Bbq Fever!
Can you feel that grease dripping from the corner of your mouth onto your hands as you take a bite? You try to slurp in that gooey oil before it trickles down to your hands but instead you are forced to lick your fingers. How about those greasy fries layered in fat waiting to clog up your arteries. The juicy hamburger oozing with creamy mayonnaise intertwined with the thick sweet and sour sauce. Heck, we mind as well go the full nine yards and finish it off with a chocolate chip fudge sundae! I don’t know about you but I felt a little sick to my stomach just thinking about that grease earlier! Just another typical meal for most people on the go or picking up their food at a fast food joint.
What if I were to tell you this meal includes a beautiful scenery, fun event, taste great, served within 60 minutes, and most importantly it’s healthy! Since spring is here lets invite our friends, family, and neighbours for a delicious barbeque!
Let me begin with our entrée and this is one of my favourite dishes to start off my meal attack. Why I enjoy this one so much is because of the variety of meats and veggies on the skewer to get us warmed up.
GRILLED MEAT & VEGGIES ON SKEWERS
Choice of combination:
Combo 1: Vegetarian skewers-Zucchini, eggplant, pineapple, and peppers. Sauce includes 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon chopped basil, and 1 teaspoon rosemary.
Combo 2: Boneless chicken with mushrooms, oranges, and peppers. Sauce includes 1 ½ cup of olive oil, 2/3 soy sauce, ½ cup red wine vinegar, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons dry mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, and 1 ½ teaspoons minced parsley.
Combo 3: Sirloin steak with onion, mangos, and peppers. Sauce includes 2 cups of salsa, 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper.
Combo 4: Pork tenderloin with apples, onions and cherry tomatoes. Sauce includes ¾ cup cider vinegar, ¼ cup margarine, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley, 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
STEPS
1. Marinate the cubed meat in a healthy dressing you desire and ensure it is marinated for about 1-2 hours for more taste. Be creative with the sauce and you don’t have to use the ones I’ve recommended as you may have other ideas. Go ahead and design your own sauce if you feel you have something healthy that is brewing in your kitchen. Reseal the meat in a bag for 1-2 hours.
2. Place meat and vegetables/fruits on a skewer. Brush over the meat and vegetables/fruits with extra dressing.
3. Grill for about 15-20 minutes turning once. Optional choice to serve with brown rice.Voila the grilled meats and veggies are ready to be served to your guests! That is just the beginning and I am just starting to enjoy myself. Onto our next dish which is the grilled salmon with fiesta sauce. You can choose whatever secret sauce you want and in this case I chose fiesta because this is one of my favourites. I highly recommend you try it once and I know you won’t be disappointed! These days it’s so simple to make your own healthy marinated sauce rather than buying it in the supermarket. You can design your own family special sauce and who knows you may have a product that can be a hit on the market! All I have to say is it getting hot in here or is it me?!
GRILLED SALMON WITH FIESTA SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
1. Salmon Fillet
2. Fiesta Sauce includes ¼ cup light soya, ½ cup of olive oil, 2 tablespoon of lime juice, 2 tablespoon of rice vinegar, ½ teaspoon of sesame oil, ½ teaspoon of thai curry paste, and 2 teaspoon of fresh ginger grated.
DIRECTIONS
Brush each salmon with the fiesta sauce and grill it on a medium heat level. Flip the salmon over once it turns pink which is approximately 5-6 minutes each side. Once the salmon is done, drizzle the fiesta sauce over the grilled salmon again.
Alright, I didn’t forget about you seafood lovers! After two successful meals we can move on to something tasty and on the lighter side of things. Folks, how about some grilled lobster!
GRILLED LOBSTER WITH ASPARAGUS
INGREDIENTS
1. 2 (10 ounce) rock lobster tails
2. 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
3. ½ cup olive oil
4. 1 teaspoon salt
5. 1 teaspoon paprika
6. pinch of white pepper and garlic powder
7. 5 medium asparagus spears trimmed per serving
DIRECTIONS
1. The grill should be at a high heat
2. Squeeze the lemon juice into a bowl and mix it in with the olive oil. Whisk both ingredients while continuing to add the salt, paprika, white pepper, and garlic powder. Split the lobster tails lengthwise and brush the flesh side of tail with the marinade. Brush over the asparagus as well.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Placing the tail flesh side down and cook for about 10 minutes. Turning once and continue to add the marinade frequently over the lobster and asparagus. The asparagus will be grilled about 4-6 minutes or until crisp tender.
A simple lobster dish that is delicious. There is no need for melted butter and the taste is unbelievable! Just make sure you really cut half way through the lobster meat lengthwise so it cooks in the middle. Also make sure you baste constantly to keep it moist.
Now, was I going to leave you helpless to not include the most important dish of the meal? I was just saving enough room for my stomach for the long awaited arrival of my beloved desert! We can finish it off with a fresh watermelon, fruit salad, fruit kabobs, and bowls of grapes or cherries to satisfy our needs. Or if you are like me we can make it a perfect ending by indulging ourselves in a sizzling fruit salad if that peaks your interest? Ok, let me dig into this a little further how simple this desert can be.
SIZZLE MY DIZZLE FRUIT SALAD
INGREDIENTS
1. Homemade Sour Cream-1 cup low fat ricotta cheese, 1 cup low fat yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, pinch of red pepper and salt, 1 tablespoon of Kool-Aid Orange Sugar Sweetened Drink Mix (combine ingredients in food processor and chill in refrigerator)
2. 1 medium pineapple that is peeled and cored. It is sliced into wedges.
3. 1 medium papaya that is peeled and seeded. It is sliced into wedges.
4. 2 medium bananas sliced diagonally
STEPS
1. Preheat the barbeque and ensure it is nicely greased at medium to high temperature.
2. Grill fruit 3 minutes per side or when it is lightly browned
3. Add additional toppings if you like with ¼ cup of blueberries and raspberries to the grilled fruit platter.
4. When done place the fruit on platter and drizzle the homemade sour cream mixture onto the fruit.
That was just music to my ears hearing the fruits sizzle. So, who needs cookies, pastries or even chocolates for desert? Just thinking about it, chocolates won’t blend with our party anyhow because we are too smoking hot! Our poor old chocolates will just melt away in the heat!
So, there you have it and that is a simple, fun and a healthy barbeque with our loved ones. I doubt there will be any leftovers but if you do have any, you can keep it in the refrigerator to have it the following day or store it for the week. Make your colleagues go crazy and bring it into work having them go delirious. One look at their own lunch that they just picked up at a fast food place will have them salivating over your food. One word of caution is to protect your food with your life and once you leave your lunch unguarded, I won’t be surprised if it’s missing from your desk!
Richard Chan is a Health and Fitness Life Coach promoting harmonization with the mind, body, and soul. An individual that is keen in precision training to his clients resulting in optimal results. For more information you can visit http://www.flex-fitness.com.
Authentic Mexican Recipes Equal Good, Old Fashioned Goodness
When it comes to authentic Mexican recipes, you can expect good, old fashioned goodness in every bite. With the popularity of Tex-Mex cuisine across the globe, you can get a wonderful combination of Tex-Mex and this wonderful cuisine that is filled with healthy stuff we all depend on to keep our families and friends safe and healthy. Good, old fashioned healthy is what each bite will be, and the best thing is that these taste absolutely delicious!
Take this King Ranch Chicken Casserole straight from one of the largest ranches in Southern Texas. This is an original recipe with a few things added for convenience, but the taste is something you will not forget anytime soon.
When preparing this delicious piece of southern comfort, be sure to gather all the ingredients beforehand. You will want to insure the chicken has been cooked thoroughly! Also, be sure to include the right type of onions for your taste. You can add more onion if you like as well! The best thing about this authentic Mexican recipe is that it is easily customizable to fit you and your family’s needs. Just make what you need be that more or less!
King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Ingredients:
8- 8” corn tortillas, divided
Chicken broth
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1- 14oz can cream of chicken soup
1- 14oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 tbsp chili powder
3 to 4 pound fryer, cooked, boned and diced
1- 12oz pkg shredded American cheese
1- 10oz can chopped tomatoes & green chilies (Ro-Tel if available)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. In a 10×14 inch greased casserole oven dish, layer half the tortillas dipped in hot chicken broth, just long enough to soften. In a skillet, sauté onion & bell pepper in butter. Stir in soups, chili powder and diced chicken. Pour half the mixture over the dipped tortillas, then half the shredded cheese. Repeat layers: tortillas, mixture & cheese ending by pouring the tomato-green chilies over the top.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. This casserole may be frozen and reheated! If freezing, be sure to wrap appropriately, or use an appropriate sized glass dish with lid.
Tip: this casserole might be the best-loved recipe in Texas.
Historical fact: The King Ranch may be the most famous spread in America and the largest ranch in the US established in 1853. Today, the ranch covers more than 800,000 acres in South Texas. Inasmuch as King Ranch has been a historic innovator in the fields of farming and ranching, the ranch has also made an indelible mark as a true innovator in environmental stewardship.
When it comes to authentic Mexican recipes, you will definitely find this chicken casserole a favorite. You can make it ahead and freeze it or you can make it the day you plan on serving. What you need will be there thanks to a recipe that is built to suit. In fact, you may be surprised at just how easy this is to make, but you will find that the taste makes it all worthwhile.
More about Annie Dubois and great Mexican food or gift boxes can be found at Mexican Food & Gifts To Go.
Authentic Mexican Cuisine: There Is A Healthy Alternative!
Choosing the best in foods for your family, your friends, and/or your guests will often lead you to the best foods on the planet. Each dish will be exquisitely prepared and presented at your table with all the love and compassion you can muster in a dish of beautiful enchiladas or burritos. Whether making tacos, enchiladas, or another dish, you will find authentic Mexican cuisine offers you a delicious alternative to the greasy, fast food present today in our bustling society.
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Finding healthy alternatives that will appeal to our senses is important. Children have been raised on a mix of fast food and packaged foods often because children live in a household where two parents work. However, in the time it takes to make a prepackaged meal, you can have a home cooked meal that is delicious, beautiful, and healthy on your table. What is that worth to you? What is it worth to your children?
Authentic Mexican cuisine is healthy by nature. Using beautiful fruits and vegetables, this is a food where presentation is everything. You will control what it is that goes into your children. Once upon a time, I remember hearing that we should never eat anything we cannot pronounce. Have you seen some of those ingredients in our soups, prepackaged meals, and more? How do we really know what it is we are putting into our bodies?
Delicious foods do not have to come from a drive-thru. In fact, authentic Mexican cuisine is absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Filled with peppers, and spices that aid in our health, this food choice will benefit you and your children for generations. In fact, many of these foods are designed to be made with children. Imagine teaching your children good food choices while you encourage healthy eating. When making dinner or supper becomes a family tradition, it is a tradition that will serve them well for years to come.
Family traditions often start in the kitchen. Spending time with your children will encourage many healthy and good habits. Why not combine the two? Spend time with your children in the kitchen and you will find your children are more apt to eat what it is you prepare together. In addition, you will learn with your children the benefits of using fresh oregano, basil, and peppers. Add beauty with every meal when you have a part of the presentation.
When it comes to being healthy, children learn what it is they live. When you choose authentic Mexican cuisine for your family, you are choosing a healthier lifestyle that will follow your children. In fact, your children will pass the same information onto their own children. Yes, healthy foods can do a lot not only for the body but for the mind as well.
Choosing authentic Mexican cuisine today is making a step in the right direction. Involve the whole family, and you will find a meal where no one complains because they all had a hand in the meal being served. Starting healthy eating habits has never been so easy.
More about Annie Dubois and great Mexican food or gift boxes can be found at Mexican Food & Gifts To Go.
