Food And Drink - Recipes

These Is What Monte Carlo Sandwiches Are Made Of

2008-08-09T02:26:00.000-07:00

These Is What Monte Carlo Sandwiches Are Made Of

The Monte Carlo Sandwiches is adapted from the French version menu item known as Croque Monsieur. It is made from ordinary ham and cheese. The Croque Monsieur is supposed to be the earliest version of the Monte Carlo Sandwiches. The ingredients of the French dish are cheese, thinly coked ham and white bread. The sandwich is then fried in butter. The first Monte Carlo Sandwiches was experimented in the year 1966 and was first seen on a menu at a restaurant in New Orleans, Disneyland. The recipe very quickly spread to the other parts of the continent and later to the entire world.

Heavy ingredients are used in making of these sandwiches so that they sustain the deep frying and still maintaining the flavor. The first and the most important ingredient is the bread. Either white or brown bread can be selected for preparation of the sandwiches. Turkey sliced and gently cooked or hams are the traditional meats that can be used. Then Swiss cheese or American cheese slices can be put over the meat slices. And as a cherry on a cake, mustard sauce or garlic mayonnaise is spread on the top. The sandwich is sealed with the help of another bread slice.

This sandwich needs to be cooked. For that purpose a batter needs to be made. The ingredients of the batter are flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix these ingredients very well. Add a large beaten egg to this mixture and mix well to avoid lumps. Water is added to that the mixture gets a proper and a required consistency.

Place the prepared sandwich in the batter and spread the batter on one side. Repeat the procedure for the second side. Hold the sandwich vertical so that extra batter drips off the sandwich. Immediately place the sandwich in the frying pan or a frying basket and gently place it in the heated oil. The sandwich must be fried for about 4 to 5 minutes until it is golden brown in color. Set the sandwich on a rack to cool. This also serves another purpose of dripping ff the excess oil. Dry the sandwich with a paper towel.

The sandwich is now ready. A bit of garnishing needs to be done. Generous amount of powdered sugar may be dusted. The sandwich is rolled over the sugar gently. Raspberry, strawberry or blueberry jams may be served on the side of the sandwich. This enhances the taste of the sandwich. Sometimes the frying step may be skipped and the battered covered sandwich is just placed on a frying pan and fried until golden brown. This process is known as shallow frying.

The sandwich has a lot of hearty and fatty ingredients and hence is a best and the perfect dish during the winter seasons. They have a lot of meat, butter, mayonnaise which help fight the cold. Hence in many of the northern countries such a North America, Canada, Russia, this sandwich is famous and is a delight to eat.

About the author:
Muna wa Wanjiru Has Been Researching and Reporting on Sandwiches For Years. For More Information on Monte Carlo Sandwiches, Visit His Site at MONTE CARLO SANDWICHES I Will Also Highly Appreciate Your Views On Monte Carlo Sandwiches At My Blog here Monte Carlo Sandwiches

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Wedding Cakes - Types of wedding cake

2008-08-09T02:25:00.000-07:00

Wedding Cakes - Types of wedding cake

Most of the couples would just have a fair and normal wedding with some nice wedding apparels and a classic wedding cake and all is very cute and beautiful, but again, this has to be done in a very unique way i.e. nice and normal. However, you may come across the people, nevertheless, those are a little different but unique, and they select to show their uniqueness in the form of something special in their weddings.

The history of the wedding cake

Over the times, a lot of things change and revolution came with no field being exception including the wedding cakes. Tradition will have to allow ways to the new traditions and fashions and styles. Incidentally, the wedding cake tradition has also been impressed by the changes in times and hence, nowadays, wedding cake, not being only restricted to vanilla flavor, comes in numerous flavors and colors with whatever the shape you demand and wish!

Wedding cake – types that can attract anyone

If anyone truly wants the wedding cake to label as something different, and really wants to have something at the wedding that the guests got to talk about the same for the years to come, they should consider some of the stupefying wedding cakes for inspiration.

Think different, see that one couple has had some square wedding cake that got two swans swimming in a pond on top of cake and everything was made out of ices. It was indeed a very detailed cake, with ribbons and flowers adding beauty as well. Nevertheless, this was only one layered, so some people might not desire for a cake like that!

One might have noticed some very alone “box” type wedding cakes. However, it is not meant that such cake was just shaped like a box; one of such wedding cakes would be a three layered cake, and each of those layers would be decorated like some different and completed with bows. Another cake that could be shaped and detailed decorated as an open hat box that has some flowers spilling out of the cake.

The cake had got to be one of the most, if not the most alone wedding cake in the history of anyone’s wedding cake in the world till date! One of the most varieties of wedding cakes that are observed is a Chinese wedding cake. It could be a three layered reddish cake that can be decorated with the most intricate details and flowers. Another strange wedding cake could be a Phantom of the Opera cake for wedding! This just got a single layer, and it could be white, black and reddish with the whitish mask settled on top of black icings, and a reddish icing “cloth” draping over it.

About the author:
Read about Fitness Training, Muscle Training. Also Read about Aloevera Juice and Green Tea

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Easy Soup Recipes With Great Ingredients

2008-08-09T02:24:00.000-07:00

Easy Soup Recipes With Great Ingredients

Nowadays, food and recipes is not as it once were. Get some good tips on easy soup recipes, most people will find it educating. Throughout the world, there is a tradition for making soup. It is a particular favorite in cold climate countries. There is nothing more welcoming on a winter's day than a bowl of nourishing soup. Easy soup recipes are plentiful and contain inexpensive ingredients. They can be quick to make and result in a tasty starter to any meal. They can also be used to make a meal in itself. A bowl of soup with crusty bread and cheese can be a filling lunch. Soup is also traditionally served to people convalescing from an illness and it's a great way of using up leftover food. It's fun to adapt recipes and you don't have to follow them to the letter. You can substitute ingredients when preferred. Meat eaters, vegetarians, vegans and fish lovers can all appreciate the value of soup. It's easy to boil some stock from a chicken carcass or to chop up some root vegetables and herbs. The soup will be even tastier if the ingredients are as fresh as possible. Different regions have their signature dishes and one of the most well known classic soups is French Onion Soup. The secret to this easy soup recipe is to cook the onions over a slow heat. Other ingredients include tomato puree and white wine. Some people like to eat it with slices of toast, spread with Gruyere cheese.

For the rest of this article, we will discuss the meaning behind what we have learned about this subject so far. Chicken Soup is another perennial favorite and many people believe that it has restorative powers. Remove the legs from a chicken or buy legs from the supermarket, carefully remove the skin and shred the meat. Prepare garlic, carrots and celery and break up small bits of a Ciabatta loaf to thicken the soup and give it a good texture. Sausage and Bean Soup is a hearty and easy soup recipe and full of strong flavors. Borlotti Beans complement the sausage and other ingredients include shallots, carrots, savoy cabbage and red wine. Flavor with a bay leaf but don't forget to remove it before serving! Non-meat soups are just as tasty. Vegetable soup can be made with root vegetables, such as carrots, swede and parsnips. To add a bit of heat, include curry paste in the preparation and garnish with crushed coriander seeds. Easy soup recipes can also include Leek and Potato, a cheap soup with leeks, potatoes and chicken or vegetable stock. Single cream and grated nutmeg makes it a bit special. Fish soup is also a tasty idea and lots of different fish, some more expensive than others, can be used. There are recipes for skate, cod, hake, sea bass, and monkfish. Other recipes call for lobster, clams, mussels, crab or shrimp. If you want to gain more information about easy soup recipes, ask your family for advice on the topic, or do a simple Internet search to gain the information you are looking for.

About the author:
The author of this article Johnny aka Gnubas is the owner of Easyrecipes4free.com, which gives you detailed advice about Delicious Filet Mignon and Food Recipes.

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Treat yourself with great sweets like a Cadbury crunchie

2008-08-09T02:14:00.000-07:00

Treat yourself with great sweets like a Cadbury crunchie.

Are you suffering from a sweet tooth? Don’t fight it. After all, it’s not really a crime to give in to your passion and say goodbye to a diet temporarily. When that desire comes, there will always be a delicious chocolate-covered British food that you can munch in anytime and anywhere. You can definitely start with the heavenly Cadbury crunchie.

Ever since the first advertisement for this British food was released in the early part of the 1980s, people have started craving the Cadbury crunchie—and who would not be? Beneath the wafer is the richness of the creamy chocolate and the honeycomb flavor. With every bite, you can taste the right amount of sweetness. Besides, aren’t chocolates just very addictive?

There are also several health benefits that you can obtain from eating these kinds of chocolates. The presence of cocoa in chocolate can help prevent blood clotting and reduce your blood pressure. In fact, it can definitely assist you if you want to stop taking those non-flavored antihypertensive medicines. Chocolates, moreover, can help improve your mood, making you feel happy and content all the time. It is because of a special chemical known as serotonin. Phenylethylamine, which is also part of chocolates, can arouse a very special loving feeling. It’s also one of the reasons why these sweets are great gifts for Valentine’s Day.

When eating this all-time-favorite British food, allow the Cadbury crunchie to melt on your tongue (yes, like the way you munch on those M&Ms). This way, you will not only be able to feel the texture, but you can really taste its heavy chocolate taste. A well-kept Cadbury chocolate doesn’t melt right away but stays for a while on your tongue. The taste lasts for a long time, so you can enjoy every bite!

Before you eat this British food, too, make sure that you have a very clean palate. This is to remove any other taste that will hinder you from feeling the chocolate. You can drink some water or perhaps chew on your bar during snack time or in between mealtimes. Lastly, eat your Cadbury with a great smile on your face. After all, you’re lucky. You’re one of the few that have been blessed to obtain the happiness and the richness associated with one of the best chocolates in the world.

About the author:
Whether you want to make a gloomy friend happy or you want to surprise your loved one on an ordinary day, the Cadbury crunchie will always be nice gift. Just buy from our store, and we will be more than happy to give this you this British food to someone special.

