There are a great number of  instructional cooking videos on You Tube under Cooking Coarse by Chef Todd Mohr. #59 Kitchen Tools is one of my favorites. In it Chef Mohr lists and explains all of the tools you need for a well stocked kitchen. Click here for a printable more extensive list we have on the LHTCook.com website. This is Chef Mohr’s list if you prefer:

1. Food Processor  2. Mixer  3.Chef’s Knife  4. Rubber Spatulas  5. Pastry Brushes  6. Box Grater  7. Small Mesh Strainers  8. Large Colander  9. Spider (Mesh Scoop)  10. Multiple Sizes of Tongs (Short & Long)  11. Balloon Whisks (Small & Large)  12. Spoons  13. Slotted Spoons  14. Mallet with at least One Flat Side  15. China Cap  16. Chinois or Fine Mesh  17. Series of Mixing Bowls  18. Ramekins  19. Offset Spatula  20. Series of Different Sized Portion Scoops  21. Rolling Pin  22. Muffin Tin  23. Sheet Pan  24. Bowl Scrapper  25. Measuring Cups  26. Measuring Spoons  27. Biscuit Cutter  28. Can Opener  29. Pastry Bag and Pastry Tips  30. Casserole Dish  31. Baby Offset Spatula  32. Sharpening Stone  33. Digital Scale

I went to Trader Joe’s for the first time this weekend. I love that grocery store! I wish we would get one here in Dallas. They have this great guacamole kit. It contained two avocados, two roma tomatoes, one small white onion about the size of a ping pong ball, two cloves garlic, and one jalapeno. I love it when someone else does the measuring for you. I used the garlic zoom to mince the garlic and chop the jalepeno. It’s awesome! I love anything that makes prep work easier. Watch this video:

Note about the onion: I asked everyone in the office if they had ever seen these small onions and no one had so I called Vidalia Onion Committee and she said their onions come in all sizes. What they sell to the grocer is dictated by what the grocer buys. She suggested that I make a request to the produce manager to influence what type of produce they purchase.

Start with whole, unpeeled garlic.  Cut the top quarter of the stem end off.  Slather the cut side with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place cut side down in a casserole dish.  Cover with foil.  Roast in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.  When slightly cool, you can just squeeze the root end and the roasted cloves will pop right out!  You can pass the garlic through a fine mesh strainer with a spatula if you like or leave the cloves whole.
Tip:  Roast a large batch and store in a lidded jar cover with oil and store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.  Use the infused oil later for sauteed vegetables.  They’ll never figure out where all of that sweet garlic flavor came from!

I just got back from the Atlanta International Housewares Market and I cannot wait to show you the menagerie of new tricks and tools I saw. To spice things up, we are going to be giving away two of our Product Pick of the week.

I think my least favorite part of cooking is the prep work. I dislike it so much I usually try to talk an innocent bystander into prepping the ingredients for me, or I buy it already peeled and ready to cook from my grocer.

If this sounds familiar you are going to love the Swissmar Duo Peelers. Each set contains two different blades.

New, patented technology has given Swissmar’s Classic peelers a few new edges. These blades are scalpel sharp, which means less effort to peel and a thinner peel with every stroke.

Use the scalpel blade for hard fruits and vegetables such as apples and potatoes. It can also be used to shave hard cheeses and chocolate. Use the serrated blade to peel softer fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes and zucchini. You can use a back-and-forth sawing motion to shred cabbage and create potato ribbons if desired.

I can’t guarantee these peelers will make you love prepping, but they will definitely make it a lot easier and less time consuming. Hope you win but if you don’t  Click Here to find a kitchen-wares store and purchase a set! Mary Beth

Prize:
2 lucky winners will receive a set of Swissmar Swiss Duo Peelers. We will pick 1 random winner per week (for a total of 2 weeks) from all the entries.
Eligibility:
1) Leave a comment on this article to let us know which food prep gadget you like the most.
Just scroll down and leave a comment.
2) You also must currently be a subscriber to the Learning How to Cook blog.
3) USA residents only due to shipping restrictions
4) Not open to Employees of GC and its affiliates or affiliates of the manufacturer of prize products.
5) Use products at your own risk. LHTC assumes no liability for product. Prize(s) are given without any warranty from LHTC. Warranties, if any, are from the manufacturer.”

Legal Notice: No purchase necessary to enter. Contest void where prohibited. Contest open to members who are 18 years or older. Contest open only to currently eligible Learning How to Cook subscribers. Restrictions may apply. Winners will be announced on 02/19/2010 and 02/26/2010 in the articles for those days on this blog.

I am hoping you will win the Terrine I talked about yesterday so today I researched what can you cook in it that’s simple but tastes and looks fabulous. This YouTube video shows a great meatloaf. How much prettier it will look served in our Terrine!

SouSou suggests you serve it hot with potatoes or green vegetables or cold with a salad.
If a main course does not suit you. Martha Stewart used the baking dish to make this Mixed Berry Terrine and it only takes 4 ingredients.  Happy Cooking!!!

