A Guide To Creating Your Own Food and Drink

How to Cook Rump Roast

2011-05-17T07:26:00.000-07:00

Also known as rump steak or round steak, rump roast refers to a special beef cut that is commonly used in tasty and delectable dishes because it is tough and the meat lacks fat. One of the most effective ways of learning how to cook rump roast is by following the steps and instructions in different recipes. Below are some of the simplest and easy-to-prepare rump roast recipes that you can consider is you want to serve delicious and enticing meals.

Spicy Italian Rump Roast

This delectable and tasty delicacy uses key ingredients like two cans of tomato sauce and three pounds rump roast. To make this delicacy flavorful, add a package of Italian spaghetti seasoning mix and 16 ounce Ragu Sauce in the ingredients. Aside from the mentioned ingredients, you will need ½ cup diced onions and ½ teaspoon garlic salt.

Place the meat in crockpot and season with garlic salt. Mix all the ingredients except onions in a separate bowl. Top the meat with the onions. Pour the mixture into crockpot. Cook the dish for half day if you prefer to use the low setting. If you prefer the high setting, you can cook it for four hours to six hours. Serve over a cup of rice or a cup of pasta.

Baked Rump Roast

The ingredients in this enticing and easy-to-serve recipe are four pounds rump roast, three tablespoons vinegar and a can of French onion soup. Put the meat in a baking pan. Pour the vinegar over the meat and place the dish inside an oven that was preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook for an hour. Pour the onion soup in the pan and return the dish to the oven. Bake for three hours and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper.

Sirloin Tip

If you do not have ample time to serve a delicious and special dish to your family, you can try the Sirloin Tip recipe. The ingredients in this delicacy are five pounds of roast, a pack of dried onion soup mix, ¼ cup mustard and ¼ cup water. To begin with, wash the meat and pat dry. Brush the meat with mustard. Be sure that all the sides of the meat were brushed with mustard to improve its flavor. Drizzle the meat with the onion soup mix. Roll the meat in an aluminum foil. Grill the meat over medium heat for two hours to two and a half hour.

Please click these links if you want to know more about how to cook rump roast or how to cook rump roast in general.

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Game Recipes - Tips For Cooking Pheasant

2011-05-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

Pheasant is a great choice if you want to cook something extra special; hunters across the country bring home pheasant for supper during the hunting season in the fall. You can adapt most chicken recipes to pheasant, although cooking a young pheasant is different to cooking an older one. Young pheasants have gray legs, a long pointy feature in the wing and a flexible breastbone. Young males have rounded spurs too.

You can roast, broil, or braise a pheasant or you might want to make a soup. If you are using an old bird, making soup is a good way to disguise its toughness and bring out its wonderful flavor. Saute a clove of garlic and some onions, celery and carrots until tender, then add the chopped meat and brown it.

Add eight cups of chicken stock and a pound of sliced mushrooms, as well as a sprig of thyme and a cup of corn kernels. Let the soup simmer for twelve minutes, then remove the pheasant pieces and take the meat off the bones. Chop the meat and return it to the pot. Warm the soup through and serve it with crusty bread.

How to Roast or Broil a Young Bird

A young one can be roasted for twenty five minutes per pound in a 350 degrees F oven. You might like to stuff it with a sausage or chestnut dressing. This would be similar to stuffed, roasted chicken but with a gamey flavor.

If you want to broil the bird, split it down the back and rub unsalted butter and minced garlic over it, then put the oven rack four inches under the broiler. Cook the bird, basting it often with oil, wine or melted fat, until it is tender and cooked through.

How to Braise or Roast an Older One

Older male birds have long, sharp spurs. If your bird is not a younger one, you will need to bard it to add moisture. What does it mean to bard a bird? Well, you need to make little cuts in the thigh and breast and put small pieces of bacon in there.

The bacon must be at right angles to the breastbone. Melt quarter of a cup of lard in a pot and brown the bird, and then transfer it to a casserole with a sliced onion, twelve sliced mushroom caps and half a cup of Madeira or Marsala wine. Cover the casserole dish and bake the pheasant for thirty minutes or until it is done.

If you would prefer to roast the bird, bard it with bacon, and then insert onion or apple slices into the cavity. Roast the stuffed meat for twenty minutes at 400 degrees F. Take the meat off the bones and cook it for a couple of hours in a homemade stock.

You can make this with two quarts of chicken stock or water, three fresh tomatoes, a quart of dry red wine, a couple of bay leaves, a cup of chopped parsley, two large onions and two cloves of garlic.

Simmer the mixture until the stock has reduced by half, then add some chopped mushrooms, as well as three quarters of a cup each of cream sauce and dry red wine. Simmer the dish for twenty five minutes, then transfer the meat to a plate and ladle the sauce over the top.

There are lots of unusual meats like pheasant which you might want to consider if you are planning holiday recipes. With a recipe search you can find the ideal recipes to delight your family, even if you have never cooked that type of meat before.

RecipeDirectory.org Where the Web Searches for Recipe Sites

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

How to Cook Venison

2011-05-10T12:08:00.000-07:00

Cooking venison is much easier than most people think. Just because it is a wild animal does not make it difficult to cook.

Venison is a very versatile meat than can be used for cooking breakfast, soups, dinner, sandwiches, and best of all.....preparing deer jerkey. There is one main key to remember when cooking venison. You must make sure that you remove all of the white membrane from the meat.

Leaving it on the meat will make the meat tough and leave a "wild" taste in the mouth. The backstrip, also known as the tenderloin, is the most tender piece of meat on the deer. I would recommend using that cut of meat with these recipes.

VENISON STEW:

1 1/2 pounds venison, cut into half inch cubes

3 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons bacon grease

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup corn

1 cup green beans

1 cup carrots

1 cup onions, chopped

2 cups potatoes, cut into half inch cubes

2 large, 4 small bay leaves

2 quarts water

1. Season venison with salt and pepper. Coat with flour. Heat the bacon grease in a large soup pot. Add venison and brown.

2. Add vegetables and water to the pot. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for one to one and a half hours.

3. Serve with homemade biscuits.

VENISON GOULASH:

2 pounds venison

3 large onions, thinly sliced

3 Tablespoons hot paprika

2 Tablespoons oil
1 teaspoons salt

1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup red wine

2 pounds wide egg noodles

1. Cut venison into one inch cubes. Heat oil in large heavy soup pot. Add venison and brown.

2. Add onions, paprika, and salt. Cook, stirring often, until onions are soft. Add water and green bell pepper. Cover and cook on medium heat until meat and vegetables are fork tender. This should take about one and a half hours.

3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook egg noodles until tender.

4. Serve hot venison goulash over egg noodles.
You might be surprised at how good venison really is!
Try these two venison recipes, also I have another tasty recipe for you on how to Cook Sausage In Oven. For more recipes, ideas and advices, please visit my How To Cook Sausage blog.

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

Summer Strawberry Recipes

2011-05-09T14:46:00.000-07:00

Strawberries are one of the most popular summer delicacies. Here are a few recipes to help make the most of this delicious berry.

Strawberry Popovers

- 3 eggs

- 2 cups milk

- 2 cups flour, sifted twice

- Dash of salt

Beat the eggs light. Add the milk and beat again. Add the flour and salt, and beat mixture until smooth. Pour into greased gem pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until done through and nicely browned.

To serve, split one side of each popover, fill with slightly crushed strawberries, and cover with whipped cream. Note: Allow gem pans to warm in oven while preparing the popovers.

Strawberry Whip Souffle

- 1 quart strawberries

- Powdered sugar

- Whites of 3 eggs

Rub the strawberries through a fine strainer. Add powdered sugar to taste. Beat the egg whites very stiff and mix immediately with the strawberry mixture. Bake at 375 to 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve at once. Best if baked in a shallow baking dish.

Strawberry Fritters

- 2 cups flour

- 4 eggs

- Salt

- 2 tablespoons sugar

- 3 tablespoons butter

- 2 cups milk

- 1 pint strawberries, cut in halves

Make fritter batter by mixing flour, eggs, a dash of salt, sugar, butter, and milk. Stir in strawberries. Drop by spoonfuls into boiling shortening or oil of your choice. Fry till nicely browned. Drain on paper towels. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar and serve hot. Garnish with more strawberries, if desired.

Strawberry Sauce

- 1 cup sugar

- 1/3 cup water

- 2 cups strawberry pulp

Combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Cool slightly, then add strawberry pulp. Chill completely and serve over cake or other desserts.

Visit http://www.old-recipes.net for lots of wholesome, old-fashioned recipes from scratch.

