Rediscovering Grilled Pizza

America’s favorite food has long been the pizza cooked in a traditional oven but is that about to change? While most Americans have probably never indulged in a grilled pizza, the origins of pizza are making a big comeback. There is no denying that we love our traditional backyard barbeque but rarely, if ever has the barbeque included grilling a pizza. Despite the seemingly odd combination of grill and pizza, the grill is the ideal tool for cooking pizza and in fact is deep in the origin of pizza making. The high, dry heat is ideal for a nice crisp crust and the flavor provided from your grill will on a whole new world of backyard grilling.

Before the word pizza was ever used, Greeks and Romans used wood-fired brick ovens to prepare the original version of pizza – flatbread. In ancient times each diner was given a piece of flat bread along with a piece of meat on the bread. This food was eaten with the fingers with an occasional knife to cut the meat. Little did they know that this would eventually spark the creation one of the America’s favorite foods.

Grilled Pizza Techniques:

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon dried yeast
1 tablespoon soy oil
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup warm water (110°F)
1 ½ cup bread flour
1 tablespoon soy flour
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Combine yeast, sugar and ½ cup very warm water in bowl, let sit for five minutes. Combine flour and salt in bowl. Mix yeast mixture with bowl containing dry ingredients. Add a little extra flour if dough is sticky. Knead for a good 10 minutes. Put into a greased bowl and let rise for 60 minutes until it doubles in size. Turn out onto a floured surface then knead lightly until smooth. Roll out into a ¼" thick, 12" diameter circle. The thinner the dough is rolled, the better.

Before placing your crust on the grill, be sure that your grill is both clean and well oiled. This will help prevent the dough from sticking to the grill. You will need something large enough to transport your dough to the grill. A pizza spatula is highly recommended for this task. Brush an even coat of extra virgin olive oil on the side that will be facing down first. The oil will introduce flavor and help to keep the dough from sticking to the grill as well as giving the crust a nice crisp finish. Before placing your pizza on the grill, you may want to remove the top rack of your grill to make it easier to flip your pizza. Cook the first side from 1-3 minutes before flipping depending on the heat of your grill. During this time you will need to brush olive oil on the side that is facing up. While cooking the first side, peak under the edge of the crust to monitor its finish. Cook until you are satisfied with the finish and then flip your crust over. After flipping, immediately apply any topping that you would like. It’s highly recommended that you keep the topping very light, as they will not have a chance to cook on the grill without burning the crust. You may consider precooking certain ingredients such as meats and thick vegetables. Be sure to lower the lid as soon as possible to trap the heat in and finish cooking the toppings. Cook the pizza for an additional 2-3 minutes or until you are satisfied with the crust’s finish.

You are now ready to experience one great pizza with deep tradition. Cut your pizza into triangle shaped slices or try cutting them into 1” wide strips. This shape is great for a party snacks!

About the Author:
Scott Schirkofsky is the chef and owner of At Home Gourmet. You can find more recipes, cooking tips along with food and beverage articles on his highly recommended website: www.athomegourmet.com. Scott is also the owner of www.americasfavoritefood.com and www.thetravelassistant.com.
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

Cooking in the Caribbean

Caribbean cooking introduces all visitors to some truly distinctive flavors through the addition of spices and other ingredients like mangoes, coconut, lime, cassava, papaya, yam, guava, and peppers.

Surprisingly, the use of limes in Caribbean cooking among the natives is not all that different from the way it is used in the United States. Lime is one of the most popular ways of marinating fish and a popular dish is Ceviche, which is seafood cooked with the aid of citric juices and seasoned with herbs and onions. Caribbean cooking is not merely delicious it is also unique from one island to another. Each island has developed its own style and technique of cooking food and the food in the Caribbean is as varied as the experience from island to the next.

The Bahamas is known for the conch recipes.

Cuba is famous for black beans and rice.

Jamaica is the home of jerk cooking and seasoning.

Barbados means fried fish and cou cou.

Puerto Rico comes closer to home with chicken and rice.

The French Caribbean is known for its cerole dishes and many similar French cooking methods.

Trinidad is the land of curries.

All Caribbean cooking involves herbs and spices of various types for seasoning. One such ingredient is tamarind that is in many ways similar to Worcestershire sauce in taste because it too has tamarind as one of the major ingredients. In fact, the use of spices in Caribbean cooking is truly diverse and amazing. Nutmeg flavors the desserts in the United States but in the Caribbean, this spice is mixed with other spices that are natively grown on the islands and this makes for a totally different flavor in Caribbean cooking. The jerk cooking of Jamaica gets its flavor from allspice while the island of Cayman has a chocolate cake recipe that includes some spicy peppers.

There are many common forms of spices used in Caribbean cooking but the trick is that though you will recognize flavors as a familiar taste the cooking will be subtle enough to feel unique to your taste buds. Caribbean cooking is full of delectable sauces that are made of sweet fruits like mango, papaya, and orange with spicy hot peppers. Dipping sauces in Caribbean cooking are made from mango, chili peppers, and melon.

In Caribbean cooking, coconut milk is the basis of several stews and sauces.

Last, and by no means the last, is the most favorite ingredient of Caribbean cooking that is used in marinades, desserts, sauces, and soups - rum.

About the Author:
James Penn runs a highly informative Caribbean website which details exactly how to find Caribbean beach resorts and also the ten best activities in the Caribbean for families and couples alike.
Submitted on 2006-11-13
Article Source: http://www.articlesarea.com/

Cooking Tips For Outdoor Chefs

Outdoor cooking isn’t for everyone. It takes a person who is willing to put his reputation as a grilling superstar on the line each time he lights a gas grill or tosses a match onto a flammable pile of charcoal. that the people he feeds will appreciate the food he has cooked. Each time he (or she) steps out of his home into his back yard, armed with copper brush, tongs and forks; he faces a challenge to beat his best individual performance on the backyard grill.

