As wine consumption rises, so does the use of accessories such as decanters, wine keys and chillers. Wine chillers vary from tableside ice buckets to ice jackets, electronic chillers and wine refrigerators.
Price
Ice buckets are an inexpensive way to chill wine.
The most cost-efficient wine chiller is the ice bucket, which is available in tabletop and tableside models. Electronic models that chill wine to a set temperature are available at higher prices.
Time Frame
Serve red wine at room temperature or slightly warm.
How quickly you want your wine chilled for service will determine the type of chiller you need. An ice bucket can take up to 20 minutes, while electronic models are much faster and can be programmed to a specific temperature. Many have preprogrammed modes for different types of wine.
Expert Insight
When chilling wine with an ice bucket, use a mixture of 50 percent ice and 50 percent water. Ice alone would take up to 60 minutes to chill wine properly, while an ice/water mix takes only 10 to 20 minutes.
It is common to add the wrong amount of a certain ingredient to a recipe. Often the mistake occurs when the chef misreads a recipe or the cap of a container falls off in mid-dash. When you add too much pepper to a recipe -- overly peppery soup, for instance -- there are a few options available to salvage the meal.
Dilute It
If extra ingredients are available and time permits, dilute the recipe. Add double amounts of all ingredients except pepper or other strong spices. You will likely need to create the second dish separately to avoid over- or under-cooking either of the dishes. Once both batches are completed, combine them and stir well to blend the flavors. The resulting dish will offer a diluted alternative to the first. In addition, you'll have plenty of leftovers.
Lemon
Add a teaspoon of lemon juice or one section of a quartered fresh lemon. The fruit's acid will neutralize the effect of the pepper. It may be necessary to simultaneously add a teaspoon of sugar to counteract the lemon's sourness. Add small amounts of lemon and sugar, tasting and adding more as needed. Because tomato and lime are also acidic juices, they may be used instead of lemon in recipes where they serve as appropriate, complementary ingredients.
Dairy
Adding cream, yogurt buttermilk or half-and-half can reduce the heat caused by too much pepper in potato soup, leek soup and similar meals, but does not work in all dishes. Sour cream works in recipes with thicker consistencies, such as white sauces. Again, add a small spoonful at a time, tasting and adding more as needed. The dairy trick can be used by itself or along with the lemon juice and sugar method.
Strain It
If you feel uncomfortable adding unnecessary ingredients or simply don't have them on hand, try straining the extra pepper. Carefully pour thin sauce or soup into a second pot through cheesecloth or a strainer. This should remove a considerable amount of pepper grounds. If the dish is still too spicy, you can modify it, according to taste.
Tags: adding more, adding more needed, lemon juice, more needed, much pepper, tasting adding
Italian food may be a hit on your menu list, but some of the food preparation can be tedious and exhausting. You can make pepperoni cheese bread to satisfy even the greatest craving. Use it in place of pizza at gatherings.
Instructions
1. Determine the kind of bread you want to use, and whether you're going to make one large serving on a loaf of Italian bread, French bread or homemade bread, or many individual sized servings on rolls or croissants.
2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
3. Slice open the bread. For a loaf of Italian bread, remove some of the dense inside bread to make room for the cheese and pepperoni.
4. Layer your pepperoni and cheese. If you're using sauce on your pepperoni cheese bread, place the sauce on both sides of the bread. Alternate a layer of cheese with a layer of pepperoni, up to your desired thickness.
5. Place your pepperoni cheese bread on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Depending on your oven's temperature settings, check on your bread after 10 minutes and adjust the remaining cooking time accordingly.
6. Remove your bread from the oven and allow it to cool. If you didn't include sauce in your recipe, you can serve it on the side.
Tags: pepperoni cheese, cheese bread, pepperoni cheese bread, your pepperoni, your pepperoni cheese
Use different cheese knives for different cheeses.
Cheese comes in all different textures, so having different knives for different cheeses is essential for a cheese lover. There are three basic cheese knives: the universal, the Parmesan knife and the planer. Care for your cheese knives as you would any other knife by hand-washing and storing them in their plastic covers or on a magnetic strip.
Universal
The universal cheese knife has a serrated edge that makes it easy to slice through most types of cheese. It has a pointed tip, allowing you to spear your cheese to put it on your plate. Most universal cheese knives will have holes in the blade to prevent soft cheeses such as Brie or Camembert from sticking to the blade. Many will also have a curved blade tip.
Parmesan Knife
Parmesan knives have a leaf-shaped blade made to break hard cheeses like Parmesan or Peccorino into small chunks. To use a Parmesan knife, insert the blade into the cheese and twist, breaking the cheese up naturally.
Cheese Planer
The cheese planer is ideal for shaving thin slices of firm cheeses. It has an angled edge, which guides the cheese through a thin slot. This is a great tool for getting thin slices of cheese for melting or garnishing a salad. It can also be used to thinly shave hard, crumbly cheeses that do not slice easily.
Tags: cheese knives, different cheeses, knives different, knives different cheeses, Parmesan knife, thin slices, universal cheese
A Dutch oven is one of the longest-lived pieces of kitchen cookware today. With its roots going back literally thousands of years, cooking in large pots made of cast iron has always been popular and yielded great results. This style of single pot cooking is having a resurgence now in America, as more and more people are pulling their cast iron Dutch ovens out of storage and firing their stoves back up again.
Instructions
1. Know what kind of cast iron Dutch oven is best for you. If you aren't lucky enough to have a cast iron Dutch oven handed down to you from a relative, then you are faced with the task of going out and purchasing one for yourself. There are a number of factors to take into consideration when purchasing one of these versatile pieces of cookware, but the most important is enamel or no enamel. The pros of buying a non-enameled Dutch oven is that it will be a bit cheaper, and you can use it and care for it the same way you would a cast iron skillet. The cons, however, include the major drawback of not being able to cook anything with a significant amount of acidity in the non-enameled Dutch oven. Even wine and vinegar have reactions with the metal that cause off flavors that can ruin a whole meal. Consider these things before you make your purchase, and choose the one you know will be best for what you usually make.
2. Prepare your non-enameled cast iron Dutch oven for cooking. If you've chosen an enameled Dutch oven, you can give it a quick rinse and store it until you want to use it. If you've chosen a non-enameled model, you must season it as you would a cast iron skillet. First, you must scrub the protective coating off of the inside and out. This is a non-toxic sealant that ensures the Dutch oven doesn't rust before it is sold. Use a scouring brush and very hot water. Once it is clean and dry, coat the inside of the Dutch oven with a small amount of vegetable oil and put it in a 500 degree Fahrenheit oven, upside down, for thirty minutes. Repeat this process three or four times, letting the Dutch oven cool each time.
3. Use the cast iron Dutch oven for stove top cooking. Because of it's great heat distribution, the cast iron Dutch oven is a perfect pot for making soups and stews. Over medium-high heat, put 2 carrots, an onion and three stalks of celery, all chopped into the cast iron Dutch oven, along with eight cups of water. Add three sprigs of flat leaf parsley, three sprigs of tarragon and two sprigs of sage and salt and pepper to taste. Then add one three pound chicken. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, covering for an hour. Remove the chicken and the herbs. Debone the chicken and put the meat back in. Serve at your leisure.
4. Use your cast iron Dutch oven for conventional oven recipes. The cast iron Dutch oven has amazing heat retention, which makes it the perfect vessel for roasting and braising. Sear two chicken halves that have been dredged in seasoned flour in olive oil over medium high heat in your Dutch oven. Remove and cover to retain its heat. Add three cups chopped mushrooms and saute until wilted, then add two chopped shallots. Add the chicken back to the pot and deglaze with a cup and a half of Riesling. Bring to a boil, then cover and place in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven for an hour and a half. Serve the chicken and accompanying sauce with mashed potatoes.
