English Muffins Turned Into French Toast

Ingredients:

• 6 slices whole wheat English muffins
• 1/2 cup healthy egg substitute, or 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• pinch of nutmeg
• 2 tablespoon butter for frying
• Pure Maple Syrup

Very Important First Step:

Heat oven to 400F degrees and heat up griddle pan on medium heat.

Mix the healthy egg substitute, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a LARGE bowl; large enough to hold all 6 slices of bread.

Allow the bread to soak up all the liquid in the bowl.

Melt butter on griddle pan for an even coating. Add bread slices and cook for one minute on each side, until light golden brown.

Transfer bread slices to a ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from pan, drizzle with a little pure Maple syrup and serve HOT!

Tastes great with a side of oven fried bacon and fruit salad.

Recipe by: Jill

Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

2 slices firm white sandwich bread
1/2 lb jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg, beaten
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Accompaniment: lemon wedges

Method:

Tear bread into small pieces into a bowl with crab. Add mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, 2 Tbsp egg (discard remainder), and a pinch of salt. Mix together gently but thoroughly, then form into 4 patties (about 3 inches in diameter).

Heat butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook crab cakes, turning once, until golden brown, about 6 minutes total.

Serve with: french fries and/or baby greens tossed with lemon vinaigrette.

Recipe by: Ian Knauer
Photo by: Romulo Yanes

Homemade Peanut Butter

Prep time: about 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. unsalted roasted peanuts
• 1 tbsp. peanut oil

Utensils:

• food processor (You'll need help from your adult assistant.)
• bowl
• mixing spoon
• storage container
• measuring cups and spoons

Directions:

For smooth peanut butter:

1. Mix the peanuts with the peanut oil, and pour the mixture into the food processor.
2. Process the mixture until it's very smooth.
3. Store your smooth peanut butter in a sealed container in the fridge. It will be good for 2 weeks.

For chunky peanut butter:

1. Take about 1/4 cup out of your 1 1/2 cups of peanuts and set them aside.
2. Mix the rest of the peanuts with the oil, and pour the mixture into the food processor.
3. Process the mixture until it's very smooth, then stir in the peanuts that you had set aside.
4. Process a few seconds more to create the chunks in your chunky peanut butter.
5. Store your chunky peanut butter in a sealed container in the fridge. It will be good for 2 weeks.

Serves: 12

Recipe by: Kids Health

Chocolate History

Chocolate begins with a bean ... a cacao bean. It has been mashed and eaten for centuries.
The history of chocolate spans from 200 B.C. to the present, encompassing many nations and
peoples of our world.



The scientific name of the cacao tree's fruit is "Theobroma Cacao" which means "food of the
gods." In fact, the cacao bean was worshipped as an idol by the Mayan Indians over 2,000
years ago. In 1519, Hernando Cortez tasted "Cacahuatt," a drink enjoyed by Montezuma II,
the last Aztec emperor. Cortez observed that the Aztecs treated cacao beans, used to
make the drink, as priceless treasures. He subsequently brought the beans back to Spain
where the chocolate drink was made and then heated with added sweeten ers. Its formula
was kept a secret to be enjoyed by nobility. Eventually, the secret was revealed and the
drink's fame spread to other lands.

By the mid-1600s, the chocolate drink had gained widespread popularity in France. One
enterprising Frenchman opened the first hot chocolate shop in London. By the 1700s,
chocolate houses were as prominent as coffee houses in England.

The New World's first chocolate factory opened in 1765 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Sixty years later, Conrad Van Houten, a Dutch chemist, invented a cocoa press that enabled
confectioners to make chocolate candy by mixing cocoa butter with finely ground sugar.

In 1876, Daniel Peter, a Swiss candymaker, developed milk chocolate by adding condensed
milk to chocolate liquor - the nonalcoholic by-product of the cocoa bean's inner meat. The
Swiss also gave the chocolate a smoother texture through a process called "conching." The
name was derived from a Greek term meaning "sea shell" and refered to the shape of old
mixing vats where particles in the chocolate mixture were reduced to a fine texture.

Milton Hershey established the Hershey Chocolate Company in 1894, manufacturing and
selling Hershey's cocoa, Hershey's baking chocolate and Hershey's sweet chocolate
(known today as dark or semi-sweet chocolate). Hershey was called the "Henry Ford" of
chocolate because he mass produced a quality chocolate bar at a price everyone could afford.

