Posted in recipes on April-3-2010

Author : Peter Finch

Popular Romanian food is made of sheep and goat milk products, which are the basis of veritable crafts, especially in the mountain areas (Bran, Sibiu, Vaideieni, Vrancea, Piatra-Neamt etc )

Fermented ewe cheese

After curdling, the milk may be easily detached manually off the walls of the caldron and thoroughly crumbled in pea-size bits, for 10 minutes, in order to remove the whey, and then it is carefully stirred for another 5 minutes

The next step is to add 5 litres of whey, warmed up to 40-42 C, for every 100 litres of milk in order to keep a constant 37 C temperature Then the curd (the coagulated milk) is “gathered” carefully, for 10 minutes, with both hands in a big round conglomerate, under which a special bag is arranged The result of work is placed on a special pot called crinta, under a small weight

After 5 minutes, it is “broken” in egg-size pieces, and then the bag is tied and pressed for about 2 minutes Another crumbling in pea-size bits follows, and then the bag is tied, exerting a uniform and moderate pressure for about 2 hours by using a thicker board made of beech or oak, and eventually, if necessary, a stone of a suitable size may be placed on top of it

Regarding the clot, in the absence of the industrial solution (pepsin), the stomach of the 3-week-old sacrificed lambs is used, after adding milk and a lot of salt After approximately 2-3 weeks, it is sectioned and the content is dissolved manually in about 2 litres of hot water and then it is filtered

For the same purpose, the mucus of the pig stomach may be used, after being rubbed with a lot of salt, placed in a pot, covered with milk, and left for about two weeks in this condition, and then filtered and used

Another popular Romanian food is barrel cheese, truckle cheese and cheese covered in fir-tree bark After it has been pressed for 2 hours, the “green” or “sweet” ewe cheese is removed from the bag and it is placed for fermentation on a shelf in “ewe cheese room”, which is a dark and cool room (12-14 C during summertime)

After 10-12 hours, the ewe cheese is minced by means of a mincing machine or it is kneaded with a “raval” which is a piece of carved beech wood, 5-6 cm thick, 60-70 cm long and 18-20 cm width, transversally chopped at small distances The kneaded cheese is introduced by pressing in truckle, blister, barrel etc , after it has been previously shaped into well-kneaded fist-size balls, so that to completely remove the air from it After each 8-10 cm sheet, a layer of slightly salted slices of fermented ewe cheese is inserted

Soft cow cheese is another appreciated popular Romanian food

The butter milk, which remains after the preparation of the “sweet ewe cheese”, is boiled for about 1 hour at an 85-90 C temperature, and the precipitation of the rest of the protein takes place during this period of time

During boiling, the whey is continuously stirred with a wooden spoon otherwise it sticks to the bottom of the caldron at gets “smoked”

Such popular Romanian food is, first of all, healthy and quite low in calories; therefore it can be served without hesitation in diets or on any possible occasions

Romanian women are known to be amongst the most beautiful, stylish, well dressed, educated & family orientated women on the planet. If you are serious about finding a Romanian bride, you must read our hard hitting and honest reviews of the top Romanian dating web sites. Don’t get scammed. Visit us now.

Syndication Source: Article Mind
Go to source



Posted in cooking on April-3-2010

NoLoveMoreSincere posted a photo:
Go to source



Posted in cooking on April-3-2010

Author : Joe Bowab

Maine lobster, also known as the American Lobster, is found in the waters between Eastern Canada and North Carolina, with Maine contributing to more than half of all lobsters caught in the United States Maine lobster is easily distinguished from the “spiny” lobster (commonly called rock lobster) caught along the southern Atlantic coast and the coast of California by its large heavy claws The spiny lobster has tiny claws and is usually marketed as uncooked frozen tails Because of its sweet, delicious flavor and tender texture Maine lobster is the world’s most prized catch

Live Maine lobster is available year-round, with the bulk of the catch harvested in the summer and fall In the winter months many lobstermen pull their traps to avoid damage and danger of Nor’easters and other storms The price of lobster, like most prices, is ruled by supply and demand, as well as, the weather Lobster prices usually rise at the start of Memorial Day and drop as the season ends with Labor Day weekend May and September are good times to buy hard-shell lobsters In June and July, when lobster molting is at its peak, the majority of lobsters sold locally are soft-shell

Lobsters grow by molting, or shedding their shells Just after they molt, they are soft and fragile until their new shell has hardened (It takes about 25 molts over 5-7 years for a lobster to grow to a minimum legal size, 1 pound ) Newly molted lobsters are called soft-shell or “new shell” lobsters It is important to be aware of the quality and price of soft-shell lobsters Soft-Shell lobsters have less meat in proportion to total body weight than hard-shell lobsters Hard-shell meat is firmer, while soft-shell meat is softer and tends to have more water Because soft-shell lobsters are not as strong as hard-shells, they do not ship well This is why soft-shell lobster is always less expensive Cracking a hard-shell Maine lobster takes some effort, but the results are more than worth it

Lobsters are caught in traps, marked by colorful buoys to identify the traps’ owners If you happen to be out on a boat and come across one, don’t even think about pulling it up to take a look There is no real authority specifically governing lobster traps, unless you count Smith & Wesson, and the notoriously short-tempered lobstermen, themselves

When the lobsters are taken from the trap, they are “banded” with strong rubber bands Sometimes you might see wooden plugs inserted into the base of the claw Do not remove the bands or plugs they are there for your safety!!!

