PopularFoodRecipes.blogspot.com

Oreo Ice Cream Fudge Cake

2010-09-15T07:43:00.000-07:00

This looks really delicious!

Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert

2010-09-14T02:23:00.000-07:00

This is a simple ice cream recipe that you can prepare for your kids and family gatherings. It is definitely a crowd pleaser because most of us like chocolates and ice cream! How about combining them into a simple recipe that you can do anytime? I'm sure your kids will love this!

Black Forest Trifle

2010-09-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

This delicious dessert recipe is made up of chocolate and cherries. It is low in sugar, which means it is great for those suffering from diabetes. Take a look right now.

Fast bread recipes that you can try at home

2010-09-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

Quick bread recipes that you can use today. I think you'll like this because it is simple to prepare.

Turkey Noodle Soup

2010-09-12T07:49:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe of making turkey noodle soup. It can be prepared in 30 min. Something simple and yet delicious for you! Check out other recipes as well.

Mini Cheesecakes with Tangy Topping Recipes

2010-09-11T04:39:00.000-07:00

Fortune Cookie Recipes

2010-09-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

Roasted Beef Tenderloin

2010-09-01T23:09:00.000-07:00

This is a beef recipe that you can try out today. Here is the preparation.

You will need:

4 lbs beef tenderloin
5 tablespoons of flour
3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
salt to taste
3 teaspoons of ground ginger
3 teaspoons ground black pepper
5 tablespoons of mustard

For the sauce, you will need:

1 1/2 cup of thick sour cream
1/2 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce
3 tablespoons of green peppercorns
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of tomato ketchup
salt to taste

The cooking:

1. Preheat the microwave oven to 150 degrees Celsius.

2. Watch the tenderloins under cold water.

3. Place the flour, ground ginger, ground pepper, breadcrumbs and salt in a mixig bowl. Mix them well.

4. Then rub the meat with the mustard.

5. Dip the meat into the mixture that you have prepared. Make sure that this is covered well.

6. Once you're done with this, cover the meat and place it in the fridge for an hour. This is to allow the meat to settle before roasting. However, you may want to proceed with the roasting if you do not have enough time.

7. The roasting will take about 15 mins per pound. Therefore work out the time that you need. Continue roasting until you get the desired tenderness. Serve while hot.

How to prepare the sauce

1. Ground the peppercorn.

2. Place all the remaining ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix well with the peppercorns.

3. Cook the mixture over low heat. Stir together with the roasted beef.

Simple cooking tips for newbies

2010-08-29T21:25:00.000-07:00

Cooking is meant to be fun for everyone, so please take a look at some of these tips right now.

1. Give yourself enough time in the kitchen. Do not set unrealistic goals. If you're planning for a party, make sure that you have enough time. Do not do last-minute preparation.

2. If you are thinking of trying out new dishes, make sure you have tried them for yourself. If not, you're asking for trouble. Learn what you know and have the dishes verified before you even serve them.

3. Make sure you do a checklist of the ingredients that you need. It doesn't make sense to be missing ingredients while cooking. So make sure you do a checklist when you go shopping. This will save you time and money.

4. You may also want to use popular recipes to help you. In fact, you can find many of these recipes in this blog itself. Following these simple recipes can help newbies like you.

5. You may also want to get tips from your family and friends. If you are struggling in the kitchen, then it is suggested that you learn from them. Sometimes, they can provide you with invaluable tips especially your mother!

How to make Orange Chicken Wings

2010-08-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

How to make Chinese eggrolls

2010-08-25T11:16:00.000-07:00

Four Spices Delicious Cookies

2010-08-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

If you are looking to prepare a new and tasty cookie recipe, then you will gonna love this. You will need:

1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 molasses
1 egg
2/3 cup of coarse granulated sugar

Instructions:

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, salt, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. Leave to stand. In a bowl, add the brown sugar, butter and shoretening. Then add in the molasses and egg. Then add in the earlier mixture.
Cover and allow the dough to chill for around 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Roll the dough into small balls. Then roll each ball in the coarse sugar.
Grease the baking sheets lightly, and place the small rolled pieces 2 inches apart and then apply a bit of pressure to flatten them slightly.
Allow the cookies to bake for 10 minutes, until the cookies are cracked. Remove them and serve!

You can keep these delicious cookies in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks. Have fun making them! Check out our other cool cookies recipes as well!

Diabetic Recipes - Low Carb Burger

2010-08-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

If you are looking to prepare a healthy and low sugar burger, check out this diabetic recipes. I am sure you will love this!

Singapore Chili Crab Recipes

2010-08-20T03:26:00.000-07:00

And is here is the full recipe of this signature dish from Singapore!

Singapore Chilli Crab Recipes - The Preparation

2010-08-20T03:21:00.000-07:00

I am so proud to introduce to you this signature dish from my home country. Check out this video on how to clean and prepare the crabs. Check out this video right now!

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

2010-08-19T09:15:00.000-07:00

Easy Apple Pie Recipes - Classic Apple Pie Filling

2010-08-18T00:09:00.001-07:00

Yummy looking apple pie recipes. Who doesn't like apple pies? LOL! For one, I think they taste really delicious, and you can prepare them rather easily. Apple pie is a favourite among Americansm and is enjoyed by many throughout the year. This recipe is good for anyone who wish to prepare delicious apple pies. You can adjust the ingredients based on your own taste preferences.

Italian Pork and Beans and Greens Recipe

2010-08-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

Interesting coffee recipes

2010-08-16T00:08:00.000-07:00

You can create many interesting coffee recipes if you put on a little creativity. You can be paying quite a bit in those cafes for just a cup of coffee, so why not learn to make your own specialty coffee?

Java float recipes:

You will need:

4 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 tablespoon chocolate chips
2 cups of sparkling water, chilled
4 scoops of coffee ice cream (or any of your fave flavours)

Directions:

Stir together 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup and 1 cup sparkling water each in 2 tall glasses.
Add the ice cream and chocolate chips as desired. Serves 2.

Caramel Macchiato recipes:

You will need:

1/2 cup of fresh brewed Espresso (you will need an espresso machine)
8 ounces of steamed milk
3-4 tablespoons caramel syrup
2 tablespoons vanilla syrup

Directions:

Add vanilla syrup to the espresso in a 16oz glass
Add the steamed milk and caramel syrup and stir well before serving.

How to Make Temaki Sushi

2010-08-12T10:38:00.000-07:00

Chocolate chips cookies

2010-08-07T23:32:00.000-07:00

How to Saute Mushrooms

2010-08-05T10:13:00.000-07:00

A simple video on how to saute mushrooms so that you can use it to prepare other recipes. Please follow the instructions so that you will get really delicious mushrooms!

Banana smoothies recipes

2010-08-03T21:27:00.000-07:00

Bananas are among our most favourite fruits because it is sweet and can be cooked in almost any way, such as fried, boiled, roasted or eaten raw (obviously)! They are rich in minerals such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. They also contain vitamins A, B and C, thiamine, niancin and fibre. Here are a few smoothies recipes that you can use.

Banana strawberry peach smoothie recipe

2 medium bananas, sliced

2 cups of strawberries

2 cups of peach slices, can be fresh or canned

1 cup low fat yogurt

1 cup of chilled orange juice

Mix all the ingredients into a blender and mix for a few minutes until you get the perfect consistency. You may need to add a few ice cubes as well.

Banana strawberry kiwi smoothie

1 cup of banana pieces

1 cup of strawberries

1 kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into slices

1 cup of strawberry kiwi fruit juice

I hope you enjoy these 2 recipes that you can prepare anytime. Enjoy!

Chicken with lemon and garlic recipes

2010-08-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

Cut a large whole chicken into pieces. Then prepare the rub for the chicken. Mix some lemon juice, 2 crushed and peel cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a little of fresh tarrgon, some salt and pepper. Then rub this mixture into all sides of the chicken. Then allow the chicken to stand for an hour.

Heat the grill to the highest and then lay the chicken joints in one single layer onto a grill pan. Leave the pan under the grill. Cook for about 10 minutes. Allow the chicken to turn brown and crispy if you want to, but obviously don't burn it! Flip over onto the other side and allow the chicken to cook for another 5 minutes.

Once the chicken is cooked, add a little butter and the tarragon. Serve this with your favourite side dishes such as coleslaw or mashed potato. This is a simple French recipe that you can use.

Healthy drinks recipes

2010-07-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

Healthy juice recipes that you can prepare at home. Lemon is the key ingredient!

Herbal tea recipes

2010-07-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

There are many herbs that are good for relieving and sickness or condition. They can also be used to reduce stress and also improve our overall well-being. Here are some herbal tea recipes that you can use today. 1 part refers to 1 tablespoon.

Detox Recipe

A simple recipe like this can help you detox easily. There is no need to buy anything complicating and you need not have any prescriptions either.

1 part Pau D'Arco
1 part Echinacea

Depression Recipe

This tea will erase your moody siprit and have you feeling good in a short time.

1 part St John's Wort
1 part Gingko Biloba

Relaxation/Bedtime Recipe

This recipe can help you sleep at night.

1 part Chamomile
1 part lavender flowers

Pecan Pie Recipe

2010-07-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

Delicious pecan pie recipe. You can use a handmade dough if you want to! This looks really delicious! Have fun!

Chicken Marsala Recipe

2010-07-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

Peach Latte Recipe

2010-07-25T10:32:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting coffee recipe for peach lovers like me! Yum! Check it out now!

You will need:

4 tablespoons of peach syrup
3/4 cup of low fat milk
1 shot of espresso
a few ice cubes
whipped cream (optional)
espresso maker & electronic blender

Steps:

Place the syrup, milk, espresso and ice cubes in an empty blender cup and blend for 3 minutes. Use medium speed for this.
Pour your latte into an empty glass.
Add the whipped cream as desired.

This is a simple coffee recipe, isn't it? Enjoy!!

Garlic Pork Roast Recipe - Garlic Studded Pork

2010-07-22T09:17:00.000-07:00

Recipes For Detox Diet Clean Out Your Body

2010-07-19T21:37:00.000-07:00

Healthy detox recipes for you and your family. Simple to prepare and you can prepare them anytime. Have fun!

Delicious egg recipe - Huevos Rancheros

2010-07-18T08:47:00.000-07:00

Eggs are versatile and easy to prepare. They can be used in soups, fried or steamed, depending on how you want to cook them. Here is an interesting recipe that you may like enjoy.

Huevos Rancheros are a delicious Mexican breakfast that has many variations. Feel free to add or remove any toppings as you desire.

You will need:

2 eggs
1/2 avocado, sliced
1 soft tortilla shell
refried beans
Mexican cheese
salse
sour cream
oil

Start by coating the bottom of of a frying pan with a bit of oil. Then heat it up and crack the eggs into the pan. While waiting for them to get cooked, place the tortilla on a plate and spread the refried beans onto it. Add some shredded Mexican cheese on top and place it in the microwave until the cheese melts.

Then flip the eggs. You should try doing this as it is rather fun. At most you end up with an fried egg on the floor! If there is enough oil, the eggs should not stick onto the pan. Shake the pan and loosen them a little. Try flipping them into the air and onto the other side.

While waiting for the other side to get cooked, grab the tortilla out of the microwave and add in the slices of avocado. Slide the fried eggs on to the tortilla and add salsa and sour cream on top. It is that simple. This is one of the easiest egg recipes you can prepare. Enjoy!

How to Cook Turkey: Preparation and Roasting

2010-07-14T11:14:00.000-07:00

Here is how you can prepare your turkey so that you can be on your way to cooking delicious turkey recipes. Check out this video right away!

Italian Easter Bread - Traditional Easter Bread Recipe

2010-07-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

Chinese fried rice recipes

2010-07-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

Do you know that the Chinese fried rice is a very popular dish in the Chinese restaurants? You can also prepare this recipe easily if you have leftovers from your dinner. It is great with any meat or seafood, so let your imaginaation and creative juices run wild! Here are some tips to prepare this great recipe.

Firstly, use rice that has been left overnight in the chiller. It should not be freshly cooked because it will not give you a good texture, and cooking this recipe can be rather difficult. Chilling it overnight can help remove the moisture found in the rice, and thus making easier to separate and fry.

You will have to heat until the wok is hot, and them add in the oil. It has to be sufficient so that the ingredients will not stick, or they will not get burnt. And of cause you don't add in too much oil.

You will need:

4 cups of cooked rice, left overnight in the chiller
cooked meats such as chicken and pork, or seafood such as fish slices or prawns
1 finely diced onion
4 tablespoons of cooking oil
2 tablespoons of oyster sauce
salt and pepper
garlic or chilli powder (optional)

Directions:

Beat the eggs and add salt and pepper to taste. Heat the wok and add a little oil. Place the eggs into the wok. Cook them and stir continuously, until they are almost cooked. Use your stirrer and 'cut' them up into small pieces.
Remove the eggs and add in more oil.
Add in the rice and fry for a few minutes. Then add in the leftover meats or seafood and stir.
Add in the oyster sauce and then finally add the eggs back. Continue stirring and mixing to get an evenly cooked dish.
Finally add in the onion and stir for another 30 seconds. Serve while it is hot.

Thank you for reading today's fried rice recipes. For more resturant recipes, please see the link above!

Thai Recipe - Pumpkin Braised With Pork, Lemongrass and Basil

2010-07-10T11:50:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for an interesting thai recipe that you can prepare for your family? This is a simple recipe that you can prepare anytime. Here are the ingredients.

half a Japanese pumpkin
2 litres of water
1 stick of lemongrass, slightly crushed
250 grams of boneless pork
dry red chilli
4-6 cloves of garlic
1 cup of basil leaves
salt to taste
sugar to taste

Steps:

Place the lemongrass in the water and put it to boil.
Add chilli and garlic in.
Peel and dice the pumpkin into cubes.
Add the pork and pumpkin to the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Add salt to taste.
Add in the basil leaves.
Cook until both the pork and pumpkin are soft. Serve while hot.

This is a healthy and simple recipe. I hope you like today's post. Have fun!

Penne Pasta with Peas and Prosciutto

2010-07-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

This is a delicious pasta recipe with ham as the main ingredient. It can add real favour to the dish. This is a simple recipe to prepare, it looks kinda delicious, doesn't it? If you wish to, you can use chicken slices instead. A healthy recipe for you and your family.

Quick seafood recipes for you and your family

2010-06-30T00:43:00.000-07:00

Here are some cool seafood recipes that are both easy to prepare and high in nutrition. Cooking need not be difficult if you know where to get these simple to cook ingredients.

1. Stir-fry salmon. This seems to be the easiest way to prepare, since you do not need a lot of time and ingredients. Saute some olive oil, garlic, onion, then add canned salmon. Fry for a couple of minutes and then add green peppers and mushroom. Add pepper and salt to taste.

2. Caesar salad with salmon. Salad greens such as lettuce add crunch to the taste, and they are also rich in vitamins and minerals. They provide a good source of fibre and they can help you lose weight! All you have to do is to add canned salmon chunks to the salad, toss around with some dressing of your choice and there you go! If you are health conscious, then drop the dressing and go for olive oil instead.

Vegetarian eating - where to get iron from your food recipes

2010-06-28T00:43:00.000-07:00

Vegetarians tend to suffer from a lack of iron in their food, because they are not getting all the minerals and nutrients found in meats. However, there are some foods that are able to replenish this lack. In a way, you need to be cooking the right foods so that you can get delicious and healthy food recipes for yourself.

Beans are great sources of iron and proteins. They are packed with natural goodness, and you can get a balanced diet out of them. Go for navy beans, soya beans, chick peas, red beans, etc. They can be really delicious, especially if you prepare them for desserts.

Go for vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and parsley. They are rich in iron and other minerals. Fruits such as watermelons, raisins and pumpkin are excellent sources of iron as well.

If you wish to stay healthy, you need a lot of iron, since our body cannot produce them on our own. However, too much iron can make you susceptible to bacteria, so watch what you eat as well!

Garlic soup recipes

2010-06-24T00:44:00.000-07:00

Garlic is not a favourite among many people, but for those who love garlic soup recipes, please watch this video right now! You do not need a lot of ingredients. Garlic has many health properties and is rich in anti-oxidants and has anti-bacterial properties as well. You can find many other recipes if you know where to find them. For now, enjoy this video!

Tomato Soup Recipes

2010-06-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

I hope you enjoy this tomato soup recipes. This is easy to prepare and it is real delicious!

How to Saute Vegetables

2010-06-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

We all love the delicious sauteed vegetables offered in restaurants. They are colourful, full of flavour, and tender as well. Sauteing is the technique of cooking over a high heat to concentrate the flavour of your food. The high heat evaporates the water inside and caramelizes them just enough to make them taste good outside and tender on the inside. A good saute always uses some kind of fat during cooking. It can either be butter, oil or animal fats. It adds flavour as well.

Tossing should be done only with small vegetable pieces. Larger pieces of potato, eggplant, or zucchini can be sauteed in a single layer until they are brown, and then turned carefully with tongs. If you are using a watery vegetable like tomatoes, you may want to try coating them with flour to help absorb the extra moisture. A good saute pan will have a heavy bottom to allow for even distribution of the heat. Prepare your vegetables well before chopping them up. Wash them thoroughly and pat them dry. Vegetables that work well in a saute include broccoli, bell peppers, onions, green beans, cauliflower, carrots, celery, mushrooms, potatoes, sweet potatoes, eggplant, etc.

Recipe for Vegetable Saute

What You Need:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
4 broccoli florets, chopped
1/2 zucchini, chopped
1/2 yellow summer squash, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
6 cremini mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons chicken stock

Heat a large saute pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and let it warm. Add the garlic and saute for about half a minute, stirring to prevent burning. Add the rest of the chopped vegetables and let them cook until they just begin to wilt; about 2 minutes. Add your oregano, chicken stock, and soy sauce, stirring well to incorporate them into the mixture. Cook until the vegetables are just tender; about 3 minutes. Do not overcook them. Remove the pan from the heat and serve with whatever sauce is in the pan.

Using Your Crock Pot

2010-06-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

It is a wonderful thing to note that you cannot overcook your food under normal circumstances. The heat comes from the sides and not underneath, so you can be sure that the food is evenly cooked. You do not have to stir often and cleaning up is really easy. You can prepare many recipes using simple ingredients that you can prepare anytime!

Another tip while cooking is not to remove the lid too often. Every time you remove the lid, you let out a lot of heat and it takes time to recover. It may extend your cooking time.

If you are preparing bread or cakes recipes, it is highly recommended that you keep the lid in place during the first 2 hours.

