Browse Cooking and Recipes

First of all... why would you want to start a BBQ team? It’s more work than you can imagine and there’s very little money to be made. Maybe you’re just crazy or just crazy about BBQ. The truth about BBQ competitions is they are a lot of fun with a lot of good friends. And that’s why most BBQ competitors do it - for the comradery and the friendly competition. Sure... there are some of us that have a product to promote like a book, sauce, rub, catering company, or restaurant. We want the bragging rights like everybody else does.

If you only had $300 a month to spend on groceries for a family of four, could you do it? Maybe you would need more than $300, but this guide to eating on $300 a month will show you the basics so you will know how to add on if necessary. Whatever your reason for having a tight budget, the truth is that going to the grocery store without a shopping list and a plan is a BIG budget breaker and unhealthy to boot. You need to understand the overall strategy, write your list, then

Do you think you need a pasta sauce recipe to make a great pasta dinner tonight? I promise you that if you learn three of the most commonly used (and so called) culinary mother sauces, you will be creating all kinds of dishes with a never-ending variety of options. You might even find a new favorite pasta sauce recipe to claim as your "signature." Even if you just want to get some great new ideas for everyday dinners, these three sauces provide endless opportunity. Become a Master of the Marinara Sauce Recipe

When it comes to desserts, cakes are among the popular ones. Kids and adults alike enjoy the sweet taste and rich texture of any type of cake. However, most kids love a kind of cake that is sweet, while others love a kind of cake with a smooth and creamy texture. You can make the cake according to how you want it to be; the ingredients and the manner of mixing the batter affect the kind of cake you can create.

It’s time to eliminate the idea that you have in your head that you don’t know how to cook and possibly can’t even learn how to cook! In fact, I say that you already have some cooking knowledge and I’m going to prove it to you. How? Well, you are eating something at home right? We all have to feed ourselves at some point, even if it’s opening a can of soup and heating it up.

Pumpkin tarts are always the first thing I make when I have access to the fresh ingredients of Fall. I know it’s time to start enjoying Fall foods when the colorful assortment of squash come to my local farmers market.

No, you’re not. You’re not looking for another Angel Food Cake recipe. The recipe really doesn’t matter as much as the procedure. So, rather than look for a new written set of instructions, how about scrutinizing the steps that professionals take in creating this fat free dessert? When you perfect the procedure for mixing cakes, all your recipes will come out better. I’ve told you before that it’s not the BAKING of cakes that causes problems, it’s the MIXING of cakes that cr

Knowing how to braise is a cooking skill that’s widely misunderstood. Knowing WHAT to braise is even more confusing to most home cooks. Now, it’s time to end any confusion about this ignored way of cooking because I’m presenting the information to tomorrow’s chefs at culinary college. Our braised food will be served by the companion hospitality class in the school’s dining room in an ‘a la carte’ style. This means they’ll be bringing us restaurant tickets like real waiters and waitresses.

Do you wish you could cook up an easy recipe that does not take up so much of your time? Are you hoping there is one great dish that you could prepare that the whole family would love? If you are looking for a simple recipe packed with nutrients, you should consider making salmon cakes. Salmon is rich in essential minerals and vitamins that you need to sustain energy. Moreover, you can add in some vegetables and fruits to any salmon dish; hence, you can make the dish even more nutritious and tasty.

Fondant is a beautiful, versatile icing product that, when properly applied, creates a deliciously exquisite, polished finish to any cake. Fondant is used in cake decorating or sculpting and is a popular choice for wedding cake presentation.

During celebrations and parties, the decorations and accessories you use to make the room festive are really important. If you want decors that catch your visitors’ eyes, while filling the stomach at the same time, consider a fruit platter as your centerpiece for occasions such as Thanksgiving, New Year, Christmas, etc.rn rnWhether or not the party is supposed to be casual or more on the fancier side, edible fruit arrangements will surely suit your décor and dessert needs.

