Especially satisfying on cool days, soup is an easy and versatile dish. However, leave soup unattended on the stove and disaster can strike. Since soup has a liquid base, burnt flavor moves quickly throughout the entire dish. Unlike meat or vegetables, where you can easily remove the burnt section, your entire soup can take on the burnt taste. Fortunately, there are remedies you can use to try and remove the burnt flavor before starting the soup again from scratch.
Instructions
1. Turn off the heat and stop stirring immediately. Stirring spreads burnt particles as well as the burnt flavor throughout the soup.
2. Fill a sink with enough cold water to cover 1/3 of your soup pot; put your pot in the cold water. You want to cool your soup quickly and stop more burning from occurring. Be careful not to splash any water into the pot.
3. Ladle 1/3 of your soup into a clean pot. Ladle from the top, as the soup near the bottom will have more of a burnt flavor. Avoid the burnt bottom of the pot. Taste the remaining soup in your original pot; if there is only a mildly burnt flavor, ladle more into the new pot. Discard the rest of the old soup.
4. Stir 1 tbsp. of creamy peanut butter into your new pot of soup. Taste to see if the burnt flavor is gone. If not, add another tbsp. of peanut butter. Slowly heat the soup to help the peanut butter mix with your soup. If the burnt flavor remains, add spices such as curry powder, garlic, mustard, chutney or smoke flavoring to mask the taste. Sprinkle cinnamon into your soup if it is beef- or pork-based.
Calgary is home to a number of restaurants offering gluten-free menus.
Celiac disease is a genetic disorder that causes a severe intolerance to gluten. Individuals suffering from this disease must adhere to a strict gluten-free diet. Since many food products contain gluten, finding a restaurant that offers a gluten-free menu isn't always easy. If you are dining out in Calgary, however, a number of eating establishments with gluten-free menu options are available.
The Coup
This popular upscale vegetarian restaurant and lounge offers fine organic dishes made fresh daily. The Coup only buys produce from local organic farmers and even grows some of its own vegetables in the summer months. The Coup offers gluten-free and vegan-friendly menu options and outdoor dining.
The Coup
924 17th Ave. SW.
Calgary, AB, Canada
403-541-1041
thecoup.ca
Moti Mahal
Moti Mahal a family-run restaurant owned by Harjit and Bill Mann, has a 23-year history of serving Kashmiri Indian, vegetarian, meat and seafood dishes. Among Moti Mahal's specialties are Chicken Kashmiri and Mixed Vegetable Curry. This restaurant received a gold medal for "Best Indian Restaurant" and a silver medal for "Best Ethnic Restaurant" in the Calgary Herald Reader's Choice Award.
Moti Mahal
1805 14 St. SW.
Calgary, AB
T2T
403-228-9990
motimahal.ca
Redwater Rustic Grille
The Redwater Grille offers freshly prepared regional rustic recipes in a modern romantic setting. Private party and ladies' night event packages are available. Gluten-free menu options are provided. This restaurant received a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2009.
Redwater Rustic Grille
9223 Macleod Trail S.
Calgary, AB
T2J
403-253-4266
redwatergrille.com
Niko's Bistro
Opened in 2006, in the trendy Kensington area of Calgary, Niko's Italian Bistro offers its patrons a lively atmosphere and a modestly priced menu with generous portions. In addition to gluten-free and child's menu options, Niko's offers a complete wine list, and take-out and catering services for private parties and other special occasions.
Niko's Bistro
1241 Kensington Road NW.
Calgary, AB
T2N
403-270-0082
nikosbistro.ca
Broken Plate
The Broken Plate offers fine, fresh Greek and Mediterranean cuisine in a Greek setting, complete with 5-foot Greek urns, hand-crafted wine racks and contemporary photography and artwork on textured walls. The restaurant features plate-breaking on Friday and Saturday while the restaurant staff dances to traditional Greek music. This restaurant received The Calgary Herald's Reader Choice Award gold medal for "Best Greek Restaurant" for six straight years. In addition to its traditional and contemporary menu items, the Broken Plate offers gluten-free and vegan-friendly menu options.
Broken Plate
1829 Ranchlands Blvd. NW.
Calgary, AB T3G
403-239-8887
brokenplate.ca
Tags: menu options, Broken Plate, Moti Mahal, medal Best, offers gluten-free
Cucumbers are either grown for immediate eating or for pickling. Varieties such as the Bush Pickle are recommended for pickling because they maintain their crispness even after brining. To create your own homemade pickles, you let the raw cucumbers pickle in their brine for as long as you want, as long they are kept in the refrigerator after opening.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers, like most vegetables, come in many varieties. Straight 8 and Fanfare are species that bred for slicing, which means you eat them raw in salads straightaway. Other types such as Bush Pickle and Carolina are grown specifically for pickling. They usually grow no more than 2-inches in diameter and they stay crunchy even after soaked in the pickling mixture for long periods of time. Cucumbers are easily grown from seed in the spring and take approximately 60 days to harvest from planting. Pickling cucumbers need to be picked every day in the early morning so they do not grow too large and to encourage the vine to continue producing.
Choosing
Select fresh, just-picked cucumbers from a farmers' market or from your own backyard garden. Many grocery store cucumbers have wax on the outside, which make pickling difficult. Choose cucumbers that are dark green and full of warts, and they should be crisp to begin with. Yellowing and bloated cucumbers are a sign that the vegetable has developed seeds already. Do not use soft cucumbers or ones that have been left out in the sun too long. Approximately three to four cucumbers will fit one pint jar.
Preparations
Clean your pickle jars and lids before adding the brine and cucumbers. Use the "Sanitize" cycle on your dishwasher or boil them in a large pot. Mix white vinegar with your own mix of pickling spices and bring to a gentle boil in a nonmetal pot. Fill your jars with sliced or whole cucumbers until they are packed in. Pour the hot pickling brine into the jars. Leave a 1/4 inch from the top free of liquid to prevent leakage. Screw on the canning, or jar, lids tightly.
Canning
Properly can your pickles by placing the filled jars into a large pot or canner with water that covers the jars at least 1 inch. Boil the water for 10 minutes. By boiling the jars, you prevent spoilage and botulism. After using this canning method, you then store them in a cool, dark place. Remove the jars and place them on the counter to cool overnight. Be sure the lids do not pop up when you press the tops. The pickles are ready after 24 hours but taste better in about 2 weeks. Keep a notebook and write down how the pickles taste after a certain time period so you know in the future the best time to open a jar.
Tags: Bush Pickle, even after, such Bush, such Bush Pickle
Panettone is a traditional Italian holiday bread. It has a soft, airy texture and more accurately tastes like a cross between a bread and a cake. This golden bread is made with raisins and candied citron, and can often be found made with chocolate as well. It is a delicious treat by itself for breakfast or dessert, but can also be a tasty addition to other recipes.
Instructions
1. Make panettone French toast for breakfast. Beat egg with milk and sprinkle with cinnamon. Cut two slices of panettone about 3/4-inch thick. Dip the bread in the egg mixture and cook in a skillet coated with butter until golden brown. Serve with maple syrup or sprinkled with powdered sugar.
2. Substitute cubes of panettone for white bread in your favorite bread pudding recipe. You can then eliminate extra raisins or reduce added sugar because the panettone will add both to the final dish.
3. Slice panettone into thick pieces and top with your favorite spread. A citrus jam, cinnamon butter, apple butter or cream cheese are examples of great options, making a delicious breakfast.
4. Serve panettone as an elegant dessert. Top wedges with a scoop of ice cream such as vanilla or rum raisin and fresh whipped cream.
5. Make a panettone trifle with homemade pudding and fresh whipped cream. Cube the bread into small pieces and layer it in a glass dessert serving bowl. Top with pudding, then with whipped cream. Repeat the layers until the bowl is full, ending with whipped cream.
Tags: whipped cream, fresh whipped, fresh whipped cream, made with, Make panettone
Adding potassium bicarbonate or the more common potassium sorbate to your cider will help it ferment. You normally do this after the cider has been stored for a long time and it does not affect the bottling process. When you are bottling cider, consider how long you want to store it for. If you want to keep the cider bottled for a long period, you will need a Champagne-style bottle or any other type of bottle compatible with cork wire cages. The wire cages enable you to secure the corks for longer storage. If you intend to drink the cider over a shorter period, you can use screw tops or corks without wire for the bottles.