Most of the outdoor chefs I’ve run across are men. It seems that women had rather stay in the kitchen. I think it is just a ploy to get the men out of the house for a while. The ladies give them the idea that cooking on the grill is almost important as breathing, especially if it’s done by him! That will get the guy outside with his chest puffed up, carrying a can of charcoal starter and a match.

First rule! If you’re using charcoal and you’re using a liquid lighter, know what you are dousing on those briquettes! It is really not the volume of the whoooomp that determines whether your coals will burn consistently. Never use gasoline, lacquer thinner, lantern fluid or any of those things that will blow you out of your shoes. Stick with charcoal lighter.

One big tip! Never use kerosene to start your charcoal! No matter how long you let your charcoal burn, no matter how much more briquettes on the coals, your rib eyes will have that subtle aroma and taste of kerosene. Your grill will smell like a piece of construction equipment. It’s best to stay with prescribed fuels that don’t stink.

There are other methods to ignite your charcoal. Use the chimney type device where you put the charcoal in an inverted cone and push a couple of sheets of newspaper in the bottom. Put a match to the paper in the bottom and the draft of the “chimney” will make the coals burn. I have never been able to keep that apparatus around the house for more than a summer due to rust, being stepped on or having the neighbors’ borrow it.

There is also the electric heating iron category of charcoal starters. Just plug it into an outlet, let it get red hot and stick it under the charcoal. It doesn’t take long to get a pile of charcoal glowing and shimmering with heat. You don’t have to worry about the whooomp either! The heating iron works well but it’s just not the same as seeing flames shoot as high as your house. You only get that with a liquid lighter that you’re not supposed to use in the first place.

Let’s talk about charcoal grills versus gas grills. I use both in my back yard barbequing. Cooking with gas is almost like cooking on the gas stove in the kitchen. Boring! Maybe that’s why I prefer charcoal. It’s just manlier to battle the flames and rescue a steak just in the nick of time, from being overly cooked. That’s the way outdoor cooking is supposed to be; a man conquering the elements!

Really, cooking on a gas grill is a nice and comfortable way to grill steaks, chickens, burgers, chops and vegetables. One of the areas in which the gas grills are deficient is smoking meat. As far as I know, you just can’t do that with today’s grills. You have to have a smoker. I prefer charcoal smokers of course, but I’ve had excellent results with electric smokers also.

Smokers, both electric and charcoal, are set up pretty much in the same way. The ones that I use are tall round ones that have a trap door opening on the side so you can add charcoal or water in the water bowl. There are other kinds of course and you can find them at a hardware store or outdoor market place. The costs are going to range from roughly $75 to $500 depending on the one you choose. I think most of them are good, but you can usually get just as much satisfaction from a cheap one instead of the high priced smokers. Of course there is the prestige of getting one of those sleek, black ones with the chrome smoke pipes. Gives you sort of a chill just to think of owning one of those, doesn’t it?

Meat smoked on an electric grill is great if you have some wood smoke flavor to make it tasty. I know you can buy little cans of wood chips to add some character to your cooking. Simply pour a little water in the can, set the can on the lava rocks in the bottom of the smoker, and when starts to simmer, you have hickory, cherry or pecan steam permeating your Boston butt! This is the city folks’ way of making barbeque.

Another big tip! If you’ve left the smoker outside uncovered, check to make sure the lava rocks are dry. If it has rained since your last cookout, chances are that the bottom of the smoker is covered in water. If so, don’t plug in the heating iron! It’s not a wise move because you will blow the iron up! Drain the water out of the base first, let the lava rocks dry, then have a safe barbeque.

My personal favorite is the charcoal smoker. It’s really not hard to use, though a lot of people seem to think it’s some kind of a miracle that the meat I smoke tastes so good. Some even think there is a secret to my success when I cook a pork loin or Boston butts and wind up with some of the most delicious barbeque you have ever tasted. Some folks even think there is a secret ingredient that I haven’t shared with anyone!

I usually smoke three or four Boston butts at a time. It’s easy. First I load the coal pan with charcoal, and then use a charcoal lighter fluid to start the coals. You could use one of the instant light charcoals if you wish, but just make sure than when you add charcoal, you use the regular briquettes or your meat will taste funny.

After the coals are lit and the flames have died, fill up the metal water bowl with about a quart of water. This helps keep the meat moist. Next lay the meat on the two racks of the smoker. I salt and pepper the meat liberally, and then put the lid back on the smoker and I’m finished for about an hour.

For three Boston butts, I usually let them cook for about 12 hours, adding charcoal and hickory chunks to the hot coals about every hour and a half. Some chefs soak the hickory in water for thirty minutes or so before adding them to the coals. I prefer to lay the wood chunks on the live coals. The dry wood smoking and burning will give you a mild taste of hickory, not the smell and taste of a burning barn! When the meat reaches 180 degrees on the meat the thermometer, take it off and tear it apart with forks. This way separates the pork easily. You can add barbeque sauce at this time or serve it on the table.

There is one ingredient so unique, so necessary to cooking good barbeque. It’s PATIENCE! Allow yourself enough time to cook the meat thoroughly. Most people do not do that. We are a society of instant gratification. If we want something, we want it now! That just won’t work when you’re trying for the best tasting barbeque you can cook. Smoking takes awhile, so give it the time it deserves!

About the Author:
Robert Wilson Alexander is the author and owner of this copyrighted article.
Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking. His southern heritage has led him to become a master in the art of leisure living. Visit his sites at:
http://www.barbquebob.com
http://homeandgardenbob.com
This article was posted on October 07, 2006
Article Source: articlecity

3 Non-Traditional Ways to Prepare Your Holiday Turkey

Deep-Fryed Turkey

3 gallons peanut oil for frying, or as needed
1 (12 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
1/4 cup Creole seasoning
1 white onion

In a large stockpot or turkey fryer, heat oil to 400 degrees F. Be sure to leave room for the turkey, or the oil will spill
over.

