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Smoked Salmon Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.052-07:00

Using smoked foods, including smoked salmon, is an elegant alternative to old standards for entertaining, or even every day meals. It has a unique taste and the flavors of natural wood smoke, seasonings, and brines. The quality, texture, and taste of salmon lend themselves to outstanding quality and versatility in recipes. Smoked salmon can be used for appetizers or main courses for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.Smoked salmon is commonly seen on breakfast or weekend brunch menus as a delicious option. Classic Nova style sliced smoked salmon is delectable on its own or paired with bagels, cream cheese, capers, and onions. It also works well for delightful brunch recipes such as the following frittata:Smoked Salmon, Leek, and Dill Frittata

Preparation Preheat broiler. Melt butter in medium, nonstick, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add leek; cover and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Whisk eggs and dill in medium bowl to blend; stir in cream cheese. Pour eggs over leek; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until edges are set but center is still runny, about 4 minutes. Scatter salmon over frittata. Broil until frittata is puffed and golden, about 1 minute. Cut frittata into 4 wedges. Place 2 wedges on each plate and serve. Smoked salmon is also frequently seen as a wonderful appetizer or hors d’oeuvre, and again, it stands alone beautifully, but can also be enjoyed in many recipes. An elegant smoke salmon recipe to serve for entertaining special guests could be the Caviar and Salmon Blini Tortes, which are sure to impress. Caviar and Salmon Blini TortesFor Egg Salad

For Blini

For Filling

Preparation Make egg salad:Stir together all ingredients and a pinch of salt. Make blini:Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl. Add milk and yolk and whisk until smooth. Beat egg white with a clean whisk in another bowl until it just holds soft peaks. Fold into batter along with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Brush a 12-inch nonstick skillet with some of remaining melted butter, then heat over medium heat until hot. Working in batches of 6 or 7, drop 1 level tablespoon batter per pancake into skillet and cook until bubbles appear on surface and undersides are golden, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Flip over and cook 1 minute more. Brush blini on both sides with some of remaining melted butter, then transfer to a plate and keep warm, covered with foil. Brush skillet with butter between batches. Fill tortes:Drape smoked salmon on 6 blini and top with egg salad. Spoon caviar onto 6 more blini, then stack on egg-salad-topped blini and serve.Using smoked salmon recipes for a main course makes a statement with the distinctive taste that sets it apart from the ordinary. North Atlantic salmon is available as well as wild Alaskan Sockeye salmon. Both can be prepared hot or cold smoked with unique spice blends for their characteristic flavor. The following main dish pasta recipe uses the smoked salmon combined with crème fraiche and herbs to complement the flavor. Smoked Salmon Pasta Verde

Preparation Boil wine in medium saucepan until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 8 minutes. Remove wine from heat and whisk in crème fraîche. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Add sugar snap peas or edamame to same pot and cook until peas are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain pasta and peas, and then return to pot. Pour crème fraîche mixture over pasta and peas. Add green onions, parsley, and thyme; toss to coat. Add salmon; toss again. Season pasta with salt and pepper. Divide pasta among plates and serve. Sugartown Smoked Specialties, Inc. offers smoked salmon, and has an expertise smokehouse staff who pays particular attention to detail in preparing their smoked foods. The result is exceptional tasting smoked seafood, fowl, pork, and other specialties offered by Smokedfoods.com. Products are available on line, and at their retail location in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

A Variety of Indian home remedies - South Indian Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.051-07:00

Indian cuisine is considered as one of the most exotic yet tasteful cuisines in the whole world. If you are up for something different,then Indian foods, particularly south indian recipes are a must-try. Their flavors are so rich and their spices are very proportionate, which make them really different. No wonder why all kinds of people, whether you are brought up in a Western or Eastern culture, are so fond of south Indian recipes . Dosa is one of the most admired South Indian Recipe. Dosa is a kind of fried pancake made from split Urad Dal and rice batter. Rice and dal are soaked into water and blended into fine pastes. These pastes are mixed and salt is added into it before leaving it for fermentation.Ferment overnight or for a day. For making crispy dosas take a laddle of the batter and spread it on a hot greased skillet into a thin circle and fry with oil or ghee until golden brown.The dosa may then be folded in half and served. Dosa can be eaten plain or with some stuffing inside. For making stuffed dosa or masala dosa, a very popular south Indian recipe, prepare the stuffing separately and fill in the centre and close the dosa.Idli is another culinary delight among South Indian recipes which is savored by all food lovers of the country and the abroad. Idli, the steamed rice cake is more like steamed dumplings.This tasteful south Indian recipes is made by steaming batter, traditionally made from pulses and rice. Rice and pulses are soaked into water and ground to a paste which is fermented overnight or until double in its volume. The fermented batter is put into greased idli mould and steamed until done. Idli moulds are perforated that allow the idlis to be cooked evenly.Idlis can be steamed into cooker or idli maker.

5 Easy No-Bake Pie Crust Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.050-07:00

During the hot Summer months, I avoid heating up my kitchen with the oven. I prefer to make no-bake pie crusts, by using alternative ingredients. You don't need to use a rolling pin, dough board, pastry blender or any of the traditional pie baking equipment. All you basically need are the ingredients, a large bowl, a measuring cup and of course, your pie pan.These recipes are easy to make and best suited for refrigerated or frozen dessert-style pies. You will want to chill your pie crust for 1 hour (or until firm), before filling the pie shell with your pie filling.Here are 5 of my favorite recipes.Chocolate Cookie Crumb24 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed 1/4 c. butter, melted Combine crushed cookie crumbs with melted butter until well mixed. Press mixture firmly into place into a 9" around pie pan. Cornflake Crust 1 c. crushed cornflakes 1/4 c. sugar 6 tbsp. butter (melted) Combine crushed cornflakes with sugar and butter, until well mixed. Spread the crumb mixture evenly and firmly into a 9" round pie pan. Vanilla Wafer Crust 1 1/2 c. finely crushed vanilla wafers (about 39) 6 tbsp. butter, melted Combine crushed wafers with butter, until well mixed. Spread the crumb mixture evenly and firmly into a 9" round pie pan. Graham Cracker Crumb 1 c. crushed graham crackers 1/4 c. sugar 6 tbsp. butter (melted) Combine crushed graham crackers with sugar and butter. Toss thoroughly to combine. Press mixture firmly into a 9" round pie pan. Pretzel Crust 1 1/4 c. crushed pretzels (no salt)1/4 c. sugar 6 tbsp. butter (melted) Combine crushed pretzels with sugar and melted butter. Toss to thoroughly to combine. Press mixture firmly into a 9" round pie plate.

3 Great Summertime Cole Slaw Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.049-07:00

When it comes to Summertime picnics and family gatherings, I always look forward to eating some great Cole Slaw. The word Cole Slaw (also spelled as coleslaw), basically means raw cabbage salad. It can be made from white or red cabbage. The slaw can be eaten as a side dish or as a food topping, such as the case with Southern hot dogs.Cole Slaw was traditionally made just from cabbage. However, these days you will find recipes that include the addition of: carrots, green peppers, onions and celery. I have also seen recipes that include the addition of fresh fruits such as apples, grapes, and chunks of pineapple.When making Cole Slaw it's important to refrigerate your slaw for several hours. The refrigeration helps the dressing to infuse into the cabbage and other vegetables. When picking out the perfect cabbage head, you need to look for one that is compact and firm. It should have crisp leaves, no brown spots or insect damage. You can use bagged shredded cabbage that is commonly found at your grocery store, but I prefer to make my own, the old fashioned way.I would like to share 3 of my favorite recipes with you. Spanish Cole Slaw 1 head cabbage, shredded 1 green pepper, sliced 1 onion, sliced 1 jar sliced pimento 1/2 c. vinegar 1/2 c. salad oil 1 c. sugar In a large bowl combine cabbage, green pepper, onion, and pimento. In a large saucepan bring vinegar, salad oil, and sugar to a boil. Pour over the slaw ingredients, mix well. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 12 hours before serving.Cabbage Pepper Slaw 4 c. cabbage 1/2 c. green pepper 2 tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. celery seed dash of white pepper 2 tbsp. vinegar 1 tsp. prepared mustard 1/2 c. salad dressing Combine vegetables, sugar, salt, celery seed and pepper in a large bowl. Combine vinegar, mustard and salad dressing in a small bowl, stir until blended. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.Creamy Cole Slaw 1 c. mayonnaise 1/4 c. milk 2 tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. salt 1/2 onion, finely chopped 1 head of cabbage, shredded 1-2 carrots, shredded 1 green pepper, finely chopped In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, milk, sugar and salt. Stir until well blended. Add the remaining ingredients and blend well. Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.The next time you are hosting a family picnic, I hope you will give one of these recipes a try.

3 Delicious Crock Pot Chicken Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.048-07:00

Are you looking for some new ways to cook chicken without spending a lot of time in your kitchen? If so, I have 3 delicious chicken recipes to share with you!These recipes are all made in the crock pot (slow cooker). They only take a few minutes to prepare. If you are a busy mom, I think you will enjoy these recipes.Crock Pot Cooking TipsFill your slow cooker at least 1/2 full for the best slow cooking results. Tender vegetables such as fresh mushrooms, tomatoes or zucchini will only need to be added for the last 45 minutes of cooking time, otherwise you could over cook them. To assure even cooking of meat, be sure there is some space between the pieces to allow for circulation of heat and seasonings. Some vegetables, especially onions and carrots, often take longer to cook than meat. Always place them at the bottom of the slow cooker. Chicken Marengo2 1/2 to 3 lb. frying chicken, cut up1 (1 1/2 oz) pkg. spaghetti sauce mix1/2 c. dry white wine2 fresh tomatoes, quartered1/4 lb. fresh mushroomsPlace chicken parts in crock pot. Combine dry spaghetti mix with wine; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours. Turn control to high; add tomatoes and mushrooms. Cover, cook on high for 40 additional minutes. Zucchini Chicken 1 frying chicken, cut up 1 tsp. seasoned salt 1/4 c. flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 tsp. paprika 1 lb. zucchini, cut into thin slices 1/2 c. chicken bouillon 1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms, drained Sprinkle chicken with seasoned salt. Combine flour, salt, pepper, cheese and paprika; coat chicken with mixture. Place zucchini in bottom of crock pot. Pour bouillon over zucchini. Arrange coated chicken on top. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until tender. Turn to high and add mushrooms and cook for an addition 15-20 minutes. Cheesy Chicken 6 boneless chicken breasts 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 2 (10.75-oz.) cans condensed cream of chicken soup 1 (10.75-oz.) can condensed cheddar cheese soup Rub chicken breasts with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place chicken in slow cooker and pour soups over the top. Cover and cook for 6 to 8 hours on low.

Experimenting With Barbecue Sauce Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.047-07:00

In general, I am not a chef. In my house, I do very little of the cooking, although I do enjoy it when I get the chance. The one thing that I have always loves to cook, and insist on cooking every time, is barbecued meat. I love barbecuing, grilling, roasting, smoking anything that involves placing a good cut of meat over high heat and open flames.
I have to confess that one of the things I like about this form of cooking is that it is so easy to get good results. As long as you have the rights barbeque sauce, you can not go wrong. Until recently, I never had to try a barbecue sauce recipe, because there was a locally made barbecue sauce called Memphis Minnie's that was just simply spectacular. Unfortunately, it recently went under.
I tried cooking with other locally available barbecue sauce recipes, but it was just not the same. People who had praised my cooking in the past were much less lavish with their praise. I just could not get the same results. I looked everywhere for a barbecue sauce recipe that would duplicate the flavor of Memphis Minnie's, but it was all in vain.
Finally, I figured out that I would have to invent my own barbecue sauce recipe. I had no idea how to go about doing this, and had to learn all kinds of new things. Preparing a barbecue sauce recipe is not as easy as you might think. You have to strike a delicate balance between preserving the flavor, and creating something that is delicious immediately after it is cooked. Almost any good barbecue sauce recipe, it turns out, has to be used within a week of being prepared. Otherwise, it will become stale.
The fact that I lost my favorite recipe for barbecue sauce turned out to be a blessing in disguise. You see, once I started experimenting with barbecue sauce recipes, I found out quickly that you can make something that is much more delicious than anything you can buy in the store. As long as you are able to use it up within the next couple days, you can make something that is spectacularly flavorful and much more healthy than any commercially available barbecue sauce recipe. Knowing this, I have decided to never buy barbecue sauce again. Why would I, when I can make something that tastes much better? I never got so many compliments before...

Delicious, Healthy Goji Berry Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.046-07:00

The benefits of Goji berries are very well known to many and more and more people are becoming aware of the health benefits of Goji berries. It is available to one and all in fresh, dried or in juice form. Let us try to have a look at some of the Goji berry recipes which could let you enjoy this delicious as well as highly beneficial fruit.
Most of the Goji berry recipes dont need any cooking and are very simple. So, you can have Goji trail mix which involves mixing Goji berries with other dry fruits and grains. It is a wonderful snack. The same goes with salads also. As you use dried cranberries or raisins in your salads you can use Goji berries. Who says, you can't add Goji berries in your favorite scoop of ice cream.
Well, there certainly are Goji berry recipes which are relatively more complex. So, recipes like blueberry, Goji berry compote and peach pie etc do need some effort on your part but is relatively simpler. You need to treat Goji berries as you use raisins and other dry fruits. You can add Goji berries to your chicken or duck marinade or better still add some Goji juice. And if you have been using raisins in your rice dishes; try switching over to Goji berries.
What's more you can freeze Goji fruit or juice to prepare delicious Goji sorbet. Kids would love Goji-cicles. Well, it is so simple. Just pour the Goji juice in an ice cube tray and stick in toothpicks. Well, your popsicles are prepared. What about chewy Goji bars? Well, just add Goji berries to the mixture of your fruit and nut bars. The best thing about Goji berries is that it is a very versatile product. You can use it in any way you want and you can prepare your own Goji berry recipes that suits your tastes.
GOJI DRINKS
It is very simple to prepare. Start with adding about one handful of Goji berries to a big glass of water (hot or cold juice) or even herb tea. Now leave the mixture to hydrate for a while until they look plump and juicy. If you like the taste, prepare jugs full of this wonderful drink and go on drinking all through the day. It is one of the healthiest drinks that you would ever drink and chew with Vitamin C about five hundred times more than oranges.
GOJI FRUIT SMOOTHIE
If you want phytonutrient energy running your body, go for this recipe. Just mix equal quantities of Goji berries, blueberries, raspberries, apples, blackberries and cherries. Let the mixture churn in the blenders for a few seconds. You can add a cup of water, or orange juice or rice milk to smooth blending. Serve it with the toppings of cocoa powder and chopped pine nuts.
GOJI TRAIL MIX
This very popular recipe is one which could be played up on every time you prepare it. Thus, you can go for Goji berries with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, pecans, pieces of walnuts, pine nuts, slices of apples, dried blueberries, peaches, cherries, pineapple and coconut shreds. You can make any innovations as you decide.
GOJI BERRIES AND CREAM OF BUCKWHEAT
Buckwheat has always been considered the best by people who are allergic to wheat and gluten. It is also seen that if you are feeling physically and emotionally challenged, getting rid of wheat and gluten foods from your diet can have good overall impact on your life. The main constituents of buckwheat include proteins in rich quantities and vitamin B. It is also very rich in potassium, phosphorus, calcium and iron. Despite it's seemingly resemblance to other grains, it is actually a fruit biologically and that is why it could be consumed by people who are allergic to wheat. Now, about the Goji berry recipe!
Let us first talk about serving two people. Boil about 2 1/2 cups of water and then stir about 1/2 cup of cream of buckwheat slowly. Boil the mixture. Now, add a Goji berries as per your wish. Adding salt is also optional. Now, reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for about ten minutes with continued stirring.
GOJI JUICE BREAD RECIPE
The ingredients that you would need are:
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of sugar
1 table spoon of baking powder
1 table spoon of salt
1 egg
1/2 cup of shortening
3/4 cups of milk
3 tablespoons of finely grated orange peel
1 cup of chopped pecans
1/2 cups of Goji juice
It is pretty simple to prepare. Take all purpose flour, baking powder, sugar and salt and mix it in a mixing bowl till the mixture becomes uniform. Now, use blender or a fork to add the shortening to the mixture. Enjoy!

Colon Healthy Recipes And Foods

2010-08-25T22:54:00.045-07:00

Having a healthy colon is the key to long term health and finding good colon healthy recipes is one way to help keep your body healthy. While it might be difficult to actually locate recipes that are labeled to be healthy for the colon, you can learn to recognize them by the ingredients that they contain- namely fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition, a healthy recipe will contain little or no white flour and white sugar. Perhaps the best recipe for colon health, however is to include lots of fruits and vegetables in your meals as described below.
The large intestine or colon is where the results of the entire digestive process gather up to leave the body. Due to poor eating habits, most people have an unhealthy colon resulting in constipation. If your colon is not in tip top shape, food can get trapped in the lining and start to rot. It can also become hardened in there and can even be trapped in your colon for years!
Of course, food plays a big role in the health of your colon. There are many arguments for the pros and cons of a vegan diet, however when it comes to colon health, a vegetarian way of eating has many benefits.
Animal foods are hard to digest where plant foods are quite easy to digest. So, colon healthy recipes will include little or no animal foods and be based mainly on whole grains, fruits and vegetables. In addition to good colon health, using recipes made with these foods will have a pronounced effect on your overall health in general.
Vegetables and fruits are very colon friendly and can be processed or digested quite easily by the body. They contain a variety of vitamins and minerals as well as enzymes and fiber- all things that are essential to good health. Fiber, in particular, is good for your colon health as it adds bulk which helps to pass the food along the digestive tract.
One simple and easy breakfast recipe could be a fruit salad with oatmeal (not the packaged or instant stuff). Natural fruit juice can be quite healthy too although it does not have fiber and drinking a lot of water will help with the digestive process.
Always try to include a salad for lunch with lots of dark leafy greens. Stay away from the iceburg and try to include romaine lettuce and spinach as these have more vitamins. Broccoli, carrots, cauliflower and kale are great additions to any salad. Don't forget the olives and artichokes for a little zest. Instead of bottled dressing which is probably loaded with sugar, try olive oil and vinegar- you might even mix in some fresh herbs and create your own salad dressing recipe!
For snacks, stay away from anything that comes in a package and go for raw nuts, fruit, veggies or even a nice fruit smoothie- made with real fresh fruit, of course! If you need something crunchy try spreading all natural peanut butter on celery (this can also help to satisfy any cravings for sweets).
Colon healthy recipes for dinner follow the same common sense rules. Try cutting down on the red meat and eating fresh fish along with a salad and perhaps some steamed broccoli, zucchini and carrots. If you need something more substantial try adding brown rice, corn on the cob or potatoes.
Just like with any other aspect of your health, eating nutritious healthy foods is a sure fire way to keep your colon, and your whole body, in good health.

Cooking and Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.044-07:00

The 21st Century has seen an explosion in the popularity of cooking and creative catering on both sides of the Atlantic. Although cooking and preparing food is an age old skill that has been passed down through generations of people, the recent fashion for celebrity chefs has led to an increase in the amount of people who cook and prepare food. Traditionally, cooking and preparing recipes has been the domain of the housewife or matriarch in a household but due to the emergence of celebrity chefs such as Gordon Ramsay and Aldo Zilli more and more people have developed a flair and passion for creating culinary masterpieces.

As well as many cook books and recipe books being published and available in retail outlets and television programmes and dvds being shown, the internet is a very valuable resources for chefs of any standard and also the casual and occasional cook. Many celebrity chefs have put their names and signatures to recipes and too products used in cooking.

Recipes for almost any type of food, from Indian to Mexican through to traditional English meals can be found online. For example, typing in the phrase “recipes” into Google provides 122,000,000 results.

As well as the recipes published on websites, it is also possible to purchase the cook books and recipe books mentioned in the previous paragraph from online retailers such as Amazon. Purchasing using this method allows the consumer to read reviews of the books and compare them online very easily. These sites also allow people to buy new books and also second hand books for cheaper than the new version. These books can be ordered, dispatched and received within 24 hours from some sites and this has helped see a huge surge in online book sales. E-Bay is another very useful resource for picking up recipe books, cookery books and items needed for cookery. Often very good condition, second hand and new items can be found on EBay for very good and affordable prices.

As well as these online book stores and recipe websites which can help chefs at all levels and culinary standards to achieve great results there is another aspect to the internet which can help greatly. There are many forums online which are used by people who have great knowledge and experience in cookery and food preparation. They can provide answers to specific questions if necessary or even just help with general cooking tips and ideas. These forums allow people to compare and discuss results they have achieved when cooking as well as giving tips and advice. Forum users must be wary however when taking advice and help from other users because it is very difficult to ascertain the validity of someone’s ability or expertise in the cookery world. Sometimes an element of trial and error is needed when using forums and the advice received from members of them.

Easy Low Fat Recipe for the Whole Family to Enjoy

2010-08-25T22:54:00.043-07:00

Modern life is busy and many things can fall by the wayside in the quest to get everything done. One of those things might be family dinners eaten together. Lots of busy families are opting to order out or eat at fast food restaurants, and their health and pocketbooks are suffering.

Eating and ordering out can become a very expensive venture. Think about how much you spend per week to eat on the go. Then multiply the figure by four and you will have a round about figure of what you are spending monthly to eat out. It is probably a high figure, and you can do something about it by preparing an easy low fat recipe that your whole family will enjoy eating.

There are lots of places you can find a quick and easy low fat recipe to prepare. Most easy low fat recipe use a few ingredients that can be put together quickly and easily. You can even find many easy low fat recipe you can cook all at once and freeze for your family to eat during the week.

When you prepare an easy low fat recipe that is chock full of healthy ingredients, you can rest assured that you are doing your family a great service. If you get your kids used to eating foods that are high in fat and low in nutrition, they may eat that way long into their own adulthood. Getting started eating healthy and nutritious when you are young is a great way to get into a routine of low fat living with a diet that is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains.

You will be amazed at how quickly your family gets used to eating an easy low fat recipe. Many easy low fat recipe are so tasty, your family may never know they are eating something that is good for them. You can also think about introducing an easy low fat recipe the next time you are asked to contribute food to a family get together or party.

Aromatherapy Recipe: a Soothing Gift of Nature

2010-08-25T22:54:00.042-07:00

Aromatherapy recipe is blend of essential oils according to its different benefits. Aromatherapy has its roots in the ancient times, has continued to grow with time. These days, a large number of people have started confiding in the healing power of nature. It is something like a renaissance of ancient mode of healing. Aromatherapy Recipe helps in curing health problems like stress, congestion, common cold and various disorders effectively without any side effects. In order to make the most out of the prepared aromatherapy recipe, you need to be well-acquainted with the benefits of the basic ingredients constituting it. This approach is beneficial in deciding upon the essential oils which need to be blended.

In the aromatherapy recipe, essential oils are put to use to treat various mental and physical ailments. In these essential oils, the life preserving element is preserved while extracting the oil from plants, seeds and roots. Different aromatherapy helps in different ways. Like an aromatherapy receive comprising on lavender oil, marjoram and tangerine each including one drop of chamomile oil is meant to stimulate a relaxation of the muscles, tissues and joints. This blend of essential oils can be used an ounce of carrier oil, you can massage it, use as bath oil or any other way you like. It will help you to experience relief from stress and anxiety.

In fact, a recipe of lavender, peppermint and roman chamomile can do wonders for your headache. There are very many kinds of aromatherapy oils that you can put to use in your recipes with different curative properties. Some of these are eucalyptus oil, cedarwood oil, peppermint oil and many more. A massage of these essential oils improves blood circulation and brings balance to your body, soul and mind. After a short while, you can feel the difference on your own.

In order to know the right kind of aromatherapy recipe, you must be completely acquainted with the benefits of individual oils. You can take hold of essential oils from some retail shop in the market or from some spa, as these days spas also put aromatherapy oils for sale. You can seek advice from some professional or research through internet on your own. Always keep in mind that your decision should be based on thorough knowledge. There are more than one ways to make use of aromatherapy recipes. You can choose among massaging, inhaling, ingestion and various other modes of making use of aromatherapy recipe.

Healthy Chicken Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.041-07:00

What I like about healthy chicken recipes is that chicken meat is so versatile to cook with and there are just a multitude of ways that chicken may be used in recipes.

Although great care must be taken when handling chicken, using rubber gloves and disinfecting any area the chicken may have touched during preparation with bleach, it has to be one of the tastiest, containing low fat once skin is removed, and its main function is to provide protein. Chick may be roasted, fried, put in stir fry recipes, casseroles, eaten with almost anything and is low cal once the skin has been removed.

My favorite is chicken breasts, bones removed, easy to cook with Sharwood's Tandori Butter Sauce and a multitude of healthy vegetables, apples, raisins, potatoes, red peppers, Spanish onions. It is an amazing Curried Sauce that just blends with the chicken breasts amazingly well. This can be done in a crock pot by cooking the breasts ahead in their juice, and one bay leaf and 1 tbsp of olive oil. When breasts are cooked, add Tandori Butter Sauce and your red peppers, potatoes chopped in cubes and Spanish onions and raisins and apples. Wow - this is my favorite healthy chicken recipe.

Aside from being lower in saturated fats then red meat, it is also a good source of Vitamin A, the B Vitamins and minerals. Remember when buying chicken to check for bruises, and very yellow skin - these birds have actually been fed colorants to make them look fat healthy. The best chicken for you to buy for healthy chicken recipes, is organically fed and range free grown. No pesticides and an proper anti-biotic-free fed bird. These can often be purchased at your favorite local meat shop, where you should know the practices of the butcher and grower etc.

Man birds are killed at 5 weeks to 5 months of age after being fed to fatten and given antibiotics in their foods. Much better than shopping at a department store for your precious white bird meat.

All poultry must be washed prior to cooking and your hands washed frequently during preparation as mentioned previously, but safety at all costs is important cooking healthy chicken recipes. Any knives, cutting boards, plates must also be bleached.

Chicken is cooked when leg joints move easily, or when meat pulls apart gently with a fork, when in casserole or crock pot. Note for healthy chicken recipes, remove skin prior to cooking and never refrigerate a stuffed chicken before cooking it stuffed poultry should be cooked at 325 F - lower temp will allow bacteria to multiply and higher temps may cook the outside but not the stuffing on the inside.

Once Healthy Chicken Recipe is cooked, savor the flavor. It is one of the better organically fed and grown tastes to experience.

Canning Homemade Salsa Recipes Requires Special Care!

2010-08-25T22:54:00.040-07:00

When working with canned salsa recipes special care is required because there is a health risk if not done properly. Because of the bacteria which grows in improperly canned food, the central nervous system can be damaged, and even death can result in the worst case, when this bacteria is consumed in small quantities.

Since most salsa recipes contain a mixture of low-acid foods such as onions and chiles, an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar must be added to prevent the growth of this bacteria. Special care must be taken to ensure that they contain enough of this acid to be processed safely in a boiling water canner.

When following canned salsa recipe instructions, make sure to follow them exactly. Use the amounts of each vegetable listed in the recipe and add the amount of vinegar or lemon juice listed.

Do not can salsas that do not follow these or other research tested recipes. Remember that you always have the option of freezing or refrigerating the salsa.

Do not thicken salsas with flour or cornstarch before canning. After you open a jar to use, you may pour off some of the liquid or thicken with cornstarch.

Pretreat the jar lids according to the manufacturer's instructions. When canning your salsa, fill the hot clean jars with the hot salsa. Make sure you don't leave any salsa on the rims. Take a clean, damp paper towel and wipe the rims of the jar. Put on lids and screw on metal bands.

When processing in a boiling water canner, use a rack to keep jars from touching the canner bottom and to allow the heat to reach all sides of the filled jars. Put the jars into a canner that contains simmering water.

Add the boiling water if needed to bring water 1-2 inches above the top of the jars. Don't pour the water directly on the jars. Place a tight-fitting cover on canner.

Bring water back to a rolling boil and set a timer for recommended processing time. Make sure the water is boiling gently and steadily.

Remove the jars from the canner immediately after timer sounds. Don't leave the jars in the water too long or the food might spoil.

If you find that a jar is not sealed, refrigerate it and use it soon after that.

When storing, wipe the jars and label them with the date and the contents of the jar. Store the salsa jars in a cool dark place and use it within a year.

When you are ready to try your homemade salsa recipe, before opening each jar, look for any bulging lids, leaks, or any unusual appearance of the food. If you notice an odor, mold, foam, or anything that might make you suspicious, destroy the salsa food.

As you can see, you need to take great care when canning salsa to ensure that the quality of the food is maintained. But the results are worth the effort!

How to Cook Salmon - Easy Salmon Recipes for All Occasions

2010-08-25T22:54:00.039-07:00

If you're a salmon lover, you'll definitely want to learn more ways how to cook salmon and this article will give you more easy recipes for salmon that you can certainly add to your tasty and easy to prepare salmon recipes.

First, the Salmon Mold.

SALMON MOLD

Salmon mold is a delicious dish, very attractive and it's definitely different from common and popular recipes for salmon that you can always find.

Ingredients:

2 c. salmon

2 Tb. vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 Tb. gelatine

1-1/2 c. boiling water

Procedures:

First get rid off all skin and bones from the salmon when it is taken from the can, and mince it thoroughly with a fork. Add the mixed vinegar, salt, and pepper. Prepare the gelatine by dissolving it in the boiling water. Add the seasoned salmon to the prepared gelatine. With cold water, wet a ring-shaped mold having an open space in the center. Pour the salmon and gelatine mixture into this mold, and allow it to stand until it solidifies. Arrange a bed of lettuce leaves on a chop plate, turn the mold out on this, and fill the center with dressing. Serve at once. Sufficient to serve six.

Second, the Salmon Patties Recipe.

SALMON PATTIES

Salmon patties are usually made from salmon by combining it with bread crumbs and using a thick white sauce to hold the ingredients together. You can either sauted them in shallow fat or fried in deep fat.

