RECIPES

3 Blueberry Desserts for Your Health and Pleasure

2012-01-19T13:34:00.001-08:00

Berry Bliss Smoothie

This is a clear favorite with the kids and kids at heart for breakfast, snack, or on a hot day. Enjoy! It tastes so good that you forget that it's good for you!"

This smoothie contains super foods and flax seed. Blueberries and aronia berries have some of the greatest antioxidant levels you can find in a fruit and flaxseed is a powerhouse for omega-3s and good source of fiber.

2 scoops raspberry sherbet
1 ripe banana
4 strawberries
10 aronia berries
15 blueberries
5 blackberries
16 oz orange juice
1 ½ teaspoons ground flax seed

Put berries in a blender and blend until smooth while slowly adding the orange juice. You can make your smoothie thicker by adding some vanilla ice.

Pour into tall glass and serve chilled.

Blueberry Cake

You can use any berries such as aronia berries, blackberries or other berries, not just blueberries.

Using gluten-free flour makes this recipe good for people who have allergic reaction to gluten. You can make your own gluten-free flour or purchase it at a health food store. If you do not want to make your blueberry cake gluten-free just use regular flour. The use of Fructevia in place of sugar makes this a good desert for diabetics.

2 cups gluten-free flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries (frozen is fine)
2 tablespoons gluten-free flour
1/2 cup coconut oil or real butter
1/2 cup frictevia
2 eggs
1/2 cup warm milk
1/8 cup fructevia
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray olive oil or other lubricant on a 9-inch-square pan.

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set aside. Use 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour to coat blueberries and set it aside. Mix real butter or coconut oil and fructevia in a bowl; add eggs and beat well. Add milk to the dry ingredients and mix then add the blueberries. Put mixture into the prepared pan. Mix furctevia and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the top of the cake. Bake 35 to 40 minutes.

A couple examples of gluten-free flour recipe you can use to make your own flour by grinding your own using a mill such as the Wonder Mill are as follows:

3 cups combined bean flour
3 cups cornstarch
3 cups tapioca starch flour
3 cup rice flour
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

Another recipe that is not as heavy as the above is:

1 cup rice flour
1/2-3/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca starch/flour or corn flour

This is good for coating fried chicken for example.

Milling your own flour is possible using a mill such as a Wonder Mill. There are many reasons you should/would want to grind your own flour for bread baking.

First if you have a mill it you can mill grains and save money. Flours are cheaper when ground at home.

Secondly the quality and flavor you get from home ground flour is better. The flavor simply cannot be duplicated with any commercially available flour.

A third reason you should consider grinding your own grain flours is for the health benefits. All commercially made grain flours have had the germ removed. The germ is the part of the grain that contains healthy nutritious oils.

A fourth reason to consider making your own flour is this will give you access to flours that you might not be able to get otherwise.

BLUEBERRY RICE PUDDING

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked rice
2 cups half and half
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup fructevia
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
whipped cream for garnish

Directions

Fill the prepared custard cups with ¼ cup of rice.
Put half and half, eggs, vanilla, fructevia and salt in medium bowl and beat.
Use the custard mixture to fill custard cups.
Put 1 inch of hot water in large shallow pan containing and put in cups.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 375 degrees or until you can inserted a knife near center it comes out clean.
Cool for about 10 minutes and then unmold.
Use a food processor or blender and Puree the blueberries.
Top custard with pureed blueberries and top this with whipped cream.

Purchase your pesticide free aronia and blueberries from (Blueberry Croft Farm and Nursery). We understand both the theory and practical applications of growing aronia and blueberries. The farm is a reputable source for quality aronia and blueberry plants. Over 30 varieties of blueberries are grown and sold. Viking aronia plants are available for sale. Purchase your plants and get more information from http://www.blueberrycroft.com/. Get free S/H on orders of $75+. © 2011 May be reproduced in entirety with live link

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Easy Pasta and Tomato Recipes - Pasta With Fresh Garden Tomatoes

2012-01-18T10:19:00.001-08:00

According to market-research firm Nielsen, U.S. consumption of pasta related products rose 0.4 percent by volume in 2008. Kansas City, Missouri based American Italian Pasta said sales of frozen and refrigerated pasta, canned pasta, soup mixes and prepared dinners rose 5 percent in 2008 to $6.4 billion. Pasta consumption is back in favor and once again on the American dining table.

In years past, the low-carbohydrate diet craze has put a dent in pasta sales. But when the economy tanked last year, struggling consumers began to stretch their food budgets by returning to the old familiar dinner staples such as mac and cheese, pasta salad, soups, and casseroles. Pasta is simple, cheap and now is made with ingredients such as whole wheat and extra fiber, calcium and omega-3. Pasta can also be an incredible value option for a family as well. For $5 to $10 dollars one can easily feed a typical family of four.

This pasta recipe is incredibly simple to make and economical to buy ingredients for. It will take at max 6 ingredients. All of these ingredients should already be in your kitchen pantry. In 15 minutes, you can have a healthy, filling, and wallet friendly dinner. As a bonus, the taste of this dish is outstanding. Enjoy with a glass of wine and toast the resurgence of pasta.

Pasta With Fresh Garden Tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tomatoes, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Pasta of choice

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, in medium bowl combine olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, basil, and cheese and mix well.

3. Cook pasta until al dente, about 1-2 minutes. Immediately drain and toss with tomato mixture; serve immediately.

Visit our recipe and cooking website for more pasta and tomato recipes. I am the Editor-in-Chief of a fast growing website devoted to all aspects of food, cooking, and great food recipes. Join our food community, submit family recipes, read industry articles, learn cooking terms, and participate in numerous other food related topics.

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Homemade Pasta Recipe - Pasta the Way it Should Be!

2012-01-18T10:17:00.001-08:00

There are many slight variations in homemade pasta recipes, this is one of the easiest methods - follow it and you'll be making fantastic pasta in no time!

Ingredients: (enough for 2 people)

1 cup plain flour
1 large egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon salt

Step 1

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl or food processor and mix well, the dough should stick together if you press it with your fingers, the texture should be rather like uncooked rice. If it is too dry, you can add a little more water, or if it's too sticky add a little more flour.

Step 2

Mould the dough into a ball and leave it in the bowl, covered with a damp cloth, for around 10 minutes. The dust your worksurface with a little flour and knead the dough until it feels smooth, this should take 5-10 minutes.

Step 3

Now it's time to roll out the pasta. Set the pasta machine to its thickest setting. Take 1/3 of the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin so it's thin enough to fit into the machine. Put the dough through the machine 3 times, turning and folding it each time. Turn the machine to its next setting (one notch thinner) and put the same piece of dough through the machine 3 times as before. Repeat this for all the width settings on the machine. The pasta will get thinner each time.

Step 4

By now you will have a long, smooth sheet of pasta. Place it on the table and cut it into your desired length, about 10 inches long. Sprinkle lightly with flour. Now pass the sheet of pasta through the cutters on the other side of the pasta machine. Set the width of the cut to your preference, for example a setting of 1/8" would give you linguini, 1/4" for fettucini. Turn the handle with one hand, using your other hand to catch the finished pasta.

Step 5

Place the finished pasta on a clean tablecloth, trying to keep the strands as separate as possible. Allow it to dry for an hour or so.

To cook the pasta, add 1 tablespoon of salt to a large pan of boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Tips

The following tips will help you to make perfect homemade pasta every time:

Making coloured pasta is easy, simply add puréed tomato or spinach to the dough for red or green pasta. You can also make black pasta by adding squid ink.
When letting the dough 'rest' before kneading it, make sure to cover the bowl with a damp cloth, or wrap the dough tightly in clingfilm so it doesn't dry out.
There is no need to add oil to the pan when cooking your pasta. Stirring occasionally will prevent it from sticking.
Don't cook your pasta for more than 3 minutes. Overcooking will ruin your pasta! Once cooked, eat it straight away with your preferred sauce, it should not be allowed to cool.

Visit http://www.createfreshpasta.com now for more tips and tricks for making perfect homemade pasta, and also information about pasta machines. Making pasta is fun and rewarding -- you really should try it!

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Easy Italian Pasta Recipe - Pasta With Roasted Vegetables & Fresh Herbs

2012-01-18T10:15:00.001-08:00

Here is a quick, easy and delicious summer Italian pasta recipe that you just have to make for dinner tonight. Anyone can make this. Your family will feel like they are eating at an authentic Italian restaurant after eating this dish.

But before we get to this recipe, I would like to provide you with a few tips on how to buy the best quality ingredients for this dish.

Tips For Buying Your Vegetables

The key to this dish, or any dish that calls for fresh vegetables, is to educate yourself on how to choose the best ingredients. It can be confusing at the store with all of the different varieties, textures, sizes and shapes that vegetables are available in.

I try to only use organic fruits and vegetables. They may be more expensive, but they are tastier, higher in nutrients, and for the most part, free of any dangerous chemicals.

For this particular dish I use Roma or Plum tomatoes. A Roma tomato is a type of Plum tomato, and to the best of my knowledge, there is no real difference between the two. I like to use Plum or Roma tomatoes for cooking and making sauces. They are more meaty and have less seeds and juice than other varieties. They also taste better in my opinion.

Choose tomatoes that are heavy for their size and have a deep rich color. This deep rich color not only indicates a tastier tomato, but it also is an indication that the tomato has a higher supply of the healthy ingredient "lycopene".

Smell the tomatoes. They should smell fresh and earthy.

Choose tomatoes that are smooth and free of cuts, blemishes and soft spots.

When choosing your squash , make sure it is firm and heavy for its size.

Examine the skin for any cuts or soft spots. Look at the stem and make certain it is not discolored or shriveled.

Choose squash that is smaller and younger as these are usually more tender.

THE PASTA

Am I really going to devote a section of this article to pasta? Can't you just use any old pasta? Does it really make a difference?

In my opinion, yes, it does make a difference. There are many varieties of pastas on your supermarket shelves, but not all are created equal. I have tried many different brands of pasta and always find myself coming back to Barilla.

It just cooks up perfectly, every time. When I say perfectly, I mean "Al Dente". When Pasta is cooked "Al Dente", it should be firm, but not hard. Cooking pasta to this perfect state does require practice. Follow the instructions on the back of the box. They are usually quite accurate. My recommendation would be to taste the pasta a minute or two before the suggested cooking time is reached.

INGREDIENTS

Here are the ingredients that you will need. These measurements are by no means set in stone. Not everyone has the same preferences. You can easily adjust the ingredients below to suit your taste. Cooking is all about experimentation and I find that many of my recipes evolve over time.

1 Pound of Barilla Pasta - I use penne. I have tried other types of pasta like spaghetti and ziti, but penne seems to have the best texture and holds up the best with the ingredients in this dish.

3 - 4 Yellow Summer Squash Cut Into 1/2 Inch Pieces

3 - 4 Roma or Plum Tomatoes Cut Into 1/2 Inch Pieces

4 Cloves of Garlic Peeled and Smashed

1 - 2 Tablespoons Fresh Thyme Chopped

1 Cup of Torn Fresh Basil Leaves

1/4 Cup of Fresh Italian Parsley

1/4 Cup Asiago or Parmesan Cheese Plus a bit more for serving

Several Drizzles of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Unsalted Butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 Degrees.

Add your vegetables and garlic to a large baking sheet. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stir so that vegetables are coated well with the olive oil.

Put the vegetables in the preheated oven and roast , stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned. Make sure they do not burn! It shouldn't take longer then 30 minutes.

While the vegetables are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta but reserve a cup or so of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot.

Add the roasted vegetables, fresh herbs, cheese, butter, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to the pasta.

If the mixture is dry, add some of the reserved pasta water.

Toss and serve. Top with cheese if desired.

Enjoy!

Ralph Serpe is a passionate home cook and webmaster for http://www.chefability.com. Follow this link for more easy Italian cooking recipes and tips like this.

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Pasta Dough - How to Make Pasta Dough?

2012-01-18T10:11:00.001-08:00

Little old pasta makers

My aunts typically made pasta right on the table. They would throw a mountain of flour in the center of the table and make a depression. Within the depression, they placed the eggs and began to mix. Really, making fresh pasta is that simple. I will give you the general recipe and some variations. This recipe is good for all kinds of pasta including spaghetti, lasagna, fettuccine, linguine, ravioli, etc. (you will need certain attachments to the pasta maker to cut the pasta to the type you want - like linguine). You can throw almost anything into pasta like garlic, spinach, sun dried tomatoes, etc. But let's make the simple pasta first and then you can branch out.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour (I recommend 00 flour if you can find it. It makes a huge difference in taste.)
3 to 4 large eggs (may need to add flour depending on the size of the eggs.
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
10 oz spinach (optional depending on whether you want spinach noodles or not)

Equipment

You really need to invest in a pasta maker. It allows you to thin the pasta to specific thicknesses. But my family always used rolling pins to make their pasta in the old Italian ways. I have experimented with the rolling pin, and honestly, you just don't get the uniform thickness you do with the pasta maker (except for the way Aunt Alice made her pasta - she could get uniform thickness no matter what, but she had 30 years of experience). Since I last wrote this article, I have purchased an KitchenAid with the pasta maker attachments. I could not be happier with it. It sure beats cranking pasta the way I show here. I try to get most of my pasta to a thickness with setting 5 in case you own one.

Preparation

If you are using the spinach (I don't recommend this for your first time), wash and cook the spinach in a pan with a small amount of olive oil. It will wilt quite quickly and should be removed from the heat as soon as it does.

Spinach Make sure the spinach has drained well (squeeze a bit if necessary). If you do not remove the water, you will need to add more flour during the forming of the dough. Chop the spinach finely.

Dough Combined the chopped spinach with the flour, eggs and salt in a bowl and use your hands to knead (just mix). Keep adding flour if it is sticky. Set aside for about 30 minutes once you have formed a dough ball.

Using the pasta maker

The key to the pasta maker (in addition to patience) is getting the dough to the point of being soft and not sticky. This may require sprinkling flour on the dough several times. Run the dough through the pasta maker and add flour if it is sticky. Keep doing this until it stops being sticky. It can be frustrating at first (take a look at the picture below).

Patience

Keep running it through the pasta maker until the dough is not sticky and smooth. Don't be afraid to add flour to get it to the point you want. Once you have dough that is not sticky, run it through the pasta maker on the widest separation of the wheels. Fold and run through again. You will probably need to do this about 5 to 7 times before the pasta becomes consolidated and smooth with no holes in it.

Keep on rolling

You are almost there. You need to start making the space between the wheels smaller and than roll the dough through. Do not fold anymore at this point. Each time you run the dough through, make the space smaller. You should go down to where you are on the setting with two settings left to go. Of course this varies between pasta makers, but most pasta will require a medium thinness (don't take it all the way to ultra thin unless you require really thin pasta).

What next

You have two options at this point. You can let the dough sit out over night so it becomes hard (make sure it dries on a lightly floured surface). It allows you to store the pasta for later use. (I like fresh pasta so I rarely do this. I have found that you can keep dough in your refrigerator for up to 30 days. I will double the recipe and then put one dough ball in the refrigerator until I am ready to make more noodles. If you are making a noodle like spaghetti that needs to be cut by the pasta maker, you need to let it harden some. I will be writing an article on making these types of noodles later.) Or you can cook the pasta immediately and eat it. Nothing like fresh cooked pasta. Just boil a few quarts of water with salt and a dash of olive oil (use the oil if you are cooking fresh pasta to keep the pasta from sticking) and throw the pasta in for about 6 minutes. If you allow it to dry and harden you may need to cook longer depending on whether you like it al dente or not.

Jack Botticelli

You can see the article images and read more Italian recipes here

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How to Make Pasta e Fagioli

2012-01-18T10:09:00.001-08:00

This soup makes you happy to be alive!

Pasta e Fagioli

Did you know that Pasta e Fagioli...is a Life-Changing food? Well, it is in our home, and it can be in yours too!. Ever since I have been young, this soup has always come to the rescue to make everything "better."

There is no need to go to a restaurant for this Italian favorite, you don't need a pasta maker, or any fancy pots and pans...all you do need is about 15 minutes of your time, and a few simple ingredients. And...from this, you will get what our family calls Italian Comfort Food.

The Story's in the soup! It's A Family Affair

When my children were little, and they wanted comfort food, Pasta e Fagioli fit the bill! When my husband Jake came home from the hospital, I asked him what he wanted to eat...you guessed it...that magic soup. He ate it every day for a week, and after that week, he was so much better. The doctor said he passed all the tests with no after affects from his sickness. Now, I'm not saying that this soup cured my husband, but I do know that this Italian comfort food helped him get through some pretty tough times.

When I was at my mother's house the other day, she said she forgot how to make pasta e fagioli , she is 90, and says that her memory is not as good as it used to be. I wrote the recipe out for her, and said "mommy, this is your recipe, and I am returning it to you". She smiled, and so did I.

So many people, after coming to our home for dinner, or lunch, have asked for this recipe also. How can such a simple soup, with such simple ingredients, makes such a heartwarming meal?

When we make our soup over the holidays, we usually serve it with an antipasto. When we are at my sister Lynda's for our family get togethers we always make an antipasto, because there is always time for soup and antipasto.

Italian "Comfort Food" - Comfort Food That You Can Serve To Your Best Friends

When Betty, one of my best friends, was told she had stage 4 cancer, she came over to visit and she asked if I would put Italian music on the CD player, and make her a dish of Pasta e Fagioli! That was comfort food for her also. Betty has since passed away, but I will always treasure the memory of the two of us sitting at the kitchen table, Italian music playing, eating our favorite food for the last time.

My Recipe of Pasta e Fagioli For You Eat This, It Will Make You Feel Better!

Now, I want to give you my recipe for this wonderful soup, so if you choose, you will make it for your family and see if it really is Life-Changing. There are many recipes, each person has their own and their favorite. This is ours!

Pasta e Fagioli
1 onion chopped
2-3 stalks of celery chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
8 oz can of tomato sause
Ditalini (You can use elbow macaronni if you can't find ditalini)

Saute onions, glarlic and celery in olive oil until soft. Then add 2 cans of Navy Beans or Cannellini Beans (White Kidney Beans) Your choice. I use both depending on which I have in the pantry.

After adding beans, add one small can of tomato sauce. When I am making this soup, i always fill up the empty cans from the beans and the sause two times in each can with water. This usually gives me enough water for the soup. But, if you want to make more, you can just add more water. My daughter Debra uses canned chicken broth instead of water, but I never do. This is the way Aunt Carrie and my mother always made it, and that's what I do too. You can add salt and pepper to taste at this time also, and if you choose, a little bit of hot sause. That is the way my family likes it, but do what is best for yours. While this is cooking on medium burner, boil some water for the ditalini. I usually use ½ a box, but if you think you would like more pasta for your soup, use the whole box. Cook according to directions on the box. Let soup cook for about ½ an hour, if you have the time, if you don't 15 minutes will be fine also. This soup is very easy and comes out great no matter how long it does cook, it is very forgiving. When you are ready to eat, just put some of the pasta in the bowl, add the liquid, and sprinkle with grated cheese. If you are making it to serve right away, then you can put the ditalini in the soup, but if you are going to serve later in the day, don't add the pasta to the soup as it will "drink" up all of the juice. Now ENJOY, and I hope your family will love it as much as mine does!

Yumm-Oh A dish of pasta e fagioli, a glass of my brother in laws home made wine, a few pieces of Italian bread...what a lunch that is.

Susan Blair knows all about cooking. She has been cooking for over 50 years now, and she tells us that pasta e fagioli is one of her favorite foods to make for her family and friends. She would love for you to try making it for your family too. She is sure it will become one of your go to, family favorites.

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

How to Cook Pasta - Tips and Tools So You Are Not Afraid!

2012-01-18T10:07:00.001-08:00

It is very important when you cook pasta to use enough water. For 1 pound of pasta, use 4 quarts water, with about 2 tablespoons salt. For anything under a pound, use 3 quarts water and 1 1/2 tablespoons salt. You need enough water so that the pasta moves around in the pot, which lets it cook evenly in the water.

Always add salt to the pasta water. Unsalted pasta will be bland, no matter how much seasoning you add to the finished recipe. Be sure to add enough salt to make the water taste seawater salty. I know some of you will have a problem with this tip, but I assure you that I have seen Italian cooks do it right before my very eyes.

A big problem with pasta is the sticking. Oh how that has happened to me many a time. To keep pasta from sticking, stir during the first minute or two of cooking. This is a crucial time when the pasta surface is coated with sticky, glue-like starch. If you don't stir, you will have the problem of pieces of pasta literally cooking together.

I always oil the pasta pot before adding water. I pour oil into the bottom of the pot and swirl it around before adding the water, instead of the other way around. My experience has shown that when you do this, the pasta is even less likely to stick to the bottom of the pot.

When draining pasta, I set a colander in a large bowl on an adjacent burner and ladle the cooked pasta into it with a Chinese wire skimmer or tongs. Pour the pasta water after it has cooled. By doing it this way, you don't have to carry a heavy pot of hot water to the sink.

These tips and techniques should make cooking pasta much more enjoyable. Here is a simple recipe to try out these tips on:

Spaghetti With Cilantro Pesto

2 bunches cilanto, leaves only

1/2 cup peanuts

1/4 cup sesame oil, divided

salt

1 pound spaghetti

2 tablespoons canola oil

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Roughly chop the cilantro leaves, add to the water, and blanch for 30 seconds.

Strain immediately and run under cold water until cool, or about 1 minute.

Place the peanuts in a food processor, and pulse for 25 seconds.

Continue to pulse, adding 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a low, steady stream.

Add the blanched cilantro, and puree for 45 seconds, slowly adding the remaining 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. Transfer to a bowl.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add salt and the pasta, and cook until al dente.

Drain the pasta, reserving 3 tablespoons of the cooking water.

Add the pasta, the reserved water and the canola oil to the bowl with the pesto. Season with salt, and toss well.

Serves 4

I am the editor of a website devoted to all aspects of food and the creation of great food. You can find recipes, articles, cooking terms, and numerous other food related topics by directing yourself to my website, http://www.foodcreate.com

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

Cooking Pasta Made Easy

2012-01-18T09:59:00.001-08:00

Now that we have covered some of the more time-consuming aspects of pasta, like making pasta from scratch, let's move on to more familiar territory. Have you ever noticed how big the pasta aisle at the super market is? It's because pasta is a quick meal that can be tailored to fit any tastes, no matter how sophisticated or how picky. Dry pasta can be used to make hot or cold meals. It stores well and doesn't lose its flavor. There are even some excellent jarred sauces that make preparation even quicker. The following dishes use dry pasta and some prepackaged ingredients for the sake of expediency.

Baked pasta dishes are great for a crowd or for leftovers the next day. Dinner that can also feed everyone lunch the next day? Perfect! This version of baked ziti uses store-bought pesto, but this can easily be made fresh if you prefer.

Baked Ziti

1 package Hot Italian Sausages, casings removed

4 cloves Garlic, diced

1 large White Onion, diced

1/2 of a package Pesto, the kind found in the refrigerated section works well here

1 28 ounce can Tomatoes, diced and peeled

1 package Frozen Chopped Spinach, thawed and drained

8 ounces Mozzarella cheese diced into cubes

1 cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated

3 cups cooked Ziti or Penne Pasta

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 13 inch Pyrex pan.

Sauté sausage, garlic and onions until slightly browned. Add Pesto and diced tomatoes. Allow this mixture to simmer on low for 30 to 40 minutes.

In a bowl combine, spinach, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Add the Ziti to the spinach mixture. Combine Ziti and tomato mixture. Mix thoroughly and pour into greased pan. Cover with foil and bake Ziti mixture for 30-40 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the top is slightly browned.

The spinach and sausage in this dish make it extremely tasty, and the cheese gives it a satisfying creaminess.

An Easier Pasta Dish

For an even easier dish cook the Ziti or Penne and let it cool slightly. To this add your choice of chopped olives, chopped pepperoni, cubed mozzarella and chopped roasted red peppers (these can be found jarred in the pickle section of your supermarket). Dress this with Italian dressing. Allow to sit 30 minutes before serving. This is a great dish to serve on hot days or as a side dish. It can be modified a million different ways by adding fresh produce or different kinds of cheese.

A good place to find easy pasta dishes is on the box of dry pasta itself. Depending on the type of noodle you will find hundreds of recipes this way.

You will find more on Making pasta site.

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Meat-Free and Vegan Friendly Kale Salad Recipe - A Tasty and Uncooked Way To Consume Your Greens

2012-01-18T09:51:00.000-08:00

Meatless and vegan holiday recipes are probably the most yummiest dishes on the table during the holiday seasons and special events. In fact, consider how some of your favorite holiday dishes. It's not fairly often that I hear people "raving" about how delicious the Turkey, (bless its soul) was. Instead, I usually hear things like, "wow - that mac & cheese was absolutely wonderful," or "I have to get that potato salad recipe." Who would've thought that all of the stars of holiday gatherings are usually side dishes and desserts and are also meat-free?

During the holiday's, my mother would always cook Kale with Turkey Necks (I know...). As I become a vegetarian, I would always have to pass on the "greens" until my dad started making this meat-free and tasty vegetarian kale salad. This meatless recipe is also vegan friendly, which is always a plus, and it is really simple to make and absolutely delicious. Since this kale recipe is not cooked, you will be able to consume the many essential vitamins and nutrients that our green and leafy friends provide the body.

