Olives & The Oil: Great Gourmet Recipes

By Sandra Guzzi

How does "Triple Cheese & Olive Muffins" sound?
How about "Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes, Olives & Herbs"?
Or an olive dipping sauce?

Read on for more...

Triple Cheese & Olive Muffins
1 cup self raising flour
½ tsp bicarb soda
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp salt
2 eggs
1¼ cups milk
3 tbsp olive oil
4 shallots finely chopped
2 tbsp finely grated Mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp finely grated Cheddar cheese
12 Kalamata olives – pitted & sliced.

Preheat oven to 220°C.
Lightly oil 10 hole (1/3 cup) muffin pan.

Combine flour, soda, cayenne pepper & salt in bowl. In separate bowl whisk eggs, oil, milk, shallots & olives. Make a well in the flour and pour in the egg mixture. Stir until just combined. Divide ½ the batter among the prepared holes,
top with combined cheeses, then remaining batter.

Bake for 20 minutes or until muffins have risen well and are firm to touch.

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes, Olives and Herbs
400g Pasta (spaghetti or fettuccini)
80 ml herb olive oil
2 cups oven roasted semi dried tomatoes
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 crushed garlic
1 red chili, finely chopped
2 cups olives
½ cup white wine
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup finely chopped oregano
½ cup fetta cheese
salt & pepper to taste.

Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Heat olive oil in a heavy based pan to medium heat. Add shallot, red chili and olives. Cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add wine and increase heat. Cook until wine evaporates.

Drain pasta, return to pan and add tomatoes, olive mixture, herbs and cheese. Toss gently over heat and season to taste.

Dipping sauce
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
5 tbsp fish sauce
1 green & 1 red capsicum diced very finely
2 tbsp sliced ginger
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil (prefer Lemon Myrtle variety if available)
2 tbsp corn flour.

Mix all ingredients and store in refrigerator. Ideal for a dipping sauce for prawns, vegetables and chicken pieces.

Sandra Guzzi is the owner of Australian Food Merchants, a retailer of fine gourmet food online. Sandra & her partner are proud to showcase to the world the best of Australian foods, including olive oil.

For more information, visit the website http://www.ausfood.com.au/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sandra_Guzzi

Cooking Filet Mignon

By Daniel Urmann

Filet mignon is French, of course, with filet meaning "thick slice" and mignon meaning "dainty." Filet mignon comes from the small end of the tenderloin (called the short loin) which is found on the back rib cage of the animal. This area of the animal is not weight-bearing, thus the connective tissue is not toughened by exercise resulting in extremely tender meat. This also means that the meat lacks some of the flavor held by meat that has the bone attached.

In order to keep the flavor, you must cook filet mignon quickly. This can be done a variety of ways, including broiling and grilling. It should never be cooked beyond medium rare, because the more done it is, the less tender and more dry it becomes and the more flavor it will lose.

You should always use a dry method of cooking, even when it will be a quick method. Methods of cooking that are dry are such types as roasting, pan frying, grilling, broiling, etc. Since this cut of meat is more dry than others, you will not want to cut the meat to check to see if it is done. Instead, you should touch it. The touch-method of checking is not as hard as it may sound:

1. If the meat feels hard or firm, it is too done.

2. When the filet mignon is soft when you touch it and your finger leaves an imprint, it is rare.

3. If it is still soft, but leaves no imprint, and is slightly resilient, then it is medium rare (best for this particular type of meat).

The reason filet mignon is often wrapped in bacon (this wrapping is called barding) is because this particular cut of meat has no layer of fat around it. The bacon not only adds extra flavor to the filet mignon, it also gives it the fat necessary to keep the meat from drying out. This is a concern since the strips are so small in filet mignon and they have less fat than most cuts of beef.

What to serve with Filet Mignon

Since the flavor of filet mignon tends to be quite mild, many people prefer to serve it with sauces, either smothering the beef or as a dip. There are many different choices for the best sauce for filet mignon and most depend solely on the person's particular flavor preference. Some consumers prefer to have a certain type of steak sauce for dipping and some may prefer a marinade to add flavor during cooking. Either of these can turn out well.

Wines & Filet Mignon

There are many different types of wines that are good to serve with filet mignon, and determining which one will go best with it depends largely on the flavor of the sauce. This is especially true if the sauce is rather strong, or has a flavor that is stronger than the filet mignon itself. The best wines to match with filet mignon are dry, red wines such as Merlot. If your preference is a sweet wine, you may want to consider trying a White Zinfandel (if this is your choice, though, you will not want to use very much pepper on the filet mignon). If you are a white wine drinker, the best match for filet mignon will be a rich Chardonnay.

Tips for cooking Filet Mignon

-When selecting tenderloin or slices, choose the lighter color over dark red. This indicates more marbling which makes it more tender. This cut is so tender that it should never be cooked beyond a medium-rare stage. The longer you cook it, the less tender and more dry it becomes.

-Use a dry, high heat method such as broiling, roasting, pan-frying or grilling for this tender cut.

-Whole tenderloin is wonderful to stuff or bake en croute (in savory pastry).

-Cutting into the meat to check doneness lets precious juice escape. Use the touch method. Press the meat. If it feels soft and mushy and leaves an imprint, it is rare. -If it is soft, but slightly resilient, it is medium-rare. The minute it begins to feel firm, it is overdone.

-Since the tenderloin has no surrounding fat tissue, it is often wrapped in a layer of fat (called barding) such as suet or bacon to keep it from drying out. Likewise with filet slices. The barding also adds flavor.

-Cubed tenderloin is a popular choice for fondue hot-pots and shish-kebabs.

-To ensure even cooking when roasting the whole tenderloin, the small end should be tucked up and tied or trimmed for other use.

Daniel Urmann is a contributor and author for the website Big Sky Filet Mignon.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Urmann

Gourmet Food and Travel - Taking a Culinary Vacation

By Eriani Doyel

When you think about gourmet food and travel you probably aren’t thinking of the reheated frozen food you were served on the plane. There are many choices available to those whose love of travel is equaled by their love of gourmet food.

You can travel to an exotic (or romantic) location and take gourmet food cooking courses taught by well-trained chefs in top culinary programs (some are even offered on cruise ships.) You can also take a tour that allows you to visit a region and sample some of the area’s best cuisine-without doing any of the gourmet food cooking or preparation yourself.

Before you buy that ticket, here is some basic information to get you started on your search:

If you love to cook gourmet food at home, you should definitely think about taking a trip to visit a culinary program abroad. There are all-inclusive travel packages which include your airfare, your accommodations and your courses all in one price. These tour groups are usually fairly small, so you get more personalized instruction. The courses can last anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks. You may be able to set up courses through contacting a gourmet food cooking school directly, but you may not be able to get the deals on the airfare and accommodations. Some of the packages also include tours of the local area as well.

On the other hand, if you want to leave the gourmet food cooking to the experts, you can find tours which simply visit different areas, focusing on the local cuisine-with local sites of interest thrown in as well for good measure. Some of the more popular tours are the wine tours, the cheese tours and the chocolate tours. You can see how the food is made and you can sample it as well.

Those who want a more flexible and independent experience can simply look up traveler reviews of restaurants in the areas they plan to visit and chart their course based on the food they want to eat.

