How to Make Salsa and Guacamole with a Food Processor

By GuestPoster | Published: November 12, 2011

A food processor is an excellent tool for quickly preparing dips and sauces. Two of the most familiar ones are salsa and gaucamole. Both of these recipes are simple enough on their own, but with a food processor it takes literally just a few minutes of your time to whip together either recipe to perfection. I made this using my Juiceman 1000 – which is one of those food processor with juicer machines you may have heard about. I like to combine appliances when I can to save space in the kitchen, but any food processor will do for these recipes so long as it has a 2-3 cup capacity or more. My Juiceman can rock nine cups at once, which is great for preparing massive amounts of these recipes for parties and potlucks.

Salsa

Salsa is one of the easiest dishes to throw together with a food processor. The portion of each ingredient is entirely flexible and really just depends on how you like your salsa. Here’s what I usually start with and adjust as the mood desires.

  • 3 medium tomatoes
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1 jalapeno
  • Optional: Cilantro
  • Optional: black beans

First process the onion and jalapeno. Mince into very small pieces. Add tomatoes. Use caution not to process them too much – you want them chunky still. If you’re using cilantro, cut off leaves and add them now. Add salt to taste.

If you’re going to make black bean salsa, add them last and pulse food processor to casually mix together ingredients.

Guacamole

Guacamole is always a favorite party dish. I prefer to mix mine up by adding small chunks of onion along with a couple of spices. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous you can add 2-3 tablespoons of salsa from the above recipe to the gaucamole. This will give it more depth and also some spice!

  • 2 Avocados
  • 1/2 clove garlic
  • 1 medium tomato
  • 1 TBSP lemon or lime juice
  • Optional: onion
  • Optional: red pepper or other hot spice

First process garlic clove. Mince into very small pieces. If using onion, mince onion slices next. Add tomato, taking care to leave visible chunks of tomato – do not over process. Next add peeled avocado. Use food processor to minimally mix the avocados with all ingredients, taking care to not over process. Add salt to taste and any spices (hot sauce, salsa, chili pepper, red pepper) as desired.

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Understanding The Perfect Margarita

By GuestPoster | Published: November 7, 2011

Margaritas come in a lot of different forms, from insanely complex to a very basic cocktail.  While its history goes back to 1941 in Ensenada, Mexico, just about every region has their own form of the drink.  Originally, the drink was equal parts tequila, orange liqueur (triple sec in today’s terms), and lime.  This drink is much less potent than how we normally drink them today, but it’s likely they were using a stronger orange liqueur than we currently would use.  The basic margarita recipe is two parts tequila, to one part of fresh lime juice, one part triple sec, garnished with lime, and a salted rim is optional.

The preparation of your margarita will determine what type of glass you choose to use.  A basic margarita on the rocks will normally be served in a standard high ball glass.  Fruity and blended versions will normally be served in a “margarita glass”, which is similar in nature to a sparkling wine flute, but bulges out at the top.

According to cooklikeaking.com, quality of ingredients is the key to making the perfect margarita.  Many people, myself included, have a very hard time drinking cheap tequila, so getting the highest quality you can afford is a great idea.  The same goes for the triple sec, since many of the cheaper varieties will have artificial ingredients in them, such as high fructose corn syrup, that can lead to a nasty hangover!  How traditional you want to be will determine which type of limes that you use.  In Mexico, margaritas are traditionally made with key limes, but these limes can be difficult to find all year in the US, so most times you will end up with Persian limes.  Most people won’t be able to tell the difference between the two, but you will at least be able to brag about your authenticity if you use key limes!

For such a simple drink, there are a lot of complex parts to it, but it truly boils down to glass and ingredient selection.  Get those right and you’ll make the perfect margarita!

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The Hario v60 Ceramic Drip Cone and the Pour Over Method

By GuestPoster | Published: October 7, 2011

Everyone is talking about pour over coffee and how it is so much better than drip. And yet, nobody is talking about how you, a real human being, can make this pour over coffee.

I just ordered my Hario v60 ceramic drip cone a couple of days ago and we got it in the mail today.  Of course, being as excited as I was I wasted no time before opening it up and checking it out.  It was as simple as it looked, just one ceramic cone that sits neatly on a coffee mug.

