Chicken With Beans and Asparagus Recipe

                                                     

By Shirley M. Duran

Preparation time: 25 minutes + 15 minutes marinating
Total cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 stem lemon grass, white part only, chopped
- 5cm (2 inch) piece of ginger, chopped
- 2-3 small red chillies, chopped
- 1 teaspoon grated kaffir lime or lime rind
- 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 375g (12 oz.) chicken breast fillets, cut into strips
- 250g (8 oz.) green beans, cut into pieces
- 1 celery stick, cut into slices
- 185g (6 oz.) snow peas, halved
- 200g (6 1/2 oz.) asparagus, cut into pieces
- 270ml (9 fl oz.) can coconut cream
- 2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
- 20 small basil leaves
Directions:
1. Place the lemon grass, the ginger, the chilli, the lime rind, the garlic, the black pepper and the oil in your food processor or blender and process until the new mixture will form a rough paste. Then combine the paste and the chicken strips in a medium glass or ceramic bowl, cover it and refrigerate it for at least 15 minutes or so.
2. Then briefly blanch the beans, the celery, the snow peas and the asparagus in a pan of boiling water. Drain and plunge into very cold water and drain again.
3. Then heat the wok until it is very hot and stir-fry all the chicken mixture in batches over very high heat for about 3 to 4 minutes or so, or until the chicken is well cooked through. Stir it constantly so the paste does not burn. Then add the vegetables, the coconut cream, the sweet chilli sauce, to taste, and the basil leaves. Stir-fry them until well heated through. Serve immediately with rice or noodles.
Nutrition Value:
- Protein 50g;
- Fat 30g;
- Carbohydrate 8g;
- Dietary Fibre 6g;
- Cholesterol 95mg;
- Energy 1990kJ (475cal)

Shirley M. Duran is a mother of two and a cooking enthusiast and at her website you can find recipes like the rotisserie chicken recipe [http://rotisseriechickenrecipe.info/] and others similar as well. For more information you can visit: [http://rotisseriechickenrecipe.info/]
Copyright © Shirley M. Duran, All Rights Reserved. If you are interested in using this article make all the urls (links) active. Thank you!

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My Chinese Recipes - How to Make Split Pea Pudding?

By Kit Wong

This time we have a traditional Chinese dessert, the Split Peas Pudding.
We need to have some yellow split peas for this pudding, you may also replace the split pea by red beans. For red beans, you have to save 4 cups of boiled water after you boiled the red beans until they get to soften. This boiled water is used to replace the four cups of water mentioned in the ingredients. This pudding is usually served in cold. Therefore, we always prepare the pudding 1 to 2 days before your party.
We may cut the pudding into small cubes and decorate with some beautiful picks after chilled. It will add some colors to your party and a perfect ending to your menu, especially the kids.
(15 slice pieces serving)
Ingredients:
20 oz yellow split peas
3 oz cornstarch
1 cup coconut milk
6 oz fresh milk
1/2 oz agar
4 cups water
5 oz sugar
Method:
1. Rinse your mould with cold water.
2. Simmer yellow split peas until the peas soft. Rinse and drain.
3. Mix cornstarch with coconut milk and fresh milk.
4. Dissolve agar in four cups boiling water, drain, and stir in sugar and milk solution. When thicken, add yellow split peas and stir it well.
5. Pour mixture in your mould, cool and chill.
6. Cut into thick pieces, best to serve cold.
You may consider using some kinds of cartoon pudding moulds, candy moulds or ice making moulds. The pudding will come out more beautiful, and your guest will have more fun.  

Come and try! You will find great from My Chinese Recipes and to your family!
I will always update with new recipes and new ideas to my website http://www.squidoo.com/my_chinese_receipes.

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3 Easy To Prepare Pea Side Dish Recipes

By Shelly Hill       

When it comes to making vegetable side dish recipes for my family, I often don't know what to do with green peas. However, a few years ago...I met a wonderful woman from Lancaster County, PA who shared several of her favorite recipes with me.
All of these recipes are easy to prepare. The first two recipes take less than 30 minutes to make and the final recipe is less than an hour. All of the recipes use fresh or frozen peas, but you could certainly substitute with canned peas if that is what you prefer using.
Lemon and Mint Peas
1 lb. frozen peas
1/2 lb. pearl onions
1 jar diced pimento, drained
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons mint flakes
grated lemon rind
In a large saucepan, cook the peas according to package directions, drain water. Place peas back into the saucepan along with the remaining ingredients. Simmer the mixture over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until done. Serve immediately.
French Style Peas
1 small head of lettuce, shredded
2 packages frozen peas
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
In a large saucepan, add in the shredded head of lettuce. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir until all ingredients are combined. Bring mixture to a full boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately.
Auntie's Baked Peas
20 oz. bag of frozen peas
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter, melted
salt and pepper to taste
Coat the inside of a 2 quart casserole dish with butter. Break up the frozen peas and mix in the cream of celery soup. Top the mixture with buttered bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until done.

Shelly Hill is a grandmother and mother living in Pennsylvania who enjoys cooking, baking and canning. You can visit Shelly's online foodie blog at http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com/ for free menu ideas, cooking tips and free recipes and food preparation ideas.

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Perfect Shortbread: the Art and Science of Baking

