COOKING CORNER
COOKING CORNER
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Food for Thought
Does Eating Turkey Make You Tired?
By Teja Wolfe
We have all heard the old wives' tale that the tryptophan in Turkey makes you tired, but does it? Well, the science behind tryptophan says otherwise.
Tryptophan is an amino acid, like many other amino acids in Turkey. It is trying to get to the brain's chemical serotonin, which is connected to healthy sleep (New et al.).
However, if we say that tryptophan makes you tired, why do other meats with the same amount of tryptophan not do it? Meats like chicken and beef have the same amount of tryptophan as turkey. Cheese and nuts have more tryptophan, but they do not tire us. Of course, pure tryptophan would make anyone sleepy, but because of turkey's other amino acids, tryptophan does not have a significant effect. All the amino acids are trying to get into the brain at once, so the tryptophan has a more challenging time getting into the brain (CNN).
So then, why do we get tired at Thanksgiving? One theory is that we overeat more than our body can take on Thanksgiving. When people overeat, they tend to get tired and fall asleep. On Thanksgiving, the average American eats 3000 to 4500 calories, exceeding the number of calories you should eat daily. That, coupled with the classic Thanksgiving celebration of a family getting together, can tire almost anyone.
Best Snack Choices
By Eli Yaghoubi
We all get hungry in between meals. Sometimes, we want a small snack after school or play sports. Here are some snack ideas: Some are healthy, and some are unhealthy.
Apples are a crunchy and healthy snack that is delicious and healthy. It provides fiber and vitamin C and is an excellent choice for a snack.
Ice cream is one of my favorite snacks. McDonald's has delicious Mcflurries and soft serve ice cream, but you can always go get some fresh frozen yogurt that is healthier and still just as good!
Chocolate is another favorite. There are so many types of chocolate to choose from. I love all types of chocolate, but my favorite is white chocolate.
Walnuts are a healthy and crunchy snack. Sometimes, I like to soak them in water before eating, but they are also good.
Chips have endless options, such as Doritos, Cheetos, and Lays. This is one of the most delicious snacks but also the most unhealthy.
All in all, snacks are a great way to keep you from getting hungry and to energize your day. Some snacks are healthy, and some are not. Some help energize you more than others. Eat wise, but enjoying junk food is sometimes okay.
Mains & Sides
Air-fried Turkey Legs
This recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving
Ingredients
2 Tbls. of olive oil
2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. of dried parsley flakes
½ tsp. of salt
½ tsp. of paprika
⅛ tsp. of freshly cut black peppers
1 ½ lbs. of turkey legs
Directions
After getting your ingredients, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Then, stir your olive oil and ingredients and put them in a small bowl until they are evenly coated.
Brush ½ of the oil on every side of the turkey legs and place them into the air fryer basket.
Cook it for around 25 minutes, flip the turkey legs over, and brush it with the remaining oil and mixture.
Cook the turkey until it is pink at the bone and the juices are clear.
Source: allrecipes.com
Pesto Pizza
Ingredients
2 cups (50g) picked basil, tightly packed
1 cup (40g) grated Parmigiano Reggiano
½ cup (120ml) extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup (45g) pine nuts
5 cloves garlic
Salt to your taste
Splash of filtered water
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes for topping
Buffalo mozzarella for topping
Burrata for topping after baking
Sliced Prosciutto for topping
Directions
Preheat the pizza oven to 700°F (370°C).
In a blender, combine basil, parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, and black pepper and pulse 4-6 times to break up all dry ingredients. Add a splash of water to help the mixture puree without making it runny. Once the ingredients are beginning to puree, turn the blender on and slowly stream in olive oil. Blend until smooth
Transfer to a bowl and season with salt.
Place a dough round onto a generously floured pizza peel. Flour the top of the round and gently stretch the dough at opposing corners using a fist, punch down, leaving a thin border, and leave the dough on the counter.
Quarter-turn the dough after each stretch until you get roughly a 10-inch circle.
Top with a few tablespoons of pesto, then evenly spread, followed by torn mozzarella, prosciutto, and sliced sundried tomato.
