Store-bought syrup often includes ingredients you can't even pronounce. Instead of serving these syrups on your pancakes or waffles, make your family homemade syrup. Homemade syrup made with fruit is delicious, inexpensive and can be made quickly.
Instructions
1. Wash your fresh fruit or berries or let frozen fruit thaw to a soft stage. Measure the fruit in the 2-quart saucepan.
2. Add water to saucepan using the lesser amount at first. If you need more after the syrup is cooking, add it then. Add the sugar and stir with spatula or wooden spoon, until thoroughly mixed.
3. Turn on stove to low heat. This is a slow-temperature cooking recipe. You want the full flavor of the fruit or berries to blend well with the other ingredients. Add 3 tablespoons of cornstarch before the mixture heats. Stir to mix well.
4. Cook over low heat until the mixture has a shiny look. Then increase the heat, by a little, to slightly hotter temperature. Cook and keep stirring until it has little bubbles, but not boiling. As this is cooking, check for desired consistency, adding more cornstarch and/or water as needed. If you carefully lift the spatula or wooden spoon from the syrup, you should be able to see if it is the thick texture you want.
5. Remove from heat. Serve hot or cooled in a glass bowl. Refrigerate, cooled syrup leftovers in a glass container with a tight lid.
Tags: fruit berries, spatula wooden, spatula wooden spoon, wooden spoon, your pancakes
According to the online food magazine TheNibble, pesto sauce originated in the Italian province of Liguria, sometimes called the Italian Rivera. In his book, "Delizia! The Epic History of the Italians and Their Food," John Dickie explains that Ligurians originally used pesto to flavor vegetable soup. Pesto developed as a sauce for pasta in 1910, and has evolved into a culinary embellishment that enhances meats, seafood, bread, pizza, salads, and vegetables. The olive oil and basil in pesto adds moisture, anti-oxidants, and a gourmet flair to regular baked chicken.
Instructions
1. Mix basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan cheese in a blender or food processor to create the pesto sauce. Blend until a thick and smooth sauce forms. Set the pesto sauce aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Flatten chicken slightly. Place the chicken in a 13 x 9 baking dish.
3. Pour a 1/2 cup of pesto over the chicken, then top with the mushrooms. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Boil pasta while the chicken is baking.
4. Sprinkle baked chicken with the shredded provolone and bake for another 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
5. Drain pasta and mix with the remaining pesto. Place the pasta on individual plates and serve the chicken over the bed of pasta.
Mortar and pestle are the pesto-making tools of choice in Italy.
In Genoa, Italy, pesto alla Genovese - pesto sauce Genoa-style - appears on virtually every restaurant menu. That is because Genoa can rightly claim the title of birthplace of this popular pasta dressing. Although many American chefs prefer using an electric blender to make a pesto, no true Genoese would use any device other than a mortal and pestle.
Instructions
The Recipe
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Spread the pine nuts on a small baking sheet, and roast them on the middle rack, checking every few minutes until they are toasty and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl.
2. Coarsely chop the basil leaves. Add the leaves to the mortar, along with a few teaspoons of the olive oil. Crush the basil and oil with the pestle to blend.
3. Mince the garlic clove, and add it to the mortar. Add the cheese and pine nuts.
4. With the pestle, begin working the ingredients into a smooth paste. As you work, slowly drizzle in the remainder of the olive oil. You will know the basil is finished when the ingredients are completely homogenized and the color has lightened slighty.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the pesto to a bowl large enough to accommodate the cooked pasta. Add the pasta and toss to combine.
Ice wine is very different from its more common counterpart, table wine. Ice wine takes a little more understanding regarding the making process to help you make an informed decision when the time comes to choose a good ice wine. Here are some tips to help you choose the right ice wine for your palate and budget.
Instructions
1. Select a wine that has no artificial freezing. Unlike the table wine, ice wine is made from crushed, frozen grapes. The best ice wines are made from naturally frozen grapes that have been frozen for nearly 36 hours. When choosing an ice wine, do your research. Ensure the wine maker allows nature to freeze the grapes rather than a high tech man-made freezer.
2. Look for a sweetness-acidity balance. Because of its manufacturing process, ice wines are sweet. However, along with its sweetness there should be a proper natural blend of acid. A good ice wine balances the sweet and acidic flavors
3. Ask your waiter. If you are dining out and would like to have an after dinner ice wine to accompany your dessert, consult the waiter. Quality restaurants have trained staff that can gladly answer your questions and help you choose the appropriate ice wine.
4. Speak to your wine retailer. Liquor and wine stores that carry ice wine have someone on staff that is knowledgeable about ice wines. Speak to the staff; ask questions that help you to choose the right wine for your tastes and budget.
5. Search online. There is a wealth of information at your fingertips. You may have to dig deep to find what you're looking for, but the search is worth it if in the end you choose the right wine.
Tags: choose right, choose right wine, help choose, right wine, wine your, frozen grapes
Bartending is a great way to earn extra money. There can be negative aspects to bartending including late nights and having to turn away customers who have had one too many drinks. Nevertheless, learning bartend can make you the life of the party, that is if you don't mind mixing work with pleasure. Following are some steps to help you break into bartending.
Instructions
1. Enroll in a bartending class. These classes usually run for two hours each and take place fives times a week for close to a month. At the end of the class you will have to make all the typical drinks for the instructor. Some instructors give you a list a drinks to make in a certain time period to see if you can handle the pressure.
2. Join an online bartending school if you do not have the time to attend a class. These classes are geared toward memorizing how the drinks are made. These classes are usually at your own pace.
3. Check to see if local bars are offering positions with on-the-job training. Bars will train you to become a bartender and then may hire you after you are trained. Sometimes they will have you shadow one of their bartenders before you manage the bar yourself.
4. Practice, practice, practice no matter which route you take. A good bartender knows make the most requested or popular drinks, while also keeping up to date with new drinks.
Tags: These classes, class These, class These classes, classes usually, These classes usually, will have
Pancakes can be made easily without any special equipment, but the pancake's fancier cousin, the waffle, needs a special kitchen appliance to be constructed properly. The waffle maker comes in standard models and special models for making the thicker kind known as Belgian waffles. A waffle maker can be found well north of the $100 price range, but perfectly serviceable waffles can be made just as well on a $20 waffle maker.
Batter
The batter that you make or buy for pancakes is just fine for use in a waffle maker. While waffle batter made from scratch means you can adjust the ingredients to create the perfect waffle in terms of texture and taste, any store bought waffle or pancake batter will make tasty waffles and save you time. For easy organic waffles that, admittedly, don't taste exactly like you would find at most breakfast restaurants, try the organic waffle batter that you spray from a can.
Cooking
Follow the instructions that came with your specific waffle maker, but remember that in most cases you need to turn the machine on and wait for a light to go on or off, or a signal to be heard. Pour the batter onto the lower portion and close. When the waffle is ready, the light or audio signal will display.
Warning
The batter that is poured into the waffle maker is going to rise, so don't pour in too much. The result of almost all attempts to make a waffle is going to be waffle run-off--that is the batter that doesn't remain enclosed when the lid is pulled down and so runs off the side. Only when you pour the perfect amount of batter into the maker will there be no runoff, but you'll learn quickly enough how much is too much when your counter-top or stove is inundated with batter runoff. The first few times you use a waffle maker, therefore, should be done so with a towel or several paper towels placed beneath the waffle maker to make cleanup easier. Learn from experience when you are pouring the batter.
