Stuffed zucchini flowers are a rare Italian delicacy that can only be enjoyed during certain times of the year. Grow the zucchini yourself, or look for the vegtable at your local farmers' market, where the golden blossoms are sold attached to the zucchini. The flowers are quite perishable and must be used before they wilt. Follow this recipe for a great way to prepare zucchini flowers.
Instructions
1. Prepare the flowers by carefully removing the pistils and the stems. Rinse gently under cold water and pat dry. The flowers are very delicate, so take care not to break them.
2. Make the batter. Mix the flour and one egg, then add milk until the mixture reaches a thick batter consistency. Season with one teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
3. Prepare the filling. Mix the cheeses, egg, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. Place the filling in a pastry bag and pipe into the zucchini flowers, being careful not to break them.
4. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees. Dredge the stuffed flowers in the batter and gently add to the oil. Fry until crispy and golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
Tags: break them, Make Stuffed, Make Stuffed Zucchini, salt pepper, Stuffed Zucchini, Stuffed Zucchini Flowers, zucchini flowers
Other lollipops with spherical tops can be used instead of Tootsie Roll Pops.
Not enough trick-or-treaters, a great Halloween trick-or-treating haul, leftovers from a Valentine's Day party or buying too many bags of candy may leave you with extra Tootsie Roll Pops on hand. These lollipops have a hard candy coating on the outside and a chewy, chocolate center. The large, spherical shape of these lollipops, rather than their taste, is what makes them good edible craft projects. You might find yourself buying Tootsie Roll Pops especially for crafts instead of waiting until you have accumulated extra candy.
Candy Xylophone Decoration
Create an edible musical treat with your Tootsie Roll Pops as the mallets to pair with a chewing gum xylophone. Though the candy xylophone will not make music, it can be the centerpiece for a music-centered party or band celebration. Unwrap 12 sticks of chewing gum and cut them into progressively shorter lengths for the bars of the xylophone. Line the gum up from shortest to longest on a surface. Place a pair of unwrapped Tootsie Roll Pops of the same flavor on top of the gum xylophone for the mallets.
Tootsie Roll Pop Owl
Turn your Tootsie Roll Pop into an owl's head with a craft foam body. Glue brown craft feathers over an oval foam ball. Attach a pair of feet cut from orange paper to the base of the oval. Cut out two oval-shaped wings from a sheet of brown construction paper and glue them to the sides of the oval ball. Push the stick of a Tootsie Roll Pop with a brown wrapper into the top of the feather-covered oval ball for the head and attach a pair of large, round googly craft eyes to one side of the Tootsie Roll Pop for the owl's eyes.
Flower
Give your tissue paper flowers a sweet candy center. Make tissue paper flowers as usual, but substitute a Tootsie Roll Pop for the chenille stem. Create the bloom of the flower around the wrapped top of the Tootsie Roll Pop. Opt for a flavor of Tootsie Roll Pop with a wrapper color to match the tissue paper color. For instance, use cherry or raspberry Tootsie Roll Pops at the center of a red tissue paper flower.
Four-legged Animal
Glue together the tops of four Tootsie Roll Pops so the sticks are all pointing downward at slight angles, like the legs of an animal. Decorate a ping-pong ball with markers and glued-on ears and eyes to look like an animal head. Make a dog by gluing long ears to the sides of the ping-pong ball. Create a cat by drawing whiskers and attaching small, pointed ears to the top of the ball. Attach a craft fur tail to the opposite side of the animal.
Tags: Tootsie Roll, Roll Pops, Tootsie Roll Pops, tissue paper, ball Attach
Comfort foods are enjoyed by most people and southern peach cobbler is the ultimate in comfort. The complex flavors and textures of this dessert are much easier to achieve than it seems.
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Get out a deep 9-by-13-inch pan.
2. Mix together 1 cup each of self-rising flour, milk and white sugar in a bowl. Eliminate as many lumps as possible. Add 1 tsp. of vanilla extract and 1 tsp. of cinnamon if desired. Pour the mixture into the baking pan.
3. Melt a stick of butter in a microwave safe bowl. Do this in 30-second intervals so as not to have butter splatter all over the inside of the microwave. Pour the melted butter over the flour mixture.
4. Open up a large can of sliced peaches in heavy syrup. Pour the entire can with syrup over the batter. The peaches will mix into the batter as it bakes.
5. Put the southern peach cobbler into the hot oven and bake for half an hour. Check to see if the crust has become light golden brown. If not, bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Remove the cobbler from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before eating. It's great to eat at room temperature or warm.
7. Serve with fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Cows, like other mammals, provide their young with nutrients in the form of milk, which is produced by the mammary glands and expressed via the udders. Humans have also made use of cow's milk as a major food source.
Function
The primary function of cow's milk is to nourish her young. Milk is high in fat to provide nutrients to rapidly growing calves, and is also how cows, like other animals, provide immunity via antibodies to their offspring.
Features
Milk is a complex blend of materials. According to the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), 87 percent of milk is water, fat makes up about 4 percent, proteins are 3.4 percent, lactose is 4.8 percent and minerals are about 0.8 percent.
Benefits
The U.S. Department of Agriculture notes that the consumption of milk by humans can help build bone density and support bone health throughout life, possibly reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
Effects
An article from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) cautions that the consumption of milk may lead people to eat too much saturated fat and may contribute to the risk of prostate and ovarian cancers.
Considerations
Many people are not able to digest lactose or other components of cow's milk. Because of concerns about additives or the treatment of animals, in addition to allergy, many people avoid the consumption of milk.
Tags: consumption milk, about percent, like other, that consumption, that consumption milk
The tomatillo is a cousin of the tomato and part of the nightshade family. These small fruits come in colors of green, yellow and purple and are covered in a paper-thin husk. They also get as big as a golf ball or as small as a large marble. Tomatillos have a tart taste and a lemony scent and are used in numerous Mexican recipes, such as salsa. They can be eaten raw or stored in several different ways for future use.
Instructions
1. Set them in a dry and ventilated area such as a hanging basket in your pantry. They store in their husks like onions and will last for about two months like this. If you see any mold on the husks, then peel it off, wash them and stick in them in the fridge.
2. Place the tomatillos in a paper bag and set them in the crisper drawer or in a bowl with a paper towel over them in your fridge. Just make sure they don't get wet or the inside of their husk could become a little slimy. Leave their husks on. This method of storing works well if you aren't going to use the tomatillos right away, and will last for about a month.
3. Peel the husk off the small green fruit. The tomatillo may have a sticky feeling after you husk it; if so, just wash it off. Pat them dry with a paper towel and place them on a cookie sheet and place them in the freezer. Wait until they are almost frozen, then place them in zip-lock bags and put them back in your freezer. They will store from six months to a year when frozen. Upon thawing, the tomatillos will be soft but will be fine for cooking.
4. Take the husk off of the tomatillos and wash them. After they dry off, cut them in thin slices or dice them up. Place them on a cookie sheet and stick them in the freezer until almost frozen. Take them out and put them in zip-lock bags and set them back in the freezer. These bags will last about six months to a year.
5. Husk and wash the tomatillos and then cut them up. Stick them in a blender and puree. You can also puree them with other vegetables to be used in salsas and sauces. Pour them into ice trays and put them in the freezer. Once frozen you can stick the cubes into zip-lock bags until needed. Tomatillos can also be canned with a pressure cooker or stored as relish.
Tags: last about, them freezer, wash them, will last, will last about, zip-lock bags
Many establishments have a house or signature sauce for their chicken wings. You might have encountered so many personal and private recipes that you might begin to wonder how difficult it really is to make create your own wing sauce. Fortunately, for the aspiring sauce slinger, with the basics and a few personal touches, you too can make your own wing sauce.
Instructions
Buffalo Sauce
1. Melt the butter and brown sugar together in a saucepan. Add the tomato and pepper sauce to the pan and mix together. Combine dry ingredients with the pan mixture before adding the beer, which is to be added according to your taste. Coat the chicken wings generously with the sauce.
