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Home Cooking Haven
Every single one of us here at Home Cooking Haven.com simply love cooking, we love simple recipes, we love healthy recipes and we love nothing more than been able to share these recipes with each and every one of you.
Welcome, welcome, welcome....... one and all to Home Cooking Haven.com and this is what you have to know about us right from the start ..... we are not hoity-toity, we do not offer "fine dining", and we are not master chef's, BUT we do have a great selection of genuine home researched, and home tasted delicious recipes.
This website is for:
- those of us who have to cook every night, who cannot afford eating out or buying takeouts.
- those of us who have to cook for kids, and often the friends of our kids.
- those of us who have to cook meals for one person only, sad but true.
- those of us that are pensioners.
- those who are on a strict budget , and sometimes have to entertain on that budget.
What to expect from Home Cooking Haven?
Not only are we going to dish you up these simple recipes, but we are also going to tell you what the ingredients are good for, and in some instances, what you should not be eating because of certain ailments that will be aggravated by eating these foods.
Some of us may be able to afford "fine dining", some of us enjoy the Hamburger joints, but to enjoy a home cooked meal is something every single human being on this planet should have access to.
We believe that these recipes are to help those of us who have had a long long day at work, are tired, and don't have a clue what to cook.
We also know that most of these ingredients could be in our pantry's or perhaps even grown in our gardens, so you would not have to run off to the shop to buy "stuff" for a meal and then not use it again in months.
Our ultimate aim is that you have fun, you enjoy doing it, it is economical and you will pass them onto everyone you know, "Tom, Dick and Harry" and all their relations, because you have enjoyed these meal thoroughly.
We would value your feedback, even recipes that you think we should add to this website,
All YOUR very own tried and tested ones, that you know work for you and can work for the rest of us, keeping in mind that this website is for simple economical meals, to help us all make our day- to- day cooking an enjoyable experience rather than a bind.
Happy Cooking!
Cooking Terms and Tips
Al Dente: Usually applied to Pasta, means cooked until just done, but not soft. The pasta should still maintain some "bite:
Barbeque: . To cook foods over coals, known as a Braai in South Africa (The best in the world for this type of cooking).
Baste: To moisten food for added flavor and to prevent drying out while cooking.
Blanch: To cook briefly in boiling water to seal in flavour and color.
Braise: To cook first by browning, then gently simmer till done.
Caremelize: To Heat sugar until it liquefies and becomes a syrup.
Core: To remove the seeds or tough woody centers from fruits and vegetables.
Cream: The butterfat portion of milk. Also to beat ingredients, sually sugar and a fat, until smooth and fluffy.
Cube: To cut foot into small ½ inch cubes.
Cut In: To distribute a solid fat in flour using a cutting motion, with 2 knives used scissors-fashion or a pastry blender, until divided evenly into tiny pieces. Usually refers to naking pastry.
Croutons: These are tiny cubes of toasted or fried bread, used as a garnish for
Coriander: Also known as Dhania
Dollop: A spoonful of soft food such as whipped cream or mashed potatoes.
Dot: To scatter butter in bits over food.
Dress: To coat foods such as salad with a sauce. Also, to clean fish, poultry or game for cooking.
Drippings: Juices and fats rendered by meat or poultry while cooking.
Drizzle: To pour melted butter, oil, syrup, melted chocolate, or other liquid back and forth over food in a fine stream.
Experiment: Always keep to the basics, but, take out and put in spices etc to your tastes.
Fines Herbs: A mixture of herbs, normally parsley, chervil, chives and tarragon used to flavour fish, chicken and eggs.
Glace: To coat foods with glossy mixtures such as jellies or sauces.
Julienne: To cut into long thin strips match-sticklike in shape
Macerate: To soak in flavoured liquid; usually refers to fruit
Picked Over: If you are working with lentils or other beans you might sometimes find a few little rocks that managed to sneak their way in, picked over means to make sure there are none left in what you are going to be using.
Poach: To cook gently over very low heat ib barely simmering liquid just to cover.
Puree: To mash or grind food until completely smooth. usually in a food processor, blender, sieve, or food mill.
Ragout: The basic method of preparation involves slow cooking over a low heat.
Reduce: To thicken a liquid and concentrate its flavor by boiling.
Render: To cook fatty meat or poultry - such as bacon or goose - over low heat to obtain drippings.
Sear: To brown surface of meat quickly over a high heat, to seal in juices.
Skim: To remove surface foam or fat from a liquid
Seep: Tp soak in a liquid just under the boiling point to extract the essence i.e. Tea.
Truss: To tie whole poultry with skin or skewers so it will hold its shape in cooking.
Zest: The outer, colored part of the peel of citrus fruits.
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