Best Kitchen Appliances

By Lambert Klein When thinking of healthy foods does brown rice or rice bran come to mind? It is common for us to have a list of favored healthy foods; our favorite fruits and vegetables; skinless white meat chicken; yogurt and low fat cheese. Then there is that list of foods that brown rice may be on. The list of foods one knows is healthy like brown rice or rice bran and maybe they'll try it one day; or not. Healthy grains like brown rice or rice bran are usually on this list. Consciously, the choice is made for white rice instead of brown rice; processed baked goods instead of something with perhaps a healthy grain like rice bran on the ingredient list. We opt out of the chewy texture and nutty flavor of a natural whole grain item like brown rice; or the unexpected sweetness of a rice bran product? If you had a choice and were ordering take out, would you look on the menu for brown rice? Would you go out of your way to inquire if brown rice were available at you...

Spaghetti Bolognese is certainly a lot easier to make than it looks, and believe it or not you do not need an abundance of fancy ingredients. It is an authentic Italian dish and is a delicious favorite for many, and luckily it really is so easy to make. To make a fantastic Bolognese sauce you will first need some mince. The mince should be cooked in a pan until brown; remember to keep stirring it vigorously to avoid it sticking. It is then a good idea to drain the fat off the mince to ensure you meal is healthy and avoid it being too greasy when served. In order to give your sauce lots of flavor and vitamins, vegetables should be added. Chopped onions complement the mince perfectly and should be placed in the pan soon after the mince has browned. A juicy red or green pepper should also be chopped and placed in, this provides the dish with lots of color and little bit of spice. When it comes to the tomato sauce, you need not use an expensive jar or packet of sauce. A rea...

This recipe, like all the recipes I post allow you to make a global impact just by buying the key branded ingredient. Even a great dish like mac and cheese needs dressing up now and again. I love this dish so much that I am always sampling it as a make it. There is always less that gets to the table than what I began with. Family-Favorite Macaroni and Cheese Prep Time:25 min Start to Finish:50 min Makes:6 servings (about 3/4 cup each) 2 cups of uncooked elbow macaroni (7 ounces) 2 tablespoons of margarine 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon of salt 1/4 teaspoon of pepper 1/4 teaspoon of ground mustard 1/4 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce ¼ teaspoon of Onion Powder 2 cups of fat-free (skim) milk 1 ½ cups of reduced-fat shredded or cubed sharp Cheddar cheese (6 ounces) 1 Jar of Amish Family Recipes' Keith's Corn Salsa 1. Heat oven to 350ºF. 2. Cook macaroni in boiling water until noodles are tender. 3. While macaroni is cooking, melt margarine in 3-quart sa...

You're starving after a long day at work, but there's nothing in the fridge. So you run to the nearest store and grab something to eat-a bag of chips, a candy bar, or a can of soda. This is what a typical afternoon is like for a lot of kids and young adults. Unfortunately, it can hardly be called healthy eating. Junk food is loaded with empty calories-calories that have no corresponding nutritional value. Basically, they make you fat but don't make you any healthier. Before you know it, it can take its toll on your health. If you need to munch in between meals, Filipino food is a much better way to fill up. Native snacks are a lot cheaper than store-bought foods, and they can satisfy those cravings without piling on the pounds. Here are some Filipino food recipes you can try in place of your favorite junk foods. Junk: Burgers Better: Spring rolls Many parents argue that burgers aren't all bad. After all, they're basically a one-dish meal: you've ...

Storing foods can present its own set of problems. And different types of foods have different storage requirements to prevent bacteria from setting in. Here's some tips to protect your family and yourself. Storing Vegetables 1. Vegetables should be stored in the vegetable crisper in the refrigerator. However, keep potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, and garlic in a cool, dark, well ventilated place, but not in the refrigerator. Tomatoes have better flavor if they are not refrigerated. Once cut, tomatoes should be refrigerated like any vegetable. 2. Store vegetables in the refrigerator crisper in plastic bags to prevent loss of moisture and nutritional values. However, eggplant and capsicums should be stored open in the crisper as they sweat if stored in plastic bags. Put mushrooms in a paper bag (not in a plastic bag) before placing them in the crisper. Storing Fruits 3. Apples and berries should always be kept in the refrigerator for maximum crispness. Summer ston...

