Making Naan Bread for an Exceptional Indian Meal

  by CHRIS RAWSTERN

Photo: pignoutny.com

Naan has become highly popular in the US these days. What makes this interesting is that in India naan is traditionally made in a large clay community tandoor oven, something the common household generally does not have. This means that naan is not commonly served in the home. Other types of flat breads such as puri, roti, or parathas among others, are made easily on a hot flat iron or pan in the home. Indian restaurants serve naan breads, both in India and here in the US. Naan is mainly a northern Indian bread, also found in nearby countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan. 


Naan seem to come in many and varied styles. Some are soft, thick and completely flat, while others are thin and almost crisp with large bubbles baked in place. Whatever the recipe you find, it is generally made with flour, yeast, milk or water, ghee, yogurt and salt. Other additions such as egg are possible. The yeast dough is made and allowed to rise, then formed into teardrop shaped flat breads. In a clay tandoor, the large disc of dough is placed against the side of the clay oven, sticking there to bake. This happens very quickly, as the heat is very intense. 


Making these breads at home can be accomplished in various ways. Baking them on an outdoor grill is the most similar in concept, delivering the high heat needed. They can also be made in a home oven over fairly high heat, either on baking sheets or on a pizza stone allowed to heat for at least a half hour in advance.

Naan Bread

1 packet instant rise yeast 1 pound all purpose flour, or mixed with half whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup lukewarm milk 1/2 cup yogurt 2 tablespoons ghee
Combine the first three ingredients and set aside. Mix together the wet ingredients and pour over the dry ingredients, and stir to combine. Once mixture comes together, knead for 10 minutes, and then set aside to rise until doubled in bulk. Punch down dough and divide into 6 portions. Roll or pat out thinly into a large circle, then pull on one end to stretch to the traditional teardrop shape. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes on a pizza stone in a 475 degree oven, or on baking sheets. If making over a grill, set over high heat, close lid and check after 1 minute. If well browned, flip for 1 minute or more until done on both sides.

Once naan are baked, they can be brushed with melted ghee and left as is, or sprinkled with nigella seeds or poppy seeds. The ghee can be melted with smashed garlic to infuse the flavor and then brushed over the baked breads. Coarsely ground coriander seed can also be sprinkled over. In India, breads are the utensils for eating a savory curry dish, kebab, or other. Bits of the bread are used as a scoop for the food, without the use of a fork. However these breads are eaten, it is no wonder they have become so popular. Give them a try and find out for yourself.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey. Visit my Web site A Harmony of Flavors my Blog at A Harmony of Flavors Blog my Marketplace A Harmony of Flavors Marketplace or Facebook page, A Harmony of Flavors. I hope to see you there soon.

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Baking Different Types Of Cake For Different Occasions

 By Emma Darling 

Photo: yahoo.getit.in
 
Birthdays can seem like they're all celebrated the same way, going out for a meal with friends or family and ending the night by going to the pub for a few drinks. For many this can become almost like a chore, and they'd much rather get together with a group of people and go out somewhere new that they've never been to before. As a way of changing different celebrations people could try a number of things, making suggestions is the most obvious, but also deciding to bake a different kind of cake, which could spark everyone into realising they always do the same thing for every occasion.
A victoria sponge cake is the staple English cake, and always appreciated by anyone who eats it. These are usually baked for people's birthdays, and can seem like a really boring cake once you've had it a few times. To mix things up, baking a different cake for birthdays is a great start, but ensure victoria sponge cake is still used for occasions such as christenings or baptisms, as these are occasions not many people celebrate, meaning the cake will always be appreciated.

Birthday cakes can be switched to something slightly more obscure, such as peach filled cupcakes. These are simple cupcakes made with a sponge recipe, however they contain a peach in the middle which is still slightly gooey, meaning there's a surprise at the centre of every cupcake for people to discover as soon as they bite into it. These can be lightly decorated with icing and candles to make up the numbers for a birthday cake, and they introduce fruit as a treat to children, a concept not commonly taut with foods such as chocolate so freely available.

Key lime pie, whilst not necessarily being a cake, can be used to spice up celebrations such as anniversaries for someone's parent's wedding or their own. Since the cake has no specific occasion to be used for, it could form the basis of meeting new people. As new neighbours move onto a street people could go over to them with a key lime pie as a sort of house warming present, since it has key in the name. This works as a great ice-breaker and could make people feel very welcomed onto the street of their new home.

Changing the use of cakes like this is the first step on the road to having a range of new and different celebrations for different occasions. It's always nice to slip back into the old routine and have victoria sponge with a birthday, but many people want to change things up, and this is a tame and subtle but effective way of doing so.

Emma Darling has written many articles about different baby topics, she's most recently been working on articles involving baking products from a baby boutique online as she is enjoying her baking with her two daughters.

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Easy Summer Crock Pot Recipes

 By Reggie Bean 

Photo: thetasteplace.com
 
Summer is a great time for crock pot recipes. It may be hot and humid outside, but you still need to make dinner for you and your family. You can't barbecue every day. The weather won't let you. Sandwiches and salads can be delicious, but sometimes you want a hearty meal at the end of the day. When I come home from work, I don't want to come home to a sandwich. I already had that at lunch time. Ordering out is nice every once in a while, but that can get expensive really quick, especially if you have a large family. With crock pot cooking however, you can make just about anything for dinner without heating up your whole house like your oven does. With that in mind, I present to you some easy summer crock pot recipes for you to try.
Barbecued Chicken and Vegetables

What you need:

• 2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 c barbecue sauce
• 1/2 c water
• 4 medium potatoes, unpeeled and cut into eighths
• 8 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces

What you do:

• Layer potatoes and carrots in the bottom of a 4-6 quart crock-pot. Layer chicken on top of veggies. Pour water into crock. Spread sauce over chicken with brush. Cook, covered, for 8 hours on low, or until chicken and veggies are tender.
Swiss Steak

What you need:

• 2 lbs round steak, 3/4 inch thick
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 celery stalk, sliced
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1/4 c flour
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

What you do:

• In a medium bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour. Cut steak into serving size pieces. Add steaks one at a time to flour mixture; coat. In bottom of crock pot add onions, meat, Worcestershire, carrots, celery and tomato sauce in that order. Cook, covered, on low for 8 -10 hours.
Cheese Ravioli and Sausage
What you need:
• 1 lb Italian sausage without casing, browned and drained
• 9 oz package refrigerated cheese ravioli
• 24-28 oz jar spaghetti sauce
• 141/2 oz can Italian style diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 c Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated

What you do:

• Combine sausage, spaghetti sauce and tomatoes into crock-pot; mix well. Cook, covered, for 7 hours on low. Mix in ravioli, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Turn off slow cooker, top with cheese and cover. Let stand for 5 - 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted; serve.
Country Style Pork Ribs

What you need:

• 4-5 lbs country style pork ribs
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans stewed tomatoes or Italian style tomatoes, diced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large green pepper, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1/2 c red wine or red wine vinegar
• 1/2 c water
• 1 t beef or chicken bouillon granules (whatever is in your pantry)
• 3 T olive oil
• garlic salt to taste
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

What you do:

• Heat oil in a large skillet. Rub ribs with garlic salt, salt and pepper. Add ribs to skillet and cook over high heat until browned on both sides (1-2 minutes per side). Add ribs and remaining ingredients to 6 quart crock-pot and cook, covered, for 8 -10 hours on low.