Make your next vacation not only a delight for your eyes and ears, but for your taste as well.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about Food and Travel. For more information about gourmet food visit www.foodax.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eriani_Doyel

Chile and Lime Corn on the Cob

By Sara Gray

Next time you want to jazz up your corn on the cob, try this simple recipe called Chile and Lime Corn on the Cob. You will be so happy you did! It's a perfect complement to any BBQ food you are preparing and your friends and family will gobble it up.

Corn on the cob is always a crowd pleaser, especially when the corn is really fresh. But why not be a little bit different than everyone else? Labor Day is just around the corner and making this easy recipe with a new twist on an old theme is perfect for making a little bit of a statement! This recipe is so delicious, I had to include it on this website, Easy Appetizer Recipes. Enjoy!

What you'll need:
- 1/2 pound unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 Tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 2 limes (juiced)
- 2 Tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
- 2 Tablespoon rocoto Chile paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper- 4 ears fresh corn

First, preheat your grill on high.
Then, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the butter, the juice of the 2 limes, cilantro, Chile paste, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Mix it well and set aside.

Next, peel the ears of corn and put on the hot grill. Grill the corn until charred nicely on the outside. Serve with a spoonful the flavored butter on top. That's it! How easy is that?
This recipe serves 4.

For more great recipes like this one, just visit the Easy Appetizer Recipes website. Info is below.
Important: Please feel free to republish this article on your web site or in your ezine. However, you are not allowed to modify any part of its content and all links should be kept active.
Sara Gray is an avid lover of appetizers and has created a great website called Easy Appetizer Recipes where you can find delicious ideas for all kinds of hot and cold appetizers, raclette grilling, tapas small plates, snacks, chips and dip ideas, and appetizer soups.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sara_Gray

Salts Explained

By Paul Hegeman

Cooking Salts Explained

Salt, also known as Sodium Chloride or (NaCl) is a vital component of the healthy and balanced human diet. Over half of the human body contains fluids that contain salt. Our blood, tears and saliva all contain salt. In addition we daily lose salt in our perspiration and urine. Muscles need salt in order to function, nerves require salt to carry messages and the digestive system cannot function without salt. So as you can see salt is very important to us humans.

Table Salt

Table salt is your everyday white granular salt found in most kitchens. It is most commonly mined from salt mines and then refined to remove other minerals until it is pure or close to pure sodium chloride. Often you will find table salt referred to as 'iodized', this term refers to the fact that the manufacturer has added iodine. This practice began in the earlier part of the last century in co-operation with the government to minimise the incidence of thyroid problems such as Goiter; an enlargement of the thyroid gland caused by an iodine deficiency.

Taste: Slightly metallic, uninteresting and can easily become overpowering.

Rock Salt

Rock salt is coarse and is usually mined from ancient salt deposits that are the result of very large bodies of water evaporating and leaving behind huge deposits of rock salt. Rock salt is much less refined than everyday table salt and contains more minerals and often more impurities. Rock salt is good for cooking with and ideal to use in salt grinders. I tend to use rock salt in blanching water as adding salt to water increases its boiling temperature and thus decreases the cooking time. I also use rock salt for presentation purposes such underneath oysters to keep them from falling over and visual appeal.

Taste: Rock salt can vary in taste depending on the region it is mined from and can possess interesting characteristics.

Sea Salt

Sea salt comes in many forms; granules, large crystals and flakes. Sea salt is cultivated from filtered high salt content sea water using a process of evaporation. As the water evaporates salt crystals begin to form, the crystals are then allowed to settle, then removed, drained, dried and ready to use. Sea salt (as well as seafood for that matter) naturally contains iodine and supplementing, as often found in ordinary table salt is not required if sufficient amounts of either constitute part of your diet.

I tend not to use salt at the table as I believe if the Chef has done his job there should be no need for the addition of salt. However should a guest request salt I will serve them only pure sea salt flakes. My personal preference for sea salt is that of the English east coast, a region that has been producing beautiful flaky white soft crystals for centuries.

Taste: When used in cooking it blends seamlessly with the food. When used at the table it imparts a slight saltiness without the brackishness or lip cringing effect of other salts. A few flakes on the tongue and its oceanic origins become very apparent. Is sea salt worth the extra cost? In my professional and personal opinion, definitely.

Paul is a professional Chef and has worked and traveled all over the world. He now resides full time in Sydney Australia.

Paul works as a personal Chef as well as a food writer, contributing regularly to http://www.chefspencil.com/.

His cooking style focuses on using the freshest ingredients possible and helping them work their magic, his motto 'combinations not complications'.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Hegeman

Kitchen Canister Sets - How to Beautify Your Kitchen

By Curtis Miller

Kitchen canister sets are a great way to accent your kitchen and give you more storage space. Canister sets of today come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Finding the right kitchen canister set depends on your individual tastes and what theme, if any, the kitchen is. Many manufactures including All-Clad, Calphalon and Fleur Rouge have a wide assortment to choose from.

When deciding which canisters to add to your kitchen also keep in mind the different kinds. A canister can be found made from stainless steel, glass, acrylic and stoneware. Families with children may want to consider acrylic or stainless steel for durability and long life.

Another consideration is how they fit the theme or go with everything else. Many sets follow a kitchen theme such as chickens, grapes or a country theme. These can fit right in and highlight the overall kitchen design. Guzzini, Fleur Rouge, Polder and some others have canisters or sets in such designs.

The advantages of different canisters should also be looked at. For those with a modern kitchen the stainless steel makes a great impression on the counter. Acrylic or glass gives you a view of what's inside, and how much is left. Stoneware gives the option of beautiful colors and long storage for food.

If you have food that is easily or quickly spoiled look for canisters that have rubber seals on the rim and a locking device to seal the sets tight against spoilage.

Online shopping for canisters is both easy and fun. Browse through the shops to get some ideas of what you might want. Purchasing is quick and secure and nothing beats the "to your door" service they provide. Shop for the perfect set of canisters today to complete your kitchen.

Curtis Miller is a successful author and publisher of Kitchens 4u, your source for kitchen decor, furniture, fine china, cutlery, appliances and more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Curtis_Miller

Kid Birthday Cake Idea Collection - Cake Decorating Without Fear

By Patricia Jensen

Our kid birthday cake idea collection makes cake decorating fun and fearless. You don't have to be a pastry chef to create a professional quality cake for your child's birthday or other special event. Learn unique and easy cake decorating ideas to make spectacular homemade cakes.

PARTY CAKE CONCEPT AND DESIGN

The most important kid birthday cake idea is choosing a cake concept which fits with your party theme. You can start with a simple sheet cake topped with small toys or figures, or piece the cake itself to form a unique design.

For example, a Construction Party cake could be topped with tiny toy dump trucks and bulldozers pushing a chocolate chip mountain. Or, the cake itself could be cut, pieced and frosted to look like a dump truck.

For a Train Party, set a miniature choo-choo train on licorice tracks atop your cake, or line up several brightly colored frosted loaf cakes to form train cars.

For a Luau Party, a simple round or sheet cake can be festooned with a silk flower lei, or form a string of cupcakes in a circle and adorn each one with silk or frosting flowers. Connect with a licorice string to make a cupcake "lei".

Baking cakes in an oven-safe glass bowl or in a special 3D sports ball pan is great for making any kind of perfectly round ball cake, or the dress part of a Barbie doll cake. A wonder mold cake pan makes small single serving doll cakes and other cute creations!