Enhance Recipe Resources Using Software
Cooking and Nutrition have been incredibly hot topics over the past couple of years. Other hot topics such as anti aging and fitness exercise are discussed in correlation with cooking and nutrition on a regular basis. At the same time the rise in Cooking Television Shows has been exponential. This craze has resulted in a cooking channel! A channel devoted to a plethora of cooking shows! These television shows often have associated websites where their recipes are cataloged and made available.
Technology has allowed us access to these websites and recipes at a moments notice but in order to organize and keep your favorites on hand it may be necessary to create a file or use a software package. I have researched and will offer a review of a few software products that I recommend. These products will allow you to import, catalog and print your recipes in a variety of convenient formats.
1. MasterCook Deluxe 9.0 by ValuSoft
Product Features
Meal-planning software with 8,000+ recipes and 100s of international recipes
Thorough search capabilities; expert nutritional analysis
Professional tips, cooking for a crowd, and essential cooking techniques
Enjoy 400 savory baking recipes with step-by-step instructions
Print shopping lists for single recipes or entire menus, or download to PDA
2. Cook’n for Every Holiday by DVO Enterprises
This instructional computer software includes 582 recipes, recipe manager, menu planner, and more!
Product Features:
Search thousands of recipes in seconds–just tell it what you have on hand
Adjust recipe serving sizes automatically
Demonstrate preparation techniques with video clips
Display hundreds of full-color food photos
Organize your own recipes
Print your recipes on decorative 3×5 cards
Create weekly menus
Make grocery shopping lists
Analyze the nutritional value of your recipes
Recipe Manager:
Organizing your family recipe collection in the computer is easy with Cook’n. You already know how to put in your recipes, that’s because Cook’n's recipe window looks just like a recipe card. And, “Quick-Fill” editing does much of the typing for you.
Cook’n has simple cookbook-like chapters and categories that make it easy to find your recipes fast.
Cook’n's Recipe Manager makes entertaining a snap. Simply select the number of guests you will be serving and enter it into your favorite recipe. Cook’n calculates the new ingredient amounts for you.
Menu Planner:
Build your own weekly and monthly menus
Drag and drop meals to make your menus
Combine recipes and food items to make complete meals. Then, drag and drop meals to make your own weekly or monthly menus.
Grocery Shopping Assistant
Compiles your family’s shopping list automatically
Organizes shopping list items by aisle
Converts to package sizes (e.g., tablespoon tomato paste to 8 oz. cans)
Calculates your grocery cost
Personal Home Nutritionist
Analyze the nutritional elements of recipes and menus (even the ones you add!)
Choose between brands to satisfy dietary needs
Cook’n will analyze the nutritional value of any recipe or menu (even the ones you add!). Easy to read…Cook’n nutrition facts window looks just like the label on a can.
Cook’n has nutrition facts from the labels of 10,000 food products. You can choose between different brands to see what the nutritional effect is.
Now you can plan menus based on dietary needs and tastes. Prepare one delicious meal for the entire family.
Home Cookin: Recipe Software by Mountain Software
Product Features:
· Easy to Use Interface – Home Cooking uses a simple tabbed interface that is easy to operate while providing all the features you use most. You can create as many chapters as you wish. Home Cookin will keep everything sorted alphabetically so you can quickly browse through your collection, and find your favorites easily.
· Easy Recipe Entry
· Import and Export Capabilities – Thousands of free recipes can be found on web pages, newsgroups, and various mailing lists. You can easily add these to your collection by importing them into Home Cookin. Most standard formats are supported.
· Meal Planning – The meal calendar makes it easy to plan your upcoming meals. Locate your desired recipes, then add them to the calendar. Add personal notes if you plan on eating out, want to indicate a holiday, or to reference recipes in other cookbooks. When you are ready to prepare the meal, you can access the recipe quickly from the meal calendar.
· Grocery Management – The Home Cooking grocery manager will make quick work of preparing your grocery shopping lists. Start a new list, select the items you need, and print. A cost estimate is calculated as you select each item, so you’ll know ahead of time how much you’ll be spending on your groceries. The printed list is compact and sorted by store and location to make your shopping trip as easy as possible.
Websites provide us with recipes at a moments notice but in order to organize and keep them handy and get the most use of them it may be necessary to create a file or use a software package. I have provided a review of a few software products that I found to be of good quality. These products will allow you to import, analyze, catalog and print your recipes in a variety of convenient formats including a grocery list!
I have an extensive background in Finance and Fiscal Procedure. I also have a web business where I offer Computer Learning Software for Kids. I am very interested in the product itself as well as the subject matter that it involves. Please use the link above to visit us at The Software Spot! Thank you, Allison Merlino
Wedding Cake Suggestions….
Today, I am focusing on all those yummy, and don’t forget, beautiful Wedding cakes that I have tasted over the years.
I have taste tested so many wonderful cakes at Weddings over the years and I thought I’d share some ideas and suggestions with you when planning your Wedding and trying too find the most perfect cake. And wait a minute, not just trying to find the perfect cake, but trying to find the mot beautiful and season conscious cakes as well.
First, the yummy part. Cakes are very important at Weddings. People are always so excited for the cake part. Making sure that is taste yummy is equally important, as making sure that it look beautiful. Suggestions go out there, around the city and towns that you live and taste test! Its fun and is most certainly a must. Every baker has his or hers own way and style of baking. Some bakers I’ve noticed tastes a little more salty than others, etc. So taste testing is truly your best option! Not to mention, it’s a blast!!
Another important part of taste testing is that you make sure you get a variety of options. Now, just because you are a chocolate lover and want chocolate cake, with chocolate frosting drizzled in fudge, doesn’t mean everyone loves that too. What I’ve have seen done most at Weddings is the Bride and Groom will make the cake that they cut, just the way they like it, and then on the other tiers, make different flavors like vanilla, lemon, raspberry, strawberry, etc. So make sure that you have a few options, as everyone’s tastes are different.
Another suggestion, add a little funk to your cake! Instead of just having a cake with frosting, have your Baker put something in the middle. Isn’t it just the best when you are eating a doughnut and you bite into it only to discover that its jelly or pudding filled! Jack pot!! That’s the best. So do that with your cake. My most favorite cake I’ve ever had at a Wedding was of course, at my own Wedding. And the guests loved this cake. It was Vanilla cake, but in the center was sugared cream cheese and fresh strawberries. It was to die for! Yummy! And the guests were very pleasantly surprised.
Now to beautifying your cake! This part is very important as well. Photographs and Videos will be taken of this cake and of you and your new spouse cutting the cake and feeding it to each other. Just as you are picture perfect that day, so must your cake be also! Make sure that the colors on your cake coordinate with the colors of your Wedding and please make sure that nothing clashes!
Lastly, flowers. I know your thinking, “Wait! Flowers? Aren’t we talking about Wedding cakes?” Yes, we are. However, fresh flowers are a “must have” on your Wedding cake!! Cake make sure, in an organized way, you put fresh flowers, preferably flowers that match your bouquet. And did you know? There are suck things as eatable flowers?? Yes, its true! Eatable orchids are the yummiest, get the purple ones!
All in all, make sure your Wedding cake is yummy, beautiful and coordinates perfectly. Also, don’t forget to be weather conscious! Chocolate cakes with vanilla ice cream are good for winter, and lighter vanilla types cakes with sorbets are better for the Springs/Summers. Even an Ice Cream cake would be cool and really original!
Whatever you decide, make it wonderful!!
How To Make Great Coffee: Do’s And Don’ts
Making a great cup of coffee is easier than you may think, even if you’re a beginner. Just follow the do’s and don’ts listed below and you’ll be brewing a great cup of java every time.
Do Buy Fresh Coffee Every Week
The best way to retain a coffee’s freshness is to purchase whole bean coffee directly from the roaster and store it in a dark and air tight container at room temperature. The longer the coffee sits on a shelf, the more great flavor it will lose over time.
Ideally, you should only be buying about one to two week’s worth of coffee at once. If you have to freeze your coffee, make sure it is tightly wrapped and sealed, to avoid picking up flavors and aromas from other food stored in your freezer.
Do Grind as You Go
You should grind your coffee immediately before you brew it. Grinding releases a lot of the flavor, meaning the longer your coffee sits after it’s been ground, the more flavor and aroma gets released into the air.
Your grind will also affect the taste. Grind too finely and your coffee will taste bitter, but don’t grind enough and you’ll get coffee that just tastes flat. Don’t fret, though. It simply takes a little practice to get the knack of grinding fineness.
Do Clean Your Pot Each Time You Use It
A coffee pot should be cleaned out with mild soap and thoroughly rinsed after every use. Though tempting to let it sit when you lead a busy life, coffee has a lot of natural oils that are released in the brewing process and these oils tend to stick to the interior of a glass pot.
Over time, or even after one use, these leftover oils will adversely affect the taste and aroma of each following pot of coffee. The difference can be subtle, but is noticeable to coffee lovers.
Don’t Mix Coffee Types Together
Never mix different types of coffee beans together. Each bean is roasted a certain way and for a certain flavor. In addition, mixing beans could mean different acidic levels, bodies and flavors, making for one unpleasant cup of coffee. Having said that, though, feel free to do a little experimental mixing for yourself. You may, after all, find a combination that you and your guests find more favorable than the originals.
Don’t Let Coffee Fall Below 175 Degrees
Coffee can remain heated for a long time, as long as it doesn’t fall below 175 degrees. Once it falls below that temperature, it should be thrown out and a new pot should be brewed. Drinking lukewarm or reheated coffee after it has cooled is almost always unpleasant.
Do Use Filtered Water
We all know that tap water has a taste, so you should also know that taste in the water will affect the flavor of your coffee. Keep tap water minerals and chlorine to a minimum by using filtered or bottled water instead. Or, if you are really serious about good coffee, distill your own water with a countertop distiller.
Don’t Overfill the Filter
Overfilling the filter can lead to over brewing and an awful after taste. Instead, follow the concept of one to two tablespoons for every 6 ounces of coffee. Use the indicators on your pot as a guide.
For additional informative details on coffee and enticing flavors that explode your taste buds, please visit http://www.coffeetryst.com, a popular site with insights on coffee options, such as flavored decaf coffee, gourmet coffee gift baskets, almond flavored coffee, and many more!
Natural Ways To Reduce Gas And Bloating
Gas and bloating can be very uncomfortable and embarrassing. Gas and bloating are not limited to a certain gender or age and it can pretty much hit anyone. However, babies and people 55 or older are seeing more problems related to bloating. Sometimes gas and bloating are caused by the different foods one eats, but in other cases it can become a permanent symptom and to prevent any further health impact remedies should be taken to get rid of gas and bloating. Instead of taking pills there are also easy “do it yourself” measures one can take to get rid of gas and bloating. Some remedies are naturally based, while others are chemical based. Some require time, while others work fairly quick. The steps listed in this article are more about a small change in lifestyle or choice of food one eats and not about taking more pills. Let’s take a closer look.
Food Processing and Food Choices
When eating several parts of our body are involved. One of the biggest problems we have seen is people swallowing food before it is properly chewed. Chew food carefully. Carbohydrate digestion begins in the mouth. Any work your teeth don’t do, your stomach will have to do later. Gas is produced by colon bacteria in the presence of poorly absorbed carbohydrates (aka food not properly chewed). So, better chewing before swallowing food can definitely help to reduce to production of gas inside your body. Another option is too look at the diet and different foods one is eating and replace them with food/meal options that are easier to chew and easier to digest.