Place pizza in the oven using a flour-dusted pizza peel or any flat surface on which the pizza will fit, such as a cutting board or plate. Cook for twenty seconds until one side begins to char. Quickly turn it 180 degrees and cook for another 20 seconds. Do a quarter turn on the pizza and cook for 15 more seconds.
If using a home oven, place the pizza into a preheated oven onto the baking stone using a pizza peel and bake for 5-8 minutes.
Remove from the oven and garnish with torn burrata, a drizzle of olive oil, and a few cracks of black pepper.
Source:
Classic Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
⅓ cup of butter (alternative: margarine)
⅓ cup chopped onion
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 ¾ cups from 1 cartoon 32-ounce Progresso Classic Chicken Broth
½ cup of milk
2 ½ cups shredded cooked chicken (alternative: turkey)
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (recommended)
Directions
Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. While heating, prepare the pie crust as it says in the box, using a 9-inch glass pie pan.
In a 2-quart saucepan, you want to melt the butter over medium heat, add onions, and then cook for 2 minutes while stirring it occasionally till it is tender.
Stir in some flour, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Stir in some broth and milk while cooking it until thickened.
Stir in some chicken and the mixed vegetables you have.
The next step is to remove it from the heat and put your chicken mixture into a crust-lined pan.
Then, top it with the second crust while making the edges tight.
Bake for thirty to forty minutes or until golden brown.
After fifteen to twenty minutes of baking it, cover the edge of the crust with some aluminum foil so it doesn’t get too brown.
Mashed Potato au Gratin Recipe
Somewhere, sometimes, someone preparing a special occasion meal was frozen with indecision regarding whether to serve mashed potatoes or potatoes au gratin. Both classic sides pair perfectly with any fancy holiday main courses, so how do you choose? I mean, you can’t make both. Or can you?
Okay, I’ll admit to being someone struggling with the decision. So I stacked them up and had my mashed potatoes and au gratin.
Besides its spectacular appearance and being reasonably simple to make, the texture of the final dish was quite impressive. The mashed potatoes felt and tasted like mashed potatoes, and while the sliced layer of potatoes on top wasn’t as creamy as the classic version, it was everything you want in a potatoes au gratin recipe and more.
So, I hope you try this soon, whether it’s for a holiday dinner or just some random weeknight. Enjoy!
More recipes: Try the latest and most extraordinary recipes from Chef John!
Ingredients
Ingredients
Mashed Potato Base:
6 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut in pieces
salt to taste
1 pinch cayenne
3/4 cup milk
4 ounces Comte, Gruyere, or Cheddar cheese, shredded
Au Gratin Potato Topping
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and halved
2 teaspoons kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 ounces Comte cheese, Gruyere cheese, or Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Directions
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Butter a 13x9-inch baking dish.
For the mashed potato, add quartered russet potatoes to a pot with 3 tablespoons salt and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium and simmer until tender when pierced with a sharp knife but not falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain very well.
Return potatoes to the pot and mash until almost smooth. Add butter, salt, and cayenne. Mash until smooth.
Add milk and the 4-ounce shredded cheese, mash, and mix until evenly combined. Spread evenly into the prepared baking dish, and smooth the top. Season the top with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
For the au gratin potato layer, slice each half potato into 1/8-inch slices.
Fan the potato slightly at an angle and place it on the mashed potatoes. Repeat with remaining potato halves to cover the surface, creating 4 rows across by 2 potato halves long, using 8 halves total. Depending on the size of the potato and dish, you may have to adjust the layout to cover.
Generously salt sliced potatoes, and brush generously with melted butter. Scatter the 2-ounce shredded cheese on top, and finish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Bake in the preheated oven until sliced potatoes on top are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour.
This will only take 40 minutes to prep and one hour and 15 minutes to cook. This makes it a total of almost 2 hours. This is delicious and fun to make. It is excellent to make with chicken and meat; I 100 percent recommend this for most of your dishes.
The Perfect Cornbread
Ingredients
1 c. yellow cornmeal
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 c. plus 2 tablespoons butter or shortening, divided (Ree uses butter)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450°F. In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir together.
Measure the buttermilk and milk in a measuring cup and add the egg. Stir together with a fork. Add the baking soda and stir. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork until combined.
