Recipes To Share

Archive for May, 2009

Are you trying to find something new to do this spring? Do you care to know more about the local wine industry? Are you interested in helping your local economy rather than sending your hard earned cash out of state or overseas? If you answered yes to any of these questions, let me suggest you go to a winery near your home very soon. I recently read that there are now wineries in every state in the Country so chances are there is at least one in your area.

There are several reasons to pack your wine carriers and visit your local winery and today I’m going to share three of them with you. First, most local wineries offer free or low cost tastings and tours. You’ll have the opportunity to try many different wines and then purchase only the ones you like best. You’ll also be able to check out the vineyard and winery and learn how they make the wine. There will be someone there to answer your questions and you might even be fortunate enough to meet the owner.

When you go, make sure you bring your picnic basket because most wineries have decks or picnic tables where you can sit down and have a picnic dinner and a glass of wine. Since wineries are usually located in the country, they offer scenic panoramas of the surrounding areas. Can you think of a better way to unwind than with a romantic picnic in a beautiful setting?

Another thing many wineries offer are Friday outdoor music. You can sit back and enjoy some great wine as local musicians share their talent with you. If kicking back isn’t your speed, many wineries offer dancing as well. Most let you bring your own food so call your friends, pack your picnic backpacks and make an evening of it.

Make plans to visit a local winery this spring. You’ll find the atmosphere relaxing and entertaining. Whether you go for a tour and wine tasting, a romantic picnic for two or an evening of music, you’ll have a great time and you might even find a new hobby.

Chicken is justifiably one of the best loved meats in the world.
It is virtually fat free, is protein rich, highly versatile and plays a major part in a lot of diet recipes. If you can buy an organic chicken, that will be better still, as it will be less likely to be contaminated with additives and hormones. It Is also a good policy for animal welfare, as most of the mass produced chickens are kept in conditions that are quite scandalous.

If you are not the dieting type, don’t worry, there is more to chicken than low carbohydrate recipes. Even so, most chicken recipes will be, broadly speaking, healthier than a similar recipe prepared using other meats.

Here is an example recipe that’ll please friends and family alike.

It requires:

One organic chicken (approx. 3.5 lb)
Two cupful of cyder
Six Fresh Apples (pared and quartered)
salt (as needed)
pepper (as needed)
One teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cupful of whipping cream
1 tablespoonful of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cupful of butter
Two Tbs of oil (olive)
A quarter teaspoonful cinnamon (if you like – its optional)
Four green onions, (chopped well)
2 dried cloves
1/4 tsp. ginger
One sprig of parsley, (finely chopped, for use as a garnish)
Half teaspoonful dried thyme
2 tsp. of white sugar

Technique:

Wash the Organic Chicken and dry it well.
Combine some salt and pepper amd smooth it into the chicken (both inside and out)
Drizzle the lemon juice over the pieces of apple.

Take a large frying pan or skillet and melt half the butter then add the oil.
Put half of the apple pieces into the pan and fry lightly for five min. (until they have browned a little)
Mix in the ground ginger and stir well, heating it a short while longer to allow the ginger to develop it’s flavours.
Stuff the chicken with the apple mixture and close the chicken cavity by tying or by ‘pinning’ it with a metal or wooden skewer.

Add the rest of the butter to the pan and heat until it melts and then place the chicken in the pan and gently brown it, making sure it browns equally all over.
Place the bird in a big oven ready casserole dish with a tight fitting lid.
Take the rest of the apple, the spring onions, cinnamon, thyme, cloves and sugar and put them in the skillet.

Cook for two to three minutes and pour in the apple cyder and increase the heat to start the mixture boiling.

When the cyder is boiling, pour it over the bird and cover the pot with foil or waxed paper before placing the lid on the pot.

Put in the oven and cook for approx 3/4 hour at 200 Celsius

When the chicken is ready, put the chicken onto a heated platter whilst you prepare the cider gravy.

Skim the fat from the contents of the casserole pot and then boil the juices down until there is only one cupful left.