Copyright © 1995 Hershey Foods Corporation

Cooking Pasta Properly

Pasta dishes can be so wonderful—incredibly light, unbelievably flavorful—but they can also be dense, stuck-together disappointments. You can help your pasta dish be its best—whether it's a baked lasagne, a pasta salad, or a slap-dash plate of spaghetti and pesto—by knowing a few of the hows and whys of cooking the pasta itself.

When you drop pasta into a pot of boiling water, the starch granules on the surface of the pasta instantly swell up to their maximum volume and then pop. The starch rushes out and, for a brief time, the pasta's surface is sticky with this exuded starch. Eventually, most of this surface starch dissolves in the water and washes away, and the pasta surface becomes a soft solid.

Stir at the start

Many pasta recipes begin like this: "Bring a large pot of water, 4 to 5 quarts, to a rapid boil." Do you really need this much water? Well, if you're only boiling a small amount of pasta (less than half a pound), you don't need so much, but a generous pot of rapidly boiling water is helpful for several reasons: it comes back to a boil faster when you add the pasta; it makes it easier to submerge long, rigid pastas like spaghetti; and it helps to reduce sticking slightly by quickly washing away the exuding starch from the pasta surface.

Add salt, but not oil

You may have heard that you can avoid sticky pasta by adding oil to the pasta water. This can prevent sticking, but at a great price. Pasta that's cooked in oily water will become oily itself and, as a result, the sauce slides off, doesn't get absorbed, and you have flavorless pasta.

Adding oil may keep the pasta water from bubbling up and boiling over the rim, but this can also be achieved by making sure you use a large pot and also by reducing the heat a little (but still maintaining a boil). This is a much better solution than greasing your pasta and sacrificing flavor.

Salted water flavors the pasta. A generous amount of salt in the water seasons the pasta internally as it absorbs liquid and swells. The pasta dish may even require less salt overall. For a more complex, interesting flavor, I add 1 to 2 tablespoons sea salt to a large pot of rapidly boiling water. By the way, the claim that salted water cooks food faster (because of its higher boiling temperature) is exaggerated; you're not adding enough salt to raise the temperature more than about 1°F.

Hot pasta absorbs more sauce

Behind every great pasta is a great sauce. And it's not just the flavor of the sauce that matters, but when and how the sauce and the pasta get combined.

Toss hot pasta with hot sauce quickly—without rinsing it—so the pasta absorbs more sauce and flavor. As it cools, the swollen starch in the pasta crystallizes and becomes insoluble, and the pasta won't absorb as much sauce. Just so there's no delay, I always prepare the sauce first in a large skillet, even if it's simply olive oil, garlic, and pepper flakes. The second the pasta is done (I like it just a breath beyond al dente), I scoop it out of the water with a big Chinese ladle-type strainer or spider. I let the pasta drain over the pot for a few seconds, and then I dump it into the hot sauce, stir well, and set a lid on the skillet. I let the pasta sit, covered, to absorb the sauce for a minute or two, and then I remove the lid, stir again, and serve instantly.

Starch-enriched cooking water thickens the sauce

Rinsing the pasta after cooking is a bad idea for a couple of reasons. It can cool the pasta and prevent absorption of a sauce, and it can wash away any remaining surface starch, which at this point in the cooking can work to your advantage. The small amount of starch left on the pasta by the cooking water can thicken your sauce slightly.

For pasta sauces that include egg, like carbonara, it's a good idea to reserve a bit of the pasta cooking water to stir into the sauce. In this case, the starch-enriched water not only thickens the sauce a bit, but it also helps prevent the egg from curdling when it meets the hot pasta.

by Shirley Corriher

Healthy Cooking Tips

• One of the healthiest ways to cook vegetables to preserve vitamin and mineral levels is by steaming. For a quick and healthy meal, use a double decker steamer to cook a tray of mixed vegetables along with another dish such as hard boiled eggs or a batch of basamati rice all at the same time.
  
  
• When cutting vegetables for salads and soups, save the stems, peelings and leftover parts of vegetables in a container in your refrigerator. Every couple of days, or when the container is full, use the scraps to make a nutritious vegetable broth by putting the scraps in a crock pot with some water. Let the mixture simmer for at least several hours.
  
