Rice Flour Cooking

Use rice flour for gluten-free cooking and baking

Those who suffer with Celiac's disease or are otherwise sensetive to gluten must avoid wheat, rye, barley and cross-contaminated oatmeal. Finding an alternative to those products has become easier and easier as leading retailers have recognized the importance of providing them. Rice flour, made from polished white rice, is one of those alternatives. Though it doesn't offer much taste on it's own, it can play a role in many gluten-free recipes.

Instructions

Rice Flour as a Breading Alternative

1. Use for breading. Sometimes it's the little things that matter--the crispy coating outside of fried chicken, the layer on the outside of veal parmesan--without them, the taste and presentation can be inferior. Rice flour is just one option for replacing those things in a gluten free diet.

2. Dip chicken or veal first in rice flour, then in a well-beaten egg, then in cornflakes before frying or baking. The successful restauranter Michael Chiarello relys on rice flour regularly for his fried chicken.

3. Marinate the chicken in rosemary and balsamic vinegar overnight. Then, add buttermilk to the marinade and dips chicken in that mixture.

4. Alternate dipping the chicken in buttermilk and then in seasoned rice flour before frying for a thin and crispy coating on delectable onion rings. As a side dish, try thickly sliced onions.

Rice Flour in Sauces

5. Use for sauces. Creamy sauces, gravies and cheese sauces are often started with a on a rue, a mixture of flour and fat meant to thicken the mixture. Alfredo sauces and the creamy cheese sauces in Macaroni and Cheese are two examples of recipes that benefit from the thickening properties of a rue.

6. Make a rice flour roux by combining a ratio of 1:1 oil and rice flour in a medium saucepan on a stovetop.

7. Heat slowly to brown the rue, stirring constantly.

8. Add liquid and remaining sauce ingredients such as milk, cheese and spices.

Rice Flour in Baking

9. Favorite baked goods can be made gluten-free

Use for baking. Usually, flour has a vital role in baking to provide protein and starch-any ideal gluten-free substitution should do the same.

10. Substitute 3/4 cup of rice flour for 1 cup of wheat flour. The texture of the final product may be chewier, but is gluten-free.

11. One writer who specializes in gluten free baking provides a flour recipe to be used for versatile recipes. Mix 2 cups rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca flour and 1-2 tsp. of zanthan gum together. The tapioca flour adds some sweetness and added starch, while the zanthan gum works to add volume and thickness to recipes.

Tags: rice flour, before frying, cheese sauces, crispy coating, fried chicken, gluten free

Make All Butter Pie Crust

Make an all butter pie crust the next time you make a pie. This pie crust adds much more flavor to your pie; once you try it, you'll make it over and over again. There are two types of all butter pie crust to choose from; a classic rolled crust recipe and a press in crust recipe. Here are some tips to help you make an all butter pie crust.

Instructions

1. Cut one stick of unsalted butter into ? inch cubes. Return the cubed butter to the refrigerator to chill.

2. Sift together 1 ? cups all-purpose flour, ? tbsp. of sugar and ? tsp. of salt in a large bowl.

3. Add the cubes of butter to the sifted flour mixture and blend together as you add the butter.

4. Use increments of ? tbsp. to add the ice water to the dough until it forms into a ball.

5. Form the dough into a flattened round disk shape. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and quickly roll it out to fit your pie pan. If the pie crust is too soft, put it back in the refrigerator to chill longer.

7. Place the pie crust in your pie pan, fill with the pie filling and bake according to recipe directions. Keep an eye on the crust while baking so it doesn't brown too quickly. You may need to use foil to cover the pie crust while baking.

8. Try the easy pressed in butter crust recipe for custard type pies. Mix together one cup of flour, a half-cup of butter and 2 to 3 tbsp. of butter. Press the mixture into the pie pan for a delicious cookie type of crust.

Tags: butter crust, crust recipe, crust while, crust while baking, refrigerator chill

Foods That Give You Quick Energy

Foods That Give You Quick Energy

Need to jump start your workout? Trying to get yourself from work, through errands, to dinner without making a stop at the nearest candy machine or fast food restaurant? The key is planning ahead. Have some healthier snacks at your desk and in your car to help you keep going.

Fruit

Try a banana as a mid-morning snack and an orange in the afternoon. Dried fruits are also great for fast energy. Considered simple carbohydrates, the sugars in fruit break down quickly in your body, giving you the kick you need to keep going to your next meal.

Peanut Butter

Protein in general can perk you up, but peanut butter is easy to take on the go for that extra pick-me-up. Try it on whole grain bread or crackers, apple slices or celery.

Nuts

Almonds and chestnuts are some of the best low-fat, high-energy nuts that are easy to add to your diet. Nuts can be added to recipes, yogurt or eaten straight from the package as you drive down the road. Trail mix is another quick fuel option.

Chocolate

While not the best choice, a piece of chocolate does have the caffeine and sugar to get you going for a short time. Avoid milk chocolate, as dark chocolate has more antioxidants and fewer calories. Be sure to follow the serving size.

Considerations

While candy bars, soda, coffee and energy bars/drinks do give you a sugar boost, the crash comes quickly and can sometimes make you feel worse than you did before. Calorie and fat contents will likely be higher too.

Tags: Foods That, Foods That Give, Give Quick, Give Quick Energy, keep going, Quick Energy

Shape Potstickers

Pot stickers are used in soups or offered with dipping sauces.

Potstickers are delectable Chinese dumplings that are filled with a variety of ingredients then pan-fried. These dumplings get their sticky reputations because as they cook, they tend to stick to the wok or pan. You can buy premade pot stickers, but if you want to fill your own Chinese dumplings you will need to know shape them. Get a perfect crescent shape every time with a little practice.

Instructions

1. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. of corn starch on a platter and spread it around evenly. Set the platter aside.

2. Place the wonton wrapper in the palm of your left hand. Use the clean fingers of your right hand to wet the edges of the wrapper with water.

3. Scoop 1 tsp. of filling into the center of the wonton wrapper. Close your hand around the wrapper making the crescent shape. Place the potsticker on a plate and pinch the wrapper closed with your fingers.

4. Place the potstickers on the plate of cornstarch until you are ready to cook them. This will keep the dumplings from becoming mushy.

Tags: Chinese dumplings, crescent shape, wonton wrapper

Carve A Ham

There is nothing more succulent than a honey-glazed ham hot from the oven. To make sure your ham is as tender as possible, it's important to carve the ham correctly. Here are some tips that will make every bite more mouth watering than the last.

Instructions

1. Remove and rest the ham for 10 minutes after cooking is complete. This allows the natural juices to settle within the meat. It also crisps whatever glaze you have as the sugar cools. (Honey glaze or brown sugar glaze are examples.)

2. Trim your ham for optimal cutting. After placing the ham on the cutting board, insert the meat for stability. Next, trim three slices parallel to its length on the thin side of the ham.

3. Turn the ham so that it is now resting on the flat side that you created by trimming the slices.

4. Carve your ham starting at the shank end down to the bone. Each slice of meat should be as uniform as possible. Most ham slices are 1/3 inch to 1/2 inch thick when served at holiday meals. Any thicker and you will be serving "ham steaks."

5. Cut parallel along the bone to release the slices of ham. By carving the ham this way, you'll be able to remove a chunk of ham at one time that is all sliced (in a similar manner to the way that chefs "score" an onion before completely chopping through).

6. Rotate the ham and repeat the steps of the "scoring method" until you've removed the ham from the bone.

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Tips On Cook A Spiral Ham

Spiral sliced hams are popular for holiday meals and family dinners. They are precooked and only need warming to serving temperature. The most common mistake with spiral sliced ham is overcooking. Follow the directions on the label along with these tips for a moist and tasty ham.

Oven Baking

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the spiral cut ham in a pan with a half cup of water. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes per pound or until the ham is heated throughout. Glaze the ham as instructed below at the end of cooking, if desired.

Since the ham is pre-cooked, it is done when it is heated through. The inside slices should be warm and the ham should be moist. Over cooking will dry the ham out.

Microwave Cooking

To heat the ham in the microwave oven, place it on a microwave safe dish. Heat on medium setting for 8 to10 minutes per pound or until it is warmed through to an internal temperature of 130 degrees F. If your microwave does not rotate, turn the ham a quarter turn every 15 minutes.

