VirtualeFood

Caramel Apple Recipe

2008-12-19T07:34:00.001-08:00

Caramel Apples the Perfect Gift for Any Occasions. by: Frushippable

Are you wondering what to give that someone that has every thing? Caramel apples are the perfect gift, especially given the low cost and the delicious taste that leave you licking your lips. Caramel apples can be made in your kitchen or if you don’t have time to take on the task, then they can be purchased on the internet or at your local caramel apple shop. Caramel apples are most often made with granny smith apples; however many people are now using Delicious, Cameo, Fuji and many other varieties to create their favorite treat. If you decide to make your apples, make sure you use premium ingredients, do not buy imitation chocolate, or flowing caramel because you will be asking for a DISASTER. If you absolutely must make the apples, then purchase caramel in the confectionary store and ask the store clerk for suggestions for which chocolate to use. If you want to purchase caramel apples, look for apples that are firm and are packaged for gift giving. Caramel apples often come with a variety of nuts, chocolate and other toppings to suit the customers taste. Ask the store clerk if they can provide a ribbon and gift card for the apple. The last thing you want to do is create an impression that you just threw something together, just to say you gave a gift. Apples are great gifts for wedding guest, Christmas, and any occasion where you want to great a great impression.
About The Author
Frushippable http://www.frushippable.com is a leading provider of original healthy fresh and unique Caramel Apples and other fruit wedges. They are perfect for any occasion from gifts, expressions of sympathy, congratulations, thank you and client gratitude, to personal and business events. We specialized in chocolate caramel apple, Gourmet Boxed strawberries and Fruit wedges.

Perfect Christmas Gift!

2007-12-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

Wine Gifts – The Perfect Present This Christmas by: Louise Truswell

Not sure what to buy your friends or relatives this Christmas? Well, why not opt for a wine gift? It’s a definite crowd pleaser, looks classy and can be bought from the comfort of your armchair, so you simply can’t go wrong with it. Buying wine gifts is easy. Just follow a few handy tips below and you’ll have your Christmas shopping sorted in no time. The simplest piece of advice to remember is that sparkles always go down well. Whether you are buying for your Great Aunt or best mate, for a 50th wedding anniversary or 21st birthday, champagne is always well received. It looks elegant and tastes great. If you are buying for a range of people and are not sure what to buy for who, you can generally expect that people over the age of 50 will prefer Old World wine, whilst people under the age of 50 are more likely to opt for New World wines. When buying for your partner or loved one, the best option is to choose something that you are both going to enjoy. Go for a bottle you know you both will love or a mixed case of both of your favourites and you are bound to impress. If you are looking to make an impact with your wine, why not go for a pre-packaged wine gift? Many wine retailers usually have a range of wine gifts available, which have been carefully prepared for that special occasion. And if you want to go the extra mile, always opt for a wooden gift box. They are a great way of making a bottle of wine look even more perfect, for relatively little extra cost. Always remember to personalise your gifts with a message. Whether you’ve opted for a case of wine or something from the gift selection, a short message will make it meaningful for the lucky recipient. For comfort and stress-free shopping, make sure you buy online. Buying from an online wine retailer will mean that you can complete your gift shopping in the cosy surroundings of your own home without the hustle and bustle of supermarket trolleys, Christmas Shoppers and pushy sales assistants. What’s more, unlike traditional retailers, online retailers aren’t restricted by space and don’t have so many hefty overheads, so it means that they can offer a wider range of products at lower prices. Finally, make sure your buy early, particularly if you are ordering online. Whilst online retailers will often promise to order within a few days, there’s nothing worse than a present arriving late. Make sure you don’t disappoint and place your order with a couple of extra days notice, particularly at Christmas, which is always a busy time.
About The Author
Louise Truswell has been working in and writing about the wine industry for a number of years. So now you’ve got the tips, all that is left is to select the gift. To choose from Virgin Wines’ extensive range of wine gifts, visit http://www.virginwines.com/buywinegifts

French Wine Anyone?

2007-12-10T08:11:00.001-08:00

I Love French Wine and Food - A 2007 Beaujolais Nouveau by: Levi Reiss
Beaujolais Nouveau, the French red wine that arrives just in time for Thanksgiving, is a major marketing success. This wine is released for sale at one minute past midnight on the third Thursday in November. In the next 24 hours over one million cases will be sold. During the coming year, consumers all over the world will buy over 65 million bottles. Approximately 4 million bottles are exported to the United States, and 7 million to Japan and to Germany. On the downside millions of bottles of last year's production was destroyed prior to the release of the 2007 crop. New wines are usually colored bright red or violet. They tend to be fruity, tasting of cherry, strawberry, raspberry, banana, and freshly squeezed grapes, depending on the grape variety used, the production method, and the area in which the grapes are grown. Detractors talk about bubble gum, lollipops, nail polish, and jello. Many feel that new wine tastes of grape juice with alcohol. One thing is certain; if you don't like a given new wine, don't store it away to try it again in two years. It won't improve with time. Let me present a few tidbits of information before reviewing one of the best Beaujolais Nouveau wines. This wine comes from Beaujolais region of southeastern France and is made from the Gamay grape, which was kicked out of the world-famous, neighboring Burgundy region in 1395. By law, all grapes must be picked by hand in the Beaujolais region. Champagne is the only other region of France that forbids mechanical harvesting. While Beaujolais Nouveau was first regulated in 1938, it dates back to ancient times when a somewhat similar wine was produced for slaves. History does not record their reaction. Let's take a look at mine. Before reviewing the Beaujolais Nouveau wine and imported cheeses that we purchased at a local wine store and a local imported food store, here a few suggestions of what to eat with such wine: Start with Salade Frisee aux Lardons (Curly Lettuce and Bacon Salad). For your second course savor Pot au Feu (Short Ribs with Bone Marrow). And as dessert indulge yourself with Poires pochees au Miel (Pears poached in Honey). OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price. Wine Reviewed Mommessin Beaujolais Nouveau 2007 12% about $13.50 I bought this bottle a few days after the release of the 2007 Beaujolais Nouveau (November 15, 2007) along with a more expensive French offering and an Italian Vino Novello, (new wine) a quite similar Italian rendition. In what I hope is not a policy change my supplier did not include any marketing materials. Here are another supplier's comments: Crisp and enjoyable ' bright cherry and berry flavors, with enough tannins to stand up to richer foods. And now for my reactions. My first pairing of this wine involved prepackaged eggplant parmigiana to which I added a lot of grated Parmesan cheese. The first thing that hit me was the taste of bubble gum, more or less dominating everything else. The wine was pleasant but not much else. I can't help but think about 1970s parties where people were younger and the wine was almost inconsequential. The next meal consisted of slow cooked beef stew with potatoes. Now the wine had some black cherry and apple flavors but the bubble gum was still present, although not dominant. This Beaujolais Nouveau was moderately acidic and of medium length. Then I tried this wine with breaded fried chicken breast slices, potato patties, and Turkish salad. The wine seemed a bit rounder than before. My paucity of comments is due, at least in part, to the wine's paucity of presence. Like it almost wasn't there. The first cheese was a German Emmenthaler (Swiss-type) that is starting to age. The wine was fairly thin, but some fruit managed to poke itself out and guess what, there was no bubble gum at all. The change may have happened when the wine aged in the bottle for a few days. One could do a semi-scientific experiment to test this hypothesis with another bottle of this wine. Not a chance. Then I continued with a French goat cheese that has become older than necessary. The cheese rendered the wine almost tasteless. The wine was overwhelmed. I was underwhelmed. Final verdict. Can you guess? Once again I was had. For this price one should be able to get something halfway decent. And yet as long as both yours truly and the Beaujolais Nouveau phenomenon are around I'll be tasting such wines.
About The Author
Levi Reiss has authored alone or with a co-author ten books on computers and the Internet but he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He knows about dieting but now eats and drinks what he wants, in moderation. He teaches various computer classes in an Ontario French-language community college. His new wine, diet, health, and nutrition website http://www.wineinyourdiet.com/ links to his other sites.

123 Crockpot Chicken with Veggies

2007-11-04T01:26:00.000-07:00

Type Recipe: Plain, Chicken Est. Cooking Time: 10-12 Hrs Servings: 4

2 Cups Chicken Broth 2 Large Chicken Breasts 1 Cup pre-cooked frozen Lima Beans(thaw them out) 1/2 cup raw almonds 1 cup baby carrots 4 peaches and cream corn on the cob (silver queen will do) 2 Slices Provalone cheese
Seasonings: Salt, Pepper, Thyme and Garlic powder

1. Pour chicken broth into crockpot(how to avoid cleaning-tip: look for crockpot cooking bags at your grocer) and place chicken breasts in crockpot, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2. Shave corn from the cob making sure to keep the hull material(shave close) because that is where the flavor is.
3. Add lima beans, almonds, carrots and corn. Cover and continue cooking for 2-3 hours. Finally, add seasonings to taste and top chicken breasts with provalone cheese. Cover and cook until chicken is tender(~2 to 3 hours for larger breasts).

Stolen Cooking-Tip: Most restaurants don't get fresh vegetables or use canned. Frozen vegetables are both tastier than canned and more cost effective than fresh. Fresh is great if available, but frozen always beats canned. I know this because a friend of mine is a chef and he told me this in confidence, so just keep it to yourself..ok.

Enchilada Recipe

2007-11-04T01:24:00.000-07:00

Enchilada – A Simple Yet Delicious Mexican Delicacy by: Chris McCarthy
Enchilada is the traditional Mexican dish meaning 'seasoned with chilies'. It is simply dried red chili peppers soaked and ground into sauce flavored with some seasonings. The dish is very simple. It is a family staple. This Mexican invaded the American food market in the mid sixties and since then it has experienced soaring popularity. Many kinds of enchiladas are made depending on the ingredients. The red enchilada sauce is tomato based with red chilies and the green enchilada is made of tomatoes and green chilies. Mole may be used in the preparation too. A typical enchilada may be made with corn tortilla. Fry tortilla in oil to soften it and dip it in your favorite enchilada sauce. Fill tortillas with chicken, meat or cheese fillings or vegetables, seafood, eggs, banana or even potato with white cheese and roll it, then place it in a casserole. Layer it with sauce, cheese and chopped onions. Fried eggs or salted cooked meat strips will add special touch to the side dish. Follow the simple steps to preparing an Enchilada: • Pre-heat the oven at 350 degree F. • Add oil and cook a tortilla for 2-3 seconds in a heated large pan. Lift it and add another tortilla under it. Cook for 2-3 seconds. This way brown and soften the tortillas. • Saute up onion and garlic and then turn off the heat. Add 1 cup salsa, 3 tablespoon tomato paste in 1 cup of water, crushed fire roasted canned tomatoes and prepare the sauce a bit sweet and not vinegary. • Grease a casserole. Take the tortillas and cover it two third with shredded cheese. Roll it and place in the casserole. Cover the tortillas with sauce and the grated cheese. Put the casserole in the oven for 10 minutes till cheese melts. It is basically tortillas stuffed with various fillings. This term is a Spanish-American name, which first came into print in 1885 and later in 1949 given the credit to be a Mexican dish for tourists. Now it is a staple for Mexican-American restaurants. It is easy and simple to prepare. Heat oil, add onion and garlic to cook till tender. Stir some flour and mix till it is smooth. Add chicken broth, water and enchilada sauce. Cook till smooth. Stir in chilli powder and salt, cook over medium heat. Keep stirring till thick and add cheese with chicken and olives. Dip the corn tortillas in prepared sauce for 5 seconds. Spread 3 tablespoons chicken filling in the center. Roll up and keep in a shallow dish. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas. Bake at 350 degree F for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for further 10 minutes. Garnish with sliced ripe olives and serve immediately. The artistic and cooling garnish of lettuce beholds an enchilada. As you know, Tex-Mex cuisine originated hundreds of years ago when Spanish / Mexican recipes combined with Anglo fare. Enchilada is also derived from Mexican traditions.
About The Author
Chris McCarthy is the owner of InsaneChicken's Hot Sauce and BBQ Sauce Catalog. If you are looking to for unique Hot Sauce or BBQ Sauce check out http://www.insanechicken.com/.

Country Style Crescent Rolls

2007-11-04T01:23:00.000-07:00

Quick and Easy Sour Cream Crescent Rolls by: LeAnn R. Ralph
To find a good book to read or for more free recipes, visit http://ruralroute2.com/ If you would like to serve fresh homemade crescent rolls for a special dinner or family get-together, this recipe takes only 2 hours from start to finish. ~ 2 packages of dry yeast (or 4 teaspoons bulk yeast) ~ 1 cup warm water ~ 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice added) ~ 1/2 cup sour cream (use light sour cream, if you like) ~ 1 stick butter (or margarine) softened (if you want a lighter version of dinner rolls, use a half stick) ~ 1/3 cup sugar ~ 1 teaspoon salt ~ 6-7 cups flour Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add buttermilk, sour cream, butter (or margarine), sugar, salt and 2 cups of flour. Use an electric mixer or a wire wisk and blend for several minutes. Add the remaining flour. Knead for several minutes. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes. To make the crescent rolls: divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a 12-inch circle (mine usually ends up being more of rectangle than a circle, but it works, so who cares?). Spread soft butter onto the circle of dough. Cut the circle in half. Cut each half into quarters. Then cut each quarter into three pieces (as if you are cutting a pie). Roll up each piece of dough, beginning with the wide end. Place on a greased cookie sheet with the "point" underneath. Let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes before baking. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and remove from the cookie sheet. This recipe makes 2 dozen crescent rolls. Total time (including time to bake) is about 2 hours. © 2007 LeAnn R. Ralph
About The Author
LeAnn R. Ralph is a newspaper reporter in Wisconsin. She also is the author of books about growing up on a small family dairy farm 40 years ago. The Midwest Book Review calls this series of books “Highly recommended reading!” You are invited to sign up for the twice-monthly newsletter from Rural Route 2 -- http://ruralroute2.com/ Books about life in the country 40 years ago -- http://ruralroute2.com/

Spice it up, Southern Style!

2007-11-04T01:21:00.000-07:00

Southern Cooking - Spice Up Your Southern Dishes by: Ken Miller
Southern Cooking - Add Some Spice With This New Recipe Being born and raised in the deep South, I do not know where my recently developed taste for spicy food came from. I do not remember much spicy food being served at the dinner table when I was growing up. Although life has taken me far from the South, my love for the Southern cuisine has never diminished. And, this new love for adding “spicy” to my Southern dishes has me a little pleasantly surprised. I was unaware that my taste for spicy food or additives had blended into my daily diet of Southern dishes. But, recently I recognized that I was on to something. Maybe, the rest of the world has been eating like this forever, but it was new to me. And, as I searched the internet to see if anyone was suggesting adding spicy flavor to Southern recipes, I could not find any. You may argue that cajun food has always been spicy. Some may consider that Southern food, since it originated in Louisiana. And, yes, I agree cajun food is spicy. However, to me Cajun food is a breed of it's own. It's not what I would call traditional Southern food. I'm talking about green beans, fried okra, black eyed peas, cornbread and turnip greens. And, Southern fried chicken, hushpuppies and home made biscuits and gravy. So, when I realized I was enjoying spicy additives with my favorite traditional Southern dishes , I had to step back and ask myself, “where did this come from?” I have found that adding a small slice of jalapeno pepper to turnip greens and a touch of crushed red pepper to fried okra really enhances the flavor. And, a splash of hot sauce on “everything” Southern is delightful. Try dipping your chicken in a mild hot sauce before coating with flour for a great Southern fried chicken. Of course, some may call this simply “hot wings...but not the way I cook it. Hot wings are not cooked Southern style like I cook my fried chicken (free recipe on my website). I have tried many of the store brand hot sauces, and they are pretty good, but most are too hot or too mild and lacking in flavor. And, I was satisfied until I recently ran across a home made hot sauce recipe that blows all the others out of the water. It is fantastic! It's called “Butt-Kicking” Spicy Lime Sauce (my name for it). And, I want to share the recipe with you. Here's how to make your own. Ingredients: 6 large jalapeno peppers (fresh is better, but you can use bottled) 6 garlic cloves 1 small onion 2 cups apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 2 teaspoons salt juice of 2 limes 1 teaspoon black pepper Remove the seeds and ribs from the peppers and cut into medium chunks. Roughly chop the onion and garlic and put all the chopped ingredients into a small saucepan. Pour in the vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Roughly chop the cilantro and put into a blender with the salt, pepper and lime juice. When the jalapeno mixture is cooked, allow to cool 10 minutes, then add to the blender. Turn the blender on low for 10 seconds, then increase to highest setting and puree for 3 minutes. If you want a pure liquid sauce, strain through a medium hole strainer, however, I prefer not to strain. I like the fine pulp in the sauce. Pour into sterilized jars and refrigerate. The sauce will keep about a month under refrigeration. Makes about a pint. Note: Sterilize jars by placing jars and lids in boiling water for 15 minutes. This sauce is very unique tasting due to the cilantro and lime juice. I doubt you will find anything like it in your market. And, this is better because it's fresh. And, you made it yourself. I put a bottle of this sauce on the table for every meal, including breakfast (it's great on an omelette). Actually, it's good on everything. I haven't tried ice cream yet, but ...hummmm.
About The Author
Ken Miller is a freelance writer and webmaster for http://www.itzalgud.com/, where you may find free recipes for the most favorite Southern, traditional recipes, including Southern fried chicken.

How to Cook a Bird This Thanksgiving

2007-11-04T01:19:00.000-07:00

How to Prepare and Cook the Perfect Chicken and Turkey by: Kevin McCarthy
People want to eat healthy foods today, and a good way to accomplish that is through poultry. There are some chicken cooking tips that can help you in the kitchen and protect your family as well. Here are a few of the best chicken cooking tips available. • You must take care to always wash your hands, knife, and cutting board in hot soapy water after preparing raw poultry. • You should never use the same utensils and cutting board for other ingredients without thoroughly washing them first and after use. This prevents cross contamination. • You should always marinate poultry in the refrigerator. Never leave it out in the open. • Do not use the poultry marinade for basting. • If the marinade is to be used for the basis of a sauce, bring it to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. • Never put cooked poultry on the same plate that was used to transport raw poultry. Again, this prevents cross contamination. Here are some chicken cooking tips for storing your poultry: • Fresh poultry is a very perishable food. You should not leave it out in the open air. Instead, wrap it in plastic as soon as you get it home from the store and always store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator. You should use it within two days; if this is not possible, place it in a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. You should always freeze giblets and livers separately from the whole bird. • Cooked poultry dishes can be frozen. However, you should not freeze poultry dishes that contain mayonnaise or hard-boiled eggs. • Allow small poultry dishes to cool completely before wrapping and freezing them. Allow larger items to cool in the refrigerator and then wrap airtight and freeze. • You should never freeze stuffed poultry. Some of the most important chicken cooking tips involve proper thawing of the bird. It is especially important that the poultry be properly thawed before cooking. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator while it is in the original wrapper. You can place it on a tray to catch any drips that may fall as it thaws. When thawing in the refrigerator is not possible because there is not enough time, there are two other alternatives. For rapid thawing, you can put the bird in watertight wrapping and then submerge in cold water. You should change the water frequently as this will help quicken the process. Smaller birds require about one to two hours. The other alternative is to leave the bird in its wrapper and put it into a heavy paper grocery bag. Close up the bag and put it into a cool room. You will need to check it frequently, and once the bird is thawed, you must cook it immediately. Now for the Turkey! Turkey is a long time favorite of many families and now there are some great cooking tips tricks that anyone can learn and use to better prepare these wonderful birds. Selecting the proper size: You should plan on about 3/4 pound per person for generous servings. You should understand that this will not leave much in leftovers. If you like to have more leftovers, plan on 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per person. Hens or Toms: It may surprise you but the only real difference between a hen and tom is the size. Hens are classified under 16 pounds and toms are over 16 lbs. A somewhat secret cooking tips tricks is that both will be a young turkey, just a few weeks old at the time of processing. They will be equally tender and moist. Roasting your bird: Remove the neck and giblets from the neck and body cavities. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water. If you want to stuff the bird, you should loosely stuff the body and neck cavities and then fasten the leg clamp back onto the legs. Cooking tips tricks: Place the turkey in a roasting pan with the plastic timer unobstructed. Cover with a lid, or fashion your own cover with a loose tent of foil. Remember to remove the cover for the last hour for browning. Cooking tips tricks for Roasting Times: Roast in a preheated, 325 degree Fahrenheit oven. Roasting will take about 15 minutes per pound if the turkey is not stuffed. Stuffed turkeys require an additional 1/2 to 1 hour cooking time. However, it is always best to follow the instructions that come with the stuffing and the turkey. You oven temperature may vary as well which will require you to adjust your time, either upward or downward. Cooking tips tricks for Basting: One of the most useful tools you can have is a suction basting tube. These inexpensive tools can make basting your turkey a snap and they can also help decrease the time that the oven door is open, which leads to losing oven heat. Baste your bird about every hour or so. This will help make it brown and tender.
About The Author
Kevin McCarthy If you enjoyed this article then have a look at =>http://www.heavencooking.com/ for more cooking articles, information, tips & tricks. There’s even a free report on Master Chef insider tips for saving money on your cooking utensils and equipment.

