It wouldn't be summer without fresh mint in pots on the front porch and in the garden. Mint is so easy to grow, it has such a wonderful fresh scent, and it can be used for all sorts of things.
Here are some easy ways to use mint:
Put a few fresh spearmint or peppermint sprigs in a teapot with your favorite tea. Let steep for 2-3 minutes and serve.
Use sprigs of mint as a pretty garnish for a special dessert.
For a casual arrangement for your dining room or kitchen table, fill an attractive glass or ceramic pitcher, vase, or other container with water. Add several long sprigs of fresh mint (being sure to strip away any mint leaves that would be covered by the water). The mint will add color to the room, scent the air, and even help keep pesky ants away.
Pot your favorite mint in a pretty container on your front porch to provide a welcoming fresh scent to anyone who comes to visit.
Add chopped mint leaves to scrambled eggs, omelettes, quiches, or souffles.
Mix mint in with your regular tabbouleh recipe for a refreshing summer salad.
Add mint to cooked peas, carrots, or potatoes at the end of the cooking process, then discard the mint leaves before serving the vegetables.
Make frozen mint cubes to use in many of your favorite foods and beverages. Finely chop some mint sprigs, then stuff them into ice cube trays, and fill each section of the tray with water. Freeze. When frozen, empty the trays into freezer bags. Use the mint cubes for iced tea or other beverages, or put a few cubes in your favorite casserole or stew.
Remember?next time you're thinking of creating a special dish, or even an attractive arrangement for your table, make it with mint.
Suzanne Lieurance is a freelance writer and owner of the Three Angels Gourmet Co. which produces a unique line of "heavenly gourmet mixes" through gift shops, Christian bookstores, gourmet food stores, and gift basket companies across the country.
For daily food tips and other fun food information, visit the Three Angels Gourmet Co.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Moms Easy Cooking - Fast Meal Ideas For Busy Moms
Every busy mom worries about how to prepare fast, nutritious meals for her family. Working moms often find they have very little time for meal planning and preparation. After a long day at work, the last thing on your mind is spending an hour or more cooking and cleaning up afterwards. A little advance preparation and some creative menus are all you need to make mealtime less stressful. You will save a lot of time and energy if you plan an entire week's meals in advance, and do your shopping all in one trip instead of making several trips to the grocery store each week.
A simple online search will give you some great recipes and meal ideas, most of which you can prepare in less than fifteen minutes. You will be able to find delicious recipes for family favorites such as spaghetti, meatloaf, and stroganoff, all of which can be partially prepared in advance, saving you valuable time in the evenings. Most busy moms worry about nutritious, fast breakfasts. Consider keeping frozen waffles, yogurts, cereal, and microwave items such as Hot Pockets on hand to save precious time in the mornings and still send your kids off to school with a good breakfast.
If your children take their lunch to school, prepare them the night before. You will have more time to make sure your kids are taking nutritious lunches and you will save yourself a lot of time and hassle in the mornings. Lunch items can include vegetable sticks, fruit snacks, cheese, crackers, and convenient juice boxes. Your kids will love the variety and will often be able to prepare their own lunches for the next day.
If you want to save additional time in the evenings, try cooking in a Crockpot. You can cook meat and vegetables in one convenient location, and the best part is your food will be ready when you get home. Your family will love coming home to the smells of delicious Crockpot meals that have been cooking all day. Another helpful idea would be to purchase a bread machine with a timer. You can place the ingredients in the bread machine and set the timer so that the bread will be ready upon your return home from your busy day.
A simple online search will give you some great recipes and meal ideas, most of which you can prepare in less than fifteen minutes. You will be able to find delicious recipes for family favorites such as spaghetti, meatloaf, and stroganoff, all of which can be partially prepared in advance, saving you valuable time in the evenings. Most busy moms worry about nutritious, fast breakfasts. Consider keeping frozen waffles, yogurts, cereal, and microwave items such as Hot Pockets on hand to save precious time in the mornings and still send your kids off to school with a good breakfast.
If your children take their lunch to school, prepare them the night before. You will have more time to make sure your kids are taking nutritious lunches and you will save yourself a lot of time and hassle in the mornings. Lunch items can include vegetable sticks, fruit snacks, cheese, crackers, and convenient juice boxes. Your kids will love the variety and will often be able to prepare their own lunches for the next day.
If you want to save additional time in the evenings, try cooking in a Crockpot. You can cook meat and vegetables in one convenient location, and the best part is your food will be ready when you get home. Your family will love coming home to the smells of delicious Crockpot meals that have been cooking all day. Another helpful idea would be to purchase a bread machine with a timer. You can place the ingredients in the bread machine and set the timer so that the bread will be ready upon your return home from your busy day.
The Noble Crescent Roll - How to Roll a Masterpiece
Ahhh?the noble crescent roll. In some forms it has its origins in the Middle East and in Europe. We know that during the 1600's crescent rolls of some form were being baked in Vienna. There is one thing that we do know for certain: no matter which form you choose to bake them in today, they are sure to please the most discriminating palate! That sumptuous aroma, sneaking through the halls and lurking in every corner of the house, is enough to get my taste buds humming. Can you smell it? That buttery, toasted aroma is calling you.
Served with an omelet in the morning or fresh fruit at lunch, crescent rolls are just plain delicious! A hot cup of herbal tea or coffee is mandatory.
Making crescent rolls can be a fun activity for the entire family, or that special young person! In the simplest of terms it's as easy as slicing a pizza and rolling up a jellyroll. Are you ready?
First you'll need a batch of crescent roll dough. You could probably use just about any roll type dough, but there are dough recipes designed just for the crescent.
You will also need to make a filling from these ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 finely grated lemon peel, and 1 finely grated orange peel.
Pinch off a dough ball about the size of a tennis ball. Roll it out flat into a circle. Use a sharp knife or even better, a pizza cutter, and make four cuts across. Cut this just like you would a pie or a pizza. You should wind up with eight triangle-shaped pieces.
Next, mix together one-fourth cup of butter, one cup of powdered sugar, and the finely grated lemon and orange peels. This should form a thin paste. Spread a thin layer over the top of the dough triangles, covering them completely.
Now, starting with the wide end of each piece, roll up towards the point and then pull the ends towards each other to form a "U" shape, or a crescent shape. You can even pinch the ends if you like.
Repeat this entire process until you have used up all of the dough. Bake them according to your crescent roll recipe, being sure to use the proper bake time and heat. Here's a quick tip: try adding about one-fourth teaspoon of crushed walnuts or pecans, sprinkled over the center of the roll before rolling it up. The last and most important step of all is to bake those rascals and enjoy them!
An excellent companion at breakfast, an elegant touch for dinner; the noble crescent roll is sure to please the most discriminating taste buds.
Terry Stokely is a twenty-five year veteran of the baking industry. After being permenantly laid off in December of 2004, he enjoys spending time with his family and promoting his new ebook Home Baked Goodness with Bread, Rolls and Muffins. The new ebook, which he co-authored with his wife Dawn,
Served with an omelet in the morning or fresh fruit at lunch, crescent rolls are just plain delicious! A hot cup of herbal tea or coffee is mandatory.
Making crescent rolls can be a fun activity for the entire family, or that special young person! In the simplest of terms it's as easy as slicing a pizza and rolling up a jellyroll. Are you ready?
First you'll need a batch of crescent roll dough. You could probably use just about any roll type dough, but there are dough recipes designed just for the crescent.
You will also need to make a filling from these ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 finely grated lemon peel, and 1 finely grated orange peel.
Pinch off a dough ball about the size of a tennis ball. Roll it out flat into a circle. Use a sharp knife or even better, a pizza cutter, and make four cuts across. Cut this just like you would a pie or a pizza. You should wind up with eight triangle-shaped pieces.
Next, mix together one-fourth cup of butter, one cup of powdered sugar, and the finely grated lemon and orange peels. This should form a thin paste. Spread a thin layer over the top of the dough triangles, covering them completely.
Now, starting with the wide end of each piece, roll up towards the point and then pull the ends towards each other to form a "U" shape, or a crescent shape. You can even pinch the ends if you like.
Repeat this entire process until you have used up all of the dough. Bake them according to your crescent roll recipe, being sure to use the proper bake time and heat. Here's a quick tip: try adding about one-fourth teaspoon of crushed walnuts or pecans, sprinkled over the center of the roll before rolling it up. The last and most important step of all is to bake those rascals and enjoy them!
An excellent companion at breakfast, an elegant touch for dinner; the noble crescent roll is sure to please the most discriminating taste buds.
Terry Stokely is a twenty-five year veteran of the baking industry. After being permenantly laid off in December of 2004, he enjoys spending time with his family and promoting his new ebook Home Baked Goodness with Bread, Rolls and Muffins. The new ebook, which he co-authored with his wife Dawn,
Cooking -- What You Need To Know
From ancient times till the nineteenth century cooking was basically a survival skill. The nineteenth century marked the division of cooking into two main categories.
The two branches were defined by the French, were there is 'normale cuisine' which means home cooking, and 'haute cuisine', which is cooking conceived like an artform. The major difference between the two branches is that one form should be considered as practical cooking while the other is more like cooking with a view to demonstrating skill.
The boundary between ~normale cuisine~ and ~haute cuisine~ gets thinner and thinner over time. New professional kitchen equipment and more information about cooking allow people to perform like chefs at home.
Haute cuisine cooking gathers different techniques and ingredients together in an artform. Haute cuisine thrives to gather as many aromas and subtle variations as possible to let our taste buds discover the variations of even the most ordinarily food. Color is also an important factor in this type of cooking.
While cooking was mainly a means to survive, food cooking techniques were simple ~ roasting by the fire, or wrapping in leaves to steam. The first revolution in cooking took place twelve thousand years ago, when pottery was invented.
Pottery opened the door to new cooking techniques like stewing, boiling, and frying. Actually, the heart of modern cooking is the combination of these simple techniques.
Historically, the three most important cooking styles are Italian, Chinese, and French. The oldest is Chinese. Its most popular equipment is the wok, which is a special frying pan, where food is prepared fast and effectively. Food ingredients circulate permanently inside the wok. Its design also allows to fully utilize the heat.
Chinese cuisine chops ingredients in small pieces. On one hand, this saves fuel, which is a scarce commodity, and on the other ~ since maximum surface of the ingredient is exposed to heat, dishes are prepared in no time at all.
Chinese food is considered light and fresh. Sauces and various flavors and aromas help to fine-tune the taste of Chinese food. Chinese dishes are light and fresh and Chinese restaurants are very popular internationally.
Because fuel was also a rare resource in Italy, Italian cooking, similarly to Chinese, relies on the fast and efficient exposure of ingredients to heat. The main ingredient of Italian cuisine is pasta, to which small pieces of meat, rice, corn, and tomatoes are added.
In the beginning, French cuisine involved too many spices and was heavy. This was changed by Catherine de M~dici, a French Queen, born in Italy. In 1534 she came to France, together with a crowd of Florentine chefs and bakers. They introduced new equipment that revolutionized French cooking and set new standards all over Western Europe.
Today it is very different. We can expect to find everything mentioned above and much more besides in most cities in the developed world. When next you find yourself spoilt for choice, think of those earlier gourmets who would be amazed at your good fortune!
David Owenforth is the Operator of U Love Cooking. This site has an array of info especially for the cooking enthusiast. You will find great articles and resources. Why not subscribe to our free newsletter? For all the cooking information you want, go to:
The two branches were defined by the French, were there is 'normale cuisine' which means home cooking, and 'haute cuisine', which is cooking conceived like an artform. The major difference between the two branches is that one form should be considered as practical cooking while the other is more like cooking with a view to demonstrating skill.
The boundary between ~normale cuisine~ and ~haute cuisine~ gets thinner and thinner over time. New professional kitchen equipment and more information about cooking allow people to perform like chefs at home.
Haute cuisine cooking gathers different techniques and ingredients together in an artform. Haute cuisine thrives to gather as many aromas and subtle variations as possible to let our taste buds discover the variations of even the most ordinarily food. Color is also an important factor in this type of cooking.
While cooking was mainly a means to survive, food cooking techniques were simple ~ roasting by the fire, or wrapping in leaves to steam. The first revolution in cooking took place twelve thousand years ago, when pottery was invented.
Pottery opened the door to new cooking techniques like stewing, boiling, and frying. Actually, the heart of modern cooking is the combination of these simple techniques.
Historically, the three most important cooking styles are Italian, Chinese, and French. The oldest is Chinese. Its most popular equipment is the wok, which is a special frying pan, where food is prepared fast and effectively. Food ingredients circulate permanently inside the wok. Its design also allows to fully utilize the heat.
Chinese cuisine chops ingredients in small pieces. On one hand, this saves fuel, which is a scarce commodity, and on the other ~ since maximum surface of the ingredient is exposed to heat, dishes are prepared in no time at all.
Chinese food is considered light and fresh. Sauces and various flavors and aromas help to fine-tune the taste of Chinese food. Chinese dishes are light and fresh and Chinese restaurants are very popular internationally.
Because fuel was also a rare resource in Italy, Italian cooking, similarly to Chinese, relies on the fast and efficient exposure of ingredients to heat. The main ingredient of Italian cuisine is pasta, to which small pieces of meat, rice, corn, and tomatoes are added.
In the beginning, French cuisine involved too many spices and was heavy. This was changed by Catherine de M~dici, a French Queen, born in Italy. In 1534 she came to France, together with a crowd of Florentine chefs and bakers. They introduced new equipment that revolutionized French cooking and set new standards all over Western Europe.
Today it is very different. We can expect to find everything mentioned above and much more besides in most cities in the developed world. When next you find yourself spoilt for choice, think of those earlier gourmets who would be amazed at your good fortune!
David Owenforth is the Operator of U Love Cooking. This site has an array of info especially for the cooking enthusiast. You will find great articles and resources. Why not subscribe to our free newsletter? For all the cooking information you want, go to:
Wok this Way! (Part 1 of 5)
Introduction
Woks have been synonymous with Chinese cooking since the emergence of Chinese cuisine. They have been used for some 3000 years in China for a variety of cooking methods, including stir frying, boiling, and steaming. A wok is a large, thin-walled, round-bottomed, metal cooking pan, and shaped like a shallow bowl with handles. The addition of a wooden rack and cover transforms the wok into a steamer. Although woks come in sizes ranging from 10 to 32 inches in diameter, a wok that's 11 to 14 inches should suffice for use in a household kitchen.
With the increasing popularity of Chinese cuisine, there are now many "Westernized" versions of the wok. There is the addition of a metal ring, which is set on top of a gas or electric stove to hold the wok to prevent tipping. Some have a small flat bottom instead of the traditional round bottom, for the same reason. The new versions will get the job done, but the "traditonal" large round-bottomed woks are still, by far, the preferred wok of choice.
Since the essence of Chinese cuisine is to achieve food tenderness through quick cooking to retain the natural taste, flavor, and color of the ingredients, the wok's ingenious unique design makes it a perfect fit in Chinese cooking. Its bottom concentrates heat to achieve 2 objectives: 1) to direct the heat at the food, while sealing in the flavors and allowing food to be cooked evenly, and 2) to allow cooking food quickly with very little oil. The stir fry cooking technique shifts food around the wok quickly, coating it with oil during cooking, as opposed to using a flat frying pan where a lot more oil is required. Consequently, cooking with a wok is essential for a healthy diet. It also has curved sides to keep in food that is being tossed and flipped during stir frying. Food, when cooked, may be moved up the sloping side of the wok to stay warm without cooking further, while other food is cooked at the bottom. It is also ideal for deep frying as it requires less oil than any other kitchen cookware to do the job.
Next, in Part 2 of Wok this way!, we'll go over selecting a wok.
Helen Fan grew up in a family that has owned various Asian restaurants all over North America, from Vancouver (Canada), Houston (Texas), Decatur (Illinois), to Chicago (Illinois). She, and the rest of the Fan family are now sharing their decades of knowledge on the art of Chinese cuisine.
Woks have been synonymous with Chinese cooking since the emergence of Chinese cuisine. They have been used for some 3000 years in China for a variety of cooking methods, including stir frying, boiling, and steaming. A wok is a large, thin-walled, round-bottomed, metal cooking pan, and shaped like a shallow bowl with handles. The addition of a wooden rack and cover transforms the wok into a steamer. Although woks come in sizes ranging from 10 to 32 inches in diameter, a wok that's 11 to 14 inches should suffice for use in a household kitchen.
With the increasing popularity of Chinese cuisine, there are now many "Westernized" versions of the wok. There is the addition of a metal ring, which is set on top of a gas or electric stove to hold the wok to prevent tipping. Some have a small flat bottom instead of the traditional round bottom, for the same reason. The new versions will get the job done, but the "traditonal" large round-bottomed woks are still, by far, the preferred wok of choice.
Since the essence of Chinese cuisine is to achieve food tenderness through quick cooking to retain the natural taste, flavor, and color of the ingredients, the wok's ingenious unique design makes it a perfect fit in Chinese cooking. Its bottom concentrates heat to achieve 2 objectives: 1) to direct the heat at the food, while sealing in the flavors and allowing food to be cooked evenly, and 2) to allow cooking food quickly with very little oil. The stir fry cooking technique shifts food around the wok quickly, coating it with oil during cooking, as opposed to using a flat frying pan where a lot more oil is required. Consequently, cooking with a wok is essential for a healthy diet. It also has curved sides to keep in food that is being tossed and flipped during stir frying. Food, when cooked, may be moved up the sloping side of the wok to stay warm without cooking further, while other food is cooked at the bottom. It is also ideal for deep frying as it requires less oil than any other kitchen cookware to do the job.
Next, in Part 2 of Wok this way!, we'll go over selecting a wok.
Helen Fan grew up in a family that has owned various Asian restaurants all over North America, from Vancouver (Canada), Houston (Texas), Decatur (Illinois), to Chicago (Illinois). She, and the rest of the Fan family are now sharing their decades of knowledge on the art of Chinese cuisine.
Eat your Veggies! Simple Cooking Methods
Vegetables add colour, taste, texture and bulk to our daily diet. There are dozens of different vegetables that can be prepared in literally hundreds of ways. So what's best?
There is no best. The thing to do is to eat your vegetables, lots of them, everyday in a wide variety of ways and stop worrying about the preparation methods. Variety is the key...