Glazing

Glazing your spiral cut ham is optional. Many people enjoy the flavor of a sweet glaze brushed onto the ham during the last few minutes of cooking. Your spiral cut ham probably came with a packet of glaze mix. Mix this glaze according to the package direction, or substitute orange juice or cola for the water in the recipe. You can also use your favorite glaze recipe.

When the ham is heated through, turn up the oven temperature to 425 F and brush the glaze over the ham. Return the ham to the oven without the aluminum foil covering for an additional 10 minutes to caramelize the glaze.

Tags: aluminum foil, heated through, minutes pound, minutes pound until, pound until

Make A Chocolate Frozen Banana

If you have a taste for ice cream but want to eat healthy, a frozen banana may be just what you're looking for. They are easy on the waistline and budget and a snap to make. If you've never had one of these before, be prepared to get addicted.

Instructions

1. Peel the bananas and cut them in half crosswise. Lay them onto a cookie sheet.

2. Place a wooden Popsicle stick into the flat end of the banana half. Push it into the banana until it is at least halfway inside.

3. Put the bananas on the cookie sheet into the freezer and freeze them for approximately three hours. Each refrigerator freezer may be different as to how long it takes to freeze the bananas.

4. Boil water in a pot. Melt chocolate in a separate pot placed over the boiling water. This prevents the chocolate from burning and scorching the bottom of your pot. Stir the chocolate continually.

5. Twirl the banana in the melted chocolate and spread it as evenly as possible over the frozen banana with a spatula, coating it completely.

6. Roll the bananas in your choice of crushed nuts, sprinkles or rice cereal immediately while the chocolate is still wet.

7. Eat your banana immediately or let the chocolate dry, then wrap the banana in foil or plastic wrap to store in the freezer.

Tags: cookie sheet, frozen banana

Celery Health Benefits

Celery is a popular vegetable that is known for its trademark stalks, which range in size from 12 to 18 inches. They are eaten as a snack, often with a dipping sauce, and are also enjoyed in various salad, soup and entree recipes. While the stalks are eaten more than any other part of the vegetable, celery leaves and seeds are also eaten. All parts of the celery are very healthful and contain a number of beneficial vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin C

Celery is an excellent source of vitamin C. This has been proven to fight colds, prevent free radical damage, promote a healthy cardio system and aid in the prevention of arthritis, inflammatory conditions and asthma.

Cholesterol

Laboratory tests have shown that celery helps to lower cholesterol in some people. It does this by increasing the secretion of bile acid.

Blood Pressure

Celery has been used in eastern medicine to lower blood pressure, and western science has found it does this thanks to something called pthalides. These relax arterial muscles, allowing blood to be pumped easier throughout the body.

Detox Aid

Celery is rich in both potassium and sodium. These help the body produce more urine, which helps it get rid of waste products quickly, thus cleaning the body out.

Benefits

Celery has antioxidants known as coumarins. These fight off free radicals, which could cause health problems such as cancer, and they also promote the health of white blood cells.

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Facial Mask Home Remedies To Rebuild Skin

Some facial masks can be made from household items.

As the years go by, once-healthy young skin loses its moisture and essential collagen proteins, leading to dryness, wrinkles and other signs of the aging process. Fortunately, you can use natural remedies like vitamin C, vitamin E, retinoic acid, salicylic acid and antioxidants to moisturize, exfoliate and rebuild your skin. You can find these vitamins and helpful acids in a variety of household items. Just apply them in facial masks to help rejuvenate your skin.

Strawberry Facial Mask

Strawberries are rich in vitamin C, salicylic acid and antioxidants, which make them ideal for rebuilding skin. Beauty and lifestyle website Savvy Miss recommends a strawberry facial mask to eliminate dead skin cells and absorb moisture. A half cup fresh strawberries, one tablespoon of fresh milk and one tablespoon of rice flour or cornstarch creates four ounces of this mask--enough for one or two applications. Blend and mash the ingredients to form a paste. Apply the mask for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water. The mask rejuvenates, cleanses and softens your skin, adding youthful radiance and warding off potential breakouts.

Miracle Whip Exfoliator

Kraft Miracle Whip makes an excellent skin-rebuilding facial mask. The vinegar in Miracle Whip exfoliates the skin and opens the pores to the moisturizing qualities of its egg-based ingredients. Simply apply Miracle Whip directly to your face, avoiding eyelashes and eyebrows. Leave it on for 10 to 20 minutes. Massage the dried Miracle Whip off and rinse with warm water. You should see actual clumps of dead skin cells being removed from the face, a sign of the skin rebuilding. This works as a daily facial mask.

Marigold Facial Mask

Aromatherapist and natural beautician Jeanne Rose of Kitchen Cosmetics recommends the marigold facial mask. This mask consists of one tablespoon marigold flowers, one tablespoon chamomile flowers, one half cup of water, a dash of almond oil, one tablespoon of mashed carrots, one tablespoon of lecithin granules and one tablespoon of wheat germ oil. Boil the flower ingredients in the water and create a separate mash of the carrots, wheat germ oil and lecithin granules. Blend these mixtures and add the almond oil to personal texture tastes. After steam cleaning your face, apply the mask for 15 minutes and remove with tissues and warm water. The flowers heal dead tissue, while the vitamin A from the carrots and vitamin E from the wheat germ rebuild the skin's collagen. Lecithin and almond oil improve the mask's consistency while moisturizing your skin.

Tags: Miracle Whip, your skin, warm water, wheat germ, acid antioxidants, dead skin

Liver & Onion Dinner Ideas

Many people who hear that liver is for dinner will immediately turn up their noses. If they're never tasted liver and onions, or have had the dish when it's been cooked badly, they are convinced that there isn't any way the entrée can taste good. Liver is an organ meat, most often from a cow, chicken or deer, that is rich in vitamins and nutrients. Liver also cooks quickly, so it is the perfect meat for those days when you don't have a lot of time for dinner preparation.

Traditional Liver and Onion Meal

The traditional liver and onion entrée uses beef liver as the main ingredient. Lamb or chicken liver can be substituted if they are available at your local supermarket. To make liver and onions, fry a few slices of bacon in a heavy skillet. Remove the bacon and keep the grease. Sauté sliced onion rings in the bacon grease until translucent and tender. Push the onions to one side of the pan. Dredge beef liver slices in flour. Fry the liver in the bacon grease, browning on both sides until a knife inserted into the meat shows no pink remaining. Serve with mashed potatoes, greens or green beans, and cornbread. If desired, you can add a cup of milk to the skillet, after the liver and onions are removed, to make gravy for the mashed potatoes.

Grilled Liver and Onions

Grill the liver and top it with roasted onion slices. Liver can be grilled on the barbecue or in the oven, so it's a year-round option. Grill or broil the liver for three to four minutes on each side. Roast the onions with a bit of olive oil for 30 minutes. Serve together, along with a baked potato and corn on the cob.

Chicken Livers and Onions

Fry several slices of bacon in a skillet. Remove the bacon and chop into pieces. Rough-chop onions and sauté them in the bacon grease. Place a pound of chicken livers in the pan and season with pepper and other desired seasonings. Spread the livers evenly in the pan. Pour three tablespoons of molasses or honey over the livers and return the bacon to the pan. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and let cook until the moisture has evaporated. Serve over rice and add steamed vegetables on the side.

Tags: bacon grease, liver onions, beef liver, Liver Onion, mashed potatoes

Keep Macaroni Salad With Celery From Getting Watery

Macaroni salad adds to a summer picnic.

Macaroni salad is a good standby for summer picnics. The pasta absorbs the flavors of the other ingredients and in most cases the challenge is keeping the dressing moist rather than having to cope with the dressing getting watery. A few simple tricks will keep your macaroni salad from running all over the plate. If that's already happening add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of shredded cheese to the salad. The cheese will absorb the excess liquid.

Instructions

1. Cook the macaroni so it slightly underdone. The macaroni will continue to absorb liquid while in the salad.

2. Cut the celery into 1/2 inch chunks. Salt liberally. Use 1/2 tsp. of salt to 1 cup of chopped celery. The salt will draw out water from the celery. Salads sometimes get watery because the salt in the mayonnaise or dressing draws it out of vegetables such as celery.

