This is a perfect late spring supper using ingredients that are bursting with seasonal flavour.  I prefer to use a shallot in this recipe as it has a mild and concentrated flavour and won’t overpower the other delicate vegetables, but of course a small onion could be used in  place of the shallot.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 50g butter
• 1 shallot finely chopped
• 300g fresh peas (frozen are fine if you can’t get fresh)
• 1 little gem lettuce, shredded
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 150ml single cream
• 400g penne pasta
• 75g Parmesan, freshly grated

Method

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until tender.

While the pasta is cooking melt the butter in a large frying pan.  Add the shallots, peas and fry on a gentle heat until the vegetables are getting soft.  Add the lettuce and cook for a further 5 minutes until soft.  The vegetables may need a little water adding if it looks like they are drying out.  Season with salt and pepper.

Warm the cream gently, but do not boil.

Drain the pasta and return to the pan.  Stir through the cream, and mix in the vegetables.  Add half the Parmesan and give it another gentle stir.  Serve at once and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.

To view the original recipe visit the SalamanderCookshop Blog

Popularity: 1% [?]

Pure Olive Oil and Light Olive Oil are not as the names indicate. The former is considered lower quality produced using refining processes, while the latter is merely lighter in colour and flavour and is not low in fat content as some people might think.
When you next visit the supermarket for a good olive oil read the labels, which should be clearly marked and graded by the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC).
A good quality olive oil starts with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), which is a superior grade of olive oil that is produced from the first pressing of olives by physical means, or centrifugation, and it cannot contain any refined oils. Also, it has less than 0.8% acidity (FFA).
For centuries health experts have advocated the consumption of olive oil in preference to other edible oils. Extra Virgin Olive Oil has more antioxidants and may reduce the production of bad cholesterols, alleviate digestive problems and also help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including cancer.
Then there’s Virgin Olive Oil, which is similar to Extra Virgin, but with slightly higher acidity (less than 2%). Likewise, Virgin Olive Oil cannot contain any refined oil.
Then we come to the common blended Olive Oil, which is often cheaper because it contains mainly refined oils blended with virgin olive oil. This adds a milder flavour and mild aroma and is up to 3.3% free acidity. Pure Olive Oil is good for cooking and frying and contains less antioxidants.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil should display fruity characteristics as it is a natural olive fruit juice. Good oils should have a good balance of fruitiness, bitterness and pungency and above all should be fresh.
Australians grow their own olives in certain parts of the country. One of the most respected growers is the Pukara Estate in the Upper Hunter Valley of New South Wales. The cool winters allow the olive trees to rest and recuperate before the long hot summer that follows and these climatic conditions, as well as the terrain, provide the perfect environment to grow premium quality olives.
Pukara Estate has won numerous respected awards around Australia for their products since 2003 which demonstrates their distinctive quality. They distribute their products throughout Australia to gourmet and fine food stockists, including the online gourmet and fine food shop Australian Tru Blue, where in a couple of clicks you can purchase a wide range of premium olive oils for every special dining occasion.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Recent studies show that high blood pressure can be lowered by the DASH Diet plan and by reduced salt intake (sodium). The DASH eating plan also has other benefits, such as lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol, which, along with lowering blood pressure, can reduce your risk for getting heart disease. Each method alone lowers blood pressure, however, the combination of the eating plan and a decreased sodium intake gives the highest benefit and prevents the development of high blood pressure.

The DASH Diet Plan is:

1- Low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and total fat.

2- Rich in fruits, vegetables, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.

3- Includes whole grain products, fish, poultry, and nuts.

4- Low in lean red meat, sweets, added sugars, and sugar-containing beverages compared to the typical American diet.

5- Rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, protein and fiber (nutrients that are expected to lower blood pressure).

Daily Nutrient Goals of the DASH Plan (for a 2,100 Calorie Plan):

- Total fat: 27% of calories

- Saturated fat: 6% of calories

- Protein: 18% of calories

- Carbohydrate: 55% of calories

- Cholesterol: 150 mg

- Sodium: 2,300 mg. the diet offers 2 levels of daily sodium consumption 2,300 and 1,500 milligrams per day. 2,300 milligrams is the highest level acceptable by the National High Blood Pressure Education Program. 1,500 milligram can lower blood pressure further and more recently is more recommended as adequate intake and one that most people should try to achieve. The lower your salt intake is, the lower your blood pressure. Studies have found that the DASH menus containing 2,300 milligrams of sodium can lower blood pressure and that an even lower level of sodium, 1,500 milligrams, can further reduce blood pressure. Current salt consumption in the United States is 4,200 milligrams per day in adult men and 3,300 milligrams per day in adult women.

- Potassium: 4,700 mg

- Calcium: 1,250 mg

- Magnesium: 500 mg

- Fiber: 30 g

DASH Diet and Weight Loss

You can lose weight while following the DASH diet plan at lower calorie levels with increasing your physical activity. The best way to lose weight is by doing so gradually, getting more physical activity, and eating a balanced diet that is lower in calories and fat.

Physical activity can be done at one time for 30 minutes , or at 3 times 10 minutes each for a total of 30 minutes. To avoid weight gain, try to total about 60 minutes per day.

How to Lower Calories on the DASH Eating Plan?

The DASH eating plan can be adopted to promote weight loss. It is rich in lower-calorie foods, such as fruits and vegetables. You can make it lower in calories by replacing higher calorie foods such as sweets with more fruits and vegetables and that also will make it easier for you to reach your DASH goals. Here are some examples:

1- To increase fruits: Eat a medium apple instead of four shortbread cookies. You’ll save 80 calories. Eat 1/4 cup of dried apricots instead of a 2-ounce bag of pork rinds. You’ll save 230 calories.

2- To increase vegetables: Have a hamburger that’s 3 ounces of meat instead of 6 ounces. Add a 1/2-cup serving of carrots and a 1/2-cup serving of spinach. You’ll save more than 200 calories. Instead of 5 ounces of chicken, have a stir fry with 2 ounces of chicken and 11/2 cups of raw vegetables. Use a small amount of vegetable oil. You’ll save 50 calories.

3- To increase fat-free or low-fat milk products: Have a 1/2-cup serving of low-fat frozen yogurt instead of a 1/2-cup serving of full-fat ice cream. You’ll save about 70 calories.

4- Other calorie-saving tips:

- Use fat-free or low-fat condiments. Use half as much vegetable oil, soft or liquid margarine, mayonnaise, or salad dressing, or choose available low-fat or fat-free versions. Eat smaller portions and cut back gradually. Choose fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. Check the food labels to compare fat content in packaged foods and items marked fat-free or low-fat are not always lower in calories than their regular versions. Limit foods with lots of added sugar,such as pies, flavored yogurts, candy bars, ice cream, sherbet, regular soft drinks, and fruit drinks.

- Eat fruits canned in their own juice or in water. Add fruit to plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt. Snack on fruit, vegetable sticks, unbuttered and unsalted popcorn, or rice cakes. Drink water or club soda and zest it up with a wedge of lemon or lime.

Read more about the best 10 diet plans and how to choose the most suitable one for you. Read more information about Dash diet

Popularity: 3% [?]

Eating a healthy diet does not mean you need to have a life of eating celery and carrot sticks. Of course fast food is not your best option for a meal, but there are tons of recipes and foods that will fit into your new healthy diet. Most often if you replace some of the foods in your current diet with those of a healthy diet, you will find you can eat more and lose those pounds  and inches. Getting into shape and losing weight seem to be really hot topics right now. Everyone whose overweight wants to get healthy, and those that are healthy want to stay that way. But the real question is how to make your way through the clutter to find the correct way to get or stay in shape. Adding variety to your menu can make you look forward to eating healthier. Eating healthy needs to be an overall lifestyle change.

It is important to pay attention to the food pyramid for healthy eating guidelines. Your body needs the right combination of vitamins and nutrients to stay healthy. By eating a well balanced diet you can be sure you are getting them. Eating a healthy diet also does not mean you have to completely cut out some of your favorite restaurant foods or desserts. Make sure you do not skip meals either. That can lead to poor eating habits. You should have three meals a day and two snacks so you are not hungry throughout the day.

The key to staying healthy is to still enjoy your favorites, but have all things in moderation. Having one slice of cake or pie as a treat on special occasions is much better than eating a slice of pie each night before bed so that it doesn’t go to waste. Another key to keeping a healthy diet is planning. Many times people make bad food choices when they aren’t prepared. Do your research. Most restaurants offer nutrition information online. If you know that you will be going out to eat a certain night of the week, take the time to search for the healthy options that are offered. Also, don’t be afraid to make special requests of your server when you get there. Many times when you share that you’re trying to keep your food as part of a healthy diet, the restaurant will have no problems accommodating your needs.

Eating is the key when trying to lose weight. Many people know that losing weight requires reducing calories, but some take it to the extreme and starve themselves. Keeping yourself on a healthy diet will get you much better results than starving yourself, and you’ll be able to benefit from your new healthy take on food.

To lose weight, a cut in calories is usually necessary. Losing weight typically comes down to burning more calories than you consume. If you cut down on your calorie intake and raise the amount of exercise you do, you will definitely burn enough calories to take the weight off.

It is not something you do for a few weeks and then quit. You will find that when you have healthy eating habits you feel much better. You will have more energy than before. Many people report that they are able to sleep better at night too. Your skin will look younger and you may even lose some unwanted pounds in the process. Learn how to cook healthy , follow a diet which is one that is high in protein and vitamins, low in fat and calories and high in fiber from recipes ingredients. There is so much information out there when it comes to health and exercise; it can be hard to sort through it all. Watch movies learning you how to cook  healthy.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Soy has become so popular because of the industry advertising. It started me off as a believer! There was considerable research done in 1966 about the harmful substances within the soybeans. And now, it’s claimed to be the “miracle” food.
The truth is that it’s a multi-billion dollar business!