Raw
Many vegetables taste fabulous just the way they are straight out of the garden. Lettuce, tomato, celery, cabbage, onion, radish, carrot are obvious choices here. But they are just as likely to find themselves next to chopped up broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beans and zucchini on a starter platter with dips. Wash 'em, chop 'em and eat 'em. Oh, yeah, you could also make a salad!
Steamed
Steaming heats the vegetable and softens it's texture. It's gentler than boiling and allows the vegetable to maintain it's colour if not overdone. Use a stainless steel steamer that will fit into most good size sauce pans. Make sure you use a pan with a tight fitting lid. There should be enough water to just touch the bottom of the steamer. Water should be simmering the whole time the vegetables are being cooked.
Boiling
Boiling vegetables is really going out of fashion, but it's a legitimate preparation method! The big concern is loss of nutrients. All cooking methods result in the loss of some goodness from the vegetables. If boiling, try to find a way to use the water the vegetables have been boiled in (i.e. to make a gravy or sauce) to bring those nutrients back to the table. Vegetables should be barely covered with water. Bring the water to a boil (covered) then slow to a simmer until vegetables are tender.
Microwave
Very popular for vegetables as it retains colour, flavour and nutrients. Trial and error will be your guide with microwaving as there are plenty of variables involved. However, a few guidelines will help...The more food you put into the oven, the longer it will take to cook. Underestimate your cooking time rather than overestimate. Undercooked food can be cooked some more. Over-cooked food is ruined. Food straight from the fridge will take longer to cook than that at room temperature. All food continues to cook after it has been removed from the microwave oven. It is part of the cooking process and should be taken into account to prevent over-cooking.
Stir Fry
Very rapid method of quick frying vegetables, meat (optional) and sauces in one pan to make a meal. Primarily associated with Asian cooking. The key to doing this well is preparation. All items to be cooked should be chopped to a size that will allow them to cook quickly in the wok. It is also important that the wok is heated to a high, consistent temperature throughout. Vegetables maintain their colour and crispness with this sort of cooking (if not overdone).
Baking
Brilliant! Especially for those 'root' vegetables like potatoes, turnip, carrot and beetroot. Chop into similar size pieces, brush lightly with olive oil and put in a hot oven to roast. Size of the pieces will determine the cooking time but expect at least 40 minutes. Outside is chewy, inside is moist and fluffy. Dress with sour cream and chives. Yum!
Barbeque
Does anything scream summer like the word barbeque? Love a barbeque. This is primarily open flame cooking, so could apply to a campfire as well. Cooking outside just changes everything about food. You'll need foil, fire and fresh veggies. Grease your foil, chop your veggies and put the closed packages on the grill. Be adventurous, it's really hard to mess this up!
splits her time between being a media executive and an earth mother goddess. No Dig Vegetable Gardens represents a clean, green way to grow your own food. The site covers all aspects of growing, cooking and preserving your harvest.
There is no best. The thing to do is to eat your vegetables, lots of them, everyday in a wide variety of ways and stop worrying about the preparation methods. Variety is the key...
Raw
Many vegetables taste fabulous just the way they are straight out of the garden. Lettuce, tomato, celery, cabbage, onion, radish, carrot are obvious choices here. But they are just as likely to find themselves next to chopped up broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beans and zucchini on a starter platter with dips. Wash 'em, chop 'em and eat 'em. Oh, yeah, you could also make a salad!
Steamed
Steaming heats the vegetable and softens it's texture. It's gentler than boiling and allows the vegetable to maintain it's colour if not overdone. Use a stainless steel steamer that will fit into most good size sauce pans. Make sure you use a pan with a tight fitting lid. There should be enough water to just touch the bottom of the steamer. Water should be simmering the whole time the vegetables are being cooked.
Boiling
Boiling vegetables is really going out of fashion, but it's a legitimate preparation method! The big concern is loss of nutrients. All cooking methods result in the loss of some goodness from the vegetables. If boiling, try to find a way to use the water the vegetables have been boiled in (i.e. to make a gravy or sauce) to bring those nutrients back to the table. Vegetables should be barely covered with water. Bring the water to a boil (covered) then slow to a simmer until vegetables are tender.
Microwave
Very popular for vegetables as it retains colour, flavour and nutrients. Trial and error will be your guide with microwaving as there are plenty of variables involved. However, a few guidelines will help...The more food you put into the oven, the longer it will take to cook. Underestimate your cooking time rather than overestimate. Undercooked food can be cooked some more. Over-cooked food is ruined. Food straight from the fridge will take longer to cook than that at room temperature. All food continues to cook after it has been removed from the microwave oven. It is part of the cooking process and should be taken into account to prevent over-cooking.
Stir Fry
Very rapid method of quick frying vegetables, meat (optional) and sauces in one pan to make a meal. Primarily associated with Asian cooking. The key to doing this well is preparation. All items to be cooked should be chopped to a size that will allow them to cook quickly in the wok. It is also important that the wok is heated to a high, consistent temperature throughout. Vegetables maintain their colour and crispness with this sort of cooking (if not overdone).
Baking
Brilliant! Especially for those 'root' vegetables like potatoes, turnip, carrot and beetroot. Chop into similar size pieces, brush lightly with olive oil and put in a hot oven to roast. Size of the pieces will determine the cooking time but expect at least 40 minutes. Outside is chewy, inside is moist and fluffy. Dress with sour cream and chives. Yum!
Barbeque
Does anything scream summer like the word barbeque? Love a barbeque. This is primarily open flame cooking, so could apply to a campfire as well. Cooking outside just changes everything about food. You'll need foil, fire and fresh veggies. Grease your foil, chop your veggies and put the closed packages on the grill. Be adventurous, it's really hard to mess this up!
splits her time between being a media executive and an earth mother goddess. No Dig Vegetable Gardens represents a clean, green way to grow your own food. The site covers all aspects of growing, cooking and preserving your harvest.
Grill Your Corn for Maximum Flavor
There's two basic theories on grilling corn. Some people prefer wrapping the corn in aluminum foil or its own husk, maybe with a little butter and seasonings, then cooking it on the grill until done. This is essentially roasting the corn, and while its an option it's not really grilling in my book. Corn wrapped in aluminum foil doesn't get any smoke, or char, or magic grilling vapors, or any of the other things that contribute to the unique taste of grilled food.
The way I prefer my corn is grilled directly on the rack where it can catch a little smoke and obtain a little char. The recipe, if you want to call it that, couldn't be simpler. Start your fire or preheat your gas grill on high, then peel the husk and silk away from the corn. If you want to make a nice presentation, you can save the husks and use them as decoration when serving. In any case, throw away the silk, which is not good for much of anything other than organic dental floss. Next drizzle the corn with a little olive oil. I've tried using herbed butter instead of olive oil, but I think this is best applied after the corn comes off the grill, because most of it will burn of any way.
Place the corn directly on the grate over high heat. Grill for 10 minutes, rotating the corn as needed to keep it from getting blackend too much on any one side. What you are looking for is enough time to blacken some of the kernels.
Don't overcook the corn however or it will become mushy. You know when you've gone too far if the corn cob flexes easily in your hands. Of course, then its too late and you'll have to feed them to the hogs. After they come off the grill sprinkle with salt and pepper and a slather of butter if desired. For a twist, I like to sprinkle mine with Old Bay seasoning, which calls to mind corn from a crab boil. mmmm.
Duane Fields is a contributing writer for various food related sites including The BBQ Report, a website offering news, recipes, and tips for better grilling and barbecue.
The way I prefer my corn is grilled directly on the rack where it can catch a little smoke and obtain a little char. The recipe, if you want to call it that, couldn't be simpler. Start your fire or preheat your gas grill on high, then peel the husk and silk away from the corn. If you want to make a nice presentation, you can save the husks and use them as decoration when serving. In any case, throw away the silk, which is not good for much of anything other than organic dental floss. Next drizzle the corn with a little olive oil. I've tried using herbed butter instead of olive oil, but I think this is best applied after the corn comes off the grill, because most of it will burn of any way.
Place the corn directly on the grate over high heat. Grill for 10 minutes, rotating the corn as needed to keep it from getting blackend too much on any one side. What you are looking for is enough time to blacken some of the kernels.
Don't overcook the corn however or it will become mushy. You know when you've gone too far if the corn cob flexes easily in your hands. Of course, then its too late and you'll have to feed them to the hogs. After they come off the grill sprinkle with salt and pepper and a slather of butter if desired. For a twist, I like to sprinkle mine with Old Bay seasoning, which calls to mind corn from a crab boil. mmmm.
Duane Fields is a contributing writer for various food related sites including The BBQ Report, a website offering news, recipes, and tips for better grilling and barbecue.
Emergency Bread: Can you Bake Bread Without an Oven?
What would you eat if you were stranded without power? It could happen; it does happen. A natural disaster, a breakdown in the delivery system as the Northeast experienced recently, or a terrorist strike against the infrastructure could leave you without power. Don't despair. You probably have a source of heat-a camp stove, a barbeque grill, a fireplace, or a place to build a fire to cook with. (Never use a grill or camp stove in an enclosed room.) In most cases, you can find a way to eat your daily bread--even without an oven.
Fry it. Those indulgent raised, glazed donuts are fried. You can do the same with any dough. Serve them hot with a little butter and syrup or honey and you will have a treat that the kids will clamor for-even without an emergency. Simply mix the bread as instructed and let the dough rise. Instead of forming loaves, roll or pat the dough on a counter until it is about 1/2-inch thick. Slice the dough into wedges, separate the pieces, and let them rise again until twice as thick. Heat a pan of oil until hot and slip the dough pieces two or three at a time into the hot oil. When one side is browned, turn the dough over. If the oil is hot enough, the dough should absorb little oil. When done, drain the fried bread on paper towels.
Boil it. Bagels are boiled. Actually, they are boiled and then baked. You can form your dough into a bagel shape, let it rise, and then gently slip it into a large pan of rapidly boiling water. Once the bread is firm, remove it with a slotted spoon, let dry, and then fry each side in a lightly greased skillet to create a crust and finish the cooking. The advantage in this technique is that you can use much less oil (and oil may be limited in an emergency) than deep frying.
Bake it. That's right-even without an oven you can bake bread. It's easy to do on most outdoor grills. (Be prepared. Always have extra propane or charcoal on hand but never use an outdoor grill indoors.) Baking requires heat from both above and below. If your grill doesn't have a cover, use a bucket or tub to capture the heat and direct it down onto the bread. (You want as much heat coming from above as below.) If the bread is too close to the heat-as it likely is-stick something under the bread pan to raise it-a couple empty tuna cans, an old brick-almost anything will work as long as it doesn't insulate the bread from the heat.
You can use a Dutch oven to bake bread. Line the Dutch oven with aluminum foil and place the dough on the foil or lay the bread pan in the Dutch oven. Stack hot coals on the lid.
You can bake bread over an open fire with two pans. Two pie tins will work for biscuits. To form a makeshift oven, put a large heavy pan on warm coals, a lid or baking sheet over the top, and stack on hot coals. Remember, you are trying to get as much heat from above as below. (The tendency is to have too much heat at the bottom.)
A good place to practice these techniques is on your next camping trip. You can become a real pro at making unconventional bread while enjoying the treat of fresh bread while camping. We guarantee that fresh bread over an open fire will make you the envy of the campground.
With a little imagination, you can bake almost any bread without an oven. If you want to try frying bread, most white or wheat bread recipes are nearly foolproof. Even without the emergency, it won't go to waste.
We can hope that disaster never strikes but it's nice to know that those bread fixin's in the pantry can be used in an emergency.
See the Emergency Bread printable version and photo
This is an excerpt from The Prepared Pantry's Emergency and Outdoor Bread Manual which is available free for download.
Fry it. Those indulgent raised, glazed donuts are fried. You can do the same with any dough. Serve them hot with a little butter and syrup or honey and you will have a treat that the kids will clamor for-even without an emergency. Simply mix the bread as instructed and let the dough rise. Instead of forming loaves, roll or pat the dough on a counter until it is about 1/2-inch thick. Slice the dough into wedges, separate the pieces, and let them rise again until twice as thick. Heat a pan of oil until hot and slip the dough pieces two or three at a time into the hot oil. When one side is browned, turn the dough over. If the oil is hot enough, the dough should absorb little oil. When done, drain the fried bread on paper towels.
Boil it. Bagels are boiled. Actually, they are boiled and then baked. You can form your dough into a bagel shape, let it rise, and then gently slip it into a large pan of rapidly boiling water. Once the bread is firm, remove it with a slotted spoon, let dry, and then fry each side in a lightly greased skillet to create a crust and finish the cooking. The advantage in this technique is that you can use much less oil (and oil may be limited in an emergency) than deep frying.
Bake it. That's right-even without an oven you can bake bread. It's easy to do on most outdoor grills. (Be prepared. Always have extra propane or charcoal on hand but never use an outdoor grill indoors.) Baking requires heat from both above and below. If your grill doesn't have a cover, use a bucket or tub to capture the heat and direct it down onto the bread. (You want as much heat coming from above as below.) If the bread is too close to the heat-as it likely is-stick something under the bread pan to raise it-a couple empty tuna cans, an old brick-almost anything will work as long as it doesn't insulate the bread from the heat.
You can use a Dutch oven to bake bread. Line the Dutch oven with aluminum foil and place the dough on the foil or lay the bread pan in the Dutch oven. Stack hot coals on the lid.
You can bake bread over an open fire with two pans. Two pie tins will work for biscuits. To form a makeshift oven, put a large heavy pan on warm coals, a lid or baking sheet over the top, and stack on hot coals. Remember, you are trying to get as much heat from above as below. (The tendency is to have too much heat at the bottom.)
A good place to practice these techniques is on your next camping trip. You can become a real pro at making unconventional bread while enjoying the treat of fresh bread while camping. We guarantee that fresh bread over an open fire will make you the envy of the campground.
With a little imagination, you can bake almost any bread without an oven. If you want to try frying bread, most white or wheat bread recipes are nearly foolproof. Even without the emergency, it won't go to waste.
We can hope that disaster never strikes but it's nice to know that those bread fixin's in the pantry can be used in an emergency.
See the Emergency Bread printable version and photo
This is an excerpt from The Prepared Pantry's Emergency and Outdoor Bread Manual which is available free for download.
Better Baking Technique: Is it Done Yet?
Are my breads, cookies, or cakes baked and ready to come out of the oven yet?
The ability to tell when products are baked seems to cause more consternation than almost any other phase of baking. And of course, it is important. Over baked cookies are dry and hard; under baked bread is soggy. But you can get it right. In this article, we will give you the techniques and pointers for baking your goods to perfection.
Yeast breads
The tendency is to under bake yeast breads. The internal temperature of yeast breads should be 210 degrees and must be at least 185 degrees. The only way to reliably tell what is going on inside that loaf is with a probe type thermometer. Remove the bread from the pan and insert the thermometer through the bottom crust into the center of the loaf.
(If you are going to bake bread and you don't have a thermometer, we strongly recommend that you purchase one. You will need it to test the temperature of the water, the dough, and the finished bread. You can buy one on our site.)
When the bread is done, the crust color will range from a golden brown to a deep brown for artisan breads baked in a hot oven. Breads with a higher sugar content or in a hot oven will tend to brown more rapidly as the sugar caramelizes. If the bread is browning too rapidly, make a tent of aluminum foil and cover the top of the loaf.
In light colored pans, the bottom crust is the last to brown. With a done loaf, the bottom will color even in a light-colored pan.
My mother was a bread baker. She tested doneness by tapping the loaf with her finger--a done loaf will sound hollow when tapped. I don't remember her ever making a mistake. Though she taught me to do the same, I'm not as good as she was. Out of habit, I still tap the loaf but I nearly always follow with a thermometer probe and sometimes the thermometer proves me wrong.
Cookies
If the tendency is to under bake breads, the tendency is to over bake cookies. Take them out just before you think they are done; you won't be wrong often.
My father is a consummate cookie baker. If you ask him what his secret is, he'll tell you: "I don't over bake cookies." The difference between a just right cookie and an over baked one is dramatic.
Make cookies uniform in size. Not only are they more attractive but different sizes of cookies take different times to bake.
Most recipe writers tell you to leave the cookies on the sheet for a minute or two. Cookies continue to bake on a hot baking sheet. Sometimes that's necessary for an easy release but for most recipes, we remove them as quickly as we can.
If the cookies look a little soggy in the middle, then leave them on the sheet for a few minutes and they will firm up.
Most cookies should be gold in color, not brown. Both the amount of sugar and soda in the recipe will affect how fast a cookie browns.
Chocolate cookies represent another challenge: you can't tell if they are browning. If you are baking with a new recipe, bake a few cookies and check them for doneness before baking the entire batch. Chocolate cookies will tend to lose their "wet" look when done.
Many bar cookies will have a dry, shiny crust when done.
Cakes
For most baked goods--but especially cakes--it is best to set the timer for a few minutes less than directed in the recipe-different ovens or even different positions in the oven bake differently. A dark pan bakes more quickly than a light pan. When you find your cake not quite done and continue baking, set the timer for three or four minutes and check again.
A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake will come out clean when done. "Clean" means a few crumbs. If there is wet looking batter clinging to the toothpick, it's not done.
If you don't want to poke a whole in the center of the cake, check for doneness with your finger. There should be some resiliency to the touch and the cake should spring back. When done, the cake will usually have a golden brown color to the top though different recipes will brown more or less quickly. When done, the cake will tend to pull away form the edges.
Quick Breads
Quick breads are basically cakes in a loaf pan. The same tests that you use on cakes can be used with quick breads. Stick the toothpick or skewer right in the open crack in the center of the bread. The area under that crack seems to be the last area in the loaf to set up.
Incidentally, quick breads release from the pan easier if left to cool for few minutes before removing. Because of the larger mass, a loaf does not continue cooking as quickly as cookies do.
Custard Pies
Custard pies-including pumpkin pies-are a special problem. It takes quite a while for the protein in the eggs to set and make the pie firm. Often, the crust is becoming too brown before the eggs set. If so, cover the crust with strips of aluminum foil to retard further browning.
When a custard pie is done, a knife inserted in the center of the pie will come out clean. If you don't want a cut mark in the center of your pie, use the jiggle test. Pick the pie up with two hot pads or mitts and gently shake the pie back and forth. If done, all but the center should be firm-there will be a little jiggle in the center. The center will continue to cook and firm up after you remove the pie from the oven.