Raw pumpkin can be used to make a variety of recipes, and there's good reason for including this nutrition-packed vegetable in your diet. Pumpkin is rich in Vitamin A and minerals. In addition, the meat of the pumpkin contains a large amount of carotenoids, according to the Super Food Rx website. Raw pumpkin can be used to create a variety of delicious drinks, such as smoothies and "eggnog." Pumpkin soup is another possibility for making this flavorful squash part of your menu plan.
Instructions
Pumpkin Smoothie
1. Combine pumpkin, milk or yogurt, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar and ice cubes in a blender.
2. Set your blender to "Medium" speed or choose the "Smoothie" option.
3. Blend for one to two minutes until creamy.
Pumpkin Soup
4. Combine pumpkin and apple in food processor until smooth.
5. Pour in coconut water and add garlic, onion, tahini, thyme, sea salt and paprika.
6. Process ingredients until they have a smooth texture.
7. Transfer mixture to a saucepan.
8. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring until ingredients warm.
Pumpkin "Eggnog"
9. Juice small pumpkin, according to your juicer's instruction.
10. Pour the resulting pumpkin juice into your blender.
11. Add ginger, cinnamon and honey.
12. Blend on "Medium" speed for one to three minutes until ingredients are combined.
13. Dilute the taste by adding water if the "eggnog" is too rich.
14. Chill mixture before serving.
Tags: Combine pumpkin, Medium speed, minutes until, pumpkin used, until ingredients, your blender
Ethiopia is a country with many cultures and types of foods.
With more than 80 ethnic groups in the country, each with different languages, cultures and foods, Ethiopia has one of the most diverse populations in Africa. A common staple food for a number of tribes is injera, which people around the world often think of first as a classic Ethiopian food. Many other traditional Ethiopian foods exist that employ native grains and adhere to local customs such as vegetarianism.
Injera
Injera is a spongy flatbread containing fermented teff. The teff grain grows mainly in Ethiopia. Other grasses in the same family include the sand lovegrass found in the United States. Teff naturally contains a small amount of yeast. To make injera, a cook leaves a batter of teff flour and water out to sit for a day or more. Sometimes the cook will use a starter to improve or speed up the process. She then pours the batter onto a heated pan and leaves it until the spongy surface is just cooked. This takes only a few seconds. Although making injera with pure teff flour is more common and traditional, sometimes a cook will use other flours. Some teff flour substitutions include rice, millet, sorghum, wheat, corn and barley or even a combination. Yeast is necessary in these cases. It's possible to dry and reconstitute injera made with teff, but the texture and longevity of other grains vary. Ethiopians eat injera with all sorts of things.
Wat
Wat or wot is the stew or sauce that goes with injera. These sauces range from culture to culture as well as personal taste. Some of the more common wat types are made of lentils, beef, lamb, fish and chicken. All sauces usually contain a few essential additions, such as a good amount of fresh onions; berebere, which is a red hot spice blend made with garlic, onions, peppers, ginger, cardamom and cloves, among other things; and niter kibe.
Niter Kibe
Niter Kibe is a special ghee made with butter and spices such as ginger, garlic, onion, cumin, basil and cardamom seeds. To make the ghee, the cook melts butter and skims off the milk solids. The cook adds onions, garlic and the rest of the spices. After simmering for a short while, the mixture is left to cool a little before being strained and stored. Niter Kibe flavors other dishes like vegetables. In some places, Ethiopians add it to coffee.
Tags: made with, Niter Kibe, teff flour, cook will, injera with, more common
Rice pilaf is a simple way of cooking rice so it's fluffy and loose. In a pilaf dish, the rice grains stay separate and don't form clumps. This recipe can be used as a side dish any time you feel like eating rice. It makes about 3 cups.
Instructions
1. Heat a nonstick 10-inch skillet over medium heat and add the oil.
2. When hot, add the butter and onion and saute until the onion is tender, about two to three minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. If you use canned broth, omit the salt, as the broth is plenty salty.
3. Stir in the rice. Coat each grain with some of the fat in the pan. This key step keeps each grain separate.
4. Cook the rice for about 30 seconds, stirring to keep rice from sticking to the bottom.
5. Add 1 3/4 cups of broth or water and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, lower the heat to a slow simmer and cover tightly.
6. Simmer for 12 minutes, then stir once and cover again. If pan is dry, add 1/4 cup more liquid.
7. Cook five minutes more, then taste. If rice is undercooked, add 1/4 cup more liquid, simmer three more minutes, then shut off the heat and let the rice steam, still covered, for five to ten minutes.
8. Taste again. When the rice is done, fluff with a fork and serve.
Tags: each grain, five minutes, minutes then, more liquid
Baking can be a fun activity to do with the kids. Not only can baking be a lot of fun, but the kitchen is a great place for kids to gain confidence, learn new skills, and build childhood memories. And of course, eating the end product can be the most fun of all.
Instructions
1. Pick a recipe that is easy for kids to do. Baking cookies is usually one of the most fun activities because it involves using dough. Kids love to roll cookie dough into balls, cut cookies using cookie cutters, and frost them after the baking is done.
2. Keep the kids actively involved. If they end up standing around watching you bake, it isn't much fun. Assign them tasks that are appropriate for their age and then give them the freedom to do it. Measuring, stirring, and getting out the ingredients are things kids of most any age can do.
3. Understand that accidents happen and don't get upset when they do. Never ridicule or yell at a child that measures an ingredient wrong or spills the oil on the counter when pouring. Patience is important to keep the baking fun.
4. Take advantage of those teachable moments. Explain how things work. Teach math while learning measuring. Just be sure to keep it fun.
5. Taste the batter or the dough after it is mixed. Remember, it is hard for kids to wait through the entire baking process before getting to sample their masterpiece.
6. Tell others that the kids made the dessert when it comes time to eat. Let them feel the pride over creating such a wonderful tasting food. Praise them for their efforts and tell them it is the best cookie you have ever tasted, even if it came out a little too salty.
Although barbecuing oysters may sound more complicated than grilling meat, they can actually be a more hands-off process because they don't require flipping or guesswork. As soon as the oyster shells pop open on the grill, you know they're done. Barbecuing can also give the oysters a richer flavor than if you had steamed them.
Instructions
1. Place 1 to 2 lbs. of fresh oysters into a large bowl. Position the bowl of oysters underneath cold, running water. Scrub the shells vigorously to loosen any surface grime.
2. Rinse the oyster shells thoroughly, then pat them dry with a clean cloth. Set your gas grill to medium-high heat.
For a charcoal grill, spread out a single layer of charcoal. Light the grill and then position your hand, palm-side down, about 6 inches above the grill. Once you can only hold your palm above the heat for four seconds without having to move it, the grill has reached medium-high heat.
3. Position the oysters directly onto the heated grill so the flatter sides of the oyster shells face upward, which will allow the shellfish to open at their hinges when they are cooked. Position the oysters so that you can easily see their hinges.
4. Keep the oysters uncovered and let them cook undisturbed for about four minutes. Watch the oysters closely and use tongs to carefully remove and transfer each oyster to a platter as it pops open on its own. Larger oysters may take longer to cook. Discard any oysters that haven't popped open on their own within 10 minutes.
5. Serve the oysters warm while they are still in their shells. Scoop out the meat and chop it up for soups, stews or salads.
Tags: oyster shells, medium-high heat, open their, oysters that, Position oysters, their hinges
There's no bigger crowd-pleaser than a blender bursting with ice, fresh ingredients and a splash or two of booze--and a charming bartender to serve it all. You can be that charming bartender, and mix drinks for your friends with a flourish. All you need is the right equipment, ingredients and atmosphere--and don't forget, a twinkle in your eye.
