Kitchen Safety Tips

Here are some kitchen safety rules that you should keep in mind. People who cook enough have learned the hard way.......so BE SAFE

• Keep your hands clean while handling food. Keep countertops, food preparation surfaces and sinks clean and disinfected with a mild bleach solution. Wash vegetables and fruits to remove chemicals, dirt and molds. You may use commercially-available veggie-wash or learn to make your own, Rinse uncooked fish, poultry and meat thoroughly, under cold running water, in a clean sin. Keep your refrigerator shelves clean, as per instructions from the manufacturer.
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• Use a clean wood, or soft polyethylene, cutting board when cutting/trimming vegetables, fruits and meats. Use only sharp knives.....they are actually safer. Watch your fingers!
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• Do not allow loose or dangling clothing or hair to come in contact with a stove, open flame or any motorized kitchen machinery. 
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• Keeping pot handles angled towards the back of the stove will help avoid accidentally hitting them and tipping the pots or spilling the hot contents. Keep children away from all stoves, kitchen machinery or any hot dishes.
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• Pot holders are best to steady hot pots or to take pans out of a hot oven. Don’t use a wet cloth on a hot pan because the steam it produces can burn you.
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• Be careful while lifting the lid of a steaming pot. Open it away from you, since hot steam will burn you.
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• If you do get burned, run cold water over the burn, immediately! Never put grease or butter onto burned skin. Cold water will cool the burned skin, while grease or butter will trap the heat. Consult a first aid book for treatment.
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• If you have a grease or oil fire, it's best to use a proper kitchen fire extinguisher, correctly. If one is not available, you may throw baking soda or salt at the bottom of the flame to help put it out. (Water will make a grease fire EXPLODE and will NOT put it out!) Call the fire department, and attempt to turn all the stove burners to “off", if it can be done, safely........OR turn the electricity to the stove off at the breaker box.
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• EVERY KITCHEN NEEDS A WORKING FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND FIRST AID KIT.
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• EVERY COOK SHOULD KNOW HOW TO USE THESE IMPORTANT ITEMS BEFORE THERE IS AN EMERGENCY.

Hot Chili Octopus Recipe

Ingredients:

2tbsp butter

2 bay leaves

2 fresh basil leaves

McCormick® Spanish paprika

McCormick® chili powder
1/2 tsp McCormick® cayenne pepper

6 bird’s eye chilli, chopped finely

Sprinkle of McCormick® Marjoram

Sprinkle of McCormick® Oregano

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

12 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1tbsp sugar

Black pepper

Jalapeño

Salt to taste

1kg octopus, cut into bite size pieces

To prepare:

1. Sprinkle the octopus with salt. Set aside.
2. To make a chili mixture, mix these ingredients in a bowl: McCormick Spanish paprika, McCormick chili powder, McCormick cayenne pepper, bird’s eye chili, McCormick marjoram, McCormick oregano, half of the chopped onion, half of the chopped garlic, sugar, black pepper and salt, to taste.
3. Pour the chili mixture onto the octopus and mix them together until the flavor is evenly distributed.
4. Heat the pan to medium heat.
5. Melt the butter.
6. Sauté the remaining half of garlic and onion until golden brown.
7. Add the jalapeño, bay leaves and basil leaves.
8. Add the octopus, including the chili mixture.
9. Turn the heat up and cook until most of the water of the octopus comes out.
10. Stir from time to time until the water evaporates and the sauce thickens.
11. Remove from stove.

 Good for 6 servings

Egg-y-roll dessert, for kids (Recipe)

Ingredients:

4 eggs

4tbsp brown sugar

1 cup water

McCormick® cinnamon

Powdered milk

Oil

To prepare:

1. Beat the eggs in a bowl and set aside.
2. Boil the sugar in a pot with 1 cup of water until it caramelizes.
3. In a skillet, spread a small amount of oil and pour 3tbsp of egg. Cook both sides. Repeat the process on the remaining eggs.
4. Roll the cooked eggs into an eggroll shape.
5. Pour caramelized sugar on the eggrolls.
6. Powder them with cinnamon on top and add powdered milk.

Sweet Garlic Hot Wings Recipe

Ingredients:

5 chicken wings

9 cloves of garlic (minced)

½ red onion (finely chopped)

1 ½ tsp. McCormick® Spanish paprika

1 ½ tsp McCormick® chili pepper

½ McCormick® cayenne pepper

1 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp sugar

Salt to taste

Cooking oil

How to prepare:

1. (Note: Be careful on this step) In a bowl, I prefer to puncture the skin and meat of each chicken wing with a sharp object, several places, to allow thorough cooking. Do this step before sprinkling the salt on the wings. Massage the wings and the salt until the salt is evenly distributed on each chicken wing.
2. In another bowl, mix all the ingredients: garlic, red onion, Spanish paprika, chili pepper, cayenne pepper, black pepper, sugar and salt to taste. Mix them altogether.
3. Heat approximately ¾ inch fry oil in a 2-inch-deep fry pan (I like cast iron) over medium-high heat. Let it get to 350 degrees F. A nice deep pan helps prevent splatter.
4. When the oil is hot enough, fry the chicken wings.
5. After frying the chicken wings, put them in the spicy mixture and mix them together until the spices are evenly distributed on the chicken wings.
6. Fry the chicken wings, again, in a low heat until the spices are cooked. Avoid burning the sugar.

