Use A Bottle Opener

If you've ever worked up a sweat trying to open a tightly sealed bottle, you know the importance of always having a good bottle opener in your kitchen drawer. Bottle openers are the keys to the kingdom; without one, that cold beer or soda isn't going to be yours any time soon. Here's use a bottle opener.

Instructions

1. Make sure you actually need a bottle opener. In the name of convenience, many manufacturers now make twist-off caps. If the twist-off cap is inconveniently tight, take a no-slip piece of rubber or silicone, cover the cap and tightly grip the bottle with dry hands. The rubber or silicone will make it easier to twist off the top.

2. Make sure you have the right kind of bottle opener for your bottle. Wine bottles need corkscrews. Bar blades open beer bottle caps and certain types of soda bottle caps. There are a variety of bottle openers, including the traditional church key, that uses a metal wedge to create resistance, causing the cap to pop off.

3. Open wine bottles by screwing the corkscrew all the way into the center of the cork, as deeply as you can screw the metal spiral in. Then pull up on the metal lever. You'll hear a pop once the seal has been broken. It should be easy to slide the cork out.

4. Use blades and other flat metal bottle openers by placing the bottle opener snugly below the cap, right against the top of the bottle neck. Push the bottle down, hard. As the resistance between the bottle opener and the cap mounts, the cap will pop off.

Tags: bottle opener, bottle caps, bottle opener, bottle opener your, Make sure, opener your, rubber silicone

Make Chipotle Paste

Unripe green jalapenos

Chipotle is a seasoning derived from dried, smoked, fully ripened red jalapeno peppers. This is an important component in many Mexican dishes and Central American cuisine. Its rich smoky flavor has gained widespread popularity in recent years in America and can flavor anything from grilled red meats to fish, poultry, game, soups and sauces. Chipotle paste is an alternative but very similar product easily made at home.

Instructions

1. Select peppers that are fully ripe. Jalapenos are normally picked green but, if left to ripen, gradually acquire a rich, deep-red color. Use peppers that are firm and without blemishes.

2. Fire-roast the peppers over an open flame or blacken the peppers under an oven broiler set on high. The object here is to completely blacken the skin of the pepper as quickly as possible. One good way to do this is to spread the peppers over a wire grate over an open fire or barbecue grill with a hot flame, turning the peppers periodically until the skin is blackened and burnt. Another way is to spread them on a baking sheet and place them under an oven broiler as close to the heat as possible, turning them until blackened and burnt on all sides.

3. Place the peppers in a bowl large enough to hold them and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Wearing latex gloves, remove the burnt skins, which should easily separate from the peppers. Rinse under cool water to remove bits of charred skin.

4. Once all the peppers have been skinned, place them on a cutting board and use a knife to remove the stems and slit each pepper down one side from end to end, allowing the pepper to be opened up. The pepper should still be in one piece. Remove all the seeds and discard.

5. Smoke the peppers in a smoker using mesquite wood chips. The mesquite will give the peppers the proper smoky flavor. For best results, lay the peppers flat on a grate in the smoker. Use a low heat and smoke for about one to two hours or until mostly dry. The peppers should not be completely hard and dry but should remain pliable and retain some moisture.

6. Grind the peppers in a food processor until a paste forms. For storage, pour the paste into ice cube trays. Once frozen, place cubes of chipotle paste in freezer bags. They will keep for months in the freezer. Remove as needed for use in your favorite recipe.

Tags: blackened burnt, oven broiler, over open, peppers over, peppers that, place them, smoky flavor

Make Tea Sandwich Fillings

Peanut butter and jelly filling make great tea sandwiches for small children.

Tea parties date back to the 1800s, when tea was first imported to England. The various snacks served included delicate cookies and cakes. Modern tea sandwiches are also called finger sandwiches.The have fillings made of cheese, watercress, nuts, cucumbers, tuna, egg, tomato, Stilton cheese, pear or egg salad. The bread is buttered and the filling is added. The crusts are trimmed off the bread and the sandwiches are cut into four pieces: rectangles, triangles or squares.

Instructions

1. Make goat cheese and watercress filling, mixing two 51/2-ounce logs of room temperature goat cheese with 1/2 a cup of chopped watercress leaves. Season with salt to your taste preference.

2. Make curried chicken tea sandwich filling. Combine two cups of cubed, cooked chicken, one medium chopped apple, 3/4 of a cup of cranberries, 1/2 cup of thinly sliced celery, 1/4 cup of chopped pecans and 2 tablespoons of thinly sliced green onions in a bowl. Combine 3/4 of a cup of mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons of lime juice and a 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder. Add to chicken mixture.

3. Make pepper cheese filling. Combine filling ingredients: 11/4 cup of Stilton cheese, 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper and 2 tablespoons of brandy. Add 1/4 cup of heavy cream to bring mixture to spreading consistency.

Tags: cheese watercress, filling Combine, goat cheese, juice teaspoon, Stilton cheese, thinly sliced

Make Jerky

Jerky is one of those food items that has been around for a long time. Native American tribes used to dry their meat out, forming a hard, chewy strip that was both portable and long-lasting. In fact, until the invention of refrigeration, this was really the best way of preserving meat. Now, however, people make jerky not out of necessity but because it's a tasty snack. You can make your own jerky out of just about any lean cut of meat.

Instructions

1. Select your meat. If you use beef, choose a piece that has very little fat on it, such as a sirloin cut. Another option is to use venison or other game meats, which tend to be very lean naturally. By using a leaner cut, you'll save yourself from having to trim off a lot of fat later on.

2. Cut your meat into thin strips, about 1/8 of an inch thick. Ideally, you'll want to use a meat slicer, but if you don't have one, a really sharp knife will do the trick. Meat is easier to cut into thin pieces if you partially freeze it beforehand. Cutting against the grain of the meat will be a little trickier, but it will give you jerky that is much easier to chew when it's done. Remove fat from the strips as you cut, and discard.

3. Marinate the meat overnight. This will help make it a bit more tender. You can use commercially prepared marinade, or make your own. To make your own, blend equal parts of soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Let the meat sit in the marinade for about 12 hours. When you remove the meat from the marinade, squeeze it dry between two paper towels to get all the excess liquid out.

4. Season the meat with your favorite herbs and spices. You can buy commercially prepared jerky seasoning, or you can make your own. To make your own, blend one part onion powder, one part garlic powder, two parts seasoning salt, and three parts any combination of herbs (oregano, basil, cilantro or cumin are perfect). Rub the seasoning into the meat.

5. Dry out the meat. You can do this in a dehydrator if you have one. If you use a dehydrator, be sure to leave space between the strips of meat so that air flows freely. If you don't have access to a dehydrator, don't worry. You can use your oven instead. Set the oven to 150 degrees, and place your meat on a wire rack. Put the wire rack on top of a cookie sheet, and place it in the middle of the oven.

6. Check your meat. After about six hours, check the meat every hour to make sure it is dry. It could take up to 12 hours, depending on how much moisture was in there to begin with. Once the meat is completely dry, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Be sure to eat all jerky within a week of preparation, unless you're able to freeze it.

Tags: make your, your meat, about hours, commercially prepared, into thin

Oven Bake Flavored Pecans

Pecans are the only native American tree nut.

