Cake Baking Tip Guide

Writen by Patricia Jensen

Successful cake decorating is all about preparation. Baking and preparing your cake for decorating is a critical part of the total process. In this article, I'll share some expert tips for basic cake preparation to get your cake creation off to a fabulous start! These easy tips will ensure your cake decorating success.

Preparing a Cake Board -

Many specially themed cakes are too large to fit on a plate, so a cake board may be used. Cut a piece of stiff cardboard to the desired size. Cover with foil, or heavy coated wrapping paper.

I often use colored tissue paper, covered with colored cellophane of the type used to wrap gift baskets. This gives the desired background color, with a surface which is easy to wipe clean. It also makes a great background to enhance the presentation and photographing of your final cake masterpiece.

Preparing Cake Pans -

Use metal pans with a nonstick finish. Grease and flour pans before adding cake batter. Spread a thin layer of vegetable shortening on the bottom and sides of the pan. This works better than butter or margarine as the cake releases more easily from the pan. Sprinkle a little flour in each pan, and tilt to coat evenly. Shake out excess.

Testing for Doneness -

Follow baking instructions for time and temperature specified in the recipe. Cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake should have pulled away from the sides of the pan and the top will spring back when touched lightly in the center.

Removing Cake from Pan -

Let cake cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Invert wire cooling rack over cake and flip over. Shake gently until cake releases from pan. Place a second wire rack over the bottom of the cake and flip over again so cake can cool right side up.

Preparing Cake for Frosting -

Slip each cake layer into a gallon-size freezer bag and place in the freezer for 30-45 minutes. An even easier method is to place each layer on its own plate and cover with plastic wrap before freezing. I poke a toothpick or two into the top of each layer to keep the plastic wrap from sticking to the cake's surface.

Light freezing firms up the cake just right and allows you to easily brush any crumbs from the surface prior to frosting.

Best Base Frosting Recipe -

The thin texture of the base frosting allows easier coverage without pulling bits of cake and crumbs away from the cake. This is essential particularly if you are frosting white over chocolate cake. When base coat is done, frost over with your desired finish frosting.

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat with electric mixer until smooth. Add milk 1 tsp. at a time to desired consistency. Frosting should be fairly thin. This is a great base frosting. Use if as a first coating layer to seal in any crumbs and give a nice smooth surface to the cake.

Cutting and Trimming -

You can create many different cake designs by cutting your cake layers into various shapes. Measure and mark your cutting line with toothpicks or wooden or metal skewers. Use a sharp knife and brush cake lightly with a soft pastry brush to remove crumbs prior to frosting.

Trim the rounded tops off cake layers to form a flat surface. Use a long serrated knife to trim with a gentle sawing motion. You may also wish to trim the edges of rectangular cakes to give a more professional look.

Frosting Tools -

Use various sizes of flexible metal spatulas for frosting. Large ones are used to smooth wide flat areas while a narrow tipped spatula is great for getting into small areas.

Toothpicks or wooden or metal skewers can be used to mark cutting lines on your cake.

A pastry bag with several tips is necessary to pipe on decorations. I have a reusable pastry bag that is easy to rinse clean. In a pinch, you can even use a plastic sandwich bag with a tiny hole snipped from one corner.

Now that you have all these important basics in place, you and your cake are primed and ready for frosting

Next step: Check out our Kid Birthday Cake Idea Collection - Cake Decorating Without Fear!

Copyright 2005 Kids Party Paradise All Rights Reserved

Patricia B. Jensen is a mother of three and kids party enthusiast. She is the webmaster and owner of Kids-Party-Paradise.com - a complete resource for kids party ideas including invitations, cakes, decorations, games, costumes, favors, and food.

For all the latest party news, read her Kids Party Blog.

How To Prepare Fresh Oysters

Writen by Susan Carey

A much-prized mollusc, the oyster appears on menus throughout the world, its unique flavor and texture being unlike any other type of seafood. Many varieties are extensively cultivated around the world; the best European oysters include the English Whitstable oyster and the Belon and green Marenne from France. Most are sold raw, though a few are bottled or tinned in fresh water, or frozen.

Live rock oysters can survive unopened in the shell for up to two weeks if they are kept in a cool, damp place, preferably in a hessian bag, or wrapped in seaweed. If stored in a plastic bag or a refrigerator, they will soon die. Always discard oysters with partially open shells or those with an offensive odor as they are probably already dead and could be dangerous to eat.

Oysters should be plump and creamy and smell of the sea. Opened oysters should be eaten on the day of purchase.

Oyster opening is an acquired skill, but it you follow the instructions below, you should soon master it.

- You will need a short, strong, flat-bladed knife to open oysters, plus a cloth with which to protect the hand that is holding the shells, close to the hinge, where there is a gap in the corrugated shell edge. Lever the shells apart by twisting the knife quickly.

- As you pull the shells apart, take care to retain the liquid in the deeper bottom shell. Oyster liquid is much prized. Detach the oyster from the flatter top shell and place it in the deeper bottom shell, in its liquid.

Serve oysters with lemon wedges, for squeezing, and brown bread and butter, accompanied by a glass of crisp white wine. Alternatively, grill the oysters in their shells with a variety of other flavorings, such as spinach, cheese, cream, cayenne pepper or bacon. Oysters are also delicious in pies and soups.

For more cooking articles, resources, tips and recipes from around the world: http://www.101cookingrecipes.com http://www.101vegetarianrecipes.com http://www.herbs-spices-recipes.com

Littleknown Tips For Easy Holiday Baking

Writen by Mimi Cummins

Are you wondering if you have the time to bake homemade Christmas cookies this year? Every year at about this time we all start to get a little panicked that the holidays are coming up fast and we're not really ready yet. Here are a few little-known tips and tricks, for almost every type of cookie, to help you get the most out of the time you spend baking.

Cutout Cookies

Don't struggle with dough sticking to your rolling pin. Instead, roll out your dough between two sheets of waxed paper. This will eliminate the sticking problem.

Do your cutout cookies always seem to turn out dry, tough, and tasteless? The trick with the waxed paper will help with this. Assuming that you started with a good recipe, the problem is that you are overworking your dough and working too much flour into it. Using the waxed paper will help you to manipulate the dough less, and the dough won't pick up any extra flour.

Refrigerator (Icebox) Cookies and Pinwheels Ever notice how your roll of icebox or pinwheel cookies gets flat on one side from sitting on the refrigerator shelf? Keep them nice and round by standing them upright in a tall drinking glass while they're chilling.

Do your cookies flatten further when you try to slice them? Try rotating the log 1/4 turn after each slice.

Having trouble with the cookies crumbling as you try to slice them? Start with a log that has been frozen for several hours. Then use a very a very sharp to slice through.

Cookie Press Cookies (Spritz)

Having trouble getting your cookies to form properly? When your dough doesn't seem to stick properly, put your baking sheet in the freezer for an hour or two, while keeping the dough at room temperature. Then when you press out your cookies onto the frozen sheet, the dough will stick to it just like your tongue sticks to a frozen metal pole when you lick it (assuming you've ever been silly enough to try this).

Don't forget you can pick up your mistakes and put them back into the press.

Bar Cookies

When making bar cookies, create a liner for your baking pan by turning the pan upside-down and covering it with aluminum foil, making sure to form the corners and leaving an overhang of an inch or two. Then, remove the foil, turn the pan right side up, turn the foil over and place it inside the pan. It will make a perfect liner for your pan. If required by your recipe, grease the liner. Then continue baking your bar cookies as directed. Once baked, you can lift out the entire batch of bars and place it on a cooling rack to cool completely. You can then immediately re-use your baking pan for another batch without having to wait for the previous batch to cool, and you won't have to wash the pan.

All Cookies

Eliminate the need to grease your baking sheets and wash them later by lining them with parchment paper. Parchment paper can be re-used several times and gives excellent results.

Do your cookies seem to brown too much, or cook too fast? Buy a dependable oven thermometer and check your oven temperature. Your oven's internal thermometer may not be accurate. Or, perhaps you are using a non-stick baking sheet or pan. The dark color of the non-stick coating can make your baked goods brown too fast. Try a shiny metal pan instead or lower your oven temperature by 25 degrees.

Are your cookies not browned enough, or take too long to cook? Again, verify the oven temperature. Or, perhaps you're using an insulated baking sheet or pan. Insulated bakeware can prevent your cookies from reaching the desired temperature in the right amount of time. Try using a non-insulated pan, or raise your oven temperature by 25 degrees.

For more information on minimizing the work involved in holiday baking, consult these articles: Hassle-Free Holiday Baking: 6 Easy Days to Perfect Christmas Cookies ( http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com/hassle-free.php ) A Cookie Assembly Line: Efficient Cookie Baking for Busy Cooks ( http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com/assembly.php )

A pinch of know-how combined with a dash of preparation can make for successful, easy, and stress-free cookie baking every Christmas!

Copyright 2004 Mimi Cummins. All Rights Reserved.

Mimi Cummins is co-author of the book "Christmas Cookies Are for Giving: Recipes, Stories, and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts." This book, "enthusiastically recommended" by Midwest Book Review, is full of baking tips and hints, including nearly 50 recipes each with a full-color photo. For more information visit http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com/ or order from your favorite online bookstore.

[Note to webmasters: you may include a link to the book using your affiliate program (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or other) if you wish.]

Turkey The Oldfashioned Way

Writen by Janice Duplantis

There are many delicious ways to prepare and serve turkey. It might be deep-fried, brined, poached, grilled...to mention just a few methods of preparation. This article, however, will focus strictly on tips and techniques for preparing perfect turkey the old-fashioned way – oven roasted.

Basic Technique for Roasting a Turkey...

1. The safest method for thawing a frozen turkey is by allowing the turkey to thaw in the refrigerator. Be certain to plan ahead...it will take approximately 3 days for a 20 pound turkey to defrost.