You can also cook frozen meat and vegetables recipes in the crock-pot. All you have to do is add 2-3 hours cooking time. The important thing to note here is not to put frozen food directly into a heated crock-pot. It will damage the crock-pot due to temperature differences.

3 Carrot Juice Recipes

2010-05-20T00:18:00.000-07:00

Preparing low sodium recipes

2010-05-14T03:17:00.000-07:00

Preparing low sodium recipes can be very challenging. You wan to keep your recipes healthy but at the same time, you want to retain the flavours. You can use these simple low sodium cooking tips to help you.

Quality seasonings make a big difference when you are cooking. For the best results, find seasonings without potassium chloride, as it can add an off metallic taste to your food.

Using lemons help. This tip can be a little tricky here. You do not want to turn your recipe into a lemon recipe. What you can do is to ladle a small amount of soup into a bowl. Add a few drops of fresh lemon juice and stir. Then taste to see if you need to add more. A few drops of lemon juice, stir, and taste. This will give you some idea of how much lemon juice you will need to add to the pot. Don't add too much as it is difficult to take the taste away if you added too much.

Salads for you

2010-05-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

Salads may look boring to you, but given the many ingredients that you can use, you can make them colourful and exciting. For a start, use lettuce as the base. You may also use other leafy varieties that are found on supermarket shelves these days. Mushrooms can also be added for flavour and also due to their nutrition value.Do not forget tomatoes, baby carrots and broccoli as well. Try using peppers in different colours. They can add lots of colours as well as the many minerals, antioxidants and vitamins.

You can also add nuts and seeds. They add crunch to the taste. They are rich in essential oils, proteins and minerals. Do take note that they are high in calories, do add in moderation. Sunflower seeds and sliced almonds are the most popular. Go for unsalted ones. If possible, you can also include raisins for their sweetness.

To top it up, add hard boiled eggs or lean meats. It is a very satisfying meal, not forgetting the low calories as well. You may add salad dressing but add in moderation as well because it is high in fats and salt. Have lots of fun!

How to Make a Great Veggie Pita Pocket

2010-04-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite lunches on a hot summer day is a nice cool vegetarian pita pocket. A pita pocket is great in that it is indeed bread shaped like a pocket, and you can put any foods you want into it.

The only thing you really need to make a pita pocket is a piece of pita bread. There are two basic ways to cut the pita bread. The first way to cut your pita is right in half, so you have two pretty much equal half circle pockets of pita. The other way to cut pita bread is to take a bit off of the top, and so you have one big pocket.

Before cutting your pita in half it is a good idea to see if there are any little tears or thin spots in the bread. I like to make my cut near these little imperfections. This will keep the weakest part of the pocket from being deep down where you will have lots of great stuff.

Once you cut your pita you can either use it cold from the fridge, at room temperature, or toasted. If you toast it, which I sometimes like to do, be sure not to get the pita too toasty and brittle. A brittle pocket will fall apart.

Once you have your bread ready it is time to start putting good stuff into it. I will just say one last time that it is important to not rip the bread, as it makes a mess to have the bottom of your pocket split open while you are eating. That is why you want to go slow in the stuffing, and be sure to chop up your ingredients so they do not strain the bread.

I like to start of by putting a nice spread of hummus in the pocket. For the most part the order you add things does not matter, except the spread of hummus. Hummus comes in a lot of great flavors now, but I do tend to like the plain. There is something about hummus that just adds such a smoothness to the taste of the pocket.

The next thing I like to add is some baked tofu. This is more and more readily available in supermarkets, and comes in a wide array of flavors. One of my favorite flavors is classic Teriyaki, but barbeque and other flavors are great. I do not think I have ever tried one I did not like. If you can not find baked tofu, or want to make your own, it is not too hard. You just press, marinate, and bake the tofu - but that is another article. I would not advise using plain, unbaked tofu. It is probably perfectly safe, but at least to me not appealing.

Then I like to add something a little moister to the pocket, such as pickles or tomatoes or both. I usually have pickles in the fridge. Pickles add a fantastic crunch and saltiness to the pocket. I do not always have fresh tomatoes, but if I do have one then I defiantly add diced tomato to the pocket. A tomato just adds such a lovely fresh flavor.

Lettuce is terrific to put in a pita pocket. Lettuce does work best in a pocket if it is chopped up very thin. Chopped lettuce fills in the pocket well and does not take up a huge amount of room.
If you have olives try chopping up a few for your pocket. Olives add a nice salty richness. I like Kalamata best, but black, green or any olives go well.

If you want to add a little spice to your pocket try a few diced up jalapeno rings. If you want something spicy, but not as spicy as jalapenos, try a diced up pepperoncini. Want peppers with no spice? Try some nice roasted peppers.

Sprouts are a fantastic addition to the pocket. In many markets you will find a variety of fresh sprouts. Any will work in a pocket. You can put them in at any time, but I like to save them to the end so the sprouts are sticking out of the top of the pocket. Probably does not make a difference in the eating, but there is something so visual about fresh green sprouts poking out of the pocket.

Those are just a few ideas for a lovely veggie pita pocket. You can add virtually any food you like to your pocket. Great chance to look in your fridge for some ingredients. Raspberries or strawberries, that could be fun! That jar of artichoke hearts, why not add a few? Chocolate sauce or peanut butter or jam, it is all up to you.

So there you have it, an easy and delicious vegan lunch. Enjoy every sandwich!

Larry Truett is a vegan freelance computer programmer living in San Diego, California with his wife and their three cats. He enjoys hiking, reading, gardening, watching too much television, and other nerdy activities.

Check out his resources for all things vegan at http://www.VeganUSofA.com with listings of restaurants, organizations, and events near you.

Rice Pie - A Rhode Islander's Recipe to Celebrate an Italian Tradition at Easter

2010-04-28T23:36:00.000-07:00

Rice pie (torta di riso) is an Italian dessert consisting of eggs, rice, ricotta cheese, and citrus. After baking, it becomes a bottom layer of chewy rice topped with a separate layer of creamy custard. In 1524, Italian navigator Giovanni da Verrazano was the first European to visit any part of Rhode Island. He came to what is now Block Island and named it "Luisa" after Louise of Savoy, Queen mother of France. Due to a mistake in surveying the land, the original name didn't stick. Since one of the six largest ancestry groups in the state is that of the Italians, eating rice pie is a celebratory Easter tradition which has stuck. My maternal grandmother who emigrated from Naples, Italy to Rhode Island made her "crustless" rice pies from memory as does my mother who finally scribbled the recipe on a card for posterity. I have merely reduced the ingredients from the original recipe to yield one pie rather than six, though this dessert is irresistible and begs indulgence throughout the year.

Ingredients for Crustless Rice Pie
9 egg,s 1-1/2 cups white sugar, 1 (32 oz.) ricotta cheese (may use skim, fat free, or reduced fat),1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups light cream, 1 cup cooked white rice ("River" for starchy consistency), 1 (15 ounce) can, crushed pineapple-drained; or the juice of two squeezed lemons with lemon zest (depending on your flavor preference for pineapple or lemon), 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon for dusting the top of the pie before placing in oven

Directions

1.Beat eggs in large mixing bowl. Add sugar, mixing well. Stir in ricotta and vanilla until smooth. Add cream and stir. Fold in cooked rice and either crushed pineapples or lemon juice/zest.

2.Pour mixture into a Crisco greased, lightly floured 9-1/2 by 13-1/2 in. Pyrex dish. Sprinkle cinnamon on top.

3.Bake at 325 degrees F for one hour-top should be golden brown; toothpick test. Refrigerate until thoroughly cooled. Tastes best sliced and served at room temperature right from its baking dish.

Though pastry chefs at Italian bakeries rise to the occasion to follow their own tried and true recipes for baking rice pies, you might want to establish your own family tradition in the kitchen. Generations of Italian-Americans who settled in Rhode Island have done just that by whisking ingredients for a recipe celebrating a family who sticks together.
Eva Pasco Author, UNDERLYING NOTES (238 pgs)
Chick Lit for Discerning Women: Winding past Rhode Island's coastal communities, prominent landmarks, cherished institutions, and olive oil spills of the underworld.
FREE EXCERPT(Chapters 1-3); ORDER HERE: http://www.booklocker.com/books/4431.html
FREE READ and/or Download: WILD MUSHROOMS (60s eBook):
http://www.bookrix.com/_title-en-eva-pasco-wild-mushrooms

Bread Machine Recipes - Whole Wheat Iced Breakfast Bread

2010-04-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

This bread machine recipe for whole wheat bread is suitable as is for most bread machines. Add the ingredients in the order that your machine tells you, but for the most part that will be liquids first and flour last with the yeast sprinkled on top right before inserting the baking pan into the bread machine. This is a delicious breakfast bread that you will enjoy with your morning cup of coffee.

Bread Ingredients:
2 tablespoons brown sugar. Pack it tightly into the measuring spoon.
1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
2 tablespoons canola oil. Some people prefer olive oil but I think it adds the wrong taste.
1 1/2 cups water. Lukewarm from the tap or bottled if you prefer.
1 c. whole wheat flour
3 c. unbleached white flour or bread flour. My favorite is King Arthur brand.
1 3/4 teaspoons yeast.
Optional: almonds or raisins

Icing Ingredients:

1/2 stick butter
2 drops of vanilla
1/2 pound powdered sugar
milk to consistency

Let the bread bake through to completion, about 3.5 hours. Take the finished bread out of the baking container and let it cool on a rack. You can use the time to make the icing. For the icing, melt the butter in a microwave until it is just becomes pourable. You don't need it to be red hot. Add the melted butter, vanilla, and half the powdered sugar to a bowl. Add a little milk and a little more sugar in several batches until you use up all the sugar and get a consistency that pours easily in a thin stream. If it's too thick add a few more drops of milk at a time, and if it's too thin add a teaspoon or so of powdered sugar at a time until the consistency looks right.

Move the bread to a large dish to catch the drippings and pour the icing over it. Let it cool and enjoy. You could probably substitute 1 c. of wheat flour for 1 c. of unbleached flour but read the directions for your bread machine. Many bread machine recipes never use more than 1 c. of wheat flour.

If you are shopping for a bread machine the Zojirushi X20 Home Bakery Supreme has some attractive features. It makes a conventionally shaped loaf of bread with selectable light, medium, or dark crust. It has two kneading paddles to handle the stiffest dough, which also unfortunately leave two holes in the bottom of the bread when removed, and a 13 hour ahead timer so you can accurately time your fresh baked breakfast bread. One particularly unique and attractive feature is the quick sourdough starter cycle that prepares a light sourdough starter in two hours instead of the seven days it takes with the conventional method.

Learn more about the Zojirushi bread machine that has fast become the favorite with bread-making aficionados.

Everything for the well equipped American Kitchen: http://kitchenamerican.com/shop.php

Super Easy Caribbean Mango, Avocado & Black Bean Salad

2010-04-24T23:14:00.000-07:00

Here's a super easy, ultra healthy whole foods recipe. Anyone who eats with their eyes first (that's me!) will be enticed by the kaleidoscope of beautiful colors in this yummy side dish. And remember, beautifully colored food is almost always loaded with plant-based, disease-fighting, anti-aging phytochemicals. Sure enough this vegan dish delivers a nutritional powerhouse of all sorts of good-for-you stuff such as vitamins C and E, beta carotene, fiber and potassium. Every mouthful bursts with nutrition plus an invigorating blend of tropical flavors. I've added just a touch of heat (from Tabasco) and a little "bite" from the red onions to balance the sweetness from the mango. The result is a perfect medley of Caribbean yumminess. It's both refreshing and satisfying at the same time and perfect served with grilled dolphin. By the way, if you are grilling you could throw some corn cobs on the grill and then shave the kernels into the bean mix too. I haven't tried it but I'm sure it would be delish!

Ingredients (Serves: 4)
1 mango, chopped

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1/4 red onion, finely diced

1-2 teaspoons hot sauce, or more to taste

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 firm avocado, chopped

1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

Sea salt, to taste

1. In a large glass or ceramic bowl, combine the chopped mangoes, bell pepper and onion. Lightly toss. Add the hot sauce and cilantro and lightly toss. Gently stir in the avocado and black beans. Season with salt to taste. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

To get free daily updates on whole foods nutrition, whole foods cooking video demos, nutrition advice, 30-minute workouts, healthy product reviews and more visit Ivy Larson at http://www.HotandHealthyLiving.com

Ivy is a healthy lifestyle coach who runs http://www.HotandHealthyLiving.com. Along with her husband, Andy Larson, M.D., Ivy is the author of the bestselling Gold Coast Cure, Fitter Firmer Faster and Whole Foods Diet Cookbook. A popular figure among national media outlets, Ivy has appeared on such shows as Good Morning America, CNN, and Fox News. She currently makes regular appearances on Lifetime Television.

Easy Diabetic Dessert Recipes

2010-04-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

If you are a diabetic and are curious about experimenting with desserts, then I encourage you to consult your doctor first. Your doctor will have the information that you are looking for and will help to guide you on the right path. After you do this, your doctor may even refer you to a nutritionist.
This is what I ended up doing and it worked out great. I know it costs a lot of money, but I can put a price on how much it helped me. My nutritionist explained all kinds of things that I was unsure of and helped me to develop a meal plan.

Anyways, once I was educated about the foods and such that my doctor advised me to have, it was much easier to compile recipes. Note that the "diabetic dessert recipes" that I have now are not what most people would actually call a dessert, but they serve as something new and great to me.
My doctor had told me that it was okay to have apples, so what I did was to start brainstorming healthy ways I could prepare an apple and what I could pair it with to create an easy diabetic dessert. So I found a product called cool whip, most of you have probably heard of cool whip, and decided to use it for my recipe. Cool whip had a very low amount of carbohydrates and sugars. It is also available in a sugar free version.

The best way that I could think of to prepare the apple for the easy dessert recipe was to bake it. This makes the apple tender and warm and ready to eat in no time. Then all I did was add a little cool whip for a creamy taste, and my easy diabetic dessert was complete. I know its not much, but it tastes great.

For more information about easy desserts for diabetics then try checking out some of my other easy diabetic desserts articles. Thanks for reading.

Spaghetti and Meatballs For a Crowd

2010-04-19T04:38:00.000-07:00

Cooking for a larger family can be quite expensive. Coming up with meal ideas that are nutritious, taste great, and don't break the bank can be a real challenge. Although Spaghetti and Meatballs is not new or unique, this rendition meets the above criteria. This recipe has it all - moist meatballs, and good balance of flavor in the sauce. Providing 12-16 servings, it is also very economical.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Sauce

1-1/2 cups chopped onion 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 cups water 1 can tomato sauce 2 cans (12 ounces each) tomato paste 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 tablespoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Meatballs

4 eggs, lightly beaten 2 cups soft bread cubes (1/4 inch pieces) 1-1/2 cups milk 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 3 pounds ground beef 2 tablespoons olive oil

Hot cooked spaghetti

In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add water, tomato sauce and paste, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 50 minutes. Combine the first seven meatball ingredients. Add beef; mix well. Shape into 1-1/2 inch balls. In a skillet over medium heat, brown meatballs in oil; drain. Add to sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve over spaghetti. Yield: 12-16 servings.

There you have it, a delicious meal for a crowd that won't break the bank. You may find that this becomes one of your most-requested recipes. Buon Appetito!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marie_Dadd

There Are Too Many Things You Can Do With Salmon

2010-04-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

When trying to think of what to make for dinner, a mental process always initiates, kind of like gears slowly turning to start a creative engine. The first thing that anyone looks for is always the protein, the star of any meal; everything else used is merely to compliment and enhance its flavors. But, when it comes to using Alaska salmon as the key ingredient, the whole improvisation process of coming up with a dinner recipe switches. Instead of pondering over what can go well with the fish, individuals start looking at what will not go well with it.

Since Alaska salmon has such a distinct yet mellow flavor, the fish can partner up with pretty much any type of cuisine. Whether grilled, seared, fried, poached, smoked or roasted, wild caught Alaska salmon is the perfect accompaniment for whatever ingredients an individual may have in a kitchen. Even if it is canned or previously frozen, the fresh, succulent flavors of the fish are never lost. Because of this, more and more people are simply selecting ingredients that work well together when planning dinner without even thinking about the salmon. Either way, it will compliment whatever is put on the plate.

Thinking about a large Caesar salad or cold pasta salad to serve up to the family or visiting friends? Then take a few filets of Alaska salmon, grill them with a little lemon juice and thyme and serve them alongside or right on top. Many prefer shredding the fish before serving, to create bite size chunks that can easily mix with either salad. At the same time, nothing is better than a hearty filet over a fresh Caesar.

If going along the Mexican route with regards to culinary endeavors, simply substituting out the meat or chicken with fresh, wild caught salmon can transform that traditional recipe into a gastronomic achievement for any hungry resident. Whether spicy habañeros are used or a light searing with salt and pepper is desired, that salmon filet will compliment all of the other ingredients on the plate.

Last but not least is the desperation dinner; when someone arrives home to find an empty kitchen and a few growling stomachs. If Alaska salmon happens to be in the freezer, then a fulfilling family meal is merely minutes away. Marinating the salmon in some minced garlic, lemon juice and Dijon mustard really adds a little citrus-spice notes to the fish. Then, a quick trip to the grill will lock in all of those flavors. And with a simple pairing of a fresh salad or some wild rice and that last minute dinner will soon become a weekly request. Because when it comes down to, there are literally too many things that can be done with Alaska salmon.

Looking for wonderful Alaskan Seafood recipes? Check out great meals to make for your family from ASMI, the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

Advantages of Simple Pasta Recipes

2010-04-17T05:36:00.000-07:00

Easy pasta recipes are extremely well liked by a lot of people and this article talks about the reasons for this, such as its versatility and cheapness. A cheap and tasty tuna salad recipe is also shown.

Almost everyone loves easy pasta recipes because they have many advantages to eating it. It isn't expensive at all and makes feeding a family very easy and inexpensive. Quick pasta recipes can also be in many different forms ranging from popular dishes like macroni to the much less used like pasta soups. Basic ingredients can also be used with these simple pasta recipes. Those involved in sports also make good use of this popular ingredient because of its ability to release energy slowly, which can help with endurance sports.

It is useful to sports people because it helps with the creation of energy due to the carbonhydrates it contains. This makes it an important nutrient for athletes and aiding them in getting the best results. It is stored as glycogen in the muscle where they perform as a willingly accessible energy souce during lengthly and strenuous competitions.

