Ask Jill

Please use this section to ask me any questions related to general cooking techniques, recipe troubleshooting, food restrictions, gluten-free, unique ingredients, food substitutes, diet/health/fitness, international/regional foods, entertaining, or even every day tough life issues that you need a trusted friend to discuss a problem with. I feel proud that many of you already use me as shoulder to lean on, so I wanted to continue this special supportive connection here as well. I will post Q’s & A’s randomly, while keeping your identity anonymous. Let’s help lift each other up, to be our best selves!

Q & A

A: Hi Domenica!

What a really terrific question! This is so important, to try to make Thanksgiving Day less hectic so you can enjoy the holiday as much as your guests!

First things first. Food made the day of an event is definitely definable by the freshly made taste. Fresh is best in my opinion, but so is not feeling incredibly overwhelmed on Thanksgiving Day!! We have to think balance, right!

So pick what you want to be the freshest and best tasting, and make that the day of Thanksgiving.

I would advise to prep your turkey the day before the holiday, but cook it the day of Thanksgiving to taste its best and to fill the house with all those beautiful aromas we all love. But do all the other things you wish to serve the week leading up to Thanksgiving!

Yes, you can absolutely make many (if not all) items ahead of time. Mashed potatoes can be made ahead, by making your favorite mashed potatoes with butter and cream, and then freezing it in freezer bags or freezer safe containers. Then just thaw the frozen potatoes in the refrig a couple days before the holiday, heat in oven, or place in a slow cooker to reheat. Give them a whip real quick with a hand mixer to fluff them up. You could also add a little room temp sour cream or cream cheese to thicken your mashed potatoes up again if they seem to have become a little loose after freezing. Another option is to make your mashed potatoes in advance, and then place them in a buttered baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and keep 2-3 days in refrig. Just pop the mashed potato casserole dish in a 350F oven on Thanksgiving Day and reheat, approx. 45-60 mins covered with foil till heated through. Top with butter and serve!

Mac and Cheese do aheads are the same as mashed potatoes. You could fully make and freeze your mac and cheese well in advance in a freezer to oven safe dish (even a disposable alum pan works well), then place in 350F oven covered with foil, right from freezer to oven, and bake until heated through (approx. 45-60 mins).

Even turkey, for convenience, can be made a day or two (maybe even three) in advance.

Cook turkey or turkey breast fully, allow to cool. Keep whole and refrigerate (covered tightly) 1-3 days in refrig. The day of Thanksgiving you could slice the meat cold, and place in a large alum walled pan or baking dish containing some heated up homemade turkey stock or store bought chicken stock. Rewarm and hydrate the turkey slices in the hot stock in the oven just a short amount of time til heated through. Then simply remove the turkey slices with a slotted spoon from the stock, and place on your platter and serve. Use the stock in the alum pan to make fresh gravy or make homemade gravy the day you roast ahead your turkey, and refrigerate until ready to use. Add a little water to your homemade gravy if it thickened up during refrigeration over the make ahead days being stored.

Hope this all helps!!

Thanks for the great question and Happy Thanksgiving! Much to give thanks for!

A: Thank you so much Jeff for this important question, because I love talking about how music influences my food and art. 

Just as a musician uses different notes, cords, and arrangements to express emotional content in music, I too enjoy using various arrangements and different ingredients for expression of feelings and emotions in my food, recipes, and food styling. 

My personal playlist is so expansive, ranging from Elton John, to classical George Winston, to my favorite R&B singer Rihanna. The music I listen to always reflects whatever my emotional experience of the moment is, or what I am actively choosing to express artistically through food.  

My favorites presently on my playlist are: 
Anything by Sza, but esp. “Normal Gil”, “20 Something”, “Love Galore”, “The Weekend”, and “Drew Barrymore”; Post Malone’s Psycho”; Jhene Aiko’s “OLLA”, “Sativa”, and “ It’s a Vibe”; Warpaint’s “Elephants”; everything by Rihanna, but I especially love “Same Ol’ Mistakes”, “Stay”, and “Diamonds”; Drakes “Take Care” and “God’s Plan”; Ty Dolla’s “Blessings”; Elton John’s “Benny and the Jets”; Kari Job “The Garden”; Kendrick Lamar “Love”; Tom Petty’s “Breakdown”; all things by Sade, but esp “Never As Good As The First Time” and “Nothing Can Come Between Us”; Rick James “Mary Jane”; Charlie Puth’s “How Long”; any songs by my fav man Biggie Smalls; and most definitely anything playing on r&b/soul/hip hop music stations.
What to cook while listening? Anything you wish!! 
Seriously, whatever your taste preference is, it will absolutely be enhanced with the addition of the best ingredient for creativity…. listening to music that inspires you! 

