Some time ago we featured “The Pioneer Woman Cooks” as our Blog of the Week.

We often visit her site to check out what great recipes and stories she has in store. Ree now has a new website called “thepioneerwoman.com” and I have just come from reading about her Tomato-Basil Pizza, Two Ways: An Experiment.  Both ways of making this pizza are very easy to make and very tasty to eat.

I really like her new website and I am sure you will as well.

Ree has a great way of writing which is entertaining and amusing. So why not get yourself a coffee and settle down to check out the recipes and all the other interesting stuff on thepioneerwoman.com

We have just added our latest review for the All Clad 9pc Stainless Steel Cookware Set. In my opinion this is one of the best sets available on the market today for all round functionality.

All Clad have an amazing attention to detail with their products and you can’t beat them for quality and good looks.

I like the fact that although it is a stainless steel set they have also thrown in a non-stick skillet. Personally I can’t survive without non-stick for frying but I like the rest to be stainless steel so this is a perfect set in my opinion.

Read the full review here - All Clad 9pc Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Le Creuset 14.25-in. Wok with Glass Lid, Flame

Many people think of woks are only good for preparing Chinese dishes. However, woks are a practical way to make healthy and fresh-tasting stir-fry and vegetables. These tips on how to choose a wok will help you find a great piece of cookware that you’ll use over and over again.

Why Are Woks Better Than Frying Pans?
The traditional wok has a rounded bottom and flared sides that allow food to be pushed up and away from the heat. This allows fast-cooking items to be kept farther from the heat so that nothing is burned or undercooked. Pushing the food up the sides of the wok also allows the cooking oil to drain away. Because your food doesn’t bathe in oil, wok cooking is healthier.

What is the Perfect Wok Made Of?
Like most pieces of cookware, the metal that your wok is made from will have a dramatic effect on both its price and its effectiveness. Some like woks with non-stick aluminum woks because the surface prevents sticking and is easy to clean. However, non-stick pans make it more difficult to keep the food on the sides, and they lose some of the traditional seared flavor. Aluminum also does not hold up well under the high temperatures used for wok cooking.

The traditional wok was made from cast iron, which remains a good choice. Cast iron retains heat well, and will distribute that heat along the sides of the pan. However, cast iron is also very heavy, making it unpopular with some cooks.

Another great choice of wok material is carbon steel. Carbon steel is durable, distributes heat well, and is lighter than cast iron.

Are Round-Bottomed or Flat-Bottomed Woks Better?
The traditional round-bottomed wok allows a pool of oil to form where food can be quickly seared and then moved to the side. The disadvantage is that the round bottom is unstable on electric burners. Many western woks have flat bottoms to accommodate stoves. In order to get the advantages of a round-bottomed wok on an electric stove, you can also use a wok ring which lifts the pan above the burner and holds it steady as you cook.


Handles for Woks
Traditional woks have two small, round handles on opposite sides of the pan. While this was convenient for lifting a wok from an old-fashioned Chinese wood oven, the small handles are not as convenient when tossing food during cooking. You will need to use a towel or other hand protection if your wok has small handles.

More practical for modern-day cooking is a long, sturdy wok handle with a small “helper” handle opposite.

Woks are great cookware to own whether you plan on making Chinese meals or just cooking delicious meats and vegetables. By following these tips, you can buy a great wok that will last for many years.

More woks:-

When we were in the US we often ate at many of the Red Lobster restaurants scattered around the country. We loved the huge meals and the tasty food and as neither of us can pass up seafood at the best of times the Red Lobster restaurants really appealed to us.

Unfortunately Red Lobster restaurants aren’t available in Australia and we really miss it - that was until I found that you can get secret copycat recipes for this and other famous restaurants online.

I found this cookbook with Red Lobster Recipes plus over 200 recipes from restaurants like:

• The Red Lobster
• The Olive Garden
• McDonalds
• KFC
• Macaroni Grills
• Planet Hollywood
• Hard Rock Cafe - I love the food here too
• Sizzler
• The Soup Nazi - another food joint we tried when we were in New York - just loved the soup!!
• The Cheesecake Factory
• And many more

But the recipes I’m really looking for are from The Red Lobster and this book includes the following:

• Red Lobster Batter Fried Shrimp
• Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits (yum!)
• Red Lobster Claim Chowder
• I’ll stop writing Red Lobster for now because my fingers are getting tired so just know that the rest on the list are all Red Lobster recipes
• Lobster Fondue
• Lobster with Crabmeat Stuffing
• Shrimp Diablo
• South Beach Seafood Paella
• Chicken Quesadilla
• Sonoran Chicken Pasta
• Caesar Dressing
• Fried Chicken Tenders
• Deep Fried Catfish
• Hush Puppies
• Trout Vera Cruz
• Dungeness Crab Bisque
• Cajun Shrimp Linguine

And these are just the Red Lobster Recipes. There are over 200 recipes in total in the book. But what I really like is that you get lifetime access to their database which already has 300 extra recipes with more added on a regular basis.

