All Around The World Recipes

Easter Recipes

2009-04-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

Easter is almost upon us and we're now thinking about the food we'll prepare for our families to enjoy on the most holy festival in the Christian year.

Good Friday generally means a fish dinner, as in the past the consuming of meat was forbidden on Fridays. Recipes such as Sole Cushions, Lobster Thermidor, Brill Soufflé, Turbot Au Gratin, Fish pie or Baked Hake were traditionally eaten on Good Friday.

Of course in the meantime mom will be making hard boiled eggs for the children to decorate. Some of us will go to extreme lengths to achieve the perfect egg, such as boiling them in spinach water to dye them green or with raw beets to turn them red. You could also make use of Onion skins and flower petals by winding them around the eggs with brown string to give mottled effects.

Then there'll be those of us that simply put some food coloring into a pan of water and boil the eggs.

Whichever route you choose once your eggs are hardboiled you need to polish them with a little olive oil. Then let the kids go wild.

For an extra wonderful surprise for the children, try piercing the widest end of an egg and shake out the white and yolk then leave it to dry out thoroughly. Once the shell is completely dry using a small funnel pour in melted chocolate, imagine their delight when they crack the egg open.

Easter Sunday is traditionally a Lamb dinner, as lamb symbolizes the innocence of Christ. However nowadays though, a lot of families will be enjoying a ham or roast turkey. A traditional menu for your Easter Sunday Dinner would include Stuffed Eggs, Saddle of Lamb with Wine Sauce, Vegetables of Your Choice, Green Salad and Grapefruit in Brandy.

Hot Cross buns are another huge Easter tradition, and if you are like me you don't need to wait until Easter to eat them!

Easter Cakes vary throughout the world. A few examples are...

The SIMNEL CAKE which was originally made for Mothering Sunday is now made in Britain for Easter.

The Russians bake a yeast cake known as KULICH.

The Portuguese the traditional sweet is Angel's Hair.

The Italians Bake COLOMBA and the Sicilians make CASSATA ALLA SICILIANA.

I wish every-one a Happy Easter.

By Lesley Thurmond

Lesley Thurmond is the wife of Len Thurmond and they have 3 children at home. Because of Len's work on the internet Lesley decided to put together a choice of recipes and various articles and publish them at http://www.greatgrandmascookbook.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lesley_Thurmond

Want Some New Ways to Cook?

2009-04-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

I love to cook and this is a list of recipes that I have used personally. I like to cook from scratch so a lot of my recipes will be from scratch. I personally think that cooking from scratch takes just as long as using an already prepared food.

This is one that is not from scratch but very quick, easy and cheap to do:
1 box of beef or chicken rice
1 bag of your favorite frozen vegetables
2 cups of ground beef or chicken

Cook the rice mix as directed on box
Add vegetables to rice mix after you add water to the rice mix
then add the beef or chicken depending on the rice mix you use
this takes about 30 minutes to cook and is very easy and inexpensive

Chcocolate bananas

I bag chocolate chips
10 bananas

Melt your chocolate chips in a double broiler
Add about 2 T of sweet and condensed milk to the mixture
Stir until melted well.

Put a piece of wax paper on a cookie sheet then cut your bananas into 3 parts and dip them
into chocolate and place them on the cookie sheet and place them in the freezer as these are a great
summer treat.

Ghetto Stew

1 lb of ground beef cooked and drained
Cut up whatever meat you have in the refrigerator that is leftover and place in big pot
Put about 6 to 10 cups of water into pot
Add 2 cups of tomatoes
and 1 can of tomato juice
Take whatever vegetables you want to add into the pot with whatever pasta you may have in the pantry
Let cook til the pasta gets done and you will have a meal that the whole family will love.

By Pat L Morgan

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pat_L_Morgan

"Eggcellent" Recipes

2009-04-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

After Easter, we often end up with leftover hard-boiled eggs that we might be tired off. The surplus of hard-boiled eggs can be easily used to create new eggcellent dishes that your family will love! Check out these recipes using hard-boiled eggs. The spinach and bacon salad is my favorite!

SPINACH AND BACON SALAD

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup Spinach Salad Dressing
8 cups fresh spinach
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white mushrooms, sliced
2 tomatoes, quartered
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
3 slices cooked bacon, chopped

DIRECTIONS
1) Pour salad dressing in a small saucepan and heat over medium-low, until warm.
2) Meanwhile, toss spinach, onion, mushrooms, and tomatoes in a large salad bowl.
3) Pour warm dressing over salad and toss, until evenly coated. The spinach will become slightly wilted.
4) Top with egg slices and sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Serve warm.

Serves 4

COBB SANDWICH

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 chicken breasts, sliced
8 slices cooked bacon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup blue cheese dressing
8 slices bread or 4 tortilla wraps
1 large tomato, sliced
1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
4 romaine lettuce leaves

DIRECTIONS
1) Heat oil in a skillet. Add chicken breast slices and cook on medium until no longer pink. Set aside to drain and cool.
2) Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and blue cheese dressing.
3) Spread mayonnaise mixture onto bread slices or wraps. Top with sliced chicken, avocado, tomato, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and lettuce.

Serves 4

For those of you who like eggs in any shape or form, here are 2 recipes that are a must for me every spring: scrambled eggwich and spinach-red pepper fittata. Both of these recipes are easy to prepare and can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I like to sprinkle my eggwiches with abundance of either dill or parsley for extra flavor.

SCRAMBLED EGGWICH

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
½ cup ham, cubed
3 eggs
salt and pepper, to taste
1 medium tomato, diced
2 slices cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS
1) Heat oil in a skillet. Add onions and ham. Cook until onions caramelize, about 3-5 minutes.
2) In a bowl, whisk eggs, salt, pepper. Pour the mixture over vegetables in the skillet. Add tomatoes. Mix with spatula until eggs are well scrambled.
3) Serve on toasted bread, english muffin, or fresh baguette with cheese slice.

Serves 2

SPINACH AND RED PEPPER FRITTATA

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup fresh spinach, shredded
1 cup white mushrooms, sliced
6 eggs
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
salt and pepper, to taste
diced tomato for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1) Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onion, red pepper, and mushrooms. Saute for 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add spinach, and cook for another minute.
2) Meanwhile, whisk eggs with salt and pepper in a bowl. Add cheese and mix well.
3) Pour egg and cheese mixture over the vegetables in the skillet, stir once, and flatten with a spatula. Cook over medium heat until eggs are set. Cut into slices like a pie. Garnish with diced tomato.

Serves 4-6

By Ed Stein

For more egg-o-licious recipes, visit http://www.pluggedinparents.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ed_Stein

Fried Potato Recipe

2009-04-20T08:42:00.000-07:00

p align="justify">This spicy fried potato recipe can be used for making a morning snack for breakfast in combination with a bread or paratha. The spices used in this recipe are in crushed form which gives a slightly enhanced flavor when mixed with potatoes. In this recipe tomato can also be added with potatoes which will result in sour taste and will become even more tasty. But the the fried potato will not remain crispy when cooked with tomatoes - that is why I prefer to make these fried potatoes without it. Anyway, if you really want to add tomatoes, add them after onions have been half cooked. The preparation time for this spicy fried potato is just 20 minutes and is served for 3-4 persons.