2. Tweak the recipe ingredients ratio. Simply by changing the precise formulation, you can create a different flavor. Add more brown sugar to make a sweeter sauce, or increase the spices for a more savory sauce. Reduce or increase the pepper sauce and chili powders to increase or decrease spice heat.
3. Add new ingredients to put a personal spin on this traditional sauce. Consider alternate spice sources like jalapeño peppers or habenero peppers for a more potent heat. Try adding various regional spices like curry or Chinese Five-Spice powder to the wing sauce for something new. Add some of your favorite ingredients to small batches of wing sauce to test how it affects the overall flavor.
Barbeque Sauce
4. Heat oil in the saucepan and add the onions to sauté. Add tomato paste when the onions are clear and stir together. Add all additional ingredients into the saucepan and mix, heating it to boiling and allowing it to boil for between 10 and 15 minutes.
5. Alter ingredient ratios to strengthen or weaken other flavors. You may find the sauce to be too thin or thick for your purposes, which can be fixed by adding or reducing water to the recipe. Tomato can impart too rich a flavor to the sauce, which can be decreased by reducing the amount of tomato paste added.
6. Include some additional ingredients to make it special. Many sauces get additional tang from whiskey, bourbon or beer. Create a specialty barbecue sauce by adding ingredients like honey for honey barbecue sauce. Add common favorites like garlic or cilantro, testing in small batches to figure out the right ratio.
Tags: wing sauce, additional ingredients, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, chicken wings, Create Your Wing, pepper sauce
Basil pesto, or Pesto alla Genovese, originates from Italy's Liguria region. This region's soil produces many varieties of herbs and vegetables. The dishes from Liguria tend to rich in vegetables and light in meats and cheeses. Originally the ingredients for pesto were ground together and emulsified with a mortar and pestle. The Italian word for "pestle" is where pesto gets its name. Since that time, the mortar and pestle yielded to technology and the food processor is the tool most often used to make pesto.
Instructions
1. Coarsely chop the basil until you have 2 cups. Grate the cheeses until you have 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and 3 tbsp. Pecorino.
2. Add the basil, a dash of salt, one garlic clove and 3 tbsp. of pine nuts to a food processor. Process until the mixture forms a paste. Stop to scrape the sides as needed.
3. Add the cheeses and 1-1/4-cup extra virgin olive oil to the paste and mix them into the paste.
Combining corn and vanilla pudding makes for a savory treat. Taken separately, corn pudding and vanilla pudding have many identical ingredients -- including eggs, milk, salt, butter and sugar. The key to combining the flavors is to substitute the standard vanilla extract in corn pudding and replace it with vanilla bean paste. The ingredient transition will add a slight boost of flavor to give the dessert a balance of corn and vanilla flavors.
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk three whole eggs together into a large mixing bowl.
2. Combine the milk, salt, sugar and pure vanilla bean paste with the eggs. Stir the ingredients together until thoroughly mixed.
3. Open the can of corn and drain it. Dump the corn into the mixing bowl and stir together with the other ingredients.
4. Rub butter onto bottom and sides of a 1.5-qt. casserole dish. Pour the mixture into the dish and insert into the oven for 60 minutes.
When you think of traditional appetizers that are served at holiday parties, chances are the images that come to mind are trays of cheese cubes and rolled cold cuts, various oddly shaped canapes, and dainty, two-bite pastries. No appetizer says "small, intimate gathering" like homemade pigs in a blanket. This simple treat of cocktail wiener wrapped in pastry is a portable, tasty bit of neatly packaged comfort food. You can master this common man's delicacy if you understand a few tips, tricks and recipes.
The Basics
Pigs in a blanket is a two-ingredient recipe, so it can be easily doubled or tripled to accommodate any size crowd. The traditional recipe calls for two 8 oz. cans of crescent rolls and a 48 count package of cocktail sausages.
When baking these appetizers, make sure that you don't overload the oven. If you have a large crowd coming and are making many of these treats, bake them in batches. Do not alter the usual oven temperature (375 degrees) or the bake time (12 to 15 minutes). Pull the treats out of the oven when they are just beginning to turn brown because they can burn quickly. If using biscuits, divide each biscuit into thirds and flatten slightly before rolling.
Recipe Variations
The little cocktail sausages that often come to mind are not the only kind you can use. The type of sausage that you use as your "pigs" can vary widely. You can use gourmet, specialty sausages; hot dogs; bratwursts; breakfast sausages or any other sausage you prefer. Just cut them into two-inch pieces and cook thoroughly before wrapping them.
Replace the traditional crescent roll dough with biscuit dough for a southern twist. Use puff pastry to make sophisticated "Pork En Croute" (pork in crust). Or, you can make extra-large pigs in a blanket by wrapping whole cooked sausages in uncut crescent rolls.
Add other items, such as cheese, under the crust with your sausage before baking. You can also wrap your sausages in bacon instead of pastry to create an extra-special treat.
Fire up the coals and get ready for some Texas dry rub barbecue.
Texans take their barbecue seriously. As peaches are to Georgia, a meaty beef brisket coated with a secret dry rub and slow-smoked to perfection is to the Lone Star state. Individuals, restaurants and families pride themselves on being masters of their craft and a dry rub is often a key component that sets their barbecue apart from all others. A dry rub is simply a coating of blended seasonings that is rubbed onto the meat prior to cooking. Texas-style dry rubs often use very little sugar and have a little higher heat component that most. Making your own Texas-style dry rub can be a creative barbecue experiment. With a little practice, and just the right ingredients, you can create your own personal blend of seasonings and spices and be able to boast that it is the best.
Instructions
1. Assemble salt, pepper and any other spices that you feel might blend well. If making a small batch to cover just a few steaks, one or two tablespoons of each ingredient should be enough. For larger batches that can be stored, more of each ingredient will be needed. Onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, ground mustard, paprika, sugar, oregano, cumin and celery salt are all popular ingredients that can be incorporated into your Texas dry rub recipe.
2. Add salt and pepper to mixing container. A simple salt and pepper combination is called a Dalmatian rub in Texas. Pepper complements beef well and the salt helps bring out the flavor. If the meat has been brined in a salty solution, be careful not to add too much salt to avoid over salting.
3. Combine other seasonings in container as desired to taste. Experiment with different ingredient combinations and amounts to create your own personal Texas-style dry rub. A typical Texas dry rub will tilt toward the spicy side. Cayenne pepper is a great choice to add some extra heat and small amounts of ancho chili powder can go a long ways in providing some exotic flavor. Garlic and onion powders can also be used in liberal amounts to help enhance a full flavor.
4. Coat the meat with the mixture by liberally applying by hand and rubbing the seasonings into the meat prior to cooking. Letting the meat sit for a few hours, up to overnight, will effectively help to marinate and provide additional flavor. Properly coated and cooked Texas dry rub barbecue will produce a crunchy, flavorful crust when done.
Tags: salt pepper, chili powder, component that, create your, create your personal, each ingredient, meat prior
Fresh mozzarella is softer and more perishable than the bulk packaged type found in grocery stores.
Fresh mozzarella is delicious, but can be expensive to buy in stores. Luckily, with a little bit of time and preparation, it is a great cheese to make at home and requires little experience with cheese making. Traditional Italian mozzarella, which originated in Naples, is made with milk from water buffalos, but you can make mozzarella with any milk you find in the grocery store. Fresh mozzarella is softer and more perishable than the low moisture type you find packaged in stores, and is great in salads, on pizza, or eaten by itself with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Instructions
1. Pour milk into the stainless steel pot. If you are using raw milk, separate the cream first and use only the milk.
2. Mix citric acid into 1/2 cup cool water and mix this into your milk. Don't be worried by curdling.
3. Heat milk slowly to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring continuously.
4. Dissolve rennet into 1/4 cup cool water and add to hot milk. Stir for 30 seconds, then let it rest for about five minutes or until curds form and begin to pull away from the sides of the pot. During this time, you may allow the temperature to rise up to 105 degrees to help form curds. Wait until the whey is clear before moving on.