For more recipes, cooking articles and food related links, visit Easy Breezy Recipes at http://www.easybreezyrecipes.com

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How to Choose a Catering Menu for Your Wedding

By Aaron S Douglass  

Photo: theblushbride.com

Choosing a menu is an important and sometimes difficult part of planning a wedding. On average, over 50% of a wedding budget is spent on food and drink, so it's vital to the success of the day that the menu is correctly chosen.
There are many key factors which will influence a menu choice, some of which are listed below:

The season: will the weather be hot or cold? What sort of ingredients are available and will they be of a good quality? Asparagus is a lovely vegetable to have on your wedding day but it is only produced in the uk for a couple of months of the year. There are many websites which give good advice on the seasons and what produce is available, your caterer should be able to advise you on this also.

The venue: does it have adequate facilities? Is there an appropriate space for your chosen catering? Is there a local product which could be used to create interest in your menu. For example if you have chosen a farm setting, does it produce anything you can use such as cheese or meat?

Ethnic or religious influence: there may be a percentage of your guests who, for example, do not eat pork, in this case a hog roast would be a bad idea. A lamb roast might be a suitable alternative.

Budget: a big, important factor in planning your wedding catering. There is no point dreaming of fillet steak and caviar if you can only afford chicken. Try to be original about your choices but bear in mind that over-complicating your menu to make up for not being flashy will only make things difficult. Choose interesting and exciting options, but keep them simple. This is really hard, no one wants to have a 'budget' wedding but trying to have an expensive wedding when you can't afford it is a bad idea. Work with what you have or up your budget. If you order fillet steak but it comes in cheap, it probably will be cheap, badly cooked, poor quality, foreign and tough. On the other hand a talented caterer will make an inexpensive cut of meat such as leg of lamb into a beautiful dish, much better than the poor quality steaks. Something you'll be proud to serve you most treasured friends and family.
Tip: Watch out for lamb shanks, they tend to be very poor quality, 'boil in the bag', with a shelf life of years due to preservatives and pasteurization.

Your own tastes and preference: the most important factor in choosing your wedding day menu is making sure you get what you want. You can easily get too wrapped up in pleasing (or trying to impress) your guests. Be yourself, try to show your guests what you are like as a couple, give them a taste of the experiences you've had and the discoveries you've made along the way. This is your chance to show your friends and family what an individual, cultured and original person you have grown up to be. This should be your finest hour (or two).

One more point to consider in planning your wedding menu is the table plan. Most couples do not realise what a challenge this is before food even becomes an element. Keep it simple. Having multiple food options served to different people in the room can seem like a good idea, you want your guests to have the choice of what they eat. "What if they don't like lamb, we must have a chicken option", "what about the vegetarians, we must have a veggie option", "Kids wont eat lamb or chicken, we must have some kids food", "Aunty Brenda only eats cabbage and chickpeas, she must have this as an option". Suddenly your menu is long and complicated, now you have to gather your guests choices and compile them on the table plan. Just when the pressure can't get anymore you have the task of making a table-plan. It's a nightmare, couples often say afterwards: I wish we'd kept it simple.

Design your menu around enjoying your day and don't forget about the lead up to it. The whole experience should be easy and fun. Keep this in your mind as it wonders into dreamland. Easy and Fun.

Should you require more advice or help on plan your own wedding menu, don't hesitate to contact Gastro Catering at http://www.gastrocatering.com. We provide unique and exciting wedding catering for all budgets.

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Excellent Potato and Spinach Soup

 By Michael Miji 

Photo: static6.depositphotos.com
 
This is now my favorite soup. It is easy and cheap to make, takes about an hour, and doesn't need exotic ingredients which would require extra shopping. Like just about all of my favorite recipes, it doesn't require many utensils, so clean-up isn't a big deal. As given, this is a vegetarian dish. Use this recipe as a base if you want, adding whatever is in the fridge that your creativity thinks would rock. Here's all you really need.
• 4 hefty potatoes
• 1 bodacious onion
• 1 can of condensed milk (12 fluid ounces = 354 ml)... regular whole milk will work also.
• (Optional, but worth it) handful of spinach per serving. Savoy spinach, the older kind with dark green, crinkly and curly leaves, is much preferred.
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (or half this amount of minced fresh garlic)
• quarter teaspoon of finely minced fresh ginger
• sprinkle of oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon finely crumbled feta (or other) cheese per serving (optional)
Peel, and the dice potatoes. Start them at boiling in a two-quart or larger saucepan with enough water to cover them. The potatoes will need to boil about twenty-five minutes. They'll get to boiling faster if you put a lid on the saucepan. While they're getting there, add salt, pepper, oregano, ginger, and garlic. When they start boiling, turn down the heat to a medium boil so crap doesn't spit all over the stove. When boiling starts; set your cooking timer for twenty-five minutes.
While waiting for the boil to start, dice that big onion. Add it to the potatoes. They probably aren't boiling yet. That's fine.
Stir and taste occasionally to adjust the salt and pepper and other spices. When the timer goes off, turn down the heat to a low simmer, add in the butter, and mash the potatoes by hand with a potato masher for minute or so. It's fine to leave them a little chunky. Add the can of condensed milk. Stir it in and jack up the heat so it comes to a medium boil again. Keep stirring so nothing burns on the bottom. Milk tends to do that. Get the soup back up to a boil and keep it there for a minute or two, constantly stirring the bottom. Toss in a big handful of spinach if you've got it, stir it in and let it boil for another half-minute- just until the spinach is overcooked and looking spooky. Turn off the heat. Ladle into bowls that aren't so large, unless this will be your entire meal. Sprinkle on just a little bit of feta or whatever fragrant cheese you might have. A couple croutons would be dandy.
Serves four to six

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Choose The Right Catering Clothing

By Arron Gale  

Photo: russums-shop.co.u
 
It's critical to dress appropriately when you work in a kitchen, so catering clothing matters a lot. The following post will give you some guidelines regarding proper clothing when it comes to culinary life.

When you step foot into a bistro you need to make sure that's you're properly attended; food hygiene and safety are critical because they make the client feel safe. Even though chefs are not always seen by the public, the moment they appear in front of their clients they must look presentable and clean. Clean catering clothing is like a moral obligation. When preparing the food, chefs should have some extra clothes to change because if they get dirty they cannot appear in front of their customers like that. The following lines to exhibit some of the most vital piece of catering clothing a chef should have.