Production of soybeans in the U.S. is 40 times more now than it was starting in the 20th century. First it’s made for animal feed and then manufactured into soy oil, vegetable oil, margarine, and shortening.

Why has the soy industry concentrated on finding alternative uses and new markets for soybeans? Because it’s cheap and very profitable. It’s disguised in everything from hamburgers, hot dogs, baby formula, flour, and much more. It’s often marketed as low-fat, dairy free, or as a high protein meat substitute for vegetarians. The soy derivatives you need to look for are textured vegetable protein (TVP), partially hydrogenated soybean, soy protein isolate (SPI) hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP).

One of the dangerous substances in the soybean is phytic acid, also called phytates. These acids block the body of essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron and especially zinc. But, you never hear about that.

Read the labels very carefully – and you will be amazed at the soy contents in snack foods, fast foods, and pre-packaged frozen meals. It’s also in canned tuna! Why you need soy in tuna is a mystery to me.

Soy Serves Up Healthy Benefits will get your attention. They say soy foods are a source of high-quality protein that provides health benefits that may help to prevent or treat certain chronic diseases. This is definitely not so for someone with a severe allergy to soy – like me. I bring this to your attention because even though you may not be allergic to soy, it makes sense to me to look for healthier alternatives.

They claim soy foods contain less calories and fat grams making weight loss easier, and can reverse child obesity because soy foods provide critical vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein – the opposite is true. Kid friendly foods like soymilk, frozen pizza, taco-style meant and chicken-style nuggets. Really? This doesn’t sound like a healthy diet to me.

They claim that because they are filled with bone-building and heart-healthy soy protein, they reduce overall calories and fat grams. If this is true, how come I gained weight with my active lifestyle? And what about women who are in their forties that start gaining weight? I believe it’s because of the all the soy products that they are consuming. And, they could possibly be developing thyroid disease and not know it. Don’t believe what you hear about women going through menopause. It didn’t reduce my “hot flashes”, lower my cholesterol, decrease my risk for heart disease, or osteoporosis. What soy did do was slowly but surely, killing me! And, I thought I was following a healthy diet with all the soy I consumed.

When it comes to fad diets they claim soy foods help promote healthier eating habits with low carb diets. They say many soy foods are naturally low in fat and saturated fat, while being high in heart-healthy protein. The example they use is a soy veggie burger provides 12 grams of soy protein with 5 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat and just 3 grams of net carbs. That soy veggie burger is what landed me in the hospital…my body said “enough all already!” It took four days in the intensive care unit for me to get the “wake-up” call.

Everyone knows their own bodies. If you are not feeling like yourself lately, try to eliminate
soy products – I bet you will start feeling like your old self again!

http://www.hiddensoy.com

Popularity: 31% [?]

Here’s the top 12 things you must do to enjoy your winery weekend tour. Written from the winery side of the bar where we’ve seen thousands for visitors having a great time. And some having a not so great time…

1 – Plan your trip and call ahead

You’ve got your winery map in front of you. So plan a route and be realistic about how long it’ll take you to drive from winery to winery. Can you really cover 50km of twisty road in 30 minutes? Be honest about what you can do in one day and more importantly, what you can enjoy in one day. It’s not a race to log the most tasting notes in 48 hours.

Stop…

Look…

Taste…

Listen…

Learn…

And most importantly enjoy the day.

Call each winery a few days before your weekend. Not all small wineries open every day and some close altogether over winter.

Plan your trip and leave time to enjoy your stay at each winery. About 1 hour should do.

2 – Line up a designated driver

You’ve probably already figured out where you want to stay the night. But you still need to get from winery to winery. Find someone who doesn’t drink or is willing to not drink this one weekend. It’s just plain easier and safer for you.

3 – Wear something comfortable and dark

For shoes, leave the stilettos and designer heels home this weekend. Wear something you’re comfortable walking and standing in. Not every winery will have space for you to sit down so you may be standing most of the day.

And wear comfy dark clothes. Dark clothes hide whatever you or more likely someone else spills on you. And it’s easier than having to change or walk around looking like Spot the dog for the day.

4 – Go easy on the after shave or perfume

A huge part of what you taste comes from the smell. That’s why food always tastes flat when you’ve got a blocked nose. It’s much easier to pick up the spice in the Merlot when you’re not battling with the Old Spice from the person next to you.

5 – Have a decent breakfast and plan a good lunch

You’ll stay sober longer and you’ll get the best from your days away with a decent breakfast under your belt. It’s no fun getting smashed by 11am on the first day when you’ve still got a dozen wineries to visit.

Get a decent breakfast and leave time for a good lunch. Either bring your own picnic basket and eat out in the vines or eat in. If you’ve planned lunch at someplace small and far away then please book ahead. Often it’ll be the only thing for miles and remember, plan ahead and you’ll enjoy your weekend away much, much more.

6 – Get there early

We know, from experience that afternoons are busiest. So try and get out of home and be at the first winery bang on opening time. Whoever’s behind the bar will have more time to spend with you, you’ll have a better time and you’ll learn more.

7 – Taste the wines in order of lightest and driest to strongest and sweetest

Tasting fine wines is just like enjoying a fine dinner. You start off with a light entrée and you finish with the sticky date pudding. Just imagine what your prawn cocktail tastes like after your ice cream? Start with the light whites and finish with the ports.

8 – Learn to spit

If you swallowed everything you tasted in one day on the road, you’d be hammered by lunchtime.

Learn to spit.

It’s an accepted and expected thing to do in the wine world.

But please… practice at home first.

9 – Don’t stress about taking tasting notes

Remember you’re out to enjoy your weekend and your wines and not check the boxes on a score sheet. Grab the wines you like on the day (please keep them out of the boot on a 40C degree day). And get yourself on the winery mailing list. Most wineries will have a newsletter and tasting notes online. So don’t worry about scribbling notes that you’ll probably lose on the way home. Once you’re on the mailing list you can order your favourite wines anytime.

10 – Keep drinking water all day long

Sipping wines and travelling all day dries you out. Carry your water bottle with you, keep it topped up and keep sipping all day. It just means you keep tasting wines longer and don’t flake out early on.

11 – What goes in, must come out

Use the toilets at each stop. I know it sounds obvious and we’re not 3 years old anymore, but we see all sorts of strange things. So stop at the loo whenever you get a chance.

12 – Enjoy they stay

Relax and go with the flow and just have a good time. Don’t rush as it’s not a race. If you don’t get through your planned route, then so be it. There’ll always be another weekend and hey, do you really need an excuse for another wine weekend away?

Remember… You’ll be in a new area enjoying new things, new wines and meeting new people. Just kick back and enjoy the experience.

Popularity: 13% [?]

A good sharp knife is used to shape a food product and
reduce its size.  Having the same size and shape ensures
even cooking.  Items are shaped by slicing, chopping,
dicing, mincing and other special cutting techniques.

Slicing is used to create three specialty cuts:  chiffonade,
rondelle, and diagonal.  Slicing skills are also used to
produce oblique or roll cuts and lozenges.

A chiffonade is to finely slice or shred leafy vegetables
or herbs.  You first wash and destem the leaves, such as
spinach.  Stack several leaves on top of each other and
roll them tightly like a cigar.  Then make fine slices
across the leaves while holding the leaf roll tightly.

Rondelles are disk-shaped slices of round vegetables
or fruits, such as carrots.  Diagonals are oval-shaped
slices of cylindrical vegetables or fruits.  The cut is
similar to cut rondelles except that the knife is held
at an angle to the item being cut.

Oblique cuts are small pieces with two angle-cut sides.
You hold the knife at a 45-degree angle, and make the first
cut.  Roll the item a half turn, keeping the knife at the
same angle, and make another cut.  The result should be a
wedge-shaped piece with two angled sides.

Lozenges, not cough drops, are diamond-shaped cuts prepared
from firm vegetables such as carrots, turnips, and potatoes.
Slice the item into long slices however thick you want it.
Then cut the slices into strips.  Cut the strips at an
angle to produce diamond shapes.  Sounds easy, doesn’t it.

Horizontal slicing is used to cut a pocket into meats,
poultry, or fish.  This is usually referred to as
butterflying.

Chopping is cutting an item into small pieces and size and
shape are not important.  This is much easier than the other
ways of cutting.  Mincing is the same except the pieces are
smaller.

Dicing is cutting an item into a cube.  Chefs in restaurants
would want each side to be equal.  Before an item is diced,
it is cut into sticks, such as juliennes and batonnets.  The
sticks are 2 inches long, with the sides either 1/8″for
juliennes or 1/4″ for batonnets.  Brunoise are cubes of
1/16″, small dice are 1/4″, medium dice are 1/2″, and large
dice are 3/4″.  Paysanne is a flat, square, round or
triangular item 1/2″ x 1/2″ x 1/16″.

Tourner is a cutting technique that results in a football-
shaped finished product with 7 equal sides and flat ends.
This is a difficult cutting technique, that takes a lot of
patience.

Parisiennes are spheres of fruits or vegetables cut with a
small melon ball cutter.

Now that you know all the different types of cuts, my advice
would be to find machines that slice and dice, such as a
mandoline.  They are much quicker and usually safer.

Bob Boeck is a Premier Member of the United States Personal
Chef Association.  He has passed the ServSafe Exam and is
ServSafe Certified.  Visit http://cooking-info.net for more
articles on cooking and some recipes.

Popularity: 16% [?]

For me, cooking has always been fun.  I started cooking in
my younger day back in Nebraska.  Luckily, my mother was
patient enough to teach me. For my wife, she’s glad I have
fun doing it.  What is your vote?  Do you cook for
pleasure, or necessity?