  Save the broth for use in stews, soups, gravies, etc. If you don't have a use for the vegetable broth right away, pour the broth into ice cube trays and freeze for future use.
  
  You can make condensed canned soup more nutritious and flavorful by adding and heating the soup with the frozen veggie broth cubes instead of plain water.
  
  
• Use a steamer to lightly steam a big assortment of fresh vegetables each day. Don't throw out the water when you are done. Save the water from the steamed vegetable for use in stews, soups, rice and gravies. Save unused portions in ice cube trays for future use.

Tips by: Healthy Cooking

Easy Waffles

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, separated
2 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons white sugar

Methods:

In a large bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt together.

In a separate bowl, add egg yolks, milk, vanilla, oil, and sugar.

Stir together and add to dry ingredients.

Stir until batter is smooth (no lumps).

Next add egg whites and gently stir.

Let stand for a few minutes.

Grease your waffle ironand then pour the batter.

Bake until delicouslly golden brown.

Serve with maple syrup and strawberries.

Recipe by: Amy B.

Jamaican Coconut Pudding

Ingredients:

1/2 shredded or flaked coconut

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

1 cup milk

2 eggs

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F (175*C).
2. Put all ingredients in a blender and beat until smooth. Pour into a buttered pie dish and bake for 1 hour.

Serves 6.

Recipe by : Cooks Recipes

Fruit Punch

Ingredients:

8 black tea bags, strings removed
4 cups cold water
4 cups apple cider
3 cups apricot nectar
6 ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
12 ounce cans or bottles cherry flavor lemon-lime carbonated beverage, chilled
1 orange, sliced into rounds
4 ounce jar maraschino cherries

Method:

In a large pitcher, combine tea bags and cold water. Cover, and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

Remove tea bags, squeezing them gently against side of pitcher. Stir in apple cider, apricot nectar and lemonade concentrate. Chill until ready to serve.

Pour punch over ice cubes in a punch bowl. Add carbonated beverage, and garnish with orange slices and cherries.

Recipe by: Gourmet Recipes

A Rich Soybean History

Soybeans are one of the world's most important crops. Soy, like wheat and corn, plays a substantial role in feeding large numbers of people throughout the world.

Soybeans have been part of the Chinese diet for at least 5,000 years. Indeed, many Asian countries have been consuming a wide range of soy products for centuries, and it is often to the soy-rich diets of these cultures that scientists now attribute their populations' heart health and longevity. Because many soy products originated in Asia, they have Asian names

America has grown soybeans for only a fraction of the time that they have been cultivated in Asia. Soybeans were introduced in the U.S. in the mid-1700's, but their acceptance as a food crop was slow: Soybeans were valued almost exclusively as animal feed.

That opinion started to change in the early 1900's when people like Henry Ford began to explore soy's role as a source of human nutrition. As the 1900's progressed, soy slowly began to enter the American diet. Americans were hesitant to accept soy primarily because many of the soy products back then were designed for the largely unfamiliar Asian palate or were poorly made.

Within the last 30 years, this has all changed. The quality of soy products has increased dramatically. Increasing numbers of soy products are being developed and produced specifically for American palates and lifestyles.

There is also a growing body of credible scientific research supporting the beneficial health effects of soy:

• According to The Food & Drug Administration's 1999 unqualified health claim, eating 25 grams of soy protein per day as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Soy shows great promise in reducing the risk of certain cancers including breast and prostate cancer.
• Evidence suggests that isoflavones in soybeans may reduce bone loss in post-menopausal women, and relieve menopausal symptoms.
• Soy is also perfect for lactose- or gluten-free diets since soy contains neither or them.
• Ongoing research indicates that soyfoods may help diabetics control their blood sugar and lower their risk of complications of the disease, like kidney disorders.

These two developments—the improved quality of soyfoods and the increasing evidence of significant health benefits—are responsible for increasing soyfoods' appeal to American consumers and consequently their accelerated entry into the mainstream American diet.

The Plant
Soybeans thrive in the hot, wet climate of the Midwest, which is why most (two-thirds, in fact) of the American soybean crop is grown in the heartland states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Nebraska. Twenty-six more states make up the remaining one-third of all soybean-growing states, which include Tennessee, Kentucky, the Dakotas and Kansas.
Soybean plants take 70 to 80 days to grow from seed to harvest. The mature plant is about 18 inches tall and bears slightly fuzzy, three- to four-inch pods, each encasing two to five soybeans. The look a little like sweet-pea pods, only longer, plumper, and more rugged in texture.