Think of the design you'd like to make and what shapes you need to make it - round, sheet, loaf, cupcakes, or a combination.

Peruse cake decorating books for a kid birthday cake idea which fits your needs. Many books provide templates for cutting and piecing cakes to create any number of popular designs. You decide just how simple or challenging your cake will be.

For a no-fuss kid birthday cake idea, apply an edible cake art image to the top of a frosted cake. Many popular themes and copyrighted images such as Disney are available to provide a professional looking cake design.

Themed cake pans are another popular cake decorating option. They provide the shape and visual design to follow for an impressive finished cake. Popular TV and cartoons characters are well represented in cake pans, as well as teddy bears, butterflies, pirates, Tigger,Mickey Mouse, and lots more.

FROSTING CHOICES

Homemade Frosting - Dig up that famous family recipe or check out one of the many online recipe sites and make your cake frosting from scratch. Be sure to plan ahead how much of each color will be needed for both basic foundation and decorative trim.

Canned and Tube Frostings - Easiest and quickest, prepared canned frostings are available in grocery stores in the baking aisle with the cake mixes. They generally come in white, chocolate, and a handful of other popular flavors. Keep a few ready-to-use tube frostings on hand in various basic colors to add the finishing touches.

Fondant Frosting - Gaining in popularity in this country in recent years, fondant frosting gives a beautiful smooth finish to your cake decorating creation. Fondant can be rolled out and draped over a cake, poured on as a glaze, or sculpted into shapes. It is easily tinted, and can be flavored as well. Ready-made fondant is available through party supply outlets. There are also many recipes online for homemade fondant.

CAKE DECORATING WITH CANDY AND SMALL TOYS

Cookies, candies, and other materials can be used for special and impressive effects. Frosted sugar cones can serve as the fins on a space ship cake or the turrets on a castle cake. Make a surprise cake filling with Jello.

A wide variety of plastic stand-ups or cake toppers are available in craft stores. Or, simply use a toy which fits in with the party theme as a cake topper and give it to the party child when the party is over. Action figures, small dolls, animals and cartoon characters all make good choices.

Add cool candy accents with M&M's, licorice pieces, licorice whips, animal crackers, Oreo cookies, paper umbrellas, pretzel sticks, Tootsie Rolls, jimmies, Gummies such as worms, bears, etc, gum drops, mini marshmallows, colored coconut and/or jelly beans.

THE LATEST CAKE DECORATING FADS!

There are many novel choices for placing the finishing touches on your party cake. Dress it up in style with one or more of these unique special effects:

Spray Color Mist - is a fun addition to your baking repertoire. Frost your cake white, then spray on edible color from an aerosol can. Available in many colors, it can be used with stencils to make unique designs, as a highlight to whipped topping - even on your child's mashed potatoes!

Luster Dusts - are an edible food safe "dust" which can be used on any frosting recipe that dries hard and firm to the touch. Brush it on white frosting for a metallic-like glossy sheen or layer it for interesting color effects.

Cake Stampers - can be used along with brush-on color for fondant icing. Simply stamp shapes and designs into the finished fondant and tint with brush-on color.

Cake Stencils - Place stencil on iced cake and sprinkle edible glitter, confetti sprinkles, or use spray-on color mist.

Edible Color Markers - These unique markers are used just like an ink marker. Draw fun designs on cakes, cookies, fondant frosting, even cheese, fruit slices and bread. Decorating marker kits are available for children.

Edible sugar-shape decorations,
decorative candles, themed cake picks and rings,and edible glitter are all fun tools in your cake baking arsenal.

Now you're armed with lots of great ideas for cake decorating success - without fear!

Go forth and create... and above all, have fun!

For more cake decorating information, check out our webpage: Kid Birthday Cake Idea Collection

Copyright 2005 Kids Party Paradise All Rights Reserved

Patricia B. Jensen is a mother of three and kids party enthusiast. She is the webmaster and owner of http://Kids-Party-Paradise.com

Balsamic Vinegar, a Vinaigrette or a Marinade?

By James Zeller

Many folks are looking for healthy alternatives to flavor their cooking prepared at home. With a health conscious diet, the labels of prepared foods and seasonings are getting scrutinized closely. We already know the importance of staying away from trans fats, high-carb and high calorie ingredients. The FDA is even getting into the mix of things with recent directives on what food manufacturers can specify as “low-cal” and “low-carb” on product labels. They promise a definition of sorts for these health related food ingredient terms.

Sometimes a healthy alternative is as simple as looking into the Old Country Cookbook.

If you are willing to put aside your Shopping Club size of “Original Ranch” creamy dressing, consider a healthy recommendation. For fresh garden salads you do not need to sacrifice gourmet taste and flavor. The same goes for preparing meats such as chicken and beef. A novel solution is preparing your own balsamic flavoring for both culinary uses. A home made balsamic vinaigrette for green salads can also double as a fine balsamic marinade for meats.

The ingredients are few, the prep time is very short, and the method is relatively simple. But what a difference in flavor and seasoning! The health benefits are also most welcome to any diet. Aged Balsamic vinegar is becoming popular among many cooking celebrities and experts, and it is agreed it is not just for an occasional drizzle over salads. Try it as a marinade as well.

Lastly, once you taste the joys of Balsamico, you will want to share it with your family and friends. A quality bottle of Balsamic Vinegar has now become in vogue as a gift substitute for that obligatory bottle of wine you used to feel compelled to give.

Balsamic Dijon Marinade or Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
1/2 cup aged balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin Spanish olive oil
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
1 Tablespoon. Dijon-style mustard
2 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed through a garlic press
1 teaspoon brown cane sugar

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Place meat in sealable plastic bag. Pour marinade mixture over meat and turn to coat. Marinate in refrigerator 15 minutes to 2 hours for tender cuts, or up to 24 hours for less tender. Turn at least once while marinating.

Dispose of marinade after use.

Prep time: about 5 minutes

Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette or Marinade

This vinaigrette has a tangy flavor and works well over mixed greens, fresh sliced tomato, onion and cucumber salads. It can also be drizzled sparingly over steamed vegetables. You can use traditional aged balsamic vinegar, but with this white balsamic recipe, the appearance of the vinaigrette will not be dark and should be a slightly sweeter balsamic vinaigrette. Makes 1 cup.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Spanish extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar (aged traditional balsamic if desired)
1 garlic clove, peeled and pressed through a garlic press
1 teaspoon ground mustard powder
1 pinch sea salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Method:
In a small bowl, combine together olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, garlic, and mustard powder, whisk evenly. Season to your own personal taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper. You can add fresh minced herbs if desired. Prep time: about 5 minutes

You can see more free balsamic recipes at http://www.cruets.com/

James Zeller writes for gourmet gift related websites and blogs. Here is a selection of oil and vinegar recipes that he found, and a creative collection of culinary gourmet gifts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Zeller

An Old Friend - Betty Crocker

By Morgan Hamilton

Betty Crocker is an icon that many of us have grown up with through the years. Betty Crocker is synonymous with cookbooks and cake mixes. I can still remember seeing the picture of good old Betty on the box of those delicious cake mixes.

