Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Best Chocolate Recipe For Children!

It’s very important that you spend more time with your kids. You can think of a number of activities with the kids so that you can not only bond with them but also cherish these memories for your entire life. Every kid gets fascinated when asked to help in cooking. Don’t forget to cook their favorite recipes while you take them along with you in the kitchen. Your child will love to cook with you especially if it’s a chocolate recipe.

The children would love to eat chocolate lollipop. So, if you cook lollipop chocolates for your children then you will see a beautiful smile on their faces. For making lollipop chocolate all the ingredients and equipments required are as follows Ingredients- * Less-sweetened chocolate or white chocolates. * Crispies, sprinkles and chocolate candies for decoration * Food color * Butter.

Materials and equipment- * Lollipop mold * Straw for the lollipop handles * Ribbons * For sticking lollipop cabbage is required.

Heat the pan and melt the butter, put chocolate lumps in the pan to melt. Pour the chocolate mixture in the molds. You can use different fun molds for the kids like animal faces, numbers or letters. Kids can also have their share of cooking by sticking the straws in the molds. Now, you have to wait for the mixture to get set. In the meantime, the kids can decorate the chocolate mixture by sprinkles or candies.

Make sure that you supervise them as the molds are still too hot. After the mixture is hard enough to be taken out of the molds, you can hand over the dish to the kids for more decorations with the food colors, ribbons and straws. You can also teach them to clean the dishes and the tables after they finish off with the lollipops. This will make them know how to take responsibilities in life.

The process of chocolate baking is an enjoyable moment for you and your children. Besides, they will learn about taking the responsibilities in the entire activity. You can make several other recipes like muffins, cupcakes and chocolate drinks for your children.

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My Pancake Recipe Depends On My Mood

I enjoy pancakes in the morning, in the afternoon, and even in the evening. Pancakes, not just for breakfast anymore. My pancake recipe depends on my mood and the ingredients I have handy. My basic recipe is to mix in my food processor flour, sugar, baking powder, a pinch of salt, Milk and eggs. It is what you put in to the basic mix that makes the difference. Sometime I want blue berry pancakes. I myself process the blue berrys in the batter in the processor.

I know some people like to see whole berries in their pancakes. I sometimes add pumpkin to the batter for pumpkin pancakes. Simply use a can of pumpkin. You do not want to use the pumpkin pie mix but use canned pumpkin. There is a difference.

You can also make sweet potato pancakes. Now these are not potato pancakes. These are sweet potato flavored pancakes. Use canned sweet potato. You can add some of the liquid if you like. But not too much so your batter is not to runny. You will not use the whole can of sweet potatos so make sure you place the rest in an air tight container and refrigerate them.

Strawberry pancakes are a good mid summer morning treat. I process the strawberries in the food processor in the batter because they are too large to have them sticking out of the batter on the griddle.

Now I like to cook my pancakes on a griddle that I have brushed with a little cooking oil. I heat the griddle and then coat the surface with cooking oil using a pastry brush I paint the surface with oil. I then drop a few drops of batter on the griddle to make sure it is hot enough. If the drops start cooking I scrape them aside and start pouring the batter onto the griddle.

I pour about a five inch circle of batter. I turn them when the bubbles have formed but before they have all popped on the surface. If you like your pancakes more cooked you can wait until all the bubbles have popped. Flip the pancake and cook for about forty more seconds. Longer if you like your pancakes more cooked.

I place the pancake onto my plate and cover it with a pie tin. I start on my next. I like two pancakes on my plate. You want to use real maple syrup. I pour my syrup in a bowl and I set it on the stove top so it will get warm. I also place a piece of butter in the bowl so it will be melted into the syrup. If you read the grocery store pancake syrup you will find it is nothing but corn syrup.

You want real maple syrup for you pancakes. You can find real maple syrup in some grocery stores or you might have to go to a specialty food store. However you need to find real maple syrup do not make pancakes until you have it. Pouring corn syrup over your pancakes is not fair to you or your pancakes. I hope you enjoy your next stack… I feel like making myself some right now.

If you want to learn how to cook pancakes check out Andrews great pancake recipes website where you will recipes like easy pancake recipe and many others.

Mashed Potatoes – Preparing And Serving

Mashed potatoes, also known as smashed potatoes, are just one of the many ways in which you can prepare and serve potatoes. Mashed potatoes can be made by boiling potatoes, baking potato and then mashing the soft potatoes with a fork, ricer or potato masher. Mashed potatoes can also be made from frozen or dehydrated mashed potatoes. Just add water and heat.

The type of potatoes you use is also very important and to create the fluffiest and creamiest potatoes you need to use very floury potatoes. Sometimes waxy potatoes are also used if you desire a different texture for your mashed potatoes. You can also add butter, vegetable oil, milk or cream to create even smoother mashed potatoes.

You can also add seasonings to your mashed potatoes for a different flavor. Some of the more popular seasonings include turnips, parsley, wasabi, spices, onion, mustard, cheese, bacon bits, garlic, salt, pesto and rosemary. The French have their own version of mashed potatoes in which they are mixed with egg yolks, pipette into ribbons and rosettes and then baked until they are brown.

If you are watching your weight and counting calories then you can still enjoy a low fat, low calorie version of mashed potatoes by substituting soup stock or broth instead of cream and butter. It is also important that you don’t overcook the potatoes you are going to mash as potatoes that are overcooked tend to create mashed potatoes that have the consistency of glue.

To easily incorporate any seasonings to your mashed potatoes you should first mash the potatoes and then mix in the other ingredients. This helps keep the starch molecules intake as broken starch molecules produce a gluey consistency. This is particularly of importance when using a mixer to make mashed potatoes. You also can ensure that the added ingredients are distributed evenly throughout the mashed potatoes.

Mashed potatoes tend to be used as a side dish but they are also an important part of other main dishes such as potatoes croquettes, Cornish pasties, gnocchi, pirogues, colcannon, shepherd’s pie, dumplings and cottage pie. Many time gravy is served alongside mashed potatoes and many countries have this style of bangers and mash and pie and mash.

Sometime the boiling potatoes will over boil and create a mess. To ensure that this doesn’t happen you can put some oil or a bit of butter in the water as this forms a layer on the top that won’t boil over. If you are going to add milk or cream to the potatoes then you should add warm milk as this creates very fluffy mashed potatoes. A small amount of baking soda can also be added to the milk or cream for even more fluffiness.

After you have prepared your mashed potatoes you should not use a bowl or container lid but cover them with a dish towel. This will keep the potatoes soft and fluffy as the towel will absorb any moisture. Mashed potatoes can be prepared ahead of time and kept warm in a heating tray or crock pot.

Ben likes his potatoes mashed. So if you are looking for some delicious mashed potatoes recipes visit his website that is full of different recipes. He specially recommends his best mashed potatoes recipe.

Cold Pasta Salads For Quick Summer Meals

For a simple summer meal nothing beats a cold pasta salad. Easy to make and filled with flavor, pasta salads are the perfect meal choice for summer. Here are some quick and easy cold pasta salad recipes that are made with fresh and natural ingredients and simple preparation. They can be made ahead of time and chilled until you are ready to serve them. Cold pasta salads are the perfect summer meals.

Pasta Salad with Chick Peas and Tomatoes: You will need 2 cups cooked penne pasta, three-quarters cup canned chick peas (rinsed and drained), one-half cup cherry or grape tomatoes (halved), 2 cups baby spinach, one-quarter cup red radishes (halved and thinly sliced), juice of one lemon, and 4 tablespoons olive oil. Directions: Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and place in a bowl with the remainder of the salad ingredients, tossing well to combine. Adjust the lemon juice and/or olive oil, if needed, to taste and season pasta salad with salt and pepper to taste. For a little extra boost of flavor try adding some cubes of sharp cheddar cheese or pitted and chopped oil-cured olives. Serving Idea: Serve this quick pasta salad in colorful bowls with a side of cheese breadsticks and a small serving of artichoke hearts sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh ground black pepper. Makes 2-3 serving

Simple Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Tuna: You will need, 3 cups cooked whole grain pasta (farfalle or rotini), 1 (6oz) can tuna in olive oil (drain tuna and reserve oil), one-quarter cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil (drain tomatoes and roughly chop), and 4 cups fresh arugula (wash, pat or spin dry and tear into pieces). Directions: Prepare the pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, prepare other ingredients. When pasta is finished cooking, drain and place in a mixing bowl. Add arugula and toss to wilt the leaves. Then add the tuna, tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well to combine. If salad is not moist enough, add a little of the reserved oil from the tuna to dress the salad. You can add freshly grated Parmesan or crumbled goat cheese over the top if desired. Chill until ready to serve. Serving Idea: Serve salad scooped into hollowed out yellow bell pepper halves with garlic breadsticks on the side. Makes 3-4 servings.

Pasta Salad with Avocado Lime Salsa: You will need, 1 pound package of rotini or fusili pasta (cooked according to package directions), one-half cup green pimiento-stuffed olives (chopped), 1 (16oz) jar salsa (your favorite brand), 1 medium size avocado (pit removed, peeled and cut into medium size pieces), and 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice. Directions: Prepare pasta according to package directions and drain. Place pasta and olives in a bowl and mix together. In a separate bowl, combine the salsa, avocado and the lime juice and mix well. Creamier Option: If you want a creamier salsa, simply mash the avocado to your own preference and add to the salsa and lime juice. Serving Idea: Place pasta and vegetables on red cabbage leaves, top with the avocado lime salsa, and some shaved Parmesan cheese along with some garlic bread. Makes 4 servings.

Summer is a great time for quick meals. Pasta salads are the perfect meal choice for flavorful dishes with a minimum of time and effort.

