Archive for November, 2010

11/26 Chicken Salad Recipe

Chicken Salad is  loaded with flavours if made with the  right recipe. You can have chicken salad  by itself or you can pair it with sides likes lettuce, avocado; it  is ideal for sandwiches.  In addition to chicken, chicken salad can be made with an assortment  of other ingredients like bacon, sliced apples, nuts , chopped peaches, seedless grapes, fruits, raisins, pineapples, hard boiled  eggs, cucumber, peppers, English Peas, olives and a whole lot more. The flavours can also be tweaked  by using different spices like cumin and curry.

 

Ingredients

4 cups diced poached chicken

1 stalk celery, cut into ¼ inch dice

4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced or ¼ cup sweet onion cut into ¼ inch dice

1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped parsley

1 cup prepared or homemade parsley 

1 cup prepared or homemade mayonnaise

2 teaspoons strained freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

 

Directions

 

1.In a mixing bowl, toss together the chicken, celery, scallions and herbs. Set  aside.

2.In a small bowl, whisk  together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Add to the chicken and mix carefully  until combined. Chill  until time  to serve. 

3.Serve on a bed of lettuce with sliced tomatoes, in half an avocado or in a chicken club sandwich prepared  with artisanal bread, crispy  smoked bacon, vine-ripened tomatoes and lettuce.

 

Poached Chicken for Salad

 

10 sprigs parsley

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 small onion, halved 

1 small carrot, halved 

1 stalk celery, halved 

3 pounds chicken breasts halves, on the bone and trimmed of fat 

5 to 6 cups chicken broth, homemade or low sodium canned

Directions

1.Put  parsley, thyme, onion, carrot, celery, and chicken breasts in a medium saucepan. Cover with the broth, and bring just to a boil. Lower  the heat to very low and cover. Poach the chicken for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch  remove the pan from the heat, uncover, cool the chicken in the liquid for 30 minutes .

2.Transfer  the chicken to a chopping  board and keep back  the liquid. Bone and skin the chicken and slice  the meat into 1 inch cubes. Discard  the bones and skin.

3.Strain  the broth and store, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days of freeze for  later use. Remove  any fat from the surface of the broth before using. 

This recipe yields  4 cups cubed  chicken or 4 to 6 servings.

 

 

 

 

11/25 Vegan Cheese, A Healthy And Low Fat Alternative To Dairy Cheese

Dairy products have always played an important role in a healthy diet. But there are a lot of people who feel quite reluctant to consume dairy products as these are high in fat and may cause allergic reactions. The healthy alternative to yellow cheese is soy, otherwise referred to as vegan cheese.

This cheese is ideal for people who want to avoid eating high fat dairy products as part of their weight loss diet. There are great health benefits to soy cheese such as the fact that it is low in saturated fat, so it will not increase your cholesterol levels unlike milk products.

This non dairy product is also high in essential amino acids which is good for the heart and is high in vitamin B. Perfect for the memory and neuromuscular functions. One of the most common vitamins you expect to find in cheese is calcium. Calcium is essential for healthy bones and teeth and for absorption of glucose in the body. Vegan or soy cheese is a rich source of this vitamin.

The high vitamin content of soy cheese is helpful in controlling menopause conditions, this is because the isoflavones help treat hormonal imbalances. This cheese is also free of lactose, which makes it suitable for lactose intolerant people. Those who are on a strict diet to keep their cholesterol levels normal, need essential fatty acids such as omega 3 and amino acids, and they can find all this as well as high amount of vitamin D in soy cheese.

There is no pungent taste to this vegan cheese, that is why it makes an ideal salad ingredient and is perfect for any recipe or meal. There are no known side effects and is a healthy alternative to milk cheese, which has a high content of saturated fat and protein.

11/20 Recipes Wine Principles

Does ordering wine frighten or confuse you? It may when you do not really order or drink wine beverages often and that is ok, there is a lot of mystery and also sometimes snobbery connected with wine.

Nevertheless, wine makes the ideal complement for many dishes and there are times when you might want to select a wine beverage in order to serve in the home or order in a restaurant. To learn about wines, taste them and find out what you prefer and what you don’t like in wines.

Why White Wine Or Red?

