What You Need To Know About Cooking Good Steak

By K.C. Kudra

What makes a good steak depends on whom you talk to, but everywhere you go, someone wants to know how to prepare his or hers perfectly. While that will be a little different for everyone, these tips can really help if you are looking for ways to make a better meal. Here is a look at some of the most basic techniques for making a good steak.

Step one is thinking about the cut of meat you will be using. Good beef that is produced in a humane way is getting more popular for its greater tenderness and flavor. Even traditionally tough cuts of meat from quality producers may be better than the better cuts from a large commercial producer.

Fortunately, good steaks of this type are getting much easier to find. Do not be afraid to ask for them! For a lot of people, grass finished and fed beef is preferable because of its stronger flavor and better all around taste. However, this kind of beef is not as consistent or reliable as factory farm produced beef, and that should be kept in mind when you buy.

Once you know you have the right meat, it is time to look at your heat source. Charcoal grilling is a popular option, and one of the most traditional, but a grill pan over an electric or gas stove, a broiler, or learning how to cook a steak on a gas grill are also great options. Just make sure you are using high heat.

Then, it is time to prepare the steak. It should be lightly oiled, instead of oiling the pan or grill, to prevent smoking and seasoned lightly. Use your favorite marinade to give your steak a lot of flavor, or just a little salt and pepper - whichever you prefer.

When you place your steak in the hot pan or on the hot grill, it should sizzle. If it does not, you do not have enough heat. Do not turn the steak more than once - it needs some undisturbed time to cook most of the way on one side. Turning too early will be a real problem. Make sure you do not overcook, though. Rare steaks are turned three to four minutes in, before red juices form. Medium rare steaks are turned when those juices first show up, and medium well is done when the juice starts running together.

How long should you cook the other side of the steak? Two minutes less than the first side is a good standard rule that will prevent overcooking. Test the steak with an instant read thermometer, not a fork or knife, to keep the juices in.

After cooking, it is time to rest your steak. Place it fat side down, at 90 degrees to the pan you cooked it in. Do that by taking the pan away from the heat source and propping the steak up to keep it from sweating. Do not be tempted not to rest the steak, or you will lose the juices. Wait half the time you took cooking and you will have a great piece of meat.

About the Author:

When you know how to cook New York steak, you will savor every delicious bite. You can learn how to get every detail just right and prepare the most delectable piece of meat to ever grace a table. Learn how to do this at EasySteakMarinades.net with recipes, cooking advice and articles.

Watch Cooking Shows and Become An Expert In Gourmet Foods

By Steve Auerbach

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a chef? Seeing yourself wearing an apron while mincing some onions to make a gourmet food must have tickled your fantasy. You could have considered working in a famous hotel or restaurant if that's the case. Behind every chop and saute in the kitchen are the secrets of the master and if you're into this, you'll surely want to know every tidbit that occurs in the kitchen.

Before you can become a chef, you need to have the passion for cooking first. This will play a great role in your quest to become the next great chef. Watching cooking shows can help a lot too. Today, there are dozens of cooking shows shown in different networks. Watch one to get some very helpful tips.

You would love watching cooking shows. These are programs that are made very well. These can be shown once a week, sometimes, on daily basis. The studios used in such shows are made exquisitely. They use the latest kitchen equipment that will make you think of a real restaurant kitchen. Watching it will make you think you are in a real kitchen, learning from the experts.

It can be said that you can cook like a chef even without taking culinary courses that cost a fortune. If you watch enough cooking show, you can pick up important tips and advice on how you can whip up a gourmet food without much effort.

The word chef has been mentioned several times already in this article. I guess it's about right to discuss where this term come from. It is derived from the French term "chef de cuisine" which means had of the kitchen. There are two kinds of chef: executive chef and sous chef. Before you can be an executive chef, you first need to be a sous chef.

The next step you'd need to take is to try cooking the food yourself. After watching how it is made in cooking shows, it would seem natural that you try it for yourself. You can refer to cookbooks. Cookbooks are great aids for cooking gourmet food. You should make it a point to use it every time you try to whip up something. You will be able to learn a lot from it.

Cookbooks are great because they feature different recipes of gourmet foods. You can choose from a wide variety of cuisines. You can try Asian, Greek, or Italian--it's all up to you. Cooking gourmet foods has always been fun and easy with the help of cookbooks.

Cooking shows, whether contest-like or not, will definitely help you a lot. You should be having fun while learning how to cook, otherwise you will get bored and junk off your interest. Cooking shows did justify this epitome. So, what are you waiting for, grab that pepper grinder and start cooking.

About the Author:

Gourmet goodies is only one thing that Country Mercantile offers. Try their coveted pickled okra. Visit us or go online at http://www.countrymercantile.com

Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Corn in Mexican Cuisine

By Kc Kudra

Corn is not anything new to you; this vegetable (actually a grain, though it is often used as if it were a vegetable) is a common sight on American tables. While corn is common here, it has a central place in Mexican cuisine, where you'll find it in soups, salads, salsas and ground into flour to make tamales and of course, tortillas. It is one of the most common ingredients in many quick Mexican recipes.

Centuries before the arrival of the conquistadors, corn was a staple of the diet in what is now Mexico. The grain had long been used as the basis for tortillas and tamales as well as being eaten in a large number of other ways. The Spanish gave tortillas the name by which we know them today - the word means "little cakes" and is used to describe omelets in Spain, though the similarities between tortillas and omelets, of course ends there.

Speaking of tortillas, these are something, which are familiar to most of us in the US, though flour tortillas are much more popular at least for now. However, you will now see the more traditional corn tortilla for sale in many grocery stores across the country and they are quickly gaining new fans. Anyone who has ever tried a freshly made, warm corn tortilla knows why; there is just no comparison between corn tortillas and flour tortillas for tacos. If you have not yet tried using corn tortillas in your favorite Mexican recipes, then you should seek them out next time you plan to cook Mexican food at home - you are in for a treat!

Another Mexican recipe, which features corn as the most important ingredient, is the tamale. This classic Mexican comfort food has been around for many centuries and may be served as part of dinner, lunch, or even breakfast! Tamales are made from corn flour dough filled with meats, cheeses, or vegetables and steamed inside of a cornhusk. Somewhat similar to Italian polenta, tamales are even made in sweetened or fruit filled versions, which are great for dessert or breakfast.

It takes some doing to make your own tamales at home, but nothing can beat a fresh homemade tamale's flavor. It is certain to impress your guests if you are up for a few hours in the kitchen, making (and eating) your own tamales can be a very rewarding experience.

Corn also makes a wonderful addition to salsas; you may have even seen a corn salsa before. The combination of corn and black beans with tomatoes, onions, jalapeno peppers, and cilantro is an especially good one; and of course, it makes a great compliment to a taco or tamale!

There are also some Mexican soup recipes, which feature corn. One of the most popular Mexican soups, which showcases corn, is pozole. This is a spicy, delicious soup traditionally made with hominy, pork, and hot peppers. The combination of the corn's earthy sweetness with the meat and the kick of the chilies is a wonderful one and you can easily make a meal from a bowl of this substantial soup.

You may even be lucky enough to have a restaurant which specializes in this Mexican corn soup near you (these restaurants are known as pozolerias) if you live in a location where there is a large Mexican immigrant community. However, it is also pretty easy to make your own. It is a great change of pace when you are looking for a warming soup in the fall or winter and it just may become a family favorite.

About the Author:

Not having authentic Mexican pots, pans and cooking utensils is no excuse not to make Mexican food! If you need some recipe inspiration, there is plenty to choose from at MexicanFoodRecipes.org and you will also find more articles on Mexican cookery and the fascinating history of Mexican food culture.

Your Guide To Bread Machine Mixes

By Marion Jones

Do you use bread machine mixes when you want to make yeast bread in your automated bread-making machine? If you do, why do you? Because it's easier? It is so simple to make gourmet bread quickly from easy-to-follow bread recipes and so much more variable too. If you use bread machine mixes you are limited to the bread machine mixes there are in the shops " no matter how many of them there are there.

However, a good bread machine recipe cookbook is far more flexible than bread machine mixes. A good bread machine recipe book will give you about 150 recipes coming from many countries, but it will also encourage you to change those recipes, encouraging you to be creative and develop your own style of bread.

Bread machine mixes are really quite limiting and you have no say about what the bread machine mix contains either: preservatives, colouring, MSG, salt or Heaven knows what. OK, it tells you on the label, but you cant remove them, if you only use bread machine mixes.

Making bread is really very simple. Or to put it correctly, the ingredients to making bread are really quite easy. To bake a very basic loaf of bread, you need only: water, flour, yeast, sugar, salt and a little oil or fat. The difficult part about making bread is the mixing. It can take four or five hours mixing the bread making ingredients together; waiting for it to rise; kneading it; waiting for it to prove; kneading it again and cooking it.

But, if you have a bread making machine you can put the hard bread mixing, proving, kneading cycle on automatic and if you have a bread-making recipe book you will be funished with numerous recipes to guide and encourage you.