Cooking perfect steak might mean different things to different people, but by using the same - very simple procedure, everyone can achieve their own personal definition of perfection right on their own BBQ grill. The process begins with choosing and preparing your own beef tenderloin and ends with knowing exactly when that steak has finished cooking to the exact doneness that you want it to be. And all of this happens without disrupting the steak's beauty with knife gashing and checking that center for "pinkness." Intrigued?

A potluck party can be a food nightmare. As a professional Chef and caterer, few things offend my culinary senses more than the holiday potluck party. With hot items going cold, badly portioned and picked-through platters, nacho dip next to brownies, and unidentifiable entrees all sharing the same table, it’s no wonder that this random buffet will impugn all the work you’ve put into your dish. To be a stand out in this noise of nourishment, this cafeteria of chaos, you need a plan. The best potluck party has home chefs that keep the following in mind:

Stir Fry is the best way to create your own quick dinner recipe using ingredients you have on hand. It’s also a great way to create healthy meals using fresh ingredients and free yourself from the kitchen faster than following a written recipe would ever allow. In the video that accompanies this recipe, you’re able to look directly over my shoulder as I create Chicken Stir Fry Over Quinoa, using just two pans, one for the quinoa and another to steam and then stir fry the ingredients Here’s what you’ll need to follow along:r

It’s easy for me to share 10 romantic dinner ideas with you, because I cook this way almost every night. I only cook what I’m inspired to create, and my wife, Heather has always been the muse behind my creativity, from culinary college until today. The most romantic meals have three elements; they are visually appealing, they are pleasing to the palate, and they include aphrodisiac ingredients for their effects, or just for conversation value.

When making cake, you do not necessarily need to use elaborate ingredients. In fact, you can utilize ordinary food items such as fruits, crackers and even candies in preparing the batter. As for the garnishing, you can add in chopped peanuts, some corn flakes, cereals or chocolate chips. By using your creativity, you can come up with a truly delectable cake recipe. Moreover, you can serve the cake in delightful-looking platters for some visual appeal. Depending on the theme of the cake, you can use a variety of plates and containers in serving this sweet treat.

I’ve devised my 7 Tips for Healthy Eating at Home because I feel like crap. What the heck is going on? I’m a healthy guy, I’m not overweight. I exercise more than most people. I was the Executive Chef at a large hospital, so I know about nutrition and I can cook. Why do I feel lousy? Why am I exhausted by the television at 9:00 pm? Why do I sleep 8 full hours and wake up tired? Why do I feel like I need a nap in the afte oon? Why is my attention-span shortening? Why does my memory seem to be duller? Why am I irritable sometimes? Why is this happening to me?

I know you’ve said this before, because it’s happened to many a restaurant – • “Their food used to be great, but the chef left”. • “They’re inconsistent. You never know if the food is going to be great or not.” While having all of your meals taste exactly the same is probably not your goal, understanding cooking techniques that allow you to cook like a chef will help you to be more consistent. Being able to KNOW that your meals will consistently be good will reduce stress, eliminate fear of cooking and increase your creativity and joy in creating new meals.

The appetizer is very important during mealtimes because it entices anyone to eat. It serves as an opener in every meal. Thus, it would be great to serve something tasty and aromatic as appetizer. Moreover, a truly scrumptious appetizer is ideal for those with finicky eaters; the excellent taste of the dish will make it a treat for anyone. It is also important to note that the recipe should be easy to cook. Convenience is another important factor when looking for a great dish to prepare. This will give anyone an easy time to prepare any recipe.

Casseroles are a great way to make a hearty, inexpensive meal for your family. My favorite ingredient to use in them is ground beef. There are countless recipes you can come up with using ground beef in your casserole dishes. If you have ground beef in your home, odds are you can put together a delicious meal with ingredients already in your pantry. It’s also a great way to combine all four food groups into one dish. Here are a couple quick and easy ground beef casserole re

Food is a constant expense. Every day, three times a day, whether eating out or cooking at home, you have to spend money on food. If you have to cook on a budget, you’re probably very careful about what you bring home from the grocery for everyday cooking, but how do you protect this investment once it’s in your cabinets or refrigerator?