By Ann Zuccardy

Contrary to popular belief, I did not grow up in a Scottish family with an old family recipe for shortbread. Initially, shortbread appeared easy to me. How difficult could it be to throw together butter, sugar, and flour to create a tasty cookie?
It isn't difficult. But, there is some science involved and I'm here to tell you about the science and history of shortbread. Imagine that, a literature and creative writing nerd teaching science...I'm spewing coffee out my nose at the silliness of it all as I write. This article concentrates on the science of shortbread in unscientific language. My hope is that the insights gleaned from hours of trial and error will be of use to all novice bakers.
Initially I was drawn to baking because it's an exact science. You follow the recipe to the T and you get a perfect baked good, right? In the beginning, I could bake a perfect baguette if I followed the directions, but heaven help me if I had to be creative with spices and seasonings for a meal. When I first started cooking, I never understood how people tasted their work and just intuitively knew what it needed. Thus, I was drawn to baking. For this cooking novice, it felt more exact and scientific than the creative art of throwing together a meal from my imagination.
Originally Vermont Shortbread Company started out as a seasonal business out of my own kitchen. Back in the mid-90s, I didn't even own a Kitchen-Aid mixer. I mixed the dough by hand. And anyone who knows shortbread, can attest to the fact that the dough is very heavy with no liquid ingredients. Back in those days I had forearms the size of tree trunks from all that hand mixing. The good thing was I learned exactly what consistency the dough had to be to make the best shortbread. I learned exactly how much handling the dough could take before it became overworked and made a tough shortbread round. I learned not only by looking, but by feeling and of course, tasting.
As the business grew and people realized that shortbread was a perfect year round gift for any occasion the call to bake during the warmer months became apparent. However, summer shortbread did not always look as nice as winter shortbread. Most people didn't notice, but having baked thousands of rounds by hand, I was not satisfied with my summer shortbread. It took me a couple years to realize there were four factors at work here contributing to the texture, color, and taste of the final shortbread product: humidity, oven hot spots, butter temperature, and mixing time.
Humidity:
I don't know the chemistry behind this, but I can tell you that it's much harder to create a perfect shortbread round when the weather is humid. Perhaps the moisture makes the flour less fluffy...I don't know. I can only tell you that humid-weather shortbread is not as pretty, golden, and tasty as cold weather shortbread. For this reason, when I built my commercial bakery, I installed dehumidifiers in the bakery. So now, no matter what the season, we produce a perfect shortbread every time.
Oven hot spots:
When I began baking shortbread out of my home kitchen in the 90s, I had only a small household Whirlpool electric oven. I could only bake three 8" rounds at a time and the production was slooooooow. I hate cooking with electric and believe that the best cooks use gas, however, I have to hand it to that little oven that served me well for nearly a decade. All ovens have spots that are hotter than others. I intimately learned where all my oven's hot spots were and with each batch of shortbread shifted the position of each pan halfway through the baking time to ensure even browning of my product every time. The Whirlpool electric model was retired to appliance heaven in 2005. Now with my commercial oven (a big Imperial gas model), I can bake up to forty 8" rounds at a time in an environment with better convection (air flow around the items). Still, I shift the pans around in the middle of the baking period as I learn where this new oven's hot spots are.
Butter temperature:
When I began baking shortbread, I liked to remove the butter from the fridge a couple hours before I planned to use it so that it would be soft. Remember, I was mixing by hand and wanted to make it as easy as possible. When I began baking summer shortbread, however, the butter became runny and began separating. This did not make for a good texture in the final product. I don't know how to explain this scientifically; I can only tell you how it felt to me. The final product was dense and too doughy. What I really wanted was a crisp golden flakiness on the outside with a little bit of chewiness on the inside. I learned that if I was going to bake in the summer I had to use butter almost directly from the fridge. If the butter got too soft, I had to toss it in the garbage and start over. That's when I bought my first mixer with a dough hook to make the job of mixing hard butter easier. Butter directly from the fridge, not too hard, not too soft is the only way to make perfect shortbread. Again, I just had to learn by feeling my way how long to let the butter sit on the counter before it was perfect. Longer in the winter, shorter in the summer.
Mixing time:
Any dough mixed too long or not enough affects the final product. With shortbread, you first cream the sugar and butter together. That's the easy part. The tricky part is knowing how to incorporate the flour. I like to do it a pound at a time (remember I am now baking in pounds of flour, sugar, and butter rather than cups). Once the dough is completely incorporated and forms a ball with no bits of flour on the side of the mixing bowl, I know it's ready for baking. Now, when I got Trixie (my commercial mixer), I had to relearn the timing all over. Trixie can mix bricks. My hands and my old Kitchen-Aid could not. Therefore mixing time is much shorter now. Shortbread dough (as with any dough) becomes tough the more you mix it. The trick, which I learned by trial and error, is to find the exact timing for your dough. I am not an expert on all dough, but I've perfected shortbread dough.
You know, the funny thing about all of this learning how to make the perfect shortbread is that I never had any real training. Now that I've hired a professional baker, she's taught me a few things about making the process more efficient and making the final product more tasty and beautiful. When I think about it, that's pretty much how I learn: just doing it over and over.
When science and our imaginations work together, we create food art. With the holidays quickly approaching, this scientist and dreamer must retreat to the bakery to create new masterpieces. I hope that this essay provides you with creative insights for your own dough (shortbread or otherwise) and a little peek inside the art and science of perfect dough from a little Vermont company that handcrafts every item with love, imagination, and tender care (with a little science thrown in).
Copyright 2006 Ann Zuccardy, Vermont Shortbread Company. All rights reserved.

Ann Zuccardy, creative entrepreneur, food lover and owner of the Vermont Shortbread Company, invites you to sample a taste of her buttery-rich, authentic Vermont Shortbread. Place your online order for shortbread boxed fresh from the oven and shipped right to your doorstep at http://vermontshortbread.com/

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Make Shortbread - It's So Easy to Make These Delicious Cookies for Your Friends

                                   

By Suzanne Middleton

Cookies are the perfect gift at any time of year and you can make shortbread cookies very easily. Basic shortbread requires only three ingredients: butter, sugar and flour. You can make the cookies in a cake tin, roll the dough into a fat sausage and cut thick slices, or use cookie cutters to make shapes.
When the cookies have cooled completely, a few hours after baking, put them in a tin or wrap them with cellophane or other attractive paper tied with a ribbon. Home baked cookies like these are a very welcome gift.
Here's an easy shortbread recipe to get you started.
Shortbread
250 gm butter at room temperature
125 gm caster sugar (also called superfine sugar)
375 gm flour
Lightly grease a baking tray.
Chop the butter into cubes the size of your thumbnail and place in a large bowl.
Add the sugar to the butter and start beating them together using a wooden spoon. If the butter is too cold to cream easily, place the bowl in the oven or microwave briefly but take great care not to melt the butter.
Keep beating until the mixture is pale and fluffy and there are no more lumps of butter.
Sift the flour into the creamed mixture and stir until all the flour is incorporated.
Knead the dough briefly so that it's a smooth ball.
Gently roll the dough into a fat sausage 5 cm in diameter, wrap it in cling film and put it in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile turn your oven to 150 degrees C.
Take the dough out of the fridge, unwrap it and place it on a clean surface.
Slice off round cookies about 1 cm thick and place them on the baking tray making sure they are not touching each other.
Prick the cookies once or twice with a fork for decoration if you like.
Put the baking tray in the oven about 2/3 of the way up. This will lessen the risk of the bottoms of the cookies browning before they are cooked.
Bake the cookies for about 30 minutes, checking them after 20 minutes. They should become crisp and the colour of the dough should darken slightly without actually browning.
Working out when they are done is a process of trial and error. There is no harm done by opening the oven door briefly to check on them.
Cool the cookies for 10 minutes on the baking tray, then carefully remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.
So that's the story of how to make shortbread. There are many variations on this theme, so after you've mastered the basics you can try other recipes with extra ingredients like spices, fruit, nuts and cheese. Your family and friends will love you for it!

Suzanne Middleton is a New Zealand cook and writer. You can find her recipes for shortbread and other easy baking at http://www.makeshortbread.com/.

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

The Best Vegetable Curry Recipe Ever

By Christine Szalay Kudra

If you are catering for vegetarians, it can be difficult to know what to make. Grilled vegetables are a great option and a vegetarian would love the juicy, succulent texture and aromatic flavor of grilled fresh vegetables but what about if the weather is not good or you do not have a grill?
The following recipe for vegetable curry is well worth making. It is a one-pot meal and it is incredibly flavorful. You can buy readymade curries but they lack the flavor and freshness you get when making your own.
This recipe is one of the healthiest vegetarian curries you are likely to find. Apart from the vegetables and beans, it contains raisins, spices, broth and garlic, as well as a little oil. The flavor comes from the vegetables themselves and also from the spices. Yogurt is nice to serve alongside this curry, rather than cream which is more fattening. You can alter the spices if you prefer it stronger or milder.
Using Grilled Vegetables in This Recipe
If you had your heart set on a grilled vegetables recipe but you also fancy making this curry, what about grilling some of the veggies before you make it? You can grill the carrots, potato, garlic, cauliflower, onions, bell pepper, zucchini, and eggplant in large pieces, to give them a smoky flavor, and then chop them before adding them to the curry. This would make the recipe even more flavorful and unusual.
The following recipe serves eight people and the potato adds starch, which means that you do not have to serve this with rice or bread unless you want to.
What you will need:

• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 2 sliced carrots
• 16 oz can navy beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups diced potato
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 2 minced cloves garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 peeled, cubed eggplant
• 1 sliced green bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 8 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2 cups peeled, chopped tomatoes with their liquid
• 2 sliced zucchini

How to make it:
Put the eggplant in a colander and sprinkle the salt over it. Leave it for half an hour. Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a skillet, then saute the eggplant for five minutes, stirring it often. Transfer the eggplant to a dish.
Heat the rest of the oil in the skillet and add the garlic, pepper, cumin, and curry powder. Stir in the broth and cook the mixture for a couple of minutes. Add the potatoes, carrots, onions, cauliflower, and bell pepper and cover the pot.
Simmer the mixture for six minutes. Put the eggplant back in the pan and add the tomatoes, zucchini, beans and raisins. Cover the pot and simmer for ten minutes. Serve the curry with yogurt.

