Thursday, March 31, 2011

Beef Casserole Dishes

If a person wants to make easy beef casserole dishes, then these type of dishes are truly easy for a few reasons. For one thing, beef is extremely easy to find when a person goes to a grocery store. It not like some of the more exclusive and rare pieces of meat. Another reason why these dishes are easy to make, it is because there are a lot of different parts of meat that can be used to create wonderful and comforting meals. For example, people can use roast beef in a plethora of ways for their meals, or they can use slices of cuts such as brisket, they can get ground beef, and they can use prepackaged or homemade meatballs.

One classic beef casserole dish that's making a comeback is Shepard's Pie. This is a dish that uses either stewed or ground beef that is mixed in with a rich brown gravy. There are also vegetables such as carrots, celery, and onions. But the best part of what makes this dish, is the mashed potatoes that are piled on top of the beef and vegetable mixture. Some people leave it at this but for a great shepherds pie recipe, it should be put in the oven, and the tops of the mashed potatoes should be allowed to crust. If a person wants to take this dish to the next level than they can sprinkle little bit of cheese on top before they put it in the oven.

Meat Casseroles

A beef pot pie is somewhat similar to shepherds pie, but it doesn't use mashed potatoes. This is a dish that's put inside of a pie crust or a casserole dish, and is topped with another layer of crust. While most people use of traditional piecrust, there are some that like to use phyllo dough to give it an extra indulgent feeling. There is a way to enjoy this without actually baking it in a casserole dish. A person can just put the filling into the crust, fold it and bake it. In this way, person has a handheld version of this casserole.

One other way to use this meat inside of a casserole dish is to create stuffed peppers. Not only is this dish savory and hearty, it's inexpensive as well. It's as simple as buying fresh green peppers, cleaning and hollowing them out, and filling them up with a mixture of ground beef and rice. Of course, a person can use other cuts of beef to make things more creative. Traditionally, this is a savory dish, but some people might choose to create it in a way that is sweet, or even spicy. This is a dish that can also get creative with the use of breadcrumbs or cheese.

The amazing thing about a nice cut of roast beef, is that it can turn into at least three different meals within a meal. For example, after the family has enjoyed a nice roast beef, it can be used the next day for sandwhiches. Larger slabs can be cut up to use for things such as stirfry, or stew. A person can allow their imaginations to run wild when they use this meat for a variety of home-cooked meals.

Beef Casserole Dishes

Rick Mongiovi shares his recipe for beef nacho casserole and more casseroles recipes for breakfast, pasta, vegetarian and more on his site at Best-Made-Casseroles.com.

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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Great Things to do With Your Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey

If you've slaved away for hours on a huge bird for Thanksgiving, there's no reason that the extra meat has to go to waste. It's inevitable-99% of the time, you'll have leftover turkey after everyone's had their fill. Although you can simply heat up the meat in the microwave, that isn't very interesting or tasty. You've spent a lot of time and money cooking the perfect Thanksgiving turkey. Don't let the leftovers go to waste!

One of the tastiest things you can do with your leftover turkey is make turkey salad. This is a great way to stretch the leftover meat as well. You can use the recipe for any turkey or chicken salad recipe, with isn't much more than mayonnaise and a few extra additives (it depends on your specific recipe). You can than use the turkey salad in sandwiches, or on top of toast. Add some cheese, and you'll have a wonderful lunch!

Meat Casseroles

Another great use for leftover turkey is potpie. You can make pot pie with whatever vegetables you have leftover from Thanksgiving as well. Although most people like to use chicken or beef, turkey holds up well in a potpie and can be delicious with the same recipe you use for chicken potpie. In fact, turkey works well in place of chicken in most recipes. You can try turkey a la king, turkey casserole, turkey and rice, and any of your other family chicken recipes.

Don't forget that you don't have to eat all of your leftovers right after thanksgiving. If you have a tone of leftovers, you can get sick of turkey rather quickly, and the heavy, rich foods associated with Thanksgiving are not always very healthy for your body. Why not spread out the leftovers all year? Thanksgiving turkey and other leftovers can be frozen in convenient packs, meaning that all you have to do when you want a taste of November is heat up the meal. Instead of freezing all of the turkey together, all of the corn together, etc, make up plates with single meals. These are great to take with you to work as lunch or to heat up for a child who doesn't like what you're making for dinner. Use your frozen meals in about six month if you choose this option.

And hey, no one's saying that you can't cook a larger Thanksgiving turkey on purpose! If you like the leftovers that you can make from turkey or if you want to freeze a number of extra Thanksgiving meals, try cooking a bird twice the size than you'll actually need for Thanksgiving while you're already taking the time to prepare the large meal.

At the very least, don't throw your leftover turkey away! Regulations prevent you from donating the meat to the food bank, but if you know of a need family in your area, you can offer the leftovers to them, mentioning that you have more than you can use before it spoils. Thanksgiving is a time of sharing the food you have with others, after all, so you can help keep in the spirit with your leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

Great Things to do With Your Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey

Colin Joss is the owner of [http://www.thanksgivingthanksgivingonline.com] - a site dedicated to hints and tips for family fun at Thanksgiving.

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Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Eating and Drinking in Greece

In Greece eating is a way of socializing and bringing friends and family together. Because of the geographical position between the Balkans, the Mediterranean and Asia Minor, the Greek cuisine seems to embrace in its dishes all these various influences. It is a nice mixture of tastes and flavors that conquers right away those who visit Greece.

The Greek cuisine is mostly based on fresh and raw vegetables that are to be considered the foundation of every meal. The reason for that is that, until the 1950's, the average Greek family could afford meat only once a week (meat was reserved mostly for the festivities) so the Greek cooks had to use mostly vegetables and be very inventive with it. Of course, the usages of vegetables depend from the season: in the cooler months the vegetable dishes are predominated by leafy greens while in the warm season eggplants and tomatoes reign supreme.

Meat Casseroles

Greeks love to use leafy vegetables to make salads, pittes (baked pies) and casseroles. One of the most typical Greek vegetable dishes is Briam, a ratatouille with zucchini, potatoes, eggplants and tomatoes. Furthermore eggplants are used in numerous recipes like melintzanosalata (eggplant salad or a eggplant puree with tomatoes, onions, lemon juice and olive oil), melitzanopitta (eggplant pie), eggplant moussakas (a casserole with fried sliced eggplants, minced meat and bechamel sauce) and melintzanes Paputsakia (eggplants stuffed with minced meat and bechamel sauce).

One of the most typical Greek dishes is pittes or baked pies that are made using artichokes, potatoes, peppers, leek, spinach, onions, chicories, cheese, cream, minced meat, olives, zucchini, ham and rice. In fact they make pittes almost out of everything even edible weed.

Cheese is quite a typical Greek ingredient. Greece is the biggest cheese consumer in Europe and every Greek region has its own cheese. Feta is of course the most famous, and it is made from goat, sheep or cow milk, but there are many other varieties of cheese to try like kefalograviera (of harder consistency), manouri (a sweet cheese) and touloumbisio (a cheese with a stronger taste used for stuffing).

Greeks love to eat meat. Typical meat dishes include souvlaki (pork or lamb kebab), yiros (doner kebab with pita bread and garnish), loukanika (pork sausages), pansetta (pork ribs), mousakka (oven-baked casserole with minced meat), stifadho (stew). In Greece it is very popular to eat lamb and goat meat (grilled, baked or stewed). Many meat dishes are oven baked casseroles that are prepared in the morning and then left to cool down during the day, thus intensifying the taste of the dish. Greeks love to grill their meat as well, using oak wood coals and a lot of herbs and spices.

As far as fish is concerned there are many varieties to choose from: sardines, anchovies, shrimps, cuttlefish, octopus, bass, sole, bream and other indigenous species that are mostly fried or grilled. Beware, Greek love to use large quantities of lemon juice with their fish (sometimes even too much) so be prepared for that.

The Greek sweets are something you absolutely have to try! The most famous are baklavas (a walnut, honey and sugary sweet), kataifi, loukoumadhes (deep-fried puffs with honey, syrup and cinnamon) and galaktoboureko (custard pie). The bottom line is that their sweets are really, really sweet, so if you do not like that I would suggest you choose another typical Greek dessert: yogurt with honey.

As far as drinking, Greeks are definitely not heavy drinkers. They like sipping their drink with their meal (which is definitely their main concern). Greek wines are good, are often sold in bulk by quarter, half or full liter (served in glass bottles or cups called kantaria). If you have the chance try retsina, a wine with a taste of pine resin, it is very strange but you might love it. Of course, when in Greece, you have to try ouzo (a spirit with a taste of anis or fennel). Greeks drink it all the time mixed with water. It is very refreshing and tasteful.

At the end we must mention olives and the olive oil! Olive oil and olives are absolutely the favorite Greek ingredients. There are dozens of olive varieties (green, black, purple) and they are mostly use for oil making. Others, as the Kalamata olive, is used for eating and for making salads, like the famous Greek salad that in Greece is called horiatiki (or peasant salad)!

Eating and Drinking in Greece

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Monday, March 28, 2011

Italian Meats

Italian meats offer the high protein, lean eating consumer a new way to prepare food that is no longer boring or repetitive. There are so many Italian meat dishes to choose from, it could be months before you are eating the same recipe again. Many people today are eating higher amounts of protein and they are finding there is only so many ways to prepare it. If you look to cultural cooking you will find that the Italians know how to make any dish spicy and great. The key is to know what types of meats to get, how to prepare them, and how to rotate them so that you never get bored.

The Lean Red Meat

Meat Casseroles

When it comes to Italian meats, red meat is always a favorite. From sauces to the main dish, the Italians love to eat beef. The problem consumers have today is the fatty aspects that beef can have. The best way to make sure that your beef is kept lean and healthy is to cook it Italian style. Always be sure that the beef you buy is lean or has most of the fat removed. This will keep your main dish lower in fat content and calories. There are a variety of ways you can set to prepare this meat. It will depend on whether or not it is the main dish or going into a sauce. Main course meat dishes can be cooked just right as to seal in flavor without sealing in the fat.

Why Fish

Fish is one of the best ways to get in your daily protein without worrying about fat. Fish is extremely lean. Fish is also the one meat that many people do not like to cook as they never know how to prepare it right. All Italian meats are usually cooked in an array of herbs and spices, but for fish lovers there is nothing better than a properly prepared Italian fish dish. You will have the option to boil, bake, or lean fry the fish of your choice. No matter how you choose to cook it, the herbs will be the way to your heart and taste buds. Depending on what type of fish you plan to serve, you can find hundreds of favorite Italian recipes online to help you get the right flavor. Depending on the fish and region, there may be several ways to prepare the same fillet.

For Chicken Lovers

For those who are looking for something leaner than red meat, but are not fond of fish, chicken is the best option. When it comes to using Italian meats, you will find that chicken is used quite a bit. There are many traditional meals prepared with chicken as well as new Italian dishes that are made healthier by substituting beef for poultry. To find the best poultry dressings and recipes it is best to look in an Italian cookbook where you can see how each piece is prepared and what spices you may need. Some herbs used in chicken recipes need to be fresh and if you plan to use dried you may need to find the equivalent amount before using.

