Preserve herbs you harvest from your garden and use the herbs throughout the year by drying them in the microwave. Use this quick and easy method for small batches of herbs or if you lack the space to dry herbs with traditional methods.
Instructions
1. Purchase inexpensive, thin, white paper plates from the local grocery store. Select dessert plates over dinner plates, if possible.
2. Harvest herbs from the garden. Wash them in cold water and allow the herbs to dry. Remove leaves from stems.
3. Place a small amount of dry herb leaves on a paper plate, about the amount that fits on a paper dessert plate. Place two paper plates on top of each other if the herbs are too heavy for the paper plate. Place herbs in the microwave and set it on high for 60 seconds. Push "Start."
4. Check herbs after 60 seconds. Microwave cooking times vary. See if the herbs are dry and easy to crumble. Microwave the herbs for another 30 seconds if they are not sufficiently dry. Repeat microwaving for 30-second time periods until herbs are dry and crumbly.
5. Store the dry herbs in an airtight plastic bag. Squeeze the plastic bag to further crumble the dry herbs. Place the bag of herbs in a cool, dark storage area.
6. Repeat Step 2 to Step 4 until you dry all of the harvested herbs. Frequently replace the paper plate you use to dry herbs with a fresh paper plate. The paper plate absorbs moisture from the herbs.
Tags: paper plate, herbs with, paper plates, Place herbs, plate Place
Nightclubs are expensive. First you pay at the door, then you pay for your drinks. If you're a good patron, you give the bartender a tip, too. All of this adds up to a pretty penny; but if you follow these steps, there's a chance you can drink for free.
Instructions
1. Visit a nightclub when they have open bar nights. Many nightclubs have open bar nights when you pay a certain amount at the door and drink for free the whole night. You should still tip the bartender, but if you order a few drinks at a time, you don't have to tip per drink.
2. Go out on Ladies' Night. Most bars hold a Ladies' Night weekly, letting women have free drinks all night. Again, you should still tip the bartender.
3. Make friends with the bartender. It's not about what you know, it's about who you know at a nightclub. Chat up the bartender and charm him with your womanly wiles. This is sure to get you a few drinks on the house.
4. Hang out with the people in the VIP section. It costs a pretty penny to get into the VIP section, so the people in there often have money to spare. Make friends with them and you're sure to get some free drinks. Some nightclubs give out free bottles of alcohol to people in the VIP section as well.
5. Flirt with men. If all else fails, your womanly charm should get you what you want. Avoid flirting with anyone that you don't want to spend a bit of time with, though. It's not polite to drink for free and then leave him right away.
Tags: drink free, free drinks, friends with, have open, have open nights, Ladies Night, Make friends
Many types of gravies complement ham to make it an extra special meal.
Baked ham is easy to make because it can cook on its own with little preparation. They are perfect for family meals and are part of the traditional Easter or Christmas dinners in some families. Although good to eat straight from the oven with no sauce of condiment, you can add some pizazz to your baked ham with a wide range of sweet or savory gravies.
Traditional Gravy
A simple gravy to use with ham is easy to make and can suit any occasion. To make traditional ham gravy, once cooked, remove the ham from its roasting pan and then pour hot water into the pan. Pour this liquid into a small saucepan. Add 2 tbsp. of cornstarch with 1/2 cup of cold water and mix until smooth while heating up the gravy. Stir the gravy stirring constantly until it boils. After it has boiled for two to three minutes, your gravy is ready. It does not needs any seasonings, but you can add your own if you prefer.
Red Eye Gravy
Red eye gravy also know as bird-eye gravy, poor man's gravy or muddy gravy is a traditional gravy very well known in the South of the United States. The legend says that this gravy got its name from a cook who worked for General Andrew Jackson, the seventh President of the United States. General Jackson asked his cook to make him gravy to accompany some country ham. At the time the cook was drunk and had red eyes because of the moonshine he had been drinking. The rumors got around on the camp, and from then on, the ham gravy became known as red eye gravy. Ingredients for red eye gravy include pan juices from a ham, strong black coffee, black pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Once all combined, the mixture should be boiled for two to three minutes until it is reduced in half.
Mustard Gravy
Mustard is a great complement to any ham-based meal. This mustard gravy is perfect for cooked ham and the leftover sauce can be used for sandwiches. To make mustard gravy, you will need to mix together in a saucepan, 1 tbsp. of flour, 2 tbsp. of dry mustard and 3/4 cup of brown sugar. Then, add in two whisked eye yolks. In a separate bowl, mix together 1/4 cup of water with 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar. While the mixture in the saucepan is heating up at low temperature, slowly add in the vinegar water while constantly whisking. Stir until the gravy is thick enough to cover the back of a spoon. It is then ready to serve over your cooked ham, or in a ham sandwich.
Sweet Gravy
For those who prefer sweet gravy, you can make a fruity sauce to complement your ham. To do so, you will need to cook your ham along with pineapple slices, cloves, and cherries. Use toothpicks to hold them in place on the ham. In a separate container, combine 1 cup of brown sugar, pineapple orange juice, and the cherry juice out of the jar of cherries. Pour this liquid over the ham and add a little water to the bottom of the pan, and then the ham is ready to be cooked in the oven. When your ham is cooked, transfer the juices and drippings from the pan into a saucepan. Add in 1 tbsp. of flour while cooking over low heat. Using a whisk, stir constantly for about a minute.
Tags: saucepan tbsp, boiled three, boiled three minutes, brown sugar, easy make, Pour this
Goose is all dark meat, but it doesn't taste gamy. Serves 8.
Instructions
1. Remove the neck and giblets from the goose. Reserve for gravy, if desired.
2. Snip off the tips of the wings. Reserve for gravy, if desired.
3. Remove any lumps of fat from around the body and neck cavities.
4. Remove any quills in the skin with needle-nose pliers, if necessary.
5. Pull up the skin on the neck end and locate the wishbone.
6. Scrape the wishbone with a paring knife until the bone is exposed. Cut the bone free and remove.
7. Prick the skin all over with a sharp skewer, holding the skewer parallel to the bird so that you are only piercing skin, not the goose meat.
8. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
9. Submerge the neck end of the goose in boiling water for 1 minute. Half of the goose body should be submerged.
10. Turn the goose over and submerge the tail end in boiling water for 1 minute. Half of the goose body should be submerged.
11. Drain goose and pat dry inside and out.
12. Place the goose breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan.
13. Refrigerate goose, uncovered, for 24 to 48 hours so that the skin dries.
14. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and place a rack in the center of the oven.
15. Prepare your favorite stuffing.
16. Loosely pack the body and neck cavity of the goose with stuffing and close the vents with skewers.
17.Put the goose breast side down on the rack in the roasting pan and cook 1 1/2 hours.
18. Remove the goose from the oven and pour out most of the fat that has collected in the pan. Try not to discard any browned bits or juices.
19. Flip the goose over, breast side up, and return to oven. Roast 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours more, or until the drumsticks are soft when pressed and the skin around the breast has puffed up.
20. Remove the goose from the oven, place on a cutting board and let stand 30 minutes.
21. Remove the stuffing from the bird.
22. Carve the meat. Serve.
Tags: breast side, body neck, body should, body should submerged, boiling water, boiling water minute
Dashi stock makes up the base of many Japanese soups and sauces. The stock is made from a dried fish, called bonito, and dried kelp. The ingredients are readily available at Asian groceries and some supermarkets. The process of making dashi takes some time, but the stock stores well so you can make it in bulk for later use. Instant dashi packets are also available, but they don't provide the depth of flavor found in a homemade broth.
