Author Archives: Better Baking Bible

Cooking With Cinnamon: 5 Simple Recipes you can Try at Home

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Cinnamon is one of the healthiest spices you can add to your diet. Here are some ways to incorporate it into your meals!

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Cooking is great fun and a great way to try out new foods and recipes. Some people cook simply to feed their families and themselves, while others may cook professionally for work reasons. Other people cook as a hobby, and will often have friends or family around to sample their creations.

What is Cinnamon?

Trying out new things when cooking is the best way to experiment with different flavors, aromas and spices, with one of the most popular being cinnamon. Cinnamon is a spice that comes from the genus Cinnamomum species of tree. It is extracted from the inner bark of various species of this tree, and it is one of the most common spices used in the world of cooking.

In addition to its unique taste, there are a number of health benefits that are associated with cinnamon. It is a spice that is packed with antioxidants and other medicinal properties, such as anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce swelling. It is also said to be a very powerful anti-diabetic spice that can lower the blood sugar levels of people with the disease.

Cooking with Cinnamon

There are hundreds of different recipes from all over the world that include cinnamon, which you can try to cook at home. After all, it is one of the most popular ingredients when baking. You can find a lot of great recipes online such as the Instant pot cinnamon rolls from Corrie cooks, which is super easy to follow and tastes absolutely amazing.

There are lots of delicious treats that you can make featuring cinnamon, and in this article you’ll find information about some of the most popular, as well as a couple that you may never have heard of before.

Cinnamon Rolls

We may as well start with one of the all-time classics with cinnamon, which are cinnamon rolls. These are tasty, sweet and packed with raisins. The sweet dough oozes taste, and topped with icing and cinnamon, you simply cannot go wrong if you are looking to prepare something sweet for your coffee guests.

The great thing with cinnamon rolls is that you can bake them in different ways. Some people prefer to have them filled with raisins and currants, while others simply prefer butter and cinnamon on top. Some like to have them served with a side dish of ice cream, whipped cream or even chocolate, while others prefer to enjoy them without anything else.

Apple and Cinnamon Oatmeal

There are some things in the kitchen that simply go together perfectly. Apple and cinnamon is one of them. It’s as though they were made for each other. These mouthwatering combinations can be made a variety of different ways, but one very unique and special method is using them to create baked oatmeal.

Combining the diced apple and cinnamon with delicious oatmeal, and delicious pecan nuts, covered in syrup is a recipe from heaven. It’s something that will get your taste buds going into overdrive, and is actually a great breakfast where you can start the day with a bowl packed full of goodness and energy. It is also something that can easily be stored in the fridge and then reheated again later on. The fact that it tastes so good is another reason why you wouldn’t need to worry about any of this going to waste. It’s perfect as a midday snack or even as a dessert after your dinner.

Apple Strudel

This delicious baked treat is one that lots of people enjoy all over the world. There are a few different types of strudel that you can bake in the kitchen, but probably the most popular is the German apple strudel. It’s packed full of delicious apples, thin layers of pastry and a perfect amount of cinnamon to give it a kick. It is a very easy dish to prepare and shouldn’t take you more than around 90 minutes to prepare and bake. Some people like to add raisins inside along with the apple, though this is of course optional. You could actually even add some other fruit inside along with the apple such as pear, which also creates a beautiful taste.

Bundt Cake

The popular bundt cake is one that lots of people enjoy, especially at events such as christening, baby showers or other intimate gatherings with family and friends. It’s a cake that is simple to prepare, and with the right amount of cinnamon, will come out delicious. The cinnamon bundt cake is a lot lighter than other similar cakes, and actually has a very similar taste to a cinnamon roll. You can glaze the top with icing or vanilla glazing, or serve as it is. Some people enjoy a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream with it, whereas others may simply prefer to have it on its own and enjoy the delicious cinnamon flavorings.

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Bread

This is a recipe that many people might not be aware of. Lots of people like to cook their own bread and for many people, having a bread maker at home is as important as having a kettle or coffee maker. Bread making is a cooking skill that has been around for centuries and in many cases, recipes have been passed down through the generations. Sweet potato cinnamon bread is a delicious bread to bake and one that won’t take you more than an hour from start to finish. Once cooked, the bread should be quite moist, almost like cake. You don’t want to overcook it and dry it out, so make sure you keep an eye on it.