Ingredients:

2 c. finely minced salmon

1 c. fresh bread crumbs

1 c. thick white sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Dry bread crumbs

Procedures:

First step is to mix the fresh bread crumbs and the white sauce with the salmon. Season with salt and pepper and shape into round patties, roll in the dry bread crumbs, and fry in deep fat or saute in shallow fat. Serve hot with or without sauce.

Third, the Salmon Loaf Recipe.

SALMON TIMBALE OR LOAF

Ingredients:

1 can salmon

1 cupful soft bread crumbs

1 1/2 teaspoonfuls chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoonful salt

Pepper

1 or 2 eggs

1 tablespoonful lemon juice

1/4 to 1/2 cupful milk

Procedures;

Combine all the ingredients thoroughly, adding enough milk to moisten. Then pour into buttered timbale molds or into one bowl. Place on a rack in a pan, surround with hot water, and cover. Bake in the oven or cook on top of the range until the fish mixture is firm and is heated thoroughly. Turn out, and serve with White Sauce to which chopped parsley has been added. Peas in White Sauce make a pleasing addition to Salmon Timbale. Tuna fish or other cooked fish may be used instead of salmon.

Preparing Great Vegetarian Soup Recipe

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A great vegetarian soup recipe is not just all about preparing your appetite for a healthy vegetarian meal - it should be healthy as well. To help you come up with some of your very own vegetarian soup recipe, here are some tips.

Experiment

When it comes to vegetarian recipes, there is really no hard-and-fast rule. You just have to follow the preliminary basics and then let your imagination rule. This means that you may just have to sauté the usual garlic, onions and your choice of vegetables, add the soup stock or vegetable broth and then add whatever you like including spices. If you are preparing a cold and raw vegetarian soup recipe, then you can experiment by swapping some ingredients like watermelon for tomatoes or vice versa.

The only general rule is to basically respect your taste buds and whoever you are cooking for. It would be better though to reserve experimentation on your free days and simply use tested soup recipes on regular days when you have little time.

Be Generous with Spices

At times, a small portion of green onions, celery or carrots sauted in onions will make a big difference in taste. Other soup recipes however may need a little more than the usual herbs and spices. Try a few mixes like oregano and rosemary; pepper and lemon or pepper and lemon grass. You can also use other spices like cayenne and cumin. One tip with vegetarian soup recipe seasoning is to use an appropriate amount or mix of spices so you can cut back on salt.

Thicken the Soup

To make the soup more savory, make the texture just right - not too thin, and not too thick. Texture may of course be improved by thickening the soup. One secret of oriental cooks is that they use flour or cornstarch to thicken a vegetarian soup recipe instead of using milk. Some would suggest adding a precise number of parts of flour or cornstarch to water but sometimes you just have to make an estimate.

To put more texture or thickness to your soup, simply add a small amount of cornstarch. Simply mix a small amount of cornstarch with some warm water and then slowly pour the mixture while stirring in soup that is just about ready to be taken out of the fire.

Convert

Non-vegetarians usually add meat to make the soup tastier. However, vegetarians can substitute the meat with other ingredients. Aside from spices, pepper and green onions, you can also add a bit of soy sauce to give your soup some flavor. Beans can also add to the flavor of your vegetarian soup recipe and even supply much needed protein which others normally get from meat. Aside from beans, peas, lentils and squash are also tasty additions to vegetarian soup.

Freezing Soup

One great thing about soup is that you can prepare more than enough and freeze the rest for the next day. Just make sure that before you freeze soup, you allow it to cool completely first. Have it chilled so that you can remove excess oil before transferring it to small containers for freezing. Makes sure there is some extra space in your container after the soup has been transferred to allow the liquid to expand.

Kid Recipe

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How To Teach Your Children To Cook

If you're ready to teach your children how to cook (with kid recipe), here are some simple tips for teaching them the basics, and giving them skills that will last them a lifetime!

First of all, think safety. Any child that has to stand on a stool or chair in order to reach the stove is too young to cook. Start younger children off by letting them help set and clear the table, gathering ingredients, and stirring, mixing or adding ingredients.

Next, set rules about handling knives and other sharp instruments and handling hot pans or boiling ingredients. Some parents start teaching their children to cook by showing them how to make things that don't require cooking first, and then graduating to letting them make food in the microwave.

Create a relaxed atmosphere that is fun when teaching your kids to cook. Remember what it was like when you were learning to cook? Chances are, you made a few messes and broke a few dishes. It happens. Learning to cook should be fun, not drudgery, although there are certain responsibilities that go along with the privilege, such as cleaning up as you go along, and leaving the kitchen cleans when you're finished.

Start with the basics. Show your kids what the different utensils are used for, and the right way to use them. Teach them about herbs and spices, and using the right ingredients for the right dishes. Cooking is a great way to learn fractions and chemistry, and your kids might not even realize they're learning while they're having fun!

Begin with simple kid recipe that include step-by-step instructions and pictures so kids can see what something's supposed to look like while they're assembling the recipe...let success build on success.

Give your kids a chance to shine. As they learn to cook more complicated recipes, let them be responsible for planning -- and cooking lunch or dinner one night. Letting your kids plan the meal -- and even shop for the ingredients will help them to realize and appreciate the effort that goes into cooking.

As your kids become more skilled, begin including foods from different cultures. Many recipes such as French crepes or Italian lasagna are not difficult to make, and your kids will develop an appreciation for many different kinds of food.

Especially for younger children, having tools that are their own size not only make cooking more fun, but make it easier for them to participate. Kid-sized kitchen utensils can be found at many department or specialty stores.

Make sure you take plenty of pictures -- you may not realize it now, but you're making memories that someday will be as delicious as that batch of chocolate chip cookies you're baking now!

Make fun and delicious kid recipe with your family!

Pasta Recipes – the Very Best in Italian Cuisine!

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These pasta recipes are excellent for dinners or parties.

In this article, I’m going to share with you three delicious pasta recipes that you can prepare for any occasion that suits you. The recipes are very easy and can be prepare in less than 30 minutes.

So, here we go…

Lemon Tuna Pasta

4 tsp Butter

18 Black olives, pitted & sliced

1 tsp Oil; olive

2 can Tuna; chunk, drained

4 large Garlic cloves, chopped

Pasta; penne, cooked and drained

1/8 cup Lemon juice

4 tsp Butter (add at end)

3 tsp Capers, drained

Melt butter with oil in skillet. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add lemon juice, capers and olives and cook another 2 minutes. Turn heat to lowest setting. Add tuna & separate it (do NOT flake) with a fork. Heat through, stirring gently. Drain pasta. Add remainder of butter and sauce to hot pasta, tossing well.

Tomato Soup with Pasta

3 tbsp Olive oil

1/2 tsp Black pepper

1 small Onion, chopped

1 tsp Basil

1 lb Tomatoes, chopped

3 pt Stock

1 Carrot, sliced

1 cup Small pasta / broken vermicelli

1 Celery stick, sliced

1 tbsp Chopped parsley

1 tsp Salt

Heat oil in soup pot & gently fry the onion for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, carrot & celery. Mix well with the oil. Sprinkle in the seasonings & stir together. Fry for 3 minutes. Add stock & bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes then add pasta. When pasta is tender, serve, garnished with parsley.

Both Pasta Recipes yield 4 servings

If you are concerned about your health and think that the above pasta recipes are too rich in calories, here is one recipe that I’m sure you’ll love…

Broccoli-Pasta Toss

2 cups Broccoli flowerets

3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

4 oz Fettuccine, broken up

1 tsp Sesame seed, toasted

1 tbsp Oil, cooking

1/8 tsp Garlic powder

In a large saucepan cook broccoli and pasta in a large amount of boiling water for 6 -8 minutes or just until tender, stirring once or twice. Drain. Add oil to pasta mixture and toss. Add cheese, sesame seeds, garlic, and pepper to taste. Toss gently to coat. Serve immediately. 4 servings

A Recipe for Rye Bread

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The more I make bread, the more I am convinced of the importance of the kitchen being in the best position in the house. When we designed and built our house, I was determined that the kitchen should have a view and be on the front of the house. Now that it’s six-fifteen of a summer morning and I’m up early, kneading bread, because we’ve run out again, I’m especially happy to be looking out over a sun-soaked landscape to the distant mountains. Every time you make bread you’re guaranteed a good ten minutes of contemplation as you knead it, the mechanical rhythmic activity frees the mind to wander or switch off…very therapeutic. Having a view thrown in as well is just an added bonus.

I haven’t always made bread. It is a comparatively recent development. Making jam was the first breakthrough into self-sufficiency, then came the day when our local supplier of rye bread, who made a loaf that (miracle of miracles), all the children would eat, decided to switch recipes and use caraway in it…instant rejection by the whole family.

We’d stopped the wheat bread to try and help my son’s allergies and found it helped most of us, so apart from the occasional indulgence of fluffy white bread, I wanted to stay off it. There was no alternative; I would have to take the leap into bread making. The main reason that I’d resisted was that it seemed to take so long. First the mixing and kneading, then the rising, then knocking down and forming loaves, a second rising and finally the baking. Who could keep track of all that in the chaotic life of a three-child family?

So eventually I take the plunge, turn to my friend Nigel (Slater, not namedropping but he and Nigella (Lawson) are ever-present in my kitchen, in book format of course) and find a foolproof recipe for a white loaf, simpler to start off with white I think. Well the first try produced a reasonable, if huge, loaf, and though my son still remembers that it was a bit doughy in the middle. Second try, I got two pretty perfect loaves and I was on a roll.

Now to find a recipe for rye bread. It seems that 100% rye is usually made by the sour dough method and I couldn’t see my family going for that, so settle for a half and half rye/whole-wheat recipe… triumph. Ok, my son the food connoisseur complained it was a bit too sweet, so next time round I reduced the amount of honey, but this recipe has been our staple diet ever since, and I am now truly ensconced in my kitchen, looking at the view, every other day, while I Endeavour to keep the supply level with the ever increasing demand.

Any way, finally to the recipe:

500g rye flour

450g whole-wheat flour plus more for kneading

50g plain flour

1 tablespoon salt

1 10g sachet of instant yeast

1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons oil

670 ml milk

125 ml water

Warm the milk to lukewarm. Mix the flours and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and put in the yeast, then honey, then oil, pour on the warmed milk and water and mix. When it gets doughy turn out on to a well floured surface (it will be extremely sticky) and knead for 10 minutes. You will need to keep adding flour as you knead. It is better for it to be too sticky than too dry – you can always add more flour, but too dry will make a dry, hard loaf. After 10 minutes, put it back into the bowl with a plastic bag over it and leave in a warmish place for two hours or so. Then knock down, firmly pressing out the air, but not over kneading, then form into two or three loaves on a baking sheet, cover again and leave to rise for another hour. Then bake for 30 minutes at 190C until they sound hollow when you tap on the bottom of the loaf. Cool on a wire rack

So how do I keep track of the bread making, in between school runs, mealtimes and the rest? Well I don’t always. There are times when I optimistically start the bread off, leave it to rise and four hours later remember about it, knock it down, forget to switch on the oven so it has had an extra day or so in rising time by the time it gets cooked. It does seem to be very forgiving though – whatever you do to it, you do generally get bread out at the end, it may not always be the perfect loaf, but then variety is the spice of life after all. There was one time it hadn’t quite finished cooking by the time I had to do the school run, so I asked my husband to take it out in ten minutes….. By the time I got back we had a very useful weapon against intruders. We didn’t eat that one…I think it was ryvita for lunch…!

Affordable Gourmet-style Recipes

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Looking for recipe ideas that are easy to follow, inexpensive and relatively guilt-free too? Try incorporating an American household favorite -- canned tuna!

For something a little different that promises to please guests and family, Bumble Bee provides some delightful, recipe ideas made with canned tuna’s new gold label Prime Fillet. Keep this gourmet quality solid white albacore tuna ready in the pantry for parties, unexpected guests or family get-togethers. Then, whip up an affordable gourmet-style meal that will have your guests convinced you’ve prepared something truly elaborate and extravagant. As an added bonus, they will enjoy canapés or entrées that are delectable, but without those serious calories.

Specially developed by two of California’s leading chefs, here are recipes that demonstrate how canned tuna is no ordinary ingredient.

** Mediterranean-Style Rigatoni Pasta with Prime Fillet Albacore

Recipe by Chef de Cuisine Fabrice Poigin, Bertrand at Mister A’s, San Diego

This simple and flavorful pasta dish with a Mediterranean flair is ideal whether sitting down to dinner with the family or celebrating with guests. Chef Fabrice suggests complementing this with a glass of 2001 Spottswood Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

4 ounces unsalted butter

1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 red bell peppers, deseeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 vine ripe tomato, diced

5 cloves of garlic, minced

A sprig of rosemary

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 small jar of Spanish olives (green olives stuffed with pimientos), drained

2 6-ounce cans of Bumble Bee Prime Fillet Solid White Albacore, drained

1/2 pound rigatoni pasta

1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives

Dry aged parmesan, grated

Pinch of crushed red hot pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:: Bring water to boil in a large pot according to package directions in preparation for cooking the rigatoni pasta. Heat 2/3 of the olive oil and 4 ounces of unsalted butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until nearly hot but not smoking. Add diced onions and cook for approximately 5 minutes until soft. Add diced red bell peppers, reducing to low-medium heat and cook until peppers are soft. Add diced tomato, minced garlic and 1/3 teaspoon of rosemary sprig leaves. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Cover and cook over low heat for another 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of dry white wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Then, add drained whole olives and Bumble Bee Prime Fillet tuna in solid pieces to sautéed mixture. Cover and cook until tuna is heated through (approximately 3 to 5 minutes).

Cook the rigatoni pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package directions or until al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander, leaving behind a little moisture. Toss the pasta, tuna sauce and water, then place in a serving dish or on individual plates. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the top and garnish with thinly sliced chives and grated dry aged parmesan. Top with a pinch of crushed red hot pepper flakes, if you prefer a little more bite.

** Delicate, Festive Albacore Tuna Canape

Recipe by Chef de Cuisine Fabrice Poigin, Bertrand at Mister A’s, San Diego

An easy-to-follow, elegant-style canapé for entertaining guests or just treating yourself to a unique way of serving up albacore tuna! Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients:

1 6-ounce can of Bumble Bee Prime Fillet Solid White Albacore, drained

2 finely diced shallots

1 tablespoon chives, thinly sliced

1 soup spoon crème fraiche

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Sourdough bread (optional)

3 ounces of comté cheese or aged white cheddar, sliced thinly

Extra crème fraiche for garnish (optional)

1/2 ounce domestic caviar (optional)

Chervil sprigs (optional)

Directions:: Mix together Prime Fillet tuna, shallots, chives, crème fraiche, and salt and pepper. Spoon mixture onto toasted triangles of sourdough bread or into Chinese ceramic serving spoons. Top each serving mixture with a slice of cheese and place in a pre-heated oven (300 degrees) until cheese begins to melt -- approximately 3 minutes. Remove toasties or Chinese spoons from the oven and top individually with a dot of crème fraiche, and then a dot of caviar (optional). Finish with a sprig of chervil to garnish.

** Prime Fillet Albacore Tuna and Potato Casserole

Recipe by Chef Gerald Hirigoyen, owner and executive chef, Piperade and Fringale Restaurants, San Francisco

Recognized in Food & Wine magazine’s 2003 Top Ten Best New Wine Lists, Chef Gerald suggests complementing this entrée with a glass of 2001 Turnbull Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 large onions, thinly sliced

4 medium Anaheim chilies, seeded and thinly sliced

2 bay leaves

8 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered

1 cup dry white wine

3 cups vegetable stock or canned vegetable broth

6 to 8 saffron threads

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 mild dried chili pepper

4 6-ounce cans of Bumble Bee Prime Fillet Solid White Albacore, drained

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Pinch of piment d’Espelette (Basque chili pepper) or mild cayenne powder

Directions:: Warm 1/2 cup olive oil in a large casserole over high heat. Add onions, Anaheim chilies, bay leaves, and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, wine, vegetable stock, and saffron. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Add salt, pepper, and dried chili pepper, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the tuna and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until warmed through. Stir only occasionally to avoid breaking apart the fish. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Discard the bay leaves before serving. Serve in shallow soup bowls, and sprinkle with the parsley and piment d’Espelette.

For more information visit http://www.dishadvice.com

Low Calorie and Vegetarian Recipes - the Delicious Options

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It is common belief that low calorie and vegetarian recipes have to challenge your palate. The truth is, however, they can be just as delicious as your favorite dishes. Now, I am about to share with you two such recipes, and you can just give them a try to convince yourself.

1. Vegetarian Black Bean Burgers

You will need the following ingredients to prepare for this recipe:

* 1 can of black beans

* 1/2 of an onion

* 1/2 cup of flour

* 2 slices of bread

* 1 teaspoon of garlic powder

* 1 teaspoon of onion powder

* 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

* salt and pepper

To prepare, follow the steps below:

a) Dice the onion, then saute it for about 4 or 5 minutes until soft.

b) Pour the black beans into a large bowl and mash them until they are almost smooth.

c) Add to the mashed black beans with the sauteed onions, garlic powder, onion powder, and seasoned salt.

d) Crumble up the sliced bread and add them to the mixture.

e) Add the flour to the mixture, a few tablespoons each time. Keep stirring after each addition.

f) Add a small amount of oil into a frying pan, and heat it up.

g) Scoop some of the mixture out of the bowl with your hands, and shape it into a pattie that is about 1/2 thick.

h) Fry the patties until they are firm.

Have a try and you will be amazed at the wonderful taste of the burgers.

2. Tofu Scramble

If you have ever tried vegetarian diet, you will know that tofu is always used as a meat substitute. And, the tofu scramble which we are about to try can be served as a wonderful substitute for scrambled eggs.

You need these ingredients:

* 1 block of tofu, drained and press

* 1/2 yellow onion

* 1/2 green pepper

* 1 teaspoon garlic powder

* 1 teaspoon onion powder

* 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

* 1 tablespoon soy sauce

* 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

* 2 teaspoons oil or margarine

Here are the steps for cooking:

a) Cut the tofu into one inch cubes, and then use a fork to slightly crumble it.

b) Dice your onion and bell pepper.

c) Add some oil or margarine to a skillet set to medium-high.

d) Add the onion, green pepper and tofu to the skillet. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes.

e) Add to the skillet with garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, soy sauce, and nutritional yeast.

f) Cook the tofu scramble for 6 or 7 minutes, stirring frequently. When it is done, pour onto a plate and enjoy.

You can treat a tofu scramble like what you would do with scramble eggs, adding vegetables of your choice, like tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, and carrots.

Now, are you convinced that low calorie and vegetarian recipes can be just as tasteful as the non-vegetarian ones? Simply give the two recipes a try. In fact, there are thousands of people out there who are enjoying delicious and healthy vegetarian diet every single day!

Family Favorite Mexican Crock Pot Recipes

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There are so many different delicious crock pot recipes available now days. You can feed your family well, and with variety too. If your family loves Mexican dishes, but you're tired of the same old tacos for dinner, try one of our simple Mexican recipes. Start your meal in the morning and come home to an easy evening of dinner with the family.

These easy Mexican style crock pot recipes are ones your family will love and ask for over and over again. There are three different types: Beef, Chicken and Pasta crock pot recipes listed below. Try one this week and treat your family and yourself to a great meal together.

Mexican Shredded Beef Crock Pot Recipe

4 lbs chuck roast

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 - 4 oz cans green chilies, undrained

3/4 cup hot pepper sauce or to taste

Water

Season chuck roast with salt and pepper. Place in crock pot. Mix together remaining ingredients except water, and spoon over meat. Pour water down along the sides of the crock pot until roast is 1/3 covered. Cover it and cook on high 6 hours. Reduce to low 2-4 hours, until meat falls apart. Shred with forks if needed. Sauce can be thickened with a little flour. This is perfect as a burrito dinner or on buns.

Mexican Chicken Stew Crock Pot Recipe

2 lbs skinless boneless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces

4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut small

1 -15 oz can mild salsa

1 -4 oz can diced green chilies

1 -1 ¼ oz package taco seasoning mix

1 -8 oz can tomato sauce

Mix all ingredients together in a crock pot, cook 8 hours on low. Serve with warm flour tortillas, and corn or add it to the finished stew.

Mexican Macaroni and Cheese Crock Pot Recipe

5 to 6 cups hot cooked macaroni, drained -12 oz dry

2 tbs butter

1 can 12 oz evaporated milk

1 can nacho cheese soup

2 cups shredded Mexican Cheddar cheese

1 - 4 oz can chopped green chilies

1 - 4 oz can sliced black olives

3/4 cup thick medium salsa

salt and pepper to taste

Grease your crock pot lightly. Toss the hot macaroni with butter; add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.

Easy Chocolate Fondue Recipes

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There are some great chocolate fondue recipes out there. The world loves chocolate. You would be hard pressed to find somebody that doesn’t like chocolate in some form or another. Chocolate has even been called the food of the Gods. Fondue makes a great dip for dipping fruit, shortbread cookies, pound cake and even salty snacks like pretzels. You put chocolate and fondue together and you can’t go wrong. Have some kind of chocolate fondue at a party or get together with some dippers and watch how fast it disappears. However if you’re like most people you don’t really want to spend a lot time on your chocolate fondue recipes. Well here are a couple of chocolate fondue recipes that are fast, easy and delicious. Serve any of these at your next get together and your guests will think you’re and angel.Two Minute Chocolate Fondue RecipeOnly two minutes and you’ve got a tasty chocolate fondue dessert.Ingredients You Need:12 ounces good quality semi-sweet chocolate2/3 cup heavy cream2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract3 tablespoons Grand Marnier or Amaretto liqueur (optional)Bite sized pieces of fruit or cakeHow To Prepare:Combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a medium heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Stirring constantly, cook for about two minutes, or until melted and smooth. Add the vanilla and liqueur. Serve with the fruit and cake.Serves 6 Smores Chocolate Fondue RecipeThis is a new take on an old favorite camping recipe.Ingredients You Need:1 cup cream8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped1 cup marshmallow creamHow To Prepare:Slowly warm the cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. When hot, add the chocolate pieces, stirring until melted. Stir in the marshmallow cream and warm the mixture. Transfer to a warm fondue pot.Serve with graham crackers and marshmallows.Serves 6 or moreSo do you think these chocolate fondue recipes will make your guest glad they came to your get together? Sure they will and it took you no time at all to do. You don’t only have to have chocolate fondues as a party treat, you can have it any time you want. Let these two chocolate fondue recipes be just the first of many more.

5 Great Catfish Recipes

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There are many recipes for catfish. The best catfish recipes include Grilled Citrus Catfish, Fried Catfish, Baked Catfish, Catfish Croquettes and Blackened Catfish. These recipes have proven to be very tasty. Because catfish is so tender to eat, many recipes only require a short baking or frying time. These recipes are good for home cooking while the Grilled Catfish is good for catfish right out of the water.
The recipe for Grilled Citrus Catfish:
4 fillets
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoon minced onion dried
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
4 lemon wedges
Step 1-Rinse the fillets and dry by patting.
Step 2- Combine all the ingredients except the lemon wedges in a casserole dish.
Step 3- Add the fillets and marinate overnight while turning a few times.
Step 3- Over medium hot coal, grill the fillets while continually basting with the marinate mixture.
Step 4- Grilling takes about eight minutes a side. Remove from the grill and squeeze lemon wedges over the grilled fillets.
The recipe for Fried Catfish:
4 fillets
2 cups flour
1 cup milk or beer can be substituted
Vegetable oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic
Step 1- Mix together half of the pepper, salt, garlic, milk and flour in a bowl.
Step 2- Coat the fillets with the other half of the flour.
Step 3- Dip the filets into the batter mixture and then place in the frying pan with vegetable oil or a deep fryer.
Step 4- Fry or deep fry until the fillets are golden brown.
The recipe for Baked Catfish:
4 to 8 fillets
1 cup milk
1 stick butter
1 chopped bell pepper
1 chopped onion
2 cups flour
2- 8 ounce cans shrimp soup
1-8 ounce can mushrooms sliced
1 lemon
1/2 cup sherry
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
Salt
Pepper
Steps 1- In the milk soak the fillets for a few hours.
Step 2- Dip each fillet into the flour and brown in butter in frying pan. Then place fillets in casserole dish.
Step 3- Brown the onion and pepper in the butter. Mix the seasonings, squeezed lemon juice, mushrooms and shrimp soup as well as the onion and bell pepper together.
Step 4- Pour the mixture over the fillets in the casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes.
The recipe for Catfish Croquettes:
2 cups cooked fillets
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup breadcrumbs dried
1 tablespoon grated onion
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1- 12 ounce cheddar cheese soup
2 beaten eggs
2 tablespoons water
Frying oil
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon basil
Paprika
Step 1- Mix water, eggs, 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese soup, parsley, onion, breadcrumbs, pepper, celery salt and salt together.
Step 2- divide the mixture into twelve portions. Then shape into logs.
Step 3- Fry the logs for five minutes in oil. Turn and fry another five minutes.
Step 4- Mix the remaining cheddar cheese soup with the basil and milk. Heat and serve over the fillets. Sprinkle with some paprika.

Slowcooker Recipes for Easy, Tasty, and Economical Meals

2010-08-25T22:54:00.029-07:00

Busy lives! Aren't we all busy, busy, busy? Bring out the crockpot or slow cooker and you can make some tasty, economical meals for your family and cut down your kitchen time too. For these recipes, all you have to do is add a salad, perhaps a bread, and you've got dinner. Dessert can be elaborate or as simple as sugar-free cookies or a bowl of sugar-free ice cream.

PORK ROAST WITH ONIONS AND POTATOES

This recipe requires a 4-quart slowcooker for best results.

Approximately 3 lb boneless pork loin roast, trim off fat

1 large garlic clove, sliced

5 medium potatoes, washed, cubed, unpeeled

1 large onion, sliced

3/4 cup water (or tomato juice, if desired)

1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp cold water

Make slits in roast in insert slices of garlic. Place roast under broiler to brown. Put potatoes in slow cooker. Add 1/2 the onion slices. Place roast atop vegetables and cover with remaining onions. Combine water or juice with soy sauce and pour over roast. Place lid on slowcooker and cook on low about 8 hours. When ready to serve, remove roast and vegetables from cooker. Combine cornstarch and cold water. Add to the liquid in the slow cooker. Turn cooker to high until liquid is thickened. Slice meat and serve thickened liquid over the meat and vegetables.

This recipe has a few more protein grams than carbs so it is excellent for diabetics who want to enjoy some good old "meat and potatoes".

COWBOY CASSEROLE

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/4 lbs 90% lean ground beef

6 medium potatoes, unpeeled, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

16 oz can kidney beans

15 oz can diced tomatoes

2 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef, rinse with hot water and drain. Mix flour into diced tomatoes, stir until flour is smooth.

Layer into slow cooker in the following order; onion, beef, potatoes, garlic and beans. Pour tomatoes over all and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low 5 to 6 hours or until potatoes are tender.

Tasty Fat Loss Recipe for Easy Weight Loss Success

2010-08-25T22:54:00.028-07:00

A frequently asked fat loss related question asked of a lot of Professional Personal Trainers is, "So, what foods did you eat yesterday?" or some variation of that common question. It's a great question because it gives people some insight as to what diet habits one should follow to feel and look their best in their quest for optimal weight and health.
Well, my answer for one of my favorite all around fat burning lunches is:
- 1/2 can chick peas (garbanzos) [Eden brand in non-BPA lined]
- 3/4 cup fresh chopped baby carrots
- 1 tablespoon of raisins - red or green
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or red-wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt & crushed black pepper to taste
I always prefer to choose fresh organic foods when possible and convenient...
How does this easy fat reduction/weight loss recipe burn fat?
- it is under 400 calories (a big difference compared to a lot of other unhealthy foods people choose for breakfast, lunch or dinner)
- it has well-balanced amounts of protein, fiber and healthy high nutrient value carbohydrates (the good ones)
- since this fitness meal is highly unprocessed, the body has to work at breaking down the foods, a great thing for boosting metabolism.
You can even add some garlic powder and/or onion powder to give this simple diet recipe a nice spicy kick. You can actually add almost any spice or herb without adding calories - which only helps to enhance the fat loss value of the recipe. This happens by making you feel satisfied since you ate something quite flavorful and appetizing - unlike many other bland or sodium loaded, packaged diet foods.
Feel free to create your own healthy variation of this tasty fat loss combo - buy using a different type of bean, a different vegetable, different spices or condiments - or a different type of dried fruit.
You really can't mess this fat loss recipe up. It's fast, easy and in a healthy way - somewhat addicting. It's also a great model for creating other simple and appetizing weight loss recipes.
What most people like about this type of recipe is that it only takes about 7 minutes to prepare and you can make extra to refrigerate for the next day.
Another untold benefit of this type of recipe is that your family will even like it - making your life that much easier.
So you really have nothing to lose. The only thing you have to lose is unwanted body fat.

Breakfast And/or Brunch Recipes (suitable for Diabetics, Too!)

2010-08-25T22:54:00.027-07:00

If you are tired of the same old thing for breakfast, here are some new ideas for you. Planning a brunch and want something different than the usual? These recipes are for you, too. Pork and apple breakfast sausage is a unique twist on sausage. Since this sausage is made from the pork tenderloin, you are eliminating almost all of the fat. Sausage as a healthy choice; what a concept! Give this recipe a try. You, your family, and brunch guest will be glad you did.

PORK AND APPLE BREAKFAST SAUSAGES

1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into chunks

1/2 medium to large apple, peeled and cut into chunks

3/4 tsp poultry seasoning

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp salt

Put the pork, apple and spices into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process about 1 minute until finely chopped. Wash hands thoroughly then using hands shape the mixture into 24 patties. Coat tops lightly with vegetable oil spray. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place patties, sprayed side down, in pan. Cook approximately 5 minutes, turning as needed, until brown and no pink remains. Reduce heat if the patties start to brown too quickly.

