Archive for the ‘cooking’ Category

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Contest-winning recipe: Thai-licious rice, veggie and tofu stir fry

February 3, 2012

Coconut curry is quite possibly my favorite flavor, so the winning recipe for the yumPower Good For You Recipe Challenge on KMSP-FOX 9 News sounded right up my alley.

Watch the segment for information about the contest and our winner, Steph MacPhail, who gets $1500 from Warners’ Stellian to trick out her kitchen appliances (or get an awesome pet hair vacuum for her yellow lab).

Steph’s recipe includes lean protein, more than two servings of fruits and veggies and reduced fat and reduced sodium ingredients. I can’t wait to try it!

Thai-licious rice, veggie and tofu stir fry

For the baked tofu:

3 lbs tofu

1/2 cup low-fat coconut milk (get one 15 oz or so can of it, the rest will be used below)

2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 Teaspoon curry powder

1 Teaspoon freshly grated ginger

For the rice and veggie mix:

1 1/2 cups brown rice

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Cups sliced yellow onion

1 Cup chopped carrots

2 Cups broccoli florets

2 Cups sliced peppers (use green, yellow, or red, or a little of each)

1 Can (16 oz) pineapple, no sugar added, drained and juice reserved

1 Cup (approx) low-fat coconut milk

2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 Teaspoon curry powder

2 Teaspoons freshly grated ginger

2 Tablespoons unsalted, chunky peanut butter

Optional: peanuts

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Line a 13×9 baking sheet with parchment paper.

Drain and press tofu to remove some of the moisture, then cube.

In a medium bowl, combine tofu with coconut milk, soy sauce, curry, and ginger.

Let sit for a few minutes, then pour bowl contents onto prepared baking sheet.

Bake in oven for 30-45 minutes, or until slightly crispy and brown.

Meanwhile, mix rice with 3 cups water in a soup pot.

Bring to a simmer; cover, then simmer until the water is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a large stir-fry pan or large skillet.

Add the onion and carrots and saute over medium heat until lightly browned.

Add the broccoli, bell pepper and pineapple and saute for 5-10 minutes.

When rice is cooked, add the stir fry mixture to the soup pot.

Add the remaining coconut milk, reserved pineapple juice, curry powder, soy sauce, peanut butter and ginger.

Stir gently, cooking for 5-10 minutes. Remove pot from burner. Remove tofu from oven and add promptly to the stir fry. Serve garnished with peanuts.

Serves 8 to 10.

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Microwave cooking recipes: Risotto

January 12, 2012

How much do you actually cook in your microwave, versus reheating and defrosting?

All this week, my sister and appliance specialist Angela Warner has been judging the “Twin Cities Live” Microwave Cooking Challenge, which challenges contestants to create delicious and fun meals cooked only in the microwave.

Guess which one is my sister Angela Warner.

Contestants like “Next Food Network Star” contestant Justin Davis and Cities 97′s BT came up with really creative microwave recipes — even microwave cake recipes!

Yes cake…and nachos.

Angela’s on “Twin Cities Live” (on KSTP Channel 5) again at 3 today and tomorrow. You can find the contestants easy microwave recipes (and the not-so easy, too) here, here and here.

AND you can win this Danby stainless microwave from Warners’ Stellian by entering on the Twin Cities Live website.

Coincidentally, we got a microwave cooking book from Panasonic this week, and I thought I’d share this recipe for risotto.

Risotto, that creamy rice pasta, sometimes scares people off because it’s heavy on the “active time” equation of the process (you basically stir for at least 30 minutes nonstop). So the idea of making it in a microwave intrigued me. Let me know if you try this!

Risotto a la Parmigiana

From MasterChefs Microwave Recipes Made Easy

Ingredients

5-1/2 cups stock
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 minced yellow onion
2-1/4 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
3/4 dry white wine, warmed
1 cup grated Parmesan
5 tbsp. butter cut into 1 T. pieces
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions (note: P10, etc. refers to the power level setting on your microwave)

1. Place the stock and salt in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with a lid or plastic wrap and simmer at P10 for 8 minutes. Reserve, keeping the stock covered and hot.

