Real Life Cooking Podcast

Whole-Wheat Bread * how to proof yeast * how to knead bread dough Whole Wheat Bread 2 packages (or cakes) yeast ½ c. warm water 1/3 c. honey 3 c. whole-wheat flour 1 Tbsp salt 1/4 c. shortening 1 2/3 c. warm water 3 1/2 to 4 c. bread flour or all-purpose flour Dissolve the … Continue reading Whole Wheat Bread →

Grilled Cheese * how to use a broiler Grilled cheese ready to broil, before (left) and after (right):   Leave the oven door propped open a few inches while the broiler is on: Butter the skillet and the bread. You can put cheese on both slices or just one: Flip one slice onto the other: … Continue reading Grilled Cheese →

Cranberry Coffee Cake * how to make substitute buttermilk Cranberry Coffee Cake 1/2 c. half and half 1 tsp lemon juice 2 c. flour 1 tsp salt 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 c. butter 1 c. sugar 1 egg 3/4 tsp vanilla extract 3/4 tsp almond extract 2 c. frozen cranberries (do not thaw), plus … Continue reading Cranberry Coffee Cake →

Cream Cheese Tarts 8-oz package cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 c. sugar 1 egg 1/2 tsp vanilla 6 vanilla wafers 1/2 can (21 oz can) cherry pie filling Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin pan with cupcake papers. Put one vanilla wafer in each. Mix the cream cheese and sugar together until fluffy, … Continue reading Cream Cheese Tarts →

Double Chocolate Cookies * cooking with cocoa powder Double Chocolate Cookies 1 c flour 1/3 c cocoa powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/2 c plus 2 Tbsp butter 1 c sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla 1 c chocolate chips 2/3 c. walnut or pecan pieces (optional) Mix dry … Continue reading Double Chocolate Cookies →

Corned beef and cabbage * how to prepare cabbage Corned Beef and Cabbage about 2 to 3 lb piece of corned beef brisket one cabbage, cut into chunks 1 lb carrots, scraped and cut up 1 onion, diced (optional) some potatoes, peeled and cut up (optional) peppercorns (optional) Place the meat fatty side down in … Continue reading Corned Beef and Cabbage →

Chocolate Butterscotch Cracker Cookies * how to make butterscotch Chocolate Butterscotch Cracker Cookies saltine crackers 1 c butter, unsalted 1 c light brown sugar 1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz, or about 2 cups) 1 c M&M candies (optional) 1 c chopped nuts (optional) sprinkles (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a … Continue reading Chocolate Butterscotch (or maybe it’s toffee) Cracker Cookies →

Sugar Cookies * coloring dough * rolling out and cutting cookie dough * coloring sugar Sugar Cookies 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 c. butter 3/4 c. sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla food coloring (optional) cinnamon candies (optional) sparkle sugar (optional) Mix dry ingredients in a medium … Continue reading Sugar Cookies →

Cranberry relish * cooking cranberries Cranberry Relish (small amount) 1/2 c. orange juice (or apple juice) 1/2 c. brown sugar 2 c. fresh cranberries 1/4 tsp allspice Combine ingredients in a saucepan and heat to a boil. Turn heat down to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it cools. … Continue reading Cranberry Relish →

Mashed potatoes * Cream Cheese-Garlic Mashed Potatoes * what “water to cover” means * parboiling Cream Cheese-Garlic Mashed Potatoes 2 ½ lbs baking potatoes, peeled and quartered 4 oz cream cheese, softened 1 stick salted butter, softened 1 ½ tsp sugar ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp salt 1 tsp pepper about 1/4 c. milk … Continue reading Mashed Potatoes →

Roasted carrots and parsnips * how to prepare parsnips * Shepherd’s Pie Roasted carrots and parsnips About 1 lb each carrots and parsnips, scraped and cut into sticks about 2” long Olive oil Salt pepper Preheat oven to 425. Pour olive oil in a 9×13 pan to just barely cover the bottom, then add carrot … Continue reading Roast Parsnips and Carrots, and Shepherd’s Pie →

Roasting a turkey The seasoned turkey ready to put in the oven (left), the tented turkey resting after roasting (middle), and the finished turkey ready to carve (right): Welcome to the Real Life Cooking Podcast. I’m Kate Shaw and this week we’re going to learn how to roast a turkey! This year (2020) has been … Continue reading Roast Turkey →