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Hosting an Italian French Soda Party

2008-08-09T02:13:00.000-07:00

One of the nice things about owning your own home is the barbecue factor. You can pop the top on the grill and cook away whenever the mood takes you. However, if ordinary barbecues are starting to pall on you, why not host an Italian or French soda party? It's a great way to get to know your neighbors if you've recently moved and is a great excuse for a party with friends and family.

Italian sodas are made using club soda and flavored syrup. That's the bare bones of it, but as any Italian soda lover can tell you, Italian sodas look best when in a clear glass, so you can see the syrup swirling around, with chunks of ice and possibly a garnish of a cherry or citrus fruit. French soda lovers enjoy dairy, such as milk or whipped cream, with their soda and syrup. This is also known as an Italian Cremosa.

Decide whether this is an adult-oriented event or a kid-friendly event. You may wish to provide some games, activities and extra clean-up supplies for children if you are planning to have them at your party. On that note, the adults might enjoy a game or activity or two as well!

What's the theme? Since Italian sodas are light, bright and sparkling, a colorful summer theme is always appropriate. Think bright pink, blue, yellow, red, orange and purple. If you're going to decorate, consider reusable decorations that you can reuse for years.

Allow a couple of weeks at least from when you send out your invitations in order to gather your ingredients, make sure all equipment is in working order and arrange your set-up. Unless it is a strict invitation-only event, allow for the fact that some people might bring along a friend or two and purchase food accordingly. Decide if you want people to bring a dish themselves and, if so, be clear about what kind of a dish. If you are concerned about people bringing too much of the same thing, ask people individually to bring a specific dish.

Purchase as many ingredients as possible early in the week you are holding the party. This cuts down on last-minute trips and gives you more time to clean, arrange and cook. Any fresh ingredients should probably be purchased a day or two before and kept in the refrigerator or freezer. If you can prepare any dishes ahead of time, do so! Such popular barbecue foods as potato salad can be made some days before and be stored safely in the refrigerator.

Sometimes, you can buy 750 ml bottles of syrup online for as little as $5. In stores, they can range from $10-$20 per syrup. Fortunately, club soda is pretty cheap! Also, consider purchasing some of the environmentally friendly disposable plates, cups and cutlery available online today. Recycle whatever you possibly can!

Do a test run of the soda syrups to determine what the best ratio is for serving guests. A pump for your syrup bottles can help you easily fill drinks with soda. Pumps can be expensive, but if you rinse them well, a couple can serve for several bottles of syrup. If you have people with health issues that prohibit them from ingesting sugar, you might want to have separate pumps and rinse stations for sugared and sugar free syrups.

Clean your home two days before the event. This allows you to arrange things, do last-minute cooking/errands and set up the day before without worrying about cleaning. Also, do a yard/balcony/venue sweep to mow the lawn, pick up litter and remove dangerous objects and/or block off hazardous areas.

The day before the event, do a final check of your equipment and food list. Set up as much as possible outside and arrange things that cannot go outside so that they can be transported with the least amount of difficulty.

A few hours before the event is due to start, start setting up everything. Fire up the barbecue to make sure it is running well and fill coolers with ice and soda. Make sure all the soda bottles are open and provided with a syrup pump and a lid. If you don't have enough pumps for your syrups, keep the syrups tightly lidded to discourage insects and keep the pumps in a pitcher filled with water to rinse them off. Provide some containers for ice beside the syrup counter. Don't forget room for cups and straws!

Decide whether the Italian sodas are something you want your guests to serve themselves or if you want to serve them. If you decide that people will be serving themselves, you might want to post fun, brightly colored signs with serving suggestions and recipes. This will help prevent syrup wastage and help people who have never had an Italian soda to easily serve themselves a great-tasting drink.

An Italian soda party is a fun, up-beat event that is appropriate for all ages and adds some fun experimenting with different soda flavorings. With a little planning, you can have a barbecue that celebrates the best of summer.

Ingredient List:

- Flavored syrups (think Torani; however, there are other companies that make very fine syrups)

- Club soda

- Whipped cream

- Cherries, Limes, Lemons, Oranges, etc. for garnishes

- Your choice of barbecue food: hot dogs, hamburgers, etc and condiments.

- Ice for cooler and for drinks (separate, please!)

Equipment List

- Barbecue (!)

- Cooler for soda and drinks

- Table for Italian soda setup and food

- Serving platters

- Plates

- Soda Glasses

- Soda Straws

- Cutlery

- Chairs

- Any amusements that you plan to feature

- Garbage bags

- Recycling bags

- Clean up supplies

About the author:
Complete Calgary housing market search: View all Calgary home listings including Signature Park homes for sale. Access photos, virtual tours, neighbourhood info, maps and more at JustinHavre.com.

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Freezing Potatoes

2008-08-09T00:40:00.000-07:00

You should grate the potatoes in a food processor. Then rinse for several minutes with massive amounts of cold water to wash off the starch that could oxidize and give that ugly brownish-black dead look. Then spread the grated potatoes about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick on a waxed-paper lined cookie or cake roll pan.

I like to add a lot of melted butter. You can also mix in chopped onion, garlic, bacon bits, or any other seasonings you like.

I found it very helpful to put "crease lines" in the tray of potatoes before freezing, marking off the individual patties in whatever size you want. So then after they're frozen, you can just snap them apart -- like a perforated line. After freezing on the tray, you can break or cut them into individual servings, stack with waxed paper between them, and store compactly.

When you take out the number you want to fix for a meal, just put them in the frying pan. Be sure to leave them alone until they are nicely browned on the bottom before you flip them over. Some beaten eggs mixed in before freezing can help them hold their shape.
Joel

Partially Cooking is the Trick

Make and partially cook fries, homefries, and whatever other style first. Then freeze in portions (big or small - size doesn't matter). The real "trick" to freezing potatoes is cooking or partially cooking them first. Raw or new potatoes just don't freeze well. I think it has something to do with their water content -they turn mushy!

Though it takes a little time to cook before freezing, you make up the difference on the other end, and, in my experience, don't loose any flavor. Certainly better and less expansive than commercial products.
Lightheart

Instructions for Hash Browns and French Fries

The secret to good frozen, homemade hash browns is cooking it all in advance. Boil the potatoes until they're cooked, shred them with your cheese grater, and then put them into individual freezer bags (the kind that locks shut). Do this neatly -- don't just clump a whole bunch in each bag or you'll end up with a ball. Shut them almost all the way, then suck the rest of the air out of the bag and seal. This keeps air out and really stretches the freezing time for you.

Set aside a whole day to do the preparation, or a day a week, or some time during a favorite television show, to do the prep work en masse. This time invested will pay off big time for you later.

I have not done the French fries, but I would do them the same way. Wash all the potatoes, cut into thick strips, take an unused trash bag and pour in 1/2 cup olive oil, 1-tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. You can add more or less salt/pepper depending on your taste. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. After you cut the potatoes into strips, put them in the bag, hold the top shut, and roll the potatoes over and over in the bag, making sure they are thoroughly coated. Empty them onto a baking pan, bake for an hour, or until they're a nice brown. Take out; let cool.

Fill bags, suck out air, and freeze. Shouldn't take more than 20 minutes for them to re-warm when it's time!
Nancy

Mexican Chicken Wraps

2008-08-09T00:36:00.000-07:00

2 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 package taco seasoning

1 16-oz carton sour cream

2 cups monterrey jack cheese, shredded

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

1 small head lettuce, shredded

8 burrito size flour tortillas

Directions:

Preheat skillet with vegetable oil, add chicken and onion, cooking until chicken is done. Remove from heat. Place chicken and onion mixture in a large bowl and toss with taco seasoning, sour cream, cheese, tomatoes, avocado, and lettuce. Place equal amounts of mixture in the center of each tortilla and roll up. Slice in half and serve.

Chinese Seafood Recipes

2008-08-09T00:18:00.000-07:00

Seafood Recipe - Crabmeat Sauce Over Broccoli

Ingredients

* 1 tbsp (15ml) vegetable oil

* 1 slice fresh ginger

* 1 clove garlic, crushed

* 1 2/3 lbs (750g) broccoli florets

* 1/4 tsp (1ml) salt

* 1 tsp (5ml) light soy sauce

* 1/2 tsp (2.5ml) sugar

* 3 tbsp (45ml) dry sherry

* 1/4 cup (60ml) fish stock or water

SAUCE

* 1 tbsp (15ml) dry sherry or white wine

* 1/4 tsp (1ml) salt

* pinch pepper

* 1 cup (250ml) fish stock

* 1 1/2 tbsp (20ml) cornstarch blended with 3 tbsp (45ml) stock or water

* 1/2 lb (225g) crabmeat, fresh, frozen or canned

* 1 tbsp (15ml) shredded red pepper, blanched

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wok. Add ginger and garlic and cook until golden; remove. Add broccoli, stirring to coat with oil. Stir in salt, soy sauce, sugar, sherry and stock. Cook covered for 3-4 minutes until broccoli is bright green. Avoid overcooking.

2. Remove to serving platter and keep warm.

3. TO MAKE SAUCE: Heat sherry, salt, pepper and stock. Stir in blended cornstarch and stock to thicken. When boiling, stir in crabmeat. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Pour sauce over broccoli, garnish with red pepper and serve.

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Seafood Recipe - Crab Foo Yung

Ingredients

* 1 tsp (5 ml) soy sauce
* 1/2 tsp (2.5ml) chili pepper sauce
* 2 tsp (10ml) sherry
* 1/2 lb (225g) fresh or canned crabmeat
* 4 tbsp (60ml) oil
* 6 Chinese mushrooms, soaked in warm water 20 minutes
* 6 green onions, finely diced

Sauce:

* 1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
* 2 tsp (10ml) soy sauce
* 1 1/2 tbsp (20ml) cornstarch blended with 1 1/2 tbsp (20ml) water

Method:

1. Beat eggs lightly in a bowl. Stir in soy and chili pepper sauces with sherry. Shred crabmeat.

2. Heat 1 tbsp (15ml) oil in a wok. Discard mushrooms stalks and slice caps. Stir-fry mushrooms and green onions for 2 minutes; add crabmeat and stir-fry 1 minutes.

