Showing posts with label kitchen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kitchen. Show all posts

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Cooking Tips For Two


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Whether you are cooking for two for romance or out of obligation, you will discover that there are many resources online and off to help you find the perfect meals for your marvelous twosomes. One thing to bear in mind however is that when cooking for two, it is often better if two are doing the cooking. This permits cooking to become a chance for communication rather than just a duty.

Despite the fact that there are many resources and recipes available to those that are cooking for two, there are even more recipes for those cooking for four, especially the traditional recipes that are designed to feed a family of four. These provide an opening to stretch your food budget even further.

By cooking traditional meals for four and eating half of it, you have managed to cook two meals for the time investment of one. It is a good deal for many, but particularly for those that do not like the idea of cooking at all.

Young and older couples alike frequently discover that it is as easy and almost the equivalent cost to go to a fast food or other informal restaurant as it is to prepare a pleasant, healthy meal for two at home. The one thing they often forget is that cooking for two can be an appealing way to bring a little romance into the evening.

When cooking for two, you will have as much opportunity to be imaginative as in anything else you do in your life. You have the option of trying appetizing new cuisines and the knowledge that if you do not like the food, you are not throwing away a lot of money.

You can try mixing and matching flavors and textures. You can make works of art on your plate as in nouveau cuisine. Or you can go farmhouse style. Cooking for two opens doors that are not necessarily available when cooking for larger numbers with more limiting tastes.

Cooking for two is a wonderful way to get your partner occupied in the cooking process as well. When cooking for two you can find out the things that you both enjoy and those that are not so appealing to one or the other of you.

Make sure that when you are cooking for two that you induce an open and honest dialog about the things that you like and dislike about the meals being cooked. This will help you determine things to add to your regular menu as well as the things to avoid making a part of your dinner rotation.

Perhaps the best thing about cooking for two is the fact that you can afford to eat special occasion cuisine more often when you are cooking for only two than when you are cooking for a larger crowd. Bring on the steaks and lobster tail. Learn how to make shrimp scampi and fillet mignon. Take the time, when cooking for two, to prepare those dishes that you enjoy most.

Cooking for two is a great way of exploring the culinary universe and exposing your palates to some amazing surprises along the way. The Internet, bookstores, and libraries are filled with books about cooking for two. Take advantage of the chance to do just that and you will be amazed at the world of flavors you have been missing out on.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with the Rival Versaware crock pot. If you have an interest in cooking or crock pots, please go over to our website now at Large Crock Pots

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Food: Some Great Tips

With a world population in excess of six billion people, we are all becoming progressively more aware that food is a scarce resource. Traditionally, people have not regarded food as a resource, but more of a birthright. However, the populations of many Third World countries are required to be more pragmatic.

We in the West are constantly bombarded by implorations for donations by charities and I think that many people are getting a bit weary of it. I also think that people are mistrustful of the charity workers’ operating cost and fees, especially after the MPs’ expenses scandal in the UK. So, what can you do, if you want to make some sort of contribution?

I think that the best thing one can do is not to squander food. Not squandering or wasting food will reduce the quantity you have to buy, which will leave more on the supermarket shelves. This will augment supply, which will decrease prices. Therefore, by not buying so much food, you will be saving money and reducing the cost of what you do buy. Can not be bad, can it?

So, here are a few of my favourite money-saving tips.

Funnel – I have bought a few funnels in my time, but they always seemed to have fallen to the back of the cupboard when I needed one. I do not buy them anymore. As an alternative, I cut the top 9″ off the top of a plastic cola bottle. When I am done with it, I throw it away, particularly if I used it for pouring oil.

Microwave – sometimes, when you open the microwave oven door, a hint of the last meal comes out. Instead of spending money on cleaners or what-not, put a slice of lemon in a saucer of water and microwave it for three minutes after every time you use it.

Cabbage – boiling cabbage really pongs! However, there are three ways of hiding the smell without using air freshener. The first way is to put a slice of lemon in the cabbage water as it boils. The second way is to boil a small pan of vinegar next to the cooking cabbage and the third is to put a sieve over the boiling cabbage and put a slice of stale bread in it. These techniques work because the lemon cancels the smell of the cabbage as does the vinegar and the stale bread absorbs the smell.

Fish Fingers – it is not nice to have smelly fingers after cutting up fish, onions or garlic. As an alternative to washing and washing your hands, rub a little lemon juice on them and rinse for immediate relief.

Sponge – a tablespoon of hot water whisked into a sponge mixture at the last minute will greatly enhance the rise and the texture of the cake.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with researching the crock pots by Rival. If you have an interest in cooking or crock pots, please go over to our website now at Large Crock Pots

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Cooking: Five Top Tips

There can not be a lot of individuals who do not like their food, but the human race, being what it is, I expect that there are a a small number of them. Nevertheless, for the rest of us, food is a source of every day pleasure and, like a beverage, it is often used to commemorate a celebration. not only that, but different foodstuffs are used for the different meals or distinct celebrations. Commemorative meals were indubitably planned around the seasonal foods available, but some foodstuffs were ferried huge distances for the consumption of those who could pay for them.