3. Let the celery set for 30 minutes. Then rinse well several times in cold water to remove the salt. Pat dry with paper towels. Rinsing the celery gets rid of the excess salt.

4. Add the celery to your favorite macaroni salad recipe. Or combine two cups of cooked macaroni with 1/2 cup of salted and rinsed celery, 1/4 cup of sweet pickle relish, 1/4 cup of diced onions and 1/4 cup of chopped red pimentos. If you don't have red pimentos use fresh chopped sweet peppers. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of mayonnaise. How much depends on how creamy you like the dressing. If you like a sweet and tart macaroni salad add 1 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar. Mix well. Let stand for at least four hours in the fridge so the macaroni absorbs the flavors of the other ingredients.

Tags: absorbs flavors, absorbs flavors other, flavors other, flavors other ingredients, Macaroni salad, macaroni salad

Baked Sweet Potato Sticks

Sweet potatoes are healthy and versatile.

Whether you're looking for a healthy alternative to French fries, a fresh idea for a Thanksgiving side dish or an easy way to add more vegetables to your diet, baked sweet potato sticks may be just the thing. Packed with vitamins A and C and plenty of fiber, sweet potatoes offer a nutritional punch in addition to their sweet, moist flavor. Sweet potatoes can be prepared almost any way you'd cook regular potatoes -- mashed, fried, au gratin -- but baked sweet potato sticks are a particularly yummy preparation.

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Peel sweet potatoes with a sharp knife, carefully scraping the brown, papery peel away from the orange-yellow flesh. Discard the peel. Use a sharp knife to cut the potatoes into strips about 1/2 inch wide.

3. Toss the prepared sweet potatoes with olive oil so that each piece is lightly coated with oil. If you need to, add a little more oil so that all the sweet potato sticks are lightly oiled.

4. Spread the oiled potatoes on a cookie sheet.

5. Combine salt, pepper and ground red pepper in a small bowl, mix, then sprinkle generously over the prepared sweet potatoes.

6. Bake until the sweet potatoes are cooked through with crispy, golden outsides -- about 30 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully flip sweet potatoes after about 15 minutes of baking time to promote even cooking.

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Make A Spicy Orange Chicken

There are many ways to make orange chicken, a Chinese dish that is usually on the spicy side of most menus. It can be anything from mildly spicy to hot based on the amount of chili paste and dried chilies in the recipe. This version uses 5 dried chilies. They are most effective if they are cut into 1 1/2-inch strips, seeded and soaked in warm water before they are added to the sauce.

Instructions

1. Place the flour in one bowl, the cracked eggs in a second bowl and the cornstarch in a third bowl. Scramble the eggs together.

2. One by one, place the chicken pieces in the flour. Shake the excess flour off, then dip the piece in the egg mix, then the corn starch. Each piece must be thoroughly coated with the corn starch.

3. Put 3 tbsp. of peanut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry as many pieces of chicken as will fit in the skillet on both sides until they are golden brown. Move the finished pieces to a paper towel and cover them with aluminum foil as you cook the remaining chicken.

4. Place 2 tsp. of peanut oil in a saucepan and heat it over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the dried chilies and stir for another 30 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients for the sauce, then whisk all of the ingredients together and cook for 1 minute.

5. Slowly add the chicken to the sauce. Stir until the sauce thickens around the chicken.

Tags: dried chilies, corn starch, medium heat, over medium, over medium heat

Dehydrate Cheese At Home

Dehydrating cheese at home is a healthy way of storing cheese.

Dehydrating or drying cheese is a good way to store and use cheese on a long-term basis. Rather than purchasing commercially-prepared dehydrated or powdered cheese that may contain other additives, you can easily prepare dehydrated cheese at home. You can powder the dehydrated cheese and use it as a mild seasoning over prepared foods such as salads, popcorn, chicken and fish, to lend a delectable cheesy flavor.

Instructions

1. Use hard cheese such as cheddar for dehydrating. This cheese has less moisture and fat compared to soft cheeses. Cut the cheese into several smaller pieces, as thinner slices dehydrate much more quickly than thicker ones. You can also use a grater or food processor to grate the cheese.

2. Cover your dehydrator trays with thick paper towels so they absorb any oil emanating from the cheese. Spread a single layer of the sliced or shredded cheese over the paper-towel covered trays.

3. Switch on the dehydrator and turn it to the temperature setting for cheese mentioned on the user manual. Use a spatula to flip the cheese at regular intervals, so it cooks evenly. Ideally, the dehydrator should be set to a low temperature setting of around 135 degrees Fahrenheit for cheeses.

4. Test the cheese for doneness. The dehydrated cheese should be completely dry and a shade or two darker than it was prior to dehydration. Allow the dehydrated cheese to cool.

5. Powder the dehydrated cheese in a food processor, or store it in an airtight container or freezer bag. This prevents moisture from reducing the shelf-life of the dehydrated cheese.

Tags: dehydrated cheese, cheese home, food processor, temperature setting

What Condiments Do You Serve With Crab Cakes

Dipping sauces can use fruit, tomatoes, ginger and other fresh ingredients to add tangy flavor.

Crab cakes are fried or saut ed crabmeat patties usually made with eggs, milk, bread crumbs and seasonings. This American dish that started in the 1930s often uses jumbo lump, domestic blue crab from the Atlantic coast and Dungeness crab from the Pacific coast. Condiments to complement these seafood appetizers, sandwiches or main entrees can include dipping sauces of blended fruit, herbs or aioli. International flavors with hints of chipotle or soy sauce can add an exotic taste to the crab's sweet meat.

Cocktail Sauce

The popular cocktail sauce that teams well with shrimp also adds zest to crab cakes. Tomato juice seasoned with Worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce, grated horseradish, lemon juice and finely chopped celery offers a bright red sauce for golden saut ed patties.

Herb Sauce

A spicy dill sauce made with ½ cup of sour cream with chopped fresh dill, a tablespoon of lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of pepper sauce makes a creamy dipping sauce.

Fruit Sauce

A plum sauce blends a sweet and salty taste from fruit and soy sauce. In a saucepan, bring plums, honey, grated ginger, garlic, chilli paste and soy sauce to a boil.

Egg-Based Sauces

Chipotle aioli consists of whisked egg and oil with a dried and smoked jalapeno pepper for a Mexican-inspired dipping sauce. Handling a chipotle may require gloves to avoid skin irritation and possible eye irritation. Other ingredients include shallots, Dijon mustard, white anchovy, salt and white pepper. Constantly whisking the egg mixture while gradually adding oil will emulsify and thicken the sauce,

Tartar sauce is a light-colored tangy sauce with tiny pieces of dill pickle. An egg yolk, strained lemon juice and Dijon mustard are whisked together. Canola oil added gradually, along with dill pickle, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy and hot sauce will thicken the sauce.

Asian-inspired Sauces

Ponzu sauce is a Japanese sauce that offers tartness from lemon juice and rice vinegar. Ingredients include lemon juice, rice vinegar, dark soy sauce, tamari sauce, mirin, bonito flakes and kelp or konbu. Asian food sections in supermarkets or a Japanese grocery store would likely supply mirin, a straw-colored sweet cooking liquid, kelp and dried bonito flakes. Mix the ingredients, let stand and then strain. Homemade ponzu matures after three months.

Ginger dipping sauce has a tangy taste from minced fresh ginger root. Other ingredients for blending include garlic cloves, chopped onion, lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar and white vinegar.

Tags: lemon juice, dipping sauce, bonito flakes, crab from, Dijon mustard, dill pickle

Keep Fruits & Vegetables Longer

Each type of produce has its own storage instructions.

Nothing tastes better than a fresh salad or an apple pie; however, produce, if not taken care of properly, does have a tendency to go bad quickly. Learning properly store your fruits and vegetables can help you save money and use produce when it's at its best.

Instructions

1. Learn about the optimum storage conditions for the produce you buy. Different items require specific temperatures; others may have certain requirements in regards to exposure to light. Keeping your items stored at the right temperature will help prolong their usability. (For information about storage times and temperatures, see Resources.)

2. Harvest or purchase your fruits and vegetables at peak ripeness if you intend on using them within a day or so. Otherwise, most fruits and vegetables should be not fully ripe, or sometimes even "green," to allow for longer storage. Do not purchase more ripe produce than you intend on using within a day unless you intend to freeze, dry or can the food.