Instructions
1. Break a 4-inch length from the kombu seaweed. Kombu comes in dried sheets that break easily when bent.
2. Pour the water into the pot. Place the kombu in the water and soak for one hour. The kombu absorbs the moisture and softens during the soaking time.
3. Heat the water over medium heat. Remove the kombu with tongs once the water begins bubbling but before it begins a full boil.
4. Pour ¼ cup of cold water into the pot. Add the bonito flakes to the water.
5. Bring the water back to a boil, but do not stir. Remove the pot from the heat as soon as it boils.
6. Hold a metal fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Pour the dashi stock through the strainer to separate the bonito flakes from the broth.
Try lowering the heat for a longer cooking time for your duck.
Duck has a hard time finding a place on the American table, where consumers tend to enjoy leaner cuts of meat. Duck is flavorful, but it tends to have a layer of fat that, if not removed, is so unappealing that the texture of the fat cannot overcome the meat's great taste. Cooked properly however, the duck's fat will drain during cooking and help make the skin crispy, vastly improving the texture. There are two tricks getting the duck's skin crispy: let the bird dry out in the refrigerator overnight, and prick the skin to allow the fat to drain from the bird.
Instructions
1. Rinse the duck in cool water to remove any dirt, then prick the skin with a fork. Place the duck on a plate and let stand in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Season the duck and place it on a roasting rack. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
3. Roast the duck in oven for one hour, or until the skin is brown and crispy. During cooking, the fat should drain from the fork holes. This hot fat will help get the skin crispy as it drains. Make sure that the bird is not sitting on the bottom of the pan; otherwise, that skin will baste in the hot juices, and become soggy.
4. Reserve rendered fat for sauce or gravy. Place fat in a saute pan, add 1/2 cup of red wine, one tablespoon of citrus zest, salt, pepper and fresh parsley. Cut in pats of butter and allow to reduce. Carve the duck and serve with gravy on the side.
Most people think of the twisted German pretzel when they imagine a pretzel. However, some pretzels, such as the Philadelphia pretzel, come in a row of five or six pretzels linked together. The Philadelphia pretzels have a figure-8 shape and are baked close together to create a linked line. After baking, the pretzels look similar to a line of sausages. Shaping and linking pretzels in this way is not difficult but might take some getting used to before you can perfect the process.
Instructions
1. Pinch off about a handful of dough. Roll the dough into a long, worm-like shape about 1/2-inch thick and 18 inches long. If the dough seems sticky, flour it and the surface below.
2. Form the dough into a rounded rectangle shape. Twist the two loose ends of the dough around each other twice, then fold the loose ends back toward the middle of the loop, and attach to the middle of the loop, dividing the dough into two loops. You might have to wet the ends of the dough to get it to stick together. Stretch the two loops apart gently to make a figure-8 shape.
3. Place the dough pieces close together on a baking sheet. Wet the sides of the dough with a pastry brush, and press several links together to make a row of linked pretzels. Place the links inside a frying basket, and dip the pretzels into boiling water for a few seconds before placing them in the oven to bake.
4. Bake the pretzels on a cookie sheet in a 425-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden-brown. Allow the pretzels to cool for five to 10 minutes before eating.
Macaroni and cheese is an American favorite. Most recipes instruct you to alternate layers of boiled macaroni with grated cheese and then bake. You can substitute different types of cheeses, meats and spices to turn this simple side dish into an international delight.
Instructions
1. Try Italian ingredients. Use a combination of shredded mozzarella and provolone cheeses. Add cooked Italian sausage. Stir in sauteed, chopped bell peppers. Season with oregano and garlic.
2. Make your mac and cheese Mexican. Switch to pepper jack cheese. Add cooked ground beef and finely chopped onion. Sprinkle each layer with chili powder and serve with salsa on the side.
3. Give your mac and cheese a Greek slant. Layer with feta cheese and roasted, ground gyros meat. Add different types of green and black olives. Be sure to remove the pits. Scoop into pita pockets and serve.
4. Change to an Indian cuisine. Include paneer cheese, shredded or cubed chicken and sweet red peppers. Season to taste with various types of Indian spices like curry powder, ginger and turmeric.
5. Enjoy Swiss mac and cheese. Grate gruyere cheese and fold in fried, crumbled bacon and cooked strained spinach. You won't need to add extra spices because they'll compete with the bacon and mask the delicate, nutty flavor of the cheese.
6. Keep it American and make it hearty. Stick with American or cheddar cheese. Add boiled, cut hot dogs and crumble bread crumbs on the top to form a crusty covering. Serve with ketchup on the side.
Tags: different types, peppers Season, your cheese
Punch fountains are an interesting way to provide beverages for an event. Fill the fountain with a sparkling fruit punch for a children's party or with champagne for an elegant adult get-together. Beverage fountains can be used at nearly any event. Red concoctions work well for Halloween parties and non-alcoholic punch is good for weddings with under-aged guests.
Acquiring a Punch Fountain
When considering a punch fountain for your event, you can either purchase one to keep or rent one only for the night. Before you decide, consider your lifestyle. If you throw a lot of parties with many guests, you would save money by purchasing a beverage fountain to keep on hand. The fountains require very little maintenance and can last for years.
Rent a punch fountain if you want it only for the night. Party rental services carry these fountains to rent for one or several days. Call around to different rental companies in your area to come up with the best price for the unit. Ask them how large the fountain is so you can provide punch for all of your guests with minimal fountain refills.
Using a Punch Fountain
Before adding punch to the fountain, clean it first. Whether the fountain is used or new, debris may have collected in the line. Fill up the fountain bowl with water and add two tablespoons of baking soda. Turn on the punch fountain and let it run for at least a half an hour. Make sure to do this before your party so the punch fountain is ready when the guests arrive.
Fill the bowl of the fountain with your favorite beverage. Be sure not to go above the fill line and to add extra punch whenever it gets low.
If you choose to add sliced oranges or lemons to your punch, be aware that the fruit pulp can clog the fountain. To avoid clogs, remove the screen that is positioned at the top of the pump head. If there is no pulp in the punch, leave the screen on the pump head to filter debris from the fountain.
When you're done using the punch fountain, clean it out using the same water and baking soda method you used before the party. This will prevent any sugar residue from sticking to surfaces in the fountains' pipes.
Tags: punch fountain, baking soda, Fill fountain, fountain clean, fountain with
Homemade trail mix is a practical and healthful way to get kids to eat a variety of vitamin- and nutrient-rich foods. Trail mix is a fun finger food for younger children and an inexpensive replacement for sugary afterschool snacks. Making these snacks should not only encourage children to get creative in the kitchen, but educate them about healthy eating choices.
Base Ingredients
Healthy trail mix contains proteins, grains, fruits and fiber. Peanuts are the base of many commercially available trail mixes, and the mix will be more flavorful if tree nuts, mixed nuts or sunflower seeds are included. Granola is a good base for children with allergies but is not as rich in protein as nuts and seeds. Use unsalted nuts to reduce the amount of sodium in the finished mix.
Dried Fruit and Sweets
Dried fruit is a great addition to increase vitamin C, fiber, and carbohydrate content. Fruit such as cherries, pineapple, peaches, apples and bananas are favorites of many children. Allow children to select their favorite fruits to add to the trail mix, but encourage them to try new foods too.
Many commercially available trail mixes include candy-coated chocolate candies, marshmallows or baking chips. Your version can have them too, but these ingredients include processed sugar that won't help make it healthy. Add some in moderation if it makes the mix more appealing to children, but always in small amounts.