To begin with, it's vital to possess a chef's jacket because it will protect your real clothes and it will make you look like a professional in the kitchen. Be sure that you change your jacket if you have too much food on it; if a food inspector comes in a sees you all dirty, he might penalize the restaurant.
Don't forget about chequered trousers because they can be extremely useful in the kitchen. But they are chequered in a simple way in order for people to be aware of the fact that they are used only in food preparation. Chefs should also wear chequered hats while pot washers may wear red hats. Either they are kitchen assistants, Second or Third chefs or Sous Chefs, all those involved in the cooking process must have a considerable number of uniforms so that there will always be an extra one if needed. When it comes to catering clothing, shoes are additionally important.

A kitchen space can be extremely wet and slippery; therefore, you need to have adequate footwear in order to be comfortable and stay safe. Choose to stay safe and make a smart investment; don't purchase cheap shoes and go for high quality items that will last longer. Good quality catering clothing will keep you safe at the workplace and it will help your business run smoothly. However, there are several additional aspects you might want to consider when cooking.
Kitchens, serving areas and also food storage must be kept as safe and clean as possible. Stocking your refrigerators correctly, constantly checking their temperature and paying attention to the freshness of produce are completely key to the well-being of a cafeteria, restaurant or other catering environments. Flaws are not permitted in the kitchen; therefore, personal hygiene matters tremendously. After they handle raw ingredients, members of the staff must wash their hands and the utensils used in order to avoid cross contamination.

If you wear appropriate clothing at the workplace, you'll show everyone you are professional thus maintaining your reputation unbroken. In the end, if you want people to come back to your place you need to set an example and offer unparalleled services.

RedStone is the leading online supplier of catering supplies for more details visit http://www.redstonecatering.com/chef-supplies/chef-clothing.html. In only a short period of time, an effective distribution base has been created and numerous satisfied customers rely on us to supply in the United Kingdom.

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Cake Decorating With Edible Paper

By Theresa Happe  

Photo: bakedecoratecelebrate.com
 
We may be headed in the paperless direction in work, home and office environments, but not when it comes to desserts. If you can create it with paper, you can make it edible and a print, photo, pattern, words, etc. can be incorporated into cakes, cupcakes, cookies and other desserts. Edible paper is really an icing sheet, icing rolled out very thin. Anything you can do creatively with paper can be done with edible paper.
Printed Designs
The printing of any design, whether it's scanned or printed from your computer, can be done in edible ink on to an icing sheet. The icing sheets come in both legal and letter sizes to fit in your printer. The printer you use must be devoted to this type of printing because the toxins from regular ink should not touch food products.
The same technique applies for transforming any photo in your computer into an edible one. You've probably seen this on cakes from Baskin Robbins and other custom bakeries. You can create them yourself on a full icing sheet or icing sheets that have been pre-cut to standard photo sizes. You can then take those images and apply them to buttercream or fondant cakes or to gum paste. You can create a picture frame out of gum paste, too, which can stand on top of the cake.
Cutting
Icing sheets come in a variety of colors and in chocolate. They can be embossed, quilled, stamped, or simply cut with scissors to create any shape you want. Let's say you want to decorate a cake with hearts. You could take red and pink icing sheets and cut out hearts either with scissors or a punch, found in most craft stores.
For $10, you can get a bucket of different plastic craft scissors in Michaels. They have all different types of designs to create zigzags, wavy lines, etc. Any of these scissors can be used to cut out a border for the side of the cake, create a lattice pattern, create boxes, etc.
The list of possibilities is endless. In fact, if you look around your craft store, you'll find all kinds of inexpensive tools that can be used to transform icing sheets into fabulous designs for your baked goods.
If you're already experienced in cake decorating, you'll be amazed what you can do by combining printed icing sheets with isomalt. You can create jewelry by punching out circles of a design and then putting them in the silicone molds. You can cut out letters and apply isomalt over it to make interesting, 3D words or monograms.
Paper may be going out of style for most, but it's just picking up momentum in the cake decorating world.

Theresa Happe is a cake decorator and fan of Icing Images, where you can find edible paper and supplies for printing and cutting it.

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Tips on How to Successful Bake a Cake

By John H Cooper  

Photo: deliciouskitchen.com.a
 
I really do enjoy baking and like many people the enjoyment is just as much in the appearance of the finished articles and seeing how much people are enjoying it as how it tastes to me. I love the step-by-step preparations and that little panicked moment you get when you wonder whether it'll turn out how you plan. I think it's great that you can start off with a normal run of the mill Victoria sponge and turn it into something amazing which suits the occasion it's made for.
If you're new to baking or simply love learning new things I hope you enjoy the following suggestions and tips for baking. I'd love to hear anything you may have to suggest too as I always love to learn. Enjoy!
Things to consider when baking-
• Although nuts are lovely and the perfect accompaniment to many flavours in food if you're baking for people you don't know it's wise to avoid them. You may have someone who is allergic and it would be a shame to create a situation when you could simple miss them out of the recipe.
• Don't forget that cakes carry on baking for a few minutes after they come out of the oven so if they look almost done it's probably wise to bring them out and they'll finish off as they're cooling off on the rack. There is nothing worse than a dry cake!
• Always bake more if you're decorating them! Whether it's due to practicing your decorating design or clumsiness it's always wise to bake a few more cake popes or cupcakes just in case you have to through some away.
• Don't forget it's always worth spending an extra few minutes greasing your cake tins. Like most people I've been known to rush this part of the recipe; thinking it's not important and it's slightly boring but if this isn't done properly all the hard work you've gone to in baking the cake goes to waste because your cake will stick to the case and fall a part which is no good.
• Spend a little while decorating your cake, it doesn't have to be much but a little decoration on top really gives it the wow factor! People eat with their eyes before their mouths so if it looks amazing, it'll taste amazing!
• Learn when enough is enough! It's a little like decorating a Christmas tree, you can get a little carried away and before you know it, it looks a little overwhelming. Keep it simple yet beautiful.

For a variety of cake pop recipes please check out my website.

