Cooking Recipe - Campers Fresh and Tasty Venison Goulash Recipe

Sometime ago I wanted to take my family on another camping trip which everyone in my family seems to enjoy. I wanted to make this one a little different because I know people get bored with the same limited food choices. So I decided to come up with a more exciting camping recipe than usual.

If you feel like trying something different when camping and you have a camp fire going here is a great dish for you. This Venison Goulash recipe will get your taste buds going.

The day is drawing to a close and you have lit a camp fire. You are going to prepare a dish in a Dutch Oven or an earthenware pot and place onto the embers of your camp fire. This dish is highly nutritious, full of vitamins, iron and minerals. It is also very rich and tasty.

The meat ingredient for this dish is Venison. Venison has a strong meaty flavor which other meats you buy in the shops do not have. It is so much higher in vitamins, protein and iron, much more so than other meats. Another excellent benefit is there is no fat or very little of it.

INGREDIENTS - serves 4

11/2 lb (700 grams) of venison cut into cubes
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 medium onions thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of paprika
salt and pepper
1 large red pepper thinly sliced with pith and seeds removed
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1/2 a bottle of red wine
4 large carrots chopped
1 pint of water

METHOD

Put the olive oil in a large pan and warm it up. Add the rich textured venison and sprinkle on the salt and pepper for seasoning. Also add the paprika for that little extra taste.

Brown the meat to seal in the goodness and taste. Add the onions and garlic. Saute until the onions are soft. Add the red wine and simmer for 10 minutes. This will give the meat extra richness and flavor.

Transfer all the contents into a Dutch Oven or an earthenware pot. Add the carrots and a pint of water. Put the oven or pot onto the embers of your camp fire and surround the pot with the embers.

Do not cover the pot so you can examine the contents from time to time. Cook for approximately 1.5 hours until the venison is tender. Use a fork to test the meat.

This dish is traditionally served with wide noodles but you may prefer mash potatoes or rice. I hope this recipe has wetted your appetite. It really is a delicious, good, wholesome meal full of vitamins, iron and minerals.

Recipes For Cooking Squirrel - General Info

The taste of the squirrel meat is great if prepared the right way. The hunting of a squirrel should be done with a.22 rifle or a shotgun loaded with rat shot or bird shot, or even using a pellet rifle. Depending upon how you like your squirrel, there are various methods you could try. No matter which technique you choose, soak the meat in a sealed bag with buttermilk in your refrigerator. Leave it overnight.

In the morning, pan-fry the squirrel meat. Bread it with a mix of salt & pepper, flour and whatever seasoning you enjoy using on wild meat. Fry the meat until it is completely done. Be careful not to fry it too long because it will become very dry, losing its tasty properties. After cooking it, you should drain all the grease except for enough to cover the bottom of the pan. In order to make the gravy, mix in around 1-2 tablespoons of flour and cook it on a low heat, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add water or milk. You could season the gravy with your favorite seasoning as well as salt and pepper.

You can serve it in a variety of ways: the squirrel topped with gravy or not topped. You could put the squirrel meat in the pan with the gravy, cover the pan and smother the meat on low heat. You can serve it with rice.

We will now offer 3 standard squirrel recipes that you might want to try out:

Cajun Squirrel
Yielding number: 3-4
Cooking time: 1 ½ hours

We need:
o squirrels cut into serving pieces, amount depends upon how many you can eat
o olive oil
o 1 large onion
o 1 large green bell pepper
o 2 cloves garlic
o Cajun spice (Tony Chachere's recommended)
o 2 tbsp Tabasco sauce
o 4 tbsp ketchup
o 1 tbsp Gumbo File seasoning
o cooked rice

How to cook:
In a deep pot or Dutch oven, heat some olive oil. Season the squirrel on all of its sides with the Cajun seasoning. Step two is to add to the hot oil and turn to brown on all sides and continue to cook until done. After doing so, place the onion, bell pepper and garlic in a blender. Cover with water and chop. Add to the pot when squirrel is done. Sprinkle the added vegetables with Cajun seasoning. Add the Tabasco sauce, ketchup and the Gumbo File. Stir all of them to mix well and serve over the cooked rice. Enjoy.

Spicy Squirrel
Yielding number: 5-6
Cooking time: 1 ½ hours

We need:
o 2- 3 squirrels
o BBQ sauce
o ketchup
o water
o minced onion
o pepper
o your favorite spices

How to cook:
In a bowl mix your favorite BBQ sauce and ketchup together to obtain the desired taste. Then, slightly water it down and adjust the taste if necessary. Rub the sauce into the squirrels and place on the hot grill. After that, sprinkle with the onion, pepper and spices. Last but not least, cook on low for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, basting occasionally with the sauce. Enjoy.

Squirrel Delight
Yielding number: 4
Cooking time: 3 ½ hours

We need:
o 1 - 2 squirrels, quartered
o 1/4 cup olive oil
o salt
o pepper
o fresh chopped rosemary

How to cook:
You will boil the squirrels for about 10 minutes. The following task will be to place in a large skillet with the olive oil. Next, season it to taste with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle on the rosemary. Add water to pan to just the top of the meat. Cover and simmer for a maximum of 3 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes. Enjoy.

By browsing the Internet you will find dozens of squirrel recipes that are worth a shot. The key to a delicious meat is to prepare it properly like a wild meat. It is important to know that the squirrel meat takes longer to tender in comparison to traditional meats. We hope that you will enjoy both cooking and eating the squirrel meat.

Campfire Cooking Recipes - Porterhouse Italian Marinated Steaks

Campfire cooking recipes are not complete without a great marinated porterhouse steak recipe. What could smell better than a couple of thick porterhouse steaks when you place them on hot coals with a dash of salt and pepper and roasted corn on the cob than an Italian marinated steak?

Depending on how hot your coals are you should always try to time your foods so everything should get finished cooking at close to the same time so everything stays hot and is at its peak flavor. Cast iron cooking can be fun in the open campfire and lets open fire cooking flavor your food with that great smokey flavor that everyone thinks of when they think of campfire cooking recipes. It makes your mouth water waiting for the vegetables you could be cooking in the dutch oven like celery and carrots with come finely chopped onion and garlic with sliced carrots.

Depending on how many people you have present to feed you should figure one large porterhouse steak per person but don't be surprised if a few end up splitting a porterhouse because they are big meaty cuts that are quite filling. To marinate your steaks it is best to either seal them in a gallon zip lock bag with about a 1/2 Cup of Italian dressing each and coat each steak thoroughly or place the steaks in a large cake pan and pour the salad dressing over the steaks. Wait about 20 minutes and then turn the steaks over and make sure to coat both sides. Just before you place the porterhouse steaks on the hot coals wipe off any dripping Italian dressing. Grill on the first side for about 5-7 minutes being careful not to burn them over to hot a campfire.

What are good campfire cooking recipes without a side dish to accompany a mouth watering steak like an Italian grilled porterhouse steak? Try roasting some asparagus spears wrapped in strips of bacon. A tasty treat to beat a plain potato would be to try roasting a sweet potato instead. You need to start the sweet potato about 45 minutes before you start your steaks though and make sure you wash them, coat them with a little oil and pierce the skins with a fork to hasten the cooking time and to keep the skin from drying out. The roasted sweet taste of a sweet potato is not to be missed.

Never forget the tried and true campfire cooking recipes queen of the campfire, the smores around a fire at night. Who can resist the temptation of chocolate, marshmallow and that yummy cracker? Can you just smell the sweet smell of a smore in the air? Campfire cooking recipes are endless with so many foods to choose from for ingredients.

Cooking Pork Ribs Chinese Style

Cooking Pork Ribs Chinese Style has been going on since 5000 B.C.! That's when the Chinese first domesticated the pig. Pork ribs were certainly utilized extensively by the frugal Chinese.

This particular recipe probably would not be recognized in China but it definitely has a Chinese influence. The soy sauce and garlic and the sweetness of the marmalade is definitely Asian in origin.

The best thing going for this ribs recipe, other than great taste, is its ease of preparation. The short ingredients list can be thrown together quickly and the slow cooker takes over from there.

Cooking Pork Ribs Chinese Style

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 pounds bone-in country style pork ribs

Directions

Combine the minced garlic cloves, orange marmalade, soy sauce and ketchup in a bowl. Pour half of the sauce into your slow cooker. Add the ribs and then pour the remainder of the sauce directly over the ribs.

Set your slow cooker for low and cook for approximately 6 hours or until the ribs are tender.

Remove the ribs and place on a serving platter. Thicken the sauce with the thickener of your choice. I like a cornstarch and water slurry. The sauce is great not only on the ribs but also over cooked rice.

If you are in a hurry you can set your slow cooker on high and cook for about 3 hours. The ribs are still tender and juicy. But I prefer the slower, longer cooking time.

Country Style Ribs

Country style ribs are not actually ribs at all. They are cut from the shoulder section of the animal directly in front of the pork loin.

Sometimes they have bones and sometimes they don't. If you can't find bone in then boneless will do fine. Even though I feel the bone adds to the flavor. Maybe just my imagination!

Other rib cuts will work for the recipe also.

To complete the Chinese theme you must have rice and maybe some steamed Bok Choy. Serve fortune cookies as dessert.