Since I’ve been on my Paris tour, I’ve discovered that eating healthy food is much easier tha I imagined with Paris cuisine. I’m also noticing that everything I’ve eaten tastes incredibly good, so fresh, amazingly flavorful without being overly filling. For someone who already studies food like it’s art, my Paris tour is bringing more questions to my mind than answers. What is it that makes eating healthy food in Paris so easy?

Here are Just a Few of the Many Healthy Foods to Eat. Make the Right Choice. Which healthy foods to eat should you include in your cooking and meal preparation? Well you can prepare fast healthy meals with any of these. Learning to cook is an important life skill to have. But there is so much more to it than just learning the basics of cooking.

In today's scenario, junk food needs no introduction. Well, everyone in this age of convenience are enjoying the taste of junk foods. Junks foods are the most popular food because they are delicious, filling, affordable and readily available. Junk food is all good tasting, except the fact that it is not nutritionally balanced. It might affect your health if consumed on the regular basis. In the following article, i have listed few harmful effects of junk food. In the age of f

Stir Fry is the best way to create your own quick dinner recipe using ingredients you have on hand. It’s also a great way to create healthy meals using fresh ingredients and free yourself from the kitchen faster than following a written recipe would ever allow. In the video that accompanies this recipe, you’re able to look directly over my shoulder as I create Chicken Stir Fry Over Quinoa, using just two pans, one for the quinoa and another to steam and then stir fry the ing

I’ve said it before, “the Food Network is the MTV of cooking.” MTV used to play music, now they’re entertainment about music. Food Network is entertainment about food. They don’t teach anyone to cook. Last week, I was listening to my favorite band, The Gin Blossoms on my iPod while cooking with steam when someone reminded me of my cynical quote about MTV and Food TV. “Huh”? I said as I removed one ear-bud.

Is Gourmet Cheese the Key to Good Health? It’s 6 weeks into the New Year and I would venture to guess many people have become lax about their new years resolutions to exercise and eat healthier. The gym is less crowded than it was a month ago and Valentine’s Day reintroduced us all to sweets such as cookies, chocolate and the ubiquitous cupcake. It should be no surprise that as The Cheese Ambassador, one of my indulgences is gourmet cheese. It turns out is that cheese may no

What is a quick easy dinner I can make in one pan? is a question most often asked of me. While I know the expected answer is a recipe, they’d be asking the wrong person for a recipe. I’ve been urging people to “Burn Your Recipes” through my online cooking classes and DVDs for years now, motivating them to cook with basic cooking methods over written instructions, and Seafood Paella is no different.

In the baking world today, cupcakes are the "new" cake and are very popular across the country. These small delights are attractive to children and "fashionable" to the health-conscience cake-love because of their miniature stature. However, a common problem with baking cupcakes is dryness. How can one bake a deliciously moist cake and create such "dry" cupcakes?

Holidays are usually the time we throw caution to the wind when it comes to what we eat. But you can enjoy the holidays without compromising health with our Healthy Holiday menu which has less fat and fewer calories—one-third fewer calories! Please read entire recipe before shopping or beginning. Serves: minimum of 8 Ingredients: • 12-15 lb fresh organic, or free-range turkey (do not use self-basting turkey) Stuffing: • 1/2 cup wild rice • 1 cup long grain brown rice • 1

You don’t need a written recipe to achieve great low carb cooking from home. One basic cooking method and the ingredients YOU desire are all it takes. Earlier this week, I showed you a low carb chicken recipe using sauté method. Today’s inspiration will follow the same procedure with different ingredients.