5. Cut the curd into one inch squares and let rest for 3 minutes.
6. Separate the curds and the whey. Use the slotted spoon to carry the curds to a colander set over the first large bowl to drain. Lightly push the spoon into the curds to drain most, but not all, of the whey. You can fold the curds over themselves to drain more whey, but you do not want them to dry out completely and become tough.
7. Discard the whey from the large bowl, and transfer curds into the bowl.
8. Fill the other large bowl halfway with cool water.
9. Combine four cups of whey (discard the rest) and salt and heat to 180 degrees.
10. Pour hot whey mixture over the curds.
11. Work the curds with two spoons so that they heat evenly and form one big ball.
12. Stretch the curds using the spoons or your hands. Wear gloves if necessary. Stretch until the curd forms a rope about a foot to a foot and a half long, then fold over and stretch again. Do this for about 30 seconds or until it gets shiny and then place it back in the whey mixture.
13. Form balls of mozzarella with your hands and drop them into the cool water.
14. Add 2-3 tbsp. whey to the water to help the balls keep their shape.
15. Refrigerate and enjoy! In an airtight container, the mozzarella should last about three days.
Tags: cool water, Fresh mozzarella, into cool, into cool water, large bowl, Fresh mozzarella softer
Snails, also called escargot, are typically served on odd looking plates with strange utensils. Knowing a little snail etiquette can save a lot of embarrassment.
Instructions
1. Anticipate a snail. Expect six snails with shells intact when ordering escargot.
2. Examine the plate. Six cavities hold each snail in place. A rim prevents spillage of the garlic butter sauce.
3. Locate utensils. Proper etiquette calls for snail tongs and a slender two-pronged snail fork. Find these to the right of the plate.
4. Select a snail. Use the tongs to grip and hold the shell in place.
5. Remove the meat. Use the snail fork to pull out the contents of the shell.
6. Experience the snail. Appreciate the texture. Fresh snails are a bit rubbery, while canned snails are more tender. Enjoy their delicate earthy taste.
7. Savor the sauce. Tear off a small piece of dinner roll. Using the snail fork, dip the roll into the sauce. Repeat until the sauce or roll is gone.
Just because you're eating vegetables doesn't mean you're eating healthily. If you're eating them with a typical ranch dressing, you're adding unnecessary calories and fat to an otherwise nutritious snack. If you eat 2 tbsp. of that ranch dressing with four carrot strips, for example, to those carrots' negligible 12 calories you're adding 120 calories and 12g of fat, 3g of which is saturated. If you like dipping your vegetables, there are healthier alternatives. Read on to learn what some of them are.
Instructions
Pick Healthy Vegetable Dips
1. Avoid mayonnaise! Break the hold that ranch dressing has had since the mid-to-late-1980s, when casual dining and fast-food restaurants started using it because it was thicker than mayonnaise and had a rich taste without potentially offensive (yet patently healthy) ingredients like the chili sauce found in thousand island dressing. (For a great article on America's love affair with ranch dressing, see Resources below). If you have to have a creamy sauce to dip your vegetables into, use reduced fat mayonnaise or Miracle Whip light instead. Both have half the calories and at least half the fat of regular mayonnaise.
2. Try non-dairy dips that are healthier for you. A lemon tahini vegetable dip (made with the recipe in Resources below) is not only lower in calories and fat, it includes flaxseed oil, a healthy source of omega 3 fatty acids that are typically lacking in American diets. Another great, healthy dip is a balsamic bean dip (made with the recipe in Resources below) that uses olive oil, a good antioxidant that helps omega 3 fatty acids promote the health of your heart.
3. If you don't have time to make a dip, try fresh salsa, natural peanut butter, or guacamole. All three are heart healthy because of the lycopene in tomatoes and the monosaturated fats in both peanut butter and avacados. When you buy them at the store, however, read the ingredients. Buy the refrigerated salsa and guacamole over the bottled kinds next to the chips. Non-refrigerated salsa and guacamole tend to have sugar and other ingredients you don't need. When you buy peanut butter, make sure the package says "natural peanut butter" and has only peanuts and salt as ingredients. Don't buy peanut butter with lard, which is pig fat, or unnecessary sweeteners.
Tags: peanut butter, ranch dressing, Resources below, fatty acids, Healthy Vegetable, Healthy Vegetable Dips, made with
Grapes grown in the rich soil of Italy's vineyards enrich the flavor of sparkling wines.
Italy may be the new France, at least when it comes to sparkling wine. UPI reports in its January 1, 2011, edition that French champagne sales fell behind Italian sparkling wine by 10 million bottles, and exports of the Italian bubbly increased 17 percent through September 2010. Italy's unique topography and rich soil provide a unique breeding ground for hundreds of grape varieties that give Italian wine a distinct flavor.
Muscat
Many people ring in the new year with a bottle of sparkling Asti Spumante. Vintners in the town of Asti produce muscat, or moscato, grapes used in the sweet, lightly alcoholic, popular Asti Spumante. Less well-known, but equally flavorful, is the sparkling wine Moscato d'Asti. Asti is a remote town in the hilly Piedmont region of Italy, surrounded by Europe's highest mountain ranges.
Prosecco
Another popular Italian sparkling wine is prosecco. Writing for "Wine Lovers Page" in July 2002, shortly after the wine first was exported to the U.S., wine connoisseur Tom Hyland praised the white prosecco grapes for their delicate flavors and aromatics. These qualities have made prosecco one of the most successful sparkling wines in the U.S.
Lambrusco
Italians have enjoyed the red lambrusco grape for many years, possibly dating to Roman times. While the popular Riunite wine in the U.S. is very sweet, some lambruscos in Italy are drier and only slightly sweet. Lambruscos are cultivated in Italy's northern Emilia-Romagna region. The grapes grow on high trellises, and most lambruscos are consumed in the year that they are made.
Durella
As is true for many Italian grapes, references to the durella variety date back many years. Writing for the September 10, 2010 edition of "Palate Press," Elisabetta Tosi refers to the durella as a "bizarre and original grapevine" growing among the fossils and volcanic soil of Italy's Verona and Vicenza region. Lessini Durello 100 percent sparkling wine has a hard, acidic, mineral taste that complements hearty Italian foods, and its popularity is increasing.
Tags: sparkling wine, Asti Spumante, many years, rich soil, September 2010
Drying your own apples is quick and easy and can be done at a fraction of the cost of store-bought dried apples. Also, you can be sure they're all natural and without any unnecessary preservatives. Depending on the moisture content of the apples you select, 5 pounds of fresh apples will yield about 2 cups of dried apples. When properly dried, the finished product will have a shelf life of up to one year if stored in a cool, dry place.
Instructions
Drying
1. Choose the kind of apple that you prefer, since many varieties will work well.
2. Peel off any stickers on the apples and wash them with cold water.
3. Peel the apples to prevent them from having a slightly bitter taste from the dried skins.
4. Core the apple, then slice it into wedges no more than 1/4-inch thick. A thicker cut will prolong the drying time. Cutting the wedges to a uniform thickness is important to ensure uniform drying.
5. Brush the apple slices with a thin coating of orange juice. This will prevent them from turning brown during the drying process.
6. Spread the apple slices on the trays from the dehydrator, leaving some space between each slice to promote air circulation in the dehydrator.
7. Turn on the dehydrator and check the slices after six hours. When the apples are done, they should be flexible and should not be tacky to the touch. Depending on the water content of the apples, they should take between six to eight hours in a food dehydrator.
8. Store the apples in an airtight container and keep in a cool, dry place to prolong shelf life.
Tags: apple slices, content apples, cool place, dried apples, prevent them, prevent them from
The ingredients for a signature house salad are limited only by imagination and availability.