Italian Meats

Anna Fiori writes food related articles for the Italian Traditional Food website at http://www.italiantraditionalfood.com

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Sunday, March 27, 2011

Recipes For Beef and Macaroni Casserole with Feta Cheese and an Orange Almond Salad

For an easy meal try this recipe for a Beef and Macaroni Casserole that is just a little different. With the coriander, tumeric, lemon juice, and Feta cheese this casserole will bring a refreshingly different twist to the usual ground beef macaroni casseroles. Add the Orange Almond Salad and you have an easy but delicious meal requiring little preparation time.

BEEF AND MACARONI CASSEROLE WITH FETA CHEESE

Meat Casseroles

12 oz pkg whole grain elbow macaroni
1 tbsp olive oil
1 med onion, peeled, finely chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp ground corriander
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb lean ground beef
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tbsp bread crumbs
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook macaroni according to package directions until just tender. Drain . Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and cook onion over low heat until softened. Stir in the spices. Crumble in the beef and cook until no longer pink. Stir in the lemon juice. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Spray a large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Mix with macaroni with the meat mixture and half of the feta cheese. Place mixture into prepared pan. Top with the remaining feta cheese. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese over the top. Bake 30 to 40 minutes until bubble and hot through.

Six servings. Per serving: 371 calories, 28 g carbs, 29 g protein

ORANGE-ALMOND SALAD

3 cups assorted salad greens
2 navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
1/2 celery, thinly sliced
2 tbsp chopped green onion
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup SPLENDA or Equal Sugar-Lite
2 tbsp canola or olive oil
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

In a large salad bowl, combine greens, oranges, celery and onion. Set aside. Blend vinegar, SPLENDA or EQUAL and oil in a small mixing bowl. Using a wire whisk, whisk until smooth. Drizzle dressing over greens . Toss gently to coat. Put into individual salad bowls and sprinkle with almonds.

Enjoy!

Recipes For Beef and Macaroni Casserole with Feta Cheese and an Orange Almond Salad

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com For her vintage recipes, visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

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Saturday, March 26, 2011

Mexican Noodle Casserole

Looking for something new and exciting to make for dinner? Why not try a Mexican noodle casserole? Full of savory heat and cheese, this dish is simple to make and offers a great way to use leftover turkey. Turkey was one of the native birds of Mexico and has been on the Mexican menu for hundreds of years. If you thought that turkey didn't fit with Mexican cuisine, you can take this as your new lesson for the day. If you don't have turkey, you can easily substitute chicken.

Sopa Seca uses toasted pasta to lend a unique texture to the casserole. The flavor of this casserole is intense and delicious. You can also substitute rice for the pasta for a little different texture. You can also make this without meat if you prefer it to be a side dish. Sopa Seca is a traditional Mexican comfort food. You can always pick up some authentic Mexican cotija cheese to use instead of cheddar if you wish.

Meat Casseroles

Recipe for Sopa Seca

This cheesy casserole is full of flavor.

What You Need

1/4 cup oil, plus a little extra for the pan 12 ounces bundled vermicelli pasta 1 medium onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried oregano, Mexican if you can get it 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 bay leaf 1-1/2 cups canned whole tomatoes 1 to 2 chipotles en adobo sauce, minced 1-1/2 cups chicken broth 1 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 cups smoked turkey, shredded 1 cup cheddar cheese, coarsely grated Sour cream thinned with a small amount of milk (optional)

How to Make It

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

Apply a thin coat of oil in a 9 inch square baking dish. Heat the rest of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat on the stove. Add the pasta and let them cook. Turn them with tongs as needed until they are golden brown on all sides. This takes about 5 minutes. Remove the pasta bundles and any extra pieces to a plate.

Add onion to the skillet and let it cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, oregano, chili powder, and bay leaf, cooking until they become fragrant (about 30 seconds). Using your hands, crush the tomatoes over the pot and let the juices join the tomato pieces in the pot. Add the chipotles. Raise the heat to high and let this mixture cook until thick, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, toasted pasta, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer gently without a cover. Break up the pasta with a spoon. Let cook about 5 minutes, and then add the turkey.

Remove the bay leaf. Move the mixture to your baking dish. Sprinkle the cheese generously over the top and loosely cover the dish with foil. Let the casserole bake until the cheese melts and everything is hot throughout; about 20 minutes. If you wish, serve with thinned sour cream drizzled over the top.

Serves 4

Mexican Noodle Casserole

Mexican recipes are delicious. Don't stick to the same old Americanized recipes; try some authentic easy Mexican recipes and bring home the real flavor of Mexico. It goes far beyond the usual tacos and burritos.

MexicanFoodRecipes.org When it has to be Real Authentic Mexican Food

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Friday, March 25, 2011

Casserole Making Tips and Techniques

Casseroles are great for large groups of people, and are generally easy on the finances. Incidentally, they are also easy to prepare. The good thing about casseroles is that leftover meats, vegetables and starches like potatoes and rice are just as appropriate to use when making them, which in turn saves you money. Casseroles are usually served in the dish in which they were baked, and that means avoiding extra cleanup. Without any doubt, this is one versatile dish, both in cooking, in serving, and in cleaning.

During preparation, it is best to dice your meat, fish, and vegetables into equal portions so they will cook evenly. Also make each cut part small enough for the flavors to absorb into one another. For the sauce, instead of using the usual stock as a liquid, why not add in some wine? If your casserole calls for chicken, fish or any white meat, white wine would be the best complement. If you're using red meat, incorporate some red wine. Other ideas for liquids include using vegetable juice, milk, beer, cider, wine vinegar and lemon juice. Cheese, particularly cheddar, will naturally become crispy if you cook the casserole with the lid off. But there are other ways of adding crispy texture. You can top your dish with pecans and other nuts. You may also top with cubed bread pieces and crackers.

Meat Casseroles

Casseroles are usually cooked in large amounts and after eating a portion, the leftovers are refrigerated or frozen so that the remaining can be eaten another time. To freeze the casserole, you should consider a container that will easily fit inside a standard oven or a microwave oven to save time and trouble in defrosting and preparing. If the casserole is still warm, allow it to cool down fully before putting it inside the freezer. After covering it tightly with an air-tight lid, you will be able to enjoy your casserole for two to four weeks without compromising the taste. Remember to defrost it in the refrigerator or allow for extra time in the oven when reheating.

When you'd like to use the stored casserole, just place the casserole back into a baking dish. Reheat in the oven with the same temperature indicated when you initially baked it. You may have to extend baking time to assure the entire dish is completely thawed and heated through. From time to time, use a skewer or knife to check if the whole casserole is hot enough.

Casserole Making Tips and Techniques

Casseroles are true comfort food. We have put together a collection of delicious casserole recipes that will satisfy the hearty appetite; and that can be served for holidays, special occasions and everyday dining. Find the perfect casserole recipe from our growing selection of appetizers, side dishes, and entrees.

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Thursday, March 24, 2011

Bison Meat Recipes For Every Meal

When making the decision to switch from beef to buffalo meat there are many bison meat recipes for any meal. Knowing the difference in cooking this meat contrary to beef is important in getting the best out of the meat in flavor and in quality. Many people may not know that almost every recipe can be substituted with this leaner choice of meat over beef. Though many may not taste the difference when cooked in recipes this meat has it own great tasting flavor.

Knowing what it takes to get the best taste out of this meat for every recipe will help in making sure the best quality of the meat is always provided. The color of the bison meat is a deeper shade of red than beef because it does not produce streaks of fatty tissue like beef does. Because of the less fat this meat may cook more rapidly than beef. Cooking the perfect bison meat that is tender and tasty is cooking the meat at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. Never cook this meat on high temperatures and make sure it has plenty of moisture so it does not dry out and it is as tender as it can be.

Meat Casseroles

Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day finding great tasting recipes to help start it off right may even give people a better day. There are several recipes that people can choose from to make with bison including sausage patties. Once the sausage has been made it can be added to a great tasting Breakfast Casserole with bison as the main ingredient followed by eggs, cubed bread, mustard and grated cheddar cheese. This dish and others shoppers will find will get them going in the morning with a great start to their day.

Lunches and dinners sometimes clash together so having bison meat recipes on hand to prepare for both is a good idea. Many people may have heard of bison burgers which are easy to mix together and best cooked on medium and even medium to low this will allow the moisture of the meat to stay inside without drying the meat out. Using ground bison in family recipes can be done with a great flavor there is one difference that many people will notice. There will be no fat to drain and the meat does not shrink like beef does.

When preparing for a Sunday family dinner with a bison roast there is not worry as to how long the meat will cook. It is best when it can cook until it falls apart when it is touched. But normally keeping the meat from drying out is very important for the best in taste. From pizza to stroganoff there are many recipes to choose from that will provide families with a great quality taste that provides them with a healthier choice for every meal. Those who do choose to use these great tasting recipes will want to make sure they do read the directions carefully to make sure the bison meat recipes they choose are cooked properly for the best in quality.

Bison Meat Recipes For Every Meal

James Brown is a bison meat lover and has his own blog where he shares bison meat recipes with like minded people.

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Wednesday, March 23, 2011

The Secret to a Healthy Casserole

Casseroles are something that my family indulged in at least four days a week. On Sundays Dad would put something big on the BBQ spit, like a turkey, leg of lamb or ham and we would eat that, with all the fixin's for Sunday dinner. For the rest of the week we had sandwiches and casseroles, interspersed with burgers, spaghetti and meatballs, or a pizza. Casseroles are great for using up those leftover bits of meat in a more interesting way. If you love cheese, as my family does, there's nothing better than some kind of meat baked with pasta and cheese. Okay, I confess, I'm Italian, and I eat like it.

Putting together a casserole is kind of like making soup, but without all the liquid. You need something to bind everything together, like cheese or some canned soup without the liquid, eggs, or breadcrumbs...or all of the above. Pretty much anything goes good in a casserole dish and there are loads of casserole recipes out there. First decide what kind of meat (or veggies, if you're vegan), starch, binder and flavors you want to put together. Then figure out how long it's going to take for the flavors to mingle in the oven, and go for it.

Meat Casseroles

If you are going to use rice or pasta, you can either cook the starch first and then cook the casserole less or you will have to add the appropriate amount of liquid so it can cook. Things like potatoes don't need liquid but they will need an extended cooking time. With precooked starches you will just need enough time for everything to mix well and if you take that route, make sure you cook the meat first too.

Remember to season the casserole well or it will be rather bland. Beyond the usual salt and pepper, you would use basil, oregano and cheese for pasta, tomato sauce for rice or pasta and cheese for potatoes. Additional vegetables for any casserole would be onions, garlic, peas, beans, carrots, celery, bell-pepper, broccoli, cauliflower and corn. Tuna goes best with peas, onions, garlic and pasta, with a white sauce. Beef goes best with rice or pasta and all of the vegetables and tomato sauce. Chicken and turkey go best with rice or pasta, peas, corn, onions, garlic and broccoli. Ham goes best with onions, garlic, peas, beans, bell-pepper and cauliflower. These are not hard and fast rules, just examples. You fix what you like and don't worry about tradition. Pop that casserole in the oven, heat until bubbling and enjoy. When you make it yourself with fresh vegetables and a good chemical-free meat, it's healthy. That way you can also cut the calories, leave out additives that the deli might put in (and that the frozen food manufacturer will for sure put in), and get the satisfaction of knowing that you know exactly what is in it.

