Cooking Guide – Some Cooking Tips

Cooking is an act of preparing food by heat application. It is a great combination of cooking techniques and tools. It needs right selection and measurement of ingredients to improve flavor and digestibility of food. The person who is going to cook should have sufficient skill of cooking.

Cooking normally changes flavor, texture, appearance and nutritional properties of food. People generally learn cooking from their parents or grandparents while some people do their own with help of cookery books or cooking shows. Best cook gives an experience of cafeteria or restaurant at home. Here are some tips to cook delicious as well as healthy food.

Whenever you’re going to start cooking food, collect all essential ingredients at one place.

You can buy a potato ricer for mashed potatoes and give a beautiful look to your kitchen.

Preheat the oven at the time of baking steaks because a really hot oven will blister just outer part of the meat and keep the juices in.

Use salad spinner to prepare soggy lettuce. These are quite expensive but works well.

Use drinkable wine to cook certain foods.

Whenever you’re using a roasting pan apply some olive oil on the surface.

Hand blender can be used to puree the soup.

Mushrooms should be wiped off with a piece of cloth instead of washing under a tap.

Check the size of roasting pan before preparing meal.

You can use carrots to sweeten your sauces.

About Author: Author presents a website on Cooking Tips. Website provides tips to improve cooking and other aspects of cooking. You can also visit his site for cooking guide

[tags]cooking,cooking tip,cooking resource,cooking ideas,cooking expert,chefs,culinary arts[/tags]

Spinach Pasta Recipe (from Scratch)

Have you ever thought about making your own homemade pasta from scratch. No, I don’t mean the whole dish. I mean the actual pasta noodles. Oh, I know. Why bother with all of that when you can just buy a package of dried noodles in the store and spend time on the important part–the sauce.

How many of us have spent hours next to a beautiful, finely manicured pot of bubbling goodness only to dump it on some old dried out noodles that have been sitting on the store shelf for a year. I know, the store bought stuff has always tasted pretty good in the past. I think most of us wouldn’t even think of making our own because we’ve grown accustomed to just grabbing a package of noodles and the stuff to make a sauce, and we’re on our way.

People don’t make their own pasta anymore for a number of other reasons as well. People’s perception of making pasta by hand is that it must be either difficult to make, tedious, or requires a special machine (pasta maker). The convenience of the store bought pasta is so easy to take advantage of because it’s ready to go and can be stored on your shelf for another year! Others figure there’s probably not much difference in the flavor anyways once you put a good sauce on it. If you get stuck on what sauce to use and are willing to try some sauces that will enable you to exclaim, “I HAVE LIVED!” check out www.bestpastarecipes.com ! We have a number of incredible pasta sauce recipes which are easy to prepare and can be downloaded or printed out free of charge, without having to sign up for anything. The truth is however, that once you taste fresh made pasta from scratch, with your incredible sauce, you’ll never go back to its dried out store bought cousin again.

You won’t go back for several reasons. First, it’s fun to do something that very few people (in modern times) have ever done (it’s fun to experiment too). Second, it really wasn’t very difficult, tedious, nor that time consuming! Lastly, most people say there’s just no comparison between the two in taste. Try making your own one time. You’ll be amazed at the difference and I think you’ll find it wasn’t that difficult to make.

Notes: All-purpose flour is great to work with for the first few times. Once you have the feel for it, try Semolina Flour which has a more “authentic” or “traditional” texture. Also, once it’s gone well a time or two, feel free to experiment with different herbs mixed in to the batch. The possibilities are endless.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 cups torn spinach leaves

2 tablespoons water

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:

Slowly boil water, salt, and spinach, till tender.

Put cooked spinach in blender with egg and blend thoroughly.

Put in a bowl and add enough flour to make a dough that can be kneaded.

Knead for 1 minute on a lightly floured surface.

Roll out flat (very thin) on a floured surface.

Set aside for 20 minutes.

Make into golf ball size pieces.

