Posted in cooking on June-19-2009

Author : Derrek Lewek

Electric steamers are one of the most versatile tools in the kitchen Electric steamers, in some stores, might also be known as rice cooker/food steamer Under either name, steaming your vegetables, as well as your rice is a healthy way to prepare a flavorful meal

Cooking vegetables: Most times, when cooking vegetables on the stove top, you will end up with mushy, pale green vegetables and water that carries more nutrition than the cooked vegetable itself What takes place when cooking vegetables on the stove is the vitamins and minerals that the vegetable is known for will get swallowed by the water When cooking vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, and asparagus on the stove top, we tend to cook until tender and pale Actually, when using that method of cooking, the left over water in the pot ends up with more nutrition and better color Steaming vegetables prevents that from happening When steaming vegetables in an electric steamer, the water is evaporated through the valve at the top leaving you with beautiful and tender vegetables

Cooking rice: Cooking rice is a hard skill to master Most people get impatient when waiting for rice to be completely tender when cooking on the stove top Not to mention, the chance of scorching the bottom of the pot causing the rice to develop a burnt taste When steaming rice in an electric steamer, the rice is cooked to perfection by the use of a built in timer Steam from the boiling water escapes through the valve producing fluffy, tender rice

It is entirely possible to cook an entire meal in an electric steamer Cooking a meal in a steamer is easy to do because you effortlessly throw in all of the ingredients and let it cook on its own

Cooking broccoli and rice: Measure 1 cup of rice for every two people being served Add equal amounts of water for every cup of rice used Add 1 cup of frozen broccoli and a cube of chicken bouillon Allow to cook until rice is tender and fluffy Add choice of cheese, stir well and serve

Cooking chicken and rice: Measure 1 cup of rice for each person being served Add equal amounts of water for every cup of rice used Add 1 cup of pre cooked, chopped chicken Cook until rice is fluffy and tender Stir well and serve

Cooking stir fry vegetables: Who said that stir fry had to be done in a wok? Add to the steamer your choice of fresh of frozen vegetables to stir fry While vegetables are steaming in the electric steamer along with soy sauce or teryaki sauce, cook stir fry meat in a skillet on the stove When vegetables are steamed to perfection, toss them in with the meat

If you purchase a steamer that is large enough, it may come with a basket to keep the rice and vegetables separate Therefore, creating the opportunity to cook one than one thing at a time Obviously, an electric steamer serves many practical and healthy uses The more you use the steamer, the more uses you will find for it Even though a steamer may not be a popular kitchen appliance, it gives you a way to prepare healthy meals for you and your family

Derrek Lewek manages the Brenda Oakes Cookware site, (http://www.brendaoakes.co.uk), where you can buy high quality pots, pans and kitchen appliances at discount prices. Whether you are looking for an electric steamer or a simple spatula, you can find top brand kitchenware product at low prices.

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Posted in recipes on June-19-2009

Author : Michael Anthony

Continually coming up with family dinner ideas can be a challenging task for even the most chef-inclined household cook So here is a new family dinner idea - using real restaurant recipes Everyone in your family loves when you go out to eat, but that can a time-consuming, expensive hassle The next time you need a family dinner idea, use real restaurant recipes to impress your kids, your spouse, or whoever! There are literally hundreds of real restaurant recipes and copycat restaurant recipes floating around the Internet (though not all correct)

The following copycat restaurant recipe for PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps is similar to those you would find in a real restaurant recipes cookbook and is perfect for family dinner ideas If this specific copycat restaurant recipe does not suit your style, spend time looking for more real restaurant recipes that will save you time and impress your family and friends

PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients: Iceberg lettuce leaves, 8 Shitake mushrooms, 2 teaspoons water, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon corn starch, 2 teaspoons cooking sherry, salt, pepper, 1 1/2 pound boneless chicken breasts (chopped), 5 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon ginger, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 chopped green onions, 8 oz can bamboo shoots, 8 oz can water chestnuts, 2 small dried chilies, 1 package Chinese rice noodles

Ingredients for sauce: 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon cooking sherry, 1 tablespoon hoi sin sauce, 2 teaspoons corn starch, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 Pour boiling water over dried mushrooms and soak for 30 minutes before draining

2 Combine all sauce ingredients to create sauce

3 Mix together chicken, salt, pepper, water, sherry, soy sauce, corn starch until chicken is coated

4 Heat in large skillet over medium/high heat and add 3 tablespoons of oil and fry for three minutes Remove Chicken

5 Add 2 more tablespoons of oil Add ginger, garlic, green onions, and chilies and fry for 60 seconds Do Not Overcook Add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts and fry for 2 minutes

6 Return chicken to skillet and combine all ingredients Add rice noodles (broken into pieces) into mixture

7 Add the chicken and sauce mixture to your lettuce wraps! (You may secure with a toothpick if necessary)

Hundreds of copycat restaurant recipes and real restaurant recipes similar to this one can be found in a number of places and for all of your favorite restaurants including PF Chang’s, Chili’s, Outback, Applebee’s, The Olive Garden, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and many more These real restaurant recipes make for fantastic family dinner ideas whether you use them exactly as instructed or to create dinner ideas of your own There are a few copycat restaurant recipes floating around the Internet, but if you like the recipe above your best bet is to find a real restaurant recipe cook book These books provide all your favorite recipes and are conveniently gathered and organized rather than searching all over the Internet for a single recipe So what are you waiting for? Make your next family dinner idea a great idea!

For more information about real restaurant recipes, copycat restaurant recipes, and family dinner ideas, visit Reviews and Secrets: Restaurant Recipes

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Posted in recipes on June-17-2009

Author : Patrick Tang

Olive oil refers to the juices extracted from olives removed from the trees and is sought after by many due to its health benefits It is the monounsaturated fatty acids which are believed to be beneficial, in particular with regards to the control of cholesterol levels Olive oil is, of course, used not only for health reasons; it also has a great taste Olive oil is a major element within a Mediterranean diet and is utilized for food and cooking purposes in addition to other uses such as an ingredient for skin products

Cold Pressing Olive to Produce the Oil

Olive oil is oil that is produced from the crushing of the fruit without the addition of chemical substances If you want natural, go for a good olive oil Extra virgin olive oil is the best there is The first preserve is usually referred to as extra virgin olive oil This excellent oil is produced from the first pressing of the olives and is considered to be the finest, as it has gone through the least procedures

Cold pressing uses no chemicals, just pure pressure to extract the fine juices from the olive fruit The use of the word ‘cold’ in the term ‘cold pressed’ is important as sometimes hot water or steam is added to the olive paste in order to extract more oil from the fruit, but it is believed that this changes the composition of the olive oil Thus, cold press basically means that the fine taste of the olives will not have been altered by heat or chemicals

How Does Olive Oil Taste Like

Olive oil can appear in different colors Many consider the tasting of a good olive oil to be rather like the tasting of a good wine The scent of a good olive oil should smell of olives and the oil should have a taste of olives You may also note other vague flavors such as apple Upon tasting one of the best olive oils you may appreciate a peppery touch at the end This is usually due to the olive fruit being harvested early and this is a good sign If a sharp taste is noticed, the oil may be rancid, or bad

Although it is a generalization, it can be said that the deeper the color of the olive oil, the stronger the taste of the olive fruit Experts in the field of olive harvesting would probably believe that the art is in the picking The best time to pick the olives for oil is when they are not fully ripe but are purple or almost black in color If the fruit is left longer on the trees the acidity levels become higher and this in turn reduces the quality of the olive oil

