potatoes. We use Russet because they’re the best for recipes like this. Place potatoes on oven rack and cook for one hour.

Cook up bacon. Shred cheese.

Remove potatoes after an hour (careful they’re hot!) and let cool for a few minutes. Cut a medium-size wedge from the top of each potato. Scoop out the pulp and place in a large bowl.

Mix the potato pulp with cheese, flavoured sour cream and bacon. Husband used Savoury Garlic for this recipe. Scoop the mixture carefully back into the potato shells and top with more cheese and bacon.

Here’s the best part about the recipe. You can do all this hours before dinner. When you’re almost ready to sit down to eat, place the potatoes on a baking sheet and pop back into the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350.

Russet potatoes are also large so you should plan the rest of your dinner accordingly.

Holiday Recipe – Chocolate Pie

Apart from the decorations and warm fuzzy feelings this time of year brings, I love to do holiday baking. Cookies, cakes, pies, candy, I love making all of it. I’ve been doing it for years, starting with a German Sweet Chocolate pie I made for a friend of mine years ago. This year I’m going to do up a bunch of cookies and breads and send plates out to the neighbours, so I dug out my three favourite recipe books and I thought I would share that pie recipe.

1 package (4 ounces) BAKER’S GERMAN sweet chocolate

½ cup milk

1 package cream cheese, softened.

2 tbls sugar (optional)

3 ½ cups (8 ounces) COOL WHIP topping, thawed

1 (9 inch) prepared crumb crust

Chocolate shavings

 

MICROWAVE chocolate and 2 tbsp. of the milk in a large microwaveable bowl on high 1 ½ to 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring halfway through heating time. Then stir until chocolate is completely melted.

BEAT in cream cheese, sugar and the remaining mild until well blended. Refrigerate to cool, about 10 minutes.

STIR in whipped topping gently until smooth. Spoon into crust. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Garnish with chocolate shavings or curls, if desired.

To make chocolate shavings, take a piece of chocolate and pull a veggie peeler across the surface.

*More holiday recipes found in Baker’s Easiest-Ever Chocolate Recipes*

~Happy Eating!~