3. Put a thermometer in both your freezer and refrigerator compartments to ensure that your unit is functioning at the optimum temperatures. Refrigerators should run about 38 to 42 degrees F for most uses; freezers should be able to maintain zero degrees. Allow at least 48 hours for the thermometer to obtain a reading then adjust the temperature if you find your refrigerator is running too warm.

4. Remove any over-ripe or rotted produce from storage and either use or throw away. Older foods can cause other items to decompose at a faster rate. Store your vegetables and fruit in separate areas, as mixing certain items together can cause a faster rate of deterioration. Also, keep your refrigerator/freezer clean; old, moldy or sour food can affect your fresh food storage times.

5. Consider freezing surplus fruits and vegetables. Buying items when they are in season and freezing for later can also help to save money. In addition, using quart and gallon-sized plastic baggies will allow you to freeze in portion-friendly servings so you won't have to thaw out huge amounts later.

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Keep Fried Potatoes From Being Greasy

Soaking cut potatoes in salt water before frying brings the starch to the surface.

Homemade fried potatoes can be crisp and crunchy with the right steps. Many fries sold at the retail and restaurant level are fried prior to being frozen, then fried again before being served This additional frying step, as well as a starch coating, help these potatoes become crisp on the outside and remain crisp after the final cooking step. You can easily mimic this technique at home.

Instructions

1. Fill the fryer to the fill line with vegetable oil and heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Fill the plastic container about half full with water and add 1 teaspoon of salt for every quart of water.

3. Cut the potatoes on the cutting board into the desired shape and place them in the salt water to soak for about 30 minutes.

4. Remove a few handfuls of potatoes from the salt water, pat dry on the paper towels and drop into the heated fryer. Allow to fry until light golden brown in color. Fry times will vary based on the chosen cut size.

5. Allow fried potatoes to drain well over the fryer and place them in a single layer on the drying rack. Rest the fried potatoes for at least 10 to 30 minutes at room temperature.

6. Repeat this until all potatoes are fried and on the drying rack.

7. When ready to serve, drop the potatoes back into the fryer for 1 minute to crisp and heat.

Tags: fried potatoes, salt water, drying rack, place them

Build A Gift Basket With San Diego Wine

A wine basket is a special gift for any occasion and is a great way to spotlight local San Diego wine favorites.

A wine basket is a sophisticated and special gift for any occasion. For a touch of local flavor, San Diego offers several excellent regional wineries, allowing for a wine basket with a unique touch of real San Diego flavor.

Instructions

What to Get

1. Choose your wine from a local San Diego winery. There are several within San Diego County, so choose a handcrafted and special local wine choice as the centerpiece of your basket.

2. Get a big basket as the foundation for your gift--one that's big enough to accommodate a bottle or two of your chosen wine, plus at least a few other gifts and trinkets.

3. Choose a cheese for your wine basket that directly complements your wine choice. For pairing your cheese, soft, creamy cheeses pair well with white wines, while for sweeter wines, choose saltier cheeses. The more full-bodied the wine, however, the "stinkier" the cheese to pair with it.

4. Complement your wine and cheese with other delectable extras such as caviars, jars of jelly or pate, deluxe crackers or cookies, sardines, dried figs or fruits, olives and spreads, handmade truffles and more.

5. Add wine-friendly accessories to your bag, such as wine stoppers, labels, glasses or a designer corkscrew. You might also add tickets to local San Diego shows, events or landmarks such as the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

Assembling Your Gift Basket

6. Put down a layer of stuffing as a solid base within the basket.

7. Put the wine bottle in the center of the basket, with the labels facing forward.

8. Arrange more stuffing around the base of the bottle, then layer the foods, candies, cookies and crackers around them.

9. Carefully insert the extra touches such as the corkscrew, tickets, wine labels or other goodies.

10. Wrap the entire basket in cellophane, and tie off the top with a cascade of ribbon.

Tags: wine basket, your wine, local Diego, Gift Basket, gift occasion

Make Vinegar From Old Wine

Any liquid with sugar or starch can become vinegar.

Wine vinegar is often used in savory recipes, as a base for a salad dressing or marinade. Vinegar can be made from old red or white wine, with slightly different flavors: red wine is stronger than white wine vinegar and is more often used as a marinade. Homemade wine vinegar is a good way to use leftover wine and it is quite easy to make. It is not necessary to use a starter culture to make wine vinegar; however, if you choose to do this, visit a store for home brew supplies to purchase a starter.

Instructions

1. Purchase enough wide-mouth glass Mason jars to accommodate the wine you would like to turn into vinegar. Wash and dry the jars.

2. Pour the wine into the jars. Pour white and red wines into different jars to preserve each wine's specific flavor.

3. Place the jars of wine in a safe place at room temperature. Leave the jars open. Although air circulation is fundamental to the vinegar-making process, it may be a good idea to keep the wine away from open doors or windows where it may attract flies.

4. Pour the fermented wine into a jug or bottle with a spout that allows for easy serving and can be closed airtight. Wait a few weeks until you put the wine into the serving jug to ensure the wine is appropriately fermented.

Tags: wine into, jars Pour, often used, white wine, wine vinegar

Save Adobo Sauce

Enhance enchiladas with adobo sauce.

Adobo is a Spanish sauce typically made with a combination of vinegar, vegetable oil, minced garlic and seasonings such as paprika, cumin and oregano. You can spice up the tangy red sauce with the addition of chipotle peppers, which are dried and smoked jalapenos. Adobo sauce is used to marinate and flavor meats such as pork tenderloin, steak and chicken. The sauce also provides extra flavor to Mexican dishes such as burritos and enchiladas. Store homemade or store-bought adobo sauce properly to keep it for weeks or months.

Instructions

1. Transfer homemade or opened, commercially prepared adobo sauce to a glass storage container; the red sauce may stain plastic products.

2. Seal the container with an airtight plastic lid. Label the container with the product's storage date as a handy reminder.

3. Store the container of sauce in a refrigerator set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below for up to one month.

4. Keep an unopened bottle or can of adobo sauce in your pantry for up to two years.

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Distill Wine To Cognac

The process of distilling wine into cognac is an intricate process that can take up to half a century.

Cognac is a spirit that originates from Cognac, France. It is made by distilling wine or brandy and is sometimes called "eau de vie." In order to be considered cognac, the spirit must be distilled and aged following a specific process that includes double distillation in a copper alembic and aging in oak barrels for a minimum time period. By starting with wine, you can follow a process of double distillation that converts ordinary table wine into cognac.

Instructions

Distill Wine to Cognac

1. Use high quality grapes to make wine. The grapes used in the wine or brandy that you plan to distill should be fairly weak and acidic. These are somewhat rare and the grapes are typically used to produce small batches of wine.

2. Choose the proper wood for aging. Before the aging process, cognac is typically unpalatable. Cognac, like wine, is the product of grapes and oak is the most common choice for aging. Oak is very porous and keeps the Cognac in in consistent contact with the air from the aging cellars.

3. Press and ferment the grapes in the oak barrels. The wood from the oak will transfer tannins and added taste to the spirit.

4. Pour the fermented wine into pots and enclose them in the brick kiln. Heat kiln to between 173 degrees Fahrenheit and 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Repeat the process until the alcohol vaporizes and separates from the liquid. The alcoholic vapor will become a condensed liquid that some refer to as "broullis." Repeat this process, called "double distillation." By repeating the distillation process twice, the final product will have a higher alcohol content and a stronger taste, which differentiates cognac from the wine it began as.

5. Age your cognac. The aging is also called degradation or hydrolysis and it flattens the cognac. Let it mature for two to three years or longer to develop complexity, aroma and higher quality taste.

6. Let the cognac oxidize. When the cognac is transferred into glass it stops maturing and becomes ready for bottling or consumption.

Tags: double distillation, wine into, degrees Fahrenheit, Distill Wine, Distill Wine Cognac, distilling wine, into cognac

Halve A Duck

Duck halves are ideal for one- and two-person meals.

