Blog | Food Culture | Food culture, that is, the sum of all food activities composed of people's ways, processes and functions in eating activities.

Spirits and Alcohol Types

drinks-cocktails

-

September 18, 2019

Spirits have high alcohol content because they are distilled.

Spirits, wine and beer are the three major types of alcoholic beverages, each of which come in many varieties. Spirits are distilled alcohol, meaning that the fermented beverage is heated to evaporate the alcohol, which is then condensed into the distilled spirit. Spirits are classified into broad categories depending on the type of liquid from which they are distilled.

Video of the Day

Gin

Gin is a clear spirit made from corn, rye, barely, wheat or sugarcane, but its main flavor comes from the juniper berry. Gin was first developed in Holland but has had times of high popularity in England and the United States as well. It is a popular mixer and is included in drinks such as a gin and tonic or martinis.

Vodka

Vodka is distilled from many types of grain, including barley, wheat, rye or corn. It sometimes even includes fermented potato, grape or beet juice as well. It is clear and has very little of its own flavor, so it is mixed with other flavored beverages in drinks such as a bloody mary, a screwdriver or a cosmopolitan.

Rum

Rum is distilled from sugarcane juice or molasses made from sugarcane. Because sugar is a common crop in the Caribbean and in Central and South America, rum is thought of as a tropical spirit and is often used in fruit-flavored drinks. It is mixed with lime juice in a daiquiri or with pineapple and coconut juice to make a piña colada.

Tequila

Tequila is named after a town in Mexico around which the cactus-like blue agave plant grows. It is made from fermented blue agave sap and is a type of mezcal, which is the more generic spirit made in other regions of Mexico. Margaritas are the most common type of drink to utilize tequila and are common fare at Mexican restaurants.

Whiskey

Whiskey is an aged spirit distilled from grains such as barley, corn, rye or wheat. Different types of whiskey have different flavors because they favor one type of grain over the others. Whiskey can be used in a variety of cocktails, including Manhattans, highballs and mint juleps.

Liqueurs and Cordials

When a distilled spirit is infused with a single flavor, it is called a cordial, and when infused with multiple flavors, it is a liqueur. These alcoholic beverages are much sweeter than straight liquor and are often consumed plain, although they are also included in some types of cocktails.

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce Recipe

Main Dishes

-

September 18, 2019

0

Pizza is probably one of my all time favorite foods. I love going out to local pizza spots or ordering delivery; I even like a few frozen brands. But truly… nothing beats homemade pizza. So many people don't realize how easy it is to prepare! Especially the sauce. It comes together in mere minutes. Follow this simple recipe, and you'll never want to waste money on jarred pizza sauce again!

Video of the Day

Things You\’ll Need

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients

This recipe will work with either fresh or dried oregano. Feel free to get a bit creative with additional herbs and spices such as basil or crushed red pepper, if you like some heat.

Step 2: Drain the Tomatoes

Drain the canned tomatoes, discarding the liquid.

Step 3: Add Ingredients to the Food Processor

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor. You can also use a blender or immersion blender.

Step 4: Puree the Sauce

Puree until smooth, or leave the mixture with a slight bit of texture if that's your preference.

Step 5: Use or Store

Keep in mind that the flavors in the sauce will develop as they have a chance to blend (much like a gazpacho). The garlic and oregano will be much more pronounced after 12 hours. However, cooking the sauce on pizza will also enhance the flavors, so the sauce can be used immediately. This recipe will yield enough for one large or 2 to 3 smaller pizzas.

Ready to make some pizza? Try these recipes!

Homemade Frozen Pizza

Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

Cuban Ropa Vieja Recipe Tutorial

Main Dishes

-

September 18, 2019

0

Ropa Viejo isn't just "a Cuban dish," it's the Cuban dish. What started as a peasant meal of sorts has become the official dish of the nation. Once you make it, you'll understand why. It's rich, hearty, and made to feed a crowd. It also freezes and reheats well, it's even better the next day.

Video of the Day

Things You\’ll Need

2 lbs beef chuck roast (2-3 inches thick)
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large carrots, chopped
1 large white onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 of each large green, red and yellow bell pepper, thinlysliced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
3/4 cup dry white wine
1

½

cups chicken broth
6 oz tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 cup green olives with pimentos
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley (plus additional for garnish)
Rice for serving

Step 1

Liberally salt and pepper the beef on all sides

Step 2

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Sear the beef on all sides.