Baking Tips

2007-11-04T01:18:00.001-07:00

Learn How To Bake Like A Pro by: Nancy Batson
Baking can be complicated if an individual does not know what they are doing. Here are some cooking tips and guidelines to assist these individuals. Before an individual gets started, there are a few steps that should be followed first. These cooking tips will prevent most disasters from happening. Always read through the entire recipe before beginning. This ensures that all necessary ingredients are on hand before starting. Check expiration dates on all non perishable supplies, so that running to the store happens in the middle of baking. Preheat the oven and check with an oven thermometer. Most ovens can run anywhere from twenty five degrees to cooler to twenty five degrees warmer. This ensures that the proper temperature is obtained for the recipe. Follow directions on adjusting oven racks, prepping baking sheets, and using the right baking pan. Measure ingredients accurately this means holding it up to eye level especially with liquids. To measure dry ingredients over fill then level off with flat edge of knife. Finally bake with love, if an individual is angry or rushed the recipe may not turn out right. These next cooking tips are about ingredients. There are many different kinds of flour, and they are not all the same. Wheat flour is important for all yeast breads. Bread flour works for yeast loaves, however put it in yeast bread and it will turn into a heavy cake. Cake flour is very fine. All purpose flour can be used for most any baking. Bleached and unbleached flours can be used interchangeably. Make sure to store flour in an airtight container, in a spot that cool and dry for up to six months. Baking powder and baking soda are not interchangeable. Baking powder is a combination of baking soda and an acid. Its leavening power works when mixed with wet ingredients and then baked into the oven. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. When it mixes with an acid ingredient like buttermilk, yogurt or molasses, it makes carbon dioxide bubbles that make baked goods light and airy. Cooking tips for handling chocolate are important. First there are different types of chocolate. Unsweetened chocolate is chocolate liquor that has at least fifty percent cocoa butter and no added sugar. Various amounts of sugar added create bittersweet, semisweet, and dark chocolate. Milk chocolate is dried milk powder, cocoa butter and added sugar. White chocolate is made with cocoa butter instead of chocolate liquor. Unsweetened cocoa is made from chocolate liquor with seventy five percent cocoa butter removed and then dried and ground into a paste. When melting chocolate it is easy to burn, so always melt it over very low heat. Individuals can choose the double boiler method, the direct heat method, or the microwave oven method. Using these cooking tips will make almost any baked goodie turn out great.
About The Author
Still looking for information on Cooking? Check out http://mycookingcoach.com/ a website specializing in free cooking information!

Killer Pie

2007-09-26T03:53:00.001-07:00

'Waitress' Bakes Up Pie to Die For by: Hillary Marshak
Waitress is about a woman named Jenna who is depressed from her marriage to a terrible husband, as well as her lifelong loneliness. Again and again, she finds herself trapped in the abusive relationship, partly due to financial struggles. To her further dismay, she finds out she is pregnant with her husband’s child. The only outlet through which she feels comfortable sharing her emotions is by baking pies. She even names pies after her feelings while inventing them. After a series of life-changing events, she eventually finds exactly what she has been looking for in the baby she resented all along. She cuts off ties from everything in her old life and “starts fresh,” keeping only one thing the same: her love and passion for making pies. Here are five of her wonderful pie recipes: Marshmallow Mermaid Pie 9 graham crackers 1/2 C. sweetened, flaked coconut, toasted 5 Tbs. butter or margarine, melted 34 lg. marshmallows (8 oz.) 1/2 C. whole milk 1 1/2 C. heavy or whipping cream 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, grated Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine coconut and graham crackers in food processor until coarse crumbs form. Combine crumbs and butter with fork. Press to bottom and side of 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 minutes and cool on wire rack. Heat marshmallows and milk in 3-qt. saucepan over low heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat. Cool completely (30 minutes.) In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold marshmallow mixture into whipped cream with grated chocolate. Spoon filling into cooled crust. Refrigerate pie at least 3 hours or overnight. Top with mini marshmallows, maraschino cherries and rainbow sprinkles. Falling in Love Chocolate Mousse Pie 9-inch baked pastry shell 1 14-oz. can condensed milk (not evaporated) 2/3 C. water 1 (4 serving) pkg. chocolate pudding mix (not instant) 1 1-oz. square unsweetened chocolate 2 C. (1 pt.) whipping cream, stiffly whipped In large saucepan, combine condensed milk, water and pudding mix; mix well. Add chocolate. Over medium heat, cook and stir rapidly until chocolate melts and mixture thickens. Remove from heat; beat until smooth. Cool. Chill thoroughly; stir. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into prepared pastry shell. Chill 4 hours until set. I Don't Want Earl's Baby Pie 1 pie crust 4 Tbs. butter 3 slices ham 8 green onions 1 C. brie cheese 1 C. parmesan cheese, grated 4 eggs 2 C. heavy cream 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover pie crust with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 minutes more. Remove crust and reduce heat to 325 degrees. Julienne ham. Chop green onions. In skillet, saute ham until brown. Remove and set aside. Saute onion until tender. Remove with slotted spoon and combine with ham. Spread on bottom of pie crust. Spread brie over ham mixture and sprinkle with parmesan. Combine eggs, cream and nutmeg; pour over cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until set. Cool slightly, cut into wedges and serve. Baby Screamin' Its Head Off In The Middle of the Night & Ruinin' My Life Pie 4 8-oz. cream cheese, softened 1 C. unsalted butter, softened 1 1/2 C. sour cream 1/2 C heavy whipping cream 1 3/4 C. white sugar 1/8 . cornstarch 1 fl. oz. amaretto liqueur 1 tsp. vanilla extract 5 eggs 1 egg yolk 1 C. chopped pecans 1/2 tsp. nutmeg Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wrap outside of 9-inch springform pan with foil. Generously butter inside of pan. In large bowl,beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in sugar and cornstarch. Blend in sour cream and whipping cream. Add amaretto and vanilla. Stir in eggs and egg yolk one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition. Pour batter into pan. Place pan in another pan at least 1 inch wider and add water to outside pan (prevents cracks). Bake on center rack for 70 minutes. Turn oven off and let cool with door open for 1 hour. Remove cake from water and chill at least 3 hours before removing cake from pan. Top with crushed pecans and dust with nutmeg. I Can't Have No Affair Because It's Wrong & I Don't Want Earl to Kill Me Pie 2 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs 1/2 C. brown sugar 1/2 C. melted butter 2 large eggs 1/3 C. granulated sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 2 C. milk, scalded 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 3 egg whites 1/2 C. white sugar 1. Mix crumbs, brown sugar and butter until well-blended. Press mixture into a 9-inch pan. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 2. Beat eggs slightly in a large bowl. Add sugar and salt. Slowly stir in hot, scalded milk. Add vanilla. Strain mixture into pie crust. Sprinkle top with cinnamon. 3. Bake on lower shelf 25-30 minutes, or until custard is firm. 4. In larger glass mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 C. white sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. 5. Spread meringue over pie after custard is set, return to oven until meringue is slightly brown. Cool 15 minutes.
About The Author
Hillary Marshak is a writer and editor for Recipe4Living.com, an up and coming recipe sharing Website. For more articles like this, or for a large collection of recipes, visit the site at http://www.Recipe4Living.com.

Will You Have a German Wine With That?

2007-09-07T04:05:00.000-07:00

I Love German Wine and Food - A Rheinhessen Dornfelder by: Levi Reiss
If you are hankering for some fine German wine and food, you should take a look at the Rheinhessen region of southwestern Germany. Who knows, you may even find a bargain, and I think that you'll enjoy yourself on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local red Dornfelder. Rheinhessen is a relatively small area, sometimes called the land of the thousand hills, nestled between the Rhine and the Nahe Rivers. It already was known for its wines in the days of Charlemagne. To some extent it is famous or infamous for Liebfraumilch, to be reviewed in another article in this series. It is the German region with both the largest area planted in wine grapes and the highest wine production. Rheinhessen alone claims over a quarter of the German wine acreage and wine production. It is also produces the highest percentage of generally low quality table wine, coming in at almost 12%. More than 60% of Rheinhessen wine is middle quality QbA wine, and a bit more than 25% is higher quality QmP wine. About seven of eight bottles contain white wine, but the percentage of red wine is increasing. The most widely grown varieties are the German hybrid Mueller-Thurgau and Silvaner. The usually higher quality Riesling represents about 10% of the total production. Dornfelder is the most widely planted red grape variety. The marketing materials, quoted below, present one viewpoint of this German-bred grape. Mainz has a population of about eighty thousand. It is one of the centers of the German wine trade. It is the state capital of Rheinland-Pfalz which is the only German state government with a wine minister. The city is built on the site of a two thousand year-old Roman citadel. In this part of the world two thousand years is a short time; a local museum contains three hundred thousand year-old artifacts. In season the Marktplatz (Market) and Höfchen (Little Courtyard) buzz with farmers selling their wares on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. Check the exact dates for the annual Sektfest (Sparkling Wine Festival) held in late May or early June and then Johannisnacht, another wine festival several weeks later. Other sites to see include the Dom (Cathedral of St. Martin and St. Stephan) which broke ground shortly prior to the turn of the first millennium. Because of seven fires most of the Cathedral is newer, dating from the Eleventh to the Thirteenth Centuries. The cloisters contain a museum of religious artifacts. Right near by is the Gutenberg Museum. Other local museums are devoted to the Middle Ages, Roman warships, art, plants, animals, and fossils. If all this touring makes you thirsty for more than knowledge visit the Kupferberg Sektkellerei (sparkling wine cellars), the deepest on earth. There are several concert halls, theaters, night clubs, and wine bars. Not far from the city are the Mainz Sand Dunes, a tiny area home to plants and animals rarely seen in Western Europe. Before reviewing the Rheinhessen wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Zweibelkuchen (Onion Pie). For your second course enjoy Haxen und Bratkartoffeln (Pork Hocks and Home Fries). As a dessert indulge yourself with Frankfurter Kranz (Buttercream Cake). OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price. Wine Reviewed Rappenhof Dornfelder Trocken 2004 13.0% alcohol about $15.50 Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. Dornfelder is a cross, bred in 1956 by August Herold. In its genealogy, the grape claims every important red vine grown in Germany. Fortunately, it has inherited most of the positive attributes and very few of the negative. The wines are deeply coloured, velvety in texture with hints of floral. Slightly off-dry, this example gives good aroma replays on the palate. Serve with Wiener schnitzel. Now for the review. (By the way, I found its color more of a dark rose.) My first pairing was with a barbecued, marinated rib steak with potato patties, potato wedges, and a commercially prepared eggplant and tomato side dish. The wine was very short with moderate fruit when imbibed with the meat and potatoes. It crept back into the woodwork when faced with a fairly powerful eggplant dish. The next tasting involved a cheeseless broccoli, mushroom, and zucchini quiche with mashed potatoes. The Dornfelder tasted sour and I sensed some sort of strange fruit in the background. I finished the glass with beer nuts. The wine was fairly flat but its sourness disappeared. The final meal consisted of meatballs in a tomato sauce with rice and green beans. The wine was somewhat rounder than before but was still ever so short. I thought I was drinking an alcoholic fruit juice. The initial cheese pairing was with a French goat cheese that really resembled a Camembert. While the wine was a bit flat it did taste lightly of black cherries. Then I went to a Swiss Gruyere. The Dornfelder became somewhat more robust but the fruit was less distinctive. I finished the bottle with a local, fairly sharp Asiago cheese that I prefer to its presumably more authentic Italian cousin. Finally a decent pairing; the wine was pleasant. Final verdict. I didn't plan to be reviewing two Dornfelders in such short order. But we don't get many of them in our neck of the woods so I figured why not give it a try. There certainly won't be a third round in the near future. I fail to see why such a grape should cost more than many better grapes from German and other countries. Of course, if I had liked the wine...
About The Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but would rather just drink fine German, Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. His major wine website is http://www.theworldwidewine.com which links to his other web sites.

2007-08-24T13:48:00.001-07:00

Chilled No Bake Dessert Recipes by: Jill Seader
Cool and refreshing desserts to help you get through the hot summer days. A raspberry dessert recipe and chocolate mint dessert recipe. No baking required for these recipes! Raspberry Revel 8 ounces of vanilla wafers 3/4 cup butter 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 pint frozen raspberries, thawed and drained 8 ounce container of whipped topping Grease a 9 x 11-inch pan. Crush the vanilla wafers. (The easiest way to do this is to put the wafers in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.) Reserve 1/4 cup of the crushed vanilla wafers and put the rest in the bottom of the greased pan. Beat the butter, powdered sugar, eggs, and vanilla together. Put this mixture on top of the crumbs. Spread the mixture from the edges of the pan inward to help keep the wafer crumbs in place. Spread the drained raspberries on top of that mixture. Add the whipped cream and sprinkle the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs over the top. Refrigerate overnight. Serves 12. Chocolate Mint Dazzle 18 graham crackers 1/2 cup melted butter 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup softened butter 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar 3 eggs, slightly beaten 2 (1 ounce) squares chocolate, melted 1 1/2 cup cream 1 package miniature marshmallows 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan. Crush the graham crackers and mix them with the 1/2 cup of melted butter and the sugar. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. Cream the 1/2 cup softened butter and powdered sugar together in a medium bowl. Add in the eggs and melted chocolate. Beat well and spread the mixture over the top of the graham cracker crust. Beat the cream and marshmallows together and put that over the chocolate layer. Sprinkle the top with the crushed peppermint candy. Refrigerate overnight.
About The Author
Jill Seader enjoys sharing all sorts of free baking recipes, including no bake recipes like the ones above, at her website http://www.yourbakingstory.com/. Come find a baking recipe to make or share your own. Happy Baking!

Sweet Potato Casserole for the Holidays

2006-12-18T10:54:00.000-08:00

Sweet Potato Casserole for the Holidays by: David Jones
Every year on Thanksgiving and Christmas one dish always stands out, Sweet Potato Casserole. My Wife's Grandmother made the best dishes, particularly on Thanksgiving and Christmas. She gave us her sweet potato recipe and it is terrific. Give it a try this year:
2 to 3 cooked sweet potatoes1/4 cup sugar1 tablespoon butter1 egg beaten1 teaspoon vanilla1/4 cup milk1 bag marshmellowscinnamin to tastebrown sugar to taste1/4 to 1/2 cup pecans, walnuts or macadamia
Mix first 6 ingredients together and place them in a casserole dish. Sprinkle with cinnamin, brown sugar and nuts. Next, cover the entire casserole with marshmellows. Bake at 350 degrees F until marshmellows are nice and brown.

About The Author
David Jones
More recipes are available free at http://www.virtualemedia.com. Also, check out http://www.virtualecatalog.com, http://www.geminimalls.com and http://www.virtualedirectory.com for your shopping convenience.

Due to popular demand, this was a re-run!

Healthy Cooking

2006-12-15T04:01:00.000-08:00

Healthy Cooking by: Izzy Morgan
Healthy cooking or healthy eating doesn't mean denial. Changes that we implement towards a healthier lifestyle will impact our health, the way we feel and perhaps extend our life. Cooking is a personal experience and we can implement different methods for the same meal. For example, if we want to make mashed potatoes, we could boil the potatoes, or we could steam them, we could peel the skin, buy instant mixes, etc. The choices we make will modify and transform the quality and the nutritional value of the food you put on your table. So here are a few tips that you can easily implement in your kitchen. Healthy Cooking For a healthier lifestyle, you may want change what you cook as well as how you cook. Depending on the method you choose, you may be depleting the nutrients out of your food. You could be preparing a meal with the right nutritious ingredients but after you are done cooking, you may end up with a dish that has no nutritional value. When heat is applied, many vitamins and minerals are burnt away. The higher the temperature and the longer you cook it, the fewer nutrients you will have in your meal. It is important then not to overcook your meals, try to cook your meals in the shortest time possible and with the minimum amount of water possible. However, dry cooking methods such as roasting and baking are perhaps the worst method, as they require a longer cooking time. Microwaving, frying, boiling and sautéing are some of the methods that you need to consider before you cook. Steaming and stir-frying are better choices, as they will allow the natural nutrition to remain in your food. It is also important to consider the oxidation that occurs in vegetables once they are cut, as oxidation will neutralize the vitamins. For this reason, try not to cut or chop your vegetables way ahead of time. Seasonings You may also want to think about the seasonings that you add to your foods when cooking. Consider adding unrefined sea salt to your meals instead of the commonly available commercial table salt, which is a highly refined product containing 99.5% sodium chloride with almost no trace minerals left. Unrefined sea salt taste wonderful and depending on the method of processing, it contains 0.5 to 3% trace minerals in addition to sodium chloride and small quantities of other elements found naturally in the ocean. You also need to remember that too much salt can cause hypertension, excessive fluid retention and other complications. You could also add a lot of spices and herbs instead if you need to add more taste to your meals. Try adding fresh lemon juice or lime juice to add a little extra taste. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). It is used to enhance flavor and some people are extremely sensitive to it. It is believed to cause headaches, muscle tightening. Baking powders that contain aluminum. Cooking utensils Quality cookware and utensils that do not interact with food are also important to consider. Natural materials such as earthenware, ceramic, glass and metals such as stainless steel, cast-iron or enamel coated steel are recommended. Avoid aluminum, plastic, Teflon and other synthetic materials. Nonstick cookware such as Teflon will emit toxic fumes when heated to a high temperature. Inhaling these toxic fumes can lead to respiratory disease, weakening of the immune system, cancer, depression, asthma and other health problems. More Things to Consider Choose quality vegetable oils. Avoid hydrogenated oils and fats, refined margarines and oils, animal oils and fats and shortenings. Hydrogenated oils are manufactured oils. Studies have found that they attack the arteries with a risk of heart disease, the kidneys, liver, spleen, intestine and gallbladder. Avoid Aspartame. MSG and Aspartame are both considered excitotoxins. Studies have found that Aspartame is the cause for many medical problems, such as headaches, hyperactivity in children, seizure disorders and memory loss. Both Aspartame and MSG and other similar substances cause harm to the brain and nervous system. Try using less white flour and introduce more fiber by adding bran and soy flour and wheat germ to your bread recipes. Avoid white processed sugar. The living vitality is not there. Organically grown unprocessed living sugar can be found at health food stores. Avoid artificial sweeteners, they are manufactured chemicals. Use raw organic honey, fresh organic fruit juices or organic raw evaporated sugarcane juice. Balance your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables versus frozen or canned. Choose 100% organic fresh produce that is free from chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. Have a salad every day. Make your own salad dressing. Here is the one I make for my daily salads. In the food processor chop garlic, ginger, onion, jalapeño pepper and parsley. Add fresh squeezed lime juice (from 4 or 5 limes) or lemon juice, extra virgin oil, and unrefined sea salt, that's it, and it is delicious. You could also add honey for a little extra flavor. As far as the amount for each ingredient, I would say, 5 cloves of garlic, a 1/2" piece of ginger, 1/2 onion, 1 jalapeño pepper, a handful of parsley and 4-5 limes. Add oil and salt to taste. Yields about a pint. Storing foods depletes their vitamin and mineral content. So remember not to keep leftovers in the fridge for more than a couple of days. Instead, try freezing your leftovers right away, as soon as your food has cooled. And last but not least, cook with a light heart and avoid meals prepared by people who are sick, angry or they have an unhappy attitude when cooking.
About The Author
Izzy Morgan offers Health Articles on Nutrition and other health topics at her website http://www.ForHealthTips.com

What is a Chafing Dish for?