We hope these guidelines help. With practice and observation, you'll soon become very proficient at judging when your bread or cookies are baked to perfection. Your baked goods will then be irresistible.
Dennis Weaver is the general manager at The Prepared Pantry with recipes, ideas, and the best selection of mixes and ingredients. Visit the free Bakers' Library for more articles like this, free baking guides, and tested recipes.
The ability to tell when products are baked seems to cause more consternation than almost any other phase of baking. And of course, it is important. Over baked cookies are dry and hard; under baked bread is soggy. But you can get it right. In this article, we will give you the techniques and pointers for baking your goods to perfection.
Yeast breads
The tendency is to under bake yeast breads. The internal temperature of yeast breads should be 210 degrees and must be at least 185 degrees. The only way to reliably tell what is going on inside that loaf is with a probe type thermometer. Remove the bread from the pan and insert the thermometer through the bottom crust into the center of the loaf.
(If you are going to bake bread and you don't have a thermometer, we strongly recommend that you purchase one. You will need it to test the temperature of the water, the dough, and the finished bread. You can buy one on our site.)
When the bread is done, the crust color will range from a golden brown to a deep brown for artisan breads baked in a hot oven. Breads with a higher sugar content or in a hot oven will tend to brown more rapidly as the sugar caramelizes. If the bread is browning too rapidly, make a tent of aluminum foil and cover the top of the loaf.
In light colored pans, the bottom crust is the last to brown. With a done loaf, the bottom will color even in a light-colored pan.
My mother was a bread baker. She tested doneness by tapping the loaf with her finger--a done loaf will sound hollow when tapped. I don't remember her ever making a mistake. Though she taught me to do the same, I'm not as good as she was. Out of habit, I still tap the loaf but I nearly always follow with a thermometer probe and sometimes the thermometer proves me wrong.
Cookies
If the tendency is to under bake breads, the tendency is to over bake cookies. Take them out just before you think they are done; you won't be wrong often.
My father is a consummate cookie baker. If you ask him what his secret is, he'll tell you: "I don't over bake cookies." The difference between a just right cookie and an over baked one is dramatic.
Make cookies uniform in size. Not only are they more attractive but different sizes of cookies take different times to bake.
Most recipe writers tell you to leave the cookies on the sheet for a minute or two. Cookies continue to bake on a hot baking sheet. Sometimes that's necessary for an easy release but for most recipes, we remove them as quickly as we can.
If the cookies look a little soggy in the middle, then leave them on the sheet for a few minutes and they will firm up.
Most cookies should be gold in color, not brown. Both the amount of sugar and soda in the recipe will affect how fast a cookie browns.
Chocolate cookies represent another challenge: you can't tell if they are browning. If you are baking with a new recipe, bake a few cookies and check them for doneness before baking the entire batch. Chocolate cookies will tend to lose their "wet" look when done.
Many bar cookies will have a dry, shiny crust when done.
Cakes
For most baked goods--but especially cakes--it is best to set the timer for a few minutes less than directed in the recipe-different ovens or even different positions in the oven bake differently. A dark pan bakes more quickly than a light pan. When you find your cake not quite done and continue baking, set the timer for three or four minutes and check again.
A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake will come out clean when done. "Clean" means a few crumbs. If there is wet looking batter clinging to the toothpick, it's not done.
If you don't want to poke a whole in the center of the cake, check for doneness with your finger. There should be some resiliency to the touch and the cake should spring back. When done, the cake will usually have a golden brown color to the top though different recipes will brown more or less quickly. When done, the cake will tend to pull away form the edges.
Quick Breads
Quick breads are basically cakes in a loaf pan. The same tests that you use on cakes can be used with quick breads. Stick the toothpick or skewer right in the open crack in the center of the bread. The area under that crack seems to be the last area in the loaf to set up.
Incidentally, quick breads release from the pan easier if left to cool for few minutes before removing. Because of the larger mass, a loaf does not continue cooking as quickly as cookies do.
Custard Pies
Custard pies-including pumpkin pies-are a special problem. It takes quite a while for the protein in the eggs to set and make the pie firm. Often, the crust is becoming too brown before the eggs set. If so, cover the crust with strips of aluminum foil to retard further browning.
When a custard pie is done, a knife inserted in the center of the pie will come out clean. If you don't want a cut mark in the center of your pie, use the jiggle test. Pick the pie up with two hot pads or mitts and gently shake the pie back and forth. If done, all but the center should be firm-there will be a little jiggle in the center. The center will continue to cook and firm up after you remove the pie from the oven.
We hope these guidelines help. With practice and observation, you'll soon become very proficient at judging when your bread or cookies are baked to perfection. Your baked goods will then be irresistible.
Dennis Weaver is the general manager at The Prepared Pantry with recipes, ideas, and the best selection of mixes and ingredients. Visit the free Bakers' Library for more articles like this, free baking guides, and tested recipes.
How to Cook a Lobster
French chefs plunge them into boiling water; English ones, in an attempt to appear more humane, drive kitchen knives through their skulls before doing the same thing.
No wonder the miserable creatures go red. They're mad as hell. What a way to treat the king of crustaceans.
Let's make a pact. From now on let's treat the lobster with the respect (and humanity) it deserves. Here's how:
Use a pan deep enough to hold 6 liters of salted water to which you have added some shredded onion, a garlic clove or two and a bay leaf. Purists who live by the sea also like to add a pint of seawater. People like me, who've seen what gets washed up as a result of coastal run-off, don't.
Put a trivet or round roasting rack in the bottom of the pan, on which you will place the lobster. You do this so that it is not touching the bottom of the pan and will not be burnt as the metal heats up.
Does this improve the flavor? No, it's purely for the comfort of the lobster.
So, this is what you have ? a pan of cold brine, seasoned, in which a lobster sits on a trivet as happy as a sand boy. How do I know this? Because lobsters have two states of being ? they're either happy or they're dead.
Now, using a gentle heat, gradually raise the temperature of the water to around 90°F, at which point the lobster will be fast asleep and sweetly dreaming. It will never wake up.
You can now turn up the heat until the water reaches a gentle simmer and cook the lobster for around 8 minutes a pound.
Drain and plunge into iced water. Let it cool in there before draining again and transferring to the fridge until needed.
The lobster will reward you for this kindness by being succulent and tender. It won't be stuffed with adrenalin and its meaty fibers will not have contracted into something resembling India rubber. The next step is to cut the lobster in half and to clean it.
Lay it on its back and use a strong, very sharp, knife to cut it in half from tail to head. You will easily see the stomach bag at the back of the head and the blackish gut running the length of the body. Remove these and discard.
You may also, if you wish, discard the greenish liver, although aficionados hold this to be a delicacy. It's certainly edible, but personally I chuck it because I don't like the color.
And that's it. You can now serve your lobster cold with some freshly made mayonnaise, or indulge in one of the more fanciful hot dishes for which some restaurants have become famous.
This article by former head chef Michael Sheridan was originally published in The Cool Cooks Club forum. There are more cooking tips and a free cooking course.
No wonder the miserable creatures go red. They're mad as hell. What a way to treat the king of crustaceans.
Let's make a pact. From now on let's treat the lobster with the respect (and humanity) it deserves. Here's how:
Use a pan deep enough to hold 6 liters of salted water to which you have added some shredded onion, a garlic clove or two and a bay leaf. Purists who live by the sea also like to add a pint of seawater. People like me, who've seen what gets washed up as a result of coastal run-off, don't.
Put a trivet or round roasting rack in the bottom of the pan, on which you will place the lobster. You do this so that it is not touching the bottom of the pan and will not be burnt as the metal heats up.
Does this improve the flavor? No, it's purely for the comfort of the lobster.
So, this is what you have ? a pan of cold brine, seasoned, in which a lobster sits on a trivet as happy as a sand boy. How do I know this? Because lobsters have two states of being ? they're either happy or they're dead.
Now, using a gentle heat, gradually raise the temperature of the water to around 90°F, at which point the lobster will be fast asleep and sweetly dreaming. It will never wake up.
You can now turn up the heat until the water reaches a gentle simmer and cook the lobster for around 8 minutes a pound.
Drain and plunge into iced water. Let it cool in there before draining again and transferring to the fridge until needed.
The lobster will reward you for this kindness by being succulent and tender. It won't be stuffed with adrenalin and its meaty fibers will not have contracted into something resembling India rubber. The next step is to cut the lobster in half and to clean it.
Lay it on its back and use a strong, very sharp, knife to cut it in half from tail to head. You will easily see the stomach bag at the back of the head and the blackish gut running the length of the body. Remove these and discard.
You may also, if you wish, discard the greenish liver, although aficionados hold this to be a delicacy. It's certainly edible, but personally I chuck it because I don't like the color.
And that's it. You can now serve your lobster cold with some freshly made mayonnaise, or indulge in one of the more fanciful hot dishes for which some restaurants have become famous.
This article by former head chef Michael Sheridan was originally published in The Cool Cooks Club forum. There are more cooking tips and a free cooking course.
Kitchen Canister Sets - How to Beautify Your Kitchen
Kitchen canister sets are a great way to accent your kitchen and give you more storage space. Canister sets of today come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Finding the right kitchen canister set depends on your individual tastes and what theme, if any, the kitchen is. Many manufactures including All-Clad, Calphalon and Fleur Rouge have a wide assortment to choose from.
When deciding which canisters to add to your kitchen also keep in mind the different kinds. A canister can be found made from stainless steel, glass, acrylic and stoneware. Families with children may want to consider acrylic or stainless steel for durability and long life.
Another consideration is how they fit the theme or go with everything else. Many sets follow a kitchen theme such as chickens, grapes or a country theme. These can fit right in and highlight the overall kitchen design. Guzzini, Fleur Rouge, Polder and some others have canisters or sets in such designs.
The advantages of different canisters should also be looked at. For those with a modern kitchen the stainless steel makes a great impression on the counter. Acrylic or glass gives you a view of what's inside, and how much is left. Stoneware gives the option of beautiful colors and long storage for food.
If you have food that is easily or quickly spoiled look for canisters that have rubber seals on the rim and a locking device to seal the sets tight against spoilage.
Online shopping for canisters is both easy and fun. Browse through the shops to get some ideas of what you might want. Purchasing is quick and secure and nothing beats the "to your door" service they provide. Shop for the perfect set of canisters today to complete your kitchen.
Curtis Miller is a successful author and publisher of Kitchens 4u Your source for kitchen decor, furniture, fine china, cutlery, appliances and more.
When deciding which canisters to add to your kitchen also keep in mind the different kinds. A canister can be found made from stainless steel, glass, acrylic and stoneware. Families with children may want to consider acrylic or stainless steel for durability and long life.
Another consideration is how they fit the theme or go with everything else. Many sets follow a kitchen theme such as chickens, grapes or a country theme. These can fit right in and highlight the overall kitchen design. Guzzini, Fleur Rouge, Polder and some others have canisters or sets in such designs.
The advantages of different canisters should also be looked at. For those with a modern kitchen the stainless steel makes a great impression on the counter. Acrylic or glass gives you a view of what's inside, and how much is left. Stoneware gives the option of beautiful colors and long storage for food.
If you have food that is easily or quickly spoiled look for canisters that have rubber seals on the rim and a locking device to seal the sets tight against spoilage.
Online shopping for canisters is both easy and fun. Browse through the shops to get some ideas of what you might want. Purchasing is quick and secure and nothing beats the "to your door" service they provide. Shop for the perfect set of canisters today to complete your kitchen.
Curtis Miller is a successful author and publisher of Kitchens 4u Your source for kitchen decor, furniture, fine china, cutlery, appliances and more.
Bacteria and Food-borne Diseases
Bacteria are all around us, in the air, water, ground, on our skin and in our bodies. They are classified in a variety of ways, but for our purpose we can categorize them in a more basic way.
Harmless bacteria ? Most bacteria fall into this category. They are neither help us nor are harmful to us. These bacteria have a specific purpose, but are not a concerning to us in terms of food safety,
Beneficial bacteria ? Believe it or not some bacteria are helpful to us. Some bacteria are used in foods to make cheeses and yogurts. And still others live in our bodies to fight of harmful bacteria.
Undesirable bacteria ? Undesirable bacteria is responsible for food spoilage. This type of bacteria may not make you sick, but they show themselves by the use of odors, sticky or slimy surfaces and discoloration.
Illness causing bacteria or pathogens ? These are the bacteria that cause most food-borne illnesses. Pathogens do not necessarily leave detectable odors or taste in food. This makes it impossible to tell if food is contaminated by smelling or tasting, or looking at it. The only way to protect yourself from this bacteria is by proper food handling and sanitation.
Bacteria Growth
Bacteria simply multiply by splitting in half. Under the ideal conditions, they can double in number every 15 to 30 minutes. This means that one single bacterium could multiply to a million in less than 6 hours.
What do bacteria need to multiply?
Food ? Some from of food is a basic requirement for bacteria to grow.
Moisture ? Water is required for bacteria in order to absorb food. Dry foods will not support bacterial growth. As well, foods with very high salt or sugar content make bacteria unable to use the moisture present.
Temperature ? Bacteria grow best at warm temperatures between 40 and 140°F. This temperature range is what we call the food danger zone.
Air ? Most bacteria require oxygen to grow, but not all. There are some exceptions, one type of bacteria being botulism.
Time ? When bacteria are introduced to a new environment, they need time to adjust before they start to grow. This time is called the lag phase and last about one hour.
How is bacteria transferred?
Bacteria are carried from one place to another by being carried. This can happened by peoples hands, coughs, other food, utensils, equipment, water, or pests.
Preventing Bacteria Growth
Now that we know how bacteria grow and are spread; we should be able to prevent food-borne illness by following three simple steps.
1. Keep bacteria from spreading by not letting anything that might contain bacteria tough the food. This includes people, dirty equipment, utensils and possibly other foods.
2. Stop bacteria from growing by taking away the conditions that encourage growth. The most effective way is to keep food out of the danger zone. Keep foods below 40°F and about 140°F
3. Finally kill the bacteria. Most bacteria are killed if they are subject to a temperature above 165°F for 30 seconds. This is how we make food safe by cooking. This heat is also how we sanitize dishes and equipment. Certain chemicals (such as bleach) also kill bacteria. Using sanitizing agents is best way to sanitize counter tops and large equipment.
Harmless bacteria ? Most bacteria fall into this category. They are neither help us nor are harmful to us. These bacteria have a specific purpose, but are not a concerning to us in terms of food safety,
Beneficial bacteria ? Believe it or not some bacteria are helpful to us. Some bacteria are used in foods to make cheeses and yogurts. And still others live in our bodies to fight of harmful bacteria.
Undesirable bacteria ? Undesirable bacteria is responsible for food spoilage. This type of bacteria may not make you sick, but they show themselves by the use of odors, sticky or slimy surfaces and discoloration.
Illness causing bacteria or pathogens ? These are the bacteria that cause most food-borne illnesses. Pathogens do not necessarily leave detectable odors or taste in food. This makes it impossible to tell if food is contaminated by smelling or tasting, or looking at it. The only way to protect yourself from this bacteria is by proper food handling and sanitation.
Bacteria Growth
Bacteria simply multiply by splitting in half. Under the ideal conditions, they can double in number every 15 to 30 minutes. This means that one single bacterium could multiply to a million in less than 6 hours.
What do bacteria need to multiply?
Food ? Some from of food is a basic requirement for bacteria to grow.
Moisture ? Water is required for bacteria in order to absorb food. Dry foods will not support bacterial growth. As well, foods with very high salt or sugar content make bacteria unable to use the moisture present.
Temperature ? Bacteria grow best at warm temperatures between 40 and 140°F. This temperature range is what we call the food danger zone.
Air ? Most bacteria require oxygen to grow, but not all. There are some exceptions, one type of bacteria being botulism.
Time ? When bacteria are introduced to a new environment, they need time to adjust before they start to grow. This time is called the lag phase and last about one hour.
How is bacteria transferred?
Bacteria are carried from one place to another by being carried. This can happened by peoples hands, coughs, other food, utensils, equipment, water, or pests.
Preventing Bacteria Growth
Now that we know how bacteria grow and are spread; we should be able to prevent food-borne illness by following three simple steps.
1. Keep bacteria from spreading by not letting anything that might contain bacteria tough the food. This includes people, dirty equipment, utensils and possibly other foods.
2. Stop bacteria from growing by taking away the conditions that encourage growth. The most effective way is to keep food out of the danger zone. Keep foods below 40°F and about 140°F
3. Finally kill the bacteria. Most bacteria are killed if they are subject to a temperature above 165°F for 30 seconds. This is how we make food safe by cooking. This heat is also how we sanitize dishes and equipment. Certain chemicals (such as bleach) also kill bacteria. Using sanitizing agents is best way to sanitize counter tops and large equipment.
Eat your Veggies! Simple Cooking Metdsho
Vegetables add colour, taste, texture and bulk to our daily diet. There are dozens of different vegetables that can be prepared in literally hundreds of ways. So what's best?
There is no best. The thing to do is to eat your vegetables, lots of them, everyday in a wide variety of ways and stop worrying about the preparation methods. Variety is the key...
Raw
Many vegetables taste fabulous just the way they are straight out of the garden. Lettuce, tomato, celery, cabbage, onion, radish, carrot are obvious choices here. But they are just as likely to find themselves next to chopped up broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beans and zucchini on a starter platter with dips. Wash 'em, chop 'em and eat 'em. Oh, yeah, you could also make a salad!
Steamed
Steaming heats the vegetable and softens it's texture. It's gentler than boiling and allows the vegetable to maintain it's colour if not overdone. Use a stainless steel steamer that will fit into most good size sauce pans. Make sure you use a pan with a tight fitting lid. There should be enough water to just touch the bottom of the steamer. Water should be simmering the whole time the vegetables are being cooked.
Boiling
Boiling vegetables is really going out of fashion, but it's a legitimate preparation method! The big concern is loss of nutrients. All cooking methods result in the loss of some goodness from the vegetables. If boiling, try to find a way to use the water the vegetables have been boiled in (i.e. to make a gravy or sauce) to bring those nutrients back to the table. Vegetables should be barely covered with water. Bring the water to a boil (covered) then slow to a simmer until vegetables are tender.