2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the oil and onion and cook covered at P10 for 2-1/2 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.

3. Add the rice to the onion and oil mixture, stir to combine and cook at P7 uncovered for 4 minutes, stirring every minute.

4. Add the warm wine and cook at P7 for 3 minutes, or until wine is mostly absorbed.

5. Add enough stock to barely cover rice and cook at P7 uncovered for 3 minutes, or until about 75% of the liquid as been absorbed; stir. Repeat this process until all the stock is used.

6. When the rice is cooked to al dente, remove from the microwave and quickly stir in the butter, grated Parmesan cheese and ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

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Posted in About Warners' Stellian, cooking, From our cookbook, Microwave | 2 Comments »

Burner-less induction cooktop senses the shape and location of cookware to heat anywhere on surface

January 9, 2012

Induction cooktops, already the hottest way to cook, just got hotter.

The new Thermador Freedom Induction Cooktop heats up your cookware wheverer you place it - no burners.

No more being limited to four or five burners of the same shape.

The new Thermador Freedom cooktop lets cooks place their cookware anywhere on the cooking surface — even oddly shaped items like griddles or roasting pans (think of the gravy making possibilities).

The cooktop will intelligently recognize the cookware size, shape and position to deliver heat without boundaries.

If you’re wondering, ‘What is an induction cooktop?’ Induction cooking rivals gas cooking’s responsive temperature control while being much more efficient, safer (the surface stays cool to the touch) and the smooth surface naturally is easier to clean.

If you’re really into specifics, here’s more info from Thermador:

  • 48 individual 3-inch induction heating elements translates to a 63-percent more effective cooking area on the surface by eliminating the conventional standard of predefined elements.
  • A 6.5-inch, full-color touchscreen display that recognizes pot shape, size, and controls power setting and cooking time
  • Surface area to accommodate a 21-inch x 13-inch pan with the largest cooking surface in the industry
  • A range of 4,600-watt maximum power output with Boost feature and 15-watt minimum power output

But what would a super innovative product be without a color touchscreen these days? The obligatory touchscreen doesn’t just control temperature but shows the position of all cookware.

The Thermador Freedom Induction Cooktop will be available July 2012 with a MSRP of $4,949.

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Posted in Appliance Design, cooking, Cooktops, Energy Efficiency, Innovative Features | 2 Comments »

Don’t put foil in the oven

December 19, 2011

Maybe your grandma used to use tinfoil to line her oven floor to aid clean up.

But times have changed; tinfoil is no longer made of tin. The stuff you use to shield your ham is actually aluminum foil, which has a lower heat tolerance.

The high temperatures of your oven floor can actually cause the foil to melt right onto that oven surface.

And you can’t clean it off.

We’ve had Warners’ Stellian Appliance customers spend hundreds of dollars replacing the oven floor on relatively new ranges because of this well-intentioned mistake.

Instead, aluminum foil-makers suggest you line the oven rack you’re using with aluminum foil rather than lining the oven itself.

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Posted in Cleaning, cooking, Ovens, Ranges | 1 Comment »

Appliance trend: multitasking appliances

December 9, 2011

Buy based on how you cook most days.

When buying appliances, people often focus on two days of the year: Thanksgiving and Christmas.

What matters at that moment to you is finding a range whose oven accommodates a massive turkey.

Or, thinking about overflow casseroles and Christmas cookies, you opt for double ovens.

But what about the other 363 days of the year? If you’re not a serious baker, that second oven sits cold. And warming up that range with the huge oven capacity for a couple of baked potatoes wastes time and energy.

Instead, a trend we’re seeing is assembling a team of  appliances that can work alone during normal operations but also can multitask for occasional holidays and parties.

So instead of a giant range, combine a double oven range and convection microwave.