The State of Maine has very strict laws governing lobstering Lobster traps may not be hauled at night and on Sundays during June through August in Maine waters (since 1967) In Maine it is illegal to keep lobsters under and over a certain size Lobstermen use a special gauge to accurately measure the length of the lobster’s carapace (body)–from the eye socket to the beginning of the tail to ensure legal compliance The legal minimum length is 3 1/4 inches Lobsters under this length are call “shorts” or snappers” and must be thrown back into the ocean Minimum sizes are enforced to make sure that lobsters are mature enough to breed at least once before they are harvested When a female egg-bearing lobster is found, it is required by Maine law that a v-shaped notch be placed in the right tail flipper before releasing the lobster, in order to protect her so that she may continue to reproduce

The maximum legal length of a lobster is 5 inches carapace-length; which are called “jumbos” The maximum size limit is regulated to protect the breeding stock A minimum size lobster will weigh around 1 pound, while a maximum size lobster will weigh between 3-4 pounds The most plentiful and most popular size of Maine Lobster is between 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds each

Contrary to popular belief, live lobsters are not red in color, but are actually a dark blue-green color because of the many different color pigments When cooked, all of the pigments except for the red (astaxantbin) are hidden Besides the typical colored lobsters, there are also rare yellow, red, blue and white specimens About 1 in every 30 million lobsters is born with a blue shell Lobsters are usually active at night and eat fish, crabs, clams, mussels, sea urchins and sometimes-other lobsters!

You can tell if a lobster is a male or a female by looking at their first pair of swimmerets found on the under body of the lobster The swimmerets on the male are larger and bony; they are smaller and softer in the female

Maine lobster is not only great tasting, it’s healthy - that is, if you go easy on the butter It’s hard to believe, but Maine Lobster has less cholesterol, calories, and saturated fats than lean beef, skinless chicken and pork Lobster is a good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which are proven to reduce hardening of the arteries and risk of heart disease Lobster is also high in amino acids, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, vitamin A, and many of the B vitamins

Live lobster can be boiled, steamed, grilled, or baked The white meat of the Maine lobster is located in the tail, claws, and knuckles Meat can also be found in parts of the body and legs The red material in the tail section is the coral “roe” or the female eggs and is considered a delicacy The greenish material at the junction of the body and tail is “tomalley”, which is actually the liver, and has a very unique “peppery” taste used in many recipes

Don’t worry about cooking live lobsters Lobsters have a ganglionic nervous system (as opposed to a central nervous system), so they do not feel “pain” the same way that we do The supposed “screaming” in the pot is actually the sound of steam escaping from the lobster’s shell

Cooking a lobster longer than the recommended times usually makes the meat too tough When properly cooked, lobster meat is a creamy white, shells are bright red and the two front antennae pull out easily A 1-2 pound whole lobster serves one person A pound of meat can be removed from four to six lobsters weighing 1 25 pounds (typical market size) Approximately two cups of lobster meat equals one pound For more Maine lobster and seafood cooking instructions be sure to visit our seafood cooking and handling guide

Though Maine lobster is best enjoyed “in the rough” (cooked whole in the shell), it lends itself to a variety of recipes and styles Celebrate, anytime of year, anywhere in the country, with the finest live Maine Lobster from LobsterAnywhere com

Happy Cracking!

To catch the full story, please visit http://www.lobsteranywhere.com/maine-lobster/category/lobster101 for everything including lobster dinner ideas!

Syndication Source: Thought Search Articles
Go to source



Posted in recipes on February-9-2010

Author : Stephanie Foster

Some call it a food group It just means that much and tastes that good

While it’s not the healthiest food in some ways there are many health benefits to eating chocolate too

Dark chocolate is of course the best, as it has the most cocoa and therefore the flavonoids, which provide the benefits The flavonoids have antioxidant properties, which have the potential to help prevent cancer, heart disease, and stroke

Natural cocoa powders are the best, and when you’re shopping for chocolate you can get the best benefit from chocolates with the highest cocoa content In addition, milk chocolate has more fat and calories due to the milk content than darker chocolates do

The benefits aren’t extreme and unfortunately not worth overindulging in chocolate They do give a delightful bonus to one of life’s little pleasures The occasional dark chocolate is about as good for you as the occasional glass of red wine, which also contains flavonoids

A new potential benefit has been discovered by Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland They’ve found that chocolate can help with diarrhea by limiting the production of fluids The flavonoids appear to bind to a protein called CFTR, and then inhibit them This discovery is promising for its potential to be developed as a cheap treatment with few or no side effects Only time will tell on that possibility, of course

Some worry about the stearic acid found in chocolate Stearic acid is a saturated fat, but some say it’s a neutral so far as risk to the heart while others say it has been shown to be a problem As with many health topics it can be very hard to decide what to believe