Microwave
Very popular for vegetables as it retains colour, flavour and nutrients. Trial and error will be your guide with microwaving as there are plenty of variables involved. However, a few guidelines will help...The more food you put into the oven, the longer it will take to cook. Underestimate your cooking time rather than overestimate. Undercooked food can be cooked some more. Over-cooked food is ruined. Food straight from the fridge will take longer to cook than that at room temperature. All food continues to cook after it has been removed from the microwave oven. It is part of the cooking process and should be taken into account to prevent over-cooking.
Stir Fry
Very rapid method of quick frying vegetables, meat (optional) and sauces in one pan to make a meal. Primarily associated with Asian cooking. The key to doing this well is preparation. All items to be cooked should be chopped to a size that will allow them to cook quickly in the wok. It is also important that the wok is heated to a high, consistent temperature throughout. Vegetables maintain their colour and crispness with this sort of cooking (if not overdone).
Baking
Brilliant! Especially for those 'root' vegetables like potatoes, turnip, carrot and beetroot. Chop into similar size pieces, brush lightly with olive oil and put in a hot oven to roast. Size of the pieces will determine the cooking time but expect at least 40 minutes. Outside is chewy, inside is moist and fluffy. Dress with sour cream and chives. Yum!
Barbeque
Does anything scream summer like the word barbeque? Love a barbeque. This is primarily open flame cooking, so could apply to a campfire as well. Cooking outside just changes everything about food. You'll need foil, fire and fresh veggies. Grease your foil, chop your veggies and put the closed packages on the grill. Be adventurous, it's really hard to mess this up!
splits her time between being a media executive and an earth mother goddess. No Dig Vegetable Gardens represents a clean, green way to grow your own food. The site covers all aspects of growing, cooking and preserving your harvest.
There is no best. The thing to do is to eat your vegetables, lots of them, everyday in a wide variety of ways and stop worrying about the preparation methods. Variety is the key...
Raw
Many vegetables taste fabulous just the way they are straight out of the garden. Lettuce, tomato, celery, cabbage, onion, radish, carrot are obvious choices here. But they are just as likely to find themselves next to chopped up broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beans and zucchini on a starter platter with dips. Wash 'em, chop 'em and eat 'em. Oh, yeah, you could also make a salad!
Steamed
Steaming heats the vegetable and softens it's texture. It's gentler than boiling and allows the vegetable to maintain it's colour if not overdone. Use a stainless steel steamer that will fit into most good size sauce pans. Make sure you use a pan with a tight fitting lid. There should be enough water to just touch the bottom of the steamer. Water should be simmering the whole time the vegetables are being cooked.
Boiling
Boiling vegetables is really going out of fashion, but it's a legitimate preparation method! The big concern is loss of nutrients. All cooking methods result in the loss of some goodness from the vegetables. If boiling, try to find a way to use the water the vegetables have been boiled in (i.e. to make a gravy or sauce) to bring those nutrients back to the table. Vegetables should be barely covered with water. Bring the water to a boil (covered) then slow to a simmer until vegetables are tender.
Microwave
Very popular for vegetables as it retains colour, flavour and nutrients. Trial and error will be your guide with microwaving as there are plenty of variables involved. However, a few guidelines will help...The more food you put into the oven, the longer it will take to cook. Underestimate your cooking time rather than overestimate. Undercooked food can be cooked some more. Over-cooked food is ruined. Food straight from the fridge will take longer to cook than that at room temperature. All food continues to cook after it has been removed from the microwave oven. It is part of the cooking process and should be taken into account to prevent over-cooking.
Stir Fry
Very rapid method of quick frying vegetables, meat (optional) and sauces in one pan to make a meal. Primarily associated with Asian cooking. The key to doing this well is preparation. All items to be cooked should be chopped to a size that will allow them to cook quickly in the wok. It is also important that the wok is heated to a high, consistent temperature throughout. Vegetables maintain their colour and crispness with this sort of cooking (if not overdone).
Baking
Brilliant! Especially for those 'root' vegetables like potatoes, turnip, carrot and beetroot. Chop into similar size pieces, brush lightly with olive oil and put in a hot oven to roast. Size of the pieces will determine the cooking time but expect at least 40 minutes. Outside is chewy, inside is moist and fluffy. Dress with sour cream and chives. Yum!
Barbeque
Does anything scream summer like the word barbeque? Love a barbeque. This is primarily open flame cooking, so could apply to a campfire as well. Cooking outside just changes everything about food. You'll need foil, fire and fresh veggies. Grease your foil, chop your veggies and put the closed packages on the grill. Be adventurous, it's really hard to mess this up!
splits her time between being a media executive and an earth mother goddess. No Dig Vegetable Gardens represents a clean, green way to grow your own food. The site covers all aspects of growing, cooking and preserving your harvest.
Troubleshooting Cookies
If your cookies are too tough . . .
You may have used too much flour or a flour with too high of a protein content. Unless you want a chewy cookie, do not use bread flour. Check your measurements--the cookies may not have enough fat or the amount of sugar may be wrong.
If your cookies are too crumbly . . .
They may have too much sugar, shortening, or leavening or may not be thoroughly mixed. Try adding more eggs.
If your cookies are too hard . . .
They may have been baked too long or at a temperature that was too low. Too much flour or not enough shortening or liquid will make them hard also.
If your cookies are too dry . . .
The same elements that make cookies too hard, may make them too dry. Try baking them at a higher temperature for a shorter period. Substitute brown sugar (with its higher moisture content) for part of the granulated sugar.
If your cookies are too brown . . .
The cookies were most likely baked too long or at too high of a temperature. Too much sugar may make a cookie brown too readily.
If your cookies are not browned enough . . .
The baking temperature was too low, they were not baked long enough, or there was too little sugar.
If your cookies spread too much . . .
The baking temperature may be too low. Too much sugar, shortening, or leavening will cause spread. If pans are greased with too much shortening, spread may occur. Add a little more flour or chill your dough before forming the cookies.
If your cookies don't spread enough . . .
The opposite conditions that create too much spread may cause your cookies not to spread enough. There may not be enough sugar, shortening, or leavening, or the temperature is too high. Try adding more grease to the pan and baking at a lower temperature.
If the edges or crust turns out sugary . . .
The cookies probably have too much sugar. The dough may have been inadequately mixed.
If your cookies have a poor flavor . . .
Make sure all the flavoring ingredients were added. Dated or low quality ingredients may not impart strong enough flavors. Improperly washed baking pans will sometimes cause a cookie to taste bad.
If your cookies stick to the pans . . .
The pans probably weren't greased adequately. Too much sugar will make cookies stick. Cookies are usually easier to remove from their pans immediately after coming from the oven.
This article was taken from A Baker's Cookie Guide and is available free for download.
You may have used too much flour or a flour with too high of a protein content. Unless you want a chewy cookie, do not use bread flour. Check your measurements--the cookies may not have enough fat or the amount of sugar may be wrong.
If your cookies are too crumbly . . .
They may have too much sugar, shortening, or leavening or may not be thoroughly mixed. Try adding more eggs.
If your cookies are too hard . . .
They may have been baked too long or at a temperature that was too low. Too much flour or not enough shortening or liquid will make them hard also.
If your cookies are too dry . . .
The same elements that make cookies too hard, may make them too dry. Try baking them at a higher temperature for a shorter period. Substitute brown sugar (with its higher moisture content) for part of the granulated sugar.
If your cookies are too brown . . .
The cookies were most likely baked too long or at too high of a temperature. Too much sugar may make a cookie brown too readily.
If your cookies are not browned enough . . .
The baking temperature was too low, they were not baked long enough, or there was too little sugar.
If your cookies spread too much . . .
The baking temperature may be too low. Too much sugar, shortening, or leavening will cause spread. If pans are greased with too much shortening, spread may occur. Add a little more flour or chill your dough before forming the cookies.
If your cookies don't spread enough . . .
The opposite conditions that create too much spread may cause your cookies not to spread enough. There may not be enough sugar, shortening, or leavening, or the temperature is too high. Try adding more grease to the pan and baking at a lower temperature.
If the edges or crust turns out sugary . . .
The cookies probably have too much sugar. The dough may have been inadequately mixed.
If your cookies have a poor flavor . . .
Make sure all the flavoring ingredients were added. Dated or low quality ingredients may not impart strong enough flavors. Improperly washed baking pans will sometimes cause a cookie to taste bad.
If your cookies stick to the pans . . .
The pans probably weren't greased adequately. Too much sugar will make cookies stick. Cookies are usually easier to remove from their pans immediately after coming from the oven.
This article was taken from A Baker's Cookie Guide and is available free for download.
The Noble Crescent Roll - How to Roll a Masterpiece
Ahhh?the noble crescent roll. In some forms it has its origins in the Middle East and in Europe. We know that during the 1600's crescent rolls of some form were being baked in Vienna. There is one thing that we do know for certain: no matter which form you choose to bake them in today, they are sure to please the most discriminating palate! That sumptuous aroma, sneaking through the halls and lurking in every corner of the house, is enough to get my taste buds humming. Can you smell it? That buttery, toasted aroma is calling you.
Served with an omelet in the morning or fresh fruit at lunch, crescent rolls are just plain delicious! A hot cup of herbal tea or coffee is mandatory.
Making crescent rolls can be a fun activity for the entire family, or that special young person! In the simplest of terms it's as easy as slicing a pizza and rolling up a jellyroll. Are you ready?
First you'll need a batch of crescent roll dough. You could probably use just about any roll type dough, but there are dough recipes designed just for the crescent.
You will also need to make a filling from these ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 finely grated lemon peel, and 1 finely grated orange peel.
Pinch off a dough ball about the size of a tennis ball. Roll it out flat into a circle. Use a sharp knife or even better, a pizza cutter, and make four cuts across. Cut this just like you would a pie or a pizza. You should wind up with eight triangle-shaped pieces.
Next, mix together one-fourth cup of butter, one cup of powdered sugar, and the finely grated lemon and orange peels. This should form a thin paste. Spread a thin layer over the top of the dough triangles, covering them completely.
Now, starting with the wide end of each piece, roll up towards the point and then pull the ends towards each other to form a "U" shape, or a crescent shape. You can even pinch the ends if you like.
Repeat this entire process until you have used up all of the dough. Bake them according to your crescent roll recipe, being sure to use the proper bake time and heat. Here's a quick tip: try adding about one-fourth teaspoon of crushed walnuts or pecans, sprinkled over the center of the roll before rolling it up. The last and most important step of all is to bake those rascals and enjoy them!
An excellent companion at breakfast, an elegant touch for dinner; the noble crescent roll is sure to please the most discriminating taste buds.
Terry Stokely is a twenty-five year veteran of the baking industry. After being permenantly laid off in December of 2004, he enjoys spending time with his family and promoting his new ebook Home Baked Goodness with Bread, Rolls and Muffins. The new ebook, which he co-authored with his wife Dawn,
Served with an omelet in the morning or fresh fruit at lunch, crescent rolls are just plain delicious! A hot cup of herbal tea or coffee is mandatory.
Making crescent rolls can be a fun activity for the entire family, or that special young person! In the simplest of terms it's as easy as slicing a pizza and rolling up a jellyroll. Are you ready?
First you'll need a batch of crescent roll dough. You could probably use just about any roll type dough, but there are dough recipes designed just for the crescent.
You will also need to make a filling from these ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 finely grated lemon peel, and 1 finely grated orange peel.
Pinch off a dough ball about the size of a tennis ball. Roll it out flat into a circle. Use a sharp knife or even better, a pizza cutter, and make four cuts across. Cut this just like you would a pie or a pizza. You should wind up with eight triangle-shaped pieces.
Next, mix together one-fourth cup of butter, one cup of powdered sugar, and the finely grated lemon and orange peels. This should form a thin paste. Spread a thin layer over the top of the dough triangles, covering them completely.
Now, starting with the wide end of each piece, roll up towards the point and then pull the ends towards each other to form a "U" shape, or a crescent shape. You can even pinch the ends if you like.
Repeat this entire process until you have used up all of the dough. Bake them according to your crescent roll recipe, being sure to use the proper bake time and heat. Here's a quick tip: try adding about one-fourth teaspoon of crushed walnuts or pecans, sprinkled over the center of the roll before rolling it up. The last and most important step of all is to bake those rascals and enjoy them!
An excellent companion at breakfast, an elegant touch for dinner; the noble crescent roll is sure to please the most discriminating taste buds.
Terry Stokely is a twenty-five year veteran of the baking industry. After being permenantly laid off in December of 2004, he enjoys spending time with his family and promoting his new ebook Home Baked Goodness with Bread, Rolls and Muffins. The new ebook, which he co-authored with his wife Dawn,
Ten Steps to Perfect Pasta
I'm amazed at how often I get e-mail from a disgruntled home cook, lamenting the fact that, once again, a dish of pasta has turned into a culinary disaster. I hear stories of overcooked, undercooked, tasteless pasta that may also be stuck together, or otherwise inedible. In fact, I recently had the experience where I was shopping with a friend and I suggested that she buy some pasta. Her response was that it was too unpredictable to cook.
It needn't be that way. First of all, 90% of cooking is being there. That is, letting the telephone ring through to voice-mail; perhaps leaving guests in the living room sipping their Chardonnay and simply keeping your focus on the task at hand. And by being there-that is, tending the pasta-you'll be able to do the only test available to judge its doneness: to taste.
Those two tips alone will improve your pasta-cooking skills, but I offer here, ten little steps that, taken together, will guarantee a perfect dish of pasta every time. Follow these steps, and you'll prepare pasta that will consistently impress your family, your friends, and your harshest critic; you.
1. All pasta is not created equal. Choose a brand with a solid reputation in the marketplace. De Cecco and Barilla are two fine brands readily available in supermarkets.
2. Use a pot that's large enough to accommodate the pasta without crowding. For one pound of pasta, an eight-quart pot is good; a ten-quart pot is better. Pasta needs room to move freely as it cooks. At a minimum, use nothing smaller than a six-quart pot.
3. Use plenty of water. For one pound of pasta, you should use at least six quarts of water.
4. Add salt to the water. About 1 Tbs. per gallon. Salt adds flavor to the pasta that helps to create a well-seasoned dish. Often, a perfectly seasoned sauce will still taste like it needs "something" because the pasta is unseasoned.
5. Bring the water to a full, rolling boil before adding the pasta. One of the prime causes for pasta sticking together is that the water had not yet come to a full boil. When you add pasta to water that has not yet reached the boiling point, it releases natural starches, which act like glue. Since the pasta is simply sitting in the water at the time, the strands stick together.
6. Bring the water back to the boil as quickly as possible after adding the pasta. In the case of pasta strands, like spaghetti or linguine, stir the pasta until it has wilted and become submerged in the cooking water, then cover the pot until the water returns to the boil. When the water has boiled, though, uncover the pot, and finish cooking uncovered.
7. Stir the pasta two or three times throughout the cooking process. Pasta cooks in eight to ten minutes. The brief time you spend attending to it away from family or guests will reap huge rewards at the dinner table.
8. Never add olive oil to the pasta cooking water. The olive oil coats the pasta, and prevents sauce from adhering to it when you've put the entire dish together.
9. Cook the pasta to the 'al dente' state. The only way to judge this is by tasting. Manufacturer's cooking times are mere guidelines. Begin tasting the pasta about two minutes before the manufacturer says it should be done. Also, there will be a small amount of carryover cooking between the time you remove the pasta from the stove, drain in the sink, and combine with the sauce.
10. Never rinse pasta. When you rinse pasta, you're washing away most of the starches and nutrients that you were seeking to enjoy in the first place.
So be there. Be attentive. Taste, and learn when pasta has cooked to the consistency that you like. Follow these ten little steps, and you'll develop a reputation as a miracle worker with pasta. And with the myriad of sauces in the Italian and Italian-American cuisines, you will have expanded your cooking repertoire beyond your wildest dreams.
It needn't be that way. First of all, 90% of cooking is being there. That is, letting the telephone ring through to voice-mail; perhaps leaving guests in the living room sipping their Chardonnay and simply keeping your focus on the task at hand. And by being there-that is, tending the pasta-you'll be able to do the only test available to judge its doneness: to taste.
Those two tips alone will improve your pasta-cooking skills, but I offer here, ten little steps that, taken together, will guarantee a perfect dish of pasta every time. Follow these steps, and you'll prepare pasta that will consistently impress your family, your friends, and your harshest critic; you.
1. All pasta is not created equal. Choose a brand with a solid reputation in the marketplace. De Cecco and Barilla are two fine brands readily available in supermarkets.
2. Use a pot that's large enough to accommodate the pasta without crowding. For one pound of pasta, an eight-quart pot is good; a ten-quart pot is better. Pasta needs room to move freely as it cooks. At a minimum, use nothing smaller than a six-quart pot.
3. Use plenty of water. For one pound of pasta, you should use at least six quarts of water.
4. Add salt to the water. About 1 Tbs. per gallon. Salt adds flavor to the pasta that helps to create a well-seasoned dish. Often, a perfectly seasoned sauce will still taste like it needs "something" because the pasta is unseasoned.
5. Bring the water to a full, rolling boil before adding the pasta. One of the prime causes for pasta sticking together is that the water had not yet come to a full boil. When you add pasta to water that has not yet reached the boiling point, it releases natural starches, which act like glue. Since the pasta is simply sitting in the water at the time, the strands stick together.
6. Bring the water back to the boil as quickly as possible after adding the pasta. In the case of pasta strands, like spaghetti or linguine, stir the pasta until it has wilted and become submerged in the cooking water, then cover the pot until the water returns to the boil. When the water has boiled, though, uncover the pot, and finish cooking uncovered.
7. Stir the pasta two or three times throughout the cooking process. Pasta cooks in eight to ten minutes. The brief time you spend attending to it away from family or guests will reap huge rewards at the dinner table.
8. Never add olive oil to the pasta cooking water. The olive oil coats the pasta, and prevents sauce from adhering to it when you've put the entire dish together.
9. Cook the pasta to the 'al dente' state. The only way to judge this is by tasting. Manufacturer's cooking times are mere guidelines. Begin tasting the pasta about two minutes before the manufacturer says it should be done. Also, there will be a small amount of carryover cooking between the time you remove the pasta from the stove, drain in the sink, and combine with the sauce.
10. Never rinse pasta. When you rinse pasta, you're washing away most of the starches and nutrients that you were seeking to enjoy in the first place.
So be there. Be attentive. Taste, and learn when pasta has cooked to the consistency that you like. Follow these ten little steps, and you'll develop a reputation as a miracle worker with pasta. And with the myriad of sauces in the Italian and Italian-American cuisines, you will have expanded your cooking repertoire beyond your wildest dreams.