What could be easier? You look in the bread-making machine cookbook for an appetizing recipe; you put the everyday ingredients into the bread mixing bowl of the bread machine and you put the yeast into a time-release box on top of the bread machine; set the timer and go about your daily life or go to sleep!

The bread making machine will mix the ingredients and check the timer. My bread-making machine has a sixteen-hour timer. So, if you want your gourmet, yeast bread ready for 6:30 AM, the bread-making machine will mix the flour, water, salt oil and sugar immediately, add the yeast at say, 4 AM, knead, prove and bake the bread and ring a bell at 6:30 to announce that your gourmet food is ready.

But you won't need the bell to tell you that. The smell of that fresh bread will fill your house and you will be well aware that your bread making machine is almost ready to deliver one of the best loaves of bread youve ever had in your life. And you won't ever look for bread machine mixes again. You'll be brimming over with your own bread machine mixes in no time at all and you'll be giving bread away so that you can try out your very own latest bread machine mix.

Bread machine mixes: why bother with them?

About the Author:

Do you use bread machine mixes or do you want bread machine recipes? If you want recipes, please visit us at: http://bread-machine-mixes.the-real-way.com

The History of Lasagna

By Mike Smith

Who doesn't love lasagna! The key to making an awesome lasagna is to use fresh ingredients. I also like lasagna from fancy restaurants. You know the kind I'm talking about, where they make 1 serving of lasagna at a time and the ingredients are really fresh...the noodles stick to the sauce (instead of sliding away from each other). Great cheese, great meat, great sauce and it all leads to a great lasagna.

The dish is believed to have originated in Italy. However, the term "lasagna" comes from the Greeks. The Italians used the word to refer to the dish in which lasagna is made. It wasn't long before the name of the food took on the name of the serving dish.

Now, you think you know that lasagna originated in Greece and was popularized in Italy...kinda. The first recipe for lasagna was found in an English cookbook. Confused? Good.

If you ask me, a great lasagna is all about the cheese...some lasagna recipes have multiple cheeses, most often ricotta and mozzarella. Southern Italy will have lasagnas with these two cheeses...most of the time.

One of my favorite types of lasagna is lasagna alla Bolognese, which uses parmigiano reggiano, bolognese sauce and nutmeg flavored sauce. I love nutmeg in my lasagna. Not many know that nutmeg is used in some versions of lasagna, but nutmeg adds a nice touch to any lasagna. Another version of lasagna is classic bologna, which is made with lasagna verdi, which includes spinach. Obviously, the green comes from the spinach.

Outside of Italy, there are many different types of lasagna...especially in the United States. From spinach lasagna to vegetable lasagna and spicy chipotle lasagna and everything in between. You'll find different lasagnas all over the United States.

In the United States, rippled sheets of pasta are common, but not in Northern Italy. In Northern Italy, rippled pasta sheets are typically made of durum or hard wheat which repels sauces " the ripples are designed to hold the sauce better. Emilia-Romagna egg pasta, which is made with soft wheat and drinks up the lasagna sauce and does not need the help of rippling.

About the Author:

Try these awesome meat lasagna recipes from RecipeMatcher, where you can find recipes by ingredients.

Chicken Recipes - Healthy And Inexpensive

By Sheryl Ingwer

My favorite thing to do with honey that you might not thing of is to use it in a chicken marinade. I combine two tablespoons of honey, four tablespoons of soy sauce, half a teaspoon grated ginger, a half teaspoon minced garlic and a dash of cayenne pepper in a sealable plastic bag. I mix it up well then toss in boneless skinless chicken breasts.

If you like the item to be free of salt, just substitute soybean sauce with cider vinegar or employ soy sauce that contains low amount of sodium. I keep it in the refrigerator for approximately one hour before placing it on the grill. I prefer to perform this with the George Foreman grill, but, you can grill it on the oven if you like. I notice that the murky savor from the grill really goes well with this drench.

This works okay for shrimp as well, but really shines with chicken. Do you like Chinese chicken? If you do then I have a great Chinese chicken recipe that I'm happy to share with you. It is based on an old 'Java' recipe I used to order at a Chinese restaurant that is no longer in business. The secret is Rum - you heard it - Rum!

Yum! Take skinless, boneless chicken breasts, assume 1 large breast per person. Clean, dry and slice into 1/4 inch wide pieces, set aside. Take a selection of vegetables that you enjoy for stir fry. I prefer traditional vegetables such as carrot, broccoli, water chestnut, bamboo, snap peas or snow pea pods.

The vegetables could be cut beforehand, frozen or prepared fresh (e.g. broccoli, carrot) or tinned (like water chestnut, bamboo). I generally cut them into identical bits. Sap any tinned vegetables well before placing in the mix fry. The amusing part of the process appears now. You would require some garlic and fine quality peanut oil, if you are not sensitive to nuts

Coat the chicken strips with a combination of flour and any spices of your choice. Add a small amount of corn, canola, or olive oil to a wok or fry pan, coating the bottom and sides.

Add the chicken strips to 2 tablespoons of oil heated in your pan. Brown the strips until all sides are browned lightly. This does not take very long. When the chicken strips are browned, remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon to a paper lined bowl. Set aside. Place 3 cloves of finely chopped garlic into your pan and saute the garlic but do not let it burn.

Once the garlic is sauteed, add the vegetables and saute them also. Don't overcook them. Firmer vegetables like broccoli or carrots should be just barely soft enough to split with a fork. Now put your chicken strips back in and lower the heat. Then we get to the fun part - add two or three tablespoons of soy sauce, two or three tablespoons of garlic-infused rice wine vinegar, and about 1 inch of peeled and finely chopped ginger root.

Add a 1/4 cup warmed water, a little less is you like, then cover the pot. This mixture will need to simmer for 5 minutes with frequent stirring. Salt and pepper the mixture to taste. You will finish the dish with 1/4 cup of unflavored good rum. Be careful to stir or the rum may flare-up.

chicken crockpot is the easiest and the simplest way of chicken recipes .yet there are so many recipes for chicken, crockpot stands for its taste and presentations. the taste of chicken crockpot is so delicious and it can prepare in many ways. all you need is a bone in chicken breast.

Add your choice of vegetables to the chicken, pour in one can, or about 14 ounces, of chicken broth, cover and simmer for 8 hours, or until chicken is tender. This can be done in a covered pan on top of the stove but a crockpot is usually easier.

Your chicken may be served with, or without, gravy and atop, or beside, potato, noodles, or rice. Other sauces or side dishe's may be substituted, if preferred.

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Want to get the latest on recipes for chicken go get the best info online on chicken recipes and get your free report.

Easy Tips To Cook Low Fat Recipes

By Fiona Wyresdle

Changing your lifestyle to using low fat cooking means that you will need to change your shopping habits as well as your cooking habits. There are many low fat cooking recipes available in cookbooks as well as online. It is important to also be aware of the calorie content of your food because if you are not careful some low fat cooking can be high in calories and sugar.

The first step to using low fat cooking is to replace all of the high fat foods in your kitchen with low fat alternative. Some good low fat food product choices include oils, canned fish, canned fruits and vegetables, legumes and grains, pasta, soups and stocks, herbs, spices, seasonings, whole grain breads, dried fruits, seeds, nuts, maple syrup, honey, pretzels, popcorn, applesauce, and fat free/sugar free pudding.

Some of the items that should be eliminated from your kitchen include oil based dressings, regular mayonnaise, shortening, oil packed fish and tuna, canned meats, chowders and creamed soups, boxed macaroni and cheese, rice mixes, flavored pasta, gravy mixes, pancake mixes, cheese sauces, sugary cereals, anything that contains partially hydrogenated, corn chips, potato chips, coffee creamer and white bread.

However fat can also be present in other food products that you may normally think of as healthy. For these types of products there are low fat equivalents that can still be used. If you drink whole milk then you should switch to a lower fat milk. You should aim for 1% or skim milk being the best. You also should chose low fat or light diary products such as cheese and yogurt.

Butter and margarine are full of fat and margarine is full of Trans fat. If you still want to use products like butter or margarine try liquid spreads that have no Trans fat or products that blend oils with the butter. Eggs have a lot of cholesterol but they are choke full of good nutrients and vitamins. Instead of using whole eggs, use egg white or egg substitutes and keep your use of whole eggs to a minimum.

When purchasing meats you want to get as lean a cut as you can. It is also important to keep an eye out for the sodium in meats. If you enjoy eating hotdogs then switch to turkey dogs and go for veggie burgers instead of beef ones. Pork tenderloin is a very lean cut of meat and skinless chicken is also an excellent meat choice.

Meat also needs to be lean and there are options you can use instead of eating very fatty meat. Beef hamburgers and hotdogs have a lot of fat and contain high levels of salt. Instead of these items you can have turkey dogs and vegetarian burgers. One of the leanest cuts of meat is pork tenderloin. Chicken instead of beef is also a good option.

