Hook It Up: An Easy How to Cook for Beginners - Softcover

Johnson, Sonja

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1490736565 ISBN 13: 9781490736563

Publisher: Trafford Publishing, 2014

Synopsis

This is an easy guide cook book for women and men that just don't know were to begin in the kitchen. Very easy recipe instructions that will surely love your family and friends

About this title

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Hook it up

An Easy How to Cook for Beginners

By Sonja Johnson

Trafford Publishing

Copyright © 2014 Sonja Johnson
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4907-3656-3

Contents

Things you should always have in your kitchen, 1, 
Cooking Secrets, 3, 
Knife & Utensils, 5, 
Cuts, 6, 
Pots, 6, 
Cooking Temps, 7, 
Clarified butters & Compound butters, 8, 
Roux, Stocks and Sauces, 10, 
Mother Sauces, 17, 
Soups and Salads, 25, 
Breakfast, 32, 
Children's meals, 42, 
Side Dishes, 49, 
Pasta, 64, 
Entree's, 73, 
Appetizers, 90, 
Pictures, 98, 

CHAPTER 1

Cooking Secrets

When cooking it is always good to Mise en place first. Mise en place means to get all your ingredients together and weight out and ready to use.

When making an omelet the secret to the egg not sticking if you're not using a nonstick pan. You should salt the pan by putting salt in the omelet pan first let it cook for about 1 minutes. Take a napkin rub it out then cook omelet using clarified butter. Guaranteed it will not stick.

When cooking vegetable such as broccoli or string bean or carrots if you blanch and shock them first it gives good color to the vegetables making it look fresher and more presentable for serving. This method is done by using boil water and then an ice bath. Just place vegetable in boil water for 2-3 minutes then take them out putting them in ice water (ice bath) this is good for when you're making a party tray. This method is called blanching and shocking.

When making house gravy it's best to skim the gravy as it cooks to get out the impurities (the stuff floating on top) it makes the gravy taste and look better. Also when simmering, the pot should be a little off the burner to make all the impurities build to one side which makes it easier to get using a ladle. You should have a big cup of water on the side for dipping the ladle. Like using ice cream scooper and water to dip ice cream.

(This method is call skimming).

When using potatoes meaty potatoes (starchy potatoes) are best use when baking or deep frying. Russets potatoes are a meaty potato.

Waxy potatoes (low starch) are best for boiling, for potato salad. A meaty potato will fall apart.

For fluffy eggs add a little water.

When cooking rice the ratio is 2 to 1. Meaning one cup of rice two cups of water. When cooking rice the best rice to use is parboil rice, best non stick rice.

It's important to have a sharp knife. Easier to cut. A dull knife will make a worsier cut, if you get a cut yourself.

When frying make sure grease is hot before added meat to insure a crispy taste.

When using oven pre heat oven first. (Get oven cooking temp)

When making noodles make sure the water is boiling before the adding noodles to insure best taste in doness of noodles.

A sachet is three parsley stem, three pepper corns, 2 garlic gloves cut in half and 2 bays leafs in a cheesecloth tied closed.

When cutting peppers cut in half and cut out the seeds. When slice or dice cut from the meaty side not the skin.

Knife & Utensils

Paring
Chef
Boning
Ladle
Spatula
Tongs
Measuring utensil for dry and liquids
Whisk
Peeler
Portion scoop
Strainer
Skimmer
China
Chinos
Cheesecloth

Cuts

Small dice
Julienne
Large dice
Circle
Minced

Pots

Small sauce pot
Big sauce pot
Medium sauce pot
Frying pan
Sauté pan
Non stick omelet pan
Wok
Baking pan

Cooking Temps

Food is warmed to 165f and kept at 145f for serving.

Serve hot food hot and cold food cold.

Thaw food in refrigerator or under cold water to keep from being contaminated.

When using cutting board always wash board after cutting each item to avoid contamination.

Use a cooking thermostat

chicken cooking temp 165f
fish 145f
ground meat 155f
roast 145f well done 135f medium well
(medium well recommended).