During the month of January foodieblogroll.com is running a Contest. Click here and Comment to Win an Emile Henry Terrine and a set of 4 Duralex Picardie Tumblers. You can also order one from one of the Gourmet Catalog Stores found here. This pan is exclusive to Gourmet Catalog & Buying Group stores so you won’t find it anywhere else!

Emile Henry ceramic bakeware has been made in Marcigny located in the Burgundy region of France since 1850. There, potters still hand craft each piece from the local Burgundy Clay - one of the purest of clays, and finish each one with a process known as CERADON, which makes them extremely solid and durable. Containing no lead , the clay is one of the best materials for baking and serving. It is unsurpassed for conducting and retaining heat. Dishwasher safe, shock resistant, and highly resistant to chipping, each piece carries a 3-year guarantee  against defects. Keeps hot, keeps cold – moves directly from freezer to oven to table.

The glazes in the Classic collection are transparent, creating bright, vibrant colors for your kitchen. This classic terrine is designed to perfectly make foie gras. The handles make it easy to remove the dish from the oven and is designed with shallow sloping sides, to ease out the cooked food.

Check out the blog tomorrow for recipie ideas that move from Freezer to Oven to Table in this Terrine.

Want to have an impromptu holiday get together but don’t have time to prepare? Make an Antipasto Tray. Below are pictures of one I did for a party of about 100 people. We used the whole table, but a large serving platter or cutting board is sufficient for a party of up to 12 or 14. You can get it all together in under an hour including grocery store time.

1. Determine what serving platter you will use. I have a large slate serving board that I like. I place a bowl for the olives in the center. I have a large tall glass that I use for the breadsticks. Wooden Picks and tongs and little appetizer plates.

2. Prepare a grocery list of what you want to serve. Keep it simple. Remember a small amount goes a long way. I usually do (3) Meats [(2) types of Salami, and (1) Prosciutto]. (3) Cheeses [Bocconcini in a little olive oil, fresh chopped parsley and red pepper flakes and salt and pepper, Pecorino and Provolone, cubed]. (3) Peppers [Roasted Red Peppers drained and Cut into strips with a little thinly sliced garlic added, Pepperoncini and Peppadew Peppers]. Artichoke Hearts, drained and quartered and Figs, sliced in half. Enough Mixed Olives for the small bowl in the center.

The trick is to go to a better grocery store like Whole Foods, Central Market or a specialty Italian food store if you have one in your neighborhood. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you go during a slower time there is always a friendly grocer that will cube the cheese for you and show you where everything is. You can also call before you go and everything will be ready when you arrive. To cut down on cost go to the olive bar and only purchase the amount you need.  You will find artichokes there also. Ask the butcher to slice the meat really thin and ask him for a suggestion of what type of salami.

3. To serve just line your platter(s) or board(s) with raddicchio leaves and place your goodies fanning out from the olives in the center. Alternate colors for a pretty display. Since you had your grocer do most of the prep work this part is easy.  You will not believe how impressed your guests will be.! Happy Entertaining! Mary Beth

Chantal’s Classic Teakettle is featured in the opening sequence of the newest commercial for “The Beatles: Rock Band” video game.
The game is expected to be one of the top sellers this holiday season and Chantal is excited to see that they chose to show their teakettle.

Click here to watch the video! and Click here to find a place to purchase one!
Pay close attention to the first few seconds.

I was speaking with Meggan on Monday and she told me a great story about what to do with burnt biscuits. Meggan made biscuits Saturday morning and burnt them on the bottom. She didn’t want to throw them away but once she cut the bottoms off they were too thin to spread with butter and jelly. She also had a bag of apples she needed to use so she decided to make an Apple Cobbler in this great Le Creuset 5.5 Quart Dutch Oven. Don’t you think it is just divine in the Caribbean Blue? Here is her recipe:

Peel, core and slice about 8 to 10 Granny Smith apples. Place in a 5.5 quart French oven. Add 1/3 cup of orange juice, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 tbsp. of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of Nutmeg (if desired). Place on stove top and cook down until soft.

Drain off liquid and reserve, keeping the apples in the same French Oven. Cut the burnt part off your biscuits and throw away.  Break the remaining biscuits up into silver dollar sized pieces. Cover the apples with them. Cut up 1/3 cup of butter and place on top of biscuits. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of brown sugar.  Pour reserved liquid over everything. Bake in the oven from 350 to 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve in your Le Creuset Dutch Oven. Enjoy!!

Find a place to buy this Le Creuset 5.5-qt French Oven.

In keeping with the true spirit of the harvest look what I received from one of our members:

Robert and Lynn in Alabama write:
“We had about five dozen Satsumas on one little tree. The other tree didn’t make any this year…guess it is too small. We canned four pints of fruit sections, and we still had plenty to eat.”