Grains
Whole grain cereals are fine to include in the mix. Sugary cereals should be avoided, as trail mix should be a healthful way to add energy without the risk of the crash that comes from highly processed carbohydrates. Look for whole grain o-shaped cereals, cereal squares or other finger-food friendly cereals.
Snack sized pretzels, oyster crackers or rice crackers can be substituted for the cereal, with dried peas or other veggies can be used in place of the dried fruit.
Mixing the Trail Mix
Nuts and seeds should be added at a 1.5 ratio to the rest of the ingredients. An example recipe is 1 1/2 cup of nuts/seeds, 1 cup of dried fruit, 1 cup cereal. Ratios should be tailored around the child's tastes or sensitivity to the ingredients. Kids are more likely to enjoy eating foods they helped make. So have the child clean his hands and construct part of the trail mix, dumping and mixing the different items into a large bowl. Store your final mix in an airtight container.
Tags: available trail, available trail mixes, commercially available, commercially available trail, nuts seeds
Drinking tea is a great way to quench your thirst especially on those hot summer days. You can make a natural iced tea quickly and easily with the supplies in your own kitchen. Turn regular tea bags and tap water into iced tea that tastes as good as store bought iced tea; all without a machine.
Instructions
1. Fill a kettle with 8 cups of tap water. Once it has boiled, pour it into a large juice jug. This will be the base of your iced tea.
2. Place eight tea bags into the boiling water and let stand for up to an hour. Remove the tea bags and squeeze the remaining water from the tea bags into the jug.
3. Add two cups of sugar to the jug and stir vigorously until the sugar has dissolved in the water, if you want sweet tea.
4. Cut a lemon into pieces and squeeze the lemon into the tea, if you like lemon in your tea. Or, add a 1/4 cup of lemon juice to the tea and stir.
5. Combine flavors to make a variety of iced teas. You can add lime or honey to the lemon iced tea. Switch the lemon for oranges or berries for a different taste. You can also substitute mint for other flavorings to have an icy mint tea.
6. Try different tea bags if you like herbal or green tea. You can also substitute some of the water in your original iced tea for fruit juice to add variety.
7. Place the iced tea into the fridge to cool it down quickly. Add ice cubes or crushed ice to the juice jug to make the tea icy cold.
The term "soul food" refers to African-American cuisine that originated in the southern United States. Serving comfort food with strong traditions, soul food restaurants are popular these days in many areas of country. Fried chicken, cornbread, candied yams and fruit pies are just some of the standard soul food treats these restaurants offer.
Mama Dip's
Mildred Council opened her first restaurant in 1976 with $64. Today Mama Dip's (mamadips.com) in Chapel Hill is one of North Carolina's most popular soul food restaurants. House specials include smothered pork chops and chittlins, plain or pan-friend pig intestines. Breakfast side-dishes include grits and biscuits. Mama Dip's also offers prix fixe picnic baskets for takeaway.
Mama Dip's
408 W. Rosemary Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
919-942-5837
mamadips.com
Niki's West Steak And Seafood Restaurant
Birmingham is home to one of Alabama's soul food hot spots, Niki's West (nikiswest.com). A family business opened in 1957, Niki's West has separate menus for seafood and steak. Catfish, snapper and speckled trout are a few of their popular fish selections. There's a children's menu and they open their doors at 6 a.m. for breakfast.
Niki's West Steak And Seafood Restaurant
233 Finley Ave W.
Birmingham AL 35204
205-252-5751
nickiswest.com
The Praline Connection
The Praline Connection (pralineconnection.com) offers popular handmade praline candies in their candy shop and New Orleans down-home meals in their Cajun-Creole restaurant. This is soul food Louisiana style, with alligator sausage and fried okra on the menu. Soups include two types of gumbo and the jambalaya is a popular meal. Every entree comes with a choice of greens: mustard, collard or cabbage.
The Praline Connection
542 Frenchmen Street
New Orleans LA 70116-2024
504-943-3934
pralineconnection.com
Gladys and Ron's Chicken & Waffles
The popular entertainers Gladys Knight and Ron Winans co-founded a popular restaurant in Atlanta called Gladys & Ron's Chicken & Waffles (gladysandron.net). Their goal was to carry on the Harlem tradition of chicken and waffles soul food meals, plus other savory favorites. Salmon croquettes come with cinnamon toast and Georgia peach butter. Peach cobbler is included on this Georgia soul food menu, as well.
An appletini is a variation of the traditional martini, which is a popular alcoholic beverage. The appletini falls into a category of "designer drinks" and is not always welcomed by martini connoisseurs.
Identification
Appletinis are often bright green in color, generally due to the apple-flavored liqueur, most popularly, apple schnapps, served in a martini glass, garnished with an apple slice.
Features
The appletini can be made in several different ways, but generally includes either apple-flavored liqueur, apple juice, apple cider and, in some variations, Martinelli's sparkling cider, which makes a sparkling appletini.
Types
Using sour apple liqueur makes a puckertini, or a sour appletini. Using Bailey's Caramel Irish Cream with Smirnoff's Green Apple Vodka creates the caramel appletini.
Variations
Several variations of the appletini have slipped in and out of popularity, including the rumpletini, in which rum is substituted for vodka, the traditional main ingredient of the martini.
Famous Ties
The appletini was mentioned in an episode of the television sitcom "Scrubs," during which several jokes featured the popular drink, including, "I'll have an appletini, easy on the tini."
Many patrons of cheese shops mix and match flavors to create their own cheese platter.
Cheese shops provide customers with the chance to see, smell, taste, and buy a variety of cheeses that are usually not available at a regular grocery store. Many shops have a wide variety of a certain kind of cheese, such as cow, goat, or sheep, or what is available from local farms. Specialty cheese shops are a great place to stop if you are looking to create your own cheese platter because the employees are often very informed and will be able to mix your favorite tastes as well as offer advice for wines to complement the platter.
Les Amis du Fromage
Les Amis du Fromage prides itself on its wide range of cheeses, crackers, biscuits, olive oil, salts, and cheese equipment. The store has cheeses from all over the world including several European countries as well as Australia. Les Amis du Fromage pays particular attention to local Canadian cheeses, with over 50 varieties including local cheese from British Columbia and Quebec. In addition, the store offers pre-prepared meals consisting of soups and entrees for people on the go who need to pick up a quick, easy, and delicious meal.
Les Amis du Fromage
1752 West 2nd Avenue
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada V6J 1H6
604-732-4218
buycheese.com
Benton Brothers Fine Cheese
Benton Brothers Fine Cheese specializes in providing its customers a constantly changing array of cheese from all over the world. At the store you can purchase dozens of kinds of cheeses, as well as a selection of nuts, dried fruit, olive oil, jellies, pates, and cured meats. Benton Brothers also offers many catering options for anything from a small dinner party to a large event. Each catering platter has a different number of cheese varieties and can be customized according to different preferences.
Benton Brothers Fine Cheese
2104 West 41st Ave
Vancouver BC, V6M 1Z1
604-261-5813
bentonscheese.com
Granville Island Public Market
The Granville Island Public Market is not solely a cheese shop, but rather a Farmers Market open seven days a week. In this market you can find a wide variety of many different types of local vegetables, fruits, sauces, marinades, meats, breads, and cheese. The Granville Island Public Market is the ideal location for finding a wide array of ingredients for self-created cheese tray or recipe. However, the items are always dictated by what is available locally at the time, so you can never count on always finding the same thing from the same vendors.
