Best Kitchen Appliances

By Mark Andrew Woodcock Like marmite, it appears people either love or hate the idea of using a gas BBQ. Unlike marmite however, most people who hate them haven't actually tried to cook on one. Here are a few pointers that might help you to make your mind up. What's to hate? There really is nothing quite like the smell of a good old charcoal bbq. As the meat begins to cook the fumes mix with those from the charcoal. Maybe it's the reminiscent factor but this seems to complete the BBQ atmosphere. Obviously, gas BBQ do produce some cooking smells but it's fair to say it's not quite the same. For those of you who have tasted meat cooked by an experienced bbq hand, you may very well believe that charcoal BBQs produce tastier food. The charcoal flavoured smoke infuses the meat which is why charcoal bbq food has that distinctive BBQ flavour. You can also add herbs to the coals so that they too infuse the meat. This wouldn't be advisable on a gas BBQ. ...

Vegetables are plants that are used as food. They should be eaten everyday because they are a very important source of vitamins, mineral substances, water and roughage. In order to get the best value from vegetables, they should be stored, prepared and cooked carefully so that the food value is preserved. If possible, buy vegetables soon before using them so that they do not become stale. This is particularly important for green vegetables, as vitamin C is lost if the vegetables are allowed to wilt. If vegetables are grown in the garden, do not pick them until just before they are required. Green vegetables can be kept fresh for a while if they are kept loosely rolled in old newspaper or brown paper and put in a cool, airy place. They will keep crisp and fresh in a refrigerator if they are kept on the lowest shelf in the refrigerator, where the temperature is not low enough to freeze them. Root vegetables should be kept in a well-ventilated vegetable rack or basket in a c...

By Douglas Hoover Solar Ovens are becoming the number one most popular survival tool available today. Camp stoves require fuel, gas or propane, and you can run out. They use the energy from the sun and you not only save money, you help save the environment, The USFA's National Fire Data Center estimates that outside grills cause more than 6,000 fires, over 5 fatalities, more than 170 injuries, and $35 million in property loss per year. Gas grills alone cause over 2,700 fires, 80 injuries, and $11 million damage. Most of the gas grill fires and explosions were caused by gas leaks, blocked tubes, and overfilled propane tanks. Solar ovens are safe as there are no burning charcoal or exposed open flames used as a heat source. No gas, no flames, no danger! Not only are there zero emissions, we have found the sun oven to be very forgiving. You will find you can cook at a higher temperature with less time or a lower temperature with more time. Meat cooked in this appliance ...

By James Riordon If you are thinking about buying an induction or range then you should be aware that you need to use magnetic cookware, also known as induction cookware. Induction cooking cookware is just like any other pot or pan except that there needs to be iron in it to work. Most cookware bottoms are layered, the more layers a cookware has means the higher quality, better cooking and a higher price. When they make induction cookware they just use a layer of iron or an iron disk that is sandwiched in between the stainless steel layers of the pan bottom. Any cast iron skillet or enamel coated iron pot will work fine as long as the bottom is completely flat. A simple way to test your cookware at home is to place a magnet to it and if it sticks then you already have induction cooking cookware. If you have never used an induction cooktop before and want to try it first, pick yourself up an inexpensive portable induction cooktop for under $200 and try it out. You can a...

By Shanna Ohmes Buffalo spaghetti squash is one of my favorite recipes for using spaghetti squash. I love spaghetti, but I prefer a low-carb alternative to the white flour and whole grain noodles. Spaghetti squash fits right in, and I get all the beta-carotene goodies with it. Winter squash is a superb food for the winter months. The buffalo, or bison, is a lean meat, a healthy alternative to feedlot beef. In this recipe I use a jar of organic spaghetti sauce, but sometimes I make my own sauce with diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and Italian spices. Here's what you'll need to make Buffalo Spaghetti Squash: 1 spaghetti squash 1-1/2 lbs buffalo, ground 1 jar organic spaghetti sauce 1 can tomato soup or sauce Step 1: You'll need to bake the spaghetti squash first. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and the stringy fibers. Save the seeds to roast for a snack! Place the squash flesh side down in a cake pan with about 1" of water. Bake in ...