Instructions
1. Clean your empty bottles thoroughly. Fill each bottle to the top with warm water. As you pour the water out, shake the bottles gently.
2. Fill the bottles one at a time. Use your rubber tube to siphon the cider from a barrel or keg into the bottle. Place the tube at the bottom of the bottle before you release the cider to prevent air from getting into your beverage. Fill each bottle near to the top so the cider reaches the neck.
3. Soak the corks in warm water to make them easier to push into the bottles.
4. Secure the corks using the wire cages. Place the wire over the cork and twist it until it is tight. If you are using screw tops on your bottles, tighten them strongly.
5. Store your bottles on their sides to prevent the corks from drying. Your corks may loosen if they dry but they will stay in place if you have used wire to secure them. If you have used screw tops on the bottles, you can store them in an upright position but you should consume the cider within a few days.
Tags: screw tops, wire cages, each bottle, Fill each, Fill each bottle
Curdled milk is a type of spoiled milk. Sometimes the spoiling occurs naturally, while other times the milk is artificially curdled, or spoiled, through a specific boiling process. Although it has a foul odor and bitter taste, it is actually an essential ingredient used to make a number of other foods, such as cottage cheese, yogurt and various hard cheeses. Curdled milk also possesses an important, yet little known, medicinal quality; it is a natural intestinal antiseptic.
Cottage Cheese
Curdled milk is used to make paneer, or cottage cheese. To make cottage cheese, heat slightly spoiled milk until it boils and add a bit of lime juice or vinegar as soon as the milk begins to bubble. Remove it from heat and stir it constantly to encourage the mixture to curdle quickly. Pour the curds inside a cheesecloth and allow the liquid to drip out. After an hour, only a soft, tasty cottage cheese-like substance will remain on the cloth.
Yogurt
Curdled milk is often used to make yogurt, the Turkish word for milk that has been curdled with a lactic starter. The milk is curdled with the aid of bacteria, which turns the milk sugars into lactic acid. Since lactic acid is much easier for you to digest than milk sugars, even people who cannot drink milk can enjoy yogurt.
Hard Cheeses
Curdled milk is also used to make various hard cheeses. When milk is mixed with rennet, a natural complex enzyme, and bacteria or other microorganisms, the lactose changes to lactic acid, causing the milk to curdle and divide into curds and whey. The curds are cut up and lightly heated to make them shrink, resulting in the formation of cheese that is allowed to age anywhere from one month, like brie, to one year, like cheddar. Some cheeses, like mozzarella, may be eaten immediately.
Intestinal Antiseptic
When ingested, commercially prepared curdled milk acts as an intestinal antiseptic by producing nascent lactic acid in the intestine, thereby creating an environment that is unsuitable for the growth of harmful bacteria. Curdled milk is best used to treat typhoid fever, colitis, appendix inflammation and colon infections. A typical medicinal dose is 1/2 to 1 pint and should be taken twice per day, after breakfast and dinner, for best results. Note that although naturally curdled milk may possess some of these health benefits, you should use only commercially preparedcurdled milk for therapeutic purposes.
The Rice Diet is acclaimed for its rapid weight loss benefits and is also used to treat diabetes, congestive heart failure and hypertension. It isn't a fad diet, as it has been around since 1939, and was developed by a medical researcher at Duke University. Today people pay thousands of dollars to spend a month or more at the Rice Diet Clinic in Durham, NC, but if you have neither the time nor the money to do so, you can always follow the basic Rice Diet plan on your own.
The Facts
On the first day on this diet, you must follow the basic rice diet, eating 2 starches and 2 fruits for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On the other 6 days you may eat 1 starch, 1 non-fat dairy item and 1 fruit for breakfast and 3 starches, 3 vegetables and 1 fruit for lunch and dinner. Each starch serving can consist of 1 slice of bread, 1/3 cup of cooked rice or beans or 1/2 cup of cooked pasta. Fruit servings can be 1 medium-sized fruit, half a banana, or 1 cup of sliced or chopped fruits, berries or grapes. Vegetable servings amount to 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup uncooked and dairy servings can be 1 cup of nonfat milk or yogurt or 1/2 cup of cottage cheese.
Fluid intake should be about 48 to 64 ounces of non-caffeinated beverages per day. It is permissible to drink wine on this diet, but 3 ounces of red wine could be exchanged for 2 fruit servings, so would reduce overall food consumption. Artificial sweeteners must be limited to about 2 packs of sweetener per day, or the equivalent.
On the Rice Diet, exercise is also an important component of the program, as it is with any sensible weight loss regime. At the Rice Diet clinics the preferred form of exercise is yoga, which is also accompanied by meditation and journaling for complete mind-body wellness experience.
Features
All foods consumed on this diet must be fat-free. The goal is for you to consume 5 grams or less of fat per day, with about 20 grams of protein. You'll also need to limit your sodium intake, as sodium can causes your body to swell up and retain water. Your daily limit of sodium is150 milligrams a day.
Time Frame
Patients at the Rice Diet Clinic are advised to spend from 4 to 6 weeks at the facility, where they adhere strictly to the Rice Diet regime as well as exercising daily and being counseled to support them in their weight loss goals. If you are following the program on your own you can set your own time goals, but you may wish to plan to spend no more than a month or so trying to follow the diet as it is a very strict plan.
Benefits
Patients on the Rice Diet report losing around 5 lbs. per week or 20 lbs. per month. The diet will also improve your health, as reducing the amount of fat in your diet will lower your cholesterol and reducing salt can lower your blood pressure. Lower weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels will reduce strain on your heart, making you look and feel much healthier.
Risk Factors
If you suffer from a chronic illness such as diabetes, you should definitely consult your doctor before beginning the program. Patients at the Rice Diet Clinic lose weight under medical supervision, a wise precaution for any serious dieter. In fact, if you have any type of chronic condition such as heart disease, high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease, you should make sure your doctor understands and approves of the diet and advises you of any modifications you may need to make or precautions you should take.
Consult your doctor, as well, if you are taking any types of medications, as this diet should not be followed by anyone taking diuretics of any type. Blood-thinning medications such as Warfarin may need to have their dosages adjusted, as may medications for hypertension and diabetes, particularly as you lose weight on the diet.
The diet can also be difficult for dieters to stick to. The food can be pretty bland, and takes time to prepare. It isn't very convenient for the busy dieter--the strict rules pretty much preclude your being able to eat out for the entire time you're on the diet. This diet is great for people with a lot of willpower, time, and a high tolerance for monotony, but if you are just looking to drop a few pounds in a relatively painless fashion you may need to look elsewhere.
Pit beef is a type of barbecue known on the east coast of the US, particularly in the Baltimore area. Unlike the types of barbecue more familiar in the South and the West, pit beef is grilled, rather than smoked, making it somewhat easier for the home cook to prepare. Pit beef is also unique in that is is served with a sauce that is neither tomato nor vinegar based - instead, the preferred condiment of choice is a horseradish sauce. Truly authentic pit beef sandwiches are often served on rye bread, adding an eastern European flavor.
Instructions
Make the Pit Beef
1. Combine the first five ingredients in a small bowl and mix them together. Sprinkle three to four tablespoonful all over the top round, patting it in.
2. Place the beef in a baking dish, and cover with the dish with plastic wrap. Let it sit in the refrigerator at least overnight. For maximum flavor you should leave it in the refrigerator for three days, turning it once a day.
3. Fire up the grill. When it's ready to go, grill the beef for 30 to 40 minutes, turning often, until the outside is crusty and dark brown and the internal temperature registers about 120 degrees. Classic pit beef is meant to be served rare.
4. Place the meat on a cutting board and let it sit for five minutes. Slice it as thinly as possible against the grain and pile it high on the rolls or rye bread. Proceed to step two for the sandwich topping.
Make the Horseradish Sauce
5. Whisk the mayonnaise, horseradish, lemon juice, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Adjust the seasonings to taste, adding more horseradish, salt, and/or pepper as desired.
6. Spoon the sauce over the beef as it is piled on the rolls or bread. Top it with the onions, tomatoes, and lettuce.
7. Put the top of the bun or the sandwich on, then grab your pit beef with both hands. Take a great big bite, and repeat until stuffed.