Step 3

Remove the steak, lower the heat to medium and add the onions, carrots, celery, and peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables have started to caramelize, about 15 minutes.

Step 4

Stir in the garlic, then add the wine, scraping to deglaze the bottom of the pan.

Step 5

Stir in the broth, tomato paste, oregano, paprika, and cumin. Add the beef back into the pot, cover and simmer for 2-3 hours or until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork.

Tip

Don't have time to babysit this dish? Use a slow cooker! At this point, the meat, vegetables and broth can be transferred to a slow cooker. Just cook on high for 4 hours in your slow cooker, then continue with the next steps.

Step 6

While the meat is still in the pot, shred using two forks.

Step 7

Stir in the olives and parsley, cook on medium for 10 minutes. Serve over rice, sprinkle with parsley.

List of Wines From Dry to Sweet

drinks-cocktails

James Holloway

-

September 17, 2019

0

Sugar content is only one factor influencing dryness. Image Credit: Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images

The foundation of all winemaking is the process of fermentation. During the fermentation process, yeasts turn the sugars in grapes into alcohol. The longer this process goes on, the less sugar remains in the wine; wines with little or no residual sugar are called "dry." By contrast, if the winemaker stops fermentation early, the wine will contain a high level of sugar, and be sweet.

Video of the Day

Dry Whites

Even white wines made from the same grapes can vary in sweetness, although there are some general trends. For example, Italian pinot grigio is typically very dry, as is sauvignon blanc. However, there can be variation even within the same grape: American pinot gris, while still dry, is sweeter than its Italian counterpart, and New Zealand sauvignon blanc similarly tends to be sweeter than its French cousin.

Sparkling whites vary similarly. For instance, wine experts subdivide Champagne into a number of categories. Brut contains the lowest amount of sugar, while doux contains the most. Nonetheless, most sparkling wines are still on the dry side.

Although sugar content is the usual measure of sweetness, some dry wines contain more sugar than you might expect; the added perception of dryness comes from the acid or tannins present in the wine.

Sweet Whites

Sweet whites include some rieslings — others are only semisweet or even slightly dry — as well as Moscato, Sauternes and Tokaji. Dessert wines such as white port or Vin Santo are the sweetest of whites. The high levels of sugar in these wines result from different methods of production. For instance, the grapes used to make Vin Santo are dried before fermentation, removing much of their water content and increasing the concentration of sugar.

Dry Reds

Very dry red wines include Malbec, Bordeaux and Chianti; most red wines, including Beaujolais, Syrah and merlot, fall into the dry category. In general, drier reds tend to be more tannic, while sweeter reds, such as pinot noir, are fruitier.

As with whites, tannins and acidity in red wines can make a wine seem dry even if it has a relatively high level of sugar.

Sweet Reds

Sweet reds are outnumbered by their drier counterparts. Most sweet reds are fortified wines like port, Maury or Banyuls. These wines form an exception to the general rule that sweeter wines have less alcohol; during its creation, port's fermentation is artificially stopped when the winemaker adds brandy or another spirit to the mixture. This addition means that much of the sugar remains in fortified wines rather than being converted to alcohol; however, the added spirit also gives the wine a higher alcohol content.

Strawberry Balsamic & Brie Pizza

Main Dishes

-

September 16, 2019

0

It goes without saying that pizza is an all-time favorite. And while you can't go wrong with a plain cheese slice, it's fun to experiment with unique ingredients. Take this strawberry balsamic and brie pizza, for example. The strawberries, which are marinated in balsamic vinegar, are perfectly sweet and tart. The creamy brie and fresh basil add a rich and aromatic twist. Together, these flavorful ingredients make for a summery pizza that's hard to resist. Here's how to make it yourself.

Video of the Day

Strawberry Balsamic and Brie Pizza

Things You\’ll Need

Pizza crust dough
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup ricotta
3 to 4 ounces brie cheese
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup fresh basil, plus more for garnish
Olive oil

Step 1

Pre-heat the oven to 475° Fahrenheit (or according to the package's directions). Grease a large baking sheet with olive oil. Spread the pizza dough on the sheet into your desired shape. Pre-bake the crust for 5 minutes.

Step 2

Drizzle the balsamic vinegar onto the sliced strawberries. Toss well and let sit for at least 10 minutes.

Step 3

Slice the brie cheese into small chunks.

Step 4

Once the crust is finished pre-baking, spread a thin layer of ricotta. You can add more or less ricotta, if you'd like.

Step 5

Tear the basil into smaller pieces. Top the crust with basil, marinated strawberries and brie cheese. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the brie is melted and bubbling, and the crust is golden brown.

