Rudy's Cookbook Intro Page (page)
 

Basic information

CAN SIZES
FOOD EQUIVALENTS
MEASUREMENT EQUIVALENTS
SUBSTITUTIONS
FRUIT TABLE
OVEN TEMPERATURE CHART
RANGE TOP TEMPERATURES

TAILGATING TIPS
BAKING PANS

STANDARD CAN SIZES

8-ounces
Picnic
No. 300
No. 1 tall
No. 303
No. 2
No. 2 1/2
No. 10
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1 cup
1 1/4 cups
1 3/4 cups
2 cups
2 cups
2 1/2 cups
3 1/2 cups
12 to 13 cups


COMMON FOOD EQUIVALENTS

Butter and other fats
Cheese, grated
Cottage cheese
Cream cheese
Coconut, dry & shredded
Corn meal
Currants
Dates, pitted
Dried beans & peas
Egg whites
Figs, dried
All-purpose flour
Cake flour
Graham flour
Rye flour
Whole-wheat flour
Lemon juice medium
Lemon rind, lightly grated medium
Marshmallows
Nut meats, coarsely chopped
Raisins
Rice
Orange juice, medium
Orange rind, lightly grated, medium
Granulated Sugar
Brown Sugar
Confectioners' Sugar
Powdered Sugar
Whipping cream
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1 pound
1 pound
1 pound
1 pound
1 pound
1 pound
1 pound
1 pound
1 pound
8 to 10
1 pound
1 pound
1 pound
1 pound
1 pound
1 pound
1
1
1/4 pound
1 pound
1 pound
1 pound
1
1
1 pound
1 pound
1 pound
1 pound
1/2 pint (1 cup)
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2 cups
4 to 5 cups
2 cups
2 cups
5 cups
3 cups
3 cups
2 1/2 cups
2 to 3 cups
1 cup
3 cups
4 cups (sifted)
4 1/2 cups (sifted)
3 1/2 cups
4 1/2 to 5 cups
3 1/2 to 4 cups
2 to 3 tablespoons
1 1/2 teaspoons
16
4 cups
3 cups
2 cups
1/2 cup
1 tablespoon
2 cups
2 to 2 1/4 cups (firmly packed)
3 1/2 cups (sifted)
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups
2 cups when whipped

MEASUREMENT EQUIVALENTS

Dash = less than 1/8 teaspoon
60 drops = 1 teaspoon
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
16 tablespoons = 1 cup
8 fluid ounces = 1 cup
2 cups = 1 pint
2 pints (4 cups) = 1 quart
4 quarts (liquid) - 1 gallon
8 quarts (solid) - 1 peck
4 pecks - 1 bushel
16 ounces - 1 pound

SUBSTITUTIONS

1 ounce (1 square) unsweetened chocolate = 1/4 cup cocoa (in cakes and cookies increase shortening by 1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon cornstarch (for thickening) = 2 tablespoons flour (approximately)
1 cup cake flour = 7/8 cup all-purpose flour (i.e. 2 tablespoons less)
1 cup milk = 1/2 cup evaporated milk + 1/2 cup water or 4 tablespoons dried milk + 1 cup water
1 cup honey = 3/4 cup sugar + 1/4 cup liquid
1 cup brown sugar (firmly packed) = 1 cup granulated sugar.

FRUIT TABLE

Apples = 1 pound = 2 1/2 to 3 cups diced, 1 1/2 cups applesauce
Apricots = 1 pound = 3 cups cooked
Bananas = 1 pound = 2 cups sliced
Berries = 1 quart = 3 1/2 cups
Cherries = 1 pound or1 quart = 3 cups stemmed = 2 3/4 cups stemmed, pitted
Figs, dried = 1 pound = 2 2/3 cups chopped
Grapefruit = 1 = 2/3 to 3/4 cup juice, 1 1/4 cups diced pulp
Peaches = 1 pound = 2 to 2 1/2 cups sliced
Pears = 1 pound = 2 1/2 cups cooked
Pineapple = 1 = 2 1/2 to 3 cups diced
Plums = 1 pound = 2 cups cooked
Prunes = 1 pound = 4 cups cooked, 2 cups cooked and pitted
Rhubarb = 1 pound = 2 cups cooked

OVEN TEMPERATURE CHART

Slow = 250° to 300° F.
Moderate = 325° to 375° F.
Hot = 400° to 450° F.
Very hot = 475° F. and above.