Granville Island Public Market
1661 Duranleau Street, 2nd Floor
Vancouver, BC, V6H 3S3
604-666-5784
granvilleisland.com
Tags: Amis Fromage, Benton Brothers, Granville Island, Granville Island Public, Island Public, Island Public Market
Sashimi refers to plain slices of raw fish, usually served with a bowl of rice as an accompaniment.
Instructions
1. Purchase fresh raw fish. For the sake of simplicity, purchase a cut of fish that has been skinned and cleaned.
2. Wash fish with cold water and pat dry with clean paper towels.
3. Slice off and discard any dark portions. In some seafood, such as abalone, the dark portions are considered a delicacy but the flavor is quite potent. In fish such as tuna, the dark portions are blood vessels and are best avoided.
4. Use a very sharp knife to slice the fish along the grain in a motion downward and toward you. Avoid sawing the fish.
5. Cut fish into thin, bite-sized slices about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick and 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches long.
6. Arrange fish slices on a plate. Layer fish and arrange into patterns or roll slices into small rosettes.
7. Garnish plate with wasabi (similar to horseradish) and vinegared ginger (gari).
8. Serve with a bowl of rice and soy sauce.
Tags: dark portions, bowl rice, Make Sashimi, with bowl, with bowl rice
Cheesecake recipes typically consist of cream cheese, sugar, butter and eggs.
Butter, a common ingredient in many cake and pastry recipes, is most commonly replaced with oil or margarine. Using oil makes a recipe moister or slightly more likely to crumble, while margarine offers a minimal flavor difference. If you wish to add a unique flavor twist to your recipes and increase their creaminess, you can replace some of the butter in a recipe with cream cheese. Since cream cheese is not always a good substitute for butter, you will have to try different ratios to perfect your recipe.
Instructions
1. Spread cream cheese on a pastry, bagel or slice of toast as an alternative to butter. Cream cheese offers similar flavor-enhancing properties due to its high fat content. Though it tastes different than butter, it offers a pleasant creaminess.
2. Replace the butter in a cream sauce recipe with half cream cheese and half vegetable oil. For example, if you are making Alfredo sauce and it requires 1 cup of butter, use 1/2 cup of cream cheese and 1/2 cup of oil. The cream cheese increases the creaminess of the sauce. If the sauce already calls for cream cheese or cream, you may wish to reduce the amount of cream cheese or cream you add to the recipe.
3. Eliminate butter from your cheesecake filling, replacing the entire amount of butter with cream cheese. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray or wipe it with oil to keep it from sticking to the pan. This will lead to a rich, creamy cheesecake.
4. Warm cream cheese on the stove or in the microwave before adding it to pastry, cookie or cake recipes. Cold cream cheese is too thick to add to most recipes.
5. Add cream cheese to a pastry, cookie or cake recipe by mixing it with oil. Add the liquid to the dry materials in the recipe. Adding cream cheese to a pastry recipe gives it a flavor more similar to a tart and may have a cheesy taste. In most cases, you will want to use a ratio of 25 to 50 percent cream cheese and 50 to 75 percent oil. Replace all of the butter with this oil and cream cheese mixture. If the recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, use 3/4 cup of the mixture.
Garlic bread is a classic favorite at the dinner table and a delicious accompaniment to many cuisines. Homemade garlic bread made with real butter and garlic is far superior to frozen garlic bread from the supermarket. It is made from fresh ingredients, you are able to control exactly what goes on the bread and you can make as much or as little of it as you like.
Instructions
Homemade Garlic Bread
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the small root end from each clove of garlic and rub the paper skins away. Either chop the garlic cloves finely with a sharp knife or crush them in a garlic press. Put the crushed/chopped garlic into a small bowl.
2. Add the stick of butter and parsley to the bowl with the garlic. Mash the butter with a fork, blending it with the garlic and parsley until you have a soft, smooth spread.
3. Use the bread knife to cut slices across the length of the baguette without slicing entirely through the bottom of the bread. Make them as thick or as thin as you like. For a small portion of garlic bread, just cut off and save the rest of the baguette when you have as many slices as you want.
4. Gently hold each slice open one at a time and spread the garlic butter evenly over the front and back of each slice. Try to keep the slices attached to the base of the bread.
5. Wrap the entire baguette loosely with foil. Place it on a cookie sheet or directly on the oven rack and bake for about 30 minutes. For crispier garlic bread, bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
Tags: each slice, garlic bread, garlic bread, with garlic
Red sweet potatoes are the most common variety of sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes come in a variety of colors, and red sweet potatoes are sometimes referred to as "pink." Red sweet potatoes are the most common variety and also contain the highest amount of vitamin A. Sweet potatoes grow best in environments with a long frost-free season, which is why they are a common ingredient in southern cooking. Despite the name, sweet potatoes are actually not potatoes, and they are not yams, either. Sweet potatoes are from the Morning Glory family and sometimes produce flowers that resemble the ornamental Morning Glory.
Instructions
1. Prepare your garden for the red sweet potato. Make sure the soil is sandy and plenty of sun is available. The hotter the location, the better. Ensure you have a lot of space in your garden, because the sweet potato vine needs a lot of room to grow. Start planting sweet potatoes three to four weeks after the last frost date.
2. Use about one foot of a sweet potato vine. Remove all leaves from the vine except for on the tip.
3. Cover the vine with a layer of soil, except for the very tip that contains the leaves. Each leaf node will root into the soil. As the vine grows, each leaf node will continue to grow roots.
4. Space each vine 12 to 18 inches apart.
5. Water the plants immediately to ensure the roots have good contact with the soil.
6. Wait four to six months for the sweet potatoes to mature.
The Hickory King variety of corn is more of a dent, or field corn, than it is a sweet corn classification. While it tastes very sweet, Hickory King is used most often for roasting ears or for grinding. The plant will grow to 6 to 12 feet high and will produce two to three ears of corn. Hickory King is an heirloom seed plant and is not a hybrid, so seed can be saved each year for the next year's planting.
Instructions
1. Select the area of the garden where you wish to plant the corn. You will need a large area, as you need to plant the corn approximately 9 to 12 inches apart, and you will need several rows for open pollination to occur.
2. Test your soil using a soil test kit available at your local garden center or hardware store. Hickory King prefers soil that is neutral with a pH reading 6.6 to 7.5. Discuss with your garden center whether you may need fertilizers or soil conditioners to bring your garden soil into the proper pH range.
3. Plant the seed 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep and 9 to 12 inches apart in rows that are 12 inches apart.
4. Replant any seed that does not germinate within two weeks. Remove and replant seedlings that appear weak or unhealthy.
5. Test for maturity after 100 days. Depending on how far south your are, the corn matures in 100 to 130 days. Mature Hickory King ears are 7 to 8 inches long, 5 inches in diameter and have approximately 10 to 12 rows of kernels. The kernels will juice when split with your thumbnail when they are mature.
6. Allow several ears to remain on a few plants until the corn is dried. This will give you seed for next season's plantings.
Tags: Hickory King, inches apart, garden center, plant corn, will need, with your
Kidney beans can be eaten fresh from the garden or dried for later use. Once dried, kidney beans can be stored in a cool place for several years and used when needed. There are several methods of drying kidney beans. All are simple, and how you choose to do it depends on which method best suits your lifestyle.
Instructions
On the Vine
1. Allow the kidney bean pods and the plants to remain in the garden until both the pods and the plant turn dry and brown.
2. Harvest the beans from the plants before removing the plants from the ground.
3. Shell the beans into a bowl and store in airtight containers until needed.
Hanging to Dry
4. Pull the entire kidney been plant up by the roots.
5. Tie the root ends of the plants into bundles using medium-weight string.
6. Hang the bundles in an area that has airflow but is out of the sun and rain. Let the beans and the plant dry until they are brown and brittle.
