Monday, January 31, 2011

Cooking for Little Ones

Cooking for toddlers and growing children presents some unique challenges along the way. While you want to provide them with those ever so important nutrients, it is often difficult to get them to eat those foods that are best for their growing bodies. We are all probably well aware of the food pyramid and the number of servings our children need of healthy grains, proteins, fruits, vegetables, and calcium products. Getting them to eat these nourishing foods is another matter all together unfortunately.

vegetablesImage via WikipediaThe good news when cooking for children is that you do not necessarily need to incorporate all the important nutrients into every meal. The truth of the matter is that raw cucumbers, thinly sliced and sprinkled with salt, make a much healthier snack than potato chips and many little ones actually love this for a snack. You get a vegetable in their system and they are getting a treat at snack time. The same holds true for melon and cantaloupes. These make excellent snacks and can also be a great and healthy part of the diet for little ones.

When it comes to cooking for little ones, however man, woman, and child cannot live on macaroni and cheese alone. (It's been tried and tested and failed miserably.)  Try mixing things up whenever you can while keeping meals kid-friendly. It is important that you try to introduce whole grains, proteins, and vegetables whenever possible at meal times around your home.

Cooking healthier meals for kids is now easier than ever before. Fresh fruits and vegetables are best whenever possible. However, if you cannot manage fresh, you should avoid canned (fruits especially as they are often swimming in sugary sweetness) whenever possible. Frozen is far preferable to canned when it comes to both fruit and vegetables, as there are often fewer additives, and frozen foods are often frozen soon after picking, preserving many nutrients which may be lost from canned foods during processing.

If you need some great meal ideas that are kid-friendly and easy on the budget, you can often find recipes readily available online. You can meet your child's calcium and dairy product needs by adding milk as the drink of choice for meals or a slice of (REAL - NOT "American") cheese melted over their favorite vegetable. Ice cream, yogurt, and pudding also make excellent calcium rich treats, in moderation of course.

A picture of a collection of healthy (low-calo...Image via WikipediaEncourage your children to try new things rather than cooking the same few meals over and over again that you know they are likely to eat. This prevents two things from happening. First of all, it helps you not to get bored when cooking for your children. Second, it allows your children to try new flavors and textures and form opinions about them. By trying new things they will learn not only about the things they dislike but also the foods they really enjoy. And they are more likely to grow up to become adults with a more adventurous (and healthy) palate when they are out on their own and cooking for themselves!

You should also keep in mind that your children are people too when cooking for them. Just as you have foods you like and dislike, they also will develop tastes over time. Those tastes may also change in time as well. It's frustrating, I know, to spend time and money preparing a meal only to have your child push the plate away and refuse to even try the meal. For this, I recommend enlisting their help in the kitchen. Children are much more likely to eat the things they had a hand in preparing as a matter of accomplishment and pride. (It's psychological warfare I know but all is fair in war and dinnertime!)

Perhaps the greatest gift you can give yourself (much greater than the help in the kitchen) by 'forcing' your little ones to help prepare dinner is that they will learn to better appreciate your culinary efforts and eat peacefully rather than sullenly. This tactic has met with great success in many households when cooking for little ones. I hope you will enjoy the same degree of success as well. (We'll talk more about cooking with your kids in our next post, so  be sure to check back later this week!)
Enhanced by Zemanta
Cooking Ideas for Kids:
   

Friday, January 28, 2011

Cooking for Special Occasions

We all have those moments in our lives when we feel as if everything needs to be exactly right. It is these moments that we often refer to as special occasions. When it comes to cooking for special occasions, many of us find that we drop the ball in our anticipation and feel as though we have ruined the moment. While this is often far from the truth, it does serve to diminish the moment in many of our minds. For this reason, you need to work up a repertoire, if you will, of simple to make special occasion cooking recipes.

You will be shocked and amazed at all the sinfully rich and delicious meals and side dishes that are out there, that are amazingly quick and easy to prepare. This means that (hopefully) you will not run into the all-too-common disaster scenarios that you hear about and will still manage to have a wonderful meal that is enjoyed by all.