Carrot-Banana Bread * how to grate carrots * how to choose bananas for baking Carrot-Banana Bread 2 very ripe bananas, mashed 2 carrots, grated 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon 1/3 c. shortening 1/2 to 2/3 c. sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract Grease a … Continue reading Carrot Banana Bread →

Khuushuur (Mongolian fried meat dumplings) * basics of kneading dough Khuushuur (Mongolian fried meat dumplings) Filling: about 1 lb. minced meat (beef or mutton is traditional) small onion, diced small several garlic cloves, minced Pepper and/or paprika Cumin 1 Tbsp or more salt a little water oil for frying Dumpling dough: about 3 c. flour … Continue reading Khuushuur →

Roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon * how to prepare Brussels sprouts Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon about 1 or 1.5 lb Brussels sprouts, cut in half 2 Tbsp olive oil 1-2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup 1 tsp salt about 1/2 tsp pepper 5 slices of bacon (uncooked) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse, … Continue reading Brussels Sprouts that aren’t revolting →

Drop Biscuits * how to fry bacon * using bacon grease * what “make a well” means in a recipe Drop Biscuits with Bacon and/or Cheese 2 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp baking powder 4 Tbsp shortening 1 c. milk 1 c. shredded Cheddar (or other cheese) (optional) 5-7 slices cooked bacon, … Continue reading Drop Biscuits with Bacon and/or Cheese →

Marinated Tuna Salad * how to prepare cucumber Link to J.B. Rockwell’s excellent SF book, Serengeti! Marinated Tuna Salad 1 medium-sized cucumber, peeled and diced 2 celery stalks, sliced 1/3 onion, diced (optional) 1/2 tomato, diced (optional) 1 c balsamic vinaigrette 1 can tuna in water (drained) mayonnaise feta cheese (optional) Place the diced vegetables into … Continue reading Marinated Tuna Salad →

Cream scones * how to bake with whipping cream Cream Scones 3 ¼ c all-purpose flour ½ c sugar 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt 1 c. nuts (or chocolate chips) 1 c. dried fruit 2 c. cold whipping cream Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl, … Continue reading Cream Scones →

Baked citrus spice fish * what “white fish” is Dave M’s Citrus Spice Baked Fish 2 white fish fillets oil for pan salt and pepper about 1 Tbsp mayonnaise 1-2 tsp citrus spice mixture (I use Badia Mojo Rub “citrus blend”) 1 tsp garlic powder (if spice mixture isn’t garlicky) bread crumbs Preheat oven to … Continue reading Citrus Spice Baked Fish →

Coconut chocolate chip cookies * how to measure coconut flakes Coconut chocolate chip cookies 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 c. butter, softened 1/2 c. light brown sugar 1/4 c. white sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 c. sweetened coconut flakes 1 … Continue reading Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies →

Fajitas yellow onion, sliced green pepper, sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced into strips fajita seasoning (about 2-3 Tbsp per pound of meat) Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with nonstick spray. Arrange onion slices in a single layer on one side of the pan. Sprinkle with salt … Continue reading Chicken Fajitas →

Fried Squash Squash 1/2 c. milk or buttermilk 1 egg 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 c. cornmeal 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1/8 tsp garlic powder 1/8 tsp onion powder 1/8 tsp paprika Oil for skillet In a small bowl, combine the milk and egg with a whisk or fork. Scrub the vegetables clean … Continue reading Fried Squash →

Vanilla crepes * buttercream crepe filling * strawberry buttercream icing * stewing fruit Vanilla Crepes 1 1/2 c. milk 2 eggs 1 Tbsp vanilla 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 3 Tbsp powdered sugar 1/2 tsp salt 3 or 4 Tbsp butter, melted Combine ingredients in a large bowl and mix well, until batter is smooth. … Continue reading Crepes and Buttercream →

Summer Fruit Cobbler Filling: ¼ c water 3 Tbsp cornstarch 2 Tbsp lemon juice ¼ to ½ c sugar 4 c fresh blackberries and/or other berries, and/or soft fruit such as peaches (peeled and sliced) Topping: 1 ½ c all-purpose flour 1/3 c sugar 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt ½ tsp cinnamon 6 … Continue reading Summer Fruit Cobbler →

Beef stew * how to clean and use turnips and parsnips Beef Stew 1 or 2 lbs beef, cut up about ½ c flour salt and pepper thyme 1 onion, diced carrots, sliced potatoes, peeled and cut up turnips, diced (optional) celery, sliced (optional) stock or water In a small bowl, mix the flour with … Continue reading Beef Stew →

