Home-Made Vegetarian Pasta Recipe

 By Moumita Karmakar 

Photo: jalan-jajan.inf
 
Pasta is one of the traditional Italian cuisines. It is basically a type of noodle which is available in a variety of shapes and sizes in the market. Pasta is now consumed by people all over the world. Preparing pasta at home requires a little effort but not much. One can make it for lunch as well as dinner for a change or else if you can surprise your kid by inviting his/her friends to a get together and serve home - made pasta. As the season of love is arriving, here is an easy pasta recipe for you so that you may make 14th February more special with your handmade pasta for your loved one.

The ingredients you'll be requiring are -

Pasta - 1 whole packet
Fresh Milk - 2 Liters
Fresh Cream - a cupful
Cheese Cubes - 6 cubes grated
Red Bell Pepper - 1 chopped
Yellow Bell Pepper - 1 chopped
Green Capsicum - 1 chopped
Sweet Corn - A cupful and boiled
Onion - 2 large and chopped
Garlic - 1 chopped
Fresh Mushrooms - 100 grams, boiled and cut into pieces
Oregano - 4 tablespoons
Chili Flakes - According to taste
Salt - According to taste
Vegetable/ Virgin olive oil - 4 tablespoon
Cooking Time -30-40 minutes
Cooking Process -

Cut the packet of pasta and empty the entire content into a pan filled with warm water. Add a little salt and few drops of oil into it so that the pastas do not stick to each other. When the pastas become tender, drain the water then add cold water and few drops of oil to it and keep aside.
Now heat the oil in a deep skillet and fry the chopped onions and garlic. Keep the flame medium. While frying, add a pinch of salt to them. When the onions turn golden, turn the flame lower and slowly add the milk and stir simultaneously. When the milk warms, add the grated cheese and then the fresh cream one by one with continuous stirring (it must be noted that sometimes while adding cream in into the milk, there remains a chance of the milk getting destroyed so always use fresh cream). Let the milk simmer for some time. When the milk is thick, add the pastas after draining the water. Then add the bell peppers, capsicum, sweet corn and mushroom one by one. Turn the flame to medium again and keep on stirring the mixture. You may also add some salt if required. When it gets cooked, switch off the flame. Now add the oregano and the chilly flakes and mix it well. And there you go, the pasta is ready to be served.

Tip: You may also serve garlic bread along with the pasta if you are making it for any guests. It is recommended that this preparation should be served hot. Non-vegetarians may add boneless boiled chicken pieces in this instead of mushrooms pasta and enjoy pasta right at their home.

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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7464382

Share

Easy Bread Recipe - Anyone Can Bake Bread!

 By Sarah J Angel 

Photo: farm9.staticflickr.com
 
I'm about to show you an easy bread recipe. A REALLY easy bread recipe.
How do I know it's so easy? I made it. Why is that so special? Because my first loaf of bread was indirectly responsible for a broken toe.
Here goes:

What You'll Need
First off, you'll need a couple of 1 qt Pyrex bowls. You'll also need a big mixing bowl and a small mixing bowl.
Ingredients are as follows:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons active-dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons soft butter

In preparation, grease you Pyrex bowls. There's nothing worse than having bread burnt onto your bowls.

As for the actual recipe, you'll first want to mix flour and salt in your big mixing bowl.
Then, in the small mixing bowl, dissolve the sugar in the lukewarm water. Once it dissolves, sprinkle the yeast over top of it and let it stand for about 10 minutes.

Secret trick to getting just the right water temperature for your yeast: Mix 1 part boiling water with 2 parts cold water from the faucet. You'll get the right temperature every time!
Next, mix the sugar water into the bowl of flour/salt thoroughly. Your dough should be sticky. If it's not sticky, add a little water until it is.

Cover your bowl with a warm towel and let it rise for AT LEAST an hour. If you can sacrifice 2 hours, even better, because you won't have to wait so long for it to rise the second time. Just don't go past two hours, because really bad things start happening. Like broken toes.
This is about the time you'll want to pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.

