It's well known that many of us in the United States are both overweight and lacking in the nutrients contained in a healthy diet. Somepeople gain a lot of weight by frequent stops at the fast food places, just because it's more convenient and we don't have any cleanup or we're simply short on time. With a little planning and foresight, you can make balanced, nutritious and healthy dinner recipes ready to serve in 20-30 minutes from beginning your cooking. You'll win all the way around, enjoying better health, saving money and maybe losing a few unwanted pounds.
Start by setting aside a half an hour each week to look over your pantry and think about what you want to eat next week. Plan your dinner menus, making sure to include foods from the “food pyramid” of healthy choices.
This is more common sense than a strenuous exercise in principles of nutrition. We all know we need fruits and vegetables, protein, dairy and grains included in our daily meals. Easy enough. Everyone has their favorites in each group, so just choose foods you enjoy.
One dish meals, like crock pot dinners, casseroles and pasta or rice combined with veggies and a little meat will fill the bill with all the components of healthy dinner recipes.
You can cook up a big batch of rice on the weekend to be used throughout the week. Portion the cooked rice into three or four containers sufficient for one meal, suited to your household size. Rice can be frozen and quickly reheated in the microwave. Fresh vegetables may be chopped en masse and frozen for “instant” use another day. Investing a few hours on the weekend preparing ingredients for the coming week lets you throw together attractive healthy dinner recipes on the fly in no time at all.
Similarly, you can prepare quantities of meats for quick inclusion in your healthy dinner recipes. Cook a couple of pounds of hamburger, chicken or sausage and divide into two or three portions. Season each a little differently. For example, hamburger might be seasoned with a Mexican flavor for tacos or chili, Italian for a lasagne dish or a bouquet garni for that slow cooker Bourguignon.
Slow cooker dishes are your friends in producing healthy dinner recipes with little effort. You need only toss veggies, broth and meat into the pot in the morning and come home to tempting aromas and a ready to serve dish. Just add bread.
Soups, made in quantity with healthy dinner recipes, can provide dinner for weeks to come. Make a batch of hearty gumbo and freeze in single portions, ready to eat in minutes.
You'll be surprised at the variety of dishes you can have on hand with less effort than you'll expend on driving to the takeout. Healthy dinner recipes are as close as your imagination. Best of all, you'll be enjoying nutritious meals, saving money and trimming the fat in one fell swoop!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Greek Recipes
One of the best things about the culture of Greece is the food. Greek restaurants have spread around the world and Greek recipes are popular for their flavor and their largely healthy way of cooking. The food has the taste of the Mediterranean and the country has been particularly influenced by Italian and Balkan cuisine. Olive oil is a constant component of the dishes and olive trees have always been common sights in the landscape.
The land is suited to the rearing of sheep and goats, rather than beef and so goat meat and lamb are much more common. Locally caught fish take up much of Greek menus, especially in coastal areas. There is also an emphasis on fresh vegetables in Greek recipes, the most popular being green beans, okra, eggplant, tomatoes, and onions. Yogurt is another favorite and there are numerous types of honey available. A lot of honey varieties come from fruit trees such as lemon and orange. The combination of yogurt and honey is sometimes served as a dessert. Cheese is an important export and there are distinctive varieties, such as Kasseri, Feta and Mizithra. Several dishes use filo pastry, which is very thin and flaky.
A Greek meal will very often begin with an appetizer, known as Meze in Greek recipes. These are meant to stimulate the palette and are usually served with wine or ouzo (the alcoholic beverage flavored with anise). There may be dips accompanied by bread, including the Greek pita bread. Tzatziki is a popular dip, made from yogurt, garlic puree and cucumber. Another common Meze is Taramosalata, which is fish roe with moistened breadcrumbs or boiled potatoes.
There are a variety of main courses, some of which will be familiar to people living outside of Greece, from their restaurant or vacation experiences. The most famous one is probably Moussaka. This casserole contains fried eggplant and spiced minced lamb topped with a thick, cheese sauce. Another staple on menus is the Dolma. This traditionally uses vine leaves wrapped around lamb, rice, onions, herbs and spices. If making at home, cabbage leaves are a good substitute. Both of these Greek recipes are successful when adapted for vegetarians.