Think of it this way… your plate in front of you is your paper, and your ingredients are your crayons, with no limits or rules.
Now it’s your turn to “draw” an edible picture!! 
Let me know what you create!!

A: 

Thanks Kelly! That’s a really important question.

Gluten-free (GF) is becoming as common it seems as being sugar-free… which we already are all too familiar with for the many diabetics in the world.

Gluten-free lifestyle is growing in leaps and bounds, and in increasing numbers affected with Celiac Disease, or intolerances, or even sensitivities. It seems to be in epidemic proportions anymore, and it’s astounding how many customers ask to be reassured that their meals they’ve ordered are completely GF at the restaurant.

Gone are the days of hard laborious work and deep contemplation to go into what to make for a gluten-free family member. Now, with just a little extra effort, one can purchase pretty decent tasting gluten-free bakery items and breads, and many GF prepared foods at supermarkets and wholesale venues. Even labeling is getting better, which often warns people ahead of time for hidden gluten in product lines or to entice shoppers to buy a particular item labeled in bold lettering, GLUTEN-FREE!

Cooking gluten-free really doesn’t have to be a big struggle. Just use common sense, and leave out the wheat flours when pan-searing your proteins and meats and thickening gravies. You won’t ever miss it! No more dusting your proteins, it’s simply not needed. Leave out the breadcrumbs when making your home-style Chicken Parmesan dinners, since it’s less calories and more healthy without them anyway! Also, skip adding crunchy croutons to your beautiful fresh salads too, unless you absolutely love having them in your salad. If so, then just make your own homemade croutons with your fav GF bread. That’s not too difficult!

Creamed soups? Well if you want to thicken them, then just use cornstarch and water. The taste of creamed soups and stews with wheat flour thickener versus cornstarch thickener are really hard to discern the difference. Seriously, you and your family will never know the difference.

It’s not that big of a deal to cook GF, if you are willing to make just a few simple changes in the ways you are used to cooking and preparing food. Now I realize that some GF foods are known to not have the best taste in the world compared to their full out gluten laden relatives. Overall though, you can still achieve amazing taste and awesome satisfying meals without missing the gluten. Here are a few dinner ideas for a family with mixed GF members and non GF members:

Chicken breasts flavored with olive oil, S&P and herbs, then baked as a Parmesan with sauce and cheese topping; or marinate the chicken in your favorite salad dressing or spice rub and grill it; or meatloaf or meatballs with a GF breadcrumb alternative and a GF pasta (many are pretty good these days); Rotisserie Chicken and sautéed veggies with chicken stock thickened with cornstarch and water; Burger night with GF bun for those affected and regular brioche for non GF family members; chicken Caesar salad with tomatoes, parmesan, bacon, add crispy corn tortilla strips instead of croutons to get that crunch factor we all love; short ribs in a gravy that’s been thickened with a cornstarch slurry using stock; baked salmon and long grain rice; pan seared Sea Scallops or any type of fish, seasoned with Pink Sea Salt and fresh herbs, etc.

See! There are lots and lots of delicious GF options, and still great taste can be achieved for the whole family to enjoy equally! Food can still be fun GF, with making a few easy adjustments, and then you are all set to enjoy yummy GF meals as a family, happy and healthy, and enjoying those super precious dinner moments together!

A: The quick answer to your first question is that the simpler you make it the better. Good kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper liberally applied to both sides of the steak is really the perfect start to your delicious meal outcome. You can stop there at this basic seasoning and begin grilling your steaks, or if you want more flavors, then add some fresh chopped herbs and spice blends like rosemary or thyme, or sprinkle the steaks with your favorite store bought meat rub for extra taste. Herbs and spices add additional layers of delicious flavors if you enjoy a more complex flavor profile in your food.

Once seasoned, you begin your grilling on direct high heat. For one-inch thick strip steaks for instance, cook them roughly 3 minutes per side for proper searing. Then finish the cooking process on the indirect heat side of the grill for approximately another 3 minutes per side. This finishes the cooking on a less intense level of heat so that you can attain the exact level of doneness that you want. That will total 12 minutes total cook time generally for a one inch thick steak, but add another minute more for each side to the indirect heat stage for thicker steaks (1.5 inch). Ultimately you have to keep a meat thermometer in hand, and check the temperatures regularly until you get to the right temp and doneness level you want. This takes practice, so use a quick read meat thermometer placed into the thickest part of the steak so you know exactly what you have. Every professional chef uses a meat thermometer, so there’s absolutely no guesswork. Some general temps you can use as a guide for doneness is rare 125-130F, med rare 130-140F, medium 140-150, med well 150-155F, and well done 160-212F. To maximize the final flavors, remove the steak from the heat once at the correct temperature, and top it with a little salted butter. The butter will slowly melt into the meat adding even more richness and silky overall delicious flavorings. Pure palette enjoyment!