Bowls of nuts are a usual snack at parties and get-togethers. If you have tired of the standard peanut, opt for something different for your next event. Instead of spending more than you need to in stores, buy the nuts raw in bulk and make your own snack. Oven-baked pecans are a heathy alternative to processed nuts, and the cinnamon-sugar seasoning can be exchanged with other flavors to suit your tastes. Experiment with spicy, sweet or salty, and enjoy serving something different every time.

Instructions

1. A shallow baking pan works best.

Place shelled pecans in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Situate them as close together as possible. Keep the nuts ridged-side-up for best results.

2. Use real butter rather than margarine for best taste.

Pour the heaping tsp. of sugar and 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon into the microwave-safe bowl. Add the 3 tbsp. of butter, and microwave for 15 to 20 seconds or until the butter melts. Mix the melted butter, cinnamon and sugar together thoroughly.

3. Oven temperatures vary; turn the pan in the oven for even baking, if necessary.

Spoon the butter mixture over the pecans, coating them liberally. Place the baking sheet in a 325 degree pre-heated oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the butter bubbles and the pecans are toasted. Allow the nuts to cool completely before removing them from the pan.

Tags: baking sheet, something different, until butter

Turn Vanilla Frosting Into Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream cheese frosting is a popular topping fo cinnamon rolls like these.

Adding a delicious layer of creamy frosting can make even the most delicious baked good even better. Buttercream is a frosting recipe widely used by professional and home bakers. The most basic vanilla buttercream frosting contains good quality butter, powdered sugar and vanilla flavoring beaten together until light and fluffy. The addition of cream cheese to this mixture will make cream cheese buttercream frosting, which is popular on red velvet and carrot cake, as well as cinnamon buns.

Instructions

1. Place the stick of butter in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer for one minute. Add 1/2 lb. of sifted powdered sugar and continue beat until well incorporated. Add 1 tsp. of vanilla extract to flavor and beat to combine.

2. Add 8 oz. of softened cream cheese to the vanilla buttercream. Beat well with a mixer to combine to create cream cheese buttercream frosting.

3. Add cream cheese to ready-mixed vanilla frosting. If you are starting with a store-bought vanilla frosting, you can add softened cream cheese to taste. Empty your vanilla frosting into a bowl and add softened cream cheese, 2 oz. at a time, beating well with an electric mixer. Continue adding cream cheese until the mixture reaches the desired taste and consistency.

4. Add cream cheese flavoring. If you are starting with a ready-mixed vanilla frosting, you can augment the flavor by adding artificial cream cheese flavoring. Artificial cream cheese flavoring is available through specialty baking stores online. Consult the label on your bottle of flavoring to determine how much to add as this will vary between brands.

Tags: cream cheese, cheese flavoring, cream cheese, cream cheese flavoring, softened cream, softened cream cheese, buttercream frosting

Make Sour Cream & Vinegar Cucumbers

Cucumbers With Sour Cream and Vinegar

Many European countries have a tradition of dressing cucumbers with sour cream, sugar and vinegar. This makes a delicious tart and sweet side dish or relish that complements many meals. Almost identical recipes originate from countries as disparate as Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Sweden, Denmark and Ireland. Substitute yogurt for the sour cream and you extend your reach to Greece, the Mediterranean and India and related cuisines. There's no reason you can't add this easy and delicious combination to your own culinary repertoire.

Instructions

1. Combine sugar, sour cream and vinegar in a bowl. Add garlic or dill if you are using either or both. Let dressing sit while you prepare the vegetables.

2. Use a fork to make pretty cucumber slices. Drag the points of the tines lengthwise down the sides of the cucumber. You don't have to go very deep. (See picture with Step 4.)

3. Use mandoline slicer or knife to slice cucumber into very thin slices. Make slices as thin as possible--1/16 of an inch, if possible.

4. Toss cucumber slices thoroughly with salt and place in colander. Place colander in sink or bowl to catch draining liquid. Allow to drain for 20 minutes.

5. Cut onion into very thin slices. Add onion to dressing and combine thoroughly.

6. Rinse cucumber slices thoroughly. Drain them as thoroughly as possible. A salad spinner works well for this step. Add drained cucumbers to dressing and toss very well.

7. Chill for two hours and serve as side dish or relish with fish, meats or other salads.

Tags: cucumber slices, sour cream, Cream Vinegar, cucumber slices thoroughly, dish relish

Make Au Gratin Potato Casserole

Au gratin potato casserole makes a great side dish.

Casseroles are great classic dishes that everyone seems to like, but they can also make great side dishes. Most people enjoy potatoes and cheese, so why not combine the two? Here's make an au gratin potato casserole.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a medium-sized pot on the stove half-filled with water. Bring it to a boil. Wash and peel your potatoes. Then cut the potatoes into chunks about the size of a half dollar coin. Place the potato chunks in the boiling water and let them soften in it for about 8 minutes.

2. Slowly stir the flour and milk into a medium saucepan in which you have melted three tablespoons of butter. The sauce should have a fairly liquid consistency to it. Add a cup of shredded cheese. Your sauce should thicken.

3. Strain the potatoes and place the chunks in a casserole dish. Pour the sauce over the potatoes and mix well. After the potatoes and sauce are well mixed, sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese and bread crumbs over the dish and then melt the last three tablespoons of butter and pour it over the bread crumbs.

4. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes. Let the casserole sit for approximately 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Tags: bread crumbs, gratin potato, gratin potato casserole, great side, potato casserole, sauce should, shredded cheese

Tone Down Too Much Chili Powder In Spaghetti

Too much heat can ruin a spaghetti sauce; luckily, there are solutions.

All cooks are bound to come across this problem at some point: too much of one spice added to a dish by accident. This is a common mistake in the making of sauce, such as spaghetti sauce, as a spice's intensity may change throughout the cooking process. If that spice happens to be chili powder, it may seem impossible to tone down the overwhelming heat, but there are ways to do so. While many of those ways may drastically change the flavor, this method maintains the flavor while cooling it down.

Instructions

1. Divide the spaghetti sauce equally into two pots. One batch will be your "experimental group"; the other will be your "control group."

2. Add 1/2 cup of tomato sauce to experimental pot of spaghetti sauce, stir and gently heat until it is simmering. Taste the sauce.

3. Continue adding tomato sauce to the experimental pot in 1/2 cup increments until the spaghetti sauce is mild enough for your taste, keeping track of how much you have added.

4. Add milk or cream to the sauce in 1/4 cup increments if the sauce is still too spicy after using an entire can of tomato sauce. Keep track of this amount.

5. Add the same amount of tomato sauce, milk or cream to the control pot. If you've over-corrected the experimental pot and made it too bland, simply add small increments of the control group and mix, tasting as you go, until the spice is right.

6. Combine the two pots and bring to a gentle simmer.

7. Taste to ensure the correct seasoning. Add more tomato sauce or milk as necessary to balance out the flavors.

Tags: spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, control group, milk cream, sauce experimental, sauce milk, tomato sauce experimental

Eat Mangoes

Sweet, juicy mangoes, with a large pit and inedible skin, can be difficult to eat, but there are several methods for cutting them.

Instructions

To eat from the skin

1. Slice about 1/2-inch from the top and bottom of an unpeeled mango, then stand it up. A little bit of the pit will be exposed. Slice from top to bottom, parallel the pit and as close to it as possible. You will now have one large mango slice, with the skin still on.

2. Turn the mango over and cut off the other side, close to the pit.

3. Holding a mango half in your hand, skin side down, use a paring knife to make a crosshatched grid of slices. Be careful not to cut all the way through the mango's skin.