High-fat meals are responsible for a lot of gas, too. If high-fat meals are on your diet frequently, try to spread them out into smaller meals through-out the day. Try to reduce the number of items that contain a lot of fat. Mixing more veggies into a meal plan is an easy and delicious way to do this. Also, reducing the amount of fried food from Fast Food Joints will help to reach that goal. Foods containing a lot of fat are also responsible for other health problems – including high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Certain foods are well-known for producing gas. Gas-producing foods include (but are not limited to) beans, cabbage, onions, cauliflower, and broccoli. Other foods that produce gas are certain type of breads, apples, peaches, pears, prunes, corn, oats, potatoes, and dairy products like milk and cheese. A well balanced diet can help to avoid gas. Switching to Lacto-Free Milk is a step that can help as well.
Long-term problems take longer to heal. Some experts recommend colon cleansing to speed up the process of reducing the discomfort related to bloating and gas. Colon Cleansing can be done several ways – including at home. Please note that before trying any remedies to treat gas and bloating, it’s important to consult with your primary care provider or doctor. This is especially important if you are taking any other meds.
More articles about colon cleansing and gas or bloating can be found at the Colon Cleanse Report.
Single Cup Coffee Makers Are A Simple Solution
Wasting these days is something we all avoid doing, time and money are two very important things that we take extra care not to waste. Coffee may not appear to most as something we waste but think about it. That extra four cups of coffee, you brew just to get your morning cup of coffee, what happens to those extra cups of coffee, well they go down the drain. To buy a container of coffee that makes 270 cups of coffee costs between $6 – $12 dollars. If you are wasting 3 – 5 cups of coffee a day you average a waste of $1 a week! With 56 weeks in a year that is $56 down the drain. Is there a solution to this waste? Yes there is single cup coffee makes is 1 simple solution.
In regards to your morning cup of coffee how can that be a waste of time, most of us may not just need that first cup but we enjoy that first cup anyway. Brewing a whole pot of coffee just to get that first cup takes a whole lot longer, most are doing other things while it is brewing but think wouldn’t your morning go a whole lot smoother if you could have morning cup of coffee a whole lot sooner. The simple solution that single cup coffee makers offer allow us starting of the day on the positive side of time rather than the negative.
Some of us may think that stopping for that morning cup of coffee is the answer, but is it? Stopping for that cup of coffee not only wastes time but money also, more money that wasting four cups a day at home. First, how much time do we waste in the drive through and average of 3-5 minutes for just a cup of coffee that we could have already had at home if we knew about single cup coffee makers. Money how is it a waste of money, well let’s look at it. A medium cup of coffee at a fast food restaurant, not a specialty restaurant costs $1.10 if that is one cup of coffee a day that is $7.70 a week when you can have a cup of coffee from home for less than .10 cents a cup. So if we stopped stopping we could save $432 a year. Wow, all that savings through one product.
If you want to talk about savings, not only time and money can be saved but what about saving yourself some early morning hassles. Single cup coffee makers can help you do just that.
A simple solution to wasting time and money when it comes to our first cup of coffee for the day is simple. A product that gives you what you need, for a reasonable price that actually saves you money daily and may even boost your day with some extra time. Wasting time and money is not profitable for any of us at any time, but there is a simple solution to this problem it is single cup coffee makers.
Michael Brown Find Single Cup Coffee Makers Free Coffee Samples Plus More
Set Yourself Apart From The Rest With A Wine Tasting Gift
Some people still see wine tasting as a thing for the elite, only for wine connoisseurs, a select few that hold these parties on the weekends. They say that it is not accessible for “normal” people or that “normal” people would not enjoy it. Of course this could not be further from the truth, wine tasting is a fun and unique experience anyone should have had once in his or her life.
Probably no one in your circle of friends or family has ever given a wine tasting gift to someone before, so you can be sure that your gift is very unique. It will be remembered by everyone present and who is told later on. You can of course make sure that this gift is tailored for the one who receives it, whether the person is a beginner in wine tasting or maybe the receiver is very experienced you can go any direction with this gift.
Informative and nice
If the gift is for a beginner in wine tasting then this can be a perfect introduction in learning to appreciate wines and the different tastes there are and how one should select a wine. Often people have tasted some bad wines in their lives and are put of by the idea of drinking another glass. Most times a wine tasting comes with an experiences guide who will help them in discovering the right wine. After the tasting they will know how to distinguish a good wine by the color, the taste and a lot of other characteristics.
When you are looking into buying a wine tasting present for someone you could also look at the possibility of mixing it with a workshop. One such workshop could be learning to match food with the right wine. The days that red wine goes with meat, white wine with fish are long gone, and a workshop on this topic could open up some eyes.
A beginners wine tasting event is always very relaxed and without the serious effect of people knowing what they are talking about. The opposite is true when the gift receiver is a gourmand who is really in to wine and also knows what he or she is talking about. Then you should make sure that the wine tasting is challenging for that particular person. Then the accent should be on the better wines and not on there being a guide present.
Maybe the person that is going to receive the gift would love to go with someone else or a group, then it would make sense to look for a group event. Maybe you could talk to other people who are going to get a gift and you could join hands and buy one big gift, a group wine tasting. The fun would even be greater if that same group would join the happy receiver in this very tasting.
So you see that giving a wine tasting gift is not such a strange thing to give. It is the perfect gift and you will be very unique with this thought.
Jean Bolton loves to give gifts and wine is her favorite. She shows that discount coupons wine country gift baskets or wine decanter with glasses gift sets make a perfect gift.
Slow Cooker Recipe
It’s a way of cooking the food in a relatively low temperature to decrease water quantity and get the best result. It’s the countertop to electrical cooking, popularly known as crock-pot recipe.
Slow Cooker and Crock-pot recipes are interchangeable. A slow cooker is oval cooking pot made of ceramic or porcelain that comes in variety of sizes. Many crock-pot recipes simply call for the ingredients to be put in the crock and have almost no preparation. The crock-pot can then relatively safely be left to run unattended. This makes for a very convenient cooking method. Generally, minimum water should be maintained to avoid uncontrollable heating. Some slow cookers are supplied with recipe booklets.
The advantage of slow cooker recipes is it can avoid overcooking and useful to tenderized smaller cuts. It utilized rated power while the success of every crock-pot recipe relies on careful timing. However, the disadvantage is that the vitamins & nutrients are tending to be lost due to longer cooking. Below are slow cooked recipes you will enjoy from appetizer to dessert.
Here is an appetizer that is so easy to prepare, best before taking the main course. Crock pot Cream of Mushroom Soup:
Ingredients:
• 12 to 16 ounces sliced mushrooms, or 3 cans (4 ounces each), drained
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons onion, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup half and half or whole milk
Instructions:
In skillet, sauté the sliced mushrooms in butter; place in slow cooker. Add chicken broth, onion, salt, and pepper; stir well. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours (on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours).
One of the most popular slow cooker recipes is the Beef & Pork Barbecue. This is how to prepare:
Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2 cups chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Cover and cook on low for 9 to 11 hours, or until meat is very tender. Stir with a fork to break meat pieces up.
For health conscious, here is a simple vegetable slow cooking recipe you will enjoy: the scalloped potatoes and potato casseroles.
Ingredients:
• 7 to 9 medium potatoes, thinly sliced, about 2 pounds or 4 to 5 cups
• 1 cup cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 4 ounces American cheese, slices or shredded
Instructions: Toss potato slices in 1 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, then drain. Put half of sliced potatoes in a buttered or greased 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker. Top with half of onion slices, half of the flour, half of the salt and half of the pepper. Dot with half of the butter. Repeat layers; dot with remaining butter. Spoon soup over the top. Cover and cook on low 7 to 9 hours, or 3 to 4 hours on high. Add cheese about 30 minutes before serving. This recipe may be doubled for a 5 to 6-quart crock-pot.
To complete the meal, here is the best part; the much waited after a tasteful meal…the desert. Savor the taste of brownies with pecans. It is so easy to prepare. Let’s start:
Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 family-size package brownie mix (about 20 to 23 ounces), along with ingredients for preparation
Instructions:
Pour melted butter into 2-pound coffee can; swirl to coat bottom and sides well. Sprinkle with half of the chopped pecans. Mix brownies according to the package directions, stirring in remaining chopped pecans. Pour batter into the coffee can. Place can in slow cooker. Cover top of can with 8 paper towels. Cover and bake on HIGH for 3 hours. Do not check or remove cover until 45 to 60 minutes. Remove can; discard paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes. Unmold and serve while warm, if desired.
For more information on Slowcooker Recipes please visit our website.
Choosing The Best Gift Boxes
When it comes to gifts, it is better to give than receive. As a child, I remember my grandmother saying that, and, as a child, the idea was lost on me as I ripped open my presents with the glee of a child. Today, I am an adult, and I still open presents with the glee of a child. However, I now have a great appreciation for what my grandmother once said. Giving gifts is much better than receiving them – unless it is my anniversary, but that is a whole other story.
Choosing gift boxes is one way I choose to give. I remember back in the 90s when these wonderful presents started getting popular. Each one was a wondrous collage of tidbits and morsels of surprised eliciting awes from the person lucky enough to be receiving such a present.
Gift boxes are a great idea if you think about it! These nifty ideas have a bunch of little things instead of one large thing. One of my favorite types is my Mexican themed one. A large bottle of homemade Tejano sauce was proudly in the middle with smaller goodies such as Mexican candies. Straw was the filler which gave the present an awesome western look and feel. There were even tortilla chips filling the authentic Mexican basket. Absolutely stunning, and I loved the expressions when these were received.
The best one I received was the fresh pecan one. Let me tell you… this was amazing! Let me explain.
First, I had a small container of chocolate covered pecans that was simply awesome, then the honey coated pecans were closely like pralines. I loved them, and so did everyone else in my house. But the kicker was a huge container of fresh Texan pecans still in their shell. Talk about delicious. Of course, I also loved the containers. If you have never had fresh Texan pecans, you seriously have no idea what it is you are missing! Try some today. You will not ever look at other pecans the same again.
What is the different between a gift box and a gift basket? This is a question I get a lot, but the answer is simple: one is in a box and one is in a basket! But the reason for this is a little more complicated…
A box is going to be better for shipping and wrapping. The box format of this means you get to have the items laying flat, and this makes it a whole lot easier to ship, say, glasses and margarita mix without worrying the contents will end up on the postal office floor making a mess. Of course, a basket is great for wrapping with cellophane and giving on the spot. The packaging is not as stable, but if it is an immediate present, you will not need the added stability.
When you are choosing the best gift boxes for your gift-giving purposes, you will find all sorts of edibles and inedibles to keep you going. Choose something they will enjoy by choosing something you would enjoy. And remember, it is better to give than it is to receive. Thanks, Grandma!
More about Annie Dubois and great Mexican food or gift boxes can be found at Mexican Food & Gifts To Go.
Top 5 Tips For Pairing Wine And Food
Pairing wine with the right food is a skill. You have to learn from trial and error what wine tastes best with what food. You will be able to eventually know right away what wine works with your menu. In the meantime, you can use the following 5 tips that experts use to know what direction to go with your wine and food pairing.
These tips give you some basic facts about pairing food and wine that can help you to understand more about why some wine and some foods do not mix well or why some wines work perfect with certain foods. Having this basic knowledge will help you out tremendously in your effort to learn how to pair wine and food.
1. Avoid food that damages the taste of the wine. There are certain foods that will alter the taste of wine or make it so you can not taste the wine properly. You want to avoid foods that will not allow you to enjoy the full flavor of the wine. Such foods include – red meats with white wines; fish, vegetables and goat cheese with red wine; spice, garlic, vinegar and raw fruit with most wines.
2. Match old wines with delicate flavors. Older wines tend to have a mellower flavor that needs to be paired carefully. You can not use bold flavored foods or it will overpower the wine, perhaps even completely wipe out the subtle flavors of the wine.