7. Shell the beans from the pods and store.
On Newspaper
8. Pick the kidney bean pods from the plant.
9. Lay out newspaper in an area that has plenty of airflow but is out of the weather.
10. Lay the bean pods on the newspaper and let them dry until brittle. Turn the beans every few days to expose the entire bean to the air.
Ramadan is a special Islamic holiday when healthy, adult Muslims fast from sunup to sundown as an expression of their faith in Allah (God). In order to make Ramadan extra special for the little ones, prepare finger foods and tasty drinks. Dates are a traditional way to break one's fast, and a date milkshake is a refreshing way to do so.
Drinks
For two date milkshakes, you will need 5 pitted dates, 2 glasses of milk and 2 tbsp. vanilla ice cream. Cut dates into small pieces, than place all ingredients into the blender. Mix for 30 seconds..
For a pitcherful of sparkling fruit punch, you will need 1 cup sugar, 1 bottle sparkling water, 1 cup mango, 1 cup pineapple and 1 cup water. Make sure that all fruits are chopped and seeded. Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. When the mixture becomes a clear syrup, stir together the syrup and sparkling water in a pitcher. Add fruit pieces, ice and serve chilled.
Sambousa, Finger Food
Sambousa is simply an Arabic version of an egg roll. You will need 1 lb. lean ground beef or lamb. 1/2 carrot, minced, 1 green onion, finely chopped, 1 tsp. tomato paste, 1/2 onion, minced, 1 chili pepper, diced, 1 garlic clove, minced, 1 tbsp. cumin, a pinch of salt for taste, 1 package egg roll wrappers, 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour, 2 cups of vegetable oil and 1 tbsp. water.
Cook ground beef/lamb in a large skillet until browned. Remove the meat from the skillet and saute onions, garlic, carrot and green onion until tender. Add the tomato paste and salt. Stir in the browned meat. Combine flour and 1 cup of water in a bowl to form a watery paste. Set the paste aside it is used to seal the wrapper. Next, take a tsp. of the meat mixture and place in the center of the wrapper for a filling. Fold into the shape of a cone. Use the flour/water paste to seal the edges of the sambousa. Heat some oil in a skillet and fry the triangle shape until golden and crisp.
This recipe makes 25 sambousas.
Ghoraibi or Butter Cookies
You will need 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 cups softened butter, 4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups blanched almonds (halved) and 1 tbsp. almond extract
Begin by preheating oven to 300 degrees F. Use electric blender to beat butter until fluffy for about 4 to 5 minutes. Add sugars to fluffy butter, then the almond extract. Add flour very slowly. Use mixer for 4 minutes to mix sugars, flour and butter together. Place mixture in refrigerator for about 1 hour to chill. Roll out cookie dough on a floured surface to prevent dough from sticking. Roll into a ropelike shape about 2 inches thick. Cut rope into diamondlike shapes, diagonally on both ends.Place on a cookie sheet and add one almond to the center of each cookie. Bake cookies for about 10 minutes.
This recipe makes 15 cookies.
Tags: will need, about minutes, all-purpose flour, all-purpose flour cups, almond extract, beef lamb, flour cups
Hot blueberry cobbler is a wonderful winter treat, and slightly warm cobbler is great in summer. The topping on this cobbler is deliciously crunchy and is the perfect accompaniment to the blueberry filling. This easy recipe serves up to six people.
Instructions
Blueberry Mix
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Mix the blueberries, vanilla, and lemon juice in a bowl.
3. Add the first measure of sugar and half a teaspoon of flour to the blueberry mixture.
4. Stir in one tablespoon of melted butter.
5. Spoon the blueberry mixture into a greased 8-inch baking dish.
Batter
6. Mix 1 1/2 cups of flour, 5 tablespoons of sugar and the baking powder in a bowl.
7. Cut in five tablespoons of butter. Rub the mixture well with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
8. Make a smell well in the center of the dry mixture with a spoon then pour in the milk.
9. Stir the mixture quickly until it is just moistened.
10. Spoon the batter over the blueberry mixture.
11. Mix a pinch of cinnamon with two teaspoons of sugar then sprinkle this over the batter.
12. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the batter is golden brown.
Blood oranges are grown in Spain and are often used to make sangria.
Spain is the home of the saffron-flavored rice dish called paella and gazpacho, a spicy chilled tomato soup. Both go well with sangria, a red-wine concoction including sugar, orange zest, soda water, brandy and slices of fresh fruit. Thick lentil soups, rich with potatoes and onions, tease the taste buds and are served as comfort foods. Many of the fruits and vegetables used in these dishes are grown within Spain's borders.
Olives
Spain produces just over 30 percent of the world's olives, in regions including Andalusia, Catalonia, Extremadura and Castilla la Mancha. The country grows 260 varieties, among them Manzanilla, Hojiblanca and Carrasquena. The size of an olive is dependent on how many fruits are on the tree--the fewer the olives, the bigger they grow.
Green olives are picked before they start to color. They are washed and then soaked in brine to make them edible. Green olives frequently are stuffed with pimentos, anchovies or garlic, or they are simply served whole.
Black olives get their color from oxidation. Partially ripe fruit is harvested while the olives are a brownish-rose color. Olive oil, made by crushing the olives and extracting their liquid, is used in Spanish cooking.
Spanish Blood Orange
Sporting a bold, blood-red colored flesh and a rind almost as dark, the Sanguinelli orange is a native of Spain. They are a variety of the Doblefina blood orange, grown throughout the Mediterranean basin. Both types need very hot, dry climates to grow, preferably in regions that have a big temperature difference between night and day. Blood oranges grown in high altitudes tend to be sweeter. The color of the rind is darker if the plant has been grown in shade. Once considered an acquired taste, blood oranges are now in demand because they contain more Vitamin C and antioxidants than the more familiar oranges. Both varieties are now grown in warmer parts of California, New Zealand, China, India and throughout the Middle East.
Spanish Wine Grapes
Spanish people love their wine--so much so that they have more than 146 types of grapes growing within the country. The Garnacha Tinta, a bold red grape that originated in Sardinia, Italy, is found throughout Spain and is the most common variety. Wines produced from these grapes are fruity, with a bright color. The Arien, one of the most widely grown white grapes on the planet, is mostly found in La Mancha. From these grapes a dry white wine, usually with a high alcoholic content, is produced. Other varieties include the purpleish-blue Bobal, found mostly in Utiel Requena, the Carbernet Sauvignon, a purple grape originally from France and grown in Spain's Mediterranean region, and the white Albarino found in Galicia.
Spanish Legumes
Edible legumes are grown throughout Spain. In the wetter parts of the country, kidney and French beans make up the majority of the crops. In the south, where the climate is arid and much hotter, lentils and garbanzos dominate. Lentils are often soaked and boiled and then made into thick soup. Garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas, are used in salads and soups and are also ground to make the Middle Eastern dip called hummus.
Tags: Blood oranges grown, Green olives, grown Spain, grown throughout, oranges grown, these grapes, throughout Spain
The kenaf hibiscus (Hibiscus cannabinus) is an attractive flowering plant that typically is cultivated for more practical uses. Its tough, fibrous strands make it ideal for creating rope, sacking, building materials and even for the backing of carpets. The origin of kenaf hibiscus isn't known, although it is believed to be indigenous to Africa, Asia, the East Indies and/or Australia. It is currently cultivated throughout the world for making paper products. Kenaf hibiscus can be grown from seed outdoors as soon as the soil temperature has reached at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Instructions
Preparing the Seeds and Planting Area
1. Collect the seed pods from an established kenaf hibiscus. The pods are ready for removing when they are dry and begin to show signs of cracking open.