Instructions
1. Watch the classic Tom Cruise movie "Cocktail" for idea on be an entertaining bartender. Practice serving drinks with flair by treating family members or close friends to a few custom-blended treats.
2. Brush up on your bartending skills by reviewing your recipe book. Make a list of drinks friends you've invited to the party typically order, and make sure you've purchased the right ingredients beforehand.
3. Designate an area as "the bar," whether it's a counter in your kitchen or a corner by your pool. Bring all bartending equipment and ingredients here. Decorations can be a fun touch--check your party store for oversized margarita glasses or tropical items like leis and tiki huts.
4. Prepare a few popular drinks as guests arrive so they understand that the services of a friendly bartender are part of the festivities. Mix drinks like frozen margaritas, pina coladas, mojitos and martini favorites like sour apples or cosmopolitans to set the tone.
5. Ask, "What's your poison?" with a disarming smile as guests approach your makeshift bar. Mix drinks with your practiced brand of flourish and serve in appropriate glasses or tumblers with garnishes. Take orders quickly without appearing flustered.
Pancake flour, also known as pancake mix, is readily available at grocery stores, but you can save time and money by making your own pancake mix from scratch. The pancake flour you make at home will have the same necessary ingredients as the flour you would buy at the store, except yours will not have artificial additives like preservatives, making your pancake batter more delicious. Making your own pancake flour also means you can use fresh, high-quality ingredients for your batter or leave out other ingredients like baking soda or milk depending on your dietary restrictions.
Instructions
1. Add all of the ingredients into an airtight storage container.
2. Shake the storage container to combine all of the ingredients.
3. Store the flour for no more than four months.
4. To use the flour, whisk together two egg whites into 2 cups buttermilk, and two egg yolks into 4 tbsp. melted butter. Combine the two egg mixtures and lightly whisk the mixture into 2 cups of pancake flour. Mix until just incorporated, being careful not to over mix. Heat a griddle, butter it lightly, wipe the butter off and pour some of the batter onto the griddle. Flip when the bottom is golden brown and cook until the pancake is set. Serve immediately.
Tags: pancake flour, your pancake, flour also, into cups, storage container, will have
Chiles rellenos, or stuffed chiles, are one of the most emblematic dishes in Mexican cuisine, with origins dating back to the Spanish conquest of Mexico in the 16th century. A variety of chile relleno, the chile en nogada, has an especially important significance in Mexican cultural identity because of its historic connection with Mexico's independence from Spain.
Origins
As with Mexican culture as a whole, much of Mexico's culinary tradition derives from the mixture, or mestizaje, of Spanish and indigenous customs. The chile relleno, a roasted poblano chile stuffed with cheese or meats and covered in an egg batter and fried, is part of this tradition. According to the Mexican culture website mexicolindoyquerido.com, the chile relleno resulted from a "fortunate mixture of indigenous and European ingredients---a fusion of the native vegetable ... with the foreign filling of sardines, cheese or picadillo (pork diced with raisins, nuts and seasoning). ... And that's how chiles rellenos increasingly became one of Mexican society's most requested foods."
Puebla Connection
Because the chile relleno is traditionally made with a poblano chile, and poblano is a term used to refer to people and things from the city and state of Puebla, the chile relleno is widely considered to have originated in Puebla. In fact, nuns from Puebla are credited with having invented a variety of the chile relleno called the chile en nogada, perhaps modern Mexico's most patriotic dish.
Chile en Nogada
According to legend, Agustin de Iturbide, the one-time royalist who engineered the final defeat of the Spanish army in Mexico, decided to celebrate the day of his patron saint, San Agustin, in Puebla on Aug. 28, 1821. He was on his way back to Mexico City from the state of Veracruz after having just signed the Treaty of Cordoba granting Mexico independence from Spain.
The celebration was held at a local convent, where nuns created a special dish for the occasion: a chile relleno covered in nogada, a walnut-cream sauce that takes its name from the Spanish word nogal, meaning walnut tree. On top of the white sauce they sprinkled green parsley and red pomegranate seeds, giving the dish the red-white-and-green color scheme of the Mexican flag. And thus was born a patriotic culinary tradition.
Doubters
Historian Jose Luis Juarez Lopez notes in an article published in the September 2005 edition of the journal Correo del Maestro that while chiles rellenos were documented for hundreds of years in Mexico, chiles en nogada did not appear in Mexican culinary references until decades after Iturbide's legendary stopover in Puebla. Even an 1849 "Manual for the Cook" published in Puebla made no reference to chiles en nogada. Instead, it gave a recipe for hen in nogada sauce.
According to Juarez Lopez, the first published culinary reference to chiles rellenos covered in nogada sauce came in 1858 in the book "Nuevo cocinero mexicano en forma de diccionario," or "New Mexican Cooking in Dictionary Form," which provided a recipe for "chiles rellenos en nogada." This recipe was for a poblano chile stuffed with pork and covered with walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds, although Juarez Lopez notes that the pomegranate seeds were optional, listed as "if you wish." It was not until the 1920s that the chile en nogada became a fixture in Mexican cookbooks, he says, adding that: "One of the basic aspects of Mexican culinary history is the construction of the imaginary."
In Season
Chiles rellenos are found on Mexican menus throughout the year. Because of its connection to the Day of San Agustin and Mexican independence, which is celebrated on Sept. 16, chiles en nogada are most common in late August and early September.
Caesar dressing does not have to contain anchovies
Historians believe that the original Caesar salad was made by Caesar Cardini in 1924. The original salad is said to have been made table-side with romaine lettuce and croutons covered in a dressing made of garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, boiled eggs and Worcestershire sauce. It wasn't until 1926 when Caesar's brother, Alex Cardini, added a few ingredients including anchovies, a tiny fish from southern Europe which is cured and salt-packed. While many modern recipes include anchovies, there are substitutions that can be made which still allow for the distinct yet faint fishy flavor of Caesar dressing.
Worcestershire
Caesar Cardini was said to have disapproved of his brother including anchovies in his dressing. He felt that Worcestershire sauce provided just the right amount of fishy flavor without overpowering the dressing. Following Caesars adage, you can one to two teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce as a substitute for anchovies while still achieving a faint fishy flavor.
Asian Fish Sauce
Asian fish sauce, which is made from fermented anchovies, can give your dressing the anchovy taste without adding the actual anchovies much the way Worcestershire sauce can. Asian fish sauce, however, is much more pungent than Worcestershire so only use a few drops at a time until you achieve your desired flavoring.
Anchovy Paste
Anchovy paste is made of cured anchovies, vinegar, salt and sugar which are ground up and sold in tubes. Substitute 1/2 tsp. of anchovy paste for every anchovy your called for in your recipe.
Tags: Worcestershire sauce, fishy flavor, Asian fish sauce, Caesar Cardini, faint fishy, faint fishy flavor, fish sauce
Sugar, vinegar, lemon juice or sour cream can tone down the heat if you added too much pepper.
The hot bite of spice is often desired in a variety of dishes around the world. From Thai to Mexican, pepper is added not only for flavor in a dish, but also for spiciness that can burn the tongue, which is an end result not always desired by cooks. Heat can be moderated when acid and sugar is combined. The fat in dairy products can also tone down the effects of capsaicin, which is the part of the pepper responsible for its fiery heat. When combining ingredients with these properties, a spicy disaster can be averted.
Instructions
1. Add 1 tsp. of lemon juice or vinegar to the dish that is too spicy. Continue to add 1 tsp. at a time until the pepper is no longer overpowering the dish's flavor.
2. Pour 1 tsp. sugar at a time into the peppery dish. Be careful to only add enough sugar to tone the heat down. Otherwise, the sugar will make your dish too sweet.