A great Thanksgiving appetizer recipe can be the start of any reason to celebrate. Whether a holiday dinner, birthday, or weekend party, offering attractive and delicious yet simple appetizers can get any gathering off to a great start. Appetizers, or “hors d Oeuvres” are small bites of food to stimulate the eye and palate. “Hors d’ Oeuvres” in French means “outside the meal”. These appetizers were originally prepared by the wait staff in early banquets, using the leftovers

Cooking with spices is an aspect of cooking that frustrates many people. The questions I receive all highlight a confusion over which spices to buy, how to use them, and how much of them to use. All of those questions can be answered with a simple change in thinking. Use ethnic profiling.

Christmas dinner ideas come easy. Turkey, Ham, or Beef with potatoes and vegetables. However, how you START your meal can be a more perplexing problem. There are infinite choices of holiday appetizers to choose from. How do you find the right recipe? You don’t FIND the right recipe, you create one. And you can create any holiday appetizer you’d like once you discover the secrets behind Pate’ a Choux. This is a basic puff pastry dough, often called éclair paste, but it makes

Do you like to make a different kind of sandwich that has a mouth-watering taste? If you are tired of the usual kind of filling for your burgers or sandwich, you can try using pulled pork instead. This recipe may take some time to make, since you need to use a crockpot for this; however, you will find the pork is truly tasty and tender because of the slow cooking process. Moreover, much of the nutrients are locked in, as slow cooking retains the essential nutrients in any food item. Thus, nothing beats good old slow-cooked pork when it comes to the quality and taste of the meat.

Cooking with spices is an aspect of cooking that frustrates many people. The questions I receive all highlight a confusion over which spices to buy, how to use them, and how much of them to use. All of those questions can be answered with a simple change in thinking. Use ethnic profiling. First, don’t over-think it. Herbs and spices are best used to accent the natural flavor of a particular ingredient. They won’t make or break your dish in the end. A quarter-teaspoon too lit

Fast dinner ideas come from the combination of quick cooking methods and the ingredients you have on hand. Planning and cooking meals for your family can be frustrating when you depend on written recipes that command specific ingredients. Sometimes you have the items, sometimes you don’t. A quick dinner recipe frees you from the kitchen faster, but a mastery of just a few basic cooking methods will give you endless dinner ideas.

Easy family dinners can come from your own kitchen but have the flavors of far away. I mean that you don’t need to cook like the greatest Italian Chef to make an Italian inspired meal. You don’t need to study in Thailand to use the characteristic flavors in a simple cooking method. Basically, if it’s good to you, it’s good. I’ve had some commenters on the internet tell me that “You didn’t make the crepes in the authentic way.” Or, “real beef bourguignon isn’t made that way”. What they don’t realize, was I was just trying to make something that appealed to me.

I’m so happy to share more quick dishes for everyday cooking with you. Earlier this week, I caught a Taco Fish and helped you discover the simplicity of a basic breading procedure you can use on any ingredient in your pantry. In the time it takes most people to just FIND the right recipe, I can apply a basic cooking method to the ingredients already found in my kitchen. In the time it takes most people to go back to the grocery store because the recipe told them to, I’ll have cooked, eaten and done the few dishes left.

When you talk about good old fashioned comfort foods, meatloaf has to be near the top of the list. Not only is it quick and easy to make, it can also be very inexpensive and made with ingredients you already have in your kitchen. The recipe possibilities are endless. All you need is a ground meat such as beef, lamb, or pork and a good imagination and you can create an easy meal for you and your family. Just add mashed potatoes and gravy and a vegetable of your choosing, and y

What is the best way to grill shrimp? My favorite of all grilled meats is shrimp! I love to marinate my shrimp for about 10 minutes in a mango and chunky pineapple juice marinade for delicious flavor. But let me start from the beginning. First you will want to buy 2 pounds fresh extra large shrimp. Ideally I prefer to get it already cleaned, but if you can't then just pull the heads off of them, peel them and devein them. You can devein them by cutting a small slit down the