Water, eggs and flour are used to make it and you can use these ingredients to make your own also. They are sometimes coloured and the flavour changed, by adding dye and herbs and spices. A bit of extra taste can also be added to the food by filling the pasta with tomatoes or different meat types.

There are also many different types of this food for many different uses. These include spaghetti used in meals such as bolognaise; noodles that can be used in chicken noodle soup; sheets for use in lasagne dishes; and different shapes used in, for example, macaroni cheese; and dried and fresh pasta also. They all help to provide a wide range of tasty, easy recipes that anyone can easily make. A tuna salad recipe is shown below.

Ingredients: - Pasta for 2 - 1 can of tuna - Rocket leaves, watercress, spinach - Cucumber, sliced - 8 cherry tomatoes, halved - 1 pepper, chopped - Few tablespoons of salad cream
What to do: 1. Follow the packet's instructions for cooking the pasta properly 2. Once cooked, mix with everything else and stir well

That's it. Very easy and quick!

The reasons stated above in this article are why Italian food is liked so much by people from many different countries, other than just Italians. Anybody, anywhere can make great meals from easy pasta recipes, with all the simple ingredients that are used.

This article was brought to you by Andrew, the author of http://www.easy-pasta-recipes.net. If you like easy pasta recipes then have a look around the site. A free Italian recipe e-book, with more simple pasta recipes, is also available.

How to Make Sushi - Secrets Revealed - What Sushi Restaurant Owners Do Not Want to Tell You

2010-04-16T07:40:00.000-07:00

When it comes to food, we all have our weaknesses. Some people just cannot resist another bite of chocolate or that beef burger oozing with all its juices.

For me, I love Sushi! Sushi is NOT just about raw fish and caviar. The varieties and ingredients are as wide ranging as your imagination can be. You can roll a sushi with egg, avocado, carrots, cucumber, beef, prawns and the list goes on and on.

More importantly, Sushi is extremely healthy. It is heavily pack with nutrients and minerals. A typical setting of 7 - 9 pieces contains about 300-450 calories. Not only are they low in fat, the fishes used provide protein and are rich in Omega 3 fatty acid, the vegetables are a great source of vitamins and the Nori (seaweed sheet) is rich in iodine. Even the sushi rice provides complex carbohydrates. You really cannot get a more nutritious meal and snack than this.

There are 5 good reasons why you should make your own sushi and we will go through each of them in this article. 1. Sushi is one of the fast growing healthy fast food 2. Sushi can be prepared very quickly 3. Sushi is very easy and fun to prepare. Even a child can help out 4. Sushi can be prepared very economically i.e. on shoestring budget 5. Sushi makes great party food.

Unfortunately, for many people, sushi is extremely pricey. Any Sushi Lover will tell you that sushi dining is kept for that special occasion because of its price tag. Seeing how Sushi Masters stalwartly wave their razor sharp Yanagi Ba knives and their deft hand movement, it is no wonder that we think that making sushi is best left to these highly skilled and talented Sushi Chefs. Did you know that it is actually a misconception that only sushi master can carve out a decent sushi platter? I will let you into a little secret... You do not even need to know how to use chopsticks to know how to make sushi, what's more eat it!

Making sushi is one of the easiest tricks of the trade. The good news is you can learn to make sushi in no time and on really shoestring budget as well.

Let us very quickly run through the usual ingredients that you will need. You can get Japanese Sushi rice grains, Nori and Sushi mat from most Oriental supermarkets. For all other ingredients such as beef, prawns, capsicum, carrots, cucumbers and really any ingredient that you fancy putting into your sushi roll; they are easily available from your local supermarket. By the way, there is minimal cooking involved, so even if you are not a great cook, you can still be your very own Sushi Master. Most of the work and fun of course, is in cutting up the ingredients and rolling them up into sushi rolls. There are really no special skills or talent needed to roll the sushi. The motion in rolling a sushi roll is identical to rolling up a towel into a baton! It is that easy. There is a very simple video in the link below that will show you exactly how this is done.

You will be amazed by the spread and colours of your sushi platter from just these basic ingredients. To give your platter the "restaurant look" you can include garnishing and decorations made from thin strips of carrots and cucumbers or you can use cookie cutters to cut out carrots and cucumbers into shapes of flowers.

Just these tips alone will allow you to throw a brilliant sushi party at home. Your guests will be able to eat till their hearts' content without you feeling the pinch in your pocket. In fact, I will suggest that they join you in rolling their own sushi. It is a lot of fun to get everyone involve making homemade sushi and the truth is making sushi is really not rocket science.

Never again will you have to resort to eating the cold, gunny sushi rolls sold in supermarkets or even sushi bars and restaurants. You will derive so much more pleasure in sinking your teeth in the warm and moist homemade sushi rolls.

For decades, Sushi restaurants and bars have fiercely guarded these tips and tricks and kept these secrets from the public domain, which are now made available to you. I strongly encourage you to try your hands on making sushi and I promise that you will never look back.

To find out more about how to make sushi, watch a video demonstration of making sushi and obtain more information about The Art of Sushi Dining and get more Sushi Recipes, visit http://www.HowtoMakeSushi.co.uk.

Easy Homemade Detox Recipes to Cleanse Your Body!

2010-04-15T05:26:00.000-07:00

It is recommended that we cleanse our bodies at least annually to rid our bodies of the dangerous toxins that can build up inside our organs and even cells. Not only will it help us live longer, healthier lives, but it will also help us lose weight, increase our energy levels, improve our complexions as well as many more benefits that you've never even thought about. Detoxifying your body is simple and very safe, if you know the basics. Here are a few tips to help you create a homemade detoxification recipe...

Always include fruits and vegetables into your diet. Bananas, strawberries, melons, and peaches are well known for their detoxifying capabilities. If you combine this with green vegetables such as carrots, turnips, cabbages, and peppers, your recipe will more than likely start the detoxification process in its early stages.

These foods alone will not completely detoxify your body. While it'll help your overall digestive health, you'll find that it doesn't truly cleanse your system like a detoxification program would.
If you are moving forward with your homemade detoxification recipe, you should stay away from certain foods such as milk based products such as cream, eggs, and cheese. Keep the meats down to a minimum, such as chicken, turkey, and especially red meat. Lastly, steer clear of any kinds of sugars such as candy, sweeteners, almost all processed foods, coffee, and especially alcohol.

As stated earlier, these should be taken as dietary suggestions. If you are interested in a true body detoxification, you should look into a complete colon cleansing program.

Colon cleansing can help you lose 20 pounds in an instant. Because of its detox capabilities, it will also help you look younger, feel more energetic, ease chronic pain, cleanse your body of harmful waste that it can't get rid of.

While there are many colon cleansers on the market, there is only one I recommend. Lucky for you, for a limited time, they're offering a free trial.

Click here for the free trial => Free Colon Cleanser!

Try it for free, and if you don't see dramatic results, you simply don't pay. There's nothing you have to lose (other than weight), so check out http://www.Free-Colon-Cleanser.org today and see what it eels like to be completely detoxified.

How to Make Slow Cooker Pork Recipes the Easy Way

2010-04-15T01:22:00.000-07:00

You cannot do slow cooker pork roast recipes of any kind in one hour. Don't fall for it if someone or somewhere you see a recipe for a one hour meal. But you can have some very delicious pork roast that comes from a slow cooker and you do not need to be there to watch over it every minute of the day.

Not very often, but there have been times when we have used a slow cooker for a meal. The advantages are quite numerous, such as:

* you do not need to be present
* cooks all by itself
* does not heat up the whole kitchen
* less clean up (one pot)
* meat comes out wonderfully tender and moist

Now those are some pretty good advantages to using a cooker. Here is how they work: slow cookers operate at low temperatures. And since the lids are kept on there is hardly any evaporation or liquid loss so most of all of it stays in the pot to keep things moist.

In other words, if you were cooking on top of the stove, the liquid in the vegetables, etc. would turn to steam and just rise up and, poof, it's gone. When you cook it this way, it will rise but then hit the lid and fall back down, thereby keeping everything moist and the eventual result will be in more tender foods.

Because of that fact you would decrease the amount of liquid you use when using a slow cooker. Check with your manufacturer to determine the right amount for what you are cooking.

Let's get to some slow cooker pork roast recipes. Pork shoulder can really be a good meal if done right, but not done right will be dry, stringy and tasteless. If you are going to a BBQ flavored dish, you can season the meat real well with your favorite BBQ rub mixed with a half of a cup of ketchup, one half of a cup of firmly packed brown sugar, and one third cup of cider vinegar, or you can use dark beer.

Mix all of these together and pour all over the pork and then cover. Put it into your slow cooker (crock pot) and then cook for 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high.

When it comes out, take a couple of forks and shred it up real good and then mix it with some of your favorite BBQ sauce. Put it back into the crock pot for about thirty more minutes.

Now after this is heated all the way through, pull it out and serve it on hamburger buns and some cole slaw on the side. Maybe some pork 'n beans on the side along with your favorite cool beverage and you have the makings of a good slow cooker pork recipes style meal for an afternoon barbecue.

If you want to check out more free recipes and bbq tips just check out my bbq blog at: slow cooker pork recipes

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Cobb

Boneless Chicken Thigh Recipes

2010-04-14T01:06:00.000-07:00

Chicken thighs are often overlooked in recipes because of the popularity of boneless chicken breasts, which are more in demand. However, chicken thighs are juicier and much more flavorful. They are also very economical and if you are on a tight budget, there are lots of chicken thigh recipes you can make, whether you are looking for something international like easy chicken enchiladas or something for the summer like grilled chicken recipes.

You can use boneless chicken thighs in casseroles and stews and pretty much any dish where you would normally use chicken breast. You might like to use some chicken breast and some chicken thigh, for a contrast in flavors and textures.

How to De-Bone a Chicken Thigh

Bone-in chicken is cheaper than ones are which have been de-boned for you, so it is well worth learning how to take the bones out of your own. Taking the bone out of a chicken thigh is simple and it also means the chicken will have a shorter cooking time. If you are cutting up a whole chicken, you will need a sharp knife to slice through the joint where the drumstick meets the thigh. You will find the cartilage very soft so it is easy to cut.

Bone the drumstick using the same method as you used for the thigh. Cut along the top of the bone and slice deeply until the knife is touching the bone. You will be able to see the white bone in the cut you have made. Pull the bone upwards and away from the chicken thigh.

Cut into the chicken some more, so that you can remove the bone altogether. You will probably have to slice some more of the meat off the bone so you can get it out. Keep slicing away bits of sinew, tendons and skin until you have a boneless thigh.

Recipe for Crockpot Chicken Thighs in an Herby Orange Sauce

This is such a simple recipe and the fact that you can use a slow cooker means that you can leave this recipe to cook by itself all day while you are out. Serve this tangy citrus chicken dish with noodles or rice and perhaps some broccoli or beans on the side. This recipe serves four people.

You will need:

2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs, in 1 inch pieces
Juice from 1 orange
Zest from 2 oranges
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary
4 slices crumbled, cooked lean bacon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
2 crushed garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
3 peeled, diced carrots
1 chopped onion
14 1/2 oz can diced peeled tomatoes
6 oz can tomato paste

How to make it:

Remove any visible fat from the chicken, then combine it with the orange juice and half the zest, tomatoes and their liquid, oregano, thyme, pepper, garlic, rosemary, onion, carrot, basil and tomato paste in a three and a half quart crockpot. Cover and cook on "low" for about six hours or until the chicken thighs are cooked through. Stir in the rest of the orange zest, the lemon juice, and sugar. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the finished dish.

There are many grilled chicken recipes that you can make with boneless chicken. Perhaps you fancy trying an international dish like easy chicken enchiladas and these recipes are so quick and easy. BonelessChickenRecipe.com - Chicken so delightfully moist, you can almost smell it through your monitor.

The Best Low Carb Cheesecake Recipe - Delicious and Healthy

2010-04-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

The first step in is always the hardest some say - same can be said when you are doing a low carb diet and are trying to significantly reduce the amount of calories you are eating. If you have been looking for tasty and healthy recipes for your diet with no success - then this low carb cheesecake recipe is worth trying out, as it contains little carbohydrates.

In your many fruitless attempts to look for the perfect recipes, you might have come across some low carb cheesecake recipes - but this particular low carb cheesecake recipe is guaranteed to tingle your taste buds like never before. Being dubbed as the cheesecake to-die-for, the definitive New York style cheesecake with Brazil nut crust is a heavenly treat for both the mind and body - as it contains very little carbohydrates.

To make the crust of this tasty cheesecake, you will need to prepare 2 cups of raw Brazil nuts, 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons of brown Sugar Twin, a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Whereas for the filling, prepare 2.5 lbs. of cream cheese kept at room temperature, 5 tablespoons of granular Splenda, 5 tablespoons of granular Sugar Twin, 1/2 cup of sour cream, 2 teaspoon of freshly-juiced lemon, 2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, 2 egg yolks and 6 whole eggs - large one preferably.

The next step is you should have the oven preheated to 350F and line the bottom of at least 9-inch spring form pan with parchment paper. The paper is an important step to this low carb cheesecake recipe, so make sure you do this in order. If you skip this step, you will have an irremovable cheesecake that's stuck on the pan.

Have the raw nuts roasted for about 15 minutes while you melt the butter. After done roasting them, move them to the food processor until you get finely chopped nuts. Then add the rest of the ingredients for the crust inside and combine them until they are mixed well. Pour them evenly in the bottom of the spring form pan and put in the refrigerator.

For the filling, raise the temperature of the oven to 400F. Beat the cream cheese and put in different bowl, add sweeteners, the sour cream, vanilla and lemon juice and beat until they mixed well. Add the yolks and eggs two at a time and beat until mixed well. Pour the filling over the crust and put on the pan and have it baked for ten minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350ºF and bake until done for 2 hours.

Enjoy your delicious cheesecake made from the best low carb cheesecake recipe.
Jessica Tanady loves to write articles since 4 years ago, both offline and online. While she's keen on topics of beauty, fitness and weight loss, she has demonstrated her writing skills on a wide array of topics. Visit her latest articles on senseo coffee makers which reviews and discuss about single serve coffee maker.

Spinach and Mushroom Strudel, a Great Vegetarian Entree

2010-04-07T07:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun way to create a great vegetarian entree using puff pastry. Saute two pounds of spinach in olive oil with fresh mixed herbs. When you get it thoroughly wilted, put it in a colander and let it cool and drain. Next take three pounds of sliced mushrooms and saute them until they are soft and de-glaze them with 8 oz. of red wine and a 2 oz. of balsamic vinegar. Cook them until all the liquid is gone. You will be stirring quite a bit as the last of it evaporates now set them aside in a bowl to cool.

Take 2 logs(20 oz.) of Cherve (French goat cheese) and put it into a bowl and mix it with a hand mixer to make it soft. If you do not like goat cheese use domestic "feta" which is cows milk. Add some fresh minced garlic and fresh Italian herbs. Salt and pepper to taste. Now you need a 10" by 15" sheet of puff pastry dough. You can usually get these at your local delicatessen. This will make enough for 6 entrees.

Now you will need a couple of eggs to use as an egg wash to seal the seams and to make the dough shine when you bake it. Put them into a small bowl and add a couple tablespoons of water. Mix them up with a fork and drag out your pastry brush ready for action.

Lay the dough out on your floured cutting board and flatten it out with a rolling pin a little bit more than it already is. Roll it out about two to three inches all the way around. So now you have a sheet that is about 20 inches long by 13 inches or so wide. Now for the filling, the spinach needs to be hand squeezed to get rid of as much liquid as possible. This is necessary so that it does not saturate the puff pastry. Once that is finished the filling is ready to go.

First, take the spinach and make a fat 1 inch tall by 2 inches wide row down the pastry starting about 3 inches from one end and stopping about 3 inches from the other end. This is done by placing handfuls of spinach on the dough and forming it into a long line, about 2 inches wide and evenly dispersed. Next do the same thing along side of the spinach with the sauteed mushrooms. Go end to end leaving the last three inches on both ends empty. I think the quantities should be just right to fill the space.

Now if you are using goat cheese you will need a pastry bag with a large round tip. Squeeze out a line of cheese on top and down the center between the spinach and the mushrooms. With feta you can simply crumble it over the two fillings evenly to cover them and add your seasonings after you have finished. Now it is time to make the envelope.

First brush the egg wash around the entire outside edge of the dough. Now fold each end of the rectangle back over the filling even with where the filling stopped. Next brush the newly exposed dry spots on the dough with egg wash (this is the sealing glue). Now for the sides, take one side and fold it over the filling. It should be just enough to cover over the filling without draping onto the other side. Once again brush with egg wash and fold the final side on top of the other side. This exposed side does not need to be egg washed because it will be the bottom of your creation.

Now you can roll the entire log over onto its double side. Gently brush off any large accumulations of flour from the newly exposed side. Now it can be transferred to a cookie sheet. At this point it should be 4 inches wide and about 14 inches long the cheese will be on the bottom covered by two layers of pastry to keep from burning. Once you have transferred it to the cookie sheet brush the top and sides with the egg wash. Now turn your oven to 400 degrees and let it preheat. The final step is to take a knife and make a series of diagonal slices across the top about two inches apart.

When the oven gets to temperature put your strudel in for about 20-30 minutes until it rises and turns a nice golden brown. This makes a great vegetarian entree and it will serve 6 people easily. Enjoy!!

Michael Brown, blogs about having fun in the kitchen with emphasis on the chef's knives and gadgets toolbox. Tips and techniques for creating garnishes and making food look pretty. The Cutting Edge Blog at http://greatcookingtoday.com/. A long time chef he loves to share his knowledge about his craft and presenting food in an eye appealing manner.

Easy to Make Ahead - Beef Stew

2010-04-06T19:03:00.000-07:00

This quick and easy beef stew is so simple to throw together and has become a staple recipe for our family. I love that it only take a few fresh ingredients and very little prep time to come out with a great tasting dinner. Comfort food, no hassle, and a toasty stew for dinner. What more could a girl want?

The Ingredient List:

1.5 lb. stewing beef
1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
3 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 1/2 C. water
2 onions, sliced and separated
3 potatoes, cubed
3 carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced

* A note about the beef - you can buy anywhere from 1 pound to 2 pounds depending on how "beefy" you want things to be. I find that for us around 1.5 pounds is a good measure. Also, it does not have to be the pre-cut stew meat package. I honestly just buy whatever is on sale that day. If it needs cutting up, no big deal. Get what's fresh and looks the best at the time.

Cut meat into bite-sized pieces if you need to.

Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl or bag. Put pieces of meat in bag or bowl, a handful at a time, and shake or toss to coat. Reserve flour.

