The Best Mom Recipes

Pan Seared Cod With Balsamic Dressing

2011-09-09T15:49:00.002+02:00

Lean protein is your diet is essential to weight loss and weight maintenance. Cod is an excellent source of lean protein as it is lower in fat than red meats.

Losing weight isn't about hunger, misery and crash dieting! By learning to make, delicious, easy-to-prepare, nutritious food your body needs and will enjoy – losing weight becomes exciting and energizing.

Instead of high calorie, fatty sources - use spices to provide flavorsome, exciting meals your whole family will enjoy. "Pan Seared Cod With Balsamic Thyme" is another recipe in a range of hunger-fighting, low fat recipes to assist you keep your weight under control. This irresistible, no-hassle meal will help you reach your weight-loss goals - while making mealtime a real treat.

Variety is an essential element of any successful health program. If you get bored with foods, you're much more likely to abandon your program altogether. Experiment with spices to find exciting alternatives, try new recipes and build your repertoire of quick home cooked meals to replace take outs, frozen dinners and snacks. Your body will love you and your family will be delighted.

Ingredients:

500g fresh cod fillet (or boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
2 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Sprinkle fish with salt and freshly ground pepper on both sides. Heat a large skillet for which you have a cover over medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, place the fish in the pan, lower the heat to medium and cook for five minutes or until the underside is brown and a curst begins to form.

Carefully turn the fish over, turn the heat down to medium-low and cover the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes more. Fish is done when it flakes with a fork. Remove fish from skillet and place on a plate. Bring the heat back up to medium-high, add the balsamic vinegar and cook quickly, scraping the pan with a spatula.

Turn off the heat, put the fish back in the skillet and turn over to coat both sides with the reduced vinegar. Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately.

* Note: fish should cook for about 10 minutes for each inch of thickness. If you use chicken breast instead, it will need a total of about 15 minutes cooking time.

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving:

Calories: 228
Protein: 40 grams
Fat: 6 grams
Carbohydrates: 1 grams

Recipe - Green Bean Pudding Recipe

2011-09-06T09:17:00.000+02:00

material:

     250 gr green beans, soaked overnight and steamed until tender
     1000 cc coconut milk
     250 grams sugar
     Egg white 150 cc
     2 packs to be white
     brown food coloring
     salt to taste

Method:

     Boil all danger except for green beans to the boil
     Beat egg whites until thickened
     Enter the material that has been boiled into the beaten egg whites
     Enter the green beans
     Prepare the mold and then wet with water until evenly
     Take some white dough and put it into the pan as the base material
     Enter some new chocolate batter remaining white batter
     Finally enter the chocolate batter on top.
     Chill in refrigerator
     Serve when hardened.

Squid Recipe Roll

2011-09-06T09:15:00.002+02:00

material:

     100 gr squid small size and peeled
     2 sheets nori
     to taste cooking oil for frying
     chili sauce for serving

Coatings Materials squid:

     400 gr out of white, crushed
     200 grams of meat snapper
     5 lbr spinach leaves, trimmed and finely chopped
     2 eggs btr
     2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
     1 tablespoon fish sauce
     1 teaspoon salt
     1 / 4 teaspoon ground pepper
     1 cm ginger, grated

Method:
coatings:

     fish puree in blender until smooth
     Mix with other coating materials
     o'clock pm until dull
     Fill in the squid with a compacted, set aside

squid:

     Flatten remaining dough 1 cm thick coatings squid on plastic
     spread your pieces nori. Add the squid thin batter coatings only.
     Place 2 pieces of squid in the middle and then roll contents
     with plastic wrap and cover with a clean cloth.
     steamed 30 minutes
     once cooked, fried until brown.
     cut into wedges and serve with chilli sauce.

Cheese Bread Pudding Recipe

2011-09-06T09:13:00.000+02:00

Ingredients:

     2 pieces of bread roughly chopped
     75 ml fresh milk
     1 egg
     2 tsp granulated sugar / brown sugar
     2 tsp peanut / coklar grain
     50 ounces cheddar cheese (cut into small dadgu)

How to cook:

     Beat eggs with milk
     Mix the bread with sugar, cheese, nuts
     Pour milk and egg
     Steam for 15-20 minutes until cooked
     Remove and serve

Gouda Onion Dip

2011-09-06T08:57:00.000+02:00

Wow! This onion dip is not your typical out of the package dip. Instead, you pretty it up with a scooped-out ball of Gouda cheese. No kidding! Because it's so beautifully self-contained, it travels well when you want to take this as an appetizer to a party. Not only that, but your friends will be bowled over by the presentation and the great flavor. There will be no leftovers!

What you'll need:

- one 10-oz ball of imported Gouda cheese

- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter

-1 small yellow onion (finely chopped)

- 4 oz roquefort cheese (crumbled)

- 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese (finely grated)

- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

- 3 drops of hot pepper sauce

- 1 tsp whole-grain mustard

- 4 Tbsp dark beer or stout

With a sharp knife, cut the top to make a lid from the Goulda cheese ball, about 1 inch thick. Save the lid. Hollow out the cheese without cutting through the wall of the ball. The wall should be as thin as you can make it on all sides. Take the reserved Gouda cheese and grate it and set aside.

In a small skillet, heat 2 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until it reaches a golden brown color. This usually takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Stir often. Remove the onion from the skillet and set aside to cool.

Combine the Gouda, Roquefort, and Cheddar cheeses in a food processor, along with the remaining butter, the onions and the Worcestershire, mustard, and hot pepper sauce. Process the mixture until smooth. Scrape the sides occasionally. Pour in the beer and continue to process until smooth and creamy.

Next, fill the hollowed out Gouda ball with the mixture. You'll probably have more mixture than will fit in the ball. Place the lid on the ball of cheese and put the remaining dip into a bowl. Cover both with plastic wrap and refrigerate before serving.

One nice aspect of making this dip is that if you make it a day ahead, it actually enhances the flavor. When you serve the dip, bring out the Gouda ball in time to reach room temperature. You can use the additional dip to refill the cheese ball.

This recipe makes approximately 2 cups. You must refrigerate it at least 4 hours before serving.

Enjoy with Homemade Potato Chips, Bagel Chips and Pita Chips.

Wild American Shrimp Scores High On Nutrition

2011-09-06T08:25:00.000+02:00

The hottest diets, from Atkins to South Beach to Weight Watchers, sing the praises of shrimp. It's a great source of protein and is low in calories. Plus, premium-quality Wild American shrimp - harvested in their own natural environment from the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico - is perfect for health-conscious consumers who want to know exactly where their food comes from.

"Wild American shrimp is low in fat and a source of polyunsaturated fats and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which fight cholesterol and may reduce the risk of heart disease," said nutritionist Carol Guber, an expert on food, nutrition and healthy lifestyles. "If you're trying to lose weight by eating more healthful protein, Wild American shrimp is a delicious option."

Wild American shrimp has its own certification mark, assuring that it has been caught in the wild and meets certain quality standards. Guber recommends that consumers ask for Wild American shrimp where they shop and dine.

"Consumers have a choice, but many fail to realize that most shrimp sold in the U.S. is not caught in the Gulf of Mexico or South Atlantic, but rather imported from overseas and farm-raised," she said.

When buying shrimp, look for shiny shells and meat that feels firm against the shell. It should have a fresh, salty scent and should not smell of ammonia or have a fishy odor.

For healthful dishes, add little or no butter, oil or shortening. The following recipe is perfect for light meals.

