The Ranting Cook

My plan of making a roast chicken was saved by the Instant Pot tonight. I forgot to thaw the chicken. Again. Don't even pretend you've never done it. Usually that means I'm forced to run out and buy more fresh meat for dinner when I already have enough in my freezer to tide us over for three months when the zombie apocalypse hits. But thanks to this ingenious invention I was able to plunk in a fully frozen chicken, some homemade bone broth cubes and a handful of fresh herbs a

It's time to shake off the lowbrow reputation that pickle relish has been saddled with for so long and bring out into the spotlight. Since it's basically a chopped pickle, you can use it anywhere that a bit of sliced or minced dill pickle might go. Spread it on a sandwich, stir it into tuna or chicken salad or even put it out on a cheese tray along with a dish of tapenade. YIELD: 2 pints Ingredients: 3 cups grated green pepper (about 2 large) 3 cups grated pickling cucumber (

Cherry pie is my FAVOURITE pie. Like hands down, top of the list. However the ingredients in the store bought versions is not. Here's an easy to make homemade cherry pie filling recipe and a look at both types ingredients lists. I've also included a simple and delicious cherry bar recipe! E.D. Smith Cherry Pie Filling: Cherries water corn syrup sugar modified corn starch carob bean gum carrageenan natural flavour citric acid colour Potassium chloride NEED I say more? Terri's

It's SO EASY to make! Like sheet/ghost Halloween costume easy. Sour cream has a fat content of about 20% and may include ingredients like gelatin, rennin, and vegetable enzymes to stabilize it and make it thicker. It has a fat content of about 30% and does not contain any added thickeners. Crème fraîche is thicker, has a richer flavor, and is less tangy than sour cream. YIELD:  about 1 cup INGREDIENTS: 1 cup whipping cream 2 tablespoons buttermilk INSTRUCTIONS: Combine 1 cup

Basil is a very easy herb to grow and can be started indoors in flats or outside in the garden after the danger of the last frost has passed. If starting from seeds, plant the seed no deeper than twice the length of the seed in a sunny exposure. Basil seedlings will emerge within five to seven days and can be thinned when they have two leaves. Transplant them 12 inches apart and keep the plants consistently moist. Basil leaves are quite delicate and barely bruising the leaf r

I always get a little twitchy making a creamy potato salad on a hot day.  I have visions of giving my friiends food poisoning by accident. There are a few people I wouldn't mind doing it to, but let's face it, I don't invite them over for backyard bbq's. This potato salad is fresh and bright with a nice little kick in it. Perfect as a match for a nice Coconut-Lime-Jalapeño Chicken  Salad and a margarita . Ingredients: 1 pound baby potatoes juice of 2 limes 1 jalapeno, minced

This salad is perfect with a classic margarita and a side of lime enhanced baby potatoes. Ingredients: Marinade: 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast 1 (14 oz) can light coconut milk Zest of 1 lime Juice of 1 lime 2 jalapenos, diced 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 tsp. of sea salt ½ tsp. cumin ½ tsp. red pepper flakes Salad: 6-8 cups mixed greens 1 cucumber, diced 1 avocado, thinly sliced 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half Sliced jalapenos (optional) Dressing of choice (I use Bolthou

What makes a big difference in all the “recipes” for the perfect runny yolk egg, is that people rarely talk about the temperature of the egg before it’s used. If you take the eggs out of the fridge or if you have left them on the counter after a hot day is not at all the same. USING COLD EGGS out of the fridge or out in a cold weather. Place the eggs in a pan with a sprinkle of rock salt. Pour boiling water over them very slowly. Heat and when bubbles appear on top, let boi

This one is so simple but will make everyone think you're a chef at home. Goat cheese to me is the king of cheese. It is so rich and creamy and I love it in such a huge variety of dishes. 4 servings Ingredients: 9 oz (260 g) of arugula salad (or the kind of lettuce of your choice) 7 oz (200g) of goat cheese log 3/4 of a baguette (12 1-inch slices) 6 tablespoons of olive oil (divided) 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon of Herbes de Provence (or thyme or rosemary) 1 pi

What you eat has a powerful impact on your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. "Power Foods" are foods packed with high levels of heart disease-fighting nutrients and the fewest number of calories. Including the following Power Foods in your diet can help you reduce your risk of heart disease. Vegetables Asparagus B6, folate, K, potassium, fiber Bell peppers B1, B2, B6, folate, C, fiber Bok choy B6, C, K, Calcium, fiber Broccoli B6, C, E, K, folate, fiber Carrots A, C,