3. Sweet or bitter foods accentuate the dryness of wine. You want to avoid pairing foods with a bitter taste, bitter aftertaste, or a sweet taste or aftertaste with any wine that tends to be dry. Instead you can pair these foods with a wine that is not dry.
4. Salty and acid flavors of food accentuate the sweetness of wine. As with bitter or sweet foods, with salty and acid foods you want to be careful paring it with wine that is sweet. You could end up with an overwhelming sweetness that prevents anyone from enjoying the wine. Try dry wines or those with a bitter taste with sweet foods.
5. More complex wines need less complex food flavors. Simple food with complex wine and complex food with simple wine is the general rule. This allows for the wine to stand out and to blend with the food.
Just remember, the most important thing is that you enjoy your wine and your meal.
There are no hard and fast rules to pairing food and wine. These general rules can assist you, but there are always exceptions to the rules. You just have to trust your own palette.
Be willing to sample and to try things out to see if they will work or not. Eventually you will know what goes good with your favorite wines. When trying new wines, though, it will usually be trial and error to find the perfect match. Pairing food and wine is not something that you ever master because there are so many variables that makes it a never ending lesson.
For more information on wine accessories and stemless wine glasses. Also see vacuum wine stoppers.
How To Store Wine: 5 Basic Considerations
Wine storage has a huge effect on how your wine tastes when you serve it. The way you store your wine is almost as important as the grapes used to make it and the actual process of how the wine was made. Experts and serious wine enthusiasts will go out of their way to ensure that storage is ideal.
Usually you will need to create a wine cellar or other wine storage area in your home if you are going to be storing a large quantity of wine. The following explains the five aspects of your storage area that are important to good wine storage.
1. Light
Wine needs darkness in order to age properly. It is important that there is no sunlight and limited artificial light in the storage area.
2. Consistent Temperature
Temperature is important to wine. You do not want a temperature that is too hot or too cold. Temperature can relate to spoilage, so you have to ensure that it is kept at a consistent level. The ideal temperature is around 50 to 60 degrees. This temperature allows the wine to age properly and at a steady rate. If you have it too hot then the wine will age quickly and the flavors will not be allowed to develop as they would at a colder temperature.
3. No Vibration
You want to avoid any harsh vibrations which can cause a range of issues with your wine. Things like trains, subways, airports and even close traffic can cause vibrations that can crack bottles, dislodge corks and not allow the wine to settle properly.
4. Odor
You want to avoid an area where strong odors linger. Any strong smell will taint the wine as it ages. You do not want to ruin your carefully selected wines with a bad taste picked up form the storage area.
5. Humidity
The humidity of your storage area is very important. When the humidity is too low the cork will dry out. When the cork dries out it shrinks and allows air into the bottle. Air ruins the wine and will most often cause spoiling. You have to keep the area at a good humidity level which usually requires special equipment. Relying on nature to provide the right amount of humidity can spell disaster. You must have at least a minimum of 60% humidity.
These five aspects are very important to storing your wine. Most people who are storing wine at their home are interested in making quite an investment in the wine they buy. That is why you must understand the five aspects above. Without a proper understanding you will end up with a lot of wasted money on wine that is spoiled or has a bad taste due to bad storage.
You do not want to lose on your investment because you did not create adequate storage. You will need to pay attention and be smart about wine storage so that you can be proud of your wine purchases and create the best tasting wine possible.
For more information on wine gift and wine glasses. Also see wine vacuum pump.
Don’t Skip Breakfast Because It’s Very Important.
Are you often too busy for breakfast?. Many of us would trade breakfast for a few extra minutes of sleep, or we skip breakfast in the rush to get to work or send the kids to school. Or we simply grab a cup of coffee and a sandwich, and call it a meal. But do you realize that you my be missing more than just breakfast when you do that.
Many studies have concluded the importance of breakfast, and health experts unanimously agree that breakfast is indeed the most important meal of the day, and a good nutritious breakfast is the foundation of long, healthy and vibrant life. Eating breakfast is the secret to healthy living. Those who eat nutritious breakfast daily generally have lower cholesterol levels, which are associated with reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Studies have proven that those who skip breakfast are less efficient, both mentally and physically, when compared to those who had adequate breakfasts. Eating a nutritionist breakfast gives you the competitive edge both at work and at home. It improves your thinking ability and memory, and keeps you at top mental performances and gives you improved strength and endurance. Breakfast skippers, on the other hand, are generally more irritable, moody and tire easily.
While a good breakfast is vital, eating a heavy breakfast, one which is high in carbohydrates and fat, may actually do you more harm than good. Heavy, non nutritionist breakfast are often linked to that mid morning slump, and the inability to focus and concentrate at work. Hence, it is imperative to ensure that you are getting a nutritionist breakfast without overeating.
Scientific evidence found that children who eat nutritionist breakfast tend to have higher grades in school. They have better concentration, alertness and more energy, and can retain knowledge faster and think more clearly to outperform non breakfast eaters. Children who do not eat nutritionist breakfast become tired and do not pay as much attention in school, especially in the late morning. A nutritionist breakfast also prevents children from overeating later in the day, hence they are less likely to become overweight.
If you are struggling with weight problems, skipping breakfast may appear like a smart way o cut caloric intake and prevent overeating, bu do you realize that the very opposite is true?. Research actually shows that people who eat a healthy breakfast are less likely to become overweight.
The ideal breakfast should be exceptional in quality, with all the nutrients that the body needs for the day, including vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, essential fats, enzymes, antioxidants, essential amino acids, probiotics and prebiotics, brain foods, fibre, phyto nutrients, cardiovascular protectors, immune boosters and bone builders.
When you do not eat breakfast, you metabolism plummets. If you’re trying o lose weight, this is the last thing you want. Eating a healthy breakfast helps you control your impulse to eat when you are stressed out, prevents you from snacking between meals and overeating at lunch time, and jump starts your metabolism for the day, and revving up your fat burning ability for enhanced weight loss.
Bardnurz Sham, Write an article to educate people so that they can improve their life by eat well and have a wonderful life.
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Grilling: Charcoal Vs. Gas Grills
As the light Spring months descend upon us and the grills start coming out in earnest to nearly every backyard and deck, the age old question resurfaces of which is better: gas grills or charcoal grills, and why? What it really comes down to is a few key characteristics that each offers the consumer. What your individual priorities are such as cost, taste, energy consumption, etc in a grill determines which type of grill would be best suited to you. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most important aspects of gas and charcoal grills below to help you find your way to the right type of grill.
Convenience
Many people opt for a grill depending on the convenience attached to it. Is it easy to turn on? Does it take awhile to cook? In terms of how convenient it is to cook, gas grills win out. With the gas grill, you turn on the gas knobs, push the igniter button, and presto: the cooking can begin within about ten minutes. With a charcoal grill; however, though it is fairly simple to light the charcoal briquettes, it does take on average about 30 minutes to get to a medium grilling heat. So, depending on your lifestyle and how often you use your grill, you may have the time or may not.
Maintenance
Maintaining your grill, as is the necessary of all your worldly possessions, is also a factor to consider, when deciding upon a gas or charcoal grill. Hands down, the gas grill is easier to clean up..Many people just let the previous meats, veggies, fish burn off before grilling again, and perform once in awhile washing. With charcoal grills, however, the mess is more pronounced, and typically requires cleaning maintenance much more often than a gas grill.
Taste
Now when it comes to taste, this is where the playing field levels a bit; as many people report that fish, steaks, burgers, and everything else they choose to grill taste much more smoky and flavorful on a charcoal grill as opposed to the gas grill. This would make sense as your food is burning directly above the charcoal briquettes, and therefore take on the rich smoky flavor of the bricks; whereas gas flame doesn’t offer any smoky char-taste unless you cook your food longer.
Fuel Economy
When it comes to the fuel economy of your grill, it’s also important to recognize the varying convenience of the fuel/grill choice. The gas grill operates on a propane gas tank that-depending on the frequency of your use-can last a whole summer without needing to be replaced with another. Charcoal briquettes, on the other hand, take no time at all to use; so you must be prepared to make frequent store visits for bags of charcoal, if you are an avid griller. In the course of a summer, a gas grill propane tank will last you longer in relative comparison to the trips you would have to make to replace your charcoal briquettes; making the charcoal fuel economy more expensive.
Price
When it comes to barbeque grills and pricing, the range is pretty wide. Typically, gas grills range from $150 to upwards of $1000. Charcoal grills, on the other hand, range from $50 to $450. So, again it comes down to how much you want to spend, and what conveniences-if any-you require in a grill.
Northlineexpress.com is your source for bbq grills, gas grills, and Weber Grills.
Making It Personal: Marketing That You Can’t Buy In Food Service
“Good food is unquestionably the most important factor in the success of your restaurant operations. If you offer exceptional quality, people will take notice. However, today’s diners are looking for more than just a good meal when they walk through the doors. They are looking for an experience. And if you give it too them, it may not only help your F&B department, it could help your hotel as a whole.”
When a guest decides to eat at your hotel restaurant, you can be certain that you are starting from a negative point in satisfying their desire for a “wow” moment. Hotels have long since gained the reputation (in my opinion, for good reason) of offering lousy value. As a business traveler for much of my early career, I can speak from experience when I say that the last place someone wants to fill their stomach is in a lobby lounge. The typical perception is average food in OK décor served by polite but some what plastic staff at a price that really hurts.
Studies have shown that a large percentage of people who eat out today are more interested in the service and décor than the food. Of course, if your food is awful.
No level of service will bring them back. But average food wrapped in a grand experience will still get them talking.
The experience encompasses a number of factors. The friendliness of the staff, the lighting, the noise level, the restroom soap, even the napkins can influence the word of mouth response you get. If a diner walks into a messy bathroom, they probably won’t be telling their friends to visit. So when you are thinking of ‘wowing’ your customers, consider a couple of areas that may help.
The first thing customers see when they come in the door is the décor. Restaurants are going to greater lengths these days to satisfy more than just our craving. They are trying to satisfy our visual hunger as well From giant aquariums, to torch lighting, to art deco furnishings, today’s restaurateur is focusing on fashion nearly as much as food.
While I enjoy the occasional opening of a unique, designer restaurant, I don’t see the need to go to extreme lengths. I do believe that you need great design, but I think that the elements of your design should be the replaceable items. Large, costly design projects are great for the early launch, but like most fashion trends, you can expect them to change as quickly as the seasons. Thus, today’s cutting edge design is tomorrows joke.
I suggest you go with simple and neutral furnishings and fixtures and put the pizza in the accessories. You can turn an ordinary dining room into a tropical paradise with a few well placed paintings, some interesting lighting and vegetation. All of these items can be changed regularly without having to renovate the room. It not only allows you to keep up with trend changes, it also allows you to keep up with trend changes, it also allows you to offer regular guests something new to see when they come back.
Cleanliness is the second factor that diners nor only want, but demand. Your staff should be trained to keep very inch of your establishment as spotless as possible. That includes the bathrooms that may not even be located inside the restaurant. Don’t think your diners won’t take notice.
I have a friend who regularly visits a local hotel restaurant because the bathroom has great hand towels. For those of you who frequent restrooms in Asian, this may not seem so strange. I have gone to five star hotels that offer facial tissues to dry your hands. Why offer anything?
Perhaps the most important influence you can have on the ‘wow’ factor is staff. You need to find people who are almost obsessive about service. In his latest book “Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business” (Harper Collins, 2006), famed New York Restaurateur, Danny Meyers mentions a story about a couple who were celebrating their anniversary at one of his restaurants. The couple mentioned to the maitre d’ that they had put a bottle of champagne in their freezer to chill so they’d be able to enjoy it when they returned home. The maitre d’ recognized the potential disaster and offered to go to the couple’s apartment and save the champagne, which he did, property chilling it in the couple’s refrigerator and leaving some complimentary chocolates and a small tin of caviar.