Duck halves are ideal for cooking small meals. The halves are also called for in numerous recipes that use the duck as an ingredient in a larger dish. Halving the duck may be accomplished using a variety of techniques and the process is finished in several minutes or less. Halve the fresh duck before it is frozen to ensure you will not defrost an entire bird without need. The halves are convenient and useful in numerous different recipes.

Instructions

1. Place the whole duck on a cutting board with the breast making contact with the board. Use your fingers to locate the spine on the back of the bird. The spine is a hard bone that runs down the entire back.

2. Choose one side of the spine and insert a sharp knife through the bird. Maintain pressure on the knife to keep it against the spine as you cut from the top to the bottom of the duck. Work the knife blade alongside the bone but do not cut through the bone. This will cause splintering.

3. Use your hands to pull the two halves apart. Use as much force as necessary and use the knife to separate any stubborn tissue that will not separate by hand. The typical bird will separate easily.

4. Run your fingers along the spine area on both halves and feel for bone splinters. Use the knife to cut the splinters away from the bird. Place each halve in a separate freezer bag and freeze the bird.

Tags: Duck halves, Duck halves ideal, halves ideal, will separate, your fingers

Give Out Free Food Samples

Giving free food samples is a great way to market a new product or renew interest in an old favorite. Used in many supermarkets across the nation, free food samples are popular amongst shoppers who can grab a quick nibble while gathering the week's groceries. As popular as food sampling is, there are a few things you should know before you begin to give free treats.

Instructions

1. Make sure that you wash your hands properly before handling any food items. If you have long hair, you should also wear it back or even place it in a hair net. Not only does this help keep your samples hair-free, it also increases to appearance of cleanliness that your clients demand.

2. Wear gloves while preparing and giving free food sample. Prepare all of your utensils beforehand, such as necessary cooking items, dishes, small utensils, toothpicks and the like. Make sure that your clients are supplied with plenty of napkins as a waste receptacle for garbage.

3. Prepare the food item directly on your sampling table so that customers can see how its done. Cut the food item into bite size samples so that you can give a small portion to as many people as possible. The item should be easy to eat and should be served in small cups, on toothpicks or mini-plates.

4. Give your free samples directly to your customer. You should never allow a client to dip their hands into a sample bowl or even reach for their own sample. If you use gloved hands to offer your treats, you greatly increase the cleanliness of your sampling table.

5. Keep your sampled item nearby so that people can make a purchase if they like the product. Many people will lose patience if they are required to truck to the other side of the store to place the item in their basket; however, keeping your product on display will tempt them to by as they pass your table and taste.

Tags: free food, directly your, food item, food samples, free food samples

Keep Chopped Lettuce From Wilting

Chopped lettuce is a good ingredient for salads and other cold dishes.

Chopped lettuce is used in salads or as a topping for hot foods such as tacos or hamburgers. However, chopped lettuce wilts easily if not properly cared for and stored in the right way. You can either buy chopped lettuce in a bag or get a whole head of lettuce, chop it in pieces yourself, then put it in a bag to store for later use.

Instructions

1. Purchase lettuce that is fresh. Pick a head of lettuce that feels heavy, because this means it has a lot of moisture in it. Also look for the lettuce with the most crisp leaves, and avoid ones that have yellowish or brown leaves with spots on them -- indicating they aren't fresh.

2. Wash the lettuce, wrap it in some paper towels, and store it in a sealed container or a large storage bag in your refrigerator. Your lettuce should stay fresh for seven to 10 days.

3. Don't store your lettuce next to apples, pears, plums, avocados, melons or tomatoes. These fruits and vegetables give off ethylene gas as they soften, and this will cause the lettuce to wilt. Instead, store the lettuce by itself in the refrigerator drawer.

Tags: Chopped lettuce, head lettuce, lettuce that

Types Of Butternut Squash

A good source of vitamins, fiber and calcium.

Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) is a pear-shaped winter squash that you can bake, simmer, steam and puree. A substantial source of magnesium, calcium and beta-carotene, butternut squash rates high in potassium, fiber, vitamins C and A and low in calories. Many varieties of butternut squash offer the gardener options as to size, shape, weight, maturation time, color, texture, flavor and shelf-life.

Atlas

Atlas F1 Hybrid Butternut Squash produces large uniform fruit, on healthy productive plants. It is less susceptible to diseases and has a long bearing season. Fruit weighs between 5 and 8 lbs. in summer and slightly less in, although well adapted to, cooler seasons. The dark orange flesh is firm, the rind is smooth and it has an excellent shelf life. The Atlas is ideal for both processing and fresh market produce. In a butternut comparison test done by the University of Tennessee Plateau Research and Education Center in 2007, this squash yielded far more fruit than any of other seven varieties tested.

Avalon

Although lower average weight per fruit than the Atlas, the Avalon butternut squash is more uniformly shaped than other butternut squash and has a natural resistance to mildew. It matures in as little as 88 days.

Butternut 401

Butternut 401 fruit averages three pounds and mature in 80 days. It also has resistance to powdery mildew. This new uniform butternut squash grows on a semi-bush and is primarily sold as fresh produce.

Waltham Butternut

The Waltham Butternut squash has a light cream to buff exterior and takes 110 days to mature. This is an heirloom variety, which means that the grower can replant the seeds from its fruit year after year without losing any of its desirable features. Growers send this popular squash to markets as fresh produce and its thick neck and bulb and tough hard rind make it a good candidate for storage.

Argonaut

The burnt orange gigantic Argonaut has a thick extremely long neck and weighs up to 30 lbs. The deep orange flesh has a meaty texture and high sugar content. Although it requires a 140-day growing season, it has a very long shelf life.

Ultra

The Ultra Hybrid Premium matures in 90 days on a vine having a strong canopy and produces large yields. Each fruit has light tan exterior, bright orange, sweet, fine flesh and weighs from 8 to 10 lbs. This butternut squash is especially good for processing.

Quantum

Maturing in 105 days, the Quantum Hybrid has a smooth tan exterior and each 10-inch fruit weighs between 3 and 4 lbs. Because of its exceptionally uniform size and shape, thick neck and small seed cavity, this butternut squash is a prime candidate for boxing and processing.

Tags: butternut squash, butternut squash, butternut squash, fresh produce, fruit than, orange flesh

Keep Brie Fresh

If you desire to keep the cheese you purchase at the supermarket or fromagerie fresh, first you must consider that soft and hard cheeses have different shelf lives. While hard cheeses may last for months in the fridge if stored properly, softer cheeses like brie may only last one week. It is critical to store your soft cheeses properly to prevent mold, drying or rot. This article will provide a couple of tips to keep your cheese as fresh as on the day you bought it.

Instructions

Keep Brie Fresh

1. Ensure your fridge temperature is set to about 38 to 45 degrees. Brie cheese will thrive in this temperature range. The vegetable bin is a perfect location to store your cheese since it is slightly warmer than the rest of your fridge.

2. Remove the supermarket wrapper on your cheese.

3. Pull off a piece of parchment or wax paper that is three times the size of the slice of your brie.

4. Lightly wrap your brie cheese with your paper. Seal with tape if the paper refuses to stay wrapped. This wax or parchment paper will allow your brie to continue to naturally age and breathe so the flavor remains fresh.

5. If your brie has a very strong aroma and you would like to preserve the flavor, you can double wrap the cheese wedge in wax paper. This should also help other food items not be tainted by your strong-smelling brie.

Tags: your brie, your cheese, Brie Fresh, hard cheeses, Keep Brie, Keep Brie Fresh

Cut Bacon

Cut your bacon as evenly as possible to promote even cooking.

Bacon is cured pork, and it is typically cut into thin slices that are then cooked on a griddle. Slices of bacon can be eaten on their own as a breakfast item, used to top other foods like burgers or casseroles, or wrapped around small bits of food to make appetizers. Bacon has a salty-sweet taste that combines well with other foods. If you have purchased a whole bacon slab, cut your bacon correctly to provide the most flavorful dining experience.

Instructions

1. Lay the bacon slab flat on a cutting board.

2. Locate the stripes of fat. Bacon is typically heavily striped with fat, which makes it ideal as a seasoning for plainer foods.

3. Cut a slice from the end of the slab, making your cut parallel to the lines of fat. Make the slice about ¼ inch thick, as the slice will shrivel in the pan. If you are using the bacon as a topping, you may wish to slice it slightly thicker.