WILD AMERICAN SHRIMP CEVICHE WITH WATERMELON AND SPICY PICO (Makes 4 to 6 servings)

2 cups fresh lime juice

1 1/2 cups (16-20 count) Wild American shrimp, cleaned

and deveined, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick pieces

1 cup Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced small

1 serrano pepper, minced

1/4 cup red onion, diced small

1/4 cup cilantro, cleaned, stemmed and chopped

Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 1/2 cups watermelon, diced into 1/2-inch pieces

Baked tortilla chips

Lime wedges for garnish

Stir 1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice into shrimp and place in refrigerator for 24 to 36 hours until shrimp is no longer opaque. Drain, rinse and set aside.

For the pico sauce, combine 2 tablespoons lime juice, Roma tomatoes, serrano pepper, red onion, cilantro, kosher salt and black pepper.

Combine shrimp, watermelon, pico sauce and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Garnish with lime wedges and serve with chips.

Get To Know Your Cookware

2011-09-03T07:39:00.000+02:00

Selecting the cookware for your kitchen implies a few certain points you should consider: budget, cooking and eating habits, your family size, etc.

One of the most essential points in choosing cookware is the material it is made of. Often, such an important detail is simply overlooked or is considered to be minor.

In fact, proper understanding of differences between cookware materials will assist you in making the best choice and further on, will help maintain your cookware in a good shape.

Stainless steel cookware is very common thank to its moderate price and a number of qualities, such as good tensile strength, excellent corrosion resistance and non-reaction with alkaline or acidic materials. Using stainless steel cookware allows using less oil and it better preserves the nutritious value of food.

The drawback is that stainless steel does not conduct heat well, so the cookware requires a thick aluminum or copper core in the bottom and, sometimes, the sides to conduct heat more evenly and make the cookware more responsive to heat.

Stainless steel cookware care is quite simple as it can be washed in a dishwasher and scraped with nylon pads. Special stainless steel cleaners will help bring the shine back.

Non-stick cookware is a blessing when cooking and reheating sticky kinds of food. This coated surface also means you will need less oil or fat while frying on it. But you have to be careful while using and washing non-stick cookware. Avoid scratches on the surface or it'll lose its properties. Use only wooden, plastic, or coated utensils when cooking.

Wash in hot soapy water but never in a dishwasher.

Cast iron is comparatively inexpensive, conducts heat evenly and once heated, keeps it for a long time. Such cookware is good for deep-frying and slow cooking. The main problem is that it rusts, stains and becomes pitted when exposed to air, moisture and certain foods.

Do not wash cast-iron cookware in soapy water, instead try wiping clean with a paper towel. To prevent rusting, remove any excess moisture from the surface and coat with oil before storing

Aluminum cookware is quite cheap compared to other materials. It's very lightweight yet strong. It is a good conductor of heat and does not easily distort when exposed to high temperatures.

The obvious drawback is its reaction to acidic and alkaline foods leading to corrosion and spoiling the taste of the food cooked.

That's why it is often coated with stainless steel or anodized coating to protect the food. It doesn't require any special care, usual washing in a soapy water is enough.

However, if the surface has anodized coating, you better avoid washing the cookware in a dishwasher and be careful not to scratch the finish.

Lined copper cookware is quite expensive, though has a number of advantages.

It conducts and responses to heat very well, cools down quickly when removed from the heat, preventing food from burning and becoming overdone.

Copper cookware is a good choice for many cooking methods.

The main problem is that copper interacts with everything it comes in contact with.

Moisture in the air causes it to form a film on it that is poisonous and salty food causes a chemical reaction that can make food have a metallic taste.

For that reason copper cookware is lined with tin, silver or stainless steel to enhance its qualities.

Care includes delicate washing with soapy water and regular polishing with special copper polish to keep its bright copper shine.

Alfredo, and who on earth was he?

2011-09-03T07:31:00.000+02:00

If you ask for Pasta Alfredo in a restaurant in Italy all you get from your waiter is a stare. Why is one of the most famous "Italian sauces" for pasta unknown in its country of origin? The answer is simple: because in Italy Pasta Alfredo doesn't exist.

Yes, Italians make a dish of pasta, fettuccine dressed with nothing else than good aged parmigiano cheese and a lot of butter, but is such a simple preparation that Italians don't even consider it a "recipe".

Waverly Root in his famous book "The Food of Italy" (New York, 1971) wrote: "FETTUCCINE AL BURRO is associated in every tourist's mind with Rome, possibly because the original Alfredo succeeded in making its serving a spectacle reminiscent of grand opera.

It is the same ribbon shaped egg pasta tat is called tagliatelle in Bologna; but the al burro preparation is very Roman indeed in its rich simplicity.

Nothing is added to the pasta except grated cheese and butter - lots of butter. The recipe calls for doppio burro, double butter, which gives it a golden color."

Who was Alfredo then? Alfredo di Lelio, this was his full name, was an inspired cook who proposed this new exciting dish in the restaurant he opened in Rome in 1914.

It was a high gourmet preparation in the Roman tradition of simplicity. Apparently he created his Fettuccine all'Alfredo when his wife lost her appetite during her pregnancy. To bring back her appetite he prepared for her a nutritious dish of egg fettuccine with parmigiano cheese and butter. That probably gave him the idea for his "triple butter" fettuccine.

He was an extravagant character who used to personally serve his paper-thin fettuccine with golden forks, apparently donated to him by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, the famous silent movie stars. In the fifties and sixties, Hollywood discovered Rome.

Paparazzi photographers took photos of actors such as Tyrone Power, Ava Gardner, Richard Burton, Liz Taylor, or Sophia Loren in front of a plate of Fettuccine all'Alfredo, making his restaurant famous all around the world.

The restaurant is now run buy his grandson, and the golden forks are still used to serve this dish for special occasions.

Samuel Chamberlain, journalist and food writer, met Alfredo in the late fifties and wrote in his book "Italian Bouquet – An Epicurean Tour of Italy" (New York, 1958):

"Finally there is the great Alfredo, showman par excellence, who draws an endless file of amazed and hungry tourists to watch his calisthenics over a dish of hot noodles. The King of Noodles has come out of retirement, and now wields his golden fork and spoon at ALFREDO ALL'AUGUSTEO, at number 31 on the Piazza Augusto Imperatore.

His Maestosissime Fettuccine all'Alfredo are most majestic, without a doubt. […] You have to visit this place at least once, we suppose, just to say you have seen this elderly, melodramatic good-hearted clown in action."

So, forget the heavy cream, the parsley, the garlic, and all the other stuff suggested in the hundreds of Alfredo recipes that circulate around.

Take down from the shelf that pasta machine, prepare your fresh fettuccine (you can substitute fresh fettuccine with excellent dry egg noodles), and enjoy the simple Maestosissime Fettuccine al Triplo Burro the way Alfredo himself would do them.

Filet Fish! No Bones No Skin

2011-09-03T07:26:00.000+02:00

Now, how do you want them prepared for cooking? How about trying my favorite – filet! No bones, no skin, just all good flesh that can be cooked any way you like.

I can taste it now! Don't know how, you say? It isn't hard but it does take practice. The easy to follow instructions are coming up next.

Tools

The first step is to gather all your tools. Also have a waist high table as a work surface. The tools you will need are a very sharp knife or an electric knife. The best knife to use is a filet knife. Since a filet knife is made just for this purpose, it helps to make the job easier.

You will also need a filet board, preferable one with a strong clamp to hold the trout's head firmly. If you can't find a board with a clamp, get a pair of gloves textured for gripping.

You will need a bucket or pan of salted water to put fresh trout filets in.

Tip: soaking the filets in slightly salted water overnight helps to remove some of the fishy taste, giving them a milder, more pleasant flavor.

The last thing you will need is a bucket to put the carcasses in after you cut off the filet.

Filet: the nitty-gritty

To begin the process of cutting off the filets, you need to secure the trout so it doesn't slip around. If using a board with a clamp, firmly clamp the trout's head to the board.

