Getting ready to cook

abbreviations

- tsp. or t = teaspoon - Tbsp. or T. = Tablespoon -c. or C = cup -pt. = pint -qt. = quart -gal. = gallon -oz. = ounce -lb. or # = pound

equivalents

-3 Teaspoons= 1 tablespoon -2 tablespoons= 1/8 cup -4 tablespoons= 1/4 cup -5 1/3 tablespoons= 1/3 cup -8 tablespoons= 1/2 cup -10 2/3 tablespoons= 2/3 cup -12 tablespoons= 3/4 cup -16 tablespoons= 1 cup -2 cups = 1 pint -4 cups= 1 quart

recipe

-a set of instructions used to prepare a food product. -includes a list of ingredients.

tips for using recipes

-begin by carefully reading the recipe all the way through. -as you read, check to see if you have all the ingredients listed -make sure you have all the equipment needed -be sure you have enough time to prepare the food product -note the yield-you may need more or less food than the recipe makes

cooking terms

-bread means to sip the food in a liquid such as milk or beaten egg then roll in crumbs made of crackers, bread or cereal. its done to foods such as chicken and fish to give them a delicate crust. -brush is using a pastry brush to lightly coat foods with a liquid before, during or after cooking -baste is using a large spoon or baster to pour liquid over a food while it is cooking

measuring dry ingredients con.

-brown sugar is measured by packing lightly into measuring tools and overfilled and then leveled -brown sugar should hold the shape of the measuring tool when you turn it out

food cutting terms

-chop means using a sharp knife, food processor or blender to cut foods into small, uneven pieces -cube meas to use a sharp knife to cut food into small, even cubes, and about one half to one inch in size -core is the process of removing the center or core of the food with a paring knife -dice means to cut food into small, even cubes about 1/4 inch in size

cooking terms continued

-dredge is coating foods with dry ingredients by dropping it into a bag with dry ingredient and shaking to coat -marinate is placing food in a container and covering it with a seasoned liquid for a period of time -mash is using an up and down motion with a potato masher to mash foods until it has a smooth texture -pare is removing the skin or outer covering of food using a paring knife or a peeler -peel is usually done by hand and means the same as pare

Ingredient

-food items needed to make a certain food product.

tips for using recipes cont.

-get out all the ingredients and utensils you will need -your recipe may tell you to preheat the oven -follow all directions exactly and carefully measure the amount of each ingredient. -mix ingredients in the order given using the techniques stated -bake or cook foods as indicated on the recipe -use correct pan sizes and follow times and temperatures carefully

food cutting terms continued

-grate means to cut foods into very fine pieces using a grater -julienne is cutting food into flat pieces -mince is using a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut food into very tiny pieces -shred is cutting food into thin strips using a knife or the shredding section of a grater -slice uses a knife to cut food into flat pieces of even width

yield

-how much the recipe makes

measuring liquid ingredients

-liquid ingredients such as water,milk,oil,syrup,and juices should be measured in liquid measuring cups. -small amounts of these ingredients can be measured in measuring spoons -liquid measuring cups should be placed on a flat, level surface before you pour in the liquid -carefully fill the measuring cup to the line indicating the amount you need -for an accurate measure, you should check the amount of liquid at eye level -bend down to check the measurement while the cup is on a flat surface

measuring shortenings continued

-remove the shortening from the cup with a rubber spatula -this technique can also be used when measuring foods like peanut butter and mayonnaise -butter and margarine usually come in quarter pound sticks -the wrappers on the sticks are often marked with measuring lines -these lines divide each stick into eight tablespoons and you can cut through the wrapper to measure the amount you need

changing recipe yield

-sometimes you may need more or less servings than a recipe makes -you can double or half the amounts of ingredients to change recipe yields -you need to understand equivalents in order to change a recipe yields -an equivalent is something that is equal to something else

mixing terms continued

-to cream use an electric mixer or spoon to beat a mixture until it is soft and smooth -solid shortening needs to be cut into a flour mixture when making biscuits and pastry. this process is called cut in -folding is used when adding an ingredient to an airy mixture like folding chocolate syrup into whipped cream -toss is used to mix ingredients by tumbling them lightly with a spoon and fork one in each hand

how to measure

-to measure ingredients correctly, you need to use standard measuring tools

preheat

-turn on oven before beginning to cook

measuring dry ingredients

-use dry measuring cups -use measuring spoons when measuring baking powder,salt, spices, or small amounts of any dry ingredients -fill the measuring cup or spoon to overflowing -level it off with a narrow spatula or the straight edge of a knife -most dry ingredients should not be packed down because packing causes you to have more than your recipe tells you to use

measuring shortenings

-use dry measuring cups to measure solid shortening -use measuring spoons when measuring less than 1/4 cup -shortening is easier to measure at room temperature -firmly press the shortening into the measuring tool as you overfill it -be sure no air spaces are left in the measuring tool -then level it with a narrow spatula or straight edged knife

mixing terms

-using a spoon to mix two or more ingredients together is called combine -move your spoon in a circular motion to mix ingredients is called stir -beat means mix ingredients with a fast up and over motion -blend means stir ingredients so they are completely combined but not beaten -whip uses a faster up and over motion

measuring ingredients

-using the correct amount of each ingredient is crucial to the success of a recipe -experienced cooks may combine a "pinch" of one ingredient and a "sprinkle" of another while cooking -beginning cooks need to measure ingredients accurately

recipe parts

-yield- how much -list of ingredients and amounts of each -step by step directions -equipment( container size and type) -temperature and time