The soybean plants are harvested mechanically with a combine, and, depending on their variety, the harvested beans can range in color from light to dark shades of yellow, black and green. These beans are the only part of the plant that humans eat.

The Bean

Soybeans are legumes like peas, beans, lentils and garbanzo beans. Unlike other legumes (or any kind of vegetable), soybeans "fix" their own nitrogen which allows them to produce all of the nine amino acids essential to human life. Soybeans also contain the two essential fatty acids.

These two qualities—the amount and quality of protein ("complete" protein) and fat.—are what make them one of nature's most beneficial and unique crops, and truly unique in the plant kingdom:

The Protein

Soybeans contain about 38% protein, which is a high percentage for plants. (By comparison, wheat is no more than 15% protein.) Additionally, all that protein is complete protein, meaning that it contains all the amino acids in the correct proportions necessary to sustain human life, as described above. Complete proteins are most commonly found in meat sources, which also contain cholesterol. For this reason, and because soybeans are a cholesterol-free protein, soy makes a nutritionally sound alternative to meat in most American diets, and an ideal protein source for vegetarians.

The Fat, the Fiber & the Carbs

In addition to the quantity and quality of its protein, soybeans are also an excellent source of fat. Soybeans contain about 18% oil and it’s the kind of oil that has a positive effect on health and well-being.

Soy oil is cholesterol free, very low in saturated fat and high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats. In addition, soy oil contains important amounts of both essential fatty acids: linoleic acid and linolenic acid. An essential fatty acid is essential to support human life but cannot be produced by the human body—we can only get it from the food we eat. Sufficient intake of these essential fatty acids is crucial for optimal health. Soybean oil also contains lecithin, an emulsifier used extensively in food manufacturing.

The balance of soybeans is moisture (14%) and carbohydrate (30%). Soybeans are considered an excellent source of dietary fiber because half of their total carbohydrate (15% of total soybean composition) is dietary fiber. The rest is soluble carbohydrate.

By: The Soyfoods Council

How to Freeze Muffins

Freezing muffins is a pretty simple process. There are two ways to freeze muffins. Neither is complicated and personal circumstances and preferences will determine which way works best for you.

The first way to freeze your muffins is to bake them as directed in the recipe. Allow the muffins to cool completely. Place the muffins in a large freezer bag. Be sure to remove as much air as possible before sealing the bag. Place the bag in the freezer. The muffins can stay in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat - just pop them out of the freezer and place them back in the muffin tin. Place them in a 350 degree oven until heated through. You can also allow them to thaw completely and reheat them in the microwave at 20 second intervals until they are as warm as you like.

The second way to freeze muffins is by mixing the batter as directed in the recipe. Place the batter in the muffin tin just like you would if baking them right away. Place the muffin tin in the freezer and allow the batter to freeze solid. If you have a flexible muffin tin you can simply twist the tin and pop the muffins out. If your muffin tin is not flexible, use a butter knife and break the muffin lose from the sides. Slide the knife up under the muffin and work it back and forth until the muffin comes lose. Place the frozen muffin batter into a large freezer bag releasing as much air as possible before sealing.

Muffin batter frozen in a tin can be kept for up to 4 months before going bad. When ready to bake, just remove them from the freezer and place them back in the muffin tin. Allow the batter to thaw completely and bake as directed on the recipe.

Either way you choose, freezing muffins can save tons of time and money. Buy ingredients when they go on sale and make a couple dozen muffins at once. Freeze them and enjoy a yummy muffin for breakfast or as an afternoon snack anytime.

Tips by: Basic Recipes

Coca Cola Sloppy Joes

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons flour

1 cup Coca-Cola

2/3 cup catsup

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons dry mustard

Directions

1. Brown beef and onion in a large skillet.
2. Drain well.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients as listed.
4. Mix well.
5. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Recipe by: kmdipaolo

Photo By: lil pilgrim

Better Than Sex Cake

A popular chocolate cake with loads of chocolate, caramel topping, candy bars and whipped topping.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 German chocolate or other chocolate cake, baked, 13x9x2-inch
• 3/4 cup fudge topping
• 3/4 cup caramel or butterscotch topping
• 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 6 chocolate covered toffee bars
• 1 tub of whipped topping or 1 envelope Dream Whip, prepared with milk

PREPARATION:

Do not remove cake from pan. After the cake has cooled, make holes in the entire top of the cake using a large fork or the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour (one at a time) fudge, butterscotch, and condensed milk over the top of the cake and let each flavor soak in before adding the next.