Ingredients:

5 medium size potatoes (cut into tin slices)
2 medium size onions (finely chopped)
1 tbsp crushed red chili
1 tbsp crushed cumin
1 tsp crushed black pepper
Salt to taste
1/2 cup mustard oil

Cooking Instructions:

Take a frying pan, heat oil and fry potatoes in it on medium heat for 8-10 minutes until all the potatoes become completely soft and a bit crispy. You have to stir constantly while frying so that the potatos fry evenly and would not stick into the pan. After that add onions and fry with potatoes till they become light golden in color and keep stirring during frying. Now add all the crushed spices, red chili, cumin, black pepper, salt and cook for 2-3 minutes more so that all the flavors of spices absorb in the potato. Now its time to turn off the flame and then drain out the excess oil using a strainer. Your Spicy fried potato dish is ready to be served with paratha or flat bread.

By Kashif Mahmood

For more recipes Visit: Easy Recipes Blog

The author of this article runs a cooking blog where he and many other food lovers post various easy to cook food recipes including vegetable recipes, snacks, chicken, BBQ & grill, pizzas, desserts, cakes, drinks, salads etc. The aim of his blog is to deliver the best easy to make cooking recipes to all foodies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kashif_Mahmood

How to Make a 3 Home Style Chinese Dishes Meal in Less Than 1 Hour?

2009-04-20T08:39:00.000-07:00

Due to busy schedule we have nowadays, we can hardly spend hours in kitchen to make a meal. Lots of people have the mindset that cooking will take hours and the process is complicated. And after cooking, it will mess up the whole kitchen and you would need to take another hour to clean up. However, it is not entire true. It really depends on what kind of dishes you want to cook.

Here, I would introduce you 3 home style Chinese dishes which only take you less than 1 hour to prepare and cook, and they provide all the nutrition you can get from a complete meal. The only cooking utensils you need are a steamer and a pot, as we are going to just utilize two cooking methods: steaming and boiling. Your kitchen will stay as clean as it is even after cooking. You can serve the dishes with rice or noodle.

Steam Egg with Ground Pork

Ingredients:
- 4 eggs, beaten with pinch of salt, white pepper, and ½ teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 oz ground pork
- 1 spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 0.4 cup water

Method:
- Mix the beaten egg and water well in a heat proof bowl. Add in ground pork and stir well until the pork is separated evenly.
- Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, and place it in a steamer
- Steam the egg for 30 minutes or until the pork is fully cooked
- Remove, sprinkle spring onion, soy sauce and sesame oil on top
- Ready to serve

Mix Vegetables with Chicken Soup

Ingredients:
- 2 chicken drumsticks or thighs
- 1 carrots, cut into small chunks
- 2 potatoes, cut into small chunks
- ¼ cauliflower, cut into small chunks
- ¼ cabbage, cut into small chunks
- 5 whole white pepper, crushed
- Pinch of salt to taste
- 5 cups water

Method:
- Boil 5 cups of water in a pot. Add in chicken and all vegetables into the pot.
- Boil the soup over medium heat for 30 minutes
- Add in salt to taste

Steamed Fish with Mushroom

Ingredients:
- ½ lb white fish fillet such as cod fish or halibut
- 3 Chinese mushrooms, soaked for 20 minutes and sliced into thin slices
- 1 inch ginger root, finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Method:
- Put the fish fillet into a heat proof plate. Rub soy sauce and dry sherry over the fish thoroughly, and leave it for 10 minutes
- Sprinkle mushrooms and ginger slices on top of the fish.
- Steam the fish in a steamer for 20 minutes
- Remove from steamer and sprinkle with sesame oil
- Ready to serve

The above 3 Chinese home style dishes contain meat, vegetables, and fish which make up a complete meal. And they will only take less than an hour for preparation and cook. Due to we only use boiling and steaming cooking methods, your kitchen would not be messed up with oily stuff. Since we only use boiling and steaming, very little oil is used on the dishes and thus, the dishes are well suitable for people who are on healthy diet.

Amaze your families and friends with a delicious Chinese meal even though you are on tight schedule. Get more simple and easy to cook Chinese recipes from Chinese Recipe Online website. And if you have more time to spend on cooking, try out the various free Chinese recipes provided in the website such as the famous dim sum recipes.

http://www.chineserecipeonline.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=I_Ling_Tong

The Unforgettable Taste of Wild Salmon - Recipes For the Whole Family

2009-04-20T08:37:00.000-07:00

Salmon, especially wild salmon, is really the one fish that nearly everyone likes, even if they aren't really big fans of the sea creatures in the first place. What with its succulent, meaty rose-pink flesh and mild, delicate taste, this fish is a delicacy that's simply hard to resist. And let's not forget that salmon is one of the healthiest fish out there; it's filled incredibly healthy vitamins and minerals, and of course, omega-3 fatty acids. It's a fish that will boost your immune system and prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease if you incorporate it into your regular diet.

While wild salmon may be a little more pricey than it's farmed counterpart, you really can't purchase anything better. It's definitely worth the slight price hike. Below are some wild salmon recipes that your whole family will love.

This is a recipe of for salmon with lemon almond pesto. Although it sounds fancy, it really is pretty simple. You will need olive oil, a couple cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped, parsley, chopped, lemon juice, almonds, lemon zest, 3-4 pounds of wild salmon, baked, broiled or grilled as you prefer. To make the lemon almond pesto, saut the garlic with olive oil in a medium sized sauce pan. Once the garlic turns golden brown, place it into a food processor, Add the parsley, almonds, lemon juice and olive oil. Blend until finely chopped, adding more olive oil if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in lemon zest. Spoon on top of your salmon and serve with a big, green salad.

Next in our lineup of wild salmon recipes is broiled salmon with miso glaze. Miso is an ingredient which is often found in Japanese kitchens. This recipe calls for white miso paste, soy sauce, minced ginger, mirin, and salmon fillets. Mix together all of the ingredients minus the fish. Place the salmon fillets in a baking pan lined with foil. Brush the miso mixture on to the fillets. Broil for about six minutes. Serve with fresh cilantro and chopped green onions.

This last in our selection of wild salmon recipes is really simple, but tasty nonetheless. First, make the marinade by mixing together olive oil, minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, sugar, lemon juice, green onions and cilantro. Pour the mixture over your wild salmon fillets; let it marinate overnight. Broil for around 8-10 minutes.

By Allie Moxley

Alaska is home to an abundant variety of seafood, and offers some of the purest marine, freshwater, and upland habitats on the planet.

From the clear crystal waters comes seafood that is delicious and healthy. Alaskan seafood is low in fat but big on flavor and Omega-3 oils. You can study thousands of pages of nutritional research. Or, simply observe the amazing health and longevity of people in countries where seafood is the most important part of their diet. Either way, Alaska seafood is as healthy as it is delicious.