The name Betty Crocker has historical significance as well. The name “Betty Crocker” was developed to market products to homemakers, and created from combining the last name of a retired company executive, William Crocker, and a pleasant, comfortable female name, Betty. I can assure you that the name was not borrow from the Flintstones. According to an online source, General Mills became inundated with requests for recipes and baking suggestions, and to make the responses more personal, the company responded with letters using the signature of a secretary who won an office contest. That really made Betty Crocker come alive and women all over America suddenly felt as if a kindred spirit. This was in 1921 and this same signature is still used today. There is almost something comforting about that, although I'm not really sure why I feel that way.

In 1924 the first Betty Crocker School of the Air, the nation’s first cooking show debut across the land through the radio. It lasted an astounding 24 years. In 1936 an artist combined the features of the women who worked in the company’s home department in the official likeness of “Betty Crocker”, but the truth is that Betty's image has changed to maintain a modern look.

Now we’re all clear on the fact that Betty Crocker was never a real person (she was voted the most popular woman in the country second to Eleanor Roosevelt!) let’s move on to all those great Betty Crocker recipes and products.

The very first Betty Crocker cookbook was made available to the American population in 1950. It was called the “Betty Crocker Picture Cook Book”. For nostalgia's sake it has been republished in all its original glory and you can get it online at www.amazon.com or you can grab it at your favorite bookstore. This cook book is resplendent with black and white and color pictures.

It really does cover the entire spectrum including everything from the most basic of recipes to the really involved, with such helpful tips on selection, presentations and table settings. They actually suggested that the cook, in order to take a well-deserved rest, should lie on the floor for a quick five minutes nap. What do you think, are you up for it? Most of us would probably choose the couch or recliner over our kitchen floor. It's really funny how times have changed.

Betty Crocker products can be found in just about every kitchen in America. It really is an all-American product. The brownie and cake mixes are truly delicious, and become easier and more convenient to whip up. Our lifestyles have become so hectic that not many people have time to spend in the kitchen baking. It really is great to be able to craft a box of Betty Crocker and within a short period of time create a wonderfully fresh and delicious dessert. That’s my kind of cooking – no fuss, no muss!! Betty Crocker will be there for our kids, just as she was for us, our parents, and their parents, in our pantries and our cupboards. Betty Crocker is an American icon!

Morgan Hamilton offers his findings and insights regarding the world of foods and cooking. You can get interesting and informative information here at Betty Crocker Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/xpert=Morgan_Hamilton

Kitchen Cabinets - Setting the Style For Your Kitchen

By Annie Endwhistle

Kitchen cabinets are a vital consideration for any contemporary kitchen, whether you are constructing a totally new kitchen or just redecorating it. It is not always as straightforward to install cabinets as it appears. Sometimes you need to bring in a professional to help you with the best choices. A qualified carpenter can also be necessary to redesign your kitchen to get the most from the space you have and to visualize how many cabinets you will need to store your crockery and kitchen utensils. Bringing in a professional can also mean you get a better deal on premium materials.

You can often find experts who will help you redesign your kitchen or bathroom at retailers, wholesalers and building contractors. Kitchens advisers can also be found at home centers and some of these will be qualified architects. Getting an expert on-board a project means that you will benefit from their understanding of how kitchens are used, how to locate important kitchen fixtures in the most appropriate place and can recommend particular brands to suit your requirements.

What you can expect from your cabinets varies. There are manufacturers who offer a tailored product where the customer can choose from a range of possibilities. But this degree of pick-and-choose freedom is not likely if you buy wholesale or from a home center - these outlets will have a stock which you can choose from instead. The typically you will be offered a choice of cabinet doors. For example, many suppliers offer at least maple, cherry or simple blond wood stain. This kind of choice is easy for the builder to offer and would even be available in new building projects where the kitchen fittings have already been ordered in bulk and the choice is relatively limited.

If you do have the freedom to choose your own cabinets, you can select from a wide range of materials either for the entire cabinet or just the cabinet doors. Below is a sample list of some choices:

- Alder

- Ash

- Birch

- Cherry

- Hickory

- Maple

- Oak

- Pine

- Poplar

- Walnut

- Decorative laminate

- Metal


When you pick out kitchen cabinets on your own or even with an expert, ask if the kitchen cabinet brands are approved by the KCMA (Kitchen Cabinets Manufacturing Association), and have the KCMA seal on the inside of the cabinet. Only kitchen cabinet manufacturers from the United States and Canada that have passed rigorous testing on each and every brand that is manufactured by an approved company can display this seal. You can tell the manufacturer by the code on the seal. Below are kitchen cabinet manufacturers and their codes currently approved by KCMA:

- American Woodmark Corporation, Code X.

- MasterBrand Cabinets, Code MBCI.

- Continental Cabinets, Inc., Code CC.

- De Pere Cabinets, Inc., Code PJB.

- MasterBrand/HomeCrest Cabinetry, Code HA.

- Kitchen Kompact, Inc., Code I.

- Republic/Legacy Cabinets Inc., Code LE.

- Prestige Acquisition Corp., Code PI.

- Republic Industries, Inc., Code RI.

- Rosebud Manufacturing Co., Code RK.

- Armstrong Cabinet Products, Code H.

- Eurocraft, Code EUC.

- Texwood Industries, LP, Code QJ.

- KraftMaid Cabinetry, Inc., Code GA.

You can get plenty more kitchen cabinet ideas in the big kitchen sections of your local department stores. But why not save time by starting at http://www.anekitchencabinets.com/

Copyright 2006 Annie Endwhistle. All rights reserved.

Annie Endwhistle's new website ANE Kitchen Cabinets makes it easy for visitors to check their options, find example design, and get help locally. If you are planning to upgrade your kitchen, don't miss out on Annie's helpful site: http://www.anekitchencabinets.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Annie_Endwhistle

Cooking - Can We Really Trust TV Cooking?

By Michael Russell

Cooking seems to have developed into a major way of life rather than something that was necessary if we were going to receive sustenance to get us through our days. We look at television programs and see that almost every type of cooking is demonstrated - sometimes ad nauseam - to us, the ever watching viewing audiences. Let us look at what television cooking does for us and how it compares with the every day variety.

We see that all forms of cooking are portrayed as simply something we all could do in the blink of an eye. The need to really look at what is involved becomes very necessary, as we will see. Well dressed young men and women demonstrate their expertise, some showing us a small portion of meat garnished with a couple of vegetables which have been lovingly cooked and prepared. It is evident that their presentations are not geared for the husband, wife and three kids brigade. And if an honest observation is to be made, offering that meal would be looked at with a degree of consternation if only to think: is this all that's going to be served? What would you think if a builder, home from an extremely hard day on the site, was offered this miniscule treat for his evening repast? Expletives will be understandably left out here.

The thought of meat and three veg takes a completely different meaning when we look at how our television gourmets prepare their brand of "home cooking".

Let's first look at the ingredients they use. It immediately comes to mind that the range of sauces that are used in these culinary presentations would far outweigh anything mere mortals would have in their larders or refrigerators. Understandably, the budgets that are given to these food designers completely exceed any reasonable household budget.

It is fair to say that cooking and food in general, is all a matter of taste. How food is cooked is of great concern to the person who does like only the "meat and two veg". On that note, take an item of cooking that is commonplace now - garlic - this is used in almost every savoury dish we can imagine, with the possible exception of fish and chips.

