Microwave Cooking

Microwaves have become an essential part of everybody's life. Microwave cooking is a safe and convenient method of food preparation. A successful microwave cooking depends on understanding the limitations and benefits of this method of cooking.

Preservation of nutrients:

Microwave is the most efficient way of cooking while retaining minerals and other water soluble vitamins like thiamin and vitamin C present inside the foods from leaching out into the water.

Less oil, less water:

Cooking using a microwave requires very less oil and water. Microwaves are small electromagnetic radiations that are colorless, odorless and tasteless. These waves cause the water or fat molecules to vibrate at a higher frequency resulting in generation of heat. This heat is used for the purpose of cooking. A microwave oven operates on this basic principle.

Shorter cooking time:

Microwaves travel at a speed of light and are high frequency radiations that can penetrate through any surface including glass, paper, wood, bone-china and plastic. As a result, these waves can effectively generate heat within a short period of time. Hence, microwave cooking is really shorter than conventional cooking.

Preservation of flavor and color in food:

Another advantage of microwave cooking is that it is the best way to preserve and enhance the natural flavors and colors in food. This is because the entire energy dissipated by microwaves is used to cook the food rather than wasting on heating up containers. Microwave cooking is ideal for defrosting food items such as meat, poultry and vegetables. This also makes microwave cooking more energy efficient.

Food cooked inside a microwave oven does not present any sort of radiation risk. This is because; microwaves cease to exist as soon as the power is turned off. Since these radiations are non-ionizing, they are not even capable of changing the basic structure of any molecule to a great extent.

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Home Brewing For Women - You Are a Cook, Aren't You?

An old adage says that the way to any man's heart is through his stomach. Perhaps that might also be expandable to "down his throat." It is we ladies who buy the groceries and most likely keep our husbands' stock of refrigerated beer in good supply. We probably also know better than our husbands how much it costs to keep that stock ready for the weekend, the big game or the weekly poker get-together. Of course, we'll not limit this discussion just to the married folks. Ladies, there's never anything wrong with being able to impress a guy or your friends with a surprising new talent. So, here's a thought to ponder - why not make your own home brewed beer? There is definitely an upside to making such a decision.

You Save Money

Beer prices in the US have risen 3% since May 2008, and there's no prediction of falling prices any time soon. That is higher than the inflation rate for the overall economy, and if you drink your beer away from home, you might find the price rising as much as 3.8% during the same period.

It appears farmers have decided to scrap their barley fields to devote a larger percentage of acreage to corn (as in Ethanol production) and soybeans (as in nutritional production.) Saving gas and eating healthy are causing a rise in beer prices. Of course, there are even more costs than just the barley when it comes to getting the beer into the consumer's hands -- aluminum, energy, paper, freight and labor. All of which are . . .? Right, rising.

Are you aware American adults age 21 and up averaged more than 30 gallons of beer during 2006, roughly 1 can a day? We also drink more beer on the Fourth of July than on any other da00000917y during the year, according to the Beer Institute. That holiday is just around the corner, and your pocket book is sure to feel the pinch.

How would you like to have 6 gallons of your own special brew on hand for an average of $30.00 a batch. There is an upfront outlay of funds (less than $100 plus shipping) which will provide you all the equipment you need and get you well underway to your first basic batch. After that, it's up to your own creative culinary skills as you try various kits (average $30 plus shipping) until you find your favorites and/or develop your own secret recipe enhancers.

It's Legal

After all the prohibitions against alcohol creation and consumption, you might be asking yourself if all this is legal. Absolutely! President Jimmy Carter signed into law the legalization of home brewing by American citizens in 1979. Federal law says you can brew up to 100 gallons a year in your home.

It's Cooking, Ladies

Are we gals not denizens of the kitchen? Home brewing is nothing more than following easy recipes which come with home brewing kits. From then on, it's just your creativity as you choose from ales, lagers, porters, bocks, stouts, etc. - many of which can be customized to your own very special taste. There's even one with a really disgusting name - Goat Scrotum Ale - which can be brewed to taste like bittersweet dark chocolate. How wonderful is that? Almost worth the name!

Companies which create the basic starter kits are primarily brewers themselves who have gone out of their way to make it as easy as possible for the home brewer. All equipment and ingredients are included in the basic starter kit (including bottles), and the whole process has been simplified into 4 basic steps. Once you get those basics down, the chef in you will take over as you experiment with other types of brews. You'll be able to select your own unique flavor enhancing ingredients to tweak those basic recipes and make them your own. You might even need to develop your own label.