©2010 Dr.Valerie Olmsted All Rights Reserved

The Secret to a Healthy Casserole

Dr. Valerie Olmsted is an author, naturopathic physician, metaphysician, internet entrepreneur, artist, speaker, and lover of life. Traveling with the Quantum Vortex Experience, she has helped thousands of people reach the inner connection they are seeking and has contributed to the discoveries of manifestation practices via quantum physics applications.

http://www.BeWhoYouReallyAreCoach.com
Contact: Dr. Valerie Olmsted
2370 W. SR 89A
Ste.11-#121
Sedona, AZ 86336
928-257-3290

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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Feeding A Family Deli Meat Or Roast Chicken Sandwiches

The deli section of your local grocery store has been very helpful to many families. The variety of meat you can find will suit any families needs. Your meat can be beef, chicken, pork, you can have it sliced thin or thick.

Lunch Meat is a product that is very expensive to consume. It is fast, and easy which means expensive. For many families trying to stay on a budget deli meat can take up a major portion of a weekly budget. Replacing deli Meat with cooked meat can save you a substantial amount of cash.

Meat Casseroles

The next time you are planning meals for your family include purchasing low-cost chicken. For many grocery stores this will be legs with the thigh attached. You should be able to purchase five times as much chicken this way then from the deli.

Cooking chicken is another task which really has become simple to do. Take the pieces of chicken out of the package and give them a good wash with cold water and pat dry with paper towel. If you are going to use a roaster throw a couple big pieces of carrot and celery in the bottom before you put the chicken in the roaster. Rub the chicken with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Adding a couple potatoes or sweet potato and you will also have a meal when the meat is cooked and the leftovers can be used later.

Cooking with a slow cooker is almost the same as roasting. Vegetables are placed in the bottom, add the chicken and pour enough water to cover the chicken and forget about it while it takes a couple hours to cook.

When your chicken is cooked remove and let cool. The chicken should be tender enough to break apart with your bare hands. The next step will be to remove the meat from the skin and bone and place in another container. The remaining skin and bone will go back in your slow cooker for a couple more hours to extract all the flavor.

Your chicken is now ready to be stuffed into sandwiches, top the sandwiches with your favorite toppings for an amazing lunch.

The left over broth should be allowed to cool before freezing or put in the fridge. Use this broth for your next soup.

Your friends will be envious of the high quality sandwiches you eat which cost only a fraction of regular deli meat sandwiches.

Feeding A Family Deli Meat Or Roast Chicken Sandwiches

Our free new book "The Scratch" will show you the basics of three great meals you can use to start your new family budget. It has great meals you can use to feed a family of four for a combined cost of under .00.

Rick and his wife have been able to reduce their grocery budget by almost 50% since they started this challenge in 2010. Their 15 years of grocery shopping for the family has led them to start a blog that includes using leftovers to save big, money, meal planning, cooking utensils, recipes, and grocery lists.
You can follow their blog, post comments and find "The Scratch" at http://feed4forunder100week.blogspot.com/

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Monday, March 21, 2011

Meat, Dairy and Egg Substitutes Reviewed

As vegetarianism continues to make its way into the mainstream, many companies are entering the meat, dairy and egg substitutes markets to satisfy the growing demand for animal product alternatives. Read these reviews of the best substitutes out there that will make the transition to vegetarianism as painless as possible.

For plain meat-free burgers, vegetarians may choose Boca's Original meatless burgers or Morningstar Farms' Grillers veggie burgers. For veggie burgers with more flavor, Boca and Morningstar Farms offer flavored varieties such as Boca's Grilled Vegetable, Roasted Garlic and Roasted Onion burgers or Morningstar Farms' Mushroom Lover's, Philly Cheese Steak and Spicy Black Bean veggie burgers.

Meat Casseroles

Boca and Morningstar Farms also sell other meat alternatives. Boca's other products include meatless ground burger, pizza and Chik'n Nuggets. Morningstar Farms also carries meatless corn dogs, Veggie Breakfast Bacon Strips and meatless buffalo wings.

Several companies offer cheese alternatives. Note to vegans: many cheese products advertised as "soy cheese" or "lactose-free" often contain an ingredient called casein, which is derived from milk but is not lactose. Those who wish to avoid dairy products of all kinds should be sure to read ingredient labels and be aware of casein.

For truly dairy-free grated parmesan cheese, Vegan brand is a good option. Vegan brand also offers cheese slices in mozzarella and American flavors. These slices are great when used cold in sandwiches. Vegan cheese, however, is typically not great for melting.

But there is one dairy-free cheese brand that melts extremely well and is delicious: Follow Your Heart brand cheese. This cheese comes in mozzarella, cheddar, nacho and monterey jack varieties. It can be used in anything from pizza to cheese fries to tacos and quesadillas.

For egg substitutes in baked goods, many health food stores sell powdered Ener-G Egg Replacer that can be mixed with warm water to use in place of eggs in baked goods. If Ener-G Egg Replacer is not available, 1 tablespoon cornstarch plus 3 tablespoons water can be used as a substitute for one egg in baked goods.

For a scrambled egg alternative or an egg salad alternative, tofu is a great option. For scrambled tofu, break up a block of tofu and add turmeric, salt and pepper to taste, along with sauteed veggies like onions, garlic and sundried tomatoes.

For a tofu mock egg salad, mix a broken up block of tofu with 1/3 cup Vegenaise (a mayonaise substitute also made by Follow Your Heart brand) and 1 tablespoon of mustard. Add to this celery, green onions, thyme and salt and pepper to taste.

For those who forego dairy, there are many alternatives to cow's milk. Silk sells an organic soymilk that can be drank alone or put in cereal or "Silkshakes". Silk also sells a delicious chocolate soymilk beverage. For a creamier chocolate soy milk, though, you may opt for the 8th Continent brand soy milk.

For those who do not enjoy the taste of soy milk, most grocery stores sell rice milk, which is a lighter beverage than soy milk, or almond milk, which has a pleasant, nutty taste.

Finally, vegans and those who avoid dairy can enjoy dairy-free ice cream that tastes just like the real thing. The most accessible non-dairy ice creams are Tofutti brand and Soy Delicious brand. Some grocery stores also supply rice ice cream.

Being vegetarian or vegan is a lot easier today because of these meat, dairy and egg alternatives. Luckily, most of the above mentioned brands are available in most grocery stores. If you cannot find a product that you want, though, be sure to talk to grocery store managers, who in most cases will be happy to order products for customers.

Meat, Dairy and Egg Substitutes Reviewed

Michael Russell Your Independent Vegetarian guide.

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Sunday, March 20, 2011

Casserole Creativity

There is no better comfort food than a hot and scrumptious casserole. The scent alone wafting through the house while baking in the oven evokes cozy, happy feelings and a mouthwatering anticipation of the culinary pleasure to come. With all of those amazing side effects it is astonishingly easy to create these wonders at home and from scratch. Casseroles are among those dishes that just ask for creativity. Recipes are great to learn the basic principles of cooking casseroles, but it is so easy to come up with your own combination of ingredients.

Check your leftovers. Casseroles are the perfect way to give leftovers a great new turn. Leftover pasta, some tuna and cream of chicken sauce come together for the classic tuna casserole. If there is no tuna in your pantry, try some of your frozen chicken; throw in some vegetable cubes and perhaps a nice layer of breadcrumbs for extra crunch.

Meat Casseroles

Stroll across a farmers market and find some fresh and colorful, seasonal veggies. Either by themselves or with some ground turkey they make a healthy, fast and easy dish when slowly baked in the oven.

Mix and match is the soul of creative casserole cooking. Try layers of cabbage with leftover pork roast and a mashed potato topping. Or go Greek with ground beef, eggplant and feta crumbles, served with a light yogurt sauce. All meats should be pre-cooked in a pan before layering them in the casserole to ensure they are done and to reduce the cooking time.

If you can imagine some ingredients tasting great together, then go with your intuition and don't be afraid to experiment. Try fish and fennel or asparagus. Chicken and bell peppers, olives and tomatoes for an Italian feast. Any kind of meat can be used and any kind of vegetable as well as pasta, rice or potatoes and a delicious topping makes it perfect. Try cheese, nuts, béchamel sauce or seasoned breadcrumbs.

The possibilities are endless, even more when you include sweet casseroles in your repertoire. How does rice pudding with seasonal fruit and a meringue topping sound?

Casserole Creativity

Casseroles are true comfort food. We have put together a collection of delicious casserole recipes that will satisfy the hearty appetite; and that can be served for holidays, special occasions and everyday dining. Find the perfect casserole recipe from our growing selection of appetizers, side dishes, and entrees.

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Saturday, March 19, 2011

Solar Meat Recipes

Meat in particular lends itself to solar cooking, especially the casseroles, stews and curries, which are well-suited to extended cooking periods. In theory this slow and extended cooking process tends to soften the connective tissue without toughening the

Prior to adding the meat or vegetables, place the solar cooker in full sunshine and heat two empty black enamel bellied solar pots for 30 minutes. Thereafter the general approach is not dissimilar to conventional cooking in that initially the meat to be cooked needs to be sliced and diced down into bite-sized chunks, the rule of thumb being if in doubt go small, not big, with the size of the chunks. This makes the meat easier to eat and increases the overall surface area which will assist with cooking.

Meat Casseroles

After 30 minutes add the diced meat and sliced onions to one solar pot accompanied by 1 tablespoon of olive oil (remember if at all possible always use extra virgin olive oil) and 1 tablespoon of butter (even though more margarine is consumed in North America each year compared to butter, avoid using margarine if possible due to the level of unsaturated fatty acids). Place this pot in the solar cooker and allow the onion and meat mixture between 1-2 hours to cook and properly brown.

Thereafter add either a gravy, sauce, curry powder or beef stock and water mixture to the meat and onion mixture. If adding a curry powder ensure the remaining powder is tightly sealed before returning to the original box to avoid any minuscule weevils, pantry moths or mites contaminating the powder (do not underestimate their uncanny ability to gain access through the smallest of openings).

In parallel to the solar meat cooking prepare the balance of the meal. Depending on personal preference and apart from a fresh salad, this is usually vegetables, starch or a combination. For certain starches, for example dried corn kernels (samp) you will need to soak the starch overnight in water to soften and expand the individual kernels.

Add the appropriate volume of tap water to a second solar pot, add the pot to the solar cooker and begin heating the water. After about 2 hours the water will be hot, possibly even steaming or close to steaming (certain sophisticated cookers and boil water in under 30 minutes). It would be pragmatic to time the addition of the starch carefully (to ensure the completion of cooking of the starch coincides with the completion of the solar meat

Solar Meat Recipes

About The Author

Lee Elliott is an Author on Solar Cooking and related solar cooking activities. As an Author on the subject, he is at the forefront to provide solutions to information related to solar cooking and using solar cookers.