Yet it isn't such a long time ago that many people would cringe at the thought of this item being included in any culinary offering - particularly in the British Isles. However, times change and so do tastes and the way we look at cooking certainly has changed over the last 20 years.

Although this is the case, it is to be hoped that the producers of these cooking extravaganzas will come down to earth and look at what "mere mortals" have in their kitchens. Utensils, valued at thousands of dollars, are not the order of the day. Nor are the different types of ingredients used in the dishes we are instructed how to cook.

Television cooking - indeed all cooking, is interesting and informative. We have to eat, so why not learn how to cook something a little more than the Sunday roast. It is after all entertainment and we need to see something pleasant as well as eat something pleasant.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Cooking

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

Using Fresh Herbs In A Variety of Ways

by Mary Hanna

Herbs are fun and easy to grow. When harvested they make even the simplest meal seem like a gourmet delight. By using herbs in your cooking you can easily change the flavors of your recipes in many different ways, according to which herbs you add. Fresh herbs are great in breads, stews, soups or vegetables. Every time you add a different herb you have completely changed the taste.

If you are a beginner start slowly, add just a little at a time adjusting as you go along until you have it just right. You will see in most instances that an individual herb is associated with a particular food item. Basil is paired with tomatoes, Oregano with sauces, Rosemary with lamb and Chives with butter or cream cheese. Of course, none of them are limited to these items, but you will see them paired most often with that particular food. Use your imagination and experiment, experiment, experiment!

You can make herb vinegars for salad dressings, marinades, or soups. Herb oils are very useful in cooking whenever a recipe calls for it. Fresh herbs as garnishes dress up any dish making it look truly spectacular. Lay individual sprigs of rosemary over broiled lamb chops. Chop fresh parsley and sprinkle it over the top of your potato salad.

The combinations are endless and the outcome delicious. Fresh herbs will keep in the refrigerator for several days but then you must freeze them. They can be frozen by laying them a paper towel and putting them in a plastic bag. Once they are frozen only use them in cooking not as garnishes. A friend of mine washes them, puts them an ice cube tray, covers them with water and then freezes them. When she needs them for soup, stews or sauces she just drops a cube in.

My favorite herbs to grow are basil, oregano, lemon balm, parsley and mint. Mint is great but be careful, mint can over run your garden. A tip here would be to bury an empty coffee can and plant the mint in it. The can prevents the mint from “creeping” all through your garden.

I love to make herb butters. Take a half of a cup of softened butter and mix in about 4 tablespoons of a fresh herb. Lay out a piece of Saran Wrap, place the butter in the middle roll the saran wrap up to form a “log” out of the butter. Put in the refrigerator and anytime you need a pat of butter just cut it off the “log”. (Hints for “log” butter: potatoes, bread, steaks, noodles or any kind of sauce).

A fresh herb in any salad dressing really makes it sparkle. You can use any herb or a combination - be creative.

I learned a trick a long time ago using basil, lemon and avocados to create an instant natural face mask. Put a big handful of basil in a blender and run it on high. Once the basil has been pulverized, throw in a half of an avocado and a large teaspoon of lemon juice, mix until smooth. Wash your face, pat it dry and gently rub the avocado mixture on. Leave it on as long as you like, then use warm water to it wash off.

These are just a few ways you can use fresh herbs from your garden. I am sure you will come up with many more. Happy planting.

Copyright © 2006 Mary Hanna All Rights Reserved. About the Author: Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Gardening, Cruising and Cooking.

Visit her websites at http://www.GardeningHerb.com ;

http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com, and

http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com or

contact her at mary@gardeninglandscapingtips.com

This article comes from High Quality Article Database For Ezine Publishers and Webmasters -

365Articles.comhttp://www.365articles.com/

Add A Gourmet Taste With Cilantro

by Lee Dobbins

Cilantro is a common ingredient in salsa and Mexican dishes but did you know it dates as far back as the ancient Egyptians? Coriander seeds which stem from the same plant as cilantro have been found in Egyptian tombs and writings involving coriander can be seen in Sanskrit which dates from around 1500 BC.

Cilantro is a versatile herb that is commonly used in salsas, dips, dressings and sauces. This aromatic, citrus flavored herb is a member of the carrot family and can be used dried or fresh. The seeds from this herb are harvested and dried and are known as coriander. The green stems and leaves are the herb known as cilantro. Cilantro is sometimes sold in the grocery store as something else and if you can't find it in your supermarket try looking for Mexican parsley. Since cilantro is commonly used in Mexico and Mexican cooking, it is often called Mexican parsley but it is good in other types of cooking as well and you can even find Chinese recipes calling for Chinese parsley which is the same as cilantro.

When looking for cilantro in your supermarket look for nice fresh bunches much like bunches of parsley. In fact, you will probably find it right next to the parsley in the produce section. Don't purchase the parsley by mistake though because it is not the same thing! You can easily tell the difference between cilantro and parsley by inspecting at the leaves and smelling the herb. The leaves of cilantro are wider than parsley and cilantro's scent is very aromatic.

Cooking with fresh cilantro is a great way to make gourmet foods and the longer you keep your bunch of cilantro fresh the better! When you bring cilantro home from the supermarket put the bunch in a glass of water like a bouquet with only the stems submerged. Loosely cover the green leaves with a plastic bag which will help keep your cilantro fresh. When cooking with cilantro, remember, it is best when you crush the tender leaves with a mortar and pestle. This helps to release the full bodied flavor. Always add the cilantro towards the end of cooking. The delicate nature of cilantro does not hold up to heat so waiting until the very end will insure the best taste from the versatile and aromatic herb.

About the author: Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.online-gourmet-foods.com/ where you can learn more about gourmet eating

Is it Cilantro, Mexican Parsley, or Coriander?

By Shauna Hanus

When thumbing through cookbooks you will often times run across recipes calling for cilantro, Mexican parsley and sometimes even coriander. Have you ever wondered what they are? Are they all the same? The answer is yes they are all the same.

Cilantro is a pungent delightfully citrusy herb that resembles parsley in appearance. This bright green herb comes from the coriander plant. The leaves and stems are used to make cilantro and the seeds are dried and ground to make the bottled spice coriander. You will often times find cilantro in the produce section of your grocery store tied in bundles much the same way as parsley. The leaves are slightly larger than parsley leaves and the aroma is much more aromatic. Common uses for cilantro are in dips, salsas, salad dressings and sauces. You can even find it in some Chinese recipes being referred to as Chinese parsley. If you are looking for a way to use cilantro for dinner tonight there is a quick and easy salsa solution where cilantro, Mexican parsley, or coriander is your primary spice. Mix in a small bowl chopped and seeded tomatoes, chopped onion, chopped peppers (heat level of your choosing), and cilantro. This makes a refreshing light Pico de Gallo type salsa that is great as a salad topper or dip for tortilla chips.

About the author: Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no-cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter.

Her newsletter is always fun and informational and packed with tips

http://www.gourmayeats.com/

Gourmet Coffee Beans

By Hans Dekker

You can be a coffee lover without knowing much about coffee beans, but learning a little bit about the different types of coffee can help you get the perfect cup every time. There are many types of gourmet coffee beans. The way they have been grown in processed has a huge effect on their taste. Here's a little bit of information for getting the best from your gourmet coffee beans.