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

Best Chili Recipes - You Can Lose Weight Eating This Low Calorie Chili

2011-05-07T12:21:00.000-07:00

In this article we will look at a low calorie, high protein chili recipe that is sure to please you and your family or guests. It is not hard to make a quality dish of chili as many times this dish gets bad press as being fattening and this is just not the case.

I love chili! I can eat it anytime of the year and never be unhappy with it! It is fast, and cheap like some of the girls I dated in college but that is another story entirely! Many people think that chili is fattening because of the carbs associated with it in the form of beans. Let me be the first to tell you that no one person has ever gotten fat from eating beans unless they bury them in fat and grease. Period! Chili, if done properly whether it is beef, chicken, or even pork can be a low fat, high protein shot that tastes great! The secret is to get the flavor you want from the ingredients and not from the fat! Believe me, this is not hard to do. Here is a low fat, high protein chili with all the benefits of helping one to lose weight and stay healthy and not have all the fat that can be associated with day to day chili. This chili recipe will serve 6+/- people. In this recipe I will use beef, but you can substitute whatever kind of meat protein that you wish. Chicken, turkey, pork or even tofu if you want to make this a vegetarian style of chili. There are also tofu products that are textured like tofu sausage that is really excellent for chili recipes. So here we go with the ingredients.

The ingredients you will need are:

1. 1 1/2-2Lbs of lean ground beef. It should be 10% or less if you can get it.

2. 4 garlic bulbs finely chopped.

3 tablespoons of either California or New Mexico chili powder.

1 dash of cayenne for added heat if you like. The thermogenics and metabolism boost from it is good too!

I tablespoon of cumin.

1 teaspoon of smoked paprika.

1 large can of fire roasted tomatoes diced up. These cans are either 26 to 28 oz.

2 15oz can of some kind of red bean either kidney or Louisiana red bean. Pinto beans will do in a pinch though.

1 large onion chopped fine. Either a brown or red onion the choice is yours.

1 1/2 of a cup or more depending on taste of canned diced chilies. The Hatch chili variety is best in my opinion.

3 to 4 tablespoons of tomato paste.

1 or 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce.

1 one little dash of salt or sea salt or even season salt, or you can leave the salt out for your guests to add themselves. I know salt make you hold water, but is some cases you just have to have some to bring the flavors of your food out.

OK! Lets cook:

1. Get your hands on a large skillet of either the no stick, stainless steel or my favorite a cast iron skillet and take your very lean ground beef and brown it up. When the beef is browned and not burned, it is time for you to drain off the excess fat from the skillet. I usually put the beef in a bowl and then take another bowl and place it on top of the bowl with the beef and squeeze down and tip sideways over the sink and squeeze all that extra fat out of the beef. I leave what little grease is still in the pan and if there is too much I drain it out until only a slick remains.

2. Now it is time for you to put the beef back into your skillet and put the garlic, chili powder, and cumin in for you to mix together on a low medium heat. When the total ingredients in the skillet are hot and simmering as you can tell from the little bubbles on the sides of the skillet it will be time for you to add y our tomatoes, onions, chilies, beans, and tomatoes to the recipes and stir them together and let them blend. It is good to let this mixture cook for 2 to 4 hours on low simmer and you should check it every now and again with your spoon to see if you want to add anything to this recipe. About ten minutes before the dish is done add your Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika and salt. Keep on low for another thirty minutes and then turn the heat off and let the flavors marry to each other. When your guests arrive it is chow time!

Note: If you feel that this chili recipe comes out too loose and your want to maintain it's low calorie status, then you can thicken it up by adding 4 tablespoons of arrow root to 3 to 4 tablespoons of water. Mix these two ingredients together and then pour into your chili mixture and stir and this will thicken it up without any added calories or added carbs.

In this article we looked at a low fat, high protein chili recipe that is sure to please. This can be one of your best chili recipes [http://bestchilirecipes.net] to have around. If you enjoyed this information and recipe and would like to learn more chili recipes then please visit: http://www.best chili recipes [http://bestchilirecipes.net/low-carb-chili-recipe-an-easy-low-carb-chili-recipe-for-you]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_L._Blaine

How to Prepare and Roast a Duck - Professional Secrets and a Great Sticky Orange Sauce

2011-05-06T12:38:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to roast the perfect duck? With crispy skin and tender juicy meat. This recipe has been developed and tweaked over the years to enable you to achieve professional standard results with a minimum of fuss.

There's even a fabulous, easy to cook, sticky orange sauce recipe included, which perfectly compliments the rich Duck meat and crispy skin.

Just follow the step-by-step recipe below for perfect results every time.
Ingredients

1 Whole Duck - about 3lb./1.4Kilos.

For the Boiling Marinade.

1 Quart of Water.

6 Cloves of Garlic (skin on - bashed).

6 Bay Leaves

4 Pieces of Star Anise

2 Teaspoons of Salt.

1 Teaspoon of Spanish Paella Coloring (Colorante) or Orange food coloring.

For the Sauce.

2 Large Oranges - Juice and Zest.

1 Lemon - Juice of.

2 Cloves of Garlic (mashed).

1/2 a pint of Chicken Stock.

2Oz's. of Sultanas.

2 Tablespoons of Honey.

1 Tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar.

1 Heaped Teaspoon of Cornstarch (Cornflour).

Cold Water to slake.

Roast Duck Recipe Method.

Right first make your boiling Marinade - Put all the ingredients in a large pan and bring to the boil. Boil for ten minutes and then reduce to a simmer.

Then prepare your Duck - cut the wings off leaving just one wing bone on each side.

Now make two cuts into the carcass parallel with the wing bones. (to let the fat escape during cooking).

OK - then put a butchers hook (or any kind of Hook you can find) into the neck of the Bird - position it over the pan of marinade and pour the boiling marinade all over - using a ladle. This will help to loosen the fat, crisp the skin during cooking and also give a nice color to the Duck.

Then - hang it up and let it dry for at least an hour. Meanwhile prepare the sauce.

Put all the ingredients - except the cornflour and water - into a pan and bring to the boil.

Let the mixture reduce by half.

Now - slake the cornflour in some of the cold water and Whisk it into the sauce until you achieve the required consistency.

Roast the Duck on a wire rack over a Roasting tin of water for an hour and a half in a hot oven 400ºf./200ºc.

Now you're ready to serve - cut the duck into four quarters and spoon over the Sauce.

The boiling marinade idea is borrowed from the Chinese and also works well with a whole Chicken, you'll get really crispy Chicken if you plunge the whole bird into boiling water for two or three minutes before roasting.

Try it - it really works.
About the Author

David Lynn invites you to share some of his great Mediterranean Recipes, gathered together at his home in Southern Spain and published on his website

http://www.cutting-edge-mediterranean-recipes.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3130604

The Recipes and Foods of Germany

2011-05-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

It has to be admitted that German cookery is not typically counted amongst the world's great cuisines. Partly this is because much of German cookery is regionally based and though there are many commonalities across the country the foods do vary greatly from region to region. As such it is difficult to point towards a German national dish as such.

Of course, some dishes (sausages and sauerbraten ['sour beef']) do crop up across the country but even in these dishes there is considerable variation. Cakes and gateaux are common in the South and East, heartier fare in the North and West.

In many ways German cookery reflects the country's origins and heritage. This is a country of workers and the food is both quick and relatively easy to prepare. Much of the food stores well and it provides plenty of energy by way of protein and fats to keep what used to be a mainly agrarian population going. This is why, when the German immigrants brought their food to the Americas it was quickly adopted and adapted by the American pioneers.

Indeed, much of what we think of as classic American fare has its origins in Germany. Just think of hamburgers (from Hamburg), frankfurters (from Frankfurt) and even apple pie has its origins in Germany cookery.

German cookery and its influence on world foods should be celebrated and to begin that process, here are two classic German recipes:

Sauerbraten (literally 'sour beef') is a classic German meat dish. Typically the beef is marinated for up to 3 days in a soured wine sauce. However, this recipe only requires a short marinating and can also easily be adapted for the crockpot.

Schneller Sauerbraten (Quick Sour Beef)

Ingredients:

1.8kg sirloin steak, cubed

120ml red wine

60ml lemon juice

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tbsp oil

1 small onion, chopped

Method:

Combine the wine and lemon juice in a bowl, season with the salt, black pepper and garlic then add the beef and toss to combine. Cover and set aside to marinate for 60 minutes, turning frequently.

At the end of this time remove the beef (but reserve the marinade). Add the oil to a pan and when hot use to fry the onion for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the beef and fry, stirring frequently, until well browned (About 15 minutes). Pour the remaining marinade over the beef, bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the beef is tender.

Serve hot, accompanied by rice, potatoes or German noodles.