Tags: Dutch oven, cast iron, cast iron Dutch, iron Dutch, iron Dutch
Use a decanter to separate sediment or let your wine breathe.
Like wine itself, the use of a decanter has aged over time. Before modern wine-making techniques came about, a typical bottle of wine had a fair amount of sediment lurking at the bottom. If you've heard the phrase "drink life to the lees" (Lord Alfred Tennyson), you will understand that this is a metaphor for living life to the fullest, as most of a bottle of wine must be finished before reaching the lees, or sediment. Poetry aside, knowing use a wine decanter is just as important as knowing when to use a wine decanter. Typically it depends on varietal and age.
Instructions
1. Respect the elders. An aged red (older than 10 years) will normally have some sediment built up. A decanter is a great way to separate the wine from the sediment. An older red is also more fragile than a younger red and will start to lose its shape more quickly after opened, so be gentle. Tilt your decanter to the side and slowly pour in the wine so that it falls onto the mouth of the decanter. As the bottle starts to empty, keep it from raising too far above parallel to the ground. The trick is make sure the sediment gets caught in the shoulder of the wine bottle. Remember: An older red will fade quickly once opened, so be sure to enjoy with another couple.
2. Encourage youth. Younger reds can also benefit from a decanter to allow them to breathe or "open up." In the first three weeks of its life, a red wine is typically cycled in a cask with its grape skins. In this process a wine begins to form a structure by drawing tannin from the grape skin, which gives the wine a bitter taste and a chalky texture. As the wine matures, the tannin will fade and the fruit component will begin to taste more ripe. If you open a bottle that seems too tannic, all is not lost. Use a decanter to emulate the aging process, and watch as your wine transforms over the course of your dinner.
3. Generalize at your own risk. Bigger white wines such as Chardonnay go through a similar aging process as reds, only their decanting needs are a little trickier to spot. Unlike reds, winemakers will often intentionally make white wine acidic or tart, as a point of style, by halting the malolactic fermentation process, which converts malic acid to lactic acid. This is why some white wines make you pucker while others are viscous and buttery. Due to this, don't decant your Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio because of its dominant fruit notes. Yet if your Chardonnay lacks fruit, is chalky in texture, and relatively young, feel free to pass it through the decanter to let it breathe.
4. If your wine does not need decanting, you may of course still decant it. Drinking wine, above all, is about taking risks and trying new things. Use a decanter just to see how the wine changes and evolves over time. If nothing else, a wine decanter (along with a few nice bottles) looks great on the dinner table, especially at your favorite steakhouse.
Tags: your wine, aging process, bottle wine, chalky texture, decanter just
If you are serving white wine indoors, chances are you will need some type of chiller to accommodate the wine while it is being served. Wines should typically be kept at a certain temperature. A wine chiller is ideal for maintaining proper temperature for the wine. Many wine chillers are large and bulky, and some need ice and water to constantly keep wine cold, but the Bravetti Chiller only requires a bottle of wine to activate the chilling process.
Instructions
Using a Bravetti Wine Chiller
1. Open the box and remove the wine chiller from its packaging. There should be instructions and terms and conditions included in the box.
2. Place an already chilled or room temperature wine bottle inside the chiller. The neck of the bottle should extend from the chiller.
3. Be sure the bottle is less than 90 millimeters in diameter. The chiller will automatically begin to chill the wine. This is the characteristic of the Bravetti Wine Chiller that makes it a popular item. By inserting the wine bottle, the chilling process will begin.
4. When the wine is finished chilling and you are ready to drink, remove the bottle from the chiller.
5. Gently wipe out the chiller with a dry cloth to prevent mold.
Tags: Bravetti Wine, Bravetti Wine Chiller, temperature wine, Wine Chiller, chilling process, from chiller
Salmon is a fish that can be used in a variety of dishes. It has a mild, distinct flavor that compliments many other foods. Whether you are using salmon as a main course or adding it to a favorite salad or casserole, you also should consider adding cheese to the dish. From sharp yellow cheese to white cheeses, you can find a wide assortment to choose from.
Instructions
1. Think international and add Parmesan cheese to salmon on top of the other Italian spices. The same ingredients work well in a baked Italian dish.
2. Melt cheddar or American cheese on top of a piece of salmon for a sandwich or main dish. After cooking the salmon, place the cheese on top and stick it under a broiler for one minute or in a microwave for 30 seconds.
3. Shred Colby cheese into your white sauce that you plan on using for a pasta dish with salmon. Add cooked salmon to the sauce after all the cheese has melted, just before serving.
4. Make a great dip for vegetables or crackers with cream cheese and salmon. Soften the cream cheese and add garlic or onion powder. Mix it together, and then crumble cold, cooked salmon into the dip. Garnish with parsley or green onions.
5. Add goat cheese to your biscuit sandwiches. Let fresh biscuits cool and cut in half. Spread seasoned goat cheese on one half of the biscuit and lay a piece of cooked salmon on the other half. Fold together for a taste sensation.
Tags: cooked salmon, cream cheese, goat cheese, salmon other
Generating food ideas for a large party may seem like a daunting endeavor and an overwhelming task at first. However, if you break down the large party food ideas into the different food courses--appetizers, main entrees, side dishes and desserts--then generating the food ideas for a large party is easier than you might think.
Appetizers
It's important to have some appetizers for your guests to enjoy with their beverage before the main entree and side dishes are served. For a casual party, include potato chips, pretzels, nuts and a vegetable and dip tray. For a football party, wings make a good appetizer. If you are having a more upscale party, include shrimp cocktail, baked brie, olive spread or a fruit plate with dipping sauces of yogurt and chocolate. A black bean and corn salad is a colorful dish that will add to the aesthetics of your buffet table. Other appetizer ideas for a large party include miniature wieners in sauce, stuffed mushrooms, crab or artichoke dip and meatballs. It's a good idea to have some smaller snacks already at the table while also having a buffet table for the larger appetizers.
Main Courses
The main courses will depend on the type of party. For a sports party such as a football party, a large crock pot of chili is easy and filling for your guests. For the healthier crowd, go for turkey chili. If you have vegetarians in your guest list, a separate crock pot of vegetarian chili offers a nice touch. Be sure to include a side of cooked elbow macaroni for your guests to enjoy with their chili. Garnishes should include sour cream and cheddar cheese as well as crackers. Chicken is also a safe bet for the main course for a large group. Fried chicken is a good choice, as is stuffed chicken. If your party consists of a number of children, including a tray of chicken tenders will be a hit. Turkey, roast beef and ham also are good choices. The important thing to note is your main course should include protein, whether it is beef, chicken, turkey, pork or seafood.
Side Dishes
A good rule of thumb for side dishes is to include starches and vegetables. Baked rigatoni is a standard for large crowds and can be made ahead of time. Just be sure to add a little water about an hour before serving, as rigatoni can dry out. Another good starch is potatoes. Depending on your main course, try mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes. Pierogies can be a unique side dish for a large party. Rice pilaf is a nice accompaniment to most meals. For a cold starch side dish, try potato or macaroni salad.
Don't forget about the vegetables. For a more upscale party, you can make bacon wrapped roasted asparagus. You can also prepare a vegetable medley of steamed carrots, cauliflower and broccoli or have single hot vegetables trays of corn or green beans.
Desserts
Desserts can be the easiest to put together for a large party. If the party is celebrating an event, a large sheet cake is a must. Ask if your bakery does cake stenciling. You can get decorated cakes with stencils at many bakeries. This offers personalization and is a conversation piece. If you are not having a cake, cookie trays with a variety of cookies is a safe bet. For a casual party, the famous "dirt" dessert is easy to make and usually hit with both children and adults alike. See the Resources section for a video recipe of the Dirt Dessert.