Roll out final time into the thickness of the pasta you want.

Cut into desired shapes

(For one easy shaperoll or fold up and cut lengthwise into

Lose Weight With This Healthy Lean Chicken Salad Recipe

This lean chicken salad recipe is perfect for eating alone on a bed of lettuceor on toasted whole wheat bread. Chicken salad will spice up any dinner plate.

This recipe even has a sweet taste with the addition of raisins.

Ingredients:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast meat, cubed
• 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish

Easy Gourmet Recipes You and I can do!

So, you don’t think you can find easy gourmet recipes? Yes, you can! While most people think that gourmet recipes are hard to make, time consuming, or too expensive, you can find things that are gourmet and easy to make. You just need to look in the right places and know what you are looking for! First of all, finding information on gourmet recipes on the Internet is easy to do. Just search your favorite recipe websites or just use a search engine like Google or Yahoo. If you do not have web access, going to the library for the information will also work. The library contains many types of books or even CD ROMs on cooking. Most importantly, both of these options result in free recipes!

The next question to ask yourself is what type of gourmet cooking are you looking to do. Are you looking to spice up a crockpot recipe you already have? Are you looking for special cookie recipes or Christmas recipe? Maybe even a gourmet chicken recipe? Are you planning on dining on a special day or for a special reason? All these questions will give you an idea of what you are looking to make or do. Make sure to know the tastes of those you are cooking for as well. Many people like to go to restaurant solely because they love the way a certain chef prepares their food and wish they could do the same thing at home. You can! You just need to knowledge of how to do this! Sometimes, gourmet meals are made from specialty store bought foods. But, in the day and age we live in, gourmet foods can be found in most large supermarkets across the country.

Spices that were hard to find even 10 years ago are available regularly. Many times you can also find gourmet meals already prepared at these same supermarkets. You can perhaps purchase a nicely made New York Style Cheesecake or Chocolate Mouse from your local bakery. But, if you are wanting to purchase your own produce and meats, do so knowing what cuts are correct for the recipe you have chosen. For instance, a chicken recipe may call for boneless thigh pieces or only white meat. Picking produce that is fresh, ripe, and the tastiest will contribute to the overall flavor of the finished food.

In order to know what to use and what to buy, make sure to choose recipes that give enough details. If they don’t, research on the Internet or your local library for more information. You can make good, but easy gourmet recipes if you know what you are looking for and have the knowledge of what you need and want. Researching information you do not have is the most important first step.

About The Author

Mike Yeager Publisher

http://www.a1-recipes-4u.com/; mjy610@hotmail.com

[tags]recipes,food,cooking,gourmet,gourmet cooking,chef[/tags]

Steak Recipes

Steaks are the easiest to prepare among all the meats. Tender steaks like the sirloin and the T-bone (filet mignon is the tenderest but it is very expensive and not easily available in the markets) are usually grilled. Most recipes differ in the marinade that is to be applied to the steak. Marinades use wine, lemon juice, soy sauce, tomato juice, etc; or even fruits like papaya and pineapple. Steaks are marinated for 6 to 24 hours, depending on the recipe and then placed on the grill. A charcoal grill is the best bet to get the restaurant-like flavor. Based on the tenderness of the steak, they are turned twice or thrice to get the desired level of doneness. Steaks should not be disturbed when they are grilling, as this does not allow the crust to form on their sides. Also they should not be poked with forks as this would allow the juices to run out of the steak.

Among the best known recipes of steak preparation is the B

Japanese Home Cooking – Beyond Sushi

In general, the Japanese people are very healthy and live longer than any other culture in the world. Why is this? Many people attribute it to the way they eat. But if you think that all Japanese people eat is sushi you couldn’t be more wrong. Japanese home cooking is simple, healthy, and delicious. While some of the ingredients may seem exotic and intimidating, rest assured that anyone can cook wonderful delicious Japanese meals with ease.