***** Side Note *****

How to determine the amount of oil you need:

The easiest way I've found to determine the amount of oil you need is to place the turkey into the fryer and fill with water until the turkey is just covered. Remove turkey and allow to drain, pat dry with paper towels as well. Make note of the level of water in the fryer. Discard water and dry throughly. Fill frying vessel with oil to the level as noted above. This should help in preventing hot oil spill overs.

***** End Side Note *****

Layer a large platter with food-safe paper bags. Rinse turkey, and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Rub Creole seasoning over turkey inside and out. Make sure the hole at the neck is open at least 2 inches so the oil can flow freely through the bird. Place the whole onion and turkey in drain basket. The turkey should be placed in basket neck end first. Slowly lower basket into hot oil to completely cover turkey. Maintain the temperature of the oil at 350 degrees F, and cook turkey for 3 1/2 minutes per pound, about 45 minutes. Carefully remove basket from oil, and drain turkey. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; the internal temperature must be 180 degrees F.

Finish draining turkey on the prepared platter.

Grilled Whole Turkey

12 pounds whole turkey
2 cups water
3 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon paprika

Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect medium heat, and lightly oil grate. Rinse turkey, and pat dry. Place turkey breast side down on the prepared grill. Sear turkey on both sides until skin is golden to dark brown. In a large roasting pan, mix together the water, bouillon powder, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, parsley, and paprika. Place turkey breast side down in the roasting pan. Scoop the pan mixture over the turkey. Cover tightly with foil and place on grill. Grill 3 to 4 hours, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180F. Remove turkey from grill and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

Smoked Turkey

1 turkey 8 to 22 lbs., fresh or completely thawed
Sweet Pickle Brine (recipe to follow)
Maple syrup

Sweet Pickle Brine:

1 gal. water
2 1/2 cups salt, rock, pickling or canning salts are recommened
1/3 cup of light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Lquid garlic
1 oz. pickling spices

Mix well. You may need to adjust the amounts depending on the size of your bird. This recipe should suit you fine for an 8 to 12 lb. turkey.

Rinse turkey thoroughly with cold water, drain and pat dry. Prepare sweet pickle brine. Brine turkey according to the following schedule, 8 to 12 lb. bird 3 days, 13 to 16 lb. bird 4 days, 17 to 22 lb. bird 5 days. Remove from brine; rinse thoroughly in cold water and pat dry. Allow to dry in refrigerator for 24 hours.

Lock wings behind back and tie legs and tail together. Baste turkey with maple syrup before putting in smoker and every 2 hours while smoking. Position turkey on cooking grill. Smoke cook until done.

The best way to determine doneness is to insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey (the breast) the internal temperature should read 180 degrees F.

Smoking food is more an art than a science; this recipe is not intended for the novice. Allot of factors go into determining the cooking time for a particular food when smoking.

Cool turkey in the refrigerator for 24 hours before serving to enhance the smoked flavor. You may serve the turkey right away if you wish.

About the Author:
Frank Flohr (aka Chef Phronc) is passionate about cooking and is a self proclaimed "Chef". Frank serves up a full plater of cooking tips, free recipes, resources and culimary information at ChefPhroc's Whats Cooken Unleash the hidden "Chef" inside you!
Article Source: http://www.articles411.com

USE SPICES TO COOK LIKE A CONNOISSEUR ON A PAUPERS BUDGET!

Don’t have the money to make delectable dishes?

Or just don’t know the secrets of flavoring with spices and herbs, and making food stretch?

The former is never right no matter what your income is.

If you have the money to buy enough food to at least feed your family then you have enough money to make whatever you feed them enjoyable, even if it’s a vegetable dish.

Yes, with the right spices or herbs, and recipes, the children in your family will come to love vegetables. My family has several favorite veggie dishes, that our kids like so much they want seconds. And the main secret to them are the different spices we use.

These dishes range from ratatouille, eggplant parmigiani, to stewed tomatoes and stuffed zucchini (for info on these or other recipes feel free to email me at sweetstuff245@hotmail.com).

Just as they do with vegetables; spices, herbs, and sweeteners are the secrets to making all foods delicious.

These three food miracle workers can be relatively inexpensive if you know where to look.

In most health food stores (and in select supermarkets in growing numbers) there is a wondrous invention called a BULK section.

I’m sure everyone knows what this is, but in case you don’t I’ll explain:

It’s a section of a store that has all types of different flours, beans, cereals, spices, herbs, and much more.

Each of which are in separate containers or large plastic buckets with a scoop, that allows you to buy as much or as little as you want of what ever spices or other food they carry.

The store provides you with bags and twist ties, for your convenience.

Spices are an excellent example of how cheap it can be to shop in bulk. Most small jars of spices or herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, etc... cost any where from two dollars a bottle to four ninety nine (which is technically five dollars a bottle).
In a bulk section you can buy these same spices, getting twice as much (or more) for less than a dollar or a little over.

Talk about savings! Herbs and all kinds of spices are much cheaper bought this way than paying the extravagant prices you are charged for a pre packaged bottle of the same spices.

Flour and other cooking and baking necessities are also much cheaper if bought in a bulk section

Note: buying in a bulk section does not mean you have to buy a lot of everything! You could buy only one cup of flour in a bulk section if you wanted to or one tablespoon of any spices or herbs.

Ideally you should shop around at whatever different stores in your area have bulk sections, and compare prices to make sure you’re getting the cheapest price.

Bring a calculator to the store and be prepared to do a little brain work to figure it out.

Another money saving trick is to substitute ground turkey for ground beef in recipes. Here you might prefer the taste of beef but in terms of the money you save it will certainly taste heavenly to your budget.