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Easy Healthy Salad - Strawberry Lemon Salad

By Catalina Segovia Link  

Photo: 4.bp.blogspot.com
 
Eating right leads to a healthier life. While it is so simple an idea it not as easy as it sounds. Proper nutrition choices should be the main motivation for us home cooks.
This healthy recipe is fast, flavorful and nutritious and can easily be prepared within 30 minutes or less. Perfect when you get home from a long and tiring day at work and too drained to cook that big meal. This dish can be served as an appetizer or as a dessert. Strawberry-lemon salad is thoroughly refreshing with a balance of flavors that will surprise your palate: bitter, sweet, and sour. The rind of the lemon are sliced into thin strips and heated in sweet sugar syrup, then used to garnish the slices of strawberries. Lemon sauce is poured on the dish and a sprig of mint is used to decorate and add fresh flavor. It is also served with scoops of lemon sorbet making this ultra-invigorating. Add Macaroon pieces at the end of the recipe, which has already been prepared beforehand. You can also purchase macaroons in a pastry shop, create your own, or substitute it with other similar pastries. The starch will contrast to the fruits and give it a dry dimension.
Here is how to make this awesome healthy recipe.
Cooking Recipe Preparation time
• Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking Recipe Ingredients
• 6 lemons
• 0.55 lbs. strawberries
• 3.5 oz. sugar
• 0.33 lbs. pectin
• 4 scoops of lemon sorbet
• 8 macaroon pieces
Cooking recipe preparation instructions
1. Peel the 2 lemons.
2. Mince the lemon peels. Blanch in cold water and drain.
3. Preserve the lemon peels in a mixture of half water, half sugar.
4. Recover the lemon juice.
5. Add 0.33 lbs. sugar. Bring to boil.
6. Add the pectin, boil again, and skim (remove the mousse).
7. Wash and prepare the strawberries. Cut them into quarters.
8. For the presentation, spread the lemon sauce over the serving dish. Place a scoop of lemon sorbet on top of it and lay the strawberries around it. Decorate with some fresh mint leaves and preserved lemon peels.
This refreshing salad dessert can be combined with a sweet wine such as Maury's vins doux naturels, which is made of Grenache grape varieties. This kind of wine is extremely fruity and will complement well with the sweetness of the strawberry, the bitterness of the lemon skins, and the sweet-sourness of the lemon sauce. While it is very simple to make, this dish has complex and intricately layered flavors that can be savored unhurriedly for superior enjoyment.

Visit this salad's free recipe instructions and video for more easy healthy salad recipes and other exciting cooking recipes and videos.

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Navy Bean Soup (White Beans) With Arugula

 By Jaya Patel 

Photo: healthiestfoodsonline.com
 
Navy beans (as in most other beans) are high in dietary fiber which means it will help you feel full faster because they are so high in fiber. They are high in folate, magnesium, thiamin, iron, and copper to name a few. Beans are an inexpensive option to meals and yet there are so many ways to incorporate them as a main dish or side item.
I always prefer to use dry beans over canned. You can soak them overnight and they are ready to cook the next day. Canned beans won't taste as fresh in a health supportive recipe. I also avoid canned products because of the known fact that cans are lined with BPA.
Having said that, if you are short on time by all means, use the canned navy beans.
The word "shoyu" might be new to you. There are three types of soy sauces you can buy in the market namely shoyu, tamari, and soy sauce.
Soy sauce is Chinese, shoyu is Japanese, and tamari is wheat free soy sauce. Those who are trying to stay away from wheat, should use tamari and make sure the bottle says "Tamari as well as wheat free".
A traditionally produced shoyu is the most superior product both from health perspective and taste. Look for bottle that says organic or traditionally brewed.
If you don't have shoyu or tamari, you can use soy sauce - don't let that factor alone stop you from trying the recipe.
Ingredients:
1 cup dried white navy beans. Soak overnight.
1 bay leaf
1 quart vegetable stock
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 pound plum tomatoes
1 small onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon shoyu (or tamari if you want to use wheat free)
1 bunch arugula or ½ pound fresh spinach
1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds.
Procedure:

1. Drain the beans and place them in a pressure cooker or 4 to 6 quart saucepan. Add a bay leaf, stock, and salt; pressure cook for 20 min or simmer for 45 to 60 min until well done and tender.
2. Blanch the tomatoes for 10-15 sec in boiling water. You want to be able to peel the skin and remove the seeds inside before chopping coarsely. This in the culinary world is called "Concasse".
3. Chop the onion finely; mince the garlic. In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic.
4. Add in tomatoes and herbs and stir well. Cook for a few minutes
5. Add in the navy beans with their cooking liquid, adding more water or stock if the soup is getting too thick. Season with the remaining sea salt, pepper and shoyu or tamari. Simmer for 10 minutes.
6. One or two minutes before turning off the stove, add in arugula or spinach. You can give it a quick chop or tear into big pieces.

Just a note not to overcook the arugula or spinach. One minute in the simmering soup is more than enough cooking. It will wilt but still have a beautiful green color to the soup.

Jaya Patel has a healthiest foods site. Sign up today for a free copy of our healthiest foods recipe eBook. Learn about healthy recipes, home remedies, and holistic living.

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Recipe for Shrimp Avocado Salad

By Betsy McGuire  

Photo: 4.bp.blogspot.com
 
Here we are in mid-January already and my little 2013 renewal project is in full swing. One of the things I most want to concentrate on this year is getting back to basics. When it comes to food, the "basics" are removing as much processed food as I can from my diet. I'm trying to make every snack, meal, and drink benefit my body in some way. The more "whole" or "from the earth" a food is, the more nutritional benefits it has.
This recipe was a product of my wanting a quick, vitamin-dense lunch that I could make early in the week and pack in a hurry. I had most of the ingredients on hand already, but shopped for a couple of additions. This is the result. Aside from the nutrition at the end of the recipe (including over 5 grams of monounsaturated "healthy" fat), this dish is loaded in potassium, B vitamins, iron and selenium. Selenium is one of those minerals you don't hear much about, but it helps bolster your immune system and can help raise your good cholesterol for a healthier heart.
SHRIMP AVOCADO SALAD
1 tomato, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
½ cup dry barley
3 Tbsp Light Raspberry & Walnut salad dressing (or other light oil-based dressing
8 oz shrimp, cooked
Cook barley according to package instructions. Toss together tomato, avocado, shrimp, and cooked barley. Chill. Mix in 1 Tbsp dressing (per serving) just before eating. 3 servings.
Nutrition (per serving)
calories - 319
saturated fat - 1.4 g
monounsaturated fat - 5.2 g
sodium - 236 mg
fiber - 7.3 g
protein - 21 g

Betsy McGuire invites you to visit http://www.chickpeawellness.com/ and sign up to receive her mind, body, and spirit blog the day entries are made. You can also "like" Chickpea Wellness on Facebook and receive new articles on your wall.
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How to Make Seitan: A Great Meat Substitute