For more quick meals, like these summer pasta salads, visit Quick Salad Recipes.com. You will find a full range of flavorful recipes with short ingredient lists, fresh and natural food, and quick preparation. From breakfast through dessert, these easy meal ideas will take the work out of everyday menu planning for all food preferences from meat eaters to vegans.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Ideas And Resources For Easy Pasta Recipes

Anybody can boil some packaged pasta and layer canned sauce on it. But if you’d like to go farther, and cook some easy pasta dishes that don’t come from a can, you might be unsure how to get started. You may be especially confused by the fact that there are so many different shapes and sizes of pasta. If you want some idea of which of those go best with which types of sauces, or if you need to learn how to cook pasta properly to start with, a good place to look for such information and cooking tips is www.recipetips.com/kitchen.asp.

It’s not that difficult to get hold of simple pasta dishes if you know where to search and how you can filter the recipe websites. Normally the fast and easy dishes are those which have the fewest or most rapidly prepared ingredients, or which rely on tasty herb combinations to help add spice and appeal. You can make some tasty dishes without needing to get overly elaborate, and pasta is among the best ways to do it.

Some easy pasta dishes are those that recipe websites recommend as “kid friendly.” For example, at www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/176259/Chicken-pesto-pasta, you will find a simple Chicken Pesto Pasta where you add pesto sauce (homemade or from a jar) to penne pasta, with slices of cooked chicken breast and sauted apple slices. Or you can try Gino D’Acampo’s Pasta with Peas, Ham and eggs, where you add diced ham to shell pasta, along with defrosted peas, Parmesan cheese, and a touch of chili flakes to add a bit of zip. Kid-friendly dishes in these recipe collections are often quite easy to prepare.

Some of the easiest pasta dishes are salads, because you can improvise with ingredients already on hand. Some people suggest a formula for these, so you’ll know the combinations that work best. The first item, of course, is a package of cooked, mid-sized pasta. Add raw or briefly sauted chopped vegetables, in bright colors, like carrots, broccoli, peppers, onions and tomatoes. You can add optional protein like diced ham or chicken strips, flaked seafood or crumbled cheese. Then add a light dressing, either creamy or oil-and-vinegar based. And there you have a quick and easy salad and healthy pasta dish!

Easy pasta dishes are often fairly quick as well because they don’t have a lot of ingredients or involve many complex steps in their preparation. So you will always be able to turn to a quick, easy pasta dish if you’re in a hurry or need to make something to impress someone quickly. When you get the basics down, and add some of these easy recipes to your repertoire, you’ll always have something to fall back on.

For the ultimate in pasta dishes, you can’t beat the taste and texture of fresh homemade pasta. If you’re ready to take your love of pasta to the next level, click here to learn about the advantages of a pasta rolling machine, and what to look for when you’re shopping for one.

Discovering The Perfect Whole Wheat Pancake Recipe

Who does not love to wake up on a Saturday morning to be greeted by a plate of steaming fresh pancakes, complete with a topping of your choice? Every family seems to have their own favorite version of this traditional breakfast food, anything from pancakes and peanut butter to pancakes with a heaping mound of strawberries and whipped cream on top! If you are interested in healthy living, you may want to try a more nutritious version of this recipe. This whole wheat pancake recipe is definitely more healthy and yet delicious as other varieties.

The first step to creating these delicious pancakes is to combine the dry ingredients. Mix two cups whole wheat flour, one teaspoon baking soda, and one teaspoon salt together in a large bowl. Stir until combined and then add: one and a half cups chunky applesauce, one and three quarter cups milk, a teaspoon of vanilla, and two large eggs. Careful not to mix too much!

You may be surprised to hear that one of the best kept secrets to producing delicious fluffy pancakes is only mixing until the ingredients are combined. When you mix the batter too much, the result will be heavy wet cakes that no one will enjoy. Do not worry about the lumps; that is the way the batter should look!

Heat the skillet or griddle that you plan on cooking with and use a little butter or oil to grease it. A skillet may be ideal for those who are cooking for one or two people, but a griddle offers many advantages. It will allow you to easily flip each individual pancake and the surface will help reduce sticking. If you are cooking other foods in addition to the pancakes, a large griddle will allow you to do it all in the same place, making cooking much easier and clean up more efficient.

When the pan you are using is properly heated you can begin to pour on the pancakes. It usually takes about one quarter cup of batter for each individual cake. When you begin to see bubbles forming on the tops, it is time to flip them. Allow both sides to brown lightly, and then remove from the pan.

If you are trying to think of a new and fun idea for a party, pancakes are an option that is both new and fun. You could have all your friends over for a Saturday brunch and serve up mounds of streaming pancakes complete with a topping bar featuring a lot of options. This will be fun for all as you experiment with different toppings and discover your new favorites.

To enjoy these pancakes to the fullest, they should be eaten immediately after they are cooked. Everything is best when fresh and steaming, right?

If you want to learn how to prepare pancakes at home then take a look at out Andrews collection of pancake recipes. If you want take care of your diet and health we suggest this healthy whole wheat pancake recipe but there are many others to choose from as well.

Wish A Nice Looking Kitchen? Here Are Some Ideas

Microwave. The big, boxy and expensive microwaves that initially came out are gone! Or they must be. If you have got a massive, cumbersome microwave, it’s time to upgrade. Microwaves now come in all dimensions and colors, not to mention power levels. If you only would like one to heat up food sometimes, a small one is for you. If you are doing a lot of baking with the microwave because the supply, you will need a sturdier one. Microwaves can be bought at any department store, appliance store or even a grocery store. They will be plastic, metal or stainless steel.

Paint. Fresh paint can add a fast boost to an old and uninteresting kitchen. To correctly put on new paint, make sure the walls are spotless. Take out all nails, hooks or other protrusions from the wall. If they cause numerous or large holes, be sure to fill with spackle so it is even with the rest of the wall. Allow the spackle to dry and sand until it is level with the wall. Apply primer or paint and then fancy your new color! Lightweight colours can make a room appear larger if you are having a color choice dilemma.

Flooring. Does your floor appear dingy and gray, even after you just mopped? It might not simply be the cleaner or water in the bucket. It may be that your linoleum floor is outdated. The linoleum or laminate floors hold up to damage, but do would like substitution after many years go by. Get replacement flooring that complements your colours to brighten the room. There are many designs to pick from, including laminate, laminate wood, wood, vinyl and linoleum. The price can vary to, therefore make positive you’ve got a budget in mind before shopping.

New Theme. Another approach to give an old kitchen a fashionable facelift is to vary the theme. A number of kitchens go after an elaborate design, such as using all red equipments or having grapes on everything. Whether or not you have a stern code or not, search for modern replacements to the old rooster that’s been sitting on top of the cupboard for twenty years or what your theme was. Things to exchange can comprise towels, ornaments, wall decorations, and rugs. Fashionable new themes embrace chili peppers, cherries, frogs, and bugs.

Bar. An addition of a bar or center island can provide you much more operating space in your kitchen. It will be an area to cool cookie trays, hold mixing pans or store the mail from the day. A bar additionally works as a place to try to homework or to hold a night snack. No matter you utilize it for the most, it will make you hold much more area in your kitchen. The island or bar typically has cabinets beneath for extra storage. A trendy kitchen is a kitchen with tons of cabinets and cupboards!

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Sunday, June 27, 2010

Quick And Healthy Meals For Summer – Cool And Easy Vegetarian Recipes

Here are some quick and easy cold rice salad recipes for summer. These are flavorful and healthy recipes and make perfect summer meals quickly and, because of their easy preparation, you will be in and out of the kitchen in no time. Enjoy these simple recipes anytime. They are great meals for vegetarians or anyone looking for healthy meal choices.

Each recipe makes 2 to 3 servings.

Preparation Directions: For fast preparation, make the rice ahead of time and allow to cool before adding the rest of the salad ingredients. Just place all the ingredients in a bowl along with salt and pepper to taste, toss well to combine, cover, and chill in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.

Rice and Veggie Bacon Salad: Combine in a bowl and mix well: 2 cups cooked and cooled basmati rice, 1 tomato (diced), 2 slices vegetarian bacon (cooked and crumbled), 1 yellow bell pepper (seeded and diced), 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar. To serve: Combine some shredded cabbage and chow mein noodles together and place this combination on each plate and serve salad on top.

Sweet and Cheesy Rice Salad: Combine in a bowl and mix well: 2 cups cooked and cooled jasmine rice, 1 pear (core and cut into chunks), one-half cup crumbled blue cheese, 1 tablespoon sliced almonds, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. To serve: Serve salad on a bed of arugula and romaine lettuce leaves.

Rainbow Rice Salad: Combine in a bowl and mix well: 2 cups cooked and cooled basmati rice, 1 to 2 tablespoons mango chutney (or to taste), 1 cup canned black beans (rinsed and drained), one-half cup shredded carrots, and one-half cup green beans (cut into one-inch lengths and steamed). To serve: Serve salad on a bed of lettuce and watercress.

For healthy, budget friendly meal ideas, like these easy summer recipes, visit www.quick-salad-recipes.com. Make meal planning quick and easy with the varied collection of recipes that are made with fresh and natural food, short ingredient lists, and simple preparation. From meat eaters to vegans, you will find a great selection of recipes for healthy meals options.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Quick Recipes For Vegetarian Breakfasts – Healthy Ideas For Breakfast

Making a healthy breakfast couldn’t be easier with these quick vegetarian breakfasts. These simple meal ideas which contain short ingredient lists and fresh, flavorful, and natural food will make these recipes a great choice for anyone. Each recipe makes 2-3 servings and will have you in and out of the kitchen quickly and easily.

- Cheese and Berry Salad: In a mixing bowl, combine one cup of blueberries, two navel oranges (peeled, pith removed, cut in quarters and sliced), and two tablespoons of chopped pecans. In a smaller bowl, combine a half-cup of ricotta cheese and one tablespoon of honey. Add the cheese mixture to the fruit and nuts and toss well to combine and serve. To add a little boost of extra flavor, try adding a little chopped fresh mint to this easy fruit salad.

- Scrambled Eggs In A Pocket: For a quick and easy breakfast, scramble up three to four eggs and simply spoon some of the warm, cooked eggs into pita pocket halves and top with some chopped mushrooms, a little salsa, some shredded low-fat cheese, pitted and chopped olives, and some fresh sprouts.