Desserts are delicious in Greece by any standards. Baklava is popular, a sweet, filo pastry with chopped walnuts or pistachio, sometimes sweetened with honey. There are different breads to commemorate major holidays and Tsoureki is the traditional sweet bread eaten at Easter. It is similar in texture to brioche. The perfect way to finish a meal from Greek recipes is to sit under an olive tree with a glass of Metaxa, the local sweet brandy, and watch the sun go down.
The land is suited to the rearing of sheep and goats, rather than beef and so goat meat and lamb are much more common. Locally caught fish take up much of Greek menus, especially in coastal areas. There is also an emphasis on fresh vegetables in Greek recipes, the most popular being green beans, okra, eggplant, tomatoes, and onions. Yogurt is another favorite and there are numerous types of honey available. A lot of honey varieties come from fruit trees such as lemon and orange. The combination of yogurt and honey is sometimes served as a dessert. Cheese is an important export and there are distinctive varieties, such as Kasseri, Feta and Mizithra. Several dishes use filo pastry, which is very thin and flaky.
A Greek meal will very often begin with an appetizer, known as Meze in Greek recipes. These are meant to stimulate the palette and are usually served with wine or ouzo (the alcoholic beverage flavored with anise). There may be dips accompanied by bread, including the Greek pita bread. Tzatziki is a popular dip, made from yogurt, garlic puree and cucumber. Another common Meze is Taramosalata, which is fish roe with moistened breadcrumbs or boiled potatoes.
There are a variety of main courses, some of which will be familiar to people living outside of Greece, from their restaurant or vacation experiences. The most famous one is probably Moussaka. This casserole contains fried eggplant and spiced minced lamb topped with a thick, cheese sauce. Another staple on menus is the Dolma. This traditionally uses vine leaves wrapped around lamb, rice, onions, herbs and spices. If making at home, cabbage leaves are a good substitute. Both of these Greek recipes are successful when adapted for vegetarians.
Desserts are delicious in Greece by any standards. Baklava is popular, a sweet, filo pastry with chopped walnuts or pistachio, sometimes sweetened with honey. There are different breads to commemorate major holidays and Tsoureki is the traditional sweet bread eaten at Easter. It is similar in texture to brioche. The perfect way to finish a meal from Greek recipes is to sit under an olive tree with a glass of Metaxa, the local sweet brandy, and watch the sun go down.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Chocolate Recipes
Chocolate has been a favorite, with kids and women, for centuries, with more than a few men enjoying the delicious dessert too! If you're a chocoholic, then chances are you came to this page in hopes of hunting down some delicious ideas for chocolate recipes. Well, you won't be disappointed.
Chocolate comes in many forms, including powdered, chips, and bars. With these simple forms, thousands of original chocolate recipes can be created. Chocolate bars, crunches, cookies, cakes, pies, and brownies all equal chocolate satisfaction.
One chocolate recipe that can be altered every which way is the chocolate cake. The basic packaged chocolate cake mix can serve as a platform for a chocolate dessert “made in heaven”. Combine Dutch-processed cocoa, sugar, a dab of butter and a little water to form a rich liquid to swirl through the prepared batter just before baking. The result is a sinfully rich cake fit for a Queen.
The same mixture also doubles as a rich glaze to drizzle on top of the finished cake. If a richer frosting is your desire, nothing beats one made with cocoa, butter and powdered sugar. Very simple, but as chocolate recipes go, a real winner. For the ultimate chocoholics delight, top the frosting with shavings of a chilled dark chocolate bar containing 70% cocoa. The high cocoa content produces a velvety, melt-in-your-mouth good taste, rich but not overwhelming, in the proper size!
Some chocolate recipes don't require a special occasion. A case in point is the brownie. For thick, dense, moist brownies, swirl some chocolate syrup through the batter just before baking. Another chocolate recipe trick uses chocolate chips stirred through the brownie batter. Ten minutes before they're done, sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. There's (almost) no such thing as too much chocolate, you know! By the way, do you know that recent studies have shown chocolate to be heart healthy? Yes, really!
If you want to promote your dessert as a “health food” to reluctant friends and family, add nuts. Cashews, pecans, and peanuts are all heart-healthy, due to high vitamin E content and antioxidant activity. Granola bars topped with chocolate are filling and healthy.