Clarified butters & Compound butters

Clarified butter is when you take butter, using a saucepan and cook butter on low medium heat with pan a little off the fire, skimming the stuff that float on top using a ladle then dipping the ladle in a large cup of water, dip ladle in water like you would when dipping ice cream. Repeat process every 2-3 minutes till there is no more floaty stuff. It's called clarified because you skim out the impurities.

Clarified butter is usually used to cook pancakes, omelets and roux. There are many other things it's used for also.

Compound butter is good for steaks or baked fish it can also be used for bake potato. Just add on top of cooked food and it will melt in.

Compound butter

2 recipes below


Ingredients

1 sticks of butter (soften)
1/2 tbsp of minced garlic
1 tsp of small diced red onions
1 tsp of fresh chopped parsley


Ingredients

1 sticks of butter (soften)
1/2 tsp of fresh chopped parsley
1/2 tsp of fresh chopped thyme
1 tsp of hot pepper seeds

Directions

Mix all ingredients together then tightly roll in plastic wrap making sure no air can get in and but in freezer. Keep in freezer till ready to use.

Roux, Stocks and Sauces

Roux

White- is usually good for cream sauce, such as a béchamel
Blond- is usually good for chicken
Brown- is usually good for beef


Ingredients

1/2 cup clarified butter
1/2 cup flour

Directions

In a sauce pan add ingredients together and cook. white roux just cook 1 minute blond cook till light brown 2 minutes. brown cook till brown 3 minutes not burned.

Stocks

Stocks are important to the meals it adds flavor, especially well for use of soups and sauces. Stocks can be refrigerated for longer life and also frozen for even more life. It's very important to skim stocks to get the impurities out and it's important to strain when complete. When you're done it should look like broth.

Short cut to making stock is a gallon of water and some chicken, beef or seafood base and cook off a 1/3 by bringing to a boil then bring to a simmer.

Chicken stock yield half gallon

Ingredients

8lbs chicken bones
mire pox - carrot, celery and onions
(1/2lb onion, (1/2 lb carrots and celery)
sachet case- 3 stems, 2 gloves, 3peppercorn and 2 thymes
leafs but in a cheesecloth and tide
1 1/2 gallons of cold water

Directions

Put chicken in large pot add cold water cover chicken add mire pox and sachet cook to it boils then turn down to middle heat. Put pot a little off the fire and frequently skim till stock is done. 3-4 hours. Strain when done.

Beef stock yields half gallon

Ingredients

5lb beef bone
1lb of mire pox (carrot, celery and onions)
1/2 onion, (1/2 half carrots and celery)
1/2tbsp tomato paste
sachet case- 3 stems, 2 gloves, 3peppercorn and 2 thymes
leafs but in a cheesecloth and tide
1 gallons of cold water

Directions

Brown bones in the over 375F put bones in stockpot reserving the grease. Use grease to caramelize mirepox, brown don't burn, add tomato paste. Cover bones with cold water then add mirepox and sachet. Cook for 4 hours skim when needed. Cook off fire a little. Strain when done

Fish/Shrimp stock yields 1 quart

Ingredients

(Fish stock) 3lb of fish bones or (seafood stock) 4 cups of
shrimp shells
1/2 gallon of water
1/4 lb mire pox (1/2 onions (1/2 carrot, celery and
mushrooms)
sachet- 3 stems, 2 gloves, 3peppercorn and 2 thymes leafs
but in a cheesecloth and tide

Directions

Add ingredients in a large pot; cook for about an hour (skimming) strain when done. Cook pot off fire a little.

Vegetable stock yields half gallon

Ingredients

1 lb of mire pox (1/3 cup onion, 1/3cup mushroom)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/3 cup leeks chopped
1/3 cup garlic chopped
1 tbsp turnip small diced
1 cup white wine
1 1/2 gallon water
Sachet- 3 stems, 2 gloves, 3peppercorn and 2 thymes leafs
but in a cheesecloth and tide

Directions

In a stockpot sweat the vegetables included mire pox, add the wine then water and sachet.

Cook pot a little of the fire and make sure to skim. Cook for 45 minutes. Then strain.