You can use various ingredients when making this bread. Lots of people like to add dried fruit such as raisins and currants while others enjoy adding in a variety of nuts, such as walnuts, which go perfectly with this recipe. There are so many different recipes that you can find online for baking and cooking, especially with using cinnamon. It’s a spice that can be used in combination with various foods and doesn’t always have to be used for cakes and sweet treats.

It’s something you can easily add to a curry or a pasta sauce. The next time you are cooking, why not add a little bit to your food and see how it adds to the taste and aroma. You might find yourself using it more and more in the near future.

Why Do Restaurants Need to Provide Nutrition Labels?

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Have you noticed that more and more restaurants are providing nutrition labels? Here’s why it’s a good thing!

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Customers need an on-the-go option when it comes to food shopping. However, their expectations are fast-evolving, with more opportunities being available to them. You can’t keep pre-packaged food item before them and hope it to fly off the shelf. The ready-to-eat choices had the moment in the food industry, allowing retailers to beat their competitors. However, restaurants have to be more careful with nutrition and packaging to compete with specialty food stores.

The reasons restaurants need to provide nutrition label

As a restaurant owner, you have to take into account the fact that you cannot ignore nutrition for convenience anymore as shoppers spend more time on what food they choose and what ingredients it contains. For them, you have to provide the right nutrition label so that they can quickly figure out the nutrition facts and ingredients. It has become more critical than ever because, along with convenience, these people want to get all the information related to what they are going to eat. They need clarity about expiry and manufacturing dates too. If you give them all these and other essential inputs, you have their loyalty. Since it can seem like a massive task, you can use automated labelling and menu management software to print the right labels.

The typical process of nutrition facts label printing

Some online tools make this reasonably easy to generate labels for you. You have to mention how much of a particular ingredient you used in a product, and the software will calculate the nutritional information. You can download the details in a PDF or image format and send with the food menu. The companies which offer these tools believe that it becomes quite fast if you save all the items one by one and then mix them to cook up a dish.

Besides, some software also gives you the flexibility to demonstrate a complete meal as a whole or a dish individually. It is up to you to decide what works better for you. There are different dimensions that you can choose for the labels based on the size of your packaging. Just make sure you pick the nutrition labels that are relevant for your country, such as Canada, USA, etc. Nowadays, the progressive nutrition labelling software also enables you to highlight whether it is Keto, Vegan, or Organic. With this, you can also detail ingredients.

In essence, it can be a three-step process where you have to mention ingredients and their quantity in a recipe, turn those recipes into dishes, and download and print the label. The printable labels can be available for display on websites as well as packaging.

You can learn more about printing Nutritional Fact Labels to get comfortable with this and help your restaurant business grow by manifold. Many companies offer you these tools, but you have to discover the one that is easy to use and manage. For an easy decision, you can focus on the feature richness apart from the ease of use factor. It can make your whole experience more productive and profitable.

Tips for buying a pull out kitchen faucet

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A complete home has to be both functional and beautiful. For ensuring this, you have to add things that can take care of these aspects well!

Photo By: Hampton Design

A kitchen tends to be the most crucial corner of your abode. It is the place where you cook meals for your family for their health and well-being. It is also that zone where you share chit-chat with your person while indulging in a delectable drink or food. You spend countless moments here, regardless of its size. And all this becomes possible only when you well equip it with the right appliances. Only these can enhance its functionality and aesthetic value. Of such items, the kitchen faucet is one considerable example.

For every light and heavy work, you depend on it, right from cleaning dishes to preparing meals. It will be right to point out that a faucet can be the tiniest of plumbing fixtures in that space, but it helps you keep up with its busy spirit hassle-free. When it malfunctions or stops working, even a five-minute job can feel like a burden. To be more precise, it will not take much time for your kitchen to feel dysfunctional. Going by this, it makes sense to pay due attention to this kitchen accessory. In the market, you come across overwhelming varieties. Each comes with promising traits, due to which it seems impossible to decide anything faster.

However, if your lifestyle doesn’t allow you enough free time that you could use for exploration, then consider pull out designs.

A sneak peek into the pull out faucets

You must have seen many deck-mounted options. Pull out taps are quite close to them in looks. Some people believe that these can be a perfect match for kitchens with traditional aura. While this is entirely subjective, you don’t need to restrict your choices based on this. Many homeowners choose this model for their ultra-modern setups too. If you are not sure, you can check a pull out kitchen faucet by Kraus. Its mere appearance is enough to communicate the reality.

