Ethnic cooking made easy...

After writing the following post on Facebook, I've had a few requests from friends to write a blog about my "cooking adventures".

"It's really not hard. You just have to be brave enough to try! The main spices I use are- garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, ginger, chili powder, oregano, parsley, rosemary, (italian seasoning sometimes), fresh garlic, fresh onion. I have some other extras that come out less seldom, but with these main ones the options are endless! You just ... have to know what has what flavor. For Italian meals: garlic, onion, italian seasoning. Mexican: garlic, onion, cumin, chili powder. Asian meals: Garlic, Onion, Ginger. Any of these mixed with oil or yogurt make a great marinade or salad dressing. Lemon juice or vinegar will add a kick and/or can make the marinade penetrate better."

I'll say it again! It's really not hard. You just have to be brave enough to try!

So here's what I got...

I guess I'm pretty good in the kitchen in compared to most non-professionals, but this isn't because I'm educated or grew up cooking and/or eating terribly fancy foods...I'm just passionate about food and I'm fearless about cooking.

My desire to know where my food comes from and to rot when I die are my two main motivators. While I love a box of shells and cheese every once in a while, I get much more satisfaction out of making it from scratch. Not only is it just as easy (okay, maybe a couple extra steps) but it's lower in salt, has no preservatives and tastes de-licious! Plus, because it does take a few extra steps, I think twice before deciding to make it-- it may be from scratch but that doesn't make it healthy!

So how do I do it? Well over the last few years I have mastered a few techniques and ingredients that allow me to create dishes from all over the world. Here is break down of what my staples which will get you through basic and popular elasticities-- Italian, Mexican and Chinese

HERBS/SPICES
Garlic- fresh and powdered (I used to use jarred until I recognized the difference-- no comparison!)

Onion- fresh and powdered

Italian Seasoning

Cumin

Ginger- fresh (that weird looking root thing) and powdered

Chili Powder

Dried Oregano

Dried Parsley

Cinnamon

Chicken, beef, pork (rarely since Brett doesn't like it) and sometimes Salmon

Pasta

Rice

Potatoes

Beans (Black, Kidney and Garbanzo)

Canned Tomatoes- Paste, Sauce and Diced

Variety of Frozen Veggies- Carrots, Broccoli, Corn, Green beans, Peppers and Peas

Of course salt, pepper, flour, sugar, water and milk.

I don't buy fresh milk because we don't drink it fast enough and it just goes to waste. Instead I buy Almond milk because it's low cal, low fat, high protein, and I can keep it in the cupboard until I'm ready to use it. Brett puts it in his eggs and I use it for baking mostly. I also keep a couple cans of evaporated milk in case I REALLY need milk for something- like mac and cheese.

With these basic ingredients I can make ALL kinds of foods just by varying the combination:

Italian- Onion, Garlic, Italian Seasoning, Oregano, Parsley, Salt, Pepper- a dash of cinnamon will take away the bitter taste in canned tomato sauce.

An easy Tomato Sauce free from HFCS-

1 can tom sauce, Italian Seasoning, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and a dash of cinnamon. Fancier? Saute some fresh garlic and onion in 1 tbsp Olive oil, add a can of dice tomatoes. Stop here for a fresh taste or add a can of sauce to thicken and add bulk. You can also add veggies if you'd like to make a well rounded meal out of it.

Pour over well salted, drained pasta and voila!

This sauce can also be used for lasagna, baked pasta and the start of chili. If you want meat just cook it first, drain the fat and then add the rest of the sauce ingredients.

Mexican- CUMIN! Onion, garlic, oregano and chili powder

For chili, start like you're making an Italian Sauce, omit the Italian Seasoning and instead use Cumin, Chili Powder and kidney beans. I like to add about a tbsp of cocoa powder too, which again, takes away the bitterness of the tomatoes. Add corn, peppers and other veggies if you'd like. Meat or no meat!

You can also use the Main Mexican ingredients to season chicken, steak, black beans and rice or even just spice up a cheese quesadilla.

Chinese- Garlic, Onion, (do we see a pattern here?) Ginger-- there's a new one! And red pepper flakes if you've got 'em and you like it hot!

These can be used to season just about anything Chinese, especially stir-fry.

Stir-fry: sautee onions and garlic, add some fresh ginger and diced chicken. Cook until done. Add veggies and a little soy sauce, cook until just heated through. Serve with rice.

Another alternative is to marinate the chicken in soy sauce, orange juice, a little brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder and ginger powder. Saute, and then add veggies. So easy and YUMMY!

I could go on and on, but this is a good place to start. Like I said before, I'm just fearless in the kitchen. But I truly believe that once you master the main flavor of any ethnicity the possibilities are endless.

I hope this helps all the non-cookers out there.

Some lessons I've learned:

Garlic burns really fast!

Add meat to a pre-heated pan to keep it from sticking

Salt is a necessity; it's what makes the other flavors pop, especially sweet ones. Just don't go overboard because like my Gramma says, "you can always add more, but you can't take it out".

Citrus makes chicken tender.

DON'T add flour to any sauce without mixing it with milk or water first unless you like it lumpy!

Water evaporates- keep this in mind when you're cooking with water or anything that is made of water like tomatoes.


EASY EASY MAC AND CHEESE!

Boil water then add salt.
add 1lb pasta (any kind you like)
Mix a about a cup of milk with 1 tbsp flour in a separate cup or bowl
Once pasta is cooked, drain enough water to come to the top of the pasta.
Add Colby cheese- sliced or shredded, stir until melted.
Slowly add milk flour mixture a few tablespoons at a time, stirring pot each time until thick.
Turn down the heat.

That's it!