4. Repeat until you have all the bacon you need.

Tags: bacon slab, other foods, your bacon

Keep A Salad Fresh

Keep a Salad Fresh

Everyone knows a good salad is based on the texture and freshness of its ingredients. Therefore, keeping a salad fresh is of overall importance when intending to eat it at a later date. You'll have to deliberately set out to preserve a salad's freshness with these steps, but it's worth it when you eat it.

Instructions

1. Keep the ingredients separate. Unless you are 100 percent sure you will soon be able to consume a fully prepared salad with mixed ingredients, it is best to keep them separated. Keeping the ingredients separate will ensure that moisture will not speed up the decomposition process. For example, ingredients such as tomatoes should not be stored in the same package as lettuce in order to extend the life of both of the ingredients. Making individual serving sized portions should help prevent mixing.

2. Store the ingredients. Provide packaging with an air tight seal or close to it. Plastic zip bags and airtight containers with fitted lids are optimal but simply covering a bowl full of the ingredients with plastic wrap will suffice as well. When placing the ingredients in a plastic bag, try to remove as much air as possible.

3. Refrain from leaving it out for long periods. Time is not your friend when it comes to salad. Leaving your salad ingredients out at room temperature will allow harmful bacteria to multiply as well as give pests, such as house flies, a chance to lay eggs on your fresh greenery.

4. Refrigerate your salad. As soon as you are done with the materials for your salad, store them in containers and refrigerate them quickly. Placing them in the crisper will help to slow down the aging process as well. The crisper is a drawer in the refrigerator that is usually located near or at the bottom.

5. Buy the freshest product available. This may be the most important and useful step of all. Purchasing and picking the freshest produce available will ensure that your salad will have a longer storage life in the future. You can tell if items such as lettuce or spinach are not fresh if there is slight browning of the leaves. Tomatoes should be somewhat firm to the touch when they are fresh and have tight skin.

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Spices For Fries

Try dressing up French fries with unusual or unexpected spices.

Whether you're trying to reduce your sodium intake or just expand your culinary horizons, French fries are a wonderful way to experiment with seasonings other than salt. Because the potatoes themselves are fairly bland, they allow the flavors of herbs and spices to shine. Try single spices or combinations of different seasonings on oven-baked or deep-fried French fries.

Garam Masala

Garam masala is an Indian spice blend. The exact recipe may vary, but it typically contains black pepper, cardamom, cumin, cloves and other sweet and hot spices. You may purchase it pre-mixed, or make your own. Try sprinkling it onto hot French fries just before serving them. It's particularly good on sweet potato fries.

Coriander

Coriander has a sweet, lemony flavor that's enhanced by toasting. It's an excellent addition to oven-baked fries. Mix 2 lbs. of sliced potatoes with 2 tbsp. of olive oil, 1 1/2 tsp. of cracked coriander seeds and a teaspoon of dried thyme, then bake at 450 degrees F for about 40 minutes. Turn the fries with a spatula once or twice.

Truffle Oil

For an unexpectedly upscale flavor, try tossing hot fries with truffle oil. This is olive or grapeseed oil infused with white or black truffles.The flavor is intense, so you won't need a lot--just a tablespoon for 3 lbs. of French fries.

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Low Carb Thai Food

Low Carb Thai Food

Those on a low carb diet may think they have to give up Thai food. While some Thai food is high in carbs such as curry and rice, there are low carb Thai food choices available. Many of these food items are also high in protein. Low carb dieters don't have to forgo Thai food restaurants if they know what to order.

Satay

Satay is an appetizer that could also serve as a main dish. Beef, chicken or pork is sliced thin and put on a skewer, brushed with satay sauce and grilled. It is traditionally served with peanut sauce and cucumber dip, which should be avoided as they both contain sugar.

Tod Mun Pla

These fish cakes are made from fish paste, kaffir lime leaves, green beans, red curry paste, salt and a tablespoon of sugar. The ingredients are mixed and then fried and flattened. They are very high in protein.

Laab Nuea

Laab Nuea is also known as ground beef salad. The ground beef is mixed with lime juice, fish sauce and galangal powder, then cooked on a stove. Once it is cooked, chopped green onions, cilantro, mint and chili peppers are mixed in. This dish is eaten rolled up in cabbage leaves.

Thai Beef Jerky

Thai style beef jerky is made by marinating small strips of beef in fish sauce, soy sauce, coriander powder and a little sugar. The whole mixture is pan fried and then deep fried to give it a crisp texture.

Thai Stuffed Omelet

The Thai stuffed omelet is an omelet stuffed with a cooked mixture of ground pork minced with shrimp, garlic, fish sauce, Maggi seasoning, white pepper, onions, peas and carrots.

Tags: fish sauce, Thai food, Carb Thai, Carb Thai Food, ground beef

Gourmet Candy Gifts

Give the gift of gourmet candy.

When you think of candy, the first thing that comes to mind might be an overstuffed bag of warehouse store treats held by a delirious trick-or-treating kid at Halloween, or something pedestrian that you grab on impulse at a supermarket checkout lane. A candy bar from the vending machine at work can brighten up your day as an ordinary treat, but for special occasions, give gourmet candy as a luxurious gift that sends the message that your recipient deserves nothing but the very best.

Chocolate

It's hard to go wrong with a package of fine gourmet chocolates as a gift. You can get pieces of plain milk chocolate or rich dark chocolate formed into squares, balls and other shapes, or chocolates stuffed with cream, nougat, caramel and other fillings. Chocolate is available as individual pieces wrapped separately, or multiple items arranged in a fancy box. Gourmet chocolate-covered fruit, such as cherries, apricots or blueberries, or chocolate-covered almonds or walnuts make for a rich gift for any holiday or other special moment.

Candy Canes

Make the Christmas holiday season more luxurious with a gift of gourmet candy canes. You can get them in classic peppermint flavor, as well as cherry and cinnamon. Stuff gourmet candy canes into stockings or put them out as place settings at the dinner table.

Jelly Beans

Jelly beans may appear humble because they are so small, but they were elevated in public stature when president Ronald Reagan revealed his fondness for the sweet treats. The gourmet candy maker Jelly Belly created blueberry jelly beans for the president so he could serve red, white and blue jelly beans as patriotic gifts for visiting dignitaries at the White House.

Caramel Apples

If your recipient is fond of apples, he might really enjoy a gourmet caramel apple, such as a red delicious or a granny smith hand-dipped in caramel, rolled in pecans or walnuts and smothered in melted milk or dark chocolate.

Lollipops

Lollipops are typically simple candies on a stick, but you can give gifts of organic gourmet lollipops made with fruit extracts, available in sour, strawberry and hot chili flavors. They are available with gluten-free ingredients and get their coloring from vegetables such as carrots and pumpkins.

Tags: gourmet candy, dark chocolate, gift gourmet, gift gourmet candy, gourmet candy

Make Strawberry Yogurt Pancakes

If you're bored with regular pancakes, try some easy and delicious strawberry yogurt pancakes. The yogurt gives the pancakes a soft, fluffy texture, and the strawberry flavor provides a sweet flavor, making a new and yummy twist on an old breakfast favorite.

Instructions

1. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a large mixing bowl, stirring until it's thoroughly blended.

2. Beat the eggs, then stir in the buttermilk, melted butter, strawberry yogurt and vanilla extract.

3. Oil the griddle with butter, or spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Heat it over medium heat.

4. Pour a half cup of strawberry pancake batter onto the hot griddle. Cook eight minutes or until the top is bubbly. If you want smaller pancakes, use a quarter measuring cup.

5. Flip the strawberry yogurt pancake with a spatula, and cook the other side just until it's browned.

6. Serve the pancakes hot off the griddle with warm strawberry syrup or maple syrup.

Tags: strawberry yogurt, griddle with

Make Pear Cider At Home

Turn fresh pears into pear cider.

Cider is made from fermenting apples to obtain a sweet, natural beverage, most often enjoyed warm in the cool, autumn months. Although apples are usually used, pears are another option for cider making. Making traditional fermented pear cider takes months. However, if you want pear cider at home in little time, you can approximate the taste of fermented cider in a few hours. Make it fresher by pressing your own pears.

Instructions

1. Collect and peel the pears using a paring knife or vegetable peeler. To make one gallon of juice, you need 5 lbs of pears.