3. Remove wok from heat. Remove the mixture to a bowl, cool a few minutes and combine with egg mixture.

4. Heat 3 tbsp (45ml) oil in wok. Add a quarter of mixture and cook until
the omelet is just set and lightly browned on the underside. Turn and cook for 1 minute. Place omelet on a serving plate. Repeat to make a total of 4 omelet.

5. TO MAKE SAUCE: Bring stock, soy sauce and blended cornstarch and water to a boil, stirring constantly. Simmer 1 minute.

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Seafood Recipe - Shrimp Chow Mein

Ingredients

* 10 Chinese mushrooms, soaked in warm water 20 minutes
* 3 tbsp (45ml) oil
* 2 stalks celery, sliced
* 4 oz (110g) bamboo shoots, sliced
* 1/2 lb (225g) bean sprouts, washed
* 1/2 lb (225g) water chestnuts, drained and sliced
* 1/2 cup (125ml) chicken stock
* 1 tbsp (15ml) dry sherry
* 1 tbsp (15ml) soy sauce
* 1 lb (450g) shrimp, peeled

Method:

1. Drain mushrooms, squeeze dry and discard stalks. Slice caps into strips. Heat oil in a wok. Stir-fry about 2 minutes until vegetables are tender but crisp.

2. Pour in stock and sherry , Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir in soy sauce and shrimp. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

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Seafood Recipe - Simmered Whole Fish

Ingredients

* 2 lbs ( 1 kg) whole fish
* 6 cup (1.5L) water
* 2 green onions, cut in large pieces
* 2 thin slices fresh ginger, finely chopped
* 3 tbsp (45ml) sherry
* 1 tbsp (15ml) soy sauce
* 5 tbsp (75ml) oil
* 4 green onions, sliced thinly
* 2 slices red ginger, thinly sliced
* 3 tbsp (45ml) soy sauce
* 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil

Method:

1. Scale fish, leaving head and tail intact. Score, rinse under cold water and drain.

2. Bring water to a boil. Add green onions, ginger, sherry, soy sauce and 3 tbsp (45ml) oil to the water, and return to boil.

3. Place fish on a wire-mesh strainer and lower into the boiling liquid. Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently 5 minutes. Turn off heat completely and leave, covered, for 20-25 minutes. Remove the fish carefully onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with finely sliced green onions, red ginger and soy sauce. Heat remaining 2 tbsp (30ml) oil with sesame oil until sizzling, and pour over fish.

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Seafood Recipes - Braised Abalone With Chinese Cabbage

Ingredients

* 1 tbsp (15ml) vegetable oil
* 1 tsp (5ml) chopped fresh ginger
* 1/2 tsp (2.5ml) chopped garlic
* 1 lb (450g) mustard cabbage (choy sum), cut into 2 inch (5cm) lengths
* 1 tsp (5ml) sugar
* 2 tsp (10ml) dry sherry
* 1/2 cup (125ml) reserved canned abalone liquid
* 1 tsp (5ml) sesame oil
* 1 tbsp (15ml) oyster sauce
* 1 tbsp (15ml) cornstarch
* 1/4 cup (60ml) water
* 20 oz (560g) can abalone, drained and thinly sliced (retain liquid)

Method:

1. Heat oil. Add ginger, garlic and cabbage stems. stir-fry 1 minute. Add cabbage leaves, sugar, sherry and abalone liquid. Cook until cabbage is bright green. Arrange cabbage on serving platter and keep warm.

2. Add sesame oil, oyster and soy sauce to pan. Combine cornstarch with water. Stir into boiling sauce. Reduce heat and gold in abalone slices to heat through briefly. Extended cooking will toughen abalone. Arrange slices over cabbage. Spoon sauce on top and serve at once.

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Seafood Recipes - Crab Foo Yong

Ingredients

* 4 eggs
* 1 tsp (5ml) soy sauce
* 1/2 tsp (2.5ml) chili pepper sauce
* 2 tsp (10ml) sherry
* 1/2 lb (225g) fresh or canned crabmeat
* 4 tbsp (60ml) oil
* 6 Chinese mushrooms, soaked in warm water 20 minutes
* 6 green onions, finely diced

SAUCE

* 1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
* 2 tsp (10ml) soy sauce
* 1 1/2 tbsp (20ml) cornstarch blended with 1 1/2 tbsp (20ml) water

Method:

1. Beat eggs lightly in a bowl. Stir in soy sauce and chili pepper sauces with sherry. Shred crabmeat.

2. Heat 1 tbsp (15ml) oil in a wok. Discard mushrooms stalks and slice caps. Stir-fry mushrooms and green onions for 2 minutes; and crabmeat and stir-fry 1 minute.

3. Remove wok from heat. Remove the mixture to a bowl, cool a few minutes and combine with egg mixture.

4. Heat 3 tbsp (45ml) oil in wok. Add a quarter of mixture and cook until the omelet is just set and lightly browned on the underside. Turn and cook for 1 minute. Place omelet on a serving plate. Repeat to make a total of 4 omelets.

5. TO MAKE SAUCE: Bring stock, soy sauce and blended cornstarch and water to a boil, stirring constantly. Simmer 1 minute.

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Seafood Recipes - Fish Balls

Ingredients

* 2 lbs (1kg) firm white, unfrozen fish fillets
* 2 eggs
* 1 tbsp (15ml) ginger wine
* 2 tsp (10ml) cornstarch
* 1/2 tsp (2.5ml) salt
* pinch white pepper
* stock or water

Method:

1. Cut fish into 3/4 inch (2cm) cubes. Blend in a food processor with remaining ingredients except stock or water. Shape mixture into 3/4 inch (2cm) balls, with wet hands. Add balls to boiling stock or water to cover. Cook over medium heat 4 minutes, drain. Once cooked, fish balls will keep refrigerated for several days.

2. Use in soups, add to stir-fried seafood combinations or deep-fry and serve with various sauces.

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Irish Food And Wine Pairing

2008-08-09T00:16:00.000-07:00

by: Mike Birdsall

I think the Irish are unlucky.

Every St Patrick’s Day I conjure up visions of eating corned beef and cabbage for dinner. Then I wonder “What wine goes with corned beef and cabbage?” The corned beef is too salty and doesn’t work with any wine very well. Someone yells to me that beer is more in order. Maybe a wine from Ireland?

The climate of Ireland isn’t the best for growing grapes. There's only one wine that that comes from Ireland and it's made by Llewellyn's - a farmer in north county Dublin. His normal produce is apples and he makes a lot of apple juice for upscale independent retailers. His wine is more of a novelty item at best. What is interesting about Irish wine is the Irish connection with Bordeaux. Irish names like Lynch, Barton, Phelan adorn the labels on some of the best wines from the Bordeaux region. As for wine making, the Irish are better off sticking to the black stuff, Guinness.

But I’m a wine guy and don’t care for beer so I do some more digging. Guess what? It seems that corned beef and cabbage is more of an American St Patrick’s Day tradition. According to Bridgett Haggerty of the website Irish Cultres and Customs their research shows that most likely a "bacon joint" or a piece of salted pork boiled with cabbage and potatoes would more likely have shown up for an Easter Sunday feast in the rural parts of Ireland. Since the invention of refrigeration, people eat fresh meats. Today corned beef and cabbage is considered a peasant dish and is more popular in the United States than in Ireland. People eat it on St. Patrick's Day as a nostalgic reminder of the Irish heritage.

If you want to try really authentic Irish dishes, Gerry at www.WineOnline.ie says that one of the very traditional Dublin dishes is Coddle which is still served to this day. http://www.matchmywine.com/index.php?mod=match&p=details&id=608. The most famous dish is probably the Irish Stew http://www.matchmywine.com/index.php?mod=match&p=details&id=607.

Many of these dishes had their origins in very basic peasant style food dating back to the pre-famine era (mid 1800's)when potatoes were the staple Irish peasant diet mixed with vegetables and meat, if available - the slow cooking process of the stew allowed for lesser cuts of meat. And man are these two recipes hearty.

But if your heart is set on Corned Beef and Cabbage, food and wine pairing isn’t an exact science. Laurence with The Irish Wine Blog at www.sourgrapes.ie says “I'd go with a fruity red with high acidity to get through the saltiness of the corned beef. I'll put my neck out and suggest a Chianti Classico.”

For St. Patrick’s Day, Guinness and Green may be more American, but In the spirit of food and wine pairing, try a truly Irish dish and pair it with a great wine.

About The Author
Mike Birdsall

MatchMyWine.com explains how to match Irish http://www.matchmywine.com food and wine, not an easy thing to do. If you really want to be Irish, try a more traditional recipe and a great bottle of wine. Check out MatchMyWine.com for more great tips about http://www.matchmywine.com food and wine pairing, and tons of recipes like Irish Stew and Irish Coodle.

The Healthful Benefits of Troll-Caught Albacore Tuna

2008-08-09T00:15:00.000-07:00

The Healthful Benefits of Troll-Caught Albacore Tuna
by: Steven Stallard

If you have been curious about the heathful qualities of tuna, canned tune in particular, one tuna stands above the rest: Troll-Caught Albacore Tuna

Why is Troll-Caught Albacore Different?

Unique Population.

Troll-caught albacore are smaller, younger, and richer in flavor than the older albacore harvested in the tropical waters of the Pacific. Troll-caught albacore come exclusively from cold Pacific waters. These differences in environment and age result in differences in composition. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch calls the troll-caught albacore fishery healthy and sustainable.

Rich in Omega-3s

These are the essential fatty acids, unique to seafood, that boost heart health, reduce the chance of sudden cardiac mortality, improve blood fat levels, are essential for infant brain and neural development, and are linked to improvements in several inflammatory and immune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Because troll-caught albacore are rich in fat, they contain more omega-3s than any other canned tuna. Fresh troll-caught albacore offer 2-3 times more heart-healthy omega-3s than most other fatty fish. Two servings of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids is recommended by the American Heart Association (AMA).