This is a favorite recipe in my recipe file. You might think so to. Give it a try when you are thinking about cooking pork ribs.

Sprouts and Curds and Whey Cooking Recipe Guide

Here are some tips for cooking sprouts and making curds and whey.

SOAKING & SPROUTING & FERMENTING

Soaking overnight in salted water and/or some whey liquid. Just cover seeds in a shallow dish and cover with a tea towel and keep in warm spot in the kitchen. Rinse and use the next day or leave longer to achieve a sprout. Soaking overnight in water is excellent for nuts and seeds to be eaten the next day as they are or to be dry roasted on a very low temperature oven all day to crisp up and firm up. This makes them easy to store. Soak nuts will go off in 24 hours if not consumed or dry roasted.

Leave seeds in shallow dish until you get a sprout it depending on temperature of the day, sprouts will appear (1-2-3 days). Use immediately or refrigerate to use the next day. Use as they are in stir fries, soups, salads etc.

CURDS AND WHEY

Pour 1litre good quality unprocessed whole fat milk in a glass jar and leave out for 2-3-4-5 days depending on the temperature of the day. The warmer it is the faster the process. Once you get a separation of clear liquid and thickening of milk (may resemble cottage cheese or yogurt), strain through a clean 100% cotton pillow case or tea towel and allow to hang with string above a bowl. The clear liquid that comes out is whey and what is left in the cloth are curds. Whey is rich in protein (people spend a fortune on protein powder which is highly processed and very unhealthy. This is the pure stuff! Liquid Gold! Store whey in a glass jar and add to smoothies or drink as is, to soak seeds, grains, nuts or beans and to ferment or make pickled vegetables). Once all the whey is drained from the curds, it make take 24 hours of hanging, place in a glass container and add sea salt and some dried or fresh herbs. This is what I call my home made fresh cheese.

Bread - sprout whole and raw buckwheat and equal amounts to equal 500grams. Once sprouted process in a food processor and add three quarters of a cup of yogurt and sea salt. Herbs may also be added at this stage such as oregano or caraway seeds. Experiment to make your own. You can even add dried currants and cinnamon for a sweet bread. Allow to sit in a dish for 24 hours to ferment with the yogurt and then pour in a very well oiled tray or tin. Coconut oil of course. Lay it on thick as this will prevent it from sticking. Sprinkle more salt on top as well as herbs and bake until golden brown. Check the inside with a knife to make sure it is cooked.

Think about all the foods which are not prepared in way to inactivate anti nutrients and make them digestible....processed pasta, bread, cakes, biscuits, soy products etc.

Chicken Biryani Recipe - Secrets of Making a Perfect Biryani

If I ask you, "which is your favorite Indian rice recipe"?, I am sure your topmost answer will be "a biryani". Even in biryanis the most liked of all is a chicken biryani.

So here is a recipe for you to make a perfect biryani.

Ingredients required

Ingredients for marinating the chicken

* 1 Kilo Chicken on the bone cut into 12-16 pieces
* 1 cup of curd
* 1/2 Teaspoon turmeric powder
* 1 Tablespoon of ginger garlic paste
* 1 Teaspoon of coriander powder
* a little salt

Mix all of the above ingredients and let the chicken marinate for 6-12 hours, more the better.

Herbs, spices and condiments used are as follows

* 8 cloves
* 1 Cinnamon stick
* 6 green Cardamoms
* 2 Bay leaves
* 1/2 Teaspoon shahi jeera (caraway seeds)
* a few pinches grated nutmeg and mace each
* 1 Teaspoon Coriander powder
* 1 Teaspoon red Chili powder (to taste)
* 5-6 Tablespoon of chopped fresh mint
* 2-3 chopped green Chilies
* 4-5 chopped Tomatoes
* a whole bunch of fresh coriander leaves

For fried onions

About 8-9 medium size onions

Other Ingredients
* 500 g good basmati rice
* Oil for deep frying and 3-4 tablespoon for cooking
* 1 Tablespoon of ginger garlic paste
* 1/2 cup of milk
* a few strands of Saffron (kesar)
* Desi ghee (clarified butter) about 6-7 Tablespoons
* Cashew nuts ( a few or as many as you want)
* Raisins and almonds are optional
* Salt to taste

Deep fry the onions
While the chicken is marinating, slice the onions very thin. You can use a food processor for this or a slicer. Now heat oil and fry these sliced onions in batches. The heat should be medium. Definitely not high, otherwise the onions will get burned.

Stir the onions continuously for uniform browning. When they become light brown, drain them on kitchen paper. Keep them aside. They will get nice crispy as they cool down.

Cook the Chicken

Take a deep, wide mouth vessel and heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in it. In this add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, little bit of shahi jeera and allow to crackle. Now add a tablespoon of ginger garlic paste and stir a little. Now tip out all the marinated chicken and the marinade. Cook on a high flame so that the water gets evaporated quickly. Add the chopped tomatoes, mint, green chilies, all dry powders(coriander, chili), and salt. Cook till the chicken is cooked and the gravy (masala) is not watery. Add one third of the fried onions. Mix well. Keep aside.

Parboil the rice

Boiling rice is one of the most important part of cooking a biryani. The rice needs to be parboiled. Meaning, it should be three fourth cooked. The rest of it gets cooked on dum (when we layer the chicken and rice, seal it and put on a very slow fire).

To boil the rice take a big deep wide mouth vessel, add lots of water (at least 10 times more than rice). Add ample salt (this is very important because the rice needs to be salty when cooked). Also add a cinnamon stick, a couple of green cardamoms, a few cloves and the rest of caraway seeds (shahi jeera), for flavoring the rice.

Now boil all this for a few minutes on a high flame (7 minutes or so). This is how to check if the rice is done. Without burning your fingers, take a few grains of rice (use a clean spoon to take some out of the boiling water), break a grain, if it breaks into 3 parts easily, your rice is done.

Strain the rice and spread it on a clean surface ( a tray or something), so that it cools faster. If you want to pick out the whole spices which you added, you can do that now. Or else just let them be.

Keep all these ready

Now that the rice and chicken are cooked. Fried onions are ready. You just need to get a few more things organized, so that the layering can be done.

* Chop the coriander leaves
* Boil the milk and add crushed saffron in it. Give it a stir.
* In desi ghee, fry the cashew nuts till golden brown. Also the almonds and raisins, if using. Keep aside.
* Keep some melted desi ghee aside.

Layering the biryani

Take a heavy bottom pan with a lid (non stick is best).

Take some melted ghee and grease the bottom of the pan with it. Then

* Put a layer of rice,
* Then a layer of chicken
* followed by a layer of fried onions
* then a layer of chopped coriander.

Repeat and finish off with the rice layer. Lastly, sprinkle the leftover fried onions (if any), cashews and other nuts. Pour the saffron milk on top. Also pour some desi ghee down the sides of the pan and some on top of the rice. It will trickle down with the heat.

Yep, you are done. Seal the lid by sticking it with some chapati dough or simply fix a big foil before placing the lid. The idea is to restrict the steam from escaping. Place this pot on a very slow flame. Ideally place this vessel on top of another flat pan or tawa, so that the bottom of the pan doesn't come in direct contact with the heat source.

Leave for one hour. When you open it, what you get is the magical, flavorsome and aromatic chicken biryani. Please dig in. Don't forget to prepare a riata while your biryani is cooking. Enjoy hot biryani with a cold raita.

Easy Recipe For Cooking a Beef Roast

When cooking a beef roast it is important to know that seasoning added to the surface of the meat before roasting will only penetrate the meat a small fraction. Large beef roasts, like beef ribs and rounds usually have mostly fat covering or bone. The reason the seasoning of a beef roast has little effect is because the fat and bones are not commonly eaten. This is why it is important to know two alternative techniques when seasoning a beef roast right before roasting.

1. Marinate the meat or apply seasonings in advance, to give the time for flavors to penetrate.

2. Serve the beef roast with a flavorful sauce, gravy, or jus. The sauce serves as a seasoning and favoring for the meat.

3. Another way to add flavor to beef roasts is to smoke-roast them. The flavor of wood smoke in cooked meats is delicious.

When cooking beef roasts it is also important to roast them fat side up. When you roast them with the fat side up, the fat melts and runs down the sides and provides continuous basting. Also, when cooking a beef roast, it is better to cook the meat on low temperatures. This increases the tenderness in the beef roast.

ROAST RIB OF BEEF with Au Jus/Serves 20 to 25

Ingredients

- 20lb beef rib, roast ready, bone in (average size)
- 8oz Onions
- 4oz Carrots
- 4oz Celery
- 2qt Brown stock
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste

How To Put It Together

1. Place the meat fat side up in a roasting pan.

2. Use a thermometer and insert it in the center of the roast.

3. Place meat in a preheated 300 degrees F oven. Roast until rare or medium done, as desired, allowing for carryover cooking. Thermometer readings are, Rare: 120 degrees F, Medium: 130 degrees F. Note: the outer slices will be cooked more than the center. Roasting time will be at least 3 to 4 hours.

4. Remove the meat from the pan and let stand in a warm place 30 minutes before carving.

5. Drain off all but about 3 to 4 oz of the fat from the roasting pan. Try to keep any juices in the pan. Add the mirepoix (onions, carrots, celery) to the pan.

