Cooking Methods - Everything You Need to Learn Regarding Deep Frying

Deep frying is a cooking technique whereby food is submerged in hot oil or fat. It is one of the swiftest possible ways of cooking small, tender cuts of fish and meat. It's also suitable for dough mixtures like fritters and doughnuts and many vegetables, such as onion and potatoes.

If performed properly, deep frying will not make food overly greasy, since the dampness within the food will repel the fat. Providing the oil is hot enough and also the food is not immersed for too long, the oil penetration will be limited to the outer surface layer and nothing will in fact reach the middle of the food. The proper frying temperature is dependent upon the thickness and type of food, but commonly it lies between 175 and 190 degrees C (345-375 degrees F).

Just before they are fried, numerous foods receive a coating of flour, crumbs or batter to protect them from the high temperature of the fat. This also seals in their juices, which helps to make a crisp outside coating and a moist and tender center.

A few foods, like crisps, don't need any kind of coating as they stay in the oil for a pretty small amount of time. Chips are also uncoated; they are initially fried at a reasonably low temperature to cook them through, after which they are given a second frying at a higher temperature in order to brown them.

Using a Deep-Fryer

1. Checking out the Temperature

Check the temperature of the oil before using. If the deep-fryer isn't thermostatically controlled, drop a crumb or cube of bread in to the fat and time how long it takes to brown:

• 60 seconds - the oil is approximately 180 degrees C/360 degrees F and suitable for gentle frying


• 40 seconds - the oil is approximately 190 degrees C/ 375 degrees F and moderately hot


• 20 seconds - the oil is about 195 degrees C/385 degrees F and very hot


• 10 seconds - the oil is dangerously hot and needs to be cooled down

You may cool oil down by turning off the heat and frying several slices of bread.

2. Cooking

Always cook in modest amounts; adding too many pieces of food at the same time will lower the temperature of the fat. This may mean that the coating will not form a crispy crust, and the food will shed its juices and soak up fat.

This is especially important when frying frozen food such as chips or fish fingers. Don't make the mistake of using very hot fat to counteract the cooling temperature of the frozen food; a fairly cool fat temperature (180 degrees C/360 degrees F) is required to cook frozen food to make certain that the centre is thawed and cooked before the coating browns.

Drain any cooked foods well, and put on kitchen paper to mop up any unwanted oil. Store any food that is not to be served straight away in a warm oven with the door ajar - covering or enclosing the food will make it soggy.

3. Cleaning the Oil

After the fat has cooled, it should be filtered through muslin or a coffee filter paper to get rid of any food particles. The oil should be changed once it becomes dark, odorous or cloudy.

Chinese Cooking With a Wok - Mum's Cooking Secrets That Last a Lifetime

My mother was of the idea that a man's place was never in the kitchen, and this was ingrained into us as she shooed us out of the kitchen every time whenever we tried to get into the kitchen to see what was cooking. It might not have been the best or correct thing to do, and as a result, her children -the sons, including me, grew up not knowing how to cook until we were college going kids and had to live away from home and to start to cook and fend for ourselves.

Disadvantaged as we were in cooking for ourselves, it made us more aware of the beauty in mum's cooking. Mum's prepared food that was absolutely marvellous, both in taste and smell. Meals prepared by her were never ordinary. They were a delight to behold, a pleasure to consume - no matter how simple the dish was.

Now in her twilight years, mum can no longer cook for herself. She has bouts of amnesia, and old age has taken a severe toil on her. Dependent on others to cook and serve her meals, she can sometimes struggle to the kitchen and still manage to prepare a ten minute fast cooking instant noodle, much to our chagrin and anxiety. The doctor orders were not to let her near a stove for fear of a fit or a fall, lest she burn the house down.

Just yesterday, in the quiet of the night, I was able to recall times I had with mum when I was about to go to college. Vivid in my mind, as history started to flash back, I remembered words of wisdom from mum on cooking. We were always profuse in our praise and bountiful in our appreciation for mum's fantastic cooking.And on one occasion, she revealed the secret formula that had always enveloped the food she cooked.

"In Chinese cooking," she said one day," the two most important things are to have a sharp knife and a hot stove. Always sharpen your knife so that you can slice through your veggie and your meat or fish. Cutting them up becomes a pleasure and not a task. Be sure to have everything prepared before you start cooking: the vegetables washed, drained and cut; the meat cut and marinated; the sauces prepared."

"And get yourself a good wok - It is the one piece of cooking equipment you may want to purchase before you start cooking Chinese food. Always heat up the wok. When cooking meat or poultry, make sure that the wok is very hot before adding the food. If you are going to stir-fried meat and vegetables, stir-fry the meat first and set it aside. Then return it to the wok with a sauce during the final stages of cooking. And use a little cornstartch as a binder at the end of your cooking, if it calls for that. Just remember how the dish tastes like, the way I cooked it", she said.

Throughout the years when I had to cook, her words of wisdom flashed back to me whenever I despaired over my cooking. I had seen my cooking improved, and had added more styles and recipes to vary my cooking in the later years.

"And the secret ingredient in all Chinese cooking is to add a little bit of inner joy to your dish as you cook. When you approach your cooking with this little bit of inner joy, you will have a song on your lips as you cook. Something mysteriously will spur you on to do your best and turn on the magic in your cooking," she added.

That day, last week, when I recalled those words of mum when I prepared a meal for her, I could only add not just a little bit of inner joy, I tried my best to give her a physical massive hug of love.

"Vary your ingredients to add textures, colors and flavors.Then it is possible to find harmony and balance in your meals. This is an important principle in Chinese cooking."

Mum may be frail and too old to handle a wok anymore, but her words of wisdom in Chinese cooking has helped us through the many years. Her simple tips for Chinese cooking may help you too.

Kids Can Make Pizza!

Just about any time is a good time for kids to make pizza, don't you think? Here are some steps to help create a positive pizza-making experience for you and your children.

Plan it out ahead of time and talk it over with your kids. Give them options - kids love choices. What exactly do they want their pizza to be? What do they want on it? Do they want it baked on a cookie sheet and cut in squares? There's no one type of pizza, and they may even want to make a couple of different ones. Maybe they'll invent their own signature pizza!

Start with the crust. There are simple recipes for crusts in your favorite cookbook that kids can easily do, but if that seems like too much, grab a ready-made crust from the supermarket. Help may be needed to get the dough spread out evenly with the homemade crusts. The kids will get better at it the more they do it. There are some tricks to help them such as greasing or flouring their hands first, and letting the dough rest halfway through the stretching-it-out process.

The next step is the sauce. It doesn't have to be from scratch, nor does it have to be traditional pizza sauce. It can be a bottled pizza sauce, alfredo sauce, barbeque sauce, pesto sauce, or olive oil glaze. Let your child decide.

Third in line is the cheese. It's like the glue that holds the toppings onto the saucy crust. Your child can sprinkle mozzarella, or experiment with provolone, feta, gorgonzola, or parmesan.

Don't forget the all-important toppings. Kids have their standard favorites but let them know there are more toppings available and they can taste pretty good! Again, they can use their wonderful imaginations.

Here are some ideas for toppings:

Vegetables
green onions, garlic, red peppers, potato chunks, asparagus tips, red onion slices, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, red onion slices

Herbs
oregano, basil, rosemary, cilantro, dill, parsley, sage, thyme

Meats
hamburger, sausage, pepperoni, grilled chicken, Canadian bacon, breakfast bacon, ham, taco meat

Help your child be successful with the pizza-making process by assembling all the ingredients before they start. Depending on their abilities in the kitchen, plan on helping with the washing, chopping, and cheese shredding.

Before they know it, the pizza will be out of the oven and on the table ready to be devoured. Your kids will be proud to serve up their signature creations. Maybe every other Friday will become pizza night at your house.