This makes 8 servings of 3 patties each. Per serving: 73 calories, 1 g carbs, 12 g protein

After cooking, patties may be kept in refrigerator in a resealable plastic freezer bag for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 weeks. To reheat, place on a microwave-safe plate, cover loosely with waxed paper or paper towel. Microwave on medium power for 1 minute or until heated through. NOTE: I found this recipe in a Diabetes Cookbook from Prevention Magazine.

Easy Cinnamon Spread is perfect on bagels, toast, or crackers. It is simple to make and all ages enjoy it.

EASY CINNAMON SPREAD

1/4 cup softened butter or margaine

1/4 cup packed brown sugar OR 2 tbsp Splenda Brown Sugar Blend

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl.

For a quick and easy "French toast" spread this mixture on whole-wheat toast or mini whole-wheat bagel halves.

Cheesy Ham Nuggets are a great bite-sized food that is great on a buffet table. It seems that children always enjoy hand foods so if you have a picky eater at home, maybe this is a way to get them to eat something besides cereal for breakfast.

CHEESY HAM NUGGETS

2 tbsp butter, softened

1 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp paprika

2 tbsp water

dash of salt

1 lb cooked ham, cut into 20 cubes

Combine the butter, cheese, flour, paprika, water and salt; mix well with a fork. Shape a thin layer of cheese mixture around each ham cube. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Chopped Egg Casserole is not your usual egg casserole. This dish uses chopped boiled eggs, rice, tomatoes, mexican cheese, etc. This is another surprise dish for your family and friends.

CHOPPED EGG CASSEROLE

1 1/2 cups sliced celery

1 cup diced bell pepper

1 medium sweet onion, sliced thin

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp garlic salt

1 can (16 oz) Mexican-style diced tomatoes with juice

dash of hot sauce

6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

2 cups brown rice, cooked

3/4 cup low-fat shredded Mexican-blend cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a large saucepan, melt butter and saute celery, onion, and pepper until tender. Add flour and garlic salt, stirring to blend well. Stir in tomatoes and hot sauce. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick and bubbly. Carefully, stir in eggs. Spoon rice into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Pour egg mixture over the rice. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until thoroughly heated. Top with the shredded cheese and bake about 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Recipes for Halloween and Autumn-swamp Dip, Chocolately Holiday Bark, Spiced Cranberry Apple Cobbler

2010-08-25T22:54:00.026-07:00

Getting ready for a Halloween or Autumn Theme Party can be a lot of work so when choosing recipes, look for ones that are:

Are simple to makeHave few ingredientsHold up well over timeAre pleasing to look at and of course,Taste great!

We polled our friends and relatives to get their favorite recipes for Halloween and Autumn. Some of our favorites can be found here including Swamp Dip, Chocolately Holiday Bark and Spiced Cranberry Apple Cobbler served with Cinnamon Vanilla Ice Cream.

Hot Halloween Appetizer--Swamp Dip (aka Creamy Feta Spinach Dip)

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 1 cup onion, chopped 1 small red bell pepper, chopped 1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped 2 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 1/2 cup feta cheese 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/4 cup plain yogurt 1-10 oz. package spinach leaves, stems removed, cut into thin strips 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce Salt and pepper Dippers including crackers, bread chunks and assorted vegetable sticks Melt butter in 10-inch skillet and add onion, red pepper and garlic. Cook over medium heat until softened. Stir in flour and continue cooking 1 minute.

Whisk in broth and whipping cream. Continue stirring until mixture is thickened.

Add cheese, seasoning, yogurt, spinach and hot pepper sauce and stir until spinach wilts and mixture is heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This Halloween appetizer is best served warm with dippers.

Easy Halloween Dessert--Chocolately Holiday Bark

The best thing about this Chocolatey Holiday Bark recipe is that you can customize it for every holiday or theme party. For Halloween, use white chocolate and candy corn. For a Football party, milk chocolate and candy the color of your favorite team. The possibilities are endless.

Ingredients

16 chocolate sandwich cookies, chopped 1-1/2 cups broken small pretzels 1/3 cup raisins 1-1/2 pounds chocolate, broken into squares 2 cups candy (M & M's, candy corn...) Sprinkles Start by spreading the cookies, pretzels and raisins evenly onto a lightly greased small baking sheet.

Melt chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave, stirring frequently until melted. Remove from the heat while there are still a few chunks, and stir until smooth. Watch carefully as chocolate can burn easily.

Drizzle chocolate with a spoon over the goodies in the pan, spreading the top flat to coat evenly. Top with candy and sprinkles. Let cool until firm. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

You can usually find sandwich cookies the color of the holiday (orange for Halloween, red for Christmas...). Coordinate the cookies, chocolate, candy and sprinkles to match the holiday or theme of your party. Most Requested Autumn Dessert--Spiced Cranberry Apple Cobbler

This Autumn Recipe is the perfect dessert for a cool Fall night.

Ingredients

4 cups cranberries 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced thin 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour, divided 4 tablespoons butter, cut into bits 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup shortening (I use butter flavored) 1-1/2 cups sour cream 2 teaspoons sugar Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cranberries, apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, ground cloves and 1 tablespoon flour in 3-quart baking dish. Mix evenly and dot top with butter bits

Stir together remaining 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Cut shortening in using pastry blender or 2 knives until crumbly. Add sour cream and blend well (dough will be sticky).

Drop dough by spoonfuls on top of fruit mixture. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 to 30 minutes on middle rack until top is golden.

Spiced Cranberry Apple cobbler is outstanding served with Cinnamon Vanilla Ice Cream. It is hard to find in stores so you can make my own. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to a pint of softened vanilla ice cream and re-freeze. When ready to serve, put a big scoop on top on each bowl of warm cobbler.

Vintage Recipes for the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays

2010-08-25T22:54:00.025-07:00

Here we are in October and already the Christmas decorations are hitting the stores. It may seem early to be thinking about the holidays but in actuality, we will be preparing holiday meals, or dishes to take to holiday meals, before we know it. If you are looking for something different to prepare this year for Thanksgiving or Christmas, let these recipes help you out. All of these recipes are from my vintage recipe collection. Most are from my mother's estate but I have no idea where she got most of them. If you like seafood, try Oyster Dressing this year. Want to do something different with sweet potatoes? Try this Sweet Potato Apple Scallop. For a different touch to the dessert selection, add this tasty Cranberry Meringue Pie. Be bold, step out, and add a few new touches to your holiday table this year.

CRANBERRY MERINGUE PIE

1 pkg (12 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries (thaw frozen berries)1 cup orange juice3/4 cup water1 1/2 cups sugar1/3 cup quick cooking tapioca2 tsp grated orange peel, optional1/4 tsp saltMERINGUE:4 egg whites1/4 tsp cream of tartar1/2 cup sugar1 baked 9-inch pie shellPlace cranberries in a food processor; cover and pulse until coarsely chopped. In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries, orange juice, water, sugar, tapioca, orange peel and salt. Let stand for 5 minutes. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Keep warm.

In a clean, cold mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat on medium speed of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon the warm filling into the pie shell. Spread meringue over filling being careful to seal the edges to the crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 hour. Chill, covered, in refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.

SWEET POTATO APPLE SCALLOP

2 lbs sweet potatoes (3 medium)2 med apples, peeled and cored1 tbsp lemon juice1/2 cup packed brown sugar1/4 cup chopped pecans1/2 tsp ground cinnamon1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice1/2 tsp orange extract2 tbsp butterPlace sweet potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 20-25minutes or until tender. Drain and cool. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Place in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish or pan that has been greased. Cut apples into 1/4-inch rings; cut in half. Arrange over sweet potatoes. Sprinkle apple slices with lemon juice. Combine the brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and orange extract. Sprinkle mixture over apples. Dot with butter. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until apples are tender.

OYSTER DRESSING

1 pint fresh oysters6 to 7 cups dried bread crumbs1 cup chopped onions1 tbsp sage1 tsp each of rosemary and thymeDash of salt and of pepper2 to 2 1/2 cups turkey broth (or chicken broth)1/4 cup melted margarineWash oysters thoroughly. Combine oysters with remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into a well greased baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

Note: This recipe is from an old complimentary grocery store card.

Diabetic Dessert Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.024-07:00

The large array of content that is now available on the internet is amazing not only does it give people something to read for endless hours it helps us people with diabetes to shop, buy and educate ourselves with vital information for our illness.This article takes a look at diabetic dessert recipes and how they differ from regular recipes whilst they may look the same. From taking a quick glimpse if you read over the information carefully you will realise that diabetic recipes include very accurate and in depth information on the carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals that are contained with in each ingredient. Many sites don't just include recipes they include guides on how to cope with diabetes whether its type 1 or type 2, there are all sorts of guides and articles that both express peoples own experiences of suffering from diabetes to others who merely advise diabetics on what to eat what not to eat, how to create a diabetic meal plan, how to not let diabetes affect your life too much.However there are few sites or guides which include everything you need to know about diabetes in my earlier days of suffering from diabetes I found my self surfing the internet daily to find some information that was vital to me, although I come across some really good guides and articles I never was able to find one guide with all the knowledge on diabetes that I needed. However one day I did find this and it has now helped me to educate others on diabetes. Here is a great recipe for making chocolate chip cookies1/4 c. margarine1 tbsp. granulated fructose1 egg1 tsp. vanilla extract3/4 c. flour1/4 tsp. salt1/2 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chipsCream together margarine and fructose, beat in egg, water and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in sifter. Sift dry ingredients into creamed mixture, stirring to blend thoroughly. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonsful onto lightly greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 30 cookies. I have found lots more recipes for making all sorts of diabetic recipes, which i will be soon offering on my site.

Famous Restaurant Recipe - Chicken Ala King Recipe

2010-08-25T22:54:00.023-07:00

Good food need not be expensive. It is really a good thing that the Internet has been introduced. This information highway can certainly provide a lot of information. There are many famous restaurant recipes available online. I recommend the CopyKat Cookbook as it contains a list of the most famous restaurant recipes contain in a single ebook that is easy to download and print.

Now, people can cook their favorite foods with the guidance of recipes found online. All that one has to do is to find a famous restaurant recipe and off he goes to the kitchen. Take Chicken ala King for example. Simply follow the instructions below.

Ingredients:

Three tablespoons of unbleached flour

1 and ½ cups of milk

1 and ½ teaspoon of instant chicken bouillon

2 cups of cubed chicken, cooked

2 cup of pea, frozen

1 jar of pimiento

And 1/8 teaspoon of pepper

Preparation:

Combine the flour with 1/2 of the cup of milk. Cover the container and mix it well by shaking, there has to be no lumps.

Pour it in a saucepan with the remaining milk bad add the chicken bouillon. And water and bring to a boil. Stir the mixture constantly until you get a thick sauce. Lower the heat and then add the remaining ingredients to the sauce. Continue stirring so the sauce will not stick to the pan. Serve hot.

See how easy it is to cook a famous restaurant recipe? Other than that, you can actually control calorie intake and the amount of seasoning you use because you can’t really decide what to add and what not to add in a restaurant.

This means that you can decide what food to cook and balance your family’s intake of nutrients. You can cook an easy and healthy famous restaurant recipe at home.

Traditional Yorkshire Pudding Recipe

2010-08-25T22:54:00.022-07:00

Yorkshire puddings are a great British tradition; in this article you will learn more about Yorkshire puddings and find a Yorkshire pudding recipe.
Many years ago when I was a young child I used to watch in fascination whenever my mother cooked or baked. Her Yorkshire pudding recipe was in her head, she never measured ingredients, just seemed to have a sense of the perfect amounts. On Sundays we always had a roast and whether that roast was beef, lamb, pork, chicken or even turkey she always made Yorkshire puddings. What else would a Yorkshire lady make to compliment the Sunday roast?
Although mum never measured ingredients everything that she made always turned out delicious and perfect. Her Yorkshires always rose just right, crispy around the edges and leaving a hollow to collect the gravy in and they were always that lovely golden colour that we associate with Yorkshire puddings.
Traditionally Yorkshire puddings were a filler dish served with onion gravy before the main roast course in households that could not afford a lot of meat, but as far back as I can remember Yorkshires have been an integral part of the main course.
Although originating in Yorkshire they are popular all over the country, indeed the world. There are few places that you can go that you will not find the legend 'Traditional British Sunday Dinner' or indeed lunch on offer. The traditional British Sunday dinner always includes Yorkshire pudding as an integral part of the meal.
Although I prefer to make my own Yorkshire puddings, frozen cooked or uncooked versions are easily available and they taste almost as good. You can also get powdered batter mix where you just need to add milk or water, not quite as good in my opinion.
I should perhaps have used ready-made versions the first time that I attempted to make Yorkshire puddings. Newly married I was trying to impress my husband with a lovely Sunday lunch complete with Yorkshires. I did not have a recipe and tried to emulate my mother's non-measuring method. An hour passed and my Yorkshire pudding still was not cooked. We ate the dinner but had to pass on the Yorkshires because I had added twice as much milk as necessary. I made sure that I used a recipe after that!
Yorkshire Pudding Recipe
This is the recipe that I use, a traditional pouring batter recipe that can be used for pancakes as well as Yorkshire pudding.
4oz (100g) Plain Flour
1 medium sized egg
pinch of salt
½ pint (280ml) of milk (or mixture of milk and water)
2oz (50g) lard/fat or 2 tablespoons of oil - as an healthier alternative I use vegetable or sunflower oil, or you can use fat from the meat.
Mix the flour and salt in a basin and make a hollow in middle. Drop the egg into the hollow and stir in with a wooden spoon. Add the milk (milk and water) gradually, stirring all of the time until the flour is worked in. Add rest of liquid and beat well. The end result should have a similar consistency to single cream.
Melt the fat in cooking tin until spitting hot. Can be one large tin square, rectangular, round or small tins or a bun tin. When the fat is hot enough pour in the batter just half filling small tins, patty tins or bun tins. Cook at 450F, 230C or gas mark 8. Large tins for about 30 minutes, small tins or bun tins 15 - 20 minutes.
When cooked they should turn out puffy, golden and crispy on the outside and sunken in the middle. Some people let the fat from the meat drip on to the Yorkshire puddings while cooking.
A popular addition to menus in recent years in restaurants, cafes and bars is a king size or giant Yorkshire pudding filled with onion gravy or different meat, vegetable and gravy concoctions. This dish is served as a separate course emulating the original filler course.
You can even buy delicious smaller Yorkshire puddings filled with steak in one large chain store, rather like traditional steak and kidney puddings but made with batter mix.
Another popular meal made with Yorkshire pudding batter is Toad in the Hole. This is a tasty low cost meal with sausages cooked in the batter. An alternative there is to use lamb chops.
Yorkshire Pudding Facts
The first known Yorkshire Pudding Recipe was published in 1737 in 'The Whole Duty Of A Woman' and named 'A Dripping Pudding'. Eight years later a lady named Hannah Glasse published it in her Art of Cookery as Yorkshire Pudding.
The first British Yorkshire Pudding day was on February 3rd 2008 and in future the celebrations will be on the first Sunday of every February.
On Sunday 11th June 2000 the first Great Yorkshire Pudding Boat Race was held in Brawby in North Yorkshire. The organiser Simon Thackray arranged for 6 3ft in diameter Yorkshire puddings to be baked coated with yacht varnish. Each 'boat' used up 50 eggs.

Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes Key to Keeping Calories in Check

2010-08-25T22:54:00.021-07:00

It’s that time of year again. The time of year when calories are in total abundance and everyone is having some sort of holiday party or potluck dinner. You bring your favorite dish and hope that others are cooking healthy like you are trying to do. You know the days are coming when you’ll have a house full of people and a fridge full of leftovers. You know it’s ok to indulge once in a while, but having so much high calorie food on hand can only lead you to overeat. And then there are the gatherings. Around the holidays, offices, churches and schools all typically have some sort of gathering where they want to celebrate by having people bring food. The problem with this is you never know what everyone else is going to bring, and you never know how many calories are in each item.If you’re someone that’s trying to lose weight, the holidays can wreak havoc on your diet. Calories are usually overflowing from holiday food. Some of the classic holiday dishes include macaroni and cheese, turkey, stuffing, ham, casseroles and desserts galore. One of the staples that might help dieters make it through the holidays is having healthy Thanksgiving recipes. Thanksgiving is the holiday that kicks off the holiday season, so starting off on the right foot can pave the way for healthy eating. Having some healthy Thanksgiving recipes at your disposal will allow you to enjoy some of your favorite dishes without the guilty feeling of blowing your diet. Having these recipes will also allow you to try some different things. There are certain dishes that are standard for Thanksgiving, but it never hurts to bring something new that will draw excitement. Most of your classic recipes can be made into healthy Thanksgiving recipes by simply switching out some of the higher fat key ingredients. For example, if you replace heavy cream and regular cheese with low-fat or skim milk and low-fat cheese, your macaroni and cheese receives an instant makeover. For cakes you can use applesauce in place of oil. By simply looking around you can find thousands of low-fat or healthy Thanksgiving recipes that you may have never tried before. Select a few that sound interesting and you’ll find yourself trying new things and wowing your friends and loved ones at your next potluck dinner. You might even find that by trying these new healthy Thanksgiving recipes, you have some new favorites. It’s common knowledge that the holidays are the worst time of year to attempt to lose weight, but if you substitute just a couple of your traditional favorites with some healthy Thanksgiving recipes, you’ll be well on your way to staying on track with losing weight. The holiday season doesn’t mean you can’t indulge. The important thing to remember is that Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day are each just one day. If you stick to limiting your indulgences to those specific days, you’ll find it much easier to stay on track.

Old Fashion Recipes for Never Fail Cake and German Apple Cake

2010-08-25T22:54:00.020-07:00

These cake recipes will take you back to the days when mom and/or grandma baked delicious desserts just for you. Perhaps the 'never-fail cake' will remind you of a birthday cake she made for one of your early birthdays. Or a delicious piece of white cake topped with fresh fruits or berries from your backyard garden or orchard could be a favorite memory. Perhaps the apple cake will remind you of picking apples in the fall and coming in from the cold to the scents of apple desserts coming from grandma's kitchen. One of the best things about vintage recipes is the memories they bring to mind. Of course the tastes are special, too! Get the kids in the kitchen and let them bake up some memories of their own with you. While working together, you can share some of your poignant memories with them. It's a great thing to pass family stories down to your children or grandchildren.

OLD FASHION NEVER FAIL CAKE

1 cup sugar1/2 cup butter or lard1 egg3 tbsp cocoa3/4 cup sweet milk*1/2 cup boiling water1 tsp soda1 rounding cup flour1 tsp vanillaPreheat oven to 350 degrees.Cream sugar and butter, add unbeaten egg and beat. Add cocoa to egg mixture, blend well. Add flour and milk alternately. Last add hot water with soda dissolved in it. (Batter will be thin.) Pour into a 9x13-inch prepared baking pan. Bake 35 to 40minutes at 350 degrees. Frost with your favorite frosting.*This is regular milk; not sweetened condensed milk. The old-timers referred to regular milk as sweet milk vs buttermilk.

GERMAN APPLE CAKE

This recipe is said to be from an old church cookbook. I have no way to trace its origins.2 large or 3 small eggs1 cup salad oil (butter flavored)2 cups sugar1 tsp vanilla2 tsp cinnamon2 cups sifted flour1 tsp baking soda1/2 tsp salt4 cups thinly sliced apples1/2 cup chopped walnutsPreheat oven to 350 degrees.Beat eggs well, then add oil. Continue to beat while adding 2 cups sugar. Add vanilla and the sifted dry ingredients, mix well. Add the thinly sliced apples and walnuts. Pour into a 9x13-inch baking pan that has been greased and lightly floured. Bake 40 to 60 minutes until done. ICING: 2 small packages of cream cheese2 tbsp melted butter1 tsp vanilla1/2 cup powdered sugar. Mix all ingredients well with an electric mixer. If too thin, add powdered sugar until of the right consistency to spread. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts, if desired.Enjoy!

Rachel Ray Recipes - Delicious Cooking in a Flash

2010-08-25T22:54:00.019-07:00

Considering the wide array of Rachel Ray recipes, you can easily find something special for every occasion. Some of the most popular recipes include Reuben Mac 'N Cheese, Iceberg Lettuce with Russian Dressing, Butternut Bowties, Family-Size Carbonara Frying Pan Pizza, Colcannon, Roman-Esco (Italian Romesco) with Red Snapper, Lemon-Pepper Ricotta Spread, Mini Cheeseburger Salad with Yellow Mustard Vinaigrette, Great Chicken and Rice Cakes with Bacon, Broccolini-Basil Spaghetti, and the Gaucho Burger. 30-Minutes Meal IdeasIf you are looking for an easy way to cook a special dish for your loved ones, one of the best things you can do is to get your ideas from Rachel Ray recipes. If you cannot watch the Saturday night show on television, you can at least get your copy of the monthly magazine “Everyday with Rachael Ray”. It includes 30-minutes meal ideas for everything, including pasta & pizza, salads & vegetables, soups and stews, starters and sides, and breakfast. The procedure described in the magazine is very easy to follow. The book of Rachel Ray recipes will impress you with supremely easy healthy recipes, a nice layout, good variety, and a sense of fun. The greatest thing about these recipes is that you do not have to spend much time on it. These are 30-minutes meals. Therefore, if you do not have much time for a sit-down dinner, Rachel Ray recipes can help you. You will be able to make Chicken Curry, Beef Wellingtons, Greek Style Tuna Salads, Roasted-Potato Pennette, Turkey Kebabs, Orange Beef with Cilantro Rice, Grilled Beer Chicken with Potato Slabs, and much more. What is more, you will also get plenty of ideas for dessert recipes. If you are in the mood of having pizza with your family on Friday night, Rach's Family-Size Carbonara Frying Pan Pizza or Individual Florentine Frying Pan Pizzas will also make a great choice. These Rachel Ray recipes also make a great appetizer.

Low Cholesterol Recipe Examples

2010-08-25T22:54:00.018-07:00

Cholesterol makes the heart weak over time. When cholesterol is present in your body, the blood vessels become clogged. Blood vessels create plaque that inhibits proper blood flow. As such, blood can't freely travel to all parts of the body. The direct effect is shortage of oxygen. When this happens, the vital organs would not function well and the entire body system would soon fail. To make sure that this doesn't happen, one's cholesterol level should be watched closely.
Heart diseases are common to older people, especially to those who are above 50 years old. However, young individuals are also at risk of this disease too. As such, they have to find ways to prepare foods that are healthy for the heart.
Here are good examples such recipes. The ones appearing below are very easy to prepare. Start living healthy to live longer. Low cholesterol recipes are all you need to fight all signs of heart diseases. Start preparing these recipes:
1. Cabbage Stew
You will need lean ground beef, pinto beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, and coleslaw mix for this recipe. Add all ingredients in a casserole. Put some tomato juice. Simmer under low heat. Sprinkle some seasonings. Serve while hot.
The simplicity of preparing this recipe is perfect for busy individuals. It requires little preparation time so you can practically prepare it on the fly. But even so, it is healthy and delicious. What's more, it has little to no cholesterol content so you can eat as much as you can.
2. Tuna Salad
For this recipe, you need a can of tuna in oil or brine. Drain the contents. Flake the tuna meat further into smaller pieces. Put some dried cranberries and pickles to achieve a sweet, sour, and tart taste. Sprinkle some pepper. Add vinegar. Toss all ingredients in a bowl. Make sure everything is well mixed to achieve the desired taste.
This tuna salad recipe is perfect for both lunch and dinner. It is best eaten with a sandwich. When buying bread, choose whole wheat bread or rye. Tuna is good for the heart because it is a good source of Omega 3. Omega 3 is a fatty acid that helps strengthen the heart. If you have high cholesterol level, fish is always the better alternative meat or poultry products.
3. Steamed Salmon
Aside from tuna, you can prepare a serving of steamed salmon. Just boil one pack tomato sauce in a deep pan. Add some pepper and seasoning. Steam the salmon using a steamer. Add the boiled tomato sauce to the steamed fish. You can also add parsley for garnishing.
In this recipe, tomato sauce was used an alternative to mayonnaise. While mayonnaise is high in cholesterol content, tomato sauce isn't. In fact, it is even good for the heart because it contains lycopene.
These low cholesterol recipes are good suggestions to keep your heart healthy. Take time to prepare your food for health and longevity. Live healthy. And you would surely live longer and happier.

Leftover Beef Recipe: Creamy Stroganoff

2010-08-25T22:54:00.017-07:00

This recipe is so simple anybody could do it. In fact this recipe can be done according to your schedule so even if you're a working mom that doesn't get home until 5 or a stay at home mom that can spend an hour cooking dinner this recipe will be great for you. Not to mention this recipe will get rid of that hunk of roast still leftover from Sunday's dinner.
What I like most about this recipe is that it has "parts" and each part can be done ahead of time or just before you eat it doesn't matter. I have made it 3 days before we eat it but I have also made it fresh when we eat it and it tastes the same.
First you need to make sure you have enough leftover roast. I'm going to give instructions for a family of four but you can adjust it to your needs. For four people you want to make sure you have about 2-½ inch slices of roast or more (my family are meat eaters and like it better when there is 3 slices but 2 works.) Once you have the roast just follow the recipe.
Creamy Leftover Beef Stroganoff
2+ slices of leftover beef cut in thin strips or cubed
½ tsp dry onion (optional)
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
½ c sour cream
Mushrooms (optional)
Egg noodles or rice
The easiest thing to prepare the meat is cut it the night you have it then put it in a container so it is ready to go but you can cut it the day you do make the stroganoff it is totally up to you. Put the meat in you crock-pot and sprinkle the onion over it if you want it. In a separate bowl, mix the sour cream and cream of mushroom soup, if you want more mushrooms then slice some and add it to this soup mix. Then pour your soup mix over the meat and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. As for the noodles or rice, you can cook it when you get home, or a few nights before. If I plan to be home then I make them that day, but if I know I will be gone then I make them the night before and stick it in the fridge. To warm it up you can put either one in a frying pan with a little water or just add it to the crock pot for half an hour.
With this leftover beef recipe you can also cut the meat then freeze it. When you are ready to use it, just throw it in the crock-pot frozen and add another 30 minutes cooking time. I have also doubled the recipe before and frozen half of it. I then let it defrost for about an hour on the counter then throw it in the crock pot with ½ c of water and let it cook all day. It ends up a littler thicker but it still taste great. One warning though. Do not freeze the noodles, they turn out really awful tasting. Rice is okay to freeze but your still better off making it fresh.
See how simple that was. I love leftover recipes and this is one my most enjoyed. Hope you like it as much as me.

Free Recipes for Favorite Italian Desserts!

2010-08-25T22:54:00.016-07:00

Turn on any food show today and you'll find a huge assortment of ethnic offerings. From Chinese and other Asian cuisines to French, German and even British cooking, every corner of the globe where people put food to fire is represented. Most of these are relative newcomers to the global food scene, whereas Italian food has been on every cook's slate for decades. This explains why there are so many free recipes for Italian desserts around: they're delicious, and there is a dizzying variety available.Cheesecake, of course, is by far the most popular Italian dessert. That's curious, as it actually is not terribly Italian in its composition. It's an American invention, although Italian-Americans are most often credited with both finding and perfecting the recipe and preparation methods. No reputable Italian restaurant would ever be caught without at least one cheesecake on the menu, for more details visit to www.300-dip-recipes.com and very often you'll see competitions within a city between the top-tier Italian joints to build the highest, richest and best creations. It's no surprise that some of these recipes make it into the vaults of free recipes for Italian desserts available online.The true heart of Italian desserts, however, are the gelatos, those ice cream-like creations that come in an insane variety of flavors and top the finest efforts of frozen treat confectioners from around the world. In Italy, gelato shops are almost as common as Starbucks coffee houses are here in United States, for more details visit to www.cat-head-biscuit.com and the sweets they purvey are like no others. From the classic hazelnut or chocolate to more exotic flavors like mango, lime and graham cracker, you'll find something for every palate.My personal favorite Italian dessert, however, is the cannoli. There's a reason why "Leave the guns, take the cannoli," is one of the most identifiable quotes from the "Godfather" movies. That's curious, as it actually is not terribly Italian in its composition. It's an American invention, although Italian-Americans are most often credited with both finding and perfecting the recipe and preparation methods. This mystical synergy between a crunchy pastry shell and a lightly sweet pastry cream, sometimes with nuts or a drizzle of chocolate added, is simply unbeatable to many Italian food connoisseurs.All of these have made it into the archives of free recipes for Italian desserts. With a little hunting, you can find whatever you seek!

Old Fashion Recipe for Traditional Chex Party Mix

2010-08-25T22:54:00.015-07:00

This Traditional Chex Party Mix is a long-time favorite in my family. It started in 1986 when my daughter was a college freshman. She was going to college at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Her grandparents lived in Bedford, Indiana and often sent her "care packages". This Traditional Chex Party Mix was always in those packages along with many other treats. It became a habit on her dorm wing for everyone to gather in her room to "check out Grandma's package". Sometimes some of her dorm mates would be waiting for her to get to her room as they had already seen the box from Indiana. Once she related this information to Grandma, the care packages started arriving more frequently and with a double portion of party mix. This remained a tradition for her all through her college days. Now that her grandma has gone on to Heaven, she makes the party mix with her daughters. This year when we were at her house for Christmas, there was a dish of this Traditional Chex Party Mix that she and her 10-year-old daughter had made. Give it a try. It is sure to become a tradition in your family, too.