When you opt for pull out faucets, you virtually ensure better use for your kitchen space. You may wonder how. Well, these taps are usually shorter than their pull-down siblings. Due to this, you get adequate room for overhead cabinets. Also, the hand sprayer in this model is smaller, which prevents the risk of splashing to a great extent.

For the same reason, it can be a perfect consort for a shallow sink. Talking of the convenience, whether your pots and pans are in the sink or on a nearby countertop, you can extend the sprayer to fill water. There will be no or fewer risks of overflowing or spillage.

If you are not a busy cook, you can rely on this specific design to diligently serve your needs. Otherwise, it can be slightly inconvenient for you to work with it. The smaller spout can come in the way when you deal with taller cookware.

If you feel your kitchen requires a pull-out version, you can start searching for it online and offline. No matter where you look for it, you have to make sure that your chosen design has some user-friendly features. Here are a few suggestions that can help you find the most desirable faucet for your favorite place.

Selecting a pullout faucet for kitchen

Most of these are usually single-hole models. So, it can be the best fit for a sink that comes with a single-hole cutout. The installation process will be straightforward. Look around for self- or magnetic-docking technology that allows the hose to retract and lodge itself securely to its location. Or, at least, it should enable you to dock it hassle-free. If this is lacking, it may not be a perfect idea to consider this choice. You can end up struggling to put it back while handling other things at the same time.

Also, these single handle models run both hot and cold water at a moderate temperature. Some styles can also provide temperature control. No matter how it works, it would help if you had awareness about it. Go for options that feature nylon hose. Nylon can be fantastic looking. At the same time, you can trust it for longevity because of its tensile strength and flexibility. If you are opposed to doing too much of maintenance job, it is recommendable to chase spot-free stainless steel structures. As such, stainless steel is the most durable. It can mingle with any interior decoration theme without complaint. And if you find something that doesn’t catch any finger or water spots, you don’t have to look beyond it.

Already stainless steel is well-known for its easy maintenance. But faucets built with spot-free material can make your task easier. You don’t have to bother about its natural sheen and charm. It will not get tarnished even after repeated uses.

Just remember one thing, whether you buy a pull out or some other variation, knowing your kitchen behavior can help you make quick decisions. Also, you will never regret your choice, regardless of how expensive or budget-friendly it was. That’s why even when you shop for a pull out faucet, keep what you like and dislike about your existing plumbing. It can also give you enough hints about the proper selection.

Nowadays, many brands use advanced technologies to give you the most ergonomic and appealing designs. It is up to you to select what suits your needs better. If you are not comfortable with too advanced features, such as a sensor system, you should not invest in them. Ultimately, in a busy place like the kitchen, you require things that operate conveniently and empower you to do your work with a peaceful mind.

A pull out version seems quite easy and friendly. It is neither old-fashioned nor too technical; you can acclimatize to it quickly. The moment you adjust with it, you will realize that it has turned your sink into a multifunctional zone. It would be best if you aim for this goal when replacing an existing faucet or going for a new fixture.

Kitchen Upgrades for Your Covid-19 Baking Goals

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The toilet paper shortage during Covid-19 was no joke, but there was another shortage that you might have noticed — flour!

Photos By: MacLaren Kitchen and Bath

Many people used the extra time at home during coronavirus to get to baking, everything from cookies to cakes to breads and pizza. If you are one of those people who discovered a new passion for creating baked goods during coronavirus, then you may be thinking about how you can upgrade your kitchen to help you achieve your baking goals. 

Open shelves

When you start baking, you suddenly accumulate a lot of dry goods: flour, sugars, grains, and other necessities. If you are baking a lot, it can be annoying to have to pull these items down from a high shelf every time you need them. Creating an area with open shelves above your workspace is the best way to organize a dream kitchen for bakers. If you don’t have one already, you can think about adding a half shelf on a wall, or see if you can rearrange some items to make room for your baking necessities. 

Tray and baking pan storage

The other new items in your kitchen are pans and trays — because cookies, cupcakes, cakes, and breads all need different ones. Upright storage is ideal but you don’t need cabinets made specifically for trays. You can place your storage in an upper cabinet and get a standup file divider from an office supply store to keep your trays organized. 

Rolling cart

A rolling cart can be a convenient way to add more storage to your kitchen, for a portable bakers’ nook that can travel anywhere. When you need it, you can move it around to the most ideal spot for easy access. The top of your rolling cart can also serve as your pastry table, and ideally it should be lower than a typical kitchen counter. Another advantage of the rolling cart is that it’s not a permanent upgrade and that can be attractive if you are thinking about moving after coronavirus, so you can take your baking station with you. 