Crush 3 of the candy bars and sprinkle on the top. Frost the cake with the whipped topping and crush the 3 remaining toffee bars to decorate the top. Try to keep your hands off of this great cake before serving!
Serves 12
Shared by Liz

Article by: Diana Rattray

Kung Pow pork

Servings: 2-3

1 lb. pork tenderloin
½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts
8 dry red peppers
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
3 cups cooking oil
2 Tablespoons cooking oil Marinade
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 ½ Tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ Tablespoons water Seasoning sauce
1 Tablespoon rice wine
1 ½ Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sugar
½ Tablespoon brown vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:

1. Pound the pork with the back of the cleaver to tenderize it. Then dice it into ½" cubes. Marinate with the marinade for 20 minutes (remember to pre-mix the marinade first).
2. While marinating the pork, prepare the seasoning sauce, chop the ginger, and cut the dry red peppers into 1" long pieces.
3. Heat up the wok on high, then pour in 3 cups of cooking oil. Deep fry the pork cubes for 20 seconds. Remove the pork, and drain off the oil.
4. Heat up the wok on high again, and pour in 2 Tablespoons of cooking oil. Fry the dry red peppers for a few seconds, or until dark brown.
5. Immediately add the ginger and the pork. Quickly stir fry for a few seconds. Then pour in the seasoning sauce. Mix thoroughly until the sauce thickens.
6. Transfer the content onto a serving plate. Add the roasted peanuts on top, and it is ready to serve.

Recipe by: Chinese Home Cooking

A Tangy Yogurt Topping

Makes 5 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup plain, nonfat Greek-style yogurt, such as Fage's brand
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Directions:
Stir together yogurt, garlic salt, lemon pepper, and lemon juice in a small bowl.

Add parsley and stir until combined.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

(Serving size: about 2 tablespoons)

by Bethenny Frankel

Kids in the Kitchen - Keep the Kids Busy this Weekend

Looking for something different to keep the kids busy this weekend or during the school holidays? Forget video games and takeaway pizza - why not encourage them to conjure up a carrot cake or beat up an omelette?

Cooking is one of the most fun and constructive activities you can share with your child: it unleashes their creativity, sets up healthy eating habits and teaches them a valuable survival skill for the future. If you teach your kids to cook now, they will eat well for life.

When cooking with kids, design the menu according to their age and level of kitchen skills. "Children should tackle recipes appropriate for their age, both in terms of their abilities and their taste buds," says Chris Chandler, cooking guru at The Chefs Toolbox, a party plan company specialising in high quality kitchenware. "With careful supervision, cooking can be just like an edible craft project. If you're looking for some ideas, you'll find some great kids' recipes on our website, www.chefstoolbox.com.au".

The most important thing to consider before letting kids loose in the kitchen is, of course, their safety. To avoid nasty cuts and burns and to make for a more enjoyable cooking experience, Chris has put together some hints and tips to help you child-proof your kitchen.

Bon appetit!

Kitchen safety tips:
• Ensure that your young chef is appropriately dressed for the experience with close fitting clothing and hair tied back.
• Only use one row of burners at one time to avoid children reaching over the hot stove top.
• Turn all pot handles inwards, towards the stove top, to prevent kids accidentally knocking over the pot or pan.
• Only fill pans half to three quarters full so they are not too heavy too move.
• Use silicone utensils for children under 12 – they are safe for kids and they won't melt in the pan like plastic does. If possible, give your young chef their own set of kitchen utensils. The Chefs Toolbox makes a range of suitable kitchen tools for kids.
• Make sure you use small knives appropriate for little hands. A paring knife would be a good choice.
• Use a timer to make sure foods don't get overcooked (or forgotten!).
• Ensure that dirty knives go on the counter or drain board and never in a sink full of water.
• Make sure appliance cords don't dangle off table edges.
• Check that everything is switched off after cooking is finished.