Beef top round with parsnips, carrots, onion, ...Image via WikipediaOne trick is to choose a rather simple meat dish and dress it up with more decadent side dishes. Incredibly rich side dishes that are simple to prepare are greater in number than meat dishes that require little culinary effort. You should also keep in mind the audience for your special occasion. Sometimes a family favorite makes the occasion seem much more special than an all out effort for chicken cordon bleu or veal Marsala. There is no point in going to an extreme effort to create a culinary masterpiece if it is going to be belittled by picky children proclaiming that they do not like this or that about your meal.

Another great idea when it comes to cooking for special occasions is to prepare as much as possible ahead of time in order to alleviate the pressure during the event and to allow you more time to enjoy the event rather than dealing with the details of meal preparation. The greatest gift you can really give yourself when cooking for special occasions is the time necessary to enjoy these special occasions. This is not to say that there isn't some cooking that will need to be done.

Foods that can be prepared ahead of time and reheated just prior to serving are often the best when it comes to cooking for special occasions. There are all kinds of appetizers, entrees, and desserts that will work perfectly in this particular instance. You can often find them by performing a simple Google search online or by sorting through many of your favorite cookbooks at home. (Or keep an eye on this blog for suggestions and ideas.) The important thing is that you do not get so caught up in the idea of cooking for special occasions that you forget to actually enjoy the occasion itself!

Chefs cooking with a wok in China. Preparing f...Image via WikipediaIf this is not the way you prefer to do things that is perfectly understandable. Some of us do thrive in high stress situations. The key for those who prefer to do all the meal preparation when cooking for special occasions at the time of cooking is planning properly and allowing plenty of time for possible hiccups in the process. Mistakes occur when people feel rushed and hurried in their culinary efforts.

Another common mistake when cooking for special occasions is cooking outside of your comfort zone. When you are preparing a challenging recipe it is best if you do this during a time when you are not going through the stress of potential visitors and pleasing large numbers of people. In other words, it is best to challenge your culinary talents when you do not have a vested interest in success.

Special occasions are a great time for friends and family. The hope is that you will have many special occasions throughout your life. Do not waste too much time and energy fretting over cooking for these events - instead, remember that creating a delicious meal for your special occasion can be just another part of the enjoyment.

Some Cooking Resources for Special Events:
    

Enhanced by Zemanta

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Cooking Tips for Large Events

If you're cooking for a crowd, as mentioned in the last post, here are some other helpful articles, tips, and recipes that can make your event more fun and Thanksgiving ovenImage via Wikipediasuccessful, and less stressful!  (Of course you know the first is my favorite, since it's about eating local!) :-)

Try some of these ideas out, and feel free to share your own below.


Local Cooking for a Crowd
In 2007, I read a review of Barbara Kingsolver's “Animal, Vegetable, Mineral,” detailing her family's year of eating locally. On a whim, I decided that my family would do the same, only just for six months. ...
Publish Date: 01/17/2011 0:35
http://juliebuckles.blogspot.com/2011/01/local-cooking-for-crowd.html

Budget Cooking for a Crowd
Here you will learn the best meals and tips when cooking for a crowd on a budget.
Publish Date: 09/27/2010 11:24
http://www.suite101.com/content/budget-cooking-for-a-crowd-a290527

Cooking for a Crowd: Melt-in-your-mouth Sloppy Joes and Other ...
This article will give you some good ideas for cooking for a crowd that include kitchen management, cooking, plating and execution. One of the best main courses serving a large crowd are slow-cooked meats. These can go in the oven hours ...
Publish Date: 02/18/2009 14:58
http://www.suite101.com/content/cooking-for-a-large-crowd-a88533

Cooking for a Crowd for the Holidays? Try Our Savory Baked Egg ...
Savory Egg Tarts for a Crowd. I love eggs. I love them boiled, scrambled, fried. My all time favorite egg is poached. I LOVE the Egg Poaching scene in the movie Julie and Julia where Julie tries an egg for the very first time. ...
Publish Date: 11/29/2010 20:26
http://www.fabfrugalfood.com/entrees/savory-baked-egg-tarts/

Cooking for a Crowd? Need Large Quantity Recipes? Why Not Create ...
Here are a few tips and suggestions on how to modify your favorite 4-6 serving recipes when you find yourself cooking for a crowd of [...] Related posts: CHICKEN DIVAN; CRISPY ORIENTAL CHICKEN WINGS (MICROWAVE); ORIENTAL CHICKEN WINGS.
Publish Date: 12/22/2010 22:19
http://www.findbestfood.net/cooking-for-a-crowd-need-large-quantity-recipes-why-not-create-your-own/

Enhanced by Zemanta

Monday, January 24, 2011

Cooking for Crowds Shouldn't be a Frightening Proposition

So far this month we have discussed cooking for one, as well as cooking for two, but the next topic we'll cover this month in our cooking-for-special-situations series is a larger and often scarier proposition for many - cooking for a whole lot of people! (With the Super Bowl coming up, this may be a helpful one....)