A house salad typically means any helping of lettuces and accompanying toppings served in a restaurant. When one thinks of a traditional house salad, the image of iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers and croutons comes to mind. The toppings for a house salad are not limited to these simple items, and many restaurants develop a signature combination, as you can from ingredients of your choosing. Gathering all ingredients prior to putting the salad together makes preparation smoother and faster.
Instructions
1. Wash lettuces with cool water and pat dry with paper towels or run through a salad spinner. Use a mix of fresh salad greens like red and green leaf lettuces, romaine, spinach and arugula. Place the lettuces into the mixing bowl.
2. Add your choice of ingredients into the mixing bowl. A variety like beets or carrots, nuts seeds, grated or crumbled cheeses, bacon bits, egg slices or thinly sliced red onion are typical toppings. Combinations should complement each other and not overwhelm the rest of the ingredients. For example, red onion is a strong flavor and should be used sparingly.
3. Toss the salad and ingredients together with a long handled tossing fork and spoon. Be gentle so as not to bruise the greens. This step isn't completely necessary as some cooks prefer to layer additional ingredients on top of the salad for presentation.
4. Present the salad in chilled bowl or atop chilled plates. A warm bowl straight out of the dishwasher can wilt the greens before serving.
5. Serve with a selection of salad dressings. Many house salads absorb typical dressings such as ranch, thousand island, blue cheese or vinaigrette. Specialty dressings such as sweet onion, poppy seed, cilantro and lime or other combination can also be offered. In some restaurants, the dressing is the signature flavor that identifies their house salad.
Tags: house salad, dressings such, house salad limited, into mixing, into mixing bowl
Correct a sour sauce by adding sweet and creamy ingredients.
A sour sauce produces unwanted flavors on the palate - bitter, tart and even a bad aftertaste often result from an unsuccessful sauce. To combat the sour taste in sauce consider adding a milk-based ingredient to mellow the strong flavors, or counteract it with a pinch or two of sugar. Often tomato- and mustard-based sauces will have a sour taste due to the acidic content of their ingredients. Balance out a sour sauce by stirring in additional ingredients to make your sauce taste better.
Instructions
Creamy Tomato Sauce
1. Pour one 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes in a large sauce pan. Add 3 tbsp. of tomato paste. Stir together over low heat, and cover.
2. Mince three cloves of garlic, one small onion, one carrot, and one celery stalk with a sharp knife on a cutting board. Pour 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a saute pan and add the vegetables. Cook them over medium-low heat until they are tender, which will take about 10 minutes.
3. Scrape the vegetables into the tomato sauce. Add 2 tsp. each of dried rosemary, basil and oregano. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Mix together to combine.
4. Pour in 1 cup of heavy cream slowly into the sauce. Stir constantly while adding the cream. Cover and allow the sauce to reduce and thicken for 15 minutes on low heat. Stir occasionally.
5. Measure 2 tsp. of sugar and add it to the sauce. Stir and then taste. Add more sugar, 1 tsp. at a time according to preference. Allow the sauce to cook for several minutes more to absorb the sugar.
Sweet and Sour Mustard Sauce
6. Use the tart taste of mustard and vinegar to make an equal contrast with the sweetness of sugar in a sweet-and-sour mustard sauce. Beat together two large eggs with 2 cups of heavy cream in a bowl.
7. Fill the base of a double boiler with 2 inches of water. Place over medium-high heat until the water starts to boil.
8. Add 1/2 cup of sugar with 2 tbsp. of flour and 4 tsp. of dry mustard into the double boiler. Slowly pour the milk and egg mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring constantly. Once the ingredients have been combined, turn the heat to low.
9. Whisk constantly while adding 1/2 cup of white-wine vinegar. Cover and allow the sauce to thick for three to five minutes. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool for several minutes before serving.
Homemade stuffing is easy to prepare and customize.
Homemade stuffing mix is easy to make, and the dry mix can be prepared ahead of time for cooking on the day of your meal. It can also be stored in jars and given as gifts. Stuffing is also an easily customizable recipe; you can add or remove spices to this recipe if you prefer, and the recipe can easily be made vegetarian or even vegan by using vegetable broth or water and margarine instead of chicken broth and butter.
Instructions
To Make Dry Stuffing Mix
1. If you are using fresh bread cubes, bake them on a large baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees to dry them. Or use pre-dried bread crumbs or cubes.
2. In a large bowl, combine the dried bread crumbs or cubes with the rest of the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
3. Store the dry mix in a jar or airtight container until you are ready to prepare it.
To Cook the Stuffing
4. Put the butter or margarine and broth of your choice in a medium-sized saucepan.
5. Heat the butter and broth until the butter is melted and the mixture is hot.
6. Add the dry stuffing mix and stir gently a few times to moisten the mix.
7. Remove the saucepan from heat and cover it with a tight-fitting lid.
8. Let the stuffing stand for about five minutes, then fluff it up with a fork and serve.
Allium sativum L., or what is commonly known as garlic, is one of the most widely used vegetables in the United States. Garlic's closest relative is the onion. In its dry or powdered form, garlic is used as a seasoning in everything from pickles and bread to soups and stews. Garlic has also been found to have great medicinal benefits as a heart-healthy food. Numerous case studies have shown that garlic may reduce the risk of some cancers, though its exact effectiveness is unclear.
Split bulb of garlic
How It's Made
Cloves of garlic
The manufacture of both granulated and powdered garlic is the same, except for the grinding or powdering process. Granulated garlic is coarse while garlic powder is ground extra fine.
Whole cloves of garlic are peeled, cleaned and then sent into a machine that slices and chops them into smaller sections. The sections are dried in slow ovens for three to four hours. When the garlic has cooled it is ground to the desired consistency, be it granulated or powdered. The finished products are put through sifters to separate any debris or undesirable pieces. Both are packaged in air-tight containers and stored in a cool, dry place.
The Facts
Both granulated and powdered garlic have the same nutritional value. Each variety will produce about the same intensity and flavor when added as seasoning to foods, though the measurements to equal one whole clove will differ slightly: One third of a teaspoon of granulated garlic equals one average-size clove, while it takes approximately half a teaspoon of powdered garlic to equal the same size clove.
There is no real difference between the two, except for the size and texture of the granules. It is important, however, to read the packaging labels to make sure you are getting a pure product. Some products may include ingredients (additives) to reduce clumping that may also reduce or detract from garlic's true flavor.
Function
Granulated and powdered garlic are used to season and enhance the flavor of many foods. Often it is an appropriate substitute when fresh garlic is called for in a recipe. Powdered garlic dissolves almost instantly when incorporated into any dish, hot or cold. Granulated garlic takes a few minutes to become incorporated and release its flavor.
While any true Italian-cuisine aficionado may scoff at the thought of using granulated or powdered garlic, both will function in the same manner as fresh garlic in just about any Italian recipe. Powdered garlic can also be sprinkled on pizza, as a condiment, when the pizza is served. In fact, keeping some on the table along with the salt and pepper is a nice convenience for those who enjoy extra garlic flavor in their dishes.
Considerations
While garlic may have many health benefits, in powdered and granulated form those benefits are significantly reduced. If you are adding garlic to your diet for medicinal purposes, granulated or powdered garlic will not give you the results you are seeking. For health purposes, fresh or raw garlic is the best form to consume, though many do not like the side effect of garlic breath. In that case, you can take garlic supplements in pill form.
Little-Known Use
Garlic powder or granules can be added to boiling water to make an antiseptic to treat wounds. Enzymes in garlic help prevent infection. Simply add one tablespoon of granulated garlic or 2/3 tablespoon powdered garlic per cup of boiling water to dissolve; then let the solution cool. Apply to the wound with a cotton ball three times a day for one week, or until the wound has healed enough that infection is no longer a concern. Store the solution in a lidded container in the refrigerator.
Make a delicious and summer garden bean salad with fresh and canned beans. The garden fresh beans and a light vinaigrette dressing make this salad so refreshing during the summer. But this is a great year round salad, because it's packed full of vitamins and it's a great source of high fiber and protein. Here are a few tips to make a summer garden bean salad.