RANGE TOP TEMPERATURES

Simmer is generally 185°
Hard boil is generally 212°

TAILGATING TIPS

• Make a list of what you need to bring; and don't forget the tickets.
• When in doubt, bring extra food and drinks - including nonalcoholic drinks for nondrinkers and kids.
• To make cleanup easier, use disposable containers, zip-close bags, foil pans, paper plates and plastic silverware.
• Bring plenty of chairs. • Get there early, to get a good spot and avoid the crowds.
• Park near other tailgaters to be close to the action.
• Don't forget to bring water- including some to put out the fire - and sunscreen.
• Bring a radio so you can hear what's going on inside the stadium. If you have tickets, you'll know when to head inside. If you don't, you can still hear what's going on.
• Remember food safety. Bring coolers with plenty of ice to store food. If something's been sitting out too long, throw it away.
• Make your tailgate more festive by choosing a theme. Base it on a holiday (turkey sandwiches for Thanksgiving) or the opposing team (Philly steaks when you play the NFL Eagles).
• Be respectful to other tailgaters and clean up after yourself. Bring trash bags in case you don't have access to a trash can.
• Bring paper towels or napkins in case of spills or messy barbecue.

BAKING PANS

Bundt Pan
Cake Pan
Baking Pan
Square Cake Pan
Jellyroll Pan
Tube Pan
Loaf Pan

Bundt Pan

6 Cup

Jellyroll Pan

16" X 11"

Square Cake Pan

9" X 9"
Cake Pan non stick

9" X 1 1/2" round


Loaf Pan

9" x 5"
Baking Pan non stick

12 x 8 x 2-inch baking pan

Tube Pan

10-inch
 

Knifes

French knife or chef's knife:

This is the most often used knife in the kitchen. It is used primarily for dicing and chopping. It usually is 8 to 12 inches long and has a triangular-shaped blade. The blade is wide at the handle end and narrow to a point at the tip.

Slicing knife:

This knife has a straight, narrow blade and usually a serrated edge or has a saw blade look. It of ten has a rounded tip rather than a point. Slicing knives are used to slice or carve cooked meats as well as breads and other baked goods.

Boning knife:

This knife has a thin lightweight blade'` that narrows to a razor-shay rectangular blade and is very heavy. It is the equivalent of a small ax or hatchet and is used for cutting through bones and joints or ice.

Paring knife:

This knife has a small 2 to 4-inch light-weight blade. It is used to core, peel and section fruits and vegetables.

Citrus knife:

The citrus knife has a blade serrated on both sides. It has a rounded tip that curls upward. This knife is used for sectioning fruits such as oranges and grapefruit.

Oyster knife:

The oyster knife blade is dull with a rounded point. It is used to pry open fresh oysters.

Clam knife:

The clam knife is sharp on one side with a very rounded point. It is used for opening clams and scraping the meat from the shell.

Pastry knife:

This knife can be anywhere from 4 to 14 inches long it is very thin and bends easily. Both sides are dull and it has a rounded end. It is used for spreading frosting and picking up delicate slices. It also is known as a cake spatula.

Steel:

A round steel rod is approximately 1 1/2 feet long with a wooden handle, used to maintain an edge on a knife. It doesn't sharpen the edge, but it straightens it and breaks off the burns after sharpening.

 

Dictionary of food terms

Here are terms you're apt to see on the menus of up-scale restaurants.