For a s'mores-like bar, melt marshmallow creme with a little butter, chocolate chips and nuts. Surpass the ordinary chocolate chip cookie with a chocolate cookie batter made with the addition of dutch-processed cocoa and sugar.
All of these chocolate recipe treats may be frozen, with the exception of frosted cakes and bars. When you find yourself craving chocolate, make a weekend of creative chocolate recipes! It's a good idea to write down the quantities and combinations of your additions for repeatable results. You and your fellow chocolatiers will applaud your artistry!
Chocolate comes in many forms, including powdered, chips, and bars. With these simple forms, thousands of original chocolate recipes can be created. Chocolate bars, crunches, cookies, cakes, pies, and brownies all equal chocolate satisfaction.
One chocolate recipe that can be altered every which way is the chocolate cake. The basic packaged chocolate cake mix can serve as a platform for a chocolate dessert “made in heaven”. Combine Dutch-processed cocoa, sugar, a dab of butter and a little water to form a rich liquid to swirl through the prepared batter just before baking. The result is a sinfully rich cake fit for a Queen.
The same mixture also doubles as a rich glaze to drizzle on top of the finished cake. If a richer frosting is your desire, nothing beats one made with cocoa, butter and powdered sugar. Very simple, but as chocolate recipes go, a real winner. For the ultimate chocoholics delight, top the frosting with shavings of a chilled dark chocolate bar containing 70% cocoa. The high cocoa content produces a velvety, melt-in-your-mouth good taste, rich but not overwhelming, in the proper size!
Some chocolate recipes don't require a special occasion. A case in point is the brownie. For thick, dense, moist brownies, swirl some chocolate syrup through the batter just before baking. Another chocolate recipe trick uses chocolate chips stirred through the brownie batter. Ten minutes before they're done, sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. There's (almost) no such thing as too much chocolate, you know! By the way, do you know that recent studies have shown chocolate to be heart healthy? Yes, really!
If you want to promote your dessert as a “health food” to reluctant friends and family, add nuts. Cashews, pecans, and peanuts are all heart-healthy, due to high vitamin E content and antioxidant activity. Granola bars topped with chocolate are filling and healthy.
For a s'mores-like bar, melt marshmallow creme with a little butter, chocolate chips and nuts. Surpass the ordinary chocolate chip cookie with a chocolate cookie batter made with the addition of dutch-processed cocoa and sugar.
All of these chocolate recipe treats may be frozen, with the exception of frosted cakes and bars. When you find yourself craving chocolate, make a weekend of creative chocolate recipes! It's a good idea to write down the quantities and combinations of your additions for repeatable results. You and your fellow chocolatiers will applaud your artistry!
Chilli Sauce
Chilli Sauce
If you like your food hot and spicy, nothing will achieve this more than chilli sauce. The chilli pepper is the fruit of the capsicum plant and is cooked whole, ground into powder or made into a sauce. There are different varieties of peppers, each generating their own degree of heat. You can make your own sauce to your own requirements or buy prepared bottled sauce. Chilli is an essential ingredient of Tex-Mex cooking and is also used in some curry recipes.
Spicy condiments are a matter of personal taste, some people liking a mild accompaniment and others preferring the full blown pepper experience. Sweet Chilli Sauce is very popular and is a blend of chilli pepper, fruit and sugar. The sweetness gives a tasty contrast to the pepper. Another popular preparation is Tabasco Sauce, a hot sauce made from tabasco chillis, vinegar and salt. The flavor is enhanced by its maturation in oak barrels for three years and it's a best seller. The manufacturers are based in Louisiana but the brand name is in homage to the Mexican state. In addition to its use in cooking, it's an essential ingredient of the famous cocktail, Bloody Mary. There are some companies that put warnings on their labels, they are so hot and not for the faint hearted!
Making your own sauce is pretty straightforward and has the advantage of being in control of the strength of the chilli sauce. The general consensus is that green peppers are more suitable for chicken and pork and red peppers are better for beef. Fresh chillis are preferable but it's ok to use frozen. The basic recipe requires chillis, garlic, limejuice, salt, cumin, oil and water. If you want it extra spicy, you can add jalapenos, but take the seeds out. Use a food processor to blend it all together and use straight away or freeze for later.