You can spice up bland omelets, scrambled eggs, soups, meat patties and more with the correct spices, and herbs.

Here is a recipe for deliciously spicy eggs, that won’t dent your wallet:

For scrambled eggs try using 1/4 teaspoon thyme and pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and oregano, and 3 eggs. Mix the eggs, spices, and herbs together in a bowl.

Heat a frying pan on medium heat until very hot, then add your oil (preferably olive oil or coconut oil) to the pan. Wait a few seconds until the oil starts to smoke, then pour the eggs from your bowl into the pan.

Have a fork in your hand ready to scramble the eggs with, because they’ll start cooking instantly. Scramble the eggs for 30 seconds to a minute. Then use a spatula to scoop them out onto a plate.

Do yourself a favor and follow these tips to start saving money today.

About the author:
Beth Scott
For more of Beth’s insightful cooking expertise visit: http://breadmaking.apt-products.com
For more amazing recipes go to http://snipurl.com/90j8
Circulated by Article Emporium

Sacramento Restaurants : Looking for a great BBQ restaurant in Sacramento? A Southern Komfort Cafe..

Hello. Lately, I'd been thinking about finding a barbecue restaurant in Sacramento that has great food. I know, there are a few places around Sac, but most of them are just decent. Being originally from Oakland,CA., my family and I were so used to seeing bbq spots all over the city. You really did'nt have to look too hard to find a great place that served barbecue. The toughest decision was deciding which one to go to! The 3 that we visited the most were Flint's, Dixon's, and Everett & Jones. There are tons of others, but those were our favorites.

I set out to find a restaurant in Sacramento that could fulfill the need that I had for barbecue. One that could fill the void left from no longer residing in the Bay Area. We used to drive back and forth every now and then. We'd drive 100 miles just to buy our favorite bbq dishes. Believe it or not, we felt that the drive was actually worth it.
Anyway, we finally found our favorite barbecue restaurant in Sacramento. Actually, it's in Citrus Heights. A Southern Komfort Cafe, barbecue and Southern restaurant. This is where you can find some of your favorite dishes. Also, there is Soul Food on the menu, so if you are from down South, you may be satisfied with the Gumbo, Jumbalaya, and collard greens that are etched onto the menu.

Personally, my favorite is the barbecue hot-link sandwich. It never seemed to matter which restaurant we decided to go to when we were in the Bay Area, I was always happy with the hot-link dish (hot-link sausages) or hot-link sandwich. At A Southern Komfort Cafe, it's no exception. The sauce is the best I have ever tasted; even better than what I was used to when we were in Oakland. It's hard to explain, but it's a sweet sauce, which you can also get in a spicy version. My favorite item on the menu is the bbq hot-link sandwich, followed by the beef tri-tip, which is a close second. This is probably because I like spicy foods. The tri-tip is more so sweet, and the hot-links are spicy.

There are also several other items on the list such as, macaroni & cheese, pork spareribs, seafood salad, banana pudding, peach cobbler, baked beans, red beans & rice, cornbread, yams, and others that I cannot remember at the moment. I initially thought maybe it tasted so good because I had'nt had good barbecue in a while, and maybe I was just falling for any decent tasting bbq... but after going back several times, I don't think that's the case. So yes, we found our barbecue spot in Sacramento. A Southern Komfort Cafe..."It Must be the Sauce!!"

http://restaurantssacramento.blogspot.com

About the Author:
L.W. Seals is a creative writer/researcher. For more info. on A Southern Komfort Cafe, please visit:
http://restaurantssacramento.blogspot.com
Added: 07 Aug 2006
Article Source: http://articles.simplysearch4it.com/article/33580.html

Grilling Tuna Steak For A Simple Gourmet Meal

Looking for a delicious and simple way to grill up that fresh tuna steak that you just caught or bought from the local seafood market? Grilled tuna steak is a delightful and exciting entree for any special meal. There are various methods to spice up and flavor your catch, but today we want to talk about a popular method using wasabi powder. This unique spice is being used by many top chefs to add a special flare and flavoring to the tuna.

Assemble the following recipe ingredients:

• tuna steaks, cut to a thickness of 3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inch each ( your preference )

• 4 to 6 ounces of butter

• 1 cup of teriyaki marinade

• 1 tablespoon of wasabi powder

• 2 chopped green onions

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil, peanut oil, or vegetable oil

• salt and pepper to taste

Get started by marinating the tuna in the teriyaki marinade. Place the tuna into the marinade and completely coat both sides of the meat. Cover, place into the refrigerator and let the tuna sit and marnate for an hour or more, overnight is good too.

When ready, start up your grill and get it good and hot, but not too hot. Ideally bring it to the same temperature as if you were grilling a regular beef steak on the grill. Then mix the wasabi powder, butter and the green onions together and place it aside for the time being. Once the grill is to the ideal temperature and you are ready, then brush the oil onto the tuna steaks and season the meat with salt and pepper to taste. While grilling, periodically baste the tuna with the left over teriyaki marinade. This will help to keep the tuna moist and add additional flavor. Cook until they are done to your desired temperature, then serve with the butter. You can also let some butter melt on the tuna fillets as they are cooking as well.

Alternative set of recipe ingredients and marinade flavoring:

• tuna steaks, 1-inch thick

• Sesame oil

• 1 rounded tsp. cornstarch

• 1/3 c. rice vinegar

• 1/3 c. mirin

• 1/3 c. soy sauce

• 3 tbsp. minced crystallized ginger

Popular tuna species:

Tuna is a popular, delicious and rich tasting seafood that is prepared in many ways. It is perfect for grilling, sautee, and broiling. The flesh of tuna is pink because the tuna's muscle tissue has a higher oxygen capacity than other fish species.