If using gloves, grip the trout's head firmly. Next, take your knife and cut beneath the gills to the backbone.

Now turn the knife and cut down the backbone but stop before you cut through the skin at the tail. All of this cutting will be between the ribcage and the flesh. You are basically cutting off the entire side of the trout. Next, flip the filet over with the skin side down.

Cut between the meat and the skin. The process is the same for the other side of the trout.

After you have cut both filets off of the trout, cut off any of the ribcage that may have been cut off with the filet.

This is about all you need to do as far as deboning trout when filleting them. It is okay to cut into the ribcage, but don't cut too deep and cut the guts. Remember, these fish have not been gutted!

Now that you know how to filet trout, you also know how to filet fish in general. It is the same no matter what kind of fish it is.

All the trout are now filleted and you are ready to cook them. So, how do you like them cooked, batter fried, baked, broiled or grilled? Personally, I like grilled best. If you are going to grill them, don't forget to invite me over. I'll bring the corn on the cob.

Mutually Beneficial Partnerships Require Unique Corporate Gifts

2011-09-03T06:32:00.002+02:00

A unique corporate gift like smoked sockeye salmon is well received for its' taste, and it is a classy gift too. Alaska smoked salmon is a gourmet gift that some people would not normally purchase for themselves. It is remarkably affordable and a healthy alternative to chocolate.

Encouraged people achieve the best; dominated people achieve second best; neglected people achieve the least. – Author Unknown

Very few businesses stand completely alone. Partnerships are developed that utilize individual business strength to enhance the overall effectiveness of each. A manufacturer might link with a distribution firm allowing both to benefit financially from the shared arrangement.

This may be one of the best reasons to consider a unique corporate gift that acknowledges and celebrates the mutually beneficial relationship. A smoked salmon gift box lets your business partner know that you recognize and value a partnership that has allowed the targeted growth your company needs. Such a unique corporate gift is a well received symbol of respect and honor.

Each smoked salmon gift box is crafted with a natural cherry finish and the utmost in craftsmanship. A salmon is artistically inlayed in the wood and the result is an executive gift that includes 8 ounces of the finest Smoked Copper River sockeye salmon fillets. Your business partners will long remember your generosity and good taste. Such a gift lets your partners understand something important about you and your business - you exercise great care in both integrity and respect.

You have partnerships with people on your management team, peripheral business partners, customers and other inner office staff. Your business can not maintain optimal function without these team members participating in assisting in the success of your company. Any of these partners can be considered potential recipients of a value priced smoked salmon gift box.

The following recipe using smoked salmon may be used as an added personal touch when presenting this unique corporate gift to clients, staff or partners.

Appetizer Salmon Dip

1/6 cup extra Virgin olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 cups heavy cream
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt (or salt substitute)
1 teaspoon course black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon hot chili sauce
8 oz. Smoked Salmon, chopped

Heat the oil in large saucepan. Sauté the garlic, onions, and green pepper for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Reduce heat, pour in cream and slowly bring to a simmer. Stir in the scallions, parsley, basil, thyme, and continue to simmer until the sauce has thickened and reduced by a quarter. Add the Salmon, and chili sauce and let cook for an additional 5 minutes. Then serve to your grateful guests.

Our smoked salmon gift boxes are packed without using preservatives and are fully ready to eat with a smoked flavor that will get noticed and remain a topic of conversation for time to come. It may, in fact, be the best received gift you have ever given.

Each individual you work with would love to have confirmation that their efforts are noticed and appreciated. Well timed and unique corporate gifts like smoked salmon may result in a renewed and energized workplace. You shouldn't be surprised if productivity rises due to improved morale.

Lima's Gastronomic Boom

2011-09-03T06:26:00.002+02:00

Although gastronomy has always been deeply rooted in Limeños' idiosyncrasy, the last few years have seen a huge leap in Lima's dining scene. Not only Peru's capital has become tapped with restaurants, both stylish and unpretentious, but many of them seem to be at full capacity all week long.

One possible explanation for the boom, besides obvious food quality, is international recognition. The Economist magazine, for example, reported in 2004 that Peru could "lay claim to one of the world's dozen or so great cuisines". Norman Van Aken, one of Florida's most gifted chefs, acknowledged that Peruvian cuisine was possibly the most enticing of those he had studied. And Patrick Martin, academic director of Le Cordon Blue, said that one of the reasons for having a branch of the school in Lima was the excellent quality of local cuisine.

"Better late than never", believe most Limeños, increasingly proud of the exceptionality of their gastronomic heritage. However, notwithstanding general contentment, they are still demanding and hard-to-please, and expect the best from their favourite restaurants and chefs. This, too, contributes to gastronomic excellence. Indeed Peruvian cuisine, though hardly noticed abroad until most recently, is one of the World's most varied and delicious.

Two aspects converge to give Peruvian cuisine an uniqueness that few other enjoy. The first is Peru's huge biodiversity. The country is home to 80 of the world's 104 different biological zones, which assures a remarkable assortment of fresh ingredients. Potatoes and hot peppers from the Andes, fish and seafood from the Pacific Ocean, mangoes and limes from the coastal valleys, bananas and manioc from the Amazon jungle: a chef's only problem is abundance of choice.

Second, Peruvian cuisine is the quintessence of cultural fusion. Ever since the first blending between Inca and Spanish traditions, local cooks have skilfully incorporated the flavours and techniques of the many immigrants that disembarked in Peru's ports, such as Italian and French. However, the strongest influences didn't arrive from Europe, but from Africa, China, and Japan.

Although the restaurant offer in Lima is most varied and covers a wide range of cuisines, Ceviche -diced raw fish marinated in lime juice and hot peppers- is surely number one on the list of dishes you must taste. There is at least one cevichería in every neighbourhood, so it won't be hard to find one. Our suggestion goes to superb Pescados Capitales, a lunch-only cevicheria in Miraflores.

A second must goes to Asian restaurants in Lima, both Chinese and Japanese, which, predictably, have a strong Peruvian influence. Chinese restaurants -known as Chifas-, can be counted by the hundreds. Usually down-to-earth neighbourhood eateries, these offer a fare rich in seafood and chicken. Japanese restaurants and sushi bars, on the contrary, are less widespread, and more upscale and expensive. Their forte is a year-round supply of the freshest and most variegated seafood, which is delightfully transformed into sushi, sashimi, and rolls. Our favourites are Wa Lok for Chinese, and Matsuei (where Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, Nobu's chef and owner, perfected his skills) for Japanese.

A last word for Lima's Criollo restaurants. Their cuisine is a vivid and tasty demonstration of the rich cultural fusion undergone by Peruvian gastronomy over the centuries. Besides the obvious Spanish and Andean fusion (a.k.a. Criollo), in their menus you'll discover much Africa (tacu-tacu and anticuchos), China (lomo saltado), and Japan (ceviches and tiraditos).

Bon appétit!

Nuts Recipes

2011-09-02T08:14:00.001+02:00

Since the earliest of time and even before agriculture was used by the Greeks to have better food resources, `Nuts' were a stable food and nutritional source in the diet of manhood in the dark ages.

During those times, nuts were plentiful, as there were much more forests as today, and well liked for their easy storage, which enabled people to keep them for times in which food was hard to find. (Winter, rainy season, etc).

There is evidence that as far back as the second century B.C., the Romans distributed sugar almonds on special occasions such as marriages and births.

Nuts have their place in all cultures and through almost all cuisine around the world. Nuts are liked by people of all ages for their subtle taste and high fat and carbohydrate content. It is this subtle taste that Chefs like when creating new dishes and variations.