By Keri M. Ice cream makers vary pretty widely as to just how much work is involved with using them. With many machines, you have to freeze a part of the machine. You have to mix your ingredients together in a separate bowl, usually using an electric mixer or a stand mixer. Then you have to reassemble your machine, add the already mixed ingredients and turn a crank to keep the ingredients moving as they freeze. After that you have to take the machine apart again and wash all of the part along with the bowl and mixer. The whole process can take two and a half hours or more for a single batch. Other machines are electric and therefore are a little less work to use. You do still have to freeze part of the machine and mix up your ingredients separately. The advantage with these machines is that you don't have to turn a crank to keep the ingredients moving while they're freezing. These machines have a small motor that does the churning for you. You just press a button...

By Linda Carol Wilson This Roast Turkey Breast and Vegetables is an easy recipe for Sunday dinner, a dinner party, or just a family meal. This turkey meal bakes in two hours instead of half the day. After a couple of hours in the oven you have a meal of turkey, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, and celery. In a matter of minutes you can thicken some of the pan juices with cornstarch or flour for a gravy, if desired. Serve with a salad and/or a relish tray for a complete easy meal. This is also a great recipe for the upcoming holidays, especially if you are preparing the holiday meal for a small group. Serve with pumpkin pie for a traditional holiday meal feeling. ROAST TURKEY BREAST AND VEGETABLES 4 lb turkey breast 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp paprika 1 tsp vegetable oil 2 medium zucchini, cut into chunks 6 small potatoes, peeled 1 large green bell pepper, seeded, cut into 8 strips 2 medium carrots, cut into chunks 3 ribs celery, cut into chunk...

By Shanna Ohmes Buffalo spaghetti squash is one of my favorite recipes for using spaghetti squash. I love spaghetti, but I prefer a low-carb alternative to the white flour and whole grain noodles. Spaghetti squash fits right in, and I get all the beta-carotene goodies with it. Winter squash is a superb food for the winter months. The buffalo, or bison, is a lean meat, a healthy alternative to feedlot beef. In this recipe I use a jar of organic spaghetti sauce, but sometimes I make my own sauce with diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and Italian spices. Here's what you'll need to make Buffalo Spaghetti Squash: 1 spaghetti squash 1-1/2 lbs buffalo, ground 1 jar organic spaghetti sauce 1 can tomato soup or sauce Step 1: You'll need to bake the spaghetti squash first. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and the stringy fibers. Save the seeds to roast for a snack! Place the squash flesh side down in a cake pan with about 1" of water. Bake in ...

By Yao Daphnie Why not reduce the risks by replacing your copper and aluminum saucepans with stainless steel? You don't have to lose the excellent saucepans with stainless steel? You don't have to lose the excellent heat-conducting qualities that make copper and aluminum so convenient to cook with. Sandwich-based saucepans are fine: a layer of aluminum or copper placed between two layers of steel with distribute heat evenly. This way the sandwiched metal doesn't come in contact with the food. If you love your aluminum pots too much to bin them, just don't cook anything acidic in them, like tomatoes or fruit. Many serious cooks swear by cast-iron pots, which cook very slowly and evenly. Some of the iron can leach into your food, but that shouldn't be a problem unless you have a rare medical condition like haemochromatosis, in which iron accumulates dangerously in your body. For women it could even be a bonus, topping up iron stores that are so often un...

By Ryan K Lim It is fact that most of us are too busy too cook our own meals. That is why we have to eat the foods which are processed or the fast foods, which are extremely unhealthy and is the actual cause of weight gain. Other than being busy we are also health conscious these days. So we need something which will provide us healthy foods. This is possible only with the help of the diet delivery service. This service will bring the cooked food to your doorstep. With the help of the diet delivery service you can get diet food at no time at your home. This diet food will help you to maintain a healthy weight and there will be no chance of being overweight. There are a number of services these days which provide you with these kinds of diet meals. These diet programs are usually based on the principle of balance, which is very important to maintain a good and healthy weight. These foods can also help you to lose weight. Initially it might be a difficult to decide on wh...

By Brian I Park Some people wonder why there are people who are making use of digital meat thermometer when they are cooking. Well, let it be known that this is not a piece that you simply can use whenever you wish to but there is a need for you to understand that this is a must. Meaning, you have to make use of it each time that you are cooking your poultry, meat, etc. Well, there are so many advantage that making use of digital meat thermometer can give you. Above anything else, this will prevent you from undercooking your meat which is the main reason for bacteria such as salmonella and e coli to thrive in. These bacteria can give diseases that can endanger the life of people. For sure, this possibility can be prevented by ensuring that the meat is cooked properly on the right temperature setting. For sure, the use of a digital meat thermometer is a habit that you need to develop in order for you to reap due benefits. Don't think that this tool can only be used o...