Kale Salad Recipe & Video

Ingredients:

·1 Bunch of Clean Fresh Kale

Dressing Ingredients:

·1/4 cup of Tamari (you can use soy sauce or liquid aminos)

·1/2 cup of water

·3 tablespoons of olive oil

·Juice from a 1/2 lemon

·1 clove garlic

·1/2 cup of sunflower seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Chop the kale in to small pieces and place in a large bowl (if you have a bowl with a lid so that you can toss the kale salad later) and set aside.

2. In a blender, pour the Tamari, water, olive oil, lemon juice, and clove and blend for about 1 minute. Taste the dressing to make sure it is not too salty. If the dressing is too salty, then add some more water and blend for another 30 seconds.

3. Pour the dressing on the kale and sprinkle the sunflower seeds on the kale.

4. Toss the salad, cover, and place in the fridge and let it marinade for at least 4 hours.

The more time you allow the Kale to soak in the dressing, the better. I would highly recommend making this salad the night before you plan to eat it as this allows plenty of time for all of the flavors of the dressing to mesh together with the Kale (or your green of choice). Also, fellow vegetarians, let me know if you try this recipe with a different type of green (i.e. turnip or collard). I have just prepared this salad recipe with kale and would be interested to find out how the substitute of greens worked out to suit your needs and taste buds. I am sure it will be just as fulfilling...but of course, inquiring vegetarian minds want to know!

You can also spruce this salad up by adding some a variety of flavors and textures by simply sprinkling a handful of sunflower seed kernels on top of the salad and even adding some sliced cherry tomatoes. Enjoy!

Want to watch as EJ prepares this Kale Salad Recipe? You can watch the video by visiting http://vegetarianlikeme.com/vegetarian-recipes/holiday-recipe-vegetarian-vegan-kale-salad/ Enjoy cooking and eating vegetarian and vegan foods? Grab your totally free vegan and vegetarian cookbook with over 100 meat and dairy free recipes plus 5 Free Vegetarian Instructional Video Recipes. Join hundreds of other vegetarians that have already experienced the easy but delicious means of making and eating vegetarian and vegan food.

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

Chicken Pasta Recipes: Tasty Varieties For Your Family

2012-01-18T09:18:00.001-08:00

It is a joy for every hardworking mother to cook special, tasty dishes for her family. One such dish is chicken pasta, which even the most finicky kid is sure to love.

However, when we talk about chicken pasta recipes, we are not just referring to the typical "meat-and-tomato sauce on spaghetti" fare. With chicken meat being such a versatile ingredient, you can incorporate it into a wide variety of pasta recipes, including, Bolognese, Carbonara, Alfredo, and even Stir-Fried. Cooks who are conscious about the fats they take in can replace the pork and beef in their favorite pasta recipes with chicken.

Doing a Google or Yahoo search for chicken pasta recipes will result in hundreds of websites, which in turn house tens of thousands of recipes for you to choose from. All of these recipes are testament to chicken's popularity and versatility as a pasta ingredient. Your selection of a chicken pasta recipe is only limited by the types of pasta dishes that you and your family like, so don't be afraid to try out new things.

Here are two varieties of chicken pasta recipes for you and your family to enjoy...

Chicken Pasta (Chili's Cajun Style)

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 tsps Cajun seasoning
4 tbsps butter or margarine
3 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
8 oz. penne pasta, cooked and drained
2 diced roma tomatoes
Shredded Parmesan cheese (to sprinkle)

Instructions:

1) Slightly moisten the chicken breasts with water.

2) Inside a re-sealable plastic bag, pour your Cajun seasoning, making sure that the inside of the bag is dusted with seasoning. Put the chicken breasts inside the bag. Shake the bag until the chicken is completely coated with your seasoning. Add more seasonings if necessary.

3) Saute the chicken on a large skillet with 2 tbsps of butter over medium heat. Adjust the flame of your stove when necessary to prevent overcooking.

4) When the chicken is half-cooked, start preparing the sauce by mixing the heavy cream, 2 tbsps of butter and other seasonings in a second skillet over medium heat. Stir occasionally.

5) Once the cream sauce begins to bubble, add your pasta and turn off the stove. Stir very well.

6) Once the chicken is cooked, slice them into strips on a cutting board.

7) To serve, distribute the pasta and sauce onto serving plates. Top with the chicken strips, diced tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. If you want to add more spice to your pasta, sprinkle additional Cajun seasoning on top.

Chicken Penne Pesto

Ingredients:

2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced
10oz/300g penne (or other you can replace this with the pasta of your choice)
5 tbsps pine nuts
1 tsp course sea salt
3 tbsps fresh basil, finely chopped (or replace with 3 tsps of dried basil)
4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, crunched
Parmesan cheese (to sprinkle)

Instructions:

1) Boil the pasta in salted water. To prevent the pasta from sticking together, add a little olive oil.

2) Using very little oil, fry the diced chicken in a pan or skillet.

3) While cooking the pasta and chicken, grind the pine nuts and sea salt together in a mortar or blender. Add your basil, olive oil and garlic to your ground pine nuts and salt to complete the pesto sauce. Mix well in one big dish.

4) Put your cooked pasta and chicken into the dish containing your pesto sauce and mix well. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Put extra pine nuts for garnish.

Information just like this will help you learn more about chicken pasta recipes and also teach you a secret teriyaki chicken recipe

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

Refreshing Iced Soup Recipes For Hot Summer Days

2012-01-17T15:20:00.001-08:00

If you associate soup with chilly evenings then you are not alone because most people think about soup when they want something comforting, soothing or warming. However, there are also chilled soup recipes and iced soup recipes which are ideal for cooling you down when the weather becomes warmer. Iced soup is far healthier than ice cream but it has a similar effect.

The definition of a soup is a meat, poultry, vegetable or fish stock or broth which often contains solid pieces of food but there are exceptions to this rather broad definition. You might have tried gazpacho which is an iced Spanish soup, made primarily with tomatoes, bell peppers and olive oil. This is very different from a canned pumpkin soup recipe or chicken soup but it is equally as tasty.

Perhaps you have been lucky enough to try a delicious fruit soup recipe like strawberry soup or melon soup. These are incredibly refreshing and delicious. You can serve fruit soups as appetizers or desserts.

Types of Iced Soup

Most iced or chilled soups are vegetable- or fruit-based, rather than meat- or fish-based, just because they taste better that way. Cucumber soup is a great one to serve chilled, as is pea and green onion soup or tomato soup.

If you prefer something sweeter, what about strawberry, cherry or pineapple soup? Any of these would make an exciting recipe for a dinner party and fruit soups tend to be naturally bright and colorful, which makes them look appealing. Many can be garnished with a swirl of cream, which also adds to the flavor.

Recipe for Chilled Minted Pea Soup

This delicious and bright green soup is ideal for a warm day or even for a picnic. You will need to let it cool down and then chill it for a few hours to make sure it is thoroughly chilled. Serve it with ice cubes to make it even colder. You can use sour cream or plain yogurt to garnish this minted pea soup and this recipe makes enough to serve eight people.

What you will need:

1 chopped lettuce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 lbs fresh peas
1 1/2 pints vegetable broth
6 sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 chopped cloves garlic
Salt and white pepper, to taste
Sour cream, to garnish

How to make it:

Saute the garlic and green onions in the oil for about 5 minutes or until tender. Add the broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the peas, mint and lettuce and simmer for 3 minutes or until the peas are soft.

Blend the soup until it is smooth. You might need to do this in batches. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Let the soup cool, then cover it and chill it overnight or for at least four hours. Decorate the soup with fresh mint leaves and sour cream just before serving.

Iced soups are great as dinner party appetizers or as a way to cool down when the weather is hot. There are lots of iced soup varieties and you might fancy trying a pumpkin soup recipe or even an easy canned pumpkin soup recipe. These are great hot or chilled.

Find all the best pumpkin soup recipes at PumpkinSoup.org

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

Using Avocado to Make Soup Recipes

2012-01-17T15:13:00.001-08:00

Avocado is a fantastic ingredient to use in soup recipes because it is great for vegetarians and vegans and it has a nutty, creamy flavor. Some avocado soup recipes are based on chicken broth but not all of them. Perhaps you have never tried an avocado soup recipe before but avocado soup recipes do taste wonderful.

You can blend avocados, which are also knows as alligator pears or butter pears, in a food processor or blender to a smooth creaminess for use in soups. Haas avocados, which are the ones with a bumpy skin, are the best to use for avocado soup recipes because of their superior flavor.

Famous Recipes with Avocado

Avocado is also used to make famous Mexican recipes such as guacamole and several well known Mexican salad recipes, like seven layer salad. It can either be blended into a puree or chopped. You can also make recipes like shrimp cocktail with avocado, either by slicing the avocado finely or filling the hollow in the avocado with shrimp cocktail.

Avocado is used in sushi recipes, including California rolls, and it is also used to make milkshakes in Indonesia, Vietnam, South India, and Brazil. Avocados are served in salads or soups, mixed into white rice or as an accompaniment to meat or chicken in Central America and Mexico.

Avocados and Health

Avocados are high in vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K, dietary fiber, copper, and folate. There is more potassium in an avocado than in a banana, which might surprise you.

It is true that avocados do contain cholesterol and fat, but a little now and then does not do any harm, as long as you eat a balanced diet. Avocados are creamy and rich and it is little wonder that many people adore them.

How to Make Creamy Avocado Soup

This is an amazing tasting soup and this recipe makes enough to serve four people if one cup of soup per serving is sufficient. You can double the recipe if you like. Serve this avocado soup recipe chilled or hot.

What you will need:

2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 big, very ripe avocado
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

How to make it:

Warm the chicken broth in a pan. Peel the avocado and take out the stone. Cut the flesh into several pieces, and then puree it in a blender or food processor. Pour in the cream and then all the other ingredients, including the warm chicken broth.

Pulse the soup a few times until everything is blended and then add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Warm the soup back up gently in the pan or chill it for a couple of hours if you want to serve it cold.

Soup recipes are great for hearty lunches or light dinners. There are so many soup recipes that you can choose from too and so many ways to use one vegetable. For example, did you know there are hundreds of onion soup recipe ideas you can try, such as a spicy onion soup, a classic French onion soup recipe and many more? Soup is a healthy and economic option, if you want to make something tasty and nutritious for your family.

FrenchOnionSoups.com - Simple, Elegant, Perfection; Soup the Way it Was Meant to Be!

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How to Make Easy Fish Soup Recipes

2012-01-17T14:56:00.000-08:00

Fish soup might not be the most common type of soup but it does make a warming lunch or a deliciously different dinner. When was the last time you made fish chowder or a fish soup recipe? Fish soup can be really flavorful and you can even invent your own fish soup recipes.

Aromatic herbs like dill and parsley go well with fish and you can make fish soup with all kinds of fish, such as tilapia, salmon, tuna, cod and more. Remember that fish only takes about ten minutes to cook in this way, so add the fish near the end of the cooking time, else it might become tough. As soon as the fish is opaque and flakes easily, it is done.

Famous Soup Recipes

There are lots of famous fish soup recipes, such as French bouillabaisse and Singaporean sliced fish soup. Vietnamese sour fish soup, Hungarian paprika-spiced fisherman's soup and Scottish "Cullen Skink" which is a delicious combination of potatoes, onion, cream and smoked haddock, are other examples.

Cioppino is an Italian-American fish soup made with different types of fish, as well as tomatoes, and clam chowder is also a well known dish. You can use many different types of fish and seafood to make fish soup recipes. Simply add some herbs and vegetables to water to make a broth and add some chopped fish.

How to Make Tilapia Soup

This recipe is really easy and you just need to simmer the soup ingredients and fry some bread to make homemade croutons. The soup is flavored with dill, lemon, and parsley and the flavor of the tilapia clearly shines through.

This is one of the most easy soup recipes and it makes a change from the chicken soup recipes and pumpkin soup recipes you might usually make or buy. If you see some tilapia on sale, snatch it up, because this soup is really tasty and well worth making.

What you will need:

2 tilapia fillets
1/2 teaspoon dill
1 pint water
1/2 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
Juice from half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon parsley
1 slice bread, for making croutons
Salt and pepper, to taste

How to make it:

Bring the water to a boil in a pot, then add the celery, carrots, and onion and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the dill, parsley, and pepper, and then let the soup boil until the carrots are soft. Add the tilapia fillets and let the soup simmer gently.

Cut the bread into cubes and fry them in the oil to make croutons. Add the lemon juice to the soup when the tilapia is opaque and white and break up the fish fillets using a spoon.

Blend the soup a little bit with a hand mixer but leave it chunky. Add some salt to taste and serve it hot, topped with the croutons.

Soup is so easy to make and even soup varieties that you have not considered before, like tilapia soup, are very easy. Classic soups will also never go out of vogue and if you want to make an easy pumpkin soup recipe or Classic pumpkin soup, you will find these recipes just as simple to follow.

Find all the best pumpkin soup recipes at PumpkinSoup.org

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

Vegetable Soup Recipes - Nourishing and Satisfying

2012-01-17T14:54:00.001-08:00

You do not always need meat, fish, or poultry to make soup. In fact, some of the best soups are vegetarian. Whether you are a vegetarian or simply trying to increase the amount of vegetables you eat, there is no denying that vegetables are healthy as well as very tasty, and there are lots of different herbs, spices and seasonings you can use to liven them up even more.

There are all sorts of vegetable soups you can make. You can make vegetable broth by simmering vegetables past their prime with vegetable peelings in water. Throw in some herbs and garlic and you will have a wonderful broth in a couple of hours, after you simmer the mixture and sieve it.

To make your vegetable broth into a delicious vegetable soup, you will need to add some chopped vegetables and simmer them until they are soft. Noodles, rice, potatoes, and lentils add another flavor and enough texture to make the soup satisfying and wholesome. Add these when you add the raw vegetables and they will cook together.

Vegetables Which are Good in Soup

There are lots of vegetables you can use to make soup recipes. If you are on a tight budget, just grab whatever is on special offer in the grocery store and you can make soup from it. Even if you only have vegetables, which are a bit soft and past their prime, you can make a nice soup from them.

Carrots, zucchini, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower, turnip, parsnip, rutabaga, bell pepper, pumpkin, tomato, onion, potato, yam, and beans are just some of the vegetables you can use in soup recipes. Some ingredients are seasonal and some are available throughout the year, but there are a lot of soups you can make in bulk and freeze.

Curried Parsnip and Potato Soup

The following recipe is healthy, wholesome, easy to make and serves two people. Serve it with crusty bread for a satisfying lunch or warming supper. If you can get organic parsnip and potatoes, this soup will be even tastier.

The spices give it a subtle curry flavor and you can make double the amount and freeze half if you want to. If you are not cooking for vegetarians, you can use chicken broth instead of the vegetable broth.

Veggie Parsnip Soup Recipe with Potatoes

What you will need:

1 potato, peeled and chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
8 oz parsnip, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

How to make it:

Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring them to the boil. Simmer the soup for about 15 minutes, stirring it occasionally. Let the soup cool a bit, and then liquidize it in the blender in batches. You can use a potato masher if you do not have a blender. Push the soup through a sieve with a wooden spoon if you want it finer. Serve it hot with fresh, crusty bread and butter.

Great food has always been a way of life in our household and having lots of different easy recipes to choose from is very important. After all, between work and the kids' activities it seems there is hardly any time left to think about eating let alone eating health. I mean who has time to make a full fledge sit-down meal in today's rat race? We know this all too well with our family of six time is preciously short!

Vegetable soup might not sound like a substantial, filling meal but it really is! Also, vegetable soup is a great dish to make in bulk because it freezes so well, meaning you can thaw portions out for an ultra quick lunch or supper. Try an easy canned pumpkin soup recipe for a speedy, nutritious meal.

Pumpkin is a wonderful ingredient for soup at any time of the year and the crockpot is a great way to cook pumpkin soup recipes. If you are looking for a creamy pumpkin soup recipe, a canned pumpkin soup recipe, a spicy pumpkin soup recipe or some other kind, you will love the comprehensive soup recipe collection we have for you at PumpkinSoup.org

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

Mediterranean Gazpacho Soup

2012-01-17T14:47:00.001-08:00

Gazpacho originated in southern Spain. It is a cold soup and requires no cooking. Moreover, it is cholesterol free, low in calories and high in vitamin C.

The main ingredient of Gazpacho is tomato, which grows in abundance in southern Spain. But as you might imagine, being Spanish in origin, it also contains onions, garlic and olive oil. Again, these are readily available and, of course, inexpensive.

Tomatoes provide the sweetness, as well has being high in vitamin C, and paprika gives the soup a bit of spice.

The ingredients are:

25 g fresh breadcrumbs

2-3 tablespoons virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon paprika

225 g tomatoes

3 spring onions

small clove of garlic

1/4 of a large cucumber

1/2 red pepper

1/2 yellow pepper

Juice of a lime

450ml tomato juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method: Boil 150 ml water and add to it the breadcrumbs, oil and paprika in a bowl. Remove the skins from the tomatoes by dipping them in hot water. Cut the tomatoes in half so that you can remove and discard the seeds. Then chop the flesh. Trim and dice the spring onions, and peel the garlic and cucumber. The peppers should also be diced. Keep back some of the diced vegetables to place in the middle of the soup when it is ready to be served.

Blend together until fairly smooth the mixture of breadcrumbs, cucumber, peppers, onions and garlic. Stir in the lime juice. Then add this mixture to the tomato juice and chopped tomatoes, season and chill for at least an hour.

There are different ways of making Gazpacho and this is likely to vary from region to region. I suspect this recipe is quite a modern variation on traditional ones as I have had Gazpacho in Marbella on the south coast of Spain and I am certain there was no bread in it. Nevertheless, this is a tasty, healthy and inexpensive dish with plenty of vitamin C, not only from the tomatoes but the peppers too. Red and yellow peppers contain four times as much vitamin C as oranges. Garlic is good for many things including the immune system and circulation, infections and so on.

As regards where the word Gazpacho comes from, this is more vague. I once read it was to do with "edible treasures" but apparently it comes from the pre-Roman Mozarab word caspa, which means "fragments" or "flakes", as in small pieces of bread.

Vanessa J Alexander is an accomplished Spanish tutor and teaches both face-to-face and live over the Internet to students based anywhere in the world. Having lived in Spain herself for over 10 years, she experienced first-hand the culture of Spain and the subtleties of the language. With effective Spanish Lessons you too can become proficient in this popular and widely-spoken language. Alexander is also a Voice Over artist in English, Spanish and French. See: http://www.vanessa-alexander.vpweb.co.uk.

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

Yummy Cabbage Soup Recipes - And Their Benefits

2012-01-17T14:44:00.000-08:00

There are a wide variety of delicious cabbage soup recipes and even recipe variations. These cabbage soup recipes are healthy, delicious, and will help you stick to the cabbage soup diet program. This large variety of cabbage soup recipes can help you stay motivated and keep you on track.

There are many benefits to using the cabbage soup diet: fat loss, weight loss, better vitamin intake, better digestion, and even prevention of ailments, illnesses and certain diseases. With the cabbage soup diet you can drop several pounds in as little as seven days. You can reap the benefits of this diet, such as healthy weight loss, stress relief, breaking your sugar habits, clearer skin, boost your immune system, and so much more.

Here is One Cabbage Soup Recipe for Hot Summer Days -

3 cups of chicken or beef broth

1 1/2 cups of green cabbage, finely shredded

1 tbsp of prepared mustard

1 tsp of sugar

2 cups of buttermilk

1 cucumber, finely diced

1 tbsp fresh dill, minced

2 tbsp fresh parsley

Heat broth in a medium saucepan, add cabbage and simmer in low heat for 10 minutes. Then remove pan from heat and stir in dill, mustard, and sugar. Add the buttermilk and cucumber. Chill thoroughly for about 2 hours (depending on your refrigerator) before serving. Garnish with parsley and serve ice cold.

This is a delicious and refreshing cabbage soup recipe for those hot summer days when you just do not feel like having a hot soup. It is great.

Some Variations of Cabbage Soup Recipes -

The classic cabbage soup recipe contains a whole head of cabbage, lots of onions, carrots, green or red peppers, tomatoes, celery and is seasoned with salt and pepper. The broth is a deep red with all of the different colors of the vegetables enhancing its flavors.

There are plenty of variations to this classic cabbage soup recipe, and if you love to cook you are probably already brainstorming away. Soups are fun to make and are a healthy meal choice. It can be fun to add ingredients or change ingredients to suit your own tastes, as long as you keep it healthy. For example, I might add some freshly chopped garlic to the classic cabbage soup recipe because it is good for you and adds a great flavor to soup without overpowering the other flavors.

Here are some more cabbage soup recipe variations:

Munich Cabbage Soup -

Munich cabbage soup has apple cider vinegar, caraway seeds, and fresh and dried thyme.

Florence Cabbage Soup -

Florence cabbage soup has garlic, parsley, oregano leaves, and basil.

Honolulu Cabbage Soup -

Honolulu cabbage soup has ginger and hot sauce!

Casablanca Cabbage Soup -

Casablanca cabbage soup has curry powder and mint leaves.

Spicy Cabbage Soup -

Spicy cabbage soup is a wonderful way to add some spice to your diet. This cabbage soup recipe variation includes a wide variety of vegetables and some great spices, such as ginger, cilantro, caraway, yellow curry, chili powder, soy sauce, and lemon grass. Those ingredients can add a nice kick to any soup recipe!

Now, I don't know about you, but I am in deed often cooking some fabulous and delicious cabbage soups! Stay motivated and on track with the many variations out there that you can try!

Gabriela Rupp

© Copyright http://www.successful-diet-cabbage-soup.com All Rights Reserved

More healthy cabbage soup recipes and several improved cabbage soup diet plans you find at http://www.successful-diet-cabbage-soup.com/cabbage-soup-recipes.html

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

Favorite Summer Salad Recipes

2012-01-16T12:10:00.000-08:00

Warm weather brings thoughts of cool food and recipes that don't require a lot of indoor cooking. Who wants to tend a long, slow cooked meal when the sun is out and the warm weather beckons?

Here are three warm weather salads that have become some of my favorite summer salad recipes.

None of them require you to be any where near an oven or hot stove except to boil some water, and all are perfect for even the hottest summer days.

Serve them as side vegetable dishes or as a light lunch with a green salad and crusty bread.

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

This is a lovely salad recipe that is great as a side salad or as a light luncheon recipe. Serve it in lettuce cups for lunch along with some fresh crusty bread and a great dessert. Just perfect!

1 pound frozen cooked shrimp, thawed
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Italian salad dressing
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Combine the shrimp, celery, Italian dressing and mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill, covered until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, peel and dice the avocado. Mix immediately with the lemon juice to prevent the avocado from going dark. Add to the shrimp mixture and mix gently.

Serves 6

Cucumber Salad

This recipe is delicious, but oh so easy. It's a great recipe to serve company at a barbecue because it gets made ahead and sits in the fridge for a few hours until you are ready for it. The best summer entertaining recipes are ones that don't require the host and hostess to be in the kitchen cooking while guests lounge outside.

3 large cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/4 cups red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 head of lettuce, shredded
1 tablespoon honey
good pinch black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Toss all the ingredients thoroughly in a large salad bowl. Chill for 2 hours before serving.

That's it!

Lime Jello Cottage Cheese Salad

This is a lovely light salad recipe that is perfect for a summer barbecue but also works well all year on a buffet table. The addition of cottage cheese may sound odd, but it is a great flavor mix with the Jello. The crunch of the celery and green pepper add another layer of flavor and fresh taste.

1 - 3 ounce package lime jelly powder
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped

Blend with beater and chill until firm 1" from edge of dish. Turn it into a bowl and beat it until it becomes light and fluffy. Fold in 1 cup cottage cheese, celery, onion and green pepper. Chill fully before serving.

Don't forget that most of your favorite summer salad recipes are great all year round too.

Karen Ciancio is a cook and lover of all things food and cooking related. Her website http://www.cookingnook.com contains hundreds of recipes, cooking tips, measurement conversions, kitchen ideas and diet and nutritional information. Find more great summer salad recipes here.

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

Quick Salad Recipes

2012-01-16T12:05:00.001-08:00

Quick recipes are the simplest and fastest to prepare. It is ideal for people who have no time to prepare a full meal. A variety of salad can be prepared with simple recipes and procedures that will only take a few minutes.

Here are some quick salad recipes:

Grilled Ham Salad
Grilled ham salad can be prepared in 15 to 20 minutes.

Ingredients:
10 ounce of package salad green
½ pounds totally cooked ham steak slices
¼ cup of peach preserves
½ cup honey mustard salad dressing
1 ½ cup of cubed cheese

Prepare and heat the grill. Put the salad greens in a large bowl. Thoroughly brush the slices of steak with the preserves and put it on the grill. Cook in moderate heat for around 9 to 13 minutes. When it's hot already, turn the steak upside down and apply more preserves. Afterwards transfer the ham to a chopping board and chop it into cubes about 1 inch thick. Mix the chopped ham together with all the ingredients. It is now ready to serve. This quick salad recipe is ideal for 4 serving.

Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
1 pack of pasta
Celery
Broccoli
Onions
Garlic
Cheese
Chicken
Salt
Spices

Ingredients for the salad cream:
1 cup of mayonnaise
2 tablespoon of wine
1 clove of crushed garlic
1 tablespoon of basil
Salt and pepper for a little taste
Yogurt
¼ cup of salad oil

Boil the pasta noodles for 10 minutes. Drain the water from the noodles and allow it to cool.

While waiting for the noodles to cool down, chop the vegetables and make your salad dressing. When the noodles are already cool, add all the ingredients putting the salad dressing last. Mix all of the ingredients together. Store in the fridge for 1 and half hours before serving.

Broccoli Bacon Salad
Broccoli bacon salad is one of the traditional types of salad. In this quick recipe, we are going to use some red grapes as a replacement for raisins. If you want you can also include raisins or dried cherries.