About the Author:

Quick Easy Mexican Recipes is a website that has details of how to make Taco Enchilada casseroles recipe and how to make pumpkin empanadas.

Watch Cooking Shows and Become An Expert In Gourmet Foods

By Steve Auerbach

Did you ever dream of becoming a good chef? Dicing and slicing food and spices like a real expert must be something very interesting. It would be nice to know you can whip up a good gourmet food in a restaurant or hotel. If you want to master the art of gourmet cooking, then it is recommended that you read on.

Before you can become a chef, you need to have the passion for cooking first. This will play a great role in your quest to become the next great chef. Watching cooking shows can help a lot too. Today, there are dozens of cooking shows shown in different networks. Watch one to get some very helpful tips.

Cooking shows are fascinating. The way they are made makes one watch in awe. Similar to famous series shows, cooking programs come in episodes. A studio is set with complete cookware, just like the kitchen in your home except for the fact that you are the only audience in your own kitchen show. Producing a cooking show is not that expensive. Who knows? You might have your own show in the future.

It can be said that you can cook like a chef even without taking culinary courses that cost a fortune. If you watch enough cooking show, you can pick up important tips and advice on how you can whip up a gourmet food without much effort.

The word Chef was derived from the French term "chef de cuisine," meaning chief or head of the kitchen. You can aim to be an Executive Chef, the one in over-all-in charged. But if you think your skills aren't enough, you can settle on being a Sous Chef first. What's important is that you cook satisfying and absolutely delectable gourmet foods. Normally, most chefs in these cooking shows possess charming personalities. You would not want to see one who is bathing with sweat while cooking your yummy food, right? Among the famous chefs are Rachel Ray, Michael Smith, Giada de Laurentiis, and many others.

The next step you'd need to take is to try cooking the food yourself. After watching how it is made in cooking shows, it would seem natural that you try it for yourself. You can refer to cookbooks. Cookbooks are great aids for cooking gourmet food. You should make it a point to use it every time you try to whip up something. You will be able to learn a lot from it.

Cookbooks are great because they feature different recipes of gourmet foods. You can choose from a wide variety of cuisines. You can try Asian, Greek, or Italian--it's all up to you. Cooking gourmet foods has always been fun and easy with the help of cookbooks.

Cooking shows, whether contest-like or not, will definitely help you a lot. You should be having fun while learning how to cook, otherwise you will get bored and junk off your interest. Cooking shows did justify this epitome. So, what are you waiting for, grab that pepper grinder and start cooking.

About the Author:

Gourmet goodies is only one thing that Country Mercantile offers. Try their coveted pickled okra. Visit us or go online at http://www.countrymercantile.com

Home Made Ice Cream - Cheaper or What? Tips To Make Great Ice Cream

By Mia Kane

Electric Ice Cream makers are a great way to make ice cream. But I'm always being asked whether or not it's cheaper to make yourself or to buy it. Two answers to this, Yes and No. But the great thing is you Can make it cheaper if that's what you want.

For me it's always been cheaper to make, that was one of the key considerations. My kids eat ice cream several times a week, even in winter. I use all sorts of things. I use left over fruit, frozen fruit and even tinned fruit, or a combination of all of the above.

If you live out in the country, you can always go picking seasonal fruit, and I mean the free ones, like blackberries, and blueberries. Using shop bought, out of season fruit can make the ice cream more expensive.

Frozen and tinned fruit work fine. Whether you put them through the mixture or serve on the side or top of the ice cream. Drain off the juice from the can if you want to keep it lower fat. Here's some other things that will help your ice cream.

1. Ice cream should never be re frozen once it has truly thawed out. It will look terrible as the texture changes, and you run the risk of getting food poisoning.

2. The use of an electric maker can cut down on labor. If you are going to make ice cream regularly then its worth reviewing a selection of electric machines and considering investing in one. With the right care, they last an age.

3. Remember, your home made version will not (fortunately) have preservatives or additives in it like you are used to with commercial ones. This means it won't last as long so try to eat within 10 days to a couple of weeks.

4. Take your ice cream out of the freezer for about 10-15 minutes before serving. If it's too cold you won't enjoy it as much and it can also give you a quick sharp headache.

5. Keep left over chocolate and biscuits, freeze them, they can be used for choc chip ice cream, but also you can just crumble biscuits over the top.

6. If you are using blueberries, crush them BEFORE you put them into the mixture, seriously, if you put them in whole, they come out like bullets and act like little weapons in your mouth.

Making ice cream at home yourself is so rewarding. The end taste is great, you know what you have put into it, and you can make any type of flavor you want. The kids love getting involved. I like to bring ice cream around to friends' houses for dinner, we usually have for dessert on the night.

About the Author:

If you're thinking about buying an electric ice cream maker, this is a great site to check out, read the reviews and you can make a better informed decision. IceCreamMakersReviewed

The Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Martin Soussa

In general, most people like hot, fresh chocolate chip cookies. If you are like many people, you probably have many happy memories of having the scent of the cookies fill our homes. Sitting at the counter, we waited impatiently for the cookies to make their way out of the oven. These cookies are great to eat at any time of the day preferable with coffee.

More than many other foods, chocolate chip cookies are a source of warm and fuzzy comfort food. Besides the standard flavors, this type of cookie has additional flavors and textures. Additions such as banana or cherry make the chocolate chip cookie even more delicious to fruit lovers. For the person who treasures chocolate above and beyond fruit, double chocolate chip cookies and white chocolate chip cookies will be preferred.

I certainly don't know who came up with the combination, but adding oatmeal to chocolate chip is a delightful combination. Pieces of mint will give you mint chocolate chip cookies, and raisins, candy bars, or espresso beans are additional flavors that can be added. Practically any ingredient can be used to flavor your cookies, including m&ms, candy canes, walnuts, peanuts, macadamia nuts, and chocolate chunks.

Gourmet chocolate chip cookie bars and chocolate chip cookie pie are two alternatives that you might enjoy. People with particular special dietary needs can enjoy these home baked cookies without much worry. Whether you need to eat whole wheat or cut out the wheat, cut out the eggs or cut out all the meat, or if you just want to have simple low fat cookies, there are recipes for your type of chocolate chip cookies online.

So now that you have learned the different ways you can enjoy the chocolate chip cookie, I hope you find the right type for you!

About the Author:

Free Recipes Online Cookbook offers more accurate reviews, visit this link: The Best Recipes In The World.

Tips to Make a Simple and Easy Pumpkin Soup Recipe

By Kc Kudra

If you are like a lot of us, you end up with some extra pumpkin after Thanksgiving or Halloween, and you are not sure exactly what to do with it. After all, there are only so many pies you can make! Fortunately, there are lots of other options, and some important information that could help you make wonderful pumpkin dishes, every time.

Most people just make desserts out of their pumpkin, but you are not limited to these options. Here is a look at a few of the things you might want to know about this great vegetable before you begin to cook. They will help you get much better results, after all.

The first thing to remember is that not every pumpkin will make great soup or pie. The kind of pumpkin you carve at Halloween has been bred to grow big and fast, to stand up to a lot of abuse, and to look pretty on your doorstep. Unfortunately, that means that it is not the best choice for food.

While jack-o-lantern pumpkins are cheap and readily available at supermarkets and roadside stands (especially right after Halloween), they are not always the best pick for eating. They can be fun to feed to local animals and they compost well, but their flesh is not most people's top choice when they want to eat pumpkin.

That does not mean you cannot eat them at all, but it is a good idea to "hide" this type of pumpkin in other foods. Cook your surplus pumpkin down by baking or boiling it, scrape the pulp out of the shell, and blitz it in a food processor once or twice. Then put it in pumpkin bread, cookies, or even chili.

For foods where you want that pumpkin taste to shine through, like pumpkin pie or an easy pumpkin soup recipe, look for smaller sugar pumpkins. Chock full of potassium, vitamin A and fiber, these pumpkins have a lot more flavor, are much sweeter, and have smoother, more pleasant flesh. They are often used for desserts, but work for any meal where you want the flavor of pumpkin to be a major player.

Pumpkins can be used in pumpkin soup in chunks, or pureed for a smooth, silky texture. Some recipes even cook the soup right in the pumpkin, and stir the flesh off the walls to make a creamy, interesting texture. It all depends on your preferences. Just make sure you process the pumpkin carefully, according to the recipe directions, to prevent problems with water content or incompletely cooked pumpkins.

Pumpkin is a great choice for making soup, and a whole lot more. By paying attention to the type of pumpkin, you have and making sure that you cook it correctly, you will have a much better chance of getting a great fall meal. Try all the great options for making pumpkin soup, and do not forget to buy the right kind of pumpkin.

About the Author:

Fall arrives and the ripe pumpkins dot the fields. Instead of just carving them up for Halloween, why not make pumpkin soup? This nourishing, delicious soup can be sweet or savory; spicy or mild. It is really very versatile. It is also very easy to make. Try some this fall!