TRADITIONAL CHEX PARTY MIX

This is a Ralston Purina Company recipe from 1986. It is cut from an old Chex cereal box.1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine1 1/4 tsps McCormick/Shiling Season-All Seasoned Salt*4 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce2 2/3 cups Corn Chex cereal2 2/3 cups Rice Chex cereal2 2/3 cups Wheat Chex cereal1 cup salted mixed nuts

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Melt butter in a 15x10x2-inch roasting pan in the oven. Remove from oven. Stir the seasoned salt and Worcestersire sauce into the melted butter. Gradually add cereal and nuts, mixing until all pieces are coated. Bake 1 hour at 250 degrees. Stir mixture every 15 minutes during baking for even coating and baking.Makes 9 cups.*Any seasoned salt will do.Microwave Directions: In a 4-qt bowl or 13x9x2-inch microwave safe dish, melt butter on high for 1 minute. Stir in seasoned salt and Worcestershire sauce. Gradually add cereal and nuts, mixing until all pieces are coated. Microwave on High for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring every two minutes. NOTE: A 650 microwave oven was used for these directions. For other wattage ovens, time may need to be adjusted.

Enjoy! (I hope your family will enjoy this recipe as much as mine does!)

My Favorite Cracker Barrel Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.014-07:00

This is one my favorite restaurants to visit on the weekends. If I had to pick my favorite breakfast or favorite home country cooking restaurant, Cracker Barrel would be my choice! I love great home cooking, and this is the restaurant to visit if you want great home cooking food. Recently, I have started experimenting with making restaurant recipes at home. I have a few Cracker Barrel Recipes that I really like. Here are my favorite Cracker Barrel Recipes!

Cracker Barrel Chicken & Dumplings Recipe

Chicken and Broth 3 quarts water 1 3-4 pound chicken cut up 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 small onion sliced 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 clove garlic, peeled and quartered 1 bay leaf 4-6 whole parsley leaves 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1 tablespoon lemon juice Dumplings 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk 1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the chicken, 1 teaspoon of salt, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and parsley to the pot. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook the chicken, uncovered, for 2 hours. The liquid will reduce by about one third. 2. When the chicken has cooked, remove it from the pot and set it aside. Strain the stock to remove all the vegetables and floating scum. You only want the stock and the chicken, so toss everything else out. 3. Pour 1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) of the stock back into the pot (keep the leftover stock, if any, for another recipe-it can be frozen). You may also want to use a smaller pot or a large saucepan for this. Add coarsely ground pepper, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the lemon juice, then reheat the stock over medium heat while preparing the dumplings. 4. For dumplings, combine the flour, baking powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and milk in a medium bowl. Stir well until smooth, then let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to about a 1/2 inch thickness. 5. Cut the dough into 1/2 inch squares and drop each square into the simmering stock. Use all of the dough. The dumplings will first swell and then slowly shrink as they partially dissolve to thicken the stock into a white gravy. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until thick. Stir often. 6. While the stock is thickening, the chicken will have become cool enough to handle. Tear all the meat from the bones and remove the skin. Cut the chicken meat into bite-size or a little bigger than bite-size pieces and drop them into the pot. Discard the skin and bones. Continue to simmer the chicken and dumplings for another 5-10 minutes, but don't stir too vigorously or the chicken will shred and fall apart. You want big chunks of chicken in the end. 7. When the gravy has reached the desired consistency, ladle four portions onto plates and serve hot. Serve with your choice of steamed vegetables, if desired.

Source: Cooking Cache.com

Cracker Barrel Biscuits 8 servings

2 c Bisquick

2/3 c Real buttermilk

1. Work together Bisquick and buttermilk to smooth dough. Dip hand in just enough Bisquick to kneed dough in bowl until smooth and elastic.

2. Shape dough into 16 thin patties, placing 1 atop another forming 8 biscuits in greased 9″ round baking pan. Bake at 450 16 to 18 minutes or until golden. Wipe tops at once in butter. They split easily because of the way you formed them with the 2 pieces.

3. To make BONANZA Copycats, add 4 ts sugar. Shape into 6 patties, 1″ thick, 3″ round. Place close together in greased round baking pan. Wipe tops in soft butter. Bake 450 18 minutes or until brown.

4. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Split with thumbs instead of cutting with knife. These do not keep well. Right out of oven wipe tops again with dabs more butter to keep surface soft and tender.

Source: Gloria Pitzer's Secret Recipes Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole Recipe

8 servings

2 pounds Frozen Hashbrown Potatoes -- thaw 1/2 cup Margarine -- melt 1 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper 1/2 cup Onion -- chop fine 1 can Cream of chicken soup 2 cups Colby Cheese – grate

1. Preheat oven at 350 F. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Gently mix in the potatoes and pour into prepared pan or dish.

3. Bake uncovered at 350 F for 35 minutes.

Source: cdkitchen.com

Fast Dinner Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.013-07:00

We all know that we need fast dinner recipes to get dinner on the table quick. Very seldom do any of us have time to make everything from scratch and spend hours in the kitchen. Here are some of my favorite fast dinner recipes to get dinner on the table in a jiffy!
Salisbury Steak
This recipe doesn't take much prep time, but it does take a bit of time to bake, so plan ahead for that. The sauce has a nice zip to it, thanks to the barbecue sauce and the stuffing mix adds a nice flavor to the patties and helps to make this a quick fix dinner. To make this recipe even faster, substitute dehydrated onion flakes for the chopped onion.
Ingredients:
1 ½ lb ground beef
1 package stuffing mix for chicken
1 ½ cup water, divided
¾ c chopped onion (or 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes)
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
½ c barbecue sauce
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together then ground beef, stuffing mix, 1 ¼ cup water and the onion. Pat into ½ inch thick oval shaped patties. Put in a large baking dish and bake for 25 minutes.
While patties are baking, spray a skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Sauté mushrooms for 5 minutes, stirring every once in a while. Add remaining water and the barbecue sauce. Turn heat down to low and cook 1-2 minutes or until the sauce is heated.
Serve sauce over patties.
To round out this meal, serve with green beans and potatoes baked in the microwave while the patties are baking.
Zippy Chicken & Pasta
This is a fun and colorful fast dinner recipe that kids and adults love. It's a great way to get kids to enjoy eating their veggies. This is a complete dinner on its own so it's especially fast. Since it's fairly light, dessert would be a good addition to this dinner.
Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) package fusilli or rotini pasta
½ c Italian salad dressing, divided
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 cups broccoli florets
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 small onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
Follow directions on package for cooking pasta.
While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, heat ¼ cup of the dressing over medium-high heat. Add chicken chunks and cook about 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir occasionally. Add vegetables and parsley to the pan and cook 5 minutes longer.
Drain pasta. Add to chicken mixture and stir well. Add remaining ¼ cup of Italian dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
A fun twist on this dinner would be to substitute shrimp for the chicken. If you make this substitution, you should reduce the cooking time to about 2 minutes or just until the shrimp turns pink. Shrimp will turn rubbery if overcooked, so it's important to watch your cooking time.
Since this fast dinner recipe is a complete meal in one bowl, there really isn't anything to be added to round out this meal. But since it's nice and light, a quick dessert would be fabulous. I would suggest a pudding parfait. Just take your favorite flavor of pudding, layer it with cool whip and some graham cracker crumbs in a pretty glass and there you have an easy but fancy looking dessert.

Secret Recipes of Your Favorite American Restaurants

2010-08-25T22:54:00.012-07:00

Everybody knows that Home Made Food is cheap and healthy. Especially at this time of Economic Crisis and all the Job losses, it is all the more important that we stop going out and spending tons of money on lunch and dinner at expensive restaurants. It's a good idea that we cook at home so that we can save a lot. It is also healthy since you know exactly what ingredients you are using. By cooking at home, you can also invite some of your friends so that you can get together and enjoy. It's not only saving you money, but it also saves you a lot of time and energy. All the more, cooking is FUN.

Now, you too can prepare your favorite restaurant taste recipes at home and thrill your family and friends. How do you feel when your kid comes and says, Hey, MOM (Dad) your cooking ROCKS. Yes, Dad, you too can become a Master Chef. Isn't it nice to hear that. Re-create those favorite American Restaurant recipes right in your kitchen. In a matter of time, you too can become a Master Chef. You don't have to go far enough, it's available right here on the Internet. You can start cooking your favorite recipes immediately. This cookbook is from the Master Chef . Alongwith the cookbook you will get 7 additional bonuses. This package gives you access to over 700 different recipes from your favorite American Restaurant's not found elsewhere . Aren't you excited. Just check out my website for details.

Homemade Dog Treat Recipes as Gifts

2010-08-25T22:54:00.011-07:00

Homemade dog treat recipes can be excellent gift ideas for friends or family constituents with dogs. Many of them may not be aware that homemade dog treat recipes even exist but they is planning to most likely be outstandingly excited to learn that creating their own homemade dog treats is very simple. There are a large amount of of ways to utilize homemade dog treat recipes as gift tools for the dog lover on your gift list.One cute way to give a gift of homemade dog treat recipes is to include the ingredients in an attractive jar similar to those used to give cookie recipes and components as a gift. For this gift, you affix all of the dry ingredients substantial and provide instructions for creating the homemade dog treats. The instructions should include any necessary ingredients that need to be added as well as the temperature of the oven and the cooking time required. You is able to also include a input of ingredients that were included in the jar in case the recipient's dog has any allergies that you are unaware of. You can thorough this moment gift by tying the jar among a dog inspired ribbon.Another way to give a gift of homemade dog treat recipes is to compose a recipe book. You can search for homemade dog treat recipes and compile them and print each one out on alluring paper with a dog theme. You can categorize the homemade dog treat recipes to different categories and place them all in an attractive three ring binder.

“My” Vanilla Frosting Recipe

2010-08-25T22:54:00.010-07:00

I wish I could actually call this “my” vanilla frosting recipe, but when you’ve got something that works so well, why reinvent the proverbial wheel??? Pillsbury’s The Complete Book of Baking is one of the best general cookbooks around for pies and cookies and cakes, and its recipe for Buttercream Frosting is a thing of beauty!The great thing about this recipe is its simplicity: 2/3 cup softened butter 4 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2-4 tablespoons half-and-half or milkIn a large bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in vanilla and half-and-half, adding enough half-and-half for desired spreading consistency. Yield: Frosts 2-layer or 13x9-inch cake.Now, I do admit that I tinker a bit with this vanilla frosting recipe. I use double-strength vanilla extract, to add extra depth and richness to the flavor, and I use 2 teaspoons of it. It’s no more expensive than pure vanilla extract (no one should even acknowledge the existence of the artificial stuff); and although you won’t readily find it at your local grocery store, it’s easily bought online. When you have a recipe as simple and straightforward as this one is, the quality of the ingredients is paramount. So don’t buy your butter on sale but invest in a European-style, go with the half-and-half rather than milk, and use the double-strength vanilla extract. You’ll thank me later!Once you’ve made your vanilla frosting recipe, you can use it to frost a sheet cake or a layer cake; you can add a bit more confectioners’ sugar to make an icing to decorate your cake or cookies; you can frost 24 cupcakes; and you can just pick up a spoon and eat it “as is” … my favorite! People will wrestle with each other for the privilege of licking the bowl and the spoon.This recipe is readily adaptable for vegans, for people with lactose intolerance, and for those who keep Kosher and need non-dairy desserts to accompany a meat meal. Use margarine (though the flavor won’t be the same as it is with butter, some accommodations are necessary in this life), and substitute vanilla soy milk for the half-and-half. Voila! Treats that everyone can enjoy!Another beautiful thing about this recipe is that you can tint the frosting for any occasion -- red for Valentine’s Day, green for St. Paddy’s Day, yellow for Easter, pink and blue for a baby shower. And you can even leave it in its original creamy color for a wedding. This vanilla frosting recipe is too good to be true!

Latest Trends In Recipes And Cooking

2010-08-25T22:54:00.009-07:00

Our society's growing consciousness about the impact of our actions on the planet's health and well-being is being felt in the kitchen. Increasingly, the trend in recipes and cooking revolves around finding ingredients that are produced locally. Home cooks are recognizing that fruit and vegetables grown in other states and other countries gobble up energy to package and transport them to market. This leaves a big carbon footprint - a consequence that a growing number of families wish to avoid.As a result, shoppers are seeking out fresh food and produce that is locally grown. For some, this means regularly visiting farmers markets; for others, it means inquiring about the source of fresh food at the grocery store. For more details kindly visit us at www.apples-recipes.com. Many others have the desire to take steps toward finding recipes and cooking with fresh produce and other ingredients, but aren't sure where to begin. Thank goodness for the Internet! For those ready to take the first steps, there is an abundance of information available on the Web. Armed with this information, shoppers can learn how to buy fresh produce, discover the types of produce that are in season, read articles about fresh food, and find recipes to prepare everything from delectable fresh fish, seafood, and meat dishes to delicious vegetable courses and dessert treats. Moreover, home cooks are discovering that cooking with locally grown fresh foods opens the door to a world of cuisines - literally. Today's recipes and cooking trends put a global twist on fresh ingredients. If you're in the mood for Asian food, for example, you don't have to dine out. Instead, you can use the Web to research Asian food culture and find recipes that are easy to make at home. Likewise, resources for French food, German food, Italian food, and Mexican food are only a few mouse clicks away. Vegetarians and those who are health-conscious are truly embracing these recipes and cooking trends. In the past several years, natural and organic foods have been finding their way onto grocery store shelves, and stores that specialize in fresh and natural foods are now a staple in virtually every city. Whether you adhere to a raw food diet or are simply trying to cut back on butter or sugar, you can more easily find the foods that you need. At its best, cooking is an adventure. It's fun to experiment with different herbs and spices, and to prepare your favorite foods in a new way. Combining local, fresh foods with global recipes and cooking techniques is a great way to keep your cuisine interesting and tasty. No one would argue that eating only locally grown foods can be a challenge. You can also login to www.book-of-cookies.com. After all, it would be difficult to find fresh fish and seafood if you live in the desert, or unearth a source for locally churned butter if you live in a fishing village. Just keep in mind that perfection needn't be the goal; even incremental changes in the way we think and shop will help the planet. And, with the plethora of information about recipes and cooking that is available on the Web, putting a global twist on local ingredients can put the adventure back in dining!

Quick And Easy Cookie Recipes Your Kids Will Love

2010-08-25T22:54:00.008-07:00

If you’re a parent who spends very little time with your kids due to the daily hassles in your office and/or in your home, then I say this to you: make time. When you’re old and look back, you’ll regret not doing things with your kids. You might even end up miserable and hating yourself and the real sad part is that you’ll never get that time back. So why be that old man, try doing things with your kids today. One little activity that is very rewarding for you and your kid is inviting your children into your kitchen. There are quick and easy recipes where you and your kids can enjoy. How many times have you scolded your kid for playing around the kitchen? Well this is understandable given the potential dangers around the kitchen, knives, hot surfaces, boiling water, hot oils, etc. But by involving them in the cooking process you will be able to teach them the proper and safe conducts in and around the kitchen. This beats scolding anytime. Children love the whole process of cooking. They the way big pieces of ingredients are chopped, sliced, or grated and mixed together to form a terrific dish. Maybe to them it’s a big jigsaw puzzle which when you get it right you will have one whole piece of dish that you can enjoy and eat. Be patient when you’re working with kids. Expect a big mess of things. Your work table will most likely be overrun by various ingredients, drops of seasonings, scattered utensils, measuring instruments, and other cookware. This is fun to them, and who knows you might enjoy a taste of chaos once in a while. It might actually be liberating. But for the kids, the experience is hilarious and when they made good with their food, the feeling would be fulfilling. There are several easy recipes that kids can make. Some very easy and simple dishes include omelet recipes and other breakfast dishes. Making French toasts is quite easy as well. Salads and sandwiches are also quite easy to make plus they are very healthy. Your kids can also bring these sandwiches for their lunch breaks. One simple recipe is making a banana crepe, or make than a chocolate banana crepe. What you will need is some crepe flour, milk, eggs, melted chocolate, butter and of course sliced bananas. Mix together everything in a bowl except for the chocolate, bananas and butter. Let your kid do the mixing process. Use the butter to grease a crepe pan and then pour the crepe mixture on it. Make sure to spread out the mixture over the pan. Remember to flip it to cook the other side. Once cooked, spread the melted chocolate, line up the banana slices, and then fold it. You can add some more chocolate on the outside. Enjoy this with your kid. Making pancakes is also another easy one. You can either go with the quick cooked pancakes available in the market or make your own from flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Whatever you decide, your kids can handle the mixing of the pancake mix, the greasing of the pan, the flipping of the pancakes and the presentation and additional touches like topping with chocolate or strawberry syrup. Allow your kids to experiment and be imaginative. You will enjoy quick and easy recipes if you cook them with your kids. Sure expect a dirty kitchen later, but you have so much to gain if you involve your kids with the things you do.

Free Recipes And Where To Find Them

2010-08-25T22:54:00.007-07:00

Almost every woman knows a certain recipe because mothers see to it that their daughters learn to cook for their families in the future. This is one kind of tradition practiced by people throughout the world. But recipes and cooking are not limited to women only. In fact, most of the chefs and culinary experts are males. It is fascinating to know how food originated and how recipes are passed down from one person to another either by word of mouth or through the internet. With the help of computer technology and the online world, you can now find free recipes easily. All you have to do is to search them and with just a few clicks you will learn a new set of meals and dishes.With the soaring prices of food and ingredients these days, you would always think of easy and affordable foods to serve during mealtime. This is the reason why people have come up with different ways and food inventions that require little ingredient but still has the complete health benefits one needs.If you are a mother then you would always want the best for your family. You would want them to eat regularly and being able to serve them with delicious and healthy food is one of your priorities. Well, just imagine the food served in restaurants could be done in your own home. How? With the help of free recipes, you can make sumptuous meals anytime you want. Not only will your family and friend appreciate your more, you will also be able to show your culinary skills.Once you have become familiar with the different restaurant recipes, then you can save on costs. Why go to a fancy restaurant and pay more when you can easily do them at home? You can hike up your creativity by experimenting on different sauces, soups, side dishes and many more. Cooking techniques can also be found in cookbooks and in websites that offer free recipes. You will learn how to cook chicken with just the use of a pressure cooker. You will know what types of dressings you can top with your salad. You will know how sweet pastries are done. And most of all, it is a rewarding experience to be able to learn a lot of culinary dishes and gourmet recipes at your own expense.

Finding Quick And Easy Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.006-07:00

Have you done a search for a quick and easy dinner recipe lately? I ask because I noticed something interesting the other day when I did a Google search for a quick and easy recipe for dinner this past weekend.The thing about that search that struck me as funny was the fact that all I had to search for was quick and easy, I did not have to mention what was quick and easy that I was looking for. No mention of dinner, appetizers, meals or another one hundred ways to cook a chicken nothing no mention of food or cooking what so ever.I suppose it struck me as funny because I could think of quite a few things that I would look for that were quick and easy and none of them involve food. Yet when I tried to search just on quick and easy for all three major search engines they all assumed that I was looking for quick and easy recipes. Yes it's true that quick and easy recipes is exactly what I was looking for and for the most part they all gave basically the same food sites to find quick and easy recipes.Just got me thinking how often people around the world must be looking for quick and easy recipes that all I have to type now is quick and easy. I did find a delicious recipe for a chicken and pasta dinner with diced red peppers and yes it was quick and easy! This also got me to thinking about how the concept of spending a decent amount of time to cook a good meal with more than five ingredients has become a lost art form really. Some of the most popular cooking shows on the Food Network for example are all about limiting your ingredients and preparing your meals in thirty minutes or less.I reflect on the cooking habits that go on in our house and I would have to say that the only time we spend more than a half hour on any meal usually means we are cooking a holiday feast. Other wise I suppose we are like everyone else looking for short cuts to making our meals. This led me to another thought about all these quick and easy meals that perhaps all this short cut cooking that we all do and cutting back on ingredients is part of the reason so many people are fighting obesity and poor health. Not to say that quick and easy recipes are not healthy but that maybe they are missing some of the key ingredients and nutrients that we used to get in our daily nutrition but are now being shorted in the interest of saving time and money.

Crock pot recipes for all seasons

2010-08-25T22:54:00.005-07:00

Cooking is a part of anyone’s life or at least it should be. There is nothing like a home cooked meal that waits on the table after a long and stressful day at work to enhance the felling of ‘home, sweet home’. Be that as it may, the lifestyles we are engaged in do not permit us to spend countless hours in the kitchen in order to prepare those delicious foods everyone loves.Because of this we have been searching for alternative methods to provide food for our family. Take-outs, fast-foods and various restaurants are all becoming an important part of our daily diets. But what if you could find another solution that can provide healthy food for your loved ones?Most of us might have a slow cooker or a crock pot stashed away in some distant corner of the closet, just waiting to come out. For those who don’t have such a device, they should get one, because crock pot recipes represent the solution to all your problems.No matter how busy your lifestyle is, you should always take the time to think about your health. Since health depends primarily on what you eat and drink, this should be your main concern for preserving your health. With the help of crockpot recipes, you can do just that. What makes crock pot recipes so great is the fact that they don’t depend on the season. No matter if it is a cold winter with great snows outside, or a hot blazing summer that melts the bottom of your snickers, you will always find a solution with crockpot recipes. Since we talked about cold winters, what is the best memory of your childhood regarding this season? My best memory is when I entered the house from playing in the snow and the smell of a home cooked meal comforted my nose. That is when I knew I was home. This is one feeling you can preserve for your family, even if you are at work. Before you go to work, you can place the ingredients of the crock pot recipes in the slow cooker and turn it on. You can leave it all day long to cook and keep warm without worrying about it. When your loved ones come home, a smell of cooking will welcome them inside the house.This is the main advantage of crock pot recipes in the winter. But what about the summer? When the sun melts the asphalt outside, should you be inside, cooking? The greatest benefit of the slow cooker is that it does not give off as much heat as a burning stove does. You can obtain the meal you want for your family without increasing the temperature in the entire house. As you can see, crockpot recipes can satisfy the needs of every family member, regardless of the time of year. The best part of it all is that it can also save you a lot of money, because the device consumes as much energy as a normal light bulb, as opposed to other appliances. As I mentioned at the beginning, if you have a slow cooker, take it out, and if you don’t, buy one. This device along with the wonderful crockpot recipes found at slowandsimple.com will provide all the meals that your family would never have dreamed of.

6 Healthy Banana Smoothie Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.004-07:00

Are you a smoothie lover? Looking for some new smoothie recipes that use bananas? If so, I would like to share 6 of my favorite banana flavored smoothie recipes with you. Why are banana smoothies good for you? Bananas are high in potassium and low in sodium making them the ideal healthy fruit. Bananas are great for reducing depression, achieving bone and intestinal health, and for regulating high blood pressure. All of these smoothie recipes use bananas, along with some additional ingredients. If you are looking to cut calories, you can substitute the milk with skim milk, or the ice cream with low-fat yogurt.If you like your smoothies really sweet, try adding 1-2 tablespoons of honey to your recipe. I always serve my smoothies in a chilled glass but you can serve them any way that you like. You can drink them straight from the glass, use a straw or eat them with a spoon. It is best to always serve your smoothies immediately.Banana Mango Smoothie 1 c. cubed peeled ripe mango 3/4 c. sliced ripe banana 2/3 c. milk 1 tsp. honey 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract Combine all of the above ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie 1 medium banana 1 1/4 c. milk 1 c. chocolate ice cream 1/4 c. creamy peanut butter Cut the banana into 1" pieces. Wrap pieces in foil and freeze. Unwrap the banana pieces. In blender container combine banana, milk, chocolate ice cream and peanut butter. Cover and blend until smooth. Blueberry Banana Smoothie 5 oz. Frozen blueberries 2 bananas 2 c. ice1 c. water Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Kiwi Banana Smoothie 1 c. milk 2 scoops vanilla ice-cream 1 ripe banana, sliced 2 Kiwi fruit, peeled and finely diced Blend the milk, ice-cream, and banana together in a blender till smooth. Add the Kiwi fruit, blend briefly, then pour into glasses. Banana Cantaloupe Smoothie 1/2 sliced cantaloupe melon 1 peeled banana 1 c. vanilla ice cream 1 tbsp. honeyMix all of the above ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth. Boysenberry and Banana Smoothie3/4 c. boysenberries 1/2 c. low-fat boysenberry yogurt or vanilla yogurt1/2 banana, sliced 1/2 c. grape juiceAdd all ingredients to a blender and puree until well blended (about 1 minute).

The Beyonce's Master Cleanser Recipe For Rapid Weight Loss

2010-08-25T22:54:00.003-07:00

Beyonce did a live confession on Opera that she lost 22 pounds in 14 days with the Master Cleanser recipe. Robin Quivers lost 70 lbs in an extended version of the Master Cleanser recipe. Since then, this detox program has helped more individuals to lose weight quickly than any other weight loss program in the market.

So you might ask what exactly the Master Cleanser recipe is. Invented in 1941 by natural health enthusiast, Stanley Burroughs, the Master Cleanser recipe was intended for detoxification, to cleanse the body of deadly toxins. However, many experience rapid weight loss during the detox process.

The Master Cleanser recipe and ingredients are as follows:

•2 Tablespoons of organic lemon juice - This lemon juice must be freshly squeezed. Canned juice will only erase most of the benefits of the diet because it usually contains a lot of sugar and other additives. Fresh, natural, organic lemon juice is ideal.

•2 Tablespoons of organic grade B maple syrup - It is best to avoid imitation maple syrup for it contains additives and lacks the nutrients the body needs.

•1/10 Teaspoon ground cayenne pepper - This may be a turn off to most people who are worried about how it will make the drink taste, but the lemon juice and syrup counteract the taste of the pepper. There are really no limitations on the cayenne pepper since when you buy it it is in its purest form.

•10 oz of filtered water - Filtered water or bottled water is better to use than tap water because of all the contaminants in tap water.

Is the Master Cleanser Recipe safe? The all-natural, organic ingredients cause no harm to the body. Furthermore, health expert, Dr. Mehmet Oz, host of the Discovery Channel's, "The Truth About Foods" announced on Opera his findings that the program is not only safe but effective in helping anyone lose weight and detox. Similar claims of the effectiveness and safeness are further substantiate by Mayo Clinic's Dr. Michael Picco as well.

You might be tempted to take the Master Cleanser recipe and try it the next day which often leads to mediocre or even poor results. You see, knowing the recipe and doing it are slightly different things. If you desire to get concrete, good results right from your very first try, I suggest you take the advice of veteran Master Cleanser, Katie Jones.

She has helped many individuals to prep, do and finish the program with ease. Her best-selling "Master Cleanse Insider" is used by newbie and veteran Master Cleansers before they start on the 10 day cleanse program.

Acid Reflux Recovery Diet And Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.002-07:00

Charles Stewart Richey

Curing oneself of the condition called acid reflux can be accomplished by using natural, healthy methods. I suffered from this condition for years, taking harmful, expensive PPI drugs (proton inhibitors), which only masked the symptoms. These drugs, not only had myriad side effects, but became ineffective over time. I was forced to find another answer. I wanted to cure myself without the use of drugs. My doctor was no help. He didn't have a clue about natural healing and nutrition. After a great deal of research I discover that with the proper use of herbs, health store items, meditation, exercise and diet, one can heal themselves of acid reflux.

The first thing that I learned is that acid reflux, sometimes called gerd (gastro esophageal reflux disease), is not a disease at all. Contrary to what the medical community would have us believe, it is simply a condition, brought on by poor eating habits. Besides eating the wrong foods, not chewing food properly is probably the root cause of this ailment.

The Acid reflux condition would not exist without a damaged esophagus and a weakened LES (lower esophageal sphincter). If the condition is to be eliminated, healing the esophagus must be the first order of business.

During this reflux recovery period, eating anything which could irritate or damage the esophagus, must be avoided. Things like poorly chewed chips, crackers, cereal or any hard foods with sharp edges are culinary culprits - they cause little lacerations to develop in the esophagus. Until the lacerations have had a chance to heal, spicy foods, such as acidic tomato products, hot peppers, raw garlic and raw onions should also be eliminated from the diet. They just further irritate the condition. Smoking and drinking alcohol relax the LES, allowing stomach acid to splash up into the esophagus, thus impeding the healing process.

The key to acid reflux recovery is to eat only mild, easy to digest food until the esophagus has healed. Eat early, giving yourself at least three hours of sitting or walking time before lying down. Eat slowly and chew your food completely. Last, but not least, try to eat in a relaxed, pleasant and stress free environment.

I have listed a few of my favorite recipes that I enjoyed during my own recovery period. They can be made quickly and easily. Try doubling these recipes so that you can reheat them later in the week.....less time in the kitchen. Remember that cooking from scratch, instead of relying on convenience foods, is a better approach to good health, in general. It's also nice to know what you're really eating.

For breakfast, I believe that fresh fruit is the best way to go. I especially like melon and papaya. For lunch I eat more fruit like apples, bananas and, perhaps some almonds, or walnuts. It's better to eat many little healthy meals during the day. I try to buy only organic fruits, however, sometimes when I am rushed, I purchase "ready to go" containers of mixed fruit at the grocery store. Try to stay away from pineapple, as I find it hard to digest.

How about starters in the evening? Serving vegetables raw is the ultimate healthy way to present them.

Try creating a beautiful platter of crudité (crew di tay) better known as elegant rabbit food. Serve it with a savory tofu dip. Use cauliflower, broccoli, English cucumbers, radishes, green & yellow zucchinis, Belgium endive, carrot sticks, whole small mushrooms, or whatever appeals to you. Cut the vegetables in bite size pieces for dipping. The Belgium endive is a natural edible scoop for dipping. Just cut off the ends and peel off the leaves.

Make the tofu dip by putting one package of soft or silken tofu in a food processor or blender, adding garlic powder, cumin, paprika and chopped chives or parsley for flavor and color. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Add a little fresh squeezed lemon juice if the mixture is too thick. Process until smooth and creamy. If you are in a rush, ready made dips and raw vegetable platters are available in the produce sections of most supermarkets, but make a concerted effort to eat only organic, if possible.

I hope that you enjoy the following dishes. Even though I have cured myself of acid reflux, I still serve these recipes on a regular basis. I prefer food slightly under cooked. Feel free to adjust the cooking times and seasonings according to your own taste.

Bon appetite!

Sautéed White Fish On A Bed Of Mashed Potatoes

This recipe is for one serving. Increase the ingredients for additional servings as needed.

