"If they want peace, nations should avoid the pin-pricks that precede cannon shots."Napoleon Bonaparte
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Chef Phil's Brief Introduction to Cooking
Hi there, this is Phil and I'd like to give you an overview which should assist you in your future cooking endeavors. 1. Recipes Are Merely Translations... This means simply, that through many vehicles of conception, what prevails consistant is the ...
Italian Minestrone Soup
Minestrone ½ lb dried cranberry beans 2 ½ quarts of water ½ lb fresh green beans, broken into halves 3 oz diced salt pork ½ lb peeled and diced potatoes 1 ½ Tbs extra virgin olive oil ½ lb peeled and diced onions 12 oz can diced tomatoes, or 1 cup ...
Using Barbecue Smokers For Added Flavor And Tenderness
Barbecue smokers add a delectable smokey flavor that at the same time makes food moist and tender every time. The slow cooking process of using barbecue smokers is perfect for fish, meat, vegetable or sausages. However most barbecue smokers are intended ...
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Let's get right to it!
1. Add Sour Cream to your mashed potatoes.
2. After icing your cinnamon rolls, dust the tops lightly with cinnamon.
3. Always use special napkins - use seasonally-appropriate patterns and colors. If your family has a favorite sports team, serve their colors on the days they're playing. If you are NASCAR fans, by all means, go with your driver's colors on race day!
4. Never underestimate the elegance of candles. They set the mood and add mood to your setting.
5. Use freshly-grated Parmesan and leave the cans on the shelves.
6. Serve only coffee that has been freshly-ground and freshly-brewed. Top this coffee off with a dollop of whipped topping, and if you're really feeling "high brow", fresh shavings from a block of chocolate.
7. Use REAL crumbled bacon on top of your salads and baked potatoes. Leave the plastic containers of wanna-be bacon bits on the shelves beside the Parmesan.
8. Speaking of salads, add crumbled feta cheese to your tossed salads. You'll never want salads without it again!
9. Never, ever, under any circumstances - make salsa without fresh cilantro. If your store is out, drive to the next store. If, three stores later, you still haven't found any cilantro, skip the idea of salsa all together! Yes, it's that important.
10. Add zip to your loaf of French Bread. Spray, or brush, the top of the loaf with olive oil. Then sprinkle on dried red pepper flakes and dried onion flakes. Bake as usual.
11. Get a rounded ice-cream scoop of ice cream, roll in crushed nuts and serve on top of a plate that's been swirled with caramel or chocolate syrup. Then squeeze more over the top.
12. Do the same as above, but use coconut in place of the crushed nuts. This time, place the balls of coconut-covered ice cream on top of slices of pound cake. Now, pour some pineapple bits, juice and all, on top of the servings.
13. Serving Italian food? Softly play Italian music in the background.
14. Invest in several sets of dishes, as many as your budget will allow. Match the "mood" of your meal you're serving with the "mood" of the dishes you'll be serving it on. For example, if you're serving seafood, either a "Lighthouse" dish pattern, or blue dishes would be perfect. Asian food is great on black or floral dishes. Hamburgers? Red, white and blue!
15. When making grilled cheese sandwiches, use a thin layer of cream cheese alongside your typical slice of cheddar. Serve with a knock-out salad or your favorite soup.
16. Set aside a Saturday for Candy making. Try out fudge, taffy and even molded candies. If you have someone in the kitchen with you, it's even funner. If not, at least you don't have to share your spoils!
17. Make a tradition out of trying a new, challenging bread recipe on the first Sunday of every month (or any day of your choice, of course!) Start out with the basic loaf, then move on to Sourdough, Wheat, Irish Bread, French Bread, Twisted Loaves, etc.
18. Place sprigs of parsley on special dishes. Your family will appreciate the extra-special thought and it looks really pretty!
19. Buy thick "Texas Toast" for making French Toast. Prior to dipping into the egg bath, cut a slit in each of the bread's corners, fill each with 1 Tablespoon of softened cream cheese. Prepare as you normally would. Serve with syrup, a dusting of powdered sugar and a few fresh, plump strawberries. Delicious!!!
20. When serving Refried Beans, warm a small amount of Sour Cream until it has the consistency of whipping cream. Top each serving of beans with a teaspoon of the sour cream and top with chives or diced green onions.
Remember: Cooking is an art, so get creative and have fun with it!
About the Author
This article, and others, can be found at http://www.buttermilkpress.com, as can recipes, cooking tips, products, and more. Feel free to contact the author at joi@buttermilkpress.com
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 The power of cooking skills
How letting children cook helps them eat better
Today's topic is: The Art of Cooking
Cooking was invented in prehistoric times, when a primitive tribe had a lucky accident. The tribe had killed an animal and was going to eat it raw, when a tribe member named Woog tripped and dropped it into the fire. At first, the other tribe members were angry at Woog, but then, as the aroma of burning meat filled the air, they had an idea. So they ate Woog raw.
After diabetes diagnosis, US celebrity chef feels heat
US cooking star Paula Deen, self-proclaimed "Queen of Southern Cuisine" famous for her dishes smothered in butter, has met a storm of outrage after revealing she has diabetes and is hawking a drug to treat the disease.
Cooking fires a growing problem in region
Greensburg firefighters rush into action as the sirens blare at 3 a.m. This January morning, like more than 200 times each year for the last three years.
World Chefs: Besh focuses on simple, family cooking
NEW YORK (Reuters) - American chef John Besh looked to his wife and four sons for inspiration for his second cookbook book which contains tips and recipes for busy parents and couples to cook simple, delicious meals. Besh, who has won various awards for his modern New Orleans cuisine, said "My Family Table" was created to help people in the kitchen. His ninth restaurant Borgne, a seafood eatery ...
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