Keeping Food Safe During Cookout Season

Summer is the ideal time to enjoy cookouts and backyard feasts. Unfortunately, hot weather combined with eating outdoors can be a breeding ground for food-borne illness. Every year, an estimated 76 million cases of food-borne illness and 5,000 associated deaths occur in the United States.

It's easy to avoid food poisoning if you take some simple precautions. Here are some ways to keep yourself safe:

• Avoid cross-contamination. Do not let food not yet cooked come into contact with anything ready to be eaten.

• When shopping, buy meat and poultry products last, and unpack them first at home.

• Cook food thoroughly, especially poultry. Even rare meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 140ºF.

• Cranberries may be a natural and delicious way to make that summer barbeque a safer one. New research finds cranberries may offer a unique line of defense against food poisoning with their unique ability to reduce the growth of Salmonella and E. coli and other types of bacteria found in food. Incorporating cranberry into food preparation, one day, may be a natural way to minimize food contamination.

SPICY CRANBERRY CHICKEN DRUMMETTES

• 1/2 cup Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce
• 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 20 chicken drummettes, about 2 pounds

Combine all ingredients, except drummettes, in large resealable plastic bag; mix well. Add drummettes. Seal; turn bag to coat chicken. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. Preheat oven to 400º F. Pour chicken and marinade in ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake 40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink near bone, turning 2 or 3 times and brushing with marinade. Transfer chicken pieces to serving dish; discard any remaining marinade.

Since cranberries are also antioxidants, they provide a dual anti-adhesion and antioxidant health benefit. With more PACs and antioxidants per gram than most fruit, cranberries ward off certain bacteria and bolster the body's defenses against free radical damage that can contribute to many chronic diseases including heart disease.

How To Give American Fare An Island Flair

Caribbean ingredients are an increasingly popular way to add island flair to traditional American fare.

According to Rick Crossland, executive chef for Bahama Breeze restaurants and lead judge for the Caribbean Culinary Federation, "Island cuisine features bold but not overpowering flavors, many of which are very familiar to Americans, including spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, herbs like cilantro and basil and fruits like coconut and mango."

A leader in this trend is the company Crossland works for, Bahama Breeze-part of Darden Restaurants, which also owns Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Smokey Bones and Seasons 52. With lots of fresh seafood, distinctive chicken dishes and flame-grilled steaks, the 32 restaurants feature fresh ingredients indigenous to the islands. "Bahama Breeze really tries to bring the freshness and variety of the Caribbean to American dining," says Crossland. "The region's many cultural influences have led to new ways of using foods we're all familiar with, becoming what we now refer to as Caribbean cuisine."

Recently introduced items include Breeze Wood-Grilled Chicken Breast; Grilled Chicken Tostada; Spinach Dip and Island Chips; Lobster and Shrimp Pasta; and a new fresh fish sheet offering guests a choice of tilapia, salmon, mahi-mahi and more, with preparations including Almond-Crusted with lemon butter sauce, Havana with Latin caper-garlic tomato sauce and Simply Grilled with lemon-garlic-herb butter.

Here's a recipe to add island flair to your family's menu:

Breeze Wood-Grilled Chicken Breast With Orange Glaze and Citrus Butter Sauce

(Serves 2)

2 chicken breasts (8 oz, boneless, skinless)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup wood chips, soaked in water for 15 minutes

1/2 cup orange glaze

1/2 cup citrus butter sauce

Lightly coat each chicken breast on both sides with olive oil, salt and pepper. Preheat a char-grill to medium heat, adding wood chips just prior to placing the chicken on the grill, or add wood chips to a charcoal grill. Grill for 6 to 7 minutes per side, flipping it over twice during the grilling process. The chicken is done when it registers 165° to 170°F on a meat thermometer, or the juices run clear when pierced with a fork. When the chicken is fully cooked, baste generously on both sides with the orange glaze. Let the chicken cook one additional minute to caramelize the glaze. Serve immediately with warm citrus butter sauce.

Orange Glaze

1/3 cup orange marmalade

3 Tablespoons orange juice, fresh squeezed

1 Tablespoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed

1/4 teaspoon salt

Place all the ingredients in a kitchen blender and pulse until smooth. Place in a clean container and refrigerate until needed for grilling.

Citrus Butter Sauce

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon shallots, minced

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed

6 Tablespoons butter cubes, cold

1 Tablespoon sugar

Salt to taste

White pepper to taste

Heat oil in a small saucepan. Add shallots and sauté for one minute. Add orange juice and white wine and reduce by 3/4. Reduce the heat to low and add butter cubes one at a time while whisking the sauce to evenly incorporate the butter; do not allow the sauce to boil. Add sugar, salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer. Serve hot.

Americans are learning to feed their island spirit with dishes such as Breeze Wood-Grilled Chicken Breast With Orange Glaze and Citrus Butter Sauce.

Healthy Chicken Recipes

People strive to find recipes that provide delicious and healthy food. Health-conscious people focus on preparing low-fat dishes that are delicious and easily prepared. Chicken is an excellent source of protein and at the same time low in fat. Using healthy chicken recipes will significantly lower the blood cholesterol, thereby improving your overall health and fitness level. People love this versatile meat, which can be prepared in various lip-smacking forms.

Be it a healthy chicken salad or any other chicken recipe, choosing the right chicken for your dish is very important .If you opt for the cheap battery-reared chicken, you will get a greasy and stringy dish with a flat taste. These chickens are fed on a high-calorie diet that gives them a lot of fat but no muscle. On the other hand, choosing an organic chicken will give you firm and full-flavored meat. Organic birds are raised on a better diet and roam free under better and more humane conditions. This chicken will obviously cost more but will give you better taste and quality. 

