You may think that all ice is the same, but if you have contaminated ice, you and your family could be risking your health.
As the weather begins to heat up, so does ice consumption to keep beverages and food cold and fresh. Whether it's a backyard BBQ, a picnic at the park or a daily glass of iced tea, people need safe, clean ice.
Recent news reports have shown that some ice in fast-food restaurants is dirtier than toilet water. Whether processed and packaged from a moldy ice machine, mishandled through the use of dirty buckets or even hand-scooped by dirty hands, it is difficult to know exactly what you're buying and consuming.
Here are a few tips for purchasing clean, safe ice:
• Ice should be clear in color as well as odorless and tasteless.
• The bag should be properly closed and secure.
• The bag should have the manufacturer's name, address and phone number.
• The bag should be free of any foreign objects.
• The bag should have a product code.
According to a recent study conducted by Michigan State University, there is a heightened concern with safety of foods among consumers. In fact, 63 percent of the consumers interviewed are very or fairly concerned about the safety of the foods they eat and almost half of the respondents said they do not buy foods that are likely to be unsafe.
This summer, the International Packaged Ice Association (IPIA) wants you to know that all ice is not created equal and that ice shoppers need to be selective. When buying packaged ice, look for a product that has been packaged by a certified IPIA member and carries the IPIA seal.
The seal means that the packaged ice consumers are buying meets the association's strict quality and safety policy. The stringent Packaged Ice Quality Control Standards (PIQCS) are mandated for all IPIA members to ensure safe and quality ice. The standards regulate employees' personal hygiene, sanitary operations of the facilities, equipment and utensils used in making ice, quality of the water source and continuous microbiological testing of the finished product.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Make Grilling A Healthy Experience
Without a doubt there is something very relaxing and pleasurable about cooking and eating grilled food. There are countless ways you can turn your grilling not only into a flavorful and enjoyable way to cook, but there are also many healthy and tasty alternatives. Like anything else in life, what you put on your grill is a choice. Grilling healthy first means that you have decided to eat healthy. Cooking on a grill can be a great way to reduce fats on while adding wonderful flavor however we must also be careful when grilling as there can be certain risks if precautions are not taken. Eating healthy always begins with choosing healthy foods that are low in fat and using marinates to reduce unhealthy caseinogens.
We know that charcoal grilling can produce carcinogenic smoke from the high temperature cooking of foods containing fat and protein. This can produce unhealthy chemical changes in the outer layers of flesh foods. To avoid these dangerous chemical formations we must avoid inhaling the smoke and avoid the black char on the outside of charcoal cooked food caused by high heat and/or overcooking. It is also advised that any lighter fluid or self-lighting packages be avoided as they can also add toxic chemicals directly into your food. Instead, use a starter chimney and newspaper to get your charcoal lit. While this method may initially take a few more minutes, in the long run it’s faster and healthier. The use of marinades can also help greatly lower caseinogens in food. By using a marinade your food will not only take on extra flavor but even a simple marinade consisting of olive oil and a citrus juice can reduce the harmful chemicals by as much as 99%. A marinade will also assist in tenderizing and enhancing your food’s natural flavors.
There has been a lot of talk about grilling and the risk of cancer. While the risk is real and this should be kept in mind, there are some simple things you can do to greatly reduce the risk of cancer caused by grilling. The harmful chemicals that can form are created by putting food, primarily meats, under intense heat and flame. These are cancer forming agents however by taking a few simple precautions you can greatly reduce and even eliminate the risks. Grilling isn’t the only cooking method that causes these agents so there is no reason to give up on your grill. If done right, grilling is one of the healthiest methods of cooking.
To reduce the risks follow these basic tips:
• Trim excess fats from all foods. The fats are the main contributors to harmful chemicals so avoid fatty foods as much as possible.
• Using marinades based on olive oils and citrus juices with greatly help reduce the risks.
• Maintain a clean grill. This will also help reduce harmful cancer forming chemicals.
• Avoid letting your grill flare-up. Extreme heat and flame will also increase risk.
• Do not overcook foods. If you do accidentally char your food simply scrape or cut that portion off.
The marinade recipe below is simple, versatile, and tasty and will significantly reduce harmful cancer forming agents. The marinade will work perfectly with poultry, pork, vegetables and seafood and should be combined with your food of choice at least 1 hour prior to grilling.
Simple Marinade
¼ C olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons Italian herb blend
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Grilling can be a great way to prepare low-fat meals and only takes a little imagination to create healthy foods. Try starting with foods you already enjoy and find ways to make them healthier choices. Trimming fat, substituting skinless chicken, using healthy marinades are a few things you can do to start forming healthy habits.
Grilled Fennel Salad with Nicoise Olives
Ingredients:
2 orange peppers
3 fennel bulbs with tops
2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
18 small nicoise olives
2 sprigs of savory
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions:
Roast the peppers using your gas grill flame or the method of your choice. Place them in a bowl and cover the bowl in plastic wrap. Remove the green fronds (top flowery pieces) and set aside for later. Slice the fennel lengthways into roughly five coarsely cut pieces. Place the fennel pieces flat in a dish and coast with 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil. Season the fennel to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove the char from the peppers and dice the peppers into small-diced pieces.
Place your grill on medium heat and place the fennel slices and turn frequently for 7-10 minutes. Grill until the fennel is showing grill marks. Be sure to cook them until they are the desired texture but do not char too much. Transfer to side dish.
Combine the vinegar and remaining olive oil and pour evenly over fennel. Lightly combine the pepper mixture with the fennel while adding the olives. Tear the savory and fennel fronds and sprinkle over the fennel.
Grilled Fennel Salad is fantastic as a side or main course. As a side consider serving it with a simply grilled chicken or seafood. Just remember that what you put in your stomach or on your grill is your choice.
We know that charcoal grilling can produce carcinogenic smoke from the high temperature cooking of foods containing fat and protein. This can produce unhealthy chemical changes in the outer layers of flesh foods. To avoid these dangerous chemical formations we must avoid inhaling the smoke and avoid the black char on the outside of charcoal cooked food caused by high heat and/or overcooking. It is also advised that any lighter fluid or self-lighting packages be avoided as they can also add toxic chemicals directly into your food. Instead, use a starter chimney and newspaper to get your charcoal lit. While this method may initially take a few more minutes, in the long run it’s faster and healthier. The use of marinades can also help greatly lower caseinogens in food. By using a marinade your food will not only take on extra flavor but even a simple marinade consisting of olive oil and a citrus juice can reduce the harmful chemicals by as much as 99%. A marinade will also assist in tenderizing and enhancing your food’s natural flavors.
There has been a lot of talk about grilling and the risk of cancer. While the risk is real and this should be kept in mind, there are some simple things you can do to greatly reduce the risk of cancer caused by grilling. The harmful chemicals that can form are created by putting food, primarily meats, under intense heat and flame. These are cancer forming agents however by taking a few simple precautions you can greatly reduce and even eliminate the risks. Grilling isn’t the only cooking method that causes these agents so there is no reason to give up on your grill. If done right, grilling is one of the healthiest methods of cooking.
To reduce the risks follow these basic tips:
• Trim excess fats from all foods. The fats are the main contributors to harmful chemicals so avoid fatty foods as much as possible.
• Using marinades based on olive oils and citrus juices with greatly help reduce the risks.
• Maintain a clean grill. This will also help reduce harmful cancer forming chemicals.
• Avoid letting your grill flare-up. Extreme heat and flame will also increase risk.
• Do not overcook foods. If you do accidentally char your food simply scrape or cut that portion off.
The marinade recipe below is simple, versatile, and tasty and will significantly reduce harmful cancer forming agents. The marinade will work perfectly with poultry, pork, vegetables and seafood and should be combined with your food of choice at least 1 hour prior to grilling.
Simple Marinade
¼ C olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons Italian herb blend
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Grilling can be a great way to prepare low-fat meals and only takes a little imagination to create healthy foods. Try starting with foods you already enjoy and find ways to make them healthier choices. Trimming fat, substituting skinless chicken, using healthy marinades are a few things you can do to start forming healthy habits.
Grilled Fennel Salad with Nicoise Olives
Ingredients:
2 orange peppers
3 fennel bulbs with tops
2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
18 small nicoise olives
2 sprigs of savory
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions:
Roast the peppers using your gas grill flame or the method of your choice. Place them in a bowl and cover the bowl in plastic wrap. Remove the green fronds (top flowery pieces) and set aside for later. Slice the fennel lengthways into roughly five coarsely cut pieces. Place the fennel pieces flat in a dish and coast with 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil. Season the fennel to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove the char from the peppers and dice the peppers into small-diced pieces.
Place your grill on medium heat and place the fennel slices and turn frequently for 7-10 minutes. Grill until the fennel is showing grill marks. Be sure to cook them until they are the desired texture but do not char too much. Transfer to side dish.
Combine the vinegar and remaining olive oil and pour evenly over fennel. Lightly combine the pepper mixture with the fennel while adding the olives. Tear the savory and fennel fronds and sprinkle over the fennel.
Grilled Fennel Salad is fantastic as a side or main course. As a side consider serving it with a simply grilled chicken or seafood. Just remember that what you put in your stomach or on your grill is your choice.
Love Food? Read All About It With A Cooking Magazine Subscription
If you love food and beverages, whether you enjoy making them, eating them, or both, there is bound to be a magazine for you. From general interest cooking magazines to magazines focusing on everything from beer to chocolate, foodies have a home.
If you want recipes and lots of them, covering the spectrum from classic American home cooking to dishes from all over the world, Cookbook Digest is a great magazine for you. Do you have bookshelves overflowing with cookbooks that you use only a few recipes out of, if any at all? Cookbook Digest pulls the best recipes from the newest cookbooks and passes them along to you, so you can keep more room in your house, and more money in your wallet. Another good basic is Home Cooking, which has recipes and techniques, as well as contests so you can show off your own creations. Traditional comfort foods and old fashioned homestyle cooking are the focus in Taste of Home.
Looking for something a little more gourmet? How about Bon Appetit or Gourmet? These magazines cover good food, fine wine, information on restaurants, food travel, and entertaining tips. Saveur travels the world to bring you information on the greatest cuisines from around the globe. Food and Wine covers, well, food and wine, along with travel, healthy eating, and entertaining.
If you follow a particular kind of diet for health, weight loss, or religious reasons, there are magazines to make your life easier, too. If you or someone in your family is diabetic, Diabetic Cooking can help you cook meals your whole family will enjoy that will also fit with a diabetic meal plan. Kashrus magazine has information on keeping a kosher kitchen, including recipes and information on products. Many people are following a low carb diet to lose weight, and SheKnows LowCarb provides recipes, weight loss tips and more on the low carb lifestyle. For vegetarians, Vegetarian Times magazine offers menus, information on diet and exercise, and research updates on vegetarian issues.
Finally, there are magazines that focus on a particular food. Chile Pepper offers spicy recipes, along with travel and restaurant recommendations, while Chocolatier is all about desserts. If you’re a beer connoisseur, All About Beer is for you. Learn about brewing methods, the history of beer, and the culture of beer lovers around the world.
If you want recipes and lots of them, covering the spectrum from classic American home cooking to dishes from all over the world, Cookbook Digest is a great magazine for you. Do you have bookshelves overflowing with cookbooks that you use only a few recipes out of, if any at all? Cookbook Digest pulls the best recipes from the newest cookbooks and passes them along to you, so you can keep more room in your house, and more money in your wallet. Another good basic is Home Cooking, which has recipes and techniques, as well as contests so you can show off your own creations. Traditional comfort foods and old fashioned homestyle cooking are the focus in Taste of Home.
Looking for something a little more gourmet? How about Bon Appetit or Gourmet? These magazines cover good food, fine wine, information on restaurants, food travel, and entertaining tips. Saveur travels the world to bring you information on the greatest cuisines from around the globe. Food and Wine covers, well, food and wine, along with travel, healthy eating, and entertaining.
