Tomato Techniques
Tomato Equivalents
Culinary Quiz
Quote
UPCOMING FOOD HOLIDAYS
Cracker Barrel Chicken Casserole
Culinary Quiz Answer
=========================================
Tomato Techniques:
To peel: Fill a saucepan with enough water to cover tomatoes; bring
to a boil. Immerse tomatoes about 30 seconds; drain and
cool. Remove stem ends and slip off skins.
To seed: Cut tomatoes in half crosswise. Gently squeeze each half,
using your fingers to remove seeds. To reserve the juice for
use in dressings, sauces or soups, seed the tomato into a
strainer held over a bowl.
Tomato Shells: Cut a 1/2 inch slice off the stem end of each tomato.
Using a spoon, scoop out the pulp.
Roast: Preheat oven to 450° F. Halve tomatoes crosswise. Place
halves, cut side down, on a shallow baking pan; brush with
oil. Roast until lightly browned, about 20 minutes; cool.
Remove skins and stem ends.
Slow-Cook: Preheat oven to 300° F. Remove stem ends; slice tomatoes.
Place slices on a shallow baking pan; brush with oil.
Cook until tomatoes soften and shrink, about 45 minutes.
Tomato Equivalents:
1 small tomato = 3 to 4 ounces
1 medium tomato = 5 to 6 ounces
1 large tomato = 7 or more ounces
1 pound of tomatoes = 2 1/2 cups chopped or 1 1/2 cups pulp
=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-=
Culinary Quiz
(Answer at the bottom of page)
Tofu is an important part of traditional Japanese cuisine, but the earliest known reference to it existing in Japan is in an eleventh century document. From where did the Japanese learn the technique for producing tofu from soy beans?
=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-=
Quote
"Honest bread is very well - it's the butter that makes the temptation."
- Douglas Jerrold (1803-1857)
=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-=
UPCOMING FOOD HOLIDAYS:
November 29 - National Chocolates Day
November 30 - National Mousse Day
December 1 - National Pie Day
December 2 - National Fritters Day
December 3 - National Ice Cream Box Day
December 4 - National Cookie Day
December 5 - National Sacher Torte Day
December 6 - National Gazpacho Day
=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
FUNNIES: TV Spin-off Shows About Food
9. L.A. Slaw
8. Lost in Spice
7. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. B.E.N.'s
6. Everybody Loves Ramen
5. Peel or No Peel
4. The Soupranos
3. Bruschetta (starring Robert Bake)
2. The Rice Is Right
... and the #1 TV Spin-off Show About Food ...
1. Pork and Mindy
=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Cracker Barrel Chicken Casserole
1 cup yellow corn meal
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, melted
Chicken Filling:
2 1/2 cups cooked chicken breasts (cut into bite-size pieces)
1/4 cup yellow onion (chopped)
1/2 cup celery (thin chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
Mix first nine ingredients together in mixing bowl until smooth. Pour into greased 8" x 8" baking pan and bake at 375F for 20 - 25 minutes until done. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
When cool, crumble corn bread and place 3 cups of corn bread crumbs in mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup melted butter to crumbs and mix well, set aside.
In sauce pan on medium low heat place butter. Saute onions and celery until transparent, stirring occasionally. Add chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, salt, and pepper. Stir until well blended and soup is dissolved completely. Add chicken, stir and
blend until mixture reaches a low simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, remove from heat. Place chicken mixture in buttered casserole dish (2 1/2 qt.), or individual casserole dishes (about four). Spoon cornbread crumb topping on top of chicken mixture (do not
stir in chicken filling) and place baking dish in preheated oven at 350F for 35 - 40 minutes. The crumbs will turn a golden yellow.
=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Culinary Quiz Answer:
China
Almost 2,500 years ago, trade between Japan and the Asian continent began. People from both Korea and China passed on ingredients and food preparation techniques to the Japanese, and somewhere around the end of the first millennium C.E. tofu arrived in Japan. It has been one of the most important sources of protein for Japanese people, especially for those living inland and for Buddhists who adhere to a vegetarian diet. In 1782 a cookbook featuring 100 tofu recipes was released in Japan, and it was so popular that the next year a second volume containing a further 138 dishes followed.