Cooking Recipe - A Great Recipe For Traditional Italian Baked Lasagne With Meat Sauce

This Lasagne recipe comes from a traditionally made lasagne from Bologna Italy. It has been handed down through the generations and it is still a common dish in that area.

A friend of mine who travels to Italy quite often has tasted many Lasagne recipes and he says this recipe is his favorite. We will prepare this meal in two parts. Firstly we'll prepare the bolognese meat sauce and then the Lasagne.

Bolognese Meat Sauce

Ingredients
1oz butter
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1oz of unsmoked bacon, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely sliced
1 celery stick, finely sliced
4 medium sized mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
12oz of lean minced beef
1/4 pint of red wine
4 fl oz of fresh milk
14 oz of canned plum tomatoes, chopped with juice
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves
salt and ground black pepper for seasoning

Method

Heat a heavy saucepan with the butter and oil in it. Add the onion and gently cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the bacon and cook until the onion becomes translucent. Stir in the carrot, celery, mushrooms and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables become soft.

Add the minced beef, stirring into the vegetables until the meat loses its red color. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the wine, raise the heat slightly and cook for 3-4 minutes until the mixture thickens. Add the milk and cook until it evaporates.

Stir in the tomatoes with their juice and the herbs. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 11/2-2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Once you have done this you can start to prepare the lasagne.

Baked Lasagne

Method
(serves six)

Ingredients
14oz of dried lasagne
4oz of grated Parmesan cheese
11/2oz or 3 tablespoons of butter
salt and ground black pepper

For the bechamel sauce
11/4 pints of milk
1 bay leaf
4oz of butter
3oz of flour

Method

1- Butter a large, shallow baking dish. Pre-heat the oven to 200degC/400degF/Gas mark 6.

2- Make the bechamel sauce. First heat the milk with the bay leaf in a saucepan. Melt the butter in a separate saucepan.

3- Add the flour to the butter and mix in well with a whisk. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Strain the hot milk into the flour and butter and mix with the whisk. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes adding salt and pepper for seasoning.

4- Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add salt and half the sheets of
lasagne. Cook for 4 minutes.

5- Cover a large work surface with a clean cloth. Take out the lasagne from the pan and drop into a bowl of cold water for about 30 seconds. Remove one by one and lay them out flat on the cloth carefully avoiding any overlapping. Repeat the process for the rest of the sheets.

6- To put together the lasagne have all the ingredients to hand. Firstly spread a thin layer of meat sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Put a layer of pasta over the meat sauce. Cover with a thin layer of meat sauce, then one of bechamel. Sprinkle with a little parmesan.

7- Repeat the layers in the same order finishing with pasta layer coated with bechamel. Make up approximately six layers. Finally sprinkle the last layer with parmesan.

8- Bake the lasagne in the oven for 20 minutes or until it starts browning on top. Take out of the oven, leave for 5 minutes and then serve.

A great accompaniment with this meal would be a fresh green salad with a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar spread over it. Delicious.
And for those with a large appetite why not try some freshly prepared garlic bread.

Enjoy your fresh and tasty "Traditional Italian Baked Lasagne" with meat sauce.

Cooking Tips - TV's Top Chef Reveals Best Cookware Set

Millions of us each day tune in to see our favorite top chef on television whip up anything from a lavish holiday spread to everyday family meals. And if you have learned one thing from them; you know having a quality cookware set is essential in your preparation. Normally, cookware collections are far more preferable to buy than purchasing each item separately because they are a lot less expensive. On the plus side, if you get a high quality set of pots and pans they will in the long run save you money and last for a very long time.

Top chefs have a common philosophy for purchasing cookware... stick to the basics. Your set should include all of the pans needed to equip your kitchen with the most used cooking pieces. It includes saucepans for whisking a homemade sauce or cooking your morning oatmeal, a big stockpot for soups, stews or boiling pasta, and skillets (probably the most used pan in any kitchen) that will help you turn out perfect pancakes or a tasty tuna melt.

To help you find the best cookware set for you; here are a few simple tips you need to consider before you get your cookware set

What Size and Type of Cookware Should You Consider?

You want various kinds of pans which can be very beneficial and functional. When searching for a very good collection, stay away from cookware sets with many measurements of pots and pans that are not in relation to each other. Generally, you want to purchase a collection that has a least one kind of every pan or pot for daily use. But always keep in mind, the cookware set you choose should be of the highest quality.

Why Should You Consider Design and Safety Features For Your Set?

Besides their functionality, your collection design is also very important. Essentially, you want to purchase matching pots and pans because they are appealing. Why? Simply, because they are often much less distracting then non matching cookware. For security and ease, the handles of your cookware set must be comfortable to handle, durable and are securely connected. Quality collections will last longer and save you money in the long run.

What is the Best Material Your Cookware Set Should Be Made From and Which Type Has A Long Lifespan?

Your set is generally intended for all purpose use. Currently, the most versatile cookware is made of hard-anodized aluminum material. Cookware made from hard-anodized aluminum has a significantly longer lifespan than traditional non-stick cookware and is virtually non-porous. It is this nearly complete lack of pores that enables hard-anodized cookware to resist food from sticking, even if the food is overcooked or burned.

Remember, your cookware set should be of exceptional value. So when you are preparing your 30 minute meals you really want to get good use out of each and every pan!

3 Tips to Cooking Restaurant Recipes at Home

Whether it's Applebee's, Chili's, KFC or Wendy's, cooking your favorite restaurant recipe at home is easy, fun, and it can save you a lot of money. There are however a few things to be aware of. While cooking restaurant recipes at home may be easy, I get letters all the time from people wondering why their particular copycat recipe didn't turn out tasting quite right.

The following 3 tips to cooking restaurant recipes at home should be followed to achieve optimal results.

Recipe Source - Be sure that you have a good recipe source. The internet is full of both good and bad information and recipes are no different. At the very least find a site or, better yet, a cookbook that specializes in restaurant recipe clones. There are also a number of great digital cookbooks available that can be downloaded and get you ready to cook in a matter of minutes.

Ingredients - Often in restaurant chains the ingredients in your favorite restaurant recipe are not the typical ingredients found in the local grocery store. Preservatives, and flavor enhancers are things that you will have to take into consideration if you're looking for exact copycat recipes. However you might want to consider making slight modifications that get the flavor as close as possible but are also healthier than the restaurant recipes themselves.

Equipment - The proper equipment is very important. Using a copper pan instead of stainless steel, using a pressure cooker instead of a fry pan, using a steamer instead of blanching, are all examples of slight differences that can mean the world of difference when preparing restaurant recipes at home

Some Baking Tips You Should Know

How many times have you followed a cake recipe that ended up in a complete disaster? Here are a few basic guidelines to get you on track to baking the right way. Start by reading the recipe carefully. Assemble your ingredients in one place and look up any terms that you don't understand.

Baking does not allow you the luxury of improvising if you get your ingredients wrong so be accurate the first time round. Baking requires complete concentration so don't try to multi-task. Get all distractions out of your way when you start.

Clear out a work area and use it to arrange all the pots, pans and dishes that you will require. To get your measurements right, use proper measuring spoons and cups. If the recipe asks you to use a dessert spoon don't substitute it for a teaspoon measure. Do not heap a measuring cup or spoon unless specified. Most recipes expect you to use level measures.

Just scoop up the desired quantity of the ingredient and level it off using a spatula. While measuring liquids, preferably use a glass measuring cup so that you can see the level of the liquid clearly. Brown sugar needs to be measured by packing it in tightly into a measuring cup or spoon.

Using the right size of pan is very important. If you change the pan size, you will also need to change the corresponding cooking time and temperature. For larger pans you need to increase the temperature while for small and deep pans, you need to reduce temperature. To measure the size of a baking dish, you should measure across the inside edges of the vessel. Usually, most recipes ask you to place a baking dish in the center of the oven. Follow this rule unless a recipe specifically tells you otherwise.

