Frannie's Fixin's & Cookin' Tips

Cooking Methods
There are numerous methods you should know, lets start with the basics.

Marinating: Marinating is to soak a food in seasonings, oil, or spices to make it tangy and tender. Food should marinate for quite a while. Foods marinated overnight are usually quite delicious.

Sautéing: Sautéing a food means that you are cooking it in oil or like substance, maybe chicken broth – something with a good flavor, over medium heat. Sautéing is always best at a higher heat; the oil should be at least at 375 degrees to avoid from penetrating the inside of your food.

Simmering: You are heating a substance to a high temperature. It comes close to boiling, but does not get hot enough to actually boil (i.e. no bubbles). Food will quickly stick to the bottom of your pot/pan when you are simmering, so be sure to stir often.


Wild Rice Stuffing
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans chicken broth
2/3 cup wild rice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 sweet onion, chopped
10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups regular long-grain rice
1/4 cup chopped parsley

In 4-quart saucepan over high heat, heat chicken broth, wild rice, salt, thyme, and 1 1/2 cups water to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a nonstick 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add carrots, celery, and onion and cook until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove carrot mixture to bowl.

In same skillet in 1 tablespoon olive oil, cook mushrooms until golden brown and all liquid evaporates.

Stir long-grain rice, carrot mixture, and mushrooms into wild rice; over high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Stir in chopped parsley. Use to stuff a 12- to 16-pound turkey. Or, spoon into serving bowl; keep warm.