For more articles on Solar Meat Recipes or to get your FREE Mini Course on Solar Cooking go to http://www.solarcooking.mobi.

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Friday, March 18, 2011

Tasty Old Fashion, Economical Casserole Recipes

Wintertime is a great time for casseroles. It is a perfect time to use the oven as it can spread warmth throughout the house. The warmth, the delicious aroma wafting through the house, and you with your feet up while your meal cooks without your assistance! And one of the best things about casseroles is that they are economical. Here are two very different casserole recipes to add to your recipe box. This Spanish Rice Casserole is made with bulk sausage and rice. The Chinese Noodle Hamburger Casserole uses Chinese noodles and ground beef, as the name implies.

SPANISH RICE CASSEROLE

Meat Casseroles

1 lb bulk sausage
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
1 onion, chopped
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 cups boiling water
1 can tomatoes
3 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
5 slices bacon, cut-up

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook sausage until brown; crumble and drain. Combine rice and onion; brown lightly in reserved drippings. Dissolve bouillon in boiling water. Combine sausage, rice mixture, bouillon, tomatoes, chili powder and garlic powder; mix well.

Spoon mixture into a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Place bacon over the rice and bake another 35 minutes.

CHINESE NOODLE HAMBURGER CASSEROLE

1/4 cup butter
1 lb extra lean hamburger
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can Chinese noodles

Brown meat, onions, celery and bell pepper in a skillet in the butter. Add the soups and simmer for 30 minutes. Add Chinese noodles and mix well. Pour into a lightly buttered casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Tasty Old Fashion, Economical Casserole Recipes

For more of my old fashion recipe collection visit my blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com
For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

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Thursday, March 17, 2011

Authentic Mexican Food Recipes For The Meat Lover

Mexican cuisine can be the ideal choice for the meat lover who is looking for a hearty and flavorful meal. Choose from all types including beef, chicken, pork, turkey, and even seafood prepared in a wide variety of ways.

Use ground beef for all sorts of filling meals such as Mexican pizzas smothered with salsa, cheese, spicy beef, and refried beans. Alternatively, prepare a bubbling casserole with ground meat, corn, onions, cheese, chili powder, tortilla chips and a topping of sour cream.

Meat Casseroles

When it comes to roasting some meats, browning the outside first will yield the best results when cooking in the oven. Poultry and tender cuts of beef such as rib roasts, tenderloin steaks, and top loin should be cooked uncovered on the stovetop. Tougher cuts of meat with a lot of fibers including chuck roasts tend to turn out the best when braised. Braising meats at low temperatures while moist and covered will result in juicy, tender meat that might otherwise be tough and dry.

Stewing meats is another wonderful way to make dishes such as caldo de res, or beef soup, or carne en su jugo, or meat and beans in a savory, meaty broth. Alternatively, perhaps you would prefer carne guisada, or stewed beef in a spicy gravy. Try any of these along with side dishes of salads, rice, beans, and pasta for a filling and delicious Mexican meal.

Mexican Style Country Fried Steak Recipe

What You Need

1 cup whole milk 1 large egg 1 1.25 ounce packet chili seasoning mix Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup all purpose flour 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak, cubed 1 10 ounce can diced tomatoes, un-drained 1 10 ounce can green chilies, drained 2/3 cup whipping cream

How to Make It

Preheat the oven to the lowest setting.

Combine the milk and egg together with a whisk in a medium sized mixing bowl.

In a shallow mixing bowl combine the chili seasoning mix with the flour along with salt and pepper to taste and stir well.

Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

Dip the pieces of steak first in the egg mixture then in the flour mixture shaking lightly to remove any excess.

Fry the pieces of steak over medium to high heat for about 5 minutes per side or until they are a deep golden brown color.

Place the cooked pieces of steak on a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm while preparing the sauce.

In the same frying pan, add the un-drained can of diced tomatoes, the drained can of green chilies and saute for about 2 minutes stirring often.

Add in the whipping cream with a whisk and heat everything to a boil while whisking continuously. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes.

Remove the pieces of steak from the oven, transfer to plates, and pour the hot sauce on top. Serve immediately with salad or warmed tortillas.

Serves 4.

Authentic Mexican Food Recipes For The Meat Lover

Use meat based Mexican recipes for dinners and hearty lunches along with a blend of seasonings to create dishes that are sure to become favorites. Traditional Mexican recipes always begin with fresh, authentic ingredients made from scratch and always result in the most delicious culinary delights with just the right amount of flavor and spice.

MexicanFoodRecipes.org When it has to be Real Authentic Mexican Food

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Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Old Fashion Recipes For Vegetable Casseroles - Cabbage, Okra, Or Broccoli Casseroles

Do you remember coming into the house as a child and the wonderful aromas that met your nostrils? It was usually because mom or grandma had something delicious baking in the oven. Below are some recipes to help you recreate those wonderful aromas right in your own home. Enjoy some old-fashion vegetable casseroles on your own dinner table. They are also perfect for pitch-in meals, potlucks, reunions, picnics, etc. For your next occasion choose from Cabbage, from an old rural newsletter, Okra, from the community where I attended school in the 1950s, or My Favorite Broccoli Casserole. All these recipes are from my early years in Southern Indiana. The Broccoli Rice is especially good; it will always get good comments when shared with others at any occasion.

CABBAGE CASSEROLE

Meat Casseroles

1 med head cabbage
1/2 lb bulk pork sausage
1 tbsp onion flakes
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Chop and cook cabbage until tender. Drain. Meanwhile, crumble and fry sausage until browned Drain fat off the sausage. Beat eggs and add milk. Mix onion flakes and bread crumbs into the egg mixture. Add salt and pepper to suit your taste. Pour into a greased baking dish or pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

OKRA CASSEROLE

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup margarine
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 1/4 cups sliced okra
4 slices American cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a casserole dish. Set aside.

In a 10-inch skillet, melt the margarine; saute onion and bell pepper until crisp tender. Stir the flour, salt, and pepper into the skillet mixture; blend well. Add the tomatoes and okra; stir to blend well. Spoon mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Top with the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

BROCCOLI RICE CASSEROLE

This is the broccoli casserole that has been popular in my family for many, many years.

1/2 stick oleo, use part to grease 2-qt baking dish
1 small onion, chopped
1 square box frozen chopped broccoli
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2-in square of Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 cup minute rice, cooked according to pkg directions

Bake at 375 degrees.

Melt oleo in pan, add chopped onion. Cook over low heat until onion is transparent. Add the broccoli and continue to cook just until broccoli is separated. Add soup and cheese; mix well. Add the minute rice. Mix well and pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Note: This casserole can be made up to a day ahead, refrigerate before baking then add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.

Enjoy!

Old Fashion Recipes For Vegetable Casseroles - Cabbage, Okra, Or Broccoli Casseroles

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com
For her old fashion recipes visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Recipes For Meat Loaf and a Tomato-Corn Casserole and They Are Diabetic Friendly

These recipes can bake in your oven at the same time allowing you to prepare your meal almost totally in the oven while you go on about your business. No need to stand over the stove to prepare this meal of Dot's Meat Loaf and Tomato-Corn Casserole. Since the casserole is chock full of vegetables, you only need to serve with your favorite green salad for a complete meal. Both recipes are also okay for diabetics. The meal loaf has no high-carb filler as most do which makes it especially good for diabetics.

DOT'S MEAT LOAF

Meat Casseroles

2 lb ground sirloin

4 eggs

2 medium onions, chopped

2 cups tomato juice

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put the eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat well. Add the ground sirloin, onions, salt, pepper, and tomato juice. Using your hands, mix together well. Form into a loaf in a baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until browned and cooked through.

CORN AND TOMATO CASSEROLE

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 tsp butter, melted

1 tbsp flour

2/3 cup low-fat milk

1/2 tsp salt

couple dashes of black pepper

1/8 tsp dried basil

1/8 tsp dried oregano

1 can (appox. 16-oz ) whole tomatoes, drained

1 pkg (10-oz) frozen peas and pearl onions, slightly thawed

1 can (12-oz) whole kernel corn, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large saucepan, saute the bell pepper and garlic in the butter until pepper is tender. Add the flour, stirring until smooth. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in the milk; add salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in the tomatoes, peas and onions, and the corn. Remove from the heat.

Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon the heated mixture into the dish and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Enjoy!

Recipes For Meat Loaf and a Tomato-Corn Casserole and They Are Diabetic Friendly

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information visit http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

For her old fashion recipe collection visit her at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

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Monday, March 14, 2011

Mouthwatering Meat Pizzas - Some Fresh Ideas

As delicious as pizza can be, it is possible to get tired of it if you stick to the same flavors all the time. If you usually have the same types of pizza, perhaps pepperoni, or chicken with bacon, you might be wanting a change.

Fortunately for confirmed carnivores, if you love meat toppings there are lots of different types of pizza you can make with this tasty ingredient. For example, if you want to top your pizza with meat, what about mixing different ones? Bacon, beef, sausage, honey-cured ham, barbecue chicken, duck, meatballs, chicken tikka, meatballs, and Cajun chicken are all ingredients, which combine well together.

Meat Casseroles

If you have some leftover chicken or beef, using it to top a pizza is a great idea and you can combine this topping with any kind of vegetables or cheese, as well as your preferred herbs or spices.

A pizza does not have to have twenty different toppings. Sometimes three or four toppings work perfectly together and give a nice blend of flavors. It is up to you how many other ingredients you add to the main meat or poultry ingredient that you are topping your homemade pizza recipe with.

Adding Cheese and Vegetables

You might prefer to stick to one type of meat, in which case choose some contrasting toppings to make your pizza interesting. If you are using meatballs or steak as a topping, you can use a richly flavored cheese instead of, or as well as, the mozzarella. Camembert, blue cheese, Roquefort, smoked Gouda, and Manchego cheese are all options here.

Try some new vegetable toppings to contrast with the meat. Beetroot, artichoke hearts, cauliflower, roasted garlic, watercress, red beans, peas, and baby leeks might not be familiar pizza toppings to you but experiment with these tasty vegetables and you can make a lively meat pizza, which will make a really good change from your usual pizza recipe.

If you are using lamb, what about using fresh mint as a garnish? Serve your lamb and mint pizza with a yogurt sauce for dipping. You can also crumble some feta cheese over this pizza before baking it, to give it a really Greek flavor. A chicken tikka topping can be enhanced with the addition of onions, cilantro, cardamom, roasted garlic, and mushrooms.

Herbs and Spices for Flavor

As well as trying some new vegetable toppings, you can use some different herbs and spices on your pizza. How about adding an aromatic touch with cilantro, chives, marjoram, or dill, or spicing things up with jalapenos, cardamom, and cumin?

Match the herbs or spices to the meat you are using. Nuts are another option and you might find that adding pistachios, pecans, pine nuts, almonds or walnuts to your meat pizza recipes really enhances it. The nuts will become fragrant and flavorful in the oven when you bake the pizza.

Let your imagination guide you if you are looking to expand your pizza making repertoire. Of course, you can start off with a readymade pizza base but the most delicious pizzas are homemade so you will need to think about toppings.

