Family Chow Hall

What makes a good cook?

How do some people gain a reputation as a good (or bad) cook? Does burning toast early in a marriage doom you to a life as a bad cook?

(If you are looking for a recipe, scroll on down to my last post….)

I think there are several factors in making a person a success as a cook (or anything, for that matter.) I’m not listing this in any particular order, you decide which is most important. If you find yourself lacking in one area, it is easy to grow stronger in other areas.

1. Natural-born talent. Whether you’re talking about basketball, public speaking, making friends, or cooking… I think everyone has certain natural, God-given talents. Areas that they are strong in without putting forth a lot of effort. Not that they don’t have to practice and work to be excellent, it just seems to come easier to them than to others. As far as cooking, I think that the picky eater has an advantage here. Picky eaters have a higher sense of what is good and what is yucky. When they get in the kitchen, they don’t want to make what is yucky because they don’t want to eat it.

2. Attitude. If you are convinced that you are bad at something - skiing, painting, etc. - you will be. Our minds are more powerful than we give them credit for. If we have negative images in our head, we will reproduce them with our lives. If all you can picture yourself doing in the kitchen is burning toast, then it is highly likely that’s what will happen. Try watching cooking shows. They’re great for boosting your confidence and putting positive images in your brain.

3. Practice. All professionals practice. Ice skaters, lawyers, chefs. Success does not come when you fall to the ground and stay there. It comes when you pick yourself back up. When all else fails, try, try again. As Winston Churchill said, “Never give up!” Failure can be one of the best learning tools around. I mean, really, how many times in a row can a person burn toast? Eventually you will get it right.

4. Encouragement. You need a cheering section. Look at football - they’ve got cheerleader and bands urging them on. My husband and kids are great at this. Not only do they devour almost everything I make, they make light of small failures. We never give up and order pizza. My father-in-law, when presented with food that is not-quite-perfect, usually says, “Well, I guess I’ll just have to eat it,” and then cleans his plate. This may seem out of your control, but you can even be your own cheering section. Think to yourself, “Hooray! I did it!”

5. Good Company. Car salesman, dentists, parents hang out together. They trade secrets, they encourage each other. They share problems and help one another solve them. Surround yourself with people who are successful and some of it just may rub off.

If you ever think you’re a bad cook (or anything), work on a couple of these areas and watch yourself succeed!

This makes excellent tartar sauce. Hubby suggested I post the recipe for my homemade relish, claims it is better than any he has ever had. It does not have the bright green quality that purchased relishes have. If you miss it, add some green food coloring. Personally, I don’t need it.

Back before I had 5 children running amok in my home, I would make a large batch and can it for future use. The amounts below will make 2 pints, which should keep in your fridge for quite some time. It takes some time for the vegetables to drain, so be patient.

Cheryl’s Pickle Relish
makes 2 pints

2 c. peeled and chopped cucumbers
1 c. chopped onions, sweet if you can find them
1/2 c. green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c. red bell pepper, chopped
1/8 c. salt
1 1/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. cider vinegar
1/2 T. celery seed
1/2 T. mustard seed

Combine all of the chopped veggies (use a chopper or food processor for that task) in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and cover with cold water. Let stand at least 2 hours.

Drain thoroughly. This means putting it through a fine strainer 2 or 3 times, and pressing out the liquid.

In a stock pot, combine the sugar, vinegar and spices and heat to a boil. Add the cucumber mixture and simmer 10 minutes. If you’re not canning it, this is the final step. Keep refrigerated.

If you are canning it, pack it into hot pint jars. Leave 1/4 inch head space. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

For canning information, click here.

This is an oldie that I am re-posting because it’s springtime, a great time to grill…

I love a challenge. Especially when my kitchen skills are involved. A few days ago I was issued a challenge - why don’t we have more recipes that use healthy, beneficial foods? Face it, recipes using cream of mushroom soup and shredded cheddar cheese abound. Not hard to find at all. And, don’t get me wrong, those foods are tasty. Yummy. Delicious. Just not top-of-the-line good for your heart and your health.

It got me to thinking about phytonutrients, free radicals, antioxidants, hdl vs. ldl cholesterol, and so on. I got the following information from The World’s Healthiest Foods website.

Plums - Plums (and their dried counterpart, prunes) have been the subject of repeated health research for their high content of unique phytonutrients called neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acid. These substances found in plums and prunes are classified as phenols, and their function as antioxidants has been well-documented.

Salmon - Salmon is low in calories and saturated fat, yet high in protein, and a unique type of health-promoting fat, the omega-3 essential fatty acids. As their name implies, essential fatty acids are essential for human health but because they cannot be made by the body, they must be obtained from foods. In addition to being an excellent source of omega-3s, salmon are a great source of selenium, a very good source of protein, niacin and vitamin B12, and a good source of phosphorous, magnesium and vitamin B6.

Avocados - Avocados contain oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that may help to lower cholesterol. In one study of people with moderately high cholesterol levels, individuals who ate a diet high in avocados showed clear health improvements. After seven days on the diet that included avocados, they had significant decreases in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, along with an 11% increase in health promoting HDL cholesterol. Avocados are a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. Adequate intake of potassium can help to guard against circulatory diseases, like high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke.

Here is my totally unique, brand-spanking-new recipe for Plum Chipotle Salmon Fillets - enjoy:

Plum Chipotle Salmon
serves 4 / prep. time: 30 minutes / cook time: 15 minutes

2 whole black plums - fresh
1 - 2 T. chipotle peppers (from a 7 oz. can of chipotles in Adobo sauce) Be sure you have at least one pepper - I used three when I made this
2 t. sugar
2 T. ketchup
1 T. olive oil
1 pound fresh salmon fillets
1 avocado
1 t. lime juice

Cut the plums into bite-sized pieces and place in a saucepan with about 1/2 c. water. Heat to a simmer and continue simmering for about 15-20 minutes, until the plums are fairly soft and the peels are falling off. Allow the plums to cool, then chop finely in a kitchen chopper, along with the peppers, sugar, ketchup, and olive oil. Marinate your beautiful pink salmon fillets in this sweet and spicy mixture for several hours.

(At this point, I tasted some of the sauce on a cracker and thought it was way too hot. That’s what prompted me to add the ketchup and sugar. It still seemed too hot, but I forged ahead and was rewarded. The end result was not nearly as spicy as this middle stage.)

Grill or bake your salmon as you usually do. At our house, this means I fire up the grill and cook over low heat for about 5 or more minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fillets. While they cook, chop your avocado and sprinkle it with lime. You and your lovely family can decide how much, if any, avacado to top the salmon with.

The end result is a mildly sweet and spicy, tender salmon fillet topped with cool, creamy avocado.

What could be better for you, your heart, your health, and your taste buds?