Learning Knife Skills

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

One of the most important things to know in the kitchen is how to use and be comfortable with a knife. You will need to use a knife every single time that you cook so get a good one. The knife you choose to be your go to knife should be comfortable in your hand, solid, and sharp. This is similar to the one that I use.

Once you’ve selected a knife learn how to hold it. The Kitchn has a wonderful tutorial on how to hold a knife properly.

Lastly you should also learn how to care for it properly. Read the instructions that come with the knife for care, and be sure to sharpen it at least yearly, more if it becomes dull earlier. Never put it in the dishwaser and allow it to dry on a flat surface, dishwashers and standing it up in a drain can cause damage to the knife edge and tip.

Once you have a preferred knife and understand how to care for it, learning to use it is equally as important. Knowing how to execute a number of different cuts is an important part of following recipes and cooking in general. The 3 most basic cuts (chip, dice, and mince) are outlined in the photograph below. Additionally you might see matchstick, or julienne as well, but for this post we are going to stick to basics.

from wellprepped.com

The type of cut is dependent on the size of the final pieces. Chopped cuts refer to large uniform pieces, with no specific size, just use your judgement. A diced cut refers to a uniform size between ¾ to ¼ of an inch. A mince is considered to be the smallest cut and should be less than 1/8^th of an inch in size.

Since I am not a professional chef I thought I would add a video from a professional chef that reviews these skills. This video uses an onion, but the skills are transferable to most other vegetables.

Getting comfortable with knifes and cutting in the kitchen really comes down to practice. Even professional chefs have slip ups and cut themselves or miss-chop a carrot. The beauty of cooking is that nothing needs to be perfectly cut to taste great, just start practicing and the comfort will come in time.

Clams with Sausage & Cannellini

By Jessica

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

This past weekend I celebrated my 28^th birthday. It was a pretty laid back kind of birthday. Sleeping late, with Chuck and Brody, a good breakfast, a trip to the grocery store, 60 degree weather, all came together to make a pretty awesome day for me.

People sometimes thin that I’m crazy for wanting to spend my whole birthday cooking, but when you love to do something then it’s really enjoyable and it doesn’t feel like work at all. Chuck took me to the store (I totally wore sweatpants and slippers, because I could) and we picked up everything I needed to make this dish. I had originally planned to bake bread, and a few other things, but ended up taking a nap on the couch instead; I’m not even mad.

This dish though, it was perfect. A few ingredients combined in a way that’s just divine. I found the original recipe in a recent issue of bon Appetite, but used the beans instead of homemade pasta, because slow carb. Also using beans took a whole bunch of steps out of the recipe, so it came together in less than 30 minutes giving me enough time to toss some arugula in a lemon dijon dressing for a side dish. It’s kind of perfect for a weeknight meal don’t you think? I do.

Clams with Sausage & Cannellini

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 2 Servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces Italian sausage, casings removed
4 cloves of garlic
1 lb little neck clams, scrubbed
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 (15.5 ounce)can cannellini beans, drained
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add sausage and cook, crumbling it into small pieces, until browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add clams and wine. Cover and let cook, shaking the pan occasionally until the clams are all opened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove any that do not open.
Stir in beans and cook for another 2 minutes, or until warmed through. Add butter, parsley and toss. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Recently

By Jessica

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

February has been a month of fun and love.

Me raking in February, because it’s so nice out.

Our home town has an annual chowder fest, that’s always a blast, but the unseasonably warm weather meant it was crazier than normal.

I went with a good friend to pick our colors for a blanket I plan to make her. It’s fun seeing people get excited about yarn and color.

We gained a roommate this month, though it’s just for a short while since my dear friend Alicia leaves for boot camp in a couple weeks. Chuck gets to see what living with two redheads is like (ooo buddy!)

I took my mom and sister to the city for the first time. I think my sister was overwhelmed a bit, but she was a trooper and has an experience to tell all her friends at school.

via surprisingitaly.com

We started planning that trip to Italy I’ve mentioned a time or two. All of the places we are staying are booked, including the most beautiful (according to the pictures) apartment in Rome. I. CANT. WAIT.

We celebrated my birthday with way to much wine and junk food. I really couldn’t ask for a better birthday present than hanging out with awesome people and food, there really isn’t much more to life for me.

Spent on Groceries in February: $222.93

*not bad for 3 people, though Alicia is buying some of her own stuff.