There are lots of uses for grilled vegetables, whether you choose to marinate them, serve them with a sauce or add them to pizzas or curries. A grilled mixed vegetables recipe is a full-flavored and mouthwatering dish which never fails to impress.
GrilledVegetableRecipe.com - The Veggie Side of Grilling

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

30-Minute Vegetarian Curry Meal Recipe

By Anne Dessens

A few years ago, I didn't even know what 'a curry' was. I know the spice and have always associated it with hot and spicy Indian cooking.
A vegetarian friend of mine always talked about making a curry for dinner. Whenever I asked her to elaborate on exactly what she defined as 'a curry', she'd give an evasive answer. Something about sautéing veggies and steaming rice.
Finally I got smart and looked it up in the old reliable Webster's. It says, 'a sauce made with curry powder, a kind of stew prepared with curry'. Referring to my collection of vegetarian cookbooks, I found an easy recipe for a curry. Now, I have come to realize how handy this 'method' or 'principle' is.
By simply sautéing an assortment of veggies in a curry powder or paste, I could obtain a vegetable 'stew' bursting with flavor. Curry powder isn't necessarily hot/spicy. There are many mild variations on the market. So, if you have always associated curry powder as a hot spice, take note that milder versions are available all over.
A little curry can go a long way. Using a mellow type, I find I can use more without worrying if I am going to burn a hole in my mouth. Curry powder seems to go well with a wide array of vegetables and meats. Cauliflower, mushrooms, zucchini, onions and potatoes as well as chicken, shrimp, eggs and tofu combine miraculously with this yellow powder creating dazzling duos and blends. When I make a curry, it is usually at the end of the week when the fridge is getting empty and I want to use up my vegetables.
Steam some flavored rice like Basmati or brown for South-Asian accompaniment.
Since curry pastes are known for being hot, the traditional Raita a mix of cool, soothing cucumbers tossed with yogurt finds its way to the curry dinner table.
Below is my version of an 'Indian dinner' with a vegetable curry and cucumber Raita. Now, I am no expert on Indian cuisine though I would love to travel there someday to sample the country's authentic flavors. If Indian cooking is your specialty, then by all means make changes where you feel necessary in the following recipes.
The nice thing about curry (besides the fact that it's a delightful change from old-standby meals) is that is quick to prepare. At least my non-authentic recipe is. Throw on the rice and chop up some cucumbers for a complete and satisfying meal in 30 minutes tops!
And finally, after forcing the first bit one the hesitant-to-try-new-food (most often children) a mellow curry wins over most hearts. If you have never tried a curry before, try my recipe. I don't care for really hot dishes so my curry is gentle but robust. My children, even as youngsters, have always gobbled up this dish up and even ask for seconds. You just may be more than mildly surprised at how much you like it, too.
Quick Vegetable Curry
Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

• 2 cups uncooked basmati rice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 3 small zucchini
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup cauliflower, broken into bite-size chunks
• up to 3 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• ½ cup hot water
• 1 vegetable flavored bouillon cube
• salt to taste

Prepare rice according to package directions. While rice is cooking, prepare curry.
Coarsely chop onion. In large skillet with lid, begin sautéing onion in olive oil on medium high heat. When onion is translucent, add chicken if using, stirring frequently for another 3 minutes. While onion mixture is cooking, slice mushrooms and add.
Coarsely chop zucchini and cauliflower and add to skillet. Continue sautéing another minute or two. Add remaining ingredients. Stir well. Cover and bring to boil. Once stew begins to boil, reduce heat and set lid slightly ajar. Continue simmering for another 15-20 minutes.
While curry is simmering, prepare cucumber raita.
Cucumber Raita
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4

• 2 hot house cucumbers
• 1 cup low-fat, plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons dill
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

In serving bowl whisk together yogurt, dill lemon juice, salt and pepper. Chop cucumber into bite-size chunks. Add to yogurt mixture. Stir well. Chill until ready to serve.

"Anne Dessens is the founder of AnneDessens.com - your one-link to everything 'self-improvement': diet, recipes, running & walking, deep breathing, success, journaling, energy and universal laws.
To learn more about how to improve your diet today, increase your energy and live a more conscious lifestyle, please visit Anne's Recipe's at: http://www.annedessens.com/recipes.html
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Top 5 Nutritious Homemade Drinks Recipes

By Sylvia Williams

Nature is really abundant when it comes to healthy recipes for drinking as well as food that can be eaten. If only man will open his eyes to the wonders nature can give, surely no man will resort to artificial ingredients anymore or at least it can be lessened. There are now so many preservatives and artificial flavourings out in the market that are not good for our body. We cannot eat anything anymore without sugar, salt and the like.
But now we will discuss nutritious homemade drinks with all natural ingredients that are easy to find and prepare. Follow the simple steps in preparing each drink and read the nutritional benefits each concoction contains.
Wheat Grass Juice in the Morning
Wheat grass is slowly gaining popularity in the alternative medicine and all natural juices and foods. It is not only easy to grow and maintain but it is also packed with essential vitamins and minerals you need to get you through a long and busy day. This mighty small plant is a good source of Vitamins C, E, K and B complex. It is also packed with minerals such as calcium, iron, cobalt and magnesium to name a few.
To make an ounce of wheat grass juice, just grab or in case you're growing your own, cut a handful, put it in your juicer and voila! You now have a recipe that is like coffee in effect but more nutritious and less expensive.
Morning Power
This homemade energy drink recipe will give you the boost that you need in the morning. Ingredients are as follows:
1 Small or medium pink grapefruit (depending on how much you need to drink), peeled
1 small apple
3-4 pieces of carrots (preferably organic)
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled
½ small lemon, peeled (preferably without seeds)
Just put all the ingredients in a juicer and you'll have yourself one heck of a power booster drink that is all natural.
Healthy Way To Lose Weight
Ingredients:
1 large cucumber preferably organic. If your cucumber is organic, no need to peel.
3-4 pieces of mint leaves (depending on how minty you want your drink should be. You can add more leaves if you want)
½ lemon
In the juicer, you should be able to extract the mint in between the cucumber. Pour in a medium to tall glass and squeeze the lemon. Drink immediately.
This recipe is very ideal for those who are also trying to lose weight because of the cucumber because of its low caloric content. It is contains potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate (for would-be mom's) and chlorophyll.
The Wonders of Pomelo
If you are having some problems with bowel elimination especially in the morning, this is the perfect juice for you. You only need one pomelo to solve your morning struggles. Just get one large pomelo, remove the seeds, peel but leave the white part put in a juicer and drink immediately afterwards. Recent studies show that although pomelo is acidic in nature it helps in the process of digestion. It also helps lower the body's cholesterol. It also contains enzymes that help regulate the body's overall weight.
All For Kids
If you have kids at home and you are having troubles making them eat their peas and greens, then you might want to try this tasty homemade nutritious recipe that will ensure they'll get the vitamins they need every day.
Ingredients:
I medium papaya, ripe, seeds removed and chopped
1 medium sized orange, peeled and seeds removed
1 carrot
Mix the fruits in a juicer well. Drink immediately.
All natural juices and homemade health drinks should be processed thoroughly and should be taken immediately. Live enzymes that are present in these fruits and veggies can only live a few minutes after you have processed the natural ingredients into juices and health drinks.

Breville bje200xl has a very large center feed tube which allows easy juicing of fruits and vegetables without having to cut them, dice them, or remove the skin or rind first. Pay a quick visit to bestjuicermachinereviews.com and find out how this juicer will fit your needs.