Your staff doesn’t have to go to such extremes but they should have that special character that drives them to serve. It is almost a motherly-type trait. And while you can’t always find people who already exhibit this character, you can train them. You should help your staff understand that they need to treat the guests as if they are a friend visiting their home for the first time. Nearly everyone can understand what that means. Basically, you want to make sure the have everything that will make them comfortable. Then you should go one step further.
I was once speaking to a friend of mine who works at a pub-style bar at a five star hotel. The next day there was going to be a large parry from the hotel visiting the outlet. When I asked what the party was for, the person didn’t know. I thought to myself. “How could they not know?” In order to excite a guest, you have to give them a little something extra. The staff should have been informed by the hotel at least the day before about who was coming and why. That way they could prepare and maybe even come up with some ideas to make the event “extra special.”
Beyond décor and service lie other intangibles. One is entertainment. This doesn’t necessarily mean a music ensemble from a local conservatory. It can be as simple as piped in music. The key is to match the music to the ambiance you want to set. And you should be aware of the way the mood changes in an outlet as time goes by.
A good friend of mine who sings in a band pointed this out to me. “In the beginning of the night we play easier listening music that is more suitable for a wider variety of guests. However, as the night goes on, the guests are either lightening up from alcohol or coming in specifically for entertainment. So as the evening progresses we get a little funkier in our selection.”
A good entertainer understands this concept but you can as well. You just need to be aware of who your guests are and why they are there.
You can also entertain your guests with your current staff. I know of one outlet that has taught their entire staff a couple of small dance numbers. It isn’t anything complicated but when the guests see all the staff get up on the dance floor and do their number, it makes them feel like they are among friends. Every time they finish, the floor is packed with patrons. The interaction is magnetic and the guests have become participants in their own entertainment.
None of this is advice to neglect your menu. As mentioned earlier, no amount of ‘intangibles’ will overcome bad food. But with a basic, yet solid menu, friendly service, good entertainment and clean, interesting décor, you can create an experience for your guest that feels personal. It is just that experience that they will describe when they get back home and talk to their friends. And that’s marketing that you just can’t buy.
Francisco Faulkner is the professional freelance writer. He’s also the webmaster of Newfoodhealthy.com
Creatine: Is It Good Or Bad For Body Building As Your Nutritional Supplement?
If you are into weight lifting or any short term high-intensity sports you need to straighten up the myths and the facts that you should know about Creatine.
What is it with this creatine supplement that almost everybody says it’s effective and can build your muscles the way you want it to? Creatine is a derivative of an amino acid synthesized in the liver, pancreas and kidneys from amino acids like Arginine, Glycine and Methione. Great amounts are stored in the muscle tissue like that in the heart and can also be found in brains and in the testes.
An average sized adult can store 120 grams of Creatine. Other sources of this substance are from red meat and certain varieties of fishes that have high concentration. The daily required intake is about 2 grams but half of that is only met through everyday diet and the body, luckily, will manufacture the other half.
The main function of Creatine in our body is to produce energy that we need to help make use of our muscles. Meaning, to facilitate muscle contraction we need this substance. There is this certain energy substance that supplies the muscles to contract called ATP or Adenosine Triphosphate. This ATP is stored and when the need comes, the stored ATP is the first ones to be utilized.
When ATP is used up, its phosphate will be reduced and will be converted to ADP or Adenosine Diphosphate. When ADP is present, muscle contraction cannot be facilitated. Thus, the body will find a way to have another phosphate. This would be through getting the phosphate from phosphocreatine, which is the chemical form of Creatine in the body.
So, in this process, Creatine is only important for short, high-intensity activities like weight lifting. This is because later on the longer activities needed for endurance would be more reliant on Glycolysis in order to regenerate ATP.
Laying out the cards, you will now the benefits you will get from creatine supplements. The real idea for supplying the body with Creatine is for you to have well saturated muscles. With the help of Creatine, this muscle group will be able to regenerate ATP more rapidly and can even allow the muscles to train harder. Through this process we can prevent fatigability to set in earlier and we can delay it until the muscles’ Creatine is all used up.
In addition to the task of Creatine is the fact that it can act as a Lactate buffer. The burning feeling that you have when you’re tired after an extensive work-out is the Lactate or Lactic Acid, which is an artefact of Glycolysis or the process of breaking down the glucose. When Lactic Acid builds up or when there is lack of ATP, you cannot perform an extra set in your work out.
In order for the body to improve the regeneration process of Adenosine Triphosphate, it will temporarily stop Glycolysis and the Lactic Acid will stop piling up. An extra work that Creatine can do is that it gives extra hydration or it can draw water into the muscle cells.
This creates a fuller appearance and a bigger muscle that will facilitate and stimulate protein synthesis. This will help prevent protein degradation or break down. Studies have proven that aiming to gain lean muscle weight through Creatine supplementation have overwhelming and dramatic effects. It is highly effective when combined with a training program and a proper diet designed for the individual. This is in order to gain power, vigour, and fat-free muscles over time. This also has high applicability in short term, high intensity sports like sprinting, which either would be through running or through swimming.
However, not everything is good with regards to the effects of Creatine; there are also bad or dangerous side effects. In reality, the results of long term studies about this substance have not yet been completed. Therefore, it is not a certainty that there is no life threatening side effects.
Studies in relation to short term use of Creatine showed that although it is not extremely safe it is also effective. There are claimed side effects that you should watch out for, if you are planning to take this on a long term note. Use of this product, which means usage of more than six consecutive months, can result to kidney and liver damage, suppressed ability of the body to produce Creatine, nausea, diarrhea, muscle pulls, muscle cramps, heat intolerance, dehydration and weight gain.
If you will have a medical test, you should stop taking Creatine temporarily and inform your doctor that you are taking it because it may falsely elevate the results of your test. Creatine load can make the kidney work harder so as to excrete this substance from the body.
So this is where the need for drinking lots of water in order to help the body eradicate the extra Creatine is vital, especially if you are at risk of developing kidney stones. Hence, giving regular supplementation can delete the body’s ability to produce Creatine. This has been proven to be factual because studies have shown that after using Creatine for a short time, there were no signs of problems with regards to producing Creatine again.
In light of these long term studies, it is not yet clear what the side effects of long term supplementation can do to the body because it is not yet complete. So many athletes do a cycle method of using this substance, which means that they stop after a few months then they let the body revive from that period and restart supplementation again. This is when the body can produce its Creatine for months.
Thus, there are no records or documents that can say that the body will stop producing after suppression. Nausea and diarrhoea are minor side effects but can only happen to a few people. This happens when Creatine is not fully dissolved in the stomach. Switching to micronize powder form, later on adjusting the dose and changing the delivery method can then perform alleviating.
People who worked out toughly and have high unrealistic expectations that Creatine can boost their performance overnight mostly feel muscle pulls. Muscle cramps happen because of lack of sufficient fluids. We know that Creatine draws water into the muscle cells and subsequently producing dehydration to the person. This means that enough glasses of water can actually improve cramps. Thus, weight gain is not everybody’s concern but a concern for athletes that should be in good shape, especially if they are in the field of sports that needs endurance.
All in all, utilizing Creatine as a kind of supplement can be helpful and satisfying but it can pose threats when used on long term note. There are Creatines that are sold in pure form. One example would be the Creatine Monohydrate. This type is actually the one being used in studies. The other forms are the ones that the manufacturer adds something into or mixes it wit other substances. These hidden substances can as deadly as it sounds because it may cause of some unwanted side effects.
For more information on Nutrition Supplements please visit our website.
Cooking With Wine And Spirits
For many people the very thought of cooking with wine is off-putting, another trouble, too difficult, the creation of new flavours to which the family are not accustomed. The latter alone is true, but the new flavours are most interesting and enjoyable. They are not difficult to create. Very little wine is needed and often the last few drops in a bottle can be used most successfully.
As with so many other ingredients, the first principle is not to use too much. During cooking the alcohol will be vaporised by the heat and so no one need fear intoxication. Wine may be used in the preparation of almost any dish, often only as much as a tablespoonful or so is required. Red, white or rose, sweet or dry, all may be used. The home wine-maker has a special advantage of a great variety of wines from which to choose.
The following list of recipes is not intended to be comprehensive, rather to point the way and suggest ideas that can be followed up with the wines available.
Stewed fruit
Whenever you cook apples, apricots, blackberries, blackcurrants, greengages, pears, prunes or rhubarb, put wine instead of water into the pan. The flavour is more enhanced and the juice is delicious.
Fresh fruit salad
A glassful of wine poured over pineapple, melon or grapefruit, raspberries, strawberries or any mixed fruits, then sprinkled with sugar and left for an hour in a cool place, emphasises and brings out the flavour.
Marinating
Coarse meats and fish soaked in wine over-night are tenderised, and the flavour is greatly improved. Meat for goulash, or casserole, or pie; fish for baking or kedgeree; poultry for casserole; all benefit from soaking in wine.
Try kipper fillets marinated in red wine for 24 hours. Drain and skin the fillets, cut them into finger sized pieces and serve on crisp buttered toast with a dry white wine.
Shrimps or prawn for ‘cocktail’ hors d’oeuvres are much improved if soaked in wine for an hour or two beforehand.
Cherry pie, plum pie and similar dishes improve considerably if the fruit is marinated overnight in wine.
Roasts, casseroles and stews
All of these dishes can be additionally enjoyed if a glass of wine is poured over them five minutes before serving.
Sauces
Almost every sauce, sweet or savoury, becomes more sophisticated with the addition of a tablespoonful of an appropriate wine – sweet or dry as the case may be. Red wines tend to make sweet white sauces somewhat muddy in appearance, and white wines are therefore recommended. It’s the obvious which sometimes gets overlooked!
In place of wine, mead may be used and in many instances beer also. Try sausages poached in beer. Cider and vinegar also help to improve flavours, especially with pork and fish, however cooked. Liqueurs should not be forgotten when ice-creams are made or served. Even a small quantity is deliciously discernible.
Home-made wines, meads, liqueurs, beers, ciders and vinegars are every bit as good in the kitchen as their commercial counterparts.
G Meradith is an expert in many things. Chiefly Power Tools, Workwear and Blackpool
Buffet Recipes And Tips For The Imperfect Hostess
Hosting a dinner party for friends? Or have you been selected (or singled out, ahh!) to host Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner this year? How exciting. And what a pain in the rear. While having the people you love in your home and feeding them a ton of food is rewarding and can be a lot of fun, chances are you’re a little stressed about it. Unless, of course, you’re Martha Stewart.
When you’re overwhelmed planning a dinner party, sometimes choosing a few good buffet recipes and setting up a simple buffet seems like the easiest thing. And though it’s true that, in many ways, a buffet is simpler to do than a sit-down dinner (where you have to prepare each guest his or her own plate), hosting a buffet style dinner is no walk in the park. After all (and especially if your family is as piggy as mine), you’ll still have to cook a whole big pile of food, won’t you?
Choosing Buffet Recipes: When choosing recipes for a buffet dinner, the first thing you’ll want to think about is ease of preparation. When having a lot of people over for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner (or any other holiday celebration), there is always a lot of food involved. Can you easily prepare a particular dish for a large number of people? Do you have room in your oven or on your stove to cook all of your dishes at once?
Another thing to think about when choosing buffet recipes is how much time each dish will take to prepare. When you host a dinner party, there are about 100 things on your to-do list the day of the party or holiday… and about 100 other things that you never even thought of. The best way to cut down on your work load a bit?