4. Turn the fruit section inside out and eat the mango cubes straight from the skin.

5. Peel the remaining band of flesh from the pit, and eat it right off the pit, or slice it off.

To eat in a civilized fashion

6. Using a vegetable peeler or pairing knife, peel the mango.

7. Slice about 1/2-inch from the top and bottom, then stand it up. A little bit of the pit will be exposed. Slice from top to bottom, parallel the pit and as close to it as possible. Repeat on the other side.

8. Place a mango half flat on a cutting board. Hold a chef's knife parallel to the cutting board and slice the mango into about three planks, each about 1/2-inch thick.

9. Holding a chef's knife perpendicular to the cutting board, slice the stacked mango planks lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips.

10. Rotate the stacked mango strips 90 degrees and slice them into 1/2-inch cubes.

11. Serve the mango cubes in a bowl, sprinkled with lime juice or add them to a tropical fruit salad.

Tags: from bottom, about 2-inch, cutting board, 2-inch from, 2-inch from bottom, about 2-inch from

Toast Garlic On The Stove For Quick Roasted Garlic Flavor

Roasting garlic on your stove requires cloves rather than heads.

Roasted garlic's mild and somewhat sweet flavor often makes it palatable even to those who do not typically enjoy garlic. Unfortunately, the roasting process -- at least when traditionally done in the oven -- takes up to 45 minutes. While you can roast garlic in a microwave, doing so properly requires a special terra cotta garlic roaster. If you do not have one, or simply need to use your microwave to cook another dish, your best alternative may be to roast garlic on the stove.

Instructions

1. Separate your garlic from heads into cloves, and then peel each clove. The peeling process is easier if you slice the bottom of each clove off with a sharp knife.

2. Measure the garlic, and then measure out an equal amount of olive oil. For example, if you want to roast 1 cup of peeled garlic cloves, you also need 1 cup of olive oil.

3. Pour the olive oil and peeled garlic cloves into a pan. Heat the mixture over medium heat until the oil simmers and then reduce the heat to a level that keeps the oil at a very gentle simmer.

4. Stir the garlic cloves every minute or two as you simmer them. Within a few minutes, they should be noticeably softening and turning slightly brown. Continue to cook them until they reach your desired level of doneness. Depending on the number of cloves you are roasting and the size of the pan, this should take 5 to 15 minutes.

5. Remove the garlic from the oil and use as desired.

Tags: garlic cloves, each clove, garlic from, peeled garlic, peeled garlic cloves, roast garlic

What Is Chorizo

What Is Chorizo?

Chorizo is a popular traditional Latin American food. It varies slightly depending on the country that it comes from, as individual national culinary customs affect the product. Chorizo is made of a variety of different pork sausages, and is either served already cooked, fermented and smoked, or purchased fresh so that it needs to be cooked after purchased.

Identification

This Spanish meat looks like a typical link of sausage. A tube of intestinal lining is filled with various pork sausage meats and then tied at either end to keep the meat inside. The surface of chorizo is smooth and the meats are different colors, ranging from browns to reds to oranges, depending on the type. Sometimes peppers can be seen mixed in with the meat when it is cut. Usually these peppers are spicy, such as jalapeno peppers, but more mild red peppers are also seen.

Types

There are a number of different types of chorizo that can be purchased, depending on the regions in which they are made. Spanish chorizo is the traditional type, made of pork and pork fat, with paprika and salt added. Portuguese chorizo is pretty much the same, but red wine is used in its production. Argentine chorizo, though typically using pork meat, sometimes adds other meats into the mix, such as beef, which the country is well known for.

Function

Chorizo can be cooked and eaten in a number of ways, depending on your taste. In Europe, it is usually smoked and sold that way, so it can be eaten cold on crackers or in sandwiches. Fresh chorizo is popular in the United States, though it is sold everywhere. This can be sautéed along with vegetables or boiled in stews. It is used in sandwiches after being grilled as well, and is served during breakfast, as well as lunch and dinner.

Benefits

While chorizo cannot be considered a health food, it does offer some essential vitamins and minerals. Chorizo is an excellent source of protein; 60 grams of chorizo gives you about 29 percent of your daily protein need. It is also a good source of thiamine, vitamin B6 and B12, as well as niacin. Zinc and selenium are also present in decent amounts.

Warning

Eating too much chorizo can be dangerous for your health, despite the fact that is a good source of protein and various vitamins. One reason is because of the high sodium content. One serving has about 741 milligrams of sodium, which is 31 percent of your daily need. An excess of sodium in your diet can lead to heart problems. There is also a high presence of saturated fat, which also contributes to heart risks and is a leading factor in coronary heart disease.

Tags: good source, percent your, percent your daily, source protein, What Chorizo, your daily

Use A Pressure Canner With A Ceramic Range Top

Use a Pressure Canner With a Ceramic Range Top

Using a pressure canner on a ceramic-top stove is often not recommended due to the risk of burner or stove damage. Before deciding whether or not to use a pressure canner, you should consult with your stove manufacturer or ask for alternate canning recommendations. If you are able to use a canner on your ceramic stovetop, there are steps you can take to facilitate successful canning.

Instructions

1. Ensure that your canner is no more than two inches larger than the diameter of the largest heat element on the stovetop. Do not use a canner larger in diameter or enough heat may not be obtained to correctly pressurize the canner.

2. If possible, use a pressure canner with a flat bottom to ensure better heating ability. If your canner has a concave bottom, measure to see if the dip is greater than 1/8-inch. Do not use the canner if the concave is beyond this measurement, as proper heating may not occur.

3. Place the canner in the center of the largest heating element on your stove. Fill with two to three inches of water or the recommended amount for the food you are preserving. Place the canning rack inside the canner and set filled jars on top of the rack, then place the lid tightly on the canner.

4. Allow the canner to heat until the pressure begins to build inside, as indicated by your weighted gauge or pressure dial. Monitor the heat carefully, as ceramic top stoves may heat more slowly than a coil burner. Once the desired amount of pressurization inside the canner has been achieved, watch the canner for correct heat maintenance.

5. Complete the canning process as recommended by the canner manufacturer and for the type of food you are preserving. Allow the ceramic top heating element to cool completely before removing the canner from the burner. Do not drag the canner across the ceramic surface. This may scratch or crack the surface.

Tags: canner concave, Canner With, Canner With Ceramic, Ceramic Range, food preserving, heating element

Making New Colors With Food Coloring

Mixing food coloring gives you more colors.

Mixing food coloring creates new colors to expand your color palette for food or craft projects. Making new colors with food coloring also provides a learning activity for kids. The Brigham Young University website shows how adding food coloring to vases of water for white flowers dyes the flowers. Food coloring kits usually come with red, yellow, green and blue. The University of Wisconsin Green Bay website features an artist's color wheel that displays the relationships between primary and secondary colors. Learning color relationships allows you to mix food coloring with confidence.

Instructions

1. Combine an equal quantity of red and blue food coloring to make purple. Add more red to make magenta or scarlet and more blue to make a dark grape purple.

2. Mix yellow and red food coloring to make orange. For a dark, sunset or blood orange, add more red. For a lighter, pumpkin orange, use more yellow.

3. Add blue food coloring to green food coloring a drop at a time to create a new blue-green or turquoise color.

4. Add yellow food coloring a drop at a time to green food coloring to make spring green and lime green colors.

5. Create dark gray or black, depending on your food coloring, by mixing equal parts of red and blue, and then adding green drop by drop to reach the desired color.

