Gifts For Your Valentine's Chef

As much as anyone appreciates a box of chocolates or a pretty necklace or fine tie, a home chef appreciates any gift kitchen. It's easy to win their heart with an intriguing gadget or something simple as a silicon spatula. What's best is that there's so many ideas for a really memorable present.

What would a home chef love? Some of the hottest trends may do the trick. Air fryers are big and they are always much appreciated. There are so many brands to choose from. The Power Vortex is a great one and is perfect for those home chefs who don't want to rely on their stove top too much. Target sells a two quart one , the Dash 900W Compact Air Fryer in cute kitchen friendly colors. Another trend setter every home chef lusts is the Instant Pot. This comes in a variety of sizes and is perfect for the home chef who has a busy work schedule. The mini ones are not that expensive and cute, perfect for just a duo.There are even air fryer and instant pot cookbooks, some with six to eight hundred recipes!!! If you're buying these then think of a smaller bag that has different cooking sprays (Stop & Shop has a good variety of these, from olive oil to butter) for the air fryer and different spices for both. A more practical gift is a surge protector if your beloved doesn't have enough outlets. As for gadgets there are some fun ones. Why not give the 3-in 1 breakfast center that has a griddle, coffee maker and toaster. Or for the herbalist and greens lover, a leaf stripper that give you the important stuff and not the stems.

There's a lot you can buy home bakers. Collapsing mixing bowls are a must. They can hold everything from batter to buttercream frosting for two cakes. Best of all they're silicone which means they're easy to clean and store as they nest into each other. Think a new stand mixer if your beloved is an avid baker. These's are sturdy and can be used for savory recipes such as bread kneading and mashing potatoes too.An absolutely fun gift for any cookie lover is Wilton's cookie press. It's relatively easy to load and comes with a wide variety of discs to create bakery level trees and flowers. Add to the discs by giving a Christmas gift of their holiday themed ones. Frosting bags and new tips are also always appreciated. An amazing must give is Wilton's Master Decorating Tip Set. It has fifty-five pieces decor from simple line making ones to flower nails for creating gorgeous buttercream roses. If you're giving this, then throw in Wilton's Icing Colors 12 count gel based colors that has the four basic colors, red, green, blue and yellow but also such dynamic ones as teal, copper and burgundy. There's even black (!) brown,violet and pink. Imagine the decorating possibilities with this rainbow! A more decadent decorating gift is the cake decorating airbrush kit from US  Cake Supply Company.It comes with ten colors and two metallic shades and is easy as pie to use It's expensive at $89.96 on Amazon but worth it for artistically finished cakes and cupcakes.

A home chef or baker may appreciate chocolate but only if it can be used in baking or cooking. Give Valentine's Day gifts that he or she can use. They'll be much appreciated and gobbled up!

Cyber Foraging

This  being Cyber Monday, it's easy to turn to the Internet for Christmas shopping and even food shopping. To be honest, you can always find what you want on the Web  as opposed to an actual bricks and mortar store. It's a lot easier , and it does free you up for doing other things. There's also no long lines at the checkout or a dent waiting to happen in the parking lot.

One of the best places to shop for cooking implements and even ingredients is the giant Amazon.It does have everything that a home chef and gift giver want. I've used it for most of my baking needs, from my cake tester to madeliene and cake pans. It has every color of sanding sugar there is where some grocery stores only have one or two colors.Type in"sprinkles" and every color and shape  pops up. Plug in Instant Pot and every kind shows up.The site , is also well known for its' vast array of  cookbooks and there is literally every kind , from the classic Fannie Farmer to Tibetan cooking with every other cuisine in between. Unfortunately Amazon is also a conglomerate and many are turned off by that and rightly so. There are smaller websites that you can buy from. One that stands out is King Arthur Flour. Home bakers may be familiar with their variety of different flours found in their grocery's baking aisle. Yet their website offers a wider choice of all sorts of baking. They have boiled apple cider which give more flavor to apple pies , doughnuts and tarts. There are also stollen kits for ambitious bakers as well as vintage style mixing bowls and cookie cutters. The site also offers Breville toaster ovens along with bread machines and mixers.