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

Hot Drinks Recipes

By Joseph Then

During those winter months, many times our thoughts wander to hot chocolate, hot flavored coffees, or special ice cream drinks. Steaming mugs of hot chocolate are just the thing for children and adults alike after building a snowman outside and freezing your fingers to the bone. What better way to welcome friends and family into your home than with the scent of freshly brewed coffee? Here are a few recipes that will not only taste great, but they can be made for one person or for larger family and friend get-togethers. They'll also make anyone who visits your home feel special and that you were glad they came to see you.
Ice Cream and Chocolate Drink
Using your blender, combine whipping cream, a generous helping (several scoops) of your favorite flavor of ice cream, some pecan nuts (make sure no one is allergic!), a banana, and some chocolate syrup. This yummy combo would look great in a tall glass and garnished with whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles, a few nuts, and a sprig of mint. This version isn't low-fat, but it could easily be made with low-fat ice cream and low-fat chocolate syrup to cut a few calories.
Cappuccino
This is a delicious hot drink for those cold winter afternoons, or for snuggling up in front of the fire.
Begin by grinding your favorite espresso coffee beans in a coffee mill or grinder. Brew the espresso as you would have otherwise. While that is brewing, combine a few tablespoons of sugar and a dash of cinnamon in a small bowl.
You'll need a small saucepan and a vanilla bean. Using a small paring knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the small saucepan. Add milk (around four cups) to the saucepan and scald over medium heat for about five minutes. Remove the bean and milk mixture from the heat, add some chopped bittersweet chocolate, and stir until the chocolate melts. Place this mixture over low heat and cover it to keep it warm.
Next, divide the freshly brewed espresso into four coffee mugs. In a blender, whip half of the warm chocolate milk mixture at a low speed. Little by little, increase the speed to high and blend the mixture until it is frothy. Pour the remainder of the chocolate milk mixture from the saucepan into the coffee mugs (with the coffee), stir once and then top each mug with some of the frothy milk from the blender. To garnish, top with whipped cream and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar blend on top. It would look really special with a few chocolate shavings on top as well.
Hot Chocolate
Rich and creamy, this hot chocolate is sure to please even your most discerning chocolate lover.
Begin by breaking up four squares of baking chocolate into a small saucepan. Add two cups of milk (skim or 2% - it's your choice) and a few drops of vanilla (the real stuff is best). Heat over medium heat until the chocolate has melted, but don't let it boil, or it will have a burned taste. Once the chocolate is melted, whisk the mixture until it is foamy and then pour it into large mugs. Garnish this chocolate goodness with a dollop of whipped cream, cinnamon and a dash of cloves.

Want to learn more drinks recipes? You can learn more about drinks recipes [http://www.freerecipeonline.net/Drinks.html] and other special recipes from Joseph's website. Visit his website today for more Free recipe online [http://www.freerecipeonline.net]

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Agua Fresca: Simple Horchata Mexican Rice Drink Recipe (for Cinco De Mayo)

By Amber T Keiper

Well, it is certainly getting warmer out there as the season changes from Spring to Summer. And you know what that means? It is now the season of backyard barbeques, pool parties and birthday parties.
When throwing an outdoor event, it's always a great idea to have some nice refreshing drinks on hand to help keep your guests cool and hydrated so they can enjoy themselves while out in the sun. The last thing you want is your guests leaving early because they simply can't stand the heat!
Here's a great idea for a simple yet authentic Mexican rice drink that has been in my family for years:
My mother taught me this easy horchata recipe because she knows just how much I love this authentic "agua fresca" (Spanish for refreshing flavored water).
Did you know that there are many different flavors of agua fresca? Some of my favorites are:

• Jamaica - a tart drink made from hibiscus flowers
• Fresas - made from delicious, fresh strawberries
• Sandia - a watermelon drink perfect for pool parties
• Melon - also known as cantaloupe juice
• And of course, horchata - made from white rice and cinnamon sticks.

While it can seem daunting, horchata is really very simple and easy to make. It's perfect for those hot summer days lounging by the pool or for your next Cinco de Mayo fiesta.
Authentic Horchata Mexican Rice Drink
Here's what you need:

• 1 cup Long Grain White Rice
• 2 Cinnamon Sticks
• 1 & 1/2 cups Sugar (or more to taste)
• 1 dash Nutmeg
• 2 quart Pitcher
• Water
• Ice

Put rice and cinnamon sticks in blender and fill blender with enough water to cover ingredients. Allow to soak for a 1/2 hour or so. Blend ingredients in blender. Strain mixture into pitcher and pour additional water through strainer (enough to fill pitcher 3/4 of the way). This will extract the flavor from the rice mixture. Dispose of the remaining rice in strainer. Stir in sugar to rice drink to taste. This is a sweet drink so the more sugar the better! Chill and serve with ice.
(For a sugar-free version, you can substitute sugar for Splenda.)
There are of course many other tweaks that can you make to this recipe to make it all your own. Just be a little creative and try out some alternate variations on this recipe. You never know...you may just be surprised by your results!

Hip chicks like us love to put our own unique spin on our recipes, don't we? So tell us, how would you modify this recipe to make it even more special for your party guests?
Share your ideas with other fellow hip chicks by posting your thoughts in the "Comments" section on our website: http://www.hipchickhostess.com/. You can even sign up for our FREE weekly newsletter for more great party planning ideas and quick tips.

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All About Drinks Recipes

By Andrew Goligher

It does not matter what the occasion is, every person deserves a better drink, and the best way to make a drink better is to follow drinks recipes so that every drink comes out tasting consistently good.
Contrary to most popular opinion, drink recipes do not have to involve alcohol, and there are drink recipes for drinks to be had at any hour of the day. One need not follow tradition to enjoy a tasty drink, as a matter of fact the inverse is more often true: quality drinks take a little preparation and diversity.
Switching it up: Why make a regular cup of coffee, when anyone can consult a specialty coffee drink recipe, and make themselves something different and delicious, without having to worry about sacrificing quality?
It is often hard for the human ego to follow directions they did not invent themselves, but if a person can put the final product ahead of their personal pride, then following a drinks recipe is the only solution for making every drink a better tasting and therefore better experience for the consumer.
Many people think that a great drink involves too much time or effort, but the truth of the matter is that making a drink a little more special usually only involves one or two extra steps, and these steps are quite often something as easy to do as altering the temperature or infusing a common drink with something a little different, like fresh fruit.
The majority of drink recipes are for libations that involve alcohol, but the good news is that some of these drinks sound a lot more difficult and tedious to make than they really are.
The most important step is to follow instructions. Straying from the carefully laid out plans for a delicious beverage is a waste of time, and a dangerous game to play. To be consistent, one must follow directions with consistency.
And after a few trials, it will become easy to make the drink without consulting the original recipe at every stage of preparation. This is why it does not make sense to waste a ton of time energy trying to be creative, when someone else has already done all this hard work, and now a delicious and easy to follow plan has been developed.
Ultimately, anyone with a refined taste will agree when subjected to a regular drink and then a specialty drink made from a recipe that the latter is better than the former. And this is for the same reason that people put dressings on salad and morsels of food in their soup, the human taste buds enjoy diversity, and this applies to drinking, and not only eating.

Do you want lots of different types of fruit and veg in your drinks? DO you want easy drink recipes [http://www.easydrinkrecipes.net] for milkshakes, fruit smoothies, juices or cocktails? If so then you need to visit [http://www.easydrinkrecipes.net] for more information.