Are you are looking for a meal that is low in saturated fat, filled with nutrients and packed with good heart healthy Omega-3s oils? Then you should start with Alaska Seafood.

http://www.alaskaseafood.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allie_Moxley

Fresh Green Beans Mediterranean Medley With Bacon & Red Potatoes Recipe

2009-04-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS

1-2 pounds Fresh green beans

2 - 3 strips Bacon

3 - cloves Garlic peeled & crushed

10 - 15 Pearl Onions

8 - 10 small Red or White potatoes

1 - Chicken bouillon cube

1-2 tsp Just Simply Good Stuff! Mediterranean Medley

1/2 tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Cut bacon into 2" pieces sauté in 2 quart. sauce pot on low, fry 2-3 minutes (do not drain grease!) add crushed garlic, cut tips off green beans, snap in half add to pot, add pepper, Mediterranean Medley, cover with water bring to boil, add bouillon turn down to simmer, cook 1 hour, add potatoes, peel onions add to pot, cook additional 30 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 90 minutes

Yield: servings 6-8

If you end up with leftovers you can freeze them for another meal or better yet add them to the next beef /chicken stew or vegetable soup you make. All sorts of leftovers can be used in soups or stews. For instance you can take the previous nights roast beef, cube it into 1 ½" pieces, set aside. Use a 4-5 quart pot, sauté garlic and onion in a small amount of olive oil, add 1 -2 tablespoons of flour, stir well to remove all lumps add 2 cans beef or chicken broth or stock, stir well. Add beef cubes, leftover green beans with potatoes & onions, canned or fresh corn (cut off of cob), a can of diced tomatoes, any fresh vegetables from the crisper like celery, carrots, mushrooms, bell pepper, leeks, broccoli, brussel sprouts. Just use your imagination and see what you come up with!

By Robin Carter

At Just Simply Good Stuff! Dry Rubs and all natural seasonings are created from scratch using our own recipes. You don't need to know which spice goes with what...we do it for you! We grind and mix individual chilies, herbs and spices to create unique dry rubs and blends. Salt is only used to enhance the mix not weigh it down and overwhelm it.

We offer simple to use all natural seasonings for tasty home cooking with spice. We also carry bulk spice sold from 1 ounce packages (so you can mix and match your favorites) to several pounds. We offer Sweet & Savory dry flavors like Tomato, Hickory & Mesquite as well as hard to find Lemon Powder, Honey Powder and pastry flavors like Cinnamon/Butter, Vanilla Butter, Honey and a variety of Chile powders like Ancho and Habanero grown naturally without pesticides, genetic modification, added coloring or preservatives. Our blends and spice rubs are simple and tasty, just shake it on then grill, fry or bake! All of our products can be purchased in bulk then frozen for later use. See what other people think of Just Simply Good Stuff! on our Testimonials page.

Check out our Recipes page http://justsimplygoodstuff.com/cart/index.php?main_page=page&id=8&chapter=0 At http://www.justsimplygoodstuff.com to see all of the tasty dishes you can make! If you limit your salt intake or just prefer to add your own salt we have three No salt blends. We're committed to doing our part in offering quality ingredients for your meals as well as for your lifestyle.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_Carter

Recipe Queens Ragout Crepe

2009-04-20T08:16:00.001-07:00

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs chicken leg

1 small onion

2 medium carrots

3 tbsp olive oil

2 quarts water

1 oz butter

2 oz flour

Salt, pepper

Hot sauce (optional)

3/4 cup milk

HOW TO PREPARE

Fry the chicken legs in (olive) oil until light brown on both sides; reduce the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.

Take the chicken legs out and let cool down for a while. Separate the white flesh from the bones and lesser parts.

Put the bones/lesser parts back in the pan and add 1 small onion and 2 medium carrots, both finely chopped. Add enough water to cover and let cook for 4 hours.

Let reduce until you have about a pint (1/2 liter); add finely chopped fresh herbs.

Cut the white chicken parts in small pieces. Heat the butter on a low fire until melted (not brown) and add 1 oz of flour. Mix thoroughly and let cook on a very low fire for 2 minutes.

Add the chicken bouillon little by little and stir in until you get a consistency of a medium-thick sauce.

Add the chicken pieces and bouillon to get the desired thickness.

Add salt and pepper to taste; I always add a little drop of hot sauce (our restaurant is in the Caribbean...). Then you prepare the crepes. Take equal parts of milk and flour and add an egg yolk. Stir firmly. The consistency must be that of light syrup, add milk as necessary.

Heat a pan with a little vegetable oil until almost steaming and add one soup serving spoon of the mixture.

As soon as it hits the pan, move the pan around to divide the mixture over the pan. You want the crepes to be very thin. Fry until brown and turn.

Put a layer of ragout on one half of the crepe; flip the empty half over the ragout half and serve.

By James Post

James Post moved to Grenada after a career in the high tech electronics industry in the Netherlands. In 2000 he felt it was time for a change and moved to the Caribbean to realize his dream: to build a small, sustainable resort http://www.paradisebayresort.net. At age 8 he was already making Croquettes (a Dutch specialty) and became a passionate cook and food lover. He considers Grenada to be one of the most beautiful islands in the world, which was an important reason to select this island, in addition to friendly, peaceful people.

He encourages readers to ask questions; he can be reached per email at jamespost@spiceisle.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Post

Healthy Dinners in Less Than 20 Minutes

2009-04-20T08:06:00.000-07:00

After a long day at work, sometimes the last thing you feel like doing is spending hours in the kitchen preparing a healthy dinner. It's all too easy to open the freezer and pull out a pizza for supper. But with bikini season just around the corner, now is definitely not the time to be piling on the pounds.

Here are five healthy dinners that can be made in less than 20 minutes. Now you have no excuse for tucking into that pizza after work!

1. Baked Potato and Salad

Baked potato is a simple, nutritious dinner that takes no time at all. Prick the skin with a fork, throw it in the microwave for 12 minutes, hey presto, dinner. You can add the topping of your choice - tuna fish, baked beans, cottage cheese - and have a salad on the side.

One large baked potato contains 278 calories, 0.4 grams fat, and 6.6 grams fiber - that's 26% of your recommended daily fiber intake!

2. Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce

Another ridiculously easy dinner. Boil the spaghetti (or brown rice pasta) according to the instructions (usually around 15 minutes). Meanwhile, stir fry some chopped onion, garlic, broccoli or other vegetables of your choice. Then heat up a jar of tomato pasta sauce and add the vegetables, onion and garlic. Once the pasta is cooked, stir in the sauce, serve and enjoy.

One cup of cooked whole wheat spaghetti has just 174 calories and 1 gram of fat, but a whopping 6 grams of fiber (25% of your recommended daily amount).

3. Teriyaki Salmon and Garlic Sweet Potato

This sounds complicated but it really isn't. Get one salmon fillet per person, place them on a baking sheet and pour a little teriyaki sauce over them. Put them in the oven at 350 degrees (F) for 10 -12 minutes or until they are just opaque throughout (this will depend on the thickness of the fillet).

Meanwhile, peel two sweet potatoes per person, slice them and put them in boiling water to simmer for 8 minutes, or until soft. Drain the water, crush 1 clove of garlic into the pan per person, and mash the potatoes. Add a little pepper to taste. Voila - a healthy, easy dinner. You can also add some steamed broccoli to the meal for extra nutrients.

The salmon is full of heart-friendly omega-3's, the sweet potatoes are full of fiber, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium, and the garlic will help maintain healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels lowering your risk of heart attack or stroke.