- Apple Walnut Wrap: Take a couple of whole grain soft tortilla wraps and spread each one with a thin layer of plain low-fat whipped cream cheese. Top each wrap down the center with a sprinkling of raisins, thinly sliced apples, some crumbled walnuts and a sprinkling of cinnamon and then fold in each side of the wrap.

Try these healthy vegetarian breakfast ideas in the morning. They are all quick, easy, and filled with fresh and natural food and make meal planning very simple. These are great, healthy meal choices for anyone and because of their simplicity they can be used any time you need a quick meal.

Find more budget meal recipes, like these vegetarian recipes, by visiting Quick Salad Recipes.com. Laura Cokherell, a food lover, shares simple solutions for menu planning with a varied collection of fast recipes that use short ingredient lists, fresh, natural food, and simple preparation, for everything from breakfast to dessert, for busy people everywhere.

Waffles For Breakfast – Oh Boy!

Any mother knows that on weekends their kids are going to want waffles or pancakes for breakfast. After the hustle and bustle of the week is over, it is nice to sit down with the family and have a good old breakfast. One can find many different variations of waffles that can be made. All will be gobbled up by your willing taste testers.

Waffles are made on waffle irons. The batter consists of eggs, flour, oil, milk, sugar and baking powder. A person can always add to this base mix. Some additions that could make them special are chocolate chips, coconut, chopped nuts, applesauce, pumpkin, blueberries, strawberries or even banana slices. Just add this right into the batter.

Once the batter is made, about a cup is poured onto the hot waffle iron. It is easy to find many different types of irons in the stores today. A regular iron will create a waffle about one inch thick and round. It will give the diner about four pieces of waffle.

An interesting model is the Belgium waffle maker. This type of waffle is a thicker waffle. It comes out of the iron about two inches thick. It still has the four pieces in a round shape. Finally, there are waffle irons that make a big square type of waffle. These waffles are about one foot by one foot long and are made into four squares. It typically takes a waffle almost five minutes to cook on the waffle iron.

Removing waffles used to be a true headache in the past. Waffles would stick and make quite a mess. With the invention of Teflon, waffles have come a long way. They easily remove from the iron.

There are many options for topping a waffle. Some folks like the traditional butter and maple syrup for their waffle. Creativity can come into play. A waffle can be topped with whipped topping and fruit like sliced strawberries, bananas or blueberries. For a healthy option, the waffle could have yogurt placed in lieu of the whipped topping. Adding fruit or nuts is always a wonderful way to top the waffle. They are extremely delicious. There are many types of syrups on the store shelves to choose from. The old standby is maple but there are strawberry and blueberry syrups for a change.

Waffles are one of those breakfast treats that most people enjoy. They are easy to make and even for the beginner cook. Creativity can abound when it comes to modifying the recipe or toppings. Make them special or make them plain, it does not matter the family will love them any way they come on the plate.

An individual can find many different variations of waffles that can be made. All will be gobbled-up by your willing taste testers. Great easy waffle recipes for waffle makers a single click away.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Genuine American Pancake Recipe Made Easy

Pancakes have been a part of our lives for many years now. They are tasty and fluffy, and complement any breakfast! There are many different recipes and types of pancakes including buttermilk and fruit flavored. Nowadays, you can buy ready to go pancake batter. But why not try your hand at this easy American pancake recipe?

There are a few cooking tools you will need to gather before you get started: a large mixing bowl, a skillet or a flat top, a nice spatula to flip your pancakes easily and a whisk, to ensure your batter is well blended. You should always verify beforehand that you have in your possession the tools and ingredients needed to cook this American pancake recipe.

The first thing to do is to warm up your skillet. It should be at a 375F temperature for about 10 minutes before you start cooking. To check if it has reached that temperature, pour a few drops of water on it: if the drops skitter around, you know it is right. Just spray lightly with cooking spray and you’re good to go!

For the ingredients, you will need 135g of self-raising flour, 1 egg, 125ml of milk and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Drop all the ingredients together in your mixing bowl, and make sure they are mixed thoroughly before cooking.

Pour small scoops of the batter on your hot skillet, making sure to leave enough between them, because they will expand. To tell if your pancakes are ready to be turned, you will have to watch for bubbles popping at their surface. They will rise and expand, and are then ready to be flipped. If you wish to add fruits, you need to do so before flipping the pancakes. Let them brown evenly on the second side before taking them out of the pan.

Give them a few minutes to brown on the second side. You can then re-flip them, just to confirm that they are evenly cooked, and a nice golden brown color on both sides. If you are not going to eat right away, be sure to store them in a 200F oven on a paper towel covered baking sheet.

This American pancake recipe will have everyone wanting some more! Enjoy them with your favorite toppings, most popular of course being the maple syrup. You can now sit down and enjoy your breakfast!

If you want to find out how to prepare pancakes at home the check out Andrews collection of the most popular pancake recipes. If you want take care of your diet and health we suggest this tasty american style pancake recipe but there are many others to choose from as well.

Finding Restaurant Recipes

Restaurant recipes are made available to you, you just need to know how to find them. Which means that you can prepare your favorite restaurant foods from your favorite eating place, in your home. This helps to cut the price down tremendously, which can also help you to trim your budget.

However, you wont feel deprived because you still get to have your favorite foods. You can locate many of these recipes offered right on the web through many of the recipe databases. First you need to locate one, then type in the restaurant name and the name of the recipe, and then you will be in your own kitchen cooking up all your favorite recipes.

Now, if you are trying to find American recipes, you can find loads of the best restaurants who will provide their versions. If you desire a great burger and large portion of French fries, you shouldn’t have to settle for anything less? Is there anything better than a home made American apple pie? Well maybe, if you top it with a scoop of ice cream!

If think that this sounds good, you can find many of these American recipe dishes the great news is that there are a lot of membership websites on the internet that offer them. Choose from meats, seafood, pasta dishes, and vegetables. There are even desserts available. You can find a lot of recipes that are in this tradition as well.

Locating recipes also goes for Mexican food. One of the major things you can do when it comes to Mexican type of cuisine is to find a high quality spice blend that just shout’s out Mexican! There are many out there that you can quickly pick up, bring home and use in your recipes to recreate a restaurant recipe or to help you in coming up with that old recipe that you remember your grandmother making when you were growing up. You can find recipes to help you create these recipes as well.

Today, it is very expensive to go out to a fancy restaurant for a meal. And if you have more in your family, the more ridiculous the prices are. Regardless, for many people, there is frequently a craving for that exceptional plate or that special dessert.

If you are one of those people that has this problem, don’t worry. There are a huge amount of internet recipe communities where you can go to, to search for the best restaurant secret recipes out there to entice your taste buds in your own dining room.

To find cheesecake factory recipes, visit my website about cheesecake factory cheesecake recipe.

Culinary Usage Of Ginger

Immature ginger root is juicy and fleshy with a reasonably mild taste. They are often pickled in vinegar or sherry as a snack or just cooked as an ingredient in many dishes (if you are familiar with my recipe articles, then you know my favorite use for ginger is making Grandma’s famous ginger sugarsnaps ). Young ginger roots can also be stewed in boiling water to make ginger tea, and when honey is added, you have yourself one delectable beverage. Some people also like to add sliced orange or lemon fruit.

Ginger can also be made into candy such as ginger suckers or Lavender Ginger Laffy Taffy (new flavor, amazing). Really the uses of ginger in sugary foods is endless, because the savory nature of ginger is coupled with a hint of sweetness, making it a perfect compliment to tone down a snack or beverage that may be over sweetened.

Adult ginger is fibrous and nearly dry. These are the ones Grandma preferred to use when making her ginger sugarsnaps . The fluid from these old ginger roots is very strong and is often used as a spice in many east Indian recipes, and is quite the quintessential ingredient for Chinese, Japanese and many South Asian.

Ginger can also be a useful food preservative. Imagine that, its uses go even beyond mere flavoring delights! Who can’t get enough of the greatness and myriad uses of Ginger? This guy!

Now here are some important mathematical facts to keep in mind when working with fresh and or ground ginger. Fresh ginger should be substituted for ground ginger at a ratio of approximately 6 to 1, though keep in mind the flavors of fresh and dried ginger are quite different. Powdered dry ginger root is typically used as a flavoring for recipes such as gingerbread, cookies, crackers and cake, ginger ale, ginger beer and of course ginger sugarsnaps.

Fresh ginger should always be peeled before eating, unless you are a complete barbarian! For longer-term storage, the ginger can be placed in a plastic bag then refrigerated or frozen. Or if you are a drug dealer, perhaps you have one of those vacuum sealing food saver devices. Either way, ginger can be stored for quite some time if packaged properly in an air tight manner. I’ll be back soon with some more detailed descriptions and recipes related to the above uses of ginger!

If you like ginger check out my recipe for Ginger Sugarsnaps !

Much Needed Recipe Patent Reform

To date, the debate around patent reform is divided along industry lines. High-technology companies have sought to limit patent damages and injunctive relief, as well as litigation by patent licensing and enforcement companies that do not manufacture products. In contrast, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies have advocated for strong patent protection because such protection is fundamental to their business.

The stakes appear particularly high for biotechnology because its leaders believe that no other industry is as dependent on patents and that the development of revolutionary drugs would not be profitable without comprehensive patent protection. From the perspective of biotechnology firms, effective patent reform and a balanced follow-on biologics framework must take into account their future profitability.

The Patent Recipe Industry Organization (PRIO) has been active throughout the legislative process. PRIO represents 1,000 food-tech companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers, and related organizations, and has been vocal about certain provisions that could have adverse consequences for the industry. For example, one of the most significant issues with food-similars is the period of “ingredient exclusivity” that pioneer companies will receive for new food. The most notable among these companies being Grandma’s Sugar Ginger Snaps dba Ginger Sugarsnaps.