If you have the right equipment, a comfortable kitchen,
and are willing to try different things, cooking can be
fun.  Having someone to clean up after you helps, too.
Most ovens are self-cleaning now, so being a little sloppy
pulling your cooked item out of the oven isn’t quite so
critical.  You just wipe up what you can, and self-clean
sometime in the future.

Cooking schools and Culinary Academies can give you whatever
level of education you want.  You can take only a Dim Sum
class or get a degree in Culinary Arts.  There are online
courses and courses by mail.  The choice is yours.  There
is a Catering and Gourmet Cooking class which is online and
through Penn Foster Career School.

There are many methods of cooking.  Dry-heat cooking
methods without fat are broiling, roasting or baking,
grilling, barbecuing, griddling, and pan-broiling.
Dry-heat cooking methods with fat are sauteing, pan-frying,
and deep-frying.  Moist heat cooking methods are steaming,
boiling, simmering, poaching, and blanching.  Broiling is
a method using high heat. My favorite is outdoor cooking.
There is also crock-pot cooking, which is an easy way to
prepare a full meal.

As I said before, having the right culinary equipment makes
the task of cooking a lot easier.  I use the nonstick pans
versus the stainless steel variety.  They are easier to
clean up.  Other materials used for cookware is copper,
aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, glass, ceramics,
plastic, and enamelware.  Pans lined with enamel should not
be used for cooking.  The enamel may chip or crack.  Having
a variety of sizes for cookware makes the cooking process
much easier.  A good set of kitchen knives is a must, also.
They should be kept sharp for both safety reasons and easier
to use.  Use the correct knife for the specific job being
done.  A paring knife wouldn’t work to well trying to cut
through bone.

Being educated in food safety should also be a
consideration.  You don’t want your family to get Vibrio
parahaemolyticus Gastroenteritis from eating raw oysters.
(Spelling or pronunciation is not a priority for cooking.)
You don’t need to get a ServSafe Food Safety Manager
Certification, but a basic understanding of food safety
should be learned.  Some foods are more likely to become
unsafe than others.  Some potentially hazardous food would
be milk, eggs, shellfish, fish, baked potatoes, sliced
melon, meats, and poultry.

Bon Appetit!

Bob Boeck is a Premier Member of the United States Personal
Chef Association.  He has passed the ServSafe Exam and is
ServSafe Certified.  Visit http://cooking-info.net for more
articles on cooking and some recipes.

Popularity: 16% [?]

Home-made soups are so good for you – all that nourishing stock
and chock-a-block full of vitamins and minerals.

But … who on earth could face boiling bones for hours on end
during the scorching Spanish summer weather, not to mention
preparing the soup once the stock is made? I don´t think it
would tickle anybody´s fancy to then have to tuck into a
piping-hot soup!

For this reason, the Spanish came up with their wonderful,
ice-cold soup – gazpacho – beautifully colorful, packed with
goodness, cheap and simple to prepare, no cooking and … most
important of all, an absolute delight to drink.

Traditional gazpacho originates from romantic Andalucia – that
large, exotic southerly region of Spain which is home to such
extensive Arabic influence.

The chilled, raw soup was originally made by pounding bread and
garlic with tomatoes, cucumber and peppers but, nowadays, your
electric blender renders this effortless! Olive oil endows it
with a smooth, creamy consistency and vinegar adds a refreshing
tang – just what you need when life gets too hot to handle!

The spicy soup should be served in true Spanish style with small
bowls of accompaniments – finely chopped peppers, cucumber,
onion … even hard-boiled eggs and croutons, if you feel up to
it! Guests will then sprinkle what appeals to them on the soup.

Traditional gazpacho is tomato-based, with most Spanish families
having developed their own, unique recipes. However, nowadays,
you will also find gazpacho recipes that have nothing to do
with tomatoes – white, almond-based gazpachos, fruit-based
gazpachos, etc.

Do you suffer from insomnia? Could be that drinking gazpacho is
the answer, for in Pedro Almodovar´s 1987 film “Mujeres Al Borde
De Un Ataque De Nervios”, various characters help themselves to
the soup and promptly fall asleep!

However, don´t fall asleep just yet as you haven´t read over the
recipe!

Ingrediants for 4 servings:

- 4 ripe tomatoes
- 1 onion
- ½ red pepper
- ½ green pepper
- ½ cucumber
- 3 cloves garlic
- 50 g bread
- 3 dessertspoons vinegar
- 8 dessertspoons olive oil
- Water
- Salt/pepper
- ¼ chilli pepper (optional)

Garnishings:

- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- ½ finely chopped onion
- ½ finely chopped red pepper
- ½ finely chopped green pepper
- ½ finely chopped cucumber

Method:

1. Break up bread and soak in water for 30 minutes.

2. Skin tomatoes, remove seeds and stalks from peppers.

3. Peel cucumber, onion and garlic.

4. Chop onion, garlic, tomatoes, peppers and cucumber.

5. Place in electric blender.

6. Squeeze out excess water from bread and add to blender.

7. Add oil and vinegar.

8. Blend well.

9. If necessary, add sufficient water for soup-like consistency.

10. Pour into a bowl with ice cubes.

11. Fridge for a couple of hours.

12. Serve in bowls, with garnishings in separate dishes.

Gazpacho is best enjoyed sitting in the shade, looking out onto
an azure sea, blue sky and golden sun and sands!

Popularity: 16% [?]

The crock pot is the busy person’s best friend and right hand man (woman,) always working with you, never against you, and couldn’t care less about what the weather’s doing outside.
The beauty of the crock pot is that it can be stocked in the morning and left to its own devices all day. No babysitting required. And by the time you drag your sore body home at the end of a hectic day, your crock pot will greet you with a ready-to-serve home-cooked meal!
If you’re curious to test the servitude of your crock pot, here’s a quick (prep time wise) and easy recipe for barbecue beef. Remove the roast from your trusty crock pot and discard the juices. Shred the meat using a fork and return it to the crock pot.
Add the barbecue sauce and cook on high for another 30-60 minutes, or the amount of time it takes to change into something comfortable and check a day’s worth of emails.
Crock Full of Beef
4lb roast of beef

2 tbsp cooking oil

1 large onion, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup water

5 cloves of garlic, peeled

1tsp salt

1tsp ground black pepper

2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce
Add cooking oil to frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the meat on all sides. Remove from heat.
To stock your pot, add 1/2 of the sliced onion to the bottom of the pot. Place the browned roast on top of the onion. Add the water, garlic cloves, salt and pepper and the remaining onion.
Cover and set timer according to the length of your work day for a minimum 4-6 hours or maximum 8-10 hours. The longer you work, the better your roast will be!
Fast forward 6-10 hours …
Welcome home! Supper’s almost ready!
Remove the roast from your trusty crock pot and discard the juices. Shred the meat using a fork and return it to the crock pot.
Add the barbecue sauce and cook on high for another 30-60 minutes, or the amount of time it takes to change into something comfortable and check a day’s worth of emails.
Once the last email is answered, you will have yourself one happy crock full of tasty beef!
Serve it over rice or pasta, or make a gourmet sloppy joe and serve it up on a fresh bun.
For an easy all-purpose barbecue sauce, which tastes great with beef, pork or chicken, here’s one of my favorites from “Barbecue Secrets Revealed”.
The sauce can be made ahead of time and stored either in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.
Amazing All Purpose Barbecue Sauce
1 cup Catsup

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 dashes Bottled hot pepper sauce

1 cup Water

1/4 cup Vinegar

1 tbsp Brown sugar

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Celery seed

1 tbsp Minced onions
Combine ingredients in slow-cooking pot. Cover and cook over low heat 2 to 3 hours.
Makes 2 to 2 1/4 cups sauce.
Happy crockin’!

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Popularity: 24% [?]

For improvement in the memory power, there are a lot of foods that can prove beneficial. Along with enhancing the memory power of an individual, the consumption of these foods assists in all round growth. In order to maintain a high level of intelligence, it is recommended that people consume nutritious food. Natural products help enrich a person’s capabilities, due to absence of any artificial additives in them. For people with performance below average, high vitamin and protein rich foods are suggested, in an attempt to boost their academic performance.

All over the world, this is a commonly accepted practice. Dieticians and physicians are of the opinion that the intake of proteins and vitamins, with moderate quantity of carbohydrates, brings an improvement in people with poor intelligence levels. The presence of some agents, like synthetic productsby chinesefoodsrecipes.com, also helps in improving ‘brain power’.

Yet, it is better that people opt for natural ways vis-à-vis artificial products, to improve their intelligence level and academic performance. This means consumption of vegetables and fruits grown in organic manure. Since vegetables and fruits grown with fertilizers and artificial manures laced with chemicals, they should best be avoided. Naturally grown fruits and vegetables should be consumed as far as possible.

It has been found that some eatables – like chocolate, yogurt, spinach, egg plants, red cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, avocados, egg, green tea, pumpkin seeds, blackberries, strawberries, walnuts, almonds and cashews – are ideal for ‘super brains’.

The foods meant for super brains assist in the all round development of an individual, as they contain a lot of minerals and vitamins. Mostly, the reason behind poor health condition of the individuals is the lack of or deficiency in any of the required minerals or vitamins. For example, night blindness among many people is the result of the deficiency of Vitamin A.

To improve this condition, foods rich in Vitamin A are recommended by doctors. Similarly, ‘Beri Beri’ is common in people lacking Vitamin B. Scurvy, especially among children, results from the absence of Vitamin C. Certain chronic conditions are caused by the lack of Vitamin D. It is recommended that people consume a lot of greens and spinach, which are rich in vitamins and minerals in an effort to avoid such conditions over a prolonged period.

