Easy Moroccan Tagines Cooking Tips For Beginners

If you hardly step foot in the kitchen to cook anything, you'll discover that it's not really all that bad after all. Beginners who are keen to try something new should consider getting some Moroccan tagines to whip up some tasty dishes. Here's how simple the cooking process is.

Get The Ingredients

You need to first decide on what you would like to cook with these cooking tagines. People normally use them to cook stew. So it depends on what type of meat or vegetables you would like to eat. The traditional Moroccan dish would be lamb or vegetable stew. Once you've made up your mind, find out the list of ingredients and get them from your local store. Cooking is basically a breeze provided you have taken some time to plan. Prepare the ingredients by chopping the vegetables or and make sure the meat is cut into chunks.

Cooking The Stew

Moroccan tagines are made up of 2 parts. The top cone-shaped cover which is brilliant in keeping the stew from drying up during the cooking process. That's because heat that travels upwards will condense at the top of the lid and the moisture will flow back down to the dish. The other part is the base of which you just need to place on a stove, add some cooking oil on it and start your cooking process. It's basically the same way of cooking with Moroccan tagines. Heat up the oil and cook the meats. Some people prefer to braise the meat to seal up the juices before removing them. Next, just add in your garlic, onions, spices, vegetables and stir them well. You may add in water or broth depending on your taste. Leave it to boil before adding in your meat. Cook for a few hours or until the meat is tender enough.

Serving The Dish

You could add in some garnishing on your stew if you like. Recommended would be apricots or nuts. But you can be as creative as you like. You could choose to serve your lovely dish in tagine that you cooked with or you could transfer all of it to a serving tagine. That is if you're big on presentation style. The stew can be served with refreshing mint tea for drinks and freshly baked bread to go with the stew.

Summary

Now that wasn't so difficult preparing a simple stew with cooking tagines right? Even if you are a beginner, you can get it done once you know the basics. Enjoy a wonderful meal with your family and friends.

Amelia Warmheart is an avid traveler but a lousy cook. When not traveling or recovering from jet lag, she shares tips on how easy it is to cook with Moroccan tagines to beginners. Anyone could whip up a simple stew with these cooking tagines in no time.

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Chinese Cooking Tips For Chinese Food Recipes

Chinese cooking night is a wonderful tradition that my family has created over the years and one that we have all come to love! On this special night once a month, my aunts, grandmas, parents and even my two brothers and their families clear their hectic schedules and gather around the family kitchen to whip up a savory and delicious meal straight from the Orient. Why Chinese food, you ask? Of all the different cuisines we have tried throughout the years, Chinese recipes are easy to follow, the food is delicious and Chinese cooking sauces have become our favorite. Their adaptability and variety of flavorful spices is loved by the whole family.

One thing we learned very early on is that Chinese food and Chinese cooking are greatly complimented by the key ingredients of the sauces. You can see this very easily in the American Chinese food cooking trends. It is mainly a mixture of vegetables enhanced with Chinese sauces. These cooking sauces are used as garnishes and in preparing many types of delicious authentic recipes. Most of our favorite Chinese dishes, like noodles and fried rice are made with a variety of spices and sauces making them very popular and savory meals.

In America, Chinese food has been used in ways that are non-traditional and has taken on some of its own new traditions. Their sauces have become famous as dipping sauces and cooking sauces that are mainly used for different types of meat dishes like pork or chicken. Sweet and sour sauce was originally used as a simple sauce for fish dishes in different parts of the world but was used to create American-Chinese dishes such as sweet and sour chicken when it was introduced in America. Along with sweet and sour sauce, some other types of sauces used in America to enhance flavor in popular Chinese foods such as noodles, fried rice and other Chinese dishes are chili oil, oyster sauce and garlic sauce.

Chinese cooking with its tasty dipping sauces is also a fun way to liven up a meal and something that my children love! Try serving the dipping sauces in a small bowl along with the meal to accompany Chinese appetizers like pot stickers, spring rolls and egg rolls. Let the kids have their own bowl to dip and watch their faces light up. One of the main reasons my family loves Chinese cuisine is that there are so many different types of flavors that can be easily incorporated into everyday meals. Some of the most famous are chili oil, sweet and sour sauce, hot mustard and garlic sauce. Chili oil is made from chili peppers and is normally used in stir-fry and to enhance the flavor of other dishes such as noodles. Another favorite and one that has been used for many centuries in China is sweet and sour sauce. Its main ingredients of sugar and wedding vinegar make it a very popular choice and one that adds savory flavor to Chinese dishes when combined with tomato sauce. Garlic sauce and hot mustard sauce are great sauces that work well with a variety of Chinese appetizers. Any of these sauces are easy to make and will give your meal that special oriental flavor your family will love!

Because Chinese cooking sauces are an easy way add great flavor to Chinese meals and are so adaptable, they have become very popular in China and around the world...making Chinese food a truly international cuisine. It is easy to experiment with all the many sauces and spices Chinese food has to offer and even come up with your own favorite combinations! From sweet and sour sauce to garlic and hot mustard, Chinese cuisine and its many sauces have proven to be an all time favorite that my family loves. Try it out on your family and I am sure that they too will look forward to your special night of Chinese cooking.

Craig Chambers is a cooking enthusiast who enjoys Chinese cooking and offers an extensive free cooking guide, recipes, resources and cooking tips on his website

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Holiday Cooking Tips - Easy Stuffing Recipe

Are you cooking the holiday meal this year? Part of cooking the perfect turkey is finding an easy turkey stuffing recipe to go along with it. This tasty stuffing recipe, with variations included, is delicious and will wow your guests.

For reasons of food safety, cook your stuffing separately from the turkey.

Ingredients for Easy Turkey Stuffing Recipe

Giblets and turkey meat from the neck

1 package seasoned stuffing bread crumbs
3/4 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup butter or one stick
2 tbs olive oil
2 cups turkey broth from your cooking turkey. Supplement with canned or packaged chicken broth if necessary.
3 eggs
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 c chopped mushrooms
1 tsp poultry seasoning
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Stuffing Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Begin by sauteing giblets in 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil for about 3-4 minutes.
Add the mushrooms, chopped onions and the celery and mushrooms, then saute for 3-4 minutes more.
Turn the heat to low. Take 2 cups of broth from the cooking turkey (or use canned broth) and add it to cooking mixture. Also add onion, celery and mushrooms, seasonings, remaining butter, salt and pepper. Stir all ingredients over low heat for about 10 minutes.

Place the package of seasoned bread crumbs into a large mixing bowl, then pour giblet mixture over the bread crumbs very slowly, tossing them to coat thoroughly. Make sure all the liquid is absorbed.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk 3 eggs together. Add these to the stuffing mix and blend thoroughly. The stuffing will be should be sticky. If it isn't, just add a small amount of broth and continue mixing.

Lightly grease an 8x8 baking pan, then pour stuffing mix into it, covering with foil. Bake the stuffing for about 45 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking uncovered for about 10 minutes more.
The top of your turkey stuffing should be crispy and golden brown.

This Easy Turkey Stuffing is delicious topped with gravy and makes about 8 servings.
Here are some more hints for great turkey stuffing.

1. Add just enough liquid to make the uncooked stuffing mix moist but not soggy.
2. Cut up all veggies finely and make sure they cook thoroughly during the saute step.
Variations to Easy Turkey Stuffing Recipe
1. Try adding 8 oz of drained and washed oysters to the giblets when sauteing. You've just made oyster dressing!
2. Mince 4 cloves of garlic and add to saute along with the other veggies.
Creating the perfect turkey dressing is easy and this recipe will make the centerpiece of your holiday dinner.

Looking for more great holiday recipes and ideas? Award winning author Joan Jones presents holiday articles, tips, tasty recipes and great ideas for gifts you can make right in your own kitchen.

Plan the perfect meal, make a delicious gift, find holiday weightloss tips. Check out these holiday articles http://www.path2healthyliving.com/HolidayArticles.html
Have a wonderful holiday season!

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Healthy Living With Natural Remedies and Great Cooking Tips!

People from all over the globe have discovered the beauty of "Tips in Cooking" and "Natural Remedies". Sharing these secrets, combined with a few simple hints and techniques will always make our life easier with a healthy touch to life.

Draw out Eggplant bitterness 
Slice and sprinkle with salt - leave 30 min. Rinse slices in cold water. Pat dry and fry.

Eggs - Are they fresh?
Fill small bowl with cold water, add 4 tsp salt. Place egg in salted water. If the egg sinks, it's fresh!

How to get rid of Silverfish
Throw some fresh cloves around on the floor and cupboards. They will disappear!!

Skin a Tomato - Score a cross slightly into skin from top to bottom - place into boiling water for 2 min. Cool and peel.