One 4oz filet of white fish (orange roughly, sole, turbot, flounder, etc)
One med. Potato
Steamed green vegetable such as broccoli, spinach, peas or asparagus
Parsley or chives for garnish
¼ tbsp unsalted butter, olive oil or Pam

We will start with the potatoes because they take the longest to cook and they tend to retain their heat the longest. The fish and vegetable take only minutes to cook. )

Peel and cube potato. Place in cold water to cover. Bring to the boil, and then simmer until fork tender. Drain, leaving just enough cooking liquid for mashing or whipping. You may also use the vegetable broth (recipe below) instead. Add salt to taste. Hold in a warm place.

Season fish with salt and pepper to taste. Place non-stick sauté pan over med high heat. Add butter, oil or spray with Pam. When not quite smoking, add fish. Cook two minutes, turn and cook other side for two minutes, or until the filet is light brown and cooked through. If the filet is very thin, one minute on each side may be enough. (You can broil or bake the fish if desired)

Serve fish on top of mashed potatoes, surrounded by the steamed vegetables. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives.

Vegetable Broth

This broth is very alkaline and rich in minerals. It can be served as a simple soup, or used as a stock (as above) for cooking. Cook and save the potatoes and beets to use as a vegetable side dish or to add to soup.
2 cups red skinned potato peelings
3 cups celery stalk
2 cups celery tops
2 cups beet tops
1 small zucchini or yellow squash
2 cups carrots
One small onion
Sprig of parsley
2 ½ quarts distilled water

Chop all vegetables into very fine pieces. Place in water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Strain & refrigerate for future use.

Note: By cooking pearled barley in the finished broth with the addition of chopped vegetables, one can prepare a healthy soup for a first course.

Pasta Primavera

Primavera means "spring" in Italian. This pasta dish offers a great opportunity to use all the wonderful fresh spring vegetables at your disposal. However, you can make this dish anytime of the year by using whatever fresh vegetables you can find at your food market. I have chosen a mixture of vegetables that I happen to love, for this recipe. You can use these or replace them with your favorites. During the reflux healing period, try to stay away from tomatoes, raw onions and raw garlic. I have included garlic in this recipe (*see note regarding roasted garlic). If you can tolerate a little garlic, then make sure to cook it well at a low temperature, without browning it. If you want to be a bit daring, you can add the optional cup of heavy cream. You may substitute parsley for the basil and the penne regatta for fettuccini, or another pasta. The whole family can enjoy this classic pasta dish.

1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup baby peas
1 cup sliced asparagus spears
1 cup snow peas or sugar snaps
2 cloves garlic finely chopped or roasted
1 lb. penne regatta
1 tsp. salt
3 tbsp extra virgin, first cold pressed olive oil
½ cup shredded basil
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
½ cup heavy cream (optional)

Place a steamer basket in a pot with a small amount of water and bring to the boil. Place vegetables in basket, cover and steam until tender (about 4 minutes). Rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking and preserve the color, and drain.

To a large pot of boiling water, add salt and the penne regatta. Cook uncovered according to the instructions on box, preferably al dente.

Meanwhile in a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook at a low flame for a couple of minutes (do not brown). Add the steamed vegetables and optional heavy cream and raise the heat to medium. Cook just enough to heat.

Drain the pasta and add to the sauté pan and mix well.

Sprinkle with Parmigianino Reggiano, and shredded basil. Heat the dish thoroughly and serve. If the dish needs more salt, use extra cheese instead, at the table. Serve this dish with a heart of romaine salad with lemon chive dressing (recipe below)

Another use for roasted garlic is my version of pesto sauce. I use walnuts instead of pine nuts, which I find indigestible, with the roasted garlic and basil. Use whatever proportion you like and drizzle first pressed, extra virgin olive oil into the blender. If your sauce is too thin, adjust with more walnuts, basil and garlic. If it is too thick, use more olive oil. This is all a matter of taste. Serve with your favorite pasta. I prefer linguini or fettuccini.

Lemon chive salad dressing

This is a simple, yet classic vinaigrette for green salads. Use heart of Romaine, Boston or Bipp lettuce. Make this dressing and hour or so before serving, in order that the chive flavor is fully incorporated. Remember to toss well before serving. The advantage here is using lemon juice, instead of vinegar. I find that lemon juice becomes alkaline after being ingested.

1 lemon juiced
Sea salt (pinch)
3 tbsp. extra fine sugar
6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
6 tbsp. minced chives (you can't have too many)
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine lemon juice, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Continue whisking in the olive oil, chives and several grinds of pepper. Keep whisking until dressing is emulsified.

(Note: You can make this dressing for two by reducing the lemon juice to two tbsp. and the other ingredients by 1/3.) Keep left over dressing in a jar in fridge for future use. It will keep for about a week.

Savory Lentils with Texmati Brown Rice

1 lb of organic lentils (2 ½ cups), rinsed
8 cups water or stock
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme, or ½ tsp dried
Organic Texmati brown rice (follow instructions on package)

To a large pot bring water and lentils to a boil. Add other ingredients. Reduce to the simmer, partially covered. Cook until tender (about 20 to 30 minutes), stirring occasionally and adding more liquid as needed.. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve over organic Texmati brown rice. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with a light green salad, dressed with the lemon chive dressing above.

Baked Chicken Breasts on Mushroom Caps
with steamed broccoli and new potatoes

6 chicken breasts (either bone in or halves with skin on)
1 tsp dried thyme
Olive oil
6 large Portobello mushrooms (or enough smaller mushrooms to cover the bottom of the baking pan)
1 tbsp minced garlic
Salt & pepper to taste
2 cups dry white wine or dry vermouth
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

Into a lightly oiled baking pan, large enough to hold chicken breasts, arrange mushrooms gill side down. Sprinkle with minced garlic, salt & pepper. Pour wine over mushrooms. Place chicken breasts skin side up over mushrooms and brush with olive oil.

Bake uncovered about 20 minutes, until the breasts are golden brown. If the wine has evaporated during the cooking process, add a little more (for those of you who can't tolerate alcohol, keep in mind that it burns off during the cooking process, leaving only the flavor).

Baste the breasts with the pan juices and turn over. Cook until breasts are completely done and springy to the finger, about 15 minutes more.

With a slotted spoon, place the chicken and mushrooms on a platter, mushrooms on the bottom and breasts on top, skin side up. Skim off excess fat and spoon juices over the chicken. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve with steamed broccoli and boiled new potatoes. (Substitute brown rice for potatoes, if desired)

Stir fried shrimp and vegetables
Served over millet, brown rice or quinoa

3 tbsp Canola oil
1lb. raw medium peeled shrimp
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups sliced mushrooms
4 scallions, trimmed and chopped
2 tbsp Garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 cup cold vegetable broth (see recipe above), mixed with 2tbsps, cornstarch
1 package of organic millet

Into a hot wok or sauté pan pour oil until just smoking
Add vegetables and stir constantly to cook al dente
Add shrimp and continue to stir until just turning pink
Add broth and cover for a couple of minutes until shrimp is almost done
Uncover and add cornstarch mixture, stir until thickened and turn off heat
Serve over millet cooked according to package instructions
Season to taste with tamari light soy sauce

Note: This dish must be done very quickly, as you don't want to over cook the shrimp or the vegetables. I have chosen Millet because it is an extremely alkaline grain. It is neutral in taste and will absorb the flavors of this dish. You may substitute brown rice instead.

For more information on how to heal acid reflux the natural way, go to: http://www.refluxgoneforever.com

Potato Salad Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.001-07:00

Potato Salad is personal again. If you love potato salad you know how much you miss that in the picnics which seem no fun without that. If you always carve for new potato salad recipes this is the right place for you. Salad-recipes.net provides you with a wide variety of fresh salads recipes which are as good when homemade. The salad recipes are simple yet mouthwatering with all the essential nutrients if you are calorie conscious.

Lets start with a few interesting Potato salad recipes.

German-Style Potato Salad

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds red-skin potatoes, cooked, peeled & diced large

2 ribs sliced celery

1 large red onion, minced

1 large clove garlic, minced

3 slices bacon

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp mayonnaise

salt

pepper

Directions:

Boil the potatoes until tender yet firm. Keep them warm after they have been cooked.

In a skillet or frying pan, fry the bacon. Crumble the bacon and set it aside.

Use the rendered bacon-fat to cook the garlic and onion in a deep skillet.

When they are soft, remove them to a large bowl and add the sugar, apple cider vinegar, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.

Toss in the potatoes and celery. Stir well.

Garnish the salad with the crumbled bacon.

Indian Potato Salad

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound red or new potatoes, scrubbed & cut into 1/2" dice

1/2 tsp toasted cumin seeds

1 tbsp garam masala ( see following recipe* )

2/3 cup nonfat yogurt

3 to 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tomato, seeded & cut into 1/2" dice

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

3 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1 tbsp chopped fresh mint ( optional )

Directions:

Place the potatoes in a large sauce pan and cover them with cold water.

Bring the potatoes to a boil, then reduce the heat and let them simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until they are tender yet firm.

Drain the potatoes in a colander then place them in a large bowl.

Lightly toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant.

Stir the garam masala, lemon juice, yogurt and potatoes together. Let the mixture cool completely.

Shortly before serving mix in the tomato, onion, salt, pepper and half the cilantro.

If you are using the mint, add that now as well.

Season to taste with the lemon juice, masala, and salt.

Place the salad on its platter or serving bowl. Spoon the yogurt into the center.

Sprinkle it with the remaining cilantro and cumin seeds and serve.

*Quick Garam Masla

Ingredients:

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1/4 tsp sesame seeds

1/4 tsp black peppercorns

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 cardamom pod

Directions:

Roast the ingredients in a dry skillet for about two minutes or until lightly browned and very fragrant.

Grind the mixture in a spice-mill or coffee grinder or pulverize it with a mortar and pestle.

This recipe should yield about one tablespoon.

With this potato salad recipe you would enjoy every moment of your next picnic or weekend party.

Healthy Vegetarian Recipes

2010-08-25T22:54:00.000-07:00

Healthy vegetarian recipes are considered to be economical and humane. A balanced healthy vegetarian diet provides essential nutrients, and it keeps the weight down naturally. Take note: vegetarians have very few illnesses linked to fat consumption.

Consider this: until the most recent times, grains were the staple diet, while meat was a luxury reserved for the wealthy few. However, today, in our affluent society, we use grain to fatten the cattle stock! Many critics say this is a wasteful uses of resources, as it takes less grain to feed a person directly than it takes to fatten animals to feed that person. More and more of our population has become vegetarian not only for the reason mentioned above, the reason being that vegetarians are less likely to be obese or have heart or kidney disease and/or diabetes. it is a known fact that vegetarians have lower blood pressure, and much fewer incidents of digestive tract diseases. As well, vegetarians healthy recipes are a more economical use of the earth's resources.

Consider this: on the whole Americans consume about twice the amount of protein required, and medical experts warn that we are paying for our high meat consumption, and animal fats as well, through record rates of strokes, heart disease and certain cancers and other disorders. Of course, there are many non-believers.

Healthy Vegetarian recipes must combine grains, seeds and legumes in order to get the amount of protein they need with all the essential amino acids. There are numerous amounts of healthy vegetarian recipes. Some examples of these are;

rice and beans, bean-vegetable chili served with tortillas, baked beans and corn bread, hummus, cheese rolled in chopped nuts, bread sticks with sesame seeds, macaroni and cheese, and split pea soup. These are complimentary proteins. A healthy vegetarian diet must contain enough iron as the iron from plant sources serves only 1/4 as much as meat does. Every healthy vegetarian recipe should include a high amount of Vitamin C as the Vitamin C helps the to promote iron absorption. Good food high in Vitamin C are citrus fruits, potatoes, cruciferous vegetables, peppers melons and strawberries. Vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption and is contained in the foods egg yolks, fortified milk and fatty fish. Also, exposure to sunlight enables the body to manufacture Vitamin D.

Healthy vegan or have a much more difficult time in consuming enough calories without supplements. Vegan and fruitarians must consume large amounts of nut butters, dried fruits and breads just to maintain their weight.

The facts remain - eating healthy vegetarian recipes has many health benefits, one of which being the avoidance of OBESITY - the reason being their healthy vegetarian recipes are bulky, filling, high in fiber, low in fat and therefore, low in calories. Studies have shown that a cholesterol free plant based diet is also low in saturated fats and can reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, heart disease and stroke. Healthy vegetarian recipes also have proved to show less osteoporosis, kidney stones, gallstones, and adult-onset diabetes.

Having read the above information, which would you choose? Healthy Vegetarian Recipes?

Healthy Recipes

2010-08-25T22:53:00.051-07:00

By following the basic rules of variety, moderation (portion control), and balance, you can plan your daily healthy recipes in accordance with Canada's Food Guide. You can partake in almost any food without guilt or worry. You are able to use healthy recipes to learn to utilize foods to lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.

By using healthy recipes utilizing any freshly grown local produce; preferably organic, pesticide free; where possible, eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Use the least amount of salt and sugar; where possible eliminate both, for your heart's sake. Most fruits do not need sugar added, and most vegetables do not need salt.

Learn to eat less sweets and use Splenda, a natural sugar replacement as often as possible in healthy recipes, in order to keep sugar intake lower, and sea salt in place of regular table salt, to keep our intake of processed iodized salt. Packaged and canned products are usually heavily salted or sugared and it is not necessary - our bodies just do not need it. Choose light and low sugared and salted canned foods if you must.

Learn to read labels of packaged or processed foods, often the "healthy nutritious" part of the food has been taken out of the actual food by the time it reaches our mouths - home made healthy grown food, used in healthy recipes tastes much better than processed foods. It has been recommended that we use non-hydrogenated oils in our foods and stay away from as much animal fat as possible.

Using healthy meat in recipes means we use grain fed, pesticide free organic meats. It may cost a little more, and you may have to order ahead of date required (ie. organically fed - free range birds and free range organically fed cows). It is highly recommended for your good health as these animals will not have been fed anti-biotics, which normally would pass through the meat and into our bloodstreams as we eat the meat; thereby enabling our systems to build up anti-immunities to these drugs. The more we eat those antibiotic filled meats, the more anti-biotics become immune to new and old diseases. Stay with organic meats!!

Learning to eat healthfully by using foods that are pesticide free, organically fresh, locally grown, and not genetically altered, will show you not only the benefits of a healthy body, but a healthy mind.

Finally, learning to use healthful foods to benefit our healthy recipes, choose to using these recipes as a canvas and you be the painter. Healthful foods need not be boring or complicated or take ages to make. Using a healthful recipe is a creation of art, and especially so, when you learn the benefits of and what constitutes healthy eating.

Remember we are what we eat!

Easy Recipes For Delicious Salads

2010-08-25T22:53:00.050-07:00

Salads are nutritional and can be the great source of vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals and lot more. They are considered as light meal and much more than an appetizer. Their preparation mostly involves vegetables (leafy vegetables) and sometimes fruits. The dressing forms the crux of it, which differentiates the taste of different salads. Occasionally it is prepared with meat, fish cheese or nuts, which makes it a high calorie-content. Basically these delicacies are healthy with low calories, most commonly found on every dining table in US
The most commonly consumed green salad consists of variety of vegetables like lettuce, spinach or arugula. This is not all, as the recipes can also be seen with tomato, cucumber, peppers, mushrooms, onions, spring onions, and red onions, carrot and reddish. We come across people who love to try different things in their daily diet they make different combinations in the same dish to give it different taste and flavor. For this reason we find green salads complimented with pasta, olives, cooked potatoes, croutons, beans, rice meat, cheese and fish. That is why salad is not just any mixture of leafy vegetables but needs proper garnishing and serving with of course the right mix of ingredients.
There are wide array of sumptuous chicken and summer salad recipes with tantalizing taste and mouth-watering aroma.
Lets look at one of the recipe called Chinese chicken salad recipe which easy to prepare and tasty to eat. The almonds and noodles in the salad add a crunchy taste to it and the dressing makes it spicy and sweet. Take a quick look at the ingredients needed.
Chinese chicken salad
Ingredients:
Coleslaw
1 packet of chicken noodles
1/2-cup of chopped green onions
Few sliced almonds to add crunch
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Dressing essentials:
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of olive oil
Wine vinegar or same quantity of rice preferably 1/2 cup rice
2 tsp. of soy sauce
Seasoning from the ramen
Method
To start with the Chinese chicken salad, you need to bake/grill and cube the 4 chicken breasts properly. Once this is done you have to combine all ingredients together. When the ingredients are mixed properly put the dressing on it immediately before serving.
During summer the intake of regular diet is less but the salads with nice dressings and variety of toppings can actually work as appetizers. The summer salad recipe involves fresh vegetables. Just go through the recipe to find out more about it.
Mid- summer Italian bread salad
Ingredients
1 clove of garlic
1 (1 pound) loaf or Italian bread preferably
1 cup of finely chopped tomatoes
1 cup of peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber
1 cup of chopped red onion
1 clove crushed garlic
2 cups of chopped fresh basil
1/8 cup of chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
If the bread is too fresh toast it till it becomes dry and crunchy.
Preparations
First of all rub the peeled clove of garlic from inside of wooden salad bowl. After that chop the bread into small size pieces. Mix bread, tomato, tomato, cucumber red onions, garlic, basil and thyme in the prepared bowl. Finally add oil and vinegar for lightly coating. Toss and serve the Mid- summer Italian bread salad

How to Make Mead From a Seventeenth Century Recipe

2010-08-25T22:53:00.049-07:00

One of the great things about Mead making is the whole tradition of it. Mead has been made for centuries and quite possibly millennium. You can easily find and follow these recipes with just a little variation for modern times and tools.

I have chosen a recipe that comes from a book called “From the Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened”. It is a collection of recipes for making a variety of meads and metheglins. This recipe is one of the easiest to make. If you want to check out the book and see more of the recipes the complete book is freely available on the Gutenberg project website.Here is the recipe as Sir Digby explains it:

TO MAKE EXCELLENT MEAD

"To every quart of Honey, take four quarts of water. Put your water in a clean Kettle over the fire, and with a stick take the just measure, how high the water cometh, making a notch, where the superficies toucheth the stick. As soon as the water is warm, put in your Honey, and let it boil, skimming it always, till it be very clean; Then put to every Gallon of water, one pound of the best Blew-raisins of the Sun, first clean picked from the stalks, and clean washed. Let them remain in the boiling Liquor, till they be throughly swollen and soft; Then take them out, and put them into a Hair-bag, and strain all the juice and pulp and substance from them in an Apothecaries Press; which put back into your liquor, and let it boil, till it be consumed just to the notch you took at first, for the measure of your water alone. Then let your Liquor run through a Hair-strainer into an empty Wooden-fat, which must stand endwise, with the head of the upper-end out; and there let it remain till the next day, that the liquor be quite cold. Then Tun it up into a good Barrel, not filled quite full, but within three or four fingers breadth; (where Sack hath been, is the best) and let the bung remain open for six weeks with a double bolter-cloth lying upon it, to keep out any foulness from falling in. Then stop it up close, and drink not of it till after nine months.”

Now here is my translation and explanation of how to make this mead recipe. I will stick close to his quantities, which will give us about 1 gallon of Mead. You can easily translate this if you want to make a 5-gallon batch.

Put four quarts of water in a pot and heat it. Mark the side of the pot at the water level. Add 1 quart of honey to the water and bring it very gently to a boil. Skim off anything that rises to the surface. Put 1 pound of white raisins in a nylon straining bag (or a doubled cheesecloth bag) and drop into the water. When they are swollen and soft remove them from the boiling water and press all the juices out of them. Add all these juices into the boiling mead. Continue to boil the batch down to the mark you made on the pan. This is the four-quart level. Once this is done cool the liquid and strain it into a fermentation bucket for six weeks. After this the fermentation should be almost complete and you can transfer it to a carboy or bottle it where you keep it for nine months before drinking.

Now here are some suggestions I have for varying from the exact recipe, which is an update to modern times without losing any of the ancient taste.

First off, Digby doesn't say anything about yeast! If you are a mead maker you must be wondering how are we going to ferment without yeast. Well, in those days they just took advantage of naturally occuring yeast bacteria that were in the air and the utensils but I don't recommend you do this. We live in a much cleaner world and we want to exercise more control over our Mead so I suggest you pitch a yeast into your batch once it has cooled. Almost any yeast will work including Lalvin D-47 or even Fleischmanns bread yeast. (Just follow the pitching instructions that come with the yeast.)

Secondly, he uses blue raisins, which are a bit difficult to come by so I recommend you switch to some more run of the mill, and readily available raisins. The raisins do have an effect on the taste but more importantly they act as a nutrient; so other types of raisins can be used quite successfully.

Finally, about the whole boiling thing. You can successfully do this whole recipe without any of the boiling or heating of anything. Personally I think your mead will be just as good. The reason why Digby boils is because he has to. He got his water from a well and his honey was no doubt heavily contaminated with all kinds of stuff. His boiling of materials would sanitize and clean everything that would compete with the yeast that is desirable to grow. Your sanitizing needs are greatly reduced if you are pitching a real yeast in the brew and you are going to be using extraordinarily clean honey and water by his standards.

If you read the Digby book you will see that he claims this mead to be a good cure for consumption and other ailments. While I won’t make the same claim, and I don’t even know what consumption is I will claim that you will end up with quite a delicious mead you can be proud of. And it is Mead you can brag to your friends about because it came from a seventeenth century recipe.

Vegetarian and Vegan Cook Book Recipes : in a Vegetarian Kitchen

2010-08-25T22:53:00.048-07:00

Those of you familiar with my books know that I love to share my passion for great vegetarian and vegan cooking with easy, healthy recipes, from simple family meals to festive fare for holidays and entertaining. Seasonal produce, vegan baking, and kid- and teen-friendly food are all on the menu.

Aside from simple and delicious recipes, Healthy Cooking Tips will help you set up a healthy pantry, make your kitchen more earth-friendly, plan meals, and much more. Vegetarian Nutrition provides info on protein, fiber, fats, calcium, and lots more need-to know topics to live a healthy veg lifestyle.

Sometimes being a vegetarian seems no fun at all, especially on the weekend barbeque where everyone else is enjoying grilled sticks and many other grilled delicacies.

But no more, before this weekend get yourself a new vegetarian cook book full of vegetarian recipes and enjoy as others are doing. Vegetarian cook books are a great way to enjoy vegetarian dishes which you never know existed.

Vegetarian cook books are in general helpful for beginners who want to experiment with the vegetarian culinary but never know how to start with that. Now get mouth watering dishes right out of your kitchen and set the mood of parties and weekends.

Before starting to purchase a vegetarian cook book understand what suits your taste buds as there are lot many vegetarian recipes which you could ever imagine. If beginner it is always better to start with the simple recipes than experimenting much with the culinary.The best way out is to understand your taste first and shortlist a few recipe cook books.

It helps a lot to read the reviews and excerpts of such recipe cook books to make a choice.To start with cook book recipe experience we will share on recipe with the courtesy of cookbookclub.

Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe

Lasagna Noodles

10 ounce frozen chopped Broccoli

14 1/2 ounce Can Tomatoes

15 ounce Can Tomato Sauce

1 cup Chopped Celery

1 cup Chopped Onion

1 cup Chopped Grn/Sweet Red Pepper

1 1/2 teaspoon Dried Basil crushed *

Bay leaves

Clove garlic minnced

Beaten Egg

2 cup Lo-fat Ricotta or Cottage Ch

1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

* or substitute 1/2 t dried Oregano for 1/2 t of the dried Basil Cook noodles and broccoli separately according to their package directions; drain well. Set aside.

For sauce, cut up canned tomatoes. In a large saucepan stir together undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, celery, green or sweet red pepper, basil, bay leaves, and garlic. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncover, 20-25 minutes or till sauce is thick, stirring occasionally.

Remove bay leaves.

Meanwhile, in a bowl stir together egg, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and 1/4 t pepper.Stir in broccoli. Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce in a 13x9x2"" baking dish. Top with half the noodles, half of the broccoli mixture, and half of the remaining sauce.

Repeat layers, ending with the sauce.Bake, uncovered, in a 350 deg F oven for 25 minutes; sprinkle with Mozzarella.Bake 5 minutes more or till heated through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe not Only for Taste But Also for Your Health

2010-08-25T22:53:00.047-07:00

It’s quite natural in everyone's life for a little bit of better, healthier eating. Choosing a healthy diet may begin with changing our eating habits when we eat out, but that is only one facet of a large endeavor. Healthier eating habits can also easily begin at home, simply by some of the ways that food is prepared. Healthy food does not ever have to mean that your meals will be boring, either because there are many healthy cooking techniques which will actually enhance the flavors while improving your health!

Our Healthy cooking can improve your overall health by reducing fat in the arteries which could lead to blockage. Reducing this fat will help keep arteries clean and will keep the blood flowing at a high rate. Reducing fat also helps to promote a lean body physique instead of a fat one. People who are lean will generally feel better, look better, and have more energy than people who are carrying excess pounds.

Never think about giving dessert up, simply by choosing to eat healthily! There are many wonderful things that you can do with fruit, such as mixing a bowl of berries and low fat or fat free vanilla yogurt for a sweet treat at your home. Another favorite involves sautéed bananas which are sprinkled with a little bit of vanilla extract and cinnamon. There are so many things that you can do with healthy, fresh fruit that you will not even have to think about sugar-packed treats like candies and ice cream to make your life healthy.

In today's society there is a lot more emphasis placed on health than in many years past. People are well educated about what is, and what is not, good for their everyday health. Healthy recipes is one way to provide optimum health for you and those family and friends you love. Knowing what foods are good for you is only the first step. You must also know how to prepare those foods in the healthiest way possible.

Seared Sesame Encrusted Ahi Tuna Steak Recipe

2010-08-25T22:53:00.046-07:00

Tuna is truly an amazing food with a number of benefits that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Tuna is rich in Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and has been known to reduce the risk of heart disease. It is also low in fat and cholesterol making it a great alternative to beef. Not only is tuna a powerhouse of nutrition, it is also one of the most delicious sources of lean protein that you will ever sink your teeth into.

Tuna is also easy to cook. Its a hardy fish and holds together well on the grill, in the oven, or on the stove top. The following recipe is one of my favorites and is fairly easy to prepare.

I made this particular dish the other day and it was absolutely wonderful. My wife, who normally does not eat big portions, cleaned off her plate and wanted more, so that is a very good sign.

The thickness of the tuna steak you use really depends on how rare you like your tuna. Because you are only searing the outside of your tuna steak, it will not be in the pan for very long. So the thicker the steak, the more rare the center will be.

I personally do not like my tuna too rare, so I usually make this recipe with thinner cuts of tuna. This is just a preference, not a requirement. Many people, including chefs say the only way to eat tuna is rare. I guess you will have to be the judge.

Let us move on to the recipe shall we?Seared Sesame Encrusted Ahi Tuna with a Cilantro, Garlic and Lime sauce..

I should mention one thing before we begin this recipe. I do not follow exact measurements in recipes. I measure everything by eye, so the following measurements are only to be used as a guide. So don't get too mad at me!

This is optional, but I like to toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan first before I put them on the tuna. The seeds become nutty and aromatic when you toast them. This is highly recommended if you have the time and is quite easy to do. Simply heat a dry pan over medium heat, then add the seeds shaking the pan occasionally. You may have to do this in batches, depending on how many seeds you are toasting. You do not want to overcrowd the pan. Keep an eye on the seeds and make sure they do not burn. Toast them until they darken a bit and start to become fragrant. Remove and let them cool before adding them to the tuna.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 Cup Black Sesame Seeds

1/4 Cup White Sesame Seeds

1 Tablespoon of Sesame Oil

2 - 6 ounce Ahi (Also known as Yellow Fin) Tuna Steaks

Salt and Pepper to Taste

MARINADE/ DIPPING SAUCE

1/ 2 Cup of Low Sodium Soy Sauce (Who needs the extra sodium, right?)

1 Lime (Juice and Zest - If you want more lime flavor, add another)

1- 2 Cloves of Garlic Minced

2 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Tablespoon of Sesame Oil

2 Tablespoons of Freshly Chopped Cilantro Leaves

1) Prepare the marinade. Add all marinade ingredients to a small bowl and mix well. Reserve half of this marinade in a separate container to use as a dipping sauce.

2) Get a glass baking dish or other non-reactive container to marinade the tuna in. You want the tuna steaks to fit snuggly in the dish so that they are surrounded nicely with the marinade. Pour the marinade into the dish and put the tuna steaks in and kind of swirl the marinade around so that you coat the fish well. Cover with some plastic wrap and refrigerate. Another option is to pour the marinade in a large zip lock bag, add the tuna, and then squeeze out the air. Marinade for 30 minutes to an hour, turning the tuna about half way through.

3) Remove tuna from fridge and let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes or so.

4) Remove tuna from marinade, shaking off any excess marinade and dry on paper towels.

5) Heat a saute pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. The oil should be hot but not smoking.

6) While the pan is heating, arrange your sesame seeds on a flat dish. Roll the tuna around in the seeds pressing down as you roll ensuring the seeds are packed into the tuna nicely.

7) Add the tuna to the hot saute pan and shake it a bit to make sure the tuna does not stick. Sear for 30 to 40 seconds on both sides.

8) Remove and serve with the reserved dipping sauce.

For side dishes with this recipe I usually keep things pretty bland as I don't want anything to compete with the flavors in the tuna. So I usually prepare a side of steamed green beans with a bit of butter, salt and pepper or other vegetable along with some lightly seasoned jasmine or basmati rice.

There you have it. I do hope you enjoy this Seared Sesame Encrusted Ahi Tuna recipe. I am not a big wine drinker, but for those of you who like a glass or two with dinner, I heard a nice Pinot Grigio goes quite well with Tuna. Buon Appetito!