You just add a filter, add freshly ground coffee, and pour boiling water over it.  It really is that simple.

The Process

I really can’t stress the simplicity of the Hario v60 enough, we ordered Hario v60 filters specifically because we didn’t want to try using some other type of filter that didn’t fit right.  These were inexpensive, and certainly proved to be worthwhile since they fit themselves inside the ceramic cone so snugly.

Our first attempt, a dry run per se, with the Hario v60 happened within about ten minutes of us discovering the box on our front stoop.

Here at Project Vvlgar we get very excited about new coffee gadgets that we can play with and just couldn’t help but jump on top of it immediately.

I boiled the water, ground up the freshly roasted whole beans and prepared my first attempt expecting that at least in some way I would mess it up – I mean, this was my first time ever using the Hario v60, I had heard it took some practice, and I was perfectly ready to ‘practice’ as much as I needed.

Guess what happened?

We made a perfect cup of coffee our very first try.  We poured the boiling water in, stirred it a few times as it seeped through, and voila!

Within four minutes we had made the best cup of coffee ever.  The Hario v60 is not only inexpensive but it is simple in product as well as method.  No kitchen is complete without one.

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Kenwood Mini Chopper

By GuestPoster | Published: October 7, 2011

Kenwood, along with Cuisinart and KitchenAid, rule the food processor industry in the US. Food processors produced by the said cooking appliances manufacturer are high quality, feature intensive, and sells for a good amount of money. One of its latest food preparation tool products is the Kenwood Mini Chopper CH180 which is a very compact and powerful kitchen equipment.

The Mini Chopper features sharp stainless steel blades that are durable enough to produce consistent results. It can also chop meat, vegetables, herbs, and even breadcrumbs if the speed is set to 2 speed. It is a Delia Smith Cheat gadget that provides additional safety precautionary measures to its blade access. You cannot access the blades while they are in use due to the safety interlock system. It is also dishwasher safe and is very easy to dismantle and reassemble for cleaning purposes. It does not pack too many features but considering its very affordable price and targeted market, it sure is made to suffice the needs of consumers.

The Kenwood Mini Chopper, even though very similar to a KitcenAid KFP750CR, is unlike many food processors today. It is small and very compact and weighs only 950g. The equipped bowl has a 150g capacity of solid food and 350ml of liquid capacity. The Mini Chopper is a 300 watt device that would do good for most tedious tasks and will save you time. This cooking appliance tool is useful for easy food preparation. In fact, out of 445 consumer reviews from Amazon.com, 316 consumers gave it 1 5/5 rating. This proves that the Kenwood Mini Chopper is a pretty capable kitchen tool.

Delia Smith has also recommended the Kenwood Mini Chopper in her “Delia’s How to Cheat at Cooking” guide and thinks that it is an ingenious machine. If you want a food processor that will do most for daily kitchen tasks then the Mini Chopper is for definitely for you.

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My Experience of Coconut Milk

By GuestPoster | Published: October 5, 2011

I hated being force fed milk when I was at school. As a result I have never really liked milk in my adult years. I never really understood the attraction of the liquid – high in fat and from a cow’s udders. To me it sounds disgusting. It was thus some surprise that I took my first holiday to Thailand recently and discovered that I really loved the taste of coconut milk.

While I was visiting the paradise islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao in the deep south of Thailand I found myself eating spicy curries and soups nearly every day. The local food was delicious and much more reasonably priced than the poor version of Western food they have on the menus.

I had read on the internet a while back that coconut milk was high in saturated fats. It was thus a puzzle to me that Thais who eat coconut oil and milk every day were slim and healthy. It was only later that I discovered that coconut milk in contrast to cow’s milk contains medium chain fatty acids that are easily absorbed by the body and turned into energy not fat. I also read that coconut milk is rich (like mother’s milk) in lauric acid that protect the body from viral infections.

My favorite Thai dish was the classic green curry. The coconut milk helps to tame the fiery spices and help with digestion. I also really loved the creamier Tom Ka Gai which is chicken soup with fresh spices and coconut milk. For desserts the best was mango on sticky rice with thick coconut milk.