Brown meat in oil on all sides. Add water, cover, and cook over low heat until tender, generally about 2 hours. Add vegetables to pan and continue cooking until vegetables are tender, about another 30 minutes. If desired, thicken with reserved flour or a bit of cornstarch.

Serve with your favorite side salad, some flaky biscuits or a nice crusty bread for a complete and delicious meal.

Did you know that planning your meals ahead of time can save you hundreds of dollars on groceries and reduce the amount of time you spend in the kitchen?

Claim your Free Menu Planning Basics Report and Printable Resources right now at JustNotMartha.com!

How to Prepare a Cabbage Soup Diet

2010-04-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

A good weight loss program is the cabbage soup diet. This diet is a good way to start your way into a more fit and healthy body. Generally, a diet should be able to help you lose around 5 to 30 pounds easily. The Cabbage soup diet is extremely popular among weight loss aficionados because it very easy to prepare. Its weight loss capability has also been well tested. This diet is high fiber and low in both fat and calories. It is also very nutritional which makes it a good choice for a lot of people.

The recommended span of time for the diet is around seven days. The idea behind the program is for the soup to become your staple food throughout the week. It is not advisable to stave yourself during the diet. You have to eat. The deal though is, you only consume the soup. You also have to regularly drink water. Your bowel movements will change after a few days. This is an indicator that the cabbage has successfully triggered the body's cleansing. You will need the following ingredients to prepare the cabbage soup:

• Water (around 3 liters)
• Cabbage
• Spring onions
• Carrots
• Celery
• Green Peppers
• Mushrooms
• Bouillon powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin oil

Soup Preparation

Using extra virgin oil, begin sautéing all the ingredients together except the peppers and the cabbage. After a few minutes, put in the peppers. Make sure that all the seeds are taken out. After some time put in the cabbage (peeled and cut into pieces). Pour in water and boil. The consistency of the soup depends on your preferences. Once the desired consistency is achieved, you can now begin your diet. Make sure to consult someone who knows about the program before starting.

Dennis enjoys writing and sharing articles on topics like Cabbage Soup Diet and Cabbage Soup Recipe. Visit for more details.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Moore_Hopkins

Best Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

2010-04-05T19:58:00.000-07:00

How to Bake Muffins

Baking muffins is fairly easy - All you have to do is decide just what kind of muffins you want to bake. My muffins are very popular with the guests at our B&B. Here is what you will need. It takes around 20 minutes to make up a delicious batch of muffins. Do NOT try to bake two batches at the same time or one will come out overcooked!

You need:
* plain flour
* one large egg
* sugar
* baking powder (to make it rise)
* flavouring

This is my easy recipe for my own chocolate chip muffins (makes 12 small or 6 big ones.) Most people find this foolproof. You will need the following on your kitchen table. It really helps to assemble everything first.

* Large Mixing Bowl for the dry ingredients (My Victorian bowl is still the best!).
* Fine metal sieve
* Smaller mixing bowl for the wet ingredients (I use a pyrex bowl)
* Cup or mug for butter One teaspoon dessert spoon
* Non-Stick muffin tray with paper cases place in holes. (paper cases are MUCH easier to use and the muffins will not stick to them)
* Wooden spoon balloon whisk (or fork)
* Packet of chocolate chips (100 g)
* Good quality vanilla essence
* 8 oz milk (just over 200cc)

Measure out the following:

* 10 ounces (250g) of PLAIN FLOUR
* 3 teaspoons (15g) (heaped a little bit) of BAKING POWDER
* 1/2 teaspoon of SALT
* 3 ounces (85g) of granulated SUGAR (I use demerara sugar but white is fine too)
* Soften 3 ounces of butter in cup in oven or microwave (on low or it gets messy) just until liquid is ok
First light your oven (around 5 to 6 is best for a gas oven).

Pour the sugar and the chocolate chips into the big bowl. Sieve above the big mixing bowl on to the sugar and chocolate. chips Pour through the sieve the flour with the salt and the baking powder (I like to sprinkle salt & Baking powder over the flour so it mixes better.)

Take the balloon whisk or fork and mix well till it all looks fairly well mixed. (Do not wash the balloon whisk you will need it again now!)

Crack the egg into the smaller bowl whisk until it is pale yellow pour in the milk and whisk again till well mixed.

Take butter out of microwave. Light oven to gas mark 5 to 6 (depends on your oven!) Pour molten butter into small bowl with egg/milk mix. Whisk like crazy or the butter will solidify and go lumpy. (they will still taste good )

Whisk into wet mixture TWO teaspoons Vanilla essence. Pour wet mixture on to dry mixture and with a wooden spoon mix well - again as fast as you can.

With dessert spoon half fill paper cups in muffin tray. Top up muffin cases with mixture till it is all evenly placed in cases. Now put tray of muffins on middle shelf of oven. Set timer/watch for 11 minutes.

After 10 minutes peek into oven press on a muffin - it should be firm to the touch. If they are still soft then close oven and come back again in a couple of minutes.

Eat your yummy muffins!

I Hope you love these muffins as much as I do. My waist shows how much that is.
Please visit my website for more recipes at http://www.squidoo.com/howtobakeacake
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Jones

Try This Tangy and Spicy Beef Soup and it is Okay For the Diabetics, Too!

2010-04-04T23:52:00.000-07:00

I am a person who could eat soup everyday all-year-round. If you like soup, too, try this Tangy and Spicy Beef Soup for something new. This soup is made with steak, vegetable broth, vegetables, pasta, spices, etc. Served with a crusty bread, cornbread, or assorted crackers, it is good no matter how you serve it. If you have family members, like my husband, who think they need steak instead of soup, well here you go. They get their steak in their soup! For a healthier soup, or if there are diabetics in your group, I recommend you use whole-wheat pasta.

TANGY AND SPICY BEEF SOUP

3/4 to 1 lb beef round tip steak
1 can (approx. 14-oz) vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup julienned carrots
3 tbsp lite soy sauce, divided
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper or red pepper flakes
1 oz uncooked angel hair pasta, (about 1/4 cup broken up)
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sliced green onions
Cut the steak lengthwise in half then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips.

In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the broth, 1 1/2 cups water, mushrooms, carrots, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, the vinegar and red pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet in 1 tablespoon olive oil, if needed, stir-fry the steak pieces to brown lightly.

Add the angel hair pasta to the broth mixture and simmer for another 5 minutes. Mix the cornstarch and the 1/4 cup water until smooth; stir into the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the beef to the soup and remove from the heat. Cover the saucepan and let stand for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the remaining soy sauce and the green onions. Serve immediately while still hot.

Yield: 4 servings.

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com For her old fashion recipe collection visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Carol_Wilson

How to Make Steamboat Soup

2010-04-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

You need a good steamboat soup for an enjoyable steamboat feast. There are many ready-made soups that you can buy from the supermarkets, but there is nothing that beats the real thing. Here is a simple recipe that you can use to make a delicious steamboat soup.

This serves around 4-6 people.

You will need:

10 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tablespoon of tamarind pulp
150 ml of boiling water
1200 ml of water
2 tablespoons of Thai fish sauce
8 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of caster sugar
1 small pineapple, cut into huge chunks
170g of tomatoes, cut into 4 pieces each
8 spring onions
250g of prawns
3 squids, cut into thick rings
250g of fish fillets, preferably cod fish
some coriander leaves
2 chillies, sliced thinly

Here are the directions:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan and when it is hot, deep-fry the garlic until it is golden-brown to bring out its fragrance. Drain the oil away and leave the garlic on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.

2. Put the tamarind pulp into a mixer bowl with the boiling water and leave it to stand for 20 minutes. Allow the pulp to dissolve. Strain the liquid through a sieve and discard the residue. Put the liquid into a saucepan with the water and mix it with the sugar, pineapple, tomatoes, spring onions and fish sauce. Cook until it boils.

3. Pour the mixture into the hot pan and add in the garlic, prawns, squid rings and fish fillets. Allow it to simmer for 6 minutes.

4. Serve the steamboat while it is hot.

This is a delicious soup base and you can add in all the seafood that you need for a fantastic family gathering. Top it up with coriander leaves and chillies for added flavour.

Banana Bread Recipe

2010-04-01T11:17:00.000-07:00

There can be no substitute for the banana bread. Soft, moist bread with the sweet taste of bananas is just the right snack to go into a child's school snack box. This is one snack that's enjoyed by children and adults all over the world. And it's so easy to make too. You don't have to go searching for ingredients. Whenever you have bananas that have become over-ripe, you could bake a batch of sweet bread. Leave alone the taste and the flavour; I bake bread habitually because I love its aroma.

Bananas have a long freezer life. You can store blackened bananas in the freezer for as many as six months and use them to make bread whenever you want. This fragrant bread is said to have been found in the eighteenth century by housewives who experimented with pearlash as a leavening agent. The recipe was revived in the 1930's when baking powder became popular. Now, banana bread is popular throughout the world as a comfort food. Australia has a special fondness for this bread; they even celebrate a National Banana Bread day every year on Feb 23rd.

This bread has in it the goodness of bananas; potassium, found in bananas helps to regulate blood pressure and helps to calm down frayed nerves. You can make your homemade banana bread healthier by adding raisins and nuts. If you've never made this dish before, you'd be surprised at how easy this is. Just bake many loaves and store it in your freezer to use whenever you want.
Here's my recipe for banana bread.

You'll need -
All-purpose flour - 2 cups
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Butter - 1/2 cup
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Brown sugar 3/4 cup
Beaten eggs - 2
Overripe banana pulp - 2 1/3 cups

Instructions -
1. Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease a bread pan, 9 x 5 inches. Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.

2. Take another bowl and fold in brown sugar with softened butter. Blend in eggs and mashed bananas and keep mixing till the mixture's uniform. Now, pour this mixture into the flour bowl and mix. Transfer this batter to the bread pan. Keep this in the oven and bake for one hour. The banana bread is ready if it passes the toothpick test. Let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes; then transfer to a wire rack.

Your banana bread is ready. Serve this with butter and a cup of hot tea.

If you would like to see the photo of this final bread, please visit: http://www.homemaderecipes.org/featured-food-photo-gallery/banana-bread-by-ginnerobot/

Awesome Chocolate Pie Recipe

2010-03-31T06:23:00.000-07:00

My family loves chocolate pie. The more I make it, the more my family wants it!! I thought a good way to spread chocolate cheer is to explain the bliss of chocolate pie to more people. Here goes! The basics of chocolate pie (in order of importance) are:

Filling
Pie crust
Whipped cream
Toppings

The biggest difference you can make is in the filling. The next is the crust, and last is the whipped cream. The toppings can also make an impact, but I place this in last place. :-) These items in concert make the best overall recipe. However, some of these components are more impactful than others.

The crust can vary. One good recipe we use are crushed Oreo cookies in the crust. Other times, crushed peanut butter cookies are a good choice as well. Most often, we use crushed graham crackers. If you are seeking a quick and easy method, a ready-made pie crust will do also.
The best filling I've ever made was with chocolate pudding. Chocolate pudding can vary, but find your best pudding you like, and reduce the consistency by 1/4 to make the filling rigid. A good article on filling is here.

The toppings you place on the pie can make a great impact as well. I've seen M&M's, chocolate chips, peanut butter cups, and many other candy treats. Naturally, you'll want a flavor that compliments the chocolate goodness you've made! This is my favorite chocolate pie recipe. I hope you love it as much as I do!

3 Excellent Asian Vegetarian Recipes - Easy Step By Step Cooking Instructions

2010-03-30T16:56:00.000-07:00

One of the best ways to enjoy the delicious vegetarian cooking is by cooking some Asian dish. You can cook any of the various Asian vegetarian cooking recipes. Some individuals like to choose their own Asian vegetarian cooking that is their favorite while others like to try something new from the list of Asian vegetarian cooking. Some of the great recipes are as follows:

(I) Indian Lentils with Rice:

You need to have the following ingredients to cook this dish.

1) finely chopped one tablespoon gingerroot
2) finely chopped two garlic cloves
3) five 1/4 cups of vegetable broth
4) one teaspoon of ground turmeric
5) one cup chopped large tomato (1 tomato)
6) two teaspoons of dried mint leaves or fresh mint leaves that are chopped
7) one 1/2 cups of plain fat-free yogurt
8) eight chopped medium green onions(1/2 cup)
9) crushed red pepper (1/8 teaspoon)
10) one 1/2 cups or 12 ounces of dried lentils, rinsed and sorted
11) half teaspoon salt
12) one-fourth cup shredded coconut
13) three cups of hot cooked rice

Now just follow some cooking steps as,

First of all, spray cooking spray on 3-quart saucepan. Now, cook gingerroot, garlic, onions and red pepper in saucepan. Until onions become tender stir occasionally themixed ingredients in saucepan on medium flame for three to five minutes.

Secondly, stir turmeric, lentils and salt in five cups of broth. Reduce heat once it reaches the boiling stage. Cover the dish and let it simmer for about half an hour until the lentils are tender. If required, add remaining broth.

Thirdly, you need to stir the mixture in coconut, mint and tomato. Serve the dish with yogurt over rice.

(II) Spicy Confetti Noodles:

You need to have the following ingredients to cook this dish.

1) two medium bell peppers
2) ten ounces of uncooked spaghetti or two packages of Japanese curly noodles of five ounces each
3) 1/3 cup water
4) half teaspoon of chicken bouillon granules
5) two tablespoons soy sauce
6) one teaspoon curry powder
7) two finely chopped garlic cloves
8) three medium green onions
9) medium carrots 10) two teaspoons sesame oil
11) 1/4 cup of water or dry sherry
12) finely chopped one tablespoon gingerroot
13) one tablespoon of chili puree with garlic
14) 1/4 teaspoon of sugar

Now just follow some cooking steps as,

First of all, cut the onions into two inch pieces. Then cut these pieces into thin strips. You need to cut carrots into julienne strips and bell peppers into thin strips.

Secondly, read the instructions on the package and cook noodles accordingly. Then, toss the noodles along with some oil in a large bowl. Stir carrots, bell peppers and onions.

Thirdly, you need to mix the remaining ingredients in 12-inch skillet or wok. Stir occasionally on medium heat and to boiling. Add noodle mixture and toss it with some sauce. Stir the contents constantly and heat it properly.

(III) Indian Split Peas along with vegetables

You need to have the following ingredients to cook this dish.
1) 1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin or 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seed
2) finely chopped and seeded two jalapeno chilies
3) two cups of cooked yellow split peas
4) drained and rinsed two cups of Green Giant frozen sweet peas and one can of Progresso black beans.
5) two teaspoons vegetable oil
6) 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
7) three cups or one pound cauliflowerets
8) 1/4 cup vegetable broth or chicken

Now just follow some cooking steps as,

First of all, heat the oil over medium-high in a 10-inch sillet. Stir occasionally and cook chillies, turmeric and cumin in oil for two minutes.

Secondly, stir broth and cauliflowerets and cook for around 3 to 4 minutes. Cook until the cauliflowerets are tender.

Add all the remaining ingredients into the sillet and stir occasionally. Cook for about five minutes until it is hot.

Abhishek is really passionate about Cooking and he has got some great Cooking Secrets. up his sleeves! Download his FREE 88 Pages Ebook, "Cooking Mastery!" from his website http://www.Cooking-Guru.com/770/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Abhishek_Agarwal

Baked Chicken Breast Recipe

2010-03-29T22:30:00.000-07:00

Baked chicken breast can be prepared in different ways. This article contains one such recipe. Some items can be substituted out, or in, or as replacements for ones that are mentioned. For instance, you may want to add some cheese to the recipe, remove the paprika, or use sea salt instead of the regular kind. This recipe does call for the chicken to be marinated overnight, so allow for sufficient time.

Ingredients

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2 cups sour cream, 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 cup lemon or lime juice, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsp. paprika, 4 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, 1 3/4 cup bread crumbs, dry 1/2 cup melted butter

Directions

Dry the chicken as well as possible. In a separate bowl, stir together the sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, lemon or lime juice, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and ground black pepper. Place the chicken into this marinade, and be sure that all the pieces are coated well. Let the chicken marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

When ready to bake the recipe, set the oven to preheat at 350 degrees while making the final preparations. Using a baking pan, set the chicken in it so that there is only one layer. Cover the top with the dry bread crumbs, and then drizzle the melted butter over the dish. Allow the meal to bake uncovered until it is tender in texture and brown in color, which should be around 1 hour.
The of servings this recipe provides may vary depending on the size of each helping. Serve this baked chicken breast meal warm.

You can read further about baked chicken breast recipe ideas, and other related information, at BakedChickenBreast.org.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_K.

Steak Marinade Recipes

2010-03-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has followed our blog for a bit knows that I am a fan of marinades and so I though that I would give you a couple of good steak marinade recipes. Now not a lot because I give out a whole lot more in our free newsletter that you can sign up for. And then we have our new ecookbook coming out soon which will have a lot more recipes in it.

Here is a good balsamic steak marinade recipe which I love to use:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic - chopped
optional: a few sprinkles of red chili flakes.

Directions:

Combine the ingredients in a medium bowl. Place the steaks (this recipe will work for up to 4 steaks) in a plastic bag or shallow dish, pour the marinade over them, and refrigerate. Turn occasionally if needed to marinate evenly. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and drain well. Grill steaks, uncovered, to desired doneness.

Here is one we used to use in the restaurant business for beef kabobs (and even pork) but will work great on steaks:

* 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, olive oil, or peanut oil,
* 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning,
* 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar,
* 1 1/2 teaspoons of pepper,

Stir together all of the ingredients and marinate your steak in the refrigerator for 2-6 hours. It can be left overnight in the refrigerator. You can also use the marinade to baste your steak while cooking.
So when asked about steak marinade recipes you can always share some of these. They are great on steak, whether it be ribeye, porterhouse, delmonico, you name it. And then when talking about steak marinade recipes remember that we have a lot more in our free newsletter that you can sign up for.

For more great recipes visit Chef Michael's Barbeque Blog at: Steak Marinade Recipes
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Cobb

One of the Top Five Recipes For Pork Chops

2010-03-26T22:11:00.000-07:00

There are so many different ways that you can get pork chops. Hopefully, we are going to give you one of the top five recipes for pork chops here today. First of all, look at how you can purchase them. You can have the bone in, or you can get them without the bone: hence, the term, boneless.
You can get your pork chops loin, or you can get them as they are called rib chops. But here is the most important thing to consider when you are buying and grilling the pork chop: thickness. For the thinner chops, meaning under three-fourths of an inch, they need to be handled just a little bit different than the thicker pork chops. And then, again, when I say, thicker, I mean anything that is over that three-fourths of an inch.