3. Pour in 2 to 3 tbsp. of sour cream or milk into the dish. Not only will this mellow the spiciness, it will also add another element of flavor.
4. Add more sour cream or milk to the dish as needed, adding 2 to 3 tbsp. at a time.
5. Serve the dish with yogurt on the side to allow the guest to moderate their own level of spiciness.
Tags: sour cream, cream milk, lemon juice, sour cream milk, tone down
Margaritas are an eternal favorite and one of the most popular cocktails of all time. Now and then, everyone craves change, even when it comes to the classics. The addition of raspberry livens things up, making this new version of the margarita a fruity sensation.
Instructions
1. Measure and pour five ounces of sweet and sour mix, two ounces of tequila, one ounce of triple sec and one ounce of raspberry liqueur into a cocktail shaker filled with two cups of ice cubes.
2. Shake vigorously until the shaker begins to frost on the outside. It is important not to shake too sparingly, as the shaking mixes the ingredients with the melting ice, slightly diluting the strength.
3. Moisten the rim of the margarita glass by rubbing the lime wedge around it. Pour kosher salt onto a plate. Dip the moistened glass rim into the salt, twisting the glass in the salt to coat the rim. You can also dip the glass in specialty cocktail sugars instead.
4. Place a few ice cubes in the glass, then strain the liquid from the shaker over the ice. Garnish the finished raspberry margarita with a sliced lime wedge or wheel.
Chicken fried rice is a quick and easy one-pot meal. The recipe can be adjusted to your taste preferences. If you like spicy food, for example, add a bit more hot pepper than is called for, or add a few drops of bottled chili sauce to your portion after you have served it.
Instructions
1. Mix marinade in a bowl. Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks. Put chicken chunks into bowl with marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.
2. Cut carrots and broccoli into bite-size pieces. Peas can be left whole in pod. Set aside in bowl. Mince or press garlic and grate ginger. Set aside on separate plate or bowl with chili powder.
3. Heat one tablespoon oil over medium-high heat in wok or skillet until hot, but not smoking. Add chicken plus ¼ cup of marinade, cooking until flesh is no longer pink inside. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
4. Clean pan, add one tablespoon oil and reduce heat to medium. Add scallions and vegetables, stirring frequently. Cook two to four minutes, or until vegetables are slightly softened. Add ginger, chili powder and garlic, stirring constantly for one minute. Do not let garlic burn or brown.
5. Add in the rice and mix well. Push vegetables and rice to sides of the pan, making a small well in the middle of the pan. Add another tablespoon of oil if needed. Crack egg directly into pan, stirring vigorously to mix egg. Stir egg into rice and vegetable mixture, coating thoroughly. Cook, stirring constantly, for about three minutes until egg is cooked. Add chicken and any juices, and soy sauce.
6. Serve immediately, garnishing with chili sauce, lime wedges or cilantro if desired.
Tags: bowl with, chili powder, chili sauce, minutes until, stirring constantly, with chili
Stuffed green bell peppers is a delicious main meal that you can make ahead and bake when you are ready to serve it. Add a green salad, a home-made bread and a bottle of your favorite wine for a simple but elegant supper. This serves six people.
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place one cup of long grained rice into a saucepan with two cups of water. Heat the rice over medium heat until the water has been completely absorbed by the rice. Remove it from heat and place the rice in a large mixing bowl.
3. Peel and dice one onion. Peel and mince two cloves of fresh garlic. Then pan fry it and the diced onions with the pork sausage. Stir the mixture until the sausage is evenly browned. Drain the excess oil and add the meat mixture to the bowl with the cooked rice.
4. Combine the rice and meat mixture in the big bowl. Toss in 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil. Add 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. Reserve 1/2 cup of cheese for later. Mix the ingredients until they are evenly distributed in the bowl.
5. Cut off the top of the green bell pepper by carefully slicing around the pepper about 1/2 inch below the stem and all around the outside of the pepper. Use your sharp paring knife to separate the white rind on the inside of the green pepper from the green shell. Discard this rind as well as the seeds that are inside the pepper. Don't throw away the top of the pepper with the stem.
6. Spoon and stuff the pepper with a generous portion of the rice, meat, and cheese mixture. Push the stuffing down into the pepper and add as much more as you can. Sprinkle the top with some of the left-over shredded cheddar cheese. Place each stuffed pepper into the glass casserole dish. Place the top of the pepper back on.
7. Open the can of diced tomatoes and pour the entire can over the stuffed peppers. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 35 minutes. Serve hot.
The real Bratkartoffeln are made from fresh potatoes.
The perfect fried potato, or bratkartoffeln as the Germans would call it, is a chunk of potato, with or without peel, made from a fresh and never frozen potato, that has been allowed to caramelize on at least one surface and yet still has a soft interior. To achieve this result, there are a number of processes that need to occur.
Instructions
1. Boil 4 to 5 medium-sized, peeled or unpeeled, whole potatoes in a stock pot of water. You need to allow the starches in the potato to gelatinize through the stable heat of boiling water. The starch molecules in the potato will soak up the moisture in the potato and swell. This is why the potato tends to split its peeling when boiled. Make sure each potato is covered by water for even cooking. Check for doneness by poking the potato with a knife. If the knife slides in easily, the potato is done. Drain the water and cool the potatoes to room temperature.
2. Slice the potato into bite-sized chunks. There is no need to make the pieces any smaller than one inch or they will fall apart during the second stage of cooking. As you cut, you will notice that the texture of the potato has changed from starchy and moist to firm and somewhat sticky. This stickiness shows that the starch has been gelatinized and cooked through.
3. Heat enough lard, chicken fat or clarified butter to cover the bottom of a thick-bottomed skillet until a drop of water sizzles. Add your potato chunks in one layer covering the bottom of the pan. The temperature of the pan needs to be about 350 degrees for 30 minutes, so use a fat that will add flavor to the potatoes and will handle the heat without smoking.
4. Fry the potatoes without a lid and without turning until you can see a light brown caramelization on the bottoms of the potatoes. This process usually takes 10 to 12 minutes per side.
5. Flip the potatoes to form a crust on another side in the same way, leaving the lid open and keeping the temperature of the pan at about 350 degrees. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and caraway seeds for the traditional flavor of Bratkartoffeln. Remove the potatoes from the pan and serve them immediately with sausages, eggs or wiener-schnitzel.
Tags: about degrees, from fresh, made from, made from fresh, potato with
To make a splash during a party, serve a snack that's a little different. Use a banana boat dish to display this snack, and you will have a hit on your hands. This cheese and onion snack is unique, easy and quick to make.
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Allow the oven about 15 minutes to completely warm up.
2. Quarter the medium-sized baked potatoes. Make the cuts long enough to allow the potatoes to open up.
3. Scoop the potato meat out of the potato skins and place in a small bowl.
4. Spread a small amount of ranch salad dressing inside of each potato skin.
Place the potato meat back inside each of the potato skins and place on baking dish. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese sparingly on top of potatoes.
5. Place the baking dish, with the potatoes, in the preheated oven. Bake the potatoes for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove the baking dish from the oven.
6. Garnish tops of the potatoes with green onions. Arrange the garnished potatoes in a banana boat dish or on a glass dish.
Houston, Texas is the fourth most populated city in the nation.There are many interesting things to see and do while visiting Houston. A visit to the Houston Space Center, the Houston Zoo,Galveston Bay are just a few. The newly renovated downtown with underground shopping, hotels, along with the theater, live music and the art museum are worth a trip. Restaurants of all types of food are located throughout city including many fine Greek eateries.