If you follow a particular kind of diet for health, weight loss, or religious reasons, there are magazines to make your life easier, too. If you or someone in your family is diabetic, Diabetic Cooking can help you cook meals your whole family will enjoy that will also fit with a diabetic meal plan. Kashrus magazine has information on keeping a kosher kitchen, including recipes and information on products. Many people are following a low carb diet to lose weight, and SheKnows LowCarb provides recipes, weight loss tips and more on the low carb lifestyle. For vegetarians, Vegetarian Times magazine offers menus, information on diet and exercise, and research updates on vegetarian issues.
Finally, there are magazines that focus on a particular food. Chile Pepper offers spicy recipes, along with travel and restaurant recommendations, while Chocolatier is all about desserts. If you’re a beer connoisseur, All About Beer is for you. Learn about brewing methods, the history of beer, and the culture of beer lovers around the world.
Lavender Essential Oil – Recipe Ideas For The Handmade Cosmetic Crafter
When it comes to manufacturing handmade cosmetics one ingredient no crafter should be without is lavender essential oil. Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia) posses antibacterial proprieties, is gentle to both dry and oily skin, and has the ability to relieve such conditions as muscle pain, insomnia, headaches, burns, bug bites, eczema, psoriasis, and acne making it the most versatile of essential oils. It is also one of the few essential oils that can be used as a middle or top note in perfume due to its fresh, floral smell and affordable price.
Here are a few recipe ideas for using lavender in handmade cosmetics:
Salves, Ointments, and Balms: Lavender blended with neem seed oil or comfrey root powder produces a salve that soothes itching caused by insect bites, bruises, burns, and even diaper rash. Add cinnamon and clove for a pain relieving muscle rub ointment. Use lavender by itself as a gardener’s salve to help chapped hands or as a temple balm to aid in falling asleep and to quell headaches.
Hair Care Products: Blend lavender with apple cider vinegar and nettle herbs for a normal-to-dry hair rinse. You can also try combing rosemary, peppermint, and lavender essential oils along with jojoba and oat extract, which produce a very effective scalp oil treatment.
Bath and Body Care Products: Add lavender to toners, facial creams, and body lotions to combat acne or dry skin conditions. Lavender essential oil combined with dried lavender buds, dead sea salt, Epsom salt, and powdered milk make for a lovely bath salt recipe. Blend jojoba with rose geranium, lavender, sandalwood, and vanilla for a sweet and sexy feminine perfume oil.
Soaps: Try adding tea tree and lavender essential oils to opaque melt and pour soap base along with pumice (sprinkled at the bottom of your soap mold) for a deodorizing and exfoliating soap bar.
A word of caution, due to their volatility, research any essential oil, and always do a skin patch test before use.
Here are a few recipe ideas for using lavender in handmade cosmetics:
Salves, Ointments, and Balms: Lavender blended with neem seed oil or comfrey root powder produces a salve that soothes itching caused by insect bites, bruises, burns, and even diaper rash. Add cinnamon and clove for a pain relieving muscle rub ointment. Use lavender by itself as a gardener’s salve to help chapped hands or as a temple balm to aid in falling asleep and to quell headaches.
Hair Care Products: Blend lavender with apple cider vinegar and nettle herbs for a normal-to-dry hair rinse. You can also try combing rosemary, peppermint, and lavender essential oils along with jojoba and oat extract, which produce a very effective scalp oil treatment.
Bath and Body Care Products: Add lavender to toners, facial creams, and body lotions to combat acne or dry skin conditions. Lavender essential oil combined with dried lavender buds, dead sea salt, Epsom salt, and powdered milk make for a lovely bath salt recipe. Blend jojoba with rose geranium, lavender, sandalwood, and vanilla for a sweet and sexy feminine perfume oil.
Soaps: Try adding tea tree and lavender essential oils to opaque melt and pour soap base along with pumice (sprinkled at the bottom of your soap mold) for a deodorizing and exfoliating soap bar.
A word of caution, due to their volatility, research any essential oil, and always do a skin patch test before use.
KitchenAid, A name you can trust in kitchen appliances
In my younger days, I must admit that the thought of paying several hundred dollars for a kitchen appliance like a KitchAid stand Mixer was not only not in my budget but also something not to mention I couldn't justify the expense. It's been a few years now and several mixers later when I realized that quality matters.
Like many people just starting out, I was interested only in 1 thing and that was price. How could I mix up my occasional birthday cake without costing my anything. I could mix by hand but as anyone who has ever known 20 something, there's a limit to the amount of actual effort we want to do before we justify going out and buying something. So during the first few years of independent life, the 25 dollar hand or portable mixers were my preferred kitchen mixing appliance.
Over the years I realized that buying the cheaper, or as the marketing people say "less expensive" portable type mixers, I decided to quit buying on price and start choosing consumer goods based on quality and a good value.
Now "good value" may mean a lot of things to different people but to me it means paying a fair price for a solid product that will last. You might ask why wouldn't I just buy on quality alone? The answer is in the automobile the Rolls Royce. The Rolls is arguably one of the highest quality built automobiles in the world. It is not however what I would consider a good value due to the extraordinarily high price.
It's not the same however with a lot of consumer goods like my KitchenAid mixer. Although far from what some would call cheap, it should definitely be considered a great value. The hand mixer was just tiring to use and underpowered so when shopping for my new mixer I knew I wanted a stand mixer. That's one where I wouldn't need to hold the mixer in the bowl while it worked. It needed a folding or very slow speed so I could blend in ingredients without them flying all over the kitchen. I also wanted a mixer with enough power that I could do 4 boxes of brownies without it slowing down. Heck, I even would like it to be able to knead bread and pasta dough for those special meals.
Although there are many styles and models, I decided on an Artisan Series KitchAid stand Mixer in a color that would match my kitchen. It met my needs as to quality and even included a dough hook. They wouldn't include a dough hook if the machine didn't have the power to knead dough, right? It's necessary to shop carefully however as I found the unit price range several hundred dollars between the highest and lowest in my city literally .
So I did my shopping online and checked out several of the most popular kitchen appliance outlet stores. I picked up the mixer I wanted and it included several handy accessories including the dough hook priced at below the lowest price I could get it locally! To make things even better, buying at the online store also offered free shipping. Now that's value!
I received my stand mixer in perfect condition at a price one third less than what I could have bought it for anywhere in town. It has speeds from a slow stir to a fast mix. My new Artisan Series KitchAid Mixer is a joy to own and does everything...including mixing the bread dough.
Like many people just starting out, I was interested only in 1 thing and that was price. How could I mix up my occasional birthday cake without costing my anything. I could mix by hand but as anyone who has ever known 20 something, there's a limit to the amount of actual effort we want to do before we justify going out and buying something. So during the first few years of independent life, the 25 dollar hand or portable mixers were my preferred kitchen mixing appliance.
Over the years I realized that buying the cheaper, or as the marketing people say "less expensive" portable type mixers, I decided to quit buying on price and start choosing consumer goods based on quality and a good value.
Now "good value" may mean a lot of things to different people but to me it means paying a fair price for a solid product that will last. You might ask why wouldn't I just buy on quality alone? The answer is in the automobile the Rolls Royce. The Rolls is arguably one of the highest quality built automobiles in the world. It is not however what I would consider a good value due to the extraordinarily high price.
It's not the same however with a lot of consumer goods like my KitchenAid mixer. Although far from what some would call cheap, it should definitely be considered a great value. The hand mixer was just tiring to use and underpowered so when shopping for my new mixer I knew I wanted a stand mixer. That's one where I wouldn't need to hold the mixer in the bowl while it worked. It needed a folding or very slow speed so I could blend in ingredients without them flying all over the kitchen. I also wanted a mixer with enough power that I could do 4 boxes of brownies without it slowing down. Heck, I even would like it to be able to knead bread and pasta dough for those special meals.
Although there are many styles and models, I decided on an Artisan Series KitchAid stand Mixer in a color that would match my kitchen. It met my needs as to quality and even included a dough hook. They wouldn't include a dough hook if the machine didn't have the power to knead dough, right? It's necessary to shop carefully however as I found the unit price range several hundred dollars between the highest and lowest in my city literally .
So I did my shopping online and checked out several of the most popular kitchen appliance outlet stores. I picked up the mixer I wanted and it included several handy accessories including the dough hook priced at below the lowest price I could get it locally! To make things even better, buying at the online store also offered free shipping. Now that's value!
I received my stand mixer in perfect condition at a price one third less than what I could have bought it for anywhere in town. It has speeds from a slow stir to a fast mix. My new Artisan Series KitchAid Mixer is a joy to own and does everything...including mixing the bread dough.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Kitchen Survival Recipe Guide
You open the cookbook and see a recipe title or a photo that tempts your tastebuds. Then you start to read the recipe, realize the preparation is more difficult than you first thought, and put the book back on the shelf.
Sound Familiar? Well here's a simple guide to help get you started:
1. Abbreviations for Measuring
Tsp. = teaspoon
Tbsp. = tablespoon, which equals 3 teaspoons
C = cup.
Tip: Get a set of measuring spoons. The set will usually have 1/4 tsp., 1/3 tsp., 1/2 tsp., 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon.
Dry measure cups look like little saucepans and can be leveled off with a knife or other straight-edged tool. They come in sets like the measuring spoons. Liquid measuring cups have ounce marking lines so you can measure however many ounces you need.
Tip: Some recipes require exact measurements to turn out right so learn to measure correctly.
2. Common Ingredients
Make sure you know what you need.
Tips:
- Baking powder and baking soda are not the same.
- Ask the produce manager at the market about fruits and vegetables, the meat manager about cuts of meat.
- When trying something new, buy ONE. You can always go back for more if it turns out well.
3. Common Terminology
- Bake: Dry heat in the oven. Set oven control to the desired temperature while you're preparing the dish to be baked. Once the light that says it's heating turns off, the oven is at the proper temperature. Then put in the food--for best results, center it in the oven.
- Boil: Heat a liquid until it bubbles. The faster the bubbles rise and the more bubbles you get, the hotter the liquid. Some recipes call for a gentle boil--barely bubbling--or a rolling boil--just short of boiling over. Watch so it doesn't boil over.
- Braise: A moist cooking method using a little liquid that barely bubbles on the top of the stove or in the oven. This is a good way to tenderize cheaper cuts of meat. The pan should be heavy and shallow with a tight-fitting lid to keep the liquid from boiling away. There's a lot that can be done for flavoring in your choice of liquid and of vegetables to cook with the meat.
- Broil: Turn the oven to its highest setting. Put the food on broiler pan--a 2 piece pan that allows the grease to drain away from the food. In an electric oven on the broil setting only the upper element heats, and you can regulate how fast the food cooks by how close to the element you place it. Watch your cooking time--it's easy to overcook food in the broiler.
- Brown: Cook until the food gets light brown. Usually used for frying or baking. Ground beef should usually be browned (use a frying pan) and have the grease drained before adding it to a casserole or meat sauce.
- Fold: A gentle mixing method that moves the spoon down to the bottom of the bowl and then sweeps up, folding what was on the bottom up over the top. This is used to mix delicate ingredients such as whipped cream or beaten egg whites. These ingredients just had air whipped into them, so you don't want to reverse that process by mixing too vigorously.
- Simmer: Heat to just the start of a boil and keep it at that point for as long as the recipe requires. The recipe will usually call for either constant stirring or stirring at certain intervals.
Now you are ready to do the shopping and prepare that recipe that you've always wanted to try!
Happy cooking...
Sound Familiar? Well here's a simple guide to help get you started:
1. Abbreviations for Measuring
Tsp. = teaspoon
Tbsp. = tablespoon, which equals 3 teaspoons
C = cup.
Tip: Get a set of measuring spoons. The set will usually have 1/4 tsp., 1/3 tsp., 1/2 tsp., 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon.
Dry measure cups look like little saucepans and can be leveled off with a knife or other straight-edged tool. They come in sets like the measuring spoons. Liquid measuring cups have ounce marking lines so you can measure however many ounces you need.
Tip: Some recipes require exact measurements to turn out right so learn to measure correctly.
2. Common Ingredients
Make sure you know what you need.
Tips:
- Baking powder and baking soda are not the same.
- Ask the produce manager at the market about fruits and vegetables, the meat manager about cuts of meat.
- When trying something new, buy ONE. You can always go back for more if it turns out well.
