Lettuce wraps are popping up on restaurant menus across America. But, you can enjoy these handheld treats at home anytime. Replace the wrap you were planning on using ---tortilla, pita or bread---with lettuce in almost any recipe. Lettuce wraps are a healthy and low carbohydrate alternative. When making these treats, the key is to cut the lettuce in order for it to hold your favorite filling.
Instructions
1. Cut out the core of iceberg lettuce using a small paring knife. Place the lettuce on a cutting board with the hole where the core was down for stability. Cut the lettuce in half and then into quarters. Remove the outer leaves because they could be dirty. Separate the lettuce into individual cups. Some will be small; others will be large.
2. Remove the core of romaine and green leaf lettuce, and separate leaves. Clean the leaves individually, and pat them dry with paper towels, or put them into a salad spinner.
3. Remove the core of radicchio lettuce with a small paring knife. Place it on a cutting board like the iceberg lettuce. Cut in half. Remove the outer leaves. Separate the rest of the lettuce into individual cups.
4. Add your fillings. The options are endless. Stir-fry, chicken salad, tuna salad and taco meat are all popular choices.
Tags: cutting board, iceberg lettuce, individual cups, into individual, into individual cups
Popsicles are an ice pop that was created in 1905. Over the years, many variations on Popsicles have been created, ranging from chocolate to fruit flavored and in a variety of colors. Whole fruit Popsicles are ice pops that contain chunks of whole fruit. Citrus and berry fruits freeze the best. You can freeze the fruit in their own juices or use white or red grape juice. For citrus fruits, white grape juice is better, and berries pair nicely with red grape juice.
Instructions
1. Pour orange juice into 2 of the Popsicle molds and fill 2/3 of the way.
2. Repeat with the red grape juice in 2 molds and white grape juice in 2 molds.
3. Add 5 grapes to each mold with red grape juice, 2 to 3 orange slices to the molds with orange juice and 2 to 3 peach slices to the white grape juice molds.
4. Freeze the Popsicles for 2 hours.
5. Remove from the freezer. The Popsicles should be starting to set. Insert the Popsicle sticks.
6. Return to the freezer and freeze for 4 more hours before eating.
Tags: grape juice, white grape, white grape juice, grape juice molds, juice molds
Stabilized cream holds its shape and serves as icing.
The traditional slice of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without a generous dollop of whipped cream, adding flavor and decadence. If left to stand, whipped cream separates, melting into a pool of sweet white liquid. By adding a few common ingredients, you can whip up a heavy cream that will hold its shape longer.
Instructions
1. Sprinkle a tablespoon of powered milk over heavy cream after whipping to soft peaks. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Choose a quality powdered milk, and use this cream in non-sweet recipes, such as cheese dips.
2. Substitute powdered sugar for the granulated sugar called for in your recipe when sweetening your whipped cream. Do this is your plan to serve your whipped cream as a desert garnishment. Powdered sugar blends easily into the cream and reduces the moisture content. In addition, most powdered sugars contain a small amount of cornstarch. Cornstarch acts as a thickener and stabilizer.
3. Stir 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin into 2 tablespoons of cold water and allow it to “bloom” for 10 minutes. The gelatin will soften and grow in bulk as it absorbs the water. Heat the mixture in the top of a double boiler until the gelatin is melted and smooth. Cool to room temperature.
4. Whip 2 cups of heavy cream to soft peaks and add the melted and cooled gelatin. Whip the cream until it reaches firm peaks. If you’re going to sweeten the cream, add the sugar at the same time you add the gelatin.
5. Use a cake decorator’s trick, and melt one large marshmallow for every cup of whipping cream. The easiest way to do this is in a small microwaveable bowl. Heat the marshmallow for 5 seconds at a time, and stir as soon as it begins to enlarge. Gently scrape the melted marshmallow into heavy cream whipped to soft peaks. Continue beating until the texture is similar to that of a soft icing. This cream may be piped into borders and simple rosettes.
Tags: heavy cream, soft peaks, whipped cream, your whipped cream, beating until, Continue beating
Turn plain oatmeal into delicious, healthy snack bars.
The consumption of oatmeal has several potential benefits. Oatmeal is believed to lower LDL or "bad" cholesterol, which can reduce the risk of developing heart disease. To achieve these benefits, the oatmeal should be pure and not loaded with sugar and other additives and preservatives. Unfortunately, this is how many commercial oatmeal snacks are manufactured. Homemade oatmeal bars can offer all the benefits of oatmeal at a fraction of the price and minus the unwanted ingredients of their store bought counterparts.
Instructions
Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
1. Grease a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan with butter or margarine. Set aside and preheat an oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place 3/4 cup butter into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir and continue to heat in 15-second increments until it is completely melted.
3. Pour the butter, one package of yellow cake mix and 2 1/2 cups of rolled oats into a large bowl. Stir until the ingredients are well incorporated. The resulting mixture should crumble.
4. Place three cups of the crumble mixture into the cake pan. Spread evenly and pack it down over the entire bottom of the pan.
5. Pour 1 cup sugar-free strawberry jam and 1 tbsp. water into a separate bowl. Stir.
6. Pour the strawberry jam over the crumble mixture in the pan. Spread the jam over the crumbs to form an even layer.
7. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over the jam. Spread into an even layer.
8. Bake the oatmeal bars for approximately 20 minutes, or until the top layer is golden brown. Allow the bars to cool before cutting. Store in a covered container on a pantry shelf or kitchen counter.
Oatmeal Granola Bars
9. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. Pour 1 cup rolled oats, 1 tbsp. unbleached flour, 4 tbsp. corn syrup, 2 tbsp. honey and 1/2 cup raisins into a large bow. Stir.
11. Add one egg and stir until it is well incorporated with the other ingredients.
12. Pour 3 tbsp. sunflower seeds, 1 tsp. cinnamon and 1 tbsp. canola oil into the bowl. Stir.
13. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Pour the ingredients onto the sheet and spread them into an even layer with a spatula. Bake the bars for approximately 30 minutes, or until the top layer is golden brown and the bars are free of moisture. Cool the bars before cutting and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Tags: bowl Stir, crumble mixture, even layer, approximately minutes, approximately minutes until
Much readily available honey is not completely pure.
Much of the honey you see on store shelves is not pure honey. Even honey that is labeled as "pure" or "100% honey" can include additives. The most common additives are water and syrup made from jiggery (also known as palm sugar) --- an unrefined sugar often used in India. Many testing methods to determine the purity of honey involve using chemicals not commonly found at home, but you can check honey purity with little more than water.
Instructions
1. Pour several inches of cool water into your glass.
2. Scoop out approximately 1 tsp. of honey from its jar with a spoon. Pour this honey into the glass of cool water and stir gently for several seconds, then leave the glass alone for several minutes.
3. Examine the glass after several minutes. If the honey is still resting on the bottom of the glass as it was when you left it, the honey is probably pure. If, however, it has dissolved significantly into the water, it is probably not pure honey.
Tags: cool water, probably pure, pure honey, several minutes
Most readily available from August through December, pomegranates are intimidating to some cooks. The fruit's skin can be lightly green colored or bright pink, but it is the red seeds inside that we eat. Getting at the seeds, called arils, and removing them from the skin and membrane of the fruit is the tricky part. Once free, however, the seeds can be eaten fresh (uncooked) or pureed and strained for their juice. They ripen completely on the tree, which means they are ready to eat when you buy them. Store a whole pomegranate at room temperature for one week or in the refrigerator for up to one month. The seeds, once removed, can be stored in a container in the fridge for three days.
Instructions
1. Cut off the crown of the fruit with a knife and score the skin into sections.
2. Place the scored pomegranate in a bowl of cold water and break it apart with your hands, releasing the seeds, the arils, with your fingers as you go. The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl, but the skin and membranes will float to the top.
3. Scoop out the floating fruit pieces and drain the water from the bowl -- now you have a bowl of arils.
4. Use whole arils raw in salads, desserts and salsas.
5. Puree arils in a food processor and strain the puree through cheesecloth to get pomegranate juice. This can be used in vinaigrette, syrup, soup, desserts, alcoholic beverages, you name it. See recipe links below.