Cooking activities by age:
Age: Three to four years
Abilities: Wash fruits and vegetables, Stir ingredients in a bowl, Grease pans, Mash foods
Food projects: Mashed potatoes, Cooked playdough, Cake/biscuit decorating

Age: Five to six years
Abilities: Measure ingredients, Cut soft foods with a dull knife, Peel oranges and softboiled eggs, Toss salads, Set the table
Food projects: Easy, no-chop salads, Cupcakes

Age: Seven to eight years
Abilities: Spoon and shape cookies, Beat ingredients with a whisk, Pour muffin and cake mixes into pans
Food projects: Baked cookies and cakes (without using the oven), Sandwiches, Pancakes

Age: Nine to twelve years
Abilities: Use an oven under supervision, Use a sharp knife under supervision, Stir sauces
Food projects: Spaghetti bolognaise, Homemade pizza, Simple stirfry, Sushi, Homemade bread

by: Felicity McDougall

A Guide To Asian Ingredients

Authentic seasonings are essential to Chinese cooking. Most supermarkets now stock
many of these ingredients, as do the growing number of Asian markets throughout the
metro area. Here's a list of some of the most readily available spices and sauces:

Chili peppers: Add a hot and spicy edge to Sichuan-style dishes.

Chili paste: Made with mashed chili peppers, vinegar and garlic, a fiery flavor that puts
zing into Chinese.

Five-spice powder: Ground anise, Sichuan pepper, fennel, cloves and cinnamon. The
pungent blend is for flavoring meat and poultry.

Ginger root: A gnarled brown tuber with a lemon-zesty flavor; shaved and skin
removed, it's great for stir-fry.

Hoisin sauce: A thick, reddish-brown concoction of soybeans, flour, sugar, salt, garlic and
chili peppers that adds a sweetish taste to cooked dishes and also is a good marinade or
dipping sauce for seafood and poultry.

Scallion: Mild, tender green onion with a small white bulb and tall green stalk, great for
soups and stir-fry flavoring.

Bamboo shoots: Ivory-colored, mild-flavored sprouts from the bamboo plant used in
stir-fries and soups; canned versions are most common.

Bok choy: Tall, thick-stalked cabbage for stir-fry, soups and pickled side dishes.

Chinese cabbage: Also called napa, the oval-shaped, densely packed, broad leaves are
juicy and slightly sweet. Use in dumplings, fillings, soups and stir-fries.

Dried mushrooms: Shitake, black and wood ear are among varieties used. Soak in water
before adding to soups and stir-fries.

Mung bean sprouts: Used in stir-fry and other dishes for their sweet taste and tender
texture.

Oyster sauce: A dark-brown mix of oysters, brine and soy sauce, cooked until it's thick
and concentrated. Use in stir-fries and as a dip.

Peanut oil: Distinctive flavored oil for stir-fries.

Pea pods: Flat green pods with tiny green peas inside. Provide a fresh, sweetish taste
that's perfect for soups, salads and stir-fries. Cook only slightly to preserve their crisp
texture.

Sesame oil: Nutty and pungent; add a teaspoon to finish a stir-fry dish.

Tapioca flour: Extracted from the root of the cassava plant; used as a thickening agent for
stir-fries.


Copyright 1994 The Detroit Free Press

Distributed by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Information Services

By Patty LaNoue Stearns

Knight-Ridder Newspapers 

What You Need to Know About Electric Grills

Talk about user friendly! Whether you opt for an indoor or outdoor electric grill, the fact remains that they are very easy to use. You switch them on, and they are ready to use. You have probably noticed that many restaurants use electric cookers. This is because as a fuel, electricity gives you control over the temperature at which you cook your food. There are hardly any fluctuations.

Electric grills come with thermostats that, along with temperature control also let you time your cooking. What makes these so attractive is, unlike charcoal grills, you do not have to worry about the hassle of handling fuel and lighting your bbq or cleaning up the messy ash after your cook out. You do not have to keep track of how much fuel is left.

Electric grills are as easy as adding just a couple of ounces of wood to give your meat or beef that delicious smoke flavor that identifies true barbecue grilling. Insulated electric grills are ideal to use during the winter season. They have reasonable operating costs depending on how frequently you use them. It is important to buy one with thermostatic control since this can turn the heat off or on according to the requirement. There are electric grills that have a rheostat but this only turns down the flow of electricity. Also, rheostats often do not pick up enough heat to get the wood smoking, which makes thermostats a better choice.