Balsamic Glaze

Things You\’ll Need

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar, white sugar or maple syrup
Dash of salt

Step 1

While the pizza crust is pre-baking, start making the balsamic glaze. Combine balsamic vinegar and sugar in a small pot over medium-high heat. Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

Step 2

Add the salt and mix. The glaze is ready once it coats the back of a spoon (it will thicken as it cools).

Step 3

Drizzle the balsamic glaze on the baked pizza. Garnish with extra basil and serve immediately. Enjoy!

How to Freeze a Cucumber

Veggie Faves

Elizabeth Arnold

-

September 15, 2019

0

Things You\’ll Need

2 quarts cucumbers
Mixing bowl
Red onion
1 tbsp. canning salt
Plastic wrap
Colander
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup white or apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. mustard seed
Plastic storage container with an airtight lid or plastic freezer bags

You can't freeze a whole cucumber as its texture will become mushy, but you can prepare the vegetables for long-term storage by pickling them first. Transform extra cucumbers into crunchy pickles using vinegar and a few other basic ingredients. The cucumbers will pickle during the freezing process. Thaw the homemade pickles anytime to serve with hamburgers and sandwiches. When looking for cucumbers to freeze, choose fresh, crisp vegetables that aren't overripe for the best taste.

Video of the Day

Step 1

Peel and thinly slice 2 quarts of fresh cucumbers. Place the slices in a mixing bowl.

Step 2

Cut a red onion into thin slices and place it in the bowl with the cucumbers. Add 1 tbsp. of canning salt.

Step 3

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the cucumbers to sit at room temperature for two hours. Drain the cucumbers in a colander over a sink.

Step 4

Mix 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 1/2 cup of white or apple cider vinegar and 1/2 tsp. of mustard seed together and pour it over the cucumbers. Transfer the mixture into a plastic storage container with an airtight lid or durable plastic freezer bags featuring zip closures.

Step 5

Place the cucumbers in a freezer; they will pickle and be ready to enjoy within four days. Store the pickled cucumbers in the freezer for up to one year.

Can Commercially Bought Eggnog Be Frozen?

drinks-cocktails

Susan Paretts

-

September 15, 2019

0

Can Commercially Bought Eggnog Be Frozen?

Cup of eggnog Image Credit: Brent Hofacker/iStock/Getty Images

Typically sold only during the winter holidays, eggnog contains cream, eggs, sugar, milk and spices. While you can freeze commercially produced eggnog to extend its shelf life, the process will change the texture of the dessert drink when you defrost it, making it lumpy and unpleasant to drink.

Video of the Day

To Freeze or Not to Freeze

The usual shelf life of commercially produced eggnog is between five and seven days if stored in the refrigerator below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. While freezing eggnog at 0 F means it will last up to six months, the freezing process separates the ingredients that make up the eggnog. Once you defrost the eggnog, it will be safe to drink but it will contain lumps that will not mix back in. For this reason, only freeze eggnog if you plan to cook or bake with it, rather than drink it.

The Big Chill and Non-Frozen Alternatives

Pour commercially prepared eggnog into an airtight container, leaving at least 1/2 inch of empty space at the top, before freezing it at 0 F. The extra space allows the eggnog to expand as it freezes, preventing the container from exploding. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight and use it within five days. Don't freeze it again. If you wish to keep eggnog around to drink past the holidays, buy canned eggnog, which lasts four to five months in a cool, dry pantry.

The Best Food Processors in 2022

Food Hacks

findmefood_yx1n2g

-

September 13, 2019

0

Few kitchen appliances will make your home cooking easier than a food processor. Also known as food choppers, a good food processor will make short work of chopping, grating, shredding, slicing, dicing and more, making you more efficient in the kitchen. Whether you're an expert or aspiring chef, having the right food processor will feel like having your own kitchen assistant. However, there are a few important things to understand before purchasing a food processor—including the difference between a food processor and a blender (Hint: They're not the same thing).

Video of the Day

Food Processors Versus Blenders

First, let's be clear: a food processor and a blender are not the same thing. They're similar, but not interchangeable, and if you plan on making more than smoothies and milkshakes, it's a good idea to have both.

The biggest difference lies in the tasks they're designed to perform. Food processors are equipped to perform a wide variety of food preparation tasks, while blenders are designed to pulverize and combine (aka blend) wet and dry ingredients, such as when you combine frozen fruit, Greek yogurt and oat milk to make a smoothie.

