Friday, December 19, 2008

How to Bring the best out of Grilling with the Right Equipment

By Ben Johnson

One method that will bring the best of your cooking skills is Grilling. To make the best of your product you need right tools to compliment your skills and make them a success. Grilling itself as exciting as it can be done outdoor in a garden or a lawn. Many people enjoy cooking especially cooking grilled foods. But the mess of handling the grill could take you away from it. This is where Weber helps you help you to bring different grill sets to your doorsteps.

You can either use Natural gas grill, Go any where grill, performer charcoal grill or portable gas grill for cooking your food outside your house in garden or a lawn.

Weber Charcoal Grill comes with an easy-to-setup grill set. It has also the one-touch vent system that makes ventilation such an ease. With the ash-catcher, there is no mess to clear, making your grilling experience more memorable, reducing the after-grilling clean up you have to do.

Most of the grills are bulky and take lot of space but Weber portable grill is an highly functional grill and at the same time takes up very little of your space without compromising on the quality of grilling. To make it sleek Weber comes with folding trays and a cast iron cooking grate for grilling job. Its ultra light shell adds on to its portability. A good quality regulator makes it a perfect partner for your next grilling party by offering an easy to clean experience.

For the first timer, you may wish to consider having the Weber Q Grill or the Weber Baby Q Grill to set you going onto this grilling experience. Especially if you are uncertain that you would know how to set up, how to grill!! Weber Q grill is designed to get you to help you with your grill within minutes. It only requires a few moments of setup, one simple turn on the regulator knob to start, a push onto the ignitor and the heat is on!! You can grill up to 4 steaks or 12 chicken thighs at any time.

How about those experienced Grillers out there? Surely, you wont be missed out!! Weber has another end of products that will bring smiles to experienced grillers!! Weber Summit Grill is one such product that will bring your grilling skills up to flying colors. There is no cold or hot spots to worry about as this is an easily controlled grill that will bring every grilled meal to perfection.

Let Weber take the burden of cooking on this weekend so that you could share your cooking experience with your friends and loved ones year after year.

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What Are Tortillas - A Brief Tortilla History

By KC Kudra

The word "tortillas" originates from the Spanish word "torta," meaning round cake. Tortillas are very popular in Mexico and also in the United States. Americans like to be imaginative when it comes to preparing their tortillas and combinations such as beans and meat, apple, cinnamon and sugar or peanut butter and jelly are favorites. Flour tortillas are also used to make sandwiches, casseroles and stews, hot dogs and there are plenty more uses too. You can even make homemade tortillas, since the recipe is quite straightforward.

Tortillas have been enjoyed for many centuries, but not with all the fillings that are used these days.

More than 10,000 years before Christ, the Aztecs were already making tortillas. The Aztecs used a lot of corn, both eaten straight from the cob and in recipes. They would grind corn into cornmeal and from this they would make a corn dough called masa. Water is added to the cornmeal to make the dough but the temperature of the water is very important. If it is too hot or too cold, the dough will not be the right consistency to roll out. When the masa is ready, it is made into a ball and then rolled out into a thick pancake shape. It is then placed on a hot griddle for a minute or so to cook. It is important to keep an eye on the tortillas because they do not take long to cook.

Modern tortillas are made the same way as those in tortillas history. A lot of tortillas are mass-produced in factories with machinery these days since the demand for them is very high. You can get tortillas in various flavors or even make your own homemade version and experiment with the flavors. Various Mexican foods use tortillas. One example is enchiladas, where the tortilla is filled and rolled up and then cooked. Tacos use tortillas for the shell. Tortillas are used as turnovers when making quesadillas, before being filled and fried.

Tortillas are not just for eating. "Tortilla art" is when tortillas are used as a canvas. They are baked and then covered in acrylic, before they are painted. The culture of Latino artists is represented by tortilla art so this is an important part of tortilla history.

Tortilla chips are made from flour tortillas. The tortilla is cut into wedges and these wedges are fried. Corn tortillas are made from vegetable oil, corn, water, and salt. These chips became popular in Los Angeles, California, in the 1940s because they were mass-produced there, but they are still thought of as a Mexican food.