To further decrease the level of fat, you can trim off some areas, especially on the thighs, and enjoy a healthier meal. You should never leave raw chicken at room temperature. To prevent contamination, always wash chicken with cold water. Store it in the coldest part of the refrigerator and use within two days. Similarly, cooked chicken shouldn’t be left out for more than two hours. Frozen chicken can easily sit in your freezer for one year without any harm.  

A little creativity in your kitchen can whip up new low-fat and healthy chicken recipes for your entire family. If you cannot find a particular ingredient, try replacing it with some substitute and see the all-new dish prepared exclusively by you. While preparing food, follow basic safety rules and avoid accidents in your kitchen. This will ensure you safely prepare tasty meals for everyday consumption focused towards a healthy and long life.

Choose Ingredients Wisely for Healthful Cooking

When preparing your next health-conscious menu, consider this fact: Nutritionists say that knowing where your ingredients come from can be almost as important as knowing what ingredients to use. 

That's one reason food such as certified Wild American Shrimp has become popular. They are caught fresh in their own natural environment from the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico-and they are a health-conscious choice for consumers. A typical 4-ounce portion has just 112 calories when served steamed, boiled, grilled or baked and provides 23 grams of protein-47 percent of the daily value for protein.

Monica Pope, owner and chef of the Houston restaurant T'afia, has built an entire menu around fresh, regional fare. She recommends that consumers ask for certified Wild American Shrimp and purchase local ingredients at their grocery store, favorite restaurant or seafood counter. Not all shrimp are created equal-wild-caught shrimp has a distinctive flavor. Most shrimp sold in American stores are pond-raised imported, so be sure to ask for Wild American Shrimp caught by fishermen.

"You're not only choosing the best-tasting seafood possible, you're also helping to support an entire industry and way of life," says Pope. Try these recipes: 

Turmeric Shrimp With Hip Hummous

• 1 lb Wild American Shrimp, cleaned
• 21/2 cloves garlic
• 2/3 teaspoon salt
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1/3 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 21/2 cups water
• 2/3 teaspoon turmeric
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• pinch turmeric
• 1/3 tablespoon red chili powder
• 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Place the peeled garlic cloves in a food processor with the salt and mince. Toss with the shrimp and set aside for 15 minutes. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil with the bay leaf, 1/3 tablespoon lime juice and the 2/3 teaspoon turmeric. When the water is boiling, add the shrimp, stirring, and cook just until opaque, about 2-3 minutes at most. Do not overcook! Drain.

Immediately spread the shrimp onto a large baking sheet to cool, as they will continue to cook. Mix the additional lime juice, red chili powder and additional turmeric together and pour over the warm shrimp. Toss until well-combined. Add the chopped cilantro leaves to the cooled shrimp.

Hip Hummous

• 1/2 bag chickpeas
• 11/2 bulbs roasted garlic
• 1/8 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• cup tahini
• 1 preserved lemon
• 2 avocados, ripe, remove pits & scoop out flesh
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• salt & pepper to taste

Place chickpeas in salted boiling water and cook until soft, about one hour. Drain in a colander and then puree in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Taste for seasoning.

NOTE: To make your own quickly preserved lemons: Lightly score 4 lemons all the way around (do not cut through to the flesh) and then boil in 1 cup water, 1 cup fresh lemon juice, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns and 1/4 cup kosher salt until lemons are soft, approx. 30 minutes. 

To assemble:

Mound the Hip Hummous in the middle of the plate and surround with the Turmeric Shrimp.

Recipe Sources on The Net

Got a passion for cooking? Love the kitchen? Well, why don’t you consider joining in some of the most well-known recipe message boards online and engage in a kitchen talk? That sounds great, right?

For mothers, women, chefs, teens, and people of all ages and gender out there, if you share the same interest in cooking and would like to know great recipes or exchange your recipe secrets to other people in the world, I have here below some of the great sites that are worth visiting. These sites actually have their own recipe message boards where you can post recipes or ask questions or recommendations, cooking tips and everything related to cooking from the other experts.  These recipe message boards sites are no doubt great places for you to meet people with the same passion for cooking and make friends with them. Let’s take a look at these recipe message boards.

CookingForEngineers.com

Cooking for Engineers was established in June 2004 as a place for people to store and share recipes that they love to use as well as some kitchen notes. Here you can absolutely find a number of recipes made by the owner of this site himself, as well as from the other members of the group.  If you also got one recipe to share, then you can post it at the recipe message boards maintained by this site. Aside from recipes, you will learn about cooking tips, experiments, kitchen tools, equipment and gadgets and a lot more.  The recipe message boards in this site even provide a number of great cooking articles for the members to read.

iVillage.com

Here is http://iVillage.com to give you their reputable recipe message boards maintained and moderated by the cooking experts. If you are looking for a low fat dinner ideas or you wish to know how to make the best brownies, then the recipe forums of this site are no doubt the great place to start. The http://iVillage.com currently designed their Recipe Exchange section where you can find, access and share idea for making delectable meals and treats with the other good housekeeping readers. At their recipe message board, you are free to start a new discussion or create a new poll.

AngelFire.com

AngelFire.com is but another great site to visit if you want to find one of the well-maintained recipe message boards. Perhaps what’s great about this site is that they not only provide recipe bulletin boards for those who are looking for great recipes, but some other resources, such as recipe articles and archives, a huge recipe collection, and some other health related recipe sites.  There are even some mastercook recipes for chefs. With all the great information included in this site, it’s no wonder that thousands of people from around the world have already visited this site and participated on their recipe message boards.