Food processors typically comprise four main parts: a base, a clear plastic body, a set of removable blades and a lid. Blenders also usually consist of four parts: a motorized base, a pitcher, a set of blades (often removable) and a lid. Due to their shape and the versatility of their blades, food processors are especially skillful at processing dry ingredients, but aren't as good at blending liquid ingredients. Conversely, blenders work better if you're also blending a liquid along with your solids. Unlike food processors, blenders can't be filled all the way—at least, without making a mess.

Different Types of Food Processors

There are three main types of food processors: full-size, mini and manual.

Full-Size: Full-size food processors (also known as electric food processors or simply food processors) are large countertop appliances that often come with a variety of rotating blade attachments, each suited to a different task like chopping or grating. They're loud, powerful and offer a large capacity for ingredients. Most full-size food processors include a feed tube in the lid that lets you add ingredients as the food processor is in operation. Full-size food processors can handle almost any ingredient and are the most versatile of the three types.

Mini: Mini food processors (also known as mini choppers or mini food choppers) are smaller, lighter and easier to clean than their full-size counterparts. They also run on electricity but aren't as powerful as full-size food processors and usually feature just one blade for chopping and dicing. Mini choppers typically have a capacity of between 1 and 6 cups, with 3 to 4 cups being the most common. Given their limited capacity and fewer blade types, they're better suited for making small batches of salsa, chopped vegetables, or ground herbs and spices.

Manual: Manual food choppers, as you probably guessed, require some manual labor on your part in order to work, as they're not powered by an electric motor. They're usually smaller than full-size food processors and not as powerful. Most manual food choppers have a small, clear plastic container body (typically holding 1 to 3 cups of ingredients) and feature a crank to turn, cord to pull or button to push. They're not very advanced, but they're also inexpensive, so they may work just fine for occasional kitchen work, but may not hold up as well to frequent use, especially with tougher ingredients.

What to Consider When Purchasing a Food Processor

Type: How often do you plan to use your food processor? How much do you care about noise? What's your budget? These are some questions you might ask yourself. If you don't prepare food that often, a mini chopper or manual food processor might be all you need, but if you're a serious home cook, you might consider getting a full-size electric food processor because they're so versatile and powerful.

Capacity: For how many people will you usually be preparing food? Or, how much food will you want to prepare at once? If you live alone or with just one other person, a small food processor will probably suffice. If you like food prepping in large quantities, something with a higher capacity will be beneficial. Mini food processors usually offer 1 to 2 cups; small, 3 to 4 cups; medium, 5 to 10 cups; and large, over 11 cups.

Features: Some food processors offer just the basics, but the best ones will have some of these desirable features:

Interchangeable Blades: Interchangeable blades allow you to do more than just chop. For example, dough blades help you knead pizza or bread dough. The more versatile your blades are, the more food you can prepare and the more time you'll save.
Pulse Function: A pulse function gives you a higher degree of control over your food processing and lets you start and stop at the press of a button.
Blending Feature: Some food processors can handle wet and dry ingredients at the same time (like a blender) without the wet ingredients getting stuck on the sides of the container.
Double Feed: Double-feed tubes are twice as wide as regular feed tubes, meaning you can put in larger ingredients without having to cut them as small in order to fit.
Continuous Feed: A continuous feed tube allows you to continue adding ingredients to the feed chute while the food processor is running.
Dishwasher-Safe Parts: Look for notes from the manufacturer deeming certain parts safe to put in the dishwasher to spare you from having to wash them by hand.

With these considerations in mind, we've rounded up the best food processors in 2022.

The Best Overall Food Processor

Cuisinart Elemental 13-Cup Food Processor

$199.95 at Amazon

The Cuisinart name is practically synonymous with food processors and blenders, so it's no surprise that Cuisinart's 13-cup food processor is so excellent. Featuring a straightforward and intelligent design, it's intuitive to use, offering four rubberized controls (high, low, off and pulse), an adjustable slicing disc, a reversible shredding disc and two stainless steel blades. It comes with a generous 13-cup food bowl, as well as a 4 1/2-cup bowl for smaller jobs, and uses a SealTight Advantage system to seal the bowls. Its wide-mouth feed tube accommodates whole fruits and vegetables with ease. All of its removable parts are dishwasher-friendly. If you're looking for a high-quality food processor that doesn't totally stretch your budget, you can't go wrong with Cuisinart.

