Marie Rama

Article / Updated 10-20-2023

Family hungry and nothing to cook? Make sure that never happens again. If you always keep these staples in your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer, you’ll never again be stuck with no option but takeout. You can certainly add to these lists, but these essentials can always help you make a good meal. For items you use regularly (such as bread, eggs, and milk), plan to restock about once a week. Pantry Baking powder Baking soda Bread Brown sugar Canned beans (pinto, white, or black) Cereal (hot or cold) Chicken, beef, or vegetable broth Cider or white vinegar Cocoa powder Coffee and/or tea Condiments: ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, soy sauce, pickles, and pickle relish Cornstarch Dried herbs: Basil, bay leaves, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, and parsley Flour Granulated sugar Ground spices: Black pepper, cayenne pepper (or red pepper flakes), chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, curry powder, ginger, dry mustard, nutmeg, and paprika Jam, jelly, or preserves Pancake syrup Pasta Peanut butter Powdered sugar Rice Salt Tomato sauce, paste, and canned tomatoes Vanilla extract Vegetable oil Refrigerator Butter Cheese (hard and soft) Eggs Fresh fruit Fresh vegetables, including leafy greens Meat, fish, poultry, or tofu to last three to five days Milk Yogurt and/or sour cream Freezer Frozen fruit, for smoothies and sauces Frozen vegetables you will actually eat Ice cream or frozen yogurt Meat, poultry, and/or fish to last about a week

Step by Step / Updated 09-26-2023

Most home cooks can get along with three versatile knives: a 10- to 12-inch chef’s knife, an 8- to 10-inch serrated (bread) knife, and a small paring knife.

Step by Step / Updated 09-26-2023

If you really want to go to town with this pots-and-pans thing, you could probably buy a hundred different ones, each with its own specialized function. But is your kitchen really that big? You can do just about any cooking chore with some basic pots and pans However, if you want to take it to the next level, you may consider acquiring some of these additional handy pans. They aren’t essential, but they are pretty cool — and some of them even give you the opportunity to spout French to your guests. Who’s not impressed by that?

Video / Updated 09-26-2023

Hone your knife skills and learn how to separate a whole chicken into eight pieces so you can leave the expensive, precut chicken pieces at the grocery store. Master the simple steps needed to cut a whole chicken into thighs, drumsticks, wings, and breasts. You’ll feel like a real kitchen pro!

Video / Updated 08-14-2023

Chopping food means to use your chef’s knife to cut it into pieces. Those pieces don’t have to be exactly uniform, but the recipe will often tell you whether you need to chop something finely, coarsely, or somewhere in between. Another word for chopping something very finely is mincing. You’re most often asked to chop or mince veggies or herbs. To chop or mince, hold the knife handle in a comfortable manner and cut the food into thin strips. Then cut the strips crosswise (as thickly as desired), rocking the blade with your hand and applying pressure on top. Your best bet is to grip the handle with one hand and place your other hand on top of the blade. Chopping an onion Want to practice chopping? Many recipes call for chopped onions, so they’re a good place to start. Follow these step: Chop off the stem, and then cut the onion in half lengthwise through the bulbous center and peel back the papery skin. Leave the root end intact. As you slice through the onion, the intact root end holds the onion half together while you slice and chop. Place each half cut-side down and, with your knife tip just in front of the root end, slice the onion lengthwise in parallel cuts, leaving 1⁄8to@@bf1/4 inch between the slices. Make several horizontal cuts of desired thickness, parallel to the board. Cut through the onion crosswise, making pieces as thick as desired. Finally, cut through the root end and discard. No matter how you slice it, an onion releases intense flavor and juice, which is why so many recipes call for chopped or minced onion. The fumes they emit when sliced raw, however, can be irritating to the eyes. To minimize chopped onion tears, use a sharp knife that reduces cutting time, and frequently rinse off the onion in cold water as you go. Better yet, have someone else cut it. Mincing garlic Mincing garlic simply means chopping it very finely. First, a quick explanation of terms: In your grocery store, you find garlic bulbs. (Buy garlic that feels firm and hard, not soft.) A bulb is covered by papery skin. When you peel it off, you discover that the bulb contains multiple cloves with thin skins. If you have difficulty removing individual cloves, take a butter knife and pry them out. Then, here’s what you do: Peel the cloves. To help you get the skin off easily, set the cloves on your cutting board, and lay your chef’s knife across them with the blade facing away from you. Hold the knife handle with one hand, and use your other hand to whack the side of the blade above the cloves. Doing so should break the skins and let you slip them off easily. Hold the garlic clove on the cutting board, with the knuckles of your index finger and middle finger leaning against the side of the knife blade. Keep your fingertips folded inward to prevent cutting yourself. Keeping the tip of your knife on the cutting board, pump the handle up and down while you move the clove under the blade. You’ve probably seen this technique used by the pros on cooking shows. Slowly move your knuckles toward the other end of the garlic as you mince. Using fresh garlic really is worth a couple extra minutes of prep time because the flavor is so superior to the stuff that comes pre-chopped in a jar. That ingredient works in a pinch, however, so it doesn’t hurt to keep a jar in the refrigerator.

