| How to Make Loaded Baked Potatoes Posted: 26 Sep 2020 05:00 PM PDT Loaded baked potatoes might be one of the best comfort foods you can make at home. Bake the potatoes in advance and set out a topping bar so everyone can customize their meal. This is a great way to clean out your fridge since so many ingredients make perfect toppings. Load up your potatoes with cheese, leftover meat, veggies, and your favorite sauce. Then, tuck into a creamy, filling baked potato that's just the way you like! [Edit]Ingredients - 4 large potatoes like Russets or Yukon Golds
- of canola, vegetable, or olive oil
- 1/2 cup (115 g) of butter, diced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Toppings like bacon, cheddar, sour cream, and chives
Makes 2 to 4 servings [Edit]Baking the Potatoes - Preheat the oven to and set a wire rack on a baking sheet. If you don't have a wire rack and baking sheet, put the potatoes directly on the oven rack. You may want to place a piece of aluminum foil under the rack to catch oil drips.[1]
- Poke holes in 4 potatoes with a fork. Scrub 4 large potatoes like Russets or Yukon Golds under cold running water to rinse off dirt. Then, grip a potato firmly and use a fork to poke the potato about 10 times.[2]
- Since potatoes contain a lot of water that turns into steam as they bake, the holes prevent the potatoes from splitting or exploding.
- Rub the potatoes with oil and set them on the wire rack. Drizzle about of canola, vegetable, or olive oil onto each potato and use your fingers or a pastry brush to spread the oil over the entire skin. Then, set the greased potatoes on the wire rack so they're not touching each other.[3]
- The oil helps the potato skins crisp up as they bake. If you skip greasing the potatoes, the skins will be dry and chewy.
- Bake them for 1 hour or until the center of the potatoes are tender. Carefully transfer the sheet with the wire rack and potatoes into the preheated oven. Cook the potatoes for 1 hour. Then, stick a knife into the center of a potato to see if it slides out easily. If it doesn't, cook the potatoes for another 5 to 10 minutes and check again.[4]
- If you're short on time, microwave the potatoes for 5 minutes. Then, bake them in a oven for 20 minutes.
- Cool the potatoes for 5 minutes. Once the centers of the potatoes are tender, take the sheet out of the oven and set them on the stove. Leave the potatoes to cool on the wire rack for 5 minutes so they're a little easier to handle.[5]
- If you set the potatoes directly on the rack, wear oven mitts to take them out of the oven.
- Don't cover the potatoes as they cool or you'll trap moisture and make the skins chewy.
- Split each potato in half lengthwise and spoon the flesh into a bowl. Set a slightly cooled potato on a cutting board and carefully slice through it lengthwise. Scoop out the soft potato flesh with a spoon and drop it into a large mixing bowl. Repeat this for each potato and set the skins aside.[6]
- If the potatoes are still hot, wear an oven mitt so you can hold the potato and scoop out the flesh.
- Mash the potato with butter, salt, and pepper. Add 1/2 cup (115 g) of diced butter to the bowl with the potatoes along with as much salt and pepper as you'd like. Then, use a vegetable masher to roughly purée the potatoes. If you'd like a chunky texture, mash just until the butter is incorporated or keep mashing until the potatoes are smooth.[7]
- Plan on using about 2 tablespoons (28 g) of butter for each filled potato.
- For really rough potatoes, use the tines of a fork instead of a vegetable masher to break up the flesh.
- Spoon the seasoned potatoes back into the skins. If you'd like to make small loaded baked potatoes, fill each of the skins with some of the mashed potatoes or overfill just half of the skins. Then, add any toppings you like and enjoy![8]
- Serve the potatoes as soon as you top them or stick them back in the oven for 5 minutes to melt cheese or reheat them.
[Edit]Loading them with Flavorful Ingredients - Top the potatoes with bacon bits, chili, or meat to make a filling meal. For classic loaded baked potatoes, fry chopped bacon until it's crisp and sprinkle it over the potatoes. You could also spoon your favorite chili or seasoned ground beef on top.[9]
- This is a great chance to use leftovers from previous meals. Put leftover pulled pork, shredded beef, or carnitas on the potatoes, for instance.
