The Keep:Ye Olde STAG Kitchen & Academy of Cookery

NOW RECRUITING: Cooks, Instructors, and hungry STAGs.

Right now the tables are empty... but not for long!!! Kitchen is open, and all are welcome!

There are lots of beverages available, something tasty is in the crock pot, and perhaps in the oven as well.... so come on in and we'll see what is on the menu!



There are lots of great recipes up as challenges in the guild, but here's a place for for links and resources for cooking advice that doesn't quite qualify as a recipe!



Alcohol Substitutions
"Actually, all the alcohol is not cooked off when used in cooking ...  There was an article on this but unfortunately it's subscription only. T hey did a video of their  food cooked with alcohol experiment that doesn't need a subscription to watch.  Regarding alcohol cooking off - here's an  article with results. They also have a link to  substitutions.

Cleaning Pans
This tip came about because a STAG's pudding got into a "shotgun marriage" with the cooking pan and this STAG wanted to give them a divorce!
 * "What I've done when that has happened to one of my pans is to leave it to soak with a little dish washing liquid, then scrub at the burnt residue with a green scrubby, leave to soak for another 24-hours, scrub again... Repeat until it's all gone"
 * "a combination of dish washing liquid, dry salt and a dry paper towel (that will take almost ANYTHING off... and ... boiling the water a bit..."
 * "sometimes adding some more milk (enough to cover the stuck bits), then heating that just to boiling (but don't boil!) will cause the milk proteins to adhere to the stuck bits, and the whole mess will come off in a sheet. Sorry, I don't know the secret to making it work all the time! A baking soda paste let to sit overnight might help too"
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">"Put a couple inches water and a few drops/1 tsp dish soap (dawn seems to work well) and set it to simmer on the stove about 15-20 minutes. I recommend ventillation because I don't like the smell of cooking dishsoap. It lifts the burnt bits, then you can scrub it out"

Cooking Prep Tips and Tools

 * "<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">When you're doing your cooking preparation work, keep a bowl or some other receptacle near where you're working. Toss all your trash in while you work. Tip into the trash can when done. Makes it very easy to dispose of the waste afterwards. If you compost / green recycle you would need two, although I usually just use the bowl for the green waste going to the compost and throw the trash waste away separately"
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">"When I make a recipe that calls for a 9x13 pan, I use two 8x8 pans instead. One is a regular glass one, and one is a disposable foil one. I cook them together, then once it is cooled, the foil pan gets covered and labelled and goes straight in the freezer. On nights like tonight when I just do. not. feel. like. cooking, the frozen pan can be reheated in a 350º oven for about an hour."
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">Spiralizing squash instead of pasta: one STAG recommends this spiralizer
 * Is Warm Bread safe to eat? STAGs are uncertain. BUT one mentions that "My grandmother had a trick that I have found REALLY helps - rub the warm loaf with some oil (I use olive oil, but veggie oil works too) and the crust will not be as tough"
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">How to boil:


 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">​ <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:1.618em;">For veggies that take a while to cook (like potatoes and probably beets) you can put the vegetable in a pot and add water to cover them by about 1 inch/3 cm. The boil the water (OK to do it on high heat,) turn it down a bit once it's boiling, and check it by poking a fork in the vegetable until it is as soft as you would like.
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:1.618em;">​ <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:1.618em;">For vegetables that cook quickly, like green beans, it's best to boil a pot of water first, and drop them in. This is because it is hard to predict how much they will cook as the water is heating up, and you don't want to overcook them. Personally, for those little vegetable, I prefer to steam them; they still lose some of their nutrients in to the water, but not as much. You can buy a steamer insert, but if you have a colander that fits in one of your pots, you can use that too. You can also get microwave steamers and even my $15 rice cooker came with one.
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:1.618em;">​

Freezing Things

 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">ground beef freezes really well for later use. Lasagna can be prepared and frozen very readily, also. There are whole books of meals that can be pre-made then frozen for later use. This  site<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;"> looks pretty good for freezer meals
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:1.618em;">yes you can freeze a LOT of things.  I like to cook meat in the crock pot, shred it, then put meat and broth into silicone muffin cups and freeze them. Once frozen you can peel the muffin cup off and store them in a tall, thin container (like this http://www.rubbermaid.com/en-US/modular-canisters ) with wax paper in between if desired. Just pull one out to add to pasta sauce, fried rice, just about anything.  Here are a couple of websites you might find useful.