Video / Updated 08-14-2023

A recipe that calls for you to prepare vegetables (or meat) might ask for you to julienne or cube them. Don’t let the French accent scare you: Julienned vegetables are as simple as they are attractive, and if you can julienne vegetables, cubing is a breeze. Julienning vegetables To julienne a vegetable, first trim the vegetable, like a radish or carrot, so it’s flat on all sides. Slice it lengthwise into 1⁄8-inch thick pieces. Stack the pieces, and slice them into strips of the same width. The figure shows an illustration of this technique. Cubing (or dicing) vegetables Think of a potato. Trim all the sides until it’s flat all around. Cutting lengthwise, slice off 1/2 -inch-thick pieces (or whatever thickness you desire). Stack all or some of the flat pieces and cut them vertically into even strips. Cut them crosswise into even cubes. Dicing is the same as cubing, except that your pieces are smaller: 1⁄8 to 1/4 inch, usually.

Video / Updated 08-03-2023

Before you begin grilling, here are some general tips that you should always keep in mind for the sake of safety, preparation, and getting the best results. Take time to prepare. Even the best BBQ cooks sometimes forget to prepare, and that can cause frustration once you throw the food on the fire. Do yourself a favor and make a list. Make sure you have enough fuel and the right tools, like tongs, gloves, grill brushes, basting liquid, spray bottle, and anything else you think you might need while cooking. Organize your grill space. Set up a small table next to the grill with all your ingredients, utensils, serving platters, and so on. Grilling can proceed quickly, and so you have to be ready to serve food when it's at its peak. Practice patience with your fire. Never put food on a grill that isn't ready. Be sure to take your time getting the fire going, making sure that the coals are uniformly ashy gray. And remember that not all foods take well to the same fire or the same temperatures. Check your recipe or your grill manual to find out what temperature you need for each type of food. Flavor your food. Grilling a hamburger, a steak, or some fish on the grill is simple and wonderful all on its own. But to add flavor to the food and seal that flavor in is the mark of a master griller. Marinating, which is a liquid flavor enhancer, adds moisture and is great for almost all foods. Oils are great for keeping delicate foods moist on the grill, and rubs help create a nice crispy crust. Don't skimp on fuel. Be sure to build a fire that won't lose its heat before you finish grilling. This is especially important with a charcoal grill. Even though you can always replenish your coals, it's better to use too many than not enough. Just remember to spread the coals about 2 inches beyond the edges of the food, and if you do replenish the coals, you must wait until they turn ashen gray — usually about 20 minutes — before you get back to your ideal heat. Police the fire! A fire changes constantly and demands your attention at all times. At the beginning of the heating process, coals will glow and have a flame above them. When you add food, you'll likely have a small to large flare-up, so monitor the cooking closely at that time. If you leave the grill with fire licking the sides of the food, you may come back to a charred meal. Later on, when the fire has died down, you want to maintain a consistent heat so the food cooks evenly. Replenishing the coals if they start to lose their glow and diminish in size is usually necessary at least once. You may need to replenish more times throughout a long cooking time. Check food often for doneness. Unfortunately, overcooked food doesn't have a reverse gear to take it back to rare, and an overdone piece of meat is a crying shame. So be sure to hover over your grill and check the food often. To test for doneness, make a small cut in the center of the food so you can peek inside. Test frequently for doneness a few minutes before the end of the estimated cooking time. Use an instant-read thermometer for thick chops, roasts, and whole poultry. You should also gauge the searing on the outside of the food. Some folks love a black char and others prefer a light one. However, if you let the fire flare up too much, you may just get a coal-black exterior and a blood-rare interior.