There are sites out there on the web that provide recipe message boards for the readers.  What I have mentioned above are just a few of them, but I am sure that they are good enough for you to get started.

Dry BBQ Tips And Recipes

Barbecued chicken is a staple for most backyard cooks. When done right, it's a wonderful thing; when wrong, well, it's like gnawing on barbecued shoe leather. The problem is, chicken doesn't come rare or medium but for safety reasons it comes prepared one way-done, and prolonged exposure to high heat, as a rule, saps the juices out. But it doesn't have to be that way. There is one way to have your barbecued chicken served at its juiciest-brined. 

Brining is a simple process where you immerse meat in a saltwater solution-for one to 24 hours-made with kosher salt, sugar and herbs. Brining, in a nutshell, locks in the meat's natural juices. In scientific terms, the solution binds the proteins together within the meat. All you really need to know is that your guests and family will thank you. 

In most parts of the country, barbecue season is no longer restricted to the summer months. In fact, many Americans are having a yearlong love affair with their barbecue. That's a long time to settle for dry meat. So for your first foray into the world of brining, or if you're an old pro, try this recipe offered by America's authority on salt, Morton Salt. 

Chicken Worth Its Salt

1 quart cool water

3/4 cup Morton® Kosher Salt 

3/4 cup sugar

1 chicken (3 to 31/2 lbs.) cut into 8 pieces, rinsed and patted dry, or 2 split chicken breasts (bone in, skin on) 

To Brine:

In a gallon-size sealable plastic bag, dissolve the Morton® Kosher Salt and sugar in 1 quart of cool water. Add the chicken, then seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Refrigerate for one hour and up to 24. Remove chicken from the brine; rinse well under cool water. Pat dry with paper towel.

Grilling:

Heat grill 10 to 15 minutes. Season chicken as desired. Place chicken on grill, skin side down. Cook covered following manufacturer's suggestions. Check for doneness with instant-read thermometer-internal temperature reaches 170° F for poultry breast meat and 180° F for poultry thigh meat.

How to Make Appetizer Favorites Recipes

Have you ever wondered if there is an easy way to createdazzling appetizers that will go over well with your weekendguests?

Some people spend hours creating fancy appetizers that theymay find quite tantalizing. The trick is this, will your weekendguess find your appetizers as mouth watering as you do? Howcan you be sure that your guess will like the fancy appetizersthat you’re preparing?

One sure fire way to find appetizers that will get the job doneis to use copycat restaurant recipes. These recipes have beendeveloped by skilled chefs that mimic some of the best entrees,appetizers and desserts from America's most popular restaurants.

This is always a great way to insure that the appetizers thatyou prepare will appeal to the greatest number of your guests.Most people have several appetizer dishes that they order whenthey frequent their favorite restaurants. As you read this article,a few appetizers that you enjoy may come to mind.

Many copycat appetizer recipes are quite easy to follow, and usecommon ingredients that may be purchased from any local grocerystore. Instructions for creating these scrumptious appetizers areusually very straightforward and easy to follow.

You’ll find everything form unique chips and salsa recipes to themore elaborate appetizers that can lend themselves to combinationappetizer platters. Many of these recipes also include a wide rangeof supplemental sauces and dips that accompany these recipesthat can add additional taste and savor to the recipe. You can also augment these recipes with your own dips and sauce recipes to further spice things up.

Many of these recipes can be whipped up in less that an hour and augmented with attractive garnishments that will dazzle your guests and appeal to their taste buds. Simply choose a few appetizers that cover a wide range of tastes and you’re in business. 

Bottom line; don't spend hours and hours developing appetizer items that may not appeal to your guest. Simply copy recipes that are proven winners as well as time savers and feel confident that you're serving appetizers that are solid winners.

Cooking Tips With Kiwi Cuisine

Stemming from its British Colonial heritage, culinary culture in New Zealand has long been characterized by straightforward fodder such as steak and fries, fish and chips and baked meats. However, driven by the demands of increasingly sophisticated tourists to the region and influenced by both Asian and Pacific flavors, New Zealand cuisine has quickly evolved to cater to gourmet tastes. Today's New Zealand menus combine the incredibly fresh produce, meat and seafood with an eclectic mix of indigenous plants and exotic vegetables to create complex, flavorful dishes. 

Fortunately, travelers heading to these dreamy, green islands in the South Pacific don't have to wait long to indulge in a Kiwi feast. For example, Air New Zealand offers a gourmet New Zealand-inspired menu for passengers traveling in its Business Premier and Pacific Premium Economy classes. Designed by world-renowned consultant chefs, an array of authentic options are paired with fine native wines to offer travelers a glimpse of the country's culinary culture before they even hit the ground. 

For a sample of New Zealand cuisine at home, try this recipe handpicked by one of the consultant chefs from Air New Zealand and currently available on all flights originating from North America.

New Zealand Glazed Snapper and Arugula Salad with Vanilla Saffron Aioli

Serves 4

• 4 vine-ripened tomatoes
• 12 baby gourmet potatoes
• 4 medium fillets of fresh snapper
• 1 cup fresh arugula

Place tomatoes on a tray of rock salt in the oven at 320° F and roast until skins begin to split. 

Remove from oven and keep warm. Slice potatoes into thin slices and pan fry in olive oil with sea salt till golden and crispy.

In a large pan, fry the snapper (sprinkled with sea salt) skin-side-down until golden. Turn the fillets over to finish cooking the fish. To stop the fillets from curling up, use a fish slice to press down on the fillets as soon as they go in the pan. Hold for 20 seconds at the start.