- Scatter shredded or crumbled cheese to give the potatoes a creamy taste. One of the best parts of a loaded baked potato is the gooey, melted cheese. Top the potatoes with whatever cheese you have on hand like:
- Cheddar
- Pepper jack
- Feta
- Smoked gouda
- Mozzarella
- Nacho cheese
- Add cooked veggies for nutrition and a burst of color. Make a complete meal by including a variety of colorful veggies. Finely chop raw vegetables or steam, grill, and roast them before you scatter them over the potatoes. Try a few of these great combinations to get you started:[10]
- Steamed broccoli florets with roasted red peppers
- Grilled sweetcorn with diced jalapenos
- Caramelized onions with mushrooms
- Diced avocados with chopped tomatoes
- Spoon a creamy or spicy sauce over the potatoes for extra flavor. Add creamy or bold flavor with a drizzle of salsa, sour cream, or your favorite sauce like barbecue sauce, gravy, or hot sauce.[11]
- Substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream if you're trying to reduce calories.
- Garnish the loaded baked potatoes with chives or green onions. To give the loaded baked potatoes a slightly sharp flavor, chop a few green onions or chives and sprinkle them over the top.[12]
- If you don't want the spicy taste of green onions, use freshly chopped herbs like parsley or basil instead.
- For the crispiest skin, skip wrapping the potatoes in foil since foil traps moisture and makes the skins soggy.[13]
- If you have leftover baked potatoes, mash the lightly and mix them with a creamy white sauce. Spread the mixture in a casserole dish and scatter toppings over it. Then, bake the casserole until it's bubbly.[14]
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Wire rack
- Fork
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Oven mitts
- Knife and cutting board
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon
- Vegetable masher
[Edit]References |
| How to Learn Keyboard Notes Posted: 26 Sep 2020 09:00 AM PDT Learning the notes on a keyboard is an essential step towards learning how to play the piano, organ, or MIDI controller. While the shape and order of the notes on a keyboard are always the same, it can take some time to memorize and master them. After you've learned where to find notes on the keys, you can start to learn sheet music and practice playing the scales fluidly. [Edit]Identifying the Keys on the Keyboard - Learn the order of the white keys by finding C. The first note in a scale is the C note. The order of the scale is C, D, E, F, G, A, and B, with the same pattern repeating after B. You can find the C key on a keyboard by looking for any pair of black keys that are surrounded on both sides by two white keys instead of one. C is always the key immediately to the left of the black key on the left side of that pair.[1]
- Note the pattern of white keys: three white keys enclosing two black keys, and four white keys enclosing three black keys. C is the white key on the left of the two enclosed black keys.
- This pattern is consistent on all keyboards. Every note on the keyboard is represented in this single 12-note octave, which is the term for an interval of notes that appear in the same order. Different octaves are higher or lower in pitch depending on where they are positioned in reference to the middle octave.
- Get familiar with the black keys by finding C♯/D♭. Each black key has two possible notes based on the context of the music that you're playing. For example, C sharp (C♯) and D flat (D♭) are the same key on the piano, but the note changes whether you're moving up or down on the keyboard, or whether or not you're pressing a pedal. This is because the sound created by the black keys is imperfect, and doesn't correspond perfectly with the natural scale. The black keys usually play a supporting role in most compositions, so it will help to remember their order by starting directly above the white C note in the middle, which is C♯ or D♭.[2]
- The symbol ♯ is read as "sharp,"[3] and the symbol ♭ is read as "flat."
- The white keys are called "natural" tones, and are the main keys used in most songs. The black keys are known as "accidentals," and contain sharp and flat sounds in tones in between the natural keys.
- Familiarize yourself with the octaves on your keyboard. Going from left to right, every group of notes between a C and B is called an octave. A standard 88-key piano has 12.5 octaves. A note determines the tone of a key, while the octave determines the pitch. The notes on the left are lower in pitch, while the notes on your right will be higher. You almost always start playing a song from middle C, which is a term for the octave in the dead center of your piano.[4]
- A grand or upright piano has 88 keys, but there are electronic and modified keyboards with 44 or 49 keys. The more keys that a keyboard has, the more octaves the keyboard is capable of playing.[5]
[Edit]Interpreting Notation - Learn how to interpret notation by understanding the staff. The staff refers to the 5 horizontal lines where musical notes are written. They are used to represent the letters of the scale visually, with the 4 spaces in between representing every other letter. The order of the notes changes based on whether the staff is in treble or bass.[6]
- On a treble clef, the note directly on the bottom line is E, and the note in between the first and second line is F. The note directly on top of the second line is A, and the note in between the second and third line is B. The pattern continues from there.
- On a bass clef, the note on the bottom line is G, and the note in between the first and second line is A. The note sitting directly on top of the second line is B, with the C note in between the second and third line. The pattern continues as you move up the scale.