Mother Sauces

Veloute / Chicken Gravy

yield 1 quart

Ingredients

1 cup blond roux (see page 5)
32 oz cups chicken stock (see page 7) or chicken broth
3 0z onions
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp 0nion powder
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp hot pepper seed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon pepper

Directions:

Make roux when adding stock make sure your on high heat. Stir stock in slowly to avoid lumps, and then turn down low heat. Make sure to skim. Add all ingredients. Simmer 2-3 minutes

Hollandaise sauce yields 16oz

Ingredients

5 eggs
1 1/2oz of warm water
1/2oz lemon juice
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of chili pepper
12 oz of butter whole

Directions:

In a blender add all ingredients except butter, blend on high speed for 5 minutes. Heat butter to 175f. Slowly add butter while blending slowly, adjust taste with a little salt and white pepper and cayenne pepper.

Béchamel yields 40 0z

Ingredients

40 oz milk
2 cups chicken broth (stock)
1 onion piquet (half onion)
1 sachet (3pepper seed, 1 garlic glove, 3 bay leafs)
5 oz whole piece celery
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp hot pepper seeds
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup roux

Directions

Make roax in a large sauce pan. Meanwhile in a sauce pot add all ingredients. Simmer for 5 -7 minutes then strain. Add sauce slowly constantly stirring and bring to a simmer. Simmer about 3 minutes. Strain.

Tomato sauce

Espanage / Beef gravy yield 1 quart

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown roux (see page)
32 oz cups beef stock (see page) or beef broth
3 oz onions
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp tomato paste
2 bay leaf
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Make roux when adding stock make sure your on high heat. Stir stock in slowly to avoid lumps, and then turn down low heat. Make sure to skim. Add all ingredients. Simmer 2-3 minutes

The following sauces is not a mother sauces

Thyme white wine sauce

Ingredients

1tbsp garlic (minced
1tbsp red onions small diced
1 tbsp clarified butter
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp thyme chopped
14 oz lamb stock or vegetable
salt n pepper

Directions

In a sauce pan cook the garlic and shallot using the clarified butter till translucent then add wine, thyme and bay leaf then reduce by half then add the stock and reduce by half. Strain.

salt and pepper to taste

BBQ sauce yields 15 0z

With this recipe you will never have to buy sauce again.

Ingredients

10 oz ketchup
2 tbsp dry mustard
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp hot sauce
1/4 cup beef broth
1 tsp garlic minced
1 tsp onions minced
1 tsp hot peppers seeds
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
if u want spicy
1/4 tsp jalepeno peppers

Directions

In a sauce pan using olive oil sauté garlic, onions translucent (just a little) then add all other ingredients stir and simmer for 5 minutes on middle low.

Soups and Salads

Garden grilled chicken salad

Serves 6

Ingredients

11 oz bag of salad mix
1 1/2 tomato large diced
1 cucumber
2 eggs slice in half
half of red onion sliced thin
or
1 head of lettuce
1 1/2 tomato (sliced large
dice)
1 cucumber (round cut)
1/2 carrot (julienne cut)
half of red onions (sliced
thin)
2 eggs slice in half
5 chicken tenders or 3 piece
of chicken breast (cut in
long strips)
shredded cheese/ to ur
liking/ depending on
how much u like cheese/
recommend 1 cup

Directions

Bake chicken in oven 375 for 15-20 minutes then set to side. Add all ingredients lettuce first, cucumber and carrots then tomato and red onions in that order. Then add chicken to top of salad with eggs on the side of the bowl. Sprinkle cheese

Spinach salad serves 5-6

Ingredients

11 oz of spinach
1 1/2 round tomatoes
1 yellow pepper roasted then large diced/cut open, cut out
middle, large dice. Toss in a little olive oil, garlic powder,
salt and oregano. Stick n oven 10m on 375f
3 oz mushrooms sliced middle thin
3 0z mozzarella cheese slice in thin circles
1/2 cup honey
1/2 dried cranberries
1/2 cup pecans

Directions

Spay flat pan with pan spray, spread nuts cover with honey bake in oven for 15 minutes 375f. Then set aside. Add all ingredients as listed above together in that order then add cranberries and pecans last.