Toss arugula in a bowl with 1 teaspoon of New Zealand or regular extra-virgin olive oil.

Arrange potato slices on warmed dinner plates and squeeze "circles" of vanilla saffron aioli around the potatoes. Place snapper on top with arugula and roast tomato to the side. Brush with lemon caramel and serve while hot.

Vanilla Saffron Aioli

• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground New Zealand or regular saffron
• 1 vanilla pod or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 6 oz. grape seed oil

Boil the vinegar and saffron together. Cut the vanilla pod in half lengthwise and rub the seeds into fine salt. If using vanilla extract, skip this step. In a bowl, whisk vanilla salt or extract onto the yolk, whisk in vinegar and slowly add in the oil, whisking well. Place in a bottle until ready to use. This makes it easy to serve and will keep in the fridge for up to four days.

Lemon Caramel

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Juice of 1 lemon

Boil sugar, water and salt till golden caramel in color. Remove from the heat and cool slightly before carefully stirring in the lemon juice. Use a pastry brush to coat the snapper fillets.

This authentic New Zealand dish can help spice up your menu.

Successful Cooking Methods for Any Recipes

Have you ever had the craving for a particular dish or meal, but cannot seem to find a recipe for it?  If this sounds like you, there is no need to fret.  The fact of the matter is that recipes are available all over the place.  Just because you are not a master chef does not mean that you cannot find cooking recipes.  If you know where to look for recipes you should never have any problem getting started with your next delicious meal.

Here are three places that you can find cooking recipes without having to spend hours looking for them.

1. The most obvious place to find cooking recipes is in a cookbook.  Paper recipes are what the majority of people turn to when they are trying to make a dish that they are not familiar with.  After all, paper recipes allow you to keep the instructions handy as you move through the process.  The good thing about cookbooks is that there are hundreds of them for sale, with each on touching on a unique topic.  You can find a cookbook that covers everything from bread making to desserts. 

2. When searching for cooking recipes never overlook a good friend.  Chances are that if you like to cook, you probably know somebody else that shares the passion.  Why not swap recipes so that everybody can enjoy?  Trading paper recipes with a friend is one of the most overlooked ways of finding new dishes to make. 

3. Of course, you can search for recipes online.  If there is something that you need information on in a hurry, the internet is the place to look.  Computer recipes allow you to find what you need without having to buy a single thing.  In addition, many people have decided to go the internet route because they can print out the computer recipes and take them to the kitchen.  It does not get much easier than that.

Regardless of what type of recipe you are in need of, the fact of the matter is that they can be found in a number of different places.  If you do not have luck with one of the options listed above, you can always try the next.  And if none of them work for you, why not find your own way of compiling recipes? 

The bottom line is that you do not have to be a cooking professional to find quality recipes.

Simply Cooking Recipe for Lovers

Preparing a meal for just the two of you can be quick and easy, especially if you keep eggs on hand. Versatile eggs are a high-quality protein food portioned by nature to suit small households. Egg producers have made eggs even more convenient by offering 6- and 8-count packs to retailers. However many eggs you buy, they'll keep in the refrigerator, with insignificant quality loss, for at least three weeks from the time you bring them home.

With eggs in the fridge, it's easy to add a welcome change of pace to your menus. Eggs can also help you include more vegetables in your diet, as the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend. Quiche in Pepper Pots is a good example of an entree that combines egg protein with the vitamins, minerals and fiber of veggies. 

These novel individual quiches are easy on the cook, too. Simply choose any colorful vegetable blend you like to fill the peppers, pour on an egg-and-milk custard and bake. Got company coming? Then just multiply the recipe to suit the number of servings you need.

For fast, nutritious eating other times, you can use the remaining eggs you have on hand in a variety of ways. Toss slices or wedges of hard-cooked eggs with greens and other veggies for a main-dish salad; poach eggs right in your favorite soup; reheat leftover pasta and veggies and pour on eggs to make a skillet scramble. 

Quiche in Pepper Pots

2 servings

• 2 medium (about 4 oz. each) green, yellow or sweet red peppers
• 1/2 cup (about 8 oz.) frozen vegetable blend, thawed
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup skim or low-fat milk
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed

Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds. Sawtooth or scallop pepper edges, if desired. Stand peppers upright in custard cups or muffin-pan cups. Spoon 1/4 cup of the vegetables into each pepper. In small bowl, beat together eggs, milk and seasonings until well blended. Pour about 1/3 cup of the egg mixture over vegetables in each pepper.

Bake in preheated 325 degree F oven until knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 60 to 70 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition information per serving of 1/2 recipe using green and yellow peppers; broccoli, sweet red pepper, mushroom and onion vegetable blend; and skim milk: 119 calories, 5 gm total fat, 213 mg cholesterol, 89 mg sodium, 283 mg potassium, 10 gm carbohydrate, 9 gm protein and 10% or more of the RDI for vitamins A, B12 and C, riboflavin, phosphorus.

Convince Skeptics About Vegetarian

If you are thinking of following vegetarian diet for certain causes - religious belief, health reason, economic reason, animal rights - you will face a barrage of uninformed arguments from skeptical relatives and friends. A common argument about vegetarianism is the difficulty of preparing vegetarian meals. Don't get swayed or discouraged by this argument because there is a lot of choice for vegetarians. A vegetarian diet consists of ordinary everyday foods like grains, vegetables, nuts, and fruits. Legumes and starches like potatoes and rice are also part of the diet. Fish, poultry, and dairy products can also be incorporated depending on what type of vegetarianism you follow. These are all available in your average grocery store. Also, there is a variety of easy vegetarian recipes available in many sources. Books, magazines, newsletters, and even TV shows are veritable sources of healthy vegetarian recipes. You will not miss anything because the choices are limitless.