Use the freshest and best ingredients you can find. You cannot expect to bake a first rate product by using inferior quality ingredients. Check to see if you need to bring any of the ingredients to room temperature before using them or if you need to melt them in advance.

You need to sift flour only if the recipe asks you to. Else just use unsifted flour.

Follow the exact oven temperature specified in the recipe. Do not reduce it just because you are in a rush. Place the oven racks in the correct position as per your recipe. If the recipe asks you to use a preheated oven, follow the instructions. Once the oven has been preheated do not open the oven door unless required. You can use an oven thermometer to check the internal temperature of the oven. Just leave it inside the oven while it is heating. This will help you in determining whether the oven is reaching the right temperature. Oven thermometers are easily available and are not too expensive so it is a good idea to invest in one.

If you find that the temperature in your oven is not consistent, get the thermostat adjusted by a technician.

Grass Fed Beef - What You Need to Know About the Different Cuts

In comparison to market/industrial grade beef which has been experiencing a steady decline in demand, grass-fed beef is starting to become the beef of choice for most people. The reason is simple enough - grass fed beef offers more in terms of nutrition and taste. The beef is leaner and contains higher percentages of valuable nutrients like Omega-3, beta carotene, Vitamins A and E, along with CLA or conjugated linoleic acid (which is proven to be an effective cancer fighter) making it a wiser choice for consumers.

Grass fed beef, much like commercial grade beef also comes in various cuts and sizes. The cuts that you choose will depend on the preparation that you are planning to make as well as the number of people that will be eating. Just to give you an idea, here are some of the cuts available for grass fed beef along with some recommended methods of cooking.

Round: The round is a cut for the cattle's rear, including the hind, shank and the rump. The meat from the round is very lean but is not as tender, making it perfect for moist preparations.

Chuck: Although rich in flavor, chuck cuts are not as tender as the middle steak primal. They are typically suited for cooking options like pot roasts and braised recipes. This is also the perfect source for ground beef because of the balance in meat and fat.

Shortloin: The muscles for this primal are some of the least used by the cattle making them particularly tender. Because of this feature, shortloins are not suggested for preparations with long cooking times. Suggested preparations include Delmonico steak, T-bone steak and tenderloin. Shortloins are the most expensive cuts available in the market as of the moment.

Flank: The flank is the primal cut just below the loin primal. The primary cut for this part of the cattle is the flank steak. The best preparation for this cut is, not surprisingly, the steak.

Tenderloin: The tenderest muscle in the animal. Tenderloin is a great cut that can be used for a lot of preparations. Due to its nature, cooking time is short and never loses its tenderness even if its fried or served cold.

Other cuts include top sirloin, rear shank, rib, plate and brisket. Each of these cuts serves different purposes in cooking due to the individual characteristics of the meat. So do take into consideration what you will be cooking and the number of people that you will be preparing it for. This will help you to better prepare for what you are planning as well as prevent cooking disasters that can originate from choosing the wrong cuts.

But no matter the preparation, you will always stand to gain from using grass fed beef as they have more character and distinction in terms of flavor and aroma. You can check your local supermarket for grass fed beef as some do offer them, if not, you will also be able order them through online stores. Explore your options and find out why more and more people are starting to shift sides when it comes to beef.

Diabetic Cat Food Recipes

If you have ever lived with someone developing diabetes as my own father did, you will be aware that they suffer certain symptoms which are:-

1. Excessive Thirst

2. Excessive hunger

3. Excessive urination

4. Weight loss.

Your cat will show just such symptoms, if you notice these you should take it to your vet as soon as possible for a check up. So what IS diabetes?

Briefly just this. The cells in our cat's body just as in ours, require energy. This energy comes from glucose and we get that from the food we eat. This food gets broken down, some of which becomes glucose and enters the bloodstream and is used by the cells for energy.

Insulin - a hormone, lets this glucose move from the bloodstream and into the cells. Unfortunately in diabetes there is little or no insulin and without that the glucose cannot get from the bloodstream and into the body cells. The cells don't get glucose and think they are starving just as we would and your cat does.

So what do both we and our cats do? We eat and eat to satisfy our hunger. The situation is made worse because the glucose we store in the fat and muscles of our bodies, normally for emergencies, gets released into the bloodstream to feed the cells. It becomes a vicious circle as more glucose enters the bloodstream but without insulin will not get into the cells. The glucose levels in the blood climb higher, with still no insulin it has nowhere to go.

The cells of course cannot get their sugar so even more fat and muscle are burned to feed them, so we and our cat have a huge appetite but also a weight loss

Why the excessive thirst? As explained, all that extra sugar in the blood has to go somewhere. Our and out cat's kidneys are designed to prevent glucose been lost in urine. In diabetes there is so much sugar in the urine the kidneys become overwhelmed, so sugar is excreted in the urine. For this to be successful it has to be of the right consistency and in the form of liquid. The result? Large quantities of water are drunk and so of course equal amounts of urine are produced. It will seem as if your poor cat is drinking buckets of water but with no satisfaction.

So rule No 1 is if you see any of these symptoms in your pet take it to your vet. The disease can be treated with diet, exercise, insulin or some combination of these.

Is there anything you can do?

Don't let your cat become a "couch potato"! Do not give your cat "treats", most are groaning with calories. Remember the domestic cat came out of the savannahs of Africa and was and still is a natural hunter, its diet raw meat. Sadly the whole lifestyle of the cat is changing, many do not even have a garden, many are literally housebound. The result, as for us, is that they become overweight, eat far too much, become bored and lazy. They have no stimulation and their natural instinct to hunt is suppressed.

Our own two cats exercise outside constantly and hunt too. OK so we do have to clear up some grisly messes once in a while! Cats have a dual personality, a wild side that loves to hunt and roam and a domestic side to them where they just want our companionship. Sadly many owners are now too frightened to let their cats outside the house thinking it is too dangerous. Over all the years we have owned cats we have never lost one except to plain old age or disease (before we found out what went into commercial cat food and started making our own)

You can feed your diabetic cat yourself, we think it's the best way and always use lean meats, low carbohydrate, NO SUGAR and add a few vegetables

One important thing to consider is to keep meals regular just as would happen to one of us with diabetes. There is hope so don't despair!

Don't forget, though, that cats have different nutritional needs to humans so it's the diet principles ones follows not the actual diet.

Cooking Turkey - How Much Time Does it Take to Cook a Turkey?

Some people get really uptight at the thought of cooking a turkey, but their worry is unfounded. Actually roasting a turkey is one of the easiest cooking feats to accomplish successfully. Allow for adequate turkey cooking time, and you can be successful your first time out. By following a few simple cooking tips, anyone can roast a perfect turkey to complement their Thanksgiving feast or any other meal.

The traditional way to cook a turkey is to roast it. Even roasting can be done a number of different ways. To start with, always wash a turkey thoroughly. Check it over for any remaining pin feathers, and cut off large chunks of fat. Tying the drumsticks together with a piece of string and securing the wings with toothpicks will help ensure even browning. If you aren't going to stuff your turkey, salt the bird's cavity well. Stuffing will increase the turkey cooking time you will need to allow for.

If you have a roasting pan with a lid, that is ideal to roast your turkey in. If not, a large baking pan will do. Spray the pan with cooking spray and then cover it with aluminum foil for ease of cooking. Put the turkey into the pan, and tent another sheet of foil over the top. Your turkey cooking time is going to depend on the way you cook it. A good rule of thumb in roasting an unstuffed turkey is to allow a half hour for each pound your turkey weighs. Roast your turkey until a meat thermometer inserted into the breast reads 170 degrees or 180 degrees in the thigh. The touchiest part of roasting a turkey this way is not to cook it too long which will cause it to dry out.

If you want a shorter turkey cooking time, you can invest in a roasting bag. These bags are quite inexpensive and will save you a lot of roasting time. Using a bag, a ten pound turkey can be roasted in about 2 hours. A timetable comes in the box with the bags which gives you the exact times depending on the size of your turkey and whether it's stuffed or not. All you have to do is add a tablespoon of flour to the bag to keep the turkey from sticking, pop in your prepared turkey, and use the enclosed tie to secure the end of the bag. Your turkey will brown beautifully and remain juicy.