Manhattan clam chowder serves 6

Ingredients

2 cans of tomato sauce
1 can of dice tomatoes
2 cup of seafood stock(
recipe page 13 or you can
buy broth
3 bay leaves
1 can of dice clams
1/2 can of corn or one ear
corn (strap corn off cobb)
1 tbsp garlic minced
2 oz onion small diced
2 oz celery small diced
1 tbsp salt and pepper
3 middle potatoes, middle
diced
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions

In a big sauce pot add all tomatoes ingredients and seafood stock and clam juice with bay leaf simmer for 20 minutes. Using 2 tbsp olive oil in a sauté pan add clams, celery, garlic and onion along with salt and pepper and sauté 2 minutes then add to tomatoes sauce. Simmer for 30 minutes. In a separate pot boil potatoes till tender (taste potato) shouldn't be more than 5 minute. Then add remaining ingredients to sauce and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Chicken noodle soup serves 6

Ingredients

1 chicken breast big diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon pepper
12 oz bag of egg noodles or
10 oz rice
6 oz of carrots small slice in
circles
3 oz cup of celery
1/2 cup of blond roux (page
10)
70 oz chicken stock (recipe
on page or chicken broth)
or
70 oz of water and 5 tbsp of
chicken base bring to a boil
then turn to middle heat
1/4 tsp hot pepper seeds
1 tbsp minced garlic

Directions

Follow egg noodle recipe on bag of egg noodles package. Once done mix in a little olive oil to prevent from sticking. set to the side.

Bake chicken in oven at 375f for 20 minutes. Take out and cut large dice. Set aside. Sauté carrots, celery and garlic, salt, pepper using olive oil for 2 minute.

In a large pot bring stock to boil, Whisk roux in slowly to avoid lumps, Cook 1 minute high then turn to middle heat. Skim if necessary then add all ingredients. Cook for about 15 minutes.

Spring salad serves 5-6

Ingredients

1 12 to 15 oz bag spring salad
5 oz small round tomatoes
3 oz sliced onions
3 oz mandarin's oranges
2 oz small diced black olive
2 boiled eggs (medium chopped)

If you love one or more of the ingredients it is okay to add more of that ingredient.

Directions

Add spring salad then tomatoes, onions, olives and oranges. Mix. Then eggs on top. Try to add ingredient evenly so you will get every ingredient in every bite.

Rice Seafood Soup Serve 7-10

try at home

Ingredients

1 lb shrimps peeled
2 oz clarified butter (see
page 7)
1 oz chopped fresh garlic
1/2 tsp of chopped basil
(fresh if you have)
1 tsp seafood season
2 oz medium dice onions
2 oz medium dice celery
4 oz of canned dice tomato
1 cup parboil rice (recipe
on page
64 oz seafood stock (recipe
on page)
1-2 cup blonde roux (recipe
on page)

Directions

In a sauté pan using clarified butter sauté shrimps adding garlic, basil, onions, celery and seafood season. set to the side. Cook rice set to the side. In a large pot bring seafood stock to a boil and add roux little at a time constantly stirring, simmer to see the thickness if more needed add more roux. (You don't want it thick just thickened). Add all other ingredients. Simmer for about 15 minutes then it's ready for serving.

This ingredient can be substituted with chicken, scallops or little meatballs

Breakfast

Bacon, chicken and eggs burrito

serves 5

Ingredients

8 oz of chicken large diced
10 slices of bacon
5 inch burritos
10 eggs
10 slice of your choice of cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp clarified butter (see page butter)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Fry your bacon and set to the side.

Season chicken with garlic, salt and pepper.

Sauté using olive oil. Add clarified butter then eggs and cook till done. Lay burrito flat. Chicken, eggs on burrito placing to the left so you have room to roll , put bacon on top then your cheese. Cheese can also go on first instead of last. It should be place in a line from top to bottom again making room for rolling. Flip bottom up first then start rolling from right to left. Use Ge0rge Forman to complete or stick in oven for a couple minutes.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Hook it up by Sonja Johnson. Copyright © 2014 Sonja Johnson. Excerpted by permission of Trafford Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Edition details

• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1490736565
• ISBN 13: 9781490736563
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 122