Tags: food coloring, coloring make, food coloring make, blue food, blue food coloring, coloring drop, coloring drop time

Make Butter From Soy Milk

Many people are unable to eat butter because of allergies to dairy products. Others avoid sources of animal-based saturated fats as part of a heart-healthy diet. While most brands of margarine contain at least some soy products, not all do. One way to be sure you are getting all of the benefits of soy, while making sure you are consuming only heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and avoiding trans fat, is to make your own. Making your own butter substitute from soy milk is easy, inexpensive and uses ingredients that you can find anywhere, maybe even your own kitchen.

Instructions

Making Your Own Soy "Butter"

1. Pour soy milk into a food processor or mixing bowl.

2. Turn your processor or mixer onto a low setting.

3. Pour the oil into the soy milk while the processor or mixer is running.

4. After you have poured in the oil, increase the power on your processor or mixer to high.

5. Add the lemon juice after firm peaks begin to form.

6. Continue to beat the mixture until it is stiff in consistency.

7. Refrigerate to finish firming the "butter."

8. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Tags: processor mixer, your processor mixer, your processor

Thicken Soup Stock

Roasting the bones before simmering in water adds more flavor to the stock.

If you've ever enjoyed chicken soup, beef stew or turkey gravy, you have eaten some form of soup stock. Soup stock is the liquid created from simmering the bones and meat of any animal (or vegetables for vegetable stock) in water seasoned with herbs and spices The liquid is strained from the solid ingredients, which is the stock, the foundation of most soups and stews. Some specific recipes, such as a beef bechamel or gumbo, call for thickening. Adding flour or cornstarch is the most common and easy way to thicken soup stock.

Instructions

1. Heat the soup stock until it is piping hot, but not boiling. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Use an appropriately sized pot, depending on how much stock you have or what the recipe calls for. You can use your own homemade soup stock or buy soup stock at the grocery store.

2. Mix 2 tbsp. of all-purpose flour with 1/4 cup cold water. If you are using cornstarch, mix 1 tbsp. cornstarch with 1 tbsp. of water. Mix until the cornstarch or flour is fully dissolved, creating a smooth paste.

3. Whisk the cornstarch or flour mixture slowly into the hot soup stock. Add just a few drops at a time so that you can see how thick it gets; you don't want to over-thicken the stock. If you end up using all of the mixture and the soup stock is still not as thick as you would like, repeat Step 2 and add more flour or cornstarch mixture.

Tags: soup stock, cornstarch flour, flour cornstarch, soup stock, soup stock

Recipes

Here's an easy artichoke crostini with brie recipe. Follow the instructions to learn cook artichoke crostini with brie.

Instructions

1. The first step in cooking artichoke crostini with brie using this recipe is to preheat your broiler.

2. Then, the second step in cooking artichoke crostini with brie using this recipe is to combine drained artichoke hearts, basil, and garlic in food processor and finely chop.

3. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Brush bread with reserved artichoke marinade.

5. Arrange on baking sheet and broil until golden brown.

6. Mound 2 teaspoons of artichoke mixture on each bread slice.

7. Thinly slice Brie. Top artichoke mixture with Brie, covering completely.

8. Broil until cheese bubbles. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper and serve.

Makes 24 appetizers

9. Vegetable Recipes are good recipes to learn to cook with. This artichoke crostini with brie recipe helped me learn to cook. If you have a recent grad, or another child heading away from home soon, help them learn to cook for themselves before they leave home.

Tags: artichoke crostini, artichoke crostini with, crostini with, crostini with brie, learn cook, with brie, artichoke mixture

Make A Bean And Broccoli Salad

Make a Bean and Broccoli Salad

Eating a healthy mix of protein and vegetables for high fiber can be a difficult task. A quick and easy way to incorporate the perfect mix of vegetables and beans into your diet and create a tasteful side dish is in a bean and broccoli salad. It can and should be prepared ahead of time so that the ingredients can marinate and the flavors will intensify.

Instructions

Make a Bean and Broccoli Salad

1. Prepare the red pepper and broccoli. Thoroughly wash the broccoli and pepper. Cut the broccoli into individual pieces, trimming stems and removing leaves. Seed the pepper and slice into 1-inch pieces.

2. Place the garlic, vinegar, olive oil, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper into the food processor. Process it for about 15 seconds until the mixture is smooth and light golden in color. Add the crushed red pepper if desired.

3. Drain the beans. Combine the broccoli and beans in a large bowl. Toss in the pepper slices to add color and a flavor to the mix.

4. Pour the prepared sauce in the bowl. Mix it generously with the broccoli/bean/red pepper mix and toss to coat well.

5. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Just before serving, give the mixture one last tossing to insure that everything is coated well.

Tags: Broccoli Salad, Make Bean, Make Bean Broccoli, Bean Broccoli, Bean Broccoli Salad, pepper broccoli

Test Hot Sauce

There are many ways to test hot sauce, depending on what you want to learn about it. You can test it to find out its shelf life, or you can test it to find out whether potential customers or people you know will find its flavor appealing. Another test criteria is the level of heat. You can also test hot sauce for food borne pathogens to determine whether it is safe to eat.

Instructions

1. Place several samples in jars or containers, depending on how you plan to package your hot sauce. If you plan to can it so it will be shelf stable at room temperature, prepare a batch according to the procedure you intend to use on a regular basis. Let the hot sauce sit in the refrigerator or at room temperature if you have canned it. Keep it for the length of time that you want it to last. Observe whether the lid of the container or jar is puffy. Open the container or jar and smell it, and look for mold. If you have not found any evidence that the hot sauce jas spoiled, taste some of it to determine whether its flavor has changed or deteriorated since you put in in the container or jar.

2. Feed your hot sauce to a range of people, including hot sauce aficionados as well as people who do not eat much hot sauce, and people who typically buy mainstream hot sauce at the supermarket. Feed it to them on tortilla chips, listen to their reactions, and evaluate them in the context of who you believe will be the primary consumer of your product. If you plan to market your hot sauce to hot sauce aficionados, pay especially close attention to their reactions. If you plan to market it to a mainstream market, pay closer attention to the opinions and reactions of the mainstream consumers and the people who do not ordinarily buy hot sauce.

3. To test hot sauce for level of heat, gather a group of tasters, feed it to them on tortilla chips, and ask them to rate it on a scale of one to five. There is no other objective way to measure level of gastronomic heat; in fact, the official measure of heat in chiles--Scoville units--is an average of the levels of heat that human subjects perceive. Average the reactions of your tasters to determine whether you will label your hot sauce as mild, medium, or hot.

4. To test your hot sauce for food-borne pathogens, send it to a laboratory that specializes in food testing. They will produce a lab report that tells you the level of various bacteria in your hot sauce, and whether they are present at unacceptable levels.

Tags: your sauce, determine whether, test sauce, level heat, plan market, room temperature

The Best Method To Store Fresh Oysters

The Best Method to Store Fresh Oysters

Oysters are often eaten raw and alive, slurped straight off the shell. For this reason, it is crucial that this shellfish be stored properly and eaten within a day or two of being harvested.

Safe Storage

Since fresh oysters need to remain alive until they are consumed, they cannot be stored in airtight containers or they will suffocate from a lack of oxygen, according to SafeOysters.org.

Place fresh oysters in the refrigerator and cover them with damp paper towels or another damp cloth to keep them from drying out.