My Review of Amazing Smoothie Recipes for Losing Weight

By Jen Turner

I was recently looking around the internet for some smoothie recipes to help me lose weight in a safe and healthy way, which is when I first found the Amazing Smoothie Recipes eBook. As soon as I bought it I realised that it has a lot more than just plain old recipes, and was great for letting me know many of the health benefits of smoothies as well as how they can help you to lose weight.

The eBook was very quick and easy for me to download. I saved the PDF file onto my computer, but it is also designed to print out and put in a ring binder if you want. And, though it was cheap already at $9.95, it even came with 4 really interesting and useful bonus eBooks!

One thing that this eBook really helped me with is getting five or more portions of fruit and vegetables each day. It's really important to our health, yet many of us struggle to even get three portions a day! Smoothies are a great way to overcome this problem, and eating fruit will even be fun! You can also tick off how many portions you get each day with a handy printable chart.

I loved sitting down reading the interesting facts in this eBook about a healthy diet - on top of the yummy recipes it included. It tells you all about what nutrients you need each day, and I especially loved learning about important smoothie ingredients that can help fight off disease, like cancer. These recipes all include different types of antioxidants which can really give your health, and your immune system, a boost.

Some of my favorite recipes include the Apple Passion on page 37 and the Pink Banana Smoothie on page 43 - you just have to try them! All the ingredients are really easy to get hold of, you just find them at your local supermarket - and they are GREAT for anyone who wants to try a raw food diet.

One of the main reasons I never made many smoothies in the past was because I was worried about making a mess of my blender - but there is a really handy section in this eBook telling you how to clean it properly. You should also be aware that the measurements are all in ml rather than cups, but fortunately most measuring cups have both labeled.

Buying this eBook was super easy and convenient thanks to the fact that it is sent to you to download instantly, no matter what time of the day it is! I was especially impressed by the great free eBooks that came with it: Amazing Fast Food Facts, 101 Amazing Ways to Stay Healthy, The Amazing Family Cookbook (with 500+ low sugar and low fat recipes), and Amazing Vegetable Variations (300+ recipes that families love).

All in all, I recommend this eBook for anybody who is either looking to lose weight or just wants a fun and easy way to become more healthy.

About the Author:

Whether you're interested in easy ways to become more healthy, or are trying to lose some weight, the Amazing Smoothie Recipes ebook is a great place to start. You can also follow my own weight loss progress and menu ideas on my weight loss blog at Diet Smoothie.net

Live Lobsters: A Short History

By Sherry Shantel

When was the last time you enjoyed a big old juicy lobster drenched in melted butter? I'll bet that just the thought of it is making you hungry for more. Before making a trip to the local Red Lobster for a $25.00 lobster dinner, take a minute to listen to some historical facts about your dinner-to-be.

Once upon a time, America was peopled by only Native Americans, and lobsters were plentiful. They were so plentiful, in fact, that the Native Americans used them as fertilizer for farm fields and fish bait. They never ate them! Yuck!

When European settlers started arriving on America's shores, many of them starved to death, but they still wouldn't eat lobster meat. They used it for fertilizer, too, plus they fed it to the people they considered inferior: slaves, indentured servants, the poor, and their own children (children weren't spoiled in those days like they are now!). After word got around that indentured servants were being forced to eat this terrible fare, prospective indentured servants had promises written into their contracts that they wouldn't be made to eat lobster more than three times a week. Imagine that!

Up until the early 19th century, people could get all the lobsters they needed by snagging them from tide pools. They had no need for technological advances in the harvesting of live lobsters. The first lobster traps didn't come on the scene until the 1850s. The reason harvesters needed traps is because they had become able to sell their lobsters to canneries. No one ate the lobsters fresh, and the canned version was so tasteless that few people ate them canned, either.

When our transportation system developed sufficiently to transport live lobsters, the meat finally caught on with the public. They were shipped to the finest restaurants in America's largest cities where only the well-to-do were able to afford to eat them.

If you're like I am, you may feel a little squeamish about seeing your dinner lying serene and green in a tank one minute and bright-red and cooked on your plate the next. This feeling, too, dates back to the beginning of lobster-eating. Lobster experts swear, however, that it's the only way to have fresh lobster.

During my lifetime I've known family members tracing clear back to my great grandmother who was born in 1873. Even when seafood came into vogue, she never ate it. As a Victorian lady, she would never have even wanted to think about throwing something live into a pot of boiling water. After all, women in the Victorian era were sheltered from the harsh realities of life.

It's hard to believe that our ancestors didn't like the way lobsters tasted. Just think of all the good food that was wasted as fertilizer. Their palates were just very different from ours. As our society developed more sophisticated tastes, lobsters finally became the delicacies they were always destined to be.

About the Author:

Hopefully you enjoyed this informative write up about live lobsters. You can always visit Quality Fresh Seafood where some fun to read articles are being showcased. Right now the content is about transporting live lobster which should be an interesting topic for you.

What is the Atkins Grapefruit Diet?

By Frank Williams

The Atkins Grapefruit diet is a diet plan, not supported by the eponymous Dr. Atkins firm, that tries to play on the fame of two diets: the grapefruit diet and the Atkins diet. However, a close look into this diet shows that it may not be all it claims to be.

First off, it's pretty difficult to any find information on the Atkins grapefruit diet plan at all. Smart people know that when someone is carrying out a deception, they will often skim over the facts. This is what the Atkins grapefruit diet appears to be doing while trying to get people to associate it with two supposedly effective diets.

Is the Atkins Grapefruit Diet part of the Atkins Diet or recommended by the late Dr. Atkins' firm? The answer is a resounding no! But, not only is there no mention of the Atkins Grapefruit Diet on the Atkins web site, there is just no fruit of any kind allowed in the list of allowed foods in the Atkins diet Induction phase either.

The induction phase allows the following foods: fish of all kinds; all fowl such as turkey and chicken; any shellfish; any meat such as beef or pork; eggs cooked in any style including fried; cheese; vegetables; herbs and spices; fats and oils; low carbohydrate beverages including diet soft drinks.

Please, notice one thing - that fruit does not feature on that list at all! Yes, later phases of the Atkins diet do allow small amounts of fruits such as cantaloupe and strawberries, and the pre-maintenance and maintenance phases do even allow small quantities of grapefruit, but when judged in comparison with the amount of Grapefruit recommended on the Atkins Grapefruit Diet there is a massive difference.

The Atkins Grapefruit Diet recommends a cup of grapefruit juice or a cup of grapefruit sections, with 8 and 18 carbs respectively. Even the most liberal phases of the Atkins diet suggests limiting intake to below 8 carbs per day, when it comes to grapefruit. That's a direct contradiction of one diet to the other.

Most sensible people would turn to the Atkins website itself the moment they heard of the Atkins Grapefruit Diet and when they found no reference of that diet on their site, a red light would flash and an alarmbell would ring.

In general, remember that any diet that relies very heavily on one type of food, such as grapefruit in a grapefruit diet, is unhealthy for any but extremely short periods. The Atkins Grapefruit Diet is not associated with the Atkins diet, and could interfere with the results of the Atkins diet, especially in its early phases.

About the Author:

Do you need to lose those excess pounds quickly? Well, take a free look at The Atkins Diet, by visiting our resource called The Atkins Diet Plan

What Important To Know About Food You Eat

By John Cox

To build up your body, you need to eat four to six meals of small proportions that are high in protein and spaced out over a two to three hour span each day. This enhances your metabolism and reduces body fat.

A typical nutritious meal that helps you build your body would include a combination of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats and proteins; antioxidants are also vital because they improve the immune system.

Antioxidants are essential to the body because they eliminate free radicals in the body that can cause a host of cancerous diseases. Vitamin C is a powerful source of these anti oxidants.

Having a teenager in the home can be a serious cause of concern or worry because teenager's eating habits tend to be erratic and it is extremely hard to monitor what kind of meals they eat; this problem can be solved with the purchase of dietary supplements that provide the nourishment their bodies need.

The importance of carbohydrates in diet cannot be underemphasized because they are a source of fuel (energy) for the cells in the body and in the body as a whole; carbohydrates consist of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen and can be found in foods that contain sugars, fibers and starch.

To build up your body, you need to eat four to six meals of small proportions that are high in protein and spaced out over a two to three hour span each day. This enhances your metabolism and reduces body fat.

Vitamins are of different types and have different functions in the body; vitamin A is excellent for vision while vitamin E and C helps in fighting diseases. An adequate intake of these vitamins will ensure that your health overall is secure.

Glutamine, an amino acid out of twenty amino acids that are encoded by the standard genetic code, is renowned for its potency in the treatment of depression because it serves as fuel for the brain and is therefore, a must have for anybody who battles with depression while trying to loose weight.

An appropriate weight loss programe should be one that focuses on burning fat and this can be achieved through active exercise and proper nutrition.

A pregnant woman needs a healthy balanced diet more than anyone because her health ultimately affects the health of the fetus; an important element that needs to be taken with regularity is folic acid, which derives its potency from preventing spine or birth detects in the baby. Leafy green vegetables are an excellent source of folic acid.