Ingredients:
24 ounces bags of frozen broccoli florets
16 ounces bacon which is thick cut
1 red onion which is chopped into fine pieces
2 cloves of garlic
2 cups of red grapes
½ cup sliced almonds
1 ½ cup of mayonnaise
½ cup of yogurt
1/3 cup of sugar
3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon of white pepper

Boil water in a big pot. Put the frozen florets then boil. Remove the broccoli and dip in ice water and drain using a paper towel. Cook the bacon until crisp. Afterward, drain with a paper towel. Remove the excess fat on the pan. Add garlic with the red onions and then cook for 4 minutes and allow the vegetable to soften. Mix the broccoli, onions, garlic, sliced almonds, grapes and bacon in a large bowl. Mix it gently.

Use a small sized bowl and mix all the remaining ingredients using a wire whisk. Add the mixture to the salad while stirring it gently until all salad is coated. Store the salad in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then serve.

For more information on Quick Dinner Recipes and Quick Meals- Salads and Sandwiches please visit our website.

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Nigerian Salad Recipe - How to Make Your Own

2012-01-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

The Nigerian Salad is a special salad recipe native to Nigeria. It is such a unique salad recipe that even if one ingredient is left out, it loses its special taste. This is why Nigerians all over the world always seek this salad recipe in the quest to get the exact taste and richness of the Nigerian Salad. Foreigners who have been lucky to taste this salad also ask for the recipe right after tasting it.

The Nigerian Salad is so filling that it can be eaten as a meal on its own or as a side dish to the various Nigerian Rice Recipes - the Jollof Rice, the Nigerian Fried Rice, the Nigerian Coconut Rice, the Nigerian White Rice and Tomato Stew to name a few. It can also be eaten with the Nigerian Moi Moi. To make the Nigerian Salad with the unique salad taste, you just need to follow the steps detailed below to the letter.

The quantities of ingredients stated are what will give a typical taste of the Nigerian Salad. The ratio of the quantities can be halved or doubled and the same taste will be achieved.

Ingredients:

1 medium bunch of Lettuce
5 medium-sized Carrots
4 small pieces of Irish Potatoes
2 medium pieces of Cucumber
3 medium Eggs
1 415 gram tin of Baked Beans in tomato sauce
200 grams of Sweet Corn
5 pieces of Plum Tomatoes
Salad Dressing - The Heinz Salad Cream works best with this salad recipe. A close substitute is the Heinz Caeser Salad Cream. Mayonnaise can be used as a last resort but it needs to be diluted with vegetable oil as it is too thick for the Nigerian Salad recipe.

Before you Prepare the Nigerian Salad:

Wash and cook the Irish potatoes till done. The eggs should also be hard-boiled. To save time, the Irish potatoes and the eggs can be cooked in the same pot as they need almost equal amount of time to get done.

All the vegetables need to be washed.
Cut the lettuce into thin shreds.
Scrape and shred the carrots using a grater.
Peel and cut the boiled potatoes into sizeable cubes.
Peel, remove the seeds and cut the cucumber as shown. If you want more green color in your salad, you may peel the cucumber in stripes.
Remove the seeds from the plum tomatoes and cut into small cubes.
Place all the cut vegetables in separate containers.
Open the sweet corn and drain the preservation water. Rinse the seeds and set aside. Also open the baked beans tin and set aside.
Remove the shells of the hard-boiled eggs, slice with an egg slicer and set aside.

Follow these steps when preparing the Nigerian Salad

With the exception of the egg, start putting the salad ingredients in small batches into a big salad bowl. You can start with the lettuce, followed by the tomatoes, then potatoes, sweet corn, baked beans, cucumber, carrots then back to lettuce. Repeat the process till all the ingredients are exhausted. This method of making the Nigerian Salad helps the juice from each of the ingredients to seep into others.
Now, place the sliced eggs on the salad, covering the top.
Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for at least one hour. This is to give all the Nigerian Salad ingredients time to blend with each other. In addition, the Nigerian Salad is best served chilled.
Serve with a salad dressing of your choice but as mentioned earlier, the classic Heinz Salad cream works best with the Nigerian Salad.

Notes and Tips.

If you prefer your own salad crunchy, you can substitute the lettuce with cabbage. Instead of taking out the lettuce entirely, you can use the two as the lettuce adds a green color to the salad. Afterall this recipes is not only about the taste but about color too.

The above are the minimum ingredients for making a Nigerian Salad. More ingredients such as boiled macaroni, corned beef, green bell pepper, green peas etc can be added to the Nigerian Salad for varied flavour.

The Nigerian Salad will be good for 24 hours if no salad dressing is added to it.

If you are able to buy a baby cucumber, it may not be necessary to remove the seeds.

Enjoy!

I am Maky Patrick. More Nigerian Recipes can be found at http://www.allnigerianrecipes.com/

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

Tomato Salad Recipe: Two Great Tomato Salad Recipes

2012-01-16T11:48:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for a tasty tomato salad recipe? If you look online, there many different tomato salad recipes available. Tomato salads are great, because they are very tasty, easy to make, and you can serve tomato salads with many different meals. You can serve it with many different dishes. You can serve it with burgers, steaks, chicken salad, roasted chicken. You can serve it with sandwiches, such as egg salad sandwiches, pork sandwiches, turkey sandwiches, steak sandwiches and many more. There are lots of different tomato salad recipes to choose from. Read this article for tomato salad recipes!

And how about different dressings for your salads? You can make a ton of different salad dressings, and they all taste great! You can dress it with just olive oil, or with a bit of lemon juice, or with olive oil and vinegar. There are tons of delicious dressings that you can make to dress your salad.

If you are looking for Tomato Mozzarella Salad Recipe, this is a very easy recipe that you can make fast and it will taste great. Just combine fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. You can dress this salad very lightly and you are done!

Or, you can combine chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and dill, lightly dress it with some oil and vinegar and you will a delicious Tomato Cucumber Salad that you can serve.

For a great and very tasty tomato salad recipe, take a look these two great recipes:

1. Tomato Mozzarella Salad.

Check out this great looking and great tasting dish! Because this tomato mozzarella salad has red tomatoes, white mozzarella and green basil, the colors look great together, and the dish tastes great too. The combination of fresh mozzarella cheese, red tomatoes and green basil makes this dish great to look at, and it also makes the salad very tasty! Plus, when you are adding an herb such as basil, which add green color, you will make the salad even tastier and even more colorful.

This tomato salad is very easy to make. Just combine chopped tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese and basil. Use a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to lightly dress this salad. Or, skip the vinegar and just use olive oil to dress it - it will still be very tasty.

2. Tomato Cucumber Salad.

Here is another very easy dish that you can make. For this dish you will need cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and dill.

Here is how to make this tomato cucumber salad. Chop the cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and dill. Combine tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and dill and dress the salad lightly with some red wine vinegar and olive oil.

Check out Tomato Mozzarella Salad and information on salad bowls for making the salads.

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

Healthy Pasta Salad Recipes That Are Easy

2012-01-16T11:45:00.001-08:00

You can use any kind of cooked pasta to make a pasta salad recipe - whole wheat pasta, pasta shells, spirals, macaroni or anything else you like. Pasta salad recipes tend to be very simple and you can combine various ingredients to make it.

Three Good Ideas for Pasta Salad

Combine cooked pasta with mayonnaise, tuna and sweetcorn kernels for a very easy tuna salad recipe. You might like to add salt and pepper to taste, as well as a tiny bit of ketchup or tomato puree to complement the fish flavor. Use low fat mayonnaise to make this recipe healthier. Alternatively, try sour cream, creme fraiche or yogurt.

Mix cooked pasta with creme fraiche or yogurt, chopped boiled egg, smoked salmon and capers for a gourmet style salad. Again, add salt and pepper to taste. You can also add a little curry powder to this one. If you are looking for starter recipes ideas, this might be unusual enough if you serve it in a lettuce leaf or on a chicory leaf. It is certainly tasty enough.

A third recipe would be to add creme fraiche with chopped frankfurters and tomatoes. This is a quick and easy salad recipe. Try adding some well drained pineapple chunks or broiled, chopped onion too.

Tips for Pasta Salad Recipes

The key to a good salad is to let your creativity loose. Throw in any ingredients you think would go nicely and season the salad accordingly. Use leftover chopped chicken or fish, as well as any vegetables past their prime which need to be used up.

You can even add fruit and nuts if you are going for an eastern style. Add some sour cream or yogurt instead of the mayonnaise to keep the calories and fat down, and add a pinch of curry powder and maybe also some chili powder or a little hot sauce. Remember, a little goes a long way when using strong spices and sauces.

Combine your homemade healthy pasta salad recipe with some lettuce and another salad - maybe an orange avocado salad, or something equally delicious, for a complete meal.

Salad is versatile and it can be a good starter recipe, lunch or dinner. Do not be afraid to use your imagination when making these recipes. Also, bear in mind that a colourful recipe is usually more tempting and appetizing than a boring one, so use plenty of colourful vegetables and other striking ingredients.

You can find plenty of wonderful salad inspiration and the best starter recipes at StarterRecipes.co.uk - recipes which suit every occasion and palate.

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

The Best Salad Options For Diabetics

2012-01-16T11:44:00.000-08:00

The best salad options for diabetics are definitely a healthy well-balanced nutritious one. The most beneficial ingredient in your salad is to choose leafy greens; these have the most nutrients that help diabetics. Another important part of your diabetic diet is to include beans and legumes, they are not only healthy and nutritious but they make a great compliment to your salads.

Following are a couple of recipes that are the best salad options for diabetics:

Fresh Chickpea Salad

3 finely grated carrots

1 large capsicum finely sliced

1 punnet of cherry tomatoes

1 red onion finely chopped

1 400g can of chickpeas, drained

1 packet of mixed salad greens

Yoghurt Dressing

1 bunch of parsley

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

1 to 2 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 teaspoons of curry powder

teaspoon of salt

teaspoon of ground black pepper

300g fat free yoghurt

Method

Combine all your ingredients together except for your salad greens in a large bowl, add the combined yoghurt dressing into the bowl and toss gently until well combined. Place your salad greens onto your serving plate and place your vegetable mixture on top and serve.

Rocket & Salmon Pasta Salad

1 packet of Penne pasta

200g of smoked salmon, sliced

2 teaspoons of olive oil

3 garlic cloves finely crushed

1 400g can of cannellini beans, drained

2 zucchini's, grated

1 packet of baby spinach sliced

1 small packet of rocket

1 grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Cracked pepper to taste

Method

Cook pasta until al dente, drain and place in a large bowl. While pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a pan over medium heat and add the garlic, beans, zucchini and baby spinach and cook for around five minutes or until the spinach has wilted. Toss the mixture through the pasta with the rocket and salmon. Add the lemon zest and juice and season with cracked pepper to taste. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

The basis for all salads should include some type of leafy green like watercress, dandelion greens, arugula, and others that are in the lettuce family; the least nutritious is the iceberg lettuce.

Raw vegetables are a wonderful accompaniment to all salads as well. You need to make sure that when you add a dressing to your salads that it is of nutritional benefit and does not include too much fat. Make sure that all your ingredients are low in carbohydrates.

The best salad options for diabetics is to include a good balance of all the different types of salads and vegetables that are available fresh and low in GI so that you can achieve optimum health.

Sue Kennedy is the author of the physician-endorsed e-book "Defeat Diabetes Now," and operates a membership channel devoted to health & wellness. Readers of her book also receive instant access to expert interviews, articles, diet plans and other resources designed to maintain optimum health and prevent disease. Learn how you can defeat diabetes now.

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

Typical French Salad Recipes

2012-01-16T11:35:00.000-08:00

French cuisine is all about using classic cooking techniques and fresh produce to make mouthwatering dishes. French cooking is famous all over the world and dishes from French onion soup to duck a l'orange are served all over the globe.

Perhaps you are more familiar with those dishes than French salads but if you are looking for ideas for spring and summer recipes, French salads are exciting, vibrant, healthy and really flavorful.

Ideas for the Best Salads

Fruit is popular in French salads and you might find recipes calling for pear, apple or melon. Citrus dressings and vinaigrettes are also used to make French salads. Raspberries or strawberries with a balsamic vinegar glaze can be served in French salads or similar seasonal fruit with the sharpness of balsamic vinegar and perhaps some sugar and black pepper to draw out the juices.

Vegetables are always popular in salads and these might be grilled, steamed or raw. There are various recipes for potato salad and French potato salad tends to be flavored with dill or another fresh herb and served warm. Seafood, meat or poultry might also feature.

Top Ingredients for Delectable Salads

Roasted beets are another example of a popular French ingredient. What about a famous carrot salad with a lemon and mustard dressing? These salad recipes make wonderful side dishes.

Walnuts, blue cheese, fennel, cucumber, tomatoes, fresh mint and more can be combined to enhance these recipes and there are literally hundreds of French salads that you can recreate yourself. You can bulk out a salad with fava beans, lentils or another type of pulse, or you can use rice or potatoes. If you want to serve a salad as an entree, it is good to use some filling ingredients so the salad will be satisfying.

Recipe for Salad Nicoise with Seafood

This delicious authentic French salad recipe serves four people and the combination of grilled seafood, fresh salad vegetables, French vinaigrette and more is a winning mixture and this salad is really impressive, both in terms of appearance and flavor.

What you will need:

16 romaine lettuce leaves
12 oz salmon fillet
4 hardboiled eggs
16 black olives
1 zucchini
3/4 lb green beans
8 jumbo shrimp
8 sea scallops
1 tablespoon capers
4 Roma tomatoes
1 yellow bell pepper
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons French vinaigrette
8 leaves chopped fresh basil (optional)

How to make it:

Cut the salmon fillet, eggs and tomatoes into quarters. Cut the zucchini into 1/4 inch slices. Shell and halve the shrimp. Cut the bell pepper into strips. Cut the beans into two inch pieces and steam them until they are al dente.

Brush 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette over the zucchini and seafood, then grill it six inches above glowing coals or over a low to moderate heat. Grill the zucchini and scallops for six minutes per side and the shrimp and salmon for four minutes per side.

Divide the lettuce, eggs, olives, beans, capers, tomatoes and bell pepper between four chilled salad plates, and then arrange the warm grilled seafood on top. Drizzle the rest of the vinaigrette over the salad and serve with the basil sprinkled over the top.

There is no doubt that French cuisine is one of the most flavorful in the world. If you want to try this cuisine for yourself, what about starting with a classic recipe like French onion soup? A recipe for the best French onion soup makes a great supper or appetizer for a dinner party and it is so easy to make.

FrenchOnionSoups.com - Simple, Elegant, Perfection; Soup the Way it Was Meant to Be!

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

Creative Layer Salad Recipes

2012-01-16T11:22:00.000-08:00

If you like to make authentic Mexican food recipes, perhaps you have already made a layer salad, since these are well loved in Mexico. A layer salad is exactly as it sounds, and that is a salad made in layers. These salads are usually made in glass bowls so each layer is clearly visible.

Salads made in layers are great if you want to make an impressive looking buffet table centerpiece. The colorful layers are certainly eye-catching and you can make a recipe like this in less than fifteen minutes if you do not have to cook or thaw any of the ingredients.

Salad Making Tips

The fun thing about making layer salads is that you can unleash your imagination, mixing different textures, colors, and ingredients. Try combining crunchy ingredients like tortilla chips or nuts with soft ones like boiled egg or grated cheese. Mix and match brightly colored foods for a spectacular result.

A lot of recipes for a layered salad will tell you to make the salad the day before you want to serve it and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. Not only does this mean the flavors can mingle and merge, but it also means you can make the dish a day in advance. Make ahead recipes are often handy if you know the following day is going to be busy.

International Layer Salads

If you are a fan of Mexican food, you can use Mexican ingredients like tomatoes, guacamole, cheese, onions, tortilla chips, salsa, corn, and sour cream. You might like to make an Asian salad instead, in which you can use water chestnuts, grated carrot, bean sprouts, peanuts, and other eastern ingredients.

Fusion style salad recipes are also fun to make because you can mix and match ingredients from different cuisines and still get amazing results. Combine your favorite authentic Mexican food recipes ingredients with some Asian, French, or German ingredients for example, for an unusual yet mouthwatering result.

Recipe for a Colorful Layer Salad

This is a tasty and colorful layer salad recipe. It is best to let it sit in the refrigerator overnight so the different flavors can blend and merge together.

Feel free to change any of the ingredients. Perhaps you have a few vegetables in the refrigerator to use up and a layer salad is a great way of doing just that.

What you will need:

2 heads romaine lettuce
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
10 oz shredded cheddar cheese
10 oz frozen corn kernels
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 cups chopped celery

How to make it:

Chop the lettuce and arrange it over the bottom of a glass bowl. Next, add a layer of bell pepper, then half the celery and then half the corn kernels. Layer the rest of the celery on top, then the rest of the corn.

Combine the sugar, vinegar, and mayonnaise and spread this mixture on top of the layer salad Sprinkle the cheese on top. Cover the salad and chill it overnight.

Perhaps you enjoy making easy Mexican recipes, in which case a simple Mexican food recipe like layer salad with plenty of salsa, guacamole, corn, tortilla chips and more could make a fantastic lunch or dinner for your family.

MexicanFoodRecipes.org When it has to be Real Authentic Mexican Food.

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

Exciting Chicken Salad Recipes

2012-01-16T03:43:00.001-08:00

Salad is versatile and can be an appetizer, a lunch, a snack or a dinner. If you are going to serve salad as an entree, it will need to be satisfying and filling enough. Lettuce leaves are a nice garnish but they do not tend to satisfy a hungry person very much! If you enjoy grilled chicken recipes, what about making a grilled chicken salad for dinner?

Grilled chicken has an incredible flavor and you can use it to make the most delicious chicken salad recipes. One great idea is to serve a warm chicken salad. Make a bed of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, chopped cabbage and anything else you want, for the base, and then top it with a mixture of warm grilled chicken and crumbled bacon.

Add blue cheese and walnut halves and serve some Caesar dressing or ranch dressing on the side. Chopped pineapple, pine nuts, maraschino cherries, black olives or raisins would also be nice with such a salad.

Instead of serving grilled chicken with a salad, what about a smoked chicken salad? Smoked chicken tastes fantastic and you can add it to any salad recipe to give an extra flavor dimension.

Even processed chicken slices can be chopped and added to a mixed salad, but cooking some boneless chicken pieces and adding those to a salad is the best way to make the most appealing and wonderful chicken salad recipes.

How to Make a Fancy Chicken Salad

If you are looking for chicken salad recipes which are suitable for a dinner party, you will also want them to look elegant. Use mixed salad leaves and arrange smoked chicken or grilled chicken on top.

For a buffet you will want to serve the dressing on the side, else the salad might go soggy after a while. Use fresh herbs for an elegant garnish and perhaps some colorful ingredients like cherry tomatoes, chopped fresh peach or fresh cilantro to add visual appeal.

Recipe for Grilled Chicken Salad with a Lime Dressing

This recipe is simple to make and the warm grilled chicken is served on a bed of lettuce which has been tossed with a lime dressing. A smooth, delicious peanut butter sauce is drizzled over the top and this Asian inspired recipe is sure to thrill anyone you serve it to. This recipe makes enough for two people.

You will need:

2 warm grilled chicken breasts
4 tablespoons hot water
4 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon ground ginger
4 teaspoons honey mustard
1 teaspoon black pepper
7 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 head iceberg lettuce
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup lime juice
2 cloves minced garlic
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

How to make it:

Combine the peanut butter, hot water, soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil in one bowl. Mix together the lime juice, honey, honey mustard, salt, pepper, oil and garlic in another bowl and stir in the lettuce.

Divide the lime and lettuce mixture between two bowls. Slice the chicken breast and arrange it on top of the lettuce. Drizzle the peanut butter sauce on top and serve.

You can serve chicken salad recipes at any occasion and these recipes range from basic and healthy to luxurious and gourmet. If you enjoy grilled chicken recipes why not make a grilled chicken salad, pairing the warm, juicy chicken with your favorite salad leaves and salad dressing?

BonelessChickenRecipe.com - Chicken so delightfully moist, you can almost smell it through your monitor.

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

Salad Recipes That Are Delicious For All and That Includes Diabetics!

2012-01-16T03:40:00.001-08:00

The salad recipes in this article are tasty for one and all and that does include diabetics. If you are diabetic, cook for a diabetic or plan to entertain a diabetic, these salad recipes can be included in your recipe files. The first recipe is for a Ginger and Lime Vinaigrette you can use on your favorite salad. The other recipes are for salads. Garbanzo beans are one of the healthiest foods for diabetics so the Zucchini Garbanzo Salad is perfect for a diabetic's meal. The Apple Salad is perfect for those who prefer mostly fruit in their salads.

GINGER & LIME VINAIGRETTE
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp canola or extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger*
dash of salt
dash of freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together using a wire whisk. Serve over pasta or green salads.

ZUCCHINI GARBANZO SALAD
3 medium zucchini
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp white vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 cup olive or canola oil
1 cup garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 cup sliced pitted black olives
3 green onions, minced
1 canned chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce, drained, seeded, minced
1 ripe avocado
3 tbsp grated Romano cheese
1 head Boston lettuce, cored, separated into leaves
sliced tomatoes for garnish
fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish

Cut the zucchini lengthwise in half and then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Place in a medium bowl with the salt and toss to mix. Spread zucchini out on multiple layers of paper towels and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes to drain.

Combine the vinegar, garlic, and thyme in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil in a steady stream and continue whisking until thoroughly blended.

Pat the zucchini dry and add to the dressing. Add the beans, olives, and green onions tossing lightly to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

Add the chipotle chili to the salad just before serving. Stir gently to mix in. Peel, pit, and cut the avocado into 1/2-inch cubes. Add the avocado and the Romano cheese; toss lightly to mix.

Serve in a shallow lettuce-lined bowl or rimmed plate. Garnish with the sliced tomatoes and cilantro sprigs, if desired.

CHOPPED APPLE SALAD
1/2 cup lite mayonnaise
1 tsp Splenda Granulated
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cups chopped apples*
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 cup halved grapes
2 tbsp toasted chopped walnuts

In a large bowl combine the Splenda with the mayonnaise and cinnamon. Add the chopped apples, the celery and the grapes; toss to coat well. Refrigerate approximately 1 hour. Sprinkle with the chopped walnuts before serving.

*May use 2 cups chopped apples + 1 cup chopped pears

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information visit http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com
For her old fashion recipe collection visit her at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

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

What Is Greek Yogurt - How to Make Greek Yogurt At Home

2012-01-09T17:06:00.001-08:00

We know that there are several types of yogurts which come in different tastes and flavors. But what is Greek Yogurt and how does it differ from regular yogurt? Well, Greek Yogurt is made by straining plain yogurt in a muslin cloth or paper filter to remove the whey from the yogurt. This type of yogurt therefore has a thicker consistency between that of regular yogurt and cheese, although it retains the distinct sour taste of plain yogurt.

The milk from which the yogurt is prepared is normally boiled thoroughly to extract some of the water. The milk is also made thicker by adding thickening agents if required. This yogurt normally has a higher content of live and active culture present in it than regular yogurt.

How to Make Greek Yogurt At Home

You can prepare Greek Yogurt at home with the normal ingredients you already have in your kitchen.

1. Take two cups of low-fat, plain yogurt.

2. Strain the yogurt using cheese cloth or paper towels for about two to three hours.

3. After straining, add vanilla and sweetener to the mix. Use maple syrup or honey as sweetener.

4. Store in a refrigerator. It stays fresh for several days.

5. Serve the yogurt as topping for fresh fruit. Add cocoa or cinnamon for flavor.

Starting with two cups of yogurt, you can have about 8 servings. This is a much healthier alternative as a tasty topping when compared to whipped cream. If you want a swirly topping, add chocolate or strawberry sauce and mix it a little.

If you wish to have a good energy breakfast, granola and Greek Yogurt are a great combination. If you want a tasty dipping sauce for citrus fruits, strawberries or your chocolate cookies, you can again use homemade yogurt. Another great morning or evening meal is yogurt mixed with three pairs of walnut halves and one tablespoon of natural honey.

For people on a weight loss regimen, Greek Yogurt is a great choice. It comes packed with proteins and keeps you feeling full, helping you cut down on the quantity of food intake. It also has a lower fat content, which again helps greatly in cutting down weight.

Making Greek Yogurt a regular part of your diet can make you stay healthy and lose excess weight. It also provides you with a long list of tasty dishes to add to your repertoire.

What is Greek Yogurt? Visit http://www.whatisgreekyogurt.com/ to find out more.

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

The Best Vegetable Juice Recipes

2012-01-09T16:54:00.001-08:00

If you're wondering how on earth you're ever going to eat your "Minimum Daily Requirement" of fruits and vegetables each day, here's a quick and easy solution. Juicing!

The "MDR" varies according to your age, but to simplify it's about 2-3 cups each of fruits and vegetables for adult men and a half cup less of each for women. But remember that the "M" in MDR stands for the minimum amount needed to maintain a healthy body as determined by the US Department of Agriculture nutritional research, not the optimum amount that makes you feel your best!

Whether your goal is minimum or optimum, juicing is the fastest way to ingest and absorb all the nutrients in fruits and vegetables. One pound of produce makes just one cup of fresh juice, so a glass or two a day will do it! And because juicing separates the juice from the fiber, your body absorbs more nutrients faster than if you had eaten the fruit or vegetable whole. And keep in mind that store-bought juice must be pasteurized. This process destroys many good nutrients such as enzymes. And commercially made juice is not fresh or chemical-free.