4. Honey Mustard Chicken Salad

This is another easy, healthy dinner. You'll need one chicken breast per person. Place them in a skillet (frying pan) with a little olive oil. Cook over a medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side or until they are just turning brown. Then add to the pan (per chicken breast) 1 tsp of dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey, and 1 tsp balsamic vinegar (these amounts don't have to be exact). Mix the chicken with the honey, mustard and vinegar, cook for one minute, then transfer to a baking tray. Place in the oven at 400 degrees (F) for 10 minutes (or until the chicken is cooked through).

While the chicken is in the oven, make up a bowl of salad for each person. You can use baby spinach leaves, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, garbanzo beans (chick peas), green onions (spring onions), carrots, beet or anything else that takes your fancy.

Once the chicken is cooked, slice it and place it on top of the salad, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and enjoy.

5. Egg and Bean Burritos

Although these are strictly breakfast burritos, they are also delicious for dinner and are surprisingly healthy.

You'll need per person: one whole wheat flour tortilla, 1/3 can of black beans, 2 eggs, 1/4 avocado, 1 tomato, 1 green onion, one tbsp of non-fat yogurt, and a sprinkle of grated cheese.

Heat the black beans. Slice the avocado. Chop the tomato and green onion and mix with balsamic vinegar and chilli flakes or hot sauce. Whisk the eggs, add a dash of hot sauce, a pinch of salt and scramble them. Warm the tortillas. On each tortilla put some beans, egg, avocado, tomato mix, yogurt and cheese, roll into a burrito and enjoy. Or you can just lay out all the ingredients on the table and let each person make their own.

By Esther Schultz

Esther Schultz is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. She writes regularly about nutrition and weight loss at eat2bslim.com where you can find out how to eat your way to the perfect figure.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Esther_Schultz

5 Fun and Easy Recipes For You and Your Preschooler

2009-04-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

Cooking with your preschooler is a wonderful way to teach measuring, counting, shapes and following directions. Here are 5 easy to make and healthy goodies for you and your little one to make together.

Cinnamon Shapes

All you need for this recipe is slices of bread, butter or margarine, ground cinnamon, granulated sugar and cookie cutters in different shapes. Some good shape choices are star, circle, diamond, heart, oval, and triangle. Toast the bread. While the bread is cooking, combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Butter the toast and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Then use the cookie cutters to cut the slices of toast into shapes. Discuss the different shapes with your child and ask them to choose the shapes to cut.

Banana And Berries Sweet Shake

For this sweet and nutritious treat, you will need 1 medium ripe banana, 1 cup frozen berries (strawberries and blueberries are good choices), 1 cup milk, 1 cup vanilla yogurt and 1 tablespoon honey. Note: Do not give honey to children under one-year-old. Have your preschooler peel the banana and put it in a bowl. The child should then mash the banana. Pour the yogurt, fruit, milk and honey into a blender and add the mashed banana. Blend until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!

Ants In The Peanut Butter

This was one of my children's favorite recipes when they were little. All you need is a bunch of celery, a jar of peanut butter and a small bowl of raisins. Using a spoon, scoop the peanut butter into the celery stalks. Then place the raisins in a row on top of the peanut butter. These will be the only ants you will not mind your children eating.

Mini-Pizzas

These tiny pizzas made with English muffins are the perfect size for preschool appetites. You will need sliced English muffins, pasta sauce, shredded cheese and healthy toppings such as green pepper, mushrooms, black olives and sliced tomatoes. Let your child spread the sauce evenly on the English muffin halves. Then add the toppings before sprinkling the cheese on top. Bake the mini-pizzas on a baking sheet for 8 minutes at 400ÚF. Now have a pizza party.

Trails Away Mix
Many young children do not like store bought trail mix because it has unfamiliar fruits and nuts. Now you any your child can make your own trail mix filled with familiar favorites. Help your child measure 1/4 cup unsalted peanuts, 1/3 cup mini pretzels, 1/4 cup raisins, 1/4 cup chocolate chips and 1/3 cup cheerios or granola. Pour every ingredient into a large bowl so the preschooler can stir with a mixing spoon. Both of your can spoon the mix into small plastic bags or bowls for a quick snack anytime, anyplace. Happy Trails Away!

By Jennifer Carpenter

Jennifer Carpenter is a work at home mother of three, two teens and a preschooler. She is a writer and Internet marketer who is currently working towards financial freedom through working online. Read more about her incredible journey at http://www.livingmybigdream.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Carpenter

Pineapple Pudding

2009-04-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

This is an easy to make pineapple pudding recipe for which no extra effort is required other than to beat the ingredients and let it cook on steam. During cooking, you only have to take care of the flame and water level which should be below the upper surface of pudding mold so that it may not enter into your pudding batter. You may also use an oven instead of stove, but the method of cooking will remain same i.e. use of double boiler. This pineapple pudding will take a maximum of 50 minutes to get ready and it can be served to 8-10 persons.

Ingredients:

1 tin canned pineapple with juice
1 cup milk
6 eggs
Sugar to taste
2 tablespoon whip cream

Cooking Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, put eggs one by one and beat them well for 3-4 minutes to make foamy texture. Now add milk in the same bowl and mix them together using beater making sure that the temperature (i.e room temperature) of milk should be normal otherwise hot milk would cause eggs to cook immediately. Add one cup of pineapple juice, sugar and whip cream and beat them for just two minutes so that smooth batter of pudding is formed. In the end, add a cup of pineapple pieces (cut into cube shape) in the batter and mix using spoon. Now take a pudding mold, grease it with butter and pour the batter in it. Take another deep pan of larger size and boil some water in it. Now put the pudding mold into this pan. The water level should just touch the sides of the mold and it should be below the top surface of mold otherwise water bubbles may enter into the batter which would spoil your pudding. Turn the flame to very low and let it cook for 30-40 minutes until the batter sets to form a pudding. You may check this by inserting a tooth pick to the batter. If it comes out clear then the pudding is ready. When it is cooled down at room temperature, cut the pineapple pudding into pieces and serve it.

By Kashif Mahmood

For more recipes Visit : Easy Recipes Blog

The author of this article runs a cooking blog where he and many other food lovers post various easy to cook food recipes including dessert recipes, pizzas, beef, snacks, chicken, BBQ & grill, cakes, drinks, salads etc. The aim of his blog is to deliver the best easy to make cooking recipes to all foodies

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kashif_Mahmood

Que Sabrosa - A Look at Alaskan Seafood, La Comida De Alaska

2009-04-20T07:27:00.000-07:00

The seafood of Alaska is infamous all around the world. Who can deny the delicious, fresh flavors of Alaska's bountiful harvest? Alaska, home to pure, cold waters, where beauty and abundance unite to create a natural wonder, is home to a large amount of seafood. This seafood is enjoyed by Americans, Asians, Europeans and Latino Americans alike. Here we shall take an in depth look at Spanish and Latino recipes which take advantage of la comida de Alaska. Vive Alaska!

