星期日, 十一月 11, 2007

Muffin Baking Tips

Mixing Ingredients

Fold the batter over until it is barely mixed. Don't stir it excessively. You can tell when your batter is properly mixed when the batter appears bumpy in the bowl and falls in lumps off the spoon. It produces a baked muffin with an even texture with no large holes or tunnels, which is moist and tender. Properly stirred muffins are best for cycling, where durability is an important factor.
An overmixed batter brings out the gluten in the flour, making the dough smooth and elastic. The batter will stretch when lifted with a spoon. The resultant muffins are tough, dry, and are more prone to crumbling, and have an uneven texture with holes and tunnels.

Choosing a Muffin Pan

Choose a solid, well-constructed muffin pan. It should have beaded, rounded corners, and the cups should be seamless.
Shiny muffin pans reflect heat whereas dull or dark pans absorb heat. Dull pans result in a browner crust and you may with to lower the temperature by 12 C (10 F).

Filling the Pan

Muffins are sized by measuring the diameter of the wides portion. A miniature muffin is 2 inches across, medium is generally 2 3/4 inches, and a large muffin is 3 1/2 inches diameter.
To keep crusts from burning, always try to leave one muffin cup with water, which prevents burning and reduces uneven baking. If the batter will fill only half of the muffin tray,fill the remaining cups with water to avoid heat damage to the metal.
To grease a pan quickly and cleanly, slip your hand into a plastic sandwich bag, then grease. While shortening is often used to grease pans, butter or leftover bacon grease are better alternatives. When making extra large muffins, grease the top of the muffin pan to prevent the muffin tops from sticking to the pan.
If a pan becomes encrusted, soak it in cold water sprinkled with baking soda and allow it to stand for several hours. Wash as usual.

Ingredients

When doubling a recipe, cut back on seasonings such as salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and the like. For a double batch, adjust seasonings by only 50% as a rule of thumb.
If using non-instant milk powder as a substitute for milk, mix dry powder with other dry ingredients, and add the required volume of water to the wet mixture. Otherwise, the milk powder will become lumpy.

Serving and Storing

Muffins are best eaten within two days of baking. Store fresh muffins in a container with a loose-fitting top, as they can become sticky in an air-tight container.
When freezing muffins, allow them to cool fully before wrapping in a plastic bag or air-tight plastic container. Muffins freeze best for one to two months.
Frozen muffins are best reheated by baking at 200 C (400 F) for 25 minutes when covered lightly in foil. Muffins which have cooled to room temperature are reheated by again covering lightly with foil and heating at the same temperature for 10 minutes. Another approach is to sprinkle water on the inside of a paper bag, fill it with muffins, close the bag tightly and bake it at 150 C (300 F) for 20 minutes.

Stale Muffins

To freshen stale muffins, sprinkle water on the inside of a paper bag, fill it with muffins, and bake it for 20 minutes at 150 C as above.
Leftover stale muffins can be frozen in a plastic bag and used later as a quick topping for a casserole. Crumble the muffin, dot the top with butter and sprinkle it with cheese. This is especially good with savoury or whole wheat muffins.

星期五, 十月 26, 2007

Fruit Scones

450g (1lb) Self Raising Flour
110g (4oz) Satled Butter
110g (4oz) Sultanas 50g (2oz)
Sugar ½ tsp
Baking Soda
1 egg, beaten
milk

Preheat oven to 190°C.
Rub the butter lightly into flour, lifting the mixture to add air, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Add egg

Add the sugar and sultanas.

Add soda, mixing in enough milk to make a soft dough.

Pat or roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until about 1.5cm (½ inch) thick, cut into 4cm (1½ inch) rounds.

Bake for 12 - 15 minutes.