3. Common Terminology
- Bake: Dry heat in the oven. Set oven control to the desired temperature while you're preparing the dish to be baked. Once the light that says it's heating turns off, the oven is at the proper temperature. Then put in the food--for best results, center it in the oven.
- Boil: Heat a liquid until it bubbles. The faster the bubbles rise and the more bubbles you get, the hotter the liquid. Some recipes call for a gentle boil--barely bubbling--or a rolling boil--just short of boiling over. Watch so it doesn't boil over.
- Braise: A moist cooking method using a little liquid that barely bubbles on the top of the stove or in the oven. This is a good way to tenderize cheaper cuts of meat. The pan should be heavy and shallow with a tight-fitting lid to keep the liquid from boiling away. There's a lot that can be done for flavoring in your choice of liquid and of vegetables to cook with the meat.
- Broil: Turn the oven to its highest setting. Put the food on broiler pan--a 2 piece pan that allows the grease to drain away from the food. In an electric oven on the broil setting only the upper element heats, and you can regulate how fast the food cooks by how close to the element you place it. Watch your cooking time--it's easy to overcook food in the broiler.
- Brown: Cook until the food gets light brown. Usually used for frying or baking. Ground beef should usually be browned (use a frying pan) and have the grease drained before adding it to a casserole or meat sauce.
- Fold: A gentle mixing method that moves the spoon down to the bottom of the bowl and then sweeps up, folding what was on the bottom up over the top. This is used to mix delicate ingredients such as whipped cream or beaten egg whites. These ingredients just had air whipped into them, so you don't want to reverse that process by mixing too vigorously.
- Simmer: Heat to just the start of a boil and keep it at that point for as long as the recipe requires. The recipe will usually call for either constant stirring or stirring at certain intervals.
Now you are ready to do the shopping and prepare that recipe that you've always wanted to try!
Happy cooking...
Kitchen Mysteries: The Fondue Pot
One of the biggest unsolved mysteries of the kitchen is the fondue pot. Fondue pots are a popular bridal registry item and they are often given as house warming gifts. But by the time the thank you cards have been sent, the fondue pot has usually disappeared never to be heard from again. They wind up in the back of a closet or in the attic or some are even re-gifted. Why does everyone want a fondue pot but no one ever gets around to making fondue?
Fondue is easy to make. Sure there are some recipes that require sautéing vegetables or marinating meat overnight and some use exotic ingredients that you won’t find at the supermarket. Those types of recipes taste great but they are the reason that your fondue pot is gathering dust instead of being used.
The key to getting use out of your fondue pot is to pick very simple recipes that are easy to make such as the recipes listed below. One is a basic cheese fondue that substitutes regular Swiss Cheese for the more expensive and harder to find Gruyere cheese. The 2nd recipe is Mocha Fondue, a must try recipe for coffee and chocolate lovers. Once again this is a recipe with basic ingredients and easy instructions.
Swiss Fondue
2 cups dry White Wine
1 Garlic Clove
1 lb Swiss Cheese
3 tbsp Flour
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp White Pepper
Salt to taste
Nutmeg to taste
Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the garlic clove and add clove to pot
Heat up the White Wine & Lemon Juice on medium low heat - should be hot but do not boil
Mix Flour and Cheese in a bowl
Slowly add cheese mixture while stirring
Add remainder of ingredients while stirring
Optional: Add a splash of Kirsch or Blackberry Brandy
To Dip: Italian bread cut into cubes, vegetables, flat breads
Mocha Fondue
8 oz Semisweet Chocolate
1/2 cup Hot Espresso or Coffee
3 tbsp Granulated Sugar
2 tbsp Butter
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Chop chocolate into small pieces and set aside
Heat espresso and sugar in fondue pot on low heat
Slowly add chocolate and butter while stirring
Add Vanilla
Optional: Add a splash of Irish Cream
To Dip: Angel Food Cake, Apple Slices, Bananas, Strawberries, Pound Cake, Pretzels, Pineapple Chunks, Marshmallows
Fondue can be easy to make and it’s definitely fun. The key is to use simple recipes so that you can spend your time enjoying fondue and not worrying about getting a complicated recipe right. Isn’t it time that your fondue pot became a permanent fixture on your countertop. You can free up some room for it by moving the crock pot into the closet.
Fondue is easy to make. Sure there are some recipes that require sautéing vegetables or marinating meat overnight and some use exotic ingredients that you won’t find at the supermarket. Those types of recipes taste great but they are the reason that your fondue pot is gathering dust instead of being used.
The key to getting use out of your fondue pot is to pick very simple recipes that are easy to make such as the recipes listed below. One is a basic cheese fondue that substitutes regular Swiss Cheese for the more expensive and harder to find Gruyere cheese. The 2nd recipe is Mocha Fondue, a must try recipe for coffee and chocolate lovers. Once again this is a recipe with basic ingredients and easy instructions.
Swiss Fondue
2 cups dry White Wine
1 Garlic Clove
1 lb Swiss Cheese
3 tbsp Flour
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp White Pepper
Salt to taste
Nutmeg to taste
Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the garlic clove and add clove to pot
Heat up the White Wine & Lemon Juice on medium low heat - should be hot but do not boil
Mix Flour and Cheese in a bowl
Slowly add cheese mixture while stirring
Add remainder of ingredients while stirring
Optional: Add a splash of Kirsch or Blackberry Brandy
To Dip: Italian bread cut into cubes, vegetables, flat breads
Mocha Fondue
8 oz Semisweet Chocolate
1/2 cup Hot Espresso or Coffee
3 tbsp Granulated Sugar
2 tbsp Butter
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Chop chocolate into small pieces and set aside
Heat espresso and sugar in fondue pot on low heat
Slowly add chocolate and butter while stirring
Add Vanilla
Optional: Add a splash of Irish Cream
To Dip: Angel Food Cake, Apple Slices, Bananas, Strawberries, Pound Cake, Pretzels, Pineapple Chunks, Marshmallows
Fondue can be easy to make and it’s definitely fun. The key is to use simple recipes so that you can spend your time enjoying fondue and not worrying about getting a complicated recipe right. Isn’t it time that your fondue pot became a permanent fixture on your countertop. You can free up some room for it by moving the crock pot into the closet.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Kitchen Appliance Reviews And Information
Kitchen appliances are a central part of most kitchens. They make life so much more simple in the kitchen. Not only are they safer, they speed up meal preparation time. Because they are so useful, there are dozens of small kitchen appliance makers giving you hundreds of appliance choices to make. You can spend hours and days searching and researching different models and makes in the hopes of finding the appliance that is right for your needs.
When you set out to buy a new appliance for your kitchen, there are several important things to keep in mind. Space, cooking needs, and cost are at the top of the list of things to decide before you buy any appliance. Of course matching your kitchen's decor is also fairly important to some.
With the space in most kitchen always limited, you need to think about both how much space you have for your new appliance, and also where that space is located. If the only space you have is directly under your kitchen cabinets you may not want to place a rice cooker there since it let of lots of steam causing water damage. Location of your electrical outlets is also something to keep in mind.
Any appliance you buy needs to match your lifestyle and eating needs. If you drink very little coffee, a one cup brewer is probably more reasonable than a 12 cup model. If you're like me and enjoy an extra 5 minutes of sleep a timer on the coffee machine is a blessing. Every person has different cooking needs. Simple think about your daily food habits and routines and get the appliance that suits you best.
Finally, about price and how much should you spend. Well, that is entirely up to you. A $200 espresso machine may be great, but you can get nearly the same result from a cheaper model so if you're on a budget...well you get the picture. No matter what appliance you are looking to buy you need to decide if the benefits the more expensive models provide are worth the extra money. In many cases they are, but not all. If you're in doubt, step back a second and think about what it is that you really NEED vs. what the sales pitch is trying to make you want.
In the end, the choice is always yours to make. With a little bit of fore-thought and reading some good reviews will get you well on your way. Add in a little thinking about your kitchen's layout, your cooking habits, and lifestyle, you will buy the kitchen appliances that best suit your needs.
When you set out to buy a new appliance for your kitchen, there are several important things to keep in mind. Space, cooking needs, and cost are at the top of the list of things to decide before you buy any appliance. Of course matching your kitchen's decor is also fairly important to some.
With the space in most kitchen always limited, you need to think about both how much space you have for your new appliance, and also where that space is located. If the only space you have is directly under your kitchen cabinets you may not want to place a rice cooker there since it let of lots of steam causing water damage. Location of your electrical outlets is also something to keep in mind.
Any appliance you buy needs to match your lifestyle and eating needs. If you drink very little coffee, a one cup brewer is probably more reasonable than a 12 cup model. If you're like me and enjoy an extra 5 minutes of sleep a timer on the coffee machine is a blessing. Every person has different cooking needs. Simple think about your daily food habits and routines and get the appliance that suits you best.
Finally, about price and how much should you spend. Well, that is entirely up to you. A $200 espresso machine may be great, but you can get nearly the same result from a cheaper model so if you're on a budget...well you get the picture. No matter what appliance you are looking to buy you need to decide if the benefits the more expensive models provide are worth the extra money. In many cases they are, but not all. If you're in doubt, step back a second and think about what it is that you really NEED vs. what the sales pitch is trying to make you want.
In the end, the choice is always yours to make. With a little bit of fore-thought and reading some good reviews will get you well on your way. Add in a little thinking about your kitchen's layout, your cooking habits, and lifestyle, you will buy the kitchen appliances that best suit your needs.
food poisoning
One of the most prevalent illnesses today is food poisoning. It starts as a slight discomfort a few hours after eating and grows into a life- threatening episode requiring hospitalization.
The most common cause are the salmonella e-coli and listeria bacteria. And, they can be common problems in the chef's kitchen.
Common breeding grounds for bacteria are kitchen towels, dish rags and brushes, cutting boards, kitchen sinks, door, drawer and refrigerator handles. Little things like timers, whisk handles, pepper mills and salt shakers also become breeding grounds for bacteria. You can also add bottles of oil, spice jars, can openers and the controls on your stove or ovens.
Food itself can be storage places for bacteria with the culprits chicken and other poultry, eggs, raw meats, dairy products, and even fresh fruits and veggies.
In addition to washing your hands regularly while cooking here is a list of things you should do in your kitchen to reduce the likelyhood of food poisoning:
1. Wash poultry in ice cold water when you bring it home from the supermarket and refrigerate immediately. Cook it as soon as possible.
2. Wash your hands and everything else that comes in contact with raw poultry.
3. Wash, never reuse knives, cutting boards, towels or anything else that touches raw poultry without washing them. This means don't use the cutting board or knives to chop vegetables or anything elsethat will not be cooked immediately.
4. Wash your hands after going to the bathroom. Your family is not immune to your personal e-coli!
5. Wash all vegetables immediately after you bring them home from the market. This includes all fruit including watermelons, strawberries, peaches, mangos, grapes, and almost every other fruit including bananas.
6. Use a lot of paper towels that can be thrown away. Dish rags and towels are one of the biggest breeding grounds for bacteria.
7. Keep your kitchen counters clean. Use a diluted bleach or disinfectant before and after meal preparation.
8. Refrigerate foods as much as you can and read the labels on condiments, sauces, jams and jellies to see if they need refrigeration after opening. DO NOT LEAVE MAYONNAISE ON THE COUNTER ON A SUMMER DAY! That goes for anything made with the mayonnaise as well.
9. Gently wash eggs in ice cold water before putting them in the fridge. There is nothing sterile about an egg that came from the chicken coop.
10. Buy your meat, especially hamburger, from a reputable butcher shop.
11. Make sure you have a meat thermometer and make sure all meat is cooked to the proper temperature to kill the dangerous bacteria in meats, poultry and fish.
12. Wash your hands!! I can't repeat this enough!
13. Plan your grocery shopping so you go home immediately after you purchase perishable foods.
14. If fish smells like fish, don't buy it! If anything smells "off" or not what
you are accustomed to, don't buy it.
15. If a can or jar whooshes when you open it, throw it away or better yet, take it back to the store.
16. Drain things over the sink, not in it. This place is teeming with bacteria. Sterilize it often, but still keep edible food out of it.