Bacteand Food-borne Diseasesria
Types of Bacteria
Bacteria are all around us, in the air, water, ground, on our skin and in our bodies. They are classified in a variety of ways, but for our purpose we can categorize them in a more basic way.
Harmless bacteria ? Most bacteria fall into this category. They are neither help us nor are harmful to us. These bacteria have a specific purpose, but are not a concerning to us in terms of food safety,
Beneficial bacteria ? Believe it or not some bacteria are helpful to us. Some bacteria are used in foods to make cheeses and yogurts. And still others live in our bodies to fight of harmful bacteria.
Undesirable bacteria ? Undesirable bacteria is responsible for food spoilage. This type of bacteria may not make you sick, but they show themselves by the use of odors, sticky or slimy surfaces and discoloration.
Illness causing bacteria or pathogens ? These are the bacteria that cause most food-borne illnesses. Pathogens do not necessarily leave detectable odors or taste in food. This makes it impossible to tell if food is contaminated by smelling or tasting, or looking at it. The only way to protect yourself from this bacteria is by proper food handling and sanitation.
Bacteria Growth
Bacteria simply multiply by splitting in half. Under the ideal conditions, they can double in number every 15 to 30 minutes. This means that one single bacterium could multiply to a million in less than 6 hours.
What do bacteria need to multiply?
Food ? Some from of food is a basic requirement for bacteria to grow.
Moisture ? Water is required for bacteria in order to absorb food. Dry foods will not support bacterial growth. As well, foods with very high salt or sugar content make bacteria unable to use the moisture present.
Temperature ? Bacteria grow best at warm temperatures between 40 and 140°F. This temperature range is what we call the food danger zone.
Air ? Most bacteria require oxygen to grow, but not all. There are some exceptions, one type of bacteria being botulism.
Time ? When bacteria are introduced to a new environment, they need time to adjust before they start to grow. This time is called the lag phase and last about one hour.
How is bacteria transferred?
Bacteria are carried from one place to another by being carried. This can happened by peoples hands, coughs, other food, utensils, equipment, water, or pests.
Preventing Bacteria Growth
Now that we know how bacteria grow and are spread; we should be able to prevent food-borne illness by following three simple steps.
1. Keep bacteria from spreading by not letting anything that might contain bacteria tough the food. This includes people, dirty equipment, utensils and possibly other foods.
2. Stop bacteria from growing by taking away the conditions that encourage growth. The most effective way is to keep food out of the danger zone. Keep foods below 40°F and about 140°F
3. Finally kill the bacteria. Most bacteria are killed if they are subject to a temperature above 165°F for 30 seconds. This is how we make food safe by cooking. This heat is also how we sanitize dishes and equipment. Certain chemicals (such as bleach) also kill bacteria. Using sanitizing agents is best way to sanitize counter tops and large equipment.
About The Author
Chef Richard has worked in some of the finest restaurants in Washington State and is the author of the ebook "Chef's Special". You can find free recipes, informative articles.
Bacteria are all around us, in the air, water, ground, on our skin and in our bodies. They are classified in a variety of ways, but for our purpose we can categorize them in a more basic way.
Harmless bacteria ? Most bacteria fall into this category. They are neither help us nor are harmful to us. These bacteria have a specific purpose, but are not a concerning to us in terms of food safety,
Beneficial bacteria ? Believe it or not some bacteria are helpful to us. Some bacteria are used in foods to make cheeses and yogurts. And still others live in our bodies to fight of harmful bacteria.
Undesirable bacteria ? Undesirable bacteria is responsible for food spoilage. This type of bacteria may not make you sick, but they show themselves by the use of odors, sticky or slimy surfaces and discoloration.
Illness causing bacteria or pathogens ? These are the bacteria that cause most food-borne illnesses. Pathogens do not necessarily leave detectable odors or taste in food. This makes it impossible to tell if food is contaminated by smelling or tasting, or looking at it. The only way to protect yourself from this bacteria is by proper food handling and sanitation.
Bacteria Growth
Bacteria simply multiply by splitting in half. Under the ideal conditions, they can double in number every 15 to 30 minutes. This means that one single bacterium could multiply to a million in less than 6 hours.
What do bacteria need to multiply?
Food ? Some from of food is a basic requirement for bacteria to grow.
Moisture ? Water is required for bacteria in order to absorb food. Dry foods will not support bacterial growth. As well, foods with very high salt or sugar content make bacteria unable to use the moisture present.
Temperature ? Bacteria grow best at warm temperatures between 40 and 140°F. This temperature range is what we call the food danger zone.
Air ? Most bacteria require oxygen to grow, but not all. There are some exceptions, one type of bacteria being botulism.
Time ? When bacteria are introduced to a new environment, they need time to adjust before they start to grow. This time is called the lag phase and last about one hour.
How is bacteria transferred?
Bacteria are carried from one place to another by being carried. This can happened by peoples hands, coughs, other food, utensils, equipment, water, or pests.
Preventing Bacteria Growth
Now that we know how bacteria grow and are spread; we should be able to prevent food-borne illness by following three simple steps.
1. Keep bacteria from spreading by not letting anything that might contain bacteria tough the food. This includes people, dirty equipment, utensils and possibly other foods.
2. Stop bacteria from growing by taking away the conditions that encourage growth. The most effective way is to keep food out of the danger zone. Keep foods below 40°F and about 140°F
3. Finally kill the bacteria. Most bacteria are killed if they are subject to a temperature above 165°F for 30 seconds. This is how we make food safe by cooking. This heat is also how we sanitize dishes and equipment. Certain chemicals (such as bleach) also kill bacteria. Using sanitizing agents is best way to sanitize counter tops and large equipment.
About The Author
Chef Richard has worked in some of the finest restaurants in Washington State and is the author of the ebook "Chef's Special". You can find free recipes, informative articles.
Make It With Mint
It wouldn't be summer without fresh mint in pots on the front porch and in the garden. Mint is so easy to grow, it has such a wonderful fresh scent, and it can be used for all sorts of things.
Here are some easy ways to use mint:
Put a few fresh spearmint or peppermint sprigs in a teapot with your favorite tea. Let steep for 2-3 minutes and serve.
Use sprigs of mint as a pretty garnish for a special dessert.
For a casual arrangement for your dining room or kitchen table, fill an attractive glass or ceramic pitcher, vase, or other container with water. Add several long sprigs of fresh mint (being sure to strip away any mint leaves that would be covered by the water). The mint will add color to the room, scent the air, and even help keep pesky ants away.
Pot your favorite mint in a pretty container on your front porch to provide a welcoming fresh scent to anyone who comes to visit.
Add chopped mint leaves to scrambled eggs, omelettes, quiches, or souffles.
Mix mint in with your regular tabbouleh recipe for a refreshing summer salad.
Add mint to cooked peas, carrots, or potatoes at the end of the cooking process, then discard the mint leaves before serving the vegetables.
Make frozen mint cubes to use in many of your favorite foods and beverages. Finely chop some mint sprigs, then stuff them into ice cube trays, and fill each section of the tray with water. Freeze. When frozen, empty the trays into freezer bags. Use the mint cubes for iced tea or other beverages, or put a few cubes in your favorite casserole or stew.
Remember?next time you're thinking of creating a special dish, or even an attractive arrangement for your table, make it with mint.
Here are some easy ways to use mint:
Put a few fresh spearmint or peppermint sprigs in a teapot with your favorite tea. Let steep for 2-3 minutes and serve.
Use sprigs of mint as a pretty garnish for a special dessert.
For a casual arrangement for your dining room or kitchen table, fill an attractive glass or ceramic pitcher, vase, or other container with water. Add several long sprigs of fresh mint (being sure to strip away any mint leaves that would be covered by the water). The mint will add color to the room, scent the air, and even help keep pesky ants away.
Pot your favorite mint in a pretty container on your front porch to provide a welcoming fresh scent to anyone who comes to visit.
Add chopped mint leaves to scrambled eggs, omelettes, quiches, or souffles.
Mix mint in with your regular tabbouleh recipe for a refreshing summer salad.
Add mint to cooked peas, carrots, or potatoes at the end of the cooking process, then discard the mint leaves before serving the vegetables.
Make frozen mint cubes to use in many of your favorite foods and beverages. Finely chop some mint sprigs, then stuff them into ice cube trays, and fill each section of the tray with water. Freeze. When frozen, empty the trays into freezer bags. Use the mint cubes for iced tea or other beverages, or put a few cubes in your favorite casserole or stew.
Remember?next time you're thinking of creating a special dish, or even an attractive arrangement for your table, make it with mint.
Barbequing, a Fun and Convenient Way to Make Dinner
"There's nothing more enjoyable than having friends and family gathered around amidst the wonderful smells of charcoal-grilled prawns, vegetables and selected favorites. Barbecuing is one of those time- honored rituals that go hand in hand with summertime. Whether you're in your backyard or at you're favorite camping site, barbecuing is a pleasure to be enjoyed by the whole family."
Barbecuing has never been more exciting; with the endless designs of barbecues available and the myriad of barbecue cookbooks and cooking shows it really does take barbecuing into a whole new realm. With recipes for everything from grilled bananas to peaches and dry rubs for ribs, barbecues aren't just for cooking steaks and burgers anymore. With all the available barbecuing options it helps to know a few of the barbecuing terms and barbecuing utensils that are used.
Firstly, barbecues come in a wide variety of options; there are propane, natural gas and the standard barbecues for use with charcoal. Barbecues can come with range style one, two and four burner options along with rotisseries. There are even barbecues that have coolers built right into the bottom! Barbecuing has never been quite so convenient.
Accessories
When you're using your barbecue it really helps to have the right utensils and barbeque accessories, this will make your barbecuing experience easier and more enjoyable. Long handled tongs, basting brushes and spatulas are quite helpful. Heavy-duty oven mitts can also be useful. Of course you don't want to forget the proper wire brushes and scrubbers (crumpled foil even works well) to remove build-up, keeping your grill racks clean.
Foods that are tender such as fish, vegetables and some burgers can benefit from cooking in a special grill basket (this way you aren't loosing any of your meal into the barbecue). There are also special racks available to be used with corn, potatoes, ribs and meat.
An excellent barbecue accessory is the grill wok, with this you can make you're favorite stir fries and vegetable dishes; the wok has small holes throughout that allow heat and smoke to penetrate the food. Another great grill accessory is the grill pizza tray used mostly for grilled pizza. Other grill accessories include; the grill topper used for fish and vegetables providing an even cooking surface, which prevents foods from falling through the grill rack; you can never have too many skewers in assorted lengths which can be used with a skewer rack for grilling your favorite marinated vegetables and meats; smoker boxes for gas grills filled with soaked wood chips add a wonderful smoked flavor to foods. Lastly foil packets are available or simple tin foil to wrap foods, just remember that you may be sacrificing the grill and smoke flavors when foods are wrapped tightly.
Grilling Processes
After you have the utensils and proper grilling accessories needed for you're barbeque experience you'll want to familiarize yourself on the different types of grilling processes and terms to find the ones that work best for you and to know exactly what has to be done. To start, basting is probably the most familiar of barbecuing terms, a simple brushing with a seasoned liquid adding both flavor and moisture to your food. A brochette is just French for a kabob, or simply food cooked on a skewer. A glaze is a glossy, flavorful coating on food as it cooks as a result of regular basting.
Three very popular methods of barbecuing are the direct grilling, dry smoking and indirect grilling methods. Direct grilling is probably the most popular grilling used, it is when food is placed directly over the flame. It is a fast method because of the intense heat and allows for browning on the outside of foods. This process works best for food requiring short cooking times such as burgers and steaks, you must remember to turn food over to allow cooking on both sides. The dry smoking method is achieved by placing a grill rack indirectly over the heat source with the barbecue lid down, this allows the flame to burn thus creating smoke which covers the food, giving you a smoky flavor. Lastly the indirect grilling is a slow process of cooking because of less heat, it is done by surrounding a drip pan with the coals and putting the food over the pan, so the hot air circulates around the food (similar to a convection oven). It is wise to check with your barbecue owner manual for indirect grilling specific to your barbecue, roasts work well with this method.
After you've acquired the barbecue and all the necessary cooking utensils and accessories you're ready for the best part of barbecuing and that is the cooking of the food. Sauces, marinades and rubs are popular cooking ideas when barbecuing. Barbecue sauce can be said to define a great barbecue. Whether you use a little or a lot is a matter of preference. A sauce often includes sugar, honey or preserves, which can cause the sauce to burn when cooking; a suggestion is to brush your sauce on in the last five to ten minutes of cooking. There are a wide variety of sauces and glazes to be made ranging from apple butter barbecue sauce to raspberry piquant sauce.
Marinades are used for soaking your choice of meat, tofu or vegetables. The marinating both tenderizes and permeates the food with flavor, adding flavor and promoting crisp brown exteriors, changing an otherwise average dinner into a great one. Marinades are virtually fool proof and can be made in advance refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week. The three basic ingredients in a marinade are; flavorings such as herbs, spices, sweeteners; oils which keep the food pliable and give a crispy crust; acids such as citrus juices, wines, vinegars and yogurts used to balance the sweetness. It is suggested to use the acids sparingly on fish and poultry, as they will soften the flesh when used.
A virtually fat free and easy way to add flavor to food is by using a variety of bold seasonings in a rub. The food is rubbed with spices prior to grilling, the rub transforms into a crunchy brown crust that seals in the juices and enhances the flavors of the food. The spices should be generously applied coating the entire surface of the food; the food should then be covered and put in the fridge for 15 minutes to 2 hours. Simplicity is the key for making rubs, salt and sugar are two of the main ingredients and the rest are up to you.
In summary, whatever your barbecuing specialty might be barbecues can be both a fun and convenient way to make dinner. Summertime needn't be the only time of year that you're barbecuing, if weather allows you can barbecue all year round. The options have never been more exciting, and the variety of foods and recipes never more abundant.
Valerie Giles owns and operates Best BBQ Online, a resource web site featuring barbecue grills, grill accessories and bbq recipes and marinades. Everything you need for the barbequing season.
Barbecuing has never been more exciting; with the endless designs of barbecues available and the myriad of barbecue cookbooks and cooking shows it really does take barbecuing into a whole new realm. With recipes for everything from grilled bananas to peaches and dry rubs for ribs, barbecues aren't just for cooking steaks and burgers anymore. With all the available barbecuing options it helps to know a few of the barbecuing terms and barbecuing utensils that are used.
Firstly, barbecues come in a wide variety of options; there are propane, natural gas and the standard barbecues for use with charcoal. Barbecues can come with range style one, two and four burner options along with rotisseries. There are even barbecues that have coolers built right into the bottom! Barbecuing has never been quite so convenient.
Accessories
When you're using your barbecue it really helps to have the right utensils and barbeque accessories, this will make your barbecuing experience easier and more enjoyable. Long handled tongs, basting brushes and spatulas are quite helpful. Heavy-duty oven mitts can also be useful. Of course you don't want to forget the proper wire brushes and scrubbers (crumpled foil even works well) to remove build-up, keeping your grill racks clean.
Foods that are tender such as fish, vegetables and some burgers can benefit from cooking in a special grill basket (this way you aren't loosing any of your meal into the barbecue). There are also special racks available to be used with corn, potatoes, ribs and meat.
An excellent barbecue accessory is the grill wok, with this you can make you're favorite stir fries and vegetable dishes; the wok has small holes throughout that allow heat and smoke to penetrate the food. Another great grill accessory is the grill pizza tray used mostly for grilled pizza. Other grill accessories include; the grill topper used for fish and vegetables providing an even cooking surface, which prevents foods from falling through the grill rack; you can never have too many skewers in assorted lengths which can be used with a skewer rack for grilling your favorite marinated vegetables and meats; smoker boxes for gas grills filled with soaked wood chips add a wonderful smoked flavor to foods. Lastly foil packets are available or simple tin foil to wrap foods, just remember that you may be sacrificing the grill and smoke flavors when foods are wrapped tightly.
Grilling Processes
After you have the utensils and proper grilling accessories needed for you're barbeque experience you'll want to familiarize yourself on the different types of grilling processes and terms to find the ones that work best for you and to know exactly what has to be done. To start, basting is probably the most familiar of barbecuing terms, a simple brushing with a seasoned liquid adding both flavor and moisture to your food. A brochette is just French for a kabob, or simply food cooked on a skewer. A glaze is a glossy, flavorful coating on food as it cooks as a result of regular basting.
Three very popular methods of barbecuing are the direct grilling, dry smoking and indirect grilling methods. Direct grilling is probably the most popular grilling used, it is when food is placed directly over the flame. It is a fast method because of the intense heat and allows for browning on the outside of foods. This process works best for food requiring short cooking times such as burgers and steaks, you must remember to turn food over to allow cooking on both sides. The dry smoking method is achieved by placing a grill rack indirectly over the heat source with the barbecue lid down, this allows the flame to burn thus creating smoke which covers the food, giving you a smoky flavor. Lastly the indirect grilling is a slow process of cooking because of less heat, it is done by surrounding a drip pan with the coals and putting the food over the pan, so the hot air circulates around the food (similar to a convection oven). It is wise to check with your barbecue owner manual for indirect grilling specific to your barbecue, roasts work well with this method.
After you've acquired the barbecue and all the necessary cooking utensils and accessories you're ready for the best part of barbecuing and that is the cooking of the food. Sauces, marinades and rubs are popular cooking ideas when barbecuing. Barbecue sauce can be said to define a great barbecue. Whether you use a little or a lot is a matter of preference. A sauce often includes sugar, honey or preserves, which can cause the sauce to burn when cooking; a suggestion is to brush your sauce on in the last five to ten minutes of cooking. There are a wide variety of sauces and glazes to be made ranging from apple butter barbecue sauce to raspberry piquant sauce.
Marinades are used for soaking your choice of meat, tofu or vegetables. The marinating both tenderizes and permeates the food with flavor, adding flavor and promoting crisp brown exteriors, changing an otherwise average dinner into a great one. Marinades are virtually fool proof and can be made in advance refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week. The three basic ingredients in a marinade are; flavorings such as herbs, spices, sweeteners; oils which keep the food pliable and give a crispy crust; acids such as citrus juices, wines, vinegars and yogurts used to balance the sweetness. It is suggested to use the acids sparingly on fish and poultry, as they will soften the flesh when used.