2006-12-12T06:21:00.000-08:00

The 411 on Chafing Dishes by: Debra Haydel
Planning your next big get-together? Whether it's a birthday bash, church fundraiser or holiday gathering--serving buffet-style is the way to go. When setting up a buffet table, chafing dishes are the best way to keep food hot. They allow a large number of guests to serve themselves while the host can mix and mingle without having to worry about food on the stove or in the oven. Even if you don't entertain frequently, purchasing or renting chafing dishes can't be beat. Chafing dishes, sometimes called steam pans, are simply large serving dishes in which food is kept warm (or cold). The different types of chafing dishes consist of a frame or wire rack, a water pan, a food pan and a cover. Water in the pan is used to conduct the heat which maintains the food at a proper serving temperature. The heat source is sterno or an electrical heating element placed underneath the water pan. TYPES Oval or round, ornately decorated chafing dishes, would be perfect for an elegant or formal gathering. They are generally made of silver and sit on a platform with tapered legs. They can be used with sterno or a heating element and are available to rent from party rental stores, or for purchase at department stores or restaurant and catering supply outlets. The most widely used chafing dishes are long and rectangular in shape and made of stainless steel. The water pan is placed on a wire or chrome rack and will hold up to two half-sized food pans. Rent these from a party rental store or purchase at a party supply store, department store or restaurant and catering supply outlet. Disposable chafing dishes are the least expensive and are designed like the stainless steel set-up. They consist of a large aluminum water pan and one or two smaller aluminum food pans. The wire racks are somewhat thinner. These are sometimes called caterers' racks and are usually found at party supply stores, discount stores or restaurant and catering supply outlets. For the home buffet table, stainless steel and aluminum rectangular food pan sizes range from 20 x 12 x 4 (full size) to 10 x 12 x 2 (half size). Water pans are sized to fit and the wire racks are usually full-sized. Other chafing dishes vary in size. HOW TO USE The first thing to remember is that chafing dishes cannot be used to bring foods up to serving temperature. Food must first be at the proper temperature before adding to the pan. Stainless steel and aluminum food pans can be used for cooking and/or heating the food in the oven. The water pan is placed in the wire rack and filled with HOT water to a level that is close to but not touching the food pan. The sterno is then lit and placed under the water pan. The resulting steam will maintain the temperature of food that is already at serving temperature. The water pan should be checked periodically to make sure the water level is maintained and the food should be stirred occasionally to evenly distribute the heat and prevent scorching. Using a lid or cover will keep food moist. Chafing dishes will also keep cold foods cold. Fill the water pan with cold water and ice and of course, don't light the fuel! A WORD ABOUT STERNO Sterno fuel is a formulation of denatured alcohol, water and gel and is perfectly safe when used as directed. It comes in small cans and is generally available from hardware stores and party supply stores. The sterno wick is lit and placed underneath the water pan. A full-sized water pan may require two sterno cans placed at opposite ends, particularly if the food is dense (such as pasta and cheese). The flame is blue in color and an 8-oz. can burns for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The fuel can be extinguished and relit. QUICK SAFETY TIPS -DO NOT LEAVE AN OPEN FLAME UNATTENDED -Open the pan cover carefully, to avoid burns from the escaping steam. -Do not use anything but sterno-type fuel in the burner. -Properly working chafing dishes keep hot food at a safe temperature of 140 degrees or above to avoid bacterial growth. Ideally, temperature should not exceed 160 degrees to avoid overcooking Chafing dishes make your buffet table look professional, appetizing and attractive. They also allow you to cook food ahead of time and place in the dishes just before your guests arrive--leaving you free to mingle with your guests. Yes, chafing dishes are a party hosts' dream come true. Happy Cooking Debra Haydel
About The Author
Debra Haydel publishes http://www.chef-menus.com. This site is packed with information and tips on party menu planning. Not only recipes but complete, coordinated menus for all your special occasions. Go to www.chef-menus.com/cooking-for-a-crowd.html for help on food shopping as you plan your next large party or event.

Choosing a Coffeemaker

2006-11-28T00:55:00.000-08:00

Things To Look For In Automatic Coffee Makers: Buying Guide by: Tracie M. Loewe
Automatic coffee makers come in all shapes and sizes. You can find ones that make regular coffee, and those that make specialty drinks like espresso or latte. No matter what your coffee fetish may be, you can find automatic coffee makers to suit your needs. Some come with coffee grinders right in the machine and many can be automatic so your coffee is hot and ready to go when you wake up for work in the morning. You will find that automatic coffee makers will last longer if you take care of them. Always remember to turn it off when not in use to make sure a longer life. If you drink a lot of coffee, your machine will have to work harder, and you’ll find yourself replacing your machine more often. Also remember to keep it clean by running a mixture of water and one cup of vinegar though the machine once in a while. This keeps the insides of automatic coffee makers clean, and keeps the coffee tasting better. Don’t forget to run water through a few times after using vinegar to make sure there is no vinegar left in the machine. If you choose to buy automatic coffee makers with timers on them, you save at least ten minutes of time in the morning. You fill the machine at night, and the coffee will be prepared when you tell it to. So if you have to get up at six am to get ready to go to work, you might want to set your coffee maker to start preparing at 5:45. This way, your coffee is done and ready to go. If you are impatient, they make automatic coffee makers with flow interruption. This means you can pull the flask from the machine to pour a quick cup, and the flow of coffee will stop momentarily. Automatic coffee makers come in all sizes, colors, and varieties, so shop around. You can find a color to compliment you kitchen decoration, and a model with the features you need. There are coffee makers that will prepare full pots, models that will make one quick cup, and still others that make four cups. Buy according to what you drink. There is no sense in making ten cups a day if you only drink three. You can also find automatic coffee makers that are moveable, perfect for camping trips, or when you are staying with friends or family who don’t drink coffee or own a machine of their own.
About The Author
Tracie M. Loewe provides readers with up-to-date commentaries, articles on http://www.the-good-shopping-guide.com and other helpful http://www.before-you-shop-guide.com.

Chicken Preparations

2006-11-27T15:03:00.000-08:00

Two Methods of Chicken Cut - Simply and Professionally by: Noraini Maskuri
There are two ways in which chickens or poultry can be cut up, one for home use and the other for professional use. The technique can be learned quite easily and it's a useful skill to have. The advantages are that it is more economical to cut up chicken or poultry yourself than buying in portions, and you can cut the way you want them in any various combinations such as drumsticks with or without the thigh, or breasts with or with the wings, etc. A key point to remember is to feel the joints when you have to sever sinews and cartilage. To cut through bones, ideally a serrated knife or poultry shears are used. The method that is common and popular amongst home cooks is as follows: Basically there are eight steps to cut up the chicken or poultry. Firstly, by using a large sharp knife, free the leg by carefully cutting the skin between the body and the leg. Cut through the skin as far as the joint, bending the leg outwards with the hand. Then twist the leg until the ball of the joint springs out. After that, cut through the joint, pressing lightly. Cut through the leg at the knee joint to separate the thigh from the drumstick. Separate the wing at the shoulder joint, cutting off a small part of the breast with it. Press quite firmly to split the collarbone and divide the back parallel to the backbone. Cut across the back at the middle point, breaking the backbone with short movements of the knife. Finally to separate the breasts, carefully cut left and right along the length of the breastbone. The professional cooks have a different method of cutting up chickens or poulty and the following method is based on 1-3/4 pounds poultry, in order to achieve portions of equal size: In eight steps, firstly make a cut approximately 3/8 inch deep across the back under the shoulder blades. Cut along the backbone at a right angle to this and remove the "chicken oysters", which is the tender part whose quality matches that of the breasts. Cut through the skin between the body and the leg. Spread out the leg and cut through the joint. Chop off the outermost section of each wing, cutting through the joint with a small chopper or large knife. Remove the wings with some breast meat, along the breastbone and wishbone as far as the joint. To remove the breasts, first hold the chicken firmly by the wishbone and cut along the breastbone. Turn the carcass 180 degree, then loosen the breast from the front along the wishbone as far as the joint. Take off the breast, making a cut from the joint to the end of the breastbone. The legs are left in one piece and the wing tips are removed, for the sake of appearance. The number of individual pieces depends on the size of the chicken. You can use the remainder of the carcass to make stock, soups and sauces. The two methods above are simple to master and whether you choose to cut your chickens simply or professionally, these are the correct methods to follow.
About The Author
Noraini Maskuri enjoys cooking and has professional training in bakery. She owns http://MyCookery.com and if you wish to receive free Chicken Cookbook with 300 chicken recipes, you can download from this site: http://mycookery.com/blog. For more cooking and baking tips and recipes, please also visit: http://recipehome.nmaskuri.com.

First Thanksgiving Pies

2006-11-22T09:30:00.000-08:00

First Thankgiving And Pies by: Alphonso Smith
In 1621, the Pilgrims and the Indians got together for three days of feast and celebration. The Wampanoags, a neighbor group of Indians brought the turkey and corn and the Pilgrims brought the pies. 12 selections. Everyone could choose their favorite kind. It had to be the pies that were the ‘hit’ of the feast. The pies were so good that the Indians invited the Pilgrims to stay. It had to be the pies. Pie history according to PJ’s Totally Awesome Pies. PJ’s has 12 selections too. Real Pie history Pies were baked in America as soon as the early settlers set-up housekeeping on dry land. Beyond mere preference, however, there was a practical reason for making pies, especially in the harsh and primitive conditions endured by the first colonists. A piecrust used less flour than bread and it did not require anything as complicated as a brick oven for baking. More important, though, was how pies could stretch even the most meager provisions into sustaining a few more hungry mouths. The first pies were very simple and generally of the savory (meat and cheese) kind. Flaky pastry fruit-filled turnovers appeared in the early 19th century. Some pie-type foods are made for individual consumption. These portable pies…pasties, turnovers, empanadas, pierogi, calzones…were enjoyed by the working classes and sold by street vendors. Pie variations (cobblers, slumps, grunts, etc.) are endless. Pie—the filling and baking of sweet (fruits, nuts, cheese) or savory(meat, fish, cheese) ingredients and spices in casing composed of flour, fat, and water is an ancient practice. The basic concept of pies has changed little throughout the ages. Cooking methods (baked or fried in ancient hearths, portable colonial/pioneer Dutch ovens, modern ovens), pastry composition (flat bread, flour/fat/water/crusts, puff paste, milles feuilles), and cultural preference (pita, pizza, quiche, shepherd’s, lemon meringue, classic apple, chocolate pudding?) All figure prominently into the complicated history of this particular genre of food. The basic concept of a pie is taken to mean a mixture of ingredients encased and cooked in pastry. Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink, 2004, Oxford English Dictionary.
About The Author
Author is Alphonso Smith, part-time writer, internet marketer, and full time pie connoisseur. PJ’s Totally Awesome Pies are mouth watering delectables. All natural ingredients. Freshly baked. Varied sizes. Order on line: http://www.pjspies.com/. Order now for the Holidays. Everyday is a good pie eating day. Pie and Ice Cream.

BBQ Time: Getting Started

2006-04-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

Which Grill Should You Buy, Charcoal Or Gas? by: Roy Green
If you are considering purchasing a new grill, or barbecue, you will be faced with a multitude of options to choose between. However, there is one choice which you will need to make fairly quickly in your quest for the perfect grill for you. That decision is whether to buy a charcoal or gas grill.
Both charcoal and gas grills have advantages over each other depending on what you are looking for and how you intend to use it. However, the good news is that they both produce food which has been found to have very little difference in taste. Whether you choose the gas or charcoal version you can rest assured that they will both have the capability to produce great tasting fare.
For many, a barbecue is not a proper barbecue if it does not involve cooking over hot coals. This can take a long time to be at the optimum cooking temperature and can be difficult to master, and in addition there are ashes to be dealt with once the cooking is over. However, the primal instinct in many people (particularly men!) makes the charcoal grill appeal to them as they are required to start and tend the fire for the duration of the time for which they are cooking. In addition, many feel that cooking over coals gives the food a distinctive taste and smell which you do not get with a gas grill. However, as mentioned previously, this has not been found to be the case.
A gas grill can make life less complicated. The flames are produced at the touch of a button and the temperature can be controlled at the turn of a knob. This is more like cooking over a traditional kitchen cooker, only outside. A gas grill also removes the debris once the cooking is over as there are no coals to clean up.
As you can see, both types of grill have their advantages. However, it is important to think about your use of your grill before making your decision. If you plan to use it infrequently you may prefer a charcoal grill as they are less costly. A gas grill will cost more to buy, but if you are going to use it regularly it will become more efficient over time. For the newcomer to the grill, a charcoal grill may be the most sensible option. If you find you are using it a lot and it is becoming expensive to buy new coals you will then have the opportunity to upgrade to a gas barbecue if you wish. If you splash out for a gas grill immediately you may find that if you use it infrequently it will be an unnecessary expense that you need not have made.
Whichever you choose, there is little between the two types of grill in terms of the quality of the food cooked on them. Make your decision wisely and your grill is sure to be enjoyed on many occasions over time and makes a great addition to any summer evening.
About The Author
Roy Green is a regular contributor to Jay's Grills http://www.jaysgrills.com where more barbecue and grill advice and recipes are freely available.

Pizza

2006-03-27T10:41:00.000-08:00

A Brief History of Pizza: The Dish that Conquered the World by: Anna Maria Volpi
Pizza, the way we know it today, is a derivation from focaccia (from the Latin word for fire), flat bread that has been prepared since antiquity in different forms and garnished with herbs, olives, fat, raisin, honey, and nuts.
The word pizza in Italian identifies any type of flat bread or pie—fried or baked. Although you’d find many types of pitas or pizzas around the Mediterranean, it is in Naples that pizza in the form we know it today first emerged, after the tomato appeared on the table in the 1700s. Naples has many records of pizza since around the year 1000; the first mentions call these flat breads laganae, and later they are referred to as picea. In those times, pizzas were dressed with garlic and olive oil, or cheese and anchovies, or small local fish. They were baked on the open fire and sometimes were closed in two, as a book, to form a calzone.
In Naples is also where the first pizzerias opened up, with brick wood-burning oven, covered with lava stones from the Mount Vesuvius. The chefs of those times ignored pizza because was considered a poor people’s food, but the new combination with the tomato, when it entered the kitchen around the 1770s, must have raised some curiosity, even in the royal palace. Ferdinand I Bourbon, King of Naples, loved the simple food of the people and went to taste the pizzas made in the shop of Antonio Testa. He liked it so much that he wanted pizza to be included in the menu at the court. He failed after the opposition of his wife, Queen Maria Carolina. His son Ferdinand II also liked all kind of popular food and he loved pizza to the point that he hired Domenico Testa, son of the now famous Antonio, to build a pizza oven in the royal palace of Capodimonte.
Pizza became very popular, earning its place in Neapolitan folklore. Simple and economical, it turned into the food for all people, even sold on the streets, as shown in many illustrations of the time.
A famous episode extended the popularity of pizza beyond the limits of the city of Naples. It was 1889, and Margherita, queen of Italy, was visiting the city. She was told about pizza and wanted to taste it. A famous cook by the name of Don Raffaele, helped by his wife Donna Rosa, was invited to cook pizza at the royal palace. They prepared three pizzas, typical of that time: one with cheese and basil; one with garlic, oil, and tomato; and one with mozzarella, basil, and tomato. The queen, impressed by the colors of the last pizza, which resembled the national flag, preferred that one. Since then this pizza is known as Pizza Margherita, and Don Raffaele is credited with its invention, even if we know that it already existed for a long time.
At the beginning of the last century, with Italian immigrants, the first pizzerias appeared also in the United States, where pizza has become a mass phenomenon. Yet, even today the best pizza is found in Naples, where it is rigorously made with buffalo mozzarella. Superior pizzas are considered those obtained by moderate variations of the simplest and most popular: Pizza Napoletana with tomato, garlic, oil, and oregano; Pizza Margherita; Pizza Marinara with tomato, anchovies, capers, and olives; and Pizza Four Seasons, divided in four quadrants, each dressed in a different way. Pizza with hot salami, the American pepperoni pizza, is instead found in the Calabria region south of Naples, where this type of hot sausage is produced.
About The Author
Anna Maria Volpi is a cooking instructor and personal chef in Los Angeles. Visit Anna Maria website http://www.annamariavolpi.com/pizza_recipe.html for step-by-step illustrated traditional Italian recipes for tiramisu, pasta, pizza, lasagna, risotto, gnocchi and much more, articles and food newsletter.
Permission is granted for this article to reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, as long as no changes are made and the copyright, resource box, and active link to her website are included. Please inform Anna Maria if you use of this article: anna@annamariavolpi.com.