Water is often used to cook foods such as noodles.Image via WikipediaMost people balk at the idea of cooking for large crowds of people. With images of huge stockpots boiling over and becoming chained to a hot stove and oven for countless hours on end, it's no wonder that so many people avoid the idea of cooking food for large crowds with more tenacity than they avoid being last in the dinner line.

The good news is that it doesn't have to be the frightening proposition that so many make it out to be. When it comes to cooking for a large crowd, the planning phase is the most important. You absolutely must plan your meals when feeding a large group of people. This goes far beyond the notion of spaghetti or fried chicken as the meals you are planning. You need to know how many servings you will need. While obviously you never know how hungry people will be or who will eat how much when it comes to cooking for a large crowd it is a good idea to always plan for a few extra mouths in case some need a little more than you may think (you might want to double servings for teen and college aged men that will be dining).

You need to know at least a general number of servings to prepare and adjust your recipes in order to accommodate those needs. Some people find it much simpler if they can double or triple recipes rather than scaling them to specific serving sizes. If this works best for you then by all means incorporate this practice when cooking for crowds.

Cover of "Cooking for Crowds"Cover of Cooking for CrowdsHaving the proper ingredients and the proper amounts of ingredients is more important in bulk recipes than is often necessary in smaller recipes as there is less leeway when it comes to creating the proper consistency. You should keep this in mind when making purchases for your large event.

Some people find the best route to take when it comes to cooking for crowds is to keep everything as close to their normal cooking routine as possible. This would mean that instead of cooking one really huge pan of lasagna for a triple sized crowd, they would instead cook three normal sized pans of lasagna. This accomplishes two things and is a tip you may wish to keep in mind despite a bit of extra time spent in the kitchen.

First of all, if something goes with one, wrong only one third of the meal is in shambles rather than the entire dinner. Second, you have a greater possibility of finding consistency issues before the baking begins if you are using measurements and cooking containers that you are familiar with and comfortable using. It is always best to discover errors and omissions sooner rather than later when it comes to cooking as very few ingredients can be properly added after the fact.

While cooking for crowds may send some into dizzy spells with heart palpitations it helps if you take a few deep breaths, sit down, plan your menu, plan your meals, make a list of your ingredients, and cook in a manner that is comfortable for you. If you would rather get it all over with in one fell swoop, then by all means do just that. If you are more comfortable making multiple dishes of family favorites then that is probably going to be the best course of action in order to meet your large crowd cooking needs.

Most importantly you should remember when cooking for crowds is that you might have just earned yourself a well-deserved night off afterwards. Cooking for crowds is time consuming and should be approached when well rested (if that is even possible) for the best results. But there is something that is actually very satisfying about knowing that you have fed a crowd and fed them well.
Enhanced by Zemanta

A Few Resources for Cooking for Crowds:
    

Friday, January 21, 2011

Video - Romantic Dinner for Two (Men, Watch This!)

Here's a little something for the guys!  This may be about a month early, but since we're doing a series on cooking for two this week, I figured we'd throw this in a little early, and you can start your planning!

This one is really for the guys - if you're a woman, you can still watch it, but it is really oriented towards men making a nice romantic dinner for their special lady. Get some great tips here in this 15-minute video, and some good meal ideas for Valentine's day or another special meal for the two of you (although sadly, it's not all from scratch.....).

Romantic Dinner For Two
Jack Scalfani teaches guys how to make a nice romantic dinner for the ladies. Be sure to subscribe to this channel and check out the "Jack on the Go" channel at youtube.com



Enhanced by Zemanta

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Recipe for Two - Fresh Veggie Omelet

Here's a great recipe perfect for a delicious, healthy and filling breakfast (or brunch...or heck, why not dinner?) for you and your honey (or mom, or son, etc.).