Simply put, for all recipes for pork chops, the thinner ones will tend to dry out faster. So those we need to grill (or bake, or fry on the stovetop) faster and quicker over a higher heat than the thicker ones.

With the thicker ones, we need to cook them slower and over a lower heat because we want them to cook all the way through but at the same time not to dry out.

When grilling thin chops we need a fire that is hot so that we can BBQ them quickly. We are going to treat them just like a good steak. We are going to just flip them once over a fire as hot as we can get. The whole thing with those thin chops should not take us more than about five minutes. Remember, those thin chops will dry out rather quickly so that is why we are going to be cooking them over a hot and fast fire.

Now when we are thinking of recipes for pork chops, a lot of times thicker cut pork chops come to mind. That is a good thing for they are so tasty and delicious...when they are cooked right. And that would mean just the opposite of barbequing the thinner ones.

Here is a good tip for grilling up those thicker cuts of pork chops. At the start we want the fire just as hot as when we would be doing the thinner cuts because we are going to sear the chops on both sides very quickly over that high heat.

Preheat your grill as high as it will go (if you are using charcoal build your fire hotter on one side for searing with a cooler side to finish them off on). Put the chops on the grill and close the lid. After one minute open the grill and flip the chops. Close the lid for one minute. Now turn down the heat on your grill to medium (or move the chops to the cooler side of your charcoal grill). Rotate the chops to get your cross hatch marks and let them cook for about 3 more minutes with the lid down. After this time flip the chops over and continue cooking for about 4 more minutes. It is best at this point to turn your grill down to its lowest setting (or close the vents on your charcoal grill).

Now, that is a basic primer for cooking pork chops. And I know that this will be a little different but today we are going to give you a recipe for what I would call 'indoor cooking.' You are going to be baking your pork chops in the oven with this recipe, but trust me, it is really good.

I will be talking about French's Mustard, but in the restaurant I used to use Ranch dressing. The end result that you wind up with is still the same: you are going to get a product which is tasty, juicy, moist, and you will really be impressed with it.

With all that being said, I though I would write about one of my favorites that I would fix in honor of one of my kids who is a 'mustard' nut. Mustard, mustard, mustard, as long as it was French's and it was yellow.

Ingredients:

6 pork chops
Salt & pepper to taste
French's mustard
2 cups Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Rinse pork chops, pat dry, and season with salt & pepper to taste. Brush the mustard on both sides.
3. Coat on both sides with the bread crumbs and then place on a wire rack so that it is off of a baking sheet. You do not want it sitting in a pan. You want the hot air of the oven to be able to reach all sides of the meat.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

There you go, one of the top recipes for pork chops. They are really good and have a hint of mustard flavor seasoning the meat. And then, of course, you know that the resting part is the most important part of cooking, whether it be grilling or baking. Once you get them the way you want them, then place them on a dish, or plate and cover with aluminum foil for about five to ten minutes to let them rest. This period of recovery is what lets the meat loosen up and the juices to flow back into the pork chops.

And remember you can always make your pork chops barbeque style, Cajun, Asian, Mexican, or even Southwestern. You can even add some honey/mustard. If you are going for that Mediterranean flavor then try adding some garlic, basil, thyme, and rosemary. If it were Asian, then you can always add ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. If it were to be barbeque, then some good barbecue rub along with some Liquid Smoke.

Hopefully I have given you some good ideas for when you are looking for recipes for pork chops.
For more great recipes and tips and advice from Chef Michael check out my barbeque blog at: Recipes For Pork Chops

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Cobb

5 Easy Microwave Egg Recipes For Students

2010-03-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

Being a student means you have very little time or money to spend on your food. Heres five simple egg recipes that you can do in your microwave oven. Using your microwave will not only save you time but also use less energy and can provide you with some great nutritious meals.Eggs are simple and easy to cook, they have great nutritional value and will help retain you through those long evenings of study. Because they are full of protein they are a great source for athletes to help build up muscle.

1. Scrambled eggs: This is probably the easiest thing to cook in a microwave. Take one egg and crack it into a microwave safe container. Add about a tablespoon of water or milk and whisk the two together and put them in your microwave oven. Cook on full power for 50 seconds or 1/2 power for 1and a half minutes. Remove from your microwave and stir with a fork. Leave this to stand for two minutes and in less than five minutes you will have light fluffy scrambled eggs.

2. Breakfast English Muffin: Take a microwave cup and melt some butter in it for about 15 seconds. Swish the butter around the cup [ this helps to stop the egg from sticking to the cup ] crack an egg into the cup and microwave on full power for 45 seconds. Be careful though to check the power of your microwave and adjust your cooking time appropriately as the egg may explode. Cook some bacon on a microwave griddle until your happy that its cooked right for you. Butter an English muffin add the bacon, a slice of cheese and the egg and blast on full power your microwave for another 15 seconds. You have a great breakfast muffin in little time that will keep you going through the morning.

3. Garlic cod with eggs: Take a small piece of cod, between two and four ounces and place it in a microwave safe dish and add a clove of chopped garlic. Cover this with a microwave cover or microwave safe wrap. Cook on full power for about a minute. Whisk two or three eggs together and pour them over the fish cook on full power for a further two minutes. Take out of the microwave and leave to stand for two minutes. This makes a great filling and healthy meal for you to enjoy and will impress your friends.

4. Fridge omelette: Take all those left over bits of veg,ham,bacon and any other left overs in your fridge. Put them in a microwave dish and add two or three eggs and cook on full power for one and a half minutes. This should use up your left overs ad give you a tasty fun snack.

5. Meringue with mars bar sauce: Take two egg whites and add sugar or a sweetener, whisk the two together until the mixture turns into white peaks. Butter a microwave dish and spoon in three or four blobs of of the mixture. Microwave on full power until it puffs up. Take out of the microwave and leave to finish cooking through. Chop up a mars bar and put it in a microwave safe bowl. Cook on full power until it melts. Pour the sticky mess over the puffed up meringues and consume rapidly. Be careful as the melted mars will be very hot.

These recipes are all easy and quick to prepare and are great value. Ideal for students and people on tight budgets. You can use any microwave to cook them in.
Brought to you by Rossgo of http://www.everythingmicrowaves.com

Orange Juice Recipes and Benefits of Drinking Oranges

2010-03-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

We have 6 wonderful orange juice recipes for you. From plain OJ to a Tropical Storm!

Benefits of Juicing Oranges

Oranges have become synonymous with vitamin C and has taken the throne as the "morning juice". You will see more variety of orange juices at the supermarket than any other type of fruit juice recipes. Though, I don't think packaged orange juice tastes half as good as freshly made juice. Furthermore, fresh orange juice nutrition benefits beats packaged juice hands down.

Apart from its high vitamin C content, there's other nutrients in oranges. It is a good source of folate and fair source of vitamin A. It is also a fair to good source of minerals such as potassium, calcium, phosphorous and magnesium. And that's not all - oranges also contain powerful antioxidants called hesperidin and tangeritin. Both of these nutrients have been shown to have anti-cancer and heart health properties.

Juicing Oranges: Remove the peel from the orange, but always try to leave as much of the white skin on the orange as possible. The peel will produce a very sour taste if juiced, but the white skin contains a lot of nutrition. The pith is also nutrient dense, so I would also recommend juicing that. Follow this advice for all the following recipes.

Orange Juicer Recipe #1 - Plain Ole' Orange Juice

5 oranges

Follow above instructions, stick them in your juicer and bingo - fresh juice.

Orange Juicer Recipe #2 - Breakfast Buddies

3 large oranges
1 grapefruit - red or yellow is fine

Prepare the grapefruit for juicing exactly as you would the oranges.

Orange Juicer Recipe #3 - Citrus Mix with Kiwi

1 orange
1 grapefruit
2 kiwi

Peel the kiwis. Adding some cold sparkling mineral water to this is real nice on a hot day.

Orange Juicer Recipe #4 - Tropical Heaven

1 orange
1 cup of strawberries
1 cup of pineapple

Wash and top the strawberries. Only use the flesh of the pineapple.

Orange Juicer Recipe #5 - Citrus Mix

2 oranges
1 grapefruit
1 tangerine (or mandarin)
1/4 of a lemon

Prepare the grapefruit and tangerine as you would the oranges. Only use the flesh of the lemon. This one will make you stand up straight!

Orange Juicer Recipe #6 - Tropical Storm

1 orange
1 cup of pineapple
1 mango
1 small papaya
1 small guava

Only use the flesh of the pineapple. Peel and remove pit from mango. Peel papaya and the guava. Juice and give it a good stir. Add some ice if you want it nice and cold!

For more juice recipes visit Juicing Recipes Looking for juicer reviews? Jack Lalanne Power Juicer

Hi, my name is Darren Haynes. I have started to create websites and write articles about various health topics. My favorite topic to write about is food health. I believe whole hearted that eating good and healthy food is a core factor to our well being, mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. I love to check new research studies to see what new evidence there is for healing properties in foods and turn this information into articles to share with everybody. Hope you enjoy the articles.

5 Aloe Vera Juice Recipes That Make You Feel Great

2010-03-23T22:04:00.000-07:00

Why Raw Juice?

We all know it's about fresh, raw, natural, organic, tasty, invigorating, nutrient and vitamin-rich goodness when it comes to juicing at home. However, what you may not know is adding a little fresh Aloe Vera Gel to your daily fresh juice can give you a fantastic boost of energy (and not just short term), as well as turn your tasty treat into a downright health tonic you won't want to miss out on. You can easily make-your-own juice in minutes in your own kitchen from the freshest produce you can get your hands on.

Raw juices of fruits and vegetables are extremely rich in vitamins, minerals, trace elements, enzymes and beneficial phytochemicals (plant chemicals). These juices act as cleansing agents eliminating toxins and other unwanted morbid matter from the system immediately. Raw juices are easily digested and absorbed and are also superb for those with a poor appetite, nausea, digestive problems or an inflamed stomach or intestines. They have proved to be effective in the treatment of a number of disorders and diseases including Liver, Heart, Kidney, Colds, Flu, Arthritis, Acne, Colitis, Diarrhea, Insomnia, Obesity plus many more.

Raw juices are absorbed by the blood-stream within about 10 minutes after ingestion, making you feel alert, wide awake and refreshed. It is the most perfect fuel because it's easily assimilated and tends to cleanse and nurture the body while supplying it with a full range of essential nutrients. Fresh juice naturally detoxifies and heals the body by stimulating and healing the elimination and detoxification organs such as the gallbladder, liver, intestines and kidneys. Fresh fruit and vegetable juice as well as Aloe Vera Gel are also highly alkalinizing, thereby impeding the growth of harmful bacteria and virus in the body.

Of course there are dozens of juicing recipes around, which can all have a dash of Aloe Vera Gel added. You won't need much to get started on your Aloe Vera juicing journey, just some great fresh fruit and vegetables of your choice, or those I have suggested below, a juicer (available at most good department stores), an aloe vera plant (bought from a reputable nursery to ensure it is actual Aloe Vera also known as Aloe Barbadensis), and you're on your way.

Recipe To Make Your Own Aloe Vera Gel

Firstly get a nice size Aloe Vera plant from a reputable plant nursery. Cut a few thick fleshy leaves at the base near the stem. Rinse the cut part of the leaf thoroughly, peel off outer layer of skin. Rinse the remaining gel to get rid of any latex residue. Put the gel into a blender and add a little Vitamin C powder or Citric Acid powder to stabilize the gel. If it is too thick to blend, just add a little purified water.

Please take note: for internal use of Aloe Vera make sure you rinse off the brown exudate, called latex, from the open cut of the leaf as well as the gel, as this can have a strong (and usually unwanted) laxative effect. If done properly you shouldn't have a problem. I have been using Aloe Vera from my garden for years now, and by being meticulous about rinsing it properly I haven't had an issue with it. Usually keeps in the fridge for a few weeks, depends on your fridge of course.

5 Aloe Vera Juice Recipes:

1. Carrot-A-Licious

This one is a definite family favourite. Easy to drink, sweet and downright yummy.

2 Carrots, 2 Green Apples (or any apples you have),1 Orange (peeled).

Put ingredients though a juicer, add 1 tablespoon Aloe Vera Gel, drink immediately.

2. Pineapple Paradise

Seeing as I live in the tropics, I'm very partial to this combination. I also sometimes add a few tablespoons of Coconut Milk to increase the anti-bacterial and anti-viral content. This is a must-try.
1 to 2 Cups Fresh Pineapple, 1 Carrot, 1 Green Apple.

Put ingredients though a juicer, add 1 tablespoon Aloe Vera Gel, drink immediately.

3. Zippy Zinger

If you love the tropics, you'll love this one. Easy on the tummy.

A small piece of Ginger (to taste), 2 Carrots, 2 Pears ,Half a small Red Papaya (known as Pawpaw in Australia).

Put ingredients though a juicer, add 1 tablespoon Aloe Vera Gel, drink immediately.

4. Beetroot Bliss

A great pick-me-up tonic. If you are unfamiliar with beetroot juice go easy at first, use just a small wedge. It can be a little overpowering. Tastes rich and earthy.

One quarter of small beetroot, 2 large carrots, 1 stalk of celery.

Put ingredients though a juicer, add 1 tablespoon Aloe Vera Gel, drink immediately.

5. Cranberry Quencher

For those of you lucky enough to have this powerful fruit available to you fresh, I have included this recipe. Genuine cranberry juice is a powerful weapon in fighting colds and flu as well as being renowned for it's benefits to kidney function. Fresh cranberry juice is far superior nutritionally to the bottled on-the-shelf variety.

As Cranberries have a heavy acid content, when juicing, use one or two handfuls in a glass. Fill the rest with freshly juiced apple, otherwise it will be too tart. Put ingredients though a juicer, add 1 tablespoon Aloe Vera Gel, drink immediately.

A Bit About The Raw Ingredients

Apples: A good source of Vitamin A in the form of Beta-Carotene, Vitamin C, vitamin K and Folate, plus smaller amounts of Vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2, B3, Biotin and Vitamin E. A note on Apples Pips/Seeds: Apple pips contain small amounts of Cyanide. While you would need to eat an awful lot of apples to suffer any ill effects, I like to remove the apple cores along with pips when juicing.
Beetroot: A good source of Folic Acid and Vitamin C, plus they contain small amounts of Vitamins B1, B2, B3, and Vitamin A in the form of Beta-Carotene.

Carrots: Very high in Vitamin A - this comes in the safe form of Beta-Carotene which the body is able to convert to Vitamin A as required. Also contains Vitamin K and Vitamin C, plus smaller amounts of the B complex vitamins and Vitamin E.

Cranberries: Rich in Antioxidants and the chemical Quinine which is used to treat arthritis.

Ginger : Stimulates circulation and aids digestion it can also ease motion sickness and nausea.

Oranges: As well as being an excellent source of Vitamin C, orange juice contains Vitamin A, Potassium, Calcium, and Phosphorous. It even contains small amounts of all the essential amino acids which the body can use to make and repair healthy tissue and muscles.

Papaya: Known as "the medicine tree" in Africa, rich in Beta-Carotene and Soluble Fibre, while papain, an enzyme extracted from papaya, aids digestive problems.

Pears: Promote cardiovascular and colon health. The Copper in pears stimulates white blood cells to fight infections.

Pineapple: An excellent source of Vitamin C, Folate, Vitamin A, vitamin K, and B complex vitamins (not B12) and Bromelain which is a powerful digestive enzyme that can destroy bad bacteria and parasites, help digest protein, and may prevent the formation of blood clots. It is also a natural anti-inflammatory and is known to reduce swelling and inflammation in the body, beneficial for arthritis suffers, and to promote healing after injury.

The above recipes are not recommended to replace medical care and attention, they are intended for general use only. If you have health concerns or are on any medications please consult your health care professional before attempting to use any of the above recipes.

5 Aloe Vera Juice Recipes That Make You Feel Great are just to get you started, go ahead and experiment with your own favourite fruits and vegetables and don't forget the Aloe.

Anne Edwards has maintained an active interest in health for over 20 years, researching and finding natural remedies that actually work. She gained her broad knowledge base through necessity while battling a number of debilitating illnesses throughout her life. As a qualified Counsellor, she also has a special interest in mental health issues. You can find her website at: http://www.freehealthxchange.com
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Enjoy Two of the Best Authentic Italian Pasta Recipes

2010-03-22T05:30:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of variants of making Italian pasta and they are all very simple. Typically, pasta or noodles have to be cooked in lightly salted water for 10-20 minutes (cooking time depends strongly on the type of flour used and the type of products). Salt is not necessary, it completely replaces spices. By the way, it can be eaten without cooking, washing it down with something. In any case, do not allow cooking in the mess. Suffice it to macaroni become opaque (white) and softened.

If you do not want to pour water, and with it part of nutrients, take in 100 grams of spaghetti around a glass of water and simmer with the lid on low heat. Then all the liquid has been absorbed or boiled out. The same can be done in a microwave oven, but a satisfactory result is not guaranteed.

Pasta in a literal translation from the Italian word for means "dough". This term means any pasta. Pasta should be of hard wheat, besides Italians love pasta "al dente", that is undercooked. This is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Most types of pasta, which can be seen on store shelves, cook pasta cereals. Pasta - affordable and nutritious base of any dish, just add smoked meat, vegetables, meat, nuts and legumes - and you expect a great meal. Add spinach, asparagus or beans, and pasta will be even more nutritious and useful.

If you are looking for the best Italian pasta recipes, this article is perfect for you. It will present you two top-rated pasta recipes which have shown the biggest number of positive reviews.

Pasta with Tomatoes and Mozzarella You need: 400 g of any noodles or spaghetti, 1 bunch of basil, 12 green olives, 1 tbsp salted capers, a pinch of fiery red pepper 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 large cloves of garlic, 400 g tomatoes: 150 grams of mozzarella cheese. Wash tomatoes in hot water and peel them. Cut into small cubes. Mix with chopped basil, chopped olives and capers, pepper, olive oil. Let it brew for 5-8 hours. Boil noodles. Tomato mixture when it's heating, add to noodles and finely diced cheese.

