Hi Home-Ec 101,
I made a beef roast yesterday and even though it was perfectly rosy on the inside it was still pretty tough… Enough so that I’m not finding the idea of leftovers particularly appetizing. Is there a way I can use the meat up that will correct (or at least disguise) the toughness?
Signed,
Leathery in Louisiana
Heather says:
My options depend on the original flavoring of the roast itself. If it was simply onion, garlic, salt and pepper, cook the rest of the roast in a crockpot, in salsa, then shred for chimichangas.
If the roast had other flavors that wouldn’t go well with salsa, slice it as thinly as possible and use it on French dips, beef and cheddar hoagies, or in a beef stroganoff.
How about you, what would you do with a tough piece of roast beef?
Send your domestic quandaries to helpme@home-ec101.com.
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Heather says:
There are two things on today’s to-do list. First get out the shopping list and plan your attack.
Second, figure out how long your frozen turkey will take to thaw. Frozen turkeys need a full 24 hours per 5lbs to thaw in a 40F refrigerator. Once thawed the turkey can be held for up to 48 hours.
For example, an 18lb turkey will take nearly 4 days to thaw and should be used by the 6th day. Thanksgiving is 1 week away, so it’s time to start thawing those 20 plus pound turkeys. Don’t forget to keep that turkey in the very bottom of the refrigerator to prevent any cross-contamination through drips and spills.
If you are picking up a fresh turkey, it should be cooked within 3 days of pick-up, so play it safe and pick it up on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Tags: Countdown to Turkey Day
Dear Home-Ec 101,
Last week I was cruising through Sam’s Club and found a great deal on fresh mozzarella, which I have never used before. I picked some up and froze it. I thawed one pound of it in the fridge and grated it in the food processor for pizza. It tasted okay, but the consistency was a bit weird, almost like ricotta. And it made the pizza kind of wet. Should I have drained it before freezing, or before using in the food processor? Is freezing it just not a good idea? Or is it just not a good fit for pizza?
Signed,
Mystified by Mozzarella
Heather says:
Freezing fresh mozzarella isn’t the best idea. In fact, it’s not easy to store fresh mozzarella for long. If stored too long it becomes bitter and if frozen the consistency becomes funky.
Fresh mozzarella is excellent on pizza, but has a very mild flavor and to take advantage of using this ingredient it should be treated as the star of the show. Due to its consistency it should be sliced rather than grated.
It’s also lovely marinated and served in salads or sliced thinly and served on sandwiches. Be sure to use toasted bread and crisp vegetables to fully enjoy the contrast of textures.
How about you Home Eccers, how do you use fresh mozzarella?
Send your domestic questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.
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Heather says:
It’s time to pull out your menu and recipes and put together your time table.
What time will dinner be?
How many of your side dishes can be made the day before? How will you reheat them in a timely manner.
What will have to be done to ensure everything is hot at the same time?
If your schedule gets thrown for a loop*, what can you have on hand to keep people from circling the kitchen like starving vultures?
*For instance your child getting sick which results in having to spend half your prep-day at Urgent Care. (He’s fine now). I’m just saying, it happens.
Tags: Countdown to Turkey Day
Heather says:
Recently a reader posed this question in the comments:
My dughter is a vegetarian and has been asked to bring something for Thanksgiving that she can eat and that will provide a taste of something good and different than the usual Turkey-day fare. We have’nt come up with anything “spectacular” but I thought I would try your readers. Any suggestions? She is a pretty good cook, so it doesn’t have to be super easy, just needs to taste great! Thanks.
After further questioning, I learned that she is looking for an idea for a main dish. So, I would love to open this question up to all of you. Please feel free to link to your favorite vegetarian holiday recipes to help this reader out.
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