Chocolate-filled Cake

Ingredients:

1 sachet active dried yeast

60ml water, warm (about 40°C)

180ml milk, scalded

65g butter, softened

50g sugar

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

490g plain flour

180g dark chocolate, finely chopped

75g walnuts, chopped

1 egg, beaten

Method:

Whisk together the yeast and warm water in a bowl then set aside to activate. In the meantime combine the scalded milk, butter, sugar and salt in a separate bowl. Whisk together until the butter melts then beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.

Stir the yeast into the egg mixture then gradually fold in the flour a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Bring the mixture together as a dough and turn this onto lightly-floured work surface and knead well for 8 minutes. Transfer the dough into a large, lightly-greased bowl then cover with clingfilm and set aside in a warm place to rise for about 90 minutes, or until doubled in volume.

Knock the dough back then turn onto a lightly-floured surface and roll into a rectangle about 55 x 35cm in size. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate and the nuts over the top then roll the dough up Swiss-roll (jelly roll) style, beginning from one of the long edges. Seal the open seam then twist to from a ring and seal the ends.

Transfer to a lightly-greased baking tray, placing the dough with the seam side down. Using a sharp knife cut 2/3 of the way through the ring at 2.5cm intervals. Gently twist each section so it stands at a slight angle to the base then cover with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place to rise for about 60 minutes (or until doubled in volume).

Brush the top of the cake with beaten egg then place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for between 25 and 30 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool then slice and serve either warm or at room temperature. If desired, you can garnish by sprinkling with a mix of ground cinnamon, cocoa powder and icing sugar before serving.

Dyfed Lloyd Evans runs the Celtnet Recipes website where you can find a large selection of traditional German recipes as part of the Western European Recipes region of the site.

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Sweet and Sour Pork - Home Cooking Tips

2011-05-02T01:11:00.000-07:00

Sweet and sour pork, featuring for its sweet and sour taste, is liked by many people. The ingredients of this dish is simple, also it is not difficult to cook. However, if you want to cook it at home and get a originate one, you have to know some basic home cooking tips of this dish.

Ingredients

pork fillet (300g), tomato sauce (40g), cooking wine (15g), vinegar (20g), sugar (35g), salt (3g), water starch (30g)

Cooking procedure:

1. Cut the pork fillet into pieces with size of 1.5cm X 4cm.Pickle them with some salt and cooking wine.

2. Put the sugar, vinegar, some water and water starch into a bowl for future.

3. Pour oil(300g) into the wok, then add pork fillets into the wok when the oil temperature reaches up to about 80‚ Remove the pork when it changes into white. Use the shovel pats it to depart the ones sticking with each other.
4. Continue to heat the oil in the wok. When the oil temperature reaches up to 90, put the prepared fillets into the wok again and fried them until they become golden color. Remove them from the wok for future use.

5. Put some oil in the wok, when it reaches up to 70 add the tomato sauce into them. Stir fry them until the red oil comes out of tomato sauce. Pour the prepared sauce in step 2 into wok. Add the prepared pork fillets into them when the sauce becomes thick and bright red. Stir-fry the mixture quickly until the fillets are coated with sauce evenly.

Tips:

1. Repeat frying in step 3 and 4 is the key for crispy outside, tender inside, so this step cannot be ignored.

2. Another important factor is the ratio of sugar and salt. Please find the proper ration according to your own taste.

3. After the sauce becomes thick, you must quickly stir fry the fillets.

For any cooking tips about traditional Chinese food, such as kung pao chicken, spring roll, please visit my blog.

I would like to share more information on how to cook authentic Chinese food, please visit: http://www.kung-pao-chicken.com/

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

Non Alcoholic Specialty Drink Recipes

2011-05-01T00:37:00.000-07:00

With countless opportunities to throw a party or entertain friends and family (holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, engagements, baby showers, etc.) it is a good idea to have a selection of drink recipes on hand for any occasion. Alcoholic beverages are always popular, but it is a smart idea to have some non-alcoholic choices on hand as well; for any under-agers, non-drinkers, or pregnant parties. The following recipes always leave you with the option to add alcohol of your choice as well, which make them versatile!

Raspberry Mint Crush

2 cups sugar

2 cups boiling water

1 cup red raspberries

1 bunch of mint

2 cups lime juice

Dissolve sugar in hot water and chill; add berries, crushed with mint and lime juice, and chill 2 to 3 hours in refrigerator. Strain and pour over cracked ice in small glasses and serve with additional mint leaves. This recipe makes enough for 12 small glasses. A fun idea would be to purchase beverage coasters in coaster sets that have pink or magenta colors on them to match the drink. Green edgings on the coasters would add to the visual.

Planters Punch

2 cups orange juice

2 cups lemon juice

2 cups grenadine

3 quarts ginger ale

Rum flavoring (to taste)

Strawberries and sliced pineapple for garnishing

Mint leaves for garnishing

Mix juices, grenadine, and rum flavoring and chill 12 hours or overnight. Add ginger ale just before serving over ice. Garnish with strawberries, pineapple, and mint leaves. Makes enough for approximately 60 servings, depending on the size of the drink glasses you choose to serve the drinks in.

Lime Rickey

Juice of 1 large lime

1 teaspoon sugar

Club soda

Stir lime juice and sugar together in an 8-ounce glass, add 2 large ice cubes, fill glass with club soda and stir again. Garnish with slices of lime. This drink looks great with matching green cocktail napkins, lime-colored absorbent coasters, and even colored plastic cocktail glasses.

Grape Juice Lime Rickey

Juice of 1 small lime

2 ounces grape juice

1 teaspoon sugar

Club soda

Stir together in an 8-ounce glass, add 2 large ice cubes, fill the glass with club soda, stir again, and serve with stirring rod.

Kumquat Rickey

Juice of 3 kumquats

1 teaspoon sugar

Club soda

Stir kumquat juice with sugar in an 8-ounce glass. Add 2 large ice cubes, and the shell of half a squeezed kumquat. Fill glass with club soda and stir again. Serve garnished with mint leaves.

Grape Juice Fix

8 parts grape juice

2 parts lemon juice

1 part pineapple syrup

Mix ingredients and serve in tall glass over cracked ice. Garnish with mint leaves.

Pineapple Daisy

1 part grenadine

2 parts lime or lemon juice

8 parts pineapple juice

Mix ingredients and pour into goblet over cracked ice. Serve decorated with pineapple sticks and fresh strawberries, if available. If you can find specialty drink glasses, table coasters, or cocktail napkins decorated with images of fruit (lemons, oranges, limes, pineapples) it will add to the visual appeal!

Raspberry Daisy

1 part Grenadine

2 parts lemon juice

8 parts raspberry syrup

Mix ingredients and pour into prepared goblet over cracked ice. Float whole fresh raspberries in this drink for an effective party-like look.

Dummy Daisy

1 part Grenadine

2 parts lemon or lime juice

8 parts orange juice

Mix and pour into prepared goblet and stir with cracked ice. Decorate with orange slices and a sprig of mint for gala occasions.

Mint Cooler

Crush 1 or 2 sprigs of mint with 1 or 2 teaspoonfuls sugar in the bottom of the glass, add the ice, decorate with lemon peel, and fill glass with ginger ale.

Lone Tree Cooler

Juice of 1 lemon and ½ an orange with 1 ounce grenadine. Fill up with club soda.

Spicy Coffee Cooler

15 whole cloves

2 sticks cinnamon

½ cup ground coffee

7 cups boiling or cold water

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Cinnamon

Add cloves, cinnamon and coffee to water and brew as usual; strain and add powdered sugar. Pour into tall glasses half filled with crushed ice; top with sweetened cream and dust with cinnamon. These measurements serve enough for approximately 6 people.

Allison Ryan is a freelance marketing writer from San Diego, CA. She specializes in entertaining, party planning, and food and drink recipes. For coaster sets and absorbent coasters to give as gifts, as well as sandstone table coasters, stop by http://www.thirstycoasters.com/, Allison' s favorite site for interior design items for home and office!

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Three Traditional Spanish Recipes

2011-04-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

Spanish food is very diverse in flavor. The wide variety found in Spanish recipes is largely due to the geographical differences in the country. Most dishes are based on what is available in the area, which is why most recipes include seafood and fresh vegetables-available all over the country. In this article I am including three of my favorite authentic Spanish recipes that are likely to be found in many Spanish homes!