This recipe serves about two, but feel free to adjust quantities as desired. Other veggies may also be substituted - some suggestions are listed below the recipe. Enjoy, and be sure to let us know how you liked it!

Fresh Veggie Omelet for Two:

4 (or more if desired) eggs (organic, from pasture-raised hens), beaten well
1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
4-5 medium shitake mushrooms, washed and stems removed, sliced crosswise in 1/2" slices
1 large handful fresh sunflower sprouts, washed
1-2 TB real butter (preferably organic)
1/3 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions:
1. Melt 1 TB butter in large skillet until it foams. Add carrots & mushrooms and saute, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes (you may wish to cover the pan for part of this time, but remove cover to let any liquid evaporate for last couple of minutes).
2. Add sprouts to pan, and stir well - about 1 minute more. Sprinkle in a bit of salt (try garlic salt for a little kick) and pepper.
5. Add a bit more butter and stir to melt, making sure bottom of pan is coated. Spread vegetables evenly in bottom of skillet.
6. Pour eggs gently over vegetables to cover. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover pan tightly.
7. Let cook 2-3 minutes, then rotate pan, turn off heat, and let sit 3 minutes more, or until eggs are firm and cheese is melted. (If eggs are still not quite firm on top, remove lid, and place under broiler for 1-2 minutes (keep a close eye on it!).
8. Slide onto a plate and season with salt & fresh ground pepper (we like Himalayan Pink Salt especially well, both for its taste and health benefits)
 9. Devour!

Omelets are great for any level of cook, as they are very easy, and lend themselves well to experimentation. Here are a few suggestions if you wish to try changing it up a bit - or come up with your own!

* Try different veggies, such as tiny-cut broccoli flowerettes, green or red peppers, etc.
* Try different (or mixed) varieties of mushrooms,
* Substitute alfalfa, bean, or other sprouts for the sunflower sprouts, or try tender greens such as spinach, arugula, dandelion, etc.
* Use other cheeses, such as Monterey Jack, Colby, different cheddars, Parmesan, Swiss, or others
* Add fresh or dried herbs - parsley is almost always good, or perhaps a few leaves of fresh basil?
* Get creative, and come up with your own combinations!

Enhanced by Zemanta

Monday, January 17, 2011

Cooking for Two

Whether you are cooking for two out of a sense of romance or necessity you will find that there are many resources online and off when it comes to finding the perfect combinations for those terrific twosomes. One thing to keep in mind however is that when cooking for two, it is sometimes best if two are doing the cooking! This gives cooking an opportunity to become a communication event rather than a chore.

Two women cookingImage via WikipediaDespite the fact that there are many resources and recipes available to those that are cooking for two there are also equal occasions to take traditional recipes that are designed to feed four and make them an opportunity to stretch your food dollars even further. By cooking traditional meals for four and feeding a portion you have managed to cook two meals for the time investment of one. It's a good deal for many, particularly those that do not relish the idea of cooking at all, much less of cooking for two.

Young couples and older couples alike often find that it is easier and almost as inexpensive to hit the fast food or other casual dining establishments than it is to prepare a nice healthy meal for two at home. The one thing they often forget is that cooking for two can be an interesting way to bring a little romance into the evening when done right of course. (Not to mention, it can be MUCH healthier!)

Cooking is an art that most people have forgotten, but if you are looking to eat healthy and save money, it is also a necessary act unless you wish to live on sushi and raw vegetables. (Even in these situations however there is typically some degree of preparation that is involved in the process.) Food is beautiful and can be beautifully arranged if you are of the mind to do so. This means that you can spend a great deal of time not only creating new and delicious foods, but also visually appealing food combinations as well - even if it's just for the two of you!

When cooking for two you will have quite a bit of opportunity for experimentation when it comes to food. You have the option of trying great new cuisines and the knowledge that if you do not like the dish, you are not wasting too many servings. You can try to mix and match flavors and textures. You can make works of art on your plate or go for the guts, gore, and eyeballs galore. Cooking for two opens doors that aren't necessarily available when cooking for larger crowds with more limiting tastes.