Probably the fastest, although most expensive, way to cook your turkey is by frying it. This method is costly, because you have to invest in a turkey fryer and several gallons of oil. However, if you're pressed for time or oven space, this may be the way for you to go. It will only take about three minutes per pound to cook your turkey this way, and it will turn out very moist and flavorful. One caution, however. Frying also adds a large number of calories to low-calorie turkey meat.

Tips in Cooking With a Recipe

When all you have done in your life is eat the food that is already prepared, cooking it will be very much like waking up in a world that you are not familiar with. This is where recipes and cookbooks come in.

These self-instructional guide to different dishes is your answer to that confusion. The cook book will give to you a step by step account of what you should do, from preparing and gathering the ingredients to actually cooking the dish.

You actually don't need to ask anything because everything is already provided for you. But despite the blow by blow account of what you should be doing, many still find cooking with a recipe arduous and confusing. Some do not get the results that they want. Others do not get to cook it at all, stumped at the first step in the recipe.

Here are some tips that will help you breeze through this cooking manual and make cookbooks your bestest cooking buddy in the world.

1. Know the terms

Recipes may tell you what to do but they may not always be simple to follow. Some cookbooks use terms that only seasoned cooks know.

Words like batter, medium rare, tablespoon, minced and cubes will be like alien words for those who do not have any experience with cooking a dish.

One solution to this is to always have a dictionary with you. That way, you can look at the meaning of each word and then proceed from there. You don't have to panic when you see those words. They are all in the dictionary, I assure you.

If the dictionary does not work for you, you can always buy a cook book that is especially made for the novice. Some cook books even have a section where all the cooking terms are explained not only in words but also in illustrations. If a dictionary is not for you, you can always buy these simple cookbooks instead.

2. Always arm yourself with measuring materials

Measurement is the most important part in cooking a dish. If you have not measured your ingredients well, chances are your dish will not taste as it should. Too much of flavoring and you will have a too salty or too sweet a dish. Too little flavoring and you will have a bland-tasting dish that your kids will not touch for a million years.

3. Go slowly.

Great food is never cooked in a rush. If you want great tasting dish, let the meat boil for an hour and not 15 minutes shy of an hour. The quarter of an hour that you did not boil the meat will spell a lot of difference in the meal that you are cooking.

The same goes for instances when you are over the time frame. That is why it is important to always have a clock in your kitchen counter or if possible a timer. This will make timing the food a lot easier as you can always put an alarm to remind you. It is also a good idea to put more lead time for you to cook the food. If the recipe book says 1 hour, then allot 30 minutes more. Do not be in haste to cook the food as this will only spell disaster.

Jewish Cooking Basics - Fundamental Jewish Recipes

Jewish cooking is tasty expression of the myriad of places that the Jews have lived throughout their history as an ethnic group. When exploring Jewish cooking you will find Middle Eastern, Eastern European, Western European, Spanish and American influences. Learning more about Jewish recipes is a great way to reconnect with your roots or to understand the people who created many of the deli favorites cherished by American urbanites.

Kosher Cooking

One of the most common cooking techniques that is identified with Jewish cooking is Kosher cooking. Kosher cooking is based on a set of food preparation rules that are governed by Rabbis. Simply stated, Kosher cooking involves the separation of dairy and meat. This separation needs to extend to food storage, preparation, serving and clean-up. This means that if you want to live a Kosher lifestyle, then you will need to have a separate set of cookware, silverware, serving ware, towels, cleaning tools and a separate refrigerator, sink, range and workspace for dairy and meat.

Kosher Jewish recipes are commonly served during Simchat Torah. This holiday is a day that celebrates the Torah. On this day, families gather to read the Torah and to have fun.

Bagels and Lox

Another food combination that is associated with Jewish food is bagels and lox. While bagels are popular with both Jews and non-Jews, they are a very Jewish food. The first reference to bagels was made back in 1610 in Poland. They are made by boiling a ring of dough before baking it. The most common topping for a bagel is cream cheese, however, lox, which are thin slices of smoked salmon, are also a popular topping.

Gefilte Fish

Another food that is linked to Jewish cuisine is gefilte fish. Gefilte fish is made by combining white fish or other white fleshed fish with onions, carrot, parsley, celery, Motzah and eggs. The name "Gefilte" is a German term which basically just means stuffed. While this definition may not reflect how Gefilte fish is served today, it does describe how it was originally served, stuffed inside of the skin of the fish the meat was harvested from.

Learning How to Cook Salmon Fillets

While most people who cook salmon regularly would suggest grilling as the only option for cooking salmon steaks, how to cook salmon fillets is a little more open to preference. What is most important is to use methods and recipes that complement salmon's natural and nutritious flavor.

Salmon fillets are boneless and can be smoked and used as lox. Since all skin and bones have been removed, salmon fillets are excellent for recipes requiring gourmet presentations. When buying fillets, ask to have it filleted and skinned, and to remove pinbones. A general rule is 6 ounces of raw salmon is considered a good serving size.

How to cook salmon fillets is as varied as the flavors you can add: smoking, steaming, poaching, pan-frying, curing and baking are just a few of the options.

A Bourbon basted salmon is as easy as marinating a 1.5lb salmon fillet in a mixture of brown sugar, bourbon, green onions, soy sauce and vegetable oil. Marinate salmon at least 1 hr and baste the salmon at least once with the marinade. Grill the salmon for about 7 minutes per side or wrap in aluminum foil with some of marinade, place on cookie sheet. Bake in 375 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes.

Or you could slow roast the salmon, cutting it lengthwise and then crosswise to make 4 equal squares of fish. Rub the fish with a pinch of turmeric and season with salt and pepper. Roast the salmon, in lightly oiled oven-proof pan, turning the pieces carefully with a spatula after about 10 minutes, until just cooked through, about 20 minutes in all. Slow-roasted salmon looks bright orange when done, and will be moist in the center.

How to cook salmon fillets is as varied as your tastes. You can also slather both sides of the salmon with the olive oil, season both sides with salt, and bake (skin side down) over a bed of dill sprigs in an oversized shallow baking dish. Place salmon on top, skinned side down.

Whatever your gusto, salmon fillets offer a delicate and nutritious option for your cooking adventures.

What to Do After You've Discovered Your Recipe Book is Lying to You

Let's say that you are depending on a teacher or a mentor...someone you trust. What would happen if you found out that they're not telling the truth, or at least, they aren't telling you the whole truth? If you're depending on a book to teach you a new kitchen culinary skill, you need to know now that the book isn't telling you everything you need to know about cooking meals at home. In fact, it might shake your faith and think, well, I can't even cook water now!

I want to help to restore your faith in recipes. I know I often bash recipes, but recipes are useful for trying to duplicate meals that you like, for duplicating restaurant meals, and for getting new ideas on what to cook. However, the reason I have issues with recipes especially for a home cook that doesn't understand basic cooking method is that there are things that recipes do tell you and there are things that recipes don't tell you.

Unfortunately, if you really take a look at the components of a recipe, you can begin to see that they are really a bunch of steps without explaining any nuances. For example, a recipe may say to cook shrimp until pink. But if they are large shrimp, the shrimp are going to turn pink before the inside of the shrimp is completely cooked. The recipe may say nothing about this. The recipe may tell you to add onion and parsley at the same time and cook until the onion is tender. NO! If you do that, the parsley will be obliterated by the time the onion is ready.

Most cookbooks assume a basic knowledge of cooking methods that you just may not know. This is what I want to help you to understand.

Here's another example, in one of my cookbooks it says to cook the chicken for 45 minutes or until done. Until done? How are you supposed to know if it's done? The recipe doesn't tell you. What does medium heat mean? Again, the recipe doesn't actually explain this.