Lasagna is an ancient dish and goes back to Biblical times. The pasta and cheese dish is found in many parts of Italy. Some food historians think Italian housewives invented the dish to use leftover pasta and sauce. According to "The Cooking of Italy," a Time-Life Book published in 1968, Italian cooking is not difficult to master and "its diversity is inexhaustible. Lasagna is one of those diverse recipes. You can make it with ground beef, pork, beef and pork combined, smoked ham, cream sauce, meat and cream sauce, and tomato sauce. Many years ago I was invited to a friend's house for lasagna. "My lasagna is different," she explained, "and has a layer of spinach." I like the spinach addition so much I often add it to my homemade lasagna. Though I know how to make tomato sauce from scratch and cook the lasagna noodles I avoid these steps during the holidays. Instead, I use sauce from a jar, precooked pasta, and pre-shredded cheese. Wh...

By Brandy Summers A deliciously comforting soft baked cookie. 1/4 cup butter; softened 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 2 eggs 3/4 cup mincemeat 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped, optional Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Add in eggs and mincemeat; mix well. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; add to the creamed mixture; mixing well. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2-inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely. Makes 48 cookies. => Christmas Cookies Recipes: Orange Cookies A fresh, citrus flavored cookie that will delight everyone. 1 cup shortening 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 cup but...

Many of us have a certain visualization when it comes to our "dream" kitchen. It is important to know and understand that we can actually create the kitchen in the design that we wish, but it is important to consider a few things prior to engaging in the home improvement project of designing the dream kitchen. Here, you will learn about the important considerations on dream kitchen designs. The first consideration that must be made when you are in the process of designing your dream kitchen is to know that the kitchen is the main room in the home. Each and every single person that resides in the home frequents the kitchen many times throughout the day. This is where people cook, eat, commune...it is important to respect this area, and make it "family" friendly. When designing this room, remember how many people frequent this room, and the type of activities that take place in this room. The next consideration that should be made when designing the dre...

Holidays are a time to visit with family, friends, and unexpected guests. These visits are fun for everyone, a time to catch up on news and make plans for the future. While making plans is easy, making dinner can be hard. Can you make a meal that young kids, teens, parents, and grandparents will enjoy? Yes, and it is Pizza Casserole, a blend of healthy pasta, lean ground beef, pizza sauce, and three kinds of cheese. Cook the pasta the day before to save preparation time. Drain the pasta in a colander, put it in a zipper plastic bag, and coat elbows with a little olive oil to prevent clumping. This recipe calls for Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta (name trade marked), a new product with added fiber and calcium. It also calls or a specific brand of pizza sauce, but you may substitute another brand if you wish. Cream cheese is the surprise ingredient and it adds richness to the dish. If the casserole has been refrigerated for a long time take it out of the refrigerator a half hou...

Seafood risotto is usually made with the seafood cooked right into the risotto. Although this makes a wonderful dish, I find that the seafood can easily become overcooked and get lost in the risotto, or that some diners can get lots of seafood while others get cheated. I find that flavoring the risotto with a seafood broth and then topping it with sautéed seafood is an unbeatable combination. Servings : 4-6 1 pound risotto, made from Arborio rice prepared according to package directions and kept warm (see note) 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil Red pepper flakes to taste 2 dozen small clams, rinsed 2 dozen small mussels, cleaned and de-bearded 12 large sea scallops 12 medium to large shrimp, shelled, cleaned, and de-veined 1/2 medium clove garlic, minced 3 plum tomatoes, diced 2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional) 1 tablespoon butter (optional) 1 ta...

By Suthep Sachasiri Papaya salad is almost as much a staple part of my diet as rice is. For sure if I eat out and am not given any som tam, I will soon after be found at a roadside food vendor, correcting the deficiency. If you lived on a diet of som tam and not much else, it is highly unlikely you would ever become fat. Some restaurants use mango instead of papaya. Generally though I find mango to be too acidic for this purpose. Ingredients to serve 4 people 1 medium sized green papaya, 4 small plum tomatos, 1 carrot, 10ml tamarind juice, 25ml lime juice, 2 cloves garlic, 50gm prik kee noo, 10gm brown sugar, 25ml nam pla, 25gm dried shrimp, 50gm unsalted roasted peanuts. Peel the papaya and shred the green flesh (if you don't have a suitable implement for the purpose a coarse cheese grater may work). Also peel and shred the carrot. Put the shredded papaya and carrot in the fridge. Soften the dried shrimp in a few mls of boiling water. Pound the garlic and the pr...