Tags: Make Beef, rolls bread, salt pepper, small bowl
Cholesterol is found in the cell membranes of humans and animals. LDL or "bad" cholesterol carries cholesterol to the tissues, while HDL or "good" cholesterol removes it. The body produces cholesterol from plant foods and does not require any dietary cholesterol. High serum LDL cholesterol increases risk of heart attack and cardiac complications. Limit cholesterol, saturated fats and trans fats intake and add high fiber foods and omega fats to lower LDL levels.
Instructions
1. Limit animal products. Meats, poultry, eggs, butter, cream and milk contain cholesterol and should be eaten in small quantities.
2. Choose low fat dairy and meat options. Skim milk and lean meats are better choices than whole milks and full fat meats.
3. Choose essential fats. Omega fatty acids improve cardiac conditions. Add fish, flaxseed and omega-fortified foods to your diet for lower cholesterol levels.
4. Eat a high fiber diet. Increase your intake of whole grain breads, fruits and vegetables to reduce LDL.
5. Eat adequate protein. Although limiting animal products is important, the average human requires 40 g of protein per day. Beans and nuts are high in protein, but are not complete proteins. Include meat substitutes, such as soy or textured vegetable protein, which are complete protein and high fiber foods
Tags: high fiber, animal products, fiber foods, high fiber foods
If you're tired reaching for an expired cottage cheese container time and time again, read on. Follow these tips to extend the pull date of cottage cheese by as much as 2 weeks and stop your cottage cheese from going bad.
Instructions
1. Ensure that the lid on the cottage cheese container is tightly closed. Properly fitting the lid on your cottage cheese container can add days to its freshness.
2. Turn down your refrigerator's temperature to 40 degrees F or below. A few degrees under 40 degrees F are optimal for cottage cheese. However, if very low temperatures don't suit your other foods, 40 degrees F can keep your cottage cheese fresh and extend its pull date.
3. Clear a cold, dark spot in the back of your refrigerator for the container. Place the container in the spot.
4. Remove the cottage cheese from the refrigerator only when you intend to eat cottage cheese. After serving yourself, immediately put the lid back onto the container and store it back in the refrigerator. Cottage cheese starts to go bad when left out at room temperatures for longer than necessary.
Tags: cottage cheese, cheese container, cottage cheese container, your cottage, your cottage cheese, cheese from, cottage cheese
As more people are eating fresher, healthier meals there are foodies emerging all over the country. Cooking classes and clubs are popping up everywhere, too. Whether you are part of a great local cooking club or are starting one yourself, inviting people to join spreads the fun around. Use these steps to learn more about cooking clubs and who to invite to yours.
Instructions
1. Know the cooking club target demographic. These are people that love great, healthy meals and enjoy a large variety of foods and flavors. These people should be interested in new recipes and entertaining, as well as providing quick, healthy meals for their family and friends.
2. Determine how the invitation process works for your cooking club. Most clubs will allow you to bring someone to a meeting or gathering free to see if they like it. Some clubs are free and some have membership dues.
3. Share your experiences and recipes from the cooking club with your foodie friends to get them interested in joining. Show a friend how being a member of a cooking club saves you time and money with recipe exchanges, rotating host meals and other benefits your cooking club may have.
4. Post an ad on your favorite social networking site in a group about nutrition or cooking. Do the same for your local newspaper, church newsletter or other print publication.
Tags: cooking club, cooking club, healthy meals, These people, your cooking, your cooking club
Multiple varieties of cheese are mixed to create a cheese ball.
Cheese balls are a ubiquitous appetizer at holiday parties and cocktail events due to their appeal to a broad spectrum of people. Cheese balls can be made with various ingredients to customize them and excite the palate. The basic cheese ball is made with a mixture of cheddar cheese and cream cheese, topped with nuts, and served with crackers and a type of jam or chutney.
Instructions
1. Blend together cheddar cheese, cream cheese, butter, milk and chutney or fruit jam until the mixture is consistent throughout. Refrigerate overnight to harden, and then form the mixture into a ball and cover it with nuts. Place it on a platter, and serve the cheese ball with crackers.
2. Exchange cheddar cheese for another variety, such as blue cheese or goat cheese, to form an entirely different cheese ball batter.
3. Cover the cheese ball with herbs or fruit instead of nuts. Test that the flavors combine well before opting for a different outside flavoring. For example, a semisweet dried fruit, such as cranberries, dates or cherries, pairs well with goat cheese or blue cheese. Herbs, such as parsley, complement goat cheese.
4. Add different ingredients into the mixing process of the cheese, such as scallions, shallots, herbs or dried fruit. Once again, taste the combination before completely mixing the batter to make sure that you enjoy the flavors together.
5. Store batter in the freezer for use in the future. Wrap securely in cling wrap, and place in a freezer bag or airtight container. Label the date that you made the cheese ball batter, as it should not remain frozen for more than two months without being used.
Sourdough bread can turn your average sandwich into a delicious and unique-tasting delight. To make your own sourdough bread, you must first make the bread starter. Use bread starter as the foundation of a bread recipe. The starter requires "feeding." So gather a few ingredients, combine them and watch your bread starter grow.
Instructions
1. Combine yeast and 1/2 cup of warm water in a large bowl. Stir the mixture until the yeast is dissolved.
2. Add the remaining 1 cup of warm water, 3/4 cup sugar and 3 tbs. instant potato flakes. Stir the mixture until completely combined.
3. Pour the mixture into a glass jar. Cover the top of the glass jar with a towel and allow it to sit at room temperature for 8 hours. After 8 hours, place the lid on the jar and refrigerate for 3 days.
4. Remove the starter from the refrigerator after 3 days and "feed" the starter with 1 cup of warm water, 3/4 cup of sugar and 3 tbsp. of instant potato flakes.
5. Stir the mixture until it is completely combined. Cover the top of the glass jar with a towel and allow it to sit at room temperature for 8 hours.
6. Measure 1 cup of the starter to make your first loaf of sourdough bread. Store the remaining mixture in the glass jar in the refrigerator.
7. Repeat Steps 4 to 6 to re-feed the starter and make another loaf of sourdough bread after four days.
Crawfish are plentiful in southwest Louisiana and are cooked in many different ways. Here's some tips on cooking them up for a large group partaking in a crawfish boil.
Instructions
1. Place crawfish in a large tub or ice chest and rinse well with water. Using the long handled paddle, stir the live crawfish until thoroughly rinsed. Pick out dead crawfish, bait and debris. Use large tongs to transfer live crawfish into strainer insert of pot.
2. Place a pot on a burner and fill with enough water so that when the insert containing the crawfish is added, the water level will remain a couple inches below the top. As a rule of thumb, just fill the pot about halfway. You can always add more later.
3. Turn on the propane burner full blast. The fire should cover the entire bottom of the pot and flame should be licking up the side. The pot should come to a rolling boil in about 15 minutes.
4. Add seasoning and crab boil. If you are using a commercial crab boil, add according to directions. Place the strainer insert with the live crawfish in the pot and cover immediately. Keep the pot boiling. The water will cool down somewhat when you add the crawfish, so raise the heat if necessary to bring it back to a boil.
5. Turn burner off after 13 minutes. Leave the lid on pot and let crawfish soak for another 13 minutes. Remove the insert from the water and place two clean boards on top of the pot to use as a rack. This way the water will drip back into the pot and you will not lose those good seasonings.
6. Toss corn, potatoes and small onions into the boiling water in between batches of crawfish and cook until done. Throw in smoked sausage links if you are really determined to blow your diet.
7. Serve boiled crawfish and vegetables in a big pile in the middle of the newspaper covered table. If seasoning is not as spicy or as salty as you would like, simply sprinkle with Cajun seasoning, salt or red pepper.
Tags: live crawfish, boiling water, crab boil, strainer insert, water will
Turkey stew warms you up from the inside out. It's more of a meal than just soup. Nothing tastes better when you want a tasty filling meal than a bowl of hot turkey stew. Best of all, it's cheap and easy to make. Follow these steps to make turkey stew.
Instructions
1. Cook a turkey or turkey pieces in an oven until done or start with already cooked turkey. Remove most of the meat from the bones and set the meat aside.
