Online Recipes - Where Cooks Everywhere Can Find Their Next Meal Recipe
For everyone who has ever stared at a package of chicken at four o’clock in the afternoon trying to figure out what to do with it for dinner, there is another option besides dousing it in bottled bbq sauce or lugging out the same old cookbooks. The option that is becoming increasingly popular with cooks everywhere is to turn to online recipes. By spending just a few minutes on sites like www.online-recipes.org, a cook can quickly find a way to make that chicken appealing.
As a matter of fact Nielsen’s NetRatings, determined that the most popular food related activity online is searching for recipes. Of all the people who shop online, at least 60% of them also use recipe sites to find online recipes. The trend is moving from cookbooks to online recipes. Many people have a computer nearby or in their kitchen and using it to find recipes is smart and convenient.
There are several benefits of using websites dedicated to online recipes for day to day cooking:
• There are thousands of recipes to choose from instead of just the few in a cookbook
• The recipes are often submitted to the sites by everyday cooks who use the recipes often, therefore its easy to find family friendly recipes - very important for the family cook staring at the chicken at four o’clock in the afternoon
• The recipes are free
• Many sites allow ratings and comments on the recipes that are submitted. Those who have tried the recipes can make comments and suggestions that are helpful when choosing a recipe
• Some sites for online recipes allow the user to search by ingredients - so if along with that chicken there are fresh mushrooms and scallions in the refrigerator also, a recipe can be found using all ingredients
• Some sites allow the number of servings a recipe produces to be adjusted and then the ingredients are automatically changed accordingly, something no cookbook could ever do
• In addition to recipes, sites for online recipes usually have cooking tips, food definitions (need to know what paella is?) cooking method explanations (how do you blanch a green bean?) and helpful information for amateur cooks
• Searching by categories such as Mexican, Kid Friendly, Diabetic, etc. is a feature many online sites have - searching in a category can save a lot of time
• Some sites have a shopping list feature - the ingredients for a recipe or several recipes can be listed and printed out to take to the store
In addition to getting day to day recipes from online recipe sites, these sites are very helpful when planning a special occasion meal. With the holidays quickly approaching, choosing to plan a meal using recipes found online can save a lot of time. www.online-recipes.org can help with this task. By searching for recipes for turkey, sweet potatoes, kugel, latkes, lasagna, fish, side dishes and more, an entire holiday meal of recipes can be found in a short period of time. A word of caution - new recipes should be tried once before serving them to guests. Nobody likes a dry kugel.
In addition to helping cooks find new recipes, these sites also allow home cooks to share their recipes with the world. There is a growing trend for cooks to put their recipes online, sharing generations old or new recipes with others. Many people who have been looking for a recipe just like their great-grandmother’s lost applesauce cake recipe now have a resource to find it or one that is at least very similar.
Spicy Pork With Peanuts
1/4 cup raw unsalted peanuts
3 tablespoons peanut oil
4 whole dried chile peppers
4 scallions — thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves — thinly sliced
SAUCE:
1 tablespoon chile paste with garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon chinkiany vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch — mixed with
1 tablespoon chicken broth — (cold)
8 ounces boneless pork — cubed
Stir-fry the peanuts over a high flame in 1 tablespoon of the oil until they develop a golden-brown color. This brings out their flavor. Take care not to let them burn. Remove them and set them aside.
Lower the flame to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and flavor it with the peppers. With the oil still at medium heat, add the scallions and garlic. Stir-fry them for 10 to 20 seconds, until their aroma rises from the wok. Add the sauce ingredients.
When the sauce comes to a boil, add the cornstarch dissolved in broth. The sauce must be thick enough to coat the pork pieces. Since the pork is not seasoned, the sauce is the seasoning. Add the pork pieces and the peanuts. Quickly toss to coat them well. Stir and toss the pork for 30-to-45 seconds, or until the pieces are cooked through. Turn the pork out on a serving plate.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 259 Calories; 19g Fat (67.1% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 33mg Cholesterol; 581mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 3 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Fast and Easy
2Packages instant ramen noodles-oriental flavor
2 cups water
1 pound lean ground beef
1bunch scallions
16 oz frozen oriental vegetables
1-tablespoon soy sauce
Break the Ramen noodles into a medium bowl. Sprinkle with just one seasoning packet. Cover with two cups of boiling water and allow to sit while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
In a large skillet or wok, brown ground beef over medium heat until cooked. Drain.
Add the scallions and sprinkle with the contents of remaining seasoning packet. Cook for an additional minute.
Add the noodles and the water in which they were soaking, frozen vegetables, and the soy sauce. Cover and bring to simmer. Cook until the frozen vegetables are tender, about five minutes.
Yield: 4-6 servings