• Bluefin: An important source of seafood, providing much of the tuna used in sushi. It is a particular delicacy in Japan where it has been reported that the price of a single giant tuna can exceed $100,000 on the Tokyo fish market.

• Yellowfin: found in open waters of tropical and subtropical seas worldwide, though not in the Mediterranean Sea. It has been reported to be up to 94 inches in length and 440 lb in weight. The second dorsal fin and the anal fin are both bright yellow, thus the common name, and they are very long, as are the pectoral fins. The main body is very dark metallic blue, changing to silver on the belly.

• Albacore: found in the open waters of all tropical and temperate oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea. It is a prized food, and a significant fishery. Methods of fishing include rod and reel, long-line fishing and purse seining and are highly sought after by sport fishers and recreational fisherman.

• Bigeye

• Blackfin

About the Author:
James Smith
For more Gourmet Food Articles visit: www.gourmetfoodarticles.com . This article may be freely reprinted as long as the author's resource box and url links remain intact.
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

Italian Seasoned Chicken

A very delicate dish especially if you want to impress someone!

This recipe is more complex than others, but well worth it in the -- end believe me. It is a very sharp and very juicy recipe, with heavy garlic flavour -- very specific as you can see. The preparation is kind of lengthy, but relatively easy I would say. No ingredients are needed which cannot be found in any grocery department near you. All you need is a little bit of time a little bit of energy, and someone very special to impress.

Serve Italian Seasoned Chicken with any vegetable or under a white sauce -- it is all your choice, remember that you are the chef here. The recipe for the chicken itself is meant to be aesthetically pleasing to the eye, so if you chose to serve it alone for example, or maybe with a garnish, it will make a very impressive meal. Drizzling white sauce under the plate in a pattern, and placing fresh greens on top will create a romantic appeal, and make you look like a gourmet hero! Thick soups, such as a leek soup, or clam chowder also go well with this chicken.

I would recommend you stick to red wines in order to offset the garlic in the recipe. A Pinot Noir would be a good choice, because it is rather ambiguously flavoured, yet is still a strong wine... so consider this choice unless you have something else in mind. For the kids, cranberry or grape juice is nice. Anything tart will be fine as well.

Ingredients:

4 Chicken breasts
8 Cloves of garlic
4 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
? c fresh chopped green onions
? c. butter.

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat your grill or oven to med-high or 425°
2. Slice each clove of garlic in half, yielding 16 pieces total.
3. Place four squares of tin foil (shiny side up) on your counter.
4. Make two shallow incisions in each side of the chicken breasts.
5. Place two pieces of garlic, a small bit of butter, and a dash or onion on each square of foil.
6. Lightly rub each chicken breast in Italian seasoning.
7. Place each breast on top of the garlic and onion you've put on the foil.
8. Place two more pieces of garlic on top of the chicken, followed by the onion.
9. Wrap the sides of the foil over the chicken, forming four enclosed "chicken-pods."
10. Place the chicken into your grill or oven for 15-20 minutes, flipping only once.
11. Unwrap the chicken and serve immediately.

About the Author:
John
AceCooking AceRecipes SimpleCooking SpecialRecipes AllCooking
Submitted on 2006-11-05
Article Source: http://www.articlesarea.com/

Cooking - Helpful Hints

Here are some hints that you might find useful.

Do not discard over-ripe bananas. Slice and sprinkle it with lemon juice. Freeze it to use later for milk shakes, puddings or banana bread. It will blacken if you refrigerate it.

If you only need a few drops of lemon juice, puncture a lemon with a toothpick and squeeze out the amount needed. Replace the toothpick. If the lemon is cut, it won’t last as long.

Fresh ginger will stay fresh for months in a freezer if you wrap it tightly in foil.

To separate the leaves of a round lettuce, hit the core end sharply against the kitchen counter top. The core can be pulled out and the leaves will separate without tearing into strips.

Here is a tasty fish recipe which you can try:

4 cod fillets, skinned
Salt and pepper to taste
150ml dry white wine
½ lemon, sliced
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 tablespoons lemon juice
50g capers, chopped

Place the fish in a frying pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the wine and lemon slices, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove the fish from the pan, reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquor, and leave to cool.

Mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice and reserved liquor.

Stir in the capers.

Place the fish in a serving dish and top with the caper sauce. Serve cold.

About the Author:
Chris Zaaiman is an ardent "amateur" chef at home. (His wife Nellie's only complaint is the constant cleaning afterwards).
For more cooking tips and recipes you can visit http://www.marketshelf.com/cooking
This article was posted on October 06, 2006
Article Source: articlecity

Barbeque Techniques: Two Methods to Consider

When it comes to barbequing, there are two main schools of thought for the techniques that you can use.

The first of these techniques – and the most popular method for those who grill in their back yards – is the style where the food is cooked directly over the source of heat. This way, the food is rapidly cooked on a hot grill suspended directly over the charcoals, the wood, or the gas burners. Rarely is the lid ever closed. Any foods, including the most tender cuts, hamburgers, steaks, kabobs of all kinds, chicken, and even vegetables are quickly seared and cooked to perfection using this technique. If sauces are desired, they can be added before hand, during the cooking process, or even after the food comes off the grill. These choices will all create different and enjoyable tastes and flavors.

The second barbeque cooking technique uses heat indirectly. This is more appropriate when you’re cooking much larger or whole cuts of meat, such as especially thick steaks, roasts, a whole hog, or a pork shoulder. When you’re cooking using this method, the food is cooked away from the actual source of heat. This usually requires a water pan of some kind in order to maintain the moisture level of the food. The temperatures generally sit in around 250ºF. During this cooking method, the lid of the barbeque remains closed most of the time, and the length of the cooking is much longer than in the first method. When you’re using an indirect barbeque cooker, there is usually an additional fire box that allows you to combine charcoal and wooden logs for burning. This allows the heat and the smoke to rise through the cooking chamber where the meat is, so that it is heated perfectly. The rule of thumb of this technique is a low temperature for a long time.