The most common cause are the salmonella e-coli and listeria bacteria. And, they can be common problems in the chef's kitchen.
Common breeding grounds for bacteria are kitchen towels, dish rags and brushes, cutting boards, kitchen sinks, door, drawer and refrigerator handles. Little things like timers, whisk handles, pepper mills and salt shakers also become breeding grounds for bacteria. You can also add bottles of oil, spice jars, can openers and the controls on your stove or ovens.
Food itself can be storage places for bacteria with the culprits chicken and other poultry, eggs, raw meats, dairy products, and even fresh fruits and veggies.
In addition to washing your hands regularly while cooking here is a list of things you should do in your kitchen to reduce the likelyhood of food poisoning:
1. Wash poultry in ice cold water when you bring it home from the supermarket and refrigerate immediately. Cook it as soon as possible.
2. Wash your hands and everything else that comes in contact with raw poultry.
3. Wash, never reuse knives, cutting boards, towels or anything else that touches raw poultry without washing them. This means don't use the cutting board or knives to chop vegetables or anything elsethat will not be cooked immediately.
4. Wash your hands after going to the bathroom. Your family is not immune to your personal e-coli!
5. Wash all vegetables immediately after you bring them home from the market. This includes all fruit including watermelons, strawberries, peaches, mangos, grapes, and almost every other fruit including bananas.
6. Use a lot of paper towels that can be thrown away. Dish rags and towels are one of the biggest breeding grounds for bacteria.
7. Keep your kitchen counters clean. Use a diluted bleach or disinfectant before and after meal preparation.
8. Refrigerate foods as much as you can and read the labels on condiments, sauces, jams and jellies to see if they need refrigeration after opening. DO NOT LEAVE MAYONNAISE ON THE COUNTER ON A SUMMER DAY! That goes for anything made with the mayonnaise as well.
9. Gently wash eggs in ice cold water before putting them in the fridge. There is nothing sterile about an egg that came from the chicken coop.
10. Buy your meat, especially hamburger, from a reputable butcher shop.
11. Make sure you have a meat thermometer and make sure all meat is cooked to the proper temperature to kill the dangerous bacteria in meats, poultry and fish.
12. Wash your hands!! I can't repeat this enough!
13. Plan your grocery shopping so you go home immediately after you purchase perishable foods.
14. If fish smells like fish, don't buy it! If anything smells "off" or not what
you are accustomed to, don't buy it.
15. If a can or jar whooshes when you open it, throw it away or better yet, take it back to the store.
16. Drain things over the sink, not in it. This place is teeming with bacteria. Sterilize it often, but still keep edible food out of it.
Japanese Home Cooking - Beyond Sushi
In general, the Japanese people are very healthy and live longer than any other culture in the world. Why is this? Many people attribute it to the way they eat. But if you think that all Japanese people eat is sushi you couldn't be more wrong. Japanese home cooking is simple, healthy, and delicious. While some of the ingredients may seem exotic and intimidating, rest assured that anyone can cook wonderful delicious Japanese meals with ease.
Sushi is the most popular type of Japanese food, enjoyed throughout the world. You may notice that sushi is quite filling, and you typically eat much less than you would a more Western style meal, such as a hamburger. What is it about sushi that makes it so filling and satisfying? The answer could be rice.
Rice is definitely a staple of any Japanese meal. Whether it is served as a side dish or along with a saucier entrée, you're going to need plenty of rice on hand. While white long grain rice is most popular, you can always opt for more healthy brown rice. Either way, you may also want to consider purchasing a rice cooker. Rice cookers can cost anywhere from $30 to hundreds of dollars, depending on the make and quality. If you plan on eating plenty of rice this is worth the investment. You're pretty much guaranteed perfect rice every time.
Have you ever had miso soup at your favorite sushi restaurant? Miso soup is made from several ingredients, one of which is miso paste, made from fermented soybeans. Miso comes as either red or yellow, both having distinct and rich flavors. Not just for soup, you can add miso to just about anything from a veggie stir fry to a marinade for beef. And miso isn't just for Japanese cooking either. Once you experience the delightful flavors of miso you'll be adding it to all your meals!
If you dislike fish, you probably think Japanese cooking isn't for you. While fish is definitely a huge part of the Japanese diet, it doesn't mean that's all they eat. Chicken, beef, and pork are all popular choices, as well as tofu and eggs. Simmering meats in sauces such as teriyaki, in a wok or deep skillet is a favorite. You can serve these dishes over rice or noodles such as soba. This is a tasty and healthy alternative to fried foods that many of us eat so often.
If you're interested in Japanese home cooking there are plenty of great recipes on the Internet that can help guide you through the different types of ingredients and cooking methods. If you're looking for a healthy and flavorful change to your diet, consider trying a few Japanese meals. Before you know it you'll be enjoying a variety of delicious foods that nurture the body and the soul.
Sushi is the most popular type of Japanese food, enjoyed throughout the world. You may notice that sushi is quite filling, and you typically eat much less than you would a more Western style meal, such as a hamburger. What is it about sushi that makes it so filling and satisfying? The answer could be rice.
Rice is definitely a staple of any Japanese meal. Whether it is served as a side dish or along with a saucier entrée, you're going to need plenty of rice on hand. While white long grain rice is most popular, you can always opt for more healthy brown rice. Either way, you may also want to consider purchasing a rice cooker. Rice cookers can cost anywhere from $30 to hundreds of dollars, depending on the make and quality. If you plan on eating plenty of rice this is worth the investment. You're pretty much guaranteed perfect rice every time.
Have you ever had miso soup at your favorite sushi restaurant? Miso soup is made from several ingredients, one of which is miso paste, made from fermented soybeans. Miso comes as either red or yellow, both having distinct and rich flavors. Not just for soup, you can add miso to just about anything from a veggie stir fry to a marinade for beef. And miso isn't just for Japanese cooking either. Once you experience the delightful flavors of miso you'll be adding it to all your meals!
If you dislike fish, you probably think Japanese cooking isn't for you. While fish is definitely a huge part of the Japanese diet, it doesn't mean that's all they eat. Chicken, beef, and pork are all popular choices, as well as tofu and eggs. Simmering meats in sauces such as teriyaki, in a wok or deep skillet is a favorite. You can serve these dishes over rice or noodles such as soba. This is a tasty and healthy alternative to fried foods that many of us eat so often.
If you're interested in Japanese home cooking there are plenty of great recipes on the Internet that can help guide you through the different types of ingredients and cooking methods. If you're looking for a healthy and flavorful change to your diet, consider trying a few Japanese meals. Before you know it you'll be enjoying a variety of delicious foods that nurture the body and the soul.
Italian Cuisine: Diverse and Delicious
Italy, a nation of 58 million people, is a patchwork quilt of 20 distinct regions subdivided into 103 provinces. All Italian cooking relies on olive oil, grains and fresh, seasonal produce, but each region has its own preferences and specialties.
Northern Italy, which boasts the country's highest standard of living and the richest diet, also produces one-third of Italy's best wines. Its eight regions lean toward risotto, polenta and gnocchi, and hearty soups and fish chowders are a feature of the region. The North's real claim to fame, though, is as a paradise for cheese lovers. Parmigiano, Gorgonzola and Asiago cheeses, accompanied by salamis and sausages made from goat, goose and even chamois, make a simple meal divine.
Central Italy, in contrast, tends to favor artichokes, peas and black and white truffles. These six central regions prefer pasta and lamb over the rice and beef associated with the North. One of the best-known regional dishes is porchetta, a whole, roasted pig stuffed with fresh garlic, fennel, rock salt and peppercorns.
Historically, the six regions that comprise Southern Italy were known as the Garden of the Greeks and Romans. Later, during the Middle Ages, the Arabs established a pasta industry in Sicily. Varieties of pasta have since proliferated, from "short" pasta generically known as macaroni to the "long" types such as spaghetti and vermicelli.
No other sector of Italy boasts such a splendid heritage of sweets and ices. Many desserts bespeak the Arab and Greek influences in Sicily, with its almond pastes, candied fruits, ricotta, honey, raisins and nuts.
The South also accounts for 75 percent of the produce raised organically in Italy. With almost 2.5 million acres cultivated without chemicals, Italy is a leader in organic farming.
Northern Italy, which boasts the country's highest standard of living and the richest diet, also produces one-third of Italy's best wines. Its eight regions lean toward risotto, polenta and gnocchi, and hearty soups and fish chowders are a feature of the region. The North's real claim to fame, though, is as a paradise for cheese lovers. Parmigiano, Gorgonzola and Asiago cheeses, accompanied by salamis and sausages made from goat, goose and even chamois, make a simple meal divine.
Central Italy, in contrast, tends to favor artichokes, peas and black and white truffles. These six central regions prefer pasta and lamb over the rice and beef associated with the North. One of the best-known regional dishes is porchetta, a whole, roasted pig stuffed with fresh garlic, fennel, rock salt and peppercorns.
Historically, the six regions that comprise Southern Italy were known as the Garden of the Greeks and Romans. Later, during the Middle Ages, the Arabs established a pasta industry in Sicily. Varieties of pasta have since proliferated, from "short" pasta generically known as macaroni to the "long" types such as spaghetti and vermicelli.
No other sector of Italy boasts such a splendid heritage of sweets and ices. Many desserts bespeak the Arab and Greek influences in Sicily, with its almond pastes, candied fruits, ricotta, honey, raisins and nuts.
The South also accounts for 75 percent of the produce raised organically in Italy. With almost 2.5 million acres cultivated without chemicals, Italy is a leader in organic farming.
It's The Details That Make A Difference
When hosting at home, whatever the occasion, the end result should leave your guests feeling as though they have had a memorable evening, while not exhausting the host. A carefully chosen menu and some advance attention to detail can mean a satisfying experience for you as well as your guests.
When choosing the menu, be sure to consider your budget while determining the cost of your ingredients. To avoid confusion the night of the event, prepare as much as you can well in advance. Discuss logistics-will you be serving buffet style or will each guest be served individually while seated? Whether serving buffet or sit-down be sure to keep table size limited to eight or 10 as this is optimum for interesting conversation.
The ambiance can be heightened by adding thoughtful details. Place votive candles throughout the house and keep them unscented, except for the bathroom. If possible, change lightbulbs to a low-wattage, soft-pink bulb. The hue is very flattering to everyone's complexion. Play music during cocktails and after dinner as the meal should stand alone. Flower arrangements are best kept simple as your guests are the main attraction.
As guests arrive and to avoid "first drink" congestion at the bar, have trays of wine or S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water or Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water, an elegant addition to any evening. S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna are delightful complements to selected wines, and enhance the flavor of any food.
On the day of the affair, allow yourself ample time prior to the event to address final details, organize the menu and prepare for your company.
Here's one cocktail you may care to serve:
Raspberry Martini Spritzer
Ingredients:
11/2 oz Vodka
1/4 oz Raspberry liqueur
1/4 oz Fresh pineapple juice
1 Twist of lemon
1 Bottle of S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
Shake vodka, raspberry liqueur, and pineapple juice over ice and strain into a chilled martini glass, top with S.Pellegrino and garnish with lemon twist.
When choosing the menu, be sure to consider your budget while determining the cost of your ingredients. To avoid confusion the night of the event, prepare as much as you can well in advance. Discuss logistics-will you be serving buffet style or will each guest be served individually while seated? Whether serving buffet or sit-down be sure to keep table size limited to eight or 10 as this is optimum for interesting conversation.
The ambiance can be heightened by adding thoughtful details. Place votive candles throughout the house and keep them unscented, except for the bathroom. If possible, change lightbulbs to a low-wattage, soft-pink bulb. The hue is very flattering to everyone's complexion. Play music during cocktails and after dinner as the meal should stand alone. Flower arrangements are best kept simple as your guests are the main attraction.
As guests arrive and to avoid "first drink" congestion at the bar, have trays of wine or S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water or Acqua Panna® Natural Spring Water, an elegant addition to any evening. S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna are delightful complements to selected wines, and enhance the flavor of any food.
On the day of the affair, allow yourself ample time prior to the event to address final details, organize the menu and prepare for your company.