So at least now I don’t have to take a trip to the US to eat some of my favorite foods although there are plenty of other reasons to go. Give me an excuse and I will be on a plane in a second!!

If you want to try these Red Lobster Recipes or any of the other 500 or so recipes then click here….

Get your own Red Lobster Recipes here

7.5-in. Avocado Slicer

I am ecstatic. Today my avocado slicer arrived in the mail and it couldn’t have come at a better time as I am having guests tonight and sliced avocado is one of the accompaniments to the meal.

If you are anything like me you will realise why I am so happy with this gadget.  Usually my avocado slices are dodgy to say the least, they are never uniform in shape and they are a sad reflection of what avocado slices should look like.

Using the slicer was so easy, all I had to do was cut the avocado in half. remove the pip and slide the slicer just above the skin to scoop and slice at the same time. Just as it shows in the picture.

The slicer I purchased is made of 18/8 stainless steel and the handle is easy-to-grip santoprene (rubberized) so it won’t slip as you slice, plus I can just toss it in the dishwasher when I have finished.

I am one of those people who love gadgets and some of them haven’t been as useful as I would have hoped, but the avocado slicer is just great.  So if you eat a lot of avocado’s then do yourself a favour and buy one of these little gadgets. And the beauty of buying online is that I didn’t even have to think about looking for one in the shop and delivery was really quick.

I so love shopping online.

There are two people in this world - those who like to shop and those who don’t. I personally love to shop but I guess that’s a female thing. A good majority of men don’t like to shop. The only time they do is when they want something specific whereas women just like to shop even if they don’t have anything specific to buy. Of course that is a generalisation as I am sure there are plenty of men who just like to go out and shop and plenty of women who don’t.

When it comes to grocery shopping it is a slightly different story. There are many who like shopping except when it comes to buying groceries. It becomes a chore because it is something we have to do on a regular basis.

I like grocery shopping because I love food and I want to see the latest products. I am not very organized though. I generally go out without a list and then spend too much because of it. I am trying to get more organized though and write up what I need during the week on a whiteboard and then I transfer it to a piece of paper before I go out. The only problem I have with that is remembering to take the bit of paper with me before I head on out. So I am usually back where I started, with no list and spending too much.

I am thinking of getting one of those printable grocery list organizers where you just have to talk into the gadget and it adds the item to the list. When you are ready you just print out the list and off you go. 

Now that I think of it, I am still back where I started from as I still have to remember to take the list with me before I leave the house.

Teflon Select Fry Pan 14in

Teflon, the non-stick material developed by DuPont, has been the gold standard of carefree cooking since it was introduced in the 1960’s. But is this material really all that it’s cracked up to be? Learn more about the advantages, disadvantages, and misconceptions surrounding this popular material.

What Is Teflon?
Teflon is a trademarked combination of fluoropolymers produced only by the DuPont company. Coating pans with Teflon created a non-stick surface. DuPont has licensed the use of Teflon to several cookware manufacturers for use in their products, meaning that you’ll find it used with brands like Calphalon, Farberware, and more.

What’s Bad About Teflon?

• Non-Stick is Prone to Scratching.
One of the major disadvantages of using Teflon cookware is that it must be treated very carefully or the non-stick coating can be marred or destroyed. Teflon pans should never be used with metal utensils. If you tend to cut meat or vegetables directly in the pan, steer away from using Teflon!

• Overheating Poses Risk to Animals.
Another disadvantage of Teflon is that some of its fluropolymers can emit mildly toxic gases if overheated. While this rarely has any effect on humans, birds and some other types of small animals can become sick from the fumes. You should not allow Teflon pans to reach temperatures above 300°F, and you should keep pets out of the kitchen while cooking.

Good Qualities of Teflon

• More Durable than Other Non-Stick Brands.
One of the reasons why Teflon continues to be the top brand in the non-stick industry is that it is applied in layers, which do make it more durable than competitors. The bottom, rough layer allows the Teflon coating to adhere to the smooth cooking surface of a pan. A middle layer resists scraping and scratching, while the top layer provides a superior non-stick surface.