In a small bowl, melt 1/4 butter or shortening. Slowly add to the batter, stirring until just combined. In an iron skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter or shortening over medium heat. Pour the batter into the hot skillet. Spread to even out the surface. (The batter should sizzle.)
Cook on stovetop for 1 minute, then bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Edges should be crispy!
Mexican Polenta Pizza
Mexican Polenta Pizza
Ingredients
1 cup cornmeal
3 cups skim milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 ounces lean ground beef
1 1/2 cup red chile sauce (such as Herdez® Red Guajillo Chile Mexican Cooking Sauce)
1 cup Mexican shredded cheese blend, plus more for sprinkling on top
1 cup shredded lettuce, or to taste
1 tomato, diced, or to taste
2 tablespoons sliced pitted black olives, or to taste
2 tablespoons sour cream, or to taste
Directions
Stir cornmeal, milk, and salt together in a medium saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens enough to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the olive oil. Spread on a greased cookie sheet. Cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Bake polenta crust in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in red chile sauce, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Top polenta crust with meat sauce and cheese. Return to the oven; bake until cheese is melted, 10 to 12 minutes more.
Top with lettuce, tomato, black olives, and sour cream. Sprinkle with additional shredded cheese, if desired.
Sweets & Treats
Elephant Ear Recipe
Elephant ears are fried dough or bread coated with cinnamon and sugar. They are sold at fairs, carnivals, food trucks, theme parks, and other venues in America. Their name refers to the dough's uneven, wrinkled, and somewhat round shape, which resembles an elephant’s ear.
I love getting these mouthwatering treats at fairs or similar events because they are always so yummy. Recently, I have used this recipe to make the same delight at home.
Ingredients
2 cups self-rising flour
2/3 cup warm milk
2 Tbls. butter melted
1 Tbls. granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar
Vegetable oil for frying
Directions
Mix the self-rising flour, warm milk, melted butter, and granulated sugar until a ball forms. If the dough is too dry, add a tiny bit of additional milk at a time. If it is too wet, add a tiny bit of self-rising flour at a time. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 15 minutes.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead several times. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and flatten each piece into a thin circle.
Heat about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet or heavy pot to 365˚F (use a thermometer and maintain an even temperature).
Use tongs to carefully add dough rounds (1 or 2, depending on the size of your pan) to the hot oil. Fry for about 1 minute on each side until golden brown.
Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar while warm.
Source: thegunnysack.com
The Iced Cherry Biscuit Recipe
These buttery biscuits, flavored with dried cherries and drizzled with icing, are flaky and simply delicious. Resist peeking into the oven while the biscuits are baking – biscuits need consistent heat to rise and brown, and any temperature fluctuation risks flat biscuits.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups flour, plus more for rolling
3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried cherries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
3/4 cup full-fat Greek-style yogurt
1/2 cup very cold orange juice, or more as needed
Icing:
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
5 teaspoons whole milk
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together flour, dried cherries, sugar, baking powder, orange zest, baking soda, and fine sea salt in a large bowl.
Coat a whole stick of butter in the flour mixture. Grate butter in the large holes of a box grater into a bowl. If the butter starts to melt, coat the butter in the flour mixture again and continue grating. Use your fingers to toss the butter in the flour mixture until all butter pieces are separated and coated in flour. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs.
Add yogurt and orange juice in a small bowl; add to the flour mixture. Gently fold to bring the dough together. The dough should be moistened but still crumbly. If the dough is too dry, add more cold orange juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until thoroughly combined.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Lightly knead three or four times until the dough comes together. Sprinkle with flour; pat to 3/4 inch thickness. Cut dough into four equal portions. Stack portions, press down, and pat again to form a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle. Repeat the process three times, adding flour as needed.
Press a 2 1/2- to 3-inch biscuit cutter straight into dough to cut out biscuits. Gently knead scraps together, pat to 3/4-inch thickness, and repeat cutting. Arrange on a prepared baking sheet (biscuits should be barely touching).