Vegetarian meals do not deviate much from a regular diet except for the absence of meat. Skeptics argue that this could mean missing out on essential proteins. But this is hardly true nor correct. All healthy vegetarian recipes are well-balanced. They have the required amounts of essential vitamins, minerals, and protein. Examples of protein choices are legumes, nuts, beans, fish, poultry, dairy, and the popular tofu. Calcium, a mineral often associated with milk, is not missed either. Middle Easterners and native Africans are known to have strong teeth and bones but their diets rarely contain dairy or meat. They get their calcium from vegetables and root crops. So there is no reason you couldn't get your calcium requirements from vegetarian foods. In terms of nutrition, a vegetarian diet is even superior to diets with meat. There is less fat and bacteria that enter the body which can cause heart diseases and infections. You can watch meat lover bloat and get fat while maintaining your own healthy body with vegetarianism.

After proclaiming that you are eating healthier with vegetarianism, you'd think that the non-believers will stop bugging you. But no, they're back and possibly bearing the most difficult question for hedonists. They'll ask if you're not depriving yourself of the hearty pleasure and satisfaction only the flavor of meat can give. Fret not because vegetarianism has an answer to that. When vegetarians state that there are easy vegetarian recipes, they don't just mean easy to prepare but also easy on the palate. Contrary to what the skeptics are thinking about vegetarian meals (you know, limp lettuce and carrot sticks), vegetarian meals are flavorful and varied. Recipes range from curries, soups, burgers, steaks, hotdogs, casseroles, pasta, and delicious desserts all made with true vegetarian goodness. In fact, vegetarian meals are more flavorful because they make full use of herbs and natural flavors unlike meats which use a lot of salt.

If your friends and relatives still won't stop bugging you about your vegetarian diet, get a load of healthy vegetarian recipes and cook them a feast. When they see that you didn't even break a sweat preparing the delicious feast, they'll be convinced of the ease of vegetarianism. Give them copies of easy vegetarian recipes and don't be surprised if they'll ask you to go produce-shopping in the following days.

Classy Convenient Cooking

When you want to serve a quick-and-easy meal for just the two of you, count on eggs. Handily portioned by nature, eggs are conveniently packaged for quick-and-easy meals for one or two. Plus, eggs are one of the most versatile of all foods. You can fry, scramble, poach or bake them or cook them in the shell. You can also turn eggs into omelets or a frittata, quiche or strata.

French toast is yet another option -; a special but very economical option. In the Cajun areas of Louisiana, French toast is called pain perdu, lost bread. Long ago, thrifty cooks discovered they could rescue day-old (or older) bread which otherwise would have been wasted by soaking it in a mixture of eggs and milk before cooking it. When it's dressed up with a topping, though, who would ever guess that French toast had such a practical origin?

Although many folks consider French toast a breakfast food, you can serve this popular dish for any time of the day. For a classy meal, you can even split the toast slices, stuff them with cheese and serve them up with sugared strawberries.

Does French toast make a good meal? Sure. Following MyPyramid.gov, the bread is in the grain group and the eggs are a meat alternate. In Superb Stuffed French Toast, you get added calcium from the cheese stuffing and vitamin C from the strawberries on top. For the fiber it contains, this recipe calls for whole wheat bread, but you can use any type of bread you like. You can also use a different flavoring in place of the vanilla, such as almond, lemon or orange. 

Superb Stuffed French Toast

2 servings

• 1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries (about 4 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla, divided
• 2 (1-inch) or 4 thin slices whole wheat bread
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons skim or low-fat (1%) milk

Cooking spray

In medium bowl, stir together strawberries and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Set aside. In small bowl, stir together ricotta, 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla and remaining 1 teaspoon sugar until thoroughly blended. Make pocket in each 1-inch bread slice by cutting from top to within 1/2 inch of bottom. Fill each pocket with 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture. Or, spread 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture onto each of 2 thin slices of bread and place remaining bread on top to make 2 sandwiches.

In small bowl, beat together eggs, milk and remaining 1/4 teaspoon vanilla until well blended. Pour into 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Place filled bread slices in egg mixture. Soak bread, letting stand about 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until egg mixture is absorbed. Evenly coat baking sheet with spray. Place soaked bread on baking sheet.

Bake in preheated 375 degree F oven 10 minutes. Turn slices. Continue baking until puffed and golden brown, about 10 minutes. To serve, top each bread slice with 1 tablespoon of the remaining ricotta mixture and 1/4 cup of the reserved strawberries.

Nutrition information per serving of 1/2 recipe using 4 thin slices whole wheat bread and skim milk: 328 calories, 12 gm total fat, 227 mg cholesterol, 428 mg sodium, 383 mg potassium, 38 gm carbohydrate, 18 gm protein and 10% or more of the RDI for vitamins A, B12 and C, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc.

