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Showing posts from August, 2009

Gluten and Dairy Free Cooking - Ten Top Tips

By Jake Winley Changing your diet to become gluten and dairy free can seem a daunting prospect. But with some careful planning gluten and dairy free recipes can become second nature. This article gives ten top tips for making them easier. #1 - Planning is key. Ensure that you always plan your meals a few days in advance. Make lists of all the ingredients that you're going to need for your recipes. #2 - The perimeter of the supermarket is your friend. The safe foods tend to be found around the edge of the supermarket. Fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, fish and rice can usually be found here. #3 - Don't just shop in the supermarket. Learn to look for your foods in health food stores, farmer's markets and online. #4 - Plain foods are best. Whether it's fresh, frozen or tinned, your safest bets are with food that isn't processed or covered in sauce and seasoning. #5 - Always read the label. Note brands of specific items that you know are safe and stick

Soul Food Recipes - Natural Seasonings Inspire Healthier Cooking

By Roy Primm Soul food recipes have grown into a vast industry, including food manufacturing companies, restaurants, cookbooks, even TV shows. And to think all this from foods that date back as far as the Pre -Civil war era. Soul food came out of the dark period of slavery. The food given to slaves their masters wouldn't or couldn't eat. The meals, often made from the most tasteless, bland or the toughest meats and vegetables slowly evolved. Over time, the slaves learned to cook, season and prepare the bland meals so they were not only edible, but pleasing. In time the dishes became know as "good times food". Why? Because after a long week of backbreaking work the slaves looked forward to a day when they could relax. That day, usually Sunday, allowed them to relax with friends, family and most important a tasty meal ... seasoned just right. Today seasonings continue as an integral part of southern cuisine. As the saying goes, "if it don't have

The Everlasting Debate on Gas & Charcoal BBQ Grills! Which One?

By Nataly Y That everlasting debate about which BBQ grill is better - charcoal or gas has been around for ages (and now we have electric BBQ fans joining this debate too!). It all started back in 1960s when the first gas BBQ grills appeared on the market. The first thing that distinguishes a gas grill from a charcoal one is the fact that you can set if off very quickly indeed, without having to put any effort into lighting it all up and waiting for the charcoals to get all ashy. And of course with gas grills you won't get all dirty dealing with all those piles of charcoal and then the ashes. The gas grills run on gas (obviously!), which is stored in special tanks or bottles, which can be used somewhere where there is no gas supply. The tank is connected to the grill with the help of provided special easy to use equipment. And there we go! The grill is ready! You open the vent to let the gas in, switch the burners (usually by pressing electrical ignition button), war

How to Make Beef Barley Vegetable Soup

During the cold winter months, I like to make a lot of homemade soups and stews for my family. This recipe was given to me by my best friend 10 years ago and it was her grandmother's recipe. Since my family only consists of 4 family members, I will make the recipe and we will eat half of the soup for dinner that night. I will freeze the other half in a freezer container for a future meal. If you are freezing any of the soup, make sure you leave a 1/2" head space in your freezer container to allow for expansion during the freezing process. The soup will keep for up to 9 months in your freezer. Beef Barley Vegetable Soup 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef 6 cups tap water 3 beef bouillon cubes 2 cups carrots, sliced 1 1/2 cups onions, coarsely chopped 1 1/2 cups celery, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped 1/3 cup barley 1 teaspoon table salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 bay leaves 1/4 cup catsup 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes with juice 8 ounce can tom

How to Make Beef Barley Vegetable Soup

During the cold winter months, I like to make a lot of homemade soups and stews for my family. This recipe was given to me by my best friend 10 years ago and it was her grandmother's recipe. Since my family only consists of 4 family members, I will make the recipe and we will eat half of the soup for dinner that night. I will freeze the other half in a freezer container for a future meal. If you are freezing any of the soup, make sure you leave a 1/2" head space in your freezer container to allow for expansion during the freezing process. The soup will keep for up to 9 months in your freezer. Beef Barley Vegetable Soup 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef 6 cups tap water 3 beef bouillon cubes 2 cups carrots, sliced 1 1/2 cups onions, coarsely chopped 1 1/2 cups celery, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped 1/3 cup barley 1 teaspoon table salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 bay leaves 1/4 cup catsup 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes with juice 8 ounce can tom