A virtually fat free and easy way to add flavor to food is by using a variety of bold seasonings in a rub. The food is rubbed with spices prior to grilling, the rub transforms into a crunchy brown crust that seals in the juices and enhances the flavors of the food. The spices should be generously applied coating the entire surface of the food; the food should then be covered and put in the fridge for 15 minutes to 2 hours. Simplicity is the key for making rubs, salt and sugar are two of the main ingredients and the rest are up to you.
In summary, whatever your barbecuing specialty might be barbecues can be both a fun and convenient way to make dinner. Summertime needn't be the only time of year that you're barbecuing, if weather allows you can barbecue all year round. The options have never been more exciting, and the variety of foods and recipes never more abundant.
Valerie Giles owns and operates Best BBQ Online, a resource web site featuring barbecue grills, grill accessories and bbq recipes and marinades. Everything you need for the barbequing season.
Understanding Baking: How Yeast Works
Did you ever wonder why flour tastes like sawdust but a French or Italian bread made with that same flour and little else has a pleasant, sweet taste?
Bread wouldn't be bread without yeast and yeast can't work without sugars. Yeast is alive-living organisms-and living organisms need food for fuel, in this case, simple sugars. But flour is mostly starch and table sugar (sucrose) is too complex for the yeast before fermentation. Amylase and invertase, enzymes present in the flour or created by the yeast, break down the starch molecules into sugars. Some of these simple sugar molecules become food for the yeast; others create the sweet flavor we find in a fine bread-even a French bread where there is no sugar added.
As the yeast feeds on the sugar, it creates two digestive byproducts-alcohol (ethanol) and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is what leavens the bread-carbon dioxide gases filter through the dough creating loft. The alcohol is evaporated in baking.
The biological and chemical actions taking place as the bread ages and rises are called fermentation. Generally, a long, slow fermentation makes for better flavor, texture, and moisture retention. Many fine breads call for "retarding" or slowing down the growth of the yeast with refrigeration. If dough is refrigerated, the yeast grows more slowly. Fermentation still takes place as the amylase enzymes work within the dough and sugar is released albeit at a slower rate. When the dough is warmed and the growth of the yeast takes off, there is plenty of sugar present for the yeast and an excess of sugar to sweeten the bread.
When yeast grows more slowly, we find the richer, fuller flavor of breads made with retarded dough. In the previous article, we discussed a focaccia that uses refrigeration to slow down the growth of the yeast and create the desired crumb and flavor. Is it a good bread without retarding? Yes, but retarding does give it desirable flavor overtones and a more open crumb.
Read on for the printable version of How Yeast Works >>
This article was taken from About Baking: Ingredients and How They Work and is available free for download.
Bread wouldn't be bread without yeast and yeast can't work without sugars. Yeast is alive-living organisms-and living organisms need food for fuel, in this case, simple sugars. But flour is mostly starch and table sugar (sucrose) is too complex for the yeast before fermentation. Amylase and invertase, enzymes present in the flour or created by the yeast, break down the starch molecules into sugars. Some of these simple sugar molecules become food for the yeast; others create the sweet flavor we find in a fine bread-even a French bread where there is no sugar added.
As the yeast feeds on the sugar, it creates two digestive byproducts-alcohol (ethanol) and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is what leavens the bread-carbon dioxide gases filter through the dough creating loft. The alcohol is evaporated in baking.
The biological and chemical actions taking place as the bread ages and rises are called fermentation. Generally, a long, slow fermentation makes for better flavor, texture, and moisture retention. Many fine breads call for "retarding" or slowing down the growth of the yeast with refrigeration. If dough is refrigerated, the yeast grows more slowly. Fermentation still takes place as the amylase enzymes work within the dough and sugar is released albeit at a slower rate. When the dough is warmed and the growth of the yeast takes off, there is plenty of sugar present for the yeast and an excess of sugar to sweeten the bread.
When yeast grows more slowly, we find the richer, fuller flavor of breads made with retarded dough. In the previous article, we discussed a focaccia that uses refrigeration to slow down the growth of the yeast and create the desired crumb and flavor. Is it a good bread without retarding? Yes, but retarding does give it desirable flavor overtones and a more open crumb.
Read on for the printable version of How Yeast Works >>
This article was taken from About Baking: Ingredients and How They Work and is available free for download.
Two for One Dinners: Turkey
If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then here are some ideas to put the "zing" back into mealtime. With a little creativity your home-cooked meal can easily become a delicious meal another night. There are a six articles in this series, today we are going to look at what you can do with turkey.
DINNER - NIGHT ONE: Roasted Turkey Breast
Any time of the year is a good time to roast a turkey and experiment with different flavors. Try roasting it over carrots, leeks and sweet potatoes and glazing the bird and the vegetables with a mix of soy sauce and molasses. Or, perhaps you want to roast it with turnips, carrots, potatoes and leeks. Be creative and try different veggies! Take care to remove the leftover meat from the bone and store it tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to two to three days.
DINNER - NIGHT TWO: Turkey and Pear Salad
A night or two later, when you need a quick meal, chop the leftover turkey and fold it, with diced pears, into a little mayonnaise and lemon juice. Sprinkle with curry powder, salt and pepper and serve on a bed of romaine lettuce. No cooking required! This also makes a great lunchbox salad.
Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved.
Michele Webb owns her own website and is a member of a number of organizations for women Netpreneurs and business owners. She has over 20 years experience in health care, clinical trials, management, project management and software development. She currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada USA with her two dogs.
DINNER - NIGHT ONE: Roasted Turkey Breast
Any time of the year is a good time to roast a turkey and experiment with different flavors. Try roasting it over carrots, leeks and sweet potatoes and glazing the bird and the vegetables with a mix of soy sauce and molasses. Or, perhaps you want to roast it with turnips, carrots, potatoes and leeks. Be creative and try different veggies! Take care to remove the leftover meat from the bone and store it tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to two to three days.
DINNER - NIGHT TWO: Turkey and Pear Salad
A night or two later, when you need a quick meal, chop the leftover turkey and fold it, with diced pears, into a little mayonnaise and lemon juice. Sprinkle with curry powder, salt and pepper and serve on a bed of romaine lettuce. No cooking required! This also makes a great lunchbox salad.
Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved.
Michele Webb owns her own website and is a member of a number of organizations for women Netpreneurs and business owners. She has over 20 years experience in health care, clinical trials, management, project management and software development. She currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada USA with her two dogs.
Do a Dry Rub First
The debate on ribs has ended in my home. After years of toil I have finally capitulated and agreed to make ribs the fool proof way every time. Consequently the neighbors, the kids, and family from out of town all place special requests for ribs.
To begin pre-heat your oven or BBQ to around 200° degrees Fahrenheit. If the heat reaches much above 250 ° degrees you run the considerable risk of your ribs drying out.
Next rub the ribs with your favorite dry rub and place them bone side up in a roasting pan. I have found that jarred dry rubs are well balanced with sweet and spice and make for a good tasting rib. If you have a particular preference mix up a batch of your own personal seasonings and store it in an air tight container with the rest of your spices. You will then always have your favorite rub on hand.
Allow the ribs to bake for 8 to 12 hours. The longer the ribs slow cook the better the final product tastes.
You can cut this time in half if need be and still have a great rib. Just try it out and see what works best for you and your family. Our house hold is usually up early and we easily have plenty of time to put the ribs in and have them ready for supper.
When the ribs are done separate them and roll them in your favorite BBQ sauce. This allows you to customize the ribs to the tastes in your family and quests. I always seem to end up with three batches of ribs, the spicy zip things up batch, the sweet and savory mellow batch, and the plain old don't mess with perfection just leave my ribs dry batch.
Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet meal plans. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday.
To begin pre-heat your oven or BBQ to around 200° degrees Fahrenheit. If the heat reaches much above 250 ° degrees you run the considerable risk of your ribs drying out.
Next rub the ribs with your favorite dry rub and place them bone side up in a roasting pan. I have found that jarred dry rubs are well balanced with sweet and spice and make for a good tasting rib. If you have a particular preference mix up a batch of your own personal seasonings and store it in an air tight container with the rest of your spices. You will then always have your favorite rub on hand.
Allow the ribs to bake for 8 to 12 hours. The longer the ribs slow cook the better the final product tastes.
You can cut this time in half if need be and still have a great rib. Just try it out and see what works best for you and your family. Our house hold is usually up early and we easily have plenty of time to put the ribs in and have them ready for supper.
When the ribs are done separate them and roll them in your favorite BBQ sauce. This allows you to customize the ribs to the tastes in your family and quests. I always seem to end up with three batches of ribs, the spicy zip things up batch, the sweet and savory mellow batch, and the plain old don't mess with perfection just leave my ribs dry batch.
Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet meal plans. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday.
The Noble Crescent Roll - How to Roll a Masterpiece
Ahhh?the noble crescent roll. In some forms it has its origins in the Middle East and in Europe. We know that during the 1600's crescent rolls of some form were being baked in Vienna. There is one thing that we do know for certain: no matter which form you choose to bake them in today, they are sure to please the most discriminating palate! That sumptuous aroma, sneaking through the halls and lurking in every corner of the house, is enough to get my taste buds humming. Can you smell it? That buttery, toasted aroma is calling you.
Served with an omelet in the morning or fresh fruit at lunch, crescent rolls are just plain delicious! A hot cup of herbal tea or coffee is mandatory.
Making crescent rolls can be a fun activity for the entire family, or that special young person! In the simplest of terms it's as easy as slicing a pizza and rolling up a jellyroll. Are you ready?
First you'll need a batch of crescent roll dough. You could probably use just about any roll type dough, but there are dough recipes designed just for the crescent.
You will also need to make a filling from these ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 finely grated lemon peel, and 1 finely grated orange peel.
Pinch off a dough ball about the size of a tennis ball. Roll it out flat into a circle. Use a sharp knife or even better, a pizza cutter, and make four cuts across. Cut this just like you would a pie or a pizza. You should wind up with eight triangle-shaped pieces.
Next, mix together one-fourth cup of butter, one cup of powdered sugar, and the finely grated lemon and orange peels. This should form a thin paste. Spread a thin layer over the top of the dough triangles, covering them completely.
Now, starting with the wide end of each piece, roll up towards the point and then pull the ends towards each other to form a "U" shape, or a crescent shape. You can even pinch the ends if you like.
Repeat this entire process until you have used up all of the dough. Bake them according to your crescent roll recipe, being sure to use the proper bake time and heat. Here's a quick tip: try adding about one-fourth teaspoon of crushed walnuts or pecans, sprinkled over the center of the roll before rolling it up. The last and most important step of all is to bake those rascals and enjoy them!
An excellent companion at breakfast, an elegant touch for dinner; the noble crescent roll is sure to please the most discriminating taste buds.
Terry Stokely is a twenty-five year veteran of the baking industry. After being permenantly laid off in December of 2004, he enjoys spending time with his family and promoting his new ebook Home Baked Goodness with Bread, Rolls and Muffins. The new ebook, which he co-authored with his wife Dawn,
Served with an omelet in the morning or fresh fruit at lunch, crescent rolls are just plain delicious! A hot cup of herbal tea or coffee is mandatory.
Making crescent rolls can be a fun activity for the entire family, or that special young person! In the simplest of terms it's as easy as slicing a pizza and rolling up a jellyroll. Are you ready?
First you'll need a batch of crescent roll dough. You could probably use just about any roll type dough, but there are dough recipes designed just for the crescent.
You will also need to make a filling from these ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 finely grated lemon peel, and 1 finely grated orange peel.
Pinch off a dough ball about the size of a tennis ball. Roll it out flat into a circle. Use a sharp knife or even better, a pizza cutter, and make four cuts across. Cut this just like you would a pie or a pizza. You should wind up with eight triangle-shaped pieces.
Next, mix together one-fourth cup of butter, one cup of powdered sugar, and the finely grated lemon and orange peels. This should form a thin paste. Spread a thin layer over the top of the dough triangles, covering them completely.
Now, starting with the wide end of each piece, roll up towards the point and then pull the ends towards each other to form a "U" shape, or a crescent shape. You can even pinch the ends if you like.
Repeat this entire process until you have used up all of the dough. Bake them according to your crescent roll recipe, being sure to use the proper bake time and heat. Here's a quick tip: try adding about one-fourth teaspoon of crushed walnuts or pecans, sprinkled over the center of the roll before rolling it up. The last and most important step of all is to bake those rascals and enjoy them!
An excellent companion at breakfast, an elegant touch for dinner; the noble crescent roll is sure to please the most discriminating taste buds.
Terry Stokely is a twenty-five year veteran of the baking industry. After being permenantly laid off in December of 2004, he enjoys spending time with his family and promoting his new ebook Home Baked Goodness with Bread, Rolls and Muffins. The new ebook, which he co-authored with his wife Dawn,
Do you own an AGA or RAYBURN cooker ?
The Cooker-rail....
This is a novel way of increasing the drying area for people who like to dry delicate hand washed items of clothing from their range cooker.
It consists of Hi-tech glass filled injection moulded end pieces pressed firmly on to a high quality stainless steel tube, the mouldings designed in such a way as to clip on to the existing hand rail of the cooker. The design has been evolved from the making of numerous wooden models, and having these evaluated by Friends who used them over a period of a few months.
It is neat and tidy, and looks as though it came supplied with the cooker. A second rail can be clipped on to the first, giving further hanging space, and the combined rails fold upward and forward towards the cooker front to leave access to the hob lids and the oven fronts.
It is very important that the openings to the burner chamber be completely free, and hanging any clothing on our rail ensures that this is complied with.
As cooker models have slightly altered over the years, the manufacturer makes the cooker-rail up to your exact dimensions,and requires an accurate measurement of the distance between the mounting brackets with carry the existing hand rail.
The cooker-rail only fits cookers with one inch diameter hand rails.
Rodney Heaton
This is a novel way of increasing the drying area for people who like to dry delicate hand washed items of clothing from their range cooker.
It consists of Hi-tech glass filled injection moulded end pieces pressed firmly on to a high quality stainless steel tube, the mouldings designed in such a way as to clip on to the existing hand rail of the cooker. The design has been evolved from the making of numerous wooden models, and having these evaluated by Friends who used them over a period of a few months.
It is neat and tidy, and looks as though it came supplied with the cooker. A second rail can be clipped on to the first, giving further hanging space, and the combined rails fold upward and forward towards the cooker front to leave access to the hob lids and the oven fronts.
It is very important that the openings to the burner chamber be completely free, and hanging any clothing on our rail ensures that this is complied with.
As cooker models have slightly altered over the years, the manufacturer makes the cooker-rail up to your exact dimensions,and requires an accurate measurement of the distance between the mounting brackets with carry the existing hand rail.
The cooker-rail only fits cookers with one inch diameter hand rails.
Rodney Heaton
Food Poisoning--An Overview
Food poisoning results when you eat food contaminated with bacteria or other pathogens such as parasites or viruses. Your symptoms may range from upset stomach to diarrhea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps and dehydration. Most such infections go undiagnosed and unreported.
But the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year about 76 million people in the United States become ill from pathogens in food, and about 5,000 of them die.
Over 55% of such cases are caused by improper cooking and storage of foods, and 24% by poor hygiene, such as not washing your hands while preparing food. Only 3% of cases are from unsafe food sources. Keeping your hands clean while working with food is the single most important thing you can do to prevent food poisoning.
About 20 organisms can cause food poisoning. After you eat food contaminated with bacteria, they will multiply in your stomach and bowels. Some bacteria give off a toxin when they multiply. As a result, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea occur. Vomiting and diarrhea are the body's way of eliminating the toxin, and most cases of food poisoning run their course without needing medical attention.
Not all invasive organisms cause vomiting as a symptom, but almost all of them cause diarrhea. Blood in your stool occurs in many types of food poisoning and is considered to be serious. Abdominal cramps are also common, and sometimes you will have a fever. Be sure to contact a physician if a fever or bloody stools are present.
Common Sources of Food Poisoning
Campylobacter is the leading cause of bacterial food poisoning in the USA. It causes several million cases a year, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Eating undercooked chicken or food that has been in contact with raw chicken most commonly causes campylobacter. The Center for Disease Control estimates that up to 70%-90% of chickens are infected with campylobacter.
To prevent the disease, cook chicken thoroughly, with no pink remaining. Wash your hands frequently when handling raw chicken. Use paper towels to dry your hands. If you are using a sponge or dish-cloth to clean the counters, use a fresh one after working with raw chicken. Wash your cutting board with a diluted bleach solution before using again. And any utensils or dishes having contact with raw chicken need to be washed and rinsed with soap and water before using again.
E. coli 0157: H7 infection causes an estimated 25,000 cases of food poisoning each year in the USA. Most of these result from undercooked, contaminated ground beef. The organism lives in the intestines of healthy cows. Meat can become contaminated during slaughter when intestinal fecal matter is mixed with beef that is ground into hamburger. Contaminated meat looks and smells normal, so it is not readily detectable. Bacteria on cow udders or milking machines can also contaminate raw milk.
To prevent this form of food poisoning, cook all ground beef until no pink is showing. Make sure all of the meat juices are clear, not pink or red, and that the inside of the meat is hot. If you are served an undercooked hamburger in a restaurant, send it back. Consume only pasteurized milk products, and drink only water treated with chlorine or other disinfectants.
Botulism is caused by clostridium botulinum, a spore-forming bacteria. This form of food poisoning is very rare, but can be life-threatening. It may result from eating improperly processed, low-acid foods such as green beans, mushrooms, spinach, olives and beef or fish. Improper home canning methods often account for botulism cases. Improperly processed commercial products can also cause this serious disorder.
To avoid botulism, don't even taste canned food that is soft, deteriorating, fermenting or doesn't smell right. It isn't worth a life-threatening illness. When in doubt, throw it out.
Infant botulism is more common in spring and summer, and is rare in winter. Infants younger than one year of age are at the highest risk. Symptoms include muscle weakness, a weak cry, difficulty in feeding, constipation, head lag, increased heart rate and a decreased gag reflex. A baby with botulism is described as a "floppy baby," as the infant will have weak muscles, especially in the arms, legs and neck.
Infant botulism has been associated with eating honey. The Center for Disease Control suggests that honey should not be given to infants under six months old, and the Honey Industry Council extends the safety limit to one year. Honey is not an essential food for infants, and should never be given to them.