Juicing is also the best way to ingest green vegetables. These are considered "superfoods" because they are packed with minerals, protein, and alkalizing nutrients, but they are not very tasty. You can simply eliminate their bitter taste by juicing them with other more flavorful foods such as carrots, apples, berries, and bananas.

You can use your creative juices and experiment with fruit and vegetable combinations that suit your taste. If you're worried about wasting time and expensive produce on combos that might taste terrible, just pick up a juicing recipe book to guide you. It will also provide combinations that prevent and even fight a wide variety of illnesses.

Here are my absolute favorite vegetable juice recipes - one for the sweet tooth and one that's spicy:

Sweet Veggie Juice

6 carrots - only peel half the surface!

2 stalks celery - with the greens!

2 sprigs mint or 1"ginger

Spicy Veggie Juice

2 tomatoes - skin and all!

1 carrot

1 stalk celery

½ beet

1 leaf spinach

½ handful fresh parsley

4 sprigs watercress

sea salt and pepper to taste

Worcestershire sauce to taste

Horseradish to taste

Remember to wash your produce to reduce pesticides. Better yet use your own garden grown or farmers' market organic produce to eliminate chemicals altogether. Even large grocery stores now have organic lines of fruits and vegetables - they cost a bit more, but your health is well worth it!

Most juicing appliances are made to be durable so you can juice stems and seeds without harming the appliance. Pits and large seeds should be removed as well as hard husks and skins. Most juicers will clog if you throw in a banana or avocado, so place these in a blender and then combine it with your juiced produce. If you don't want to buy a juicer, you can use a blender but you have to strain the juice or it tastes sandy!

Some people juice entire citrus fruits, rind and all, such as lemons, limes, oranges, and even grapefruit! I'm not one of them. I discard the peel, but I do juice that white pith which is packed with nutrients. Melons also can be juiced in their entire, just beware that the skin adds bitterness to the flavor.

And one more quick tip, don't bother to store your juice by refrigerating or freezing - most of the nutrients value is lost after 24 hours. Some foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, and melon, start losing their nutrients right after you juice them. So it's best to drink your fresh juice right away. If you must store something, freeze the produce, not the juice.

Absolutely nothing is more thirst quenching and good for you - and your children! - than a quick glass of home-made juice. And with juicing, there's no cooking and no pans to clean. So start juicing today!

Jan Gilbert is dedicated to promoting the amazing benefits of freshly juiced, organic fruits and vegetables. Click here for more juicing tips, recipes, and recipe books.

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

Dairy-Free and Vegan Potato Salad Recipe With A Kick of An Unexpected Spice

2012-01-09T16:49:00.001-08:00

This meat-free & dairy-free potato salad will have you getting rid of the usual & predictable conventional potato salad for sure. In the event your family holiday gatherings are anything like mine, people are asking "where is the potato salad" as soon as they hit the door. This dairy-free, Curried Potato dish is a far cry from the everyday "yellow" or "southern style" potato salad that you've been served year-end and year out. Add a little spice and a unique flavor to your holiday menu. Your guests will welcome the change!

Dairy-Free Curried Potato Salad Recipe:

Potato Salad Dressing:

Ingredients:

·Vegetable or Olive Oil for sautee

·Small chopped red onion

·1 chopped red bell pepper

·1/2 small finely chopped jalapeño pepper

·1 teaspoon celery salt

·1 teaspoon ground cumin

·1 teaspoon ground coriander

·1 teaspoon turmeric

·2 tablespoons of curry powder

·1 cup of raisins (make sure you soak them first in hot water)

·Fresh juice of 1 lime or lemon

·1 cup of Veganise

·2 teaspoons of chopped cilantro

Dressing Directions:

1. In a small skillet, drizzle oil, over medium heat, and allow to get warm. Add the onions, bell peppers, and jalapeño peppers. Cook vegetables until they are soft. Next, add the celery salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and curry powder. Cook for about 5 minutes. To de-glaze the pan and get the spices from the bottom of the pan, drizzle some lemon juice in the pan.

2. In a food processor or blender, add the vegetable mixture and raisins. Pulse until chopped and smooth. Add half of the lime or lemon juice and the veganaise and cilantro and continue to pulse. Next add the dressing to a bowl and add the remainder of the lime or lemon juice. Stir well and refrigerate.

Salad Ingredients:

·1 pound of cooked and cubed red skinned potatoes

·1/2 pkg of drained extra firm tofu

·1/2 cup of raisins (make sure these have been soaked in hot water)

·Chopped cilantro (optional)

Salad Directions:

1. In a large bowl, crumble the extra firm tofu (with your hands). Next, add the cubed potatoes, raisins and cilantro and toss well.

2. Next, add the dressing to the salad and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Which dishes do you "traditionally" serve during the holidays? Is potato salad among them? What are a few of your favorite potato based meals?

Want to watch EJ as she prepares this delicious recipe? Watch this vegan curried potato salad video recipe. Ebony Johnson is a vegetarian and a vegetarian cooking enthusiast and the creator of Vegetarian Like Me. She invites you to visit Vegetarian Like Me at http://www.vegetarianlikeme.com to help you become a healthier and more informed vegetarian. Get access to vegetarian and vegan articles, tips, and vegetarian video recipes. To receive your 5 Free Vegetarian Video Recipes, visit today to join the vegetarian revolution.

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

Three Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

2012-01-09T16:45:00.001-08:00

Vegetarian dinner recipes are getting easier and easier to find now that many people are more focused on their available healthy choices. Vegetarians and meat eaters alike will love to add these three recipes into their general dinner recipes box. The following three recipes are tasty and quick to make. The three recipes are going to be a pizza, a curry, and a stroganoff, to show what kind of variety you can have when cooking vegetarian.

The first one is an Arugula and Goat Cheese Pizza. Many people have problems with the red sauce that comes standard on most pizza so this one has a pesto sauce instead, and this pizza is so so tasty with the fresh goat cheese and flavorful arugula.

ARUGULA AND GOAT CHEESE PIZZA

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium to large unbaked pizza crust

6 tablespoons pesto sauce

3 fresh roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 (8 oz) package seasoned goat cheese

2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

1 cup fresh arugula

1 teaspoon olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven according to pizza crust instructions.

Dab pesto onto the center of the crust and spread toward the outer edges. Cut goat cheese into thin coins, and crumble across the pizza. Arrange tomato slices over goat cheese. Sprinkle with garlic. Brush the edges of the crust lightly with the olive oil.

Place your pizza directly on preheated oven rack. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes but check frequently and take out when the crust edges are golden.

After removing pizza from the oven, allow to cool for a few minutes so that the feta has time to set, then cover the pizza with a few handfuls of arugula. Cut generous slices and serve.

This second recipe is an easy vegetarian curry. Once done, serve over rice or quinoa with a generous side of salad. This one is especially good if you have no garden or fresh produce nearby, as these ingredients are easily found at your local grocer.

AN EASY VEGETARIAN CURRY

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 1/2 tablespoons curry powder

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 cube vegetable bouillon

1 (10 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables

1 1/2 cups water

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

Using a large saucepan over medium-high, heat oil and saute onion and garlic until golden.
Stir in the curry powder and tomato paste, cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in your tomatoes, the vegetable bouillon, frozen mixed vegetables, water, salt and pepper to taste.
Cook for about 30 minutes until vegetables are well done (not crunchy).
Sprinkle with the fresh cilantro prior to serving with rice or quinoa.

This last recipe is a stroganoff and has a rich sauce with the portobello mushrooms served over egg noodles.

PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM STROGANOFF

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, chopped

3/4 pound portobello mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups sour cream

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

8 ounces dried egg noodles

DIRECTIONS:

Bring large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Add the egg noodles and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes or follow the package instructions. Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.

While noodes are cooking, melt the butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring until softened. Turn heat up to medium-high and add sliced portobello mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are limp and browned, then remove to a bowl and set aside.

In the same large skillet, stir in vegetable broth, being sure to get all browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and cook until the mixture has reduced by 1/3. Reduce heat to low, and return the mushrooms and onion mixture to the skillet.

Remove the pan from the heat, stir together the sour cream and flour; then blend into the mushroom sauce. Return the skillet to the burner, and continue cooking over low heat just until the sauce thickens. Stir in the parsle, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over cooked egg noodles.

These three vegetarian dinner recipes are sure to be enjoyed by all your family, and just check out the website as I will be adding these and other recipes to there on a further basis.

Tracy is a semi-vegetarian but has 4 other vegetarian family members that have to be cooked for daily. That is why I am always looking for vegetarian dinner recipes to test and share with others.

http://www.evegetarianrecipes.org

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

Vegan Galla Pinto, Black Beans and Rice Recipe

2012-01-09T16:41:00.001-08:00

8 oz dried organic black beans
10 cups water
1 Tbsp Salsa Lizano or Worcestershire - you can find vegan brands if you'd like
1 Tbsp organic cold pressed coconut oil
1 small white onion diced
1 small green pepper
1 small red pepper
1/2 cup white rice
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp Salsa Lizano or Worcestershire
1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid from beans

Star by sorting through the black beans, picking out any deformed ones and then rinse.

Add the beans to a pot and cover with 2 inches of water. Soak them overnight.

Drain and rinse beans, then add 10 cups of water, 1 Tbsp Salsa Lizano or Worcestershire (vegan or otherwise).

Bring beans to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cover loosely. Let simmer for 2.5 hours stirring occasionally.

Drain beans, but reserve 1/2 cup of the black bean cooking liquid.

Dice the onion and peppers (I pulse mine in the food processor, while they are not as pretty it certainly is faster and it still tastes the same).

Heat the coconut oil in a deep skillet or pot, add the half cup of rice, and stir for 2 minutes.

Next add the diced onion and peppers and stir for another two minutes.

Add salt, pepper, 1 tsp Salsa Lizano, and the reserved cooking liquid. Bring all this to a boil then reduce to a low simmer and cover and cook for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes the rice should be cooked, add drained beans and cook for another couple of minutes on medium high heat. I say only a couple of minutes, but keep checking anyway. Adjust seasonings to your liking.

Serve plain or with diced tomatoes for the vegan version or for the not so vegan version, with a fried egg on top (my favorite), cheese, and sour cream if you like. Either way, Gallo Pinto tastes amazing.

This dish is full of protein, from the beans, while having Vitamins A, B, C, E and K from the onion and green and red pepper. Other minerals include: manganese, folate, potassium and copper. Gallo Pinto will fill you up and give you strength for the rest of your day. This dish will also make about six to eight servings and it will stay fresh in the fridge for about 5 days. This recipe may seem intimidating to make, but the first time is always the hardest. Each time I make this recipe, it gets easier.

Find all organic recipes on FoodaSaurusRex! Gluten-free and vegan recipes too. Really whatever I have in my fridge and looks good to make, but always healthy. Some gluten-free beer and sulfite-free organic wine reviews.

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

Just In Time For Your Holidays - Vegan Friendly Pumpkin Spice Bread Recipe

2012-01-09T16:23:00.001-08:00

The sound of relatives and company chattering and laughing as the aroma of dairy-free spice pumpkin bread tickles your guests' noses and Vince Guaraldi's "A Charlie Brown Christmas" plays in the background, are some of my favorite memories of the holiday festivities and being surrounded by the people who are significant in my life. Food is the centerpiece of family functions and holiday parties, so naturally you want to make sure you put your best "dishes" forward and have a wide assortment of tantalizing treats on display. This vegan spiced pumpkin bread is an easy addition to complement your meat-free or vegan holiday feast. If your celebration menu is already maxed out with your traditional favorites, give your guests a piece of the evening to enjoy once they get home, by wrapping (in a cute and decorative cellophane wrap) these egg-free and dairy-free loaves of sumptuousness and giving them to your friends to take home with them. Who could resist the present of food? Even better, you could share this vegan recipe with your other vegetarian and vegan friends so that they can bake this bread whenever the mood sets in.

Ingredients:

Bread

1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon all spice

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup of sugar

1/3 cup of brown sugar

½ cup of softened vegan margarine

1 cup canned purée pumpkin

½ cup of plain soy yogurt

1 teaspoon rum extract

2 teaspoons chopped ginger

2 teaspoons grated orange peel

1 cup of raisins

Glaze

1 ¼ cup of powdered sugar

1 tablespoon of vanilla or plain soy milk

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x5 inch loaf pan with vegetable oil spray. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, cloves, and baking powder.

2. In a mixer or food processor, mix the sugar, pumpkin, soy yogurt, rum extract, ginger, and orange peel. Mix until the batter is well-blended and smooth. Slowly pour in the flour mixture, a little bit at a time, until fully blended. Next, add the raisins and pulse for about 1 minute. Pour batter into loaf pan.

3. Bake the bread batter for 60 minute or until the edges pull away slightly from the sides of the pan and the center of the bread springs back when lightly touched.

4. Cool bread for 15 minutes. Once bread has cooled, remove bread from pan and allow to cool completely (about 30 more minutes)

5. While bread is cooling, in a small bowl, add the powdered sugar, soy milk, and vanilla extract and whisk together until smooth. With a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the bread. Let glaze set before serving (about 10 minutes)

This bread can very easily replace a piece of pie or cake as a dessert. The vegan pumpkin spiced bread is also a great sweet appetizer that can be sliced and smothered, with the vanilla glaze, and served on a platter. If you're cooking for a large group, and you need to save time with cooking and food preparation, you can easily prepare the bread ahead of time and freeze the baked bread for as long as 2 weeks and just thaw the bread at room temperature for at least six hours just before serving. What are some of your favorite holiday memories and recipes? Do you have a specialty vegetarian or vegan dish that all your guests rave about each year? Enjoy this recipe and more importantly, enjoy the company of your family members during this holiday season.

Are you a vegetarian like Ebony Johnson? Ebony has been living a meatless lifestyle since the age of 12 and she has created "Vegetarian Like Me," designed to help fellow vegetarians become healthier and more informed. Visit http://www.vegetarianlikeme.com today to receive access to vegetarian and vegan video recipes, cooking tips, vegetarian advice, and news. So what exactly are you waiting for? Become a healthier and more informed vegetarian and start enhancing your meat-free life right now.

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

The Easy Way to Make Raw Organic Almond Milk at Home

2012-01-09T16:12:00.000-08:00

Raw Organic Almond Milk Made Easy

Have you ever woken up in the morning only to discover that when you went to your refrigerator your milk container was empty? I want to share with you how incredibly easy it is to make your own milk at home using raw organic almonds. Almond milk has no cholesterol and is free of sodium which both contribute to excellent heart health! Raw organic almond milk contains fifty percent of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin E which promotes healthy skin complexion, as well as supporting normal brain function.

The following is an easy step by step process that will help you learn how convenient it is to make raw organic almond milk from the comfort of home. Raw organic almond milk is so easy to make and adds vital nutrients to anyone's diet, providing you with energy and whole food nutrition to sustain your energy levels throughout the day!

You will need to go to a grocery store which carries raw organic almonds. Many health food stores carry a wide variety of organic foods. In my experience it is always a good idea to purchase a few pounds of raw organic almonds to keep in your cupboard. This will cut down on the amount of shopping trips to the grocery stores. It is nice to be well stocked with almonds for several weeks, depending on how much milk you and your family consume.

For the process of making almond milk at home, you only need five items. Raw organic almonds, a blender, a mixing bowl, one liter of purified water, and a nylon mesh bag that will be used to pour the blended almond milk through to strain out the almond pulp at the very end.

The first thing to do is take a cup and a half of raw organic almonds and place them into a bowl to soak. I prefer to start soaking my almonds right before I go to bed at night because they take up to eight hours to soak until they are ready to be blended into milk. The next morning when you go into your kitchen you will need to drain the soaking water out of the almonds and then be sure to rinse them with water a couple of times. The next step is to take the soaked, drained and rinsed almonds and place them into a blender. Once they are in the blender you then add one liter of purified water and blend until the mixture appears creamy in color, like milk! The last step in making raw organic almond milk at home is to place your nylon mesh bag into a mixing bowl and then slowly pour the almond and water mixture inside of the mesh bag. In order to prevent the almond pulp from getting into the strained milk you need to be careful as you are pouring the mixture through the nylon mesh bag so that it will not spill over the edges of the mesh bag as the almond pulp is being strained from the milk. This will ensure you have creamy almond milk, without granules of almond pulp. Then when the entire blend has been poured into the nylon mesh bag as it rests inside the mixing bowl, you can now carefully, holding from the top of the mesh bag, start to gently lift up the bag of milk. As you start lifting the bag up you will need to use your other hand to start slowly and gently squeezing while straining the milk through the bag while the almond pulp is being separated from the milk. Sometimes I will rotate sides of the mesh bag as I am squeezing the milk through. This will ensure you get the most milk for your money! Finally, once you have strained the milk from the pulp, you are ready to pour the raw organic almond milk into a pitcher and enjoy!

Raw organic almond milk has many health benefits. From being loaded with fifty percent of your daily value of vitamin E; supporting normal brain function and promoting healthy skin complexion, to being cholesterol and sodium free for a healthy heart! Making your own in the comfort of your home is so easy and convenient! By following these simple instructions, you are sure to wake up in the mornings with only a few easy steps that are simple, quick and make certain you've got healthy raw organic almond milk in your refrigerator for your enjoyment. Once you do you will feel wonderful knowing you are consciously choosing to support you and your family's health and nutritional needs!

Molly Ann Brock

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

Quick Cheesy Casseroles For Vegetarian Dinners

2012-01-09T16:10:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is here and that means busy days and nights. If you're looking for quick and easy dinners, stop right here. Three entrees that depend on cheese, fill the bill to fill your family's tummy. The first is cheesy broccoli and rice. Even children who don't like broccoli like this dish. The second is a spicy enchilada casserole and the third a gourmet take on mac and cheese. All three dishes are vegetarian which means they save you money.

Start off with a preparing a silky cheese sauce.

Combine 1 cup of whole milk with 1 tablespoon of flour until smooth. Heat in the saucepan until the sauce bubbles and thickens. Add 1/2 cup of your favorite shredded cheese. You'll need one cup of this sauce for every two servings. Since the ingredients below make dishes that serve four, make 2 cups.

Cheesy Broccoli

Cook 2 cups of broccoli in the microwave until it's softened but still crisp. The broccoli will finish cooking in the oven. Combine with 2 cups of cooked rice. Or use instant rice with water as the directions specify. Add 2 cups of the cheese sauce. Stir well.

Top with an additional 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Either freeze this in an air tight container for a dinner you only have to bake later or bake in a 350 F oven for 30 minutes until the dish is bubbly and the cheese melted.

Enchilada Casserole

If you can layer you can make this dish. You won't be using the cheese sauce for this dish. Add 1 teaspoon of cumin and 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to two 15 ounce cans of tomato sauce. Add more cayenne pepper for a hotter kick or add several chopped jalapeno peppers.

Spread 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Layer in five or six corn tortillas. Add another 1/2 cup of sauce and spread over the tortillas.

Slice one medium onion and layer over the tortillas. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of shredded cheese over the onions. Finish with 1/2 cup of sauce and another layer of tortillas. Spread the remaining sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle with another 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Bake 45 minutes in a 350 F oven.

Gourmet Mac and Cheese

Butter the bottom of a casserole dish. Combine 4 cups of cooked macaroni with 2 cups of cheese sauce and 2 cups of frozen defrosted peas. You don't have to cook the peas. Place in the casserole dish. Cover with a layer of breadcrumbs -- about 1 to 1/2 cups and an additional 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Heat at 350 F until the breadcrumbs are brown and the cheese topping melted. This is oh so much better than the boxed stuff.

If going vegetarian isn't your thing. Add 1 cup of chopped chicken to the rice and broccoli, 1 cup of chopped turkey, cooked ground beef or cooked diced pork to the enchilada casserole and 1 cup of cubed ham to the mac and cheese.

Dee Power is the author of several nonfiction books. Her hobbies include gardening and cooking healthy dinner recipes, and sharing her grilling tips. She lives with an Irish Setter and an English Springer Spaniel.

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

Delicious, Easy and Low Calorie Vegetarian Recipes

2012-01-09T16:05:00.001-08:00

Low calorie vegetarian recipes are the life-blood of the healthy, svelte vegetarian. Many people believe that just because they are vegetarian that they are eating a healthy diet. This may not necessarily be true. Many vegetarians consume a diet that is high in both fat and calories. Eating cheese pizza or savory desserts is a sure-fire way to be an unhealthy and chubby vegetarian.

I'm going to help you get started in the right direction by providing you with three, easy-to-prepare and low calorie vegetarian recipes. If you like these, there are many more, where these come from. Check the bottom of the article to find out how to get access to even more low calorie vegetarian recipes. Enjoy!

Low Calorie Vegetarian Recipes

1. Vegetable Wraps

o Two zucchini

o Two carrots

o ½ acocado (peeled, cored and sliced)

o 2 Tbs red onion (finely diced)

o ½ tsp dill

o ½ c. sour cream (no fat)

o Dash black pepper

o One Tbs. vinegar (red wine)

o 12 lettuce leaves (Romaine or your favorite)

Chill ingredients. Grate zucchini & carrots. Slice avocado. Mix, dill, pepper, vinegar, zucchini, red onion, carrots and sour cream. Add to vegetable mixture. Place ¼ c. of mixture in the side of the lettuce leaf. Roll and serve. Garnish with grated carrots.

2. Israel Saled

o One cucumber (peel, seed and dice)

o Two Tomatoes (fresh & diced)

o Two Chopped Green Onions

o Two Tbs. Olive Oil

o One Tbs. Lemon Juice

o ½ ts. Salt

o ¼ ts Pepper

o ½ tsp Dill

o ¼ c. Parsley (Chopped)

Papaya & Pineapple Salad

o 1 c. papaya (cube)

o 1 c. Pineapples (sliced or chunked)

o 1 lemon

o 1 Tbs. Vanilla yogurt

Mix and eat.

There you go, three tasty, easy and low calorie vegetarian recipes. Give them a try and see if you like them. Eating low calorie vegetarian recipes can be both delicious and easy. You don't have to eat cucumbers all day. You can mix it up and be both a healthy and satisfied vegetarian! To find more low calorie vegetarian recipes, take a trip to the library, the bookstore, or perform an online search. You will find plenty of fantastic low calories.

Want more easy, delicious, and low calorie vegetarian recipes. Hurry and visit Easy-Vegetarian-Recipe.com

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

Easy Vegetarian Recipes - Fast, Delicious & Easy!

2012-01-09T14:07:00.001-08:00

Easy vegetarian recipes. Millions of vegetarians are eager to find delicious and easy vegetarian recipes. Vegetarians, like other Americans are busy. With work, kids and extracurricular activities, having adequate time to prepare meals is difficult That's why finding easy vegetarian recipes is of paramount importance. This article will provide you with a few delicious options. Note, these recipes assume that you eat dairy products.

Easy Vegetarian Recipes

Cinnamon-Sugar Tortilla Crisps

5 Tortillas

2 Tbs butter

Sugar and Cinnamon to taste

2TBS oil

Butter both sides of each tortilla. Sprinkle both sides of the buttered tortilla with sugar and cinnamon. In the meantime, heat pan to medium. Fry tortillas for about 1 minute on each side. Make sure not too overcook. Your tortillas should puff up when they are ready to be turned over.

Bean Burritos

Package of tortillas

2 C of cheese

1 Can of rotel

1 Can kidney beans

1 Can navy beans

1 Package of enchilada seasoning

¼ C of water

Mix navy and kidney beans, rotel and enchilada seasoning. ½ cup of cheese and water. Bring to a simmer. Fill and roll tortillas with mixture. Top with remaining cheese. Cover for 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Easy Blueberry Pie

1 Package of ready made graham cracker crust

1 Can blueberry pie filling

2 Tbs cream cheese

1 tub whipped cream

Let whipped cream and cream cheese soften. Spread cream cheese along the bottom of the graham cracker crust. This should only be a thin layer. Add blueberry pie filling. Top the pie with softened, whipped cream. Loosely cover and let sit in fridge for 1-3 hours.

There you have it, three delicious and easy vegetarian recipes! These should help you create a tasty vegetarian meal or snack. To find more delicious and easy vegetarian recipes and articles, please visit http://easy-vegetarian-recipes.com

Visit http://Easy-Vegetarian-Recipe.com for low calorie, tasty and easy vegetarian recipes. Also find articles and information on vegetarian dieting. Delicious and easy vegetarian recipes that will fit into your lifestyle!

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

Healthy Raw Food Ice Cream Alternative

2012-01-08T16:15:00.001-08:00

If you have ever tried dieting before, you know that there are certain foods that seem impossible to give up. There is a mental connection that attaches them to good feelings, and so we call them comfort foods. Everyone's comfort foods are different, but there are some common ones that most people enjoy and have a hard time giving up. Unfortunately for us, this often stands in the way of getting to our ideal weight or health. One of the diet plans growing in popularity for health and weight loss is the raw diet. Eating a diet consisting of 50-100% raw foods can be an easy way to lose weight quickly, and people who go 100% raw have claimed health benefits ranging from lower blood pressure and cholesterol to fighting cancer and diabetes. As with any change in diet, there are bound to be some comfort foods that give you cravings when you try to leave them behind. One of America's most popular foods is ice cream. Especially during the summer months, an ice cream cone is a universal treat enjoyed by many. So, what's the problem with ice cream? For starters, it's loaded with cholesterol and saturated fats. The next time you take the pail from the freezer, check out the nutrition label, most ice cream also states the serving size as 1/2 cup, which is about half of what's normally served up. The good news is that there are delicious alternatives to ice cream. You can purchase non-dairy ice cream at the supermarket, but you can also make your own healthy recipes. My favorite ice cream alternative is Banana Fruit Creme. Which is just blended up frozen bananas. It comes out thick and creamy, just the texture of ice cream. It's also a great way to use up bananas that are getting brown. What you'll need:

at least 5 bananas, depending on how much fruit creme you want to make
a good blender or food processor

What to do:

First peel the bananas, and break each one into 3-4 pieces.
Put the pieces into tupperware and into the freezer.
Let them freeze overnight.
When you are ready to eat, put the frozen pieces into your blender with a little bit of water. Use less than 1/4 cup, you just want to help the blender to mash up the fruit.
Blend like crazy!
Enjoy right away, the fruit creme doesn't keep well in the freezer, so it's best to eat it all the first time.