Storage

Bottles of olive oil should always be kept tightly closed in a dark place that is preferably cool Such oil may be kept in the fridge However, it should be noted that this may alter its appearance, but the flavor should not be affected

Recipe of the Day

Grilled Prawns with Lemon Infused Olive Oil

This is a very simple recipe and can be used for cooked prawns, grilled baby octopus or other type of cooked seafood The key to this recipe is not to cook the precious olive oil As the olive oil is produced from cold press, it will be considered as committing the ‘cardinal sin’ to now cook it The key reason the cold press extraction process is used is to preserve the original composition of the oil

The lemon infused oil gives that fresh fragrance that compliments any seafood dish

Serving Size

1 One Person

Ingredients

1 10 Large Green Prawns shelled and de-veined

2 A good bottle of cold pressed extra-virgin olive oil

3 Garden salad

4 1/4 cup coriander leaves finely chopped

5 1 tsp Balsamic vinegar (optional)

Method

1 Grilled your prawns until it is cooked, place them in a plate to cool down for a while If you use cooked prawns, just shelled them;

2 Wash your salad vegetables and mix in the finely chopped coriander leaves;

3 Arrange this salad mixture on your serving plate Use different colour vegetables to brighten the dish;

4 Drizzle the balsamic vinegar on the salad mixture if you choose to use it It will gives it a bit of a kick but do not over do it otherwise it will destroy the flavour of the olive oil;

5 Arrange your slightly cool prawns on top of the bed of salad or on the side depending on your creativity on the day;

6 Now, drizzle generously the precious olive oil over the whole dish, use as much or as little as you like and serve

Patrick Tang is the author of this article. His passion for good quality gourmet food and gifts has driven him to setup Fabulously Gourmet for the Australian Community.

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Posted in recipes on June-16-2009

Author : Adrian Padeanu

As most of us know, game animals lead a very active life and as a consequence to this, their muscles are somewhat lean This aspect leads to make the game meat drier in comparison with the meat from the domestic animals For this particular reason, it is crucial to use specific cooking techniques that add flavor and juiciness to the drier cuts of the game meat This article will try to offer you a few game meat cooking tips that are worth to follow:

1 Put all of the game meat in a refrigerator at 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or below The game meat is very often filled with bacterial content and its shelf-life is limited The game meat should be used in 24 hours max;

2 If you haven’t removed all the fat when the game carcass was cut, you should trim it away before cooking the meat The wild game fat has the tendency to become rancid very fast leading to the well-known “gamey” flavor In addition to this, the game fat also has the tendency to be very “solid”, thus giving a somewhat “greasy” feeling in the mouth This is most likely to occur when it cools off after cooking;

3 It is recommended to add other fats in order to prevent the game meat from becoming too dry Here are some suggestions: rub a roast with butter, margarine, and salt pork, and bacon fat, sour cream in order to obtain the desired moisture, flavor and richness Another suggestion would be to baste very lean cuts with additional fat for extra flavor If you plan on making your very own rolled roasts, you should add pork or beef fat to the inside & outside of the roast before it is tied - this procedure is known as “larding”;

4 In order to make sure that you will know the exact moment when the meat is done, you should use a meat thermometer;

5 Braise or roast in an oven that was preheated at 325-350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 25 minutes per pound of boneless meat Toughening the wild game will most likely occur if you roast it at over 375 degrees;

6 The game meat should be served very cold or very hot ( we recommend the latter option );

7 Marinades can enhance, disguise or tenderize game flavors to suit each and every taste As you may already know, a wide variety of “off the shelf” products are available for marinating game meats, such as: tomato and fruit juice like lemon, pineapple or even mixtures of several juices; French dressing, undiluted tomato soup as well as others;

8 Also about marinades, it is important to know that they shouldn’t be used on the cooked meat unless they are brought to a rolling boil for about 3 minutes to kill any “living” bacteria;

9 Steaks and ribs retain more juice if the cuts are thick (1 to 1 1/4″) Tenderness will be the guide for choosing dry or moist heat cookery;

10 Our last advice is about the fact that the meat from any part of the carcass can be ground Make sure that the game meat is used immediately after thawing The ground game meat, because of its high bacterial content, often spoils faster in comparison with other ground meat The meat should be cooked thoroughly

All things considered, preparing the game meat isn’t as simple as you might have thought because several steps should be followed in order to maintain or enhance the taste of the game meat Bon appetite!

Razvan Jr. is the owner of www.squirrelrecipesbook.com where visitors can find the squirrel recipes book at a very good price.

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Posted in cooking on June-15-2009

Author : Ronald Eapen

Chinese cooking calls for the highest of creative culinary preparations and forms of presenting dishes besides asking for a basic set of Chinese cooking supplies If you are one of the many people who crave the taste of authentic Chinese meals and want to whip up delicious dishes with a distinct Oriental taste, you’d be better off hoping for the perfect recipe achievement if you know how to draw the best out of this rich and varied culture of Chinese cooking, almost an art-form!

The lovers of Chinese food abound everywhere in the world, irrespective of geographical boundaries and ethnic orientations because the generous dose of spices and cultural limitations The highly spiced and true Chinese dishes are cooked with the intention of serving all kinds of palates! Thus, the whole culture of using Chinese cooking supplies along with knowledge of the appropriate dining etiquette and suitable dishes for festival time besides specific uses of Chinese herbs and flavors according to their individual properties is what has popularized this cuisine globally

When we speak about authentic Chinese cooking supplies being essential to bringing out the right flavors and nutrients in a dish, we are actually referring to the purchase and use of the appropriate utensils and other paraphernalia that professional chefs in China are accustomed to using for preparation of top-class Chinese meals Thus, some basic Chinese cooking supplies that will add authenticity to the whole picture of preparing and presenting a Chinese meal include a wok, tang chi, iron Palette, rolling pin and the obvious - chopsticks! There are many more, but these few items form the basic list of necessary cooking gear used in Chinese meal preparation and eating with chopsticks an art that replaces using cutlery like forks and knives, which the Chinese despise as they associate it with hostility and their chopsticks are symbols of compassion and generosity At times, foreigners find it difficult to use chopsticks during a meal but the Chinese love it as it is believed they add flavor and fun to eating noodles

Among the most useful of Chinese cooking utensils is the Wok; it has many uses and is generally used for an array of services such as stir frying, steam-cooking, making stews and giving food a smoked flavor! Broad, sharp knives are favored by Chinese chefs for multipurpose chopping, dicing and carving meat, veggies and fruit dishes besides to julienne special stir-fried foods A favored way of cooking buns, chicken and meat is steaming while noodles are boiled in sieves made of wire

The conventional form of cooking Chinese meals using Chinese cooking supplies provides for health, happiness and balance in all aspects of enjoying a meal and therefore the stress laid on acquiring and using utensils that help cook the food right, fast and in flavorful manner - be it commercially or in a home-kitchen

About The Author:-
www.classic-dessert-collection.com
www.cooking-chinese-style.com

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Posted in recipes on June-14-2009

Author : Sean Tan

Until about ten years ago, America’s top secret restaurant remained mostly within America itself It used to be very difficult for foreigners to get a taste of these recipes Only a few countries that were closely associated with America could get a hold of them and sample them In fact, American food is lighter than most cuisines around the world, everything is used in moderation But the overall taste of American food is quite palatable to someone on the move That is the origin of the term fast food, anyways Most American food can be classified as fast food Though there are elaborate meals too, they are mostly imports from other places like France, Mexico, Italy and even England American food is quick to eat, delicious to taste and most times, nutritious and light on the tummy

Then most countries around the world underwent liberalization policies when they welcomed foreign franchises America, always a pioneer in understanding and implementing business policies, grabbed this opportunity with both hands That began a flurry of American chain restaurants being established around the globe American food suddenly became world food The insular American cuisine now reached out to every country of the world, even the third world countries

Today when American cuisine has surpassed the popularity of even Chinese cuisine, Lebanese cuisine and Thai cuisine in most parts of the world, it does seem that what is being cooked in America is also cooked in restaurants across the world But it may surprise many of you to know that, whatever the level of penetration of American cuisine may be in a foreign country, they are not getting access to even a tenth of the food that this country prepares indigenously America seriously guards its elite recipes and lets only the commonplace recipes pass out of its mainland That is why visitors to America are surprised to taste the real cuisine of America when they get the opportunity

Does that mean that foreigners have absolutely no access to American cuisine in totality? No, that is far from the truth! In reality, non Americans can prepare and taste everything that’s cooked in America, even its most secret restaurant recipes But these restaurants will never popularize that their recipes are available You must know where to look

The best place to get secret easily cook them yourself is the Internet There are several blogs and forums where people put up their recipes and discuss with others, and there are places where you can even find the secret restaurant recipes of America Of course, the restaurants won’t give out these recipes themselves; it is the common American people themselves who try to duplicate them and when successful, put them up on the Internet for everyone to share

Top secret restaurant recipes have today become the world’s most wanted recipes But without stepping into American soil and tasting their cuisine on the mainland, you do not know even half the story Buying flashy books that promise to give you the real deal about American cuisine does not help much But the tool that most Americans use for everything from combing their hair to solving a medical problem, the Internet, can help you in finding these secret recipes of America

Sean, an American chef, knows about the craze American cuisine has generated worldwide in recent years. If you want to know how to get at America’s Most Wanted Recipes, visit this website:
http://www.secret-restaurant-recipes.org

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Posted in cooking on June-12-2009

Author : James Brown

With romantic holidays in the future, many husbands are finding fun kitchenware gadgets to give as gifts to the special women at home Wives can have a lot of fun measuring food with a digital scale that talks back every time a morsel of food is placed on the multifunction weight system The passionate color of red will convey how the husband feels about the new look that is beginning to show in their midriff and the women can have fun while dieting and get many family members involved in the fun

Ultra modern dorm rooms will create a magnificent setting for fun and frolicking for a high school graduate next year Fun kitchenware gadgets like can crushers will make the next party very affordable because college students can crush cans and recycle them to earn a little extra cash Other fun kitchenware gadgets like microwave meal platforms will make cooking meals at the fraternity house easier Every college student can learn about kitchenware gadgets and become better cooks by using them

There are fun activities that can be done by many people in the family with the help of fun kitchenware gadgets Children can help their parents make some ice cream on a hot summer s day The children can safely use fun kitchenware gadgets to pop kernels of corn with hot air, which will create healthy treats that everyone at home would love Kids will love seeing how many kernels can be popped in a minute and they will certainly love using kitchenware gadgets like dish wands to clean up everything in the kitchen when the popcorn is gone

A family will love using fun kitchenware gadgets to eat well year round A 23 quart pressure cooker and canner can help by reducing cooking time by half and at meal time, Mom can brag that she produces the most tender meats on the planet Parents can use this type of fun kitchenware gadget to put up jellies, jams, and preserves using old time canning methods With this easy to use kitchenware gadget, a Mom will know that the family will enjoy flavorful food accents that are not only healthy but are sanitary

Fun kitchenware gadgets can turn any ordinary afternoon into a seafood festival Party hosts can provide guests with fun kitchenware gadgets like seafood crackers so guests can turn boiled crab into a festive party event A crab mallet set would give guests a good tool to use to make small work out of king crab, and oyster knives would be fun kitchen gadgets that would make opening oysters a very each task Crystal cocktail servers would be kitchenware that would dress out any formal table

The refreshments for a party could be prepared in other fun kitchenware gadgets Novice bartenders could use stainless shot glasses to measure liquors and liqueurs that were served in drinks Party hosts could keep an ample supply of frosty and fruity drinks available when they use fun kitchenware gadgets such as blenders, juicers, and espresso machines Party hosts can prepare the delicious concoctions up one at a time or serve them liberally with the help of fun kitchenware gadgets that create an automated drink service Party guests will be delighted to know that every party table has a fountain of delicious refreshment that run continually throughout the evening

James Brown writes about http://www.onlinekitchendepot.com

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Posted in cooking on June-11-2009

Author : Ronald Eapen

When you’re trying to cook a sophisticated meal, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to use the conventional methods Choose a non-traditional method and save your time and your taste buds

If you watch reality television, chances are you’ve run into more than one cooking competition, whether you’re watching the cooking channels or you’re just flipping around network television with the remote Whenever you turn on the television, you’ll find that every channel and a great number of the commercials that come with the stations and shows are inundated with the message that you have to spend a lot of time to cook a fantastic meal Or they tell you that you don’t have to spend a lot of time at all, but don’t really explain how to save that time, other than telling you to plan ahead

When you’re living a busy lifestyle, whether you’re a mom or just busy working, you can’t spend time over the stove cooking a meal And you certainly can’t find the time to do it every day So how are you supposed to make and eat the healthy, delicious, sophisticated looking meals you see on television all the time?

Easy Skip the stove and seek the more non-traditional methods of cooking

But what are these non-traditional methods of cooking? One of the quickest growing trends today is fondue and you can create a meal worthy of popular, expensive fondue restaurants in a matter of minutes, right in your own kitchen If you don’t have fondue pots, you can always make the fondue dips in smaller sauce pans and then set them over pots of boiling water Hey, no one said that your sophisticated meal had to “look” sophisticated It only needs to taste that way to please your palette and make you feel like you spent hours and hours cooking

Electing to purchase a crock pot and follow some of the trendier crock pot recipes on the internet can also solved your problem quickly You can make virtually anything in a crock pot, from simple spaghetti to chicken recipes that will make your mouth water and beef crock pot recipes that will rival any major restaurant-and the beauty is, your food will come out perfect every time without you having to lift a finger once you set the food in the slow cooker

Yet another method is to select a salad You may be thinking this is a crazy way to create a sophisticated meal, but salad bars popping up all over the country prove otherwise as they rake in the dollars and are offered five star ratings Choose toppings that will keep well in the refrigerator, prepare them over a weekend-slice hard boiled eggs and put them in a container, drain kidney beans, etc -and the use whenever you’re hungry for something that tastes better than restaurant quality

Cooking a sophisticated meal has always been rumored to be a difficult task But if you’re willing to skip the traditional methods and try out a more unconventional way of making your sophisticated meal on the fly, you’ll be able to please yourself each and every time you walk into the kitchen

About The Author:-
www.classic-dessert-collection.com
www.cooking-chinese-style.com

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Posted in recipes on June-9-2009

Author : Dominic Donaldson

They say that a bad workman blames his tools, but a good cook relies on quality cookware Whether you are a Delia or a Jamie, having the right tools for creating a culinary masterpiece is essential Here we offer up a few ideas for delicious dishes based on the basic cookware that can be found in most kitchens

Stockpot

The stockpot is a great kitchen all rounder Soups and stews, curries and chili con carne can all be cooked to perfection with this versatile pot Its strength lies in its size and the capacity for food to be cooked slowly for many hours If you find yourself offering to cook up a feast for a few friends, then the stockpot is the cookware of choice Simply throw in the meat and vegetables of choice and add passata, chopped tomatoes and even a splash of fresh cream and season according to your dish

The basic ingredients of onion, tomato and garlic are an excellent base to work on using this pot These ingredients can be seasoned with herbs to give a hearty English stew, or with spices for an authentic Indian curry These dishes taste better the longer they are left to cook, and the stockpot is a perfect vessel for such dishes, and saves on the washing up too

Frying Pan

The humble frying pan is probably one of the most versatile items of cookware in a kitchen It is an essential piece of equipment, and without one many dishes are impossible to make Frying onions and spices as a base for a sauce, making a traditional English fried breakfast and the oh so humble omelet would all be impossible without a frying pan There are of course a variety of types and sizes, but if purchasing a good all rounder, go for a twelve inch one with high but sloped sides If you can get one with a lid, all the better, it will extend the range of dishes it can be used to prepare for, such as poaching fish

A firm favourite for the frying pan here is to create a Spanish tortilla, which could be described as a glorified omelet Simply fry onions and garlic in a little olive oil and season with salt, pepper and basil; next add some thinly sliced potato followed by well beaten eggs Make sure you cook the dish slowly so as not to burn the base of the tortilla When the mixture appears to have nearly set, sprinkle the top liberally with parmesan cheese and pop under the grill to brown To serve, cover the pan with a plate tip the tortilla out of the pan

Sauce Pan

I once lived with only once sauce pan, but this basic piece of cookware was my best friend As long as it is larger than a milk pan and has a lid, the amount of dishes that can be whipped up are limitless From heating beans to boiling potatoes, it is difficult to get by in the kitchen without a sauce pan As the name states, the purpose of this pot is primarily to create sauces A few simple ingredients can be turned into a dish worthy of Masterchef by conjuring up a simple sauce

A great treat is searing off an ostrich steak, much the same as you would a traditional beef one and covering it with a red wine and blackberry sauce Place a small amount of oil in the sauce pan and throw in some in the fruit, warm gently then add generous amounts of red wine Heat until bubbling and the blackberries are starting to reduce then pour over the meat Delicious!

Dom Donaldson is an expert in the catering industry.
Find out more about Cookware and the range available for professional and home cooking at Massive Housewares.

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Posted in recipes on June-8-2009

Author : Jonathan Teng

Meatballs how good they are especially when they are from Italy and Mexico

Miam miam

Mexican Meatball and Rice

Yield: 6 servings

Mexican Rice:

~4 oz (1 can) Chopped Green

~3 cups Cooked Seasoned Rice

~1/2 lb Monterey Jack Cheese cut into stripes

~1 pint Dairy Sour Cream

For the Meatballs:

~4 oz (1 can) Green Chilies, (drained)

~2-1/2 tbsp Unbleached Flour

~2 tsp Salt

~2 tbsp Butter or Margarine

~2 lb Ground Beef

~2 c Sliced Onion

~19 oz (1 can) Tomatoes (un-drained)

~1/4 tsp Powdered Cumin

~1/2 cup Sliced Ripe Olives

~1/2 cup Milk

~1 x Mexican Rice

~1 tsp Chili Powder

~1 ea Large Egg, Slightly Beaten

~1 ea Clove Garlic, Crushed

~1 cup Crushed Corn Chips

Instructions for the Meatballs:

In large bowl, lightly combine ground beef with corn chips, milk, egg and 1 tsp of salt Cover and refrigerate 1 hour Shape into 15 meatballs, using 2 rounded tbsp meat mixture for each Lightly roll meatballs in 2 tbsp flour, coating completely In large frying-pan, cook meatballs in hot butter, half at a time, stirring until evenly browned

Remove meatballs from frying-pan as they are browned In same frying-pan, cook onion and garlic about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally In small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 tbsp flour and 1 t salt, chili powder and cumin Stir into onions Add tomatoes, green chilies and olives

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; reduce heat, cover tightly and cook slowly for 30 minutes Add meatballs to tomato mixture, cover tightly and cook slowly for 20 minutes Uncover and continue cooking slowly 10 minutes Serve meatballs and sauce over hot Mexican Rice

Now instructions for the Mexican Rice:

Combine sour cream, chilies and salt In 13 x 9-inch baking pan, layer 1 cup cooked rice, 1/2 sour cream-chili mixture and 1/2 cheese strips Repeat layers and top with remaining cup of rice Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees F ) for 25 minutes Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and top with meatballs and sauce Continue baking for 5 minutes or until cheese melts

Italian Meatballs in a Basket

Yield: 8 servings

Italian Bread Basket:

~1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated

~1/4 cup Margarine, Melted

~1 Loaf (16 oz) Italian Bread

For the Meatballs:

~2 tbsp Unbleached Flour

~2 tbsp Margarine

~2 lb Ground Beef Chuck

~16 oz (1 can) Stewed Tomatoes

~1/4 tsp Thyme

~1/2 tsp Basil

~1 x Italian Bread Basket

~1 x Green pepper rings

~1 x Cherry Tomatoes

~1 ea Medium Onion, Chopped

~1 ea Medium Green Pepper, Chopped

Instructions for Meatballs:

Lightly shape ground beef into 1 1/2-inch balls Lightly brown balls in margarine in large frying-pan, about 5 minutes Add the green pepper and onion to meatballs; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally Drain tomatoes, reserving liquid Add tomatoes, all but 1/4 c tomato liquid, basil and thyme to meat balls Cover tightly and cook slowly 5 minutes

Mix reserved tomato liquid with flour, stirring until smooth Stir into meatballs, cover tightly and cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick Meanwhile prepare Italian Bread Basket and place on platter Spoon meatball mixture into and around bread Garnish with green pepper rings and cherry tomatoes, if desired

Instructions for the Italian Bread Basket:

Cut a 3/4 slice from top of bread With fork, scoop out inside of bread to form basket, leaving 1-inch bread on all sides and bottom of loaf Place loaf on foil in shallow baking pan Brush top, sides and inside of bread with melted margarine Sprinkle loaf with Parmesan cheese, coating sides evenly Bake in hot oven (400 Degrees F ) for 10 minutes

Jonathan Is The Webmaster Of Restaurant Copycat Recipes & Author Of 2 Famous Cookbooks Titled America’s TOP Secret Recipes and Quick Easy Recipes Secrets.

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Posted in recipes on June-6-2009

Author : Mick Reade

You have probably heard that pork is “the other white meat”, but you might not have discovered many ways of cooking this delicious meat Pork is a great alternative to chicken as a way of getting nutrients that your body needs, and you should try to eat pork at least a couple of times a week

However I know that sometimes it can be boring eating the same meals every night, so here you will find a great way of serving pork that should keep the interest of your family, as well as help get those vital nutrients into them

I just came across this recipe, and it sounded so good I felt I had to share it with you straight away! Make sure you have a really good butcher who will bone and roll the pork leg for you, to make it a lot easier to prepare

Give it a go if you get a chance, and let me know what you think!

Recipe Preparation: boil

Recipe Serves: 8

Ingredients for Drunken Pork Recipe

2 -(up to) 3 lb Pork leg

2 Cloves garlic

1 Spring onion stalk

4 -(up to) 6 c Water

1 tb Salt

1 ds Pepper

Sherry

Drunken Pork Preparation

1 Have pork boned and rolled Crush garlic Cut spring onion stalk in 1/2-inch sections

2 Bring water to a boil Add the pork, garlic, spring onions, salt and pepper Bring to a boil again, then simmer, covered, for 30 minutes

3 Drain, reserving liquid for stock, and let meat cool, then refrigerate overnight

4 Cut pork in large chunks Place in a jar or crock and add enough sherry to fill Cover the jar tightly and refrigerate for 1 week

5 Drain pork, slice thin and serve cold

Another really different type of pork recipe you could try is right here:

Pork braised in milk

Ask your butcher to chine and skin the pork loin (Chining means removing the backbone from the rack of ribs so that you can carve between the ribs) The milk and lemon sauce will appear lumpy and curdled, but tastes delicious and you can strain it if you want

Ingredients:-

1 x 2 25kg pork loin

50ml olive oil

1L milk

4 garlic cloves, cut in half lengthways

15g sage or rosemary leaves

Grated zest of 2 lemons

Juice of 1 lemon

SERVES 6

Preheat the oven to 200C (400F) Prepare the pork by trimming the fat to leave just a thin layer The bone and fat keeps the pork moist Heat the olive oil in a large roasting tin Add the pork and brown the meat on all sides Remove the pork and pour away the fat from the roasting tin

Add the garlic and sage to the tin and place the pork on top of them Season with salt and pepper and pour the milk over the pork Return to the heat and bring just to the boil Remove the tin from the heat again, add the lemon zest and drizzle with the lemon juice

Put in the oven and roast for about 20 minutes Reduce the temperature to 150C (300F) and cook for another 1-1 25 hours, depending on the meats thickness If necessary add a little more milk every so often to keep the meat roasting in liquid Baste the meat with the juices every 30 minutes Do not cover, so that the juices reduce and the fat on the pork becomes crisp

To test if the pork is cooked, poke a skewer into the middle of the meat, count to ten and pull it out Touch it on the inside of your wrist, and if it feels hot the meat is cooked through Leave the meat to rest for 10 minutes before carving Strain the sauce if you like, and serve with the meat

Mick Reade has been working as a chef in Australia for over 10 years, in a variety of different types of kitchens all across the country, and now helps teach others how easy it can be to cook healthy delicious food. For a free cookbook, check out http://alleasyfoodrecipes.com

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Posted in cooking on June-6-2009

Author : Parmod Bansali

As you will be aware, everyone is different No two people are exactly alike; although having said that most people do seem to fit quite happily into certain categories For example, there are those night owls who get everything done when most of us are asleep The opposite, would be those irritating morning geeks who have everything done before most of us have got out of bed

I am definitely one of the first variety About 10:00pm something kicks into gear—an amazing burst of energy and creativity, and off I go working until the wee small hours

When it comes to cooking there are also two basic classes of people as I see it: the cooks and the all important bakers For more resources please login to www delicious-sandwich-recipes com Baking is a very precise type of science Flour, sugar, baking powder, milk, boil, butter or other ingredients are used in a variety of ways in baked goods recipes, but they interact with each other in very specific ways Measurements have to be precise or everything goes wrong

Commercial bakers still weigh their ingredients even if they’ve been cooking for years The famous cookbook has recipes that are tested and re-tested until the directions shown, if followed are guaranteed to produce something wonderful People with personality need not apply, this is science not art

When we see Jamie Oliver irritatingly lob everything into a pan without looking, he has probably measured out everything meticulously before the cameras started rolling

Although I can turn out a reasonable cake or pile of biscuits when required, I find it about as satisfying as getting biscuits out of a packet Being creative really doesn’t work, you end up substituting something really important, and whole thing falls apart The website listed below, has some interesting ideas on how to substitute ingredients for things that actually taste similar!

On the arty-forty side there is cooking, a completely different kettle of fish I find creating new recipes really fascinating, it’s almost as fun, varying others to make them look and taste just a bit different, or using ingredients in new ways

For instance, take that good old traditional standby, potato salad It’s one of those where we all have a favorite recipe, but have you ever thought of some ways to vary your version? Take potatoes, the surprising main ingredient, there are so many varieties of spud; you could spend all day messing about with the one thing Do you go with Yukon Gold, Baby Reds, White Rose or some of the many lesser known breeds? Also, think about onions, there are hundreds of different types of onions as well

Move onto dressings and another huge door opens up for you Some people prefer mayonnaise; others, salad dressing, a creamy sour cream mixture, light vinaigrette or a traditional French dressing You can also visit at www july4-recipes com Then there is the add-ins, which can vary a huge deal

There are those who say a potato salad isn’t the proper job without small cubes of egg cut thrown in Others prefer crumbled bacon bits, chopped pickles, sweet relish, or a variety of crisp vegetables You get the idea, baking is monotonous, dull and prone to errors Where as cooking uses the other side of one’s brain, it sparks creativity makes the whole thing worth while

If you are going to move from baker to cook, please do make sure you have the correct ingredients ready as substitutes, when you inevitably set off on something you don’t have any of the right stuff to make

In the end bakers and cooks should unite, food is great! Writing this has made me hungry; I’m off for a burger

Please browse for more information at our websites

www.thanks-giving-recipes.com

www.300-chicken-recipe.com

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Posted in recipes on June-5-2009

Author : Peter Finch

Sometimes we would like to eat something delicious and products in the shops are not satisfactory at all, because they are not natural and we do not have time to cook something very sophisticated In this case, easy Romanian recipes can offer you some suggestions

Here is a recipe of simple doughnuts The ingredients necessary are 500 grams of flour, 120 grams of butter, 40 grams yeast, and 1 spoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of rum, lemon peel, a little salt, 250 ml of milk, and two yolks

First, you have to mix the yeast and the sugar and rub them until they get a liquid appearance, then you have to add the butter, the yolks one by one, the rum, the lemon peel, the warm milk and then the flour Then you must let the composition grow for about 20 minutes After that you have to stretch 2 cm thick dough, you can use a glass to detach parts of it, then let them grow again for 20 minutes

To continue with, another easy Romanian recipe is potatoes broth You need 600 grams potatoes, 100 grams onion, 100 grams carrots, 50 grams parsley, 100 grams celery, 50 grams oil, 1 litre borsch, 1 bunch of green parsley, 1 bunch of lovage, a little salt

You have to chop the onion and then the verdure and heat them together in oil Pour some water, add a little salt, then the square shaped cut potatoes and let it boil When the potatoes are boiled, add the borsch, which was boiled separately and check if you added enough salt At the end, you can sprinkle more verdure

Furthermore, if your favourite dishes are based on meat, you can cook meat balls, a specific, easy Romanian recipe You need half a kilo mince, 50 grams bread, 50 grams onion, 3 or 4 garlic cloves, 1 egg, pepper, parsley or dill, oil, salt

You can obtain the mince using a mincing machine, out of meat, bread, after you have slightly dipped it in cold water and then you squeezed it, and the onion, which has previously been heated for 1 minute in two spoons of oil

Add to the mince 1 egg, a little pepper, a little salt, the garlic and the minced parsley or dill, and then mix them thoroughly Pour on a plate 1-2 spoons of flour or crust make some small balls out of the mixture and roll them over the flour or crust Heat the pan without oil for 3-4 minutes, at medium temperature, pour 5 cm oil and fry the meatballs immediately Hold them 10 minutes on one side, then turn them over and replace them with new ones Keep them warm over a pot of hot water, covered with a lid

You can serve them warm, with vegetables or salad, with beans salad, cabbage, spinach or nettles, and if you serve them cold you can add to them green pepper, tomatoes, radish, or mustard Easy Romanian recipes are useful and delicious and you can try them whenever you want to save time

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.

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Posted in recipes on June-4-2009

Author : Charles Cox

A baby shower is a kind of party that celebrates and welcomes a new member to the family In this tradition, expectant parents usually receive gifts or money for their expected child, which, in a way, supports the parents by helping them get the things that they need for their baby (or the things that they may not be able to afford)

Baby showers are generally held in the later stages of pregnancy (in the last 2 months, for instance) There are, however, certain cultural beliefs that make people purposefully wait for the baby to arrive before having a baby shower Adoptive parents, at times, wait until after the adoption is final and the baby has arrived in their home

Baby showers are generally organized by close friends, relatives, or coworkers of the expectant parents (because baby showers center on gift giving, it is considered inappropriate for a family member to host such events)

In its early form, baby showers were held exclusively for mothers to be, and only women were invited to attend the party In addition, baby showers were traditionally held only for the first child Today, however, many people arrange baby showers for both parents, and they can now be also arranged for every succeeding children (even children who have been adopted)

Activities in a baby shower typically include games, special activies, presents, and, most especially, food

Below are some of the most common baby shower recipes:

Pizza Sandwiches

Pizza sauce (can be store bought or homemade)

Cottage cheese (lowfat)

English muffins

Parmesan cheese

1 Mix 2-3 tbsp of pizza sauce with 2-3 tbsp of cottage cheese

2 Spread the mixture onto one half of the English muffin

3 Sprinkle with parmesan cheese

4 Broil for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted Serve

Creamy Tomato Soup

1 tsp vegetable oil

1 can tomato soup (condensed)

Milk

1 tbsp basil

Mozarella or croutons (for toppings)

1 Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan

2 Add the tomato soup

3 Add milk (approximately the same amount as that of the tomato soup)

4 Add basil and cook slowly on low heat (do not boil)

5 Top with a sprinkling of shredded mozzarella and croutons Serve

Cheese Balls

1 half lb cheese (cheddar or grated)

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 pack cream cheese

4 oz Tabasco sauce

2 tsp onion

Chopped nuts

2 tsp catsup or chili sauce

1 Mix all ingredients together using a mixer or a food processor (the cheese should be at room temperature)

2 Empty mixed ingredients on small bowls lined with plastic wrap

3 Refrigerate overnight

4 To serve, remove wrap and sprinkle with nuts Serve with assorted crackers

Chicken Puffs

4 tbsp butter

1 half cup boiling water

1 half cup flour

2 eggs

1 half cup shredded cheese

2 cups cooked chicken

2 tbsp olives

2 tbsp wine

1 fourth cup mayonnaise

1 Melt butter in boiling water

2 Add flour

3 Stir vigorously until mixture forms a ball

4 Remove from heat and cool slightly

5 Add egg and beat briskly until smooth

6 Stir in cheese

7 Scoop 1 tsp dough into a greased baking sheet

8 Preheat oven to 400F

9 Bake the puffs for 20 minutes Remove from oven, cool, and split

10 Combine the remaining ingredients with the finely chopped cooked chicken, pimiento, and olives

11 Fill each puff with 2 tsp of the mixture Serve

There are just some of the baby shower recipes, there are numerous others to choose from You can have anything from sandwiches and finger foods, to snacks and dips and sweets that are all very easy to prepare

C.S.Cox has published many ebooks including the new ‘Baby Shower Guide’ designed for those desiring to plan the perfect baby shower at a fraction of the cost. Find out more about the Baby Shower Planning Guide at http://www.livebabyshower.com.

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Posted in recipes on June-3-2009

Author : James Lanka

These are tried and tested recipes - Bon Appetit from The UK Recipe Archive!!

Ayam Gorem (Deep Fried Chicken With A Sweet Sauce)

500 g chicken breast,(boneless)

2 Tbs soya sauce

1 lime,(squeezed)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 onion,(chopped)

2 red chilli,(crushed)

2 Tbs sugar

water

cornflour

oil for deep frying

1 Slice the chicken into cubes and add the soya sauce, lime juice, salt and pepper and marinate for 1-2 hours

2 Secondly, prepare the sweet sauce Heat a tsp of oil in a wok or pot and add the crushed chilli, the onion, the sugar , one tsp salt, some water and cornflour to thicken Stir well

3 Preheat the oil in a wok or pan and add in the chicken piece by piece, turning it around periodically and fry until golden brown Serve with the sweet sauce hot or cold

Chicken And Passata Casserole

2 Tbs olive oil with a hint of garlic

4 skin-on chicken breast fillets, halved

1 g bag shallots, peeled and halved (8oz)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 g jar passata

1 g pac fresh thyme, chopped (1/2 oz)

1 green and 1 yellow pepper, de-seeded and sliced

12 pitted black olives

1 Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole, add the chicken and shallots & fry until lightly browned Drain off excess oil

2 Pour over the passata, add most of the fresh thyme and seasoning and stir well

3 Place in a preheated oven 180 C, 350 F, Gas Mark 4 for 30 minutes

4 Stir in the peppers and olives and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes

5 Sprinkle over the remaining thyme and serve with Italian bread

Author Note: A simple, full-flavoured supper dish

Chicken With Paw Paw Sauce

15 g butter, (1/2oz)

1 Tbs oil

4 g skinless chicken breast fillets (4oz)

1 onion, chopped

15 g cornflour, (1/2oz)

300 ml milk, (1/2 pint)

1 chicken stock cube

1 Tbs freshly chopped basil

125 ml apple juice, (4fl oz)

1 paw paw

freshly chopped basil to garnish

1 Melt butter and oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and chicken and fry over a moderate heat for 5 minutes

2 Blend the cornflour with a little of the milk and add to the pan with the remaining milk, stock cube and basil Bring to the boil, add the apple juice, cover and simmer for 20 minutes

3 Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm

4 Peel, deseed and slice the paw paw Reserving 2 slices for garnishing, puree the remainder with the sauce in a blender or food processor until smooth Add seasoning and return to the pan and reheat gently

5 Serve with the sauce poured over the chicken and garnished with the reserved paw paw slices and chopped basil

Author Note: A delicious combination of sweet and savoury Ideally served with wild rice and baby seasonal vegetables

James Lanka is the website owner of The UK Recipe Archive, where you can download his large collection of UK television recipes. Also available are some internet marketing opportunities by clicking here

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Posted in cooking on June-2-2009

Author : Ronald Eapen

Chinese cooking calls for the highest of creative culinary preparations and forms of presenting dishes besides asking for a basic set of Chinese cooking supplies If you are one of the many people who crave the taste of authentic Chinese meals and want to whip up delicious dishes with a distinct Oriental taste, you’d be better off hoping for the perfect recipe achievement if you know how to draw the best out of this rich and varied culture of Chinese cooking, almost an art-form!

The lovers of Chinese food abound everywhere in the world, irrespective of geographical boundaries and ethnic orientations because the generous dose of spices and cultural limitations The highly spiced and true Chinese dishes are cooked with the intention of serving all kinds of palates! Thus, the whole culture of using Chinese cooking supplies along with knowledge of the appropriate dining etiquette and suitable dishes for festival time besides specific uses of Chinese herbs and flavors according to their individual properties is what has popularized this cuisine globally

When we speak about authentic Chinese cooking supplies being essential to bringing out the right flavors and nutrients in a dish, we are actually referring to the purchase and use of the appropriate utensils and other paraphernalia that professional chefs in China are accustomed to using for preparation of top-class Chinese meals Thus, some basic Chinese cooking supplies that will add authenticity to the whole picture of preparing and presenting a Chinese meal include a wok, tang chi, iron Palette, rolling pin and the obvious - chopsticks! There are many more, but these few items form the basic list of necessary cooking gear used in Chinese meal preparation and eating with chopsticks an art that replaces using cutlery like forks and knives, which the Chinese despise as they associate it with hostility and their chopsticks are symbols of compassion and generosity At times, foreigners find it difficult to use chopsticks during a meal but the Chinese love it as it is believed they add flavor and fun to eating noodles

Among the most useful of Chinese cooking utensils is the Wok; it has many uses and is generally used for an array of services such as stir frying, steam-cooking, making stews and giving food a smoked flavor! Broad, sharp knives are favored by Chinese chefs for multipurpose chopping, dicing and carving meat, veggies and fruit dishes besides to julienne special stir-fried foods A favored way of cooking buns, chicken and meat is steaming while noodles are boiled in sieves made of wire

The conventional form of cooking Chinese meals using Chinese cooking supplies provides for health, happiness and balance in all aspects of enjoying a meal and therefore the stress laid on acquiring and using utensils that help cook the food right, fast and in flavorful manner - be it commercially or in a home-kitchen

About The Author:-
www.classic-dessert-collection.com
www.cooking-chinese-style.com

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Posted in recipes on May-31-2009

Author : Sebastian Marders

One of the easiest and most commonly grilled foods in the United States is probably the grilled hamburger But exactly what goes into the perfect construction of this dish? You may think it’s as simple as slapping a lump of ground meat down on the flames, but there are certain other techniques you can use to build a better sandwich All burgers are most definitely not created equal So, here’s a list of simple yet effective things you can do to make yours stand out every time

Although the selection of meat is down to personal taste, the most succulent hamburgers are made from ground beef with a certain fat content to it We have been conditioned as a society to avoid fat at all costs, but for the best burger this is not the way to go The official percentages that you want is around 80% meat to 20% fat No-one goes to the supermarket with a super-duper fat measuring device in their pocket, so let me make it easy for you This is roughly what can be found in chuck Buy it Chuck is the preferred cut for making the best burgers

When preparing your homemade hamburger, it is important to shape the meat into a patty which is relatively flat Don’t go for anything thicker than about 3/4 of an inch either I know, I know, you really want to ignore this one Bigger is better! I’m guilty of this Big, fat burgers are delicious That’s my philosophy when making burgers for myself Your burger should be done your way, after all But when going for the perfect burger which you may want to serve to guests, you should know that it is less likely for those thicker burgers to cook up nice and evenly

Another very important thing to remember is something that we’ve all done at one point in our lives Do not ever press the burger down with the spatula or anything else while it is grilling I know that it’s tempting to do this Resist! I know you’ve seen it on every television show with a diner cook in it Resist! When pushing on the burger like this, the juices are squeezed out, which means that the flavor is squeezed out as well As a minor note, it may also cause flare-ups I say “minor” because the eyebrow hair will grow back, but a dry burger will never get any better than that

Now on to the ingredients you’ll need for that perfect hamburger

1) Ground chuck

2) A little salt

3) A little pepper

4) Some hamburger buns

Yup, that’s it Simple, isn’t it? This ain’t rocket science, just a few tricks that will make your burgers all that they should be Now here’s the step-by-step

You have a few different choices as far as the cooking contraption goes, but for the sake of this article, let’s go with a nice, open flame You’ll need to grease your grill with some vegetable oil, then get a medium fire going underneath it

While that grill is heating up, you want to be mixing your meat Add some salt Add some pepper You can use your own judgment as to the tastes of your hungry diners Then get your hands in there Kneed things around Spoons are for sissies When it’s all mixed together, shape your concoction into burgers Remember, about 3/4 of inch thick on that patty You want an evenly cooked final product for your hungry guests

Slap those burgers down over the heat If you like your meat of the medium persuasion, you’re looking at somewhere between 5 and 7 minutes on each side If you want, feel free to make a tiny cut into each patty to check that they are cooked

Just before they are ready to go, start toasting those buns Put them on the grill for about a minute, split side down You’re going for a light brown effect here

Take everything off the grill Stack it all together Add anything that you want in the way of ketchup, possibly some lettuce, or a host of other things Hoorah! You now have yourself one fine hamburger

Now, all that being said, here’s an additional note or two on food preparation safety You have to remember that I’ve only given you some guidelines for the best result For example, I can only estimate on the time it will take for a medium burger You know your grill and how hot it gets You know if it’s 40-degrees outside when you’re cooking And you also know if you’ve followed the directions about making a patty that is only 3/4 of an inch thick You have, right? Don’t make me come over there Remember that the inside of the burger should always be tested to ensure that they are thoroughly cooked before serving

Also, you’ll find that there are many different books and chefs who would advise that the meat should be at room temperature before cooking However, it is better for safety’s sake, to keep it in the fridge in order to avoid airborne bacteria It is also essential that you put cooked burgers onto a fresh plate, not the same one that the raw meat was on, as it may still contain bacteria Always follow the first rule of cooking - Do not poison the guests

And that’s it When following all of the above instructions on how to make the perfect hamburger all that is left to do is to sit down and get your mouth around the most succulent and best tasting hamburger that you will have ever eaten On that note, I am heading right for the kitchen to prepare my very own Enjoy!

Sebastian Marders loves writing about a variety of things and sharing the website that inspires each piece with his readers. If you would like to browse a selection of the electric indoor grill, Farberware indoor grill, and George Foreman rotisserie then please visit.

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Posted in cooking on May-30-2009

Author : Harwood E

Cooking and everything food is fantastically popular at the moment Even going back 10 to 15 years ago when men were being described as “new age men” only a very small proportion of the male population showed any real interest towards cooking a meal for their partner let alone holding a dinner party for friends and family So what has created this change in the male population and why is cookery the new must have skill for the creative man about the house?

For long period of what is termed as modern society is was common place for the men of the home to do no cooking at all, indeed for many tears it was a standing joke that many married men could not boil an egg, they did not need to know how to as they had a wife to do it for them As well as this the son’s of the house always had their cooking done by their mother and then they would leave home to be looked after by their wife So in reality it is not that surprising why men did not feel the urge to cook and provide for themselves

All this very slowly started to change a few years ago when more and more male celebrity television chefs appearing on our screens and raising the popularity of cooking as a pastime Male celebrity chefs have been on our television screens for many years but the new generation are more like the man the street and are people who the average guy can relate to, this was a big factor in popularizing cookery for men Cookery has become a topic of conversation for men in bars, bragging about how wonderful their sausages are or who bakes the best bread, it really has become that acceptable for men to cook At last the male cookery talent has moved on simply from the barbecue, although even that can be a great source of conversation for many men Men nowadays love to show off their knowledge of fungi, salami, exotic vegetables and weird and wonderful seafood,

One thing that has helped endear men to cookery is the amount of gadgets that there are available for the kitchen and everyone knows how much men love gadgets Everything from designer food processors and blenders to sausage making machines have been given an overhaul in an attempt to make them more sexy, even things such as kitchen cutlery have been given a more masculine look to cater for the male market

It really is a boom time for cookery with more money being spent on kitchens and kitchen related items and more time being spent in the kitchen by the whole family, both eating and entertaining Cookery books and food gifts are also big business, with the growth of the Internet it is now possible to purchase more and more exotic food gifts for people, things that you would not expect to find in your local shops, which all helps to keep the interest in cookery growing

In the past when people visited a local restaurant for a fine meal they would come away thinking what a great meal they had eaten, now people come away wondering how the meal was made and whether they could replicate the same dish at home successfully This is where the explosion in celebrity chef cookery books has come in, not only can you obtain the recipe for a meal cooked by a famous chef but you can now cook it in the same style

So the future looks good for the cookery world with more and more people developing skills in the kitchen the whole thing can snowball and create a generation of master chefs, in theory

For more info on all things food, cookery and gifts please visit our site - www.cheap-personalized-mugs.com

Please feel free to republish this article provided a working hyperlink remains to our site
Harwood E Woodpecker

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Posted in recipes on May-29-2009

Author : J Logsdon

It’s hard to beat the convenience of using dried pasta at home, especially for day to day use, but sometimes you want something special for dinner and making fresh pasta is one way to easily accomplish that The good news is that it’s very easy to do if you use the pasta attachments on your mixer

Fresh pasta has several advantages over dried pasta The main difference is the great taste of fresh pasta Not only can you distinctly taste the flavor of the pasta but the texture is creamy and smooth and melts in your mouth The pasta is also less slimy than dried pasta so the sauce sticks to it much better

Fresh pasta also cooks in about half the time that dried pasta takes Since you can make fresh pasta ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer it can really help you whip up a quick meal

With fresh pasta you can also mix up the recipe to create unlimited varieties of pasta You can experiment with colors: add some shredded spinach for green pasta, a little tomato pasta for red, some squid ink for black You can also change the flavors: some pesto adds a great basil flavor, some finely ground nuts create a unique flavor You also only use ingredients that you want For instance, you can choose to use water instead of egg, whole wheat flour instead of white, organic flour instead of standard You’re completely in control over what you are putting in your body

With fresh pasta you also have complete control over the shape of the pasta You can make spaghetti or linguine, lasagna or gemelli, or any type of noodle you like You can even involve the kids in the pasta making process

The best part of using fresh pasta is how easy it is to make using the pasta attachments for your mixer You first make the dough, let it rest for 30 minutes and then roll out the pasta sheets using the pasta attachments The actual work time is about 15 minutes, not too bad for a wonderful meal!

As mentioned above, their are limitless possibilities when it comes to your pasta dough but here is a simple and traditional egg-dough pasta recipe

First take 1 cup of unbleached flour and put it in a bowl then mix in two large eggs Knead the dough together for about 5 minutes, the dough should be begin to become a little elastic and still be sticky while remaining a little course After kneading for 5 minutes wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes The resting process allows the dough to come together and take on the silky texture that is so wonderful in fresh pasta

While the dough is resting you can set up your stand mixer and put in your pasta roller attachment Make sure it is set to the largest setting You can also start your water on the stove as the 30 minutes runs out, this way the pasta can go right from the cutter into the water

Once the dough has rested for 30 minutes you want to press it out into the shape of a thin hamburger patty, with the edges about a fourth of an inch thick Turn the mixer on to low speed and begin to feed the dough into the roller with one hand and help support the sheet coming out the other end When you are supporting the pasta sheet make sure you are not pulling on it, let the pasta roller do the work and just focus on supporting it

Once the sheet comes out of the pasta roller fold it in half length wise and feed it through the roller again Repeat this rolling and folding process for 5 or 6 times This repeated rolling helps the gluten develop and creates the signature silkiness that fresh pasta is known for

Next set the pasta roller to the next smaller size and run the sheet through it Fold the pasta sheet in half again and run through a few more times You will repeat this process, moving down the pasta roller widths until you reach the thickness you desire for the type of pasta you are making Most spaghetti-type pastas will be around the middle thickness, while some wider noodles will be thicker

Once the pasta sheet is the thickness you want you can take off the pasta roller attachment and put on the pasta cutter attachment Most mixers have attachments to cut spaghetti, angel hair pasta, linguine, and ravioli You can also cut any shape you like by hand, it takes longer but it can be a lot of fun, especially if you get the family involved

For our traditional pasta put on the spaghetti cutter Turn the mixer back on to low and run the pasta sheet through the cutter Perfect strands of spaghetti should come out the other side Once all the pasta is cut, simply put it in the boiling, salted water for 3-4 minutes, just until it becomes tender Take the pasta out and add some sauce to it right away Either a traditional marinara sauce or even just some olive oil with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes

Cleaning the attachments is even easier than making the pasta is Since pasta dough is a very dry dough it does not stick everywhere like other doughs You just need to brush off the attachments and you are all done The attachments are also much smaller than traditional pasta rollers so you can easily store them in a drawer until they are needed

I hope you now have the confidence to enjoy wonderfully fresh pasta for years to come!

J Logsdon is a home chef and caterer who makes following your culinary dreams easy for the aspiring chef.
Get even more great information about cooking sous vide or culinary schools.

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Posted in recipes on May-26-2009

Author : Sarah Jones

Do you love the smell of charcoal on the grill, or eagerly await that first bite of a juicy cut of meat? Then you must be a barbeque fan! There are thousands of us around the world, that know that there is nothing better than a perfectly seasoned pork chop straight off the grill My mouth is watering just thinking about the possibilities YUM!

Unfortunatly, one of the hardest things for many grill enthusiasts to figure out is just how to get their meat seasoned correctly You can build a fire and learn the ins and outs of cooking it properly (which will get you pretty far) but you really need to understand about seasonings and marinades to truly be a grill master Want to know more? Keep reading

No matter what you are barbequing, marinades for any piece of meat centers around three basic ingredients First, you need is cooking oil The next thing you need is an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar The third ingredient is spices and/or herbs Then you are ready to grill!

To start off with you need to get down to some basic rules so that you can begin creating some of your own barbeque masterpieces

#1 Make the oil/vinegar proportional One cup of each, etc This will make it super easy to make enough marinade for any amount of meat that you may be cooking

#2 Don’t over power the marinade with too many spices Salt, sugar and garlic are strong flavors So are, peppers, basil, oregano, dried mustard, onion and the list goes on Use them sparingly for the best possible taste and texture

When mixing add the vinegar to the bowl first and then begin blending in the oil in small quantities until it is all combined together Take your time with this and don’t add the spices until the oil and acid are combined thoroughly Skip this step and your marinade will never quite mix correct

Once the marinade is complete, let it soak into the meat as long as possible I try to go my meat marinated overnight for optimum flavor Then when you are ready to grill simply remove the meat from the marinate and cook to perfection What could be easier!

Tip: Don’t reuse the marinating mixture to baste your bbq You run the risk of cross contamination and other problems Instead, try making up a second batch of your marinade and then brush over your meat during the cooking process It will help give it an extra oomph of taste and aroma before hitting your plate

Sarah Jones grew up loving all things BBQ.
When she isn’t trying out new marinades or grilling in the backyard she is sharing her love of BBQ with others.
Learn more about her BBQ secrets at ForBBQ.com

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