Cheesecakes; you can go to great lengths to make them or you can take short cuts, but if you are a good cook you will be able to make the quick cheesecake every bit as tasty as the ones that take a lot of time.nnTo learn how to create your own Cheesecake, I advise that you visit the VideoJug website where they have a great film, presented by a professional chef, showing you step by step How To Make An American Cheesecake , which you can use as a base to give your own special

Now that spring is finally here, it's time to look at cooking with seasonal spring produce. Most of the fruits and vegetables in season now can be found year round at grocers around the country, but they reach their full potential during the spring. Artichokes, asparagus, avocados, beets, blueberries, fava beans, peas, radishes, rhubarb, spinach, spring lettuce, spring onions and strawberries are some of these tasty fruits and vegetables that peak in the spring. Check your lo

You don't need a bunch of ingredients or a lot of time to make a rndelicious meal with scallops. A little bit of love and a minimal bit of skill rnwill bring out the sweet taste of the scallop to your palate. Here are rnthree quick and easy to make recipes for scallops that I hope you will rnenjoy. rnPan Fried Scallops What you need: • 1 lb fresh sea scallops (medium sized)rn• 1/3 cup bread crumbsrn• 3 T butterrn• 1/8 teaspoon pepperrn• 1/8 teaspoon saltrn• dash o

This article is dedicated to those that require a Gluten Free or Dairy Free Diet. The article highlights the differences between the Paleo Gluten/Dairy Free diet and a regular gluten/dairy free diet. The Paleo diet has additional food restrictions that encourages optimal long term health. The Paleo Diet can be more restrictive diet than regular gluten and dairy free diets.. The Paleo Diet is gluten, dairy and preservative free. Additionally, it is a weight loss and weight mai

Cooking everyday at home is a great way to cook on a budget. But sometimes, the habits that we picked up as a kid can be detrimental to saving money on food. Let me explain what I’m talking about – remember the end of most family meals when grandma would push the serving platter at your already loosened belt and waist-band? “Eat it or it’ll go to waste” she’d always say.

I’m back from Sunburst Tomato Farm in Momeyer, North Carolina. What a great trip! While I was learning about growing tomatoes in the winter, I was thinking about making a homemade pizza recipe to add to my cooking classes. But then, I thought, what does the local tomato farmer like to make with his fresh tomatoes? Tim Bass of Sunburst Tomatoes says he prefers the raw, natural flavor of his tomatoes in a Tomato Sandwich, “two slices of bread, some mayonnaise and a slice of tomato” is his favorite homemade tomato recipe.

Have you ever cooked bbq ribs in rotisserie oven? It’s not impossible to bbq yummy baby back or country style bbq ribs in a Showtime Rotisserie grill. I’ll tell you how to put bbq ribs in rotisserie oven. And, will add a delectable marinade for some yummy ribs. Before barbecuing the bbq ribs in rotisserie oven, one should parboil the ribs. Here's an easy parboil mixture according to ‘The Ultimate Rotisserie Cookbook’ by Diane Phillips: * 4 quarts of waterrn* 1/3 cup s

Choux pastry is light pastry dough that uses only eggs, butter, flour and water. It is used to prepare éclairs, profiteroles, St. Honour cake, croquembouches, gougères, French crullers, Indonesian kue sus and beignets. Let’s have a look at the history of the delectable Choux pastry. Panterelli, a chef, first invented the dough in the year 1540. This dough was used by him to prepare a gâteau which he named Pâte à Panterelli. As time went by, there were various variations

Have you ever taken the results of your family’s Christmas cake recipe out of the oven and been disappointed? How can the same recipe created year after year always come out differently? “Why didn’t my cake BAKE correctly?” I’m here to tell you that the problem with most home baking mistakes isn’t in the BAKING, it’s in the MIXING of your cakes that most mistakes are made. There are three goals in cake mixing, whether it’s a Christmas cake recipe, or any other baked good at