Pick recipes that you can make ahead of time. If 80% of the cooking is done in the morning before your dinner party, you can be sure that things will be a lot easier when the guests arrive. Some great dinner party recipes that you can make up ahead of time are:
1. Cold vegetable salads and pasta salads
2. Soups and stews (add any rice or pasta at the last minute)
3. Veggies and dips
4. Cold appetizers
5. Reheat-able sauces
6. Breads, biscuits, etc.
7. Sliced cheese and fruit trays
8. More stuff I can’t think of now
Last, you’ll want to think about how easy a particular dish is to eat. Especially if you’re going to have some guests on their feet or perched on chairs, you’ll want foods that they can eat without too much cutting or hacking. Unless you want them to eat a whole steak in their hands like some kind of carnivorous squirrel (which would be entertaining but unhygienic), skip preparing a large piece of meat.
Buffet Table Setting Tips: Got your buffet recipes figured out? Now it’s time to get the table ready. While it seems like setting up a buffet table should be as simple as tossing things together, there are a few things you can do to make you buffet table both look nicer and be easier to use. One is to vary the height of different dishes.
This makes the table look more appealing visually and makes it easier for guests to access a particular dish. Another important buffet table setting tip is to… avoid being boring! Most people have been to about 1000 buffets in their lifetime, and most of them are ordinary and all the same.
But with some creative decorating ideas and a little flair for the unusual, you can create a beautiful and unforgettable buffet table. Good luck!
Dinner Party Planning and Buffet Recipes.
Are You A Wine Whiz Or A Wine Fizz? Take This Saucy Quiz — To Learn More Than Your Waiter Knows About Ordering Wine!
Mouthwatering Irresistible. Romantic. Satisfying. All those words describe WINE, one of life’s most exotic AND familiar pleasures.
For millennia, wine has been a delicious part of dining, celebrating and socializing worldwide It’s been the focus at festivals… a cornerstone of countless religious rituals … an important tradition for toasting newlyweds… indispensable to launching ships… even a staple for sealing multimillion-dollar deals and even sending-off loved ones at funerals. And when connected to “women and song,” it’s synonymous with joy itself.
No wonder millions of people want to know more about seeking, selecting, savoring and storing their favorite fermented elixirs.
And what do YOU know about wine? What mysteries, histories and properties do you have yet to discover? What would it be like to have a working knowledge — even expertise — that would allow you to order wines like a pro or host lavish wine parties (often on a budget)? Or to rank among the “Semi-Sommelier” types who create their own wine cellars?
Take this quiz to learn how you rank on the “wine fizz to wine whiz” scale. Along the way you’ll get key information that’s sure to increase your wine know-how in time for your next wine experience!
Wine Quiz
“Nothing about wine trivia is ever trivial.”
WINE TASTING TERMS and TRUTHS — know the wine lingo!
1.> Balance. In the wine world this:
a. Involves how you hold your glass.
b. Means the wine has all its components in sync.
c. Refers to the point at which a wine drinker might become tipsy.
d. Is the way in which wine will complement the food served.
2.> Complex A wine is specifically called “complex” if it:
a. Goes well with many different types of meals, from picnics to banquets.
b. Has layers and nuances of flavors, often achieved through aging.
c. Is popular in various forms worldwide (and not associated with one country or culture).
d. Was originally developed by a large wine-growing family, village or region.
3.> Wines, though liquid, are often called “crisp” because:
a. They have good taste and acidity without excessive sweetness.
b. They go best with crispy foods.
c. Of the special way they’re aged.
d. They are always sparkling.
4.> “Dry” wines:
a. Always leave your mouth dry.
b. Are the opposite of sweet.
c. Are wines no longer in vogue by most wine drinkers.
d. Are only ever one color.
5.> A wine’s “finish”:
a. Means how it coats the glass.
b. Refers to the last sip in a glass.
c. Is the wine’s aftertaste.
d. Refers to the last glass from a wine bottle or cask.
6.> “Oaky” flavor or aroma — resulting from a wine’s aging in oak barrels — is sometimes described as:
a. “The Italian way.”
b. “Magnifique.”
c. “Vanilla.”
d. “Un-charred.”
7.> Tannins, which cause those “puckery” mouth sensations, are found:
a. Mostly in red wines.
b. In all wines except red.
c. Only in very very old wine, almost at a vinegar stage.
d. A sign of cheap wine.
8.> These are meaningless terms for wine:
a. Leathery
b. Polished
c. Lustrous
d. All of the above answers are correct.
9.> A varietal is:
a. A wine named after a grape variety.
b. A wine named after an individual.
c. A wine named after a group of people.
d. A wine named after an historical event.
10.> These are red wines:
a. Merlot and Malbec.
b. Chardonnay and Riesling.
c. All of the above.
d. None of the above.
11.> White wines traditionally go with:
a. Fish and chicken.
b. Only vegetarian meals.
c. Dinner — never lunch.
d. Lunch — never dinner.
12.> People who know wine will know that YOU are also in-the-know about wine:
a. If you hold your wine glass directly under the bowl.
b. If you hold your wine glass in the center of the stem.
c. If you hold your wine glass very low on the stem.
d. Only if you DO NOT “swirl” your wine.
13.> When studying wine, all these senses are important. But your most revealing sense would be:
a. Taste
b. Sight
c. Smell
d. Touch
14.> The only really good wines:
a. Are very expensive.
b. Come from Europe.
c. Are the ones you have enjoyed and will buy/order again.
d. Are hard to find.
15.> When is ‘National Wine Day’ observed?
a. Mid-January, in connection with post-holiday celebrations and the New Year.
b. Late May, synonymous with Spring.
c. September 20 and harvest.
d. December 1, when most casks are opened for the winter.
Bonus TRUE OR FALSE Questions Related to Wine:
16.> All wines taste the same, no matter what you’re eating.
17.> You need at least $1,000 to create a proper wine cellar.
18.> Red wine should never be chilled.
19.> Toasting with an empty glass is okay in an emergency, but it’s considered bad luck to toast with your water glass.
20.> When someone toasts YOU, never sip along with the crowd.
Read On for the Answers–and visit our website for even more tips on wine wisdom!
#1. b. A well-balanced wine has all its components (acid, alcohol, fruit, tannins) working well together.
#2. b. A complex wine has many layers and nuances of flavors.
#3. a. Good taste with acidity. That’s the correct answer.
#4. b. Not sweet.
#5. c. Aftertaste
#6. c. Vanilla
#7. a. Mostly in red wines.
#8. d. All of the above. Other irritating, pointless wine-tasting terms include “brawny” (that’s a paper towel brand!), “animated” (think Minnie Mouse), and “taut” (perhaps an athlete’s abs, but NOT wine!).
#9. a. Named for a grape variety.
#10. a. Merlot and Malbec. Any others named are white wines.
#11. a. Fish and chicken, at any time of day, with or without veggies.
#12. b. To be more in-in-know about wine, always hold your glass as low as possible on the stem. And swirling is recommended!
#13. c. Flavor is really 75 percent smell! Aromas are key!
#14. c. Wine is fine for you if YOU like it — no matter how much it costs, where it originated, and whether it’s uncommon or prevalent!
#15. b. May 25 is National Wine Day, but wine lovers say “The day of Wine” lasts all year long!
True/False Answers:
16. = FALSE! Various accompanying food flavors and tastes, such as salty or buttery or spicy or sweet, greatly influence the taste changes you’ll experience with wine.
17. = FALSE! A very impressive wine cellar can be created with a mere $140.
18. = FALSE! That is a myth. Red wine can certainly be served chilled.
19. = TRUE!
20. = TRUE! To do so would be self-congratulatory and in bad taste. And be sure to stay seated!
Sisters and wine experts Barbara Nowak and Beverly Wichman are speakers, restaurant reviewers, wine-tasting facilitators and corporate trainers. Their latest bestselling book is THE SAUCY SISTERS’ GUIDE TO WINE. (615)790-7240 (Nashville); saucies@saucysisters.com; http://www.saucysisters.com
Joys Of Cooking Mexican Food
Cooking Mexican food is one of those things – you either love it or you haven’t tried it. There are so many reasons why cooking this popular cuisine is such a good, healthy choice. No, you do not have to be from Mexico to appreciate this delectable cuisine. In fact, this is a cuisine that has been gaining immensely in popularity over the past decade. And what isn’t to love?
When choosing the best in ingredients and preparation techniques, you are supporting a healthier lifestyle for yourself and your family. The foods are superbly colored to offer a taste of color to your eyes, the combined smells of onions, peppers, and fresh fruit tantalize your nostrils, and of course, the taste is unique and exquisite offering a complete meal for all of your senses.
When it comes to cooking Mexican food, you will find that there are many popular techniques. No single technique or recipe is right, but there is guaranteed to be a right one for you. With so many choices and options available, you will get the best for your time and money when you know what it is you want.
Making fresh tortilla chips is great, and you will find that there are copious numbers of recipes for tortilla chips. However, many of these may not call for salt. If you know you like to add a bit of added salt or even potassium to your tortilla chips baked into the chip, add salt! Being able to play with the recipe at hand is one of the beautiful things about cooking Mexican food – nothing is set in stone!
Using the freshest ingredients will also allow you to reap the benefits of the ingredients in taste and nutritional value. While fresh foods are generally healthier, you should be aware that sometimes, frozen is good too. One reason you may need to purchase frozen is when the fruits you need are out of season. Frozen will be acceptable as a last resort. Be sure to purchase individually quick frozen foods to get the most nutritional value and taste out of your choice!
When purchasing herbs, spices, and other such delicacies, you will find you can get the kind that comes in a bottle with a shaker already attached, or you can choose a different route and get dried herbs. Some things are perfectly acceptable out of a shaker, but some things should definitely be purchased whole. In addition, you will find you can make your own chili powder or other powders or salts for your own family’s taste.
Another concept you will need to alter to your family’s tastes is the sour cream, salsa, and other additions to the meal. These are generally going to differ from family member to family member. For instance, one family may enjoy some mild salsa with some medium spiced salsa for mom.
Whether you choose one way or the other, you will find that there are many reasons why people choose premade over the other. Cooking Mexican food is great because you can tailor the experience by slightly altering the recipe to suit your taste.
More about Annie Dubois and great Mexican food or gift boxes can be found at Mexican Food & Gifts To Go.
Easy Mexican Food: Mexican Pizza
When it comes to preparing meals for your family, you may find that it is fun to get the kids involved. Sometimes, there are meals you will want to get the kids help with, and sometimes, you will want to be happy just letting them lick the proverbial spoon as you prepare the favorite dish. There are many reasons why allowing children to help in the kitchen is a good, healthy habit. One way you can get the little ones interested in what you are doing is to make some delicious, fun, and easy Mexican food.
Mexican pizza is a delicious favorite in my household. Everyone has a favorite way of preparing this delicious dish because it is just that popular. Take a look at this suggestion for a Mexican pizza! Please, feel free to alter to taste.
Ingredients Needed
> ½ cup corn meal
> ¼ cup canola oil, sunflower oil, or other vegetable oil
> 12 corn tortillas
> 2, 12 ounce cans of tomato sauce
> 2, 15 ounce cans of beans, Mexican style
> Fresh vegetables
> 4 cups of Mexican blended cheese or Monterey Jack cheese
> Salsa
> Sour cream
Directions
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees
2. Grease the bottom of a cookie sheet with oil. Sprinkle the greased cookie sheet with corn meal liberally.
3. Prepare the fruit and vegetables. Place each of the sliced and diced fruits or vegetables in a separate bowl. Please the bowls in a row on the table.
