Soaps don't always have to come in bar form. In fact, using molds you can create a myriad of decorative shapes to make soaps as creatively as you want. For example, knowing make cake-shaped soap prepares you for making intricate gift soaps for decor and use. Whether you're making them for your own needs or as a birthday gift, your homemade cake-shaped soaps will be a hit.
Instructions
1. Add the cup of MP soap base to the glass bowl, saving about a tbsp. of the soap base aside for later. MP stands for "melt and pour" and is found in craft and hobby supply shops or online.
2. Microwave the bowl for one minute to melt the soap.
3. Spray the bundt cake pan with a thin layer of nonstick cooking spray. This lubricates the cake pan. Pour the melted base into the cake pan and then add the saved tbsp. of soap to the bowl.
4. Set the cake pan containing the soap in your freezer for 45 minutes. Remove it and pop it from the cake tin. This results in a cake-shaped soap. Place it back in the pan, but with the shaped end pointing upward, as opposed to the flat bottom.
5. Microwave the bowl of leftover soap until it melts again, for about 40 seconds. Stir in the soap colorant of your choice. Drizzle this colored soap over the top of the "cake." this makes it look like icing. Let it cool in the freezer for another 10 minutes.
If you think of fruit salad as something that comes in a little plastic cup, think again! Served with sweet, creamy tofu dressing and light, crunchy almonds, this vegan fruit salad makes a surprisingly substantial meal. It's best made with fresh, seasonal fruit so you can eat it all year round without getting bored.
Instructions
Bananas
1. Start with a banana. Most people aren't passionate about banana, but it is one of the secret ingredients of this salad. It provides a filling base, and blends well with the stronger flavors of the other fruits. Chop one or two bananas per person into bite sized chunks.
2. Add other seasonal fruits. Summer fruits, such as melon and perfectly ripe berries, are probably the most dramatic, but you can make a perfectly serviceable salad out of apples and pears, too. Just try to mix up different flavors, colors and textures, picking the ripest fruit you can find, and cut out any bad spots (plus cores and seeds, of course). Chop this fruit into chunks, too.
3. Put the silken tofu in the blender with a little vegan sugar or other sweetener, a dash of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth, then taste. Adjust the sweetener, vanilla and salt to taste.
4. Arrange the fruit. If you're in a hurry, of course you can just mix the fruit together in a big bowl and dish it out (and it will still taste just as good). If you have the time and inclination, you can arrange the salads artistically on individual plates, which is probably more fun.
5. Serve with the creamy tofu dressing and slivered almonds to sprinkle on top.
Tags: creamy tofu, creamy tofu dressing, fruit salad, tofu dressing
Adding an emulsifier to olive oil and vinegar helps keep the two from separating.
Keeping the vinegar and oil in a salad dressing from parting ways can be a challenge. An emulsifier is needed to keep the ingredients thoroughly mixed. An emulsifier is any ingredient used to bind together normally non-compatible substances. It blends the ingredients of the mixture and prevents separation during use or processing. Since olive oil does not have much saturated fat, it is hard to emulsify. Several methods are available for use as an emulsifier with olive oil.
Instructions
1. Whisk or put ingredients such as olive oil and vinegar in a sealed container and shake vigorously. These will help blend the ingredients for a very short period of time. Balloon whisks, specifically designed for better emulsifying, are available at kitchen supply stores.
2. Use egg yolks. Egg yolk contains a number of natural emulsifiers. It is the reason egg yolks play a vital role in making food such as hollandaise sauce. Various proteins in egg yolk act as emulsifiers because they have some amino acids that repel water and other amino acids that attract water. One part of the protein will adhere to the water and another part will cling to the oil, causing the mixture to emulsify. Egg yolk is the main emulsifier used in the dressing for the ever-popular Caesar Salad and many other salad dressings. Mayonnaise is another example of using egg yolk with oil as an emulsifier.
3. Add lecithin. This important emulsifier can be found in egg yolk, soybeans and sunflower seeds. It is also used commercially to thicken, emulsify and stabilize food items such as candy bars and margarine, as well as, cosmetics and lotions, such as cocoa butter. It is a fat-like molecule that loves water. Lecithin improves the texture of foods such as gravies, soups and nut butters. Lecithin liquid or granules are available at health food stores and larger food markets. Mix these with olive oil per the manufacturer's instructions.
4. Mix with mustard. While mustard may seem like an unlikely choice as an emulsifier, it actually works very well. Mustard seeds contain just about equal amounts of protein and carbohydrate plus oil. When the seeds are crushed, the carbohydrates and protein coat the oil and stop it from repelling the water in substances like lemon juice, vinaigrette, mayonnaise and so on. Mustard is commonly used in salad dressings containing olive oil, not only for the zing it adds, but also for its emulsifying properties.
5. Xanathan gum is thickener and stabilizer which is used commercially and included in many salad dressings and salad dressing mixes to which olive oil is added. It is derived through a form of sugar fermentation. It helps prevent oil separation and helps suspend solid particles, such as spices. Xanathan gum can be purchased a health food stores. Use per the manufacturer's instructions.
Tags: salad dressings, acids that, amino acids, amino acids that, food stores, health food, health food stores
Blue cheese contains an edible type of mold, which is where it gets its blue color. This makes it difficult to identify when the cheese becomes unsafe to eat. However, there are several different methods to recognize unhealthy mold and bacterial growth on blue cheese. The basic senses of sight, smell, taste and touch can usually safely diagnose the state of blue cheese. If unsure, all of these steps should be performed. If any doubt remains, do not eat the blue cheese. It's better to be safe than sorry.
Instructions
1. Check the color of the blue cheese. If the white parts are beginning to turn yellowish, or the blue parts are beginning to turn green, don't eat it. If any part of the cheese is a color other than white or blue, it should be discarded.
2. Smell the blue cheese. If it smells like ammonia, it is beginning to go bad. The smell of blue cheese can become very potent over time, and this is normal. When it begins to smell like ammonia, it shouldn't be eaten.
3. Take a small bite of the blue cheese. If it tastes like blue cheese, only stronger, it's safe to eat. If the taste seems "off" in any way, it's better to discard the product.
4. Look for fuzz and mold that wasn't there when the blue cheese was fresh. Any additional growth could be a new, unhealthy bacteria forming on the cheese.
5. Check for slime. Blue cheese can develop a slimy texture when it begins to go bad. If there is any excess moisture, or if the texture is no longer dry and crumbly, it should be discarded.
Tags: blue cheese, blue cheese, beginning turn, blue cheese, like ammonia
In Japan, rarely is a meal served without pickled plums, carrots, cucumbers, onions or other vegetables. That's because pickles are good for the digestion. Pickles in the West usually are boiled and do not have the good enzymes, so all pickles are not equal. The following steps will help you buy a pickle maker or press for making pickles so you can add the good enzymes to your diet.
Instructions
1. Search the Internet for macrobiotics or Japanese pickles to find pickle makers that will make the healthiest pickles. Look for sites with authentic recipes, because these will help you after you find your pickle maker or press to make excellent and tasty pickles.
2. Find pickle makers that call for adding some kind of starter, brine or salt and that keep the vegetables at room temperature or below 70 degrees for anything from a day to a week.
3. Look for pickle makers that are simple glass jars with some kind of press attached. They all work by pressing the extra liquid out of the vegetable in the fermentation process.
4. Understand the pickle maker is not a fancy expensive gadget. You can press pickles at home between two bowls using books or rocks set on top. The trick is to find good recipes, instructions and to watch outside temperatures.
Black beans are a popular legume side dish or meat replacement. A single serving or 1 cup of raw black beans delivers a number of nutrients vital to a well-balanced diet.