On returning home from my holiday I bought a Thai cook book and searched out coconut milk. It was easy to find coconut milk in cans at my local big supermarket. If you have problems finding coconut milk where you live then Amazon does a good range.

I get through 2 or 3 cans of coconut milk a week now. I use it in my cooking, I put a bit in my coffee and I also like to make alcoholic cocktails with coconut milk. I find it helps to lessen the bad head the following day. I still don’t like cow’s milk, but coconut milk is a different matter.

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Quick Red Enchilada Sauce

By GuestPoster | Published: September 27, 2011

Make a Great Enchilada Sauce in Minutes

An authentic red enchilada sauce made from dried chiles takes a long to make from scratch. So what do you do when you need better tasting sauce than what you get in a jar and you need it fast? You make a version that approximates a true enchilada sauce but will be ready in a quarter of the time. We’ll teach you how to make a quick tasty sauce that you can have ready in just minutes. You probably have all of the ingredients already. Let’s start cooking…

Here are the ingredients you will need:

  • 1lb Roma tomatoes
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon Mexican chile powder (be sure there is no salt added to the powder.)
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons salt

In a very hot pan, char the tomatoes, onion and garlic. They should be well charred.

Once charred, add the vegetables to a blender and add just enough water to cover. No more. Add the oregano, cumin, and salt. Blend until very smooth.

Pour the salsa into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 5 minutes until the salsa is cooked through and the flavors start to blend. It you prefer an extra smooth sauce, pour it through a strainer and press with the back of a spoon to release all of the flavor.

  • Time required: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 portions
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Cost: inexpensive

You can double the batch and store the remaining enchilada sauce in the freezer for up to two months. The sauce tastes great on both chicken and cheese enchiladas.

We recommend that you try your hand at making an enchilada sauce from scratch the traditional way. If you have the time, it’s well worth the effort. Your family and friends will be impressed.

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How to Make an Iced Cappuccino

By GuestPoster | Published: September 26, 2011

Making an iced cappuccino is not very difficult if you have an espresso machine, and they make for a great summer drink. They also make great dessert drinks, and your friends will be really impressed. Also, if you are a cappuccino junkie then you can learn to save some money by making these drinks at home. Some of the main ingredients that you will need to make an iced cappuccino are espresso coffee, milk, ice, a blender, and an espresso machine.

There are many variations when it comes to the traditional cappuccino recipe, but the primary steps are very similar. If you have an espresso machine, you will need to brew some espresso, and then steam some milk. Mix these two ingredients together and add finely chopped ice either from your refrigerator or from your blender. If you want to add sugar, you should do it before you add the ice because it will dissolve better. To finish the iced cappuccino, you can take some whip cream and add a dab of it on the top. For even more fun, you can garnish the cream with a little cinnamon or your favorite sweet spice.

A very easy iced cappuccino recipe simply requires a blender or a food processor instead of an espresso machine. Traditional iced cappuccinos are made with espresso, but you can use normal coffee. Take some coffee, some milk (or half and half, if you prefer), and some ice cubes and toss it in the blender. Blend for a few minutes until the ice is very finely chopped and then serve your easy iced cappuccino.

For even more fun, you can make flavored iced cappuccinos. You can either add flavored syrup, like caramel, or you can use flavored coffee. No matter what variation you use, these drinks will definitely be a popular treat.

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Gluten Free Food

By GuestPoster | Published: September 24, 2011

I have been eating gluten-free for almost a year now.  I made the decision to go gluten-free full time when I was having digestive issues and side pains for many months.  Even the doctor couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me.  Eventually, I tried a gluten-free diet as an experiment, and all my issues and pains went away after a few days.  I realized I was very sensitive to wheat/gluten, so I made the decision to stay off of it for good.

Quitting gluten is tough when you have eaten it your whole life.  Also, it seems like it is in every dish when you are at a restaurant.  Once you get in the hang of eating food without gluten, it becomes so much easier.  My favorite dishes at restaurants are chicken without breading and vegetables or steak and vegetables.  I also love going out for sushi, but be prepared to ask the waiters about what is in each roll because there are definitely some wheat-containing ingredients in some of them.