Lamb Casserole
Ingredients:

2 lbs lamb chops (cut into pieces)

6 1/2 tbsp olive oil

6 potatoes (peeled and sliced)

3 large tomatoes (sliced)

1 onion (chopped)

1tbsp chopped parsley

4 garlic cloves (whole and unpeeled)

2 bay leaves

1 tsp paprika

1 1/4 cups white wine

1 green pepper (seeded and cut into thin strips)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Pour the oil into a roasting pan. Create a layer of potatoes in the bottom of the pan, followed by a layer of onions and a layer of tomatoes. Place the lamb on top of the layers and arrange the green pepper strips, garlic cloves, chopped parsley, and bay leaves on top of the lamb chops. Top with another layer of onions and tomatoes, then season with paprika, salt, and pepper. Pour the white wine on top of everything and place the casserole dish in an oven preheated to 355 degrees F. Cook for about 2 hours, or until the meat is thoroughly cooked.

Spanish Omelette

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1 lb potatoes (peeled and thinly sliced)

Olive oil for frying

Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the potatoes and a bit of salt. Fry until the potatoes are golden in color, then remove them from the frying pan onto a paper towels to drain the excess grease. In a bowl, beat together the eggs with a pinch of salt. When the eggs are well beaten, add in the potatoes. Put two spoonfuls of oil into the frying pan to coat the bottom and heat the oil until hot. Add the egg and potato mixture to the pan, gently shaking the pan as you do so. When the bottom of the omelette seems cooked, place a plate on top of the skillet and flip it over. When the omelette slides out, add a bit more oil to the skillet, then place the less-cooked side of the omelette face-down onto the skillet. Cook until the bottom is fully cooked, then flip the omelette onto a serving plate. May be eaten either hot or cold. Is delicious with ketchup or salsa for dipping!

Churros with Chocolate

Ingredients:

1 cup water

3 1/4 tbsp sunflower oil

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup flour

8 tbsp dark chocolate

4 1/4 cups milk

1 tbsp cornflour

4 tbsp sugar

Powdered sugar

Oil for deep frying

Directions:

Add the water, oil, and salt to a saucepan and bring to a boil. One the mixture is boiling, reduce to a low heat and add the flour. Beat the mixture together until it forms a ball, then remove it from the heat. Heat the oil in a pot or deep fryer. Use an icing syringe (or a plastic bag with the corner snipped off) to pipe thick strips about 4 inches in length into the oil. Allow them to fry until they are golden brown. When you remove the churros from the oil, place them onto paper towels to drain the excess grease. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. To make the chocolate, place the chocolate and 2 and 1/8 cups of milk into a sauce pan over a low heat. Dissolve the cornflour in the remaining milk, then pour into the sauce pan along with the sugar. Stir constantly until the mixture has thickened. Whisk the chocolate until it is smooth, then serve in a dipping bowl.

If you're looking for recipes, take a look at the Platinum Recipes Collection. The Platinum Recipes Collection is the Internet's Most Comprehensive Recipes Collection.

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

Fancy French Cuisine Recipes You Can Make in 30 Minutes After Work

2011-04-29T06:39:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is nice to spend hours making an extra special dish and other times you are tired and just want to throw a readymade meal into the microwave, but it is possible to have the best of both worlds.

What if you could make classic French dishes in as little as thirty minutes? The following pair of recipes show you how easy it is to eat traditional French food, which is both delicious and fast to prepare.

Classic Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is a well known French recipe and, if you like traditional French dishes like onion soup, you will enjoy these chicken roll ups. Parmesan, garlic, mozzarella, paprika, prosciutto and more are used to add lots of flavor to the chicken in this quick chicken recipe and you will be able to prepare this dish in half an hour. Make some mashed potatoes to go with it and everybody will enjoy this wonderful meal. The following recipe makes enough to serve four people.

What you will need:

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
5 teaspoons melted butter
1/4 cup chicken broth
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (6 oz each)
1 minced clove garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon paprika
8 thin slices prosciutto
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Salt, pepper, and oregano, as needed
Cooking spray, as needed
How to make it:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Microwave the broth for fifteen seconds or until it is warm, then stir in the garlic and butter. Mix the paprika, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs in a bowl.

Put each chicken breast between a couple of sheets of plastic wrap and pound to a quarter inch thickness with a rolling pin or meat mallet. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and oregano over both sides of the chicken. Top each breast with a couple of slices of prosciutto and some mozzarella, then roll them up like jelly rolls.

Dip each chicken roll in the broth mixture and then in the breadcrumbs. Put them seam-side down in a cooking spray-coated baking dish and pour the remaining broth over the top. Bake for about twenty five minutes or until the juices run clear.

Pesto Flavored Tomato Tart with Herbes de Provence

This delicious tart can be served hot or cold and you can keep it overnight if you wrap it tightly and refrigerate it. To reheat the tart, just put it in the oven for a few minutes. This recipe might only call for pastry, tomatoes, pesto, salt, and herbs but it is full-flavored and satisfying.

What you will need:

1 package thawed puff pastry
2/3 cup pesto
6 thinly sliced tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
How to make it:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the pastry on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and spread the pesto over them. Layer the tomatoes on top, and then sprinkle the herbes de Provence and salt over the tomatoes. Bake in the top of the oven for about twenty five minutes or until the pastry edges are golden brown. Slice the tart using a pizza wheel and serve hot or chilled.

Another delicious French recipe would be the classic French onion soup recipe. If you crave some hot and tasty onion soup but you are in a rush, what about making one of our quick and easy onion soup recipes?

FrenchOnionSoups.com - Simple, Elegant, Perfection; Soup the Way it Was Meant to Be!

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

Tangy Prawn Curry and Rice

2010-10-13T13:50:00.001-07:00

Curried Prawn and Rice.
Category: Main Course Preparation and Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients for Prawn Curry

12- 15 Tiger prawns
3 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 large tomatoes (finely chopped)
2 large onions (finely chopped)
1 cup grated coconut
4 red chillies
5-6 curry leaves
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp red chilly powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp oil
Salt
Coriander (For garnish)

Steps to make tangy prawn curry

• Clean the prawns and de-vein them
• Marinate the prawns with turmeric, chilly powder and ginger garlic paste. Keep them aside for 20 minutes.
• Roast the red chillies and coriander seeds for a minute without using oil. Now add a cup of freshly grated coconut and continue roasting till coconut is brown. Grind the roasted ingredients in a mixer to form a thick paste.
• Take 1 tbsp oil in a pan and sauté the marinated prawns in it for about a minute. Keep the prawns aside.
• In the same pan, add some more oil and put the curry leaves in it. Do not overcook the curry leaves or they will turn black. Add onions and sauté till onions are transparent; add tomatoes at this stage and sauté till tomatoes are soft. Add prawns and salt and stir for a minute. Now add the coconut paste and ½ cup water. Cook till prawns are done.
• Garnish with Coriander leaves.

Ingredients for Rice

1 cup basmati rice
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
3-4 pepper corns
• In a cooker, add 1 tsp oil and let the bay leaves, cloves and pepper corns crackle.
• Wash the rice thoroughly.
• Add the rice in the cooker and roast it for a minute.
• Add one and half cup water and salt. Cook till done.
• Please note that the rice should not be over cooked.
• Serve the curried prawns on the bed of rice.

Simply yummy! You will love this tangy spicy dish.

Sharmila Shetty is a freelance content writer and a training consultant. She has been with transformation & development vertical for last 6 years. She is avid blogger and you can read her thoughts at http://www.sharmilashetty-devilsworld.blogspot.com

You can contact her at sharmila08@gmail.com

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

Should You Start a Cake Decorating Business or Cupcake Business?

2010-10-10T13:09:00.001-07:00

If you love cake decorating, imagine getting paid to do what you love! You can when you start your own cake decorating business.

Jennifer James, author of the FabJob Guide to Become a Cake Decorator, says there are many benefits when you become a professional cake decorator and start a cake decorating business (also known as a cake design business) or cupcake business.

"There's never been a better time to start up a cake decorating business," says Jennifer. "With the low-carb craze over with, there has been a return to the idea of eating for pleasure, ushered in largely by the popular book French Women Don't Get Fat. Single servings and the personal touch are in - cupcakes are very popular right now, as are gourmet mini-cakes." Here is Jennifer's advice about the cake design business and why it's a great time to start a cake decorating business or cupcake business:

Professional cake decorators tap into the fact that people love to feel special, and are always looking for something new and unique. Clients who are tired of the supermarket's tired-old sheet cake with a cartoon character are looking for handmade, out-of-the ordinary cakes that truly reflect the theme of the celebration... and when they do, they'll come to you.

Cakes are getting more creative all the time, and the only limitation is your imagination. Three-dimensional designs are in vogue right now, resulting in cakes that look like pillows, animals, handbags, or whatever you can dream up. Contemporary cake towers rising up many feet in the air and can lean every which way, stabilized by mysterious forces known only to the cake decorator (that is, you!)

And it doesn't stop there. How about a cake + cupcake combo, with each cupcake sporting a unique design, or personalized for each guest? Floral toppers or edible pearls just might complete an elegant look perfectly. The finishing materials (glazes and dusting powders) available on today's market let you give your cake and decorations a look that is so real, your clients will hardly believe they are made of sugar.