A lot of times, the cookbooks that are made by a company that contain a lot of name brand products are often the worst offenders of not explaining all that you need to know. That doesn't mean that all cookbooks are like this. I have several books that are very clear and concise about explaining how and why you do something. Here are a few examples from my collection:

• The Sauce Bible


• On Cooking


• The Flavor Bible


• Professional Baking

All of those are very specific and explain what I need to know to cook food by method and by combining flavors, etc. I also like to get cookbooks that are specific to a region to help me to understand how to create flavors from that region. Here are just a few examples:

• Celebrate San Antonio


• Tropical Cooking


• The New Orleans Cookbook

So, if you can't completely trust your cookbook, what do you do?

• You have to be smarter than your cookbook.


• You have to know when it's lying to you.


• You have to know when it's pretending that it knows and it really doesn't


• You have to know when it's left something out

Next time, I'll show you ways to be smarter than your recipe book, improve kitchen culinary knowledge, and restore your faith that you can cook water! I'll also explain to you how to use a recipe's shortcomings to your advantage.

How to Cook Frozen Lobster Tail

Frozen lobster has some definite benefits over fresh live Lobster.

• Frozen lobster can be bought and stored until you are ready to use it.


• Frozen lobster will be less expensive.


• Frozen Lobster tail is easier to obtain.


• A big benefit is that the frozen lobster has already been prepared so you don't have to deal with the dilemma of cooking a live lobster.

It is true that fresh live Lobster will generally taste better but that comes at a considerably higher cost. This is because fresh lobster is usually bought for the meat in the tail and claws. Frozen Lobsters tails can come from any of dozens of other different varieties of claw-less species which makes them more available and less costly.

Sources Of Frozen Lobster Tail

In general, there are two distinct sources for frozen Lobster tails. Some are harvested from warm waters and some come from cold waters. Most chefs consider the warm water varieties to be the least desirable. This is because by the time that they are harvested and get to you the meat is of poor quality in a large percentage of the tail.

You should always try to buy your frozen tail from the cold waters of southern countries and avoid the central American variety. Sometimes the information is on the package though often it is not. Then you have to rely on the information the vendor can give you or guess based on the price. The warm water tails will always be the least expensive.

Cooking the Lobster

To get the best flavor and texture from frozen lobster tails they should be thawed prior to cooking. It is possible to cook frozen tails but doing so will produce a tough less tasty meat.

To thaw frozen lobster tails let them sit in their unopened packaging in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. You can thaw them faster by immersing the package in water, then letting that sit in the fridge.

In a rush you can use a microwave with a defrost setting to thaw the tails. Just be careful so that you don't start cooking the Lobster tails this way.

Once thawed, the Lobster Tails should be cooked in a timely manner. After thawing they can be boiled, steamed, baked, broiled or grilled. It's up to you.

Here are the two most popular and easiest ways to cook Lobster, boiling and steaming.

Boiling thawed frozen Lobster is really easy.

• Fill a pot with enough water to cover the Lobsters you are cooking,


• Add about one tbsp salt per quart of water


• Heat the water to a rolling boil


• Drop the Lobsters into the boiling water


• Cook for about 1 minute per ounce of Lobster

Steaming is similar except you will use less water. You will need a steaming basket that can hang into the pot but not reach into the water and a tight lid.

• Put 1 to 1 ½ inches of water into pot.


• Add salt (1 tbsp per quart of water)


• Heat the water to boiling


• Hang the steaming basket into the pot


• Cover with heavy Lid (If you don't have a heavy lid sit a brick or rock on top to hold the lid down)


• Cook them for 7 to 8 minutes

Just remember, be careful and watch out for the hot steam when you open the pot and remember that the pot, lid, strainer and Lobsters will all be extremely hot.

Serve the Lobster on a platter with some hot clarified butter and you are ready to feast.

Beat the Passover Panic With 5 Preparation Tips and a Great Recipe Resource

At this time of year, even before Purim has come and gone if you mention Passover you may notice people look a little tense. There is so much to do in terms of cleaning and searching for chametz (leaven), and in the kitchen. For some reason cooking and baking for Passover scares people. I don't know if it's the fact that the whole build up to Passover is stressful, or the time element (most people have 1 or 2 days in a kosher for Passover kitchen to do all their cooking), but there's no denying the fact that people find it stressful. Here are 5 top tips to help you beat the Passover kitchen panic:

1. Plan your seder and yom tov meals in advance: find recipes, decide what you want to make and plan it all well in advance. After you have done that, think of some ideas for weekday meals that your family will enjoy. Try to find easy Passover recipes, as well as some that can be made in advance. In addition to main meals and side dishes, don't forget Passover desserts and cakes. Store bought cakes really can't compare to home made ones. One year I made only 2 cakes for the first day of the holiday. Before I had even lit candles the first one, a particularly delicious flourless chocolate cake had been devoured. Since then I always make 2 of those in addition to other cakes.

2. Prepare your Passover menus and shopping lists in advance. Once you have selected your menu and found the recipes make an accurate shopping list. Throughout the year many people have a store cupboard full of essentials. During Passover the situation is different, and you don't want to run out of sugar, and have to go to the shop right before the holiday begins. Believe me, I have been there!

3. Don't under-estimate how many eggs you will need! Almost all Passover recipes contains eggs and we go though dozens during the holiday - from matza brie to cakes, kugels, omelets, quiches and Passover rolls everything needs an egg or two or three. If you plan your menus in advance, then you can really figure out how many eggs you'll need. Whatever figure I work out, I always add an extra tray - if kept in the fridge eggs last well over a month.

4. Before you start cooking and baking, make sure you have all the gadgets and kitchen utensils that you need. So many times I have taken out a lemon only to realize that last Passover my zester had broken, or that the measurements on the measuring jug are no longer visible. To counteract this at the end of every Passover I tape a list to my Passover cupboard door reminding me what I need to buy for next year.

5. Remember that you are supposed to enjoy the holiday! Don't be a slave to the cooking, take a break and remember that it's all about freedom from slavery.

Silicon Bakeware - Moving Forward

Silicon was first applied to be used as the soles of shoes and boots for its water resistance and heat resistance. In recent years it has been applied to implants, electrical wiring and cookware including utensils and bakeware. One of the reasons it is so useful in the kitchen is its ability to handle temperatures from -58°F to 428°F giving it massive potential for virtually any application, not to mention the inherent non-stick finish making removal a snap.

The silicon has a completely even heat distribution which means that regardless of your oven the entire dish will cook at the same rate. This gives all of your baking endeavors an added level of presentation quality as the baked dish will have an even coloring throughout. Cooling is also extremely quick; this helps when young children are around and we know how they love baked goods.

Silicon is also dishwasher safe and will not change form due to high temperatures as dishwasher don't get close to the 428°F top temperature of silicon bakeware. Clean up without a dishwasher is simple; use warm soapy water and wipe clean. That's it. Professional and executive chefs have been using silicon bakeware for these reasons and it is now available in mass quantities to us the general public. Silicon bakewear isn't much more expensive than other materials, and in some cases it matches the price of less advanced bakeware.

Since silicon is flexible, it can be folded to be stored and will retain its original shape. This makes silicon a better choice for small kitchens, or those with limited storage space. Silicon is also completely microwave safe and comes in every conceivable style of bakeware from muffin pans to Bundt forms and baking sheets.

Slow Cooker Recipes - Wonderful Cooking Tips

Everyone knows that a slow cooker is a great way to make hearty stews. However, there are many more slow cooker recipes that you may not be aware of.

For example, a slow-cooked chicken curry is a deliciously spicy treat. All you have to do is add the meat, vegetables, spices and sauce to the cooker before you go to work, and you can come home to a wonderful curry. All you will need to do on your return is cook some rice or heat some naan breads to serve with it. What is particularly good is that curries are amazingly versatile. For this dish, for example, you can swap the chicken with other types of meat, fish, or extra vegetables for a vegetarian alternative.