Choosing the Best Cuts of Beef

Are you wondering how to choose the best beef for your cooking needs?  However you choose to cook the beef you select, the same criteria apply to choosing beef.  Select meat that is bright red with veins of fat, or marbling, through it.  The red color indicates that the beef is freshly cut. The fat running through the meat provides juiciness and flavor.  As the beef cooks the fat will run off the meat, separating itself so you are not eating large amounts of fat which is not healthy for you. Fat around the edges of the beef should be white to ivory and firm to the touch.  Before cooking your steaks, check for large pieces of fat and trim it away.  The fat adds flavor and protects the meat from becoming dry during cooking too much fat remaining in a pan after cooking can affect the sauce or gravy.  A good rule of thumb is to trim the fat to about 1/8 inch thick. 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grades beef for meat packers.  Marbling is the chief criteria for how beef is graded and priced in U. S. The more marbling throughout beef, the more tender, flavorful, and costly the beef will be.  The highest quality, prime beef is rarely found in grocery stores.  Most of the prime cuts go to the high classed restaurants.  Choice meat which is well marbled and tender can be found at the quality markets and butchers.

Select meat, with contains little or no marbling, is the most commonly stocked grade of beef.  For the best taste and tenderness, buy USDA choice beef over select meat.   Officially graded beef will carry the USDA designation; otherwise the grade has been determined by the grocery store you are purchasing the meat from.

Grass fed beef is becoming more desirable and available in some markets. As the public becomes more informed about the additives being fed to the beef they are purchasing, the more popular grass fed beef is becoming.  Grass fed beef is a bit lower in marbling and fat then corn fed beef. However, grass fed steaks can be quite tender and have a wonderful beef flavor. 

For more info on beef and a large selection of beef and steak recipes visit www.steak-n-beef.com.

Tip Scrumptious Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe

The best way to obtain a smooth, evenly textured ice cream is to whisk the mixture carefully and freeze quickly.

The main thing you want to avoid is ice crystals forming in the mixture this can be achieved by adding air into the mix, you can do this by taking the mixture out of the freezer after 20 minutes and giving it a further whisk.

Tips

Chill all ingredients and utensils before you use them

Be accurate with the quantity of sugar, to much will prevent the mixture from freezing and to little will cause the mixture to freeze hard and rocky

Do not put warm mixtures into the finished container allow to cool

Do not fill the container because freezing will increase the size of the contents

Put freezer on coldest setting

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

200ml of milk

1 egg

40g of fine sugar

120g of Lindt 99% excellence chocolate

70ml of water

140ml of cream

7ml of vanilla essence

Whisk the egg and sugar and add the warm milk whilst whisking.

Add the mix to a bowl and heat without boiling for about five minutes

Strain this mix then leave to cool

Break the chocolate into pieces and place into another bowl add the water, dissolve this slowly over a low heat.

Add the melted chocolate to the previous mix and stir.

Important you now need to cool this mix.

Once cooled add the half whipped cream and vanilla and gently whisk for 1 minute.

Place this in your freezer remove after 20 minutes and whisk (churn) for a couple of minutes then return to freezer

Scrumptious home made chocolate ice cream!

Chef John Folse How Cook Delicious Shrimp

Famous Louisiana Chef John Folse is a man with a deep, warm voice. And when he speaks about Louisiana food, there's no doubt where his heart is.

"Eating in Louisiana is a religion; it's not just about nutrition," Chef Folse says. "It's an in-gathering; it's celebratory; it's a prayer of thanks for all we've been blessed with from the swamp."

John Folse grew up just east of the Atchafalaya Swamp and lost his mother as a young boy. His father raised six boys and two girls as a single parent. One of the things Mr. Folse felt he needed to teach his children was to be good cooks. 

And their first lesson was that only the freshest foods yield their true flavors. "He really taught us to refuse anything less than great taste," Chef says.

To serve the freshest foods, you need to know what's in season. "When it's brown shrimp season, you eat brown shrimp. When it's white shrimp season, you eat white shrimp. When it's strawberry season, you eat strawberries," Chef chuckles. 

Locals call brown shrimp season Bonne Crevette-translation, good shrimp! The season begins in May and runs until fall. Even during Bonne Crevette, you need to know how to select the very best quality. 

Well-taught cooks only purchase whole, in-shell, raw shrimp when they're displayed on a thick bed of fresh ice-not melting-under a cover. The shrimp meats must be firm to the touch, not soft. The shells must be translucent and moist, not dull or dry. 

Learning to capture the legendary taste of brown shrimp also means learning a sense of timing. "A lot of people are worried they will undercook shrimp," Chef says, "but the real crime would be to overcook it and boil out all of the flavor and texture." 

Follow these tips and your shrimp are sure to yield their true Louisiana flavors. 

So, celebrate Bonne Crevette with Chef Folse's Shrimp Scampi. "Try this dish. It's an easy, traditional shrimp recipe. And it's one of my favorites." 

Chef explains that although scampi is a term used elsewhere to describe a species of shrimp, in America it refers to an Italian dish. This simple recipe is magnificent when served over pasta, fish or chicken.

For an excellent wine pairing, enjoy Shrimp Scampi with a glass of lovely Alice White Chardonnay.

Chef John Folse's Shrimp Scampi

• 11/2 pounds (20-25 count) Louisiana shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup flour
• Salt & cracked black pepper to taste
• Tabasco Pepper Sauce to taste
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/4 cup shallots, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh basil
• 2 tbsp fresh oregano
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup parsley, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine 

In a mixing bowl, blend flour, salt and peppers. Dust shrimp lightly in seasoned flour and set aside. In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, sauté 1-2 minutes or until edges turn golden. Blend in shrimp, shallots, basil and oregano. Using a slotted spoon, turn shrimp occasionally until pink and curled. Add mushrooms and parsley, then deglaze with white wine. Serves 4.

Semi Homemade Chef Sandra Lee

Remember the smell of freshly baked raisin oatmeal cookies when you were little? Chances are, sitting on the counter while your mother was baking them was a red box with the memorable image of a woman in a red bonnet holding a tray of freshly picked grapes.