Chicken pecan quiche * pie crust * what “divided” means in a recipe Chicken Pecan Quiche ½ to 1 c cooked chicken, chopped 1 ½ shredded Cheddar cheese ¼ c onion, diced 1 Tbsp flour ½ c chopped pecans, divided 3 eggs 1 c milk 1 tsp brown mustard salt and pepper about ¼ c … Continue reading Chicken Pecan Quiche →

Caramel Brownies * using a cake mix in a recipe * using evaporated milk * melting caramel Caramel Brownies 1 German chocolate cake mix 1 1/2 sticks melted butter 1/3 c evaporated milk 1 c pecans, chopped 1 bag caramels, unwrapped another 1/3 c evaporated milk 12 oz chocolate chips Preheat the oven to 350 … Continue reading Caramel Brownies →

Sweet potato casserole * how to bake a sweet potato in the microwave Sweet Potato Casserole 3 c. cooked sweet potatoes, mashed (about 3 15-oz cans, drained) 1 c. sugar ¼ c. milk 1 egg, beaten 1 tsp salt 2 tsp vanilla 1 tsp cinnamon or allspice (or ½ tsp each) Topping: ½ c. butter, … Continue reading Sweet Potato Casserole →

Spicy turkey meatloaf * how to make a substitute for bread crumbs Spicy Turkey Meatloaf oil for sauteeing 2 carrots, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 celery stalk, chopped 1 green pepper, chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 lb ground turkey 2 eggs 1 c bread crumbs 1/4 c milk 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp … Continue reading Spicy Turkey Meatloaf →

Sally Lunn bread * yeast * letting bread rise Sally Lunn Bread 1 ½ c flour 1/3 c sugar 1 envelope rapid rise/quick-rise or instant yeast ½ tsp salt ½ c water ½ c milk ½ c salted butter (one stick), cut into pieces 3 eggs (room temperature) About 2 ½ c more flour Mix … Continue reading Sally Lunn Bread →

Vanilla extract Several vanilla pods Vodka A clean jar with a close-fitting lid Cut up the vanilla pods into pieces about an inch long and put them in the jar. Pour vodka into the jar. Close the lid up tight and place the jar in a cupboard. Give it a shake every week or so. … Continue reading Vanilla Extract →

Cooking rice * rice pudding Rice 1 c white rice 2 c cold water (or broth) 1 tsp salt Combine all the ingredients in a heavy pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir once, then cover tightly and reduce the heat to very low. Cook covered for 18 minutes. Rice Pudding 2 … Continue reading Rice and Rice Pudding →

Ham Souffle 4 eggs ¼ c. milk ½ c. diced/shredded ham (or cooked bacon or sausage) ½ c shredded cheese, plus a handful more salt and pepper fresh basil, torn into pieces small tomato, chopped and most seeds removed Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and milk together until frothy. Add … Continue reading Ham (or other meat) Souffle →

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Topping: 20 oz can of pineapple rings in juice (can substitute pineapple chunks) 1 c brown sugar ½ c (one stick) butter Cake: 2 c all-purpose flour 3 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt ½ tsp cinnamon 1 ¼ c sugar ½ c (one stick) butter 1 tsp vanilla 2 eggs … Continue reading Pineapple Upside Down Cake →

Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Pretzels * how to melt chocolate “Bark” chocolate coating whole strawberries (or anything you want to dip in chocolate, really) Wash the strawberries and dry every last drop of water off them or the chocolate will solidify and never melt again. Make sure any utensils you use to stir the chocolate … Continue reading Chocolate Dipped Strawberries →

Chicken and dumplings * dredging meat * how to remove chicken meat from the bone * making chicken stock Chicken and Dumplings All-purpose flour, salt, and pepper (for dredging) Chicken thighs or quarters, skin removed 1 onion, diced carrots, chopped celery, chopped chicken stock about ½ c cream or half and half Dumplings: 1 ¾ … Continue reading Chicken and Dumplings →

Zucchini Pineapple Bread * how to grease and flour a pan * how to grate zucchini * what to substitute for oil Zucchini Pineapple Bread 3 c all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon ¾ tsp nutmeg 3 eggs 1 ¾ c. sugar 1 c vegetable … Continue reading Zucchini Pineapple Bread →

Peach Pie * how to separate eggs * how to whip egg whites * folding in ingredients Peach Pie 3 egg whites ¾ c. sugar 14 saltine crackers, finely crushed 1 tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp baking powder ½ c. chopped pecans 4-6 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced cinnamon sweetened whipped cream Preheat oven … Continue reading Peach Pie →

