Best Kitchen Appliances

A good cookbook gets well used and eventually becomes filled with notes, papers, smudges and miscellaneous residue from family gatherings. It is repeatedly hauled on and off the bookshelf, and the better the recipes it contains, the more quickly it shows loving wear. However, I was recently introduced to a fresh, fun and innovative cookbook that I can't wear out, no matter how much I love it. And that's only the beginning of its advantages and delights... As a low carber for many years I have found a great majority of terrific "low-carbed" recipes online through forums, e-mail groups, friends, and various low carb Websites. I can't even begin to estimate the hours spent online gathering great recipes. I had always had an idea in the back of my mind that it would be great to have some way to organize online, some kind of online recipe book, and I am very pleased to tell you that someone has done exactly that…and in a fun, organized and very interacti

There is no reason to skimp on food or flavor when you are communing with the great outdoors during a camping trip. Campfire cooking can be a challenge but with a bit of preparation and the proper tools, you can create easy, tasty concoctions sure to satisfy most appetites. The key word is challenge because you are likely going to have a few misses as you practice cooking over an open fire! Roasting Options Roasting is the easiest of all campfire cooking options as takes just a few implements to cook your food over the flame. Long forks are used for cooking hot dogs, marshmallows and anything else that can be skewered as well. Kabobs are popular and easy to make and almost any type of meat can be seasoned and skewered like shrimp, chicken, pork and beef along with vegetable favorites like potatoes, carrots, peppers and cherry tomatoes. There are even these cast iron molds with long handles in which you can cook food over the fire as well. You can create sandwich pockets

By Robert Funge We've all heard it before, avoiding exercise and eating lots of fats and sugar as well as being overweight can cause type 2 diabetes. The good news however is that if you act now you can prevent this form of diabetes from occurring, or reduce and even cure the condition if you've been recently diagnosed. As type 2 diabetes is usually in direct relation to your lifestyle it's important to make changes to the way you live your life to see improvements. Now this isn't as bad as it sounds and in most cases you can continue eating the foods you like; you just need to be more selective. One of the ways to follow a diabetic diet is to consume foods from all of the four food groups, as well as limiting your intake of alcohol, fat, and sugars. You can incorporate a wide variety of nutritious foods into a diabetic diet plan and combined with regular exercise will help you control your condition. Now don't think that desserts and snacks are out

There was a time, in a much earlier bygone era when a man or woman wouldn't have dared to step into a kitchen without first dawning the proper kitchen attire. This, of course means that they would put on their kitchen apron and deftly tie the strings behind their back. However; the 1960's ushered in many changes in the way that men and women dressed and the kitchen apron in particular was viewed as a symbol of domesticity and domesticity was definitely out in the 60's. The New Domestic Look So now here we are in the new millennium and everyone is watching cooking shows on their TV and heading back into their kitchens with their wealth of new found kitchen knowledge. So, now the kitchen apron is back in style in a big way. Not only do they lend a much more professional "master chef" look to the person wearing one but they also can help to save a ton of money on unnecessary dry cleaning bills. Endless New Choices As it turns out, today's kitchen

By Ron Victor Economic digital scales could be used for varieties of purpose, from cooking to monitoring your weight. You will find several important things to be considered when buying a economic digital scale, and in order to get the most excellent uses our of your scale, you would have to think about it each one carefully. Some people might go for the normal scale, but if you are going for digital scale, then here what you need to look for. At the outset, you have to be able to read your digital counting scale for it to do you any good. Take care that the digital counting scale's readout is clear, and in a position that is easy to see. If it's a floor and bench scale, make sure that when you stand on it you can see the numbers obviously without having to move around or stand in a wired position. If it's an economic digital scale for your kitchen, make sure that you would be able to read it if you put a huge bowl or platter on top. If your digital counting

By Griffin Wetzstein The coconut pecan brownies recipe is quick and easy to make, and the unique taste will have them coming back for more! Ingredients 3/4 cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped 4 eggs 2 cups packed brown sugar 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) salted butter, melted 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup flaked coconut Frosting: 32 pecan halves 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 3/4 cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped 1 can ready-to-spread vanilla frosting Hardware Whisk Large bowl Medium bowl Small microwave safe bowl 13x9-inch baking pan Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Step 2: Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking pan; set aside. Step 3: In a small microwave safe bowl, place the butter and baking chocolate. Microwave at medium setting for 1 minute; stir mixture. Microwave for additional 30 second intervals until chocolate and butter are combined and smooth; set aside. Step 4: In a

People have been drinking tea for more than 5000 years, and they show no sign of stopping anytime soon. In fact, it seems as if all varieties of tea get a host of new fans with each new generation of young people who come of age. It's fun to watch a new tea drinker. They are so sincere! Eager to learn everything they can about teas and the best way to prepare them, they read and study, then come home with an armload of supplies and different kinds of tea. Sometimes, they purchase not only a tea kettle meant to be used on the stove top, but an electric teapot as well so that they can be sure of a way to brew tea where ever there happens to be an electrical outlet. They will tell everyone who will listen to them about the importance of the proper temperature for brewing tea in order to keep it from tasting bitter. They get excited when they try a new variety of tea, and their excitement can be infectious! Young people like things that are new, fresh, and different, and