This is a Spanish recipe which takes full delight in the delicious and plentiful Alaskan seafood or comida de Alaska; it uses merluza or hake in combination with clams. You will need about two dozen clams salt, water, olive oil, garlic minced, flour, fresh parsley chopped, white wind, and hake fillet. Clean and scrub the clams. In a saucepan combine the clams and some water about four cups, and bring it to a boil. Cook until they open. Stir as need. In another pan heat olive oil, add the garlic and fry until golden. Mix in the flour and add salt, parsley and wine. Cook until the mixture thickens. Stir well. Add in the hake and some more salt. Next, throw in the clams and if you desire, cooked asparagus pieces. Simmer for about 2 minutes. Serve warm with white rice.

This next recipe in our comida de Alaska series, is a little bit simpler. You will need prawns, butter four, milk, breadcrumbs and eggs to make these delicious prawn croquettes.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and add the flour, stirring constantly. Add the milk and keep stirring. Next add the cooked and peeled prawns. Add a can of tomato paste. Let the mixture cool. Next form the mixture into a croquette and roll in the breadcrumbs. Heat some oil in a frying pan and fry up the croquettes or croquetas until golden. Serve immediately.

Here is one last recipe which takes advantage of the comida de Alaska. You will need chilies, fresh tuna, salt, potatoes, olive oil, an onion, minced, garlic and green pepper. Combine the chilies with hot water. Drain and then slit them open and scrape out the seeds. Add the potatoes to the chilies. Mix with salt and water. Boil. Add the onion and green pepper. Add the tuna and simmer. Remove from heat and let stand for about half an hour. Serve warm.

By Allie Moxley

Alaska is home to an abundant variety of seafood, and offers some of the purest marine, freshwater, and upland habitats on the planet.

Are you are looking for a meal that is low in saturated fat, filled with nutrients and packed with good heart healthy Omega-3s oils? Then you should start with Alaska Seafood.

http://www.alaskaseafood.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allie_Moxley

Smoked Salmon Appetizers Are Easy and Fun!

2009-02-20T09:11:00.000-08:00

When you're planning for a dinner party, or for a large holiday gathering, one of the most frightening and difficult parts can be setting up the appetizer menu. In these tough times, we all want to save a little money. And of course, the faster the preparation, the better, you've got other things to do! But who doesn't want to impress their guests, and make them feel like they're being served an extravagant menu, even if it costs less than they may think. There are many tips and tricks to getting the most out of your dollar, and making great holiday dishes, but one of the easiest ways to wow them is with smoked salmon appetizers.

By preparing smoked salmon appetizers, you're helping your guests to celebrate the season without sending yourself to the poor house. Smoked salmon has a rich, smoky, delicate flavor that your guests are sure to love, but the price tag doesn't have to match the indulgent taste. And in this day and age of diets and cleanses, smoked salmon appetizers are customizable to meet everyone's restrictions. You'll be able to serve everyone something they'll love, without spending days in the kitchen.

But what are the types of smoked salmon appetizers that you can use to impress your guests. There are hundreds of different recipes and variations, but we've selected three elegant and easy options that you can make quickly. You can serve any of these dishes on passing trays, or on a help yourself buffet. The first option is the most classic, and is always impressive. Simply cut rounds from a loaf of pumpernickel bread, place a dab of cream cheese on top, and layer on some smoked salmon. It's simple and elegant. You can also try this appetizer with rye bread rounds, and chèvre cheese, for some added kick and a twist on this classic.

There are many other options when you're going the simple route as well. A smoked salmon appetizer that is always a crowd pleaser is a dip. It's a great way to add your own flair to a simple basic dish. All you'll need is smoked salmon, cream cheese, and a food processor. Blend these ingredients together, and provide something to dip into it, like vegetables or crackers. If you'd like to spice things up, try adding some different ingredients to add texture, like chives. You can also leave some smoked salmon chunks unblended for an extra surprise.

A last, simple smoked salmon appetizer is the smoked salmon roll up. Using a blend of ricotta cheese, salt and pepper, and some lemon juice, place a line of the filling down a piece of smoked salmon. Roll this up, cut it into inch long pieces and serve! It's the perfect treat for your guests!

Smoked salmon appetizers are an easy and fun way to share the holiday spirit with your friends and family. Because none of these ideas involve baking, you'll be able to prepare them ahead of time easily, and spend your party with your guests, not slaving away in the kitchen!

By Sherry Shantel

Are you stumped on dinner party appetizer ideas? Why not give some smoked salmon appetizers a try. You can find great deals on salmon right now at Smoked Salmon Delivered.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sherry_Shantel

Simple Easy Cold Appetizers - The Best Rated Appetizer Recipes

2009-02-20T09:09:00.000-08:00

As the enticing beginning to any meal or as snacks for the big game, appetizers are the chance for a cook to show off there imagination and creativity.

If you want great appetizer recipes, below are 3 delicious easy to prepare recipes:

1. All-American Snack

Ingredients:

- 3 cups thin pretzel sticks
- 4 cups Wheat Chex
- 4 cups Cheerios
-13 ounces can salted peanuts
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:

- In large mixing bowl or slow-cooking pot, mix together pretzels, cereals, and peanuts.
- Sprinkle with garlic salt, celery salt, seasoned salt, and cheese.
- Pour melted butter over all; toss until well mixed.
- Cover and cook in slow-cooking pot on low 3 to 4 hours.
- Uncover the last 30 to 40 minutes.
- Serve as appetizer or snack.

2. Appetizer Cheese Ball

Ingredients:

- 8 ounces Cream Cheese - Room Temp
- 4 ounces Blue Cheese - Crumbled
- 4 ounces Cheddar Cheese - Shredded
- 2 teaspoons Mustard - Dijon-style
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder
-1/4 teaspoon Salt
-1/2 cup Pecans - Finely Chopped
- 2/3 cup Currants
- 3/4 cup Parsley - Chopped

Dippers:

- Assorted Crackers
- Apple Wedges

Directions:

- Place the cream cheese, blue cheese, cheddar cheese, mustard,
Worcestershire, garlic powder, and salt in a mixer bowl and beat at low
speed just until well mixed.
- Stir in the pecans and currants.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Refrigerate the cheese mixture for 30 minutes or until slightly firm, then shape into a ball.
- Roll in the chopped parsley to coat well.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
- Place on a platter surrounded with crackers and apple wedges.

3. Appetizer Egg Rolls

Ingredients:

- 1/2 pound Pork; Boneless - Cut Julienne
- 1 each Onion; Small - Sliced
- 1 cup Cabbage - Green or Chinese
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 cup Mushrooms - Sliced
- 1/4 cup Sprouts - Bean or Alfalfa
- 1/4 cup Currants
- 1/4 cup Almonds - Slivered
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons Sherry - Dry
- 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Ginger
- 12 each Egg Roll Wrappers -Abt 6" Sq

Oil for Deep Fat Fry

Ginger Apricot Sauce:

- 1/4 cup Apricots - Dried (Abt. 10)
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

Directions:

Cabbage should be shredded.
- Saute the pork, onion, and cabbage in hot oil until lightly browned.
- Stir in the mushrooms, bean sprouts, currants, and almonds and saute, stirring for 1 minute.
- Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 T water, and combine with sherry, soy sauce, and ginger; add to the pork mixture and bring to a boil, stirring.
- Remove from heat and cool.
- Stack the egg roll wrappers and cut in half to form rectangles.
- Forming one roll at a time, place a heaping a teaspoonful of pork mixture on one end of rectangle, moisten the long edges, and roll up.
- Press the edges together to seal.
- Egg roll may be prepared to this point, then refrigerated for several hours or overnight or frozen for several days before frying.
- Adjust time for browning.
- If rolls are frozen, let them thaw before cooking.
- Heat the oil to 375 degrees F. and fry the egg rolls, 4 or 5 at a time, until golden brown and crisp on all sides.
- Frying will take about 4 to 5 minutes; turn rolls once.
- Drain on paper towels and keep warm while frying the remaining rolls.
- Serve with warm Ginger Apricot Sauce.
- Ginger Apricot Sauce: Combine the apricots, sugar, ginger, and salt with 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a blender container or food processor.
- Add lemon juice, cover and process until smooth. Serve warm.