Ratchet Up Your Mystique

If you love beer, this is a chance to add to your own kitchen mystique. How cool would it be to serve ice cold bottles of a rich tasting liquid which draw oohs and aahs? How are you g000011EFoing to answer when everyone clamors for the source? Will you smile demurely? Will you offer to get them some at a very special price? Will you admit it's your own recipe? Either way, that old feminine mystique has just raised a few notches. Your parties will never be quite the same.

Alyce Mott

Want to get started on your own new kitchen brewing adventure? Great! Here's a great Free Report that shows you exactly how to get started brewing your own beer at home. Thirteen delicious recipes are included inside.

Visit http://www.recessionhomebrew.com

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Boil Cooking

There Are Many Different Types of Grills Used to Cook Food

There are different types of grills depending on how it is operated. Some works on gas, others on fuel, while some rely on electricity. There are also those that need charcoal. Some are smoker grills. It is commonly used for barbecuing but it could grill many different foods. Grills can be for outdoor and indoor use. This is commonly used on small gatherings like picnics and outings.

Gas grills are the most popular today. This uses gas as the source of fuel. The most common gas used nowadays is propane or LP, and the natural gas or NG. This type of grill has a tube connection where the gas is led from the source to the burner. The burners are in oval or H-shape. It is quite complex yet one of the most effective to use.

There are many types of outdoor grills. Among these types are the barrel grills and the cart grills.

The barrel grills is made of sleek stainless steel. This is one type that is made in sophisticated style. It looks very modern and suits the lifestyle of many people today. This is considered as the best barbeque grill nowadays. This has the same size of a 55 gallon barrel. The barrel is sliced in lengthwise, each side having equal sizes.

The hinges divide the grill into top and bottom forms. It is very apparent from its shape that it is made specifically for outdoors. It has vents on both the top and bottom sides, used for airflow control. It also has an adjustable coal bucket used to adjust the heat output. The lid connected to the chimney is kept closed so that the vents can control the heat.

The barrel grills are great for barbequing. It is made a lot easier such that you are able to cook more barbecues at a lesser time. It can also be a stylish extra patio table because it has a flat protective lid.

It is designed to save space when being stored away. You could conveniently put all the accessories and other necessary items inside i00000730t. Another extra function is that it can be used as a fireplace right after use. You do not have to burn extra coals for the fireplace anymore.

The cart grill is another type. It has a sturdy stationary cart made of metal and heavy duty plastic. It also has a secure grasp that can hold the grills up high. You could cook without removing the grill itself.

It looks similar to an ordinary gas grills and shaped like a rectangle. It has a hinged lid and separate cooking and charcoal grids. All of these three are placed to a cart which has wheels and side tables. Some people prefer this type because it is easy to clean. The side trays can be easily removed such that transferring food from the grill to your plate without spilling. The detachable feature also makes it easy to clean. You could dry the tray separately to prevent corrosion. It is also dishwasher safe.

The cart way has many ways to adjust heat. Just move the cooking surface away from the heat, putting the charcoal pan down, venting or combining the three ways mentioned here. The ash residues are contained in a collection drawer. You could detach it to throw the ashes and place it back again. Other indirect cooking can also be done in here.

For more information on Indoor Electric Grills and Cleaning Gas Grills. Please visit our website.

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Preparing Lobster Tails

Lobster, once the food of poor farmers, is now considered a special treat for many. Although some people prefer the meaty claws, I think that lobster tails are the best tasting part of this delicious creature. A great meal of lobster tails might seem like a gourmet feast to your guests, but they are actually quite easy to prepare. Add a little sprig of garnish and a fancy side dish and youre sure to impress even your mother in law.

Your lobster tails might start off a fresh or frozen, being in New England, fresh lobster is easy to come by but frozen might be all you can get in some parts of the country and in the off season. If your lobster tails are frozen, you need to thaw them out (you can cook them frozen but they will not be as tender). Put them in the fridge for 10 hours or so or thaw them in the microwave on defrost be very careful if you choose this method as you dont want them to start cooking in the microwave.

After they are thawed, remove the meat from the shell by cutting open the back of the shell split it down the middle and open it up to reveal the meat. Lift the meat out you can leave the fan part of the tail on for show or not. Remove the vein.

Boiling Lobster Tails
Boil a pot of water large enough for all the tails to float in, add 1 tsp salt for each quart of water. Drop the tails in the boiling water and cook for about 1 minute per oz thawed (so 10 0z of tails needs to cook for 10 minutes). If you are cooking a lot of tails, add a minute or two on to the total time.