It has been studied that for easy blood flow, red cabbage is essential. Similarly, the iron content in the human body is vastly improved by consuming broccoli. Strawberries raise the level of ‘thought processes in an individual. In fact, for general all round growth, doctors recommend a rich diet consisting of a balanced mix of vegetables and fruits. The habit of consuming a fair amount of naturally grown fruits, devoid of any chemicals or fertilizers, is beneficial in improving ‘anemic’ conditions. It is a fact that the addition of vitamins and carbohydrates in diet has yielded excellent results among people of all age groups. Considered to be ‘super foods’, these foods are meant for the brain, as they enrich the intellectual thought process of an individual.

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Popularity: 23% [?]

If you’re like me you love the skin on the outside of duck, if it’s crispy. The texture of the meal can totally be changed with a crispy skin.

The secret is to make sure the duck is scored across the front and salted heavily.

This helps dry up the skin and makes for a super crispy skin. You will not be the only one that enjoys this Crispy Duck Recipe, but everyone else at your dinner table.

Take the duck that you’re going to use for your main dish make slits in the breast with a knife and poke with a fork. Salt the breast heavily use your discretion and taste. You can use this method for any recipe you can think of.

Just use the cooking instructions from the recipe you are using. Place the bird breast down on the baking pan and cook like that for about ¾ of the total time that the recipe says to cook it for, making sure to drain the fat from the bird, usually by sticking it with a fork under the wings and legs.

During the last ¼ of the cooking use the broil on the oven to finish cooking up the breast. This should make the skin crispy while the duck is still moist. Since this way of cooking can be used for almost any recipe for crispy duck recipe you have, it gives you more choices for the texture you want to use for your meal.

Cooking is all about mixing things up and building your own ways of cooking and recipes.

Also since you are slitting only the fatty layer of the bird you can use that to tuck away some hidden seasoning. Try tucking your favorite herbs into the slits under the skin, as the fat melts away it’ll trickle down and out of the bird but first it’ll seep into the meat.

This can add a new dimension to the meat, making it even more succulent. Taking these tips you should be able to use your imagination to come up with many more combos. With crispy duck recipes you can add extra flavors and also add a whole new texture to the dish.

Use these two together to try out new things, using the crispy skin to add texture to an otherwise smooth meal. So the next meals with duck you cook try out some of these combos, just using your taste and imagination. There are thousands of recipes in books and the internet to mix and match with.

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Popularity: 24% [?]

Losing weight is one of the hardest goals Americans annually seek to accomplish. The weight loss industry is huge and incorporates every type of fad diet, pill, cream, and lotion possible. Instead of falling prey to one of these “lose weight quickly” fads, entrust your weight loss into something that will guarantee you results: a low GI diet.

This diet is certainly nothing new and does not require purchase of any expensive diet foods that are usually packed with preservatives. A low GI diet is much more than a typical diet—it is truly a change in your lifestyle, health, and overall well being.

What does GI Stand for Anyway?

The “GI” in GI diet stands for Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Index is based on the carbohydrate content of food and how quickly those carbohydrates affect your blood glucose level. Foods with a high Glycemic Index are quickly digested and turned into sugar. It is no surprise that these foods usually lack necessary vitamins or nutrients and contain needless calories and fats. Foods with a high Glycemic Index (foods ranking 70 or greater on the scale) include:

• Foods high in sugar or glucose
• Baked or mashed potatoes
• White Rice
• Regular (not whole grain) bread
• Cookies, cakes, muffins, doughnuts
• Junk foods

A Little Thought and Preparation Make a Big Difference

The method of food preparation also affects the Glycemic Index. Foods that are cooked or pre-cooked have a higher GI. For example, instant oatmeal or grits have a higher Glycemic Index than the same foods cooked in a more traditional manner. Due to this reason, individuals who are on a low GI diet tend to put more thought into foods consumed and tend to consume less pre-cooked, pre-packaged foods filled with preservatives or additives.

It’s All About Choices

By choosing to consume foods with a low Glycemic Index, you are making a conscious effort to consume foods that are nutritious and good for you. This diet is also critical for individuals with diabetes or other conditions that make it necessary to monitor their blood sugar levels. Make the conscious commitment to embark on a low GI diet and create a healthy lifestyle.

What foods are classified as low GI? You will certainly be surprised with the incredibly long list of options available to individuals currently pursuing a low GI diet! These low GI (55 or less) foods include:

• Most fruits (apples, pears, oranges, berries, etc.)
• High fiber grains (bran, whole grain wheat’s)
• Pastas
• Whole milk
• Low-fat yogurt
• Lentils
• Whole grain cereals (Special K, All Bran, etc)

These foods are readily incorporated into a daily diet and intermixed with foods that have a medium rank on the Glycemic Index between 56 and 69. These foods should be eaten sparingly, thoroughly mixed with the low GI foods. Such medium GI foods include:

• Boiled potatoes
• Dried fruits (raisins and apricots)
• Ice Cream
• Shortbread cookies

Where’s the Meat?

If you are wondering where fresh meat, eggs, cheese, and vegetables rank on the Glycemic Index, it is because these foods do not contain carbohydrates. For this reason, they are deemed suitable to consume and still abide by the guidelines of the low GI diet. Whether you are a bona fide meat eater or a staunch vegetarian, you are sure to succeed on this great diet.

A low GI diet is excellent for any individual wishing to lose weight without giving up the foods they love. This diet will allow you to joyfully consume beloved breads and perfect pastas without guilt! If you find yourself wanting a lifestyle change and are ready to lose weight, you’ll definitely want to look for more in-depth information on the easily adaptable GI diet.

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www.dieting.infozabout.com.

Popularity: 23% [?]

Barbeque, in the southern and Midwest parts of the United States, consists of slow-cooking meat over indirect heat. Chicken, beef, pork, sausage, ham, and ribs can all be barbequed – even mutton is sometimes barbequed, at least in Kentucky. With so many ways to make so many dishes, the perfect way to make barbequed meat can be a regional “bone” of contention.

In Memphis, Tennessee, barbeque is almost a religion. Barbeque ribs – most often pork, are cooked for long hours, until the meat is so tender that it is ready to fall off the bone. The city bills itself as the pork barbeque capital of the world, and has over one hundred barbeque restraints to back up that claim, many of whom participate in the annual pork cook off that is listen the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest pork barbeque contest anywhere.

The contest, part of the celebration called “Memphis in May”, draws some 90,000 cooks and spectators. Competitors come from fifty smaller cook offs sponsored by the main contest. It even runs a series of training seminars for potential barbeque judges. Good barbeque, they say, is all about being tender, without being too mushy, and being smoky, without being overpowering.

Ribs commonly come “wet,” that is, with barbeque sauce of some kind, usually mild and sweet in Memphis and basted on before and after cooking, or “dry,” with a dry rub of herbs and spices that is applied during or right after cooking. Regardless of which style is favored, the taste of the meat should come through – this is what separates good barbeque from something lathered with barbeque sauce and put in the oven for a few hours.
In Missouri, there is not one, but two predominant styles of barbeque, both of which favor beef, which is not surprising given the history of both Kansas City and St. Louis as “cattle towns.” They share a tomato-based sauce that is added after cooking, and can be replicated by mixing ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Interestingly, Missouri’s Ozarks are the source of almost half of the charcoal briquettes produced in the United States.

Kansas City, like Memphis, has a large number of barbeque restaurants and hosts several annual competitions. However, it is particularly famous for its sauces, which are thick, rich, tangy, and spicy. The sauce is basted on during the last few moments of cooking, and more can be added thereafter. Dry rub, too, is common on Kansas City style barbeque.

In St. Louis style barbeque, ribs are the flagship dish. These famous spare ribs are a rack of ribs with the chine bone and brisket bone removed. They are cooked with a sauce that is less vinegary, tangier and thinner than its cross-state equivalent, closer, in fact, to that served in Memphis.

Whether sweet or spicy, dry or wet, slow cooked or grilled over an open flame, barbeque is one of the most diverse of all American foods, and one to which many cities lay claim. Each has its own unique character, so get some bread and crackers, or some cole slaw, or even beans, (all traditional barbeque side dishes) and give them a try.

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Popularity: 23% [?]

Choosing the right menu for a special event can be just as important as choosing a location. Food can communicate a theme, convey a feeling or set the mood of an entire night. If you are planning a high-class extravaganza, hot dogs and beer might not be appropriate. However, they might be the perfect choice for a birthday party at the lake. Taking great care in planning a menu shows your guests how much you appreciate them, and a great meal can help make a special day even more memorable.

If you are planning a birthday party for your child, an interactive meal can be a fun activity for your guests. Rather than slaving away in the kitchen all day or spending countless dollars ordering pizzas, you can save time and money by letting the guests make their own special creations. One fun idea is to prepare a multitude of toppings and let the children make their own bagel or English muffin pizzas. They will have a blast piling on strange combinations of toppings, and they will enjoy feeling like grown-ups in the kitchen.

For a more formal occasion like a holiday party, finger foods can be great for mingling guests, and they can be great topics of conversation. The obligatory finger sandwich can be spiced up by adding your own special pesto or cheese spread to an already tried and true recipe. Experiment with different ingredients in the weeks prior to the party, and test them out on your family. You will know when you get the reaction you are looking for, and you might end up spending much of the party writing down your recipe for your guests.

Planning a menu for a wedding can be quite stressful, especially when you are not sure exactly how many guests will be attending. The rule of thumb is that too much is better than not enough, even if it means having a lot of food left over at the end of the night. You can choose to have a buffet-style dinner, or you can have a set menu for your guests. It is important to consider your guests with special dietary needs. You should have vegetarian and low-sodium alternatives to your main courses, and you should have a heart-healthy menu for those who must avoid foods with high fat contents.

