Friday, May 20, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Eat In, Not Out - 5 Ways to Ditch the Drive-Thru
By Kristl Story 
Kristl Story
Level: Basic PLUS
This article has been viewed 8 time(s).
Article Submitted On: February 21, 2011
Kristl Story Level: Basic PLUS
When my husband and I got engaged in 1987, we began a 12-month savings plan, so we would have enough money for a down payment ...
Are you a drive-thru diva? Be honest! How many times a week do you do the fast food drive-thru? Have you ever added up how much you spend each week on fast food? Do you go to the fast food drive-thru to grab breakfast on the way to school? Is the Starbuck's drive-thru part of your daily routine? How often do you find yourself in the fast food drive-thru for a quick lunch? When your kids ask what's for dinner, is your answer the drive-thru?
Fast food has become the American way. We use it as a crutch whenever we're in a time crunch, but in an effort to save time... we're wasting money and nutrition, and are we really even enjoying our food? If you're ready to ditch the drive-thru and save money, try these 5 tips to get you started!
Save the money - Take an entire week off from the drive-thru/fast food, and put the money you would have spent aside. Will you have $30, $50 or $100 at the end of the week? Why don't you use that money to treat yourself to a pedicure or a new pair of shoes, or better yet, pay off some credit card debt! Just think, if you get in the habit of saving all your drive-thru money, you might easily rack up nearly $2000 in savings this year! ($5 a day x 365 days = $1825)Let your kids do the cooking - If your busy work schedule leaves you no time to cook, and you children are pre-teens or teens... it's time they did a little cooking! You might require that they attend "mom's cooking school first," so you can teach them the basics! Work with your child to find quick and easy recipes that the entire family would enjoy.Learn to love your crock pot - The world is filled with crock pot recipes! Put a few ingredients in the pot each morning, and your dinner is ready and waiting!Stop by a warehouse club or your grocery deli instead of the drive-thru - Warehouse clubs and grocery store delis are loaded with prepared foods that are less than the cost of fast food.Buy a coffee pot, some gourmet coffee beans, and a few fancy flavored syrups - You too can be a brewmaster and save money!Once you ditch the drive-thru, you'll be well on your way to saving more money!
About me:
13 years ago, I left my job to stay home with our 3 children, and our household income was cut in half! I quickly discovered that the stay at home mom job description included more than just play dates. I was now the CEO of the Story family and also the maid, the cook and yes, the bargain shopper. So, my life on a budget began, and I created http://www.thebudgetdiet.com/ to share money saving tips with other stay at home moms.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristl_Story
This article has been viewed 8 time(s). Article Submitted On: February 21, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Eco-Friendly Food - Buy Local Produce
Food is a need that we all have in common. It is a huge segment of the economy, and making eco-friendly food choices reduces your impact on the environment, improves the quality of your food, and protects your health. Buying local produce is an essential activity if you want to switch your diet to eco-friendly food.
You have likely heard more than once that you should buy local food. Local is so entwined with the concept of eco-friendly because local produce by its very proximity to you means that less fuel was used to bring it to you. Most of the food at a supermarket has been grown and processed very far from you, often in a different state. For example, the bulk of the produce in any U.S. supermarket comes from California, Arizona, and Florida. And, depending on the season, a large portion also comes from other countries like Mexico, Chile, and South Africa. All of this shipping of food accounts for vast amounts of fuel consumption and global warming pollution. Buying local produces reduces this pollution.
When you buy local produce you also have a greater opportunity to know the agricultural practices used to produce the food. You can ask the farmer if pesticides and other chemicals were used. Armed with this information you can support growers who avoid toxic agriculture and therefore reduce your exposure to the many agricultural chemicals widely used. You can of course look for farmers with organic certifications, which is great, but keep in mind that farmers who advertise their local produce as simply not having been sprayed with chemicals are also providing quality food. Their produce is still an eco-friendly food choice because of the absence of toxic agricultural chemicals and the fact that it is growing close to you, even if it lacks an organic certification.
How do you find local produce?
1. Farmers' markets - These are becoming increasingly prevalent in communities large and small as the public seeks fresh local produce. At a farmers' market you'll be able to meet the farmers and ask questions. This will help you find the food that is the safest and freshest to eat.
2. Farms - More farmers are establishing direct-to-consumer business models. This farm-to-table approach lets farmers get retail price points, cut out wholesalers, and improve their per acre profit margins. Some of the farmers you find at farmers' markets will also have retail hours at their farms or sell by appointment. Another type of farm to look for is a "U-pick" farm. You can get very good prices if you do the picking and you'll never have fresher local produce.
3. Roadside stands - These pop up during the growing season in just about every region. Stop in and buy some local produce.
4. Check your local grocery store - Some small grocery stores and even supermarkets are specifically offering locally grown foods due to customer demand. Look over the selection at your supermarket and make the eco-friendly choices. Ask the manager to stock from local growers.
When you buy local produce you are making one of the easiest eco-friendly choices available to most people. Additionally you are strengthening your local food economy. The more you buy local produce, then the more growers will profit from your choice. Local growers will also be able to earn a better living and more consumers will have access to food that has a lower pollution burden. It is a mutually beneficial relationship that is both ecologically and economically supportive.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
What's the Difference Between a Dutch Oven and a Cooking Pot
Beef seared in bacon grease, simmered slowly in a Dutch oven with beans, carrots and potatoes has long been a staple of cowhands and modern day campers. A Dutch oven is placed over hot coals and those coals shoveled on the top of the oven. It slow cooks foods with liquids and bakes foods as well. A cooking pot cooks food rapidly or slowly when placed over the heat source.
Shape and Lids
A cooking pot doesn't have to have a lid to do its job. If it does, the lid may be glass or the same material the pot is made of. Cooking pot lids are often domed with a protruding round doorknob-shaped handle in the middle. An oven requires a tight fitting, thick lid made of the same material as the oven. The lid is flat across with a handle in the middle. The handle is made so a hook can be used to lift it off, since the lid and handle get very hot. Dutch ovens have a flat bottom with straight sides. The oven stands on legs so chunks of wood, or charcoal briquettes, have room to burn directly underneath the pot. The ovens also have a bail, a wire loop, attached to opposite sides of the pot near the top. The bail is used to carry the full hot Dutch oven off the fire. Cooking pots have handles, either one long handle or two shorter handles. The handles, in most cases, are not meant to be exposed to heat.
Materials and Shape
Cooking pots are made of various materials, or combination of materials, including aluminum, copper, stainless steel and enamel over steel. Dutch ovens are made of cast iron or aluminum. Cast iron conducts heat more evenly but aluminum is lighter. Cast iron has to be cured before using by rubbing with oil and heating while aluminum does not. Cooking pots do not have to be cured before using either.
Cleaning
Clean a Dutch oven by burning off any leftover food by turning the pot upside down over hot coals. Another method is to wash the oven with hot soapy water. Dry and then spread a thin coat of oil on the oven. Cooking pots may be scoured with steel wool, a plastic scrub sponge, soap and water or put in the dish washer. The cooking pots do not need a coat of oil.
Baking
While both ovens and cooking pots are used to cook foods, only Dutch ovens are used to successfully bake. The prime temperature for cooking in a Dutch oven is 350 F. which is the temperature often used for baking cakes and pies. Both the top and bottom of biscuits brown evenly in an oven. Cooking pots fry or steam but don't have the ability to bake. The temperature is hottest closest to the heat source which is at the bottom of the pot. A Dutch oven disperses the heat evenly throughout the interior of the oven.
Why I Prefer To Smoke Food Using Propane Gas
When choosing the heat source for your smoker there are a number of things to consider. The purist will always say that there's no substitute for wood because this provides the heat and smoke in the most fundamental way but I believe that we have to be a little bit more practical that at. After all we don't all have the ability to build a smoke pit in our back garden - and even if we did, I'm not so sure that our better halves would be that please with us either!
So if we assume that wood is out of the question, what are we left with? Well the choice is electricity, gas (propane or natural) and charcoal. Now I have to admit that electricity is super clean and easily controllable so it makes smoking for the lazy enthusiast quite simple but it does have significant disadvantages. At the other end of the spectrum is charcoal and definitely not super clean! It also can be expensive if you are planning on doing a lot of smoking (as I do) and controllability isn't its strong point either.
For these reasons I prefer to use gas and let me explain some of the reasons why:
Compared to charcoal, gas is on the pretty clean side of the spectrum and assuming that combustion is complete, the by-products of burning gas are simply carbon dioxide and water. Any odor that is present in gas is artificial in that it is inserted so that we can actually smell gas should it ever free flow without being burned but this odor is eradicated during combustion.
Gas is readily available and relatively cheap especially if using piped natural gas. Bottled gas (propane) is also readily available but not so cheap. I prefer to use propane because of its portability. You can buy propane in a tank (there's a variety of sizes) and assuming you can carry tour tank and your smoker in your car then you can literally smoke food wherever you want.