Basic Food Preparation Knowledge to Avoid Food Poisoning

By Yao Daphnie   Red kidney beans and soya beans need to be boiled for ten minutes to destroy a harmful protein called haemagglutin, which can cause severe gastroenteritis. Tinned beans are already cooked, it safe to eat straight from can, you don't even need to heat them. But, if you're using dried beans soak them overnight first, drain off the water they soaked in, add cold water then bring them to a rolling boil for ten minutes. If you're slow-cooking a chili con carne or bean stew, it's best to boil the beans first.   If you buy fresh rhubarb, throw away the leaves. They contain toxic levels of oxalic acid, which can block the body's absorption of calcium. There's also some in the stalks (and in spinach), but not enough to do any harm unless you have a tendency to form kidney stones. Rhubarb occasionally has a laxative effect.   Throw out any potatoes that have gone green - don't just cut off the green part. They contain toxin called sol

How to Cook Rump Roast

By Kenny Leones Also known as rump steak or round steak, rump roast refers to a special beef cut that is commonly used in tasty and delectable dishes because it is tough and the meat lacks fat. One of the most effective ways of learning how to cook rump roast is by following the steps and instructions in different recipes. Below are some of the simplest and easy-to-prepare rump roast recipes that you can consider is you want to serve delicious and enticing meals. Spicy Italian Rump Roast This delectable and tasty delicacy uses key ingredients like two cans of tomato sauce and three pounds rump roast. To make this delicacy flavorful, add a package of Italian spaghetti seasoning mix and 16 ounce Ragu Sauce in the ingredients. Aside from the mentioned ingredients, you will need ½ cup diced onions and ½ teaspoon garlic salt. Place the meat in crockpot and season with garlic salt. Mix all the ingredients except onions in a separate bowl. Top the meat with the onions. Pour t

Tips on Buying a Turkey

By Tom Genung It's time to purchase that turkey. Here are some tips to remember when buying a turkey. When it comes down to finally buying a turkey, cost and convenience will come into play when deciding between a fresh and a frozen turkey. Generally fresh turkeys will cost more than frozen turkeys due to the special handling associated with the fresh turkeys. If you've decided on buying a fresh turkey you will want to purchase it no early than two days prior to preparing it. When purchasing a turkey make sure to inspect the packaging for any punctures or tears. Also check the labels. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspects turkeys for quality. The majority of turkeys sold in stores will have the USDA Grade A seal. This means that the turkey is of highest quality. Also check the "Use By" date to make sure you will not go over this date by the time you prepare your turkey. If you are buying a fresh turkey inspect it by looking closer

Crumbled Cookies Add Flavor and Texture to Recipes

By Harriet Hodgson   When my daughters were little I baked homemade cookies for them every week. Now I bake them for my grandchildren. Though the cookies disappear fast, sometimes a few stale ones are left. As I discovered, these tasty tidbits may be used in ice cream, pie crusts, coffee cake, trifles, and more. Homemade cookies taste best, but you may also use store-bought. Of course, you have to sample each kind before adding them to recipes.   Chocolate or vanilla filled cookies. Place in plastic zipper bag and crush with a rolling pin, leaving a few larger chunks. Fold into soft vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt. Swirl in chocolate sauce at the same time if you wish.   Gingersnaps. Place in plastic zipper bag and crush finely with a rolling pin. Transfer crumbs to a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup melted butter or margarine. Do not add extra sugar. No baking is needed. Use this butter-crumb mixture for pie crusts and parfait desserts.   Shortbread. Put cookies in a smal