Since 1916, the Sun-Maid girl has been in the hearts and homes of families across the country and she is receiving a digital makeover for her 90th birthday. In honor of the new, more modern look, celebrity chef Sandra Lee, of "Semi-Homemade" fame, has done a contemporary take on the traditional oatmeal cookie recipe and has helpful tips to freshen up any dessert. "I've been baking raisin oatmeal cookies since I was 9 years old and can still remember the delicious smell and taste from my childhood years. That's why I feel honored to put my own unique spin on this timeless and personally treasured classic."

Using Lee's shortcuts and savory secrets, even the busiest person can deliver marvelous meals, scrumptious snacks and decadent desserts in minutes. Some helpful tips from Lee on making your dessert memorable include:

• Focus on desserts that are big on flavor and low on labor and make sure they go from baking sheet to plate in mere minutes, giving you time to linger with those you love.

• Incorporating raisins and dried fruit into desserts is a great way to get your children to consume some of their daily required helpings of fruit.

• Consider measuring out dry ingredients before preparing desserts. Ingredients such as flour, sugar and nuts can be measured and placed in their own separate sandwich bags beforehand, and when you are ready to start cooking all you'll have to do is simply pour them into a bowl and cook. This is a great way to include kids in the kitchen, too.

• Desserts can be decorative. Place them center stage as an eye-catching edible centerpiece. One idea is to place your raisin oatmeal cookie bars around the rim of a large colorful plate. Place scoops of your guests' favorite ice creams, frozen yogurts and other toppings in the center of the dish, allowing them to create their own scrumptious version of this dessert.

"I remember growing up and baking with my grandmother, who always had Sun-Maid raisins for any occasion from snacking to baking. I do the same today with my nieces and nephews," said Lee. "They love Sun-Maid raisins and I love that they help to make many of my semi-homemade dishes even more delicious."

Try these tempting Spice Raisin Oatmeal Cookie Bars with your family after a fun semi-homemade meal of your own.

Sun-Maid Spice Raisin Oatmeal Cookie Bars

You Will Need:

• 9x13" baking pan
• Cooking spray, butter-flavored
• Large mixing bowl
• Electric mixer

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 box (18.25 oz.) spice cake mix
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup Sun-Maid Natural Raisins
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces (optional)
• 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup decorative or coarse sugar (optional)

Directions:

1. PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees. Spray baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.

2. COMBINE eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat on low, until combined.

3. ADD spice cake mix and brown sugar. Beat on low until dough comes together. (Dough will be dense.)

4. STIR in oats, raisins and pecans separately.

5. SPREAD dough into prepared pan.

6. BAKE for 20-25 minutes.

7. REMOVE from oven and let cool. Cut into bars to serve.

Optional: Sprinkle desired amount of coarse or decorative sugar over dough mixture for added decoration before baking.

Yield: 24 bars

Oatmeal cookie bars are an easy, healthy and delicious snack.

Burger Tips for Barbecue Success

Summer and fall - and the long weekends in-between - are ideal times to fire up the grill and bring the family together for some outdoor fun.

Burgers, the quintessential barbecue fare, are among America's all-time favorite foods. For variety, top them with unconventional fixings, such as avocado slices, arugula, salsa and fresh basil.

For the best taste and optimum freshness, connoisseurs recommend organic ground beef. 

"USDA-certified organic ground beef is made from animals that have not been injected with synthetic hormones or antibiotics, and that eat food free of animal byproducts and grown without pesticides," said Michael Levine, president of Organic Prairie Family of Farms, one of the nation's leading cooperatives of organic farmers and providers of organic meat.

Here are some burger-making tips from Organic Prairie. 

* For best flavor, use 85 percent lean ground beef. If you choose leaner meat, add a splash of tomato juice or Worcestershire sauce to increase flavor and moisture.

* Finely mince any garlic, onions or other vegetables that will be mixed into the meat. Larger chunks will make the burger fall apart on the grill.

* Wet clean hands prior to making the patties. The patties should be formed loosely, not packed or pressed, and should be about one-half-inch thick and slightly wider than the bun.

Try this Mediterranean-inspired burger recipe at your next family barbecue.

GREEK GOURMET BURGER

(Makes 6 servings)

• 1 1/2 pounds Organic Prairie ground beef (thawed)
• 1 1/2 medium green onion (chopped)
• 1 cup fresh spinach (chopped)
• 1/4 cup tomato (chopped)
• 1/4 cup organic feta cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (ground)

In a large glass bowl, mix all ingredients. Cover and chill for 1 hour to allow flavors to mingle.

Form into 6 patties. Cook over medium-high heat for 6 minutes on each side for medium doneness. Serve over seasonal greens.

How Pick Store Handle Perfect Avocado

Avocados. They're not just for guacamole anymore. Delicious Hass avocados add great taste, lively color and a creamy texture to ordinary dishes, making them extraordinary. From pizza to salads to sandwiches, avocados add that little something special to your recipes. Knowing how to properly select, handle and store your avocados will ensure that they add the perfect pizzazz to your meal every time.

Selecting your avocados

• When choosing your avocados, look for delicious Hass avocados. They are known for their creamy texture, have a distinctive bumpy skin and are available year-round.

• To determine the ripeness of a Hass avocado, gently squeeze the fruit-a ripe fruit will yield to gentle pressure. Hass avocados will also turn dark green to black as they ripen.

• If you are buying avocados for future use, purchase firm fruit.

• Avoid fruit with external blemishes.

Ripening

To ripen a Hass avocado, place the fruit in a paper bag with an apple for two to three days at room temperature (apples accelerate the process by giving off ethylene gas, a ripening agent).