Once your dough finishes rising, punch it back down. Now, I know 'punch' is a harsh word, but it doesn't require much drama. In fact, the dough is rather delicate. It's more like suggesting it down.
Now, split the dough in two halves, and place the halves in their respective bowls (or pans, if you so choose.) Let them rise for another 30-45 minutes.
Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 25 minutes. If you like crispier crust, take the loaves out of their pans and place them in the oven for an additional 5 minutes or so.

Now get out there and make people think you're a domestic queen!
Find more from me at Domestic Anarchy!

Visit http://domestic-anarchy.net to sign up for my 7 Favorite Penny-Pinching Tips and A LOT MORE!

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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7499642

Share

How to Make German Potato Salad With Grilled Sausage

 By Dan Lefevre 

Photo: food.sndimg.com
 
Unlike traditional potato salad with mayonnaise that is served cold at family picnics or any sort of buffet style gathering, German potato salad is a hot dish. The dressing is prepared first and then the potatoes, while freshly cooked and sliced hot, are dropped into the dressing. The warm salad is then served within five to ten minutes of letting the potatoes absorb the dressing's flavoring. Grilled sausage is the typical compliment that is served alongside warm German potato salad (or sliced and mixed in with the salad, as this recipe suggests).

With this meal, timing is important as you'll want to serve the dish warm. Make sure you have everything you need before starting. You'll need to be well organized so that everyone can sit down and eat the moment the salad is finished and ready to eat.

Whenever using garlic for any recipe, it's always best to crush the garlic and let it sit for at least ten minutes prior to mixing it with your other ingredients. For reasons beyond the scope of this article, the health benefits associated with garlic require it to be crushed and let sit all by its lonesome for at least five to ten minutes before consuming.

The next step is to make the dressing. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, cayenne pepper, mustard, and vegetable oil to a large bowl. Mix thoroughly. Don't add the chives or onions yet (you'll add them at the end when you mix the meat and potatoes into the dressing).
Pan fry the slices of bacon next. After cooking long enough to suit your taste, set them aside on paper towels to get rid of some of the bacon grease.

Wash and clean the potatoes to remove any dirt and sand. Place the potatoes into a large pot and fill the pot with enough water to cover the potatoes by at least an inch. Boil the potatoes until they are soft and easy to slice (10 to 15 minutes).

For the bratwurst, you can pan fry it or slice it and broil the slices. Personally, I prefer pan frying. After you've cooked the bratwurst, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices and set aside.
When the potatoes are ready, you'll need to drain the water from the pot and remove the potatoes. While they're still hot, slice them into 1/4 inch thick slices (be careful not to burn your hands!) and then drop each slice into the dressing. Gently stir the potato slices and the dressing together. The hot potato slices will soak up the dressing.

The next step is to add the sliced bratwurst to the bowl. Mix again, but remember to mix gently because the potatoes are soft! Cut the bacon into small pieces and add the bacon. Finally, add the chives, chopped onion, and crushed garlic. Mix again, gently, and then serve!
This dish is best served hot. The listed ingredients will serve 4 people.

Dressing
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of finely chopped chives
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1/2 cup of chopped onion
Salad
2 pounds potatoes
4 bratwurst (6 ounces or less each)
4 slices of peppered bacon
2 cloves of crushed garlic

For great tasting salad dressing that can be ordered and delivered to your home, please visit: RedShell.com.

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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7522938

Share

Useful Cooking Tips For The Novice Cook

 By Karen Li 

Photo: escoffieronline.com
 
Everyone loves a good meal. However not everyone can cook a good meal. Despair not for cooking is a skill that can be easily learned. Eating healthy home-cooked meal should be a choice you readily choose. Here are some quick tips to get you going.

Whether you are using stainless steel cookware, non-stick cookware or maybe the environmental-friendly green cookware, always make sure the pots and pans are thoroughly cleaned before using and after using them. Dirty cookware with bits of food still stuck inside can ruin whatever dish you are cooking. Besides, it can be rather unhygienic and may even cause stomach upset.
Getting organized before the start of proper cooking is essential. Prepare all the necessary ingredients in advance. Get ready all the pots and pans needed. This is to avoid frantically searching for a missing ingredient or cooking tool. This is especially true of Chinese stir-frying using a Asian wok. Speed is essential for successful stir-frying.

