#wcicw

[whatcanicookwith]

Perfect French Toast

So I know everyone has a different preference for French toast, and some people think it’s really hard, but once you know what everything does, it’s really easy to get the texture and flavor you want.

Ingredients

1 egg

1/4 c milk or cream

Tablespoon or more of cinnamon OR apple pie spices

Bread (any sort works but stale bread works best and thick cut bread works better than thinner slices imo)

Dash of salt

3 tablespoons of white sugar + some for dusting

Butter

Vanilla (I don’t measure just like probably a tablespoon)

Equipment

Cast iron or other skillet

Spatula

A bowl

A plate

A shallow, wide dish to dip the toast in

Procedure

Whisk together your egg, milk, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Make sure everything is extremely well combined because otherwise you’re gonna have pieces of cooked egg on soggy toast

Set your stove on medium heat and let your skillet begin to heat up

Depending on your bread, set it down in the custard on one side, let it sit for a second, and then flip it. Put it on the plate and repeat with your other pieces of bread, stacking them on top of each other

Once the skillet is up to temp, either rub butter on the bottom or drop a spoonful in there and set down the bread. Get it to a nice golden color and flip, adding more butter if needed

Sprinkle some sugar on the golden side right before you flip it for the second time, this will give you a nice crust if you have buttered your skillet enough

Repeat for the other side once the toast is a dark caramel color

Serve immediately with honey, syrup, jam, etc

Questions

Why is my toast is burnt on the outside and soggy inside?

You cooked it on too high of heat. The toast needs time to get up to temp on the inside before the outside burns

I don’t like the crust, how do I make it softer?

Add more milk

How do I make a more crispy toast?

Add another egg and another tablespoon of sugar, and make your dusting thicker when you flip it

My sugar burnt when I flipped the toast

Too high of heat, turn down the burner and let it cook lower and slower

Why is this recipe so small?

Because I am but one fool in my kitchen and although my cat wants some, I’m the only one able to eat it. This recipe was tweaked and derived from a larger yielding recipe, so double or triple for however many pieces of toast you’re making.

Can I save the custard?

You can! My class schedule for college is GARBAGE right now with no breaks and I’m consistently late to stuff (thanks ADHD) so I ran some tests and you can make it the night or day before and stick it in a mason jar or something in the fridge and it’ll be just fine. That way you just have to heat up the pan, dip the bread, and slap it on there. Just make sure to shake it, and while you dip your toast, make sure the custard doesn’t separate.

You didn’t answer a question I have

DM me! Or send an ask and I’ll be happy to help. Also if you make anything I post, tag it with #wcicw

[whatcanicookwith]

Any thoughts on how to not sob like a child while cutting onions?

Yes actually! So the reason we cry when cutting onions is bc you’re cutting cells and when that happens you tear into them and they release acid that hurts our eyes.

Have a sharp knife! One of the biggest factors in how much acid an onion will release is the sharpness of the knife! A dull blade causes more trauma to the flesh which means more acid.

Wet your knife! This helps the blade slide through the onion and some other science shit. The way I think of it is it like keeps the acid in the water not the air. Idk but it makes a difference!

Chew mint gum! Idk why this works tbh but it does.

Turn on the vent fan! Gets the acid out of the air!

[whatcanicookwith]

(Finally!)

How to season a cast-iron skillet

What’s up everyone I’m so sorry I’ve been inactive; I’ll probably make a post about it in a bit! But anyway, I’ve finally finished troubleshooting so here’s how to get basically the best thing ever for cooking and way cheaper than fancy nonstick pans that don’t work as well.

Cast iron is best used for high heat cooking but you can use it for whatever. I use my skillet for pretty much everything; curry, meat, potatoes, etc.

It’s also excellent for baking cornbread and even cinnamon rolls and other things.

So what does it mean to “season” cast iron?

When we’re talking about the seasoning on something made of cast iron, it’s referring to the really thin layers of oil that have been baked into the pan to protect it from rust and make things essentially just slide off the surface.

Seasoning takes time, and trying to shortcut it by putting thicker layers of oil on WILL result in a sticky pan that you have to wash and bake again anyway. Just do thin layers the first time.

What do I need?