Mouthwatering Meat Pizzas - Some Fresh Ideas

Whether you happen to prefer meat pizza, vegetable pizza or even a fruit pizza recipe, it is easy to get stuck in a rut when choosing your pizza toppings. Trying new types of pizza can be fun and experimenting with different toppings on homemade pizza is rewarding too.

GreatPizzaRecipes.com You Make the Pizza, We Help You Make It Great!

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Saturday, March 12, 2011

3 Easy to Make Chicken Casserole Recipes For Freezer Meals

As a busy mother and grandmother, I am always looking for ways to prepare delicious meals for my family...for those busy nights when I don't have hours to spend in the kitchen. To solve that problem, I like to make casserole dishes and freeze them for future meals.

When I make these 3 recipes, I make all of them in one day. You can freeze them in your baking dishes, however I like to go to the dollar store and purchase disposable foil baking pans. I can usually get them 3 for .00. I let them completely cool and then properly wrap them for freezing. They will keep in your freezer for up to 6 months.

Meat Casseroles

Cheesy Chicken Casserole

1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed

1 cup milk

1/2 cup salad dressing

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

2 cups peas, cooked and drained

8 oz. noodles, cooked and drained

1 tablespoon chives, chopped

Heat Velveeta cheese, milk and salad dressing over low heat. Stir until cheese sauce is smooth and creamy. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pour into casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 small box of instant white rice

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 package onion soup mix

1/4 dry bread crumbs

Put one can of soup in bottom of casserole dish, cover with rice. Place chicken breasts on top of rice, sprinkle with onion soup mix, top with second can of soup. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle bread crumbs on top. Place back into the oven for an additional 15 minutes.

Chicken Oriental Casserole

2 3/4 cups cooked chicken, cubed

1 small can of mushrooms or 1 cup of fresh mushrooms

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 cup cashews

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup celery, diced

1 teaspoon onion, finely diced

1 3/4 cups chow mein noodles

Place 1 cup of chow mein noodles in the bottom of your baking dish. In a large bowl combine all other ingredients except for the remaining 3/4 cup of chow mein noodles. Mix until combined. Sprinkle remaining chow mein noodles on top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes or until done.

3 Easy to Make Chicken Casserole Recipes For Freezer Meals

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. Shelly enjoys cooking and baking for her family and preparing make-ahead freezer meals. You can contact Shelly at:
http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com or visit her recipe blog at: http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com

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Friday, March 11, 2011

Casserole Ideas For All Seasons

Casseroles are perfect for the special occasions and events in our lives. They are tasty, rich, filling and oozing with flavor. They are definitely a winner during the fall season and holidays when comfort foods take center stage. However, they can and should be enjoyed during the rest of the year. In fact, if you are a fan of home-baked casserole goodness, this wonderful dish allows for a wide range of ideas, which you can experiment with and relish from season to season.

During the spring and summer, you will want to build casseroles around light ingredients with subtle hints of flavor that you can enhance with herbs and spices. Mushrooms are always good for summer dishes as they are light and absorb other flavors very nicely. The best meats to use for summer are chicken and fish. Fresh and canned tuna is a nice ingredient in any summer casserole. Bake and flake fresh tuna, or drain and flake canned tuna and pair with light seasonal vegetables, and vegetables with flavor and crunch, such as shallots and celery.

Meat Casseroles

To be a little creative and add some richness to your casserole, how about adding some truffle shavings? The aroma is enticing and flavor distinct. They can be difficult to find, but not impossible depending on your locale. Ask your grocer or inquire at a local specialty food store. Truffles are expensive, but worth it for flavor, visual appeal, and are a great conversation piece. A more affordable substitute would be truffle oil.

There are a number of fresh, seasonal and often less expensive vegetables that are in abundance during the spring, summer, fall, and why not make good use of them? Asparagus, summer squash, zucchini, eggplant, and butternut squash, are just a few you can build amazing casserole dishes around. Vegetables pair very well plain rice and pasta, buttered bread crumbs; or pecans, almonds and other light nuts for a delicious and light summer treat.

As winter sets in, casseroles are the perfect main course or side dish to come home to from a long days work. Aside from the usual holiday casseroles, we want comfort food that is heavy and loaded with flavor. Cream based sauces, wine sauces, cheese sauces, and sauces based on soup stock are paired with hearty vegetables and meats. Some of the more popular ingredients found in winter casseroles are beef, lamb, and pork. Use garlic to add that distinct, heavy, warm flavor and mouth-watering, pungent aroma. Low-fat versions can be created to make it easy on the waistline. Nobody is stopping you from making delicious casserole treats in the middle of June, so have fun with local, seasonal ingredients and enjoy!

Casserole Ideas For All Seasons

The ultimate comfort food, casseroles are a part of nearly every cuisine around the world. For the best, taste-tested casserole recipes representing the best the culinary world has to offer, head to http://www.CasseroleRecipes.net.

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Thursday, March 10, 2011

Once a Month Cooking - Hamburger Pasta Casseroles Freezer Meals

When it comes to cooking and baking, I love experimenting with once a month cooking. This type of cooking is when you spend a day or two making and baking up several meals for your family and then freezing them for future use.

This recipe will make 3 large casseroles that will each feed 8 people. They will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. You will need three 9 x 13" rectangular foil baking pans, that I like to pick up at our local dollar store or discount department store. After freezing, thaw the casserole in your refrigerator for 6-8 hours and then reheat in the oven for 20 minutes before serving.

Meat Casseroles

Hamburger Pasta Casserole

4 lbs. lean ground beef

1 lb. thin sausage links, sliced into bite-sized pieces

2 cups onions, finely chopped

2 cups celery, finely chopped

1 1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped

16-18 ounces pasta noodles

3 cans tomato soup

4 1/4 cups shredded American Cheese

12 ounce bottle chili sauce

1/4 cup pimento, chopped

2 teaspoons table salt

2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups water

4 1/2 cups bread crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted (not margarine)

In a very large frying pan, cook the lean ground beef, sausage links, onion, celery and green pepper until the ground beef is brown and no longer pink. Drain off fat. Cook your desired pasta noodles according to box directions, drain water and set aside. In a large stock pot, add your cooked pasta noodles and meat mixture. Stir in the tomato soup, cheese, chili sauce, chili powder, chopped pimento, salt, pepper and water.

Split the mixture up into 3 equal portions. Place mixture into each of your baking pans. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle seasoned bread crumbs on top of the casserole mixture.

Bake casseroles in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. Let completely cool before wrapping and freezing.

Once a Month Cooking - Hamburger Pasta Casseroles Freezer Meals

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. Shelly enjoys cooking and baking for her family and friends. You can visit Shelly online at http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com or her Shakin 'N Bakin blog at http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com for additional free recipes.

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Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Save Money by Eating Less Meat and More Vegetable Protein

Protein is an important part of a balanced diet, but most western diets include too much animal protein. The excess protein turns into fat and can cause health problems. Animal fats also contain more toxins from pesticides than vegetables do.

Animal proteins, including eggs, dairy products, meat, fish and poultry, are usually the most expensive part of our food budgets.

Meat Casseroles

Sometimes people think that in order to eat less meat, they need to become vegetarian or make vegetarian meals more often. This is one approach. But you can still choose to include small amounts of meat or other animal protein in most meals. What counts is how much you eat over the course of an average day or week.

Beans, legumes, seeds, nuts and whole grains all contain protein and can help satisfy family members who feel deprived when less meat, fish or cheese is being served. Here are some ideas for cutting back on animal protein without going over to a strictly vegan diet:
Stop thinking of meals as consisting of fish or meat, starch and vegetables. Instead think of a combination of animal or vegetable protein along with the starch and vegetables. One course meals work better than serving smaller pieces of chicken. Serve soups rich with whole grains and legumes as a first course. Then people are more likely to be satisfied with less meat in the main course. "Stretch" ground meat with vegetables, grains, and beans. Stuffed cabbage, chili, and casseroles are all dishes that can be just as tasty with less meat. Add chick peas, beans, nuts, or seeds to salads. Mash up beans before adding to casseroles or soups. Not everyone will notice them. Tiny red lentils may also get a pass from picky eaters. Chumus and techina are tasty spreads made from chickpeas and sesame seed paste. If you have a small amount of leftover meat, fill it out with beans and grains instead of cooking additional meat. I don't buy soybeans or products, except for Tamari sauce. I still have questions about its health benefits and risks.

What techniques has your family used to cut back on animal protein?

Save Money by Eating Less Meat and More Vegetable Protein

Hannah Katsman is the author of Cooking Manager. A mother of six, she helps home cooks save time and money with professional tips for using appliances, cooking for special diets, menu planning, using leftovers, easy recipes, and saving money by cooking healthy and tasty food in your own kitchen.

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Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Two Diabetic Friendly Comfort Food Recipes - Economical and Tasty Chicken Casseroles

If you are looking for a little "comfort food", a new recipe for your dinner table, or an economical meal, here are a couple of recipes for you! These casserole recipes will remind you of those delicious hot meals from grandma's or mom's oven.

For most of us, that is "comfort" enough. Colorful Chicken Rice Casserole is a type of Tex-Mex food which means a great blending of flavors. Chicken and Ham Casserole also makes use of rice and blends the flavors of two meats. Both will no doubt be big hits with your family.

Meat Casseroles

COLORFUL CHICKEN RICE CASSEROLE

1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup small-curd cottage cheese
1 pkg (3 oz) low-fat cream cheese, cubed
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/2 to 3/4 cup crushed corn chips
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, chopped

In a blender or food processor, combine the soup, sour cream, cottage cheese, and cream cheese; cover and process until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the chicken, rice, cheese, chilies, olives, and garlic salt. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer mixture into prepared dish. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly, at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and just before serving, sprinkle top with corn chips, lettuce and tomatoes in that order.

Yield 6 to 8 servings.

Note: I adapted the above recipe from one I found in an old Taste of Home's Quick Cooking magazine.

CHICKEN AND HAM CASSEROLE

1 pkg (6 oz) long grain and wild rice mix
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup cubed fully cooked ham
1 can (10 3/4 oz) low-sodium cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (12 oz) evaporated skim milk
1 cup shredded Colby or Cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook rice mix according to package directions. Transfer to a greased 2-quart baking dish. Top with chicken and ham. In a bowl, combine the soup, milk, cheese, and pepper; pour over chicken mixture. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Serves 6

Enjoy!

Two Diabetic Friendly Comfort Food Recipes - Economical and Tasty Chicken Casseroles

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

For her vintage recipes, visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

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Monday, March 7, 2011

Making Goulash

Think of Goulash as a kind of casserole dish where pieces of choice braised steak/beef stew slowly in a casserole dish for a few hours. Still in Hungary, where the dish is originally from, there is that distinctive dish called Goulash but in other countries, it can be considered a type of casserole dish and this is perhaps a good way to view the dish called Goulash. Originally, it may have been more a stew or a heavy type of soup but the basic concept behind Goulash can be used to make a distinctive casserole-like dish.