Abundant Vitamins
One serving of black beans contains 861 mcg of folate, which is 215 percent of the daily requirement of this important vitamin. A single serving of black beans also accounts for 116 percent of the daily thiamin requirement at 1.7 mcg.
Abundant Minerals
A serving of black beans delivers 103 percent of the daily manganese requirement at 2.1 mcg, as well as 83 percent of magnesium and 82 percent of potassium and copper.
Other Vitamins
Black beans contain a number of other vitamins, including vitamin E, vitamin K, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid and choline.
Other Minerals
Other minerals found in black beans include calcium, iron, phosphorous, zinc and selenium.
Protein and Amino Acids
A single serving of black beans equals 41.9 g of protein, or 84 percent of a person's daily requirement, making the beans a popular protein source for vegetarians. In addition, black beans include 18 amino acids with many of these valuable nutrients appearing in concentration of 2,000 mcg or higher, such as leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, valine, arginine, aspartic and glutamic acids and serine.
Other Considerations
Black beans are low in fat and sodium- and cholesterol-free. A single serving of black beans provides 118 percent of the daily dietary fiber requirement as well as more than 500 mg of both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Tags: serving black, serving black beans, percent daily, single serving, single serving black
Cream-filled pastries such as cream puffs can cause food poisoning if improperly stored. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 48 million Americans suffer food-borne illnesses each year. Sight, smell and taste won't detect the bacteria that cause food poisoning. Homemade cream puffs or those bought at the bakery should remain unrefrigerated no longer than two hours. Cream puffs wrapped in foil, plastic wrap, leak-proof plastic bags or airtight containers will keep safely three to four days in the refrigerator.
Instructions
1. Use freezer plastic bags, aluminum foil or covered containers to store cream puffs in the refrigerator. Line a large tight-sealing plastic bag, heavy-duty aluminum foil or a lidded container with a paper towel to absorb moisture.
2. Wrap the cream puffs securely in foil, making sure there are no puncture holes, or place them in a plastic bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing. If using a container, make sure the container cover fits securely.
Place well-wrapped or covered filled cream puffs in the refrigerator and use within three to four days. Even though the puffs are well wrapped, keep them away from unwashed vegetables, raw meats or foods that may drip or spill and cause cross-contamination.
3. Freeze any leftover cream puffs that are uneaten within a few days. If the shells have pudding or other cream fillings, do not freeze, as these types of fillings weep and run when they thaw. Remove all filling from the shells and discard it. Freeze the shells and then wrap them in paper towel--lined foil or seal them in paper towel--lined plastic bags or airtight containers.
When you are ready to use the shells, thaw and reheat them if any moisture has formed. Fill the shells with freshly made filling and then serve immediately. Wrap and place any uneaten filled cream puff shells in the refrigerator.
Sandwiches are a delicious, quick solution to lunch. Packed in a child's lunch box, they inevitably bring a smile. Tuna fish sandwiches are among the most coveted. This article will show you make two types of tuna fish sandwiches.
Instructions
American Tuna Salad Sandwich
1. Begin by prepping the veggies. Finely dice 1/2 a large spanish onion, one stalk of celery, one cleaned and peeled carrot, and ten dill gherkins (baby pickles). The size and uniformity and size of the dice is important, in that these vegetables will be served in the salad raw and will be incorporated into an end product that is meant to be spread.
2. Place the veggies to the side in a bowl.
3. Get another bowl. In it, place four tablespoons mayonnaise, two tablespoons brown mustard, 1/2 tspn. celery salt and a pinch of black pepper.
4. Add the tuna. Drain three cans of the water packed Albacore tuna and, with a fork, break the tuna up as you begin adding it to the wet ingredients.
5. Begin incorporating the tuna into the wet ingredients with the fork. Fold and whip the mixture until it is light and spreadable. On toasted seven-grain bread, dollop an ice-cream scoop sized serving and top with lettuce, tomato and another slice of bread.
6. Enjoy. Keep in mind that this is a great salad to make tuna melts with, as well.
7. Begin, again, by preparing the veggies. This time, julienne one carrot. This is one step short of dicing, leaving the carrots in long, thin strips instead of small, diced cubes.
8. Dice 1/2 Spanish onion, one stalk of celery, and roughly chop 1/2 cup of the olives. The end product here will be less of a spread and more of a chunky, composed salad served on bread.
9. Toss the veggies into a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the oil packed Italian tuna with the oil it is packed in.
10. Roughly incorporate the tuna, breaking it into small pieces. While you are doing this, begin streaming in 1/2 cup of olive oil. Keep mixing until the olive oil is incorporated.
11. Add 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and toss through. This is an excellent salad on its own, but is also delicious on a crusty piece of rustic Italian bread.
Tags: fish sandwiches, onion stalk, onion stalk celery, stalk celery, tuna with
Carne Asada marinade works well on steak and chicken.
As the weather gets warmer, more dinner tables are moving outdoors as stoves and ovens are turned off and grills are fired up. One great way to accommodate a large group, whether it be a pool party or a family dinner, is to set up a grilled-taco bar. This way each diner can pick and choose exactly what they want to include in their taco. The trick is to make sure you have enough of a range of ingredients so that a variety of tacos can be made. A grilled-taco bar makes dinner both easy and fun!
Instructions
Making the mojo seasoning
1. Keep the food processor on a medium speed and stop as soon as a paste forms.
Mojo is the name of a seasoning used to marinate the steak. It is also used for the chicken. In a food processor, blend the garlic, jalapenos, cilantro, salt, pepper, lime juice, orange juice, vinegar and olive oil until it forms a paste. Make sure that you stir or shake it well so that the olive oil and vinegar do not separate.
2. Place some of the mojo in a small bowl and set aside to use as a table condiment for the taco bar. Divide the remainder of the mojo in two separate plastic storage containers and marinate your chicken and steak. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour. The longer it marinates, the stronger the taste. However, marinating longer than 8 hours will result in the fibers of the meat becoming mushy.
3. Fire up the grill and add the steak on one side and the chicken on the other. Leave the steak on the grill until it reaches your desired temperature and add salt and pepper to season. Remember to cut a piece of the chicken to check if it is cooked thoroughly.
4. Slice the steak and chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside in individual serving bowls.
5. Keep the ingredients of the taco bar in the refrigerator until it is time to eat.
Designate a table to be used as the serving table and set up the taco bar. Place the individual ingredients on the bar in the order that you will assemble the taco. First lay out the plates, then the hard and soft taco shells, steak and chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, mojo, salsa and sour cream. Put a plastic spoon in each ingredient container so diners don't have to assemble the tacos with their hands.Tacos can be messy, so be sure to have plenty of napkins as well.
Tags: steak chicken, food processor, salt pepper, sure have
Pan-seared tofu with orange-sesame glaze is a very simple, easy to make tofu dish that is excellent for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Combining the salty, savory taste of tamari with fresh citrus juice and honey, this tofu is rich and bold in flavor and presentation. Garnishing the tofu with fresh chopped coriander leaves adds complexity to the tofu, making it a simple but sophisticated main dish. Serve with a mixed greens salad with simple white wine vinaigrette and a bowl of mixed nuts.
Instructions
1. Combine the tamari, orange juice, lime juice, honey and sesame oil in a medium mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine. Season with freshly ground black pepper and set aside until needed.
2. Spray a large sauté pan with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook for 5-6 minutes until crisp. Flip the tofu over and cook for another 5 minutes. Repeat this process until all the tofu is cooked if your sauté pan is not large enough to hold all of the tofu slices.