About the Author:

Learn more about Easy Video Food Recipes. Stop by John Cox's site where you can find out all about Italian Cooking Recipes and what it can do for you.

Summer Grilling Steak Cuts You Can Afford

By K.C. Kudra

If grilling is something you love, but you cannot afford to spend a lot on high-end steaks, you may be feeling like you have to say goodbye to some old favorites. That does not have to be the case, however. If you know a bit about the cuts of beef available, you will understand that you can buy decent steaks that will taste good on the grill and will not break your budget. While they will be a little more difficult to prepare than tenderloin, they can also be totally worthwhile. When steak is a priority, but you do not think you can afford it, take the time to think again.

There are lots of bargains in the meat section at your local supermarket, allowing you to have good steak for only five to seven dollars per pound. These include chuck, top sirloin, flank, flap and skirt steaks, tri tip, flatiron, and hanger steaks. All can be cost effective and great tasting, as long as you know what you are doing.

Remember that these steaks are cheaper for a reason, which means it will take a little more work to make them taste as good as the really expensive cuts. However, it is not all that hard if you take the time to suit the cooking method to the steak. Being a good cook can save you money in the long run.

These steaks are a little tougher in texture because they come from muscles that are actually used by the cattle. This increases chewiness, but also makes them more flavorful than many cuts that are more tender. These cuts have high flavor and low gristle. Choose an intense marinade, do a little careful salting, and keep an eye on the cooking process to keep the meat from overcooking for the best results.

The first thing you should do is take a look at your marinades. These liquid mixtures have a reputation for flavoring and tenderizing meat, but they may not do that as well as you might think. Often, they only soak into the meat a little, and if they are really acidic, they might even tighten up muscle tissues, making your meat tougher. Of course, that does not mean you cannot find a great steak marinade recipe - you just have to know what you are looking for and what to expect.

Even if the effect you get is only skin-deep, your marinade is going to produce an attractive looking, richly colored steak that has a crisp, great tasting crust. Cook budget steaks on a really hot grill for best effect, and make sure they are not cold in the middle when you start cooking. That allows for a more even cooking method.

This means making two zones - one is hotter and allows you to sear the meat, and the other is medium in heat and will cook meat through without burning. On gas grills, just adjust the knobs. For charcoal, bank two thirds of your coals and scatter the rest.

Make sure the grill is clean and you are capable of being patient. You need to cook these cuts of meat undisturbed for two to three minutes if you want them to taste their best. An instant read thermometer will help you know when your meat is ready. Rest the meat when you are finished, to let it keep its juices.

About the Author:

You have promised to make a romantic dinner, but you find yourself wondering how to cook a New York strip steak. Do not worry, you can find a delicious marinade that will make your dinner memorable at EasySteakMarinades.net. Peruse the recipes and you will find one that will make your meal perfect.

How to Cook Your Sirloin Steak

By KC Kudra

Sirloin steak is a cut that comes from the lower part of beef ribs. It continues from the tenderloin (the place where the most prized steaks come from) and is a high quality cut with a lot of flavor, since these muscles still do a reasonable amount of work. Sirloin has more flavor than a number of other steaks, and is divided into several different subcategories.

The top sirloin is the most prized of all the sirloin steaks, and you are unlikely to find it unless you look for it specifically. Most sirloin steak is really bottom sirloin, a tougher, larger piece of steak that can be more readily available and cost less. Bottom sirloin is also connected to what is called the sirloin tip roast, a good, if somewhat tough roast that should not be eaten as a steak.

Tri-tip steak is one of the most robustly flavored parts of the bottom sirloin, but is quite lean and easy to overcook. Sirloin pin bone steak comes from the front of the sirloin, and has an oval pin bone in it that gives the steak its name. A sirloin flatbone steak can be identified by the flat hip and backbone pieces it has inside.

A sirloin round bone cut will have less bone than many other sirloin steaks, and also less fat. Sirloin wedge bone steaks are taken from the rear of the sirloin, and have a small bone in it, shaped like a wedge. You can find all kinds of sirloin steaks at your local market.

Sirloin cuts are usually leaner and not as tender and buttery as some of the higher end steaks, but their low price and deep flavor makes up for a lot. Prepare them with dry heat, such as pan-frying, grilling, broiling, or a similar high heat method. Remember to treat different parts of the sirloin appropriately - cooking perfect steak will depend a lot on what part of the sirloin you are trying to prepare.

Be sure to purchase sirloin steaks that are clear and red. When beef is exposed to oxygen, the usual purplish color turns bright read. Make sure sirloin steak is cold and the package is free from holes. Beef should feel firm, and the sell by date should be after the date you are purchasing it. Keep it in the coldest part of the refrigerator for three to four days, and trim external fat before cooking if you want to.

Your steak will be finished to medium rare at an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, and will reach well done at 165. Turn the steak only with tongs, since a fork or knife will puncture the meat and cause loss of juices. Rest all steaks for five to ten minutes before you serve it.

Broil steak in a pan two to four inches from the heat source for eight to ten minutes. Grill brushed lightly with oil and placed over the heat source for six to eight minutes, or pan broil on a stovetop for thirteen to fifteen minutes.

About the Author:

A quick steak marinade is good any time, but it serves you really well when you are in a pinch. Just throw the ingredients together and put your steak in the mixture. Let it soak while you prepare your grill or heat your broiler. To find some great quick marinades, hop on over to EasySteakMarinades.net.

Choosing Pumpkin Soup Recipes

By Kc Kudra

As the weather gets cooler, we all want to enjoy some hearty seasonal foods. One excellent choice to spice up your menu a little is pumpkin soup. Pumpkins are good more than just pie, and there are all kinds of wonderful options available. Creamy bisques, cheesy soups, and hearty stews are all great with pumpkin.

You can try fusion cuisine, adding Thai or Indian spices to your soup to create a great curry flavor, or stick with hearty, familiar tastes that will make you think of home. There are lots of options available, and pumpkin soup is one of the least noticed fall recipes. For a lot of people, the idea of making a savory recipe with pumpkin is strange and unusual.

Most people run into one big problem with making pumpkin soup right away, however. Finding recipes can be really tricky, especially since a lot of people do not even know you can make soup out of a pumpkin. Most cookbooks do not offer a lot of information about using this method to cook pumpkin. Fortunately, that does not mean you cannot find a good recipe. All you really need to do is check online.

The Internet has lots of great options for making soup out of pumpkins, from cooking blogs to major recipe hubs with all kinds of choices. Do a quick search in your favorite search engine or check out your favorite cooking site and you will find a lot of options.

Of course, not all pumpkin soup recipes are created equal. Some of them assume you know a few steps that are not included in the instructions. If the recipe does not instruct you to boil and peel your pumpkin before cooking, you could end up with a result that is nothing like you expected. Look over any recipe you choose to make sure that it will actually do the job, and that you understand what you are supposed to get out of it.

Of course, you can cut down on a lot of the work by simply sticking to sites you know you can trust. There are lots of fall recipe and specialty sites out there, and they have got information that has been checked out in advance to ensure that the pumpkin soup you make will work.

Go over any recipe to make sure that you understand it, have all the ingredients on hand, and know what to expect out of it before you start. There are lots of excellent methods for making pumpkin into soup, from using the crock-pot to cooking it in a hollow pumpkin. Add a few of the more interesting presentation options and you will have a much more enjoyable fall meal.

If you have been looking for a great new option for dinner this fall, it might be time to think about pumpkin. It is not just for pie, and there are all kinds of things you can do with it. Soups keep getting more popular. Do not just stick with the same old thing - pumpkin soup can be pretty amazing.

About the Author:

City Tavern pumpkin soup can trace its roots back to 1777 when the tavern was founded. This place has seen many historical events unfold in the United States. Now you can make this historic soup in your own kitchen at home. Your family will be able to eat a part of history.

Tips for a Simple Pumpkin Soup Recipe

By Kc Kudra

Do you always have leftover pumpkin after Halloween or Thanksgiving, and want to know how to cook it? Do you love pumpkin soup and want to make sure that you do not make any mistakes? Whatever your reason, there are lots of important tips for cooking with this versatile squash relative.

Most people just make desserts out of their pumpkin, but you are not limited to these options. Here is a look at a few of the things you might want to know about this great vegetable before you begin to cook. They will help you get much better results, after all.

The first thing to remember is that not every pumpkin will make great soup or pie. The kind of pumpkin you carve at Halloween has been bred to grow big and fast, to stand up to a lot of abuse, and to look pretty on your doorstep. Unfortunately, that means that it is not the best choice for food.

These kinds of pumpkins can be very tempting to people look for a great deal on pie ingredients, particularly right after Halloween. However, they are not a great choice for eating, though they compost well and can be fun to feed to the squirrels and other wildlife. The flesh is tough and fibrous, and not very strongly flavored.

That does not mean you cannot eat them at all, but it is a good idea to "hide" this type of pumpkin in other foods. Cook your surplus pumpkin down by baking or boiling it, scrape the pulp out of the shell, and blitz it in a food processor once or twice. Then put it in pumpkin bread, cookies, or even chili.

