Rate Cookery

Let’s Make An Omelette!

An omelette is usually a simple egg dish to make but it can take time to learn how to make them right. You need a good electric skillet and a good spatula.

How to Make an Omelette On An Electric Skillet

It may look easy to make an omelette, but many have failed it too many times. There are many factors that can cause an omelette to not come out the way it should. The most common reason is often due to cooking errors. You don’t want to look at gourmet recipes and make the same mistakes you made. Here are some simple cooking tips to make an omelette.

You may get an omelette pan before you can start cooking but electric griddles were made for this type of cooking. They have large non-stick surfaces to cook on and they are great at holding a steady temperature for the entire cooking surface. They also are large enough that you can cook the meats and vegetables that you are going to use and still have room for your eggs.

Be Sure To Use Fresh Eggs

Most omelettes are two or three egg creations. While you can add almost anything to your dish, the basic ingredients are eggs, butter and a bit of water. Crack your room temperature eggs into a bowl and whisk well. You want to end up with a creamy mixture of egg white and egg yolk. Add a tablespoon of water and mix well.
Heat up your electric skillet and, when it is ready, add a tablespoon of butter. Let the butter foam, then pour your eggs onto the griddle. Add you cooked vegetables and meats to one side of the eggs and top with any cheeses you want. When the eggs have started to set, use you sturdy spatula to flip the side without ingredients over, then flip the entire omelette over. Cook for another minute or two before serving.

There are a few tips for any kind of omelette that you are going to make. Don’t salt or pepper until the omelette is cooked, they can make eggs rubbery. Meats should be cooked before being added and vegetables are usually better cooked ahead of time. This is where an electric griddle comes in handy, the large surface lets you cook a lot of food at one time.

The Trouble With Breakfast

Tips for making a good breakfast.

Too often you have probably heard someone tell you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. On the surface that may be true, it may have been 12-14 hours since you last ate (we are not counting snacks for this example).  However, your body can store a lot of energy and keep functioning for a long time.  Missing one meal may make you full hungry but there are no health issues that will come from a longer fast.  What is true is that less than half of the population in the US and Europe have a meal for breakfast.

Sometimes We Just Don’t Like Breakfast Foods

Nothing is written in stone that says you can only eat breakfast foods for breakfast. Tradition has moved us into a mind set where breakfast is eggs and bacon, maybe pancakes or possibly cereal (hot or cold).  If you truly don’t feel feel hungry in the morning, particularly if you aren’t accustomed to eating breakfast, these foods may be quite unappealing.

Health and diet experts believe that people who skip breakfast end up eating more over the course of the rest of the day.  Even having a piece of fruit or some yogurt can help to stave off food cravings the rest of the morning.

So what is the best mix of the right nutrients and vitamins, something that will give you energy for the start of your day?  Even if you don’t usually eat breakfast you should have sometime after you wake up to give your body a boost.

It doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult to have a good breakfast.  Start by making a list of what you like and then create some breakfast plans around the list.  Do you like fruit?  Make a smoothie or add fruit to cereal.  Do you have a favorite chicken recipe?  That can work for breakfast as well as lunch.

Simple Breakfast Tips

* If you are stretched for time and need a faster breakfast, try making some breakfast burritos.  They are quick and easy and you can keep them in the freezer. You can use whole-wheat or regular tortillas, scrambled eggs (either whole, all whites, a mix, or an egg product), some veggies like onions and peppers, and any type of protein (meat or meatless).

* It worked when you were a kid, so consider making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread. The whole wheat gives you fiber (helping to make you feel full). That can make a fine breakfast that is quick to prepare.  You might add a glass of milk or some fruit to give your meal some balance.

* Hot or cold cereals can make for a fine breakfast.  Just make sure it’s not the only thing you eat.  Top off your cereal with some banana or blueberries, or swapping out dairy for soy milk for a healthy dairy addition.  If you are trying to cut fat out of your diet,  stick to skim milk.
Statistics show that over half of us don’t eat breakfast, so it pays to have a few short cuts to get around those excuses.