Sushi is the most popular type of Japanese food, enjoyed throughout the world. You may notice that sushi is quite filling, and you typically eat much less than you would a more Western style meal, such as a hamburger. What is it about sushi that makes it so filling and satisfying? The answer could be rice.

Rice is definitely a staple of any Japanese meal. Whether it is served as a side dish or along with a saucier entr

Chinese Cooking Technique Deep Fry

There are usually 2 ways of deep frying in Chinese cooking:

1. Deep frying the ingredients directly
2. Deep frying the ingredients with batter

The latter is the most commonly used method. Here are some pointer in how to deep fry Chinese food most effectively.

1. The sizes of the ingredient pieces should be uniform.

   The dimensions, including the thickness of the pieces that you are frying should be as close as you can get them. Otherwise, some pieces will be overcooked, some will be undercooked, and even the colors will be different piece by piece.

2. Marinade the ingredients in the batter/paste

   This will enhance the taste and the aroma of your cooking.

3. Maintain adequate oil temperature

   The oil temperature require for each dish will vary depending on the ingredient types, sizes, batters, wraps, etc. For those not easily cooked through, they will require cooking twice (see below). For those easily cooked through, it can be done simply in high heat.

   When deep frying, maintaining constant oil temperature is a must. Most idealy, the ingredients need to be put in together. If you are cooking large servings, then divide them up, but still put each divided servings in together to get the same taste and color. Once done, pick them up with a strainer to preserve the appearance.

4. Deep fry Twice on ingredients that are not easily fried

   Some dishes like the ones that require chicken or fish rolled into balls are not easily cooked through when deep frying. So these will require deep frying them twice. The first time using medium heat until 70, 80% cooked. Take them out, crank up the heat to high, then deep fry them again to achieve the desired results.

Helen Fan grew up in a family that has owned various Asian restaurants all over North America, from Vancouver (Canada), Houston (Texas), Decatur (Illinois), to Chicago (Illinois). She, and the rest of the Fan family are now sharing their decades of knowledge on the art of Chinese cuisine at http://www.ChineseHomeCooking.Com

You can learn more about other Chinese cooking techniques at http://www.chinesehomecooking.com/techniques/techniques.htm

[tags]Chinese cooking technique, Chinese deep fry, how to deep fry Chinese food, Chinese recipe[/tags]

Cozy Up With These “Oh So Good” Hot Chocolate Recipes

When it’s cold and frosty outside, there’s nothing better than curling up with a nice big mug of homemade hot chocolate. Why pay several dollars for a cup of gourmet hot chocolate when you can easily learn how to make your own delicious hot chocolate drink?

You can make the classic creamy hot chocolate, or get a little adventurous and try the white chocolate or Mexican hot chocolate recipe. If you enjoy giving hot chocolate as a gift, then you may wish to make your own hot chocolate mix and put it in decorative glass jars.

The following hot chocolate recipes can be made the old fashioned way, using a pan and a stovetop. Or, you may wish to purchase a hot chocolate maker to speed things up.

However you decide to make it, you’ll definitely enjoy the aroma and flavors of a delicious hot chocolate drink tickling your taste buds, and warming your tummy during the long winter days and nights.

Creamy Hot Chocolate

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

Hot And Spicy Chick Peas (Vegetarian Recipe)

Makes 2 servings in 45 minutes
VEGETABLES / Asian (India) / Side Dish / Stove / No marinating

Much of the Indian population is vegetarian, and they enjoy the most extensive vegetable dishes in the world.
This is not only because of the predominant Hindu religion with its respect for all living creatures.
Also feeding 1 billion Indian people nowadays can be done much more efficiently by growing vegetables in stead of animals.
Last but not least: when a refrigerator is not available, it is much easier to use up small portions of vegetables, in stead of having to slaughter and store 1 big animal.

For vegetarian dishes, you will notice that each Indian region has distinct cooking techniques and flavoring principles to prepare them.

You have probably also noticed that there are many, many “curry”-recipes. Actually “Kari” is the Tamil (one of the many languages spoken in India) translation for the English word “sauce”. And “curry” is the western way of pronouncing this word.