2. Place the bones in a pot. Cover with water and boil for one hour on the stove. Remove bones from pot and let cool. Keep the water which is now your turkey broth. Strain broth.
3. Remove all meat from the bones and add the meat to the broth. Discard bones.
4. Cut up two or three large carrots and one or two pieces of celery. Chop up one onion into small pieces. Chop two potatoes into cubes. Add all the vegetables to the pot.
5. Add powdered chicken soup mix to taste. Add one teaspoon of garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Remove some broth from the pot and let it cool slightly. Add two or three tablespoons of flour to the cooled broth. Mix well and return to pot. Adding flour to cooled broth stops it from becoming lumpy.
7. Simmer on low heat until vegetables are tender and stew is thick. Serve with fresh bread or bread sticks.
Leftover ham works just as well as fresh for ham salad.
Ham salad is an Anglo-American dish, closely related to tuna salad, chicken salad and egg salad. Though ham salad is typically prepared to use up leftovers, with the proper recipe the dish can still be gourmet. A gourmet ham salad uses pasta to complement the texture of the ham and absorb some of the dressing in the dish. Preparation time takes no more than 20 minutes, followed by hours of chill time to allow the flavors to combine. The finished dish yields six servings.
Instructions
1. Combine 1 cup cooked pasta, 1 lb. cubed cooked ham, 1 chopped red bell pepper, 1 chopped green bell pepper, 1 chopped red onion, 10 chopped sweet pickles and 1 cup halved baby tomatoes in a salad bowl.
2. Combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 3/4 cup sour cream, 3 tbsp. beef bouillon, 1 tbsp. white vinegar, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. ground black pepper, 2 tbsp. minced garlic and 1/2 cup sweet pickle juice in a small bowl. Whisk the dressing until all ingredients are smooth.
3. Pour the dressing into the ingredients in the salad bowl and stir with a large wooden spoon. Continue stirring until all ingredients are coated evenly in the dressing.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for six hours before serving.
Tags: bell pepper, bell pepper chopped, pepper chopped, salad bowl, salad salad
Wrap different foods in bacon to cook and maximize their flavor.
Bacon is fattening, but it certainly is delicious. Everything in moderation, including bacon, is the key to a balanced diet. Bacon, when used as the primary ingredient in a dinner dish or even as a flavoring agent, transforms the entr e, side dish, salad, soup or gravy into a satisfying and flavorful treat. While only a minimal amount of bacon is required to flavor other foods in recipes, bacon emerges as the primary ingredient due to the delicious taste. The aroma alone stimulates the appetite.
Instructions
1. Wash large peeled and deveined shrimp with the tail left on --- approximate size 10 to 15 per lb. --- under cold running water.
2. Cut a slit down the back of the shrimp, using a sharp knife, approximately ½-inch deep. Do not cut through the entire body of the shrimp if possible.
3. Slice off the stem end of the pickled jalapenos and use a small measuring spoon or similar utensil to reach into the pepper and pull out the seeds. Rinse out the inside of the jalapeno pepper.
4. Cut the jalapenos into approximately ¼-inch slices and beginning at the tail, place a jalapeno slice in the slit in the back of the shrimp. Place another slice end-to-end to the first and continue until the jalapenos fill the slit from head to tail.
5. Place strips of hickory double-smoked bacon on a cookie sheet and place in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Bake the bacon until it is half-way done. Remove it from the oven while it is still limp and pliable. Remove the bacon strips from the cookie sheet and allow them to cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve the cookie sheet covered with the bacon grease.
7. Wrap each shrimp from head to tail with a single layer of hickory double-smoked bacon. Wrap the bacon around the shrimp and over the jalapeno peppers.
8. Insert a skewer through the middle of the body of the shrimp from just above the tail and out the head. Insert the skewer through 2 to 3 other shrimp in the same manner for a meal-sized portion.
9. Return the bacon-wrapped shrimp skewers to the oven and cook for approximately 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until the shrimp assumes a pink color and the bacon is fully cooked.
10. Remove the hickory double-smokedbacon-wrapped shrimp from the oven and lay them on a paper towel. Do not blot the bacon grease or turn the shrimp skewers over to blot the other side. The bacon and the bacon grease are the primary flavoring ingredient in the dinner dish.
Tags: bacon grease, cookie sheet, hickory double-smoked, shrimp from, approximately -inch, back shrimp, bacon-wrapped shrimp
1. Wash the beets and trim the ends off before cooking.
2. Place trimmed beets in a roasting pan and add a little water for steam. Roast the beets at 425 degrees F for 30 to 45 minutes (cover the pan with foil) or until the beets are easily pierced with a knife. Slip off the skins under running water and slice or dice.
3. If boiling, cook the beets for 20 to 30 minutes, or until tender.
4. If using a microwave oven, cook the beets with a little water for 8 to 15 minutes.
5. Match beets with orange (juice and zest), ginger or both.
6. Dress beets with a vinaigrette. Serve warm or at room temperature. Add some sweet onion, parsley, and hard-boiled egg chunks for a hearty salad.
7. Keep the beet greens - you can cook and eat these like any other slightly bitter greens (see "Cook Greens" in the Relate eHows).
8. If you're mixing beets with other vegetables (in a salad, for instance), cook and dress the beets separately and add them last. Their vivid color will seep into everything else otherwise.
Rainbow trout represent a triple threat to the freshwater angler: they put up a tremendous fight, are beautiful fish and taste delicious when broiled, poached or simply pan fried. Rainbows subsist on a diet consisting mainly of insects, worms and small baitfish such as minnows. This species of trout will also rise from a clear pool to strike homemade bait made of cheese and garlic. Bait balls can be made at home with a bit of flour and cornmeal to hold them together.
Instructions
1. Melt the cheese in a mixing bowl placed in a microwave oven.
2. Add all other ingredients and stir until blended to form a dough mixture.
3. Fill a saucepan with water and set on the stove to boil.
4. Form the dough into individual balls, each about the size of a marble.
5. Drop the dough balls into the water a few at a time and boil for 2 minutes.
6. Fish out the bait balls with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to cool and dry.
7. Store the bait balls in resealable plastic bags. Snack-size bags are good for measuring out quantities of baitballs that can be frozen until ready for fishing. Simply grab as many bags as you need and head for the trout stream.
Eating gluten-free is a choice for some people, but for many others, it is a necessity. A condition called celiac disease makes it extremely important for sufferers to refrain from eating anything that contains gluten. Gluten is a type of protein found in grain. It actually forms a glue-like substance in bread products and pasta. While it may seem impossible to go about daily life without eating bread or bread products, people with celiac disease learn to live and eat fairly well. In fact, you can actually eat gluten-free at regular restaurants. This guide will show you how.
Instructions
1. Ask for a gluten-free menu. Over the past few years, awareness of celiac disease has spread. Restaurants want to cash in on that fact. In fact, several large chain restaurants offer gluten-free menus. Typically, a notation at the bottom of a regular menu will announce, "Gluten-free menu available."
2. Tell our server you have celiac disease, or that you are allergic to gluten. Hopefully, awareness of your condition will make her extra-sensitive to your dietary needs. For example, explain that, when you say you want no sauce on your plate, you mean it--with no exceptions.
3. Ask the server not to deliver bread to your table. Some celiac patients have only recently been diagnosed. For them, bread is a temptation, and not eating it is torture. What's more, some celiac sufferers actually have a reaction to the mere smell of bread.
4. Request no dressing or croutons on your salad. Salad dressings, although they do not include bread, typically contain gluten. An easy solution is to purchase your own bottle of gluten-free salad dressing and keep some in your purse or handbag.
5. Order seafood and vegetables, or meat and vegetables. Seafood, meat and vegetables are all safe, as long as seasonings that contain gluten are not added. You can still eat well gluten-free; you just have to be extra careful.
6. Order steamed rice as you side. Rice is not only delicious, but celiac patients can eat it as well. Rice is a substitute for wheat in many gluten-free recipes. Celiac patients typically buy rice flour and rice bread instead of wheat bread and flour.
7. Tip your server well. This means 20 percent. Yes, that's much higher than some people typically leave for a tip, but if you find a good "gluten-free" waitress, you'll probably come back often.