The good news is, you can go to Walmart and get a preseasoned cast iron skillet for under $10. Preseasoned pans are dark and very bumpy, which is what we’re aiming to even out.

You’ll also need a bit of oil. And when I say a bit, I mean under 3 teaspoons of oil.

What oil should I use?

Any oil that’s suitable for high heat is fine. I use grape seed oil, but you can also use soybean oil, butter, lard, peanut oil, avocado oil, etc., and some companies sell their own seasoning spray. It’s up to you and how much you want to spend, basically.

How do I do this?

Wash your skillet well with soap and water, then dry it thoroughly and set it on a stove on low heat. This will make sure the pan is completely dry and won’t mess up the surface of the seasoning, called patina.

Preheat the oven to 200

Put the pan in there for about five minutes upside down, just to evaporate any moisture.

After five minutes take it out, increase the temp to 300, and grab your oil.

Put one teaspoon on the inside of your pan and with either clean hands or a paper towel, rub the oil in concentric circles to evenly distribute the oil, and put a half teaspoon on the back of the pan, doing the same thing.

Wipe off all excess oil with a paper towel. You want the pan to look dull and matte. Don’t worry, it has more than enough oil. Remember, thin layers.

Put the pan in there for ten minutes, upside down

Take it out, increase the temp to 400, and wipe off the excess oil on the surface.

When oil heats up its atoms become more excited, causing the oil to bubble to the surface. We want to get off as much of the excess oil as we can.

Put it in the oven and leave it alone for an hour. After an hour, turn off the oven.

DONT TOUCH IT

DONT OPEN THE OVEN TO PEEK AT IT

LEAVE IT ALONE UNTIL IT COMES TO ROOM TEMP

You can repeat the last step, putting on a thin layer of oil before putting it back in the oven for an hour at 400 as many times as you want. I think I did like four times with mine.

The best way to season a pan is to cook with it. I don’t usually eat bacon, but I get some any time I have a new cast iron pan because it really helps make things slick.

How do I know it’s working?

Your pan will look ugly!

Seasoning starts out patchy! This is okay and is good! This means you have thin layers that will interlock and create a nice, smooth surface.

How do I care for my new seasoned skillet?

Don’t use soap!

Don’t scrape at it with anything too harsh! I use a plastic scraper made for cast iron (Walmart $6) but you can use a plastic spatula or whatever is handy. You just don’t want to scratch up and create any divots or anything in it because then you’re scratching up all your hard work!

Will I need to season it again?

Depends! If your pan was used for something very acidic and begins to look less smooth and more dry, then I suggest putting it in the oven for a while at 400 with oil on it.

I usually reseason mine every month or so unless I’ve been hard on it.

I have a question that you didn’t answer/I’m confused!

Dm me or send an ask I gotchu

Here’s a handy picture from fieldcompany.com showing the difference in cast iron (I don’t know anything about their products, this was just a useful illustration)

East is raw iron

South is preseasoned

West is midseasoned

North is like indestructible and that’s what we want

[whatcanicookwith]

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

Pork loin

(I always get boneless because it’s on sale a lot so I just keep it in my freezer in portions)

High temp oil

Honey

Basil

Rosemary

Salt

Black Pepper

Onion

Potatoes

Equipment:

Cast iron skillet

Chef’s knife

Cutting board (yeah I actually used one this time, two actually)

Oven

Stove

Potholder (at least one, preferably two)

Wooden spoon or something that you can stick in an oven to jostle stuff around

Procedure:

Turn your stove on medium heat, and put a bit of oil in the pan to keep it from burning

While it heats up, trim the meat from your tenderloin (if it’s split partially, I just finish the slice, and then slice perpendicular to portion it out

Cube your potatoes and wedge your onions

I didn’t truss (tie) my meat because I wasn’t stuffing it and it was only the half slice but I’ll make a post about trimming and tying meat next time I have meat and twine

Preheat your oven to 375°F

Throw your onions in the pan

take some oil and rub it on the meat, followed by a bit of honey

Coat the meat in your herbs of choice (it’s okay if it looks like a lot, it’s an herb crusted pork loin and it’ll cook off)

Sear your meat on all sides until it’s golden brown

Drizzle some oil and throw the potatoes in the skillet

Throw that shit in the oven for 15 minutes

Stir the shit around

Flip the meat

Set a timer for 15-20 minutes

You’re aiming for 140-150°F for a safe temp

Slice and serve

Questions?