A Sunday roast consisting of roast beef, roast...Image via WikipediaCooking for two is a great way to get your partner involved in the cooking process as well. When cooking for two you can discover the many great things that you both enjoy and those that aren't so appealing to one or the other of you. Make sure that when you are cooking for two that you invite an open and honest dialog about the things that you like and dislike about the meals being prepared. This will help you discover things to add to your regular menu as well as things to avoid making a part of your dinner rotation.

Perhaps the greatest thing about cooking for two is the fact that you can afford to enjoy special occasion cuisine more often when you are only feeding two than when you are feeding larger crowds. Bring on the steaks and lobster tail! Learn how to make shrimp scampi and filet mignon. Take the time, when cooking for two, to prepare those dishes that you love most. After all, it is really living when you live to dine rather than when you dine to live.

Cooking for two is so much more than a cliché. It is a great way to explore the culinary universe while exposing your palates to some wonderful surprises along the way. The Internet, bookstores, and libraries are filled with books about cooking for two. Take advantage of the opportunity to do just that and you'll be amazed at the world of flavors you've invited into your kitchen.
Enhanced by Zemanta

A Few Good Cooking-for-Two Resources:
 

Friday, January 14, 2011

Cooking for One - News & Articles

Cooking Röschti in Blantyre, MalawiImage via Wikipedia
For those attempting the challenge (or joys) of cooking for one, here are some good articles you may wish to check out. From recipe suggestions, to special tips and ideas specific to the single cook, there is lots of good information to be found on the topic. You can also find many good recipe books for single cooks on Amazon.com.

Cooking for One | a ¢ent's view
A bit of prose, a bit of poetry, a bit of truth-telling.
Publish Date: 01/07/2011 23:15
http://acentsview.com/2011/01/07/cooking-for-one/

Cooking For One Can Be A Challenge – Consider Meal Sharing!
It is a fact however, that people who live alone have a hard time cooking a proper meal for themselves, who lose the “Chef” and just have the “Solo”. Just do a search on Amazon for “Cooking for one” and you'll get 1075 results for ...
Publish Date: 01/05/2011 13:43
http://kilbornwellness.wordpress.com/2011/01/05/cooking-for-one-can-be-a-challenge-consider-meal-sharing/

Cooking Tips For Singles |
Cooking Tips For Singles. All food is separated into portion-size bags, especially commercially bagged veggies and frozen meats, and yes I buy in bulk when there are specials. Fresh chicken (pieces) is usually cooked in bulk and frozen. ...
Publish Date: 08/11/2010 3:00
http://www.ca-oe.org/121-cooking-tips-for-singles.html

Food and Drink » Cooking Tips For Singles
I love cooking, I choose several of my favorite meals, purchase my ingredients and containers that suit the type of meal you are cooking and then cook and freeze. Another great cooking tips for singles! I make delicious hamburgers from ...
Publish Date: 01/07/2011 9:05
http://lynksurf.info/cooking-tips-for-singles/
Enhanced by Zemanta

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Recipes for One

Here are some great recipe ideas that work well if you are cooking for one - just yourself, or another single in your life.

Cooking for one?Image by ScottHernandez via FlickrCooking for one doesn't have to be boring, bland, or unhealthy - you can make healthy choices and delicious recipes that satisfy your tastebuds and your tummy, and keep you healthy and happy, all by yourself. (The third recipe is from a great blog that you may want to bookmark if you often cook for one.)

Cooking for One: Easy Fish Recipes
As a healthy eating option, fish is excellent. These fish recipes for Kedgeree, Fish Loaf and Fish Balls are fast and easy when cooking for one person.
Publish Date: 01/03/2011 18:15
http://www.suite101.com/content/cooking-for-one-easy-fish-recipes-a327509

Cooking for One: Quick and Easy Savoury Cheese Dish Recipes
These easy savoury cheese dish recipes use store cupboard ingredients - perfect for one person who wants a tasty meal that can be prepared in minutes.
Publish Date: 01/01/2011 22:32
http://www.suite101.com/content/cooking-for-one-quick-and-easy-savoury-cheese-dish-recipes-a326763

Thai Chicken and Vegetable Curry
Add the onion and zucchini and stir-fry over moderately high heat for 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the curry paste, coconut milk, water, and lime juice and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and stir ...
Publish Date: 11/12/2010 16:51
http://cookingforone.ashleylojko.com/2010/11/12/thai-chicken-curry/
Enhanced by Zemanta

Monday, January 10, 2011

Cooking for One

This month we will focus on a couple of different common scenarios where cooking from scratch may seem a challenge - namely, when you are cooking for a very small number, or picky eaters!  This week, we tackle the challenges of cooking for one.