6. Set the pan over high heat and cook until mirepoix is brown and moisture has evaporated, leaving only fat, mirepoix, and browned drippings.

7. Pour off any excess fat.

8. Pour about 1 pt of stock into the roasting pan to deglaze it. Stir over heat until brown drippings are dissolved.

9. Pour the deglazing liquid and mirepoix into a saucepot with the remaining stock. Simmer until mirepoix is soft and liquid is reduced by about one-third.

10. Strain through a china cap lined with cheesecloth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

11. When serving, cut down beside the bones to free the meat, and slice the meat across the grain.

12. Serve each slice with Jus.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Many people enjoy cooking and love to spend hours in the kitchen recreating dishes that they have had in restaurants or abroad. Trying to ensure that the dish tastes as it did when you first experienced can be difficult, but with the right recipe books it is far easier. One cuisine that is cooked over and over again is French food; people love the taste of it and always have fond memories of where they first tasted it. Mastering The Art of French Cooking is a timeless cook book which many chefs will have on their bookshelves and use time and time again.

With beautiful illustrations, and easy to follow techniques this book is simply fantastic. It suits professional chefs and amateurs alike, everyone can recreate something new and exciting once you have read Mastering The Art of French Cooking. The key to any good cookbook is the way it is laid out, any meal can be recreated if the instructions on how to do it are clear, and simply laid out. There are no secrets to good cooking and all it takes is the ability to read a recipe. The ideas and step by step guides are great in this cookbook; they guide you through every element from going to the store to actually buy your produce, right up to the finished meal.

Mastering The Art of French Cooking is a chef's bible to other useful tips and hints. It advises you what are the best cuts of meat to buy and even offers advise if you can't find the exact French ingredients. It tells you what you can substitute for another item, and this is invaluable advice when trying to cook a meal. The book also suggests what to serve with your meal, including what side dishes will compliment it, and what wine to drink with it.

The book is laid out easily, and is based around themes although it offers countless variations to cook. The recipes are in a sensible order, and once you have got the confidence then you can move through the book cooking better and better meals. All of the recipes have been adapted to allow for the modern conveniences of today, the classic ways of doing things are approached in a new style. All of the ingredients can be found at your local store, and there is no need to worry that you won't find an ingredient.

Mastering The Art of French Cooking really is the bible of cookbooks; it has everything you could possibly want in a book. Once you have read the book a few times, and tried the recipes you will gain confidence within yourself. You will begin to realize that cooking isn't difficult; with the right recipes and instructions supplied you can achieve great things. This cookbook guides you through the world of food, from breakfasts, soups and so much more, you can create delicious meal after meal with this book. Your family and friends will never tire of you cooking from this great cookbook-- Mastering The Art of French Cooking!.

Cooking BBQ Pork Ribs

Have you always wanted to learn to cook incredible baby back and spare pork ribs? Looking for a great barbecue ribs recipe? Here is a crash course on grilling pork ribs.

Pork baby back ribs (loin back or back ribs are all interchangeable terms) run from just below the backbone (top) to the midpoint of the circle. Spare ribs continue from the midpoint all the way to the sternum. So each carcass supplies 2 racks (slabs) of baby backs and 2 racks of spares. Since baby back ribs come from the upper part of the pig near the tenderloin, they tend to be much more expensive than spare ribs which are lower on the pig so often deemed less valuable.

Baby back ribs have less fat, less meat and are often more tender than spares and are typically smaller in size (1.25 to 2.25 pounds per rack). Spare ribs have more meat, more fat and are usually less tender than baby backs. Spares arguably have more flavor due to the higher fat content and are close to the belly where the bacon comes from. Spares are larger in size (2-4 pounds per rack) and take longer to cook.

Rib Selection

Although not always easy to find, fresh ribs seem to be the best in quality. Try to avoid frozen or previously frozen ribs. Often ribs are packed two or three to a package so it is not always easy to inspect individual racks before purchase.

Try to find racks without large patches of visible fat. Fat renders well on Boston butts or shoulders, but that is not always the case with ribs. Often fat patches can actually become hard when cooking. Where possible, avoid racks with bones showing in the middle of the rack (referred to as shiners) as the meat can pull away from the rack and cause the ribs to separate during the cook.

Rib Preparation

Typically spare ribs are sold untrimmed (unless the package specifically is labeled 'St. Louis'). Untrimmed have the brisket (sternum) attached with a flap of meat (often referred to as skirt). St. Louis style has been trimmed with the brisket and skirt already removed. Typically, it is more cost effective to buy spares untrimmed and trim them yourself.

The skirt and brisket (often called rib tips) are excellent for smoking and make a great snack while waiting for the whole racks to cook. A typical butcher shop or grocery store tends to charge more money for St. Louis style, yet you are actually getting less meat.

To remove the skirt, hold it up perpendicular to the cutting board and lay your knife on the bone of the rib and slowly cut flush with the rack until the skirt has been cut out completely. Save this piece for some rub and throw it on the smoker with the rest of the meat.

The next step is the most difficult step to perform. Many cooks will cook the entire rack with the brisket and skirt attached, but most prefer to cook the ribs St. Louis style. Cooking an untrimmed rack can cause issues with cook times where the brisket portion requires more time to cook than the ribs themselves which can result in overcooked ribs to finish the brisket. You can run your fingers along the brisket and feel where the ends of the ribs attach to the brisket. Cut straight along that line with a sharp knife to separate the ribs from the brisket. Once this step is completed, the spare ribs now look similar to a rack of baby backs.

The last prep step is to add your favorite barbecue rub. The rub is an extremely important step. Apply liberally but not excessively. Be careful with your rub. Many rubs are interchangeable, but some do not work well on ribs due to the surface area of the meat. A spicy rub that works well with a Boston butt or brisket may be too spicy for ribs.

Cooking Ribs

Ribs are actually pretty easy to cook with the right equipment. A good smoker with your favorite wood and following these directions can deliver consistent results. Among the barbecue community, there is a number formula for cooking 'fall off the bone ribs'. For baby backs, the number is 2-2-1 and for spares, 3-2-1. The first number represents the number of hours cooked straight on the rack of your smoker. The second number is the number of hours wrapped in foil and the last number is the number of hours without foil. So, for baby backs, two hours 'naked', then 2 hours in foil and 1 hour naked. This will result in great tender ribs.

The last hour of cooking is a good time to baste with your favorite sauce. This time is meant to enhance the flavor and caramelize a good sauce. Be careful to monitor closely though with sauces high in sugar because they can easily burn. During the cooking process many cooks will use liquids to enhance the flavor and tenderness. Liquids like apple juice, butter, honey, molasses or even alcohol. An interesting combination is to mix half bourbon and half apple juice and use a spray bottle to mist on the ribs during the last hour.

Use the 'bend test' to make sure they are done. Grab the rack in the middle with your tongs and lift off the rack. If the other end is bouncy and springy, they need to cook longer. If they bend about 45 degrees and look like the end will break off, they are done.

Best smoke temperature is 225 degrees. Ribs go well with many different woods because of their surface area to meat ratio. I typically use mostly hickory, but ribs do well using other smoking woods like cherry, peach, pecan or mesquite.

Lastly, any barbecue purist will tell you to NEVER boil (parboil) your ribs. You are literally boiling the flavor right out of them. Parboiling is a technique for those cooking ribs in the oven. Doing so cuts down the cook time significantly but is a step that I would never do.

This should give you a great start on cooking bbq ribs with your best bbq ribs recipe.

A Fun Child Cooking Activity Includes Making P.B. & J. Muffins

A child cooking activity includes a lot of fun in the kitchen. Cooking with kids opens the door for learning opportunities such as math, science and nutrition with the end result being something yummy to eat. There are lots of simple recipes to use when cooking with kids. Since kids love peanut butter and jelly, I have included this Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffin recipe for you to try with your child.

Before beginning a cooking activity review some health and safety tips with kids. It is important that they wash their hands before, during and after handling food. This reduces any food borne bacteria (germs) being transferred to the food they are going to eat. Review safety tips on using knives, electric equipment such as mixers and blenders, and basic kitchen rules such as not running or participating in any horseplay during this activity. Provide aprons for the kids to wear and tie any long hair back off the face.

Now you are ready to begin a cooking activity with your child. Pick an easy recipe to begin with and go over the recipe with the child or the group. Set out all the cooking tools that you will need. This is a perfect time to review math concepts such as measuring, fractions, time and temperatures. You can also discuss science concepts of how certain ingredients like baking powder, baking soda, and egg whites can effect the properties of food.

These Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins are a wonderful snack, breakfast treat and school lunch box item.

Tools needed to complete this child cooking activity:

• Mixing bowls in small, medium and large sizes


• One to two spatulas or large spoons


• Measuring spoons


• Dry-ingredient measuring cups


• Liquid measuring cups


• Muffin pans

Ingredients needed are:

• 2 cups flour


• ½ cup sugar


• ¼ teaspoon salt


• 1 tablespoon baking powder


• ½ cup peanut butter


• 1 cup milk


• 1 egg


• 2 tablespoon melted butter


• 1/3 cup jam (any flavor)

Instructions to make your muffins:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray muffin pans with a nonstick cooking spray.

2. Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, peanut butter, egg and melted butter.

4. Add the dry ingredients and stir until the flour disappears. Do not stir too much or the muffins will be tough.

5. Fill the muffin pan wells half full with batter. Top each with ½ teaspoon of jam, then spoon more batter over the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Store any leftover muffins in a resealable plastic bag or container. Kids will have some much fun with this cooking activity that they will be asking to cook all the time!

Award Winning Italian Meatballs

Here is a recipe for Italian meatballs that helped win a cooking contest that I entered. The prize for the winner was a limo for the night for friends and family and a trip to San Francisco to a top notch Italian restaurant called Fior d'Italia. If you have a recipe for a dish that you love, you might consider entering a cooking contest. There are thousands of cooking contests around the United States.

Some of the winners receive money, prizes or their own cooking show on TV. The Food Network TV channel is always casting for a competition. Check out their web site for; The Next Food Network Star competition.

Here is my Italian meatball recipe. The recipe that won the award is called; "Rigatoni Pasta With Raisin Meatballs And Portabella Mushrooms Topped With A Fresh Tomato-Marsala Sauce."

Chef Vinny's Italian Meatballs

2 lb. Ground beef (chuck or regular) not lean

2 tsp of salt or more if you like

3 large garlic cloves minced

4 eggs

1 tsp of minced dry basil leafs

½ tsp of minced dried oregano

½ tsp of black pepper

¼ cup of fresh chopped parsley

¼ - ½ cup of plain breadcrumbs

¼ cup of grated fresh parmesan or Romano cheese

(Optional) ¼ cup of raisins makes great tasting meatballs!!

Mix all in large bowl with your hands and form meatballs. Place on an oven tray and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until they become firm and slightly brown. Don't over cook.

When done place all the meatballs into your favorite pasta tomato sauce and let simmer or medium heat until the meatballs are cooked all the way through. Serve with your favorite pasta. Enjoy!

Japanese Cooking Oil - What is It?

There are a number of different oils which people around the globe use for their meals. There are those which are made from olives, palm, coconut, sesame, vegetable, canola, peanut, truffle and almond among other things. Oils are used to fry food, sauté and to simply provide better lubrication and heat conduction in food as well as to add more distinctive flavors to each dish.

Among the oils available in the cooking market, the Japanese Cooking Oil has been among the most controversial and most yearned for. This kind of oil is rather mysterious as the Japanese use this all the time and is able to benefit from it. They are able to use the oils as often as they wish and still be free from the dangers of bad cholesterol or saturated fat. As the Japanese Cooking Oil is used in most of the Japanese dishes in its preparation or to add more flavor to a dish or perhaps both, they are able to benefit most from it.

The biggest source and the actual secret is not how it is extracted, nor its purest form. What is important is where it comes from - the actual source which is fish. Fish oil is known to be rich in Omega 3 which battles heart diseases and cancer among others and enables one to have great health. As the Japanese is known to consume large amounts of fish in their daily diets, they are able to reap all the benefits the fish oil can give a person.

There are a number of other great values one can find in this source of great health; one can be free from harmful radicals and cholesterol regular oil can bring. These are among the purest sources of unsaturated fat and good cholesterol. With constant use and exposure, one is guaranteed to be able to reap the best rewards healthy eating can give.

Substitute For Marsala Wine - Cooking Alternatives

What is Marsala wine? Can you use a substitute for Marsala wine if a recipe specifically calls for this particular wine?

Marsala wine is produced on Sicily by using various varieties of grapes such as the Inaolia, Catarratto and Grillo grapes among others. It also comes in three grades that are classified according to color and sweetness, they are: Oro which is a light gold color, Amber, a darker sweeter blend and Rubino the true red variety. Marsala wine is a very sweet wine and often used in Italian cooking with many dishes using it in their names, such as the worlds famous Chicken Marsala that is served at Italian restaurants around the world. It is also often served as an aperitf before dinner.

If you do not use alcohol of any type or are against using wine in cooking you can omit it from certain recipes without to much trouble. For example, in Tiramisu you can completely omit the wine and follow one of many nonalcoholic recipes available that are still delicious.

It is a different story if you are considering using a substitute for Marsala, for example in Chicken Marsala, then it would be best to use a very sweet wine, a port or a sherry. Though this will, at times drastically alter the flavor of the recipe and it would then be best called chicken and wine instead of chicken Marsala.

All in all, there really is no substitute for Marsala wine in some recipes. This wine is often used as a base flavor for sauces. It has a very distinct flavor when it is reduced. It offers a flavor that is often key and the entire foundation of a dish.

It is good to note wine has been reported to have antioxidant properties and a reasonable amount in a moderate diet has been reported as healthy. Also, for those that do not wish to partake in alcoholic beverages, all the alcoholic properties and content of the wine cooks off during the cooking process and leaves only the essence of flavor behind. Marsala wine is also very easy to obtain and is usually available at most liquor purveyors. It is typically located by the ports and the sherry. It is reasonably priced and is a great addition to any kitchen pantry and once used, sure to become a stable in many of your favorite recipes.

Ultimately the decision is yours, substitute Marsala wine or not? Alcohol or none? Change can often be a good thing, but sometimes it is best to follow the recipe and use the list of ingredients recommend for the best results. Like the old saying goes "if it isn't broke, don't fix it."

A Delicious Tri Tip Roast Recipe - Grilling Tri Tip Can Be Easy!

Do you like to throw big barbecues in your backyard every weekend? Is throwing a few steaks on the grill and relaxing with your friends the ultimate fun for you? If this is true you may want to try buying a tri-tip. One of the best cuts of beef and enough to serve many people yet it is one of the least expensive steaks you can buy. One large steak versus a bunch of little steaks is easier and better for grilling and one tri-tip can easily feed 5-6 people.

Many people on the East Coast are unfamiliar with the tri-tip as a steak. East Coaster's see the tri-tip as a roast which technically it is but when grilled the taste resembles that of a steak. All the BBQ restaurants on the West Coast are guaranteed to be cooking up this cut of beef.

Steaks can be prepared in many ways. Once way is to marinate the meat overnight so that the flavors can fully incorporate into the meat. You can also use a dry rub which you put on just before placing on the grill. One favorite method of cooking is to use a dry rub and add your favorite flavored BBQ sauces ten minutes before its finished cooking leaving it with a crisp crust and juicy center. Be sure to grill your tri-tip over indirect heat at approximately 325 degrees. This way the meat is actually slowly cooked so that it comes out tender and succulent.

Don't be in a hurry with the tri-tip though it can easily take 60-90 minutes to cook or more depending on size. Figure approximately 30 minutes per pound cooking time.

If you are the type of person who has to burn the heck out of a steak to eat it then the tri-tip is definitely not for you. The tri-tip should be served medium or even medium rare. When the center temperature reaches 140 degrees it is time to remove it from the grill. Let it sit uncovered for about 10 minutes to allow the juices to settle and not pour out at the first slice. Enjoy!

World Of Warcraft Cooking Guide

A World of Warcraft cooking guide is available to those who want to add a little flair and flavor (if you'll excuse the pun) to your game. There is no dish too obscure in World of Warcraft, and you may be asking yourself, why would you want to take up cooking? Well, as explained in the World of Warcraft cooking guide it can also be very useful, as food is the method of how players heal after being in combat. If your character is one that needs food to heal, it is advisable to train in cooking, as you will be able to get food for next to no money, therefore always remaining healed.

Traveling around the world will often allow you to get good cuts of meat that can be used to make food, instead of being sold to merchants. You can choose to buy food from merchants, but this is silly when the food you can make by reading the World of Warcraft cooking guide and making use of it, will ensure food for free.

As with any of the professions, to get started you will need to find an NPC who can train you to become an apprentice cook. Once you are through with training, you will have to go to a trade merchant and purchase the necessary ingredients to cook up a storm. It is good to learn how to make a camp fire to cook over, so make sure you carry tinder, and flint, as well as some good wood. Although you can find other means of cooking along your journey like braziers, fireplaces and stoves, the World of Warcraft cooking guide will tell you that campfires give you way more options.

The World of Warcraft cooking guide, explains that in order to become an artisan cook you will need to complete a number of quests. If you are Alliance, Daryl Riknussun from Ironforge is able to help, and the cooking trainer, Zamja in Ogrimmar with the Horde side can start it off too. You need to have a 225 cooking skill to start it off. In order to learn expert cooking you will need to purchase an Expert Cookbook. These can be found in Shadowprey Village in Desolace (Horde) or at Silverwing Refuge in Ashenvale (Alliance).

You will find that cooks are not as common among the professions; therefore it will be easier for you to get the recipes that you need. You can get them as rewards for completing various quests, or it could be part of a stash of loot from a monster or chest. Some recipes are only available on certain quests and on special holidays. The World of Warcraft cooking guide suggests that you ask your friend to be on the look out for recipes which they probably won't have any use for. Keep checking the Auction House for new ones that come in, but more often then not, other players will just give them to you.

A final bit of advice from the World of Warcraft cooking guide, is to build your cooking skills and advertise your skills to really well to entice as many people as possible who need your food for healing, as it is cheaper than other methods, and you can make a good profit from doing this. A good profession to combine with cooking is fishing, which will give you unlimited access to fish. They are also a good food to use for healing. So keep this in mind when choosing professions and you could make money and have loads of fun in the process.