You can call chocolate addictive but it isn’t really, or at least there’s no evidence that it is It’s just a delight to eat It contains a variety of chemicals that can improve your mood but in very small quantities

The absolute best way to indulge in chocolate is to use cocoa powder in recipes that have other healthy ingredients You can substitute cocoa powder for baking chocolate in some recipes to decrease the fat content To make many baked goods even better for you, use just egg whites rather than the entire egg and replace butter and oil with unsweetened applesauce

To finish this article off, I’d like to include a favorite recipe for chocolate meringue There’s a lot of sugar in this recipe, so it’s not 100% healthy but they’re quite decadent without a lot of calories

2 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 250 degrees Beat the egg whites in a large bowl at high speed until peaks start to foam Slowly add sugar as you continue to beat Keeping beating until stiff peaks form

Mix in vanilla and cocoa powder while beating at a lower speed Mix chocolate chips in by hand

Cover a baking sheet in foil or parchment paper Drop spoonfuls of meringue about an inch apart

Bake for one hour Turn off oven and leave meringues in the cooling oven for at least two more hours to allow the meringues to completely dry Store in an airtight container

Stephanie Foster runs http://www.gimmechocolate.com/ and is maybe just a little obsessed with chocolate. Visit her site to find more chocolaterecipes.

Syndication Source: Article Mind
Go to source



Posted in cooking on February-9-2010

Unusual flavors harmonize in this budget friendly canned salmon recipe. Refreshing cucumber balances salty seaweed, along with parsley, fish…
Go to source



Posted in recipes on February-8-2010

Author : Peter Finch

Popular Romanian food is made of sheep and goat milk products, which are the basis of veritable crafts, especially in the mountain areas (Bran, Sibiu, Vaideieni, Vrancea, Piatra-Neamt etc )

Fermented ewe cheese

After curdling, the milk may be easily detached manually off the walls of the caldron and thoroughly crumbled in pea-size bits, for 10 minutes, in order to remove the whey, and then it is carefully stirred for another 5 minutes

The next step is to add 5 litres of whey, warmed up to 40-42 C, for every 100 litres of milk in order to keep a constant 37 C temperature Then the curd (the coagulated milk) is “gathered” carefully, for 10 minutes, with both hands in a big round conglomerate, under which a special bag is arranged The result of work is placed on a special pot called crinta, under a small weight

After 5 minutes, it is “broken” in egg-size pieces, and then the bag is tied and pressed for about 2 minutes Another crumbling in pea-size bits follows, and then the bag is tied, exerting a uniform and moderate pressure for about 2 hours by using a thicker board made of beech or oak, and eventually, if necessary, a stone of a suitable size may be placed on top of it

Regarding the clot, in the absence of the industrial solution (pepsin), the stomach of the 3-week-old sacrificed lambs is used, after adding milk and a lot of salt After approximately 2-3 weeks, it is sectioned and the content is dissolved manually in about 2 litres of hot water and then it is filtered

For the same purpose, the mucus of the pig stomach may be used, after being rubbed with a lot of salt, placed in a pot, covered with milk, and left for about two weeks in this condition, and then filtered and used

Another popular Romanian food is barrel cheese, truckle cheese and cheese covered in fir-tree bark After it has been pressed for 2 hours, the “green” or “sweet” ewe cheese is removed from the bag and it is placed for fermentation on a shelf in “ewe cheese room”, which is a dark and cool room (12-14 C during summertime)

After 10-12 hours, the ewe cheese is minced by means of a mincing machine or it is kneaded with a “raval” which is a piece of carved beech wood, 5-6 cm thick, 60-70 cm long and 18-20 cm width, transversally chopped at small distances The kneaded cheese is introduced by pressing in truckle, blister, barrel etc , after it has been previously shaped into well-kneaded fist-size balls, so that to completely remove the air from it After each 8-10 cm sheet, a layer of slightly salted slices of fermented ewe cheese is inserted

Soft cow cheese is another appreciated popular Romanian food

The butter milk, which remains after the preparation of the “sweet ewe cheese”, is boiled for about 1 hour at an 85-90 C temperature, and the precipitation of the rest of the protein takes place during this period of time

During boiling, the whey is continuously stirred with a wooden spoon otherwise it sticks to the bottom of the caldron at gets “smoked”

Such popular Romanian food is, first of all, healthy and quite low in calories; therefore it can be served without hesitation in diets or on any possible occasions

Romanian women are known to be amongst the most beautiful, stylish, well dressed, educated & family orientated women on the planet. If you are serious about finding a Romanian bride, you must read our hard hitting and honest reviews of the top Romanian dating web sites. Don’t get scammed. Visit us now.