To press or not to press, that is the question! Garlic is undoubtedly high on the list of seasonings for many chefs and food lovers. It is found in foods worldwide, from main courses to side dishes. Honey garlic ribs, garlic mashed potatoes, garlic bread, and the list goes on. Have I whetted your appetite? But what is the best method for you to prepare this pungent herb? This question has been a hot topic among food preparers for years. Some feel that the garlic press is a wonderful kitchen tool that everyone should own. Others are sure that it ruins the properties of garlic entirely. This isn't a clear cut issue, being a matter of taste (literally). There are two common methods of adding fresh garlic to your cooking. First,you could peel and dice the cloves by hand, using a knife and cutting board. The other method would be to use a garlic press, and extrude the garlic directly into the dish you are preparing. There's no denying that a good garlic press can save

By Elizabeth Webb In today's household there's often not much time for cooking meals from scratch. Nevertheless if you still like healthy aromatic meals, here's where the pressure cooker can help. Believe it or not, but pressure cookers really can reduce cooking times by up to 70% compared to conventional methods and the amount of energy consumed is also reduced to as much as 50%. Using a pressure cooker is one of the best ways to cook delicious meals while still retaining important vitamins and minerals that would normally escape during traditional cooking methods. Meals are healthier and can be cooked without added oil and salt and still retain their natural colour and flavours. Another added bonus is that you can reduce your food costs even further by using a cheaper cut of roast, as cooking it under pressure means the meat comes out tender every time Pressure cookers have been around for what seems like ages, but in the last few years there have been con

By Madhuram Prabhakar Ingredients: Brownie Mix of your choice (I used Duncan Hines Chocolate Lover's Brownies Double Fudge) Cold Water - 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil - 3 tablespoons Flax seed meal (ground flax seed) - 1 teaspoon Water - 1/4 cup Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon (not mentioned in the packet) Walnuts - 1/2 cup (optional) Procedure: 1. Preheat oven to 350F (325F for glass pans) 2. Empty brownie mix into bowl. 3. Add 1/3 cup cold water. 4. Add 3 tablespoons oil. (Actually 1/3 cup of oil was mentioned in the packet) 5. In a small cup add the flax seed meal and slowly add the water and whisk it with a fork and add it to the brownie mix. 6. I chose to add vanilla extract also. 7. Stir everything until well blended (about 40-50 strokes) 8. Now add the nuts and combine it once again. 9. Generously grease the brownie pan. I used a non-stick 8″x8″ pan. 10. Spread the mixture in the pan. 11. Bake it anywhere between 30-38 minutes. (Check the instructions in the pack

The Whisperlite stove is a backpackers dream. It's tough, simply made, very light weight and with some TLC will last for many years. It may be used to make a simple cup of brew during a short hike in the desert or an extended expedition in the mountains. Weighing only 460 Grams you will hardly know you are carrying it in your pack. It folds up to a compact size to stuff in a pack pocket. It's very adaptable. It will burn white gas, kerosene or even jet fuel. The burner has a special burner jet and a larger fuel tube. It takes from 3.5 to 8 minutes to boil a liter of water using different fuels. One added feature not available on older models is a windscreen. This is a welcome addition since the wind always seems to come up whenever a decision to cook a meal arises. As with most other small stoves, the Whisperlite takes getting used to. We had tried many ways to make lighting ours easily. In order to get the stove to generate, heat must be applied in the little p

By Kayla Marie I absolutely adore my Kitchen Aid Hand Mixer! It is one of my all time favorite gifts. The KitchenAid 5 Speed Classic Plus Hand Mixer has been such a great kitchen tool for me. My hand mixer was a gift to me from my grandma one Christmas. I would have never imagined how useful my mixer would have been, and how much I would use it on a regular basis. Take a peek into my kitchen. I want to make a small batch of chocolate cookies. Use the mixer. I would like to make some whipped cream to go with that apple pie. Use the mixer. I need to mix up all my ingredients for that omelet in a jiffy! Use the hand mixer. My Kitchen Aid hand mixer has two beater arms which you insert into the base of the mixer. I like the way the beater snap easily into place with a gentle nudge and then a little click lets you know they are securely locked into place. When you are done with your mixing chores, with only the push of a button, the mixer arms can be removed for easy cleani

By Brandon McVey Unless you are the pioneering type, a camping stove will accompany you on any camping trip. While they are very convenient and easy to operate, different stoves work on different fuels and work in different ways. So always read the owners manual. Aside from that, here are 15 rules that should be followed in regards to camping stoves for your protection and mother natures. 1 – Being as children are a big part of camping, the use, refueling and storing of a stove should only be done under a knowledgeable adult. 2 – Use only approved, undamaged fuel containers. Keep them far from open flames and any other source of heat. 3 – When you need to changed the compressed gas cartridges, or when you need to refill liquid fuel containers, allow the stove (or lantern) to cool completely . 4 – Refill stoves or lanterns outside away from any other flames or heat source. For liquid fuel use a funnel and then allow any spilled fuel to evaporate before attempting to igni

By Jim S Smith This guide gives you essential information you need to know when choosing and buying a new electric kettle. Kettle Size Unless being used for travelling/holidays, an electric kettle for your home should have a capacity of at least 1.4 litres. Wattage The higher the wattage of a kettle the more powerful it is and the quicker it will boil. Many kettles have a "rapid boil" function. If you want your hot drinks quickly the go for this. Additional Features of Electric Kettles Wide spout This enables you to fill the kettle with water without the hassle of removing the lid. Look out for a non-drip spout too, an added safety feature. Cool-touch casing As a kettle can reach 100 degrees centigrade it is important to look for one that has "cool-touch casing". This considerably reduces the chances of an accident in the home. Limescale filters Water tastes better when limescale is filtered out. Look for a kettle with a removable limescale filter.