Keep oysters on the upper shelves of your refrigerator and never store them below raw meat or poultry. Juices from the raw meats may drip on the oysters without your knowledge and possibly contaminate them with bacteria such as E. coli.

Do not store the live oysters directly on ice. Ice is made of fresh water and it may kill the oysters once the ice begins to melt since they require salt water to survive.

Temperatures

Keep your cold storage area below 40 degrees Fahrenheit and above 35 degrees. Temperatures below 40 will prevent bacterial growth, but temperatures below 35 (and especially 32) will kill the oysters.

If you harvest oysters yourself, be sure to get them into proper refrigeration as soon as possible. The oysters should reach a temperature below 40 degrees within 90 minutes of being removed from the water during hot weather. Oysters should only be harvested from waters deemed safe by your state.

How Long Can I Keep Them

Eat fresh oysters within one or two days if they are properly stored. Even if the oysters have been properly stored, check to make sure they are still alive before consuming any of them. One easy way to check if an oyster is still alive is to tap on its shell and see if it clinches closed. If it does not respond, then it may already be dead. Dead oysters may contain bacteria that can make you sick.

Freezing

An option for longer-term storage of fresh oysters is to freeze them. While any seafood loses quality when frozen, this is still an acceptable way to store your oysters.

Shuck (remove from shell) the oysters and immediately place them in a shallow waterproof container. Place the container full of oysters in a freezer with a temperature of no higher than zero degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove the container from the freezer and allow the oysters to thaw in the refrigerator when you want to use them.

Tags: below degrees, Best Method, Best Method Store, degrees Fahrenheit, fresh oysters, fresh oysters

Celebrate Hanukkah

Celebrate Hanukkah

Many folks, Jews and non-Jews alike, have come to think of Hanukkah as "Christmas Lite"-after all, both holidays take place at the same time of year, and involve feasting, decorating, and elaborate exchanges of presents. However, Hanukkah has its own set of ancient traditions and rituals that make it as different from Christmas as, well, Passover is different from Easter. Here's observe this holiday in its own unique way.

Instructions

1. Know what you're celebrating. Hanukkah commemorates the victory of a band of Jewish warriors, the Maccabees, over the Syrian king Antiochus almost 2,500 years ago. After driving out the Syrians, the Maccabees reoccupied the Temple of Jerusalem, where they found enough oil to keep the all-important "Eternal Light" shining for only one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days, hence the eight days of Hanukkah (which is derived from the Hebrew word for "rededication.")

2. Light a menorah. One of the symbols most closely associated with Judaism, the menorah is a nine-branched candelabra used during the eight days of Hanukkah. On Hanukkah eve, celebrants light a "shamash" (usually the extra candle in the middle of the menorah), then use this lit candle to light the first candle on the left. This ritual continues over the next eight days until all eight candles are lit.

3. Sing some songs. There aren't quite as many Hanukkah songs as there are Christmas carols, but you'll be surprised by their variety. Probably the most famous (at least to non-Jews) is "I Have a Little Dreidel," which is sung to accompany the dreidel game, a harmless game of chance in which kids win (or lose) candy by spinning an inscribed top.

4. Fry up some latkes. Practically every Jewish holiday has its traditional food: hamentaschen (triangle-shaped cookies) on Purim, matzoh (unleavened bread) on Passover, and latkes (potato pancakes fried in oil) on Hanukkah. As tasty as they are, latkes can be unhealthy to eat for eight consecutive days, so feel free to explore the rest of the Jewish cookbook (flanken, gefilte fish, etc.)

5. Hand out presents. Here's where Hanukkah is very different from Christmas: kids usually don't receive one big "Hanukkah gift," but eight small gifts bestowed over the course of the holiday. Because eight big gifts in a row are an expensive proposition, Hanukkah gifts are usually small, but fun-think toy soldiers, to commemorate the Maccabees, or even a plain old Slinky.

Tags: eight days, different from, Celebrate Hanukkah, days Hanukkah, different from Christmas, eight days Hanukkah

Tell If Cheese Is Spoiled

Cheese is a wonderful snack, but spoiled cheese is not.

Cheese is a dairy product produced by curdling milk and adding salt to preserve the milk curds. It was originally developed as a way to preserve excess milk. Cheese in its earliest form kept almost indefinitely. As cheese making moved north, however, the cooler climate allowed cheese makers to experiment with producing less durable cheeses that would have quickly spoiled in warmer climates. Because mold is an integral part of some cheeses, determining whether or not cheese is spoiled can be difficult and requires some knowledge of the cheese in question.

Instructions

1. Determine what type of cheese you have. This information should be on the packaging.

2. Consume a soft cheese quickly. Fresh Mozzarella must be consumed within days. Other soft cheeses, such as Brie, may keep a little longer. Watch for undesired mold on your cheese. This requires a little knowledge of the cheese in question. Roquefort, for instance, is supposed to be threaded with blue mold, and some Bries can have a coppery mold on the rind.

3. Continue to store a hard cheese. Most hard cheeses will keep almost indefinitely. Cheeses like Cheddar or Gruyere may mold on the outside, and these portions can be cut off. Many hard cheeses will improve as they age.

Tags: almost indefinitely, cheese question, cheeses will, hard cheeses, hard cheeses will

Smoke Venison Quarters

Smoking venison on a grill adds flavor.

While they are a hunter's treat, venison quarters rarely appear in stores. If you find yourself with a quarter cut of venison, smoking it will infuse the deer meat with flavor while slowly heating it through. This method safely cooks the meat on a gas or charcoal grill, but in a manner to prevent it from drying excessively.

Instructions

1. Add the venison quarters with marinade to a resealable bag and refrigerate overnight to infuse the meat with the marinade flavors.

2. Remove the meat from the marinade and discard the marinade. Rub the surface of the meat with oil and rub flavoring into the meat.

3. Soak the wood chips by immersing them in water for 30 minutes before smoking the venison. Drain the wood chips before using to smoke the venison. Preheat half of the burners on a gas grill to 350 degrees. For instance, turn on one burner out of two, or two out of three burners on a gas grill. Alternatively, create two piles of coals at either end of a charcoal grill with a baking pan with 1 inch of water between the piles of coals. Light both piles of charcoal, and replace the grill grate over the coals. Wait until the flames die down so you can hold your hand six inches over the coals for only five seconds, indicating medium low heat.

4. Wrap the soaked wood chips in aluminum foil loosely, and gather the foil around the sides to form an open box. Set this in the corner of the gas grill, away from the lit burners, or place the packet on top of the coals on one side of the charcoal grill.

5. Fill a baking pan with ¼ inch water in the bottom and set a rack over the top.

6. Lay the venison quarters on top of the rack over the water.

7. Set the pan in the grill on the opposite side of the gas grill from the heat and close the lid. Place the baking pan with the rack holding the venison directly over the pan of water under the grates in a charcoal grill.

8. Check the water in the pan every 30 minutes and refill to maintain a 1/4 inch of water in the bottom. Baste the venison quarters with the drippings from the meat in the pan when you check the water level.

9. Smoke the venison at 350 degrees Fahrenheit in a gas grill, or over medium low heat for charcoal, for 30 minutes per pound or until a meat thermometer inserted into the middle reads 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tags: charcoal grill, venison quarters, baking with, inch water, meat with

Make Macaroni And Crab Meat Salad

Pasta salad takes less than 15 minutes to prepare.