 By Lynda Edwards 

Photo: media.npr.org

Even for a non-vegetarian, learning how to make seitan at home can be a skill worth learning. For one thing, it beats having to race out and catch a chicken or butcher a steer. And for another, seitan is fairly easy to make with the right ingredients on hand, notably gluten flour or vital wheat gluten (essentially the same). It's also relatively inexpensive. [Do please, however, stay away from this food if you're gluten intolerant. Even its great taste, high protein/low-carb content, and usability won't make up for the pain.]
What Is It?
For many people, seitan is a terrific source of vegetarian protein. Pronounced "say-tawn" or "see-tawn," it's sometimes referred to as "mock chicken" in Asian restaurants. But you can add seitan to dishes in virtually every cuisine, from Italian to Vietnamese and points in between. You can grind it to make sandwich mix, make delicious wraps with it, and even dehydrate little strips for snacks. In fact, dried seitan makes a great road food or trail mix when combined with seeds, nuts, and perhaps a little dried fruit.
By simply adding this great product to your larder, you'll broaden your protein options considerably. If you can buy it locally, lucky you! If you cannot, just make it at home. This, thanks to gluten flour or vital wheat gluten (essentially the same), is fairly easy to do. In fact, you can find quite simple recipes all over the Internet; with gluten flour and some seasonings, you're pretty much ready to go whenever the mood strikes.
Securing the Gluten Flour
When making seitan, you must have gluten, as it's the principal ingredient. This flour, treated to remove both bran and starch, can sometimes be found in supermarkets. But if your local market does not or will not stock it, you can also buy gluten flour and/or vital wheat gluten from Amazon if you live in North America.
If you do not, don't be dismayed. When gluten flour isn't readily available, you can actually make your own gluten, although it's considerably less convenient than simply buying the powder and going on from there. Still, it's perfectly do-able, and you can find instructions with visuals right here.
Putting the Seitan Together
When preparing the dough, you will first mix together a group of ingredients such as these: vital wheat gluten; perhaps some nutritional yeast; garlic, herbs and other seasonings; tamari, barbeque sauce, or ketchup; and a little wine, water, and/or broth. Then you'll knead the seitan for a short while and pop it into a pot of flavorful broth and simmer until it's thoroughly cooked. Nothing to it, really! And yet it tastes so good and is so versatile. You can find simple recipes all over the Internet.
At our house, we use it as a protein in pasta recipes and also as one of the filling ingredients for our vegetarian shepherd's pie recipe. We couldn't get along without it, and you may eventually feel the same-particularly if you're vegetarian or vegan. Plus, now you actually know how to make this stuff yourself, and how cool is that?

Running out of ideas for vegetarian meals? Give yourself a seven-day break from meal planning with the menus in our Free Report. Claim yours at http://www.vegetarian-diet-tips.com/

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Stir Fry Recipes - A Different Flavor Every Day

 By K. A. Miller 

Photo: thumbs.ifood.tv
 
Chinese stir fry is one of the healthiest meals you can serve. Although it uses a fried style of cooking, which is generally unhealthy, stir fry uses very little oil, is cooked quick and at a high temperature. And, of course, it consists mainly of vegetables.
But like any dish, stir fry would be boring if you had it every day. However, there is a method to enjoy stir fry several days a week and have it taste totally different each time. And we will get to that shortly. But first let us discuss a basic stir fry.
You can make stir fry with only vegetables. Or you can make it with vegetables and meat. Popular meats used are shrimp, beef strips, pork and chicken. The meat should be marinated for 15-30 minutes before cooking. This can be done while you are chopping the vegetables.
A basic marinade sauce is:
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
For shrimp add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon chili powder to the above.
For vegetables you can use any or all of the following.
broccoli
cabbage, collard greens, spinach (chopped bite size)
bell peppers, onions (cut into strips)
celery (chopped)
carrots (julienne cut)
mushrooms (sliced)
garlic (minced)
green peas, water chestnuts, pineapple chunks, baby corn
Most supermarkets sell bags of frozen vegetables specifically for stir fry, however, you will find fresh vegetables more flavorful and healthier.
Cooking Technique:
1.Heat 2 tablespoons if oil (canola works good) in a wok on high heat
2.Reduce heat to medium high and add garlic, onions and meat (not shrimp). Stir until onions are soft and translucent and the meat is browned.
3.Remove ingredients to a small dish.
4.Add vegetables and stir for 3 minutes. Return ingredients removed in step 3 to wok. If using shrimp, add now. Stir fry another 2-3 minutes.
5.Taste vegetables for the degree of crunchiness you prefer. The longer you cook the softer they will become.
Now here's the secret to obtaining a different flavor while using the same vegetables. Sauce!
There are dozens of stir fry sauces available,, each with a distinctively different flavor. After step 5 above, add a couple of tablespoons of the sauce of your choice. Stir a few seconds and taste. Add additional sauce if needed. Remove from heat. And serve.
You can use any or a combination of the following sauces. Most all are available at major supermarkets.
Sweet Chili Sauce
Steak Sauce
Katsu Sauce
Sukiyaki Sauce
Tempura Sauce
Kotteri Mirin
Black Bean Sauce with Garlic
Hoisin Sauce
Oyster Sauce
Plum Sauce
Thai Style Chili Sauce
Thai Style Peanut Sauce
Wasabi Sauce
Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
Unagi Sushi Sauce
Curry Sauce
Teriyaki Sauce
You can also make you own sauces at home. There is a wealth of home made sauces recipes available on the web.
If stir fry cooking is new to you, the best way to learn is simply to practice as often as you can. It is not difficult and you will be cooking like the chef at your favorite oriental restaurant before you know it.

K. A. Miller is a freelance writer and webmaster for www.chineserecipes.itsallgud.com and www.olsouthrecipes.com where you will find great recipes for the everyday home cook.

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How To Become A Better Chef or Cook