For foods where you want that pumpkin taste to shine through, like pumpkin pie or an easy pumpkin soup recipe, look for smaller sugar pumpkins. Chock full of potassium, vitamin A and fiber, these pumpkins have a lot more flavor, are much sweeter, and have smoother, more pleasant flesh. They are often used for desserts, but work for any meal where you want the flavor of pumpkin to be a major player.

Use pumpkins in chunks for your pumpkin soup, or cook them in it and puree them with some broth for a silky texture that cannot be beat. There are even a few recipes that call for cooking the soup right in the pumpkin, then stirring the softened flesh off the walls to create your soup. It all depends on what you prefer. Just make sure that you process your pumpkin with care to prevent it from cooking incorrectly and spoiling the recipe.

Pumpkin is a great choice for making soup, and a whole lot more. By paying attention to the type of pumpkin, you have and making sure that you cook it correctly, you will have a much better chance of getting a great fall meal. Try all the great options for making pumpkin soup, and do not forget to buy the right kind of pumpkin.

About the Author:

Butternut pumpkin soup is smooth and creamy. It uses the butternut squash, which is closely related to the pumpkin. The flesh is much smoother than pumpkin and so makes a wonderfully smooth soup. This squash can be substituted for pumpkin in any pumpkin soup recipe. Some people even use it for pumpkin pie.

Do You Really Need Bread Machine Mixes?

By Marion Jones

Do you use bread machine mixes when you make yeast bread in your automatic bread-making machine? If so, why? It is so easy to make gourmet bread quickly from simple bread recipes and so much more flexible too. If you use bread machine mixes you are limited to the bread machine mixes you can find " no matter how many there are.

However, a good bread machine recipe cookbook is far more flexible than bread machine mixes. A good bread machine recipe book will give you about 150 recipes coming from many countries, but it will also encourage you to change those recipes, encouraging you to be creative and develop your own style of bread.

Bread machine mixes are really quite restricting and you have no control over what goes into the bread machine mix either: preservatives, colouring, MSG, salt or who knows what. Yes, it says on the label, but you cant take them out, if you limit yourself to bread machine mixes.

Making bread is really quite simple. Or to put it correctly, the ingredients to making bread are really quite simple. To make a very basic loaf of bread, you only need: flour, water, yeast, sugar, salt and fat or oil. The hard part about making bread is the mixing. It can take four hours to mix the bread making ingredients together; to wait for it to rise; to knead it; wait for it to prove; knead it again and bake it.

So, if you have a bread making machine you can automate the hard bread mixing, proving, kneading cycle and if you have a bread-making recipe book you will be provided with a large number of recipes to guide and encourage you.

What could be easier? You consult the bread-making machine recipe book for an scrumptious recipe; you put the everyday ingredients into the bread mixing bowl of the bread machine and you put the yeast into a time-release capsule on the top of the bread machine; set the timer and just go about your daily routine or even go to sleep!

The bread making machine will mix the ingredients and consult the timer. Our bread-making machine has a sixteen-hour timer. That means that, if you want your gourmet, yeast bread ready for 8:30 AM, the bread-making machine will mix the flour, water, salt oil and sugar at once, add the yeast at say, 7 AM, knead, prove and bake the bread and ring the alarm at 8:30 to let you know that your gourmet food is ready.

But you won't need the bell to tell you that. The smell of that fresh bread will fill your house and you will be well aware that your bread making machine is almost ready to deliver one of the best loaves of bread youve ever had in your life. And you won't ever look for bread machine mixes again. You'll be brimming over with your own bread machine mixes in no time at all and you'll be giving bread away so that you can try out your very own latest bread machine mix.

Bread machine mixes: who needs them?

About the Author:

Do you use bread machine mixes or do you want bread machine recipes? If you want recipes, just pop along to: http://bread-machine-mixes.the-real-way.com

A Brief Guide to Mexican Cheeses

By Kc Kudra

If you are like a lot of Americans, you may not really be all that familiar with Mexican cheeses, having run across cheese in Mexican dishes only as cheddar or Monterey Jack in the occasional burrito or taco. Even though these cheeses may be a good match for some of these Mexican recipes, at least in their Americanized form, there are a lot of Mexican cheeses out there, which you should certainly consider adding to your personal Mexican cooking repertoire.

Mexico has its own cheese making tradition with many different kinds to try. Fortunately for cooks, Mexican cheeses are becoming more widely available, making this part of Mexico's culinary tradition accessible to Americans interested in trying their hand at this exciting cuisine.

Cheese (or queso as it is known in Spanish) came to the New World along with the conquistadors. The European colonists brought cows and goats before long, dairy products began being produced in the country, which were uniquely Mexican. There are now a wide variety of different Mexican cheeses, each with its own character and flavor. You will find these cheeses used in many different authentic Mexican recipes, which showcase them with ingredients, which complement their flavors and textures perfectly.

Quesadillas are one of the more familiar Mexican dishes in the US; however, queso Oaxaca, the cheese customarily used to make them is far less so. This cheese is a mild flavored string cheese, which is great on its own as a snacking cheese as well as being ideal for quesadillas, enchiladas, and other Mexican recipes with melted cheese. If you can find this cheese in your local markets, give it a try the next time you are thinking of making quesadillas at home.

Some have called Cotija Mexico's answer to Romano and Parmesan cheeses. Cotija is a hard, sharp, salty cheese, which can be crumbled or grated into salads or used to top soups and refried beans. The texture and flavor of this cheese are very much like that of the aforementioned Italian cheeses and it does indeed also make a good accompaniment to pasta dishes. Named for the town of Cotija in Mexico's Michoacn state, this is one cheese you should certainly consider trying for yourself.

Queso criollo is a mild, nutty yellow cheese, which is not dissimilar to Munster. This cheese hails from the Mexican state of Guererro, is excellent on tortas (Mexican sandwiches), and grated for use in quesadillas and other Mexican recipes where cheese is to be melted. Try it anywhere you would use Munster cheese as well as in Mexican dishes.

A Spanish cheese, which is almost more strongly associated with Mexico, since it has been so widely brought into use in Mexican cooking, is queso fresco. This is a soft, mild cheese, which is traditionally made using a mixture of cow's and goat's milk. This cheese is excellent crumbled as a topping for tacos, as a filling in chiles rellenos and is wonderful with salads or served with fruit.

There are more wonderful Mexican cheeses than there is room here to discuss; but that just means there is more to explore and experiment with in your kitchen! Next time you are planning to cook your favorite Mexican recipes, have a look at your local Mexican grocery, and seek out some new cheeses to add a new and delicious dimension to your old favorites.

About the Author:

Mexican food has quite a history and many delicious dishes to experiment with. Visit MexicanFoodRecipes.org for resources, tasty recipes like Mexican rice recipe and handy tips for trying your hand at this delicious cuisine.

Learn The Basics of Cooking to Become A Gourmet Food Expert

By Brent Schumacher

Good and famous chefs create gourmet foods with a touch of class and sophistication. This is why every dish served in restaurants looks elegant. Coming up with a delightful dish does not come easy. It will take a bit of time. And if you want to be able to come up with great-looking and tasting food, you need not be a chef yourself. As long as you know the basics of cooking, you can come up with your own gourmet food.

Before you master the art of cooking gourmet foods, you need to know what the basics are first. You should know how the food preparation process works. Cutting is very important. Another method, chopping, is used to have small-sized food items like onions and tomatoes. Dicing is another. This results to smaller pieces. Whatever method you prefer, you need to remember one thing: be careful with the knives you use.

Now after all those ingredients are ready, you can now saute all those. Sauteing is the process of cooking something quickly. A small amount of oil is used over direct heat while tossing all the spices and other ingredients altogether. Easy, isn't it?

Breading is another method used in cooking gourmet foods. Surprisingly, a lot of people still don't know how to complete this process without getting all messy. The technique here is to have one hand soaking the meat in liquid while the other is used to dip the meat into the crumbs. This technique will not get your fingers sticky and messy.

Now, if you don't want that crunchy feeling in your mouth, try grilling. You can do that by directing radiant heat on your raw food. You can also try using a metal grate over hot coals. But if you prefer to do this indoors, there are available grilling pans in the market where you can grill your gourmet food on top of the stove.

Before you grill your food, it is better to have it marinated hours before you cook it. This is the process where you add flavors to your food. This will help make chicken, meat, and even fish more flavorful. Soak your food in a marinade solution for a period of time and put it in the refrigerator.

If you want to cook a gourmet pasta dish, you need to make sure that the noodle is al dente. This is the standard for all pasta dishes. If your pasta is too soggy or crisp, then it is not good. Take care to not overcook your pasta.

If you want to know how to cook gourmet foods, it's a must that you first learn the basics of cooking. When you master them, that's the time you can start experimenting with different gourmet dishes. Just remember to put passion in your cooking to ensure that you end up with a good-tasting dish.