How to Make Tea Sandwich Recipes

2010-08-25T22:53:00.045-07:00

The tea sandwiches are light food that can be had during teatime. These sandwiches are such that they can be easily and quickly prepared with light fillers. There are number of recipes available for tea sandwiches that are famous throughout. These recipes are easy to follow and the sandwiches are ready within few minutes. The main characteristics that help the tea sandwich recipes to be so popular among all the people are as follows;* The small size of the sandwiches that is obtained by cutting the regular size bread into four small triangle pieces. Thus, they are easily gulped up in two or three bites.* They are crust less, i.e. the edges of the bread which usually tend to be hard are removed* They are thin-sliced which makes the sandwiches light food item to have during the tea session in the afternoons.* The sandwich recipes are flavorful and hence compliment with the tea. They are not sweet, and often prepared with, garlic, scallions, spicy mustard, and pepper. * Each one of them is spread with soft butter or cream cheese to avoid the sogginess of the sandwiches. These form the main ingredients of the tea sandwich recipes, the other stuffing or fillers can be considered as add on. These sandwich recipes can be a good idea for having food items during the theme parties, birthday parties and similar occasions. The category of the popular and most widely accepted tea sandwich recipes are given below Egg Bread Tea sandwich includes the following ingredients* 3 cooked eggs which are peeled and finely chopped* One tablespoon of finely chopped green onions* ½ c. of mayonnaise* 10 slices of egg bread* some salt and pepper to tasteThis sandwich is easily prepared by just mixing up all the ingredients well and applying the mixture on the bread slices.Cucumber Tea Sandwich recipe is still the quintessential tea sandwich recipe. Everyone mostly accepts it and most of the tea parties are incomplete without it.The ingredients involved in its preparation are* One large cucumber thinly sliced and peeled nicely* ¾ cup of soft butter along with slices of bread* Two tsp minced fresh garlic* One tsp of lemon juice and olive oil* Salt and pepper to tasteIt can be prepared quickly and tastes very yummy. Initially the cucumber is sprinkled with little salt. One slice of each sandwich is applied with the paste of butter and garlic. In a bowl stir together the lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, and add the cucumbers so that they are well coated by the mixture. Then arrange all these cucumbers in between two slices of all the sandwiches and serve by cutting off the edges. The most commonly accepted tea sandwich recipe that takes hardly 5 minutes to prepare consists of the following ingredients* ¼ cup crumbled, cooked bacon* 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese* 2 teaspoons mayonnaise* 2 tablespoons prepared mustard The sandwich can be prepared by mixing all these ingredients and applying it on one of the sides of the tasted bread.

Low Glycemic Recipes - What are the Benefits?

2010-08-25T22:53:00.044-07:00

You may have heard of low glycemic recipes and wondered what they are all about. Are they the same as low carbohydrate recipes? If not, what is the difference? What are the health benefits?
Unless you just got back from a very long trip to a desert island, you probably know that low carb diets (and hence, recipes) have been popular for the last several years. They emphasize that only a small percentage of the calories in your diet should be from carbohydrates (which, generally speaking, are starchy and sugary foods). Reducing the number of carbs in your diet leads to weight loss because they are usually high-calories foods; therefore, eating less carbs obviously equals consuming fewer calories.
In addition, the body will not produce insulin in response to sudden blood sugar surges. These surges prevent the breakdown of body fat. Proponents of low-carb diets say that reducing carbs and increasing consumption of lean proteins and certain fats will cause the body to use more stored body fat as energy.
Not all carbohydrates are the same, though. While low-carb recipes concentrate on the quantity of carbs consumed, low glycemic recipes go a step further and define the quality of the carbohydrates.
Foods are rated on the glycemic index according to how quickly their sugars are released into the bloodstream. Blood sugar spikes lead to quick drops in blood sugar, leaving you tired, lethargic, and hungry. Slow, steady release of carbohydrates keep blood sugar levels even, which helps you feel full longer and less likely to overeat. It can reduce your "bad" LDL cholesterol and risk of heart disease, and help control diabetes.
How do you know if a food is low glycemic? There are books available that rate hundreds of foods on the index, and lists are available on the internet. But, in general, the more a food is processed and removed from its natural state, the higher it is on the glycemic index and the quicker it raises blood sugar levels. The more natural fiber left in a food, the lower it is on the index because fiber is either indigestible or slowly digested. There are exceptions to this rule of thumb, with very sweet fruits and vegetables. But is a useful way to think about the foods you choose.
For example, white bread is high on the glycemic index because the wheat used in making it has been stripped of its fibrous outer covering, allowing the starches to be digested very quickly. 100% whole grain bread, on the other hand, retains the grain's natural fiber, so it is digested slowly and steadily. A food is considered low glycemic when it is below fifty-five points on the glycemic index. High glycemic foods are between seventy and one hundred points, and fifty-six to fifty-nine point foods are considered moderate.
There are low glycemic recipes available, and changing the way you eat gradually can lead to long-lasting health. There are lots of tasty low glycemic recipes out there, and you can modify some of your favorite recipes by replacing high glycemic foods with low ones. Using more vegetables and whole grains in your diet, and replacing high-fat dairy products with low-fat versions is a good way to start.
Choosing low glycemic recipes is easy, and it is one more way you can reach your healthy lifestyle goals.

Old-fashion Potluck Recipes; Beans and Franks and Tropical Wedding Cake Ad Recipe

2010-08-25T22:53:00.043-07:00

We are all invited to potluck meals at times. Whether it is a family get-together, church social activity, office meal, community night-out, or other occasion requiring you to take a dish to share, here are a couple of old fashion recipes that are sure to please. They are simple, quick, easy to prepare, tasty, and economical. Beans and Franks are always a crowd pleaser and a special hit with the kids. Tropical Wedding Cake is an easy cake that looks and taste like you spent lots of time on it. It is also a good "make ahead" cake since it needs to be refrigerated over night.

TROPICAL WEDDING CAKE AD RECIPE

This recipe for Tropical Wedding Cake is from an old, yellowed and ripped newspaper clipping. A local Southern Indiana grocery store had run this ad as their recipe of the week.1 box yellow cake mix, prepared as directed on box and baked in a greased and floured 9 x 13-inch pan.In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar with a one pound four ounce can of crushed pineapple and cook over medium heat for five minutes. When cake comes from oven, pierce top with a large fork and pour warm pineapple-sugar mixture over the cake.Prepare one large package of vanilla pudding (not instant) according to directions and spread over pineapple. Cover and refrigerate cake overnight.When ready to serve, spread Regular or Extra Creamy Whipped Topping over top of cake and sprinkle with coconut.

BEANS AND FRANKS

3 slices bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces1/2 cup chopped onion1/2 cup chopped green pepper1/2 lb frankfurters, cut in 1-inch pieces1 can (1 lb. 14 oz) pork and beans1/2 cup ketchup1/4 cup brown sugar1 tbsp mustard4-oz Cheddar cheese, sliced about 3/4-inch wideIn a ten inch skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Saute onion, pepper and franks in skillet with bacon until onion is transparent. In a 3-quart casserole combine all ingredients except cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Arrange cheese slices on top in spoke design. Bake ten minutes longer. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Enjoy!

A Totally Healthy Chicken Recipe

2010-08-25T22:53:00.042-07:00

Sometimes the best chicken recipe is not only totally healthy, but it is also fast, easy to make and will have your family coming back for a second helping !

The following chicken recipe is for those people who are health conscientious and watching how much fat they take into their routine diet.

If using frozen chicken breasts: this chicken recipe is best when a frozen skinned chicken breast has been thawed slowly in cold water or even in the refrigerator. The meat seems to stay more firm and keeps in its moisture much better than if you defrost the chicken in a microwave or even at room temperature. Fresh chicken breasts can also be used.

Now onto the rest of the chicken recipe.

Choose as many chicken breasts as you wish to serve.

Slice a fresh lemon in half. Rub the lemon all over the breasts. (note: one lemon will be sufficient for about 4 medium-sized breasts)

Wrap the breasts in tin foil and place them on a baking sheet.

Bake in a moderate oven until done – depending upon the size of your breasts – it should not be more than 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove from oven, and put the chicken breasts into a baking dish or platter that you would like to serve them on.

Making the sauce for this chicken recipe is fast, easy and flavorful. All you will need is a couple of medium-sized onions, four or five tomatoes, some cilantro and/or oregano, three our four garlic cloves, olive oil, mushrooms if you like, and black olives – also optional.

Just dice it all up, add the oregano or cilantro and garlic to your specific tastes and you are done.

Cover the chicken breasts with your freshly made sauce and serve with a freshly steamed vegetable of your choice.

That is all there is to this chicken recipe if you want completely healthy and no fat or carbs to speak of.

If you would like to add a few carbs, then prepare some angel hair pasta and place the baked chicken breasts and sauce over the angel hair and sprinkle with a bit of parmesan cheese.

As a note, you can alter this chicken recipe in a multitude of ways. The main thing to keep in mind when you do alter it is to focus on keeping the chicken recipe fat free and completely healthy.

Try to avoid making sauces out of dairy products. If you should choose to make a sauce that has dairy products as a part of its ingredients, then to minimize your fat intake, try to avoid butter and sour cream, or minimally go with a light sour cream.

The idea behind this chicken recipe is to help you eat a delicious dinner while still eating healthy.

As a note, there are some excellent chicken soup and fried chicken recipes on the web as well, so if this one doesn’t hit your taste buds tonight, then consider a good chicken soup or fried chicken meal for your family.

Rachel Ray Free Recipes - Appetizing & Mouth Watering

2010-08-25T22:53:00.041-07:00

Rachel Ray free recipes make it possible for you to prepare extraordinarily dishes in a short time. Be it simple dishes for children, or elaborate lay-out ones to entertain the guests; Rachel’s long list of recipes has it all. Not only are these dishes irresistible to look at, but are also very simple to prepare. All of them take a maximum time of 30 minutes, from the time you start to the time you complete them. You would be surprised when your family and children actually start enjoying these home made dishes prepared by you, than take away food.Good Food & Great HostessRachel Ray free recipes are very popular. Food Network has done four shows with her. Besides these, she has eight cookbooks and a magazine also. Rachel looks gorgeous on the screen. She has a great way of making even some complicated recipes look simple. Some of the viewer’s favorite recipes are: Quesadilla Club, Orange BBQ Glaze, Bleu Cheese Tortilla Chips etc. Rachel Ray free recipes seem very attractive and are ideal for making an impact on friends, family or someone special on those special occasions.Have A Complete FareYou can access Rachel Ray free recipes at the Internet. All the recipes that Rachel shows in the episodes of her shows are available online. With Rachel’s recipes you can plan an entire dinner, complete with the three courses. Dishes like Cracked Corn and Cheese Squares or chunky peanut butter in Thai salad with peanut dressing are ideal for appetizers. For dessert, you can try Rachel’s Black Cherry Ice Cream with Chocolate Sauce, which is not only delicious, but also very simple to prepare.With speedy Rachel Ray free recipes, you can easily multi-task. Enjoy some splendid food with your family every day, while you manage your house and also get plenty of time to do other work.

Healthy Juicer Detox Recipes

2010-08-25T22:53:00.040-07:00

What are your thoughts about drinking only fruits and vegetables for 3 days? Would you able to withstand it? Will your body be up to it? While you might think you can't live on fruit and vegetables juices alone for three whole days, you're mistaken. This is called the three-day detox challenge and a lot of people have done it. Now, they're enjoying a cleaner, healthier body. So if you're willing to try it, check out the juicier detox recipes below. And see if you can consume only those in a matter of three days.
But then again, you have to consult first with your doctor to know whether you are capable of following such a recipe. If you have an underlying health condition, this diet plan may not be advisable for you. So before you go and try detox cleansing procedure, clear yourself with your doctor first. Juicer detox recipes can only be followed by somebody who is totally healthy.
Try to use these tasty juice therapies in your 3-day detoxification plan:
1. A Different Carrot Juice Recipe
A lot of people love carrot juice. If you're one of them, then this recipe is especially dedicated to you. For this particular one, you are going to need three carrots and a tall celery stalk. It is also possible to add lime to the resulting juice. Blend the celery stalks and carrots mixed in a glass of water. Choose puree for a more solid consistency. This juice can pass off as your lunch during the 3-day period. Since it is vegetable, it is heavy on the stomach.
2. Peach Orange Juice
Peaches are the best detox candidates. If they are in season, this juicer detox recipe is perfect. You need at least three peaches. You'll also need a blender. Blend the peaches. Add orange juice. Extract the juice of the orange using a juicer. This recipe can serve as a filling breakfast for you.
3. Apples and blueberry Juice
Blueberry and apples make a tasty combination. And do you know that both blueberry and apples are considered super foods? This means that they have the necessary amount of antioxidants, nutrients, and vitamins to keep your body healthy. Not only that. Blueberry and apples are perfect for dessert. To prepare them, wash the fruits first. Put them in a juicer or a blender. Be sure to remove the stalks of the apple. You can also use other berries like cranberries and strawberries if blueberries are not available. After blending the apples, add your choice of berry juice to the mixture. Blend again. This recipe can be your dinner.
4. Sweet Potato and Pineapple Juice
To prepare this recipe, all you need is one small pineapple and a sweet potato. However, if you want to add a unique flavor to the blend, put some oranges. Blend and juice all of the ingredients. This is a unique juice blend but it is quite tasty, not to mention very nutritious.
There are more juicer detox recipes available online and through herbal health centers. Be sure to visit them to find out what other cool and tasty suggestions you can follow for a cleaner healthier you.

Why Should You Use a Baked Cheesecake Recipe?

2010-08-25T22:53:00.039-07:00

There are few desserts in the world of sweets more alluring that cheesecake. A good baked cheesecake recipe can provide a dessert that will make a bad meal into a good memory, and make a good meal into an event that will be talked about for years. A slice of baked cheesecake, especially New York style, is perfection itself. The creamy texture, the subtle flavors and the richness combine on the palate to make dessert truly the great finish to the meal.You might be tempted at some point, however, to explore a simpler way to make your cheesecake. The baked cheesecake recipe, while simple, for more details visit to www.chef-123.com can be unforgiving at times, and it only takes a couple of failures to send even the most intrepid of home cooks looking for alternatives. What they soon find, however, is that there really is no adequate substitute for the creamy richness of the baked version.There are no-bake cheesecake recipes in great supply on the Internet, and you are more than welcome to be adventurous and try one. Before you serve one to your dinner guests, however, you would be well advised to make one just for in-home consumption. Why?The answer is quite simple: There is not a single no-bake cheesecake recipe in existence that will give you anything approaching what you get when you go through the effort of producing a baked cheesecake. Most of the no-bake recipes rely on some sort of gelatin to thicken the mix, for more details visit to www.300-dip-recipes.com is that there really is no adequate substitute for the creamy richness of the baked version or they mix in whipped cream to try to mimic the texture of the baked product. A good baked cheesecake recipe can provide a dessert that will make a bad meal into a good memory, and make a good meal into an event that will be talked about for years. While both options produce a generally edible end product, in the immortal words of Snoopy there are like "giving a starving dog a rubber bone."If you are going to cook a great meal, and put a lot of effort into it, why go cheap on your dessert? Putting forth the effort to follow a baked cheesecake recipe is worth it every time.

Do You Love Cooking, Food or Italian Recipes?

2010-08-25T22:53:00.038-07:00

A couple of centuries from now, this will be referred to as the Golden Age of the Foodie, without a doubt. Never before have so many cuisines, ingredients and cooking methods been so readily available to so many people. Even the most exotic ingredients can be found, the most obscure of kitchen gadgets located. If you're into cooking, food or even Italian recipes, you'll find a wealth of information available.Where is this treasure trove? If you're reading this, you're standing knee-deep in it right now. It's the Internet.With the explosion in Internet content, a huge amount of information has become available free of charge to anyone interested in cooking. With the click of a mouse, you can open huge recipe collections, for more details visit to www.fair-recipes.com read cooking tips and even see video demonstrations of basic cooking procedures, if your computer is beefy enough to handle such things.When it comes to food, the options are even more limitless. In years past, if a food maker wanted to get his product to the public, he had basically two options. He could hit the farmer's markets, for more details visit to www.chicken-wing-cookbook.com running a booth and selling directly to the public on a small scale, or he could go through the torturous process of getting his products into grocery stores. This can be a very time-consuming and frustrating process, and once the products are in they require constant attention to ensure they are properly shelved, labeled and stocked.Now, with the Internet, small food producers can sell their products directly to the public. Some of them have even banded together to form the electronic equivalent of a farmer's market, with many producers under one Web site's banner. You need to know at least a general number of servings to prepare and adjust your recipe in order to accommodate those needs. Some people find it much simpler if they can double or triple recipes rather than scaling them to specific serving sizes. If this works best for you then by all means incorporate this practice when cooking for crowds. One thing you must be aware of is that you will need to include in order creating the meal you are planning.For Italian recipes, the growth has been just as explosive. There are vast databases of recipes with special sections devoted to Italy, and even sites devoted solely to the cuisine of the country. Whether you're into cooking, food, Italian recipes or all of the above, your computer can bring you an almost endless menu of options.

Basic Cooking Terms and the Language Used in Recipes

2010-08-25T22:53:00.037-07:00

It can be very frustrating when you are trying to follow a recipe, but you don't understand the cooking terms used. Sometimes even instructions on a packet of pasta can confuse you – what does cook until “al dente” mean? So, let's have a look at some basic cooking terms and the language used in recipes: -

Al dente – This term is often used with pasta and literally means “to the tooth/bite”. Boil the pasta until is tender but still has some “bite”, not soggy and falling apart. Packet pasta usually takes 5-10 minutes in boiling water.

Baste – This term is often used when roasting chicken or cooking meat in a marinade. For more details go to: www.classic-dessert-collection.com you will need to regularly “baste” the meat with the juices or sauce to keep it moist. You can use a spoon to spoon the juices or sauce over the meat or you can use a “buster” which is a bit like a syringe or bulb.

Beat – A term often used in cooking or baking. You may be instructed to beat and egg – simply crack an egg into a bowl and beat (stir rapidly) with a fork or whisk to combine the yolk and white. In cake recipes, you may be instructed to beat the margarine and sugar together – use an electric whisk or beater for ease.

Blanch – A recipe may call for blanching vegetable. This simply means to plunge them into boiling water for about a minute.

Chop – self explanatory but use a good sharp knife and try to chop vegetables etc. so that bits are uniform in size and thickness. Onions often have to be chopped finely so chop them as small as you can.

Cream – Cake recipes often instruct you to cream the butter or margarine with the sugar. Beat them together either with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until they are well combined and the mixture has turned a paler color.

Dice – If you are instructed to dice meat or vegetables, it means that you should chop into uniform squares.

Fillet – This word can either be used as a noun or a verb. A meat fillet is a good quality piece of meat which has been “filleted”, had the bones removed.For help visit: www.cooking-chinese-style.com if a recipe asks you to fillet a piece of meat or fish, it means you need to remove the bones. This is tricky so buy fillet meat or ask your butcher or fishmonger to do it for you.

Fold – Cake recipes often tell you to fold in the flour after creaming the margarine and sugar and adding eggs. Add the flour a bit at a time using a metal spoon and a figure of eight movement to “fold” the flour into the mixture while retaining the air added by creaming or beating.

Julienne – This term is used with vegetables. Julienne carrots are carrots which have been chopped into matchsticks or strips.

Marinate – To coat a piece of meat or fish in a sauce usually overnight or for a few hours in the fridge. The meat will take on the flavors from the sauce.

Pare – Remove the skin from fruit or vegetables.

Peel – Remove the skin from fruit, vegetables or prawns.

Poach – To cook in liquid. Poached eggs are cooked in boiling water and poached fish is often cooked in hot milk.

Puree – To puree a vegetable or fruit is to blend it until it is as smooth as baby food. Use an electric blender.

Sauté – You can sauté vegetables and this means to fry in hot oil over a high heat for a short amount of time.

Season – To flavor with salt and pepper.

Simmer – This term is often used with sauces or recipes like curry or chili. It means to bring a sauce to boiling and then turn down to a level where the sauce is bubbling but not boiling.

Stiff peaks – If you are instructed to beat cream or egg whites until stiff peaks are formed, then you need to whisk or beat until the mixture forms peaks which do not collapse and you could even turn the bowl upside down without the mixture immediately falling out.

Stir-fry – To stir-fry is to cook meat and/or vegetables in a wok at a high temperature. Stir-fry packs can be found in supermarkets and all you have to do is fry them briefly in hot oil in a wok, add sauce or spices and serve with noodles or rice.

Whisk – Use an electric whisk or a hand whisk to beat something like cream.

Hopefully these explanations will help you to feel more confident when using recipes.

Ideas When Cooking Online Recipes

2010-08-25T22:53:00.036-07:00

But still it is a bit tricky when you are following a recipe without proper coaching, so here are some ideas which will come in handy, when you are trying out a recipe you got from the net.

1.      Cut down on the ingredients for e.g. if the recipe says it serves 4 then halve all the ingredients so that it serves 2. Since you are experimenting, it’s better to practice first with small amounts because it’s easier to control and adjust taste while cooking with smaller amounts. And once you get it right, you can double the ingredients, this way you can be sure it will turn out just perfect.

2.      Don’t use substitutes; in our day to day cooking we usually do substitute one item for another, if we are running short. But for online recipes it is best to use exactly what the recipe says. Maybe after you have tried it out a couple of times, you can experiment with substitutes and see how it tastes.

3.      Check out if there are some other variations of the same recipe, you can get some useful tips this way. If possible try to get a video of the recipe; you can try searching for example in www.youtube.com . You can get a clear idea this way.

4.      Keep at it – if it doesn’t turn out as it should the first time you try it out, find out where you went wrong and try again in small amounts- learn from your mistakes. If you keep at it, you will eventually get it right. So if you are hoping to impress everyone with your culinary skills, practice the recipe a couple of times before inviting everyone to dinner.

Hope you found my hints helpful and wish you all a happy cooking.

Paula's Home Cooking Recipes - Fun Way To Learn Cooking

2010-08-25T22:53:00.035-07:00

Do you love cooking? Where do you gather the recipes from? Self experimenting? Television shows? Reading? Surfing the internet? Well, Paula’s Home Cooking recipes are just perfect for you!
Paula Deen’s Cooking Show focuses on her dedication towards easy to make foods, southern foods and the country style cooking. Her presentation is a real treat to watch. Paula is a down-to-earth individual that clearly reflects in her style of presentation. Also she uplifts your spirit and makes you feel fresh and charged up!
Paula Deen's technique of teaching cooking is quite simple and effective. She would guide you through the common mistakes and help you overcome the same. Paula surely inspires you to try some interesting recipes in your own style and experiment varied foods.
Watching her show you would come across some very important tips & advices regarding cooking that you might not even find in the printed version of her recipes. Paula Deen's show can even please the finickiest of all palates with its well researched techniques for cooking!
Generally speaking among the other sources watching cooking shows on the television is quite a convenient & fun way to adapt new culinary recipes and skills.
For those of us who prefer, experimenting their own way, grab on some internet or printed versions of the Paula Deen recipes for home cooking and innovate yourself. Many food network sites offer menus from her shows. Just click on the menu item and get recipe you were looking for.
Those who love cooking take pride in learning form their own mistakes. They would preferably make the fault and would like to mend it all by themselves in the second try. They find thrill in cooking, learning and creating some masterpieces in the end. This is a great avenue to learn. And through your journey, the printed versions of Paula Deen's recipes would be a great support.
Try sharing these experiences with your friends & family. Remember, even though we are warned of the mistakes, we might land up committing the same initially. But, its not possible to become a perfectionist in a day! Learning takes time and we must allow ourselves to take time! Our mistakes form good fun stories that can be shares with the family & friends and they would surely smile back to you!

Diabetic Recipes - How to Adapt Recipes for Diabetics and Benefit From the Positives!

2010-08-25T22:53:00.034-07:00

One of the best ways to manage your condition if you are diabetic is to watch what you eat. This doesn't mean cutting out all of your favourite foods and all sugar. Instead it means controlling different food groups you eat, and eating everything in moderation. Cooking your own food is the best way to keep track of everything you eat and is a great way of managing your condition. If you are having a hard time knowing what you should eat, here is some advice on adapting recipes.You should know firstly that you can still keep eating some of your favourite meals after you have been diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetic recipes that have been specially adapted can be found easily on the internet. These recipes will have reduced amounts of fat, salt and sugar in order to make them a safe choice for diabetics, and should be easy for you to follow.Using specially adapted recipes if you have diabetes is actually much easier than you think. If you do not know whether certain recipes will taste nice with ingredients modified then just use a ready-made recipe. It may take some patience to try out a few different recipes, but you will soon have a collection of meals that you really enjoy.In general look for diabetic meals that balance all of the major food groups each day. Try to include good portions of fruit and vegetables, and use low-fat foods (such as low fat margarine) where appropriate. Use diabetic recipes to give you ideas and let you know the kinds of food you can still eat.

Benefit From Watching Lydia Italian Cooking Shows and New Recipes!

2010-08-25T22:53:00.033-07:00

Are you one of the many cookery lovers or an individual with who feels like a novice when faced with the task of preparing new and varied meals? Well, whichever category you feel you belong to, we have just the cuisine to delight you with and help you build up your recipe book with interesting, exotic dishes and raise your skill levels at the same time by igniting the latent passion for good food - Italian style!In fact, even beginners in the kitchen can learn how to put together a great tasting, healthy meal to enjoy with friends and family and it's as simple as tuning in to a cookery show like Lydia Italian cooking demos! For more details go to: www.thanks-giving-recipes.com You learn by observing the techniques, tips and approaches the Lydia Italian cooking shows offer views and need to follow simple instructions for whipping up the same delicacies in your kitchen - and just await the praise that is bound to come your way with these value additions to your cooking skills!If you are wondering where to find Lydia Italian cooking shows, you don't need to look further than your food network timings on the TV guide or you can choose to log on to the program's web site after entering the term into any major search engine. You'll not only get all the information of shows to come with highlights of the recipes to be covered, but useful recipe links, details of past shows and live demos too!For can visit to: www.300-chicken-recipe.com We all know that with a little bit of play-way learning, the whole process is made more enjoyable and that's the case with the Lydia Italian cooking show too: with an expert Italian chef guiding you all the way from picking the right ingredients, to mixing, cooking and presenting them just right and advise on entire menu planning, who knows what you can do with all the time and energy you will save on this easy to learn, enjoyable method of cookery schooling.The best part about the Lydia Italian cooking show is the authentic recipes shown here along with variations of cooking techniques and an interesting, visual plus audio format that is easy to understand and recall; perhaps you could record some shows to watch at leisure too. Thus, it's easy to ignite that passion for cooking great tasting and varied Italian fare by simply tuning in to the Lydia Italian cooking demo.With a friend, the learning process is double the fun, so perhaps you can find someone who shares your passion for Italian cuisine or simply cooking - and then recipe swaps with other friends is enjoyable too! Anyone who wants to learn to be a better cook can benefit from watching Lydia Italian cooking shows and new recipes - or traditional ones with a twist besides getting to exchange fun tales on the whole experience!

Sweet Potato Pie Recipes Inspire More Home Cooking!

2010-08-25T22:53:00.032-07:00

The cost of eating out continues to increase as restaurant owners pass higher food cost and overhead on to cash strapped customers. With the economic outlook growing more risky by the minute, more people with a craving for southern food are turning to the many free soul food recipes available online.Soul food, considered one of the original American foods, dates back to the time of slavery when slave owners gave the food they couldn't or wouldn't eat to the slaves. This food ironically turned out to be some of the healthiest foods, judged by today's standards.Most of the food consisted of green vegetables (known as greens), turnips, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, corn pone, and more. To survive the long and often hot work days in the sizzling sun, the black worker required food that was not only cheap in cost but filling and nutritious. Soul food provided the needed energy slaves needed to work the long hours.Today soul food is a multi-million dollar food industry and growing. Now online sites offering free soul food recipes continue to rise. This is evidence of the growing popularity and demand for ways to cook soul food by a demanding market. Some of the more popular soul food dishes such as collard greens, black eye peas and gumbo have had a resurgence in popularity by young people, a group that had overlooked soul food for hamburgers, pizza and other fast foods.Popular southern recipe desserts such as sweet potato pie, peach cobbler and sock-it-to-me cake have also grown in popularity by at-home cooks. Not only are soul food recipes growing in demand by new-school cooks, but also preparation techniques, shortcuts and time-saving kitchen tools experienced serious growth in the past six months.Not only has the bad economy influenced more people to eat more meals at home, but the need people have for home cooked meals that are healthy and nutritious have increased. With the growing problem of obesity facing more people, along with diabetes and high blood pressure, more people are taking their health and diets into their own hands by preparing more meals at home.More soul food lovers are taking to preparing their meals and taking them to work instead of going to a restaurant. This has been estimated to save many people hundreds of dollars a month. In addition, it's more notorious as well.With the popularity of video, more free soul food recipe sites are offering video demonstrations to site visitors. This adds more clarity to preparing the recipes, offering a show-and- tell element for cooks to enjoy. Indeed these soul food sites are not your grandmothers recipe sites.Yes, with the popularity of home cooking and soul food combined, the demand for free soul food recipes will continue to grow as the economy worsens. People are constantly looking for more ways to cut their food cost. More families are finding the best way slash their food cost is to prepare more meals at home instead of paying others to prepare it at restaurants.

The Food of Sri Lanka - Authentic Recipes From the Isle of Gems

2010-08-25T22:53:00.031-07:00

Sri Lanka has a lot of secrets to be discovered and the secret that the majority of people are interested in are the assorted Sri Lankan recipes too properties will as to get a hold of. The book entitled: The Food of Sri Lanka: Authentic Recipes from the Isle of Gems is one of the few books available in book stores and online book corporations the present is a must read for cooks interested in exploring tasty Sri Lankan meals.The writers of such a book experience journeyed to Sri Lanka and focused their exploration on the top 60 Sri Lankan recipes which they would share to the readers of The Food of Sri Lanka: Authentic Recipes from the Isle of Gems. The recipes found in the book are remarkably easy to follow. Some of the recipes found in the said material are: mango curry, String Hoppers (the Sri Lankan favorite) green prawn curry, coconut toffee, and many more.The book, aside from its simple and user friendly format, also indicates the period it would take to prepare the meal and one of the highest quality things The Food of Sri Lanka: Authentic Recipes from the Isle of Gems boasts of is the "ingredients glossary" page such a gives an overview of the different ingredients used as favorably as the history of the recipes found in the book. The book as well contained photos that will really draw the readers to try cooking the various Sri Lankan meals.The book: The Food of Sri Lanka: Authentic Recipes from the Isle of Gems is definitely a tribute to Sri Lanka's 2500 years of existence with rich tasting meals that could lure just recently about anybody.