Tags: celiac disease, bread products, celiac patients, contain gluten, meat vegetables, some people
I first stumbled upon these cheesecake balls by accident. I was baking another treat and was left with this cream cheese mixture. I covered the balls with chocolate and instantly thought I was in heaven.
Instructions
1. Soften cream cheese. Place the cream cheese in a bowl and soften in the microwave for a few seconds.
2. Sweeten the cream cheese. Add the 1/2 cup of sugar and the 1/4 cup of chocolate chips to the cream cheese.
3. Drop the balls. After greasing a cookie sheet, drop small balls of the cream cheese mixture on a cookie sheet. After the sheet is full, place a toothpick in each ball and in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Dip the balls. In the ice cream aisle of the grocery store, there are chocolate shell liquids. Pour an entire bottle of this product in a bowl and dip each of the cheesecake balls into the hardening chocolate.
5. Line a plate. Place plastic wrap on a plate and grease with a little oil. After dipping each cream cheese ball, place on the plastic wrap. When the plate is full, allow the chocolate to harden in the refrigerator and enjoy.
Coconut flour can be used to make muffins, pies, cakes, breads and other baked goods.
If you think you can't enjoy waffles as part of a low-carb diet, think again! Waffles made with coconut flour instead of wheat flour are low in carbohydrates, high in fiber and protein, and they are gluten-free. Coconut flour has a slightly nutty and naturally sweet flavor, without adding a strong coconut taste. As a healthier alternative to wheat flour, it contains more protein and 10 times more fiber than grain flour, most of it the healthier soluble type.
Instructions
1. Preheat the waffle iron. Many waffle irons have adjustable temperature settings, allowing you to choose the color and texture of your waffle.
2. Blend all the ingredients. You can use a mixer, blender, food processor or add the ingredients to a bowl and use a whisk.
3. Pour the recommended amount of batter into your waffle iron. Consult your waffle iron's instruction manual to determine the recommended amount of batter. This recipe usually makes four to six waffles, depending on your waffle iron.
4. Close the waffle iron and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the waffles easily separate from the waffle iron. Cooking time will depend on your waffle iron's recommended cooking times and the desired waffle texture and color.
5. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Tags: waffle iron, your waffle, your waffle iron, amount batter, Coconut flour, recommended amount, recommended amount batter
Once you master this easily learned craft, you'll love eating whole fish at the table.
Instructions
1. If you're right-handed, place the fish with its head to your right. Then take the knife, make a cut just under the gills and slide the knife along leftward, underneath the flesh that sits on top of the fish's central bone, cutting it from that bone. You'll end up with a neat, skin-on fillet that you can lift right off the bone and eat.
2. Simply lift the bone with your hands. It should come immediately away from that underlying second fillet. Now you've freed 90 percent of the meat.
3. The only difficulty may arise with the other bones in the fish. The parts of the skeleton near the top fin of the fish (the dorsal fin) and the bottom fin (the anal fin) contain smaller, more intricate bones. Getting the flesh around them may take a little work. This is especially complicated with flatfish, like Dover sole. Round fish, like bass or salmon, have far fewer bones on the bottom side supporting the anal fin.
Whole chickens are perfect for the grill, believe it or not. All you have to do is cut out the backbone and flatten the bird out, and the whole chicken is easier to cook and less likely to dry out than are cut-up pieces.
Instructions
1. Prepare the Greek Lemon-Herb Marinade as directed in the Related eHow or use your own marinade. Divide it in half and reserve one half of it away from where you'll be preparing the chicken.
2. Rinse the chicken well under cold water, remove and discard the giblets and any excess fat, and pat the bird dry with paper towels.
3. Remove the wishbone if you can. The wishbone surrounds the inside opening of the neck cavity. To remove it, scrape the bone on both sides with a sharp knife, reach in and grab it with your fingers and pull it out.
4. Use a sharp set of poultry shears or a sharp knife to cut out the backbone. Do this carefully.
5. Use your shears or the knife to trim away any protruding rib bones once the backbone is out.
6. Flatten the chicken by bending the breasts and thighs back toward one another. If you like, you can make this easier by cutting out the "keel bone" located inside the cavity between the two breasts.
7. Cover the flattened chicken with half the marinade and refrigerate it for 2 to 4 hours.
8. Prepare a medium fire on the grill. Place the chicken on the grill with the bones facing down and the meat side facing up. Cook it on this side for about 7 to 10 minutes.
9. Start flipping the chicken at regular intervals, basting the skin with the reserved marinade as you do.
10. Check the internal temperature of the chicken - when the thermometer reads 160 degrees F, the chicken is done. Without a thermometer, use a paring knife to cut into the chicken at its deepest point or separate the thigh bone from the hip joint; if the meat is fully cooked and no longer translucent, it's done.
A central part of many dishes, including eggs benedict, hollandaise (French for "Dutch") sauce is about as rich and luxurious as a sauce gets. It's excellent with fish. This recipe makes about two cups.
Instructions
1. Place the white wine, white wine vinegar, shallots, peppercorns and red pepper flakes in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
2. Simmer until liquid has reduced to 1/2 c., and then strain the liquid into another container. Discard the seasonings.
3. Meanwhile, bring about two inches of water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler.
4. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat until completely melted.
5. Skim off and discard the white foam that rises to the top. Ladle off and reserve the clear yellow liquid in the middle (this is clarified butter) and discard the milky liquid that has fallen to the bottom.
6. Place the egg yolks in a medium metal bowl or in the bowl of a double boiler and whisk together.
7. While whisking the egg yolks continuously, place the bowl over the simmering water for about 20 or 30 seconds, and then remove it and whisk for a few seconds. Repeat.
8. Heat the yolks slowly so that they don't scramble. If they scramble, you'll need to start over.
9. Keep whisking until the yolks get firmer. Look for the ribbon stage, when they're firm enough that when you lift the whisk out of the yolks and drizzle some back onto the surface, it forms a ribbonlike pattern that lasts for a few moments before sinking back into the yolks.
10. Slowly drizzle some of the melted clarified butter over the beaten yolks, whisking constantly. When a ladle or two of butter has been blended in, begin alternating between the melted butter and the vinegar mixture.
11. Notice when the mixture has thickened and begins resembling a sauce, then season with salt and begin tasting. If too tart, whisk in more melted butter - if not tart enough, squeeze in some lemon juice.
12. Keep in a warm place until ready to use. The sauce will thicken as it sits.
Tags: clarified butter, double boiler, drizzle some, melted butter, they scramble, white wine
How long to keep condiments? Ketchup can last up to one year in the refrigerator.
The shelf life of condiments is a topic of great debate. Some people throw their ketchup away on the expiration date, while some will keep a bottle of ranch dressing in their refrigerator until it starts to smell. Many condiments will last for months or years in the refrigerator.
Tomato, Vinegar and Pepper-Based Condiments
An opened ketchup bottle can last for eight to 12 months if stored in the refrigerator, and one month if stored at room temperature. Vinegar can last for one year if left opened. Jarred salsas will last for about two months if kept refrigerated. Chili sauce will last for six to eight months, but Tabasco sauce will last for two to five years. Taco sauce will last for two years. Jarred jalapenos will last for up to six months in the refrigerator.
Dairy
Mayonnaise will last for two to six months in the refrigerator, while butter will only last for about two weeks. Cream cheese will also last for about two weeks. Margarine will last for up to six months. Both whipped cream and sour cream have short shelf lives, at two weeks and three weeks, respectively. The condiment with the shortest shelf life is hollandaise sauce. It will only last for one day before it expires.
Salad Dressings
Most salad dressings will only last for a short time in the refrigerator. Ranch and bleu cheese dressings last for about two months in the refrigerator. Thousand Island, French, and vinaigrette dressings also last for two months in the refrigerator.
Other
The shelf lives of sauces vary greatly. Bearnaise will last for two days, while homemade garlic sauce will only last for one day. Cocktail sauce will last for six to eight months, while tartar sauce will expire after three months. Steak sauce lasts for a whole year. Mustard stays edible for six to eight months. Worcestershire and soy sauce will both stay good for a year. Jams, jellies, preserves and maple syrup all last for a year in the refrigerator.