2. Core and chop the pears into one-inch cubes. Discard the core. Use either a knife or an apple slicer.

3. Place a large piece of muslin into a five-gallon plastic bucket. The muslin should cover the bottom and the sides of the bucket. Add the cut up pears to the bucket, on top of the muslin.

4. Press and crush the pears into the muslin using a clean, untreated piece of 2-by-4 lumber. Once the pears are fully crushed, gather the four corners of the muslin around an 18-inch long broom handle or dowel rod. Tie the corners together. Holding the muslin in one hand and the handle in the other, twist the fabric and handle in opposite directions. This will squeeze the last of the juice out of the pears and into the bucket.

5. Place one gallon of pear juice into a large stockpot. Add the dark brown sugar, whole cloves, whole peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, salt, nutmeg and whole allspice berries to the pear juice. Stir to combine.

6. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.

7. Cut an orange into thin slices across the width of the orange. Drop the oranges into the simmering mixture.

8. Remove the mixture from the heat and leave it to soak for a minimum of 20 minutes.

9. Serve the completed cider either warm or chilled. Store leftover cider in a sealed container.

Tags: pears into, pear cider, bucket muslin, pear juice

Pair Wine With Grilled Beef Tenderloin

Consider personal preference when pairing wine with grilled beef tenderloin.

One of the tastiest and most tender cuts of meat, grilled beef tenderloin has earned popularity as a dinner mainstay. Whether you season it simply or serve it with a sauce, this dish deserves a wine that you've chosen with care. Many people color-code the wine selection process: Red meat goes with red wine. However, other factors come into play.

Instructions

1. Take wine pairing tips as suggestions not ultimatums. Consider your personal preference first. Opting for a wine you don't like will only leave you disappointed in the end.

2. Plan according to the method of preparation. According to "Wine Country International," pairing a wine with a sauce takes precedence over pairing a wine with the base ingredient. Envision the dish as a whole and think about the flavor, texture and consistency of the added sauce. A buttery chardonnay complements a rich bearnaise; a well-aged chianti, a more acidic barbecue sauce.

3. Match the texture and weight of the grilled beef tenderloin with a wine that offers an equally full body and flavor. Rich meat can overpower a light or delicate wine. Understand tannin structure to find a bold wine. Strong tannin structure creates a full-bodied wine and helps cut through the viscosity of fat in the beef. Napa Valley winemakers claim cabernet sauvignons with firm tannin structures; barolos and barbarescos from the Piedmont region of Italy enjoy fame for their tannic nature.

4. Choose a wine that shares common traits with the grilled beef tenderloin. Train your palate to recognize the five different taste sensations: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. Varying combinations of these sensations form different flavors. The ability to recognize the intensity of each facilitates the selection process. If you add a hot spice to the grilled beef tenderloin, serve it with a similarly spicy varietal. Argentine malbec and Australian shiraz have strong tannin structures and a spicy flavor. Ray Isle of "Food & Wine" magazine recommends a zinfandel or a grenache to balance the heat.

Tags: grilled beef tenderloin, beef tenderloin, grilled beef, pairing wine, pairing wine with, wine that

Poach Chicken For Chicken Salad

Chicken salad begins with poached chicken.

Poaching chicken meat entails cooking it in simmering water until the meat cooks through. To speed cooking and ensure that the piece is safely heated, use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Substituting low-fat chicken broth for the water to poach the meat adds flavor without adding extra fat as butter or oil would.

Instructions

Poach the Chicken

1. Arrange the chicken breasts in a pan in a single layer.

2. Pour chicken broth over the chicken to just cover.

3. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat.

4. Poach the chicken, covered for 30 to 40 minutes or until no pink remains inside the chicken, the chicken is tender and the juices run clear.

5. Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and chill in the refrigerator until cold.

Make the Chicken Salad

6. Dice the chicken breasts to yield 4 cups of chicken.

7. Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, apple cider vinegar and pepper in a bowl to make the dressing.

8. Add the celery, onion, optional almonds and grapes and the diced chicken.

9. Stir the mixture to combine the dressing with the chicken.

10. Chill the chicken salad for 2 hours in the refrigerator for the flavors to combine.

Serve on sandwiches or lettuce leaves.

Tags: chicken breasts, chicken broth, Poach Chicken

Mouth Burn

Mouth burn can result from anything you eat that is too hot, either in temperature or in spice. Taking a bite of steaming hot food can burn your lips, tongue, palate or inner cheek. The mouth burn from eating excessively spicy food typically disappears in less than a day, but heat burns can take much longer to heal.

Solutions

If you burn your mouth with food that is too hot in temperature, it helps to immediately put ice or frozen food in your mouth. Popsicles, because they last awhile, are especially good. Holding very cold milk in your mouth also eases mouth burn. Gargling with salt water can be soothing. If the burn is severe enough to continue causing significant discomfort, try an oral anesthetic, such as cough-prevention lozenges containing phenol, or Orajel medicine. You may need to resort to pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

Considerations

As long as you have a mouth burn, avoid spicy foods, salty products and citrus fruit, such as oranges and lemons, because they can aggravate pain. Sharp-edged items like potato chips also can irritate mouth burns. Another thing to avoid is what caused the problem in the first place--excessively hot food.

Common Culprits

Common problem foods for causing mouth burns are coffee, pizza, soup and deep fried breaded vegetables. Fast food restaurants are notorious for selling coffee which is dangerously hot. Test the temperature with your little finger before attempting to drink it. Deep fried breaded items, particularly juicy foods like mushrooms, can be hazardous because the outside cools while the inside remains extremely hot. Burns on the roof of the mouth from hot pizza is so common that "pizza burn" even appears as a condition in medical journals.

Spicy Food

Mouth burn from spicy food like jalapeño peppers results in pain, a burning sensation, eye tearing and a runny nose. The instigators here are substances called capsaicinoids, which cannot be neutralized by saliva or water. The best immediate treatment for this type of mouth burn is milk.

Time Frame

Mucous membranes, like the surfaces of the mouth and tongue, heal relatively quickly compared to other areas of the body. Most mouth burns heal within a few days, but more severe ones might take a week or two.

Tags: mouth burn, mouth burns, your mouth, because they, burn from, burn your

Care For A Croton

Crotons are compact, bushy, tree-like plants grown for their large multi-colored leaves. The green, yellow and red leaves growing on a tree will impart fall foliage look to your house all year round. However, you must be careful to give them good care to keep them looking attractive.

Instructions

1. Give crotons several hours of bright, direct sunlight per day. The more light the plant receives, the more colorful the leaves will be. Grown in inadequate light, the leaves will be mostly green with yellow veins. Leaves may also fall off in low light.

2. Place plant on a tray of pebbles to give it the little humidity boost it needs. Water will be absorbed by the pebbles and create humidity as it evaporates.

3. Keep the potting mix moist, but be careful not to allow water to stand on top of soil. Reduce watering in the winter, allowing the top of the soil to dry out between waterings.

4. Prune branches in early spring if plant outgrows its space or if a bushier plant is desired. Plant will branch where pruning takes place. Croton plants may get tall and spindly without pruning.

5. Take care to watch for spider webbing on leaves. Red spider mites commonly infest croton plants. They are hard to see with the naked eye, but will leave webs. Remove infested leaves and apply pesticide to plant. Left alone, red spider mites will kill an entire plant, so action must be taken.

Tags: leaves will, spider mites

Make Dried Pepper Jack Cheese

A form of Monterey Jack cheese, pepper jack is soft, creamy and flavored with a variation of chili peppers. Using pepper jack cheese in dishes enhances the flavor and adds a kick to the taste. Making dried pepper jack cheese gives you the ability to concentrate the flavor. An easy task, making dried pepper jack cheese only takes several hours and can be done in the kitchen.

Instructions

1. Slice the block of cheese into thin slices. Alternatively, you can grate the cheese into a bowl using a grater's large-gauge side.