Macaroni and crab salad is a mayonnaise-based cold salad dish that typically uses imitation crab meat. Using something like lump claw meat tastes better and is more authentic but is more expensive than imitation crab, which is made from formed and cooked fish paste. As with most pasta salads, it is quick to make but does not keep long outside the refrigerator.

Instructions

1. Put on a gallon of salted water to boil and cover it. Mix the mayonnaise, crab meat, Italian dressing and vegetables in a stainless steel bowl, and put it in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour. This melds the flavors and softens the raw vegetables.

2. Boil the pasta for 10 to 13 minutes until it reaches desired softness, then drain and rinse with cold water in a colander to stop the pasta from cooking further. Don't allow the pasta to completely drain because it will begin to clump together.

3. Incorporate the pasta into the chilled mixture of mayo, crab, vegetables and spices. Add more salt and pepper to taste, and if using real crab, incorporate some of the lemon juice.

Tags: imitation crab

Taste Wine In Washington

Here are some of the best places in the state of Washington for tasting wines.

Instructions

1. Understand the regions before you go anywhere. Wine regions, even within a certain area, are divided into "appellations," areas that bring certain characteristics to the grapes grown there and therefore impart those characteristics into the wines made from them. If you can determine wines that you like and where they come from, that is a great first step in deciding where you want to go tasting.

2. Decide if you like reds or whites. Washington is becoming known for its big reds, especially Cabernet and Syrah. Some of the best in the state are being crafted in the Walla Walla region, the southern Yakima Valley and Red Mountain.

3. Bring cash or a credit card. Most places charge a tasting fee. The fees range from the very affordable to upward of $15 per flight of wines. Gone are the days when regions outside of the Napa Valley offered free tastings in exchange for the possibility that you might buy more bottles to take with you.

4. Budget things. Looking for a great weekend? Hit one of the big regions on the eastern side of the state. Want a day trip? Try Woodinville, east of Seattle. While almost all of Washington's wineries grow their grapes in eastern Washington, a great number have tasting rooms in the Woodinville area, including big names such as Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia, Januik and many others. See Resources below for links.

5. Know your limit. Unless you take a limo ride out to the wineries, have a designated driver or a driver who is either spitting or not trying every wine along with the rest of the group. Even if nobody is driving, trying too many wines can turn counterproductive, since when you get too buzzed, the pallet goes and you can't remember specific wines any more.

Tags:

Serve Ice Wine

Ice wine is a wine that is made from grapes that were allowed to freeze on the vine before they were harvested. Once the grapes freeze, the vineyard harvests them and ferments them as you would with regular wine. There are very few areas that can make ice wine because it requires a certain type of climate that allows the grapes to live right up to the point where they freeze. To get the best ice wine experience, you should serve the ice wine properly and enjoy every aspect of this rare beverage.

Instructions

1. Select a large wine glass to serve the ice wine. The wine glass should have a large bowl so that the flavors can be fully exposed to the air and appropriately released.

2. Chill your wine glasses before serving the wine. Let the wine glasses sit in the freezer for about 60 minutes before you serve the wine.

3. Chill the wine in the refrigerator. Ice wine should be served chilled, but it should not be freezing. Store it in the refrigerator before serving, and make sure it has been in the fridge long enough to be fully cooled. A few hours should do nicely.

4. Fill the wine glasses no more than half full. This is the maximum amount of wine that should be in the glass. This is to ensure that there is plenty of air interacting with a large surface area of the wine.

5. Serve your ice wine with appropriate desserts. Because ice wine is sweet, it goes best with creamy, sweet desserts such as mousse. It should not be served with a heavy entree like steak, and does not even follow this type of dinner particularly well unless you have had a fairly lengthy break between dinner and dessert.

Tags: wine glasses, wine wine, before serving, serve wine, should served, wine glass, wine that

Take The Spiciness Out Of Chili

Tone down the spiciness of chili with creamy flavors.

Chili becomes too spicy for some palates when ingredients such as chili peppers or chili powder are added in amounts out-of-proportion to the rest of the ingredients. Decreasing the spiciness of chili with cream-based ingredients allows the consistency of the chili to remain the same while toning down the flavor. You can reduce the heat of your chili without having to start from scratch or purchase more vegetables or beans to disperse the spice.

Instructions

1. Lower the stove top heat to medium-low.

2. Add 1/3 cup of peanut butter or butter. Stir the chili to disperse the peanut butter or butter.

3. Taste the chili to test the spiciness. Add 1/3-cup increments of peanut butter or butter to continue reducing the spicy taste until the chili reaches your desired flavor.

4. Ladle the chili into bowls. Stir 1 tsp. of cheddar cheese into each bowl or sprinkle cheese on top of the chili.

5. Add 1 tbsp. of sour cream to top each bowl of chili. The added dairy will further tone down the spiciness.

6. Provide buttered bread with your chili to sop up the liquid and reduce the heat of the spices. Make milk or yogurt-based smoothies to serve as a beverage to help mellow the spicy flavor, if desired.

Tags: butter butter, peanut butter, peanut butter butter, chili with, down spiciness

Preserve Salad Plates

Salad can be kept fresher longer with a few handy ingredients

The ingredients of a salad can go bad quickly--lettuce leaves start to droop, tomatoes go soft, and herbs and avocados turn brown. Prepacked salads tend to remain fresh longer because they contain added chemicals to preserve the ingredients. Luckily, there are a few simple tips that can extend a salad's freshness for several extra days.

Lemon Juice

The acidity content of lemon juice makes it a natural preservative. By squeezing some lemon juice onto lettuce, it will remain fresh for longer. If lettuce has just started to droop, lemon juice can crisp up the leaves again. If you've added apples or avocados to your salad, the juice will stop them from turning brown.

Vinegar

Vinegar is also a natural preservative. Drizzling some over the salad ingredients will help them remain fresher for longer.

Storage

Always store salad in the refrigerator, preferably in a container with a lid, or cover a plate with cling film. In hot weather, refrigerate immediately after serving.

Tags: fresh longer, fresher longer, lemon juice, natural preservative, remain fresh, remain fresh longer

Fruit To Jello

Spruce up plain Jell-O by adding fruit to the mixture.

Jell-O is a sweet dessert that is available in a variety of flavors, including traditional cherry or grape and expanding into flavors such as strawberry daiquiri, berry blue and pineapple. You may choose to add fruits to the mix to give some crunch or added zing to your dessert selection. While some types of fruit aren't advisable for use in a gelatin dessert, you can successfully add such tasty treats as peaches, strawberries, blueberries and pears to your Jell-O dessert.

Instructions

1. Fill a small pan with at least 1 cup of water and place it over high heat on the stove until it boils. Pour the Jell-O gelatin packet into a medium bowl while the water heats.

2. Measure 1 cup of boiling water and stir it into the Jell-O powder until the powder is fully dissolved.

3. Measure 1 cup of cold water and stir it into the hot gelatin mixture. Place the bowl into the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, until the Jell-O has begun to thicken.

4. Measure 3/4 to 1 1/2 cups of fruit, draining it completely if canned. Stir the fruit into the thickening Jell-O.

5. Replace the fruit-filled Jell-O into the refrigerator for another 4 hours.

Tags: into refrigerator, stir into, water stir, water stir into

Bake With A Nordic Ware Mini Loaf Pan

Use a Nordic Ware mini loaf pan the next time you want to make individual breads or cakes. Prepare your favorite quick bread or yeast bread recipe in this pan. During the holidays, give homemade bread to coworkers. (See references for a raisin banana bread recipe.) Follow the correct procedures for using your Nordic Ware mini loaf pan to ensure perfect results. Proper use and care of your pan will ensure that it lasts for many years.