Common Albacore vs. Troll-Caught Albacore

Common canned albacore or "white meat" tuna, the kind found on supermarket shelves, comes from tropical Pacific waters. During processing, nearly all the fat is lost. Common canned albacore is almost fat-free, but has very little omega-3 fatty acids. In contrast, Pacific troll-caught albacore are younger fish from colder, northern waters. Troll-caught albacore are handled to retain their fat with all its healthful omega-3s. That's why troll-caught albacore tastes juicy and rich and has all the health benefits of these special omega-3 fatty acids.

The question arises about the standard light/white meat tuna we find on out grocery store shelves?

Light meat tuna comes from different species of tuna, usually skipjack or yellowfin tuna. But no distinction among species appears on the labels of canned light meat tuna. The flesh color is usually slightly darker than albacore. These fish, like tropical albacore, come from warm waters and are rich in protein, but have less fat and omega-3 fatty acids than troll-caught albacore.

Where to Find Troll-Caught Albacore

These delicious fish are available fresh in the Pacific Northwest during the harvest season, July through September. Some frozen troll-caught albacore can be found in food markets. Canned gourmet-style troll-caught albacore is available from specialty markets and at some farmers' markets. Today, troll-caught albacore tune can be purchased online from specialty packers and food stores. It can be identified by the nutrition label with "3 grams fat/serving" in contrast to the usual "1 gram" of fat.

About The Author
Chef Steven Stallard was professionally trained at the CIA, Greenbrier Hotel & Tailevent Restaurant of Paris. He spent nearly 20 years advancing his vision of truly American Cuisine based on naturally sourced ingredients. Chef Steve in President and owner of BLiS, Llc, - Handcrafted Gourmet and Natural Food products. BLiS products including Troll - Caught Albacore Tuna are now available through the company's web site http://www.BLiSgourmet.com

All About Pizza

2008-08-09T00:14:00.000-07:00

by: Sean Lannin

The term pizza covers a lot of territory. If you want to learn all about pizzas, then you should have a bit of a background on pizzas: specifically the history of pizza, pizza origin, pizza facts, and even pizza trivia such as who invented pizza. The subject also delves into the different types and styles of pizzas. The varieties currently existing defy any attempts at enumeration. Thus, most people who attempt such a task stop at a broad categorization of pizza types according to certain attributes such as crust thickness, crust elasticity, crust baking and cooking procedures, toppings, etc. Aside from general, historical or trivial information, other things are of interest to the pizza lovers. For instance, homemade pizza enthusiasts would like to know certain tips and tricks for making pizza. This includes pizza making techniques, the best pizza crust recipes, pizza toppings, homemade pizza sauce, etc. Some other interesting topics will be frozen pizza dough and where best to attain them, what are the criteria for choosing the, what are the methods for preparing them, etc.

It must be obvious that this article is a mite ambitious for wishing to tackle something entitled "all about pizza." However, an attempt is definitely warranted, so here goes.

Some pizza facts and trivia

Accounts of pizza history always begin with the origin of pizza. This one might as well follow the same tack. We have to thank any civilization or race that baked flat bread on hot stones or stone ovens for pizza, for almost certainly, bread like the focaccia was the "mother of the pizza crust." However, the invention of the pizza is more properly attributed to the Neapolitans - the people of Naples, Italy who were baking and making pizza crust topped with tomatoes, oil, and Italian herbs, and spices. This rudimentary and traditional Italian pizza was common peasant fare in Naples. If you want an individual originator and inventor of pizzas, however, then you won't be wrong if you cite Rafaelle Esposito - a native of Naples; he modified the basic Neapolitan pizza recipe and came up with three variants that added mozzarella cheese to the rudimentary Italian pizza toppings.

Now, if you are looking for some topics for small conversation, then you must remember the following trivia. One note of caution, though; you shouldn't blurt these out just to anybody or you'll sound decidedly corny and geeky. Make sure you're talking to someone interested in pizzas before you use the following trivia as conversational gambits.

" Most people in the United States love pepperoni; the least liked toppings are anchovies.

" Pizza was called (and is still called) tomato pie and pizza pie in certain parts of the States.

" The first pizzeria in the United States was opened in New York.

" The pizza industry is worth more than 30 billion dollars in the United States alone and Americans consume around three billion units of pizza every year.

" New York pizza is traditionally plain. Supposedly, New York pizza is unique because of the acidity and hardness of the water in New York. New Yorkers therefore claim that only in New York can you make real New York Pizza.

(New Yorkers must admit, however, that if water is the unique characteristic of New York pizzas, one who uses water adjusted for hardness and acidity to reflect New York water conditions, adds all the usual New York pizza ingredients and toppings, follows all the procedures strictly but makes the pizza in New Jersey can conceivably make an authentic, New York style pizza. But such an assertion, some would say, is just plain cheek.)

Pizza types and pizza styles

The first step to a great homemade pizza is determining what type of pizza you wish to make. After all, different types of pizza have different attributes and thus call for different types of pizza base, pizza toppings and cooking techniques. Would you like to make an authentic Italian pizza, a New York style pizza, a California style pizza, or a Chicago style pizza?

Italian pizza is generally lean, although when you add cheese, its fat level generally rises in proportion. There are various kinds of Italian pizza, too. There are Neapolitan pizzas, of which there are two general types: the marinara and the Margherita. There are various combinations of these as well. Authentic Italian pizza, moreover, is supposedly baked on wood-fired or even coal-fired, stone ovens.

New York pizza, as abovementioned, is generally plain. The mainstay of New York pizza is mozzarella cheese - fresh mozzarella cheese to be precise. One can add garlic, different types of cheeses, anchovies, shrimp, etc but these are usually optional. The pizza dough recipe for traditional New York pizza, on the other hand, calls for high-gluten flour. The result is firm, usually thin, chewy pizza.

The California style pizza is generally known for gourmet flavors. You can say the California pizza has countless variations. The pizza crust, in this case, is light, crisp and generally well risen. The toppings can be out of this world - generally California pizza makers experiment a lot with all kinds of meat, sea food, breakfast dishes, and vegetable for the toppings.

The Chicago style pizza, on the other hand, is generally crusty and very filling. They are characterized by their raised edges; imagine a pre-baked apple pie crust where you can place the fillings on top. Chicago pizza is usually meaty (some variants come stuffed with cheeses and meat layers) and it is eaten with a knife and fork.

You can also start by deciding on the flavor you want. Do you want to make a cheese pizza, a vegetarian pizza or a fruit pizza? Perhaps you want to make a low fat pizza, a low carb pizza, a healthy pizza? Sourdough pizza is also another variant.

Take your pick among your many options. Once you have decided, choosing the recipe would be much easier. If you have decided on an Italian pizza, for instance, then find your Italian pizza crust recipe, your Italian pizza sauce recipe and the overall Italian pizza recipe that will give you a list of toppings and pizza preparation procedures for making an authentic Italian pizza. For an easier time of it, you can opt to use Italian-style frozen pizza dough then just follow the Italian pizza recipe that you've found.

Some pizza making tips and techniques

Hand tossing will help you minimize the lumps in your pizza dough. However, this should be done only after sufficient pizza dough kneading. This process lets your pizza dough develop into the right kind of consistency - that which is suitable for stretching and hand tossing. Hand tossing, however, is not advisable for thick pizza crust varieties.

If you want a crisp and firm pizza that retains its structure even when the moist toppings are added, you can bake the pizza crust before you add the toppings and the pizza sauce. However, for thin pizza crusts, baking the crust after the toppings and sauce have been added is sufficient. For uniform baking and crisping of the crust, use a pizza stone or a pizza screen.

Finally, remember that the protein content of your flour will influence the end product. High-gluten flour will lead to a crisp but chewy crust. Gluten-free flour, however, may lead to very soft dough; additives may have to be used to give the pizza dough strength.

Quick pizza crust recipes and easy homemade pizza recipes of all kinds and style are easily available online. There are tips for baking and preparing frozen pizza dough, making your own pizza dough, preparing the ingredients for the best pizza crust recipe, etc. All you need to start making your very own pizza recipe is an internet connection, a good source of basic pizza recipe, great pizza equipment, your imagination, and lots of time and resources for experimentation.

About The Author
Sean Lannin

With more than 10 years experience both working and owning pizza restaurants. When he tried to find information about making pizza at home, he noticed that the information was either non-existent or lacked the information he felt was important. He now shares his passion for making pizza with readers of his website.

http://www.homemade-pizza-made-easy.com/

Campers Fresh And Tasty Venison Goulash Recipe

2008-08-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

Cooking Recipe -- Campers Fresh And Tasty Venison Goulash Recipe
By: Sami Fab

Sometime ago I wanted to take my family on another camping trip which everyone in my family seems to enjoy. I wanted to make this one a little different because I know people get bored with the same limited food choices. So I decided to come up with a more exciting camping recipe than usual.

If you feel like trying something different when camping and you have a camp fire going here is a great dish for you. This Venison Goulash recipe will get your taste buds going.

The day is drawing to a close and you have lit a camp fire. You are going to prepare a dish in a Dutch Oven or an earthenware pot and place onto the embers of your camp fire. This dish is highly nutritious, full of vitamins, iron and minerals. It is also very rich and tasty.

The meat ingredient for this dish is Venison. Venison has a strong meaty flavor which other meats you buy in the shops do not have. It is so much higher in vitamins, protein and iron, much more so than other meats. Another excellent benefit is there is no fat or very little of it.

INGREDIENTS - serves 4

11/2 lb (700 grams) of venison cut into cubes
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 medium onions thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of paprika
salt and pepper
1 large red pepper thinly sliced with pith and seeds removed
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1/2 a bottle of red wine
4 large carrots chopped
1 pint of water

METHOD

Put the olive oil in a large pan and warm it up. Add the rich textured venison and sprinkle on the salt and pepper for seasoning. Also add the paprika for that little extra taste.

Brown the meat to seal in the goodness and taste. Add the onions and garlic. Saute until the onions are soft. Add the red wine and simmer for 10 minutes. This will give the meat extra richness and flavor.

Transfer all the contents into a Dutch Oven or an earthenware pot. Add the carrots and a pint of water. Put the oven or pot onto the embers of your camp fire and surround the pot with the embers.

Do not cover the pot so you can examine the contents from time to time. Cook for approximately 1.5 hours until the venison is tender. Use a fork to test the meat.