It's a well known fact that some of the greatest kitchen bargains come from Kohl's and Target.One of my best buys ever, my Kitchen Aid electric mixer came from there. The price was slashed in half thanks to my Kohl's Dollars and discounts. It works perfectly and I can't even imagine not mixing without it. They also have Instant Pot and you can probably get it cheaper here than on Amazon.The store also has the air fryers which cook and  crisp foods with out having to deep fry them.Another plus with Kohl's is that they have elegant dinnerware and utensils, Need a new set for the holidays? Then go on line and order, and again use discounts and coupons. I did when I ordered a simply classic Cambridge twenty piece flatware set for only $17.00 with coupons. (that/s a little over a dollar a piece!) Target is another great online store for all things kitchen and entertaining. Again there's a 5  per cent discount for Red Card holders. Their gadgets are fun and affordable. I am a big fan of their kitchen ware. I bought their Kitchen Air immersion blender , getting a good price on it, The store also  carries choppers and sous vides. Target also has a huge variety of smaller tools like hasps for grating and strainers for draining pastas. Of course there is Wal-Mart that has everything and bargains galore. Their Pioneer Woman Denim Dinner set is almost half off right now as with  their Baker Eze pan set..

You can do cyber foraging and come up with some great buys and finds. It's just foraging for what you want and compare prices. Take advantage of online shopping .It;s a hassle free way of stocking up the kitchen.

A Cookbook For Instant Pot Lovers

The Instant Pot is more than just a fad.Home chefs have taken it to heart, using it for everything from roasts to desserts. However there are very few cookbooks that focus on cooking with it. A new recipe book is going to change that. it is chock full of delicious dishes along with advice.

Marilyn Haugen, author of 150 Best  Spiralizer Recipes and 175 Instant Pot Recipes has written The 5 Ingredient Instant Pot Cookbook (Robert Rose Publishers 2018) Most of them do have five ingredients which makes for easy prep and cooking for busy home chefs. This is a great accompaniment to the cooker itself. The book is not overwhelming and has some great advice for Instant Pot novices. Ms. Hauger shows how to make tent style packets for streaming veggies. She also goes into great detail about the gadget's uses and functions.Her section  on one of the functions, pressure cooking is explained in great detail, dissecting the High and Low Pressure options. Another plus is her list of staples such as grains and different oils for the Instant Pot Pantry. I like the fact she includes all sorts of flavor base mixes such as the famed French,  mirepoix and the Cajun holy trinity of onion, celery and green  peppers. She also has the Italian battuto, mirepoix with fennel,parsley and garlic added   and the Spanish sofrito of  onions, bell peppers and tomatoes.These are vital for successfully recreating some of the savory  dishes. Even more important are the recommended accessories.along with ending the book with  an extensive  table  if cooking times for meats, veggies, legumes and fruits.

The recipes are satisfying and varied.Breakfast and Instant Pot lovers will enjoy Ms. Haugen recipe for classic old fashioned oatmeal and the spin, peanut butter banana. Egg stuffed bell pepper boats.spiked with Parmesan cheese and fresh cut basil will be a brunch classic.For sweet lovers there's the streusel coffee cake made with Biscuit flour. She divides the meat dishes into sections. Poultry lovers will make the Almost Rotisserie Chicken an instant favorite It's steamed in chicken stock and  butter, and seasoned with paprika, salt and pepper. A hearty dish is the beef stroganoff, cooked with spices and sour cream. Pork has many flavorful dishes too such as the tangy  pulled pork sandwich along with a fragrant rosemary and apple roast. Fish lovers will enjoy the summery tasting tomato halibut.Another plus is that she includes bone broths which are perfect bases for other soups. The Instant Pot is great for rice and pasta, and yes, there are many recipes for them. Mac n cheese lovers will appreciate the simple but delicious recipe while grain and veggie  lovers will enjoy the lemony bulgar tabbbouleh and quinoa stuffed peppers along with the beet salad with Dijon  vinaigrette and chevre. The dessert recipes are fun from the old fashioned bread pudding made with egg breads to the lush  Decadent Creme Brulee and Molten Chocolate Cakes.If they're too much , try the yogurt recipe for a cleansing bite.

The 5 Ingredient Instant Pot Cookbook is the best gift for Instant Pot lovers. The recipes are delicious,, the ingredients simple. Home chefs can have fun experimenting with them as they cook a wide variety of dishes and desserts.

A Crock Of Goodness

This was the Christmas when I received my first (!) crock pot.