Before attempting a large-scale meal, you should make all of the dishes several times to perfect your recipes. Your goal is to have guests asking for more even after it all runs out. Test your creations on a variety of people and make adjustments according to their suggestions. When cooking food from your own recipes, it is important to remember the details of what you did every time you make it. That way you will know what went wrong when something turns out horrible, and more importantly, what went right when you receive raving reviews.

Planning portions is the most important part of catering your own party. Though most recipes tell you how many people they will feed, it is best to err on the side of caution. If a recipe feeds eight, you might want to count it as six or seven, depending on how many guests you expect. Plan that half of your guests will want to go back for seconds. If you know that one dish will be a favorite, be sure to make extra. Though the green beans may be the healthier option, you can usually bet that the cheesecake will go a lot quicker. Keep in mind that the greater the variety, the more people you will please, so even if you are a steamed vegetable lover, you should probably prepare some beefy options for your less than health conscious guests.

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Popularity: 23% [?]

As a staple of life our need to eat has developed from a basic form of simply feeding our bodies with the fuel it requires, to a complicated art of presentation and taste combined with our intrinsic need to experiment with everything we see, touch, smell and of course taste.

The ever-increasing divergence of foods that is now available to us at our local stores and eating-places only help to confuse and tantalise us into new culinary experiments and delights.

From the sandwich shop to the award winning restaurants, we can always find a place that prepares and sells the food we want at a reasonable price, although cooking or preparing food for ourselves may be a cheaper or healthier option it never seems to taste the same as our local restaurant. Most people that have cooked their own versions and varieties of local, Chinese, Indian or other international cuisine believes it does not have the same taste or texture and will often opt for a more authentic meal from their local restaurant or take away.

Cooking at home has become less of a choice and more of a chore. With the large amount of ready meals available, the option of spending time in the kitchen becomes less and less appealing. People are spending more of their time and money in the world of fast foods and restaurants. Although some believe this to be a bad thing, it has fuelled a new market in available meals that are only a phone call away. As long as the health and hygiene departments vet these establishments and our choices are varied, of good quality and healthy, their use can be a good alternative to cooking our own meals.

With the onset of fast foods and the quick cook and ready cooked meals available along with the ever increasing choice of world cuisine, the enjoyment of these different foods have opened new options to the consumer within the food market.

In today’s busy world where leisure time has become more and more important, the less time spent working and preparing to eat allows us more available time for our pursuit of our leisure activities.

People who do not have the ability, time or will to cook at home now only have to pick up the phone book or click on the Internet in order to find their local restaurant or fast food retailer that will be more than happy to deliver the freshly prepared hot food ready to eat straight to their door with minimum fuss.

Although the fast food retailers compete with each other fiercely, using their special offers and cheaper and healthier alternatives to entice us to their premises, the main stay of traditional restaurants still hold an important part in our lives.

Even though these places are vastly outnumbered by the fast food industry, we still enjoy sitting down in the nice comfortable and pleasant surroundings of a restaurant and dining on good quality food at a leisurely pace, leaving behind the hustle and bustle of daily life and the fast food rush.

Traditional restaurants will always offer us that pleasant alternative to eating at home, ordering take out from our local fast food dispenser or visiting their drive through or small busy café style restaurants. Not forgetting those special occasions or romantic rendezvous, these still command the need for that quiet stylish quality restaurant where we know that the food wine and service will always be excellent and the experience wonderful and charming.

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Popularity: 23% [?]

Importance of Health

“Health is Wealth” – This is a very well said proverb, universal truth for every person living anywhere in the world irrespective of any factors. Even in this damn economic world people are aware with the benefits of a healthy body and mind. They care for their health more than earlier days. Nutrition is among key priorities for elderly, young and kids.

Need for Healthy Diet

For a good health, you need to have healthy and nutritious diet, that too on time regularly. A good diet is important for good health. A healthy and nutritious diet can help to maintain a healthy body weight and reduce the risk of a number of diseases including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis or malnutrition.

What is Healthy Diet

A balance and healthy diet consists of all required components essential for body. A diet based on cereals, breads, potatoes, fruits and vegetables is a healthy and balanced diet. That also includes limited amounts of dairy products (like milk, butter, cheese and curd), meat, and limited amount of fat or sugar ingredients.

No single food can provide all the essential nutrients that the body needs. Therefore, it is important to consume a wide variety of foods to provide adequate intakes of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, which are important for health. When fresh fruits and vegetables are unavailable, canned goods can be a healthy alternative to fulfill the need for adequate intake.

Guidelines for a healthy diet:

1. Eat a variety of different foods, several times a day
2. Follow principle of light and frequent eating policy
3. Eat plenty of foods rich in starch and fibre
4. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and green vegetables
5. Avoid food with high fat ratio
6. Limit food and drinks with sugar too often
7. If you are a drinker, drink alcohol sensibly
8. Drink sufficient amount of water several times a day
9. Limit excess intake of coffee and tea

If you follow above guidelines, and take care of your healthy diet needs, you’ll reduce your chances of being ill or malnutrition. Remember a healthy and peaceful mind resides inside a healthy body. So, keep yourself healthy and full your life with yours and your loved one’s cheers.

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The Next Idea is a highly innovative and experienced team of restaurant and leisure consultants, who have successfully opened and managed more than 250 restaurants, bars, and hotels worldwide. For more information or queries, feel free to visit our website: http://www.thenextidea.net

Popularity: 26% [?]

Everyone is looking for a miraculous diet that leads to weight loss with minimum effort, but do those diets really work? If so, for how long, and what are their consequences? Here are some details about diets that have been popular over the past years and their effects:
The Atkins Diet: this diet eliminates glucides considered responsible for the weight gain. The advantage is fast weight loss, but the disadvantages are numerous. Specialists found a lack of essential vitamins and an increased risk for cardiovascular disease among people who followed this diet, and don’t recommend it to women who are on birth control.
The Shelton Diet: it includes only meals with proteins or glucides. The advantage is fast weight loss and the disadvantage is the lack of nutrients.
The Antoine Diet: for this diet you must eat the same food all day. For instance, only meat on Monday, only fruits on Tuesday, eggs on Wednesday, vegetables on Thursday, dairy food on Friday, fish on Saturday, and so on. It causes fast weight loss but also produces imbalances, and the weight is often regained shortly after the diet ends.
The Mayo Diet: it is a difficult low-calorie diet that leads to fast weight loss followed by lack of vitamins, fatigue, or anxiety.
The Victoria Principal Diet: it has low amounts of proteins that lower the muscular mass, and the weight is often quickly regained after the diet ends.
The Scarsdale Diet: created by a cardiologist, it`s a low-fat diet with the same meals for fifteen days. Alcohol, milk, and fruit juices are forbidden. For short periods, this diet is efficient but long term it may cause a lack of nutrients.
The Montignac Diet: this diet is based on the principle of food dissociation but it forbids the combination of glucides and lipids. However, calories are retained as fat even if they are separate from glucides, according to specialists.
The Susan Powter Diet: it reduces the protein and fat intake while encouraging (es the glucides intake. It may result in lack of vitamins.
The Zen Diet: ten days of rice only. It`s difficult to follow and results in a serious lack of nutrients.
The Hollywood Diet: it includes only fruits in any combination. Dieticians agree it`s hard to follow.
The Sulitzer Diet: this diet includes 2.20 oz of proteins per day, 0.3 oz of butter per day, 1.80 oz of bread per day, over three times per week, without other restrictions. It`s quite balanced and close to the regular food, according to specialists.

(c) Project Weight Loss 2008. All rights reserved.

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For free weight loss tools. BMI calculator and diet plans, visit Project Weight Loss, a growing weight loss community. The web site also has interesting weight loss articles, a bunch of diet ideas, a diet and workout planner that calculates how many calories you ate and how many you burned, a calorie counter, and weight charts that shows you when you went over the calorie limit you need to stick to.

Popularity: 34% [?]

Food and Drink Services Industry is one of the fastest growing industries all over the globe. These days, Hotels, Restaurants and Bars are attracting investors as a beneficial investment option. That is due to growth of tour and travel industry as well as increased leisure activities of people. They love to spend their leisure timings in outdoor sports, dining and partying outside their homes. Specially, frequency of such activities increases during weekends.
According to a research carried out in Canada, the average household spent $3,279 on food and alcohol from restaurants in 2006. That’s about 2.7% of total income and about 22% of the household food expanses. Foodservice is one of the largest and most dynamic industries in Canada having annual sales of more than $41 billion and representing 4% of Canada’s gross domestic product.
Internet Usage Statistics in Canada
A study in year 2002 clearly states that, Canadians are the second most active web-surfers in the world, with 56% of the population going online. More than half of all Canadian households have at least one occupant who is a regular Internet user, 28% of Canadian households have a member who has work Internet access while 20% have an occupant with school access, 78% of Canadian households have dial-up access.
Internet is an integrated part of Canadian lifestyle. They look at Internet for all kinds of queries or information. Even food and drink industry is affected due to this trend. Canadian users search for restaurants in their particular area of interest. So, online presence for a restaurant is a positive point from business and sales perspective of that restaurant. Several Canadian Restaurant Chains are having their own websites, even popular individual restaurants are online, and restaurants that don’t have a website put their information on a food guide or community website.
Websites as Dining and Drinking Guides
People are conscious about their diverse dining habits. They love to explore new restaurants, new dishes, new flavors, as well as new drinks. We understand the value as well as need for dining and drinking guide websites when we visit new places. In that case we don’t know where to stay, where to eat or drink, what to choose from menu, as well as the specialties of specific restaurant joints. There are chances to miss the most delicious,

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yummy, as well as exclusive dishes of that specific region due to unawareness. So, if we add a little effort in knowing about these things that will increase our leisure experience.
There are 100% chances that you’ll find a restaurant guide website for any particular area in Canada. Just look for them, and enjoy completely renovated dining experience.
Ohyummy.com is a Unique Restaurant Information Service Provider, complete Restaurant Review and Guide, Ideal Platform between Restaurants and Diners. For more information, visit: http://www.ohyummy.com

Popularity: 34% [?]