Once exposed to air, apples/bananas/avocados will brown
To maintain their beautiful fresh colour, squeeze lemon juice over fruit.

Sensational Hazelnut Mousse - Quick & Easy
Beat and whip 300ml thickened cream and fold in 1 large jar of Nutella. Refrigerate until set.

Binding Agent
Instead of using breadcrumbs for rissoles, use 1-2 handfuls of uncrushed rice bubbles instead. Perfect result!

Vegetables
Shop for fresh local produce such as cauliflower and broccoli. Clean and portion. Place into freezer bags and freeze.

Whiten Rice
During boiling process, add a few drops of lemon juice. This will whiten the rice.

To remove strong odour on hands after cooking with onions or garlic
Wet hands and sprinkle with baking soda. Rub into hands and rinse.

Keep flour fresh
Flour will remain fresh and last longer if placed into a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Storing Potatoes
Store in a dark, cool area. Place a fresh apple amongst potatoes once a week to prevent budding.

Food Staines
To avoid staining plastic containers with tomato based foods, try spraying container with a non stick cooking spray first.

Wine Corks
If wine cork expands, soak cork in boiling water for several minutes and the cork will easily fit back into bottle.

Removing skin from Almonds
To remove skin easily from almonds, soak in hot water for 20 minutes.

Keep Celery fresh
Keep celery fresh and crisp for a longer period of time by wrapping in aluminium foil. Refrigerate.

Cockroaches!!
Scatter boric powder in kitchen corners - cockroaches will disappear!!

Peeling Garlic Cloves
Garlic cloves are easier to peel if placed in warm water beforehand.

Always flour Dough
Always flour rolling pin or place in freezer for a few minutes to prevent dough from sticking to it.

Perfect Noodles
Once boiled, drain hot water and add cold water. This will separate noodles.

Store uncooked popcorn in freezer.
Popcorn always pops better when frozen.

Storing Onions & Potatoes
Always store onions and potatoes separately otherwise potatoes will rot quickly.

Cleaning Mirrors
For sparkling clean mirrors, wipe with boiled potato skins.

White Cauliflower
Add 1/4 lemon to water when boiling cauliflower, as this will prevent cauliflower from going grey and will maintain it's white appearance.

Fluffy Potato
Add 1 tsp baking powder per kg of potato to make mashed potato white and fluffy.

How to peel Garlic Cloves
Microwave for 10 seconds and they will pop out of their skin.

Storing Carrots & Apples
Always store carrots and apples separately, otherwise carrots will become bitter.

Bugs!!
To prevent bugs from crawling into your pantry and nesting in your flour, place a few bay leaves inside flour container.

Cool Summer Treats
Place grapes in freezer. They are delicious frozen.

Whipped Lite Cream
Lite cream can be whipped by adding egg white.

Perfect Ice Cubes
Fill ice cube tray with hot water and your frozen ice cubes will be perfect and clear.

Flies!!
Sprinkle crushed curry leaves to keep houseflies away!!

Splitting Layer Cakes
To split a layer cake or to cut through the dough for cinnamon rolls, use a flavorless, unwaxed dental floss.

Visit us at [http://www.foodinvent.com] for more sensational recipes and cooking tips!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jude_Johnson

Cooking Tips For Dieters

A lot of people never complete a programmed diet because the food lineup looks and are actually tasteless.  But what if you can whip us something healthy but still delicious recipes, that will be quite a feat.  It is not hard actually; ingredients could be substituted and still produce mouth watering dishes.

The succeeding pointers are quite simple and will basically follow your normal food preparation process.  However, there would be extra steps and might consume a little more time.

We have designed this to be very easy to encourage more dieters to cook something interesting and delicious for their own sake, thus making the diet program more enjoyable through appetizing food less half of the calories.

Let us begin.   By the end of this session, we believe there is something here that you can use to help you pass your weight loss management program in a breeze.

1.  Beef - After browning it, drain the excess oil and rinse it using hot water.  This will take out 50% of the fat while retaining its flavor.

2.  Use chicken broth instead of butter in your pasta and rice dishes, even for stuffing.

3.  For oil, again use chicken or beef broth or wine.  This will produce a distinct flavor without the unnecessary fat.

4. Do not put oil in your marinade.  Instead, put fruit juice, salad dressing or wine.  The acidic solution will add flavor while lessening the fat.

5. For your pasta dishes, make use of cheeses which have less fat content such as cottage cheese.

6. Between mozzarella and cheddar, use the mozzarella for 50% lesser calories.

7.  Put your oven to good use, avoid frying your food.  To achieve crispiness, coat your food with beaten egg, and then roll it in bread crumbs, arrange them in a baking tray and bake away.  You will be eating crispy meat without the fat accumulated when deep frying.

8. Skimmed milk is much healthier than whole milk with less 8g of fat per glass.

9.  Use yogurt instead of oil in all your bake products such as cakes, muffins, and brownies.  Your finished products will be more nutritious and contain less fat.

10. Two egg whites are better than one whole egg.

List down all the ingredient changes that you did, and possibly the comments on the taste for your future reference.  The above are just a few of the many things you can do when planning your diet. There are a lot more and perhaps you can come up with your own substitutions.

Regardless if you just changed some of the recipe's ingredients or totally changed the entire recipe, you could achieve the taste of your favorite foods in its healthier version, meaning, less calories.

Try them and see which of the substitutions you will like best. You have nothing to lose except your unwanted weight.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jena_Calleigh

Cooking Tips To Help You In The Kitchen

When you are cooking a meal, there are many things that can go wrong and many simple, household solutions to issues that arise that you may not know. To that end, we've written this article to discuss some simple hints that can make your time spent in the kitchen much easier.

- Did you burn food, and now the whole house smells of the terrible burning odor? Well, don't fret - there is a simple fix. Simply take a half of a cup of whole cloves and put them in a saucepan with two cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for twenty to thirty minutes. The house will now smell sweet due to this mixture.

- Flare-ups on the grill can be worrisome and dangerous. For that reason, it is important to minimize the risk of flare-ups while grilling. Any excess fat on cuts of meat that you are about to cook should be removed. 
Also, if you bring food to room temperature before placing it on the grill, you're more likely to cook it evenly.

- Need to check your grills temperature, but you don't have the feature on your grill? One simple test that you can perform is to hold your hand facing palms-down over the coals, roughly around where you will be cooking. You should count how long you can stand to keep your hand there as it will give you a rough estimation of the temperature. If you can only count to about two, the heat level is high, and it's best for cooking meat. If you're looking to grill vegetables, you should cook with a medium heat. If you can count to about four, the grill is the proper temperature. Be sure to keep it safe when you are performing this test.

- When baking cookies, it's tough to get them to turn out exactly round. There is an easy solution, however: after creating the dough, place it into empty concentrated juice cans and put it in the refrigerator. When you're ready to bake, just slice off the end of the can and push the dough through, slicing off cookies as you go. They should be perfectly round!

- Need to make your own croutons fast? There's an easy way to do it, and you probably have all the ingredients in your house! Cut slices of bread into cubes that are three quarters of an inch. Place them on a baking tray and add cooking spray and garlic powder. Broil the tray for roughly three minutes, and there you go! Try adding different spices to suit your individual fancy.

Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including Women [http://iwomensinterests.com/], Beauty [http://universeofbeauty.net/], and Women's Health [http://forahealthywoman.com/].

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Oven Cooking Tips for the Teen Cook

As our children begin to age, they are more inclined to wanting to do new things to show off their independence. One of the most common things teens and pre-teens want to do in the house is oven cooking. Here are some great tips you should follow to help your youngster use the oven safely.

1. Explain the importance of preheating the oven for meals. Children of all ages tend to have a low tolerance for patience so you should reiterate the importance of all safety tips with oven cooking.
2. Make sure your young cook knows where the fire extinguishers in your home are.
3. Show him or her where the pot holders, meat thermometer and so forth are.
4. Explain what the appropriate and safe temperatures the foods need to be cooked at internally.
5. Don't allow your child to cook without adult supervision.
6. Teach your child the differences between the various pans you have and explain which ones are used in the oven and which ones can not be used in the oven.
7. It is vital that your child understands the importance of proper food handling and hand washing prior to having free range of the oven.

There are several easy recipes for young cooks to utilize all over the internet. Depending on how responsible your child is they can even move up to some slightly more complicated recipes for cooking. Again, food preparation and cleansing is essential to instill in your child. No matter how simple or complex the recipe is, you child should know about the various bacteria that can be transmitted from person to food, food to food, food to surface and so on.