This stuff is really delicious and satisfies that ice cream craving. It's a hit at parties, especially with kids. Try making a berry sauce and drizzling it over the fruit creme.

Kimberly Sawchuk has more information about raw food including easy raw food recipes at http://www.realrawhealth.com. If you or someone you know is looking to lose weight naturally or just want some questions answered about a raw food diet, check out the coaching services at http://realrawhealth.com/services/.

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

Delicious Homemade Carrot Cake Made Easy

2012-01-08T16:12:00.001-08:00

It doesn't have to be difficult to make a delicious homemade carrot cake recipe, and I'll show you exactly how with this tasty recipe right here! Out of all the carrot cake recipes I have tried, this homemade carrot cake recipe is one of the easiest and also one of the most delicious. Your kids will surely love and enjoy this yummy sweet and healthy treats.

Ingredients that you will need:

2 cups carrots (grated)
1 cup sugar (granulated)
1 cup oil (vegetable)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour (all-purpose)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs

Directions to prepare:

1. For a start you will need to preheat your oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium glass mixer bowl, mix together the vegetable oil and the sugar. Now, beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then add the vanilla to the mixture.

3. Take another bowl and mix in the dry ingredients, and then the wet ones. Now, add the carrots.

4. Grease a baking pan and pour your batter inside.

5. Now, place the baking pan in your oven for 35 minutes.

6. That's it. Now let it cool for a few moments before cutting a huge slice of your new favorite homemade carrot cake recipe. Make an extra copy of this delicious dessert for a friend as well-they will surely ask you for it!

Remember that the eggs can be eliminated from the recipe for anyone who's Vegan. The recipe is safe for people with nut allergies however Celica's may have to substitute rice flour or something similar to it.

The consistency of the batter may be slightly thinner with rice flour and the cake may not actually rise as well.

Also, if the eggs are removed from the recipe you may find that the flavor of the baking soda may become more prominent.

And finally, if nuts are not an issue, the best choice is cashews. They have a delicate sweet flavor that really compliments the cake.

Enjoy this Quick and easy homemade carrot cake recipe.This recipe is also a good alternative for children who don't like vegetables but loves eating cakes. This is definitely a healthy and yummy dessert that you will want to share with some of your closest friends and love ones.

About the Author:

Yves Casson has rich background in pastry and baking.

His flair for traditional cake recipe's can be found at Cake Recipe Secrets.

Yves latest amazing recipe is this Homemade Carrot Cake Recipe.

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

Delicious Dessert Recipes Including Pineapple Sour Cream Pie and An Almond Bundt Cake

2012-01-08T16:09:00.001-08:00

No matter how good the meal, the dessert is often what folks remember the most. The next time you are looking for a spectacular dessert try one of these recipes to end your delicious meal. These recipes are also great for having friends over for coffee and dessert if you do not have the time or money for a complete dinner party. The Pineapple Sour Cream Pie is very easy and doesn't require baking.

PINEAPPLE SOUR CREAM PIE

1 pkg (6 serving size)vanilla flavor instant pudding mix
1 can (8-oz) crushed pineapple in its own juice
2 cups sour cream
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 baked 9-inch pie shell, cooled
whipped cream for garnish, if desired
maraschino cherries for garnish, if desired

In a deep, narrow-bottomed bowl combine the pudding mix, pineapple including juice, sour cream, and sugar. Beat at the lowest speed of electric mixer for only 1 minute to blend. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell and chill for around 3 hours.

Before serving, garnish each piece with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry, if desired.

ALMOND BUNDT CAKE

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup milk
2 tbsp butter, melted
3 tbsp Amaretto*
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease and flour a Bundt pan; set aside.

In a bowl combine the flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large mixer bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the 1 cup of butter and the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the almond extract. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix well after each addition.

Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for a few minutes. Carefully remove cake and cool completely on the wire rack.

*If you do not want to use Amaretto, substitute almond extract to suit your taste.

To make glaze: Combine the melted butter, Amaretto, and powdered sugar in a bowl and mix well until smooth. Drizzle glaze over the cake allowing to drip down the sides. Sprinkle the toasted almonds over the top.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's dessert recipes visit her blog at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com.

For her diabetic dessert recipes visit her at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com.

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

Delicious Recipe With Banana and Chocolate Frosting

2012-01-08T16:05:00.001-08:00

A banana cake recipe is a very famous dessert all over the world. Inspired by this traditional dessert originated the banana split cake recipe with banana and chocolate frosting that is not only very easy to prepare, but also an absolutely delicious dessert for dinner parties.

What you will need for the banana frosting:

500 grams of unsalted butter
5 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of mashed ripe bananas
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
5-8 drops of food coloring

Chocolate frosting:

1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup of caramel sauce
2 tablespoons of butter
1 1/4 cups of confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

For the banana cake:

70 grams of butter
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar
4 large eggs
2 1/2 cups of cake flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
3/4 teaspoon of baking powder
1 cup of mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Preparing the cake:

Let the butter soften at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a 9 inch baking pan.

Place the butter and sugar in a deep bowl and using a blender, beat them together until they are light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one by one, and blend well to get a fluid mix.

In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients.

Add them to the egg-butter mix, spoon by spoon, and keep on beating at a low to medium speed. There should be no lumps in the mix.

Now add the mashed bananas and sour cream along with the vanilla extract and beat the mix well.

Pour the batter in the greased baking pan.

Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes.

While the cake is baking you can prepare the frosting:

Preparing the banana frosting:

Combine the egg whites and sugar and whisk them over a double boiler.

Remove from heat and mix some more until the mix cools and doubles in volume.

To this, add the butter and whisk until you get a smooth batter.

Add bananas and vanilla extract and whisk some more.

Add the food coloring (3 drops at a time) to get the perfect 'banana' coloring.

Preparing the chocolate frosting:

Combine the chocolate chips, caramel sauce, butter and sugar in a bowl.

Cook on low heat until the chocolate chips are melted.

Whisk the ingredients to let them mix well.

To prepare the cake:

Let the cake cool completely before frosting (you can put it in the fridge for a half hour to prevent it from crumbling).

Slice the cake in three layers.

Place the bottom layer on the cake stand and spread a generous amount of banana frosting over it.

Place the second layer on top of the frosting and spread the chocolate frosting over it. It's okay if it flows down the sides.

Place the top-most layer on top of the chocolate frosting and press lightly.

Spread the rest of the banana frosting on the cake and cover all the sides.

Cool in the fridge for about 2 hours to let the frosting set before serving.

Cut in slices and drizzle with chocolate sauce before serving.

About the Author:

Yves Casson has rich background in pastry and baking.

His flair for traditional cake recipe's can be found at Cake Recipe Secrets.

Yves latest amazing recipe is this Banana Cake Recipe.

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

Try These Delicious Main Dish Crockpot or Slow Cooker Recipes For a Hearty Meal

2012-01-08T15:33:00.001-08:00

Busy cooks can use their crockpot or slow cooker to prepare some of the tastiest, warm, and inviting meals for their family and/or friends. The recipes in this article all tasty dishes that are great to come home to after a busy day. Who wouldn't enjoy this Down Home Pork Barbecue? It is perfect for Sunday. You wake up to the delicious aroma on Sunday morning then come home after church to this hearty hot barbecue. Yummy! If you prefer beef over pork, try this delicious Easy Beef and Mushrooms. Not interested in pork or beef? I have you covered with an easy Chicken Cacciatore.

DOWN HOME PORK BARBECUE
2 sliced onions
4 to 5 lb pork roast
5 whole cloves
2 cups water
1 bottle (16-oz) barbecue sauce
1 chopped onion

Place half the sliced onions in the bottom of slow cooker or crockpot. Add the pork, cloves, and water. Place the other half of the sliced onions over the top of other ingredients. You want the pork to cook between two layers of onions.

Place lid on cooker and cook overnight or about 10 to 12 hours on low setting.

Remove meat to a cutting board and remove the fat and bones. Return the meat to the cooker. Add the chopped onion and barbecue sauce. Cover and cook on low an additional 4 to 5 hours on low. Stir 2 or 3 times during this last cooking stage.

Serve with buns and condiments of your choice. Slaw is an especially good condiment with pork barbecue!

EASY BEEF AND MUSHROOMS
2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 can (10 1/2-oz) cream of mushroom soup
1 can (4-oz) whole mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup red wine*, optional
*1/2 cup beef broth or water may be substituted

Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker or crockpot. Stir together well to mix. Place lid on cooker and cook on low 8 to 10 hours.

To serve; serve over hot cooked brown rice or buttered noodles.

SLOW COOKED CHICKEN CACCIATORE
1 tbsp canola oil
3 lb skinless chicken breasts and thighs
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 can (28-oz) crushed tomatoes, do not drain
1 lb fresh button mushrooms, halved
2 large yellow onions, coarsely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into long strips
1 1/4 cups chicken stock, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 pkg (16-oz) fettuccine, cooked and drained

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; brown chicken well on all sides.

While chicken is browning, put the garlic, Italian seasoning, tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, and 1 cup of the chicken stock in a 6-quart crockpot or slow cooker. Stir the mixture to combine well. Add the browned chicken pieces, turning them to coat.

Place lid on cooker and cook on low heat setting for 8 hours or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a serving platter and keep warm.

In a small bowl stir the cornstarch into the remaining 1/4 cup of chicken stock; blend until the mixture is smooth. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the cooker. Replace lid and cook on high heat setting for 10 minutes until the mixture boils and thickens. Serve the sauce with the chicken and the cooked fettuccine.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's slowcooker/crockpot recipes visit her blog at http://grandmasslowcookerrecipes.blogspot.com

She also shares her quick and easy recipes on her other blog at http://grandmasquickfixrecipes.blogspot.com

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

Pasta Recipes - Soup

2012-01-08T15:23:00.001-08:00

Pasta Recipes are well known for their versatility all over the world. Soup is also one of easiest and well known dish available, combining many flavors from different ingredients, such as; meats, chicken, fish, stock, fruit, vegetables and cream. Our selected Pasta Soup Recipes are simple and easy to prepare - no fuss! These warm, wintery, tasty Pasta Recipes for Soup will satisfy the largest appetite.

Chicken & Vermicelli Pasta Soup Recipe

Chicken Vermicelli Pasta Soup is quick and easy to prepare. You may vary the ingredients using leftovers - no waste! Other ingredients such as shallots, prawns, ham, mushrooms or any other ingredient you desire may be added, to create your own individual taste.

Basic Ingredients: 4 eggs, 40ml fresh coriander, 1.5 litres chicken stock, 125g dried vermicelli, 150g cooked sliced chicken.

Method: Whisk eggs together and stir through chopped coriander. Heat a non-stick frying pan. Swirl 3 tablespoons of egg mixture into frying pan until cooked - remove from heat. Repeat this procedure until mixture is finished. Roll each egg pancake up and slice into shreds. Boil stock and add vermicelli pasta. Cook for 10-15 minutes until pasta is tender. Add sliced chicken, pinch of salt and cracked black pepper to season. Heat for approximately 5 minutes.

Chinese Vegetable & Vermicelli Pasta/Noodle Soup Recipe

This beautiful Chinese Vegetable Vermicelli Pasta Soup is easy and quick to prepare. This recipe can also include additional ingredients to your hearts desire.

Basic Ingredients: 1.2 litres chicken stock, 2 garlic cloves, 2cm ginger - peeled and cut into fine matchsticks, 30ml soy sauce, 12ml cider vinegar, 80g button mushrooms, 3 chopped shallots, 60g vermicelli pasta noodles, 175g bok choy leaves, coriander.

Method: In a large saucepan, bring stock to boil and add garlic cloves, ginger, soy sauce and cider vinegar. Turn heat down, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove garlic cloves - discard. Add shallots, button mushrooms and bring stock back to the boil. Once boiling, uncover and reduce heat. Simmer for 8 minutes. Add vermicelli pasta noodles and chopped bok choy leaves. Simmer until tender and add coriander leaves.

Cauliflower, Parmesan & Farfelle Pasta Soup Recipe

Cauliflower, Pamesan & Farfelle Soup is mild and silky smooth. A great dinner-party starter with fresh crusty bread.

Ingredients: 1 cauliflower, 1.3 litres chicken or vegetable stock, 175g farfalle, 160ml cream, nutmeg, cracked black pepper, 70ml fresh grated parmesan, Italian parsley.

Method: Wash and clean cauliflower, remove stalk and cut into florets. Boil stock, then add the cauliflower. Continue to simmer in pot for 10-15 minutes until cauliflower is tender. Remove, drain and place into a blender - blend until smooth. Next, add Farfelle Pasta to boiling stock for 10-15 minutes and cook until soft. When pasta is cooked, drain and set stock aside. Add stock to cauliflower mixture and add cream, nutmeg and black pepper. Continue to blend until smooth and silky. Before serving, add Farfelle Pasta, grated parmesan cheese and reheat. Garnish with Italian parsley.

Finally, we have put together what we consider some of the best selection of Delicious and Easy to Prepare Pasta Recipes to satisfy the largest appetite!

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

Butternut Squash Recipe Soup in Thai Curry Paste

2012-01-08T14:58:00.001-08:00

Butternut squash is a source of vitamins A and C, and dietary fibre, and it has a sweet, nutty taste that is similar to pumpkin. When ripe, it turns increasingly deep orange - gorgeous autumn colour, and becomes sweeter and richer.

This butternut squash recipe soup is not exactly a Chinese style. It contains thai curry paste which is a moist blend of ground or pounded herbs and/or spices and other seasonings. Curry paste is primarily known an important ingredient in Thai cuisine. This soup makes a perfect starter for any dishes in a cold winter.

Nutritional value (per serving): Calories: 245; Carbohydrates: 11.69g(which Sugars: 2.20g, Dietary fiber: 2.0g); Fat: 16g(which Saturates: 10g; Protein 1.0g; Salt: 1.1g. Serves: 4

Ingredients you need are as blow:

1. 1 tablespoon olive oil(sunflower oil);
2. 500 g / 1 lb butternut squash, peeled, cubed;
3. 1 medium size carrot, cubed;
4. 1 celery stick, chopped;
5. 2 onions, chopped;
6. 2 cm / 1 inch root ginger, grated;
7. 2 garlic cloves, chopped;
8. 1 tablespoon thai red or green curry paste;
9. 750 ml / 1 1/4 pints chicken or vegetable stock;
10. 250 ml coconut milk;
11. salt and pepper;
12. fresh chopped coriander for garnish.

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a wok, add grated ginger, chopped garlic, chopped onions and chopped celery into the wok, and stir fry for about 1 minute.
2. Stir 1 tablespoon thai red or green curry paste in with the vegetable.
3. Add chopped butternut squash cubes and carrot cubes to cook for further 2 minutes.
4. Transfer the vegetables into a big sauce pan, add the stock to the vegetables and stir well.
5. Bring the soup to boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
6. Separate the vegetables and the juice, put the vege back to the pan and remove the pan from the heat.
7. Puree the vegetables with a stick blender, add the juice back with the vegetable puree and turn the heat back on.
8. Add a can of coconut milk into the soup, add more water if it is too thick. Season with some salt and pepper and bring the soup back to boil.
9. Serve immediately and garnish with chopped fresh coriander or chilli.

Cook's Tip:

Wearing rubber or latex gloves when peeling butternut and acorn squash to avoid temporary Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) dermatitis.

Haiyan Lai-Heskin is a registered nurse and nutrition specialist. She loves cooking and advocate healthy eating. As a Chinese living in western country, she's noticed that a lot of people loving Chinese food but has no confident to cook their own. In Chinese culinary skill, good Food Chinese Recipes [http://chinesefoodsdiy.com] are essential. Her video blog shows you how to make healthy, well balanced Chinese food for your family. You can learn to cook this thai-spiced butternut squash soup step by step at http://cfood.typepad.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Haiyan_Lai-Heskin

Simple Steps in Fenugreek Fry Bread

2012-01-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

Fenugreek Indian fry bread is commonly called 'Methi Poori' in Hindi. It is a delicious and very healthy bread to eat for lunch, dinner or even as an evening snack with tea. Fenugreek Indian fry bread recipe is especially popular in the winter months. Given below are simple and easy steps for a fenugreek Indian fry bread recipe that you can easily prepare at home.

What you will need:

- Wheat flour - 2 cups

- Gram flour - 2 cups

- Salt - 1 tablespoon (adjust the amount according to taste)

- Diced fresh green chilies - 2 tablespoons (again according to your taste)

- Freshly washed and cut fenugreek leaves - 1 cup

- Hot oil - 2 tablespoons

- Turmeric - A pinch

- Asafetida - A pinch

- Cumin seeds - A pinch

- Oil for frying

- Water for kneading the dough

Procedure:

- In a mixing bowl, combine the wheat flour and gram flour.

- Add the salt to the mix.

- Now add the fenugreek leaves and rub them with the flours so that they are coated with flour.

- Leave the mixture aside for 15 minutes to let the salt and fenugreek leaves mix. The fenugreek leaves will shed some water as they react with salt and, therefore, if you knead the dough immediately it will become very wet and will be difficult to fry.

- Now rub the flour between your fingers to get a crumbly mix.

- Add the cumin seeds, turmeric, asafetida and diced green chilies in the flour mix and combine well.

- Make a small well in the middle and pour the hot oil in the center.

- Use a fork to mix all the ingredients together (adding hot oil makes the bread more crispy).

- Now use water to mix all the ingredients together and knead a soft dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for about 1/2 hour.

- After the dough is rested, make small balls of the dough.

- Roll out the balls in 3-4 inch diameter circles of about 1/2 centimeter thickness.

- Heat the oil in a frying pan.

- Fry the rolled out dough in the frying pan on medium heat until it puffs up and is golden brown on both sides.

- Drain on an absorbent paper towel and serve hot.

For serving:

These delicious breads can be served with:

- Spicy tomato chutney

- Potato and peas gravy mix

- Curried fish or chicken

- Mango and chili pickle

You can make and store these breads for up to 10 days at a time and they will not spoil.

About the author:

Anukriti has a unique perspective on bread and bread recipe's. Anukriti's keen eye for 'cause and effect' allows her to substitute local ingredients and techniques in traditional bread recipe's.

Her Fenugreek Indian fry Bread Recipe is Anukriti's latest amazing offering.

More of Anukriti's unique recipe's can be found on Bread Recipe Secrets.

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

Most Perfect Chocolate Cake

2012-01-08T14:34:00.000-08:00

Ingredients for cake:

1-cup Cocoa

2-cups water, boiling

2¾-cups flour

2-teaspoons baking soda

½-teaspoon salt

½-teaspoon baking powder

1-cup butter, softened

2½-cups sugar

4-large eggs

1½-teaspoons vanilla

Ingredients for cake filling:

1-cup heavy cream

¼-cup powdered sugar

1-teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

In medium bowl combine cocoa with boiling water; mix with wire whisk till smooth and cool completely. In a separate bowl mix flour, soda, salt and baking powder; preheat oven to 350°. Grease well and lightly flour 3 (9x1½-inch) layer cake pans. In large bowl of electric mixer at high speed beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla, scraping bowl occasionally, until light, about 5 minutes. At low speed beat in flour mixture and cocoa mixture. Divide evenly into pans; smooth top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until top springs back when pressed with finger. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Carefully loosen sides with spatula and remove cakes to cool on racks.

Filling: Whip cream with sugar and vanilla; refrigerate. To assemble cake, on plate place a layer, spread with half of cream, then second layer and spread with rest of cream. Add 3rd layer then frost. (See frosting on next page)

Serves 8

MOST PERFECT CHOCOLATE CAKE FROSTING

By: Cristie Will

Ingredients:

6-ounces Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

½-cup Light cream

1-cup Butter

2½-cups Sugar, powdered

Instructions:

In medium saucepan, combine chocolate chips, cream, butter; stir over medium heat until smooth and remove from heat. With whisk blend in 2½ cups of powdered sugar over ice; beat until it holds shape.

This is a lot of work, but worth it.

Makes between 3½ to 4 cups of icing

Cooking lessons for Cristie began at 8 years old with the best teacher in the world -- her Mom! Later, she cooked for the restaurant the family owned, and her love of the "trade" has grown ever since. Cristie's creative cooking has continued for over 40 years. Her creations can soon be on your kitchen table. Check out Cristie's books at http://www.cristiescookin.com and http://www.tjstokes.com

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

Use Your Favorite Bread Recipe to Make Great Whole Grain Breads

2012-01-08T14:30:00.001-08:00

It's easy to make great whole grain breads using your favorite bread recipes. Usually, all you do is substitute whole grains for some of the flour in your recipe changing the water to flour ratio slightly to accommodate the different absorption of water by the grains. If you want a 100% whole grain bread, start with a whole wheat bread recipe. If you want lighter bread, almost a white bread, start with your favorite white bread recipe. Or you can use a combination of white and whole wheat flours. Any of these choices will make healthy bread that is high in nutrients and fiber.

And it's simply exciting, what you can add to your bread recipe, items like this:

- Rolled oats.
- Rolled grain blends. Use mixtures of rolled oats, wheat, barley, rye and others. These can be bought at natural food stores or online.
- Cracked grains. If you want chewy nuggets in your bread, choose a coarse chop. If you want the whole grains to blend, use a fine chop. Again these can be bought at natural food stores or online.
- Whole grain berries. You will want to soak these overnight before using them or cook them for 30 minutes.
- Whole seeds and nuts. Sunflower seeds and nuts are wonderful in breads. A mixture of whole grains and nuts is wonderful. You can also consider pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, and poppy seeds.

Rolled grains and chopped grains result in very different breads. Rolled grains almost disappear into the bread. The color changes, usually to a creamy color if you are using white flour, and you can see little flecks of bran in your bread. But what really changes is the flavor and texture. Whole grains add richness to your breads. They are moist and chewy. And they keep exceptionally well and are less crumbly. Chopped grains create chewy nuggets in your bread but the texture and color remains much the same.

How much whole grains that you add to your bread is a matter of preference. In our test kitchen, we have made many whole grain breads and have used as little as 1/3 cup of cracked grains or a cup or more of rolled grains. Cracked grains are much denser than rolled grains.

The following recipe is a nice recipe to start with. This is a delightful bread that is light in texture and color but still has substance, a great healthy bread. The ratio of whole grains to flour is 30%.

Use this recipe as a base recipe for other breads using rolled whole grains. You might try the following combinations, adjusting the flour to make a soft, almost sticky dough of the right consistency.

- Instead of two cups grain blend, use four. Reduce the flour by about two cups.
- Instead of white bread flour, substitute half white and half stone ground whole wheat.
- Instead of white bread flour, use 100% stone ground whole wheat.
- Add 3/4 or one cup shelled sunflower seeds. The blend has sunflower seeds in it but at this concentration, it is not many. The seeds will absorb a bit of the moisture so be prepared to reduce the flour slightly.
- Add 1 cups raisins and 2 teaspoons good quality cinnamon. Double the honey.

This recipe makes two very nice loaves in 5 x 9-inch bread pans. The loaves weigh about 1 3/4 pounds each.

We have not tested this recipe in a bread machine. If you wish to use your bread machine, cut the recipe in half and use the dough setting.

Ingredients

2 1/3 cups water at 105 degrees
2 cups rolled grain cereal mix
1 7-gram packet of instant yeast, SAF or equal
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup Baker's Dry Milk (high heat treated dry milk) (see note)
5 cups high protein bread flour, more or less
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon quality dough conditioner or per producer's recommendation

Note: Milk contains an enzyme that retards the growth of yeast. High heat treatment destroys that enzyme resulting in taller loaves of bread. High heat treated dry milk can be purchased online.

Directions

Prepare two bread pans by greasing the inside of the pans including the rims.

1. Combine the grain blend, the water, and the yeast in the bowl of your stand-type mixer. Add the honey and the dry milk. Add about half of the flour and combine with the dough hook until the dough starts to come together. Add the butter and salt. Add more flour in several additions, beating after each, until a soft dough ball has formed. You should use about five cups of flour. Beat with the dough hook for four minutes at medium speed or until the gluten is developed. The dough should be soft (but not too sticky to handle), smooth, and elastic. Water absorption may vary depending on environmental conditions and the flour you use.
2. Place the dough in a large greased bowl and turn once to oil all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic and let the dough rise until doubled, about one hour.
3. Turn the dough onto a lightly greased work area. Deflate the dough by gently folding and pressing most of the air from the dough.
4. Divide the dough in two with a knife. Using your hands, form a cylinder by pulling the dough around the center and tucking the seams together on the bottom, thus gently stretching the surface of the dough. Pinch the seams together to keep them from opening as the loaf expands. Place seam side down in a prepared pan and repeat with the second loaf.
5. Cover lightly with greased plastic wrap or place the loaves in a large food-grade plastic bag and set aside to rise until doubled, about one hour. Rise times will vary with conditions, especially temperature--yeast is very sensitive to temperature.
6. While the bread is still rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
7. When the bread has risen, place the loaves on the center rack of the oven and leave as much room for the air to circulate around the loaves as possible. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the bread is done and well-browned. If you have a probe-type thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 190 degrees. Once baked, immediately remove the loaves from the pans and cool them on a wire rack.