Here's one cocktail you may care to serve:
Raspberry Martini Spritzer
Ingredients:
11/2 oz Vodka
1/4 oz Raspberry liqueur
1/4 oz Fresh pineapple juice
1 Twist of lemon
1 Bottle of S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
Shake vodka, raspberry liqueur, and pineapple juice over ice and strain into a chilled martini glass, top with S.Pellegrino and garnish with lemon twist.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
It’s Only An Oven
If you have ever tried to sell your house, you know that there is a feature found in the kitchen that can make or break the sale. We are not talking about spacious cabinets a farm sink or a glorious pantry; rather we are referring to the oven. People are extremely loyal to the types of ovens they are used to and I am sure that more than one couple has absolutely loved a house but failed to make an offer because the wife refused to consider a house with an electric oven. While there are a few other cooking options out there, the two most popular choices are an oven run by natural gas or electricity, so what is the real difference between a gas oven and an electric oven?
A gas oven is the better choice for roasting. Heated by a flame that is powered by natural gas, the temperature can fluctuate slightly, making baking a game of guesswork. It is hard to bake a prefect batch of cookies when the heat in the oven can be slightly different with each cookie sheet you slide onto a rack. Electric ovens are much better at baking because their heat is even and steady. They aren’t so good at roasting or broiling and can produce meat that is a little on the dry side if you cook it at too high a temperature. Of course the optimal choice is to have both in your kitchen, a gas stove for roasting leg of lamb and an electric stove for baking pastries.
Often the decision of which type of oven to buy is really made based on what type of stove you prefer. If you are purchasing a range that includes the stove, you have to take the burner into account when deciding what to purchase. When it comes to stoves, gas ranges provide a heat that is much easier to control. When you turn the burner down, the flame receded causing the heat in the pan to immediately drop. When you turn down the burner on an electric stove, the temperature of the burner has to drop naturally before the temperature in the pan can go down. It is very easy to over cook food on an electric stove, and takes a bit of getting used to before you can time things to perfection.
When it comes to savings, electric ovens tend to be a little more expensive to run than gas ovens. It costs more per minute to pay for the electricity to run and electric oven than it does for the gas to run a gas oven. It even costs more to run a microwave than it does to run a gas oven. While the cost of running an electric oven is more, if you were to comparison shop for a gas oven and an electric oven that were of similar capacity, the gas oven would probably cost you more.
As far as safety is concerned, either oven should be safe, although with gas ovens there is always a risk of a leak While this is possible, it is highly unlikely.
When it comes right down to it, there really isn’t an answer for the question which oven is better, gas or electric. The truth is that the answer to which oven you should own is a highly individual one that has to take into account your cooking style, price range, and of course the most important factor, what type of hookup your kitchen has.
A gas oven is the better choice for roasting. Heated by a flame that is powered by natural gas, the temperature can fluctuate slightly, making baking a game of guesswork. It is hard to bake a prefect batch of cookies when the heat in the oven can be slightly different with each cookie sheet you slide onto a rack. Electric ovens are much better at baking because their heat is even and steady. They aren’t so good at roasting or broiling and can produce meat that is a little on the dry side if you cook it at too high a temperature. Of course the optimal choice is to have both in your kitchen, a gas stove for roasting leg of lamb and an electric stove for baking pastries.
Often the decision of which type of oven to buy is really made based on what type of stove you prefer. If you are purchasing a range that includes the stove, you have to take the burner into account when deciding what to purchase. When it comes to stoves, gas ranges provide a heat that is much easier to control. When you turn the burner down, the flame receded causing the heat in the pan to immediately drop. When you turn down the burner on an electric stove, the temperature of the burner has to drop naturally before the temperature in the pan can go down. It is very easy to over cook food on an electric stove, and takes a bit of getting used to before you can time things to perfection.
When it comes to savings, electric ovens tend to be a little more expensive to run than gas ovens. It costs more per minute to pay for the electricity to run and electric oven than it does for the gas to run a gas oven. It even costs more to run a microwave than it does to run a gas oven. While the cost of running an electric oven is more, if you were to comparison shop for a gas oven and an electric oven that were of similar capacity, the gas oven would probably cost you more.
As far as safety is concerned, either oven should be safe, although with gas ovens there is always a risk of a leak While this is possible, it is highly unlikely.
When it comes right down to it, there really isn’t an answer for the question which oven is better, gas or electric. The truth is that the answer to which oven you should own is a highly individual one that has to take into account your cooking style, price range, and of course the most important factor, what type of hookup your kitchen has.
Is Organic the Way Forward?
Businesses such as GuideMeGreen and the co-op offer a real alternative for people concerned with these issues and with businesses that combine a strong ethical dimension in tandem with making profits.
Here are some of the main features of organic farming:
• Organic farming severely restricts the use of artificial chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
• Instead, organic farmers rely on developing a healthy, fertile soil and growing a mixture of crops.
• Animals are reared without the routine use of drugs, antibiotics and wormers common in intensive livestock farming.
Synthetic dyes and ingredients such as Sudan1 were in the national news in February and can cause cancer. See www.food.gov.uk for further details. Genetically modified (GM) crops and ingredients are not allowed under organic standards.
Why Buy Organic?
It has never been easier to shop for organic food, and there has never been so much choice. Every food category now has an organic alternative. It's also common sense; organic food is good food. Good to eat, good for the environment, good for the small-scale farmers and the farm workers who produce it.
Chefs across the country are committed to using organic ingredients because plants from healthy soils and organically fed livestock provide us with more flavorful food. Organic foods allow true flavour to shine through unlike other non-organic foods that look and taste good but are often full of E numbers and artificial flavourings and ingredients.
By supporting local, sustainable and organic farms in your local community you also support the larger community of which we are all a part. By eating organic food you are providing the healthiest choice for your family and supporting the farms that provide us with healthy and ecological neighbourhoods.
The ‘go local’ food movement is flourishing – over 15% of people buy organic food locally and this number continues to rise as the number of farmer’s markets, box schemes, cafes and restaurants serving organic food increase. GuideMeGreen helps you to find locally produced foods which are fresher, healthier and more economical. It cuts down on transport costs and ‘food miles’ where an average shopping basket can include fruit and vegetables transported from all over the world.
Here are some of the main features of organic farming:
• Organic farming severely restricts the use of artificial chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
• Instead, organic farmers rely on developing a healthy, fertile soil and growing a mixture of crops.
• Animals are reared without the routine use of drugs, antibiotics and wormers common in intensive livestock farming.
Synthetic dyes and ingredients such as Sudan1 were in the national news in February and can cause cancer. See www.food.gov.uk for further details. Genetically modified (GM) crops and ingredients are not allowed under organic standards.
Why Buy Organic?
It has never been easier to shop for organic food, and there has never been so much choice. Every food category now has an organic alternative. It's also common sense; organic food is good food. Good to eat, good for the environment, good for the small-scale farmers and the farm workers who produce it.
Chefs across the country are committed to using organic ingredients because plants from healthy soils and organically fed livestock provide us with more flavorful food. Organic foods allow true flavour to shine through unlike other non-organic foods that look and taste good but are often full of E numbers and artificial flavourings and ingredients.
By supporting local, sustainable and organic farms in your local community you also support the larger community of which we are all a part. By eating organic food you are providing the healthiest choice for your family and supporting the farms that provide us with healthy and ecological neighbourhoods.
The ‘go local’ food movement is flourishing – over 15% of people buy organic food locally and this number continues to rise as the number of farmer’s markets, box schemes, cafes and restaurants serving organic food increase. GuideMeGreen helps you to find locally produced foods which are fresher, healthier and more economical. It cuts down on transport costs and ‘food miles’ where an average shopping basket can include fruit and vegetables transported from all over the world.
Is It Frosting? Or Is It Icing?
Home cooks most generally use the term frosting and icing interchangeably. This can cause confusion.
In order to reduce that confusion I like to make a distinction between the two on my website.
Frosting
Frosting is a fluffy, thick concoction that will hold its shape. You can pipe decorations with it like you see on cakes.
Even though it holds a shape it stays soft and keeps its creamy texture.
There are as many variations of frosting recipes, as there are cookie recipes. One of the most popular is butter cream.
Even within the butter cream category there is no one definitive recipe.
It seems that every country that can get its hands on butter has its opinion of what butter cream frosting should be. Some are made with eggs and butter. Some varieties you have to cook sugar to a softball stage.
There are others that use shortening or a combination of shortening and butter. Still others don't use butter or shortening at all but another substance such as peanut butter.
A simple butter cream is just butter, sugar, flavoring and a liquid beaten and beaten until it is light and fluffy. It can be flavored with most any flavoring and colored any color during the beating stage.
After beating, other ingredients such as dried fruit, nuts or melted chocolate can be folded in.
Icing
Icing is normally much thinner than frosting and in this state will not hold shapes. Because it's more liquid it flows easily and thins out filling in nooks and crannies.
What differentiates icing from frosting is that as icing dries it becomes smooth and will harden when completely dry. This makes it perfect glue for cookie construction projects, such as a gingerbread house.
For the cookie decorator that's not handy with a piping bag icing is the ideal cookie decorating medium.
Just like frosting there are hundreds and hundreds of icing recipes and recipe variations. An icing recipe can be as simple as powdered sugar mixed with a liquid to more complicated meringue varieties.
One of the better known meringue variations is Royal Icing. Depending on the amount of liquid used Royal Icing can be piped and will hold shapes like frosting but it will harden as it dries.
So is it icing? Or is it frosting?
In my humble opinion it boils down to one thing. If it stays soft (within reason) it's frosting. If, when it dries, it hardens then it's icing.
In order to reduce that confusion I like to make a distinction between the two on my website.
Frosting
Frosting is a fluffy, thick concoction that will hold its shape. You can pipe decorations with it like you see on cakes.
Even though it holds a shape it stays soft and keeps its creamy texture.
There are as many variations of frosting recipes, as there are cookie recipes. One of the most popular is butter cream.
Even within the butter cream category there is no one definitive recipe.
It seems that every country that can get its hands on butter has its opinion of what butter cream frosting should be. Some are made with eggs and butter. Some varieties you have to cook sugar to a softball stage.
There are others that use shortening or a combination of shortening and butter. Still others don't use butter or shortening at all but another substance such as peanut butter.
A simple butter cream is just butter, sugar, flavoring and a liquid beaten and beaten until it is light and fluffy. It can be flavored with most any flavoring and colored any color during the beating stage.
After beating, other ingredients such as dried fruit, nuts or melted chocolate can be folded in.
Icing
Icing is normally much thinner than frosting and in this state will not hold shapes. Because it's more liquid it flows easily and thins out filling in nooks and crannies.
What differentiates icing from frosting is that as icing dries it becomes smooth and will harden when completely dry. This makes it perfect glue for cookie construction projects, such as a gingerbread house.
For the cookie decorator that's not handy with a piping bag icing is the ideal cookie decorating medium.
Just like frosting there are hundreds and hundreds of icing recipes and recipe variations. An icing recipe can be as simple as powdered sugar mixed with a liquid to more complicated meringue varieties.
One of the better known meringue variations is Royal Icing. Depending on the amount of liquid used Royal Icing can be piped and will hold shapes like frosting but it will harden as it dries.
So is it icing? Or is it frosting?
In my humble opinion it boils down to one thing. If it stays soft (within reason) it's frosting. If, when it dries, it hardens then it's icing.
I Need Some Pots And Pans To Cook In – What Should I Buy?
If you’ve shopped for cookware recently, you may have gotten a headache from looking at all the choices and brands available. And all of them seem to be telling you the same things – I’m the best; I’m a great value; buy me.
What should you buy? Before you start considering your cookware options consider the following five questions.
1) Do you cook for a few people or a lot of people? This will determine how many pots and pans you need and also how big you need them to be.
2) What kind of cooking do you most often do? I like to make homemade soup so a large stockpot is essential for me. On the other hand, I never steam anything on the stovetop (I use an electric steamer) so a stovetop steamer is useless to me. Think about what you cook or what you want to learn how to cook so you can determine what pieces of cookware you’ll need.
