Cooking Tips: How to Grill Beef

With the Fourth of July weekend upon us, here's a great video on grilling beef by Kingsford. If you're looking for a great dry rub for your meat or a dip mix for your holiday get together, A Cook's Place has what you need.

Looking for more some great recipes? Check out the recipe page on our blog!

Recipe Wednesday: Jody's Fruit Smoothie

Jody’s Fruit Smoothie


1 cup frozen strawberries
1/3 cup frozen blueberries
2 bananas, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup Orange Juice
1-1/2 cups vanilla yogurt

Combine fruit, juice & yogurt. Blend until smooth, pour into a glass
And serve.

Recipe Wednesday: Smoked Salmon and Asparagus with Cream Cheese

Thought we'd try a little sushi recipe today taken from our Simply Sushi class led by Joshua Simpson.

Smoked Salmon and Asparagus with Cream Cheese

1 nori sheet
1 cup sushi rice
1 tsp Wasabi paste
2 tbsp cream cheese
4 slices smoked salmon
4 asparagus spears blanched and chilled
Fresh dill minced

Spread sushi rice over nori sheet, flip the roll over so the nori faces up, and with your index finger smear Wasabi and cream cheese over the rice. Arrange 2 salmon slices with two asparagus spears back about 1-1/2” from the end nearest you, allowing asparagus to poke out at each end. Roll until you reach the end, press tight to make sour the roll is tight as possible.

Cooking Tip: Vinegar

Cooks use vinegar to make pickles, deglaze pans, marinate meats, and add tang to vinaigrettes, sauces, and even desserts. Vinegars are made by adding bacteria called Acetobacter aceti to diluted wine, ale or fermented fruits or grains. This creates acetic acid, which gives the liquid a a sour flavor. Unopened, most vinegar will last for about two years in a cool, dark pantry. Once opened, vinegar should be used within three to six months.

But which vinegar should you use? Many cooks prefer old-fashioned white vinegar for pickling. It allows the flavors of your spices and main pickling ingredient to take center stage.

Vinegars add flavor when creating a vinaigrette, so choose something with a little more flavor than the neutral white vinegar. At the very least, use a white wine vinegar. But the flavors and types of specialty vinegars, like balsamic, sherry or raspberry, are as varied and diverse as can be. Cider vinegar is made from apples and is a good choice for fruity vinaigrettes. Balsamic vinegar, sweet, dark and aged in specially treated wooden casks, is one of the most sublime vinegars you can find. Another interesting choice, especially for Asian-flavored vinaigrettes, is rice vinegar, which is made from fermented rice.

Check out Le Creuset's newest color: Fennel

Check out Le Creuset's newest color: Fennel. Create a full collection of the color or mix it in with your current collection for a custom look all your own.

Le Creuset offers fennel in cast iron, stoneware, and a variety of accessories.  Associated with the finest French style and cuisine, Le Creuset has a history of quality cookware for your everyday needs.

Need more information about cookware available? Check out our online store to see additional colors and styles.

Recipe Wednesday: In The Bag Barbeque

With Father's Day on Sunday, I thought we'd give you a recipe perfect for dad! It comes from our From Smokin’ with Steve Cooking Class in 2007. (And don't forget, you can find Steve's sauce at A Cook's Place.)

IN THE BAG BARBEQUE

3-4 lb pork loin
¼ cup Steve’s Magnificent Grilling Sauce
½ can beer (but don’t let the other half go to waste)
2 T. Steve’s Magnificent Grilling Spice
1 tsp. Liquid smoke (heaping)
1 cup your favorite Steve’s barbeque sauce

Pre-cooking prep:
Rub 1 tablespoon of the grilling spice into pork loin and put in zip lock bag. Pour in grilling sauce and put into refrigerator to marinate overnight or at least 1 hour.