Summary of Food Poisoning
Most symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea are due to viral infections and are not true cases of food poisoning. An accurate diagnosis can be difficult because the pathogenic organisms are found in different kinds of food and have varying incubation periods. Also, eating a substance and getting sick immediately afterwards is not the typical course for food poisoning. Most people are not aware that food eaten several days previously can be the cause of food poisoning. Always be sure to consult a physician when experiencing severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
Information in this article was gathered from the Safety Information website at http://wellness.ucdavis.edu/safety_info/poison_prevention/poison_book/food_poisoning.html and the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse website at http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/bacteria/index.htm.
RAINBOW WRITING, INC. -- featuring Karen Peralta, copy editor, ghost writer and book author -- EXPERT FREE DOWNLOAD COMPUTER FIXER PROGRAM! We also offer inexpensive professional freelance and contracted writing, editing, copy editing and writing, rewriting, ghost writing, graphics design and CAD, Internet marketing, publishing assistance, search engine optimization, professional free services and ultra-cheap dedicated web hosting and website development services.
But the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year about 76 million people in the United States become ill from pathogens in food, and about 5,000 of them die.
Over 55% of such cases are caused by improper cooking and storage of foods, and 24% by poor hygiene, such as not washing your hands while preparing food. Only 3% of cases are from unsafe food sources. Keeping your hands clean while working with food is the single most important thing you can do to prevent food poisoning.
About 20 organisms can cause food poisoning. After you eat food contaminated with bacteria, they will multiply in your stomach and bowels. Some bacteria give off a toxin when they multiply. As a result, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea occur. Vomiting and diarrhea are the body's way of eliminating the toxin, and most cases of food poisoning run their course without needing medical attention.
Not all invasive organisms cause vomiting as a symptom, but almost all of them cause diarrhea. Blood in your stool occurs in many types of food poisoning and is considered to be serious. Abdominal cramps are also common, and sometimes you will have a fever. Be sure to contact a physician if a fever or bloody stools are present.
Common Sources of Food Poisoning
Campylobacter is the leading cause of bacterial food poisoning in the USA. It causes several million cases a year, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Eating undercooked chicken or food that has been in contact with raw chicken most commonly causes campylobacter. The Center for Disease Control estimates that up to 70%-90% of chickens are infected with campylobacter.
To prevent the disease, cook chicken thoroughly, with no pink remaining. Wash your hands frequently when handling raw chicken. Use paper towels to dry your hands. If you are using a sponge or dish-cloth to clean the counters, use a fresh one after working with raw chicken. Wash your cutting board with a diluted bleach solution before using again. And any utensils or dishes having contact with raw chicken need to be washed and rinsed with soap and water before using again.
E. coli 0157: H7 infection causes an estimated 25,000 cases of food poisoning each year in the USA. Most of these result from undercooked, contaminated ground beef. The organism lives in the intestines of healthy cows. Meat can become contaminated during slaughter when intestinal fecal matter is mixed with beef that is ground into hamburger. Contaminated meat looks and smells normal, so it is not readily detectable. Bacteria on cow udders or milking machines can also contaminate raw milk.
To prevent this form of food poisoning, cook all ground beef until no pink is showing. Make sure all of the meat juices are clear, not pink or red, and that the inside of the meat is hot. If you are served an undercooked hamburger in a restaurant, send it back. Consume only pasteurized milk products, and drink only water treated with chlorine or other disinfectants.
Botulism is caused by clostridium botulinum, a spore-forming bacteria. This form of food poisoning is very rare, but can be life-threatening. It may result from eating improperly processed, low-acid foods such as green beans, mushrooms, spinach, olives and beef or fish. Improper home canning methods often account for botulism cases. Improperly processed commercial products can also cause this serious disorder.
To avoid botulism, don't even taste canned food that is soft, deteriorating, fermenting or doesn't smell right. It isn't worth a life-threatening illness. When in doubt, throw it out.
Infant botulism is more common in spring and summer, and is rare in winter. Infants younger than one year of age are at the highest risk. Symptoms include muscle weakness, a weak cry, difficulty in feeding, constipation, head lag, increased heart rate and a decreased gag reflex. A baby with botulism is described as a "floppy baby," as the infant will have weak muscles, especially in the arms, legs and neck.
Infant botulism has been associated with eating honey. The Center for Disease Control suggests that honey should not be given to infants under six months old, and the Honey Industry Council extends the safety limit to one year. Honey is not an essential food for infants, and should never be given to them.
Summary of Food Poisoning
Most symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea are due to viral infections and are not true cases of food poisoning. An accurate diagnosis can be difficult because the pathogenic organisms are found in different kinds of food and have varying incubation periods. Also, eating a substance and getting sick immediately afterwards is not the typical course for food poisoning. Most people are not aware that food eaten several days previously can be the cause of food poisoning. Always be sure to consult a physician when experiencing severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
Information in this article was gathered from the Safety Information website at http://wellness.ucdavis.edu/safety_info/poison_prevention/poison_book/food_poisoning.html and the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse website at http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/bacteria/index.htm.
RAINBOW WRITING, INC. -- featuring Karen Peralta, copy editor, ghost writer and book author -- EXPERT FREE DOWNLOAD COMPUTER FIXER PROGRAM! We also offer inexpensive professional freelance and contracted writing, editing, copy editing and writing, rewriting, ghost writing, graphics design and CAD, Internet marketing, publishing assistance, search engine optimization, professional free services and ultra-cheap dedicated web hosting and website development services.
Garlic: A Quick Guide
Garlic, there's nothing like the smell of garlic. It's great in soups and sauces, roasted with meats or on it's own, and it's wonderful mixed with butter and slathered on bread and then baked.
The scientific name for garlic is Allium Sativum. It is related to the lily and the onion. Although related to the onion, and having a flavor that very slightly resembles that of an onion, garlic does not bring tears to the eyes when chopped.
When buying fresh garlic, be sure that the head feels very firm when you squeeze it. Over time, garlic will soften and begin to sprout, which turns the garlic bitter. To store fresh garlic, keep it in a dark, cool place, such as the basement. Do not refrigerate or freeze the garlic, as it will begin to loose it's taste.
To peel a clove of garlic, place it on a cutting board, and put the flat of the blade of the knife against it. Press down on the other side of the blade with the heel of your hand, flattening the garlic slightly. The skin will come right off.
The strong flavor and odor of garlic come from sulfur compounds within the cells. The more cells that are broken, the stronger the flavor of the garlic will be. For the mildest flavor, just use a whole or slightly crushed clove of garlic. For a bit stronger flavor, slice or chop the garlic, and for the strongest flavor, mash the garlic into a paste.
Cooking garlic tames the strong flavor, and changes it in different ways, depending on how it's cooked. If using in a sauce, it can be sweated or sauteed. In sweating the garlic, it is first chopped finely, and then added to a cold pan with some oil, it is then gently heated, causing the oil to become infused with the garlic flavor. To sautee garlic, heat the oil in the pan first, and then add the chopped garlic, stirring frequently, and being careful not to let the garlic burn and become bitter.
Roasting the garlic softens the flavor, and makes it soft and perfect for mixing with cream cheese to spread onto toast, or just spread on the toast itself.
To roast the garlic, take a whole head of garlic, and remove the papery outer skin. Place the garlic on a piece of aluminum foil, and drizzle with some olive oil. Loosely wrap the garlic in the foil, and place it into a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Remove the garlic and let it cool. When cool enough to handle, separate the cloves of garlic, and squeeze each one. The flesh should pop right out. The roasted garlic is great mixed with cheese or potatoes, or on it's own.
Don't be afraid to use garlic in your cooking. Garlic is flavorful, and healthful, and of course, it will keep those pesky vampires away.
Tim Sousa is the webmaster for Classy Cooking, a library of free online recipes. Come and check out our selection of recipes, or share your own recipes with others.
The scientific name for garlic is Allium Sativum. It is related to the lily and the onion. Although related to the onion, and having a flavor that very slightly resembles that of an onion, garlic does not bring tears to the eyes when chopped.
When buying fresh garlic, be sure that the head feels very firm when you squeeze it. Over time, garlic will soften and begin to sprout, which turns the garlic bitter. To store fresh garlic, keep it in a dark, cool place, such as the basement. Do not refrigerate or freeze the garlic, as it will begin to loose it's taste.
To peel a clove of garlic, place it on a cutting board, and put the flat of the blade of the knife against it. Press down on the other side of the blade with the heel of your hand, flattening the garlic slightly. The skin will come right off.
The strong flavor and odor of garlic come from sulfur compounds within the cells. The more cells that are broken, the stronger the flavor of the garlic will be. For the mildest flavor, just use a whole or slightly crushed clove of garlic. For a bit stronger flavor, slice or chop the garlic, and for the strongest flavor, mash the garlic into a paste.
Cooking garlic tames the strong flavor, and changes it in different ways, depending on how it's cooked. If using in a sauce, it can be sweated or sauteed. In sweating the garlic, it is first chopped finely, and then added to a cold pan with some oil, it is then gently heated, causing the oil to become infused with the garlic flavor. To sautee garlic, heat the oil in the pan first, and then add the chopped garlic, stirring frequently, and being careful not to let the garlic burn and become bitter.
Roasting the garlic softens the flavor, and makes it soft and perfect for mixing with cream cheese to spread onto toast, or just spread on the toast itself.
To roast the garlic, take a whole head of garlic, and remove the papery outer skin. Place the garlic on a piece of aluminum foil, and drizzle with some olive oil. Loosely wrap the garlic in the foil, and place it into a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Remove the garlic and let it cool. When cool enough to handle, separate the cloves of garlic, and squeeze each one. The flesh should pop right out. The roasted garlic is great mixed with cheese or potatoes, or on it's own.
Don't be afraid to use garlic in your cooking. Garlic is flavorful, and healthful, and of course, it will keep those pesky vampires away.
Tim Sousa is the webmaster for Classy Cooking, a library of free online recipes. Come and check out our selection of recipes, or share your own recipes with others.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Eat your Veggies! Simple Cooking Methods
Vegetables add colour, taste, texture and bulk to our daily diet. There are dozens of different vegetables that can be prepared in literally hundreds of ways. So what's best?
There is no best. The thing to do is to eat your vegetables, lots of them, everyday in a wide variety of ways and stop worrying about the preparation methods. Variety is the key...
Raw
Many vegetables taste fabulous just the way they are straight out of the garden. Lettuce, tomato, celery, cabbage, onion, radish, carrot are obvious choices here. But they are just as likely to find themselves next to chopped up broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beans and zucchini on a starter platter with dips. Wash 'em, chop 'em and eat 'em. Oh, yeah, you could also make a salad!
Steamed
Steaming heats the vegetable and softens it's texture. It's gentler than boiling and allows the vegetable to maintain it's colour if not overdone. Use a stainless steel steamer that will fit into most good size sauce pans. Make sure you use a pan with a tight fitting lid. There should be enough water to just touch the bottom of the steamer. Water should be simmering the whole time the vegetables are being cooked.
Boiling
Boiling vegetables is really going out of fashion, but it's a legitimate preparation method! The big concern is loss of nutrients. All cooking methods result in the loss of some goodness from the vegetables. If boiling, try to find a way to use the water the vegetables have been boiled in (i.e. to make a gravy or sauce) to bring those nutrients back to the table. Vegetables should be barely covered with water. Bring the water to a boil (covered) then slow to a simmer until vegetables are tender.
Microwave
Very popular for vegetables as it retains colour, flavour and nutrients. Trial and error will be your guide with microwaving as there are plenty of variables involved. However, a few guidelines will help...The more food you put into the oven, the longer it will take to cook. Underestimate your cooking time rather than overestimate. Undercooked food can be cooked some more. Over-cooked food is ruined. Food straight from the fridge will take longer to cook than that at room temperature. All food continues to cook after it has been removed from the microwave oven. It is part of the cooking process and should be taken into account to prevent over-cooking.
Stir Fry
Very rapid method of quick frying vegetables, meat (optional) and sauces in one pan to make a meal. Primarily associated with Asian cooking. The key to doing this well is preparation. All items to be cooked should be chopped to a size that will allow them to cook quickly in the wok. It is also important that the wok is heated to a high, consistent temperature throughout. Vegetables maintain their colour and crispness with this sort of cooking (if not overdone).
Baking
Brilliant! Especially for those 'root' vegetables like potatoes, turnip, carrot and beetroot. Chop into similar size pieces, brush lightly with olive oil and put in a hot oven to roast. Size of the pieces will determine the cooking time but expect at least 40 minutes. Outside is chewy, inside is moist and fluffy. Dress with sour cream and chives. Yum!
Barbeque
Does anything scream summer like the word barbeque? Love a barbeque. This is primarily open flame cooking, so could apply to a campfire as well. Cooking outside just changes everything about food. You'll need foil, fire and fresh veggies. Grease your foil, chop your veggies and put the closed packages on the grill. Be adventurous, it's really hard to mess this up!
splits her time between being a media executive and an earth mother goddess. No Dig Vegetable Gardens represents a clean, green way to grow your own food. The site covers all aspects of growing, cooking and preserving your harvest.
There is no best. The thing to do is to eat your vegetables, lots of them, everyday in a wide variety of ways and stop worrying about the preparation methods. Variety is the key...
Raw
Many vegetables taste fabulous just the way they are straight out of the garden. Lettuce, tomato, celery, cabbage, onion, radish, carrot are obvious choices here. But they are just as likely to find themselves next to chopped up broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beans and zucchini on a starter platter with dips. Wash 'em, chop 'em and eat 'em. Oh, yeah, you could also make a salad!
Steamed
Steaming heats the vegetable and softens it's texture. It's gentler than boiling and allows the vegetable to maintain it's colour if not overdone. Use a stainless steel steamer that will fit into most good size sauce pans. Make sure you use a pan with a tight fitting lid. There should be enough water to just touch the bottom of the steamer. Water should be simmering the whole time the vegetables are being cooked.
Boiling
Boiling vegetables is really going out of fashion, but it's a legitimate preparation method! The big concern is loss of nutrients. All cooking methods result in the loss of some goodness from the vegetables. If boiling, try to find a way to use the water the vegetables have been boiled in (i.e. to make a gravy or sauce) to bring those nutrients back to the table. Vegetables should be barely covered with water. Bring the water to a boil (covered) then slow to a simmer until vegetables are tender.
Microwave
Very popular for vegetables as it retains colour, flavour and nutrients. Trial and error will be your guide with microwaving as there are plenty of variables involved. However, a few guidelines will help...The more food you put into the oven, the longer it will take to cook. Underestimate your cooking time rather than overestimate. Undercooked food can be cooked some more. Over-cooked food is ruined. Food straight from the fridge will take longer to cook than that at room temperature. All food continues to cook after it has been removed from the microwave oven. It is part of the cooking process and should be taken into account to prevent over-cooking.
Stir Fry
Very rapid method of quick frying vegetables, meat (optional) and sauces in one pan to make a meal. Primarily associated with Asian cooking. The key to doing this well is preparation. All items to be cooked should be chopped to a size that will allow them to cook quickly in the wok. It is also important that the wok is heated to a high, consistent temperature throughout. Vegetables maintain their colour and crispness with this sort of cooking (if not overdone).
Baking
Brilliant! Especially for those 'root' vegetables like potatoes, turnip, carrot and beetroot. Chop into similar size pieces, brush lightly with olive oil and put in a hot oven to roast. Size of the pieces will determine the cooking time but expect at least 40 minutes. Outside is chewy, inside is moist and fluffy. Dress with sour cream and chives. Yum!
Barbeque
Does anything scream summer like the word barbeque? Love a barbeque. This is primarily open flame cooking, so could apply to a campfire as well. Cooking outside just changes everything about food. You'll need foil, fire and fresh veggies. Grease your foil, chop your veggies and put the closed packages on the grill. Be adventurous, it's really hard to mess this up!
splits her time between being a media executive and an earth mother goddess. No Dig Vegetable Gardens represents a clean, green way to grow your own food. The site covers all aspects of growing, cooking and preserving your harvest.
Pyrex Mixing Bowls ? A Kitchen Favorite
Pyrex mixing bowls typically come in sets of 3 with a small, medium and large bowl that sits snuggly inside each other. Pyrex has been around for almost 90 years. Over 75 percent of households in America own at least one piece of Pyrex.
Like so many things we use today, the original idea led to the present glass dishes we know as Pyrex. Besides the pyrex mixing bowls pyrex makes many other glass dishes as well. The pyrex glass is a tough and unique invention.
Thanks to a railroad glass scientist needing to create a lantern that got hot but did not shatter when rain or snow got on it we now have pyres glass. The word Pyrex comes from the Greek Word pyro or fire, and Ex which refers to the type of glass. It does not expand or change shape when heated. This may be why Pyrex glass in the 1960s and '70s was used in the windows of the Apollo and Gemini spacecraft.
With Pyrex glass you are able to take the dish from the microwave to the oven as well as the freezer. You can mix, cook, serve and store all in the same dish.
Most Pyrex bowls and dishes made today is clear glass. The brightly colored Pyrex mixing bowls that you remember in Grandma's kitchen are now collector's items. So don't throw that old glass mixing bowl set out. Glass mixing bowls are better than plastic for mixing and storing food because they do not absorb the flavors and odors of the food stored in them.
Anything that you can do all phases of mixing, cooking, and storing in the same dish gets my vote for the ultimate convenient kitchen utensil. It is easy to see why these mixing bowls can be found in kitchens all across America.
Tracye Gano is an accomplished freelance writer and designer for kitchens 4u
Like so many things we use today, the original idea led to the present glass dishes we know as Pyrex. Besides the pyrex mixing bowls pyrex makes many other glass dishes as well. The pyrex glass is a tough and unique invention.
Thanks to a railroad glass scientist needing to create a lantern that got hot but did not shatter when rain or snow got on it we now have pyres glass. The word Pyrex comes from the Greek Word pyro or fire, and Ex which refers to the type of glass. It does not expand or change shape when heated. This may be why Pyrex glass in the 1960s and '70s was used in the windows of the Apollo and Gemini spacecraft.
With Pyrex glass you are able to take the dish from the microwave to the oven as well as the freezer. You can mix, cook, serve and store all in the same dish.
Most Pyrex bowls and dishes made today is clear glass. The brightly colored Pyrex mixing bowls that you remember in Grandma's kitchen are now collector's items. So don't throw that old glass mixing bowl set out. Glass mixing bowls are better than plastic for mixing and storing food because they do not absorb the flavors and odors of the food stored in them.