Americans use tortillas for a lot of their foods. It is most common found in burritos, which started long ago in northern Mexico. Tortillas are a traditional food of many people from northern states of Mexico and Native tribes that are found in the Southwestern United States. Just about any restaurant will carry tortillas. You can try many different foods that include them. They are easy to find in the grocery store. You can use your taste buds and imagination to make your own foods, which include the tortillas.

There are a lot of different tortilla recipes if you want to try this exciting food in various ways and create your own delicious dishes with flour tortillas!

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Thursday, December 18, 2008

Secrets Of Cajun Microwave

By Ferdinand Okeke

Cajun cooking is world renowned for giving to lovers of good food some of the finest and most memorable taste experiences of a lifetime. The way Cajun and Creole chefs use spices and recipe components that are unique to the southern Louisiana area has spawned a style of cooking that rivals the finest chefs in any other part of the world can master. If you plan a trip to New Orleans or anywhere in Cajun country, to leave without sitting down to a complete Cajun meal would be nothing short of a crime.

The tastes that literally erupt from a Cajun meal will command your attention so strongly that while enjoying this fine dining, you literally will think of nothing else. Of course, Cajun meals are sometimes not for the squeamish. The skillful use of spices and the unusual main dishes such as crawdads or alligator tail can make someone new to the Cajun culture a little nervous. It is worth it to overcome your fears and dive into that delicious food in front of you because it will be a taste treat you will never forget. And it will be one you will want to come back to often if not reproduce on your own home.

Yes, it is possible to conquer the skills of Cajun cooking at home and even learn to prepare fine Cajun fish delicacies for your own guests. The image of an old Cajun chef slaving for hours or days over a recipe comes from the assumption that something so delicious had to take a tremendous investment of time and skill to produce. It might come as a surprise then that not only is it possible to prepare a Cajun fish meal in the microwave but that the microwave is actually a preferred way to prepare these recipes.

The reason using your microwave oven to prepare a fine Cajun meal works so well is one of the best ways to coax the best flavors from the spices and the fish is through fast steaming. And there is no better way to quickly steam a main dish than in the microwave. Whether the fish is cod, redfish, red snapper, monkfish or tuna, quick steaming is the best way to preserve flavor but to get the fish cooked thoroughly. The process is straightforward. You simply put the fresh fish into a microwave steamer. Add a small amount of water. Some recipes will have you add spices to the water.

By microwaving that enclosed microwave cookware for 2-3 minutes, you quickly steam the fish, which releases waves of flavor. Now you can open the dish and add garlic, butter, chili or other Cajun spices to give that main dish that exciting taste and aroma that will take you back to the bayou as soon as you taste the first bite of your Cajun cooking. After you do your final preparations, one more minute in the microwave completes the cooking and fills each morsel of food with flavor.

Now just serve the meal with all the trimmings. When you take the lid off of that microwave steamer and the aroma of that fish fills the room, the exclamations of surprise and delight will be gratifying to you. But be prepared as those exclamations continue throughout the meal. If your guests give you the title of "great Cajun chef", be humble. But you can accept the title on behalf of your spice rack, your fish market, your good Cajun recipe book and, of course, your old reliable microwave oven that made it all possible.

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The Brazilian Wonder Fruit

By Ron Duckett Douglas

Brazilian Amazon forest is the home of acai berry fruit. Acai fruit has a lot of similarity with the grapes. The fruit is purple in color. For a long time ailments have been treated by use of acai berry by the communities around the Amazon forest. The berry is mostly picked by hand from the acai palms that grow very tall in the forest.

The western world was not aware of the existence of the acai berry until in the year 1990 when it gained a lot of media coverage in America. Since then its healthy benefits have been featured in big media house coverage's like CNN and CBS. Oprah Winfrey show has done a lot in its campaign through its popular shows. Major newspapers have not been left behind with the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal covering it widely.