Tags: large party, main course, party include, side dishes, your guests, buffet table
Screw tops have long been associated with cheap wine, but today this is not a fair assumption. Wine experts have conceded that perception is really is no discernible difference in taste between corked and screw topped wines, only the perception is different.
Technology
Modern packaging technology has introduced screw tops that can be calibrated to effectively seal wine. Cork is not essential to bottling wine, it's actually a remnant of the traditional winemaking process.
Regions
Most European wineries are traditionalist and continue to cork their wines. Screw tops are more common in New World countries like New Zealand, where all wines are sealed using the modern method.
Cork Taint
The screw top has been praised because it does not carry the risk of cork taint. Cork taint occurs when a cork is contaminated by mold and spoils the wine it seals.
Sulphidisation
When screw tops are fastened too tightly, they can prevent the wine from absorbing oxygen. As a result, sulphidisation can occur and give wine a putrid taste.
Bottom Line
Corking wine is considered to be more of a customary measure. The sealing method does not determine wine quality; that depends mainly on grape harvests and the aging process.
A rich lemon sauce top and biscotti bottom makes this cheesecake a hit!
This wonderful refreshing cheesecake is enhanced by the use of biscotti for the crust. Lemon adds even more flavor, making this a sure fire hit for any occasion. Follow these steps to bake a delicious biscotti cheesecake.
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Combine the crushed biscotti and melted butter in a bowl. Press it into the bottom and sides of an 8" springform pan. Bake the crust for 8 minutes. Cool it on a wire rack.
2. Combine cheeses, sugar, lemon peel and 3 tbs. lemon juice in a bowl. Beat it with a mixer on medium until combined. Add eggs and beat on low until just combined. Pour into prepared crust.
3. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center appears set when shaken. Cool the cheesecake on a wire rack for 15 minutes before loosening the crust from the sides of the pan. Cool it for an additional 30 minutes before removing the pan sides.
4. Make Lemon Sauce topping: Combine 1 tbs. of lemon juice and cornstarch in a small saucepan, stirring it together until there are no lumps. Stir in the egg yolks, sugar and the rest of the lemon juice. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until it begins to bubble. Reduce the heat and cook about 2 minutes more (stirring constantly) until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the butter pieces, stirring until the butter is completely melted and incorporated into the sauce.Spoon warm sauce over the top of the cheesecake. Cover and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours before serving.
Tags: lemon juice, constantly until, constantly until begins, minutes before, stirring constantly, stirring constantly until, until begins
The Enterprise fruit press was a massive, 50-pound cast-iron press produced by the Enterprise Manufacturing Company in Philadelphia in the late 19th century. Today they are valued antiques, but they were so sturdily made that many of them are still functional, as long as you have all the parts. This device could do everything from stuff sausage to press lard, so making apple cider with it is not much of a challenge. Plus, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you're making cider the way great-grandma made it, and possibly with the same piece of equipment.
Instructions
1. Wash and core the apples.
2. Run the apples through a fruit chopper, or chop them into small pieces with a knife.
3. Make sure the plunger plate on the Enterprise is cranked all the way up. Loosen one of the retaining knobs on one side of the press, and swing the cranking mechanism away from the top of the cylinder.
4. Insert the mesh basket into the cylinder. If you have the original tin basket, place the basket in the cylinder and the straining base into the bottom of the cylinder.
5. Fill the basket with the chopped apples. Be sure that none of the fruit extends over the edge of the cylinder.
6. Make sure the small plunger plate is attached to the screw mechanism. Change plates, if necessary, by unscrewing the cog on the underside of the plate, putting the smaller plate over the threaded end of the screw mechanism and retightening the cog.
7. Place the cider container under the spout. If the sausage pressing nozzle is attached to the spout, remove it.
8. Turn the crank clockwise to press the fruit. Continue pressing until you can no longer turn the crank. Watch for juice running out of the spout.
Carrots are a delicious side dish with or without potatoes
Baking carrots and red potatoes together makes a delicious side dish full of vitamins and minerals. The trick is to roast the vegetables long enough for them to cook all the way through, but not so long as to reduce the carrots and red potatoes to an unappetizing pan of mush.
Preparation
In order for the carrots and red potatoes to be completely cooked in the same amount of time, chop the clean vegetables into roughly the same size pieces. Leaving the skin on the red potatoes will not impact roasting time. Wash the carrots and potatoes and peel the outer layer off the carrots
Layout
The carrots and red potatoes will bake a little faster in an oven set at 325 degrees if they are spread out. Use a baking pan large enough to lay the vegetable pieces out in one layer. Spray the pan with non-stick cooking oil before adding the carrots and red potatoes and seasoning.
Roasting
Roast the vegetables in your 325 degree oven for 90 minutes, to start.
Testing
After 90 minutes, poke the red potatoes and carrots with a fork to test for overall doneness. If there are still "crunchy" spots or centers, return to the oven and continue to test every 15 to 20 minutes until all the carrots and red potatoes are cooked through.
Tags: carrots potatoes, carrots potatoes, delicious side, delicious side dish, potatoes will, side dish
Candy evolved as a way to satisfy our sweet tooth, and it was originally made from a simple honey syrup. Today, however, candy can be sweetened with refined sugar, honey, artificial sweeteners and even fruit juices. The following information reveals some of the tricks, techniques and tools used in candy-making.
Instructions
Mold Candy
1. Learn about mold candies. Mold candies are made by pouring melted sugar compounds into a plastic or resin candy mold. This type of candy can be made from chocolate, gelatin or simple sugar mixtures. They are popular for holiday candies as they can be shaped into holiday icons and designs.
2. Select molds for your candy. Craft and hobby shops are a great place to look for candy molds. You can find seasonal shapes and characters as well as cartoon characters and pop culture icons.
3. Buy the ingredients needed to fill the molds. You can find flavored candy chips, melting chocolate, melting white chocolate and melting caramel flavored chips for mold candies.
4. Prepare your molds. It is always a good idea to wash and sterilize your candy molds before using them. Most molds are going to be dishwasher safe, however, make sure they are dishwasher safe before use this cleaning method. After cleaning you will want to set up your molds on a level surface that is covered with wax paper. This will make clean up easier to do.
5. Melt your candy chips using a double boiler. Then pour the melted candy into your molds. Try to pour the melted candy level with the top of the mold.
6. Allow the candy to cool and set up. This can take any where from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on the type of candy poured. Once cooled, simply pop them out of the molds and they will be ready to eat.
Cook a Batch of Hard Candy
7. Find a recipe for hard candies. Usually the recipe will call for sugar water and flavoring. This is a fairly simple recipe, the difficulty level for candy making comes not from the ingredients but from the candy-making process.
8. Combine all the ingredients into your copper kettle and allow it to cook following the recipes directions. You will want to have a candy thermometer in the kettle and you will want to watch it closely.
9. Watch for the temperature of your candy syrup to reach between 300 and 310 degrees. This is the hard-crack stage of candy-making. At this point your sugar solution is 99 percent pure. When your mixture is at the hard-crack stage remove it from the heat.
10. Pour your mixture into lollipop molds or into a flat pan to cool. If you are making lollipops, then you will want to insert sticks into the molds before the mixture sets up.
11. Allow the candy to cool and set up. For lollipops you will want to pop them out of their molds and wrap them in cellophane. For glass candy you will want break the sheet of candy into bite-sized pieces using force or a hammer wrapped with plastic wrap.
Tags: will want, your candy, your molds, Allow candy, Allow candy cool, candy chips
Kidney beans make an inexpensive, filling addition to soups, stews and salads. Many people don't know where kidney beans originate or what materials make up their structure.
Name
Kidney beans are seeds that were originally cultivated in South and Central America. Their name comes from their kidney shape, though in some parts of the world they're known as common beans.
Exterior
The kidney bean has a tough, waxy coating on the outside of the bean called the seed coat, which protects the bean from damage until germination has begun. When the bean is allowed to germinate, the seed coat is sloughed off and discarded.