4. Open the tomato sauce cans, and pour into a large bowl. Add seasoning to taste. I like adding about half a packet of fajita seasoning to give the sauce a kick.
5. Place the cheese in a large bowl.
6. For each of the little preparers, get a plate and place a tortilla in the plate. With the preparer at the table, give him or her a plate. Give the child a spoon for the sauce, and sit back and watch the fun!
7. Once your little Picasso is done with their work of art, you can transfer the mini-pizzas to the cookie sheet. Generally the cookie sheet with fit 2 at a time, but you can use up to 2 cookie sheets at a time for this.
8. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the pizzas look delicious!
9. Give the little pizza to the child that made the pizza. Offer salsa and sour cream. Watch the smiles!
Easy Mexican food can be a reality and a lot of fun. This is a great activity for sleepovers or just for any weekend where you want a rainy day activity. Building healthy eating habits starts in the home. When your children get to experience the joys of cooking, they will carry that lesson on with them to adulthood.
Whether you make pizza, tortillas, enchiladas, or some other type of delectable foods with your young ones, you will find that the little bit of freedom they have today will serve them well tomorrow. Today it may be easy Mexican food, tomorrow the world!
More about Annie Dubois and great Mexican food or gift boxes can be found at Mexican Food & Gifts To Go.
Easy Mexican Food For Life
There are few of life’s little pleasures as beneficial or fun as cooking. The ability to take separate ingredients and turn them into something beautiful is just one of those things that can never be matched by most other activities. You get to manipulate, touch, and choose what will go into your meal; making easy Mexican food is just one of those little pleasures that make any meal choice better, healthier, and much more zesty!
Can anyone make this wonderful cuisine? The good news is – yes! Easy Mexican food is just that: simple. There does not have to be anything difficult about making this cuisine for your own. You will even be surprised at how good the food will taste your first time around.
Many people are choosing to switch to making easy Mexican food because it is so simplistic, but the number of reason people choose this exquisitely beautiful cuisine is that it is good to eat and healthy. Whether you are on a low-sodium diet, fat-free diet, or even a diabetic diet, this is a cuisine that can be easily tailored to meet your needs.
There are many myths that follow this cuisine. Unfortunately, many of these myths may lead the average Joe into believing that this is an unhealthy food. Let’s take a look at a few of those myths…
MYTH: Cuisine from Mexico has too much cheese!
TRUTH: Cheese is delicious to many of us out there, but not everyone appreciates cheese. Anything is good if taken in the right portion. However, authentic cuisine from Mexico is not drenched or lathered in ooey gooey cheeses. In fact, you will find that you will use hardly any cheese in most the authentic dishes from the region. Tex-Mex foods do tend to have a lot of cheese. However, you can alter the cheese to any recipe or menu you choose!
MYTH: Cuisine from Mexico is all deep-fried!
TRUTH: While many Tex-Mex cuisines are deep-fried, you will not find all dishes are deep-fried. In fact, those dishes that are deep-fried usually have baked alternatives. Easy Mexican food is simplistic and delicious without the need to fry your foods like a French fry. If you do not like deep-fried dishes, steer away from recipes that call for deep-frying.
MYTH: Cuisine from Mexico is bland!
TRUTH: This is one of the most beautiful and well-presented cuisines in the world. All the fruits add not only color but they add exquisite tastes as well. The wonderful thing about this cuisine is that because it does use such a vibrancy of fruits and vegetables, you will be getting a gorgeous meal that is also extremely healthy. What more could one person ask for?
Easy Mexican food is a reality. These delicious meals are a wonderful part of a culture rich in healthy foods and beautiful presentations naturally found with the foods themselves. When it comes to being healthy, you will find that the truths are far more vibrant than the myths. Stay healthy. Stay green. Choose to try a delicious, authentic meal brought to you from within the borders of Mexico itself.
More about Annie Dubois and great Mexican food or gift boxes can be found at Mexican Food & Gifts To Go.
Healthy Mexican Food: Myth Or Fact
When asked what my favorite food is, my first response is generally the deliciously overstuffed chimichanga. Well, I would also say nachos of extreme portions follow a close second. Doesn’t this mean I am a fan of yummy, delicious, and healthy Mexican food?
Apparently, the Center for Science in the Public Interest reported that healthy Mexican food was a myth. Filled with excessive sodium and fat, this cuisine was the leading cause of obesity in our society with foods containing fatty cheeses and fried overindulgences.
However, I failed to believe that something so good could be so bad for you. What I found was that there are many types of this cuisine, and no, not all of that will lead to a healthier and longer life.
Traditional, healthy Mexican food is extremely good for you. Rich in complex carbs, fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables, this is a food that will be both fulfilling and extremely good for you. However, many people try to state that Tex-Mex cuisine is bad for you and traditional foods from Mexico are healthier. The truth is that Tex-Mex cuisine can be just as beneficial if prepared correctly. Because whether you call it one type of foods or the other, there is a choice you have to make.
In general, American cuisine overcompensated for the lack of true taste and flavor by adding artificial flavors, colors, and even flavor enhancers such as MSG. Americanized version of any type of cuisine is filled with that artificial additives that we, as a people, are often addicted to without even knowing it. Not only are we finding ourselves addicted to fast food, but our bodies are revolting over the assault of artificial flavor enhancers and additives we are adding commonly to our food.
Take the tortilla chip. Pretty common staple for anyone who enjoys either healthy Mexican food or the best in Tex-Mex cuisine.
Head down to the local grocer. Pick up a random bag of tortilla chips. Mm, those taste good! Maybe a bit salty, but none the less, those are good. Now look at the ingredients. Chances are good you will find MSG in unhealthy doses. MSG is monosodium glutamate. Used in moderation, it is a great addition to any meal, but unfortunately, many companies will use 100 times the normal recommended dose. This means that your body will crave the MSG. Now you understand why you cannot stop at just one!
If you choose to make your own tortilla chips, you know what you put into the food. You make them yourself, and they are delicious, but you can stop when you want to stop not when an addiction is telling you to stop. This is a healthier choice for you and your family.
Instead of MSG or other addictive flavor enhancers, healthy Mexican food uses a combination of delicate and robust flavors with brilliant colors. All of your senses are fed instead of just your mind. When you recognize the difference, you will understand that real foods from Mexico are indeed healthier and filled with the good things you and your family needs.
More about Annie Dubois and great Mexican food or gift boxes can be found at Mexican Food & Gifts To Go.
Delicious & Healthy Mexican Food
One day not long ago, I sat down to explore why I was so fond of cuisine from Mexico. Healthy Mexican food is delicious and easy to prepare, but there was a reason I appreciated this cuisine more than the rest. Sure, I love a good lasagna. Who doesn’t? But I always preferred the delicious flavors associated with México or Tex-Mex meals.
When I asked my son, his response was simple. “Cheese!” Okay, I have to admit I do like cheese, but there is more. If I wanted copious amounts of cheese, I could order a pizza. After a lot of soul searching, and taste testing to my mind’s delight, I have figured out why I love healthy Mexican food.
What is it I enjoy about this natural good cuisine?
First, I love the sauces. The spicy goodness filled with peppers such as jalapeños, onions, and tomatoes. This is awesome even if that is all I have in my warm tortilla. However, just saying it is spicy does not quite do this delicacy justice. The flavors of Mexico are so much more intricate and complicated.
The use of spices such as cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and oregano is the key to any good dish. With the mingling of fresh fruits, spices, and other ingredients, you can get a smoky taste to a fresh brilliance depending on your preference. In addition, those seductive flavors vary in more than just flavoring.
With the array of colorful vegetables, sweet and spicy fruits, and often mellow meat colors, you will find your eyes are treated to vibrantly colorful dishes that feed more of your senses.
The key to making or preparing healthy Mexican food is to use lots of flavorful spices, fruits, and meats. When you do this, you will find that no one is missing all that fat because the meal tastes and looks so darn good.
Fish, fruits, and other fresh ingredients make this a delicious, healthier cuisine than almost anything native to their northern cousins. In addition, you will find that it is false to assume that Tex-Mex foods are unhealthy! Any type of foods can be made healthier by utilizing fresh over preprocessed. This means you will miss nothing but those unhealthy parts of the meal that you probably will not miss anyway.
If you still must have a fried tortilla, try warming the tortilla, filling with your preference of fillings, and the rolling into a roll. Brush lightly with olive oil, season with pepper or your favorite spices, and the place in an oven for a few minutes. Turn as needed. Remove and enjoy. While this is not quite the same as frying, you will find it is a much healthier alternative.
When it comes to foods, you will find there are some that scream healthy Mexican food is great, and there are an equal number of experts swearing it is unhealthy. However, the truth is they are both right. Depending on how you prepare the cuisine and the ingredients you use, you can have two types of cuisine that are both equally liked but one is healthier than the other.
More about Annie Dubois and great Mexican food or gift boxes can be found at Mexican Food & Gifts To Go.
How And Where To Put Your Home Brewing Set Ups
There are all kinds of places where you can buy your home brewing system components. If you have one in the neighbourhood, and then you are very lucky, you could go to a big home brew store, or buy it all the things you need online. Or you could visit all kinds of little shops to get all the pieces that you need. In the end you need choose where to put your home brewing set ups and you will need to know how to. When you bought a complete kit then their probably will be some kind of instruction with it how to put it all together. But if you bought the pieces separately you could use some advice.
Finding the right spot
First you will have to think about where you want to put your home brewing set up. Maybe you have already thought about a good spot in the house but maybe you should reconsider it the place you have in mind is probably going to upset your spouse. You need to find a spot in the house where you don’t bother other people in the house and it is not such a great problem if you spill some fluids. Another thing is that your setup will need to stay in that place for some time, at least until the whole brewing process is done so it should not interfere with any interior decoration. On the other hand, maybe you like something to break the ice the next time you are having a dinner party. At least make sure that no one, neither children nor pets, can knock over any of your setup. If you have children or pets then it’s maybe better to lock your home brewing set ups behind locked doors.
Make sure that the place where you put the whole set up is a fun place to be, the last thing you need is that you don’t like to be in the room where your hobby resides. It should be so large that you can store all your supplies in that same place, that way, if you need something, you don’t have to walk out of the room and leave anything unattended.
You Brewing system should be three tiered
Maybe you haven’t heard of the three tiered brewing system yet, but if you ask some of the hobby brewers, you will surely meet when you start with this craft they will surely tell you that this is the set up to go for. You will need some display racks, of the heavy duty kind, and three kettles. These are connected with each other through some tubing, this way it can flow from one kettle to the other one. The big advantage of this set up is that you can make a larger beer batch and the brewing process is somewhat automatic.
So start with this hobby and join the thousands of people around the world that have started before you. Once you have tasted your first batch you will want to continue to create the next one.
Drew Brown has one hobby, home made beer brewing and he loves to share it with the world. He just loves to brew his own beverages. On his website he tells you all about where to sell home brew beer or to buy brewing supply home brewed beer kits.
Cooking Recipes Are A Guide, Not The Law
When you are cooking a recipe for the first time it is always a wise thing to follow it to the letter so you are sure that the outcome is close to what the original chef intended it to be. But after cooking it a few times and when you are getting comfortable with it you can change a few things around if you feel like it. Don’t think that you are doing something wrong by not sticking to the recipe, there are always certain things in a recipe that is not exactly to you taste so your are allowed to change them a bit. Maybe a little less of this and a bit more of that, just so it is more up to your own taste.
Being flexible is sometimes necessary
It could also be that you just can not afford to get some of the ingredients because they are very expensive. Maybe the stores are closed and you forgot to get a certain part of the recipe. And while these things sometimes happen you start to improvise with the recipes you make and before you know it you are freewheeling it.