Clam Cooking Chronicles Article Three - Clam Bake Base Recipe

As a good chef knows, you can enhance any culinary creation by adding your own personal touches, i.e. certain special ingredients to any simple, base recipe. Pastas are a great example of this. As are many kinds of home-baked breads. Variations on a theme, as the artist would say, can be the stuff of miracles. And the culinary arts are no less artistic than any other art form.

For this delicious clam bake, you will need eight medium-sized red potatoes, a pound of clams in the shell, approximately one and a half pounds of other seafood, muscles, shrimp, even squid are all excellent ideas, usually about a pound of mussels, and a half pound of some other type of seafood should do the trick. You will need approximately 48 ounces of chicken broth (about one can), 3/4 of a cup of butter, 1/4 cup of dry vermouth, and don't forget: you need a nice, fresh French baguette or other type of fresh-baked bread.

Be sure to be sparing but decisive with any added spices or other ingredients; add them in when you begin cooking, and remember that spices and substitutions are optional. This is definitely a recipe you will want to experiment with a little bit until you find the very best combination of ingredients for a clam bake you can truly call your own.

First, spread your ingredients in layers across the bottom of a large pot. Place the potatoes in first, then cover them with a layer of clams, then add your mussels (optional - otherwise use your own substitution) and then top the third layer with a layer of shrimp (again, optional - otherwise use your substitution). Pour in the vermouth, pinch in any spices, and then add just enough chicken broth to fill the pot halfway. Depending on the size of your pot, you may not use all of the broth. Cover the ingredients and tightly seal the pot shut with aluminum foil. You will want to bring the mixture to a complete boil, then reduce heat and simmer over a medium-to-low temperature for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes of simmering, remove your clam bake from the heat. Then, carefully remove the foil from the pot and uncover. Drain the liquid before you serve. Melt half of the butter and put it into four separate dishes for dipping. The other half of the butter should suffice for serving with the fresh bread.

What you end up with should be a truly delicious dish. If you are looking for a little more complex flavor but you are not sure what kind of spices to use, you can add rosemary, or perhaps thyme. But most importantly, you want to remember not to over-do it with the spices. The flavor of the fresh fish will be strong and very succulent, and the broth adds to the richness of the recipe as well. Remember you want to please, but not overwhelm your taste buds.

Some types of art are poetic, written lyrics are something to be read aloud. There are certain types of artwork such as music, which is meant to be played or sung. Then there is wall art, beautiful décor such as drawings and paintings that are naturally intended to be put on display. In the case of the clam cooking chronicles, culinary art is something to be tasted - something to be savored. By definition, these exquisite recipes are designed to be pleasing to the culinary art enthusiast, or perhaps just someone who is hungry. Serve a dish that is truly divine, and your guests, as well as your self, can please the palate. Everyone will appreciate the time, effort, and the ingredients you put into it.

Cooking Quinoa Grain

Cooking Quinoa Grain can be done in a number of ways. The way you choose will depend on what type of recipe you are going to use it in. The most basic way to prepare it is by boiling it in water. You use one part of quinoa to two parts of water. Rinse the quinoa under a tap to get rid of any coating on the seeds.

Some brands will already be pre washed and not need the rinsing process. If it needs rinsing you will see a light foam appear when you rinse it. You then bring the quinoa to the boil and then simmer it for 10 - 15 minutes. If you want it firm and crunchy then only boil it for ten minutes. If you want it soft and fluffy then cook it for fifteen minutes. After you have done this a few times you will get to know how you like it.

As well as boiling it in plain water you can use vegetable stock or meat stock to boil it in. This will infuse the quinoa with the stock flavour. Some people also add olive oil to the water. You can also add any herb or spice you want to experiment with. What ever you add will add this flavour to the grains you are cooking. This is good when you are using it as a plain meal accompaniment as it gives it a bit of flavour without overpowering it.

You can also cook quinoa in a microwave oven although this is no quicker than the standard method and it does take more watching than boiling.

If you are making a soup, risotto or a casserole then you do not need to prepare quinoa in this way. You can simply add it to the other ingredients and it will bulk up during the cooking process. You may need to add some more liquid because quinoa absorbs a lot of the moisture in the recipe. It will also slightly thicken the recipes which means you can reduce the amount of cornflower or other thickening agents you might be using. Your meals will feel much more satisfying and filling and you will feel fuller for longer because quinoa is a complex carbohydrate.

You can add the seeds into cakes, cookies and scone recipes. It has to be prepared using the boiling method described above. You can also make them into a breakfast style porridge and add fruit to give it a more interesting flavour.

Sacred Heart Soup Recipe - Need the Recipe For the Sacred Heart Cabbage Soup?

Looking to start the Sacred Heart diet? It's been a pretty popular one week diet plan for a while now, and can be helpful for people looking to lose weight quickly. For some pros and cons of the diet, check the link at the bottom. The sacred heart soup diet really isn't the best way to lose weight if you want to keep it off, but it's got some good points to it.

Traditional sacred heart soup recipe:

* 6 - Green onions; chopped
* 2 - Diced Bell peppers
* 2 - Cans tomatoes, diced or whole, including the juice
* 2 - Cups of cold water
* 2 - Finely chopped Garlic cloves
* 1/2 Head cabbage chopped in bite size pieces
* 2 - Cubes beef or chicken bouillon that is dissolved in hot water
* 2 - Squash, diced into bite size pieces
* 1 - Zucchini, diced
* 2 - Cups each of sliced carrots, celery and mushrooms
* 2 - Tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley
* Hot Sauce, salt and pepper may be added to your taste

Cooking directions:

Get a pot or a kettle, put all the ingredients in it, and bring it to a boil for about ten minutes. Then reduce the heat and simmer until all ingredients are tender... usually about an hour and a half. The longer you let it simmer, the more flavorful it will be.

You should notice an increase in your energy levels within a few days as you lose weight. Don't live on it though since it doesn't have all the things your body needs to function long term... but it makes a pretty good filler meal. Remember if you're going to do the Sacred Heart Soup Diet, you need to follow the rest of the eating plan too.

Here is another sacred heart soup recipe, one that is a little lighter on the ingredients. Same cooking ingredients as above.

* 6 large green
* 2 green peppers
* 1 or 2 cans of tomatoes
* 1 bunch celery
* 1/2 head cabbage
* 1 package Lipton Soup Mix
* 1 or 2 cubes bouillon
* 1 48 oz. can V8 Juice
* 1 Cup of cold Water
* Salt & pepper to taste

The 7 day Sacred Heart plan to go with the Soup Recipe:

Add this to the sacred heart soup, and you've got a plan that can help you break through some dieting plateaus. No bread, pasta, and alcohol. Leave the soda alone, especially diet soda (it makes food cravings a lot worse). Water, tea, or coffee work fine as long as you don't add too many sweeteners and cream.

* Day 1 - Any fruit you would like to eat except bananas.
* Day 2 - All the fresh vegetables you want, in moderation of course. :)
* Day 3 - Consume as much soup as you wish. Consume plenty of fruits and vegetables.
* Day 4 - No more than six bananas. You may also have some skim milk
* Day 5 - 8 to 12 ounces of lean beef.
* Day 6 - More beef or chicken along with any vegetables you like
* Day 7 - Consume as much unsweetened fruit juices, brown rice and fresh vegetables as you wish.

Campfire Cooking Recipes - Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob might not be a typical campfire cooking recipe but once you have perfected the simple recipe, you will wonder why you hadn't tried it before!

First, select corn at its prime. The husks should be stiff and dark and you should be able to feel the kernels when you press against the husk. Strive to cook and serve the corn the same day it is picked to maximize freshness. Once the corn is picked, the sugars begin to convert to starch and the corn will start to lose its natural sweetness.

Collect enough cold water in a sink or bucket to cover the corn for soaking. The corn will float on top but the water will get where it needs to be. If you prefer, add a handful of coarse salt to the water and stir. Let the corn soak for about an hour. You can stir occasionally but it's not necessary. If you are roughing it while camping and don't have access to a sink for soaking the corn, just skip this step.

After you have removed the corn from the bath, shake the excess water off but don't be afraid to leave a little moisture on the kernels. This will aid in the steaming process. Pull back the husks to the handle and remove the silk. Slather the kernels with sweet, salted butter and shake some salt and pepper on. Pull the husks back up to cover the corn. Tightly wrap the buttered corn in 2 layers of tin foil and place on the hot coals of the fire. The roasting should be complete in 20 minutes. Check one ear after 10 minutes to gauge the remaining cook time. The corn should be steamed through and the heated butter should have caramelized. If scorching occurs, bury the next batch in ashes.

Allow the corn to cool off before unwrapping. The foil may have pockets of steam that could burn you.

When you are ready to deviate from standard corn on the cob, try a sweeter version. Mix some honey and salt with some butter and slather on before wrapping in tin foil. The sweetness of honey combines well with the salt and butter.

To save prep time at the campsite, try covering the corn with the butter mixture and wrapping in foil while at home. Once you are ready to cook at camp, you can simply pull out the foil packages and toss them in the fire. If you prepare at home, you can also be more creative with the seasonings you pair with the butter. Think chives or chili powder!