If you handle raw chilli peppers, it's important to take care. Some of the hotter ones have even caused severe burns. Always wear gloves; you'll pay the price if some chilli rubs into a cut. Never touch your eyes or lips with fingers that have touched the pepper and wash your hands afterwards. If you want your chilli sauce to be fairly mild, there are some tricks to help that. Take out the seeds, the ribs and the fleshy interior. You may have to go through a trial and error period to achieve just the right blend for your own taste.
If you like your food hot and spicy, nothing will achieve this more than chilli sauce. The chilli pepper is the fruit of the capsicum plant and is cooked whole, ground into powder or made into a sauce. There are different varieties of peppers, each generating their own degree of heat. You can make your own sauce to your own requirements or buy prepared bottled sauce. Chilli is an essential ingredient of Tex-Mex cooking and is also used in some curry recipes.
Spicy condiments are a matter of personal taste, some people liking a mild accompaniment and others preferring the full blown pepper experience. Sweet Chilli Sauce is very popular and is a blend of chilli pepper, fruit and sugar. The sweetness gives a tasty contrast to the pepper. Another popular preparation is Tabasco Sauce, a hot sauce made from tabasco chillis, vinegar and salt. The flavor is enhanced by its maturation in oak barrels for three years and it's a best seller. The manufacturers are based in Louisiana but the brand name is in homage to the Mexican state. In addition to its use in cooking, it's an essential ingredient of the famous cocktail, Bloody Mary. There are some companies that put warnings on their labels, they are so hot and not for the faint hearted!
Making your own sauce is pretty straightforward and has the advantage of being in control of the strength of the chilli sauce. The general consensus is that green peppers are more suitable for chicken and pork and red peppers are better for beef. Fresh chillis are preferable but it's ok to use frozen. The basic recipe requires chillis, garlic, limejuice, salt, cumin, oil and water. If you want it extra spicy, you can add jalapenos, but take the seeds out. Use a food processor to blend it all together and use straight away or freeze for later.
If you handle raw chilli peppers, it's important to take care. Some of the hotter ones have even caused severe burns. Always wear gloves; you'll pay the price if some chilli rubs into a cut. Never touch your eyes or lips with fingers that have touched the pepper and wash your hands afterwards. If you want your chilli sauce to be fairly mild, there are some tricks to help that. Take out the seeds, the ribs and the fleshy interior. You may have to go through a trial and error period to achieve just the right blend for your own taste.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Recipe Book For The Kitchen Counters
Do you have recipe book after recipe book lined up on your kitchen counter taking up valuable counter space? Do you have a recipe drawer you throw your recipes in, and never able to locate the recipe when you need it? What are you plans for your recipes from My Country Kitchen?
The staff of My Country Kitchen love organized recipes that make your life easier. Computerized recipes make it easy to find recipes, stay organized and reduce the stress in your life. Create the following categories for your personal computerize recipe database.
Appetizers
Beef
Beverages
Breads
Breakfast
Cajun
Cakes
Candy
Chicken
Condiments
Cookies
Crock Pot
Desserts
Food Mixes
Fruits
Holidays
Italian
Jam/Jelly/Preserves
Copy Kat recipes
Marinades/Rubs
Mexican
Oriental
Pasta/Rice/Beans
Pies
Pork
Potatoes
Salads
Sandwiches
Sauces/Creams/Dressings
Seafood
Soup
Turkey
Veal
Vegetables
What I suggest is to mark off time on your schedule to enter your recipes on the computer. Say 30 minutes a day or week, etc. Always remember to back up your recipe database.
Make a new document for each recipe and then save that document under the specific category on your recipe database.
Make a file for all your cooking tips.
Make a file for all your meals/grocery list you receive from My Country Kitchen.
Go through each cookbook and enter your favorite recipes on your database under Cookbook recipes. Unless the cookbook has sentimental value, sale your cookbooks. This will decrease your clutter. For the cookbooks that you are going to keep, make a chart with these subtitles: Recipe Name; Cookbook Name; and Page Number. This will allow you to find recipes in cookbooks easier.
The staff of My Country Kitchen love organized recipes that make your life easier. Computerized recipes make it easy to find recipes, stay organized and reduce the stress in your life. Create the following categories for your personal computerize recipe database.