 

* Many of us eat our breakfasts on the go, meaning we are searching for food that travels well. In this case a well made smoothie is a good place to start.  If you have a blender in your kitchen you can create your own special smoothies.  Watch the ingredient list closely if you purchase a smoothie at a coffee shop.  Some of these drinks include a lot of cream and sugar and can have up to 600 calories. You can purchase a good blender or smoothie maker to have at home and whip up your own smoothie in less time than it takes to stop at a smoothie store, and you ‘ll know exactly what’s in it.

Breakfast Can Be Low Calorie

Breakfast might be the easiest meal to fill up without using a lot of calories or fat. You can fry up an egg, add a slice of Canadian bacon and put the two into a toasted English muffin for a 200-calorie, filling breakfast.
There’s no law that says you have to eat breakfast foods for breakfast. You legitimately might not feel hungry in the morning, particularly if you aren’t accustomed to eating breakfast. Study after study shows that people who skip breakfast end up eating more the rest of the day than people who eat a solid breakfast every morning.

 

Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

This recipe is outstanding if you need to feed a large group.  Your electric griddle is perfect for pancakes and this recipe is a real crowd pleaser.  The ingredients are similar to those found in a traditional oatmeal cookie recipe.  Adding buttermilk to the batter makes the mix very creamy and very rich.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 Cups old-fashioned oats
  • 2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 2 Teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 Teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 Teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • Big pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 Cups buttermilk
  • 1 Teaspoon pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 Cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted and cooled, plus more for the griddle or pan

oatmeal cookie pancakes

Directions

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200 degrees. This will help keep the cooked pancakes warm while you finish the entire batch.  You can also use the warming rack on your electric griddle if it has one.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, maple syrup, and melted butter. Add the buttermilk mixture, all at once, to the flour mixture and fold together with a spatula until all of the flour is incorporated. Fold in the raisins. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Heat griddle over medium heat and add a touch of butter to melt. Spoon or pour batter onto the hot griddle. Heat until the bottom is browned and the top is bubbly. Flip and cook through, about 2 minutes on each side. Place on a heatproof plate in the oven to rest until ready to serve. Serve with pure maple syrup and watch the happiness.

Pancakes should never be turned more than once.  They are fairly delicate and turning them often can cause them to break.  A trick to knowing when to turn a pancake is to peak at the side on the griddle.  Use your pancake turner to gently lift up an edge and see how brown the cake is.

If you haven’t used buttermilk before, this is a great way to try it.  Buttermilk is the liquid left over after butter is made.  It’s generally low fat and can be easier to digest.  Plus, it tastes great!

Grilled Steak Burgers

A recipe for delicious grilled steak burgers.

Don’t think of your electric griddle as just a breakfast maker.  While it will make perfect pancakes every time, it also makes fabulous burgers!  Here is a recipe for a wonderful steak burger that is perfect for an electric griddle.

The secret to any burger is the beef.  While the hamburger you buy at the grocery store is fine for most purposes, you really want to be picky when you are planning a steak burger or hamburger.  Go ahead and ask any experience cook, the quality of the meat is always important.

Hamburger? Steak Burger?

What’s the difference between a hamburger and a steak burger?  Not much and a whole lot.  Hamburger is a generic term for ground beef and for a grilled ground beef sandwich.  The ground beef you buy at the grocery store is usually a mix of beef cuts that the butcher has available.  The fat content changes and there is a difference in cuts of beef that can affect taste.

A steak burger is a bit more specific but at its core is a ground beef sandwich that is grill.  Usually something advertised as steak burger will be specific about which cuts of beef are used in the mix.  You may get the same mix at your grocery store but you may not know it.  Most grocery stores label all cuts of ground beef the same.

This recipe calls for both chuck steak and cube steak.  You will be mixing them together, with the other ingredients to form the patties.  I usually recommend a 75/25 or even 70/30 blend for the meat, you want the patties to be juicy.

Did You Know….

That adding too much liquid to your meat mix can make it tougher to have the patty keep its shape while cooking?  This recipe calls for steak sauce to be added but the amount is small.  If you want any other liquids for flavoring (BBQ sauce etc), add them to the surface of the patty while cooking.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. Cube steak, minced
  • 1 lb. Ground Chuck
  • 2 tbsps. Montreal steak Seasoning, divided
  • 1 pinch Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • ¼ cup Steak Sauce
  • 1 large Sweet Onion, sliced
  • 4 slices Jarlsberg Cheese
  • 4 Pretzel Hamburger Buns

Delicious Grilled Steak Burger that can be made on an electric griddle.