Once you and your family have tried this recipe, you can make your own variations of campfire cooking recipes. Enjoy!

How to Cook Tri Tip in Your Oven Like an Expert

If you've got any of my other cooking articles here, you know I'm somewhat of a tri tip expert. I love it. Normally, I do mine on the grill, but there are times (especially when I'm busy) where I'll cook it in the oven. And you know what? It still tastes great. Here's how I do it.

First of all, you need to rub / marinade your meat however you like it. There's no perfect way. I've done tri tips all kinds of ways-it's the cut of meat I use when I experiment. However, you're going to want some wet works for the cooking. This could be a mixture of olive oil and other ingredients or your preferred marinade.

If your meat is in the refrigerator, take it out for about 5-10 minutes before cooking.

Heat up your oven to about 425 degrees F. Make note that cooking times and temperatures can vary from oven to oven.

Next, place your tri tip on a baking pan fat side down. Drench a little of your preferred wet works over it and slide it in the middle of your oven. Set your timer for about 45 minutes. Your cooking time might be about 1 hour, but from about the 45 minute mark, you want to pay real close attention to the meat.

Here's the key. Every 8-10 minutes, add some more marinade over the top of your tri tip. You may end up doing this 6-7 times depending on final cooking time. Remember to take it out before it's actually done, because it will continue to cook for up to 10 minutes afterward. And I like to wrap mine in foil for 5 minutes before cutting it.

Lastly, if your cut of meat has a fair amount of fat on the fat side, start it in the oven with that side up for about 8 minutes and then flip it for the rest of the duration. If you've done everything right, your tri tip from your oven will be very tasty.

Holiday Cooking Tips - Easy Stuffing Recipe

Are you cooking the holiday meal this year? Part of cooking the perfect turkey is finding an easy turkey stuffing recipe to go along with it. This tasty stuffing recipe, with variations included, is delicious and will wow your guests.

For reasons of food safety, cook your stuffing separately from the turkey.

Ingredients for Easy Turkey Stuffing Recipe

Giblets and turkey meat from the neck
1 package seasoned stuffing bread crumbs
3/4 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup butter or one stick
2 tbs olive oil
2 cups turkey broth from your cooking turkey. Supplement with canned or packaged chicken broth if necessary.
3 eggs
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 c chopped mushrooms
1 tsp poultry seasoning
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

Stuffing Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Begin by sauteing giblets in 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil for about 3-4 minutes.

Add the mushrooms, chopped onions and the celery and mushrooms, then saute for 3-4 minutes more.

Turn the heat to low. Take 2 cups of broth from the cooking turkey (or use canned broth) and add it to cooking mixture. Also add onion, celery and mushrooms, seasonings, remaining butter, salt and pepper. Stir all ingredients over low heat for about 10 minutes.

Place the package of seasoned bread crumbs into a large mixing bowl, then pour giblet mixture over the bread crumbs very slowly, tossing them to coat thoroughly. Make sure all the liquid is absorbed.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk 3 eggs together. Add these to the stuffing mix and blend thoroughly. The stuffing will be should be sticky. If it isn't, just add a small amount of broth and continue mixing.

Lightly grease an 8x8 baking pan, then pour stuffing mix into it, covering with foil. Bake the stuffing for about 45 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking uncovered for about 10 minutes more.

The top of your turkey stuffing should be crispy and golden brown.

This Easy Turkey Stuffing is delicious topped with gravy and makes about 8 servings.

Here are some more hints for great turkey stuffing.

1. Add just enough liquid to make the uncooked stuffing mix moist but not soggy.

2. Cut up all veggies finely and make sure they cook thoroughly during the saute step.

Variations to Easy Turkey Stuffing Recipe

1. Try adding 8 oz of drained and washed oysters to the giblets when sauteing. You've just made oyster dressing!

2. Mince 4 cloves of garlic and add to saute along with the other veggies.

Creating the perfect turkey dressing is easy and this recipe will make the centerpiece of your holiday dinner.

Grilled Garlic-Stuffed Top Sirloin Steak Recipe

The garlic used in this sirloin steak recipe calms down during the two stages grilling, adding a nice richness to the top sirloin. Top sirloin is a more tender and leaner cut than bottom sirloin.

This sirloin recipe works best grilled over charcoal and mesquite chips. It can also be cooked inside in the oven, although you will not get the same smoky flavor.

1 3-pound boneless top sirloin steak (about 2 inches thick)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Garlic Filling:
1 medium garlic head (baked in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped scallions

On an outdoor grill, get enough charcoal lit to have a single layer coals below the meat. At the same time, soak a few handfuls of mesquite chips in water.

In making the filling, break the garlic head apart, then squeeze each soft garlic clove from its skin. In a small skillet or frying pan, heat one tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the garlic, and mash it into the oil with a fork until you form a rough paste.

Stir in the scallions, and cook for a minute or two, until the onions are soft. Remove the pan from the stove top, and let the filling mixture cool while you get the meat ready.

Trim off any fat from the sirloin, and cut a horizontal slit along the length of the steak to make a pocket. Be sure not to cut through to the other side. Spread the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil thinly over the sirloin.

After allowing the charcoal to become gray, spread the soaked mesquite chips on top of the coals. Lay the steak on the grill over the coals. Cover the meat with the grill lid, or make a foil tent to lay over the sirloin.

Grill the meat on one side for about 15 minutes, then turn it. Grill for another 10 to 15 minutes, until reaching your desired doneness. Serve immediately.

Cooking Measurements And The Inexperienced Cook

Do cooking measurements matter? When a recipe calls for a pinch of this and a dash of that, does it really matter how much you put in? What will happen if you leave an ingredient out?

If you're an inexperienced cook, you wonder about the answers to these and other questions. Let's take the mystery out of cooking measurements once and for all.

What's a Pinch or a Dash?

A pinch of an ingredient (usually a spice) is literally the amount of the ingredient that can be held between your thumb, your index finger, and your middle finger. A small pinch is the amount of an ingredient that can be held between your thumb and one finger (take your pick which one you want to use). A dash, on the other hand, is a measurable amount - less than one-eight of a teaspoon but more than one-sixteenth.

Converting Cooking Measurements

Follow this table to convert U.S. measurements to metric:

1/5 teaspoon...1 ml

1 teaspoon...5 ml

1 tablespoon...15 ml

1 fluid ounce...30 ml

1/5 cup...50 ml

1 cup...240 ml

2 cups (1 pint)...470 ml

4 cups (1 quart)...95 liter

4 quarts (1 gal.)...3.8 liters

1 oz. weight...28 grams

1 pound...454 grams

What If It Gets Left Out?

Including all the minor ingredients is more important in baking things like cakes, cookies, and pastries, than it is in meat loaf, omelets, and salads. Generally speaking, it's a good idea to follow the recipe. Whoever wrote the recipe experimented with the cooking measurements to get them just right.

Now, if you know you can't stand the taste of cumin, and you want to substitute oregano for cumin in a meat loaf recipe, that's one thing. But leaving ginger out of ginger spice cookies is just wrong.

Measuring Tools

The importance of cooking measurements has led to a whole industry of cooking measuring cups and spoons. One of the most popular cooking measuring cup sets today is a blue ceramic set that looks just like a big coffee cup, marketed by Nigella Lawson the beautiful and famous television chef.

The most popular measuring spoons are heart-shaped measuring spoons by RSVP International. These spoons have arrow handles and heart-shaped measuring spoons. They make the user smile every time they use them.

The final cooking measurement device every cook needs is a scale. The best scales are digital, with the ability to accurately weigh items in bowls or plates or on slips of waxed paper.

How to Cook Snapping Turtle

Where I grew up in south Louisiana, we saw plenty of snapping turtles, but most of us never thought to eat one. Maybe it's because we were blessed with having so many crawfish around, which were much easier--and less dangerous!--to catch and cook.

Nevertheless, occasionally one of my readers has asked me how to cook a snapping turtle. So, if you happen to find one of these rather nasty looking critters in your fishing net, or have one packed away inside your freezer, here's a great way to prepare it.

By the way, snapping turtle is actually quite delicious!

Assuming you have a live snapper on your hands, the first step, of course, is to kill it. Don some gloves, grab a sharp knife, and cut off the turtle's head as quickly and cleanly as possible. There will be blood, of course, which you should allow to run down the drain of your sink until the flow has slowed considerably.

Now drop the turtle's body, shell and all (except the head, of course) into a big pot of boiling water. Boil for 8 minutes. This is mainly to make cleaning it easier.

Remove the turtle from the pot and allow it to cool sufficiently to be able to handle it. Take your sharp knife and cut away the plastron, or lower shell. Remove the intestines and other organs. Now cut the good stuff, the meat, away from the top shell; be sure to include the legs and tail, which are the best-tasting parts (the skin should come off of these easily after boiling).

You can cook turtle meat, whether from a snapper or some other species, in many different ways. My favorite is this snapping turtle stew:

1. Cut the turtle meat into cubes.

2. Begin browning the meat in a hot frying pan with cooking oil. Add a chopped onion, one or two chopped cloves of garlic and continue cooking until the meat is browned all over.