Appetizers
Beef
Beverages
Breads
Breakfast
Cajun
Cakes
Candy
Chicken
Condiments
Cookies
Crock Pot
Desserts
Food Mixes
Fruits
Holidays
Italian
Jam/Jelly/Preserves
Copy Kat recipes
Marinades/Rubs
Mexican
Oriental
Pasta/Rice/Beans
Pies
Pork
Potatoes
Salads
Sandwiches
Sauces/Creams/Dressings
Seafood
Soup
Turkey
Veal
Vegetables
What I suggest is to mark off time on your schedule to enter your recipes on the computer. Say 30 minutes a day or week, etc. Always remember to back up your recipe database.
Make a new document for each recipe and then save that document under the specific category on your recipe database.
Make a file for all your cooking tips.
Make a file for all your meals/grocery list you receive from My Country Kitchen.
Go through each cookbook and enter your favorite recipes on your database under Cookbook recipes. Unless the cookbook has sentimental value, sale your cookbooks. This will decrease your clutter. For the cookbooks that you are going to keep, make a chart with these subtitles: Recipe Name; Cookbook Name; and Page Number. This will allow you to find recipes in cookbooks easier.
Different Kitchen Recipes For Occasions
Ah, Mother's Day. Remember when you were small, and Mom was everything? Back then, your world revolved around the music of Mom's voice... the padding of her footsteps, and savory aromas wafting from her kitchen, permeating the house with the promise of delicious things to come.
Remember rainy afternoons, and Mom's golden grilled cheese with a thick slab of red-ripe garden tomato? Or how about the Spaghetti-Os that Mom said had "no nutritional value," but even so you could always count on Wednesday mornings with Mom ladling warm spoonfuls into your plastic Thermos before popping the cup-top into place and sending you off to school. Remember gooey chocolate birthday cakes that Mom baked and frosted herself, and would later scrub off your cheeks and chin with the corner of her dinner napkin? You never could figure out how those crumbs got there, but Mom could spot a chocolate cake mishap from a mile away.
We all have our own distinct memories of life and meals in Mom's kitchen... the recipes that as a child maybe you didn't care for one way or the other, but then you came home from college and suddenly all you wanted more than anything in the world was a plate piled high with Mom's pot roast, carrots and mashed potatoes. So this Mother's Day, instead of picking up a last-minute gift at the jewelry cart in the mall or grabbing a potted plant at the nursery down the road... why not gift-wrap some of those cherished recipes and recollections that you and your brothers and sisters grew up with. Give Mom a taste of yesterday. Create a book of favorite family recipes and memoirs from Mom's Kitchen.
There are no hard and fast rules for creating a memento of this kind. Your Mother's Day cookbook can be whatever you'd like it to be. If arts and crafts is your cup of tea, pick up a brightly colored photo album at the local craft store, one that you can hand-print personal stories right onto the pages and fill with photos from your childhood. If you're graphically gifted, create your cookbook on the computer. You can even turn your Mother's Day cookbook into a web page if you're familiar with HTML.
The most complicated part of this Mother's Day creation will of course be the information-gathering. Luckily, if you have several brothers and sisters, then you likely have plenty of memories to work with. Hand out Mother's Day Homework; ask everyone to poke around the attics of their minds and jot down their best moments from a lifetime of eating, chattering, fighting, laughing and loving in Mom's kitchen. Was there one favorite food that Mom only prepared on special occasions? What about an ethnic dish that you secretly loved but would never confess it to your playmates from school? Think of those hilarious dinnertime mishaps, perhaps something involving loose baby teeth and corn on the cob. Remember those little brother antics around the supper table that we all had to deal with... Or how about all the times you slipped your green beans to Harry the hound dog when Mom's back was turned?
Once everyone's submitted their Mother's Day Remember Whens, have one stealthy family member root around in Mom's old recipe files when she's not around and collect the epicurean evidence of Mom's chef-like wizardry in the kitchen. If you can match a memory of Mom's cooking with an actual recipes of hers that you found buried in the bottom of the kitchen drawer, include these together in one entry of your cookbook. If not... that's okay, too.
Finally, you'll need a volunteer to collect photos, and also scan them if this Mother's Day cookbook will be designed on the computer. Rummage through the old family photo albums and picture boxes and pull out all the snapshots of holiday meals around the dinner table. Maybe you have one of Mom chopping and Dad carving side by side on Thanksgiving Day. What about those classic birthday cake pics and summer barbecues? Any meal-related photos you can find will serve as the basis for your Mother's Day Cookbook.