By Tom Genung Grilling fish is a seemingly difficult task, with many horror stories of fish falling apart, and also sticking to the grate. It really is not that hard to grill fish with success. I wrote The 5 Essentials for Grilling Perfect Fish to tackle some of the problems holding would-be successful fish grillers back. Using the tips in that article will help you to grill some amazing fish. However, we are going to drill down and focus on grilling fish on the skin side. You've picked up some nice salmon fillets with the skin on from your local fish market; guess what, that's the hard part. That's right, picking a good fish is more difficult than grilling it. Let me show you how easy it is. 1.. Direct medium-high heat on a covered grill. Set up you charcoal or gas grill to produce a medium-high heat level. Make sure your grate is clean, and rub a bit of olive or canola oil on it. The cleanliness and oil will help prevent the fish from sticking. 2.. Brush the skin side...

By Nataly Y Lighting up your charcoals - it's easy! Yes, it IS very easy! Today I will share some of my special tips with you and will talk about getting the charcoal ready for cooking. If you are fed up with good old method of lighting charcoals using matches, because you think it takes ages and is boring, then you should get yourself few special cans of lighter fluid, which are normally sold anywhere where you can buy the charcoals. If you look closely at the can you will obviously spot some instructions - yep, it's that tiny text somewhere at the bottom of the can. But if you forgot your glasses (as it normally happens), then you should do this: place charcoals evenly at the very bottom of the grill and sprinkle them with the lighter fluid (you won't need much at all).Then make a little pyramid with the charcoals and add a little bit of lighter fluid. Wait a minute to let the excess fluid evaporate and start lighting the charcoals from the very bottom. But do NOT use the...

By Lavender Stewart Smoothies are drinks that are basically made from mixing fruits with liquids, with some flavor and nutrient enhancers added. There is no established rule as to what kind of fruits or additives to combine and you can invent you own recipe to suit your taste and nutritional needs. However, there are ingredients that are used by many, a preferred ingredient. One of these is yogurt, as many people like to enjoy a glass of smoothie yogurt mix. Yogurt has been a health food for centuries. Our forefathers learned of its benefits long ago and even without the use of technology they have learned the technique of fermenting milk. Today, yogurt is made by introducing specific bacteria into milk. These bacteria act on the milk, consuming the natural sugars in it and excrete lactic acid. The acid causes the milk to curdle and gives it its sour taste. It is also the presence of the acid that inhibits growth of bad bacteria. Yogurt is nutritious because it contains ...

By Tom Genung The best way to keep your grill clean is to clean it after each use. I know what you're thinking, "No way, I'm not scrubbing this grill each time." Hold on, I'm not talking about cleaning the whole grill after each use, but I am talking about cleaning the grate after each use. It is so much easier to clean if you've been cleaning the grate after each use. The Grill Cleaning Arsenal Here are the most important tools needed to keep your grill clean. * Brass-bristled wire brush * Scouring pads * Steel wool * Aluminum foil * Dish soap * Sponge or rags Clean this after Each Use Each time you grill whether you're using a charcoal grill or a gas grill, you need to clean the grates. The best time to clean the grate is after your done cooking, when the grill is still warm. When the grill is still warm it will be much easier to brush off the cooked on food. While the grill is still warm take your brass-bristled brush and brush the gra...

By Kenny Leones It may look like rice, but it's actually a kind of pasta. And as simple as their appearance, learning how to cook couscous is simple as well. A staple food in North African countries and a popular dish in the Middle East, couscous are starting to gain popularity in other parts of the world. Traditionally prepared steamed, there also pre-packaged couscous available which is prepared by simply boiling it in water. Once it has boiled, it is covered, removed from heat and left to sit, and after five minutes, it is ready to serve. Couscous is very versatile as it can be served in a number of ways; as a side dish, as salads, as soups or stews, as a dessert when mixed with fruit and nuts, or even as cakes. There are numerous ways of how to cook couscous, and they don't take very long to prepare. Taking ten minutes to cook, traditional Moroccan couscous is prepared by first boiling one cup of orange juice (or any other fruit juice) and a half cup of water...

By K Hupp There are so many different types of cookware on the market today, it can be hard to decide which to type to buy. When I decided to replace my worn out pots and pans, I decided to do a little research before making a purchase. I was amazed at the differences in types of cookware. I found that some types of cookware are more healthier cooking choices than others. Here is a list of each type of cookware's pros and cons. This should help you make up your mind when it comes time for you to update your own cookware. Stainless Steel- Stainless steel is one of the best choices for cookware, as long as it is properly cared for. Stainless steel is nearly non-stick and heats evenly, especially if it has an aluminum clad bottom. Never use scouring pads or metal utensils with stainless steel. Scratching the inside of the cookware can allow small amounts of chromium and nickle to leach into your food. Be sure to follow cleaning instructions from the manufacturer when ca...

