Proper Food Storage
September 21, 2008
Proper Food Storage
by: Matthew Noel
Using proper food storage is very important to your health and your family’s health. It is up to you to provide proper storage solutions for every type of food that comes into your home. This is no easy task. If you plan to store large amounts of food, you need to have the room. It is also important to realize that foods go bad quite easily and quickly. Taking the time to find the right solution to your food storage needs can even help you save money.
Purchasing And Storing
It is quite important for you to purchase foods that are in good condition especially if you will have them in your home for a long period of time. This is especially true for foods that will not last for long, such as fruits and vegetables that are purchased fresh.
But, you can also package them to keep them lasting longer. For example, fresh produce such as vegetables and fruits can be canned or purchased and placed into a vacuum sealing to keep them fresh much longer.
Clarifying Butter
September 21, 2008
Clarified butter is a delightfully rich concentrated butter that can be used in cooking and making mouth watering sauces. Traditional methods for making this rich butter concentrate can be a little intimidating at first, but not anymore. There is a very simple and easy 4 step method to make clarified butter. The only catch is that you need to plan a day ahead of time.
The first step is to slowly melt one to two sticks of unsalted butter over low heat. Using unsalted butter will help to prevent your final product from being too salty. When the butter is completely melted pour it into a bread pan.
After you have transferred the melted butter to the bread pan, loosely cover the bread pan with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to cool over night.
The next day when the butter has completely cooled you will see that the butter has separated into three layers. The top layer is white and creamy looking, the middle layer is the clarified butter, and the bottom layer is the watery liquid that has been separated out of the butter.
The second step is to use a spoon scrape off the top white layer. Discard this layer.
Serendipity Frozen Hot Chocolate
September 20, 2008
Serendipity frozen hot chocolate is a signature dish at the Serendipity 3, nestled in the heart of the upper east side of New York. The place is a general store and restaurant combined with a coffeehouse and soda fountain and serves the most famous dessert in New York.
Serendipity New York was founded by Stephen Bruce and his two partners, Calvin Holt and Preston "Patch" Caradine in 1954. Since that time Stephen Bruce has been asked constantly to divulge his secret about his Serendipity frozen hot chocolate recipe. Jackie Kennedy even wanted to serve the dessert at a White House event and he would not give his secret away.
Serendipity frozen hot chocolate is an icy-chocolate type of dessert served in a fishbowl-shaped goblet, topped with whipped cream, shaved chocolate and served with a spoon and two straws. This frosty creation is made with more than 14 kinds of chocolate and exotic cocoas blended into a rich slush.
One taste of this frozen concoction and Oprah wants to "dance on the chandeliers!" The Queen of Daytime TV has named this one of her "Favorite Things." This Serendipity frozen hot chocolate secret recipe has finally been revealed after 50 years. The Serendipity 3 restaurant in New York City has actually given out the recipe so you can make this unbelievable drink at home. It’s very simple.
Capt’n Salsa’s Fool Proof Chile Heat Index
September 19, 2008
Capt’n Salsa’s Fool Proof Chile Heat Index
by: Capt’n Salsa
Chile heat index? Scoville units, what? Capsaicin? My mouth
and hands are on fire, ouch!
Well here I am making some delicious homemade salsa for the
Monday Night Football game and my mouth and hands are
killing me. How can you stop the burning and get this
salsa recipe ready to go without hurting your guests.
Now, don’t take Capt’n Salsa the wrong way, I love the heat
of a good chile, but there is a big difference between hot
and hurt. But oh boy, what a flavor. You know you’re a
chile head when you use cheese and chopped habanero to
stuff your jalapeno peppers.
Perhaps I can answer a few of your questions about how hot
are those chiles and what can you do about it if you get
just a little carried away with the heat.
What’s that? Your mouth and hands are burning? Okay, let’s
start with the hands
First wet your hands with cold water, and then rub them
briskly together with a teaspoon or so of salt as if you
Carignane Wine
September 18, 2008
The Carignane grape variety is one of the most widely planted grapes in the world. It’s popularity stems from the high crop yeilds that it produces as well as the characteristics that it can bring to a wine. Wine made from Carignane usually has red-fruit characteristics, deep violet and purple color, strong tannin structure and high levels of alcohol content. It is sometimes peppery like Syrah. These characteristics have made it very popular as a blending agent in the vast quantities of local table wines (jug wines) that are consumed around the world. It often provides the ‘backbone’ of these wines and is blended with other grape varieties that bring additonal flavor characteristics.
Carignane is thought to have originated in northern Spain and grows well in a ‘Mediterranean’ climate. As a result, it is widely grown in many of the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea including France, Italy, Spain, and Algeria. Carignane is the most widely planted grape in France. It has also found a home in almost every other wine producing country around the world.