Really Fresh Fish

2006-03-24T13:51:00.000-08:00

How to Clean and Fillet Fish for Your Next Meal by: Larry Honz
Fish is one of the most wholesome foods that man can eat. In fact, people have been eating fish throughout human history. These days, many cooks yearn to add fish to their repertoire, but the whole process of cleaning and filleting fresh fish is a little scary to them. The process of cleaning and filleting fresh fish is relatively simple once the steps are understood.
To begin, you must clean your fresh fish properly in order to maintain it's quality during the remaining steps of processing. First, use a knife or fish scaling tool to remove all of the scales. Removing the scales early on is a key to easy fish cleaning. Next, remove the fish head by cutting just behind the first set of fins. Now, insert your sharp knife into the area where you just removed the head and make a slit in the belly of the fish. You will want to slit the fish belly all the way down to the vent next to the tail. This should open up the cavity of the fish and you can pull or cut away any viscera or organs from inside the fish. The next step is to cut away any additional fins that the fish may have. Do this by cutting into the fish in a circular motion around the fins and remove them. Finally, rinse the fish body and cavity under cold, running water. Now that the fish has been properly cleaned, you can move on to filleting.
Begin the fish filleting process by laying the fish on one side and inserting your knife into the fish body almost to the backbone. Guide your knife along the backbone, exposing the fillet as you cut. You will have to lift and separate the flesh from the bone as you cut. Next, repeat this process for the other side. Once you have created the two fish fillets, place them skin side down and cut through the flesh next to the tail. Do not cut through the skin next to the tail, as you will hold onto this skin as you separate the skin from the flesh. Insert your fillet knife between the flesh and the skin and use a back and forth motion to separate the two. Rinse the fillets with cold water and be sure to dry them before storing or using.
These simple and easy steps are all that it takes to make the most out of fresh fish. With these steps in mind you can prepare fresh fish for any meal.
About The Author
Larry Honz
Please vist Recipe-Rack.com and explore our large collection of free recipes. Find additional seafood recipes at: http://www.recipe-rack.com/Seafood-Recipes-and-Fish-Recipes-Index.html
You may use and reprint this article freely, as long as the resource box and link to my web site remain intact when you publish it.
admin@recipe-rack.com

Herbal Teas Explained

2006-03-22T09:52:00.000-08:00

Why Herbal Tea? by: Gary Whittaker
I get that question a lot. I don't know what started me to get on green tea. I can say that I was a heavy drinker of a milked up sugary version of orange pekoe from Red Rose. I would drink about 2 mug fulls almost everyday. I had tried herbal teas before, when they came as part of a dinner package from one of the many local Chinese buffets, but I can't say that I had any test for it.
Now, I started this project almost 4 weeks ago, and to be honest, I had a head start on the herbal tea drinking. My wife had gotten into it about a year ago, so we always had a few bags around. I started looking it the benefits since I was worried about my diet with my high cholesterol results. I wanted any advantage I could get, since I just loved butter and eggs too much to give it up. While I had some chamomile tea at home already, I decided to start with Green Tea. I had some and didn't mind it too much in the past, and wanted something that I could drink without sugar. Checking around on the Internet, I had found that green tea can help with the following: cancer, arthritis, lower cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, infection, and improve your immune system. Other benefits include helping to burn calories and reduce tooth decay. While the amount of green tea that needs to be consumed in order to capatise on those benefits seem to vary from specialist to specialist, it is around 3-4 cups per day.
see more here: http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa011400a.htm
Next was black tea. I like variety and didn't want to just be stuck drinking the highly tannic green the rest of my life, so I started looking into the benefits of black tea. I found that black tea also can reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack and coronary heart disease. It can also lower bad cholesterol but like Green Tea, only if consumed approx 4 cups a day. Black tea is also found to have trace amounts of various nutrients such as the amino acid theanine; the minerals calcium, magnesium, manganese and potassium; and the vitamins C and K. I really like a Vanilla flavored black tea, as it helps to add a little variety to make it to 4 cups a day.
http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa021103a.htm
While in Disney, I happened to try some red, or Rooibos tea and found that I really liked it. I had started to get used to be able to actually taste the different flavors in tea, and enjoy them. I also happened to like the fact that Red Tea is actually African.
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/14/1671_52295.htm
http://www.biomed.cas.cz/physiolres/pdf/2003/52_461.pdf
I am now starting to look into White tea. From what I have read, white tea seems to have all the same benefits as green tea, but in higher concentration. I have not had the chance to drink any yet, and am looking forward to it. Here is a good article I found: http://www.asm.org/Media/index.asp?bid=27462 and
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2003/Mar03/tea.htm
Tea is gaining in popularity, as the health industry has moved beyond Richard Simmons and into the mainstream, and with so many varieties, it is sure to bring out the connoisseur in all of us.
About The Author
Gary Whittaker is the editor of www.projectgary.com, a blog that will chronicle his fight to lose 100 pounds, 20 pounds at a time
editor@projectgary.com

Butter Cream Icing Tips

2006-03-21T11:52:00.000-08:00

Butter Cream Icing Recipes by: Michael Leembruggen
Recipe 1 1 ½ cups of different types of vegetable shortenings 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons flavors (colorless) 2 pounds of confectioner’s sugar ¼ to ½ cup of water or milk (water is a good choice, but milk goes well with lavender color) Combine all the shortenings, flavorings, and salts thoroughly. Add the powdered sugar. Slowly add water and gently mix all the ingredients until well blended. You will notice that after 2-3 minutes, the mixture will become creamy. Notes: a) Try to keep the amount in exactly the same quantity as mentioned above. If you introduce lots of variations, you may not get the desired butter cream icing. b) If you want to make your icing thin, add three to four big spoonfuls of corn syrup. c) If you want to make chocolate butter cream, all you need to do is add ¾ cup of cocoa powder or three one ounce chocolate squares, mixed with one to two tablespoons of milk, to the other ingredients and proceed to mix well. Recipe 2 ½ cup vegetable shortening ½ cup of soft butter (you can add margarine also) 4 cups of confectioner’s sugar 2 tablespoons water (milk) ½ teaspoon almond, for flavor A dash of salt Mix the shortening, butter, and almond. Add confectioner’s sugar and gently mix by hand. Continue to add other ingredients and mix quickly, for six to seven minutes. Here, too, you can add ¼ or 1/3 cup of cocoa powder to make chocolate butter cream. If the icing is quite thin, you may add more powdered sugar, and in case you find it stiff, put a few drops of water or milk into it. Recipe 3 Butter cream icing, which has a snow-white appearance as well as a yummy taste, is the best choice for frosting a cake. This so-called “snow white butter cream” is mostly used for decorating wedding cakes or any flat-surfaced cake and for making nail flowers. Remember to dry the flowers uncovered for at least a day. Flowers like apple blossoms or drop flowers are ready for use after four to five hours of air drying. The good thing about snow-white butter cream is that it does not need refrigeration to become consistent and boasts a delicious taste as well. Here’s a recipe for this delicious icing: 2/3 cup of water 4 tablespoons of meringue powder 12 cups confectioner’s sugar 1 ¼ cups vegetable shortening ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon almond (for flavor) ½ teaspoon vanilla (for flavor) ¼ teaspoon butter (for flavor) Combine water and meringue powder in a bowl and mix it fast. Next, add four cups of confectioner’s sugar, one at a time. Mix the sugar at fast speed and lower the speed with each addition. Add the shortening, remaining sugar, salt, almond, vanilla, and butter, and mix them gently. Note: All of the above butter cream icings are easy to make and yummy to taste, you can make all of them at one time and determine which one best suits the different designs on your cake.
About The Author
Michael Leembruggen
You can find more great cake decorating information at http://www.cakedecorating-secrets.com.

Top Ten Home Cooking Tips

2006-03-19T13:16:00.000-08:00

The Top 10 Quick Tips that will save common household recipes!!! by: Jonathan Chin
1. Making great biscuits: biscuits are great from scratch because most recipes use only 5-6 ingredients. My personal recipe uses only baking soda, baking powder, flour, buttermilk, salt, and butter. The most important thing to remember to ensure that your biscuits come out fluffy is to make sure that you use cold butter and that you leave the butter in small chunks throughout the mixing process. A common error is to mix the butter smoothly into the mixture. If you leave the butter in chunks, as your biscuits cook, the butter will form layers in the dough and the result will be more rise and fluff. This also works for making any puff pastry from scratch. Another great idea is to take the dough and put a thin layer over the top of a bowl of soup, then to bake the whole bowl in your oven. This will give your soups a beautifully fluffy top. Of course, make sure that your bowl is oven safe before baking it.
2. Get a really good non-stick skillet: if you're tired of having food stick to the bottom of your cookware, then you really need to invest in a great non-stick skillet. The one that I have only set me back $30 and I can cook an egg on it over easy without any oil and not break the yolk . I'm very partial to Caphalon's commercial lines, but definitely check out Anolon, T-Fal, and Farberware as well. Some other very important features are whether the skillet comes with a cover, whether or not the handle gets hot when it cooks, and how long other buyers have found that the non-stick surface lasts for. Make sure that you don't confuse non-stick with hard anodized. Hard anodized is definitely not non-stick and you'll get very frustrated if you get the two mixed up. The additional bonus of a non-stick pan is that cleaning is really easy. Run your pan under water and most extraneous food will slide off easily.
3. Grilling or pan frying chicken without getting it stuck in the pan: one of the biggest problems with cooking chicken is trying to move it off the grill or pan. The key is to be patient. Use a spatula and wait for the chicken to release, because it will. Of course, if you didn't use any oil then the chicken will most likely get stuck anyway. But all proteins reach a certain temperature where they will release and it's just a matter of being patient and waiting for this.
4. It's never too late to marinate: a lot of people end up eating bland food because they think that they don't have time to marinate their food. Even if you only have less than an hour, you can make a great marinade. Just make the marinade twice as strong, and use strong flavors. Here's a few quick marinades that have worked for me - balsamic vinaigrette, soy sauce and minced garlic, or lemon juice/zest and white wine. Also try using dry rubs such as crushed red pepper and garlic powder.
5. Use kosher salt to season: kosher salt is the what every professional cook uses and there's good reason. Regular iodized salt breaks down right away when added to water. In contrast, kosher salt breaks down slower and delivers a more pronounced flavor to whatever you are cooking. If you want your steaks to taste like steak house quality, all you need is kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper.
6. Extra virgin olive oil is pasta's best friend: after cooking pasta, make sure that you mix the pasta with some extra virgin olive oil immediately. Otherwise, you'll find that the pasta will start to stick together after a short amount of time. Don't ever refrigerate plain pasta without adding olive oil. If you do, you'll end up pulling a big pasta block out of the fridge. Also, when you boil pasta, make sure you add a cup of kosher salt per gallon of water. This is what will give the pasta its flavor.
7. Making amazing french toast: the best way to make amazing french toast is to avoid using regular bread. Extraordinary french toast is made with cakes or specialty breads. Try slicing a pound cake from your local grocery store and turning it into french toast the same way you'd usually do it with bread. Another great idea is to make french toast out of banana bread.
8. Making icing for pastries. Making icing for pastries is one of the simplest secrets in the pastry world. To make icing, all you need is water and powdered sugar. Start with the powdered sugar in a bowl and add water slowly until you get the consistency that you desire. Then just use the icing to make danishes, cakes, and other pastries even more delicious.
9. Keep your kitchen knife sharp. A common misconception is that people cut themselves in the kitchen because their knives are too sharp. The reason for most kitchen cutting accidents is actually the total opposite. When you use a blunt knife, the knife will slide off whatever you're cooking and this when the knife usually cuts your hand. To keep your knife sharp, use a diamond steel and bring your knife down the steel at an 18 degree angle.
10. Cracking an egg without getting shells in the mixing bowl. This seems easy enough, but it's surprising how many experienced cooks still experience the annoyance of getting egg shells in their favorite foods. The way to avoid this is to first gently hit the egg's middle against a hard surface. Then, use two hands to do the rest. If you're right handed, hold the egg with your left hand, and use your right thumb to push the middle in and then pull the egg apart with both hands. If you are left handed, just switch the directions above.
Good luck with your culinary adventures!
About The Author
Jonathan Chin is the editor of intensecooking.com, an online resource that helps regular people connect with great home cooking secrets.
answers@intensecooking.com

Pierogi Recipe

2006-03-18T20:27:00.000-08:00

Pierogi Recipe: Potato and Cheese Filling by: Michael A. Stazko
One of the most popular, if not the best, Polish dishes is the pierogi. Pierogi is a versatile food that can be enjoyed several different ways. It is basically a dumpling that can be stuffed with meat, sauerkraut, potato, or any other filling of your choice. My personal favorite is pierogi stuffed with cheese and potato. Here is the recipe:
Dough:
2 cups of flour 3/4 cup of warm water 1 egg 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Filling:
2 large or 4 regular sized potatoes 3 slices of Velveeta Cheese 2 tablespoons of cream cheese salt and pepper to your liking
Directions:
Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces. Put the potatoes in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium/high and let the potatoes cook for 20 minutes or until soft.
While the potatoes are cooking, start making the dough. Spray and coat an empty bowl with cooking spray. Add the water, egg, and vegetable oil to the bowl and stir. Then mix in the flour and salt until you make a dough. Take the dough out of the bowl and kneed it on a table with flour until it is smooth and not too sticky. Roll the dough into a ball, put it under plastic wrap, and let it sit for 30 minutes.
When the potatoes are done cooking, drain the water out of the pot. Add the Velveeta and cream cheese along with some salt and pepper. You can also add a small bit of milk to make the potatoes easier to mash. Then mash the potatoes until they are smooth and fluffy. Let the potatoes cool.
After you let the potatoes cool for about 15 minutes, your dough should be ready. Take a large piece of dough and flatten it out, with a rolling pin, on a table coated with some flour. Use a circle cookie cutter and cut out pieces of dough. With a teaspoon, scoop a small amount of the potato filling and put it in the middle of a piece of dough. Close the dough around the potato and pinch shut with your fingers and a fork. Keep repeating this process until you run out of dough or filling. This should make about 20 pierogi.
When you are done making the pierogi, boil them, five at a time, in a pot of water for two to three minutes, or until they float. Then fry them in pan with butter. Now they are ready to eat. You can top them with sour cream, onion, bacon, or your favorite gravy. Either way, this is a dish you are sure to enjoy.
You can get other recipes and home improvement tips at http://www.buyandsellnorthtexas.com.
About The Author
Michael A. Stazko is a real estate assistant and founder of http://www.buyandsellnorthtexas.com. He is also a fan of foods that are easy to make and good to eat.
Mike@buyandsellnorthtexas.com

Grilled Steaks

2006-02-24T09:06:00.000-08:00

Grilling Secrets for the Perfectly Grilled Steak by: Mike Sullivan
There is nothing quite like a good, juicy steak cooked on a grill. But, many people don't know grilling secrets such as the best cuts to use, what size they should be, how long to cook the steaks, and marinades to use.
Choosing the correct cut of meat is very important when grilling. Some of the best steaks for grilling are the premium cuts such as:
- Filet Mignon
The filet mignon is a stylish cut taken from the heart of the beef tenderloin that has outstanding taste as well as texture.
- Top Sirloin
The top sirloin is a juicy cut taken from the center of the sirloin - the tenderest part - and a great cut for grilling.
- T-Bone
The t-bone is a succulent cut that is a favorite of steak fans. It is both a strip sirloin (with the bone) and a tender filet mignon.
- New York Strip (sometimes known as Kansas City Strip)
The New York strip is such an excellent cut for grilling, many grilling experts refer to it as the "ultimate" steak for cooking out.
- Porterhouse
The Porterhouse is a very large steak that is actually a combination of two steaks: the New York strip on one side and a tender filet on the other.
- Rib Eye
Another classic cut, the rib eye has marbling throughout the meat - making it one of the juiciest cuts as well as very tender.
Thickness of the steak is very important. Each cut should be between 1 inch and 1 ½ inches thick. The strip steaks and top sirloin should be a little less expensive than the filet mignon, t-bone, porterhouse, and rib eye.
Many people like to marinate their steaks before cooking. You can purchase marinades in the grocery store (A1 brand offers several different types) or make your own. If you are not opposed to using alcohol, beer makes an excellent marinade. You can combine 1 12-ounce can of beer, ½ cup of chili sauce, ¼ up of salad oil, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 2 gloves of crushed garlic, and 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Let that simmer for 30 minutes over a medium heat. Marinate your meat in the mixture overnight in the refrigerator to tenderize and allow the meat to absorb the flavor. You can also brush your meat with the marinade as you cook. Another great homemade marinade includes 1 ½ cup of steak sauce, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1/3 cup of Italian salad dressing, 1/3 cup of honey, and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
Many people prefer to use a rub on their steaks rather than marinate them. A rub is a combination of spice and herbs that is rubbed on the meat about an hour before grilling. It adds a great flavor to the meat, but is quicker than marinade as it does not require the overnight soaking. An excellent recipe for a rub that will give your steaks a smoky flavor is 1 tablespoon of chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, cracked black pepper, white pepper, and kosher salt plus 2 teaspoons of oregano, 1 teaspoon of coriander, and ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. If you use a rub, be sure to rub the mixture into the cut of meat, not just daub it across the top.
There are other options for cooking steaks other than marinades and rubs. Many times, filet mignons are served wrapped in bacon (held on by a skewer) or you can cut your steak and combine it on a skewer with vegetables like peppers, squash, and onion to make a shish kabob.
Coat your grill with non-stick kitchen spray before you begin to keep your steaks from sticking to the grill. Preheat your grill before placing your steaks on. Resist the temptation to put your steaks on before the grill is properly preheated. The proper temperature for grilling steaks should be around 550 degrees Fahrenheit. Trim any excess fat from the side of the cut to prevent flare-ups and curling when grilling.
You should only turn your steaks once on the grill to prevent drying them out. How long you will cook your steak depends on how well you want it cooked. You can use a grilling fork with a digital thermometer to see how well done your steak is. If you want your steak rare, the temperature should be no more than 150 degrees when done. If you want medium, the temperature should be no more than 160 degrees when done. Finally, if you want well done, you should have a temperature of at least 170 degrees.
After grilling your steak, allow it to set for five minutes before serving to let the juices settle. Serve with a baked potato, salad or other side dish and enjoy!
About The Author
Mike Sullivan is a grill master and meat lover. Read his most recent report on How To Marinate Steaks to put the most flavor into your next steak meal. http://www.buy-steaks-online.net/.

How to Make Great Coffee

2006-02-19T10:35:00.000-08:00

Brewing A Perfect Cup Of Coffee by: Lynne Birch
Brewing a great cup of coffee depends on a number of things such as the quality of the coffee bean, the quality of the water being used, the type of brewing being done, and the grind of the coffee. Now quality of bean and water is something you can easily take care. Just use good quality beans and pure water. However the relationship between the grind of the coffee and the type of brewing being done is more detailed and could use a little explanation. Now we all know that we make coffee by passing hot water over crushed coffee beans. However for it to really work well we need to understand just how long the water should be passing over the beans. The purpose of this article is to help you understand how to match your coffee's grind to the type of brewing you are doing in order to make the best coffee possible.
Generally speaking, the 'soaking' time relates directly to how coarse the coffee is ground. This means that smaller coffee grinds need less contact with the water, and coarser grinds need longer contact. Espresso coffee is only exposed to water for 20-40 seconds and as a result is made using extremely fine grind coffee. A French press coffee maker can take as much as 4 minutes and uses an extremely coarse grind. If coffee is left contacting water for too long for its grind size, unwanted extracts emerge and make the coffee taste bitter. Of course if the grind is too large and the water passes very quickly (like using frech press grind in an espresso maker), very little of the caffeine and flavours extracted and will have poor flavour.
Of course filters play an important role in managing the balance between over and under brewing your coffee. Not only do they keep the grind out of your cup, but they also control how fast the water passes over the grinds. Paper filters are the most common, but many people are also using metal varieties. Paper filters are quite good. However they can absorb some of the coffee flavour, and some people claim they can taste the paper in the final coffee. Metal filters are normally made from stainless steel or gold plated mesh. They have very fine weave and filter out the coffee grinds very well. They also do not alter the taste of the coffee at all. Metal filters are also more environmentally friendly than the paper alternative.
Whichever you choose, be sure to buy decent quality. Cheap filters often clog or not allow the coffee to brew properly. A decent quality metal filter will last years and save money in the end.
Brewing a cup of coffee is not that hard. Brewing a great cup takes a little more understanding, but isn't any harder. Start with fresh beans and good clean water and then match your brewing style to the proper grind and then mess around with the exact proportions and pretty soon your be brewing killer coffee every time.
About The Author
Lynne Birch writes on home decor and home improvement. http://www.my-kitchen-appliance.com has a selection of articles and reviews of kitchen appliances that is growing daily. Updated cofee maker reviews are at: http://www.my-kitchen-appliance.com/Coffee-Maker.html.

