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Tips from Our Kitchen to Yours

Click here to Visit our Recipe Pages at our on-line store!

We have over 700 side dish recipes to choose from to help you complete your meal!
Click here for side dishes!

When you use your oven you know the temperature of the oven because the oven tells you!  Unless you have a grill thermometer (sold at Pies & Plates) when you grill you have to estimate the temperature of the grill.  Here’s a tip to help you out.  Hold your hand, palm side down, about six inches from the coals. Count "one thousand one, one thousand two," etc., until the heat is uncomfortable and you have to pull your hand away. If you can keep your hand in place for:

• 2 seconds -- it's hot, about 375° F or more
• 3 seconds -- it's medium-hot, about 350° to 375° F
• 4 seconds -- it's medium, about 300° to 350° F 
• 5 seconds -- it's low, about 200° to 300° F

Don’t place your meat on the grill until the grill is up to temperature.  Red meat is usually cooked at a high temperature because you want to sear in the juices yet keep the center rare to medium.  Chicken must be cooked at a medium low temperature so that the outside doesn’t get overdone while waiting for the inside to cook.  Fish works best with a medium high heat.  Firm fish like tuna, salmon or shark can be grilled directly on the grill but other fish do better when placed in a grilling basket.  You can keep shrimp from over grilling by skewering the shrimp tightly together on a skewer.

Surprised by unexpected guests?! 

No problem...bring them to lunch at Pies & Plates.  After lunch, let them shop in our retail store!  While they are shopping, pop over to Prepped & Ready and select a pre-made entrée or put together an entrée in 10 minutes or less. You can also make a fresh salad and pick a side dish or two!  How about a loaf of par-baked artisan bread or a quick bread mix?  Then head back to Pies & Plates where we'll hook you up with a nice bottle of wine and a great dessert!  It doesn't get any easier or quicker than that!  (Tip:  Why not let your visitors help select and assemble your entrée?  There's nothing like a great cooking adventure!  A relaxing dinner made together at home is sooo much more fun and less expensive than dining out!)