DESCRIPTION & SPECIES

Under the category nuts, we understand anything from a seed to a legume or tuber. The peanut, as an example, is a legume, the Brazil nut and macadamia nut are seeds and almonds are the seed of a fruit similar to a peach.

Botanically nuts are single seeded fruits with a hard or leathery shell that contain a edible kernel, which is enclosed in a soft inner skin.

Generally, all nut trees grow slowly but live long. Trees of walnut, chestnut or pecan continue to produce nuts, often more than hundred years after planting.

Nut trees of any species are found all over the world. Almonds for example are found in California, Spain, Morocco, Italy and even Australia, where as the walnut can be found anywhere from North America to the Andes and Persia to Australia. Asia also has a great variety of nuts. Ginkgo nuts in China, candle nuts in Indonesia and Malaysia, coconut in throughout southern Asia, cashew nuts in India and Malaysia and the Philippines, chestnuts in China and Japan, and the water chestnut which is found in China, Japan, Korea and the East Indies.

SOME OF THE BETTER KNOWN NUTS :

ALMOND

Scientist consider the almond as a stone fruit, much like cherries, peaches and prunes.

Because most people only know the seed (stone) of this fruit, it is generally accepted as a nut.

Almond on the tree, look like small green peaches. When ripe the shell will open and reveal the nut in its shell.

There are various varieties of almonds.

The bitter almond is in fact the kernel of the apricot, which was found growing wild in China as far back as the late Tang Dynasty (AD 619-907).

This same apricot was taken to Europe and became the apricot fruit, which is now enjoyed all over the world. The bitter almond kernel is toxic in its raw state and must be boiled quickly and poached in a oven before being further used. It is primarily used in Chinese desserts like the almond bean curd.

The sweet almond is generally confined for fresh consumption. In 1986, California alone produced 70,000 tons of almonds, which is half of the world's production. The almond has been cultivated around the Mediterranean since ancient times and can still be found wild in Algeria and around the black sea. Sweet almonds can be bought whole, shelled, cut in 1/2 with skin, without skin, flaked, blanched, slivered ground roasted or salted. they are used for snacks, marzipan, confectionery, and desserts as well as for the production of liqueur essence, oil and cosmetic products.

BUNYA BUNYA PINE NUT

The bunya bunya tree is a member of the pine family and grows almost everywhere in Australia. Originally the trees originated in the area of Brisbane and Rockhampton in Queensland Australia. Only the female trees are producing a 2cm x 2.5cm nut in the pinecone.

In the old days, the bunya bunya pine nuts were stable food for the aborigines and also used in ceremonials. These days, the nuts gain in popularity through the trend of native food in Australia (bush food) in recent years.

The nut is rich is carbohydrate, similar to the chestnut, and therefore used more like a potato than a nut. the bunya bunya nuts can be eaten raw but are usually boiled for easy removing of the skin. Shelled nuts are then butter fried and flavored with pepper or sugar, or added to stews and soups.

RED BOPPLE NUT

The red bopple nuts are a relative of the macadamia nut, and native to the tropical rain forest of the East Coast of Australia.

The nut is about the same size as a hazelnut and has a thick (0.5cm 0 1cm), woody husk with a bright red outer skin, which only appears if the nut is fully ripe.

In contrary to most other nuts, the red bopple nut is very low on fat, but very high in calcium and potassium. the low fat content make this nut very easy digestible. The nuts are eaten raw or toasted.

COCONUT

"He who plants a coconut tree", the saying goes, "plants food and drink, vessels and clothing, a habitation for himself and a heritage for his children". Indeed every part of the coconut is used, but only the coconut milk and the coconut meat are foods.

The shell is used as charcoal, the husk is used to make ropes, clothing and brushes, and the trunk of the tree and leaves are used for roofs of houses and building material respectively.

The fruit of the palm `cocos nucifera' has an edible kernel and therefore qualifies as a nut. The palm tree is native to the Philippines, Malaysia, Brazil and Indonesia, and can produce 50 - 100 nuts a year, over a life span of 70 years. Coconut palms grow best close to the seaside but have been proven to withstand high altitude, although the production rate is diminishing as further away from the sea the tree grows.

The large thick green pod encloses a brown fibrous husk around a brown shell , which contains a layer of soft white flesh and the clear water in the center. Sub-species found only on one island of the Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean, produces a nut often weighing more than 20 kg, which needs 10 years to ripen.

Coconuts are the worlds most commercially used nuts. Especially the meat, or copra, as it is called after sun drying, is vital for the export industries, in coconut growing countries. The coconut is a important food source especially in South East Asia, India, Brazil and the South Pacific Islands.

The copra can be brought shredded or desiccated and is used in confectioneries, ice creams and to coat chicken or fish for frying. However much of it is pressed for its oil also called coconut butter as it is white and fatty at room temperature. Not only is it used for cooking and to make margarine, but it also goes into soaps, detergents, shampoos, face cream, perfumes and candles.

It is also a major ingredient in glycerin, synthetic rubber, safety glass and hydraulic brake fluid. Coconut juice or milk is the natural juice of the nut, but not the water inside the coconut. It is won by shredding the raw coconut meat, then adding water and straining the mixture through a cotton cloth. The coconut milk has then the consistency and color of skim milk and is available canned or frozen.

CANDLE NUT

The candle nut gets her name, from when threaded tightly on the midrib of a palm leaf it has been used a primitive candle. More recently, the nuts were grounded to a paste, mixed with copra (grated coconut meat) and ten formed into a candle.

Candlenuts are the seed of the candle berry tree native to Indonesia and Malaysia but widely spread throughout south East Asia, the South Pacific and Sri Lanka.

The nut has a very high content on fat and is valued for the extracted oil for lighting as well as cooking. The nut is colored gray to black, about 5cm in diameter, with a thin, papery husk containing one or two nuts.

Candlenut oil for lighting purposes is extracted by roasting the nuts when they are only half ripe as oil for cooking is extracted by roasting the nuts when they are fully ripe. For human consumption, the nuts have to be roasted as raw once have been causing sicknesses.

Ripe candle nuts are roasted, then pounded into a meal and mixed with salt, chilies or shrimp paste for usage in curries or as a spicy condiment to curries. Traditionally, the Javanese have roasted the nuts for eating in the whole.

PALM NUT

The palmyra palm native to most South East Asian Countries produces a hard, shiny nut, from which a sweetish sap or gel is extracted. While this sap is used in the Indonesian cuisine for soups and desserts, it is on other well known product that is begin produced out of the palmyra palm - The Palm Sugar (gula melacca).

There are not reliable data available on the nutritional value of the palm nut, but it is widely known that the fat is saturated.

MACADAMIA NUT

Native to Queensland and New South Wales in Australia, the macadamia nut takes its name from Dr John McAdam, a scientist and early promoter of the cultivation Australia.

The macadamia trees are evergreen and reach a height of up to 20 meters. The edible seed of the silk oat tree has a very hard, light brown shell, 2 - 3cm in diameter.

In 1888, macadamia trees have been planted in Hawaii where through careful cloning and hybridization, it became an important commercial product.

Today, macadamia nuts are also cultivated in South Africa, Zimbabwe, California and parts of South and Central America.

It is very difficult to crack the macadamia nut as it's shell is very hard and so tight to the kernel that when cracked the nut is smashed. In Hawaii, American scientist developed a way of separating the kernel from the shell by shrinking them in drying bins.

They then developed the first commercial cracker. It was through these two developments that the macadamia nut could be formed to the commercial importance it has today.

This is also the reason why macadamia nuts are only available already de-shelled. Macadamia nuts also are valued for their oil and the macadamia nut butter.

They are available roasted and salted. When buying macadamia nuts, give care that they are packed in a air tight or vacuum bags, as they become easily rancid once opened.