Cooking Lobster Tails in the Oven
Lobster tails can be baked or broiled in the oven. To cook thawed lobster in the oven,set the oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the tails with butter and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. If broiling, place the tails 4 or 5 inches from the heat and broil for 2 5 minutes. When broiling keep a very close eye on them so that they dont burn on the tops.

Cooking Lobster Tails On The Grill
Oil the grill to keep the lobsters from sticking. Put the grill on medium heat. Brush the lobster tails with butter and place on the grill. Make sure that the tails do not burn if there are any flames on the grill move the lobster away from it. Grill on each side for 4-5 minutes.
Take care not to overcook your lobster or it will be rubbery and tasteless. Lobster is cooked when it is no longer transparent.

Lee Dobbins is owner and editor of Online Gourmet Foods where you can find out about your favorite foods, including gourmet seafood and lobster

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Mexican Cooking

A Camp Kit for Your Car or Truck

An item you will find indispensable for car or truck camping is a camp kit. You can store all the basics, such as stove and lantern, in a simple tote box. You can find them at most hardware and department stores. I have found that a plastic tote with a locking cover works best. This way the tote is light and will not spill the contents if it falls over. The tote I use measures sixteen (16) inches high by twenty-four (24) inches long by seventeen (17) inches wide and has locking handles. It carries all the basics you will need, plus a couple of extras.

Basic items your camp kit should hold are:

1. Coleman stove- This can be duel fuel or propane.

2. Lantern

3. Cook Kit w/ plates and cups

4. Silverware Kit- Described later

5. Foil

6. Dish soap

7. Brillo Pads

8. Two Dishcloth's

9. Two Small Towels - These can be used to wrap the lantern during transit.

10. Salt and Pepper

11. Spices - You will want your food to taste good at camp. Maybe it's time to try something new.

12. Campfire Grill

13. Utensils for the cooking over the fire, all with long handles.

14. Duct Tape

15. Twenty-Five to Fifty feet of rope - Clothes line or parachute cord will work.

16. Mason Twine - for tying down tarps

17. Two decks of playing cards

18. Cribbage Board

19. Reflector Oven or Camp stove Oven

20. Hatchet

21. Bow saw

22. Trash bags - Use grocery bags during the day and put in a large bag at night.

23. Assorted baggies

24. Matches - The strike anywhere type

25. Toilet paper

26. Extra tent stakes

27. Fuel funnel- For stove and lantern, in a plastic bag

28. Tent repa00000643ir kit

29. Mixing bowl

As you pack these items, make a list on 3X5 cards. When you are done, tape the cards to the inside of the lid. The list is always there to check that everything is in the kit before you leave. When setting up the silverware kit, start with new utensils. You can find good deals on utensils at most department stores. You will also need a small cotton towel, a dish towel will do. The towel will be used as a pouch. Just fold one third up and sew the edges together. When you are done, fill the pouch with utensils and roll it up. After washing the silverware at camp, you can throw it in the towel and let the towel dry it.

Utensil List:

1. 8 forks

2. 8 spoons

3. 8 knives

4. 4 soup spoons

5. 4 steak knives

6. Spatula

7. large spoon

8. large spoon with holes

With your kit, you are ready to go camping anywhere at anytime. So make your list and take a day to gather supplies and set up your own camp kit, you will be glad you did.

Ron Shannon is a Reg. Maine guide from Clinton, Me. USA. He has been camping for over thirty years, using camp as a base for fishing, canoeing and hunting trips. Though he now uses a travel trailer, he has amassed his 000018B1knowledge from tents to trailers through years of trial and error. His camps have ranged from camping alone to as many as twenty people. Copyright Ron Shannon

You can find info on writing your own articles at our web site: http://shannonsenterprises.com Contact: rbsarticles@roadrunner.com

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What is a Chimenea and How Do You Cook With One?

Chimeneas are becoming increasing popular because, aside from making an attractive garden feature, they will also function as a garden heater and a barbeque.

The original chimenea has its origins in Mexico where it has been used for hundreds of years as an outdoor bread oven, but its visually pleasing terra cotta appearance has now made it one of the "must have" items of patio furniture.

So how do they work?

Chimeneas are made from two sections. The first is a spherically shaped oven with a large open side entrance and the second is a flue or chimney. The chimney section is connected to the open top of the oven section to create what appears to be a single unit. They can be anything from 3 feet to 12 feet in height.