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Drinks Recipes For Springtime

By Joseph Then

Would you like to have some drinks recipes for for some special occasion? For a springtime drink, that gives you a boost of fruity goodness check out Spring fever or tries a delicious peach and strawberry burst smoothie sure to brighten any day.
Spring Fever
For Spring fever, you will need the following ingredients
Ingredients- 3/4 oz lemon juice

- 3/4 oz mango syrup
- 1 1/2 oz apple juice
- 2 oz blood orange juice
Directions
Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice or into a sealable cup if you do not have a cocktail shaker. Shake well and then strain into a glass with some crushed ice.
Mango syrup
Love mango? Here's a recipe for you:
Ingredients
1 cup fruit
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
DirectionsCombine fruit, sugar and water and cook until thick smashing the fruit while cooking
For a thinner consistence strain and for thicker syrup process the cooked syrup using a food processor.

Peach and Strawberry Burst Smoothie
A smoothie is a blended, chilled, sweet beverage made from fresh fruit which is blended with crushed ice or frozen yogurt. They do taste like milkshake but unlike milkshakes, they do not usually contain milk or ice-cream. Smoothies are a favorite drinks to people who are health-conscious.
Ingredients
1 fresh peach
1 handful of strawberries (approx 7)
1 small glass of orange juice
4 ice cubes
IngredientsWash the strawberries and chop them in half. Peel the peach, take out the stone and chop it into about eight. Put the orange juice, peach and strawberries into a blender and blend until there are only small lumps. Now add the ice cubes and blend until the mixture has no lumps. Now put into a glass with two straws and enjoy!

Finally, summer time would not be summer without lemonade here is a great recipe for an old summer time favorite.
Lemonade
Lemonade is a drink enjoyed year round, but mainly during the summer time. The ingredients typically consist of lemon juice, water and sugar. Depending on your taste, the lemonade can be very concentrated or diluted. The drink can be made from fresh lemons, frozen concentrate, or powdered mixes. For this recipe, we will just use lemon juice.
IngredientsStarting proportions should be a 1 to 1 ratio.

1-cup sugar
1-cup water
1 cup lemon juice.
This proportion can be really sweet so reduce the sugar to taste.
Make sugar syrup by dissolving the sugar into hot water. This keeps the sugar in the lemonade instead of in the bottom of the container.
Heat sugar and water in a saucepan until sugar is dissolved then add lemon juice. Take off the heat add to a pitcher and add 4 cups cold water approximately. Refrigerate 30-40 minutes.

Want to learn more drinks recipes? You can learn more about drinks recipes [http://www.freerecipeonline.net/Drinks.html] and other special recipes from Joseph's website. Visit his website today for more Free recipe online [http://www.freerecipeonline.net]

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Drinks Recipes - The Quest For Safe Drinks

By Dyfed Lloyd Evans

On average, the human body is 70% water and we require between 1 and 7 litres of water every day to prevent rehydration with typical intake recommenced to be about one litre. Today, with plumbing and water treatment water is safe to drink for all but 1 billion humans (who still have to rely on unsafe water). But, in the past, everyone had to rely on unsafe water. As a result different civilizations developed different ways for making their drinking water safe.
The most notable difference can be seen between North Africa/Europe and East Asia. We know that the Egyptians developed brewing and that brewed wheat was a staple of their diet. This brewing spread through North Africa and south across the Sahara, often with millet being substituted for wheat. In Europe there was brewing both of honey to form mead and of grains to make beer. Brewing renders water safe in that the water is boiled before mashing the grains and after the brewing process the alcohol in the beer keeps the drink safe. Indeed, from Celtic times through to Elizabethan times beer was the staple, safe, drink for almost everyone in Europe.
In East Asia a different approach evolved. Again, water was boiled to render it safe, but it was made into an infusion with aromatic plant leaves; and thus tea evolved. This difference in approaches to rendering water safe to drink may explain why alcohol intolerance is more common in Asiatic populations.
A further cultural change in Arabic peoples with the advent of Islam led to the consumption of alcohol being viewed in a negative light and the rise of another kind of infusion in boiled water. That of a bitter Ethiopian bean coffee.
Other mixes of herbs and spices have also been used to flavour boiled water. Ginger being a good example and various fruit juices and infusions are also made. All these drinks are, ultimately, a quest to find something safe to drink, a way of rendering potentially lethal water safe.
What this means that we, today have a vast array of possible drinks available to us, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Below are two recipes for classic examples of such drinks.
Jus de Fruit
This is a classic recipe, originating from Chad, Central Africa for an iced fruit an milk drink that's lightly spiced.
Ingredients:
1 mango (or 300g of any combination of mango, orange, pineapple, guava and papaya)
500ml whole milk
3 tbsp honey
6 ice cubes
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
Method:
Crush the ice in a blender then peel and chop the fruit before adding to the ice. Blend the fruit until smooth then add the milk, honey and cardamom powder. Blend until thoroughly mixed then serve in tall glasses over crushed ice.
Lemongrass Tea
This is an Asian drink that's also popular in West Africa.
Ingredients:
140g chopped lemongrass stalk
500ml water
50g ginger, pounded in a pestle and mortar
sugar, to taste (optional)
milk (typically condensed milk), optional
Method:
Place the lemongrass in a teapot and pour the boiling water over them. Allow to steep for five minutes, agitating the pot every now and then. Pour into cups or glasses and serve. This can be drunk as it is or it can be sweetened with sugar or it can also be served with a little condensed milk.

Dyfed Lloyd Evans runs the Celtnet Recipes site, where you can find a large number of recipes for drinks along with brewing recipes for meads, beers and wines many of which are ancient, historic, recipes.

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Drinks Recipes - Smoothies

By Joseph Then

Do you have a blender and some fruit? Add a few other key ingredients and you have everything you need for a nutritious and tasty breakfast, lunch, or afternoon pick-me-up. Smoothies can contain just about anything you have on hand in the pantry and refrigerator and can be an excellent way to get the nutrients and protein you need, without adding a lot of extra unwanted calories to your diet. Summer fruits are packed with Vitamin C and antioxidants, plus they taste delicious when mixed with a bit of yogurt and ice cubes. However, no matter what time of the year, it's easy to whip up some smoothies with whatever is in season.
Prune and Soy Milk Smoothie
Benefits: High in fiber and high in antioxidants.
Blend together 5-7 pitted prunes, 1 banana, ice cubes, and enough soy milk for the desired consistency. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy.
Note: If you prefer organic milk or rice milk, these would be fine to use as well.
Other additions could be ground flax seed or a dash of honey.
Blueberry and Orange Juice Smoothie
Benefits: Blueberries are extremely high in antioxidants that are known to help fight cancer and heart disease.
In a blender, mix orange juice, plain yogurt, washed and stemmed blueberries, and a dash of honey to taste.
Berry Fruit Smoothie
Benefits: High in protein from using protein powder. Delicious flavor by combining berries and a banana.
For one person, blend together ½ of a pear (cored, of course), ¼ cup of frozen mixed berries or frozen blueberries, 1 ¼ cup of water, a dash of cinnamon, a dash of milk, 1 large tablespoon of protein powder (your choice), and some ground flax seed. Blend the ingredients until you are happy with the consistency, pour over ice and serve. For two people, simply double the recipe. The protein powder you choose can be any flavor (chocolate or vanilla), to make it a bit different each time. This is a tasty and satisfying drink for breakfast, especially if you need to get out the door quickly, but still need some energy for the day.
Strawberry and Kiwi Smoothie
Benefits: Kiwi is high in Vitamin C, potassium and other nutrients. Strawberries are high in antioxidants, high in Vitamin C, they have anti-inflammatory properties, and are said to help prevent cancer.
This smoothie recipe makes enough to serve two people.
In a blender, place several washed and hulled strawberries, a couple of diced kiwi fruits, a sliced banana, ice cubes and a dash of high-quality honey.
Smoothies are a quick and easy way to get the vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants and protein into our diet that might otherwise be replaced with foods high in sugar or fat. A smoothie is quicker to whip up even than eggs or pancakes. Smoothies are a great way to use up the fruit or yogurt in your refrigerator, while creating a healthy, nutritious meal or snack. Fruit smoothies are actually much better for you when they are made at home, rather than purchasing one on your way to work. By making them at home, you control the ingredients used, which means there aren't any hidden fats or calories. Skim milk and low-fat yogurt will decrease the calorie count significantly, so if you are watching your weight, it is better to make the smoothie at home.