3) How important is ease of cleanup to you? If you hate cleanup you should probably buy non-stick cookware. If you want to be able to put your cookware in the dishwasher you’ll need to look at the sets you’re considering to see if it’s advisable. For example, hard-anodized aluminum cookware (http://www.acooksdelight.com/cookware/anodizedaluminumcookware) is a very popular type of cookware but the outside of the pots will change color and darken if you wash them in your dishwasher. I own this type of cookware and I love it. But there are days when I don’t love having to take the time to hand-wash it, but I do because I don’t want it to get discolored in my dishwasher. Most professional cooks prefer stainless steel cookware. It’s nice to cook with but clean-up can be fairly time-consuming.
4) What type of stove do you have? Do you have a smooth-top electric stovetop? If you do, you need flat-bottom pots and pans. I didn’t think about this when I purchased my smooth-top stove. I quickly discovered my pots and pans weren’t flat bottomed and that they didn’t work well on my new stove. As a result I had to go buy new cookware that had flat bottoms. If you have an induction cooktop you needs pots and pans with ferrite in them, which means they need to be magnetic.
5) What is your budget? I highly recommend buying the best quality cookware you can afford. The best quality is not always the most expensive cookware available, but it’s never the cheapest. If you buy a $49.99 set of cookware, you’ll be getting a bargain but you won’t be getting a good set of cookware.
Now that you’ve thought about your needs and know how much you can afford to spend, it’s time to go look at cookware. You’ll likely be using your cookware every day so you want something that you’re comfortable working with. But the number one thing to look for in cookware is weight and heft. Heavier weight cookware won’t warp over time which causes you to lose the flat, even cooking surface on the bottom of your pan; and you can control the heat better in heavier weight cookware. I’m not saying you have to buy cookware that you need to join the gym to be able to lift out of the cupboard but don’t buy cheap flimsy pots and pans.
If a pan feels like you could bend it, don’t buy it. I’m not suggesting you walk into a store, pick up every pot and pan and try to bend it, but look at one of the saucepans. If you push a little on the sides and that saucepan has some “give” to it, it’s not going to hold up well on your stove.
To get a good quality cookware set you’ll probably need to spend a minimum of $200 (. If you don’t have that much to spend consider buying only the essential pieces you need to get you started such as a 2-quart saucepan, a sauté pan and a stockpot. Add pieces as you can afford them. Although you’ll typically get the best value for your money if you buy a cookware set versus buying the individual pieces don’t buy a poor quality set just so you have an entire set of cookware. You’ll end up spending more money in the long run replacing those pots and pans when they get warped and ruined (which won’t take long).
If you take the time to consider your needs, do some shopping around, and purchase the best quality set of cookware you can afford, you’re likely to be happy with your purchase for a long time.
What should you buy? Before you start considering your cookware options consider the following five questions.
1) Do you cook for a few people or a lot of people? This will determine how many pots and pans you need and also how big you need them to be.
2) What kind of cooking do you most often do? I like to make homemade soup so a large stockpot is essential for me. On the other hand, I never steam anything on the stovetop (I use an electric steamer) so a stovetop steamer is useless to me. Think about what you cook or what you want to learn how to cook so you can determine what pieces of cookware you’ll need.
3) How important is ease of cleanup to you? If you hate cleanup you should probably buy non-stick cookware. If you want to be able to put your cookware in the dishwasher you’ll need to look at the sets you’re considering to see if it’s advisable. For example, hard-anodized aluminum cookware (http://www.acooksdelight.com/cookware/anodizedaluminumcookware) is a very popular type of cookware but the outside of the pots will change color and darken if you wash them in your dishwasher. I own this type of cookware and I love it. But there are days when I don’t love having to take the time to hand-wash it, but I do because I don’t want it to get discolored in my dishwasher. Most professional cooks prefer stainless steel cookware. It’s nice to cook with but clean-up can be fairly time-consuming.
4) What type of stove do you have? Do you have a smooth-top electric stovetop? If you do, you need flat-bottom pots and pans. I didn’t think about this when I purchased my smooth-top stove. I quickly discovered my pots and pans weren’t flat bottomed and that they didn’t work well on my new stove. As a result I had to go buy new cookware that had flat bottoms. If you have an induction cooktop you needs pots and pans with ferrite in them, which means they need to be magnetic.
5) What is your budget? I highly recommend buying the best quality cookware you can afford. The best quality is not always the most expensive cookware available, but it’s never the cheapest. If you buy a $49.99 set of cookware, you’ll be getting a bargain but you won’t be getting a good set of cookware.
Now that you’ve thought about your needs and know how much you can afford to spend, it’s time to go look at cookware. You’ll likely be using your cookware every day so you want something that you’re comfortable working with. But the number one thing to look for in cookware is weight and heft. Heavier weight cookware won’t warp over time which causes you to lose the flat, even cooking surface on the bottom of your pan; and you can control the heat better in heavier weight cookware. I’m not saying you have to buy cookware that you need to join the gym to be able to lift out of the cupboard but don’t buy cheap flimsy pots and pans.
If a pan feels like you could bend it, don’t buy it. I’m not suggesting you walk into a store, pick up every pot and pan and try to bend it, but look at one of the saucepans. If you push a little on the sides and that saucepan has some “give” to it, it’s not going to hold up well on your stove.
To get a good quality cookware set you’ll probably need to spend a minimum of $200 (. If you don’t have that much to spend consider buying only the essential pieces you need to get you started such as a 2-quart saucepan, a sauté pan and a stockpot. Add pieces as you can afford them. Although you’ll typically get the best value for your money if you buy a cookware set versus buying the individual pieces don’t buy a poor quality set just so you have an entire set of cookware. You’ll end up spending more money in the long run replacing those pots and pans when they get warped and ruined (which won’t take long).
If you take the time to consider your needs, do some shopping around, and purchase the best quality set of cookware you can afford, you’re likely to be happy with your purchase for a long time.
How to Spice Up Your Next Salmon Dish
Salmon has become one of the most popular fish to serve. People love the taste, and salmon cooks quickly, making it a great option for both weeknights and weekends.
Besides convenience, salmon is an excellent source of high-quality protein, containing all the essential amino acids, making it a great source of nutrition for the young and old alike.
If you want to prepare salmon, remember to purchase the freshest fillets you can. Keep the fish refrigerated until you are ready to cook it, and always prepare it on a clean, dry surface. In order to eliminate a strong oily taste, remove the skin as soon as possible.
If you are looking for a great way to liven up your salmon dish, you may want to try my Salmon Magic. This seasoning blend is a flavorful combination of dill, mustard seed, herbs and spices with just the right amount of salt and sugar, creating a versatile blend for all salmon recipes.
The distinct flavors enhance the natural goodness of salmon or any other type of fish, shellfish or seafood. Whether you are grilling, sautéing, baking, broiling or poaching, Salmon Magic will add just enough flavor.
To get you started, here is one of my favorite salmon recipes. It's simple, and it will definitely spice up mealtime.
MAGIC BAKED SALMON
(Makes 1 serving)
1 salmon fillet
2 teaspoons Salmon Magic
Unsalted butter, melted
Heat oven to 450 F. Lightly brush the top and sides of the salmon fillet with melted butter. Lightly brush a small sheet pan with melted butter.
Season the top and sides of the salmon fillet with the Salmon Magic. If the fillet is thick, use a little more Salmon Magic. Press the seasoning in gently.
Place the fillet on the sheet pan and bake until the top is golden brown, and the fillet is just cooked through. In order to have moist, pink salmon, do not overcook. Serve immediately.
Cook time: 4 to 6 minutes.
Besides convenience, salmon is an excellent source of high-quality protein, containing all the essential amino acids, making it a great source of nutrition for the young and old alike.
If you want to prepare salmon, remember to purchase the freshest fillets you can. Keep the fish refrigerated until you are ready to cook it, and always prepare it on a clean, dry surface. In order to eliminate a strong oily taste, remove the skin as soon as possible.
If you are looking for a great way to liven up your salmon dish, you may want to try my Salmon Magic. This seasoning blend is a flavorful combination of dill, mustard seed, herbs and spices with just the right amount of salt and sugar, creating a versatile blend for all salmon recipes.
The distinct flavors enhance the natural goodness of salmon or any other type of fish, shellfish or seafood. Whether you are grilling, sautéing, baking, broiling or poaching, Salmon Magic will add just enough flavor.
To get you started, here is one of my favorite salmon recipes. It's simple, and it will definitely spice up mealtime.
MAGIC BAKED SALMON
(Makes 1 serving)
1 salmon fillet
2 teaspoons Salmon Magic
Unsalted butter, melted
Heat oven to 450 F. Lightly brush the top and sides of the salmon fillet with melted butter. Lightly brush a small sheet pan with melted butter.
Season the top and sides of the salmon fillet with the Salmon Magic. If the fillet is thick, use a little more Salmon Magic. Press the seasoning in gently.
Place the fillet on the sheet pan and bake until the top is golden brown, and the fillet is just cooked through. In order to have moist, pink salmon, do not overcook. Serve immediately.
Cook time: 4 to 6 minutes.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
How to smoke a turkey
For those who long for the wonderful taste of smoked turkey but forgo the luxury because of how much it costs in stores, take heart! It's surprising just how easy and economical it is to make your own smoked turkey at home. Not only will you enjoy this tempting morsel, but just think how much you'll impress your friends and family.
you don't need a smoker; any covered grill will give the same effect. Simply place the turkey breast on the cool side of the grill and use soaked wood chips.
It's important to allow yourself plenty of time to smoke the turkey until it is completely cooked. Smoking time depends on the size of the turkey, the distance from the heat, temperature of the coals, as well as the outside air temperature. You can roughly estimate about 20 to 30 minutes per pound of turkey, but it's important to use a meat thermometer to be sure your turkey is thoroughly cooked. The turkey is done when the food thermometer, placed in the inner thigh, reaches 180° F (be sure the thermometer is not touching the bone).
Important points about how to smoke a turkey:
Food safety is of primary concern when smoking turkey. Turkey breasts, drumsticks, wings and whole turkeys are all suited for smoking, although for safety's sake, stick with whole turkeys that weigh 12 pounds or less. A larger turkey remains in the "Danger Zone" - between 40° F and 140° F for too long.
Do not stuff a turkey destined for smoking. Because smoking takes place at a low temperature, it can take too long for the temperature of the stuffing to reach the required temperature of 165° F, not to mention that smoked stuffing has an undesirable flavor.
Here's a wonderful and easy recipe:
Chili-Spiced Smoked Turkey Breast
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (6-pound) whole turkey breast
2 cups mesquite chips
Cooking spray
Combine the first 10 ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; cool. Combine lime juice mixture and turkey in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours. Soak wood chips in water at least 30 minutes. Drain well.
Preheat gas grill to medium-hot (350° to 400°) using both burners. Turn left burner off. Place wood chips in a disposable foil pan or a foil packet pierced with holes on grill over right burner. Remove turkey from marinade; discard marinade. Place turkey, skin side up, on grill rack coated with cooking spray over left burner. Cover and cook 1 1/2 hours. Turn turkey over; cook 15 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 170°. Remove turkey from grill. Cover loosely with foil, and let stand at least 10 minutes before carving. Discard skin.
Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 3 ounces)
If you prefer an actual smoker, water smokers are available in electric, gas or charcoal model, and all work well. Charcoal smokers have two pans - one for charcoal and one for liquid which creates the moist, hot smoke needed for cooking. These are available wherever barbecue grills are found, but here's an economical secret: start going to garage sales. For some reason, smokers seem to be a popular item, possibly because a lot of folks don't know how to use them. However, as stated above, a smoker is not necessary to get the full, smoky flavor you desire. Unless you're really into smoking many different things (cooking, not inhaling!), it's an expense you can do without. Not only will you save money, you'll also save space.
But, if you do have a smoker, here's an easy how to smoke a turkey recipe:
1 15 pound turkey, fresh or thawed
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Prepare smoker for a 6 to 8 hour smoke at about 230 degrees. In a saucepan melt butter. Add wine, honey and cinnamon. Heat on low temperature until mixture is smooth and thin. Using a turkey injector, inject half the mixture into the turkey in all meaty areas. Brush remaining mixture over turkey. You can reserve some of the baste to apply later, during the cooking process. Place turkey in smoker. When the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165 degrees the turkey is done. Remove from smoker and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Carve and serve.