Coffee is a common agricultural product of many tropical countries. There are two main species of coffee plant – Arabica and Robusta. Gourmet coffee beans are mostly Arabica because of their superior flavor and smoothness. Many blends, however, include Robusta coffee beans to give an edge to the coffee.

After the coffee is picked, it must be roasted. Roasting makes the green coffee beans expand in size and changes their color to a light to dark brown. Lighter roasts reveal more of the flavor of gourmet coffee beans, while darker roasts take on the flavor of the roasting process itself. After roasting the coffee should be kept in vacuum packed containers to minimize flavor loss.

Gourmet coffee beans must be ground to the correct fineness to bring out the most taste. Generally speaking, a fine grind will result in a full-bodied cup of coffee, but coarse grinds are used when making coffee with coarse filters like the French cafetiere.

Once the coffee has been ground, there are many ways to brew a cup of coffee. No matter whether you prefer espresso, drip, perked, or pressed, you need to start with high-quality gourmet coffee beans to get a good cup of coffee.

You can buy gourmet coffee beans in many types of blends. Most blends are a mixture of dark and light roast coffee beans and can be ground to suit the type of coffee maker you use. Freshness is important when making good-quality coffee. Fresh ground coffee beans will give you the best tasting cup of coffee.

Hans is author of the Coffee Specials and Gourmet Basket section at

http://www.steaks-guide.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hans_Dekker

Amuse-Bouche

Find Out About This Hot Trend In Entertaining

By Geoffrey Cook

Amuse-bouche is becoming the hottest trend in foods and entertaining. If you enjoy offering your guests interesting fare that always gets raves you should consider learning about the
seduction of amuse-bouche.

WHAT IS AMUSE-BOUCHE?

The word amuse-bouche is a french expression, literally translated "mouth-amuser". And no wonder - amuse-bouche are snappy, single bite creations which combine intense taste sensations in an artistic form.

Amuse-bouche is different from your typical hors d'oeuvres. It is most often offered when guests are seated at the table. Amuse-bouche not only offers guests something to taste while waiting for the dinner, but also sets the 'flavor' of the evening. The amuse-bouche should compliment the dinner as well as give guests a sample of the quality of the meal to come.

WHAT CAN I MAKE FOR AMUSE-BOUCHE?

Amuse-bouche concentrates on flavor; often combining simple, intense flavors alongside rich, multi-faceted ones. The focus is on savoring and appreciating the full flavor of a single bite; much as you savor the intensity of a shot rather than having a full cup.

The amuse-bouche can be a combination of bite size, single ingredient bites arranged artfully on a plate or a combination of flavors offered as one serving on a Chinese spoon. You may also choose a rich, flavorful soup (such as vichyssoise) presented in a shot glass along with a spoon.

The key to a good amuse-bouche is quality ingredients. Whether you're offering simple mandarin slices alongside a savory salmon mousse or a skewered shrimp with a complex marinade, you will want to use the highest quality and most decadent ingredients you can obtain.

PRESENTATION

Second only to quality ingredients and full flavor is presentation. Amuse-bouche follows the French tradition of artistic presentation. Find amuse-bouche ideas online and take note of the visual presentation. While not complex, the resulting impression is one of style and attention to details. Garnish sparingly and preferably use a simple white plate for optimum presence.

If you are so inclined you may wish to entertain your guests with a variety of amuse-bouche at an evening gathering rather than simply a prelude to a sit down dinner.

You may also choose to compliment your amuse-bouche with a well chosen wine. Some recipes will indicate a suitable wine or you can base your selection on the dominating flavor of the amuse-bouche.

There are several fine recipe books to guide you as you begin exploring the pleasures of amuse-bouche, but let your creative spirit shine as you take inspiration from the simple pleasures
of flavor and entertaining and create your own unique 'mouth-amusers' for your guests.

About the author:
You too, can manoeuvre in the unfamiliar waters of gourmet cuisine, with just a few well-learned techniques that are easy to master, and build a repertoire of literally hundreds of dishes and deserts. Let Geoffrey set you on the path today, to http://www.free-recipe-books.com

Salad Extravaganza

Getting Your Recommended Daily Allowance Of Vegetables

by Darren McLaughlin

If you have been paying attention to the news, you should already know about the recent changes made to American RDA's. (Recommended Daily Allowances)

These recommendations are a general guideline to aid in a healthy diet for the entire population. The most notable change is eating more fruits and vegetables, preferably in their whole form. According to the new guidelines, Americans should eat at least 5 servings of fruits or vegetables, although 9 servings is even better. Five to Nine servings a day of fruits and veggies may sound hard to do, but there is a solution. This solution is called a salad. Salads can be and are very versatile and can be served as prelude to dinner, as a side dish or even as an
entree.

Salads aren't just lettuce anymore.

Here are some suggestions to add texture and flavor to your salads:

* Baby Spinach or other type of lettuce. This will instantly add some variation from the typical Iceburg lettuce alad. It also adds colors, as some lettuces are deep purple and rich green, they have different tastes and textures as well.

* Cherry Tomatos. These bite size tomatoes are perfect for salads. There is no slicing and dicing required, just rinse off and toss on.

* Olives. Both black and green olives add tang to an ordinary salad. At about 10 calories each, they add flavor without a lot of guilt.

* Cucumbers. Sliced or diced, cucumbers are another great topping for salads. One half cup of cucumbers is only 8 calories, so feel free to load up!

* Bean Sprouts. These give a great chinese flair to a salad. Also very low in
calories.

* Other fresh vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, peas, beans, mushrooms and fresh peppers adds variety and taste to any salad. Top with all of your favorites.

* Nuts. Consider adding chopped walnuts, soy nuts, almonds or peanuts for a healthy crunch to your next salad. Nuts help to lower holesterol and provide Omega-3 fatty acids that aid your circulatory system.

* Fruits. Add sliced apples, pineapple, mandarin oranges, strawberries, grapes, melon, or all of the above for a salad that is sweet to eat. If you can eat pineapple on a pizza, you can surely eat it atop a fresh salad. This is a refreshing twist on the "traditional" salad and enjoyable in the summer months. Top with a sweet salad dressing, for a perfect eld of fruit and vegetables.

* Seasonings. You can add flavor easily with fresh ground pepper, herbs, or any number of salt free seasonings. Some specialty type stores may offering salad seasoning blends that are worth trying. Keep in mind that not all salad toppings are created equal. Topping your salads with some items can quickly make it not so healthy. You'll want to avoid deep fried chicken filets. Granted, it is chicken.. but it's cooked in a deep fryer. Instead choose a boneless, skinless breast version. This will reduce the overall number of calories you consume. Drowning your salad in creamy buttermilk based dressings will also add extra calories. If available, choose a wine and vinegar. Bacon Bits are another bad choice for topping your otherwise healthy salad. Bacon is very high in sodium and fat, and doesn't add any nutritional value, other than taste. I hope these tips will help you eat your recommended daily
allowance of fruits and vegetables.

About the author:
Please visit the Fitness Information
Center for more information on Fitness and Free Weight
Loss Plans

An Introduction To Gourmet Gift Baskets

By Ross Bainbridge


A creative and unique concept, easily customized to suit an individual, the gourmet gift basket can be a delightful expression of any sentiment. Usually, a gift basket has a collection of items attractively presented and based on a common theme.