This dish is traditionally served with wide noodles but you may prefer mash potatoes or rice. I hope this recipe has wetted your appetite. It really is a delicious, good, wholesome meal full of vitamins, iron and minerals.

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Do you know where you will find more exciting cooking recipes and healthy eating information, free? Answer: Easy and healthy recipes at www.CookingRecipe-DietEating.com

Beef Stew Recipes: Quick & Easy to Prepare

2008-08-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

By: Shannon N Jefferson

Easy Beef Stew is very popular in European & Asian countries.These 3 recipes below, by only reading it , will make your mouth watered and a strong will to start cooking that quick beef stew recipes.

Herbed Beef Stew

~1 1/2 Teaspoon of Garlic powder
~1 Can (6-oz.) of tomato paste
~1 Kg Beef stew meat cut into 1-inch cubes
~1 Lg of Onion chopped
~1 Lg ofGreen pepper chopped
~1 Packet of Frozen corn kernels
~1 Packet of Frozen green beans (10-oz.)
~1 Packet of Frozen peas (10-oz.)
~1 Teaspoon of Dried basil
~1 Teaspoon of Dried oregano
~1 Teaspoon of Ground majoram
~1 Teaspoon of Rosemary crushed
~1 To 2 teaspoons salt
~1/4 lb of Mushrooms sliced
~2 Bay leaves
~2 Can of Cubed peeled potatoes
~2 Can of Sliced carrots
~2 Table spoon of Cooking oil
~2 Teaspoon ofPepper
~3 Medium Tomatoes chopped
~3 Cup of Water

Herbed Beef Stew Instruction :

Cook the meat in a 'camp oven' or Dutch oven , wait till meat become brown.pour water , then add tomato paste , onion and finally seasonning. Cook and cover for about 1 and a half hour or just wait n look for the meat to be tender ( not all meat need steady cooking).mix in corrots, green peper and potatoes, cook them for about 30 minutes. check if additional water is needed.Mix and cook the ingredients left for about 20 additional minutes .

Serves: 10 - 12 people.

Momma's Beef Stew

~1 1/2 lb of Beef stew meat
~1 Bay leaf
~1 Clove garlic minced
~1 cup of Red wine
~1 Medium onion minced
~1/2 can of Tomato sauce
~1/2 teaspoon of Oregano
~2 Carrots sliced
~3 tablespoon of wine vinegar
~4 Medium potatoes cubed
~4 tablespoon of Oil
~Salt and pepper to taste

Momma's Beef Stew Instructions :

Cook the garlic and onion in oil.with the exception of carrots and potatoes , put everything in a large pot and start cooking them. Cook the meat until it become tender to your taste for about 1 and half hour. dont forget to add potatoes and carrots after about 1 hours of cooking.

serves : 6 people

Quick Beef Stew

~1 Bay leaf
~1 medium Onion, finely chopped
~1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
~1/4 Teaspoon of Celery salt
~1/8 Teaspoon of Pepper
~16 oz of Can tiny white potatoes and drained them
~2 Can of Beef gravy (recipe)
~2 Tablespoon of Vegetable oil
~2 To 3 Can cubed cooked beef
~8 oz Can green peasand drained
~8 oz of Can sliced carrots and drained them

Quick Beef Stew instruction:

Heat oil in Microwave Oven for 2 minutes with an appropriate heat resistant recipeint . for 3 minutes, add the onions and then mix the onion from time to time.after the 3 minutes add the carrots bay leaf , salt , potatoes, pepper , beef gravy , celery salt and beef. mix up 2 combine all the ingredients.heat all these in microwave oven for about 6-8 minutes .add salt and epper accordingly to your taste.discard the bay leaf.finally add the peas in the microwave oven for about 2 - 3 minutes.

serves : 4 people

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Shannon N. Jefferson gets her recipes from quickrecipesdy.info/ so be sure to stop by and check for new updates. She also loves to eat awesome restaurant recipes at: secretrecipesdy.info/

Delicious Crock Pot Recipes

2008-08-08T23:59:00.000-07:00

Crockpot Recipes: Delicious Crock Pot Recipes Your Family Will Ask For More
By: Ivan Bruno

You might be wondering what is a crock pot? A crock pot is an electric cooker which maintains a relatively low temperature. There are hundreds of recipes that you can try in a crock pot. These recipes are sure to create your family ask for more of these recipes. Why not throw a crock pot recipe surprise tonight for your family? Your family will be surprised that a crock pot recipe can be so delicious and tasty.

There are 1000's of crock pot recipes that you can try out at home. We are sure that each crock pot recipe that you create is sure going to be praised by your family. Your family members will be amazed at the number of crock pot recipes that you can create in your little crock pot. So what are the most common type of crock pot recipes that you can create?

You can create crock pot black bean chili and also crock pot chicken and dumplings. These are foods that are very easy and take short time to create. You can also create desserts like crock pot apple pie. Apple pies turn out to be very well made and they also taste delicious. Your children are going to be all praise for you after they eat the crock pot apple pie. Then there is the Indian pudding and other puddings that you can include in your all time favorite crock pot recipes.

Then there is the pot roast Viennese which is one of the most liked and sought after crock pot recipes around. And who can forget the extremely delicious Kona chicken in crock pot? This recipe is made with a dash of honey, wine and soya sauce. Next on the list are chicken tortillas. This is a delicious tangy crock pot recipe that is certainly going to win you a lot of accolades. Then there is the old fashioned delicious crock pot roast. There us nothing fancy in this recipe. It is just simple old delicious roast.

The recipes mentioned before are just one of the few crock pot recipes from the hundreds of other crock pot recipes. You can find a large number of recipes on the crock pot recipes websites. Everyday you can try one of the hundreds of crock pot recipes without getting bored. We are sure that your family will like each and very crock pot recipe that you create lovingly. Having a crock pot recipe at home is one kind of a pleasure in itself. It is a moment to be treasured for life.

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Ivan Bruno is a restaurant chef. He has decided to share his love of cooking, by offering advice on various recipes so that others can find it usefull for providing the best food for their families. He recommends www.myrecipecollections.com as the authority on cheesecake recipes.

How to Plan the Perfect Light Tea

2008-08-08T23:58:00.000-07:00

By: Mayoor Patel

While many of us are not in the habit of enjoying an afternoon tea, there does appear to be an upswing in the practice these days. If you would like to prepare a light tea for your friends, there are a few basic guidelines that you should keep in mind.

When you want to host a tea that is light in nature, you need to think in terms of quality rather than quantity. The idea is not to prepare a sit down meal or even to have everyone leaving your home with no room for the evening meal later on. Rather, the purpose behind holding a tea is to provide a relaxed atmosphere for some light refreshments and a little fun conversation.

Scones are a popular choice for any light tea event that you may plan. In fact, they become the second most important component, after the selections of brewed tea. When you prepare the scones, they should be somewhat petite in nature. You can serve them along with simple accompaniments, such a lemon curd cream cheese spread, or perhaps a butter and honey combination. As far as the number of scones to have on hand, you would want to make sure there were at least two scones for each guest, but certainly no more than three.

An alternative to the scones would be simple finger sandwiches. A couple of suggestions would be a simple cucumber finger sandwich, or perhaps pimento cheese. The idea is to keep the sandwiches petite but tasty, so think in terms of something simple to go into the sandwiches that will be refreshing but have a taste all its own, and still compliment the tea.

Pastries are also a nice addition to an afternoon tea with light refreshments. Something along the lines of raspberry puffs or lemon bars would work well with the teas, especially if you are going with a selection of English teas. The pastries should not be overly sweet, and should follow the petite pattern of the scones.

Individual tea pots for each of your guests makes it possible for everyone to have the type of tea he or she enjoys. Typically, small pots that provide room for three or so cups will be all you need. Because the refreshments are kept to a minimum, you will find that cleanup after a light tea does not take long at all. In fact, you may find the entire project so easy that you begin to hold teas several times a year. Why not plan one today and see how well it goes with your crowd?

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Mayoor Patel is the writer for the website diet-tea.tea-universe.com. Please visit for information on all things concerned with Light Tea

Measure It Up!

2008-08-08T23:57:00.000-07:00

By: Jim Brown

Measuring Cups can be used on a variety of cooking ingredients. Some of the common ingredients a cook measures in preparing food consists of :

Water

Milk

Juice

Flour

Sugar

When measuring in bulk using a measuring cup , your measurements may not be measure correctly. This may happen if you are trying to measure chopped vegetables or shredded cheese. If you should inquire this problem a kitchen scale is recommended.

Liquid Measure:

Measuring cups come in sets ranging from one cup to one quart . Your set should include your kitchen scale. When trying to measure liquids fill your measuring cup to the level with the scale amount you want . The cups have a scale on the sides of them.

Your measuring cup will have a scale on it ranging from :

1/4

1/3

1/2

2/3

3/4

1 Cup

According to the measuring cup , you may find pint and fluid ounces on the cup .

Dry Measure :

Dry measurements should be leveled for correct measurement. Measuring cups for dry ingredients come in sets ranging from quater to 1 cup. Dry ingredients are :

Sugar

Flour

Corn meal

Rice

Grits

The weather can sugar measurements to be incorrect. Sugar should be measured again before combining with other ingredients.

Measuring spoon:

Measuring spoons are essential when measuring dry or liquid ingredients. The measuring spoon can be found in metal or plastic. They range in size from a 1/4 teaspoon to a full tablespoon.

Flavoring ; salt; baking powder; cinnamon; and seasonings can be measured with a measuring spoon. Baking requires a lot of measuring ingredients.

When you are preparing a meal , if you use a measuring cup or measuring spoons , you are sure to have perfect tasting food for your family or special occasions.

A dab of this ingredient and a touch of that ingredient has been known to create first place food dishes.

Your kitchenware should always include your measuring spoons and measuring cup. Prepare your kitchen for your next cooking adventure. These kitchen utensils will provide accuracy in preparing many delicious foods,snacks and desserts.

Instead of using a pinch of this ingredient and that ingredient, measure it out to make sure what a pinch measures out to be. Accuracy is very important when cooking every day meal.