For instance, my Dad deemed it a grand luxury to be given an orange in his stocking on Christmas Day sixty years ago. How the times have changed! Very few kids would deem an orange a present, special or otherwise, any day of the year these days.

Yet, the storage of food is still a daily affair and therefore, I have listed a few top guidelines on preserving foodstuff below, so that you will obtain the best from that which you have bought or grown in your garden even a long while afterward.

Chicken Stuffed With Spoons: a great way of preparing chicken to be eaten at a cold buffet or in sandwiches, is to put as many spoons as possible into the cavity of the chicken (not silver or plated ones though). Then, place the chicken in a large saucepan or pot and bring the water to the boil slowly. Simmer for 10 minutes, cover and leave until the water is room temperature. The spoons will retain the heat and cook the chicken from the inside out. it will be one of the most succulent chickens you have ever eaten.

Roasted Crisp And Light: if you like crisp-skinned roasties, it is best to parboil them first, but that is only half the story. so, boil the potatoes for five minutes and drain thoroughly. Put the lid on the pan and shake it about violently. Bang it hard on the chopping block several times. The harder the better. Then put the parboiled potatoes in the baking tray with the meat or fowl to cook as you would normally.

Salad Soup: Do not throw away salad that has been soaked in salad dressing. Whisk it up in a food processor with a can of tomatoes of tinned soup. Add lots of garlic to taste and adjust the thickness to suit your taste. Chill it down and you will have one of the most delicious summer soups ever.

Curdling Cure: if your mayonnaise has curdled there is one sure fire way to bring it back to life. stir in a couple of tablespoons of Hellmann’s mayonnaise and your problem will be over.

Simply Scrumptious Topping: a really, quick, delicious and almost infinitely variable topping for a savory pie can be made in seconds. Choose the flavour you want from the crisp rack; puncture the bag to let our the air and then crush the contents in the gag. it really adds something to a pie. The same trick can be used on the bottom of a potato pie a Texan housewife told me.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with researching the programmable crock pot. If you have an interest in cooking or crock pots, please go over to our website now at Large Crock Pots

Monday, April 18, 2011

Cooking Food Properly


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Everybody likes a meal correctly cooked. The evidence of this, if it needs proving, is that members of religious orders like monks often have to eat dreary food like porridge, gruel and unleaven bread for atonement.

I would like to share a few tips with you to help you get the most out of your food.

Chicken Tarragon – I love chicken tarragon, but this is my preferred version. Take: 1 chicken; .25 teaspoon of chopped onions; 1 heaped tablespoon of dried tarragon (double of fresh); brown stock or Bovril and water, cream, flour and salt.

Roast the chicken, carve it and place in a plate. Pour off the fat and make a gravy with it, the salt and the flour. Bulk the gravy up with the stock or Bovril and water. Add the tarragon and cream and cook for a minute or two. Serve with the gravy already poured over the chicken or serve the gravy separately. Add your favourite vegetables. This recipe will serve four.

Chicken Left-Overs – if you are unsure what to do with left over chicken, you could do worse than try this recipe.

Chop the chicken up small and mix it with sliced avocado. Cover with mayonnaise and sprinkle with crumbled, fried, crispy bacon. If this sounds good to you, take it from me that it tastes even better.

Apple Sauce – if you like apple sauce with your pork, bake a couple of cooking apples beside your joint of pork. Prepare and core them just as you would as if you were going to prepare them normally. Sprinkle with sugar, if you like. Then, run a knife tip around them, so that they will puff upwards, but still retain their form. Gorgeous.

Sauces – if you cannot get the sauce right, just strain it and do not tell anyone. Nobody will know the difference and what are strainers for if not straining?

Soups And Stews – if you find that you have added too much salt to a soup or stew at the last moment, do not be concerned. Put a cube of sugar in a large spoon and lower it into the liquid for twenty seconds. It will absorb the surplus salt. If you have longer, and it is appropriate, add a diced potato and it will absorb the salt too.

Pie Crust – if you need a quick, yet flexible topping for a savoury pie like chicken or beef, leave the pastry off. Take a large bag of crisps; pop the bag to let the air out and scrunch it up until the crisps are but crumbs. Pour this over your pie before you bake it. It is unusual but you can experiment with different flavoured crisps.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with researching the Rival Versaware crock pots. If you have an interest in cooking or crock pots, please go over to our website now at Large Crock Pots

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

How To Use Dairy Products Correctly: Part Four – Eggs (cont.)

Basic Preparation Of Foods: Dairy Produce.

Eggs: Part 2

Poaching: boil 1.5 inches (40mm) water in a frying pan; add 5 g of salt and a teaspoon of vinegar. Crack an egg into a cup, inspect and tip into boiling water. Turn down the heat. Fold the white around the unbroken yolk with a spoon and continue to simmer for another 3-4 mins. Lift out with a fish slice, drain and serve on hot buttered toast.