Niko Niko's
Have some hummus and pita bread.
Niko Niko's has been serving up Greek food since 1970. Elini Fetokokis, the owner, works 24/7 to keep the quality and service excellent for lunch and dinner daily. She learned most of Niko Niko's recipes from her father's kitchen just outside Athens, Greece. Start your Greek feast with some calamari, hummus with pita or yogurt and cucumber dip with pita bread. All of the Greek platters come with salad and pita bread, which include lamb kabobs, stuffed grape leaves, Greek meatballs in spices and tomato sauce and vegetarian lasagna. Save some room for home made baklava. The doors open daily at 10 a.m.
Niko Niko's
2520 Montrose Ave.
Houston, TX. 77006
713-528-4976
nikonikos.com
Alexander The Great
Skewered lamb is tasty.
Alexander the Great features authentic Mediterranean and Greek food. The wine list is designed to accompany each Greek food specialty. Appetizers include red caviar with lemon and olive oil, roast eggplant salad and spanakopita which is stuffed filo dough with goat cheese and spinach. Enjoy rack of lamb, skewered chicken with Greek spices, tomatoes and onions served with spinach rice or many seafood and beef dishes. Alexander the Great is open for lunch and dinner as well as special parties and banquets, and they offer a complete take out menu.
Alexander the Great
3055 Sage Rd.
Houston, TX 77056
713-622-2778
alexanderthegreat.com
Byzantio
Baklava for dessert
Byzantine is a lively restaurant where you can enjoy a cocktail with appetizers, sandwiches and entire meals. Happy hour is daily from 4 to 9 p.m, with each day offering a special drink at happy hour prices. Try some hummus with pita bread, stuffed grape leaves or spicy Greek meatballs to begin your dining experience. There are many sandwich and pizza selections if you are dropping in for lunch or a quick supper. Main entrees include pork chops with fries, sliced gyro-meat with hot pita bread and skewered pork. Top your dinner with baklava and espresso or cappuccino.
Byzantine
403 W. Gray
Houston, TX 77-19
713-520-ouzo
byzantiohouston.com
Tags: pita bread, Alexander Great, Niko Niko, with pita, Greek food, with pita bread, Center Houston
You're walking around in the fruit aisle in the supermarket and a giant green pile catches your eye. It's a pile of watermelons--huge ones. They are on sale. Your mouth starts to water. You haven't had watermelon in a while. You're already imagining taking a bite of a cool, sweet slice of the juicy red flesh of the fruit. It's settled. You have to buy a watermelon. The question is, how do you know if it's good? Here are some tips that will help you choose a tasty watermelon.
Instructions
1. Choose what size melon you want to purchase. There are many different sizes available--some are enormous and oval, some are fatter and oval and some are the size of basketballs. If you don't plan on eating or serving the entire watermelon that same day (and let's face it -- cold watermelon tastes much better than the kind that's been sitting in the sun or in room temperature all day, unless the supermarket is exceptionally cold), you're going to have to refrigerate all or some of it. Take this into account and ensure you will be able to fit it inside your refrigerator.
2. Choose if you want your watermelon to contain pits or seeds. Seedless watermelons are often non-organic, so take that into account if you only eat natural foods. Also, many people swear by pitted watermelons--they claim they are sweeter. Note that many supermarkets will only offer one kind and not specify what types they are in writing. Ask a supermarket worker before buying your melon.
3. Pick up a watermelon that strikes your fancy and rotate it over in your hands. Inspect it for bruises, discolorations, bumps, dirt or whatever else makes it seem undesirable to you. Bumps often indicate the fruit has been dropped on a hard surface, which likely means part of the flesh inside has been affected.
4. Choose a melon that is medium to light green but not yellowing, with several spots of light green on it. Also look for a large yellow-white spot on it.
5. Tap the watermelon lightly several times. It should sound as though your palm is bouncing off the melon. This indicates the fruit is likely fresh and its flesh is very hard, which is how the best melons taste. The surface should not feel soft--you should not be able to mash it. This indicates the melon is overripe--a side effect of too much refrigeration or general bad condition.
Tags: into account, light green, oval some, This indicates, watermelon that
Frozen yogurt starts with the yogurt. Frozen yogurt makers first pasteurize cow's milk by heating it in a double boiler or water jacket to about 185 degrees F. These heating methods will heat the milk evenly without burning it. Pasteurizing the milk will kill bacteria that might make consumers sick. Then they allow it to cool to 110 degrees F in a water bath. They ferment the milk by adding bacteria, such as streptococcus thermophilus or lactobacillus bulgaricus, to it and maintain the milk's temperature at 110 degrees F. The bacteria will eat the sugar called lactose that is present in the milk, which will curdle it and produce lactic acid. This lactic acid will make the milk thick and tangy. The longer the milk is allowed to ferment, the thicker and tangier the yogurt will become. For frozen yogurt, milk is allowed to ferment for about six to eight hours, and then it is chilled.
Add-ins
Once the yogurt is chilled, frozen yogurt makers can strain off any liquid that may have separated out. This will prevent the frozen yogurt from having too many ice crystals once it is frozen. They will be able to mix in any add-ins at this point, including sweeteners such as sugar or honey, and flavoring such as vanilla, fruit extracts or purees. Some frozen yogurt makers might add eggs or egg yolks for texture and to help the mixture freeze more quickly. They might also add gelatin as a stabilizer to help ensure that the frozen yogurt keeps a smooth consistency, even if it's subjected to temperature fluctuations that might otherwise produce ice crystals. Stabilizers will also help slow melting.
Freezing
The yogurt mixture is frozen in a special machine that also churns the mix as it freezes. Churning the frozen yogurt will help bring up large ice crystals that might form as the water in the ingredients begin to freeze. It also incorporates air into the mix, which will add volume and lighten the frozen yogurt's texture. Depending on the type of machine, freezing the mixture can take anywhere from 3 minutes to 30. The yogurt makers freeze the mixture just until it's still soft enough to be distributed into containers. Between half and two-thirds of the water will freeze during this time. Then it is quickly frozen solid to ensure that the water still unfrozen does not collect and form large ice crystals. Once the frozen yogurt is completely frozen, it's ready for distribution and consumption.
Just as there are recipes for vegetables, there are recipes for herbs. Herbs grown in the garden have a variety of uses and ways to prepare them, making sure no herb goes to waste. Experiment with the many uses of the garden herbs grown in your backyard.
Instructions
1. Prepare a hot cup of herbal tea with boiling water and fresh herbs from the garden. Use chamomile, lavender, rosemary, fennel or an all-time favorite, mint.
2. Clip the purple flowers of spring chives, soak briefly in saltwater and rinse. Add to white vinegar and store in a glass jar in the dark for 6 weeks. Use the magenta chive-flavored vinegar on garden salads.
3. Mix dried lavender, marjoram, rose petals and cloves in a silk sachet to place under a pillow at night to relieve headaches. Dry herbs and flowers by placing them on a supported screen so air can circulate underneath. Move them around so the herbs dry evenly. Use in potpourri when dry.
4. Cook with the herbs from the garden. Use them in spaghetti sauce, salsa, salad dressings and salads. Add fresh herbs to sauces near the end of the cooking time to get the best flavors.
5. Brew an infusion, or strong tea, by combining 2 tbsp. of dried herbs with 1 pint of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes, remove the herbs, then use as a drinkable infusion. Let steep for 3 hours to use as an external infusion.
6. Add the brewed infusion to milk or cold cream for a cosmetic cream or face mask. Mix 1 part powdered herb to 4 parts melted lard or fat to make aromatic or medicinal ointments.