Desserts can also be prepared using the slow cooker. One option is to slow cook chunks of fresh pineapple for 4 hours, along with ginger, cinnamon and brown sugar. This method makes the pineapple wonderfully soft, and will melt in the mouth when served with exotic coconut ice cream.

Of course, most people use their slow cooker primarily to make soups or stews. After all, it is a great way to use up any spare vegetables, along with tougher cuts of meat that need a long time to cook. Adding the stock, meat, vegetables and herbs to the slow cooker before you go to work means you won't need to think about cooking after a hard day in the office. Instead, you will be able to open your door to delicious cooking smells, and the prospect of a freshly prepared meal with minimum effort. And that really is a great way to relax.

There are numerous recipes that can be adapted for larger numbers of guests, taking all the stress out of hosting a dinner party. This means you can concentrate on what is important - spending time with your guests and ensuring they are enjoying themselves.

A classic chili is simple to prepare and very popular - the perfect dish to satisfy hungry guests. Just remember to wash your hands after chopping chili peppers.

So, with many soup, main course and dessert slow cooker recipes available, this really is one of the most versatile appliances in the kitchen.

Now you're in the know, you'll be able to use your slow cooker to its full potential, instead of simply concentrating on making stews with it.

Campfire Cooking Recipes - Kabobs

Campfire cooking recipes can be fun to try over an open fire surrounded by your friends and family as you enjoy the sounds and smells of the great outdoors all around you.

Ahead of time make this glaze for the chicken kabobs:

1/4 Cup Orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 Tbs of Honey
1 Tbs of Soy Sauce
Dash of Ground Ginger

Kabob Ingredients:

1 Lb skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1" pieces
1 Cup fresh pineapple chunks
1 medium green sweet pepper, cut into 1" pieces
1 medium red sweet red pepper, cut in to 1" pieces

Taking 6" long skewers alternate the chicken, pineapple, green peppers and red peppers leaving about 1/4" between each piece for basting. Place the kabobs on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over the medium fire and grill for about 12-14 minutes or until no longer pink. Place on hot coals, turning and brushing with glaze for up to the last 5 minutes of grilling time will help prevent the glaze from burning. If you are using wooden skewers instead of metal it is best if you soak them in water first before grilling with them or they may catch fire. You should soak them in water for about twenty minutes before using them.

Roasting Sweet Corn on the Campfire

You'll need about 6 Ears of Sweet Corn with husks, peel back the husks from the corn but do not remove. Clean all the silk off of the corn and rinse, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap the corn in the corn husk and tie with wet kitchen string. Place on a grate over the fire but not where it will char and slowly turn and roast the ears on all sides for about 25-30 minutes. You would want to start the sweet corn first before the kabobs.

Campfire cooking recipes should be tried with cast iron cooking as an asset in regards to roasting a few vegetables in a dutch oven like celery and carrots with a little bit of spices and any left over chicken you could turn this dish into a tasty stew or hash by adding a few potatoes and some left over corn. Corn on the cob never tasted better than fire cooking over a campfire enjoying the great outdoors.

Kabobs can be made with several kinds of meats including lamb, beef, chicken, chunks of potatoes, pineapple, onions, peppers, shrimp and even fish. If you can thread it on to a skewer than you can make a kabob out of it. You can glaze the kabobs with soy sauce, olive oil, seasonings, honey or fruit juice to come up with a combination that you like. Kids enjoy a twist on a campfire cooking recipes by turning ordinary hot dogs into a kabob by threading chunks of hot dogs with chunks of pineapple and slowly roasting them over a campfire.

Gourmet Magazine Recipes For Easy Everyday Cooking

To talk about gourmet recipes, its best to first discover the top gourmet food magazines. For instance try reading a few magazines and getting to know some of the ones you tend to like more.

Some people like 'Good Housekeeping' and consider some of the scattered recipes in there to be simple and of gourmet taste. What it all boils down to is your passion for food, how much you love it, and what you consider gourmet.

You may want to try finding a gourmet hot dog recipes and may turn to a hot dog associated magazine, or even a gourmet hamburger recipe. Some of the greatest diners in this country are considered gourmet because of the unique and different ways they are preparing food.

Just because its off the interstate doesn't necessarily mean it isn't gourmet. Its always best to find out what is gourmet to you.

However the overall idea of gourmet usually is associated with things that are fine, which is the best definition to be used in this case to get a feel for the gourmet world itself. Always get a feeling for the world you are about to be stepping into and then go in your own direction.

A gourmet magazine has a variety of different recipes on their website as well as in their magazine. Mostly they began by featuring recipes, but now explore different issues such as food politics and other interesting subject matters.

But as with many magazine the recipes are what drove the readers to read the magazine. There are too many to list, but many of the recipes had to deal with pairing fine intricate cooking using fresh and rich ingredients with fine wines.

Now the recipes have expanded to different parts of the world including Japan, China, France, England, Norway and countless others. Many delicacies in other countries might be considered foul over here, but as said earlier gourmet has to do with tastes, and this magazine brings together all the different flavors in the world considered gourmet and puts a unique twist on them in recipes.

Food Network also has its own magazine and newsletter and displays many of its gourmet chefs in this magazine with interviews, cooking tips, and recipes. These chefs also make a good point to emphasize the particular twists and turns they have added to recipes to make them even more gourmet.

For example chefs tend to emphasize getting the best ingredients for these recipes to make them truly gourmet. These gourmet magazines recipes will generally fill them up with different cooking suggestions.

Food magazines are gathering places for people of many different talents and tastes to share their cooking talent and tastes. Readers can be sure to enjoy different calibers, skill levels, and nationalities of cooking.

It might even be good to pick up a video game such as cooking mama and gain inspiration from there! Cooking magazines however are the best places to go when looking for new and unique recipes.

Cook Something Different, Cook A Black Fish

Black fish is not one of the most popular fish available for the dinner table. And that is undeserved, Black Fish is delicious and the cooking of the fish is simple, black fish in recent years has been credited as one of the most nutritious fish. It is easy to cook black fish, no matter how you wish to prepare it. Well maybe there are less recipes for black fish you can find, but you can use this fish in main dishes, salads, soups, stir-fries the list is endless!

How To Choose A Black Fish

If you didn't catch one yourself and are depending on your local grocery stores or (fish) markets, you need to take some key tips in consideration when selecting black fish you will use in your cooking. Make sure the flesh of the fish is moist and firm. The black fish should smell clean, not fishy. The skin should be shiny, with no dry patches. If you choose to buy a whole black fish, check the eyes to make sure they are not clouded. For most recipes try to buy skinless fillets or steaks, as removing the inedible skin yourself can be difficult. Finally, make sure that the fish you purchase has been properly stored in a clean and cool setting.

Nutritional benefits of cooking black fish

Black fish has many nutritional benefits. The Omega-3 fatty acids have been a recent source of excitement for nutritionists everywhere. Omega-3 fatty acids cannot be manufactured by the human body, and yet our bodies need these fatty acids for their amazing health properties. These health benefits include protection from cancers, reduced symptoms of arthritis, lowered blood pressure, lowered cholesterol, and relief from stress and depression.

Cooking Methods For Black Fish

Cooking black fish for dinner, you have many different options when it comes to actually cooking the black fish. Cooking black fish can be done by smoking it, poaching it, baking it or grilling it.

-Smoked black fish is popular and can result in chunks of smoky finish, or a firm texture and delicate flavor. This depends on how you smoke it, you can hot smoke the black fish, which would result in the former, or cold smoke the black fish, which gives you a firm texture. Either way, this is a tasty way to prepare your black fish fillets.

-Poaching is a classic method of cooking black fish fillets. It is very simple, and allows you to add your own touch with special oils, herbs, and spices.