星期四, 十月 25, 2007

今天无聊,谈谈几年前发生的一件小事

张教授手下有不少人帮他干活。人来人往很是热闹。其中一个是国内来的访问学者。孟美美,工程博士,三十多岁,女,已婚,模样一般,并不难看,就是那种让人看了记不住的女子。

大家都知道所谓访问学者,就是无事可做。孟美美也一样,来到英国,无所事事。办公室里的中国男同事不少,个个被生存的重担压得上喘下嘘,狼狈不堪,也就无瑕顾及这国内来的年轻女人。大多数的时候,大家忘了孟美美是个女人。

孟美美的丈夫是何等人,不得知,美美告诉大家,丈夫很忙。美美在英国无亲无友,甚是孤独。象大多数的国内来的访问学者,美美用钱很仔细,住着离大学很近的便宜的房子,条件不佳。美美除了睡觉吃饭之外,不想在自己的房间多呆一分钟。晚饭后,美美一定要回到办公室里来。先是上网,看新闻。渐渐地,网上聊天。很快,美美在网上找到了要好。白天人多,不方便,晚上是美美的大好时光。美美每天在网上谈的兴高采烈,脸上发光。

美美在恋美美在爱。像天空的气球,美美觉着自己在飘荡,轻悠悠的,感觉很好。她忘记了英国冬天的阴暗;她忘记了房间的潮湿寒冷。一切是那么美好,她觉着自己很漂亮,很聪明,很可爱,感情很丰富。她和网那边的他谈很多东西,谈很深的东西。那个网那边的他,如同阳光和春雨,让她这朵鲜花彻底开放。周末到了,美美慌里慌张买够一周的日用品,就赶回到办公室,回到网那边的他的身旁。美美在谈恋爱。美美兴高采烈。

办公室的男同事们互相挤眉弄眼,暗自偷乐。恋爱的女人是瞎子,这些美美都没看见。美美天天很激动。和那些沉闷的中国男同事及他们压抑的老婆们相比,美美的世界阳光灿烂。美美为此洋洋得意,美美甚至对那些披头垢面的老婆们有些同情。美美懂生活,懂爱。美美不仅业有成就,美美也有爱。Life is good. 美美很幸福更是很兴奋。

时间飞逝,回国的期限到了。美美慌了。一年下来,美美一篇文章没写。本来想做的事,一件没落实。回国要带的礼品还没有准备。最后的几天,美美忙疯了。找人替住自己的房间,要不然美美要丢失一笔不小的房子压金。买礼品,打发国内的父老乡亲,亲朋好友,上级领导。给国内外两边的领导写工作阶段报告。打包。衣服好久没洗了,没关系,塞进行李箱里带回国去洗。。。

尽管这样忙,美美继续干着当今世上最流行的一件事,网上谈爱----网恋。

最后一天,最后一天到了,美美好歹也是博士毕业,对计算机懂一点。美美的秘密不能让人知道。美美决定清洗计算机。

最后一天,在这关键的最后一天,美美清洗计算机。美美清洗计算机。。美美清洗计算机。。。

办公室的同事们都在想,美美有秘密。美美有秘密。。美美有秘密。。。

系主任路过串门,看见美美在formatting硬件,有点吃惊。

系主任找到张教授,想知道美美在最后一天为什么要formatting计算机。 张教授不好说什么,只说了声,”哦” 。 张教授过来告诉美美,这台机器装有系里重要的画图软件,小心一点。这时的美美满脸通红,手忙脚乱,什么也没听见。

。。。。。。。。。

美美走了,办公桌上下留下一堆烂纸碎片。
美美走了,办公室的钥匙带走未还,张教授为她交的钥匙押金5英镑自动成了系里的活动基金。
美美走了,她的宿舍房间里留下一片混乱和尘土。
新住进来的男孩无论如何不相信他的前任是个女子。
美美走了,系里的画图软件再也启动不了了。原来放在这间办公室的原版软件也早已不翼而飞。 系里只好花了几千英磅重新购买这画图软件 。
美美和网那边的他最后怎样了,无人知晓。。。