Authentic Copycat Secret Restaurant Recipes Online

2010-08-25T22:53:00.030-07:00

Most families enjoy eating out when it comes time to eat. Not sole is it more effortless than eating at home, the food constantly seems to taste ideal than what can be home cooked. Now this isn't to say anything against home cooking. I happen to enjoy a house cooked meal just as much as any other, but sometimes it is just desired to go out to eat and enjoy the great recipes that are available at my favorite restaurant. Sometimes, but it isn't always convenient or financially sound to eat out as much as you would like. Getting in the habit of eating at home is a difficult thing, but this moment can be made a little easier by learning how to cook your favorite restaurant recipes at home.Finding authentic copycat secret restaurant recipes is not always as easy as it would seem. Sometimes you can find the restaurant recipes on the Internet better on the website of the restaurant itself. Other times you will find different websites offering the copycat recipes for free. The problem with these recipes is that they are not always spot on providing the real restaurant recipes. That is why finding the copycat recipes that are actually authentic is so important if you are going to cook them at home.So it does not matter if you love the food from Applebee's or KFCs. Or if you crave an I-hop pancake stack or a steak from the outback, uncovering the true authentic and secret restaurant recipes is the only way that you is able to be able to satisfy the craving without spending all the money to particularly go out to eat.

Free Restaurant Recipes

2010-08-25T22:53:00.029-07:00

Imagine a world with restaurant quality food in the comfort of your home. Sound impossible? Well it is not! By using free restaurant recipes, you can make great meals any time of the day. There are many great reasons to use these recipes. Some of these reasons add saving money, time, impressing friends and family, on the rise a sense of accomplishment, and so a great deal more!I've kept on using free of charge restaurant recipes for a long tad and I would have to say it is one of the best things I've frequently done. No longer do I suffer to wait in the confines of costly restaurants to get a meal. I can shop for all the best foods that I sttink to eat and prepare it for myself and others for tons cheaper! Not only am I saving money, currently is a terrific way to start conversations nearly cooking, and I own discovered that everyone I have cooked for asks me the secrets to my high food! I would as if to take the credit, but I know that the free restaurant recipes I hold been paying off are the keys to my success.Cooking has always been a passion of mine, but using the step by step recipes makes my sttink of cooking even easier! With the free restaurant recipes, I can cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner and cook fantastic meals with great variety.With the turning times of higher prices and less time, nothing seems like a better thinking as opposed to using free restaurant recipes. By using these recipes, you will gain a sense of satisfaction, explore new foods with great taste, and be a great chef!

How to Cook Authentic Copycat Restaurant Recipes

2010-08-25T22:53:00.028-07:00

Everyone has favorite meals and prefered restaurants that properties such as to dine out at. Eating out a large amount of times a week at restaurants can be very expensive, particularly in a family to feed. As good as it is to eat out on occasions, there is not anything like cooking at home for yourself.A positive fire way to impress family and friends is to cook copycat restaurant recipes at home. Everyone can enjoy their favorite dishes at family meals and parties. There are various sources of fine copycat restaurant recipes on the web. Generally properties are compiled into easy to download and read ebooks and can cover a wide margin of recipes from diverse sources and restaurant chains. Popular copycat restaurant recipes from well known chains in America can be found such as: Applebee's, Chili's, McDonalds, KFC, Boston Market, Hard Rock Café, Joe's Crab Shack, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse and many many more.Some ebooks contain what are called restaurant copycat recipes, that are contrary engineered surrounded by years of research based on data from contributing authors. This allows recipes of in the past secret dishes with in detail guarded ingredients and supplies to be engineered and recreated for you to use. Some common copycat restaurant recipes are virtually identical in taste to the original restaurant recipes.So what performs now all mean? Simple, you can clearly prepare meals at home that taste as good as your prefered restaurant dishes.Not only can you impress family and friends when you cook copycat restaurant recipes?you can save alot of money. When you are normally eating out 3 times a week with a family at these popular restaurants, you are spending a lot of money every year. Preparing restaurant copycat recipes from home may save you a lot in the long term.

Using This In Your Fruit Smoothies Recipes

2010-08-25T22:53:00.027-07:00

It can be lots of fun to find good fruit smoothie's recipes. These drinks are delicious, smooth, and healthy. They're a great treat any time.There's just one problem: There are more varieties of smoothies than you can shake a stick at. But you'll be able to find the best ones just by reading and experimenting with an assortment of recipes.Figuring out what sort of smoothie you're in the mood for is a good place to start. If you're really craving certain kinds of fruits, you could begin by searching for smoothie recipes that contain the fruits you like.To have better success in your search for the best fruit smoothie's recipes, you should decide why you want to consume smoothies. All right, that sounds silly, but there are different reasons why you'd want to drink smoothies!One growing trend is to go on a smoothie diet. Other people might like to eat them for a yummy desert and include ice cream.Smoothies are also great for children so finding smoothies that are perfect for them might be a good idea. Some parents who wish their child ate healthier like to try green smoothie recipes that include some vegetables as well. There are often ways to sneak in certain ingredients that aren't as desirable as others.You can mask certain flavors with different kinds of fruits. Something intensely sweet like strawberries will often do the trick.So, if you'd like to add healthy tofu or soy but aren't too keen on the flavor you can use a recipe that includes strawberries. It will be so yummy that no one will notice the even healthier additions.Another thing to consider when you're looking for fruit smoothies recipes is what the recipes use as a thickener. A lot of them use yogurt as the base.Other has ice cream listed instead. Both of these are good choices they just offer different flavors and health benefits.If you're drinking smoothies because it's going to be part of your diet, you should use the recipes that have yogurt as the base.These have fewer calories but are just as fulfilling. As an added bonus they have healthy bacteria in them that are good for your system.You'll be better able to find the fruit smoothies recipes you love once you've given the matter some thought. There are plenty of options, so it's good to concentrate on one area so that you'll have an easier time deciding.Trying out all of these different flavors will be yummy fun for the whole family.

Sanjeev Kapoor Recipes Books Online

2010-08-25T22:53:00.026-07:00

Delicious food is always makes your mouth watering and why not? Different types of food are always liked but how to find different recipes. Here is the solution brings by Homeshop18 – an online shopping portal that gives you best of food recipe books online. Sanjeev Kaoor the well Known Chef in India has launched books for all type of cuisines. Homeshop18 is the platform where you can get Sanjeev Kapoor Recipes. Go on the Book section and select the choice of your. I have below mentioned some recipe book features.Low Calorie Vegetarian Cooking - This set contains the following books:1. Sanjeev Kapoor's Low Calorie Vegetarian Cookbook 2. Sanjeev Kapoor's Soups, Salads & Sandwiches Cookbook 3. Sanjeev Kapoor's No Oil Vegetarian Cookbook 4. Sanjeev Kapoor's Vegetarian Breakfast CookbookContents of Each Book:• Low Calorie Vegetarian Cookbook: A range of nourishing soups, salads, vegetable dishes, accompaniments and lip-smacking desserts • Soups, Salads & Sandwiches: This exotic collection makes a healthy substitute for the daily dal-rice routine • No Oil Vegetarian cook book: A delicious array of dishes all cooked without a drop of visible oil - a must in today's fast-paced world • Vegetarian Breakfast: A delightful collection of vegetarian breakfast recipes to give you that perfect start to a busy dayChinese cooking Set - This set contains the following books:1. Sanjeev Kapoor's Best Of Chinese Cooking Cookbook 2. Sanjeev Kapoor's Salads Cookbook 3. Sanjeev Kapoor's Thai Cooking Cookbook 4. Sanjeev Kapoor's Non Vegetarian Recipes from Around the World CookbookContents of Each Book:• Best Of Chinese Cooking: A treasure house of delicious Chinese recipes to be cooked and enjoyed with family and friends • Salads: An irresistible collection of crunchy and delicious salads from around the world • Thai Cooking: Explore one of the most celebrated cuisines and savour its flavourful and easy to make dishes • Non Vegetarian Recipes from Around the World: These delicious non-vegetarian recipes have been collected from all around the world.Many other Sanjeev Kapoor Recipes books includes Indian cooking, cakes and bakes, entertainment cooking and many more.

Simple Chicken Breast Recipes

2010-08-25T22:53:00.025-07:00

Simple Chicken breast recipes are one thing that a recipe box or kitchen should not be without. Between soccer games, karate, and doctor appointments life can be very hectic and cooking a 5 course meal is just out of the question. However our families still deserve a well balanced, nutritious and tasty meal; which means we have to improvise and come up with recipes that are simple, quick and meet those requirements.
These simple chicken breast recipes are just the ticket to sitting your family down to a hot, nutritious and flavorful meal. They will take you from the chicken to the table with ease and little time. Enjoy!
This first one is very simple and is a one pan wonder. My family really enjoys it and it only takes me about 10 minutes to throw together and then about 35 minutes to cook. I love cooking this on nights when my husband works because it smells wonderful and when he walks in he always says "ooooo, can't wait for dinner."
Ranch Chicken with Veggies
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 c veggie of choice (carrots work well)
1 c Italian bread crumbs, plus a little extra
2 packages of dry Ranch dressing mix
Preheat oven to 350.
Spray or oil the a 9x13 dish and coat with extra bread crumbs.
In a bowl mix the ranch dressing and 1 cup of bread crumbs together. Coat the chicken in the mixture and place in pan. Then put your veggie in the mixture, stir to evenly coat and then place carrots in the pan around the chicken.
Bake for 35 minutes then serve with slices of bread or biscuits.
This next simple chicken breast recipe is a marvelous well-balanced meal that can be done in one pan. It's incredibly easy to make and simple to clean up. This recipe can also be converted to a crock pot if necessary and baked during the day.
Chicken and Rice
8 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 can onion soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 can milk
1 box of long grain and wild rice mix
1 16 oz bag of frozen veggies
Preheat oven to 350.
Evenly spread the rice in a 13x9 inch pan. Then sprinkle the herb packet that came with the rice over it, and top with the veggies. In a bowl mix the onion soup with one can of water and pour it over the veggies. Then place the chicken on top of the rice. In a bowl mix the mushroom soup with the milk and pour this over the chicken. Bake for 1 ½ hours.
Both of these recipes do involve quiet a few ingredients and minimal amounts of prep time. However if you need something with almost no prep and few ingredients then you can always opt for the classic; throw some chicken in a pan and pour a can of cream of chicken over it, serve it with instant mashed potatoes and a veggie. This simple chicken breast recipe has been around for ages and has become a favorite quick meal for most families.

Nature dog food recipes - 3 top dog dietary tips

2010-08-25T22:53:00.024-07:00

Even though there are bags of commercially manufactured pet food available in the market, a true dog lover will always favor nature dog food recipes over them. The reasons for this bias are not hard to fathom. For one homemade dog food is safer and secondly it is also not that difficult to make, if you are willing to invest just a little bit of your time and energy. One person who is best placed to advice you on natural recipes for your dog is your vet. They can offer you valuable tips on the ingredients based on your dog’s breed, size and the climatic conditions in your place. Here are some great tips for natural dog food recipes for the overall good health of your pet dog.

Now Pay Close Attention Here-

To ensure perfect growth, dogs require fiber and other nutrition’s beside meat in their diet. The Dog Food Purchased from Market is not full of all required Nutritions. Make the best healthy Dog Food Recipes at home and Increase the life span of your Dog by 134%. If you don't know how to make healthy dog food recipes for your Dog, then this is the most important message you will ever read- Click Here

Fantastic Low Carb Desert Recipes Uncovered

2010-08-25T22:53:00.023-07:00

There are many ways of lowering your carbohydrate intake, even when you crave deserts. Try this cheesecake recipe:

Best Cheesecake
Low Carbohydrate Recipe
Ingredients:
3/4 pound grated aged asiago cheese
1-1/4 pound cream cheese at room temperature
4 eggs
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon or 1 tablespoon fresh salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat asiago and cream cheese with a mixer until smooth.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add garlic and tarragon and combine well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour into an 8 inch buttered spring form pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, checking after 45 minutes.
Cake should be golden and puffed, not loose in the center. Remove from the oven and let stand 30 minutes before cutting.

Or try this recipe, for Chocolate Meringue Kisses:

Chocolate Meringue Kisses
Low Carbohydrate Recipe
Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup Splenda
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Directions:
Preheat oven to 225-degrees. Put baking parchment on a cookie sheet.

Beat egg whites until foamy. Add vanilla extract a few drops at a time and cream of tartar. Beat until meringue starts to look creamy and forms soft peaks. Add in Splenda a little at a time. Add in cocoa a little at a time.

Put meringue on parchment paper cookie sheet by spoonfuls. (You can use a pastry bag and pipe them into cones like Hershey kisses, or flower shapes.) Bake at 225-degrees for one hour. Turn off oven, open oven door a crack, and allow to cool five to ten minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool away from drafts. Remove from parchment paper when cool.

Carb count for total recipe: 28.7g. Number of cookies varies depending on size.

Variation:
You could also do these with daVinci-flavoured syrups and a little food coloring if desired. Then sprinkle a little granulated Splenda on the top for that sugar "sparkle."

Note:
If you make smaller meringues, don't bake them quite as long, or they will be over-dry and fracture easily.

Berries and Roasted Pecans
Low Carbohydrate Recipe
Ingredients:
18 ounce round of Brie cheese
1 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup Cognac
1/3 cup apricot preserves
1/2 cup lightly toasted pecan pieces
Assorted crackers

Directions:
Early Preparation: Marinate berries in Cognac for four to six hours. Lightly toast pecans in 350-degree oven for three to five minutes. Set aside.

To serve: Pre-heat oven to 350-degrees.

Cut a wedge 1/4 of the diameter of the Brie. Stack it o top of remaining round and place on ovenproof serving platter.

In a small saucepan heat apricot preserves over medium heat until dissolved. Stir in marinated berries and then nuts. Reduce heat and warm through.

Heat the Brie in oven until softened, but not runny. Spoon mixture over Brie and serve immediately with assorted crackers.

Recipe makes four to six servings.

Blackberry Ice Cream
Low Carbohydrate Recipe
Ingredients:
1-1/2 quart Half n Half
1 quart heavy whipping cream
1-1/2 cup Splenda
6 egg yolks
1/3 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
30 ounces fresh blackberries

Directions:
Mix first five ingredients together; heat to a gentle boil.

Remove from heat and chill.

Add vanilla extract; crank for about 30 seconds then add blackberries and crank until done.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 201
Total Fat: 18.7g
Total Carbohydrates: 6g

Chocolate Mousse
Low Carbohydrate Recipe
Ingredients:
4 ounces heavy cream
One chocolate (or cappuccino) Atkins shake mix
Stevia to flavour (optional)

Directions:
Sift shake mix, then whisk ingredients in a bowl until just thickened (be careful not to over-whisk).

Scoop into individual serving dish. Chill for 30 minutes.

Recipe makes two servings.

Carbohydrates: 2.5g per serving

Low Carb Free Recipe - Just For You!

2010-08-25T22:53:00.022-07:00

When you're dieting, Identifying relevant sources
of information on a variety of low carb free recipe
can be a very difficult undertaking.

You'll most likely find that accessing a list of
low carb food, will necessitate your having to join
one of the many on-line low carb dieting programs,
for which you will undoubtedly have to pay. Or that
you have to spend money in another way to get at the
low carb free recipe information you need. If you're
embarking on a do-it-yourself weight loss program then
this option will obviously not be to your advantage,
especially if funds are tight.

But what if you could get your hands on an extensive
list of low carb food and a low carb free recipe
collection that set out all the information you could
possibly need, at no cost to you? More on that later!
For now though, lets consider some of the specifics in
relation to eating healthy on low carb food diets.

The atkins diet is probably the most popular and well-
known low carb food diet of all time. This model of
carb low food dieting will provide you with a good
grounding in carb low diets. You'll find more on the
atkins diet and how to go about achieving your weight
loss goals, by clicking on the link below.

Before committing yourself to a diet based on low carb
food, you might be interested in learning about the

Do remember, before you rush into acquiring that all-
important list of low carb free recipe, that knowledge
is one of the key ingredients to your success with your
weightloss goals. Work on your development skills by
ensuring you gain all the information you need, prior to
making a start. For example, you might want to learn
more about the atkins diet risk and the implications for
you personally. That way, any decision you make - will
be an informed one, making your success all the more
assured.

Don't decide on a carb low diet just because there's a
promise of a list of low carb free recipe, or because
your friends are doing it, or even because it seems to be
the 'in thing'. You must ensure that your choice is a
healthy one for you and that all your nutrition needs
are going to be adequately met. You will also need to
carefully Weigh up the pro's and con's, for instance:

How practical will it be to follow a diet based on
your newly acquired list of low carb free recipe or
free atkins recipe?

How easy or difficult will it be for you to eat these
types of low carb foods at your place of work?

What impact will following a low carb free recipe diet
make on the rest of the family?

How do you feel about the prospect of having to give
that little bit more attention to your needs at meal-
times or even preparing your own meals in addition to
those for the rest of the family?

What time constraints have you identified? For
instance, if you work long hours - how would this
issue be resolved, should you decide on using the low
carb free recipe list?

What additional health food vitamins will you need
to take to supplement your diet, should you decide on
following a low carb diet?

Where and from whom will you get expert advice on
your proposed change to your diet, prior to starting?

How will you know that following the low carb free
recipe list is a healthy eating option for you?

It is all too easy to jump into a new situation without
doing your homework. However, you must ensure you fully
research any diet that calls for changes in what you eat
and in the way you eat. With knowledge, you can ensure
your healthy eating, nutrition and your correct intake of
food health vitamins.

You can find out how to access your low carb free recipe
list by clicking on the link below. In the meantime,
stay knowledgeable! Stay healthy!

"There is very little difference between one who cannot
read and one who will not read"
(Jim Rohn)

Learning to Serve Alcoholic Drink Recipes With Flair

2010-08-25T22:53:00.021-07:00

There are many people who love to have great tasting alcoholic drinks when they are at parties. For these people being able to inform the bartender or their host of their drink preferences is one of the best ways to enjoy their drink with gusto. For a successful party it therefore pays to know some facts and alcoholic drink recipes. To help the ordinary person there are many ways that you can find various alcoholic drink recipes.

There are bar tending schools where you can learn the basics of bar tending including that of mixing drinks and serving those alcoholic drinks with flair. Here to make sure that you learn the practical part of making these alcoholic drink recipes you are given or instructed about the ingredients that you will need and the amount. What you need to do is to follow these recipes exactly as you were told and hopefully you will have a great tasting drink.

You can also get great alcoholic drink recipes from the internet. Here you will be able to find many different types of alcoholic drink recipes for you to choose from. You can choose straight alcoholic drinks, mixed alcoholic drinks, the classic alcoholic drinks and many others. The best way to learn how to make these internet alcoholic drink recipes is to select a few that you like and see the various instructions that are given.

Now when you are looking for the various alcoholic drink recipes on the internet it is best to be careful with the amount of alcohol that you are drinking and remember that some alcoholic drinks will not mix well with each other. The result of such mixed drinking is a terrific hangover.

To avoid these types of instances you can look up a drinks guide that can help you through the maze of alcoholic drinks that are all waiting for you to taste them. Now if you would like to know more about the various alcoholic drink recipes that are available you can join one of the many bartending schools or go to seminars on bartending. This way you will be able to apply the knowledge that you have gained in a practical way.

Besides being able to help you learn about the many alcoholic drink recipes that many people like to drink, you will also get to know the various side effects that can occur from too much experimenting. So the best thing for you to do is to be careful that you are not too enthusiastic in your learning phase of alcoholic drink recipes.

What are the Many Things That you Will Need for a Bloody Mary Recipe?

2010-08-25T22:53:00.020-07:00

There are many different types of drinks that you can make at home or order from bars and restaurants. Some of these drinks are the current favorites with very exotic sounding names. Other alcoholic drinks are old time favorites that people have been drinking for many years now. One such drink is that of Bloody Mary. This classic drink is not that difficult for you to make. The primary thing that you will need is a Bloody Mary recipe.

Now you can get the Bloody Mary recipe from one of the many books that list the various alcoholic drinks and gives their recipes. Since this is a classic you will be able to find not just the normal recipe but the many variations that are there. For all of these Bloody Mary recipes you will need to select the best ingredients that you can. By choosing inferior ingredients your Bloody Mary recipe will turn out really bad.

So what are the many things that you will need for a Bloody Mary recipe? Well you will need Vodka and tomato juice. These are the main items that are needed for the drink to get their real great taste. Next you will need Worcestershire sauce and fresh lemon juice. These two items are there to give some spice and sour taste to the Bloody Mary.

Now the next items that you will need are Tabasco sauce and the garnishes. Now when you have chosen the various items that will give you a great Bloody Mary recipe you should begin to follow the recipe out so that your Bloody Mary will turn out tasting fantastic. You will have to measure the right amount of all of the ingredients so that you end up with a Bloody Mary or you may end up with another type of drink altogether.

Now what are the amount of ingredients that you will need to add to get this great drink? Well you will 1 ½ ounces of good quality Vodka, ½ cup of great tasting tomato juice, from the fresh lemons you need to get 2 teaspoons, the two types of sauces – Tabasco and Worcestershire are to added according to your taste buds. The garnishes that you will use are a fresh, good celery stick and a wedge of lemon.

Now to get the Bloody Mary recipe right you will need to combine the Vodka, tomato juice, the two sauces and the fresh lemon juice together. You should also have salt and pepper to taste and 1 cup of crisp ice cubes to make the mixture all chilled.

Once all of these items are combined together you will need to shake them thoroughly and then strain this mix into a tall glass that is filled with lots of ice cubes. The final items that you should take from your Bloody Mary recipe to garnish this classic drink are the celery stick and the lemon wedge.

Recipe for Home Made Hot, Garlic, Dill Pickles

2010-08-25T22:53:00.019-07:00

Years ago in Sacramento, California, I ran across an old man selling pickles at a swap meet. He made the pickles in his own kitchen in large plastic barrels and sold them on week-ends. I went to this swap meet every Saturday all during the summer and noticed the lines of people gathered in front of his booth, but I always walked by.
Then, one Saturday, I stopped. He had many types of home made pickles, with bite-sized samples of the various pickles laid out for tasting. They were all good but when I tried the Hot, Garlic, Dill Pickle... I was hooked. So, for what would have been the equivalent of about six dollars in today's money, I bought a quart of pickles served up in a cardboard Chinese take-out carton. They were the absolute, best pickles I had ever tasted.
I made pickles myself several times over the years, but they were nothing special. In fact, pickles from the store were better. I thought, if only I knew how he made them, I could make my own. But I was sure he would not give out his recipe since he made his living selling them. So, I never asked.
Instead, I went through every recipe book in the library looking for pickles. I tried dozens of recipes, but never came close to the old man's formula.
Several years passed with me buying pickles from the old guy until one Saturday, he was not there. Nor was he there the next Saturday. So, after several weeks, I went to the Swap Meet Office and asked what happened to the pickle man. As I feared, he had died.
So, I accepted the fact that I would never taste those fabulous hot, garlic, dills again. Until, one morning, as I was reading the Sunday paper, I spotted a small article on "The Pickle Man Passes Away". The old man's daughter provided her father's life story and to keep his memory alive, she included his best pickle recipes. She felt that he would want his pickles to continue being enjoyed.
When I read the recipe for the hot, garlic dill pickles, I was not sure it was the real thing. It was too simple. There had to be some exotic, secret ingredient. But there it was... with no secret ingredient.
Of course, I made the pickles that same day and they were perfect. They were the old man's pickles!
Since they were so simple, I wondered why my efforts over the years were never as good as his. After much thought, I concluded that the secret is not only the ingredients, it is also the procedure.
The first secret is, FRESH INGREDIENTS.
Like the pickle man, I grow all the ingredients, except salt and vinegar, in my own back yard. The cucumbers are picked and processed within one hour of leaving the garden. Likewise, with all the other ingredients. I am convinced that this freshness adds a little extra something to the flavor and crunch of the pickles.
Another tip is in the processing (hot water bath) of the pickles. The cucumbers are processed only a short time so they are not "cooked". While experts on canning may quarrel with the procedure (I do not know), I have made (and sold) pickles for years this way.
O.K., ready for the recipe? A note first: this recipe assumes you are familiar with the basics of canning food. If not, you should probably read an article on canning before making pickles (many available on the web).
INGREDIENTS:
Quantities of ingredients vary according to how many pickles you want to make. It will be clear as you read the procedure below.
FRESH cucumbers (how many?...how many pickles do you want to make?)
water
pickling salt
jalapeno peppers
grape leaves (fresh)
whole peppercorn
whole garlic cloves (peeled)
fresh dill sprigs
white vinegar (5% distilled - commonly sold in stores)
crushed red pepper (optional)
NOTE: Select cucumbers that are about 3-5 inches long, with no blemishes! You can use any type cucumber, not just pickling cucumbers. I have always made the pickles using whole cucumbers, like the Pickle Man did. I have never tried slicing the cucumbers (length-way). I believe this would take away some of the crunch.
PROCEDURE
1. Prepare jars and lids in boiling water. Allow to stand in boiling water at least 15 minutes
2. In a LARGE pot, combine two quarts water, 1 1/2 cups salt, two cups white vinegar. Bring to a boil until all the salt is dissolved.
3. In each sterilized jar place: one large sprig of dill weed, 1 medium jalapeno pepper (sliced length-way), 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorn and 2 grape leaves.
4. Fill jar with cucumbers (previously washed in cold water) and pour hot vinegar mix in jar to within 1 inch of top.
5. Seal jars and process in hot water bath 15 minutes.
One good thing about making your own pickles is that you have control over how they taste. You like them hotter? Add more jalapeno or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper. You want them milder? Use only 1/2 jalapeno. You like strong garlic flavored pickles? Use 5 garlic cloves per jar.
The point is, do not be afraid to adjust the recipe to make the pickles you like. The recipe above is basically the original and what I like.
You can start by making just one jar (use original ingredients for salt/vinegar mix, even if making only one jar). The pickles can be tasted in about 3 days and you can adjust the ingredients to your taste when making a full batch. Just be aware that all the flavors will intensify slightly over time.
Final note: The grape leaves give the pickles their crunch. You may have trouble finding fresh grape leaves, since they do not sell them in stores. If you can not grow your own or have a neighbor that grows them, I do not have a solution. I would not use alum as a substitute in my pickles. You will still get a pretty good crunch without the grape leaves if you do not over process.
Good luck with the Hot, Garlic, Dill Pickles.

Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes One Recipe - Many Variations

2010-08-25T22:53:00.018-07:00

There are so many Christmas cookie recipes around but often so little time to bake during the busy holiday season.

The solution? A great tasting basic cookie recipe that quickly and easily turns into such a variety of easy to make Christmas treats, friends and family will think you poured over all your favorite Christmas cookie recipes.

Let's start with the basics:

Basic Cookie Dough Recipe

1/2 cup (or 1 stick) butter (or margarine) at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the flour. Beat with an electric mixer, scraping the sides of the bowl several times, until the mixture is light and fluffy. With mixer at a low speed, add the flour gradually, beating just until everything is well blended.

Place the mixture on a baking sheet using a tablespoon measure and press down with a spoon to flatten a bit. Or roll our and cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Bake at 350ºF for about 12 to 15 minutes, until golden.

This basic cookie mixture is also the base for the following cookie recipes (all baked in a preheated oven at 350ºF).

Orange Cookies

(Makes about 32)

Add 1 tablespoon of grated orange zest to the recipe. Shape into a log that is about 1 1/2" in diameter and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Slice dough into 1/4" thick slices. Place on cookie sheet. Cookies can be decorated with candies, rolled in colored sugar, or cut into pretty holiday shapes before baking. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Cherry Coconut Chocolate Squares

(Makes about 54 squares)

In addition to the basic dough you will need:

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups flaked coconut

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, well drained and coarsely chopped

Line a 13"x9" baking pan with foil.

Stir cocoa powder into basic dough mixture. Press evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust looks dry.

In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, almond extract and baking powder until well blended. Stir in coconut and cherries. Pour over the baked crust.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until top just begins to brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Lift it out on to a cutting board using the foil ends and cut into 1 1/2" squares. Squares can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Coconut Pineapple Cookies

(Makes about 36)

In addition to the basic dough you will need:

1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1/3 cup pineapple preserves (use raspberry or apricot if you prefer)

Add 1 cup of the flaked coconut to the basic dough mixture and mix well. Shape the dough into 1 1/2" balls and roll in the remaining coconut to coat them. Place the balls 1" apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Make a deep indentation in the center of each cookie with your fingertip.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookie is firm and the coconut is lightly toasted. When cooled, fill each hole in the center of the cookies with the preserves.

You can vary this basic dough to make a wide variety of Christmas cookie recipes. Add other flavorings like maple, ginger or cinnamon. Add chopped dried fruits like apricots or dates. Or bake them plain in holiday shapes and decorate with colored icing.

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year. Here's hoping these quick and easy Christmas cookie recipes help keep the pressure off the cook.

Smoothie Recipes – the Delicious Way to a Healthy Lifestyle

2010-08-25T22:53:00.017-07:00

The benefits of blending some types of fruit are undeniable. Moreover, raw blending of fruits is unquestionably more health favorable as compared to the many boiling, frying, sautéing, and so on procedures through which processed (i.e. cooked) foods go. A smoothie recipe will give you the most natural manner of enjoying a tasty drink. In addition, after you have tasted such a smoothie, you will most likely want to try this natural style of nourishment preparing with some of your foods. We can only encourage such a substantial step towards the indisputable improvement of your health.