-Grilled and baked black fish is also very popular because it enhances the fish's natural flavors. Black fish grills and bakes well and is excellent in soups, stews, and chowders, as the meat does not flake or fall apart easily. Always remove the tough skin, which is not edible.

In the end it does not matter what method you choose for cooking black fish, it will be delicious just try some recipes, and I'm sure that after the first time you have been cooking black fish, you will prepare it again and again.

www.kitchencookings.com

The Top 10 Secrets to Help You Cook Sensational Fish Recipes Outdoors!

Great fish recipes come in various guises: grilled, poached and baked but so often the results are disappointing! So, when cooking fish outdoors what are some of the secrets of success?

Here are my 10 recommendations

1. The foremost secret to cooking great fish recipes is not to overcook it. Fish is delicate; it easily becomes tough and loses both its flavor & moisture if over cooked on an outdoor grill;


2. Cook your fish hot & fast, this way its cooked well without the loss of its moisture;


3. Handle your fish as little as possible because fish easily falls apart! Try to use fish baskets in your stock pot; use well oiled surfaces/pans when grilling; use a fish slice to turn your fish rather than a thick spatula;


4. Always defrost your fish before cooking...... and if you can, always buy fresh not frozen fish; frozen fish after defrosting is often limp and watery!


5. When buying your fish try to buy fillets that are the same thickness throughout their length [often its not possible]; this avoids over coking of the thin ends of the fish. If you do have thin ends, cut them off and grill them separately for less time;


6. Often we get the quantity wrong and that's a disappointment, when cooking fillets aim for a third to half a pound of fish per person;


7. Remember, its not the weight of the fish but the thickness of the fish that determines how long you should cook it. Freshness also has a bearing. The guideline for how long to cook fish is to calculate 5 minutes per centimeter or 10 minutes per inch of thickness in the thickest part of the fish.


8. If you're not into measuring, another way to tell when to stop cooking your fish on the grill or in the skillet is by looking. Once the flesh of the fish is no longer translucent but has become opaque & separates easily with a fork its cooked.


9. Don't be frightened of marinating fish; marinades work great with fish; but an hour is as much as is needed. Remember also that herbs & spices can be rubbed into the flesh just before grilling.


10. Wine helps to add flavor to fish, add wine to the pan when cooking with a skillet whilst the fish is simmering or drizzle fish with a tablespoon or two of wine and bake it in a foil package.

Simple Chicken Kabob Recipes

You call it kebob, I call it kebab, let's eat the whole thing off. A chicken kebob recipe by any other name would taste as good. It depends on where you live and the language you speak as to how you pronounce the word. Which variation do you use, kabab, kabob, kibob, kebhav, kephav? All the basic chicken kebob recipes are the same and they refer to a variety of meat dishes from the Middle East, Mediterranean, African, Central and South Asian cuisines. It's all about grilled or broiled meats on a skewer or stick.

The American word kebob as in chicken kebob recipes has its' origin in shish kebab. Shish is the Turkish word for skewer. So the phrase is essentially Turkish in origin and Turkish tradition has it that this special cooking method came into wide use with medieval soldiers who used their swords to grill meat over open field fires. The dish, however, has been widely written about and presumably used in classic and ancient literature. Presumably the chicken kebob recipes of the ancient Greeks was at the really simple end of the spectrum. Since it takes a modern market economy and universal availability of herbs and spices to make a not so simple chicken kebob recipe.

Try this really simple one: Boneless chicken breasts, bacon and jalapenos either from a jar or fresh. Cut your chicken breast into strips about 2 inches wide and 3 to 4 inches long. Lay bacon flat on cutting board. Place chicken strip on top, put jalapeno in the middle, starting at the end nearest to you, roll them up and then stick them onto your sword or a skewer if you are off-duty. Not recommended for the faint hearted or digestively challenged.

Lets face it chicken is not the tastiest of meats. Perhaps it was in the Mediterranean in ancient times before we invented battery farming and happy birds would make for happy chicken kebob recipes. But nowadays, (history doesn't tell us when exactly the marinade became the next big thing in sword cuisine) marinade is the essential prerequisite to a lip-smacking kebob.

Try this simple chicken kebob recipe marinade. Mix the following ingredients in a blender until it is a well blended.

1 chopped onion, 1 cup honey, 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1/3 cup Tabasco sauce, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup sugar, the juice from 1 lemon, 2 fresh peppers

Chop your meat into sword-size pieces and put them together with the marinade sauce in a zip-lock plastic bag and place them in the bottom of your refrigerator overnight or for at least six hours before cooking.

Marinating adds flavor and tenderness to your own chicken kebob recipe.

Crockpot Macaroni Cheese Recipe and 3 More Delicious Crockpot Recipes

I know that a lot of you have at least one of these efficient and time saving appliances hidden away somewhere in your kitchen collecting dust. You probably thought that the Crockpot was just for making soups or stews.

Well, below are some easy to prepare and delicious Crockpot recipes you can try at home:

1. 16 Bean Soup

Ingredients:

- 1 package 16 Bean Soup
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon crushed oregano
- 2 cans no-fat chicken stock
- Additional water to cover
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 3 carrots diced
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 pound turkey Italian sausage sliced
- 2 cans stewed (or diced) tomatoes

Directions:

- Combine first 5 ingredients (liquid should cover mixture by 1"-2") in Crock Pot Cook on high for 2hours.
- Add remaining ingredients and shift cooker to low and cook for additional 3 hours

- For more zing, add cayenne or crushed red pepper when adding second set of ingredients.

Serve as complete meal or over rice.

Freezes well.

2. All Day Crockpot Delight

Ingredients:

- 2-3 lbs. boneless chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 c. flour
- 1/4 c. butter
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 c. beer
- 1/4 c. flour

Directions:

- Coat beef cubes with the 1/2 cup flour.
- Brown in melted butter.
- Drain off excess fat. In crock pot, combine browned meat with onion, salt, pepper, garlic and beer.
- Cover and cook on low 5-7 hours (all day) until meat is tender.
- Turn control to high.
- Dissolve remaining 1/4 cup flour in small amount of water.
- Stir into meat mixture, cook on high 30-40 minutes.
- Serve with rice and salad.

3. All Day Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

- 8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
- 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded sharp Chedder Cheese
- 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
- 1 1 /2 cups milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

- Place the cooked macaroni in crockpot that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the remaining ingredients, all except 1 cup of the cheese, mix well.
- Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese and then cover and cook on low setting for 5 to 6 hours or until the mixture is firm and golden around the edges.
- Do not remove the cover or stir until it has finished cooking.

4. Apple Brown Betty

Ingredients:

- 3 lbs. cooking apples
- 10 slices of bread, cubed (about 4 cups)
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 3/4 c. brown sugar
- 1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted

Directions:

- Wash apples, peel, core, cut into eighths; place in bottom on crock.
- Combine bread cubes, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar, butter; toss together.
- Place on top of apples in crock. Cover.
- Place crock into outer shell.
- Cook on low setting 2 to 4 hours.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Microwave Meatloaf

Many people hesitate to cook meat in the microwave. However, if done correctly it works fine. It is nice in the summer so you don't have to turn on your hot oven. I recommend using a silicone loaf form to make the meatloaf in the microwave. You can purchase a silicone loaf pan in specialty cooking stores. You may also find one at a Department Store such as Mervyns. Silicone is a nice way to go because they are very easy to clean. All you have to do is turn them inside-out to get all the leftovers that store themselves in the corners of your loaf pan. Another thing I like about silicone pans is you can fold them up for easy storage. Hence, they work great if you have limited cabinet space. If you are unable to locate a silicone loaf pan, or simply don't want to purchase one, you can try a glass loaf pan. My only complaint with glass loaf pans is that they tend to dry the meatloaf a little.

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1 egg

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine ground beef, 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce, onion, bread crumbs, egg, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir until well blended. Press mixture into microwaveable loaf pan. Spread remaining barbeque sauce over mixture.