Tags: will last, sauce will, last months, eight months, last about
There is nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than a cool glass of sun-steeped lemon iced tea; however, without practice making the perfect blend can take some practice. If you want to cut to the chase this summer, brewing up a batch of lemon iced sun tea is a snap.
Instructions
1. Fill a 2-qt. glass jar with clean water and then place 4 or 5 bags of your favorite tea into the jar. Drape the tea bag strings over the mouth of the jar and hold onto the tabs as you screw down the lid, holding the bags to float in the water.
2. Place the jar in a location where the sun hits the glass directly. Move the jar occasionally while brewing your lemon iced tea so that it stays in the sun. After about 5 hours, the water should have darkened to the perfect strength.
3. Scrub 2 ripe lemons and then slice them, peel and all, as thinly as possible. Remove as many seeds as you can without losing too much juice.
4. Remove the tea bags from the jar and add any sweetener if you like, as well as your lemon slices. Place the jar in the refrigerator until the tea has chilled. Serve the tea over ice cubes and enjoy your refreshing lemon iced tea.
Whether you are throwing a Super Bowl party or hosting a Mexican fiesta, you and your friends will enjoy this layered Mexican dip with some tortilla chips. Follow these steps to whip up this addictive dish.
Instructions
1. Smother the base of a glass dish with cream cheese. Spread the cheese until it covers the entire base of the dish.
2. Add you sour cream and place it on top of the cream cheese. Cover all of the cream cheese. You also can mix up these two ingredients to make the base.
3. Shred some cheddar and mozzarella. Cover the sour cream and cream cheese mix. This mix composes the first two layers of your dip.
4. Cover your mix with salsa for a third layer.
5. Chop your peppers and cover the salsa layer. These peppers give the dish more color. You can add more yellow or red peppers if you like.
6. Shred more cheddar and mozzarella over the entire top of the dish. You're ready to serve the dip with tortilla chips or quesadillas.
Stock your bar with the tools of the trade so that mixing drinks is a breeze.
Instructions
1. Make sure you have a heavy-duty blender for cracking ice cubes and crushing ice if you plan to serve frozen drinks.
2. Buy a cocktail shaker and coil-rimmed strainer for mixing drinks. A plain metal shaker is best for beginners since it can take more of a beating.
3. Get at least one of each kind of jigger, the little cups used to measure drinks. A two-sided jigger has a 1-oz. measure on one side and a 1 1/2-oz. measure on the other side, while a one-sided jigger has 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 and 1-oz. measures.
4. Get at least two bar spoons with long handles for stirring drinks, plus a set of measuring spoons for measuring salt, sugar and bitters.
5. Purchase either a waiter corkscrew, which fits in a pocket, or the easier-to-use winged corkscrew.
6. Make sure you have a wooden muddler on hand for crushing herbs and sugars if you plan to make juleps or old-fashioneds.
7. Buy an electric juicer if you want to use only fresh juice.
8. Choose fun cocktail picks and the cocktail napkins on hand.
Tags: jigger 1-oz, Make sure, Make sure have, mixing drinks, sure have
Chicken noodle soup is a staple food for people with a cold or the flu
You don't have to be sick to enjoy chicken noodle soup as a meal. Whether hearty with lots of vegetables and noodles or light with mostly broth, chicken noodle soup makes for a great light lunch or dinner. You can make it a more complete meal by serving the soup up with a side dish.
Grilled Cheese Sandwich
A hot bowl of soup and a sandwich is a classic meal. Grilled cheese sandwiches are the perfect side dish to make chicken noodle soup a hearty meal. You can use cheeses with flavors that compliment the chicken flavor of the soup like fontina, swiss and gouda. Try adding tomato or turkey breast deli slices to the grilled cheese sandwich.
Herb Toast
Use butter and your favorite spices to make an herb toast to dip in chicken noodle soup. You can use a French baguette or Italian bread to make garlic bread with oregano , thyme and rosemary. Butter the bread and sprinkle the spices of your choice and toast in the oven until crisp. You can also use hearty whole grain bread to add even more flavor.
Cheese Biscuits
Dipping cheese biscuits in chicken noodle soup is a good way to add cheese flavor to the soup. Make homemade biscuits and add the cheese of your choice in the batter or melt cheese over prepared biscuits. Cheeses like cheddar, asiago and swiss taste good with biscuits and with the soup.
Vegetables
Fresh vegetables are a refreshing compliment to chicken noodle soup. You can put some carrot, bell pepper and celery sticks to serve on the side and use the chicken noodle soup as a dip.
Sandwiches
Cold deli sandwiches make a good balanced meal together with chicken noodle soup. Chicken salad, roast beef, turkey, bologna, egg salad, ham and tuna sandwiches all compliment the chicken soup flavors. You can use different kinds of bread to make the sandwich from a heavy seven whole grain bread to a light bun or even a bagel depending on how heavy of a meal you want.
Salad
In addition to the vegetables already in the soup, you can add more by coupling it with a salad side dish. You can prepare a green tossed salad with different kinds of green leaves and a light dressing to eat with the soup. A refreshing cucumber and tomato salad can balance out the heaviness of the chicken noodle soup.
Potatoes in the United States receive grades based on their quality.
In the United States, potatoes are found in a large variety of meals and snacks, including French fries, hash browns and potato salad. Potatoes can be baked, boiled, mashed and fried, and are one of the most commonly eaten vegetables in the country. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, gives potatoes one of three grades: U.S. No. 1, U.S. No. 2, or U.S. Commercial.
U.S. No. 1
Potatoes that are graded U.S. No. 1 must have an attractive shape and overall appearance. They cannot have any discoloration and cannot be damaged in any way. These potatoes are typically sold to consumers in grocery stores or used in restaurant dishes that require aesthetically pleasing potatoes for a dish. Good-looking potatoes are usually needed when preparing them baked, steamed or boiled.
U.S. No. 2
The USDA gives potatoes the U.S. No. 2 grade when they are bruised, misshapen or discolored. These potatoes are not typically sold to the public, but are sold to restaurants who need them for meals where the potato's appearance is not important. Such meals might include mashed potatoes or french fries, because the potato is peeled or thinly cut.
U.S. Commercial
If a potato meets nearly all of the requirements for the U.S. No. 1 grade, but does not meet only a few, it may be designated a U.S. Commercial potato. For this grade to be given, the potato must be free from any extensive damage caused by dirt, foreign matter or Russet scab. The potato must also not suffer from Rhizoctonia, a common fungal disease.
External Defects
The USDA gives a potato its grade based mostly on external defects. Such defects can include cracks, flattened areas or green patches. Damage caused by insects, rodents and birds is also considered. When examining these defects, they must be classified as "Damage" or "Serious Damage." Often, potatoes labeled "Serious Damage" are discarded.
Cold stabilization removes particles from white wine.
Cold stabilization is part of the wine-making process. Its purpose is to remove tartrate crystals from the wine during its fermentation stage. Also known as "wine diamonds," the tartrate deposits are harmless, but commercial winemakers wish to prevent them so that consumers do not think they have found glass or other particles in their bottle. The removal of tartrate crystals gives the appearance of a superior product.
Potassium Bitartrate (cream of tartar)
Grpaes naturally contain both tartaric acid and potassium ions.
Tartaric acid is an organic acid normally found within a grape. Potassium and calcium ions can also be found in grapes. When tartaric acid and potassium combine they form a salt that can precipitate from the wine under cold conditions to form a compound called potassium bitartrate. Potassium bitartrate are clear crystals also used in cooking and commonly known as cream of tartar.
Process of Cold Stabilization
Cold stabilization is the process of dropping the temperature of the wine, following fermentation, for a period of 1 to 2 weeks. This forces potassium bitartrate crystals to form. The crystals will then separate from the wine and stick to the sides of the holding vessel. When the wine is removed (known as racking), the crystal deposits will remain behind. This speeds up the natural process by which potassium bitartrate would crystallize and precipitate at more moderate temperatures.
Why Only White Wine?
The process of cold stabilization is typically done only to white and rose whites. Red wines do form crystals, as all grapes contain both tartaric acid and potassium ions. However red wine is generally stored and served at room temperature which means it does not get cold enough to form crystals. Additionally any sediment present would be less noticeable in reds.