The smaller upper oven of the range can be used for one-dish meals. Come Christmas, you can bake a dessert up top while a roasts monopolizes the lower oven. The convection microwave can bake a casserole. My mom did this successfully for years with her Jenn-Air convection microwave (after she finally got rid of the old range she kept in the laundry room, only to be used during the holidays).
A convection microwave also works overtime when paired with a single oven, perfect for those who won’t make enough use of a double oven.

Better yet, make that second oven a speed oven for the ultimate versatility.


This GE Advantium (model PSB1001NSS; Miele makes an upgrade if you’ve got the dough) cooks up to 4 times faster than your grandmother’s oven – covering all 4 bases: warming/proofing, true convection, sensor microwave (that can rotate a 9×13 casserole on its turntable!) and of course, speed cooking.

Until I can upgrade to a convection microwave, I use my Crockpot for anything that doesn’t need “crisping,” but I’d love to hear how others really make use of their multitasking appliances.

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Posted in Budget-wise, cooking, Microwave, Ovens, Ranges | 3 Comments »

Choose the best bakeware for your recipe

December 1, 2011

If last year’s holiday breads and cookies didn’t turn out exactly as you hoped, don’t blame it on your oven — at least not yet.

The type of bakeware material you choose affects cooking results; some are better for browning and crisping than others, for instance.

Consult this handy guide of bakeware recommendations from Whirlpool so you know what to expect when using different pans and sheets.

Light-colored aluminum:

Light golden crusts and even browning. Use temperature and time recommended in recipe.

Dark aluminum and other bakeware with dark, dull and/or nonstick finish:

Brown, crisp crusts. May need to reduce baking temperatures 25°F (15°C). Use suggested baking time. For pies, breads and casseroles, use temperature recommended in recipe. Place rack in the center of the oven.

Insulated cookie sheets or baking pans:

Little or no bottom browning. Place in the bottom third of the oven. May need to increase baking time.

Stainless steel:

Light, golden crusts, uneven browning. May need to increase baking time.

Stoneware:

Crisp crusts. Follow manufacturer’s instructions.

Ovenproof glassware, ceramic glass or ceramic:

Brown, crisp crusts. May need to reduce baking temperatures 25°F (15°C).

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Today is the last day to safely eat Thanksgiving leftovers

November 28, 2011

Because leftovers only remain safe to eat for four days, you’re going to want to eat up all your turkey, stuffing and gravy by Monday.

(The importance of Thanksgiving leftovers as immortalized in pop culture by  Friends Moistmaker episode)

Ideally, you should freeze all leftovers as soon as possible, but if you throw the rest in freezer-safe bags or containers, it will be good to eat for another six months.

Actually, food technically remains safe to eat forever if it’s frozen, it just loses flavor and moisture.

The USDA wrote these guidelines for safely reheating stored leftovers:

  • When reheating leftovers, be sure they reach 165° F. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the food. Reheat sauces, soups and gravies by bringing them to a rolling boil. Cover leftovers to reheat. This retains moisture and ensures that food will heat all the way through.
  • Thaw frozen leftovers safely in the refrigerator, cold water or the microwave oven. When thawing leftovers in a microwave, continue to heat it until it reaches 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer.
  • Any leftover “leftovers” thawed by the cold water method or in the microwave should be reheated to 165 °F before refreezing.
  • In a real hurry? It is safe to reheat frozen leftovers without thawing, either in a saucepan or microwave (in the case of a soup or stew) or in the oven or microwave (for example, casseroles and combination meals). Reheating will take longer than if the food is thawed first, but it is safe to do when time is short.

I don’t know about you, but I certainly never knew to reheat my sauces to a full boil…oops.
Make sure to occasionally stir foods when microwaving them, because foods won’t heat evenly (especially if you don’t have a turntable) and cold spots will develop in which bacteria hasn’t been properly killed.

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If your stove dies on Thanksgiving

November 23, 2011

Many stoves choose to end their life right around the time you’ve finally finished thawing, brining, trussing and stuffing that huge bird on Thanksgiving morning.