About the Author:

Country Mercantile is a family run store that specializes in gourmet food, fresh Wahington produce, and gourmet chocolates. Don't forget to check out the luxury food items like our fan favorite pickled vegetables. Check out our online store at http://www.countrymercantile.com

An Introduction to Mexican Salsas

By Kc Kudra

When it comes to salsa, there are many of us whose salsa expertise begins and ends with the big brands that you will find in any grocery store across the US. These salsas are mostly tomato-based and tend to be relatively mild in terms of heat; while these salsas can be quite good, there are many other salsas to experience. It is true that you will find plenty of mild tomato salsa in Mexico as well, but Mexican salsas offer so much variety that it would be a shame not to explore further. You can even make your own salsas at home with ease!

Salsa has become very popular in the past few decades, finally eclipsing even ketchup as the best selling condiment in the US. Of course, most of this salsa is the mild grocery store salsas we spoke of earlier; but you should definitely branch out and discover some new favorites as well. Many Mexican salsa recipes call for a little more heat than you may be accustomed to, but there is a salsa for everyone from the chili lover to those who cannot take much in the way of spice. Of course, when you make your own salsa, you can adjust the heat level to your own tastes.

Salsa is actually a general term; the word simply means "sauce" in Spanish. Of course when we in the states say salsa we are thinking of a certain kind of sauce used as a condiment for Mexican dishes and as a dip - but there are a lot of different kinds of salsas out there made from an incredible variety of ingredients.

You will find many tomato salsas, generally including jalapeno or Serrano peppers along with onions and herbs, green salsas made from tomatillos (small green tomatoes) and green salsas which are much spicier, made with a base of pureed green chilies. You will also find chilies made with ground-dried chilies like guajillo, pasilla and others and even salsas that are somewhat reminiscent of pesto, being made from a base of ground pumpkin seeds and nuts!

For those looking for Mexican recipes like a milder Mexican salsa recipe, which offer something, a little bit different, a fruit salsa may be in order. Peach salsas are especially popular, with the sweetness and tartness of the peaches and tomatoes complimenting each other perfectly.

You can also make your own fruit salsas at home. While mangoes and peaches are both great choices, do not be afraid to experiment and find your own combinations. Pineapple, avocado, and other fruits can all be used in salsa with delicious results.

One of the easiest salsas to make is pico de gallo. The name means "rooster's beak" in Spanish and can be made in almost no time at all. You may have tried this salsa yourself in a restaurant; but it is easy and quick to make at home and it is an ideal complement for many Mexican dishes as well as being a great dip for tortilla chips. The recipe is very simple, calling for diced tomato, onion and jalapeno along with cilantro and a little limejuice. It is simplicity itself, but incredibly good.

Unfortunately, there just is not enough room here to discuss all of the great Mexican salsas and recipe ideas, which are out there to discover. However, we hope that this article has given you a few ideas and gotten you interested in learning and tasting more. It is fun and easy to make salsa in your own kitchen and you should feel free to experiment with any salsa recipes you want to try. With your own creative spin, you can make some truly unique salsas, which are sure to be a hit when served with your favorite Mexican recipes.

About the Author:

After a long, hard day at work, most of us do not want to spend hours cooking, which is where quick Mexican recipes come in very handy! Cooking at home works out much cheaper than ordering take out and it is healthier and tastier too, which is a good reason to try some Mexican recipes!

Fresh Lobster Meat Tastes Great!

By Sherry Shantel

If you're an adventurous home cook, it can be easy to run out of good protein options from your local grocery store. And you can't serve a steak every night! Seafood is a great and healthy option to bring some change into your dinner line up, but it can be difficult to find quality fresh seafood, especially if you live far from the ocean. And who needs the mess of buying, boiling, and shucking their own lobsters! What you need is some fresh lobster meat from Quality Fresh Seafood!

Fresh lobster meat is a great treat for your whole family, but for those of us who don't live on the coast, it can be hard to come by. Regardless of where you live, even if you do manage to find a lobster that is fresh, you've still got the task of cooking it. Who has the time to go to the store, find a lobster, boil it, crack it and clean it, all for just a little bit of knuckle, claw and tail meat? Instead of going through all of that fuss, why not order your lobster online from Quality Fresh Seafood?

Quality Fresh Seafood is a great way to get the lobster meat you've been craving, with a lot less effort on your part. Simply order one of our one or two pound packages, and the next day, you can be enjoying delicious, fresh lobster, without having cracked a claw or hefted a stockpot. Fresh lobster meat will make a great addition to your holiday party, or will be a great surprise for your dinner party guests.

If you love to cook with fresh lobster meat, then do we have a deal for you. Our packages of fresh cleaned lobster meet from the claws, knuckles and tail will be perfect for you. Choose either one or two pounds, depending on the amount you would like to serve. This meat comes in easy to eat pieces that are perfect both plain with butter, and in a wide variety of appetizers and soups! Whatever you can create, you can make a reality with our easy to order lobster!

When you are planning a dinner party, you want to impress and save time! Imagine trying to clean a dozen lobsters, just for the tails. Where would you find that many lobsters! And even if you did, how would you keep them alive? Not to mention the pounds of excess lobster meat you'd have to crack out from its shell and store! Don't worry about all of that work! Just order your fresh lobster meat tails from Quality Fresh Seafood and let us do all the work for you!

Quality Fresh Seafood is committed to bringing you only the finest seafood products. All of our lobster meat is boiled to order, and FedEx'd for over night delivery, so you'll know that you're getting the freshest product out there. So the next time you have a craving for lobster, don't waste money going out, and time boiling yourself. Order from us and enjoy your fresh lobster meat the next day! You'll be glad that you decided to save your energy for enjoying yourself!

About the Author:

This article really explains lobsters, one thing is for sure, this topic is rather large and can't be justified by one article. There is also steamer lobster that we could probably write another 10 articles on. You may also want to check out live lobster cost.

A Home for a Lobster

By Sherry Shantel

Did you ever look at a lobster swimming around in the little fish tank at a restaurant and wonder where he lived before he was caught? You may remember he lived in the ocean, but did you realize that most lobsters live in only the coastal regions around the world. Once considered unfit to eat, lobsters have risen in such popularity in the last few decades that fishermen can hardly capture enough of them to meet demand.

Right after he's born, a very tiny lobster looks nothing like an adult lobster and has a 1/1000 chance of surviving to adulthood. During the first 15 days of his life, he lives in the top three feet of water in the ocean and is extremely vulnerable to predators. During this period he molts three times before moving into the fourth stage as a miniature adult.

Once the baby lobster has reached stage four, he has learned to swim well. He will spend this stage looking for a permanent place to live on the ocean floor. In the coastal regions around Cape Cod, he will pick out a home in the salt marsh peat. In coastal waters around Maine, his preference will be an area with cobble (small rocks) on the bottom.

The cobble provides many hiding spots where he can just lay around and let food come drifting down to him. The coast of Maine is particularly ideal for this purpose, because the water is clean and cold with a rocky bottom.

After molting once more and moving into stage five of his life, the lobster moves into his new ocean bottom home. During his first year he spends the majority of his time hiding in his crevice or tunnel in order to keep from being eaten by his numerous predators. After this first year he spends a lot of time during the next three years hiding in the ocean bottom kelp and seaweed while looking for food.

Small lobsters seldom come out in the open. If our lobster were to swim out into the ocean at this point in his life, he'd be eaten by fish within minutes. Only when he gets larger will he move to an area with larger rocks. He may also choose to live in sandy or muddy areas between the shoreline and the edge of the continental shelf. Being a loner, he lives by himself in a crevice or burrow under rocks.

Wherever there are lobsters, there will be fishermen. Between the fishermen and natural predators, most lobsters don't live very long lives. However, historically some lobsters have been noted to have achieved larger sizes and longer life spans. Colonials, for example, recorded that some of the lobsters they found were five or six feet in length.

The largest lobster ever captured in modern times happened off the coast of Nova Scotia in 1977. This lobster weighed 44 pounds, 6 ounces and was somewhere between three and four feet long. Experts feel it could have been as much as 100 years old. Can you believe it?

About the Author:

This article helps you to understand seafood, this really is an immense topic and can't be justified by one article. There is also lobster and those would take several more articles to cover adequately. You may also want to check out to grill live lobster.

Time To Buy A Live Maine Lobster

By Sherry Shantel

When my friend visits Maine, he always comes home with a few extra treasures. His treasures are, of course, live Maine lobsters; but they aren't live very long.

While unpacking from a recent trip, my friend had brought extra lobsters home with him, so he could enjoy the fresh, succulent delights one more time. This will become one of your culinary favorites, once you have partaken of the first one you eat.

When traveling in Maine, you cannot leave the state without seeing dozens of signs advertising lobsters for sale-you can even buy live lobsters.

The quality of the lobsters depends on the freshness. If you aren't lucky enough to be in Maine, you can have this same fresh quality delivered straight to your door. There are many companies that will send your lobster favorites overnight, for your enjoyment.