It's a small  one, meant for cooking meals , desserts or even snacks for two .The brand is Crockpot  bought at our local Target. It's something that I wanted after covering a New York Times Food section piece on the Instant Pots. Those have a variety of settings and can do a  wide array of different slow cooking methods. Unfortunately they were 1) too expensive - I didn't want my family to spend seventy dollars on a gadget I'll  onlyuse a few times a year and 2) something that's going to take up most of my kitchen table. This one was inexpensive - only$8.99 and small enough I can effortlessly put on my kitchen counter.The crock is also super easy to clean. I don;t have to wrangle a large pot in my sink.I also don't have to deal with heaps of leftovers either.It makes enough for two which is perfect.

Of course I had to get Linda Larsen's The Complete Slow Cooking For Two

 (Sonoma Press)I love this book. As you can seen from the crock picture, I'm making her apple-pear sauce. I've always wanted to make apple sauce. There are some legendary stories in my family's culinary history and I wanted to add to them. Besides it 's a low calorie dessert that I made just a smidge healthier by adding agave syrup. I am planning on making chili soon in this along with a tasty sounding Indian cauliflower-potato soup along with rice stuffed peppers.There's a great tomato soup recipe that I'd love to make as well. Rice pudding comes out at its' creamiest when slow cooked and Ms. Larsen's book has several recipes I want to try. her lemon rice pudding as well as her  chocolate cherry lava cake. There is even some yummy sounding bread puddings too.

This crockpot is going to change the way I cook meals and make dessert.It will definitely be incorporated in my routines. I'm  looking forward to trying more recipes and  sharing them.

The Miracle Of The Instant Pot

Like toys, kitchen gadgets go through a popularity phase too, especially during the holidays. This year, it's the Instant Pot, a home chef's best friend.It is the newest must have in the kitchen arsenal .

The genius behind this is Robert Wang and the Times Monday Business section featured him. He has created the godsend of modern appliances. The Instant Pot can do everything from make chili to ferment yogurt.It is easily programmable which is why so many home chefs, especially novices, love it. The Instant Pot has many pluses. It is made completely from stainless steel so there's no  questionable plastic interiors to worry over. It traps the aroma inside the pot, promising a more flavorful creation. It has lids that are both left and right handed friendly. There are several different models, such as the duo in seven which has everything from a rice and porridge steamer to a yogurt maker and warmer. The deluxe model, the Duo Plus 9-in 1 has that and a sterilizer. It also has a choice of settings, from less, normal and more.It also has the handy Keep Warm setting  that makes sure the foods don't get cold. There's also the Ultra 10 in1 which has a setting to create soft pudding like cakes along with a saute and searing setting.What is truly fascinating is the Instant Pot with the Bluetooth which can be set from your tablet or phone. It also cooks food up to seventy per cent faster than the other pots.

The pot became an instant success thanks to Amazon. Mr. Wang was also very shrewd because the Instant Pot test units  were sent to two hundred influential chefs, cooking instructors and food bloggers (why not me???) Good reviews and recipes appear on line, drawing the attention of foodies and home chef. What is also amazing about the product is that the inventor and investors raised the money themselves. Wang was only a lapsed home cook when he created the better version of a crock pot..He tried to start his own tech company after being laid off from telecom and tech jobs. What he created to now revolutionize modern cooking. It was different from other pressure cookers because it has sensors that keep the cooker from overheating or exploding under pressure. There is even a cookbook , written by Coco Morante, who also has a blog dedicated to the Instant Pot. After seeing the website and reading the recipes, I'm kind of hooked on it myself. I'm pricing them along with figuring out that the Mini Instant Pot would be perfect in my kitchen.I could make my Mom's famous chili along with her sauce.It would be perfect making steamed butternut squash and mashed potatoes too.

Robert Wang has created a genius invention. The Instant Pot is revolutionizing  how we cook . It is more than a fad and trend. it may be hot but it is also  a modern kitchen neccesity.

The Weeknight Cooking Issue

It is hard to come up with a decent meal five days a week. Add to that a busy work schedule, plus after school activities and overtime. There's also the dilemma of making every night exciting , filled with the prospect of a fresh, tasty meal. Not to worry. The New York Times comes to the rescue.