If you suffer from high blood pressure, you will benefit from using measuring utensils should as the measuring cup and measuring cup. Keep control of your salt, while enjoying your special meals. Measure that salt.

It is recommended to double check steps before implementing recipes.

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James Brown writes about Cooking.com coupon codes">Cooking.com coupon codes, Kitchen Collection deals">Kitchen Collection deals and Chef's Corner promo code">Chef's Corner promo code

New Black Pepper Corn Bread

2008-08-08T23:55:00.000-07:00

New Black Pepper Corn Bread - Hearty and Delicious

This hearty and dense corn bread is delicious when served with chili, stew, or soup. Enjoy with any meal where a spicy (but not overpowering) bread is desirable.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal, divided
1 1/2 teaspoon gourmet black pepper
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup boiling water
1 package fast rising yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup hot water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 cups bread flour, divided

How to make hearty black pepper corn bread:

1) Mix one cup of the cornmeal, pepper, seasoning salt, and onion powder with the boiling water until well blended and smooth. Let the mixture cool to 120 F (about ten minutes).

2) Mix in yeast, sugar, the 1/4 cup hot water, and olive oil. Add one cup of the bread flour and mix until smooth and elastic, which should take about five minutes. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place (free of drafts) until risen and puffy (about 45 minutes).

3) Grease a nine-inch glass pie plate with vegetable oil.

4) Knead more bread flour in until the mix is not sticky. Continue kneading on floured surface until smooth and elastic (about five minutes of kneading). Shape into a ball. Place in the plate and flatten out to fill the bottom. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, which should take about 50 minutes or so.

5) Score the top of the bread in a tic-tac-toe pattern. Bake at 350 F or 180 C for 35 to 45 minutes, or until bread is light brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from the plate and serve warm.

Makes one pan, about ten servings.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

180 calories
5 grams protein
36 grams carbohydrates
2 grams fat
0 grams saturated fat
0 mg cholesterol
110 mg sodium
3 grams dietary fiber

Brief History of Cornbread

Native Americans were using ground corn for cooking long before Europeans arrived in North America. They mastered the skill of drying and grinding corn into corn meal, which is the basic component of cornbread. Corn was sacred to the Mayans, Aztecs and Incas. European explorers, faced with feeding themselves with whatever was available locally, fashioned cornmeal into cornbread. Cornbread was very popular during the Civil War because it was cheap to make, and could be made in many different ways. Being thin and flat as prepared, it was ideal for transporting over long distances, and could provide significant nutritional value without a lot of bulk and weight.

Popular types of cornbread today include skillet baked cornbread ((grease is heated in a skillet and the batter is poured directly into the hot grease before baking), corn pone (baked or fried in butter or grease), johnnycakes (a pancake-like cornbread), and hush puppies (deep fried and popular with seafood dishes).

Tastes in cornbread vary by region. In the United States, northern and southern cornbreads are different. Northern cooks often prefer yellow corn meal, and a finished bread that is sweetened with sugar or molasses. Southern cooks often prefer white corn meal, and a more salty taste. In the southwest, a spicy jalapeno cornbread prepared with corn kernels and shredded cheese is popular.

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Eldon Beard is a Manager with Watkins Products. Enjoy the finest gourmet cooking extracts, spices, pepper blends, soup bases, and dessert mixes. Visit our Watkins Products Online Catalog

Please a Crowd With Famous Hummingbird Cake

2008-08-08T23:54:00.000-07:00

For a delicious treat, try this delicious concoction of mashed banana, pineapple, pecans, and cream cheese icing. It has been famous for years and is a very popular and satisfying dessert. While this sweet and flavorful three-layer treat may look difficult to prepare, in fact it can be finished in about an hour. It is an excellent choice for family gatherings and other occasions. It is easy to prepare, freezes well, and serves many. Guaranteed to please.

No-one seems to know for sure how this cake came to be known as "Hummingbird Cake". One legend says the name came about because each delicious bite makes you hum with delight. Another suggests the name is the result of the cake being as sweet as the nectar prepared to attract hummingbirds to our homes. Whatever the reason, this cake will be a real crowd pleaser!

When purchasing ingredients, try to buy the best quality possible. The difference in the taste is definitely worth the extra cost.

Ingredients:

3 cups/750 mL all-purpose flour
2 cups/500 mL sugar
1 tsp/5 mL baking soda
1 tsp/5 mL salt
1 tsp/5 mL gourmet cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten well
1 cup/250 mL vegetable oil
1-1/2 tsp/7.5 mL Premium Vanilla
1 tsp/5 mL gourmet butter extract
1 can (8 oz/227 g) undrained crushed pineapple
1 cup/250 mL chopped pecans
2 cups/500 mL chopped bananas
Frosting
1/2 cup/125 mL chopped pecans

Frosting:

1 package (8 oz/227 g) softened cream cheese
1/2 cup/125 mL butter or margarine, softened
3-1/2 cups/875 mL powdered sugar
1 tsp/5 mL gourmet vanilla nut extract

How to Make Hummingbird Cake:

1) Combine flour with the sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in large mixing bowl. Mix ingredients together well.

2) Stir in eggs, oil and extracts; stir just until dry ingredients are moist - do not beat.

3) Add crushed pineapple, pecans, and bananas and fold into mixture. Spoon the batter into three well-greased and floured 9-inch/23-cm round cake pans.

4) Bake at 350 F or 180 C for 25 to 30 minutes. Test for doneness with a wooden toothpick inserted in the center. When it comes out clean, the cake is ready.

5) Cool in pans (use wire rack if available) for 20 minutes, remove from pans and cool completely. Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers.

6) Spread cream cheese frosting between layers, and over the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top of the cake. If desired, you can crush additional pecans and press them into the sides of the frosting. Try putting sliced maraschino cherries on top of the cake for a different touch.

Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving; the flavors will blend and intensify upon standing. This cake is one of those special recipes that tastes even better the next day, thus it is ideal for preparing a bit ahead of time.

Frosting:

Combine the cream cheese and butter, and beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar and extract, then beat mixture until light and fluffy.

Preparation Tips:

Enhance the banana flavor by processing the bananas in a blender.

Make sure the three cake pans do not touch each other or the sides of the oven. If the pans touch each other, or the sides of the oven, the cake will not bake evenly as it should.

Makes 12 servings.

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Eldon Beard is a Manager with Watkins Products. Enjoy the finest gourmet cooking extracts, spices, seasoning blends, and soup bases, and dessert mixes. Visit our Watkins Products Online Store.

The Famous Ceasar Salads And Egg Salads

2008-08-08T23:53:00.000-07:00

Create The Famous Ceasar Salads And Egg Salads In Your Own Kitchen
By: Low Jeremy

Ceasar Salad is undoubtedly the most popular of all the salads. Hence, the name fitted for royalty. It has gained popular acceptance mainly because it has the taste and texture you can actually enjoy. In other words, it does not taste like most healthy food should. Listed below are two amazing recipes and takes on the well-loved salad.

CEASAR SALAD (From Recipe Source.com)

4 ounces anchovies
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 ounces garlic -- chopped
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 quart olive oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
salt -- to taste
12 cups Romaine lettuce
croutons -- seasonings in recipe

STEP ONE: Prepare Croutons (Optional)

Cut a loaf of stale bread into 1/4-inch cubes. Season with melted butter, thyme, basil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake until crisp.

STEP TWO: Prepare Caesar Salad Dressing

In a large bowl, grind anchovies to a paste-like consistency. Stir in all remaining ingredients except Romaine lettuce.

STEP THREE:

Tear Romaine lettuce into large pieces and place in large bowl. Pour salad dressing over lettuce and toss salad. Serve immediately.

CEASAR SALAD WITH LEMONGRASS-SKWERED SHIMPS AND SCALLOPS (From Recipe Link.com)

CAESAR DRESSING:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, preferably Reggiano
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped (about 1 teaspoon)
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
About 1/3 cup water for thinning

16 large shrimp (about 1 pound), peeled and deveined (tails on)
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
16 medium sea scallops (about 1 pound), muscles removed
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
8 stalks lemongrass, cut into 10- to 12-inch skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
2 cups croutons
6 cups lightly packed mixed salad greens
6 cups lightly packed chopped hearts of romaine
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Reggiano

1.For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, Parmesan, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, anchovy, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until well incorporated. Whisk in the water to desired consistency. Refrigerate until chilled.

2.Preheat a grill to medium high or the oven to 450 degree F. Add the shrimp with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a bowl. In a separate bowl, gently toss the scallops with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Season the shrimp and scallops, on both sides, with kosher salt and pepper.

Thread 4 shrimp onto each of 4 lemongrass skewers, threading them through the head and tail so they will lie flat when cooking. Thread 4 scallops onto each of the remaining 4 lemongrass skewers, so they will also lie flat when cooking.

Cover the grill and cook for 8 minutes, rotating the skewers frequently, until the shrimp are pink and the scallops are opaque throughout. Or, place the skewers on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake for 8 to 10 minutes on the top rack of the oven.

3.Toss the croutons in a bowl with about 1/4-cup of the dressing. Add the greens and lettuce and Parmesan cheese. Add about 1/2-cup dressing. Season with more kosher salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Divide among 4 serving plates. Criss-cross 2 seafood skewers on top of each salad portion.

4.The dressing can be made up to 1-week in advance and refrigerated. The seafood can be grilled or baked up to 8 hours in advance and refrigerated. (If precooked, be sure to cook the seafood on the rare side so as not to overcook it when reheated.) Reheat in a preheated 350-degree F oven, covered with aluminum foil, for about 5 minutes.

Egg Salad

Everybody loves eggs. We commonly meet them at breakfast table either scrambled or fried. However, these are actually tasty salad staples as well. Egg salad recipes are probably one of the easiest salads to make. Not only can it be served as is, but it can also be used as a sandwich filling. Below you will find recipes compiled from different sources. You may want to try one or two at home. Don't worry if you don't get to finish them, these salads can still make it to tomorrows sandwich. Now, enough said. Gab your things and let's start whisking.