As you give your child the independence of the kitchen, you don't have to necessarily be letting go of your baby. Instead, you can make oven cooking a time you and your child bond over. Oven cooking with your child is a great way to open up conversation about the daily activities and really get to know your child on a more "adult" level. You will soon find that you are seeing your child on a more independent scale without having to actually let them go.

Taking the time to teach your child about safe healthy oven cooking is the best way for you to open the doors of communication on an entirely new level. Your child will see that you know he or she is growing up, you are giving them more freedoms within the home and yet you are holding them to a level of expectation that they can meet while having fun.

Discover how FlavorWave Oven can make cooking easier and more enjoyable for you. It has a bundle of benefits and you will be able to make more dishes than ever before in lesser time. Read the FlavorWave Oven Reviews now.

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5 Easy Diet Tips

Here are 5 Easy Diet Tips you can start using today to get the fit body you want while still enjoying great tasting food.

1. Smart Sandwich

Hold the mayo in your next sandwich and use plain yogurt instead. With protein and probiotics, the yogurt is a lot better for you and you can hardly taste the difference.

2. Go Nuts

Show your heart some love when snacking and reach for a handful of healthy mixed nuts instead of artery clogging potato chips. The protein, fiber and goods fats will keep you full longer and your hand out of the bag.

3. Check Your Oil

Don't turn a good oil bad. Use extra virgin olive oil only for salad dressings, marinades or sauteing at low temperatures; to preserve the healthy fats. For high temperature cooking use grape-seed oil, coconut oil or even good old natural butter.

4. Perfect Pizza

You don't have to pass on a slice of pizza if you prepare it yourself and make some smart choices. Use whole-wheat flour in place of white flour for the extra fiber and ditch the nitrite, fat laden pepperoni for extra-lean ground beef instead. Load up on veggies and a little cheese for great food that's great for you.

5. Sweet Treat

With dark chocolate you can still satisfy your sweet tooth while giving your body something good. Dark chocolate containing 70-90% cocoa has a healthy mix of flavonoids and antioxidants. Even better, a piece of dark chocolate with a spoonful of natural peanut butter makes for a healthy recess peanut butter treat.

Get your FREE report "The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose That Beer Belly" from Sean Barker at http://www.dadfitness.com.

Sean is a Certified Personal Trainer and a proud and busy Dad. Sean has been involved in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years and have appeared in High Performance Muscle Magazine, been on health and fitness radio shows and was selected as a sponsored athlete by one of the top supplement nutrition companies in the world. His popular Dad Fitness fat loss workouts have helped Dads around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 3 hours per week. For more information on the Dad Fitness workouts that will help you burn fat without spending hours in the gym, visit http://www.dadfitness.com

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Top Cooking Tips For Lowering The Fat In Your Diet

Many people are looking for ways to adopt a healthier lifestyle. If you are looking for ways you can eat healthier, cooking at home is definitely a great idea. Of course, even when you are cooking at home, you want to avoid cooking high fat dishes that pack on the pounds. Learning how to lower the fat in your diet is important. Here is a look at the top cooking tips you can use to lower the amount of fat in your diet.

Tip #1 - Start Trimming Your Meats

Before you even start cooking the meat for your meal, take the time to trim those meats, no matter how you plan on cooking it. Work to cut off most of the fat. If you are dealing with meats that have a skin, such as chicken, cut off the skin as well to save big time on calories and fat.

Tip #2 - Avoid Using Fat Drippings

Many people use fat drippings when making sauces of gravies. While this can add flavor, those drippings are high in fat. There are easy ways to make sure you get the flavor without the fat. Let the drippings sit for a few minutes and skim off that fat before using. Another tip is to put a few ice cubes into your stock. The fat will stick to them and you can easily remove the fat.

Tip #3 - Add More Spices and Herbs

Since you are taking out the fat in recipes, which can take out some flavor, make sure you add in more spices and herbs. Fats add flavor, which is why so many people are hooked on fats in their meals. However, using nice spices and herbs such as ginger, chilies, garlic, basil, and others will enhance flavor without the fat.

Tip #4 - Stop Frying

If you want to lower the fat in your diet, one of the best top cooking tips is to stop frying. You will find many other methods of cooking that work well. Poach your food, roast it, broil, or even grill foods. This allows you to prepare tasty dishes without adding more fat. If you need to sauté or lightly fry, use non-stick sprays instead of oils or sauté with wine or stock to avoid having to use any fat.

Tip #5 - Choose Healthier Oils

There are times when you will need to use oils when cooking. When this is the case, choose healthier oils. Instead of using vegetable oils or other unhealthy oils, go with healthier options, such as olive oil or canola oil. Canola and olive oil are unsaturated oils, which means their better for you. Olive oil is also known for containing healthy fatty acids that your body needs.

These are just a few cooking tips that can help you lower the fat you and your family eat. With these tips you will be able to cook healthier meals that everyone will enjoy without compromising flavor.

Cooking healthy and low fat meals is important. For low fat healthy options, consider finding oven baked fish recipes to cook for your family. Baked fish recipes are a better option than fried recipes, since they offer lower fat ways to incorporate more fish into your diet.
EasyFishRecipes.net - The Only Thing Better Than Our Recipes Is Catching Them Yourself!

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Cooking Tips For Singles

All food is separated into portion-size bags, especially commercially bagged veggies and frozen meats, and yes I buy in bulk when there are specials. Fresh chicken (pieces) is usually cooked in bulk and frozen. Some fresh meats are marinated and frozen and some are precooked. Ground meat is almost always precooked and frozen.

This routine makes it easy cooking dinner for myself without to much work! That is a good cooking tips when you cook just for yourself, especially with recipes calling for ground beef and cooked chicken! NOTHING is considered a "leftover"!

Hamburger Helper and other casseroles are made, pastas and rice, especially brown rice, can be made ahead of time, bagged in portion sizes and frozen for future meals. Great cooking tips! I use good condiments, sauces not to expensive, everything that i buying is in a small portion!

I make a real effort to not keep an over abundance of items in the freezer. That is a great thing to do when you cooking by yourself!

My regular items are onions, garlic, tomatoes, mushrooms, radish and cooked rice! I love cooked rice! I always cook small portions! That is great cooking tips when you are single!

I love cooking, I choose several of my favorite meals, purchase my ingredients and containers that suit the type of meal you are cooking and then cook and freeze.

Another great cooking tips for singles!

I make delicious hamburgers from pork and chicken, but always in the small portions!
Vegetables and fruit is my desert!

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6 Best Turkey Cooking Tips Tricks!

It's almost the festive season again - and even if it isn't, many family meals could benefit from learning the basics of turkey cooking tips tricks and more guidelines on getting the best bird, cooking it right so it tastes just right and sets the mood for a good time!

1. Select the correct size of this wonderful bird: 3/4 pound per person is a good way to estimate you have enough left for seconds unless you are the type that enjoys having extra leftovers; then you can calculate on buying a turkey with portions decided as 1 1/2 pounds per person.

2. Whether you want a Hen or a Tom is largely dependent on your preference for bigger or medium sized birds; hens less than 16 pounds), Toms (over 16 pounds) do not matter so much as getting a young turkey as one a few weeks old at processing time will ensure tenderized meat that is easy to cook and eat.

3. Roast right by preparing right: remove neck and giblets from body cavities; rinse the hollowed insides well with cold water and those choosing to stuff the turkey can do so in a loose manner before clamping the leg back on in place.

4. Cooking tips tricks for the turkey: place in roasting dish, keeping plastic timer in clear view before covering with a lid; you can choose a foil wrap also. Do not forget to remove this cover an hour before browning.

5. Tips and Tricks for Cooking Turkey Roast: preheat oven to 325 degree Fahrenheit and roast for 15 minutes per pound of un-stuffed bird; the stuffed kind will need an extra half or 1 hr of cooking before done, though it's best to go according to the recipe guidelines that come with the turkey stuffing at times. Cooking temperatures may differ for ovenware and bird-size, so you may have to turn over for even roasting on all sides.

6. Choosing to Baste? Remember this: a suction basting tube is a cheap tool that makes basting turkeys easy and convenient besides decreasing the frequency of opening the oven door to check for how much roasting has been done - it also helps avoid heat escaping each time this is done, so get yourself one today.

There is no dearth of web sites that offer free information about cooking turkey meals and various cook-books also offer valuable tips and guidelines on this matter; it's only a matter of finding the right information and applying them right so once you've made a smart purchase of the right-size bird, you can go about setting that perfect family meal that's cooked just right and is filling too!