Cover of "Cooking for One"Cover of Cooking for OneIt is often frustrating to attempt to plan meals that are designed for one. But we are seeing more and more recipe books and Internet websites that are dedicated to the act of cooking for one. Divorce and the death of spouses or grown children leaving for college are all reasons that someone accustomed to cooking for more than one would suddenly need to learn how to adjust all the cooking practices utilized before into a streamlined plan of cooking that is more efficient for one person.

The mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make cooking for one a challenge rather than a trial. Use this opportunity to try new and exciting cuisines. Perhaps one of the greatest things about cooking for one is the fact that it isn't quite as expensive as cooking for two. This means that you have a little more money in the grocery budget with which to plan and prepare your meals.

One thing you may want to keep in mind however is that when cooking for one, you may also want to prepare foods that are freezable. It may save more time (and in the end money) if you cook the full 2-4 servings that most recipes call for and freeze the leftovers in single serving portions for a later point in time. This leaves you with a freezer full of foods for those nights when the thought of cooking just seems beyond your capabilities. This also leaves you with doing the work once and enjoying the fruits of your efforts many times over. This is a great position to be in if you ask me.

We are finding more and more recipes and cookbooks that are designed around the concept of cooking for one. No matter what situation placed you in the position of cooking for one, there is no reason that you shouldn't enjoy great food that is exciting and pleasant simply because you are dining alone. There is no harm in enjoying a fabulous meal with a glass of wine and great music even if you're the only one there to enjoy it! I started cooking for myself in college, and at first, I didn't really care for it.... So I didn't cook that much unless I had friends coming over.  But once I was really out on my own I really started experimenting with new foods (and I moved to Louisiana, which didn't hurt!), and found that I absolutely LOVE cooking for myself - trying new recipes, new techniques, new spices and flavors, etc. I really don't think I would have become such a creative cook if I was trying to please someone else's palate.

tiny thanksgivingImage by jgodsey via FlickrRemember you are what you eat and if you relegate yourself to boring meals that lack excitement and spice you will find it hard to keep motivated to make yourself meals. However if you decide to reach out and try new and exciting dishes with every meal you prepare when cooking for one, it will show in the way you embrace life in other areas as well. While we should not live to eat, we should also not limit ourselves to eating to live. Enjoy the foods you prepare whether the portions are large or small in size.

If you do not want to invest heavily in cookbooks that relate to cooking for one, it is quite possible that your local public library will have a few from which you can find some excellent recipes tips and resources. While you are there be sure to check out their selection of exotic food cookbooks in order to spice things up a bit. You never know what treasures you may discover on the shelves or your local library. You may even find local resources on classes that center on the idea of cooking for one. If the library proves to be a bust as far as resources go, the Internet is full of recipes, tips, and hints for those who are cooking for one.

This week, we will also feature some more ideas and recipes for cooking from scratch, solo, so be sure to check back on this blog in a day or two. And be sure to come back next week, if you're more interested in cooking for two!

Some Good Cooking-For-One Resources:
 
Enhanced by Zemanta

Friday, January 7, 2011

Chinese Cooking for the Whole Family

When it comes to the family, you’ll find that there are some foods that everyone loves, but then there are some savory dishes that are too much for the kids.  You’ll find that if you allow the kids to get involved with dinner, they will be more inclined to make good, healthy food choices. You will be able to make egg rolls and even won-tons with the kids, but you’ll want to make sure that everyone plays a role in making dinner.

Egg rollsImage via WikipediaKids usually love to make the egg rolls, but you may also want to consider giving them the freedom of choosing their own stuffing for the rolls. This way you will be able to entice your children to make healthier choices, and get involved in the process of making their own food. You’ll find that there are some egg rolls like ham and cheese that the kids will enjoy, or you can go less traditional and put a new twist on the PB & J sandwich. This is just a fun and creative way to share some time with the kids. You’ll find that the whole experience is fun for all.

