How To Clarify Butter

Clarified Butter

Butter consists of:

1) Butter Fat (80 to 85%)

2) Water (10%) Has oxygen and can breed mold

3) Milk Solids (5%) This carries rancidity

Two Ways to Clarify:

1) Melt and separate, put in a bowl and as it cools the fat will float. The butter is in the middle, and the water is on the bottom. This will keep for approximately one month or more.

2) Melt butter over medium heat until it starts to boil. The butter will sizzle. This sound is the water boiling and evaporating. Listen to the butter; when the sizzling sounds stop, the water is gone. The milk fats will begin to appear lacy and start to burn. (The color will be more yellow.) Place a cheesecloth over the container and secure with a string or band. The last step is to strain the butter.

Jaime Oliver's Food Revolution

He is still working hard to get healthy foods into the US school cafeterias. His second season will commence next Tuesday night, April 12th, on ABC. He's been given the cold-shoulder treatment in Los Angeles by the school district, but that will not deter this young chef from his mission. He's been at it for about five years now and he isn't going anywhere. His attitude is that kids today need healthy diets, especially during the daytime when they are using most of their brain-power. So lend your support and watch his show. Visit his website and see what you can do to help his realize his goal. Sign his petition.

"You only have to affect two per cent of the population to make radical change," Oliver said, "and that's what we're talking about, really."

Fiesta Veggies Fruits & Pastas

Ingredients


1 LB mixed pastas

1 lemon sliced

1 orange sliced

1 handful seedless red grapes

1 cucumber sliced

10 mushrooms sliced

4 carrots peeled and sliced

15 grape tomatoes1 onion chopped and sautéed

1 Tbsp Italian dry spices

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

to taste Salt & Pepper


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1) Boil water enough for 1 pound of pastas.

2) Sauté carrots and onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

3) When water boils add salt to water and then the pastas. Cook according to package.

4) Add fruits and cucumber slices, tomatoes, mushrooms and spices to the pan. Add the remaining olive oil and the cooked pasta. Use some of the pasta water and add butter.

5) Toss and add cheeses if you want them on top.

6) Serve and enjoy.

Wednesday's Hump

Ever wonder why people are trying to get over that Wednesday Hump? I can easily imagine that they climb up a rocky terrain of Tuesday night, up into the morning of Wednesday. After lunch, but before dinner they start to mellow and slide slowly down the slope toward Wednesday night habits and quietly glide toward Thursday. There''s that inner gladness knowing they only have about 36 more hours to go until the weekend begins.

That's how most working people view the work week. Ugh Mondays and get over that Wednesday Hump and live for the weekend. How about you?

New Beginnings

Olive oil is a great place to start. Dribble some into the bottom of a skillet, heat it up, add salt and pepper, a few sliced veggies and near the end, some minced garlic. You're almost there ... from a cooks point of view anyway. Scoop out and then fry up some shrimp and scallops. Toss in some cooked pasta and the veggies, and toss. Three minutes later, you've got a plate of splendor.