7. Steep fragrant herbs in an unscented oil for 2 days, remove the petals and add fresh petals. Steep for 2 more days and repeat this cycle 6 more times. Store the aromatic oil in a cool dark place and use as desired.
Tags: boiling water, fresh herbs, herbs from, herbs from garden, there recipes
Almonds are a healthy snack that can actually lower your LDL cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease. What we tend to think of as the almond nut is actually the seed of the fruit of the almond tree. Almonds trees grow best in warm Mediterranean climates, but they have been naturalized and grown in several climates throughout the world. Through the process of drying, almonds can keep for more than a year, making them an ideal food to store for a future snack.
Instructions
1. Check your almond tree in mid to late summer. This is the height of almond season. If the hulls of the fruit are still fully intact (not shriveled or cracked), the almond is not yet ripe.
2. Examine the fruit every couple of days until the hull has cracked and separated from the shell. At this point the almond is ready to be picked.
3. Taste an almond or two before completely picking the tree to make absolutely sure that they are ripe. A fresh almond will have an almost milky taste to it.
Sushi rice becomes stiff if stored for more than a day.
Sushi is a dish originating from Japan that consists of cooked rice and other ingredients, such as fish or seafood, that is wrapped in seaweed called "nori." You are supposed to consume sushi while it is fresh, so if you've ordered too much, storing it without ruining the texture of the rice can be a challenge. However, you can take a few steps to preserve your sushi rice for at least a little while.
Instructions
1. Refrigerate the sushi less than 30 minutes after it is made -- the sooner the better. Consider throwing the sushi out if you're not going straight home after ordering it, as spoiled sushi can make you sick.
2. Wet two kitchen towels with water, squeeze out any excess water and spread one towel flat over a plate. Place the sushi on top of the towel, and cover the food with the other damp towel. Wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it. This will keep the rice from drying out and becoming stiff, although it will hurt the texture of the nori.
3. Line a nonmetal bowl with a damp towel, and place the sushi rice in the bowl if that's all you want to preserve. Cover it with a damp towel. Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it.
The flavor of lemons can be further enhanced with the addition of herbs and spices.
Lemons are a versatile fruit that can be used for anything from cooking to cleaning. When used as a cooking ingredient, lemons offer many health benefits. Lemons contain a high level of vitamin C and are widely known to aid digestion, act as a diuretic, stave off infections and boost the immune system. Lemons are tasty on their own, but the addition of different herbs and spices help to enhance the flavor of your meals.
Black Pepper
Lemon and black pepper are a tasty combination commonly used to season white meats such as fish and poultry. Lemon and pepper also make a delectable addition to many vegetable dishes. Lemon pepper seasoning, a combination of lemon zest and black pepper, can be found in the spice aisle at any grocery store. You can make your own by combing grated lemon zest with ground black pepper or combine lemon juice with pepper for added citrus flavor. Lemon and pepper can be used to season food while cooking or used as a marinade to flavor foods before cooking.
Garlic
Lemon and garlic is a healthy combination that is especially delicious in dishes with vegetables or white meat. The main ingredient in garlic, allicin, has anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-oxidant properties that are most effective when the garlic is served raw. Try using this combination as a marinade, as a cooking aid or as a garnish for already prepared meats and vegetables. You can purchase whole cloves of garlic in the produce aisle of your grocery store or save some time by using pre-minced garlic found in jars in the spice aisle.
Dill
Fresh dill is commonly combined with lemon to enhance the flavor of meat dishes such as fish and lamb. Although this combination can be used with any fish, it is most commonly found in salmon. Try combining lemon juice with melted butter or olive oil, drizzle this over the meat and then season with dry dill. You can also make a tasty sauce by combining two or three tablespoons of lemon juice and dill with Greek yogurt or sour cream. Pour this sauce over grilled salmon or use as a vegetable dip.
Tags: black pepper, lemon juice, Lemon pepper, also make, enhance flavor
Potatoes and apples make delicious one-pot side dishes.
Recipes for baked apple and potato dishes range from sweet to savory. Both appear whole, wedged, sliced or mashed in a number of dishes, accompanied by onions, raisins, currants and various cheeses. Served as a side dish, baked apples and potatoes accompany poultry, sausage, lamb or pork. Recipes usually specify a particular variety of apple or potato. Red-skin, Yukon Gold or fingerlings are top potato choices. Many baked apple and potato recipes use Cortland, Granny Smith or Jonathan apples.
Instructions
Savory Sides
1. Cut into wedges two fist-sized Yukon Gold potatoes and one small Bermuda or Vidalia onion per person. Toss potato and onion wedges in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Add marjoram, parsley and oregano.
2. Brush the skin of a large roasting chicken, small turkey or boneless pork roast with olive oil and place in a roasting pan. Pour one pint of middle or top-shelf brandy, rum or sherry over the meat and close the lid.
3. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until the internal temperature of the meat registers 165 degrees with a meat thermometer for poultry, or about 1 hour per five pounds, or 160 degrees for pork.
4. Peel and core two Granny Smith or Jonathan apples per person. Stuff cored apples with raisins and cinnamon berries if making pork, or cranberries and orange marmalade if making chicken or turkey.
5. Remove the meat from the oven 30 minutes before you expect it to be done. Place the potato and onion wedges around the meat at one end of the pan and the apples around the meat at the other end. Return to the oven for the remaining 30 minutes.
6. Place the poultry or roast on a serving platter and surround it with the potatoes at one end and apples at the other.
7. Mix 3 tbsp. cornstarch with 1/4-cup cold water until well-blended and pour it into the pan drippings from the meat. Stir constantly as you bring the drippings to a rolling boil. Allow to boil for five to seven minutes or until the mixture thickens to your taste.
Baked Apples and Sweet Potatoes
8. Scrub sweet potatoes with a soft-bristled brush under running water to remove any dirt. Cut each sweet potato into 1/4-inch thick slices.
9. Slice apples 1/4-inch thick. Alternate slices of sweet potato and apple in a 9- by 12-inch baking dish, no more than three layers deep.
10. Stir the arrowroot powder into cold coconut milk until well-blended. Stir the brown sugar, ground cinnamon and grated nutmeg into the coconut milk mixture and pour it over the sweet potato and apple slices.
11. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until sweet potato slices are fork-tender, about one hour. Remove from the oven and top with chopped pecans mixed with brown sugar. Serve with ham, kielbasa, bratwurst or Italian sausage.
Tags: sweet potato, apple potato, 4-inch thick, about hour, around meat
The tabasco pepper is a popular component of many hot sauces.
The tabasco pepper plant, or Capsicum frutescens, is used to produce the McIlhenny Company's brand of tabasco sauce. Apart from the production of hot sauce, the tabasco pepper is also used fresh in culinary preparations including salads and salsas. It is also used for pickling purposes.
Description
The tabasco pepper plant is characterized by its bushy growth, similar to other varieties of Capsicum frutescens. The compact plant produces tapered and small fruits, which start out as light greenish-yellow or cream in color, and gradually turn orange and yellow before finally ripening into vibrant red. The tabasco pepper plant can reach heights of 2 to 4 feet.
Cultivation
Tabasco pepper plants can successfully grow in soil that is mildly alkaline or acidic, acidic or neutral. The plants, which thrive under full sun, require regular watering, and special care is necessary to ensure that overwatering does not occur. They can successfully be grown in containers. It takes over 80 days for the plants to reach maturity. Tabasco pepper plants can be propagated easily via woody stem cuttings and can also be started from seed. It is important to space the plants approximately 3 feet apart, to enable easy weeding and provide the peppers with sufficient space to grow.