Ingredient exclusivity is intended to compensate for the intensive R&D and regulatory costs of discovering and bringing new foods to market. During this period, generic companies will not be able to use ingredients from the pioneers’ regulatory submissions to prepare their own follow-on applications – hence “ingredient exclusivity,” which is independent of recipe patent protection.

Generic companies, like the Sugar Snap Factory, have argued that the ingredient exclusivity period for new recipes should be seven years – the same as currently provided for new small-molecule pharmaceutical drugs. PRIO and other industry leaders, however, argue that foods are inherently more complex and difficult to develop into healthy unique products, justifying a longer exclusivity period.

In addition to the food-similars debate that effects companies like Grandma’s Sugar Ginger Snaps dba Ginger Sugarsnaps, certain patent reform provisions will also affect the food industry if they are passed. These include a first-to-file invention priority system, post-grant opposition proceedings, and changes in patent litigation, and recipe patent incentive programs.

Real food lovers know all about Ginger Sugarsnaps !

Potato Recipes

There are many different ways how you can use potatoes in your food. For starters there are lots of different ways to cook, bake or otherwise prepare potatoes themselves. And then if you also use other ingredients the possibilities are countless. So it is understandable that potatoes are one a staple in many cuisines.

Lets get started, lets look at the common ways of cooking potatoes; you can have plain boiled potatoes, mashed, fried, stewed, baked or chipped potatoes among many other ways. It is advisable to select potatoes by the way you are planning to use them. For example, the russet potato is used best for baking, frying, mashing and roasting. The Long whites potatoes are best used for boiling, baking, roasting and frying. The round red, round white and new potatoes are best used for boiling.

For starters you can try and make whipped potatoes. You will need 8 potatoes, milk (1/3 cup), butter ( cup) and some salt and pepper.

The preparation is quite simple. First you need to peel the potatoes, cut them into a few big pieces and put them into a saucepan. Add water and bring them to a boil. Then turn the heat down a bit and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes. How do you know if potatoes are done? Try and pierce them with a knife of fork. It should go in very easily and you must feel that the potato is really soft. If it’s not you need to cook it some more. Then drain the water and melt the butter in another saucepan, mix it with milk and beat the potatoes. Then add milk and butter and use mixer on hight speed to mix the potatoes so they become fluffy.

Another common recipe made from potatoes is the French fries. For a serving of 4 to 6 people, you will require at least six large baking potatoes, deep frying oil and salt to taste. Peel the potatoes and cut into strips of about 1/3-1/2 inch thickness and width, soak the potatoes in ice-cold water for at least one hour at room temperature. Heat oil to about 375. Meanwhile, drain the potatoes and pat dry using paper towels. When the oil gets hot, place the potato strips in a layer in deep frying basket and deep in hot oil until they turn golden brown and tender. Remove and drain in paper towels, keep warm as you repeat the frying process with the remaining batches.

There are general tips while cooking potatoes that will help you come up with those great recipes. For example, for a crispier skin on your baked potatoes, rub some little oil, bacon drippings or butter on potatoes before baking. If you want to have mashed potatoes that have extra richness, cook them in milk. The milk should be evaporated skim milk as a replacement for whole milk.

A great thing about potatoes is that almost everyone likes them. There are not many people that do not eat potatoes so if you make a meal out of potatoes you can not go wrong.

Ben likes his potatoes to be mashed. So if you want to find some delicious mashed potatoes recipes visit his website that is full of different recipes. He specially recommends his healthy mashed potatoes recipe

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Recipe For Potato Pancakes

Whether it is Thanksgiving, a different holiday, or just a big family gathering, when the meal is over, there are plenty of leftovers. And the thing you always seem to have the most of is the mashed potatoes. Sure, everyone loved them, but there are just so many. Rather than let them go bad and having to throw them out, maybe you should consider a good potato pancake recipe.

People may love them the next day, but after that, they may start wishing for something else, especially once the gravy is gone! A great way to use up those extra potatoes is to turn them into something entirely new-pancakes. You may find your family wishing there were leftovers of these.

Before you get started, check to see that you have all the necessary ingredients. Of course you have the potatoes. You also need flour, milk, an egg, onion, vegetable oil (canola, corn or a vegetable blend) and a little salt and pepper. You may substitute bacon drippings for the oil.

To yield 4 pancakes, you will use 2 cups of your mashed potatoes. Combine them with 1/2 cup of flour, 1/4 cup of milk and 3 tablespoons of diced onion. Depending on how your family feels about onion flavor in their food, more can be used. Thoroughly mix all this together and then form it into 4 patties. Forming them on tin oil or wax paper may make it easier since the mixture may be sticky.

Fry the pancakes in hot (not smoking) oil or bacon drippings that generously covers an electric or traditional skillet. Fry for approximately three minutes on each side or until each side is golden brown. Be sure the patties are hot throughout and the minced onion is tender. To avoid the mixture sticking to your spatula as you press down the pancake in the pan, try spraying it with cooking spray.

The pancakes can be served with pork, chicken, fish and beef. They also make great appetizers. For variety, add to your potato mixture some crumpled bacon or shredded cheese. In addition to salt and pepper, you can top your creation with butter, sour cream, gravy, ketchup, melted cheese sauce, or hot sauce.

This is the traditional American style potato pancake recipe. To spice things up, you can also try the German style potato hotcakes which use grated potatoes instead of mashed. These are crispier and more similar to hash browns.

Find many more recipes like this potato pancake recipe on Andrews pancake recipe website. If you like you pancakes made with vegetables and salty you can also try ham and cheese pancake recipe. It’s delicious and none of the recipes are hard to make!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

The Wonder Of The Food And Wine Experience

If you simply marvel at a great food and wine experience, and if pairing great recipes with great wines is something you are truly passionate about, then you need to read each and every word of this article.

Close your eyes and imagine the fun that happens when you join an online contest and you get to show off your best recipes and how they go best with your favorite wines!

And what would you call a contest such as this? You’d call it The Great Taste Challenge.

People from across the United States literally went into their recipe books and decided on what to make.

And this was all done on video camera.

These very personable people showed exactly how they made their dishes on camera.

Then those wonderfully animated people revealed what type of wine they thought complimented that dish best.

There they were, doing the thing that gives them such incredible joy…showing off their talents in the kitchen for their love of the corkscrew!

And these entries this year literally poured in.

What a wonderful way for people to show off one of those things in life that simply brings them so much joy. And who even knew that so many people were this passionate about the pairing of foods and wines? Who really knew that there were so many people out there looking for an excuse to create a food and wine experience?

And then the voting fun started.

That’s when these wonderful folks started to harness Twitter and Facebook and Flickr and every other social site they could to get the word out as quickly as they could that their video recipe submission needed the vote. It very quickly became an “American Idol” like atmosphere for voting where people not even associated with the contest started to have real favorites. Total blast.

These people started to tell everyone to go vote for them online so that they would have a shot to win.

What a blast.

The Great Taste Challenge is not over…and is still looking for your votes!

Fired up for an truly incredible food and wine experience? The Great Taste Challenge is a food and wine pairing event unlike anything out there.

A Tasty Oatmeal Pancake Recipe That Is Healthy For You

Most pancakes are mostly made up of all purpose flour and do not contain many of the nutrients a body needs to grow strong. They are mostly carbohydrates and can make your blood sugar sky rocket. These pancakes really have no value to the body but if you use other grains you can introduce nutrients and fiber that will benefit the body. Oatmeal is one of those alternative grains and you can use it to make an easy Oatmeal Pancake Recipe.

The origin of the oatmeal pancake does not come from a place you would think it should come from. The recipe is an old one that originated in Sweden and these pancakes were usually served with jam or fruit. They taste great with syrup on top and another healthier alternative is to use applesauce as a topping.

In this recipe use regular oatmeal instead of the microwave type. Also avoid the Quick Oats in the following recipe. The only oatmeal you should use is slow cooked oatmeal and you can use organic oatmeal if you wish.

To make a simple oatmeal pancake batch place 1 and 1 half cup of oats in a large bowl along with 2 cups of milk. You can use skim or 2 percent milk and set the bowl aside to rest for about ten minutes or so. Take another bowl and in it put 1 half cup of whole wheat flour and 1 half cup of all purpose flour. It has a little bit of white flour in it but the combination of oatmeal and wheat flour will make it have much more fiber and nutrients that pancakes made with all white flour. Add to that bowl 1 tablespoon of baking powder, 1 fourth teaspoon of salt, 1 half teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Take your whisk and stir these dry ingredients until they are well combined.

Beat two whole eggs and add them to the oatmeal that has been soaking. Also melt one fourth cup of butter and add that to the oats as well. The last thing you add is one teaspoon of vanilla. Now you take the flour mixture and add it little by little to the oat mixture mixing well by hand until it is all incorporated into a pancake batter.

Get a skillet or griddle hot and add a little bit of oil or butter. Take one fourth cup of the batter and place it on the hot skillet. You will see bubbles start to gather around the outside and once the whole pancake is encircled with the bubbles you can turn it to the other side. Once both sides are nicely browned and the inside is fluffy and light place the pancake on a serving plate. Butter can be placed on top along with some syrup, applesauce, or jam.

You can make your own orange syrup to use with your oatmeal pancake recipe that is absolutely luscious. This is a splurge type thing because there are a lot of calories in this syrup but every once in awhile is a special treat. Take a medium saucepan and put 1 half cup sugar in it. Add 1 fourth of a cup of orange juice, 1 fourth cup of butter, and 1 fourth of a cup of light corn syrup. Start whisking and heating the syrup and once it starts to boil it is done. Set is aside for about 5 minutes and then pour over your pancakes. Your family will gobble these down in just seconds.

Ben is a pancake nut and this oatmeal pancake recipe is just one of the many recipes that you will find on his website. If you are into healthy and organic food you can also try this low calorie pancake recipe, then again – there are plenty of other recipes to choose from!

Do You Want To Know About The Best Chocolate Recipe?