Syndication Source: Article Mind
Go to source



Posted in cooking on February-8-2010


Posted in recipes on February-7-2010

Author : Stephanie Foster

Some call it a food group It just means that much and tastes that good

While it’s not the healthiest food in some ways there are many health benefits to eating chocolate too

Dark chocolate is of course the best, as it has the most cocoa and therefore the flavonoids, which provide the benefits The flavonoids have antioxidant properties, which have the potential to help prevent cancer, heart disease, and stroke

Natural cocoa powders are the best, and when you’re shopping for chocolate you can get the best benefit from chocolates with the highest cocoa content In addition, milk chocolate has more fat and calories due to the milk content than darker chocolates do

The benefits aren’t extreme and unfortunately not worth overindulging in chocolate They do give a delightful bonus to one of life’s little pleasures The occasional dark chocolate is about as good for you as the occasional glass of red wine, which also contains flavonoids

A new potential benefit has been discovered by Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland They’ve found that chocolate can help with diarrhea by limiting the production of fluids The flavonoids appear to bind to a protein called CFTR, and then inhibit them This discovery is promising for its potential to be developed as a cheap treatment with few or no side effects Only time will tell on that possibility, of course

Some worry about the stearic acid found in chocolate Stearic acid is a saturated fat, but some say it’s a neutral so far as risk to the heart while others say it has been shown to be a problem As with many health topics it can be very hard to decide what to believe

You can call chocolate addictive but it isn’t really, or at least there’s no evidence that it is It’s just a delight to eat It contains a variety of chemicals that can improve your mood but in very small quantities

The absolute best way to indulge in chocolate is to use cocoa powder in recipes that have other healthy ingredients You can substitute cocoa powder for baking chocolate in some recipes to decrease the fat content To make many baked goods even better for you, use just egg whites rather than the entire egg and replace butter and oil with unsweetened applesauce

To finish this article off, I’d like to include a favorite recipe for chocolate meringue There’s a lot of sugar in this recipe, so it’s not 100% healthy but they’re quite decadent without a lot of calories

2 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 250 degrees Beat the egg whites in a large bowl at high speed until peaks start to foam Slowly add sugar as you continue to beat Keeping beating until stiff peaks form

Mix in vanilla and cocoa powder while beating at a lower speed Mix chocolate chips in by hand

Cover a baking sheet in foil or parchment paper Drop spoonfuls of meringue about an inch apart

Bake for one hour Turn off oven and leave meringues in the cooling oven for at least two more hours to allow the meringues to completely dry Store in an airtight container

Stephanie Foster runs http://www.gimmechocolate.com/ and is maybe just a little obsessed with chocolate. Visit her site to find more chocolaterecipes.

Syndication Source: Article Mind
Go to source



Posted in cooking on February-7-2010

…thyladyinred posted a photo:
Go to source



Posted in recipes on February-6-2010

Author : Helen Hecker

If you’ve been wondering how to make raw flax seed crackers or just looking for a good basic easy, healthy raw flax seed cracker recipe then I’ll make it easy for you As a nurse, amateur chef and raw foodist - vegan I’ve been making raw food recipes for a decade and have made many different types of flax seed cracker recipes I’m, going to show you the simplest and fastest way to make flax seed crackers

There are many different types of raw food flax seed cracker recipes but starting with something simple and then adding spices or ingredients can make it much more flavorful

Flax seed crackers are dehydrated crackers Usually a dehydrator is needed, although you can try to make them in an oven and keep it under 120 degrees - if it has a fan in back However that can take quite a few hours and would be a major drain on your electric bill And I don’t recommend it - it may be too hot and damage the enzymes that dehydrating at a low temperature is supposed to preserve

Dehydrators use very little energy If you’re eating raw foods now and don’t have a dehydrator you definitely should get one I find it an indispensable piece of equipment for raw fooders It will give you much more in the way to choose from in terms of the number of raw food recipes you can prepare

I make many different raw recipes in the dehydrator - for example, cookies, other types of raw crackers, raw pizza, raw crepes, mushroom appetizers, appetizers, raw onion bread and much more Invest in a dehydrator if you can Get the big square one with the fan in the back, because those are the best and will not heat the food The 9-tray Excalibur is the one I use

Okay for the simple, easy, basic raw flax seed cracker recipe see below However it is bland and I would suggest my follow-up variations for the best and most flavorful crackers

How To Make Flax Seed Crackers

Ingredients: flax seeds and pure unfiltered water

2 cup flax seeds soaked for 5- 8 hours or overnight - not ground up or you can use 2 cups of flax seeds unsoaked ground in a food processor

2 tsp sun dried sea salt

2 1/2 - 3 cups or more of pure filtered water

Mix together in mixing bowl and add more water if necessary It should be very moist Don’t worry - it does not have to be perfect They always turn out Spread onto dehydrator trays about 1/4 inch thick

Use a pizza cutter to cut into squares Dehydrate at about 95 degrees for 12-24 hours or until they look dried and crispy About half way through the process, re-score with the pizza cutter and place another tray on top and flip over and continue dehydrating

Now this is a very basic flax seed cracker recipe But you’ll want to add spices or additional ingredients to make them flavorful Otherwise they will be bland

Optional: 3 teaspoons of Italian seasoning for a more pizza-like cracker or add 3 T caraway seeds for a caraway seed cracker or add 4 dates for a sweeter cracker or add 1 T coriander seeds or add 2 cups of unsoaked sunflower seeds that have been ground up fine in a food processor or any combination of any of these You can also add 5 stalks of celery or the pulp from juicing carrots instead of some of the water as long as your final mixture is a little moist