Pour in the whipping cream and cornstarch, stirring until it is thick and creamy.
Season to taste, and pour the sauce over the organic chicken

Sprinkle the parsley garnish over and serve.

To make the meal into a healthy and well balanced meal, you could serve the chicken with cauliflower or grilled mushrooms and carrots.

If you enjoy this dish, you can find a good selection of chicken recipes by spending a little time reading through any of the collections of free recipes available online, or by visiting your local library.

Recently, the dangers of Salmonella, in particular from consuming chicken, have been discussed so often on TV most people would have thought that incidences of infection to have reduced to almost zero. Sadly this is not what has happened. For people who eat chicken regularly, the dangers of getting sick or worse are far higher than they should be, and thousands of people are infected every year.

Knowing exactly what Salmonella is will help chicken consumers eliminate the dangers and avoid dangerous illensss.

Salmonella Explained
Put simply, it is a type of food poisoning which is caused by a nasty bacterium that exists in human beings, birds and other animals.
If you are infected with salmonella, you may suffer from fever, diarrhea, being physically sick (ie vomiting) and intense stomach cramp. Symptoms may begin within a few hours after eating the infected poultry and may last along as three days. Most sufferers recover after a few days rest, but in some cases, it can be a lot worse, requiring hospitalisation and in a few cases, can lead to death.

Help! How Can I Avoid This?

The advice given to cooks is :

* Wash your hands AND the chicken before before you start.
Salmonella can exist on your hands and also on the hands of anyone else how has touched the chicken. Washing effectively lowers the risks.

* Keep uncooked chicken away from anything on the kitchen counter.
When preparing a chicken meal, cross contamination is a major hazard. To reduce the risk, do not use the same cutting utensils for uncooked chicken as is used for cutting vegetables. Also, use one cutting board for the chicken and another fo the vegetables.

If you follow these precautions, cooking with chicken is perfectly safe and has benefits fro your general health,

Assuming you are now feeling a little more upbeat about buying and cooking chicken, here are a few other things to consider to make your chicken meals more healthy and tasty.

Nowadays there are many benefits to buying ‘free-range’ chickens or even totally organic chickens. Even the high street grocery stores are beginning to sell ‘organic’ or ‘free-range’ chicken, so gettiing hold of it is easier than ever. This is a good thing because many of us are unhappy that the larger chicken farms are simply trying to make more money and not looking out for the health and wellbeing of their poultry, or the end consumers. The name, ‘free-range’ is usually more familiar to people seeking to have a healthier eating lifestyle – it needs the chickens to have access to the open air and be allowed to walk around and eat naturally instead of being confined in a small pen, or crammed into a barn with thousands of others. Free range chickens live a more pleasant and less stressful life, and this results in a taster meat, and a cleaner conscience for the consumer.

If you want to add more chicken to your diet, you can find a wide variety of chicken recipes by checking out one of the recipe collections on the World Wide Web or by making use of the local library. Chicken recipes are almost always healthy recipes, if you follow the safe cooking tips detailed here.

Organic chickens, which may also be ‘free range’, have the extra restriction that they are not subjected to antibiotics, hormones, herbicides or pesticides. Many people think that both Free-range and organice chickens taste better and are juicier.

Did you know that organic chicken breasts only have 10 fat calories, 110 thigh calories and a whole chicken only has 130 calories?
If you are on a diet, that has to be good news, right? Chicken is features strongly in many low fat recipes.

If you are trying to build muscle and are concerned about protein, free-range chicken breasts have 22 grams, thighs have 19 grams and the whole chicken has 21 grams – all of that from a meat that is really tasty!

Cooking may seem easy when you look at it but the truth is it involves a lot of hard work. When you are cooking food, you are not only putting them inside the pan and stirring them, you are also cutting the food, curing the meat and peeling them. The preparation in fact is 50 percent of the whole procedure.