Importance of Cold Stabilization
Our first impressions of any wine are visual and greatly influence our overall enjoyment of the wine. Therefore both clarification and stabilization are important, particularly for commercial wine makers. As such, cold stabilization of wine has become standard industry practice. Some wine makers, though, argue that cold stabilization impairs the flavor and character of the wine.
Tags: acid potassium, form crystals, from wine, potassium bitartrate, tartaric acid potassium, acid potassium ions
Betsey Johnson designs a wide array of makeup cases, and most of them don't even need to be dry-cleaned. That's because they're made to hold cosmetics, which notoriously bust, flake and leak. Cleaning your Betsey Johnson makeup bag takes a little time, but with the right materials you can keep it as stain-free as possible.
Instructions
1. Combine the vinegar and distilled water in the spray bottle. Secure it and shake it to combine it. Empty your Betsey Johnson makeup bag so you can clean it.
2. Spray the inside of the handbag liberally. Let it sit for two minutes. You will immediately notice the colored makeup mess drip with the vinegar.
3. Dampen a paper towel. Sweep it around the inside of the makeup bag, soaking up the stained vinegar and makeup mess. Do this with as many paper towels as necessary to get the bulk of the mess.
4. Spray the inside of the bag a second time. This time, focus on the areas that need the cleaning the most, such as the creases in the bottom. Dampen another paper towel and clean it up a second time.
5. Prop the bag up on its side with the top opened and allow it to air dry for approximately eight hours.
Tags: Betsey Johnson, your Betsey Johnson, Betsey Johnson makeup, Johnson makeup, makeup mess, paper towel
Impress your friends and make a home made ice cream cake instead of buying one from the store. This is a great cake to serve at a casual birthday party.
Instructions
1. Decide what kind of ice cream cake you want to make. You can use any combination of cake and ice cream flavors. Chocolate cake with mint chocolate chip ice cream is always a crowd pleaser.
2. Go to the store and buy the ingredients listed above. This can be done in days before making the cake. Just make sure that nothing expires before you plan to make the cake.
3. You'll need to create a mold for the ice cream. Let the ice cream thaw a bit. Line one of the round cake pans with wax paper. Once the ice cream has thawed enough to handle, fill the round cake pan with ice cream. Cover it with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least a few hours (This can be done a few days ahead).
4. Prepare the cake. Preheat the oven to the temperature specified in your recipe. If you don't know what temp to use, 350 degrees should work fine. Mix the ingredients together then place them in the 2 remaining round pans. Bake the cake until it is done (you should be able to insert a toothpick and nothing gooey sticks to it). When it is done remove it from the oven and cool on wire racks.
5. Prepare the whipped cream. Put the heavy whipping cream, vanilla and sugar in a bowl. You can adjust the amounts of vanila and sugar to your taste preference. Use an electric mixer and make the whipped cream. Once you are done let the mix chill in the fridge for a bit.
6. Assemble the cake! Place one of the cakes on a platter. Take the ice cream out of the round pans and put on the cake. Put the last piece of cake on the ice cream. Ice the cake with the whipped cream that is in the fridge.
7. Decorate the cake however you want and you are done! You will need to store the finished cake in the freezer until you are ready to serve it to your guests.
Creamy homemade coleslaw pairs well with other dishes.
Barbecues and coleslaw go together like peanut butter and jelly -- one is just not complete without the other. Coleslaw, which gets its name from the Dutch words "kool sla," meaning "cabbage salad," can be prepared a wide variety of ways. Some preparations are light and crisp, relying on an oil and vinegar base to keep the crunch in the cabbage. This recipe is for a smooth slaw, which uses mayonnaise or salad dressing to impart the creamy flavor.
Instructions
1. Shred one large head of green cabbage into a large bowl. Add 2 cups of shredded red cabbage, 2 cups of shredded carrots and one large green pepper, shredded. Mix in 1 cup of finely diced red onion.
2. Mix all of the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. Add in either 2 cups of mayonnaise or salad dressing, or use 2 cups of your favorite store-bought slaw mix. Blend together well.
3. Refrigerate your coleslaw for at least an hour before you are going to serve it. When chilled and ready to serve, stir it first because the mayonnaise/slaw dressing tends to go to the bottom of the bowl. Serve as a side dish or as a topping for barbecue.
If you are trying out a low carb diet or need to eat less carbs for health reasons, there is probably a lot of tinkering you must do with your entire diet. Eating low-carbohydrate foods isn't just cutting out lots of starches and sugars, but also about replacing them with quality proteins and good fats. There are several alternative recipes and ingredients for the classic favorite dish of chicken with pasta. You can create this dish low carb by substituting the pasta with different types of pasta or even vegetables, and adding a lot of vegetables with natural sauces.
The Basics of a Low-Carb Diet
Eating low carb can be complex, but there is the main process to keep in mind about how the diet works. First off, carbohydrates are what store up to create fat in the body, but are first broken down as sugar molecules during digestion. If these carbohydrates are continually being ingested and digested, the body uses this sugar to burn for energy, thus letting the rest of the carbohydrates build up as fat. If you cut out a lot of these carbs, your body will be forced to turn to the stored fat to burn for energy, thus helping you lose weight. There's a big difference between low-carb and low-fat diets. Instead of cutting out all the fats, you are just cutting out more carbs, which makes your body burn fat and maintain lean muscle. If you love chicken and pasta dishes, you can still have them but in an altered recipe.
Materials for Recipes
Pasta is known for having a lot of carbohydrates, so it is best to find alternatives for the pasta in entree recipes. You can substitute whole wheat pasta, tofu pasta or vegetable pasta for more nutrients and less carbs. If you want to go with almost no carbs in the pasta part, you can even julienne certain vegetables such as squash, zucchini and carrots to simulate stringy pasta. Have boneless, skinless chicken breast meat to use. To really spice up the dish, add some seasonings and a ton of vegetables. Good vegetables and other ingredients that are low carb and tasty include Swiss chard (and other hearty greens), mushrooms, red, green, orange or yellow bell peppers, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, asparagus, red pepper flakes, sprouts, endives, bok choy, radishes, avocado, cucumbers, green beans, edamame, jalepeno peppers, scallions, onions, snowpeas, leeks, eggplant, artichokes, fennel, okra, turnip and pumpkin. Avoid adding corn, potatoes or beets to the pasta dish, as these are high in carbs. Herbs such as cilantro, parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme are ideal additions to add some flavor to the dish as well.
Recipe Instructions
When you prepare the chicken, prepare it in a simple way, such as grilling it, baking it or sauteing it on the stove top. Use about 1 cup of chopped pieces. Don't add butter or Pam spray; if anything, just add salt, pepper and olive oil. Olive oil is full of good fats and seen as low carb. Cook about 1 1/2 cups pasta, boiling in water until al dente, unless it is julienned vegetables. In this case, you just warm the 1 1/2 cup of veggies on the stovetop, making them a little soft but crispy on the outside. Throw together the chicken pieces and the pasta, then sprinkle 1/2 cup each of vegetables on top of the pasta and chicken dish, tossing it with some utensils to mix it thoroughly. Experiment with different mix and matches, such as chicken, whole wheat pasta, with bok choy, zucchini, bell peppers and cilantro. Or else mix it up with vegetable pastas, chopped chicken, red pepper flakes, scallions, snowpeas and eggplant.
Tags: bell peppers, burn energy, burn energy thus, energy thus, good fats, just cutting, less carbs
Wine making at home is a popular hobby that has many enthusiasts. Home wine making offers the brewer the chance to experiment with different fruits, vegetables and flowers along with the many varieties of grapes available. The home wine maker is allowed by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to manufacture up to 200 gallons of wine a year for a household with two adults. An individual is limited to 100 gallons a year.
Visit Your Local Brew Shop
Most larger cities have a brew shop that specializes in equipment for home wine and beer makers. The shop will carry yeast for your wine, kits to make it in and in some stores, various concentrates to make specialty wines. If you are lucky enough to have a brew shop in your town, it is truly one-stop shopping for the home wine maker.