Dennis Weaver has written numerous books, articles, and recipes including a free 250 page e-book, "How to Bake," with recipes and techniques from the culinary schools. He is the president of The Prepared Pantry, a kitchen store with over 100 bread mixes and baking ingredients and whole grains including the grains, nuts, and seeds mentioned in this article.

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

A Sublime Italian Recipe For a Great Steak

2011-12-27T16:54:00.001-08:00

Italian is a delicious style of cuisine, almost indulgent with all the variety of ingredients and courses on offer. Far more than simply pizza or pasta, Italian food gives a real appreciation for fine dining. The whole experience From the apertivo (aperitif) to the desserts, then a dolce (sweet dessert), and caffe and digestivo, gives so many areas to choose from, so it can be hard to know where to start for the authentic Italian dining experience.

Here we're going to look at a great recipe for an Italian steak, plus a refreshing drink to go with it. It sounds simple -- and isn't difficult to make in your own kitchen -- but the result is anything but! This dish will delight and impress your guests.

Italian Parmesan Steak Recipe

Ingredients:

One steak per diner
1lb of ripe tomatoes (or sauce with tomato pieces)
Flour
Extra virgin olive oil
White wine
Oregano
Salt and pepper

Mozzarella or parmesan cheese To begin with, remove a clove of garlic, and fry it in a pan with extra virgin olive oil. After a couple of minutes, season your meat with salt and pepper and then pass your steaks through flour, and sauté them in the pan for a few minutes, depending on how well-cooked you and your guests prefer your beef steaks. When the steak is cooked to your preference, take them out and let them stand on a dish. Then place chopped tomatoes on the pan (Or, if you like you can use a tomato sauce, as long as it is chunky with tomato pieces), plus oregano and salt and pepper. After just one minute, put the steaks back into the pan, and pour in white wine. Serve while very hot and you have two options now; either grate the parmesan cheese on top of the steak. Alternately, you can take the meat out of the pan, and then place lumps of mozzarella cheese on top and bake for a few minutes until nice and melted. Serve with potatoes and fine Italian bread, and enjoy! Before you have your main course, you can enjoy this refreshing drink.

Italian Almond Milk Recipe

Ingredients:

2 lbs of almonds
Sugar
1 oz of rice flour
Water
Cinnamon

Remove the skin from the almonds and mash them into a cream. Pour it into a cloth and close it up, leaving a little space, and pour in a little water. Squeeze the cloth to filter out the water into a saucepan, and repeat a few times. Then add sugar to the saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour in rice flour bit by bit, then remove from the flame, add cinnamon, and serve up cold.

If you liked this great Italian recipe [http://www.italianrecipe.org/] then you can check out these great Meatball recipes [http://www.meatballrecipe.org/] too!

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

Two Italian Recipes For a Complete, Delicious Meal

2011-12-27T16:43:00.001-08:00

Italian cuisine is delicious and tasty, an almost indulgent style of cuisine giving a real appreciation for great food. All the way from the first courses right through to the final dessert courses and with so many facets to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start if you want the classic Italian dining experience. So here we're going to look at a couple of recipes for great Italian style dining, with a snack that you can eat any time, plus a great meal for later to feed to a group of hungry diners!

Italian Celery Pastella Recipe
Ingredients:
Two celeries with a wide and white stem
2 eggs
Flour
Milk
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

To prepare this delicious, light snack, start off by cutting the celery stems into 2 inch long pieces, and heat them in salted water for around 7 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the pastella by placing a pair of egg yolks into a dish, adding three tablespoons of flour, a small amount of milk and a tablespoon of oil. Whip with a spoon until it's all bound together, and add the whisked egg white. Join the celery to the pastella and fry it in a pan with a good amount of hot extra virgin olive oil. When golden and crispy, add a pinch more salt, and you're ready so serve up!

Italian Wine Lamb Recipe
Ingredients:
Lamb
Red wine
Rosemary
Salt
1/3 cup of olive oil
Peas (if you wish, you can replace the peas with potatoes)
Water
Spices of your own choice!

This is a great holiday dish, especially for Easter. Get in a couple of lamb chops per person so you can really go to town! Season the lamb with spices, we prepare rosemary as the classic accompaniment, but also add a bit of salt. They should be left with the red wine overnight to marinate really thoroughly and really absorb the flavourings.

Place the meat in an oven dish along with your marinade juice plus peas or potatoes. Add olive oil and enough water to half cover the contents. Place in the oven at 360 degrees Fahrenheit, for around 45 minutes (Adjust according to your oven type), then halfway through cooking add at least one glass of red wine, and if it dries out at a little bit more wine or water. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving up.Enjoy!

If you liked these Italian recipes [http://www.italianrecipe.org/], check out more of these amazing Meat recipes [http://www.meatrecipes.org/] too!

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

Free Italian Recipes - Pizza Margherita

2011-12-27T16:17:00.001-08:00

Let's talk pizza! Here's one of my best free Italian recipes, that of pizza Margherita, which is the easiest of pizzas. Using this recipe as a base, you can add whatever you want on it!

What you need (1 serving):

125 g 00 flour

1 teaspoon brewer's yeast

1 mozzarella

canned tomatoesor tomato sauce (NO ketchup!)

water

salt

sugar

extra virgin olive oil

basil

Let's do it!

Melt yeast in two fingers of warm water, then add just a bit of sugar and 2 teaspoons of flour. Mix it all and leave it for 15-20 minutes.

Pour the remaining flour in a bowl, adding half a teaspoon of salt, then 1 teaspoon of extravirgin olive oil, and in the end the previously prepared yeast. Work it all with a wooden spoon, then pour oil on your hands and use them to mix the dough. When your knuckles leave a dent and it rises again in no more than half a minute, than the dough is ok.

Let it rest for 3 hours, covered with a cotton or linen cloth.

Pre-heat your oven at 200°. Make a dish with your dough. It should be no higher than 2 or 3 mms. Pour tomato sauce on it, making sure you leave a white border. Ease yourself with a spoon. Cut mozzarella in small cubes or thin slices and add it on the tomato sauce. Add some extravirgin olive oil (be careful: it shouldn't be too much!) and cook it in your oven.

When your pizza is ready (it should take no more than 20 minutes if the oven was pre-heaten), add some basil leaves and eat!

While it cooks, you could wonder on where this Pizza found its name...

In about 1889, Queen Margherita took an inspection tour of her Italian Kingdom. During her travels around Italy she saw many people, especially the peasants, eating this large, flat bread. Curious, the queen ordered her guards to bring her one of these Pizza breads. She summoned Chef Raffaele Esposito from his pizzeria to the royal palace and ordered him to bake a selection of pizzas for her pleasure. To honor the queen who was so beloved by her subjects, Raffaele decided to make a very special pizza just for her. He baked it topped with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil, to represent the colors of the Italian flag: red, white, and green. This became Queen Margherita's favorite pizza and when word got out that this was one of the queen's favorite foods, she became even more popular with the Italian people. She also started a culinary tradition, the Pizza Margherita, which lasts to this very day in Naples and has now spread throughout the world.

Claudia Resta is an Italian journalist. She works for an international satellite TV and specializes in traditional Italian cooking. She has two internet websites on which she writes free Italian recipes:

[http://italianpastarecipes.blogspot.com]

and

http://freeitalianrecipes.blogspot.com

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

Easy Italian Recipes - Quick and Delicious For the Entire Family

2011-12-27T15:57:00.001-08:00

Do you need easy Italian recipes that you can cook up fast that are delicious and inexpensive? Below are three very simple Italian recipes that do not require much time to prepare and only use several ingredients that you may even have on hand.

This is the beauty of Italian cooking. You do not need a ton of ingredients to cook up a delicious meal. The key with cooking great Italian food is to use fresh quality ingredients, like fresh herbs and fine olive oil. And the number one most important ingredient in any type of cooking is of course Love!

Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

EASY ITALIAN MARINARA SAUCE RECIPE

Here is a great recipe for marinara sauce using canned tomatoes. This marinara sauce is delicious over your favorite pasta, on top of pizza and over mussels and shrimp. The beauty of this sauce is that it can be used with a number of other recipes, so it's a great starting point in Italian Cooking and it is very easy to make.

You can use either fresh or canned plum tomatoes for this recipe, however using fresh tomatoes requires more time and preparation, so I prefer to use canned. If you do plan on using fresh tomatoes, make certain the tomatoes are ripe and in season.

For the canned tomatoes, I prefer Rienzi brand tomatoes. I have tried a number of different brands of canned tomatoes and Rienzi has the best flavor amongst the supermarket brands, in my opinion.

Marinara Sauce Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped (More or less depending on how much you like garlic)

1 35 ounce can of whole plum tomatoes with liquid

Salt to taste

Crushed red pepper to taste (You can use black pepper if you wish)

10 - 12 fresh basil leaves , torn

1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano

Directions:

1) Open your can of tomatoes and crush them by hand into a bowl and set aside.

2) Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add your garlic to the oil and cook until soft and lightly browned. Be sure to watch the garlic to make sure it doesn't burn.

4) Carefully add the tomatoes along with their liquid into the pan with the garlic and oil. Use caution when adding the tomatoes to the hot oil. The oil can splatter. Add the oregano.

5) Stir the mixture and bring to a boil. Season with a bit of salt and red or black pepper. Lower the heat so that the sauce is reduced to a simmer. Break up the tomatoes as it cooks with a spoon until your sauce is chunky. You want the sauce to simmer until thickened, about 20 - 25 minutes.

6) Add your fresh basil a few minutes before the sauce is done. Taste the sauce and add more salt or pepper if needed.

7) Serve over your favorite pasta.

EASY ITALIAN PESTO SAUCE RECIPE

Let's learn how to make pesto sauce.

This is another very easy and delicious recipe that can be served over your favorite pasta, grilled chicken, mussels or as a topping for pizza. For those of you who want your basil pesto sauce without pine nuts, you can leave them out or substitute the pine nuts with walnuts.

For a nice variation on this recipe, try adding sundried tomatoes to the pesto mixture before blending for a delicious tomato pesto sauce.

This recipe should only be used as a guide. Not everyone has the same preferences. Some do not like a lot of garlic or olive oil flavor for example, so it is recommended that you experiment until you find the right recipe.

Pesto Sauce Ingredients:

4 cups fresh basil leaves

3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pine nuts (the nuts can be lightly toasted in a dry pan before blending for added flavor)

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped (more or less depending on your taste)

1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender except olive oil. Add a little oil at a time and process until sauce reaches desired consistency. Ready to serve in your favorite dish.

EASY PASTA WITH GARLIC, OIL AND FRESH HERBS

This is another quick and easy Italian recipe with only a few ingredients. It is important that you do not burn the garlic with this recipe otherwise it will become bitter.

Ingredients:

1 pound of spaghetti

3 - 4 garlic cloves chopped (more or less, depending on how much you like garlic)

1/2 cup reserved pasta water

1/4 Cup of Chopped Italian Flat Leaf Parsley

1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil leaves

6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

A pinch of red pepper flakes (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)

Directions:

1) In a large pot, bring about 6 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 - 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain but make sure you reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water.

2) While the pasta is cooking, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the garlic and saute until light brown in color. Remember to pay close attention to the garlic to make sure it doesn't burn. Remove from heat.

3) Stir in fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, and few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Mix until combined.

4) Transfer the drained pasta to a large serving bowl and mix in the remaining olive oil and pasta water.

5) Add the garlic and herb mixture into the pasta and mix well.

6) Taste and add salt and red pepper if desired.

7) Serve immediately. Top with grated cheese if desired.

There you have it. Three great easy Italian recipes that you can whip up in a flash and please everyone. I hope you enjoy these easy Italian recipes. Happy Cooking!

Ralph Serpe is a passionate home cook and webmaster of http://www.chefability.com/, a free cooking site for aspiring chefs and home cooks. Visit today for more great Italian Cooking Recipes.

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

Quick and Easy Snacks and Appetizers For Your Next Party or Game Night

2011-12-27T15:48:00.001-08:00

No matter the occasion, parties always call for good food. The quick and easy recipes in this article will have you on your way to being the hit of the party with very little effort on your part!! From Buffalo Shrimp Nibbles, which couldn't be easier to Easy Mini Pizzas where guests can choose their own toppings to Sand Balls With Honey for a 'sweet' alternative, your snacks will be a big hit.

BUFFALO SHRIMP NIBBLES

2 1/2 tbsp butter
3 1/2 tbsp hot sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
2 dozen deveined extra-large shrimp with tails on
4 ribs celery, cut into sticks
lime wedges for garnish

Preheat broiler.
Line a baking sheet with rim with aluminum foil; spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave or on stovetop in a small saucepan. Remove from heat; stir in the pepper sauce and garlic.

Place the shrimp on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle shrimp with 3 tablespoons of the butter mixture. Broil, turning once, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through. Toss in the remaining sauce.

To serve, arrange the shrimp on a serving platter and serve with the celery sticks and remaining butter sauce. Garnish with the lime wedges.

EASY MINIATURE PIZZAS
1 can (10 3/4-oz) tomato soup
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
4 English muffins, split
4 to 8 slices Mozzarella cheese, cut in half*

In a saucepan combine the undiluted soup with the minced garlic and the oregano. Stir with a wire whisk and heat over low to medium-low heat to blend the flavors. When mixture comes to a boil, remove from the heat.

Place the cut sides of the English muffin halves on a broiler tray. Spoon the soup mixture onto the muffins and spread to cover the tops. Place the cheese slices over the tops, using 4 to 8 slices depending on the amount of cheese you prefer.

Broil 5-inches from the heat until the cheese melts. Watch carefully to prevent burning.

Yield: 8 mini pizzas or 4 adult servings or 8 child servings.

Note: For variety add chopped pepperoni pieces, chopped mushrooms, Canadian bacon, pineapple tidbits, etc. Let your imagination run wild or let guests pick their own toppings for a selection you provide. Kids especially love doing this.

SAND BALLS WITH HONEY
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 tbsp honey
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
sifted powdered sugar for rolling

In a large mixing bowl beat the butter, powdered sugar, and honey at medium speed until well combined. Beat in the flour, walnuts, vanilla extract and the salt. Mix together thoroughly, this may require using your hands.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls and place 1 1/2-inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 325 degrees for 14 to 16 minutes or until the cookies are just lightly browned. While still warm, roll the cookies in powdered sugar. Cool on wire racks and roll in powdered sugar a second time.

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

Enjoy!

You will find more of Linda's quick and easy recipes at http://grandmasquickfixrecipes.blogspot.com

She also shares her large collection of old fashion recipes at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

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

Cottage Cheese and a Quick Recipe

2011-12-26T15:29:00.001-08:00

One of the most versatile man made food products, cottage cheese is gaining popularity among the health conscious. It can be transformed into numerous recipes including desserts, curries, bread, cakes and what not, giving a peculiar creamy texture to the cooked dish.

Composition: It is the by-product of milk, pure and most natural food product with no additives in it. Milk is curdled using an acidic culture, the resultant product is a mild flavored, non acidic and a creamy consistency solid. These are not aged or processes like other commercial cheeses, and cannot be stored for long for the same reason.

Health Benefits;

High levels of protein make it a prudent diet for kids, pregnant women and body builders.
It is low in fat and calories.
Good for building strong bones in growing kids due to high calcium.
It is low in carbohydrates.
Low sodium in it a good choice for people with high blood pressure and heart ailments.
It is easily digested.

Prudent way to use;

Use skimmed milk to make it.
Best way is to consume it in its pure form.
Sprinkle the crumbled cheese on salads and raitas.
Mix it with any seasonal fresh fruit and add a tsp of sugar for a great dessert.
Lasagna, cheesecake and other baked goodies made with cottage cheese are a delicacy.
Veggie dips made with adding herbs in cottage cheese are good any steamed or baked vegetables.
Spread the fresh cottage cheese on a toast for a quick and healthy breakfast.
Mashed potato with cottage cheese can be fun recipe for kids.

How to make;

Ingredients;

1 litre skimmed milk
1 tsp of lemon juice or 3-4 tsp of sour curd

Method:

Boil the milk in a vessel and add the juice of lemon or curds in the boiling milk. I normally use curd to make cottage cheese, as I get much softer variety.
Keep boiling till the whey separates.
Take a muslin cloth and put it over another big vessel covering the mouth of it. Pour the whole mixture in the muslin cloth and drain the whey.
Let the liquid fully drain from the curdled milk. Fresh cottage cheese is ready for use.
Tie the cloth and press it with a heavy weight, if you wish to make chunks of the cottage cheese.

A Quick and Healthy Dessert Recipe

Ingredients;

1 cup of Fresh Cottage cheese
1/4 cup of powder sugar
A pinch of Saffron
1/2 tsp of Cardamom powder

Method:

Take a flat vessel and crumble the freshly made cottage cheese. Add rest of the ingredients.
Mix in thoroughly using light strokes.
Clean and wipe a mould, I used my mould for making ice cubes. Take a small amount of the prepared mix and put it in the moulds. Press it lightly.
Refrigerate for 3-4 hours before serving.

A refreshing and delicious healthy dessert is ready to savor for any time.

Lite recipes for right health. Quick-to-cook, easy and healthy recipes for busy couples, bachelors and all those for whom time is precious. Articles on health and eating right will help you combine nutritional benefits of various food in your cooking.

http://www.litebite.in

In case you like to indulge on food, do visit my other site for exotic and grand recipes, or read about places to visit in India;

http://sanjeetakk.blogspot.com

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Healthy, Tasty, Quick Recipes

2011-12-26T15:23:00.001-08:00

Spicy Tomato Soup

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds of ripe tomatoes, try mixing different types of tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• ½ teaspoon paprika seeds
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
• 1 serrano chile, seeded, deveined and chopped
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 ¼ cups reduced-fat coconut milk

Directions:

1. Wash and cut tomatoes into chunks
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the paprika through chile and cook until spices are fragrant, about 3 minutes
3. Add tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes, occasionally mashing tomatoes with a potato masher until completely mashed.
4. Add salt, sugar, tomato past and coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes..

Tomatoes are full of antioxidants, which are good for cells and help promote health. The antioxidant lycopene helps reduce the risk of developing heart disease and boost the body's ability to protect against ultra violet rays. Tomatoes also contain loads of vitamins including Vitamin C, and 44 percent of your daily value of Vitamin A. Usually it is good to eat fresh, raw vegetables because cooking releases some of the nutrients. But tomatoes are opposite cooked tomatoes deliver more antioxidants than raw.

Healthy Vegetable Quiche Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 frozen pie crusts
• 7 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 cup skim milk
• 5 ounces chopped spinach
• 1 cup fresh broccoli
• 6 stalks fresh asparagus
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese (change to taste)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Crack eggs into a large mixing bowl and add the milk, then blend with mixer, or beat with a whisk or fork for several minutes until well blended and uniform. You are going to want to whisk it until it is well blended because the more you do the fluffier it will be when you cook it.

3. Take the frozen chopped spinach and the fresh broccoli and cut them finely or I like to run them through a food processor until minced and then put into the bowl with the egg mixture.

4. Thinly slice the asparagus.

5. Add asparagus, minced onions, pepper jack cheese and salt into the mixture and stir well and pour half of the mixture into each pie crust.

6. Bake the quiches in the oven for 40 minutes until center is solid.

7. 1/8 is a serving but I like to have 2 maybe 3 depending on how hungry I am.

This dish is a great way to start your day with plenty of vitamins and minerals, protein and some fiber.

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

Ground Beef - Quick Recipe

2011-12-26T15:17:00.001-08:00

Are you always looking for a new and different way to prepare the old standby meat we lovingly call ground beef? If so, you are not alone. Lots of folks rely heavily on ground beef to help them get dinner on the table in a short amount of time and for good reason too.

Lean ground beef is a great source of protein. Just about everyone likes the taste and it doesn't take forever to cook. You can fry it until its brown in a frying pan or skillet.

Here is my favorite ground beef recipe. It is quick and easy to make. This family favorite will not let you down. Stuffed green peppers are also delicious and beautiful on the plate and unlike some versions that take quite a lot of effort and time to prepare this one does not.

You will need:
Two bell peppers cut in half lengthwise
2 to 3 cups pre-packaged seasoned crouton stuffing mix
One pound of ground beef
An onion chopped
A can of corn
A can of diced tomatoes

Then you simply brown the meat and onions in a frying pan; add in the tomatoes, corn, and stuffing mix . Put the peppers in a shallow baking pan. Put the meat mixture into the peppers and cover the pan. Bake in a hot oven for about twenty minutes or until peppers are tender.

Sometimes in our house, we have a salad and some good French bread with this and make it like a feast. Other times we just eat the peppers and move on to ice cream. Whichever you prefer and have time for is just fine. Even little kids like this recipe but if yours do not like pepper just let them eat the stuffing.

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Easy Chicken Casserole - A Delicious Quick Recipe

2011-12-26T15:15:00.000-08:00

Whether in the warmer months or the cooler months, an easy chicken casserole recipe is always handy to have close by. Casseroles are satisfying, easy to prepare and can be cooked right on your stove top or left to cook in the oven or a slow cooker without too much bother.

As we are becoming more and more time-poor it is usually not practical to cook a satisfying healthy and delicious meal every night of the week. It would be ideal, but with the amount of juggling we all do between work, family and just trying to squeeze in some leisure time, it is sometimes nice to come home to a homemade meal you've prepared in your own kitchen.

This is where casseroles are making a huge comeback and now play an important role in our menu planning. You can make a big pot of casserole on the weekend and you have at least a couple of meals ready for weeknights when you get home from work tired and hungry, but without motivation to spend hours in the kitchen. As an added bonus, casseroles usually freeze well and can easily be reheated.

This easy Chicken Casserole recipe only needs a few basic ingredients and takes around an hour to complete from start to finish. This recipe is great as a quick weeknight dinner or maybe even as a main course for a relaxed dinner party. You can finish cooking this casserole on the stove top, your slow cooker or in the oven.

You will need the following ingredients:

1 Leek
2 Sticks Celery
1 Large Chicken or 1kg chicken pieces
½ Cup White Wine
Approx. ½ Cup Water - add a little more if it's too dry.
2-3 Bay Leaves
Pinch Tarragon
2 Cups Fresh Button Mushrooms or a Can of Champignons - or both
½ Cup Cream
2tblsp Light Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

• Cut chicken into bite size pieces.

• Lightly brown the chicken in several batches in light olive oil. After each batch has browned, remove with a slotted spoon and add extra oil for the next batch if necessary.

Quick Note: The reason you need to brown the chicken in a couple of batches is, if you over-crowd the pot with the chicken, the temperature will drop too quickly and you end up with boiled chicken rather than browned. At this stage the chicken should only be half cooked on the inside.

• Cut Leek in half lengthways, then slice into half rounds.

• When all the chicken pieces have browned put them all back in the pan.

• Add sliced Leeks, Bay Leaves, Tarragon and Salt & Pepper.

• Sautee for a few minutes until the leek starts to soften.

• Add wine and water.

• Cover with lid and cook on low heat until the chicken is soft and cooked through.

Quick Note: At this stage you can put your casserole in the oven or a slow cooker to finish cooking, or you can continue to finish it on the stove.

• During the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking, add Mushrooms.

• Add Cream right at the end, stir through.

You can serve this delicious quick and easy chicken casserole either with steamed rice, mashed potatoes and steamed green beans or broccoli or crusty bread and a side salad.

I hope you and your family and friends enjoy my Easy Chicken Casserole as much as we do.

Amongst her many interests, Anne Edwards has a passion for collecting recipes from all over the world. Her Best Recipes Ever blog has a growing array of delicious recipes for any occasion. Whether you just want to throw something tasty and nutritious together after you get home from work, or whether you're hosting a dinner party, cooking doesn't have to be a chore. Get More Recipes

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

Quick Recipes Using Ground Beef

2011-12-26T15:09:00.001-08:00

I have always been a red meat eater. I remember when I was pregnant with my first daughter. I ate red meat just about every single day. I'm sure some of it was because of the iron, but I've just always loved red meat.

I love when the stores put multi-packs or family-size packs of ground beef on sale. I'll buy the multi-packs and then divide them into one pound servings and freeze them.

I'd like to share a few quick recipes using ground beef. This first recipe is a very kid friendly recipe. Kids love tater tots and kids love ground beef:

2 pounds ground beef
2 pounds frozen tater tots
1 cup shredded cheese
1 can cream of something soup (we like either chicken or broccoli)

Spread the meat into the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Pour the soup over the meat. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the soup and finally spread the tater tots on top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for forty-five minutes. Uncover and bake an additional fifteen minutes.

One of my kids' favorite recipes is sloppy joes. All I do is take ground meat and brown it in a frying pan. I then add bottled BBQ sauce and stir. I allow it to simmer for a bit and then serve on hamburger buns. My girls both love this.

The next recipe I'd like to share is actually made for the crockpot. It's a beef stroganoff recipe that's very quick to make.

Brown two pounds of ground beef. Add in chopped onions and a few cloves of chopped garlic. Drain off the fat. Pour the beef mixture into the crockpot.

Mix together the following:

1 cup beef broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste.

Pour over the beef and then cook on low six to eight hours. For the last hour of cooking add in one and a half cups of sour cream mixed with four tablespoons of flour. We use non-fat sour cream.

When ready to eat, cook the noodles of your choice and pour the beef mixture over the noodles.