Preparing and cooking the food will take a while to master especially when you don’t have much experience doing it. But you don’t have to take the hard road and learn the lesson the hard way. By heeding these small pieces of advice, you can be cooking and preparing your food the right way and in the easiest possible way.

1. Master the quantity

Friendship of measuring tools and recipes with you makes you a good cook. They are the ones that will help you achieve the taste that you are looking for. If you use them well, you will be having great tasting food every time. You see, a lot depend on the measurements that you do. Cooking is exact science and one have to know the proper balance of ingredients for example salt, too much of it make the food salty and little salt make the food flavorless. Too much flour will make the food taste like flour.

Your family love that food which you make by keeping proper balance in your ingredients. That is why it is important to invest in good measuring tools like a set of measuring cups and spoons. This is the standard measurements that recipes use and you need these tools to help you put the right amount of ingredients into the dish that you are cooking. You can use ordinary tablespoons and coffee cups but the measurement will
not be the same. Remember that the taste of you dish will depend on the precision of your measurements.

2. You have to follow all the instructions to make a recipe exactly the same. Pay close attention to the time that is often indicated in the recipes. If it says 15 minutes, then let it simmer for 15 minutes. No more, no less. You cannot just stop the procedure just because you feel like it. The time is there for a reason and unless you are a sous chef, you cannot just change it at your will.

To ensure that you are following the procedures to the letter especially with the time, put a timer near you. Use the ones that you can set to alarm after a number of minutes. That way, you will be reminded of the time. If you do not have a timer, then a clock is a good alternative. If it alarms, better. If not, then you should just rely on your memory.

3. Use the right ingredients Never ever substitute one ingredient from another. This will only complicate the process and also the taste. Although the ingredients may seem the same, the end result may not be as each gives different texture and taste. For instance, substituting one part of a beef, for instance a sirloin to a shank, to another is not a good idea. They may be both beef but sirloins are a lot leaner as compared to the shank which may have fats in between the meat. The oil from these fats may interfere with your flavoring.

Wine enthusiasts around the world consider French wine to be superior and they are considered the benchmark by which other wines are measured. There are many varities of wines, the more commonly known ones are red, white, rose and champagne.

There are thirteen different regions in France with literally thousands of vineyards that produce wine. France is also known for having the ideal location for growing grapes. The soil conditions are perfect and the vineyards are very close to the water. The climate in France also makes it one of the best locations in the world for wine.

Wines are usually classified according to the grape varieties used to make them. One grape variety, the Barbera, is often used for red wine. This variety is grown mainly in Piedmont, Italy, but is quite adaptable to other regions, and is also grown on a limited scale in the United States. Barbera grapes produce wines with a full-bodied fruity taste as they have a high natural acidity.

Wine enthusiasts all know about one variety grown in many parts of the world, the Cabernet Sauvignon. This grape variety, grown primarily in Medoc, France, has found its way to California, Australia and other wine-making countries. Wine enthusiasts would consider Cabernet Sauvignon wines to be among the best red wines in the world. Among the white varieties, the Chardonnay is easily the most popular, producing some of the world’s finest white wines. These French wine varieties are favorites when dining.

French wine varies from the most common types that you can find in wine stores everywhere, to the rare varieties, which can be very difficult to find. If you are looking for one of the rarer varieties of French wine, the Internet is always a good source of information. Rare vintage French wine can be extremely hard to find, but by looking at the many different wine websites and wine forums, you may find what you are looking for.

Without a doubt, French wine is a cut above the average wine. Other wines may use the same ingredients and methods in production, but they don’t taste the same as those made in France. You can impress your friends with a little knowledge and fool proof wine values. When you taste a wine that was made in France – you’ll know it, because French wine has a taste and aroma like no other.

There is nothing like a bottle of wine to make yourself relaxed after a hard day’s work or sitting at dinner with families and friends especially when there is something to celebrate. Red wine can be very beneficial to your health and it really does a good number on your heart. But do you know that there is something more delicious and healthier than that you use to buy at your liquor store? Yes, there is and it could be right there back in your own backyard. You see, these days, many people are very enthralled at the idea of learning how to grow grapes right in their own backyard on their own and would definitely want to turn their house into their very own personal mini-Napa Valley.