Gala and macintosh apples are two of the best types to use for making applesauce.
Unsweetened applesauce should be one of your kitchen staples. There are many uses for it in cooking and baking since it can be substituted for many recipes that call for oils and fats. It is used in making cookies, cakes and other baked goods. Applesauce can also be used as a topping or sauce to pork or poultry dishes such as duck or chicken.
Baking
Applesauce is a great item to use when making cakes and other baked goods. By swapping out oil, eggs, or other fattening ingredients with applesauce, you are able to retain the cakes moisture while reducing the fat and calories. Applesauce isn't a direct swap for baking. Some recipes will call for more or less depending on what you are baking.
Cooking
Applesauce is a great ingredient to use when making pork or poultry dishes. Many times applesauce is used as a side, but adding it to the main dish adds great flavor to your meal. Applesauce can be used as topping when roasting poulty. It can also be made into a sauce by combining it with sauteed onions, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, light brown sugar and Worcestershire and letting it simmer on the stove for several minutes.
Breakfast Foods
Adding applesauce to oatmeal is a great way to get a serving of fruit into your fiber filling breakfast. Instead of adding brown sugar or honey to plain oatmeal, top it off with a hefty spoonful of applesauce and cinnamon. Another way to use it is by toasting bread your usual way and add peanut butter to each slice. Then top each slice with applesauce.
Snacks
Applesauce is a great snack, warm or cold. It can be eaten as is or can be turned into any combination of ideas. It can be mixed it in with plain cottage cheese for filling snack loaded with protein. You can also create a crepe with applesauce by adding it to a plain flour tortilla shell. Fold up the shell and bake in the oven until the crust in lightly browned.
Tags: Applesauce great, with applesauce, baked goods, brown sugar, cakes other, cakes other baked
Dry cheese for spinkling on soups, salads and pasta.
Drying cheese is useful to preserve the dairy product while creating special ingredients necessary for recipes such as chicken parmesan. The trick to successful cheese drying is low temperature combined with constant air circulation and a relative humidity of about 5 percent. A kitchen oven can be used to dry cheese, although a food dryer is less labor intensive, will reduce the time, and uses less electricity. Either way, expect to devote six to 10 hours for drying 1-inch thick pieces of cheese cut into blocks or bricks about 3-by-2 inches. The cheese is dry when it flakes and crumbles with a fork.
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place cheese pieces of uniform size on baking racks or wire racks covered with cheese cloth. It is important that the pieces be elevated from any flat surface so air can circulate.
3. Slide the racks of cheese into the oven.
4. Keep the oven door ajar during drying.
5. Place a tabletop electric fan on top of the oven (make sure the surface burners are off), pointing it down so the air blows into the slightly open oven door.
6. Rotate the racks top to bottom, front to back every half hour to maintain even temperature of the drying cheese.
7. Use a convection oven as an alternative to a standard kitchen oven. A convection oven contains its own fan for air circulation and uses less electricity.
8. Watch out for a skin formation on the surface of the cheese during drying. Cheese skins over when water evaporates from the surface faster than the heat of the oven can extract moisture from the center of the food. If the cheese skins over, it will slow down the drying process because water cannot escape.
Tags: cheese into, convection oven, during drying, kitchen oven, less electricity, oven door, skins over
Store pickled eggs in the refrigerator to prevent a food-borne illness.
Pickled eggs consist of hard-boiled eggs that are peeled and then submerged in a vinegar solution. The vinegar solution can contain a mixture of salt, spices, sugar and other seasonings depending on personal tastes. The eggs sit in the solution for 1 to 2 days so that they absorb the vinegar and other ingredients. Serve pickled eggs as an appetizer, snack or part of a main-course meal.
Instructions
1. Place 12 eggs into a saucepan. Pour water into the saucepan to cover the eggs completely.
2. Place the eggs onto the stove over high heat. Bring the water to a full boil.
3. Remove the eggs from the stove. Cover the saucepan with a lid, and allow the eggs to sit for 20 minutes.
4. Drain the boiled eggs in a colander. Place the boiled eggs in a bowl of cold water. Crack and peel the eggs.
5. Allow the eggs to cool while you prepare the pickling solution. Pour 2 cups of white vinegar into a nonreactive saucepan.
6. Add 1 cup of cold water to the vinegar, 1/2 cup white sugar and 1 tbsp. of pickling spice. Bring the solution to a boil for 5 minutes, then allow it to cool completely.
7. Pour the cooled solution into a clean glass container or jar. Add the peeled eggs to the solution. The eggs must be covered completely with the solution. Add more vinegar if the eggs are not covered.
8. Cover the container or jar with a lid. Refrigerate the pickled eggs for 24 hours before consuming them. Store the pickled eggs for up to 8 days for best results.
Potato wedges, sometimes referred to as jojos or mojos, are a large, thick type of french fries. A crust of seasonings and salt often gives potato wedges their flavor and crisps their exteriors. Soaking potato wedges in brine increases their internal steam point by around 10 degrees Fahrenheit, creating a fluffier interior.
Brining Process
When potato wedges are soaked in brine, their sodium equilibrium increases to around 35 percent to match the surrounding liquid. Sodium equilibrium refers to the salt content of the moisture within the potatoes. This causes the liquids in them to steam at a temperature of around 225 degrees Fahrenheit rather than 212 degrees. This higher temperature cooks their exteriors and breaks down their inner starches more thoroughly. The result is an appetizing contrast of soft innards and crunchy exteriors.
Potato Wedge Brine
Bring 1 gallon of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1/2 cup of kosher salt and boil the brine for five minutes. For more powerful flavor, use 1/4 cup of garlic salt and 1/4 cup of seasoned salt instead of the kosher salt. Remove the brine from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. While it cools, wash the potatoes, peel them if you want, and slice them into wedges. Submerge the potato wedges in the cooled brine. Refrigerate the soaking potato wedges for three to six hours.
Cooking Brined Potato Wedges
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the potato wedges from the brine and pat them dry with paper towels. Place 1/2 cup of potato or rice starch in a mixing bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons of your favorite seasonings. A mixture of ground black pepper, paprika, chili powder and garlic powder works well. Toss the potato wedges with the starch mixture and spread them evenly on the baking sheet. The starch adds more of a crunch to the potato wedges and adheres the seasonings to their exteriors. However, if you want to cut calories, skip the seasoned starch mixture and place the dried potato wedges on the sheet as they are. Bake the potato wedges for 25 to 35 minutes, or until they are fluffy throughout. Remove the potato wedges from the oven, allow them to cool for 10 minutes and serve while warm. A dip such as ketchup, barbecue sauce or horseradish adds a pleasant flavor contrast.
Leftovers
Package leftover potato wedges in an airtight container and refrigerate them within two hours of baking. Consume the brined potato wedges within four days. To reheat them, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Heat the potato wedges for 10 to 15 minutes. Oven reheating keeps potato wedges crispy. Alternately, preheat a skillet over medium high and stir the potato wedges constantly for 10 to 12 minutes. To save the brined potato wedges for more than four days, place them in a plastic bag and freeze them. Reheat them in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Use a food thermometer to test the internal temperature of reheated potato wedges to be sure they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Tags: potato wedges, potato wedges, potato wedges, baking sheet, their exteriors, around degrees, around degrees Fahrenheit
Sweet potatoes are a naturally sweet and starchy vegetable that can be used year round to help add color, flavor and nutrition to your meals. While typically red in color, sweet potatoes can have white, yellow, orange or purple skin. Sweet potatoes are available throughout the year and are often found in Southern cuisine, as well as Spanish, German and French recipes. Though they may taste slightly sweet, they can be used in all parts of a meal from appetizers and entrees to desserts.
Instructions
1. Peel your sweet potatoes. This step is not necessary, but can help to decrease the overall cooking time of your cubes. According to the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission, sweet potatoes have over four times your daily recommended intake of beta-carotene when eaten with the skin on. Regardless of whether or not you peel your potatoes, thoroughly wash potatoes before peeling to help remove any dirt or dyes.
2. Cut the potato lengthwise into large planks. A large potato will typically yield approximately three to four planks, however the width can be varied depending on how large, or small, you want your cubes.