• High Grade Versions Allow Use with Metal Utensils.
Some types of Teflon coatings are more scratch-resistant, meaning that they will last longer. Look for Teflon Platinum and other professional varieties for increased durability.

• Food Won’t Stick or Burn.
Teflon’s multi-layer coating makes cooking much simpler. Food will not stick to the pan, which makes it less likely to burn. Coatings and batters will remain on the food where they belong, and sauces will blend more easily.

• Quick and Easy Cleanup.
Cleanup is much easier with Teflon. Instead of having to scrape away cooked-on food, you can simply rinse away residue. Some Teflon pans can even be used in the dishwasher, though hand-cleaning is so simple that it might not be necessary.

Misconceptions about Teflon
One of the biggest misconceptions about Teflon pans is that flakes of the fluropolymers used in the coating are hazardous if consumed. Since Teflon pans scratch easily, this myth has dissuaded many people from using the non-stick coating. However, there is absolutely no proven heath risk to consuming Teflon flakes. The fluropolymers are inert, meaning that they will not react with your body. Scratches in your non-stick pans are only a cosmetic problem.

If anyone knows of any proven studies which show that teflon is bad for our health please leave a comment and we will write it up on this blog.

Another good post on this topic: http://willtaft.com/health/i-do-not-use-teflon-cookware/

We have been travelling overseas and now that we are back home it is time to get this blog back on track. 

This weeks Blog of the Week is

Big City, Little Kitchen

I had saved this cooking blog to my favorites some time ago when I came across a fabulous recipe for Cinnamon-Crumble Coffee Cake.

Now this blog is written by Gena who lives in an apartment in Manhatten and she writes about her cooking and dining experiences among other related things such as her trip to Paris where she tells about her favourite eating and shopping expeditions.

The recipes are accompanied by photos that show the end result so you know what your recipe is supposed to look when it is finished.  This is something I really like as there are times when you look at your finished product and think, hmmmm not too sure that’s how it’s supposed to look.

There are just so many yummy recipes that are well presented  with easy to follow instructions.

I recommend that you grab a coffee and take a good browse through Big City, Little Kitchen and I know you will be inspired to try some of the great recipes. The hardest thing will be choosing what to try first.

In any discussion about what is the best cookware to use, the subject of heat distribution comes up frequently. Why is heat distribution such an important consideration in cookware?

Heat is Not Evenly Applied When You Cook

When you cook, it’s rare that the entire surface of your pan is exposed to the exact same temperatures. In a gas range, for example, the flames make contact with a specific portion of the pan first, which takes a larger portion of the heat. The flames then spread across the rest of the pan at a somewhat lower temperature.

On an electric range, you usually have concentric round burners which distribute heat more evenly, but which still have gaps between the circles which are exposed to lower temperatures.

Even if the heating surface could be absolutely uniform, the pan itself might be warped or bowed, which would prevent it from lying flat against the burners. Plus, there are the sides of the cookware to consider, which do not come into direct contact with the heat. Therefore, some parts of the pan will always be  hotter or cooler than the rest.

What Is Heat Distribution?

Heat distribution affects how well the cookware material passes the heat from warmer to cooler areas of the pan. Ideally, the transfer would work so smoothly that the entire surface of the pan reaches a steady, even temperature. In practice, flaws and imperfections in the metal can cause some areas to become much hotter than others.

How Heat Distribution Affects Your Food

When heat is not evenly distributed, your food can burn in some areas while remaining undercooked in others. This makes it very difficult to create an evenly cooked meal. For example, coatings may stick and pull away from breaded items, meats may become tougher than intended, or milks and sauces may burn and stick to the bottom of the pan, tainting the flavor of the entire dish.

Counteracting the effect of hot spots is a lot of work for a cook. You’ll need to stir liquids or turns meats and vegetables often to produce a well-cooked meal. A moment of inattention can easily ruin your cooking. Lack of good heat distribution also means you need to use higher heat to get the same effect, wasting energy.

Furthermore, since foods will be more prone to stick to the pan, cleaning up is more difficult as well. Scrubbing can damage protective layers of your cookware, reducing their longevity.

For all of these reasons and more, even heat distribution is among the most important features of high quality cookware. By investing in good cookware, you can get better results with less effort, while requiring less wasted energy and expense.