Good Day Everyone! We decided to take a look at a few different things on the blog. We’ve had a few people contact us about adding recipes to the blog, which is something we will be adding very shortly. What else would you like to see us add to the blog?
In the past we have held Kitchen Tip Thursdays on social media, twitter chats, and a weekly newsletter. What’s next for us?
Feel free to submit your information here, via email southernrootskitchen (at) gmail (dot) com, or via this quick questionnaire. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
Fast food and daily take out does not always have to be your ‘go-to’ option for any meal. You can cook your favorite meals and enjoy them at any time. Cooking is not a chore but an experience that you can enjoy.
Pick a recipe that you want to try out. This doesn’t have to be something extravagant, it can something as simple as baked chicken and vegetables. Just make sure it’s something you want to eat.
Make it a family affair. If you have kids, get them to help you in the kitchen. Use cooking as a game to help with vocabulary, spelling and even math. If it’s just you and your significant other, make it a date night in the kitchen!
Pretend You Are On TV. That’s right, pretend you are the host of your own food show. Get creative and talk your way through the show. You can even record yourself, just to see how it goes when you are done.
Play Music. Do you sing in shower? Or just around the house in general? Well this is another way to enjoy your music. Sing, dance and have a good time while you are cooking…we do!
Have fun. This is chance for you to try something new, you are not being graded so enjoy it. Once you are done cooking, plate your food as if you are serving it at a restaurant. Presentation is everything. Take a picture to include with the recipe for the next time you make it.
Cooking should always be fun. You work hard during the day and need time to relax, let cooking become an outlet for you. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Even if you mess up, skip a step or change an ingredient…it’s okay. Cooking is a fun experience.
Happy Thursday Everyone. Today will look at some common cooking mistakes and how to fix them.
5 Common Cooking Mistakes and How to Fix Them
This happens to cooks all the time. While cooking you may get distracted, forget an ingredient, or even add the wrong ingredient. But don’t fret, there are ways to fix the most common cooking mistakes and no one would ever know the cook had a mishap in the kitchen.
Butter is too soft. Did your cake come out too heavy? Or are your cookies flat and crispy? Be careful when softening your butter, let it stand out at room temperature for 30-45 minutes. Sometimes rushing the process by softening in the microwave can make the butter too soft turning your batter into a different texture. Take the time to let your butter soften properly; cutting them in small pieces will help the process as well.
Lumpy Gravy. Making mashed potatoes, need gravy for your turkey and it’s not the right consistency with lumps in it? That’s okay it can be fixed. While mixing in the thickener (usually flour or cornstarch mixed with water) make sure that you gradually whisk it in with the gravy. If not, you get the lumps. The lumps can come out, just pour the gravy over into a sieve and let the liquid drain out leaving the lumps on the inside.
Overcrowded Pan. Is your food cooking too slowly, nothing is browning and you don’t have room to flip your food over? Your pan is overcrowded. When cooking make sure that you leave room in your pan for your food to cook properly. If you have to cook the food in two batches, place the first batch in the oven on an ovenproof plate; set the oven at 200°F.
Food is too greasy. Are your fries or chicken too greasy? Was your grease hot enough? Before adding your food to the grease make sure that the grease is hot enough, it should be 350°F. If you don’t have a thermometer you can try these tips to test the grease. Add a piece of bread to the oil, if it browns in 10 seconds, your oil is ready. Another test you can try is to add a piece of the food you are cooking to the oil, if it sizzles right away then your grease is ready. If not don’t worry, if your grease isn’t hot enough just give it a few more minutes to heat up properly.
You didn’t taste as you cooked. Your food tastes bland, sauce is too salty, and you think you may have missed an ingredient? Are you tasting your food as you are cooking? If you wait until your food is done to taste, you miss out on knowing whether or not something can be added to the recipe or knowing if it’s just the way you want it. By tasting your food as you cook, you’ll know if you need to add more seasoning or if your food is just right. Allow your palate to be your guide, it will never steer you wrong.
These are just 5 cooking mistakes that people make in the kitchen. Do you know of anymore?
If you do not have a large garden to plant your vegetables, you can always plant them in containers. The only thing you will need to adhere to is the requirements of the plant. You might also need to get the right kind of seeds if you want to have a successful harvest. In this article, we explore some to the best vegetables that you can easily grow in containers at home.
Tomatoes
This is probably the most popular vegetable you can grow in a container. Tomatoes do not require much attention. They love a well-drained, deep soil and they are easily affected by cold and frost. When they grow, they might need staking so that the fruits do not bend and break the plant stem.
Lettuce
This is a perennial plant that grows very quickly. It is a great salad as well. Lettuce do well in the cold season. Just make sure that there is enough space in the container for them to thrive. Unlike tomatoes, lettuce do not grow deep, they grow wide. The soil has to be moist and well drained for best results.
Radishes
These are also great for salads and grow very quickly as well. Radishes love deep, well drained and moist soils. There are many varieties out there. Almost every part of this vegetable is edible. When planting, make sure that you give enough spacing between each plant.
Peas
Peas love a moderately warmer climate and that is why you should consider planting in early spring. They are fast growing and do well in moist, well-drained soils. The beauty of this vegetable is that it adds nitrogen to the soil. Creating an ideal environment for the next crop.
Squash
Depending on the type, squash can grow huge and occupy a lot of space. That is why you might need to grow the vegetable in a large container. They love natural light and well drained soils. Although they can survive the winter cold, they do not react well to frost.
Pepper
Both hot and sweet peppers are perfect for growing in containers. They love the sun and do better in well-drained soils.
Eggplant
This is another delicious vegetable (it’s actually a fruit) that grow well in containers and comes in all shapes and colors. Eggplants love well, well drained soils. They also do well in the sun and warmer climates.
Carrots
The cold season brings out the flavor of carrots better. They love a good, well drained and deep soil. Make sure that you water occasionally. This is to prevent the roots from drying up and cracking.
Potatoes
Potatoes love deep soils where the roots can thrive. They come in all sizes and types. You might need a bigger, wider and deeper container if you want your potatoes to grow well. Make sure the stems are well covered with soil.
Beets
They can withstand cold and love well-drained soils. The soils should be loose and deep to allow them room to grow freely. They are easy to grow as they do not require much attention after planting.
I post a lot about my life with Cerebral Palsy on my personal IG page. This is one of the pictures that I posted about chronic pain. So after this picture was posted I received multiple messages asking me if I really was 1 of 2, because they never ‘heard’ me complain about chronic pain or I didn’t ‘look’ like I was hurting when they were around me. Continue reading →
I'm Kimberlee, thanks so much for stopping by today. I am an avid lover of food, books and kitchen décor. I live in Hampton Roads, VA and enjoy being so close to the beach. Feel free to find me on social media or email me southernrootskitchen@gmail.com