Book/tablet stand

If you are new to baking, you are likely experimenting with many recipes to learn your skills and techniques. You might often be consulting recipes on your tablet, or recipe books. For books, you can buy an inexpensive stand and use that to hold whatever you are working on in place. 

Shelves for recipe books

Kitchens do not always come with bookcases, and if you have many recipe books, you’ll probably want shelves for them. You can turn a cabinet into a bookcase by removing a door and adding more shelves, or if you have the wall space, consider buying a bookcase to add to your kitchen. 

Acquiring or revisiting a passion for baking that you may not have had time for in the past, means your kitchen might need to take on a new life. But with these tips, you can find that you don’t need a complete kitchen overhaul to be well on your way to your baking dreams. Moving items around and adding a few tools can give you the space you need to get creative in the kitchen. And if you are thinking about selling your home during Covid-19, or in the future, these upgrades might be attractive to help buyers imagine themselves in your kitchen. 

Cheesy Mushroom Spinach Puff Pastry Recipe

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We recently purchased a huge batch of oyster mushrooms from Little Acre Mushrooms last week and given the fact that there isn’t a great deal else which we can be doing right now, we have been going through just about as many mushroom recipes as we could find. We both agreed at the moment that our favorite of the bunch is this delightful cheesy, mushroom and spinach puff pastry square, and I am telling you that it is just to die for.

I had previously been staying away from pastry given that I am not exercising as I used to, and refuse to come out of lockdown overweight. I have, however, given myself permission for this particular dish, because it is just too sumptuous to pass up. If you want to try something new in the kitchen, here is the recipe for these tasty little bites!

Ingredients

These are just the ingredients which I have used but you can of course play around with different varieties of mushrooms, different cheeses and you could even add a couple of additional herbs.

To make this you will need:

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 12 oz mushrooms
  • 4 cloves minced garlic
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded cheese, we mixed cheddar with some hard mozzarella
  • 1 puff pastry sheet
  • 1 egg + 1 tsp water, whisk this up together

Let’s Get Cooking

1. First of all set the oven to preheat, I set mine to 400 degrees. Next up heat a skillet over a medium heat and get the butter in there to melt, once the butter reduces toss your mushrooms in and sauté for around 7 minutes, then add the garlic and sauce for another couple of minutes.

2. Once the garlic and mushrooms have softened, add the spinach and season with salt and pepper, the smell should already be whetting your whistle, allow of this to continue cooking for around 4 minutes.

3. Now it’s time to prepare the pastry, you could make this from scratch if you wish, but I always prefer to just buy the ready-made pastry sheets, a much easier option. Roll the pastry out and simply spoon the spinach and mushroom mix into the center, in a sausage shape. Once you have laid it all out, add your cheese to the top and wrap the pastry over the top, doing so from the top and bottom first, and then bringing the sides over.

4. Finally use your egg wash to coat the pastry packet which you have created, as this will give it a lovely color and texture when it comes out of the oven. I placed this into the middle shelf of the oven and left it for 20 minutes, before turning the heat up to 425 degrees and allowing it to cook for another 5 minutes. Depending on your oven, you may need less time so be sure to keep an eye on this so the pastry doesn’t burn.

5. Remove from the oven, slice into strips and indulge!

Tips on Becoming a Professional Baker

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If you have decided that your passion for baking cakes and other tasty treats has surpassed the limitations of your domestic kitchen, you may have considered becoming a professional baker!

You might be interested in opening a café and selling your homemade cakes there. Alternatively, you might want to specialize in things like brownies or wedding cakes. Whatever type of thing you want to do, you’ll need to have a good business plan and a lot of determination. Here are some useful tips on how you can become a professional baker.

Space

The space you will need will all depend on how big you want your business to be. You can use your domestic kitchen if you’re going to take orders for smaller batches, which is how you might want to start your baking profession to ease into it. However, as you become busier you will require more space to complete orders. Look for a professional bakery space or café to hire to make sure you have the room bake large quantities.

Equipment

You will need to invest in the right equipment to carry out larger orders. Again, if you’re starting small at home you might find your current mixer, processor, baking trays, etc. are efficient, but eventually you will need to expand your collection of utensils. Having the right equipment for the job makes your life a lot easier, and ensures that orders are completed on time and to a high standard.