Instructions
1. Remove the ends of a half-pound each of fresh green beans and yellow wax beans. Slice the beans in half, on the diagonal. If summer is long gone and fresh beans aren't available, buy whole frozen beans that are not fully cooked, only blanched.
2. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling. Blanch the fresh beans by boiling them for only a minute or two and removing them immediately from the boiling water. Immerse the blanched beans in ice cold water to retain the color. Drain the fresh beans well. If you are using whole frozen beans, let them thaw but do not blanch again.
3. Slice 3 or 4 scallions, including the firm part of the greens, into fine slices. If you don't have scallions, a finely sliced leek is a good substitute in this summer salad. Wash the leek thoroughly to remove fine dirt particles.
4. Drain 1 cup each of kidney beans, garbanzo beans and black beans. Any canned beans will do, but try to vary the colors of the canned beans. If you don't have garbanzo beans, you can substitute lima beans or great northern beans.
5. Mix all the ingredients for the summer garden bean salad together in a large salad bowl. Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste. Add the vinaigrette and toss lightly. Allow the bean salad to marinate at least an hour in the vinaigrette; the longer the salad marinates the better the flavor.
6. Make a quick and easy raspberry vinaigrette by mixing vinegar with raspberry syrup to taste; use raspberry syrup found in the syrup section or ice cream toppings aisle. Raspberry vinaigrette is a delicious option for the summer bean salad. Red wine vinaigrette or a light balsamic vinaigrette is also delicious.
Homemade chili is perfect for a cold day or a late fall evening. It is a favorite down-home comfort food, and it's easy to cook. There are many varieties of chili beans, but Tex-Mex inspired chili beans are some of the best. With a small amount of prep work and a big pot, chili beans can easily find a place at the supper table.
The Best Beans
Bean preference varies from state to state and region to region. Some prefer black beans to kidney beans, while others prefer pinto beans. However, the very best beans for chili are pinto beans. Pinto beans taste good and complement the flavor of most meats, as well as easily absorb the flavor of the spices used in the chili without losing the subtle flavor of the beans.
Meat Preferences
Hamburger meat, ground chicken and ground turkey are all viable options for chili, and each has its own individual qualities with regard to texture and flavor. But, if it's available, ground bison or ground deer are the best options. The gamy flavor of both bison and deer adds a heartier, more flavorful touch to the chili.
Both bison and deer are lean meats, so they do not add much extra grease to the chili. Bison has about the same amount of fat as 95 percent lean ground beef. Bison can be found at some butcher shops, and the best place to get ground deer meat is from a person who hunts regularly.
Vegetables
Some vegetables work well with chili beans. Finely diced onions, bell peppers and minced garlic are all important elements in chili. One large diced onion is good for an entire pot of chili beans, while two finely diced bell peppers in green, red or yellow are also good for a single pot. Add either pre-minced garlic from a jar, about two tablespoons, or one whole clove of fresh minced garlic.
Jalapeños are a tasty option, but they're not for the faint of heart. These peppers can be rather spicy but have a great flavor. For less heat, remove the seeds before dicing and adding to the chili beans.
Tomatoes are also a key ingredient for chili. Any tomato will do, and Bradley tomatoes or beefsteak tomatoes are especially good choices. At the beginning of the cooking process, dice two or three tomatoes into small pieces and add to the chili beans. This will ensure the tomatoes will boil down and become very soft.
Canned tomatoes, one can seasoned with chili peppers and one can unseasoned should also be used. A can of tomato paste may be added to help thicken up the mixture.
Spices
Spices are the backbone of any good pot of chili. Some good spices for this dish are chili powder, cumin, red pepper, cinnamon, salt and pepper, as well as the Mexican spice achiote.
A quarter cup of brown sugar may also be added to the chili beans to cut down on the acidity and give the dish a hint of sweetness.
Tags: chili beans, beans while, bell peppers, bison deer, ground deer, minced garlic
Sesame seeds are nutritious on their own or added to recipes.
Most seeds are smaller than nuts, but they are just as nutritious if not more so. Seeds are packed full of minerals, fiber and protein, which makes them a terrific snack choice. You can eat seeds raw or roasted, and you can add them to recipes to increase nutrients. An easy way to toast seeds is to place a handful into a dry pan. Turn the heat to medium low, and when you smell the oils cooking, the seeds are toasted. You do not need any added oil because the seeds themselves are full of oils that are released by the gentle heat.
Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are small, teardrop-shaped seeds. You can find them in most grocery stores, either shelled or unshelled. The shells are hard and black or gray. You should store them in an airtight container in your refrigerator, because the oils in the seeds can turn rancid quickly.
Sunflower seeds are a great source of magnesium, vitamin E and selenium, all of which the human body needs. Sunflower seeds are also high in phytosterols, natural chemicals that can help lower cholesterol levels.
Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds are common in Asian foods and as a topping on hamburger buns. The small, oval-shaped seeds are a powerful combination of copper, magnesium, zinc and calcium. Sesame seeds can last for several months stored in an airtight container kept in a cool, dark location. Their oil resists rancidity well, and you can toast them or eat them raw.
Pumpkin Seeds
You can buy pumpkin seeds year-round, but they are most common in the fall when pumpkins are in season. The seeds are flat and range from pale to darker green and are an excellent source of magnesium, iron, copper and zinc. They are rich in protein and fiber as well. While you can eat pumpkin seeds raw, they are generally more tasty roasted. You can store them in an airtight container in your refrigerator.
Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds are a wonderful source of omega-3 fatty acids and fiber. They are slightly larger than sesame seeds and much darker in color. Their shells are very hard, and the seeds are difficult to digest in their whole form. You can buy them ground or whole, and can grind whole flaxseeds yourself in a coffee or spice grinder. Once ground, you can sprinkle flaxseeds on everything from baked goods to beverages. Store them in an airtight container in a cool, dark location for best results.
Tags: airtight container, Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds, them airtight, them airtight container, airtight container your, container your
Selecting a good gift can be stressful and confusing. Maybe you have a good idea but just aren't sure about what size or color to choose. Forget about play guessing games with gifts of clothes and gadgets. Take the pressure off yourself and give easy food gifts. With so many different kinds of food gifts available you'll never give the same gift twice. Tap into the universal sweet tooth or appeal to the cheese and wine lover a delicious filled basket. Try some of our ideas for easy food gifts.
Recipe Gifts
Inexpensive yet caring recipe gifts make easy gift ideas. For this present you'll gather all the supplies needed to whip up a gourmet recipe and tuck them into a basket. This is a fun idea for the aspiring cook. Use a large wicker basket to tuck in any special cooking utensils, spices and pots that are needed. Wrap the whole thing up with cellophane and tie it off with a ribbon. Tuck a wooden spoon in the ribbon and attach the recipe on a 3 by 5 card. Keep in mind that perishable items like meat and dairy should be left out of the basket. Just list the needed ingredients on the back of the recipe card.
Candy Treats
If you have a knack for making sweet treats then your gift idea is a wrap! Make some divinity, fudge or other sweet snack and tuck it into a pretty box for giving. Tie it up with a fun and festive ribbon for added flair. Cooking isn't required, though. Visit your local bakery for some delicious gourmet cookies or candy. Tuck them inside a holiday tin. Or drop some cookies into a decorated cellophane bag. Chocolate-covered apples also fall under the easy food gift category. You can find candy apples at your local grocer or floral shop.
International Baskets
Easy food gifts are limitless if you think internationally. For the Italian food lover load a basket with some Italian bread, flavored dipping oils, tasty olives and some dried meats. Top off this gourmet basket with a small bottle of red wine. Make your basket Greek with fresh pita, delicious hummus and some baklava. Give a Mexican snack basket with some tortilla chips, salsa and queso dip. Add some fresh fruit and you've got a fun south of the border gift. Lay a cloth tablecloth inside your basket with few cloth napkins for a touch of elegance.
Save the pit from your next avocado to grow an interesting houseplant.