3. Add the tamari mixture to the sauté pan with the tofu and move the pan to mix. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Remove the tofu from the pan and transfer to a large serving platter and scatter the sesame seeds over the top. Garnish with the chopped fresh coriander leaves and serve while hot.
Tags: another minutes, cook another, cook another minutes, coriander leaves, juice honey, saut with
Spaghetti is a favorite in our home. many of us love leftover spaghetti but sometimes you just want to jazz it up a bit.
This might not sound like the best casserole but once you make it, it will quickly become a family favorite! My family loves to have spaghetti because they know that they will get the casserole the next night. You might even find yourself making a batch of spaghetti just so you can make this recipe.
Instructions
1. Combine the leftover noodles and sauce in a casserole dish that is big enough to mix all of the ingredients.
2. Add one can of Cream of Mushroom soup (no water) and a can of drained green beans. Mix well.
3. You can either bake this in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes until bubbly or microwave on high for 5 to 10 minutes. Either way works good.
4. Top with grated cheese of your choice. Serve with french bread or rolls and a green salad for a wonderful, fast and easy meal!
Freeze drying food is a popular preservation technique. It is a great way to preserve homegrown fruits and vegetables as it will save you money and time in the long run. Freeze dried products also retain their nutritional value and taste for a long period of time (up to several years).
Defining Freeze Dried
Freeze drying combines two factors: very cold temperatures and low pressure. When combined, these work together to prevent food from spoiling. The fundamental principle is called sublimation, a shift from a solid into a gas.
Benefits of Freeze Dried Foods
Freeze dried foods have a long shelf life. They also require minimal preparation and revitalize quickly. In addition, the total weight of the product is reduced because 98 percent of the water is removed from the food. This makes it easy to store and to carry, if necessary.
Advantage to Freeze Drying Foods at Home
Freeze drying can be done in two ways: high-tech or low-tech. If you are trying this at home, low-tech is the clear choice as you will not possess expensive freeze drying equipment needed for more high-tech procedures. Your refrigerator will act as your primary tool. While the process for freeze drying foods at home may take longer, it is much more economical than buying prepared freeze dried foods or purchasing the equipment.
Determine the Product (s) to Freeze Dry
If you are just starting out, potatoes and apples are good products to start with. Pick the fruit or vegetable at the height of its ripeness and then wash the product.
Freeze Dry the Food
Find a mesh metal tray. The tray should have some holes or the freeze-drying process will take longer. These can be found at any restaurant supply store. Next, cut the apple or potato into very thin slices. The thinner the slice, the less time the process will take. Arrange the slices on the tray and place in freezer. Within 30 minutes, they should be frozen. Keep in freezer for about one week to completely dry. To test, remove one slice and thaw. If it is not completely dry, it will turn black. If this happens, keep slices in freezer for another day or two and test again.
Store the food
Once you have determined the food is completely dry, place it in an air-tight container or zip lock bags. If you have a home version of a vacuum-pack sealer, use that. If you do not, you can simply suck the air out of the bag with your mouth and press down firmly on the bag to remove any air bubbles. Then place in freezer and store until you need it. You can reconstitute them by placing them in hot water. Apples can also be eaten in their freeze-dried state.
Tags: Freeze drying, Freeze dried, place freezer, process will, process will take
Teriyaki sauce is a salty soy sauce blend that comes from Japan and is used as a condiment or marinade. Teriyaki sauce in America is served mostly on proteins like beef, chicken and pork. It is also used as a dipping sauce sometimes for dumplings or other dim sum items. Teriyaki sauce as a marinade creates a crunchy, salty and sweet crust when used on the grill or in a hot saute pan.
Many other flavored ingredients can be added to make creative variations. Ingredients like orange, honey and wasabi can be added for a different twist.
Soy Sauce
Soy sauce is one of the main ingredients of a soy sauce. Soy sauce is a fermented soy product that has a salty and earthy flavor. It is one of the most common and popular condiments used in Asia. Tamari is an aged, high-end soy sauce that is reserved for simple marinades and dips. Dark soy sauces are reduced down and have a stronger and more intense soy sauce flavor. There are also low-sodium soy sauces for those looking to reduce their sodium intake.
Sugar or Palm Sugar
White sugar or palm sugar is added to soy sauce to balance the saltiness of the soy. The amount of sugar added depends on the strength of the soy sauce's salt content. The more salt, the more sugar that may be needed for balance.
Rice Wine Vinegar
Rice wine vinegar is a vinegar made from rice wine, and it is always found in teriyaki sauce. It has a softer taste than traditional vinegars, almost a sweet taste. Rice wine vinegar is used by many chefs in America for salad dressings since it has such a mild flavor.
Mirin
Mirin is a brewed Japanese wine that is fortified for maximum flavor. It is a common ingredient in teriyaki sauce. It is sweetened with sugar and has a very mellow flavor.
Ginger and Garlic
Ginger and garlic are also common ingredients of teriyaki sauce. Both underground bulb plants, they provide an earthy and sweet flavor to teriyaki. Ginger has a peppery and sweet taste and needs to be peeled to reveal its white fibrous flesh. Garlic is in a flowered bulb covered in an inedible white wrapper that needs to be removed before chopping.
Sesame Oil and Seeds
Sesame oil and sesame seeds are commonly included in a teriyaki sauce. Both products from the sesame seed provide a nutty flavor to the teriyaki sauce.
Brine consists of water and salt. It is used to draw natural sugars and moisture from food and to form lactic acids which will protect them against bacteria growth and spoilage. A 10 percent brine, the strongest used in food processing, is made by mixing 1 1/2 cups salt to one gallon water, or six tablespoons salt to one quart water. A 10 percent brine will float an egg, a good way to test for the correct ratio.
Getting Started
Regardless of the type of brine you are making, it is recommended that you begin with soft water. If you have hard water, you can "soften" it by boiling for 15 minutes. Let it stand covered for 24 hours. If a scum has formed, remove it, then pour the water through cheesecloth to collect any sediment. Pickling brine, as opposed to simple brine, contains the flavors you want to impart to the vegetables you are pickling.
Pickling Brine
The most common use of brine is to make pickles. The brine should include dill weed, vinegar, cloves, pickling spice and turmeric. This will make a sour pickle. You can include other ingredients depending on the specific flavor you prefer. For instance, if you like hot and spicy, add some horseradish or red pepper flakes. Garlic is also a popular addition to a dill pickle.
Pickling Vegetables
Once you have decided on the ingredients you want to use, put them in a stockpot with the water and salt. Boil for four minutes. Place your cucumbers, or other vegetables you want to pickle, into sterile glass jars. Pour the hot brine over the vegetables, cap and allow to cool. You will hear a "pop" when the lid has sealed or you will notice the lid has a dip in the middle.
Other Uses for Pickling Brine
Use of pickling brine is not limited to vegetables. You can pickle meat. Alton Brown, host of Food Network's Good Eats, developed a recipe for pickled pork. The brine acts as a marinade, going into a zip lock bag with the pork and put into the refrigerator for three days. Pickled eggs are another easy and delicious way to use brine. Try a sweet and sour brine over apple rings. Let your imagination be your guide.
Tags: brine over, brine will, percent brine, Pickling Brine, water salt, will make
Texans love barbecue--and so do millions of other Americans. There is nothing like firing up the grill or smoker and smoking large cuts of meat for several hours. To make a good thing even better, try accompanying your favorite Texas-style barbecue with traditional side dishes like sweet and smoky baked beans and corn bread.
Indirect Grilling
Indirect grilling is designed to cook larger or tougher foods that would burn if cooked directly over the fire. The food is placed next to, rather than directly above, the flames. The grill lid is closed to hold in the heat. Indirect grilling is used to cook large pieces of meat, like pork shoulders and whole chickens. The method is also used in Texas barbecue for making brisket and ribs. Just add a handful of soaked, drained wood chips or chunks on the coals before cooking. Hickory and oak are popular choices among Texas smoke masters.