The disadvantage of piped natural gas is exactly that. You'll most likely need a gas engineers to safely plumb in your gas line and connect up your smoker and this means that your smoker has to be sited in a fixed position. It's maybe not quite as limiting as electricity where you would more than likely need to build a dedicated space in your garden but certainly you would need to ensure that it was sited in shelter of the prevailing wind.
If you are thinking that you could just disconnect your smoker and connect up to a propane tank, think again. Propane tanks have a regulator that controls the flow of gas and this flow is different to natural gas so a burner designed for use with propane won't work with natural gas and vice versa.
So propane it is. It's clean, it's portable and relatively speaking it's easy to control. So are there any down sides?
I don't want to scaremonger but the worst that could happen is an explosion. Explosions are rare but they do happen and it's usually through lack of care and attention. The most innocent of causes is if your burner is extinguished by a strong wind however the chances of this resulting in an explosion are small because we are outdoors and so ventilation is good and the build up of gas in a confined space is unlikely. Other causes include faulty regulators and burst pipes so it's worth double checking all you equipment periodically to ensure it is airtight.
The single biggest complaint that I've heard about with propane is when exchanging an empty tank for a full one and the faucet on the new tank doesn't work as well. The simple answer to this situation is that when you find a good tank, hold onto it. Don't do a tank exchange, take it to a refill station. Not only do you get to keep your tank but more often than not you get a greater quantity of gas in your refill.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
What Components Make A Good Charcoal Grill?
I've had a number of charcoal grills in my time and even made may own on a couple of occasions but I've still to find the perfect charcoal grill, in other words something that caters for all needs.
Charcoal is a challenge in itself, for many it's simply just too much hassle and they prefer the immediacy of gas - just switch it on and you're ready to cook in ten minutes. Others (like me) just can't stop wanting to play with fire and go for the traditional approach. When I say play with fire I'm not referring to taking unnecessary risks or having a death wish, I just mean that we love watching the flames.
If you are like me and want to cook on charcoal then the choice of grills that you have at your disposal in immense and so is the range of prices so how do you determine what makes a good grill and what makes a bad grill?
The first thing I want to say about price is that it does have it's part to play and there are reasons why some grills cost more. That said, does it represent value for money to pay more? On the whole I think yes.
You will pay more for example for a cast iron firebox and in my opinion this is an absolute must if you don't want to be changing your grill every one or two years. My first grill was made out of sheet steel and after a few cookouts, the heat had really got to it and it had warped beyond recognition, it just looked tired and worn, not something that you could wheel out a BBQ party.
I also had one of those brick built grills that had a sheet of metal upon which to place the charcoal. Again not made out of cast iron. The combination of heat from the coals coupled with a dose of rain and the metal simply disintegrated and a hole formed.
I then bought a cast iron tray, that was about 25 years ago and the same unit is still going strong today. That said about cast iron I can fully respect your choice not to go this route if you're looking for portability and weight is a factor. In this case go for a lower quality solution, pay less but just be prepared to buy a new grill every so often.
Another thing that drives the cost of a grill is the material used to make the cooking grates (that's the bit that you put your food on). There's generally three quality standards, stainless steel, porcelain enamel and cast iron.
Stainless steel is at the lower end of the spectrum, it does the job and it's relatively cheap. My personal preference is actually to go for porcelain enameled grate because they perform equally but they are so much easier to clean. Hot soapy water and a wipe with a cloth and generally any charred food comes away with ease.
Cast iron raises its head again and arguably is just as easy to clean because you can go at it with a wire brush. The big advantage is that when you get the grill really hot you can make some great sear marks on your steaks or veggies - to some folks, that's important but I have to say that to me, it's not.
The final point to make is that again, cast iron is heavy so if portability is what drives your priorities the steer clear of cast iron.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
What Makes For A Good Tailgating Grill?
Drive to the ball park, open the tailgate and set up for a party! It's a fantastic atmosphere as we enjoy our outdoor grill cookout and anticipate the game ahead. What are the essentials that make for a good tailgating experience? For me it's the grill that's critical because cooking is the center piece of the action, I need one that's powerful, flexible and packed with lots of handy features.
Of course your needs might be different, after all every grill can't be all things to all men so how do we determine which is the right grill for each and every one of us? In this article I'll discuss some of the unique features of each of the portable gas grills that I've experienced so far and these are the Aussie Adventurer, Coleman Road-trip, Holland and Weber Q series.
Because we are tailgating, weight isn't such an issue, most of these grills weigh in at about 30 pounds which isn't light but is certainly something that one person can lift and set up alone. After that I look at the power of the grill because this is going to determine the variety of food that I can cook well and in particular steaks. At the end of the day, if you are going to sear a steak you need a grill plate that you can really get up to a good temperature.
Grill power output isn't as easy to determine as you might think. You'll notice that every grill manufacturer gives a BTU (British Thermal Unit) rating to their grill burners and most folks believe that this indicates the power output but it doesn't. It actually refers to the energy consumption of the burner.
You might think that I am splitting hairs but this is important to recognize because unless the consumption of the burner translates directly into a good heat output then you're going to be disappointed about the quality of the searing results and in addition you will be spending money buying gas canister after gas canister. To be fair, the BTU rating does generally reflect the heat output but it's an important distinction and if you want the ultimate measure of power output look for the Kilowatt (KW) rating.
So who wins the BTU competition? The Holland grill blows everything out of the water so arguably if steaks is your thing then this is probably the grill for you. A couple of interesting points to make are that each portable gas canister lasts only 4 to 5 hours however to compensate for this the Holland grill does have an adapter kit so that you can attach a much larger gas tank. Again, if you're tailgating then carrying a larger gas tank probably isn't going to be a problem to you.
Next for me is the set up. How easy is it to set up the grill so that I can cook safely without the grill wobbling on being off the level? The Aussie wins on this score because it's the only grill in the five mentioned above with three legs (and adjustable ones at that). It amazes me that everyone knows that a three legged stool is the most stable to sit on in any terrain hence why milk maids used to use them so why hasn't this caught on? It's probably because so much more of the design has to be compromised.
I didn't include it above but if the stability of three legs is important to you then you should look at the range by Cadac too. Originally from South Africa, these hotplate grills are pretty good although I think that they are verging more towards cooking than grilling. Yes there's a hotplate for searing but then the other attachments are a paella pan for example which is taking us away from the smoke.
What Ingredients Make The Best Easy Dinner Recipes For The Family?
Other than on Thanksgiving Day, there is not one household I have found where someone wants to spend all day cooking in the kitchen. In fact, most families I know would want to spend the least amount of time in the kitchen possible on a day to day basis. This means there is a desire to focus on quick and easy dinner recipes.
Well every dinner is made up of the ingredients that go into it. When it comes to easy dinner recipes for the family, we must stick with fast cooking, easy ingredients. We use a rule of thumb in choosing ingredients. When cooking with kids, is it something they can cook by following directions and with minimum supervision. We want to be able to assign them a cooking task and have it be simple enough for them to see it through to completion. In order to achieve that, we have to follow the K.I.S.S. principle right from choosing our ingredients.
So what do we use to prepare these easy dinner recipes for the family?
1) Chopped meat. Ground beef is so flexible it can be used in a multitude of recipes to offer a solid meat product that can be used in burgers to Italian food to Mexican food to casseroles. If you are fat content conscious, you can substitute ground turkey for the ground beef.
2) Chicken tenders. This is the easiest for of chicken to use. Generally speaking, they can be used in almost any meal that calls for chicken. The difference is that the smaller pieces cook more quickly
3) Steak. Chuck steak is affordable and can be broiled in just a few minutes of each side. If you slice it before you cook it, it will fry up quickly as well.
4) Spaghetti. How can you go wrong with something that boils up in under 10 minutes. Kids love it, too!
5) Tuna fish. One of the quick standby meals in our house tuna noodle casserole. We have this perfected with a 20 minute start to serve process.
6) Canned ham. This is easy to throw into the oven as is, or you can slice it into ham steaks, which will cook up really fast. You can also dice it for use in casseroles.
7) Par-boiled rice. This cooks faster than regular rice and is less sticky. You can mix in almost anything to make it a meal.
8) Frozen vegetables. Using frozen veggie come out fresher tasting when cook, hold more nutrition than is in canned veggies, and cook into one pan meals easier
We work pretty hard to come up with recipes that can be cooked in one dish if possible. Whether it's a crock pot, a frying pan or a baking dish, it still one dish and makes clean up easy. The time and energy saved by think through these easy dinner recipes for the family is well worth the process.