The popularity of this Brazilian fruit has grown around the world following the media highlights of the acai berry benefits. The medicinal acai berry juice is a product of this multi-purpose fruit. Erectile dysfunction in men as well as sex improvement is well taken care of by the healing properties of acai. Acai berry juice has proved to improve sexual prowess according to a research carried out on Brazilian beach boys.

Increased body relaxation and good memory is also part of the benefits associated with the Brazilian wonder fruit. For a better sleep, doctors recommend a person to take a glass of acai berry juice. People with body weight problems would benefit very much from the fruit as well as its impeccable nutrition supplementation. The high antioxidants present in the juice helps in burning the body fat.

Acai berry guarantees you a good healthy body since it contains nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, magnesium, potassium and vitamin A, C and E and fatty acids. Because it also contains amino acids as some of the nutrients, Acai berry is also used as an anti-aging drug and the amino acids helps in preventing the skin damage.

The Acai berry is highly perishable and transporting it from South America in its fresh form is not possible. That is why it is dried and preserved in powder form. However, health experts point out that its medicinal value is hardly affected. It is always advisable to buy Acai berry from recognized shops to avoid falling prey to imposters. This will enable you to enjoy its benefits to the fullest.

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Classic Holiday Desserts with a Twist

By Jana Banks

It seems like a lot of our holiday traditions are based on foods. Probably the most popular dishes with a lot of emotions attached are the desserts. Whether it's the fruitcake, holiday cookies, or a pumpkin pie, they all seem to bring back memories of home and family. It could be though that our classic desserts are really due for fresh ideas. Here are just a few creative variations on some classic holiday desserts.

I'll start with pumpkin pie since it's not always been a favorite of mine. When I came across a great variation on this dessert I was really happy. It uses pumpkin ice cream as the filling instead of pumpkin puree. Another great thing about it is how easy it is to make, especially if you use a store-bought graham crust. Simply mix a can of pumpkin puree with a pint of your favorite vanilla ice cream and add a dash of allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. Then pour into your crust, add a layer of whipped cream, and place in the freezer. What a wonderful treat! It's not nearly as heavy as pumpkin pie and just delicious.

Another classic that I find a little puzzling is the ever-present fruitcake. The fruitcake does have a bad reputation, and can be so sweet it's quite overpowering, yet they are always present during the holidays. This is one dessert overdue for a makeover. As a substitute for this heavy, sugary cake, why not try something new? You can create rich dessert bread with some added fruits. Or another variation is oatmeal bread with coconut shavings and pineapple baked inside. Spread scrumptious white chocolate cream cheese icing on top and serve with some fresh-brewed coffee.

Another creative variation on fruitcake is something to the effect of a fruitcake sushi. To start you'll need some phyllo dough and finely chopped fresh fruits. You then would roll your fresh fruits into the dough so that it looks just like sushi, with the phyllo dough representing the seaweed on the outside of sushi and the fruit on the inside like the fish. Quickly bake in a hot oven and cut the baked dessert into rounds. Drop white chocolate icing on the tops and there you have it - a very modern version of fruitcake!

Can you ever have enough holiday cookie ideas? Not me! I like to bring a variety of cookies to different holiday events - whether it's the office party, the neighborhood gathering, or the family dinner. A friend shared this old style recipe with me that I was originally reluctant to try. First, mix up a batch of rolled oats, flour, butter, salt, allspice, and brown sugar. Layer this mixture into a baking pan or ceramic baking dish. Here's where it was odd for me - you then add a layer of mincemeat on top! Follow that with a layer of roasted pecans and bake for about forty minutes at 350 degrees. It turns out this is quite a tasty dessert treat! Once it cools, cut it into squares for individual servings.

So while everyone likes seeing their favorite desserts served at the holidays, it's also a lot of fun to add some new treats to try. It's possible that some of your new creations will become the new family favorites and start a whole new tradition. It's fun to experiment and you'll probably be surprised at the how much enjoyment your reinvented classics bring to your loved ones!

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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Try These Christmas Cupcake Decorations Ideas

By Daphne McSmith

When it comes to decorations, Christmas is my favorite time of year - and cupcake decorations are no exception! Let's face it - we all tend to indulge a bit more around the holidays, and everyone loves cupcakes - so why not make it fun and creative by trying some of the following Christmas cupcake ideas?