This last recipe is what I call comfort food. There is just no other way to explain how it tastes:

Brown one pound of ground beef and drain. Make brown rice according to package directions.

In a bowl combine one package of onion soup mix, one can of cream of chicken soup, 1 1/2 cups of cooked rice and ¾ cup of water. Add in the meat and mix well. Pour this into a casserole dish and sprinkle with crushed potato chips or crushed Corn Flakes. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

There are just so many possibilities on using ground beef in cooking.

Audrey's mom always entertained when she was growing up. Audrey learned to prepare for large groups and has often entertained 15-30 people in her home at a time. You can find more great recipes at http://www.recipe-barn.com

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

Inexpensive and Quick Recipes For Families on a Food Budget

2011-12-26T15:07:00.001-08:00

With the sluggish economy right now and the price of things going up, coming up with inexpensive and quick recipes is a must. Some of us have to work two jobs while others have home businesses that are done in the evenings and on the weekends to make ends meet. This could be another reason why inexpensive and quick recipes are needed.

This article will give you some ideas that will help you to have meals that are good for you while saving money at the same time.

Here are some inexpensive meals that you can make whether you have a family or you are on your own.

1. Eggs, ham, and toast
2. Hamburgers and French fries
3. Frozen meals
4. Macaroni & cheese and hot dogs
5. Spaghetti with garlic toast
6. Taco's with Spanish rice

Quick recipes can take a few minutes to prepare or you can prepare them ahead of time and use a crock pot to cook them. Either way works for the busy family. These meals can also lead to leftovers which saves money in the long run.

Here are a few fairly inexpensive and quick recipes you can make with the crock pot.

Crock Pot Meatloaf

2 lbs ground beef
½ cup chopped green peppers
½ tsp salt
½ tsp onion powder
1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs
1 egg
7/8 oz envelope brown gravy mix
1 cup milk
10 small red potatoes cut up

1. Combine all ingredients except potatoes in a large bowl. Mix together with your hands and then shape into a loaf. Place in crock pot.
2. Place potatoes alongside the meatloaf.
3. Cover. Cook on Low for 8-10 hours or High for 4-5 hours.

Crock Pot Stroganoff

4 cups of roast, cubed
10 ¾ oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
Seasoned salt
Pepper
Noodles

1. Place cubed roast in crock pot and add seasonings. Cover with mushroom soup.
2. Cover. Cook on Low for 8-10 hours or High for 4-5 hours.
3. Cook the noodles.
4. Before serving stir in the sour cream.

Crock Pot Roast

Roast
Potatoes
Baby carrots
Garlic powder
Pepper

Place the roast in the crock pot and season it with garlic powder and pepper. Cut the potatoes into wedges and add them around the roast. Next add the baby carrots on top of the potatoes.

Cook on Low for 8-10 hours or High for 4-5 hours. This meal is better if you can cook it for 10 hours on low.

You can serve a vegetable and a salad with the first two meals or a salad to the last one to make it complete.

Inexpensive and quick recipes are easy to find online. Do a Goggle search for recipe sites and then look to see what you can find. Whether times are tough financially or you have a lot of mouths to feed, inexpensive and quick recipes can really help save you time and money!

Darlyn Burkle of http://www.I-Choose-Us.com, offers resources to show women how to survive a depression and thrive through the financial crisis. The 52-week Money Saving Toolkit helps women save and earn extra money. It covers practical money saving tips for saving on food, utilities, mortgage, gasoline, entertainment, college education, travel, gift-giving, and more.

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

15 Minute Dinner - A Healthy Quick Recipe For Stir Fry Chicken With Zucchini

2011-12-26T14:47:00.001-08:00

This dinner- a healthy quick recipe for Stir Fry Chicken with Zucchini and Noodles is a busy mom's dream come true. It is an extra quick and easy chicken recipe that is inexpensive to boot. The noodles cook in 1 minute once the water boils and the chicken only needs a few minutes of stir frying. The dish is low in fat and healthy, and sure to be a hit for dinner on those busy nights. Why not bring out the chopsticks and practice up on your skills.

To thinly slice the chicken, place the breasts in the freezer for a few minutes to partially freeze the meat. The breasts will then be firm but not hard and easy to slice thin. Be careful not to freeze solid however, frozen chicken is nearly impossible to slice. Instead of the ramen noodles, you could also serve this recipe over stir fried rice or alone with additional vegetables.

Stir Fry Chicken with Zucchini and Noodles

1whole or 2 halves chicken breast, diced or sliced thin

1 Tablespoon oil

1 clove garlic crushed, or 1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1/2 cup bamboo shoots, sliced into matchsticks

14 cup canned mushroom slices

1 1/2 cups diced zucchini

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup water or chicken broth

3-4 packages chicken flavored ramen noodles depending on your guests

Put on the water for the noodles. Ramen noodles cook fast, follow the package directions, but you will drain them for serving. There is no need to cook them separately, just do them all in the same pot. When the cooking time is up, take them off the heat; keep them warm until the chicken is done, then drain.
Stir fry the chicken over high heat with the garlic in a small amount of oil. When it turns white, add the soy sauce and continue stirring for a 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the zucchini, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms. Continue cooking for a few more minutes
Mix the cornstarch with the water or broth. Stir into the mixture and cook, stirring until thickened.
Serve the Chicken with Zucchini over a bed of drained ramen noodles. Serves 4.

Are you interested in more quick and easy dinner recipes? Sign up for our newsletter at Quick & Easy Dinner Recipes and get quick and healthy recipes delivered to your email regularly.

Diane has just finished a free cookbook of her favorite southern recipes. Download Easy Southern Favorites today. These recipes are guaranteed to have them begging for more. Best of all, its free!

Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes visit her website at Easy Southern Cooking.

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An Easy, Quick Recipe - Baked Ham Steak With Pineapple

2011-12-26T14:38:00.001-08:00

Are you often rushed in the evenings? Finding it hard to get dinner on the table and still have time for the important things in life? A few easy quick recipes, combined with a little planning will make cooking dinner a pleasure again.

Look for recipes that are simple --with minimum preparation, then let your oven or slow cooker do the work. This recipe features an easy preparation, then cooks quickly in only 20 minutes in the oven while you fix a salad and warm some dinner rolls. Baked Ham Steak with Pineapple is an old favorite that can easily and quickly solve tonight's dinner crisis.

You will find these pre-sliced ham steaks vacuum packed in the meat department of your grocery. Sizes range from 1 to 2 pounds. This recipe calls for 1 1/2 pound, but choose a steak that will serve your family. If it is much smaller, then cook for a little less time. This serves 4 generously.

Baked Ham Steak with Pineapple

1 1/2 pound ham steak

1 can pineapple rings

brown sugar

cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Trim off or slice through the fat on the edge of the ham in several places to prevent curling in the pan.

3. Place the ham steak in a shallow ovenproof pan and place the pineapple slices on top. Pour the pineapple juice over all.

4. Place the ham steak in the oven and bake for 20 minutes (uncovered).

5. After 20 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and turn the oven up to broil.

6. Baste the ham with the pan juices. Sprinkle a little brown sugar over the pineapple slices and dust with cinnamon.

7. Return to oven and broil for 3 to 5 minutes or until the pineapple is lightly browned. Serve each ham steak with a pineapple slice.

Serve with a tossed salad and dinner rolls for an easy quick dinner recipe solution. I hope that this menu will find its way onto your table soon.

Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. Do you need more quick and easy dinner recipes complete with menu suggestions and shopping lists? Visit http://easysoutherncooking.com/easy-dinner-recipe.html for recipes, cooking tips, and more.

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An Easy Quick Recipe For Dinner Tonight - Beef Stroganoff

2011-12-26T14:36:00.000-08:00

It seems that when its time to cook dinner, easy quick recipe ideas are hard to find. The secret to getting dinner on the table fast is planning ahead and keeping an arsenal of easy quick recipe ideas for those busy days.

This easy quick recipe features a beef stroganoff that can be on the table in less than 20 minutes. Start the noodles first, because they take the longer to cook than this Stroganoff. You want to use a tender piece of beef, cut across the grain to make sure the meat is tender. You could also use a pound of ground beef instead of the minute steaks. Just brown the beef, then finish this easy quick recipe as directed.

Sour cream is traditional in this dish, but yogurt offers a lower fat option. The flavor will be a little tangy, but delicious. You could also use a fat free sour cream. Be sure to only warm the sauce after the sour cream or yogurt is added, boiling will separate the cream and the texture of the sauce will not be rich and creamy as it should be. This easy quick dinner recipe is perfect on a busy night. Serve with hot buttered noodles and perhaps a salad or green vegetable.

Quick Beef Stroganoff

3 minute steaks, cut into 1/2 inch strips

2 Tablespoons oil

1 onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

3 ounce can of mushrooms

2 Tablespoons catsup

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Brown the steak strips in the oil. Add the onion and garlic. Stir fry for 5 minutes until onion is translucent. Combine remaining ingredients, add to meat. Heat on low temperature until flavors blend. (Do not boil.) Serve this easy quick Beef Stroganoff over buttered noodles.

Do you need more quick and easy dinner recipes complete with menu suggestions and shopping lists? Join our newsletter list for more quick dinner recipe ideas like this one. Easy Quick Recipe Ideas at Easy Southern Cooking

Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. Easy Southern Cooking

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An Easy Quick Recipe For Dinner Tonight - Taco Salad

2011-12-26T14:33:00.001-08:00

Are you in need of an easy quick recipe for dinner? No matter how busy you are, your family still needs to eat. If you're the cook, dinner can become an insurmountable problem on a busy day. Take-out gets boring pretty quickly and puts a strain on the pocket book as well.

Lets face it, half the battle is in planning ahead. When you know the menu, and have the meat thawed, then an easy quick recipe like this one is a snap. If the dinner hour approaches with no plan in mind, then a lot of energy will be expended in the planning and shopping. With a few simple recipes and planned ahead menus you can have dinner on the table in double time.

This Taco Salad recipe is a staple at our house. Some people like the corn chips mixed into the salad, others like to eat the chips separately. If you want to mix it all up before serving that's ok also. You could add canned pinto or kidney beans that have drained and warmed. I like to serve it just like this. Some people use Thousand Island Dressing instead of the sour cream. The great thing about this meal is that the salad, meat and starch are all included in the one recipe. This is easy to double. I will usually cook extra meat for my freezer, giving me an additional easy quick meal in the future.

Taco Salad

1 pound ground beef

1 package taco seasoning mix

½ large or 1 small head of lettuce, shredded

1 avocado, sliced or diced

½ green bell pepper, sliced thin or diced

½ large diced onion

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

¼ cup black olives, sliced

1 package corn chips

1 jar salsa

½ cup sour cream, fat free sour cream works fine

Prepare the taco meat according to seasoning package directions and let simmer until ready to serve.
Shred the lettuce and dice the vegetables.
I like to put out all the ingredients in separate bowls and let each person mix their own salad.
Start with a bed of shredded lettuce, add vegetables. Top with the hot meat, then the cheese. A dollop of sour cream goes on top and surround with corn chips.

Are you in need of more quick and easy dinner recipe ideas? Join our newsletter for complete menu ideas, shopping lists, cooking lessons, and more at http://easysoutherncooking.com/quick-easy.html

We offer healthy, quick recipes at http://easysoutherncooking.com/healthy-quick-dinner-recipe.html

Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes for everything you need to complete a traditional style holiday meal, visit her website Easy Southern Cooking at http://www.easysoutherncooking.com

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Gluten Free Recipes

2011-12-25T15:03:00.001-08:00

Before you go to the grocery store and spend money on ingredients for a special recipe, it can be helpful to know just how many other people enjoyed the finished product. After all, many gluten free ingredients may cost more than their gluten-rich versions - therefore, finding five-star recipe reviews can save you money. If you're tired of wasting precious resources on recipes that just don't please your palate, you can avoid disappointment by consulting recipe reviews before you begin cooking.

To get the best recipe reviews, check online chat groups, recipe archives, and message boards - chances are excellent that these websites will also have lots of room for positive and negative recipe-related commentary. Look for reviews that get many four and five star ratings...n ot just a couple of positive reviews. By playing it safe and trying crowd-pleasing recipes, you can be sure that your grocery dollars will be well spent.

Sites like Allrecipes.com offer a host of gluten free recipes, along with detailed customer reviews. For example, you can choose from several interesting bread recipes, some of which use an affordable main ingredient - brown rice flour. Popular free cooking blogs are also a wonderful resource for recipes, and they often have plenty of comments from blog followers who have also tested the recipes and shared their experiences. Celiac disease websites may have recipe indexes, although they don't always contain recipe reviews; many of these websites do offer lists of links to recipe archives featuring the reviews you want to read.

When searching for gluten free recipe reviews, be sure that the website has an impartial focus - in other words, recipes should not be touting a specific gluten free product, recipe book, or catering service. Sometimes, the reviews found on "corporate" websites may not be authentic. It's better to look for recipe indexes that don't attempt to sell a food item or cookbook. Often, online marketplaces like Amazon.com will offer good deals on items or recipe books - in general, the reviews posted on these sites will be more accurate and trustworthy. To be certain a review is reliable, look for tags like "Amazon verified purchase" at the top of the review - then, you'll know for certain that the person leaving the review actually obtained and used the recipe book. At Amazon, it is possible to leave reviews without buying or trying a product, so there is the possibility of deceptive positive or negative customer reviews. In general, public recipe archives without a "sales-y" focus will have fail-safe reviews from everyday people; they are probably the safest best for your needs.

Parents with children who have special gluten free dietary needs will also be excellent sounding boards for all types of recipes. Parenting forums can be filled with recipes and commentary on their usefulness. Since parents must prepare practical, tasty meals for children (who may balk at bad-tasting meals), they will often share their success stories with other parents. Visiting these boards can be a useful way to find meal options that will appeal to almost anyone.

Melinda Knight-
Wife & mother of a family allergic to gluten, and former Catering Director at three of the largest hotels on the Las Vegas strip, where she planned menus and parties for thousands including the occasional 3,000 person wedding. She now plans meals for her gluten free family and shares her recipes and ideas for living a gluten free life at her blog.

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Easy Three Ingredient Boneless Chicken Recipes

2011-12-25T14:48:00.000-08:00

If you are the kind of cook who hates making complicated recipes and having to measure out half a teaspoon of this, half a teaspoon of that and half a teaspoon of the other, three ingredient chicken recipes might be just what you are looking for.

After all, chicken has plenty of natural flavor, so why add a lot more? Surely if you add twenty ingredients to boneless chicken, you will not be able to taste the chicken at the end of it. Actually, that is not strictly true and a lot of recipes work on the concept that you need to combine a lot of ingredients to find the perfect flavor combination.

Why Some Recipes are Complex

If you make a twenty ingredient Asian boneless chicken recipe, for example, and half of those ingredients are herbs and spices, you will be able to smell several distinct ingredients before taking your first bite. After that, you will have a balanced taste in your mouth and you should be able to differentiate numerous flavors, all of which go together nicely.

This is the type of food you would expect in a restaurant. If you had a suspicion the chef had made your entree using just three ingredients, you would probably feel that you were not getting your money's worth, even if the food was tasty. Complex recipes are also good for special occasions or when you want to impress.

However, what about if you just want to make your family a tasty dinner and you do not have two hours to weigh out and combine ingredients? That is where three ingredient chicken breast recipes are ideal.

Types of Three Ingredient Meals

You can combine chicken with all kinds of other flavors, making it versatile as well as comparatively cheap to buy. Combine some chicken pieces with chopped onion and spicy salsa and bake it for a lively Mexican dish.

You can cook chicken recipes in the crockpot too. Try combining some chicken with frozen vegetables and a bottle of sweet and sour sauce for a tasty Chinese style dish. Swiss cheese stuffed chicken in a canned mushroom and garlic soup is another clever crockpot idea.

Easy Three Ingredient Crockpot Chicken Recipe

This boneless chicken recipe is incredibly simple and makes tasty cheese flavored chicken recipe that you can serve with rice or noodle. You can add some chili powder and black pepper to the chicken and soup before you start cooking it, if you like, if you do not mind turning this into a five-ingredient dish. This recipe makes enough cheesy chicken to serve six people.

You will need:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
10 oz can condensed Fiesta cheese soup
10 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup

How to make it:

Put the chicken breasts in your crockpot and pour the undiluted soup over the top. Stir to combine. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the chicken has no pink left inside and its juices run clear when you pierce it with a knife in the thickest part.

With a family of six, a few things just are because they are. One of those things is the need to eat healthy and try to stretch the food budget at the same time. This can be extremely hard in a house of male carnivorous kids. One way we do this is with the use of boneless chicken and here website, BonelessChickenRecipe.com.

Home cooking need not be complicated and you can make delicious three or four ingredient recipes, which the whole family will love. If you are looking for a tasty recipe for chicken breast which is nutritious and simple to make, you will find a great recipe selection to whet your appetite at BonelessChickenRecipe.com

One of the things you will learn while there is how to make beer can chicken like a pro. We all remember those wonderful cookouts as a kid with grandpa cooking that perfect chicken so juice and tender it practically falls off the bone. Well with the techniques, you will learn all that and more on the site, you will find a simple and easy way to duplicate this on your own grill or even in your own oven. Chicken so delightfully, moist you can almost smell it through your monitor.

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

Recipes for Christmas Dinner Part 1, Cooking a Turkey

2011-12-25T14:44:00.001-08:00

If you are looking at recipes for a Christmas dinner, start from turkeys. The staple for any Christmas dinner is a big nice turkey stuffed with your favourite fillings (or mine!). No matter where you hail from, turkeys should be available at least during the Christmas season so it'll be a great idea for you to learn how to cook one for the coming holidays. In the first part of this series of recipes, we will learn how to roast a turkey for Christmas.

Step One - Thaw the turkey

All you need to do here is to place the turkey into the fridge for a few hours depending on its weight. For most turkeys of around 12 to 15 lbs, thaw for 2 days in the fridge. If you got a really big one weighing 20-24 lbs, you need at least 4 days.

Step Two - Wash the turkey with cold water

Make sure you thoroughly clean it with cold water after taking it out of the fridge. Once done, clean out the insides of the turkey and remove any giblets from it.

Step Three - Add flavours and seasonings

First use a brush and gently apply oil or liquid butter over the skin of the turkey. From here on, you can decide for yourself what seasonings you want to add. I generally like to sprinkle basil flavoured seasonings generously but you may enjoy a combination of Majoram and thyme instead.

Step Four - Roast your turkey

Insert a thermometer into the thigh area of your turkey where it's thickest, and then preheat to 350 Fahrenheit on a heating pan. Gauge the preheating carefully and then keep it in the oven or grill rotisserie for about 3.5 hours for a smaller turkey. Bigger ones of 20-24 lbs should take 4.5 hours.

And that's it! You now have a sumptuous turkey on your dinner table!

Pay Attention to this

Get the latest information on how to make Make recipes for christmas dinner click here http://christmasgifttip.com

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Kids Christmas Recipes

2011-12-25T14:39:00.001-08:00

With the Festive season just around the corner you may be looking for some Kids Christmas Recipes, that you can cook for or with your kids.

There really is no better time than the festive season to get in the kitchen cooking with your kids. Christmas is steeped in traditions and flavors, like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and of course lashings of hot chocolate.

Kids love to bake and enjoy nothing more than making gifts that family and friends can eat. Lebkuchen are Traditional German Christmas Cookies and my children love to decorate these with white icing and silver balls. Sugar Mice and Coconut Ice are ideal gift ideas.

We have another family favorite Christmas Recipe Chocolate Cherry Fudge.

Starry Mince Pies

Mince Pies are traditional at Christmas, this recipe will make approx 12 pies.

250g Plain Flour
150g Cold Butter, extra for greasing
Cold water to mix, allow between 1 to 1 1/2 tsp per 25g of flour
1/4 Level tsp Salt
350g Mincemeat
Beaten Egg for brushing
Sifted Icing Sugar

Pre-Heat your oven to 190c/375f/Gas Mark 5.

For the pastry:-

1. Sift the flour and the salt into a bowl.
2. Add the butter, cut into the flour with a knife then rub with your fingertips. When rubbed sufficiently, the mixture should look like fine breadcrumbs.
3. Sprinkle the water over the crumbs, mix to stiff crumbly-looking paste with round-ended knife.
4. Draw together with fingertips, turn out on to lightly floured board. Knead quickly until smooth and crack-free.

Building the Pies:-

1. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface,using an 8cm round cutter stamp out 12 circles.
2. Grease your muffin tin and line with your pastry circles.
3. Using a teaspoon put equal amounts of mincemeat into each pastry case.
4. With your remaining pastry using a small star cutter cut out your stars.
5. Place your stars in the center of the pie and brush with a little beaten egg.
6. Bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes (or until golden brown)
7. Remove from the tins and dredge thickly with sifted icing sugar.

The mince pies can be served warm, with whipped cream or custard, you could also decorate with other festive shapes depending on your cookie cutters.

Whether you are looking for Kids Christmas Dessert Recipes or Easy Kids Christmas Cookies Recipes I have put together some Family Favorite Xmas Treats and Kids Christmas Recipes.

http://www.get-your-kids-cooking.com

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A Delicious Christmas Recipe To Make Your Mouth Water

2011-12-24T07:46:00.001-08:00

I don't know about you but the one thing I especially look forward to at Christmas time is the food. And I mean really look forward to it. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying Christmas is just about food, the festive season is a great time for bringing families together and celebrating, but hey, like I said, I really do like the food.

Traditions Of A Recipe For Christmas

This goes way back and to most families is the main focal point of their Christmas. Waiting to see what that big juicy Turkey will taste like and how it will be presented on the table. Of course there are many other meals for Christmas with a lot of these recipes having been passed through generations of families. It's kind of eerie when we think of this; I mean just think, our ancestors were tucking into the same mince pie that we are eating now at our Christmas Soirée. Well, perhaps not the 'same' mince pie but certainly the same recipe perhaps.

Some Ideas For A Christmas Recipe

I think the fun recipes are desserts as these are a pleasure to create and everybody always loves a lovely Christmas pudding. The Christmas fruitcake is also a great choice and isn't too difficult to prepare.

A Simple Fruit Cake Recipe

Why not try this very easy fruit cake which doesn't take a great deal of time to prepare and tastes absolutely mouth watering. This is traditional recipe for Christmas time and will always be well received by your guests. To make this you will need to compile the following ingredients: -

One and a half cups of raisins

Three cups of sifted flour

One and a half cups of shredded dates

One cup of crushed nuts

Two cups of water that has been boiled

5 tablespoons of standard vegetable oil

One teaspoon of baking soda

Two cups of sugar

Two teaspoons each of cloves and cinnamon and add one teaspoon of salt.

Preparation

Now that we have all the ingredients measured as above, simply find a clear and clean surface and then proceed to lay them out. Take the sugar together with the vegetable oil and your raisins and place these in a pot and simmer for approximately twenty minutes or so. Make sure you allow the mix to cool down for approx 5 minutes. During this time the soda, salt and pour cloves can be mixed together in a sifting fashion and then incorporated onto the now cooled down mix. Now get your nuts and start stirring the designated amount into complete mix. An old trick to stop the nuts from sinking is to also add some flour at the same time of adding the nuts. Simply then pour the finished mix into pan which has been pre-greased and bake in your oven at three hundred and twenty degrees for approximately one and a half hours. Set your timer for this and additionally check from time to time.

Making a delicious Fruit cake is just one out of many many mouth watering Christmas recipes that you can make. If you browse the internet you will find all sorts of ideas that you can put to use. Whether you refer to a cookbook or browse the web in general, with a little digging and delving you are bound to find the Christmas recipe that is just right for you and your family.

If you require more Christmas Decoration info then be sure to visit the Outdoor Christmas Decoration Site which provides comprehensive help, advice and ideas on all aspects of Christmas Decoration. Clive thoroughly recommends this site so check it out today here =>http://www.outdoorchristmasdecorationsite.com

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How to Make Delicious Gluten Free Bread

2011-12-20T17:51:00.002-08:00

Rice flour is finer than normal flour and Gluten free. Therefore, for those people who are allergic to gluten or are advised by doctors not to indulge in gluten. By using rice flour, you can enjoy the bread without having to worry about gluten intake. In addition, it is lighter and more fluffy therefore, it gives you a more crumbly crust and softer bread. Here is a simple rice flour bread recipe that you can make in an oven or bread baking machine.

What you will need to make this bread recipe

Almonds - 1/2 cup

Brown or white rice flour - 1 1/2 cups

Baking powder - 4 tablespoons

Poppy seeds - 3 tablespoons

Salt - A pinch

Yogurt - 1/2 cup

Water - 1/2 cup

Vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons

Flax seeds - 1 large tablespoon (as a replacement for egg)

(For those who eat eggs, use 1 egg and 1 egg white)

Water - 3 tablespoons

Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.

Grease one 8 x 4 inch bread loaf pan.

Mix 1/2 cup of almonds with 1/2 cup of rice flour and grind them finely in a food processor. This will make almond meal. The presence of flour prevents the oil from the almonds being added to the bread.

Mix the rest of the flour, baking powder, 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds and salt in the almond meal and combine well.

Grind the flax seeds to a fine powder, mix with 3 tablespoons of water and let the mix simmer for a little while to mix well. Set the mix aside.

Beat the yogurt well to get an even texture.

Add the rest of the water to the yogurt and mix well until you get a buttermilk-like consistency.

Add the vegetable oil to the mix and combine well.

Add the flax seed gel to the mixture and use a blender to combine.

Now add the dry ingredient mixture, one tablespoon at a time, and blend so that there are no lumps and all the ingredients are mixed well.