As I wrote in my last post The truth about DETOXING and CLEANSING DIETS,  This is a great DETOX recipe. its a great way to CLEANSE and DETOX your body whilst loosing weight quickly. I have tried it a couple of times now over a few years, this time around I lost 4 kgs in 1 week. Mind you I was sick of soup afterwards, but Its a great way to jump start your body again Ingredients 3 Tomatoes 2 Large Cans Crushed Tomatoes 1-2 Large Cans Campbell’s Beef Consommé plus 2 cu

People have been asking me how cupcakes using the same recipe will turn out when caster sugar instead of fine sugar is used instead and vice versa. And chances are if you’ve ever come across several cupcake receipts, you might have also wondered the same. When I first started out, I too wondered why some recipes used caster sugar while others used fine sugar. What were their differences? How would they turn out if I pit them against each other in a caster sugar vs sugar bat

Everybody loves pancakes for breakfast, and they also make great snacks at any time of the day. What could be a better breakfast than having pancakes with hot maple syrup, along with coffee on a Sunday morning? just imagine yourself! So what is mystery behind pancakes? why do we love them so much? what makes them so special? and where do they come from? Some people might take eating pancakes for granted and don't really appreciate the rich history and facts behind them. Surpr

The thermomix is really a kitchen aide in any situation anytime of the day. A kitchen helper which has the power to do magic and can turn a simple cook to a professional chef. With all its capabilities, and incredible speed cooking can be done in no time. Weighing, chopping, mixing, stirring, cutting, chipping, grinding, powdering, kneading, emulsifying on the other hands, it purifies, washes and most of all it cooks. Above is the goodness the thermomix can offer. Although i

Growing up, we all have probably watched a movie wherein they all go camping and they gather around a campfire. After all those other campfire activities, at one point, the marshmallows come out. Every single one of us have probably wondered what it would be like getting to taste the warm gooey sweetness of the roasted marshmallows. Then, when we go to ask our parents for a camping trip, we get a “No.” or a “Maybe next time.” Well, here is an easier alte ative to an actual b

Several weight watchers and weight loss aspirants choose to adopt an Indian vegetarian diet for weight loss. The advantages of the Indian diet are numerous – it is great in taste and rich in fiber; there is variety in cooking and preparation; the vegetables retain their nutritive value; and the cooking is light in calories. Here are some of the lightest Indian preparations that should be the staple for losing weight.rn rnSimple Meal: Dal, Vegetable Dish and Chapattirn rnOne

People often ask this common question, is burnt stainless steel toxic? Especially those people, who are very much concern about their family health issue. Every cook has burned a pot or pan dry at one or another. If your burned pot or pan is made of stainless steel material, however, you are in luck. Stainless steel kitchenware is among the safest forms of cookware, as long as they receive proper care and maintenance. If you burn your stainless steel pot or pan , it will be s

Pizza is a type of bread and tomato dish; often serve with cheese that has existed since time immemorial in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. The term 'pizza' first appeared "in a Latin text from the southern Italian town of Gaeta in 997 AD.rnIn 16 Century a flatbread was referred to as a pizza . A dish of the poor people, it was sold in the street and it was not consider as kitchen recipe for long time. In 17 Century, the pizza was covered with the re d sauce. This w

If you ever felt bloated, gassy or just plain ill after eating certain dairy products, you are not alone. Ironically, shortly after I started this gourmet cheese business I found myself to be lactose intolerant. Certainly a cruel hand dealt from fate, or so I thought. Panic, depression and anxiety set in with the notion of never being able to partake in some of the most exquisite foods. Cheese had become my life and my livelihood. But after doing some research, I discovered t

You like wine but cannot consume because of the alcohol content? If this is the case with you, then alcohol free wine is waiting for liquor lovers like you. Non-alcoholic wine is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and thus proves to be a healthy drink. The wine is fat free and can be substituted even for beer. It's very difficult for the wine lovers to stop drinking wine even if the doctor stops them because of some health concerns. For such persons, i think alcohol