Goulash is a Hungarian dish but you can use the basic concept of a Goulash and make it into a version that suits you. In the original Hungarian version, the meat is cut into chunks but you can make your cuts more cube-like. The kind of meat is important for a goulash and it is wise to choose a good braised beef, a nice beef/steak suitable for casseroles. Ingredients like sliced onions, red peppers and garlic are added to make the Goulash. There is also the Pimenton or Paprika. There are also the herbs like bay leaf and thyme. And then it is suggested that flour or cornstarch is used to thicken this casserole-like dish. There is a suggestion that tomatoes can be used and a tomato texture would certainly be interesting. Still the use of tomatoes do not seem to have been used in the original Hungarian version. Tomatoes were not or are not used in the original Hungarian dish so it is your own version you would be making.

Meat Casseroles

Heat the oil until it is almost sizzling. Then put the braised beef in. This is a recommended way of cooking the braised beef which will then be later put in the casserole to cook slowly. With the beef in the hot oil, take out when it is a nice brownish texture. Cook the chopped onions for 5-6 minutes. Then you can put the beef pieces back and start adding the ingredients. Add the flour and pimenton. (It is advised sometimes to use a tbsp of moderately smoked pimenton and then a tbsp of hot pimenton. Yes, it can be noted how pimenton can be hot smoked and then moderately smoked. You are adding pimenton to the dish as if to get a suitable blend of pimenton. You are aiming to get the right hotness for the dish, the right texture and feel and you are using a hot smoked pimenton as well as moderately smoked pimenton. )

Stir the mixture and add the bay leaves and the chopped tomatoes. Then cover the casserole tightly and cook in the oven for 2 ½ hours. You stir in the chopped red peppers approximately a half hour before the end ( having removed the seeds and pith).

The peppers add to the pungency of the dish, and the pimenton has already of course been added. For two slow hours, the pimention is blending with the braised beef, as well as the flour, onions and garlic. Note the mix of garlic and pimenton. This is an interesting mix for a stewy dish like goulash and then there were the chopped tomatoes...and the flour, as mentioned, was added to give the dish a rich soupy texture.

At the end, cream can be used over the goulash or maybe you can add your own touch like some chopped tomatoes or pimenton.

Making Goulash

salt.in.water@hotmail.com

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Sunday, March 6, 2011

Filipino Recipes - Shrimp Meat Tortilla (Omelet) Recipe - Pinoy Food

The good thing about tortillas is the fact that you can use almost anything to whip into a wonderful recipe. For this post, I combine pork and shrimps (two of my favorites) into a yummy Shrimp Meat Tortilla good for young and old folks alike. I say so, because from my Grandma down to my little 2-year old boy, this all-around recipe can be served any day. I prefer to serve this during breakfast to break the monotony of cooking plain eggs. With meat and shrimps in the mix, you can tease the taste buds of the people you love. An ordinary breakfast can be turned into something full of smiles and praises whenever I place this dish on the table.

There are still many versions of tortilla that you can prepare out of mixed meats but I always find this recipe as the best meat combination. You can trust me on this!

Meat Casseroles

Ingredients:

1 cup ground pork ½ cup shrimps shelled(cut finely) 1 clove garlic (minced) ½ cup onions (chopped) 2 eggs ½ cup sliced tomatoes 4 tbsp shortening Salt and pepper (to taste)

Cooking Procedure:

Sauté garlic, onion and tomatoes in shortening. Add ground meat then shrimps and continue cooking until well cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the cooked mixture from the pan and set aside. Grease the pan with enough shortening and line with a banana leaf. Beat the eggs and add the cooked mixture. Pour the mixture over banana leaf and let cook. Line a plate with another banana leaf and turn the tortilla upside down. Put it back in the pan to brown the other side. Serve hot.

Filipino Recipes - Shrimp Meat Tortilla (Omelet) Recipe - Pinoy Food

Jasmine is a native Filipino with a passion for cooking and gardening. Her love of Pinoy food has lead her to create a website to share her favorite Filipino recipes with the world.
Come and explore and enjoy a true taste of the Philippines with these authentic Pinoy recipes and stories of the Philippine culture.

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Saturday, March 5, 2011

Best Slow Cooker - Programmable Slow Cooker With Meat Thermometer

Of the best 6 quart programmable slow cookers on the market, one of them has a unique feature that makes it the best slow cooker for many families.

The special unique feature the Hamilton Beach 33967 Set 'n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker, that makes it the best slow cooker in this category, is the meat thermometer.

Meat Casseroles

If your family would like to regularly enjoy a moist slow cooker roast, tender turkey breast, pork tenderloin, or slow cooker chicken, the meat thermometer probe gives you peace of mind and worry-free results. When you use your Hamilton Beach programmable slow cooker with meat thermometer to help you make dinner, the meat portion of your meal will always be cooked to perfection when you are ready to serve. If you are concerned a programmable slow cooker might be hard to use, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Cooking with the Meat Thermometer Probe

You simply insert the meat thermometer probe into the middle or thickest part of the meat, through a tiny hole in the lid. Select high or low and set the temperature. The probe monitors the cooking process until the meat has reached the set temperature. Once the desired internal temperature is reached, as per the food safety guidelines, the meat is cooked and the unit automatically switches to warm mode. Warm mode will keep your meal warm until you are ready to start serving.

If you cook chicken or turkey breast, pork chops or large pieces of meat regularly, the meat thermometer probe will be a frequently used feature, as it will ensure the meat is perfectly cooked every time. No need for you to calculate or guess how long it will take to cook, and therefore, there is no risk of under or over cooking the meat. Ingenious! In my opinion, the meat thermometer has got to be one of the best reasons to own this particular model.

To use the program cooking mode, just put your meal together in the cooker, select the cooking time, choose the heat setting, and then you can literally walk away. Which is exactly why it is called Set 'n Forget. Once the cooking time has finished, it will automatically switch to warm mode.

Hamilton Beach 33967 - More Special Features

This Hamilton Beach crock pot has some additional special features, for example, power-interrupt protection, a clip-on spoon, a clip-tight gasket lid and side handles which make it easy and safe to carry or move. I really like the clip-tight gasket lid which is designed to prevent spilling your pot luck dinner in the car on the way to the party. The gasket also prevents the lid from developing a steam pressure rattle; instead, your slow cooker will just quietly simmer away on the counter top.

A Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker is a Real Time Saver!

This good looking, generously proportioned, oval Hamilton Beach 6 quart slow cooker easily takes up to a 7 pound roast of meat, a turkey breast or whole ham; or will cook up to 9 servings of soup, creamy pasta, curry, chili, casserole or chocolate fudge pudding. It is an ideal size for a larger family or a cook that likes to have enough left over to freeze.

I also recommend smaller families and singles consider the Hamilton Beach 33967 too, as long as they are able to freeze the additional servings. Most weeks I serve one or two meals that were cooked and frozen the previous week. I find it a major time and cost saver to be able to get a meal out of the freezer to reheat for dinner that night, rather than to cook another one from scratch.

When I have the inclination, which is usually fueled by buying a quantity of discounted meat or tomatoes, I use my slow cooker to batch cook chicken casseroles, curries and spaghetti sauce etc, so I have some for now and some to freeze for later. I actually always find everything tastes even better when reheated.

I use mine nearly every day, so I know you will find owning a programmable slow cooker is a real time saver! It's amazing that just 5-10 minutes meal preparation time in the morning, gives you time and saves stress at the dinner end of the day. If you have a busy life and a hungry family to feed you will really enjoy every benefit of owning one of these Hamilton Beach slow cookers. Like me, you'll look forward to coming home to the major part of the meal ready and waiting.

Your instruction manual comes with 7 mouth-watering recipes using the meat thermometer to get you started. The recipe for "Maple Boneless Pork Roast" sounds amazing. You will find, between the recipe pages and the "Cooking Guide for Probe" page, you have all the information you need to get in and get started with using your slow cooker to make dinner for your family.

Best Slow Cooker - Programmable Slow Cooker With Meat Thermometer

Sharyn Read has been a passionate slow cooker cook for 20-plus years. Sharyn invites you to check out her latest Slow Cooker Reviews at http://www.squidoo.com/slow-cooker-reviews and visit her website at http://www.SlowCookersAndCrockPots.net where you will find easy, healthy crock pot recipes and ideas to stretch your food budget further.

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Friday, March 4, 2011

The Humble Beginnings of Chicken Casseroles

The word "casserole" is coined from the French word for saucepan, which is what is often used to create the one-dish casserole meals that we know today. Casseroles are complete meals by themselves, because they are usually made from potatoes or rice, mixed vegetables, meats and cheeses. You get a healthy and delicious combination of carbohydrates and proteins.

In the early days, people used earthenware for cooking and casseroles back then were mainly made from a mixture of pounded rice and meats. It was only in the 1950s when casseroles became popular in the US and Canada due to the mass production of affordable glass cooking ware.

Meat Casseroles

Glassware manufacturers were smart enough to include chicken casserole recipes and other chicken breast recipes in their products as marketing come-ons. Soon, homemakers all over the country were cooking chicken breast recipes regularly, which later on became traditional meals among North American families.

Besides being lured by marketing campaigns for chicken casseroles, homemakers back then and now find it more practical to serve these meals because ingredients used for casseroles are affordable. There is a wide variety of ingredients to choose from and the ingredients can easily be adjusted to feed small or large families. Chicken casseroles became the main fare especially during gatherings for family and other group celebrations because they are inexpensive, easy to prepare, healthy and tasty.

One of the most loved casserole recipes is the chicken and stuffing casserole. This type of casserole started to be quite popular during the 1950s, and has since then enjoyed interesting variations through the decades. A chicken and stuffing casserole is easy to prepare - you only need to mix the ingredients and bake them. It usually has two layers - the top layer has the stuffing or cheese and the bottom layer will have the chicken pieces and vegetables. These days, most cooks prefer to use condensed soup to enhance flavor and to make cooking time shorter.

Chicken casserole recipes have also evolved to become more health-friendly, with much emphasis on the use of more vegetables, less fat and only white chicken meat, to create a meal that is both nutritious and low in calories. Chicken casseroles are great meals for those who would want to serve nutritious and tasty meals to their families, yet avoid the hassle of spending too much time in the kitchen.

A shift to healthier recipes is the trend these days in family nutrition. Choosing the right meals to serve your family is important to their health. Chicken casseroles provide a good option for those who would want to limit their calories and yet still enjoy a nutritious and delicious meal. Today, different variations of chicken casseroles are served in homes and restaurants everyday and they will continue to be part of family traditions in the years to come.

The Humble Beginnings of Chicken Casseroles

All the best chicken casserole recipes. Make the ultimate chicken casseroles for your family and friends!

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Thursday, March 3, 2011

The Art of the Marinade

It's a sad fact that these days it has become almost essential to marinade most cuts of meat, unless you intend to casserole them.

I'll go into why that is the case a bit later on, but for the time being let's just examine why we use marinades at all.

Meat Casseroles

Principally there are two reasons. One is to add flavor, and the other is to tenderize. Usually, we are trying to do both.

It's worth bearing in mind that marinating is a cooking process, even though heat is rarely applied. The importance of recognizing this is that, like any other cooking process, you can overdo it.