Rubs
You’ll want to add a rub to season the meat before cooking. You can sprinkle it on just before cooking, or apply it several hours or even a day ahead to both season and cure the meat. The main rub ingredients are salt, pepper, paprika and brown sugar. You can then add your choice of spices such as onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper or celery seed.
Cooking
Texas barbecue means low and slow cooking, usually 225 to 240 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use a smoker, gas grill or charcoal grill. You should count on cooking a brisket for six or so hours, until the internal temperature reaches 190 F. Spareribs will take two to three hours to smoke.
Tags: before cooking, Texas barbecue, barbecue means, several hours, Texas barbecue means
Christmas is celebrated around the world in as many ways as there are cultures. While the central religious themes remain similar, the festivities and foods surrounding the holiday vary from land to land. Much of this special holiday food is based on regional cuisine, and some of it is based on myths and superstitions. All of it, however, is special and unique to this one holiday that happens every year.
History
Many people know about the basic history of Christmas, but not many people know that a winter holiday, with many similarities to Christmas, was being celebrated for thousands of years before the birth of Christ. The winter solstice celebrations throughout Europe were popular for centuries. These holidays were full of merriment, week-long parties and, of course, food and drink. It was a time of mass alcohol consumption. There was also more meat consumed during this time than any other during the year. Because it was so cold, the cattle were not feeding during the winter regularly, so many families would simply slaughter them to save money on feed. This meant huge amounts of fresh meat that was easy to preserve in the cold European winter. Rome celebrated a similar pre-Christ holiday called Saturnalia. This was a month full of partying and overindulgence of food and drink. Once Christmas was established, some of the ideas were translated from the pagan holidays that many were used to.
Significance
The significance of having dishes that are made specifically for Christmas is two-fold. The first idea is that you eat foods that are special or rare during this time because the holiday, itself, is special and rare. The expensive foods that are reserved for the very wealthy or entertaining purposes only are pulled out and the tables are adorned with them, rich and poor. It is part of the message of Christmas, that the savior provides for everyone equally, and that no one should go without the very best on this special day. The second idea behind special dishes on Christmas is symbolic. From land to land, there are foods that represent certain things in certain cultures. In Italy, it is the Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, while in Sweden it is Lingenberries and rice pudding.
Geography
As mentioned before, different countries have different ways to celebrate Christmas with food. The Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes can be anything from the very literal seven fried fish, to elaborate dishes of calamari, smoked salmon and whole baked red snapper. Only after the stroke of midnight is it permissible to eat meat, so oftentimes there will be two suppers: one before midnight mass, comprised entirely of fish, and one after mass, which will include meat and pasta dishes. In England, the typical feast is very rich and heavy. Duck and goose are common, as are gravies, potatoes and lots of sweets. The traditional English Christmas Pudding is made months ahead of time and steamed the day it is eaten. It is served with a butter and sugar combination called "hard sauce." In Mexico, the emphasis is definitely on sweets during this holiday. There are many delicious cookies that are common to be served on Christmas, but perhaps the most famous food-bearing guest at the Mexican Christmas party is the piñata. The piñata is a paper mache animal that is filled with homemade candies, then swung at by blindfolded children.
Size
Size is always a component of anyone who is planning a Christmas feast. Generally speaking, a traditional Christmas dinner is a large affair, and those recipes which can be either multiplied, or are simply too big to prepare for a small group, are pulled out and put to the test. One dish that has become very popular in the United States and England for Christmas is the standing rib roast of beef. This is a delicious dish, but one that can't be made on a regular basis, unless you have a family of 10 or more. In France, beef bourguignon is often made for this special day because it is a braised dish that can serve dozens of people.
Considerations
Before you plan your next Christmas get-together, make sure that you pay close attention to the dishes you will be serving. Honoring your heritage through the celebratory foods you serve can be extremely rewarding and give your guests both insight into who you are and also educate them a little. The dishes can serve as a fun way to open people's eyes to how different cultures celebrate the same holiday, and your guests will most certainly be talking about your get together the next day.
Tags: dish that, during this, foods that, this special, during this time, Feast Seven, Feast Seven Fishes
Clam digging is an outdoor adventure. Cooking your fresh harvest of clams into a steaming pot of clam chowder is the ultimate reward. If you don't live anywhere near the coast, purchase fresh clams from the grocery store. Before adding the clams to the chowder, remove the sand. Steam cook to open the shells.
Instructions
1. Scrub each clam's shell with a stiff vegetable brush under running water.
2. Place the clams in the soup pot and cover with cold water.
3. Stir in salt and cornstarch to the water. Soak the clams in the water for one hour. This helps remove the sand.
4. Pour the clams into a colander. Discard the water solution. Rinse the clams and wash the soup pot.
5. Place the clams in the clean soup pot with 1 cup of water and bay leaves. Put the lid on the pot. The lid should be tight.
6. Heat the pot over medium high and allow the clams to cook for 15 minutes to open the shells.
7. Discard shells and clams that remain closed. Use tongs to remove the clams from the pot.
8. Strain the liquid through cheesecloth. Reserve to use as clam juice, also called clam liquor.
9. Dice the clams into 1/4-inch pieces and add using the amount specified in your chowder recipe.
Tags: clams into, clam shell, clams from, open shells, Place clams, remove sand
"Mountain oysters" are a delicacy in some parts of the country where cattle are raised. Community groups conduct fry feed social events and fundraisers in the spring and early fall after young calves have been castrated. In addition to raising money for good causes, these events provide the opportunity for a bit of lighthearted humor regarding a delicate subject. Many people profess to truly enjoy the dish, especially if they happen to be in a line of work that depends upon cattle for income.
Instructions
1. Slit and remove the tough muscle sheath that encases each testicle, using a sharp knife. Place 2 lbs. of the trimmed testicles, available from specialty meat stores, in a pan of salted water that covers them completely. Use 1/4 cup of salt per 1 gallon of water. The saltwater draws out the blood. Let them soak for an hour.
2. Drain the testicles and transfer them to a large pot of boiling water. Add 1 generous tbsp. of vinegar and parboil the testicles until they're approximately one fourth of the way done, or until they change to a gray color and soften. This usually takes 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Let the mountain oysters cool, then slice them into ovals 1/4 inch thick. Salt and pepper them on both sides.
4. Mix 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup cornmeal in a bowl and add garlic to taste. Roll each mountain oyster slice in the flour and cornmeal breading mix, then dip into the milk and back into the breading mix.
5. Dip the breaded oysters briefly in a shallow bowl of red wine, then fry them in a skillet with oil at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, turning them as needed. When the oysters are nearly done, add Louisiana hot sauce, to taste, directly to the oil in the skillet. Be careful of the hot oil splattering as the sauce is added. Cook the oysters until they are soft enough to chew comfortably and have a deep golden-brown color. Don't overcook them; the longer they cook, the tougher they become.
Tags: until they, flour cornmeal, Prepare Mountain, Prepare Mountain Oysters
Chocolate icing is a flavorful addition to homemade donuts.
Homemade donuts have a delightfully moist and tender flavor that you won't find in store-bought confections. When you are making homemade donuts, go all out with chocolate icing to top them off with panache. The icing is simple, yet it adds a special touch to the tops of your donuts. Finish the donuts off with a dusting of nuts or colored sprinkles and your breakfast treat will tempt and satisfy.