Abhishek is a cooking enthusiast! Visit his website http://www.Cooking-Guru.com and download his FREE Cooking Report "Master Chef Secrets" and learn some amazing Cooking tips and tricks for FREE! Learn how to create the perfect meal on a shoe-string budget. And yes, you get to keep all the accolades! But hurry, only limited Free copies available! http://www.Cooking-Guru.com

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Tips For Quick and Easy Cooking

In this fast-paced world where we want most things to be fast and easy, cooking is not an exemption. Many would even opt for fast foods and restaurants just to do away with giving time in preparing and cooking food. However, keep in mind that cooking your own food is one of the best options to stay healthy - of course, you can get to choose your ingredients and you know you have a safe and well-prepared food.

Cooking doesn't have to be something that eats up all your time, and it doesn't have to be a tedious task as well. Of course, cooking does not always mean sticking with the rules and the recipes. You can actually add a little creativity in your recipes and you can also invent. If you love cooking but you lack the luxury of time to do so, here are some tips for quick and easy cooking.

- Organize your tools. Indeed, you can reduce the amount of time in cooking by having a well-organized kitchen. Cooking can be a lot easier indeed if you know where to get your tools and if you don't have to spend time looking for the can opener nor trying to reach for your pots and pans hidden at the most remote part of your cabinet. By being organized, you save a lot of time in preparing your food.

- Prepare your recipes beforehand and make sure you understand everything about it. Of course, you have to check on the number of ingredients needed in your recipe and the time it needs for cooking. The more ingredients, the longer time you may need to prepare them. Check ahead if you do have the needed ingredients and make sure also that you have an idea how much time you need not only in the cooking itself but in the preparation as well.

- Shorten your time of preparation by getting pre-cooked ingredients and pre-cooked meats. You can also opt for frozen vegetables and pre-marinated meats, prepared bread crumbs or grated cheese and some other short cuts that will help you reduce your preparation time.

- Find a fast technique in cooking. You can slice vegetables while boiling water, or prepare other ingredients while preheating the oven - making good use of your time helps a lot to have a quick and easy cooking.

- Use a timer so you will be guided with the time you spent on cooking and in preparing your recipes. This will also help you avoid wasting time while cooking.

- Go for more vegetables. Meat is one of the main ingredients that require a longer time to cook, so if you want quick and easy cooking, you can also opt for more vegetables on your recipes and skip the meat. You will not only have quicker cooking but will also have a healthier recipe.

Start your day with simple and easy recipes and with some tips on quick and easy cooking, you will find it enjoyable and easy to cook and prepare your own healthy food.

Carolyn Anderson loves healthy cooking. If you want easy to prepare meals, check out Frugal Moms Cooking Guide. Also check out Healthy Express Cookbook for quick and healthy recipes you can make in a breeze.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Anderson

Easy Cooking Techniques Make Family Meals a Snap

For some people cooking is that dreaded chore at the end of a busy day at work but it does not have to be that way and many people have learned how to turn meal preparation time into an enjoyable experience with easy cooking techniques that make family meals a snap. One of the most important factors that come into play is to keep in mind that preparing meals at the end of the day does not have to be a long, drawn out process and that there are many cooking techniques that can help shorten the meal preparation time.

Although there are a great number of easy techniques on the market, the key is to tap into those techniques that work best for your particular situation. There are no hard and fast rules that say you have to prepare food at the end of a work day. But if it is the best time to cook, a great cooking method is to prepare food as much as possible the night before. For example, if you are planning to fix a healthy stir fry, you can cut up all of the necessary vegetables and put meat into a zip bag to marinade overnight. This cooking technique will greatly reduce the amount of time spent cooking the next day.

For busy households where everyone comes and goes at different times, a great cooking technique can be to set aside time on the weekend to do cooking that includes several family meals. Cooked food can then be divided into single serving containers and frozen for the nights ahead. Healthy, delicious meals can then be reheated whenever they are needed. This cooking technique can involve family members of all ages and offers not only a way to saving on cooking time during the week but for family members to spend some quality time together.

Taking the time to plan out meals and prepare a grocery list that includes all items necessary can help avoid extra trips to the store especially when cooking has already been started. Many cooking techniques can be derived from streamlining cooking processes such as comparing cooking times of different meal items to ensure that the meal is ready at the same time. Taking advantage of discounts on pantry items ensures that cooking techniques can be completed from start to finish without delay. Many recipes also offer cooking techniques that help to keep meal preparation time down to a minimum, allowing for creating family meals in a snap.

When it is time to do the grocery shopping, you can find the best food deals online and you can find the best ingredients to make the perfect meal in quick time.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jamie_Francis

Easy Recipes For Dinner

Cooking is generally as hard as we make it. Easy cooking or hard cooking becomes a choice if you think the process through. Yes, we may want hard cooking for special occasions such as holidays. Most times, however, what works best are those easy cooking recipes that we can put together in little time but with a big taste.

Why does this become important? Either the schedule is tight, the money is tight, or both. When you get home from work, you are scrambling to get something together to put on the table. You could do take out or fast food - again! There has to be some cooking ideas that offer easy recipes for dinner. You are left staring at the open refrigerator wondering what to cook.

End your kitchen frustration. Here are four easy cooking ideas the will help you get healthy easy recipes from the refrigerator to the table.

1) Plan in advance.

Cooking is like anything else. Plan your work and work your plan. This is the best way to stay on time and on budget. Put yourself together a weekly, or even monthly cooking book that you can use. Break each page down into two sections - first, what you need to buy, second, how to put it together. You can get everything on the counter in the morning and put the meal together in minutes when you get home. If you use quick and easy recipes, you have even more time available.

2) Use your crock pot.

You know the one. You got it as a wedding gift all those years ago. It's on the shelf gathering dust. Wash it up and use it. Crock pot cooking has dinner ready when you walk in the door. There is no after work prep time. You can cook almost any meat, soup, or vegetable (or any combination thereof) in a crock pot. The words crock pot and easy cooking should be side by side in the dictionary. The only thing you have left to do in the evening is set the table. Cleanup becomes easy. 1-2-3 and easy dinner recipes become culinary delights for your family.

3) Prepare dinner at breakfast.

Yes, this is not what most people think of as normal. Yes, this will save you time. You know when you have to leave for work. You have the most control over your schedule before you close the car door in the morning. Leverage the morning time to gain the afternoon time. Schedule time to get supper ready and use easy dinner recipes. By using some easy cooking recipes, you keep your ingredients to a minimum and take up the least amount of prep time. All that is left when you get home is to heat it up.

4) Prepare many meals at one time.

If you cook an entire month of easy dinner recipes in two days, all you have left on the day to day basis is about 20 minutes to heat the meal. Open the freezer in the morning. Choose what looks good. Put it together in under 30 minutes that afternoon. The hard part has already been done. Some people get overwhelmed at the thought of cooking 30 meals at one time, but it really isn't that hard if you are organized about it. We do it about six times a year. Start with a week at a time if you want to take a slow start, but this is a great time saver on a daily basis and budget conscious on a monthly basis.

Cooking is usually as hard as we make it. Easy cooking is a choice for your lifestyle if you think the process through. We just have to get the hang of what works best. It's often those easy cooking recipes that we can put together in little time but with a big taste.

Chris & Michelle Grimbilas both have backgrounds in teaching and education. Cooking is one of the things they both enjoy. They have five children who have shared the kitchen with them over the years. You can get more great easy cooking ideas at their Creative Cookery website. You'll find more cooking ideas,real resources that will help you in the kitchen, and best of all FREE GIFTS! Get software that shows you how to cook almost anything! Get free dessert recipes! Claim your gifts today at the Creative Cookery!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Grimbilas

Easy Cooking Today Meat Loaf

Ingredients

One Pound Ground Beef
Two Eggs
One Cup Bread Crumbs
One 8 Ounce can of Tomato Sauce
One Medium White Onion diced
Two medium Carrots Diced
Salt,Pepper,Italian Seasoning

In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients, except for the seasonings. With very clean hands knead the mixture until all the ingredients blend and form your loaf. Add salt and pepper and the Italian seasoning around the entire loaf then knead again until the seasoning is mixed throughout the Meat Loaf. Line a baking dish with aluminum foil,place your meat loaf in the dish and let it rest while you preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Make sure to wash your hands after handling the raw products. When your oven reaches the correct temperature place the meatloaf into the oven and set your timer for 40 minutes. The loaf should be a nice brown on top and the juices should run clear. Remove the Meatloaf from the oven and let it sit for around 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with your choice of potato and vegetable sides! Enjoy. This loaf feeds two to four persons . Double the ingredients and add 10 minutes to the cooking time and you will have plenty for meatloaf sandwiches the next day!

Find more great recipes at www.easycookingtoday.com [http://www.EasyCookingToday.com]

CP Marrufo is the Owner of www.easycookingtoday.com [http://www.EasyCookingToday.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carl_Marrufo

Easy Cooking Kitchen Accessories and Utensils

Preparing a meal for you or the whole family can be fun and easy to do if you have the complete materials for your food. All the ingredients needed are laid out already and the utensils are all within reach. It saves a lot of time from looking for what is needed, or heading out to the grocery to buy what is lacking.