Enjoy!
you don't need a smoker; any covered grill will give the same effect. Simply place the turkey breast on the cool side of the grill and use soaked wood chips.
It's important to allow yourself plenty of time to smoke the turkey until it is completely cooked. Smoking time depends on the size of the turkey, the distance from the heat, temperature of the coals, as well as the outside air temperature. You can roughly estimate about 20 to 30 minutes per pound of turkey, but it's important to use a meat thermometer to be sure your turkey is thoroughly cooked. The turkey is done when the food thermometer, placed in the inner thigh, reaches 180° F (be sure the thermometer is not touching the bone).
Important points about how to smoke a turkey:
Food safety is of primary concern when smoking turkey. Turkey breasts, drumsticks, wings and whole turkeys are all suited for smoking, although for safety's sake, stick with whole turkeys that weigh 12 pounds or less. A larger turkey remains in the "Danger Zone" - between 40° F and 140° F for too long.
Do not stuff a turkey destined for smoking. Because smoking takes place at a low temperature, it can take too long for the temperature of the stuffing to reach the required temperature of 165° F, not to mention that smoked stuffing has an undesirable flavor.
Here's a wonderful and easy recipe:
Chili-Spiced Smoked Turkey Breast
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (6-pound) whole turkey breast
2 cups mesquite chips
Cooking spray
Combine the first 10 ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; cool. Combine lime juice mixture and turkey in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours. Soak wood chips in water at least 30 minutes. Drain well.
Preheat gas grill to medium-hot (350° to 400°) using both burners. Turn left burner off. Place wood chips in a disposable foil pan or a foil packet pierced with holes on grill over right burner. Remove turkey from marinade; discard marinade. Place turkey, skin side up, on grill rack coated with cooking spray over left burner. Cover and cook 1 1/2 hours. Turn turkey over; cook 15 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 170°. Remove turkey from grill. Cover loosely with foil, and let stand at least 10 minutes before carving. Discard skin.
Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 3 ounces)
If you prefer an actual smoker, water smokers are available in electric, gas or charcoal model, and all work well. Charcoal smokers have two pans - one for charcoal and one for liquid which creates the moist, hot smoke needed for cooking. These are available wherever barbecue grills are found, but here's an economical secret: start going to garage sales. For some reason, smokers seem to be a popular item, possibly because a lot of folks don't know how to use them. However, as stated above, a smoker is not necessary to get the full, smoky flavor you desire. Unless you're really into smoking many different things (cooking, not inhaling!), it's an expense you can do without. Not only will you save money, you'll also save space.
But, if you do have a smoker, here's an easy how to smoke a turkey recipe:
1 15 pound turkey, fresh or thawed
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Prepare smoker for a 6 to 8 hour smoke at about 230 degrees. In a saucepan melt butter. Add wine, honey and cinnamon. Heat on low temperature until mixture is smooth and thin. Using a turkey injector, inject half the mixture into the turkey in all meaty areas. Brush remaining mixture over turkey. You can reserve some of the baste to apply later, during the cooking process. Place turkey in smoker. When the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165 degrees the turkey is done. Remove from smoker and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Carve and serve.
Enjoy!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
How to Satisfy Summer Time Fresh Tomato Cravings Today
Disappointment reigns heavily when it comes to out of season tomatoes. Yes, summer is over as the harsh freezing cold temperatures blanket the entire North American continent and we are missing, craving more than likely, the incredible taste of vine ripe tomatoes straight from the garden. Perfectly picked at their peek of freshness and aromatic fragrance.
Sure you try the produce market at you local grocery looking for bright red tomatoes that give a little to the touch but don't feel mushy. Your journey is unsuccessful instead you settle for the less than perfect specimen, pale and still a little green in color. Your hope is it will ripen at room temperature on the kitchen counter and be ready to use in a couple of days. Disappointment follows it has no taste whatsoever.
Cravings are persistent and lead to more intense desires for the fresh taste of summer time tomatoes.
Ouch, did you hear the weather report? Several more days of below freezing temperatures are ahead with no end in sight.
Capt'n Salsa has a simple and acceptable solution for you. Considering the snow covered garden out the back window and your cravings are growing more intense each day it is time to reach for the "canned tomatoes".
Hey hear me out just a minute, okay?
Canned tomatoes, yes whole canned tomatoes are the closest tasting to fresh tomatoes you can find. Look for whole tomatoes packed in juice not the sauce or the puree for the best taste. The whole canned tomatoes can easily be chopped or even added whole during cooking to most of your favorite recipes. Actually, go ahead and use the diced canned tomatoes again grabbing the ones packed in juice.
Diced tomatoes are coarsely chopped during the canning process saving you a lot of time and of course the messy cleanup of chopping canned whole tomatoes. Add them right out of the can to your favorite sauces, soups and pasta dishes, using them just as you would your fresh garden tomatoes.
Homemade tomato salsa?
Sure, just remember to drain the juice first reserving it for a special "Bloody Mary" later.
Sure you try the produce market at you local grocery looking for bright red tomatoes that give a little to the touch but don't feel mushy. Your journey is unsuccessful instead you settle for the less than perfect specimen, pale and still a little green in color. Your hope is it will ripen at room temperature on the kitchen counter and be ready to use in a couple of days. Disappointment follows it has no taste whatsoever.
Cravings are persistent and lead to more intense desires for the fresh taste of summer time tomatoes.
Ouch, did you hear the weather report? Several more days of below freezing temperatures are ahead with no end in sight.
Capt'n Salsa has a simple and acceptable solution for you. Considering the snow covered garden out the back window and your cravings are growing more intense each day it is time to reach for the "canned tomatoes".
Hey hear me out just a minute, okay?
Canned tomatoes, yes whole canned tomatoes are the closest tasting to fresh tomatoes you can find. Look for whole tomatoes packed in juice not the sauce or the puree for the best taste. The whole canned tomatoes can easily be chopped or even added whole during cooking to most of your favorite recipes. Actually, go ahead and use the diced canned tomatoes again grabbing the ones packed in juice.
Diced tomatoes are coarsely chopped during the canning process saving you a lot of time and of course the messy cleanup of chopping canned whole tomatoes. Add them right out of the can to your favorite sauces, soups and pasta dishes, using them just as you would your fresh garden tomatoes.
Homemade tomato salsa?
Sure, just remember to drain the juice first reserving it for a special "Bloody Mary" later.
How To Remove Lobster From The Shell
Lobster is an an all-time favourite seafood with most people, and many dishes using lobsters require that the flesh be removed from the shell. Here are some handy tips when you prepare a lobster dish at home.
A preliminary way to prepare a lobster, which should be alive, is to grasp it firmly by the back, plunge it quickly, head first, into a kettle of rapidly boiling water, and then submerge the rest of the body. Be sure to have a sufficient amount of water to cover the lobster completely. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes; then lower the flame or remove to a cooler part of the stove and cook slowly for 1/2 hour. Remove from the water and allow to cool.
After being prepared in this way, a lobster may be served cold or it maybe used in the preparation of various made dishes. If it is to be used without further preparation, it is often served from the shell, which is usually split open. Mayonnaise or some other sauce is generally served with lobster. The flesh is removed from the shell with a small fork as it is eaten.
To remove lobster from the shell, first pull off the two large claws and the four pairs of small claws, and break the tail from the body. Then using scissors, cut a single slit the entire length of the shell covering the under part of the tail and remove the flesh inside the tail in a whole, large piece. The intestinal tract, which can be readily observed, will be found embedded in this piece and running the entire length. Slash the flesh and remove it. Next remove the flesh of the body from the shell, retaining only that part which appears to be fibrous, like the flesh of the tail. The stomach, should not be removed from the shell. However, care should be taken to obtain all the flesh surrounding the bones in the bony part of the lobster. The coral substance, that is, the roe of the lobster, should also be removed, as it can be used for a garnish.
With the flesh removed from the shell, proceed to take out the flesh in the claws. Break open the large claws, using a nut cracker or a small hammer for this purpose, and remove the flesh that they contain. If the small claws are to be used for a garnish, as is often done, remove the flesh without breaking them; otherwise break them as in the case of the large ones.
Nora Maskuri
For more tips and recipes, visit http://mycookery.com/blog
A preliminary way to prepare a lobster, which should be alive, is to grasp it firmly by the back, plunge it quickly, head first, into a kettle of rapidly boiling water, and then submerge the rest of the body. Be sure to have a sufficient amount of water to cover the lobster completely. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes; then lower the flame or remove to a cooler part of the stove and cook slowly for 1/2 hour. Remove from the water and allow to cool.
After being prepared in this way, a lobster may be served cold or it maybe used in the preparation of various made dishes. If it is to be used without further preparation, it is often served from the shell, which is usually split open. Mayonnaise or some other sauce is generally served with lobster. The flesh is removed from the shell with a small fork as it is eaten.
To remove lobster from the shell, first pull off the two large claws and the four pairs of small claws, and break the tail from the body. Then using scissors, cut a single slit the entire length of the shell covering the under part of the tail and remove the flesh inside the tail in a whole, large piece. The intestinal tract, which can be readily observed, will be found embedded in this piece and running the entire length. Slash the flesh and remove it. Next remove the flesh of the body from the shell, retaining only that part which appears to be fibrous, like the flesh of the tail. The stomach, should not be removed from the shell. However, care should be taken to obtain all the flesh surrounding the bones in the bony part of the lobster. The coral substance, that is, the roe of the lobster, should also be removed, as it can be used for a garnish.
With the flesh removed from the shell, proceed to take out the flesh in the claws. Break open the large claws, using a nut cracker or a small hammer for this purpose, and remove the flesh that they contain. If the small claws are to be used for a garnish, as is often done, remove the flesh without breaking them; otherwise break them as in the case of the large ones.
Nora Maskuri
For more tips and recipes, visit http://mycookery.com/blog
How To Prepare Your Culinary Masterpiece
First thing is first. So you want a culinary masterpiece? Be careful and to follow these instructions to become great.
Prepare Your Food Lists
Do you have any ingredients in supply? Do you have enough for your recipe? Are the ingredients still fresh or have they spoiled? List what you're missing and how much you need. If you're just cooking for one or two, don't get the family packages of perishables unless you can freeze the extra and use it up before it gets freezer burn. Most dry spices keep quite a while, but can lose potency if stored in warm, damp areas.
Check the grocery ads
See what's on sale. There's no sense in paying more than you have to. Consider how many people you're cooking for and how much refrigerator and freezer space you have. Nothing is a bargain if you can't store it long enough to cook and eat it. A large roast, for example, can be chopped into meal-sized pieces and frozen, or you can cook the whole thing, eat what you want, and save the rest for sandwiches, stews, casseroles, and snacks--if you have the refrigerator or freezer space to store it.
Using coupons: Coupons can save you money or cost you.
If the coupon is for something you would have bought anyway, it's worth using. If it's just a different brand, the coupon makes it cheaper than your regular brand, and you can't taste the distinction, use it. If the only reason you're buying the product is to use the coupon, forget it! If it's something new that you'd like to try, and you don't have to buy a large quantity, look at the price and decide if it's worth the money to you. Go ahead and treat yourself occasionally. Little treats make it easier to stick to a healthy routine the rest of the time.
How much should you buy?
Most supermarkets have the prices marked on the shelves, and show a unit price on the ticket. Sometimes the larger package costs less per pound, or ounce, or whatever unit is used. Sometimes the smaller package is in fact the better buy. Small calculators are so inexpensive nowadays that getting one to take shopping with you can save you money, especially when one brand, for example, lists the price per pound and another shows the per ounce price.
With foods that have to be frozen or chilled, or fresh fruits and vegetables that spoil quickly (known as "perishables") only buy as much as you can use before they perish. The fresher it is, the better the flavor and nutrition, so, even though you can keep a lot of stuff in the freezer for long periods, it's better not to keep it for more than a few weeks. (Keep track of what's in the freezer--date everything as it goes in--so that nothing gets buried in the back or bottom for years at a time.)
It's real easy to overbuy when things are on sale. Then you risk either having to eat so much of it that you can't stand the thought of it for a long time afterward, or being forced to throw out some of it when it spoils.