2. Split open a pod to remove the seeds from the pods.
3. Clean the seeds thoroughly. Rinse them in cool tap water and use a small brush to clean them. You may also rub the seeds against wire screening to clean them.
4. Set the seeds in a paper sack to store until you are ready to plant them. They should remain viable for eight months.
5. Prepare the planting area in late spring (late March or early April) for summer planting. Work the planting bed to a depth of about 8 to 10 inches, using a rototiller.
6. Spread a 4-inch layer of aged cow manure, dehydrated compost or peat moss over the planting area. Work the amendment into the soil thoroughly. Level and smooth the planting area, using a metal rake.
7. Distribute a nitrogen-based fertilizer such as 12-12-12 at the spread rate of 1 to 2 lbs. for every 100 square feet of planting area. Incorporate the fertilizer into the soil, using the rototiller. Keep the area weeded until planting time. Plant between early May and early June.
Planting and Growing Kenaf Hibiscus
8. Create 3-foot-wide rows in the planting area. Use a measuring tape and planting stakes to measure and mark the distance apart for each row at about 3 feet.
9. Poke 1-inch-deep holes down the center of each row. Keep each hole about 1 foot apart.
10. Plant one seed in each of the planting holes. Cover the seeds with about 1 inch of soil.
11. Moisten the seed bed thoroughly, using a fine mist type of spray over the area. Push in a planting stake at the start and end of each planted row to indicate the area for watering. Germination can begin in about 10 to 14 days, depending on conditions.
12. Weed the planting area thoroughly during the first month after the kenaf hibiscus seeds germinate. Once seedlings grow to about 1 foot in height, fertilize every three weeks, using an all purpose fertilizer such as 15-15-15. Follow the directions specified by the product's manufacturer as to spread rate.
Tags: planting area, kenaf hibiscus, about foot, clean them, fertilizer such
Sugar cane is believed to have originated in the South Pacific and has been known for at least 2200 years. Sugarcane is grown in the world from altitude 36.7° N and 31.0° S, from sea level to 1000m of altitude or little more. The climate for growing sugar cane needs to be fairly dry, sunny and cool. Florida, Louisiana, Hawaii and Texas are the best climates in the United States to grow sugar cane plants. Growing and harvesting sugar cane plants is dependent upon viable seeds that are sometimes hard to find. For the best harvesting sugar cane needs a frost free season. The phase after harvesting is called breeding. Breeding takes place in factories that are able to provide the proper conditions and techniques required.
Instructions
1. Cut sugar cane plants into sections and lay horizontally in furrows. A new plant stem section grows from the bud when laid horizontally. Cover them with soil to make the roots grow from the base of the new stem. Sugar cane branches underground to produce more from growth from the bud. Sugar cane plants are typically ready in 11-18 months.
2. Plant the sugar cane plants in rows about six feet apart from each other. This will make it easier for cultivation and weed control. The mature stems will grow and vary between 4 to 12 feet. There is a thin, hard outer surface with a soft center between the stems and nodes. The center is where the juice is contained.
3. More than one crop is harvested from a sugar cane planting. After the first crop is removed, it is likely that two or more crops will arise. This is the result of growing the sugar cane plants in the right way. New stalks cut near the ground level in harvesting will give way to produce more crops.
4. Get the right equipment for planting sugar cane. Harvesting sugar cane plants can be done at home with the right equipment. One might need feeder tables, cane carriers, and a cane unloader. The cane should then be taken to a factory to begin the necessary refining process. With some investment, the sugar cane business can be very lucrative.
The Italian dumplings called gnocchi (pronounced nyokee) make an appetizing dish. When you don't have enough time for boiling and mashing the potatoes, try this easy gnocchi recipe. It's a shortcut that tastes just as delicious as the more complicated dish.
Instructions
1. Prepare instant potatoes according to directions on the package. To make gnocchi for two people, make a 2-person serving of instant potatoes. This step distinguishes this gnocchi recipe from the more traditional ones.
2. Beat an egg into the instant potatoes, and then mix in enough flour to form a slightly sticky dough.
3. Roll out the dough into strands about one inch in diameter. Slice the strands into small pieces. Dip a finger in flour (to keep it from sticking to the gnocchi) and press down in the center of each piece to form a little pillow.
4. Drop the pillows into boiling water that contains a tbsp. of olive oil. The olive oil will prevent the pieces from sticking together. Stir the gnocchi occasionally. Boil until most of the pieces float to the top, and then pour them out into a colander.
5. Arrange the gnocchi on a cookie sheet. Baste the pieces with melted butter and sprinkle with Romano or Parmesan cheese. Broil in the oven until gnocchi turns golden brown. This step is optional in the gnocchi recipe.
6. Serve gnocchi with hot marinara sauce for dipping. Or you can drizzle olive oil with garlic and herbs over it.
Tags: gnocchi recipe, instant potatoes, from sticking, This step
Catching water life with a dip net is a great way to explore living aquatic organisms. You can sweep the net through the water while holding its long handle and scoop up all sorts of creatures to observe for a short while. You can make this simple dip net for you and your kids easily with things that you have around the house. Then you can all enjoy an outing to a nearby pond together and take turns catching water animals with your dip net.
Instructions
1. Bend the coat hanger into the shape of a rough square. Straighten the hook section of the hanger.
2. Cut the legs from an old pair of pantyhose right below the knees. Tie the ends of the legs together.
3. Push the squared wire hanger into the top half inch of the waistband of the pantyhose. Pull the knot in the legs through to the other side of the hanger. This overlapping of the pantyhose will keep tiny organisms from getting stuck under the lip of the waistband. Stitch the top of the pantyhose to the wire hanger with needle and thread.
4. Tightly duct tape the straightened hook of the hanger to a stick, dowel rod or broomstick to create the dip net's handle.
5. Put on your rubber water boots and hold a bucket with some pond water in it in one hand, the dip net in the other. Carefully wade into a pond. Don't wade deep enough to get water into the tops of your boots.
6. Set the net on the bottom of the pond while holding the handle upright. Walk through the water very slowly, gently moving the net up and down. Every so often, stop and empty the net's contents into the bucket of pond water.
7. Go to the pond's shore after you've dipped the net several times. Empty the contents of the bucket into a wide basin in the shade, and check out the creatures you have caught. Return them to their pond after about 10 to 15 minutes of observation.
Tags: hanger into, pond water, through water, while holding, wire hanger
Make burritos and tacos from rehydrated refried beans.
A very reliable way to preserve foods is dehydration. If you are a backpacker and need lightweight foods that do not need refrigeration for consumption on the trail, dehydrated refried beans are a good source of protein and fiber. Similarly, if you want to stock up on a reserve of food for emergencies or to preserve some beans from your own garden, dehydration is the solution. However, when you have dehydrated food, you must know rehydrate it effectively to restore its taste and texture. Fortunately this involves the most basic of kitchen skills -- boiling water.
Instructions
Commercially Prepared Dehydrated Refried Beans
1. Bring a sufficient amount of water to a boil on a stove or over a campfire. Read the label on your refried bean package to find out how much is sufficient for your product.
2. Pour the dehydrated refried beans into a medium-sized bowl. Some commercially prepared refried beans come in packaging that serves as the bowl.
