Cooking Lessons for Dad

Cooking Lessons for Beginners

Minestrone Soup

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Yield: 6 servings

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 1/2 cups onions, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
  • 32 ounces vegetable broth
  • 14.5 ounce can tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup carrots, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups green beans, cut in 1/2 inch pieces (1/3 pound)
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 cup elbow macaroni
  • 15.5 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt (or to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper (or to taste)
  • Parmesan cheese (if desired)

Instructions

    1: In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
    2: Add the onions and sauté then until soft.
    3: Add the garlic and sauté another minute.
    4: Stir in the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, carrots, green beans and oregano.
    5: Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the carrots are soft.
    6: Add the macaroni and beans to the simmering soup. Cook until the pasta is tender (see pasta package directions for approximate cooking time).
    7: Add salt and pepper to taste.
    8: Serve. Top with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

Add up to a cup of macaroni for a much thicker soup.
Adjust the amount of vegetables and seasonings as desired.
You can use frozen cut green beans in place of fresh. Add the frozen green beans at the same time as the macaroni and beans so they don’t get over cooked.
Substitute 4 teaspoons instant vegetable broth seasoning and 4 cups of water for the liquid vegetable broth.
Cannellini beans are white kidney beans.

© Karen Breyer

Try this easy Minestrone Soup recipe! It is delicious and easy to make. All the ingredients are healthy and easy to find. This Minestrone Soup is perfect as a main dish or side dish. Serve this delicious, hearty soup for lunch or dinner. You may want to serve it with toast or crackers and with a sandwich or salad. In this cooking video Karen Breyer will show you step-by-step how to make Minestrone Soup. Watch this cooking video and make this easy, tasty Minestrone Soup today!

Quick Soak Dried Beans

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Quick Soak Dried Beans

Quick Soak Dried Beans

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried beans (or as desired)

Instructions

    1: Rinse the beans. Remove any rocks or debris.
    2: Place the rinsed beans in a large saucepan.
    3: Add enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches.
    4: Bring the water to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer the beans for 2 minutes.
    5: Remove from the heat and cover. Let beans soak at least one hour.
    6: Drain the soaking liquid and rinse the beans.
    7: The beans are ready to cook. Cook the beans in clean water.

Notes

1 cup of dried beans equals 2 to 3 cups cooked.
1 pound of dried beans equals 2 cups uncooked, which is 4 - 6 cups cooked.
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) of cooked, rinsed canned beans is about 1 3/4 cups.
It is helpful to set a timer when quick soaking beans.

© Karen Breyer

Try this Quick-Soak method next time you are cooking dried beans. If you don’t have time to soak your beans for 8 hours or more try this fast bean soaking method and enjoy some cooked beans today! In this cooking video Karen Breyer will show you step-by-step how to Quick-Soak Dried Beans. It is so easy! Watch this cooking video and cook some delicious beans for dinner today!

Poached Eggs

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Poached Eggs

Poached Eggs

Ingredients

  • Fresh eggs

Instructions

    1: Heat at least 2 inches of water in a saucepan or deep skillet to a simmer. Do not put the eggs in boiling water or they will get tough and broken up by the agitation. If the water is not hot enough, the eggs will cook slowly and spread.
    2: Break each egg in a dish and slide it into the simmering water. They will hold their shape better if you slide it in against the edge of the pan.
    3: Simmer 3 to 5 minutes, until the whites are coagulated and the yolks are a soft as you like them.
    4: Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon.
    5: Drain well and serve.

Notes

Ideal poached eggs have a bright and shiny appearance. They will be compact and round, not spread and flattened. They have firm and tender whites with a warm liquid yolk.
When poaching eggs aim to keep the egg shape. You want the eggs to be in a round, compact mass as much as possible rather than spread out all over the pan. Fresh eggs maintain their shape best.
If eggs are not very fresh you can add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons distilled vinegar for each quart of water. The vinegar helps to coagulate the egg white faster. This helps the poached egg to have a better shape.
Vinegar is not needed when using fresh eggs. Leave it out whenever you can because it will cause the whites to be tougher and not as shiny.
Some cooks like to create a whirlpool in the water by stirring it quickly and then dropping the egg in. You can try this if you are poaching one egg at a time.
To improve the appearance trim off the ragged edges.
To hold for later, plunge the egg immediately into cold water to stop the cooking. Later reheat briefly in hot water and serve.

© Karen Breyer

Try these delicious Poached Eggs! This is a healthy cooking method and easy to make too. All you need is some simmering water and eggs. You can make lots of eggs at once or just a couple.

And eggs are not just for breakfast. I just had Poached Eggs on toast for dinner. They were so flavorful and creamy. I like them runny but my husband likes them firm. I just leave his in the simmering water longer. You can easily cook Poached Eggs to order. In this cooking video Karen Breyer will show you step-by-step how to make yummy Poached Eggs. Watch this cooking video and make some Poached Eggs today!

Garbanzo Bean Soup with Tomatoes and Spinach

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Garbanzo Bean Soup with Tomatoes and Spinach

Garbanzo Bean Soup with Tomatoes and Spinach

Ingredients

  • 2 - 3 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 cups onion, chopped
  • 2 - 3 teaspoons garlic, minced
  • 6 cups water
  • 6 teaspoons chicken broth seasoning, instant (regular or vegan)
  • 2 15 ounce cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
  • 14.5 ounce can tomatoes, diced
  • 10 ounce package spinach, chopped (frozen and thawed)
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon Kosher salt (or to taste)
  • 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon pepper, ground (or to taste)
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (or to taste)

Instructions

    1: Heat oil in a large saucepan.
    2: Add onions and garlic. Cook until onions are soft. Stir frequently.
    3: Add water, chicken broth seasoning, beans and tomatoes. Stir together.
    4: Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
    5: Stir in the spinach, salt and pepper. Heat through.
    6: Spoon into bowls. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Notes

You can use 6 cups of chicken broth in place of the water and instant chicken broth seasoning. You can also adjust the instant chicken broth/seasoning to taste.
Use 2 cups fresh baby spinach in place of the frozen spinach.
You can easily double this recipe.
Don’t cook the spinach longer than needed to heat through or it will turn a dark color.
Use petite diced tomatoes for a more uniform size of ingredients if desired (it looks nice).

© Karen Breyer

Try this delicious Garbanzo Bean Soup with Tomatoes and Spinach! It has all healthy ingredients and is easy to make. It is a very hearty, satisfying soup that everyone will love! Serve this Garbanzo Bean Soup with Tomatoes and Spinach as a main dish or side dish. It In this cooking video Karen Breyer will show you step-by-step how to make this Garbanzo Bean Soup with Tomatoes and Spinach recipe. Watch this cooking video and make this tasty Garbanzo Bean Soup with Tomatoes and Spinach today!

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