Thankfully, many restaurant supply stores online offer a wide range of kitchen utensils and tools necessary for your baking area. For instance, you can check out these websites to find the right equipment to help you start your baking career.

Ingredients

Think about the ingredients you use for your baking. As a business you will need to consider your budget when ordering from your food supplier, but ask yourself if what you’re using is the best you can buy. If you can afford to invest in better quality ingredients then do so, as this will improve the taste of your cakes, brownies, cookies and so forth. The better your food tastes, the more successful you will become.

Conventions

If you’re new to professional baking, consider attending some conventions or other events that focus on the industry. Food festivals in general are good places to discover new ingredients or inspiration for new recipes. These events also provide the opportunity to hear about new equipment that could make your work easier for you, like specialist ovens or electric mixers. You can find more information on events on sites like ticketsales.com or industry magazines and websites.

Packaging and Delivery

Getting good quality packaging will not only help keep your baked goods safe during transportation but are an opportunity to showcase your brand. You can get bespoke labels made to stick on each package before you send it out, and consider inserting a business card in there, too. Additionally, make sure your delivery system is efficient, whether or not you deliver your orders to customers yourself or you choose to hire a courier for this service.

There’s a lot more to think about if you want to become a professional baker, but here are a few tips that might help you get started!

Tips to Improve Your Kitchen Lighting and Ventilation

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Known as the heart of the home, the kitchen is where you spend time with your loved ones bonding – sharing memories and meals. We all want a beautiful, well-designed kitchen. However, a complete kitchen must consider function, as well as decorative elements!

Photo By: MacLaren Kitchen and Bath

When designing a kitchen most homeowners place a strong emphasis on the sleek appliances or beautiful cabinets to install, but it is also important to consider proper lighting and ventilation like what they did at apartments for rent in oxnard ca.

KITCHEN LIGHTING

To ensure safety and cleanliness while preparing food, adequate lighting is essential. The illumination of your kitchen lighting sets the mood whether you want a bright room for a family meal or dim room to entertain. Recessed, pendant, and LED lighting are the most common choices for modern kitchens. 

  • Recessed Lighting – Recessed lights are semi-flush or mounted flush. They work best if the home has a low ceiling or in a small space. 
  • Pendant Lighting – Pendant lights hang over a large or kitchen island from the ceiling. The ambiance from eye-catching pendant lights provide function and perfect for task lighting. Although, pendant lights are not practical in homes with low ceilings or in small spaces.
  • LED Lighting – The most energy-efficient and versatile lighting on the market today. LEDs produce less heat and last four times as long as a traditional bulb. LED track lighting not only provides customized task lighting but you can also install LED lights under kitchen cabinets and around baseboards to add a touch of flare.

KITCHEN VENTILATION

During the cooking process, toxic substances accumulate – such as – smoke, steam, and grease and release into the air affecting the air quality in your kitchen. If you use combustion-based appliances another threat is Carbon Monoxide (CO.)  CO is a colorless, odorless gas that in a small concentration can cause loss of consciousness, coma and even death. A CO detector will warn of any impending problems but prevention is the best policy and the best prevention is a range hood. 

TYPES OF RANGE HOODS

Duct/Vented Hoods – The most efficient and effective hoods available are duct/vented range hoods. Although, you may need a HVAC engineer to help design the ventilation to ensure capability to your home. It is easier to consider duct/vented hoods as part of the original design instead of an afterthought because it may not be an option during a remodel.  

Ductless Hoods – The most affordable solution to kitchen ventilation is a ductless range hood. Ductless hoods use a carbon filter to filter the air through and return the clean air back into the kitchen. The carbon filter will need to be cleaned regularly – most are dishwasher safe.  

Downdraft Hoods – Downdraft hoods require unique design plans and are often used over a stove top on an island in the kitchen.

Sometimes circumstances do not allow for a kitchen range hood. For instance, a tiny rental apartment may not have room for a hood so you can use a small fan, preferably in a window, to remove the stale air or a portable HEPA air filtration system. Although these will not work as well as a kitchen range hood to help control grease settling on surfaces, they can improve the air quality in your kitchen.

AUTHOR’S BIO

Michael Tobias is the founder and principal of Nearby Engineers and New York Engineers, which is an Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Company in America. He leads a team of more than 30 mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineers from the company headquarters in New York City, and has led numerous projects in New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, and California, as well as Singapore and Malaysia. He specializes in sustainable building technology and is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council.