Cutting An Onion

So, you want to cut an onion?  At first, I had a lot of trouble, and I wish I had seen this video!  Anyway, if you need any tips, check it out.

Disclaimer: I don't own this video.  I merely found it on Youtube.  Weelicious made it, and here is the link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I37fHAlxTXg

Artichoke and Crab Dip

I've come down with a cold, which means a delay in more recipes, since I don't want to get any family members or friends sick.  However, if you're looking for any good dips, here's one that looks amazing!  I didn't come up with it, but I got it off this website:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1915,147182-238206,00.html

If you want any more recipes like this one, check out Cooks.comAlso, I just joined Cook's Illustrated's recipe testing panel, where a different recipe is sent to you each month, and you evaluate it.  I can't wait to get my first recipe, and hopefully I'll be healthy by then.  

Anyway, enjoy cooking up this mouth-watering dip, and tell me what you think of it:

ARTICHOKE AND CRAB DIP

2 (14 oz.) cans artichoke hearts, drained & chopped 2 1/4 c. mayonnaise 2 c. grated Parmesan cheese 2 (6 oz.) cans lump crabmeat, drained 1/3 c. seasoned bread crumbs 1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt 1 tsp. lemon pepper Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl combine all ingredients, blending well. Pour into a greased 3 quart baking dish. Bake 20-25 minutes or until heated thoroughly. Serve warm or at room temperature with crackers. Makes 6 cups.

A little husk, a little corn?

So, last video for the night: how to husk a corn.  I know from experience that this can be an extremely annoying activity, so if you happen to have a microwave handy, give it a try next time you plan on eating some corn on the cob.

I don't own this video.  Here's the link to where I found it:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/02/easiest-way-to-shuck-corn_n_1637556.html

Let's core some lettuce!

Want to core some lettuce?  Here's a tip how.  As per usual, I don't own this video in any way.  Check out the link to where I got it here. I'm really starting to love Saveur. In fact, check out their website: http://www.saveur.com/

How to peel garlic in less then ten seconds

So, while looking at the egg separating video, I came across this one: how to peel garlic in less then ten seconds.  Pretty cool, huh?  Again, I do not own this video in any way.  In fact, click here to read up on the video.

Separating egg yolks from egg whites

Here's a really awesome way to separate your egg yolks and egg whites.  Truly amazing.

Disclaimer: I don't own this video.  I couldn't find who actually made it, so if you do, please tell me.  Here's the link to the youtube video, though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz2Vnp5ZW4c

Recipe Two: Quesadillas

For my second recipe, I decided to cook up some quesadillas (hey, I needed to figure out something to do with my left over chicken).  The ingredients you'll need are:

- One onion

- One pepper

- Chicken

- Tortillas

- Cheese

- Sour cream and salsa (optional)

- Olives (again, optional)

So, to start off, I cut up an onion (trying my best not to cry), along with a red pepper.  I decided to pre-fry the two, although, like I said in my last recipe, some people prefer raw onions.

While the two ingredients fried, I begun work on the cheese.  I shredded about a cup of cheese, and then crumbled some goat cheese into the mix.  Then, I sliced about twenty black, pitted olives.  By that time, the onions and peppers were fried.  I placed a bit of salsa onto the tortilla, and then added the peppers, onions, olives, chicken, and cheese (in no particular order).

Now that the hard part was done, all I had to do was place the quesadillas into the pan, and fry them up.  All stoves are different, but for me, I put it onto medium/high heat.  Make sure to cook the quesadillas long enough, or else the cheese won't melt properly.

And now you're done! I add a bit of sour cream onto mine, but as always, it's your choice.  I thought guacamole would be really good in this dish, although the food store wasn't carrying any.

So what did you think?  Good, bad? Suggestions even?  This was a really good recipe to use for the chicken leftover from the salad in my previous post (although I still have a tub of chicken sitting in my freezer). I'm still looking for another recipe to make, but hopefully, after looking through a few issues of Cook, I'll get some information. Until then....

-Lhasa

Mystery of the Many Pepper Colours

I mentioned before that I didn’t know the differences between pepper colors.  Well, here is the answer:

Green peppers are harvested before ripening fully, which makes them less expensive. They’re often more bitter then other colors of peppers.

Orange peppers contain the least amount of vitamin A, and are less commonly found in farmer’s markets. They also have the fruitiest taste.

Red peppers contain the most nutrients (for the most part), and are the most mature out of all the pepper types.

Okay, mystery solved.  Now I should really stop posting for the night.

Recipe Uno: Salad

Okay, my first recipe.  I started off with something VERY adventurous: salad.  I know, you must be like,  "I could make a salad with my eyes closed," and to be honest, you probably could, but it is only my first recipe, so bear with me.  Here goes...

To start off, here are my ingredients:
- 1 onion
- 1 yellow, red, or orange pepper
- Goat cheese
- Cold-cut chicken
- 1 cucumber
- Lettuce
- Pit-less olives
- Lemon juice and dressing (optional)

Obviously, all ingredients are optional.  Feel free to mix and match different veggies or fruits.  For example, spinach would go really well in this dish, or maybe even roasted almonds.

To start off, I peeled and sliced one of the cucumbers shown above.  After that, I took a yellow pepper (although does the colour really matter?  I'll have to check up on that...) and cut that and threw it into the bowl as well.

Olive time! (Wow, just imagine the face that would go with that.) I bought a tub of already pitted black olives, and sliced them in half.  I must have added about twenty or thirty olives, but the quantity is always up to you.

Then, I added a bit of goat cheese.  As for meat, I bought Pinty's Artisanal Chicken, which was actually really good! It was an easy ingredient, and all I had to do was throw it into the salad, no preparation necessary (I'm beginning to sound like an infomercial). Any chicken would do, though.  Once the chicken was added, I fried an onion, though some people prefer raw onions, so, again, it's a personal choice.  After it was all added, I mixed it up, and voila, salad!

Now, some people like dressing with their salad, and I added a poppyseed dressing, which is one of my favourites.  I also added a bit of lemon juice.  Raspberries or strawberries would be good in this salad, if you are the type of person who enjoys sweet mixed in with your veggies.  Oh, and as a side note, if you are frying your onions, then I would suggest adding the goat cheese in the end, so it doesn't melt completely into the mix, like it did with my dish.

So, tell me what you think.  Any ideas for what I should cook next?  Or maybe suggestions for this recipe.  All feedback is appreciated :D

-Lhasa

First Post: Intro

So, my first post.  Well.... I suppose you want to know what this Crazed Cooking blog is about?

Pretty much, I love to cook.  Maybe it's from watching too many cooking shows, or the need for fresh pie, but I just adore cooking.  So I figured, why not post what I cook?  Take pictures, and post them with the recipe? Sounds like a great idea to me! 

I already have one recipe, which I'll be posting shortly.  Please comment and subscribe if you like my blog (even though I haven't exactly posted anything yet except for this short ramble... ಠ_ಠ).  

Until then, stay tuned.

-Lhasa