How many recipes should you include? Ten is a good number, but if you have more than ten by all means load up. If you have only five, that's okay too, as long as your presentation is attractive and the feeling is there, which it no doubt will be if everyone puts their all into the project. Again, this is your Mother's Day recipe book, created with love... and that means there is no "wrong" way to do this. On Mother's Day, have every family member pitch in with a covered dish they made themselves... to create a stupendous dinner of all Mom's favorite foods that she can enjoy without lifting a finger. After dessert (homemade chocolate cake from Mom's recipe box, of course), present your family gift, tell your Mom how much you love her and feel really good about yourselves as a family. After all the years your mother spent nourishing your belly and soul with love, comforting and delicious foods, you gave her back a truly meaningful Mother's Day gift that she'll cherish for the rest of her days.
Remember rainy afternoons, and Mom's golden grilled cheese with a thick slab of red-ripe garden tomato? Or how about the Spaghetti-Os that Mom said had "no nutritional value," but even so you could always count on Wednesday mornings with Mom ladling warm spoonfuls into your plastic Thermos before popping the cup-top into place and sending you off to school. Remember gooey chocolate birthday cakes that Mom baked and frosted herself, and would later scrub off your cheeks and chin with the corner of her dinner napkin? You never could figure out how those crumbs got there, but Mom could spot a chocolate cake mishap from a mile away.
We all have our own distinct memories of life and meals in Mom's kitchen... the recipes that as a child maybe you didn't care for one way or the other, but then you came home from college and suddenly all you wanted more than anything in the world was a plate piled high with Mom's pot roast, carrots and mashed potatoes. So this Mother's Day, instead of picking up a last-minute gift at the jewelry cart in the mall or grabbing a potted plant at the nursery down the road... why not gift-wrap some of those cherished recipes and recollections that you and your brothers and sisters grew up with. Give Mom a taste of yesterday. Create a book of favorite family recipes and memoirs from Mom's Kitchen.
There are no hard and fast rules for creating a memento of this kind. Your Mother's Day cookbook can be whatever you'd like it to be. If arts and crafts is your cup of tea, pick up a brightly colored photo album at the local craft store, one that you can hand-print personal stories right onto the pages and fill with photos from your childhood. If you're graphically gifted, create your cookbook on the computer. You can even turn your Mother's Day cookbook into a web page if you're familiar with HTML.
The most complicated part of this Mother's Day creation will of course be the information-gathering. Luckily, if you have several brothers and sisters, then you likely have plenty of memories to work with. Hand out Mother's Day Homework; ask everyone to poke around the attics of their minds and jot down their best moments from a lifetime of eating, chattering, fighting, laughing and loving in Mom's kitchen. Was there one favorite food that Mom only prepared on special occasions? What about an ethnic dish that you secretly loved but would never confess it to your playmates from school? Think of those hilarious dinnertime mishaps, perhaps something involving loose baby teeth and corn on the cob. Remember those little brother antics around the supper table that we all had to deal with... Or how about all the times you slipped your green beans to Harry the hound dog when Mom's back was turned?
Once everyone's submitted their Mother's Day Remember Whens, have one stealthy family member root around in Mom's old recipe files when she's not around and collect the epicurean evidence of Mom's chef-like wizardry in the kitchen. If you can match a memory of Mom's cooking with an actual recipes of hers that you found buried in the bottom of the kitchen drawer, include these together in one entry of your cookbook. If not... that's okay, too.
Finally, you'll need a volunteer to collect photos, and also scan them if this Mother's Day cookbook will be designed on the computer. Rummage through the old family photo albums and picture boxes and pull out all the snapshots of holiday meals around the dinner table. Maybe you have one of Mom chopping and Dad carving side by side on Thanksgiving Day. What about those classic birthday cake pics and summer barbecues? Any meal-related photos you can find will serve as the basis for your Mother's Day Cookbook.