One day at the departmental Christmas party, after a few drink, the head of department said to his secretary, “That Chinese lady - Meimei Meng is the most stupid woman I have ever seen”. 张教授听到了,躲到一边去了。


(故事绝对属实,名字完全改动了)

星期五, 十月 19, 2007

红烧大虾

材料: 虾,葱,姜,糖,盐,味精,酒

做法:

温油热以后放入虾开始炒,等虾变色后,加入葱和姜,出香味以后加入一点点酒和糖(糖一定要比平时做菜多放,否则 不好吃)翻炒均匀后加水! 盖上锅盖,把火关成小火,开始慢慢烧! 大概30分钟左右,待国内的水变成汁儿,就好了。

出锅前加上味精和少量盐!

Spaghetti with home made tomato sauce

Ingredients

1. Spaghetti 500g
2. Fresh tomatoes 1kg
3. Basil leaves
4. Hard cheese
5. garlic



A. Boiling Spaghetti in salty water until soft but not quite, drain those silly strings completely


B Making tomato sauces

1. very little olive oil
2. a couple of garlic slices
3. tomatoes
4. seasoned with salt and pepper and basil leaves
5 heat the pan at low temperature for 20-30 minutes or until tomatoes disappear


C Folding tomato sauce into spaghetti

1. heat the pan with low temperature
2. put drained spaghetti into the pan
3. sprinkled with olive oil, seasoned with pepper
4. pure all tomato sauces into the pan, fold it well with spaghetti
5. continue heat the pan until spaghetti complete soft but still very biteable
6. sprinkled with freshly grated hard cheese
7. sprinkled with basil leaves

黑白糯米粥

黑白糯米少量
水煮开
浸泡1小时
放入slow cook 小火3小时
放入葡萄干,继续1小时
加糖调味

星期四, 八月 16, 2007

慎独

慎独可以杜防我们百分之八十的罪过。

星期二, 八月 07, 2007

缺点

当从父母身上找到自己的缺点时,会感到一点欣慰;而从子女身上发现自己的缺点时,感到的是恐怖和负疚。

如果父母真爱自己的孩子,就一点一滴地改自己的缺点吧。

星期一, 八月 06, 2007

放逸

人如果放逸自己,人就把自己降为动物了。这包括吃睡的放逸,作态的放逸,言辞的放逸。而情感及思维的放逸,其害无穷。

星期四, 四月 05, 2007

凉拌香菜海带丝

海带丝半斤

  配料: 香菜(香葱)、生姜、大蒜、胡椒、辣椒末、小磨麻油、醋、白糖、味精、盐

  做法:

  1. 海带丝洗净,放在沸水中焯一下,然后用凉开水把海带丝冲凉

  2.香菜(香葱)、生姜、大蒜都切成末,洒在海带丝上,

  3. 加胡椒、辣椒末、小磨麻油、醋、白糖、味精、盐

  4. 拌匀,装盘

Fresh egg sandwiches

Indigents


1. a couple of thick sliced bread
2. organic lettuce
3. organic egg
4. fresh coriander

Steps


1. boil the egg -12 min; then peel and halve the egg
2. toast a slice of bread with a thin spread of organic butter and another
one without butter
3. wash the lettuce thoroughly, cut them into 2 inch squares and leave the stems out, lay the lettuce pieces onto the bread slice
4. add a few coriander leaves
5. add fresh grinded peppers
6. put halved eggs on the top of the lettuce
7. finish with second slice of bread

星期五, 三月 30, 2007

茄子西红柿

1个茄子,切片
4-6个西红柿,切片


姜蒜切片
菜油加热
油煎茄子,直至煎透
加入西红柿
长时间翻炒
加入老抽
加红糖

星期三, 三月 28, 2007

Fried rice with eggs and broccoli

Fried rice with eggs and broccoli

Stir-frying rice is a great way to turn leftover rice into a quick and easy meal. It's important that the rice is cold so it won't become sticky while cooking; the oil coats the chilled grains and prevents clumping.