2. Spread the grated or sliced cheese over the top rack of a food dehydrator.

3. Set the dehydrator on its highest setting. Close it, and let the cheese dehydrate for 2 hours.

4. Dump the dehydrated cheese bits into the food processor.

5. Grind the dehydrated pepper jack cheese into a course powder, about 1 minute.

6. Pour the dried cheese into an airtight container such as a jar, plastic storage bowl or zipper bag.

Tags: pepper jack, cheese into, jack cheese, pepper jack cheese, dried pepper

Make Caterpillar Rolls

Caterpillar rolls are as artistic as they are delicious. When arranged properly, the exterior appearance of these unagi rolls looks like their namesake. Even if you do not have the greatest eye for design, you can still create a tasty treat with caterpillar rolls.

Instructions

1. Prepare two 1-oz. pieces of unagi. If you purchase a frozen package of unagi, follow the instructions provided on the package, but if you decide to purchase unagi from a Japanese market, place it under your broiler for approximately 2 minutes. Set the unagi aside after it has been cooked.

2. Place the plastic wrap on top of your bamboo sushi mat. Put the sheet of nori, shiny side down, on top of the plastic wrap and cover it with the thin layer of sushi rice. Flip over the combination of the nori and rice so that the shiny side of the nori is now facing up.

3. Slice the heated unagi into thin strips and place them in the center of the nori to make a row that runs across the width of the nori.

4. Wash the cucumber and cut it into thin, long strips. Place these cucumber strips alongside the row of unagi that is already on the rice. This will make up the filling.

5. Grip both sides of the bamboo mat and bring them together to form the exterior of your caterpillar roll. Bring the sides together and firmly squeeze the roll so that rice from both sides sticks together.

6. Cut your avocado into thin slices. Starting at the end of the roll, place slices of avocado on top of the roll. Make your way to the other end of the roll, overlapping the slices of avocado like shingles on a roof.

7. Place another piece of plastic wrap on top of the caterpillar roll and wrap it around the sides. After using the bamboo mat to shape the roll, remove the bamboo mat.

8. Slice the caterpillar roll into six to eight pieces using a sharp knife. Remove the plastic wrap from the caterpillar roll prior to serving it.

Tags: caterpillar roll, plastic wrap, into thin, both sides, shiny side

Make Easy Sticky Buns (Monkey Bread)

For a breakfast for company, children or teenage friends, or for a quick snack, try this easy sticky bun recipe. Using refrigerated biscuits cuts the preparation time down to just a few minutes, and the combination of cinnamon, butter and sugar is always a crowd favorite. This recipe serves about ten.

Instructions

1. Open the biscuit packages, separate the biscuits, then using a knife and a cutting board cut each one into fourths.

2. In a large saucepan combine the margarine or butter, brown sugar, water, cinnamon and optional nuts. Heat the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Once the mixture boils, turn off the heat.

3. Gently stir the biscuit quarters into the glaze, making sure each piece is well coated.

4. Pour the biscuit quarters into a greased bundt pan and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Or, pour the biscuit quarters into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. The bundt pan presentation is prettier, but the 9x13 pan cooks faster.

Tags: biscuit quarters, biscuit quarters into, quarters into, bake degrees, into greased, quarters into greased

Use A Burner In A Fondue Set

Use a Burner in a Fondue Set

Fondue sets come with one of three different fuel sources: alcohol burners, gel packets including sterno and newer butane burners. Alcohol burners, commonly packaged with fondue sets, provide enough heat for meat and cheese fondues, but too much for delicate chocolate sauces. Gel fuel contains a gelatinized alcohol fuel and can be used for the same applications as alcohol with less concern for spillage compared to completely liquid alcohol fuel. Butane provides an adjustable source of heat. Look for specialty burners for this fuel as an additional accessory for your fondue pot because your set most likely did not come with a more expensive butane burner. You can also use candles, which barely warm the food inside a fondue pot and need to be reserved for chocolates to prevent burning.

Instructions

1. Fill the burner base with 2 to 3 oz. of fuel. Use up to 3 oz. for one and a half hours of burning time, and 2 oz. for one hour.

2. Place the burner cover on top of the base for moving the burner to the fondue stand.

3. Set the burner firmly on the fondue stand and remove the burner cover.

4. Use only a lighted match to ignite the fuel by bringing the match toward the hole in the center of the burner cover until the fuel catches the flame.

5. Move the handle on the base of the burner to raise or lower the flame by exposing or covering more holes in the top. Set the burner cover on top of the burner base to put out the flames.

Tags: burner cover, alcohol fuel, burner base, come with, fondue stand

Make Homemade Dipping Chocolate For Candy Making

When making chocolate-dipped candy, the most important aspect is the dipping chocolate. You can use any type of chocolate you like, but avoid baker's chocolate (it's unsweetened). This is faster and easier to make in a microwave than on top of the stove in a double boiler.

Instructions

1. With the knife, roughly chop the chocolate bark until it's in smaller bits. This will make melting faster. You don't have to do this if you're using chocolate chips.

2. Place the chopped chocolate bark and the vegetable shortening into the microwave-safe bowl.

3. Place the bowl into the microwave and cook on "High" for 3 minutes, stopping every 30 seconds to stir the chocolate and shortening mix.

4. When the chocolate is smooth and completely melted, take each candy you want to dip and drop it into the melted chocolate.

5. Pull the dipped candy out of the chocolate by lifting it up with the tines on the fork. Don't stab at it, just lift the candy.

6. Place the candies on wax paper to cool and for the chocolate to harden.

Tags: chocolate bark

Buy Liquor Online

There are many reasons why you may choose to buy liquor online instead of from a local store. Stores in your area may not have your favorite liquor or you may wish to try a new type of liquor that isn't sold in your region. Buying online can also save you some money when you purchase liquor in bulk instead of buying a single bottle. Whatever your reason, here are some ways you can buy liquor online.

Instructions

1. Log onto the Beer Liquors website (see Resources). Click the “Liquors” link at the very top of the home page. On the next page, choose a type of liquor (whiskey, vodka, etc.). Once you do, you will find links for different brands of liquor. Browse through those links until you find a product you wish to purchase.

2. Visit the BevMo website (see Resources). Click on the “Spirits” tab at the top of the web page. Use the links on the left side of the next Web page to shop for liquor by category. You can also use the “letter links” at the bottom of the page to search for liquor by name.

3. Buy liquor online from Mission Liquors (see Resources). Click the “Spirits” on the left side of the page to get to the liquors portion of the website. On the next page, click on one of the links underneath the “Spirits” heading to shop for liquor by type. Scroll through the items on the next Web page and click on one to make your purchase.

4. Search for liquor sold on the Shoppers Vineyard website (see Resources). Click the “Spirits” link located on the left side of the home page. On the next page, you will find 18 different categories to choose from such as “American Whiskey,” “Vodka” and “Cognac.” Click one of these links and you will be directed to pages of different liquors which you can buy online.

Tags: next page, Resources Click, Click Spirits, left side, liquor online

Choose A Sweet Tasting Wine

Mark Twain said, "There are no standards of taste in wine... Each man's own taste is the standard..." Sweet wines are often a person's initiation into wine drinking, but this doesn't make them inferior choices. Winemakers from around the world produce superior sweet, semi-sweet and fruity wines that are as well respected as dry wines and champagnes. Whether your preference is for a sweet wine or you're looking for a dessert pairing, consider your own taste to be the standard.

Instructions

1. Look for an off-dry white wine like a Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Moscato or Asti Spumante. There is a range of sweetness within each varietal, from some being not very sweet to those that are considered dessert wines. Very sweet Rieslings are designated Beerenauslese, Eiswein or Trockenbeerenuslese. Asti is a sparkling wine that's a good introduction to wine drinking.

2. Try the slightly sweet or fruity red wines. Beaujolais, Syrah and Shiraz are fruity red wines, as is Italian Lambrusco, which should be served chilled.

3. Try a blush wine, such as White Zinfandel. Blush wines are pink, but they're made from red grapes whose skins are separated during the winemaking process. They're slightly sweet and pair well with light dinners.

4. Opt for a very sweet dessert wine. Late-harvest wines are made from grapes that have been left on the vine longer, so they're naturally sweet. French Sauternes and Hungarian Tokai fall into this category.

5. Finish a meal with a fortified port wine. To make port, alcohol is added to red wine for a more potent result. True ports come from Portugal. Vintage ports are matured in the bottle, and other ports are ready to be served as soon as they come to market. The variation in sweetness among different ports is not as pronounced as in other varietals.

Tags: fruity wines, from grapes, made from, made from grapes, slightly sweet, taste standard