Instructions
1. Measure the confectioners' sugar and the cocoa into the bowl. Stir the two ingredients well to mix them.
2. Mix the honey, water and vanilla in a small cup to incorporate the ingredients completely.
3. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients slowly. Stir the icing as you add the liquid.
4. Adjust the consistency of the icing to make it thin enough to drizzle. Add additional water by teaspoons if the icing is too thick, or add additional confectioners' sugar by teaspoons if the icing is too thin.
5. Drizzle the icing over the donuts using a spoon. Fill a spoon with the icing and hold it over the donuts. Move the spoon back and forth over the tops of the donuts to cover them attractively.
6. Cover the tops of the donuts with nuts or sprinkles before the icing sets.
7. Let the donuts sit for about 15 minutes for the icing to harden slightly.
This recipe for turkey gravy assumes that you have just roasted a turkey and are set to make pan gravy from the bird's drippings. Recipe yields 4 cups.
Instructions
1. Set aside turkey after it is done cooking. Take the pan the turkey was roasted in and pour all the drippings into a glass measuring cup that can accommodate 1 quart of liquid. Leave any browned bits on the bottom of the roasting pan. (These are actually quite tasty and help give the gravy its flavor.)
2. Let the drippings stand until the fat rises to the top of the measuring cup. Spoon off the fat and reserve.
3. Add stock so that there are 4 cups of liquid in the measuring cup.
4. Set the roasting pan over medium-low heat. (You may need to use two burners at once.)
5. Spoon out 6 tbsp. of the reserved fat and put it back in the roasting pan. Sprinkle the flour over the fat and whisk.
6. Whisk flour and fat for 1 to 2 minutes until the flour turns a nice golden-brown color.
7. Pour the drippings and stock mixture into the roasting pan and scrape off the encrusted bits on the bottom of the pan.
8. Simmer mixture for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking every so often.
9. Adjust the thickness of the gravy. If it is too thin, simmer, whisking often until the gravy is as thick as you want it. If it is too thick, whisk in a little more stock.
10. Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste.
11. Strain gravy if you want to get rid of any remaining encrusted bits you loosened earlier. Pour gravy into a gravy boat and serve.
Tags: bits bottom, encrusted bits, Make Turkey, Make Turkey Gravy
It is relatively easy to make orange flavored oil, considering that the only basic ingredients you'll need are fresh orange peels and "grain alcohol' ... and a little practice on your part to master the art. Orange peel contains essential citrus oils--d-Limonene in particular. Orange flavored oil has multiple uses, such as soil detoxification, pest control and gardening, air-freshening, food flavoring, cleaning and more. So, if you really wish to make orange flavored oil, hang on to those peels the next time you buy oranges.
Instructions
1. Dry a small bunch of fresh orange peels for a couple of days. Drying the orange peels indoors is safer than keeping them in direct sunlight outdoors. This will avoid drying up of the essential citrus oils present in the orange peels.
2. Grind the dried orange peels in a kitchen grinder.
3. Put the ground peels into a mason jar. A mason jar is a glass jar with an airtight screw top.
4. Pour in a quantity of grain alcohol sufficient enough to cover the ground orange peels. Grain alcohol is one of the purest forms of alcohol, and is also referred to as either ethanol or ethyl alcohol. It is derived from the distillation and fermentation of grain.
5. Shake the ground orange peels and grain alcohol mixture vigorously. Do this periodically (a few minutes each time) throughout the day. For better results, it is advisable to repeat this process for at least two days.
6. Strain the orange peel and grain alcohol mixture into a shallow dish using a good coffee filter. Then cover the dish containing the strained mixture. This will result in the evaporation of the alcohol present in the mixture. The final derivative will be pure, orange flavored oil.
7. Pour the strained, orange flavored oil into an airtight, glass storage jar and store for later use.
Keep your glass tilted at an angle to get optimal bubbles in your champagne.
If you are having a large amount of people over to toast the New Year or the bride and groom, plastic champagne glasses offer an economical alternative to purchasing or renting glass flutes. Using plastic instead of glass will not affect the taste of the champagne, but they are more prone to tipping over than their heavier glass counterparts. Pouring champagne down the side of your plastic glasses rather than into the middle of the glass will produce approximately 8 percent more fizz for your guests to enjoy.
Instructions
1. Chill your champagne in the refrigerator or an ice bucket before pouring.
2. Tilt your plastic champagne glass to approximately a 30-degree angle.
3. Pour the champagne slowly down the side of the glass, being careful to avoid overfilling the glass or allowing the champagne to fizz out of the glass.
4. Serve champagne immediately after pouring for best taste and presentation.
Tags: down side, glass will, your champagne, your plastic
Focaccia is an Italian flat bread. It is oven-baked, has a fairly dense structure (rather like a deep-pan pizza base) and can be served with a variety of additions, from olives baked into the bread to rosemary sprinkled on the top. In has become available all over the world. There are two ways to heat focaccia, depending on the state of the bread; either made from scratch or pre-cooked and purchased. The difference lies in the temperature of the oven and the timing.
Instructions
Pre-Baked Bread
1. Purchase your focaccia bread from the grocery store or local bakery.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Bake the bread for five minutes. Serve immediately.
Bread From Scratch
4. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
5. Make your focaccia bread, following your chosen recipe.
6. Bake the bread in the oven for 10 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 450 degrees F and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. The bread is done when it is firm but springy to the touch.
7. Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. Serve it warm.
Raisin Bran is a great addition to any bland muffin mix. The muffins are good for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Cook this recipe all at once or mix the batter and refrigerate it for up to 6 weeks. This allows you to cook smaller amounts of the muffins when you need them.
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl until blended.
3. Mix the oil and buttermilk with the eggs.
4. Sift the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, salt and baking soda together in a large bowl.
5. Combine the cereal and raisins with the mixed dry ingredients. Add the blended wet ingredients into the large bowl of dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
6. Grease or butter a muffin pan. Another option is to use muffin cups inside the muffin tins. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full with the batter.
7. Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes.
8. Test the muffins with a toothpick to see if they are done. Stick a toothpick in the center of the muffin. If the toothpick has batter on it when you pull it out, continue to cook the muffins a few more minutes. If the toothpick comes out clean, the muffins are done.
Replacing cream of mushroom soup in recipes is simple and requires only a few basic ingredients.
If you're in the middle of making a favorite recipe that calls for cream of mushroom soup and there is none in the pantry, there are some alternatives that require only a few ingredients but, will provide a creamy base for the recipe. Alternative bases also work well when you want to make something that has cream of mushroom soup listed as an ingredient, but you are allergic to or do not like the taste of mushrooms. When using a homemade base, use 2 cups for each can of soup required in the ingredients.
Roux Base
Milk and flour make a basic roux.
A quick alternative to cream of mushroom soup is to make a roux. To make the roux, whisk three tablespoons of flour with two and one quarter cups of milk, bring to a boil in a small saucepan and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens. For extra flavor, substitute one quarter of a cup of milk with one quarter of a cup of sour cream. If you want mushrooms, they can be added while the roux is thickening, however, if you do not like or are allergic to mushrooms, for extra flavoring as a base for soups, add a quarter of a cup of sauteed celery or onions. Salt and pepper to taste.
Cauliflower Base
Cauliflower is a healthy alternative to cream of mushroom soup.
If the goal is to replace the cream of mushroom soup due to health issues, such as high sodium content, substitute the cream base with cauliflower and chicken stock. Cook one head of cauliflower until tender. In a blender or food processor, add the cooked cauliflower, one and half cups of chicken stock and blend. If the sauce is too thick, slowly add evaporated milk or milk of choice to the ingredients and blend until the desired consistency. The base will be flavorful and work well as a substitute for canned cream of mushroom soup. If mushrooms are desired, any amount desired can be added to the base.