When you are in a hurry and don't have time to cook, using your oven is the least thing you would consider. Oven dishes are not precisely what we consider to be fast cooking, since most of them take quite some time. Yet I found that my oven is a great asset on days when I am at home but still I don't actually have time to cook. Like Saturdays when I have to do all the housework I never got to during the week. Or Sundays when I would like to prepare a special meal but I don't feel like standing in the kitchen. There are many oven dishes that taste and look special and impressing whilst requiring only little time to prepare. And once in the oven, they basically cook themselves. I set my timer and quickly check on my food at certain times, and otherwise I can do some other work or simply relax. No need to worry about how long the food will take. That's a perfect opportunity to enjoy long-cooking foods without having to invest much actual working time. Here a...

By Anthony Robert Don't you just love the flavor of a juicy fresh grilled hamburger? I know I do! It is summer time... No matter if it is fun in the park, fun at the beach, fun at the lake or fun by the pool at Grandma's house, we all want to picnic and have a good time. And the most popular of picnics include one of the many choices of hamburger recipes for the grill! So how long do you cook hamburgers on a grill? What are good hamburger recipes for the grill? All great questions my friend! First things first though. You will want to get the grill ready. Go ahead and light up the charcoals, pop on the gas, or throw on the wood... Regardless of the grilling method you use... it needs to get hot and ready! What is important is nailing how long you cook hamburgers on the grill. Nothing ruins the fun more than a dry hockey puck you could choke on before you get to savor the flavor! Yuck! Did I mention YUCK? There are several ways to keep this from happening so don...

Lamb chop is a special meat cut that is commonly used in preparing dishes for special events like holidays. To impress your friends, relatives and loved ones, you can serve delectable meals that use the meat as one of the main ingredients. To easily understand how to cook lamb chops, you can follow the simple steps or instructions in delectable lamb meat recipes. Caramelized Lamb Chops To start with the preparations, prepare all the ingredients needed for the dish. These include 16 single-rib lamb chops, a cup of roughly chopped cilantro, four cloves garlic, six tablespoons brown sugar, four tablespoons dark soy sauce and four tablespoons sherry. If you are having a hard time finding sherry, you can substitute it with Chinese rice wine. Mix the soy sauce, garlic, sherry, brown sugar and cilantro in a large saucepan. Stir and put the meats in the mixture. Make sure that the meats were coated with the mixture. Cover and place the mixture as well as the meats in a refriger...

It is not difficult to prepare a soups, it just needs time and patience to prepare it. Fresh ingredients are the key factor to make a delicious and healthy soup. At the same time, we can also add vegetables, meats, spices and herbs into a soup, in order to make the soups more flavorful and tasteful. Green pea soup with asparagus is one of the healthy and tasty soups that worth to prepare for whole family. First of all, green peas are known for its high-rich nutrients, it contains high amount of 8 vitamins, 7 minerals, fiber and protein. Its supercharged nutritional properties helps to boost up the energy. Green pea is an important food in our diet especially to supplement for fatigue and sluggish. While asparagus is another vegetable that often used in culinary as it is low in calories and contains extremely low fat or cholesterol. However, only young shoots of asparagus are eaten and bottom part of asparagus normally removed because it contains dirt and sand. Asparagus t...

By Heather Stanford Vegetable smoothies are drinks made from leafy green vegetables, fruit and liquid, mixed thoroughly in a blender. The composition is usually sixty percent fruit with forty percent vegetables; so even if the drink may have the color of the green vegetables, the dominant taste is fruit. Many have discovered the benefits of drinking vegetable smoothies regularly. It is a great way of having the five daily servings of fruits and vegetables that are required for good health. One of the main reasons why people do not comply with the dietary requirement is their aversion towards the taste of vegetables. With smoothies, though, this is not necessary because the taste of the vegetables is masked by the flavor of the fruit. Thus, getting the daily dose of essential vitamins and minerals is easy. Greens are the preferred vegetables because they combine well with fruits and easy to blend. Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are not recom...