3 cups small broccoli florets
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups cooked long-grain rice, chilled
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper powder

Steam broccoli, covered, 2 minutes or until crisp-tender; rinse with cold water. Drain; cool.

Combine eggs and 2 tablespoons water, seasoning with salt and fresh grinded five-pepper-mixtures, and fold them well.

Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add egg mixture; stir-fry 30 seconds or until soft-scrambled, stirring constantly. Remove egg mixture from pan.

Add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil to pan. Add ginger and garlic; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add rice; add white pepper powder and stir-fry 3 minutes. Add broccoli and carrot; cook 1 minute. Add cooked eggs and salt; stir-fry 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.

星期四, 三月 22, 2007

海带香菜

做法:
1. 将干海带泡在水中30分钟。
2. 将海带,香菜洗净切丝。
3. 放老干妈辣酱,醋,糖,盐搅匀即可。
拌三丝的做法:
1. 将龙口粉丝浸泡后放到开水中煮熟捞出,放冷水浸泡。
2. 将白菜,胡罗卜切丝。
3. 胡罗卜在油锅里稍稍炒一下,因为胡罗卜中的维生素是油溶的,人体容易吸收。
4. 将粉丝,白菜,胡罗卜,老干妈辣酱,醋,糖,盐,芝麻搅匀即可。

星期日, 三月 18, 2007

Rhubarb Ginger Crumble

Ingredients
• 10 rhubarb stalks
• 8 tbsp caster sugar
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 100g butter, softened
• 100g demerara sugar
• 180-200g plain flour
• double cream or ice cream, to serve
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.

2. Cut the rhubarb into 3-inch slices, discarding any leaves, and place on an oven tray. Sprinkle the water and caster sugar over the rhubarb and cook in the oven for 10 minutes.

3. Once the rhubarb is cooked, remove. Mix in the ground ginger and transfer the rhubarb to an ovenproof dish.

4. In a separate bowl, mix the butter and sugar together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Then add the flour to make the crumble topping. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the rhubarb and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until golden-brown.

5. Remove and allow to cool slightly before serving with ice cream or double cream

星期五, 三月 16, 2007

Quick home-made fresh Pizza

1. a thick slice of bread
2. add finely grated cheddar cheese
3. add sliced tomato or halved cherry tomatoes
4. add one walnut or pecan halve
5. seasoning with fresh grinded pepper and salt
6. add more grated cheese to cover up sliced tomato
7. put it under grill for 4-6 min

星期三, 三月 14, 2007

Pasta with cherry tomato

Pasta with cherry tomato, carrot & yellow (or red) pepper

1. boiling pasta in salty water
2. heat the oliver oil with a medium heat in a separate pan
3. add the garlic slices
4. add a finely chopped onion, cook them in the pan for 2-3min
4. add halved cherry tomatoes and finely sliced carrot and chopped pepper
5. add seasoning to taste, sea salt and fresh grinded pepper
6. drain the pasta, add to the pan of cherry tomatoes etc.
7. add moderate amount of grated cheese
8. add one table spoon of yogurt
9. fold them well

星期六, 三月 03, 2007

Mashed Potatoes

What is the best recipe for mashed potatoes?
Simple - the recipe your mom made for you growing up.

Bottom line, there is no one perfect recipe! It's really depends on your personal taste preferences which most likely were developed by what you were served in your youth.

Mashed potatoes are one of the ultimate comfort foods and I imagine how you like your spuds mashed is highly influenced by the style of potatoes you were served as a kid.

Think about it. What comes to mind when you think of ways to describe mashed potatoes?