Aioll - A garlic mayonnaise often served with fish, meats and vegetables.
Á la Carte - A menu term denoting each item is priced separately (see prix fixe).
bain-ma-rie - A device consisting of a large pan containing hot water in which small pans or dishes may be set to cook the contents slowly or keep them warm.
Beignet - A traditional New Orleans yeast pastry that's deep-fried and served with a dusting of confectioners' sugar.
Beurre blanc - A classic French sauce made of wine, vinegar, butter and a shallot reduction that's served with poultry, seafood, vegetables and eggs.
Blackened - Describing meat or fish often rubbed with a Cajun spice mixture, cooked in an extremely hot cast-iron skillet.
Ceviche (also seviche) - An appetizer of raw fish marinated in citrus juice, (usually lime) often with onions, tomatoes and green peppers added. The acid in the lime "cooks" the fish, firming the flesh and making it opaque.
Chateaubriand - Actually a recipe (not a cut of beef) involving a thick cut of beef large enough for two people that's grilled or broiled and usually served with beamaise sauce.
Cholesterol-Rich Foods include egg yolks and organ meats. Shrimp is moderately high in cholesterol. Because of their cholesterol content.
Confit - Meat (usually goose, duck or pork) salted and slowly cooked in its own fat.
Consommé - Clarified meat or fish broth, served hot or cold and used as a soup or sauce base.
Corkage - A fee some restaurants charge to open and serve wine a patron brings to the restaurant to drink.
Créme brulée - A chilled, stirred custard sprinkled with brown or granulated sugar just before serving.
Currants There are two distinct fruits; (1) the dried zante grape; like a raisin, it is used in baked goods and (2) a fresh tiny berry related to the gooseberry. Currents are black, red, or white. The black ones are used for preserves, syrups and liqueurs; while the red and white berries are for eating out of hand.
En papillote - Food baked inside a wrapping or, greased parchment paper. The paper is slit at the table to reveal the food.
Entre Coté - A French term for a tender steak cut from between the ninth and elevenths ribs of beef.
Jamaican jerk seasoning - A Caribbean dry seasoning blend, usually containing chilies, garlic, onions and spices, used in grilling meat.
Jicama - A root vegetable, used in Mexican cuisine that has a sweet, nutty flavor.
Kobe beef - an expensive grade of beef from Japan; the cattle are massaged with sake and fed a special diet that results in beef that's full-flavored and extremely tender.
Medallion - A small, coin-shaped piece of meat, usually beef, veal or pork.
Olive oil and peanut oil are vegetable products, but they are low in polyunsaturated fats and neither raise nor lower blood cholesterol.
Polyunsaturated Fats are usually liquid oils of vegetable origin such as corn, cottonseed, soybean, sunflower, and safflower oils. They tend to lower the level of cholesterol in the blood.
Olive oil and peanut oil are vegetable products, but they are low in polyunsaturated fats and neither raise nor lower blood cholesterol. You might want to use them for flavor occasionally, but they do not take the place of polyunsaturated vegetable oils.
Prix fixe - French for "fixed price," it refers to a complete meal served for a preset price (see Á la Carte).
Ragout - A thick, rich, well-seasoned stew of meat, poultry or fish made with or without vegetables.
Ramekin - A small individual dish used both for baking and serving Custards.
Roulade - A thin slice of meat roiled around a filling - mushrooms, breadcrumbs or vegetables, for example - usually browned before being baked or braised in wine or stock.
Saltimbocca - Italian dish made of sliced veal sprinkled with sage and topped with prosciutto, then sautéed and braised in white wine.
Saturated animal fats are meat fats from beef, lamb, pork, and ham; and the fat in butter, cream, whole milk, and cheeses made from cream and whole milk.
Saturated Fats tend to raise the level of cholesterol in the blood and are therefore restricted in these recipes. These are fats that harden at room temperature, and they are found in most animal products and hydrogenated vegetable products.
Saturated vegetable fats are found in many solid and hydrogenated shortenings; and in coconut oil, cocoa butter and palm oil (used in commercially-prepared cookies, pie fillings and non-dairy milk and cream substitutes).
Sashimi - Sliced raw fish served with various condiments.
Sommelier - A steward or waiter in charge of wine.
Truss - Trussing a turkey means tying the legs and wings together to give the bird a tight look and nicer presentation. Trussing isn't necessary for cooking, and can actually make the legs and thighs take longer to cook, since the bird is pressed against itself.

 

How to Plank

Planked meals are once again in vogue. What is more appetizing than a juicy steak or chops on a plank garlanded by a border of fluffy potatoes and colorful vegetables?
Select a plank of kiln-dried oak, 1 inch thick. Common plank sizes are: 14 x 9 1/2 inches, 16 x l0 1/2 inches, and 20 x 12 inches.
The plank should be a little longer and wider than the fish or meat to be arranged on it. A new plank should be brushed with oil and heated in a slow oven for an hour before being used the first time. A potato border should come well to the edge of the plank so that the wood will not scorch during the cooking. If any part of the plank is exposed it should be well oiled.
To clean the plank, wipe off thoroughly and give it a quick scrub in hot water; never soak the plank, because it may warp. Before each using, the plank should be oiled and preheated in a slow oven.
A variety of meats, fish, and vegetables may be prepared by the planked method. The tender meats that may be easily carved on the plank are best to use. Beef, such as porterhouse or sirloin steak and tenderloin, is good planked. Mutton or lamb chops, fish, lobster, and vegetables such as stuffed onions make a very attractive plank.

Plank Garnish Ideas

  • Peas and broiled tomato slices or wedges.

  • Mashed potato nests filled with peas and buttered carrot cubes.

  • Stuffed tomatoes and mushroom caps.

  • Glazed onions, buttered carrots cut in julienne strips, mushroom caps.

  • Broiled tomato halves, mushroom caps cooked in butter and peas.

  • Cauliflower, peas, and diced carrots.

  • Broccoli and broiled tomatoes.

  • Baby lima beans and broiled tomatoes.

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