If you are new to cooking, then it is better to measure the ingredients accurately. The correct amount of salt, sugar and whatever sauce you are using contribute towards the delectable taste of the dish. This is also true of the oil used for cooking. This will help to prevent your dish from getting too oily or too dry. You can skip the measuring part once you have become more expert in cooking.
Freeze left-over sauces in ice trays. All you have to do is just sauté some in a pan for a quick meal. Leftover vegetables or meat can be used for fried rice. Just add in some spices such as minced ginger, garlic or basil and you have a nutritious meal to enjoy.

Here is a tip to lower the fat content in your mashed potato. Add cauliflower and mashed together with the potato. Mashed potatoes and mashed cauliflower have the same texture and color but now the dish has much lower calories, a tasty dish of healthy home-cooked mashed potato for your enjoyment. Adding in hot milk will also result in more fluffy mashed potato.

Here is another quick tip to remove the fat from the surface of your pot of hot soup. Place an ice-cube on a spoon. Then skim the surface of the soup. The fat will cling to the spoon and can now be easily removed. That is the beauty of home cooked soup - tasty, less oily and healthy.

Cooking can be so fun. Enjoying healthy home cooked meals with your family and loved ones can be so gratifying and warming to the soul. As the saying goes, "practice makes perfect" and this certainly applies to cooking too. Have fun discovering new flavors, new methods. You might even discover the hidden creative side of you.

Wondering what is the best cookware or safe cookware to use? Please click here for more information.

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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7523128

Share

Baking Homemade Brownies

Author: Miguel Fernandez

Photo: jackiesantos.com

Baking homemade brownies is one of life's sweetest delights. The smell of the brownies baking in the oven never fails to attract every family member to the kitchen to await the finished treat. When they are finally done it doesn't take but a few seconds for them to disappear, having been devoured by everyone who could get a hold of one.

The only hard part of preparing brownies is the preparation and the cleanup afterward. It takes longer to prepare and bake brownies than it does for them to be eaten, especially if they come out delicious. For this very reason many people prefer to buy brownies from the store and miss out on the deliciousness of home-made brownies. Following these simple tips ensures that you will have delicious brownies that the whole family can enjoy with little or no hassle.

1. Don't over mix when preparing the batter and if possible mix the batter by hand. This will ensure that the brownie does not come out bland or too dry.

2. Spay the bottom of the pan with non-stick cooking spray, making sure to cover the surface evenly. You can also dust the pan lightly with cocoa powder. Using cocoa powder ensures that you won't have white residue on your brownies as you would if you were to use flour.

3. Follow the recipe instructions carefully especially the temperature and cooking time instructions. To test if the brownies are done stick a toothpick into the brownies. If they come out clean it means that the brownies are done.

4. If you want to keep the brownies from over-drying you can wrap them with plastic wrap and put them in a zip bag for added protection.

As a final tip: enjoy your brownies with your whole family, give them as gifts, share them with your co-workers, and don't forget to make plenty for everyone.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cooking-tips-articles/baking-homemade-brownies-3926520.html

About the Author

For an easier way to bake brownies use a perfect brownie pan, the brownie pan with divider to get perfectly cut brownies.
   

Share

Dark Chocolate Is Good for the Memory

 By Rodolphe Cote 

Photo: 2.bp.blogspot.com
 
A MULTIFUNCTIONAL FOOD
Cocoa is an exceptional source of poly phenols, a class of molecules that are distinguished for their high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities which interferes with the development of several chronic diseases.

For example, the regular consumption of dark chocolate reduces the risk of being statistically touched by cardiovascular diseases: Several studies show that dark chocolate significantly reduces blood pressure and interferes with the formation of blood clots, reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

These protective effects are observed only in dark chocolate containing at least 70% of cocoa paste: sweet chocolate tablets invading grocery stores and convenience stores contain only traces of cocoa paste lots of sugar, saturated fat and therefore lots of calories and therefore do not have much to do with real dark chocolate.