Want to learn more drinks recipes? You can learn more about drinks recipes [http://www.freerecipeonline.net/Drinks.html] and other special recipes from Joseph's website. Visit his website today for more Free recipe online [http://www.freerecipeonline.net]

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Koushari - One Of The Most Popular Egyptian Food Recipes

By Yarsol Sol Bakr

Egyptian Food Recipes are an amalgamation of various other food cultures like Greek, Turkish, Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian. The native cooks of Egypt have modified the recipes from these cultures to suit the Egyptian budgets, customs and tastes. The ingredients which dominate over the food recipes are grains, fish, naturally ripened fruits and vegetables. Meat is scarcely used, owing to the death of cattle and high prices.
Below is the recipe of one of the most popular dishes of the Egyptian Food Recipes, for 4 generous servings:
KOUSHARI: Often referred to as the Egyptian national dish, Koushari is one of the most popular dishes in the country. The ingredients include:
- Rice - 1 cup
- Lentils - 1 cup
- Macaroni Pasta - 1 cup
- Onion - 1 (chopped finely)
- Oil - 2 tablespoons and also some for frying
- Onion - 1 (sliced thinly)
- Tomato sauce/Crushed Tomatoes - 2 cups
- Garlic - 2 to 3 cloves (minced)
- Salt and Pepper - To taste
- Pepper flakes - ½ to 1 teaspoon
The rice is cooked in the requisite quantity of water for 20 minutes in a closed pot, until completely cooked. The lentils are cooked separately in water in an enclosed pot under simmered flame for 30-45 minutes. The macaroni is cooked separately according to the instructions written on the packet.
Now some olive oil is heated in a separate pan over medium flame and the chopped garlic and onion are added to it. These items are sautéed for 4-5 minutes till the onions get wilted and translucent. Now, the crushed tomato and the pepper flakes are added to it and stirred for 10-15 minutes under medium-low heat. A little amount of water can also be added, if necessary. It is then seasoned with salt and a bit of pepper and set aside.
The next step is to heat about half an inch of the cooking oil in a skillet and fry the sliced onions in it until they turn brown. These are to be drained on tissue paper or paper towels to get rid of the excess oil.
Now the rice, lentils and macaroni are placed in a large serving bowl, seasoned with pepper and salt to taste and stirred with a fork so that all the ingredients get mixed evenly. While serving, this mixture is topped up with the tomato sauce prepared earlier along with the crispy onions. It is best when served hot but can also be served at the normal room temperature.
One can also bring about some variations in Koushari like:
• Instead of macaroni pasta, one can use penne, bucatini or ditalini.
• Cooked chickpeas can also be added to the topping.
• Chunks of cooked chicken and lamb can be added to the Koushari.
• Small pieces can be squeezed over the Koushari to make it more piquant.
• A little amount of ground cumin, cinnamon or 'baharat' spice mix can be added to the tomato sauce.

Deemed as one of the most popular dishes among the Egyptian Food Recipes, Koushari is found in abundance throughout Egypt at small restaurants and roadside food stalls. A big silver pot at the stall or the shop window is a clear indication that Koushari is available at that place.

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Cake Decorating Icing - The Three Most Popular Recipes

By Shawn Joseph

When it comes to cake decorating, icing is your secret weapon. Not only can you cover up many baking boo...boos, but you just can't decorate a cake without icing. It's the glue that holds everything together and the sweet stuff that makes it all taste so good. Three of the most commonly used types of icing are butter cream, royal icing, and fondant. Here is a quick look at the three different kinds of cake decorating icing and their uses.
The Basic Ingredients
All cake icing is basically created from a combination of sugar, butter, egg whites, and flavoring. Here is a quick and easy recipe for simple cake icing.
Butter Cream
Butter cream icing is probably the most commonly used form of icing used in cake decorating. Butter cream icing is creamy, light and easy to work with. It is usually used as the base layer of frosting on a cake or what is called a crumb coat. It is easy to make butter cream thick or thin by adding more or less of your wet ingredients. Simply add coco powder or orange extract to the recipe below and you'll have an easy to make home-made butter cream recipe that can be used for any occasion.
Butter Cream Recipe:
6 cups powdered sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 cup very soft butter
3 tsp vanilla extract
Just mix together the above ingredients and add food coloring & flavorings of your choice. Will cover two 9x11 cakes.
Royal Icing
Another popular icing used in cake decorating is royal icing. Royal icing is usually made with meringue powder and has a very sweet taste. It is much different from butter cream icing because it dries faster and has a firm texture. It is great for doing intricate lace work, piping flower designs. It is great for holding parts together. A gingerbread house is a perfect example of a great use of royal icing.
Royal Icing Recipe:
4 tablespoons of meringue powder
5 cups of confectioners' sugar
7 tablespoons of warm water
Mix all ingredients for about 10 minutes with a hand-held mixer on high-speed, or until icing starts to form peaks. Add more or less water for your desired consistency.
Fondant
If you ever watch any of those cake decorating shows on television than you are familiar with the use of fondant. Fondant has the consistency of molding clay and is commonly used to make figurines and is easily shaped into fun characters. Fondant can also be used to cover and entire cake when it is rolled out flat with a rolling-pin. It is soft and pliable and provides a great and stable base for your cake decorations. I recently used fondant to make some sesame street characters for my grandson's second birthday party and he went wild. Now you can actually buy fondant that is pre made or you can make it your self and just add food coloring to get the colors you want.
Fondant Recipe:
2 Tbsp of unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup of cold water
2 tsp of almond extract
1 cup of light corn syrup
2 Tbsp of glycerin
4 lbs confectioners' sugar
1 tsp of vegetable shortening
Add the gelatin to cold water in a bowl and let it stand until soft, put in microwave for 30 seconds and add almond extract. Next, mix corn syrup and glycerin until smooth & clear. In a large bowl add the sugar, make a hole in the center and add liquid mixture, stir with a spoon until sticky. On a smooth work surface sprinkled with confectioners' sugar kneed the fondant until it becomes smooth and pliable. Rub the shortening onto thumbs and kneed into fondant.
Well there you have it. The three most popular types of cake decorating icing I sincerely hope these tips were helpful and wish you all the best in your cake decorating adventures.

Are you ready to master the art of cake decoration?
For free video tips, the best Cake Decorating Books and Novelty Cake Tins be sure to click on over and check us out....