By Kerris Samson For someone who likes to eat salads on a regular basis you may find that without some kind of dressing they can taste a little boring. However, rather than resorting to using ready made ones from your local grocery store or delicatessen you could actually have a go at making your own salad vinaigrette dressing. In this article we show you some very simple ways of being able to make such a dressing along with a very basic recipe that you may want to consider trying. Making a very basic vinaigrette is very easy to do and will provide your salad with a little more oomph. All you need is either a food processor, blender, whisk (electric or hand) or a jar which will be used to mix the ingredients of your dressing up with. In most cases a very simple vinaigrette dressing for salads is made up of 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar and a few herbs and spices added to provide a little more flavor. If you are someone who finds time a constraint then using a food proce...

Herbal tea has become sort of a culture in many countries. Compared to coffee, tea can actually be consumed in relatively large amounts without any risk. People who love it can average anywhere from 3 to 8 cups daily. However, there are associated adverse effects that come with tea overdose. You need to watch out for these as well. Green Tea Some people show hypersensitivity reactions with green tea. Others develop the condition after long-term use characterized by hives, swelling of ears, lips, tongue and face, difficulty breathing, closing of the throat and skin irritation. Another grave side effect that can be caused by heavy and long-term consumption of green tea is esophageal cancer. There are agents that remain and accumulate in the esophageal area leading to the development of cysts and tumors. Too much green tea can cause a variety of side effects such as anxiety, insomnia, nervousness, irritability, mood swings, interrupted sleep, cardiac arrhythmia, headache,...

My youngest daughter wrote in her journal at school the other day about her grandmother's cheese puffs and her delighted anticipation of visiting her grandmother that very night, then going home with her Aunt Jo and mother to make batches and batches of cheese puffs for family Christmas parties. This is our third year of making them together now that my mother isn't able to make them anymore.Here's what always happens, this is what my daughter witnesses at the big family Christmas party, with all the cousins and aunts and uncles, the cheese puffs - little cheddar and bread appetizers - coming hot out of the oven, quickly placed on plates, passed from guest to guest, greedy hands grasping, the plate emptying, another sheet pulled from the oven, another plate passed, "Shirley's cheese puffs are ready! Did you get a cheese puff? Are there any more?" There are never enough to satisfy demand. My mother made these by herself, but it takes three or more...

Some of us read books to learn about things, and some of those books even have recipes in them. Worse yet, some of us are so dumb that we use those recipes in our vain attempts to create food that we might enjoy. The process that was being referred to, was for folks who haven't firsthand access to the cooks and ingredients of a particular cuisine, plus enough cooking experience to be able to wing it. Those people may have to read about and use recipes when they try to cook a particular cuisine. You're saying that if they don't have the experience they shouldn't try it at home. Not everyone is the all-knowing Cajun/Creole master chef that you are, my fellows. By the way, please feel free to point out where I've said someone has to do it a certain way. Interestingly, you are saying they can't possibly hope to do it, while I'm suggesting that they give it a try when they've got nothing more than a recipe to start from. Yes, in an ideal world,...

By Brandy Summers Instead of a big, heavy fruitcake, serve these delicious cookies. 3/4 cup butter, softened 1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar 3 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 3 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped 1 1/2 cups candied pineapple, coarsely chopped 1 3/4 cups red and green cherries, halved 2 cups pitted dates, halved Directions Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Lightly sprinkle pan with flour. In a bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour and walnuts; mix well. Spread mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle walnuts, pineapple, cherries and dates on top; press lightly into dough. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool completely before cutting into squares. Makes 96 bar cookies. => Quick Christmas Cookie Recipes: Quick Holiday Cookies...

By Brandy Summers These sweet and sour chicken wings are delicious for holiday gatherings. 3 pounds uncooked chicken wing sections or wingettes 1 cup cornstarch 3 eggs, lightly beaten Oil for deep fat frying 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup currant jelly 1/4 cup soy sauce 3 tablespoons ketchup 2 tablespoons lemon juice Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cornstarch into a large resealable plastic bag. Drop in chicken wings, a few at a time. Shake wings in bag to coat evenly. Dip the wings into the eggs. Heat up an electric skillet or deep fat fryer to 357 degrees. Fry chicken wings for 8 minutes or until golden brown; juice should run clear. Turn wings occasionally while cooking. Drain on paper towels. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, vinegar, jelly, soy sauce, ketchup and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Place chicken wings into a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Pour half of the sauce over...