Chris & Michelle Grimbilas both have backgrounds in teaching and education. Cooking is one of the things they both enjoy. They have five children who have shared the kitchen with them over the years. You can get more great easy cooking ideas at their Creative Cookery website. You'll find more cooking ideas,real resources that will help you in the kitchen, and best of all FREE GIFTS! Get software that shows you how to cook almost anything! Get free dessert recipes! Claim your gifts today at the Creative Cookery!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Grimbilas
Saturday, April 23, 2011
What to Look for in the Best Gas Grills?
Gas grills are significant investment. The best gas grills can cost upwards of $400 and can last for several decades. Most hardcore grill enthusiasts develop a special attachment to the grills, and they are often the most important equipment in any outdoor kitchen.
The concept of 'outdoor kitchen' itself has picked up speed of late. More and more people are adding a smaller kitchen to their patio or deck, one that is largely meant for parties, get-togethers with friends, or just lazy lunches on Sundays. Such kitchens typically feature a small sink, a work area, a gas stove, and most importantly, a large, multi-function gas grill. The last equipment often ends up being the centerpiece of the outdoor kitchen.
The best gas grills are designed keeping outdoor use in mind. Therefore, durability is certainly a key issue, especially when you consider that your grill may have to face the vagaries of the weather. The best grills, thus, are typically made of durable stainless steel that not only looks great, but will also last you a very long time. On the downside, though, these can cost quite a pretty penny and may be beyond the budget of most people.
A quality gas grill would also have several accessories and additional functions. The first of these would be the rotisserie accessory. Most manufacturers provide a rotisserie as a standard feature. It allows you to cook ever popular dishes such as rotisserie chicken, and other large cuts of meat.
The second function/accessory you should look for would be a smoker. Some cuts of meat, such as the brisket, require more than 20 hours of cooking time in a smoker. Smokers cook meat slowly over time, giving it a tremendous flavor. Anybody who has eaten barbecued brisket down in the South will readily testify this.
While most outdoor kitchens feature a small stove, I prefer my grill itself to have a couple of small side burners. These side burners are great for making/heating up sauces or side dishes. Whether it is a potato salad, a stew, or a sauce to finish up a steak, side burners save you time and offer tremendous convenience.
The best gas grills also feature plenty of other nifty features such as small cabinets, drawers, etc. to store cutlery, meat thermometers, etc. Although not essential, these welcome additions just make the entire grilling process a bit more convenient.
Because a grill can be a significant investment, it is recommended that you purchase a durable, quality cover for it. Outdoor grills tend to get damaged easily in rain, snow or extreme heat. A durable, heavy cover would only provide protection for your investment and prolong its life.
What Makes A Good Gas Grill Great
How do you distinguish between and average grill and a great one? So many of the gas grills that are marketed today are made in China where labor costs are so cheap that it's very difficult to distinguish between what is a good grill and what is truly a great grill.
There are some fundamentals that you need to consider in the build quality and that's predominantly around the materials used to construct your unit. Stainless steel is right up there whereas the lower cost end of the market will be powder coated. This is not to say that the powder coated models aren't any good, many share the same components as the stainless steel models it's just simply a matter of aesthetics and longevity.
Some like the clean lines of stainless steel whereas others like to see something painted the issue with painted is really around rust and ease of cleaning. In theory, provided the pint is punctured, there's not reason why rust should propagate but inevitably it seems to do so. As soon as you get and consider when it gets a knock, the paint gets scratched, you're rolling down the rocky road.
Not all of us can afford stainless steel and if you can't then the best way to protect your investment is by buying a grill cover and ensuring that you keep your grill out of the way of the weather. A grill cover will cost you about $45 and will definitely help you stop the rot.
Most of the problems that I hear about when a grill is a couple of years old is that the burners have corroded and blocked up. You'll notice that the grills at the top of the range advertize cast iron burners as being a key feature and this is not a coincidence, cast iron means reliability. If you are price sensitive and let's face who isn't then look just try and get to the entry level for cast iron burners and you'll hopefully enjoy a greater cooking lifespan for your grill.
If however you're not in a position to get cast iron burners do the next best thing and that is to check the warranty. Some grill manufacturers (Jenn Air to name one) have a lifetime warranty on their burners so if anything goes wrong, you can phone them up and they will ship out replacements. Just to be clear on this point, my understanding is that the parts will be free but the shipping costs may not.
While you are checking on the burners, check on the igniter too. Not just for warranty but also to ensure that each burner has an igniter. I recently cooked on a reputable branded grill to find it only had one igniter and if I wanted to use the left burner (where the searing plate was) I had to light the right burner using the igniter, turn on ta central burner to allow the flame to jump across and then the left burner with the flame jumping across from the central burner. Once lit I could turn off the center and right burners. What a performance!
For me a gas grill becomes great if it has a hood because this is when you can start to experiment with indirect cooking which brings a whole new dimension to outdoor cooking. You might consider this dangerous because once you're hooked you'll be out there spending on a smoker!
Your hood should have a temperature gauge on it but don't bother with a viewing window, they look good in the shops but after a couple of cookouts you won't be able to see anything.
What Is Smoking Food All About?
It was about three of four years ago that my desire to learn more about smoking food really took off. Many years ago at the food fair I bought what's best described as a shoebox smoker, very primitive but it worked and ever since then I've been keen to discover more about the smoking process and how it all works. If you fancy trying your hand at smoking your own food let me explain the processes involved and how it all fits together.
The origins of smoking were as a way of preserving food in the days before canning and refrigeration and there are three steps in the process. The first of the three steps really is now more about flavor than preserving and that's salting or curing. Flavors are now added to curing salts such as herbs and spices for additional seasoning and the salting process can take place as a dry cure or a wet cure (brine). One caveat to what I've written and that is that there are still areas of the world that rely on these preservation techniques eg Africa and poorer parts of Asia. Here preservation is of the utmost importance.
The second part of the process is weight loss and this is done in an environment of controlled humidity. The weight loss is brought about through the evaporation of moisture from within the tissues and the logic follows that the greater the weight loss, the better the keeping qualities. Why dry something out in a humid environment, surely that's defeating the object? Well in part yes, but by drying out at a known humidity therefore takes the guesswork out of the process and dependent on the food that you are smoking (and its weight) you will be able to predict exactly how long the process is going to take.
The third stage is the actual smoking and during the smoking process tarry deposits from the smoke settle on the food and these deposits are antiseptic in nature so they inhibit the growth of bacteria. The process can be further broken down into hot smoking and cold smoking.
Cold smoking takes place at between 10 and 29?C and ensures that the food remains in a raw state at the end of the smoking process. It's essential that the tight tolerances of temperature are observed because if the temperature gets too high then the food will start to cook and this will change the texture of the food and it could start to disintegrate. This is more relevant in countries where the ambient temperature is quite high where it might not even be possible to get the temperature below 29?C. Food smoked and eaten raw is mainly confined to fish but can include beef.
When hot smoking you are certainly trying to cook the food whilst imparting the smoked flavor and because of this the actual temperature is less important or to put it another way the range is larger. In the case of fish however there is a ceiling temperature of 93?C. Hot smoked fish is usually cold smoked first and then the temperature brought up to what is really a relatively low temperature for hot smoking. Mackerel done this way is absolutely magnificent.
Meat and poultry are smoked at higher temperatures (110 - 120?C) albeit care must be taken again not to exceed these temperatures because meat will easily become dry and frankly unpleasant to eat. Assuming the temperature is kept within range then meat becomes difficult to overcook and smoking can continue for many hours.
Once you have mastered the basics then it really is easy to smoke your own food. Probably the area that will require the most experimentation is the curing because it is quite easy to over-salt food and to be fair it is also a matter of taste.
Where Can You Purchase The Best Of All Breville Grills?
If you're looking for a simple way to prepare grilled food right inside your kitchen, then you need to find the highest quality indoor grill around. Many people agree that the Breville Smart Grill is just that. It has many advanced features that are not included on other indoor grills that you might see, which makes it one of the best Breville grills out there. It gives you a sophisticated temperature control system with an LCD screen, interchangeable grilling surfaces and much more. If you make the decision to buy one, you might be wondering where you should make your purchase.
While you have a number of options in front of you, I would start my search online. There are a number of outlets online that sell indoor grills, like the Smart Grill, at discounted prices. Here are some places to start your search.
Amazon.com
If you want to get a good deal on a brand new indoor grill, then Amazon has you covered. They work out deals with manufacturers all over the world - Breville included. Because so many people purchase from Amazon, they can offer you a huge discount on a number of items. They often sell the Breville grills at a very good discount.
eBay.com
If you are comfortable with purchasing a used grill, then eBay.com might be the place for you. It is the largest auction web site in the world that allows members to sell possessions that they own. Before you decide to make a purchase on eBay, make sure that you are comfortable using a grill that has been used by another individual or family. You will also want to make sure that all of the parts of the Smart Grill are in good working order before you actually send any money off.