Wines differ in taste and tannin content (pucker) in addition to the way they strike the palate. The white wine with perch or perhaps red wine with beef is a rule regarding pairing wine with meals that you may often hear.

It’s a general rule based on the concept that red wine drinks often convey more flavor and wine games are typically lighter and the concept is that red wine beverages won’t be overpowered by the steak and white wine beverages tend to be delicate so go well with more subtly flavored dishes such as seafood. On the other hand, rules are made to be broken. Match meals and wines according to your likes instead.

A subtle red wine beverage could be overwhelmed by a spicy meal regardless of the type of the meat. In cases where it does not taste delicious to you, then don’t pair it no matter how often you’ve been told the guideline. Try out different types of wine together with your meals.

Don’t be afraid to test a mild white wine beverage with your steak: did it hold up or does the flavor get over powered? Try out a mild red with perch and you will know from your palate if the rule for that wine beverage could be broken.

Notice if you enjoy a fairly sweet taste in your wine or a dry wine beverage (less sweet). Take note of exactly how they interact with what you eat. If you do not like the pairing or even the flavor of the wine it won’t make any difference exactly what the year was or how costly the bottle it’s not your best option or a good match.

It Was a Good Year for Wines

What difference can a year cause? Wines made in one location may be outstanding one year and yet another year they are simply dull thanks to deficit of rain, or excess rain and many other variables that have an effect on the vineyard.

If you are still studying wine, you might not realize which years are good and what wines are less enjoyable. This requires practice. One of the ways is always to find out from your wine retailer what they would recommend. One bottle of Cabernet made by a vineyard in one season may just be magnificent in your own evaluation and dismal in the judgment of others.

Asking questions is nice however depending on the feedback of many people completely is not good. Whenever you do not like it, do not pick it no matter how costly it is or how much the wine vendor brags over it.

To start with, you might rely purely upon suggestions from other people to assist you choose. Even so, in time you’ll find wine beverages that you like and other wines that do not. Never slavishly obey guidelines or drink wines you don’t like based on the price. Enjoy wine and soon you’ll be buying with confidence.

Apple Pancakes Recipe

Cooking Tips

Homemade Recipes

11/19 Easy Recipes Easy Quiche Recipes

Quiche is basically a savory and creamy egg mixture that is baked properly to produce some pastry crusts. The quiche seems like a pie and not using a lid that is certainly filled with extra meat, cheese, and vegetables. There may be tomato slices and pastry off-cuts on top, as a garnish. Quiche recipes are usually appreciated when served warm or chilled. You can offer this delicious dish for lunch, breakfast, or dinner or might be as a night snack. Moreover, you may make quiche in whatsoever manner you like as these can be filled with anything inside it.

Easy Recipes

Mostly used components comprise ham, bacon, cheese, broccoli, fresh tomatoes, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, onion, mushrooms and zucchini, as well as different fresh or dried herbal ingredients. You will get quiches from the store but nothing beats a homemade one.

Maybe it’s for a light dinner, a celebratory brunch choice or even a final-minute fridge round-from odds and ends, you can’t beat a quiche. This light, fluffy egg pie could not be simpler to bake. You have to just go as per the steps mentioned below so as to make a pleasant quiche recipe.

Gear You’ll Require: Four eggs, Frozen deep dish pie shell, 3/4 to 1 cup shredded cheese, 8 oz sour cream or plain yogurt, 1/2 to 3/4 cup diced leftover meat (turkey, ham, sausage or chicken. roast beef), 1/2 cup mushrooms Easy Quiche Recipes

Easy Cooking Recipes

Tips on how to Make: 1. Firstly and foremost, you’ve got to make holes on both the edges of the frozen deep dish pie crust by using a pork. Pre-bake crust in 350 degree oven for five to 7 minutes. Pre-baking will keep crust from getting soggy when ingredients are added. 2. Till the time the crust is on the pre-baking process, it’s important to beat four eggs in any separate bowl. Make use of a spatula and mix some other components similar to yogurt, sour cream, cheese, mushrooms and meat together with the beaten eggs. 3. Add a serve of egg combination over the pie crust once it turns a little brown in color. 4. Then, set the pie crust again in oven at 350 degrees for at the very least 50 to 55 minutes. 5. Take away from oven and serve up warm or at room temperature.