Scrambling: beat the eggs well; add salt, pepper to taste and a dash of milk. Melt enough butter to cover the bottom of a shallow pan. Heat the eggs slowly, stirring constantly. Cook in a basin floating on boiling water, if preferred. Dish up when almost completely set, in about 5 minutes.

Frying: Melt enough fat to easily cover the base of the pan. Tip egg in gently and gather white around the yolk. When the white has set, baste the yolk to taste and remove whole with a fish slice.

Baking: lightly grease a fireproof dish and slide eggs into it. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and butter. Bake in a moderate oven and serve in the same pan after the whites have set.

Omelette: buy a pan and keep it solely for omelettes! The base should be smooth and clean. Allow two eggs per person; beat lightly and add salt and pepper to taste. Melt enough butter to cover the bottom of the frying pan. When the butter is hot, gently tip in the eggs; as it sets, raise up the handle and draw the set mixture up towards the handle, allowing the liquid egg to run down onto the hot pan. When all the liquid is set, tilt the pan back and roll the omelette over. Serve straight away on a hot plate. It can be filled with almost anything, before being rolled over.

Pouring Custard: lightly beat 2-3 eggs for every pint of milk. Heat the milk and gradually add to the eggs; add sugar and flavouring to suit your taste; heat in a double pan or jug and hot water until the required consistency has been reached. If it is not to be served up immediately, pour a thin layer of water onto it’s surface to stop a skin forming on top.

Baked Custard: proceed as above and then pour the custard into greased dish; sprinkle with nutmeg; and place dish in water to halfway up its sides. Bake at 350 F for 35-45 mins; test by inserting a knife – it should be clean on removal.

Steamed Custard: as above, but cook in a steamer or pan of boiling water. Cooking time about the same.

Custard Tarts: pour a little pouring custard into each unbaked pastry case and bake in the oven for around 40-50 minutes. A little strawberry jam can be put in the bottom of the pastry case first, if desired.

Would you would like to read more about food in general or Traditional Welsh Recipes in particular, please pop along to http://welsh-recipes.the-real-way.com/

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Tuesday, September 21, 2010

How To Use Dairy Products Correctly: Part One – Milk

The Basic Preparation Of Foodstuffs: Dairy Products

These basic tips may seem quite unnecessary for most modern households with a refrigerator in the kitchen, but modern technology do make people lazy and it is still well-worth while knowing ‘why’ we must do certain things. It is also worth remembering these tips when there is no refrigerator to hand or when it so small that it will not hold everything you need, such as when camping, boating or on holiday in some countries in the world.

MILK:

Milk has been called ‘nature’s perfect food’, because no other food, taken alone, can support adult life. It is of the first importance for the growth and development of young people, but it must be clean as bacteria also find it very nourishing and quickly multiply in it. If milk is not bought pasteurized, then it should be scalded and quickly cooled before consumption.

How To Scald Milk: Rinse out a clean pan with cold water, pour in the milk and heat until bubbles rise around the side of the pan. Maintain the milk at this temperature, ie, do not let it boil, for three minutes. Do not let it overheat, as milk burns very easily. Pour immediately into a clean receptacle and stand it in a basin of cold water and cover with a muslin cloth to discourage the ingress of flies and dust.

How To Keep Milk Fresh: If the milk is not be preserved in the containers in which it was bought, transfer it into a clean bottle, which has been rinsed with cold water. A warm jug will cause the milk to stick to the sides and go off more quickly. You should always keep milk in the coolest place in the larder and always keep it covered. it is good to remember that draughts are usually at ground-level and that hot air rises. Never keep milk in an airless cupboard and in hot weather stand the jug in a bowl of water with the cloth covering hanging in the water. The muslin cloth will soak up water, which will evaporate, which dissipates the heat, ensuring that the container remain cool. Keep milk away from strong-smelling foods, as it absorbs odours easily. Never mix new and old milk together.

Sour Milk: Milk straight from the cow is slightly alkaline, but as it ages, lactic acid is formed and it becomes what we call ’sour’. Pasteurizing or scalding the milk slows down this process. Milk which is ‘just on the turn’ can be revived by boiling with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda to restore the alkalinity. Once the milk has gone too far and has curdled, it can be strained through (cheese) cloth, thereby separating the curds from the whey. The curds can be used as a filling for cakes, tarts, scones etc and the whey can be used as the liquid for making scones, cakes and soups etc., as it still has much goodness.

Evaporated Milk: Evaporated milk is ordinary milk, which has had some of its water content driven off by heat in some form or another before being canned. Once reconstituted by adding water, it will last only slightly longer than fresh milk.

Condensed Milk: This form of milk is merely evaporated milk to which sugar has been added before being placed in its container. The sugar acts as a preservative and preserve the milk for about a week. Do not keep in the tin, but decant it into a jug or bottle.