Make Your Own Equipment
Making simple wine is not a complicated process. Very little equipment is needed. For small amounts of wine--i.e., one to two gallons--a 12-quart stainless steel stockpot with lid can serve as a brewing vessel. Or you can use a plastic or glass carboy or food-grade bucket with a lid. You will also need a long-handled stainless steel spoon, approximately four feet of food-grade plastic tubing, a quart jar and a sheet of cheesecloth large enough to cover the opening of your brewing vessel. A long piece of string to tie the cheesecloth in place will keep the cloth from blowing off the vessel. Once the wine has fermented, you will need plastic or glass bottles with screw-on caps to age and store the wine. Clean soda bottles work well for this.
Make the Wine
A very simple wine can be made using four cans of frozen 100 percent grape juice concentrate. This can be white or Concord grape juice. Thaw the frozen concentrate and pour into your brewing vessel. In another pan, dissolve two pounds of sugar into 1/2 gallon of water. If you do this over low heat, the sugar will dissolve faster. Pour this sugar water into the brewing vessel. Stir the concentrate and sugar water to mix. In a small bowl, mix together one package of wine yeast and 3 tbsp. sugar. Pour warm water over the mixture and stir. Let the yeast mixture "proof" by allowing the level in the bowl to rise. You will see the yeast beginning to work on the surface of the mixture. Pour this into the vessel and stir.
Brew the Wine
Place one end of the food-grade tubing into the wine mixture, keeping the end approximately one to two inches off the bottom of the vessel. Place the other end of the tubing into a quart-size jar half full of water. Cover the top of the vessel with cheesecloth. Hold the cheesecloth in place with the lid of the vessel placed on the pot or bucket slightly askew, or use string to tie the cheesecloth in place.
Fermenting and Bottling
The wine will take approximately three to four weeks to brew. As it brews, the water in the jar will bubble occasionally. When the bubbling stops, the wine is done. Use the tubing to siphon the wine into bottles. Cap and store in a cool, dark place. The wine is ready to drink or can be aged for up to two months in the selected storage area.
Tags: brewing vessel, cheesecloth place, home wine, brew shop, grape juice, have brew
For best results, store your eggs in the refrigerator for one week before boiling.
Fried, poached, baked, boiled or scrambled -- eggs are one of the most versatile of kitchen ingredients. In culinary mythology, the 100 pleats on a chef's hat are said to represent the numerous ways you can prepare eggs, according to "Bon Appetit." Hard boiling is just one of these preparation methods. When hard boiling eggs, choose eggs that have been stored in the refrigerator for at least a week as the additional storage time causes the egg to shrink slightly inside the shell, which makes peeling the eggs much easier.
Instructions
1. Place your eggs in the saucepan. All of the eggs should fit in single layer on the bottom of the saucepan with ample space around each egg. If the saucepan is too crowded, the eggs might bump into each other and crack. If all of your eggs don't fit comfortably in your saucepan, boil them in separate batches.
2. Add cold water to the saucepan until the eggs are covered by at least 1 inch of water.
3. Place the saucepan on the stove and turn the heat to high. Allow the water to come to a simmer.
4. Cover the saucepan and remove it from the burner, which keeps the water hot enough to cook the eggs, but not so hot that the yolks will turn green.
5. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for 18 to 20 minutes.
6. Remove the lid and run cold water over your eggs to stop the cooking process. Rapidly cooling the eggs also helps prevent the yolks from turning green.
7. Remove the eggs from the water. The eggs should be cool enough to handle with your hands. Refrigerate the eggs until ready for use.
Tags: your eggs, cold water, eggs should, eggs that
Making your own potato chips is easy with the right tools.
Potato chips are one of the most popular snack foods out there. They're salty, crunchy and great for munching. Unfortunately, store-bought potato chips are often made with unhealthy fats and excessive amounts of salt. Making your own potato chips is much healthier and less expensive. With the right tools and a little bit time and effort, you can make delicious potato chips.
Potatoes
Yukon Gold or Idaho potatoes are best for chips.
The best-tasting potato chips are made from either Yukon Gold or Idaho potatoes. Wash and dry them thoroughly before slicing. You can either peel them or leave the peels intact before slicing.
Slicing
A mandolin will make slicing potatoes fast and easy.
Use a mandolin slicer to cut your potatoes into 1/8-inch thick slices. Be very careful when using the mandolin, and use the guard to protect your fingers.
Seasoning
There are many options for seasoning potato chips.
Homemade potato chips can be seasoned in many different ways. Many people prefer just a sprinkle of salt. Other possible seasonings include garlic powder, dry basil, rosemary, parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper.
Cooking the Chips
Potato chips can either be baked or fried in oil.
There are two basic options for cooking potato chips. One is to spread the potato chips on a cookie sheet and bake them in the oven. The other is to fry them in oil. A deep fryer is not necessary; a frying pan or saute pan with high sides will do.
Cooling
After cooking the potato chips, they will need to cool for a few minutes. If they were baked in the oven, they can cool on the cookie sheet. If they were fried in oil, transfer them to a plate or cooling rack lined with paper towels.
Champagne is ideally served at 45 degrees in crystal champagne flutes.
Champagne is practically a necessity when it comes to celebrations and toasting for both the taste and appearance. Champagne signifies luxury and special occasion and usually a good quality Champagne runs at a significantly higher price tag than many affordable good quality wines. Therefore, serving Champagne properly is of the utmost importance as to ensure that it is enjoyed to its fullest potential. The type of glass, temperature of the bottle and method of pouring all contribute to a well or poorly served glass of Champagne.
Instructions
1. Choose your glasses. Traditional Champagne glasses are tall clear-glass flutes or tulip-lipped glasses. Champagne flutes come in a variety of straight and tall or shorter and slightly more curvy; both varieties are appropriate. The flute can be either glass or crystal; the only advantage of a crystal flute is that the surface is rougher and therefore allows more bubbles to stick to the sides of the glass. As with wine glasses, never chill or ice the glass before serving. Keep all glasses at room temperature.
2. Chill the Champagne. Champagne is best served at around 45 degrees Fahrenheit, and while refrigerator cooling is the easiest method, most refrigerators are kept at a temperature well below 45 degrees. If refrigerating, leave in the fridge for no more than four hours. A safer and yet more attractive way to serve the Champagne is to chill it in an ice bucket filled with both water and ice for about half an hour. Never put the bottle in the freezer even if time is pressing.
3. Open the bottle both safely and without making a mess. Remove the foil only enough so that the wire twists are exposed. Place your thumb tightly on the cork to keep it from popping and twist off the wire cap. Move towards the Champagne glasses and position yourself ready to fill the first glass as soon as the cork is removed. Wrap a clean towel around the neck of the bottle and tilt it away from you. Gently easy the cork out with your hand over it to prevent it from popping.
4. Pour the Champagne into each prepared flute about 1 inch high. After you have inched all of the glasses, return to top them off. This keeps the glasses from spilling over the top while providing everyone with a full glass. Serve the glasses.
Tags: Champagne glasses, from popping, good quality
Flavored brandies such as blackberry brandy are a change from the regular taste of brandy and can be served as an after-dinner aperitif with dessert. Blackberry brandy can also be used as a sauce for ice cream, pound cake or any number of other dessert dishes. Blackberry brandy is not difficult to make, but the process takes several weeks to ferment. This recipe makes about 3 pints of flavored brandy.
Instructions
1. Wash 1 lb. of blackberries and lay them on paper towels to dry. If you are using frozen berries, allow them to thaw fully before you introduce them to the brandy.
2. Place the blackberries in three pint-sized mason jars or other glass containers that have tight-fitting lids. Divide the berries equally among the three containers.
3. Divide 1 cup of superfine sugar among the three jars, pouring on top of the berries. Superfine sugar is granulated sugar that is ground even more, allowing it to dissolve easily. If you cannot find superfine sugar, regular granulated sugar will work fine.
4. Pour brandy into each jar, filling them to the top. Close the jars and give them a vigorous shake to incorporate all of the ingredients.
5. Store the blackberry brandy in a cool, dark storage area, such as a pantry shelf.
6. Shake each jar of brandy every 2 to 3 days for a week. After the initial week, shake the jars one day a week for at least eight weeks. You may want to mark your calendar to make it easier to remember.
7. Strain out the blackberries from the brandy after eight weeks of fermenting. Keep the berries to use as a dessert sauce if desired. At this point the brandy is ready to drink, but can steep even longer for a more powerful blackberry flavor if you wish.