CraigsList.com
A lot of people do not realize that CraigsList is a great place to buy small kitchen appliances. Plus, not everything on this classified ads website is used. Take a look to see if anyone is selling a Breville Smart Grill in your area. Keep an eye out for garage sales and estate sales because indoor grills are often sold at these events.
Besides these services online, you might want to check out some local department stores. Home Depot is known for carrying a wide selection of indoor grills, but you might not be able to find a discounted price like you may be able to online. The best strategy is to check multiple places before you actually make your purchase. Breville grills can sometimes get a little bit expensive, so you have to realize that shopping around might be worth your efforts.
Why Electricity Is Not Ideal For Smoking Food
I've been specific in my choice of words (energy source rather a heat source) because technically electricity isn't heat despite the fact that what we're actually going to use this energy for is to heat our smoker.
Heat is desirable in a smoker for two purposes:-
To make heat for cooking (unless cold smoking)To make smokeGenerally speaking the source of the heat is in the lower chamber of the smoker because hot air rises and this creates the draft that passes the smoke over the food in the food chamber. The one exception to this is if you have a remote smoke generator (other than in the bottom of the smoker) and in this case you might want to have a secondary heat source directly in the food chamber.
The fuel or energy source that you use must be a clean source in that the products of combustion are odorless (in most cases just carbon dioxide and water) otherwise you will taint the flavor of your food. Thus the preferred choices for fuel are charcoal, gas (propane or natural gas) or electricity. The one exception to the clean source rule is wood which when burned does give off a flavor but seeing as it's this flavor that we are trying to capture, forgive me if I refer these energy sources as clean, I'm trying to make the distinction to petroleum and oil based products.
The advantage of electricity is that it is super clean, it is pure heat and nothing else. Electricity is also really convenient in that you can just plug it in and go and assuming that you smoker has a method of adjusting the flow of electricity then it also makes for a really easy way to control the temperature within your smoker. If cost comes into the equation then generally speaking electricity is a good source of energy.
The down side to electricity is that it's dangerous especially when used outdoors and or where water is concerned. If you're on a long cookout then you are going to have your smoker outside for long periods of time - what if it rains? For these reasons any electrical appliance should be sheltered and placed on an inert surface such as concrete, so electricity itself might be relatively cheap but if you have to build a dedicated smoking area in your backyard just to use electricity then it puts a different complexion on the costs.
You could argue that provided you have a long cable and your external socket is protected then you have the answer. There issue with this is that the longer the cable, the more significant the voltage drop and therefore the less efficient your heat provision will be even to the point where it might not be sufficient. Another point to mention with long cables is that the cable must have the appropriate current rating otherwise it will get very hot and could potentially catch fire.
One final point about electricity is that it is only as portable as where you have a socket. For sure you can get electricity at most camp grounds but if you're into hunting and fishing than an electric smoker is going to be a challenge. If portability is important to you, then maybe electricity isn't the right way to go.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
How To Make A Homemade Beef And Cabbage Vegetable Soup
Although, homemade soup is delicious any time of the year, it is especially good for warming up a body while the weather is cold and dreary. Soup is a very popular dish when the weather is chilly. However, it is also a wonderful and filling treat while the weather is warm as well. You can add other vegetables and spices to this recipe to make it your very own or you can make it just as it is to serve to your family with a fresh green salad, pasta or even alone with your favorite types of crackers or homemade breads.
If you have a big crowd to feed whether they are grown ups, teens or children, you will know you have served a wholesome and healthy meal when you make your own homemade soups and stews. For instance, you can learn how to make a homemade beef and cabbage vegetable soup that is sure to please just about anyone. Since cabbage has its own special spicy flavor you might want to add the chili powder for this recipe or you may want to leave it out. Making soups that your family will love to eat is the most important thing about making it at home from scratch.
Recipe for Beef and Cabbage Vegetable Soup
What You Need
3 cups water2 pounds hamburger or ground beef1 medium chopped cabbage1 medium chopped onion3 chopped celery stalks4 thinly sliced carrots? can drained whole kernel corn1 can red kidney beans? can drained sweet peas1 can drained green beans1 can tomato sauce 15 ounce? teaspoon salt? teaspoon pepper? teaspoon chili powder4 medium diced potatoes
How to Make It
Using a large saucepan or skillet over a medium high heat setting, you will add the 3 cups water and bring to a slow boil. Crumble up the hamburger or ground beef and add it to the boiling water. Add the chopped cabbage, chopped onion, chopped celery stalks and thinly sliced carrots. Stir to combine well and then cook until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in the drained whole kernel corn, red kidney beans, drained sweet peas, drained green beans, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and allow the mixture to simmer for about an hour.
Stir in the salt, pepper, and chili powder. Add the diced potatoes, stir to combine and cook until the potatoes are tender. You can remove any of the broth as you need too and then add it back into the mixture if you need to do so as the soup begins to cook down and reduce in volume.
If you and your family enjoy making and eating a delicious easy beef stew or you just want to try out a new and different type of beef stew recipe, you should visit us on our website today to find even more great tasting recipes.
Make Something Ordinary Into Something Extraordinary - EasyStewRecipes.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=KC_Kudra
A Stove Top Grill Is More Affordable and Effective
The warmer months are coming and it's time to starting thinking about all the delicious foods that you are going to be barbecuing. With a stove top grill, it's easy to cook just about any meat or vegetable that you want to and it's pretty hard to mess it up. There are plenty of other benefits to using them as well. They are very portable, so you can take them with you inside and outside or when you go camping, and they are very cheap to buy. In fact, you can get one for less than $20, especially if you do so before the summer gets here.
When you have a good stove top grill, the things that you can make are endless. Most people simply use them for cooking meat like chicken, hot dogs, burgers, or steaks, but there is so much more you can do with them than that. You can throw together some fancy kabobs with bell peppers and onions on the skewers along with the meat. You can even slice up vegetables and put the right on the grill alongside meat that you are cooking. When you cook food this way, it brings out all the natural flavors that are just not possible with appliances on the inside of homes.
Other things that you should consider cooking on your stove top grill are things like bread and fish. They don't need to be on for a very long time because they cook quickly. When you're done making the delicious food, you will realize just how great these things are because of how easy they are to clean. Rather than trying to get your hand around the tiny metal pieces in order to clean them like you would for a normal rack, you can just run water over the top and gently scrub them. This will save you quite a bit of time and you won't ever be tempted to just leave food hanging on it.
So if you are serious about cooking outside this year, get a stove top grill before the prices start to go back up. Once you see how easy they are to use and how good the food is that you put on them, you will realize why people are so excited about barbecuing. Cleaning won't be a problem at all either. And because they're so cheap to buy, you might get a couple and take them with you on camping trips or give them as gifts.
Getting The Most Out Of Your Stir-Fried Dishes
The method of stir-frying, commonly associated with East Asian cooking, is similar to sauteing. The process involves cooking with a small amount of oil on high heat, usually in a large skillet, saute pan, or a wok. Though quick and easy, there are a few tricks to achieving the best results.
Since this is a fast method of cooking, it is essential to have all the ingredients measured and close at hand. Foods that need to be marinated, should be prepared prior to the time of actual cooking. To ensure even cooking, cut all meats and vegetables into small, uniform sizes.
The first step is to heat the cooking pan on high for one to two minutes. Once the pan is heated, the next step is to add the oil. Ensure that the entire cooking surface is coated, by swirling the oil around in the pan. Ingredients are now ready to be added.
Since all ingredients do not cook in the same amount of time, it is important to follow the proper sequence. To get flavors perfectly blended in, aromatic seasonings, such as onion, garlic, and ginger are added first. This is followed by meats, poultry and seafood. Lastly, the vegetables are added. The key rule in cooking vegetables is to have them tender, yet crisp. With this in mind, the harder ones are added before the softer, more delicate ones.
The food is stirred occasionally to prevent burning, distribute ingredients, and to ensure it cooks evenly on all sides. A pair of wooden chop-sticks, a spatula, or a wooden spoon is effective in achieving this. The pan should not be overcrowded, as food needs to be spread out. This allows meat to brown properly and it keeps the food crisp and tender.
Finally, before serving, taste the dish and adjust seasonings as necessary. Knowing some stir-fry tips, you can prepare some quick and delicious dishes quite easily.
Canning Beans and Franks for Those Emergency Times
When an emergency situation strikes we are almost certain to lose our capability to keep foods frozen and cold. When it gets to that point we stand to not only waste a lot of food but possibly go hungry in the process. In the event of power failure we would start our food consumption off by using up what meats and products are in our freezer first. Ice may be available for a very short period of time after the onset of a disaster but after that we are essentially on our own.
After we have consumed the frozen foods we must eventually revert to the food storage that we have accumulated for this specific purpose. It can become pretty boring eating the same menu each day. Rice is not very appetizing after several days of daily consumption. That is why it's vitally important to make certain comfort foods for use during these times. Not only will your children appreciate your thoughtfulness but you also will appreciate storing up on these foods as well.