Now you know how to make raw flax seed crackers Follow these simple directions and make sure to add the variations for the best flax seed crackers There are many other raw food diet recipes you can make with or without a dehydrator And even more variations of crackers

For raw food recipes, raw food diets, losing weight with raw foods, curing breast cancer, arthritis, fibromyalgia, sinus, digestive and sleeping issues, acid reflux, headaches, allergies, etc. see a nurse/raw food expert’s: http://www.RecipesRaw.com

Syndication Source: Article Mind
Go to source

Related Items at Amazon:





Posted in cooking on February-6-2010

…ginnerobot posted a photo: Jonathan made dinner. This was sooooo good. Recipe. February 4, 2010 … 35/365…
Go to source

Related Items at Amazon:





Posted in cooking on February-6-2010

Author : Mark Cooper

As we all know that Italy is famous for many things, but perhaps it is most famous for its wine The wines of Italy are almost as varied as the people themselves Wine is very common in Italy, as are tea and coffee in other parts of the world There are many different types of wine

The two most distinct classifications are red wine and white wine There is a lot more to that than meets the eye when it comes to fine wine though There are table wines, after dinner wines, lighter wine to be enjoyed during the day, the types of wine, whether white wine or red wine, are almost endless

Italian wines are usually ranked among the best wines in the world The demand for Italian wines is so high that this small country produces around 8 billion bottles of wine each year But the growing number has not resulted in deterioration in quality, as most Italian wine producers are known for their strict quality control The history of Italian wine dates back around four thousand years Perhaps, what has helped Italian wine stay ahead of its competitors is the fact that Italy has more local grape varieties than any other country on earth Italian wine is considered unique due to rich blend of diverse wine cultures that exist in various wine regions in the country There are certain general qualities of Italian wine which make it stand out in the crowded wine market

A number of grape varieties that do not grow in other parts of the world are grown in Italy These varieties are used for producing wines which have unmatched taste Italian wines are available in a wide range of prices Some of them are very expensive, but many of them are easily affordable A number of Italian wine stores sell these wines online Most popular department stores also sell Italian wine bottles from different parts of the world It is better to buy Italian wine from an authorized store, as many ordinary wines are also sold as “Italian wine” in the market

These are some of my personal favorite wine and food pairings for French and Italian wines:

Beef = Amarone,

Cheese = Beaujolais,

Chicken = Chardonnay,

Cold Meats = Tavel,

Chile = Grumello,

Chinese Food = Soave,

Clams and Oysters = Champagne,

Duck = Pouilly-Fume,

Fish = Muscadet,

Ham = Pinot Grigio,

Lamb = Saint-Emilion,

Ossco Bucco = Barbaresco,

Pate = Saint-Veran,

Pheasant = Vino Nobile di Montepulciano,

Pork = Pouilly-Fuisse,

Red Sauce = Chianti,

White Sauce = Pinot Grigio,

Sauerbraten = Riesling,

Shell Fish = Gavi,

Steak = Gattinara,

Stew = Barolo,

Veal = Soave, and

Venison = Pomerol

In the end, it is really a matter of personal preference and what suits your palate If your restaurant does not have these particular recommendations in their wine cellar, you can always ask the sommelier to recommend something comparable These suggestions should enable you to at least buy or order to the proper wine to accompany dinner Of course, there is a lot more to know about ordering wine, wine tasting, wine production, and wine conversation

Mark Cooper hold master degree in Mass Communication and creative writing. He writes articles for http://www.italianfood-recipes.com and his new article is http://www.italianfood-recipes.com/famous_italian_wines.htm

Syndication Source: Thought Search Articles
Go to source



Posted in recipes on February-5-2010

Author : Peter Finch

There are times, when we are on the lookout for something really tasty to eat, and do not know what to do about it The food available off the shelf is mostly not good enough, because it has too many preservatives and do not taste natural Again, we might not have time enough to cook some gourmet dishes by ourselves In such situations, easy to cook Romanian delicacies can come to your aid

Take the simple Romanian doughnuts, for example All you need to make this delicious treat are 500 grams of flour, 120 grams of butter, about 40 grams of yeast, 250 ml of warm milk, a tablespoon of sugar, a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of rum, some lemon peel, and two egg yolks

Mix the yeast and the sugar first and rub them together until they get a syrupy appearance Next, put in one by one the butter, the yolks one at a time, the rum, the peel, the milk, and finally the flour Set the dough aside for about 20 minutes and let it rise Spread the dough out so that it is about a couple of centimeters thick and use a glass tumbler to cut out doughnut shapes Let them rise for another 20 minutes and they are ready to bake

Another easy Romanian recipe that is good for the taste buds is the potato broth The ingredients you require are 600 grams of potatoes, 100 grams of onions, 100 grams of carrots, 50 grams of parsley, a liter of borsch, a bunch of green parsley and another of lovage along with a little salt

Chop the onions and the verdure and fry them together in oil Next, pour in some water and add a pinch of salt Cut the potatoes into square shapes and put them in, allowing the whole thing to boil Also boil the borsch separately, and add it into the mixture once the potatoes are done Add salt to taste Garnish with some more verdure and it is ready to serve