CHUNKY EGG SALAD
serves 4

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce or
1 teaspoon of prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
6 hard-cooked eggs
1 cup thin sliced celery
2 Tablespoons minced green pepper or red or green hamburger relish
sliced tomatoes or whole tomato
parsley for garnish

In a medium bowl, stir mayonnaise and next five ingredients until well mixed. Cut eggs into chunks or dice, as you prefer. Add eggs, celery, add green pepper or relish to mayonnaise mixture. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate till well chilled.

To Serve: Spoon mixture on tomato slices or into whole tomato. If using whole tomato, either cut off top and spoon out some of the middle, set on shredded lettuce and loosely fill with egg salad, or cut tomato into 8 wedges but do not cut all the way down, so that the tomato wedges will stay connected.

Garden Egg Salad Bowl
Makes 4 servings

6 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1/4 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup thinly sliced cauliflower
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup quartered and sliced zucchini
2 tsp. dried chives
3 hard boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
Spinach leaves
Paprika
4 oz. cut julienne Swiss cheese
Tomato wedges
Pimiento-stuffed olives

In a medium bowl, stir together mayonnaise, mustard, lemon-pepper seasoning and salt. Stir in peas, cauliflower, mushrooms, celery, zucchini and chives. Gently stir in eggs. Line salad bowls with spinach. Spoon in egg salad. Sprinkle with paprika. Garnish with Swiss cheese, tomato and olives.

Note: If desired, egg salad can be spooned into a tomato cup and placed on a bed of spinach.

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Low Jeremy maintains salad-making.ArticlesForReprint.com.

Everything You Need To Know About Fruit Salads

2008-08-08T23:52:00.000-07:00

Everything You Need To Know About Fruit Salads
By: Low Jeremy

Most of the people know only one thing about fruit salads; and that is how to eat them. How could you eat something that you know nothing about? Well, aside from the fact that they are delicious?

A fruit salad is a delicious dish with different kinds of fruit, sometimes served submerged in their own fruit juice, or lathered with syrup. It is oftenly served as an appetizer, if not that, dessert. Eitherway, fruit salads are definitely delicious, you can have them for both appetizer and dessert. Making your own fruit salad is not hard; you just need to prepare its ingredients. And the ingredients used are neither extinct nor hard to find, you can just whip out your wallet and make the march to the nearest grocery store.

It needs one pint of basket of fresh California strawberries, which you are supposed to stem and make into halves; a teaspoon of finely chopped fresh mint or a half teaspoon of dried mint; a half cup of light sour cream; lettuce leaves; a half teaspoon of honey; two cups of fresh fruits that are in season. See? These ingredients do not require you to go hiking up in the mountains, looking for exotic fruits.

For you to make a strawberry dressing, you must puree an ample amount of the strawberries in an electric bender, about a half-cup, to make a cup of pureed strawberries. In a separate bowl, stir the puree, together with mint and honey, into a sour cream so that they will all blend. In assembling your fruit salad, line individual salad plates that contain lettuce. Arrange the strawberries that you have reserved with the other fruits on the lettuce and top with the strawberry dressing. Sounds good, huh? You could bet that this tastes even better.

Yes, you now know how to make a fruit salad after knowing the necessary ingredients. But still, do you know where fruit salads came from? This is added knowledge, thus, it would be best if you keep this pieces of information in your memory.

The origin of fruit salads relies highly on what you initially mean by "fruit salad". Fruit salads that are made up of combinations of different fresh, dried, candied or sugared, and stewed fruits or vegetables. This type of fruit salad originated from the ancient times. The ingredients and the recipes that are used depended on what were available in the country, or if what ingredients were in season. They also depend on the socio-cultural attitudes of the people toward the ingredients, whether the fruits were socially considered to be healthy or not.

The fruit salad, as we know of it today, is a production of the mid-nineteenth century. There has been unearthed culinary evidence that confirms the saying that sometimes, fruits salads are purposely mixed with sugar and alcohol, thus, given the term "fruit cocktail". The non-alcoholic variation of this recipe, also the jellied fruit salad, was famous in the 1920s. In the period of the World War II, fruit salads were introduced to the world as a proper supplement of Vitamin C, and were, in fact, included in the American diet.

However, fruit salads in the European countries evolved quite differently. The recipes contained amounts of mayonnaise. Have you heard, or better yet, eaten a Waldorf salad? Well, this is the name of the said fruit salad that is lathered with mayonnaise.

Now is the time when you can say that you know everything you need to know that concerns fruit salads. Fruit salads contain one hundred twenty-three calories, two grams of protein, eleven milligrams of cholesterol, four grams of fat, and twenty-one grams of carbohydrates. What more can you ask for?

Fruit salad is probably one of the easiest and tastiest things in the world to make. Any seven-year old can whip up their salad in no time at all. In fact, for a real bonding time with your kids, you can involve them in the kitchen and have fun whipping up this fabulous desert.

This is particularly popular during the summer when fresh fruits abound, however, summer or winter, it doesn't really matter as fruits grow all year round. There's really nothing to putting together fruit salad rcipes. The secret is really just in picking out the best fruits. Below are fantastic fruit salad recipes you can do in your very own kitchen:

CRANBERRY APPLE SALAD:*

Dressing Ingredients:
2/3 cup Sour Cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise

Salad Ingredients:
2 medium (2 cups) apples, cubed 1/2 inch
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 rib (1/2 cup)
celery, chopped

1.Combine sour cream and mayonnaise in small bowl; set aside.

2.Place apples and lemon juice in large bowl; gently toss. Add all remaining salad ingredients. Add dressing; toss to coat. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

FRUIT SALAD WITH CITRUS-CILANTRO DRESSING

1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained (or better yet, 2 1/2 to 3 cups fresh pineapple chunks)
3 grapefruits, peeled and sectioned
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 mango pitted, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons honey

1.Combine pineapple, grapefruit, strawberries and mango in a large serving bowl; set aside.

2.In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, lime juice and cilantro. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain and discard cilantro. Stir in honey. Pour over fruit mixture and toss until evenly coated.

FLUFFY PISTACHIO FRUIT SALAD

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, not drained
1 (4-serving size) package instant pistachio pudding mix
1 (12-ounce) container non dairy whipped topping, thawed
2 large bananas, sliced
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 (17-ounce) can fruit cocktail, drained
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained

Pour instant pudding mix into a large mixing bowl. Add pineapple, and mix well. Mix in nondairy whipped topping. Stir in bananas, marshmallows, fruit cocktail, and mandarin oranges.

Cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

*From Cooks Recipes.com

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Low Jeremy maintains salad-making.ArticlesForReprint.com. This content is provided by Low Jeremy.

Satisfying And Light Chicken Salad Recipes

2008-08-08T23:50:00.000-07:00

By: Low Jeremy

What is great about either tuna or chicken salads is that there is hardly any wastage (unless of course, the cook has already messed up the salad big time). Should the preparation for these salads exceed the expected consumption, they can be recycled the next day as a sandwich.

Just throw in maybe feta or mozzarella cheese, place it on any bread of your choice, pop it in the oven and you are ready to go with a totally different dish. For your convenience, I have compiled the following must-try chicken salad sandwich recipes for all those salad left-overs.

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH

Ingredients
1/2 - cups cooked chicken breast, diced
1/2 - cup celery, diced
1/2 - onion, diced
1/2 - cup salad dressing (or mayonnaise)
1/2 - teaspoon oregano
1/4 - teaspoon salt
1/8 - teaspoon pepper
1 - hard-cooked egg, peeled
1 - tomato, 8 slices
4 - lettuce leaves
8 - slices of bread (your choice of bread)

Directions

You want to add the cooked chicken breast, celery, onion, salad dressing (or mayonnaise), oregano, salt, pepper, hard-cooked egg in a food processor.

Pulsate food processor about 4 times.

You want ingredients well mixed; however, only coarsely chopped.

With a tablespoon, spread chicken salad mixture on a slice of bread; add 2 tomato slices, a leaf of lettuce and top with second bread slice.

WALDORF CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH

INGREDIENTS:

4 Kaiser rolls, cut in half
1 cup deli chicken salad
12 very thin apple slices
4 slices Cheddar cheese

PREPARATION:

Layer bottom half of each roll with salad, 3 apple slices and 1 cheese slice. Top with tops of rolls. (You can spread the kaiser rolls with a thin layered of softened butter before making the sandwiches, if you'd like.) 4 servings

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked diced chicken Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
1 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons pickle relish
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon dill
8 slices thin white bread

Directions:

Mix together ingredients. Chill for several hours. Spread chicken mixture on bread and remove crusts. Cut into squares or triangles.

PESTO CHICKEN SALAD ON BAGELS

Ingredients:

1 cup diced cooked chicken
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup purchased pesto
4 whole wheat -- or white bagels, split

Directions:

In large bowl, combine all ingredients except bagels; mix well. Spread chicken mixture on each bagel half.

CURRIED CHUTNEY CHICKEN SALAD (from AllRecipes.com)

2 whole chicken breasts (or about 5 cups cubed cooked chicken)
1 cup seedless white grapes, cut in half
1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into cubes.
Greens of your choice for serving
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted.
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts

Dressing:

1/3 cup bottled Major Grey's chutney, large pieces chopped.
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup mayonnaise, homemade or high-quality purchased.
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Roast the chicken. When it is cool enough to handle, remove the skin from the chicken. Pull the meat off the bones and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Place the meat in a large bowl. Add the grapes and pineapple.

For the dressing, in a bowl, whisk together the chutney, curry powder, mayonnaise, lime zest, lime juice, and salt.

Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly. At this point, you may refrigerate the salad for up to 3 hours, or turn it out onto a platter lined with lettuce leaves, chill briefly, and serve. Sprinkle the pecans and green onions over the salad before serving.

MEXICAN CHICKEN SALAD RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 Tbsp. honey
1-1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and cut into 2" strips
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
16 oz. pkg. frozen corn
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
10 oz. pkg. lettuce mix
2 avocados, peeled and chopped
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 cups slightly crushed blue corn tortilla chips
1 cup sour cream
10 oz. jar thick and chunky salsa

Combine salt, vinegar, cumin, pepper, and honey and mix well; set aside.