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The 10 Most Popular French Recipes

By Phil Blasco

Despite new trends, hype and marketing, tradition has never been stronger. In France, good food still means authentic cooking by using natural products from diverse regions. This is how we celebrate human being by offering the best food to all our senses. Cooking home-made food and eating at the table make your appetite grow stronger. The challenge is to combine ingredients together to get the best taste out of them. However anyone from anywhere can explore the world of french cooking. To start with, let's find out what french people enjoy to eat.
Here are the top 10 most popular recipes in France:
Roast Chicken
Indeed roast chicken is not a notorious french recipe but cooked everywhere around the world from Asia and Africa to America. However it is the most popular french dish. Roast chicken is not stuffed inside. The secret is to baste the poultry several times during roasting with butter and cooking oil and to add an onion in the roasting pan. Roast chicken is traditionally served with potatoes and green beans.
Boeuf bourguignon
The most famous beef stew in France. Boeuf bourguignon is a traditional recipe from Burgundy. A recipe that french people use to cook at least once every winter. The beef meat is cooked in a red wine sauce, obviously a red wine from Burgundy. Bacon, onions, mushrooms and carrots add flavor to the recipe. But thyme, garlic and beef stock are essential to cook a good boeuf bourguignon.
Mussels mariniere
A typical summer recipe very popular along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coast. Mussels are fresh and cooked in a white wine sauce with parsley, thyme, bay leaf and onion. It takes only 5 minutes to cook a tasteful mussels mariniere. The secret is to season carefully the meal and to discard any mussels that don't look good enough.
Sole meuniere
Although sole is an expensive fish, the taste is so elegant that it is considered as the noblest fish. Sole meuniere is a recipe from Normandy. The fish is cooked in a butter sauce with a little bit of flour and lemon juice. Sole is traditionally served with rice or green vegetables.
Pot au feu
A typical family meal coming once again from Normandy. Pot au feu is a boiled beef with pork, chicken and vegetables. It takes about 4 hours an a half to cook as the beef has to simmer slowly to extract all its flavor. Pot au feu is also called Potee Normande in France.
Sauerkraut
Quite similar to the german sauerkraut, the french sauerkraut called choucroute comes from Alsace. However the french recipe can be traced back to 6 centuries ago ! Sauerkraut is a fermented cabbage. Commonly sauerkraut includes sausages, pork knuckle and bacon. Two essential ingredients are alsatian white wine and juniper berries.
Veal stew
Called blanquette de veau in France, this is another stew recipe from Normandy. The veal meat simmers in white sauce - as blanquette from blanc stands for white in french - with mushrooms and onions. The white sauce is made of egg yolks, whipping cream and lemon juice. Veal stew is usually served with rice.
Lamb navarin
Another stew but this one is made of lamb meat. It is also called spring lamb as it comes with green vegetables available in spring. Navarin comes from navet which stands for turnips in french. Other ingredients are tomatoes, lamb stock and carrots. This stew takes less time to simmer than any other.
Cassoulet
A strange recipe that english people often confuse with their traditional breakfast! A traditional meal from south west of France. Each village has its own recipe but it always includes beans and meats. Cassoulet is a rich combination of white beans and depending on the village lamb, pork, mutton or sausage meat. Cassoulet is the cornerstone of the french paradox study describing why people from south west of France suffer less than others from infarcts.
Bouillabaisse
Bouillabaisse is closely linked with the city of Marseille on the Mediterranean coast. The recipe is a fish soup from local fish and seafood products including crabs, scorpion fish, monk fish and others. Provencal herbs and olive oil are essential. For a long time, the recipe was a secret jealously kept by the people from Marseille.

All these recipes are available at Cuisine-France, french recipes: http://www.cuisine-france.com/, french cooking and recipe guide.

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The Most Popular Restaurant Copycat Recipes

By KC Kudra

Restaurant copycat recipes are gaining popularity all the time. As more and more people opt to cook meals at home instead of spending their dollars on restaurant food, there is a lot more demand for great recipes. Free restaurant copycat recipes are especially sought after because they mean you can cook your absolute favorite dishes at home, for a fraction of the price you would pay for them in the restaurant.
Some of the most popular copycat recipes are chicken recipes, especially fried chicken recipes. Perhaps you love Kentucky Fried Chicken recipes and you want to know how to give your chicken the same enticing aroma, crispy texture and delicious flavor
Copycat Recipes Versus New Recipes
There is a time and a place for using clone recipes or copycat recipes. Maybe you want to impress or surprise your family with a copycat dish or perhaps you have a craving for one of your favorite restaurant dinners and you just have to have but preferably without paying the restaurant price tag.
At other times it is nice to make different recipes because it is enjoyable to experience new meals and flavors, rather than eating something that you are familiar with.
Easy Copycats
Beverage recipes like Starbucks copycats are also popular and people love to make their favorite takeout food and fast food dishes at home and then marvel at how similar the taste is.
A lot of copycat recipes are much easier to make than you might think. The busy chefs and cooks in your favorite restaurants do not want to spend hours making complicated dishes and neither should you.
Easy restaurant copycat recipes mean you can make the best quality food for your family much more cheaply than what you would normally have to pay for the same dishes and you have complete control over the ingredients and side dishes.
Recipe for Cavatini in the Style of Pizza Hut
The following easy copycat is for Pizza Hut Cavatini and this combination of pasta, steak, tomatoes, grape jelly and more tastes just like the original Cavatini recipe. This is just one example of how easy it is to make restaurant copycat recipes.
What you will need:

• 1/2 cup grape jelly
• 2 lbs ground round
• 4 cups pasta
• 28 oz sliced, stewed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 16 oz jar spaghetti sauce, meat flavor
• 6 oz V8 juice
• 1 1/2 packages onion soup mix
• Provolone and mozzarella slices

How to make it:
Fry the ground round in the vegetable oil until it is totally brown, crumbling it using a fork. Turn the heat down to low then add the grape jelly, stewed tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, V8 juice and onion soup mix, stirring to mix everything together well.
Let the sauce cook for twenty minutes without boiling. Cook the pasta to al dente. Fill six au gratin dishes with alternating layers of sauce, pasta and cheese.

Restaurant copycat recipes mean you can make your favorite dishes in the comfort of your own home and without spending a fortune. The best copycat recipes mean that you and your family can enjoy your favorite dishes without having to go to restaurants every time you get a craving for your favorite fried chicken recipe.
SouthernFriedChickenRecipe.com When it has to be Real Fried Chicken

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Typical Bread And Pastry Recipes From Colombia

By KC Kudra

Colombian food varies from region to region, and there are dishes in some areas which are unknown in others. Where bread is concerned, though, most Colombians would agree that this is a staple food.
Breakfast is an important meal in Colombian households and, as well as bread, you can expect coffee, hot chocolate or fruit juice, eggs, and fruit. Lunch is served between twelve and two and might feature soup, an entree, a very sweet dessert, and a beverage.
Dinner is often served around seven or eight o'clock and is usually a lighter meal than lunch. The Colombian diet includes a lot of meat and there are many types of fresh fruit available in the coastal parts of the country.
Colombian Corn Bread
This is a very easy recipe since you just need to combine the ingredients and bake the corn bread for half an hour. It is served with coffee or hot cocoa in Colombia and this bread is great served hot from the oven with plenty of butter slathered over it.
What You Need:

• 3/4 cups evaporated milk
• 1 cup corn flour
• 3/4 cups all-purpose whole wheat flour
• 1 cup softened butter
• 3 beaten eggs
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 10 cloves
• 4 cinnamon sticks, in 1 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup raisins

How To Make It:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine everything together with a wooden spoon, then pour the mixture into a baking pan and cook for half an hour or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Stuffed Cassava Fritters
Cassava, which is also known as yucca, is a starchy tropical root vegetable. It has a dark brown skin which feels like tree bark (remove that before you cook it) and a stringy white flesh. These pastries are filled with a meat, onion, and garlic mixture and this typical Colombian recipe is really tasty.
What You Need:

• 3 lbs peeled, chopped cassava
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 lb ground beef, turkey, or pork
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 chopped onion
• Scallions, capers, and parsley, as needed

How To Make It:
Combine the ground meat with the salt, vinegar, capers, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, scallion, sugar, and onion and fry the mixture in hot oil or lard until it is brown. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic. Boil the cassava with a pinch of salt but do not let it get too soft.
Grind the cassava with more salt and then wrap it around the meat mixture, to make stuffed balls. Fry them in very hot oil until they are browned, then turn the heat right down and cook them until they are soft. You can finish them off in the oven or in a steamer if you prefer.