Tips for Preparing Quiche: Dole out quiche along with soup and a tough roll for a tasty lunch.

Easy Cooking

11/17 Delicious – Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

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A Strawberry Shortcake recipe is a delicious mixture of biscuit, fresh strawberries and cream. The versatility of this dessert is that each agent can be made ahead of time and then assembled shortly before serving. Good Shortcake starts out with a cream scone. The perfect scone has a crisp exterior with an interior that is light and fluffy with a delicious buttery flavor. If you are preparing scones always use cold butter, add the liquid to the dry ingredients all at once, and combine everything together quickly and lightly. Taking out the scones from the oven shortly before assembling the Shortcake would be great but will take much coordination. Alternately prepare the scones on the day they are to be consumed.

At all times purchase strawberries when they are in season. Pick the ones that are bright red, beefy, and firm, with no white or green “shoulders” at the stem end. The green leaf-like cap or hull ought to still be attached and it ought not be brown or wilted. There should be no cushiony spots, blemish or mildew. Always check the underside of the container to make sure there are no batten berries or juice (sign of overripe berries).

Approximately an hour before arranging the shortcakes, remove the stems from the berries and lightly cleanse them (do not soak).

When making Shortcake use ‘Heavy’ Cream or Heavy ‘Whipping’ Cream which means it has a 36 – 40% butterfat that will increase in volume when whipped and hold its form.

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

few grains of nutmeg

1 egg, well beaten

6 tablespoons cold butter

1/3 cup milk

4 cups fresh strawberries,

3/4 cup brown sugar

whipped cream

Directions

1. Assemble flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Sift. Mix in butter with pastry blender or fingertips; include egg and milk.

2. Blend just until dough is clammy. Turn dough into a buttered and floured 8 or 9-inch round cake pan and mold into shape.

3. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes in a 400° oven, or until golden brown. Test with a toothpick deposited in the center. If it comes out with dough clinging to it, return the heat to 350° and bake around 5 more minutes.

4. Remove from the pan and cut horizontally with a serrated knife. Butter the cut side of both layers. Lay layers combined with strawberries as well as their juice the middle of the layers and on top. adorn with several whole berries and serve with whipped cream.

Prepare strawberries an hour or two ahead of serving. Rinse, hull, and slice 1 quart of fresh strawberries, leaving 8 to 12 whole for adornment. Place the sliced berries in a bowl; add 3/4 cup brown sugar and let stand for at least 1 hour at room temperature.

Please visit this link for more information on easy cake recipe.

11/17 Are you a chocolate lover??

Any chocolate lover loves all kinds of chocolate. They will taste any kind, for the most part.  There is something bitter sweet about dark chocolate. It is bitter when it is pure dark, but still satisfying just the same. Dark chocolate was an acquired taste for me seeing that I had favored milk choclate mostly. However a slight intolerance to the sweeteners and milk in it turned me over to the dark side of it, and I found no problem as long as it was in moderation.

Dark Chocolate Delight

Dark chocolate, sometimes refered to as plain chocolate, is manufactured by adding fat and sugar to the cacao bean, without milk being added. Some would say milk contaminates the purity of the cacao bean. Perhaps they are right.  If you are going to eat chocolate, then choose a dark chocolate candy bar or the same in smaller quantity. It is one of the many varieties of chocolate available today, not necessarily everyone’s favorite, but definately a healthy choice. You can purchase bars, truffles, drinks, and more. The awesome thing about this is, no matter what form you choose, you can still enjoy the health benefits of dark chocolate and the Chocolate Diet

There are quite a few different benefits offered by dark chocolate. Not only is it delicious, but for one it can be used to enhance moods. There should be a law to eat it on Monday mornings! If you ever feel down in the dumps you can eat some chocolate and it can make you feel better, as proven medically. Just look in the face of a child who’s crying and put chocolate on the tongue and you’ll see! Chocolate actually contains quite a few different chemicals that are associated with happy emotions. Holidays, like Christmas, Easter and Valentines Day, are a perfect examples of happy celebrations that chocolate is associated with The Simple Chocolate Diet

Dark chocolate is also full of antioxidants, which can help prevent heart disease, and lower blood pressure, and improve blood flow like phenols(anti-oxidants) from the cocoa plant. I have read that pure dark chocolate has more anti-oxidants than red win.