Instructions

1. Thoroughly wash the mini loaf pan with hot water and soap. Dry completely before using.

2. Preheat oven to temperature specified in the recipe. If baking the raisin banana bread, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Spray the mini loaf cavities with cooking spray. Lightly dust each with flour. Turn the pan upside down to shake out the excess. If using Baker's Joy or other cooking spray with flour included, simply spray the cavities but do not dust with flour.

4. Prepare the quick bread batter as directed in the recipe. Fill each mini loaf cavity no more than 3/4 full to prevent overflow.

5. Place the cookie sheet on the rack beneath the loaf pan in the oven to catch any spills. Bake the mini loaves as directed by the recipe. For the raisin banana bread, bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Allow the loaves to cool completely before turning the pan upside down to remove the loaves.

Tags: mini loaf, banana bread, Nordic Ware, raisin banana, raisin banana bread

Use A Waiter'S Corkscrew

Corkscrews come in various forms: winged, air pump, two-pronged, lever, twisting and waiter's. The easiest to use is the waiter's corkscrew. It is one thin piece about four inches long and has a worm, a lever and a foil cutter. Opening a bottle of wine using a waiter's corkscrew takes a little practice. Once you master it, every wine bottle you open will be done with grace and ease.

Instructions

1. Position the bottle properly on a smooth, non-slip surface.

2. Cut the foil. Waiter's corkscrews have two types of foil cutters. One type has two small metal wheels and the other has a small knife, either serrated or not, that is run along the top lip of the wine bottle to cut the foil.

3. Insert the worm (the metal spiral) into the cork in the center or slightly off center. Keep twisting the corkscrew until the worm is completely inserted into the cork.

4. Place the lever on the lip of the wine bottle.

5. Pull the corkscrew straight up. The body of the corkscrew will be at an angle once the worm is inserted into the cork. Using the palm of your hand pull the corkscrew straight up toward the ceiling.

6. Stop pulling. Once you notice the corkscrew beginning to bend stop lifting. Some of the cork will still be in the bottle.

7. Remove the remaining cork manually. Wrap your hand around the cork and wiggle it out.

Tags: into cork, wine bottle, corkscrew straight, inserted into, inserted into cork

Clean A Mango

There are over 1000 varieties of mangoes throughout the world.

Mangoes are a delicious summer fruit high in vitamins and nutrients. Eating them, however, can be a bit of a challenge. If you cut and clean mangoes correctly, there is no need to get your hands slimy or your teeth full of stringy fiber. The ideal mango should be ripe but firm. If the mango is too ripe it is best used in smoothies or for pulp. You can use mangoes in a variety of dishes and drinks, or enjoy them as they are.

Instructions

1. Hold the mango with your left hand and balance it upright with the stem side down. This will keep the pit in the right position so that you don't cut it. Hold the flat oval side with the narrow rounded side facing you.

2. Take the knife in your right hand and slice the mango from top to bottom along the flat side of the pit. Repeat on the other side. You will have three pieces -- the two sides and one piece with the pit.

3. Make vertical and horizontal cuts onto the two fleshy sides so that the mango flesh is cut into bit-size squares. Cut down to, but not through, the skin. Pop the skin inside out so that the mango squares are pushed out.

4. Peel the squares off with your fingers or with a paring knife. Use the paring knife to remove the remaining mango flesh from the pit.

Tags: mango flesh, paring knife, that mango, with your

Keep Thawed Liver Before Cooking It

When making pate', look for pale chicken livers, for a richer flavor.

Questions often arise about the safety of poultry liver, relating to the various liver colors and storage instructions before cooking. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, normal livers range in color from tan to mahogany red to yellow. Color variations of livers have nothing to do with the age or condition of the liver. It is important to handle livers safely. Never thaw livers on a counter. There are three safe ways to thaw a liver: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. How you thaw the liver will determine how long you store it.

Instructions

1. Put on disposable gloves when handling liver.

2. Insert the liver into the disposable zippered storage bag. Check to make sure the bag does not have a leak. This is to ensure that the liver does not leak onto other items in the refrigerator and contaminate them.

3. Place the bag into a glass bowl if you thawed the livers in the refrigerator along with the poultry. Place the bowl in the bottom of the refrigerator, where the temperature is most likely to be the coldest. Check the refrigerator's temperature. The temperature should read 40 degrees F or below for a safe temperature for liver.

4. Store the liver in the refrigerator for one to two days before cooking.

5. Cook the liver immediately if you thawed it in the microwave or in cold water. Liver thawed by these two methods cannot be safely stored in a refrigerator.

Tags: cold water, liver refrigerator, thaw liver

Make Tea From Edible Flowers

Edible flowers have been used in recipes and medical compounds for thousands of years. While the modern rage for edible flowers includes garnishes and a few desserts, edible flowers make delicate teas. Many teas, in fact, are made from flowers such as jasmine, chamomile and rose hips. Use only flowers grown under organic conditions, without pesticides or chemicals, in tea.

Instructions

1. Design teas as you would a fragrance, blending strong flavors with more subtle ones. For example, complement sage with marigold and rose for a strong, bold tea. Combine lilac with chamomile and pansy for a sweeter taste. Mint, rose and violet produce a soothing tea anyone will enjoy, as will violet, lavender and orange blossoms.

2. Harvest the flowers early in the morning, shaking gently to remove any bugs. Wash lightly with water, then pluck the petals. Use only petals in making tea. Combine petals until you have 4 teaspoons per cup.

3. In a pot on the stove, heat water to a rolling boil. Remove the pot from heat and pour about one cup into your teapot to gently heat it. Swish the water around and discard.

4. Put the flower leaves into the teapot, either loose or in a tea ball. Add hot water, replace the lid and steep for 7 to 10 minutes.

Tags:

Substitute Red Curry Paste For Yellow

Thai cuisine uses curry paste as an ingredient in stews, soups and entrees. It is a mixture of dried peppers and spices, which are ground together. The types of spices used determine the final color and flavor of the curry paste. Flavorful and spicy, red curry paste made with ground chiles is the most commonly seen curry paste in Thai cooking. It appears in chicken or beef. Yellow curry paste, also made with ground chiles, has turmeric in the mixture, giving this paste its brilliant hue. Yellow curry paste is milder than red curry, but cooking the red curry paste in coconut cream will mellow its taste.

Instructions

1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat.

2. Warm the oil and spices for your recipe in the pan until the spices brown.

3. Spoon 4 tbsp. of coconut cream from the top of the can into the pan.

4. Add an equal amount of red curry paste for the yellow in your recipe. Decrease the amount to three-quarters of the yellow curry paste amount for a milder flavor, if desired.

5. Cook the curry paste and coconut cream. Whisk the mixture as it cooks until the oil separates from the cream.

6. Add the rest of the coconut milk to the dish, and replace additional liquids in your recipe with water. For instance, if you have 1 cup of coconut milk left in the can after removing the cream, and your recipe calls for 2 cups of water, use the 1 cup of coconut milk and add 1 cup of water. Continue to prepare the recipe as directed.