There is a big difference if one can learn how to grow their own grapes. First of all, if you love wine and the health benefits that you can get from it, then, it’s time you learn how to grow them by yourself and learn how to make your own red wine. You know how much one bottle of wine costs is from the grocery stores, correct? Well, then, if you can make your own wine, that would save you a lot of money and furthermore, you are confident that your own red wine is more natural and safe compared to what you are buying, right? Growing wine grapes is practically easy right now because on the Internet, a lot of websites are promoting lots of book guides, online tutorials and other learning tools to help you out with the growing of grapes. You just have to read first different product reviews on these various tools and choose one which you think is suited to your preference.

Another reason why you should try to learn the “art” of growing grape vines is a lot of people would also like to enjoy the benefits of eating fresh grapes and drinking healthy red wine and if you can learn all these things, you might as well put up your own liquor store strictly selling nothing but all kinds of wine, a sort of “healthy liquor store”, so to speak and people will gladly patronize your product, knowing that they are healthier than what is commercially available.

There are a number of countries where Absinthe can be legally traded. Gone are the times when Absinthe was clandestine, when it had to be distilled in secrecy, shipped from other countries or labeled differently. In most countries it is no longer a crime to distill Absinthe or against the law to sell it.

Absinthe is a herbal liquor which has an anise taste. It is usually served diluted with iced water, which causes the famous louche effect, and was a popular beverage in the 19th century. It was declared as illigal in many countries at the beginning of the 20th century due to suspected neuronal effects of chemical thujone found in wormwood. Not only was Absinthe an intoxicant, like all alcohol containing drink, but it was also thought to give hallucination to its users.

Absinthe contained large amounts of thujone as per medical professionals of eighteenth century which they alleged was psychoactive, like THC in the drug cannabis, and could cause psychedelic effects. We now have evidence that Absinthe contains small amounts of thujone and is equivalent to any other strong spirit. if consumed in excess it might give you entirely different experience. The alcohol when combined with these unique blend of herbs act as both a sedative and a stimulant – very strange. Many people who used Absinthe have described it as a “clear headed” drunkenness.

Countries where Absinthe can be legally traded include:-

United States – 2007 saw a few brands of Absinthe being sold in the US because of their low thujone content after a bann of 95 years. The USA only allows “thujone free” beverages to be sold but Absinthes with less than 10 parts per million of thujone (less than 10mg per liter) count as thujone free.

The EU (European Union) – Absinthe got legal status in 1988 but there is a regulation regarding thujone content in drinks in the EU. Up to 10mg/kg of thujone is permitted in alcohol with more than 25% alcohol by volume, and up to 35mg/kg in alcohol labeled “bitters”.

Australia – It is legal. Bitters can have a thujone not more than 35mg/kg and other beverages can contain up to 10mg/kg.

Brazil – Absinthe enjoys legal status but should not have more than 10mg/kg thujone and that it should have less than 55% abv.

Canada – From March 2007 it is as per discretion of separate Canadian province liquor boards to regulate thujone. A number of provinces prevent any thujone containing alcohol to be sold but Absinthe is legal in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec. Quebec and Ontario law permits Absinthe with up to 10mg/kg thujone to be sold legally.

Czech Republic – Absinthe was always allowed for sale and distribution.

France – Banned Absinthe in 1915. French government passed a law in 1988 that allows thujone beverages to be sold if they comply with EU laws and if they are labeled “spiritueux à base de plantes d’absinthe” and not Absinthe. French government also has strict regulations to regulate fenchone which is found in fennel, and an important constituent of Absinthe, hence beverages should have fenchone less than 5mg/liter.

Hungary – Absinthe got legal status in 2004.

Israel – Apparently Absinthe is legal and on sale in Israel.

Ireland – Absinthe can be imported for personal consumption however buying and selling is illegal.