Microwave on high 5 minutes; rotate 1/4 turn. Microwave an additional 5 minutes; rotate another 1/4 turn. If necessary, repeat until center is done.

Pie Recipes - Tips and Facts

I do not know anyone who does not like a slice or pie do you? There are so many different varieties, apple pie, cherry pie, pecan pie, kiwi lime pie, the list goes on! That is not to mention the savory pies, good old steak and kidney, mince beef and onion, cheese and potato and all the others!

The actual content of the pie is only half the pleasure, the crust or topping is something else, some heavy and stodgy, others light and crisp

My family enjoy any type or pie, but when I first got married I struggled to find different pie recipes. Sometimes I would start with a recipe I had used before and with confidence I slightly changed the content and sat back as I watched my family sampled my new pie recipe.

My Pie Recipe Tips.

The main thing to remember when cooking is to have fun, whether it be a pie recipe or not, do not worry if it does not turn out perfect, you can always try again.

If you are cooking a savoury pie such as shepherd's pie, remember you do not have to keep it simple, try changing the potato topping for sweet potato or mix potato and Swede for an extra sweet taste.

Another idea is to mash plenty of cream and cheese onto your mash before topping your pie, although this pie recipe is not so good for the hips it really is delicious!

When trying out a new pie recipe make sure you understand the different cooking terminologies. This can alter the final flavour of a dish as most pie recipes can be prepared in a number of different ways.

If you are stuck for ideas for new pie recipes never forget that information and ingredients for pie recipes is readily available on the internet at the click of a button.

I would strongly recommend you do not invite the world and his wife over for dinner if you are trying out new pie recipes, there is nothing worse than feeling of disappointment if it does not work out to plan. Always test on your family first but ask them to be honest.

When trying new pie recipes always try to get the freshest ingredients you can, visit your local organic farm store if possible, choose vegetables or fruit that in season to be guaranteed the best taste.

Try to think what would go best along side your dish If it is a sweet desert try to consider if it would taste better hot will a cool ice cream next to it. Or if it is savoury what vegetables or side dishes would look best, I would always go for bright colours as the pasty or topping can sometime look pale and boring.

Above all remember to test your food along the way so you know if you should add something to give your pie recipe that little something extra.

Italian Cooking Classes - Ignite The Passion For Italian Dishes With Lydia's Cooking Classes!

Are you one of the many cookery lovers or an individual with who feels like a novice when faced with the task of preparing new and varied meals? Well, whichever category you feel you belong to, we have just the cuisine to delight you with and help you build up your recipe book with interesting, exotic dishes and raise your skill levels at the same time by igniting the latent passion for good food - Italian style!

In fact, even beginners in the kitchen can learn how to put together a great tasting, healthy meal to enjoy with friends and family and it's as simple as tuning in to a cookery show like Lydia Italian cooking demos! You learn by observing the techniques, tips and approaches the Lydia Italian cooking shows offer views and need to follow simple instructions for whipping up the same delicacies in your kitchen - and just await the praise that is bound to come your way with these value additions to your cooking skills!

If you are wondering where to find Lydia Italian cooking shows, you don't need to look further than your food network timings on the TV guide or you can choose to log on to the program's web site after entering the term into any major search engine. You'll not only get all the information of shows to come with highlights of the recipes to be covered, but useful recipe links, details of past shows and live demos too!

We all know that with a little bit of play-way learning, the whole process is made more enjoyable and that's the case with the Lydia Italian cooking show too: with an expert Italian chef guiding you all the way from picking the right ingredients, to mixing, cooking and presenting them just right and advise on entire menu planning, who knows what you can do with all the time and energy you will save on this easy to learn, enjoyable method of cookery schooling.

The best part about the Lydia Italian cooking show is the authentic recipes shown here along with variations of cooking techniques and an interesting, visual plus audio format that is easy to understand and recall; perhaps you could record some shows to watch at leisure too. Thus, it's easy to ignite that passion for cooking great tasting and varied Italian fare by simply tuning in to the Lydia Italian cooking demo.

With a friend, the learning process is double the fun, so perhaps you can find someone who shares your passion for Italian cuisine or simply cooking - and then recipe swaps with other friends is enjoyable too! Anyone who wants to learn to be a better cook can benefit from watching Lydia Italian cooking shows and new recipes - or traditional ones with a twist besides getting to exchange fun tales on the whole experience!

Cooking and Recipes Online

Whether you are looking for some new recipes or having some question concerning cooking or food, the Internet is the right place. There are an uncountable number of websites related to cooking, food and recipes. You find general cooking or recipes websites, you can also find websites specialized in a specific type of food or ingredient, and you still find the cooking forums.

To find these websites is very easy - you just have to do a search at Google, Yahoo, MSN or another search engine that you prefer. By typing in, for instance, 'Italian recipes' you will get a countless number of websites that provide Italian recipes. Not to forget that you can search for a specific type of cuisine ('Chinese', 'German', 'American', etc.) as well as for a specific ingredient ('chicken recipes', 'lobster recipes', 'rosemary recipes', etc.) or cooking method (for instance, 'grilling recipes'). You can see on the right side or on the bottom of the search engine page related terms that you can search for when you type in a more generic term, like 'shrimp recipes'. Another tip is to use quotation marks (" ") if you want to find a precise recipe or information (example: "Brazilian Coconut Shrimp"). Well, once you get the search results you just have to browse and look for the website that provides the recipes or information that you are looking for. And once you find a website that you like very much, don´t forget to bookmark it so you can always go back to it.

Another option is a directory, where you can browse through categories to find cooking and recipe websites. Usually recipes and food related websites can be found under the category Home Cooking - where you usually will find many sub-categories. The best known directory is the Dmoz.org.

Then we have the cooking forums. Cooking forum is a great place to get help with cooking or recipe questions, to discuss cooking methods and techniques, and to exchange food information, recipes, tips, and advice. The great advantage of forums is that they are made by real people with real experiences, interest, doubts, and feelings. You may check the forum Discusscooking.com. Another tip is the food site Grouprecipes.com - there you can create your own food page and organize your recipes, and of course discover new recipes and get in contact with many food and cooking lovers.

Well, as you can see the Internet is a wonderful resource to get recipes, food and cooking information. And the best of all is that it is for free - and if it is not, just search further that you will surely find information for free.

An Easy, Quick Recipe - Baked Ham Steak With Pineapple

Are you often rushed in the evenings? Finding it hard to get dinner on the table and still have time for the important things in life? A few easy quick recipes, combined with a little planning will make cooking dinner a pleasure again.

Look for recipes that are simple --with minimum preparation, then let your oven or slow cooker do the work. This recipe features an easy preparation, then cooks quickly in only 20 minutes in the oven while you fix a salad and warm some dinner rolls. Baked Ham Steak with Pineapple is an old favorite that can easily and quickly solve tonight's dinner crisis.

You will find these pre-sliced ham steaks vacuum packed in the meat department of your grocery. Sizes range from 1 to 2 pounds. This recipe calls for 1 1/2 pound, but choose a steak that will serve your family. If it is much smaller, then cook for a little less time. This serves 4 generously.

Baked Ham Steak with Pineapple

1 1/2 pound ham steak

1 can pineapple rings

brown sugar

cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Trim off or slice through the fat on the edge of the ham in several places to prevent curling in the pan.

3. Place the ham steak in a shallow ovenproof pan and place the pineapple slices on top. Pour the pineapple juice over all.

4. Place the ham steak in the oven and bake for 20 minutes (uncovered).

5. After 20 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and turn the oven up to broil.

6. Baste the ham with the pan juices. Sprinkle a little brown sugar over the pineapple slices and dust with cinnamon.

7. Return to oven and broil for 3 to 5 minutes or until the pineapple is lightly browned. Serve each ham steak with a pineapple slice.

Serve with a tossed salad and dinner rolls for an easy quick dinner recipe solution. I hope that this menu will find its way onto your table soon.