3. Cut the planks into strips. Keeping the planks together, lay the potato down and on its side and cut the planks into narrow strips. The thickness of the strips depends on your preference and recipe needs.
4. Cut strips crosswise into cubes. This can be done while keeping the strips together to help minimize the amount of cuts needed. Try to cut cubes as close to the same size as possible. This will help the cubes to cook evenly. Otherwise, smaller cubes may cook faster than larger cubes and may result in overcooked or burnt sweet potato.
Velveeta Pepper Jack tops a chili corn chip casserole.
One of Kraft Foods' most popular items, original Velveeta cheese blend has been sold nationally since 1928. Pepper Jack Velveeta is a new twist on this familiar food. Velveeta's name comes from the word "velvet" and associates the fabric's smooth, rich texture with that of the cheese product. The predominant cheeses in original Velveeta are Swiss, Cheddar and Colby; Pepper Jack Velveeta adds a fourth cheese to the mix with Monterey Jack.
Nachos and Dips
Whey protein, milk protein and alginate give Velveeta its characteristic smoothness and make it melt easily. Velveeta Pepper Jack shares the original cheese product's smoothness, but spikes the mild flavor with jalapeno peppers and a dash of vinegar. As Pepper Jack already contains the peppers that usually go with nachos, cooks can skip the step of adding them to a nacho sauce or Mexican-style queso dip. Mix 1 lb. of Velveeta Pepper Jack and a can of diced tomatoes, then microwave until the cheese melts for a simple queso dip or nacho topping.
Hamburgers
Hamburgers are always near the top of the list of most popular American foods. Adding a layer of cheese to this favorite enhances the appeal. Top a hamburger with a slice of Velveeta Pepper Jack and thinly sliced avocados to make a cheeseburger with a Southwestern flavor. Combine shredded Velveeta Pepper Jack with chili on a burger for a chili cheeseburger. Pepper Jack also works on vegetable patties to punch up the flavor of a veggie burger.
Macaroni and Cheese
Use Velveeta's Pepper Jack cheese to add another dimension to traditional macaroni and cheese. Velveeta makes a smooth sauce that lends itself equally well to baked macaroni or stove-top preparations. Melt 1/2 lb. of Velveeta Pepper Jack in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add 1 tbsp. of butter, 1/2 cup of milk and 2 tbsp. of flour to make a cheese sauce. Stir in 2 cups of cooked macaroni. Either serve the dish as is or place it in a casserole and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese browns.
Vegetables
Each 1 oz. serving of Velveeta Pepper Jack cheese blend provides 100 mg of calcium and 80 calories. Pour melted Velveeta over a cup of steamed broccoli for a small meal or substantial side dish for under 150 calories. Pepper Jack Velveeta also goes with cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and green peas. Stuff mild banana peppers with the spicy cheese blend and roast or grill the peppers until their skins brown for a lower-calorie version of chiles rellenos.
Casseroles and One-Pot Meals
Skillet meals and casseroles combine vegetables, protein and starch in a single dish. Velveeta Pepper Jack adds flavor to one-pot meals. Shred it on top of a meaty chili or mix it with pasta and ground beef for a one-pot dish that's ready in minutes. Thicken cream-based soups with a few cubes of Velveeta; the whey protein in the cheese blend imparts a smooth texture.
Tags: Pepper Jack, Velveeta Pepper, Velveeta Pepper Jack, cheese blend, Jack Velveeta, Pepper Jack Velveeta, cheese product
Artichokes are full of good benefits that supply our body with nutrients to lead a healthy life. Steaming is the most popular form for cooking artichoke. This tutorial will show you the easy and proper way for steaming artichokes, after preparing them for cooking.
If you would like to know prepare artichokes before cooking, visit my other article; link under the "Resources" section at the bottom of this tutorial. Instructions for steaming and eating artichokes >>
Instructions
1. Fill a pot with about 2" to 4" of water, depending on the artichoke size and amount you'll be steaming. Adding a pinch of salt and/or a squirt of lemon juice is optional. Bring water to a boil.
2. Use a steamer basket to cook your artichokes or just place them in the boiling water. Turn heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour; depending on the size and amount in your pot. When simmering, check water level often to prevent drying out. Test with a fork, they are done when the bottoms are tender and leaves are softened.
3. Remove steamed artichokes from heat. Enjoy them with your favorite dip, butter, or sauce while peeling artichoke leaves off from stem with your fingers. While eating, pull the leaf through your teeth, scraping the tenderest part. Throw away the rest of the leaf that is fibrous, and then continue with the rest of the leaves on the stem.
Whether it's spring or summer when love is in the air it is a great time to have a romantic picnic. Creating the perfect picnic is easy but making it romantic takes only a few extra steps.
Instructions
1. The first step on your quest to the perfect romantic picnic should be location. Find a beautiful place with exquisite scenery for your picnic of love. Many areas have nature conservancies that can give you guides to great locations on hiking trails or for a nice place to picnic.
2. Now that you have your location set you need to pack your picnic basket. Your basket should include food that will go well with the wine you have chosen. White wines go well with mild cheeses and sweet fruits. Red wins pair excellently with sharp cheeses and chocolates. Pack your other half's favorite foods to show how much you care. Include your wine glasses, plates and your candles sticks in the basket.
3. After you have packed up your basket find a suitable blanket that can be laid out on the ground for your picnic. Fold this up neatly and gather your basket, wine and the blanket. Hide these in the trunk of your car or in a back pack if possible. A romantic picnic is great when it is a surprise.
4. Take your other half to the location designated for your romantic picnic. Once you get there gather your gear to set up the spot. Lay out your blanket. Use the basket to hold one end of you blanket down. Now take out your candles and place them in the center of the blanket. Light them with the matches.
5. Once you are set up now is the time to open the bottle of wine. Please drink responsibly. Serve your other half first with a romantic smile. Eat, be merry and love each other well.
Tags: romantic picnic, other half, your other, your other half, your picnic, gather your, well with
When dinner time rolls around, many families are left scrambling trying to figure out what they have in the cabinets to eat. If you learn to create a monthly meal plan, however, you can not only take the guess work out of making healthy meals for your family, you can also save a lot of money in the process. Here's start.
Instructions
1. Create a recipe file. This doesn't have to be anything elaborate, just gather together all of your favorite recipes and put them in a binder or index card file. As you come across new recipes, simply put them in your file to include in future menus.
2. Pick out 20 to 30 recipes for the month. The number of meals you plan will depend largely on the size of your family and the way you cook. If you usually have lots of leftovers, you can choose 20 recipes and eat leftovers one or two nights each week. If you eat out once a week, just factor this into your monthly meal count.
3. Do an inventory of what you have on hand. This step is crucial to saving money. Go through your cabinets and see what you have, and cross-reference it to the meals you plan to create the next month. Then create a grocery list based on the items that you still need to buy.
4. Post your meal plan on the fridge. When you create a monthly meal plan, you don't have to decide right away what meals you'll eat on which nights. Type up the meals that you plan to make and then cross them off the list as you make them.
Pineapple-flavored rum, lemon-flavored vodka; whatever your alcohol or fruit flavor of choice, you can make it on your own (and save on the liquor store markups). It makes a great addition to summer cocktails and other fruit-flavored beverages.
Instructions
1. Remove the rind from the fruit of your choice. Unless it's a fruit where you can eat the skin (such as apples), you should remove all of the rind.
2. Chop the fruit up into bite-sized chunks. When cut up, there should be one cup per liter of alcohol used.
3. Put the fruit into the bottom of your pitcher. Leave any excess juice--it'll add to the flavor.
4. Empty the liter of alcohol into the pitcher.
5. Let sit at room temperature overnight.
6. Chill about 8 hours before drinking.
7. Remove the mixture from the refrigerator. Carefully pour the liquor through a strainer and into another pitcher for serving. Make sure not to pour the fruit with it.
8. Serve your infused alcohol straight or in a mixed drink.
9. Take the fruit and put it into a Tupperware container. The fruit is now alcohol-soaked and can be served like a combination between an appetizer and a shot. Make sure to keep it chilled for the best flavor.