Kosher snacks are prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations laid down by the Jewish diet laws. Kosher snacks are famous with the low calorie health conscious individuals also. This is because there is a whole segment of kosher snacks being manufactured for them. These kosher snacks are low calorie diets that help the users to maintain their weight and increase their fitness and health at the same time. These are being used by lot of people across the world as they help to improve overall health of the people and are tasty as well. Infact, these kosher snacks and kosher foods are amongst the finest in taste. This is the key reason for their popularity. They make sumptuous banquets and there is a whole new different world of kosher dining. The kosher terminology is unique and new. Meat is amongst the key kosher foods.

Kosher snacks are widely used for gifting purposes on various occasions. These packages of kosher snacks are used for religious ceremonies and as well as a gift for special Jew occasions. These kosher snacks are available in various shopping retail outlets for the health conscious men and women and can be easily made available on the internet also through special orders. There are many kosher recipes. There are kosher snacks, kosher fast food, kosher meat, kosher wines, kosher pickles, kosher cakes and kosher soups. Kosher symbols are used on the packs in order to confirm their identity. A ‘K’ or ‘OU’ mark may be used in order to confirm that the product has some degree of kosherness.

Kosher snacks are available in beautiful packaging across the internet as well as the retail stores. These kosher snacks include kosher coffee cakes, kosher chocolates, kosher drinks, kosher carrot cakes, kosher snacks cookies, kosher peanuts, kosher dry fruits, kosher grapes, kosher mint, kosher butter, kosher cherry, etc. These are the finest kosher snacks available across these stores. The manufacturers have been offering a diversified portfolio of kosher snacks for the consumers and therefore many new chains of snacks have come into the product range.

However, since it is religious, there is a law that governs the preparation of this food. There is a certification agency that looks into kosher snacks and decides if they have been cooked in a legal and religiously prescribed manner. This has become important as the kosher snacks are of different kinds; kosher snacks for religious purposes and kosher snacks for health conscious individuals. Therefore it is mandatory to look for the labels on the pack signifying kosher certification. These certifications on kosher snacks have come of late with the increasing number of producers and products.

These foods are a must for dining if you need to experience a new taste of America and for those who love meat and meat products. Kosher snacks are moreover, healthier than the other non kosher food preparations as they help to fight the bacteria.

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Ben Peres is a kosher snacks expert specializing on preparation of various healthy kosher food recipes

Popularity: 24% [?]

Sodium silicate (Molecular Formula – Na2SiO3, Molecular Mass – 122.06 g/mol) is a white solid that is soluble in water, producing an alkaline solution. There are various states of this compound; all are glassy, colorless, and soluble in water. This is also called water glass or liquid glass.

Sodium silicate is stable in neutral and alkaline solutions. In acidic solutions, the silicate ion reacts with hydrogen ions to form silica acid, which when heated and roasted forms silica gel, a hard, glassy substance.

Uses of Sodium Silicate
· Egg Preservation – Sodium silicate is used as an egg preservation agent. Eggs can remain fresh by using Sodium Silicate preservation method for up to nine months.

· Automotive repair – One of the popular uses of Sodium silicate is seal leaks at the head gasket.

· Cement uses – Sodium silicate has been widely used as general-purpose cement, especially for applications involving cementing objects exposed to heat or fire.

· Timber treatment – Treating wood with sodium silicate preserves wood from insects and possesses some flame-retardant properties.

· Concrete and masonry treatment – Concrete treated with a sodium silicate solution helps to significantly reduce porosity in masonry products like concrete and plasters. Applying Sodium Silicate with concrete permanently binds the silicates with the surface making them far more wearable and water repellent. These coatings are known as silicate mineral paint.

· Water Treatment – Sodium Silicate is used in water treatment in wastewater treatment plants. Water glass used to bind heavier molecules and drag them out of the water.

· Refractory use – Water glass is useful binder of solids, like vermiculite and perlite. When blended with these lightweight aggregates, water glass can be used to make hard, high-temperature insulation boards used for refractoriness’, passive fire protection and high temperature insulations, such as mounded pipe insulation applications.

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Popularity: 24% [?]

With such a rich and lengthy association with the wine trade, the city of Bristol has been no stranger to major wine tastings over the years. Averys own biannual tasting, held in our historic cellars has been growing in popularity over the last few years, so much so that we had to triplicate our Christmas tasting last year to accommodate demand. So we thought it was about time, as the oldest established wine merchant in Bristol, that we organised our own wine festival.

As an established and growing wine merchant, Averys has the whole range of wine styles and price range to offer our customers – from the old guard who know what they like and demand recognised styles, to the new wine converts who are happy to taste all styles of wine. Because of this diversity there is nobody in Bristol better placed to hold a wine festival in which people are able to taste almost every style conceivable from the humble Italian Pinot Grigio to the finest Grand Cru Burgundy.

Our festival, christened the “Celebration of Wine” was held on Saturday 10th November in the spectacular Great Hall at Bristol Grammar School. A date that I learned soon after planning coincided with the Bristol leg of Tesco’s newly launched wine tasting road show. On the Saturday there were two two-and-a-half hour sessions held with close to 200 wines to taste in each, a challenge which perhaps was taken literally by a happy band of hard core tasters. Each of the many stalls was manned by a wine maker or vineyard owner who did their best to answer the myriad of questions fired at them.

The first session (an unfortunate or appropriate term for a daytime drinking function) started at 11.30am. This was attended by the more serious of our customers, and much note taking and reflection was to be found. The evening session started at 5pm and had an all together different atmosphere.

One of the most popular features of the tasting was the bank of Champagnes that greeted eager tasters as they entered the hall. After tasting through 10 champagnes including different styles of Bauchet, Gosset, Pol Roger, Roederer and Bollinger, with some vodka and brandy sprinkled in, enthusiasm for tackling all the rest of the tables laden with wines was heightened.

Other highlights included: three master classes where some fantastic wines were shown; a blind tasting competition of New Zealand wines; and demonstrations of the different nuances that Reidel glasses can make to a wine. I would like to give my special thanks to the food producers who came along. They added the perfect accompaniment to our wines and gave some extra interest and colour to the festival. These were Romy Cuisines for their pâtés and chutneys, Fresh and Wild for their cheeses, The Real Olive Company, and Choucochoute for their lovely matching of truffles with Banyuls.

With over 500 satisfied customers to testify, our festival was a resounding success. The ice test for me was a comment by one hardcore wine fan who had attended the Tesco fair and then had jumped in a taxi to come straight to ours. When asked by me which of the events he had preferred, he laughed and said “it wasn’t in the same league as yours.” The only down side of this success is that it seems I will have to do it all again next year. I better start planning now!

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Duncan White is the Events manager for Averys Wine Merchants. Averys holds regular wine tastings, including En Primeur, dinners and events in Bristol and the surrounding areas. Our historic cellars can also be booked for private and corporate events and tastings. For more information go to: http://www.averys.com/xsite.aspx?xsite=events.xml&navid=home&navid2=events

Popularity: 24% [?]

One of the “tricks” I find most useful for hosting stress-free dinner parties is to make some of the recipes ahead. I find that too many last minute jobs can overwhelm me, so I plan ahead to eliminate as many as possible.

The more dishes you can prepare a day or some hours before guests ring your doorbell, the more you reduce your stress. Here are some reasons:

• You avoid a last minute crisis if preparation takes longer than you thought it would.

• If you like to cook, you’ll have the leisure to enjoy what you’re doing instead of feeling frantic about a deadline

• You have time to clean up after you cook.

• If there is a disaster, say you burn something, you have plenty of time to come up with an alternate plan.

• If you have prepared the dessert ahead, you don’t need to leave the table for a long stretch just when the conversation is getting really interesting.

Put your imagination to work for you! Try to imagine your way through the last minute jobs you will have to get dinner on the table, and reduce them to a minimum you feel comfortable with. It helps to think about what all those last minute jobs are: setting out the ice water pitcher, lighting the candles, putting items in serving dishes and getting the guests to the table.

By the way, many of these are jobs that your guests can do.

What is your level of tolerance for last minute jobs?
Now ask yourself what your level of tolerance is for last minute jobs? If it is low, then you should think about finding some recipes that absolutely minimize any last minute work. This is especially true if you are an inexperienced cook.

Some of the recipes I rely on are make-ahead, and some are just items that I can bring home from the store and put out in nice serving dishes.

Some cooks even make everything ahead. If you love stews, lasagna and casseroles, then you could do that too.

But I often prefer serving a delicious roast of lamb or beef or chicken as the special item on the menu. Luckily these dishes are ones you can put in the oven and leave to themselves while you do other things.

If you can add potatoes and vegetables to the roast while it cooks you have almost all of the advantages of make-ahead. Once you pop them in the oven beside the roast you can pretty well ignore them until they are cooked.

So I tend to focus on finding appetizers, salads, side dishes and desserts that I can make ahead, or set out straight from the store, or vegetables I can cook alongside a roast. Then I can concentrate on the last minute items like slicing a roast, making gravy, and getting things on the table.

Probably the most important category for me is appetizers. I find it too stressful to be fussing at cooking something while the doorbell is ringing. If you are hosting by yourself you may find the same.

