DUAL CONTACT GRILLING TIMES

VEGETABLES	DUAL CONTACT GRILLING TIMES
ASPARAGUS	Marinate if desired. Grill for 2 - 4 minutes.
BELL PEPPERS	Halve peppers, remove seeds and membranes. Marinate if desired. Grill for 4 - 5 minutes.
EGGPLANT	Slice 1/2 to 1" thick. Grill for 4 - 5 minutes.
LEEKS	Rinse thoroughly and slice. Rinse again to remove any dirt of sand between layers and dry with paper towel. Grill for 2 - 3 minutes.
MUSHROOMS	Remove stems and grill whole, or slice 1/2" thick. Grill for 2 - 4 minutes.
NEW POTATOES	Scrub well and slice in half. You can precook these in the microwave for 3 - 4 minutes or in boiling salted water for 6 - 8 minutes. Grill for 5 - 6 minutes until browned and tender.
POTATO SLICES	Scrub well and slice 1/2" thick. You can precook these in the microwave for 3 - 4 minutes or in boiling salted water for 8 - 10 minutes. Grill for 7 - 10 minutes until browned and tender.
SUMMER SQUASH AND ZUCCHINI	Cut into 1/2 - 1" thick slices. Marinate if desired. Grill for 3 - 4 minutes.
TOMATOES	Cut into 1" thick slices. Grill for 1 - 2 minutes until tender.

MEAT	DUAL CONTACT GRILLING TIMES
BONELESS STEAK	Marinate if desired. Steak should be 1/2 - 1" thick. Grill for 4 - 7 minutes for medium rare, 6 - 9 minutes for medium.
CHICKEN BREASTS	Use only boneless products. Chicken breasts can be cooked as is, or pounded for quicker cooking time. Grill until thoroughly done, about 4 - 6 minutes.
FISH FILLETS	Cook until fillets flake easily when tested with a fork. Grill for 2 - 3 minutes per 1/2" of thickness.
FISH STEAKS	Tuna, salmon, halibut, swordfish steaks should be 1/2 - 1" thick. Marinate before cooking if desired. Grill for 2 - 3 minutes for each 1/2" thickness.
GROUND BEEF PATTIES	Patties should be 1/2 - 3/4" thick. Grill until thoroughly cooked. Cook for 5 - 8 minutes.
HAM STEAK	Precooked ham steaks should be grilled until heated through, 3 - 5 minutes.
HOTDOGS AND SAUSAGES	For precooked products, cook until heated through, 2 - 3 minutes. For raw products, first precook in skillet until almost done, then finish cooking on grill 4 - 6 minutes until thoroughly cooked.
LAMB CHOPS	Chops should be boneless, 1/2 - 1" thick. Grill for 6 - 8 minutes.
PORK CHOPS	Use only boneless products, 1/2 - 3/4" thick. Grill until only slightly pink in center, about 6 - 8 minutes.
PORK TENDERLOIN	Cut boneless tenderloin in half lengthwise. Cook for 6 - 9 minutes.
SHRIMP	Grill until shrimp turn pink and are springy to the touch. Cook for 2-1/2 - 4 minutes.

Cooking Oils

So Many Oils, So Little Time

Not all oils are created equal. In fact, no one oil can be used for all things; instead, each has its distinct place in the kitchen. Keep these basic categories in mind when you're cooking:

For baking: Coconut, palm, canola and high oleic safflower and sunflower oil work best.

For frying: Because they stand up well to the heat, avocado, peanut, palm and sesame oil are ideal for frying.

For sautéing: Many oils are great for sautéing, including avocado, canola, coconut, grapeseed, olive, sesame and high oleic safflower and sunflower oils.

For dipping, dressings and marinades: When it comes to making dressings and marinades, or finding oil that's perfect to serve alongside crusty bread for dipping, you're looking for terrific flavor. For this purpose look to flax, olive, peanut, toasted sesame or walnut oil.

Oil 101

We know there are a lot of oils on our shelves! Here are a handful of our favorites, along with quick details on how they're made and the best ways to serve them:

Avocado Oil: Pressed from avocadoes, this smooth, nutty oil is more than 50% monounsaturated, making it a heart-nourishing choice. Use it in salad dressings or to sauté fish, chicken, sweet potatoes or plantains.