Once you set your mind of the dish you want to cook, prepare a list of ingredients and be sure nothing is left out when you go to the grocery. Think about the utensils needed also for the preparations and make sure you have them in the kitchen.

Both kitchen utensils and kitchen accessories are very important items that help make your work a lot easier. There are so many different kinds used for different purposes like slicing, extracting juice, opening a can, and so much more.

The kitchen accessories are subcategorized into carts, kitchen decorations, cheese accessories, wine accessories, fondues and entertainment ware. Cooking will be very difficult and sometimes impossible if you do everything manually without the help of such tools.

Let us take the cheese accessories for example. How do you slice it when it is so soft? How do you even manage to create equal slices? And thus we use a cheese slicer. In just a couple of strokes, our block of cheese is cut into equal proportions exactly how we want it.

Indeed we cannot do everything with our hands alone. Hence, these kitchen items were invented. Here are some of the kitchen utensils commonly used at home.

Pressure cooker is a kitchen utensil used for macrobiotic cooking. This is usually made of stainless steel and mainly used for cooking grains and rice. Others use it also to tenderize meat for soup and other recipes.
A cooking pot is usually made of steel or iron. There are also cooking pots made of Pyrex but these weigh heavier. Most cooking procedures are done with this very functional item. It can be for frying, sautéing, reheating and a lot more.

Cutting board is very important also. It is where the meat and other ingredients are laid out for chopping, slicing, dicing or mincing. It protects your table from being damaged by the knife. The common cutting board is made of wood or durable plastic.

Glass jars come in different sizes. There are small glass jars and there are also big ones. These glass gars are very useful in storing foods like grains, beans, nuts, seeds and other dried foods. These glass jars do not allow air to circulate because they are closed all over. They are also easy to locate. You can find lots of places in your kitchen where you place your glass jars.

Vegetable brush is a natural bristle brush used for cleaning vegetables. This is available in all food stores of natural ingredients. You can be sure that when you use this vegetable brush all your vegetables are clean.

Vegetable knives are one of the most useful and practically used everyday. There are many different types depending on what kind will be sliced. The bigger ones could easily chop frozen meat including the bones. The smaller ones could finely strip tender meats, slice vegetables like tomatoes and potatoes, or dice onions and garlic.

There are many other kitchen utensils that are needed in your cooking. Sometimes, you also need the metal flame deflectors, grinding bowl, flat grater, pickle press, streamer basket, and wire mesh strainer. Buy kitchen items which will be most useful to you in accordance to what dishes you normally prepare for the family.

For more information on Salad Shooters & Choppers and Egg Salad Products please visit our website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Urmann

Quick Meals for Easy Cooking

There are a number of satisfying and nutritious meals you can cook up in no time. You don't need to be overly skilled in the kitchen, but by using common sense and following these basic guidelines, you can easily create an impressive dish to satisfy any taste.

A great quick and easy meal you can cook tonight is traditional Spaghetti Bolognese. It's healthy and delicious, and only requires around fifteen to twenty minutes cooking time if you're in a hurry. Firstly take minced beef, proportionate to the desired number of eventual diners and brown in a pot. Next add a whole onion (chopped) and cook with the beef until soft. You can also add in all manner of vegetables to your Bolognese, including peppers, mushrooms, carrots - it really is up to you. After you've added your vegetables, it's a good idea to turn your attention to the spaghetti whilst they are softening in the pan. With one eye on the Bolognese, pour boiling water over some pasta, and bring to the boil, leaving to simmer until cooked. Next, add a can of chopped tomatoes, about quarter of a tube of tomato puree, and a clove or two of garlic to flavour. Mix well, and allow it to simmer until the spaghetti is ready. Finally, serve up on top of the spaghetti, and sprinkle some cheddar cheese to finish.

Alternatively, why not try something more exotic, with this spicy chicken curry idea? Firstly, take some raw chicken breast and cut into strips or cubes. Seal in a pan with oil or butter, and add a whole onion chopped.  At this stage, it is also wise to add curry powder and spices to effectively marinade the chicken. This will allow all the flavours to circulate whilst you cook. Next, add around half a can of chopped tomatoes and further mixed spices to taste. Then, boil some rice in a separate pan, and add some coriander to taste, leaving the curry to simmer until the rice has cooked. Serve the curry on top of the rice, and add some bread to finish, for a really great, easy meal. Additionally, you might also like to add some single cream with the chopped tomatoes for that creamy taste.

Overall, by taking simple basic ingredients and using some common sense, you can create tasty meals with very little input. As long as you remember each crucial step, and cook meats well, feel free to experiment, and who knows what you might end up with on your plate next?

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Cooking [http://ecookingcentral.com/], Nutrition [http://yournutritionsource.net/], and Health [http://healthinformationsource.net/].

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathon_Hardcastle

That Hidden Easy Cooking Secret

An easy way of cooking healthy meals is to use parchment packets, or papillotes. The food remains moist and tender, while the natural sweetness in the food comes out due to the steaming that takes place. Parchment packets are fun, too. The packets puff up like small balloons during cooking. Your family will not know what is awaiting them until they open their own individual packet, which will release an enticing aroma when opened.

Parchment paper is the traditional material used for this style of cooking, but you can also use brown paper lunch bags if you do not want to learn the simple folding required. To use parchment, fold a large sheet in half. Cut it along the fold, making a large heart, just like on Valentine's Day. Repeat this as many times as needed to feed each person at your dinner. Open the heart. Place the food in the center of one side of the heart.

Add your seasonings and top with any sauces or marinades you may be using. Lemon slices add a nice flavor, too. Seal the packets by folding the other half of the parchment over the food. Beginning at the blunt end, make a small, sharp fold toward the food. Continue making small folds along the edge, refolding the last tuck upon itself many times to make a good seal. Fold it beneath the packet. Move the packets to a baking sheet and follow your recipe for baking time.

Fun Cooking with Parchment

Besides the fun of opening your food like a Christmas present and practically no clean up, parchment cooking is also healthy. Steaming the food in your packets is low fat and great for those watching what they eat. You do not need to use as much butter or oil as you might in other cooking methods. It is also a gentle way to cook delicate foods such as fish.

You can find the parchment paper at the grocery store along with waxed paper and foil. If your store does not carry parchment, foil will work for packets too.


The Many Possibilities with Parchment

Parchment packets are so versatile you can cook just about anything in them. Fish works well, and chicken and pork also does well. Almost an entire meal can be prepared in a packet. Just use layers for your meat, sauce, and vegetables to get a wonderful entree. Pasta can even be cooked to perfection!

Make a delicious entree of salmon, dill, and lemon, or a vegetarian dish of sweet potatoes seasoned with leeks. Find some easy chicken recipes with a sauce and bake them in parchment. You can even make a tasty Asian pouch with Ramen noodles, green onions, fish or chicken and some teriyaki sauce.

Do your food prep thoroughly for the best results. Make sure your vegetables are julienned or sliced in small pieces for even cooking. You may want to include celery, shallots, zucchini, carrots, or mushrooms with aromatic herbs.

Use a baking sheet to hold your packets and bake in a 400-degree oven for about ten minutes. Dinner will be ready in a flash!

Chicken is a great choice for cooking in parchment. Slice it up and it will cook quickly. For more ideas for boneless chicken, check out BonelessChickenRecipe.com. There are lots of recipes and articles to learn more about this tasty, convenient ingredient.

We have a delicious selection of easy recipes for you to enjoy. including such delights as our Japanese teriyaki chicken recipe and our easy chicken Parmesan recipes from our selection of international chicken recipes and baked chicken recipes.

Whether having a simple gathering or a more formal site down dinner chicken is a crowed pleaser. Find many great chicken recipes and information on preparing award winning chicken dishes at the site dedicated to chicken and chicken cooking tips, and information. While there why not checkout our delicious quick easy chicken recipes they are a great choice for a dinner party for a special group of friends or a wonderful choice for that next family dinner that are as simple to prepare as they are great tasting.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=KC_Kudra

Easy Cooking For Beginners is More Than Just Recipes

Firstly, read your chosen recipe through 2-3 times before you start cooking. Collect all the ingredients together in one spot (which avoids the embarrassment and annoyance of finding out at the last minute that you have run out of flour, sugar, lemons etc). Prepare all the ingredients as in the ingredients list, as you see with professional chefs on their T.V. programmes, before you start cooking. If the amounts in the recipe claim to feed four, you can obviously halve the amounts for two, or keep half in the fridge for a later meal.