Not only are people looking for custom, creative cakes, they are willing to pay for them too. The average amount spent on a wedding has nearly doubled in the last 20 years, and the average cost of wedding cake is $543, according to the Bridal Association of America. Prices of artisan cakes for special occasions range from $3 to $10 or even more per slice, depending on the complexity of the design.

If you're wondering if cake decorating is the right business for you, here are some benefits of this career according to Jennifer:

Be Creative

If you want to work with your hands and experience with all five senses, cake decorating is the career for you, from smelling the yummy baking, to tasting new flavors of icing or filling, to piping delicate beads or roses on your cakes and cupcakes. No wonder many cake decorators call themselves sugar artists!

Be Your Own Boss

No more taking orders from anyone else - other than your many customers, of course! When you run your own cake decorating business, you make the decisions. You can choose to specialize in anything from wedding cakes, to children's birthday cakes, to cupcakes, to cakes shaped like fantasy castles... whatever you most enjoy. As boss of your own cake decorating, you decide your policies, your prices, and when you're going to take those well-deserved days off.

Let Them Eat Cake

By "them" we mean you, your friends, and your family. When you start a cake decorating business you'll be able to practice your new ideas by making cakes for your own family celebrations, or liven up a mid-week meal with some cake "leftovers" you cut off while shaping and creating. You can even save some cash when you give your cakes for wedding and birthday presents. It's great practice, and you'll land additional clients whenever your cakes or cupcakes are seen and admired.

You Can Start Right Now

A cake decorating business can be started simply or part-time if you wish, in many cases right from your own home. If you already bake cakes or cupcakes as a hobby, you may very well have much of the equipment on hand that you will need to get started. You don't need a certificate to call yourself a professional cake decorator or cake designer, either - you're in business as a professional cake decorator as soon as you are paid for your very first cake.

If you're ready to tap into the lucrative and growing cake decorating market, don't wait any longer. It's time to turn your pipe dreams into piping bags, trade in your overtime for oven mitts, and create your own sweet success story by starting a cake decorating business.

For step-by-step advice on how to become a professional cake decorator and start a cake decorating business (also known as a cake design business) or cupcake business, download the FabJob Guide to Become a Cake Decorator at http://www.FabJob.com/cakedecorator.asp

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

Raw Food Cuisine

2010-06-27T10:41:00.001-07:00

Raw food cuisine refers to delicious and inspiring dishes that can compete with those served in the finest restaurants. If you believe that a living foods diet includes only boring salads and some carrots, then you are in for a wonderful surprise. There are numerous recipes using only these foods that are creative and delicious, and when presented properly the dishes are world-class and elegant.

Raw Food Gourmets

When you eat at an expensive restaurant, one of the first things you notice is that the quantity of food is smaller than what is normally served at home. You will also notice it is carefully arranged on the plate in order to enhance the dining experience. Is that what cuisine is all about?

The word "cuisine" actually refers to various styles of cooking. That elegant Thai dish or the exotic Polynesian recipe are cuisine. There are many connotations associated with the word such as the presentation of the dish, the use of unusual ingredients, and out of the ordinary recipes.

Now say the word diet and what happens? You might think of the food pyramid and a bland and boring selection of ordinary ingredients. So what is raw food cuisine in this diet?

Creative and Exotic

Raw food gourmets faithfully following the living foods diets are not interested in eating the same foods day-in and day-out. Anyone adhering to a particular healthy eating style knows it is important to vary the recipes and ingredients. There are wholesome and healthy recipes that are every bit as exotic as those plates of small portions you pay dearly for at the restaurant.

In fact, you can make just about any dish you want using plant foods. For example, zucchini spaghetti is delicious and with a seasoned marinara sauce you will think you are eating at the finest Italian restaurant. Or you can make pesto sauce with hemp oil, Thai vegetable dishes using one of the many curry powders for the intense seasoning, gazpacho soup out of watermelon, or hundreds of other exotic recipes easily found online.

In addition, you do not have to choose the same plant foods every day. There is more to life than carrots and broccoli. Stuffed mushroom caps, delectable fruit cobblers, seasoned kale, and fascinating international vegetables can add the creative and exotic to your diet.

Imagination

When you visit a gourmet restaurant, the food beautifully arranged on your plate is the end result of a chef's imagination. You too can enjoy raw food cuisine by taking advantage of your blender and juicer, carefully selected ingredients, and your imagination to create any style of local or international food dishes you want including the vegetarian version of the American hamburger.

The best news though is that you will be able to enjoy your meal without worrying about eating unhealthy or fattening foods. The dishes made with raw foods are light, wholesome, and healthy.

But for true cuisine, just make sure you consider presentation of the food on the plate! No one will ever know you left out the fat!

Mark Lewin's raw food detox diet has helped scores of people achieve optimum health and fitness through a raw food detox diet. A raw food detox diet is the number one way to jomp start any health and fitness program. To learn how you can achieve maximum health and fitness visit raw food detox diet

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

Fish Cooking Basics - How to Transform Those Fish You Just Caught into a Wonderful Seafood Dinner

2010-06-08T13:23:00.001-07:00

Fish Cooking Basics

I must admit that I have met more than a few fishermen that know every trick in the book to catch fish, but after they have caught it, have no idea what to do with it. So if you are still wondering what you should be doing with those fish you caught, I have some help for you. The basic techniques for turning those fish into food are very simple and I have outlined the basic information and cooking methods for you.

10 minutes to the inch

Whether you are grilling, frying, baking, poaching, steaming of broiling your fish, the basic rule is that it will take 8-10 minutes of cooking time for every inch of thickness. The biggest mistake most people make in cooking fish is to over cook it. Now if the fish is frozen, count on 20 minutes per inch.

It starts at the water

Fish can degrade quickly after you catch it. One thing you can do to prevent this is kill the fish as quickly as possible. Smack it in the head with a club, then cut the gills with a knife. This will bleed the fish out quickly and slow down spoilage.

You caught it, you clean it

OK, so you probably know this already, but you need to clean the innards out, using a sharpknife and your thumb or narrow spoon. The longer you leave that stuff in there, the more chance it will have to start messing with the fish's flavor.

When is it done?

The classical definition is that fish is done when it hits 160° and the juices run clear. Stick a fork into the thickest portion and twist gently. It should be flaky, but please, what ever you do, don't let it cook into dry nastiness.

NUKING (MICROWAVING) FISH - Fillets, 1" thick steaks

Yes, this is a valid fish cooking method!Microwaves cook by exciting (heating up) the water in whatever you put in there. Now call me crazy, but fish are just full of moisture. Gee... wonder why? Here are the proper steps for nuking fish. Allow 6 minutes per pound of fish, and remember that no two microwave ovens will be the same so adjust accordingly.

Arrange the fish with the thickest parts towards the edge of the plate, and tuck and thin parts under so they don't get overdone. One layer deep only please.
Cover with plastic wrap, but pull one corner back just a little, or punch a little hole in it to vent steam.
Don't blast it! Cook at 70% of full power. Again, we are looking for just flaky.
Let the fish rest for three minutes after you nuke it.

PAN FRYING (SAUTÉING) - Fillets less than 1-1/2" thick, scallops, large shrimp

The old standby by for cooking fish, there are countless variations on how to pay fry fish.The basics are to heat butter or oil over medium heat in a pan big enough to comfortably hold your fish. Then cook on one side till brown then turn over and brown the other side. This shouldn't take long so don't over cook them!

What you do with them before you drop them in the pan is what matters the most. To be a purist, you can pat them dry and just lightly season them with salt and pepper. Of course if you want to get fancy, you can always coat them with egg and bread them with flour or bread crumbs.Then we get into seasoning of the breading and things get really interesting. Have fun, experiment.

BROILING - Fillets & Steaks 1/4" to 1-1/2" thick, Scallops & Shrimp
Think of broiling as blast cooking your seafood. Put the top rack ~4 inches below the broiling element and pre-heat that puppy. One thing to remember is that broiling can suck the moisture right out of fish, so you have to make sure it doesn't dry out and get nasty. Fish like Salmon, Tuna and Swordfish have enough oil already to keep them moist, but think about marinating other types of fish.

Drop your fish on the broiling pan, season it lightly and get it under the broiler. Keep a watchful eye on it though. Broilers will take food from done to crispy in the blink of an eye.

STEAMING SEAFOOD - Fillets, Steaks, Whole Fish and Shellfish

Steaming is about as easy and healthy as it gets. No added oil is needed, just a little salt and pepper. If you like, you can steam your veggies right along with your fish! Just remember the 10 minutes to an inch rule and go for it.