As anyone who follows my articles knows, I like to experiment whether it is with dehydrated foods or canning various products. I am simply an experimenter at heart. I have plenty of ideas but only so much time to accomplish them but in this article I will address one of the better comfort foods that we could stock up on.
I would like to actually can a normal hot dog however that is currently beyond my abilities so until I do additional research on the issue I decided to do the next best thing - Beans and Franks. Just about everyone likes to eat these delightful treats every now and then.
I started out visiting many different survival web sites to see if I could find any firm, supporting material on the procedure to follow but had no luck what-so-ever. Therefore, I was left to my own ingenuity to create a procedure that worked for me.
Hot dogs are usually inexpensive and readily available in your local grocery stores however during potentially problematical times this commodity may quickly disappear from the grocery stores. It only makes good sense to devise a means of preserving these treats for those occasional snowstorms or moments of community power failure. Since the common hot dog will vary in size and weight it is virtually impossible to inform you as to how many you can stick into a quart jar. An important point that you should treat as a golden rule is to always use your pressure canner for canning hot dogs. Never, and I repeat never, attempt to use the water bath method or you risk becoming extremely ill.
Initially you will take and boil your jars, lids and rings to sterilize them. You must cut up your hot dogs into small pieces of 2 inch length otherwise they may burst open while you are pressurizing the jars. Place the baked beans and the hog dog chunks into a pot and bring it to a boil and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Next pack the quart jars loosely with the beans and frank mixture up to 1 inch from the top of the jar. Clean any residue from the neck and the rim of the jar with a clean cloth. Finally, place the hot lids and rings onto the jars and set them into the boiling water of the pressure canner. Seal the pressure canner and process the jars for a period of 90 minutes at a pressure of 10 pounds.
Now that they have been made it's only a matter of waiting a few weeks to see how they came out. I am sure they will be as good as the day they were made.
By Joseph Parish
Copyright @2011 - Joseph Parish
http://www.survival-training.info/
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Weber Performer Grill - Cook the Best Meat Ever
You would be wise to start planning for your outdoor cooking activities now when there is still plenty of time and when prices are still very low. You can actually get a high end unit like the Weber Performer grill for less than half the normal price because no one will really start buying them until June and July. The reason you would want to get one like that is because they have everything you need to make the best tasting food around, and they are very easy to move around thanks to the large wheels at the base.
The main cooking portion of the Performer grill is a dome style charcoal type. These are perfect because they are smaller so you can get them really hot much more quickly. Gas options are also available, but most people prefer the charcoal types because they make tastier food and they're less expensive. Ideally, you want to let the charcoals start heating up for a long time before you put the food on. After about an hour or so, you should take the food like a nice tri-tip and wrap it completely in foil. Put it on the grill and then just forget about it for an hour.
After the meat has been cooking on the grill for an hour, you can add some vegetables to the mix and get them cooking to. They don't need as much time, which is why you would want to wait until the end. You can put the bread on the handy rack that the Performer grill comes with that keeps it higher up above the flames than the rest of the food. You don't want to burn it or it will overpower the flavor of the meat. Weber's grill has handy timers that you can use so you don't have to constantly check on the food, and there is also plenty of space to work with on the built in counter.
So if you want to have a really great summer this year and make some of the best meat you've ever had, go pick up a Weber Performer grill while they're still cheap and start cooking. You'll be blown away at how much easier it is to cook things with than a standard barbecue. This is especially nice if you don't consider yourself to be a very good cook. Plus, you will be able to easily move it from one area of the house to another so it's never in your way.
Cooking With Fresh Herbs Elevates Ordinary Dishes
First, determine which herbs you use the most
Popular herbs like basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, garlic chives, rosemary and dill will grow well with a minimum amount of fussing. You might want to limit yourself to three or four plants for your first time. If you are a fan of many foods and drinks containing mint, plant some mint so you can make them at home.
Growing herbs is not hard
You can grow herbs from seed if you have a long growing season. For those living in northern regions, and people who want to use their herbs as soon as possible, buy established plants. Transplant them where they will get full sun. Herbs are easy to grow among other plants in the garden, in a whiskey barrel, or flowerpots. Throughout the summer, take your kitchen shears and snip off a few basil leaves for soup or stems of thyme and rosemary for pot roasts and stews. You can drop individual stems with leaves into the pot or tie them together with kitchen twine. One teaspoon of dried herbs is equal to one tablespoon of fresh.
Harvest your herbs to use throughout the year
As summer fades, harvest the herbs before they flower. Rinse them in cool water to remove insects and dirt. Damp herbs will rot so dry them carefully and thoroughly with paper towels. Tie the stems together and hang in a warm, dark place. Put the dried herbs in an airtight container - a zippered plastic bag will work - and store in a cool, dark place like a cabinet. Do not crush them until you need them.
The flavor intensity of fresh herbs over the dried ones you buy at the grocery store is astonishing. After seeing how easy it is to do, and the difference it makes in your cooking, you will not want to go back to store-bought bottles.?
Keeping The Cooking Mess to a Minimum
If you dread cleaning up the kitchen after preparing a meal, then these four little words, 'clean as you go' are the key to keeping that mess to a minimum.This is such a simple answer, but it works.
Whenever you have a spare moment or a lull in your cooking activities, use that time to load the dishwasher, wipe off the counter or the stove top, or put away the ingredients you just used to make a recipe. Whatever needs to be done, do it. It is just that much that you won't have to do later.
One thing I always do when I am getting ready to make a recipe is to get out all the ingredients I will be using and line them up on the counter. As I add each one to the recipe, I return it to the shelf where I got it. That way I have insured that I didn't leave anything out of the recipe, and I have everything put away when I am done mixing it up.
Another practice that makes cleanup easier is to use as few cooking utensils as possible. In other words, any time you can use something more than once without washing it in between, then use it. That goes for serving, too. The baking dish the food was cooked in can also be used as its serving dish.
When you are ready to start cooking, always make sure the kitchen is clean and the dishwasher unloaded. Run some dishwater in one side of the sink for cleanup, and clear the other side so it is available for rinsing, filling or draining. Set the trash can near where you will be working to throw away peelings, wrappers, and so forth. If you are going to use the oven, line the bottom with a piece of foil to catch any spills. Always use a spoon rest or a saucer to place stirring spoons or spatulas on. This eliminates a lot of wiping up later.
You will find that, by the time the meal is ready, a lot of the cleanup has been done, and you are better able to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
10 Benefits of Electric Ovens
Gas ovens have always been the first choice for most restaurants and other commercial food service establishments. In fact, if you were to poll consumers, you'd find that most would prefer a gas oven as well. While electric ovens are undoubtedly inferior to gas ovens in many regards, they do have a following among consumers for a number of reasons, here are 10:
1. Compared to a gas-powered oven, an electric oven provides a more even temperature. Although it seems trivial, the level temperature is especially important for baking cakes and pastries.
2. Electric ovens are energy-efficient. Gas is less environmentally friendly.
3. Most electric ovens come with a self-cleaning feature. When cooking, spills and such are obviously inevitable. Because ovens are hard to clean, having a self-cleaning option can save time.
4. The electric version has less moisture. Although for some crusts and other baked goods having a moist oven is a benefit, most foods cook better with drier heat. Plus, moisture can be added to an oven, but not taken out.
5. Because the heat is more even and comes from the top of the oven, broiling in an electric oven works better than a gas oven. Before important holiday meals or dinner parties, broiling quickly and evenly keeps you from having to waste time by constantly re-checking progress.
6. Electric ovens lose less heat. Because the heat is more controlled, it is less likely to leave the oven. The loss of heat not only costs money; the extra heat in the kitchen has to be compensated for by equally expensive air conditioning costs. Therefore, you not only lose the money from the unit, but you spend even more in A/C bills later.
7. Electric ovens require less maintenance. Gas ovens are more prone to breakage. The electric oven runs longer with fewer problems saving money on repairs.
8. Electric versions require less ventilation than gas ovens. Ventilation can not only be expensive, but the ventilation occupies a lot of room, taking up space where cabinets or other appliances could be. This is especially important in smaller kitchens.
9. For less experienced cooks, electric is much easier to use and manipulate when just starting out. The temperature is not only more precise, but the electronic scales and numbers are easier to read than the classic knobs on most gas ovens.
10. The electric oven is one of the only oven models that allow a good roast. Because of combustion, gas burns off moisture which makes even roasting virtually impossible. This is an especially important consideration for roasting meat. Because of the water, the meat loses a lot of the classic roast taste and even more of the appealing look. With chicken, the crunchy skin is also lost because of the moisture in the cooking air.