By Greg J Carson  

Photo: sheknows.com
 
Millions of people are fond of preparing their own meals. Cooking maybe time-consuming for busy people but for those who love to cook since it's a passion, not a task. What makes cooking a very pleasurable task? For one, it arouses senses that are associated with taste and smell. Once the sweet aroma of cinnamon fills the air, people feel hungry. Even just visualizing a pot of beef stew can make you look forward to having dinner at home. However, most good cooks learn how to cook at home. It all begins with experience as their parents allow their children to participate in some chores like peeling potatoes or placing icing on cake. This creates an interest in kids as they see yummy dishes prepared right before their eyes. Eventually, they develop a taste for honest to goodness meals that reminds them of special occasions.
Even at an early age, children dream of becoming a world-class chef one day. It starts with using cookie cutters to assist a busy mom one day. Before they know it, they are already participating in cooking contests or selling their homemade goodies to families and friends. While this is the most normal course of events for people who became good chefs, there are other ways to develop one's cooking abilities. Experience is very helpful but cooking good food for commercial purposes requires certain set of skills and knowledge.
First, an aspiring cook should learn about food safety and preparation. Food contamination should be avoided at all costs since it can bring health problems that can even lead to legal issues. Cooking begins as far as handling and storing raw food. Great meals begin with having choice ingredients that are properly prepared. On a business level, cooks are required to comply with government regulations on food safety. Inspections are carried out by government agencies to ensure that a certain facility is maintaining hygienic practices.
Second, cooking means versatility in the kitchen. It means chopping or peeling vegetables at one time or carving meat the following day. One must be indispensable by learning various tasks that are useful in the kitchen. Before one could even become a sous chef, a person must be equipped with different culinary skills. Specialization happens only after some experience in doing general tasks in the kitchen. Behind the sumptuous dishes served in a restaurant is group effort that requires many skills under the strict guidance of a head chef. Additionally, it is not enough just to familiarize oneself with recipes. Depending on the type of business, some customers have a preference for some cuisine. Vegetarian, kosher, or peanut-free dishes must be considered when preparing food.
Third, cooking is just one aspect of business operations. It is essential to understand fundamentals of costing especially if one's goal is to set up a diner or restaurant one day. Business requires crunching numbers to have a cost efficient operation. Even as an employee, a cook must know how to minimize expenses while producing dishes. More so is expected when running your own restaurant. Marketing is another aspect of management that must be learned by people who want to make money out of their cooking skills. It means creating a business system that will bring in money by getting more customers and minimizing expenses.
Cooking as an interest can be very fulfilling if you know how to enhance your skills. Many people have been successful cooks who have traveled around the world through cruise ships. Some end up as a chef of a well-known restaurant while others establish their own businesses. Indeed, it all begins with the love for cooking meals that are satisfying. If you can acquire the rights skills and enough knowledge, then cooking can lead to a very rewarding career.

Thinking about starting a rewarding career in the food industry? Want to become a chef or a cook but do not know where to start? Then visit Culinary Schools In USA where you will find lots of excellent information and easy to follow tips about training and becoming a qualified chef!

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Five Basic Food Cutting Methods Explained

By Chris Rawstern 

Photo: media.homemadesimple.com
 
When we watch TV these days there are cooking shows of one kind or other everywhere. This is really great, because so much more information is readily available than ever before. Not everyone who cooks on TV is a true professional chef, but many are. They are trained professionally, and certain terms are taught to them. These words become second nature to hear and use, though not all of the general public watching at home always understands what these terms mean. Here are five of the most common terms for ways of cutting foods that should demystify these terms for everyone.
Slice
Slicing is the simplest of all methods. Most people understand the word, so maybe this is less necessary to explain. Slicing can be done thick or thin and any gradient between. Not everyone is able to slice neatly and evenly, but slicing is a downward motion with a knife. How this downward motion is accomplished can vary. One may slice bread, which requires a sawing downward motion to slice without smashing the bread. If slicing an onion, a simple downward motion is perfect. Slicing a green pepper can vary. Usually one cuts the pepper open and cleans out seeds and membranes, but then do we slice across the pepper, or lengthwise? Sometimes this is purely preference, and sometimes it depends on how the final dish is to look.
Chop
Chopping can be done roughly or finely. The gradations are sometimes individually termed, such as coarse chop, or fine chop. Chopping is the method for making smaller pieces of a vegetable or fruit, for such things as a saute, salad, or soup. Making a salsa can be done coarsely chopped or more finely chopped. Chopping an onion is relatively simple, since with all the layers, quite a lot of small pieces are accomplished with few strokes. Some people chop slowly and some develop skill and chop more quickly. The most important thing is a sharp knife, which makes any chopping task much easier.
Mince
To mince means to chop into extremely tiny bits. Most often one minces garlic, as an example. This allows the strongly flavored bulb to be distributed evenly throughout a dish. Mincing any vegetable will take a longer time, as the chopping motions must continue until all the pieces are uniformly small. Fresh herbs are often minced before adding to food. Mincing is used when the desire is to distribute flavors without marring the visual effect, or as with the garlic, to distribute flavors most evenly. A garlic press will approximate the fineness of mincing garlic, though most professional chefs do not use a press.
Julienne
To julienne means to slice into long strips of very uniform matchstick shape and size. There are tools out there these days that can help to make quick work of julienning vegetables such as carrot or zucchini, among others. If julienning by hand, take the vegetable, such as a carrot, cut 3 to 4 inch lengths and slice each piece lengthwise into thin, even slices. Stack 3 or more of these thin slices together and again slice lengthwise through the stack, creating very thin sticks of the vegetable. These little sticks are often about 3 or more inches long, and can be added to a salad or a stir fry or wherever desired.
Chiffonade
This term is most often applied to leafy foods, such as herbs or spinach or other leafy vegetables. It involves taking the leaves and stacking a lot of them together and then rolling the stack into a cigar like shape. While holding that roll steady with one hand, take your knife and slice across the cigar shape in very narrow slices. What you will have at the end are literally threadlike pieces of the food. A chiffonade of basil leaves is most wonderful on a Caprese Salad of tomato and mozzarella slices. A chiffonade of spinach or kale would be excellent tossed into a stir fry at the last minute.
Try out your skills with these methods to see how they work. When you hear a chef on TV speaking these words you will have a much better grasp of the meanings of the words and how to accomplish these tasks.
Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope it was informative and helped you along your own culinary journey.

My passion is to teach people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking and help pass along my love and joy of food. I would love to hear from you! Join my "e-family" and share recipes, stories and good times in the kitchen. Visit my Web site http://www.aharmonyofflavors.com my Blog at http://www.aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com my Marketplace at or join me on Facebook. Let me know, and I will send you a copy of my monthly news letter full of recipes the latest tips.