By Lucille Green

You welcome to visit our website: The Delicious Recipes Package and Cheap Meal Ideas Recipes for more delicious recipes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lucille_Green

Easy Meat and Potato Recipe

2009-02-20T09:06:00.000-08:00

This is a great all in one meal for everyone. There is no clean up, it is quick and easy, and everyone can pick what they want to put in their own foil pouch.

1lb. Ground Beef
1 can cream of onion soup
4 potatoes peeled and chopped
1c. corn
4t. onion (optional)
1/4c. Italian bread crumbs
2T. Worcestershire sauce
4T. Butter
Salt and Pepper
8 -12"x12" pieces of foil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ground beef with the Italian bread crumbs and worcestershire sauce. Set out four of your pieces of foil each in a different place. I use non stick foil on the bottom or spray with non stick spray. Divide the potatoes between the four pieces equally, add 1 tablespoon of butter on top of each pile of potatoes, add corn and onion on top, add half of cream soup divided equally among them and divide meat up into fourths and put on top, add remaining cream soup on top of meat. Put a sheet of foil on top and roll all four sides up to make a pouch. Place on a baking sheet, cook for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender. Get the family involved and let them help make their own and then put their initials on top with a marker. Other options are hominy and any type of corn, frozen, canned, or creamed. Get creative and use things your family will like. The great part is once you are done you don't have to wash any pans, you just throw away the foil!

By Leslie Patton

Leslie Patton

For More Recipes please visit:

http://www.QuicknEZRecipes.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leslie_Patton

Alaskan Crab Recipes For Dungeness and King Crabs

2009-02-20T09:03:00.000-08:00

With so much great seafood, it's no surprise that the crab meat coming out of Alaska is second to none. Especially prized among Alaska's crab offerings are the king crab and the dungeness crab. Both are considered to be among the finest, most exquisite varieties of crab to be had anywhere. The dungeness crab season, much longer than the king crab season, lasts between December and June, and most of the fresh dungeness will be found towards the beginning of that period.

Consider trying out either of these magnificent recipes the next time you have the delight of buying either of these excellent crabs at your local market...or if you ever make it out to Alaska! A particular favorite is the cream of crab soup recipe described below!

· Dungeness Cream of Crab Soup:

Heat a half stick of butter in a pot, and when it begins to brown add a cup of milk, 4 cups half and half, and a small can of cream of celery soup. Stir and add minced parsley and spices (a pinch each of Old Bay, curry powder, and salt and pepper), and after 5 minutes of cooking add a pound of crab meat. Turn off flame and let sit several minutes. Add a splash of sherry or cognac to add a kick.

· King Crab Royale:

Split open several king crab legs (about 12 ounces of meat in all), leaving the meat inside the shells, though possibly separating and cutting up a bit, to make removal easier when eating. Separately, combine in a bowl a half cup of melted butter, one grated onion, finely chopped parsley and tarragon (a small handful in total), the juice of half a lemon, and a tablespoon of hot sauce, with salt and pepper to taste. Baste the crab legs, and send to the broiler. Cook under a high flame for 5 or 5 minutes, removing every 2 minutes to baste again.

These two king crab and dungeness crab recipes represent everything there is to be loved about Alaskan seafood: simplicity and versatility. Seafood consumers seem to appreciate those two qualities, as well as everything else that there is to love about the ecologically-conscious Alaskan seafood industry and all it has to offer. You could even start with the cream of crab soup, and then work your way to the King Crab Royale as a finale!

By Allie Moxley

Are you are looking for a meal that is low in saturated fat, filled with nutrients and packed with good heart healthy Omega-3s oils? Then you should start with Alaska Seafood.

http://www.alaskaseafood.org

Browse thousands of extremely popular Alaska seafood recipes using our Internet based recipe database. Whether you are preparing a meal for one or 100, you are sure to find a recipe that fits the occasion.

http://www.alaskaseafood.org/recipes

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allie_Moxley

Innovative Ideas to Create Flavored Shake

2009-02-20T08:58:00.000-08:00

A flavored shake is a sweet beverage which is made from milk, sugar, ice cream and flavorings or sweeteners such as fruit syrup or chocolate sauce. Milk shakes are usually served in elegant looking tall glasses with a straw. Some of the more popular shake flavors are vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. Some restaurants and bars prepare and mix the shake manually from scoops of ice cream and milk in a blender or drink mixer. However, most fast food outlets make shakes in automatic milkshake machines which freeze and serve a pre-made milkshake mixture consisting of milk, a sweetened flavoring agent, and a thickening agent.

Hand-blended milkshakes are quite easy to prepare and can be made from any flavor of ice cream and this allows a greater variety than is available in machine-made shakes. Shake-like recipes using yogurt, crushed ice, and fresh fruit but made without ice cream are usually called smoothies. Some US restaurants serve milkshakes with broken cookies, candy bar pieces, or alcoholic beverages.

Fast-food outlets make shakes using either an automatic milkshake machines or soft serve ice cream mixed with flavored syrups. Several well-known restaurants that draw huge crowds, such as McDonald's, often opt for pre-made shake mixtures that are prepared in automatic milkshake machines. These machines contain stainless steel cylinders with beaters that use refrigeration coils to freeze pre-made milkshake mixtures into a drinkable form. The number of different flavors that a restaurants with automatic shake machines can serve is obviously limited by the number of different tanks in their milkshake machines and thus fast food restaurants usually offer fewer flavors of milkshakes.

There are very small automatic milkshake machines available in the market that can make a single milkshake flavor using a five liter stainless steel tank. Large restaurants offering multiple flavors either use machines with multiple five liter stainless steel barrels or use carbon dioxide-based machines that mix the flavors during dispensing. A few fast-food restaurants use "thick milkshake" machines with single-flavor machines having a 12 liter stainless steel tank.

From a health drink point of view, protein shakes are highly recommended. Your body needs protein for healthy cells, muscles and bones and to provide your body with energy. If you feel you are not consuming enough protein, one good way to supplement your intake is through protein shakes. Add two-to-three scoops of whey protein powder which will give you 30-50 grams of protein. Whey is an excellent protein from cows milk that feeds your muscles while boosting your immune system.