 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:1.618em;">​ http://noelfigart.com/blog/2012/11/20/freezer-cooking-another-way/
 * https://onceamonthmeals.com/blog/series/get-started/what-you-can-and-cannot-freeze/<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:1.618em;">
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:1.618em;">​ <span style="line-height:1.618em;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">I think the secret to freezing veggies is to wrap them as tightly as possible to avoid freezerburn.  <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:1.618em;">I tried freezing spiralized zucchini, that was an epic disaster!!! I also don't have a lot of luck freezing raw potatos, though cooked potatos freeze beautifully.
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">grains and beans freeze very well. Meats freeze well raw, and can generally also be frozen cooked; they can get dry when reheated, so cooked meats freeze better either in a sauce, or cut into small pieces so that they don't take too much additional cooking when reheated. Butter freezes well. Milk and cream can be frozen but will separate when thawed - you can cook with them but most would not drink them plain after thawing. You can freeze hard cheese as well, but again it will be best to cook with rather than eat plain
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">Most vegetables freeze better when cooked (blanched) than raw and ones with lots of water (like zucchini) don't freeze well at all. Lots of prepared dishes freeze really well, so often these are a better way to freeze vegetables: soups, non-dairy sauces, casseroles, stews etc. all freeze beautifully


 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">​What does "blanched" mean?  <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">Basically "blanched" means "boiled, then cooled rapidly"  <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">Here is a tutorial on  how to blanch vegetables<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">. Important thing to remember - have the water boiling before you add the vegetables and use a basket or a slotted spoon that will allow you to remove them quickly
 * Another link: https://onceamonthmeals.com/blog/series/get-started/what-you-can-and-cannot-freeze/
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">This is my favorite, favorite, favorite article about freezing:  31 Things You Can Freeze to Save Time and Money

How to Cook... [food] (use your browser's search tool here for best results)

 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">Oatmeal/porridge in the microwave? " <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">I find that is one of the things that actually cooks better in a microwave than it does in a pan on the stove. No chance of burning and much easier to clean the bowl than it is to clean the pan".

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;box-sizing:border-box;display:inline;">In my rice cooker, I use the same amount of water as I would use on the stovetop (not just for oatmeal but for grains in general.) My rice cooker is a very basic one, and it has a little vent that lets some steam out. I think if you have a fancy programmable one, you use a bit less water because there is no loss to the outside. I usually make it plain so I can add different things to the leftovers, but you can throw fruit and some sweetener in there too if you want. I have made quinoa and farro in the rice cooker as well"
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">" <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">[Steel cut oats] ought to work in a microwave, depending on how long steel cut oats need cooking for and whether your microwave has different heat settings. I use rolled oats and I'm only making one portion, so I just measure my oats into a deep bowl, stir in the water, microwave on high for 2 minutes and then stir before microwaving on "simmer" for another 3 minutes. I can then eat the porridge from the bowl I cooked it in a voila! less washing up. I did google quickly and found  this recipe for steel cut oats<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">, but I would recommend using high setting just to get the stuff to boiling then then using a lower setting (assuming your microwave has one, of course) to cook the oats gently. It's not that it's quicker -- everyone assumes that a microwave is all about speed -- but you won't have to stand over it stirring all the time, you can just leave it to cook by itself and it will ping when ready
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">Or a rice/slow cooker? " <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">I have had great success cooking steel-cut oatmeal (and other grains) in a rice cooker. You can also cook it overnight in a slow cooker, and I sometimes do that and wake up to porridge. I like it pretty thick, so I often make several servings and just pop the leftovers in the fridge. Or you can freeze it in muffin cups with dried fruit and nuts pressed into the tops. Two or three "muffins" is a quick and satisfying breakfast." "

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 * What to do with a CSA load of beets? "<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">I usually just boil beets, add a bit of salt, and eat :) If you like beets, you should like them like that, if you prefer a more pickle-y taste you can dress them with a vinegar/sweetening of some sort dressing to your liking (unsweetened orange juice and molasses is nice!). To boil: trim the leaves and roots off if not done already (you don't need to peel them), boil until easily pierced with a fork, cool enough to handle, slip the skins off and slice. The small leaves can also be used like a salad green, and raw beet can be grated into salads" " <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">Once they've been boiled, the skins should just slip off by rubbing them with your hands under running water. Being beets, the juice can and will stain, so I usually get the skins off in the sink, and slice them in the same area. Gloves are helpful too if you don't want your hands stained"
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">Bananas (see also the recipe list in the guild):  <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">Bananas are also AMAZING baked in the oven. Just take them out of their peels and then place them on a baking tray or an oven-safe baking dish and tuck them into a hot oven... about 400 degrees? For about 10 to 15 minutes. Check them so they don't burn - they will get VERY soft and the taste and texture are totally different.
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">"can ice cream be made without sugar or a sugar substitute?"


 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">​ <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">Paleo cooking sites might be your best bet    For instance  <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">I found that one on  DessertStalker
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">If you mix heavy cream into a blender along with frozen fruit, the texture gets VERY creamy and IMO similar to ice cream! Discovered that by accident when I went to make a breakfast smoothie and didn't have any milk. It was a highly decadent breakfast!

Recipe Links

 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">I had some of  these delicious butternut squash and black bean enchiladas<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;"> tonight (vegan if you don't put cheese on top.)
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">there is a recipe for grilled banana splits . Anyone ever done this?
 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Lato,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:22.6520004272461px;">Beat the Heat with Summer Treats: Grilled Fontina and Blackberry Grilled Cheese; Baked Raspberry/Lemon Donuts; Key Lime Pie and Home Made Sea Salt and Honey Ice Cream (made with a hand mixer & your freezer--no special equipment required!) http://files.ctctcdn.com/c766b748001/46218058-9c7e-4461-8133-726de9274f52.pdf