No matter which method you use, it’s important not to cook your meat too quickly. If the internal temperature of your meat rises too quickly as you cook it, the water and the fat within it will be expelled before the collagen is able to melt. This means that your cut will be dry and tough. However, you cannot cook too slowly or you will risk a bacterial contamination. Though there is a fine line for barbequing properly, it’s important to find that line and stick to it.

If you’re already dealing with a cut of meat that is tough, such as a brisket or a pork roast, consider cooking slowly as the collagen adds flavor to the meat. If you buy a less tough, more expensive cut, you can cook at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time. This is why ribs and steaks take such a short time to cook, while pork shoulders or beef brisket can run up to 20 hours.

As a final note, it’s important to have fun while you barbeque! Your pleasure will come through in your cooking as it will leave you motivated, and willing to try new and interesting things.

About the Author:
Richard Cussons is a prolific and diverse writer. You can find out more about the origins of barbeques at Barbeque Grills
Article Source: http://www.articles411.com

The Power of the Meal

Since the beginning of time one aspect of human social experience has stood out as the ‘place to be’ for communication and family bonding: the meal. In contemporary human life the evening dinner is often the only place and time that a family all sits down together. In tribal times (of course there are still tribes today) the cooking of a slaughtered animal or cultivated vegetables brought the group together to share ideas and feelings. Think about it these days; when you want to take someone out for a romantic date, meet business colleagues, get together with old friends and acquaintances, we go out for a bite to eat. What is it about sharing some food that puts us in such a relaxed and communicable state? Could it simply be science, and the fact that if you are tense when you eat, the food doesn’t digest as well? Or, could it have some psychological basis having to do with the idea that you are sharing some life-giving sustenance with your fellow species instead of warring over it? Subconsciously do we recognize the facts that we will be able to live another day as well as sew healthy seeds for future generations?

Think of all the problems in the world today. Maybe if we all got together for a feast we could work out some practical solutions, say while sipping on coconut milk, or chewing on a loaf of bread. The current (14th) Dalai Lama is quoted as having said, “I sometimes think that the act of bringing food is one of the basic roots of all relationships.”

There is also the idea of food as being a medium for the transferal of emotional energy. I am currently living with a friend who is very adept in the kitchen. He uses high quality ingredients and professional techniques, but he also follows the belief that what mood you are in, the amount of effort and awareness you give the cooking process, and the love and gratitude that you feel for the ability to eat is imperative to making a good meal. I have read in a famous Hari Krishna cookbook as well as Taoist teachings how the actual emotions that the cook feels when making a meal is transmitted into the food via chi energy. Feelings and food are both forms of energy. Native Americans believe that all thoughts and emotions are ‘alive’.

You may have seen the recent film, ‘What the bleep do we know?’ Read about it at whatthebleep.com. In this film world-renowned scientists discuss the idea that all thoughts and emotions are actually physically material in the sense that they are produced by chemicals and are transmitted in electrical forms. Therefore, a happy chef truly spreads happiness by enjoying the preparation of a meal.

So, next time you sit down to a meal with friends or family, or cook for guests, remember the significance of this often undervalued experience. For hundreds of thousands of years our distant relatives’ whole way of social life was based around the acquisition and sharing of food. It is often the main time to communicate to the ones you hold most dearly, so please don’t take it for granted or think that just because it is necessary for survival that there aren’t any meaningful and mysterious aspects to the experience. Relating to each other is one of the most important elements in a social creature’s existence; the meal is a time and place for relationships to sprout and grow. That’s just some of the power of the meal.

About the author:
Jesse S. Somer
M6.Net http://www.m6.net
Jesse S. Somer is a creature that eats a little bit too much food at times, and needs to share more meals with other organisms that he loves.
Circulated by Article Emporium

Simple cooking as easy-home-cooking

A healthy life style extremely depended on the food consumed by us. True??? Whilst exercise is a must to all, a nutritious balance diet also plays a major role to our lifestyle. For those chef-to-be, please bear in mind that balance nutrition is a must-knowledge for preparing good and balanced food.

In this and future articles, Dr. Chef will address more and more about this nutrition diet in the food preparation. That's why people acknowledge me as Dr. Chef…!!!

Basic Principles of Nutrition: It is necessary for maintaining the human body in good health because our body is continuously using the substances which make it up and these must be replaced by absorbing food. So, a number of important factors must be considered if the process of alimentation is to be carried out correctly.

Hunger and thirst are sensed automatically by a healthy person.

Appetite is the desire for food without really being hungry. It's mainly psychological. In our psychological stress, we don't have appetite in spite of being hungry.


Variety: We need varieties of different foods and only varied food intake can ensure balanced nutrition.

Digestion: It takes place in the gastrointestinal tract, and is the breakdown of food prior to its absorption into the body.

Metabolism is the conversion of nutrients occurring in a series of processes in different parts of the body. This activity is necessary for the building and continuous functioning of cells and tissues.

TIP OF THE DAY
SANDWICHES
Normally we keep our uneaten sandwiches in the fridge. This will make it dry and hard. So, do not waste your money by buying and wrapping your sandwiches with cling wrap, but use this…. Cover it with a clean and wet cloth because the bread will last longer and fresh. Till next article, I wish you A Gooood and Healthy Day ……….

From the back desk,
Dr. Chef

About the Author:
Dr. Chef, Webmaster for http://www.easy-home-cooking.com .Dr. Chef has been a chef in hotel around the world.From China to India, Middle East to South Africa and Canada to Australia. Now retired as a chef and doing a consultant company in restaurant and hotel business in south East-asia.
Added: 16 Nov 2006
Article Source: http://articles.simplysearch4it.com/article/42992.html

How To Cook A Tender Juicy Steak

You invest a lot of time and money into the steaks for a special occasion and when dinner time comes, they are tough. What happened? How can you cook steaks as tender as your favorite restaurant?