For at-home cooks, choosing an oven is a personal process that depends on preferences and cooking styles. Electric ovens do have some advantages over gas. The energy is more efficient and less heat is lost, therefore saving money. Plus, the electric oven in the end saves time and effort, two commodities that are in short supply in most households.
Jeff Schweppe is president of Schweppe, Inc. a walk-in, online, and phone order food service and restaurant supply business, with the best selection of professional-grade kitchen supplies and commercial equipment in the Chicago area. Schweppe's store, located at 376 W. North Ave. 1/2 mile east of I-355, in Lombard, Illinois, is always open to the public. Website: http://www.schweppeinc.com/.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J_Schweppe
Caramelization and the Maillard Reaction: Food Browning in the Kitchen
Many recipes tell you to brown the food at various stages of the cooking process, or will say something like "let it take on color" or "until golden brown". Most cooks learn to do this as a matter of faith - they've always done it, so they continue to do it, and there are very good reasons why it usually improves the flavor of your finished dish, as you will see.
One thing browning does NOT do, however, is the often quoted "seal the meat". The idea that searing the outside of a steak, for example, or even a whole roasting joint, will close the pores, and somehow stop the juices coming out, is nonsense. We can even see that it is nonsense by the amount of juices in the pan at the end of cooking - in fact, we rely on these juices being produced to make the gravy or sauce. And yet generations of cooks carry on regardless, assuming that they are sealing in the flavor.
We should certainly continue to use the browning technique, while knowing that what we are actually doing is adding flavor to our food, or at least altering it, hopefully in a good way. All food changes in texture and taste as it is cooked, but these so-called Browning Flavors are caused by one or both of two chemical reactions known as Caramelization and the Maillard Reaction.
Caramelization (US), or Caramelisation (UK) is caused by changes to the sugars found naturally in most foods, and releases complex nutty, toffee-like flavors. We don't always perceive this as sweet, more as a more intense depth of flavor. The Maillard Reaction involves the interaction of the sugars with amino acids, usually in the presence of heat: in the process, as with Caramelization, many different flavors can be produced.
The chemistry needn't worry us, other than it works: all we need to do is make sure that we brown the foods, where appropriate. The added bonus for cooks is that after browning, food often looks more appetizing, as well as tasting better.
We can often afford to be a bit brutal with meats, particularly red meats and burgers etc: start with a fairly high heat, a "sizzle" until the meat browns, and then reduce the heat until cooked through. We usually need to be a bit more gentle with vegetables: they can catch and burn more easily, and burning produces a bitter flavor that is usually not pleasant at all.
Think of the char-grill lines on a steak, or the soft sweetness of slow-cooked onions. Think of the flavor and aroma of toast, or coffee, for that matter. The crispy skin on a roast chicken. How about malted barley used in whiskey or beer? All Browning Flavours, and the world is a better place because of them. Enjoy.
How to Make a Perfect Pizza - Tips and Step by Step Instructions From a Professional Chef
Making the perfect pizza.
After 22 years as a chef I've come to learn the hard way about making pizza.
I've seen it done the right way, the wrong way and every way in between.
Two things that I've learned is that you don't have to be Italian, and there is no
right way.
There are a lot of wrong ways though.
Here are some tips and tricks to perfect your pizza.
Use a pizza stone, bricks, a pizza oven or a terracotta slab to bake your pizza on. Pizza trays, non stick trays and 'regular' oven stuff just don't cut it.
Sliding your pizza onto preheated brick, terracotta or stone at around 240 degrees C or 470 degrees F will give you a great texture and crispy base
Make the base thin. The dough should be properly risen and pliable, able to be rolled or stretched quite thinly. Pizza should have a thin crispy base - not a thick slab of bread. Learn to make a proper pizza, and then play around with it after, once you have a reference standard.
Don't put too much sauce, cheese or topping. It may seem generous and luxurious, but it's not. You'll lose the texture and your pizza base will become soggy and it will slump under the weight of all the wet sloppy toppings. Not good! This is the golden rule
Make your own dough. No matter how good or convenient the boboli bases and frozen pizza doughs are, they will never be able to compete with a freshly rolled raw pizza dough cooked from scratch. Making your own dough is simple. Maybe even easier than making the trip to the supermarket.
NEVER pre bake a pizza base without toppings. It will be dry, too crisp, and unappealing. Roll out the dough, top with sauce, cheese, toppings in that order. THEN bake it from raw. Follow the steps in the section below.
Make or buy a great tasting sauce. Pizza is so simple - so success is all about the quality of the ingredients - being subtle and sparing, and allowing the ingredients to work together. A tasty tomato sauce, quality shredded mozzarella and not too may toppings. That's it. Then get the temperature right, and slide your pizza onto a baking stone and voila, perfection every time.
How to make a pizza
Make the dough and let it prove (rise) at room temperature until it doubles in size
Make the tomato pizza sauce, or use a very tasty bought one
Preheat the oven to between 220 and 240 degrees C (425 and 470 degrees F)
Cut your ingredients. Slice them thinly
Roll out the pizza dough thinly on a floured bench. 1/2cm or 1/5 of an inch is ample thickness.A little semolina or fine polenta under helps to crisp it. Optional.
Make sure there is a dusting of flour under your pizza so it doesn't stick. If you don't have a pizza peel to slide under and lift it with, then roll it onto baking paper
Smear the tomato sauce over the pizza thinly. Not too much sauce, but cover the base leaving 1cm or 1/2 inch around the outside rim without sauce. The quantity of pizza sauce should be just under half the weight of the dough, We use 80-90g tomato sauce for a 220g dough.
Cover with a very light sprinkling of shredded mozzarella cheese. For 220g of pizza dough, use just 70-80g of cheese.(about 1/3 the weight of the dough)
Sprinkle the toppings sparingly over the pizza. Less toppings in the middle so it doesn't sag when you slice and lift it.
The toppings should be around half the volume of the dough base.Pre-cook any ingredients that will lose water and become moist and wet the pizza.
Slide pizza onto the hot pizza stone, or directly onto the floor of the hot oven.
Cook about 7 minutes.The sides of the pizza should start to brown. The base of the pizza should be browned and crisp. The top of the pizza should be bubbling and delicious.
Remove from oven, then slice and eat or serve.
Questions are welcome on my website.
Here are three pizza dough recipes.
We use the sourdough one, the other two are for your convenience if you are not comfortable making sourdough. All three taste great and work every time.
Enjoy your new and improved pizzas.
Wheat and Rye sourdough pizza base
Flour, bread (high protein) 1000g
Rye flour - dark 200g
Sourdough (daily batch) 200g
Salt 30g
Water 600g
Yeast, instant, dry, powdered 2g
Mix with a dough hook in mixing machine. Six minutes slow and 1 minute medium speed
then rest 10 minutes
and then run 3 minutes more
and then rest 10 minutes and then run 3 min.
Scale 210-240g each. Cover with cling wrap or a damp cloth and prove (let it rise)
Pizza base recipe 2
Flour, bread (high protein) 1500 gram
Semolina flour 150 gram
Olive oil 75 gram
Salt 20 gram
Water 900 gram
Yeast, dry, 2 gram (or 10g of fresh)
Mix all, knead for 10 minutes until stretchy.
Portion into 220g balls and prove in a warm place without direct heat.
Pizza base Recipe 3
Yeast, instant, dry, powdered 7g (35g fresh yeast) 21g / 105g
Water 190g 570g
Honey 20g 60
Flour, bread (high protein) 375g 1125
Salt 5g 15
Olive oil 100g 300
Shane Brierly is a professional chef who has been travelling the globe for the last six years cooking, eating and discovering. He prefers the "path less travelled" and is currently living in South-East Asia blogging recipes, food, cocktails, photos and culinary trivia. Shane can be found at http://chef-a-gogo.com/ and is happy to answer any questions or respond to feedback left in the comments section of his site. He loves teaching people how to cook, and is passionate about fresh food, quickly and simply prepared.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shane_Brierly
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
How Does Cooking Affect Spice Flavor?
As you know, timing is everything when preparing a meal. The same holds true for spicing, that is, when you spice has an effect on the intensity of the flavor. Depending on the spice, cooking can increase potency, as you may have discovered when adding cayenne to your simmering spaghetti sauce. Or the flavor may not be as strong as you thought it would be. This is particularly apparent when adding herbs that are cooked over a long period of time, whether in a sauce or slow cooking in a crock pot.
Flavorings can be tricky when they come into contact with heat. Heat both enhances and destroys flavors, because heat allows essential oils to escape. The beauty of a crock pot is that slow cooking allows for the best results when using spices in a meal. The covered pot keeps moisture and steaming flavors and oils from escaping, and it allows the spices to permeate the foods in the pot. Using a microwave, on the other hand, may not allow for flavor release, especially in some herbs.
