IT Digital Cookbook - Second Edition

Common Measurement Conversions It’s worth mentioning that volume (cup) and weight (ounce) measurements convert interchangeably with liquids. The same is not true for solids—for example, 1 cup of flour is 4-5 ounces versus 1 cup of liquid (8 ounces). When in doubt, Google can be your best friend. Here are some common measurement conversions for liquids to get you started. 3 teaspoons 1 tablespoon 2 tablespoons 1 fluid ounce 4 tablespoons ¼ cup or 2 fluid ounces 1 cup 8 fluid ounces 2 cups 1 pint 2 pints 1 quart 4 quarts 1 gallon 1 liter 33.8 fluid ounces 1 ounce 28 grams Cooking Terms and Methods Here are some cooking terms you may come across in the cookbook.

Food Safety: Temperatures and Times To avoid illness, it’s important to always ensure your meat is cooked completely. Below are the internal cooking temperatures for different meats. If you don’t already have a meat thermometer, you can get a basic one for around $5. Steak 145° Poultry 165° Pork 145° Ground Meat 165° Fish and Shellfish 145° Casseroles/Leftovers 165° Making sure the food is cooked completely is important, but it’s also important to be aware of the “danger zone” for food that is left out. The “danger zone” is the temperature range where bacteria grows the fastest. This is between 41 and 135 degrees. The longer food stays in the danger zone, the greater the risk of bacteria growth. The three most common forms of time/temperature abuse when food is left in the “danger zone” for too long are when: • Foods aren’t stored or held at safe temperatures • Foods aren’t cooked or reheated to correct temperatures • Hot foods aren’t cooled down to a safe temperature fast enough As a rule, four hours is the maximum time foods can stay in the “danger zone”. This is a cumulative total. After the four-hour mark, foods should be thrown out. Bon appétit!

Cooking Basics Welcome to our IT Digital Cookbook. These recipes were submitted by our IT teammembers for you and your family to enjoy. Before we get started, let’s review some basic techniques and information to help you safely prepare and enjoy the recipes included. Knife Skills and Techniques You may notice there are certain techniques mentioned in the recipes when cutting ingredients. Some of the more common techniques are shown below.

Julienne

Large Dice

Small Dice

Batonnet

Brown the pieces in a small amount of fat/oil, then cook covered, in a small amount of liquid Cook uncovered in a large amount of liquid, just below the boiling point. Cook small/thin pieces quickly over high heat in a small amount of fat/oil. Cook food directly over or under an open heat source. Cook foods like turkey/chicken in a small amount of fat in a hot oven: 350-475° Cook foods like bread/cakes in the oven between 250-450°

Braise

MediumDice

Fine Julienne

Brunoise

Simmer

Sauté

Whenever you’re slicing and dicing, make sure to keep your fingers curled, under and away from the blade of the knife as shown in this image. Another important technique to remember is to keep your knives sharp. A dull blade requires more effort to make a cut. With a sharp blade, you’ll use less effort and have a nice clean cut.

Broil/Grill

Roasting

Baking

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