2. Everyone wants to prepare enough turkey for the number of guests they serve, and generally desire to have some turkey left over. To determine the correct turkey size that will be needed, see the section below entitled 'How Much Turkey is Enough?'

3. Cooking time will differ depending on whether the turkey was purchased fresh or frozen. Calculate approximate cooking time in a 350F (175C) oven based on the following: 20 minutes per pound for a defrosted turkey, and 10 to 15 minutes per pound for fresh.

4. A turkey will cook more evenly if it is not densely stuffed. As an alternative, flavor may be added by loosely filling the cavity with aromatic vegetables and/or fruit -- carrots, celery, onions, apples, oranges, kumquats or garlic. Carefully tucking fresh herbs underneath the breast skin will also add flavor.

5. Before roasting, coat the outside of the turkey with vegetable or olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

6. For even roasting, it is best to truss the turkey, and especially so if roasting stuffed poultry. (See 'How to Truss a Turkey' below.)

7. Set the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan to promote maximum air and heat circulation and to ensure that it cooks evenly. To yield moister, juicier white meat, place the turkey 'breast-down' on the rack. This technique will prevent the turkey breast from overcooking and becoming dry.

8. Set the roasting pan on the lowest rack of the oven to keep the turkey away from the top, which is the hottest part of the oven.

9. Once the turkey is cooking in the oven, resist the temptation to 'peek' inside by opening the oven door. Opening and closing the oven door will cause the temperature to fluctuate, which will only increase the likelihood of a dry turkey. Avoid opening the oven door until approximately 45 minutes before the turkey expected to be done.

10. After checking for doneness (see 'When is the Turkey Done?' guidelines below), remove roasting pan from the oven, tent the turkey with foil and let it 'rest' for approximately 15 minutes before carving (see tips on 'How to Carve a Turkey' below). If additional time is needed to prepare gravy, heat up side dishes, etc., the turkey may be allowed to sit at room temperature (covered) for up to an hour without losing too much heat.

11. Refrigerate any leftover turkey within 2 to 3 hours of preparation. Store in airtight, shallow containers to allow adequate circulation of cool air; date and label the containers. Turkey may be safely stored refrigerated for approximately 5 days and frozen for up to 4 months.

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How Much Turkey is Enough?

On average, to provide 2 servings of turkey for each guest (and allowing for leftovers), the suggested weights are as follows:

> 10 pound turkey for 6 people

> 12 pound turkey for 8 people

> 15 pound turkey for 10 people

> 18 pound turkey for 12 people

> 21 pound turkey for 14 people

> 24 pound turkey for 16 people

- If you will be serving more than 16 guests (a recommended turkey size of more than 24 pounds), buy two turkeys that equal the total suggested weights.

- If the recommended turkey size is less than 12 pounds, you may wish to buy a turkey breast to roast.

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How to Truss a Turkey...

To 'truss' means to secure poultry or meat into a compact shape. Trussing will ensure even roasting. The following technique is recommended when roasting poultry, especially a stuffed turkey.

1. To truss with string, take a piece of butcher's string about three times the length of the turkey. Place the turkey on its back, tail end nearest to you. Slide the string underneath so that it is cradling the turkey in the center of its back.

2. Gently pull the string up the sides...then around the wings. Pull the strings toward you, close to the breast, so that the wings are held against the body.

3. Cross the strings at the base of the breast, then wrap each string around the end of a drumstick.

4. Tie the ends of the string together, cinching it tightly so that the legs cross.

5. Finally, lift the turkey so that the tail end is up and wrap the string around the tail. Tie the string, pulling tightly so that the cavity is covered by the tail.

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When is the Turkey Done?

<> You will want to test your instant-read or traditional meat thermometer a few days before preparing the turkey to ensure it is properly calibrated. Place the thermometer in a pot of boiling water. It should register 212F (100C) -- water's boiling point at sea level. If the reading does not reach the desired temperature, you will want to buy a new thermometer.

<> Keep a careful eye on the thermometer during the last half hour of cooking since the internal temperature may rise rapidly toward the end.

<> Using a meat thermometer, test for doneness in the thickest, meatiest parts of the turkey:

Test the widest section of the breast near the wing joint; the temperature should be 165F (73C).

Test the legs at the top of the thigh, near the hip joint; the temperature should be 180 (82C).

If cooking a stuffed turkey, determine the internal temperature of the stuffing as well; it should be at least 165F (73C).

<> If using an instant-read thermometer, insert it deep enough to reach the heat sensor (the indentation about two-inches from the tip).

<> Also examine the juices and oils at the bottom of the pan that are released during cooking. If they have a pinkish tinge, continue roasting; if they are clear, the turkey is probably done. (Try to insert the thermometer as infrequently as possible, to prevent the juices from escaping.)

<> Another way of checking for doneness is to move the leg up and down. The looser it becomes, the closer it is to being done.

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How to Carve a Turkey...

To carve a turkey, it is essential that you use a sharp carving knife and a good, heavy-weight fork. The following instructions will make carving a turkey almost effortless.

1. Begin by cutting through the skin where the leg meets the breast. Pull the leg away from the body with the fork and continue to cut down, close to the body, to find the joint where the thigh meets the body. Pull the leg out further and slice right through the joint to remove the leg and thigh.

2. Place the leg skin-side down and locate the line at the joint where the thigh and the drumstick meet. Holding your knife along this line of the thigh, you can slice easily through the joint. If you hit resistance, adjust your angle and try again. Cut down through the line and separate the thigh from the drumstick. Repeat this process with the other leg.

3. Remove the wishbone (actually the collarbone) from the turkey. Removing the bone will prevent it from splintering when you carve the breast meat.

4. Next, run your knife through the skin along one side of the breastbone. Then cut down along the ribs, pulling the meat gently away from the bones in one large piece, leaving behind as little meat as possible.

5. When you reach the wing joint, cut through it and continue to remove the breast from the body. Repeat with the other side.

6. Finally, remove the wings and slice the breast meat before serving. (For even, attractive slices, cut the meat against the grain.)

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So, there you have it...everything you need to know about successfully roasting a turkey.

As you can see, preparing a turkey by adhering to the techniques above is not at all difficult. The small amount of effort you invest will be well rewarded when the final product reaches the serving table and your guests rave about how absolutely marvelous it is. Just remember one thing – serving a juicy, flavorful roasted turkey does not have to be reserved solely for the holiday season – it's wonderful anytime of the year.

Copyright ©2005 Janice Faulk Duplantis

Janice Faulk Duplantis, author and publisher, currently maintains a web site that focuses on both Easy Gourmet and French/Cajun Cuisine. Visit http://www.bedrockpress.com to see all that Bedrock Press has to offer. Janice also publishes 4 free monthly ezines: Gourmet Bytes, Lagniappe Recipe, Favorite Recipes and Cooking 101. Visit http://www.bedrockpress.com/subscribe.html to subscribe.

Steaming And Preheating Important Details In Baking Part I

Writen by Trinh Lieu

Steaming

A dry and hard crust tends to form fairly quickly on many yeast breads due to the nature of their formula. Once a crust is formed, bread dough can no longer expand in volume. Carbon dioxide, air, steam within the dough may still be expanding, but without significant leavening effect.

You can prevent this premature forming of crust by injecting moisture into the hot oven during the early stage of baking. This keeps surface of bread dough moist, allows it to rise longer, and ultimately produces a lighter loaf of bread.

Steam also facilitates starch gelatinization and caramelization of sugar on surface of breads. This results in a thin, crisp crust and wonderful brown color.

Steam should be injected into the hot oven at the same time as placing dough. A second shot of steam, a couple of minutes later, is beneficial.

Alternatively, place a pan in the lowest rack when preheating oven. Then pour ½ cup of hot water into this pan just before placing bread dough in the oven.

Preheating Oven

In the presence of heat, moisture from water, eggs, and other liquids turns into steam, exerting pressure on doughs (cookies, breads). This starts the leavening effect, and ultimately contributes to building structure of many baked goods, including breads and cookies.

Only a preheated oven can sufficiently provide enough heat to create steam. If baking starts in an oven that has not been preheated, steam is slowly produced as oven temperature increases. However, surface of dough will also begin to bake and solidify at the same time as steam is produced.

This will limit the ability of dough to rise, and results in baked goods with less desirable shape and form.

Trinh Lieu is passionate about baking, especially cookies and breads. She created http://www.cookies-in-motion.com to share all she knows about cookie ingredients and preparation techniques.

Copyright 2006 by Trinh Lieu

11 Tips To Making The Best Pork Ribs

Writen by Michael Krishman

1. Purchase ribs that are evenly covered in meat. In other words, don't buy a slab that is fatty on one end and fleshy on the other. Avoid slabs that have exposed bones!

2. Allow for one pound of ribs per guest. This is a generous helping but for more impressive appetites, make it two!

3. When preparing the meat, make sure you remove the membrane on the underside of the ribs with a sharp knife. If you don't it blocks the flavor intake.

4. Always marinate your ribs in the refrigerator, not at room temperature.

5. Don't even think about boiling those ribs! Above all else, boiling the meat causes it to lose all its flavor. If you just have to pre-cook your ribs before slapping them on the cooking grate, try steaming your slabs instead as this will help lock the flavor in.

6. Before placing your ribs on the grate for Barbecuing or smoking, make sure you coat the metal with a generous helping of oil.

7. Barbecuing demands constant attention! As soon as it goes on your grate, stay close by and keep an eye on it. Watch the cooking temperature and avoid going above 250 degrees Fahrenheit -- the best ribs are cooked slowly over indirect heat for about five hours.

8. Put down that fork! Always use tongs to handle your meat once it's on the grate. Why pierce the meat and let the flavor ooze out if you don't have to?

9. If you're going to baste during cooking stay away from anything with sugar in it. Your best bet is to use vinegar and/or water-based products only.