People quite often ask how to make a thick milkshake, without it being too lumpy or milky. Use premium ice cream, for starters and make sure the milk you use is whole milk, not 2% or skim. Also, you could use less milk and add instead whipping cream (the real whipping cream - not the spray stuff in the can). Make sure the milkshake is really cold when you serve it. Use a blender on a low or medium low speed for a few seconds at a time - just enough to stir things up to achieve a nice smooth texture. If you add a ripe banana while you are blending, the starch from the banana will also thicken a shake. However, along with the contribution to thickness, bananas also add a unique and noticeable flavor. But beware this banana flavor may or may not complement the shakes main flavor.

By Samehta Capella

samehta is a Copywriter of flavored water. She written many articles in various topics such as flavored shakes, flavored bottled water. For more information visit: http://www.capellaflavordrops.com Contact her at capella.articles@gmail.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Samehta_Capella

Easy Chicken Parmigiana Recipe

2009-02-20T08:55:00.000-08:00

When chicken breasts are on sale at the grocery store, be sure to grab some spaghetti sauce and cheese so you can make chicken parmigiana. This recipe is nice for when you are in the mood for an Italian-style dinner but want to try something a little more exciting than spaghetti and meat sauce. This chicken parmigiana recipe delivers great results with only a little effort. Because this recipe is easy to assemble and definitely quicker to make than a lasagna, you can rely on it when you need a nice dinner but do not have a lot of time.

Chicken parmigiana provides a hearty and saucy main dish that will be familiar to most palates. To go with the sauce, you should consider boiling some pasta to serve on the side.

Ingredients for chicken parmigiana:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt
Pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 to 2 Tablespoons butter
1 to 2 Tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 cups tomato sauce, either store-bought or your favorite homemade recipe.
4 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
6 to 8 ounces of mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

You will need to cook the chicken breasts before assembling the casserole. This can be done ahead of time if you choose. For example, cook the chicken in the morning and then put the parmigiana together in the evening. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken breasts then dip both sides of the breasts in the 1/4 cup of flour to coat the meat. In a heavy skillet heat the butter and olive oil on medium heat. Place the coated chicken breasts in the sizzling skillet. Sauté for 4 minutes and then flip the breasts. Sauté for another 5 minutes to finish cooking. Chicken will be firm to the touch and lightly browned on both sides.

To assemble the chicken casserole, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and oil the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking pan. Spoon about 1/2 cup of tomato sauce evenly over the bottom of the pan and arrange chicken breasts in the sauce. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese over the breasts and then spoon the rest of the tomato sauce over the chicken. Arrange the sliced mozzarella cheese over the whole casserole and sprinkle with 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 20 to 30 minutes until everything is heated through and a little bubbly.

By Tracy Falbe

Those of us in charge of making dinner are always looking for new recipes to try. Monitor the new main dish recipes at Recipe River, a website committed to home cooking. http://recipes.falbepublishing.com/main_dish_recipes.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracy_Falbe

Fantastic Coffee Cake Recipe For Orange Cream Cheese Braid

2009-02-20T08:52:00.000-08:00

When you need to bring a dessert to a party, turn to this excellent coffee cake recipe. You save time by using a couple cups of a commercial quick baking mix, but you do not sacrifice any flavor. The braided look that you create by folding over the strips of dough results in an attractive cake that looks much more difficult to create than it actually was. With beauty and good taste, this orange cream cheese coffee cake makes friends in all social situations.
You will need:

1 3-ounce package cream cheese
1/4 cup firm margarine or butter
2-1/2 cups baking mix, like Bisquik, Jiffy, or homemade biscuit dry ingredients.
1/2 cup orange juice
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup orange marmalade

Preheat the oven for 400 degrees F and have a large cookie sheet ready. Measure out the baking mix and then cut the 3-ounce package of cream cheese and 1/4 cup of margarine or butter into the baking mix. Use a pastry cutter or electric mixer to do this. Next add the orange juice to the baking mix and stir until dough forms. Then empty dough onto surface dusted with baking mix and knead about 10 times. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is approximately a rectangle of 15 x 9 inches. Place dough rectangle onto large cookie sheet.

For the filling, mix the soft 8-ounce package of cream cheese with the marmalade until it is well blended and has nice smooth consistency. Spread this filling down the center of the dough rectangle leaving at least 2 to 3 inches of uncovered dough on each long side of the rectangle. Then cut lines 1 inch apart through the bare dough along the long sides of the dough rectangle perpendicular to the filling. Fold these 1-inch strips of dough over the filling, overlapping each strip with a strip from the other side of the dough. The effect will be that you are covering the filling with a braid of dough. Pinch shut the ends of the braid so everything is sealed up.

Bake the coffee cake for about 20 minutes until it is golden brown. Cool the coffee cake completely. Then you are ready to drizzle with a chocolate glaze made of:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 teaspoons of milk.

Stir these glaze ingredients together thoroughly until they are smooth and runny.

This coffee cake is best the first day, as is the case for most coffee cakes, but remains quite delicious if you have leftovers. Be sure to put leftovers in the refrigerator because the cream cheese filling should not stay out at room temperature for an extended period.

By Tracy Falbe

To save time next time you are looking for a new dessert to make, keep a net in the Recipe River and catch new dessert recipes as they swim upstream. http://recipes.falbepublishing.com/dessert_recipes.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracy_Falbe

Start Rolling in Dough - Flour Tortillas Recipe

2009-02-20T08:49:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you do not realize how chintzy a product is from the grocery store until you eat a homemade version. Flour tortillas are an excellent example. Although commercially prepared tortillas are good, they lack the thickness and freshness of the homemade variety. Be warned before you try this flour tortillas recipe. You may never go back to the convenience of tortillas from a package.

Ingredients for flour tortillas:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening or lard
3/4 cup hot water (115 to 130 degrees F)

With an electric mixer or simply your hand mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Make sure to distribute the shortening throughout the dough. A sticky mass of dough will quickly form. Once all ingredients are blended, turn the tortilla dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until it has a smooth consistency and is no longer sticky.

Now divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll them in your hands to form balls. Leave the balls on the floured surface and cover with a clean cloth and let them rest for 20 minutes.

After the dough balls have rested, heat a large skillet to medium high heat. With a rolling pin roll each ball into a thin tortilla about 6 to 8 inches in diameter. Now, one at a time, place each tortilla in the heated skillet. Cook on each side until brown spots appear. Each side of the tortilla will take about 30 seconds to 1 minute to cook. Stack them up as you cook them so they will stay warm. Place the tortillas in a covered container if you need them to keep warm for a while. These tortillas are best served warm, but you can save leftover ones in a sealed container or bag and use within 1 or 2 days.

If you are preparing a meal for many people, feel free to double this recipe.

By Tracy Falbe

To read more about how to make quick breads, dip your toes into the Recipe River and visit the bread recipes section. http://recipes.falbepublishing.com/bread_recipes.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracy_Falbe

The Crunchy Sweet Stuff You Love - Streusel Topping Recipe

2009-02-20T08:45:00.000-08:00

It is no secret that some people, especially kids, like the tops of muffins more than the bottoms. This is because of streusel topping, which adds a sweet, crumbly, and slightly crunchy texture. Streusel topping is frequently found on expensive bakery treats, but you don't have to shell out $3 for a muffin to enjoy it. The topping is very easy to make at home. You likely always have the ingredients for this recipe on hand.