If you enjoy Colombian recipes you will also enjoy Mexican recipes, since the two cuisines have a number of factors in common. There are lots of easy Mexican recipes to choose from, whether you want to make appetizers, snacks, entrees or desserts.
MexicanFoodRecipes.org When it has to be Real Authentic Mexican Food

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Spicy Sweet Chicken in Pastry Recipe for a Hot Valentine's Dinner

By Maria Antoniet Fornillos

There is nothing better than showing someone that you care enough to prepare a lusciously healthy food. This Valentine's Day, try this hot and spicy romantic recipe for your honey. This pleasantly-flavored, inherently healthy, and easy to prepare dish is hot and spicy. But you can control the amount of fire by adjusting the amount of cayenne pepper.
The mild-to-medium heat of the dish will get your Valentine's Day evening off. It can awaken the senses and get them going in the right direction, and it only take just a few minutes to cook. For me, the trick is to get the right temperature, removing the pot from the heat as soon as time is up, and serving the dish immediately while hot. This will surely give you a sizzling hot Valentine's Day dinner!
Spicy-Sweet Pomegranate Chicken
Ingredients:
· 2 cups brown rice, parboiled
· 1 ½ cup water of chicken/beef broth
· 4 pieces chicken, cubed
· 2 tablespoons honey
· ½ cup ketchup
· 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
· 3 cloves garlic, minces
· ½ teaspoon cayenne, can be adjusted
· Salt to taste
· 1 ½ cup Brussels sprouts, trimmed with shallow cuts
· 2 ½ cups baby carrots, halved
· 2 cups oyster mushrooms, thickly-sliced
· 2 pomegranate, seeded bunch of fresh parsley
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Pour the rice into a Dutch oven that has been sprayed with olive oil; add liquid and stir. Smooth into an even layer then arrange the chicken cubes on top in a single layer.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the honey, ketchup, lemon juice, molasses, garlic and cayenne pepper. Drizzle 1/2 of the mixture over top of chicken then put Brussels sprouts and carrots on top. Pour rest of mixture all over then the mushrooms and pomegranate seeds as final topping. Cover and bake for about 45 minutes, or 5 minutes after aroma wafts from the oven.
Men love spicy foods, especially those with the right amount of chili pepper. That is why the spiciest recipes are wonderful for this love day. For an even more delicious entrée, make sure you control the ingredients and the cooking process. See to it you have at least the freshest ingredients. Try locally grown vegetables. Of course, don't forget a glass of champagne. Its healthy properties along with the aromatic feel and flavors of health-boosting cayenne, lemon, garlic and parsley can build up a night of excitement and memories.
Have a spicy-sweet Valentine!

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

Easy Shortcrust Pastry Recipe

By Brent Nelson

This simple pastry is very adaptable and can be used for all kinds of dishes, both sweet and savory, yet it is very easy to make. All you need is some flour, some fat or shortening, and a little bit of water and salt. Once you have made this a few times, other forms of pastry such as flaky, puff and even hot water crust will hold no fear for you, and you'll be baking like a pro.
The basic proportions of ingredients for this pastry never change: one part fat to two parts flour, so it is very easy to multiply quantities, however much pastry you need. Traditionally, you blend the flour and the fat with your fingertips so that the fat doesn't melt with your body heat, but it's much easier and equally effective to use a food mixer.
Ingredients:

• 8oz/225grams plain/all-purpose flour
• 4oz/110grams cold butter, lard, dripping or any hard fat, or combination of these
• A pinch of salt, and pepper if it suits your recipe
• A little cold water - how much is a little? See method below.

Method:
Sift the flour and salt into the bowl. Add the pepper, if using. Cut the fat into small pieces, or grate, and add to the flour. Mix well. All traditional pastry recipes say "until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs", but if it is a hot day or your fat is slightly soft, it may form a more dough-like consistency: don't worry, it will still work.
Continue to mix, and begin to add the water, no more than a tablespoon at a time. Stop adding water as soon as the dough comes together and pulls away from the side of the bowl. The more water you add, the tougher the cooked pastry becomes, so only use the minimum necessary. A good test is to pull a piece of the dough between your fingertips: if it breaks, add a little more water, if it stretches, then it is perfect.
Refrigerate for at least half an hour; this minimises shrinkage when cooking. Now use your pastry in your recipe, or make this simple pie.
Lightly grease a small pie dish, and dust with flour. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry, and line the dish with it, leaving a good margin overhanging, which can be trimmed after cooking. Prick all over with a fork. Line the pastry with crumpled kitchen foil, and bake for twenty minutes in a medium oven. Remove the foil, and bake for a further ten to fifteen minutes, until the pastry is dry. Add your filling, which may be pre-cooked, and brush the edges of the base with milk or beaten egg. Roll out the remaining pastry for the lid, pressing down well at the joins. Prick a few holes to let out the steam, then brush all over with the milk or egg wash. Bake for a further 30-40 minutes. Trim edges and serve.

Brent Nelson writes The Guerilla Griller, one of Europe's top 500 food blogs. On a mission to demystify food and cooking, with clear step-by-step recipes, and here for the newbie and experienced cook alike. Find The Guerilla Griller at: http://guerillagriller.blogspot.com/.

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

Shortcrust Pastry Recipe

By Renee D Ferguson

Shortcrust pastry is dough usually made and used for pie crust, savoury dishes, or any dish that requires a light pastry. It is quite simple to make and only requires about 15 minutes to make with a sit time of at least 30 minutes. When making be sure to keep ingredients and utensils, along with your hands cool or cold. This recipe requires you to use your hands to mix and you want to keep your hands cold so you don't melt the butter.
Ingredients:

• 200 g all-purpose flour (To make a lighter or flakier pastry you'll want to use half all-purpose and half cake flour)
• Pinch of salt
• 110 g butter, cubed
• 2-3 tbsp cold water or milk
• 2 eggs beat

Optional Ingredients:

• 100 g icing sugar, sifted
• Zest of 1 lemon

Making Shortcrust Pastry:
In a bowl or over a clean flat surface sieve flour from a slightly elevated position (if using sugar also sieve sugar over the flour). Add salt and mix together dry ingredients.
Using your fingers combine and work cubes of butter into the flour (and sugar) until crumbly like bread crumbs. You'll want to rub your thumbs against your fingers. (As a flavourful option mix in lemon zest.)
Mix or knead in the eggs (be sure to beat eggs separately) and milk/water. Combine until the dough binds or until you make a ball of dough. Lightly flour or add more milk/water if mixture is to wet or dry.
Take the dough and press flat. Lightly flour and wrap with plastic wrap and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
To make this dough using an electric mixer combine dry ingredients first, then while on a low setting one at a time mix in butter first until crumbly. While still on low add in eggs and milk/water until combined. Remove mixture from bowl then knead into a dough ball, gently add flour or milk/water as required. Once finished press flat and cover as stated above, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
This pastry dough is great for adding a special and unique touch to it, quite like the optional sugar and lemon zest added above. You can incorporate some of your favourite flavours like cinnamon or coconut milk for desserts, or you ground chilli pepper or freshly ground dill for savoury dishes. You'll want smooth dough so be sure to add ingredients that will blend well and will allow the pastry to lie flat when using.

Based in Toronto, Renee Ferguson has been writing wedding and destination wedding articles, tips, and advice since 2009. She is a Certified Wedding Coordinator and Consultant.

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