10. Only lay on the BBQ sauce in the last 20-30 minutes of cooking. Any sooner than that and the heat will cause the sauce to caramelize and burn your meat.

11. Let the ribs cool for 10-15 minutes before you serve them up. This is just a courtesy -- you don't want to singe your guests' mouths with smoking hot sauce! You could lose some friends.

Article Provided by Michael (Texas Mike) Krishman. For more information on how to make the best ribs visit http://www.texasmikesbbq.com

How To Cut The Cost Of Feeding Your Family In Half And Eat Better

Writen by Lucien Beauley

After more than 30 years of practiced shopping to save money, My wife and I can truly claim victory. Having produced 3 boys early, we had to find ways to feed all five of us with the best food for the least amount of money, since my wife stayed home with the children (most of the time), so there was only one paycheck.

A few basic suggestions:

1- Buy "store brand" name whenever possible.

2- buy as little "prepared" foods as is possible.

3- Keep stock of these low-cost and high nutritional value foods:

Pasta, dried beans and rice.

4- Also, purchase "keepers", such as Sweet and White potatoes.

5- Set some time aside for bulk meal preparation that can be frozen for later use when time is more critical.

How you prepare your food stocks will also contribute to your monthly food expense since your cooking costs are part of your food bill. Some suggestions here might not be so obvious, such as using your microwave, assuming your have one, instead of your stove top or oven, be it gas or electric. Most people do not realize that stove top cooking can be 3 or more times more expensive than using your microwave and that the specific savings depends on the make and model of the electric or gas stove you use and the size of the microwave. In most cases, the cost saving switching the greater part of preparing your meals to the microwave will be very noticeable after the first month.

============================================================

A great family cost savings meal !

Combination Stove top, Microwave cooking...
Here is how to enjoy Oriental Rice at less than 25% the cost of your favorite restaurant.

place 2 cups long grain white rice in 4-quart pyrex container.
Add 3 cups water (2 3/4 cup for slightly firmer rice)
With Microwave set on High, set timer to 20 minutes
Start Microwave and run for first 15 minutes uncovered.
Place cover over container and run for the 5 remaining minutes.
Stir and fold rice gently to aerate.

To cooked rice, add:
Add 1 Tbls. Soy sauce, 1 Tsp. Garlic powder and 1 Tsp. Sesame seed oil

In large frying pan or Wok:
Stir fry
1 medium Green Pepper(chopped coarse)
1 medium Onion(chopped coarse)
1 8-oz. can, or 8 oz. fresh sliced Mushrooms
1 8-oz. pack bean sprouts
1 Tbls. Peanut oil
Those with preference can stir fry shrimp, cubed pork, or chicken in 8-oz helpings and add to above.

Add to rice preparation and fold well.
Add more Soy sauce and Sesame seed oil as needed.

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Recipe above can use spaghetti in place of rice for an oriental Lomaine touch and sprinkling finished platter with chopped scallions in an amount to your likings.

Using this simple approach with a family of five and improving on it daily could put $300-$400 extra in your budget every month.

Website:
http://www.ledlightingdesigns.com/ Author: Lucien Beauley

Blog:
http://www.ledlightinginfo.blogspot.com/2006/04/lighting-info.html

Virgin Coconut Oil Did You Say It Tastes Awful Not Anymore

Writen by F Aziz

The idea is to mix virgin coconut oil with your daily cooking, meals, desserts, drinks, or whatever cuisines you like. OK, let's see what you can do…

Virgin coconut oil and chocolate

Try adding virgin coconut oil to your chocolate milk, or hot cocoa because they blend very well. Or, you can melt a piece of chocolate bar, add some tablespoons of virgin coconut oil and put it in your freezer for chocolate ice cubes.

Virgin coconut oil for bread toasts

If you habitually use butter for your toasts, why not altering the butter with virgin coconut oil? Add also a bit of wheylow sugar and cinnamon to achieve better taste.

Virgin coconut oil in your pudding and ice cream

Mixing virgin coconut oil with pudding is another good option. You can add some oatmeal too. Try it also in your banana ice cream. Virgin coconut oil and banana makes a good mixture.

Of course there are still plenty of ideas how to perfectly blend virgin coconut oil with your daily meal. You can mix it with coconut cream, orange juice, hot milk, or you can even use it to make popcorn!

If you use it as cooking oil, you can add some spices or herbs to make the food tastes better.

Do some experiments of your own so you and your family could have not only delicious, but also healthy food.

F. Aziz is the owner of all-about-Virgin-Coconut-Oil.com, a site that provides many valuable informations around Virgin Coconut Oil, its definitions, derivations, benefits and uses in the form of articles, reports, recommended sources, books, products and others. Visit all-about-Virgin-Coconut-Oil.com and see whether this miracle oil could help you improve your health.

Kitchen Canister Sets How To Beautify Your Kitchen

Writen by Curtis Miller

Kitchen canister sets are a great way to accent your kitchen and give you more storage space. Canister sets of today come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Finding the right kitchen canister set depends on your individual tastes and what theme, if any, the kitchen is. Many manufactures including All-Clad, Calphalon and Fleur Rouge have a wide assortment to choose from.

When deciding which canisters to add to your kitchen also keep in mind the different kinds. A canister can be found made from stainless steel, glass, acrylic and stoneware. Families with children may want to consider acrylic or stainless steel for durability and long life.

Another consideration is how they fit the theme or go with everything else. Many sets follow a kitchen theme such as chickens, grapes or a country theme. These can fit right in and highlight the overall kitchen design. Guzzini, Fleur Rouge, Polder and some others have canisters or sets in such designs.

The advantages of different canisters should also be looked at. For those with a modern kitchen the stainless steel makes a great impression on the counter. Acrylic or glass gives you a view of what's inside, and how much is left. Stoneware gives the option of beautiful colors and long storage for food.

If you have food that is easily or quickly spoiled look for canisters that have rubber seals on the rim and a locking device to seal the sets tight against spoilage.

Online shopping for canisters is both easy and fun. Browse through the shops to get some ideas of what you might want. Purchasing is quick and secure and nothing beats the "to your door" service they provide. Shop for the perfect set of canisters today to complete your kitchen.

Curtis Miller is a successful author and publisher of Kitchens 4u Your source for kitchen decor, furniture, fine china, cutlery, appliances and more.

Cooking Tips For Better Barbequing

Writen by Michael Russell

Having a backyard barbeque with friends and family is one of life's great pleasures. Whether you own a gas grill or charcoal grill, barbequed foods taste great. To help make your cooking experience even more enjoyable, I've listed some tips that all backyard chefs should be aware of.

• Before firing up the grill and cooking on it, be sure to spray the grill with a non-stick spray. The last thing you want to have happen is for your chicken to stick to the grill and tear all apart when attempting to turn it over. Another benefit of using a non-stick spray is that it makes clean up so much easier.

• Before you cook your foods on the grill, make sure the grill is properly heated. You want your food cooked throughout. If you are going to be cooking on a gas grill, let it heat up for at least 5 minutes before putting the food on it. For charcoal grills, wait until all of the coals have turned gray before cooking. This usually takes approximately 20-30 minutes.

• Set out your meats on the kitchen counter for 15-20 minutes prior to putting them on the grill. You want the meat to be at room temperature. This allows the meat to cook evenly throughout. One important note though, never leave the meat sitting out for 45 minutes or longer. It can easily spoil.

• When turning your meats over on the grill, never use a fork. Why? If you stick a fork in the meat you're barbequing, you will be letting all the juices run out. Be sure to use a spatula, or a pair of barbeque tongs. You may also want to wear a glove to keep from getting your hand burned.

• If you are going to be basting your foods with a favorite barbeque sauce, wait until the food is nearly cooked before applying. Never apply a sauce when first cooking your meats on the grill. It can make your food dry out completely. You may want to baste your meats an hour or so before cooking them on the grill. This will help seal in the flavors during grilling.

• Are you cooking kabobs on the grill? Make sure you leave some space between each food item on the kabob. This will help everything cook evenly. Another tip is to evenly space out a piece of meat, then a vegetable, etc. This allows the different flavors to spread throughout the kabob. Before removing your kabob from the grill, cut open a piece of meat to be sure it has cooked completely. You sure don't want to be eating any uncooked meat.

• After your cooking is complete on the grill, you're going to want to clean it up. The best way is to use a grill scraper. Clean up the grilling surface and wipe everything down. Be careful that you don't burn yourself while cleaning up.

Backyard barbequing is a lot of fun. After using some of these tips and experimenting on your own, you'll discover how to cook some great tasting foods on your grill. Before you know it you're going to be a barbeque king!

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Cooking

50 Less Cooking

Writen by Linda Gray

50% Less Cooking

without hitting the fast food button! Don't you just cringe when some clever kitchen type tells you what you could be doing with the leftovers in the fridge, when it's plainly obvious the leftovers will stay there until they walk out by themselves!

More often than not, saving money with leftovers, although a great idea, takes a lot of time in preparation and relies on many other ingredients being available. So..........

Design your own leftovers!

Cooking twice as much as you need 'by design' allows you the extra time tomorrow with the added bonus of knowing what you're going to cook.

Dithering around in the kitchen working out who wants what and what you forgot to buy, takes ages. If you know you've already got a portion of the evening meal ready in the fridge, life becomes a lot less stressful.

Most 'in-the-pot' dishes like bolognaise, chile, casseroles and stews can all be made in double quantities in very little extra time. Make sure you thoroughly reheat meat dishes until very hot. The only real problem with in the pot recipes is that you're obliged to eat the same meal two nights in a row. Although you can serve it with rice, pasta, or potatoes to add some variety.