Macadamia nuts are used for confectioneries or as snacks, but also gain in popularity in the kitchen as they have a very mild and subtle taste and add texture to salads, and hot dishes. It's oil makes excellent vinaigrette and cold sauces.

WATER CHESTNUTS

The name refers to a nut like tuber of a aquatic plant called Trapa. The plants are common to several parts of the world, but are mainly used in Japan, China and Thailand where it is also a sought after ingredient in it's cuisines.

The trapa plant roots in ponds and lakes and sends, its' leaves to the surface, similar to a water lily. The water chestnut grows on the roots underneath the water surface. Water chestnuts are flat and round with a diameter of 5 - 7cm. They have a soft black skin and white flesh similar to the flesh of a coconut. Once peeled, they can be eaten raw, or dried and are a well liked ingredient because its crunchy texture, and sweet subtle taste. Water chestnuts are also boiled and made into flour, which is used for thickening of sauces and dishes, much like cornstarch.

CHESTNUT

Chestnuts are thought to have originated in Southern Europe and Persia even though they are also found in China, Japan and Northern America.

The nuts of the chestnut tree have a brown shiny color and leathery shell. they can be eaten raw, but mostly are consume boiled, baked or roasted or as a chestnut puree sweetened or unsweetened. They are also sold in syrup as marron glaces.

Chestnuts are the only nuts, which are treated like a vegetable because they contain more starch (30%) and less fat 3%.

Chestnuts are also made into a flour high on fiber and starch.

CASHEW NUT

Originating in the West Indies and native to the north of Brazil, Portuguese explorers introduced the nut to India and Malaysia as well as parts of Africa.

The hard-shelled nut grows inside the cashew apple. When mature the cashew nut appears at the end of the red or yellow apple. The cashew tree is a member of the poison ivy family and farmers must take great precautions when extracting the nuts. The hard shell contains an oil, which irritates the skin, so the nuts are heated to extract the kernel. The smoke and steam, which occurs however may still be harmful to skin and eyes. When heated the cashew nuts are harmless and may be extracted.

GINKGO NUT

The ginkgo is the prehistoric maidenhair tree, which survives as a wild tree only in China.

The fruit looks like a tiny plum but has a foul and bitter shell. the Chinese wait for the smelly hull to full off, then paint the nuts and use them for festive decorations, before they crack them open to eat the nut. In Japan and Korea, ginkgo nuts are skewered and then grilled, which turns the nuts color from yellow to green. In China, the ginkgo nut is a popular ingredient to vegetarian dishes. The nuts can be obtained fresh or canned.

HAZELNUT/FILBERTS

The nut of the hazel bush is native to Europe and North America and was mentioned in writings as far back as 2838 B.C., and was credited of currying many human ills as well as being considered excellent for Boldness and use as a hair tonic. Some say that the name filbert comes from Saint Philibert, a French abbot whose feast day on 22 August coincides with the ripening of the first nuts in the Northern hemisphere.

Hazelnuts have a very hard shell, which has to be cracked by a nutcracker before getting to the kernel. Hazelnuts are available, raw, blanched, or toasted, chopped, ground, cooking as well as hazelnut liquor.

PEANUT

The peanut is not a true nut. It is the seed of a leguminous plant with a soft, brownish colored brittle shell and belong to the Botanical family of beans and peas. But they are usually considered along with the nuts because of they're physical characteristics and nutritional value. The nuts grow on the long roots of the plant and below the ground. The peanut is native to Brazil and has been found there ever since the first recording in 950 B.C..

Today, peanuts are cultivated throughout the tropics all over the world (India, China, West Africa, Australia and the USA are the largest peanut growing countries). Peanuts produce excellent oil, which is used for salads and cold dishes as well as for frying. Peanuts also produce peanut butter, margarine, and also used in canning of sardines. Peanuts are available whole, de-shelled and de-skinned and raw or toasted. Peanuts are used in all different varieties in everything from salads to main courses and desserts.

PINENUT

These are the edible seed of the pine tree and grow in the cone. Pine trees are found in the Southern USA, Mexico and around the Mediterranean sea.

It is very difficult to establish a pinenut industry as the trees are growing very slow and don't carry a lot of fruits until they're 75 years old.

Pine nuts are mostly obtained raw and then toasted, fried or grilled. Pine nut oil is used for the cosmetic industry. Pine nut flour is used in confectionery.

PISTACHIO NUT

The pistachio nut is a small green kernel, which grows on the pistachio tree originating in Syria, Palestine and Persia.

The natural color of the shell is grayish white, but some times the nuts are dyed red to cover up some of the staining.

The pistachio nut is now cultivated in India, Europe, North Africa, Mexico, the USA and the Far East. Pistachios are usually sold in their shell or shelled and blanched.

The greenish seed is used as flavoring in cooking, candies and ice cream.

WALNUT

The walnut is related to the hickory and pecan tree and grows anywhere from North America to the Andes and Europe to China. English walnuts, butternuts and hickory nuts are all walnuts, botanical speaking.

All those walnuts have different shells and kernels but the English walnut with it's rough, rippled shell and yellow brown kernel is the most popular and popularly referred to as `The Walnut'.

Walnuts are bought in the shell or de-shelled and are sought after for their oil, which is used for cooking as well as for salads and dressing.

OTHER COMMONLY USED NUTS INCLUDE :

Macadamia Nuts )
Bunya Bunya Pine Nuts ) Australia
Red Bobble Nut )

Candle Nut ) Malaysia
Palm Nut ) Philippines, Brazil

Coconut ) Indonesia,China
Water Chestnut )

Brazil Nuts ) South America

Beech Nuts ) USA
Pecan Nuts ) North America

NUTRITIONAL VALUE AND INFORMATION

Nuts are rich in fat (40-60%) and dietary fiber (5-15%) with moderate amount of protein (2-25%) and small amounts of starch (up to 10%). As mentioned above chestnuts are an exemption to this general rule.

The fats in nuts are mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated and contain no cholesterol as nuts are harvested from plants. Only the coconut and palm nut contain saturated fats.

Significant amounts of minerals can be found in nuts, including zinc, calcium, iron, phosphorus and magnesium.

They also contain some provitamins and vitamins like thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin E & C.

Nuts contain very little natural sodium and have a high amount of potassium, which in this constellation is recommended for the control of blood pressure.

Unfortunately nuts are often sold salted as snacks, which upsets this natural balance, and by a over consummation of salted nuts people take in a lot of fat and salt.

Nuts are also a great source of energy and often used in diets for athletes.

Used in moderate amounts, nuts in unsalted forms are nutritionally valuable food.

USAGE OF NUTS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL CHEF

One does not know where to start where to compile information about the usage of nuts and nut related product in today's hospitality. In the kitchens, there is no limit on the amount of dishes and creations a Chef can use nuts or nut products for.

From appetizers to salads, soups and desserts, with cheese, fish, pasta, meats and vegetables, nuts are very versatile and do not have a over powering flavor, and its subtle taste and crunchy texture adopt early to almost all given products as a supplement.

Nut oils are also widely used for dressings, frying and flavoring of hot and cold dishes.

Nut liqueurs can be a welcome supplement to savory sauces as well as pastry sauces and creams, marzipan and other nut pastes are often used to produced chocolates and confectionery items.

In the Indian cuisine, a cashew nut paste is often used for the thickening of curries and sauces. Through the wide spread of different nuts around the world, nuts are used in almost all cuisines known and its nutritional value make it an asset to so many diets since the ancient days.

In the beverage outlets, nuts are used in form of lacquers (Hazelnut, Almond) and liquid (coconut Milk), and as snacks served with drinks (Salted Nuts)

British Cuisine

2011-09-02T08:10:00.000+02:00

British cuisine has always suffered from bad press.