- Start by learning the treble clef before learning the bass clef. The treble clef (or G clef) is the symbol that looks like a curly "6" with a line running through the center of it. It indicates what the notes in the following staff are. On a keyboard, the treble clef is used to indicate what the right hand is doing, while the bass clef is used to illustrate the left hand's notes.[7]
- Start by learning the treble clef first, since the right hand is typically required to play most of the notes in beginner or intermediate sheet music.
- The treble scale starts with E at the bottom of the staff, while the bass scale starts with G at the bottom of the staff.
- Distinguish between full notes, half notes, and quarter notes. A full note is a hollow circle with no bar sticking out of it and indicates that a key is meant to be played for the full duration of the note. A half note is hollow in the middle as well, but it has a vertical bar to indicate that the key should be pressed for half of a full note's duration. A quarter note is the most common note and has a solid black circle with a vertical bar. It is a quarter length of a full note when you press it on the piano.[8]
- A flat line sitting on top of a staff line indicates a rest, which is where you don't play anything for the duration of the measure.[9]
- Read chords by looking at notes that are stacked on top of one another. In sheet music, a chord is represented by multiple notes occupying the same vertical space at the same time. These notes are meant to be played together at the exact same time, almost always for the same duration. The duration is based on a song's time signature, which tells you how many beats are in a given measure. Major and minor chords can radically change the mood of a piece of music, and will be essential to learn if you want to start songwriting.[10]
- The two numbers directly to the right of the clef are called the time signature. They tell you how quickly you're supposed to play the notes based on the song's tempo.[11]
- Major chords are chords that start in C, while minor chords start in E.
[Edit]Memorizing the Keys - Put a piece of tape on each key in the middle octave and label the keys. Take a piece of adhesive or electrical tape and put it on the pad for the C note in the middle octave. Write "C" on this key with a permanent marker, and repeat this process for each note on the middle chord. Label each note according to the letter used to represent it. Use this chord as a reference as you learn and memorize each of the notes on the scale.[12]
- Use mnemonic devices to remember the order of notes. On a treble clef, the notes that rest directly on the lines in the staff are E, G, B, D, F. You can remember them easily by memorizing the phrase "Every Good Boy Does Fine." The notes in between the lines are F, A, C, E, so you can memorize the word "face" to remember the order.[13]
- On a bass clef, the order of the keys translates easily to the phrase "Good Boys Do Fine Always" for the notes on the lines, and "All Cows Eat Grass" for the notes in between.[14]
- Train your ears to identify notes by matching sounds to a key. You can train your ears to register the resonance and tone of each note over time. To do this, select a key in the middle octave and hold it down. While the sound is playing, start humming the tune of the note. Try to match the note exactly. Repeat this process over the course of several practice sessions and you'll find yourself identifying notes by sound alone, which will help you get better at hearing mistakes when you make them in practice.[15]
- This is a good way to internalize the sound of notes and will come in handy when you eventually want to picture what sheet music sounds like in your head.
- Translate the notes into muscle memory by practicing. The more you practice moving your fingers between notes and reading sheet music, the easier it will become. Practice your scales regularly– ideally every day– by playing the notes in order, one after the other, with both hands. This will help you memorize the sounds and get used to the feeling of each key under your fingers.[16]
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Stop Fabric from Fraying Posted: 26 Sep 2020 01:00 AM PDT Learning how to effectively stop fabric from fraying can save you time, aggravation, and money. Whether you're in the middle of a sewing or quilting project or you're trying to salvage a favorite piece of clothing, a fraying edge can be an unwelcome sight. There are several methods out there that will help you preserve your fabric edges and prevent fraying. [Edit]Using No-Sew Techniques - Use scotch tape for a quick fix. Lay your fabric on a hard, flat surface with the back facing up. With the fabric's edge laid out in front of you horizontally, place the tape along the top of the edge. Cover about of the fabric's edge with the tape. Let the excess tape fix the fabric loosely to your work surface. Cut a new, clean line through the taped fabric, below the fraying edge.[1]
- Leave the tape on the edge to keep it from fraying.
- Scotch tape is a clear, adhesive tape. Select a matte tape as opposed to one with a glossy finish because it will be less noticeable.
- This method will not last if the piece is washed, but it is helpful when cutting straight edges in hard-to-handle fabrics. It is also useful for pillows or other projects where the seams are hidden and subject to minimal washing.
- Glue your edges with fabric glue, seam sealant, or super glue. Purchase any one of these adhesives at a local craft store or online. Simply place small dabs of glue along the edge of the fabric. Use a cotton swab or toothpick to spread the glue evenly. Avoid using too much glue as it can leave dark spots on your fabric once it has dried.[2]
- Alternatively, use the same process to apply the glue but then fold the glue-covered edge of the fabric over and press it down to create a hem.