When cooking time arrives:
Take pork loin out of zip lock and rub in other tablespoon of grilling spice. Transfer to cooking bag and pour in juices from zip lock and add beer and liquid smoke. Put into preheated oven at 300 degrees. You will cook this till internal temp reaches 150 degrees – about 1½ hours. When temp is at 150 take roast out of oven and split open bag, leaving it in cooking pan - pour you barbeque sauce over top and return to oven. Cook for another 15-20 minutes until sauce has formed a nice glaze. Remove from oven and let stand 20-30 minutes before carving.

Your meat can now be served by slicing or pulling. A nice way to serve is to take a loaf of French bread and slice down middle and then into 3” sections. Serve open face with grilled vegetables and plenty of extra sauce.

Bonus Father's Day Recipe: Balsamic Fruit with Sweet & Sour Cream Sauce

We just couldn't resist! Everyone wants to treat dad like a king on Father's Day, so we are giving you a bonus recipe this week! Just like our Recipe Wednesday this week, our bonus recipe comes from the Smokin’ with Steve Cooking Class in 2007. By the way, if dad loves to cook, think about giving him one of our cooking classes as a gift this year. Just click on our Classes tab and find the perfect class where he can learn and taste some new foods.

Balsamic Fruit with Sweet & Sour Cream Sauce

4-5 Peaches, Pears, Apples or other favorite fruit (halved and seeded)
2-3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
¼ cup Cinnamon Sugar (1/4 sugar combined with 1 teaspoon cinnamon)
1 cup Whipped topping or fresh whipped cream
4 oz. Creamed Cheese (softened)
¼ cup Honey
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce

Leave peel on fruit. Sprinkle fruit with balsamic vinegar and cinnamon sugar. Place on hot grill flat side down. Cook until fruit yields to slight pressure and remove from heat.

Topping:
Combine honey and soy sauce and set aside. Place cream cheese in bowl and whip until you can combine the whipped topping and keep a good consistency. Stir in the honey, soy mixture. Place a nice dollop on top of fruit and serve.

Our wedding gift to you

Each year brides search for just the right cookware, kitchen accessories and tools to make creating meals fun and easy. They also look for just the right pieces to use for entertaining guests. A Cook's Place offers a bridal registry that meets all these needs.

Our knowledgable staff will guide the bride and groom through the various choices in cookware, utensils, serving pices and accessories to find exaclty what they need meet their unique needs.

And as our gift to you, A Cooks Place, is giving all our brides a complimentary utensil crock from Le Creuset in the color of their choice. Stop by our store to learn more, fill out a registry and get started.

Recipe Wednesday: Caprese Salad with Balsamic Reduction

Caprese Salad with Balsamic Reduction


The Caprese salad is one of Italy’s most classic summer salads. Traditionally tomatoes are paired with fresh basil and mozzarella cheese. A drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, reduced down to a syrup, finishes off the refreshing starter. Some chef’s will pair the tomatoes with a variety of cheeses such as goat or feta. The choice is yours but to make it a true Caprese salad, be sure to use fresh mozzarella from the gourmet cheese stand in your local grocery store.

Serves 4

3 Ripe Tomatoes

1 Container of Fresh Mozzarella rounds or logs
12 Fresh Basil Leaves
Bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup Balsamic Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Slice the tomatoes into ¼-½ thick rounds. Slice your mozzarella the same way. De-stem your basil leaves.

Pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and place on a medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-medium low. The idea is to create a syrup by evaporating the amount of water in the vinegar. This should take just a few minutes. There are sugars in the balsamic vinegar so be careful not to overcook the reduction or it will burn.

Begin plating up your salads by placing a slice of tomato on the plate and then layer with mozzarella, basil. Continue layering until there are three of everything on the plate. Finish the plate with a drizzle of Olive Oil, Balsamic Reduction, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Enjoy!

2010 Tupelo Country Club Invitational

Cooking Demonstration

Chef James Allen

Cooking Tip: Choosing Fresh Vegetables

This time of year the beautiful array of brightly colored fresh fruits and vegetables from bright yellow squash to hearty red tomatoes and brilliant green peas available at local farmers' markets and roadside stands attracts even the pickiest eater. But how do you make sure you buy the best, freshest produce for your family? Here are a few clues.