The simple homespun fare and plain preparation of most traditional British foods pales when compared to French haute cuisine, and it's not uncommon for food critics to sound almost apologetic when writing about traditional British dishes as if there were something shameful in enjoying a good, thick joint of beef with an accompaniment of Yorkshire pudding.

If they speak in glowing terms of anything at all, it is a nod to the clever naming of British foods, where dishes like bubble and squeak and spotted dick appear on restaurant menus.

And yet, for all the snickering and apologetic references, British cuisine at its best is hearty, delicious, simple fare on which to fuel the nation that influenced the entire world.

There is no other nation in the world that does a roast of beef to such perfection, nor any better accompaniment to the succulent meat than a puffed, piping hot Yorkshire pudding prepared in its drippings, and few cuisines have a dessert that can compare with the pure heaven that is a well made trifle or treacle tart.

British cuisine is a blending of the practical with the nutritious.

If it is, as some say, unimaginative, that may be because the food itself needs little imagination to fancy it up and make it palatable.

It is certainly not because the British mind lacks imagination when it comes to food – the common names for everyday meals sometimes require a translator just so you'll know what's on your plate.

A walk through a restaurant take-away menu offers such dishes as 'mushy peas', steak and kidney pie, fish and chips and bangers and mash.

There are well-known British dishes for eating at each meal. Some of the most popular include

Breakfast:
A full English country breakfast includes meat, eggs, pancakes or toast and side dishes like hash and bangers and mash.

It's hearty fare, the sort that is set on the table for dinner in most other cultures. It often includes leftovers from last night's dinner, diced and fried together with seasonings and butter, sometimes called country hash.

Tea:
The tradition of mid-afternoon tea is one that's been observed by the British for centuries. Among the most common dishes served at mid-afternoon tea are finger-foods like crumpets with jam and clotted cream, dainty watercress sandwiches and scones with raisins or dried fruits.

Sunday Dinner:
The Sunday dinner has a long tradition as being a family occasion – the one meal of the week at which all family members gathered. A roast joint of meat – beef, lamb, pork or chicken – is nearly a requirement, and it is served with a potato and vegetable, and very often accompanied by Yorkshire pudding.

Puddings and custards feature prominently in British cuisine. Baked, boiled or steamed, puddings are usually made with suet and breading, and studded with dried fruits and nuts.

One of the most popular and delightful British desserts is the trifle, and there are nearly as many variations as there are cooks.

The base is a sponge cake, often left over from another meal. Soaked in Madeira or port, it is layered in a dish with custard, jam, fruits and Jell-O and topped with whipped cream.

The end result is a delicious mélange that is features all that is good about British cookery – plain, practical cooking that is meant to fill the belly and satisfy the taste buds.

A Simple Balsamic Recipe Will Do

2011-09-02T07:44:00.004+02:00

A balsamic vinaigrette dressing is not some closely guarded secret made mysterious by a celebrity or gourmet chef. A good tasting vinaigrette is easy to make, and healthy for you.

Oil and vinegar salad dressings or vinaigrette recipes can be made by those of us who have not attended the culinary institute.

Times have sure changed since Seven Sea's Italian Dressing and Wishbone's Green Goddess sat on every store shelf as salad dressing staples.

Remember when we thought "Original Ranch" was a vast improvement for our salad dressing repertoire, and store bought bacon bits were a hit?

Then packaged spring mixed greens became available, and pine nuts were considered healthy and… just a moment; you still buy bottled salad dressings?

Our quest for "lighter fare" and "healthy greens" in our diet, has led us down a daunting path, searching for that elusive 'healthy salad dressing.' Low carbs, low cholesterol, and "healthy for all that ails you," has become a must. So what is it, that we should, (or better yet) 'are allowed' to put on top of our salad that's good for you?

Today we walk down the salad dressing aisle in a gourmet food store and behold the gourmet condiments from floor to eye level. Organic spreads, sauces, and accoutrements. Wine vinegars, infused oils, and herb flavored vinaigrettes. Some endorsed by celebrities.

Some seen on TV. Some made by celebrities, (yeah, right). Some made on a distant island, in some strange sounding place. (We move on a step further.) We shake our head at Modena consortium, imported Spanish, and California Napa Balsamic vinegars. A huge question mark appears over our heads as we gaze at Aceto, Traditionale, aged, and Special Blends.

We mutter, "What hath God Wrought?" Inventor, Alexander Graham Bell, couldn't have verbalized our incredulous thoughts more accurately.

A simple oil and vinegar salad dressing, why is the degree of difficulty exponential? It needn't be. A simple vinaigrette dressing recipe can be made easily, from simple ingredients, be healthy for you, and actually taste great.

The key ingredients in a vinaigrette dressing, is a traditionale aged balsamic vinegar, and an excellent olive oil. You don't have to spend a fortune for the balsamic either.

Two very good balsamic vinegars that are very reasonably priced, are Caroliva Reserve balsamic and Masserie di Sant'Eramo balsamic. (Those other vinegars that are under $8, …don't bother).

Your balsamic vinaigrette dressing will go great with other dishes besides a salad, too. A balsamic vinaigrette is outstanding with fresh lobster and scallops, artichokes and asparagus. A balsamic dressing also goes well with fresh sliced tomatoes or steamed vegetables and greens.

A balsamic dressing recipe can be altered to your individual taste. The normal proportions for a balsamic vinaigrette dressing are one part balsamic vinegar to three parts olive oil, with seasoning of salt, pepper and Dijon mustard. A rule of thumb is one teaspoonful of mustard for every half cup of salad dressing.

The flavor of balsamic vinegar is rich and intense, and with a delicate olive oil you may want to use proportions of one part vinegar to four or five of olive oil.

Other herbs and spices will enhance a balsamic vinaigrette, such as chives and sage. Even a bit of finely grated fresh ginger root will add zest to your dressing. It is all a question of how you want your finished dressing to taste.

Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe (that you can make yourself)

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed through a garlic press
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Use a blender to mix the ingredients. It will produce a thicker vinaigrette dressing. One serving will equal 2 to 3 tablespoons of dressing. One cup should easily be enough for 6 to 8 servings of mixed green salad. Refrigerate and store in a covered container. Whisk well before serving.

Dine in Style Every Day With a Few Simple Steps

2011-09-02T07:41:00.001+02:00

In Italy, stylish dining has long been embraced as a relaxing way to unwind after a busy day. So before you order takeout and eat in front of the television, take a cue from the Italians and make each meal a treat.

Whether dining alone, with family or with your closest friends, turn an otherwise hurried meal into a chic expression of style with these tips from Ecco Domani Italian wines.

* Determine the décor. Whether you are dining at the kitchen table or in a more formal setting, it's easy to add some pizzazz to your surroundings. Candles cast a warm glow once the sun goes down. Strands of small lights also enhance the mood; string them around the room or even bunch them in a Mason jar for a funky tabletop display.

* Master the art of mood music. Mellow jazz will help take the edge off a long day, and classical music can help lift your mood. Consider tailoring the music around the type of cuisine you are serving. For an Italian meal, for instance, play an assortment of Italian opera.

If you're dining with family or friends, get them involved by inviting them to bring their favorite CDs. Set your disc player to shuffle so that everyone's music selection gets played during the meal.

* Create a stylish menu. To help you unwind, it's best to keep your meal simple. Luckily, delicious meals are a snap to make with fresh, easy-to-prepare foods. And you can add flair to any basic dish with just a few additions.

For an Italian meal, a tomato, basil and mozzarella salad is always a crowd-pleaser. Drizzle chicken and fish with olive oil and lemon for a fresh, light flavor. And dust colorful veggies with Italian seasonings to bring out their natural flavors.