Carignane Wine Tip:
5 Ways to a Perfect Thanksgiving Dinner
September 17, 2008
5 Ways to a Perfect Thanksgiving Dinner
by: Hans Dekker
Thanksgiving is always a busy time and of course you want your Thanksgiving Dinner to be perfect, but each year you seem to behind. Guests show up and dinner is not ready. Well, these five ways for a perfect Thanksgiving Dinner should help ease your stress, so you can also enjoy your meal.
First and foremost, plan ahead. Last minute preparation is not what you want to run into. A shopping list with only what you really need will cut your time in half. Do your shopping at least three days before the big event. Try to avoid any last minute trips to the store unless they are absolutely necessary. Try and not spend your whole day in the kitchen. Pace yourself and go at your own speed. There is no need to rush. Enjoy the holiday as much as you can. If you must be in the kitchen longer that you would like, put on some holiday music. This will help ease your mind and help you to not be overwhelmed with the tasks at hand. Dance around and take a breath. Get into that holiday spirit. Take that occasional sip of sherry.
Italian Biscotti So Delicious
September 16, 2008
Italian Biscotti So Delicious
by: Andrew Krause
I’ll bet that you never had biscotti as good as mine! Just kidding I know that you probably make a biscotti that is very good but I wish you would try this recipe and see what you think of it, this recipe is as good as they come. Now remember that all ingredients should be at room temperature.
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons anise seeds
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup melted butter (not hot)
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
In a mixing bowl beat eggs and sugar add anise seeds, vanilla and butter. Mix well and then add the flour and baking powder and mix until well blended, it should be soft but not sticky.
Remove dough from bowl and divide into two pieces, form each piece to look like large hot dogs, place on a pan lined with baking parchment and flatten to about one inch thick.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately half an hour until golden brown.
Optional:
Cut biscotti into pieces, place on a baking sheet and toast until golden brown.
Juniors Cheesecake
September 16, 2008
Juniors cheesecake restaurant was founded in 1950 by Harry Rosen, and named Juniors after his two sons, Walter and Marvin. Harry and Eigel Peterson, the master baker, hit upon the secret formula for Juniors cheesecake recipe and it has been part of the Rosen family for three generations.
Juniors cheesecake New York is located in Brooklyn and is a favorite restaurant of many New Yorkers. It was rated #1 by New York Magazine in the 1970’s and people started to come from all over for an award-winning slice. In 1982, Governor Mario Cuomo declared May 27th as Junior’s Restaurant Day.
In 1989 Juniors cheesecake became available through mail-order and can now be ordered online. It can be shipped frozen anywhere in the United States. Each 8" large Juniors cheesecake arrives in a special, stay-fresh container guaranteeing freshness.
Today people still come from all over to have their favorite slice of famous cheesecake. For over 50 years the saying is still true: You haven’t lived until you’ve had cheesecake at Juniors.
For those of you that want the juniors cheesecake recipe here is the Famous No. 1 Juniors cheesecake recipe.
Pure Cream Cheesecake — “The Best of the Best”
Eating Healthy with a Meat Grinder
September 15, 2008
While it may be surprising, owning your own meat grinder can help you in your pursuit to live a healthier life. According to the USDA, the average American in 2000 consumed 300 more calories than the average American in 1985, a 12% increase, including a 24% increase of fat calories. The average daily fat intake was 81.4 grams and saturated fat intake was 27.9 grams in 2000 (ers.usda.gov/briefing/consumption). Americans are consuming too much fat, especially saturated fat.
One way to cut down on fat is to own your own meat grinder. Your meat grinder gives you the ability to manage what you are eating. You will no longer be subject to what seasonings and fillers that are found in the meats available in your local grocery store. With a meat grinder, you gain total control of what goes into your meat products. You are in charge of your intake of fats, salts, and other fillers since you are in control of the ingredients. A meat grinder can help you in your pursuit in living a healthier lifestyle.
17 Popular Quotes about Chocolate
September 14, 2008
17 Popular Quotes about Chocolate
by: Bridget Mwape
1. “Chocolate causes certain endocrine glands to secrete hormones that affect your feelings and behavior by making you happy. Therefore, it counteracts depression, in turn reducing the stress of depression. Your stress-free life helps you maintain a youthful disposition, both physically and mentally. So, eat lots of chocolate!” - Elaine Sherman, Book of Divine Indulgences
2. “Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar in four pieces with your bare hands–and then just eating one piece” - Judith Viorst
3. “Self-discipline implies some unpleasant things to me, including staying away from chocolate and keeping my hands out of women’s pants.” - Oleg Kiselev
4. “It’s not that chocolates are a substitute for love. Love is a substitute for chocolate. Chocolate is, let’s face it, far more reliable than a man.” - Miranda Ingram
5. “Life is like a box of chocolates…You never know what you’re gonna get.” - Forrest Gump in Forrest Gump
6. “The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain.” - Thomas Jefferson