There are a few things you should keep in mind when you change a recipe, only change ingredients that are not crucial to the dish. Those items you can leave out of your variation or you could put something else in it’s place you could even ad an ingredient in top of the others. The thing to remember is not to get rid of an important item, as an example, if you are making meatloaf you can not leave out the minced (or ground) meat can you? You can ad new spices to enrich the meatloaf recipe or make it more to your own taste.
Talking of changing a recipe, I’m a vegetarian.
Another good reason for changing a recipe if of course when your specific diet calls for it. Maybe you are, or someone who is coming to dinner is, a vegetarian then you could be thinking of starting to learn completely new recipes. You could also start with using the existing ones you know and substitute certain items with non animal ones.
In recipes with sauces that are tomato based or things like stir-fries you could use tempeh or extra firm tofu. If the dinner is with people who are vegan then you could use some soft tofu when you need something to substitute cream cheeses. If the recipe calls for milk then there are soy milk or rice milk that you can use. And when you need to replace meat in chili or soup recipes you can use a wide variety of beans.
So you see there are many reasons to divert from the original recipe, and you shouldn’t worry to much about it. Sometime you just need to go with what your instinct tells you to do. There is no cooking police that will throw you in jail when you give a meal some personal touch, the worst thing that can happen is that your family tells you to never do that again.
Kenny Vanderburen loves to write about his one passion, cooking. If you want to know how to make an outdoor cooking grids take a look at his website. When Kenny is not in the kitchen or writing articles he is probably behind his computer to look for a website that have turkey breast cooking directions.
Making Wine From Apples
Many different wines can be made from apples, either by themselves or in combination with other fruits. No one variety is known to be outstanding on its own but cooking varieties make better wine than dessert varieties.
Experience over many years has shown that a combination of cooking, dessert, crab apple, pears and quince make the most attractive wine of all. Apples respond well to most yeast’s but especially to champagne yeast.
Although perfect fruit is desirable for most wines, windfall apples make excellent wine. The apples do not need to be peeled or cored, but naturally any badly bruised parts that have turned brown should be cut away, with any parts infected by a maggot.
Apples are sometimes hard to crush but various answers have been found to this problem. Perhaps the easiest is to wash the apples in a sulphite solution of about 100 ppm, so removing dust, leaves and grass at the same time as killing off unwanted micro-organisms. Next, drain off the surplus water, pack the apples into polythene bags and place them in a freezer for 48 hours. When thawed they should be soft enough to crush with your hands.
If a freezer is not readily available, place the washed apples – a few at a time – in a polythene bag and hit them with a mallet, wooden rolling pin or steak hammer. When each bagful is crushed, drop the contents into water containing sulphite and citric acid to prevent oxidation.
A third method is to place the apples in a strong polythene or wooden bin and to ram them with a 10 cm. (4 in.) cube of wood on the end of a broom handle.
Another way is to liquidise them, and yet another is simply to cut each apple into about 16 pieces. Coarse mincing is not recommended unless it is known for certain that the metal, from which the mincer is made, does not react to acids.
Apples should always be fermented on the pulp. If you lack a big enough bin for this purpose, a heavy gauge, large polythene bag inside a cardboard container may be used very effectively. The neck can be gathered and fastened with a rubber band or a wire tie – not so tightly, of course, that the carbon dioxide cannot escape.
After pulp fermentation a press is needed to extract all the juice. Bale the pulp out of the bin into a freshly sterilised hessian, linen or nylon bag placed inside the press. At first the juice will run free, and then a little shaking-up of the bag will encourage even more to do so. When pressure is applied, do so intermittently rather than steadily; a better run is thereby obtained. When you are satisfied that no more juice can be extracted, the apple cake can be used to make a second-run wine.
Often elderberry, or blackberry, or damson, or plum, wine is being made at or about the same time. The addition of the applecake to the other fruit improves the body and flavour of that wine. Alternatively, the two pulp residues may be mixed together and added to a grape juice concentrate wine to improve its body and flavour. Spent apple and elderberry pulp mixed with a white grape juice concentrate can make an attractive rose.
It is always worth making the maximum amount possible of apple wine. It blends well with other wines, is useful for topping up jars that are not quite full – no matter what the wine they contain – and it makes an excellent base for liqueurs.
Gareth Meradith runs a Hotel in Blackpool and is sponsered by Karcher Pressure Washers and Snickers Workwear
Mouth Watering Mushrooms
Edible mushrooms are rare but once you taste it you won’t forget its unique flavour. Delectable mushrooms that can be included on your daily food recipes as an additional spice.
Many animals and humans also eat the fruit of the mushroom body. There are greater than two thousand types of mushrooms but only 2.5 to 5 % are edible. The rest are highly infectious and can even mimic the ones that are fit for human consumption.
The toxins in this fungus can be fatal and can kill a person immediately. Some toxins need time to actually accumulate in the body. Once you exceed the particular amount of tolerable toxins, you won’t be able to adapt to that poisonous substance and may lead to fatality or even death. This basically gives you the idea that hunting mushrooms is a big deal and appropriate knowledge about this species should be understood before you even try the ones you can see in your garden.
There are a lot of cultivated mushrooms today. The most common ones are what they call Domestic Field Mushroom or White Button Mushroom. This type has a bland flavour but manages to retain the flavour of a typical mushroom.
Moreover, there are mushrooms that are very expensive. A good example would be the Perigord Truffles, which are not in cultivation for hundreds of years now but were mastered in France just seven years ago. They cost around $1,000 to $1,500 per pound. Aside From France, they also grow in North Carolina.
This extravagant price for this mushroom is due to its diminishing production worldwide. Over the last two centuries, little supply of this type of mushroom has been cultivated. It began with only 1,500 to 2,000 tons. It later on became an estimated 120 tons annually. An existing rationale with regards to the price and rarity of this type of mushroom is because of the secrecy of how these Truffles are being domesticated, along with the hunting techniques for this type.
Furthermore, Genus Cantharellus or mushrooms contain many species. The most famous of all is the Cantharellus Cibarius. This is what they also call the Golden Chanterelle. It is yellow or orange in colour. It is also meaty and funnel-shaped, along with forking gills on the underside. It even has a fruity smell and a mild peppery taste.
This can be found in Asia, Europe, North America and Australia. Furthermore, it is very challenging to cultivate this type of mushroom because of its symbiotic relationship with plants. The European variant is called Girolle, which has a thicker stalk and powerful flavour. They go well with eggs, curry, chicken, fish, veal, pork and beef.
They can also be set as stewed, marinated, sautéed in olive oil, used as fillings in crepes and can be served as an additional topping on pizzas. However, in European cuisine, it is often served with Venison. A highly noted caution with regards to this genus is the one called Jack-O-Lantern or Omphalotus Olearius. This type of mushroom can mimic the Chanterelle. It has the capability to make a person really sick.
Blewit refers to two species that are edible in the genus Clitocybe. This would include the Wood Blewit or Clitocybe Nuda and the Field Blewit or the Clitocybe Saeva. Both are known to cause allergic reactions especially when eaten raw, though this reaction can still be seen even if they are well cooked.
These mushrooms also contain Trehalose, which is a form or variant of sugar that is delectable for most people. Thus, the Wood Blewit can range from lilac to purple-pink in colour.
The old ones are darker and possess a flatter cap. This is while the younger ones have lighter colours and possess more convex caps. It also has a distinct odour, which is likened to that of a frozen orange juice.
This mushroom has been cultivated in Britain, Holland and France. However, these Wood Blewits can be mistaken as the purple Cortinarius variety of mushroom, in which many are considered to be poisonous. We can only distinguish this because of their odour and their spore prints.
Wood Blewits possess white up to a pale pink type of spore prints, while the Cortinarius species somehow produces a kind of rusty brown type of spore print after many hours on actual white paper. The Field Blewit is commonly found in the open plains. It prefers to grow in grasslands and dirt areas across Europe. It also has a convex cap, which is light cream to brown with smooth texture. It is also called Blue Leg because it has a light purple-blue colour on its ring-less stem. Thus, these Field Blewits are often infested with fly larvae, especially if it is not stored well. It is advisable to consume this species at once or it needs to be used soon after it is picked.
Mushrooms are essential in ancient China because of its medicinal claims for centuries. They are said to contain vitamins B, C and D. They are also well known in their ability to lower ones blood pressure and cholesterol. A cancer facility even recommended that it could prevent certain types of cancer.
Certain kinds of mushrooms do have their uses and some are really dangerous. It is important that you know what type of mushroom you are picking or buying. This way, you are sure that it is edible and you can prepare it as a tasty meal.
To eat them, cleaning it is the first important thing to do. A little brushing won’t hurt as well. It can also be the best method to remove all the dirt because they can soak up water. This can dilute their flavour.
Then, the mushroom/s should be chopped and checked for unwanted foreign materials. Mushrooms are proven to be great spices that can add some aroma to your savoury dish. They are also regarded by chefs as great flavouring agents that can transform water into mushroom stock, simply by soaking them in it even for a while. Thus, you can experiment for other delicacies that would go very well with mushrooms and even invent a whole new taste of mushrooms you and your family will enjoy.
For more information on Mushroom Guides please visit our website.
Maple Syrup – A Delightfully Interesting Treat
Maple syrup is regarded as an ordinary sweetener for breakfasts and desserts. However, most people do not know certain interesting facts about it such as the processes in producing it and its various types.
One of the most beloved ingredients included in breakfasts and snacks is maple syrup. With its rich texture and delightfully sweet taste, it has become a staple sweetener in breakfasts such as French toast, cornbread, pancakes, and waffles. Also, maple syrup has been commonly used in snacks such as ice cream, candy, and other kinds of desserts. Furthermore, a more unconventional use of maple syrup is demonstrated in its being a flavoring agent or sugar source for beer. But as you pour that sweet syrup on your bread, do you ever wonder how it is made?
Maple syrup production is indeed an interesting process, and it all starts in a sugar bush, which is a term used to describe a maple syrup farm. In this location, sugar maple trees or black maple trees are cultivated. Producers of maple syrup have chosen the two aforesaid kinds of maple trees as they contain the highest amount of sugar. Usually during February, March, and April, maple trees produce sap, which is collected by plastic pipelines that are attached to specific parts of the trees. The pipes send the maple sap to a large container, which is then transported to a sugarhouse. Once in the sugarhouse, the sap will be placed in a tank that has valves, which lead to a flat pan called an evaporator. The evaporator will boil down the sap so much that a huge amount of water in it is lost and it would turn into a syrupy substance, which is the final product. With regard to its main producers, Canada provides around 80% of the world’s maple syrup, most of it made in the province of Quebec. In the United States, Vermont is the largest maple syrup producer.
Moving on, maple syrup comes in a number of grades. In Canada, maple syrup is divided into three grades, each one containing a number of classes depending on color. First is Canada #1, which includes extra light, light, and medium. Next are Canada #2 which contains amber and Canada #3 which includes dark maple syrup. In the United States, maple syrup is divided into Grade A and Grade B. Grade A is further broken down into light amber, medium amber, and dark amber. Grade B is much darker than Grade dark amber.
Lastly, looking for sources of bottled maple syrup is easy as this product is available in almost all cities. Supermarkets and grocery stores are primary sources of maple syrup. In these establishments, you can find various types, brands, and quantities of maple syrup, and some of them may even let you have a sample of a particular brand before purchasing it. On the other hand, if you plan to start a business related to maple syrup such as a pancake stand, you can find retail outlets in your city that sell maple syrup in bulk. Alternatively, you can also try to browse the Internet for online purchasing sites that sell maple syrup and deliver to your establishment or house the product you ordered.
For more information on maple syrup please visit our website.