Storing

Ripe avocados can be stored in a refrigerator or freezer for later use.

• Mash the avocado, adding 1/2 tsp. of lemon juice per 1/2 mashed avocado to prevent discoloration.

• Lay plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture before covering.

• You can refrigerate the mixture for up to two days or store in the freezer for up to two months.

Handling

• Like all fruit, wash the avocado before cutting.

• Cut the avocado lengthwise around the seed.

• Twist the halves in opposite directions to separate.

• Slip a spoon between the seed and the fruit and work the seed out.

• Slip a spoon between the skin and the fruit and scoop away from the peel.

Once you've selected and prepared your Hass avocados, try them in this quick, easy recipe.

Turkey and Avocado

Sandwich Wedges

1 round flat sourdough bread loaf

2 large Hass avocados, peeled and seeded, divided

3 Tbsp. salsa

3 (6 by 11/2-inch) strips roasted red pepper

1 pound thinly sliced smoked turkey

3 thin red onion slices, separated into rings

3 pepper jack cheese slices

2 romaine lettuce leaves

Instructions:

Cut a circle out of the top of the bread; tear out the inside of the bread in the bottom section to make a shell. Mash one avocado and mix with salsa; spread over the bottom of the bread. Layer pepper strips, onions, cheese and half the turkey inside the bread. Slice the remaining avocado and place on top of the cheese. Top with lettuce and remaining turkey. Replace the bread top and press down firmly to compress ingredients. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into wedges just before serving.

Adapting Your Recipes for the Slow Cooker

Now that you’ve started using your crock pot slow cooker regularly, you’re probably wondering how you can adapt your traditional recipes to use in a crock pot. The ease of preparing a meal with a slow cooker has literally changed the lives of busy families. With the help of their slow cookers, families are eating healthier and consuming less greasy fast-food. 

Here are some hints for adapting your favorite traditional recipes for crock pot cooking.

1.) Add vegetables like peas and broccoli to your recipe in the last 15 – 60 minutes. If you’re using frozen vegetables, remember to add them to your crock pot recipe during the last 30 minutes.

2.) Make sure to soak your dried beans so that they are completely softened before adding them to your recipe. If your recipe includes tomatoes, salt, or sugar, then your beans should definitely be soaked before cooking.

3.) If your recipe calls for pasta, any kind of seafood, milk or other dairy products, then only add them during the last 60 minutes of cooking, and cook pasta to just a bit tender before adding them to the cooker. Condensed cream soups are good alternatives to dairy products because they can withstand longer cooking times.

4.) When cooking a recipe with rice, add an extra ¼ cup liquid for every ¼ cup of rice. 

5.) Always remember to reduce the liquid in your recipe by ½ when you’re using a traditional recipe in your crock pot.

6.) A good idea for cooking stews and soups that call for vegetables is to put the veggies on the bottom and sides of the slow cooker and then place your meat on top.

Traditional Recipe to Slow Cooker Use:

15-30min traditional = 1.5–2hrs High or 4-6hrs Low in Crock pot

35-45min traditional = 3-4hrs High or 6-10hrs Low in Crock pot

50min-3hrs traditional = 4-6hrs High or 8-18hrs Low in Crock pot

If you’re like most families, your slow cooker supplies lots of food per meal, so you’ll very likely have leftovers. Always remember to never reheat your leftovers in the crock pot. One of the additional rewards of slow cooking is the ability to make lots of food and freeze for future meals. Happy slow cooking!

Tips For Empty Nesters

My former neighbor, Mary Young, a relatively new empty nester, remarked on how free she feels with her nine kids out of the house. This feeling is common. Joy Smith, author of "The Empty Nest Cookbook," encourages people to take advantage of it: "For the first time in years you can cook because you want to, not because you must. You have fewer people and palates to please, so cook in ways you've never dared."

1. Try new recipes. A majority of empty nesters say they enjoy exploring foods that their children would not eat, according to the July 2005 Pillsbury Empty Nester Survey.

2. Think smaller. With just the two of you at home, there's little need for family-size packages. 

3. Buy perishables with care. To reduce spoilage, buy only a few pieces of fruit and small amounts of vegetables at a time. Choose dairy products and fresh meats with the latest expiration date. 

4. Maximize nutrition. Pick foods that deliver the most nutrition for the bite. For example, broccoli (vitamins A and C), legumes (fiber) and fortified whole grain cereals like Whole Grain Total®. As you get older, you need fewer calories but the same, or sometimes greater, amounts of key nutrients. 

5. Stock up on plastic containers. Prepare recipes that serve four or six and divide up the extra into two-serving portions. Label, date and refrigerate or freeze.

6. Swap homemade dishes with a friend. It's a great way to add variety to your menu.

7. Get a new gadget. A vacuum sealer seals out air and preserves the moisture and flavor of the original dish. "I seal and freeze leftovers in one-meal portions for fresh-tasting dinners anytime," suggests Smith. "Reheat in the microwave or boil in the bag on the stovetop."

This recipe makes four servings, two for now and two for tomorrow.

Crunchy Garlic Chicken Breasts

11/3 cups Whole Grain Total® cereal 

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 

1/2 teaspoon paprika 

1/4 cup skim milk 

2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 11/4 lb) 

Cooking spray

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. 

2. Crush cereal. In shallow dish, stir together cereal, parsley and paprika. In another shallow dish, stir together milk, chives, salt and garlic powder. Dip chicken into milk mixture, then coat lightly and evenly with cereal mixture. Place in pan. Spray top of chicken with cooking spray. 

3. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut.