Homemade, Tried and Tested Recipes

So excited! We made Jalapeño Cheese Dutch Oven Bread tonight. We have found a very dangerous favorite new hobby. The house smells amazing!

PSA - This post is delicious!!!

My son-in-law went into the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) Spring of 2022. Besides his skillful ex*****on of other culinary delights, he has Sourdough Starter that is almost 4 yrs old. I have babysat it while he was in Coast Guard boot camp (gave it back safe and sound.) I killed 1 batch he gave me.

At Thanksgiving he gave me another batch. I tried to work with it and nearly killed it too, so decided to feed it, put it the fridge and try again after the holidays.

Fast forward to this week, it ended up being super healthy and alive. I decided to make my first batch ever of sourdough bread. It was much more forgiving than I thought it would be.

We ended up with 3 loaves of fresh baked sourdough bread and 1 loaf of Red White and Blue Sourdough (cranberry and blueberry). Don’t judge the overcooked ones, they were my first batch snd still perfect inside. I’m learning my timing. I’m so excited to know how now.

We are taking a class in 2 weeks to learn better timing. Check out this “crust, crumb and alveoli” aka “Beautiful crunchiness, softness and holes inside”

I had enough “discard starter” to make olive oil, rosemary lemon sea salt and cracked pepper crackers. I think I’m in love with sourdough!

How do YOU cool large batch cooking like soup or casseroles for safe storage?

Cooling Hacks: Ice Baths, Shallow Containers, and Portioning

To cool soups more safely, consider using an ice bath. Placing the pot in a sink filled with ice and water can rapidly reduce the temperature, minimizing the time spent in the danger zone.

Alternatively, transferring soup into shallow containers increases the surface area exposed to cooler air, helping it chill faster. Portioning soup into smaller amounts also enhances cooling efficiency and facilitates quicker storage in a refrigerator.

The Two-Hour Rule:
What Food Safety Experts Actually Recommend:

Food safety experts, including those from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), recommend the 'two-hour rule' for perishable foods. This rule states that perishable foods should not be left out at room temperature for more than two hours. If the ambient temperature is above 90°F (32°C), this window shortens to one hour.

The reason for this is that bacteria can multiply quickly when food is left in the 'danger zone,' which is the temperature range between 40°F and 140°F (4°C to 60°C). In this range, bacteria can double in number in as little as 20 minutes, increasing the risk of foodborne illness significantly.

Something I have to try... soon...

Airfryer Captain Crunch Coconut Shrimp

✨Air-Fryer Crispy Cap’n Crunch Shrimp ✨ Years ago, I made over the Cap’n Crunch chicken tenders that I used to get from Planet Hollywood. Today, I’m switching up the protein and adding a coconut twist! 242 calories. 5 #WW Points. -> https://www.hungry-girl.com/recipe-makeovers/air-fryer-crispy-cap-n-crunch-shrimp-recipe