If you would like to cook a meat preparation, meat balls could be what you are looking for It is a typical Romanian dish that takes very little of your effort and time You are going to need 500 grams of minced meat, 50 grams of bread, 50 grams of onions, 3 to 4 garlic cloves, an egg, oil, pepper, salt, and parsley or dill to cook this delicious preparation

To start off, get the meat minced with the help of a mincing machine Dip the bread a little in water and then squeeze the water out Also fry the onions in a couple spoons of oil for about one minute

Add together the minced meat, minced parsley or dill, one egg, a bit of pepper, salt, and garlic and mix them well Pour some flour or breadcrumbs on a plate and keep it aside Next, make small ball shapes using the meat mixture and roll them over the flour or crust Now preheat a pan for a few minutes at a medium temperature, pour in oil half a centimeter deep and fry the meatballs quickly Fry them on one side, turn them over and fry some more and then take them off the pan to put in new ones To keep them warm and soft, place them in a bowl over a pot of hot water and cover with a lid

Serve hot with vegetables or salad like beans, cabbage, spinach or lettuce To serve cold, garnish with green pepper, tomatoes, radish or mustard You now have ready an easy to cook, delicious Romanian dish, something you can prepare whenever you are short of time

Romanian women are known to be amongst the most gorgeous, chic, immaculately dressed, well read & family orientated women on earth. Don’t even think about searching for a Romanian bride, until you have read our hard hitting and honest reviews of the best Romanian dating web sites. Don’t get scammed. Visit us now.

Syndication Source: Article Mind
Go to source



Posted in cooking on February-5-2010

I love when people ask me for tips about cooking with their kids.  Sometimes I feel really qualified to answer.  Other times, not so much.
Go to source

Related Items at Amazon:





Posted in cooking on February-5-2010

Author : Joe Bowab

Maine lobster, also known as the American Lobster, is found in the waters between Eastern Canada and North Carolina, with Maine contributing more than half of all lobsters caught in the United States

Maine lobster is easily distinguished from the “spiny” lobster (commonly called rock lobster) caught along the southern Atlantic Coast and the coast of California by its large heavy claws The spiny lobster has tiny claws and is usually marketed as uncooked frozen tails Because of its sweet, delicious flavor and tender texture, Maine lobster is the world’s most prized catch

Live Maine lobster is available year-round, with the bulk of the catch harvested in the summer and fall In the winter months many lobstermen pull their traps to avoid damage and danger of Nor’easters and other storms The price of lobster, like most prices, is ruled by supply and demand as well as the weather Lobster prices usually rise at the start of Memorial Day and drop as the season ends with Labor Day weekend May and September are good times to buy hard-shell lobsters In June and July, when lobster molting is at its peak, the majority of lobsters sold locally are soft-shell

Lobsters grow by molting, or shedding their shells Just after they molt, they are soft and fragile until their new shell has hardened (It takes about 25 molts over 5-7 years for a lobster to grow to a minimum legal size, 1 pound ) Newly molted lobsters are called soft-shell or “new shell” lobsters It is important to be aware of the quality and price of soft-shell lobsters Soft-Shell lobsters have less meat in proportion to total body weight than hard-shell lobsters Hard-shell meat is firmer, while soft-shell meat is softer and tends to have more water Because soft-shell lobsters are not as strong as hard-shells, they do not ship well This is why soft-shell lobster is always less expensive Cracking a hard-shell Maine lobster takes some effort, but the results are more than worth it

The State of Maine has very strict laws governing lobstering In Maine it is illegal to keep lobsters under and over a certain size Lobstermen use a special gauge to accurately measure the length of the lobster’s carapace (body)–from the eye socket to the beginning of the tail to ensure legal compliance The legal minimum length is 3 1/4 inches Lobsters under this length are call “shorts” or snappers” and must be thrown back into the ocean Lobstermen often place a V-shaped notch in the tail of these smaller lobsters to signify that they are too small to keep Minimum sizes are enforced to make sure that lobsters are mature enough to breed at least once before they are harvested

The maximum legal length of a lobster is 5 inches carapace-length; which are called “jumbos” The maximum size limit is regulated to protect the breeding stock A minimum size lobster will weigh around 1 pound, while a maximum size lobster will weigh between 3-4 pounds The most plentiful and most popular size of Maine Lobster is between 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds each Lobsters are classified as follows:

Missing 1 claw = Culls

1 - 1 1/8 lb = Chickens

1 1/4 lb = Quarters

1 1/2 - 1 3/4 lb = Selects

2 - 2 1/2 lb = Deuces

2 1/2 - 3 lb = Small Jumbos

3 lb - larger = Jumbos

Contrary to popular belief, live lobsters are not red in color, but are actually a dark blue-green color because of the many different color pigments When cooked, all of the pigments except for the red (astaxantbin) are hidden Besides the typical colored lobsters, there are also rare yellow, red, blue and white specimens About 1 in every 30 million lobsters is born with a blue shell Lobsters are usually active at night and eat fish, crabs, clams, mussels, sea urchins and sometimes-other lobsters!