Netherlands – Absinthe received a legal status in 2004. Absinthe should necessarily meet EU requirements.

New Zealand – Absinthe has legal status.

Portugal – Absinthe was never banned.

Russia – High thujone Absinthes (up to 75mg/kg thujone) are available in Russia.

Serbia – Serbia does not seem to allow Absinthe containing thujone or above 50% abv to be sold.

South Africa – Absinthe enjoys legal status as of 2005.

Sweden – Absinthe is legal and should be labeled as wormwood. The Absinthe kit site is located in Sweden.

Switzerland – Absinthe was legalised in 2005 after banning it in 1908.

UK – It was never banned Absinthe. Absinthe has to be in compliance with EU legislation.

As you can see there are many countries where Absinthe is legal and can be enjoyed. You may want to make your own Absinthe using Absinthe essences from AbsintheKit.com. These essences are best for preparation of hight qauality Absinthe and are supplied across the globe. They do not require distillation, that has already been done for you, and so are perfectly legal. Check these out.

Red wine has become quite popular these days. Health conscious people are more inclined to drink dry red wine than any other types of alcoholic beverages because red wine is said to be good for the heart. Studies show that red wine has components that help unclog the arteries leading to the heart and that people who drink wine are more likely to live longer than those people who do not drink at all. Of course these claims that red wine can prolong life are still debatable but that is beside the point. Even if wine does not prolong life, the fact that this type of wine goes well with lots of things at dinner that is good enough for most people.

Red Wine And Cheese

Many people love to serve red wine with certain types of cheese. experts says that some types of cheese bring out the flavor of certain types of red wines. If you are one of those people who love to drink wine after dinner, try drinking your wine with some cheese.

Red Wine And Good Conversations

Wine can help you unwind and have fun with your friends after a long stressful day at the office. According to experts, a glass of red wine and a lot of good conversation at the dinner table can help reduce the risk of hypertension.

Red Wine And Good Food

A lot of people swear that their dinner is never complete without a glass of wine. No, these people are not teetotalers. Drinking wine is not a sign that the person is teetotaler or something like that. One can always enjoy wine at home without getting drunk. The Europeans are mostly known for drinking wine before and after dinner. lots of Americans also like to have wine after eating a heavy meal. Red wine goes especially well with pasta or meat based food while white goes well with light dinner and vegetable based food. Wine can surely make your dinner more enjoyable. Just make sure that you do not drive if you drink more than the required alcohol limits for drivers. You don’t really want to end up on the wrong side of the law because you have high levels of alcohol in your blood. If you have taken excess amount of alcohol than the timit then ask someone else to drive you home.

English Teapot, More exalted Than Just A Teapot

Life today has become very rushed. Many city dwellers live out their lives on a constant caffeine high and rarely give tea a second though. The very real truth is that taking the time to enjoy properly made and served tea as well as the tea itself can be greatly rewarding.

Titillating Teapots And Tartaric Tea in an English Teapot

Properly making and serving a cup of teaneeds at least a teapot. An English Teapot is a great choice when choosing a tea set to brew your tea in as the traditions surrounding tea have many of their roots in Britain.  Many an English Teapot is made of traditional bone china. This fine white china makes an English Teapot stand out from the crowd and adds value to your teapot as an heirloom to be handed down from one generation to the next.

You can, of course, serve your tea in a full tea service set with your English Teapot as your star china attraction. However, if you think that the fuss of making it in a teapot is effort enough then the rest can be left to what you have in your kitchen cupboards. Your English Teapot will create all the enchantment you need. Serving tea, even if it is just for yourself, will make you take some time out of your busy day. This time can be used for some much needed rest and can be used as an excellent way to steal a few moments of me time for yourself.

When you serve tea in an English Teapot you add an air of elegance and pampering to your “tea and me” time which often makes you feel more relaxed and valued. Not to mention important. To add more relaxation oomph to your stolen moments of self indulgence you can brew up some Chai Tea. This tea is an aromatic blend which is rich in taste.

