Rice Cookers - Perfect Rice Every Time
August 23, 2007
Love fluffy cooked rice but dislike the preparation time and clean up? Then rice cookers maybe just what you need. Today’s rice cooker is a thrifty time saving device for anyone’s kitchen. Also eating rice weekly has many health benefits. With so many rice cookers to choose from how does one decide? Let’s take a look at the many features and sizes of a rice cooker and determine which is right for you and your family.
Size - How much rice will you cook at one time? Also consider how much space you have for storing the unit. Rice cookers very in the amount of uncooked rice they hold, between 5 to 10 cups. If one’s family is large or rice is used when having a dinner party then a higher capacity rice cooker will do a nice job. On the other hand cooking for one or two people makes a smaller model a wise choice.
More desirable features - Rice cookers with a glass lid is a “must have” to watch the cooking process. It is also a great idea if the lid has vent holes for steam to escape. This feature makes cleaning up the cooker less messy. Look for a rice cooker with a removable cord as this makes storage easier. Non-stick pans are a must and many models now come with a water measuring line inside the pan wall.
Planning Help: Meal Two
August 22, 2007
One meal planning challenge for me has been to `lighten up’ for my family’s and my health. My husband and I were both raised on `meat and potatoes’ so it has been a difficult change. But we are making gradual progress.
One way to lighten up is by substituting ground turkey for ground beef. To us, this is a huge taste difference and hard to get used to when we’re used to the ground beef flavor. However, I have found recipes made especially for ground turkey and they are much better. The `Turkey Medallions With Orange Teriyaki Sauce’ recipe you’ll find below is one such recipe. It is delicious and is almost a complete meal by itself with the meat and vegetables.
But to round the meal out and make it more filling, serve it with `Hawaiian Bread’ (recipe below) or thickly sliced French bread from the local bakery that has been warmed in the oven. If you are trying to lighten up, go easy on the butter (if any at all).
The Meal:
- Turkey Medallions with Orange Teriyaki Sauce
- Your choice of bread
Turkey Medallions with Orange Teriyaki Sauce
The 12 Super Foods That Better Your Health
August 21, 2007
The 12 Super Foods That Better Your Health
by: Ryan Cote
There are 12 foods that, if eaten on a regular basis, do wonders for your health. Do you know what they are?
If you’re reading this than you already have some knowledge of how important good nutrition is. I’m a big advocate of “you are what you eat.” Meaning, what you put in your body largely determines what you look like on the outside.
And if you make a serious effort to improve your eating habits, you will notice a positive change in how you look and feel. It’s not about perfection though. Thrive to make small changes to your diet over time and you’ll eventually be amazed at the will power you develop.
There are 12 foods that you should be eating on a regular basis. All have their own unique health benefits and if you mold your diet around the majority of these foods, you’ll notice an improvement in your health.
The list is as follows:
1. Almonds and other nuts- a great source of good fat.
2. Beans and legumes- a great source of fiber and protein.
Extra Nutty Nut ‘n Raisin Bread (Easy Recipe!)
August 20, 2007
Extra Nutty Nut ‘n Raisin Bread (Easy Recipe!)
by: LeAnn R. Ralph
This nut bread goes great with a cup of coffee or tea or a glass of milk. The canola oil, walnuts, sunflower seeds and flaxseed make it a heart-healthy choice. Plus — it’s an easy recipe!
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups of milk with 1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup flaxseed
1 cup raisins
Measure out the milk and add the 1/4 cup lemon juice. Set aside. Measure the remaining ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add the milk. Using an electric mixer, stir on slow speed for 2 minutes and then on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds, flaxseed and raisins. Stir on low speed until nuts and raisins are blended in.
Divide the batter between 2 regular-sized greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes.
3 Easy to Cook Chicken Recipes for a Lovely Treat
August 19, 2007
3 Easy to Cook Chicken Recipes for a Lovely Treat
by: Tommy Lee
We all love spicy chicken; except if you are allergic or you just can’t love spicy food. Being a chicken lover myself, I have collected 3 hot n’ spicy recipes for you to try out in your chicken today or anytime you would like to treat yourself for a deelicious meal; they make good family specials as well! Although they have similar names, they are very different. Perhaps their origins differ.
Hot N’ Spicy Chicken Recipe #1. Spicy Chicken Wings
- 1 lg. can Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp. oregano
- 4 tbsp. parsley
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 stick margarine
- 4-5 lbs. chicken wings
Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Melt margarine in small pan. Cut up chicken wings. Discard tips. Mix all dry ingredients in bowl. Dunk chicken wings in margarine and roll in cheese mixture. Place on cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Serve warm.