How many recipes should you include? Ten is a good number, but if you have more than ten by all means load up. If you have only five, that's okay too, as long as your presentation is attractive and the feeling is there, which it no doubt will be if everyone puts their all into the project. Again, this is your Mother's Day recipe book, created with love... and that means there is no "wrong" way to do this. On Mother's Day, have every family member pitch in with a covered dish they made themselves... to create a stupendous dinner of all Mom's favorite foods that she can enjoy without lifting a finger. After dessert (homemade chocolate cake from Mom's recipe box, of course), present your family gift, tell your Mom how much you love her and feel really good about yourselves as a family. After all the years your mother spent nourishing your belly and soul with love, comforting and delicious foods, you gave her back a truly meaningful Mother's Day gift that she'll cherish for the rest of her days.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Recommended Cooking Oils For Low Health Hassles
Cooking oils can be a hidden source of some very damaging ingredients for both your cholesterol levels and health of your heart. You need to look at the contents for each one and watch out for those oils containing high levels of trans fatty acids.
Canola oil is frequently recommended by doctors who say it helps to lower your risk of heart disease. As it is low in saturated fats, and fairly high in mono-unsaturated fat, it offers a good fatty acid combination in comparison to some of the other oils.
Canola oil can be used to sauté foods, and also to marinate them. In addition, it can also be used as low temperature oil for stir-frying. As it has an extremely mild flavor, canola oil is good for well-seasoned foods, and won't get in the way of any of the wonderful flavors you have added to the meals you've worked so hard to prepare.
Olive oil is another very good oil for your everyday healthy eating. It is rich in monounsaturated fat, and antioxidants, and helps lower your cholesterol level, as well as reducing the risk of cancer. It is great to use in cooking, but it is probably the healthiest when used unheated for salads and dipping sauces. When you do use it for cooking, you'll want to keep the heat down to a low or medium temperature, because it has a fairly low smoking point.
Butter has been used for centuries, and let's face it people, it tastes great, and lends its wonderful rich flavor to other foods. Butter is rich in fat-soluble vitamins like A, E, K and D. Because it is made from purely natural ingredients, you don't have to be concerned with it being artificially or chemically tampered with.
Butter is terrific when used in cooking and baking, and what is better than a pat of butter applied directly to a nice hot muffin or biscuit? Butter can be used to add richness to creamy sauces and marinades.
Margarine first came into being as a substitute for high fat butter, although when it was first developed it was high in trans fats, which studies now show will actually raise your bad cholesterol level. Margarine tastes good, is easy to spread, and can be used as a cooking oil. It has less fat than most oils and butter, as well as being a source of vitamin E.
A trip to your local supermarket will reveal a whole host of possibilities in cooking oils. Just look out for the ingredients label and make sure the contents are healthy.
Tailor Made Cooking Recipes For Kids
When kids want to cook, it's a good idea to find recipes that are tailor-made for them. Picking a recipe solely by the delicious-looking picture is not the way to do it. They may find out too late that the recipe is really too complicated and they are in over their heads. This leads to cooking frustration and does not encourage budding chefs.
Here are some tips on how to decide if a recipe is a good one for your child to try:
1. Check out the number of ingredients.
Obviously the fewer ingredients there are, the easier the recipe will be. Look for 5 ingredients or less. Your new cook will generally fair better if the ingredients are ones your family is familiar with? If there are many ingredients, look them over and see if any can be eliminated or substituted to make it easier. For example, can they get by without adding the chopped onions? Or can they substitute a small handful of minced onions for the chopped onions?
2. Take a look at the number of items that need to be chopped, blended, or food processed.
If there is a lot of chopping involved, kids tend to lose interest while they wait for you to do it. A small amount of chopping can be done by kids after teaching them how to do so in a safe manner. You can also buy some vegetables already chopped and ready to go.
3. How do the recipe instructions look?
Are there lots of steps? Will the instructions be hard for your child to understand? Read it through and see if it makes sense to you. Next, ask your child to read it or read it to them if they don't read yet and get a measure of their understanding.
4. Are there pictures?
Some cookbooks will show a picture of the final masterpiece, while others will show pictures of each step. Pictures aren't necessary but they are so helpful to kids who might not understand some of the written instructions.
5. Does your child still want to try the recipe after reading it through?
Then go for it!
Help them when they need help and stand back when they don't. How much you hover will depend on their age, abilities, and previous cooking skills. Kids can pick up cooking know-how quickly if they cook fairly regularly. The key is to find recipes that are easy and quick for kids to do.
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