Loaded with goodies, a gift basket is sure to please, especially when in doubt about what to give. For special people, this personalized gift is ideal.

Wouldn’t you say that the thrill of receiving numerous thoughtful presents is often greater than opening just one? The variety of choices available in gourmet gift baskets is truly unbelievable. Be it Christmas or Hanukkah, birthdays or business, there is something for any occasion or holiday! Consisting of the finest food and beverages, exotic and adventurous, gourmet gift baskets are hugely popular as ideal gifts.

For Hanukkah and other Jewish holidays, there are Kosher gift baskets.
Or, for Christmas, there are hampers with cookies to cakes, liqueurs to chocolates, caviar to cheese–all delectable.

Chocolate gift baskets with Belgian manons, French bonbons, Swiss treats, exquisite chocolates with enhanced fruit and nut flavors, chocolate pretzels and cookies, candy canes, tasty truffles in great shapes and lovely wrapping are all simply heavenly for the chocoholic.

There are elegant gift baskets of assorted wine and cheese; premium choices like Dom Perignon Champagne, CK Mondavi Chardonnay, CK Mondavi Merlot, or Moet and Chandon White Star Champagne; cheese from around the world—endless choices such as American Humboldt Fog; Blue cheese like Roquefort; Belgian Chimay with Beer; English Dorset drum cheddar or White Stilton with Apricot; Brown Ale cheese; champagne cheese like Brie; Dutch Dorothea; Italian cooking cheese like Reggiano or Parmigiano; French Camembert or Gruyere; German Tilsit; and so many more. Versatile in every way— in taste and texture, in origin and in combination, there is no better gourmet gift!
Do not forget an array of meats either: fresh, smoked, grilled, stuffed, roasted, and cooked in different regional styles. Consider unusual choices like venison, elk, kangaroo, or delicious variations of poultry, pork, lamb, and beef or veal. These gourmet meats are unmatched in quality. With smoked fish, caviar, lobsters and shrimps, a seafood basket is a delicious fiesta for the seafood lover. Flavorful and healthy teas or coffees and savory condiments are also exciting picks.
The list is endless; you can make anything special if you put your heart and mind into it. Celebrate life and all its special events with a memorable gourmet gift basket.
Gourmet Gifts provides detailed information on Gourmet Gifts, Gourmet Gift Baskets, Gourmet Meat Gifts, Gourmet Chocolate Gifts and more. Gourmet Gifts is affiliated with Gourmet Fruit Gift Baskets.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ross_Bainbridge

A Spicy Encounter – Part 1 of 4 – The Basics of Spices

By Lisa Paterson

Spices brighten up our meals and give us those fabulous aromas we expect of modern day cooking. To early traders spices were as valuable as gold and a definite luxury only the extremely rich could afford. Luckily today we can all enjoy their rich aromas and flavors.

Spices come from the buds, bark, stems, roots, berries and seeds of plants. Generally every part of the plant that we use in cooking is termed a spice, except the leaf. The leaves are classified as herbs.

This sometimes results in the same plant giving us both spices and herbs, like cilantro (coriander).

While we often prefer to use herbs fresh, spices we tend to use dried. As it is the drying process of spices, that causes natural occurring enzymes within the plant to activate and form volatile oils. This in turn is what creates the aromas and exotic flavors.

Whole spices tend to keep longer than ground spices. So it is often best to buy the whole spice and grind it yourself especially if it is a spice you don’t use often. Plus the aroma of freshly ground spices are delectable.

When storing your spices, make sure you keep them away from direct sunlight. Also try to avoid extremes in temperature and humidity.

Spices are generally grouped into five categories based on flavor – sweet; tangy; pungent; hot and amalgamating. How we combine them and in what quantities, is what gives us our amazing range of tastes.

In order to become proficient at using spices, we need to know a little about each group. And in turn how to mix them, it’s easy. Just think of how we mix sweet and sour and how we use salt and pepper.

Sweet Spices

Well just as the name says these are the ones we associate with sweet dishes and desserts. They are also added to savory recipes to balance up other spice flavors. They do vary in strength and one can determine this with a quick sniff.

Sweet spices include allspice, aniseed, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.

Tangy Spices

These spices tend to have a distinctly acidic flavor thus the tangy name. When using these spices you can reduce the amount of lemon juice or vinegar in the recipe due to their own acidic flavor.

Each of the tangy spices have a distinct flavor which is unique and combines well to produce exotic flavors.

Tangy spices include sumac and tamarind.

Pungent Spices

These spices add a vibrant element to a dish. Some are strong and only a small amount is needed but don’t let this put you off, as they are very useful.

Characterized by a strong flavor the pungent spices include cardamom, cloves, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, nigella seed and saffron.

Hot Spices

These should be used sparingly. It is often the hot spice that causes a dish to be termed “spicy”.

The first hot one we think of is probably chilli but also included is horseradish, pepper and mustard.

Amalgamating Spices

Called amalgamating spices because they fit in well with nearly every other flavor. They are generally mild tasting but perform an important role in uniting flavors.

These include coriander seed, fennel seed, paprika, poppy seeds and tumeric.

Until our next Spicy Encounter
Enjoy Cooking!

Lisa “The Crock Cook”

Lisa loves food and enjoys cooking special meals for family and friends. She also loves the internet. So, she combines the two at http://www.a-crock-cook.com, where she creates mouthwatering Crock Pot Recipes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Paterson

Preparing Lobster Tails

By Lee Dobbins

Lobster, once the food of poor farmers, is now considered a special treat for many. Although some people prefer the meaty claws, I think that lobster tails are the best tasting part of this delicious creature. A great meal of lobster tails might seem like a gourmet feast to your guests, but they are actually quite easy to prepare. Add a little sprig of garnish and a fancy side dish and youÂ’re sure to impress even your mother in law.

Your lobster tails might start off a fresh or frozen, being in New England, fresh lobster is easy to come by but frozen might be all you can get in some parts of the country and in the off season. If your lobster tails are frozen, you need to thaw them out (you can cook them frozen but they will not be as tender). Put them in the fridge for 10 hours or so or thaw them in the microwave on defrost – be very careful if you choose this method as you don’t want them to start cooking in the microwave.

After they are thawed, remove the meat from the shell by cutting open the back of the shell – split it down the middle and open it up to reveal the meat. Lift the meat out – you can leave the fan part of the tail on for show or not. Remove the vein.

Boiling Lobster Tails

Boil a pot of water large enough for all the tails to float in, add 1 tsp salt for each quart of water. Drop the tails in the boiling water and cook for about 1 minute per oz thawed (soz10 0z of tails needs to cook for 10 minutes). If you are cooking a lot of tails, add a minute or two on to the total time.

Cooking Lobster Tails in the Oven

Lobster tails can be baked or broiled in the oven. To cook thawed lobster in the oven,set the oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the tails with butter and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. If broiling, place the tails 4 or 5 inches from the heat and broil for 2 – 5 minutes. When broiling keep a very close eye on them so that they don’t burn on the tops.

Cooking Lobster Tails On The Grill

Oil the grill to keep the lobsters from sticking. Put the grill on medium heat. Brush the lobster tails with butter and place on the grill. Make sure that the tails do not burn – if there are any flames on the grill move the lobster away from it. Grill on each side for 4-5 minutes.
Take care not to overcook your lobster or it will be rubbery and tasteless. Lobster is cooked when it is no longer transparent.