Pasta with Garlic and Chili You need: 450 g spaghetti, 120 ml extra virgin olive oil (Extra Virgin); 5 large cloves garlic, chopped, 3 dry fiery red chili pepper, 1/4 cup of parsley. Put the spaghetti boil in salted water. While its cooking, heat oil in a small heavy saucepan. Add the garlic and chili and fry until they begin to sizzle, but not yet browned. Remove from heat. Once the paste is prepared al dente, leave a part of it from the pot, where it was cooked, a small cup of water. Then drain the remaining water. Return the pasta to the saucepan, add garlic and chilies in olive oil. Put on medium heat and stir well until the paste becomes hot. If pasta seems too dry, add a little water, molded from the spaghetti. Then add the parsley, mix well and serve.

To learn more about preparing authentic Italian pasta and how to benefit from using the best pasta maker, try visiting bestpastamaker.com, where you will find this and a lot more tips including how to choose the right Imperia pasta maker to enjoy your homemade pasta together with your family.

Some Easy Egg Recipes

2010-03-19T03:55:00.000-07:00

There are many excellent easy egg recipes to be found in cookbooks and on the Internet. An egg can be cooked alone - boiled, poached, fried, scrambled, or used as an ingredient in baking, batters and cakes. But how do you know about old an egg is? You can put the egg in a dish of water.

When it sinks, lies horizontally - very fresh.
When it sinks, tilts slightly - about 1 week old.
When it sinks, but stands vertically - older, stale.
When it floats - it's off and be careful not to crack the shell.

Some people prefer brown eggs and some white, but nutritionally they are the same. Egg yolks are extremely high in protein, vitamin B12, and vitamin A. Egg protein is loaded with vitamins and nutrients that feed the muscles and tissues allowing for muscles to become stronger. There is a large amount of protein in eggs, which make egg protein supplements one of the highest concentrations of protein available on the market. Protein is a very important part of any bodybuilder's nutritional diet.

Eggs have always had an important role in the bodybuilding arena. Most have maintained a raw egg diet to boost proteins in the body before working out and strength training. Protein has always been a pivotal mark in building muscle and the egg has become almost symbolic for bodybuilders. If you're a bodybuilder, chances are that you have had a raw egg shake or two! Thank goodness for many athletes that egg protein supplements today are available without the runny, slimy raw texture to swallow.

Always prepare raw eggs on a clean surface and be sure to wash all surfaces down with your favorite kitchen cleanser or dish detergent, and clean all cooking utensils thoroughly to prevent salmonella poisoning. You should use the same precautions you would if you were preparing meat. Always thoroughly cook the egg by scrambling it or by boiling.

There you have it! Now get to cracking the easy egg recipes!

If you are interested in a step-by-step guide for making some egg recipes, visit website Easy Egg Recipes You will become an egg expert in no time at all!

Cherry Juice Recipes

2010-03-18T09:07:00.000-07:00

I have received a number of emails lately asking me if I know if any great tasting cherry recipes. In this article I'm going to include two great tasting cherry recipes and cherry juice recipes for you to enjoy. I have personally made all of these recipes and I'll even show you where you can get over 5 dozen tart cherry juice recipes.

However, before we get into the recipes let's learn why people enjoy tart cherries. In addition to the taste of the cherry, this little red fruit offers a number of natural health benefits including its ability to fight gout and arthritis pain naturally.

The tart cherry has a long history of fight joint pain naturally and lowering uric acid in the body. Until recently, this was mostly folklore, but that to modern medicine we now have documented research providing evidence its ability. Although further research is being conducted it is a very impressive start.

Regarding uric acid which is a precursor to gout, tart cherries not only help the reduce the uric acid in the body but also dissolve uric acid crystals that form between the joints. Once these crystals are dissolved they are better able to be removed from the body through the kidneys. Also, cherries are natural anti-inflammatory that helps to reduce inflammation in the body. This is due to the naturally occurring COX 1 and COX 2 inhibitors. In addition, according the research from Michigan State cherries offer the same anti-inflammatory benefits as aspirin.
Here are two great tasting cherry recipes and one cherry recipe for you to enjoy.
The first is cherry stuffed mushrooms and cherry salsa, while the cherry juice recipe is an excellent recipe to enjoy anytime of the day.

Cherry Stuffed Mushrooms:

- 30 large mushrooms
- 1/2 pound bulk pork sausage or turkey sausage
- 1 cup finely chopped dried tart cherries
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

Remove the stems from mushrooms and discard. Rinse the mushroom caps; drain well. Set aside. Cook sausage in a large skillet for about 5 minutes or until it is cooked through. Remove from heat and add dried cherries, green onions and cream cheese and mix well. Fill each mushroom cap with a heaping teaspoon of the cherry recipe mixture. Place filled mushrooms on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 425-degree oven for about 8 minutes. Serve immediately upon removing them from the oven.

Very Cherry Salsa

- 1 1/2 cups frozen tart cherries
- 1/2 cup finely chopped dried tart cherries
- 1 tablespoon of tart cherry juice concentrate
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 1/4 tablespoon chopped fresh or canned jalapeno peppers
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or 1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Coarsely chop the frozen tart cherries. Let the cherries thaw and drain. When cherries are thawed, put drained cherries, dried cherries, onion, jalapenos, garlic and cilantro in a medium saucepan and mix well. In a small container, combine the cherry juice concentrate and cornstarch; mix until smooth, then stir into cherry mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until mixture is thickened. Let cool. Serve with tortilla chips and/or cooked chicken or pork. Makes approximately 1 ½ cup

Cherry Juice - Anytime Drink

1oz. cup of the cherry juice concentrate
7 ounces of water
1/2 cup ice
1/2 cup dried cherries

Place the contents in a blend. Once blended enjoy. You can also add wheat germ, a whole banana or frozen blueberries to add additional flavor to the drink.

You can find your cherry juice concentrate from Traverse Bay Farms. They will ship the concentrate to your door free of any shipping and handling charges. An ideal source to get your dried cherries is Fruit Advantage. In addition, Traverse Bay Farms offers a free tart cherry recipe book with over 50 great tasting cherry recipes. Check them out and get your free copy of the cherry recipe book.

Download a free copy of the Official Tart Cherry Report at http://www.traversebayfarms.com Rachel is an internet blogger that blogs about food and its amazing health benefits.

Homemade Pasta Recipe - Pasta the Way it Should Be!

2010-03-17T03:33:00.000-07:00

There are many slight variations in homemade pasta recipes, this is one of the easiest methods - follow it and you'll be making fantastic pasta in no time!
Ingredients: (enough for 2 people)

1 cup plain flour
1 large egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon salt

Step 1
Place all the ingredients in a large bowl or food processor and mix well, the dough should stick together if you press it with your fingers, the texture should be rather like uncooked rice. If it is too dry, you can add a little more water, or if it's too sticky add a little more flour.

Step 2
Mould the dough into a ball and leave it in the bowl, covered with a damp cloth, for around 10 minutes. The dust your worksurface with a little flour and knead the dough until it feels smooth, this should take 5-10 minutes.

Step 3
Now it's time to roll out the pasta. Set the pasta machine to its thickest setting. Take 1/3 of the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin so it's thin enough to fit into the machine. Put the dough through the machine 3 times, turning and folding it each time. Turn the machine to its next setting (one notch thinner) and put the same piece of dough through the machine 3 times as before. Repeat this for all the width settings on the machine. The pasta will get thinner each time.

Step 4
By now you will have a long, smooth sheet of pasta. Place it on the table and cut it into your desired length, about 10 inches long. Sprinkle lightly with flour. Now pass the sheet of pasta through the cutters on the other side of the pasta machine. Set the width of the cut to your preference, for example a setting of 1/8" would give you linguini, 1/4" for fettucini. Turn the handle with one hand, using your other hand to catch the finished pasta.

Step 5
Place the finished pasta on a clean tablecloth, trying to keep the strands as separate as possible. Allow it to dry for an hour or so.

To cook the pasta, add 1 tablespoon of salt to a large pan of boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Tips

The following tips will help you to make perfect homemade pasta every time:

Making coloured pasta is easy, simply add puréed tomato or spinach to the dough for red or green pasta. You can also make black pasta by adding squid ink.
When letting the dough 'rest' before kneading it, make sure to cover the bowl with a damp cloth, or wrap the dough tightly in clingfilm so it doesn't dry out.
There is no need to add oil to the pan when cooking your pasta. Stirring occasionally will prevent it from sticking.
Don't cook your pasta for more than 3 minutes. Overcooking will ruin your pasta! Once cooked, eat it straight away with your preferred sauce, it should not be allowed to cool.

Visit http://www.createfreshpasta.com now for more tips and tricks for making perfect homemade pasta, and also information about pasta machines. Making pasta is fun and rewarding -- you really should try it!

Passover Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-03-16T01:47:00.000-07:00

I think one of my favorite sweet treats during Passover is chocolate chip cookies. At one time, we were able to buy them processed in a box and then the only company that had been manufacturing them quit making them. My mom always bought several boxes of these cookies to get us through the week of passover. Once they quit making the boxed cookies, we started seeing kosher for Passover chocolate chips at the market and so we decided to make the cookies ourselves.
I'm going to share two recipes with you as you can not always find kosher for Passover brown sugar. The recipes are very similar, the second one omitting the brown sugar and adding in orange juice.

Here are the ingredients for the recipe using brown sugar:

2 ½ cups chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 ½ cups butter or margarine
1 ½ cups cake meal
½ cup matzah meal
1 ¾ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
¼ teaspoon salt

Mix together the eggs, sugars, butter and salt. Once mixed, add in the cake meal and matzah meal. Mix well. Finally, add in the chocolate chips. Drop by large tablespoonful onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degree for thirteen to seventeen minutes. Cookies should be a brown color. Remove to cooling rack and enjoy.

If you can not find the brown sugar at your local store, here's another recipe:

1 cup chocolate chips
1 ½ cups cake meal
2 eggs
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 ½ cups white sugar
2 sticks of butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon potato starch
1 teaspoon salt

If you can find kosher for Passover vanilla, add in one teaspoon.

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the eggs and mix. Next, add in the cake meal, orange juice, potato starch and salt. Mix thoroughly. Gently add in the chocolate chips. Drop by large tablespoonful onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees fifteen to seventeen minutes. Cookies should be a brown color. Remove to cooling rack.

If you like nuts, you can add in one half cup chopped walnuts. Add them in at the same time you are adding in the chocolate chips.

These cookies come out on the hard side. They are not soft and chewy. They make a great ending to any meal. They also pack very nicely in the kids' lunches. We actually enjoy putting them in the freezer, making them just a little bit harder before eating.

Audrey's mom always entertained when she was growing up. Audrey learned to prepare for large groups and has often entertained 15-30 people in her home at a time. You can find more great recipes at http://www.recipe-barn.com

How to Make Juicy Apple Stuffed Chicken

2010-03-15T08:44:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for boneless chicken recipe inspiration, what about making a stuffed chicken dish? Before you decide that stuffed chicken sounds too complicated, it might interest you to know that this is one of the most simple ways to prepare chicken.

Stuffing chicken simply means you need to pound the chicken breasts thin with a mallet, put some filling in them, roll the chicken up, and secure it with toothpicks. There is nothing more complicated to learn about stuffing chicken than that.

You can stuff chicken with anything you like. Ham and cheese make a popular chicken stuffing. To make this, simply flatten some chicken breast halves, add a slice each of cheese and ham, and roll the chicken up. Secure it with toothpicks and saute it until it is cooked through. You can liven up this recipe by adding chopped sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil or some spinach.

Side Dishes for Stuffed Chicken

Serve stuffed chicken with anything you fancy. Mashed potatoes, French fries, and rice are all good. Green beans, baked beans, corn on the cob, onion rings and fried mushrooms all go nicely with all stuffed chicken recipes.

Easy Recipe for Apple Stuffed Chicken

This is an easy recipe with a gourmet flavor. The wine, apple juice, chicken, green onions and other ingredients go together so well and this recipe makes enough to serve four people.

You will need:

6 finely chopped green onions
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons white wine or dry sherry
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 cup apple juice
2 peeled, cored, chopped Granny Smith apples
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
4 boneless chicken breast halves
Parsley sprigs, to garnish
Hot cooked rice, to serve

How to make it:

Melt half the butter in a skillet over a moderate to high heat, and then add the onions. Saute them for three minutes, stirring often. Take the onions off the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs, apples, salt, parsley and two tablespoons of the apple juice. Stir well. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and wipe the skillet out.

Pound the chicken breast halves between plastic wrap sheets and divide the apple and breadcrumb mixture over the middle of each piece. Roll the chicken breasts up, enclosing the stuffing, and tuck the ends underneath. Use toothpicks to secure them. Add the rest of the butter to the skillet and melt it over a moderate to high heat.

Add the chicken rolls and cook them until they are browned all over. Add two more tablespoons of the apple juice plus the sherry or wine. Cover the skillet and turn the heat down. Simmer the chicken gently for forty five minutes, then transfer it to a serving platter and remove the toothpicks.

Add the cornstarch to the skillet and stir it into the juices until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the remaining apple juice and bring this sauce to a boil. Cook it until the sauce is thick, and then serve the chicken with the hot rice. Pour the sauce over the top and garnish with fresh parsley. Chicken is always an economical and flavorful dinner choice. There are so many recipes for boneless chicken, including grilled chicken recipes, stuffed chicken recipes and chicken salad recipes.

BonelessChickenRecipe.com - Chicken so delightfully moist, you can almost smell it through your monitor.

A Simple and Quick Omelette Recipe

2010-03-06T10:47:00.000-08:00

Best Sushi Recipe - What to Prepare and How to Do It

2010-03-04T10:53:00.000-08:00

Do you want to have a try of your own cooked sushi in the convenience of your home? Try this. Sushi is the most famous Japanese food in the world and a favorite of the natives itself, too. They also prepare this kind of food when there is something special. So, what is a sushi? What are they things needed to make it?

Sushi is a vinegar rice, with many different ingredients including rice. It is artfully designed and with variations in its cooking style. The different types in making a sushi is Nigirizushi, Makizushi, Oshizushi, Inarizushi, Chirashizushi, Narezushi. There are many kinds of sushi but let us try to learn Makizushi. So, the materials needed are: Fukin (kitchen cloth), Hangiri (rice barrel), Hocho (kitchen knives), Makisu (bamboo rolling mat), Ryoribashi (cooking chopsticks), Shamoji (wooden rice paddle), Makiyakinabe (rectangular omelette pan).

Ingredients:

Sushi rice - short grained rice to be combined with rice vinegar, sugar, salt and sometimes, sake or kombu
Nori - black seaweed
Tuna fish and seafoods
Mixtures and fillers - Pickled daikon radishi, pickled vegetables (tsukemono), fermented soybeans (natto) in natto maki, avocado, cucumber in kappa maki, asparagus, yam, pickled ume (umeboshi), gourd, burdock, and sweet corn with mayonnaise.
Flavoring - Wasabi or soy sauce

Steps on how to make a Makizushi:

1. Place the Makisu on your preparation table.
2. Put a Nori on top of the Makisu.
3. Put some rice on top of the Nori and spread the rice evenly.
4. Leave a space on the top and bottom of the Nori, probably an inch.
5. Put some toppings, you could choose anything you like as long as the seafood would be compatible to each other and also put Wasabi on it.
6. Slowly, lift the Makisu and see to it that the Nori should be steady so that it will not be damaged. Make sure both of the sides are with the same size or should be even.
7. Roll the Makisu upward.
8. Place both index fingers on the sides of Makisu and shape the makizushi into a square.
9. Cut the makizushi twice with a very sharp knife.
10. Put them together and cut them into pieces.
11. Finished!

If you cannot find the things that are needed before making a sushi, you can find other means for that. Be resourceful because this recipe would bring you to the Oriental and feel like you are in Japan. Experience the adventure in making your own dish with the feel of the Oriental.
Do you need some great fish recipes to prepare a nice dinner for your family? Then check out my website at http://www.weloveseafood.com. You can find tons of free fish recipes there.

Dreamsicle Cake Recipe

2010-03-04T10:45:00.000-08:00

Tuna Fish Spaghetti Recipe

2010-03-02T10:50:00.000-08:00

It is ironic that one of my favorite spaghetti sauces is one that I was almost too afraid to taste! But thankfully I did because not only is it delicious, it's also extremely easy to make.

I still remember my reaction when my sister-in-law told me she was making tuna fish spaghetti for one of my first visits to her and my brother's apartment. I loved spaghetti but with tuna? I tried to finagle a way out of eating it. Luckily I was unsuccessful because the dish turned out to be an excellent alternative to the pasta dishes I normally prepared. It is delicious and simple to make, plus it is great for a tight budget!

Assemble the following ingredients:
3 large cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 28 oz. can tomato puree
1 small can tomato paste
2 6 oz. cans tuna, preferably in oil
Salt to taste

Peel and mince the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan and lightly brown the garlic. In a pinch, you can use garlic powder (not garlic salt), but the fresh garlic gives a better flavor. Stir in the tomato puree and tomato paste. Simmer for an hour.

Drain the canned tuna, leaving a little oil for flavor. Add the fish to the tomato sauce and heat until the tuna is hot. If you like, you can add salt.

This sauce tastes wonderful with homemade pasta but the store bought variety works well too. Top each serving with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese. Serve with garlic bread and a side salad with vinaigrette dressing. Mangiare!

Mary Tinat has worked for more than 20 years in the fields of writing and public relations. That expertise, combined with her commitment to a healthy lifestyle for herself and her family, led her to write articles about diet and wholesome food. For more information on her work, go to http://www.wordformers.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Tinat

Broccoli Salad Recipe

2010-03-01T10:43:00.000-08:00

Top Five Recipes For Diabetic Meal Plan

2010-02-28T10:37:00.000-08:00

In previous days many housewives used to divide their meal planning for the week into five main recipes. For instance Monday used to be their meatloaf day. On Tuesday they normally serve pork chop and Wednesday was reserved for spaghetti. This method no doubt was convenient. Even if somebody didn't want to stick to that particular routine; still it was better to have some recipes under the belt. Nowadays we generally do not eat like people used to do in previous years. Diabetics must adjust their eating habits. There are many delicious recipes they can eat.

Top five recipes are mentioned here for diabetics.

Chicken Vegetable Pasta: Cook chicken in oven and then cut it in small pieces. Boil some pasta. Add mixed vegetables into water in which pasta is being boiled. Drain pasta and vegetables and take it out in a bowl. Add some salad dressing and then add shredded lettuce and dressing.

Spanish-Style Egg Roll-Ups: Dice onion, pepper and some cayenine. Add these into a pan of scrambled egg. Sprinkle cheese on top. Spoon in a tortilla and simply roll it.

Go Green Pasta: Cook pasta and put it aside. Heat olive oil in skillet and add some green beans, broccoli, green onion or zucchini. Add few drops of water and cook until the vegetables are done. Mix pasta and vegetables. Finally top with cheese.