By Nahar Efendy Noordin It is holiday time, and everyone is getting ready to cook up a feast. This includes everyone's favorite dishes, from stuffing to pumpkin pie. Friends and families are gathering together and sharing in the love that speaks so loudly this time of year. There are many things rushing through our minds during this time of year, but one of the things that most people forget to consider is food safety. This is actually a very important issue, when you consider how much cooking is going on, and you want to make sure that you take care in the preparation of your food in order to ensure that no one gets sick. While the United States' food supply is one of the safest in the entire world, there are still some 76 million people each year that get sick from food borne illnesses. Food safety can be especially challenging during the holidays, as not only is it already cold and flu season and so many people are already sick to begin with, but also because t...

Hearty homemade soups make great meals for babies and toddlers. These soups combine meat and vegetables into one easy meal, they are inexpensive to make, and they freeze well for later meals. My twin boys love this split pea soup recipe! Beef Stew 1/3 c. flour 1 1/2 lb. stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 tbsp. vegetable oil 3 c. water 4 medium potatoes 3 medium carrots Coat meat with flour and brown in oil. Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low all day or on high for 4-5 hours. Other vegetables like green beans or peas can also be added. Split Pea Soup 3 c. split peas, rinsed 1 c. ham, cut into small cubes 1 medium carrot, cut into small cubes 7 c. water 3 tsp. chicken bouillon granules Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low all day or on high for 4-5 hours. After soups cool, blend in blender or food processor, adding more water if necessary for desired consistency. Blend soups until completely smooth for younger babies. These soups are suita...

There are many people who think that wheatgrass juice is simply a health drink that you can take shots of for energy and nutrients. The truth is, there are books filled with long lists of uses and applications. From its health benefits detoxifying from addictions, tooth decay, sore throat, skin problems, constipation, improving blood sugar, high-blood pressure and breathing. There are countless documented uses for this powerful healing juice. Healing Some of the early methods of healing with wheatgrass juice were very simple and natural. The instructions would direct a person to lay down a small amount of the pulp from wheatgrass juice and place the wet leafs on the area of the body that was diseased, scarred or irritated. Others uses would include chewing the grass for some time before spitting out the pulp. Today we now know that there is much scientific reason behind this method of healing. Wheatgrass juice contains the living blood of plants and sprouts; it is full ...

Bread machines or bread makers are fast becoming a small appliance used almost as much as the microwave oven. And why not? The smell and taste of freshly baked bread is hard to resist, let alone very nutritious for you. These machines can be considered another of the few miracle kitchen appliances to make our cooking and baking lives more enjoyable. Finding bread machines online has never been more easier, except maybe which one to choose for your families needs. Here are some basic tips in finding the right one for you. Most store bought bread these days comes in one and a half to two pound loafs, so the first tip is look for a bread machine with a two pound capacity. There really isn't a good reason to make bread size less than a two pound loaf. Also it is nice to have a bread maker with at least 8 different settings. Some of your best choices for settings are: Basic, Whole Wheat, French, Sweet and Express bake. Bread machines with a view window allows one to monit...

As a youngster, I learned to make Homemade Banana Pudding by simply watching my mother as she prepared it. When it came to cooking--she made just about everything from scratch-- she really didn't know any other way. And because of that, she taught me how to make a good homemade banana pudding. This recipe is a Black History Month favorite among African Americans. It's a great crowd pleaser and will stretch your budget especially if you're planning a soul food buffet. It's a good quality dessert that does not take all day to make. A good custard is always key to making a good banana pudding. This was my mother's original recipe and it's the best one I've ever eaten. Before you start, read the recipe and directions all the way through. Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe 1 large can evaporated milk or pet milk 1 cup regular milk 4 egg yolks (reserve whites for topping) 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 6 to 8 ripe bananas Vanilla Wafers Heat e...