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BBQ Cooking Secrets

By Mickey Brown  

Photo: s7d3.scene7.com
 
Nothing beats firing up the BBQ and cooking outside! There is something primal about cooking over an open flame that cannot be replaced by the convenience of a modern kitchen oven. Besides, the smoky flavor added to your food really adds something special for your taste buds. Close your eyes and picture the glow of the coals. Now imagine the sizzle when you lay that steak down on the grill. I'll bet your mouth is watering, just thinking about it!
Grilling Basics
For grilling, you'll need a medium hot fire. You can judge this from experience once you have a few grilling sessions under your belt. At first it will be helpful to hold your hand slightly above the grill where you are going to put the meat and see how long you can tolerate the heat. About two or three seconds is good for grilling steaks and burgers. For cooking sausage on the grill, about three to four seconds is good, but you can also move it away from the direct heat, close the lid, and smoke using indirect heat it to protect the tender sausage casings from splitting. Personally, I prefer smoking and will put the sausage on some foil away from the heat and let the sausage cook slowly with some onions and peppers. Spray on a little olive oil to keep things from drying out or use a drip pan with some liquid for moist heat.
What Do I Need to Get Started?
To get started you'll need a good grill. I won't get into the debate whether gas or charcoal is the best. Both have their pros and cons and I'd rather cook than argue! The more surface area for cooking, the more versatile your grill will be for using indirect heat, and obviously you'll be able to cook more at one time. Don't worry if you only have room for a smaller grill. Even a small grill will cook awesome BBQ. Once you get to know your grill, it's characteristics will emerge and you'll cook like a pro!
Choosing the Right Charcoal
Buy top quality charcoal! The cheap stuff burns too quick and you'll end up using more and spending more in the long run. You don't need gourmet charcoal, a quality charcoal like Kingsford works just fine. To get the best smoky flavor, add some wood chunks to the fire when using charcoal, or add water-soaked wood chips in a wood chip box with a gas grill. The wood chip box is essential to prevent the gas grill burners from getting clogged with ashes. There are many different kinds of wood used for smoking: pecan, mesquite, oak, hickory and so on... Experiment with different kinds of wood until you settle on your favorite.
The Secret to Great BBQ
So what's the secret to great BBQ? The secret is... heat control! The right heat depends whether you are grilling or smoking and what kind of meat you are cooking. For smoking meat, the ideal temperature is about 200 to 225 degrees cooked for a few hours. The cooking time will vary according to the size and shape of the cut of meat, but you will achieve BBQ greatness when you cook slow and easy. Real BBQ cooked meat has a dark reddish-brown exterior, a reddish-pink layer just under the surface, and a moist, but well done interior, all the way to the bone. When properly cooked, the meat will be tender and moist with a smoky flavor.
Summary
So there you go! The secret to BBQ is heat control. Cook slowly when smoking meat on the BBQ and use quality charcoal and your favorite wood smoke for extra flavor. Don't be afraid to experiment and be sure to try your favorite vegetables cooked outside to go along with the main dish. Pretty soon, you'll be an expert BBQ cook!

Mickey Brown is known for cooking great BBQ. Check out his latest website for BBQ Tips and Secrets, and great recipes, and much more...

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How to Make Apricot Bavarois

 By Abdul Khan Wahab

Photo: aucdn.ar-cdn.com
 
Ingredients
600 ml/1 pt milk
15ml/1 tbsp corn flour
6 large eggs yolks
225g/8 oz caster sugar
For moulding
825 g/ 1 lb canned apricot halves in syrup
15g/1/2 oz gelatine
Juice of two lemons
60 ml/4 tbsp very cold milk
275 ml/10 fl oz thick cream
Melted butter for greasing
For optional decoration
Drained canned apricot halves
Whipped cream and angelica
Method
1. Bring the water in the bottom of a double boiler to the boil, and then reduce the heat so that water is lightly simmering.
2. Mix the corn flour in a bowl with 60 ml milk. Pour the remaining milk into the top pan of the boiler and scald it over a gentle, direct heat. Pour the hot milk on to the corn flour mixture, stirring, and then return it to the pan.
3. Bring the milk to the boil over a medium heat, stirring continuously. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then leave to cool for 5-10 minutes, stirring to prevent a skin forming.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar until pale, and so thick that mixture falling from the lifted beaters will leave a trail on the rest of the mixture. Gradually whisk in the thickened milk.
5. Return the mixture to the top of the boiler. Cook over simmering water, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
6. Remove the pan of thickened custard from the heat and plunge its base into cold water. Continue stirring for 1-2 minutes until the custard has cooled slightly.
7. Drain the apricot halves and place 150 ml syrup in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatine on to the syrup and leave to soften for a few minutes. Then put the bowl in a saucepan of hot water and stir until the gelatine has completely dissolved.
8. Turn the custard into a large bowl. Pour the dissolved gelatine in a thin stream on to the custard, stirring continuously. Reserve enough apricot halves to decorate the base of a 2 L decorative mould. Cut each remaining apricot half into 6 slices and stir into the custard with the lemon juice. Chill until on the point of setting.
9. Add the cold milk to the thick cream and whisk until thick but not stiff. Fold the whipped cream into the almost set custard.
10. Brush the inside of the mould with melted butter and arrange the reserved apricot halves attractively over the base. Pour in the cold, but not set, custard cream. Cover and chill until firm-about 2 hours.
11. Un mould the bavarois on to a flat serving plate. Decorate with drained canned apricot halves, swirls of whipped cream and 'leaves' of angelica.
Preparation time
1 ¼ hours including chilling, and then 2 hours setting

Hello, my name is Abdul Wahab from Pakistan I am one of those people who love to cook. I always try to cook best recipes. For more best cooking recipes visit our website www.cookinginfolink.com

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Great Ideas in Making a Healthy Salad

By Sam Said  

Photo: media4.onsugar.com
 
An apparently healthy salad could be a calorie bomb when covered with high-fat salad dressing. Several preferred salads contain fat and calories. Whether or not you would like to eliminate excess fat or get a lean body, including salad recipes with chicken in your diet will help you reach your primary goal. Salads contain nutritional requirements and antioxidants that your body need. The secret is to ensure you include adequate protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates in your salad so it's still an absolutely well-balanced meal.
Take in Lots of Vegetables
Below 25 calories in every serving, fresh veggies are an ideal add on to any kind of salad. To vary the nutrients it is best to vary your ingredients, you will be able to have a good amount of vitamin c, fiber, folic acid, antioxidants and potassium. Do avoid vegetables which are covered with mayonnaise or having been fried. Your salad recipes with chicken may include peppers, cauliflower, radish, onions, cucumbers, shredded carrots and broccoli.
Include some Brown Rice
Including brown rice in your salad makes you feel full for a longer period of time and it will add a distinct taste to it. Brown rice is high in complex carbohydrates and fiber that will improve your energy levels and gives your body the nutrients that it requires to function properly.
Include Protein Rich Foods
One of the ideal ways to make a tasteful salad which keeps you full for longer hours is to include protein rich foods like chicken breasts, bean, tuna fish, lean steak or shrimp. You may likewise include green soybeans, boiled eggs, baked tofu, or low fat cheese. By including these ingredients, you will be able to convert your salad into a healthy complete meal.
Make Use of Homemade, Raw Dressings
Rather than loading your salad with commercial sauces and dressings in saturated fat, experiment and create your own dressings. You may use additional canola oil, virgin olive oil, flax seed oil, lemon juice, avocado, yogurt or apple cider vinegar. If you prefer a cheese dressing, you may use low fat mayonnaise, crumbled blue cheese, white vinegar, garlic powder and parsley. Create a healthy homemade dressing by making a simple grapefruit and shallot dressing. This dressing provides a good amount of vitamin C and A. You can replace mayo with a yummy avocado-yogurt dressing. This tasteful Greek yogurt is best over crisp vegetables and fruits.
Include Herbs and Spices
Put some new flavors to your salads by putting herbs and spices like parsley, basil, cumin, mustard, flavored vinegar, curry, coriander and others. A tablespoon of chopped green olives or toasted nuts could be added.
A healthy eating habit provides your body the minerals and nutrients it requires to function properly. Including salad recipes with chicken, vegetables and fruits in your diet is the best way to boost your health and keep a balanced weight. If you include a salad a day in your daily meal, you will definitely be doing a good deal.