Next, when cooking soup, the trick is to get as much of the taste as possible out of the ingredients and into the water. Sauté the ingredients before adding the pre-heated liquid or, alternatively, place all the ingredients in a pot with cold water and salt, and let them heat up together.

To sauté means to gently stir-fry over a relatively low heat thus avoiding high temperature frying, which destroys nutrients and is generally bad for health. Prepare all the ingredients and place them in separate piles. Heat a little oil in a pan, then add the ingredients to the pan one pile at a time starting with the ingredient which takes the longest to cook and finishing with the most watery.

When cooking pasta it should be served "al dente" (slightly chewy). Pasta loses its taste and texture if overcooked and so it is best served al dente. A little oil in the water used to boil the pasta will help to avoid it sticking together. Vegetables cooked al dente are slightly crisp with their flavour and bright colours intact.

Meat usually needs to be browned and "sealed" at the beginning of the cooking process. Sauté it first, set it aside to add to the dish, to be cooked through properly later.

Most fish is fragile and should be cooked gently to avoid them drying out or disintegrating.

For 144 easy recipes please visit [http://www.recipesuncut.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Bridgman

14 Easy Cooking Tips for Meat and Poultry Slow Cooker Recipes

The first Christmas we spent with my in-laws in their new country home, my mother-in-law wisely gave me a slow cooker. Her thoughtful gift helped Dan and I enjoy the most convenient of all cooking methods, even with our long work days and commute.

I'll always treasure the memories of delicious aromas wafting through the front door as we stepped into the house after a long day at work and a nerve-jangling commute in heavy traffic.

Most of the slow cooker recipes I used were based on meats and poultry. Here are 14 easy tips to make your slow cooker recipes tasty and safe:

Tip # 1 - According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, bacteria in food are killed at a temperature of 165°F. Meats cooked in the slow cooker reach an internal temperature of 170° in beef and as high as 190°F in poultry. It is important to follow the recommended cooking times and to keep the cover on your slow cooker during the cooking process.

Tip # 2 - It is best not use the slow cooker for large pieces like a roast or whole chicken because the food will cook so slowly it could remain in the bacterial "danger zone" too long.

Tip # 3 - Always defrost meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker.

Tip # 4 - Meats generally cook faster than most vegetables in a slow cooker.

Tip # 5 - Trim all fat from meat and poultry. Fat can increase the temperature of the liquid in the slow cooker and decrease the cooking time. This will cause the food t be overcooked. Fats will also melt with long cooking times, and will add an unpleasant texture to the finished dish.

Tip # 6 - Cooking at higher temperatures will generally give you a tougher piece of meat. for all day cooking or for less-tender cuts of meat, you may want to use the low setting.

Tip # 7 - The slow cooker recipes are best used with the tougher cuts of meats.

Tip # 8 - For the best color and texture, ground beef is best browned before using, except in meatloaf or other similar dishes.

Tip # 9 - It is not necessary to brown meat before slow cooking, but it gives more depth of flavor in the food and removes some of the fat, especially in pork, lamb and sausages. If the meat is lean, well trimmed and not highly marbled, it doesn't need to be browned.

Tip # 10 - For roasts and stews, pour liquid over meat. Use no more liquid than specified in the slow cooker recipes. More juices in meats and vegetables are retained in slow cooking than in conventional cooking.

Tip # 11 - Dark meat takes longer to cook, so if a whole cut up chicken is used, put the thighs and legs on the bottom.

Tip # 12 - The slightly coarser texture of corn-fed, organic or free-range poultry is ideal for slow cooker recipes.

Tip # 13 - Most meats require 8 hours of cooking on LOW. Use cheaper cuts of meat - not only do you save money, but these meats work better for slow cooker recipes. Cheaper cuts of meat have less fat, which makes them more suited to crockpot cooking. Moist, long cooking times result in very tender meats.

Tip # 14 - Farberware FSC600 6-quart Oval Slow Cooker oval design accommodates oversize roasts, whole chickens, hams, and/or ribs. It features a large, 6-quart capacity stoneware liner, which nests inside a chrome slow cooker base and the auto setting switches to a lower 'keep warm' setting after cooking food.

For those who are not concerned about cooking in aluminum the West Bend Versatility 6-quart Oval Slow Cooker will work well to cook meats. It has a removable aluminum insert that can be used on the stovetop to brown meats and caramelize onions before slow cooking. The bottom unit can also be used on its own as a small griddle. Its dishwasher-safe insert has a nonstick interior and an included roasting rack.

Visit Anjali's slow cooker recipes site for free recipes and tips. Anjali has 45 years of experience in cooking, from exotic Indian cuisine with her family in Nepal and India, to home-style American cooking with her mother-in-law in Alaska. She refined her gourmet talents working with her chefs as a Restaurateur. http://www.easy-slow-cooker-recipes.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anjali_Dawson

Easy Cooking Ideas a Recipe Book Will Never Tell You

If you're looking for easy cooking ideas, stop searching in recipe books! Instead, look at your cooking basics. One of the best basic cooking methods to employ for quick dishes is stove-top saute. Sauté is a direct source, conductive cooking method that uses intense heat to cook and brown products quickly and easily. It's the best way to get dinner done quickly, regardless of the ingredients you choose.

The most important part of the sauté method is getting the pan hot first. This is one of the biggest mistakes home cooks make that gets in the way of easy cooking. Putting your protein product into the pan and then heating the pan and the product together actually makes cooking more difficult. If you don't hear a distinct "sizzle" when you add something to the pan, it's not hot enough. The first thing your protein product will do is release moisture and if you are heating the product at the same time as the pan, you will end up with a dried finished product.

After you're sure your pan is ready, you'll need a small amount of fat to transfer the heat from the bottom of the pan to the item you're cooking. This is one of the cooking basics you can't ignore. Keep in mind that the use of fat in sauté is meant only to help with heat transfer. This is different from pan frying, where you fill the pan with oil in a moist, convective fashion. So, use only a small amount of fat for sauté.

Once your item is cooked under the direct heat of the stove top, then you can add any type aromatics that you would like, such as onion, garlic, or ginger. Quickly cook them in the leftover pan-drippings or "fond" to combine the flavors.

Now comes the fun of sauté method and the best of all easy cooking ideas, how to make a quick pan sauce. Any type of cold liquid will quickly drop the temperature of the pan and lift the fond from the bottom, allowing you to combine flavors and leave a flavorful liquid that you can thicken or reduce for a sauce.

Quick dishes and easy cooking ideas always come from cooking basics. Once you have an understanding of these basic methods, you can use them over and over again to create dinner ideas from the ingredients you have on hand.

Chef Todd Mohr is a classically trained chef, entrepreneur, cooking educator and founder of WebCookingClasses. You CAN learn to cook without written recipes by taking his FREE cooking class that will change the way you think about cooking forever!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Todd_Mohr

Pregnancy and Your Diet - Five Easy Cooking Tips

Diet and nutrition is among the most vital topics that should not be overlooked during pregnancy. After all, with today's fast-paced lifestyle, convenience-centered products have become integral in our day-to-day living. Among these products are processed foods and fast food items that dominate the super markets. As such, it is all too easy for most of us to get carried away and make ultimately unhealthy decisions when it comes to our food choices.

A significant portion of our diet is dominated by junk food and processed food items because they are all too easily available. However, these types of food, more often than not, are harmful to our bodies. This is especially true for women during pregnancy because this is a crucial point in their health. This unhealthy diet will only bring about higher risks for health-related problems not just to the mothers but their babies as well.

Tips to Make Meals Healthier

Putting more care and planning into your food plans is the first step in achieving good nutrition. We know it's difficult to resist the urge of using excessive salt or fat (e.g. butter) in preparing your meals when you've already become accustomed to it. Fortunately, there are ways to make it an easier transition for you.

Here are some guidelines to help you overcome bad cooking habits and start working on a healthier pregnancy and diet:

1. If you find yourself having to add cheddar, parmesan or any other cheese into your dish, try to regulate the amount by putting just 50% of the suggested amount. In short, cut the cheese portion in half so you will cut the total fat from the cheese in your dish in half as well. In this way, you will get the calcium and other nutrients from the cheese as well as avoid sacrificing the dish altogether.

2. If the recipe requires granulated or confectioner's sugar, reduce the suggested amount by 25% to 50%. Your dish will still have a mild sweetness to satisfy your palate but without the additional risks for gestational diabetes.

3. If you love to season your dishes with a lot of salt, you will have to wean yourself from it. Too much salt in your diet increases your risks for increased blood pressure during pregnancy. Try to minimize your salt intake by using only ½ teaspoon of salt if you usually use 1 teaspoon for your dishes. If you think it's too bland for your taste, you can use spices for your food. Spices are rich in flavor and also contain essential nutrients like choline, which helps your baby's brain development.