Dried Milk: Dried milk comes in a variety of forms and notice should be taken of the instructions on the label. Specialized products can be bought for babies, invalids, convalescents and dieters, all of which contain varying amounts and types of added vitamins and minerals. Usually, they are very much lower in fat content than conventional milk.

If you would like to learn more about food in general or Traditional Welsh Recipes in particular, please visit http://welsh-recipes.the-real-way.com/

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Hanukkah Cooking Done Traditionally

Whether you are genuinely seeking opportunities to explore new cultures or you are Jewish looking for interesting recipes and cooking tips, you have come to the right place to get some of the essentials. For as long as there have been family customs, eating good food at special events and during festive times has been a part of the jollity.

Regrettably, that appetizing food cannot be eaten unless someone goes to the trouble of actually cooking it. If you are looking for some delicious treats to do with the Hanukkah celebrations or simply want to get a taste of what other cultures do during their religious or cultural festivities there are a lot of appetizing foods you could be cooking for this particular holiday.

Oil is imperative in the celebration of Hanukkah and, as a result, many of the foodstuffs that are part of Hanukkah celebrations are prepared in oil. One popular favorite is Latkes, which are a kind of potato pancake that is deep-fried. Another popular favorite is fried lamb chops. The lamb is breaded and then fried much like many Americans fry chicken. Once again oil is used in the cooking of the meal.

If you are looking for something more like finger food or a snack, you might consider deep-fried ricotta balls, fried zucchini, fried onion rings and fried mozzarella are appetizing savory fried tid-bits for the season of light. Of course, fried food is not the only thing that is eaten during this 8-day celebration, but it does play a vital part in the menu and in the celebrations.

Even the sweet treats for this celebration include a few fried goodies. There are apple fritters and raspberry dough nuts and lots of other luscious fried foods for you to snack on. If you like something a little sinful to eat during this delightful celebration you might like to try blintzes in your favorite flavor. There are many to pick from and their recipes can be found easily online.

If you would like to provide something a little healthier in your cuisine, then you might like to include an Israeli salad, stewed white beans, and baked eggplant and peppers. These dishes provide the opportunity to have something that is not either fried or sweet to help weight watchers, who always have a problem during festive seasons no matter which religion they practice.

Other Hanukkah favorites include delectable dishes like cheese gelt coins, loukoumades, vegetable kugel, and brisket. Once again the recipes for these dishes are very extensively accessible online and in books on Jewish cooking and traditions.

To make things go a little more efficiently prepare as much food as possible well ahead and store items away quickly in order to stop them going stale. Enlist the help of children and other family members when required to move things along by taking turns preparing food.

You should also make an effort to keep the preparations as straightforward as possible to avoid delays and stress. This is a time of the year that is supposed to be dedicated to celebration not to struggling to cook tons of food. The good news is that with all that deep fried food, it is doubtful that you will find these dishes too difficult to prepare. Good luck and have fun exploring the world of cooking for Hanukkah.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with the 2 quart crock pot. If you have an interest in cooking or crock pots, please go over to our website now at Large Crock Pots

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Friday, September 3, 2010

How To Use Dairy Products Correctly: Part Two – Cheese

Basic Preparation Of Foods: Dairy Produce.

CHEESE.

Cheese is made from milk which has been naturally or artificially soured. The former method is achieved by standing the milk in a warm place and allowing natural, friendly bacteria to turn the milk’s natural sugars into lactic acid. The second method is effected by adding an agent, usually rennet.

Salt and colouring and frequently put in too. The whey is then allowed to drain away and the curds are pressed into moulds where they are kept until ripened or cured. Some cheeses, usually hard ones, are subjected to pressure; soft cheeses are not. Curds are ripened or cured by various means. The way it’s done, the quality of the milk, the breed of cow, sheep or other animal and its pasture, and the type of bacteria all govern the end result.

Some local conditions are unique and those areas produce cheeses that are not successfully reproduced elsewhere: for example Gruyere and Camembert, although factories do try. They even have some success, as most of the world’s Cheddar cheese now comes from the USA and Canada.

The constituent parts of cheese are roughly: 33% fat, 33% protein and 33% water with salt, colouring, sugar etc making up the other 1%. These proportions do vary from area to area as some manufacturers use full cream milk, others skimmed milk and yet others add extra cream. Yet others add extra sugar, although most do not. All cheeses have a high calcium content and can be considered ‘concentrated milk’ and stored in the same way.

Many people say that cheese should not be kept in a fridge and although storing in water, as for milk, is not a viable option, a cool larder is definitely ideal. Try the traditional method of hanging it up in muslin in a cool, breezy place. If it is hot, moisten the muslin cloth with water to which a little vinegar has been added.