3. Drain the oil from the frying pan. Remove the meat, onion and garlic and place them in a saucepan (one with a lid). Add 2 cans of tomatoes and 4 sliced or chopped potatoes, some salt and pepper, and enough water to cover everything.

4. Cover the saucepan and cook at a strong simmer for 40 to 50 minutes.

5. Enjoy!

Deep Fryers - Our Recipe For Great Southern Fried Chicken

As an avid cooking and deep frying fan from south Louisiana, I have tried many different recipes to find the perfect home-fried chicken. I have dabbled with various south Louisiana spices and deep fryers looking for the right combination. Sometimes, less can mean more when referring to ease of cooking and quality of the final product. In this article, I will show the recipe that I find to be the easiest and most effective way for deep frying chicken southern style. Personally, I prefer to use a professional style deep fryer with all the bells and whistles. However, a simple deep frying pot is all you really need to get started.

Recipe for Southern Fried Chicken

Ingredients needed include:

1. Canola oil (or any other frying oil that you might prefer)

2. Chicken (cut into pieces)

3. Ice

4. Cayenne Pepper

5. Zatarain's chick fri

6. Zatarain's fish fri

7. Garlic power

8. Water

Steps:

1. The first thing we do is heat our grease (canola oil). Using one of our deep fryers, we place enough canola oil to cover all the chicken we will be boiling. Do not overload the deep fryer (or frying pot). We suggest only frying a few pieces of chicken at a time.

2. While the grease is heating, we clean our chicken in water and then cut into pieces that will be fried. Then, we place the cut pieces into a pan of water making sure that all pieces are covered.

3. Next, we sprinkle cayenne pepper over the water and mix with the chicken (the amount of pepper used depends on the fryer's preference); as a general rule, make sure that you at least cover the top water layer.

4. While the chicken is soaking and the grease/oil is heating, we prepare the following mixture: one bag of Zatarain's chick fri + one bag of Zatarain's fish fri. To this, we add cayenne pepper and garlic powder (again, the amount depends on the deep fryer's preference); the first time using this recipe, we suggest using small amounts of each (1-2 teaspoons). You can always adjust with future recipes.

5. Once the oil/grease is boiling (temperature of about 350 degrees), we remove the chicken from the water and place in our batter mix (see step 4). Make sure each piece of chicken is appropriately battered.

6. Add the chicken to the deep fryer and cook for approximately 16 minutes. If using a deep fryer with an internal basket, you can simply raise the basket once the chicken is cooked. Always follow the manufacturer's guidelines when using deep fryers. Safety is very important because you want to do everything possible to avoid getting burned with hot grease. If you have any questions or doubts at all about what you are doing, make sure to get these doubts cleared before using hot grease or deep fryers.

7. Once the chicken is cooked, remove carefully from the deep fryer or frying pot using the appropriate utensil(s). Once cooled enough, enjoy some of the best southern fried chicken imaginable.

NOTE: Because we love frying foods so much, we decided to open our own home-based internet business to sell some of the most highly recommended deep fryers. In addition, we sell George Foreman grills and rice cookers online.

TGI Fridays Pasta - This Spicy Cajun Chicken Recipe Hits the Spot

Chicken is one of the most popular dishes. TGI Fridays pasta dish is another popular dish. I've got a spicy Cajun chicken pasta recipe that is kind of similar to the one served at TGI Fridays. Give it a try and see what you think.

This recipe gives 4 servings. If you want to make it a little or a lot spicier you can add cayenne with the chicken seasoning or sprinkle a 1/2 teaspoon on when the vegetables are cooking.

Ingredients:

8 oz. linguine
4 chicken breast, skinless and boneless
1 tablespoon Cajun spice - like Tony Cachere's
4 tablespoons butter
2 bell pepper
1 red pepper
8 mushrooms
4 green onions
3 cups cream - substitute some whole milk to lower the fat content if you want
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Start boiling the water for the pasta, follow the directions on the package. Cut the chicken breasts in bite size pieces and coat with cajun spice, then saute the chicken with the butter, olive oil can be used also. While the chicken is cooking up chop the vegetables. When the chicken is done cooking add the vegetables. I like to cook my chicken so it's a little browned. I think it adds a bit more flavor and texture to the dish. After the vegetables have cooked for a few minutes, lower the heat and pour in the cream, mixing to fully incorporate the ingredients. Also at this point mix in the spices. Take the drained pasta and put in a serving dish and pour the chicken mixture over the pasta. You can mix it all up or not, depending on your tasted. Put Parmesan on each of portion after serving.

Cooking Filet Mignon

Filet mignon is French, of course, with filet meaning "thick slice" and mignon meaning "dainty." Filet mignon comes from the small end of the tenderloin (called the short loin) which is found on the back rib cage of the animal. This area of the animal is not weight-bearing, thus the connective tissue is not toughened by exercise resulting in extremely tender meat. This also means that the meat lacks some of the flavor held by meat that has the bone attached. In order keep the flavor, you must cook filet mignon quickly. This can be done a variety of ways, including broiling and grilling.
It should never be cooked beyond medium rare, because the more done it is, the less tender and more dry it becomes and the more flavor it will lose. You should always use a dry method of cooking, even when it will be a quick method. Methods of cooking that are dry are such types as roasting, pan frying, grilling, broiling, etc. Since this cut of meat is more dry than others, you will not want to cut the meat to check to see if it is done. Instead, you should touch it. The touch-method of checking is not as hard as it may sound:

1. If the meat feels hard or firm, it is too done.

2. When the filet mignon is soft when you touch it and your finger leaves an imprint, it is rare.

3. If it is still soft, but leaves no imprint, and is slightly resilient, then it is medium rare (best for this particular type of meat).

The reason filet mignon is often wrapped in bacon (this wrapping is called barding) is because this particular cut of meat has no layer of fat around it. The bacon not only adds extra flavor to the filet mignon, it also gives it the fat necessary to keep the meat from drying out. This is a concern since the strips are so small in filet mignon and they have less fat than most cuts of beef.

What to serve with Filet Mignon

Since the flavor of filet mignon tends to be quite mild, many people prefer to serve it with sauces, either smothering the beef or as a dip. There are many different choices for the best sauce for filet mignon and most depend solely on the person's particular flavor preference. Some consumers prefer to have a certain type of steak sauce for dipping and some may prefer a marinade to add flavor during cooking. Either of these can turn out well.

Wines & Filet Mignon

There are many different types of wines that are good to serve with filet mignon, and determining which one will go best with it depends largely on the flavor of the sauce. This is especially true if the sauce is rather strong, or has a flavor that is stronger than the filet mignon itself. The best wines to match with filet mignon are dry, red wines such as Merlot. If your preference is a sweet wine, you may want to consider trying a White Zinfandel (if this is your choice, though, you will not want to use very much pepper on the filet mignon). If you are a white wine drinker, the best match for filet mignon will be a rich Chardonnay.

Tips for cooking Filet Mignon

-When selecting tenderloin or slices, choose the lighter color over dark red. This indicates more marbling which makes it more tender. This cut is so tender that it should never be cooked beyond a medium-rare stage. The longer you cook it, the less tender and more dry it becomes.

-Use a dry, high heat method such as broiling, roasting, pan-frying or grilling for this tender cut.

-Whole tenderloin is wonderful to stuff or bake en croute (in savory pastry).

-Cutting into the meat to check doneness lets precious juice escape. Use the touch method. Press the meat. If it feels soft and mushy and leaves an imprint, it is rare. -If it is soft, but slightly resilient, it is medium-rare. The minute it begins to feel firm, it is overdone.

-Since the tenderloin has no surrounding fat tissue, it is often wrapped in a layer of fat (called barding) such as suet or bacon to keep it from drying out. Likewise with filet slices. The barding also adds flavor.

-Cubed tenderloin is a popular choice for fondue hot-pots and shish-kebabs.

-To ensure even cooking when roasting the whole tenderloin, the small end should be tucked up and tied or trimmed for other use.

Cooking the Best Meatloaf Recipe

Meatloaf is a popular American meat dish. In order to enjoy the best meatloaf recipe that is comparable to a Belgian, Dutch and German treat, a meatloaf is best served when baked or smoked. For home cooking, searching for the best meatloaf to enjoy at home is a challenge. Local restaurants sometimes even have their own recipe in making meatloaf which they often market as the best meatloaf in town.

Sometimes, people have the notion that a meatloaf is just a big and hard lump of pork meat that does not look appetizing and does not look healthy. In reality, a meatloaf can be served with lower fat, lower carbohydrates and there are healthier meatloaf recipes to enjoy such as turkey meatloaf which is grounded and wrapped in bacon. The usual meatloaf recipe has oatmeal which is always the favorite one.

Here's a recipe that best presents the steps in making a meatloaf. The recipe also includes some significant ingredients to enhance the aroma and flavor to enjoy the best meatloaf recipe.

Ingredients Needed

The basic ingredients needed in making the best meatloaf recipe are the following:

Ground beef
Bread crumbs
Green bell peppers

Other ingredients needed to enhance the outcome of the meatloaf are the following:

Garlic powder
Chopped onions
One egg
Ketchup
Tomato Sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Brown Sugar
Dijon Mustard
Beef Stock
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and pepper

Instructions to Make a Meatloaf

Use a clean bowl and put in the following ingredients: tomato sauce, ketchup, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and brown sugar.