Tomato Equivalents
Culinary Quiz
Quote
UPCOMING FOOD HOLIDAYS
Cracker Barrel Chicken CasseroleCulinary Quiz Answer
=========================================
Tomato Techniques:
To peel: Fill a saucepan with enough water to cover tomatoes; bring
to a boil. Immerse tomatoes about 30 seconds; drain and
cool. Remove stem ends and slip off skins.
To seed: Cut tomatoes in half crosswise. Gently squeeze each half,
using your fingers to remove seeds. To reserve the juice for
use in dressings, sauces or soups, seed the tomato into a
strainer held over a bowl.
Tomato Shells: Cut a 1/2 inch slice off the stem end of each tomato.
Using a spoon, scoop out the pulp.
Roast: Preheat oven to 450° F. Halve tomatoes crosswise. Place
halves, cut side down, on a shallow baking pan; brush with
oil. Roast until lightly browned, about 20 minutes; cool.
Remove skins and stem ends.
Slow-Cook: Preheat oven to 300° F. Remove stem ends; slice tomatoes.
Place slices on a shallow baking pan; brush with oil.
Cook until tomatoes soften and shrink, about 45 minutes.
Tomato Equivalents:
1 small tomato = 3 to 4 ounces
1 medium tomato = 5 to 6 ounces
1 large tomato = 7 or more ounces
1 pound of tomatoes = 2 1/2 cups chopped or 1 1/2 cups pulp
=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-=
Culinary Quiz
(Answer at the bottom of page)
Tofu is an important part of traditional Japanese cuisine, but the earliest known reference to it existing in Japan is in an eleventh century document. From where did the Japanese learn the technique for producing tofu from soy beans?
=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-=
Quote
"Honest bread is very well - it's the butter that makes the temptation."
- Douglas Jerrold (1803-1857)
=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-=
UPCOMING FOOD HOLIDAYS:
November 29 - National Chocolates Day
November 30 - National Mousse Day
December 1 - National Pie Day
December 2 - National Fritters Day
December 3 - National Ice Cream Box Day
December 4 - National Cookie Day
December 5 - National Sacher Torte Day
December 6 - National Gazpacho Day
=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
FUNNIES: TV Spin-off Shows About Food
9. L.A. Slaw
8. Lost in Spice
7. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. B.E.N.'s
6. Everybody Loves Ramen
5. Peel or No Peel
4. The Soupranos
3. Bruschetta (starring Robert Bake)
2. The Rice Is Right
... and the #1 TV Spin-off Show About Food ...
1. Pork and Mindy
=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Cracker Barrel Chicken Casserole1 cup yellow corn meal
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, melted
Chicken Filling:
2 1/2 cups cooked chicken breasts (cut into bite-size pieces)
1/4 cup yellow onion (chopped)
1/2 cup celery (thin chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
Mix first nine ingredients together in mixing bowl until smooth. Pour into greased 8" x 8" baking pan and bake at 375F for 20 - 25 minutes until done. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
When cool, crumble corn bread and place 3 cups of corn bread crumbs in mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup melted butter to crumbs and mix well, set aside.
In sauce pan on medium low heat place butter. Saute onions and celery until transparent, stirring occasionally. Add chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, salt, and pepper. Stir until well blended and soup is dissolved completely. Add chicken, stir and
blend until mixture reaches a low simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, remove from heat. Place chicken mixture in buttered casserole dish (2 1/2 qt.), or individual casserole dishes (about four). Spoon cornbread crumb topping on top of chicken mixture (do not
stir in chicken filling) and place baking dish in preheated oven at 350F for 35 - 40 minutes. The crumbs will turn a golden yellow.
=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Culinary Quiz Answer:
China
Almost 2,500 years ago, trade between Japan and the Asian continent began. People from both Korea and China passed on ingredients and food preparation techniques to the Japanese, and somewhere around the end of the first millennium C.E. tofu arrived in Japan. It has been one of the most important sources of protein for Japanese people, especially for those living inland and for Buddhists who adhere to a vegetarian diet. In 1782 a cookbook featuring 100 tofu recipes was released in Japan, and it was so popular that the next year a second volume containing a further 138 dishes followed.