There is nothing more satisfying than displaying something green that you've grown indoors by yourself, particularly when you started with only a seed. Growing an avocado plant from a pit takes little of your time. The stunning, indoor tree is fascinating to watch at every stage of growth, from the initial roots and shoots to the first tiny leaves. The plant can be started and it grows well at any time of the year. It needs only to be kept warm, moist and protected against extreme cold.
Instructions
1. Pick a ripe avocado by pressing at the stemmed end of the fruit. If it gives, even a bit, the fruit is ripe. The avocado from Florida is bigger than the avocado from California and is somewhat easier to grow. The Florida avocado is light green with an almost smooth texture, while the California avocado is dark green with a rough, pebbled surface. Remove the outside skin and flesh of the fruit, being careful not to cut into the pit.
2. Identify the base of the pit. If you've never before looked at an avocado pit closely, you may be wondering which end is down. The place where a folded-in dimple can be seen is the bottom of the pit. Some avocado pits are quite round or oval with a flattened bottom end. Look for the dimpled bottom if you are not quite sure which end of the avocado pit is the root end. An important fact to remember in handling an avocado pit is that cold water should never be used. The plant is tropical in origin and does not take kindly to cold temperatures of any kind. Rinse the pit in tepid water, removing as much flesh as comes free easily. Do not dig into it. Dry the pit and gently wipe it off.
3. Get a clean glass not less than five inches high and with a wide opening at the top. Fill the glass with warmish water. Take up the pit again and get a good grip on it. About half way up from the base, force half the length of four toothpicks into the pit. Place them at regular intervals, making a framework to support the pit across the top of the glass. Now place the pit across the top of the glass with the inserted toothpicks as support, allowing about a half inch of water to cover the pit's base. The pit will stay in water until it puts down roots. Place the glass in the warmest spot you can find. Keep it out of strong light or drafts of cold air. A closet or cabinet would be good.
4. Maintain a constant level of water in the glass at all times. The base of the pit should always be immersed. Watch for the first signs of activity to appear. It may only be a few days before the first roots appear. It may take longer, so keep the seed where it is and watch and wait. As long as the water stays clear, the seed is still sound. If the water becomes thickened or cloudy, that is a sign of decay, so dump that pit and start another. After the appearance of the first roots, the seed begins to split. Bit by bit, the seed will eventually separate. There, lying in the center of it, is the first pale-green tendril, ready to shoot out and up into the air. When both roots and stem develop at the same time, the seed has entered a state of good, active growth.
5. Start cutting back at the very start if you want a lush, full and leafy, but reasonably sized houseplant. This cutting back continues as the plant grows. Allow the main stem to grow to six or seven inches. Then, using scissors, cut off the stem at a point midway between its top and bottom. Don't cut back too far. The remaining stem should be at least three inches high. The cut-off stem's development is now impeded. Be patient; the seed has to regroup its resources, taking another week or so to start growing again.
6. Judge when to pot your avocado pit when you have a good, thick fall of roots. They should be fairly dense and full and long enough to reach the bottom of the glass. You should plan to plant the seed about two weeks after you cut back the stem. Use an inexpensive, unpainted terra cotta pot. The diameter should be 8.5 or 10.5 inches. Use a rich mixture of soil for best results. Plant the seed shallowly. Leave at least half of the upper mass exposed when it is potted. The plant's stem should have the support of a dowel rod a soon as it reaches a height of 16 inches.
Tags: across glass, avocado from, cutting back, first roots, glass with
Supplements of synthetic dehydroepiandrosterone or DHEA have produced relief in joint pain in some sufferers. The body's adrenal glands secrete DHEA, a steroid that helps the body produce other hormones. The supplements boost the lower DHEA levels of older people.
Features
DHEA has been called the mother of hormones in the body. It is a naturally secreted steroid that the body uses in many ways, including the manufacture of male and female hormones, testosterone, estrogen and progesterone as well as corticosterone.
Theories/Speculation
The body produces lower levels of DHEA each year. By age 65, a person's DHEA levels usually have decreased to 10 to 20 percent of what they were at age 20. The DHEA supplement is thought to help many age-related conditions including joint pain due to inflammation.
Effects
A Stanford University Hospital study of women with lupus, found that of the 17 women with joint pain, five found relief and better mobility by taking 50 milligrams of DHEA per day.
Considerations
Positive claims about DHEA, including relief of joint pain, have not been scientifically proven.
Warning
Severe side effects have been reported from taking DHEA, particularly in larger doses and for prolonged periods. These side effects include heart palpitations, insomnia, mood swings, irregular menstrual periods, thinning hair and acne. They have usually resulted from DHEA doses of 25 milligrams a day or more. Some physicians recommend doses no higher than 5 to10 milligrams even if that means dividing capsules.
More than a few wine lovers dream of one day having a small vineyard, growing their own grapes, and making their own wine. Producing wine is a lengthy, multi-step process that requires a substantial investment of time even before aging has begun, but if done with care and attention, an amateur wine maker can make some good table wine and call it his own.
Grape Crushing
The first thing to do after harvest is to crush the grapes. These should be rinsed off in cool water first, but the rinsing needs to be gentle to avoid damaging the grapes. Anyone working with a large quantity of grapes should invest in a crushing machine with an automatic de-stemmer, since this will take a great deal of manual labor out of the process. However, many European producers great and small continue to use the old fashioned method of cutting the woody central stem out by hand, putting the grapes in a vat, and crushing them by stomping on them. The juice is then poured into open vats and tested for tartaric acidity, Brix (sweetness), and pH (a different measure of acidity). Brix and tartaric acidity might need to be raised for fermentation, in which case sugar and tartaric acid are added. Adjusting pH requires the addition of sulfites, usually in the form of campden tablets.
Fermenting the Must
After sitting overnight, white grape juice is strained to remove the skins and remaining bits of stem. Red grapes keep this debris. Then the juice, now called a "must," goes to primary fermentation. The addition of the sulfites should have killed any unwanted yeasts and other microorganisms, so now the wine maker adds the specific yeast strain he wants to use. The home wine maker buys these from a supply shop, while many big commercial producers make their own strains of yeast. The yeast starts fermenting the grape juice, converting the sugars into alcohol. This process causes a layer of foam to bubble up to the surface of the vat, requiring each vat to be stirred twice a day to knock down that layer of foam. How long this fermentation goes on depends on the local climate, how high the Brix is, and the intentions of the wine maker. It can last anywhere from 3 days to almost 4 weeks, but for a home wine maker, about a week is normal. The wine can end secondary fermentation as soon as the Brix has dropped by about two-thirds, but sometimes it is desirable to extend things out for a while, particularly with red wines to prolong their contact with the grape skins. To do this, a wine maker will cover the vats with a plastic tarp or lid that has a small vent in it. The fermentation releases carbon dioxide, and by covering the vat, a layer of carbon dioxide forms on top of the must, cutting it off from oxygen and slowing the fermentation process. The must still needs to be stirred twice a day during this prolongation.
Secondary Fermentation
Once primary fermentation is over, secondary fermentation begins. This is transferred to new vats, but in this case the vats are sealed. Home wine makers like to use water carboys for this purpose. These are sealed with airlocks, to permit extra gas released during fermentation to escape without rupturing the container. It should also be noted that many wine cellars are designed so that the area where wine is stored for secondary fermentation is below the workshop where primary fermentation is done. This allows the transfer of wine using only siphon hoses and gravity. The wine will continue to bubble and foam a little for anywhere from 1 to 8 weeks during this period. The must is now what is called "new wine" or "green wine."
