Shucking and Cooking Corn on the Cob

Image via Wikipedia A friend emailed this tip to me tonight.  I wish I had it while sweet corn was in season here in Michigan. I have been cooking it the way it shows in the video, but the trick is how to clean it easily without having the silks stuck to the corn. I also run some water on the corn to soak the husk and to create a little steam.


Watch the video and then you can thank me for finding it for all of us.

You can bet that I will be trying this trick! For those of us who love corn on the cob, this is an absolute must see!    No mess to preparing it, no silks to try to brush out of the corn, it comes out clean. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnBF6bv4Oe4  Enjoy The Old Guy

Pumpkin Pie Squares

Image via WikipediaWith Thanksgiving around the corner I started going through my files trying to figure out what I will cook this year.  I came across this recipe I found in 1996 that is as good today as it was then.  This recipe yields 16-20 servings.

Pumpkin Pie Squares
Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine

Filling
2 cans (15 ounces each) pumpkin
2 cans (12 ounces each) evaporated milk
4 large eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt

Topping
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

Combine topping ingredients in a small bowl until crumbly; press into a greased 13-in x 9-inch x 2-inch baking pan.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, beat filling ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth; pour over crust.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Combine brown sugar, pecans and butter or margarine; sprinkle over the top.  Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool. Store in refrigerator.  When ready to serve, cut into squares.

Enjoy
The Old Guy

One Pot Spaghetti

Image via WikipediaFast, easy, cooks in one pot, about a half hour.  Nothing wrong with this picture.

One Pot Spaghetti
1-1/2 pounds ground beef (could use half mild Italian sausage)
1 small onion, chopped (or 2 tablespoons dried minced onion)
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, pressed
1-1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 (6 ounce can) tomato paste
2-1/2 cups tomato juice
3-1/2 cups water (may need more)
2 tablespoons brown sugar (more of less to taste)
8 ounces regular spaghetti

In a 3 quart pot on the stove, mix together and brown the first six (6) ingredients over medium high heat. Drain any accumulated fat.
Add the tomato paste, tomato juice, water and brown sugar and mix well.

Bring to boil and simmer 20-30 minutes.  Add the spaghetti (uncooked) broken in  half if you prefer.  Mix well and cover,  Cook until spaghetti is done al dente and sauce has thickened.  Check and stir every few minutes to make sure spaghetti is not sticking together, and add more water if necessary.  Should be ready in about 20 minutes,

Enjoy
The Old Guy

If your rice gets gummy............

Image via Wikipedia I found the following tip in the September issue of Cooking Light. (great magazine) and just had to share it..  I never woulda thunk it but I tried the following and it really works well.

"When rice is cooked in the traditional way.....simmering in a lidded pot...the close-packed grains rub together and release starch, often leading to the dreaded sticky rice.  The solution is ratio-free ( no 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water).

Use more water.  Lots more, so you cook the rice like pasta until it reaches the proper consistency, then drain.  The pasta method keeps the rice from rubbing together too much as it cooks; draining ensures it won't suck up more water than it needs.

Check brown rice for doneness at around 25 minutes.
For white rice, which absorbs water more readily, try sauteing the grains before boiling, for about two minutes in a tablespoon of oil.  Then add roughly four times as much cold water as rice to the pan, and boil.  Check for doneness at around 15 minutes (timing starts when water boils)."

Hope this helps your rice cooking, and thanks to Cooking Light for the information.

Enjoy.
The Old Guy