Runner-Up Best Overall Food Processor

KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor

$149.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond

Another first-rate option is KitchenAid's 13-cup food processor. It boasts numerous thoughtfully-designed pieces, including a 13-cup Snap and Go work bowl, a double-feed tube, two interchangeable stainless steel blades, an adjustable slicing disc, a reversible shredding disc, a dough blade for kneading dough and a storage caddy. Its high, low and pulse settings can handle everything from fresh vegetables to cheeses—and with its dough blade, you can also knead things like pizza or bread dough. You can store all of the blades and discs inside the container to keep everything in one place and save space in your drawers. All removable parts are dishwasher-safe.

The Best High-End Food Processor

Breville Sous Chef 16 Pro

$399.95 at Sur La Table

If you want something fancy and aren't worried about stretching your wallet, the Breville Sous Chef 16 Pro is a luxury choice that covers all the bases and more. While it's significantly pricier than other models on this list, you get what you pay for. Breville's thought of everything, from different-sized feeding chutes to accommodate a wide variety of ingredients to 24 slicing thickness options and five cutting discs. It also offers a timing function, pulse setting, S-blade, dough blade and whisk attachments. You can switch between the 16-cup work bowl or the 2 1/2-cup work bowl depending on your batch size. In addition to the food processor and its attachments, you get a caddy to hold all of the accessories in one place that's labeled so you know what everything is at a glance. The only caveat is that this food processor is large and bulky, so it's not ideal for chefs with limited kitchen space.

The Best Budget-Friendly Food Processor

Oster 10-Cup Food Processor With Easy-Touch Technology

$49.88 at Walmart

Don't let the affordable price tag fool you—the Oster 10-Cup Food Processor still gives you a lot of bang for your buck. Powered by a 500-watt motor, its stainless steel blades easily slice, chop, shred and even purée ingredients at the touch of a button. The easy-touch controls offer two speed settings and a pulse function to cover the majority of your processing needs. The food processor features a large, continuous-feed chute and includes multifunctional attachments like a stainless steel S blade, a reversible shredding/slicing disc and a dough blade. It's easy to assemble with a two-step safety interlock design and all removable parts are dishwasher-safe.

The Best Motorized Mini Chopper

Ninja Master Prep Professional Chopper QB1004

$59.99 at Walmart

The Ninja Master Prep Professional Chopper can function as a food chopper or a blender, depending on which container you use. Using the interchangeable, 450-watt power pod and one of three blade sets, choose from the 2-cup chopper bowl, the 5-cup processing bowl or the 6-cup pitcher to chop, process or blend your ingredients. The small chopper bowl and the larger processing bowl each comes with a four-blade set, while the pitcher comes with a six-blade set. You push down on the top-mounted motor to operate the chopper. Made from BPA-free materials, the removable parts are dishwasher-safe. Included are two different-sized lids for the 2-cup and 5-cup bowls so you can store processed food in the chopper bowls themselves.

The Best Manual Food Chopper

Brieftons Express Manual Handheld Food Chopper

$20.99 at Amazon

This manual food chopper is affordable and extremely easy to use, thanks to its simple design. It offers a 6.8-cup capacity and uses a pump handle mechanism to rotate its stainless steel blades in order to chop and mince ingredients like fruits and vegetables. In addition to its removable chopping blades, it comes with a mixer attachment for whisking and mixing ingredients like raw eggs. The lid has a locking feature so you can store food inside the container. It's made from 100% BPA-free plastic and stainless steel and is dishwasher-safe. The bundle includes a printed manual and five Brieftons e-books with recipes for making delicious salsa, salad, and other vegetarian and vegan recipes.

How to Cook Asian Pears

Veggie Faves

S.B. Plunkett

-

September 11, 2019

0

Things You\’ll Need

Asian pears
Cutting board
Knife
Baby greens or romaine lettuce
Jicama, grapefruit or celery
Goat cheese, optional
Salad dressing
Water
Sugar
Vanilla
Cinnamon stick
Star anise, optional
Cloves, optional

While traditionally shaped pears you usually see in grocery stores are European pears, Asian pears are round. These pears are ripe when they're harvested, so you eat them when they're firm instead of waiting for them to soften. Select Asian pears, also sometimes called apple pears, that are fragrant and without bruises. Asian pears keep well: You can store them for about a week at room temperature or for several months in the refrigerator. Knowing how to cook with Asian pears means understanding their texture–the fruit is juicier than an apple but crisper than traditional pears.