Some of the more positive descriptions might be creamy, smooth, rich, textured, flavorful, buttery, fluffy, light, potato tasting.
Or maybe you weren't so lucky and were served lumpy, bland, watery, dry, gummy, pasty, starchy, heavy, gloppy potatoes. Sound familiar, I'm sure there are many more way to describe mashed spuds, but this should do for now.

I personally like mine dense, smooth, buttery but where you can still taste the potato. I have friends who like them rich and creamy but with a little texture. Think about how you like your mashed potatoes.
HOW YOU GET TO YOUR DESIRED MASHED POTATOES IS GOING TO DEPEND ON FOUR SIMPLE FACTORS:
• What type of potato you are using?
• How you cook them?
• How you mash them?
• What you add to them?

WHAT TYPE OF POTATO - HIGH STARCH OR LOW STARCH?
Potatoes are basically water and starch. High starch potatoes like russet and Yukon Gold are often used because the more starch, the fuller the actual cells of the potato resulting in a fluffier texture. Some say they tend to be creamier than other potatoes.

Low starch potatoes like round whites are more waxy and some chefs say better for mashed spuds because they absorb less water and hold up better when cooking. They also think they have more flavor and less "starchy" taste.

HOW YOU COOK THE POTATOES
Without going into the science of it, always start you potatoes in cold water with a salt added to it. How much water? Just enough to cover the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are tender when pierced with a knife. How long it takes depends on how many potatoes you are cooking.

When done, drain them immediately! Do not rinse, just drain and put them back in the pot and return the pot to the stove on low heat. This will make a huge difference because the low heat will allow some of the excess water to evaporate leaving you with less water and more potato resulting in more flavor.
HOW TO MASH THE POTATOES?

How you mash your potatoes will greatly effect the texture and style. There are several tools and methods all having different results. For example, the most common masher in America is the Wire Masher. With it you can create either a smooth or textured mashed potato depending on how much you work.

If you are looking for really smooth mashed potatoes (the way I like them) you can try a Potato Ricer. Looks just like a giant garlic press and "rices" the potatoes that you then combine with your other ingredients for extremely smooth potatoes.
If you are looking for fluffy, airy potatoes, try an electric mixer. Often used in restaurants to stretch how far a potato can go, the mixer whips air into the potato giving them more volume and staying power.
WHAT TO ADD?

As important as type of potato, how you cook them them & finally mashing technique is what you add to them. Makes sense if you add cream over milk the end result should be creamier flavor. Instead of butter, some chefs have told me they use olive oil or duck fat.

Then there are the fun extras given to me by visitors to my web site with some mentioned below. I'm talking about cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, hot English mustard, turnips, parsnips and whatever else you may find in your family's secret mashed potato recipe.
of recipes for creative mashed potatoes.

星期二, 二月 13, 2007

炸茄盒  

 

主料:长嫩茄子250克,肉馅100克。   
配料:鸡蛋2个,面粉50克,色拉油750克。   
调料:碘盐4克,味精3克,料酒3克,葱姜末各3克,椒盐6克。   

制作:   
1 茄子去蒂洗净去皮,切夹刀片。海米切末。   

2 肉馅内加葱末、姜末、味精、半个鸡蛋搅均后,放入茄夹内,茄夹沾面粉备用。剩余鸡蛋打入碗内,加面粉搅成全蛋糊,将茄夹拖全蛋糊。   

3 勺内放油,烧六七成热,把茄夹逐个下入勺内炸熟,呈金黄色时捞出沥油装盘,放椒盐即好。   

关键:全蛋糊要调的干稀适度,掌握炸时的油温。

星期三, 一月 31, 2007

芋头炖排骨


排骨洗净斩成小段,锅里加清水烧开,然后放下排骨煮5分钟出水待用(把上面的泡沫用冷水再洗去一遍)。芋头削皮切成5公分大少的块、姜拍碎。将以上材料全部放入沙锅内,加入清水,想喝多些汤就稍多加些水就行了,先用最大的火将锅烧开,后改为小火慢慢炖两小时。