Racking and Aging
When all bubbling has stopped, the wine is moved to its aging containers. Once again, it is handy to design the cellar so the wine can be sent down using only gravity and a hose. The transfer of wine is called "racking." The popular image is of a cellar filled with stacked oak barrels, and this is still the standard for fine wine. However, most commercial producers age their table wines in stainless steel vats, and home wine makers like to use used water carboys. What the steel vat and carboy have in common is that both can be have oak chips added to impart that oak flavor, if desired. The aging process can last anywhere from 3 months to 7 months under normal circumstances, but some wines are aged in the barrel for as long as 2 years. During this process, it is necessary to come back every couple of months and rack the wine again because of evaporation, because allowing an air pocket to form in the barrel can cause spoilage. This is usually done by choosing one barrel, and using a siphon hose to transfer wine from it into the other barrels, thereby topping them up. The wine leftover from the topping up barrel can be stored in a smaller container, but it needs to fill that container to avoid the air pocket and spoilage. Any time a racking is done, some sulfites are added to the wine to kill any unwanted microorganisms that have gotten into the wine.
Bottling
After aging, the final step is bottling. A home wine maker will do this using the trusty siphon hose, gravity and a corking press. Commercial producers have bottling machines.
Tags: wine maker, home wine, anywhere from, home wine maker, primary fermentation
Low-carb snacks can keep you feeling full and eating better all day.
When controlling your weight, a primary consideration is what, and how much, food you are consuming daily. Many people turn to low-carbohydrate dietary programs to assist in their weight control goals or treat obesity. Low-carb diets replace foods high in carbs with foods like vegetables and berries that are low in carbs, or with foods higher in proteins and fats, like cheese and nuts. Low-carb snacks help abate hunger throughout the day and help you stick to your weight loss goals.
Protein Snacks
One of the most common and popular high-protein, low-carb snacks is beef jerky, though snackers should choose jerky that has low or no added sugar. Another meaty low-carb snack is pepperoni. For a low-carb and low-fat option, turkey pepperoni can be substituted for the regular beef. As with beef jerky, watch for products with added sugar.
Other higher protein snacks include pork rinds (great with a low-carb dip), boiled or deviled eggs or even boiled shrimp served with tartar sauce. Another tasty possibility is meat roll-ups, which are slices of meat spread with mayo or mustard, rolled into a tube shape.
Dairy Snacks
A popular low-carb dairy snack is sugar-free yogurt, eaten plain or with available sugar-free toppings or fruit slices. Another convenient and popular dairy snack is string cheese. A simple idea is to buy a few blocks of various cheeses, cube them, and have a handful of cubes for a mid-day nibble. Prepackaged cheese cubes are also available, though packages generally have less cheese--and, consequently, cost more--than if you bought and cubed the cheese yourself.
Fruits and Vegetables
Though many fruits and vegetables are too high in sugar for most low-carb diets, most berries are acceptable when eaten in moderation. And raw broccoli, carrots, mushrooms and green peppers won't drive your carb count too high. Having a small bowl of blueberries, strawberries or raspberries topped with sugar-free whipped topping works well as a snack. Also, consider pairing raw vegetables with a low-carb dip, salsa or cheese. Olives stuffed with garlic, pimento or blue cheese work very well .
Nuts
Eaten in moderation, nuts are an excellent low-carb snack option. Have a handful of peanuts, cashews, almonds or walnuts with raw veggies to tide you over between meals.
Grains
Many low-carb diets do no allow grains but for those that do, you should only consider high-fiber, whole-grain foods with no added sugars. Tuna or egg salad on high-fiber crackers are tasty and easy to make. And sandwiches can be made with low-carb bread. Some diets allow popcorn, which can make for a satisfying snack, but go easy on the salt and eat popcorn in moderation.
Tags: with low-carb, added sugar, beef jerky, carbs with, carbs with foods, dairy snack, diets allow
A honeydew melon is a round or oval-shaped fruit the size of a cantaloupe, with a sweet flavor and green coloring. The outside of the fruit is a hard and smooth white, yellow or green shell. Honeydew melons are popular fruits in the United States and are available year-round at most grocery stores.
History
According to Fruit and Veggie Guru, the honeydew melon is named after the French version, the White Antibes. Historians believe the melon originated in Asia and was used as early as 2400 B.C., and that it made its way to Europe in the 15th or 16th century.
Significance
According to Earthbound Farm Organic, melons were prized in the royal French court in the Middle Ages.
Time Frame
Spanish missionaries originally brought melons to California in 1683. The honeydew melon was brought to the United States from France in 1900 and became a popular crop in warm climates; today it is grown primarily in Arizona and California.
Types
Honeydew melons were grown in personal gardens until the latter part of the 20th century. Today, they are the second-most-popular commercially grown melon in the United States. Along with traditional honeydew, there is also the orange-flesh honeydew.
Features
Today, the honeydew melon is a popular fruit in the United States and is a smart option for dieters. It is low in calories and is a good source of vitamin C.
Tags: honeydew melon, United States, History Honeydew, History Honeydew Melon, Honeydew melons, melons were
A well-stocked bar has at least a dozen different types of glasses based on the types of beverages served. Most bar glasses fit into one of three major categories.
Liquor Glasses
Basic liquor glasses have a simple shape -- straight or slightly tapered with no special base. Shot glasses are the smallest and hold a single shot of liquor. Larger glasses include 6-oz., old fashioned glasses, 8- to 12-oz. highball glasses and 14- to 16-oz. Collins glasses. Shaped martini, margarita and hurricane glasses are used for specialty drinks of the same names.
Wine Glasses
Wine is typically served in stemware -- bar glasses with long stems. Red wine glasses are typically wider than white wine glasses to allow oxygen to reach the wine. Champagne flutes are tall and slender to accentuate bubble displays.
Beer Glasses
Beer is often served in tall, tapered glasses. Pilsner glasses are tapered at the bottom and have bases like wine glasses. Ale glasses are rounded at the bottom like wine glasses. Beer mugs have handles.
Ideal pears for sauce have firm flesh and no signs of decay.
Pear sauce is an often overlooked accompaniment with exceptional versatility and a complex flavor profile suited both for savory and sweet preparations. In savory dishes, such as roasted ham, it adds pleasant contrast to the bold flavors and tempers the salt-cured taste. The sauce also pairs well with fruit-based desserts like peach flan, or medium-bodied dessert wines such as port. The type of pear used depends on the time of year. Anjou pears, known for their firm flesh and mild flavor, are at their peak between October and May, while Bartlett pears reach the height of freshness between July and October.
Instructions
1. Peel and core 8 Bartlett or Anjou pears. Cut each in half and roughly chop them. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat for three minutes. Place the chopped pears in the pan.
2. Cook the pears approximately 5 minutes until caramelized and place them in a food processor or blender. Add 6 tablespoons of turbinado sugar to a saute pan and place over low heat.
3. Stir the sugar with a wooden spoon and cook until a light-golden caramel forms; swirl the pan to distribute.
4. Pour 5 tablespoons of heavy cream down the sides of the pan and whisk until smooth. Add the caramel and cream mixture to the food processor or blender.
5. Blend the pears and caramel until smooth. Strain the sauce through a sieve lined with a layer of cheese into a sauce pan.
6. Split one vanilla pod down the center, scrape out the seeds and add them to the pan with the strained pear sauce. Mix to incorporate and place the pan over low heat.
7. Cook the sauce over low heat until it adheres to the back of a spoon.
Caviar is a fancy Christmas treat that couldn't be simpler to serve.
Christmas dinner is often the fussiest, most complicated meal of the year, and plenty of people relish the challenge. If you're not one of them, there's no need to sacrifice a nice meal. Easy holiday meals can be fancy and can still feature traditional holiday staples. Whether you're cooking for a small family or just don't feel up to a massive spread, simplifying the dinner helps keep Christmas stress to a minimum.
Oysters and Caviar
In her book "Christmas From the Heart of Home," Susan Branch suggests a very simple and luxurious meal of fresh raw oysters on the half shell with fine caviar, toast points and a good champagne. This is an especially nice treat for two. Purchase fresh oysters no more than a day ahead. Store and serve on ice, with lemon wedges, hot sauce and soy sauce on the side.