Food is one of the things that define the culture of a country. You may tell a lot about a country by what they eat and how they do it. Because you in the times of globalization when almost every person looks similar with their satire and outer appearance there are very few ways to tell exactly about their culture. One way is to do a deep study about a culture and civilization but that takes a lot of time and is rather a boring job and if you are a traveler, you do not want t

There are marked differences in the Paleo Diet and Mediterranean Diet. Paleo Diet thousand of years older than Mediterranean Diet with nutritional benefit design by Mother Nature. Read More.. The Paleo Diet or Caveman Diet is over 10,000 years old. Paleolithic Diet is presently the Modern Paleo diet. The Paleolithic people were caveman and cavewomen. There was no farming and wild animals roamed free. Paleolithic period is pre-agriculture. Paleolithic diet was dairy free anima

Are you interested in running your own beauty supply store? If your, you are decidedly not alone. A many adults who have a love for beauty and fashion often dream of running their own beauty supply stores. Regrettably, many people mistakenly feel that dream is one that is too challenging to become a reality. Yes, starting your own beauty supply outlet and making it profitable can sometimes be a long and involved task, but it is more that is more than possible to accomplish. A

TURMERIC: THE ANTI-CANCER SPICE? Turmeric, native to South Asia, is a plant that grows in tropical climates and belongs to the ginger family. Fresh turmeric root can be pickled or used in cooking, much like ginger. Rhizomes from the plant can also be boiled and dried to produce a bright yellow-orange powder called ground turmeric, a spice commonly used in South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. Ground turmeric is also used for its rich yellow-orange color, lending its brillia

Homeowners have one common challenge that happens because of cooking; cleaning the dirty utensils. Kettle is one of the utensils that is expected to be neat because of the works it does in the home. Take for instance, millions of people consume unlimited cups of coffee every day. That is a whole lot of work for the kettle to do and at the end of the day, lime scales are deposited on these kettles. The lime scale has become the headache of those who have kettles at home. Howev

People have asked me when should or shouldn’t I use shortening for cupcakes, and the honest truth was, I didn’t know, at least in that point of time. However, I put that question behind the back of my head and not long after, I began my quest to get an answer to that question. And if you’ve been baking cupcakes or butter based cakes for a while now, I’m pretty sure you know that shortening can be used as a butter substitute. But when should you or shouldn’t use shor

What could be better than a picnic at the beach for a family dinner outing? Sand in your toes, the roar of the ocean a walk on the beach, and a roaring fire to gather around. If you aren't lucky enough to live near the ocean, a lake, pond, creek or fountain will do. Or simply put blankets down in the back yard. A few easy dinner recipes for a picnic at the beach then later when it gets dark you can do some star gazing.nnWhat you need:nn1) A place to go. Choose a local beach,

Forbes Travel Guide is probably one of the most affluent travel guides in the country today. Therefore the ratings of various hospitality establishments like restaurants and hotels, are publish publically are very important to the success or setbacks an establishment they experience. Here are some of the components that go into the ratings. There are generally two key areas that influence ratings: 1. Facility inspection – a trained facility inspector visits a property. With

Making your own brown sugar ham glaze is so simple that you won’t need to buy a commercially prepared sweet-baked ham this year. You can save money by buying, baking, and glazing your own ham this holiday season. Brining Turkey is Better Than Burning Down Your House was my advice for people to avoid the dangers of deep frying turkeys this year. It may seem a contradiction to now advise you to apply a blowtorch to ham, but the flame that caramelizes sugar is a much more targe