Baked Chicken with a Zing: Take skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Marinate it in Italian dressing. Place it in the fridge overnight. Roll it in a mixture of herbs, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Put it in a pan and bake it at 350 degrees for around 30 minutes or until brown. Serve with fresh vegetables.

Cream Cheese and Jam Toast: Mix creme cheese (low fat) with a spoon of strawberry jam. Spread it on whole wheat toast.

Have more delicious recipes at Signs Of Diabetes. Also enjoy free diabetic meal plan specifically designed according to your requirements. Feel free to check Diabetic Testing Supplies.

Snow Fungus and Fish Maw Soup Recipe

2010-02-27T10:39:00.000-08:00

Soup have always been the mainstay of my family meals, as this is the easiest dish to imbibe especially for my daughter. After hours of simmering, all the essence of the ingredients must have been incorporated into the soup and this ease body digestion.

To make it flavorful, I added in some spiced vinegar and it's really stimulating the appetite upon first sip of soup!

Fish maw (large fish gas bladder, in Chinese) is usually served braised or in stews, and mostly used in soups. It often served in Chinese households during Chinese new year and is considered a food delicacy in some Asian cultures and one of the luxury ingredients in Chinese cuisine. Fish maw is regarded as a nourishing tonic which is said to promote blood circulation and general health.

Fish maw need to be soaked for an hour until it's pliable, then rinse and scrub clean with paper towel. If you're not comfortable with fishy odour (which most of us do!), the pre-soaked fish maw then bring to boil with a stalk of spring onion, a slice of ginger and half a litre of water, for roughly 10 minutes. Then remove the fish maw and shred.

Ingredients :

1 tsp oil
1 tbsp shaoxing wine
50g fish maw, soaked until soft and shredded
1 piece canned bai lin gu (Pleurotus ferulae mushroom), shredded
1 piece snow fungus, soaked and cut into small pieces
6 water chestnuts, peeled and shredded
1 small carrot, peeled and shredded
150g shrimps

Seasoning :

1 tsp salt
1 tsp chicken stock granules
1/2 tbsp light soya sauce
2 tbsp shaoxing wine
1 tsp sesame oil
Dash of pepper
1000ml water
2 tbsp corn flour, mixed with
4 tbsp water, for thickening
2 egg white, beaten

Method :

1. Heat up oil, add in shaoxing wine and followed by all the ingredients and seasoning. Bring to boil and then simmer at low heat until all vegetables are cooked.

2. Thicken with corn flour water and then mix in beaten egg white. Serve hot.

A passionate home cook, a discerning wife and mother, also a webmaster for http://gladyskockhomeculinary.blogspot.com/ This blog features an easy Asian recipes encapsulating Chinese, India, Malay, Nyonya and Thai cuisines. If you wish to explore wonders of molecular gastronomy with Asian cuisines, please feel free to visit http://gladyskockhomeculinary.blogspot.com/

Exciting Chicken Salad Recipes

2010-02-24T10:35:00.000-08:00

Salad is versatile and can be an appetizer, a lunch, a snack or a dinner. If you are going to serve salad as an entree, it will need to be satisfying and filling enough. Lettuce leaves are a nice garnish but they do not tend to satisfy a hungry person very much! If you enjoy grilled chicken recipes, what about making a grilled chicken salad for dinner?

Grilled chicken has an incredible flavor and you can use it to make the most delicious chicken salad recipes. One great idea is to serve a warm chicken salad. Make a bed of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, chopped cabbage and anything else you want, for the base, and then top it with a mixture of warm grilled chicken and crumbled bacon.

Add blue cheese and walnut halves and serve some Caesar dressing or ranch dressing on the side. Chopped pineapple, pine nuts, maraschino cherries, black olives or raisins would also be nice with such a salad.

Instead of serving grilled chicken with a salad, what about a smoked chicken salad? Smoked chicken tastes fantastic and you can add it to any salad recipe to give an extra flavor dimension.
Even processed chicken slices can be chopped and added to a mixed salad, but cooking some boneless chicken pieces and adding those to a salad is the best way to make the most appealing and wonderful chicken salad recipes.

How to Make a Fancy Chicken Salad

If you are looking for chicken salad recipes which are suitable for a dinner party, you will also want them to look elegant. Use mixed salad leaves and arrange smoked chicken or grilled chicken on top.

For a buffet you will want to serve the dressing on the side, else the salad might go soggy after a while. Use fresh herbs for an elegant garnish and perhaps some colorful ingredients like cherry tomatoes, chopped fresh peach or fresh cilantro to add visual appeal.

Recipe for Grilled Chicken Salad with a Lime Dressing

This recipe is simple to make and the warm grilled chicken is served on a bed of lettuce which has been tossed with a lime dressing. A smooth, delicious peanut butter sauce is drizzled over the top and this Asian inspired recipe is sure to thrill anyone you serve it to. This recipe makes enough for two people.

You will need:

2 warm grilled chicken breasts
4 tablespoons hot water
4 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon ground ginger
4 teaspoons honey mustard
1 teaspoon black pepper
7 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 head iceberg lettuce
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup lime juice
2 cloves minced garlic
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

How to make it:

Combine the peanut butter, hot water, soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil in one bowl. Mix together the lime juice, honey, honey mustard, salt, pepper, oil and garlic in another bowl and stir in the lettuce.

Divide the lime and lettuce mixture between two bowls. Slice the chicken breast and arrange it on top of the lettuce. Drizzle the peanut butter sauce on top and serve.

You can serve chicken salad recipes at any occasion and these recipes range from basic and healthy to luxurious and gourmet. If you enjoy grilled chicken recipes why not make a grilled chicken salad, pairing the warm, juicy chicken with your favorite salad leaves and salad dressing?
BonelessChickenRecipe.com - Chicken so delightfully moist, you can almost smell it through your monitor.

Cooking Vegetarian Family Meals

2010-02-24T09:11:00.000-08:00

Every family can benefit from increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables in their diet. Even if you are not vegetarians, consider cooking a couple of "meat free" meals each week. People who follow a vegetarian diet tend to have lower cholesterol, stronger immune systems and are more likely to maintain a healthy body weight.

Here are some tips to help you make the switch:

Start with a "family favourite" recipe, such as lasagna or bolognese, and modify the recipe for a meat free version. Remember, you don´t have to make the meal solely from vegetables. Use one of the many soya-based meat equivalents.
If you find the thought of cooking a vegetarian meal from scratch a little daunting, buy a couple of supermarket ready meals first. Most stores offer a great choice of dishes and it should be easy to find one that appeals to the family´s taste.
Buy a cheap vegetarian cookbook or download recipe ideas from the internet. There is a wealth of information out there, so there are no excuses for serving limp salads!
When eating out, try to switch to a vegetarian option. Even the fast food chains offer vegeburgers and bean burritos, so making the switch is easy. Just make sure that you go easy on the side orders. French Fries might be made of potato but they are still loaded with fat!
If you find the taste of some vegetarian meals a little bland, use herbs, spices and seasoning to add taste and flavor.
Think of all the recipes that your family enjoys and eats anyway. Chances are that there are quite a few vegetarian meals in the list! Tomato soup, bean salad, coleslaw, macaroni cheese..it should be easy to put together a vegetarian menu a couple of times a week.
Go easy on the higher fat foods such as cheese. It is still possible to gain weight on a vegetarian diet if you eat the wrong foods in large portion sizes. Remember to check that any cheese you buy is vegetarian, as some cheeses are made from animal rennet. Increase your consumption of beans and pulses in tasty stews and casseroles. Legumes are a good source of protein.
If you don´t think you can miss meat out of your recipes altogether, try giving up red meat instead. Switch to chicken or turkey mince in pasta sauces and burgers, as the fat content is considerable lower.
Most cooking styles will have a wealth of vegetarian options available, meaning you can have an extensive and varied repertoire of family meals. Italian pasta sauces, stir fry recipes, mexican food, curries.. the choice is endless.
Many vegetarian dishes can be easily cooked in your slow cooker. Vegetable stew, Winter Vegetable Casseroles, soups and curries. Save time, effort AND calories with these healthy choices.

Try making the switch and see if your family can tell the difference. The first time I made lasagna to the usual recipe, but with soya mince, no-one around the table even noticed. And if your family enjoys the meals so much that you decide to make a lifestyle change, remember that you will have to start checking the ingredients on every food item that you buy. Read the nutritional labels of every product carefully, as animal products do turn up in the strangest places!

You can even adapt your favourite crock pot recipes to be vegetarian. Lisa has with these vegetarian crock pot recipes
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Paterson

Three Crockpot Chicken Recipes

2010-02-23T09:16:00.000-08:00

My crockpot gets quite a bit of use. In the winter, it's wonderful to have a hot meal ready after we all get home in the evening. And in the summer, it's great to not have the oven going during the hot days. I'd like to share some of our favorite chicken crockpot recipes with you:

Chicken and Veggies in the Crockpot

4-6 pieces of chicken

16 ounces of frozen veggies

1 can cream of celery soup

8 ounces of shredded cheese

There are many combinations for this recipe. If you're using chicken breasts, use 3-4 of them. If you use thighs, use 4-6 of them. When I buy the frozen veggies, I look for the combination pack of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. You can also use artichoke hearts or asparagus. It really depends on the flavors you want. If you prefer fresh veggies, chop up celery, carrots, onion, broccoli, cauliflower and even onions.

I'm not a mushroom fan, so I don't use cream of mushroom. Play around with the many cream soups. Try cream of celery or cream of broccoli or any other family favorite. When it comes to the cheese, I try to use a combination of cheddar and Monterey jack. I think this provides a wonderful taste. Other people really like the taste of swiss cheese or Italian blend cheese.

Place the chicken in the crockpot. Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low five to six hours. For a great finish, place a bit more cheese on top ten minutes before serving.

Our other favorite crockpot chicken recipe is chicken and stuffing:

1 box of stuffing mix

4 -6 pieces of chicken

2 cans cream of chicken soup

Follow the package directions on the stuffing mix to moisten. Instead of putting the stuffing into a casserole dish, spread it into your crockpot. Place the chicken on top of the stuffing. Now pour the soup on top. Depending on the size of your crockpot, one can of soup might be enough. If you do use two cans of soup, consider using one can cream of chicken soup and one can cream of broccoli soup.

Cook six to eight hours on low.

The last recipe I'd like to share with you is chicken and fruit. I call it chicken and fruit because you can use whatever fruits you like:

4-6 pieces of chicken

1 can of fruit

1 onion, quartered

Plain chicken broth (optional)

We have tried this with peaches, with apricots and with pineapple. Each recipe came out great. Place the chicken in the bottom of the crockpot. Put the onions around the chicken. Place the fruit on top along with the liquid from the fruit. If you do not have enough liquid from the fruit add in plain chicken broth until you have the correct amount of liquid. Cook on low six to eight hours. I hope your family enjoys these dishes as much as my family does.

Audreys mom always entertained when she was growing up. Audrey learned to prepare for large groups and has often entertained 15-30 people in her home at a time. You can find more great recipes at http://www.recipe-barn.com

The Honey and Black Pepper Beef Recipe

2010-02-22T10:33:00.000-08:00

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Total cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients for the honey and black pepper beef recipe:

oil, for cooking

500 g (1lb) round steak, cut into thin strips

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 onion, sliced

300 g (10 oz) sugar snap peas

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

3 teaspoons cracked black pepper

Directions for the honey and black pepper beef recipe:

1. If you are interested in combining honey with black pepper beef recipe into making a nice meal, first you should heat the wok until very hot, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl it around to coat the side. Stir-fry the beef in batches over high heat. Remove and drain on paper towels.

2. Next step begins by heating the wok. Then add 1 tablespoon of the oil and stir-fry the garlic, the onion and the sugar snap peas until softened and the remove from the wok and set aside.

3. Step 3 begins be adding the honey, the soy sauce, the oyster sauce and the cracked pepper to the wok. Then bring to the boil, and after reduce the heat and simmer for 4 minutes

4. In last step you should increase the heat. Soon after return the meat and the vegetables to the wok, and then toss for 3-4 minutes until well heated through.

Nutritional Value for the honey and black pepper beef recipe:

Protein 30 g; Fat 15 g; Carbohydrate 20 g: Dietary Fibre 4.5 g: Cholesterol 70mg; Energy 1400kJ (335cal)

Hints for the honey and black pepper beef recipe:

1. Heat the wok, then add the oil and swirl it around to coat the side of the hot wok.

2. Once the beef is cooked, remove it from the wok and drain on paper towels.

3. Add the honey, soy sauce, oyster sauce and cracked pepper and bring to the boil.

Shirley M. Duran is a mother of two and a cooking enthusiast and at her website you can find recipes like the rotisserie chicken recipe and others similar as well. For more informations you can visit: http://rotisseriechickenrecipe.info/
Copyright © Shirley M. Duran, All Rights Reserved. If you are interested in using this article make all the urls (links) active. Thank you!

Cooking Vegetarian - Simple Ways To Cook Vegetarian Food

2010-02-22T09:05:00.000-08:00

In all forms of cooking there are some principles to bear in mind that can make it easier. Vegetarian dishes are no exception. Even the simplest recipe can look really complicated unless we understand the basics.

The simplest of all dishes is a one pot stew or casserole. There are vegetarian versions that taste just as good as meat based ones. If you have the essential ingredients to hand you can make a very simple vegetarian casserole.

All you need to do is add a tin of beans such as kidney beans, pinto beans, butter beans of flagellate beans to a root vegetable casserole. You can develop some variations on this theme by adding a topping of breadcrumbs with or without grated cheese and putting it in the oven for a few minutes. You could even add a pastry crust or a cobbler topping and bake it. Dumplings are an excellent addition and make a hearty vegetarian meal.

Vegetarian soups are just as simple. If you cook some lentils, carrots and onions for about 15 minutes you can whizz the whole thing in a food processor to make soup. Season to taste and stir a spoonful of yogurt or creme fraiche into each dish as you serve it. A sprinkling of chopped coriander or parsley adds a special touch.

A pea soup is even easier. Cook some frozen peas in boiling water with a sprig of mint. When they are cooked put them in the food processor. Season to taste and serve. A slice of wholemeal bread makes a satisfying vegetarian lunch.

Another one pot stand by is risotto. A mushroom risotto makes a quick and easy vegetarian supper. Arborio rice cooks in about 10 minutes and it will take about the same to chop up some onions, garlic and mushrooms.

Stir fry is a great vegetarian stand by. The great advantage of this kind of cooking is that you can adapt it to whatever vegetables you have available. If you have some tofu in the store cupboard it is easy to make a vegetarian stir fry. Mushrooms also make a good vegetarian stir fry.

A stir fry is not quite a one pot dish because you will need to cook some rice or noodles to go with it. But noodles are very easy and only take about 10 minutes or less.

Cooking brown rice can be a slow business which puts many people off using it. But the best way to make this essential vegetarian food easy is to invest in an electric rice. cooker. Your rice will be done perfectly every time and become the basis of many easy vegetarian meals.

Abhishek is really passionate about Cooking and he has got some great Cooking Secrets. up his sleeves! Download his FREE 88 Pages Ebook, "Cooking Mastery!" from his website http://www.Cooking-Guru.com/770/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Orange & Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe

2010-02-21T09:03:00.000-08:00

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Since there are many people who cannot eat dairy, eggs or any other animal by-products for ethical, environmental, and health reasons, I wanted to create a quick and easy alternative treats book in the easiest format that you can take full advantage of straightaway. Thus, here's a sample recipe from our book for you to enjoy, rich in flavour, yet quick and easy to prepare.

Lemon & Orange Poppy Seed Cake

Ingredients you will need:

1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
2 Tbsp pure orange juice
1 Tbsp pure lemon juice
Grated rind of 1 small orange
Grated rind of 1 small lemon
3/4 cup water
2/3 cup raw cane sugar
13/4 cups wholemeal Self Raising Flour
1/4 cup vegan margarine (May be substituted with 4 tsp vegetable oil)

This is a dairy-free vegan suitable recipe.

Method for Making ths cake:

1. Mix the flour, sugar, salt, bicarbonate soda, and poppy seeds in a large bowl. Use a wooden spoon to mix.

2. Add the margarine, juices, rinds, and water. Mix well with wooden spoon.

3. Pour the mixture into a well greased cake tin.

4. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes or until the cake springs back up when lightly pressed. Leave to cool.

Then ice it with your favorite icing recipe or simply serve dusted with icing sugar and dairy-free vegan ice cream. You will find vegan and dairy-free alternatives to cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, chocolates, truffles, ice blocks and ice cream, plus healthy based treats and raw foods.

And you will also find some helpful tips on substituting certain ingredients in your cooking in the 'Vegan Secrets Wicked Treats Recipe Ebook' - follow the below link for more information. Rebecca has worked in the vegetarian and vegan industry for many years. She is the founder of http://www.Vegetarian-Secrets.com and http://www.VeganSecrets.com portals with many interesting vegan and vegetarian books, articles, veg living tips, tricks and information on everything vegan, vegetarian and cruelty-free.

Sushi Made Easy - Top 5 Tips to Making Authentic Sushi

2010-02-20T09:14:00.000-08:00

Check out other exciting food recipes!

After all fattening ourselves with chocolates and bacon and lots of wine throughout the festive months, it is time to start thinking and eating healthy.

What better way than to try our palates on some sushi? If you are squeamish about raw fish, don't worry. Sushi is much much more than raw fish. There are gorgeous California rolls, Avocado rolls and literally any kind of rolls that you can conjure which does not involve raw ingredients.
'Credit Crunch', I hear you say? Yes, indeed, I know just too well how expensive sushi is. I have been a victim to my addiction for sushi and had paid silly prices in sushi bars and restaurants. However, I have found a sure proof way to get around this problem.

I was lucky to be let into a little secret, which taught me just how easy it is to carve my own authentic sushi! I just have to share this secret with all Sushi Lovers.

It may sound unbelievable, but you are only 5 Steps away from dishing up an Authentic Looking and Tasting Sushi Platter.

5 Steps to the Perfect Sushi

1) Sushi Rice

This is the essentially the heart of sushi, so if you get this right, you are 80% to making the perfect sushi! It is therefore not surprising that Sushi Experts place so much emphasis on how to prepare Sushi Rice.

Unlike normal long grains, sushi rice grains are a lot starchier. Therefore, the rice grains have to be rinsed in clear water for about 5 times before actually cooking it.