Fortunately, you can now easily find good 70% chocolate at very reasonable prices and these products deserves to be part of our daily eating habits. Dark chocolate is not a luxury reserved only for special occasions like Valentine's Day!

A PREVENTION AGAINST COGNITIVE DECLINE
Each year, about 5% of people aged 70 and over are starting to show affection by a slight decline in their cognitive functions, manifested mostly by memory lost problems.
In short terms, those memory losses just cause minor inconveniences, but they can become more disabling if the neuron function continues to deteriorate while aging.
To determine whether the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of poly phenols present in dark chocolate could ameliorate cognitive functions, a team of Italian researchers recruited 90 volunteers aged 65 to 82 years (mean 71 years) who had clinical signs of a beginning of cognitive decline.

These individuals were divided into three groups, each of them took a daily drink of chocolate containing high amounts (990 mg) intermediate (520 mg) or low (45 mg) of poly phenols. In parallel, the diet of these people was closely monitored to eliminate any other sources of poly phenols a way to better discern the effects related to the consumption of presents molecules in chocolate.
After eight weeks of treatment, the cognitive function of those volunteers was determined with the aid of a battery of tests measuring memories, for both short-term and long termed cognitive functions in their set.

The results obtained are very interesting: compared to those of the group who drank a beverage low in poly phenols, those who consumed high quantities of these molecules showed a significant improvement of memory and had superiors cognitive functions during the test results, and those results only two months after having started the treatment!

NEURONS IN GOOD HEALTH
The mechanisms responsible for these effects to remain positive has to be better understood, but it could be due to a significant improvement in the sensitivity to the action of insulin in people who consume high amounts of poly phenols.

Insulin is a very important hormone for the maintenance and function of brain cells and recent data indicate that resistance to this hormone, as observed in type 2 diabetes, contributes to cognitive decline and the development of the Alzheimer's disease.

Dark chocolate to counteract the loss of memory? A health advice, which should be unanimous!

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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7511203

Share

How To Make Crab Salad On Avocado Halves

 By Dan Lefevre 

Photo: tattooedmartha.com
 
Crab is one of those types of meat that varies in taste and you should take the time to learn about the different types before you actually make this recipe. The meat varies considerably when it comes to texture, grain, and sweetness. There are many types of crab available: Blue, Alaskan King, Dungeness, Rock, Jonah, Stone, Horseshoe, and Alaskan Snow (also called Queen Crab). Of course, those are just some of the types of crab that are commercially available. Depending on your tastes, you may prefer one type over another - but you need to do your homework before purchasing crab meat!

"Soft shell" crab meat can refer to any of the varieties of crab. The term refers to a particular growth phase when the crab loses its shell for a brief time frame, grows in size, and then forms a new shell. "Picked crab meat" is meat that is handpicked. Picked meat is generally the best although it can be more expensive than machine processed. If you purchase picked meat, you'll save time when preparing it because it is usually free of shell fragments. Otherwise, if you purchase machine processed crab meat, you will need to spend a few minutes rinsing your crab meat in order to clear it of any possible shell debris.

This delicious meal is easy to make and won't take more than twenty minutes to prepare.
Place 1/4 cup of finely chopped red onion into a large bowl and then add the following items: 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (the fresher the better), 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, and 4 teaspoons of lime juice. Mix together thoroughly, and then add 16 ounces of fresh (cooked) crab meat. Mix again.
You'll need to slice four large avocados in half and remove the skin and the seeds. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze a tiny bit of fresh lemon juice onto each avocado (prevents them from turning brown).
You should now have 16 ounces of crab salad and 8 open halves of avocados. Place the avocado halves onto your serving plates, and then spoon the crab salad onto the avocado halves. And, last but certainly not least, enjoy your crab salad!

The listed ingredients are enough for 8 servings.

Crab Salad In Avocado Halves
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
4 teaspoons of lime juice
1/2 lemon (to avoid avocado discoloration - read above)
4 large avocados
16 ounces of cooked crab meat

We have several delicious salad dressings that we can ship straight to your door. Learn more at our website: RedShell.com

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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7518125

Share