Common sense tells us that the baking spices, such as allspice, anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace, nutmeg and mint can be added at the beginning of baking. All hold up for both short term and long term baking periods, whether for a batch of cookies or a sheet cake. They also work well in sauces that need to simmer, although nutmeg is often shaken over an item after it has been served. Cinnamon, as well as rosemary, will wreak havoc for those using yeast recipes and both are considered yeast inhibitors. Caraway seed has a tendency to turn bitter with prolonged cooking and turmeric can be bitter if burned.
Most herbs tend to be a little more delicate when it comes to cooking. Their flavors seem to cook out of a sauce much more quickly. Herbs include basil, chervil, chives, cilantro, coriander, dill (the seeds can handle cooking longer than the leaves), lemon grass, parsley (flat leaf or Italian is better for cooking), sage, tarragon and marjoram. In fact, marjoram is often sprinkled over a soup after serving and isn't cooked at all.
The exception to these herbs is the hardy bay leaf, which holds up very well in a crock pot or stew. Oregano can be added at the beginning of cooking (if cooking less than an hour) and so can thyme. Often sustainability of an herb's flavor has as much to do with the temperature at which it is being cooked, as with the length of cooking.
Onions and their relatives can handle prolonged simmering at low temperatures, but are better added toward the end of cooking. Leeks are the exception. Garlic may become bitter if overcooked. The milder shallot can hold up well, but will become bitter if browned.
Peppercorns and hot peppers are best added at the end, as they become more potent as they cook. This includes chili powder and Szechuan peppers. Here paprika is the exception and it can be added at the beginning of cooking. Mustard is often added at the end of cooking and is best if not brought to a boil.
Sometimes not cooking has an effect on flavor. Many of the herbs mentioned above are used in salads. Cold, uncooked foods such as potato salad or cucumbers can absorb flavor, so you can be more generous with your seasonings and add them early in the preparation. Freezing foods can destroy flavors outright, so you may have to re-spice after reheating.
Once again much of the cooking process depends on how long and how hot you cook your food. It also has a lot to do with how you like your food to taste. My Midwestern relatives can't handle the hot peppers like we Southwesterners can, and I can't use cayenne in their presence. As you can see, spicing is not objective, nor is it an exact science. But that shouldn't prevent you from playing the mad scientist and delving into hands-on experimentation.
Copyright 2011 by Linda K. Murdock. Linda Murdock is the best-selling author of A Busy Cook's Guide to Spices, How to Introduce New Flavors to Everyday Meals. Unlike most spice books, you can turn to a food, whether meat, vegetable or starch, and find a list of spices that go well with that food. Recipes are also included. To learn more go to http://bellwetherbooks.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Murdock
What Is Kosher Meat?
Kosher meat refers to meat that comes from a kosher animal and that is slaughtered in the ritual Jewish halachic way. The laws for determining a kosher animal are different depending on the type of animal and the rules are provided clearly for us to follow in the Torah in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 17.
For land animals such as cattle, the requirements for an animal are that it must contain both split hooves and chew its cud. Examples of such animals would be cows, sheep, bison, and even giraffes. The Bible even lists animal which contain only one of the requirements to tell you specifically that those animals are forbidden for consumption, the most famous of which is the pig.
In terms of birds, the rules are slightly more complicated. Here the Torah only lists birds that are forbidden and tells us "Every clean bird, you may eat." But the Torah continues to list 24 species of fowl that are considered not kosher. Birds of prey are not kosher; however, the Talmud is hesitant to establish this as law. Everyone, though, agrees that in order to eat a bird, we must have a mesorah, a passed-down tradition of consumption of that specific bird. Thus, a bird such as a swan is kosher in theory, but has no tradition and thus will never be found with kosher certification. Those that have been established as kosher include the chicken, turkey, duck, and goose.
Once you have the kosher animal, shechita, or ritual slaughter must occur according to strict Jewish law. This can be done only by a certified shochet under the auspices of a certified kosher establishment. The shochet will take a knife that is continuously sharpened and checked for nicks and dents and kill the animal with one cut across its neck. This is meant to minimize the pain suffered by the animal as it dies swiftly, in one blow.
After the slaughter the animal will be checked for any irregularities such as harmed organs which would render the animal unkosher. The blood is then removed as are certain fats and nerves. In America we do not eat the hind portion of the cow, as in practice we are unable to remove the sciatic nerve to an acceptable degree. However, in Israel the sciatic nerve of the thigh is removed, and the hind parts of the animal are considered to be kosher. The tradition of removing the hind nerve, dates back to the story of our forefather Jacob wrestling with the angel.
Today the most common kosher meats are beef and chicken and the majority of shechita is performed on them. However, as mentioned, the same process would apply to all kosher meat animals such as bison or turkeys. Kosher meat refers to meat that comes from a kosher animal and that is slaughtered in the ritual Jewish halachic way. The laws for determining a kosher animal are different depending on the type of animal and the rules are provided clearly for us to follow in the Torah in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 17.
For land animals such as cattle, the requirements for an animal are that it must contain both split hooves and chew its cud. Examples of such animals would be cows, sheep, bison, and even giraffes. The Bible even lists animal which contain only one of the requirements to tell you specifically that those animals are forbidden for consumption, the most famous of which is the pig.
In terms of birds, the rules are slightly more complicated. Here the Torah only lists birds that are forbidden and tells us "Every clean bird, you may eat." But the Torah continues to list 24 species of fowl that are considered not kosher. Birds of prey are not kosher; however, the Talmud is hesitant to establish this as law. Everyone, though, agrees that in order to eat a bird, we must have a mesorah, a passed-down tradition of consumption of that specific bird. Thus, a bird such as a swan is kosher in theory, but has no tradition and thus will never be found with kosher certification. Those that have been established as kosher include the chicken, turkey, duck, and goose.
Once you have the kosher animal, shechita, or ritual slaughter must occur according to strict Jewish law. This can be done only by a certified shochet under the auspices of a certified kosher establishment. The shochet will take a knife that is continuously sharpened and checked for nicks and dents and kill the animal with one cut across its neck. This is meant to minimize the pain suffered by the animal as it dies swiftly, in one blow.
After the slaughter the animal will be checked for any irregularities such as harmed organs which would render the animal unkosher. The blood is then removed as are certain fats and nerves. In America we do not eat the hind portion of the cow, as in practice we are unable to remove the sciatic nerve to an acceptable degree. However, in Israel the sciatic nerve of the thigh is removed, and the hind parts of the animal are considered to be kosher. The tradition of removing the hind nerve, dates back to the story of our forefather Jacob wrestling with the angel.
Today the most common kosher meats are kosher beef and kosher chicken and the majority of shechita is performed on them. However, as mentioned, the same process would apply to all kosher meat animals such as bison or turkeys.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Hues
What Are Some Alternative Meats?
The most popular meat eaten in the UK is currently Beef, followed closely by Chicken, Pork and Lamb.
The Sunday Roast is a tradition which has sustained the meat industry, as well as the British love of a beef steak.
It is hard to believe these will ever be replaced as the nation's meats of choice, as they are readily available, and evoke feelings of comfort and tradition - as well as the fact that most people know how to cook them.
However, in recent times, the public have become more aware of other options relating to food and cookery. This is a result of increased travel, more eating out, and access to information via newspapers and television. Indeed, the saturation of so-called Celebrity Chefs has led to them each trying to out-do each other, resulting in more exotic ingredients being seen on our TV's than ever before, as they each struggle to bring something new to the table.
Consumers are more aware of the world outside of where they live and are bored with the usual options, so they are more willing to experiment, and experience new sights and tastes.
Alternative meats, in particular, are a market which has seen considerable growth in the last 10 years.
There are now companies which sell Ostrich, Crocodile, Kangaroo, even Frogs Legs and Snails. Some offer home delivery, making the whole experience very easy.
Some of these meats are very expensive - Wagyu Beef for example is around 4 times more expensive than normal Scottish Beef, although fans would say worth every penny. However, others are not priced unlike Beef or Chicken, for instance Ostrich or Wild Boar, two of the more popular 'new' meats.
Popularity does seem to be judged on usability - if a meat has similar properties to a more familiar meat, then it will be used more. Indeed, the rise in popularity of Venison in recent years proves this, as it has been marketed as a 'beef with a game-y flavour'. Venison can now be found for sale in most major supermarkets, and other alternative meats are starting to appear on the shelves. They may only be in higher-end shops, and portion sizes are small to keep the prices down - but that is how it began with Venison.
While some can be an acquired taste, and other require precise cooking to keep moist and flavoursome, this influx of new meats can only be a good thing, as they increase options for the customer.
Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your Food Processor
By Heather Krasovec 
Heather Krasovec
Level: Platinum
Article Submitted On: March 15, 2011
Heather Krasovec Level: Platinum
I love all things food! I have worked in the retail food industry, the restaurant industry and as a personal chef. I am now focused ...