Potato Base
Potatoes can provide a creamy consistency to any dish that calls for a cream soup.
Dice two potatoes, place in a saucepan and add enough chicken broth to cover the potatoes. Allow potatoes to boil until extra soft (most of the broth should be evaporated). Put the potatoes in a blender or food processor with one tablespoon of sour cream and add evaporated milk until the base reaches the desired consistency. Mushrooms can be added if desired, otherwise the base will have good flavor without the mushrooms. If additional flavor is desired, saute one small onion or two diced stalks of celery, in olive oil or butter until tender and add to the base.
Homemade Mushroom Soup
Homemade mushroom soup is a simple alternative to the canned variety.
Make a batch of homemade soup when mushroom soup is desired but the amount of sodium in canned soup prevents you from enjoying a bowl of creamy soup. In a saute pan, melt four tablespoons of butter. Add three tablespoons and stir until well mixed. Slowly add one half cup of beef or chicken broth, stir and add one half cup of milk, mix well. Add desired amount of chopped and sauteed mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste and stir well. If thinner soup is desired, add additional milk and/or broth to desired consistency.
Even busy people like to throw a party once in a while, but a crowded schedule is no excuse to serve lackluster appetizers. Thanks to the abundance of fresh, prepared fruits, vegetables, dips and other table-ready foods found in grocery stores today, you can fill your party table with appetizers that are easy to make as well as delicious. The key to creating appetizers is to find simple, fresh, high-quality ingredients that can be easily combined.
Dip Appetizers
Adding a dip to a tray of food makes for an instant party atmosphere. The combinations you can create are almost endless and can be either sweet or savory. Buy prepared dips such as hummus or spinach dip, found in the produce or deli sections of major supermarkets. Sweeten sour cream or plain yogurt with pure maple syrup, honey or fruit preserves and serve fresh pineapple spears, apple and pear slices, fresh strawberries and melon chunks to scoop up the dip. Buy prepared guacamole, black bean and sour cream dips, place them in bowls and serve with corn chips and raw veggies.
Spread Appetizers
Slice a loaf of French bread into rounds, toast them and make a variety of spreads to top them with for a quick-to-make appetizer. You can buy packages of prepared toast rounds, crackers or bagel or pita chips to save even more time in the kitchen. To make a simple spread, start with a can of beans, cooked white or sweet potato or a bag of frozen peas that has been thawed. Drain off the liquid and grind the beans or vegetable into a paste in a food processor or blender. Add some olive oil, fresh herbs, garlic, hot pepper flakes and lemon or lime juice. Spread on the toast rounds and top each slice with a bit of olive, crumbled bacon or a sprig of parsley.
Speared Appetizers
Buy a box of fancy toothpicks or skewers and make appetizers with whatever fresh ingredients look most appealing in the grocery store's produce or deli-section. Fry any type of sausage in casing, slice, and spear for an easy appetizer. Serve the sausage with a selection of gourmet mustards. Make fruit kebabs by skewering red and green grapes, melon pieces, fresh berries and other fruits on bamboo skewers. Make roll-ups by placing a slice of cheese on a slice or two of deli meat, rolling it up and securing it with a toothpick. Make savory kebabs by placing green and black olives, gourmet cheese cubes, grape tomatoes, marinated mushrooms, roasted red bell pepper slices and salami rounds on bamboo skewers.
Crunchy Appetizers
You can easily bake a batch of crunchy party mix in your oven with a few basic ingredients. Mix together any combination of the following ingredients: Chex cereal, pretzels, peanuts, shelled sunflower or pumpkin seeds, mixed nuts, small cheese crackers, corn nuts, rice crackers and cubed crusty bread. Add a few tablespoons of melted butter, some seasonings such as ginger, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Bake the mixture at about 300 degrees F. for half an hour. Let the mixture cool and serve it in a decorative bowl with a serving spoon.
There are more exciting ways of serving a vegetable platter.
Serving a vegetable and dip tray is almost a given at parties, but why not change the presentation of this favorite appetizer to make it more eye-appealing and festive? The more eye-catching your vegetable tray is, the more likely party goers will partake. Start with your favorite dip recipe and fresh vegetables then choose your presentation style.
Kabobs
Serve bite-sized chunks of vegetables such as carrots, cherry tomatoes, radishes and bell peppers threaded onto kabob skewers. Arrange the skewers in a pyramid shape on a platter next to the bowl of dip. Kabob skewers are available in metal or bamboo from cooking supply stores. Use the most decorative ones you can find for extra flair.
Paint with Veggies
Use a variety of vegetable chunks to create a design. For a Fourth of July, Labor Day or Memorial Day picnic, arrange chunks of purple cauliflower or purple potatoes; red bell peppers or cherry tomatoes and white cauliflower or jicama chunks on a large platter to resemble the American flag. Place the purple cauliflower or purple potatoes into a square shape in the upper left corner of the platter. Add small white cauliflower florets at even intervals in this purple area for the stars in the flag. You will likely not have enough room for putting 50 stars, just get as many on as possible. Create red and white stripes to the right and below the purple area. Make a line with white cauliflower or jicama at the top, then create a row below it with red bell pepper strips or cherry tomatoes. Alternate the stripes to finish with 13 stripes. Serve the dip in a star-shaped bowl on the side.
Edible Serving Bowl
Instead of a bread bowl, serve the dip inside a hollowed out pumpkin. This is ideal for autumn parties, but you can also use hollowed melons, large tomatoes or acorn squash, based on the produce availability in your area. To hollow out a vegetable or fruit, cut off the top and scoop out the seed cavity and most of the flesh, leaving at least 1/2 inch for the walls. Do not cut through the bottom of the vegetable. Arrange the vegetables around the edible dip bowl. Aside from the platter, there will be no dishes to clean.
A Shot of Veggies
Add dimension to your vegetable tray and provide single servings of dip and veggies for your guests. Serve celery, carrot or bell pepper sticks standing upright in shot glasses with a spoonful of dip in the bottom. Reserve some shot glasses without dip for those who want to eat only the vegetables. The guests can grab a single shot glass and not have to block the serving line by scooping dip onto a plate.
Tags: cherry tomatoes, vegetable tray, white cauliflower, your vegetable tray, bell pepper, bell peppers, cauliflower jicama
If you have fresh cucumbers, try making your own dill pickles. Typically, you can make dill pickles one jar at a time. However, if you own a Crock Pot then you can make a large batch of pickles. Dill pickles require patience, but the experience will be rewarding. You can customize the taste of the pickles by letting them cure for the desired length of time. The longer the pickles cure, the stronger the pickles will taste.
Instructions
1. Clean the pickling cucumbers thoroughly to remove dirt and debris. Cut the ends off each cucumber; slice the cucumbers into thin round slices ¼ inch thick.
2. Place a thick layer of fresh dill on the bottom of your Crock Pot. Place a layer of the fresh cucumbers on top of the dill. Fill the Crock Pot halfway with the cucumbers.
3. Peel and slice four heads of garlic. Place these on top of the cucumbers.
4. Add another layer of fresh dill. Place 2 cups of kosher salt in a bowl; add 2 quarts of boiling water. Stir until the salt dissolves. Pour this over the cucumbers.
5. Pour 1 ½ cups of white vinegar into the Crock Pot. Add cold water until you cover the last layer of dill.
6. Place a plate on top of the pickles. Use a heavy object such as a clean rock to weigh the cucumbers down. Place a lid over the Crock Pot or wrap plastic wrap around the top to prevent dust from collecting.