Whatever your menu, be sure to select a delicious wine to accompany the meal. Ecco Domani 2003 Pinot Grigio is a perfect wine for everyday dining because of its crisp, fresh flavor, which pairs perfectly with today's light cuisine.

It is easy to infuse any setting with glamour by adding a few small touches. In the end, nothing says style like taking the time to make each meal special

Easy Asian Recipes

2011-08-26T07:58:00.000+02:00

3 Easy Asian Recipes
Shamu Datsi
(Bhutanese chili cheese and mushroom dish)
Shamu Datsi Ingredients

What you will need:

1 lb of Shitake Mushrooms, or (Large Oyster Mushrooms, Chanterelle Mushrooms)
2 cups of water
2-3 slices of Kraft Singles, or even better is Amul Cheese which can be found at Indian Markets
2 oz. of mild cheddar cheese cut into chunks
2 red or green Jalapeno Chillies, sliced thin (julienne)
1/2 yellow onion, sliced thin (julienne)
4 cloves of fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon of fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of butter
1/2 teaspoon of salt
To Prepare:

Wash and chop off the ends of the mushrooms, then pull the mushroom apart into halves or quarters depending on what size mushrooms you choose.

Combine all ingredients except for the cheese and chillies in a pint size sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until the mushrooms are fully cooked, 15-20min. Add the chillies and cheese.

Do not stir the cheese in, just let it melt, and then stir a little and you're done.

Serve over Jasmine or brown rice.

Korean Barbeque~ Bulgogi
What you will need:
1 1/2 lbs rib eye steak or any other kind of Beef~Ask the butcher to slice it paper thin
2 carrots julienne
Green, Yellow, Red Bell peppers (3) Wide Sliced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons of fresh ginger root, finely chopped
Tablespoon of vegetable oil or butter
1/2 Yellow Onion, Sliced thin

Sauce: Annie Chun's Korean Barbeque Sauce, in the Asian section of sauces at Whole Foods Market
To prepare:

Marinate the meat for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight in the Korean Barbeque Sauce, ginger and garlic. In a large frying pan, fry the onion in oil or butter until the onions are a light brown. Then add the meat, cook over med/high heat until the meat is fully cooked, 15-20min. Then stir in the peppers and cook for another 5-7min. Server over Jasmine rice, or brown rice.

Quick and Easy Egg Drop Soup
Egg Drop Soup Ingredients

What you will need:

1 packet of Chinese Style ~Egg Flower Soup Mix~Hot and Sour
2.5 cups of water
1 bunch of bok choy
1 egg
1/2 packet of frozen pre-fried fish cakes
1 teaspoon of Soy Sauce (optional)

To prepare:

Add all the contents of the soup mix packet to 2.5 cups of water and the fish cakes. After 5 minutes, gradually add one well-beaten egg and then add the chopped bok choy and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve Hot!

Clea Westphal, is a mom, nurse, wife, adventurer, writer, waitress, baby day care director..to name a few..through the years I've learned a few tricks I'd like to share with todays parents, things I don't seem to find in Parents Magazine.

Hence, the article. I do hope you'll visit my blog and there's a copy of a free PDF, Zodiac Zoo which is a children's book about chinese astrology. http://babyboulder.com/ Hope you are happy and healthy. Clea

Is it the Pizza Dough Recipe Or is it You?

2011-08-26T07:56:00.000+02:00

What could possibly be in those restaurant-made pizza you stuff your face with regularly that makes you want to call for home delivery all the time? Everyone loves pizza.

From the very young to the very old, pizza is an all-time favorite. It's a tasty treat, an inevitable part of the weekly diet. And because pizza is so well-loved, it is not surprising that at least one member of every household knows how to make homemade pizza. In fact, your mom probably has her very own pizza dough recipes, too.

Wouldn't it be so much better, though, if you could make pizza that tastes just like the ones sold in restaurants right in your kitchen? Imagine these: a crispy crust, mozzarella that oozes with juicy goodness, and a hodgepodge of ingredients that leave your mouth watering.

What's even better is that you can smell all these while they are being baked to perfection right at home. There is only one thing wrong with this idyllic picture, though.

Why is it that homemade pizza never tastes as good as the ones that you buy? Could it be your favorite pizza stops' pizza dough recipes?

If you have been trying to make the perfect pizza for the longest time with little or no success, then you are probably thinking the problem is not the pizza dough recipes you try - it's you. This is not true. Anyone can make great-tasting pizza. The key is how you make the dough in the pizza dough recipes you have chosen to follow.

Why not improve your pizza-making skills by reading pizza expert Beverly Collins' 'Secrets from Inside the Pizzeria'? This amazing 71-page ebook literally walks you through the pizza-making process.

The guide comes with a demo DVD so if you are not too keen on reading, then you can simply watch Bev show you the techniques she shared in her book. With Bev to guide you in the kitchen, you can make great-tasting pizza anytime, anywhere.

Katie S. Harper is a cooking expert, a restaurant critic, and a director of DeliciousRecipesOnline.Com [http://deliciousrecipesonline.com/].

Copycat Restaurant Recipes For Beginner Cooks

2011-08-26T06:51:00.000+02:00

Copycat recipes are something that a lot of people are curious about. Is it really possible to copy that delicious fried chicken recipe that you get in your favorite restaurant?

The truth about restaurant copycat recipes is that they can be difficult to find unless you know where to look.

This is mainly because the restaurants do not want you knowing how to recreate that succulent fried chicken at home, else everyone would make it at home instead of going to the restaurants and the restaurant profit margins would fall.

The restaurants make out that their recipes are top secret, complicated and packed with hard-to-find ingredients. Actually the truth is very different. A lot of copycat restaurant recipes are extremely easy to make and do not require much cooking know-how or even many different ingredients. Of course they do not want you to know that!

The Best Copycat Recipes

As well as a restaurant fried chicken recipe, what else could you make? There are copycat recipes for many different dishes and that includes appetizers and desserts as well as beverages and entrees.

The best copycat recipes depend on your personal preferences. Would you rather know how to make juicy fried chicken or a famous French onion soup recipe? Do you want to know how to make a fast food chain style thick shake or a famous pie recipe?

Finding an Easy Recipe for Fried Chicken

If you are new to cooking it goes without saying that easy recipes are what you are looking for. Complicated recipes and beginner cooks do not really mix, which is why it is good that a lot of copycat restaurant recipes are simple to follow. Busy restaurant chefs prefer to make easy recipes than difficult ones, especially if the restaurant is busy and they have a hundred people to feed.

The best copycat restaurant recipes are those which combine ease of preparation with available ingredients and a successful result. One of the best copycat restaurant recipes has to be a fried chicken recipe.

There are lots of different recipes for this type of chicken and every restaurant and fast food chain offering it claims that theirs is the best. If you are a chicken fan you will know which type of fried chicken makes your mouth water more than other varieties of this dish.

If you like KFC style of chicken, for example, you can search for a KFC copycat chicken recipe. If you like another type of fried chicken recipes, search for that one instead.

It is possible to find all the best copycat restaurant recipes online and a lot of them are identical to the originals, or so close that they are almost identical in flavor and texture.

Not everyone knows how or where to find these wonderful recipes however which is why it is handy to find a great website containing all these secret restaurant recipes and more.

If you want to make the most mouthwatering and delicious fried chicken recipe, you probably already have a good idea in your mind of the exact taste and texture you want.

This is why using copycat restaurant recipes to make this delicious dish is such a good idea.

Rather than having to go to an expensive restaurant to satisfy your fried chicken craving, you can make the exact same tasty chicken recipe in the comfort of your own home, which saves you time as well as money.