So when you need some tea and a few moments’ peace why not try this tea. Blended with cloves, cardamom, cumin seeds, coriander, sweet cumin seeds, lemon grass, curry leaves and pamper leaves. Soothing to both the pallet and the soul this tea perfectly compliments the beauty of your English Teapot and completes the feeling of indulgence when serving your tea. Next time you see that beautiful English Teapot  on a shop shelf or sitting on your home shelf gathering dust you know that is worth more that just sitting around as a white elephant.

This is an interesting and unusual recipe for a cake, that the whole family will enjoy.

An Unusual Cake Recipe Using Chocolate and Zucchini

You Will Need:

1/2 C. to 1 C. chocolate chips
three zucchini, approximately 6″ in length, cut into shreds (approximately 2 cps)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
two 1/2 C. flour
three eggs
1/2 C. butter
1 tsp vanilla flavor
A half cup of sugar
1 cup demerara sugar
1/2 C. sunflower oil
half a cup buttermilk
four tbsp cocoa
One tsp common salt
Two tsp bread soda

Method:

Whilst you are preparing the ingredients, set your oven so it preheats to 325 F / 160 C / Gas Mark 3.

Grease a 9″ x 13″ cake tin and put to one side.

Take a mixing bowl andcombine sugars, the oil and the butter.
Add eggs, the vanilla and the buttermilk and give it a good mixing with a wooden spoon.

Using a sieve, sieve the salt, flour, cocoa, cinnamon and soda together.

Add to the mixture.

Stir in the shredded courgettes and mix well.

Put everything into the cake pan and toss the choccie chips over the top.

Put the tin into the pre-heated oven and cook for 3/4 hour.

Allow it to cool a little, and let it cool on a wire rack.

So Why Start Cooking Instead of Eating Out?

During these challenging periods of economic turbulence, nowadays, more than ever before, there are some very convincing arguments for making flavoursome dishes yourself instead of dining out in a costly restaurant

Perhaps the most important reason is the fact that home cooking will improve your disposable income significantly. Cooking in your own kitchen makes it fairly simple to make a mouthwatering meal that is just as delightful as a dinner made by the chef at a top restaurant, and at a price that is friendly to your wallet. If you fancy trying some new recipes, then try the Internet, where there are thousands of specialist recipe web sites providing collections of recipes with recipe categories such as dessert recipes and pasta recipes.

Another factor to consider is that home prepared food is better for your well-being. The home chef is able to be very selective in choosing the individual ingredients that are required.

If you don’t like the idea of industrialised farming, and want to use only organic ingredients, it’s your choice. You can even examine the fruit and vegetables you are purchasing in person, and make absolutely certain that you are using the absolute freshest foodstuffs, packed with nutrients.

If you are cooking for a large family, you can make nourishing recipes to cater for specific dietary requirement. If you have a family member who has problems with an ulcer or has coronary problems, you are able to customise the recipe ingredients to make it so that they might safely eat the meal as well. Any individual who worked as kitchen staff in a restaurant kitchen knows that large quantities of unhealthy foods are ofttimes used in their meals, and this is pretty bad for your health.

Another point to consider is the futility of sticking to a diet if you continually visit a cafe or restaurant. For a weight watcher, there are few things more damaging to your diet than being served a delicious meal at your favourite restaurant and being given a serving that is not a suitable size for your specific diet. Very few of us have the moral strength to leave tasty food on the plate. On the other hand, if you prepare a meal at home, you are able to adjust volume and volumes to guarantee that the meal you are cooking is flavorful and substantial but still acceptable for your diet.

This may come as a surprise, but, another advantage is that you get to spend more time with your family. Many chefs would probably think that going out to a local restaurant or cafe saves you time, but when you analyse it, it is not. You need to get ready to leave the house, it takes you time to get their, get to your table, place your order and lastly wait for the meal to be prepared. If you prepare a meal at home it can be transformed into a bit of quality time together, persuade the kids or your partner to join a and a veritable banquet can be on your plates in just a few minutes.