BAKING SEAFOOD - Fish Fillets, Steaks, Shellfish & Whole Fish

Baking is the tame version of broiling. Set your oven for 450° and away you go! As for the fish, arrange them one layer deep in a lightly oiled pan, tucking any thin parts under so they don't burn. Variations include breading, coating with oil/butter, and topping with fruit and/or veggies.

POACHING (NOT BOILING) SEAFOOD - Whole fish, Steaks, Fillets, Shrimp, Scallops

Basic poaching technique is to cook the seafood in a broad, shallow pan filled with enough hot, but not boiling liquid to completely cover it. Any liquid will do, from plain water to concoctions of water, wine, herbs and stock. The liquid should be brought to a boil then turned down till you see movement, but no bubbles breaking on the surface. Carefully place your food in the water and cook the required time. Another very healthy way to cook your seafood!

STIR-FRYING - Chunks and strips of firm fish, Shrimp, Scallops, Squid

Stir frying is broiling from the bottom effectively. This is because to correctly stir fry, even cooking, make sure that your pieces of food are fairly uniform. Here is the basic stir frying technique.

Heat the wok over high heat with oil till the oil starts to smoke. Add your vegetables if any and stir constantly. Cook until they are just a little tender and then set aside.
Add oil if needed and reheat the pan. Cook the seafood, stirring constantly so it doesn't stick. Cook until it is browned slightly and opaque in the center.
Add the veggies back in along with some sauce and any other seasonings you like. And you are done!

GOOD OLD GRILLING - What can't you grill?

Whole encyclopedias could, and probably have been written about grilling. It must tap into some primal spot in our soul to be outside, cooking or burning a piece of meat over some hot coals. Here are the main points to remember.

Keep your grill clean! Dirt grills cook unevenly and dirty grates are more likely to have food stick to them.
Oil your grill grates! It will help keep the food from bonding to them.
Grilling can dry food out like broiling does, so use fatty fish, and consider using a marinade or oiling and seasoning your fish before grilling.
For fish that is small, or might fall apart, use aluminum foil on the grill.
Once you put the food down on the grates, don't mess with it! As my cooking hero Alton Brown says 'Just walk away!' Granted, not for long but don't fiddle with it till it is time to turn it over.

So there you have the basics of cooking fish. Best of luck in your cooking adventures! Just remember to let your creativity flow and don't be afraid of trying new things!

Cliff is a long time fisherman and cook hails from the remote lands in Northern Idaho, but has now moved to the big city. He is also the founder of the web based fishing show 'Fishing with Cliff' that can be found at http://www.FishingWithCliff.com where you can watch on demand episodes of his show, and get more great cooking ideas!

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

French Cuisine Basics - Some Simple Tips For Beginners

2010-05-30T11:31:00.000-07:00

The techniques employed in French cuisine are many and varied. First of all a thorough knowledge and understanding of all the ingredients used is essential. Most of the principles of this type of cuisine are generic and can be found in many kinds of cookery but the most important element to remember is that French cookery does not rely on convenience methods however labour saving they may be.
The art of sauteing is one technique that is widely used. Sauteing is the method used to fry onions and garlic in olive oil at a high temperature. Some culinary terms in French cuisine are necessary to have some knowledge of before attempting a recipe. These three essential terms refer to basic cuts:
Brunoise - This is a square cut, each side being 8 inches.
Dice - a quarter of an inch cut
Chop - a half inch cut
A professional French chef will know the exact dimensions of these cuts and anyone who is trying to achieve an authentic French dish should be thoroughly acquainted with these terms.
It goes without saying that to achieve the correct results you should consistently use the basic French cooking techniques. French cooking relies heavily on only the freshest ingredients and if you can follow this example by only purchasing your produce from reputable greengrocers and markets. If dedicated to this aim find out when markets receive their deliveries and when these are available for sale. In this way you will have the chance to select the freshest choice of vegetables. In the spirit of French cuisine it is always good to be imaginative and make alterations to your recipe where needed.
One element of French cooking is patience. The techniques used in French cooking to produce wonderful sauces are painstaking. To prepare the stock for any sauce most recipes call for unsalted butter or occasionally clarified butter. Unsalted butter is used in preference to salted butter in the preparation of any stock as it doesn't hamper the flavour of the the food it will accompany. In the same vein no other seasoning such as salt or paper should be used in the preparation of the stock. To retain the stock for future use it can be frozen and kept for no longer than three months for the best results.
Prepare labels to identify your stocks whilst in storage. When ready to use for the preparation of the sauce you wish to make use a copper bottom or heavy duty pan.
It is customary for sauces that are made from butter and clarified butter stocks are made prior to serving the dish that the sauce will accompany. There are different temperatures at which certain sauces should be served. White butter sauces should be served at a warm temperature and kept that way. Butter sauces should be served hot.
Some sauces require a thickening agent. However, in the case of Beurre Marie, the butter can be used straight from the refrigerator and mixed with flour. For more information about French cooking techniques there is a wealth of information on the internet and many cookbooks are dedicated to this subject.
These are just a few tops that may inspire you to learn more about French cooking techniques and give you an insight into French cuisine.
Abhishek is really passionate about Cooking and he has got some great Cooking Secrets. up his sleeves! Download his FREE 88 Pages Ebook, "Cooking Mastery!" from his website http://www.Cooking-Guru.com/770/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Abhishek_Agarwal