More here on the >> Simple Chocolate Diet

11/12 What Are The Low Calorie Snacks?

Low calorie snacks

 

Eating healthy has quickly become a widespread trend. Many people wish to eat more nutritious foods but normally do not have the time to prepare a well cooked meal. Plus there are times in between meals where you may feel like getting something to munch on. Whatever your reason opting for a snack that is nutrient filled is a better way to satisfy your cravings. There are a few suggestions below that can help you to accomplish your ultimate goal of being healthier.

Banana and a Yoghurt Smoothie

Eating a fruit is a wonderful way to eat nutritiously. Combining a fruit with a dairy product can result in a savoury treat. You can find a bottled yoghurt smoothie that has approximately 100 calories in any supermarket or convenience store. Do not buy smoothies that have fructose or high fructose corn syrup as one of the major ingredients. Because it is a refined sugar it will cause your blood sugar to go up quickly and then return to lower levels making you hungry soon after eating it. You can eat one banana and drink one smoothie which should contain a total of 170 calories.

Wheat Thins and String Cheese

You can take a serving of crackers and a bit of string cheese and create a delicious and healthy snack to stop your hunger. Wheat thins are packed with fibre and whole-grain carbs while the string cheese has enough protein to satisfy your growing appetite. You can have one single-serve bag of Wheat Thins and one string cheese which has a total of 250 calories.

Bag of Chocolate-Covered Pretzels

Chocolate-covered pretzels are great for days when you are under a lot of stress and would love some comfort food. These chocolate-covered pretzels are in no way nutritious, so they are not ideal for everyday snacking. However, they will fill you up temporarily because of their fairly adequate fat content. You can eat 1 single serving of chocolate-covered pretzels which should give you 130 calories.

Half a Wheat Bagel with Cream Cheese

For a snack that has the power to make you feel full, you can try a wheat bagel. It has a high amount of fibre and it should satisfy your hunger for a few hours. Don’t eat more than one half of a bagel. You can add some reduced-fat cream cheese to make it more filling. You can eat one half of a bagel and add 1 tbsp of cream cheese which should be about 200 calories.

A Fresh Apple and Skim Milk

An apple and a carton of skim milk is a fabulous on the go snack. Apple and skim milk both have necessary nutrients. Skim milk has calcium and vitamin D while apples are packed with fibre and beneficial antioxidants. You can drink one eight ounce carton of skim milk and one medium sized apple which should have just about 170 calories.

Please visit this link for more information on 100 calorie snacks.

11/11 How To Make A Pinata

A pinata is a papier-mâché which is used to wrap over the body of the pinata. It is usually created with bright colours and used during occasions like a Mexican fete, as an important symbol of the country’s culture and public festivity. It is said that pinatas originally came from China and was taken to the western world by Marco Polo. Customarily Pinatas were created in the shape of a six-pointed star packed with fruits, confectionery, and small toys but today they are created in a variety of types, shapes and sizes, such as animals, plants, and flowers.By using this piece you can actually learn how to make your own pinata at home.

Things you will need:

A pot

2 cups of flour

1 balloon

3 cups of butter

Newspaper

Markers, crayons or paint

String

Colored crepe paper

Instruction on how to make pinata:

1. First you need to inflate the large balloon and knot the ends with the string. The balloon will form the basic body of the pinata.

2. Make a paste for the papier-mâché by using the flour and water together into a container, until it forms a flat texture. You can cook up the mixture to create a more efficient paste.

3. Take the scissors and cut the newspaper into a portion of long 1 inch thick strips and dip into the paste mixture. Then carefully put the strips onto the balloon until it is covered, leaving a hole at the top. Now put it aside and allow the balloon to dry.

4. Then take some extra newspaper dipped in the flour and water and put an additional layer of newspaper over the balloon and let dry.

5. Now go over this process with an extra layer, and leave a hole at the top. When the paste is dry, burst it and remove the balloon.