DM me! Or send an ask! I’m happy to answer any questions

[whatcanicookwith]

I hope it’s okay to the asker that I’m paraphrasing and replying publicly!

I got an excellent question on my post asking for questions:

“How does fresh versus dried versus powdered vs jarred minced garlic change your food?”

The very very basics are: dried garlic is just the same as the stuff in the jars, but, well, dried. It’ll still have flavor but you might need to bloom it to get maximum flavor.

Powdered garlic is just dried garlic that’s been powdered. This is good to have around if you don’t use much garlic or are trying to conserve fridge space because since the garlic is powdered, the flavor is going to be stronger.

Fresh vs. Jarred minced

Chopping garlic is annoying as FUCK, and this is coming from someone that likes chopping things and is fast at peeling and mincing it. It may lend a slightly sweeter taste once it’s cooked, especially if you remove the center (germ) but that’s only really if the garlic is older and the germ is beginning to turn green. Plus, just add like a bit of honey and salt of the flavor is too sharp and you can’t even tell. I don’t have the energy to mince that shit up every time I use it. I.e. every time I cook.

TLDR: get a jar of minced garlic and throw it in your fridge unless you like chopping a tiny sticky clove of bullshit. Or get garlic powder if refrigeration is an issue. Don’t get dried minced garlic.

[whatcanicookwith]

Spices!

This is gonna be an alphabetical list of spices I regularly use, with a small explanation of each one. Obviously not all spices will be here but the ones I find to be most versatile and useful will be.

Allspice

I use allspice on beef, mostly. It has a sort of sweet scent and taste, but that’s what you want! I dump a teaspoon or two into my stew and pair it with honey, usually.

Basil

Everyone pretty much knows what basil is. It’s a little sweet and gives really nice aromatics. I use this in pasta sauces, and chicken noodle soup usually.

Bay leaves

Anyone remember when there was a thing about people finding “leaves” in their food at chipotle? Those are bay leaves! Any time I’m making soup with thin broth I just toss them in the pot and leave them in. If it’s a thicker broth or stew, I’ll generally remove them before I thicken the broth. They’re pretty mild, so I use two or three leaves when I cook, and almost any time I cook meat I use them.

Chili powder

Another pretty common one here. Just red pepper powder. I use it in tacos, arroz con pollo, (recipe soon!) and whenever I want a bit of spice.

Cinnamon

Everyone knows cinnamon but I use it when I steam carrots and I also add a bit of brown sugar to give them a bit of a glaze.

Cumin

A must-have if you want Mexican food. Taco meat, fajita meat, whatever, you need cumin. But use it sparingly as it’s incredibly strong.

Garlic salt

Good if you don’t have fresh garlic

Ginger

Good for more eastern dishes

Red pepper

Self explanatory

Sesame seeds

To be fair, these are more decoration than flavor but I keep them around for when I make broccoli and beef or sesame chicken

Thyme

I use thyme mostly on chicken. It’s very herby, but I don’t use it much.

This is by no means a complete list, just the spices I find myself using most and can currently think of

[whatcanicookwith]

Breakfast Tacos

So I make this a lot because it makes quite a bit and is pretty easy. And actually these don’t have to be breakfast tacos if you omit syrup.

You need:

4 russet potatoes, washed and cubed small

Your choice of oil (or if you cook bacon, use the grease)

A tube of sausage or two full links of sausage or your fav vegetarian/vegan substitute

Eggs if you want (I don’t like eggs)

Cheese if you want

Tortillas (If your grocery store makes their own, try those. They’re generally less expensive and better. I prefer flour but corn is fine too.)

Skillet

Wooden utensil (plastic or silicone also work)

Maple syrup if you want

Get a skillet on a stove burner and turn it up to medium to medium high heat and put just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. You don’t want your potatoes to just sit in grease, but you also want there to be enough moisture so all the potatoes are evenly cooked.

I prefer to microwave my potatoes for like two or three minutes before I put them in the skillet because it makes them cook faster but you don’t have to.