You can tell if a lobster is a male or a female by looking at their first pair of swimmerets found on the under body of the lobster The swimmerets on the male are larger and bony; they are smaller and softer in the female

Maine lobster is not only great tasting, it’s healthy - that is, if you go easy on the butter It’s hard to believe, but Maine Lobster has less cholesterol, calories, and saturated fats than lean beef, skinless chicken and pork Lobster is a good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which are proven to reduce hardening of the arteries and risk of heart disease Lobster is also high in amino acids, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, vitamin A, and many of the B vitamins

Lobster Rules:

If you plan to ship or transport lobster, always choose hard-shell Maine lobsters

The best way to keep lobster alive at home is to refrigerate them and cover with a damp cloth or newspaper

Do not immerse lobster in fresh water (in the sink or bathtub) or allow them to sit in melted ice

When transferring lobsters, pick them up by the body not the claws

Do not remove wooden pegs or rubber bands until after lobsters have been cooked

Live lobster can be boiled, steamed, grilled, or baked The white meat of the Maine lobster is located in the tail, claws, and knuckles Meat can also be found in parts of the body and legs The red material in the tail section is the coral “roe” or the female eggs and is considered a delicacy The greenish material at the junction of the body and tail is “tomalley”, which is actually the liver, and has a very unique “peppery” taste used in many recipes

Don’t worry about cooking live lobsters Lobsters have a ganglionic nervous system (as opposed to a central nervous system), so they do not feel “pain” the same way that we do The supposed “screaming” in the pot is actually the sound of steam escaping from the lobster’s shell

Cooking a lobster longer than the recommended times usually makes the meat too tough When properly cooked, lobster meat is a creamy white, shells are bright red and the two front antennae pull out easily A 1-2 pound whole lobster serves one person A pound of meat can be removed from four to six lobsters weighing 1 25 pounds (typical market size) Approximately two cups of lobster meat equals one pound

Though Maine lobster is best enjoyed “in the rough” (cooked whole in the shell), it lends itself to a variety of recipes and styles Celebrate, anytime of year, anywhere in the country, with the finest live Maine Lobster from LobsterAnywhere com

Enjoy!

If you liked this article, please visit our Live Lobster site at http://www.lobsteranywhere.com

Syndication Source: Thought Search Articles
Go to source



Posted in recipes on February-4-2010

Author : William Smith

Whether you’re making an unforgettable gift on your own or entertaining a crowd of kids, they’re a guaranteed good time

Hershey’s Flower Pot Bouquet

What You’ll Need

Small flower pot

6″ lengths of 12 gauge floral wire

Silk flower leaves

Green floral tape

Clear cellophane

Glue

Scissors

1 yard of ribbon or pre-made bow

Jolly Rancher Jelly Beans

Assortment of Hershey’s pastel foil wrapped candy such as Hershey’s Kisses Brand Chocolates, Rolo Caramels in Milk Chocolate, Reese’s Peanut Butter Miniatures, and York Peppermint Patties

Instructions

To Create Hershey’s Kisses Brand Chocolates Roses:

1 For each candy rose, spread glue on the bottom of one foil-wrapped chocolate

2 Firmly press the bottom of another chocolate to it Insert florist wire into one pointed end of the double kisses, twisting cellophane, continuing down the full length of wire with tape

3 Add 1 or 2 artificial leaves, if desired, securing leaves in place with florist tape

To create Rolo Caramels in Milk Chocolate Blue Bells:

1 Insert one length of floral wire through the center of 3-4 blue foil chocolate to form blossoms

2 Wrap remaining lengths of wire with green floral tape, inserting silk leaves at the base of the chocolate

To create all other Candy Blossoms:

1 Insert one length of floral wire partially through the center of York Peppermint Patty, or Reeses’s Peanut Butter Miniature

2 Wrap candy with a 4″ square of clear cellophane, twisting the remainder of clear wrap around the top of the floral wire Wrap wire beginning at the base of the candy, over the extra clear wrap, inserting silk leaves

Hershey’s Kisses Mice:

These adorable little mice will make you shriek, but with delight

What You’ll Need

Materials needed to make a pair of mice:

1/4 yard of 1/2 inch pink gross grain ribbon

1 sheet pink felt

4 shaky eyes

4 Hershey’s Kisses Brand Chocolates per pair of mice

Glue (low heat gun, non-toxic craft glue, glue stick or confectioners’ glue)

Scissors

Instructions

1 Create tails by cutting 2″ lengths of pink gross grain ribbons, pinch one end of the ribbon in half and glue to point of one chocolate

2 Cut the ears out of the pink felt and glue the base of the heart shape to the top of the flat side of one chocolate, leaving the two curved shapes extending over the edge to form the ears

3 Glue both chocolates together flat end to flat end with felt ears nesting in between

4 Complete by gluing on the jiggly eyes

Vanella Cream Sauce:

Beat to a cream three tablespoonfuls of butter, and gradually beat into this two-thirds of a cupful of powdered sugar When this is light and creamy, add a teaspoonful of vanilla; then gradually beat in two cupfuls of whipped cream

Place the bowl in a pan of boiling water, and stir constantly for three minutes Pour the sauce into a warm bowl, and serve