Showcase Your Pears in a Salad

Step 1

Serve your Asian pears as part of a salad. Many connoisseurs prefer Asian pears raw because of the crisp, juicy texture. Because Asian pears don't oxidize when you cut them, they won't turn brown as apples do when you expose them to the air. Since you don't have to coat the pears in lemon juice or another acid as soon as you cut them, you have more flexibility for using them in a salad.

Video of the Day

Step 2

Core the pear as you would an apple, cutting it open and then trimming away the center section.

Step 3

Slice your pear into thin, long strips or dice it into bite-sized pieces.

Step 4

Trim and slice jicama, grapefruit, celery or another fruit or vegetable that you enjoy in salads. Toss with the pears and either baby greens or romaine lettuce. Add crumbled goat cheese for additional texture and tangy flavor.

Step 5

Top your salad with a tart, slightly sweet dressing, such as a balsamic vinaigrette.

Poach Your Pears

Step 1

Core four Asian pears as you would an apple, cutting them open and then trimming away the center sections. Cut the pears into quarters.

Step 2

Place one-half of a cup of sugar and one cup of water in a pan and bring to a boil. Add one teaspoon of vanilla and a cinnamon stick. If you have them on hand, add two or three whole star anise and three or four whole cloves for additional depth of flavor. (If you don't have whole items, you can use one teaspoon of cinnamon and one-eighth of a teaspoon of cloves.)

Step 3

Reduce the mixture to a simmer and add the pears. Simmer until the pears are tender, about 15 minutes.

Step 4

Remove the cinnamon stick, star anise and cloves.

Step 5

Serve warm or chilled, alone or as a topping or vanilla ice cream.

Tip

Bake your pears in a tart or crisp. Slice your Asian pears into thin pieces, such as one-eighth of an inch thick, since they retain more texture than other fruits during the baking process. Use your favorite recipe and swap out half of the fruit you would normally use, such as apples or peaches, for sliced or diced Asian pears.

To microwave Asian pears, cut them into cubes and add one-fourth of a cup of water and two tablespoons of sugar. Add small amounts (one-eighth of a teaspoon or less) of cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg for additional flavor. Combine the ingredients and microwave for six to eight minutes. Stir and microwave again for five minutes, repeating the process until the pears are tender. Puree the pears into a sauce or serve in small pieces.

To saute pears, cut the fruit into eight pieces. Heat one tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pears and cook them for one minute on each side. Sprinkle them with sugar and continue to turn until the pear is tender, approximately five minutes.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Main Dishes

-

September 9, 2019

0

There is something about mashed potatoes that is so comforting and just feels like a hug in a bowl. My grandmother used to make mashed potatoes every Thanksgiving and she would put somewhere along the lines of five sticks of butter in them (!), which explains why they were so decadent and delicious. My method for making mashed potatoes is simple and uses quite a bit less butter than my grandmother's recipe, but I can promise that you'll have creamy and perfect mashed potatoes time and time again. Whether you are whipping up mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving this year or just want a fabulous side dish on your dinner table this week, these mashed potatoes will come out just the way Grandma used to make them!

Video of the Day

Things You\’ll Need

6 large Russet potatoes
1/2 to 3/4 cup of heavy cream or whole milk
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Green onions for topping

Step 1: Peel and Dice Potatoes

Peel your potatoes and rinse thoroughly. Dice the potatoes in 1-inch pieces and place in a large pot and cover with cold water.

Step 2: Bring Potatoes to a Boil

Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat and let cook for about 15 to 18 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.

Step 3: Strain the Potatoes

Once the potatoes are tender, strain the potatoes in a colander and immediately place back into the hot pot to rid of excess liquid.

Step 4: Mash Potatoes

Place potatoes in a stand mixer's bowl or leave in the hot pot if using a hand mixer.

Step 5: Add Ingredients and Mix Well

Add the heavy cream or milk, butter, salt, pepper, and garlic salt to the potatoes and mash the potatoes on a medium speed, gradually getting higher until potatoes are smooth.

Tip

Start with 1/2 cup of cream or milk, and then add more if needed for consistency.

Step 6: Adjust Seasonings and Serve

Taste test the mashed potatoes and add more salt and pepper if desired. Spoon the potatoes into a serving dish and top with green onions and more butter if desired. Serve immediately.

Tip

If not serving potatoes right away, place the mashed potatoes in a glass bowl over a smaller pot, creating a double boiler, that has an inch of warm water in it. Cover the potatoes and let sit to keep them from getting dry.

This dish is creamy, rich, and oh-so-satisfying! You are going to love making mashed potatoes that taste this amazing!