7. Keep the crock in a cool dark place. After 5 days remove any mold that formed on top. Add ½ cup of salt.
8. Allow the pickles to cure until they reach your desired taste. You can cure the pickles up to 2 to 3 weeks. Once the pickles become translucent and even in color, they are safe to eat. Store the pickles in the refrigerator, or begin processing them in a pressure canner.
This is a great hearty soup to serve during the cold winter months. ("Albondigas" are meatballs, by the way.) This recipe serves six people.
Instructions
1. Soak the slices of bread in the milk. When the bread is soft, squeeze as much of the milk out of it as you can and then tear it into very small pieces.
2. Combine the bread, meat, half of the minced onion, eggs, salt, pepper, garlic powder and coriander in a large bowl. Mix the ingredients together with your fingers until it is all thoroughly combined.
3. Using your hands, roll the meat into 24 balls of equal size. Heat the oil and the remaining onion in a large pot over medium heat.
4. Cook for 6 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes longer while stirring.
5. Add the tomato puree and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the broth to the pot and turn the heat to high.
6. When the mixture boils, add the meatballs and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until the meatballs are completely cooked.
7. Taste the broth for seasoning and add salt and pepper if preferred.
Split peas are dry peas cut in half. Peas are legumes and are high in protein and low in fat. The most common use for split peas is in split-pea soup, but they are suitable for many recipes.
Serving Size
One cup of cooked split peas counts as a serving, according to the nutrition website Nutrition Data.
Nutrition---Dry
A cup of split peas cooked without salt contains 231 calories, 1 g of fat, no cholesterol, minimal sodium, 16 g of fiber and 16 g of protein, according to Nutrition Data.
Nutrition---Canned
A serving of reduced-sodium canned split-pea soup contains 180 calories, 2 g of fat, 420 mg of sodium, 5 grams of fiber, 13 g of sugar and 10 g of protein, according to Nutrition Data.
Benefits
According to World's Healthiest Foods, split peas (as well as whole peas) are useful in reducing risk of heart disease and stabilizing blood sugar, and are high in fiber, which lowers cholesterol and helps prevent constipation and digestive disorders.
Preparation
Remove any dirt or stones, then cover the split peas in water (3 cups water per cup of peas), boil, reduce hit and simmer for half an hour, according to World's Healthiest Foods.
Tags: Nutrition Data, split peas, World Healthiest Foods, according Nutrition, according Nutrition Data
Spring green onions have a fresh flavor and vibrant color.
Celebrate spring by making a fresh and tasty green onion soup from scratch. Spring green onion soup is a lighter, healthier version of its heavy French onion counterpart but still packs a flavorful punch. If you have a garden, use your green onion harvest, along with other vegetables, to make the nutritious soup. Green onion soup makes a filling meal when served alongside crusty bread or rolls and a garden salad.
Instructions
1. Melt 4 tbsp. of butter over medium heat in a large saucepan.
2. Rinse the green onions under cool, running tap water to remove any dirt or pesticides. Pat the onions dry with a paper towel. Chop 3 cups of green onions and add them to the melted butter.
3. Saute the onions, along with one peeled, minced clove of garlic, for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of sliced white or baby portobello mushrooms and saute for another 5 minutes.
4. Pour 6 cups of vegetable or beef broth, depending on your preferences, into the pan and stir to blend. Bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to "low" and simmer the broth, covered, for 10 minutes.
5. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Spoon the soup into individual serving bowls and top with crunchy croutons.
Tags: green onions, onion soup, along with, green onion, Spring green
Avocados turn an unappetizing brown color when exposed to air, due to the presence in the fruit of enzymes and phenolic compounds, which encourage oxidation. What can you do to prevent the oxidation? There are several methods, all of which prevent the enzymes in the cut avocado from combining with the oxygen in the air. Use more than one for best results.
Instructions
1. Cut the avocado in half, around the large central pit.
2. Twist the avocado halves to separate them. Rub 1 tsp. of lime juice over the cut edges to slow the browning. Submerge the cut fruit in water with 1 tbsp. of lime juice for up to one hour if not using the cut fruit immediately.
3. Scoop out the pit and spoon out the avocado fruit into a bowl.
4. Prepare your avocado using a recipe or as desired.
5. Cover the top of the prepared avocado by spreading a thin layer of olive oil over the surface.
6. Press a piece of non-gas permeable plastic wrap directly on top of the surface of the avocado. Store your avocado dish in the refrigerator to further slow the rate of browning.
Tags: Avocado From, Avocado From Turning, From Turning, From Turning Brown, Keep Avocado
Onion soup is a traditional soup that is served in many different regions all over the world. This Tuscan onion soup incorporates ingredients commonly found in Italian cooking, including fresh thyme, white wine and pancetta to make a soup that is flavorful, hearty and complex. With the accompanying Gruyere and cheddar cheese bread, Tuscan onion soup makes a great dinner on cold winter nights.
Instructions
1. Cook the pancetta in a large dry skillet for 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside in a small bowl.
2. Add the olive oil and cook the onions and garlic for 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until onions caramelize.
3. Add the chicken stock and white wine and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Add the pancetta to the soup, and add the kosher salt and cracked pepper.
5. Toast slices of the Italian bread on a very hot grill or over the open flame on the stove, taking care not to burn the bread completely. Spread butter on top of the toasted slices and melt the shredded cheese on top of the bread.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls, and put a few toasted bread slices next to each bowl. Garnish with the chopped fresh thyme. Serve hot.
is the older sibling of the regular tawny. They both find their beginnings as a Ruby port, but while a regular Tawny is aged in wood for two to seven years, an aged tawny port spends no less than 10 years in wood. This longer aging time results in a more complex and mellow tawny port.
Instructions
1. Know that aged tawny is different than a regular Tawny. Aged tawny can come from only the highest quality Ruby port blends.
2. Understand read the label. The age of tawny port is indicated on the label as either 10, 20, 30 or 40. This denotes the average age of the port blend. The older port offers flavors that are more complex and rich, with soft tannins and a silky mouth feel.
3. Determine when to drink aged tawny port. This port has matured in wood casks and is ready to drink when bottled.
4. Buy a 20-year aged tawny port. These aged tawnys are considered by the Portuguese to be the pinnacle form of the art of port wine production.
5. Try Dow's 10-, 20-, 30- or 40-year aged tawny port. Dow has been around since 1798 and is a highly regarded port house worldwide.
6. Purchase Cockburn's 10- or 20-year aged tawny port. Cockburns is another port house that has been around for many years. Its 10- and 20-year Aged tawnys have consistently received top reviews from wine connoisseurs around the globe.
Banana splits are served with whipped cream with a cherry on top.
Whipping cream is a main ingredient for professional and home bakers alike, and is commonly used in desserts. The sweet and fluffy, cloud-like cream is made from whipping heavy cream with a whisk or electric mixer. During whipping, the fat in the cream begins to stick to the air bubbles, doubling and stiffening the cream. Whipped cream is a component in desserts such as lemon meringue pie, and complements other desserts as a topping. Whipped cream can be made up to 48 hours in advance of when you need it, if properly stored.
Instructions
1. Place a glass mixing bowl, the wire whisk or the metal beaters into the freezer for 15 minutes. Heavy cream needs to be whipped in a chilled environment for best results.
2. Fill a shallow bowl wider than the one in the freezer halfway with water and ice, then place the chilled mixing bowl inside of it.
3. Pour 1 cup of heavy cream into the bowl, and beat with the electric mixer for 20 to 30 seconds on low. If you are using a wire whisk, add another 10 to 15 seconds, or mix until you see bubbles starting to form.
4. Turn the speed on the electric mixer to medium and continue to beat until the cream just begins to thicken. Expect this to take a while if you are using a wire whisk.