By Lucinda Jones Optimizing the space in your kitchen has a number of benefits. You should have a more organized kitchen, and, as a result, you will be able to find things more quickly. You will also be able to more readily see what items you need, so you can avoid forgetting items or purchasing something you already have when you go shopping. Saving space also allows you to have more kitchen items overall, even if you house or apartment is small. More space also means a cleaner kitchen in general. There is really no good reason not to invest in space-saving cooking accessories! Before you even start organizing the food items in your kitchen, work on making sure that your supplies are stored to save space. Start with the items that you use the most such as plates and dishes. Instead of stacking them horizontally, try purchasing a few plate cradles. These space savers allow you to store the plates vertically, making better use of your cabinet space and giving you extra ...

Silicone baking products came out onto the market place several years ago. When I first saw these products in the local retail stores, I was skeptical that they would perform just as well as my traditional baking dishes. I decided to purchase a loaf pan and take it home to try it out. After all, I am an avid baker and would really put it through the test. After a few uses, I can honestly say that I was pleasantly surprised at how well it performed, matter of fact, it performed better than my metal and glass baking dishes. Over the years, I have purchased numerous pieces of silicone bakeware and I can honestly say, I now use them every day when I bake for my family. Here are 8 key benefits of why you need to use this type of bakeware in your own kitchen. 1. You will find that you can readily purchase the baking pans out in the market and for an economical price...many will come with a multi-year warranty, which makes them a great investment. 2. You will find that you wil...

By Kenny Leones Tilapia is one of the most nutritious and tasty seafood that can be used in special and delectable delicacies. The fish can be cooked in various ways like baking, grilling and steaming. To enjoy this seafood, you can try different recipes that can improve the taste and flavor of the fish. By looking at these recipes, you can also learn how to cook tilapia in the best way possible. Below are some of the most delicious and simple recipes that use the fish as a key ingredient. Lemon Garlic Fish In this recipe, you need four tilapia fillets and 1/8 cup of lemon juice as main ingredients. In addition to these, the dish contains a teaspoon of parsley flakes, a teaspoon of garlic powder, a tablespoon of margarine and a tablespoon of olive oil. Do not forget to season the fish fillets with a teaspoon of combined salt and pepper. To cook the dish, spray the baking dish with vegetable oil. Arrange the fish fillets on the baking dish. Heat a skillet on a medium fi...

By Linda Carol Wilson If you don't like meat or you are just trying to cut back on the meat in your diet, here is a fresh vegetable lasagna for you. One of the key words here, is fresh. You will notice this recipe does not use canned vegetables. And this recipe is okay for diabetics, too, since it has a great protein to carb ratio. FRESH VEGETABLE LASAGNA 8-oz uncooked lasagna noodles 1 pkg (10-oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 1 cup shredded carrots 1/2 cup sliced green onions 1/2 cup sliced green bell pepper 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 1/2 cups 1% lowfat cottage cheese 1 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt 2 egg whites 1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms 1 can (14-oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 2 cups (8-oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Cook noodles according to the package directions, omitting salt. Drain. Rinse under cold water until cool; drain well. Set aside. Preh...

By Joshua Borlovan Ok lets get started on the basics and using whats available in the the average household. First, we need to establish the three common methods of backyard cooking: 1. Grilling: Cooking over direct heat at high temperatures 2. Bar-B-Que: Cooking over indirect heat at med to high temperatures 3.Smoking: Cooking over indirect heat at low temperatures. (Below 235F) This is the method we are going to focus on for this article. Smoking meats in my opinion yields the highest flavor and quality in meats but especially ribs. This article specifically deals with baby back loin ribs. Traditionally "back ribs" are only considered "baby" if they weigh less than 1.75lbs however it is a loose term that normally applies to all "back loin ribs" taken from high on the hog's back by the loin. Select racks that are fairly close in weight when cooking multiple racks to ensure even cooking among them all. Look for marbling of the fat with...

By Kelli E. Stevens Down, set, hike! It's time to get ready for football season. That means breaking out the grill for those tailgating foods you will love. That can also mean you may have to break out those bigger jeans that hide in the back of your closet. The good news is you can enjoy those tailgating foods you love without having to get out those other jeans. I have taken some tailgating foods you will love and am giving you my tailgating foods ideas to make them a tad bit healthier. Chili • For your meat you want to choose a lean meat with no more than 8 grams of fat per serving. • For your sauce, try a homemade chili sauce by simply using a can of tomato sauce, a chili powder, a little bit of Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning (to eliminate some of the chili powder which reduces the amount of sodium), onion, and green peppers. • Cook all day in a Crock Pot to enhance the flavor! BBQ • To make a lean BBQ, try using a Pork Tenderloin, this is the leanest...