Texas BBQ

2006-02-14T06:44:00.000-08:00

On the Texas Barbecue Trail by: Paris Permenter & John Bigley
Among polite society, a few subjects are invariably touchy, threatening to flare into heated debate. Politics. Religion.
And don't forget to add one more topic to that list if you’re in Texas: barbecue.
Whether you spell it barbecue, barbeque, bar-b-que, or just bbq, one thing's for sure: barbecue is more than just a meal, it's a mantra.
At last count, Texas boasted over 1,300 barbecue joints, ranging from side-of-the-road greasehouses with slamming screen doors to sit-down restaurants with beautiful vistas, air conditioning and even (gasp) wine lists. The business of barbecue rings up over a half-billion dollars annually, a cobweb of commerce that connects an otherwise diverse, sprawling state with a common mission: Go forth and seek out good barbecue.
Although you can find good barbecue throughout the South, the Texas variety is different from that in other barbecue capitals. Texas barbecue means beef brisket, basted meats, and tomato-based sauce, or sometimes no sauce at all. The selection varies from pit to pit but in most tradition reigns.
In each region, divided by hundreds of miles, the local barbecue is influenced by other culinary cultures, from Southern to Tex-Mex to Southwest. Cabrito or barbecued goat is often served in the western portion of the state while pork or lamb is a more common offering in East Texas. Cooking styles vary as well. Out on the West Texas plains, barbecue is usually cooked over a slow fire of mesquite wood while in Southern and Central Texas pecan and oak are more common. Farther east, barbecue pits are stoked with hickory. Throughout the state, meals are served with sides of cole slaw, pinto beans, and spongy white bread, often on plates of butcher paper. Dessert, if found at all, is usually a scoop of banana pudding with a dose of vanilla wafers.
Unlike Kansas City and Memphis, Texas has no clearly defined capital of ‘que. But Texas does have what’s sometimes nicknamed the “barbecue belt,” a smoky swath that runs through the central part of the state and includes:
Llano: On the westernmost edge of the barbecue belt lies the community of Llano. What makes Llano unique among the central Texas barbecue towns is its cooking style. Most pit masters in this town rely on indirect barbecuing. In a firebox, wood burns down to coals, then it's transferred to the main section of the pit beneath the meat to impart a delicate smoky taste subtler than ordinary smoking. Don’t miss Cooper's Old Time Pit Barbecue. From its huge rectangular pits located by the front door to the dining room lined with loaves of white bread and jars of jalapeño peppers, this is the real deal.
Taylor: Taylor calls itself "The Barbecue Capital of the World,” home of two legendary barbecue joints separated only by a parking lot and small road at their locations on Second Street. Louis Mueller's is housed in one of the most authentic barbecue joints in Texas, with an old-fashioned screen door, smoke-covered walls, and giant fans that provide the only cool breeze on a hot summer day. Next door, Rudy Mikeska's serves its equally fine offerings in a more citified atmosphere. During his lifetime, Rudy Mikeska was the dean of Texas pitmasters. If there was a political function to be held, Rudy Mikeska and his barbecue specialties were there.
Elgin: In Texas, the town of Elgin is synonymous with sausage. The small community, located about 25 miles east of Austin, produces the sausage sold by many barbecue joints through the state. The best known of Elgin's smokin' stops is the Southside Market, probably one of the most recognized names in Texas barbecue lore. In business since 1882, the market is known for its Elgin hot sausage, sometimes known as Elgin Hot Guts.
Lockhart: Twenty-three miles south of Austin lies another "Barbecue Capital of Texas," Lockhart. The test of a real Texan is to know the correct pronunciation of the town’s Kreuz Market. No, don't say "Cruise." It's "Krites," rhyming with "lights." Also in town, don’t miss Smitty’s, housed in the building where the original Kreuz Market was located, and Black's BBQ, which claims to be the oldest barbecue house in Texas continuously owned by the same family. Since 1932 the Black family has been firing up these brick pits every day for lunch and dinner.
Luling: Located east of Austin, Luling is the land of oil wells. No longer a boomtown, today the barbecue restaurants are the ones producing black gold. The best known spot in town is the City Market, a no-frills smoky meat market, with ambiance replaced by plenty of local atmosphere.
About The Author
Paris Permenter and John Bigley are the authors of Texas Barbecue and numerous other books on Texas travel as well as the editors of TexasTripper.com, http://www.TexasTripper.com, an online travel guide to the Lone Star State.
editors@texastripper.com

Keeping Coffee Hot

2006-02-13T17:31:00.000-08:00

The Best Ways To Keep Coffee Hot by: Lynne Birch
Keeping our brew fresh and hot is a big deal for some of us coffee drinkers. There is nothing worse than a tepid mouthful of stale coffee. How you keep your coffee hot depends a little on where you are and what you're doing. What happens to coffee as we keep it warm? Are there things I should never do to keep my coffee warm? Knowing a little more about coffee will help you understand how to keep it hot and tasting great.
This little set of points should help you out in most situations.
- Use a thermal cup or mug for commuting or to keep it hot for short periods of time
- Glass and stainless steel thermos style bottles barely effect coffee taste at all
- French Press brewers (like Bodum) are not good for keeping coffee hot. They continue to brew and can produce very bitter coffee
- Try to not use direct heat from an element or hotplate if possible
- A sealed or closed container slows the loss of essential aromas that influence coffee flavour.
- You get the best flavour from coffee that is kept at least 170F.
There are a number of taste related components in a cup of coffee that change or degrade over time. This means that the taste of a cup of coffee will continue to change, for the worse most would say, just because time passes. The best way to manage this problem is to simply brew smaller amounts of coffee more frequently. As we all know, the best cup of coffee is a freshly brewed cup of coffee.
So as you get your next pot of coffee ready, think about how you are going to consume it. If you plan on having it right away, no problem. But if you are thinking about drinking it over a longer period of time, keep the points we made above in your mind. Plan out how you will keep it hot and tasting fresh. Only then start the brew.
About The Author
Lynne Birch writes on home decor and home improvement. http://www.my-kitchen-appliance.com has a selection of articles and reviews of kitchen appliances that is growing daily. Updated coffee maker reviews.

How to Have a Romantic Valentines Dinner

2006-02-10T12:49:00.000-08:00

Prepare A Romantic Dinner At Home For Valentine's Day by: Christine Steendahl
Remember those pre-child days when you would go out to a fancy restaurant or spend the weekend at a romantic get-away to celebrate Valentine’s Day? That may not be an option this year, but you can still enjoy a romantic dinner with your spouse. Here are a few ideas on how you can easily create a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner at home.
Creating The Menu
This is the perfect time for some “Grown-up” food. Cook a separate dinner for the kids or order in some pizza. Let the kids eat an early dinner and then send them off to play, or watch a movie while the two of you enjoy your meal. If your children are really young, you may want to put them to bed before you sit down for your Valentine’s Day dinner.
Cooking a restaurant inspired meal doesn’t have to be complicated. Pick up some mini-quiches in your grocers frozen food section and bake them up as an appetizer. For a first course pick up a can of gourmet style soup that you just need to heat up. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and some fresh herbs for visual appeal.
Choose a main dish that you can prepare ahead of time, so you can enjoy the evening. Good choices are baked salmon or chicken. Just place either one in a baking dish, add whichever marinade you prefer and refrigerate. When you are ready just bake it until it’s done. Serve with mixed greens and fancy store-bought vinaigrette. Grab French bread, or fix some wild rice.
Dessert could be anything from cheesecake with fresh fruit, to chocolate dipped strawberries to chocolate mouse that you can make ahead and refrigerate. Or serve assorted cheeses with a nice glass of red wine.
Setting The Scene
Set the table with a tablecloth, cloth napkins and candles. Take out your good china and crystal. Since dinner will be just for the two of you, you don’t have to worry about damaging any of your special tableware. Now is the perfect time to enjoy all these fancy goodies you received as wedding gifts.
Take the time to dress up, and do your hair and makeup. I feel sure you spouse will appreciate it and you will feel like you are actually going out. For even more fun get ready in separate rooms and ask your date to come pick you up.
Turn down the lights and light the candles. Play some soft, romantic music, or some songs that have special meaning for the two of you. You never know, with the right music, your romantic Valentine’s Day dinner may end with some slow dancing in your dinning room.
Staying in doesn’t mean you can’t have a wonderful romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. You never know, this may turn out to be the most romantic Valentine’s date yet.
About The Author
Christine Steendahl Is The Founder Of Dine Without Whine – Your Number One Online Source For Affordable And Family Friendly Weekly Meal Planning. Eliminate The Dinner Hour Stress And Re-Discover The Pleasure Of The Dinner Hour! For A Free Sample Menu And Grocery List Visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/info.

Taco Pie

2006-01-23T13:57:00.000-08:00

Taco Pie by: LeAnn R. Ralph
This is an easy recipe that also allows you to make use of those crumbs that accumulate in the bottom of the taco chip bags! (My husband really loves taco chips, so maybe we end up with more crumbs than your average household. . .)
1 pound hamburger 1 small onion chopped taco seasoning or chili seasoning 1 cup sliced black olives 2 cups crushed taco chips 1/2 cup sour cream 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Crust: 2 cups flour 3/4 cup of warm water 1 package of dry yeast (or 2 teaspoons bulk yeast) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup dry oatmeal
Cook hamburger, add onions and add taco seasoning or chili seasoning to taste. Add olives and sour cream. Heat well.
Crust: Dissolve yeast in warm water, add remaining ingredients and roll out to fit a large pie pan.
Sprinkle one cup of crushed taco chips over the crust. Add meat mixture. Put remaining taco chips on top of the meat. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the chips.
Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Note: If you would rather not use taco seasoning or chili seasoning (due to problems with acid reflux or heartburn), I have used catsup in the recipe. My husband and I laugh about it because in one of those "you know you live in Wisconsin if" things, one of the items is, "you know you live in Wisconsin if you think catsup is just a little too spicy." Norwegians don't seem to care much for really spicy food. My husband is not of Norwegian descent, but I am . . .
About The Author
LeAnn R. Ralph is the author of the books "Cream of the Crop (More True Stories from Wisconsin Farm)" (trade paperback, Sept. 2005); "Christmas in Dairyland (True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm" (trade paperback 2003); "Give Me a Home Where the Dairy Cows Roam" (trade paperback 2004); "Preserve Your Family History (A Step-by-Step Guide for Interviewing Family Members and Writing Oral Histories" (e-book 2004). You are invited to read sample chapters, order books and sign up for the free newsletter, Rural Route 2 News -- http://ruralroute2.com
LeAnn R. Ralph (copyright: 2006) -- http://ruralroute2.com
bigpines@ruralroute2.com

German Potato Salad

2006-01-15T13:18:00.000-08:00

Mom's German Potato Salad by: Luke Indran
Have you ever paused to ponder why fast fries and refined potato chips are so popular with the masses? If such processed and unhealthy junk can hold such appeal, can you imagine how much more real flavour this good old potato recipe all the way from Germany packs? I enjoy my potatoes as a great-tasting source of starchy carbohydrates too, so dig in friends!
Mom's German Potato Salad
5 lb red potatoes 1 lg onion, chopped 1 t salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 8 sl bacon 1 1/2 c water 1 1/2 c vinegar 1 c granulated white sugar 4 eggs, hard cooked
Cook the potatoes in their jackets. When the potatoes are cool, peel and slice. Salt and pepper the potato slices. Chop the onions and add to potatoes. Cube the bacon and fry in a large fry pan until golden brown. Remove bacon bits from grease in pan, add the water, vinegar and sugar to the pan, then bring to boil.
Place the potato mixture in the liquid, stirring occasionally. Add more liquid if so needed. Then add bacon bits and sliced or cubed eggs if desired. Serve warm and enjoy. Do not use Idaho potatoes though as the red ones are best.
About The Author
Luke Indran is a professional food and recipe addict who actively balances his obsession with eating with his fanaticism for exercise and healthy living. If you're after delicious recipes that stir your senses, then head on over to Luke's mega website at http://www.recipemecca.com/ for the yummiest recipes anywhere presented in a step-by-step format anyone can follow easily!
recipes@recipemecca.com

Valentines Dinner

2006-01-11T10:42:00.000-08:00

A Valentine’s Dinner That’ll Knock His Socks Off by: Michaela Scherr
A few years ago I wanted to do something really special for my husband on Valentine’s Day. I didn’t want anything in return, only that the evening was fun and enjoyable, and that was how it turned out.
The look on my Valentine’s face when he came home for dinner was priceless and shall remain with me forever. I’d never seen his eyes or smile so wide!
I’d like to share this special Valentine’s Dinner with you now, it had the effect I wanted including an evening filled with laughter and great conversation.
What you’ll need:
A white table cloth
Approximately 20 silver balloons
Silver ribbon for the balloons
Selection of white candles of differing shapes and sizes (unscented)
Several sheets of red cardboard (thin enough to cut)
Blu-Tack or other safe, removal adhesive
White platter for prawns (substitute if you prefer something else)
Small white plates
Ice and lemons for prawn platter
Two servings of French Fries
Seafood sauce for dipping
Bowl for prawn shells
Finger bowl with lemon slices (to wash fingers when peeling prawns)
Red paper napkins
Forks
Small Gold Stars
Ornamental opaque glass pebbles
Small posy of flowers (in case he forgets)
Small vase
Aromatherapy oil burner
Aphrodisiac essential oils of rose, jasmine and mandarin
Cool, sensual music (soul music is great)
Setting the mood and table
Blow up all balloons, tie with silver ribbon around chairs, ceiling, anywhere in the area you’ll be dining.
Cut out as many love hearts as possible from the red cardboard and stick with blu-Tack (or other safe adhesive – read instructions first) wherever you can and where you can easily removable it.
To set the mood place water in your aromatherapy oil burner and add some aphrodisiac essential oils; add 3 drops rose; 3 drops jasmine; and 5 drops mandarin. Light the tea light candle approximately 30 minutes before arrival.
Put tablecloth on table.
Using panache strategically group some candles together at one end of table.
Always use caution with lit candles - never leave the room unattended when burning candles, this applies to aromatherapy oil burners.
Strategically place the remaining candles around the room. (I loathe being a killjoy but please ensure candles are not close to any flammable objects)
Position large white platter in centre of table; shell bowl next to platter then finger bowl with lemon slices.
Place red napkins and fork on top of smaller plates and positioned where you’ll be sitting.
Bring out vase and flowers.
Place opaque glass pebbles around candle display on table and several around white prawn platter.
Sprinkle a small amount of gold stars on table for effect.
His gift:
A selection of fine chocolates Bottle of red wine 2 red wine glasses Red ribbon Valentine’s Day Card
Tie the two red wine glasses stem up, with red ribbon to the top of the wine bottle and place with Valentine’s card on table.
Scatter chocolates on table
Just before he arrives:
Light candles Check aromatherapy oil burner Place prawns on platter as well as some ice and lemon wedges Place seafood sauce on table Have French fries almost ready to serve and waiting in the oven Turn on the music and program to repeat Take off apron Take a few deep breaths and reeellllaaaxxxxx
If this doesn’t impress him, he may be asleep, unconscious or he’s finding a reference point of what is before him!
Here’s to an evening filled with laughter, fun, and romance!
You can visit Michaela Scherr at http://www.michaelascherr.com
About The Author
Michaela Scherr
Copyright requirements are that it remains with Michaela Scherr and for the link to be clickable or ‘live’ at http://www.michaelascherr.com
Michaela is a Transformational Coach, certified practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), writer and intuitive who is totally committed to helping others create positive and action oriented changes to their lives.
Michaela is the author of several e-books and publisher of a monthly newsletter called From My Desk, and Inspirational Musings, short fortnightly emails to inspire and give food for thought.

Espresso

2006-01-04T07:08:00.000-08:00

How To Make An Espresso? The Art Of Making Coffee Cuisine by: Daryl Plaza
How to make an espresso. The art form of making coffee cuisine.
Espresso coffee is a precise art form of coffee making. There are several factors that must take place to make a quality cup of Espresso. First the fresh roasting of the coffee bean to bring out the truly gourmet coffee flavor that you expect. The grinding is the next procedure that must be done right in order to give you 20-25 seconds of extraction time. Espresso brewing requires the ground beans to be very fine in order to reach that perfect state for brewing. The next important step is the proper temperature of the filtered water that must be passed through the coffee at the specific pressure and timing that is critical to your espresso coffee.
The perfect espresso is created when:
Recipe directions: 1 ½ oz (45 ml) filtered water at the temperature of 195 oF (90oC) passes through ¼ - 1/3 oz (7-9 g) finely ground quality Espresso coffee. This water is forced through the fine coffee grounds by the espresso machine at 900 kilopascals atmospheric pressure (around 132 pounds/60kg per sq in/2.5cm2), with the water being in direct contact with the coffee for approximately 25 seconds.
What should your espresso taste like?
When you are ready to take a drink from your espresso cup, it should leave a pleasant not bitter aftertaste. The flavor should linger for about 10 minutes rolling into an almost nutty flavor.
The crown on your cup of Espresso
The topping on the espresso is know as "Crema", which is the floating dark golden cream free of any white or light brown patches. That is the crown of the perfect espresso coffee. The Crema is formed when the emulsified oils from the coffee are released (because of the high pressure that is put on the ground coffee beans) and mixed with the oxygen in the air. The resulting finish is perfect crema that floats on top of the espresso coffee.
About The Author
Daryl Plaza is the owner of All About Coffee: http://www.all-about-coffee.com - a website focused on helping people to understand more about coffee. For tips and specialty coffee recipes, check out http://www.all-about-coffee.com/coffee-recipes.html.

Grilled Club Sandwiches

2005-12-30T07:27:00.000-08:00

Grilled Club Sandwiches by: Luke Indran
Pretty much nothing can compare to the wholesome goodness and lovely warm savoury sensation of grilled sandwiches if what you're after is some simple yet tasty fare. This clever variation of the old dejeuner classic is also no slouch when it comes to nutritional content and quite simply hits the ball out out of the park where taste is concerned!
Grilled Club Sandwiches
Yield: 6 Servings
1 long thin loaf (18 inches) - French bread 1/2 c mayonnaise 1/4 c bold & spicy mustard 2 T finely red onion, chopped 2 T horseradish 1/2 lb sliced smoked ham, boiled 1/2 lb honey-baked deli, sliced turkey 1 lg ripe tomato, sliced 8 oz brie cheese, thinly sliced 1 bn watercress, washed and drained
Cut bread in half lengthwise. Combine mayonnaise, mustard, onion and horseradish in small bowl; mix well. Spread mixture on both halves of bread. Layer ham, turkey, tomato, cheese and watercress on bottom half of bread.
Cover with top half; press down firmly. Cut loaf crosswise into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Thread two mini sandwiches through crusts onto metal skewer. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
Place sandwiches on well-oiled grid. Grill over medium-low coals about 5 minutes or until cheese melts and bread is toasted, turning once. Serve warm. Preparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 5 minutes.
About The Author
Luke Indran is a professional food and recipe addict who actively balances his obsession with eating with his fanaticism for exercise and healthy living. If you're after delicious recipes that stir your senses, then head on over to Luke's mega website at http://www.recipemecca.com/ for the yummiest recipes anywhere presented in a step-by-step format anyone can follow easily!