Canola Oil: Canola is actually a cousin to cabbage and Brussels sprouts. In fact, it's a variety of rapeseed that's part of the mustard family, which includes those above-mentioned veggies. It's beneficial for heart health thanks to its fatty acid profile and omega-3 and low saturated fat contents and perfect for light cooking, sauces and desserts like homemade mayo or tender cakes.

Coconut Oil: Pressed from the fruit of the coconut palm tree, coconut oil is ideal for light fair and subtly flavored dishes. This oil is particularly mouth-watering to use for making popcorn and hash browns.

Corn Oil: Most corn oil is extracted only from the germ of the corn kernel and is golden yellow in color; unrefined oil will have a darker color and richer corn taste. Use in salad dressings and dips with stronger flavors like peppers or garlic.

Grapeseed Oil: Grapeseed oil is extracted from the seeds of grapes, a byproduct of the wine-making industry. Use it on salads and raw veggies or in dips, sauces and salsas. Mix grapeseed oil with garlic and basil, then drizzle it on toasted bread.

Olive Oil: A mainstay of the Mediterranean diet and one of the oldest known culinary oils, olive oil contains predominately heart-friendly monounsaturated fat. Extra virgin olive oil results from the first cold-pressing of olives while mild "pure" olive oil is a blend of refined olive oil and extra virgin olive oil. Drizzle over hummus or grilled vegetables.

Peanut Oil: Peanut oil comes from where you'd expect…peanuts! It's relatively high monounsaturated content makes it heart-healthy. Peanut oil is superior for frying, light sautéing and stir-fries.

Sesame Oil: The seed of the sesame plant provides sesame oil, which has a high antioxidant content. Unrefined sesame oil is great as a key flavor component in sauces or dressings. Use refined sesame oil for high heat applications like frying and toasted sesame oil for stir fries and Asian sauces and dips. (Still need a little convincing? 

How To: Storing and Heating Oil

Where should I store oil in my kitchen? Unfortunately, oils aren't like wine; they don't improve with age. Heat and light can damage oils, particularly polyunsaturated ones, so keep them in the refrigerator to avoid rancidity. For the record, you'll know your oil is rancid if it takes on a characteristic bad taste and smell, in which case you should toss it and buy fresh oil.

Why does my olive oil get cloudy when it's cold? Some oils, olive oil among them, become cloudy or solidified when refrigerated. Not to worry; it doesn't affect their quality at all. A few minutes at room temperature and things will be back to normal.

I hear people refer to a "smoke point" when they talk about cooking with oil. What's that? Heating oils beyond their smoke point — the temperature at which the oil begins to smoke, generating toxic fumes and harmful free radicals — is never a good idea. Always discard oil that's reached its smoke point, along with any food with which it had contact. Unsure of an oil's smoke point? Most labels on bottles of oil will give you the correct temperature.

How to Keep Produce Fresh

 

There's a proper way to store fresh produce, and as I am about to launch into a new work-out routine and a healthier diet, I thought I would finally determine the proper ways to store it all.  I read up on it... I googled all over the place, and this is what I found.
Updated: In addition to researching this post, I tried many of these techniques myself and they worked great. 

It kind of comes down to which fruits and vegetables give off the natural gas, ethelyne. 
Ethelyne can affect the other fruits and veggies that they are stored next to.  (That's the premise of the Debbie Meyer Green Bags.)  You don't need to buy special bags, but you do need to know which produce doesn't play nicely with others.

Apples - Do not wash until just before eating, keep them sealed in the plastic produce bag, in the refrigerator. They give off a lot of ethelyne gas, so don't store them next to anything else.
Avocados - Keep them at room temperature.  If you need one to ripen quickly, put it in a brown paper bag along with a banana.  If it is ripe and you need to slow the ripening process, put it in the fridge.