Appearance: 

• Choose vegetables with a bright, natural color and firm healthy skin.
• Avoid over-ripe vegetables that are darker and softer than they should be.
• Choose vegetables that are free of cuts, bruises and spotting.
• Look for strong, solid root vegetables that do not give when touched.
• Select smaller root vegetables for a better taste.
• Find sprout-free potatoes, onions and garlic.
• Pass on lettuce, spinach, greens and kale that are darkened, discolored or limp (a sign of wilting).
• Avoid lettuce that has been frozen or kept on ice.
• Shop for vegetables in season. To find out what's in season, talk to a grower at the local farmers' market or the produce clerk at your grocery store.

Handling:

• Keep fresh produce on top of other foods in your shopping cart. 
• Keep cut produce cold during transport  

Preparation

• Wash all fruits and vegetables with cool running tap water before eating but don't use dish soap or detergent. 
• Scrub melons with brush and running water. 
• Use clean utensils and cutting boards when preparing fruits and vegetables to reduce cross-contamination. 
• Cut away bruised parts of foods and removed the outer leaves from lettuce and cabbage before eating.

Lasagna Recipe Wednesday: Lasagna Roll topped with Pepper Vodka Shrimp with Trinity Sauce over Sautéed Spinach

Today's recipe comes from a 2010 Tupelo Country Club Invitational class by Chef James Allen.

Lasagna Roll topped with Pepper Vodka Shrimp

with Trinity Sauce over Sautéed Spinach

The versatility of the lasagna roll is endless with the topping being your choice. Marinara, Alfredo, Pesto, or anything you create pairs great with this easy yet appealing entrée. By changing the herbs and seasonings you can easily make this dish your own. These rolls can be made in a larger quantity and frozen for later use.

For the Lasagna Roll:

8 Sheets of Lasagna Pasta, curled edges


Need a new glass baking dish?
Order online or visit our store.

 1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup large cottage cheese
1 package Boursin Cheese
1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
1 TB Basil
¼ cup Chopped Scallions
1 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
2 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups Shredded Mozzarella

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and submerge your lasagna sheets for seven minutes. Drain the lasagna sheets and rinse under cold water. Set aside to drain.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, except the mozzarella, and mix well. Lay one sheet of pasta on a clean surface and spread about 2/3 cup on the pasta leaving about an inch and half of the top and bottom of the pasta with no cheese mixture. Gently roll the sheet on top of itself to form a lasagna roll. It should be about the size of a tennis ball. Continue making the rest of the rolls placing them into a greased baking dish, glass preferably. Place in a 350F oven and bake for 30 minutes. After twenty minutes remove the dish and top the rolls with shredded mozzarella, place them back into the oven and continue cooking the last ten minutes.

For the Pepper Vodka Shrimp:

2 # Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Red Pepper, fine dice
1 Green Pepper, small dice
½ Vidalia Onion, small dice
2 Stalks Celery, small dice
1 Jalapeno, fine diced
1 Tomato, medium to large dice
1 TB Garlic
1 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
1 TB Fresh Basil, chopped
½ cup Scallions, chopped
½ cup Vodka
Salt and Pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, sauté peppers, onions, celery and jalapeno, in olive oil, until soft then add the garlic, the spices, and the herbs. After a minute add the shrimp and stir. Once the shrimp is almost done, (completely pink) pour in the vodka and cook for a few more minutes. If the vodka flames up, stay calm and slowly move the skillet off the heat. If you are comfortable playing with flames in a pan, give your guests a show and move the pan back and forth to create a bigger flame. I will however, not be held responsible for burned ceilings. Proceed at your own risk!!!!!

Once the flames die down, add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper then spoon the mixture onto the plated lasagna rolls. Enjoy!
 
For the Sautéed Spinach:


1 bag clipped spinach
½ tsp. garlic
½ tsp. nutmeg
Salt and Pepper – to taste
In a large skillet, preheat the olive oil and butter until it is just turning brown. Add the garlic and the spinach, continuing to move the spinach and garlic in the pan so it doesn’t burn. Season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper and enjoy!