Once the sushi rice has been cooked, loosen it with a wooden ladle and transfer it to a wooden (preferred) or glass bowl. Use a damp clean cloth to cover the bowl to prevent the sushi rice from losing moisture.

*Important* Never store sushi rice in the fridge as the sushi rice will lose its moisture and taste exactly like the hard and gunny sushi that you get from supermarkets or even some sushi restaurants and bars

2) Nori

Very often, we think of nori as just the seaweed sheet for rolling sushi. However, nori plays a very important role in delivering the flavour and aroma of sushi.

To get the most out of a nori, lightly toast it over the hob for 2 seconds. That will give it a crisp texture when you sink your teeth into the sushi roll. Toasted nori are also more aromatic.

Over handling of the nori is a mistake that many sushi amateurs made. Remember to wipe your hands dry before handling the nori and minimise touching the surface of the nori unnecessarily. This will prevent the nori from becoming damp and losing it crispiness.

3) Rolling the Roll

A pretty sushi looking sushi will whet a person's appetite even before he/she bite into the sushi. Hence, care must be taken in rolling the sushi.

Rolling the sushi roll is actually not difficult. The key to this is not to overstuff the sushi with rice and ingredients. You want the sushi to look sufficiently pack, but not overflowing to the point that the nori is not large enough for all your contents.

A thin layer of sushi rice that covers the surface of the nori is sufficient. It may look very little when you spread the rice onto the nori, but once you add your strip of cucumber and carrot or other ingredients that you fancy and roll the sushi, the sushi will get its bulk.

The other trick is to always remember to leave 0.5 inch border on one length of the nori when you spread your sushi rice i.e. there should be a 0.5 inch border on one length of the nori that is not covered with sushi rice. This will allow the nori to sealed easily when you roll it.

4) Cutting the Roll

Have you ever been amazed at how clean cut each piece of sushi looks in restaurants? If you drive a knife through a sushi roll and try to cut it, you will find it very hard to complete your sawing motion. This is because sushi rice is sticky, so the knife will not be able to move smoothly through the roll.
What you need is a sharpen knife so you can avoid excessive sawing motion and more critically, you need a slightly wet knife so that it will run smoothly through the roll. The knife needs to be lightly wet for every single cut.

5) Garnish & Decorations

When it comes to packaging, Japanese is King. It is no different when it comes to their local delicacy. What makes sushi so attractive is not just the colours in the sushi, but also the garnishing and decorations that goes with the sushi platter.

Of course it helps if you are an expert at vegetable carving, but in reality, how many of us are that proficient? That's where play dough cutter comes into play. Just use small vegetable cutters to cut out flower from carrots and cucumbers. To give it more colours, you can use red, green or yellow capsicums as well. Even just strips of these colourful vegetables will spice up your platter tremendously.

Sushi is a very neat dish, so don't scatter your garnishing all over, but place them neatly along side the sushi.

Just remember these tips and tricks and you can most certainly present a platter that's of restaurant standard.

To find out more about how to make sushi, watch a video demonstration of making sushi and obtain more information about The Art of Sushi Dining and get more Sushi Recipes, visit http://www.HowtoMakeSushi.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maggie_Tan

A Great Foccaccia Bread Recipe

2010-02-20T08:59:00.001-08:00

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I adore bread. Indeed, it is almost an addiction with me. My favourite is probably brown bread. I love its nutty taste and what can be better than a few slices of fresh brown bread with either homemade marmalade or thick slices of cheddar cheese? It also brings back memories of childhood, when brown bread was baked daily in houses throughout the land and shop-bought bread came to the table as a treat.

Of course, brown bread is very easy to make. All that you need to do is mix the dry ingredients together with the buttermilk and then pop the mixture into the oven. I mention all this because I have often thought that it is because our traditional brown bread is so easy to bake that we Irish have been deterred from making yeast breads. My own Mother is a good example of what I mean. She was an excellent cook but dismissed any baking with yeast as "too complicated, dear". The truth of the matter is that the baking of most yeast breads is a simple culinary task, only appearing complicated when compared to the ease with which a cake of brown bread is produced.

I am Continental in my habits insofar as I invariably eat bread with any meal that comes with sauces. I particularly have in mind pasta dishes. For example, it would be a misery for me to eat Spaghetti Bolognese without some decent white bread to mop it all up. In this case, brown bread simply will not do. On the other hand, apart from being simple to make, to the point of being foolproof, the recipe which follows delivers a bread that is perfect for this purpose and, like so many of the recipes shared with you, is much appreciated by my adult children. It has been largely inspired by Nigel Slater.

450g strong white bread flour
1½ tsp salt
1 7g packet of fast-acting yeast
400ml warm water
cornmeal
1 tbsp chopped rosemary leaves
olive oil
sea salt flakes

Put the flour, salt (it seems a lot but focaccia is a salty bread and if you want to achieve the required taste, this is the amount needed.) and yeast into a baking bowl and stir in the water. You will end up with a sticky dough.

Flour the work surface, turn out the dough and knead lightly.

Incorporate the flour from the work surface and if the mixture is still wet and sticky (it should be wetter than a normal bread dough).

Knead in a little more until it no longer sticks to the board. Knead in no particular fashion for five minutes or so, then put it into a floured bowl and set aside, covered with a tea towel, until it is has risen to twice its size.

This part of the process will take a good 40 minutes to an hour.

Lightly oil the bottom of a baking tin 30cm in diameter and sprinkle it with a thin layer of cornmeal. The tin is a requirement of the original recipe and it so happened that I had one with the necessary measurement. However, if you don't, I can see no reason why this bread could not be cooked on a large baking tray. In such circumstances, you will then have to roll out the dough until it is roughly 30cm in diameter. Needless to say, it doesn't matter if you fail to produce the perfect circle that is the inevitable result of using a tin. Set the oven at 240C/gas mark 8.

Remove the dough from its bowl (it will sink, but no matter) and then push it into the baking tin.
Cover as much of the bottom as possible but don't worry if this does not prove possible.
Set aside, covered with a tea towel, for a further 20-25 minutes until well risen.

Then, using a floured finger, push several holes into the dough before brushing it all over with olive oil. Scatter on the chopped rosemary (or thyme, if you would prefer) and salt flakes and bake for 25-30 minutes until the bread is a pale gold, crisp on top and springy within.

While the bread is still warm, free from the tin, with a palette knife if necessary.

Now, I live on my own and this recipe clearly serves more than one person. Thus, as soon as it has cooled, I cut the bread into twelve triangular pieces, wrap them in cling film and shoot them into the freezer. Thereafter, I extract them as and when required. Happy eating!

This article is part of The Mutation, an Irish arts and culture blog. The Mutation is the voice of http://www.mutantspace.ie, an online arts co-operative, based in Ireland. We publish articles on everything from music to visual art, theatre to food, book reviews to websites and travel to fiction.
We're always interested to hear what you have to say so if you have something to contribute email admin@mutantspace.ie The Mutation is a free publication and can be found at http://themutation.com

Home Made Detox Recipes For Cleansing

2010-02-17T09:27:00.000-08:00

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Detoxification refers to the process of removing toxic substances from the body. For most people, this means the residue of all of the undigested unhealthy foods that we spend so much time consuming. Benefits of using detox a recipe includes that you will both bring your body to a healthier level, and help you with weight loss.

A detox recipe may include a diversity of ingredients, depending on which area of your body you want to cleanse, as well as what your personal tastes and preferences are. The goal is to detoxify your body with healing foods that will revive your body from within, and increase your energy and overall well being.

Lemon Detox Diet Recipe

One of the easiest detox recipes to make is a lemon drink for replacement of all solid foods for a period of up to a week or even two. You could also simply substitute a meal or two each day with the lemon beverage if you prefer. This drink is created by adding two tablespoons of brown rice syrup along with two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to a glass full of water. You may add a dash of fresh grated ginger for taste and to help your digestive system function. Use in place of solid food whenever hunger strikes.

Fresh Fruit Detox Recipes

Fresh fruit like bananas, apples and strawberries can be used to whip up satisfying detox salads. You can use strawberries, lemon zest, extra soft tofu, and honey to make a delightful dessert.
The apple detox diet advises three days of eating only apples and applesauce, and drinking apple juice and cider. Fruit is a great way of cleansing the body and bringing wellness and vitality to your life.

Prior to having a new detox recipe, you should spend, at the minimum, seven days eating a light nutritional fare for cleansing your colon and readying your body for the more dynamic detox recipes. This includes avoiding junk foods, and maintaining the healthy diet for a full week. Look for detox recipes which include only wholesome ingredients like fresh fruits and vegetables, extra-virgin olive oil, unsalted nuts and seeds, and herbal teas.

Searching for a way to cleanse your body and bring it to a healthier level, why not try a detox recipe? Visit http://www.fountia.com for info on colon detox and detox centers.

Cod Fish Recipes

2010-02-17T09:24:00.000-08:00

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Cod fish recipes are delicious, healthy, and an easy way to make dinner. The great thing about cod fish is that you can make it in a variety of ways. You could bake it or fry it. You can dress it up with vegetables or you can serve the dish bare. The great thing about the dishes is that you can take what you like and incorporate it into the dish to make for a truly unique and delicious meal. You can't go wrong when it comes to making cod fish.

First, when choosing between recipes, consider your needs. Do you want something healthy? If so, avoid frying the fish, as it isn't the healthiest of ways to prepare the dish. Do you want something flavorful? Then consider choosing a recipe that involves using a variety of vegetables or sauces. Do you want something simple? If so, consider a bare-bones recipe that focuses on preparing the cod fish without any other garnishes or ingredients.

Also, consider the amount of time you have to make this meal. If you're in a rush, you may not want to prepare sauces to soak or coat the fish in. Know the amount of time you have to spend making cod fish recipes before looking for the right one for your meal. Also, consider where or not you want fresh or frozen cod fish.

The following is just one of the many cod fish recipes you can make for yourself for others. Though easy to make and inexpensive, this recipe will taste like a dish you might have a fine dining establishment. The recipe is simple and involves tomatoes and cheese, but otherwise, its fairly bare bones.

First, you will need to know your ingredients. You will need: 1 1/2 pounds of frozen cod fillet, 1 teaspoon of butter, salt and pepper, four sliced tomatoes, Swiss cheese (as much as you'd want on the fish), and 1/2 cup of half and half.

To make the cod fish recipe, first remove the fish's skin and bones. Dry the fish using a paper towel. Your oven should be preheated at 375 degrees. Take the butter and melt it. Take your fish and top it with the tomato slices. Sprinkle on as much cheese as you'd like, pour the cream on the fish, and add the butter to a baking dish or pan. You are now ready to bake your fish. Cook your cod fish for 25 minutes or until the fish appears to flake.

You can of course substitute many of the ingredients. For example, if you dislike Swiss cheese, you could always go with cheddar cheese. If you dislike tomatoes, you could always use green peppers instead.

Candis Reade is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about Cod Fish Recipes, please visit Fish Recipes Online for current articles and discussions.

How to Make the Best Creamy Soup Recipes

2010-02-17T09:18:00.000-08:00

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It can be very pleasant to enjoy a mug or bowl of soup on a cold day and soup can be a drink or a meal in itself. There are lots of types of soup recipes to choose from and some people prefer thin, watery types of soup and others like rich, creamy soups.

How to Make Soup Creamy

The obvious answer to the question of how to make soup creamy is to add cream but that is not the only way. If you want to add a touch of creaminess you can use milk or Half & Half instead of cream.
Adding cheese can also enhance the creaminess factor. Adding a splash of milk to a chicken soup recipe or pumpkin soup gives it a richer flavor without adding a lot of calories.

A lot of cream soups are pureed in a blender or food processor because a thick soup does not need chunks of vegetables, fish or meat for texture. There are exceptions to this rule, of course, but you can add texture and color to a cream soup with the garnishes.

What about a creamy pumpkin soup recipes for example? Imagine a bowl of bright orange-colored pumpkin soup garnished with a swirl of cream and a handful of chopped scallions? This is a delicious meal with a perfectly balanced flavor and appetizing appearance.

Recipe for Cheddar and Broccoli Cream Soup

The following recipe makes a deliciously thick and flavorful cream soup recipe. Half & Half is used to thicken it up and the onion, broccoli and carrots are nutritious and tasty. Sharp cheddar cheese adds to both the flavor and the creaminess. This tasty soup is based on chicken bouillon. For a vegetarian soup you could substitute vegetable bouillon if you wanted to. This soup makes enough for four small servings or two big ones.

What you will need:
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 cups chicken bouillon
2 cups Half & Half
1/4 cup butter
1/2 lb fresh broccoli
1 cup julienne-cut carrots
1/2 onion, chopped
8 oz grated cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and black pepper, to taste

How to make it:

Melt the butter in a small pan, and then saute the onion until it is tender. Transfer the onion to a plate using a slotted spoon. Pour the butter into a stockpot. Whisk it for 4 minutes, then gradually and the Half & Half and keep whisking the mixture. Stir in the chicken bouillon and keep whisking.

Turn the heat down to low and add the onion, carrots and broccoli. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes, and then add salt and black pepper to taste. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until it is smooth, and then put it back into the stockpot. With the heat on low, add the cheddar cheese and stir in the nutmeg. Serve this cream soup recipe hot with bread for dunking.

Sometimes nothing but a cream soup will hit the spot and whether you like chicken soup, Pumpkin soup or another variety, homemade creamy soups are so easy to make. A cream-based soup is a warming lunch or dinner and you can make an easy canned pumpkin soup recipe or similar, even if you are new to the world of soup-making. Cream soups can be spicy, sweet or curried and they tend to be as nutritious as they are flavorful.

Find all the best pumpkin soup recipes at PumpkinSoup.org

Two Pork Casserole Recipes

2010-02-15T10:37:00.000-08:00

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Here are two casserole recipes to warm up the winter evenings. Assemble them, pop them into the oven, and enjoy the aroma throughout the kitchen. Add a salad and a beverage for a simple meal.

Ham and Veal Casserole

3/4 pound of veal
1/4 pound of ham
2 tablespoons butter
12 button onions
1 cup tomatoes
1 cup stock or water
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups cubed potatoes
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons cold water
1 cup cooked green beans or peas or both

Cut veal in 4 even pieces and ham in strips. Fry until brown in 2 tablespoons butter. Place in casserole dish. In remaining butter, brown onions. Add to meat with tomatoes and stock heated in frying pan, celery salt, salt, and pepper.

Cover and cook for one hour. Add potato cubes and cook until potatoes are soft. Thicken gravy with flour mixed with cold water. Add green beans and/or peas and serve hot.

Breaded Pork Chops with Tomato Celery Sauce

4 pork chops
Dry bread crumbs
1 onion
1 green pepper
2 1/2 cups tomatoes
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 allspice berries 2/3 cup vinegar
Few grains cayenne, if desired

Season chops with salt and pepper and place in a casserole dish. Sprinkle top of each with dry breadcrumbs, pour in 1 cup boiling water, cover casserole, and bake at 325 for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove cover, sprinkle buttered bread crumbs on top and bake until crumbs are brown.

Visit Homemaking Ebooks for resources on homemaking, family life, recipes, crafts, holidays, and much more.

Awesome Homemade Apple Pie

2010-02-15T10:32:00.000-08:00

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My children and I have a lot of fun making homemade apple pie. Over time, we have been blessed to learn how to make a tasty apple pie. We have also learned, through the process of trying, what equipment and techniques to use in order to cut down the pie making time. I remember making homemade pies with my mom and grandma. Thanks to their love and guidance, I learned how to make good quality pie crust and how to make a good apple pie filling. I am so pleased and grateful to be able to teach my children as well. The kitchen gets a bit messy, but the goal of teaching my children, along with the opportunity for us to spend time together, is well worth having to clean up afterward. To me, having them learn through trial and error about what works and does not work is a valuable life lesson. In addition, having a sense of accomplishment is also very important. I do not think they would learn these lessons of life by simply putting a frozen apple pie into the oven, or adding a can of pie filling to a store bought pie crust. Like many others, we appreciate it when effort is put forth. When it comes to apple pie, the homemade version is definitely worthwhile. The smell of homemade apple pie on a cool autumn evening is simply splendid.

The following recipe is one of my favourites for a tasty homemade apple pie. I highly recommend using ice cubes in the water as really cold water is quite helpful. I also find that a ceramic peeler, the kind that is often used to peel potatoes, also works great for peeling apples. I like to peel the apples over a flexible cutting board as this allows for easy clean-up once the peeling process is completed.

Preheat oven to 190 Celsius, or 375 Fahrenheit

Ingredients for crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup shortening (recommended: Crisco)

Ice water

The recipe for the pie filling follows below.

In a medium-mixing bowl cut the shortening and salt into the flour by hand or with a pastry blender hands until it is the texture of cornmeal. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of ice water over the mixture and mix just until the dough is moistened. Add more tablespoons of water, one at a time, until all the dough is just moist. In most cases, you will only need a few tablespoons of water. Please be careful not to add too much water. Take care not to over mix. Divide the dough in half and roll into a ball. Roll 1 ball into a circle to fit a 9 to 10-inch pie plate. To transfer the pastry to the pie plate, wrap it around a rolling pin and ease it into the pie plate. Be careful not to stretch the pastry. Be sure to put a few pierce the crust with your fork to allow steam to escape. It is especially important to put steam holes in the crust that covers the pie crust filling. Trim it even with the edges of the pie plate. Add the apple filling (ingredients listed below) into the pastry lined pie plate. Make sure they are laying flat. Cut butter into small pieces and put it on top of the filling.

Roll the remaining pastry into a 12-inch circle. Place the crust on top of the pie filling. Trim off 1-inch of crust beyond edge of the pie plate. Crimp the edges as desired. Cut slits to allow steam to escape when baking.

Cover the edges with foil to prevent over browning, or use pie crust shields. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Ingredients for pie filling:

1/2 cup to 1 cup all-purpose flour

6 to 7 cups apples cut into thin slices

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter

In a medium bowl combine the apples, with the brown and white sugar. Add flour, cinnamon and continue mixing until they are well coated.

Be sure to cool pie on a cooling rack. The pie is best served after it has had some time to cool off and "settle" a bit. I cook the pie in a glass pie pan, such as one made by Pyrex. Enjoy!

Laura James is a team leader for Global Resorts Network. Laura is single parent to her children, including her youngest child, her daughter, who has autism. Laura bases her dealings with people on her Christian faith and integrity. She is devoted to helping you find success within the multilevel or network marketing fields.

Please visit Laura's website at

http://www.mlm-home-business.net. Laura James invites you to visit her YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/MapleLeafsFans3