A newly purchased food processor comes with a small manual. Most of the content included is related to safety and warranty information. Little is dedicated to getting optimal performance from your new kitchen appliance. This can lead to frustration on the part of the user and eventual complete abandonment of the food processor.
It doesn't have to be this way. A properly used food processor can give you invaluable assistance in the kitchen when used properly. It can become quite indispensible once you are familiar with the inherent limitations and intended uses. Here are a few tips to help you along the way:
Never use the food processor for something too hard for your kitchen knives. The blades are meant to perform as well as a good knife and as such they come with the same limitations. Never use them to chop ice or grind hard spices.The pulse button is the most crucial tool to master. It is how you will control the speed of processing and therefore how you will determine the texture of the finished product. Always use short bursts until you get the hang of it. Press the button for one quick second and let go;continue on this way until you are comfortable with the pulse feature.There are certain times when you will need to keep your ingredients cool. Any motor will give off heat, although heat output is minimal in more efficient models. Counteract this by chilling the bowl and blades in the refrigerator for 15 minutes prior to starting the project. Examples of when this will be helpful include when making butter, whipping cream or preparing a pastry crust.Use appropriately sized batches. The best volume to work with will vary from machine to machine. In general, you never want to fill the bowl more than halfway with liquids or three-quarters with solid foods.Recognize the limitations on the other side of the size scale. A few garlic cloves in a 14 cup bowl will not have very much contact with the blade. As a result, the cloves will not be evenly chopped and chunks will stick to the side of the bowl. Your best bet is to use a smaller machine or bowl, or to chop small projects by hand.When using the food processor to emulsify, slowly add the oil through the feed tube while it is running. Adding oil too quickly will cause it to pool within the dressing or mayonnaise rather than creating the desired emulsification.Spend a minute or two at the beginning of meal preparation to think about how the food processor can help. Having a plan will prevent you from realizing you could be using your food processor halfway through a task.These are a few basic tenets of proper food processor usage. Simply knowing these seven crucial items can avoid annoyance and countless headaches. Remember, the food processor is there to help you, not to cause more problems. If you follow these guidelines and are still struggling, it may be time to shop for a better model.
This article has been viewed 22 time(s).Article Submitted On: March 15, 2011
Drying Ground Beef
As I was wandering around on the internet I chanced upon a website where the writer was explaining how to dehydrate ground beef. My wife and I had previously toyed with the idea in the past but this time we decided to actually try it out.
My wife buys her ground beef in five pound packages and she had just made a meal for the family the night before and did not use all the beef that she had available. This was an excellent opportunity to try this dehydrating experiment.
She first started by chopping up and browning the ground beef in a cast iron skillet. After breaking up the meat into small pieces she added several cups of water to the mixture and heated it over a medium heat. She continued to chop and mix the beef until it was completely cooked.
When she started seeing fat developing in the water she would move the meat into a colander and than run hot water over it. This process will clean off the extra grease which has separated from the meat.
Her next task was to again replace the meat into a cleaned skillet along with some fresh water and bring once again to a boil. As she noticed some fat develop in the liquid and appear on the top of the water she knew that a second rinsing was in order. She drained this again as she had done previously with the colander and rinsed it under hot water.
She repeated this process three times until there was no longer any grease appearing. Since she generally purchases the better quality ground beef she has much less fat than would be expected. After the last boiling she allowed the beef to drain well in the colander until it was dry to the touch.
Although she could very well have used the dehydrator to dry the meat she decided to employ the oven for the process instead. She spread the drained beef onto a non stick cookie sheet and placed it into a 200 degree oven. Times will vary greatly from oven to oven and from one batch to the next but usually the drying time will be between 6 and 8 hours.
As the completion time approaches the beef should give a dried appearance similar to gravel but extremely hard. She next took the final dehydrated ground beef and placed it in a sterilized mason jar along with an oxygen absorber to remove all traces of air from within. Our estimate is that with the oxygen absorber in place the product should be good for several years if stored in a dark, cool location.
To rehydrate this product you will merely need to add water and wait a few minutes for it to absorb the liquid. You can speed up the process with heat if you plan to mix it with other foods.
My wife did not add any spices to the beef when she was dehydrating it but wanted a more universal product that could be used for a variety of beef dishes. The flavorings can be included when the ground beef is rehydrated. You now have a dehydrated ground beef product that should relieve some of the worry from losing electricity during emergency times. If you try this procedure let us know how it came out for you.
By Joseph Parish
Copyright @2011 Joseph Parish
http://www.survival-training.info/
10 Tips For Dressing Up Spaghetti For Dinner
Everyone loves spaghetti for dinner. It's one of those wonderful comfort foods like macaroni and cheese, chicken noodle soup and beef stew. However, sometimes we may get a bit bored with just plain spaghetti. Here are some tips to take ordinary spaghetti to something new and different.
1. Add vegetables. Not only do they add texture, they also add flavor. Vegetables can be added raw and cooked in the sauce or saute ahead of time. This is also a great way to use leftover veggies. Some popular spaghetti additions can include: mushrooms, artichokes, onions, green peppers, zucchini and eggplant.
2. Use different types of pasta There are many different types of pasta that make it fun to eat, and this is especially fun for children. A few interesting pasta shapes to try are gemelli, farfalle and rotini.
3. Add meat. Meatballs are not the only go with in spaghetti. Other meats will also add flavor. Try cooked chicken, sausage, bacon or pepperoni in the sauce.
4. Spice it up. A sprinkle of hot pepper flakes is all it takes to add some fire to spaghetti. Add more or less according to taste.
5. Serve it differently. Changing the way food is served can make it more appealing and appetizing. Plate the spaghetti on a special platter or casserole dish. Top with sauce and it is ready for the table.
6. Add cheese. Freshly grated cheese can make the dish. Parmesan and romano are the most popular, but pecorino and asiago are delicious also.
7. Try a new sauce Experiment with different recipes until you find a few favorites. Alfredo and Vodka sauces are easy and delicious.
8. Make it fancy with shellfish. Shrimp, scallops, clams or crab can be added to the sauce toward the end of cooking time with little or no preparation.
9. Add texture. Turn a plain tomato sauce into a creamy, rich sauce with the addition of a little cream or half and half. Start with 1/2 a cup and adjust to taste.
10. Pour in some wine. Adding 1/2 cup of red wine to the sauce will add a rich flavor to either homemade or jarred sauce. Simmer at least 10 minutes to cook out the alcohol and never use cooking wine. A good quality wine is preferred as the flavor will transfer to the dish.
Have fun and experiment dressing up YOUR spaghetti!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Organic Oregano - You Make the Choice
Oregano is certainly one of the must have's in your kitchen and combines with basil and thyme as a cornerstone for the big three in Italian cooking. History records that oregano became popular when soldiers from the Second World War returned to the US and brought with them the taste for pizza, which is probably the most common dish associated with it as a herb.
When buying oregano there are some things you need to know. It is closely associated with another herb - marjoram and is sometimes called wild marjoram. Generally speaking, the best of the oregano's are sourced from the Mediterranean region of Greece, Turkey and Italy ( Origanum vulgare hirtum). It's worth while to know where it is grown because some of the other locations and types of oregano just don't work as well in the kitchen. Simple Oregano, often sold in garden stores (Oiganum vulgare gracile) and grown in patio boxes, may have wonderful ornamental value but taste bland.
Organic oregano differs only in the way it is produced, which means it is grown without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers or often described as sourced from holistic and ecologically- friendly methods of farming. When shopping for anything organic be sure to look for "certified organic" on the label. To be certified organic, product must be grown and manufactured in a manner that adheres to specific standards. You may find that common dried oregano sold in grocery stores is often a mixture of different varieties of oregano and often combined with marjoram and thyme.
You may find, as I have from a culinary point of view, that the dried oregano adds more flavor than the fresh alternative, but either choice will bring wonderful flavor to most dishes. Add organic oregano to almost any tomato based receipt, or add to a salad, along with basil and thyme, and you will add wonderful mint flavor to the dish.
Fresh oregano can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days. The best way to store it is to put in a plastic bag and insert a wet paper towel in the bag or as an alternative, place the stems in a glass of water and loosely cover with the plastic bag. Dried Organic Oregano should be stored in air tight containers and kept away from light or direct heat. It will last six to eight months if handled properly.
So why make Organic oregano your choice. Simple - quality effects taste.
Doug retired from his position as the General Manager / CEO of one of the largest real estate franchise networks in the country a dozen years ago. He continues to play golf and enjoys the opportunity to fish and hunt in the water wonderland of his home state, Michigan. Through out his life he has always been somewhat of a closet chief and prides himself as a Grill Master so it is not surprising to family and friends that he and his wife of thirty five years have opened a store at http://www.organicspicesrack.com/ that focuses on providing quality spices, herbs and seasonings for the kitchen and grill.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Doug_Stranahan
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