It's not just a case of putting the meat or fish in a sauce and leaving it there until you are ready to use it. Many of the fruit juices we use in marinades, such as lemon and pineapple, contain enzymes that break down proteins. In essence, what they do is digest them.

Leaving meat in them for too long would result in an unpalatable mush. If you want to try this for yourself, leave a piece of pork in fresh pineapple juice overnight and then see what happens when you cook it.

You probably won't like the result.

Why is meat tough?

It's a tragedy that although we are killing our animals at an earlier age in order to satisfy the demand for fresh meat, the end product still tends to be tough.

There are good reasons for this and it is useful to have a working knowledge of them if only to avoid potential disasters.

It is not, as some cooks would have you believe, simply a matter of finding a butcher who will take the trouble to discuss your needs with you, if indeed such a person still exists outside of the more fanciful cookbooks.

Our meat is tough because it started out that way. And here's why (if you are squeamish, skip this section):

When an animal is killed its muscles (protein) go into spasm caused by the injection of the well-known fight or flight chemicals released by the brain.

Under normal conditions, that is to say in the natural world, this would be followed by rigor mortis setting in, followed by a gradual relaxing of the proteins back to their normal state.

However because of the speed at which the slaughter and preparation of carcasses is carried out, this vital, natural step is rarely if ever completed. The animal is killed, cooled and frozen in one continuous process.

The result is toughened proteins.

A butcher who hangs his meat can, to some extent, reverse this effect. If you ever find one, hang on to him for dear life. You have found a rapidly disappearing treasure.

The alternative is to use marinades.

Basic principles

Marinades can be wet or dry and you can add just about any flavor you desire to them.

When a marinade is liquid, the base is usually acidic. As I said earlier, this may be fruit juice, but wine, vinegar or even beer may also be used. As a matter of fact I know of one cook who uses Coca-Cola.

If it marinades meat, just think what it's doing to your insides.

Steeping in the marinade may take anything from a few minutes to several hours, and even overnight in the refrigerator.

The more delicate the proteins, though, the more chance there is of overdoing things. Fish, for example, should rarely be in a marinade for more than 30 minutes, particularly if lemon juice is involved (which it usually is).

Red meat, on the other hand, can sit in the refrigerator all night without coming to any harm. So can pork and chicken, providing there are no enzymes present of the type described above.

In other words, if you are using fresh fruit juice, keep the marinating time to a minimum. That is to say, no more than an hour at the outside.

Come to think of it, if either of those meats needs longer than that to tenderize it, it's definitely time to change your supplier.

Caution

Whatever marinade you use, throw away any uncooked portion once you have finished with it. Do not taste it after the meat has been put in it, and do not use it for anything else.

If you want to heat it through to use it as an accompanying sauce, by all means do so, but ensure that it comes to the boil and that it cooks for at least 10 minutes.

Alternatively, heat it in the microwave, which will achieve the same thing in a shorter space of time.

Marinades are the perfect medium for food poisoning bugs to take their vacations in, and when bugs are on holiday they are happy. And when they are happy, they multiply. A bit like us, really.

If in doubt, throw it away.

Copyright © Tingira Publishing 2004 All Rights Reserved

The Art of the Marinade

Michael Sheridan is an acknowledged authority and published writer on cooking matters. His website at http://thecoolcook.com contains a wealth of information, hints, tips and recipes for busy home cooks.

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Wednesday, March 2, 2011

The Sacrifice Of Losing Weight

Visions of endless days of tasteless meals and gnawing hunger pangs loom large. Depressing isn't it? But it needn't be.

Slimming pulls no punches. You have to eat less and sensibly if you are to be slim, healthy and vital and we don't hesitate to tell you so, but I offer lots of help. The hardest part is sticking to a diet. This section of the A-Z Household Tips is armed with the facts about food value; you lose weight and learn how to keep it that way. Many of your present attitudes to food were established when you were a child. You may now for example have aversions to certain foods, and when you think back, you may find that these foods were missing in your diet.

Meat Casseroles

The same principle works in reverse, with the foods you particularly like you may associate with happy, sad, joys of all seasons, and friendly dinner parties. Between meals snacking can become damaging to your calorie intake. Some will put on weight if they give up smoking, but this is usually based on the assumption that he will start sucking sweets to replace the oral stimulation supplied by the cigarettes. This attitude is often a clear symptom of a stress situation, periods of boredom and distress, tension and worry are the most common stress situations.

Simply stated, overweight means an excessive accumulation of body fat. Some fat, is essential as a reserve of food for the body, which can be, utilized at any time when the output of energy exceeds the intake.

Prevention: -

There is one other major factor in overweight, and that is age. We all know there is a marked tendency to put on weight as middle-age approaches. But contrary to what people believe, the process is far from inevitable. The chances are that once we reach middle age we will eat well, get little or no exercise and often have a job where expenditure of physical energy is not very high. There is no reason why, the weight that we had when we were 25 should not be the same weight when we reach 40.

The Grapefruit Myth: - Rumours state that the grapefruit has magical properties that burn up fat. Grapefruit is unquestionably an excellent fruit to include in a calorie-controlled diet; it gives fewer calories than most other fruits. The only way that fat gets burned up in the body is when it is used as fuel for energy. This can only be brought about by so reducing the intake of calories that fat stores in the body have to be mobilized to make up the basic needs for energy. Grapefruit helps you to eat fewer calories. The hard fact that all would-be slimmers have to face is that burning up fat comes about only from eating fewer calories. You must plan a diet of food that gives you balance to your energy expenditure.

Bananas and milk are excellent foods and tighter provide a good selection of the nutrients the body requires. But the chances are that you will tire of it long before you reach your target weight.
A reasonable rate at which to lose weight is 1kg a week. There are more likely to be depressing plateaus in the weight-loss graph when nothing seem to happen and that is the point at which many people give up. Just reduce your calorie intake a bit more, until you start to lose again.

There are 2 important things to be said in favour of a slower weight loss.

It is much less likely to cause damage to your health

Is that you have to re-train your appetite to a permanent pattern of eating less.

Once you have lost your surplus weight and settled sown on a maintenance diet, you will be amazed at how little food you really need to maintain that weight and sty healthy.

A well-balanced slimming diet can include bread and potatoes. There are good low-calorie diets including both these foods. No foods is fattening unless you eat too much of it. Eat less high-calorie foods such as sugar, cakes, pastry, rich desserts, fats, fried foods including potato crisps and doughnuts, chocolate and alcohol,

The quantity of food eaten daily has to be reducing enough to allow you to lose weight.
To lose weight over a long tem and holding on to it an average adult woman needs between 1,000 and 1,250 calories per day. And men needs between 1,250 and 1,500 calories per day.
There are no foods, not even grapefruit with magical properties. Slimming requires will power and perseverance, but the rewards in improved heath and looks certainly mike it worthwhile.

Healthy Mind & Body: - Find an exercise plan you enjoy. Feeling good about yourself helps give you the confidence to communicate clearly at home or work Choose a routine:

Fitness Video

Exercise equipment

Work at a Gym, you will benefit from the tailor made program and experts guidance

Aerobic / Aqua Aerobics the goal is 2x60 minute classes a week.

Take up a sport.

Women should aim to reach from 75 to 85% of the average minimum hear rate for their age group in aerobics. You calculate the rate by deducting your age from 220. So if you are 45 your maximum rate should be 195 beats per minute. Start slowly and gradually increase frequently. Do not attempt too much too soon. Always warm up by gentle stretching mussels that are not used to exercise or that can be easily strained or damaged.

· Your body learning and lifestyle will provide a strong base for your future health and achievements.

· Swimming calms the mind as well as toning the body.

· Provide yourself with energy by eating more pasta, rice, bread & cereal foods high in carbohydrates.

To reach and maintain a reasonable body weight you need a balanced diet full of nutrients and assume optional energy and psychological well being.

The Dieticians breakfast rule is based on sound sense from several aspects

The matter of digestion: -

The stomach's part of the digestive process requires from 4-6 hours to cope with an average meal. It will probably not have completed its work of digesting the last meal of the day until a few hours after bedtime.

Eating early in the day, when you are rested and feeling fresh, gives our stomach the best possible chance of digesting food easily and completely, it helps the body to eliminate waste products in the natural way without the aid of laxatives.

If you start the day without a comfortably lined stomach, you are imposing an unnecessary strain upon your nervous system and are making yourself needlessly tired, while there is still the best part of the day to get through.

If the input of energy exactly balances its output, weight will remain constant. It is when calorie intake is greater than energy output that weight increases, and this is something, which everyone should avoid.

Pushing sown half-chewed food with one eye on the clock and nerves on edge simply does not give your digestive system the chance it needs to do its job properly. Yet it only means getting up about 25minutes earlier.

Core Food Groups: - The National Australian Dietary Guidelines to healthy eating has developed the following food groups based on the nutrients they provide.

Ø Bread, cereals, rice, pasta and noodles

Ø Legumes and vegetables

Ø Fruit

Ø Milk, yoghurt, and cheese.

Ø Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and nuts

Ø Fibre is found in plant products such as wholegrain breads, cereals, fruits and vegetables.

Although fibre is considered to be an extra food type it needs to be included in your diet to prevent bowel disease. Fibre improves bowel function by increasing the bulk of faeces (poo) and reducing transit time in the body, which results in softer, larger stools and more frequent bowel action.

Healthy Eating Guides: -

Enjoy a variety of nutritious foods

Eat plenty of breads and cereals, vegetables, including legumes such as snow peas, green beans and chickpeas, and fruits.

Eat a diet low in fat and in particular, low in saturated fat which predominantly comes from animal fats

Maintain a healthy body weight by balancing physical activity and food intake.

Limit your intake of alcohol

Eat only a moderate amount of sugars and foods containing added sugars.

Choose low-salt foods and use salt sparingly

Eat foods containing calcium- dairy products are the best source. This is particularly important for girls and women

Eat foods containing iron. This is particularly important for girls, women, vegetarians and athletes

How much Caffeine

Most adults can handle up to 300ml of caffeine a day without ill effects, which is equal to

Ø 3 cups of instant coffee,

Ø 2-3 cups Peculated - Espresso coffee

Ø 6-8 cups of tea.

A UK study reported that there would be no problems if one limits their caffeine to 3 cups per day.

1 cup Beverage Caffeine

Coffee: -
Plunger, drip short black, cappuccino, flat white, latte = 100-150mg
Instant-------------------------------------------------------- = 80-100mg
Decaffeinated ----------------------------------------------- = 2-5mg
Tea: - Leaf or bag------------------------------------------- = 10-50mg
Green -------------------------------------------------------- = 30-50mg
Herbal infusions-------------------------------------------- = 0 mg
Hot cocoa---------------------------------------------------- = 2-20mg
Cola soft drink 375ml ------------------------------------- = 30-45mg
Energy drink ------------------------------------------------ = 30-80

Diabetics: -

Having diabetes doesn't mean you need to buy special food. A healthy diet for diabetes is much the same as a healthy diet.