When you make streusel topping, you can sprinkle it on muffins, coffee cakes, or other goodies your creative mind chooses to bake. Just keep in mind that the streusel topping should not be applied to baked goods that will be in the oven a long time, like a pie, because then the crumbles would start to burn. Twenty to 25 minutes in a hot oven is about all the streusel topping can take before it would start to incinerate.

Recipe ingredients for streusel topping:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 Tablespoons firm margarine or butter

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Using a fork or pastry cutter mix all the ingredients until a crumbly mixture forms. Make sure to cut all the butter chunks into small pieces within the dry ingredients. This will take a couple minutes because the firm butter will want to stay in bigger blobs, but keep cutting it in so you get small crumbles. When the topping bakes, it is the combination of the butter and sugar and flour that makes everything crunchy. Sprinkle the crumbles on the muffin batter after it is scooped into each muffin cup. Or, if you are putting it on a coffee cake, sprinkle the topping over the cake batter after it is in the pan.

By Tracy Falbe

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracy_Falbe

Yes, You Can Make Chocolate Chip Muffins

2009-02-20T08:42:00.000-08:00

You might get accused of having cookies for breakfast after you make these chocolate chip muffins, but you won't care about the teasing. A homemade muffin made with wholesome ingredients with a little chocolate tossed in is a far better snack than a candy bar.

Check out the ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour, or whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup milk or buttermilk (Buttermilk makes the muffins really soft and yummy but regular milk is fine.)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped peanuts or walnuts.

Please note before starting that it is very important NOT to overwork muffin batter. Just stir until the dry ingredients are moist and the batter forms. Over-mixing the batter makes the muffins tough and really not as good.

Heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Grease muffin pan or place paper liners into cups. In a large mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon) and stir together. Then form a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, which means to clear away a space in the middle where you will pour the wet ingredients. Add the milk, egg, vanilla, and oil to the well. With a few strokes of the spoon, beat the egg into milk and oil before stirring into the flour mixture. This will help distribute the egg without over-mixing the batter. Now you can stir the wet and dry ingredients together. This will only take about 10 strokes. Just make sure everything is moistened and there are no dry clumps.

At this point you will add the chocolate chips and nuts. Blend in with just 3 or 4 more strokes of the spoon. Now distribute the batter equally among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Muffins should be lightly golden brown.

Take the muffins out of the pan while they are still hot and set them on a cloth or clean counter to cool. You can eat them while still warm or store for two or three days at room temperature.

By Tracy Falbe

To read more about how to make quick breads, dip your toes into the Recipe River and visit the bread recipes section. http://recipes.falbepublishing.com/bread_recipes.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracy_Falbe

Try This Rice and Egg Casserole For Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch Or Dinner (OK For Diabetics, Too)

2009-02-20T08:40:00.000-08:00

This casserole recipe combines vegetables, rice, and eggs making it the perfect casserole for many different occasions. When you need a dish to serve and are looking for something different, give this casserole a try. It makes an especially good brunch dish but is also good for a family breakfast, lunch or dinner. This casserole is inexpensive to make yet has grain, vegetables, dairy, and eggs all in this one dish. This is a perfect casserole for the budget minded housewife.

EGG CASSEROLE

1 1/2 cups sliced celery

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 medium onion, sliced

1 tbsp no-salt butter

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp salt

1 can (16-oz) low-sodium tomatoes, undrained

1/4 tsp hot sauce

6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

2 cups hot cooked rice (no seasonings or butter)

vegetable oil cooking spray

1/2 cup shredded low-fat process American cheese

In a 3-quart saucepan, melt butter and saute celery, bell pepper, and onion until they are tender. Add flour and salt, stirring to blend. Stir in tomatoes and hot sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the mixture is thickened and bubbly, stirring occasionally. Gently stir in the chopped eggs. Spoon rice in bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray. Pour egg mixture over the rice and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated through. Top with cheese during the last five minutes of baking.

Per 3/4 cup serving: 16 g carbs, 8 g protein making this a good way for diabetics to have rice.

Enjoy!

By Linda Carol Wilson

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com For her vintage recipes go to http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Carol_Wilson

Hot and Hearty Dinner the Easy Way - Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe

2009-02-20T08:38:00.000-08:00

Home cooks have depended on casseroles since baking pans were invented. Casseroles typically contain all food groups and thereby provide balanced nutrition along with great taste. They are generally easy to make as well because the ingredients all go in one pan that is slipped into the oven to bake. You might even be able to put your feet up while it is cooking.

The following recipe for a chicken and rice casserole uses basic and readily available ingredients that are all affordable. Try not to skip adding the slivered almonds to the recipe. They add richness and nutrition, and almonds naturally compliment chicken flavor very well.

Casserole ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
1-1/2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth (from a can is fine)
2 cups cut-up cooked chicken
1-1/2 cups cooked rice (white, brown, or wild)
1 chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 Tablespoons chopped pimiento
1 4-ounce can mushrooms or 1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms

In a 2-quart saucepan melt the better and then stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. With the heat set on medium, stir the ingredients constantly until the butter and flour is thick and bubbly and then remove from heat. Stir or whisk in the milk and chicken broth and return to heat. While still stirring, bring the milk mixture to a boil and keep it bubbling for an additional minute.

You can remove the sauce from the heat now and stir in all other ingredients. Pour the sauce, chicken, and rice into a large rectangular baking dish. For a crustier result sprinkle some bread crumbs and/or grated cheese on top of the casserole and then bake for 40 or 45 minutes until everything is bubbly.

By Tracy Falbe

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracy_Falbe

How to Make Kefir

2009-02-20T08:36:00.000-08:00

Culturing dairy has been a tradition for many generations. Only after the increased industrialization of society was there a drop in their usage. Commonly known cultured products are cheese and yogurt, but there have been many other types of cultured dairy: kefir is one of them.

Milk and, more specifically, fresh (unpasteurized, unhomogenized) milk contains important nutrient that are need by the body. In addition to an abundance of most vitamins and minerals, fresh milk contains enzymes, 'good' bacteria, easily digested proteins, healthy fats and carbohydrates. Milk is indeed a complete food. However, raw milk is not always available unfortunately, and culturing milk is often an alternative for those who don't have access to fresh milk. For those who want to increase the positive aspects of fresh milk will find making kefir an important part of their diet to be essential.

Some of the benefits include:

1. Better protein assimilation
2. Smoother, softer and clearer skin
3. Easier digestion of fats and proteins
4. More regular digestive system
5. Rich in B-vitamins, vitamin

And much more!

To make kefir, all that is need is twelve to twenty-four hours, a pint-sized mason jar, some fresh or organic pastured milk (unhomogenized, may be found in Whole foods or local co-op), and some kefir grains (Moonwise Herbs sells some). Note that if you are using new grains, it may take a few times before they become acclimated to their new environment.

To start, wash out pint-sized mason jar with hot water, pour in milk half way, put in kefir grains, cover and let this mixture sit in a warm part of the kitchen for approximately twelve to twenty-four hours. After this time period has elapsed, you should get an almost yogurt-like, sour product.

By Emily West

Ella Andersen is a college student who passionately pursues to learn more about natural health and diet. Maintains a blog, Simply Natural: Health, Beauty, Wellness, http://snhbw.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emily_West