Article / Updated 05-09-2023

Vegetable purées are simply cooked vegetables (usually boiled or steamed but sometimes roasted) that are mashed, blended, or processed to a thick consistency. Starchy root vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, rutabagas, parsnips, and carrots generally make the best purées, but broccoli, cauliflower, and roasted red peppers are also wonderful, especially when mixed with a dense root vegetable. Thick purées make a great side dish. When thinned with water, broth, or sauce, they make delicious toppings for meat, potatoes, pasta, or rice. To make a purée, put any soft-cooked vegetable or combination of vegetables in a blender or food processor with a bit of water or broth, and purée it. Serve it warm (you can reheat the purée in a saucepan over low heat if it’s cooled off too much). Or use an immersion blender and purée the vegetables right in the pan where you steamed or boiled them. Season with salt and black pepper and your favorite herbs or spices, or in the case of sweet potatoes or winter squash, a bit of honey, maple syrup, or cinnamon. Mmm, comfort food!

Article / Updated 05-03-2023

Appetizers that require marinating are a good way to start a meal. Their acidic freshness primes the palate for what's to follow. This spectacular recipe, Salmon Marinated in Ginger and Cilantro, can be prepared several hours in advance and has a tangy, herbaceous flavor that teases the palate without filling the stomach. Don't substitute powdered ginger for fresh ginger root in this recipe; the same goes for the cilantro. The fresh ingredient tastes entirely different than the dried herbs do. Marinating fish can be tricky business. The acid in the marinade — which comes from the lime and vinegar — actually "cooks" the surface of the fish. Be sure to leave the fish in the marinade only as long as the recipe indicates (4 to 5 hours, in this case). Salmon Marinated in Ginger and Cilantro Preparation time: About 15 minutes plus marinate time Yield: 8 servings 2 pounds skinless, boneless salmon fillets 1/2 cup fresh lime juice 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes Salt and black pepper Lettuce for garnish Slice the salmon thinly (1/4 inch or less) widthwise, leaving strips about 2 inches long. Place the strips in a large bowl. Add the lime juice, onion, vinegar, oil, cilantro, ginger root, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours. Taste for seasoning. If you need more salt, blend it in thoroughly. Line small serving plates with the lettuce of your choice and place a serving of salmon over the lettuce. Discard the onion-marinade mix. Per serving: Calories 174 (From Fat 76); Fat 9g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 62mg; Sodium 68mg; Carbohydrate 0g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 23g. If your salmon pieces have any small bones, use a pair of tweezers or your fingers to remove them before starting to prepare this dish.

Article / Updated 11-01-2022

Thanksgiving really lends itself to inexpensive decorating, which is nice because we all know what a chunk the upcoming holidays can take out of the old budget. It's also a wonderful holiday to share decorating with kids. Nature provides the most wonderful decorating materials for free. A quick trip to the backyard, a farmers market, or the park can sometimes give you everything you need to decorate gracefully and sufficiently. Infuse a little color into your world by decorating with an artist’s canvas! Purchase a few pre-stretched and primed canvases at your local arts and crafts supply store. Use these as your seasonal accent pieces! Kids can finish them in several ways: Wallpaper them: Have you ever seen abandoned wallpaper books at your local paint and wall coverings store? Often, these retailers pile up discontinued wallpaper sample books available free to any takers. Here’s your chance to use small samples for a big effect. Choose a few wallpaper samples in complementing colors and let them cover the canvases. Depending on their age, you might have to help with the measuring, cutting and pasting.! Attach objects to them. A spoon, knife, fork, pine cone, leaf, or other objet d’art can be tied or glued to the center of a blank canvas for a three-dimensional piece of art. Change the objects to reflect each season. You can paint, paper, or attach and reattach findings to them for each season. Because canvases are inexpensive, you can replace them when needed or add to your collection as desired. Use these little pieces of art to color block a wall or use where you’d normally place a picture. Children would also enjoy the following holiday decorating projects: Gather autumn leaves: Rake and create! Freshly fallen leaves are perfect for spreading out on a table around candles and centerpieces or stringing one on top of the other for a stacked leaf garland. To help get everyone psyched up, be sure to rake up a separate pile of leaves that the kids, and the kid in you, can take a tumble in. The plus? You get your yard raked. Create centerpieces: Gather an assortment of mini pumpkins, gourds, nuts, candles, and baskets or plates for each child. Place a large pillar candle in the middle of the basket or plate and then let each child start placing the items around the base of the candles until her she gets the desired look. Frame your children’s art: Find some simple frames that complement your décor and give the frames a special place in your home, which can be a corner in the family room. Decorate the infamous “children’s table” at Thanksgiving with children’s art. Better yet, display it on the dessert table.