Since eating out is a little harder on a gluten free diet, I tend to cook the majority of my meals at home.  It is actually less time-consuming to book healthy meals at home than most people think.  You are able to control the ingredients and what goes in to each dish, so you KNOW that what you are eating is safe for you.  I am able to make pretty much everything I ever made before, since there are gluten free varieties for everything now.  My favorite bread is Udi’s brand.  Veggie stir fry with gluten free soy sauce is another big staple of my diet.

If you are going gluten free for the first time and are struggling, trust me it gets easier.  Once you know what you can and can’t eat, it becomes so simple.  There are gluten free pizzas, pastas, breads, and everything else you could ever want.  It seems like the world is taking notice of the increasing amounts of people avoiding gluten, which is great for us.

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How to Store and Use Coffee Beans

By GuestPoster | Published: September 15, 2011

Many people recommend using coffee beans instead of ground coffee because the beans are more flavorful. While ground coffee is more convenient, the beans will last longer, and they are often fresher than grounds. If you prefer strong, flavorful coffee, you might want to give beans a chance.

Properly Storing Your Beans

When it comes to storing your coffee beans, you want to make sure that you do it right. You do not want to let your expensive gourmet coffee beans go stale because you did not take the time to store them properly. Some basic things that you want to avoid are light, moisture, and excess heat. So, you will want to store your beans in an airtight container, and you will want to store them somewhere cool and dark—your kitchen cabinets are a good place to store your beans. Glass and ceramic are good containers to use, and if you want to store your coffee out on the counter, you will want an opaque container to block light. While you can freeze your beans, it is best to only freeze the unopened packages. Freezers tend to have a lot of moisture in them which can negatively affect your beans.

Using Your Coffee Beans

When it comes to using your coffee beans, you will want to grind up the amount of beans that you are going to use. You do not want to grind more than you need since the grounds will quickly lose their freshness. A good rule of thumb is that you will need about a tablespoon of grounds for every two cups. So if you want to make ten cups of coffee, you will need about five tablespoons of grounds. Some types of coffee beans are naturally stronger or weaker than others, so if you prefer your coffee stronger or weaker, you can adjust the amount of grounds accordingly.

If you want to try truly fresh coffee, you should consider trying coffee beans instead of ground coffee. They are often more expensive, and they take a little more work. Nonetheless they are well worth the price for a coffee connoisseur.

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Cutting Out Unhealthy Food Choices

By GuestPoster | Published: September 14, 2011

If you are like the tens of millions of Americans who struggle with their diets, there is no need to get frustrated and think there is no way to get better.  A frightening number of our country’s health problems are food-related.  If we just got rid of some of our bad food choices and replaced them with some healthier ones, I think as a whole our country would be in much better shape.

I used to drink WAY too much soda.  Two or three bottles of soda was a pretty normal day in my life.  I knew I needed to change;  I hated the bloated, sluggish feeling it caused.  Not to mentioned, soda is just empty calories of sugar with no redeeming qualities other than the taste I loved so much.  To get out of this habit, I made a rule – no soda until I drink two can of sparkling water first.  That way, after I drink the sparkling waters, I will no longer crave the carbonation from soda.  I have cut way back on my soda intake since I started doing this.  I highly recommend people making similar rules if they want to cut down on a certain item.

Another very important thing to do to eat better is to cook your own meals.  Many people think they do not have the time to do this;  this is a poor, lazy excuse and one that will likely lead to health problems sooner rather than later.  You can easily cook some meals ahead of time on a Sunday night or other downtime.  You are way less likely to head to the local fast food joint and splurge if you know you have a home-cooked meal waiting for you.  I have found I no longer stop at these restaurants if I know I already have a delicious, healthy meal planned.

If you suffer from food allergies like I do, there is no reason you can’t still eat a variety of mouth-watering foods.  I suffer from gluten and tree nut allergies.  People think I must be in agony just because I can’t consume pasta and bread like everyone else.  I sort of consider it a blessing in disguise.  Yes, I do miss those foods greatly.  But it also helps me stay far, far away from unhealthy foods.  If you are struggling to control your fast food cravings, I recommend taking it slowly and finding a healthy replacement to take the place of the food you want to stop eating.  If you have something else to take your mind off of it, your chances of success are sky high.

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