#2. Hot Chicken Wings
Chicken wings
1/2 stick margarine
1 bottle Durkee hot sauce
Tasty Rice Pudding
August 18, 2007
1 cup - uncooked rice
1 teaspoon - vanilla
a pinch of salt ( if desire)
3 sticks - cinnamon
1/3 cup - sugar
2 1/2 cups water
12 0z. - evaporated milk
Bring water to boil for at least 7 minutes with cinnamon sticks, stir in rice.
When rice tenders completely stir in evaporated milk, sugar, salt and vanilla.
Cover and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
It makes up to 4 servings.
It can be serve hot or cold.
About The Author
Kenia Morales is the publisher and owner of weekly online magazine ” For Every Aspect Of Today’s Woman”. To find a variety of women related issues and topics visit http://www.kpatra.com; info@kpatra.com
Getting A Healthy Breakfast
August 18, 2007
Getting A Healthy Breakfast
by: Peter Garant
Breakfast, like any other meal of the day, needs proper planning. No longer is it planned independently of the other meals. The three meals should be planned as a unit and balanced against the daily body requirement with enough allowance for good health.
A light breakfast must necessarily be followed be a substantial meal, while a heavy breakfast must be followed by a light lunch. If both breakfast and lunch are light, then a heavy dinner is needed.
Like all meals, breakfast must be planned to include food nutrients not provided for or inadequately found in the two other meals to complete the essential body requirements for the day.
Too often, skimpy breakfasts are blamed in lack of time. Considering that one-fourth to one-third of the day’s requirements is served at breakfast, the need for planning ahead is doubly justified.
Breakfast mean to break the fast of several hours.
Whisk Your Way To a Perfect Meal Every Time!
August 17, 2007
The whisk. A true versatile cooking utensil. Whisks come in all shapes and sizes and surprisingly accomplish far more then what most think they do. One of the dictionary definitions for a whisk is–A kitchen utensil usually in the form of stiff thin wire loops attached to a handle, used for whipping foodstuffs. We shall see that the whisks of today can do a lot more.
The whisk of today is made of many different materials. There are the traditional wire whisks and also many kinds of nylon whisks to. Sometimes called whips they are a great time saver. No matter what you are creating in your kitchen there is a style and design made for you. Let’s take a look at the most common and useful designs.
The nylon flat whisk is made to whip gravies and delicate sauces into shape. The flat design helps cooks get into corners and covers more surface area when whisking, and is also good for taking care of lumps in flour. The traditional balloon whisk comes either in nylon or stainless steel. It is the essential tool for meringues and silky smooth sabayons. The larger the balloon head is the quicker air is mixed into the sauces.
The Ideal Wine Cellar: Everything You Need to Get Started
August 16, 2007
The Ideal Wine Cellar: Everything You Need to Get Started
by: Jason Connors
So you’ve decided to take a large step, and move from wine lover to wine connoisseur. You are going to buy a wine cellar. This guide will give you all the information you need to make this purchase.
Wine Bottle Storage
The ideal location for storing wine is a dark, draftless area that stays at a constant 50-60 degrees, with 60-70 percent humidity. The bottles should be kept on their sides to keep the corks moist, and should be exposed to limited vibrations. This will ensure that you will be able to keep bottles at their best for years to come.
One thing to consider if you decide to purchase a large wine cellar: make sure the unit will fit! This sounds obvious, but many times stand-alone wine cellars are much wider than a standard door. Another thing to think about is weight. Consider not only the weight of the storage unit, but be sure to calculate 3 pounds each for a standard bottle of wine. You might not want to store your wine upstairs. This is another reason that wine is typically stored in a cellar.
Cool Snacks for a Hot Summer
August 15, 2007
Beat the heat with these cool summer treats!
Mouse Popsicles
It’s not what you’re thinking! The name refers to the size of the popsicle-not the contents. Wash a bowl of seedless grapes, and then set the grapes in the freezer for about an hour. Poke colored toothpicks into the grapes to serve.
Juice Pops
Summer isn’t complete without homemade juice popsicles. Simply fill a popsicle mold or an ice tray with your favorite fruit juice. Cover the ice tray with clear plastic wrap and poke a toothpick through the plastic into each square. Place the tray into the freezer until the popsicles are frozen solid.
Frozen Monkey Treats
Here is a healthy snack that your kids will go bananas for! Peel a banana and cut it in half. Insert popsicle sticks into the cut ends. Dip the bananas into yogurt or melted chocolate, and then roll the bananas in chopped nuts, crushed cereal, or coconut shavings. Place the bananas on a small waxed paper-lined baking sheet and set the sheet into the freezer for an hour or so. Fun to make and even more fun to eat!
Fruit Fizzy