If you've managed to cook enough rice to feed the neighborhood, don't throw away the leftovers. Let the rice cool completely, place in a bowl, cover with plastic food wrap, and refrigerate. Then the following evening you have a base for a new and exciting meal...try these ideas:

• Egg Fried Rice: Make a plain omelette and remove from pan. Cut into small pieces and set aside.. Put cold leftover rice in the pan and stir gently. Add omelette pieces, stir and heat until hot right through. Serve with Chinese style ribs, or veggie sausages.

• Special Fried Rice: Fry in olive or nut oil a finely chopped onion, tomato, green pepper and a few sliced mushrooms. Add leftover rice to pan. Stir gently. Add sweetcorn for colour and a few chopped walnuts if liked. Serve with any meat, fish, egg or veggie dish.

• Rice Salad: In a large bowl, mix leftover rice with fresh raw chopped vegetables; onion, tomato, sweet pepper, celery, sweetcorn, and any other favorites hanging around in the fridge. Chill for half an hour before serving. A half mayo-half natural yogurt dressing can be gently stirred in if liked. To create a whole summer meal in a bowl, add chopped boiled egg, cooked flaked fish, pieces of ham or cooked chicken or even nuts and raisins!

Potatoes can easily be turned into 'designer leftovers'

Cooking a whole tray of jacket potatoes will take no longer than cooking one or two, just a few extra minutes scrubbing time needed. Store leftovers in the fridge.

• Flat Fries: Slice and shallow fry leftover jackets in hot olive oil and some mixed dried herbs or cumin spice. Turn occasionally. Serve hot with anything.

• Family Omelette: Peel and dice leftover jackets and gently fry in olive oil, with a chopped onion. Pour over beaten eggs and add some grated cheese. Cook gently for a few minutes. Turn and cook the other side. The omelette will probably fall apart during this manouevre. Just push it back together. No-one will know! Serve hot with a green salad.

• Rough Potato Salad: Peel leftover jackets and chop roughly. Mix in a large bowl with sweetcorn, tuna and a little chopped onion or chives. Serve with a mayonnaise sauce.

Hot mashed potato, served with a delicious gravy, is always a family favorite. Make twice as much and delight the family two days in a row! Cool the leftover mash thoroughly. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic food wrap and refrigerate.

• Baked Mash: Put leftover mash into a large bowl and stir in cooked flaked white fish, bacon pieces, or cooked vegetables. Place in a greased ovenproof dish, top with grated cheese and bake in a medium oven until hot right through.

• Burger Mash: In a large bowl, mix leftover mash with a little beaten egg, some chopped chives or very finely chopped onion. Then form small balls in your hands. Flatten slightly and, if available, coat with breadcrumbs or chopped nuts. Fry as you would a burger!

• Cottage Pie: Cook minced beef, or veggie equivalent, a chopped onion and a tin of tomatoes together and place mixture in a large lightly greased ovenproof dish. Spoon leftover mashed potato over the top, and sprinkle on a little grated cheese, if liked. Heat through thoroughly in a medium to hot oven and serve hot with green vegetables.

Cook a slightly larger chicken and keep the leftovers covered - and maybe hidden - in the fridge. A vegetarian equivalent of chicken will work equally well with these dishes.

• Quick Chicken Curry: Pour a home made curry sauce or a jar of ready - made over cut up leftover chicken pieces and heat through thoroughly in a hot oven. Always make sure re-heated meat is steaming hot right through. Serve with rice or jacket potatoes.

• Chicken Salad: Mix cold leftover chicken with a finely chopped onion and stir in a half mayo, half natural yogurt dressing. Add a few walnuts for an extra special treat. Chill for 30 minutes and serve with any dish..

• Chicken Stir Fry: Put cut up chicken pieces in a frying pan with a little olive or nut oil. Mix in thinly sliced sweet peppers, onion, tomato and any other bits in the fridge that look healthy enough to eat. Cook gently for a few minutes, ensuring the chicken is thoroughly hot. Then mix into a bowl of hot cooked noodles. Serve with an oriental style sauce.

Hot Tip: Planning a few menus in advance will mean you are always in control of nourishing and tasty meals, and no need to lean guiltily on the microwave waiting for the latest TV dinner to cook!

About The Author

Linda Gray is a freelance writer based in a log cabin in a wood. See what else goes on between the trees over at http://www.mylot.org. Drop in anytime!

Adapting Recipes Using Your Microwave

Writen by James Otten

All recipes found on my blog have been made with microwaves that are in the 650-700 watt range. If your microwave of a different power rating you will need to make adjustments to the recipes called for on my blog.

First, check the owners manual and see if it tells you how much the power rating on your microwave is. If so remember/write this down so you won't forget. If you are lucky enough to own one that is within the 650-700 watt range than you are set golden.

If you can't find your owners manual or it doesn't indicate the output rating of the microwave than you'll need to perform the following test to find out the power rating:

1. Fill a cup with 1 liter(34 ounces) of cool water.

2. Record the temperature of the water.

3. Place the water in the center of the microwave or offcenter in a turntable oven.

4. Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes.

5. Immediately stir the water with the thermometer and record the temperature again.

6. Subtract the starting temperature from the heated temperature.

7. Multiply the answer by 19.5 if using Fahrenheit or 35 if using Celsius.

Doing this will give you your approximate power output for your microwave oven at full power.

To figure out the output of your microwave at other settings then you'll need to multiply your HIGH setting by the percentage listed below:

Level           Power Setting    Numerical Setting   % of HIGH  HIGH            650 watts        10                  100%  MEDIUM HIGH     455 watts         7                   70%  MEDIUM          325 watts         5                   50%   MEDIUM LOW      195 watts         3                   30%  LOW              65 watts         1                   10%

If you find that your microwave is a 500 watt no variable power microwave then use the following steps as a guideline to get you started in the right direction toward following along our recipes.

HIGH Add 10 seconds for each 30 seconds the recipes calls for
MEDIUM HIGH Use the same time as the recipe
MEDIUM Decrease time by 1/3
MEDIUM LOW Not suitable to be used
LOW Not suitable to be used

If you find that your microwave is a 400 watt no variable power microwave then use the following steps as a guideline to get you started in the right direction toward following along our recipes.

HIGH Add 20 seconds for each 30 seconds the recipes calls for
MEDIUM HIGH Use the same time as the recipe
MEDIUM Decrease time by 1/5
MEDIUM LOW Not suitable to be used
LOW Not suitable to be used

James Otten runs Cooking With A Microwave blog. It is updated regularly with new recipes that use a microwave, no stoves necessary. It can be found at http://www.microwavecooking.blogspot.com

Cooking With Green Tea

Writen by John Newman

Recently it has become popular to cook with green tea. In powder and liquid form it's so easy to use, delicious and good for you it's really no surprise. You may ask why people would try to cook with such a thing. Well green tea is filled with a wide array of health benefits. It lowers cholesterol, is high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. In fact most Asian countries have used green tea for cooking purposes for these very reasons. The other reason would be flavor. Green tea has a very distinct flavor that many enjoy and cannot be easily emulated by anything but green tea itself.

So now the big question, "How do I cook with green tea?" Well as I said earlier it's really very easy to do. A very simple way is to substitute the water in a recipe with brewed green tea (at room temperature or as specified by the recipe). This is probably the best way for someone who is experimenting with a recipe or this style of cooking. When you do this keep in mind that you want the green tea to be strong. The stronger the tea is the more flavor and color will remain in the end product. This is why loose leaf tea is generally recommended.

You may also just want to look for green tea recipes. I see new ones popping up every day. Simply go online and search for "green tea" and your favorite recipe. You may be surprised to find several already available.

A lot of green tea recipes will ask for green tea powder or matcha. This is ground up green tea leaves. Matcha specifically is ground up Gyokuro leaves and is used for tea ceremony purposes. You will find matcha generally more expensive than green tea powder, which can be made from almost any green tea. However you may find matcha worth the extra price for those specially recipes.

If you have never done it, I recommend buying green tea powder or matcha and trying it on some of your favorite recipes. You will find it amazing how much color and flavor one teaspoon of this stuff can provide.

John Newman is an author for Teanobi.com. http://www.teanobi.com Matcha

Roasting Peppers And Other Veggie Tips

Writen by Cristie Will

Peppers can be roasted in the broiler of your oven or over a gas stove-top. After roasting, put peppers in a plastic bag that seals and seal it up. Leave in bag to allow steaming for about 30 minutes. After steaming, remove skins, stems, seeds and membranes. Cut, chop or dice peppers to your desire.

For the Broiler - Cut peppers into halves and remove stems, seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves on cookie sheet with skin sides up. Broil about 5 inches from the heat for about 7 to 10 minutes or until the skin is blistered and evenly browned. Some spots may be black and that is normal.

Gas Stove-top - Place whole peppers on a long-handled metal fork, such as a grilling fork, and hold it about 5 inches from the gas flames. Turn the pepper often so it roasts evenly. Roast about 5 to 7 minutes or until the skin is blistered and evenly browned. Some spots may be black and that is normal.

Aspargas tip - Asparagus spears snap off naturally where they are tough. Just bend the spear near the bottom end and it will break off at its tough point.

Chipotle peppers - Chipotle peppers are smoked, dried jalapenos with a fabulous smoky flavor. They can be bought three ways; dried whole, ground and canned in spicy adobo sauce.

Green Onion curls - To make curled green onions, slice scallions lengthwise, remove the green stalk, and cover them with ice water just before serving.

Potatoes - Red, white, and brown potatoes take about 15 minutes longer to cook than sweet potatoes.

Check out other tips and recipes at http://www.cristiescookin.com.

Cooking lessons for Cristie began at 8 years old with the best teacher in the world -- her Mom! Later, she cooked for the restaurant the family owned, and her love of the "trade" has grown ever since. Cristie's creative cooking has continued for over 40 years. Her creations can soon be on your kitchen table.