So I try to have a repertoire of make-ahead or buy-ahead appetizer recipes that work for me. Often I serve more than one, since some of my guests like to stick to very light appetizers, and others enjoy heartier ones.

You can build your repertoire of make ahead recipes for your home dinner parties. I suggest you start with appetizers. If you want to see some of my favorites, just go to my Make-Ahead Appetizers page on my website.

Enjoy minimizing your hosting stress and watching your guests’ eyes light up at the sight of your tasty, well presented appetizers.

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One of the “tricks” I find most useful for hosting stress-free dinner parties is to make some of the recipes ahead. I find that too many last minute jobs can overwhelm me, so I plan ahead to eliminate as many as possible.

Popularity: 29% [?]

Even if you don’t really follow football closely or at all – everyone celebrates the Superbowl. There is fun for everyone, like new and funny commercials, over the top pre-game and half time shows, and an excuse to have a party, eat and drink too much.

The foods that are most famously associated with this event are admittedly geared more towards men and carnivorous choices but, you can find a vegetable or legume on the list too. Some items on the list can be made as unhealthily or healthful as you like by the ingredients you use.

Most would agree that the Superbowl is all about food, friends and fun!

Okay, Here is my list of the top ten Superbowl foods:

10. Chips, Dips, Salsa and Nuts
This is a big umbrella of general “snack food” or ” junk food”. Beer nuts or any kind of nuts are almost a pre-requisite for a Football party anyway. There are some really great appetizers that are now almost synonymous with Football. For example: Nachos – whether you just pour some melted cheese on them or go all out with salsa, guacamole, jalapenos, black olives, refried beans and spiced ground meat – these are always a crowd pleaser. There’s also the “old fashioned” Chex mix that is really quite a nice retro snack. Purchase, various Chex cereal flavors, add mini pretzels, some peanuts, melt some butter and honey with some kicked up seasonings – mix them all together and spread them out on a cookie sheet in the oven on 350 for 15-20 minutes. Great stuff.
9. BBQ Baked Beans
The classic baked bean recipe can take over 24 hours to prepare and serve. It involves soaking the dry beans which takes up most of the time, and marinating and baking the beans in a combination of Molasses, brown sugar and BBQ sauce. It normally has Pork in it too and that adds a really great flavor but, if that’s not your bag you can substitute ground turkey or have no meat at all.
8. Steak Tips
There are also Turkey, Swordfish and Chicken tips out there too now a days. Whichever you choose, marinating them in a good marinade first is a must. Steak will need the longest in a marinade but, all of them will be great once they are grilled on a nice hot grill. Pair tips with Salad and a mixed rice and you are all set!
7. Sandwiches
I prefer the foot long Italian hoagie from the local deli cut up into 2 or 3 inch size sandwiches. Hot peppers are a necessity but should probably be “on the side” for the less inclined. Any kind of sandwiches will work really and Calzones which are not really considered sandwiches are a great choice because they are easy to eat while not sitting down and come in all kinds of yummy flavors.
6. Pizza
Well, I had to put it on the list. It is really popular as a football food. It’s not truly my choice but, considering that watching football is a male oriented past time and most men are not into cooking, it makes sense that something you can pick up the phone and have delivered within 30 minutes (men are not normally planners either) would be on the list. PS: Anything that can be ordered, created and delivered within 30 minutes is not something I would recommend for adults – Children.okay.
5. BBQ Pork with all the fix’ins
This choice is really for a dedicated BBQ’er and will take some time to do right but, boy. It is well worth it. You really have to start this menu item the day before you want to enjoy it. It takes a smoker and a pork butt, some good dry rub, a mop sauce (this is important as far as I am concerned) and some good BBQ sauce along with a dedication to the low and slow way of cooking. In addition to the pulled pork, lay out some hamburger buns, home made cold slaw, and some chips and you have the perfect football party meal.
4. Chili
This is one of the most versatile and easy one-pan dishes you can make. You can prepare it for a whole crowd using a crockpot and it has so many variations there is bound to be one that’s to your liking. Just type in “Chili Recipes” in Google or your favorite browser and see all of the hits you get. Yep, you can’t go wrong with a good chili. Make sure to have extra hot sauce for the diehards that insist on kicking it up a notch!
3. Ribs
Short ribs, Long ribs, Dry ribs, Wet ribs..There is a whole big debate about the best type of meat to use and the best way to cook ribs that is almost as hotly debated as who is going to win the big game. Two things I can tell you about ribs: 1. They are difficult to cook just right and, 2. When they are cooked correctly they are delicious! My suggestion to you is to purchase some ribs at your best local BBQ restaurant or grocery market and pop them in your oven before your friends arrive, set out your favorite BBQ sauce and pass them off as your own creation. See if anyone figures it out.
2. Sausages, Hot Dogs
These may not appeal to those of you that are on a health food kick but, really there have been vast improvements in the hot dog and sausage varieties and quite a few are now more healthy options than other choices. And really, what’s better than a sweet Italian Sausage smothered in sauted peppers and onions with gobs of mustard all wrapped up in a bun – mummm mummm. You can take a walk at half time to make up for it.
1. Chicken Wings
Okay, No surprise here. I don’t know exactly how Chicken Wings became the unofficial Football food but, I am cool with it. I have no complaints. Wings are pretty easy to make and you can make small batches at a time which is great if you are not sure how many people will be showing up demanding to be feed on the big day. The secret to great wings is the Wing sauce. There are almost as many brands of Wing sauce these days as BBQ sauce and mustard! That tells a little something about how popular these babies are.

bio = Chris McCarthy is the owner of InsaneChicken’s Hot Sauce

Popularity: 31% [?]

One of the most thought about aspects of any wedding is the wedding cake. Every bride wants their wedding cake to be the focal point of the wedding reception table and something that guests will admire and talk about even after the wedding day.

With so many designs and styles available plus the added option to customize and accessorize your wedding cake to suit your wedding theme the options are truly endless.

Before you embark on enrolling someone with the job of creating your wedding cake it is worth making preliminary decisions before hand. Having an idea of what your budget is and what sort of cake you have in mind could save you a considerable amount of time. Do you know what filling the cake will have? Sponge or fruit cake? Do you want a tiered cake? If so how may tiers do you want for your wedding cake?. Having a few of these details already decided will help both you and the caterer you decide to employ.

Although it is a good idea to have ideas in mind, stay open to suggestions from the professionals, they may suggest something you may never have considered and that something could turn out to be your perfect wedding cake.

When you are ready to see the cake decorator or caterer (most should see you for a consultation free of charge) ask to see photos of their designs and don’t be afraid to ask for something different or mix two styles together, most caterers should be happy to oblige.

Most wedding cakes are decorated with white icing but if your theme is pink or a different colour there is no reason why the icing on your wedding cake shouldn’t match it.

Once you have chosen the filling for your wedding cake you then need to start thinking about a topper, the days of the imitation plastic bride and groom are long gone! Nowadays these cake toppers can be custom made and created to look exactly like the bride and groom, even down to the brides dress!.

Most wedding cake designers will need all decisions made and finalised three to six months before the event. I would strongly recommend having the wedding cake ordered six months in advance to allow for any changes that may need to be make and piece of mind for you.

You will need to budget well for your wedding cake, remember the cost of the cake is normally separate to the decorator’s fee, it is also wise to ask if there is any charge for having the wedding cake delivered so every outlay will be covered in your budget.

What ever design or style you choose the wedding cake plays such an important role in the wedding day, having the perfect wedding cake to slice with your partner will make the day extra special.

After the wedding cake has been cut and enjoyed by the guests remember to keep your wedding cake topper safe, this keepsake will always remind you of your perfect day, and who knows, it could be passed down to your children to use on their special day.

bio = Vicki Churchill is the owner of

View their website at: http://www.perfectweddingtableideas.com

Popularity: 30% [?]

Gluten-Free Foods are foods that do not contain any gluten (for example Gluten-Free Pizzas). Gluten is typically defined as the cohesive, elastic protein that is left behind after starch is washed away from a wheat flour. Wheat contains the truest form of gluten which is in the form of gliadins and glutenins, although other grains like barley, rye, oats, millet, sorghum rice and corn also contain different forms of gluten.

Corn gluten is called “zien,” millet’s is called “panicinand,” sorghum’s is called “kafirin,” rice’s is called “orzenin,” and each of these grains is considered to be a “gluten-free food” that is safe for those on a Celiac disease diet. Additionally in recent years it has been determined that non-contaminated oats are not harmful to those with Celiac disease, although it appears that there is a sub-set of people who do have an intolerance to avenin, the protein in oats, which produces symptoms that are very similar to those seen in Celiac disease.

Rye contains a protein called “secalinin” and barley contain protein called “hordein,” and these are not considered gluten free foods, and are not safe for those on a Celiac disease diet.

Gluten-free foods, then, are foods that are free of wheat, rye, barley and their derivatives. All foods sold by The Gluten-Free Mall meet these criteria, and in addition we do not currently sell foods that contain oats.

A Gluten-Free Diet is not only a personal lifestyle change that requires not just a little discipline, but it also demands the dedication to monitor, if not alter, specific relationships with the world around us. To be specific, the absolutely Gluten-Free Diet must admonish any grain that has gluten in it.

Gluten is the elastic protein stuff that makes grain particles stick together to make breads, pastas, cakes and cookies. Gluten is not a chemical added to grain or flour–it is a natural part of many grains. Grains containing gluten are wheat, kamut, spelt, barley, rye, oats, and triticale.
For the Gluten-Free Diet, avoiding wheat and its meddling cohorts is to remain constantly vigilant against an omnipresent and insidious enemy. For the Gluten-Free Diet, this is a lifelong and daily battle that calls for support from their community as well as their restaurateurs.