Cheese is typically served in Europe with a salad or/and bread and is often served after or instead of the sweet course. Hard cheese can be difficult for children to digest and grating it first will make it more palatable to them. Once grated the cheese can be sprinkled on vegetable or fish soups or sauces; added to egg, pasta, rice and oatmeal dishes; put on baked potatoes or pastry; toasted on bread or put in salads and sandwiches.

How To Cook Cheese: A not well known fact is that a lot of people find cooked cheese practically indigestible and the reason lies in its make-up. This is why: cooked starch can be digested by the saliva in the mouth, but other foods must pass to the stomach or intestines for this process to be completed. They are, however, broken up in the mouth. Digestion of protein begins in the stomach and is completed in the small intestine, while fat is not rendered soluble until it reaches the small intestine.

Cheese possesses a high fat and protein mixture, but in melting, the fat often covers the protein and prevents the digestive juices reaching it in the stomach. Therefore, its digestion is delayed until the fat has been absorbed in the intestines. Cheese can be rendered more digestible by:

1] Combining it with some starchy food, because the starch will absorb the fat, not allowing it to cover the protein.

2] Using seasoning – Cayenne Pepper or mustard will irritate the intestinal lining, thus causing extra digestive juices to be released.

3] Cooking quickly at high temperature. This prevents the protein from becoming tough and stringy and therefore, harder to digest. Add cheese late to sauces.

4] Adding alkali: so, generous pinch of Bicarbonate of Soda per 75g (3 ozs) will help neutralize the fatty acids and make the proteins more easily digestible.

For deliciousgourmet Traditional Welsh Recipes, please visit our website at http://welsh-recipes.the-real-way.com/

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Sunday, August 29, 2010

Chinese New Year Dishes

There are few festivities enjoyed around the world on the identical fantastic scale that the Chinese New Year is celebrated. This is an event that affects people all around the globe. The festivities are quite exotic and a lot of fun for everyone who takes part. One thing that many outsiders may not appreciate is that most of the aspects of the Chinese New Year celebrations have a very precise purpose and connotation. Even the food.

Whether you are Chinese are not, I ‘m certain that you could use a degree of good luck to make things run a little more smoothly in your life.

When it comes to cooking for a Chinese New Year celebration there are a few things you have to keep in mind. The dishes that are prepared each have their very own significance and a definite reason for being cooked.

Dumplings are supposed to bring wealth in the New Year to those who eat them on this particular day. Of course, riches is something that most people want to have and there are many ways of doing so. Other foods that symbolize the attainment of wealth on the Chinese New Year are bamboo shoots, black moss seaweed, egg rolls, and oranges. This is just the start of the lesson in the symbolic nature of dishes for the Chinese New Year.

Longevity or long life is something else that the Chinese famously yearn for. Eternal youth some may term it. The secret, they say, to a long life is the consumption of the right food as part of the New Year festivities. Those foods include: noodles, Chinese garlic, chives, and peanuts.

Success is attributed to foods such as lettuce, whole fish, and pomelo. In addition to prosperity whole fish and pomelo are believed to bring abundance and togetherness (as in marriage or romance) during the coming year.

Chicken is the main course if happiness is the goal. In addition, chicken is associated with marriage, particularly when served with foods, which are considered to be dragon foods, such as lobster.

Those planning on having children in the near future should add eggs, seeds (such as watermelon seeds) and pomelo – especially the last two, if you want a couple of children.

Finally, if good luck is what you most need, try to add a tangerine or some seaweed to your plate on this special day. If your run of luck has been really very bad of late, you may want to double up on your helping of both.

The Internet contains masses of delicious recipes to help you commemorate the Chinese New Year as traditionally as you can. Recipes for foods such as Jiaozi (Chinese noodles) and egg rolls are to be found online and they will go some way towards creating the proper atmosphere. Add a few lettuce wraps and longevity noodles and you will have a good basis for a Chinese New Year meal.

The only other thing you require then to make your Chinese New Year celebrations go with a bang (quite literally) is fireworks. The Chinese New Year would not be the same without them, so choose your food well, either buy it or cook it (or both) and then let off your fireworks safely for a great winters evening’s entertainment.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with the programmable crock pot. If you have an interest in cooking or crock pots, please go over to our website now at Large Crock Pots

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Sunday, August 22, 2010

Food – Tips For Preparing And Storing It

In these times of superior alertness of the shortages in the world and the recent economic problems in the whole world, but especially in the wealthy Western countries, which are the powerhouses of most Third World countries’ expansion, people are more aware of waste. It is a sin again to throw away food, like it was 50 years ago.

This can only be a good thing although it is a shame that it took an international financial crisis to make us remember the lesson. These days, waste of any kind is greeted with public disapproval and so it is at home too. Most people spend a very high percentage of their outgoings on food and so anyone who wants to cut back, has to first look to this quarter to make a saving.

However, saving does not inevitably mean ‘not buying’, it can and should mean ‘not throwing away’. In other words, prepare your food and do not let your food go off. Preparation and storage are the key words. With that thought in mind, here are a few of my tips for preparing and storing food correctly.