Bananas - They produce more ethelyne gas than any other fruit.  Keep them away from other produce,   on the counter-top, away from other produce.  Once they are ripe you can stop the ripening process by putting them in the fridge, just be sure to put them in a sealed bag.  The skin will turn black, but the fruit will be fine.
Beans (snap, string or wax) - Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.  Do not wash until just before use.
Berries - You know when you buy berries and they look like they have a dusty layer one them...? That is called bloom, and it serves as a natural preservative.  Never wash berries until just before use.  Pick through them and throw away any berries that are bruised or molding.  Store loosely in shallow containers, cover with plastic and keep them in the refrigerator.
Broccoli & Cauliflower - These need to be kept in their wrapping/packaging and kept in the fridge.  Do not wash until just before using.

Cabbage - Keep in the fridge, in a plastic bag. Do not wash until just before using
Carrots - Whole carrots?  Wash them thoroughly.  If they have green tops, cut off all but an inch.  Wrap them in a damp paper towel, seal in a plastic bag and store in the crisper drawer. 
"Baby" carrots? I just discovered that I should stop buying them... but if you still do, you can put them in a plastic container, covered in water.  Be sure to change the water every few days.  (Note: this may reduce the flavor of the "baby" carrot.)
Celery - Give it a rinse, loosely wrap it in a paper towel, then tightly wrap the entire stalk in aluminum foil and keep in the crisper.  It will keep fresh and crisp for weeks.  (I actually have had celery that I bought to make stuffing at Thanksgiving still be fresh and crunchy for Bloody Marys on New Year's Day! Amazing!)

Cherries - Store in the fridge in a plastic bag.  Do not wash until just before eating.
Citrus - Since citrus fruits have thicker skin, they are easier to store.  They'll stay fresh for about 2 weeks in the fridge, about a week on the counter.  It doesn't matter if they are near other produce.

Corn - Husks on? Store loose and uncovered in the fridge.  Husks off?  Wrap in foil and store in the crisper drawer. It will keep for 1 to 2 days.
Cucumber - Store in plastic bag in the refrigerator. Do not wash until just before use.
Eggplant - Wrap in plastic and refrigerate.
Garlic - Store at room temperature. Whole heads will last 3 to 5 weeks, but once cloves are separated, they will last about 10 days.

Grapes - Do not wash until just before eating, as they also have a bloom.  Store them in the fridge, in the plastic bags they come in, or poke holes in a plastic bag to allow for air circulation.  They say they should last up to 2 weeks.  (I have never seen them last longer than a week before getting shriveled up and gross...)
Jalapeno Peppers - Store in plastic bag, in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
Kiwi Fruit - store at room temperature until ripe, then cover with plastic and refrigerate.  Will keep for about a week.
Lettuces, Leafy Greens & Spinach - Wash, wrap loosely in paper-towels, then bag it... paper towel and all.
Melons - Store at room temperature until ripe, then refrigerate. They will keep for about a week.
Mushrooms - Do not wash until just before using.  Pre-sliced? Store in the refrigerator in their original packaging. They will last for about a week. Whole?  Store loosely in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator
Onions - Store in a cool, dry place that has good air circulation.  (Store in the fridge if you don't have such a place.) They will keep for 2 to 3 months.  DO NOT STORE WITH POTATOES.  (If next to each other they spoil faster.  Who knew?)

Pears - If they aren't ripe, store them at room temperature.  Once they ripen, place them in a plastic bag and store them in the fridge.  They will keep for about a week.
Peaches, Plums, Nectarines & Apricots - Store at room temperature until ripe, then store in plastic bags in the refrigerator until ready to eat.  They will keep from 3 to 5 days.  Do not wash until ready to eat. 
Pineapple - Store at room temperature until ripe, then store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Potatoes - Store in a cool, dry, dark place that has good air circulation. They will keep for 2 to 3 months.  DO NOT STORE WITH ONIONS.  (If next to each other they spoil faster.  Who knew?)  Sweet Potatoes keep at room temperature for a week or in a cool dark place for about a month.

Tomatoes - Store them in a cool, dry place.  Don't store them in plastic bags as the trapped ethylene will make them ripen more quickly. Once ripe, you can put them in the fridge to slow the ripening process, but let them come to room temperature before using them.

Zucchini - Refrigerate in a plastic bag.  Do not wash until just before using.