Now your oven very well might be dead, but sometimes you just need to give it the ol’ Fonzie treatment.

Now, I’m not actually suggesting you punch your juke, er…range; but try shutting off your circuit or unplugging your appliance for 20 minutes. It’s always the first advice I give customers before we attempt service — and it’s worked before! Best case scenario, you’re back in business once you plug it back in or reset the circuit.

If you have a gas range and the cooktop is working but the oven isn’t, flip the regulator switch (which automatically cuts off the flow of gas at a certain pressure).

If you’re still getting an error code or the unit is still dead, you’re probably going to need service. You can call us on Friday at 651-222-0011 (opt. 4).

But at least you tried. In a pinch, fire up the grill.

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Posted in cooking, customer service, FAQ, grilling, Ovens, Ranges | 1 Comment »

DCS 36 gas cooktop

November 3, 2011
DCS gas cooktop

DCS gas cooktop

DCS Appliances is trying hard to be the go-to brand for people who cook. (You might have seen them in action on America’s Test Kitchen.)

DCS was purchased by the (probably better-known) New Zealand brand, Fisher & Paykel but inherited its focus on performance from the commercial DCS products, so “home chefs” are likely to be pleased.

Especially with the DCS gas cooktops.

Of course faster boil times are great, but you don’t want to screw up delicate sauces when you’re trying to simmer. Sealed Dual Flow Burners, unique to DCS appliances, provide the control you need.

DCS 36 gas cooktop

On the 36 inch gas cooktop (CDU-365), the powerful center burner can roar at 17,500 BTUs on the 36 inch gas cooktop.

This 5 burner gas cooktop can hover at a gentle 140 degree simmer on ANY burner — so you won’t scorch your five pots of chocolate. (Hey, you never know, right?)

Sealed burners and a sleek design mean no more hard-to-reach spills. And heavy duty grates cover the entire stainless steel cooking surface to make sliding larger pots and pans easy (hello, canners!).

Big, distinctive knobs are easy to use and offer visible confirmation of cooktop temperatures.

There’s also a 4 burner 30 inch gas cooktop, which like the 36 inch cooktop can drop into any kitchen counter. And a one-touch downdraft vent can be added to both the 30 in and 36 in models.

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Posted in Appliance Design, cooking, Cooktops | Comments Off

Capital Range: Capital Culinarian

September 23, 2011

If you’re not much of a cook, you should probably just stop reading now. Capital range got an earful about how crappy the burners are on a standard range. In response, the appliance-maker built the Capital Culinarian.

Some cooks just want a commercial-looking range but need the safety of a sealed-burner system (several flames rising around a burner cap). The Culinarian sharply departs into both a commercial fit and finish AND the power and performance as an open burner range that’s closer to that of a restaurant kitchen.

The flame rises from each part of the burner ports to provide the most even heat distribution and best cooking results. Sure, some ranges offer BTUs in the upper teens and maybe even 20s, but that’s generally one burner — and you’d have to move your cookware to a different burner when it’s time to simmer.

Capital wisely gave each burner 23,000 BTUs of power AND the ability to simmer at an incredibly low 140 degrees F.

But it’s the way the temperature interacts with the cookware and food that makes the difference.

Would you rather trust your sauce to 94 evenly spaced flames or one or two circles of flame with large separations? And imagine how fast your water will boil when you’re heating the entire pot rather than just a couple rings of heat.

Plus, the open burner system targets the center of a wok cooking and distributes heat evenly.

Positioning the top oven rack 3 inches from the broiler achieves the best, most-efficient broil, though strangely, competitive products add an extra3 inches. Obviously, those who love to cook appreciate these differences.

And those that love to griddle or grill can go single (12 inch at 18,000 BTUs) or double (24 inch at 30,000 BTUs) on either option.

Or stretch your burners all the way across your new favorite toy, which comes in 36″, 48″ and 60″.

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Posted in Appliance Design, cooking, Ranges | 2 Comments »

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