Bread – tons of bread is thrown away every day, because it has gone stale or mouldy and yet it is totally unnecessary. Keep your bread in the deep freezer and not in the bread bin. A whole loaf will slice frozen with the proper knife and sliced bread will come away slice by slice. There is no requirement to defrost as it only takes a minute or two at room temperature.

Bananas – most people understand that banana skins turn black if kept in the fridge, but most people do not know that bananas can be frozen solid. Yes, the skins will still go black, but the fruit will be undamaged.

Cake – to stop cake from going stale, store it in a tin with an apple. The moisture in the apple will stop the cake from going hard.

Watercress – to prevent watercress from wilting, store it upside down in water, that is stalks up.

Salt – salt often gets damp, particularly if stored in a steamy kitchen without sufficient ventilation, but you do not have to worry about that if you put two or three grains of rice in the salt cellar. They will soak up the moisture before the salt.

Cereal – stop cereal from going soft by resealing the bag with a few clothes pegs. Your cereal will last weeks more.

Jam – boiling jam produces a scum which has to be skimmed off and thrown away. This wastes jam, goodness and flavour. However, if you whisk a knob of butter into the mixture at the last moment the scum will not appear, saving time and goodness.

Funnel – you always seem to need a funnel when you do not have one. Then you promise to get a funnel for the next time. Do not bother. Just cut the top nine inches off a plastic bottle of cola. It makes an ideal throw-away funnel. Some of the larger bottles even have a handle on them which is even better.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with researching the programmable crock pot. If you have an interest in cooking or crock pots, please go over to our website now at Large Crock Pots

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Thursday, August 12, 2010

Alcoholic Drinks

In the West, alcoholic beverages are never far away from the arena at festive times, but do we aways know how to get the most from these costly luxuries? Too many people these days just think its a question of ‘getting as much down as possible in as little time as possible’. This is the wrong attitude.

After all, most people realize that a good meal does not consist of eating as many chips as possible in fifteen minutes, so why should that principle not apply to consuming a drink too? You will get far more pleasure from a bottle of wine, if you spend an extra dollar on it and drink it slowly with a friend and some appropriate food than if you swill down a cheap bottle of plonk on your own. It makes evident sense, but not everyone sees it.

So, with that idea in mind, I have put together a few tips on how to get more pleasure from your alcoholic drinks, if you are old enough and of that turn of mind.

Gin and Vodka – if these white spirits are your proffered tipple, always keep the bottle in the fridge, not the drinks cupboard. Keep the mixers in the fridge too. That way the ice will last longer and you will not be tempted to have to swig it down before the ice melts. If you are having friends around, go one step further and put the bottle in the freezer. It will not go solid. You can even cut the top off a plastic cola bottle, put the bottle of gin or vodka in that, fill it with water and then freeze it. Remove the plastic bottle and you have an attractive “collar of ice” around your bottle.

The Last Tot – five minutes or so after finishing a bottle of spirits, tip it out one more time and the bottle that you thought was drained will provide one more tot of contents. It is not a lot, but it is a pleasant free surprise. The same works for many alcohol based items including underarm roll-on and perfume.

White Wine – white wines taste best when they have been gently chilled over a prolonged length of time, but if you get caught out by surprise visitors, put the bottle of wine in a container of ice and cold water. Try not to have to place it in the deep freeze, it is too harsh, but if you have to, then ten minutes is all that it takes.

Port – it is always better to decant port and older, heavier red wines, because of the sediment that may be in the bottom of the bottle, which tastes horrible and because it aids the aeration of the wine. However, it is not always easy to see when the dregs are coming. The manuals say to use a candle, but they were written a hundred years ago. The concentrated beam from a torch is far better. Try using a Durabeam because its rotateable head allows it to be directed more accurately.

Decanters – sometimes the stopper becomes stuck fast. Tap it with another glass item and it should come free. If not, run the neck of the decanter under hot water for a few seconds and it will come out.

Labels – if you store your wine in a damp place where the labels are likely to rot or fall off, spray them with hair lacquer beforehand.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with researching the programmable crock pot. If you have an interest in cooking or crock pots, please go over to our website now at Large Crock Pots

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Sunday, August 8, 2010

Food: Five Tips On Cooking Food

There can not be many people who do not like their food, but the human race, being what it is, I expect that there are a few of them. However, for the rest of us, food is a font of daily pleasure and, like a beverage, it is often employed to commemorate a celebration. not only that, but different foods are served for the different meals or distinct celebrations.

Festive meals were indubitably considered around the seasonal foodstuffs on hand, but some foods were transported huge distances for the benefit of those who could pay for them. For instance, my father thought it a grand treat to be given an orange in his stocking on Christmas Day 60 years in the past. How the times have altered! Very few kids would judge an orange a present, special or otherwise, any day of the year these days.