Martha Stewart's Macaroni and Cheese recipes call for ingredients that are not in the budget of the average household. Most people just don't have Gruyere cheese or white sharp cheddar sitting around the kitchen. This budget version may do in a pinch. The recipe uses more common cheese and fewer ingredients. The Stewart recipe also produces far more mac and cheese, but the budget version will produce enough for 6 people.
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the crusts from the white bread, and tear the bread into pieces no longer than 1/2 inch long. Butter a 2 qt. casserole dish and set it aside.
2. Place the bread pieces in a medium bowl. Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a cup in the microwave for approximately 45 seconds. Pour the butter into the bowl with the bread and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside.
3. Heat the milk in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Melt the remaining 3 tbsp. of butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add flour after the butter bubbles. Stir the mixture for 1 minute.
4. Slowly pour hot milk into the flour-butter mixture while whisking. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
5. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the salt, nutmeg, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheddar and 1/2 cup Parmesan, then set the cheese sauce aside.
6. Fill a large saucepan with water and bring the water to a boil. Add the macaroni, and cook it for 2 to 3 fewer minutes than the package directions. Transfer the macaroni to a colander and drain well. Stir the macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/4 cup Parmesan; scatter breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before serving it.
Red wines are usually the appropriate choice to pair with pasta and red sauce.
Wine and food pairing can play a part in creating a memorable dining experience. A culinary tradition in many cultures, wine has been a familiar staple at dinner tables throughout history. In contemporary times, selecting the right wine to complement a meal is considered an art. In the restaurant industry, sommeliers play provide recommendations for diners. Classes, courses and wine tastings teach that the basic premise in mastering the art of wine selection requires an understanding of how the texture and flavors of wine and food interact with one another.
Instructions
1. Know the basic ingredients and flavorings in the pasta dish. Determine whether the sauce is heavy and chunky or smooth and thin. When dining out, the menu description or your server can provide you details about the dish you are ordering.
2. Determine the type of pasta being served. From angel hair strands to bow ties and shells, pasta noodles come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes which define their weight and texture. The weight and texture of the main course are key factors to consider in selecting a good wine to go along with the meal.
3. Select a Chianti if the pasta dish is highly textured and heavy with chunky chunky tomatoes or mushrooms as main ingredients of the sauce. White wines such as Chardonnay will go well with seafood pasta dishes with red sauce. Shiraz is an ideal match to go with large stuffed pastas such as ravioli and manicotti. Pinot Gris and Zinfandel can also work with these dishes.
This Italian-American classic features braised chicken pieces in a tomato broth. It's great on its own or over pasta. This recipe serves four.
Instructions
1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season it well with salt and pepper.
2. Dust the chicken all over with flour and shake off as much excess as you can.
3. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
4. When the oil is nice and hot, add the chicken and brown it on all sides. Be careful not to let it get too dark.
5. Remove the chicken and add the onion.
6. Saute the onion until tender, stirring frequently.
7. Cut the tomatoes into large pieces and add them to the onion. Reserve all the juices.
8. Add the wine and let mixture come to a boil.
9. When the wine has almost boiled away, return the chicken to the pan.
10. Add the bay leaf and 1/2 c. parsley, the reserved tomato juice and the broth.
11. Lower the heat to a very slow simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
12. During cooking, skim off all the foam and oil that rises to the surface.
13. Place the chicken on a serving platter, remove the bay leaf, and spoon the sauce over the top.
14. Sprinkle on the remaining parsley and serve.
15. If you prefer a thicker sauce, place the chicken on a platter and simmer the sauce rapidly until it thickens. An optional step is to puree the onions and tomatoes into the simmered sauce with a hand blender or food processor.
Vinegar is an acidic liquid that is primarily composed of water and acetic acid. Vinegar adds an element of bold, tart flavor to soups, sauces and other dishes. You may start to panic, however, if you discover that you have accidentally added too much vinegar to your soup. The strong taste of vinegar can overpower the flavors of the soup's other ingredients. You can remedy this problem through multiple actions that will help to counteract the excess vinegar in your soup.
Instructions
1. Double the ingredients in your recipe without doubling the vinegar. Creating a larger amount of soup will dilute the concentration of the vinegar.
2. Add water if your soup is water-based and milk or cream if the soup is milk- or cream-based. Add gradually, by half-cup increments, until you achieve the taste and consistency you want.
3. Add chopped vegetables to the soup. Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, beans or corn are especially good at neutralizing strong flavors.
4. Add a teaspoon of sugar to the soup to take the bite out of the vinegar's tart taste.
Tags: your soup, flavor soups, Vinegar adds, vinegar your, vinegar your soup
Christmas offers a wonderful opportunity to entertain family and friends. Many people choose to hold an open house or sponsor a traveling dinner during the holidays. No matter the specific type of dinner or party, however, providing something sparkling and fresh to drink is an absolute necessity. However, providing wine or champagne for everyone may not be financially feasible. A great alternative to that is providing a sparkling champagne punch instead. Here is a recipe that should suit almost everyone's needs.
Instructions
1. Determine how many punch bowls of champagne punch are likely to be needed. An average size punch bowl will serve between 12 and 18 people.
2. Calculate the amount of each product necessary in order to make the punch. It's better to have too much punch than not enough.
3. Gather the ingredients together. Make a trip to the store to purchase everything as needed.
4. Thoroughly chill the champagne, cranberry cocktail and soda before making the punch.
5. Semi-thaw the frozen lemonade. You want it soft enough to be removed from the can easily but not in total liquid form.
6. When you are ready to put the punch together, open the champagne. Be sure not to shake the bottle before opening.
7. Put 1/4 of the cranberry cocktail (about 12 oz.), soda and the frozen lemonade (about 6 oz.) into each punch bowl. Stir all together until the lemonade is totally thawed. Taste the drink for tartness and sweetness, adding water by 1/4 cup amounts until you achieve the flavor desired.
8. Pour 1/2 bottle of champagne (roughly 12 oz) into each punch bowl. Add enough ice to keep the ingredients properly chilled.
9. Float a few fresh cranberries on top of the punch for color and décor. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tags: punch bowl, champagne punch, cranberry cocktail, each punch, each punch bowl, frozen lemonade, into each
Core an apple for baked apples using a paring knife.
The sights and scents of baked apples on a crisp afternoon are a sure sign that the autumn season is in full swing. Baked apples are delicious in their simplicity, with brown sugar, cinnamon and butter stuffed tightly down into the center of the apples before baking them. Core an apple for baked apples using simple kitchen tools and you will soon be finished preparing a tasty baked apple treat.
Instructions
1. Wash the apples prior to coring them. Remove all surface dirt from the apples and place them onto the cutting board.
2. Insert the tip of the paring knife approximately 3/8-inch to one side of the center stem of the apple. Push the tip of the knife into the apple and rotate it around to cut out an even circle around the stem of the apple.
3. Push the knife into the apple and angle it under the stem to remove the entire stem from the top of the apple.
4. Insert the tip of the spoon into the hole in the center of the apple. Dig out the core of the apple, including the seeds, with the spoon and discard these pieces. Continue digging until you remove the entire core area of the apple.
5. Dig with the spoon until you reach approximately 1/2-inch from the bottom of the apple. Do not cut all the way through the entire apple---leave this 1/2-inch of apple at the bottom to contain the brown sugar and other fillings you will add to the empty core area. Make the hole in the center of the apple approximately 3/4-inch wide.
Tags: baked apples, apple baked, apple Push, apple Push knife, apples using
Since the early 1900s commercial candy companies have been making wrapped chocolate candy bars. Chocolate bars are usually made from chocolate that has not been separated from the fatty solids. However, cocoa powder has already had much of the fat (or cocoa butter) removed. To make a chocolate bar using cocoa powder, fat needs to be added to the mixture.
In this recipe, shortening is used for fat; butter can also be used. Note that these chocolate bars are best used as a substitute for baking with chocolate; if eaten plain, they will taste much grainier than traditional chocolate.
Instructions
1. Purchase a candy bar mold from a crafts store such as Hobby Lobby or Michaels. The candy bar mold used for this recipe is a small mold, about 2.5 inches long and 1 inch wide for each candy bar. Other sizes may be used, but the quantities in the recipe should be adjusted.