- Sprinkles are just about the easiest way to go, any time of year. For quick and simple, yet festive Christmas cupcakes, all you need do is bake up a batch of cupcakes (from scratch, or if you're really in a time crunch, use your favorite mix.) Then, top with green, white, or red frosting; toss on some green and red sprinkles, and you have quick and easy Christmas cupcakes.

- The weather outside may be frightful ... many, mini-snowdrifts-in-a-cup is the idea here. Top your little cakes with white icing (you can use red or green if you like) toss on some grated coconut, and dust them with powdered sugar. Who needs a horse and sleigh out in the cold ... when these are a lot toastier - and tastier?

- Hasty, simple Christmas trees ... your local food store should have an assortment of tubed gel icing; green or red are best for Christmas (naturally) but try other suitable colors. Cover the cupcakes with white frosting and draw Christmas tree shapes on top of the cakes, using the gel icing from the store. Try simple lines and/or triangles in drawing your trees - but be more creative if you like.

- This is one that will work for parties year-round - birthdays, holidays ... not just Christmas. What we're doing is creating place markers or party favors in the form of gift-wrapped packages in miniature on top of each cupcake. Vary your colors of frosting, use square/cubed candies to resemble boxes, and long, thin candy such as licorice for bows ... your name cards are made from gift tags ... can you say "hit of the party?"

- Snowman cupcakes ... children will love these ... cover the cake with white icing; put on a large marshmallow, then another small marshmallow on top. To keep everything together, put a toothpick through the marshmallows, all the way down into the cupcake. For your snowman's face, use small candies for the eyes, mouth etc. - using a small blob of icing will help stop the candies from falling off.

- The Polar Express has nothing on us - create individual train cars, starting with Tootsie Rolls or other treats of same basic shape and size (you might need to do some trimming, such as with fruit leather or licorice.) Round candies - most any kind - are good for your train's wheels, and try black licorice strips for the tracks. Try "engineering" a true train-like formation on a long platter with multiple "cars" in a row - what a festive centerpiece!

These cupcake decorations for Christmas are sure to make you a hit with family, friends, and at holiday parties. Enjoy the creative process, and of course, the yummy results! You can find your decorating supplies in a lot of places - grocers, party supply stores, even the corner convenience market (or try our recommended supplier.)

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Monday, December 15, 2008

Sharing Crafts in Connecticut

By Ellaine Towers

Hobbies originating from home would always be something that catches people's attention. For one, they remind people of the coziness of home. And not to mention that people do appreciate the skill and effort that goes into hand-knitted and crocheted goods and simple yet oh so delicious pastries and dishes that come from family recipes. But those are only few of the many crafts that can be shared in a crafts and trade festival.

So, how do you join such an event? You would need to find out how to go about this first by asking questions like what fairs and festivals are open for you to join or when would the next one be held so you could have enough time to prepare. You would need a reliable source of information if you wanted to get questions like these answered.

People would definitely be one of those sources. Those who join in such festivals would definitely be the best to approach. But you would need to do a lot of work: attending fairs and talking to people about how they participated and went about how they worked. If you're lucky, you could talk to the organizers and get to know them, too. But this takes much time and is hassling sometimes, especially if you have other things to do besides your hobby.

Conveniently, there are databases of all crafts and trade fairs and festivals for every state that you could use. A handy calendar for events in Connecticut is also available for you to use, too.

Taking part in crafts and trade fairs is a great way to share your talents and start making it a profitable little business. Surely everyone would appreciate good home grown talent in various crafts, whether it's in the coziness of a knitted sweater, the intricacy of crocheted doilies and whittled woodworks or the sweetness of a home-baked pastry. Who knows, maybe because of your work, you could rise to a sort of local stardom in Connecticut?

A service that helps you keep track of all these events would surely make everything easier. You would be able to plan ahead of time for whatever festival you're thinking of going to. Things would be smoother for you and business will go well. Taking your hobby a step further from the home doesn't have to be a hassle at all.

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