How to take care of knives

"You spend good money on a knife; take care of it, it should last a lifetime."

When you learn valuable things from others you feel the urge to share them. I have been shopping for kitchen utensils lately and I found a merchant who is fun to talk to and has shared many valuable tips with me on how to take care of knives.

How to take care of knives:

1. No metal is completely “stainless”. Do not allow acidic or salty foods to remain on the blade after use. This may pit and dull the finish and/or damage the sharp edge.
2. Try not to put your knives in the dishwasher. This is unsafe. Heat and detergent, along with banging into other knives and metal pans, can damage the sharp edge and the handle.
3. Wipe your knife clean with a wet cloth and dish detergent. Rinse. Dry immediately.
4. Do not cut through bones with your knife. Do not poke, pry, or separate frozen foods with your knife. Use only to cut food, not as a screwdriver.
5. Sharp knives are safe; dull knives are dangerous. If a knife goes straight and cuts cleanly, you have control. If a knife slips off the top of a lemon or citrus fruit, or doesn’t cut through meat cleanly, it is much more dangerous to use.

Richly-Spiced Beef Recipe

Ingredients:

2 tsp McCormick® Marjoram

2 tsp Haritham® Coriander powder

2 tsp of McCormick® dried oregano

Pinch of Mustard seeds

2 tsp McCormick® Curry

2 tsp American Garden® Kebab Mix

1 tsp black pepper

2 Jalapenos

9 garlic cloves (crushed and chopped)

½ Onion (chopped)

2 tsp Turmeric

2 tomatoes

2 tsp of McCormick® Spanish paprika

2 tsp of McCormick® chili powder

½ tsp of McCormick® cayenne pepper

2tsp of McCormick® cumin
Salt to taste

½ kilo foreshank beef (thinly sliced)

¼ kilo of mini potatoes (cut in half)

250ml Cream

To prepare:

Put the thinly sliced beef in a bowl, sprinkle salt to taste, 1 tsp of marjoram, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp of dried oregano, 1 tsp of curry powder, 1 tsp kebab mix, 1 tsp of garlic, 1 tsp of turmeric, 1 tsp Spanish paprika, 1tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp chili powder. Set aside.

In a skillet, put 4 tsp olive oil and sauté the remaining garlic until golden brown. Add tomatoes, stir until cooked. Add onion, stir until translucent, not golden brown. Add 2 jalapenos, stir. Add the potatoes, stir. Add the beef and stir until the beef’s water comes out. Add the rest of the remaining spices: add more salt (optional), 1 tsp marjoram, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp of dried oregano, 1 tsp of curry powder, 1 tsp kebab mix, 1 tsp of turmeric, 1 tsp Spanish paprika, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp chili powder, add ½ tsp cayenne pepper. Stir until all the ingredients are evenly distributed on the beef. Lower the heat and put a lid on the pan. Wait until the water had almost evaporated. Add the cream. Stir until the cream thickens.

Best served with cucumber salad.

Good for 7 servings.

Easy-to-prepare Egg Sandwich

Ingredients:

4 eggs

5 tbsps of evaporated Milk

Mayonnaise

Two tomatoes sliced

½ onion sliced

Sandwich bread or any kind

Salt to taste

Butter

How to prepare:

Beat the eggs, add salt, and add the 4 tbsps of evaporated milk.

In a pan, melt the butter. Add the tomatoes. Stir until the tomatoes are cooked. Add the onions. Cook until the onions are translucent not golden brown. Add the egg. Stir it to avoid burning.

To prepare the bread:

Spread mayonnaise and add the egg mixture.

Good for 4 to 5 servings

My Recipe: Creamy Mediterranean Spicy Beef

Ingredients:

2 ½ tbsp of olive oil

2 tbsp of McCormick® coriander powder

McCormick® marjoram

McCormick® dried oregano

Black pepper

2 sliced tomatoes (seeds removed)

4 cloves of garlic minced

1 onion finely chopped

2 whole jalapeños

1 can of sliced button mushrooms

½ kg foreshank beef, thinly sliced

250ml of cream

Salt to taste

How to cook:

In a bowl, sprinkle salt, marjoram, black pepper and dried oregano on the thinly sliced beef and mix them well. Set aside. In a skillet, sauté garlic in olive oil until golden brown and add the chopped onion. Next, add the tomatoes. Add the mushrooms. Add the coriander powder, a sprinkle of marjoram, a bit of salt, black pepper and oregano. Mix them well. Next, add the beef to the skillet mixture. Stir all the ingredients in the heated skillet until the herbs and spices are evenly distributed on the beef. Put a lid on the skillet and let the beef’s water come out. Let it boil, slowly. Stir it from time to time until the water evaporates. When there’s little water left, add the cream. Lower the heat and stir until the sauce is thick. Good for 7 servings.