You use the chimenea by placing it on a special stand or cradle (which may be of fired clay or iron) and which suspends the oven above the ground. Dry wood (or BBQ coals) are then ignited in the oven chamber and the action of the flue, which sucks air through the open oven and out through the chimney, does the rest.

You cook the food by placing any meats or vegetables on an open metal grill that sits within the stove section at an appropriate height above the burning fuel000006E0. This cooking platform should be supplied with the other items of the kit and may be height adjustable.

The unusual cooking action of this kind of outdoor stove is versatile and multi fold and it allows food to be prepared in a special way that produces a unique flavour.

Firstly, the heat from the burning fuel cooks the food in a char grilling style, whilst the radiated heat from the oven's side walls ensure that the heat is evenly spread within the cooking chamber enabling "all round" cooking to take place, i.e. it is not usually necessary to turn food that is being cooked in this kind of stove.

The final cooking action of chimeneas is the smoking of the food and this is produced by the powerful action of the flue which sucks the air and smoke from the burning fuel up, through, and around the food.

For this reason the selection of fuels to burn is particularly important because the smoke, flavours and intrinsic qualities of the fuel will add to the taste of the food.

Most people who cook with terra cotta stoves tend to burn wood rather than coal and the wood used can play an important role in the ultimate taste of the food. Woods sourced from fruit trees are the most popular and those with experience in using a chimenea will often add herbs or nuts to the fuel for extra taste infusions.

The types of food that you can cook with these versatile ovens range from every kind of meat and vegetable, to fruits, pies, breads and pastries. They also have the advant00004000age of remaining hot for a long time which makes them excellent for slow cooking, or for the secondary use of providing heat in a patio area.

You can find out more about the different kinds of chimenea that are available (including those made from cast iron) at http://www.gardenheaters.net/chimeneas.html You will also see information about fire pits and fire bowls which make ideal outdoor cooking stoves.

Always ensure that children are supervised when an outdoor stove, burner or heater is in use, or is still cooling down.

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Your Cooking Common Questions Answered

As a hobby, cooking has exploded in popularity thanks to such networks as Food Network providing hours upon hours of cooking shows. Cooking is something found worldwide in every culture.

Careers based in the culinary arts are found in every city and town across the United States. The love of food has brought us together as something we all share in common.

What is an appropriate age to begin teaching children how to cook?

As soon as a child can learn simple commands, safety rules and understands how to grasp utensils, they can learn to cook. Experts agree that children should be no younger than nine when handling sharp utensils and should ALWAYS have adult supervision. Accidents can happen very quickly in the kitchen.

It has been proven time and time again that children learn through imitation. Buy your child a play cooking set. Let them "pretend" too cook their favorite dishes on using plastic play sets and a play stove. Before long they will develop a love that is similar to your own.

Are there certain ingredients that I should always keep on hand?

The standard staples of the kitchen vary according to what the chef cooks. The basic staples are; flour, sugar, salt, pepper, butter (or margarine), oil, eggs and milk.

The more experienced chef might keep a wider variety of spices and ingredients on hand at all times. If you are a beginner, buy what you need as you come across recipes. This will save you time and money.

What are some cooking classes I can take?

There are a wide variety of cooking classes available. Many communities offer cooking classes especially for beginners. There are also cake decorating, candy making and ethnic cooking classes available. If you do not know how to whip something together for dinner, chances are high that there is a cooking class that can teach it.

Where can I take cooking classes?

Great question! Many communities and universities that offer adult continuing education cooking 000007E8classes for the novice or amateur chef and there are also classes hosted on the internet.

If you are considering a career as a chef, there are many world renowned culinary arts academies that can teach you everything you need to know. The only problem might be lack of experience and the high cost of tuition to one of these prestigious academies.

There are alternatives to the higher priced classes and that is a culinary arts course at a local community college.

What is the best type of cookbook to buy if I'm a beginner cook?

The best type of cookbook for a beginner is one that has a front section devoted entirely too explaining different cooking terms, measurement conversions and adequate substitutions.

The recipes should be simple to prepare but not boring. A great tip when buying a beginner's cookbook is to find one that has a sturdy cover, good binding such as the type found in a three-ring binder, and pages that are not easily stained. Betty Crocker has an excellent cookbook that works well for beginners.

Mike Selvon portal offers free cooking information. Find out more tips about cooking recipes, and leave a comment at the healthy cooking blog.

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