Almost every grill manufacturer offers electric grills. Meco electric grills are quite popular. The company makes all types of grills ranging both portable and permanent models.

Since the fat drains out of the food during cooking, it is healthier. Electric grills require some space and an electric outlet is a must. You cannot use extension cords as manufacturers advise against it. As far as size of indoor electric barbecue grills goes, there is a huge range available. Whether you only plan to cook a burger or two occasionally or cook for the entire family frequently, there are ideal electric grills available. Almost all come with timers and indicators that tell you when the food is done and can be taken out, or when the grill is ready to cook.

The market has many nonstick electric grill models. The portable models can even be placed on your kitchen counter. There is an electric grill to suit every need and budget and just about any one can enjoy great outdoor cooking when they want.

About The Author: Jonathan Goodman is the owner of Market Merchants an online retailer specializing in home and garden products. My passion for bbq grilling and fireplaces is the core focus of Market Merchants. I am a member of the Hearth Patio Barbeque Association (HPBA), the National BBQ group (NBBQ), and the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS). We sell these products because we love them and are passionate about consumer living needs. So whether its furniture and decor, home improvement, kitchen and dining, or outdoor living Market Merchants brings a dedicated commitment to the customer and a passion for high quality products. Visit the Market Merchants website: http://marketmerchants.com

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

Apple Cider Pie

This is one of my all-time favorites.Yields one 9-inch pie.

ingredients

For the double crust:
1 recipe Classic Pie Crust
3 Tbs. heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar cubes (about 12 small), coarsely crushed

For the filling:
3 lb. Golden Delicious or Gala apples, peeled, cored, cut into 3/4-inch slices, and then halved crosswise
2/3 cup apple cider
1/2 to 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar to taste
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 Tbs. cornstarch

how to make

Make the filling

In a large nonreactive pot, mix the apples, all but 2 Tbs. of the cider, the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often, until the sugar has dissolved and the apples are evenly coated. Mix the cornstarch and remaining 2 Tbs. cider into a paste; add this to the apples. Stirring constantly, boil until the liquid is thickened and clear, about 1 min. (you're not cooking the apples, just thickening the juices). Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Assemble the pie

Position racks in the low and middle spots of the oven. Set a foil-lined baking sheet on the lower rack to catch drips and heat the oven to 425°F. Prepare a double pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan and fill the shell (see Classic Pie Crust). Brush the heavy cream over the top crust and sprinkle with the crushed sugar cubes, pressing lightly to secure the chunks. Cut at least three vent holes. Bake on the middle rack until the crust is golden and the apples are tender when pierced with a knife, about 55 min. If the top starts browning too quickly, tent the pie with foil.

Recipe by: Abigail Johnson Dodge

Photo by: Mark Ferri

From Fine Cooking 29, pp. 72-77

Keep pie crust and filling from separating

Q: Is there a secret to keeping my pumpkin pie filling from separating from the crust?

Gloria Betz, via email

A:

Carole Walter replies: A custard pie filling separates from the crust because of shrinkage, which is a normal part of the cooling process. The fact is, all baked goods shrink as they cool due to the evaporation of moisture during baking; with a pie, the filling and crust are shrinking in opposite directions, which often results in separation. There are ways to reduce the chance of this happening, though. One is to avoid extreme changes in temperature; choose a spot to cool your pie that is free of drafts, and do not put the pie in the refrigerator until it has cooled completely. I prefer serving a pie the day it is made so that it doesn’t need to go into the fridge. Also, I always prebake the pastry crust for pumpkin and other custard pies to give the crust a chance to shrink before the filling is added. Even though the filling will still shrink upon cooling, separation will be minimized.

If you must bake a pumpkin pie a day ahead, your best bet may be to disguise any separation. I like to sprinkle chopped toasted pecans or almonds around the edge of the filling before serving. I’ve also used crushed gingersnaps or biscotti. If you like, you could pipe whipped cream decoratively around the edge. Realize that the separation may be unavoidable, and that one bite of a homemade pumpkin pie will take everyone’s mind off how it looks.

From Fine Cooking 88, pp. 22