3. Pour the boiling water over the dried refried beans. Stir to mix well. Place a cover on the bowl or package and wait five minutes for the beans to soften, thicken and return to a hydrated state.
Homemade Dehydrated Refried Beans
4. Bring enough water to a boil on the stove or over a campfire for the amount of refried beans you want to rehydrate. You need 2 cups of water for every 2 cups of dehydrated refried beans.
5. Pour the dehydrated refried beans into the boiling water, stirring constantly to mix well.
6. Lower the heat on the stove to a simmer. Cook the refried beans for a few minutes until they thicken and return to their previous texture. Two cups of dehydrated refried beans and 2 cups of water make 4 cups of rehydrated refried beans.
Vitamin K toxicity is rare, but no one should take doses higher than 500 micrograms unless directed to do so by a doctor. Your doctor also might limit your intake if you are taking blood thinners, since vitamin K might interfere with them. Always talk to your doctor before changing your eating habits, especially when considering reducing your intake of necessary nutrients like vitamin K.
Instructions
1. Limit foods that contain a high amount of vitamin K -- 60 micrograms or more -- to one serving per week. Foods that are high in vitamin K include dark leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli and kale.
2. Limit foods that contain a medium amount of vitamin K -- 30 to 60 micrograms -- to three servings a day or less. Common foods on this list include romaine lettuce, spaghetti sauce and frozen blueberries.
3. Keep your reduced vitamin K intake consistent. The international normalized ratio, or INR, is a system for reporting blood coagulation test results. A spike in your vitamin K intake will lower your INR significantly and affect your test results; depending on the severity of your condition, this could be dangerous. If your INR test results are too low and your doctor recommends lowering vitamin K levels even more, make sure to stay consistent after reducing the levels again.
4. Use online tools to calculate and monitor your daily and weekly intake of vitamin K. Again, the most important thing to do is keep your levels constant by eating relatively the same amount of vitamin K weekly. See the USDA searchable database link in Resources.
Tags: amount vitamin, test results, amount vitamin micrograms, foods that, foods that contain
As part of a memorable Halloween celebration, don't forget the lowly pumpkin seed. These little guys can add such enjoyment in many ways. They can be roasted, toasted or used as part of your decorations. Removing them carefully and cleaning them well makes for maximum benefit.
Instructions
1. Place the pumpkin in a spot that will be easiest for you to work with. If it's small enough, place it in the kitchen sink. For larger pumpkins, spread newspaper on a table so that you can work comfortably with minimum mess and easy clean-up.
2. Cut the top out of the pumpkin with a sharp knife or pumpkin-cutter tool. Take the lid out. Pull any seeds off the lid that may be stuck in the pulp fibers. Have a bowl of water handy to place the seeds in as you're removing them.
3. Use a large metal spoon to remove all of the insides of the pumpkin. Scrape the inside walls of the pumpkin carefully so that you get all of the stringy fibers and pulp. Place the insides you've removed onto newspaper or a large, flat pan.
4. Separate the seeds from the strings, fiber and pulp with your fingers. Pull the seeds firmly; some may be difficult to untangle from the strings.
5. Soak the seeds in the bowl of water for several minutes. Take them out of the water and place them in a colander. Hold the colander under warm running water, turning the seeds with your fingertips so that they get completely clean. You may have to rub some of the seeds with your fingers in order to get all of the stringy fibers off.
Tags: with your, bowl water, from strings, Pull seeds, seeds with, seeds with your
Fresh tomatoes are used as the basis for a number of dishes.
Tomatoes are incredibly versatile. They can be eaten raw in salads, grilled with meat, fish or vegetables, and used to make soups. If you have leftover tomato sauce, puree or soup, there are several ways you can re-heat them. According to a 2008 report in the Daily Mail newspaper, reheated tomato sauce can actually help to prevent cancer as the antioxidant lycopene is enhanced.
Instructions
On the Stove
1. Add a dash of corn, vegetable or olive oil to the tomato sauce. The extra oil helps with the absorption of lycopene, an antioxidant which can help to prevent cancer. If you're reheating from frozen you should allow it to thoroughly defrost in the fridge first.
2. Put the liquid in a saucepan and place over low to medium heat, stirring constantly. Avoid placing it over high heat as this will burn the bottom of your pan before the contents have reheated thoroughly.
3. Warm for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat before it comes to a boil.
In the Oven
4. Defrost fully in the fridge if frozen. Put tomato sauce in an oven-proof dish. This method is best when you have meat or vegetables in the sauce.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
Using a Microwave
7. Put the tomatoes in a microwave-proof dish and place in the microwave.
8. Set the microwave to medium heat for 1 minute. Open the door and stir, as microwaves cook unevenly. If you're microwaving from frozen allow more time between each stir.
9. Repeat until thoroughly heated.
Tags: tomato sauce, from frozen, help prevent, help prevent cancer, medium heat
This recipe is a personal family favorite. However, you can add your own personal touch to make it a family favorite of your own. Turtle candies are a simple and easy candy to make. Turtles are usually made with pecans and shaped to look like turtles. However, the candies can also be made with cashews, peanuts or almonds. You can make simple candies or for a fancier turtle, you can drizzle white chocolate over the finished product.
Instructions
Making the Turtles
1. Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees. Take a baking sheet and lightly spray the sheet with cooking spray.
2. Arrange nuts on a baking sheet. If you use pecans, take three pecans and form the nuts in the shape of a Y. Other nuts can be placed in the form of a circle.
3. Take a caramel candy and place it on top of the nuts. Place the nuts with the caramels in your oven, and bake about 10 minutes.
4. Melt chocolates and shortening into a double boiler while nuts and caramels are baking. Stir chocolate as it is melting.
5. Spread a thin layer of chocolate over turtles using a wooden spoon. Place your candies in your refrigerator for up to an hour. Remove your candies once they have cooled and store in air-tight containers.
Tags: baking sheet, chocolate over, family favorite, made with, Make Turtle, Make Turtle Candies
Create colorful, fragrant decorations for home using dried apples for a country-inspired, homespun touch. Dry a batch of the sliced fruit in a low oven while you complete other craft projects or holiday decorations. Put the festive fruit slices to work immediately by displaying them in a pretty white bowl until you're ready to use them to create embellishments for your home, holiday tree or personalized gift wrap. The drying and crafting techniques are so easy that you'll want to try them with additional fruits like lemons and limes.
Instructions
Prepare the Dried Apples
1. Use a knife to slice 10 red apples into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Leave the core in as a decorative touch.
2. Soak the apple slices in 3 tbsp. of salt and enough lemon juice to completely cover the slices. Let the fruit soak for at least 20 minutes so it won't turn brown during the drying process.
3. Arrange the slices in single layers on non-stick baking sheets. Let them dry for six hours in an oven set to 150 degrees. Take the slices out of the oven and let them cool.
4. Spray each apple slice with a coat of acrylic sealer to help preserve the fruit. Let the spray dry before completing the crafts.
Create the Apple Crafts
5. Design apple ornaments to hang on a holiday tree or bulletin board by poking a hole in the apple slice with a wood skewer. Push a 6-inch-long piece of jute or ribbon through the hole and tie the ends together to create a loop to hang on a tree branch or hook.
6. Create a festive wreath by affixing the apple slices to a 12-inch Styrofoam ring with straight pins. Overlap the slices so the ring doesn't show through. Add additional color to the project by affixing fresh cranberries or pine tree sprigs to the wreath with a permanent adhesive.