Nevertheless, the preservation of foodstuff is still a daily concern and therefore, I have listed a couple of good guidelines on preserving foodstuff below, so that you will obtain the best from that which you have bought or grown in your garden even a long while afterward.

The Quickest Quiche: a quiche is the conventional healthy fast food and this is one of the finest quick methods to make one. Put one onion, four eggs four ounces/125 grammes of butter, half a pint/250 ml milk, baking powder, 2 ounces/60 grammes of grated Cheddar cheese, parsley, salt and pepper and whatever else you like into a strong food mixer/blender. Whirl it all up together and pour it into an appropriate dish, lined if you have it with some pre-made, shop bought, pastry. Bake at 190C/375F/Gas Mark 6 for 40 minutes. It serves four and is delicious.

Heavenly Hamburgers: next time you make hamburgers, do not salt the meat before cooking them. Use your traditional recipe and make the patties as normal. Then, put a handful of sea salt in your favourite heavy duty frying pan and heat it up to very hot. Drop the hamburgers onto the salt and cook as usual. The outside of the hamburger will go crisp and the fat will be kept to the absolute minimum.

Salmon In The Papers: a fantastic way to cook a whole salmon is to cook it in newspaper. You ought to try it. Prepare your salmon according to your favourite recipe. Then wrap in three or four thoroughly drenched sheets of newspaper (any one). Make a nice parcel out of it; as neat as you can. Place the soaking-wet parcel on a baking tray in the centre of a moderate oven. Bake until the paper is dry on the top and then turn it over. When that side is dry the salmon is done. It’ll take about an hour. If you want to eat it hot, peal the paper off straight away and dish up. If you want to eat it cold, leave the package until it is cold and then unwrap. Either way the skin will stick to the newspaper.

Off The Wall: if you are unsure when spaghetti is cooked, through a strand at a tiled wall. If it sticks, it is done.

Cheap And Cheerful: for a quick, healthy, unusual summer sandwich filling, pick some fresh, young dandelion leaves; wash them carefully; dress if you want and put between slices off a good loaf of bread.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with researching the Rival Versaware crock pot. If you have an interest in cooking or crock pots, please go over to our website now at Large Crock Pots

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Monday, July 26, 2010

Crab Dip Recipes For The Happy Dinner Table

Introducing your family to seafood can be risky. Many fish cook up into strong flavors which put young palates off. Some shoppers cannot access fresh fish easily. Meanwhile, crab dip recipes offer cooks the chance to experiment with varying crab styles and combinations with other flavors to satisfy the preferences of picky eaters.

Your first consideration is what style of crab to use. You have three choices. Canned crab allows you to purchase ahead of time without worrying that the meat will go off in your refrigerator. Imitation crab is readily available and inexpensive. Real crab provides the most authentic flavor, though can be quite expensive. If you want to make a really special dip this might be your best choice, but only purchase your crab from a location that can sell it to you fresh. You must also remember to cook your crab meat, especially if your recipe will remain cold.

Now you need to choose hot or cold. For a cold dip, recipes often feature canned crab. The meat in this format is often already broken up, making the mashing and mixing process fairly easy. A cold dip on a hot day makes for a light meal served with just salad or chopped vegetables.

Hot crab dishes may work best with fresh crab, which needs to be cooked anyway. This also offers a warm option on a cold day. Some recipes really cook up into light meals with the addition of a soup, salad or some multi-grain crackers.

Cold dips can be light or heavy depending on the dairy base you prefer to use. Though cream cheese can be harder to cream for small hands, you can ease this problem by letting it sit out for a while. Once this has been blended in with the crab and other flavorings and refrigerated, the texture will be fairly rich. Alternatively, begin with a quark or cottage cheese for easier mashing and a lighter consistency.

Some of these ingredients come pre-flavored with herbs, fruit and vegetables, or even salmon. Experienced cooks may find a way to blend the extra seafood with their crab without producing overly fishy results. Additional seasonings make a recipe more exciting, such as dill, lemon or lime. Go for a zesty finish with tabasco sauce, horseradish or chillies.

Hot dips benefit from the addition of cheese which mitigates any fishiness from the crab while also giving a gooey quality from within or a crispy topping. Gratin coatings made from breadcrumbs, butter and seasonings provide a contrasting texture to the thick, rich dip with their crunchy topping. Baked dips might also make light meals on their own with the addition of eggs and flour. Make yours gluten free for sensitive diners with potato or rice flour and gluten free baking powder.

Presentation makes up a big part of the dining experience. No matter how your child mixes the food on his plate, he wants the food to look good when you serve it to him. Try filling scooped-out bread rolls with your dip or small hollowed-out tomatoes. Do not waste the tomato, but add this in to the dip. Use chips or vegetables such celery, carrots or cauliflower to eat your dip. Top wit colorful cheese, a sprinkle of paprika or some lemon or lime wedges. Cut through the richness of this meat or the thick dairy base of your dip with a crisp drink offering the balance of citrus. Wines such as Riesling, Gewurztraminer or some Chardonnays pair nicely with seafood. For children or adults who prefer a non-alcoholic beverage, consider lemon tea or citrus-flavored soft drink.