Heat oil in skillet. Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt, then saute in pan until white, about 5 minutes. Combine cooked chicken, corn, tomatoes, black beans, onions, and red peppers in large bowl. Stir in dressing. Chill for an hour.

Mix chicken mixture with lettuce. Serve along with avocados, cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream and salsa.

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Low Jeremy maintains Salad-Making.ArticlesForReprint.com. This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

Seafood On My Mind!

2008-08-08T23:49:00.000-07:00

By: Bob Alexander

Vacation meals should be fun to prepare and delightful to eat! In addition, leisure meals should be easy to prepare! I'm pretty sure that's a law in most parts of the country, especially on the Gulf Coast. No one wants to spend their vacation time slaving over a hot stove. Dinner is even more difficult when you have to serve twenty or more people.

Each year our extended family gets together for a family reunion of sorts, sharing the costs of renting a couple of houses on a beach somewhere. It usually works out pretty good for everyone. Since there are at least five families involved, someone different fixes dinner each evening. It has turned into a contest as to who will have the best meal.

When it was our family's time to feed the hungry relatives, we opted for a seafood dinner. I wanted to fix something that was fairly easy on the cooks. Just about anywhere on the gulf coast you can find a fish market that sells everything from shrimp to shark. The larger stores of course, sell a bigger variety. Often the seafood comes off their own boats and as a result their prices can be a little lower. I like the romance and aroma of a larger seafood market makes me see in my mind the fishing boats coming in with the sun rising behind them after a long night's fishing.

I went grocery shopping in the early afternoon because I wanted to have time for the seafood to marinate before cooking. I found such a place in Carrabelle, Florida. Just off the main road to Apalachicola, Florida. This fish market reminds one of a long forgotten Florida; the one without tourists standing shoulder to shoulder on the road in front of the place. They even had a wharf where a well experienced shrimp boat was tied to the pier. This old fish market promised to have everything we wanted for the evening meal.

Dinner was going to be as good as I could make it! I wanted the rest of the clan to lay down their aprons in defeat even before they had a chance to heat up the stove. I was going to have seafood kabobs with a tossed salad of just about any kind of fresh vegetable we could find to throw into the mix. My kitchen is no place for wooses!

In the seafood market I found what I needed for the kabobs; shrimp, bay scallops and shark. They had some great cuts of swordfish which would have worked but I have my own personal boycott of swordfish going on because they are getting scarce due to over fishing.

For our crowd I bought 3 pounds each of the seafood I had chosen. I was confident that would be enough to feed everyone. Kabobs can't be just meat alone so I went down the street and bought a fresh pineapple, bananas, a few peaches, a couple of apples, limes and two red bell peppers.

Back at the house I began preparations for dinner. I cut the shark up into 1 inch squares. Then I peeled and devein the shrimp, using small scissors to cut the shrimp. I didn't want to disturb the tails. The scallops were extra large so I cut them in half. I then cut up the fruit and vegetable into coordinating pieces and thread the seafood and the vegetables on wooden skewers that have been soaking in water for at least an hour.

Now for the marinade: 2 large cloves of garlic crushed, juice of one lemon and one lime, 1/3 cup of olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Place the kabobs in flat pans and pour the mixture over them. Marinate for two hours before cooking.

When the coals on the grill are white it's time to cook. Cook the kabobs from 6 to 8 minutes depending on the temperature of the briquettes. The shrimp and scallops are done when the meat is no longer translucent. The shark is done when the meat flakes easily. Don't over cook and spoil the whole thing.

This is a very easy dinner to make and it looks great on the grill. After all, presentation is what makes a great meal.

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Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, fishing and leisure living. Bob is also the author and owner of this article. Visit his sites at: www.bluemarlinbob.com www.redfishbob.com

Chocolate Fondue

2008-08-08T23:47:00.000-07:00

By: Benn Brown

Fondue is back in vogue and for good reason. Itâ€™s easy, itâ€™s quick and itâ€™s a great taste. Chocolate is a great treat so combined in a fondue dip you have a great taste which young and old enjoy. Whether you are entertaining or just need something tasty and easy for the family fondue makes a great dip.

Chop up some fruit like bananaâ€™s or strawberries, kiwi or mandarins the fruit options are endless. Other fondue dipper to use are biscuits again you can have a variety from shortbread to chocolate chip, the mini variety packs are best as they combine small with taste variety.
You can also get mini cake variety packs in most supermarkets today so the choice for your chocolate fondue dip is endless and easy. So here is a quick recipe to go with all the easy options for you:

What you will need to buy:

12 ounces good quality chocolate
300ml double cream
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons Grand Marnier or Amaretto liqueur (optional)
Variety of chopped fruit, biscuits, cakes

How to make:

Combine the chocolate and double cream in a medium heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Stirring constantly, cook for about two minutes, or until melted and smooth. Add the vanilla and liqueur. Serve with the fruit, biscuits and cake. This recipe will serve 6.
You can of course experiment with different flavors for instance stirring in coconut milk or for a truly decadent taste Baileys Irish Cream.

If you are feeling really brave try the marbled effect, you will need 2 ounces of white chocolate to add to the above ingredients. When the mixture has melted sprinkle the white chocolate over the top, and draw a spoon or knife through the mixture 2 or 3 times, just enough to marble it.

The above recipe only takes about two minutes so feel free to try different things. I am sure your family and friends will be glad you did.

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Aaron Cherry is a big time chef.

Favorite Dishes And Family Folklore

2008-08-08T23:46:00.000-07:00

By: A Kasady

Many people grumble a lot when they get on a diet program because they feel that they will have to miss out on their favorite foods. They tend to equate weight-loss-facilitating healthy and nutritious food with boring and insipid food. But this is anything but true with the South Beach Diet, which serves both taste and health on the same plate.
The South Beach Diet is wildly popular, and that is largely due to the wide variety of recipes that come with the South Beach Diet. Cooking your South Beach Diet recipes is almost as satisfying as eating them because your choices are nearly endless.
Following the South Beach Diet plan is not difficult too, because you are not asked to completely eliminate your favorite foods; rather you are encouraged to make healthy and nutrition-packed choices regarding food and make these foods tasty using different ingredients and cooking techniques.
Seafood is immensely healthy and is an important element used in South Beach Diet recipes. The South Beach Diet recipe for Gulf Shrimp combines shrimp with zucchini and sauts them together for a delicious main course. Another South Beach Diet recipe favorite is salmon grilled to perfection with rosemary to add a delightful flavor. Even if you have never had seafood before, you will delight in the seafood recipes found on the South Beach Diet.
While all of the South Beach Diet recipes are delicious, you do have to eliminate grain from your diet during the initial phase. While your body goes through the detoxification period during Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet, treat yourself to fresh salads, healthy roasted vegetables, and protein-packed eggs to keep your mind of any cravings you are working through.
Many South Beach Diet recipes use vegetables - both raw and cooked. Add flavor and nutrition to your veggie dishes by tossing them with some olive oil. By introducing olive oil to your traditional vegetable servings, you are improving your health while boosting the flavor of your foods.
When it comes to soup options available in the South Beach Diet, there are plenty to choose from. Here are some highly recommended soups: (I) egg drop soup (made using eggs or egg whites) and (ii) tomato bisque, a thick and filling soup that can even be substituted for a light lunch or works well as a side dish to a meaty menu!
The variety of recipes available in the South Beach Diet is huge and, unlike other diets, you won't ever run out of options. If you have decided to start on the diet, then first brainstorm over the food options available, choose what you like, and in no time you will find that there are scores of other recipes for you to relish!

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Aaron Cherry is a big time chef.

Healthy Rainbow Foods for Kids

2008-08-08T23:45:00.000-07:00

By: Jennifer McVey

Nutritionists and the USDA Food Pyramid all provide nutritional guidelines that suggest that offering a variety of nourishing foods to your children will help insure that they eat a healthy diet.

In fact, they state that by choosing foods from the range of colors found in the rainbow you can generally obtain most of the necessary vitamins and minerals recommended for a healthy diet.

"Rainbow" colored foods are easily found in the fruits and vegetables that are available in our grocery stores throughout the year. When you offer your kids an abundance of healthy food choices like those in the "food rainbow," while limiting their access to less nutritious pre-packaged "snack" goodies, you can feel reassured they are eating wholesome foods.

Great rainbow foods include:

*Bananas
*Summer squash
*Strawberries
*Oranges
*Carrots
*Sweet potatoes
*Tomatoes
*Red peppers
*Beets
*Grapes
*Blueberries
*Blackberries
*Spinach
*Kale

You may be surprised how easy it is to get your children to eat healthy food. We suggest you always have fresh fruit accessible to your kids at all times. You may also want to give your children "carte blanche" to snack on fruit anytime, without asking permission. At snacktime, cut up vegetables and serve with a tasty dip your children have helped you prepare.

Other ways to get rainbow foods into your kids' diet:

*Top breakfast cereals with cut-up banana or strawberries.
*Make yummy smoothies with frozen fruit and yogurt. Toss in a bit of kale for extra health (and your kids won't even notice!)
*Mix chopped fruit with jello.
*Start a vegetable garden. Children love eating what they've grown themselves!

How do you help your kids to try new foods when introducing healthy food choices? According to Contemporary Pediatrics, a new food needs to be served to children about ten times before most of them will accept it! Try introducing new foods at mealtimes, alongside some of their favorite foods. So when you serve a yummy spaghetti dinner, add a roasted vegetable medley on the side. The good news is that most children will eventually try it. Kids also say they are more likely to give a new food a try when they see their siblings or parents eat it.

That's right; you need to eat healthy foods, too! Your food choices are a very important opportunity, so teach your children by setting a good example.

Offer lots of good-tasting, healthy choices at snack and mealtimes and you will encourage your kids to make healthy eating part of their life habits. If you teach your children to make the right choices "most of the time," when they are away from you it is more likely that they will make healthy choices, too.

So remember to put a little color in their diet!

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Kathleen and Jennifer McVey have been preparing meals for kids for a combined 50+ years. Learn more of their tips, tricks and yummy recipes for children at Easy-School-Lunch-Recipes.com.