A Deep Frying Guide To Turkey

Writen by John Gibb

Deep frying has been producing tasty food for many years, but one of the new fads to come about with deep frying is cooking a whole turkey this way. Many people are foregoing the oven method at Thanksgiving and going with the deep frying method – and it is producing amazingly delicious results.

Obviously, since whole turkeys are so large, you can't cook one in a regular home deep fryer; you need a special turkey fryer to do the job. There are several good turkey fryers on the market today, and most of them have features that make them safe for deep frying such a large food item. Despite the safety features, however, the fact that you need to use a lot of oil and you are deep frying such a heavy food item still makes it a little more dangerous than deep frying smaller food items in a smaller home deep fryer, so following directions to the letter is a definite necessity. And, you should only use the turkey fryer outside. An advantage to deep frying a turkey rather than cooking it in the oven is the length of cooking time; a twelve pound turkey takes only about forty-five minutes to an hour to deep fry, as opposed to about 20 minutes per pound if it is baked in the oven.

First of all, for safety's sake, you need to purchase a fryer specifically for deep frying turkeys. Many people each year try to rig up their own homemade deep fryers for cooking their turkeys, often with disastrous results. Turkey fryers can cost anywhere from $75 to over $200 dollars, but it is worth it to spend the money if you want safety and a deep fried turkey that turns out right every time.

Turkey fryers can come in a few different varieties. There are those that are electric, and those that run on gas – usually propane. What type you use really depends on personal preference. A lot of people swear by the gas fryers for maximum flavor, but other people think that there really is no difference. As long as you buy a good quality turkey fryer and follow all of the directions, you are most likely going to get a delicious finished product.

Experienced cooks will tell you that one of the secrets to getting a good deep fried turkey is what you put on it before it goes into the fryer. Do some research and you will find a myriad of recipes for turkey rubs, and once again, which one you choose is a matter of personal preference. The bottom line is, though, that if you put a good rub on your turkey before you deep fry it, you're going to get a finished product with better flavor.

John Gibb is the owner of deep fat fryer sources For more information on deep fat fryers check out http://www.deepfat-frying-guides.info

Cooking Indian Food

Writen by Jaynne Nichols

Many people love to experiment with different foods from different cultures and ethnicities. Some people love to go out for dinner and experiment with foods they've never had before. Other people like to reproduce their favorite dishes at home. Experimenting with cooking from other regions and cultures can be an exciting and fun process. Many cuisines have subtle differences from region to region. Or sometimes the ethnic cuisines are based strictly on different geographic areas.

Some of the most popular cuisines are Mexican, Italian, French, Greek and Middle Eastern, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Thai cuisines. While many people feel comfortable experimenting with Mexican, Italian, or Chinese, few people feel comfortable experimenting with Indian food. Nor do they understand the subtle differences in Indian regional cuisine. Indian cooking is as complex and diverse as India's geography, climate, religion, and culture. The variety of dishes is extensive: from warm tandoori dishes with meat of Northern India, to the, saucy Southern mostly vegetarian dals (legume-based dishes), you'll find incredible diversity and great taste.

Some of the regional differences to Indian cooking are as follows: Northern India: This region of India offers the some of the more familiar mix Indian dishes, including the popular tandoori-style of cooking. This region offers the dishes that are found in most Indian restaurants of the West, such as koftas (spicy meatballs), kormas (meats braised in creamy sauces with yogurts and fruits), and the delicious chewy, leavened bread, naan. The blend of spices used to flavor these dishes is Garam masala, more warming than fiery. You may also add Basmati rice for a regional flare, but breads are the primary starch in this wheat-growing region.Southern India: Some people think of Indian food as extremely spicy. Southern Indian cuisine is probably the cuisine most people think of, the spicy dishes such as vindaloo, a dish that relies legumes, including lentils and chickpeas. For the most part, the dishes from Southern India are primarily vegetarian, but you can certainly adapt the recipe to include meat for celebrations and special occasions. Rice is an essential ingredient in these dishes, especially the fragrant jasmine variety which is used in almost every dish during a meal, even dessert!

Eastern India: The region is most known for Darjeeling tea. In addition to tea, this hot, humid region near the Bay of Bengal cultivates rice, as many as 50 different varieties. Coconuts and bananas are popular ingredients in the cuisine of this area; in fact, coconut milk is often used as a substitute for cow or goat's milk.Western India: This region of India incorporates a great deal of dairy products in their dishes: including yogurt, buttermilk, cow's milk, and goat's milk. Along the coastline of the Arabian Sea, you'll find a popular dish referred to as "Bombay Duck," which, despite its name actually refers to a small, transparent fish. Pickles are all an essential part of the meal from this region. India boasts a variety of cuisine that is as complex and unique as the country itself. There's no reason to be intimidated by Indian food, not all of it need be hot and spicy, and most can be adjusted for personal preferences. Check for recipes on-line at altcooking.om/indiancooking/ and altcooking.com/indiancookingrecipe/ for your favorite Indian region and get cooking.

Selina Cormin has partnered with Jaynne Nicols to research the Indian Cuisine. Read more at her website Alt Cooking.

Jaynne Nicols has done a lot of research into illness and why we get ill. One of the things she came across is that almost all illness starts in your colon. sign up for her free newsletter Health and Wellness in the 21st Century and learn more in and through her series on health issues.

8 Simple Commonsense Cooking Tips

Writen by Beth Black

Do you get lumps in your white sauce?

When making white sauce (béchamel) or any sauce that requires slow cooking to thicken try using an egg whisk instead of a spoon to stir and you can increase the temperature (not too much though) to speed the process up and you wont get any lumps in it.   Turn your open barbeque into a gourmet oven.

Want to try a new barbeque recipe that requires a hood on the barbeque which you may not have. Try using a wok lid or any domed lid. This works very well indeed. Great for roasted meats when camping out.     Never buy frozen pastry again.

Do you hate making short pastry. Use a kitchen whiz instead of the usual hand method. Use slightly less liquid than may be asked for in the recipe. Just run the whiz until all the pastry forms into a rough shaped ball. If it wont form into a ball you may need just a touch more liquid. The type of liquid liquid depends on what recipe you use for your pastry.   Do your scones look and feel more like rock cakes ?

Make your scones in a kitchen whiz. Many people just can't make scones no matter what. Usually the problem is too much handling. Using the whiz eliminates this problem.   Also try and make your scones as though people or the family are sitting at the table waiting. In other words the less time you take means less handling. The mixture should be quite moist not dry after you add the milk.   Turn onto a well floured board and draw the four into the pastry a few times with the tips of your fingers.. This should only take you about 5-8 seconds. Gently pat into shape and cut into whatever shaped scones you want – round or square  -whatever.   Scones seem to come out best when  cooked in what is variously described as a rising oven. In other words turn your oven on not too long before you start to mix your scones and when they are put in the oven it still has not quite reached the required temperature.   I learnt this way of making scones when I was used to crew on a yacht when I was younger and the guys would want morning tea and see if they could cajole me into making some. Hence my reference to having a waiting audience. The oven was only a very small bench top gas oven and I would turn it on to its maximum temperature and then throw the flour butter and milk together. They were most impressed and I was most surprised at the result. I was not at all sure of my expertise in scone making as my mother could never make scones – hers were the ones that came out like bullets.   I did later convert my mother into making scones in the kitchen whiz when she was around 65 and she was amazed that she finally learnt to make a scone that was edible. I might add that scones became a regular morning tea item     Are your curries chewy?

Do you have trouble working out if a casserole or curry is cooked. When the oil (fat) rises the dish is cooked. All meat dish casseroles have some fat content and when this is released the meat is cooked. You will see on top of the meat some small pools of oil or fat. These are usually only small amounts and it is these small amounts that add to the flavour of the dish..   Are you missing the magic ingredient?

Have you ever cooked a curry or casserole and the flavour just needs a little something and you cant quite work out exactly what is needed. Maybe it seems as though the flavours don't quite go together. It is a small intangible ingredient that is lacking. Try a very small amount of sugar and you will be surprised how it seems to blend and mellow the flavours into a more harmonious combination. The flavours will cease to fight against each other.   Whoops have you ever slipped with the salt pot when cooking? Have you ever added just a touch too much salt to a recipe. Never add sugar to correct this try a squeeze of lemon juice.   I hate washing roasting pans.

Do you like to have roasted potatoes occasionally but hate washing up the pan afterwards. Here is a simple easy method and it uses less fat. Cut each potato with the skin on, in half so that you have the largest cut area. Add a little margarine and spread it on the cut side of the potato. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper if you want.   Place the buttered potatoes buttered side down on a sheet of aluminium foil wrap. Fold the foil and seal. Add to a preheated hot oven 200 degrees centigrade and cook  for approx half an hour. When cooked unwrap and gently peel the foil off the potatoes and serve. Throw the foil in the garbage and voila – lovely scrisp roasted potatoes and no mess.

Beth Black is webmaster for Keyword Articles a resource that lists groups of keyword targeted articles. http://www.keyword-articles.info

Cookie Sheets Are The Key To Cookie Success

Writen by Griffin Wetzstein

There is no guarantee that great ingredients will make your cookie recipe a hit with you're family if you overlook the most important tool of the trade: the cookie sheet. Years ago, kitchens were equipped with only one choice of cookie sheet when it came to baking cookies. Luckily today's technology has opened up a whole new world of possibilities to help us bake the perfect cookie.

Single layer cookie sheets are still a favorite of many serious bakers, but there are certainly the good and bad out there. Two problems that single layer sheets cause uneven heating and sticking. In part, improvements over the years have made single layer cookie sheets better in both areas. The invention of Teflon brought us non-stick cookware. Although this has made sticking occur less often, it is not guaranteed. Cheaper brands of non-stick baking sheets will usually lose their coating quicker and eventually peel, leaving baked items sticking more often to the sheet. Modern aluminum cookie sheets have also solved the problem of uneven heating. One catch with using an aluminum non-stick cookie sheet is the color. Over baked cookie bottoms is a common occurrence when using darker sheets, because the darker color absorbs more heat than with lighter colored sheets. So if you should decide to go the rout of the single layer cookie sheet, look for a brand name you can trust, and a non-stick sheet that is lighter in color.