Before coming to Malaysia, my simple western recipe for using chick peas was to add them in thick soups… Since Malaysia is the melting pot of all Asian cuisines, I notice that there are as much chick pea curry recipes as that there are people here.

Here is one of them: a home-cooked chick pea curry recipe from my Indian friend Ssussi. She uses a lot of fresh ingredients and her recipe takes a bit more of your time than expected for such a simple yet delicious dish.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 can of chick peas (15 1/2 Oz; 439 gr)
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
* 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
* 1 green chilly, finely chopped
* 2 medium well ripened tomatoes, seeded and chopped
* 1 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 10 g vegetable oil

* Spices:
– 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
– 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
– 1 tea spoon “garam masala”
– salt to taste

PREPARATION

1. Drain chick peas, reserving the liquid.

2. Cook the onions, ginger garlic, chilies and turmeric in the vegetable oil until golden and softened.

3. Add the tomatoes and cook to soften, then add the ground coriander and chick peas.

4. Cook for 10 minutes, add the reserved liquid and cook a further 10 minutes.

5. Add “garam masala”, lemon juice and stir in the fresh coriander. Cook gently for 2-3 minutes, adding more liquid, if needed, to make a sauce.

Serve with “naan bread”, “chapati” or as a side dish.

The Skinny Cook aka Stef Glassee, is a Belgian chef living in Malaysia : the melting pot of Asian cuisine.

Find more delicious home-tested recipes at : http://www.theskinnycook.com
Skinny Cooks’ Home-Recipes : Eurasian Cooking, Food and Tips!

[tags]chick pea recipe, chick pea curry, easy recipe vegetarian, indian recipe vegetarian, chickpea[/tags]

Cooking For Kids – Meaty Pizza, Chick Sticks & Chocolate Chip Cookie Dessert!

Meaty Pizza

Ingredients

12 oz. ( 350g ) lean minced beef
2 rashers rindless streaky bacon, chopped
1 chopped onion
4 tablespoons frozen, chopped mixed peppers
4 oz. ( 100g ) cheese, grated
3 tablespoons of tomato puree
half a 10 oz. ( 280g ) packet of white bread mix

Cooking Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F, Gas Mark 6, 200C

2. Make the bread mix according to instructions and roll out to 18 X 28 cm

3. Fry the mince, onion & bacon together for 15 minutes

4. Mix in the tomato puree and 3 tablespoons of the chopped peppers

5. Spread the mixture over the base and top with cheese and remaining peppers

6. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes

Chick sticks

4 oz. (100g ) cooked chicken, chopped

2 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped

2 oz. ( 50g ) fresh white breadcrumbs

finely chopped chives

salt and ground black pepper

3 tablespoons Thousand Island dressing

1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley mixed with 2 oz. (50g ) fresh white breadcrumbs – for garnishing

Cooking Instructions:

1. Mix the ingredients, appart from the garnishing, together

2. separate into 24 pieces and,with floured hands, roll into balls

3. Roll the balls in the parsley and breadcrumb mixture

4. Serve on cocktail sticks

Chocolate chip cookie dessert

1 Packet of chocolate chip cookies
1 bowl of strong cooled coffee
1 Carton whipped cream
1 Crushed Flake

Method

Dip chocolate chip cookies in cold coffee, shake off excess coffee to avoid a pool in the bottom of the bowl.
Place cookies in a layer in the bowl. Cover with alternate layers of cream and cookies.
Use as much cookies and cream as you want, depending on how big a dessert you want making sure the top layer is cream.
Sprinkle a crushed flake on the top

Chill in fridge for 30 mins then serve

For more kids recipes visit http://www.raisethekids.com

Or access our recipes page directly http://www.raisethekids.com/recipes/index.php/

[tags]kids food, recipes, kids recipes, healthy food for kids, childrens recipes, cooking for kids[/tags]