Cooking Tips | Zest For Cooking

What’s In Your Pantry?

June 9, 2016 by pamflo

The key to success in the kitchen is having a well stocked pantry. If you have many of these staples on hand it will help you put together a meal with ease. With a well rounded pantry you can have an impromptu dinner party, put together a last minute meal or feed hungry kids. I have included essentials for both cooking and baking and listed some brands that I like. Your pantry should suit your diet and lifestyle. Just a note […]

Categories: Cooking Tips • Tags: Pantry

Asian Flank Steak

April 28, 2016 by pamflo

Spring has arrived, and with it the start of grilling season! Flank steak is an inexpensive and versatile cut of meat and is perfect for tacos, lettuce wraps, over a salad or as a main dish. This beefy flavored, lean and fibrous cut of meat benefits from a marinade. Marinating the meat at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking, both tenderizes the meat and helps with even cooking. If you want to marinate your meat for longer, it can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Using […]

Categories: Cooking Tips, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Lunch Ideas, Meat/Poultry • Tags: Broil, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Grill, Marinate

Braised Lamb Shanks

April 14, 2016 by pamflo

Braising is a perfect activity for a rainy day. It’s a combination of dry and wet heat cooking. The meat is typically seared over high heat until browned, and then cooked slowly in a flavorful liquid over low heat. This low and slow cooking breaks down the tough connective tissue. The meat takes on the flavors of the braising liquid it’s bathing in. The key ingredients are a good drinking wine, chicken or vegetable broth, fresh herbs and a variety of vegetables. This […]

Categories: Cooking Tips, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Lunch Ideas, Meat/Poultry, One-Pot Meals, Vegetables • Tags: Braise, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Low and Slow Cooking, Sear

Molten Chocolate Cake

February 11, 2016 by pamflo

Welcome to my new blog design. I really hope this format helps you enjoy reading my posts even more. Zest For Cooking will now be mobile-friendly, as well as easier to navigate and search recipes. Thanks so much for your continue support, comments and feedback. I can’t wait to hear more from my followers. Please note my new blog address is now http://www.zestforcooking.com As the snow falls lightly but steadily, I’m in my cozy kitchen baking away. There’s nothing as wonderful […]

Categories: Cakes, Chocolate/Candy, Cooking Tips, Dessert, Gifts • Tags: Bake, Melt, Whip

Double Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins

October 1, 2015 by pamflo

What’s a double oatmeal cookie you ask? These cookies are made with oat flour and old-fashioned rolled oats and no white flour. Pastry chef Alice Medrich has mastered baking with non-wheat flours. Her recipes are my go-to for a wheat-free treat. The oat flour provides texture and flavor, without it tasting like just another gluten-free cookie. Xanthan gum is a stabilizer and a necessary addition to your pantry if you’re regularly baking gluten-free goodies. It adds volume, acts as a binder […]

Categories: Cookies/Brownies, Cooking Tips, Dessert, Gluten Free, Snack • Tags: Bake, Gluten Free

New York Culinary Experience 2015

April 16, 2015 by pamflo

This was my 6th year at the International Culinary Center in Soho, New York. This two day cooking extravaganza is a yearly experience that inspires me to get into the kitchen and try new dishes! I took a pastry class with Joe Murphy from Jean-Georges, savory cooking classes with Jamie Bissonnette and Ken Oringer from Toro in Boston (and New York), Jimmy Bradley from The Red Cat in New York, and Paris chef, Bruno Verjus. Here are some of the highlights […]

Categories: Cooking Tips

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