Air cushion baking sheets grew in popularity a few years back because they were seen as the cure to the single layer cookie sheet problems. Dual layered sheets allow air to better circulate under the cookie-baking surface, thus reducing hotspots and resulting in evenly baked cookies all across the sheet, not just in the middle. There are some issues to note when using these sheets. Sticking can still be a problem, depending on how well the sheet is made and if it is covered with a non-stick coating. Also, although you get consistent heat throughout the sheet you might not get hot enough heat. This will cause refrigerated cookies to cook a little slower and thus spread out more. As a result, drop cookies might not entirely brown around the edges. After the first batch is baked, adjustments might need to be made to improve the outcome.

Baking Stones have become popular over the last few years for good reasons. These stones heat evenly and absorb moisture at the same time. The result is a cookie that crisps nicely on the underside without over darkening. Baking stones are very forgiving when it comes to over baking, and sticking is usually minimal. If there are any drawbacks to the baking stone, it is that they can be expensive, and because of their weight a bit clumsy in the kitchen.

Parchment Paper is a cheap, convenient, cookie baking aid that every kitchen should have. Parchment paper is coated on each side, usually with silicone, and comes in square sheets or on a roll like wax paper. Parchment paper will allow most baked cookies to lift off the baking surface with ease, and will also help spread out heat more evenly. One additional benefit is that you can reuse a sheet several times when you are making multiple batches of cookies.

Equipping yourself with the right cookie sheet will surely make you a hero when baking for the family. Although Fido might be disappointed that his portion of baked miscues are gone.

Important: Feel free to republish this article on your website. However, you are not allowed to modify any part of its content and all links should be kept active.

For more cookie baking tips and recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/

Barbequing A Fun And Convenient Way To Make Dinner

Writen by Valerie Giles

"There's nothing more enjoyable than having friends and family gathered around amidst the wonderful smells of charcoal-grilled prawns, vegetables and selected favorites. Barbecuing is one of those time- honored rituals that go hand in hand with summertime. Whether you're in your backyard or at you're favorite camping site, barbecuing is a pleasure to be enjoyed by the whole family."

Barbecuing has never been more exciting; with the endless designs of barbecues available and the myriad of barbecue cookbooks and cooking shows it really does take barbecuing into a whole new realm. With recipes for everything from grilled bananas to peaches and dry rubs for ribs, barbecues aren't just for cooking steaks and burgers anymore. With all the available barbecuing options it helps to know a few of the barbecuing terms and barbecuing utensils that are used.

Firstly, barbecues come in a wide variety of options; there are propane, natural gas and the standard barbecues for use with charcoal. Barbecues can come with range style one, two and four burner options along with rotisseries. There are even barbecues that have coolers built right into the bottom! Barbecuing has never been quite so convenient.

Accessories

When you're using your barbecue it really helps to have the right utensils and barbeque accessories, this will make your barbecuing experience easier and more enjoyable. Long handled tongs, basting brushes and spatulas are quite helpful. Heavy-duty oven mitts can also be useful. Of course you don't want to forget the proper wire brushes and scrubbers (crumpled foil even works well) to remove build-up, keeping your grill racks clean.

Foods that are tender such as fish, vegetables and some burgers can benefit from cooking in a special grill basket (this way you aren't loosing any of your meal into the barbecue). There are also special racks available to be used with corn, potatoes, ribs and meat.

An excellent barbecue accessory is the grill wok, with this you can make you're favorite stir fries and vegetable dishes; the wok has small holes throughout that allow heat and smoke to penetrate the food. Another great grill accessory is the grill pizza tray used mostly for grilled pizza. Other grill accessories include; the grill topper used for fish and vegetables providing an even cooking surface, which prevents foods from falling through the grill rack; you can never have too many skewers in assorted lengths which can be used with a skewer rack for grilling your favorite marinated vegetables and meats; smoker boxes for gas grills filled with soaked wood chips add a wonderful smoked flavor to foods. Lastly foil packets are available or simple tin foil to wrap foods, just remember that you may be sacrificing the grill and smoke flavors when foods are wrapped tightly.

Grilling Processes

After you have the utensils and proper grilling accessories needed for you're barbeque experience you'll want to familiarize yourself on the different types of grilling processes and terms to find the ones that work best for you and to know exactly what has to be done. To start, basting is probably the most familiar of barbecuing terms, a simple brushing with a seasoned liquid adding both flavor and moisture to your food. A brochette is just French for a kabob, or simply food cooked on a skewer. A glaze is a glossy, flavorful coating on food as it cooks as a result of regular basting.

Three very popular methods of barbecuing are the direct grilling, dry smoking and indirect grilling methods. Direct grilling is probably the most popular grilling used, it is when food is placed directly over the flame. It is a fast method because of the intense heat and allows for browning on the outside of foods. This process works best for food requiring short cooking times such as burgers and steaks, you must remember to turn food over to allow cooking on both sides. The dry smoking method is achieved by placing a grill rack indirectly over the heat source with the barbecue lid down, this allows the flame to burn thus creating smoke which covers the food, giving you a smoky flavor. Lastly the indirect grilling is a slow process of cooking because of less heat, it is done by surrounding a drip pan with the coals and putting the food over the pan, so the hot air circulates around the food (similar to a convection oven). It is wise to check with your barbecue owner manual for indirect grilling specific to your barbecue, roasts work well with this method.

After you've acquired the barbecue and all the necessary cooking utensils and accessories you're ready for the best part of barbecuing and that is the cooking of the food. Sauces, marinades and rubs are popular cooking ideas when barbecuing. Barbecue sauce can be said to define a great barbecue. Whether you use a little or a lot is a matter of preference. A sauce often includes sugar, honey or preserves, which can cause the sauce to burn when cooking; a suggestion is to brush your sauce on in the last five to ten minutes of cooking. There are a wide variety of sauces and glazes to be made ranging from apple butter barbecue sauce to raspberry piquant sauce.

Marinades are used for soaking your choice of meat, tofu or vegetables. The marinating both tenderizes and permeates the food with flavor, adding flavor and promoting crisp brown exteriors, changing an otherwise average dinner into a great one. Marinades are virtually fool proof and can be made in advance refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week. The three basic ingredients in a marinade are; flavorings such as herbs, spices, sweeteners; oils which keep the food pliable and give a crispy crust; acids such as citrus juices, wines, vinegars and yogurts used to balance the sweetness. It is suggested to use the acids sparingly on fish and poultry, as they will soften the flesh when used.

A virtually fat free and easy way to add flavor to food is by using a variety of bold seasonings in a rub. The food is rubbed with spices prior to grilling, the rub transforms into a crunchy brown crust that seals in the juices and enhances the flavors of the food. The spices should be generously applied coating the entire surface of the food; the food should then be covered and put in the fridge for 15 minutes to 2 hours. Simplicity is the key for making rubs, salt and sugar are two of the main ingredients and the rest are up to you.

In summary, whatever your barbecuing specialty might be barbecues can be both a fun and convenient way to make dinner. Summertime needn't be the only time of year that you're barbecuing, if weather allows you can barbecue all year round. The options have never been more exciting, and the variety of foods and recipes never more abundant.

Valerie Giles owns and operates Best BBQ Online, a resource web site featuring barbecue grills, grill accessories and bbq recipes and marinades. Everything you need for the barbequing season. http://www.best-bbq-online.com. Try some of our complimentary Mouth Watering Rotisseries Recipes.

How To Cook Tender Moist Scrambled Eggs

Writen by Shauna Hanus

Scrambled eggs are a busy cook's best friend. They can be thrown together for a quick nutritious dinner or lingered over at a leisurely brunch. Because eggs are so affordable they are a great asset to families on a budget.

The great thing about scrambled eggs is they can be dressed up by adding sliced shallots or fresh vegetables. You can even top scrambled eggs with a hollandaise sauce and have an elegant Scrambled Eggs Benedict.

When shopping for eggs look for the freshest eggs available. If you do not live near a farm, shop in farmers markets or specialty stores. You can also look for organic eggs. Organic eggs will often times have brown shells but they make excellent scrambled eggs.

When it comes time to cook your scrambled eggs temperature does not mater. Eggs can be cold from the refrigerator or at room temperature. Follow the 7 simple steps below and your scrambled eggs will come out moist and tender.

1. Crack eggs in a large bowl, add a spoon full of fat such as butter, olive oil or sour cream
2. Whisk to blend, whisk the eggs until they are completely blended and yolks are well incorporated
3. Melt butter in a skillet over low heat
4. When the butter is melted pour eggs in and stir immediately. Continue to stir the entire time the eggs are cooking this will keep the eggs forming only small curds.
5. As the scrambled eggs begin to thicken slowly they will begin to look like cottage cheese curds.
6. Once the scrambled eggs form curds and are glossy remove from the eggs from the heat.
7. Continue to stir the scrambled eggs for one more minute while they finish cooking.

Avoid overheating the scrambled eggs this will cause the proteins to bind and cause large dry chewy curds.

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. Sign up for her newsletter and learn more about Gourmayeats Weekly Recipe Club at http://www.gourmayeats.com/recipe.html

The Stockpot And The Ore Boat

Writen by Bonita Anderson

I not only inherited my ways with food from the women in my past. My father was an accomplished chef. He was head chef on the salt water for a few years, but preferred to sail the great lakes. When his boat would come to port for supplies I was invited by the Captain to spend a day on the boat with my father. The time I spent on that boat were extremely interesting to me. I watched as my father ordered enough food to feed 200+ men 3-times a day for a period of a month or more. He made his own menu and had it posted on the mess hall board. Working on an ore boat was not the easiest job in the world, but the crew ate like royalty.