Lobsters that are sent to you are shipped in insulated boxes with an ice pack and moist paper to keep your lobster at its best. This keeps your lobster cold and provides a supply of ocean water. Thus, all efforts are made to make sure you get the finest quality that you could ever hope for.

All live lobsters are caught fresh off the coast of Maine and New Hampshire. The boats go our nearly every day to catch the finest seafood they can. The lobsters you order online are actually caught the day before they are sent to you.

All live lobsters are caught fresh off the coast of Maine and New Hampshire. Lobster boats go out nearly every day to provide you with the freshest seafood possible. Most of the lobsters are caught the day before they arrive at your door.

You can enjoy some sweet, delicious seafood without going to Maine. Enjoy eating something that is nutritious and good for your health. Buy some live Maine lobsters and eat hearty!

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Hopefully you enjoyed this informative article about live lobsters. To learn more, visit Quality Fresh Seafood where some extremely informative articles are being presented. The articles are about lobster dinner which should be enjoyable to learn about.

The Best Ways to Cook Live Lobsters

By Sherry Shantel

Advocates for animal rights will protest the practice of putting live lobsters into boiling water. Their concerns are based on whether or not the lobster is capable of feeling pain. They believe that there has to be a better way to cook live lobsters.

There has been a lot of scientific research done to try to determine the amount of pain a lobster actually feels. While not being totally conclusive the findings have been good news for people who love to eat fresh lobster.

A lobster has a brain about the same size as a grasshopper has which is pretty minute for a larger animal like a lobster. Lobsters brains are lacking in the complexity human brains have which means a lobster is unable to think.

Because of this lack, it is also extremely doubtful that a lobster is able to feel pain the way people do. Based on these findings, the practice of cooking live lobsters continues. Three common methods of cooking a live lobster are by steaming, boiling, or grilling.

Steaming a lobster starts with a four to five gallon pot containing two inches of seawater or salted water and containing a steaming rack being brought to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the pot is up to temperature, add the lobsters one at a time. Put the lid on the pot and start your timer. It takes about 10 minutes to cook one pound of lobster and around an hour for six to eight pounds. Halfway through the cooking time, rearrange the lobsters in the pot.

If you want to boil your live lobsters, add 3 quarts of water to your large pot for every 1 to 2 pounds of lobster. For each gallon of water you end up using, you will need to add one quarter cup of salt. Bring the pot up to a rolling boil. Once again, add the lobsters to the boiling water one at a time. Start timing immediately. One pound of lobster will require 8 minutes of boiling time. Six to eight pounds will take 50 minutes to an hour. Stir the lobsters half way through the cooking time.

Grilling lobsters starts the same way boiling them does by cooking them in boiling water for about five minutes. Remove them from the hot water immediately and plunge them into a cold water bath so that they won't continue to cook. Take each well-drained lobster and place it on its back on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, split each lobster down the middle and cut out the black vein in the tail and the sand sac by the head. Baste the lobsters with melted butter or oil and place them flesh-side down on the grill. Cook them for five to six minutes on that side before turning them over. Baste them again and continue cooking for another four or five minutes.

There's no need to be afraid of cooking live lobsters any longer. Science has proved that it is not inhumane treatment. If you have a pot and want the very freshest, tastiest lobster, you can buy live lobsters at many supermarkets. You can also use the ultimate convenience of shopping for lobsters online from one of the seafood companies who promise you the freshest lobsters delivered overnight.

About the Author:

This article helps you to understand live lobsters, however this is a huge topic and can't be explained in just one article. There is also lobster fresh that we could talk about for a long time I'm sure. You may also want to check out storing live lobster.

The Color of Maine Lobsters Exposed

By Sherry Shantel

Maine lobsters are not red! I know the ones you see in all the pictures in magazines and restaurant menus are red, but; that is not their natural color. In fact, Maine lobsters are naturally found as being greenish-brown or black in color. They may also be found as blue, yellow or even white. One out of every 30 million lobsters born has a blue shell.

Black holes or marks on a lobster's shell are the result of much wear and tear. And these are usually an indication of an older lobster who hasn't recently shed its shell. Marks or holes are not harmful at all.

The color of the shell had no affect on the flavor or texture of the lobster. When it is cooked, all of the color pigments are hidden, except the red one. That's why when your lobster is completely cooked; it will be red in color.

Cooking a lobster longer than necessary makes the meat tough. When cooked properly, lobster meat is creamy white in color. The shells are bright red and the front antennae are easily removed.

Maine Lobster can be boiled, grilled, steamed, and baked. The white meat is located in the tail, claws, and the knuckles. Meat is also found in parts of the body and the legs. The red matter in the tail section is the roe, or female eggs and is considered a delicacy like caviar. The green substance is located at the section of the body and tail and is known as tomalley, the liver, and has a peppery taste. This can be used in many recipes.

Eating tomalley on a regular basis is not recommended. Contaminants may settle in the liver, as it does with other animals, so it is best to refrain from too much.

Main lobsters are delicious and nutritious! Remember, go light on the butter. This seafood has less calories, saturated fats, and calories than that of lean beef, pork, or skinless chicken. Lobster provides a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. These have shown to reduce hardening of the arteries and the risk of heart disease.

Eat well! Celebrate your special occasions by eating lobster. This treasure from the sea is sweet, succulent, and delicious. Remind yourself to seek only the very best. Look for Maine Lobsters and enjoy your meal.

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Hopefully you enjoyed this high quality article about seafood. If you like, you can just visit Quality Fresh Seafood where some great content pieces are being showcased. The main topic is lobster dinners which should be enjoyable to read.

Meat Lasagna - Cooking Tips

By Mike Smith

I love eating lasagna. Such an awesome and delicious treat. You can make a delicious lasagna with just a couple of quick tips. Are you tired of eating a soggy lasagna? Don't you wish you could make a lasagna that was easy to cut and serve nice square blocks that stay together? Making a lasagna can be a tough and intimidating task, but with the right lasagna cooking tips, you can make it delicious. Check out these tips for a better lasagna.

In my meat sauce, I try to combine a couple types of meat. Try beef, pork and turkey for the best flavor. The lasagna noodles can be dried, fresh, or the no boil variety. I prefer the no boil type because it tastes the best with a lasagna and won't be soggy after the lasagna is baked.

With the Parmesan cheese, I prefer the freshly grated type, for obvious reasons...taste. As with any recipe, the better the ingredients the better the dish, but this is a dish you can cheat a little. Again, with mozzarella cheese, you have to find the best and the freshest type of mozzarella.

Whatever you do, do not add liquid to your sauce. You want your sauce to be thick, especially if you add veggies to your sauce. Veggies will only add more water to your lasagna and then you won't be able to cut out nice squares that stay together.

Cover your lasagna with aluminum foil while it bakes. If not, it will burn on top. Leave it covered for most of the baking time, only uncovering it during the last 15-20 minutes of baking.

Be sure to put a little sauce on the bottom so the noodles won't stick. You can also spray it with pam if you choose to.

Drain meat VERY well to keep lasagna from being runny.

Use eggs for binder. Try three eggs with meat, spaghetti sauce, cream cheese, cottage or ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and noodles.

There are hundreds of lasagna tips on the internet, but these are the most important lasagna tips, I believe. You can also make vegetarian lasagna, but I absolutely love Meat Lasagna and that's all I usually make. Good luck with your lasagna!

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Try this tasty meat lasagna recipe.

Crock Pot Recipes - Delicious

By Mike Jackson

Crock pot recipes are so easy and delicious. They remind me of when I was little and my mom would have me start up the crock pot in the morning. By the time I got back from school, the meal was almost done. The prep was so easy, too. Just cut up some vegetables, add water and add some meat. Crock pot recipes allow you to prepare meals that are tender and succulent with very little effort. The slow cooking of the meat leaves you with such a tasty and succulent meal for dinner.

All crock pot recipes are designed to take advantage of the crock pot's unique properties. Crock pots are electrically powered, and they can reach only moderate temperatures and cook food over very long periods, often for several hours. They are ideal for cooking all day at a safe and low temperature.

They were first introduced in the 1970s, and are made of heat-resistant materials like ceramics or porcelain and are usually round or oval in shape with a close-fitting lid. Whatever you do, never lift up the lid to see how things are going. This will ruin your meal.

There are many different types of crock pot recipes, but they all share some common elements. All of this type of recipe must involve some kind of liquid to prevent the main ingredient of the meal from drying out over the long cooking period. This liquid keeps the meat in a nice environment and helps tenderize the meat slowly. Some prefer chicken broth or another type of broth. By the time the crock pot is done cooking, the meat is so tender. While water is the most common liquid used, wine or broths can also be used. I usually just use water.

The liquid evaporates during cooking, but the lid re-condenses it and returns it to the dish, helping the food to stay moist and tender throughout. Many slow cooker recipes involve cheaper cuts of meat, as the long, gentle heating process breaks down the toughness of the meat and allows the flavour to grow and develop. This is nice for the family on a budget.

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Try some of these awesome crock pot recipes.