Are national brands worth the price? Are house or generic brands just as good as the national brands?
All of the major chain supermarkets have house brands or plainly packaged generic products. Some chains have both. Check out your local chains, try the house products, and decide for yourself when (or if) you want to spend a little more for the national brand. If you really prefer a national brand, especially in non-perishables, watch the ads, and when it goes on sale, stock up. Many of the house brands are made by the same companies that make the national brands. The only difference is that the supermarket chain buys in quantity, and the manufacturer has no advertising expense.
Staple supplies that every kitchen needs.
All-purpose flour, cornstarch (for thickening gravy), assorted noodles and pasta, rice, oils (vegetable, olive, peanut), vinegar (white wine, red wine, apple cider, plain distilled), canned soups (beef broth, chicken broth, tomato, cream of mushroom), assorted spices and flavorings (dried minced onion, oregano for Italian dishes, salt, pepper, any others you like.)Buy small quantities on new items and taste test before stocking up.
Other good things to keep on hand.
Canned meats and vegetables, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, favorite salad dressings, horseradish sauce, ready-to-eat cereal, quick cooking oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Cream of Rice, grits, gravy mixes, drink mixes, any other favorite foods.
With these basic pointers you should be well on your way to having a well stocked kitchen and great cooking experience.
Prepare Your Food Lists
Do you have any ingredients in supply? Do you have enough for your recipe? Are the ingredients still fresh or have they spoiled? List what you're missing and how much you need. If you're just cooking for one or two, don't get the family packages of perishables unless you can freeze the extra and use it up before it gets freezer burn. Most dry spices keep quite a while, but can lose potency if stored in warm, damp areas.
Check the grocery ads
See what's on sale. There's no sense in paying more than you have to. Consider how many people you're cooking for and how much refrigerator and freezer space you have. Nothing is a bargain if you can't store it long enough to cook and eat it. A large roast, for example, can be chopped into meal-sized pieces and frozen, or you can cook the whole thing, eat what you want, and save the rest for sandwiches, stews, casseroles, and snacks--if you have the refrigerator or freezer space to store it.
Using coupons: Coupons can save you money or cost you.
If the coupon is for something you would have bought anyway, it's worth using. If it's just a different brand, the coupon makes it cheaper than your regular brand, and you can't taste the distinction, use it. If the only reason you're buying the product is to use the coupon, forget it! If it's something new that you'd like to try, and you don't have to buy a large quantity, look at the price and decide if it's worth the money to you. Go ahead and treat yourself occasionally. Little treats make it easier to stick to a healthy routine the rest of the time.
How much should you buy?
Most supermarkets have the prices marked on the shelves, and show a unit price on the ticket. Sometimes the larger package costs less per pound, or ounce, or whatever unit is used. Sometimes the smaller package is in fact the better buy. Small calculators are so inexpensive nowadays that getting one to take shopping with you can save you money, especially when one brand, for example, lists the price per pound and another shows the per ounce price.
With foods that have to be frozen or chilled, or fresh fruits and vegetables that spoil quickly (known as "perishables") only buy as much as you can use before they perish. The fresher it is, the better the flavor and nutrition, so, even though you can keep a lot of stuff in the freezer for long periods, it's better not to keep it for more than a few weeks. (Keep track of what's in the freezer--date everything as it goes in--so that nothing gets buried in the back or bottom for years at a time.)
It's real easy to overbuy when things are on sale. Then you risk either having to eat so much of it that you can't stand the thought of it for a long time afterward, or being forced to throw out some of it when it spoils.
Are national brands worth the price? Are house or generic brands just as good as the national brands?
All of the major chain supermarkets have house brands or plainly packaged generic products. Some chains have both. Check out your local chains, try the house products, and decide for yourself when (or if) you want to spend a little more for the national brand. If you really prefer a national brand, especially in non-perishables, watch the ads, and when it goes on sale, stock up. Many of the house brands are made by the same companies that make the national brands. The only difference is that the supermarket chain buys in quantity, and the manufacturer has no advertising expense.
Staple supplies that every kitchen needs.
All-purpose flour, cornstarch (for thickening gravy), assorted noodles and pasta, rice, oils (vegetable, olive, peanut), vinegar (white wine, red wine, apple cider, plain distilled), canned soups (beef broth, chicken broth, tomato, cream of mushroom), assorted spices and flavorings (dried minced onion, oregano for Italian dishes, salt, pepper, any others you like.)Buy small quantities on new items and taste test before stocking up.
Other good things to keep on hand.
Canned meats and vegetables, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, favorite salad dressings, horseradish sauce, ready-to-eat cereal, quick cooking oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Cream of Rice, grits, gravy mixes, drink mixes, any other favorite foods.
With these basic pointers you should be well on your way to having a well stocked kitchen and great cooking experience.
How to prepare pumpkin seeds
Here are some good recipes for preparing pumpkin seeds for eating...and what a treat they are!
If they are toasted and salted properly they are wonderfully crunchy and easy to eat. It helps if you are going to eat them with the shells on if you use seeds from sugar pumpkins, somewhat smaller than the mega-sized carving pumpkins (not really pumpkins but large squash). The trick? Boil the seeds in salted water first, and then toast them in the oven. Recipes on how to make pumpkin seeds.
One medium sized pumpkin
Salt
Olive oil
1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut open the pumpkin and use a strong metal spoon to scoop out the insides. Separate the seeds from the stringy core. Rinse the seeds.
2 In a small saucepan, add the seeds to water, about 2 cups of water to every half cup of seeds. Add a tablespoon of salt for every cup of water. Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
3 Spread about a tablespoon of olive oil over the bottom of a cookie sheet, or spray well with Pam or that type of product. Spread the seeds out over the cookie sheet, all in one layer. Bake on the top rack for 20 minutes or until the seeds begin to brown. When browned to your satisfaction, remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a rack. Let the seeds cool all the way down before eating. Either crack to remove the inner seed (a lot of unnecessary work} or eat whole (which is the way most people enjoy them).
Another great way how to make pumpkin seeds is to use is to use them as a crust or coating.
Roast ½ cup pumpkin seeds with 4 clove garlic
Process and add T. oil and 2T bread crumbs.
Use for fish, chicken, lamb etc.
Pumpkin seeds offer many potential health benefits! According to many people, In addition to tasting great, they may also be used to help treat parasitic infections, depression, enlarged prostate, and urinary tract problems. Please note: None of these benefits have been scientifically tested or proven. It's just that the nutritional aspects of pumpkin seeds have been analyzed and have been determined to be beneficial. Pumpkin seeds are high in vitamin A, protein, essential fatty acids, amino acids, calcium, iron, and fiber. It's easy to make this nutritious snack.
Whichever way you decide how to make pumpkin seeds, enjoy them!
If they are toasted and salted properly they are wonderfully crunchy and easy to eat. It helps if you are going to eat them with the shells on if you use seeds from sugar pumpkins, somewhat smaller than the mega-sized carving pumpkins (not really pumpkins but large squash). The trick? Boil the seeds in salted water first, and then toast them in the oven. Recipes on how to make pumpkin seeds.
One medium sized pumpkin
Salt
Olive oil
1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut open the pumpkin and use a strong metal spoon to scoop out the insides. Separate the seeds from the stringy core. Rinse the seeds.
2 In a small saucepan, add the seeds to water, about 2 cups of water to every half cup of seeds. Add a tablespoon of salt for every cup of water. Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
3 Spread about a tablespoon of olive oil over the bottom of a cookie sheet, or spray well with Pam or that type of product. Spread the seeds out over the cookie sheet, all in one layer. Bake on the top rack for 20 minutes or until the seeds begin to brown. When browned to your satisfaction, remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a rack. Let the seeds cool all the way down before eating. Either crack to remove the inner seed (a lot of unnecessary work} or eat whole (which is the way most people enjoy them).
Another great way how to make pumpkin seeds is to use is to use them as a crust or coating.
Roast ½ cup pumpkin seeds with 4 clove garlic
Process and add T. oil and 2T bread crumbs.
Use for fish, chicken, lamb etc.
Pumpkin seeds offer many potential health benefits! According to many people, In addition to tasting great, they may also be used to help treat parasitic infections, depression, enlarged prostate, and urinary tract problems. Please note: None of these benefits have been scientifically tested or proven. It's just that the nutritional aspects of pumpkin seeds have been analyzed and have been determined to be beneficial. Pumpkin seeds are high in vitamin A, protein, essential fatty acids, amino acids, calcium, iron, and fiber. It's easy to make this nutritious snack.
Whichever way you decide how to make pumpkin seeds, enjoy them!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
How To Make Incredible Pan Sauces
If you want to elevate your cooking skills to a new level and add a whole lot more to your gastronomy repertoire, learn how to make a simple pan sauce. With this technique in your cooking bag of tricks, you can turn a simple pan-fried steak into a mouth-watering meal, a plain boneless chicken breast into a delicious feast, or a modest pork chop into a scrumptious banquet. Ok, maybe I'm stretching a bit but check this out.
Restaurants chefs use this technique all the time. Basically they cook something in a sauté pan over pretty high heat until it's done and leaves a bunch of brown caramelize bits of "stuff" in the pan. You look at this "stuff" in the pan and say to yourself, "Now how am I going to clean this 'stuff' off the pan? What a mess! I wish I had used a non stick pan."
The "stuff" has a name, it's called "fond" and you want that "fond" stuck to your pan because it is packed with incredible flavors. It's also easy to remove by adding a little liquid to the pan and using a wooden spoon to dissolve it. This is called deglazing and can be done with wine, brandy, fortified wines, stock, cider, fruit juices or most typically a combination of two. Just be careful if you use wine to remove the pan from the heat so the alcohol doesn't ignite and blow up in your face. I've spoken with chefs who have seen this happen.
The next steps are to continue to cook the liquid in the pan until it is reduced by half and finish by adding several pats of butter to thicken and enhance the flavor of the sauce. If you ever knew how much butter professional chefs use in restaurants to "enhance" flavor, you would be amazed. I sometimes think they make their dishes too rich because I get that uncomfortable "too full" feeling later on, but then again, it's so good while you're dining. Now those are just the basics.
To create more complexity to the sauce you'll want to add some aromatics like garlic or shallots for a subtle but additional layer of flavor. Then you might want to add some additional ingredients such as mushrooms, mustards, chutneys, herbs and/or spices to give even more complexity and flavor.
For more information on making classic and quick pan sauces at home including what kind of pan to use, how much deglazing liquid to use and two example recipes for the same sauce, one classic and the other quick go to http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/pan_sauces.htm
Restaurants chefs use this technique all the time. Basically they cook something in a sauté pan over pretty high heat until it's done and leaves a bunch of brown caramelize bits of "stuff" in the pan. You look at this "stuff" in the pan and say to yourself, "Now how am I going to clean this 'stuff' off the pan? What a mess! I wish I had used a non stick pan."
The "stuff" has a name, it's called "fond" and you want that "fond" stuck to your pan because it is packed with incredible flavors. It's also easy to remove by adding a little liquid to the pan and using a wooden spoon to dissolve it. This is called deglazing and can be done with wine, brandy, fortified wines, stock, cider, fruit juices or most typically a combination of two. Just be careful if you use wine to remove the pan from the heat so the alcohol doesn't ignite and blow up in your face. I've spoken with chefs who have seen this happen.
The next steps are to continue to cook the liquid in the pan until it is reduced by half and finish by adding several pats of butter to thicken and enhance the flavor of the sauce. If you ever knew how much butter professional chefs use in restaurants to "enhance" flavor, you would be amazed. I sometimes think they make their dishes too rich because I get that uncomfortable "too full" feeling later on, but then again, it's so good while you're dining. Now those are just the basics.
To create more complexity to the sauce you'll want to add some aromatics like garlic or shallots for a subtle but additional layer of flavor. Then you might want to add some additional ingredients such as mushrooms, mustards, chutneys, herbs and/or spices to give even more complexity and flavor.
For more information on making classic and quick pan sauces at home including what kind of pan to use, how much deglazing liquid to use and two example recipes for the same sauce, one classic and the other quick go to http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/pan_sauces.htm
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