Add in the beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. Mix and blend all the ingredients then let the mixture to settle for a few minutes.

Get another clean bowl then put in the following ingredients: ground beef, green bell pepper, onions, egg, bread crumbs, and garlic powder. Add the salt and pepper for seasoning. Mix and blend well.

Next thing to do is to combine the two mixtures and mix well.

Pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees. Get and clean a loaf pan. Sprinkle some oil in the loaf pan. Then, pour in the meatloaf mixture in the pan.

Put the loaf pan inside the oven and let it cook for less than an hour.

Take out the loaf pan and make another tomato sauce mixture. Pour in the tomato sauce mixture in the meatloaf and put in the meatloaf again in the oven. Wait for 15 to 20 minutes and then remove the meatloaf.

Immediately serve the meatloaf since it is more tasteful while still hot.

Remember that there are several ways to cook a meatloaf. A meatloaf can be baked in an oven and it can be cooked using a crock pot. A crock pot also makes the meatloaf a lot more delicious although it may take some more time to cook than an oven. However, to enjoy the best meatloaf recipe, it is worth the entire wait.

Learn Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipes For Everyday Cooking

Do you think you need a pasta sauce recipe to make a great pasta dinner tonight? I promise you that if you learn three of the most commonly used (and so called) culinary mother sauces, you will be creating all kinds of dishes with a never-ending variety of options. You might even find a new favorite pasta sauce recipe to claim as your "signature." Even if you just want to get some great new ideas for everyday dinners, these three sauces provide endless opportunity.

Become a Master of the Marinara Sauce Recipe

Tomato Sauce is one of the five "Mother Sauces" in French culinary and the starting point for any marinara sauce recipe. There are two parts to this sauce that are made separately with their own procedure and then come together at the end: tomato concasse and a sauce "base". The sauce base can be meat, vegetables, broth, seafood - whatever you will be using to make YOUR marinara sauce recipe. Tomato concasse sounds fancy, but it simply means a mixture of tomatoes coarsely chopped. But - there is a trick to getting this mixture sans seeds and skins. Here's my quick technique for blanching tomatoes, which is the first step in making tomato sauce:

1. Core tomatoes on one end and score an "x" on the other side with a knife. This will be where the skin peels away during boiling.


2. Place tomatoes in a pot of boiling water.


3. When the skin at the "x" has peeled back, it is time to remove the tomato and shock it in an ice water bath to stop the cooking. This will vary by tomato due to size and ripeness.


4. Peel and seed the tomatoes. Peeling should be very easy. If it's not, the tomato didn't stay in the boiling water long enough.

Depending how you'd like your marinara sauce recipe to end up, you can puree the tomato concasse or keep it chunky.

Now, onto the sauce base. For a simple marinara sauce recipe, you will probably keep this vegetarian, adding vegetables if you prefer a chunky sauce or vegetable broth if you prefer a smoother sauce:

1. Saute chopped onions and garlic in a hot pan with a small amount of olive oil.


2. Add your tomato concasse (or puree). This is also where you'd add any other vegetables, like mushrooms or peppers, to your tomato sauce.


3. Add vegetable broth and reduce to almost dry.


4. Add tomato paste to thicken and color - heat through.


5. Add the seasonings of your choice. Basil and oregano are the common ones, but experiment to find what you like.

You've now got a great homemade pasta sauce recipe that you can make almost any night of the week. My guess is that this process would take you about 30-45 minutes to prepare. During this time, your pasta is cooking and your meal is ready in under an hour!

Make any White Sauce Recipe with One Procedure

When you think of a white sauce recipe, most often what you are imagining has its roots in the French mother sauce, bechamel. Bechamel forms the foundation for every white sauce recipe - including the favorite fettuccine Alfredo or even the classic macaroni and cheese. The key to making this velvety white sauce smooth is knowing how much milk to add. This is something that is best determined with your eyes - not a recipe!

You start by melting butter on the stove and then removing it from the heat. As you add some flour - a little at a time - you will be watching for the mixture to thicken up to the consistency of wall paper paste. When it does, you've got roux and it is time to return to the heat. Your goal here is to cook the proteins out of the flour. You will know this has happened when the majority of the roux has turned from yellow to white. During the process, you will smell a toasty smell as the proteins cook out. Now you can start adding milk. This is the most important step in making this sauce so take your time here. You will continue to add milk - a little at a time - until the sauce stops thickening. So here's the process:

1. Add some milk and stir.


2. Stop stirring and observe.


3. If sauce starts thickening back up over the heat, add more milk.


4. Continue steps 1-3 until the sauce doesn't thicken back up (in step 3).

I like a garlic flavor to my white sauce recipe so here's a trick for adding garlic, but not adding the lumps of chopped garlic. I simmer whole garlic cloves in the sauce for a bit and then remove them before serving. This will infuse a nice garlic flavor into my white sauce recipe. Finally, if you are making an Alfredo (or macaroni and cheese), this is where you would add your favorite cheese(s), stirring over heat as they melt.

A Buttery Garlic Sauce Recipe in Less then 30 Minutes

I saved my favorite garlic sauce recipe for last for a couple of reasons. First, it is a great sauce because you can make it rather quickly, using ingredients you most likely have on hand. However, this homemade pasta sauce recipe can be a little bit trickier than the first two, which makes some shy away from it. But, don't worry. With a few tips, you'll be making this one like a pro tonight!

Again, we start with one of the French culinary mother sauces - this time: beurre blanc, a saute of shallot (with garlic) and any liquid and mounted with cold butter. The trick to this sauce is to always keep the butter yellow. If your butter stays yellow, it means that the sauce has not broken. Here is my best tip for keeping the butter yellow in your garlic sauce recipe. This is one time, we don't start with a hot pan (as we normally would in saute method). The cold pan and cold butter hit the heat together. To melt the butter, without burning it:

1. Melt a little bit of butter.


2. Remove from hit and swirl around to melt more butter.


3. Return to heat for a couple of seconds to get the butter hot again.


4. Remove from heat and swirl around to melt more butter.


5. Repeat steps 1-3 until all the butter is melted.

When the butter is melted, you add your shallot and garlic and saute, but you don't want to brown anything here. Controlling the heat (so as not to separate the butter) is the most important secret for success when making this sauce. Keep the butter yellow - can't stress that enough! Once the shallots and garlic have cooked to become translucent in color, add a cold liquid (usually white wine) and then cold butter, cut in consistent squares. If the pan starts to get too hot (as evidenced by white specs floating to the top of the butter), you will remove it from heat and add more cold butter to cool the sauce quickly. You can always heat it back up again when you cool it - but you can't fix it once it has actually broken. When you are satisfied with the consistency and flavor of the garlic sauce recipe you've created, add salt and white pepper to taste and serve on your favorite pasta.

With a little practice, you will become very good at whipping up a great pasta sauce recipe every night based on what you have on hand in your house. For everyday cooking, a great sauce paired with pasta makes for a great and complete meal. With these techniques and your creativity, there is no stopping the great cook in you from emerging!

What is a Shallot and How to Cook Them

If you're wondering what is a shallot, you might like to have a look through a French cookbook. Shallots are a very common ingredient in French food where you'll find their mild oniony flavor used in a wide variety of dishes and sauces. Learn a little bit about shallots with these tips and then give them a try. You'll soon find them nearly as indispensable as onions in creating your favorite recipes.

What Does a Shallot Look Like?

Shallots do come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but in general they are smaller than an onion. They might be purplish or rose, as well as white or grey in color. They are shaped similarly to a garlic clove, although larger. Like garlic, you may find them in a head, with several shallots attached together. In general, when a recipe calls for a shallot, they are referring to an individual "clove" of shallot and not an entire head.

Selecting and Storing Shallots

Shallots tend to be moister then onions and therefore more susceptible to mold and rotting. When buying this vegetable, you'll want to look carefully for any beginning signs of mold. The shallot should have a dry feel to it, but it certainly shouldn't be shriveled.

You'll want to store your shallots like onions, in a cool dark place. A basket on your pantry shelf should work fine. It is best not to store them closely packed, as any mold will spread quickly if they are touching.

Preparing Shallots

Shallots are peeled similarly to an onion. Slice off the ends of the shallot, and then grab a hold of the thin skin and peel it back. In most French cooking the shallots are chopped more finely then an onion.

Cooking with Shallots

Although they are similar to an onion, there are some important differences in how shallots are used in French cooking.

• 
  Less is more. One or two shallots finely chopped are usually all that is needed to add a subtle, slightly sweet flavor to recipes.



• 
  Go slowly. If your recipe calls for cooking the shallots in butter or oil, you should do so on a low temperature. Just like garlic, shallots can over cook easily. You want them to come out soft and slightly caramelized, not crunchy and bitter.



• 
  Marry it well. Shallots are especially tasty when cooked with white wine, cream and butter.



• 
  Substitute. Although there's nothing like the real thing, if your recipe calls for shallots and you have none on hand, you can try substituting an equivalent amount of red onion.

Now that you know what is a shallot, be sure to try them. You should be able to find them at your grocery store, and if not, please do ask for them. You'll be happy to find a wonderful and easy way to add new flavor to your cooking