How to halve, pit, and peel peaches Peach Kuchen 1 c all-purpose flour ½ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt ½ c butter, softened ¼ c sugar 1 egg 1 tsp almond extract sliced fresh peaches (or other fruit) Topping: sliced or slivered almonds, 3 Tbsp turbinado sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon Grease a 9” round … Continue reading Peach Kuchen →

How to roast a chicken * a new way to peel garlic easily * how to use a meat thermometer Roast chicken The chicken freshly out of the oven and with the meat thermometer stuck in it: The broccoli steaming with the chicken under its tinfoil tent, and the finished plate: Welcome to the Real … Continue reading Roast Chicken →

baked beans * how to prepare a bell pepper Janice’s Baked Beans 1 32-oz can pork and beans, drained 1 small onion, chopped ½ medium bell pepper, chopped ½ c. brown sugar ½ lb. pork sausage, browned and drained 4 strips bacon Put everything except the bacon into a baking dish and mix well. Lay … Continue reading Baked Beans →

Iced Tea * Sangria * how to section oranges Iced tea 6-8 c. water 2 family-sized tea bags About 1 c. sugar Heat water in a pot until it begins to boil but before it is at a rolling boil. Remove from heat. Place tea bags in the water, cover with a lid, and let … Continue reading Iced Tea and Sangria →

Making pie crust * rolling out dough * preparing fresh cherries * care of a wooden rolling pin Raspberry Pie Pastry: 2 c all-purpose flour ½ tsp salt 1 ½ tsp sugar ¾ c cold butter, cut up (or shortening) 3-4 Tbsp icewater Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and cut in shortening or … Continue reading Raspberry Pie →

Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake 2 c. all-purpose flour 2/3 c. sugar 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp salt ½ tsp cinnamon 1 c. sour cream ¼ c butter, melted 1 tsp almond extract 2 eggs About ¼ c. raspberry juice, drained from berries (or ¼ c. milk) 2 c. raspberries, fresh … Continue reading Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake →

How to string pea pods/green beans * How to use a steamer basket * Carrot Recipes Sauteed Carrots some carrots, peeled and sliced up half a small yellow onion, diced cooking oil salt and pepper Saute onions and carrots in a little oil over medium heat for about a minute. Add salt and pepper, cover, … Continue reading Carrots →

Lasagna Rollups * how to ready an onion for cooking * how to brown ground beef * how to cook pasta Lasagna Rollups 9 (or 12) lasagna noodles 1 lb. ground beef 1 small onion, diced 1 24 oz can or jar of pasta sauce dried oregano, pepper, garlic powder 4 to 8 oz cream … Continue reading Lasagna Rollups →

Deviled eggs * how to hard-boil an egg * egg information Deviled Eggs 6 hard-boiled eggs, shelled about ¼ c. mayonnaise about ¼ tsp yellow mustard pepper and/or paprika Cut the shelled eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks with a spoon and put into a small bowl. Mash the yolks with the edge of the … Continue reading Deviled Eggs →

Basic kitchen equipment * how to season a cast iron skillet * care of wooden spoons * food staples * baking soda and baking powder Welcome to the Real Life Cooking Podcast. I’m Kate Shaw and this is a bonus episode. I didn’t want to run it as a regular episode since there’s no recipe … Continue reading Bonus! Kitchen staples →

Spring chicken soup * how to brown meat * how to clean carrots * how to clean spring onions and leeks Spring Chicken Soup Oil about 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs about 1 c sliced leeks or spring onions about 1 c sliced carrots about 3 to 4 c chicken stock Thyme, salt, pepper … Continue reading Spring Chicken Soup →

Cornmeal pancakes ½ c all-purpose flour ½ c cornmeal 3 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 1 Tbsp sugar ½ c hot water ¼ c milk ¼ c corn oil 1 egg Preheat skillet over medium-low heat. Grease lightly. Mix ingredients well in a medium-sized mixing bowl, then drop spoon batter into the skillet to … Continue reading Cornmeal Pancakes →

Chicken Tacos with sweet potatoes * marinading meat * peeling sweet potatoes Chicken Tacos with Sweet Potatoes 1 or 2 lbs chicken thighs, skin removed (boneless is easiest to use) 1 medium sized sweet potato, peeled and diced flour tortillas (small) canned corn (optional) lime crema or sour cream baby spinach leaves (optional) Marinade: 4 … Continue reading Chicken Tacos with Sweet Potatoes →