Pour the batter in the prepared bread loaf pan and sprinkle the rest of the poppy seeds over the top.

Bake the bread in the oven for about 55 minutes.

Remove and cool on a wire rack before cutting in slices.

If using a bread machine, replace the baking powder with 3 tablespoons of active dry yeast. The crust of bread is chewy and crumbly so you will need to select the machine settings accordingly.

About the Author: Anukriti Parsai love baking.

Anikriti has been using his family diaries to bake fresh, healthy bread recipe's for most of his adult life.

For more delicious bread recipe's visit Anukriti bread recipe blog where you'll find a brilliantly delicious stuffed potato Indian fry bread recipe.

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Easy and Flavorful Chinese Fried Rice Recipe - Only Five Ingredients

2011-12-20T17:51:00.000-08:00

This delicious and easy Chinese fried rice recipe serves about four adults. After preparing and refrigerating the rice ahead of time, this dish can be ready to serve in about 30 minutes, with about 15 minutes for prep time and the remaining 15 for cooking.

Stir in cooked, chopped-up chicken, beef, pork or shrimp to turn this easy Chinese fried rice recipe into a complete meal. Serve it with egg rolls, spring rolls, pot stickers, or wontons for an extra special treat. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 cups cold cooked jasmine rice

1 cup cooked frozen peas and carrots (or 1 to 2 finely chopped green onions)

4 tablespoons peanut oil

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons oyster or hoisin sauce

Preparation:

1. Cook the peas and carrots according to package directions. Salt and pepper to taste.

2. Beat the eggs in a small bowl.

3. Add the oil to a wok or large frying pan under medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the rice and stir fry it for a few minutes with a wooden spoon.

4. While stir frying, separate the chunks of rice into smaller pieces.

5. Move the rice to one side of the wok or pan. Scramble the eggs until cooked.

6. Stir the scrambled eggs into the rice. Stir in the frozen peas and carrots or green onions.

7. Pour the sauce over the rice mixture. Mix thoroughly and stir fry for a few more minutes. Serve hot.

Tips:

You can substitute enriched white rice for the jasmine, but jasmine rice has a pleasant taste, texture and aroma that plain old white rice will never match. In our home, we use jasmine rice in all of our rice dishes. It's available in most grocery stores as well as in Indian and Thai markets. It's slightly more expensive than regular rice of the same quantity, but the better taste definitely makes up for the higher cost.

When stir-frying Chinese fried rice with peanut oil, avoid heating the oil to high temperatures. When heated to its smoke point, peanut oil can cause foods to taste bitter.

As a less expensive alternative to peanut oil, you can add about a teaspoon of sesame oil to flavor regular heated vegetable oil. When heated by itself, sesame oil has a taste that is too intense to be used as a stir-fry oil. But small amounts go a long way to enhance the flavor of the rice.

As you stir fry with the wooden spoon, scrape rice from the bottom of the pan or wok to avoid sticking and burning.

Oyster sauce is thick and salty, with a slight amount of oyster extract to enhance the flavor of foods. Hoisin sauce is also thick and salty, but sweeter in its flavor. It's frequently used as a dipping sauce for spring rolls and other appetizers. If you want to make a healthier version of this Chinese fried rice recipe, use a reduced-sodium soy sauce instead of these sauces.

This easy recipe is extremely flexible and forgiving. If you want to stir fry more cold cooked rice, scramble and stir in an additional egg per cup of rice added. Stir in additional sauce to taste, being careful not to make the rice too salty.

A native of Los Angeles, Jason Castellucci has been a professional writer since 1996. He has enjoyed Chinese cuisine since kindergarten, when he fell in love at first bite with the Mandarin Dragon restaurant in his home town. He has been cooking Chinese food for over 10 years.

Get this electronic cookbook and learn to cook six healthy dishes of real Chinese food in under 45 minutes.

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Easy Fun Holiday Recipes - Hot Chocolate Mix, Gingerbread Waffles, and Snowflake Funnel Cakes

2011-12-20T17:50:00.000-08:00

There's no time like the holidays to have some fun with foods. This article is here to help you with that! From Hot Chocolate Mix you can use at home or package for gifts to Gingerbread Waffles to Snowflake Funnel Cakes, hit the kitchen and have some fun. Package the drink mix in pretty jars or holiday canisters and give as gifts to friends, favors at your Christmas party, etc. What better idea for a holiday breakfast with family and friends or at your holiday brunch than gingerbread waffles. The Snowflakes can be dusted with powdered sugar or 'snowed' by the children in your life.

HOT CHOCOLATE MIX
1 can (8-oz) cocoa (I use Hershey's)
2 lb powdered sugar
8 cups non-fat evaporated powdered milk
1 container (18-oz) non-dairy powdered creamer

In a large bowl combine all the above ingredients. Store in an airtight container or put in pretty jars for gifting. To serve put desired amount into a cup and add boiling water.

GINGERBREAD WAFFLES
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup canola oil

In a mixing bowl blend the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, and sugar; set aside.

In another mixing bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, molasses, and canola oil. Stir the mixture well then add to the flour mixture. Stir mixtures together until blended.

Cook in a preheated, oiled waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions. Serve with butter and syrup or topping of your choice.

SNOWFLAKE FUNNEL CAKES
4 eggs, beaten
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3 cups milk
1 tsp salt
2 cups canola oil
powdered sugar for dusting

In a mixing bowl combine the eggs and milk.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; add to the egg mixture and using a rotary mixer, beat until smooth. Pour the mixture into a pitcher and chill.

Heat the canola oil to 360 degrees in a deep fryer if you have one or a large skillet.

Remove batter from refrigerator and stir with a large spoon and test to see if it flows easily through a funnel. If too thick, add a small amount of milk. If too thin, add a little flour.

Cover the end of a funnel with your finger and pour 1/2 cup batter into funnel. Hold over the hot oil and release your finger and drop batter into the oil while moving funnel to form a snowflake shape. BE CAREFUL WHEN WORKING WITH HOT OIL! Oil will splatter when batter hits it! Cook snowflake approximately 3 minutes until a golden brown; turn and cook approximately 1 minute on other side.

Remove from the oil and drain on paper toweling. Transfer to a paper plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar 'snow'; sprinkle with sparkle or colored sugar, if desired.

Yield: 8 large snowflakes

Have Fun!

For more of Linda's dessert recipes visit her blog at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com
For her diabetic dessert recipes visit her at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com

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

Tasty Snacks for Diabetics and Other Folks

2011-12-20T17:49:00.001-08:00

Introduction

You can make snacks the whole family will enjoy and they will not think about them being healthy diabetic snacks. Processed refined sugar is not healthy for anyone. Always use Fructevia Sweetener (stevia) in place of sugar. ½ cup Fructevia = 1 cup sugar. NuStevia like Fructevia is reported to have no bitter after taste.These satisfy your sweet tooth without raising your blood sugar.

Low Sugar JellO

A big bowl of sugar-free jello makes a good desert or snack. There are many different flavors from which you can choose. Make Jello following directions on the Jello package and add some fructevia to sweeten instead of sugar. Add some fruit and let it set up in the refrigerator. Eat just what you want and put the bowl back in the fridge.

You can grab the bowl any time and have a few bites.

Sugar Free Fruit Juice Jello Using PomonaPectin

Pomonapectin is sugar-free, low-methoxyl citrus pectin that is activated by calcium. All pectins available today, except Pomona Pectin, have some sugar as one of the ingredients.

Ingredients

3/4 C water or orange juice
1 C crushed fruit such as blueberries, aronia berries, peaches, or pineapple with juice
1/4 C finely shredded carrot (optional)
1 t Pomona pectin powder
1 t calcium-water
½ teaspoon fructevia as sweetener ( optional)

Directions

Pre dissolve pectin: Bring the 3/4 C orange juice or water to a boil. Then blend this mixture in a food processor. Add the 1 t of pectin and process on high for about 1 minute until pectin is totally dissolved.

Heat calcium water nearly to boiling
Add pectin and water or orange juice & mix well. Remove from heat.
Add fruit and stir well.
Pour into bowl and chill until firm.

Sugar-Free Fruit Juice Yummie Snacks

Ingredients

1/3 cup Pomona pectin powder(adjust the amount of pectin for the firmness you want)
2 T calcium water
1 cup fruit juice use any flavor (For example, use ½ cup blueberry or aronia berry juice 1/2 pineapple juice) (other juice combinations are also good.)
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
1/4 cup fructevia, or to taste (The amount will depend on how astringent the juice is that you use )
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or Chia Seed (optional)

Molds (It is suggested that you use very small molds. If they are bigger, it is just too much to chew in one bite!)

Pour juice and lemon juice into a small pan. Sprinkle Pomona pectin powder over juice and let set for a minute. Add fructevia and bring to a boil over medium to high heat, stirring until fructevia and pectin is completely dissolved.

Fill molds using a small syringe. We suggest using very small molds. You can also pour Pomona pectin mixture into a pan and cut into narrow strips.

Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until well set.

They should easily release from the mold by a little push with your finger.

Pumpkin Dip
Use pumpkin dip with apple slices or celery sticks or carrots. This is also good on a toasted bagel at breakfast. Use it on whole-grain crackers for a snack.

Minutes to Prepare: 5 Number of Servings: 16

Ingredients

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
8 ounces non-fat cream cheese, softened

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a food processor to make a smooth mixture. Transfer to a small bowl and chill. You can store this in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Number of Servings: 16

Diabetic Pecan Pie

Ingredients

2 tablespoons coconut oil or real butter
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar-free maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fructevia
1 tablespoon pinto bean flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup pecan halves
1 unbaked 9" pie shell
1/2 tablespoon 1% milk

Directions
Melt butter or coconut oil and put it to the side to cool down. Add in order, eggs, syrup, salt, fructevia, pinto bean flour, vanilla extract, and coconut oil or real butter. Mix this mixture in a blender until smooth. Coat the pecans with the mixture. Pour the mixture into a pie shell. Brush crust rim with 1% milk. Bake for about 45 min at 350 degrees F. for an hour until slightly brown.

Makes 8 servings

No Added Sugar Blueberry Crumb Bars

INGREDIENTS

½ cup fructevia
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups pinto bean flour
1 cup coconut oil
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 pinch ground cinnamon (optional)
4 cups fresh blueberries or aronia berries
1/4 cup fructevia
3 teaspoons cornstarch

DIRECTIONS

Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
In a medium bowl, stir together 1/2 cup fructevia, 3 cups pinto bean flour, and baking powder. Mix in cinnamon and salt. Use a fork to blend in the coconut oil and egg. This will produce crumbly dough. Pat half of the dough into the pan you have greased.
In another bowl, stir together the cornstarch and fructevia. Mix in the blueberries or aronia berries. Add the aronia berry mixture evenly over the crust. Put remaining dough over the berry layer.
Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees F for about 45 minutes until top is slightly brown. Cut into squares after cooling completely.

Diabetic Blueberry Cobbler
Make this in an 8-inch square greased pan and serve it warm with low sugar ice cream.

Minutes to Prepare: 15 - Minutes to Cook: 30 - Number of Servings: 12

Ingredients

1/2 C coconut oil or real butter, salted
2/3 C. skim milk
1 1/2 C Bisquick, Heart Smart
1 C fructevia
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries or aronia berries with 1/8 c. fructevia to sweeten slightly

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Melt butter or coconut oil in a 11x7 baking pan.
Add milk, bisquik and fructevia; stir until smooth.
Heat blueberries in a pan with 1/4 c water and 1/8 c fructevia (toss gently, but don't stir) to allow juice/sauce to form
Drop spoonfuls of blueberry filling over batter.
Bake 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.

Purchase your pesticide free aronia and blueberries from (Blueberry Croft Farm and Nursery). We understand both the theory and practical applications of growing aronia and blueberries. The farm is a reputable source for quality aronia and blueberry plants. Over 30 varieties of blueberries are grown and sold. Viking aronia plants are available for sale. Purchase your plants and get more information from http://www.blueberrycroft.com/. Get free S/H on orders of $75+. © 2011 May be reproduced in entirety with live link

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

Simple Frappuccino Recipe

2011-12-20T17:48:00.000-08:00

If you have decided to get your Frappuccino recipe and make your own Frappuccino coffee at very little cost, yet have it tasting as good as that from Starbucks, then you have made the right choice. Here, we will bring you different recipes for just that and the good news is that you will never feel the pinch in your wallet. However, note that the recipes here are not necessarily the ones used by the company that originated the Frappuccino coffee. However, it should come close to the real deal and in any case, if you could be a little experimental, then chances are that you can give your Frappuccino recipe a unique taste, just the way that you like it. With the current economic crunch, you can be sure that you are not the only one looking for a way to save money. Everyone else is on the search for the best and simplest Frappuccino recipe.

If you have ever had this frozen drink, then you know that you must have it as soon as you feel the urge for it. Few things make life worth living and this is one of them. Therefore, you should not skimp on a good Frappuccino recipe that will give you good quality and value for your time and money. One of the main advantages of making your frozen drink at home is that you can make it as strong as you want. You can also make it any time that you want. You do not have to stick to any one recipe by necessity because there are many. You can give it a tweak here and there and you can even concoct a very healthy drink where you do not have to worry about the calories. One of the ways to do this is to use a Frappuccino recipe that advises you to skip the cream or to replace it with skimmed milk. You can also skip the milk and ccream altogether and be assured of lesser calories in your drink.

To show you how easy it is to follow a Frappuccino recipe, you can sample the one outlined below:

You will need:
Ice
½ cup strong brewed coffee
Milk of your choice; this could be soy, nonfat or any other milk
Enough instant pudding
A tall blending variety cup

Pour in the ice, fill in your pudding in the tall cup, then add the coffee and top it all up with milk.

Start blending the mixture and continue until you no longer hear the crushing noises. If you think that your frozen drink is too thick, you can always add in some more milk.

If you want, you can now top up your drink with cream, insert the straw and go ahead and enjoy yourself.

This is just a very simple Frappuccino recipe but there will be many more if you would like to make a different Frappuccino every time you desire one. Of course, you can try different ingredients for different flavors, different amounts of sugar depending on how sweet you would like your drink to be.

This article was all about frappuccino recipe. Hope you enjoyed it and if you want to read more check out: http://www.frappuccinorecipe.org/

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

Make Smoked Deer Sausage Links

2011-12-20T17:47:00.000-08:00

Having grown up on a small farm, the majority of our subsistence was grown or raised. Smoked sausage was one of the byproducts and table fare on a regular basis.

A tradition during Thanksgiving week was to prepare ham, bacon and sausage links for curing in the smoke house. The sausage links were hung in the smoke house for two weeks of low heat smoke to be completely cured and ready for storage. The sausage required no refrigeration, instead was stored submerged in lard in a metal container or crock to fully preserve them.

As years passed, I had a desire to pass on the tradition and knowledge of sausage making to my children. However, with the availability of the freezer and electric meat grinders and the disappearance of the smoke house, some of the processing steps have changed. Unlike the electric grinders available today, we used a hand meat grinder for preparing and stuffing the sausage. As a substitute for pork, deer is used now.

It has been said that politics and sausage making are alike, both are messy. I don't mind the mess making sausage and it appears politicians don't mind the mess either since there are so many of them.

Begin the process by boning out the deer and trimming off the deer fat as it will lessen the quality of taste over time. Deer meat is very lean and requires added fat for taste and texture enhancement. An acceptable fat for use is either beef fat or bacon ends and pieces mixed to a ratio of 1 part of fat to 6 parts of deer; more or less to individual preference.

Sausage seasoning is then thoroughly mixed into the ground meat using the ratio of ½ cup seasoning to 18 lbs. of meat. This ratio is based on a prepackaged sausage mix that has a stated ratio of 1 lb. package for 50 lbs. of meat. Prior to stuffing the sausage into casings, fry a couple of small samples to verify seasoning amount suits personal taste preference. For lesser amounts of meat, use 1 tablespoon of seasoning per pound of meat or adjust to taste.

Feed the sausage casings on the grinder attachment and begin stuffing. When the desired length is made, twist the sausage a couple of times and proceed to the next link.

When complete, the sausage links are frozen raw in desired size packages. When ready to cook, place on a covered BBQ grill and cook over indirect heat for approximately 40 minutes until fully cooked. Use of your favorite smoke wood while cooking adds the great smoked taste as the special smoke cured sausages but in much less time.

Your smoked deer sausage can be frozen for later use in your favorite dishes such as gumbo or red beans and rice or for breakfast.

More informative articles from H Chelette related to hunting, fishing, gardening, outdoor projects and recipes, visit Outdoor Projects and More at hcoutdoors.com

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

Yummy Recipes for Vegetables Made in Your Slow Cooker

2011-12-20T17:45:00.001-08:00

Crockpots and slow cookers can be your best kitchen friends. Being one who prefers vegetables over meat, I love using my slow cookers and crockpots (yes, that is plural, you can't have too many) for tasty vegetables, too. No need to keep it back just for soups and roasts. Try these delicious recipes and see what I mean! Easy Baked Sweet Potatoes are perfect when your oven is occupied with the meat. This is also a good way to prepare your sweet potatoes so they are ready when you get home. My German heritage come through in my love of cabbage. I think I could eat it everyday and never tire of it. One of my favorite cabbage recipes is Bavarian Red Cabbage which combines the red cabbage with apples. Give it a try, and see just how good it is. The New England Style Baked Beans turns a simple navy bean into a mouth-watering veggie!

EASY BAKED SWEET POTATOES
Scrub approximately 12 (or enough to fill your cooker) sweet potatoes.
Place potatoes in the slow cooker or crockpot. Add 1/4 cup water to pot.
Place lid on cooker and cook on high setting for 1 hour. Turn heat to low setting and cook for another 6 to 8 hours. Potatoes should be very tender.

BAVARIAN RED CABBAGE
1 small head red cabbage, coarsely sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tart apples, cored and quartered
2 tsp salt
1 cup hot water
1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
3 tbsp bacon drippings (or butter, if you prefer)

Place the above ingredients into the crockpot or slowcooker in the order listed above. Place the lid on the cooker and cook on low heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or 3 to 4 hours on high. Before serving, stir well.

NEW ENGLAND STYLE BAKED BEANS
1 1/2 lbs dry navy beans, cover with water and soak overnight
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp salt
1/4 lb salt pork, diced

Place the beans in the crockpot or slow cooker with 1 cup water. Cook on high for 30 to 45 minutes until softened.

Add the remaining ingredients to the beans in the cooker; mix together well. Place lid on cooker and cook on low setting 10 to 12 hours or on high 4 to 6 hours. Stir occasionally during cooking process.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's yummy slow cooker/crockpot recipes visit her blog at http://grandmasslowcookerrecipes.blogspot.com She also has a blog where she shares her old fashion recipes at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

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

Quick Rundown on Making a Pizza at Home

2011-12-20T17:44:00.001-08:00

So you've decided that you'd like to make a pizza for yourself or perhaps your family or maybe a party of guests. OK, great! Now, where do you start. Let's start off with something simple. A good cheese pizza is a nice simple way to break into the world of high quality pizza production.

1. Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been lightly coated in some type of oil, preferably olive. Keep moving the dough around so that the oil is covering the dough on all sides. Now place some plastic wrap or saran-wrap over the dough and allow it to sit for about and hour and a half or until the dough roughly doubles in size. You can use an oven if you want but don't set the temperature any higher than 140-150 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Place a baking sheet on a rack in the lower portion of your oven. Now, preheat the oven to 455°F for 25-35 minutes.

3. Remove the covering from the dough and push dough down so it starts to go down some. Cut the dough you have in half. Form two separate round balls of dough. Place each of the dough balls in its own bowl, cover with saran-wrap or plastic and let sit for 8-10 minutes.

4. Now, prepare whatever your desired toppings are, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, pepperoni. About a third a cup of tomato sauce and about a third a cup of cheese is enough to make one pizza.

5. Working with one piece of dough at a time, flatten it with your hands on a surface or countertop that is covered in flour. Starting in the middle and working out, use your fingertips to press the dough to about one half inch thick.

6. Brush all over the top of the dough with some type of olive oil. Use your fingers to push down and make small indentations along the top of the dough to prevent any kind of bubbling. Now let it sit for 5-8 minutes.

7. Lightly sprinkle your baking sheet with some type of corn meal. Transfer a flat dough to one of your baking sheets.

7. Use a ladle to slowly add the tomato sauce, sprinkle with your desired type of cheese, and place your favorite toppings on the ready to be cooked pizza.

8. Sprinkle some more cornmeal on the sheet in your oven. Bake until brown and the cheese is golden-yellow, in some cases different cheese will turn different colors, but in general this process should take about 8-15 minutes.

Tony Lena's of Salem
http://www.tonylenasofsalem.com

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

Quick and Easy Indian Fry Bread Recipe

2011-12-20T17:43:00.000-08:00

Indian fry bread is also known as 'poori' or 'puri' in Hindi and is sometimes referred as 'Indian Tacos'. Indian fry bread recipe's are easy to prepare and can be eaten alone or with any kind of gravy. They can be prepared plain or stuffed with interesting ingredients that will make you a hit at any party. The best thing about them is that they can be made in almost no time.

Here is an interesting potato Indian fry bread recipe that you can make as a snack or for lunch or dinner:

Ingredients:

Refined flour - 2 cups

Salt - 1 ½ teaspoons (adjust to your liking)

Water to knead the dough (at room temperature)

Hot oil - 2 tablespoons

Oil for frying

For the filling:

2 medium size potatoes - boiled and peeled

Salt - ½ teaspoon

Carom seeds - ½ teaspoon

Cumin seeds - ½ teaspoon

Red chili powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - ½ teaspoon

Garam masala - 1 teaspoon

Method:

Take a large plate to knead the dough.

Spread the flour on the plate and make a well in the middle.

Pour the hot oil in the middle of the well and using a fork, mix the flour and oil. (Be careful not to touch it otherwise you might burn yourself.)

Once you get a crumbly mix, leave it aside to rest.

In the meantime, take the boiled and peeled potatoes and mash them.

In a small frying pan, pour 2 tablespoons of oil and heat.

Add the cumin seeds and carom seeds to the oil and once the seeds start change color turn the heat off.

Add red chili powder, turmeric and the garam masala to it.

Pour the mix over the potatoes, add the salt and mix well.

Make small balls of the mix (the size will depend on how big you want the fry bread to be). For fry bread of 4 inches in diameter, make potato balls using 1 teaspoon of the mix for the filling. Cover with a cloth or plate and set aside.

Take the rested dough and add salt to it.

Now add some water (2 tablespoons each time) to the flour mix and start kneading the dough.

Knead the dough until it achieves a rolling consistency. Don't make it too soft otherwise the filling will fall out.

Make small portions of the dough and roll them out with a rolling pin. They should be 1/8 of an inch thick.

Place the potato ball in the center of the rolled out dough and make a ball. Don't knead it again, just cover the sides.

Now, roll out the balls into ¼ inch thick patties.

When the oil is smoking hot, turn down the heat, put the patty in the oil and fry for a few minutes until golden brown on both sides.

Serve hot with tomato or tamarind chutney and pickle.

About the author:

Anukriti has a unique perspective on bread and bread recipe's. Anukriti's keen eye for 'cause and effect' allows her to substitute local ingredients and techniques in traditional bread recipe's.

Anukrti's Indian Fry Bread Recipe is one of her latest amazing offering.

More of Anukriti's unique recipe's can be found on Bread Recipe.

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

How To Make Chicken Stew And Dumplings

2011-12-18T10:01:00.000-08:00

Serves 4 people.

4 Chicken legs and 4 Chicken thighs.

1 large onion, sliced into rings

1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped finely

3 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

1 large red pepper, remove centre and seeds and cut into slices.

6 medium mushrooms, cleaned and cut in half

1 oz. Cornflour

1 Pint Chicken stock. This can be made with two stock cubes and 1 pint of water.

Dumplings

4 oz self-raising flour

4 oz suet

Pinch of salt.

Method

Place the Chicken into a bowl and add a tablespoon of flour and turn the pieces until fully covered. Put a tablespoon of sunflower oil in to a large frying pan and when hot add the meat, turn with a slotted spoon until all sides are sealed. Add the meat to a large casserole. Heat a frying pan with two tablespoons of sunflower oil and put in the onions and cook for a minute then add the carrots, red pepper, mushrooms and seal for a few minutes by turning with a slotted spoon.

Add the cornflour and stir then add a pint of chicken stock and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and add the vegetables and stock to the casserole.

Put the flour, suet and salt in a bowl and mix together with a little water until a stiff dough is formed. Split this into 8 small round dumplings.

Pre heat the oven to 150 degrees C. Place the lid onto the casserole and put it into the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes to cook slowly and get that lovely rich taste with tender meat. Add the dumplings with 30 minutes to go. It is ready for serving straight away. Serve the casserole on its own or with roast potatoes and parsnips.

This chicken stew is a great dish for winter and if you do not eat it all it can easily be re-heated on a gas or electric ring the next day

Note: The ingredient measures for this recipe have been based on people with a healthy sized appetite, so for smaller appetites just use the chicken thighs. You can use almost all root vegetables so do not be afraid to choose what is available in season to keep the cost low, or simply use what you prefer to. You can make enough for 2 meals and freeze it for use at a later date. Just remember to defrost thoroughly before cooking.

I hoped you liked this recipe for chicken stew and dumplings, it is a great dish especially on a cold winters day! For more great recipes then why not learn How To Make Beef Stew, or try our latest soup recipe, How To Make Tomato Soup. Our site also features a lot more great recipes, as well as A to Z step by step vegetable growing guides from artichokes to Yams, as well as a vegetable calendar with advice on what to plant each month.

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