Cheat Sheet [Cooking]

2008 May 21
Medicine Jar's recent post under the TV Host Topic has inspired this idea. I'm looking for admissions of your "cheat sheet", what store-bought, or non-scratch items do you fancy up to either overcome your inexperience in the kitchen, or as a shortcut to save time.

I've always had a problem with gravy. So I confess I usually buy gravy mix and add some of the drippings from the roast or turkey. I know it isn't homemade, but at least it is edible and not a lumpy floury mess. Plus it is a great time saver when preparing a holiday meal, it helps with the timing in the crucial few minutes just prior to serving.


2008 May 21
I often opt for packaged hollandaise, both for timesaving and for keeping it from breaking, then I'll jazz it up with whatever is handy to add a bit of flavour.

2008 May 22
Canned Tomtoes. It's such a pain in the butt to peel and dice them for a sauce, so more often than not I use canned.

2008 May 22
Canned tomatoes for sure, but even though I love to bake I usually buy puff pastry, and phylo (sp?) dough.

2008 May 22
My ginger, wasabi and garlic all come from tubes. Shh. I SWEAR no one's ever been able to tell. ;)

2008 May 22
Please don't tell anyone..... but I use Walkerswood when I want to jerk.

2008 May 22
Haha. Cool.

How spicy is that stuff anyway?
I've always been curious about jerk dishes (and not just because of the name).

2008 May 22
Hey Saurian ...

This stuff can be very spicy because it contains the famous Scotch Bonnet ( or Habenero) pepper. A liitle can go a long way. I like this brand the best as it contains lots of the Jamacain escallions (similar to scallions) which cannot be bought here.

I marinate chicken and or pork (24-48 hours) in this wonderful stuff. Then slow cook on the BBQ. On the ceramic briquettes, I place some wood chips (hickory and or mesquite and or apple) along with some allspice berries, wrapped in foil.

The smell drives the neighbours crazy with drool.

This is the closest I can come to the roadside jerk stands found in Jamaica. See picture.

PS: Somehow the jerk always comes out better when sipping rhum during the cooking process.


2008 May 23
I'm drooling from simply reading your description, I can only imagine what your poor neighbours have to go through. Sounds great though. How long do you typically cook for? I don't get the allspice wrapped in foil however, do they still do their thing even though they're all wrapped up?

2008 May 23
Inkling, usually you would poke holes in the top of the foil to allow the smoke from the wood (and allspice) to get out, or you could just wrap loosely.

Captain: I have a book called "eat Carribean" from Virgina Burke from Walkerswood that contains their fantastic and really easy jerk recipe. I just jerked up some chicken last week, also with hickory chips, but adding allspice berries is a great idea!

2008 May 25
A few more cheats on my part, though not as bad as the packaged bearnaise sauce (though I use the packaged Hollandaise sauce for the same reason):

1) store bought frozen puff pastry
2) pesto - I am guessing its easy enough to make but I always buy it

2008 May 25
Medicine Jar - I'm guilty of the puff pastry as well, and even pie shells if I'm rushed. Pesto and Salsa are more often than not out of a jar (blame it on the quality of fresh ingredients - nothing though beats fresh summer salsa).

2008 May 25
MSG-free flavour cubes.

I hate Knorr and OXO but McCormick's makes a boullion cube with out MSG or too many unpronounceable chemicals. To flavour up rice, or to pick up a soup a bit. Why add salt when you can add chicken flavoured salt!!!

However, I always feel guilty for not making my own stock, resolve that 'next time' I will make my own, see the price of bones, think of all the mess and monitoring of pot all day, the lack of freezer space, and I just chuck the box of chemicals into the cart.

2008 May 25
Olivers Rock - LOL, a box of chemicals! I hear you, I too find making stock from scratch not always convenient. It is something I am more likely to do after a holiday turkey or a roast beef dinner. I too am pressed for freezer space, so sometimes I have to take a shortcut and use the "chemical stuff". I've never been pleased with any of the usual offerings, I'll check out the McCormicks, maybe without the MSG it'll be somewhat tolerable. Thanks for the info.

2008 May 25
Don't buy those nasty stocks! The Glebe Meat Market packages chicken, beef and sometimes veal stock in plastic vacuum packs--I pick mine up at The Butchery in Bells Corners. They are fresh, reasonably priced, unsalted (+ NO MSG) and can be frozen. This is the best cheat item I have--but i also use canned tomatoes, basil pesto (prepared--usually PC) and just discovered PC "Memories of Greece"--1st ingredient olive oil. This stuff is amazing for marinades and salads. Freshly grated parmesan from Farm Boy or my local butcher. Also I always have a frozen dough or two from Harvest Loaf Bakery--I like the herb and/or regular for a quick "homemade" pizza , foccacia or flatbread.

2008 May 25
I gave up making stock well over 10 years ago. The main reason being I often by boneless skinless chicken and I don't by beef all that regularly. When doing a nice meal I use the frozen stocks from Aubrey's or Sasloves. For everyday cooking I use mccormicks. I would agree the frozen stuff is better but adding $2-$4 dollars, depending on how much is used, for an everyday meal is something where I will sacrefice the quality.

Cheers

2008 May 25
WC - Thanks for the info on the Glebe Meat Market's stock, unfortunately I don't get down that way that often, but I will check them out in Bells Corners at The Butchery.

I started this topic hoping that we might share "secrets" and so far based on the replies I haven't been disappointed.

2008 May 26
I guess I'm not alone using store bought chicken stock. (And ditto with the canned tomatoes.) I usually use the Campbells chicken stock that comes in a tetra pack and tastes less salty than the powdered stock IMO. If anyone is truly interested in making their own chicken stock New 168 Market sells bags of chicken pieces for $1 in the meat counter. Of course you would have to factor in finding time to make it... Other shortcuts include using canned beans and pizza sauce out of a can when I am feeling truly lazy.

2008 May 27
We buy the Campbell's organic free range chicken stock. It's very good and if I recall correctly has about three ingredients.

2008 May 27
Pam - Ok that is a product I am not familiar with... where do you buy it? And when you say Campbell's do you mean the Soup People?

2008 May 29
Hey Food+...we get it at the Loblaw's in College Square...I actually also think that our local (Lincoln Fields) Loeb carries it. Yes, Campbell's the soup people! Here is the product on their website: campbellsoup.ca

Oh I lied - it's not chicken stock - it's chicken broth! Sorry :(