Grilled Rainbow Trout

2005-12-19T10:20:00.000-08:00

Grilled Rainbow Trout With Apricot Salsa by: Luke Indran
Friend, if you've never had the pleasure of savouring cooked fish of the highest quality served with a complementary potpourri of the most luscious fruits, vegetables and spices, then this ingenious seafood recipe right here will no doubt exhilarate your senses!
Grilled Rainbow Trout With Apricot Salsa
Yield: 4 Servings
4 6-oz. rainbow trout fillets 1 c fresh apricots, diced 1 small avocado, diced (1/2 cup) 3/4 c fresh pineapple, diced 1/4 c red pepper, diced 1 1/4 T lime juice 1 t cilantro, finely chopped 1 fresh ground pepper, to taste
In a medium bowl, combine apricots, pineapple, avocado and red pepper.
Sprinkle with lime juice and cilantro; toss and chill. Grill trout on oiled grate for 2 minutes.
Turn trout and grill for 2 more minutes, or until trout turns opaque.
Top with apricot salsa and serve immediately while hot. Serves 4.
About The Author
Luke Indran is a professional food and recipe addict who actively balances his obsession with eating with his fanaticism for exercise and healthy living. If you're after delicious recipes that stir your senses, then head on over to Luke's mega website at http://www.recipemecca.com/ for the yummiest recipes anywhere presented in a step-by-step format anyone can follow easily!

Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

2005-12-16T13:28:00.000-08:00

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies by: Stephanie Foster
"There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love chocolate, and communists." - Leslie Moak Murray
I can't help but love that quote. When I was a kid, my grandpa always called any store bought cookies that somehow made it into the house "Commie cookies." For him, it was Grandma's homemade cookies or none at all.
There's just something special about homemade cookies, especially chocolate chip cookies, so far as I'm concerned. It's a great family activity, something even children can help with, and everyone loves eating the results.
Here's an easy recipe for chocolate chip cookies I think you'll enjoy:
Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 package butter pecan, chocolate chip, chocolate fudge, devil's food, German, chocolate or yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine -- softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 (6 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
Heat oven to 350º. Combine half of the dry cake mix , butter, vanilla and eggs in large bowl and mix until smooth. Stir in remaining cake mix, nuts and chocolate chips.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are set (centers will be soft). Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
About The Author
Stephanie Foster is the owner of http://www.gimmechocolate.com and offers a range of gourmet chocolate products as well as chocolate recipes on the site. For more recipes, please visit http://www.gimmechocolate.com/recipes/.

Chocoholics Anon

2005-12-14T10:05:00.000-08:00

Delicious Vintage Chocolate Recipes For All Seasons by: Victor Carlton
Whether it’s a party, a quiet day in the house or just cruising downtown with friends, there’s always an occasion (or excuse) to gratuitously munch on chocolate.
Everyone loves chocolates, especially the types made from those secret vintage recipes. Listed below are a few of such.
CHOCOLATE JELLY WITH CRYSTALLIZED GREEN GAGES
Dissolve in a quart of water three tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate and let it come to a boil. Simmer for about ten minutes. Add a cup of sugar and a box of gelatin (that has been softened in a cup of water) and strain through a jelly bag or two thicknesses of cheese-cloth. When almost cold, add a dessertspoonful of vanilla and a tablespoonful of brandy. Then whisk well, add half a pound of crystallized green gages cut into small pieces and pour into a pretty mould. When cold serve with whipped cream.
CHOCOLATE MARBLE CAKE
Put one ounce of chocolate and one tablespoonful of butter in a cup, and set this in a pan of boiling water. Beat to a cream half a cupful of butter and one cupful of sugar. Gradually beat in half a cupful of milk. Now add the whites of six eggs beaten to a stiff froth, one teaspoonful of vanilla, and a cupful and a half of sifted flour, in which is mixed one teaspoonful of baking powder. Put about one-third of this mixture into another bowl, and stir the melted butter and chocolate into it. Drop the white-and-brown mixture in spoonfuls into a well buttered deep cake pan, and bake in a moderate oven for about forty-five minutes; or, the cake can be baked in a sheet and iced with a chocolate or white icing.
MRS. BEDFORD'S CHOCOLATE CRULLERS
Cream two tablespoonfuls of butter and one-half of a cupful of sugar; gradually add the beaten yolks of three eggs and one and one-half cupfuls more of sugar, one cupful of sour milk, one teaspoonful of vanilla, two ounces of chocolate grated and melted over hot water, one-third of a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in one-half of a teaspoonful of boiling water, the whites of the eggs whipped to a stiff froth, and sufficient sifted flour to make a soft dough. Roll out, cut into oblongs; divide each into three strips, leaving the dough united at one end. Braid loosely, pinch the ends together and cook until golden-brown in smoking-hot fat.
About The Author
Article by Victor Carlton of http://www.chocolate-candy-recipes.com. Looking for great chocolate recipes? discover a large collection of mouth watering vintage chocolate recipes at http://www.chocolate-candy-recipes.com.
Victor Carlton is a self-confessed chocoholic who has a real passion for cooking.

Walnut Bars

2005-12-13T09:23:00.000-08:00

Walnut Bars by: LeAnn R. Ralph
1/2 cup butter
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 cups flour
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Cream butter and shortening together. Mix in powdered sugar. Use a fork to work in the flour. Mixture will be crumbly.
Press into an ungreased 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
Beat the eggs. Stir in the brown sugar, flour, baking powder, salt vanilla and chopped walnuts. Spread over the hot crust. Bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until set.
Allow to cool before cutting.
About The Author
LeAnn R. Ralph is the author of the books "Cream of the Crop (More True Stories from Wisconsin Farm)" (trade paperback, Sept. 2005); "Christmas in Dairyland (True Stories from a Wisconsin Farm" (trade paperback 2003); "Give Me a Home Where the Dairy Cows Roam" (trade paperback 2004); "Preserve Your Family History (A Step-by-Step Guide for Interviewing Family Members and Writing Oral Histories" (e-book 2004). You are invited to read sample chapters, order books and sign up for the free newsletter, Rural Route 2 News -- http://ruralroute2.com.

Why Olive Oil?

2005-12-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

Ten Vital Reasons To Use Real Extra Virgin Olive Oil by: Kelly Martinez
Extra virgin olive oil is very special and unique. This is something that people along the Mediterranean, as well as gourmets everywhere, have known for a long time. Thomas Jefferson is even said to have considered the olive tree as ‘surely the richest gift of Heaven’. Well, recent studies show that President Jefferson might just have been right.
Here are 10 reasons why real extra virgin olive oil should be a part of everyone’s diet:
1 – Olive oil protects against heart disease – “Olive oil's heart effect located”
‘Scientists say they have pinpointed the micronutrients in olive oil that make it a good heart protector.’ ‘Virgin or extra virgin olive oils are best because they have the highest phenol content, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reports’ - Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia, Cordoba (Spain)
2 - Alzheimer’s – “How you can take brain health to heart”
‘Studies have shown that high intake of saturated fat and cholesterol clogs the arteries and is associated with higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Use mono and polyunsaturated fats, such as olive oil. - Alzheimer’s Association
3 - “Olive Oil Could Help Fight Colon Cancer”
‘Researchers at the University of Ulster have found new evidence of the link between virgin olive oil and healthy living.’ ‘The team of researchers ….. concluded that a mixture of compounds, called phenols, extracted from virgin olive oil could safeguard against colon cancer. Colon cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the Western world – and the second highest cause of cancer death in the US.’ - University of Ulster
4 - “Virgin olive oil may protect against skin cancer”
‘Scientists now say an application of virgin olive oil after sunbathing may protect against skin cancer.’
- Kobe University School of Medicine
5 - “Olive Oil Seems To Protect Against Bowel Cancer”
‘Olive oil seems to protect against bowel cancer, suggests research involving 28 countries in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.’ - Center for the Advancement of Health
6 – “Northwestern Study Shows Why Olive Oil Protects Against Breast Cancer”
‘Oleic acid, the main monounsaturated fatty acid contained in olive oil, can cripple a cancer gene that is responsible for 25 to 30 percent of all breast cancers, according to an article by Northwestern University researchers published in the Jan. 10 issue of the Annals of Oncology.’ - Northwestern University
7 - “Olive Oil Reduces the Need for Blood Pressure Drugs”
“Olive oil is widely advocated as being good for preventing heart disease, but has not hitherto been associated with blood pressure reduction. An Italian study now suggests that it may lower blood pressure.”
- Cardiovascular Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York
8 – “Olive oil 'acts like painkiller”
‘Researchers found 50g of extra-virgin olive oil was equivalent to about a tenth of a dose of ibuprofen. … an ingredient in the oil acted as an anti-inflammatory’ - Monell Chemical Senses Centre
9 - Circulation – “Blood vessels appear healthier after people consume olive oil high in phenolic compounds”
"Phenolic compounds in olive oil, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting properties, may explain cardiovascular health benefits associated with the so-called Mediterranean Diet" - American College of Cardiology
10 – Skin Health – “Eat your wrinkles away”
“The study authors speculated that certain foods offered skin protection due to their high levels of antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E. Monounsaturated fats such as olive oil may offer protection through the same mechanism…fatty acids are present in the skin, and monounsaturated fats resist oxidative damage.” - Monash University, Melbourne
However, there is a proviso: Dr. Robert F. Wilson, M.D., of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis stated the following: ‘not all olive oils have a high phenolic content.’ "So these results might not be true for all olive oil on the shelf at the grocery store". The reason for this is that many brands labeled as ‘extra virgin olive oil’ are diluted with other oils so the phenolic content is equally diminished.
In view of the foregoing, olive oil consumers should accept no substitutes - Whereas the taste and flavor enhancing properties are more than enough reason to include extra virgin olive oil as part of our daily diet, when the health benefits are factored in - the case for real extra virgin olive oil becomes compelling.
About The Author
Kelly Martinez
Managing Partner Antonio Celentano Extra Virgin Olive Oil – http://www.antoniocelentano.com.

Shameless Plug:

A was looking for gifts such as art, collectibles, crafts, books, baked gifts and I found them shopping online.

My wife always shops for clothes, shoes, makeup and jewelry online.

My kids said to go online for Christmas toys this year.

Most of the time I shop online for electronics such as audio, tvs, cell phones, wireless digital cameras and pdas.

I found all the furniture and hardware I needed online.

My friend the chef said to look online for kitchen supplies and recipes.

Grilled Turkey

2005-12-11T19:53:00.000-08:00

How to Cook Turkey on Natural Gas Grills by: Mike Wolderbaum
The holidays bring with them thoughts of carving and serving delicious turkey dinners to your family and friends. Tradition has its fans, but perhaps this year you'd like to try a twist to your turkey recipe. If you have a gas grill and enjoy the smoky flavor of grilled meats, why not try grilling your turkey this year? It's not only possible, it is rather simple. And it delivers a delicious flavored bird to your table. Plus, having the turkey on the grill instead of the oven leaves you with all the room you need to prepare the rest of your dinner in less time.
When you are ready to buy your turkey, the first thing to consider is the size of your grill. You don't want a bird that is so enormous that it can't fit on the grill rack. Ideally, the turkey you select should sit on the grill and the lid should close without touching the bird. If this isn't possible, don't worry, you can still grill your turkey. You'll need some heavy duty aluminum foil and either a V shaped grill stand or another metal cooking instrument that you can safely use to prop open the lid of the grill.
Prepare and stuff the turkey as you normally would. Place it on the grill so that it is positioned over one burner that you can turn off. Turn that burner off and the other burner or burners on. Since you can't really "flip" a turkey, you want the turkey to cook by indirect heat, not by a direct flame underneath it.
You get the smoky flavor by using wood chips. If you haven't used wood chips before, they're easy to use. You soak them in water so that as they dry out from the heat of the grill, they'll release a flavored smoke that infuses the turkey. You can purchase a tray that is designed for putting wood chips on the grill or you can make one yourself from heavy duty aluminum foil. Take the wood chips out of the water and put them into your tray. Place the tray on the grill over the lit burner.
Next, close the lid fully if possible. If not possible, prop the lid up just enough to keep it from touching the turkey. Then cover the remainder of the opening with aluminum foil. If heat gets out you will probably have to cook the turkey longer. However, the foil creates enough of a barrier so the smoke is kept circulating inside the grill and flavoring the turkey.
The time required to cook the turkey will vary depending on whether or not you were able to close your grill completely. If you can, it will take less time. If you can't, you might want to increase the heat on the other burner or burners to try to make up for the lost heat by having to prop open the grill. After a couple of hours, rotate the turkey 180 degrees to help ensure even cooking.
As with any method of cooking poultry, it's important to make sure that the internal temperature of the meat reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Ideally you should use a meat thermometer to monitor the temperature as you cook. If you don't have one, then you'll have to check the readiness by poking the thigh with a fork or skewer. If the juices that run out are clear and the turkey has turned a nice golden-brown color, then you are ready to remove it from the grill. Consider glazing the turkey with a sauce you use on other meats, or possibly adding barbecue sauce to the traditional cranberry sauce as a condiment. Don't be afraid to experiment - enjoy the new twist you're putting on an old family tradition.
About The Author
Mike Wolderbaum reviews natural gas grills models and brands at http://www.Natural-Gas-Grills.info where you can learn how natural gas grills work, tips and tricks on using the grills and how to shop for grills and accessories.

Buffalo Wings Recipe

2005-12-09T15:52:00.000-08:00

Crispy Buffalo Wings by: Luke Indran
These tempting fried buffalo wings will get even KFC lovers drooling! The high protein content's an added bonus; just don't get carried away and eat too many of them if you're watching your diet.
5 pounds Chicken wings -- deep fried
1/2 gallon Hot pepper sauce
1 cup Cornstarch
Deep fry wings till they're over done. Put in pan and cover with your favorite hot sauce. Tightly wrap in foil and bake in over @ 300 for 1 hour. Let the wings cool completely in refrigerator. Roll wings in corn starch, dip in hot sauce again and roll in corn starch and let wings sit on plate for a few minutes.
About The Author
Luke Indran is a professional food and recipe addict who actively balances his obsession with eating with his fanaticism for exercise and healthy living. If you're after delicious recipes that stir your senses, then head on over to Luke's mega website at http://www.recipemecca.com/ for the yummiest recipes anywhere presented in a step-by-step format anyone can follow easily!

Rules for Baking with Chocolate

2005-12-07T10:13:00.000-08:00

Sweet Gourmet: Baking Chocolate Guide by: Donna Monday
Several types of chocolate may be used when baking cookies, pies, cakes, bars, and other sweet treats. The amount of cocoa butter and sugar can affect the texture and taste of chocolate—from bitter to very sweet. Below is a quick guide to the most popular kinds of chocolate used in baked goods.
=> UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE – Unsweetened chocolate contains nothing but pure chocolate and cocoa butter. There’s no sugar added. This chocolate is dark in color and has a strong flavor.
=> UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER – Unsweetened cocoa powder is pure chocolate that’s had a majority of the cocoa butter removed.
=> SEMISWEET AND BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE – Semisweet and Bittersweet chocolate contains at least 35% pure chocolate. Cocoa butter and sugar have been added. This type of chocolate is often used in cookies and can be used interchangeably.
=> MILK CHOCOLATE – Milk chocolate contains at least 15% of pure chocolate, and is mixed with cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids. It has a creamy texture and is often used to make chocolate candy.
=> WHITE CHOCOLATE – White chocolate is unique in that it contains no pure chocolate. However, it does have cocoa butter. Other ingredients are sugar and milk solids. When buying white chocolate for baking, be sure to check the label first to avoid confusing it with other similar looking white baking products.
=> SWEET CHOCOLATE – Sweet chocolate contains at least 15% pure chocolate. Other ingredients are sugar and cocoa butter. Use sweet baking chocolate when you want your baked goods to have a rich chocolate flavor, without the bitterness of other types of chocolate.
About The Author
© Donna Monday Brownies, Cheesecake, Fudge and more . . . http://www.best-brownie-recipes.com

Your Online Shopping Centre for art, books, collectibles, music, gifts, groceries and crafts at Virtual Directory.

Get your horoscope or psychic reading, maybe a date, workout in a home gym, play online games, travel or enter a contest at Virtual Directory.

Wheat vs. White Bread

2005-12-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

Whole Wheat Bread V. White Bread - Which One Will Prevail? by: Beth Scott
Junk food addicts argue with health food nuts, asserting white bread to be the best. The health food nuts retaliate exclaiming about how much better store bought whole wheat bread is than white bread.
The battle rages on...
On which side of this debate do you stand?
For that matter, which side should you REALLY be pulling for?
Lets weigh all the facts, the faults about each choice and determine which one we should honestly be proclaiming as “the honest to goodness best!”
THE FAULTS OF WHITE BREAD
1. White bread is nutrition less. Even fortifying it with vitamins can’t replace half of the nourishment that is lost through the bleaching and sifting process that is used on the flour which white bread is make out of.
2. White bread has a lot harmful chemicals and preservatives added to it to increase it’s shelf life, but they decrease your lifespan.
3. White bread is practically tasteless. This is a pro to some people but a con to a lot of others who enjoy tasty food.
THE FAULTS OF STORE BOUGHT WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
1. Store bought whole wheat bread would be extremely healthy and good for your body IF you could find a loaf made without fattening and nutrition less sweeteners like sugar (but no store that I know of sells any such thing).
2. Store bought whole wheat bread contains, unfortunately, the same chemicals and preservatives that white bread does, also to lengthen shelf life.
On light of this information which viewpoint do you now hold to?
Neither hopefully. There is only one thing you can do to make sure you are getting the best tasting, highest quality and healthiest bread. And that is...
Bake your own whole wheat bread! Read why you should below.
THE VIRTUES OF HOME BAKED WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
1. Home baked whole wheat bread tastes good. Home baked whole wheat bread has a very delightful taste that is probably the main reason (even more so than it’s health aspects) people prefer home baked whole wheat bread to it’s bland counterpart, white bread or unhealthy store bought whole wheat bread.
2. Home baked whole wheat bread contains vitamins and minerals your body needs. Medical studies have proven that all the B vitamins in whole grain foods help you to have a healthy heart, and guard against heart disease.
3. Baking your own whole wheat bread is not the least bit “difficult” either. Just learn the basics to baking bread along with a few proven recipes and you’ll be set.
About The Author
Beth Scott makes whole wheat bread baking simple with her ebook "The Ultimate Whole Wheat Bread Baking Guide!" learn more at her web site: http://www.easybakingtips.com/breadbaking/.