Cotyledons
The bean is classified as a dicot, which means that it has two separate cotyledons. Once germinated, the cotyledons will grow into the plant's seed leaf.
Interior
If the kidney bean is allowed to germinate, other portions of the bean will become part of the plant. The radicle is visible as a small speck on the concave curve of the bean and is responsible for creating the plant's root system. The hypocotyl and epicotyl will become shoots, stems, and leaves.
Cooking
When cooking, the starchy cotyledon swells and the embryonic plant portions become less noticeable.
Tags: allowed germinate, bean allowed, bean allowed germinate, kidney bean, seed coat, will become
Sesame sticks make a great snack or addition to a salad. Whatever their use, making sesame sticks at home takes only a few minutes. With a brief baking time and only a few simple steps, sesame sticks are a great project for kids to cook or a quick treat to make. Aside from being delicious and easy to make, sesame sticks are healthy. Sesame seeds are rich in iron, magnesium, copper and calcium, making them an ideal ingredient for many snacks.
Instructions
1. Grease two baking sheets and preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Stir the cream and biscuit baking mix together until completely blended. Roll the dough out onto a flat floured surface and flatten it into a rectangle. Cut the dough into strips. The sesame sticks can be as thick as you choose.
3. Put the strips on the baking sheets and spread the melted butter on top of them. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over top of the dough.
4. Bake the sesame sticks for 10 to 15 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Cool before eating.
Finger foods can be used in a variety of settings for a variety of reasons. From kids' meals to cocktail parties, finger foods can be fun and tasty or complex and elegant.
Ethnic Finger Foods
There are many different ethnic finger foods to enjoy. The versatility of ethnic finger foods means that they can be served in different settings. Chinese finger foods are primarily fried and include bite-sized egg rolls, crab rangoon, fried wontons and shrimp toast. Because these foods can be served hot or lukewarm, they are great additions to a buffet or appetizer spread. Other good buffet foods include Thai chicken or pork satay skewers, Mexican cheese or chicken quesadillas cut into triangles, taquitos, mini tacos, Italian toasted ravioli and Indian vegetable samosas.
Ethnic finger foods suitable for serving immediately include Japanese sushi rolls or sashimi, Polynesian rumaki and Greek spanakopita and tyropita triangles.
Elegant Hors d'oeuvres
Finger foods can be elegantly served at cocktail parties or weddings. Although hors d'oeuvres can be served buffet-style, they are most elegant when passed on trays. Elegant finger foods for cocktail parties include miniature crab cakes, fried artichoke hearts, tea-sized sandwiches, caviar-covered cracker bites, miniature quiches and miniature savory cheesecakes.
Finger Foods for Children
Finger foods can be especially appealing to children. Kids love a variety of ethnic finger foods, but they also enjoy bagel-bite pizzas, chicken nuggets or tenders, french fries, pizza rolls, fish sticks and corn dogs. Children also often enjoy cut carrot or celery sticks, sliced apples and dip, or pretzels and peanut butter.
Healthy Finger Foods
While many finger foods are fried so that they lend themselves well to buffets or spreads, there are also some healthy finger foods that can make a great addition to a party or special occasion. Healthy finger foods include sushi rolls, cut cold vegetables, grilled teriyaki chicken skewers, chilled shrimp, cut fruit with yogurt dip, cooked edamame pods and whole-grain pretzels.
Sweet Finger Foods
Finger foods can also be sweet for a special dessert buffet or as a formal ending to a meal. Sweet finger foods include cookies, miniature cheesecakes, cupcakes in different varieties, chocolate truffles and chocolate-dipped fruit.
Traditional Finger Foods
More traditional American bar-style finger foods include chicken wings, mini tacos, onion rings, fried potato wedges, miniature smoked sausages, bite-sized pizzas, pretzel bites and potato skins.
Breadfruit is a very important food to the South Pacific Islands. In fact, if you are familiar with the story of Captain Bligh and the Mutiny on the Bounty, you will know that breadfruit was the cause of the Mutiny. There are many ways to eat breadfruit; this will give you a few ideas that are popular amongst the cultures of the South Pacific.
Instructions
1. Roast your breadfruit over hot coals. Simply slice into the breadfruit and stuff it with coconut for a decidedly fresh roasted flavor.
2. Dry your breadfruit in the sun. Slice your breadfruit into small edible pieces. Then let the breadfruit dry in the sun. Some people additionally bake them at a high temperature for a few minutes after this to remove the residual moisture.
3. Try the Malaysian recipe of peeling the breadfruit, slicing it into bite-sized pieces and then frying it in light sugar syrup. Once it is crisp and brown, it is ready to eat.
4. Bake your breadfruit in a pan adding just a little water. The inside will become moist and juicy. Depending on the size, if you are using a conventional oven, bake the breadfruit at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
5. Grind your breadfruit into flour. After peeling the breadfruit, allow it to dry and bake in the sun until any moisture has been completely removed. Then in a flour mill, grind it and add it in an even mixture to wheat flour. Then bake the bread from it as you normally would.
Tags: your breadfruit, breadfruit into, peeling breadfruit, South Pacific, your breadfruit into
Parboiling potatoes makes them easier to handle and faster to prepare.
Parboiling is the process of partially boiling certain foods as the first stage in the cooking process. Parboiling is usually used by restaurants so that they can prepare dishes faster. Parboiling is not a necessary step when preparing potatoes and can sometimes remove the nutrients in the potato and its skin. However, parboiling potatoes before baking them does make them easier to handle, and makes for a crispy, savory potato with a soft and tender interior, perfect on its own or as a complement to any entr e.
Instructions
1. Wash and peel the potatoes using the scrub brush and peeler, respectively. Using the kitchen knife, cut the potatoes into small pieces. The smaller the pieces, the quicker they will soften. Larger pieces need more time to cook and the longer cooking time can sometimes lead to overcooking of smaller pieces, which will cause the potatoes to become soggy and fall apart.
2. Place the potatoes in a medium or large saucepan with just enough water to cover them. Boil the potatoes on medium to high heat for five to 10 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. The potatoes are ready when they are soft enough to slide off the end of a fork when pierced.
3. Drain potatoes in a colander and shake dry. Before placing the potatoes on the baking tray, return them to the saucepan and coat them with olive oil, salt, pepper and other seasonings depending on personal taste.
4. Treat a baking tray with olive oil either by brushing the tray with oil or by using an olive oil based cooking spray. Place the potatoes on the treated pan and put them into a 450-degree Fahrenheit oven. As with boiling, the baking time will vary depending on the size of the pieces. Bake for about 20 minutes until the outside of the potatoes are golden brown.
Artichokes add texture and color to dishes. You can make a creamy mushroom and artichoke sauce that you can pour over chicken, fish or pasta. While artichoke and mushroom sauce recipes vary, they all incorporate cream cheese to make the sauce creamy and rich in taste. After you cook the sauce thoroughly, you can store it in the refrigerator and heat it up in a saucepan when you are ready to add it to your dish.
Instructions
1. Melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil to the butter.
2. Allow the butter and oil to heat. Add 1/2 lb. of sliced mushrooms, 1/2 cup of chopped onions and 2 minced garlic cloves to the skillet.
3. Saute the vegetables for five minutes or until tender.
4. Pour in 3/4 cup of chicken broth. Mix in 8 oz. softened cream cheese and stir until you mix the ingredients well.
5. Cook the sauce for two to three minutes until the cheese melts. Chop artichoke hearts until they are coarse in texture. Add them to the pan.
6. Stir in 2 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice and 1/8 tsp. of ground red pepper. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for another two minutes. Pour the sauce over the dish or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Pectin is used as a jelling agent when added to other ingredients in cooking. Citrus pectin is one of the most versatile kinds of pectin, often used to make marmalade and other kinds of jam. The procedure for homemade citrus pectin is simple, and makes use of the parts of citrus fruit that are often wasted.