Anything that you can do all phases of mixing, cooking, and storing in the same dish gets my vote for the ultimate convenient kitchen utensil. It is easy to see why these mixing bowls can be found in kitchens all across America.
Tracye Gano is an accomplished freelance writer and designer for kitchens 4u
Outdoor Chefs Choose Gas Grills
How many of you remember dad trying to get the charcoal started? The mess, time and burgers tasting of lighter fluid are some reasons why outdoor chefs are choosing gas grills for their recipes for BBQs over a charcoal barbecue. A gas grill offers many advantages for BBQ over charcoal. An outdoor chef doesn't want to wait for the coals to heat up when a turn of the knob quickly gets the barbecues started. A gas grill offers the ease of a push button start, temperature control and no mess.
Before you buy, consider these points. Is the size of the gas grill important to you, or do you require portability? Would you like to cook an entire meal, or just use it for traditional BBQ grill recipes? This purchase will be an investment so check for sturdiness. If it wiggles, it may fall apart on you at home. Look for one that has high grade stainless steel and baked on enamel as these will last the longest. The better grills also have the grates that are stainless steel because grates made of other materials will rust. Consider a scale for the tank so you won't run out of propane right in the middle of a party. You could also purchase a grill that can be hooked directly into your home's gas line. If cost is a big deciding factor for you, you will probably want to purchase a charcoal grill. Many can be found in all ranges, even as small as the one person hibachi grill. If it's a complete outdoor kitchen you really want, you can find built in grills that will be perfect for your design. You can create a terrific entertaining outdoor room by adding a few appliances to your backyard. An outdoor fireplace or built in gas grill can become a focal point of your backyard. Your guests will love sitting around talking to the cook, watching you develop your scrumptious creations. You can find everything from "soup to nuts" or should I say BBQ ribs to barbecued chicken", in the stores or online. Grilling is a perfect opportunity to experiment with new recipes for your family and friends. Why do you think there are so many barbecue cookoffs? Everyone thinks they have the best barbecue sauce so have fun developing your own.
Don't wait for warm weather. People are using their gas grill all year even if they live in the North woods. The speed of cooking allows you to enjoy your favorite BBQs even when it's cold outside. Flavor is a great debate for people as some think you get only the best flavor from a charcoal grill. You can always use a selection of woods for that wonderful smoky flavor. Barbecues with apple wood are somewhat traditional, so be daring. Use some of the more exotic woods available such as guava, almond and apricot to spice up your standard grill recipes. Outdoor cooking is quickly becoming a first choice for any home and garden party.
Before you buy, consider these points. Is the size of the gas grill important to you, or do you require portability? Would you like to cook an entire meal, or just use it for traditional BBQ grill recipes? This purchase will be an investment so check for sturdiness. If it wiggles, it may fall apart on you at home. Look for one that has high grade stainless steel and baked on enamel as these will last the longest. The better grills also have the grates that are stainless steel because grates made of other materials will rust. Consider a scale for the tank so you won't run out of propane right in the middle of a party. You could also purchase a grill that can be hooked directly into your home's gas line. If cost is a big deciding factor for you, you will probably want to purchase a charcoal grill. Many can be found in all ranges, even as small as the one person hibachi grill. If it's a complete outdoor kitchen you really want, you can find built in grills that will be perfect for your design. You can create a terrific entertaining outdoor room by adding a few appliances to your backyard. An outdoor fireplace or built in gas grill can become a focal point of your backyard. Your guests will love sitting around talking to the cook, watching you develop your scrumptious creations. You can find everything from "soup to nuts" or should I say BBQ ribs to barbecued chicken", in the stores or online. Grilling is a perfect opportunity to experiment with new recipes for your family and friends. Why do you think there are so many barbecue cookoffs? Everyone thinks they have the best barbecue sauce so have fun developing your own.
Don't wait for warm weather. People are using their gas grill all year even if they live in the North woods. The speed of cooking allows you to enjoy your favorite BBQs even when it's cold outside. Flavor is a great debate for people as some think you get only the best flavor from a charcoal grill. You can always use a selection of woods for that wonderful smoky flavor. Barbecues with apple wood are somewhat traditional, so be daring. Use some of the more exotic woods available such as guava, almond and apricot to spice up your standard grill recipes. Outdoor cooking is quickly becoming a first choice for any home and garden party.
Ten Steps to Perfect Pasta
I'm amazed at how often I get e-mail from a disgruntled home cook, lamenting the fact that, once again, a dish of pasta has turned into a culinary disaster. I hear stories of overcooked, undercooked, tasteless pasta that may also be stuck together, or otherwise inedible. In fact, I recently had the experience where I was shopping with a friend and I suggested that she buy some pasta. Her response was that it was too unpredictable to cook.
It needn't be that way. First of all, 90% of cooking is being there. That is, letting the telephone ring through to voice-mail; perhaps leaving guests in the living room sipping their Chardonnay and simply keeping your focus on the task at hand. And by being there-that is, tending the pasta-you'll be able to do the only test available to judge its doneness: to taste.
Those two tips alone will improve your pasta-cooking skills, but I offer here, ten little steps that, taken together, will guarantee a perfect dish of pasta every time. Follow these steps, and you'll prepare pasta that will consistently impress your family, your friends, and your harshest critic; you.
1. All pasta is not created equal. Choose a brand with a solid reputation in the marketplace. De Cecco and Barilla are two fine brands readily available in supermarkets.
2. Use a pot that's large enough to accommodate the pasta without crowding. For one pound of pasta, an eight-quart pot is good; a ten-quart pot is better. Pasta needs room to move freely as it cooks. At a minimum, use nothing smaller than a six-quart pot.
3. Use plenty of water. For one pound of pasta, you should use at least six quarts of water.
4. Add salt to the water. About 1 Tbs. per gallon. Salt adds flavor to the pasta that helps to create a well-seasoned dish. Often, a perfectly seasoned sauce will still taste like it needs "something" because the pasta is unseasoned.
5. Bring the water to a full, rolling boil before adding the pasta. One of the prime causes for pasta sticking together is that the water had not yet come to a full boil. When you add pasta to water that has not yet reached the boiling point, it releases natural starches, which act like glue. Since the pasta is simply sitting in the water at the time, the strands stick together.
6. Bring the water back to the boil as quickly as possible after adding the pasta. In the case of pasta strands, like spaghetti or linguine, stir the pasta until it has wilted and become submerged in the cooking water, then cover the pot until the water returns to the boil. When the water has boiled, though, uncover the pot, and finish cooking uncovered.
7. Stir the pasta two or three times throughout the cooking process. Pasta cooks in eight to ten minutes. The brief time you spend attending to it away from family or guests will reap huge rewards at the dinner table.
8. Never add olive oil to the pasta cooking water. The olive oil coats the pasta, and prevents sauce from adhering to it when you've put the entire dish together.
9. Cook the pasta to the 'al dente' state. The only way to judge this is by tasting. Manufacturer's cooking times are mere guidelines. Begin tasting the pasta about two minutes before the manufacturer says it should be done. Also, there will be a small amount of carryover cooking between the time you remove the pasta from the stove, drain in the sink, and combine with the sauce.
10. Never rinse pasta. When you rinse pasta, you're washing away most of the starches and nutrients that you were seeking to enjoy in the first place.
So be there. Be attentive. Taste, and learn when pasta has cooked to the consistency that you like. Follow these ten little steps, and you'll develop a reputation as a miracle worker with pasta. And with the myriad of sauces in the Italian and Italian-American cuisines, you will have expanded your cooking repertoire beyond your wildest dreams.
About The Author
Skip Lombardi is the author of two cookbooks: "La Cucina dei Poveri: Recipes from my Sicilian Grandparents," and "Almost Italian: Recipes from America's Little Italys." He has been a Broadway musician, high-school math teacher, software engineer, and a fledgeling blogger. But he has never let any of those pursuits get in the way of his passion for cooking and eating. Visit his Web site to learn more about his cookbooks.
It needn't be that way. First of all, 90% of cooking is being there. That is, letting the telephone ring through to voice-mail; perhaps leaving guests in the living room sipping their Chardonnay and simply keeping your focus on the task at hand. And by being there-that is, tending the pasta-you'll be able to do the only test available to judge its doneness: to taste.
Those two tips alone will improve your pasta-cooking skills, but I offer here, ten little steps that, taken together, will guarantee a perfect dish of pasta every time. Follow these steps, and you'll prepare pasta that will consistently impress your family, your friends, and your harshest critic; you.
1. All pasta is not created equal. Choose a brand with a solid reputation in the marketplace. De Cecco and Barilla are two fine brands readily available in supermarkets.
2. Use a pot that's large enough to accommodate the pasta without crowding. For one pound of pasta, an eight-quart pot is good; a ten-quart pot is better. Pasta needs room to move freely as it cooks. At a minimum, use nothing smaller than a six-quart pot.
3. Use plenty of water. For one pound of pasta, you should use at least six quarts of water.
4. Add salt to the water. About 1 Tbs. per gallon. Salt adds flavor to the pasta that helps to create a well-seasoned dish. Often, a perfectly seasoned sauce will still taste like it needs "something" because the pasta is unseasoned.
5. Bring the water to a full, rolling boil before adding the pasta. One of the prime causes for pasta sticking together is that the water had not yet come to a full boil. When you add pasta to water that has not yet reached the boiling point, it releases natural starches, which act like glue. Since the pasta is simply sitting in the water at the time, the strands stick together.
6. Bring the water back to the boil as quickly as possible after adding the pasta. In the case of pasta strands, like spaghetti or linguine, stir the pasta until it has wilted and become submerged in the cooking water, then cover the pot until the water returns to the boil. When the water has boiled, though, uncover the pot, and finish cooking uncovered.
7. Stir the pasta two or three times throughout the cooking process. Pasta cooks in eight to ten minutes. The brief time you spend attending to it away from family or guests will reap huge rewards at the dinner table.
8. Never add olive oil to the pasta cooking water. The olive oil coats the pasta, and prevents sauce from adhering to it when you've put the entire dish together.
9. Cook the pasta to the 'al dente' state. The only way to judge this is by tasting. Manufacturer's cooking times are mere guidelines. Begin tasting the pasta about two minutes before the manufacturer says it should be done. Also, there will be a small amount of carryover cooking between the time you remove the pasta from the stove, drain in the sink, and combine with the sauce.
10. Never rinse pasta. When you rinse pasta, you're washing away most of the starches and nutrients that you were seeking to enjoy in the first place.
So be there. Be attentive. Taste, and learn when pasta has cooked to the consistency that you like. Follow these ten little steps, and you'll develop a reputation as a miracle worker with pasta. And with the myriad of sauces in the Italian and Italian-American cuisines, you will have expanded your cooking repertoire beyond your wildest dreams.
About The Author
Skip Lombardi is the author of two cookbooks: "La Cucina dei Poveri: Recipes from my Sicilian Grandparents," and "Almost Italian: Recipes from America's Little Italys." He has been a Broadway musician, high-school math teacher, software engineer, and a fledgeling blogger. But he has never let any of those pursuits get in the way of his passion for cooking and eating. Visit his Web site to learn more about his cookbooks.
Unique Cake Decorating With Flowers
Flowers as a Cake Decoration, unique and easy to place on every one of your cake creations.
Flowers, both real and artificial are relatively simple to use. Read through this article to get some great tips and ideas on using real and/or artificial flowers on your cakes.
Section 1: Artificial Flowers
Section 2: Real Flowers
Section 3: Sugar Glazing Flowers
1. Artificial Flowers
Step 1: Cut the stems from the flowers, approximately 1 ½ inches from the base of the flowers and leaves.
Step 2: Cut a piece of floral wire at least 4 inch. (If you buy the pre-cut ones, typically they are 6 inches which is fine.)
Step 3: Use floral tape to secure the flower to the new stem.
Step 4: After you have done this to all of the flowers and leaves, place them all together and use floral tape to secure them in any order you would like. (Tip: Do not place floral tape all the way down the stems. Only place enough to secure the flowers, making sure that the individual wires do not come out of the tape.
Step 5: Bend the stems carefully using the flower head between your thumb and index finger. Once you have each flower where you want it, cut the excess stems off of the flowers holding onto the floral tape and not the flowers.
2. Real Flowers
Real flowers can be place directly on the cake you have prepared or you can follow the instructions above to add movable stems to them.
Tips for purchasing real flowers:
Tip 1: Make sure you are using an edible flower unless your cake is for show.
Here is a website that has a complete list of edible flowers: http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/blflowers.htm.
Tip 2: Make sure that the flowers do not have pesticides on them. You can do this by picking them out of your own yard or just ask the florist that you are purchasing them from. Typically florists have sets of flowers that have never been treated for pesticides.
Tip 3: Make sure you freeze your flowers and apply them to the cake directly before serving or showing it. If you are adding stems, add them as soon as you get the flowers, place them in baggies or an airtight container and freeze them until you are ready to put them on the cake.
3. Sugar Glazing Flowers
Step 1: Fill one bowl with a gently beaten egg white and put some regular sugar in a second bowl.
Step 2: Cut the stems on the flowers or fruits leaving only enough to hold onto with your thumb and forefinger. (Tip: Make sure you are using an edible flower for this.)
Step 3: Coat the fruits or flowers you are sugaring using a pastry brush lightly with the egg white. Make sure you get all parts of the flower or fruit.
Step 4: Using a spoon, sprinkle sugar all over the flowers or fruits. Make sure you cover all parts of the flowers or fruits.
Step 5: Place on a paper towel to dry. This typically, takes a few hours. After they are dry add them to your cake.
You can be as creative as you like with flowers on cakes, they make for a beautiful and unique decoration!
Flowers, both real and artificial are relatively simple to use. Read through this article to get some great tips and ideas on using real and/or artificial flowers on your cakes.
Section 1: Artificial Flowers
Section 2: Real Flowers
Section 3: Sugar Glazing Flowers
1. Artificial Flowers
Step 1: Cut the stems from the flowers, approximately 1 ½ inches from the base of the flowers and leaves.
Step 2: Cut a piece of floral wire at least 4 inch. (If you buy the pre-cut ones, typically they are 6 inches which is fine.)
Step 3: Use floral tape to secure the flower to the new stem.
Step 4: After you have done this to all of the flowers and leaves, place them all together and use floral tape to secure them in any order you would like. (Tip: Do not place floral tape all the way down the stems. Only place enough to secure the flowers, making sure that the individual wires do not come out of the tape.
Step 5: Bend the stems carefully using the flower head between your thumb and index finger. Once you have each flower where you want it, cut the excess stems off of the flowers holding onto the floral tape and not the flowers.
2. Real Flowers
Real flowers can be place directly on the cake you have prepared or you can follow the instructions above to add movable stems to them.
Tips for purchasing real flowers:
Tip 1: Make sure you are using an edible flower unless your cake is for show.
Here is a website that has a complete list of edible flowers: http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/blflowers.htm.
Tip 2: Make sure that the flowers do not have pesticides on them. You can do this by picking them out of your own yard or just ask the florist that you are purchasing them from. Typically florists have sets of flowers that have never been treated for pesticides.
Tip 3: Make sure you freeze your flowers and apply them to the cake directly before serving or showing it. If you are adding stems, add them as soon as you get the flowers, place them in baggies or an airtight container and freeze them until you are ready to put them on the cake.
3. Sugar Glazing Flowers
Step 1: Fill one bowl with a gently beaten egg white and put some regular sugar in a second bowl.
Step 2: Cut the stems on the flowers or fruits leaving only enough to hold onto with your thumb and forefinger. (Tip: Make sure you are using an edible flower for this.)
Step 3: Coat the fruits or flowers you are sugaring using a pastry brush lightly with the egg white. Make sure you get all parts of the flower or fruit.
Step 4: Using a spoon, sprinkle sugar all over the flowers or fruits. Make sure you cover all parts of the flowers or fruits.
Step 5: Place on a paper towel to dry. This typically, takes a few hours. After they are dry add them to your cake.
You can be as creative as you like with flowers on cakes, they make for a beautiful and unique decoration!
Two for One Dinners: Beans
If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then here are some ideas to put the "zing" back into mealtime. With a little creativity your home-cooked meal can easily become a delicious meal another night. There are a six articles in this series, today we are going to look at what you can do with beans.
DINNER - NIGHT ONE: Vegetarian Chili
It is so easy to make a simple chili from onions, carrots, red bell pepper, chopped mushrooms and frozen corn. Throw in canned black beans and canned chopped tomatoes to complete the dish. You can use the flavored canned chopped tomatoes to add more zing. If you want to add meat to your chili, instead of the vegan option presented here, cube and sear beef and add to the mixture. Store the leftover chili in the refrigerator.
DINNER - NIGHT TWO: Black Bean Burritos
Using the leftover chili, add cooked, cubed chicken or beef (if not already in the chili) and put into a wrap of a flour tortilla with shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream and guacamole. You can use flavored wraps which are great. You can also add other ingredients in your wrap such as shredded lettuce, tomatoes, olives or your other favorites. For a nonfat alternative you could substitute sour cream with plain yogurt or even nonfat ranch dressing.
Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved.
Michele Webb owns her own website and is a member of a number of organizations for women Netpreneurs and business owners. She has over 20 years experience in health care, clinical trials, management, project management and software development. She currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada USA with her two dogs.
DINNER - NIGHT ONE: Vegetarian Chili
It is so easy to make a simple chili from onions, carrots, red bell pepper, chopped mushrooms and frozen corn. Throw in canned black beans and canned chopped tomatoes to complete the dish. You can use the flavored canned chopped tomatoes to add more zing. If you want to add meat to your chili, instead of the vegan option presented here, cube and sear beef and add to the mixture. Store the leftover chili in the refrigerator.
DINNER - NIGHT TWO: Black Bean Burritos
Using the leftover chili, add cooked, cubed chicken or beef (if not already in the chili) and put into a wrap of a flour tortilla with shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream and guacamole. You can use flavored wraps which are great. You can also add other ingredients in your wrap such as shredded lettuce, tomatoes, olives or your other favorites. For a nonfat alternative you could substitute sour cream with plain yogurt or even nonfat ranch dressing.
Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved.
Michele Webb owns her own website and is a member of a number of organizations for women Netpreneurs and business owners. She has over 20 years experience in health care, clinical trials, management, project management and software development. She currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada USA with her two dogs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