Yes! You Can be a Food Gourmet and a Skilled Gourmet Cook Too

2010-05-30T11:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, even you can cook up wonderful meals and impress your loved ones!
Ever thought that gourmet cooking is not for you, or that you do not cook well? Then it's time to totally change your mindset from today...
Anyone and everyone can easily pick up cooking skills; younger or older, ladies and even the guys. It doesn't matter what your skill level is today; you can do much better and make great dishes like the chefs at your favorite restaurants. And what's more, the meals you cook will be done to perfection - your kind of perfection. And you know what the best part is? You already have the most important ingredient... you know what great food is!
Let's show you the way... experimental cooking is putting YOU in charge - you're the boss of the kitchen! You choose the ingredients you like and whip up meals to suit your specific tastes. Forget about strictly following recipes that are complicated... that requires you to buy special ingredients you will only use once then store till they expire... that calls for you to measure out precise amounts of each ingredient. All that is required is for you to have fun and experiment with blending ingredients that you like. Let your imagination rule... pick the items and create your masterpiece; from types of meats and vegetables, to how they are cooked, to what beautiful arrangement on your dinner plate. experimental cooking is also about you and the people you are preparing a meal for. You know that each person has their unique preferences, so experimental cooking is about helping you fulfill those preferences. Sounds complicated, you may think? But actually, it is rather simple; especially after you develop the basics that will forever change your mindset on cooking and open up a whole new dimension of creativity you never knew you already had within yourself.
Now let us share with you the little secrets of experimental cooking... the A, B, Cs if you will...
A. INGREDIENTS - The first key is for you to build on your knowledge of ingredients, as they are the basic building blocks for a good meal. You already know of many ingredients, now go and take a closer look; experience each ingredient individually and experiment with it. Everything edible can be an ingredient in your creation, so you need to know and understand each ingredient; from how it looks and tastes, to its texture, to how it behaves when cooked in different ways, to which other ingredients it is compatible with, to what happens if you add more or less of it to your food, etc. Since individuals experience things differently, you are your own expert; find out what you like and what you can do without. As you have your meals each day, take the opportunity to study the ingredients. Involve your family & friends and make it fun as you experience & experiment. At restaurants, and when you travel, question the chefs if you have a chance and gain perspectives into new ingredients you come across. For the computer savvy, you can also surf the web and quickly gain insight; there is tons of information online. Try typing the ingredient you're interested in on your favorite search engine and discover a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips. As you get to know about more ingredients and become more aware of the characteristics of each ingredient, you will be able to expertly combine them to expand the number of new dishes in your cooking repertoire. There are endless combinations, so keep experimenting; you will discover many winners to surprise your guests. Have fun building up your own database of ingredients.
B. QUALITY - When you begin with great quality ingredients, you are certain to produce top quality meals; if you start with poor quality ingredients, it won't come as a surprise that the results will naturally be disappointing. Quality can easily be determined when you use all your senses... Use your sense of Sight to look carefully at the ingredients. Check the color to see if it is bright or dull, consistent or has blemishes. Is the shape evenly symmetrical or distorted. Look also at the texture of the items. Your sense of Sight is the first sense that you will usually use when checking anything; and it is a powerful tool in determining the Quality of any ingredient. Practice and see if you can tell what the Quality of an item is, just by looking at it. You will quickly be able to use your Sight to initially screen ingredients to determine if they are worth a closer inspection or to move on. Use your sense of Hearing to listen to the tone when gently tapping or shaking an item. Does it sound hollow or solid, is there a rattling sound? Hearing is not frequently used, but can be helpful in a closer inspection of certain fruits, nuts and vegetables. Use your sense of Smell to sniff out fragrant fruits and the aroma of fresh herbs. You can also detect items to avoid when they emit off smelling odors. Train up your nose and your sense of Smell will come in handy when you search for Quality foods. If you have the opportunity, sample the items before making your decision. Besides checking that the Taste is what it should be, also observe the texture or feel it has in your mouth, when you chew on it, and when it slides down your throat. This is also your chance to confirm that you really like the Taste of the ingredient before buying. Your sense of Taste will be your most important tool when it comes to blending ingredients. With a well developed sense of Taste, you will be able to determine what ingredients, and in what quantities, will go well together. Finally is your sense of Touch. Go ahead, pick up and handle the ingredients you are inspecting. How does it feel in your hands? Is it heavy or light, hard or soft, firm or supple, smooth or rough, dry or moist? You can tell a good deal about the Quality of an ingredient by how it feels; you just need a little practice to fine tune and "get the feel" of things. Practice using all your senses to fully examine ingredients and learn how to pick Top Quality items for your specific needs. It is now time for you to exercise your senses whenever you go shopping for food. Have a good time tuning up your skills in search of Quality at the markets and stores.
C. DESIGNING - Now comes the fun part of Designing your meals. The first consideration is who you are cooking for and what are their likes and dislikes. Do take some time to ask your family, friends, or guests about their eating preferences, especially if they require special diets for health reasons, or are allergic to certain foods. From this mini survey, you can plan a meal that will delight everyone.
You can now begin to narrow down your choices; consider if you want to do appetizers and/or soup, what are the best choice for your main courses, and if you wish to make desert? Design a simple meal or an elaborate feast: it's all up to you. Use your knowledge of ingredients to decide on what blend of ingredients will achieve the unique flavors you want. Also consider how the ingredients will look together, and how you can make your dishes visually appealing. At the beginning, you may feel more comfortable sticking to traditional flavors and cooking tried and tested recipes. But as you gain confidence after experimenting with traditional foods by altering their taste to suit your preferences better, then its time to be bold and creative; try to design something totally new once in a while. It is also fairly easy for you to design meals to take into account differing preferences among your guests; simply separate your ingredients and add or withhold them into individual portions of your dishes. In the Design phase, you may wish to consider the cooking style as well, since the way food is cooked will make a difference in the outcome in terms of taste and texture.
D. COOKING STYLES - Mastering many Cooking Styles is another way to increase the diversity of your meals. Brush up on your cooking skills by not only practicing the various Styles of Cooking, but also by paying close attention to the details of the cooking process, what each Cooking Style does to your food and the resulting appearance, taste & texture. experiment with variations to the standard method (different temperature, time, sequence, combinations, etc.) and observe the results. Learn new Styles as you come across them, and also try your hand at inventing new ways to cook. There are many methods of cooking your food; some more conventional like Baking, Barbecuing, Braising, Roasting, Stewing and Steaming. Some are more exotic like cooking meat on a slab of hot stone. So do try out the various cooking styles on your favorite foods and discover which are to your liking. Also experiment with combinations; for example you can first steam a lobster, then cut it open and put some cheese in before grilling for a short while to melt and brown the cheese sauce. Think of new ways to cook, after all its just applying heat to food. You can also broaden your knowledge and skills by observing how people of various lands cook their meals in special ways when you travel.
E. PRESENTATION - The final element is how you serve up the feast that you have prepared. Food Presentation is the art of making your meals visually appealing. Since the objective is to serve up something that will look good, experiment with what you think will look nice when assembled together. If you want to keep it simple, just focus on the dish and what is to be put on it. If you want to pull out all the stops, then go with a theme of your choice and dress up everything, including the dining room. Let's run through some ideas to move you along... On the simple end of the scale, all you need to do is select a suitable bowl or plate and arrange your food on it, then add something to garnish. The easiest is to place all your food onto serving plates for your guest to help themselves. Select large enough bowls and plates, matching if desired, that can hold the amount of food you have prepared. You can fill a serving bowl with soup and sprinkle some chopped spring onions on top to garnish. Fish can be served on an oval plate, or one of those fish shaped dishes, and you can arrange some lettuce and round slices of lemon to decorate. For prawns, try arranging them in a circle on a round plate, and put sauce for dipping right in the center. You can be more creative when you do individual servings. For the main course, you can simply lay out the meat, potatoes and vegetables on different sectors of the plate in a traditional manner; just remember to include ingredients with nice colors and arrange them in your chosen pattern. Try using carrots or tomatoes to add bright orange or red to your dish. Use corn, pasta or potatoes for a dose of yellow. How about tri-color pasta to really mix up the colors? Appetizers and deserts are my favorites as you can really let your imagination go... and come up with really delightful creations. Try using a Burgundy wine glass for your shrimp cocktail, then plant a stick of celery with the leafy end up on one side and garnish the lip of the glass with a circular slice of lemon for a lovely presentation of this favorite appetizer. Now go forth and create visual masterpieces to serve your guests; they will surely be astonished at your work of art. If you need more ideas, you can always look at how the chefs at your local restaurants present their dishes, or you can flip through food magazines, or surf the internet for tons of ideas to get you on your way.
Now that you know the Secrets to experimental cooking, all you need to do is to start cooking; after all, as the saying goes... "Practice Makes Perfect".
The author is a self taught Xperimental Chef. To learn more, please visit http://www.thexchef.thexworkx.com
This article may be distributed provided no alterations are made and this bio and copyright clause is attached.
© 2009 The Xperimental Chef http://www.thexchef.thexworkx.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terence_Wong

Making Red Wine

2010-05-23T12:05:00.000-07:00

Harvesting Your Red Wine Grapes - The first step in making red wine is to have the grapes perfectly ready to be picked. They need to be harvested not only at the proper time in their life cycle, but also at the right time of day to ensure the acids and sugars are all at the right balance for the wine.
Red wine grapes should contain enough sugar to be considered ripe and be able to attain the alcohol content you are aiming for. They must also have the right balance of acids. This means "hang-time" on the vine until the grapes have met the proper quality factors. A sugar content of 24 Brix at harvest will give you about 12% alcohol.
De-stemming and Crushing - This step in making red wine removes the stems from the grape bunches, and crushes the grapes (but does not press them) so that the juices are exposed to the yeast for fermenting. This will also expose the skins so they can impart color to the wine while in the primary fermentation.
This step in making red wine can be done manually by squeezing the grape bunches over a grate with holes to allow the grapes and juice to go through while leaving the stems behind. I've used old Coke crates, perforated plates, and other means to accomplish this. (Depending on the type of wine, the stems could be left in for a more tannic flavor or removed). This mix of wine is called must and is put into a fermentation vat.
You can always "stomp" the grapes and remove the stems afterwards - the old fashioned way. There are crusher/destemmer machines that can be purchased if you have a lot of grapes to crush. If you are going to adjust the acidity, this is the time to do this.
Primary Fermentation - The must is held in a vat that can be made of food grade plastic, glass, or stainless steel for fermentation. In whichever container, the sugars inside the grapes are turned into alcohol by yeasts. The yeast used should be specific for red wine. This fermentation process typically takes from 3-4 weeks.
How long the must (juice and grape solids) is allowed to sit, picking up flavor, color and tannin is up to the wine maker. Too long and the wine is bitter, to short and it is thin. Temperature is very important during this stage - it also affects flavour and color.
Punching Down the Skins - Skin and other solids float to the top as fermentation proceeds. The carbon dioxide gas given off by the fermentation process pushes them to the surface of the developing wine. The rising skins are called the "cap" and need to be pushed back down to stay in contact with the must. This should be done a couple of times a day. As you punch down the cap, you will notice that the wine is taking on more color from the contact with the skins.
End of Primary Fermentation(?) - The winemaker must decide if the must has fermented long enough. This will take a few days to a week. Much of this decision depends on how much color you want in your red wine. Generally, the wine has not completely fermented at this time. There still should be some residual sugar that will need to go through further fermentation.
Remove Free Run and Press - At the end of the primary fermentation, the must is put into the wine press. The best quality wine is made just from the juice portion of the must. Many wine makers allow this to run off and save it for the best red wines. The rest of the drier must (now called pomace) is pressed.
Pressing squeezes the remaining juice out of the pomace. If you do it too hard, or too many times, you get low quality wine. You can save the pressings separately from the free-run or it can be combined. This pressed wine will take longer to become clear and ready for bottling.
Secondary Fermentation - The juice, now wine, needs to settle after this ordeal and continue to ferment out all the residual sugars. During this time, the wine should be stored in glass carboys fitted with fermentation locks.
Fermentation locks keep oxygen out of the wine while allowing the carbon dioxide from fermentation to escape. Without them, oxidation will occur and the wine will spoil into vinegar or something worse. In the lack of oxygen, the wine undergoes subtle changes that affect the flavors of the resulting wine.
Malo-Lactic Fermentation - Many red wines need a non-alcoholic fermentation to remove excess acidity. This secondary fermentation will turn the tart malic acid (of green apples) into the softer lactic acid (of milk). A special malo-lactic bacteria is added which allows malolactic fermentation to occur. This is done during the secondary fermentation. Wines are held at about 72F during, or at least at the end, of the secondary fermentation to favor this activity. The yeast that has settled to the bottom during the secondary fermentation also favors this process.
Racking and Clarification - Moving the wine from one container to a new container by siphoning allows you to leave solids and anything that might cloud the wine, behind. This clears the wine and prepares it for bottling. Fermentation locks must be employed with each racking to keep the wine from spoiling. Wine is racked at least once but more may be needed to assist clarification.
Cold Stabilization - During one of the aging stages between rackings and bottling, the wine can be placed in the cold of refridgeration to be stabilized. This cold period will make the cream of tarter settle out of the wine and reduce the acidity further. The wine is then racked off the cream of tartar during the next racking. I suggest you do this early in the racking and aging process of making red wine.
Aging - The wine is stored for anywhere from 9 months to 2 1/2 years to give it the correct amount of flavor. Oak barrels can be used for aging but they are very expensive. Nowdays, when making red wine at home, oak chips are used. The amount of time you age your wine with oak depends on the flavors that you wish. At the end of the aging period, you will be ready to bottle.
Fining or filtering - At the end of the aging period it helps to remove anything that may be making the wine cloudy. This can be accomplished with various fining agents (like sparkalloid), with filtering, or both. This makes the wine crystal clear for bottling and will prevent any sediments from forming during bottle aging.
Bottling - This is done carefully so that the wine does not come in contact with air. Finer wines may be stored for several years in bottles before they are drunk. But I suggest that a minimum of 6 months to a year lapse before drinking.
So there are the steps in making red wine. Properly done, you will have a wine that will not only give you drinking pleasure, but will make you the envy of your family and friends.
Jim Bruce has been making growing grapes and making wine since 1974. You too can grow your own wine grapes. Interested in growing your own grapes for making wine? You can buy his Tips for Growing Grapes eBook at http://www.grapegrowingbook.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bruce
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Cake Baking Tip Guide