Once the oil is shimmery, dump in your potatoes. Be careful though because it’s going to be loud and there will be a lot of steam. This is okay!

There will also be some sort of burnt bits on the bottom of your skillet. This is okay! If you have a flat wooden scraper thing then just scrape it off and stir it in. It’s just potato stuff anyway and it adds a lot of flavor.

Once the potatoes are about halfway done, (stick a fork in it and if it is still a little hard, that’s good!) make a clearing in the middle of your pan and add your sausage. If you did links, you’ll want to have it cut in medallions and then quarter them. If it’s tube sausage, just break it up with your wooden spoon or whatever.

You’ll want to add your eggs after your meat is all browned, but keep an eye on them and lower the heat if need be. Just scramble them into everything, and make sure there’s enough oil in the pan.

You want to let everything cook for a while so the potatoes are soft and the sausage gets a nice sort of sear on it.

Salt and pepper to taste. I usually add cumin and red pepper and some other things but whatever you have lying around really works tbh. Also Tony Chachere’s works if that’s something any of you are familiar with

If you want these to be extra breakfasty, simmer about two tablespoons of maple syrup at the very end, or however much you like.

Toast a tortilla over a gas stove or in a pan and fill your taco and you’re done!

If you have an onion you can cut it in half from root end to flower end and then cut it into half rings and put that in before everything else to get them nice and soft, but you don’t have to. I usually just do the sausage and potatoes by themselves.

You can also use chorizo which is more traditional but it’s too greasy for me. Next time I make this I’ll try to upload a photo tutorial.

[whatcanicookwith]

Pantry Food Staples

These are just what I find to be the cheapest and most versatile things that I prefer to keep around almost all the time.

Flour

I keep flour around because it’s useful for making sauces, thickening soups, cooking meat, frying things, making dumplings, and choux pastry if you want a dessert EDIT: You can also use cornstarch as a gluten free option but start out with half as much cornstarch as you’d use flour.

Rice

My partner has a mild gluten allergy so whenever I can do low gluten or gluten free things I do. Rice is easy to make if you know how (I can post a tutorial if you guys want) or if you just don’t want to mess with it, you can get a rice cooker for like $12 at Walmart and I’ll link mine later when I’m on desktop. I’ll probably make a master post of my favorite ways to cook rice once I get everything organized.

Frozen diced veggies

These are good because some you can get where they’ll steam in the bag, but you can also just put them in a bowl with a bit of water or in a vegetable steamer and I’ll link the one I use later. They often go on sale for like $1 and when they do I stock up because they can go in things like fried rice, soup, by themselves as a side, etc.

Bouillon cubes/powder

There’s also something called Better Than Bouillon which is..actually better than bouillon but it’s more expensive ($4 maybe) and cubes are like $2. If you are completely gluten free I recommend getting broth though because bouillon usually has a little gluten in it, though I’m not sure about better than bouillon.

Butter or oil

I use different oils for different things but always be careful about the different smoke points. Olive oil has a low smoke point, so it’s best not to use it for any high heat dishes. I use peanut oil for high heat things, or butter, but I think avocado oil also has a high smoke point. I can make a master post about oils also if that’s something anyone is interested in

Garlic

So if you don’t like chopping up garlic (I don’t) you can buy a little jar of fresh minced garlic or a squeeze tube which is what I use. You can also buy dried minced garlic which will keep longer and doesn’t need to be refrigerated.

Honey

I actually cook with honey quite often because it rounds out flavors in savory dishes really well and imo tastes the best, but you could also use brown sugar.

Frozen chicken breasts or thighs etc

Frozen meat is always cheaper than fresh, and if you cook it right, it tastes just as good. I get a big bag and just take out what I need and defrost it in a bowl of room temperature water. You can defrost it in the microwave on the defrost setting in a pinch but you have to be careful not to start cooking it because it’ll be rubbery.

Rice noodles/noodles

Like I said, I try to cook mostly gluten free but you can just get regular noodles. I like rice noodles anyway and you can use them to make pho or just use them like you would any other noodles. I just buy whatever’s on sale and once my kitchen is less cluttered I’d actually like to make my own