“What has less flavor than water?” I pose the question to my cooking college class. Nothing! Nothing has less flavor than water. If you’re thinking about poaching fish, chicken, or eggs, why not ADD flavor to the final result by cooking them in a flavorful liquid? That’s the first rule of cooking something in a poaching method. Don’t use flavorless water, always poach items in a flavorful liquid. Have you ever boiled carrots in water? The result is carrots that taste like wa

Over Christmas I bought a Big Green Egg. I read all the marketing blurb in the brochure and it captured my imagination, I’ve already written about how good it is and published some kamado barbecue recipes but I was still intrigued to find out more about the origins of such a versatile piece of cooking equipment. I wrote an article about it but since publishing it, I’ve done more research and found that some of my original findings may have already been creative in

What we eat and how we eat is going to affect how we think. Eating right can even help you along the path of positive thinking. When you eat clean and healthy real raw foods, you cleanse your body of toxins and you will be able to think clearer. You will also be able to get rid of toxic emotions and become more present in your body and in your thoughts. “We are what we eat.” This is a very true saying and is probably something that you are familiar with. What we put in our bodies is going to translate into how we act, how we look, how we think and even how we feel.

One of the cheaper and more popular types of sushi in the market nowadays is the Inari Sushi. It is made by stuffing sushi rice , and even some vegetables into small pouches of deep fried bean curd or tofu, also more popularly known in its Japanese term as aburage. Instead of the usual Nori seaweed or soybean paper, aburage is used in this sushi. Aburage can either be sold in packets or packaged in cans, and is widely distributed throughout most Japanese specialty stores or s

Using an immersion blender, for making homemade soap, speeds up the saponification process and saves lots of time. On top of cutting down on trace time, it can reduce separation problems within your soap. CAUTION! When you're making goats milk soap, you may have frozen chunks of milk to blend. Do not force your immersion blender down on any frozen chunks. You could break off the blade and damage your blender, permanently. The best blenders are not always the most expensive on

Cappuccino is a word I have heard for a long time but had not fully grasped its meaning. Most of the time I associated it with a very expensive cup of coffee that only a select few could afford to drink so today I ask myself these questions: What is cappuccino? Where does it come from? How is it made? Why should it be my drink of choice? nnCappuccino, according to a reliable source is a coffee drink that is layered. You are probably wondering where I got the word layered from

During summer, everyone enjoys a cold drink or a frozen dessert. You can easily beat the heat of the sun by having a refreshing snack. If you are crazy about cakes and ice cream, you should try making a sweet treat by combining the two food items. You can make an ice cream cake that comes with a rich taste and an exciting look. This fabulous treat has several variations; you can add in slices of fruits as topping or as part of the mixture. If you love chocolates, you can also put chocolate chips or syrup to blend in the batter.

Are you thinking of a great present for a loved one? You might want to purchase stylish clothes, bags or any other product you see in shopping malls, and have these as presents. However, you might have no idea what to give that special someone - even if you have known each other for years. You might feel that no matter how expensive the items, these do not seem perfect enough to give as a present. Hence, you end up feeling clueless what to purchase for your loved one.

The Law of Attraction works in strange and mysterious ways. Here is a true story of how my seven year old taught me about the Law of attraction. The television story said that the upcoming Justin Bieber Concert was sold out. Tickets were impossible to get and there was no way you would be able to get in. My daughter wa

One cannot deny the fact that smaller pieces of meat are easy to manage. To cut large chunks of meat into smaller pieces, one needs a tool which is generally known as meat saw. In this modern world, the demand of meat is increasing at a tremendous rate and hence the demand of meat saw is also increasing. There are different types of meat saws available in the market so as to fulfill the demand of each buyer. These different types have different functions and are designed for

Do you have a pet dog who is about to celebrate its birthday? You can let your beloved furry friend feel how special he is by preparing a cake just for him. Invite your friends and their dogs and have a one-of-a-kind birthday party for your pooch. For the last part of the event, have a candle-blowing ceremony - just like in any other birthday parties. Hence, you should prepare a truly adorable cake to complete the perfect birthday celebration.