The traditional won-ton has things like pork and vegetables in it, however, for a special and easy treat, you may consider placing things like cream cheese or chocolate inside. Keep in mind that your imagination is the only thing that can hold you back from sharing quality time with your family in the kitchen!

If you have older children, more traditional foods may be quite a hit if you get them involved in the creation process. You’ll want to get the older kids to help chop things up, but also teach your children the correct way of making simple things like rice and Chinese noodles or stir-fry and lo mein. This will come in handy when they grow up and have a family of their own.

Have fun, and get creative, and your family will enjoy both the time spent together, and the yummy results!


Chinese Cooking for the Family - Good Resources:
 
Enhanced by Zemanta

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Video - Chicken Lo Mein Recipe

Here is a great, quick and yummy meal idea for an easy weeknight dinner. This short video shows how to create a delicious meal in only a few minutes. Please note that the instructions/ingredients are shown on the video screen itself, so be careful not to miss them, and you will probably want to jot them down - you may want to watch it a couple of times - it's less than 2 minutes long, and it goes pretty fast.

Enjoy!

Chicken Lo Mein Recipe - Chinese Food
Chicken Lo Mein Recipe - Chinese Food Marinate: 1 small chicken breast chopped 1 - 1/2 in. pieces 1 teaspoon corn starch 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon cooking wine 1 teaspoon fish sauce Boil 6 oz. rice noodles for 12 minutes - strain rinse Sauce: 2...


Enhanced by Zemanta

Monday, January 3, 2011

Easy Chinese Recipes

If you're like most people, there are a lot of things that you have to do in a day. You don’t want to spend all day on dinner, but you also want to keep in mind that a good and wholesome meal can be served within an hour. You’ll find that there are a lot of ingredients that can be left out of some recipes so that you are able to keep things simple and easy.  It also depends on whether you are an experienced cook or a beginner. Some people will struggle with some dishes, but you can actually do quite a lot with just rice, veggies, and one type of meat.

Westernized version of Kung Pao chicken, serve...Image via WikipediaThe more ingredients that you add, the more complicated you are making things. You don’t want to make cooking difficult, but you do want to make sure that these recipes are something that you will enjoy as well. With Chinese cooking, you can start simply with rice and then work your way into making a delicious meal.

Keep in mind that white rice only takes about twenty minutes (40 for brown) and it shouldn’t take any longer than that for you to cut up some meat and vegetables, which can be made into a quick and easy stir-fry. You’ll want to keep things simple at first, but then you can get as fancy as you like when you start to get used to the art of cooking Chinese food. When it comes to choosing your recipe you’ll also need to decide how many people you are going to have to feed. When you decide how much and of what you’ll be able to jump into dinner and have it down within an hour.

Here are a couple of quick and easy Chinese recipes - try one this week, and let us know how it turns out!

Tastes of Home: Lamb with Ginger and Scallions Stir-fry Recipe...
Chinese Steamed Cake Recipe 蒸蛋糕 · Kung Pao Chicken Recipe 宫保鸡丁 · Pajeon (Korean Green Onion Pancake) Recipe 파전 · Easy Chinese Egg Steamed Cake Recipe 水蒸鸡蛋糕 · Stir-fried Udon Noodles with Chicken and Mushrooms Recipe ...
Publish Date: 12/26/2010 7:39
http://tastesofhome.blogspot.com/2010/12/lamb-with-ginger-and-scallions-stir-fry.html

Healthy Beef & Broccoli Chinese Stir Fry Recipe: A Delicious ...
Try this heart-healthy beef and broccoli stir fry recipe with authentic Chinese cuisine taste.
Publish Date: 02/11/2010 15:45
http://www.suite101.com/content/healthy-chinese-stir-fry-recipe-a200900

Stir Fry Chinese Chicken - Cooking Expert Rida Aftab In Tarka On ...
Stir Fry Chinese Chicken - Chicken Stir fry is very healthy, would you like being able to make your own stir-fry chinese chicken at home? Here you will learn an authentic recipe that tastes just like we are out at a chinese restaurants.
Publish Date: 12/26/2010 12:39
http://www.khanapakana.com/recipe/templates/?a=2EF405FD-9622-4614-A24C-13E8EAEFE60A

Enhanced by Zemanta

Other Chinese Recipe Ideas: