Posted in cooking on June-17-2009

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Posted in recipes on June-10-2009

Author : Brue Baker

Cakes, cookies, and pies are just a few of the many desserts that are both known and loved Many people can’t say no to a sweet treat, but others feel the need to refuse desserts that they consider to be high in calories and sugar This makes it hard to find a dessert recipe that pleases everyone

However, strawberry shortcake recipes can do just that! Although they are relatively healthy compared to most other desserts, strawberry shortcake recipes are extremely delicious as well

A Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

The first step in following a strawberry shortcake recipe is to make the filling In order to make the filling, you will need:

* One-half teaspoon of organic vanilla extract

* One cup of organic heavy whipping cream

* Two tablespoons of organic sugar

* Four cups of sliced organic strawberries

First, combine the berries and sugar in a bowl and allow them to macerate in the refrigerator for several hours In a separate bowl, whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla; cover and refrigerate

The next part of the strawberry shortcake recipe involves making the shortcake portion of the dessert The ingredients needed for this include:

* Two-thirds cup of organic cream or buttermilk

* Two cups of self-rising organic flour

* Eight tablespoons of unsalted organic butter

* One large organic egg

* Two tablespoons of organic sugar

First, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Combine the sugar and flour in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times

Divide the butter into eight pieces and add to the mixture Pulse approximately fifteen times to mix Next, whisk together the egg and cream, add this to the mixture, and pulse once again Place the dough in a pan and bake for fifteen to twenty minutes on the middle rack of the oven Invert and allow to cool

Next, you will need to assemble the strawberry shortcake Split the shortcake in two and place one round on a platter Place half of the berries and cream on top, and then add the second shortcake round Top with the remaining berries and cream Now it is time to serve and enjoy!

Shortcake Recipe For Success

You can’t go wrong if you follow this strawberry shortcake recipe Not only will you please the sugar-loving crowd, and the health crowd, but you will not be weighed down after you eat it like a lot of cakes and pies tend to do

Brue M. Baker, is an expert on natural health and fitness who has helped people from across the world sky-rocket their health and well-being. Rather than hitting your head against a wall trying to find unbiased health information let Brue take you by the hand and give you the best natural health information found anywhere on the web. Visit DietHealthAndFitness.com to learn more.

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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 April-19-2009

Author : Brue Baker

Remember when you were a kid and came inside from a cold winter’s day and wrapped your hands around that warm steaming mug of hot chocolate? Hot chocolate is a delectable treat, no matter if it is ordered pre-made from a coffee shop, made from a mix, or made from scratch However, using your own recipe for homemade hot chocolate produces a beverage with so much more meaning

The Advantages Of Making Hot Chocolate From Scratch

Using your own recipe for homemade hot chocolate produces results that are superior to both using a mix and ordering a cup of hot chocolate from a coffee shop It can be healthier because you can control the sugar content and you can use fresh ingredients Making the beverage from scratch is both quick and easy, anyone can make homemade hot chocolate

Additionally, there are many recipes for homemade hot chocolate out there, and they allow the consumer to customize the beverage to fit their needs You can vary the type and amount of ingredients to make a cup of hot chocolate that tastes just the way you like it You can also get creative and make some unique variations of hot cocoa

Making The Mix, A Recipe For Homemade Hot Chocolate

To make homemade hot chocolate, there are only a few basic ingredients that are needed These ingredients include:

* 2 cups of powdered natural sugar

* 1 cup of organic cocoa

* 2 1/2 cups of organic powdered milk

* 1 teaspoon of organic sea salt

* 2 teaspoons of cornstarch

* 1 pinch of cayenne pepper

* Hot water, or organic milk

The steps you need to follow to make homemade hot chocolate from a recipe are very simple All you have to do is combine all the ingredients into a bowl and mix evenly Then, heat four to six cups of water, or use milk if you desire Take a mug and fill it halfway full with the mixture, and pour the hot water on top Stir and enjoy!

One thing that is great about making homemade hot chocolate using a recipe is that the leftover mix can easily be stored for another day Simply store the hot chocolate mix in an airtight container, and it can be stored indefinitely

Homemade hot chocolate made from a recipe also makes a great gift during the holiday season Just place the hot chocolate mixture in a decorated jar or container, and use ribbon to tie a copy of the recipe to the lid of the jar Anybody is sure to appreciate being the recipient of such a thoughtful gift

As stated above, feel free to make any of your own adjustments to the above recipe as desired Add whip cream, mix in some coffee, honey etc Simply put make it how you like it and enjoy You will be sure to put smiles on the faces of anybody who is cold

Brue M. Baker, is an expert on natural health and fitness who has helped people from across the world sky-rocket their health and well-being. Rather than hitting your head against a wall trying to find unbiased health information let Brue take you by the hand and give you the best natural health information and resources on the web. Visit DietHealthAndFitness.com to learn more.

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