Tags: curry paste, your recipe, coconut cream, coconut milk, curry paste, curry paste coconut, ground chiles

Make Great Jasmine Rice

Top the rice with meat to create a simple main course.

Aromatic, slightly flowery scented jasmine rice is a long-grain rice that originally was grown in Thailand but now is commonly produced in the United States. Preparation of the best tasting jasmine rice requires the correct ratio of liquid to rice per cooking method; when finished, the liquid should be fully absorbed by the rice. It usually takes 20 to 25 minutes for a pot of jasmine rice to cook.

Instructions

Rice Cooker

1. Place the clean cooking chamber inside of the electric rice cooker. The cooking chamber is the non-stick metal bowl.

2. Pour one cup of jasmine rice and 1 3/4 cups water into the metal bowl. Stir. After it is cooked, one cup of dry rice should serve four people.

3. Put the lid on the rice cooker and plug it into an electric outlet.

4. Press the button labeled "Cook". The rice is ready to eat after a light near the button labeled "Warm" comes on. Cooking times will vary, depending on the make and model of rice cooker you use as well as the amount of rice you prepare.

Stove Top

5. Pour two cups of jasmine rice into a saucepan to make eight 3/4 cup servings.

6. Add three cups water, a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of butter to the pan.

7. Place the saucepan on the stove and adjust the heat to medium. Bring the mixture to a boil.

8. Stir the boiling mixture. Put a lid on the saucepan and reduce heat to low. Allow rice to simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes.

9. Remove the lid from the pan and stir the rice. If liquid remains in the pan, replace the lid and cook until all water has been absorbed by the rice. If no liquid is left in the pan, turn off the heat and set the pan to the side. The rice is ready to eat.

Tags: jasmine rice, rice cooker, absorbed rice, button labeled, cooking chamber, cups water

Shred Chicken For Chicken Stew

Chicken stew is a hearty and comforting meal on a chilly day. As a first step to making this dish, you must boil a whole chicken to cook the meat and loosen it from the bone. Then you must shred the meat for your stew.

Instructions

1. Place the whole chicken in a large pot of water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer. Cook the chicken for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

2. Remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a cutting board. Reserve the liquid. Let the chicken cool until you can handle it with your fingers.

3. Pull the legs and wings from the chicken. Remove the skin. Slide your fingers down the chicken bone and remove the meat from the bone. Remove any blood vessels and cartilage as your tear off the meat. Discard the bones and other unwanted items.

4. Slice the breast from one side of the chicken with a sharp chef's knife. Cut with the curve of the carcass to remove the breast from the body. Remove the other chicken breast.

5. Cut the breasts into chunks with the chef's knife. Use two forks to further shred the chicken for a finer consistency.

6. Turn the chicken over. Remove the skin and other excess parts. Pull the chicken meat from the carcass with your hands. Use a knife to loosen stubborn pieces of meat.

7. Shred the meat in the same manner as the breasts. Cut the wing and leg meat into finer pieces.

Tags: breast from, chef knife, from bone, meat from, Remove skin

Eat Feta Cheese

A Greek salad is complete with crumbled feta cheese.

Feta is a traditional Greek cheese originally made from unpasteurized sheep or goat's milk. Today pasteurized cow's milk is also used in commercially produced feta. Feta, means "slice" in Greek, and it is made by draining curdled milk in cloth bags or special molds. The cheese is salted and packed into barrels with brine or whey, which is a by-product of the curdled milk. Once finished, it is a salty, tangy white cheese with a 30- to 60-percent fat content. Feta is eaten with traditional Greek dishes or on its own.

Instructions

Feta

1. Cut a 1/2-inch slab of feta cheese and place on a plate. Feta typically comes in a square cake form, and it may be semi-hard to soft, depending on the fat content.

2. Drizzle olive oil over the feta cheese. The olive oil will help bring out the flavor of the cheese.

3. Sprinkle fresh oregano over the cheese to complement the cheese and serve immediately.

Salad

4. Wash and chop romaine lettuce. Place it in a salad bowl. Add sliced tomato and a few slices of red onion.

5. Add a few black olives on top of the salad and drizzle olive oil and red wine vinegar to taste.

6. Cut a slab of feta cheese and crumble over the salad. Add fresh pepper and salt to taste.

7. Serve with pita bread cut into triangles.

Pizza

8. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and grease your baking sheet.

9. Roll out your pizza dough to the size of your baking sheet with a rolling pin. Top the dough with artichokes, plum tomatoes, onion and 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese.

10. Drizzle your pizza with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and crispy. Serve with fresh mint.

Tags: feta cheese, baking sheet, crumbled feta, crumbled feta cheese, curdled milk, Serve with

Substitute Feta For Blue Cheese

The color in blue cheese is provided by special, edible mold.

Blue cheese is considered somewhat of a luxury ingredient in many dishes. It can be found in everything from pizza to salad dressing. To some people it is a delicacy, but to others its sharp, powerful flavor is not appetizing. If you are one of those people, you should know that there is a substitute that works well in most blue cheese recipes: feta cheese. Feta cheese is a much milder, soft cheese similar to blue cheese in texture, but without the blue veins.

Instructions

Feta Salad Dressing

1. Set aside 1/3 cup of the feta cheese. Place cream cheese and remaining feta cheese into the food processor. Blend on low speed for 30 seconds until well-blended.

2. Add mayonnaise and cream to the food processor. Blend again on medium speed until creamy and smooth.

3. Transfer the dressing to a small bowl. Add the reserved feta cheese and stir it in with a spoon. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours to blend flavors.

Feta Flatbread

4. Place an oven rack in the lowest position in the oven and preheat an to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray the baking sheet with a thin layer of nonstick spray. Place the pizza dough on the baking sheet and bake it for 6 minutes.

5. Place the oil in the large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion until browning begins, about 6 minutes. Lower the heat, cover the pan and cook the onions, stirring occasionally, for an additional 5 to 8 minutes, until very soft and golden brown.

6. Toast the walnuts in the small, dry skillet over medium heat, stirring once, until browned and fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.

7. Mix together vinegar, sage and pepper with the onions in the skillet. Spread the onion mixture onto the crust. Top with the sliced pears and cheese.

8. Bake the crust on the bottom rack of the oven until crisp and the cheese is bubbly, about 10 to 12 minutes. Slice the pizza after cooling slightly and serve.

Tags: about minutes, feta cheese, baking sheet, blue cheese, food processor, food processor Blend, medium heat

Make Gluten Free Banana Bread

Banana bread is a favorite "coffee break" bread, and a delicious, nutritious addition to any diet. For people who must go gluten free, however, finding a tasty banana bread can be a challenge. Learn make gluten free banana bread using a wide variety of seemingly odd, but yummy, ingredients.

Instructions

Make Gluten Gree Banana Bread

1. Mix together the bean flour, tapioca flour, cornstarch, xanthum gum, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cream of tartar and salt.

2. Combine the butter and the agave nectar. Mix thoroughly and then add the eggs. Beat thoroughly until the mixture is creamy.

3. Mash 4 bananas (2 cups).

4. Add the mashed banana to the egg/agave nectar/butter mixture.

5. Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix thoroughly.

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

7. Grease two loaf pans with cooking spray.

8. Split the batter in half and put half in each loaf pan.

9. Bake for 45 minutes and check loaf; if knife comes out of the middle clean, the bread is done.

10. Wait for the bread to cool completely before slicing.

Tags: agave nectar, banana bread, Banana Bread, gluten free