When making a fresh beverage by following the steps indicated in a particular smoothie recipe, you should consider some of the advantageous aspects such a manner of drink preparing brings. For instance, blending is quite convenient for a busy person who finds having lunch quite challenging.

If he or she does not have the required time in order to prepare a dish, he or she should consider making a smoothie. We have many smoothie recipes available. It is preferable to consume the smoothies immediately. Alternatively, you can even take one such drink for when you go to work.

It is not only a beverage; on the contrary, it comes close to resembling a snack, but an extremely healthy one. A smoothie recipe will provide you with the indications towards the best manners of bringing together the most delicious natural ingredients and of mixing them, until smooth, in a blender.

Consider just one fact, for a case in point: the blending process will break the fruit into small particles. This will make it a lot easier for the body to process them. Now consider the reverse situation. Think about the busy life that we all lead. It is so busy that we do not even take time enough to chew our food, as we should do it. In this manner, the entire digestion process will face interruption or even collapse.

Apart from the health aspect, smoothie recipes offer the guarantee of particularly tasty drinks. In fact, they are extraordinarily tasty and no woman is likely to have trouble when it comes to trying to convert her own family to become fruits and vegetables lovers. Even children are likely to enjoy this alternative offered by smoothie recipes.

Keep in mind that you will need one essential tool for preparing the smoothies, namely the blender. You may not notice its importance in the beginning, but once you have grown used to the special, unique tastes that smoothie recipes are likely to procure, you will definitely consider more serious acquiring one. It is the best investment when it comes to one’s kitchen – a kitchen where a smoothie recipe is likely to be one of the frequent beverage options.

However, you should try to blend as briefly as you can, because, during this process, the oxygen is likely to mix with the fruit and vegetable particles. You do not want to have nutrients exposed to oxygen for too long, because they will lose the nutritional properties they hold.

Keep in mind that you can prepare smoothies in an infinite number of manners. The recipes available will suggest you various manners of mixing various fruits and / or milk, yogurt, ice, and so on. Take your time when you drink your smoothie. You do want to enjoy its full taste. Moreover, by drinking it slowly, gradually, you are not making more difficult the processing task that your body has to undertake after you have drunk the beverage. Finally, once again, remember to enjoy your smoothie.

Common Tips you Can not Ignore When Making Steak Recipes

2010-08-25T22:53:00.016-07:00

Steak is one of the common elements of international cuisine, regardless of its specificity; the only variations are those related to cooking modes and seasonings. The uniqueness of the steak recipes is actually given by that one ingredient that makes a dish different from another one in almost all aspects, since taste change is actually the rule that governs gastronomy in general. Furthermore, dressings, sauces, salads and side dishes contribute to the differentiation of steak recipes; it is one thing to fry beef and serve it as such, and it is something else to add raw vegetables and let them sear together.

Then, we could easily say that beef is to the western world, what lamb is to the eastern one; but steak recipes for such kinds of meat have common points that cannot be ignored. For instance, adding wine when cooking meat is perhaps among the most frequent shortcuts taken to enhance flavor and speed up the tenderizing process of the muscular fiber. Steak recipes that rely on red wine usually require laurel leaves, green and black pepper beans as well as several cloves of fresh garlic. Take one of these ingredients out and the taste will not be the same.

Preparing steak recipes with white dressings is another common element of most cuisines: sour cream, milk and flour are basic ingredients while the spices and the preparation specificity differ. Such steak recipes are ideal for any meat lovers as they can be prepared rare or well done, grilled or broiled. What it truly matters for the success of all steak recipes is the quality of the meat used; hence, fresh meat is definitely preferable to the frozen or semi-processed one. Try cooking the steak recipes at the microwave as little as possible since the flavor is not the same as food prepared directly on the stove or over a coal fire.

As for the possibility of learning new steak recipes, the Internet is probably the most comprehensive source of information since it provides more complex data than any authentic cooking book. When accessing gastronomic pages online, you'll also find some steak recipes specific to other cuisines than the one you are used to; this is a good way of preparing a surprise for the family or a romantic dinner for your partner. Always be careful with the ingredient dosage; generally speaking, all steak recipes indicate the number of people the dish is meant for. If you are fewer than that, try to adjust the spice quantities yourself as they are the most likely to influence flavor.

Luscious Chocolate Cake Recipe

2010-08-25T22:53:00.015-07:00

Resistance is futile! It is indeed hard to resist the sweet smell of chocolate cake, especially when the aroma is linked with nice memories.

My mom is a very open person, and always willing to share. Not only is she generous with her advice, but she will share with you all the things that she experienced. she is always willing to explain sewing, cooking, or advanced mathematics. There is one thing, however, that she guards jealously. It is her biggest secret, and she had promises that she will carry to the grave. And that is her chocolate cake recipe. So far, we tried everything to to get it from her.

This is not just a normal chocolate mix cake recipe. This is seriously gourmet. It is not a simple chocolate cake recipe, either. Chocolate cake is normally very easy to make, but hers demands all day and all night. She is literally in there for 12 hours at a time, slaving away on the perfect chocolate cake. But it is wonderful. It is priceless. It is the most delicious cake that I have ever ate. I could do anything to get that chocolate cake recipe.

The thing is, my mother isn't all that into chocolate in general. She never makes chocolate brownies. When she goes to a restaurant she won't even order a chocolate brownie. But that chocolate cake recipe is her favourite thing in the world. Every holiday she cooks it, and each time we ask for more. Nobody ever gets sick of it. Even my friends, strict vegetarians who will only eat vegan chocolate cake recipes usually, will make an exception for her delectable chocolate cake. It really is that good.

The truly sad part is that, since I first tasted that chocolate cake, I will not eat any other sort of chocolate desert. Even the finest German chocolate cake recipe leaves me unsatisfied. Part of it is that my dear mother made it. She spends so much time on it, and clearly wants us to like it so much, that it is hard to resist. I don't know if I would like it quite as much if it were someone else who made it, but even so I would like it still. After all, she has won several cookingcontests with her chocolate cake recipe. She has only participated a handful of times, but every time she has entered the same recipe, and every time she has won. It was no use to try to sneak in the kitchen. Until I left the room, she just refused to go on with her cooking. I hope some day she will share the recipe with us.

Vegetarian Chili Recipes: Delicious Choices for Vegetarians!

2010-08-25T22:53:00.014-07:00

Are you a chili lover? Don't you think your favorite dish can go hand in hand with your low calorie or vegetarian diet? Now, in this article, I am about to give you two vegetarian chili recipes. You will be happy that you do not have to give up your your love for chili to follow a healthy life style.

One of the two recipes is for the average palate, and the other is spicier.

* Vegetarian Chili for Average Palate

Here is a simple, easy to prepare chili recipe. For this recipe, you will need:

- 1/2 onion, diced

- 1 bell pepper, diced

- 3 garlic cloves, minced

- 2 teaspoons olive oil

- 1 can of diced tomatoes

- 3 tablespoons vegetable broth

- 2 tablespoons chili powder

- 1 can of pinto or black beans, drained

- 1 can of kidney beans, drained

1. Get a large soup pot, and add the olive, onion, garlic and bell pepper to the pot. Saute for about 4 or 5 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth and chili powder to the pot, and stir the mixture.

3. With the heat set to medium-low, add the black beans and kidney beans to the mixture.

4. Cook the chili for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you have the time, reduce the heat and let the chili simmer for a while. The longer the cooking time, the more enhanced the flavor will be.

* Hot Vegetarian Chili

Do you like your chili hot and spicy? If so, this recipe is for you.

You will need the following ingredients for this recipe:

- 1 onion, diced

- 3 cloves of garlic, minced

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes

- 4 tablespoons of chili powder

- 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

- 1 teaspoon each of cumin, red pepper flakes, and salt

- 1 1/2 cups of hot salsa

- 1 cup of water

- 3 cans of kidney beans

1. Get a large soup pot, and put in the olive oil, onions and garlic. Saute for about 4 minutes.

2. To the pot, add your tomatoes, cayenne, chili powder, cumin, red pepper, salt, hot salsa and water. Give the mixture a stir, and then let it simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Last, add the bean to the pot, and let the chili simmer for another 30 minutes. Then, your hot and spicy vegetarian chili is ready for serve!

If you are a chili fan and a vegetarian the same time, you can give these two vegetarian chili recipes a try. You may find that you do not have to give up your favorite dish to stick to your healthy diet.

Hot Chocolate Recipes With a Difference

2010-08-25T22:53:00.013-07:00

Nothing warms you up better on a cold frosty day then a good cup of hot chocolate. There are any number of great hot chocolate recipes around. Hot chocolate recipes that not only warm you up, but also taste sinfully good. Hot chocolate recipes that include cinnamon, whipped cream, mint, fruit and even alcohol.

Hot chocolate has a long history starting with an Aztec drink called xocoatl. The drink was introduced to the Europeans by Hernan Cortez. The Spaniards added a sweetener to the drink, they had difficulty pronouncing xocoatl and changed the name of the drinke to chocolat. The English later change the name to chocolate. It is unknown who started warming the drink and named it hot chocolate, but I for one am glad they did.

The hot chocolate recipes I want to show you are different from any you may of heard of. These are somewhat unusual like hot chocolate with chili pepper. Don’t let the unusual nature of these hot chocolate recipes keep you from trying them.

Aztec Chili Hot Chocolate Recipe

A spicy hot chocolate with chili peppers.

Ingredients You Need: 1 2/3 cups milk 1/2 vanilla bean, split length wise 1 red chili pepper, split with seeds removed 1 cinnamon stick, around 3-4" 1 1/2 oz chocolate (bittersweet)How To Prepare: Simmer milk in a saucepan with vanilla bean, cinnamon and chili. Heat through for about a minute. Whisk in grated chocolate, and continue to simmer until melted. Remove from heat and let 'steep' for another 10 minutes. Strain out the spices and serve. Serves 2.

Grand Marnier Hot Chocolate Recipe

Something different I think you’ll like.

Ingredients You Need: 1 cup half n' half 2 cups milk 1/2 cup orange juice 6 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 1/3 cup Grand Marnier How To Prepare: Heat half and half, milk, and orange juice until just boiling. In a mixing bowl, add about 2/3 cup of hot milk to the chocolate and whip smooth. Add the rest of the milk and whisk again. Simmer for around 2 minutes to reheat through. Add Grand Marnier and serve.

Moscow Hot Chocolate Recipe

This is hot chocolate recipe will definitely keep you warm on a cold day.

Ingredients You Need: fluid ounce vanilla flavored vodka 3/4 fluid ounce amaretto liqueur 1 tablespoon instant hot chocolate mix 4 fluid ounces hot milkHow To Prepare: Into a coffee mug, pour in the vanilla vodka, amaretto, and add the hot chocolate mix. Pour in the hot milk and stir to blend well.

These are some interesting hot chocolate recipes and different from the norm. Give your taste buds a change of taste.

Copy Cat Recipes -- How Copy Cat Recipes Can Save You Time In Your Busy Life

2010-08-25T22:53:00.012-07:00

Many people think it takes too long to cook at home, they are too busy or just do not have the time. It makes me so frustrated to hear people say this. I find time to make meals every day in my kitchen despite having a hectic life. Normally I cook the same dishes that you find at your favorite restaurants. Restaurants need to be able to serve large numbers of people quickly. Their dishes need to be simple to make and fast to cook. Having a dependable compendium of restaurant copy cat recipes has made it so much easier for me to cook at home.
I had always thought restaurants were a time saver, I soon realized that they were a crutch. I always loved cooking but never had the time, or so I thought. I found out about copy cat recipes totally by chance one day while searching the internet for a new way to make pizza. I happened to see a copy cat recipe for Olive Garden Pizza Bianco. I'm listing it below so you can see how simple it is to make.
Copy cat recipe: Pizza Bianco
Ingredients:
2 6" Ready-to-serve thick pizza crusts
Cheese filling:
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded fontina cheese
1/2 of a medium onion minced
1 1/2 tablespoon 2% milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Toppings:
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/3 cup diced black olives
1/3 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
Directions:
Combine all ingredients for the filling in a large bowl and mix well.
Split up the filling in half and spread on each crust.
Disperse olives, tomatoes and green onions over crusts.
Then the Mozzarella gets sprinkled on top.
Finally Scatter the top with oregano and basil.
Bake in a 375F oven for 8 to 10 minutes until cheese has melted.
Cut into 6 wedges.
In less then half an hour I was eating that copy cat recipe. You can easily take that long driving to the restaurant and waiting to get a table, let alone have food in front of you. Don't forget about the bill after the meal, and the tip. Not to mention the gas to drive there and back. It not only takes up more time to eat out but it ends up costing more in the long run.
With a full cookbook of copy cat recipes you can eat restaurant food at home, and it is both quicker and less costly. With practice you can find you can cook various copy cat recipes at once with ease. I regularly make an entire meal for my wife and I including appetizers, main course and a desert in less than 1 hour. Restaurant copy cat recipes have saved me time and money by giving me a way to enjoy all my favorites easily at home.

Detoxification Diets And Recipes

2010-08-25T22:53:00.011-07:00

It is a good idea to carry out detoxification of our bodies often. This necessarily may not mean swearing off hamburgers, French fries and beer for a couple of days. Our bodies accumulate waste and toxins that in due course of time will attack our immune system and other areas of our body hampering our normal healthy body functions. Most important is the fact that when burden of these toxins increases, they begin to rampage as free radicals, attacking the immune system and leaving our bodies susceptible to a host of opportunistic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal tract problems, MS and others.
Many of us assume that a few mega-vitamins and supplements will certainly take care of us and there is some truth to this assumption but, that is not all. Our bodies do need a tune-up occasionally. A detoxification cleansing is that tune-up that our bodies require at regular interval of time to allow our system to function optimally and keep it pure.
The foods to stay away from are processed foods, foods with artificial sweetener added to it, foods fried in oil, red meat, pork, chicken, and any other critters except fish. Also avoid the diet drinks, beers, whole milk, the cereal aisle at the market and stay away from munchies, for that period.
There are many detox diet recipes available. Recipe books and recipes on internet are readily available. In fact, given the right formulas, you too can use your creativity and master the art of preparing your own detox recipes and writing your own book too.
The basic dietary pool to choose from are unprocessed foods which are rich in fiber. This should definitely include fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, brown rice, oats, raw nuts, fresh fish, fresh fruit juices and plenty of water.
Out of all these foods that you are allowed to eat while consuming detox diet, make a list of your favorite foods, then start writing out your own recipes for each meal, so you ensure yourself delicious meals well in advance. This will help you continue with your detox diet plan more effectively and also help you to develop your taste for fiber rich nutritious food.
The Mediterraneans were always aware of healthy eating habits. Mediterranean diets are very popular because most of their meals are low in fat, low in carbohydrates. There are many Greek and Turkish recipes available online that will qualify as detox diets. Different recipes for preparation of several varieties of vegetable soup using combinations of fiber and nutrient rich ingredients can be accessed from wide choice of diet sites.
Cabbage soup is a very popular and included in detox diet . It is very satisfying and gives you a feeling of fullness. This is the best part of the fiber rich food. It is very satiating and always prevents you from over eating. So is Gazpacho. A Spanish soup prepared from tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber and fresh garlic clove.
This soup is served cold. Another great detox diet recipe is called "Dave's Detox Surprise". This detox soup is prepared from following ingredients. Firstly 2 quarts of water is brought to a simmer. Later add to it 2 finely chopped onions, one half of a garlic clove, finely minced, four stewed tomatoes (after removing the skin) and then diced. To this add two chopped carrots, 7 ounces of sliced mushrooms, 3/4 of a cup of brown rice and two beef bullion cubes. Let this soup simmer for about one hour on a low heat, then is best, served hot.
To add to the taste serve "Dave's Detox Surprise" along with a boiled en tree of Red pepper, sprinkled with lemon juice and a side dish of fresh green beans with mushrooms and crushed almonds. This combination would certainly be a delicious mouth watering meal!
Your food selection for preparation of any detox diet recipes that you like will certainly test your creativity. Idea of being able to eat the food you can enjoy will motivate you to stay on track and not give up the challenge. The more variety of recipes that you can come up with, the easier your detoxification process will be. It is rightly said variety is the spices of life. There is a saying in Asian culture , "A cup of brown rice is worth a thousand recipes". More on Detoxification Diets at http://www.mastercleanse-review.com

Easy Dinner Recipes

2010-08-25T22:53:00.010-07:00

Tired of eating the same unhealthy canned meals everyday? Here are some ideas on making a healthy and quick dinner for busy people.
These days an extra income is needed to sustain your family because of the continuing rise of prices from groceries to your children's education. After finishing a mountain of paperwork in the office and driving home only to get caught in traffic, you get home just to find out there is still more work to be done...cooking dinner. Of course you are tired and hungry so you needed to prepare dinner as soon as possible, but how can you do that when you can't even lift any cooking utensils because you're dead tired what else can you do?
Don't fret; a quick and healthy dinner idea is all you need to fix everything. Quick dinner ideas are convenient to make a late dinner with less sweat, giving you more time to have a rest. A simple and healthy dinner ideas are easy to prepare and quick to make. You can find quick dinner ideas in the web, as quick dinner ideas online are instantly available for a quick reference for an instant dinner.
To balance work, an easy and quick dinner ideas could be your lifetime partner, which will provide for the food you eat with making the meal that you also wanted and might be needed.
Nowadays, when everyone is on the go, both parents have to work and single parents struggle to provide a better future for their children, an instant dinner is not enough. In our society today, organic products are becoming insufficient, and more preservatives are present in instant meals that being healthy is becoming more of a challenge. We have forgotten that healthy dinner recipes are essential not just for growing children but also for adults to give them the nutrients they need after an exhausting day at the office working. Dinner recipes with nutritious value also offer us the stamina and energy that we need to prepare for the next morning.
Recipes for a healthy dinner are not tough to find as healthy dinner recipes and ideas are available over the Internet. There are also easy to set up meals with healthy recipes for dinner. You should know that the Internet is a very good source for these nutritious recipes for dinner that are not only healthy for us but also very easy to do as well.
To meet the demands of our work, and other activities of daily living, we have to be healthy. We all need nutritious meals to combat sickness and diseases. We are not fortunate enough with our habits in eating. Taking those capsules and tablets for our vitamin and food supplements are not sufficient for our daily activities. We should taka a closer look and pay a lot of attention with what we put in our body, with what we eat and especially with our diets. There are could be other alternatives rather than your common everyday backyard chicken barbeque or steak for dinner. There are recipes for low fat dinners that you can make as an option. The steps for making low-fat dinners are simple yet satisfying, just like making any other home-cooked meal.
Steps for preparing low-fat meals are easy to follow, and there are a lot of methods for cooking low fat dinners available over the Internet for a much accessible reference and wider varieties. Detailed recipes on making low fat dinners are there right under your own fingertips. Procedures for cooking low fat dinners are suitable and at the same time provide a healthier dinner for you and your family.
You must use those methods of cooking that are quick yet simple. Like preparing a one-dish meal -a dish that gives out as a wholesome meal. It consists of foods from different food groups like whole grains, meats, vegetables and legumes. Arrange a meal of chicken, rice and vegetable casserole, vegetable chili with diced vegetables, and many such healthy recipes can be made and enjoyed eating. In this way you will cook for one and yet it will have everything that can be called as balanced diet.

Where to Find Awesome Mexican Recipes

2010-08-25T22:53:00.009-07:00

Feeding you, your family, and your friends means having something delicious that is also healthy. With the healthy awareness of our society, feeding those you care for a healthy meal is a vital part of living life to its fullest. Mexican recipes offer a tantalizing way to not only feed those you care about healthy meals but it also is a colorful addition to any type of meal.
When it comes to finding the best Mexican recipes for your needs, you will find there are copious ways to get the meals you want. Whichever you choose, you will have found a perfect method for your needs. Sometimes, using a combination of methods will serve you best.
Take a look at a few of these great ideas when it comes to finding the Mexican recipes you need for your needs!
Good old-fashioned cookbooks will never go out of style. Cookbooks change over time as do the methods of cooking. When cooking with some of the older cookbooks, it is important to realize that a lot of the ingredients may not be as healthy as they once where. These also help find those specialty meals you want such as those on a vegan diet or low-fat diet.
Cookbooks can be on a specific cuisine or a combination of meals ranging from breakfast to dessert. The type of cookbook you purchase will be well suited for your needs. Of course, make sure the cookbook fits your lifestyle! If you only have an hour in the evening to cook a family meal purchasing a cookbook where meals take all day is not going to be suited for your needs.
With the popularity of the internet, finding Mexican recipes online is another great method to get the meals you want. Delicious additions will be both gorgeously beautiful and healthy if you find the appropriate website for your needs. There are many websites specializing in nothing but recipes - even Mexican recipes!
When doing your hunt online, you will want to insure you have an appropriate printer, ink, and paper. In addition, what one person thinks is fabulous for them may not be fabulous for you. If you see an ingredient you know is not liked in a meal, do not automatically say, "No". You can often find an appropriate substitute.
Mail order Mexican recipes are another popular addition to our modern society. Joining these types of clubs will get you a nice array of benefits from delicious recipe cards to a place to organize those cards into your own cookbook. Generally, these are mailed out every 6 to 8 weeks depending on the type of club you join.
Mail order is great, and it is always nice to get something in the mail, but you will find you are paying more for this type of Mexican recipe over the long haul. What you have to ask yourself is how much you like getting mail with a nice surprise that will feed the whole family.
Mexican recipes are extremely popular, and you too can insure you have the wonderful meals you need for your needs simply by keeping your options open.

Cheesecake Recipes for Diabetics (and Others, Too!)

2010-08-25T22:53:00.008-07:00

Just because you are diabetic, doesn't mean you can't enjoy cheesecake! Following are a couple of cheesecake recipes designed for diabetics but they are tasty enough for anyone.

This is a recipe I got from an Equal ad in a magazine several years ago. It is exactly as printed there without any changes or adjustments on my part.

COOL LIME CHEESECAKE

CRUST:

1 cup low-fat graham cracker crumbs

3 tbsp stick butter, melted

3 tbsp Equal Spoonful

FILLING:

2 pkgs (8 oz each) low-fat cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup Equal Spoonful

2 egg whites

1egg

1/2 tsp grated lime peel

3 tbsp fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

To make crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, Equal; press evenly over bottom and up side of an 8-inch springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes.

To make filling: In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and Equal until fluffy. Beat in egg, egg whites, lime juice and peel until well blended. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Bake at 325 degrees 30 to 35 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate at least 3 to 4 hours before serving.

The following recipe calls for Splenda. However, Equal may be substituted if you prefer. This cheesecake is not only tasty but makes quite a presentation if you want to impress your family and guests!

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

1 3/4 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 lb fresh strawberries

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

2 pkgs (8 oz each) fat-free cream cheese, cubed

1 cup fat-free cottage cheese

3/4 cup Splenda

8 oz carton frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed

13 medium fresh strawberries

sugar-free chocolate dip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs with butter. Press onto the bottom and 1-inch up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with non-stick cooking spray. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.

Wash and hull strawberries. Puree in a food processor; remove and set aside. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let stand for 1 minute. Heat over low heat, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved. Transfer to the food processor; add cream cheese, cottage cheese and Splenda. Cover and process until smooth. Add strawberry puree, cover and process until blended. Transfer to a large bowl and fold in two cups of the whipped topping. Pour into crust. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours until set.

To garnish: Wash the 13 strawberries and pat dry with paper towels. Dry completely. Cut tops off berries. Dip each berry in chocolate dip until about half the berry is coated. Allow excess to drip off. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet with the tips pointing up. Refrigerate at least 1/2 hour.

Very carefully run a knife around the sides of pan to loosen cake. Remove sides of pan. Arrange berries with the chocolate tips up around top edges of cake saving one for the center. Place a fancy mound of remaining whipped topping between berries. Place one large dollop of whipped topping in center of cake and place remaining berry there. It is pretty to leave green on the last berry and lay it on its side in the whipped topping. Refrigerate any leftovers!

Old-fashion Recipes for Festive Yam Souffle and Winter Apricot Compote

2010-08-25T22:53:00.007-07:00

As we head into Fall, our thoughts turn to entertaining. It won't be long until Thanksgiving rolls around and a month after that it is Christmas. As Americans, our holiday traditions seem to center around good meals with family and friends. Whether it is up to you to host the festivities or just to take a dish to a friend or relatives house, here are a couple of old-fashion recipes from my vintage recipe collection. Both are great for holiday entertaining or just good sit-down family meals. Festive Yam Souffle is a perfect recipe for the busy host/hostess. Not only is it tasty but it looks very festive with its garnish of miniature marshmallows, pecans, and maraschino cherries. The best part? It can be assembled and refrigerated up to 8 hours in advance of baking! Winter apricot compote is a delicious recipe for warm fruit that is sure to please.

FESTIVE YAM SOUFFLE

3 eggs2 tbsp light brown sugar (more if using fresh yams)2 tsp grated orange peel1 tsp salt1/4 tsp nutmeg3 cans (16 oz each) yams or 6 yams, cooked, peeled and mashed2/3 cup light cream or milk2/3 cup chopped pecans6 tbsp butter, meltedminiature marshmallows for garnishpecan halves for garnishmaraschino cherry halves, drained, for garnishAs early as 8 hours before baking, beat eggs, sugar, orange peel and seasonings in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in yams, cream, pecans, and butter. Chill in baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees, in a 1 1/2-qt casserole dish for 50 minutes. Garnish by alternating marshmallows, pecan halves, and cherry halves around top of casserole.

WINTER APRICOT COMPOTE

If you are a follower of this blog, you know that several of my recipes are from my mother's collection of "The Workbasket" magazine. This now defunct little magazine was the pride of many a rural homemaker when I was a child. This is another recipe from one of the 1970s "The Workbasket" magizine.

2 cans (30 oz each) apricot halves1 cup apricot nectar1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch3 tbsp cold water1 tbsp curry powder1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar1 cup dried pitted prunes1 can (30 oz)pear halves, drained1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut, optionalPour 2 cups syrup from apricots into a large skillet. (Use remaining syrup in drinks and desserts.) Add nectar to syrup; boil rapidly until volume is reduced to 1 1/2 cups. Blend cornstarch and water in a large saucepan; stir in curry powder and sugar. Gradually stir in syrup mixture. Simmer mixture, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add prunes and drained apricot and pear halves; simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes or just until heated through. Spoon into attractive chafing dish and serve with coconut, if desired.

Enjoy!

Changing New York Style Cheesecake Recipes

2010-08-25T22:53:00.006-07:00

The variety of New York style cheesecake recipes exists mainly in the slight variations in the base ingredients of the recipes. Some may have a touch more cream, or a touch less. Some others may split between cream and Neufchatel cheese. I've even seen some that attempt to use ricotta cheese, although not with great success.

If you'd like to make some changes in the basic composition of your own New York style cheesecake recipe, you're free to experiment. However, bear in mind that you need to keep the proper proportion of ingredients to keep the base texture of the cake smooth, and to keep it from collapsing into cheese soup.

The main source of difference in the recipes is in the "other" dairy fats that go into the recipe. New York style cheesecake is actually rather forgiving, as long as you keep the ratios correct. Let's look at some three of the most popular dairy additions:

Sour cream: This is my own personal favorite accompaniment for the cream cheese. The tanginess of the sour cream mixed with the smoothness of the cream cheese and the sugar makes the palate fairly dance. And as a side benefit, the use of sour cream gives the cheesecake a bit more shelf life. The result of sour cream use is a very smooth, velvety texture with just a bit of resistance to the bite. It is very much in keeping with the traditional New York style cheesecake recipes.

Sweetened condensed milk: For those who like their cheesecake sweet, and I mean really, really sweet, this is the route to follow. A cheesecake made with sweetened condensed milk, such as Eagle brand or one of the many house brands, will be the sweetest of all the New York style cheesecake recipes. In fact, it may well be too sweet for some palates.

Buttermilk: Yes, believe it or not, there are daring individuals who try to make cheesecakes with buttermilk. The less said about these poor fools the better.

Sour cream is the traditional cheesecake addition, but feel free to experiment!

Is the Baked New York Style Cheesecake Recipe Best?

2010-08-25T22:53:00.005-07:00

Looking for shortcuts in the kitchen is a time-honored tradition. Almost everyone, whether they are a rookie cook or a lifelong kitchen wizard, wants at some point to find a better, quicker way to get the results they're looking for. The baked New York style cheesecake recipe draws more than its share of shortcut seekers, for two main reasons.

First off is the inherent simplicity of the New York cheesecake recipe. It consists of a few ingredients held in careful balance and cooked carefully. While the end result is a marvel of smooth deliciousness, getting there can become a bit of a boring trip once you've done it 10 or 20 times. The natural human urge to seek variety takes over, and the next thing you know you're off in the recipe wilderness.

At the opposite end is the sometimes-temperamental nature of the baked cheesecake recipe. Anyone who's made the recipe a few times has run across one of the two most common problems with it: a cheesecake that "falls" into a flat disk of cheesy chewiness or one that cracks to such an extent that it looks like it's been hit with a hammer. Having this happen a couple of times can send anyone in search of a more bulletproof way to make their favorite all-American dessert.

That's where the "no-bake" or "icebox" cheesecake recipe frequently comes into play. Most frequently made with some sort of gelatin to hold it together, the unbaked cheesecake is a dessert that's been around almost as long as the original baked New York style cheesecake recipe has been made.

If you must try it, at least don't spend a lot of money on the ingredients. The no-bake recipe is definitely one of those frequent cases where taking a shortcut in preparation produces less than stellar results. You'll end up with something that looks remarkably like a cheesecake, but has a waxy mouth feel and is completely lacking in that mellow, creamy texture and delicate taste so sought after.