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The Confident Kitchen Series

How to Caramelize Onions

By Denise Pare-Watson

The Confident Kitchen Series

Well, it was a sad day in the UrbnSpice kitchen when I realized I had developed a sensitivity to onions – not eating them, thank goodness – only for cutting and chopping them! There was a time when I wore contact lenses for years and years and didn’t have to give cutting onions a second thought. I would smugly chuckle at my teary-eyed colleagues as they prepared their daily mise-en-place. After having laser eye surgery, I now stand before you, adorned in goggles – teary eyed from all the cutting and slicing and dicing. However, this has not stopped me from one of the most important flavour booster processes in the world of cooking – caramelizing onions.  So, in this post, I will share with you How to Caramelize Onions.

Caramelizing Onions

Caramelized Onions

The result of caramelizing onions is so worth the time it takes to make them – the tears are an added bonus – or so I am told. It takes very little effort to make them – it is a great technique for the novice or seasoned cooks. For those cooks who ‘love to hover’ over their speciality dishes, making caramelized onions is intensely gratifying.

Bacon and Onions | urbnspice.com

The process of caramelization of bacon and onions will have people coming into your kitchen to see what’s cooking!

The versatility of caramelized onions or shallots alone makes it one of the best flavour enhancers to any dish. It is definitely worth your time to make enough to have on hand for other recipes and uses. Take a lamb burger to epic heights with the addition of caramelized onions. French Onion Soup would not be French Onion Soup without this important ingredient in the process. A bowl of plain onion soup just doesn’t have the same appeal.

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Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
License Type:Commercial
License Abstract:You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Appetizers and Small Plates, Grain Free Recipes, Have you Ever wondered about Series?, Making Sense Series, Sides, The Confident Kitchen Series, Urb'n'Spice Tips and Techniques Series Tagged With: Appetizers, Caramelized Onions, Caramelizing, Dips, Gluten Free, The Confident Kitchen Series, Tips and Techniques

Roast Your Nuts!

By Denise Pare-Watson

The Confident Kitchen Series

If you want to “step it up a notch” in your kitchen, whether a professional kitchen or a home kitchen, Roast Your Nuts before using them in your recipe. It is a surefire way to elevate the taste of your food in both cooking and baking from flavourless to outstanding.

Why bother?  You would not consider having a cup of coffee with un-roasted beans, would you?  Have you ever eaten a cookie, cake or bread that has the addition of nuts that really did not deliver the taste you were expecting?

Roast Your Nuts: The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies | urbnspice.com

Chocolate Pecan Cookies 

For example:

  • A chocolate chip pecan cookie
  • Hazelnut Raisin Bread
  • Granola Bars or granola
  • German Chocolate Cake with traditional coconut & pecan filling
  • Bar nuts, candied nuts, spiced nuts, etc.

As well, other food-related items that are not baked but have nuts added, such as:

  • A spinach salad with goat cheese, cranberries, sliced pears and candied pecans (that were not roasted beforehand)
  • A pesto with pine nuts or walnuts that were not roasted

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2016-2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
License Type:Commercial
License Abstract:You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Desserts and Sweets, Making Sense Series, The Confident Kitchen Series, UrbnSpice Chef Muse Tagged With: Baking Ingredients, Baking Tips, Learning Tips, Recipe Tips, The Confident Kitchen Series, Tips and Techniques

How To Cut A Butternut Squash

By Denise Pare-Watson

THE CONFIDENT KITCHEN SERIES

Soup Classes seem to include, due to popular demand, a recipe for butternut squash soup.  When I send out the initial confirmation for soup classes, I always ask my prospective students if there is any soup in particular that they would like to cover in my class. Butternut Squash Soup is always high on that list.  That makes me happy because it is one of my favourite soups.  But, first things first.  How does a person cut such an unusual looking vegetable?   It can be quite intimidating to tackle such a roly-poly vegetable.  I am going to show you How To Cut A Butternut Squash.

How to Cut a Butternut Squash | urbnspice.comA beautiful Butternut Squash…

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2017 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
License Type:Commercial
License Abstract:You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: My Recipes, Soups and Chowders, The Confident Kitchen Series, Urbnspice Classes Tagged With: Butternut Squash, How To, Roasting Vegetables, The Confident Kitchen Series, Tips and Techniques

On Cutting Vegetables

By Denise Pare-Watson

On Cutting Vegetables

“Vegetables sure are hard to cut – they are so problematic!  So unwieldy, so roly-poly, so wobbly!”

“This class is going to be so great!”

(Snippets of conversation overheard during an Urb’n’Spice  Knife Skills & Cookery Class)

Butternut Squash - cutting skills | urbnspice.com

Cutting Skills – Butternut Squash
Cutting Skills - Rutabaga | urbnspice.com

*****

“I hope this book will inspire the kitchen con-artist in you,

increase fruit and veggie consumption in your family,

and motivate you to become an Accidental Cook. Pass it on!”

― Merrin McGregor, Vegetables Accidentally

*****

“I don’t think I’ll ever grow old and say,

“What was I thinking eating all those fruits and vegetables?”

― Nancy S. Mure, Eat! Empower.

*****

Further Reading of Interest from Urb’n’Spice:

The Confident Kitchen Series – How to tackle a butternut squash

Rooting for Rutabaga – An Understated Vegetable

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2015-2017 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
License Type:Commercial
License Abstract:You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Foodie Quotes, The Confident Kitchen Series Tagged With: Cutting Skills, Food Quotes, Sides, The Confident Kitchen Series, Vegetables

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Meet Denise – The Urbnspice Chef

Welcome to Urbnspice - A Taste of Heart and Home. Inspiration in my kitchen is often a trip to the market or an experimental coincidence! Come and join me on this culinary journey where I share my passion for the creative, technical and teaching components of the profession and unravel culinary quandaries for you with fun and easy to follow user-friendly recipes, tips & techniques.
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