Instructions
1. Shave off 1/2 lb. of the white side of citrus peel with a grater. Use any kind of citrus peel, including grapefruit, lemon, lime or orange.
2. Place the white sides of the peel in a blender along with 5 tbsp. of lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Pour the blend into a pot. Add 1/2 L of water to the pot and place the pot on the stove, turning the heat on high.
3. Mix the citrus blend with the water and wait for the mixture to come to a boil. Put the lid on the pot and lower the heat until the solution comes to a slow boil. Let it boil slowly for 10 minutes. Leave the top on the pot and let the citrus mixture cool.
4. Stretch the jelly bag over a large bowl so that it acts as a net over the bowl. Place the citrus solution over the jelly bag and press the solution on the bag to squeeze out the remaining juice. Squeeze until all the juice has been removed. The remaining material in the bag is the citrus pectin.
Mint makes a good flavoring for the gum you make at home.
The ancient Greeks chewed gum made from the Mastic tree's resin. North American Indians chewed the sap from the spruce tree (something you can buy from L.L. Bean today). It wasn't until the 19th century that a substitute for spruce sap in the form of edible or paraffin wax was created. The gum of today is made from a base made of tropical tree resin, as well as, less appealingly, rubber byproducts, wax or polyvinyl acetate. You can make your own gum at home with your children, creating something that adults and children can enjoy.
Instructions
1. Place all the ingredients in a microwave safe dish.
2. Set the dish in the microwave. Set the microwave on high and heat the contents of the dish for 30 seconds.
3. Check the contents of the bowl. If they are melted, then continue on to the next step. If not, put the bowl back in the microwave for 10 more seconds.
4. Put five leaves of fresh mint in a food processor and chop them up. Add them to the ingredients in the microwave dish with 7 drops of spearmint oil and stir well.
5. Reserve 1 tbsp. of confectioner's sugar, then pour 1/4 cup of sugar on the work table in a large pile. Make a hollow in the center of the pile.
6. Pour the contents of the bowl into the middle of the confectioner's sugar pile and begin kneading the gum and sugar together. Continue adding sugar as you knead until you get a stiff, smoothly textured gum.
7. Roll the gum into a 1-inch diameter rope. Cut the rope into 1/2-inch pieces. Dust all of the gum pieces with the remaining confectioner's sugar.
Tags: confectioner sugar, contents bowl, ingredients microwave, made from, tree resin
The key to a refreshing sangria or other summer drinks by the pitcher is to dial down the sugar and dial up the ice.
Summer living is easy and a make-ahead pitcher of an ice-cold summer drink let's you spend time relaxing along with your guests. The key to making a sangria or other summer drinks by the pitcher is to dial down the sugar, use only fresh fruit, add some sparkle with soda or sparkling water and top it off with lots of ice. Too much sugary sweetness actually makes you thirstier and the tartness of fresh citrus fruits helps make the drinks more refreshing.
Instructions
Easy Sangria
1. Add one bottle of red wine -- choose a Spanish red if you want to be authentic -- and ¼ cup of brandy or triple sec to a large pitcher.
2. Stir in 1/3 cup of icing sugar. You can use regular sugar instead but the icing sugar will dissolve more quickly.
3. Add the sliced fruit to the pitcher. Cover the pitcher and chill for at least eight hours in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to combine.
4. Top up the pitcher with soda or sparkling water just before serving and add plenty of ice to the glasses you'll serve it in.
Other Summer Pitcher Drink Suggestions
5. Make a pitcher of ice tea or lemonade from a frozen concentrate and add 12 fluid oz. of a flavored or unflavored vodka. Make it even more refreshing by adding a ¼ cup of fresh lime juice. Serve in tall glasses filled with ice.
6. Mix 4 cups of Campari with 4 cups of soda or sparkling water in a pitcher and add two sliced oranges and two sliced lemons. Serve in tall glasses filled with ice.
7. Cut the flesh of a half of a medium-size seedless watermelon into chunks. Puree in a blender and strain through a sieve to produce about 4 cups of watermelon juice. Pour the juice into a large pitcher and add 16 oz. of homemade lemonade or frozen concentrate and 12 oz. of vodka. Pour into tall glasses filled with plenty of ice.
Tags: filled with, glasses filled, glasses filled with, soda sparkling, soda sparkling water, sparkling water
Because of its dear price and sometimes gamey flavor, duck can be an intimidating protein to home cooks, but it doesn't need to be so. Treat duck the way you would a chicken roaster or turkey, knowing that it may take one or two attempts to get it right, but also knowing that, with the right seasonings, you can cover up a number of mistakes. Thyme is a classic French addition to many recipes and when incorporated into a dish with duck, it infuses this exotic bird with a continental flavor.
Instructions
Whole Sprigs
1. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after preparing uncooked duck.
2. Make a small slit in the skin of the duck if you are roasting it, and using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the meat, leaving it connected at one end.
3. Insert whole sprigs of thyme underneath the skin, using several sprigs for a whole duck and only one sprig per breast if you're cooking them alone.
4. Add whole sprigs of thyme to the simmering liquid if your recipe calls for braising.
Crushed Thyme
5. Hold a sprig of thyme at its top in one hand over a paper towel.
6. Pull gently down the length of the sprig with your other hand, disconnecting the small leaves as you pull and allowing them to fall onto the paper towel.
7. Repeat with the appropriate amount of sprigs, depending on your recipe.
8. Grab two ends of the paper towel and pour the thyme leaves into a bowl.
9. Measure the desired amount of leaves, pour them into the palms of your hands, and rub your palms back and forth vigorously to crush them before incorporating them into your recipe.
Tags: paper towel, your recipe, knowing that, sprigs thyme, them into
Fatty foods such as pork sausage, fried foods and fatty cuts of beef are loaded with bad dietary cholesterol and trans fat. The American Heart Association says that a high level of blood cholesterol is a risk factor for coronary artery disease. Avoiding fatty foods can offer some protection against heart disease by preventing artery blockage. Eat chicken, salmon or turkey instead of eating fatty cuts of pork or beef. If you like bacon, you can also eat turkey bacon instead of pork since turkey is much leaner.
Ice Cream
Even a small ice cream cone is loaded with over 300 calories.
Ice cream is high in calories and fat that can cause weight gain. The University of Maryland Medical Center says to avoid ice cream because this food is high in saturated fat. Saturated fat is high in bad artery clogging LDL cholesterol. Avoid all types of ice cream, including ice cream sandwiches and chocolate covered ice cream cones. Save ice cream for special occasions only.
Pork and Lard Fat
Pork is not a healthy meat because this food is very high in fat. Lard is additional fat and grease that drips from pork when it is cooked. Avoid pork and lard altogether. Some restaurants cook with lard instead of butter so always ask if they use lard before ordering. The Mayo Clinic lists lard in particular as a food to limit. Read ingredient labels before buying food because some packaged foods also contain pork products as well. If you like bacon, buy turkey bacon instead.
French Fries
French fries are high in fat and not very filling at all.
According to "Forbes" magazine, french fries are one of the worst fat laden foods that you can eat. Potatoes lose valuable nutrition when heated and fried at high temperatures. The fries soak up fat and grease during the cooking process. Fries are generally cooked with shortening or partially-hydrogenated fats. Fast food restaurants tend to use the cheapest oils as well. A medium sized box of Mc Donald's fries is also more than 500 calories. Avoid this food altogether if possible.
Cheese
Cheddar cheese is high in fat.
Cheese is another high-fat food to stay away from. However, even though cheese is high in fat, it does have nutritional value. Cheese is high in calcium and protein. Instead of eating regular cheese, you can buy low-fat varieties of cheddar, provolone and mozzarella.
Whole Milk
Too much milk is not good for you.