As far as purchasing meat, I would recommend to always buy the best quality meat that you can afford. USDA Prime is the best grade, but it can also equate to higher costs. Buying meat with the USDA Choice grade is also a very good option for both high quality and being reasonably priced. The biggest difference in meats labeled Prime versus Choice is marbling. Marbling is the ribbons of fat that are dispersed throughout the meat, and what gives steak its tremendous flavor and tenderness values. So look for economical “USDA Choice” cuts with the best amounts of marbling for optimal results in amazing flavors that you want.

Also, buying larger pieces of meat and cutting them down to several smaller pieces can also make good economical sense. The Tri Tip, Ranch, or Sirloin cuts are also great options to grill with, and they aren’t going to strain the budget quite like some other more expensive cuts. Chuck steaks are also a popular alternative to pricier cuts of meat to grill, but bear in mind that these cuts can easily become really tough once cooked. Be sure that if you buy these more value oriented cuts of meat, that you either cook them quickly and serve them med rare, or marinate them in some sort of vinaigrette based marinade. Vinegar-based marinades will actually help break down some of the tough connective tissue in the meat from their acidity, leading to increased tenderness and flavors from the marinade.

Another buying tip is to keep an eye out for supermarket flyers for sales and specials they are having that day you need them. Great buys can be found in same day sales events on all grades and cuts of meat. Be sure to ask your butcher about deals and recommendations they have. They are fantastic resources that we should all use when picking out the best meats for our families and entertaining purposes. Like everything else, meat prices go up and down week to week, varying from store to store. So watch your local ads for sales happening, and you may just find a sale on Beef Tenderloin or even T-bones. You can buy these higher end steaks ahead of your need, and freeze them until you are ready to use them. These freeze very well, but be sure to thaw and use them within 6-12 months after the freezing date.

Hope this helps!

A: Thank you so much for this important question! It is something that so many women and men experience as we age, that annoying belly chubbiness! Boo!! There are so many metabolic changes going on in our ever-changing bodies, that this sometimes sabotages our waistline (and can also allow general weight gain as well). Our bodies work hard, doing exactly what they are programmed to do, and that’s to take the carbs we feed our mouths and do something with them. Our cells breakdown the carbs, and convert them into glucose (sugar). Sugars are used in the body for energy to be used immediately, or they will then be stored as unwanted fat. So, decreasing your carb intake is definitely a good start in your weight loss goals. Also, increasing your exercise commitment to yourself for that slimmer you is vitally important. Set exercise as a top priority in your weekly goal planning, so you can benefit from exercise with its increasing blood circulation, increasing metabolism, burning stored fat, burning carbs, and using up the extra glucose stores floating around in the body.

In regards to food preparation for a low carb diet, I would recommend you do most of your grocery shopping in the fresh produce and meat/fish isles. Low carb veggies, grains, and fruit lists are plentiful online to guide you, and meats and seafood are great sources of proteins for fuel in a healthy well-balanced diet. Processed foods that you have to read long labels and huge ingredient lists, that you aren’t even sure what half the items truly are, are pretty much not good for any of us. You are right as well that all too often some processed foods that are made to look “healthy” actually contain lots of unwanted unhealthy carbs in them too. So, mainly stick with fresh home cooked meals, fresh ingredients (or minimally processed ingredients), with the freshest vegetables, good grains, and meats/seafood you have available. Utilize delicious vitamin rich stocks and broths for flavoring your meals, along with beautiful herbs and seasonings to get the taste you want and need to feel satisfied. Remember to live your life full and happy, and enjoy the things that you love! Eat a little pasta once in awhile as a treat, and enjoy a piece of bread on occasion. Life is too short not to live each moment to the fullest, but always within moderation!

Recommended resources:   

  • Living Low Carb: Controlled-Carbohydrate Eating for Long Term Weight Loss
  • The Ketogenic Cookbook by Jimmy Moore and Maria Emmerich
  • The Complete Low Carb Cookbook by George Stella
  • Low Carb Dieting for Dummies