Oolong Tea

2005-12-05T09:12:00.000-08:00

A Beginners Guide To Oolong Tea by: Rob Jameson
Over the last few years green tea has become very popular and is available in most stores and cafés. It is also used in all kinds of products such as shampoo, face cream, candles and many other daily items. Oolong tea is produced from the same plant, which is called Camellia Sinensis. The difference is that Oolong is a semi-fermented brew whereas green tea is unfermented.
The fermentation process is carried out by a skilled worker who can ferment the tea to many different levels to create different varieties. The leaves are stimulated until the oxidization process reaches the desired level and then cooked to finish the process.
The leaves are further processed after the fermentation to enhance the smell, texture and the flavor. This is done by rolling and rubbing the tea. It it possible to achieve many different levels of tea, and when the processing is over a knowledgeable master of Oolong will check the leaves and give them a grade.
The history of Oolong tells us that it was first produced in Fujian province in China. Some of the finest tea still comes from this area although it is now also produced in many other places including Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand.
One of the reasons that green tea has become so popular is that there are believed to many health benefits which can be obtained by regular drinking. These benefits are also reported to exist in Oolong and are retained even after the tea is processed. Some of the common benefits claimed are the stimulation of the metabolism and the ability to enhance the digestion.
If you are interested in trying some Oolong then it is recommended to find a quality supplier. There are many sellers on the Internet who can supply good tea and many who can supply not so good tea. The stuff in the local Chinese store tends to be of very low quality and not worth buying. Look for a specialist tea merchant and try a few different ones to find the best quality.
Some of the more popular varieties include Gao Shan, Tie Guan Yin, Vietnamese Golden Buds and Formosa Oolong which comes from Taiwan. Don't be afraid to get stuck in and try a few varieties. I can tell you that a good Oolong is really a great tea so if you are not impressed with what you buy then shop around for another merchant because the good stuff is out there.
About The Author
Rob Jameson is a writer and tea lover. For more information please stop by at this web resource for http://www.chineseoolongtea.com.

Double Decker Pastry

2005-12-04T12:22:00.000-08:00

Double Decker Pastry by: Andrew Krause
This recipe is an experience for anyone, it’s kind of unique and very different from today’s baking, today all you need to do is go to the market and pick something off of the shelf, put it in the microwave and you have it.
Well I’m old fashion when it is something I’m going to eat and enjoy, I need to have hands on and do it the old way.
OK enough jabber let’s get on with the recipe so we can enjoy it, remember your ingredients should be room temperature or close to it.
Ingredients for dough:
5 cups unsifted flour 1 cup sugar 4 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda pinch of salt ½ pound butter softened 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening 4 egg yolks ½ pint sour cream 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
Ingredients for filling:
2 ½ cups ground walnuts ½ cup sugar for nuts jam or lekvar or whatever you like
Sift together 5 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda.
Add the butter, shortening, 4 egg yolks, ½ pint sour cream, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla and of course the pinch of salt.
Combine all of these ingredients in your processor or mixer.
Divide dough into 3 parts, roll out the first piece and place it onto a 10 ½ inch x 15 ½ inch cookie sheet.
Mix together:
2 ½ cups ground walnuts ½ cup sugar for nuts jam or lekvar or whatever you like
Spread some of this mixture onto the first layer of dough, then roll out another piece of dough and place it on top of the filling, put some more of the filling on top of the second layer of dough, now with the third piece of dough roll it out and create a lattice top on your creation.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes, cool and cut.
Now enjoy what you have made.
About The Author
Andrew Krause is a Chef and Pastry Chef for over 30 years, at persent I own a Gourmet Bakery called The Cheese Confectioner. You can visit my site at http://www.andies.cashhosters2.com.
NOTE You are welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the about the author info at the end), Please send a copy of your reprint to pastrie@verizon.net

Homemade Cheesecake

2005-12-03T11:14:00.000-08:00

Aunt Franny's Special Cheesecake by: Luke Indran
Do you crave some good old homemade chesecake that's hearty, sweet and unbelievably delicious at the same time? Say your thanks then to Aunt Franny for disclosing her classified cheesecake recipe for the benefit of all you dessert lovers!
3 pk Cream cheese
5 Eggs
1 1/2 pt Sour cream
1 1/2 ts Vanilla
3 tb Sugar
1 c Granulated sugar
1 1/2 ts Vanilla
1/2 c Sugar
1 1/2 c Graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c Margarine
Crust: 1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs, 3 T. sugar, 1/4 cup margarine. Mix and pour in 13x9x2 pan.
Filling: Cream cheese, add eggs, one at a time; mix thoroughly. Add 1 cup sugar and and 1 1/2 t. vanilla. Pour over graham cracker crust. Bake at 300 for one hour. Cool for 5 minutes.
Topping: Mix 1 1/2 pts. sour cream, 1/2 c sugar, and 1 1/2 t. vanilla together. Pour over baked cheesecake.
Bake an additional 5 minutes in oven, set overnight. Serve cherry pie filling as topping on the side. Cherries might be too rich for some people so this enables anyone who wants them to add them individually.
About The Author
Luke Indran is a professional food and recipe addict who actively balances his obsession with eating with his fanaticism for exercise and healthy living. If you're after delicious recipes that stir your senses, then head on over to Luke's mega website at http://www.recipemecca.com/ for the yummiest recipes anywhere presented in a step-by-step format anyone can follow easily!

Cheesecake Recipe

2005-12-01T16:17:00.000-08:00

Banana Cream Cheesecake by: Luke Indran
Merge the taste sensations of rich banana and creamy cheesecake now with my fabulous banana cream cheesecake creation roadmap!
1 Yellow cake mix, prepared in 13x9 pan. 8 oz Cream cheese, room temperature 1 pk (3-oz) instant vanilla pudding 2 c Milk 3 Or 4 bananas 1 lg Container Cool Whip 1 c Chopped nuts
Beat cream cheese until creamy. Add milk, gradually; add pudding, beating until well mixed. Pour over cooled cake. Slice the bananas over cake. Cover with Cool Whip and top with nuts.
About The Author
Luke Indran is a professional food and recipe addict who actively balances his obsession with eating with his fanaticism for exercise and healthy living. If you're after delicious recipes that stir your senses, then head on over to Luke's mega website at http://www.recipemecca.com/ for the yummiest recipes anywhere presented in a step-by-step format anyone can follow easily!

Cajun Chicken Wings

2005-11-28T10:12:00.000-08:00

Traditional Cajun Chicken Wings by: Luke Indran
According to the late great novelist Mark Twain, "New Orleans food is as delicious as the less criminal forms of sin". See what exactly Mr Twain meant by cooking up a veritable storm with my traditional Cajun Chicken Wing recipe featured below!
CAJUN CHICKEN WINGS
12 Chicken wings -- tips removed 5 Bay leaves -- crumbled into bits 3/4 teaspoon Caraway seeds 1/2 To 3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 3/4 teaspoon Ground cumin 3/4 teaspoon Ground coriander 4 Garlic cloves -- finely 1 1/2 teaspoons Dry mustard 2 teaspoons Paprika -- preferably 3/4 teaspoon Dried thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon Salt 2 tablespoons Brandy 2 tablespoons Fresh lemon or lime juice
Defat the chicken wings by cooking them in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a large mortar and pestle, grind together the bay leaf bits, caraway seeds, cayenne pepper, coriander, cumin, garlic, mustard, paprika, thyme and salt for about 10 minutes. Add the brandy and lemon or lime juice to the pulverized herbs and stir into a thick paste. With a pastry brush, cover both sides of each wing with the herb paste. When no more remains in the mortar, squeeze the last few drops from the brush. Arrange the chicken wings on a baking sheet. Bake until the skin turns deep brown and is quite crisp approximately 30 minutes. Takes about an hour to prepare.
About The Author
Luke Indran is a professional food and recipe addict who actively balances his obsession with eating with his fanaticism for exercise and healthy living. If you're after delicious recipes that stir your senses, then head on over to Luke's mega website at http://www.recipemecca.com/ for the yummiest recipes anywhere presented in a step-by-step format anyone can follow easily!

For more cooking and food see VirtualeMedia Free Recipes.

Smoothies

2005-11-27T14:59:00.000-08:00

Healthy Fruit Smoothie Recipe by: Hans Dekker
Who doesn’t love a fruit smoothie? How about a healthy one that has a taste that cannot be beat? You can stop your search today because this smoothie recipe has it all.
This healthy fruit smoothie recipe is chopped full of wholesome fruit pieces and the sweet taste of honey. Blend one up today.
Ingredients:
1 cup plain flavored fat free yogurt ½ cup crushed ice 1 cup unsweetened apple juice ½ cup watermelon, cut into small cubes ½ cup strawberries cut into halves ½ cup mango, cut into small cubes ½ cup peaches, cut into small cubes 1 tsp. vanilla extract ¼ cup honey ¼ cup almonds, crushed
Toppings:
Fat free cool whip Couple sprigs fresh mint
To Make:
Frozen fruit may be substituted for this recipe, however fresh fruit will provide the best taste for these smoothies.
Before making your smoothie, cut up the watermelon, strawberries, mango, and peaches according to the directions listed above. Then, in a small bowl, combine all the fruit pieces and the honey together.
Make sure all the pieces are covered by the honey. Let fruit mixture chill in refrigerator for at least half an hour. Remove the fruit bowl from the refrigerator and let it stand for 10 minutes. Combine the fat free yogurt, apple juice, and crushed ice into a blender.
Blend this mixture for less than one minute before adding the fruit. Add the fruit and honey mixture to the liquid in the blender. Add vanilla and blend on high until all the fruit is mixed well.
Remove blender from the base and pour smoothie mixture into tall milkshake glasses. Top off each of the smoothies with a dollop of fat free cool whip. Then sprinkle crushed almonds on top of the cool whip.
A sprig of mint on the side of the glass completes this refreshing, healthy smoothie. Serves 2
About The Author
Hans Dekker is an enthusiast cook and owner of http://www.steaks-guide.com/. Visit us for a wealth of recipes.

German Potato Macaroni Dish

2005-11-26T10:19:00.000-08:00

We made ArticleCity again!

German Potato Macaroni Dish by: David Jones
Several years ago my wife worked with a very nice woman from Germany. The nice lady often brought homemade foods to work for lunch and often shared with everyone in the office. One day she brought a dish she called potato macaroni and it was so good everyone asked for the recipe. So, here it is for you to try:
Ingredients
2 large or 4 medium potatoes 1 package elbow macaroni 1 dash of salt 1 dash of pepper 1 onion fresh chives cut in small pieces 1/2 package of swiss cheese or several slices 1 slice of mozzarella cheese (optional) 2 Tablespoons of butter or margarine Sour cream (optional) 2 slices of bacon, turkey bacon or ham (optional)
Wash, Peel (optional) and cut up potatoes into small pieces. Bring potatoes to a boil over high heat.
Add a pinch of salt to the water. Boil potatoes for approximately 15 minutes. Add macaroni to water and continue to boil for about 8 to 10 minutes. In a separate skillet, Add butter or cooking oil and cook the onions until browned. Add the chives and continue to cook for a few minutes. Drain the potatoes and macaroni. Return the potatoes and macaroni to the pan. Stir in the chives, onions, swiss cheese, bacon and sour cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.
About The Author
David Jones
More recipes are available free at http://www.virtualemedia.com. Also, check out http://www.virtualecatalog.com, http://www.geminimalls.com and http://www.virtualedirectory.com for your shopping convenience.

Eggnog Recipe

2005-11-25T12:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Healthy Hollidays with this Eggnog Recipe by: Hans Dekker
When it is holiday time, only one drink comes to mind: eggnog.
This healthy drink recipe is delicious and it uses soymilk instead of whole milk. It gets a completely new flavor and color with the addition of peppermint oil.
A drink fills up your tummy just before you hit the sack. Serve it warm and you will be on your way to sleepy town.
Now you can dream away while Santa does his magic.
Ingredients: 4 eggs, separated 2 cups soymilk 1 cup granulated white sugar 2 tbsp. vanilla extract 2 cups heavy cream 1 tbsp. peppermint oil 1 tsp. ground nutmeg 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. pumpkin spice
To Make:
First, take your 4 eggs and put the egg whites into a bowl and the egg yolks into a bowl.
Put a half a cup of white sugar into each egg bowl. Beat each egg bowl slightly.
Add the heavy cream gradually to the egg whites. Keep whipping this mixture. Add vanilla to this egg bowl. Now in one medium sized bowl, combine both of the egg mixtures.
Slowly add the soymilk. Continue stirring while you are adding the milk. Eggnog would not be complete without using some ground nutmeg. This recipe adds it right into the mix and not just as a garnish on top.
This recipe also uses more spices than just traditional nutmeg. Now add ground cinnamon and pumpkin spice to the mixing bowl. Keep whipping the eggnog. Now time for a special addition to ordinary eggnog.
Add one tablespoon of peppermint oil. This gives regular eggnog more of a Christmas flavor.
Chill your eggnog in the refrigerator before serving. After it has chilled, pour the eggnog into a holiday punch bowl. Add a dash of ground nutmeg on top and a dollop of fat free whip cream before serving a glass to one your guests.
About The Author
Hans Dekker is author of the healthy recipes section of http://www.steaks-guide.com/.

My friend the chef said to look online for kitchen supplies and recipes.

Blueberry Muffins

2005-11-23T18:28:00.000-08:00

My Special Blueberry Muffins by: Andrew Krause
This is my special blueberry muffin recipe that I created over 30 years ago and I like it so much that I have never stopped using it, it has a magnificent flavor and a wonderful texture, the freshness life of this muffin is about 4days but if frozen it will last for months.
The part that I like about this muffin is that it is very versatile, you can use any kind of fruit in it besides blueberries, for example you can use cranberries, raspberries, apples, and if you add some solid pack pumpkin with seasonings you have pumpkin muffins and so on, let your imagination run away with you.
OK, here is the recipe. You know that all ingredients should be room temperature.
12 medium eggs 2 teaspoons salt 2 cups oil (not peanut oil) 5½ tablespoons baking powder 3½ cups sugar 3 cups milk or water 8 cups flour 2 to 3 cups blueberries (frozen)
In a 5 quart mixing bowl place your eggs, salt, oil, using a paddle mix slowly until blended then add sugar and baking powder, and continue mixing on slow speed then add water or milk and add flour slowly, when all flour is added scrape the sides of the bowl and mix until smooth, remove bowl from mixer and place 2 or 3 cups of blueberries in the mixture and blend in by hand (frozen blueberries preferred) dip out into lined muffin pans.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in convection oven and 35 to 40 minutes in regular oven at 350 degree preheated oven. This recipe makes 2 ½ dozen large muffins.
About The Author
Andrew Krause is a Chef and Pastry Chef for over 30 years, at persent I own a Gourmet Bakery called The Cheese Confectioner. You can visit my site at http://www.andies.cashhosters2.com
NOTE: You are welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the about the author info at the end), Please send a copy of your reprint to pastrie@verizon.net

Divinity Recipe

2005-11-23T10:17:00.000-08:00

As Featured on ArticleCity.com

Grandma's Divinity Recipe by: David Jones
My wife's grandmother made many incredible dishes in her kitchen over the years. Sometimes, if in the right mood, she would offer to write them down. We always said YES! Here is one of the finest deserts you will ever try, and it's easy to make:

Divinity

2 egg whites
3 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1 cup pecans

Cook sugar, corn syrup and water on high heat for the first 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Then, lower the burner a notch (from medium high to medium etc) and cook until a drop of mixture forms a hard ball when dropped into cold water. Another way to test this is to stir mixture and allow it to form a long thin string when dropped from your stirring utensil. When it is thin and elastic enough to spin a web, it is ready. Our heating time came to 15 minutes on medium heat.
Gradually pour this mixture into the unbeaten egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer until firm. Add vanilla and pecans.
Beat until chalky. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper. Place pecan halves or other topping before completely dry.
Hardens quickly, spoon quickly or find an assistant for this.
NOTE: Humidity must be >50% for this recipe to come out properly.
About The Author
David Jones
More recipes are available free at http://www.virtualemedia.com/. Also, check out http://www.virtualecatalog.com/, http://www.geminimalls.com/ and http://www.virtualedirectory.com/ for your shopping convenience.

Orange Mandarin Cake

2005-11-22T14:26:00.000-08:00

As Featured on ArticleCity.com

Mandarin Orange Cake by: David Jones
Several years ago my wife worked with a very nice lady from Japan. One day she brought a desert for everyone to try, it was the most incredible tasty deserts anyone had ever tried. It was called Mandarin orange cake and here is the recipe:

Ingredients
1 box Butter Recipe Cake mix
3 eggs
1 stick margarine
1 can mandarin orange juice and all

Icing
1 small box Instant Vanilla pudding mix. Use 1 cup of milk to prepare pudding. 1 big size Cool Whip 1 big can of crushed pineapple (drain juice)

Heat oven to temperature listed on cake mix box. Mix the cake mix, eggs, margarine and mandarin oranges (juice and all) together until blended. Pour mixture into prepared cake pan. Bake according to the directions on the cake mix box.
For the icing - Prepare the pudding mix according to the directions on the pudding mix box. Stir the pudding, cool whip and drained crushed pineapple together. Ice the cake and store in the refrigerator.
About The Author
David Jones
More recipes are available free at http://www.virtualemedia.com/. Also, check out http://www.virtualecatalog.com/, http://www.geminimalls.com/ and http://www.virtualedirectory.com/ for your shopping convenience.

Holiday Sweet Potato Casserole

2005-11-21T11:11:00.000-08:00

As Seen at ArticleCity

Every year on Thanksgiving and Christmas one dish always stands out, Sweet Potato Casserole. My Wife's Grandmother made the best dishes, particularly on Thanksgiving and Christmas. She gave us her sweet potato recipe and it is terrific. Give it a try this year:

2 to 3 cooked sweet potatoes
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup milk
1 bag marshmellows
cinnamin to taste
brown sugar to taste
1/4 to 1/2 cup pecans, walnuts or macadamia

Mix first 6 ingredients together and place them in a casserole dish. Sprinkle with cinnamin, brown sugar and nuts. Next, cover the entire casserole with marshmellows. Bake at 350 degrees F until marshmellows are nice and brown.

Lemon Pie Recipe

2005-11-19T13:52:00.000-08:00

OUR LEMON PIE RECIPE
1 Graham Cracker pie crust
5 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 TBSP lemon juice
3 TBSP. sugar
a pinch of cream of tartar (Optional)

Separate egg whites from yolks. Mix together 3 egg yolks (beaten with fork), lemon juice and condensed milk. Set aside. Make the meringue.
For meringue - Beat together 5 egg whites on high speed of mixer until soft peaks are formed. Add a pinch of cream of tartar and add sugar 1 TBSP at a time.
Spoon lemon mixture into pie crust. Put meringue on top. Start at the edges and go around the pie, then fill in the center. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until top is light golden brown.

Don't forget the rest of the Thanksgiving goodies!