Total for the year: $420.97

Cost of Garden Supplies 2016: $4.30 (I bought more seeds in February)

My Home Decor Inspiration

By Jessica

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Last week I posted a few house updates and subsequently started thinking more about how I plan to decorate this place. It’s kind of a big undertaking and having never had the opportunity to decorate a whole house before it’s kind of daunting. I thought it might be fun to post some inspiration boards for some of the main rooms in the house. It’s going to be slow going for a while since I’m cheap and will only buy most stuff second hand, but sometimes that can be even more fun.

The living room is one room that aside from hanging the TV has not been touched. I’m thinking the walls will be a neutral greige color (gray-beige). Since we aren’t getting new furniture its safe to say that navy blue will be one of the main colors since that is the color of the couch. In the previous rentals I went with a blue/green theme, but with our forever place I want to bring in a lot more color and make it a little bit more bohemian, so along with the greens, greiges there will also be pops of red, orange and yellow. I’d really love to get a red/multicolored carpet, and some fun throw pillows. The big bay window will always have lots of plants, but I’d like to add some fun accessories there as well. On either side of the fireplace I want to put shelves so that we can display some art, and hide some electronics. When it’s all said and done I still want it to feel open, but fun and bright. I’ll let you know how that goes.

I’m hoping to give the kitchen a more earthy feel. I’d love to have wood cabinets, grey stone floor tiles, and light green walls. I’m not really sure about counter top colors, but I’m leaning toward a warmer sand stone color. We already have our collection of cast iron hanging on the wall near the stove so that wont change. Neither will the gallery wall that I’ve already started, hopefully I’ll just continue to add to it. We are also toying with the idea of doing open shelving around the sink and window. I think it will add more storage and brighten the room, Chuck is not convinced.

While the master bedroom is well on its way there are still a few more things that need to be done to complete it; white molding around the ceiling, a revamped closet, with lights, and a shelf. I’d like a wooden headboard, and to refinish the dressers in a distressed style. This room I want to feel cozy, and almost wintery. I think the combination of blues, grays, and blankets will definitely help to get that feeling.

And there you have it, my thoughts so far. Keep and eye out to see how it goes!

Mustard Pork Chops with Beans & Greens

By Jessica

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Having the motivation to come home and cook dinner every night is not always easy. More often than not I really just don’t feel like it. Thankfully meal planning really helps me stay motivated, since I hate to see things go to waste and I don’t have to make a last minute decision on what to make for dinner. But even when I have my week planned to a T there are times where I just don’t have the motivation. Work is draining, especially when you spend an entire day or 3 just crunching numbers in spreadsheets.

These are the days that I fall back to the simple recipes, the ones that take minutes to slap together, and while they don’t feel very exciting they get the job done. On one particular occasion last week I totally threw out my initial dinner plan and just went with a simple 2 part meal and less than 10 ingredients total. It turned out to be a big hit with both Chuck and Lady A (did I mention one of my best friend sis living with us for a while? It’s been a lot of fun having her around). I was totally surprised by this because I never expected beans and greens to really be something that was requested, like ever.

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the ones most well received.

While I know I’ve said this before it continues to surprise me that these simple, rustic, homey recipes are the ones that people really actually want to eat. These are the things that people are craving. Sure complicated and fancy can be fun, but the grass roots simple stuff is what reminds us of home.

So I guess what I’m saying is to not forget those simple recipes that your parents or grandparents made you, sometimes those are the best.

Easy Mustard Pork Chops

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 boneless pork chops
Salt & Pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon water or broth

Instructions

Pound pork chops between 2 layers of platic wrap to 1/2″ – 3/4” thickness. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the pork chops to the pan and cook for until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes before flipping. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on the other side until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
In the same pan reduce the heat to medium low. Add the mustard, vinegar, water and broth to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly while scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. The sauce should be well blended and thickened. Remove the pan from heat.
Serve pork chops with sauce drizzled on top.

Greens & Beans

About 10 cups packed greens (such as spinach, mustard greens, kale, or broccoli rabe; about 1 pound), thick stems removed, cut into 1-inch strips

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained

1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed, drained

Salt & pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add greens to the pot and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until wilted slightly (sturdier greens will need 2 to 3 minutes). Remove from heat and drain, reserving about ½ cup of the cooking liquid.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and crushed pepper and saute for 1 minutes, until the garlic begins to turn golden. Add the greens, tossing with tongs to coat with oil.

Add the reserved cooking liquid and beans. Simmer, stirring reqularly until beans are heated through and liquid is almost absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Learning Knife Skills

Footer