Instructions:

  • Preheat your electric griddle to 375 degrees.
  • Combine the minced cube steak, ground chuck, 1 tbsp. of steak seasoning, a pinch of red pepper flakes and a quarter cup of steak sauce in a large bowl. Mix with hand until thoroughly combined.
  • Divide the mixture into 4 portions and form large patties; sprinkle a little of the remaining steak seasoning.
  • Add in enough oil on the griddle once it is heated.
  • Scatter the onions and cook until slightly soften and golden brown. Remove and set off to the side.
  • Add little more oil to coat the griddle and place the patties with the seasoned-side-down. Cook for about 6-8 minutes and flip; add cheese on top and cover with dome lid to melt the cheese.
  • Cut the buns into half and place on the griddle for 2-3 minutes to toast.
  • Assemble the buns, steak patties with cheese and onions.
  • Serve with drizzle of steak sauce. Enjoy.

Grilled Chicken Breasts

Nothing is easier than this recipe for grilled chicken breasts on the electric griddle.  Quick, simple and delicious.  You will have best results if you use a clear (pourable) honey instead of a thick spoonable honey.

Grilled Chicken Breasts Ingredients:

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 2 tbsps. soy sauce
  • 2 tbsps. honey
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • A little vegetable oil

grilled chicken

Instructions:

  • Cover the chicken breasts with grease proof paper and flatten slightly with a rolling pin or a mallet until about ½ inch thick.
  • Mix all ingredients (except for the vegetable oil) in a bowl for marinade; add chicken and marinate for at least one hour.
  • Remove the chicken and reserve the marinade.
  • Heat the griddle until really hot, brush with a little oil.
  • Place chicken breasts on the griddle and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side.
  • Strain the marinade, pour it into a small saucepan, bring to the boil and then simmer for one minute (add little water if necessary).
  • Serve the chicken with the sauce and any vegetable of your choice.

Flattening out the chicken breasts does a couple of things for this recipe.  First, it helps to tenderize the chicken.  The pounding stretches and breaks some of the tissue in the breast, allowing it to relax when cooking.

The other benefit is that the chicken will cook more thoroughly quickly.  If the breast is too dense it can take quite a while to get the internal temperature to a safe point, usually around 170 degrees.  By flattening out the breast you  keep the edges from drying out while the center is still cooking.

A large surface electric griddle will allow you to make the vegetables on the other half of the griddle.  A quick recipe is to chop some vegetables, such as onions and peppers.  Mix in a little salt and pepper, add a dash of soy sauce and then saute quickly on your griddle surface.  It will only take a few minutes for the veggies to get done, you can start them  about the same time you put the chicken on the griddle.

Crab Cakes On The Electric Griddle

Usually a treat at a restaurant, crab cakes are a breeze to make at home with your new electric griddle.  Sometimes you can substitute mock crab as a cost saver but it can be hard to shred. Substitute Italian breadcrumbs for a bit of zing.

The most expensive part of this recipe is going to be the crab meat.  There isn’t really a good way to avoid spending money on crab, it is a delicate food and it is very labor intensive to shell and pack.  If you are feeling adventurous you can buy and prepare crab legs, then use the crab meat for this recipe.

Mock crab is available in most stores.  While not really crab (it usually is cod that has been flavored and then formed into sticks), if you shred it finely it can be a decent substitution for real crab.  It also is about 1/5 the cost of crab.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. crab meat, fresh or pasteurized
  • 1 Egg
  • ¼ cup Mayonnaise
  • 1½ tsp. Dijon Mustard
  • 1½ tsp. Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 tsp. Fresh Lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • Kosher Salt
  • 1¼ cups fresh breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 2 tbsps. unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil

crab cakes

Instructions:

  • Put the crab in mixing bowl and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and salt.
  • Pour the egg mix over the crab and mix gently until well combined.
  • Add in the breadcrumbs and parsley and mix them thoroughly but gently.
  • Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-3 hours.
  • Shape the crab mixture into cakes about 1-inch thick.
  • Brush the electric griddle with the butter and olive oil over medium heat.
  • When butter begins to froth, add the cakes to the griddle.
  • Cook both sides for 4-5 minutes, until golden brown.
  • Serve with lemon wedges and your favorite garnish.