I'm a health conscious individual. But I always try to follow a very moderate approach to what I eat and drink. As I build the right habits for my diet I make sure that I'm not trying to create a habit that is only good for few month but for a life time instead. I know that success is achieved when I keep doing the right thing. I believe salads and chicken are a great choice especially when combined together.
Please visit my blog at http://www.saladsrecipeswithchicken.com/ for free salads with chicken recipes and some great recipes e-book offers.

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How to Make Your Own Italian-Style Meatballs

By Terry L Arkin  

Photo: rillositalianseasoning.com
 
Meatballs Are A Must
In our home we have an Italian dinner on Christmas Eve. When thinking of an Italian dinner many Americans think of Spaghetti and Meatballs. Over the years I have eaten Spaghetti and Meatballs more times than I can count. The only problem that I have run across is that there are people out there that have no idea how to make a good Meatball. I have eaten some Meatballs that have tasted like ground beef rolled into a balls, others that have I am not sure what is in them but, they fall short in the flavor and texture departments. You need to have a great sauce but if your Meatballs fall flat you are not going to have a great dish.
Over the years I have tried a variety of recipes for Meatballs, some have been successful while others not so much. Today I am sharing with you my Meatball recipe. These Meatballs can be made ahead and frozen. They can be made into different sizes or you can change the recipe if you want to make Meatballs to go into a Barbecue Sauce and served at a Superbowl party. You can even use this recipe to make Meatball Sub Sandwiches, which we love to do around our home.
Deciding How Your Going To Serve Your Meatballs
Before you begin making the following recipe you will need to decide how you are going to serve your Meatballs. If serving Spaghetti and Meatballs or a Sub Sandwich then following the recipe. If you want to serve it in a Barbecue Sauce then you will need to change it up a bit (I will share how in the recipe). Don't forget to Misen en place before you begin. If you will follow the directions for these Meatballs you will have perfect Meatballs every time.
Italian Meatballs Recipe
1 pound ground chuck
3 large eggs
2 cups Italian Bread Crumbs (plain if placing in BBQ Sauce)
1 large onion
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Oregano (omit if placing in BBQ Sauce)
1 tablespoon Parsley
1 cup Italian Cheese Blend (Can use Romano Cheese if you prefer)
1/2 cup milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop onions into small dice, mince garlic. Mix garlic, onions, eggs, milk, cheese and spices into ground chuck. Add the bread crumbs and mix. If mixture fills to moist add more bread crumbs.
Texture of the mixture should be moist but not wet so that when you roll mixture into balls that hold together.
Roll meat mixture into balls (the size of your choice) and place in an 11x 9 inch pan. Bake until Meatballs are browned.
Remove from oven and place in sauce of your choice. Cook in sauce for 1 hour. They are ready to serve.
Prepare Meatballs Ahead
If you prepare Meatballs ahead of time rolls meat mixture into balls and freeze. Thaw and bake. This is a simple recipe packed with flavors. You can always add additional spices like: Basil, Thyme or Italian Seasoning. Play with the recipe and make it your own. Enjoy!!

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Know the Usages of Spices in Your Cooking

by DAVE WOODS

Photo: cooking.marcgottlieb.com
 
Are you looking forward to make a delicious recipe for your family? You must know the secret of cooking delicious recipes, the. Yes, the secret is very simple but spices. Yes, spices are the basic ingredients added to any food item to increase its taste to the best. However, you must know some of the basic points before you go for buying spices, like-
What are the spices you should use for cooking?
Well, spices are nothing but grinded seeds of different trees and different spices have different usages, like-

• Turmeric is used to make any food item yellow and a pinch of it if added to your food can make it look colourful and delicious.
• Red chilli powder has two kinds of usages. Firstly it is used to spice up your cooking and make it tastes really spicy. Secondly it is used to add up a reddish colour to the food you are cooking.
• Ginger is one of the basic spices which are used in almost all kinds of cooking to make the gravy tastes delicious.
• Garlic is a kind of counterpart of the ginger and used in cooking to balance the taste of the item to reach it to the best.
• Cumin seeds are used to bring the perfect taste of any kind of cooking.
• Tamarind is used to bring a sour taste to any cooked food.

Well, there are many more spices available and it is very important for you to know the perfect usages of all these spices before you go for cooking. You can definitely go online to know more about Indian food and spices. Even you can shop the best spices online. So, do not wait anymore, rather go for making the best food for your family and help them taste the best food ever. About the Author: This contribution has been made by Dave Woods who has written a number of articles on Indian food and spices and provides fruitful information on spices online. To know more, please visit www.jalpurmillersonline.com.


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Recipe - Mediterranean Seafood Soup

 By Caroline N Phelps 

Photo: schwartz.co.uk
 
I made this soup for the first time a few years ago as part of a romantic Valentine's Day dinner for my husband. My goal was to create something sexy and flavorful that brought memories of a hot summer evening somewhere in the Mediterranean coast. I'm happy to report that my attempt was very successful; this creation I whipped up in my tiny New York city kitchen tasted just like the sea! We instantly fell in love with it for its simplicity and depth of flavor.
Something magical happens when adding seafood to garlic, chilies, and sweet leeks: the flavors blend perfectly with one another, while the tantalizing aroma wafting through the kitchen makes it very difficult to resist. The flavors are mild yet very present throughout every bite and guzzle, and dipping a hand torn piece of baguette into this bowl of liquid gold, is incredibly satisfying.
This is a great dish to serve at family dinners if you want to impress anyone (mother-in-law perhaps?) as it looks and tastes sumptuous. I like serving this soup with a side of mixed olives and a bright and light bottle of prosecco or sauvignon blanc.
This recipe serves 2 people as a main dish or 4 as an appetizer.
Ingredients:

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small thai chili, finely chopped
• 3 small anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 2 small leeks, roughly chopped
• 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 lb white fish (such as basa or cod)
• 1 cup shrimps, deveined and peeled
• 8 to 10 mussels, well rinsed and scrubbed
• 1/2 cup flat parsley, roughly chopped
• French baguette, for dipping

Directions:
In a large pot over high heat, add olive oil, garlic, chili and anchovies, and cook for a minute, until garlic becomes fragrant. Add leeks and cook for 3 minutes, until soft but still slightly firm. Add chicken broth and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes, to let the flavors develop.
Turn the heat up to medium and add fish, shrimps and mussels, and cook for 5 minutes, or until fish if fully cooked, and mussels have completely opened. Turn the heat off, add parsley, season with salt and pepper and serve immediately with sliced baguette.
*Toasting the baguette in the oven with a little butter and grated Parmesan makes the entire dish even more spectacular.

Caroline Phelps is a blogger for Huffington Post Taste and the administrator of http://www.pickledplum.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caroline_N_Phelps

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