4. Adding spices to your dishes bring a wealth of new flavors to your dish. More and more people are beginning to use a variety of spices to replace salt. Salt is actually weaker than spices as seasoning because you have to use a relatively larger portion of it to get a stronger taste compared to spices. You will also find that spices are actually more refreshing when flavoring your meats and vegetables. You can also add vinegar and citrus juices along with the spices.

5. Vegetables are among the best sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Hence, they're a great investment when it comes to improving or maintaining your health. Best of all, there is no restriction when it comes to the amount you're allowed to eat. Double the vegetable portions in your dishes to maximize your meals healthful benefits!

For example, if you usually put 1 cup of peas, put 2 cups. Instead of just 1 potato, put in 2 potatoes. This may need a little more seasoning than usual, but there'll be more vegetables for you to munch on. The more vegetables you eat, the better for your health.

Arnold Basken is a pregnancy diet expert. For more great tips on pregnancy and diet, visit http://www.pregnant-women-diets.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Arnold_J_Basken

The Advantages of Easy Cooking

If you are looking for information on how to find quality cookware products that fit your cooking needs you're in the right place. Finding a quality product can be a little hard at the moment with the large number of brands available on the market. Ask yourself some questions before buying. Are you picky with your kitchenware, pots or pans? If yes, then you probably should not choose aluminum-based products and go for the copper-made ones. An important thing to understand is that, in the kitchen area, if two products look the same they do not necessarily offer the exact same quality of services. This is an old problem, people are constantly looking for products that are cost efficient and do their job, but such products are hard to find in this saturated market.

The KitchenAid cookware is here and promises to change the way you cook forever. You might find it a lot more tempting to purchase cheaper pots, but think about it, will it be worth it on the long run? Let me tell you, it won't. These pots rarely offer good services and they degrade easily. By choosing a quality product you will be able to keep your product for a longer period on time, thus save a great deal of money. You should always put quality over price. Only by seeing things this way you will be able to finally enjoy cooking and save some time and money in your kitchen. The KitchenAid cooking products feature quality and durable materials, adding worth to your acquisition every time.

Why change your cookware products so often when you can just buy a durable and quality piece? KitchenAid does just that, it helps you to achieve great results for a longer period of time. The products made by KitchenAid feature only the finest metallic materials. This means that you will no longer encounter taste differences caused by using inferior products. The KitchenAid cookware also heats up very fast, unlike the standard copper or steel pans and pots. This means quick meals and time saved. All that it is required for you to do is to pre-heat for a few minutes, after which you can begin cooking. Just think how much time you are going to save by using this quality set of products on the long run. KitchenAid products are very likely to set a new standard in the cookware product market.

To find out more information on KitchenAid stand mixer [http://www.kitchenaidstandmixer.org/], please visit Peter Sibierski's most comprehensive online guide on KitchenAid stand mixer parts [http://www.kitchenaidstandmixer.org/category/kitchenaid-stand-mixer-review/] to get the best offers, read reviews, learn facts and check where to shop.

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Quick and Easy Cooking

These days, quick and easy cooking has become the goal of many a hurried mom, and a few dads. Even single people are so busy that they're looking for ways of preparing meals that don't require them to spend a long time mixing and cooking. It's likely that this trend will continue, given the economic and demographic patterns that prevail in our modern world. It seems every year that the average person works longer hours, our kids take on new hobbies and interests that require our time and attention, and every week there seems to be less and less time in a day.

Feeling like they're caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to quick and easy cooking, many people turn to highly processed and frozen meals to feed themselves and their families. This is not the ideal solution. In fact, it's far from it. Highly processed foods have been stripped of many of the nutrients that our bodies need to function at their best. In addition, they've been loaded with artificial ingredients, many of which aren't very good for us. The net effect is a negative impact on our health. These frozen entrees may be convenient, but that's about all they have going for them.

There are better options when it comes to quick and easy cooking. There are a great many cookbooks for sale these days, which feature meals that can be prepared in under an hour, or even in less than half an hour. There are others that have only recipes that use five or fewer ingredients. Another great option is a slow cooker. With one of these, you can throw your food in the post before you leave for work, set it on low, and when you get home the meal is ready. So don't resort to eating nothing but TV dinners and other frozen foods. There are much better ways of cooking that are simple and fast, but still healthy.

To help you enjoy quick and easy cooking please visit Quick and Easy Cooking [http://www.quickandeasycooking.importantposts.com] and to find free recipes and entertaining stories about the recipes please visit Quick And Easy Recipes [http://www.quickandeasycooking.importantposts.com].

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Mom's Easy Cooking - Fast Meal Ideas For Busy Moms

Every busy mom worries about how to prepare fast, nutritious meals for her family. Working moms often find they have very little time for meal planning and preparation. After a long day at work, the last thing on your mind is spending an hour or more cooking and cleaning up afterwards. A little advance preparation and some creative menus are all you need to make mealtime less stressful. You will save a lot of time and energy if you plan an entire week's meals in advance, and do your shopping all in one trip instead of making several trips to the grocery store each week.

A simple online search will give you some great recipes and meal ideas, most of which you can prepare in less than fifteen minutes. You will be able to find delicious recipes for family favorites such as spaghetti, meatloaf, and stroganoff, all of which can be partially prepared in advance, saving you valuable time in the evenings. Most busy moms worry about nutritious, fast breakfasts. Consider keeping frozen waffles, yogurts, cereal, and microwave items such as Hot Pockets on hand to save precious time in the mornings and still send your kids off to school with a good breakfast.

If your children take their lunch to school, prepare them the night before. You will have more time to make sure your kids are taking nutritious lunches and you will save yourself a lot of time and hassle in the mornings. Lunch items can include vegetable sticks, fruit snacks, cheese, crackers, and convenient juice boxes. Your kids will love the variety and will often be able to prepare their own lunches for the next day.

If you want to save additional time in the evenings, try cooking in a Crockpot. You can cook meat and vegetables in one convenient location, and the best part is your food will be ready when you get home. Your family will love coming home to the smells of delicious Crockpot meals that have been cooking all day. Another helpful idea would be to purchase a bread machine with a timer. You can place the ingredients in the bread machine and set the timer so that the bread will be ready upon your return home from your busy day.

Jennifer Houck is the owner of an ever growing Online Resource Guide for Mothers. Visit http://www.ilovebeingamom.com today!

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Quick And Easy Cooking Tips For Butternut Squash

There are a lot of tips out there for preparing butternut squash. This is a really diverse vegetable and can be used in an added to many many things.

The best cooking tips for butternut squash come by knowing a bit about the product itself. It comes from the gourd family, which is native to the Western Hemisphere. Some people believe that native Mexicans were eating this vegetable as early as 5500 BC. As you can see this food as a very long history as well as still being a favorite today.

There are two different kinds of squash. Summer and winter. Butternut squash is winter squash. At their biggest it will probably grow to be about 3 pounds. However, they can be smaller and a smaller squash should still taste just fine.

When shopping, try to always pick one that's heavy in your hands and has no moldy spots on it. You can store squash for a relatively long time because the skin is so hard and thick. You will want to keep it in a cool, dry place for up to a month. If you cut the product, then wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate. It should last for up to 5 to 7 days, but any longer than that and you should probably throw it out.

Finding the perfect wine will also bring out the great flavor of your butternut squash. Depending on what you are serving with it and how you prepare it, you can serve a Pinot Grigio or Chenin Blanc to enhance the flavor of both.

There are also some spices that enhance the flavor. Try using any of the following: allspice, anise seed, brown sugar, butter, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, ginger, mace, nutmeg, paprika, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme and turmeric.

It's simple to prep this vegetable. You simply rinse and cut the product lengthwise. Once you have done that, remove and discard the seeds and excess fiber that you will find toward the center of the squash. If you like, you can peel the skin off. It should be noted that many children do not like the skin very much.

There are many different ways to cook butternut squash... here are a few:

Stir-Fry: squash is done when tender when pierced.
Bake: 400 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes, uncovered.
Microwave: Cut the product in half and microwave for 10 -12 minutes.
Boil: Cut into chunks and boil 7 - 9 minutes.
Steam: Cube and steam for 6 - 8 minutes.
Roast: 400 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes.

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Cooking Tips - Quick and Easy Basic Cooking Tips To Make Food More Tasty!

The best part about learning easy to use basic cooking tips is that anyone can apply these in the kitchen to save on precious time and remain relaxed while dealing with modern lifestyle demands that have made life so busy.

What follows are just a few of the handy hints and tips home-makers can incorporate into their daily schedules to plan meals and prepare nutritious food for the family and guests in a jiffy, besides staying in a budget.

