Mixed Berry Ice Pops

 

Happy Tasty Tuesday Readers!  I don't know what the weather is like in your neck of the woods but I will tell you that today it was hot over here!   So naturally, I didn't want to cook up anything that might make the apartment even hotter.  Fortunately, since I had a popsicle mold, I was able to make this easy-to-make and refreshing treat.

Kale Fillo Calzone

I didn't really know what to call this recipe.  However, when I described it to my hubby originally he called it a "kale calzone" due to my cheese choices.   The name fits I think.  Unfortunately,  don't really remember the proportions that I used when  created this - I just remember that it was good.  Read on to get more information about this recipe (and also a special bonus photo).

Guest Post: How to Get Best Results When Baking With a Gas Oven

Along with providing my readers with good recipes, one of my goals for the blog is to provide other informative content.  With that in mind, I am excited about the blog post below regarding baking with a gas oven, which provides helpful tips for using a gas oven.

 This guest blog post was contributed by Jane Foulds, a freelance blogger who works hard at helping you out with the latest kitchen tips such as how to get the best out of multi fuel range cookers.

 

How to Get Best Results When Baking With a Gas Oven

Gas ovens are a popular fixture in domestic and commercial kitchens in countries all over the world. There are numerous advantages to choosing a gas oven over an electric oven - for one thing, modern gas ovens tend to be very energy-efficient, and for another, they produce excellent results. Meals prepared in gas ovens are often more flavourful than those cooked in electric or microwave ovens because they retain more of the moisture. As a result, gas ovens are particularly popular among professional chefs. If you want to use your gas oven for baking, there are a few things you'll need to remember in order to achieve best results. Here are some suggestions you may wish to bear in mind.

Get the settings right

Naturally, the first thing you need to do is make sure your oven is set to the right temperature. Make sure you check the recipe properly so that you know just what temperature you need to set your oven to - often, it will be between 325 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Once you've preheated your gas oven, ensure that you change the setting to 'bake'. What this should do is ensure that heat rises from the bottom of the oven only. With newer ovens, heat is provided from both the top and the bottom on the preheat setting, so make sure this is changed before you start the cooking process.

The cooking process

Once you've done that, fill a hot metal baking pan halfway up with hot water and place it on the floor of the oven. This should create steam to prevent the food from drying out. Then, place the food into appropriate bakeware and cover it with aluminium foil. Place the food into the oven once it's properly preheated, and then leave it for the amount of time specified in the recipe you're following. Then, remove the foil and extract the baking pan from the oven for the final 15 minutes.

Make sure you insert a food thermometer in order to check that the food items have been properly cooked through. It might be a good idea to have a food temperature chart on hand, which you can then consult to see whether or not the food is suitably cooked.

Look out for uneven heating

One of the most common problems many people report when using gas ovens is uneven heating. It's worth pointing out that this is generally more a problem with older gas ovens than newer ones. However, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of your food being heated unevenly. One option is to place a layer of unglazed clay tiles or a pizza stone at the bottom of your oven. Make sure you leave room at the side of your oven to allow the air to circulate properly, but make sure the area below the food is covered. This should create a buffer between the burner and the baking food, thereby preventing it from baking in an uneven manner.

Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower

Happy Tasty Tuesday readers!  Thanks for stopping by on this beautiful spring evening =)    

I am feel really great today.  It was a day full of accomplishment.  I went to the gym, even though I was thinking of resting on my laurels from getting a new personal record on a 5k this weekend (the hubbs also had a PR but also still hit the gym).  Moreover, I had a lovely time with my beloved friend M.  Lastly, I read, cooked, and now I am blogging.  

However, the most surprising thing that happened today was that during a routine doctor's appointment, I was measured for the first time in ages and guess what?   I grew!  I thought I was mere 5 ft and 1/4 " tall when instead I'm a statuesque 5 and 3/4' which means I am basically 5'1!  I know, I know....it is too awesome for words.  I feel tall and invincible even though I think all this means is that on a basketball team made up of smurfs I would be center.   Still, I feel like a miniature giant.

Speaking of sporty things, these faux wings are perfect for watching sports like basketball - it's kind of reminiscent of tail gate food but without the extra calories and fat.  Hope you enjoy them as much as I did (recipe is after the jump).

Chocolate-Strawberry Pudding Dessert

Good evening friends!  Happy Tasty Tuesday.  Tonight I have a great recipe to share with you - a deliciously decadent dessert idea that was easy enough to make that I basically did the entire thing during half-time of the Knicks-Celtics game.