Bake until the tops are crisp and golden brown, 15 to 16 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
Mix powdered sugar, milk, and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt until well combined. Drizzle biscuits with icing and garnish with more orange zest.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days; chill for up to 1 week. To reheat, bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Dutch Apple Pie Recipe
Ingredients
4 granny smith apples
Marie Callander pie shell
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. flour
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tsp. butter
Directions
Slice apples into the pie shell. Sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar, and flour.
Mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Spread it over the top of the apples.
Bake in a 375-degree oven. (bake the pie on a cookie sheet for easier handling.)
Place strips of aluminum foil around the crust and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove foil and bake another 25-30 minutes.
Hot Chocolate Recipe
By Teja Wolfe
Hot chocolate is enjoyed by people all over the world. Many people buy hot chocolate mixes and add hot water or milk when they could be making them in less than 10 minutes.
Ingredients
2 cups of confectioner's sugar
1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups of powdered milk
Directions
Sift the confectioners' sugar, followed by unsweetened cocoa, in a large bowl to eliminate lumps.
Stir in the powdered milk and whisk well until everything is combined.
Add mini marshmallows to the container if desired. This can be kept in the pantry for six months.
Source
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
8 tablespoons of salted butter
1/2 cup white sugar (I like to use raw cane sugar with a coarser texture)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (6.75 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (but I always add a little extra)
3/4 cup chocolate chips (I use a combination of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks.)
Directions
Melt Your Butter: There's no guessing the right consistency of butter (room temperature, cold, chilled, etc.) – you’re just going to melt it all the way through in the microwave and let it cool for just a few minutes.
Beat Butter and Sugar until fluffy and creamy.
Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix it barely in (seriously, don’t beat that egg too hard!).
Mix In Dry Ingredients: Flour, baking soda, salt, the usual suspects.
Add Chocolate Chips: Duh!
Bake Cookies: Roll ’em up into balls and bake – but please, please, do not overbake. We want them to be just barely done for that soft, melty deliciousness.
Source: pinchofyum.com
Gingerbread Christmas Cookie Recipe
Gingerbread cookies were always a delight and fun to make and eat when I was little. I used to sing the songs when making them. They have always been something I liked.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
2 teaspoons Ginger, Ground
1 teaspoon Cinnamon, Ground
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon Nutmeg, Ground
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup butter softened
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup molasses
1 egg
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Directions
Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.
Beat butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add molasses, egg, and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed.
Make the dough and refrigerate for at least four hours.
Roll out the chilled cookie dough on a floured surface.
Use a cookie cutter to cut into gingerbread shapes.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the edges are set.
Let it cool, then decorate however you like.
Let your imagination run wild when decorating these gingerbread men's cookies. You can use a simple sugar cookie or royal icing to add gingerbread men features. Then top them with candies, nuts, sprinkles, or anything else you like to give these cookies some character. I always loved to make some of them funny-looking; looking always puts a smile on my face.
Crispy and Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
2 and 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, melted & cooled for 5 minutes*
3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 and 1/4 cups (225g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
Directions
Mix all the dry and wet ingredients in two different mixing bowls.
Mix them until smooth, and then combine both by adding the dry to the wet.
Add the chocolate chips to the large bowl and mix lightly.
Put the bowl in the fridge to make them chewy
Bake at 350 degrees for 13 minutes
Get a Glass of milk and enjoy
Wreath Cookie Recipe
These festive cookies are delicious. They are shaped into wreaths and have cinnamon-red hot candies on them. They would be perfect for a snack or a holiday party.
Ingredients
½ cup of butter
4 cups of miniature marshmallows
Green food coloring
½ teaspoon of almond extract
½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
4 cups of cornflake cereal
Cinnamon-red hot candies
Directions
Line a baking tray with wax paper.
Place the marshmallows and butter in a bowl in the microwave for 2 minutes or more. Then, stir the mixture.
Mix in the vanilla and almond extract. Then, add green food coloring until the desired color is reached. Then, stir in the cornflakes.
Place one tablespoon of cornflakes on the baking sheet. Make sure they are spread out.
Then, with greasy hands, shape the balls of cornflakes into a wreath shape.
Then, add three red hot candies to each wreath.
Source: Allrecipes.com
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