Want to give your guests a treat at your next get together? You may need to know more about crab dip recipes. There are a number of crab recipes available.

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Friday, July 23, 2010

Cooking: Five Top Tips On Cooking

There can not be many individuals who do not like their food, but the human race, being what it is, I expect that there are a few of them. However, for the remainder of us, cuisine is a font of daily enjoyment and, like drink, it is frequently used to denote a celebration. not only that, but various foodstuffs are used for the various meals or distinct celebrations.

Festive meals were undoubtedly planned around the seasonal foodstuffs available, but a number of foods were ferried enormous distances for the benefit of those who could afford them. For example, my father deemed it a grand treat to get an orange in his stocking on Christmas Day sixty years back. How the times have altered! Very few kids would think an orange a present, special or not, any day of the year in our time.

Yet, the storage of foodstuff is still a daily concern and subsequently, I have written a couple of top guidelines on storing foodstuff below, so that you will get the best from that which you have bought or grown in your garden even a long period afterward.

Chicken Stuffed With Spoons: a great way of preparing chicken to be eaten at a cold buffet or in sandwiches, is to put as many spoons as possible into the cavity of the chicken (not silver or plated ones though). Then, place the chicken in a large saucepan or pot and bring the water to the boil slowly. Simmer for 10 minutes, cover and leave until the water is room temperature. The spoons will retain the heat and cook the chicken from the inside out. it will be one of the most succulent chickens you have ever eaten.

Roasted Crisp And Light: if you like crisp-skinned roasties, it is best to parboil them first, but that is only half the story. so, boil the potatoes for five minutes and drain thoroughly. Put the lid on the pan and shake it about violently. Bang it hard on the chopping block several times. The harder the better. Then put the parboiled potatoes in the baking tray with the meat or fowl to cook as you would normally.

Salad Soup: Do not throw away salad that has been soaked in salad dressing. Whisk it up in a food processor with a can of tomatoes of tinned soup. Add lots of garlic to taste and adjust the thickness to suit your taste. Chill it down and you will have one of the most delicious summer soups ever.

Curdling Cure: if your mayonnaise has curdled there is one sure fire way to bring it back to life. stir in a couple of tablespoons of Hellmann’s mayonnaise and your problem will be over.

Simply Scrumptious Topping: a really, quick, delicious and almost infinitely variable topping for a savory pie can be made in seconds. Choose the flavour you want from the crisp rack; puncture the bag to let our the air and then crush the contents in the gag. it really adds something to a pie. The same trick can be used on the bottom of a potato pie a Texan housewife told me.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with researching the 2 quart crock pot. If you have an interest in cooking or crock pots, please go over to our website now at Large Crock Pots

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Saturday, July 10, 2010

Crock Pot Recipes

Have you ever used a crock pot? Or what we call a slow cooker in the UK? My father gave me a crock pot for Christmas twenty-five years ago and I only had to replace it, because it got stolen. Some thief must have heard the were great and pinched it for his wife.

It was good-looking enough to leave out on the work top and I guess that is how it caught my burglar’s eye. It was stoneware, really nice.

That is one of the points I would like to make in this piece, some of the crock pots from the better manufacturers are attractive enough to take to the table. The other point I would like to make is that crock pots are not only for making soup or stews in.

I have recipes in the house for bread and cheesecake. Really, most people just do not believe me when I tell them what you can actually do with a crock pot, especially the modern programmable ones.

To prove it, I have reproduced one of my cheesecake recipes below. If you can not be bothered to make, just take it from me that it is gorgeous, straightforward enough to make and practically automatic to cook. Those of you do get around to making it will agree with me, I am certain.

APPLE-NUT CHEESECAKE

Crust:

1 cup (scant) graham cracker crumbs 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons butter, melted 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Filling:

16 ounces cream cheese 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated white sugar 2 large eggs 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon vanilla Topping: 1 large apple, thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups) 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Combine the crust ingredients and pat into a 7-inch spring form pan. Beat the sugars into the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, whipping cream, cornstarch, and vanilla. Beat for about 3 minutes on the medium speed of a hand-held electric mixer. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust. Combine the apple slices with the sugar, cinnamon and nuts and then spread the topping evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Place the cheesecake on a rack (or “ring” of aluminum foil to keep it off the bottom of the pot) in the Crock Pot. Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Let it stand in the covered pot (after turning it off) for about 1 to 2 hours, until cool enough to handle. Cool it thoroughly before removing the pan sides. Chill before serving; store leftovers in the refrigerator for any normal shop-bought cheesecake, but yours will be better..

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with researching the programmable crock pot. If you have an interest in cooking or crock pots, please go over to our website now at Large Crock Pots

Monday, June 28, 2010

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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