I spent my time on the boat watching my father cook. Every surface in that galley was stainless steel. He kept it spotless as was his chef uniform. He was, no doubt, the master of that domain.

The one thing that impressed me was the huge stockpot kept simmering on the eight burner stove. My father would toss scraps from the preparation of food into it. Things such as celery tops, carrot tops, onion skins, potato skins and either beef trimmings or chicken parts. Nothing was wasted. The stock pot was simmered all day. At the end of each day he would strain the liquid and refrigerate it. The stock was used the next day for making soup, gravy, or to flavor the many dishes he would create. He would start a fresh pot each morning.

Stock is available in most supermarkets, but I prefer to make my own. I do not keep a pot all day on my stove. Instead, if I want chicken stock I will put chicken wings, onion including the skin, celery, carrots, tops and all, and whole garlic with just the top cut off on a baking sheet. I place it in the oven and roast everything until it has a brown color. Then I put everything in my stockpot, cover with water and let it simmer for about 2-hours. I strain the liquid and it is ready to use for whatever dish I want. Sometimes I will freeze the stock or put it jars and in the pressure cooker for 75-minutes @ 10-pounds. It keeps well either way.

I am reminded of my father whenever I go to my website http://www.pothaven.com The little chef character is wearing my father's outfit.

Essentials To Grilling A Lean Mean Hamburger

Writen by Pam Aran

When it comes to making a hamburger, there are several core steps that need to be taken. Any one of which ignored will lead to a less than fabulous hamburger meal hot of the grill!

You've done the preparations as far as coalescing the right ingredients with the best ground beef available at your local supermarket. You've left your patties in the fridge to marinate overnight, and now it's ready to get to the grilling!

A very important step that many grill chefs forget is that they need to make sure the grill is very hot- searing hot- before they should even place the patty on the grill. This way, not only do you allow the juices and natural flavorful oils from seeping in and romancing the patty, but you also prevent the hamburger from falling to pieces!

This is especially important during the flipping step of the patty. If the grill wasn't hot enough when you put the slabs of patties on it, it will most likely fall apart when you attempt to flip it or when you try to serve it.

It isn't necessary to flip it too many times depending on the hotness of the grill, but you can feel free to move it around and flip it as you deem necessary to get the patties just the way you like it.

DCS gas grill matching offerings and value-added services are accessible at my website.

http://www.gasgrilldeluxe.com

How To Be Creative When You Are Cooking

Writen by Shauna Hanus

Have you ever been in the kitchen ready to eat and realized you don't have your favorite sauce or dip for dinner. This happened to me recently when my family was sitting down to beer battered Walleye from a recent fishing trip. We had no tartar sauce. So I opened the regenerator and selected mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon and dill pickle relish. I then mixed the four together and sprinkled in a little fish rub from the pantry. We had instant tartar sauce and really tasty fish.

When you are in your kitchen don't be afraid to experiment a bit. Try a homemade barbeque sauce if you are out of your favorite bottled variety. Mix ketchup, and dry mustard with molasses and a dash or two of pepper. If it is a salad you desire here is a quick and easy oriental chicken salad.

Toss some lettuce into a bowl next chop leftover chicken into bite size pieces and sprinkle on top of the lettuce. Whisk together in a separate bowl sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, a spoon full of Hoisin sauce and a dash of oyster sauce. Pour over the salad and toss. If you have any fresh veggies on hand toss those in as well.

Finally a dessert quick substitution. When you want hot fudge sundaes and are out of fudge sauce try melting chocolate cake frosting. Pour the warmed cake frosting over ice cream and you have quick and easy hot fudge sundaes. If you really like to mix things up try melting a different flavor of cake frosting. Little children enjoy using confetti cake frosting, this way they have sauce for the ice cream with sprinkles built in.

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet meal plans. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. http://www.gourmayeats.com

A Delicious Companion To Good Health The Olive Oil Story

Writen by James Zeller

"The… patient should be made to understand that he or she must take charge of his own life. Don't take your body to the doctor as if he were a repair shop." -- Quentin Regestein

Highly favored as a cooking oil, or for use in a variety of classic dressings, olive oil is being touted in some quarters as a delicious companion to good health. Research on the health benefits of olive oil is impressive, so is the affects of the Mediterranean diet.

Recent Findings

Olive Oil as a Cholesterol Reducer

Compared to American cuisine, especially the snack and fast foods prevalent in the US, the Mediterranean Diet has intrigued the medical world. The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition has published findings that indicate the introduction of olive oil into our regular diet has demonstrated a reduction in LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). This is significant because once LDL cholesterol has oxidized it often results in artery rigidity and accompanying heart disease.

Olive Oil in Cancer Prevention

In a comparison study at the University Hospital Germans Trias Pujol in Barcelona there seems to be an indication that the health benefits of olive oil may also be useful in the prevention or slowing of cancer cells. In the study, lab rats were introduced to a carcinogen that resulted in cancerous tumors. The study provides evidence that a diet similar to the Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil prevents colonic carcinogenesis reducing precancerous tissue which resulted in fewer tumors when compared to a controlled sample of rats ingesting foods containing other types of cooking oils.

Researchers at Oxford University in England have seen indications that olive oil may actually be as good for our digestive system as fresh fruit and vegetables in preventing or reducing the incidence of colon cancer. While red meat seems to be linked to the development of colon cancer, fish and olive oil seemed to reduce the incidence of colon cancer. The reasons behind this phenomena are still being considered, but it is believed that the olive oil may help regulate the bile acid in the stomach while increasing useful enzymes within the stomach that contribute to optimal colon health.

Olive Oil and Heart Health

The American Heart Association has also noted that consumption of olive oil has "clear health benefits".

Olive Oil and Lower Blood Pressure

By substituting virgin olive oil for other fats within your diet, the Archives of Internal Medicine indicates a substantial reduction in drug dosage requirements for the management of high blood pressure. Initial findings indicate dosage reductions could be as high as 50%.

Additional Findings

By lowering the level of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) there is an increase of the HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). The antioxidant effects of olive oil have also been widely reported and are effective in reducing free radicals within the body that may prove to be a causal agent in pre cancerous and cancerous growth.

Additional health benefits of olive oil may be found in a Mediterranean diet which explores the varied uses of olive oil in both food preparation as well as additional balanced meal choices. Combined, olive oil and appropriate food choice seem to enhance the overall health of those subscribing to the Mediterranean diet.

Final Word

While studies remain ongoing, it is encouraging to note that something that has long been noted for good taste may also be a link to positive health benefits and longevity of life. An adaptation of the Mediterranean diet may be a healthy, yet palatable change well worth considering.

James Zeller writes for gourmet gift related websites and blogs. Here is a selection of oil and vinegar gifts that he found, and a creative collection of culinary gourmet gifts.

I Dare You I Double Dare You To Make Your Own Pie Crust

Writen by Bonita Anderson

There is much to be said about the phrase home made. Sure some people can say they made it themselves, but it really is not home made if a store bought pie crust is used. Of course that is my personal opinion. If you make something at home I guess you could say it was home made. I should probably use the phrase, made from scratch.

I am as guilty as the next person. I tried recipe after recipe but I could not get the taste I remembered in a pie crust. One would say use oil, while another would call for shortening. Still others would say to use a combination of both and add an egg. They all said to use cold water and roll out on a lightly floured surface to the desired size and thickness.

Every time I would roll out the dough it would stick to the floured surface. If I put more flour than was called for the dough would get dry and break before I got it to the pan. If I re-rolled it and did manage to put it in the pan and bake my pie, the crust was tough and hard as cardboard. I was getting disgusted because I have an antique cupboard with an enamel surface that is perfect for kneading bread on. My great grandmother had the same cupboard and her pies were perfect.

So I gave up on recipes again and started experimenting. After numerous disasters and a few close calls I finally hit a home run with this formula. I use lard, not shortening and all purpose unbleached flour. Measure 2-cups flour into a bowl and 1/4-teaspoon salt. With a pastry blender cut in 1/2-cup cold lard until it looks like coarse cornmeal. Then add another 1/2-cup cold lard and cut it in until the lard is the size of peas. Then sprinkle over that mixture 1/4-cup of ice water-1-tablespoon at a time and mix the dough with your hands. When the dough forms a ball cover it and refrigerate it for at least 1/2-hour.

Now you will have a dough that you can use a lot of flour to roll it out with. It should not stick to anything and if you have to re-roll it, it will not be tough as cardboard. So go ahead I dare you!

Find bakeware at www.pothaven.com

Everything I write about is from personal observation and life experiences. I love to cook and prepare foods in different ways. I like sharing my experiences about food and cooking. My website http://www.pothaven.com was created because of my interest in quality cookware and cooking.

Scottish Haggis Recipe

Writen by Marius Bezuidenhout

Beef Haggis

1.5lb boneless beef brisket
1.25 lb boneless lamb shoulder
1/4 c onions (dried) or 1 large, chopped
Water or beef stock, as required
1.25 lb beef liver
3 cups pinhead oatmeal or rolled oats
1 cup beef suet
2 tbs. salt
1 tbs. black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
Cow's bladder, sheep's stomach or pudding basin

Chop coarsely brisket, lamb and onion. Put in large saucepan, cover with water/stock. Bring to a boil and simmer 30 minutes. Add coarsely chopped liver and simmer a further 30 minutes. Pout off cooking liquid and reserve. Chop cooked meat finely and in a bowl mix in, one at a time, oatmeal, suet, salt, pepper and cayenne. Pour in reserved liquid until firm and moist. Spoon mixture into bladder and secure ends with string. Place in top half of a steamer and steam over simmering water for 1 1/2 hours. (If no bladder/stomach is available put into an ovenproof bowl, cover with foil or waxed paper (tied on) and steam as above.) To reheat for serving, wrap in foil to protect skin, place in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer for 1/2 hour per pound. (If bowl was used to steam it, put it back into a pan of water and simmer for same time.) To serve, cut skin and spoon out. May also be served battered and fried.