Such a diet would be that is high in: -

Ø Fibre

Ø Wholegrain

Ø Low-GI Carbohydrates

Ø Moderate in salt

Ø Moderate in Sugar

Ø Low in Saturated fats.

Ø A wide range of: Fruit, Vegetables, Nuts, Legumes, Lean meats, Fish and low-fat dairy foods.

Alcohol

Basic guidance for alcohol intake

Ø Limit your intake to 2 standard drinks a day.

Ø Have 2 alcohol-free days each week. Alcohol is high in kilojoules and will slow down your weight-loss efforts

Sugar

Eating modest amounts of sugar in healthy foods such as breakfast cereal, yoghurt, custard and low-fat ice cream should not upset blood glucose levels. The sugar found in baked beans, tomato sauce and other cooing sauces also has little effect on blood glucose levels.

GI

GI stands for glycaemia index, which is a ranking from 0-100 that tells you whether a carbohydrate food will raise blood sugar levels dramatically, moderately or just a little. It gives you a measure of how a carbohydrate will affect your blood sugar.

Oil

Choose poly or mono-unsaturated spreads and wherever possible, look for salt-reduced varieties. If you are trying to loose weight a reduced-fat spread with only 50% fat will help. If you have high cholesterol, consider a sterol spread such as logical or Pro-active. If eaten in the quantity recommended, they can help reduce your cholesterol levels.

Saturated Fats

It is best to avoid these types of fats, which are found in butter, cram, fatty meat, cheese and oils used in fast food. Instead switch to polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oil. Choose from sunflower, safflower, peanut, soybean, and olive or canola oil and avoid saturated oils such as coconut and palm (used in fast food and snack food).

Chick Peas Has low GI value. A good source of Dietary fibre and low in fat

Four Bean Mix Low GI value. Butter beans, and lima beans

Red Kidney Beans: - Low GI value. Rich texture and sweet flavour. Ideal for hearty soups, casseroles & risotto

Low GI Foods contain carbohydrates that gradually release sugar into the bloodstream. This is ideal for those loosing weight and diabetics.

Red Kidney Beans

Low GI value. Rich texture and sweet flavour. Ideal for hearty soups, casseroles & risotto

Tips to help reduce your fat intake

Grilling instead of frying

Use a rack filled with a little water when grilling, roasting or baking meat. Marinate very lean meat in a mixture of soy sauce, wine, herbs, garlic or spices. These will prevent the meat from drying out while grilling.

Steaming

Is an ideal way of cooking most vegetables? The food is quickly cook y the steam and does not need any fat.

Microwave

Microwaving is a great way to cook. The microwave allows foods to keep their flavour and moisture while they cook.

Stir Fry

Use a wok or non-stick pan. Use a spray-on oil, water, wine or stock to fry your vegetables and then quickly mix in your lean cooked meat.

Casserole

Casserole cooking is a slow, gentle moist way of cooking that can also be low fat. Before cooing, trim the fat off the meat or skin off the chicken. Do not add any extra fat to the casserole. Allow the casserole to cool and skin any extra fat off the surface. Casseroles divided into serving sizes and frozen are ready prepared meals for people in a hurry.

Baked Vegetables

First par boil vegetables, spray with vegetable oil, place in a dry pan and cook in an oven on high until crisp.

Gravy

If you use the meat pan juices to make gravy, pour the juice into a cup and place in the freezer, when it is cool but not frozen remove the solid fat layer that forms on top. The remaining juice can be use to flavour your gravy.

Mince

When using mince, brown it first in a dry pan and drain off the excess fat before adding the other ingredients.

Butter

Add low fat yoghurt or cottage or ricotta cheese to vegetables.

Cream

Substitute cream with evaporated skin milk or blend skim milk with ricotta cheese.

Sauces

Creamy sauces can be made with Skim milk powder in double strength that adds a creamy texture without the extra fat.

Mayonnaise

Try low fat natural yoghurt instead of mayonnaise in recipes.

Salad Dressing

Make a mixture of lemon juice, herbs, mustard and vinegar it makes a great and tasty dressing.

Staying Slim

Nothing is more soul-destroying than putting on weight after a concerted effort at losing it. But it can happen and it happens from other factors besides eating

A sigh of relief is the natural reaction at the end of your successful slimming campaign, but do not let your good work evaporate overnight. Achieving your target weight after weeks or months of suffering is certainly something to celebrate, but after losing so much it would be a pity to gain it again over the next 2 weeks.

Eat Regularly: - One of the great secrets of staying slim and healthy is eating small amounts but often. Scientists have shown that people who eat five or more times a day are generally slimmer than others who eat the same amount of food but in fewer meals.

The idea of eating frequently may conflict with all you have learned about not eating between meals, but the danger of eating between meals only arises when you eat sugary foods, such as cakes and chocolate biscuits. On a good maintenance diet you can eat three main meals a day with nutritious snacks as well and still keep your weight steady.

The right Foods: - In the course of planning any diet it is important to ensure that the diet provides not only the right number of calories, but also enough protein, vitamins and minerals. Of course the more food you eat the easier it becomes, but this will not make you any slimmer. One way of making certain of eating properly is to include foods out of each food group in your daily diet.

Each day you should have: -

Ø 2-3 potions from the cereal group

Ø Some from the dairy group 1 pint of milk or some cheese.

Ø 2 portions of meat, fish, or eggs.

Ø 2 portions from the fruit and vegetable group, preferably 1 citrus fruit and 1 portion of

green or yellow vegetables.

The latter group should provide not only vitamin C but also carotene, which can be converted into vitamin A in the body.

Burning up the Calories: - To keep your weight constant you have to maintain a balance between the energy you consume in food calories and the energy you use up as heat or physical work, so you can help to stabilize your weight not only by dieting but also by making sure you keep active. In warm weather it's a good idea to take an extra ½ walk each day or if you are go swimming instead which is an excellent form of exercise.
The important thing is to increase your level of daily activity. A few minutes of formal exercises each day help to tone your muscles and improve your posture and deportment, but unless you really work quite hard for ½ hour they have no significant effect on your energy balance.

No slimming campaign is complete without the aid of exercise. It tightens up slack muscles, tones the body and leaves you feeling health and vibrant. More important, it helps you maintain that low level of weight you've worked so hard for.

Exercise: - All sporting activities, walks, yoga, even dancing will keep you trim. Choose an activity that you enjoy, and you will be more likely to adhere to it. Let moderation be your guide.

Walking benefits nearly every muscle in the body, it is rapidly disappearing from so many people's lives as a form of relaxation. You will be glad you did and so will your figure.

Fats: -

Excessive amounts of fat in the diet can cause health problems. However it is important to have small amounts of fat in your diet because your body needs essential fatty acids to function properly.

Fats are classified by their chemical structure. They can be saturated, polyunsaturated or monounsaturated and most of the fat that you eat should be monounsaturated

A diet high in saturated fats can cause your body to produce more cholesterol, which may contribute to your risk of developing heart disease and some cancers. Saturated fats are mainly found in fatty meat, butter, full-fat milk products, cream lard and many take-away and processed foods. They are also found in some plant food, such as palm or coconut oil. Choose meat that has been trimmed of and reduced fat dairy products wherever possible, especially if heart disease is common in your family

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are healthier choice. These types of fats are found in plant oils such as sunflower, olive and canola oils.

All types of fat are rich sources of energy. There are approximately 27 kilojoules of energy in each gram of fat that you eat. Your body will store any excess calories consumed as body fat, which can lead to obesity.

Australian Dietary Guidelines suggest that you should aim to have approximately 30% of your total energy intake from fat.

Warning: -

These recommendations do not apply to infants and pre-school children, underweight people.
Breastfeeding women or those engaged in an unusually heavy work. People in these special groups have a greater need for fat in their diet.

Sugars: -

Most people enjoy sweet food and apart from sugar's effect on dental health, it is not nearly as harmful to health as fat. However many foods that are high in sugar are also high in fat, so eating sweet foods can result in high fat intake.

Sugar is added in small amounts to make useful processed foods and these products should not be excluded from your diet. High fibre breakfast cereals and food such as canned baked beans are nutritious, low in fat and high in fibre and are useful foods to include in a healthy diet.

Manufactured foods often have large amounts of sugar added to them during processing. During digestion, sugars such as sucrose and lactose and other carbohydrates, such as starch, break down into simple sugar. These provide energy for body cells and are sometimes stored for future use.

Salt: -

Salt has many purposes and it intensifies the natural flavours, colour and texture of foods. Our body needs small amounts of salt to function because it is an essential nutrient that the body cannot make by itself. However when salt is eaten in excess, it can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure. The National Heath and Medical research Council recommends that adults have an upper limit of 1 teaspoon of salt per day. Even if you don't add salt to your food, you might get this amount of salt from eating manufactured food like potato crisps, pies and sausages.

Caffeine: -

Many people are mildly addicted to caffeine. Tea, coffee, chocolate, cocoa and some cola drinks contain caffeine.

Caffeine stimulates your brain and nervous system and the range of physical effects vary from person to person. These effects, which are temporary and reversible, include increased alertness and heartbeat, and need to urinate more often.

Some studies have shown that caffeine can slightly raise blood pressure, whilst other studies have found lower blood pressure in people that consume caffeine. In short, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that caffeine-containing drinks cause particular problems if these are consumed in moderation.

To help maintain an acceptable level of caffeine in your diet, limit your caffeine intake to less than 600mg per day, this would be 2-4 average strength cups

Drinks that help to keep you alert, such as Red Bull and V contain about 2 ½ times the amount of caffeine found in regular cola drinks. Avoid these so-called smart drinks if you are limiting your caffeine intake. There are many caffeine alternatives on the market.

Food Additives: -

Food additives are added to foods for a specific purpose and are not considered to be food themselves. For example, the artificial sweetener aspartame is added to many beverages, yoghurt, chewing gum and other food to keep the calorie content of the product low. Some additives help maintain or improve the quality, colour, taste and texture of food and prevent from spoiling.

Many convenient, nutritious processed foods contain small amounts of artificial colours and preservatives. In Australia, the Australian New Zealand Food Authority regulates food additives through the Food Standard's Code. These compulsory standards specify the quantity and type of food colours and preservatives that can be used in foods. Food additives must be listed on packaged and processed foods.

The Sacrifice Of Losing Weight

My Name is Mary C Newton

I was born on the small island of Malta. Found in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Its location is Southern Europe, islands, south of Sicily. Coastline is 140km.

The Capital City is VALLETTA.

Population 394,583 in July 2001 est.

The two official languages are Maltese and English

Malta lay on a sea of clear blue water turning into vivid green were it rimmed the island. No mountain in Malta The highest point is about 800feet No woods and no forests with Winds of different gusts and breezes

I am female, 63 years of age. I am quick minded, versatile, intelligent, and imaginative. Love the ocean and beautiful paintings, sceneries and flowers. I devote a lot of my time writing books. You may say Jack-of-all-trades and master of some. I have three grandchildren I am crazy on computers, and have taught myself to use this magnificent baby.

My passion is ... Computers & writing I am talented in many areas,actually there is very little that I am not capable of doing.

My ambition is ... To be recognised as a writer and for my talents and share my talent

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