Milk is high in calcium and vitamin D, but whole milk is also high in fat. Choose goat's milk or low-fat cow's milk instead of whole milk. You can also take calcium supplements or drink raw carrot juice to get a good dose of calcium.
Tags: this food, bacon instead, because this, because this food, cheese high, fatty cuts
Vinegar may be beneficial to heart health and for diabetics.
While most people may consider vinegar simply an ingredient in salad dressing, many others believe in its medicinal, health and cleaning properties.
Medicinal History
Throughout history, vinegar has been used to treat a variety of ailments, from stomach ache and fever to general disease prevention. In tea form, it was used to control diabetic symptoms until hypoglycemic medications were invented. In addition, Hippocrates used vinegar to treat wounds and infections, and Cleopatra used the acids in vinegar to dissolve pearls and called it love potion.
Disinfectant
Even today, household cleaners often include vinegar as an ingredient. Hardwood floors call for a diluted solution of vinegar and water to preserve the oil and color in the wood. According to Carol S. Johnston and Cindy A. Gaas of the Department of Nutrition at Arizona State University, the antimicrobial qualities of vinegar are useful in food preservation but not powerful enough to treat wounds or infections. Vinegar only slightly inhibits some bacteria that cause infection and for others does virtually nothing. Johnston and Gaas say many of today's disinfectants are more effective at removing pathogens from countertops and other places where bacteria thrive.
Vinegar and the Heart
Vinegar contains acetic acid, which has been shown to help vinegar decrease blood pressure, according to Johnston and Gaas. An experiment in which rats were fed a mixture of acetic acid and vinegar led to reductions in systolic blood pressure when compared to rats that had not ingested the solution. However, it is unknown if these effects would also occur in humans.
Antiglycemic Qualities
In 1998 Japanese scientists conducted an experiment to assess the glucose responses in rats and humans who were fed vinegar. In healthy humans the glucose response was small but the insulin response curve after the subject was fed sucrose was reduced 20 percent when consumed with 60mL of a strawberry vinegar solution.
A tagine is a ceramic, cone-shaped cooking instrument used in Moroccan cooking. With its iconic dome-shaped lid, the tagine is used to cook couscous with vegetables, and various cuts of meat like lamb or chicken. A trivet can be used as a stand to place the tagine over hot coals. Most trivets are forged out of iron and have at least three legs. Cooks with intermediate cooking skills will enjoy cooking with a tagine over a trivet and coals. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Pile about 4 cups of hardwood charcoal over a twisted page of newspaper on a hard surface, or in a charcoal grill.
2. Light the paper and let the coals heat up. In about 20 to 30 minutes, the coals will be completely lit and appear almost gray. Place the trivet over top the hot coals.
3. Place the water, couscous and saffron in the bottom of the tagine. Season with 1 tsp. of salt and a dash of fresh ground pepper. Add the cut onion, carrots, apricots and eggplant on top of the couscous.
4. Toss the chopped lamb with the Middle Eastern spice blend, and place on top of the vegetables. Place the lid on the tagine, gently place the tagine on the hot trivet and let it cook for one hour.
5. Stoke the coals every ten minutes to make sure the charcoal stays hot throughout the cooking. Add fresh charcoal if the fire seems to be dying.
6. Remove the tagine with hot pads or oven mitts and place it on a heat-proofed surface. Serve your guests the meal directly out of the tagine.
Create a heartier pizza sauce with thickened tomato sauce.
A rich, flavorful tomato sauce is the base ingredient for many types of cuisine, including Italian and Mexican. One challenge faced by chefs and home cooks is working with runny, watery sauce. A thick, hearty sauce will cling to pasta, meats and vegetables easier than a thinner variety. You can thicken the consistency of fresh tomato sauces; even bottled sauces thicken with the right ingredients and cooking techniques. Give a thin tomato puree a thicker body and deeper flavor by enhancing its consistency.
Instructions
1. Pour the tomato sauce into a non-stick skillet along with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Simmer the sauce on low heat, with the skillet lid on, until the sauce thickens. Stir the sauce with a wooden spoon every 2 to 3 minutes to keep it from sticking. The sauce should thicken in 15 to 30 minutes.
2. Spoon in 2 to 3 tbsp. of tomato paste. Blend the paste into the sauce using a wooden spoon. Allow the paste to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it simmers.
3. Pour 1 tbsp. cornstarch into 1/4 cup of cold water. Mix the two together. Stir the cornstarch liquid into the simmering sauce, stirring as you pour. Continue to simmer and stir until the sauce thickens.
Tags: tomato sauce, sauce thickens, sauce will, sauce with, until sauce, until sauce thickens, wooden spoon
On the menu at almost every sub shop in America, the Greek gyro sandwich (pronounced yee-roh) is a mixture of savory meat, various salad vegetables and yogurt sauce (tzatziki) wrapped in a warm pita. Not to be confused with souvlaki, which is more of a marinated pork kebab, the definition of a gyro sandwich has expanded to include many different variations on the basic format.
History
Souvlaki is also pork - like the traditional gyro - but is usually served as a kebab with a side of tzatziki sauce.
Soldiers serving Alexander the Great were the first to create early gyros, according to Greek historians; a similar sandwich, the "Judhaba," was served in 19th century Baghdad. As of 2010, historians believe that the modern gyro (and souvlaki) originated around 1950 in Livadiá, capital of Boeotia, in central Greece. The American gyro is believed to have first appeared in New York during the early 1970s.
The Traditional Gyro
Greek gyros consist of pork seasoned with oregano, salt, pepper and cumin. A typical variation instead uses oregano, paprika and onion powder. The pork is then sprinkled with white wine vinegar and refrigerated for at least two hours. In a sandwich shop pork is generally layered on a skewer, creating a cone of meat that is then slowly cooked in a rotating vertical grill. The gyro is constructed by spreading tzatziki sauce (yoghurt, cucumber, dill, vinegar) on a warm pita, followed by tomato slices, white onion, sliced meat and french fries.
Variations
American gyros tend to be made from ground lamb, beef, or a mixture of both. Marinated lamb, mutton, beef, veal, or chicken are used in the doner kebab, a similar meal of Turkish origin. In Greece, regional variations include gyros served with mustard or ketchup instead of yogurt (northern Greece). Gyros served in the capital, Athens, usually do not include french fries. Due to health concerns regarding fat content, chicken has recently become a popular substitute for pork.
Tags: french fries, gyro sandwich, tzatziki sauce, warm pita
Fine wine needs to breathe. This is one of the uses of a wine decanter. The wine decanter allows the wine to breathe while adding beauty to the table setting. Choose the design that's right for you when you buy a wine decanter for your fine wines.
Instructions
1. Buy a wine decanter online or at wine specialty shops offline. Find out how long the merchant has been in business and if they have wine experience. Choose a wine merchant specialist, such as Metrokane at metrokane.com.
2. Look the shape of the decanter. The shape of the bottle allows the wine to contact the air. Pick a shape that maximizes air flow to the wine.
3. Choose from crystal or blown glass decanter bottles. Blown glass is beautiful but fragile. Decide which one is right for you.
4. Check the spout of the wine decanter. You don't want to spill any fine wine. Most people don't consider this feature until they have an accident at the dinner party.
5. Keep your wine chilled with a decanter that offers an ice compartment. There is no need for an ice bucket. Your wine stays chilled and looks good when you buy this two-for-one decanter.
6. Select vacuum decanters from Metrokane. Instead of having to return wine to the wine bottle, you keep your wine in this decanter. The vacuum stopper assembly that comes with the decanter creates a vacuum seal which prevents spoilage of the wine.
Tags: wine decanter, allows wine, they have, with decanter, your wine
The primary use of this property is probably residential, but accessory uses may be permitted.
Primary use and accessory use are legal terms found in zoning law. Whether an activity constitutes a primary or accessory use may have a bearing on whether that activity is permitted under zoning regulations.
