Anyone know how to cook?
With more and more restaurants closing their dining rooms amid the coronavirus pandemic, many people are going to have to rely on cooking their own meals. Whether you’re an experienced cook or a complete novice, it’s likely that you’re going to be spending more time in the kitchen.
Chef Richard Ingraham recommends keeping fresh vegetables, a variety of spices like curry, cumin, five spice powder, and lean meats in your kitchen.
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Chef Richard Ingraham, Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade’s personal chef and author of the cookbook “Eating Well to Win, Inspired Living Through Inspired Cooking,” spoke with Fox News and gave some pointers about keeping things fresh in the kitchen.
“I like to keep fresh vegetables, a variety of spices like curry, cumin, five spice powder, and lean meats like chicken breast, and fresh salmon in my kitchen,” he explained when asked about the best items to keep around the house.
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Since many people may have to figure out what to make for dinner with whatever they already have, Ingraham gave some tips on what to cook.
“I love casseroles,” he said. “I believe in not wasting anything if I can help it. If I have left over chicken. I’d cut it up and sauté it with some onions and garlic. Add in pasta sauce, vegetables, cooked pasta and cheese. Mix it up, put it in a casserole dish and bake it. Now you can feed your whole family a new and improved way of eating that chicken.”
He also explained that “it doesn’t take a lot to make dinner interesting.”
“Sometimes it’s all in preparation. Take asparagus for instance. Instead of steaming or sautéing them, coat them in eggs, a mixture of breadcrumbs and seasonings. Bake the asparagus at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes until golden. What a great side dish.”
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Of course, for some people facing self-isolation or stay-at-home state orders, the kitchen might seem intimidating.
“The trick to being successful in the kitchen is organization,” Ingraham explained. “Measure out all your ingredients and have them ready to go before you start. The worst thing in the world is to start the cooking process and having to stop and get an ingredient. Get organized and have success in your kitchen. “
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He also provided Fox News with a recipe for toffee brownies, in case anyone is looking to get in the kitchen right away.
Ingredients:
- Non-stick cooking spray
- 1 cup canned black beans
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup Hershey’s special dark unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup bitter sweet chocolate bar pieces
- 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 toffee pieces
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 9-inch square baking pan.
- Using a blender or food processor, puree the beans with the canola oil. Add the eggs,special dark cocoa, maple syrup, espresso and vanilla.
- Melt the chocolate chips and add to the blender or food processor. Blend on medium-high until smooth.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the blender/food processor and pulse until just incorporated.
- Stir in the chocolate pieces and pour the brownie mixture into your prepared pan.
- The best part: Top the brownie mixture with the toffee. You can take a toothpick and swirl the toffee into the brownies if you like.
- Bake until the surface looks dull around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few crumbs.
- Let brownies cool at least before cutting and removing from the pan. I know it’s going to be hard to wait, but trust me, it’s worth it.