By Ayush Sharma Soup from STEMS OF VEGETABLES INGREDIENTS: 8-10 stems of spinach leaves 4-5 tender stalks of the leaves just below cauliflower 2-3 stems of coriander leaves 1 small sprig spring onion 1 stalk of celery 1/2" ginger peeled and crushed 1 clovette garlic crushed 1 tbsp. cornflour 1/4 dried red chilli crushed 1/2 tsp. sugar salt to taste 1/2 tsp. soya sauce 1/2 tsp. oil or butter 2 1/2 cups water. METHOD OF PREPARATION: Clean any fibrous threads from the stems. Chop the vegetables into thin slanted slivers. Heat oil in a pan. Add ginger garlic. Saute for a minute. Add vegetables. Stir fry till tender. Add water and bring to a boil. Mix cornflour in 1/2 cup cold water. Add to soup, stirring continuously till it comes back to a boil. Add the chilli, sugar, salt, soya sauce and boil till thickened like cornsoup Serve fresh and piping hot. SPINACH AND GARLIC SOUP INGREDIENTS 10 ounces Fresh spinach -- trimmed/coars. 4 cups Chicken broth. 1/2 cup Shredded ca...

By Robin OBrien Overall the Cuisinart bread machine is excellent; it comes with a unique convection bake feature, a beep to let you know that the mixing paddle can be removed before baking and cycles for low-carb, gluten free, and artisan breads. But, it also comes with a few problems. Whether or not you should buy this appliance will depend on you perceiving that the good points out weigh the band ones. The Cuisinart CBK-200 Bread Maker is a convection cooking machine and can make 1, 1.5, or 2 lb loaves of bread and features 16 main cycles: white, rapid white, whole wheat, rapid whole wheat, French/Italian, rapid French/Italian, quick bread/cake, low-carb, gluten free, dough/pizza dough, artisan dough, sweet breads, rapid sweet breads, jam, last minute loaf, bake only. You can further modify these cycles, giving a total of 101 overall, so it's quite a versatile bread machine. The convection fan is one of its main plus points. It's a little noisy but it really ...

In today's modern Chinese restaurants even a more traditional menu will come with English translations for many of the more common Chinese food terms. It is, however, always handy to have knowledge of some to the basic terms just in case you find yourself in need. Here are eleven definitions that range from vegetables to duck for some of the more common items found in Chinese restaurants. Choy = vegetable. Vegetables or Choy are found in many Chinese food dishes. This versatile ingredient can be found in stand alone dishes or accompanied by meat. Dun = egg and is often found in dishes like Egg Foo Young where eggs or Dun are combined with a wide variety of accompaniments like rice, chicken, vegetables and bean sprouts. Fon = rice and is most familiar in Fried Rice which comes with peas, carrots and pork or in sticky short grained white rice. Gai = chicken and is a very adaptable ingredient to use in dishes like Cashew Chicken or Moo Shu Chicken where the chicken is...

By Carlos Giraldo Which major east coast city is home to the 2007 Best Northeast Chef? If you said New York City and that is your final answer, you just lost the game. If you said Boston, you win the prize. And the 2007 James Beard Award Best Northeast Chef is just the beginning of what Boston has to delight your taste buds. In the heart of fashionable Back Bay, in an 1880 townhouse, you will find sophisticated and modern New England-French cuisine, with an emphasis on artisanal and New England ingredients. At L'Espalier (30 Gloucester Street), you will also find Chef Frank McClelland, the 2007 James Beard Award Best Northeast Chef. Also in Back Bay, you'll find a specialist in classic steak house cuisine and an award-winning wine selection at Capital Grille (359 Newbury Street). And at Vox (755 Boylston Street), known for its martinis, Chef Eric Bogardus offers dishes like Woven Flounder or Ostrich Stroganoff on an American Bistro-style menu. Seafood is a New E...

By Ray Nwambuonwo Building kitchen cabinets is certainly within the reach of most people, especially if they are of a regular size. Even though carcasses come in different sizes, they are all essentially built in exactly the same way, so once you have put the first couple together the rest should be a lot easier to manage. But admitting your kitchen isn't a regular square or rectangle shape? What if you have a sloping roof? Or an awkward recess? Or simply an irregular wall that needs to be hidden behind your kitchen cabinets? In this case, building kitchen cabinets might not be as easy as you think. Proper preparation is required here to make sure the finished kitchen looks as good as it should. Here are some tips for making your ideal remodel come true. Building cabinets of an irregular shape needn't be as hard as you think. In fact, in some cases - such as the above example of the irregular walls - you might not need to butcher regular size cabinets at all. F...