Primary Use
The primary use or principal use of a property is the main or principal activity for which the property is used. A related term is principal building, a building where the primary use is conducted.
Accessory Use
An accessory use is a secondary activity incidental to the primary use of the property.
Permitted Uses
Permitted primary and accessory uses are set down in the zoning ordinances. For example, for a property zoned single-family residential, the only acceptable primary use is as a place of residence, but a small home-based business or a workshop in an outbuilding may be a permitted accessory use.
Permits and Conditional Uses
Some accessory uses require a permit; these are sometimes called conditional uses because the applicant must meet the conditions set forth in the law. The conditions exist to protect citizens from unequal treatment by the local government.
Lipase is a water soluble enzyme. It can be found in every living organism on the planet including even some viruses. It can also be found in plants, milk molds and bacteria.
Where is it
Pancreatic lipase enzymes can be found in the spaces outside of cells and are responsible for metabolism, absorption and transportation of lipids throughout the body. It is also found in enzymes in the stomach.
What is it
Lipase is the main digestive enzyme of the pancreas and breaks down fats in the digestive system.
Types of Lipase
There are many different types of lipase that can be found in the human body. These are pancreatic lipase, hepatic lipase, lysosomal lipase, gastric lipase, and endothelial lipase.
Burn fuel
An adequate diet of lipase enzymes can help in the burning of fat stores.
What it does not do
Lipase enzymes are special because they do not break down fat soluble vitamins or unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids.
Supplements
Supplements of lipase enzymes are usually from animal enzymes though plant lipase, as well as other digestive enzymes are becoming more popular. Lipase enzymes are available in tablet or capsule form to aid in digestion for those with low lipase levels.
Snacking usually involves a quick bite and lots of carbohydrates as found in chips, breads and crackers. A healthy snack usually involves uncooked fruits and vegetables. Warm vegetable snacks are hard to come by but make for a healthy and hot option for a midday snack.
Spicy Plantain Chips
Spices blend with the sweet flavor of plantains to make this easy baked snack. Toss thinly sliced plantains in a bowl with olive oil, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and chili powder. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Flip the chips over on the other side after seven minutes. You can modify the recipe to include more intense spices like chipotle, jalapeno, jerk, cajun, creole or hot chilies depending on taste.
Potato Skins
The baked potato is probably the most classic of baked vegetable dishes and you can turn it into a quick and easy to eat snack by using just the skins. Bake a potato, cut in half and spoon out the potato leaving just the skin. Brush the skins inside and out with oil or butter and bake until crispy and brown. Classic combinations with potato skins include cheese, bacon, onions and sour cream, but the seasoning and garnish possibilities are endless. You can make curry Indian-style potato skins or use Mexican or Italian spices.
Onion Crackers
Crispy baked crackers with vegetables makes a healthy and quick snack. Mix chopped onions, chilies and fresh herbs of your choice in a cracker dough. Roll out the dough and use a cookie cutter to make cracker rounds. Place the rounds on a baking sheet and bake 30 minutes until brown. Any variety of onion will work and each provide a different taste. You can use green onion, shallots, red onion, sweet onion or leeks as well as other finely chopped vegetables.
Zucchini Chips
Zucchini chips provide a healthy alternative to deep fried potatoes. Thinly slice the zucchini into round chips. The thinner the slice the more crisp the chip will turn out. Dip the slices in egg whites and then bread crumbs. You can add Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to the bread crumbs for extra taste. You can also add nutritional yeast or wheat germ for extra nutrition. Place the zucchini chips on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, flipping the chips over at the half way mark. Carrots, squash and eggplant also make good chips using the same recipe.
Marinating boiled eggs in beet juice is referred to by some as pickled eggs, but not all eggs in beet juice have to be pickled. A variety of flavors can be used in beet juice that enhance the flavor. The longer eggs are marinated, the deeper the color and more intense the flavor. Anywhere from three days to one week will make a difference in arriving at light pink or burgundy-shaded eggs. Often served together, marinated eggs and small beets make a colorful and delicious additions to an entree or soup and salad.
Instructions
1. Hard boiled eggs are ready for marinating
Make a pinhole in the largest end of each egg. Place single-layered in a saucepan. Pour enough water over the eggs to cover by an inch. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn down the heat and simmer for fifteen minutes. Remove from heat and immediately submerge the eggs in cool water. After they have cooled to room temperature, remove and peel.
2. Place the eggs in a sterilized, glass jar. Do not crowd the eggs. If they will not all fit, leave one or two out.
3. A few beets add flavor to the liquid
Remove the beets from the juice and cut in half. Pour the beat juice, vinegar and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for five minutes and remove from the heat. While still hot, pour the solution over the eggs in the glass jar. Add a few beet pieces to the top of the jar.
4. Always keep your marinated eggs in a cool place until ready to use
Seal the jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Canned hot peppers add flavor and variety to salads and other foods. They can be prepared at home, and have a long shelf life of about 12 months, requiring no refrigeration. However, care must be taken to add the contents in proper measure and must be packed with lots of "head space" to get the desirable taste and flavor.
Instructions
1. Pick peppers that are fresh, tender and crispy. Limp and old peppers will not be able to soak the oils properly and will start smelling bad after they have been canned.
2. Cut the peppers to remove their seeds and the core. Small peppers could be left as whole while larger one's could be halved or quartered.
3. Blister the peppers to remove their skin. Blistering is the process of frying the cut peppers, skins down, in a medium hot frying pan. The skins turn brown and tender and are easy to peel.
4. Place the peppers in a pan and cover with a damp cloth. This process cools the peppers and also makes it easier to peel them.
5. Mix vinegar, water, salt, sugar and garlic in a saucepan and boil for about 10 minutes.
6. Remove the garlic cloves from the oil and discard. Garlic left in oil for a long time could cause botulism.
7. Pour the vinegar mixture onto the peppers and fill in jar(s). Take care to leave some heading space at the top of the jar. Heading space provides for expansion of packaged contents due to climate changes and other factors.
8. Snug the lids down onto the jar(s) and put on the rings.
9. Boil the jar(s) in a food canner (a device for sterilizing canned food usually available at food stores or online) for about 10 to 20 minutes depending on their size.
It would normally take about 10 minutes for half-pint jars and 20 minutes for a pint sized jar.
10. Lift the jar(s) from the canner with a grabber/tongs and let them cool overnight.
11. Store the jar(s) in a dark cool place. They have a shelf life of about 12 months and do not require refrigeration.
Tags: about minutes, about months, life about, life about months, peppers remove, peppers remove their, Peppers Vinegar
Cruelty-free beef comes from cows that weren't given hormones, antibiotics or other drugs and were allowed to live a more natural lifestyle than they would on a factory farm. You'll have to do some research, shop at different stores and spend a little more money to buy cruelty-free beef but the products are kinder, healthier and more flavorful.
Instructions
1. Purchase meat from local farms. Choose a farm that allows you to walk around and see how the animals are treated. Talk to people who work there about your desire to purchase cruelty free beef and ask what their processes are.
2. Find out whether animals are slaughtered on-site at your local farms. If not, research the practices of the meat processing plant where slaughter takes place.
3. Shop in natural food stores, like Whole Foods, that have policies dictating how acceptable animals are raised and slaughtered. Read over the policies carefully.
4. Join a local or online group or forum with others who are interested in cruelty-free meat. Ask members for suggestions on farms where you can purchase beef.
5. Order meat online from cruelty-free farms and have it delivered.
6. Talk to your local butcher shop about where they get their meat products. Get details about the farm and processing plants involved in the production.
7. Look for organic meat at your local grocery store. Organic products are more likely to be at least somewhat cruelty free.
If you love the taste of commercial pork rinds, you can make them at home. They taste great with their crunchy skin and chewy texture and they're low in carbohydrates. Follow these steps to make pork rinds.