The first step to cooking a good steak is to choose the right grade of steak. The top quality beef is graded USDA Prime and commands top prices. USDA Prime grade meats are sold to the restaurant industry and specialty markets and are not as likely to be found at your local grocery chain. The next grade of beef is USDA Choice. USDA Choice is tender, flavorful and only slightly lower in quality than USDA Prime. The meat is well marbled with fat and will be tender and juicy when properly prepared. USDA Choice makes up about 70% of all graded beef and is readily available in your supermarket. USDA Good graded beef is an acceptable grade of beef that has only minimal marbling of fat. It is leaner, but may not be as tender as USDA Prime or Choice.

Next, look at the color and texture of the meat. A good steak should be firm to the touch, moist, and bright in color. It should be well marbled with thin streaks of white fat throughout and a thin crust of steak on the outside. In our fat conscious society, we tend to look for lean cuts of meat, but the thin streaks of white fat marbled throughout the meat are the key to a tender juicy steak.

The most tender and juicy steaks come from the sirloin, the short loin, and the rib. These steaks include the sirloin steaks, porterhouse steaks, t-bone steaks, rib steaks, delmonico steaks, and the filet mignons. Steaks containing bone will weigh more than those without, but the bone adds flavor to the steak.

Aging is a desirable process that intensifies the flavors and makes the meat more tender. Aged steaks are more expensive and usually only found in high end supermarkets and specialty markets. An aged steak is recognizable by its darker color.

Once you have purchased your steak, you can further increase the tenderness and juiciness by marinating it. Try a marinade made of ½ cup each good wine and olive oil mixed 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice or herb vinegar. Add any seasonings that you like such as garlic, freshly ground pepper, onion, or herbs. Place the steak in a ziplock bag, pour in enough marinade to just cover it, and refrigerate overnight. Marinating a steak like this will add flavor and tenderness. If you routinely store steak in the freezer before cooking, try pouring the marinade over the steak before freezing. The steak will marinate when thawing and be ready to cook.

There are meat tenderizers available to sprinkle onto your steak, and they certainly do tenderize the meat; however, meat tenderizers can sometimes over tenderize the meat, changing the texture of the meat into mush. If you should choose to go this route, do it carefully.

When ready to cook, slash through the outside fat layer on the steak in a few places to prevent curling, but do not cut into the meat. The more tender steak cuts can be broiled, grilled, or pan fried. Less tender cuts should be pan fried or slow braised. Steak should never be cooked in liquid. When pan broiling, use a very heavy skillet such as an iron skillet or griddle and heat the pan before adding the meat. The heavy metal will hold the heat for proper heat distribution and not cool down when the steak is added. A hot pan will quickly sear the outside, trapping the moisture inside.

When cooking, try to turn the steak only once. Cook the meat until browned on one side and half done, then turn and finish the other side. Turning too often will stew the meat rather than searing it and produce a less juicy steak. When the steak is done, remove from the pan and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.

While the meat rests you can make a sauce with the pan drippings if desired. Use your favorite sauce, or fry mushrooms and onions in the pan. When nearly done, add a tablespoon each of butter and flour and cook until lightly browned. Add a splash of wine and loosen any bits that may be stuck to the bottom of the pan. Allow to cook until thick, taste and adjust seasonings, and serve over the steak. Enjoy!

About the Author:
Diane Watkins is a traditional style southern cook. She offers tips, recipes, and stories about growing up in the south at Easy Southern Cooking.
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

Tips for Cooking the Perfect Steak

Steak is considered by most the ultimate dinning treat. However, if you don't know how to cook your steak properly, you are jeopardizing ruining a perfectly good piece of meat. Anyone can eat a steak, but it takes a bit of skill and practice to be able to cook the perfect steak. The following tips will help you learn how to prepare, and cook the perfect steak.

The most important part of cooking steak is the defrosting process. When you put steak in the microwave and hit defrost, you are GOING to ruin your meat. Microwaving meat is never a good idea, so please plan ahead and always take your meat out about 24 hours before you are going to be eating. This way, you know it will be defrosted nicely, with no hidden frozen spots, and you can cook it accordingly.

Next, you want to worry about seasoning your steak. For the best flavor you should season the meat with dry ingredients first. Use a packaged steak spice, or use your imagination and create something new. Also, remember to season both sides. After seasoning the steaks with spices, you can marinade it in your favorite sauces. There are many good bottled marinades you can buy at the local supermarket, or you can look up a recipe and make a delicious one yourself.

After marinating your steak for the desired amount of time, light up the barbeque! After it has been heating for five or ten minutes, make sure you clean it by using a brush. Make sure the barbeque isn't turned up to high, and then place your steak directly on the grill. Close the lid and allow your steak to cook for a while. There is no need to worry about burning them since the lid will prevent flames. Cook two 1 inch thick steaks, for no more than 6 minutes on each side. For 2 inch thick steaks, try 8 minutes on each side. If you follow these instructions, and leave the lid on, the barbeque will begin to smoke when it's time to flip the meat. I also suggest that you get a timer and use it.

Now all you have to do is relax and wait for the steaks to finish cooking. Relax, have a beer or glass of wine, and enjoy the delicious smell of the kind of summer barbeque that makes everyone jealous.

About the Author:
Author Barney Garcia is a proud contributing author and enjoys writing about many different topics. Please visit my web sites @ Great Steak Recipes and BBQ Steak Recipes
Submitted on 2006-11-03
Article Source: http://www.articlesarea.com/

Cooking Is Easy As Easy Home Cooking

More On Nutrients

Do you know that nutrients are important to us? Nutrients perform specific functions in the nourishment of the body. Right!!!! Of major importance are supplying the body with the necessary calories for energy and ensuring the continuity of the vital functions. Nutrients include protein, carbohydrate, fat, minerals, vitamins and water. So to keep my promises to you, Dr Chef will elaborate more on this issue.