Spiced Slice of Ham
A whole ham is an ordeal, but a fancy spiced slice of ham makes a special meal in much less time. In a large zip-top bag and add 1/2 cup cranberry juice, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon and nutmeg. When well combined, add ham to coat and let sit in the refrigerator for an hour or two. Pan fry in a large skillet over medium-low heat, taking care not to burn the sugar. Serve with mashed sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts.
Broiled Herbed Salmon
Few elegant meals are as easy to prepare as broiled salmon. Simply place salmon in the broiler and baste with basil-infused melted butter until cooked to your desired doneness. To make the herbed butter, melt 1/4 to 1/2 cup butter and cool slightly. Combine with fresh basil in a blender. Serve with wild rice cooked with dried cranberries and asparagus spears.
Turkey Schnitzel
Make a simple schnitzel out of turkey by substituting tenderloins for the veal in Joy of Cooking's basic technique for breading wiener schnitzel: pound tenderloins flat and dip each in flour, beaten egg and fine breadcrumbs. Pan fry in 1 inch of vegetable oil until puffed, golden and cooked through. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Serve with mashed potatoes, creamed corn and cranberry sauce.
Tags: fresh oysters, Serve with, Serve with mashed, with mashed
Make a statement with a cheesecake wedding cake. Instead of plain, old cake like everyone else has, serve a decadent cheesecake that will remembered for years. The process of making a cheesecake wedding cake is much the same as a regular cheesecake, just on a larger scale. It isn't hard to do and is well worth the extra effort, plus there is only minimal decorating involved, making it easy for almost anyone to make.
Instructions
To Prepare
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Crush the graham crackers in a large zipper seal bag and then pour into a medium mixing bowl.
3. Melt the butter in a microwave safe dish for 2 minutes or until completely melted.
4. Pour the butter over the graham crackers and mix well until a thick paste forms.
5. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each spring form pan.
6. Place the cream cheese and sugar into a large mixing bowl and mix well with an electric mixer.
7. Add the milk to the cream cheese and mix.
8. Incorporate the eggs one at a time into the mixture and blend well.
9. Stir in the sour cream until thoroughly mixed.
10. Add the vanilla extract and the flour and continue to mix until smooth.
11. Pour the filling into each spring form pan until the pans are half full.
12. Place the pans into the oven and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
13. Turn the oven off and allow the pans to cool inside for 2 hours.
14. Remove the cheesecakes from the oven and cool in the refrigerator overnight.
To Decorate
15. Remove the side of each spring form pan, leaving the bottom under the cheesecakes.
16. Pour the strawberry pie filling over the cheesecake, using 1 can per cake.
17.Place the 8-inch cheesecake onto the 10-inch cheesecake. Make sure the cheesecake is centered on the top.
18. Add the 7-inch cheesecake to the top of the 8-inch cheesecake, again making sure it is centered.
19. Decorate with mint leaves.
Tags: each spring, each spring form, spring form, 8-inch cheesecake, cheesecake wedding, cheesecake wedding cake, cream cheese
Purchase a professional grade potato peeler to peel potatoes faster and easier.
Regardless of where you live, a southern-style homemade potato salad will tickle your taste buds and impress your family and guests. This anything but ordinary potato salad is an Atlanta, Georgia favorite. The dish combines easy-to-find ingredients to produce an interesting combination of flavors and textures.
Instructions
1. Use the small mixing bowl to combine cider or wine vinegar, celery and mustard seeds. Set the bowl aside.
2. Peel the potatoes and set aside in a 4-qt. mixing bowl.
3. Add 3 gallons of water to a stew pot. Place pot on the stove and bring water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until soft.
4. Pour potatoes and water through the colander to drain. Allow potatoes to cool for 10 minutes. Cube the potatoes and place in a 4-qt. mixing bowl. Drizzle cubed potatoes with vinegar mixture. Add sugar and salt. Combine the remaining ingredients in a separate 4-qt. mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients to potato mixture.
5. Chill until serving time. Recipe makes eight to 10 servings.
Great southern style macaroni salad recipe. This is a simple recipe and it tastes great. Learn make great tasting macaroni salad fast. This is one of my favorite recipes. If you like bell peppers, you should really love this macaroni salad recipe. It is very popular in my family and has been for years.
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, relish, peppers, onions, salt, pepper and sugar and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to add noodles. You may use splenda instead of sugar in this recipe. Just use the same amount of splenda as you would sugar.
2. Cook 16 oz of elbow noodles until tender. Drain well. After draining rinse them with cold water until they are cool. Drain well again. Mix them in with other ingredients that you refrigerated.
3. Keep refrigerated. You may add extra mayonnaise to make your macaroni salad creamier. You may refrigerate the macaroni salad for 30 minutes or eat it when it is finished.
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Pineapple is not only a delicious, juicy fruit, but it also offers many health benefits when eaten along with a balanced diet. For generations, people have taken advantage of eating fresh, frozen or canned pineapple. The fruit contains vitamins and minerals and helps protect the body against coughs, colds, indigestion and blood clots.
Vitamins and Minerals
Pineapples contain important vitamins and minerals such as potassium, calcium, fiber, cooper, thiamine, manganese, vitamin B6 and vitamin C.
Bone Strength
Pineapples contain manganese, which is a mineral that promotes strong bones. By eating 1 cup of pineapple, a person can take in 73 percent of the daily recommendation of manganese.
Coughs and Colds
Pineapples are high in vitamin C, which is beneficial to those who are trying to fight off a cold or prevent the onset of a cold. In addition, pineapples contain bromelain, which helps to break up mucus and suppress coughs.
Digestion
The bromelain found in pineapples aids in digestion. Eating one slice of pineapple after each meal will reduce gas, bloating, nausea, constipation and the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Fresh pineapple juice also aids in removing intestinal worms.
Blood Clots
Pineapples can help reduce the risk of blood clots due to the bromelain present in the fruit.
Tropical drinks are often served with fruit as a garnish.
Tropical mixed drinks are often associated with warm weather and exotic locales. They are typically either a rum-based, tequila-based or vodka-based drink, and may be served either frozen or on the rocks. Tropical drinks are also usually served in clear glasses so that customers can see their bright, layered hues. Sometimes they are served along with bits of fruit such as pineapples or cherries, as well as a cocktail umbrella for garnish.
Tropical Rum-Based Drinks
Rum-based drinks are among the most popular types of tropical mixed drinks. Rum is an alcohol made from the byproducts of sugarcane and tends to go well with the sweet and fruity mixers used in tropical drinks. Some of the most popular tropical drinks mixed with rum include the pina colada, Bahama mama and Malibu breeze. These drinks have a distinct, sugary taste due in large part to their mixers. For instance, the pina colada is a mix of coconut juice, pineapple juice and rum. The Bahama mama features dark rum, light rum, pineapple juice, lemons, coffee liqueur and coconut liqueur.
Tropical Vodka-Based Drinks
Vodka is a Russian alcohol distilled from items like potatoes and grain. However, it is one of the most common liquors in the world and is often used in mixed drinks, including tropical mixed drinks. Some tropical cocktails made with vodka include the screwdriver, which is a simple mixture of vodka and orange juice; and the beachcomber, which is mixed with coconut rum, orange juice and pineapple.
Tropical Shots
Many bars also serve single-shot servings of alcohol to patrons. Some serve specialty, tropical fruit liqueur-based shots. These shots often combine two or three ingredients such as a liqueur plus a type of soda or syrup. For example, the neon green punch shot consists of liqueur and citrus soda. The shots, much like larger tropical cocktails, are often brightly colored.
Frozen Drinks
Frozen cocktails are another popular type of tropical mixed drinks. Some classic rum- and vodka-based cocktails such as the pina colada can be served either frozen or on the rocks. However, perhaps the most common type of tropical frozen drink is the margarita. Frozen margaritas are a mix of tequila, triple sec, lime juice and crushed ice. The ingredients are typically blended together and served in a special margarita glass. Many bartenders also salt the rim of the margarita glass and serve the drink with a lime. The frozen nature of the drinks make them ideal in tropical locations.