Look for the Gluten-Free Mall’s guide to Gluten-Free Restaurants to get a 100re-approved list of safe havens in your town. Next time you go to a regular restaurant, whether you’re on a Gluten-Free Diet or not, ask the waiter if he or she knows if there’s gluten in the salad dressing–and be sure to mind the Croutons!

For more information, please visit the author’s Celiac Disease Information Site

bio = Scott Adams is owned and operated The Gluten Free Mall since 1996. The site provides people suffering from Celiac Disease with quality Gluten Free Food at reasonable prices.

View their website at: htt://www.glutenfreemall.com

Popularity: 30% [?]

Do you remember coming home from school and smelling a delicious dinner stewing in the crock pot? I do. Little did I know that delicious meal only took, at the most, 15 minutes to prepare. My mom was busy with school and work, so she did not have a lot of time to prepare meals. Lucky for me, we had a crock pot. She would do all of the grocery shopping on the weekend and we would use the crock pot two or three times a week. The main ingredients were chicken and some type of bean. Some of my favorite meals included baby back ribs, ham hocks and beans and roast beef.
Before you begin, there are a few guidelines that you should follow when using a crock pot. Whether you are cooking for a big group or a nice dinner, these tips will enhance your slow cooking experience.
Crock Pot Hints and Tips
Beans
Beans must be softened completely before combining with sugar and/or acid foods (NOTE: Sugar and acid have a hardening effect on beans and will prevent softening). Dried beans, especially red kidney beans, should be boiled before adding to a recipe. Cover the beans with 3 times their volume of unsalted water and bring to a boil. Boil 10 minutes, reduce heat, cover and allow to simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Soaking in water, if desired, should be completed before boiling. Discard water after soaking or boiling.

Meats
. Due to the nature of a crock pot, meat does not brown as it would if it were cooked in a skillet or oven. It is not necessary to brown meat before slow cooking, however, if you prefer the flavor and look of browned meat, brown your meat in a skillet with a little oil, then place the meat in the stoneware and follow the recipe as usual.

. Trim fats and wipe meats well to remove residue. (If meats contain fats, brown in a separate skillet or broiler and drain well before adding to cooker). Season with salt and pepper. Place meat in stoneware on top of vegetables.

. For roasts and stews, pour liquid over meat. Use no more liquid than specified in the recipe. More juices in meats and vegetables are retained in slow cooking than in conventional cooking.

Liquids
. A specific liquid called for in a recipe may be varied if an equal quantity is substituted (such as substituting a 10 1/2 ounce can of soup plus 4 ounces of water for a 14 1/2 ounce can of tomatoes OR 1/2 cup beef or chicken broth for 1/2 cup of wine, etc).

. Roasts can be cooked without water when set on LOW. We recommend a small amount, however, because the gravies are especially tasty. The more fat or “marbling” the meat has, the less liquid you need. The liquid is needed to properly soften and cook vegetables.

Vegetables
Most vegetables should be thinly sliced or placed near the sides or bottom of the stoneware. Meats generally cook faster than most vegetables in a crock pot.
Cooking with Frozen Foods You can cook frozen meats in your crock pot, however it is best to use the following guidelines:

. Add at least 1 cup of warm liquid to the stoneware before placing meat in the stoneware.

. Do not preheat the crock pot.

. Cook recipes containing frozen meats for an additional 4 to 6 hours on Low, or an additional 2 hours on High.

bio = Michael K. Sasaki is the founder of RecipeMatcher , where you can find delicious crock pot recipes , salsa recipes and barbecue recipes.

View their website at: www.recipematcher.com

Popularity: 30% [?]

A lot of people enjoy drinking coffee in the morning. I know that I can wake up without having first cup of coffee. Sometimes I get up at 6 a.m. and by seven I already have 2 cups of coffee finished. Coffee is a drink that is roasted from seeds that come from the coffee plant. Generally speaking it served hot but sometimes it served over ice. I like my coffee black and hot, my wife enjoys having an iced coffee with a little cream in the middle of the afternoon. Something that’s really interesting is the fact that coffee is the second most commonly traded item in the world, only petroleum leads it.

I first got started drinking coffee whenever I was a land surveyor. One of the other workers and I used to drive up and down the road and he always had a thermos of hot coffee. The funny thing was is that it was the worst coffee that could ever have been made but I got used to it and now I really have an appreciation for a good cup of coffee, but I also can enjoy a lousy cup of coffee too. The coffee maker that we have right now is one of the single coffee cup pod machines. It’s really great, and very convenient considering that we have three different coffee drinkers at our house. I’d like to have my cup of coffee first thing in the morning, my wife enjoys having hers chilled in the afternoon, and my father in law enjoys his throughout the day.

Originating in Ethiopia around the ninth century seeking coffee was exported to both Egypt and Europe. Coffee is a strong stimulant, and that is probably why most people enjoy drinking coffee in the mornings in order to wake up. So no matter whether you drink it black, with sugar, or with cream, enjoy your coffee, the world’s most popular drink.

bio= For more information about Coffee or where to find a great automatic coffee maker visit http://www.mycoffeeplace.org/

Popularity: 29% [?]

Being of the Irish persuasion, I offer this great recipe for Boxty. Boxty is a traditional Irish dish, and has been around for many a year. I especially like this dish with butter and a dollop of maple syrup for my breakfast. I do not have the usual “required” nutritional evaluation, but in my way of thinking, I can live without it to just have the pleasure of enjoying this fine old traditional side dish.

Boxty (Irish Potato Griddle Cakes)

8 Servings (Halve this recipe for smaller families)
1/2 lb raw potato
1/2 lb potato,mashed
1/2 lb all-purpose flour
1 Milk
1 Egg
Salt and pepper to taste

Grate raw potatoes and mix with the cooked mashed potatoes. Add
salt, pepper and flour. Beat egg and add to mixture with just enough
milk to make a batter that will drop from a spoon. Drop by
tablespoonfuls onto a hot griddle or frying pan. Cook over a moderate
heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve with a tart apple sauce: or
as part of an Ulster Fry, with fried bacon, fried sausage, fried eggs,
fried black pudding, fried bread, fried soda bread.

An old poem says: . Boxty on the griddle, boxty in the pan, if you can’t make boxty,
you’ll never get a man. (The accuracy of the poem is uncertain.)

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bio = Alden Smith is an award winning author who is the webmaster of All The Best Recipes. Visit his website for a free 660 page cookbook of Secret Famous Recipes.

Popularity: 24% [?]

Don’t have the money to make delectable dishes?

Or just don’t know the secrets of flavoring with spices and herbs, and making food stretch?

The former is not right no matter what your income is.

If you have the income to buy enough food to at least feed your family then your income is large enough to make whatever you feed them enjoyable, even if it’s a vegetable dish.

Yes, with the right spices or herbs, and recipes, the children in your family will come to love vegetables. My family has several favorite veggie dishes, that our kids like so much they want seconds. And the main secret to them are the different spices we use.

These dishes range from ratatouille, eggplant parmigiani, to stewed tomatoes and stuffed zucchini.

Just as they do with vegetables; spices, herbs, and sweeteners are the secrets to making all foods delicious.

These three food miracle workers can be relatively inexpensive if you know where to look.

In most health food stores (and in select supermarkets in growing numbers) there is a wondrous invention called a BULK section.

I’m sure everyone knows what this is, but in case you don’t I’ll explain:

It’s a section of a store that has all types of different flours, beans, cereals, spices, herbs, and much more.

Each of which are in separate containers or large plastic buckets with a scoop, that allows you to buy as much or as little as you want of what ever spices or other food they carry.

The store provides you with bags and twist ties, for your convenience.

Spices are an excellent example of how cheap it can be to shop in this section of the store. Most small jars of spices or herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, etc… cost any where from 2 dollars a bottle to 4.99 (which is technically 5 dollars a bottle).

In a bulk section you can buy these same spices, getting twice as much (or more) for less than a dollar or a little over.

Talk about savings! Herbs and all kinds of spices are much cheaper bought this way than paying the extravagant prices you are charged for a pre packaged bottle of the same spices.

Flour and other cooking and baking necessities are also much cheaper if bought in this section of the store.

Note: buying in a bulk section does not mean you have to buy a lot of everything! You could buy only one cup of flour in if you wanted to, or just one tablespoon of any spices or herbs.

Ideally you should shop around at whatever different stores in your area have this special section, and compare prices to make sure you’re getting the cheapest price.

Bring a calculator to the store and be prepared to do a little brain work to figure it out.

Another money saving trick is to substitute ground turkey for ground beef in recipes. You might prefer the taste of beef but in terms of the money you save it will certainly taste heavenly to your budget.

You can spice up bland omelets, scrambled eggs, soups, meat patties and more with the correct spices, and herbs.

Here is a recipe for deliciously spicy eggs, that won’t dent your wallet:

For scrambled eggs try using:

1/4 teaspoon thyme and pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt and oregano

3 eggs

Mix the eggs, spices, and herbs together in a bowl.

Heat a frying pan on medium heat until very hot, then add your oil (preferably olive oil or coconut oil) to the pan. Wait a few seconds until the oil starts to smoke, then pour the eggs from your bowl into the pan.

Have a fork in your hand ready to scramble the eggs with, because they’ll start cooking instantly. Scramble the eggs for 30 seconds to a minute. Then use a spatula to scoop them out onto a plate.

Do yourself a favor and follow these tips to start saving today, and still manage to cook delicious dishes.
bio = For more of Beth’s insightful cooking expertise and amazing recipes visit her baking made easy website which also contains cookbooks, and helpful baking hints. Go here ==> http://www.easybakingtips.com

Popularity: 23% [?]