2. Chill the candy mold in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
3. Mix cocoa powder, sugar, and shortening together in a microwave-safe mixing bowl.
4. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes on high heat. Mix every 30 seconds. Once shortening is soft and melted, stir for about 10 seconds to dissolve the sugar. If desired, heat the mixture in the microwave for an additional 20 to 30 seconds to further dissolve the sugar crystals.
5. Pour the chocolate mixture into the candy mold until the mold section is full, but not overflowing.
6. Refrigerate 6 to 8 hours until chilled and firm.
Tags: candy mold, cocoa powder, dissolve sugar, this recipe
Rent a popcorn machine for your next event and serve up a fresh, warm, crunchy treat.
Any gathering becomes special when the tantalizing aroma of popping corn fills the air. For a school carnival, store opening, church bazaar, neighborhood block party or fundraiser, rent a popcorn machine to pop the mountains of popcorn needed. The best popcorn kernels for a large popcorn machine are those that pop up big and fluffy. With small-popping kernels, you need a lot more to get the same volume, and you'll be manning the popcorn machine for a much longer time.
Monarch Butterfly
Butterfly popcorn pops into a distinctive, many-petaled shape. Monarch butterfly is a yellow-hulled butterfly variety that pops up large, fluffy and tender. The flavor is rich and silky. Its high yield makes it excellent for use in a large popcorn machine. Add 2 cups of kernels to the hopper with 1/2 cup coconut oil and 1 1/2 tsp. salt to produce several gallons of popped corn.
Mushroom Flake
Mushroom flake popcorn pops into a flattened sphere with a craggy surface. It's usually used for caramel corn and for shipping in gift containers, but it also makes an excellent corn for fresh popping. Mushroom flake is a large-popping mushroom variety that is not as tender as butterfly, but has a bold taste and enjoyable crunch.
Thistle Pink
Thistle pink is an exceptionally large-popping butterfly variety. The name derives from its pink hull. The flavor is delicate, bordering on sweet. Mix thistle pink with monarch butterfly for visual interest. When the popcorn is popped, the shredded bits of hull still visible among the pillowy explosions of starch are subtly colorful.
Midnight Blue
Midnight blue popcorn is a butterfly variety with a dark blue hull that contrasts strikingly with its white flesh after popping. The flavor is mildly nutty. It doesn't pop up as large as some other varieties, but its coloring and flavor make it excellent for mixing in with larger-popping kernels when making big batches in a popcorn machine. Its tender hull is also a plus when mixed in with varieties whose hulls form sharper shards after popping.
Tags: popcorn machine, butterfly variety, after popping, large popcorn machine, makes excellent, Mushroom flake
Breakfast is the most often skipped meal of the day, but it is important to your health to start the day with a healthy breakfast. Eating breakfast helps you concentrate better, boosts your metabolism and helps prevent unhealthy eating throughout the rest of the day. Breakfast bars from the grocery store can be expensive and full of extra sugar, so making your own bars at home is an easy solution that allows you to save money and decide exactly what you want in your breakfast bars.
Ingredients
To make your own breakfast bars you will need dry oatmeal, your choice of fruits (bananas, apples and berries work well), eggs, butter, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. You can use fresh, frozen or dried fruit to make breakfast bars. Chop up the fruit into small chunks about the size of a raisin. If you use bananas, you will mash them up into the entire mixture rather than leaving small chunks. Other ingredients you might include are nuts, peanut butter, honey, bran, flax seed, chocolate chips, crushed cereal, granola, coffee grounds or cinnamon. Make the breakfast bars healthier by using honey or agave nectar instead of brown or granulated sugar or find a recipe that doesn't require butter.
Cookware
To make breakfast bars, you need a small- and medium-sized mixing bowl, a sturdy spoon or spatula, a greased cookie sheet or baking pan, measuring cups and spoons, wax paper and a tin or plastic container. Mix wet ingredients and use the cookie sheet if you want to bake the bars individually. Use the baking pan if you plan to bake the bars as one sheet and cut them, like brownies.
Baking
Spread the mixture evenly in the baking pan, or form small, 2-inch loaves with your hands if using a cookie sheet. Most breakfast bar recipes advise you to bake your bars at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 30 minutes depending on the thickness of the bars. The bars should appear slightly brown on the edges when they are done baking. Allow the mixture to cool completely before cutting into squares and storing. Place breakfast bars in a single layer at the bottom of your tin or plastic container, cover with wax paper and put another layer of bars on top. The wax paper prevents the bars from sticking to one another.
Tips
Grease your hands and spatula or spoon before handling the breakfast bar mix so that it does not stick to you or the utensils. If you prefer crisp bars rather than chewy bars, bake longer than directed. You will also want a recipe that calls for more dry goods instead of liquids and fruits. Visit Cooks.com for a long list of breakfast bar recipes to suit any needs.
Enhance a cake with an enchanting fairy-inspired topper.
Create an ethereal, pastel frosting-topped cake for a young girl's fairy-themed birthday party. Design a one-of-a-kind cake using an eye-catching fairy-inspired topper. Buy a topper from a party, cake or craft supply store, or make one yourself for a personalized touch. An edible topper is a sweet option, while a figurine-style topper will become a cherished reminder of the birthday party.
Tinkerbell-Inspired Topper
If you are hosting a Tinkerbell-themed birthday party for your daughter, design a themed cake topper using a combination of store-bought and handmade items. Decorate a dome-shaped cake with white, pink or purple buttercream frosting. Use icing or a frosting bag to write a special message on the cake. To create the enchanting topper, insert a new plastic Tinkerbell doll through the center of the top of the cake, so only the doll's torso, head and arms are visible. Fill a tiny-tipped pastry bag with green frosting and use it to create Tinkerbell's dress. Cover the doll's torso with a frosting bodice and extend the dress-inspired design over the top of the cake.
Enchanted Garden-Themed Cake
Transform a sheet cake into an enchanted garden using brightly colored frosting and fairy-shaped toppers. Cover a cake with a layer of grass green fondant or buttercream frosting to set the stage for the look. Create flower patterns all over the cake using bright pink, orange, purple and yellow frosting-filled pastry bags equipped with floral-shaped tips; use a separate pastry bag for each color to avoid mixing the hues. Create a "pond" with turquoise frosting. Finish the cake by placing a variety of plastic fairy-inspired cake toppers all around the top to resemble a "fairy garden gathering."
Fairy Tale Cake
Delight the birthday girl with a pastel-hued cake fit for a fairy tale princess. Cover a two-layer cake with decadent white fondant and wrap a pink organza ribbon around the bottom layer for a sweet look. Create light pink frosting flowers all over the bottom layer using a pastry bag featuring a floral tip. As another option, insert heart, flower or star-shaped plastic picks in the bottom cake layer. Top the cake with an elegant winged fairy figurine wearing a frothy pink tulle skirt and carrying a banner reading "Happy Birthday."
There's no single recipe for "smothered chicken." The dish means different things to different people. Some cooks use a tomato-based gravy while others add brown gravy; some add vegetables and some don't. But all cooks agree that baking smothered chicken the right way requires using the right equipment and following a proven technique. The steps below explain bake a winning smothered chicken.
Instructions
1. Select bone-in chicken pieces with skin. Boneless pieces bake too quickly and don't add enough depth of flavor. Skinless chicken dries out and tastes bland.
2. Choose a large, heavy bottomed casserole with a tight cover. Your best bet is enameled, cast iron cookware.
3. Start with seasoned, floured chicken. Make sure the chicken is well-browned. Prepare enough vegetables or sauce to smother the chicken so that it doesn't dry out during baking.
4. Place the smothered chicken in the casserole with a minimal amount of liquid. Putting too much liquid "stews" the chicken rather than baking it. Then double-wrap aluminum foil over the pot and place the cover on tightly. This lets the chicken's natural juices accumulate during baking.
5. Start and end with a moderate oven so that the smothered chicken bakes slowly. Maintain a constant temperature of 325 degrees during at least two hours. Your goal is to bake the chicken slowly until it is well done and the meat removes easily from the bone.
6. Add wine or beef during the last 30 minutes of baking. Remove the cover from the casserole to allow the alcohol to evaporate.
Tags: smothered chicken, casserole with, during baking, Start with
There are several good reasons for making your own Cajun seasoning. Many commercial brands are not only packed with flavor, hence their popularity, but also packed with salt, and so mixing your own is a good way to control salt content. Some also list MSG as an ingredient, a flavor enhancer that some consumers prefer to avoid. Then there is the cost. Making your own batch is not only thrifty, it also allows you to experiment with the relative proportions and adjust the components, even add additional herbs or spices to match different dishes.
Cajun Versus Creole?
Forget the labels. When it comes to this classic seasoning mix, the lines have been merged and some commercial Louisiana-style mixes are called "Cajun," while others are labeled "Creole." Of course, Louisiana culinary experts know there is a difference between Cajun and Creole cooking--Cajun cooking is country cuisine, while Creole is more often its city cousin--but on grocery store spice racks the two terms have become interchangeable.
Salt or not?
Decide whether you want to make a salt-based seasoning mix or not. Salt can be added during the cooking process in stews and sauces, but if you are making a seasoning mix as a rub for grilled foods consider starting with a salt base. Salt substitutes can be used, but they are sometimes bitter and since they can be high in potassium may not be safe for everyone--check with your doctor first. If you opt for salt, kosher salt is favored by most chefs. Table salt has anti-caking additives that can give it a sharp flavor. Sea salt also is a good choice as a base, but kosher salt is much cheaper. Use a basic 2:1 ratio, starting with two parts salt and then one part of each spice or herb flavoring.
Black and white basics
Add equal amounts of the following black and white ingredients to the salt, or mix them together if not using salt. Use freshly ground black pepper, coarsely ground pepper can add texture to grilled meats, or opt for finely ground pepper if you plan to use your seasoning mix in stews, sauces or on fish. Add ground white pepper, garlic powder or granules (NOT garlic salt which would add more salt to the mix), and onion powder.
Sweet or spicy
Don't be fooled by so-called Cajun food served in some restaurants beyond Louisiana, Cajun food is not spicy hot, as legendary Louisiana chef and food encyclopedia author John Folse notes on his website. Our seasoning mix heeds Folse's advice and takes inspiration from another master, Louisiana Chef Emeril Lagasse, who uses sweet red pepper in his famed "Essence." To your black and white mix, add a double dose of sweet Hungarian pepper and one portion of cayenne red pepper.
Herb flavors
Add dried thyme to the mix. This gives the mix an herbal quality. Pour into a small bottle, cap, label and mark the date. The mix can be stored up to six months without loosing flavor.
Variations
Adjust your formula to match your taste or the specific dish. Add more garlic powder for stews or on grilled steak. Add a little more cayenne if a more heat is your style. For a smokey flavor, try a non-traditional twist and smoked Spanish "pimenton" or paprika. It comes in two styles, "dulce" (sweet) and "picante" (hot). For pork dishes, give your seasoning an herbal flavor by adding dried oregano. For fish, try adding dried parsley to your mix.
Tags: adding dried, black white, Cajun food, garlic powder, ground pepper, kosher salt
Yahoo is one of the Web's most reliable and long-standing email providers. This service is free and it's fast and easy to set up your own email account at Yahoo. Enjoy the efficiency of corresponding in style with your new Yahoo Mail account.
Instructions
Navigate Yahoo Web Pages
1. Visit the Yahoo Mail home page to take the first step to creating your own email account at Yahoo (see Resources below).
2. Click on the 'Sign Up' link that appears somewhere near the top of the Yahoo home page.
3. Enter your name and other requested information in the fields provided.
Choose Your Username and Password
4. Create a username that you will be comfortable using for a long time and will identify you to your email recipients. Remember that you can use numbers and letters and even a single dot.
5. Type the username you choose in the field provided. Check the availability of your username by clicking the box below that reads 'Check Availability of This ID.' You may have to think of an alternative username if your top choice is already taken by another Yahoo user.
6. Choose a password when you have successfully entered a unique username. Passwords must be at least 6 characters long and keep in mind that passwords are case-sensitive. You will be asked to type your password twice to ensure accuracy.
Enter Security Information and Verify Your Registration
7. Select a question from the following drop-down menu as your security question. Yahoo will ask you this question if you should forget your password in the future, in order to verify that you are the correct user.
8. Type in your answer to the question in the field below.
9. Enter your birth date, zip code and any other requested information in the fields provided. Entering an alternate email address is not required but it's good to give Yahoo personnel a place where you can be reached if for any reason you do not have access to your Yahoo account.
10. Verify your registration by typing the characters you see shown in the last section of the registration page into the field provided.
11. Read the Terms of Service thoroughly and print a copy for your records.
12. Select 'I Agree.' You have successfully set up your Yahoo email account.
Tags: email account Yahoo, your email, your Yahoo, account Yahoo, email account
The Christmas holidays are one of the biggest baking seasons of the year, and many gifts are exchanged during that time. This makes "make a mix" food gifts a popular option. All you have to do is premeasure the dry ingredients, layer them in a decorative jar, include a card with instructions on finish the recipe and attach a bow. Several of these can easily be made at once, and they are perfect gifts for giving to your child's teachers, scout leaders or coaches. This guide will show you make peppermint brownie mix in a jar.
Instructions
1. Remove the lid from the jar and place the funnel into the mouth of the jar.
2. Pour the 1 cup of self-rising flour into the bottom of the jar. Shake the jar so that the flour settles into a layer with a flat surface.
3. Slowly pour the cocoa powder through the funnel on top of the flour so that it is in a layer.
4. Add the sugar into the jar by pouring it through the funnel. It should form the third layer.
5. Place the crushed peppermint candies through the funnel onto the top of the sugar in the final layer. See the Tip section for other additions instead of peppermint candies.
6. Remove the funnel, and screw the lid on top of the jar so that it is tightly closed. Be careful to not disturb the layers in the jar.
7. Write the following instructions on the index card: "Combine entire contents of jar with 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter and four whole, beaten eggs. Stir until smooth. Bake in a greased and floured 9-by-13 inch baking pan at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. Let cool in pan. Makes 18 brownies."
8. Attach the index card to the jar by threading the ribbon through a hole punched in the corner of the card and tying the ribbon around the neck of the jar.
9. Add a gift tag with the recipient's name.
10. Attach a bow or wrap the gift if desired.
Tags: through funnel, index card, peppermint candies
Deer meat, also known as venison, provides hunters and their families with a lean alternative to beef and pork, but it's not always available. Deer can be hunted only during a specified season with the proper permits and licenses. Once killed, the deer must be carefully cleaned and treated for gaminess. Some cooks marinate venison in milk to remove or tame the gamy taste, while others use vinegar solutions. The best way to get deer meat tender is to cook it gently over a period of time. Slow-cookers are excellent for this.
Instructions
1. Spray your slow-cooker with nonstick spray. Place the sliced onions in the bottom.
2. Place the pieces of deer meat on top of the onions.
3. Stir together a moist mixture of your favorite seasonings, such as cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix and chopped garlic. Place dollops of the mixture across the top of the deer meat.
4. Cover the slow-cooker, and cook the deer meat for six hours on low.
Potatoes are very rich in nutrients and fiber. A standard serving size of potatoes provides protein, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, iron, vitamin B6, folic acid, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, copper, pantothenic acid, iodine, carbohydrates and sodium. Even though high in carbohydrates, potatoes do not contain any fat. A serving of potatoes contains fewer calories than a serving of rice. Scalloped potatoes are a delicious way to serve potatoes to enjoy the nutritious benefits.
Serve Ham Scalloped Potatoes as a Main Dish
Ham scalloped potatoes are very filling and include your meat requirement for the day. Parboil 1 pound chunked potatoes in boiling salt water. Drain. Chop 1/4 pound of ham and 2 large onions. Mix ham and potatoes with 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, 1 can of cream of chicken soup and 16 ounces of sour cream. Place in baking dish. Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 hour. Serve hot as a main dish.
Serve French Dipped Scalloped Potatoes as a Side Dish
Thinly slice 4 large baking potatoes. Place into a crock pot with a 10-ounce can of cream of mushroom soup and 1/2 cup of melted margarine. Stir well. Cover. Cook for 6 to 8 hours on the low temperature setting of the crock pot. A half hour prior to potatoes being done, stir in 16 ounces of ready-made French Onion Dip. Serve hot as a side dish.
Serve Scalloped Potatoes for Breakfast
Breakfast is an important meal that should provide you energy throughout the day. Cook scalloped potatoes (see below). Scramble two egg whites. Mix scalloped potatoes and scrambled egg whites together. This will provide you energy and protein from the carbohydrates and protein in the potatoes and additional protein in the eggs. You can prepare the scalloped potatoes the night before and microwave to heat them for a quick breakfast.
To cook scalloped potatoes, you can take a shortcut and buy the boxes that have premixed ingredients and dehydrated sliced potatoes. You can cook it in the microwave following the box directions. The other option is to thinly slice 4 cups of baking potatoes. Place in a baking dish. Pour 1/2 cup of milk and a few tablespoons of melted butter over them. Bake for 1 hour at 350 F uncovered.
The black P rigord truffle, named for its home in the famous P rigord region of France, is a valuable delicacy used in a wide variety of cuisines around the world. The truffles grow just beneath the ground on the roots of certain trees in several regions of southern Europe. These truffles are difficult to find without a trained animal, but it's not impossible to come across a black truffle on your own if you know what to look for.
Instructions
1. Take note of when and where the truffle was discovered. Black truffles have a fairly small window for harvesting each year, between December and March. The peak opportunities for finding the black truffle occur during the coldest winter days of January and February. Black truffles are found almost exclusively in southern Europe. The truffles are most commonly in France, Italy and Spain.
2. Examine the aroma of the truffle. Black truffles have a very strong, earthy scent that will completely permeate a room. In fact, the powerful aroma is what often allows trained dogs to find the black truffles in the wild. Compared to an average mushroom, the black truffle will have a more intense aromatic presence. If the aroma is slightly unpleasant it may still be a black truffle, albeit one that has over-matured.
3. Feel and study the outer texture of the truffle. Black truffles have a rough texture and a thick, wrinkled outer skin with some smooth areas. The color of the black truffle is actually a deep dark brown to black with angular polygonal spines or warts. Cut the truffle and examine the cross-section. Look for fine, root-like patterns and compare it to a photo of the inside of a black truffle (see Resources).
Tags: black truffle, Black truffles have, truffles have, Black truffles, Black truffles, southern Europe, truffle Black
The number of restaurants offering gluten-free dining is increasing.
Gluten-free eating is quickly becoming more accessible to people around the world due to increased publicity and cookbooks on the topic, as well as heightened labeling on packaging and more websites featuring gluten-free recipes and dining guides. A Mayo Clinic study states that people born after the 1950s are almost five times as likely to have a gluten intolerance than those born before. As such, the commercial production of gluten-free products and restaurants serving gluten-free dishes has surged.
Instructions
1. Access an online gluten-free restaurant database. The Internet is the best way to find local restaurants complete with directions and contact information. Websites such as Glutenfreeregistry.com, Glutenfreerestaurants.org and Allergyeats.com are great online databases that search either by name, zip code, city or state for all of the registered restaurants and bakeries that serve gluten-free products. Many of the sites also offer customer reviews along with ranking systems.
2. Call the restaurants you wish to eat at. If there are particular restaurants in your area that you are unsure about, call them ahead of time to see if they offer gluten-free food to avoid disappointment. Many restaurants that serve wheat products will also have a separate gluten-free menu or at least offer one or two options on the menu. As most places offer a vegetarian option, many restaurants are starting to offer a gluten-free option as well.
3. Network. Social networking and interacting with other gluten-free eaters on social network sites such as Twitter or Facebook can help you discover the best restaurants and cafes in your area. Ask and get involved. Browse through gluten-free dining and cooking blogs to see recommendations for dining out in various cities.
Tags: gluten-free dining, gluten-free products, offer gluten-free, that serve, your area
The poppy seed used for cooking is the ripened, dried seed of the Oriental or opium poppy. Poppy cultivation for culinary dates as far back as 1400 B.C., and the Ancient Egyptians pressed it for oil. These little seeds commonly made into muffins have many more uses than you might think.
Instructions
1. Grow your own poppies for culinary purposes. However, make sure that you are growing the Oriental variety. Clip whole poppy flowers, and hang them until the plant is completely dry. When you can hear the seeds rattling inside of the center pod, snip off the stem and shake the seeds into an airtight container.
2. Purchase Dutch poppy seeds for their rich flavor and renowned quality, or save some pennies by purchasing the European and Australian varieties, which are the species most commonly used. While Indian poppy seeds are quite rare and have a slightly bitter taste.
3. Bring out the full flavor of poppy seeds by lightly roasting and crushing them before use. At the very least, crush the seeds with a mortar and pestle to release their flavorful oils.
4. Add poppy seeds when cooking Indian and Middle Eastern dishes to add a nutty aroma and flavor. You can grind the seeds and use them to thicken sauces of any kind, the classic ingredient in buttered noodles.
5. Grind poppy seeds, and add them to fruit salads, sweet dressings. Use them gently crushed in just about any bakery item, including cakes, cookies, pastries as well as pancake and waffle batter.
6. Cook noodle, fish, potato and various vegetable dishes with a pinch of ground poppy seed to add a unique and full bodied nutty flavor.
Choosing the right red wine for your T-bone requires some research and a lot of practice.
Pairing food and wine is a dance -- not exactly science, not entirely art, choosing the right combination of the two involves striking a balance that can't be entirely codified. Since taste buds and personal preferences vary, individual experience -- informed experience, of course -- is most important when choosing which wine to pair with a meal. So, when it comes to choosing the right wine for your T-Bone steak, you have some options. But, like any dance, some performances will be better than others.
Instructions
1. Choose the right T-Bone steak. The best wine in the world won't save you from the wrong steak choice. There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a T-Bone, but, as a rule, the higher the grade of meat, the better -- in the United States the best cut is called USDA Prime. Also, you want your steak to be fresh and well kept. You want a bright-red steak that is marbled with white fat, not a dull, solid-gray one.
2. Start with the wine basics: look for a red wine. Pairing any kind of beef with a white wine is a bit like wearing socks with sandals -- you can do it, but people are going to stare. Flavor is key here; the wine needs to be strong enough to stand up to the richness of the beef. That's a job for red wine.
3. Think flavor. T-bone steaks are renowned for their quality. A choice cut of beef, T-bones tend to be tender, flavorful steaks; so, you'll need a relatively strong red to match up with your steak. This requires "tannic strength" -- tannins are what gives a wine its bitter, astringent taste. Common choices include a full-bodied red, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, or medium-bodied choices such as Merlot or Shiraz. There are too many labels to list, which is why trial and error are important when pairing a wine with your T-bone.
4. Try, try, try again. You may hit a perfect match the first time you choose a red wine to pair with your T-bone; or, you may suspect that your dream choice is still out there, waiting to be discovered. Since individual palettes vary, trial and error is the key to finding the perfect match. There are worse things to have to do over and over again.
Tags: with your, important when, pair with, perfect match, right wine
Pairing wines with food can be really interesting and fun. Have a glass of wine, sit back and consider the possibilities.
Instructions
1. Keep in mind how the fish will be cooked, along with its natural flavor and texture. Try to complement or contrast the flavor and texture of the fish with your wine.
2. Try a spicy wine such as a dry gewurztraminer from France for fish prepared with heavy spices. You could also pair the fish with a red Burgundy from France or pinot noir from the United States.
3. Pair delicately flavored fish in subtle, mild sauces with lighter, more delicate wines. Very few young red wines fall under this category, so a white muscadet from France or melon from Oregon would nicely fit the bill.
4. Consider a higher-acid wine such as a red Anjou or white Burgundy from France, or a riesling from south Australia, for a fattier, richer fish such as a hearty, oily piece of salmon.
5. Try a full-flavored, smoky Viognier from France or a heavily oaked, premium Napa chardonnay for any grilled fish.
6. Try pairing shellfish with white wines that have a fair amount of acid. Whites from cold regions like France's Loire Valley or Chablis, or from Oregon, will have plenty of acid backbone to match the buttery flavor of lobster or fresh oysters.
Tags: from France, Burgundy from, Burgundy from France, fish with, flavor texture, from Oregon
With a few necessary ingredients, a nice, refreshing vodka fresco drink can be mixed by most people with little effort. Vodka has a neutral taste, so it is popular to mix with many flavors. Plain vodka is the best base for fresco drinks. Fresco beverages use real fresh fruit or even vegetable juices. These can be purchased commercially, but for the very best taste use an electric juice extractor or fresh-squeezed fruit juice.
Instructions
1. Purchase a high-quality vodka. The refining process defines the quality. Some notables are Grey Goose, Skyye, Smirnoff, Absolut and Stolichnya. Some fresco vodka drinks call for chilling, even freezing, the vodka. Most, however, are poured at room temperature and then cooled with ice.
2. Research your drinks. It helps to know the amounts and ingredients needed in order to mix a good vodka fresco. It is important to realize the difference between drinks. For example, a vodka tonic is plain vodka with tonic water. It is also important to know if the drink will be mixed, stirred or placed in a blender with ice.
3. Start off by making a simple drink of vodka and apple juice. Pour 4 oz. of fresh apple juice in a highball glass, add 1 shot of vodka and 4 cubes of crushed ice. Stir gently and serve.
4. Make a Vodka Sunrise. This drink requires 4 oz. of fresh, chilled orange juice, a teaspoon of grenadine and a shot of vodka. Stir just enough to show the reddish-gold hue similar to that of the famous Tequila Sunrise. This would look good in a small typhoon glass to show off the differing colors.
5. You now have the basic recipe for vodka fresco drinks. It is time to try more challenging drinks. Another classic example is the Salty Dog. For this drink you will need a chilled cocktail glass, 4 oz. of fresh grapefruit juice, 1 shot of vodka, 2 ice cubes and ¼ tsp. of sea salt. Shake or stir this drink, then serve.
Home-made brownies are such a treat but carmel filled brownies are even better. Here is make a rich and praiseworthy dessert that keeps well but doesn't usually get left over.
Instructions
1. Prepare what you need to make the caramel filled brownies by doing the following. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Soften the butter. Unwrap the caramels and put them in a bowl for later. Grease the 9 x 13 inch pan using the butter wrappers or some of the shortening. Measure all the ingredients.
2. Combine all of the dried ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, salt, and sugar in the large mixing bowl. Stir to mix these thoroughly.
3. Beat the butter and shortening into the dried ingredients. This will form crumbly dough that is a bit like pie crust. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until it is fully incorporated into the mixture. By the time you have mixed in four of the eggs, the mixture will begin to resemble a batter. After adding all six eggs, drop in the vanilla (if you use real vanilla it tastes best). Beat until the mixture is smooth.
4. Pour half of the brownie batter into the greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Place the unwrapped caramels on top of the batter leaving a one inch space between the candies and the sides of the pan. Pour the rest of the batter on top of the caramels.
5. Bake the caramel filled brownies in the preheated 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes. While a knife inserted into the brownies will NOT come out clean because of the melted caramels, you can tell that the brownies are done if the top begins to crack. When you touch it, it should bounce back and the sides will begin to pull away from the pan. Serve warm or cool.
Tags: caramel filled, caramel filled brownies, dried ingredients, filled brownies, will begin
Chicken Parmesan is a common Italian dish. If you're watching calories, you can substitute a few ingredients to turn this dish into a more healthy, low-fat dish than traditional Chicken Parmesan recipes.
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat a baking dish or baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place egg substitute in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, oregano and basil.
3. Dip the chicken breasts in the egg substitute and then dredge through the breadcrumb mixture until the chicken in thoroughly coated on all sides. Add more egg substitute and breadcrumbs to your bowls, if necessary.
4. Place the chicken breasts on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken breasts over and lightly spray the tops with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for another 10 to 12 minutes or until the chicken is lightly browned and no longer pink in the middle.
5. Top each chicken breast with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake for another five minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Many individuals have made the decision to switch from traditional pasta to wheat-free pastas for their own health and well being. Most often these pastas are made with a combination of corn and rice. Gluten-free pastas don't require much special handling, so keep reading to learn just how quick and easygoing wheat-free can be.
Instructions
1. Go shopping. Many grocery stores now carry wheat-free pastas alongside traditional pastas, but if you have difficulty locating gluten-free products, you may be better off looking in a health-food store.
2. Pick a shape. You can choose among macaroni, spaghetti, bow-tie, spirals, shells, linguine and various other shapes.
3. Heat four quarts of water in a large stock pot until it reaches a boil.
4. Add one pound of wheat-free pasta slowly to the boiling water. Heat it until it returns to a boil, stirring gently to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
5. Set your kitchen timer for the time recommended on the package and continue to stir until the timer goes off.
6. Transfer the pasta to a colander over the sink and drain the water.
If you have an abundance of fresh blueberries, but you don't know what to do with all of them, you can make some concentrated blueberry juice and freeze it for future use. Using just a few household ingredients and about 3 hours of your time, making juice concentrate is easy.
Instructions
1. Rinse the blueberries in the large metal strainer with cold water to remove any debris, bugs or pesticide. Shake the strainer to mix the berries while rinsing.
2. Fill the stockpot with the blueberries. The berries should fill the 8-quart stockpot a little more than halfway.
3. Pour cold, purified water over the berries in the pot until the berries are submerged about 1 inch under the water.
4. Cover the pot of berries, and simmer for about 2 hours, checking frequently to make sure there is enough water in the pot. If needed, add water to the pot, one cup at a time, to avoid scorching.
5. Using the potato masher, thoroughly mash all of the blueberries in the pot. The liquid level should rise to about 3 quarters of the way full.
6. Place the metal strainer over a large container, like a 1-gallon ice cream bucket, and carefully pour the stockpot of mashed blueberries into the strainer.
7. Use the masher to squish the blueberries into the strainer. This further extracts liquid from the pulp. There should be enough liquid by this point to fill a 1-gallon container.
8. Pour the resulting liquid into the stockpot, and place the stockpot back onto the stove. Bring to a rolling boil, whilst stirring in the sugar. Let the liquid boil for about 2 minutes, then turn off the stove.
9. Let the liquid cool. Pour the liquid into containers of your choice for freezing. For every 6 oz. of this blueberry juice concentrate, you can make about 2 quarts of blueberry drink.
Tags: about hours, blueberries into, blueberries into strainer, blueberry juice, into strainer
Several options will make good substitutes for ricotta
Ricotta is an Italian sheep's milk cheese used in pasta sauces, custards, cheesecakes and dips. People also eat ricotta as a snack with crackers, fruits or vegetables. But if you're not a fan of ricotta cheese, or you're out of it at the moment, there are other options.
Cream Cheese
This is an excellent substitute for ricotta because it will give you a similar creamy texture when preparing dishes that call for ricotta. If you're making a peanut butter espresso cheesecake, you can substitute cream cheese. In a medium bowl combine three 8-oz. packages of cream cheese, a cup of chunky peanut butter, a cup of sour cream, two eggs, three teaspoons of brewed espresso, two teaspoons of vanilla and a cup of dark brown sugar. Place mixture inside a round springform pan lined with chocolate graham cracker crumbs and place in a baking dish filled with an inch of water. Bake in a 350-degree preheated oven for an hour.
Sour Cream
This is especially good if you're making a flavored dip to go with vegetables, fruits or crackers. To make a garlic-basil dip, combine three teaspoons of chopped garlic, a cup of chopped basil, a cup of sour cream, three teaspoons each of salt and white pepper, one teaspoon of garlic powder and a teaspoon of onion powder.
Cottage Cheese
This is especially good if you're preparing a cheese filling for a lasagna. In addition to a container of cottage cheese, combine two cups of Parmesan cheese, a teaspoon each of salt and black pepper and a half-cup of chopped oregano.
Tags: three teaspoons, Cheese This, combine three, each salt, especially good, peanut butter, sour cream