5. Turn the electric mixer to high and mix on high while slowly, and gradually adding 2 tbsp. of sugar into the cream. Ensure that all the sugar is being mixed into the cream by moving the beaters all around and along the edges of the bowl.
6. Stir until stiff peaks form, about another 20 to 30 seconds if using an electric mixer. The cream should hold shape and stick well to the beaters if it is sufficiently whipped. Do not over whip the cream or it will begin to break down.
7. Line a mesh sieve with cheesecloth.
8. Pour the whipped cream into the cheesecloth-lined sieve, and place the sieve in a bowl that will hold it up so that the bottom of the sieve is at least 2 inches from the bottom of the bowl.
9. Cover the sieve and bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. The sieve will pull condensation into the bottom of the bowl, which will help keep the cream thick and stiff.
Tags: electric mixer, wire whisk, another seconds, bottom bowl, cream into, cream made
An electric roaster can cook the turkey and free your full-sized oven for other dishes.
An electric roaster oven is a kitchen appliance that sits on the counter and plugs into a standard outlet. Though much smaller than a conventional oven, an electric roaster oven can be used to cook all kinds of meats and vegetables. Cooking a whole turkey in an electric roaster means your conventional oven is free for other things.
Time and Temperature
Always read the manual that came with your electric roaster to determine the recommended cooking time and temperature setting for a whole turkey. They should be about the same as a conventional oven. However, even with exact numbers to follow, cooking a whole turkey in a roaster presents many uncontrollable variables: the shape of the bird, the size of the roaster oven, the ratio of meat to bone, the altitude and whether the turkey is fresh or if it was frozen and then thawed. To make things worse, it seems that every recipe suggests a different time and temperature. Your best bet is to follow the advice of those who made the appliance you're using. Then buy an instant-read thermometer and remove the turkey from the oven when the thickest part of the breast reaches (minimally) 160 degrees . Let the turkey sit for about a half hour--it is still cooking and the thermometer should read between 165 degrees and 170 degrees by the time it's done.
A Crisp Skin
Larger turkeys may not turn golden brown in an electric roaster as they do in a larger oven, so check the bird when about 45 minutes of cooking time are left. If it's not browning, to crisp the skin, take the turkey out of the roaster oven, baste it with melted butter and place it in your conventional oven (set to a similar temperature as the roaster) for the remaining time. Don't forget to account for the 20 to 30 minutes the turkey will rest on the counter while the juices are redistributed throughout the meat and the bird continues to cook. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that turkey is safe to eat when it reaches 165 degrees throughout, so you'll want to take it out when your instant-read thermometer reads 160 degrees.
Butterball Recipe
Butterball is all about turkey, and its recipe for oven-roasted turkey is as easy as they come. Simply rub 3 tbsp. thyme and 1 clove garlic on the outside of your turkey and place the turkey in a preheated electric roaster oven. The directions call for an oven temperature of 375 degrees; check your oven manual, and if it recommends a different temperature, go with that instead. Use your instant-read thermometer to determine when to remove the turkey (and put it in your conventional oven to crisp the skin if desired) and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
Cooking Bag Recipe
You may place the turkey in a cooking bag in your electric roaster oven if you wish. However, the area inside this appliance is smaller than that of your conventional oven, and the bag cannot touch the roaster's sides, bottom or lid. Make sure that is the case before choosing to use a cooking bag.
Tags: conventional oven, roaster oven, electric roaster, electric roaster oven, your conventional, your conventional oven, electric roaster
Use fresh canned tomatoes and okra in your favorite soup recipes.
Pressure canning your own tomatoes at home is an excellent way to use up excess tomatoes from your garden or from a local farm during tomato season. Home canned tomatoes have a delicious fresh flavor that can be paired with everything from basil to garlic to chili peppers. Create a wide variety of flavor combinations for different purposes (soups, stews, sauces etc.) or give your fresh canned tomatoes away as a gift once the season ends.
Instructions
Prepping the Jars and Lids
1. Heat 2 qt. of water to boiling in the small stock pot.
2. Wash your jars with hot, soapy water and allow to dry upside down on a clean dish towel.
3. Drop your canning lids in the boiling water and leave them in there until you are ready to top your jars.
Prepare the Tomatoes and Okra
4. Fill the large stock pot half-way with water and bring it to a boil on your stove top.
5. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
6. Score the bottoms of your tomatoes and drop them in the boiling water for 30-45 seconds. Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water with a ladle and submerge them in the ice bath. This will loosen the skins and allow you to peel them with less difficulty.
7. Peel the skins from your tomatoes by rubbing the outside of the tomato with your fingers. Discard the skins and place the peeled tomatoes in a large non-reactive bowl. Cut the peeled tomatoes into quarters. Set ten tomatoes aside for use in your juice.
8. Wash the okra and trim the stems from the vegetables. Slice the okra into medallions and mix with the tomatoes in the large bowl. Set these aside.
Making Your Tomato Juice
9. Blend the tomatoes you set aside for your juice in a blender with four cups of water until smooth.
10. Chop two bell peppers and one medium sized onion into small pieces. Remove the stem and seeds from the bell pepper. Peel, crush and chop four garlic cloves.
11. Drop all of the vegetables into the blender and blend on high until smooth. You will need to add four additional cups of water to this mixture in order to get a juice like consistency. You can add less if you desire, but the juice should not be thick. Add enough sea salt to the juice to suit your tastes. Herbs can be added at this point, if you desire. Basil, cilantro, parsley and oregano are all suitable options and can be blended right into the juice. Add the juice of two lemons, minus the seeds. Blend this together.
12. Pour the juice into a pitcher, cover and set aside.
Filling the Jars
13. Fit a funnel to the top of one of your canning jars.
14. Ladle enough tomatoes and okra into the jar to fill it while leaving one inch of head-space.
15. Pour enough tomato juice into the jars to fill in the gaps (leaving the one inch of head-space). Slide a spoon along the side of the jar to release any trapped air bubbles. Repeat this process with all of the jars. Wipe the rims clean with a moist, clean towel to pick up any spillage.
16. Lift the lids out of the boiling water and fit a lid to each jar. Tighten the lids until they are fingertip tight, but do not over tighten them.
Processing the Jars
17.Place the pressure canner on the stove top, utilizing the largest burner.
18. Drop the rack into the pressure canner and place your filled, sealed jars (lid side up) in one layer in the pressure canner on top of the rack.
19. Pour enough hot water into the pressure canner to fill it a few inches.
20. Fasten the lid to the canner and remove the weight from the vent port. Turn the burner up high and heat the canner until steam pours freely from the vent port. Maintain the high heat setting and allow the pressure canner to vent for a full ten minutes.
21. Place the weight over the vent port and allow the canner to come up to eleven lbs of pressure. As soon as the canner comes up to the proper pressure begin your timer. Process the jars for twenty-five minutes and keep a watchful eye on the pressure gauge. Adjust the temperature as needed to maintain the proper pressure setting.
Finishing Up
22. Turn the burner off on the stove once the processing time has elapsed.
23. Allow the pressure canner to decompress and cool down. The pressure gauge will quickly begin to fall toward zero as the pressure decreases inside the canner.
24. Remove the weight from the vent port while wearing eye goggles and an oven mitt. Once all of the steam has released from the canner, remove the lid. Do not try and force the lid off if the pressure hasn't been fully released.
25. Remove the jars from the canner using a jar lifter and place the jars on a cooling rack or dry kitchen towel. Place the jars in a location where they will not be exposed to cool drafts as the jars can crack. It takes a full twenty-four hours for the jars to completely cool. Allow them to cool overnight and then store in a cool place.