Culinary Uses
The tabasco pepper plant is a widely popular ingredient in many different hot food items, most notably tabasco sauce, but also in various Mexican salsas. The plant is also frequently used in Caribbean and Cajun dishes. Tabasco peppers are especially hot and spicy because they contain a substance called capsaicin. The pepper is cultivated commercially in South and Central America, with its primary supplier being the country of Colombia.
Run a barbecue sauce business from a business location or from your own home.
You may have several reasons why your would be looking to start your own BBQ sauce business. You have an entrepreneur spirit or a barbecue sauce recipe that is so good everyone is telling you that you should bottle it. A BBQ, or barbecue, sauce business can be a profitable venture for the entrepreneur looking for a new business opportunity or to capitalize on a winning recipe. You can sell your sauce in grocery stores, restaurants or online. Take a few steps to plan, develop and execute your plan to create your own BBQ sauce business.
Instructions
1. Decide if you are going to develop the sauce in your home or a separate brick and mortar location. A brick and mortar location for your BBQ sauce business offers more credibility and professionalism to your business, especially if you have the funds to mass produce and bottle your sauce in your own factory. If looking to save on costs, build your business out of your home.
2. Develop your business plan. Research your competitors and determine how your BBQ sauce differs from theirs. Calculate how much start-up money will be needed to start and operate the business until it is able to make a profit. Come up with a name and logo design for the company and packaging for the BBQ sauce. Plan out your marketing plan and objectives; who is your target audience (i.e. BBQ restaurants), how you will advertise and the advertising budget.
3. Perfect and document your recipe. If you don't already have a recipe, hire someone to develop the sauce for you. Since the sauce will be your only product, and the driving force for the success of your business, put much thought and time to make a sauce that stands out from your competitors and will entice others to purchase. Document the specifications and nutritional information to be put on the labels for the BBQ sauce; this is a requirement from the Food & Drug Administration.
4. Apply for funding. Use your business plan to obtain a business loan from a bank or other financial institution. Your credit score and history will be taken into account for applying for a loan for a new business. You can also get private investors for your business. Sell them on your sauce by providing a sample for them to taste. You may also want to supply samples of your competitors' sauce just to prove to investors why yours standout. Even if they believe in your sauce recipe, you will still need a thorough and viable business plan to prove to them that you understand and know run a profitable business.
5. Complete the legal requirements for the business. Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS website and a business license from your state office. Depending on your state you may have to register a fictitious name and the business with the Secretary of State department.
6. Research suppliers to find one that meets your budget and supplies needs. You will need the ingredients for the sauce, bottles to package them in and a printer that will print the labels for you. Design the labels yourself or hire a design company to do it for you. Supply the printer with the label template in the format that they need to print the labels for you. You will also need shipping material no matter if you plan to sale the sauce online or ship the bottles to distributors. For separate brick and mortar storefronts, you will need other materials such as shelving, cash registers, counters and equipment to prepare and bottle the sauce.
7. Contact distributors (grocery stores, restaurants, etc.) about carrying your product. Restaurants may require taste tests before agreeing to buy from you so take samples with you when making your sales pitch. If selling online, create the website for your customers can order your sauce online.
Tags: your sauce, your business, barbecue sauce, brick mortar, business plan, from your
Baking with whole grain flour can yield delicious results, but it can present some challenges that are specific to working with heavier types of flour. For example, baking only with whole grain flour can yield breads that are dense, chewy and difficult to eat if they are not given extra proofing time. Luckily, it is not difficult to lighten the mixture so that the end result will be light, fluffy, delicious and healthful.
Instructions
1. Pinpoint the problem that arose the last time you made a loaf of bread using whole grain flour mix. If the bread was only a little too dense, you may just need to mix a little unbleached, unbromated all-purpose flour into the mix before adding water and setting it aside to proof. If the bread was very dense, you may need extra yeast to help it rise to the occasion.
2. Prepare the whole grain bread mix according to the recipe. Substitute 50 percent of the whole grain bread mix with all-purpose flour. Use a scale to calculate the appropriate amount of each flour to use.
3. Add extra lukewarm water---about 1 1/2 times more than is called for in the recipe---to the whole grain bread mix. You may also find that you will need to adjust the amount of flour or water that you add to the dough, depending on the humidity level in your kitchen. If your kitchen is humid, add a little more flour. If your kitchen is very dry, add a little more water. In either case, do so in very small amounts---you can always add more if you need it, but you cannot take water or flour out of your dough once you've added it. If you are using yeast in the recipe, add 1 to 1 1/2 extra teaspoons of yeast to the bread mix at this time.
4. Knead the dough until it forms a smooth, elastic ball. Cover and set aside to rise until it has at least doubled, which will likely take an hour or more. Proceed only when the dough has doubled.
5. Preheat the oven as directed by the instructions found on the package of the whole grain bread mix. Punch down the dough and form it into a loaf. Spray the loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and place the loaf in pan. Cover and set the pan on top of the oven to let the dough rise as the oven preheats. Do not bake until the dough has risen at least 1 inch above the top of the pan.
6. Bake the dough according to the instructions on the bread mix package. When it appears done, remove the bread from the loaf pan and tap the bottom. If it sounds hollow, the bread is done. If the loaf does not sound hollow, place it back in the oven for another five to 10 minutes.
A waiter in a Mexican restaurant may offer you a traditional dessert at the end of the meal: a creamy flan, which is usually prepared as a caramel custard treat. At a restaurant across town, you may be offered a creamy slice of cheesecake. If you were to combine the two dishes, the result would be very similar to a cheese flan. It takes a little effort to put together this treat, but your first bite will tell you that it was well worth the time.
Instructions
1. Dissolve 1 1/2 cups sugar in 1/2 cup water over low heat. Boil the mixture once the sugar has dissolved until it turns into a brownish-color syrup. Pour the syrup into a 7- or 8-inch flan pan or pie pan, coating the sides of the pan as well as the bottom. Allow the syrup to cool.
2. Place 8 oz. cream cheese in a large bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Add 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk and 6 eggs, and mix until smooth. Blend in 1 cup evaporated milk and 1/2 cup water, then mix thoroughly.
3. Fill the flan or pie pan with the custard mixture. Then place this pan into a larger pan, allowing at least 1 inch of space around all sides of the smaller pan. Carefully pour hot water into the larger pan until you reach a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Do not let the water seep into the pie pan.
4. Place both pans in an oven heated to 350 F. Bake for approximately 1 hour. Insert a fork into the flan to test for doneness; if no batter sticks to the fork, the flan is done. Carefully remove both pans from the oven, and take the flan pan out of the water bath. Let it cool thoroughly, then refrigerate the flan, as it is best served the following day.
5. Remove the flan from its pan by inverting it over a serving dish; loosening the flan with a knife before trying to remove it from the pan may be helpful. If most of the syrup stays in the pan, spoon a bit of syrup onto each piece of flan after you cut it.
Bananas are healthy and delicious, and they make a perfect hot-weather snack. Combine a banana with a few simple ingredients, pop it in the freezer, and on the next hot day, reach for a yummy frozen banana snack instead of a sugary Popsicle.
Instructions
1. Slice a ripe banana in half lengthwise, and smear some peanut butter on the cut halves. Either smooth or crunchy peanut butter will do. Put the banana back together and wrap it in plastic wrap. Freeze the peanut butter banana snack for at least three hours.
2. Cut a banana in half widthwise and stick a Popsicle stick into each half. Spread a light coating of peanut butter onto the banana, and roll the coated banana in your favorite breakfast cereal, granola, or some chopped nuts.