Lee Dobbins is owner and editor of Online Gourmet Foods where you can find out about your favorite foods, including gourmet seafood and lobster

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Dobbins

Cooking - The Basic Equipment

By Michael Russell

If you're just starting out on your culinary journey, you may find the array of kitchenware available on the market a bit baffling, so here's a quick guide to the must-haves for the first-time cook.

Pots and Pans - A student or single person may get away with one frying pan and a couple of saucepans, but a keen cook or a family would certainly need more. Ideally, I would recommend a small (20 cm) frying pan and a large one (24-28cm), preferably non-stick or very well-seasoned stainless steel. In addition, at least three stainless steel saucepans between 16 and 24 cm plus a large (24cm) and small (18cm) non-stick. The stainless steel ones will be fine for boiling eggs, rice, pasta, potatoes and vegetables and the non-stick ones for sauces or frying off meat and onions for chilli or a casserole. Buy the best quality you can afford, but avoid cast iron, which is just too heavy to be lifted by a single handle, especially if it's full of boiling water and potatoes.


Oven Dishes - Casserole dishes of varying sizes are useful. I like Le Creuset cast iron because you can use it on top of the stove to seal meat and prepare your dish, put it in the oven to cook, then put it on the table to serve, thus saving on the washing up! Because they have two handles, the weight isn't such a problem. A baking dish is also a must if you're going to make lasagne, cannelloni or pies of any kind topped with sliced or mashed potato - earthenware, glass or cast iron is fine. If you want to make pies topped with pastry, then a proper pie dish is almost essential and the same goes for quiche - it really needs the right dish for the job.


Bakeware - If you're going to try your hand at baking cakes, try to choose an all purpose cake tin that you can use over again. The type with a loose bottom or spring-loaded sides make getting the cake out of the tin much easier. For bread, a loaf tin is a must, but you can also use this for meat loaf or paté. A couple of flat baking trays are handy for meringues, biscuits (cookies), sausage rolls and similar items. For individual cakes, buns, tarts, mince pies or Yorkshire puddings a twelve hole tin is a must, preferably non-stick.


Utensils - A selection of wooden spoons is essential. For all other utensils, it's safest to choose acrylic as they won't damage non-stick pans. You will need a slice, a spatula, ladle, slotted spoon and masher.


Knives - Buy the best knives you can possibly afford, but at least get one really good, all-purpose cooks' knife and a decent steel to sharpen it. When selecting knives, ask to hold them and weigh them up in your hand. A good cooks' knife should feel comfortable to use and should be quite heavy. The handle should give you a good grip - you don't want it slipping out of your hand and spearing you in the foot. When you find the right knife, you will know!


Chopping Boards - I prefer acrylic because they can go in the dishwasher for a really good, hot, clean. Some people like to adhere to proper kitchen hygiene rules and keep separate boards for raw chicken, raw meat, cooked meat and vegetables. Others like a nice solid wooden block. It's all down to personal taste.


Miscellaneous Bits - As well as the above, a selection of glass or plastic bowls in different sizes is useful for mixing and plastic boxes for fridge storage are a real boon. Other oddments may include a rolling pin, garlic press and potato peeler, although you can survive without these.

That just about covers the basics. In our next article we're going to look at some labour saving devices.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Cooking
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

Cooking - The Gadgets

By Michael Russell

I love kitchen gadgets, not only do they speed up the cooking process, but they extend one's ability to cook certain dishes.

Food Processor - I consider this to be a must have because it can do so many tasks. It will slice, grate, chop, mince and mix. It cuts the time by about ten times for making pastry or mixing dough and you can't beat it if you have a large quantity of onions to chop or carrots to slice. Whipping egg whites or cream becomes the work of seconds.

Mini Chopper - This little thing is like a mini food processor and really useful for chopping small quantities of nuts, breadcrumbs, etc.

Mixer/Beater - Because you need to be very, very careful when using a food processor to mash potato or make a cake mix, a hand-held electric beater is a useful tool to have. A food processor just works too quickly, if you're not careful and you can end up with a dreadful gluey mess, so get a beater as well - they're very inexpensive.

Coffee Grinder - Whether you actually want to grind coffee beans is immaterial here. A coffee grinder is amazing for grinding whole spices. It means goodbye to the effort of using a pestle and mortar and you have a home made spice mix in minutes. Makes for interesting-tasting coffee, if you do use it for beans as well!

Pasta Maker - This is actually a bit of a misnomer as a pasta maker doesn't actually make pasta, but it does roll it really thinly and cut it into spaghetti or tagliatelli. You may also need a drying rack, if you intend to keep your home-made pasta for any length of time.

Bread Maker - This does do as the name suggests with no more effort than it takes to throw the ingredients into the pan of the bread maker and switch it on for delicious home-baked bread. In addition, it will make fantastic dough, all kneaded and risen, for you to turn into rolls, plaits, pita bread or pizza bases and bake in the oven yourself.

Blow Torch - A great tool if you like to make flat bread in a frying pan or want to give that just-grilled look to anything at all. Fantastic for crème brulée.

Of course you can go further than this, if you have the space in your kitchen to store rice makers or electric steamers, electric pizza makers and many other things too numerous to mention.

The important thing is to get the tools you need so that you can produce good quality home-cooked food, without it taking all day and feeling like a real chore.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Cooking

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

Mouth-Watering Tips for Cooking

By Khieng Chho

Cooking is passion…Is this exclusive for people who are fond of eating? Of course not, because it does not follow that when you love to eat you also know how to cook. In fact, whether you accept it or not, this is the reverse of reality. The majority of the people who have a habit of eating do not even know how to cook. Cooking is a skill that you need to learn although there are some people who are really gifted with cooking ability. The most important things that you need to ponder upon are the basic of cooking and little by little are the strategies on how you can make your recipe extra yummy. For a novice cook, it can be a bit harder because you need to start from the fundamental steps. However, for an experienced cook you can already have a chance to create your own version of a particular recipe.

Here are some of the mouth-watering tips for your cooking:

• Set your mind that it is fun to cook. Do not cook in a hurry because it will just turn into a spoiled recipe. It is best if you are cooking in good condition. Remember that the stress that you feel during cooking can affect the taste of the food. You will not even notice sometimes that the amount of ingredients you poured into it is more than the right quantity.

• Consider every recipe that you cook as your specialty.This will somehow motivate you to put all your efforts into cooking. It is true that you have your own specialty; this is a food that you considered the most delicious for you. You can consider this pointer every time you do your job in the kitchen.

• Grow fond of exploring new recipes. It is not good to prepare the same kind of foods in your dining table everyday. The sense of taste of a person also looks for something different. Magazines and TV shows can help you a lot on it. You can read or watch the extraordinary delicacies that you think you can prepare. At least, it will make a little twist in the taste buds of your family.

Knowing the things that you need to understand about cooking will make your life in the kitchen easier. In most of the instances, you will prefer spending your free time in your kitchen as you think of another delicious recipe that you will prepare for your loved ones.

Khieng 'Ken' Chho is author and owner of Online Cooking Resources. For related articles and other resources, visit Ken's website: http://cooking.onew3b.net/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Khieng_Chho

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