2010-05-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

Successful cake decorating is all about preparation. Baking and preparing your cake for decorating is a critical part of the total process. In this article, I'll share some expert tips for basic cake preparation to get your cake creation off to a fabulous start! These easy tips will ensure your cake decorating success.
Preparing a Cake Board -
Many specially themed cakes are too large to fit on a plate, so a cake board may be used. Cut a piece of stiff cardboard to the desired size. Cover with foil, or heavy coated wrapping paper.
I often use colored tissue paper, covered with colored cellophane of the type used to wrap gift baskets. This gives the desired background color, with a surface which is easy to wipe clean. It also makes a great background to enhance the presentation and photographing of your final cake masterpiece.
Preparing Cake Pans -
Use metal pans with a nonstick finish. Grease and flour pans before adding cake batter. Spread a thin layer of vegetable shortening on the bottom and sides of the pan. This works better than butter or margarine as the cake releases more easily from the pan. Sprinkle a little flour in each pan, and tilt to coat evenly. Shake out excess.
Testing for Doneness -
Follow baking instructions for time and temperature specified in the recipe. Cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake should have pulled away from the sides of the pan and the top will spring back when touched lightly in the center.
Removing Cake from Pan -
Let cake cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Invert wire cooling rack over cake and flip over. Shake gently until cake releases from pan. Place a second wire rack over the bottom of the cake and flip over again so cake can cool right side up.
Preparing Cake for Frosting -
Slip each cake layer into a gallon-size freezer bag and place in the freezer for 30-45 minutes. An even easier method is to place each layer on its own plate and cover with plastic wrap before freezing. I poke a toothpick or two into the top of each layer to keep the plastic wrap from sticking to the cake's surface.
Light freezing firms up the cake just right and allows you to easily brush any crumbs from the surface prior to frosting.
Best Base Frosting Recipe -
The thin texture of the base frosting allows easier coverage without pulling bits of cake and crumbs away from the cake. This is essential particularly if you are frosting white over chocolate cake. When base coat is done, frost over with your desired finish frosting.
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Combine powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat with electric mixer until smooth. Add milk 1 tsp. at a time to desired consistency. Frosting should be fairly thin. This is a great base frosting. Use if as a first coating layer to seal in any crumbs and give a nice smooth surface to the cake.
Cutting and Trimming -
You can create many different cake designs by cutting your cake layers into various shapes. Measure and mark your cutting line with toothpicks or wooden or metal skewers. Use a sharp knife and brush cake lightly with a soft pastry brush to remove crumbs prior to frosting.
Trim the rounded tops off cake layers to form a flat surface. Use a long serrated knife to trim with a gentle sawing motion. You may also wish to trim the edges of rectangular cakes to give a more professional look.
Frosting Tools -
Use various sizes of flexible metal spatulas for frosting. Large ones are used to smooth wide flat areas while a narrow tipped spatula is great for getting into small areas.
Toothpicks or wooden or metal skewers can be used to mark cutting lines on your cake.
A pastry bag with several tips is necessary to pipe on decorations. I have a reusable pastry bag that is easy to rinse clean. In a pinch, you can even use a plastic sandwich bag with a tiny hole snipped from one corner.
Now that you have all these important basics in place, you and your cake are primed and ready for frosting
Next step: Check out our Kid Birthday Cake Idea Collection - Cake Decorating Without Fear!
Copyright 2005 Kids Party Paradise All Rights Reserved
Patricia B. Jensen is a mother of three and kids party enthusiast. She is the webmaster and owner of Kids-Party-Paradise.com - a complete resource for kids party ideas including invitations, cakes, decorations, games, costumes, favors, and food.
For all the latest party news, read her Kids Party Blog.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patricia_Jensen

How to Cook Vegetables in many Different Ways

2010-05-17T15:46:00.001-07:00

Vegetables are a very important part of the diet because they are so nutritious. It is a sad fact however that most people do not eat enough of them, perhaps because they do not realize how many different ways to cook vegetables there are to choose from. Of course, vegetables can also be enjoyed raw too, in salads or as a side dish.
You should always wash your vegetables before preparing them, to remove the unhealthy chemicals and pesticides. A good way to remove these is to add a tablespoon of baking soda to a bottle of warm water. Spray this mixture on your vegetables, and then clean them with a paper towel.
Steaming
One of the healthiest ways to prepare vegetables is to steam them. Steamed vegetables can be flavored with some butter and black pepper or a squeeze of lemon or limejuice to make a healthy side dish.
You can buy a steamer basket cheaply and put it over a pan of simmering water. Soft vegetables steam faster than harder ones, so you might want to parboil the harder ones first, or add them to the steamer basket five minutes before the softer ones.
Baking
Baked vegetables are very tasty and this method is great for potatoes, carrots, turnips and more. To bake vegetables, you simply need to slice or chop them up, brush them with oil and bake them for forty-five minutes to an hour, or until they are tender. You can sprinkle herbs or spices over the vegetable pieces before baking them, to give them extra flavor.
Boiling
Boiled vegetables are very common but the drawback with this vegetable preparation method is that it removes the nutrients from the vegetables and leaves them in the cooking water. If you have a pan of boiling water, you might like to consider putting a steamer basket over it, rather than adding your vegetables to it.
Grilling
A lot of people assume the grill is solely for cooking meat but if you have never tried any grilled vegetable recipes you have really missed out! If you have a large grill, save a place for the vegetables. Slice or chop them up, wrap them in foil packages and put them on the grill. You can add butter, oil, spices, herbs or any other seasonings and flavorings you like to the foil package. These vegetable packages will take about twenty minutes to grill.
Another way of grilling vegetables is to put them in a skillet on the grill. This is handy if you are outside cooking meat or fish and you do not want to keep running back and forth to the kitchen to cook vegetables on the stove.
Vegetables are very important if you want to enjoy a healthy and balanced diet and it is good that there are various preparation methods for them, so you will not get bored of the same vegetables or the same preparation method.
If you want to discover some new dinner recipes or holiday recipes, you can do a recipe search to match your preferred ingredients to the best recipes for the occasion.
RecipeDirectory.org Where the Web Searches for Recipe Sites
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Christine_Szalay_Kudra