Their Weeknight Cooking issue today has a slew of ideas and recipe to get any home chef, whether novice or old pro through the week. As Sam Sifton puts it, anyone and everyone can have a tasty meal without resorting to take out. It can just be as simple as making rice in a multicooker,  flavoring it with butter and soy and serving it with a fried egg under a sprinkle of ginger. Voila, a whole meal with protein. Everyone contributes, from Julia Moskin to newcomer Tejal Rao.One appliance home chefs must have is a multicooker. This is a godsend because it can do so much. It's different than a slow cooker because it has so much more. I'ts also an electric pressure cooker, a rice steamer and a rice cooker. Some of the better brands, according to Melissa Clark, author of the weekly column, A Good Appetite, recommends Instant Pot, but there is also Breville and Fagor. She had originally bought hers for the sake of research for a article but became so attached to it, wrote an entire cookbook, "Dinner In An Instant" (Clarkson Potter Publishing). What is great about the Instant Pot is that it can cook food in minutes instead of hours.Ribs only take twenty minutes to cook as do beets and potatoes. Lentils and split peas also cook up in no time too in the electric cooker.

Her recipe is a tasty one. She gives us pressure cooker tamarind baby back ribs, made exotic and different by the addition of tamarind paste or concentrate.Fresh orange juice and garlic cut the sweetness. The ribs are then broiled at the end to give them a charred, crunchy crust while the Instant Pot give them that chewy , moist interior. Chicken thighs can also be cooked this way, maybe with tomato sauce, coconut sauce and garam masala for an exotic spin. Tejal Rao contributes with the recipes from famed British cookbook author, Meera Sodha. She has a vegetarian touch of weeknight cooking. There is her red lentil dal with coconut and lime kale.It is fiery and spicy  along with being completely meatless. This is typical of where she is from in Goa where Gujarati cooking reigns.
Healthy Goa cooking traces its' history  back to the Third Century BC when the Emporer Ashoka banned the slaughter of animals. For a side or even a main dish there is also her roasted broccoli with almonds. It's coated with a mix of cream cheese and Greek yogurt spiced  with black pepper, cardamom and nutmeg. It's baked on a baking sheet for ten minutes. Dave Tanis contributes the classic sausage and peppers, zested up with onions and red wine vinegar. He suggests serving it with a sunnyside egg but I'd rather turn it into a filling sandwich , thanks to ciambatta or Italian bread slices.

Weeknight cooking needn't be as stressful as week day living, It can be tasty and filling , done in only twenty minutes..It's easy and fun - just like weekend cooking.

The Hottest Cooking Trend The Instant Pot

There is a new star in the kitchen these days and it's the Instant Pot. This multipurpose cooker has been winning hearts and taste buds and its' fan club is growing bigger by the day.Is it that special?Is it a home chef's must have? Possibly.

Melissa Clark wrote about this phenomenon in today's New York Times Food section. Home chefs have written glowing reviews on it on Amazon..It is probably used more than the stove and microwave these days.There is a reason for this. The Instant Pot is not just a pressure cooker.It's also a rice cooker, yogurt maker and slow cooker., which makes it that much more desirable, especially to home chefs with small kitchens.There is also the growing trend too, in its' favor. Electric pressure cookers are one of the fastest growing  kitchen appliances with sales doubling and tripling over the last four years.Over three million units have been sold in 2015.It's been on Amazon's top ten best seller list for 2016.Why is it so popular. There are a number of reasons.It's designed with many self- regulating safety features such as sensors to monitor the unit's temperature and amount of pressure.it's also easy to use - just tap a button and that;'s it.it's also cooks faster than the regular slow cooker. Instead of a whole day, the dish is ready is in half an hour.

How does it cook? Ms Clark tried a variety of different meats. and veggies.Pork shoulder turned out heavenly. Lamb shanks took only forty minutes to cook and the result was a silky soft texture.It only took spare ribs twenty minutes to cook and they were done to perfection. It cut the time to cook down a collagen-rich beef bone broth into one afternoon instead of two days. Unfortunately chicken didn't fare so well. The skin was rubbery and soggy while the meat turned out to be stringy and dry with undercooked dark meat. Her steamed chicken breasts with ginger turned out much better. Veggies also came out blah, Ms.. Clark experimented with a variety of different ones and the only exceptions that came out just right were beets and artichokes. Don't think about putting broccoli, kale zucchini, fennel or mushrooms.in it. They'll just turn limp, soggy and unappealing. Desserts can be cooked in it and Ms. Clark gives a chocolate pudding recipe that can be made in less than half an hour. The Instant Pot also whips up a good batch of yogurt too  however it's so so for rice. One of the best functions is that it perfectly hard boils eggs creating ones with easily peel off shells.

The Instant Pot is the newest star of the kitchen. It has a growing fan base  of home chefs who love it  for a variety of different tasty and delicious dishes. It's time to abandon the stove for this miracle multi-talented pressure cooker..