- Using pinking shears to cut a fresh edge. Pinking shears look like scissors with teeth and you can find them at any craft store or online. You use them as you would use scissors, cutting a new edge onto your fabric. Instead of a straight edge, however, the shears cut in a jagged-tooth pattern. This cut will prevent the edges from fraying.[3]
- This is a popular beginner-level method for dealing with fraying edges.
- For additional stability, apply adhesive to the cut edge with a cotton swab or toothpick.
[Edit]Hand-Stitching the Edge - Cut and tie your thread. The low-tech and old-fashioned way to deal with a fraying edge is to fix it with a needle and thread. To begin, cut a length of thread that is around in length. Tie a knot in one end by looping the end around your forefinger, then push the shorter end through the loop, and pull it through.[4]
- Thread your needle. Take the unknotted end of your thread and grasp it between your thumb and forefinger. Loop it around the needle and slip the tiny loop off over the head of the needle creating a tight little loop. Flatten the loop between your fingers and then insert it through the eye of the needle until the loop pokes out the other side. Grasp the loop with your fingers and pull it through until the tail comes through.[5]
- You may need to cut a fresh end on your thread if it is a bit worn and floppy, as a soft piece of thread is difficult to work with.
- Pull the tail through so that it is about in length.
- Insert the needle from back to front to create a whipstitch.[6] Hold your fabric with the front or finished side facing up. Starting at the back of the fabric, insert the needle as close to the edge as you can. Push the needle through the fabric to the front and pull the thread through until the knot catches.[7]
- Don't pull too tightly or you'll create a rumpled look on your edge.
- Stay close to the edge, about or less is ideal.
- Repeat your stitch to finish the edge. Place your needle again on the back of the fabric, next to the spot where you inserted it for your first stitch. Move on, repeating this same stitch across the length of your edge, always inserting the needle from the back to the front.[8]
- Space your stitches closer together for a tighter stitch or farther apart for a looser stitch.
- Tie off the thread after the last stitch. Turn to the back of the fabric. Thread your needle under the last stitch and pull the thread under it until a small loop forms. Pull the needled through the loop and pull to create a knot. For more security, repeat this to make a second knot.[9]
- Cut the thread to finish the edge, leaving no more than an remaining at the end.
[Edit]Using a Sewing Machine - Use a serger to secure the edge. The most professional way to finish an edge is with a specialized sewing machine called a serger.[10] This sewing gadget uses four threads and two needles. Thread your serger and feed your seam under the foot, moving it through your machine needles, as you would with any sewing machine.[11]
- Be careful to remove pins before feeding the fabric through the serger.
- A serger sews, cuts, and finishes a seam all at the same time. For this reason, it can save you time.
- A serger is a specialized machine that cannot replace all the more basic functions of a regular sewing machine. They cost a couple hundred dollars, but if you do a lot of finishing work this might be a good choice for you.
- Try a zigzag stitch on your sewing machine. Set your sewing machine to the zigzag setting by using the dial or digital display on its side.[12] Place the fabric under the raised foot of your machine.[13] Lower the foot and proceed to feed the fabric through the machine. Keep the fabric's edge lined up with the middle of the foot.[14]
- Refer to your machine's manual for details if you're unsure how to set it for a zigzag stitch.
- Add a few reverse stitches at the beginning and end to knot the thread.
- Use an overlock foot and your sewing machine to mimic a serger stitch. Remove the regular foot of your machine and attach the overlock foot in its place.[15] Set your machine to do an overlocking stitch. Line your fabric up with the inner edge of the foot. Feed the fabric through the machine as usual.
- By attaching an overlock foot to your sewing machine you can create a stitch that looks similar to what a serger creates.
- Use a zigzag setting with the overlock foot to achieve a similar finishing effect if you don't have an overlock setting on your machine.[16]
- Consult your sewing machine manual for details on switching out the foot. It is usually a matter of popping it off and on, no tools required.[17]
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Finishing Without Sewing - Scotch tape
- Scissors
- Fabric glue, seam sealant, or super glue
- Pinking shears
[Edit]Hand-Stitching the Edge - Sewing needle
- Thread
- Scissors
[Edit]Using a Sewing Machine - Serger or sewing machine
- Thread
- Scissors
- Overlock foot (if using the overlock stitch)
[Edit]References |
No comments:
Post a Comment