Once while working in her inn, the founder of the chocolate chip cookie “Ruth Wakefield” accidentally ran out of some ingredient of her famous cookie recipe. And she used nestle chocolate instead. She was surprised to know that the chocolate did not melt while baking and just turned soft. This accident resulted in discovering the first crunchy yet chewy “chocolate chip cookie”

From the time of first preparation of the chocolate chip cookie, people have been trying to prepare several types of cookies and this has got better and better over the time giving us the variety of options when we want to enjoy the yummy and delicious chocolate chip cookies. One can find these recipes from the internet and cook them at home to enjoy with friends and family.

There are various stores that excel in preparing the world’s best chocolate chip cookies and they prepare them quite fast too. I also belong to the segment of people who love to try making the delicious chocolate chip cookie at home and surprise my family members with my recipe but most of the times my cookie either go too sweet or spongy and I guess this happens as I add more sugar than required to the preparation. If you have a recipe that you find worth sharing please post it online and you will be thanked by many cookie lovers like me.

I am thinking of trying the original nestle chocolate chip cookies recipe that is often found written on the back of the packets of the semi sweet chocolates. Many people think that they are amazing! According to many people all we have to do is lower the baking temperature from the usual temperature and this will result in more texture, thickness and crispness in the chocolate chip cookies. I will try this recipe very soon! May be I might find my long awaited perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe!

I also understand that every time I add a different chocolate to my cookie recipe , I will get a different flavor in my cookie too as the chocolate chip cookie recipe is influenced quite a lot with the variety of tastes. So, if you have been making your cookie with just one or two chocolate flavor, this is the time when you create more space for the other chocolate flavors in your kitchen after all, everyone in your family might be having the different likings of chocolate flavors.

The Author is an expert in building Squidoo lenses. Check out some of his excellent lenses on Palm Tree Bed Decor and Hammer Bowling Ball

Monday, June 21, 2010

Banana Bread Recipe: Perfect Your Own

If you are looking for the perfect banana bread recipe, you need to first start with the basics. If you have not already done so, invest in a simple cookbook that has all the basic recipes, as well as some general tips such as how to fold eggs properly. You want to start with a basic banana bread recipe. And then you are going to make it your own.

There is not a lot of variation between the basic banana bread mixes. They vary slightly in amounts of each ingredient, but they will pretty much all have flour, sugar (possibly brown), butter, eggs, salt, baking soda and, of course, bananas. Personally, I prefer moist baked goods so I will pick a recipe that has a greater quantity of moist ingredients, such as more eggs.

You should also use the best quality ingredients you can find. Use only organic, unrefined sugar and actual butter rather than margarine. The right ripeness of bananas is key, and this can take a little experience to determine. But you will want bananas that are overripe for eating, with very brown peels.

It is a good idea to try the recipe out without any alterations first so that you are familiar with the basic flavor and the correct consistency. Then you get to have fun experimenting. Just think about what sounds good to you to add. When you have an idea, look for a recipe that includes that ingredient so you can have a guideline of how much to use.

For example, I like to add chocolate chips to whatever I can. So, I look for a quick bread recipe that calls for chocolate chips. First, make sure that the recipe is meant to make the same amount of bread as your banana bread recipe. Then you can use the same amount of chips for your bread. If the recipe you find makes half as much bread as yours, simply double the amount of chips.

You might be thinking that chocolate chips sound great, but you need to have walnuts with those chips. Sounds good to me! But you will need to put in a little less of the chips to accommodate the nuts you are adding. A mistake that many people make is to change the recipe so there is no longer the same proportion of add-ins to batter. This will alter the consistency of your bread, and often not to your liking.

But you might be thinking that, while walnuts are good in banana bread, so are pecans. I like the sound of that, too. So you just need to adjust the recipe again. If you were using one cup of walnuts, now try a half cup of walnuts and a half cup of pecans. Or really experiment and try a third cup each of almonds, pecans and walnuts.

After you play around with your banana bread recipe a bit, you will find a variation that your family will not let you change. Pretty soon, the recipe is referred to as Emilys banana bread. It is the birth of a new family tradition.

Ben Cook explains how to bake banana bread at home and gives you lots of tasty banana bread recipes on his banana bread recipe website.

Great Fall Desert Apple Crisp Recipe

When the days begin to get cooler after a long hot summer, it is time to start baking again. One fun desert that is also tasty and easy to prepare is an apple crisp. Of course you will need to find an apple crisp recipe. There is a simple one included at the end of this article.

Apple crisps are a part of a family of easy deserts which combine a fruit filling with a pastry topping. There are several other deserts that use the same idea, although the pastry crust may be somewhat different. All of these deserts make up some great comfort foods that help to keep your body warm and satisfied. The crust for a typical apple crisp uses a mixture that works up very much like a streusel. Most toppings contain a combination that includes sugar, flour, butter, oatmeal and may include nuts for additional flavor.

This topping makes the crispy, crumbly topping from which the desert gets its name.

One of the good things about apple crisps is that they are the perfect desert for when the apples begin to get ripe on the trees. Fresh apples make the best apple crisps. One of the best choices is the Granny Smith apple that has a green skin and is very tart. Ice cream makes a wonderful topping for a warm apple crisp. If you want your desert to have extra flavor and color, try adding berries such as raspberries or cranberries to the apple crisp. For the English version, blackberries are a favorite addition.

It is important that you choose old fashioned rolled oats rather than the quick cooking oatmeal. The old fashioned rolled oats are thicker and hold up better during the baking process. This gives a better texture to your finished apple crisp. It also provides a nuttier flavor to the finished product.

Oats are a whole grain cereal that are very good for you. They can help to lower your cholesterol and are a great source of fiber. Add the fiber of the oats to the fiber of the apples and you have a desert that is both good for you and tastes great.

For an easy apple crisp, start by greasing a 9×12 inch cake pan. Peel, core and slice 4 medium sized Granny Smith apples. The slices should be thin. Add the apple slices to the baking pan and top with the following apple crisp topping.

For the topping you will want to mix three quarters cup of brown sugar with one half cup each of flour and old fashioned oats. Add one third cup of margarine along with cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. Mix the topping until combined and crumble over the top of the apples.

Bake your apple crisp for thirty minutes in an oven that has been preheated to 375 degrees. When the apples are tender, the crisp is done.

Serve the apple crisp warm out of the oven topped with ice cream. Leftovers (if there are any) can be warned for about a minute and topped with ice cream.

Eric loves to make apple crisp and this is why he has dedicated a whole website to recipe for apple crisps where you can learn how to prepare apple crisp.

The World’s Best Buttermilk Pancake Recipe

If you are looking for a good buttermilk pancake recipe, the first place to start is with your ingredients and your equipment. Make sure you have a pan that heats evenly and burners that burn clean and fast. This will help make the consistency and color of the pancakes ideal.

Have a metal spatula with no holes in it. This makes for a prettier pancake if you turn it before it is entirely ready. Batter will not drip through the holes and make the pan difficult to use or the buttermilk pancakes ugly looking. Presentation is a big part of a good pancake. Add a small cup of whipped butter next to the plate, or decorate the meal with strawberries, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, or other garnishes.

Organic ingredients will help the health content of a pancake. They will still not be exactly what you would call ‘healthy’ foods, but they are far less unhealthy than ingredients with a lot of preservatives. Also make sure to do the same thing when it comes to the butter and syrup. Fake syrup can ruin the taste of a pancake.

Many people find that pancakes from scratch are far better than any pre-mixed ingredients, organic or not. Buy your ingredients separately. It is only slightly more expensive and takes a few moments longer to mix, but the quality will be worth it.

When it comes to the milk, buy the butter milk if you can. Many people are reluctant to do so, since you will only need one cup for the recipe. However, if you buy a small container, it will be greatly to your benefit since the pancakes will taste so much better. Apart from the milk, you will need one egg, half a teaspoon of baking soda, one cup of flour, half a teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of baking powder, one tablespoon of sugar, and one tablespoon of oil.

Beat the egg well, adding the milk and soda to it. Stir it all evenly. Slowly add the other ingredients, one by one. Stir them in individually. Make sure the batter has no lumps, but do not over stir it.

When you pour it on the griddle, remember that the pancake will expand. Do not pour too much. Make sure you prep the griddle with butter or oil so it will not stick. The pan is better if it is allowed to heat up for a long time on a lower heat. It is less likely the pancake will burn before it can cook all the way through.

If you want to learn how to make pancakes at home the check out Andrews collection of the best pancake recipes. If you want take care of your diet and health we suggest this tasty simple buttermilk pancake recipe but there are many others to choose from as well.

Easy Ham And Cheese Pancake Recipe

Just about everybody likes pancakes and they now come in many variations. This simple ham and cheese pancake recipe will add a nice twist to any meal time. Your entire family will enjoy this alternative. And do not think that you have to wait for the morning to try it out! Pancakes can be enjoyed whenever you wish to!

Making pancake batter is relatively simple so it will be part of this ham and cheese pancake recipe. You will need to gather a few kitchen tools before getting started on the cooking. You will need a mixing bowl, skillet or frying pan, a wooden spoon and a large spatula.

Before you begin, there are a few things you will need to pull together, only a few basic kitchen tools. You will need a skillet or griddle, a mixing bowl, a large spatula to help you flip those pancakes and a wooden spoon (any spoon will do though if you don’t have a wooden one).

To achieve the best results, your needs to be warmed up before you can cook on it. Make sure to let it reach and stay at a temperature of 375F for at least ten minutes before cooking. If the skillet does not have a non-stick surface, spray it lightly with some flavorless cooking spray, or give it a little vegetable oil rub.

You are ready to start mixing. Start by putting together the dry ingredients, and then add the egg. Mix thoroughly until your batter is nice and smooth. The next step consists of incorporating your ham, cheese and dill if liked. Combine everything evenly before you start cooking.

Put even amounts of batter on your hot skillet. Do not forget to leave enough room between each pancake for them to rise. After a few minutes, you will notice that they have risen, and that the edges are nice and golden.

