Susan asks…
What is preventing my cake from rising properly?
I’ve tried baking the classic white cake recipe from Food Network 3 times but I’m having issues with the cake rising. No problem with the taste, very good cake. Anyone have any suggestions? Thank you
I am doubling the recipe to bake a larger cake and therefore, using a larger pan than what the original recipe calls for. My baking powder has not expired. I’m using all purpose flour. Beating sugar for at least 8 minutes and eggs are room temperature.
Michelle answers:
Is your baking powder fresh? Test it by putting some in warm water. If it doesn’t fizz up, it’s too old
Are you creaming the butter and sugar sufficiently?
Are your egg whites at room temperature?
Are you measuring the flour properly?
Are you pre-heating the oven to the right temperature?
Are you using the size and shape of pan recommended?
Edit: many cake recipes don’t double well, and using a larger pan probably means that the batter is not getting the support it needs from the sides of the pan. Some cakes need that in order to rise properly, or to stay risen once they have done so. You’ll be better off using a recipe intended for the size of pan you want to use.
Nancy asks…
How do you make chicken gumbo?
I want to make chicken gumbo but I have no idea what to use. I saw it being made on Food Network, and it looked really good but I caught it in the middle of the show. I’ve looked here on Yahoo! Answers, and I’ve found some useful recipes, but I still don’t know what I’m doing. Please help.
What is “roux”?
Can someone please give directions and instructions please.
THANKS TO ALL WHO HELP!
Michelle answers:
CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE GUMBO
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 pound smoked sausage — sliced
3/4 pound chicken breasts — cook and shred
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
8 cups water
2 cloves garlic — minced
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
dash hot sauce
3/4 cup sliced green onions
4 cups hot cooked rice
Prepare chicken breasts and shred. Set aside. Brown sausage, onion, and green pepper in skillet. Drain fat. In Crock-Pot, combine shredded chicken, sausag e mixturee, celery, water, and seasonings. Cover and cook on Low 6 to 8 hours or on High 3 to 4 hours. Serve over rice and garnish with the green onions. Serves 8 to 10
Sharon asks…
Where can I find out more about what is going on with Paula Deen?
I would like clarity about what is going on. Right now here is what I think: she really is someone who is stuck in the past & the people who like her are not conscious of how unhealthy her recipes are & that she is backed by drug companies. The Food network has much more viable people who might not butter up the audience the way Paula does but they are more honest. She is on videos with & without the accent. I just think they want to get rid of her & bring in fresh new life. We have all been brought up in a very unhealthy way if we allowed tv to tell us how to cook with flour, butter & sugar. It’s time to be more creative & alive. So please tell me where I can find out what cooks, chefs are saying & what regular people are saying about this. Do you think she has a place or is she as important as the old Betty Croakier books that most people have gotten rid of to make way for the new?
salt & peppy: I find it hard to believe it has to do with one person’s accusation. It seems like a perfect storm & I really believe she is being targeted cause times have changed & only a certain group really get anything out of what she does. The accent & giggles & food. I have never made anything she has shown on her show.
Michelle answers:
You can find this out on any news site. But …
Last week, Deen had to file a legal deposition in court (not sure why) in which she admitted to using the N word in her life (again, not sure why they even asked her that). Once word got out about it, people came out of the woodwork labeling her as a racist, also citing a party she once threw where she had all black servants who were dressed up as house slaves from the south (she’s from Savannah, Georgia).
She’s also had an issue in the past year or so, where she got diabetes from all the incredibly fattening food she made on her shows and in her cookbooks. The issue was that she then partnered with the drug company that provided her diabetes drugs, which came across as very hypocritical. Especially because, while she did change her own diet and lose weight, she still promoted very unhealthy foods on her shows and in her cookbooks. So, if her fans got diabetes from eating her recipes, she would actually be making money off of them if they used the drugs she was promoting.
With the recent racist allegations, Food Network decided not to renew her upcoming contract. And, one by one, all of her marketing partners (like WalMart, who sells a line of Paula Deen cookware) are one by one announcing that they are either terminating her partnership contracts or they aren’t renewing them when they come up. So, now Deen is coming out in the media (like on the Today show) pleading for everyone’s forgiveness. But, it’s too late. Her empire is crumbling and she will soon be insignificant.
John asks…
How do you make it so a cast iron stove top grill doesnt make everything stick?
I spray it and it still is so hard to clean, I thought I heard something on Food network about putting oil on it and putting it in the oven, I thought they said “cure” it… sound familar?
Michelle answers:
Yes, the curing process you’re talking about is sometimes also called “seasoning” the cast iron. Basically, you create a solid layer of oil that’s cooked onto the surface, which keeps food from sticking to it. Normally, the process is: (a) cover the surface with oil, (b) heat it until smoking, (c) remove from heat and let cool completely, (d) wipe off excess oil, (e) repeat.
And in the future, you should make sure never to use soap on your seasoned cast iron, because this will destroy the protective layer you’ve created. Just hot water and a towel should usually do the trick. Most food will wipe right off.
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