6. Now you can paint and beautify your pinata with different ideas and shades. You can also hang painted crepe paper on each side and base area.

7. Punch two small holes into the top near the opening and take a large piece of string to place inside each hole and fill the pinata (through the hole you left at the top) with sweets, toys, or any other fun surprises. You can also fill it with lengths of newspaper so the surprises are not all in one location.

8. Once it is completed, join your pinata in the ceiling using the string and now you can start to hit the pinata.

Tips and Warnings

* When you are making a pinata, use your imagination and try to be as creative as you possibly can. Design your pinata into the shape you wish such as an animal, flower, and others. You can also use thick colored paper loaded with crushed up newspaper and glue or tape it to add any details to your basic pinata structure.

Please visit this link for more information on how to make pinata

 

11/11 How To Grill Fish

How to Grill Fish

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Regardless of what technique is used in preparing fish, it is generally ready within minutes. Cooking fish is generally quick and effortless, making it a healthy, flavourful option for those who want a quick but nutritious meal. Grilling fish is a natural and effortless way to cook fish, however, there are still a few tricks that can help you to grill fish so it is delicious every time.

Keeping your fish from sticking

The first task you should be wary of when grilling fish, is how to keep it from sticking to the grill. Because fish is so delicate, it gets stuck to the grill, it may ruin your entire dinner.

First regardless what kind of grill you use, always make sure to pre heat your frill. A general guideline is, the grill is ready when you are not able to hold your hand above it for over five seconds.

Unless you are using a non stick surface, you will be required to brush the grill with a little oil. alternatively you may brush the fish with a little melted butter or oil before placing it on the grill.

You have the option of using a fish grilling basket. These will lock the fish which makes grilling even more effortless. Don’t forget to brush the basket with a little oil so the fish will not stick when you remove it.

Only turn the fish once. When grilling fish or anything at all, you want to turn the items only one time. Cook one side; turn it over, cook the other side, then turn off the grill.

Knowing When the Fish is done

A general time frame for cooking fish is approximately 8-10 minutes for every inch of thickness or about 4 to 5 per half inch.

Use a fork to keep into the thickest part of the fish to test for doneness. Poke the fork in a little way and fold back a bit, and the fish should be opaque and its juices milky white. Undercooked fish will be translucent with the juices being clear and watery. Over done fish will be dry and easily parted.

Use an instant read thermometer to check the doneness of the fish. Simply stick it in the thickest part of the fish to check for doneness. Fish is done at 145 ºF.

Please visit these links for more information on how to grill ribs.p { margin-bottom: 0.2

 

11/08 Horizon Water Coolers

Hosting a party or event and need to rent a water cooler? Or are you looking to purchase water coolers for your home? Either way, at Horizon they have exactly what you need. Owned by Chantal Fuzet, her family has owned and operated Horizon in Paris for more than fifteen years. After realizing that there was a large demand from the public for quality bottled drinking water. Chantal’s family established their company to provide homes and businesses with bottle water In fact, the damand for bottled water has grown nearly 400% in the last decade. This seems to be a direct result of people losing confidence of the safety and quality of municipal water.

Horizon has various sizes in drinking fountains available to choose from to fit your needs. As mentioned above, Horizon also offers their water coolers up for rental if you are not looking to purchase one outright. Most cost around ten dollars a month to rent a water cooler.

Their most popular and most cost effective model is their plumbed in water coolers and drinking fountains. These are cost effective because you won’t need to rent it each month, you won’t have to purchase water bottles each month either. They get attached to your faucet and the water is run through a filter and is perfectly chilled. They also have models that are wall mounted boilers or even counter top boilers if you are in need of boiled water quickly. There are also free standing models available as well as small desk top models.

Drinking fountains are mainly seen in school buildings. These are wall mounted drinking fountains and offer direct chill technology. These also help to get rid of any complications with hygiene making it a healthier alternative.

So of you are looking to rent or purchase a water cooler check out Horizon’s first.  They have representatives ready to help you purchase one. They also offer a no obligation quote based on your needs. Other services and products that they offer once you purchase one of their water coolers include annual sanitizing service package, a self sanitizing kit, replacement filters and cartridges, and plastic fully recyclable drinking cups.