Instructions
1. Buy a pork roast with the fat still attached on one side. You can use rump or butt roast to make rinds.
2. Cut the pork fat off the roast in one large piece. Leave as much of the fat as possible.
3. Cook the roast in the oven as directed.
4. Cut the pork fat into 1-inch pieces. Place the pieces skin side up on a foil pie plate or on a cookie sheet. You can also add a little water to the pie plate to help dissolve some of the fat.
5. Sprinkle the skin with seasoning salt or any spices of your choice.
6. Cook in the oven at 325 degrees until crispy on top. Remove from oven. Cool and eat.
7. Deep fry the pork rinds if you don't want to cook them in the oven. Place the rinds in a pot of oil or lard. Fry until brown but not hard. Remove, drain, cool and eat.
Beef gravy is made by adding a thickening agent to beef broth.
Before you dump out that pan of beef broth, think of all the ways you could be using it. You can add flavor to vegetables by cooking them in the broth or use it as a base for a soup. Even better, you can make a brown gravy to top your mashed potatoes or steak. But to use it as a gravy, you will first need to thicken the broth. The two most common ways to thicken broth are to make a roux or a slurry.
Instructions
Roux
1. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir in 1/2 cup flour. There should be no lumps after the butter and flour have been combined into a roux. Allow the mixture to brown.
3. Adjust the heat to low. Slowly begin pouring 4 cups beef broth into the saucepan as you whisk the roux and broth together.
4. Turn the heat to medium after all of the broth has been mixed with the roux. Bring the gravy to a boil.
Slurry
5. Put 2 tbsp. flour and 1 cup warm beef broth into a jar.
6. Place the lid on the jar and begin shaking it. Shake the mixture until the flour has dissolved into the broth. This is mixture is called a slurry.
7. Pour the slurry into to a saucepan filled with 2 cups warm beef broth. Stir the mixture the entire time you are combining the slurry and broth.
8. Adjust the heat to medium-high and let cook for a couple of minutes. The broth will thicken into a gravy.
Determine the purity of ethanol by measuring the specific gravity for the solution.
Ethanol purity is important as even low levels of contaminants can have a significant effect on the ethanol's behavior. Ethanol is available as several different grades, with the most pure being 99.9 to 100 percent pure. Specific applications require specific levels of purity. If the ethanol is not the specified purity then problems can occur that produce incorrect answers
Instructions
1. Fill up a large graduated cylinder with the ethanol solution. The volume of the hydrometer will depend on the size of the hydrometer. The cylinder needs to be taller than the hydrometer; normally a 500 millilitre cylinder is large enough.
2. Place the hydrometer in the ethanol solution in the cylinder and give it a twist to set the hydrometer spinning. When the hydrometer stops spinning make a record of what scale line the hydrometer is floating on. Make sure the hydrometer is not touching the sides or bottom of the cylinder, if it is use a taller cylinder. This is where the top of the ethanol solution touches the hydrometer. Be aware that the hydrometer scale is increases when going from the top of the hydrometer to the bottom. This type of scale is different from what is found on a thermometer.
3. Change hydrometers if the liquid level is off the hydrometer scale. There are different scales on hydrometers, and you want to use one that measures the scale of the expected ethanol content. Try to use a hydrometer with the expected measurement in the middle of the hydrometer scale range.
4. Use a thermometer to determine the temperature of the ethanol solution. Hydrometers are made to work at specific temperatures, normally 25 degrees Celsius or 20 degrees Celsius. If the temperature of the solution is different from the temperature specified on the hydrometer you need to factor in a temperature correction.
5. Look up the temperature correction needed on an ethanol hydrometer chart. Apply this correction to the hydrometer reading. Compare your specific gravity reading to the known specific gravity. If it is very different form the known specific gravity, then your ethanol is contaminated. Always take at least two measurements -- three is even better -- to get a true reading. Issues can occur that can make the reading be off. By taking multiple readings you reduce the possibility of random errors.
Tags: ethanol solution, specific gravity, hydrometer scale, degrees Celsius, different from
The traditional method of making an omelet--in a skillet--can be tricky to master. Instead, cook your omelets in your convection oven. Though it will take a bit longer than it would in the skillet, your omelet will be just as tasty. Think of it as a crust-less quiche. Follow the guidelines below for making a ham and cheese oven omelet, or find your own oven omelet recipe using the link provided and adjust the cooking temperature and time as suggested in Step 1.
Instructions
1. Preheat your convection oven to the desired temperature (about 325 degrees F). Remember that if you are following a recipe designed for a conventional oven, you must reduce the temperature by 25 degrees and the cooking time by roughly 25 percent in a convection oven.
2. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl; then stir in cheese and ham.
3. Pour the mixture into an oven-proof skillet, cast-iron pan, glass pie dish, or casserole dish that has been greased lightly with butter or oil.
4. Place the item in your convection oven, remove when cooked through (after roughly 30 minutes, depending on how many eggs are used), and enjoy!
Tags: your convection, your convection oven, convection oven, convection oven, oven omelet
Instant potato flakes are a quick and easy way to serve mashed potatoes, but you may wonder if you're choosing convenience over nutrition. Comparing the nutritional components of instant mashed potatoes to the real thing---a boiled potato---reveals information that will put your mind at ease.
Definition
Instant mashed potatoes are made from potatoes that have been cooked, mashed and then dried to result in a packaged product that can be quickly reconstituted into mashed potatoes by adding hot water or milk.
Instant Mashed Potatoes
According to USDA nutrition information, 60 g of instant potato flakes contain no fat and they have 62 mg of sodium, 49 g of total carbohydrates, 4 g of fiber, and 5 g of protein. When it comes to vitamins and minerals, they have 81 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C, 2 percent of calcium, and 4 percent of iron.
Boiled Potatoes
Since the instant mashed potatoes go through a cooking process, let's compare their nutritional value to a potato that has been boiled until it is tender. Potatoes that are boiled without the skin have 0 g of fat, 15 mg of sodium, 60 g of total carbohydrates, 5 g of fiber, and 5 g of protein. They also have 37 percent of the daily value for vitamin C, 2 percent for calcium, and 5 percent for iron.
Extra Nutrients
Both products contain nutrients that are not included in the standard nutrition label, including vitamin K, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6 and phosphorous. They both supply about 7 percent of the daily value of vitamin K and 20 percent of niacin. They're good sources of thiamin and vitamin B6; the flakes provide 40 percent of thiamin and 22 percent of B6, while the potato has 20 percent of thiamin and 40 percent of the daily value of B6.
Comparison
In most categories, the two products are essentially the same. The nutritional values that are different become more equal after the instant potatoes are prepared by mixing them with boiling water because even with milk and butter added, some of the nutritional values drop. Even though it appears as though the boiled potatoes have significantly less vitamin C, the vitamin C from the instant product drops to 34 percent once they have been prepared. Two other values that change once the instant potatoes are reconstituted are thiamin and vitamin B6. The values drop to 18 percent (thiamin) and 10 percent (vitamin B6). The amount of dietary fiber is 5 g for the potato, 4 g for the flakes, and then it drops a little to 2 grams when the instant potatoes are cooked.
Suprise Nutrients
Potatoes in any form contain three important nutrients that you might not expect to find. A boiled potato has 28 percent---and the instant flakes have 19 percent---of the recommended daily value of potassium. Potassium is a great nutrient that is needed to keep the kidneys functioning, maintain a healthy heart, and to ensure muscle contraction.
They also both contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. A boiled potato has 30 mg of omega-3 and 96 mg of omega-6 fatty acids. The instant potatoes contain 16.2 mg of omega-3 and 55.8 mg of omega-6 fatty acids. These are both essential fatty acids because they are necessary for brain function, growth and regulating metabolism; the body does not produce them.