7. Make a dried apple garland for a fireplace mantel by cutting a 10-foot-long piece of ribbon or jute. Use a skewer to make a hole in the top of each apple slice. Push the ribbon through the hole and tie a knot at the top of the fruit. Leave a 1-inch gap, add another apple slice to the string and tie a knot on top of it. Repeat the process until you've filled the entire strand of garland.
8. Affix a dried apple to the bottom of a plain shipping tag with double-sided tape. Add the "to" and "from" information with a red pen and tie the pretty gift tags to presents with ribbon or jute.
Tags: apple slice, Apple Crafts, apple slice with, apple slices, dried apple, each apple
Store dried pinto beans for years in an airtight container.
Pinto beans are a low-cost and versatile protein source. A staple in Mexican cuisine, including in burritos and refried beans, they can also be adapted for use in nearly any bean recipe. Pinto beans are related to the red kidney bean, though they are smaller in size and more tan in color. Many pinto varieties have slightly darker spots on them, which disappear once they are cooked. Beans take some time to prepare as they must be rehydrated, but most of the preparation time doesn't require hands-on work.
Instructions
1. Place 1 lb. of dry pinto beans in a colander. Sort the beans, removing any small stones or shriveled beans. Rinse the beans two or three times under running tap water.
2. Pour 6 cups of cold water into a large pot. Add the beans and 2 tsp of salt to the water. Soak overnight.
3. Drain the soaking water from the beans and replace with fresh water. Set the pot on a stove burner and cover it with a lid.
4. Bring the water to a rapid boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat so the water remains at a simmer. Cook for two to three hours, or until the pinto beans are tender.
5. Drain the beans and add them to your recipe. Alternatively, mash them for use in burritos and similar dishes.
Don't have a heart-shaped cake pan? Not to worry. Follow the steps below and you'll have a perfect heart-shaped cake for Valentine's Day.
Instructions
1. Prepare your favorite cake mix or batter, making sure you have enough for a two-layer cake.
2. Put half of the batter in the square cake pan and half of the batter in the round cake pan. Bake as directed and let cool.
3. Prepare a platter, cookie sheet or cardboard base for the cake. It should measure about 15 by 15 inches. Cover with aluminum foil or paper doilies as desired.
4. Place the square layer on the platter so that one corner faces down at the bottom of the platter, forming a diamond shape.
5. Cut the round layer in half, then place the cut side of each half of the round layer against one upper side of the square layer to form a one-layer heart.
6. Frost the cake, using frosting to cover the seams.
7. Decorate the cake as desired. Consider using colored decorating sugar, candy conversation hearts, red hots or other decorating candies.
Well-known in the Middle East, bulgur is dried, parboiled wheat that's been ground. You don't have to cook it for a long time like rice and barley and it's rich in B-complex vitamins and fiber. As versatile as rice, it goes well in pilafs, soups, salads, baked goods and casseroles. The most well-known dish that uses bulgur is the tabouli salad, but there are many other ways to boost your fiber intake with bulgur.
Instructions
1. Learn about the different types of bulgur. There are fine, medium and coarse grinds. You should soak the fine and medium versions before cooking. Use 2 parts water to 1 part bulgur when preparing the fine and medium grinds. The coarse version takes 2 1/4 parts water to 1 part grain.
2. Eat a warm and nutritious breakfast by substituting fine bulgur for oatmeal. It has four times as much fiber. Add some butter and a little salt if you don't like your hot cereal sweet, but it's especially good with honey and raw sunflower seeds.
3. Use the fine version for a tabouli salad, which consists of finely chopped parsley and tomatoes, bulgur soaked in warm water but otherwise uncooked, lemon juice and olive oil.
4. Substitute coarse bulgur for rice in your pilaf dishes. Keeping in mind its Middle Eastern origins, bulgur goes well with chick peas or lentils, olive oil and spices such as cardamom and cumin.
5. Make soups and stews using medium bulgur instead of rice or barley. A simple winter soup with onions, carrots, zucchini, white beans and bulgur cooks up quickly and gets you much-needed fiber.
6. Whip up a casserole with medium or coarse bulgur for a high-fiber meal. Zucchini is a mild vegetable that goes well with sharp cheeses and bulgur. Beans, such as lentils or navy, added to bulgur with tomatoes, onions and Middle Eastern spices make a hearty winter meal.
7. Eat bulgur instead of bran in high-fiber baked goods. Use the coarse variety for half the amount of oats in apple crisps. The fine type goes well in muffins and cakes as a nutritious addition to the flour. Add it to whole wheat bread, rolls and pizza dough for an extra fiber boost.
Tags: goes well, fine medium, baked goods, bulgur instead, coarse bulgur, goes well with, medium coarse
The Raw Food Diet is eating plant-based foods that haven't been chemically altered or heated and are considered raw and alive. Raw foods such as fruits, vegetables, sprouts, grains and legumes in sprouted form, nuts, seeds, seaweed and fresh juices offer nutrients necessary for your body's health and wellness. Follow the steps below to learn find raw food diet recipes.
Instructions
1. Look for books to get you started on the diet's general principles and to find great recipes. Books such as "The Raw Food Detox Diet," "Living on Live Food" and "Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People" are available at book stores or online.
2. Subscribe to or read magazines that give information and new recipes each time they publish. Look for magazines such as "Living Nutrition" and "Purely Delicious," as well as vegetarian and health magazines with special features on raw foods and recipes. You may also be able to adapt normal recipes by using raw and alive foods.
3. Browse raw foods websites such as living-foods.com and rawfoodsdiet.wetpaint.com for updated recipes and ways of eating. Many websites give lists of recipes from nutritionists as well as regular raw foods enthusiasts.
4. Look for tips on restaurant eating and weight loss and health benefits of the raw food diet. Some restaurants such as "Karyn's Cafe" in Chicago, "Juliano's Raw" in Los Angeles and "Bonobo's" in New York City offer raw food menus. These dishes may give you ideas to take home with you and create on your own.
5. Find recipes with uncooked, unprocessed, organic ingredients, which are truly raw and not just vegetarian. A Living Foodist or Raw Foodist eats at least 75 percent living and raw food.
6. Share and find recipes using blogs, diet groups and nutritionists. Find groups to join to keep you motivated and give you access to new information as you need it.
Sugar is used in jam to prevent spoilage and thicken the product. But you can make reduced-sugar or sugar-free jams by using alternative ingredients or methods. Do not attempt to make a reduced-sugar jam by simply lowering the sugar content in your recipe. Read recipes carefully and follow the directions.
Instructions
1. Follow a recipe that calls for modified pectin. Modified pectin will say "light," "less sugar" or "no sugar" on the package. Pectin is a substance that will thicken your jam when heated together with sugar. Follow the directions closely. Some recipes for modified pectin jams will call for less sugar, while others will require nonsugar sweeteners.
2. Reduce the sugar in your recipe or use alternative sweeteners. Because sugar is normally required for thickening, use gelatin as a thickener instead. The Agricultural Extension Service of the University of Tennessee suggests making Sparkling Strawberry Jam with gelatin. You will need two envelopes of unflavored gelatin, a 12-oz. can of strawberry diet carbonated beverage, 2 cups strawberries and 1 tbsp. granulated artificial sweetener. Sprinkle gelatin over the beverage in a saucepan. Add berries, then simmer for 10 minutes. Add sweetener and beat with a mixer until smooth. Pour into containers, then cover and store in the refrigerator.
3. Use less sugar in your recipe, but boil the extracted juice and sugar for an extended period of time. Boiling thickens the product and concentrates the sugar so you use less. Do not use commercially canned juices because they do not contain enough pectin. Boil the mixture rapidly to 220 to 222 degrees Fahrenheit.
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