Taste and Aroma: The substances which stimulate the perception of taste and aroma are not vitally necessary from the nutritional standpoint; on the other hand, they are necessary for increasing the appetite and for stimulating the digestive glands.

Fiber is necessary as a preventive measure for a wide range of disease processes.

Diet is the food consumed daily by an individual or group with an emphasis on nutrient content.

Modified diets: Special regimens prescribed as measures for prevention, control and or treatment of certain disease states.

The factors above are important for maintenance of health in the human body. Daily consumption of minimum servings of important food groups and recommended allowances for essential nutrients provides the basis for balance nutrition. Other factors such as food preparation procedures affect the nutritive value of food.

There are lots of supplement food and beverages that we can find everywhere in the market nowadays. It can be found in the form of tablets, tea or coffee, powder or injection (Vitamins). DO make sure that you don’t take unnecessary supplement because this will affect your healthiness.

TIP OF THE DAY

BEAN SPROUT

Normally, bean sprout are easier to be blistered/smelly, so to avoid this, put it in a container soak with water (1kg bean sprout) and add one or two spoonful of vinegar. This will make it last longer and crispy.…….

From the back desk,
Dr. Chef

About the Author:
Dr. Chef, Webmaster for http://www.easy-home-cooking.com .Dr. Chef has been a chef in hotel around the world.From China to India, Middle East to South Africa and Canada to Australia. Now retired as a chef and doing a consultant company in restaurant and hotel business in south East-asia.
This article was posted on November 17, 2006
Article Source: articlecity

Spanish Food - How To Make Spicy Gazpacho Soup.

Home-made soups are so good for you - all that nourishing stock and chock-a-block full of vitamins and minerals.

But ... who on earth could face boiling bones for hours on end during the scorching Spanish summer weather, not to mention preparing the soup once the stock is made? I don´t think it would tickle anybody´s fancy to then have to tuck into a piping-hot soup!

For this reason, the Spanish came up with their wonderful, ice-cold soup - gazpacho - beautifully colorful, packed with goodness, cheap and simple to prepare, no cooking and ... most important of all, an absolute delight to drink.

Traditional gazpacho originates from romantic Andalucia - that large, exotic southerly region of Spain which is home to such extensive Arabic influence.

The chilled, raw soup was originally made by pounding bread and garlic with tomatoes, cucumber and peppers but, nowadays, your electric blender renders this effortless! Olive oil endows it with a smooth, creamy consistency and vinegar adds a refreshing tang - just what you need when life gets too hot to handle!

The spicy soup should be served in true Spanish style with small bowls of accompaniments - finely chopped peppers, cucumber, onion ... even hard-boiled eggs and croutons, if you feel up to it! Guests will then sprinkle what appeals to them on the soup.

Traditional gazpacho is tomato-based, with most Spanish families having developed their own, unique recipes. However, nowadays, you will also find gazpacho recipes that have nothing to do with tomatoes - white, almond-based gazpachos, fruit-based gazpachos, etc.

Do you suffer from insomnia? Could be that drinking gazpacho is the answer, for in Pedro Almodovar´s 1987 film "Mujeres Al Borde De Un Ataque De Nervios", various characters help themselves to the soup and promptly fall asleep!

However, don´t fall asleep just yet as you haven´t read over the recipe!

Ingrediants for 4 servings:

- 4 ripe tomatoes
- 1 onion
- ½ red pepper
- ½ green pepper
- ½ cucumber
- 3 cloves garlic
- 50 g bread
- 3 dessertspoons vinegar
- 8 dessertspoons olive oil
- Water
- Salt/pepper
- ¼ chilli pepper (optional)

Garnishings:

- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- ½ finely chopped onion
- ½ finely chopped red pepper
- ½ finely chopped green pepper
- ½ finely chopped cucumber

Method:

1. Break up bread and soak in water for 30 minutes.

2. Skin tomatoes, remove seeds and stalks from peppers.

3. Peel cucumber, onion and garlic.

4. Chop onion, garlic, tomatoes, peppers and cucumber.

5. Place in electric blender.

6. Squeeze out excess water from bread and add to blender.

7. Add oil and vinegar.

8. Blend well.

9. If necessary, add sufficient water for soup-like consistency.

10. Pour into a bowl with ice cubes.

11. Fridge for a couple of hours.

12. Serve in bowls, with garnishings in separate dishes.

Gazpacho is best enjoyed sitting in the shade, looking out onto an azure sea, blue sky and golden sun and sands!

About the author:
Linda Plummer is webmistress of the site: http://www.top-tour-of-spain.com which provides a wide range of information regarding Spain and the Spanish language.
Circulated by Article Emporium

Oven Roasted Beef Recipe

Prepare a great roast beef is easy, relatively inexpensive, and although may seem intimidating at first, there's little more to it than putting the roast in the oven and pulling it out when it's done.

3 lb Roast beef
3 lb Potatoes
4 oz Mushrooms
3 Carrots
1 oz Butter
1 Onion
2 tbsp Plain Flour
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ cup stock or dry red wine

Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Cut the carrots and potato into large chunks. Place the roast beef into a large roasting pan, surround with the vegetables. Then, add enough stock or water to fill half the pan. Cover tightly and place in oven, bake for 3 to 4 hours.

Remove ¾ of the juices, place in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Mix the flour and butter to a paste, whisk into the liquid adding the Worcestershire sauce just before serving. Serves 6

About the Author:
Ray Torres is an IT consultant by day and a gourmet aficionado by nigth, and founder of Great Free Online Recipes.com and it's recipes and cooking blog. "A celebration of cooking and great food!"
Article Source: http://www.articles411.com