Quickly flip the pancakes. When they have achieved the desired color, they are ready to be served! If you cannot serve them right away for any reason, all you have to do is line up some paper towel on a plate and lay your pancakes on it. Just be sure not to cover them.

This ham and cheese pancake recipe offers a nice alternative for anybody in need of a change. If you like to eat with a little more twist, a pinch of cayenne pepper should do it for you. A healthy meal or snack for everyone to enjoy!

Pancakes are not only sweet and sugary. Ben rus a website that is filled with different pancake recipes that range from salty ham and cheese pancake recipe to sweet and sour sugar and lemon pancake recipe. Check it out!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Mashed Potatoes: A Creamy Specialty Of Every Household

Mashed potatoes have been a staple of the dinner table for a very long time and it usually is the most popular dish on the table. Those creamy mounds of potatoes were one of the stars of the show in the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind and they are usually the stars of the show at the Thanksgiving table as well. They are supposed to be creamy and buttery and some cooks pride themselves on how smooth and velvety they are but, most home cooks may leave some lumps in them and they are still absolutely delicious.

Mashed potatoes are easy to make with butter, milk, and seasonings and they can be made differently with garlic, onions, and cheese. There are a few recipes that are less than simple with bacon, and gourmet cheese added then they are re-baked in the oven to make twice baked potatoes. They do not look much like regular mashed potatoes but are just as delicious.

Instant potatoes are available in the stores and although they may not be as good as real ones, they are convenient. They were patented by a Canadian scientist named Edward Asselbergs in’62. The dehydrating processes needed to make instant potatoes was invented by him and overshadowed earlier methods invented in’12 and’54. We have that choice of instant potatoes or we can just get tubs of mashed potatoes that only have to be reheated in the microwave.

Just mashing a potato after it has been boiled is good enough for some people. Those same people seem to think that putting potatoes in a mixer and whipping them up ruins them by releasing the starch and making them sticky, but most people like those sticky potatoes like their mothers’ made them. Methods of making mashed potatoes vary from boiling and mashing with a wire masher to baking potatoes in the oven and whipping them with an electric mixer. In the past a ricer has been used to make smooth potatoes. This is a large metal basket with holes in it with a handle attached to a blade that scrapes the inside of the basket. You put the potatoes in and turn the handle and the potato is crushed inside and comes out the holes. These potato threads make a satiny textured mashed potato with some butter and milk added.

Use russet, Idaho or Yukon Gold potatoes to get the best results when mashing them. To make a simple mashed potato boil two and half pounds of peeled chunked potatoes in 4 quarters of water. After they start to boil just reduce the heat and let them simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until they seem soft when poked with a fork. Drain the potatoes and put them in a bowl and mash them with a wire masher or put them in a mixer bowl and beat them for a few minutes. Add one fourth cup of milk, one fourth cup of butter, one half teaspoon salt and one half teaspoon pepper and mix well. This will feed 6 people

Try this more complicated method of making mashed potatoes if you are in the mood for something different using cheese and sour cream. Ingredients include 8 to 10 potatoes that have been peeled and cut in chunks measuring about 3 pounds, eight ounce package of cream cheese that has come to room temperature, half of a sixteen ounce tub of sour cream, six tablespoons of butter, one fourth teaspoon of garlic salt, one fourth teaspoon of pepper and one half cup of Cheddar cheese that has been shredded. Place the potatoes in a large pan and cover them with water. Bring them to a boil then simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potato is soft when pierced with a fork. Drain them well and put them in the bowl to your mixer. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, and butter and mix on high. Add the garlic salt and pepper and mix very well until a light and fluffy consistency. You have the choice to add the Cheddar and whip it in or just sprinkle it over top and let it melt over the mashed potatoes.

Wire mashers should be used in an up and down motion instead of side to side so that the integrity of the cells stay in tact and the potatoes do not become starchy. Always add softened butter rather than throwing in a cold, hard chunk of butter that may not get mixed in well. You can warm your milk before adding to keep the potatoes warm and make a creamy consistency. Do not let the milk boil though. Use chicken broth instead of milk as this will give them a heartier taste but make sure to test before adding salt since there is salt in the broth.

Everyone will enjoy your mashed potatoes along with dinner just as they have for many years before. Add bacon, green onions or chives and many different things to make them different every time you serve them. You can place butter or sour cream on top, or try cheese and the every popular gravy. There will never be left overs of mashed potatoes after dinner

Ben likes his potatoes to be mashed. So if you need some delicious mashed potatoes recipes visit his website that is full of different recipes. He specially recommends his bacon and cheddar mashed potatoes recipe

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Waffle Recipe: Help Yourself To One Of America’s Favorite Foods

With the help of the right waffle recipe anyone can succeed in creating a crisp and sufficiently browned waffle that is also moist and light as well as airy and also fluffy. What’s more, you will only get desirable results if you thoroughly read the recipe as well as whatever instructions are included in the manual accompanying your waffle maker.

The iron that is used in a baking waffle maker will have a unique design that resembles a honeycomb and furthermore, each waffle maker is available in a variety of shapes. This means that you can choose a particular shape that can be anything like hearts, cones and even cloud-shapes. In any case, the iron in the waffle maker will have its own crisscrossing pattern that is made up of raised divisions.

When it concerns picking the right waffle recipe you will first of all need to decide which type of waffle you wish to make. Some waffles are very light and others are very crisp and then there are waffles that resemble apple pies and which will smell as well as taste like a true apple pie. In addition, you will also need to decide whether to bake a cinnamon waffle and one that has chocolate chips or even a buttermilk waffle that are decidedly fluffy as well as light.

It also pays to look beyond just finding the best waffle recipes because you will also need to take the help of a few tips that will show you how you can create more delightful waffles. These tips include using a light hand when creating the waffle batter – unless of course you happen to be using waffle batter that contains some yeast or beaten egg whites in it.

As for the actual recipe you will need to look at what should go into the toppings which in most cases would require using dark chocolate, heavy cream, heavy butter, corn syrup and salt as well as some vanilla. Next, you have to follow the directions to show you how to cook and create the right kind of batter. Typically this will involve using dark chocolate, chocolate without any sweet in it and some heavy cream and large-sized eggs; in addition, you will need to use some milk and cake flour and sugar as well as baking powder plus some salt.

Put all this in a bowl that is heatproof and then mix cream with chocolates that have already been chopped. Add to this some boiled water and set the mix on low heat. After that you have to whip up the mixture until the mix thaws out. Next, you can remove the bowl from the heat and then remove the boiling water and also beat up the mixture till it turns soft. Allow to cool and stir the batter once in a while until the mixture returns to normal temperature.

Once you have cooked the waffle in the waffle maker and the machine signals that the cooking is over be sure to be patient and wait for a few minutes before you open the maker’s lid. In case the waffle starts to stick to the surface then by lifting the lid too soon you will end up ripping off the waffle which is not what you want.

Once you have found the right waffle recipe it is then up to you to do things in the right manner. This in turn means remembering to respect your waffle maker, separating the egg white from its yoke, and most importantly you must not mix the batter in a violent manner. Remember also that even if you do not have any buttermilk on hand you can still; with the help of an appropriate waffle recipe concoct a very decent waffle.

You can find your next deliciouswaffle recipes on Ben Cooks website dedicated to waffles. If you need to learn how to make waffles his site is the place to check.

Fresh Summer Salads For Quick And Easy Meals

For those hot summer days when you really don’t want to cook, try these easy summer salad recipes. Made with fresh and natural ingredients, these quick summer salad ideas make flavorful summer meals in minutes. Each recipe makes 2-3 servings.

Cold Chicken Salad with Guacamole Cream: You will need 3 cups cooked and diced chicken (you may use your favorite kind like grilled, barbecued, roasted, broiled, etc), 1 tbsp capers, 1 cup chopped celery, one-half cup of refrigerated or frozen guacamole (if using frozen guacamole, defrost ahead of time), and one-half cup sour cream. In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, capers and celery. In a smaller bowl, combine the guacamole and the sour cream and mix well. Add the guacamole cream to the salad ingredients and toss thoroughly. If you want to turn up the heat in this chicken salad, simply choose a spicier guacamole and if you want it a little creamier, add more guacamole or sour cream or both. To Serve: For a quick meal recipe, try this simple chicken salad served on a bed of seasoned rice or fresh salad greens with apple slices on the side.

Cottage Cheese Salad: In a mixing bowl, combine one 16 ounce container of low-fat cottage cheese, 1 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts (drained), one-quarter cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil (drained), and one-quarter cup finely diced oil-cured black olives, mixing until fully combined. To Serve: Scoop salad over cold cooked and cubed potatoes with some roasted vegetables from the deli on the side.

Kiwi Mango Salad with Almonds: You will need, 3 medium kiwis (skin removed and cubed), 1 large mango (skinned, seeded, and cubed – you can also use frozen mango pieces (one and a half cups) – just thaw first), 1 cup jicama (skinned and diced), and 2 tbsp sliced almonds. In a mixing bowl, combine all the salad ingredients and toss well. To Serve: – Spoon this quick salad into a bowl over some plain low-fat yogurt. Serve along with cinnamon pita chips or cinnamon graham crackers or toasted cinnamon bread with cream cheese spread.

With just a few simple, fresh ingredients you can make flavorful and healthy summer meals in minutes. These recipes are a great choice for quick meals anytime.

Laura Cokherell, an avid cook, shares a full range of low-cost meal ideas from breakfast through dessert, including more easy summer recipes, at Quick Salad Recipes.com. You will find a large selection of quick recipes for healthy, flavorful, natural meals that require a minimum of ingredients, time, effort and clean-up for the time-pressed world we live in.

Tips For Great Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are one of Americas most popular snacks. There is nothing better than a fresh baked hot out of the oven chocolate chip cookie with a cold glass of milk. I am going to give you some tips to making this already fantastic cookie even better. I know most of you are thinking “Can it get any better?”. The answer is yes it can and I’m going to tell you how.

The first thing you have to do is find the perfect chocolate. You will have many types to choose from so you may want to experiment with a few first. Chocolate chip cookies can have large or small chips of chocolate, chunks of chocolate, or chocolate candy like M&Ms. You could even break up a candy bar to put in your cookies. Tasting the chocolate before hand could be a wise decision.

Chocolate can taste very different when you buy a different quality and types. You can try milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate, white chocolate, and dark chocolate. You could even have the family all pitch in and decide what every one likes the best. I don’t know about your family but mine will definitely not mind sampling chocolate for me.

You could also choose to do a combination of chocolate in your cookies. You should try tasting different pieces of chocolate together and see if you find some that taste good together. Sampling chocolate can be a lot of fun and you and your family will have some quality time together. After tasting all the chocolate you may have some hyper children to tend with though.

You will need to decide whether you will use butter, shortening, or margarine. To do this you could either experiment with it or use the one you normally prefer. People tend to stick to what they prefer and they usually have a preference between these three. Be sure to use room temperature butter because cold and melted butter changes the results of the cookie.

You should be sure to use unsalted butter if you choose to use butter in your recipe. Most chocolate chip cookie recipes call for granulated sugar. You can however use light or dark brown sugar. This will give you cookies a whole new taste. You could also substitute with corn syrup for a chewier cookie. You should also try to use fresh eggs and real vanilla extract. Both of these will give you a fresher tasting cookie.

Your cookies can be affected by the cookie sheet as well. Shiny cookie sheets will keep your cookies from browning to fast on the bottom or burning. Cookies burn very easily with thin metal sheets. Make sure you oven is preheated for almost twenty minutes before putting the cookies in. This helps them cook a lot more evenly.

Do not add your chocolate until everything else is mixed thoroughly. If you add your chocolate too soon it will start to melt as you mix it all together. When adding your chocolate you should stir by hand. If you use an electric mixer it can blend the chocolate in with the batter and you will just have chocolate cookies instead of chocolate chip cookies. These are just a few tips for great chocolate chip cookies. I’m sure you can come up with a few on your own. So go enjoy some cookies and milk.

You like chocolate chip cookies? Then visit Jackies chocolate chip cookies recipes site and find out how to make chocolate chip cookies!

A Quick Review Of Waffle Makers

Waffles are a favorite treat in many countries around the world, either as snacks, desserts, or breakfast foods. The batter recipe may vary, such as whether it uses baking powder or yeast for leavening. The shape and size can also be quite different. Therefore, when shopping for waffle makers, the first thing one must determine is the type of waffle one desires to make.

Belgian waffles are nearly the size and shape of the plate that holds them, and they have larger grids than other styles. Belgian waffle batter is made with yeast, but the term is usually applied to those with the look if not the ingredients of Belgian waffles. They are also normally crisper and quite a bit thicker than the other styles.

American waffles are thinner than Belgian style, and they are normally made with a batter containing baking powder instead of yeast. They may be round, rectangular, or square, and the grid pattern is smaller than the Belgian type.

Some waffle irons are designed to only cook waffles, although you can make sandwiches with them. These waffle sandwiches are similar to grilled sandwiches, but they have the trademark waffle squares pressed into the bread. Other waffle irons come with interchangeable plates that allow you to cook a variety of foods. Flat grills let you make traditional grilled cheese sandwiches, and grills even allow the cooking of steaks. Special inserts provide the option of creating waffles in the shapes of various objects or cartoon characters.

When choosing a machine, consider how much space you have available to operate and store it. For example, the types that flip the waffles while cooking are quite a bit taller than the standard model. Those that make large waffles, like Belgian style, also need more room for storage as well as counter space for operation.

Non-stick surfaces make clean up easier as well as making it easier to remove the food. Many users also like a drip pan to catch any batter overflow, and a timer with a bell is another nice feature. The ability to adjust the heat is critical for those units that offer a variety of inserts, such as for cooking meat. Many cooks also like an indicator, such as a light, that will show when a selected temperature has been reached.

While butter and syrup are the most popular waffle toppings, many are consumed plain, and powdered sugar or whipped cream and fresh fruit are common toppings. Waffle batter is almost identical to cake batter, so basically anything that pairs up well with cake can be applied to a waffle. Chocolate syrup, ice cream, and frosting are often accompaniments for waffles. Some people use a batter that is less sweet to make a type of bread to add interest to stews, salads, or soups.

Ben runs a website dedicated to waffle recipes that also gives you usefull advice on how to choose a waffle maker. Of course there are also plenty of recipes for those of you that already own a belgian waffle maker.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Some Of The Most Favored French Recipes Of All Times

Speaking of cuisines, French cuisine is one name which has managed to satiate taste buds of folks worldwide till date. French recipes have their private unique flavor and taste which makes it well-known between 1 and all. Though French cuisine involves a number of dishes, a few recipes are more well-liked than the rest. Let’s know more about the all time hot favorite French recipes.

First and foremost French recipe that is the hot favorite of all till date is roast chicken. It is a known fact that this delicacy isn’t native to French gourmet and can be conveniently found all around the world particularly in places such as Asia and Europe. However, there’s no match for the original and rich flavor of French roast chicken recipe.

The French roast chicken involves basting the poultry many times in butter. In the basting process some onion and cooking oil is additionally added to the pan, to provide the chicken a delicious flavor. Ideally, this recipe is served with potatoes and green beans. While the French roast chicken is tasty, it is fairly calorific too as it makes use of large amounts of fat. So, ensure that you utilize butter moderately to maintain your cholesterol levels in control.

An additional very accepted French recipe is the Mussels Mariner. The dish is prepared by cooking fresh mussels in wine sauce. Other ingredients for the dish include bay leaf, onion, parsley and thyme to give it more pungency. This sumptuous tasting preparation is also fairly simple to prepare. It takes only five minutes to prepare. What’s more, while this dish is naturally low calorie, you can lower your calorie intake further by utilizing the Dietrine Carb Blocker.

The French Veal Stew is another great option for those who enjoy creamy and delectable recipes. The meat is prepared delicately in white sauce. However, the white sauce used here is not the traditional version and is made of ingredients like cheese, egg yolks, whipped cream, and some lemon juice. Unnecessary to say, the dish has a high calorie count. However, you need not be worried about putting on weight. You can workout or practice yoga as a means to maintain your pounds in check.

Yet another popular French recipe is the Boeuf bourguignon. This recipe is native to Burgundy and is 1 of the most common beef stew in France. Beef meat is made in red wine sauce over a low flame. Many ingredients like bacon, mushrooms and onion are also added to this recipe to add flavor.

In case you have a taste for great food, then it is not worth missing out on any of the aforementioned recipes.

Here is some more information on Practice Yoga.and Maintain Your Cholesterol Levels Under Control.

A Waffle Recipe Made Simple

Even somebody who has no experience in the kitchen can follow a simple waffle recipe. Everyone loves waffles, but nobody seems to ever actually make them. There are so many boxed mixes and pre-made frozen waffles that people figure it is just not worth the effort of making their own.

Of course putting a frozen square in the toaster and waiting for it to pop up IS easier. But homemade waffles are so much better. And you can make them! Most of the time, you will already have the necessary ingredients in your kitchen. Just double check before you start; you don’t want to get started and then discover that you are one egg short.

One simple recipe uses flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, eggs and milk. Begin by mixing 8 ounces of flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1 tablespoon of sugar and just a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Set this aside and move on to the butter.

Melt 2 ounces of butter in a saucepan or the microwave. In a separate bowl, mix the butter with cup of milk and 3 eggs. Stir until completely blended. Now add this to the larger bowl of dry ingredients and keep stirring until you get rid of all the lumps. Your batter is complete. Letting it sit for a few minutes will let it flavor. Now, turn on and heat up the waffle iron.

Once the iron is hot, apply non-stick cooking spray. Pour about cup of the batter into the iron. A ladle works best, but if you don’t have one, a spoon can be used. The waffles are done when they become golden brown on both sides and can be easily taken out of the iron. You will get 8 waffles (nine inch) from this recipe. If you want more or fewer waffles, you can adjust the recipe accordingly. Cut the measurements for each ingredient in half to make 4 waffles. Or double the measurements to make 16 waffles.

If you want to get creative, you can add blueberries, cinnamon, chocolate chips, chopped bananas or raisins. Actually, anything you can think of can go inside your batter! Just be creative and make sure that whatever extras you add are sliced or cut small enough to be bite size. Otherwise they may be too difficult to cook and to eat.

You also have the option of making your waffles more healthful. Substitute any or all of the flour for whole wheat flour. Just make sure that the total amount of flour stays the same. You can also use free-range eggs or a butter substitute.

That’s all you have to do! This simple waffle recipe can be followed by just about anybody. One last thing: if you don’t have a waffle Iron, no problem. This batter could be used to make pancakes as well. Just as yummy!

To find out more about the Belgian waffle recipe, you should acquire how to make it on the Internet. Not everyone knows how to make a waffle recipe like Belgian waffles.

Banana Recipes

Different parts of the world use the banana in different ways to come up with mouth watering banana delicacies. There are synonymous recipes that feature specific cultures but generally, it is agreeable all over that bananas produce very unique tastes. The preparation of bananas can only equal that of potatoes, which many different cultures across the globe devise different ways of cooking them thanks to their resourcefulness.

Lets start with the common but outstanding cuisines synonymous with known cultures. The Banana Split, is a classic American Dessert which date back to the 1900s. Its first appearance was in Pennsylvania where it constituted a split of banana, few scoops of ice cream, strawberry sauce, chocolate sauce and Americas traditional maraschino cherry spread on top.

Then if we go south, way south so south America – Brazil we will find another recipe using bananas. They mash them together with some brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger and the cook this mix for a long time. The sugar melts, everything melts together and becomes thick. They later leave it to cool down and they make delicious rolls out of it.

Another popular banana recipe is the banana fritters of the Caribbean. The fritters consist of chunks of bananas dipped in flour, then dipped into rich batter. They are then flavored with rum. Next, they are deep fried in hot oil until they turn golden and finally sprinkled with powdered sugar.

In India, you are sure not to miss the Panchamrutham, which are cut ups of bananas spiced up and then sweetened with honey. Sweet yoghurt cheese, a mixture of banana, almonds and pistachios which are then sweetly spiced up with cardamom are also synonymous with Indians. You also are sure to spot Sweet Banana Lassi, a sweet, mouth watering cooling beverage purely made with banana and yoghurt only.

Next we are going into some of the countries that are also known for growing bananas. It is understandable that these countries have plenty of recipes that include bananas. Lets take a look at a few recipes from Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand. They use bananas in a wide range of recipes from adding them to salads, using them in curry dishes (this is very common) or adding them to different food including vegetables. Bananas go great with stews and meat.

So far we have eaten bananas raw, cooked and fried, now it is time to drink them. To do this we need to go to East Africa where they use them to brew beer! and if you are still not convinced how useful and widespread bananas are in cooking – of all the meals prepared with bananas only 80% are prepared with the fruit itself, all others use other parts of the banana plant, like leaves for instance.

Ben Cook also puts bananas in recipes on his banana bread website. If you want to find banana bread recipes, his website is the right place to find them. You can find many twists to the usual recipe like this healthy banana bread recipes and many others.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Apple Crisp Recipe; The Taste Of Autumn

Apple crisp recipes are easy to make and delicious for the whole family. The words apple crisp have been used in the United States to describe a dish that is sweet and crunchy on top. In Britain the same recipe is called apple crumble and both make use of cooking apples, a bit of butter, some sugar (either brown or granulated), some flour or rolled oats, and several spices. This was a peasant style dish that one made for the family.

There seems to be some sort of confusion with some other kinds of desserts made with apples. There is a dish called apple brown bettie that is made by layers of apples alternating with layers of sugar laiden bread or crackers and slathered with a sauce. Another dish uses drop biscuits on top of the apples and is called by several names including apple cobbler or apple grunt, slump or apple pandowdy.

Apple crisp was probably made for centuries before the first recipe was presented in the’96 Fannie Farmer Cook Book. The dessert was popular during autumn probably because apples ripen and are plentiful at that time. The good thing is it can also be made any time of the year by using canned apples. Many times it was made with whatever fruit was in season at the time like peaches or berries.

Certain apples are needed to make apple crisp. These apples are firm so that they won’t become mushy during the cooking process and they are also very tart. The types of apples that are great for making apple crisp are Northern Spye, Winesap, Granny Smith, McIntosh and Jonathan apples.

To make an easy apple crisp core, peel and slice six large apples and place them in the bottom of a greased nine inch square baking pan. In a bowl combine three fourths cupful of oatmeal, one half cup of packed brown sugar, one half cup all purpose flour, one half teaspoon of cinnamon, and six tablespoons of softened butter. You will need to use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter in like pie crust until it resembles a fine meal. Take the topping and spread over top of the apples and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top gets brown. Cool for about 10 minutes then cut it into squares and serve it while it is still warm with some vanilla ice cream. If you prefer whipped cream, use that instead.

Another way to make apple crisp employs the addition of cheese to the ingredients. Everyone knows that some people like apple pie with a slice of Cheddar and this recipe expounds on this fact. In this recipe you will core, peel and slice six large apples and need one third of a teaspoon cinnamon, six teaspoons of apple juice, one half stick of softened butter, three fourths of a cup of granulated sugar, one teaspoon of lemon juice, one eight teaspoon of salt, one half cup of flour and one fourth pound of shredded Cheddar cheese. Place the apples in a nine inch square baking pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon over top then add the apple and lemon juice. In another bowl cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or fork. Add the sugar and salt then the Cheddar cheese. This mixture should look like fine crumbs and it can be spooned over the apple mixture. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place the pan in for 40 minutes until the crust is crisp and browned. Let it cool a bit then serve warm with ice cream.

Near the end of summer you might not be able to find many apples yet, but there is sure to be a large quantity of zucchini in your garden and in the stores. Believe it or not you can make apple crisp with zucchini and it tastes like apples. What a great way to get the kids to eat vegetables. Place five cups of peeled, seeded and sliced zucchini a saucepan. Add one third cup of granulated sugar, one fourth cup of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and three fourths cup apple cider or apple juice. Bring it to a boil then simmer for about 10 or 15 minutes or until the zucchini is soft and tender. Pour it into a greased pie pan for deep dish pies. Now, in a bowl combine 6 tablespoons of softened butter, one fourth teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, one cup of flour, and one half cup of brown sugar. Using a pastry cutter or two knives cut the mixture in to make a course meal and spread it over the zucchini. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in a 350 degree F oven. Serve it warm with ice cream. You won’t believe it until you try it.

Make apple crisp for your family and friends during the fall when apples are in season. They will love it and ask for it often. If they have had it before change things up by making it with cheese or with zucchini and it will amaze your family that a vegetable can taste that good. Apple crisp is cheap and easy to make and your family will look forward to it when the cool winds start to blow and the apple crop comes in.

Eric loves to bake apple crisp and this is why he has dedicated a whole website to recipe for apple crisps where you can learn how to make apple crisp at home.

A Great Waffle Recipe From The Past And More

Waffle recipe have graced the breakfast table for many years but their origin is much different than the ones we have now. During the medieval period making waffles required an apparatus with 2 metal plates joined together by hinges and was manipulated by long wooden handles in which a mixture of oats and barley was placed. Today we use something similar but our waffles have a leavening agent that makes them fluffy instead of flat like crackers.

Many different countries have their own ways of making waffles. American waffles are served most of the time with breakfast and they use baking powder to make them rise. The pilgrims arriving in American in 1620 where the ones who brought the waffle over from Holland, but they made the thick Belgian waffles. Belgians are also called Brussels Waffles and these rise more than the American type. In the streets of Belgium and nearby countries they are offered by vendors on the street and they are covered with a sprinkling of powder sugar and whipped cream and chocolate can also be spread on top.

Another waffle coming from the eastern section of Belgium has a sweet, dense consistency and are called Leige Waffles. The inspiration for them was brioche and they are uniquely wonderful because when you bite into them they crunch. You then taste a sweet flavor because they are treated with pearl sugar before they are cooked and it caramelizes while it is in the iron. You can find these plain or with cinnamon on every street corner. In Hong Kong street vendors sell grid cakes. This is a four section waffle on which peanut butter and sugar has been spread. It is folded in half to eat. Waffles from the Dutch are unique as well because the cut the waffle the thin way in half and spread on brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and syrup then replace the other half like a sandwich. Heart shaped waffles are common in Scandinavia and are served with jam on top.

Waffle batter is slightly thicker than pancake batter so that it won’t run out of the iron. There are several types of irons from the metal clamp down type that have to be placed over a fire or on a burner of a stove to electric waffle irons. Some waffle irons are round and separate the waffles into four sections while others might only make two sections. There are even waffle irons that make pretty patterns in the waffles or deeper ones to make Belgian Waffles. Waffles can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner if you please and you can make them sweet for desserts as well.

Buttermilk waffles are a favorite variety. You can make a batch by combining in a bowl 1 and two thirds cup flour, 1 and a half teaspoon baking powder, 1 half teaspoon of baking soda, and 1 fourth teaspoon salt. Combine in a different bowl four large eggs and 2 cups buttermilk and beat well. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir by hand. Take 2 whole sticks of butter and melt them in saucepan. Pour it over the batter. Mix well and take note that your batter is supposed to be lumpy. Use a waffle iron with its accompanying instructions to cook the waffle and serve it up while it is warm with syrup, jam and honey.

Belgium Waffle irons are a little bit different than regular ones in that the waffles produced are a little bit bigger and waffles can be made to be desserts instead of main dishes. Belgian recipes are a little more complicated but the waffles taste so good you won’t mind making them. To start cut off a large piece of waxed paper. Sift one and one fourth of a cup of cake flour, two teaspoons baking powder, one fourth cup sugar, and a shake of salt onto the wax paper. You will have to separate the yolks from whites of four eggs and put the yolks in a bowl. You will use the whites later so keep them. Add to the bowl a half cup of milk and one and one and a half teaspoons of vanilla and whisk until combined. Add one half of a cup of butter that has been melted. Take the ingredients on the waxed paper and gradually pour them into the bowl while mixing well. Take the whites of the egg and beat them until they are stiff but make sure they are not dry. Scoop them into the batter and fold them in. Bake in a waffle maker made for Belgian waffles and serve with confectioner’s sugar sprinkled over or you can put some chocolate chips and whipped cream on top. They are good with strawberries that have been sliced or different fruits served on top.

Banana Nut Waffles are a unique treat for the family. Combine in a large bowl three fourths of a cup of flour, one tablespoon of baking powder, one fourth of a teaspoon of salt and one fourth of a cup of wheat germ. In a small bowl you will need the yolks of two eggs saving the whites to use later. Add one fourth of a cup of oil and one and one half of a cup of milk to the yolks and blend well. Pour into the flour combination and combine well. Crush 1 cup nuts in a grinder or blender or you can use pumpkin or sunflower seeds and pour into the bowl. Peel a banana that is over ripe and mash it with a fork and add with three tablespoons plain yogurt. Combine well. Take the reserved whites of the eggs and beat until stiff then fold into the batter. You can add a bit more milk if the batter seems to be over thick. Cook in a waffle iron and serve with syrup or with honey.

Waffles are definitely not the crisp small cracker they were in days gone by. Today they are main dishes served with jams, chocolate, and syrup. Look for a recipe that combines chicken with waffles for a main dish treat. Waffles are sold on the street just like the wafers were in the middle ages and they are included in many menus. They take a limited amount of time and effort to make and everyone loves waffles whether it is for a main dish or if it is for a dessert.

You can find your Sunday morningwaffle recipes on Ben Cooks website dedicated to waffles. If you need to learn how to make waffles his site is the place to check.