SouthernFriedChickenRecipe.com When it has to be Real Fried Chicken

How to Invent Recipes Yourself

2011-08-26T06:32:00.000+02:00

Perhaps you think that creating your own recipes and using a recipe search engine do not go together but you might find a recipe search helpful if you want to make recipes up. Most ingredients which taste good together are already combined in other recipes.

You can do a recipe search by cuisine, by ingredient or by course. Perhaps you want inspiration for Indian recipes, Italian recipes, pasta recipes, salad recipes, or appetizers. The beauty of using a recipe search is that you can choose exactly the kind of meal you want to use as your inspiration.

How to Adapt a Recipe

If you are capable of following a recipe, you are capable of creating your own. The best way to start off is by tinkering with an easy recipe that you know you like.

You might have a favorite meat or fish dish. How would that dish taste if you added some Thai spices or served it with pasta and sauce instead of with the baked potatoes or rice you normally use?

You can combine your favorite parts of different recipes to make one new one.

For example, if you have a favorite recipe for grilled chicken and a winning white wine sauce recipe, you can use a recipe search to find the perfect vegetable side dish to complete this meal.

Of course, a recipe search engine is not capable of creating brand new recipes itself but you can adapt recipes you find and make them your own.

Tips for Creating Recipes

Do not expect every creation to be amazing. It can happen that you use a flavor in a recipe and find that it just does not work out. If that should happen, just chalk it up to experience and try a new approach the next time.

Rather than create a new spice blend and rub it over a whole chicken, why not make a new spicy sauce and cook the chicken separately.

That way, if the spice blend comes out wrong, you have not ruined an entire chicken.
The only things required for inventing recipes yourself is a creative streak and a bit of bravery. You do not need to be a gourmet chef or have extensive food knowledge.

Start simply, rather than attempting to create an elaborate meal from scratch. This might mean you change the kind of cheese in a recipe and a few of the vegetables. It might mean you use Chinese spices in a fish dish instead of the Italian spices in the recipe.

Perhaps you have tried this already. Perhaps you have been partway through a recipe before and suddenly realized you do not have one of the ingredients. Maybe you substituted the ingredient with something you did have. This is a kind of recipe creation because your meal was original and different from the recipe.

Using a recipe search engine is the best way to get started because you can explore different kinds of recipes and do a recipe search by ingredient if you have an idea of what you want to use.
Copyright (c) 2009 Christine Szalay Kudra

Top 5 Healthy Simple Chicken Recipes That You've Never Heard of Before

2011-08-26T06:25:00.000+02:00

Chicken recipes are easy and perfect for any occasion. Sometimes though, chicken can be bland. Mix up your simple chicken recipes with these easy chicken recipes that you've never heard of before. Chicken dishes don't have to be blah.

The phrase "tastes like chicken" will take on a whole new meaning with these simple chicken recipes. Instead of making the same old chicken recipes, mix it up with these unusual, funky recipes.

Chances are, you've never had the flavor combinations in these recipes. From sweet and spicy to tangy and crunchy, these easy chicken recipes up the flavor ante.

Chicken does not have to be bland and boring. Best of all, these five recipes are good for you too. These simple recipes are the best ways to cook boneless skinless chicken breast.

Best Ways To Cook Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast:

Guatemalan Chicken Mole - Everybody loves chocolate, but how many of those chocoholics eat it with chicken? Mole is a traditional savory sauce made out of chocolate. Dark chocolate is a great source of cancer-fighting antioxidants.

Between the chicken and the pumpkin seeds, this recipe for boneless chicken has plenty of protein. With red pepper flakes and two different types of chilies, this chicken dish packs a spicy punch. Try something new for dinner tonight and combine chicken with chocolate with this recipe.

Lemon Yogurt Chicken - This recipe for boneless chicken is originally from Afghanistan, a country not typically known for its cuisine. The bright lemon citrus flavor and the creamy yogurt make this chicken dish a lot lighter than traditional American chicken recipes.

Plus, the recipe requires whole garlic cloves mashed to a pulp, an instruction not found in the typical chicken recipe. This Middle Eastern recipe is one of the best ways to cook boneless skinless chicken breast.

Healthy Chicken Jerky - Walk into any grocery store or gas station and you're bound to see a bag of beef jerky somewhere. The concept of jerky, smoked meat, is common with beef but not with chicken. expand your jerky horizons with this recipe for boneless chicken. Make chicken a snacking favorite with this recipe. Lean and tasty, healthy chicken jerky is a snack all can get behind.

Avocado Chicken - The avocado is relatively common, seen in almost any supermarket. However, the only dish the avocado ever gets used for is guacamole.

The avocado never gets used in cooking, which makes this recipe one of the more unique simple chicken recipes. Easy chicken recipes that combine a multitude of textures are great. Combine crunchy almonds with smooth avocado to get a recipe for boneless chicken full of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

Crispy Baked Chicken - This recipe for boneless chicken is so unique because it replicates the flavor of fried chicken using an oven, a healthier version of fried chicken.

Classic chicken recipes like fried chicken are delicious but full of calories. This unique chicken dish replicates the fried flavor in the oven for a healthier version.

Turkish Delight (Lokum)

2011-08-26T05:50:00.000+02:00

Turkish Delight, and in turkish lokum, is a confection made from starch and sugar. It is often flavored with rosewater or lemon, or sometimes with lemon salt (citrate) the former giving it a characteristic pale pink or wyellow color. It has a soft, sticky consistency, and is often packaged and eaten in small cubes that are dusted with sugar to prevent sticking. Some recipes include small nut and peanut pieces, usually pistachio, hazelnut or walnuts.

Lokum is especially familiar in Turkish, Greek, Balkan, Iranian , Persian, and Middle Eastern cuisines. But most populer in Turkey like turkish bath and It is also popular in Romania, where it is known as rahat, being taken from Turkey during the Ottoman Empire's rule.

In the U.S.A , lokum is not especially common, although there are exceptions. One major commercial producer in the Northwestern U.S. is Liberty Orchards, which markets the candy under the name "Aplets and Cotlets" and "Fruit Delights." It is also the basic foundation of the Big Turkish chocolate bar.

The history of turkish delight dates back 200-250 years, making it one of the oldest sweets in the world. it is a Turksih legend. A Turkish sultan summoned all his confectionery experts and ordered gippo to produce a unique dessert to add to the collection of secret recipes for which he was famous. As a result of extensive research lokum was born.

During the reign of Sultan 1.AbdulHamid, Bekir Efendi, a fully apprenticed confectioner, arrived in Istanbul from a small town in Anatolia (Afyon) In 1776 . Bekir set up in a little shop in the center of the city, and quickly won fame and fortune among a people with such a sweet tooth as the Turks. Fashionable ladies began giving Turkish Delight to their friends in special lace handkerchiefs. These were also used as acts of courting between couples, as documented by traditional Turkish love songs of that era.

This Taste was unveiled to the west in the 19. century. During his travels to Istanbul, an unknown British traveler became very fond of the Turkish delicacy, purchased 2-3 cases of lokum and shipped them to Britain under the name Turkish Delight. Picasso used to eat Turkish Delight on a daily basis for concentration on his work while Winston Churchill and Napoleon's favorite Turkish Delight was with pistachio filling.

Recipe:

2 glass sugar
1/2 glass cornstarch
1 1/2 glass water
1/2 ts cream of tartar
2 tb rosewater OR one of the following to taste:
1/2 ts rose food flavoring
1/4 c fruit juice
1 tb vanilla extract
1 tb orange extract
1 tb Crème de menthe liqueur
Food coloring (optional)
1/2 glass chopped toasted pistachios
1 glass = 250 ml