William Smith the author provides many more delicious chocolate recipes for you free at Hershey Candy
(All is Free)

Syndication Source: Article Mind
Go to source



Posted in cooking on February-4-2010

Tamales have got to be one of my favorite things to make and eat. Sure, they are a bit of a production.
Go to source



Posted in cooking on February-4-2010

Author : Mark Cooper

All of the people who love to drink coffee know just how nice it can be to relax with a nice warm cup of coffee However, most of them do not know that you can actually use coffee in your food too! There are quite e few more uses for coffee, other than its common uses as an ingredient in deserts This extremely versatile ingredient is often used in barbeque sauces, meat glazes, and pot roasts

Freshness is absolutely vital when it comes to cooking using coffee Ideally grind your own coffee beans, and if this isn’t possible then buy freshly ground If your recipe requests brewed coffee then you should make it just before you are ready for it Make it just as you would a cup of tea that you would drink, but take note of the concentrations Many recipes require strong coffee, such as coffee from an espresso maker, perhaps two times as strong as you would normally drink

Meatloaf only used to be popular in Australia, however now it’s popular all over the world The coffee tastes even better in this delicious coffee sauce

It is fairly simple to make this sauce - all you need to do is mix a tablespoon of instant coffee with a quarter of a cup of water Add in half a cup of ketchup; quarter a cup of dry red wine, and a quarter of a cup of Worcestershire sauce Mix everything together, and then add two tablespoons of vinegar, one ounce of margarine and a squeeze of lemon juice with a pinch of brown sugar

First heat a cup of sugar with a pinch of salt, and a stick of butter in a saucepan Once everything has melted, add one teaspoon of vanilla extract, and four ounces of chocolate Continue to mix to stop it from burning, until it has all melted Then add one tablespoon of freshly ground coffee For a different taste, you can also use two teaspoons of espresso coffee

After mixing for a few minutes, and then put it all into a mixing bowl Allow it cool to for a while, however keep it still be warm Mix in three whole eggs and one cup of flour Pour this mixture into a baking tin, bake in the oven for around 30 minutes Choose your favorite chocolate cake recipe; add in a cup of vegetable oil, one packet of chocolate pudding, four whole eggs and half a cup of ‘creme de cacao’ Now add one cup of Russian coffee, to make this mix together:

Coffee really is a versatile ingredient you could use it in all sorts of things, from cookies to muffins and all sorts of candy! Well suited to ice cream too, the possibilities are endless!

Coffee syrup is also delicious and easy to make Mix a cup of sugar with one cup of coffee Boil it in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves Simmer for a few minutes and then cool, and go for it!

Mexicanfoodsrecipes.com is specialized in Mexican foods and cooking tips.

Submitted By ArticleUnited.com Submission Services

Syndication Source: Thought Search Articles
Go to source



Posted in recipes on February-3-2010

Author : Rene Graeber

If you are trying to lose weight, skipping desserts can be a real challenge The great thing is you do not have to give up eating your favorite desert in order to lose those stubborn inches There are plenty of low fat dessert recipes that you can try for a delicious and healthy treat

Making your own low faat dessert is actually simple The key is to substitute the fattening ingredients in the recipe for low faat items For example, if the recipe calls for cream cheese skip the regular one and look for fat free or l f cream cheese Likewise, use margarine or applesauce instead of butter Chill evaporated milk and you have a low faat substitute for whipped cream When using eggs, just use the egg whites or instead of using whole eggs, try an egg substitute product Also, replace the sugar with a sugar free sweetener such as the product Splenda

Another good idea is to use cooking spray to coat your cake pan instead of grease A cooking spray will have less fat and cholesterol than oil and will cover the pan completely and evenly so your l f dessert will slide perfectly onto a plate much easier

If you are thinking that your options in making l f t dessert are limited, you would be happy to know that you can in fact make almost any type of desert into a low fat dessert Again, the key is using low fat ingredients, which are easily available from grocery stores So, you can make your own low fat pudding, cake, cobbler, pie and even l f ice cream

To get you started right away in making a delicious low fat dessert, here is an easy recipe for a popular dessert, strawberry cream cheese shortcake It uses substitutes to make a low sugar, low calorie and low fat desert

Beat 8 oz of softened fat free cream cheese and half a cup of powdered sugar Fold in 8 oz carton of a Cool Whip Free, a fat-free whipped cream substitute Pour into a 9×13 pan and spread evenly Cover the pan and chill for 2 hours While you are waiting, sweeten 5 cups of sliced strawberries with cup of Splenda or any sugar substitute Before you serve your delicious low fat dessert, spread the strawberries on top Add some Cool Whip on top of each serving

The recipe above is just one of many low fat desert recipes out there that you can try so you can still satisfy your sweet tooth and not have to worry about gaining weight

If you want to get more information, please visit my blog at http://how-i-lost-my-weight.blogspot.com/

Syndication Source: Article Mind
Go to source



Posted in cooking on February-3-2010

I love this recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine.  A think juicy pork chop, crusted in a pungent coriander spice mix, fried until crispy and drizzled
Go to source