You can avoid Bacon pieces from shrinking by pre-washing them under cold water and then fry them. Similarly, the gassy quality of beans can be reduced by pre-soaking them in a big container to which a tbsp of Soda bicarbonate has been added. Another handy kitchen hint is for boiling eggs: a wee bit of salt or a dash of vinegar added to the boiling water will keep the egg-shell intact. Cooking experts recommend boiling corn for up to 3 minutes, adding it into the dish of boiling water without any salt to avoid losing out on taste and pouring hot water over frozen vegetables that are wedged together.

Grating cheese that has been pre-frozen close to half an hour will help it shred easily, while a pinch of sugar into the batter of a pancake will ensure even and faster browning; a quickie recipe for making the a flakey pastry for a pie calls for replacing the teaspoonful of vinegar with water.

Other basic cooking tips relating to cooking with unripe fruit and vegetables is to simply store them in a brown-paper packet bag kept in a dark cabinet for a couple of days and chopping iceberg lettuce into wedges for saving time used in tearing the greens! Another useful tip for cutting out the acidic taste of tomatoes when cooking spaghetti sauce is to stir in a pinch of Soda Bicarbonate to it while thick cream soups made of tomatoes, mushrooms, chicken and celery make for good, instant sauce-recipes too.

Vinegar contains qualities to quickly release the natural juices of a meat product and facilitate its cooking and just a tbsp added to boiling water when cooking ribs or meat will give you faster, tastier stews in a fraction of the time. Similarly, soaking dried vegetables in 2 cups of water to which a tablespoon of vinegar has been added will revive them. For cleaning skewers made of wood, a pre-soak in cold water for about 20 minutes will ensure they do not burn as prone to doing - try some basic cooking tips to raise your quality of life.

Abhishek is a cooking enthusiast! Visit his website http://www.Cooking-Guru.com and download his FREE Cooking Report "Master Chef Secrets" and learn some amazing Cooking tips and tricks for FREE! Learn how to create the perfect meal on a shoe-string budget. And yes, you get to keep all the accolades! But hurry, only limited Free copies available! http://www.Cooking-Guru.com

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14 Easy Cooking Tips for Meat and Poultry Slow Cooker Recipes

The first Christmas we spent with my in-laws in their new country home, my mother-in-law wisely gave me a slow cooker. Her thoughtful gift helped Dan and I enjoy the most convenient of all cooking methods, even with our long work days and commute.

I'll always treasure the memories of delicious aromas wafting through the front door as we stepped into the house after a long day at work and a nerve-jangling commute in heavy traffic.

Most of the slow cooker recipes I used were based on meats and poultry. Here are 14 easy tips to make your slow cooker recipes tasty and safe:

Tip # 1 - According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, bacteria in food are killed at a temperature of 165°F. Meats cooked in the slow cooker reach an internal temperature of 170° in beef and as high as 190°F in poultry. It is important to follow the recommended cooking times and to keep the cover on your slow cooker during the cooking process.

Tip # 2 - It is best not use the slow cooker for large pieces like a roast or whole chicken because the food will cook so slowly it could remain in the bacterial "danger zone" too long.

Tip # 3 - Always defrost meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker.

Tip # 4 - Meats generally cook faster than most vegetables in a slow cooker.

Tip # 5 - Trim all fat from meat and poultry. Fat can increase the temperature of the liquid in the slow cooker and decrease the cooking time. This will cause the food t be overcooked. Fats will also melt with long cooking times, and will add an unpleasant texture to the finished dish.

Tip # 6 - Cooking at higher temperatures will generally give you a tougher piece of meat. for all day cooking or for less-tender cuts of meat, you may want to use the low setting.

Tip # 7 - The slow cooker recipes are best used with the tougher cuts of meats.

Tip # 8 - For the best color and texture, ground beef is best browned before using, except in meatloaf or other similar dishes.

Tip # 9 - It is not necessary to brown meat before slow cooking, but it gives more depth of flavor in the food and removes some of the fat, especially in pork, lamb and sausages. If the meat is lean, well trimmed and not highly marbled, it doesn't need to be browned.

Tip # 10 - For roasts and stews, pour liquid over meat. Use no more liquid than specified in the slow cooker recipes. More juices in meats and vegetables are retained in slow cooking than in conventional cooking.

Tip # 11 - Dark meat takes longer to cook, so if a whole cut up chicken is used, put the thighs and legs on the bottom.

Tip # 12 - The slightly coarser texture of corn-fed, organic or free-range poultry is ideal for slow cooker recipes.

Tip # 13 - Most meats require 8 hours of cooking on LOW. Use cheaper cuts of meat - not only do you save money, but these meats work better for slow cooker recipes. Cheaper cuts of meat have less fat, which makes them more suited to crockpot cooking. Moist, long cooking times result in very tender meats.

Tip # 14 - Farberware FSC600 6-quart Oval Slow Cooker oval design accommodates oversize roasts, whole chickens, hams, and/or ribs. It features a large, 6-quart capacity stoneware liner, which nests inside a chrome slow cooker base and the auto setting switches to a lower 'keep warm' setting after cooking food.
For those who are not concerned about cooking in aluminum the West Bend Versatility 6-quart Oval Slow Cooker will work well to cook meats. It has a removable aluminum insert that can be used on the stovetop to brown meats and caramelize onions before slow cooking. The bottom unit can also be used on its own as a small griddle. Its dishwasher-safe insert has a nonstick interior and an included roasting rack.

Visit Anjali's slow cooker recipes site for free recipes and tips. Anjali has 45 years of experience in cooking, from exotic Indian cuisine with her family in Nepal and India, to home-style American cooking with her mother-in-law in Alaska. She refined her gourmet talents working with her chefs as a Restaurateur.
http://www.easy-slow-cooker-recipes.com/

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Pregnancy and Your Diet - Five Easy Cooking Tips

Diet and nutrition is among the most vital topics that should not be overlooked during pregnancy. After all, with today's fast-paced lifestyle, convenience-centered products have become integral in our day-to-day living. Among these products are processed foods and fast food items that dominate the super markets. As such, it is all too easy for most of us to get carried away and make ultimately unhealthy decisions when it comes to our food choices.

A significant portion of our diet is dominated by junk food and processed food items because they are all too easily available. However, these types of food, more often than not, are harmful to our bodies. This is especially true for women during pregnancy because this is a crucial point in their health. This unhealthy diet will only bring about higher risks for health-related problems not just to the mothers but their babies as well.

Tips to Make Meals Healthier

Putting more care and planning into your food plans is the first step in achieving good nutrition. We know it's difficult to resist the urge of using excessive salt or fat (e.g. butter) in preparing your meals when you've already become accustomed to it. Fortunately, there are ways to make it an easier transition for you.
Here are some guidelines to help you overcome bad cooking habits and start working on a healthier pregnancy and diet:

1. If you find yourself having to add cheddar, parmesan or any other cheese into your dish, try to regulate the amount by putting just 50% of the suggested amount. In short, cut the cheese portion in half so you will cut the total fat from the cheese in your dish in half as well. In this way, you will get the calcium and other nutrients from the cheese as well as avoid sacrificing the dish altogether.

2. If the recipe requires granulated or confectioner's sugar, reduce the suggested amount by 25% to 50%. Your dish will still have a mild sweetness to satisfy your palate but without the additional risks for gestational diabetes.

3. If you love to season your dishes with a lot of salt, you will have to wean yourself from it. Too much salt in your diet increases your risks for increased blood pressure during pregnancy. Try to minimize your salt intake by using only ½ teaspoon of salt if you usually use 1 teaspoon for your dishes. If you think it's too bland for your taste, you can use spices for your food. Spices are rich in flavor and also contain essential nutrients like choline, which helps your baby's brain development.

4. Adding spices to your dishes bring a wealth of new flavors to your dish. More and more people are beginning to use a variety of spices to replace salt. Salt is actually weaker than spices as seasoning because you have to use a relatively larger portion of it to get a stronger taste compared to spices. You will also find that spices are actually more refreshing when flavoring your meats and vegetables. You can also add vinegar and citrus juices along with the spices.

5. Vegetables are among the best sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Hence, they're a great investment when it comes to improving or maintaining your health. Best of all, there is no restriction when it comes to the amount you're allowed to eat. Double the vegetable portions in your dishes to maximize your meals healthful benefits!

For example, if you usually put 1 cup of peas, put 2 cups. Instead of just 1 potato, put in 2 potatoes. This may need a little more seasoning than usual, but there'll be more vegetables for you to munch on. The more vegetables you eat, the better for your health.

Arnold Basken is a pregnancy diet expert. For more great tips on pregnancy and diet, visit http://www.pregnant-women-diets.com.

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