3. Peel a banana and cut it in half widthwise. Poke a Popsicle stick into the cut ends, and roll the banana in honey and granola. Freeze the banana snack for a few hours and enjoy.
4. Place four peeled bananas in a blender or food processor and add two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, two tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. Blend the mixture until it's smooth, and freeze it in small bowls.
5. Melt some chocolate chips in the microwave, heating them just until they melt. Poke a Popsicle stick into the cut end of a halved banana and freeze for about 3 hours. Dip the frozen banana pieces in the melted chocolate, wrap them in foil, and re-freeze.
Sharpening a bread knife is different than sharpening traditional knives because a bread knife is serrated. It has teeth. Bread knives get dull over time like any other knife. A lot of people just buy new bread knives, mainly because they don't know they can sharpen them. Instead of purchasing a new one and throwing out the dull one, you can learn sharpen your dull bread knife so it's like new again. Just follow these steps.
Instructions
1. Purchase a sharpening stick. Most knife sets will come with one, but some people buy their knives separately and will not have a sharpening stick. You can find some sharpening sticks at the website under the additional resources or anywhere that you purchase your knives.
2. Wash and dry both your knife and your sharpening stick. Starting with a dirty knife can make things hard to see.
3. Hold your knife in one hand, by the handle, with the teeth pointing outward to your other hand.
4. Hold your sharpening stick in the other hand by the handle.
5. Line your sharpening stick up with the first valley (the dip in between the points), closest to the handle of the knife.
6. Pull the sharpening stick down quickly a few times. Make sure that you are keeping the sharpening stick in the valley for each pass, only removing it to reset it at the bottom of the stick.
7. Move the sharpening stick to the next valley. Repeat step 6.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 until you have finished sharpening the last valley.
9. Switch hands, putting the knife in the opposite hand and the sharpening stick in the hand that previously held the knife. Make sure the teeth are facing your other hand.
10. Repeat steps 5 through 8, until you have finished the last tooth.
11. Wash the knife.
Tags: sharpening stick, your sharpening stick, bread knife, other hand, your sharpening, hand handle
Many Jewish people practice their religion, in part, by eating kosher food. There are many foods that are not kosher, and many reasons for being not kosher. Adhering to a kosher diet can make dining out feel like a restrictive experience. In many communities, such as Teaneck, New Jersey, there are several restaurants that serve certified kosher foods, helping to make dining out pleasurable for people who observe the dietary restrictions of Judaism.
Chopstix Glatt Kosher Chinese Take-Out and Catering
Chopstix has been around for more than 10 years. It provides an all-kosher menu supervised by The Rabbinical Council of Bergen County. Menu selections include the spicy beef with garlic sauce, the Korean chicken with hot pepper sauce, or the vegetarian entree called the vegetarian delight. In addition to preparing its every day meals, Chopstix also has a catering service, which is also kosher. Unlike many restaurants, Chopstix actively participates in Teaneck's community. It participates in the Adopt-a-Park program, collects holiday gifts for the Tomorrow's Children Program, and hosts a food drive to benefit the Center for Food Action. Chopstix is a place that makes good food that guests can feel good about eating.
Chopstix Glatt Kosher Chinese Take-Out & Catering
172 West Englewood Ave.
Teaneck, NJ 07666
201-833-0200
chopstixusa.com
Smokey Joe's Kosher BBQ
Smokey Joe's opened its doors in 2007 as the first wood-fired, slow-cooked kosher barbecue restaurant in the United States. The beef brisket is smoked for 14 hours, while chicken and ribs cook slowly for five hours. In addition to serving kosher food, the restaurant also has some vegetarian options on the menu. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, and offers catering services for bar and bat mitzvahs. Guests can dine in, or place your order online to go. Smokey Joe's also offers group packages, where they can order several items off the menu for a large group of people at a discounted rate.
Smokey Joe's Kosher BBQ
494 Cedar Lane
Teaneck, NJ 07666
201-836-7427
smokeyjoesbbq.com
Noah's Ark Restaurant and Deli
Noah's Ark is a popular kosher restaurant, and it has been serving the people of Teaneck since 1988. The family run business serves food in-house, and also provides both catering and mail order services. Guests can try the tongue sandwich (yes, tongue), pastrami hot dog or the mushroom hamburger. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Those who don't have time to dine in the restaurant can order their meals to go by calling in their order or placing an order online. For catered events, customers can choose from the platter menu. People who don't live near Teaneck can still enjoy the food from Noah's Ark, since they can ship their food around the country.
Noah's Ark Restaurant and Deli
493 Cedar Lane
Teaneck, NJ 07666
201-692-1200
noahsark.net
Tags: Teaneck 07666, Cedar Lane, Cedar Lane Teaneck, Chinese Take-Out, Chinese Take-Out Catering, Chopstix Glatt, Chopstix Glatt Kosher
Surprise your friends and family with some shockingly scary monster toes this Halloween. The funny little toes are actually green biscuit dough wrapped around a cocktail weenie, with a bit of comical ketchup "blood." Monster toes are easy, and will make a terrific appetizer at your next Halloween get together.
Instructions
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix up a batch of biscuit dough, and add a few drops of green food coloring as you're mixing it. Canned biscuits can be brushed with coloring later.
3. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and spread a generous layer of ketchup over it. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice the dough about 3 to 4 inches long and about 1/2 inch wide.
4. Wrap each piece of dough around a cocktail weenie and press the edges to seal, and put a toothpick in each one to hold the dough in place while they cook.
5. Press an olive half "toenail" into one end of each monster toe.
6. Place the monster toes on an ungreased baking sheet and bake them until for about 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Remove the toothpicks from the monster toes. Brush them lightly with green food coloring mixed with melted butter, and serve them hot.
Tags: around cocktail, around cocktail weenie, biscuit dough, cocktail weenie, food coloring, green food
Sprinkled in salads, eaten by the handful or added to baked goods, sunflower kernels not only have a deliciously nutty taste, but they are also packed with vitamins and nutrients. Adding the lowly sunflower kernel to your diet can benefit your health in some fairly surprising ways.
A Functional Food
Sunflower kernels fall into the category of functional foods, which means they provide more than just nutritional value to a person's diet and can help protect the human body from certain cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
A Good Source of Vitamin E
High levels of Vitamin E in sunflower kernels translate into health benefits that include lower risk of cardiovascular disease and arteriosclerosis, as well as lowered cholesterol levels and higher mental acuity.
Phytochemicals
Phytochemicals are chemicals produced by a plant in an effort to protect itself. Sunflower kernels contain many of these non-nutritive phytochemicals that scientists have found not only protect the sunflower plant but also humans who eat the sunflower's edible byproduct.
Phenolic Acids
Sunflower kernels are rich in phenolic acids, simple molecules that are easily absorbed by the human body and provide a host of anti-aging benefits. Phenolic acids are also useful as anti-inflammatory agents and immune system-boosters.
Arginine and Lingans
Arginine is one of the approximately 18 amino acids found in sunflower kernels and has a vital role in the healing of wounds, immune function and the release of hormones. Lingans are phytoestrogens that may be effective against certain cancers such as prostate, ovarian or breast cancers.
Considerations
When combined with other foods, such as baked in breads or crackers, or turned into sunflower seed butter and spread on fruit, sunflower kernels pack a nutritional punch that's hard to beat. A mere quarter cup of sunflower kernels adds a healthy dose of nutrients to your daily diet.
Tags: Benefits Sunflower, Benefits Sunflower Seeds, certain cancers, Health Benefits Sunflower, human body, sunflower kernels, Sunflower Seeds