Get more delicious free recipes from traditional delicacies to unusual local ones.

Freezing Cookies

Writen by Griffin Wetzstein

One of the most frequently asked questions when baking cookies is: how do you cut down preparation time for parties or special events? The answer is simple; freeze your dough or cookies ahead of time.

Most cookie dough freezes extremely well and can be kept frozen for up to 4 or 6 weeks. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the dough will absorb any odd odors present in your freezer if it's not properly wrapped and sealed. To prevent odors from creeping into the dough, as well as preventing freezer burn, wrap the dough securely twice. Also make sure that the dough is placed away from fish or any other strong smelling items in the freezer. Oxygen is another leading cause of freezer burn. If you should decide to put the dough into a freezer bag instead of wrapping with plastic wrap then follow this tip: when closing the bag, leave a ¼-inch gap in one corner. Insert a drinking straw, suck out all excess air in the bag, and then close tightly.

When you are ready to bake, simply let the dough defrost in the refrigerator. It will take several hours to thaw the dough, so plan ahead. The types of cookie dough that freeze the best are shortbreads, chocolate chip, peanut butter, sugar, and brownies, just to name a few. The types of cookie dough that do not freeze well are those for cake-like cookies and cookies that have a very smooth, runny batter.

Freezing baked cookies is a great way to preserve their freshness. Baked cookies will keep in the freezer for up to 3 or 4 weeks. Follow the same steps as when freezing dough by double-wrapping the cookies. When you are ready to eat your frozen cookies, just let them come to room temperature. Or for you impatient types, pop them in the microwave on high for about 30 seconds. We still haven't come across a baked cookie that doesn't freeze well. So when planning your next special event, think about preparing and freezing ahead of time.

Important: Feel free to republish this article on your website. However, you are not allowed to modify any part of its content and all links should be kept active.

For more cookie baking tips and recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/cookie-tips.html

For some great tasting biscotti recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/biscotti-recipes.html

For cookie baking tips and a wide selection of recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/

Crock Pot Beef Stew Can It Be Interesting

Writen by Lisa Paterson

Crock Pot Beef Stew can be delicious and interesting.

We often get asked for new and interesting recipes. People seem to get 'stuck' with their crock pot and struggle to find new recipes.

The standard basic, slow cooker beef stew is to put in the vegetables first, then add the meat and pour a can of soup over the whole thing.

Now, this is delicious. But….

There are times when you want to do something else. Times when you want something a bit more gourmet.

One of the easiest ways to do something new is to find a conventional oven beef stew recipe. And adapt it for the crock pot so as to create your own original crock pot beef stew recipe.

Now this is when most people seem to go weak at the knees and start to panic.

Relax. Truly it is easy. You can do this.

Firstly, you know to put the vegetables in first and then the meat (so that it all cooks). So you are part way to converting that recipe already.

Next, examine the other ingredients. Because the crock pot cooks with the lid on, you will need less liquid. So reduce the amount of water, wine or stock that is in the recipe.

The other thing is to note that herbs sometime loose their intensity in the long cooking process. So an hour before serving, sneak a taste – it's ok, I do it all the time.

And add some more if needed.

At the same time just check the fluid levels. More than likely there will be too much liquid.

Just get a tablespoon or two of corn starch (corn flour), mix with a tablespoon of water and stir in. Put the lid back on and allow to cook for a while longer.

Give it a try. Just think the recipe through first. And you will soon have a delicious crock pot beef stew recipe that the family loves.

Still not sure. Well there are heaps of crock pot recipes available on the internet. Just take a look.

Until our next Crock Pot Encounter
Enjoy Cooking!
Lisa "The Crock Cook"

Find the delicious Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipes, that Lisa has already converted for You at http://www.a-crock-cook.com **Webmasters - Please feel free to add this article to your site. Just remember to ensure the links remain live and static. Regards Lisa**

How To Save Wrongcooked Dishes

Writen by Yana Mikheeva

How to vary your menu? Of course, with the help of sauces. They will not only add a new taste to known dishes, but also help to hide some of your defects. I can remember myself pouring overdone ravioli and burnt meat with big amount of ketchup or mayonnaise, and everybody was pleased. So, sauces – are an irreplaceable part of menu for a young housewife. And if you use not just ketchup or mayonnaise, but home sauces, you will gain a reputation of an excellent cook. And it is not so difficult to cook a sauce by yourself.

Sauces for meat dishes

Red sauce (for roasted and boiled meat)

Roast a table-spoon of flour with the same amount of oil, then mix with tomato paste and dissolve in two glasses of meat broth. Add slightly roasted roots and onion and boil on light fire during 20-30 minutes. When you finish boiling, add some salt, 1-2 table-spoons of wine, filter and season with a bit of butter.

For 1 table-spoon of flour: 1 carrot, 1 parsley, 1 onion, 1 table-spoon of tomato paste and 1,5 spoon of butter.

Sour cream sauce

Roast a table-spoon of flour with the same amount of oil, dissolve in 1 glass of hot meat broth, add sour cream and boil on light fire for 5-10 minutes. When you finish boiling, filter the sauce, salt and mix. For 0,5 glass of sour cream: 1 table-spoon of flour and 1 table-spoon of oil. You can serve up this sauce with meat rissoles, meat balls or liver.

Sauce for fish dishes

White sauce

Peel off 1 parsley and 1 onion, wash, cult into small particles and roast gently in a pan with 1 table-spoon of oil and the same quantity of flour. Dissolve roasted flour and roots in 2 glasses of fish broth, salt and boil for 7-10 minutes. Then remove the sauce from fire, filter, add a raw egg yolk mixed with 1 table-spoon of butter in it, and mix carefully. Then add 1-2 table-spoons of wine and lemon juice in your sauce.

Sauces for vegetable dishes

Mushroom sauce

Take dried mushrooms washed in warm water, soak them in 3 glasses of cold water and leave for 2-3 hours, and then boil in the same water without adding salt.

Roast 1 table-spoon of flour with the same amount of oil till light-brown color and dissolve in 2 glasses of hot filtered mushroom broth. Boil the sauce on light fire for 15-20 minutes. Roast onion, cut in small particles, with oil, add chopped boiled mushrooms and roast everything again on small fire, then put into sauce, add salt to your liking and boil.

For 50 g of dried mushrooms: 1 table-spoon of flour, 1 onion and 2 table-spoons of oil.

This sauce combines well with potato dishes (potato baked puddings, patties etc.)

Egg sauce with wine

Smear egg yolks with powdered sugar, add lemon peel, and whip the mixture, pouring wine to it. Put a pan with mixture on light fire or water bath and keep on whipping till it thickens, not allowing it to boil. When you finish boiling, take lemon peel out, and add lemon juice to your liking in a ready sauce. For 3 egg yolks: 3 table-spoons of powdered sugar, ¼ glass of white table wine, ¼ of lemon. The sauce is served up with cauliflower, asparagus and artichokes.

Yana Mikheeva is the creator of the WomansPassions site for women and about women at http://www.womanspassions.com, it is an on-line resource for women and about women. Here you can find articles on various subjects, such as: diets, receipts, health, cellulite, figure, aromatherapy, wholesome food, psychology of relationships, pregnancy, parenting, fashion and many others.

She also has a blog for women at http://www.womanspassions.com/blog/

Best Way To Cook A Steak Sss Style

Writen by Graham Manvell

This is our opinion after cooking millions of steaks, and developing a sheer feel, plus enormous feed back over the years

Start with a great steak, an awesome young under 18 month old on the hoof yearling, boss Taraus English decendant or cross meat that has been aged, hung or cryovaced, and has been on a feed ration of grain for a minimum of 100 days. The butchery is ultra important as the steaks need to be denuded of sinew and definitely cut across the grain, the meat also needs to be nicely marbled as this acts like a moisturizer as the meat cooks.

Now for the cooking, we prefer flame grill to bring out the awesome bbq flavours, slight smokiness and caramelizing, this flame grill needs to be very hot so it seals the meat both sides. This meat by the way should be at least an inch thick after it has had a very slight tap with a meat mallet to make sure it has an even thickness all over. Now this is where most people disagree, cause we believe once all the moisture is sealed in, you can season for flavour with salt, pepper paprika etc; or sSs flame grill seasoning BBQ mate, turn the steak until the correct amount of doneness is achieved.( as some may say not to turn the steak until the blood starts to come through from the top, then turn) we believe this dries the steak out.

Now to tell if the steak is cooked please don't cut the steak to see, as this lets all the juices out, and what you are after is a big juicy steak, if you have a great piece of tender meat, as it is cooking, touch it, thin food grade gloves on of course, and if it feels soft like your cheeks (soft), it will be somewhere around rare, if it feels a little firmer something like the flesh on your chin,(slightly firm) it is somewhere around medium, and if it feels even firmer like your forehead, (firm and not spongy) then it is around well done. This is why the best way to eat your steak is around rare to medium, so not to toughen and firm with no juices, like well done.

Now for the final touch before serving up to your friends and guests, we like to lightly brush our famous BBQ glaze on just before it comes off the grill, it caramelizes and brings out the amazing country flavours, ( sSs is famous for) straight on the to the real hot sizzle for a bit of theatre which brings all your senses to experience the sound, the sweet smells, wow it is getting my tongue salivating right now! The biggy now is to under cook it slightly on the grill, let it rest and set, because it will keep cooking on the hot sizzle!! One thing for sure, it will be hot, juicy and tasty, just the way you like it.

Graham Manvell is a multi-Internationally award winning culinary Olympian, and the franchisor sSs BBQ Barns. Learn more about his Steakhouse Restaurant at www.sssbbq.com.au