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Thanksgiving Dinner

2005-11-18T12:16:00.000-08:00

5 Ways to a Perfect Thanksgiving Dinner by: Hans Dekker
Thanksgiving is always a busy time and of course you want your Thanksgiving Dinner to be perfect, but each year you seem to behind. Guests show up and dinner is not ready. Well, these five ways for a perfect Thanksgiving Dinner should help ease your stress, so you can also enjoy your meal.
First and foremost, plan ahead. Last minute preparation is not what you want to run into. A shopping list with only what you really need will cut your time in half. Do your shopping at least three days before the big event. Try to avoid any last minute trips to the store unless they are absolutely necessary. Try and not spend your whole day in the kitchen. Pace yourself and go at your own speed. There is no need to rush. Enjoy the holiday as much as you can. If you must be in the kitchen longer that you would like, put on some holiday music. This will help ease your mind and help you to not be overwhelmed with the tasks at hand. Dance around and take a breath. Get into that holiday spirit. Take that occasional sip of sherry.
Along with the ordering of the turkey, foods that can be made in advance should be an executed part of your plan. The turkey is the main focus and cannot be forgotten, so order him within plenty of time for delivery. A late turkey is a disaster waiting in the wings. Vegetable trays, dips, and a few desserts can be arranged a couple days beforehand. Buy frozen pie crusts. You can even buy prepared trays of fruit, vegetables, and meat and cheese. This will eliminate the hassle of making them. These simple tasks can be completed therefore leaving you more time to accomplish more involved tasks. Finger foods will enhance dinner and not overwhelm it. You want your family to be waiting on dinner, not already full of appetizers.
Make sure you have all the tools you will need days before the big event. Make sure your gravy boat is in the china cabinet and all eight serving spoons are in their place. Imagine the mess of running around on Thanksgiving Day looking for one lost minor detail. This is also a good time to organize your recipes, set a time for dinner to begin, and start finalizing your menu. When you put final next to a task that means no more worries, it is done. Setting up a to-do list, and checking it twice, will help ease your mind. Write it down and you are less likely to forget it. Check it off and that is one less thing.
Get the whole family and your guests involved. Have a great selection of traditional Thanksgiving "must haves" then have everyone compliment your dishes. They can bring their favorites and add a little of themselves to the table. This will save you time and energy. Your immediate family can help with the preparation and shopping. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Doing it alone is too much. This is your holiday too.
Remember, it is not all about the food. Decorations around your home should be as equally important as the food. Focus on eye catching pieces that will not only create a genuine holiday feel, but bring an inviting presentation as well. Light candles just as everyone is arriving. The smell of Christmas and that illuminating glow will make your family and friends feel welcome. Any earth tone décor you might already have goes great in the house this time of year. Utilize what you already have first, and then buy if you see a need to. Spray paint leaves and add them to pine cones in a fall basket. That would make a lovely centerpiece for dinner. Nothing says fall like pumpkins. Pick up a couple.
We have compiled a PDF file packed with recipes and tips for the holidays. It's free to download at our site.
About The Author
Hans Dekker is author of Christmas and Thanksgiving Cooking Tips at http://www.steaks-guide.com

Your Online Shopping Centre for art, books, collectibles, music, gifts, groceries and crafts at Virtual Directory.

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OUR QUICHE LORRAINE RECIPE

2005-11-17T13:24:00.000-08:00

3 to 4 slices of bacon, cut into half inch pieces

2 tablespoons green onion

9 inch pie shell

1 cup shredded swiss cheese

2 eggs beaten

1/2 cup milk OR 3/4 cup whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dash of red pepper

Dash of white pepper

Ground nutmeg

Saute' bacon and onion in a skillet until browned; drain. Sprinkle half of the bacon and onion mixture evenly in the pastry shell. Top with 1/4 cup cheese. Set aside.

Combine remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour over cheese layers and top with remaining cheese. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes or until set.

Don't forget your kitchen supplies and online groceries!

French Toast

2005-11-16T11:00:00.000-08:00

French Toast
Ingredients
6 slices bread, crusts removed
1 egg beaten
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch of nutmeg

Mix egg, milk and vanilla extract together. Soak the bread in the egg mixture for 5 minutes. In a
greased skillet or griddle, Brown the bread slices on both sides . Sprinkle each slice with nutmeg.
Serve with honey,confectioner's sugar, jelly or syrup.

We Made Article City!

2005-11-15T12:22:00.000-08:00

ArticleCity has many great articles, recipes etc. Publish your best recipes today!

Grandma's Apple Pie by: David Jones
One Year my parents gave my wife and I several bags of apples from a local orchard. Most of them were Golden Delicious and we were instructed not to cook with these,"..they are for eating only.". When we arrived home my wife's Grandmother stopped by and spotted the bags of apples. She said "Would you like me to make a pie with those?". We instantly responded YES! The pie was incredible! So, here it is:
APPLE PIE RECIPE
5 or 6 apples
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
1/2 stick of butter or margarine (optional)
2 TBSP flour (optional)
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 frozen pie crust
Peel and cut up apples into small pieces. Put apples in a bowl of water and lemon juice to keep from
turning brown and to keep fresh. In a separate bowl, mix sugars, flour, salt, cinnamon
and nutmeg. Add about half of the sugar mixture to the apples. Add softened margarine (optional).
Stir all together. Pour apples into frozen 9 inch pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately
1 1/4 hours. After the pie starts cooking for about 20 minutes add the rest of the sugar mixture and baste apples every 20 minutes.
About The Author
David Jones
More recipes are available free at http://www.VirtualeMedia.com. Also check out http://www.GeminiMalls.com for your Christmas shopping convenience.

Banana Bread Recipe

2005-11-13T12:11:00.000-08:00

3 or 4 ripe bananas
3 eggs (or egg substitute) beaten lightly
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts(macadamia etc)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup oatmeal
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt

In large bowl, mix bananas, eggs, butter, sugar and vanilla until combined. Add remaining ingredients and mix together. Grease and flour two bread pans and bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes. Lower temperature to 300 degrees F and bake another 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Gourmet Cheescake

2005-11-10T14:49:00.000-08:00

Gourmet Cheesecake Recipes by: Andrew Krause
Cheesecake, do you think that cheesecake is hard to make, well if you do then you are wrong, cheesecake is one of the easiest deserts to make as far as I am concerned, it is even easier and less messy than making cookies. Just go to Yahoo or MSN and type in the search box Free Gourmet Cheesecake Recipes and click search and you will find my site or just click on the link below about the author many recipes for cheesecake such as Chocolate Cheesecake, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake, Individual Vanilla Cheesecake with Lemon Curd, Bailey's Marbled Cheesecake and these are just a few we also have many recipes in our classic food section, pastry in our baked goods section, and there is also a scection on Wedding Cakes. All the wedding cakes that you find there are cakes that I have done and have had time to take photos of.
Do you need something fast for dinner tonight? You know that a lot of quick and easy dishes are made in crock pots, you can start them in the morning and have them ready when you come home from work, crock pot lasagna or Golambki Another Old Time Polish Recipe, and these are just the beginning.
However you choose to locate the recipes that you need weather it be on a web site, blog, or whatever there are many good places and products that you can find them and you can be sure that these recipes are top quality and will give you a perfect dinner or desert.
What ever it is that you are looking for you can find it online or in the public library, you will find many new recipes and some of them will become your favorite!
About The Author
Hi my name is Andrew Krause and I have been a Chef and pastry Chef for well over 30 years, and at present I own a Gourmet Bakery in Dickson City Pennsylvania.
The Cheese Confectioner Bakery was founded in 1983 and is a wholesale, retail manufacturer of Gourmet Cheesecake and other fine pastries.
http://www.andies.cashhosters2.com
pastrie@verizon.net

Free Stuff

2005-10-31T08:51:00.000-08:00

PerfumeNStuff has a new perfume to give away for the Month of November 2005: Win a Full Size Bottle of CURVE For Women By LIZ CLAIBORNE! LIZ CLAIBORNE designed CURVE in 1996. Its fragrant nature explores essences of citrus, freesia and lily. Blended with notes of sandalwood, moss and vetiver, CURVE is a casual type of fragrance. We only require you to enter your email address, NOTHING else!
Enter to Win Perfume N Stuff!
Jewelry
Fabulous Gifting Ideas at Emitations Holiday Gift Center.

Halloween: Pumpkin Carving

2005-10-28T13:15:00.000-07:00

How To Carve A Pumpkin For Halloween by: Brian Johnson
Article from www.halloween-blog.com
If you just want to take a steak knife and hack out your every day pumpkin face, then this article is not for you. We’re going to take a look at gourmet pumpkin carving for true Halloween connoisseurs. OK, maybe gourmet is a bit of overkill, but why settle for just another carved pumpkin when you can have a prize-winning jack-o-lantern instead?
Success starts with selecting your design
Before even thinking about buying or picking your Halloween pumpkin from the local pumpkin patch, you need to plan the design. You can take the easy way out and buy ready-made pumpkin stencils, or you can design your own.
There are some great on-line sources for free Halloween stencils that you can download and use, or you can hand sketch it. Here are two great places to grab some nice designs. If you’re looking for a really unusual stencil, here’s one that will drive you bats!
I’ll cover how to transfer the pumpkin stencil to your favorite pumpkin after we take a look at actually selecting the pumpkin.
How to pick the perfect pumpkin
The pumpkin’s shape and size will determine what type of patterns and designs you can use. If you are using pumpkin carving stencils then it is essential to purchase a pumpkin that matches the stencil’s size requirements.
If you don’t plan on using a stencil then make sure that your pumpkin is tall and wide enough for the free-hand design that you have in mind.
Look for a pumpkin that’s not too ripe. It should be the right color orange and not have any soft spots or bruises. Look for a sturdy stem and never, ever lift the pumpkin by the stem. Sturdy or not, it’s a short trip from “nice pumpkin” to splat.
Hold the pumpkin and smell it around the stem and top. If it smells very strong and “pumpkiny” then there is a chance that it’s too ripe, pass it up and look for another. Thump the pumpkin and listen for a solid “thunk”. A hollow sound is bad news.
Carry your pumpkin carefully and transport it home safely. A bruised pumpkin rots quickly and might not make it through the Halloween season.
How to prepare the pumpkin for its coming facelift
1. Cut a circle around the top of the pumpkin without damaging the stem.
2. Remove the top and put aside.
3. Remove and discard the pulp and seeds unless you want to make Vampire Fingernails snacks for your Halloween party.
4. With a putty knife or similar scraper, gently scrape down the inside of the pumpkin to remove any moist flesh clinging to the sides. Be careful not to damage the wall of the pumpkin.
Now it’s time to transfer the stencil
1. Wipe the outside of the pumpkin so that it is free of dust and other foreign material. If you need to wipe it down with a wet rag, allow it to become thoroughly dry before proceeding to the next step.
2. Tape the stencil to the side of the pumpkin that you have chosen to be the face. Tape the top left corner first, then the top right, bottom left and then bottom right. Smooth the stencil out as you are taping it. If you have to crease the stencil to make it lie flat then be sure to pick areas that are not part of the design.
3. Using an ice pick or a pin-point punch awl, gently poke holes through the stencil and into the pumpkin. Follow the lines of the stencil carefully. It’s a lot like paying connect-the-dots games. Space the dots out however you see fit but remember that very complex designs are easier to work with if the holes are close together.
4. Check carefully to make sure that you have transferred the entire pattern and then remove the stencil. Keep the stencil handy to refer to in case you get confused while cutting.
Time to put your patient under the knife
Although many a pumpkin has fallen under the standard kitchen knife, it’s both the wrong tool and a very dangerous tool for pumpkin carving. For best results get yourself an X-Acto knife with a #5 knife blade and a #15 keyhole saw. See your home store for both items.
Using the saw for long cuts and the X-Acto for the close-in and intricate cuts, just follow the pattern carefully and, before you know it, you’ll have the pride of the pumpkin patch right there on your table!
About The Author
Brian Johnson
http://www.halloween-blog.com/blog/ is the perfect Halloween resource site with spooky updates daily, free "How To" articles such as how to create your own haunted house, how to create your own homemade costume and more.

Apple Crunch

2005-10-26T14:27:00.000-07:00

Apple Crunch
A great way to kill off those extra apples this year is to make apple crunch and add vanilla ice cream:
5 or 6 apples
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
1/2 stick of butter or margarine (optional)
2 TBSP flour (optional)
1 TBSP lemon juice
1/4 cup pecan pieces
Peel and cut up apples into small pieces. Put apples in a bowl of water and lemon juice to keep from
turning brown and to keep fresh. In a separate bowl, mix sugars, flour, salt, cinnamon, and pecans.
and nutmeg. Add about half of the sugar mixture to the apples. Add softened margarine (optional).
Stir all together. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately
50 minutes. After the apples start cooking for about 20 minutes add the rest of the sugar mixture and baste apples every 15 minutes.

Serve with a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream!

Chicken and Dumplings

2005-10-16T14:32:00.000-07:00

Chicken and Dumplings
1 Large Fryer
1 Large Can Flaky Biscuits
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Cup Flour

Cook chicken until it slips off the bone easily. Place chicken broth, boned chicken and soup in a pan.
Bring to boil. Peel biscuits off in layers and roll in flour. Cut biscuit pieces into strips and place in boiling
broth. Cook at fast boil for ~10 minutes. Turn heat to low and let cook for 30 to 40 minutes.

More great recipes CLICK HERE!

Crescent Apple Turnovers

2005-10-14T15:09:00.000-07:00

2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamin
8oz can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
1 medium apple peeled and chopped(used about 1/2 cup pie filling)

Glaze: 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 to 3 teaspoons water

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine sugar and cinnamin. Separate dough into 8 triangles. Spread a thin layer of butter on each triangle and sprinkle each triangle with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamin mixture. Top each with about 1 tablespoon chopped apple. Roll loosely starting at short side and rolling to opposite point. Put on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Cool one minute. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls.

Sausage and Cheese Balls

2005-10-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

Sausage and Cheese balls
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix
8 oz. chedder cheese grated
1 lb. sausage
2 TBSP water to 1/3 cup water

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl until all mixed in. Bake at 425 for 12 - 15 minutes .

Tobacco Lawsuit

2005-10-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

I am going to sue my cigarette company. It says on the side of every pack that they will kill me, but they haven't done it yet. Thankfully, all of my friends have offered to join me in a class action suit against them.

Baked Talipia

2005-10-04T18:10:00.000-07:00

Using two to four Talipia filets:

preheat oven to 400 degrees.
place foil on sheet pan or glass dish
coat foil lightly with olive oil, butter, or spray with Pam-like stuff
coat fish lightly same as above
season filets with favorite spices (e.g., Cajun Majik)
place in oven for 20 minutes if frozen filets or 12-15 for thawed.

Note: If the fish stinks or smells like dead fish at all, do not eat it. If it only barely stinks, try adding lemon juice generously over the filets before seasoning.

Please Help

2005-09-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

Please help the victims of Hurricane Katrina if you can. If you have no money, like me, please cut and paste my charity links to your website or blog. Also, give a link to my site as well if you can. Thank you and may God Bless all.

Charities

2005-09-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

Charity Links
____________________________________________________
GUIDESTAR - Charities research site
____________________________________________________
PROJECT HOPE
____________________________________________________
SAVE THE CHILDREN
____________________________________________________
THE RED CROSS
____________________________________________________
DIRECT RELIEF
____________________________________________________
CARE
____________________________________________________
AHH-USA
____________________________________________________
MERCY CORPS
____________________________________________________
The people at GeminiSoftwareSystems wish to express their sympathy for all the victims
of Hurricane Katrina. Guidestar will help you with your research as
you look for the appropriate charity for you.

Hurricane Relief

2005-08-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

If you would like to give to the Red Cross or other charities for the hurricane Katrina relief effort, just follow this link: Charities .

Blueberry Coffee Cake

2005-08-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

Blueberry Coffee Cake
Ingredients
2 packages Martha White blueberry muffin mix
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Icing
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 TBSP milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8" square or 9" round cake pan. Lightly beat egg in mixing bowl.
Add milk, muffin mix and almond extract. Stir together just until blended. Pour mixture into prepared
pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes.
For the icing - Mix 3 above ingredients together. Drizzle the top with confectioner's glaze.

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl until all mixed in. Bake at 425 for 12 - 15 minutes .

Baked Potato

2005-08-13T10:54:00.000-07:00

OUR BAKED POTATO RECIPE
Choose your potato(s). Wash thoroughly with small brush and let dry. Using a fork, pierce holes in at least
two sides of each potato. Wrap in tin foil and place in 350 degree preheated oven for between 2 and 3 hours.
When the potato is soft to the touch (using an oven mitt, it is HOT!) then it is done. Incomplete potatoes can
be finished in the microwave for about one minute on high, depending on your microwave oven( Take the foil OFF
before placing in the microwave!).

Peach Pie

2005-08-11T13:15:00.000-07:00

6 medium or large peaches peeled and sliced
1/2 stick butter
1 cup sugar
3/4/cup flour
top with cinnamon (and/or brown sugar)

Spread peaches on bottom of dish. Mix butter, flour, and sugar. Pour mixture over top of peaches. Sprinkle with cinnamon and/or brown sugar. Cook in preheated oven at 350 degrees for ~35 minutes. Oven times may vary.

Mom's Crockpot Chicken

2005-08-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

Mom's Crock Pot Chicken
1. Wash Thawed Chicken.
2. Place in Crockpot.
3. Add seasonings to taste. Recommended - salt, pepper (or BBQ sauce).
4. Cover
5. Set Crock Pot to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Cook for a minimum of 6 hours. Check Tenderness.
7. When meat falls from the bone, it is done.
8. Enjoy.
9. Wipe your face, what a mess.

Low Fat Quiche

2005-08-09T09:55:00.000-07:00

OUR LOW FAT QUICHE RECIPE
3 to 4 slices of bacon, cut into half inch pieces
2 tablespoons green onion
9 inch pie shell
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
2 eggs (use egg substitute) beaten
1/2 cup milk OR 3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of red pepper
Dash of white pepper
Ground nutmeg

Saute' bacon and onion in a skillet until browned; drain. Sprinkle half of the bacon and onion mixture evenly in the pastry shell. Top with 1/4 cup cheese. Set aside.
Combine remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour over cheese layers and top with remaining cheese. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes or until set.

Cheesecake tip

2005-08-08T15:57:00.000-07:00

I saw this on the food channel http://www.foodtv.com , when making cheesecake, make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature to ensure a very creamy cheesecake.

Lemon Pie

2005-08-08T07:52:00.000-07:00

Microwave Fudge

2005-06-05T21:00:00.000-07:00

Microwave Fudge
1 lb confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter or magarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1.) Blend confectioners' sugar and cocoa in 8x8x2 inch dish. Pour in milk. Place chunks of butter on top.
Heat on full power for 2 minutes or until butter melts. Stir well to mix ingredients.
2.) Add vanilla and nuts. Stir until blended. Refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze for 20 minutes.
Enjoy with coffee, milk or espresso :)

Low Fat Cake

2005-03-28T11:29:00.000-08:00

Reduced Fat Vanilla Cake
1 Box white cake mix
Follow the instructions on the box and replace the oil with applesauce using a 1:1 ratio.

Frosting
One box Betty Crocker Homestyle Fluffy White frosting mix.
Optional: Add strawberries and glaze as a topping.

Quiche Lorraine

2005-03-27T13:00:00.000-08:00

OUR QUICHE LORRAINE RECIPE
3 to 4 slices of bacon, cut into half inch pieces
2 tablespoons green onion
9 inch pie shell
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup milk OR 3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of red pepper
Dash of white pepper
Ground nutmeg

Saute' bacon and onion in a skillet until browned; drain. Sprinkle half of the bacon and onion mixture evenly in the pastry shell. Top with 1/4 cup cheese. Set aside.
Combine remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour over cheese layers and top with remaining cheese. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes or until set.

Grandma's Apple Pie

2005-03-26T10:09:00.000-08:00

OUR APPLE PIE RECIPE
5 or 6 apples
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
1/2 stick of butter or margarine (optional)
2 TBSP flour (optional)
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 frozen pie crust
Peel and cut up apples into small pieces. Put apples in a bowl of water and lemon juice to keep from
turning brown and to keep fresh. In a separate bowl, mix sugars, flour, salt, cinnamon
and nutmeg. Add about half of the sugar mixture to the apples. Add softened margarine (optional).
Stir all together. Pour apples into frozen 9 inch pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately
1 1/4 hours. After the pie starts cooking for about 20 minutes add the rest of the sugar mixture and baste apples every 20 minutes.